This Reincarnation Requires a Subscription Fee

* * *

“It doesn’t seem like it will take too long to decipher, Resia.”

Eugene, who had been examining the document for some time, spoke lightly.

“It looks like there are a few repeated words in this document. If we start the interpretation based on this regularity, we can significantly reduce the time needed. We’re lucky.”

Eugene pointed to words with similar forms.

They were similar, but not exactly the same.

“Hmm… Are they really the same words? They look a little different.”

Despite my doubt, Eugene didn’t seem particularly flustered. It seemed he had expected such a question.

“That might be because these words are verbs, don’t you think? If we assume the roots are the same but the forms change slightly, it might turn out to be surprisingly easy. If we get stuck, we’ll just need to come up with a different assumption.”

It was a simple idea, but a fresh one.

When deciphering codes, the usual starting point is to find and compare similar words, but Eugene offered a perspective that went a step further.

As I clapped softly in admiration, Leonid, who had been watching the document with Eugene, withdrew his gaze from the paper with a slight scoff, as if annoyed.

“Why do you always figure it out first? Isn’t this guy really from the future?”

It seemed Leonid was disgruntled that Eugene had found the solution first, as they had always been friendly rivals, competing since their time in the ivory tower.

‘This really reminds me of Axel and me.’

Axel and I had also become best friends after a similar competitive spirit, so I thought Eugene and Leonid could also become good colleagues.

A contented smile naturally formed on my face as I watched the two.

Though I didn’t exactly raise them since they were young…!

Still, seeing the kids I’d grown up with getting along so well made me feel a peculiar sense of pride.

“…Why are you smiling like some kind of aunt?”

Noticing my gaze, Leonid took a step back with a displeased expression and snatched the document from Eugene’s hand.

The document disappeared into Leonid’s embrace.

“But I won’t be stepping back from the deciphering. Eugene, you’re so confident that sometimes you overlook things.”

“I don’t really make those kinds of mistakes.”

“Hah. Did you already forget how you lost to me because of a mistake on Professor Vice’s regular exam? You lost points on a problem, remember?”

“That was just once, and I still topped the overall exam. Besides, that was three years ago.”

“Whether it was three years ago or ten years ago, the point is that it happened once. Who’s to say it won’t happen again?”

Hmm, they really are just like Axel and me!

The more the two argued, the prouder I felt.

‘Fighting like this means they’ll be good friends someday!’

However, while Eugene and Leonid continued their intense exchange, they both seemed exasperated by the fact that I was laughing at the situation.

Leonid, in particular, seemed more annoyed.

“Resia, are you laughing because Eugene is always so respectful to you? If he treated you as sharply as he treats me, you’d be fuming by now.”

“Why? I actually wish Eugene would treat me like that too…”

Come to think of it, I felt a bit hurt.

He strictly maintains boundaries with me, but he’s so casual and comfortable with Leonid.

‘Is it because I’m a different gender, and he feels a bit awkward?’

As I stroked my chin, lost in thought, Leonid scoffed and gestured towards Eugene.

“Did you hear that? Resia wants to experience your true self too.”

“What are you talking about, Leonid? I always treat Resia truthfully.”

“…Sure you do.”

Leonid muttered complaints, calling Eugene a “sly fox” and “pretentious,” as Eugene stood there smiling brightly.

“I keep hearing strange noises, Resia.”

Eugene, acting as if Leonid’s voice was entirely inaudible, covered my ears with his hands.

Leonid just clicked his tongue and shook his head, seemingly unsurprised.

It was then that, even with Eugene covering my ears, I sensed some commotion coming from the entrance.

A faint, murmuring sound was growing louder, so I grabbed Eugene’s hands and pulled them down, making the distant noise suddenly clear.

It was the voices of the maids. Among them, I could catch the names “Eugene” and “Kreutz.”

Startled, I looked at Eugene, and his smile had vanished, his lips now firmly set. It seemed he was just as uncertain about the situation as I was.

“What’s going on?”

Leonid, frowning, flung the door open wide.

The maids, who had been whispering outside the door, instantly fell silent and bowed their heads toward Leonid. Standing at the front was Rose.

