Quickly clearing the table, I focused my senses.
Probably just one person.
The weight of their presence was different from a servant's.
The flow of mana carried by their aura was anything but ordinary.
'First, stuff everything into the box.'
I hurriedly shoved the fork, cake wrapping, and strawberry stems into the box.
And finally,
The moment I shoved the plate into a spot where it wouldn't be seen—
The footsteps drew closer, and Ruena's door creaked open softly.
"What are you doing, Ruena?"
"...Mother."
The one who opened the door was Ruena's mother.
Blonde hair more dazzling than sunlight.
Emerald eyes brimming with light swept over me with a smile.
Her exterior was gentle, but the pressure emanating from within was far from negligible.
'Not the Grand Duke, at least...'
But I couldn't let my guard down easily.
This was the wife of Grand Duke Eliad, after all.
I bowed politely with a bright smile.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Celen, third son of House Noir."
"Ah, from House Noir."
"Yes. I have a slight connection with Lady Ruena, so I came to visit."
The Grand Duchess nodded slowly.
Her gaze, which had slowly scanned the room, turned back to Ruena.
"Is what Noir's young lord said true?"
"Yes."
Ruena nodded.
A short answer. No excuses, no lengthy explanations.
It was just like Ruena.
Even so, seeing her glance at Ruena brought me a bit of relief.
The moment she confirmed it was her mother at the door,
Ruena's rigidly tense shoulders relaxed slightly.
'At least... she's not as dangerous as the Grand Duke.'
Still, I couldn't fully relax.
This was the wife of Grand Duke Eliad.
Even that gentleness could be entirely calculated.
With my iron mask firmly in place, I wore a friendly smile.
The Grand Duchess, having carefully examined the room, Ruena,
and finally me, spoke up.
"Ruena, did you invite Celen here?"
"...Yes."
"It would have been nice if you'd said something beforehand before bringing a friend home."
"...I'm sorry."
Ruena bowed her head expressionlessly.
But one hand fidgeted with the hem of her skirt.
Proof that she was far more tense than usual.
'She's no pushover either.'
Even as I smiled, I kept an eye on the Grand Duchess.
Her impression was still warmly out of place in the mansion.
No great anger or disappointment showed on her face.
If anything—
It leaned toward interest or curiosity.
Slightly lifting my bowed head, I spoke cautiously to the Grand Duchess.
"I'm sorry for dropping by unannounced, Grand Duchess."
"Ohoho, no need. You said Ruena invited you."
The Grand Duchess's words were soft, but a subtle lingering tone hung at the end.
Was it permission? A warning? The line was razor-thin.
A brief silence fell.
I held my breath, waiting for her next words.
Having thoroughly looked me over, the Grand Duchess spoke again.
"Really... what an unusual situation."
"..."
At those words, I couldn't help but scrutinize the Grand Duchess.
From her expression, it wasn't deliberate provocation or sarcasm.
Just an exclamation close to a murmur.
The Grand Duchess seemed to be purely voicing her assessment of the situation.
I rolled various possibilities through my mind for a moment.
I still couldn't decide if this situation could be taken positively.
'Her expression doesn't look bad, at least...'
But it was too early to fully relax.
I'd seen too many cases where true feelings hid behind smiles.
Starting with myself from House Noir.
'If only there were some clue...'
This was when I regretted my lack of mana.
If I could peer into hearts, I wouldn't need to feel this anxious.
The moment I tried to read her expression for any hint,
The Grand Duchess, who had been watching Ruena and me intently, smiled softly.
"Our Ruena doesn't let people in easily."
"...I see."
"She hardly talks, even with me. Yet she invites someone over like this."
The Grand Duchess's lips curved up a bit more.
That smile clearly held joy and relief.
Examining Ruena again, the Grand Duchess slowly nodded.
"Yes. Now I understand, Ruena."
"...?"
"Why you've been pacing restlessly near the front gate these past few days."
Her unexpected words made me blink.
'Pacing restlessly? Near the front gate?'
I turned to look at Ruena.
Ruena was looking at me too.
Of course, true to form, she quickly averted her gaze.
But that brief eye contact was enough.
Her innermost feelings were unguardedly revealed on her unchanging face.
'Her face is bright red.'
She was trying to hide it, but it was already too late.
Now I understood.
Why Ruena had been standing beyond the gate.
It wasn't a chance encounter—she'd been waiting for me all week.
