“Stop crying already. I’ll give you a hint.”

Crying when faced with an unfavorable situation is truly childish. I felt my irritation rising and covered my ears with both hands. At this rate, I thought I might faint first from not being able to bear it, so I felt I had to do something.

And soon after, Ronowe stopped crying and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. It seems her emotional outburst has calmed down at the mention of giving a clue.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Phew, now I can breathe a little. I sighed and crossed my arms. Ronowe, who instantly changed her attitude and was now blinking her red eyes, was still sniffling but no longer looked sad.

“I’m ready, Your Highness!”

Rather, her determination to succeed at the word chain game was burning even more fiercely, with a resolute face unbefitting a child as she clenched both hands tightly.

In any case, I had to keep my word, so I soon rested my chin on my hand and fell into thought.

‘Right. A word that starts with ‘bon’…’

Several example words flashed in my mind.

‘…Wait.’

Just as I was rejoicing at quickly finding the answer, a problem arose.

‘It would be strange if I gave a word starting with ‘bon’.’

I too had the appearance of a very young child, making it awkward to casually blurt out such a word.

‘What easy words are there?’

Trying not to arouse suspicion or give any reason to be seen as suspicious, I belatedly tried to think of easy words starting with ‘bon’.

“Just a moment. I think I’m about to remember something…”

I was inwardly grumbling that this was a new form of torture when suddenly.

“Ah! I thought of a word starting with ‘bon’!”

Ronowe raised her voice, throwing both arms up towards the sky.

“Isn’t it amazing? I thought of it faster than Your Highness~.”

Berith was happily joining in without knowing any better, while Carlyle and Sasha were clapping and congratulating her.

“Okay, okay. I get it, so hurry up and say it.”

It was frustrating that it turned out like this after just a few minutes, making the brief serious contemplation feel pointless. I felt deflated, wondering what I had even done.

“It’s ‘essence’… The book always emphasizes that essence is important.”

This is driving me crazy. I was shocked that a 3-year-old knew that word.

‘That kid isn’t smart enough to understand words from books.’

It was surprising that a child who still spoke clumsily could casually blurt out such a profound word, even though Ronowe hadn’t repeatedly reincarnated with memories of past lives like me.

‘Come to think of it, last time she chose a book of military tactics because the cover was pretty.’

Moreover, Ronowe is usually close to being an idiot, dull enough to be considered stupid. Although she occasionally shows moments of unexpected brilliance, it’s only temporary.

“Now it’s Your Highness’s turn!”

“Your Highness’s turn!”

These two are making a fuss in pairs. I said with a bored expression:

“How about we play something else?”

“But I’m having fun with this.”

“Me too…”

These kids!

I usually try to get along smoothly, but the word chain game was too boring, and I decided to take a strong stance, fearing the children would start crying and asking for hints again at any moment.

“I find it too complicated. I don’t like it.”

Honestly, education disguised as play is fine once or twice, but since I’m not actually a child, I wanted to quickly back out of a situation I found unbearable.

“I need to rest.”

After making the biggest fuss, Ronowe and Berith looked sad, seemingly having taken a liking to the word chain game after all, but I ignored them.

“Then how about we all go to the library? We can quietly read books and rest there.”

As I was sprawled on the chair with a ‘whatever happens, happens’ attitude, Sasha cautiously suggested an idea.

“Yes, Your Highness! Let’s go to the library together!”

“I want to read the book from last time!”

No way. As the atmosphere turned unfavorable, I reluctantly moved my sprawled body.

“…Fine.”

If I stubbornly insisted on resting here until the end, I’d be no different from these kids. Since it was better to be quiet than to play noisily anyway, I reluctantly agreed.

“Ronowe, is the book you mentioned wanting to read the one you chose last time?”

On the way to the library, I asked Ronowe, who was bouncing along like a rabbit.

“Yes!”

I told Lilith to keep that one safe. Worried that she might become dejected and tearful again if she couldn’t find the book she was looking for, I continued speaking.

“That book has been borrowed by someone else for a while. Let’s look at other books first.”

“Okay!”

Unlike my concerns, she seemed to think it would be fine as long as she got to see a new book, since she likes books.

‘That’s a relief.’

I walked in step with the motley crew, Carlyle, and Sasha, praying that they would behave in the library.