“I’m sorry. We were told not to let anyone in until further instructions, but something urgent came up, and we couldn’t help ourselves.”

“I see. It certainly seems that way.”

Leonid sighed deeply and extended his hand to Rose.

“This is about that letter, isn’t it? Did Duke Kreutz send a letter to Eugene?”

“…Yes.”

Rose hesitated, glancing at Eugene, unsure if she should hand the letter to Leonid. After Eugene gave a slight nod of approval, Rose handed the letter over to Leonid, who then shut the door again and approached us.

“So, the rumors about the former emperor returning to central politics are true? Even Duke Kreutz, who has been lying low, is sending letters to his son.”

“Even if he does return to politics, it has nothing to do with me.”

Eugene furrowed his brow as he took the letter from Leonid. Without bothering to hide its contents from us, he opened the envelope in plain view.

The letter’s message was simple.

“…He wants me to return to the Kreutz Duchy? Or else he’ll file a lawsuit against the Elpinard Duchy.”

Leonid summarized the letter’s contents with a look of disbelief.

“What kind of lawsuit could he possibly file against Elpinard? You’ve just been studying at the Ivory Tower and became an apprentice of the Tower Lord, staying here. What’s he planning to do if he takes you back…?”

Leonid, who had been speaking in an agitated rush, suddenly fell silent, stealing a glance at Eugene. He knew that Eugene hadn’t been treated well in the Kreutz Duchy, but saying it outright like this could wound Eugene’s pride.

However, Eugene just gave a slight smile, as if it didn’t bother him, and casually crumpled the letter, stuffing it into his pocket.

“It’s not the first letter I’ve received, so there’s no need to get so worked up. Although, it’s the first time it’s been sent through official channels….”

“What?”

Leonid’s eyes widened at Eugene’s words.

“Not the first? You’ve been getting these letters all along? Why didn’t you say anything?”

Leonid fired off his questions rapidly.

As if he was wondering if I knew about it, Leonid looked at me, but this was the first I’d heard of it as well. I widened my eyes and bombarded Eugene with questions.

“If you were receiving these letters, you should have told us! Why didn’t you say anything? There wasn’t anything strange on the letters, was there?”

I forcibly pulled the letter out of Eugene’s pocket, checking it to see if there was any ominous aura attached to it. Fortunately, I didn’t sense anything unusual. But that didn’t mean everything was fine.

He mentioned this was the first time he received a letter through official channels, which meant that until now, the letters had been coming through unofficial means…

“What on earth is going on with Elpinard’s security? How could external letters just make it over the walls?”

I was fuming at the thought of shaking Axel by the collar for this, but Eugene merely smiled, finding my reaction amusing.

“It’s alright. It’s just a letter, after all. Although the fact that they’re mentioning a lawsuit this time does bother me a little…”

“Hmph. A lawsuit? That’s just a threat to pressure you. And Elpinard doesn’t fear the law in the slightest.”

Just recently, the Duke of Elpinard had hosted a party without regard for the royal family’s schedule. If Elpinard didn’t fear the royal family, there was no way they’d be afraid of Duke Kreutz.

“Now that the former emperor has returned, they must be counting on that. With so many nobles supporting him, they probably think they can leverage that power.”

Leonid sighed heavily, clearly irritated by how complicated the situation had become.

“If a lawsuit actually starts, it could be disadvantageous. After all, Eugene, you’re still technically a member of the Kreutz family. Blood ties aren’t easily severed, so they must be confident.”

“It would be better if I didn’t have those blood ties at all, honestly.”

What was so important about this so-called bloodline? It was absurd that someone who didn’t even deserve to be called a parent could act so arrogantly just because of shared blood. The thought made me clench my fists in frustration.

Then, suddenly, a certain word flashed through my mind.

‘Wait a minute…’

I quickly reached out to Leonid.

“What? What are you doing?”

I frantically felt around Leonid’s chest, and he struggled with a pale face.

“Hold still for a moment!”

After a brief tussle, I successfully retrieved the cipher document Leonid had tucked away, and I spread it out before the two of them.

‘The word Eugene mentioned earlier…!’

“Doesn’t this look similar to the ancient word for ‘blood’?”