"Is that so?"
"..."
Asking with a teasing, playful smile,
Ruena bowed her head deeper, her face flushing even redder.
'Her reaction is cute. Makes me want to tease her more.'
I nearly teased her like I would with my older siblings but quickly swallowed my words.
I couldn't afford to upset her.
The moment I let my guard down thinking she was cute, I'd become Future Corpse #1.
Don't forget.
I'm a short-lived dayfly with barely any mana,
and she's the heir to House Eliad, boasting the kingdom's greatest martial prowess.
So instead of teasing, I opted for flattery.
"Thank you, Ruena. For not forgetting our promise."
"...Huh?"
"Honestly... I was worried you might have forgotten after a whole week."
She looked away, eyes slightly downcast.
Then, as if relieved, she let out a light breath and smiled.
In a way that anyone
would believe my words were sincere.
Pointing out and praising the other's merits one by one.
It was the easiest and most reliable way to sway hearts.
Something I'd learned observing from behind my father these past two years.
I glanced at Ruena.
Ruena just awkwardly worked her lips, saying nothing.
Her ear tips were still red—she didn't seem displeased.
'...So the flattery worked, at least?'
With the flattery successful, now I needed to think ahead.
I couldn't let this meeting end as a one-off.
To see the future, I needed to keep meeting her.
More frequently.
More often.
For longer.
Fortunately, the Grand Duchess seemed favorable,
so if I solidified this good first impression and win her over as her daughter's first friend, that should do it.
'There has to be some good way...'
The moment I pondered how—
"...No way I'd forget."
"Huh?"
"...Every day... I thought about it..."
Ruena murmured in a very small voice.
Her face still flushed red.
Yet she was looking straight at me as she spoke.
"...What?"
"I waited... for you."
"..."
For an instant, I heard an illusion of something shattering.
At Ruena's cautiously spoken words, I felt my face heat up.
'...No, no. That's not fair. This isn't.'
All my mental calculations flipped in that moment.
Forget calculations—I had no sense of how my own body was reacting.
From my fingers to my face—
Everything moved against my will.
Like an idiot.
"Oh my, how adorable."
"...!"
"Ugh."
The Grand Duchess's admiring words snapped me back to reality.
But the more aware I became, the more my face burned like it would explode, so I just bowed my head.
The Grand Duchess's laughter softly filled my ears.
"Celen."
"...Yes."
"Will you be our Ruena's friend?"
Somehow, I couldn't lift my head at those words.
Be her friend.
I should have eagerly said yes since it was going according to plan.
But overlapping with Ruena's heartfelt words just now, my mind went blank.
My heart pounded.
A strange emotion born from the situation itself.
Gripping my reason with effort, I finally spoke.
"...I."
"Yes?"
"Would gladly accept such an honor."
I lifted my head and smiled brightly.
I readjusted my iron mask, but my face still burned.
The Grand Duchess nodded with a satisfied expression.
"I'm truly delighted. Our Ruena has a good friend now."
"A good friend? You're too kind."
"...Good friend."
Ruena's whisper-like murmur made my iron mask slip slightly.
Glancing at her,
she was faintly flushed, letting out a small breath with her lips slightly curved up.
Very slightly.
So subtle only close observation would catch it.
My heart rate spiked for a moment, but I hurriedly calmed it.
Get a grip, Celen.
She stabs me in the gut and kills me.
Continuing the conversation with the Grand Duchess, I kept picturing my future as Corpse #1.
"Celen, feel free to visit freely without an invitation."
"Is that really alright?"
"Yes. You're Ruena's first friend."
First friend or first murder target, who knows...
But one thing was certain: this was a solid foothold for glimpsing her future.
I bowed politely with a bright smile.
"Thank you so much, Grand Duchess."
"Hehe, come often. Ruena's been waiting a lot."
"Yes. Gladly."
"And..."
Pausing for a beat, the Grand Duchess approached Ruena.
Then she lightly brushed the center of her skirt with her index finger.
Custard cream clung to the Grand Duchess's finger.
"Be careful with sweets. My husband doesn't like these."
"Ah, yes. I'll be careful."
"Sorry for interrupting. Have fun."
The moment the door closed, I let out a long sigh.
I thought I'd hidden it well, but one smudge of custard cream gave it away.
'...I need to be more careful next time.'
Being careless in House Eliad was definitely off-limits.