This Reincarnation Requires a Subscription Fee

I thought I had explained everything, but apparently, I hadn’t. When I casually mentioned it, Axel, who had been striding along with me tucked under his arm, suddenly stopped in his tracks.

“You never mentioned that before.”

Axel set me down on the ground and knelt on one knee, bringing our eyes level. His expression had hardened, clearly demanding an explanation.

“Tell me properly.”

“Uh…?”

“You said you’re living on borrowed time. I thought you just reincarnated?”

“Well… I did reincarnate, but there are, uh, conditions…”

I explained to Axel about the “Reincarnation Subscription” in detail. I told him how I could earn coins through quests, and those coins could be used to extend my lifespan or purchase items. Despite listening carefully, Axel didn’t look entirely convinced.

“So, if you collect these coins, your life will definitely be extended?”

It seemed he was checking if I was hiding anything else from him.

‘I didn’t mean to leave anything out,’ I thought. I had been so overwhelmed by regaining my memories from my past life and dealing with all these quests and coins that I hadn’t had time to explain everything properly.

“Yes, it definitely extends my life.”

I answered clearly and succinctly. Seeing that, Axel’s tense expression relaxed a little.

“And I’ve already thought of a way to earn a lot of coins.”

Eager to prove my point, I quickly pulled out the “Quest List” from my pocket and held it out in front of Axel.

“Look at this!”

I confidently showed him the page related to the quests involving Hannah, but Axel’s reaction was indifferent.

“…What am I supposed to be looking at? There’s nothing written here.”

“Huh?”

Was it possible that the content had vanished overnight because it was a freebie? Something like, ‘Ta-da! That was just a preview!’ seemed plausible. But as I hurriedly checked the book, I found that the pages were still filled with text.

I looked back and forth between Axel, who was frowning, and the “Quest List,” which was filled with writing. It didn’t seem like Axel was lying, nor did it seem like my eyes were playing tricks on me.

‘So…’

The conclusion was simple.

‘Only I can see the contents of this book?’

Wow.

That was amazing!

“This is awesome…” I muttered to myself, which made Axel’s face scrunch up even more.

“Are you really telling me you can’t see any of this? Not a single word?”

Excited, I shoved the “Quest List” in front of his face again, only for Axel to irritably push the book aside.

“If this is another one of your pranks…”

“It’s not a prank. There’s a quest written here.”

I began to recite the details of the quests and the rewards listed in the “Quest List” to Axel. As I continued, the suspicion in his eyes gradually faded.

“Well, it doesn’t seem like you’re lying. You’re not exactly the type to make up nonsense while staring at a blank page,” Axel said, his tone laced with faint sarcasm.

“Th-thanks for believing me…” I muttered, a bit sarcastically in return, but I knew we didn’t have time to argue. I had something I needed to test with Hannah.

* * *

The punishment room was eerie. It was hard to believe that such a place existed beneath the bright and beautiful Elpinard estate. But that’s how it often was—something dark and ominous lurking beneath something that shines.

“…Young Master?” A voice called out hesitantly. The brown-haired maid huddled in the corner of the cell had sensed our presence and now approached the iron bars cautiously. It was Hannah.

“Young Master!” Hannah’s eyes lit up with desperate hope when she saw Axel. She clasped her hands together, pleading, “I made a mistake! I know I shouldn’t have diverted the funds… It was… my father! Yes, my father! He was very ill, and I needed money for his medicine!”

Despite the maid’s tearful plea, Axel just stared at her coldly, his expression unyielding. His icy gaze seemed to freeze Hannah in place.

“Medicine for your father… If that’s true, then it’s indeed unfortunate,” he said, his voice devoid of any real sympathy.

‘What is he saying with that expression?’ I thought, baffled by the stark contrast between his words and his face. But Hannah, clinging to her last shred of hope, nodded frantically.

“Yes, yes! It’s true! My situation is dire! Please, have mercy on me!”

As Hannah grovelled, Axel let out a small, derisive laugh.

“Hannah, your father passed away last year, didn’t he?”

“!”

“Did he come back from the grave? If so, I suppose lying in a coffin for a year would make him very ill.”

“Th-that’s…”

“You continue to mock the Elpinards. Even now, you’re spouting ridiculous excuses to try and save yourself.”

Axel clicked his tongue in disapproval and lowered himself to meet Hannah’s gaze.

“Did you really think I wouldn’t conduct a background check on a maid I threw into the punishment room for embezzling funds?”

As Axel’s interrogation continued, Hannah’s face turned ashen. Her eyes darted around, searching for any escape, and then they landed on me. Her eyes widened in recognition and sudden desperation.

“M-my lady! I’m so sorry! You’re the saint, aren’t you? You’re kind and merciful, right? Please, forgive me! If you spare my life, I’ll be a faithful servant to you!”

Hannah reached through the bars, trying to grasp at me, but Axel stepped on her hand, stopping her. Despite this, Hannah didn’t give up and continued to plead.

“Saint! Please! I’ve served you faithfully all this time, haven’t I?”

Her desperate face overlapped with memories of how she used to treat Reshia.

⟨Are you cold? You’re a saint, aren’t you? Shouldn’t the blessing of the gods keep you warm even if you’re lightly dressed? Or maybe you’re not a real saint, and that’s why you don’t have any divine protection?⟩

⟨You want dinner too? You ate a lot at lunch, so can’t you skip dinner? Why do you insist on eating all your meals? There are people in the world who can’t even afford one meal a day, you know.⟩

⟨They say cold baths are good for your health. I prepared it all for your sake, Saint. Are you shivering on purpose? No one’s going to take pity on you for that, Saint.⟩

‘Honestly…’

Each of Hannah’s words was like a precious gem—sharp and cutting. Despite hearing such remarks, Reshia had never dared to stand up to her. Her position had been too precarious. Hannah had known this well, and she had cunningly exploited Reshia’s vulnerability for her own gain.

‘And now she claims she served faithfully?’

The irony was almost laughable. Axel gave me a questioning look as if asking whether I planned to let this woman continue her rambling. Instead of answering, I opened the “Quest List” and stood in front of Hannah.

On the left page was the quest from the God of Judgment to punish Hannah. On the right page was the quest from the Goddess of Peace to forgive her.

When I first saw the “Quest List,” I realized something: every quest was tailored to my specific situation. This could only mean that the gods who assigned these quests were constantly watching over me.

‘And then there’s the Heaven Market, where they even sell a hotline product.’

I hadn’t been able to afford it, but I had confirmed that communication with the gods was possible. Without the hotline, I couldn’t communicate back and forth directly, but the gods could still hear what I said.

So…

‘God of Judgment, Goddess of Peace! Please listen to what I’m about to say.’

If I spoke like this, surely it would reach their ears, wouldn’t it?

‘The quest target is the same, but you two have given me quests with completely opposite goals. If I fulfill one, I’ll have to abandon the other, won’t I?’

I dramatically placed my hand on my forehead!

‘Revenge and forgiveness both make sense… but since the quest rewards are identical, I really don’t know which one to choose…’

I let out a deep sigh for added effect.

After tossing out that bait, I glanced back at the “Quest List” and, as expected, the content had changed.