* * *

‘They haven’t noticed my presence yet.’

I descended to the human realm after a long time, on God’s orders.

God was anxious, knowing there was a demon around the primordial human, all because in the past, when the primordial human was tormented by a demon, God broke the demon’s wings, making them mortal enemies.

However, I decided to silently carry out my mission, as even I would not have stood idly by if someone was tormenting a being I had put the most effort into creating and given the most affection to.

‘I should observe more closely.’

So, after hiding briefly in the shadow of a tree, I quietly flapped my wings and closely watched the primordial human and their companions before swiftly following behind them.

Although ordinary humans wouldn’t be able to see me anyway, I made my body transparent and headed towards the library for safety, just in case someone happened to notice me.

A moment later, when I arrived at the destination, the primordial human had just entered the library as well.

“…Those kids never seem to get tired.”

My superior senses as God’s messenger allowed me to clearly hear even the small grumbles of the primordial human, and I observed the situation from a greater distance.

“Each of you bring one book you want to read.”

“Yes!”

“Understood, Your Highness!”

The primordial human suggested to the curious children that they gather in one place and read quietly, and the girl possessed by a demon and the equally suspicious boy each scattered in different directions.

Meanwhile, the boy called Berith stuck close to the black-haired boy as they wandered around looking for a book they liked.

“Carlyle hyung! I found a book with a cool angel picture!”

A book with a light green background and lavish baby angels and flowers drawn on it. I considered it an unusual choice.

“Take it out~”

“Okay.”

Honestly, I had seen these children gathered here once before, but at that time I couldn’t observe them properly because I was conversing with the primordial human, so I took the opportunity to look closely when I could. When reporting to God, there must be not even a shred of falsehood, and nothing should be overlooked.

“Here you go.”

“Thanks, hyung!”

However, no matter how closely I looked, there was nothing particularly noteworthy about an ordinary human child who was not a demon.

‘The brown-haired human child is nowhere to be seen.’

Meanwhile, as a considerable amount of time had passed without even a glimpse of one absent member, I decided to start moving to look for that one. After all, that child was possessed by a demon.

“Oh? What a pretty book!”

And I came to the depths of the library, searching for the human girl who was alone. The child, as if entranced, pulled out a book with an elegant cover, then plopped down on the floor and started turning the pages one by one.

‘Is it a demon absorbing knowledge?’

No sooner had the girl focused on reading than I saw the surrounding air change.

Wooong-.

Not long after, a dark red energy began to envelop the brown-haired child’s body. The dark red energy that crept out like smoke slowly engulfed the surroundings, giving an ominous feeling.

‘So this is where it was.’

Meanwhile, as the dark red energy appeared, I stopped my invisible concealment and finally revealed myself, fixing my gaze on the demon that had appeared.

[You’re absorbing new knowledge, I see.]

It was then that I heard the chilling whisper.

“Who is it?”

Does she usually not recognize the being hidden within? The human girl was startled, her face looking as if her shoulders were being pressed down by something heavy and cold.

[I am your fundamental nature.]

Then there was a cackling laugh, followed by a high-pitched voice. The startled brown-haired child turned her head this way and that, then froze for a few seconds as the dark red energy rushed into her body, being sucked in.

Thump, thump, thump-.

And when I focused my divine power on my vision, I could see the human girl changing.

The dark red energy that had been concentrating in the young human’s heart soon spread widely throughout her entire body, and the child unknowingly closed her eyes, her consciousness becoming hazy.

And when she opened her eyes again…

[A bug has sneaked in. Why don’t you come out now, since I know you’re there?]

The bright and gentle red eyes had darkened, mixing with black and becoming slightly murky.

[So you’ve finally noticed my presence.]

Feeling no further need to hide, I flew right up to the face of the demon who had revealed its true colors.

[No. I’ve known for a long time that you’ve been hovering around us.]

The demon, who coldly snapped back with an expressionless face, slammed the book shut and pulled up one corner of its mouth. Its eyes also curved fiercely, showing a dangerous expression that a young human child could not possibly make.

[Are you afraid I might devour the being God cherishes most?]

Then, revealing that it had even figured out my secret tailing, the demon, showing no trace of fear, went so far as to ask if I was monitoring for the same reason as in the past.

