I thought she had bought way too much, but with the big eater Lutte and Krea, who had engaged in a full-on food fight, the mountain of sweets and cakes disappeared surprisingly cleanly.
Whatever remained was taken home by those who wanted some or shared with the maids… and while we were cleaning up the office that had served as the venue, Noie came back.
She looked at the remnants on the desk… and her disappointment was so clear it hurt to see.
I showed her the separate portion I had set aside on my own desk.
Her eyes sparkled brightly, and she happily stuffed her cheeks full.
The sight warmed my heart.
「Is Argusta here? …Wait, what did you do to make the whole room smell this sweet?」
Without knocking, the Muscle Prince opened the door and blatantly pinched his nose shut.
By now the rest of us had gone nose-blind and didn’t even notice anymore.
「We just had an all-you-can-eat cake party with everyone who’s been working hard lately.」
「……So it was you. The idiot who bought out every single sweet from Blostash?」
「Was it really everything, Krea?」
「Not everything. If you say all the expensive ones, then yes, I admit it.」
The girl who had been wrapping up take-home sweets puffed out her flat chest proudly as she said that.
「Well, whatever. Just make sure you share some with Frea-san too.」
「Yeees. Then I’ll be going now.」
After greeting the Muscle Prince as well, Krea left the room together with the maids she had successfully bribed with sweets.
Today our work officially ended at midday.
We had simply gone all out when it came to playing.
Inel-kun and Lutte, who left earlier, have probably already reached home by now.
Krea had only stayed behind a little longer to make a list of everything she bought at the shop.
We’ll have to go pay the bill later anyway.
That shop has recently started allowing deferred payment, so lately I’ve been racking up quite a tab there.
While I was fondly watching Noie happily munching cake next to me with sheer bliss on her face, the idiot who had closed the door and stepped back inside reached over and sneakily snatched one of Noie’s sweets for a quick taste.
「It’s impressive that someone can eat this much sweet stuff.」
「They say girls have a second stomach just for sweets.」
「Makes sense.」
Laughing lightly, he sits down on the desk as if it were a chair.
「So… you already know why I came, right?」
「Because I looked at the restricted-access documents without permission.」
「That’s exactly it.」
The serious atmosphere makes Noie’s hand pause mid-bite.
She turns her face toward me with a look that says 『Are you okay?』.
I gently stroke her head.
「Things have gotten a little unpleasant. Don’t let those documents circulate outside.」
「That’s fine. I already learned what I wanted to know. But…」
For a moment I worry about Noie, but decides that if something is wrong, I can apologize properly tonight when we get home.
「Why are there no documents for Camieu and Glodia?」
「……」
Noie freezes completely and looks up at me.
Her eyes seem somehow lost… almost on the verge of tears.
Seeing that makes my chest tighten painfully.
The Muscle Prince scratches his head roughly.
「The file on Camieu was taken out and never returned. The one on Glodia is under viewing prohibition. Right now it’s being kept under strict security in a certain location.」
「One can’t be helped, but why the other?」
「……Glodia is father’s younger sister’s daughter. In other words, our cousin.」
「……」
That certainly complicates things.
「Because it involves a member of the royal family, they don’t want it widely known.」
「Understood. But if Camieu’s file turns up, let me see it once.」
「Looking at it should be fine. Just don’t let the contents leak outside.」
I nod obediently at the firm reminder.
I don’t really need to read the contents.
But after seeing how Noie, who is sitting right beside me reacts, it’s only natural that I would want to.
She is trembling slightly, leaning against me as if entrusting her whole body.
「If a married couple wants to enjoy their sweets together, the third wheel should leave quickly.」
「Yeah, yeah. Got it.」
Sensing the mood, the Muscle Prince excuses himself and leaves.
Once the door closes, I quietly pull Noie into an embrace.
「Are you okay?」
「……Yes.」
Her trembling form doesn’t look okay no matter how you see it.
「Shall we take the rest of the cakes home and eat them there?」
「I’m fine.」
She grabs the remaining cakes with both hands and starts devouring them, paku paku paku, in rapid succession.
It’s like watching an electric pencil sharpener swallow a pencil, the roll-shaped cake vanishes in seconds.
With the same momentum, Noie finishes every last piece.
-0-
Back home, we take a bath and have a light dinner… yet Noie eats normally, which surprises me inwardly.
To eat all that cake and still have room for a proper dinner, Lutte was impressive, but perhaps Noie is the true big eater between them.
After that, as always, the two of us head to the bedroom.
Tonight, too, Noie wears her sheer camisole.
I have long since stopped fussing over whether it makes me look like a lolicon.
I love Noie deeply, so I can cherish her in any form she takes.
Finding a small Noie quite appealing is one of my top-secret thoughts though.
「Arg-sama.」
「What is it?」
「Camieu.」
「Hm?」
「Why… Camieu?」
「Hmm～. I just got curious?」
「Curious?」
I pull her close as she gazes at me with frightened eyes.
While gently stroking her back, I speak softly into her ear.
「The day I got hurt. You mentioned that name, so it stayed on my mind.」
「……」
「If it bothers you, I’ll stop looking into it.」
It’s not something worth making her sad over just to satisfy my curiosity.
But Noie, still wearing that anxious look, opens and closes her mouth several times before finally squeezing out the words.
「Camieu is… my onee-chan.」
「Your onee-chan?」
「Yes. She was kind to me in that place.」
「I see.」
I ruffle her hair vigorously, and Noie narrows her eyes happily.
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