I stared blankly at the spot where Ruena had been.
"...What was that just now."
She said thank you.
That expressionless child.
Wiping the stuff off her mouth,
brushing the powder from her clothes.
And even giving her own dessert.
It wasn't just polite words born from education or manners.
Her voice was so small and mumbled, but it clearly carried sincerity.
I recalled the memory from moments ago.
Ruena Eliad.
She was different from any child I'd ever seen.
Her expression, her actions, even the future I'd secretly glimpsed.
'Final boss...'
Those words spat out by the blood-soaked blonde woman as she ground her teeth.
That blonde woman's voice had been strangely thick with hatred.
"Commander? Rebel leader? Not quite..."
I slowly tilted my head.
Blood-soaked earth, a despairing woman gripping her sword,
Ruena standing alone at the center of it all.
It had a battlefield atmosphere,
but it felt a little different from the countless battlefields I'd seen before.
'Somehow more despairing and wretched...?'
Still, ten seconds or so of the future was far too short to make any real judgments.
But one thing was certain.
In that woman's eyes, Ruena was the enemy.
'Alright. Let's figure it out one piece at a time.'
I didn't know much yet, but that was fine.
Because now I had a way to learn more.
Recalling my promise with Ruena Eliad, I lifted one corner of my mouth.
'Thanks to her, it might be less boring.'
I had no idea what the "final boss" meant,
but at least it was more intriguing than the futures of all the clients I'd seen.
I wanted to know her,
dig into every last detail.
And if that future proved harmful to me, I'd change it with my own hands.
Coveting taboos,
eyeing new prizes,
even manipulating the future for gain.
That was House Noir.
"Strawberries... Next time strawberry dessert's on the menu, I should grab one."
The magic tool in my pocket glowed faintly.
It was Father's summons signal.
For now, back to the tedious routine.
But unlike usual, my steps felt a bit lighter.
The circular glass dome at the garden's center.
From inside, the outside was perfectly visible,
but from outside, not even shapes within could be seen.
Intricately woven magic made it a perfect secret chamber where neither truth nor lies could leak.
House Noir had met with clients here for generations.
Everything exposed yet hidden, not revealed yet always under someone's gaze—
truly a stage befitting House Noir.
With a light sigh, I headed to my usual seat.
Father, who had been reviewing documents, set the papers down and grabbed my arm.
"Celen."
"Yes, Father."
"Did you meet the lady of House Eliad?"
I nodded at Father's question.
"Yes. Briefly in the garden."
"I see. What did you do?"
"She likes strawberries. So I gave her the dessert I'd brought. It was meant for the Grand Duke anyway."
"I see. Good job."
As I smiled and returned to my seat, Father spoke up again.
"Celen."
"Yes."
"Did you see something from the lady of House Eliad?"
My heart plummeted for an instant.
But I lifted the corner of my mouth nonchalantly.
"Yes. I did."
"What did you see?"
"Just... the future? Out of habit, without thinking."
Sweat beaded in my palms, but I kept my expression steady.
A House Noir successor candidate couldn't waver at something like this.
'Truth is... I have zero interest in inheriting the family.'
My dream was to become a rich layabout,
but I knew saying that would get me chased out in my underwear, so I swallowed it.
Father's serious voice rang out again.
"What I mean is, what future did you see, Celen."
Father's gaze sharpened.
Surely that look had snatched the desired truths from countless opponents.
Their thoughts,
their innermost feelings.
Perhaps everything that could be taken.
The one saving grace—
was that House Noir members couldn't steal from each other.
Adjusting my shameless facade, I flashed a bright smile.
"Ah, sorry. I thought you'd scold me for peeking without permission."
"I wouldn't scold you for that. Any intel on House Eliad has value."
"I see. Another lesson learned."
I shrugged casually and continued.
"Nothing much. Not even worth the dessert."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. Just like anyone else, dancing with a partner at a ball."
"What ball?"
"Hmm, probably... the academy graduation ball?"
A lie, but not entirely baseless.
A recent client had been a professor at Ethersia's First Academy.
In that future, Ruena had been dancing with someone.
'She was tiny since the professor was deep in his corruption scandal.'
