This Reincarnation Requires a Subscription Fee

Just moments ago, I felt too full to take another bite, but suddenly the meat dish in front of me looked incredibly appetizing. I speared a piece with my fork and brought it to my mouth. It was truly delicious.

* * *

As soon as the dinner ended, Gallio hurriedly grabbed Noah’s hand and left the room. The Duke also disappeared quickly, likely occupied with other matters, leaving only Axel and me to leisurely exit the banquet hall.

“Axel!”

I quickly ran after Axel as he started to leave. Fortunately, he didn’t seem to be in the mood for a game of cat and mouse. I caught up to him and tugged at his pant leg, looking up at him with determined eyes.

“Axel.”

“What?”

“Thank you!”

Axel’s eyes widened at my sudden expression of gratitude.

“You risked your life to bring Bael back when I was about to die. So, thank you.”

“…”

Even though I had added a bit more to my thanks, Axel remained silent. I continued talking.

“But it was really dangerous. Don’t do that again. I still have over two years left to live, so I won’t die anytime soon.”

To be precise, I had about two years and seven months left on my reincarnation subscription!

I puffed out my chest proudly, and Axel let out a long sigh.

“After everything that happened, that’s what you say?”

“Yeah. I’m alive, aren’t I? That’s what matters.”

That’s the important thing. As long as you’re alive, everything else will work out, right? I blinked, seeking his agreement, but Axel just lightly tapped my forehead with his finger.

“That’s your problem. You always think it’s enough just to survive. That’s why you’re always so reckless. You never consider the people who worry about you while you’re off being careless…!”

Axel poured out his words, only to stop abruptly, as if he’d said too much. I giggled and playfully tapped his leg with my small fist.

“What’s this? Were you worried about me?”

“…Of course I was.”

Axel’s response was gruff, clearly embarrassed, and it made me smile even more.

“Yeah. Thanks for worrying about me.”

“And you’re smiling about that?”

“Yeah. And I worry about you too, Axel. So don’t do anything reckless either.”

“…”

“Let’s promise. No more reckless behavior. Pinky swear.”

I stretched my hand up as high as I could, holding out my pinky finger. Axel just stared at it for a moment. Impatient, I urged him.

“Come on. We’re grown up now. We’re too old to be doing reckless things.”

As I spoke with my chin held high, Axel let out a short, incredulous laugh.

“With such a tiny hand and that childish lisp, what do you mean you’re grown up? You’re still a kid, so you need to be ten times more careful than me.”

“What? Then since you’re an old man, Axel, you need to be a hundred times more careful than me.”

“A kid should be a thousand times more careful.”

“No way! An elder should be ten thousand times more careful!”

As we bickered, trying to outdo each other, the numbers kept escalating. We both ended up puffing with exaggerated frustration, shouting out higher and higher numbers, until finally, we caught each other’s eyes and burst out laughing.

“Really, just like old times,” Axel said with a resigned smile, lowering himself to hook his pinky with mine.

“Both of us, no more recklessness. A thousand times more careful than before.”

“Deal. It’s a promise.”

Axel and I sealed our agreement with a pinky swear, a contract made of trust with no paperwork. Even though it wasn’t binding, we both knew that breaking it would lead to endless teasing from the other, so we’d likely stick to it.

“And I have something to show you,” I said, pulling a flute out from my pocket and handing it to Axel.

“Eugene gave it to me. He said playing this would reduce pain. I think it needs to be investigated.”

* * *

“I don’t sense any magic in it.”

“It’s not divine power, either.”

Axel sat on my left and Bael on my right, each offering their thoughts on the flute.

*I had hoped they might discover something different from what I found on my own.*

But the conclusion was the same as mine.

“And Eugene said it hurt a lot during the purification ritual. Why do you think that is?”

“He said it hurt during the purification ritual?” Bael tilted his head, puzzled.

“That shouldn’t happen. The purification ritual is meant to cleanse and remove anything unnecessary from a person’s body…”

“Right? I thought it was strange too.”

But there was no reason to believe Eugene was lying. Axel and I had both witnessed how much pain Eugene was in during the ritual.

“I’ll look into that further in the records. I’ll also research the flute. The holy library in Kydsha has a lot of materials that could help.”

“Okay, that sounds good.”

The library in Elpinard is excellent, but when it comes to documents related to sacred rituals, Kydsha naturally has more resources. The information there would likely be more accurate as well.

“When are you planning to return to Kydsha?” I asked.

“I was thinking of heading back soon, now that you’re recovered. Plus, with this new matter to investigate, I’ll need to expedite my return.”

“Then I’ll go with you.”

“What?”

“Excuse me?”

Both Axel and Bael expressed their surprise at my statement in unison.

I tilted my head, wondering why they seemed so surprised, and answered, “The church keeps asking me to come, right? I figure I’ll have to go eventually, so it makes sense to go with Bael. And besides…”

I looked at Bael’s composed face and let out a deep sigh. 

“Bael, isn’t the church a dangerous place for you? I’ll go and take care of it. I’m a real saint now, with divine power and everything.”

“Hmm…”

Bael didn’t exactly deny it, just gave an awkward smile. He was always the type to downplay his situation, so it must be pretty bad if he couldn’t do that now. 

Axel, who had been quietly listening, narrowed his eyes sharply.

“In other words, there’s no one in the church who can adequately protect you.”

“But we can’t keep avoiding it forever, can we?”

“That’s true,” Axel sighed, clearly frustrated. 

“It would’ve been better if the Pope were still in good health.”

“Yeah, he was a good grandfather, wasn’t he?”

Bael nodded bitterly, agreeing with our assessment. The Pope had been a benefactor to us during our time with the expedition. When everyone else doubted and abandoned the young expedition team, the Pope provided us with both psychological and material support.

*More than half of our expedition’s funds came out of the Pope’s pocket.*

He was also the one who recognized Bael’s potential when he was just an orphan in the temple’s orphanage and chose him to become a priest. To Bael, the Pope was practically a father figure. I couldn’t even begin to imagine what it must have been like for Bael to watch someone so important to him deteriorate in health.

“I’ll go with you.”

Axel’s sudden declaration interrupted my thoughts. Without hesitation, I shook my head.

“No, you need to stay here and protect Eugene. Do you think Duke Kreutz will just leave him alone?”

The Duke had acknowledged his previously abandoned illegitimate child and performed a strange purification ritual, keeping him close. This clearly meant Eugene was valuable to him. While the Duke might be keeping a low profile for now, perhaps due to the official invitation from the Ivory Tower, he certainly wouldn’t give up easily. He wouldn’t back down without a fight.

Axel sighed deeply and looked at me, as if acknowledging my point about needing to protect Eugene.

“This reckless, tiny little kid,” Axel said, pointing first at me.

“And this overly optimistic quack of a priest,” he continued, nodding toward Bael.

“It’s really not a combination that inspires much confidence,” he muttered, looking increasingly exasperated as he thought it over.