PMF 6

chapter 6

[It has been a very long time, Immortal.]

A god appeared, no bigger than a tiny fairy.

‘That guy!’

No—correction. The one before me was a messenger of the gods.

‘Ah!’

I quickly moved, thinking the children must not see him.

[During all this time…]

The messenger, who had been about to ramble on, looked flustered as I lightly pushed Veris aside and grabbed him.

“Your Highness?”

“Ah—it’s nothing! I was just stretching, exercising!”

I had been quietly resting, and suddenly I started moving around, so it must have looked strange. I hurriedly made an excuse, deliberately waving my arms and legs.

“I see!”

The innocent children believed even such an obvious lie. Carlisle didn’t seem suspicious either.

“So you’re not sleepy anymore?”

Ronowe said with a bright smile.

“R-right. I’m fully awake now.”

I smiled awkwardly.

“Then play with us too, Your Highness!”

Why do these kids have so much energy? Feeling the messenger wriggling in my hand, I replied:

“No! You go ahead and play first.”

I tightened my grip, worried he might escape.

“Aw…”

“Okay…”

Ronowe and Veris looked disappointed, but didn’t insist.

“Please rest comfortably.”

Carlisle, who had said he’d watch over them, soon ran around with the children.

“Phew…”

Good thing there’s someone reasonable. I looked around and loosened my grip.

[Don’t worry. The children cannot see me.]

The messenger flew around me once and sat to my left.

[Why is a divine messenger here? Has the god decided to forgive me?]

[Not until you find the answer.]

Not wanting to look like I was talking to thin air, I used telepathy. I didn’t want to be mistaken for a madwoman.

[Then why are you here? You haven’t come for centuries.]

[……]

Then why come all this way? I frowned in irritation, but the messenger suddenly clammed up and then said something irrelevant.

[It seems this life, unlike the past ones, you’ve made some interesting friends.]

Instead of answering, he observed Ronowe, Veris, and Carlisle.

“Oh dear, young masters! You mustn’t lie down and roll around here.”

Even the maid couldn’t see him. It seemed no one nearby noticed our conversation.

‘These kids, honestly…’

I clicked my tongue internally, watching them pant in exhaustion.

“Ronowe, Veris.”

Carlisle closed his book and approached them.

“Did you forget the marquis told you not to lie on the floor?”

That guy’s basically a nanny. I smirked—then felt the messenger’s gaze.

[They’re not my friends.]

Embarrassed, I denied it quickly. The messenger stared at me and said:

[Still, why not try finding the answer with their help?]

His tone softened slightly as he sipped tea.

[Are you mocking me?]

I remembered how disappointed I’d been after placing hope in children before, and my nerves sharpened.

[I was a fool to expect anything from kids. They all just spouted nonsense.]

[Is that so? But this is your first time living like this. Perhaps it’s worth hoping this time?]

[Hope?]

A bitter laugh escaped me.

[You’ve said that many times before.]

A blonde noble lady, a woodcutter, a merchant… my past lives flashed before me.

What had the messenger always said? That maybe this time I’d find the answer—feeding me false hope.

‘But I failed every time.’

The bitterness led me to a thought I hadn’t wanted to face.

[Has the god abandoned me?]

I was once favored. To be forced into endless reincarnation, only told to “find the answer”… it felt like nothing but divine rejection.

[You’ll know once you find the answer.]

The messenger repeated the same line, then casually picked up a biscuit and started eating.

‘So annoying.’

Is he even trying to have a proper conversation? I wanted to throw him.

I glared at him.

[But you’ve been watching me this whole time, haven’t you? Why won’t you come yourself?]

My face twisted with frustration.

[Is there even an answer? Living like this, I forget why I exist. I don’t even know if I can find it!]

[Then you’ll just have to live like that forever.]

I’m being serious here! I flared up at his careless tone.

[I am serious.]

I made it clear I wouldn’t let this go.

[At least give me a clue.]

I wanted to hit him, but forced myself to stay calm.

[Even the smartest people don’t know the answer.]

[I’ll say this since you still don’t understand: that method won’t work.]

The messenger sighed.

[Even if you receive help, the final answer must be realized by yourself. Only then will the eternal cycle end.]

I froze.

Everything I’d done—interrogating scholars, relying on others, waging wars, living miserable lives—was all wrong?

It felt like being struck by a hammer.

[Why are you telling me this only now?! Wasn’t it enough just to find the answer?!]

Frustration surged; the snack in my hand crumbled.

[Though, it’s not like anyone else could find it for you anyway…]

[What do you mean?]

The messenger grabbed another biscuit as I stood there confused.

[It’s nothing.]

Crunching away, he soon prepared to leave.

[Immortal, I hope you find the answer in this life.]

And just like that, he vanished—taking a pile of snacks with him.

“Hey…!”

I should’ve ripped his wings off. I shouted without realizing.

“Huh?”

All three children suddenly turned to look at me like startled meerkats.

“N-no, it’s just… the snacks were so good…”

Seeing the empty plate made me embarrassed.

“You must’ve been really hungry, Your Highness.”

“Eat lots, Your Highness!”

The kind children took it at face value. I smiled awkwardly.

“Y-yeah…”

I ordered the maid to bring more snacks and leaned back on the sofa.

‘Life…’

Wouldn’t it be better to just disappear into a hole?

I stared blankly at the ceiling.

“Your Highness.”

Carlisle approached.

“Hm?”

“If it’s not rude, may I sit beside you?”

I nodded, curious.

“Do you have something troubling you? Your expression hasn’t been good.”

I took the handkerchief he offered and wiped the crumbs from my hands.

“If you tell me, I’ll help you think it through.”

A promising loyalist—very different from the carefree siblings.

‘What a waste if someone else takes him.’

I stared at him and smiled. He grew nervous.

“Ah… um…”

Such a timid kid. His flushed face made me laugh again.

“Ah—sorry, I overstepped…”

“It’s fine.”

The irritation from earlier vanished.

“I was just touched that you were worried about me.”

I tapped his shoulder lightly and looked away.

“By the way, why are you with those… st—”

I almost said “blockheads.”

“…I mean, why are you with the Fleur family children?”

It was just a casual question.

‘Not important, but might as well ask.’

I watched the siblings playing oddly.

‘Huh?’

No way.

‘Did he just pick something off the floor and eat it?’

I nearly gagged.

“Ah… well…”

Carlisle hesitated.

‘So there is something going on.’

Since it wasn’t my place to pry, I wrapped it up.

“The Fleur family must have good discipline.”

“Ah… yes…”

That was enough.

“Big brother~ let’s play together!”

“Your Highness, come quickly!”

These kids won’t even let me rest!

“I want to rest. You guys play by yourselves.”

I couldn’t just leave, but I had no energy left.

“Why?”

“You wouldn’t understand my worries.”

I said after a pause.

“Worries?!”

“That startled me.”

“You have worries, Your Highness?!”

“Wow~ Your Highness has worries!”

The children rushed at me with sparkling eyes.

“Let’s solve Your Highness’s worries!”

Wait—what?! Their enthusiasm was absurd.

“That’s not the kind of problem—”

This is going badly. I tried to stop them.

“When Mother and Father don’t know something, they go to the study!”

“Then let’s go to the study!”

Why are they deciding this on their own? I pressed my forehead.

‘They’re way too excited.’

“Ronowe, Veris. Don’t run.”

As I held my head, Carlisle stepped in.

‘This is a disaster.’

I realized it was too late.

“Let’s go!”

And just like that, I was dragged along by Ronowe, who tightly grabbed my hand.