Father could only glimpse up to three years ahead.
So a sliver of verifiable truth would satisfy him—no need to dig further.
The future was truth, but truth that could shift at any moment.
"Hmm, a ball..."
"..."
"I see. Sit down, Celen. We have many guests today."
"Yes, Father."
My heart raced oddly at having fooled Father.
More relief at not getting caught than any guilt.
The Ruena I'd seen looked over twenty.
Meaning it was a future beyond Father's reach.
'Too good to share with Father.'
The harder to grasp, the more alluring.
House Noir shone brightest before the taboo.
I, with that blood running thickest, would claim Ruena's secrets most profitably.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
A week passed after that.
I hadn't been able to visit Ruena Eliad in the meantime.
No strawberry desserts had shown their faces all week.
'I'm screwed.'
Carelessly spoken words really did bring doom.
Shouldn't have wagered on "better desserts."
'At least should have asked about more of her tastes.'
I glanced at the decorative shelf beside the chair.
Today's dessert was top-tier, topped with elf-grown sugar flowers even...
Perfect in taste and presentation, but no strawberries.
"Not easy..."
"What's that?"
"Huh? Nothing."
I beamed at Father, but my mind brimmed with worries.
This dessert was flawless too.
Honestly, tastier than last time—by my standards.
...By Ruena Eliad's?
It might fail spectacularly just for lacking strawberries.
'Sneak some strawberries on top...'
I eyed the dessert, then shook my head.
The flavors wouldn't pair with strawberries.
Suddenly, Little Brother's words surfaced.
"To woo a woman, you have to consider her tastes down to the smallest details."
If House Noir's instinct was to steal even hearts,
Little Brother embodied it best.
That guy hit on women nonstop.
'Though he always struck out.'
Today, though, his nonsense rang true.
They say the most ridiculed become theory experts.
More importantly, I had a specific dessert I wanted to give Ruena Eliad.
'She'd definitely like it...'
It was popular and often served,
yet strangely absent from the menu this past week.
'Buy it myself?'
Slim odds, but I headed to my room and opened my wallet anyway.
A scion of a renowned noble house should buy desserts without blinking,
but not me.
They gave pocket money like it was mouse droppings.
Even while chaining me to this godforsaken chair daily.
'Isn't this child abuse?'
But I couldn't voice it.
With a sigh, I shoved the meager funds back into my wallet.
That's when someone firmly pressed down on my head.
"Ugh, what?!"
"Why the deep sighs, our little fourth?"
"Sis?"
Rapina Noir.
My one and only sister, the eldest of House Noir.
As always, she strode over and plopped down across from me.
"What, eyeing your wallet—you want something?"
"...Something like that."
"Oho? For real?"
Rapina lifted one corner of her mouth ominously.
That look meant she wanted something from me.
Dignity, pride, a peaceful day—whatever.
Experience had taught me well; I edged back warily.
"...What is it."
"Hmm? Just thinking your big sis might get it for her lovable little bro."
"...Conditions?"
"Come running next time I call—no questions asked. Just three times."
Anyone with a sister knows.
Agree, and you become her faithful dog.
But—
I already was.
"Deal."
"That's my Celen."
If escape's impossible, better snag treats while barking.
That's survival under three older siblings.
And so, I headed out with Sis to buy dessert.
"Look, strawberry custard cake over there?"
"You want that?"
"Yeah. One... no, make it two."
"Sure, sure. Hold these."
Rapina piled plates into my hands and rummaged in her bag.
'Hold on...'
Paper, pen, and a monocular.
She inspected my chosen dessert through the monocular, then began sketching on the paper.
Moments later—
The display case dessert appeared exactly on the plate.
Her unique ability, manifested at age ten:
Steal the real thing most identical to what she drew—from the surroundings.
Just like now.
'...Is a stolen gift really okay?'
She'd even swiped the packaging by then, boxing up the cake as she spoke.
"Form's good today. You said one more?"
"...No. One's plenty. At least pay properly!"
"...Tch."
Grumbling, she sneaked into the shop and left money on the counter.
As expected, our house was doomed to never claw its way out of eternal baronetcy.