[Don’t worry. We’re friends.]

The demon’s eyes widened mischievously as its aggressive aura subsided.

[Remember that God is always watching you, evil creature.]

Although God had broken its wings, I felt anger towards the demon who showed not even a hint of reverence for the absolute being, but I calmly delivered a warning message. I know I shouldn’t fall for provocation.

[I guess God has a side job as a helicopter parent?]

The demon, cackling with laughter, looked at me as if I were ridiculous.

[Go and tell Him. If He’s so worried, He should come down Himself.]

Snorting once more in mockery, the demon soon raised its right index finger.

[And you…]

Eventually, the tip of the demon’s finger pointed at me, and the evil being attacked with power imbued with irritation and hatred.

[Disappear.]

There wasn’t even time to dodge. However, the demon’s powers hadn’t fully awakened yet, it seemed, as I didn’t suffer as much damage as expected.

But the shockwave left me immobilized for a few seconds, and I was pushed far away with a whoosh.

[Is my knowledge still lacking?]

Nevertheless, thinking I should see what the demon would do next before my strength ran out, I gritted my teeth and endured, seeing the demon mutter to itself and stagger.

[I’ll have to conserve my power for a while.]

The demon urgently pressed one hand to its forehead, then immediately collided with a bookshelf and collapsed.

‘Perhaps it was good that I made it use its power on me before it could do anything to the primordial human.’

Demons cannot be trusted. I muttered inwardly as I hurried back to where God was to recover my body, which had been weakened by the demon’s attack just now.

This much surveillance was enough for now.

* * *

Bang!

Several books fell to the floor with a loud crash. Wondering what had happened, I rushed to the source of the sound with the maids and children.

I instinctively felt that something was wrong, that an accident had occurred.

“Nuna!”

“Ronowe!”

And at the end of our united dash, we found Ronowe collapsed face-down amidst the messily scattered books.

I couldn’t believe it, even though I had feared the worst.

She had been so full of energy this morning, playing with Berith. It was strange for such a child to suddenly faint just from reading a book.

“Nuna…”

Meanwhile, Berith was sniffling, sticking close to the limp Ronowe, and the maid was massaging Ronowe’s arms and legs, calling out to her until she regained consciousness.

“No strength… dizzy…”

And Ronowe, as if to answer everyone’s concerns, barely managed to utter a word before closing her eyelids and fainting again.

“Let’s take her to the guest room and lay her down for now.”

I told the maid that we should first take Ronowe to the guest room.

A while later, the doctor who was urgently brought in said that Ronowe’s condition wasn’t serious, and that she would be fine after a good sleep.

“Nuna, is she dying?”

Surely she’s not really going to die. I grumbled inwardly as I surrounded the bed where Ronowe lay with the children. It was fortunate, if anything, that she had gone to dreamland, breathing softly.

“I don’t think so, Berith. Maybe she’s just tired from reading too much?”

Meanwhile, as Berith, who was very shocked by Ronowe’s unprecedented behavior, couldn’t calm down, Carlyle patted his head, trying to soothe his younger brother.

“Nuna is stupid!”

But his consolation had little effect.

“Who told her to read so much…”

Berith ended up crying, tears falling drop by drop. Feeling there was nothing else I could do, I didn’t tell him not to cry and just silently looked at Ronowe’s face, praying for her to wake up soon.

Knock, knock.

“Your Highness, someone has come from the Fleur family to escort Young Master Carlyle.”

“Carlyle, it’s time for you to go.”

Come to think of it, Carlyle had said he would leave earlier than the others due to some circumstances. As soon as I heard the maid’s voice from outside the door, I bid him farewell.

“Your Highness, I’m sorry I couldn’t stay until the end.”

“These things happen. Take care on your way.”

Knowing the real reason why he was leaving early, I generously told him to be careful, feeling sorry for the young boy.

“Help mommy well~ See you at home!”

“Okay.”

Carlyle had trouble tearing his gaze away from Ronowe, but he reluctantly moved his feet. I followed along with Sasha and Poppy to see him off to the door.

And then…

‘What’s wrong with these kids?’

Carlyle, after exchanging greetings with Berith, hesitated when his eyes met Sasha’s, and the two boys stared fixedly at each other.