24.
Surprised to hear that the Papiope adoption competition was tomorrow, I stopped dead in my tracks and focused on the two people talking.
“Are you even asking? Obviously, Elision will be the one adopted.”
“But the kid who joined a month ago is no joke, either. What was their ability? An Ability Tamer? I’ve never seen such a cheat-like ability in my life.”
“Ah, you mean the older brother of that twin pair?”
“Yeah. The name… I think it was Raspi.”
Elision and Raspi.
How could they have picked the exact names of the ones I know?
Doesn’t this just make it even more necessary to eavesdrop?
I pretended to look around, inspecting the talent training center building as a pretext to justify my loitering.
“Even so, wouldn’t they lose to Elision, the mage?”
“I suppose. Unless it’s a large-scale battle in the competition, it’d be hard to beat Elision in other areas just by being an Ability Tamer.”
“He’s truly incredible, though. How can he do all that with pure magic without even being an Abilitator?”
“In the end, magic is talent, after all.”
“Come to think of it, the kid who broke all the records in the entrance exam still hasn’t shown up.”
“If even they had participated in the adoption competition, the outcome might have been different.”
“I don’t know. No matter how great the rumored kid’s ability is, I don’t think they can beat Elision. Scores are just scores, right?”
“Agreed. How could you beat that monster?”
Once their conversation reached a lull, I forced my stiff legs back into motion.
In the previous timeline, the second person to be adopted into the Papiope Duke’s household was Elision.
My only friend.
A wave of guilt washed over me, the realization hitting me anew that I was trying to snatch the spot that should have been his. In the last timeline, the Duke of Papiope adopted three children. The third was Rosemary.
That was why I had vaguely thought it would be fine if I were adopted now; Elision would still have a chance to be chosen later. But when faced with the reality of having to compete against him, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him.
In truth, that was also why I had been so proactive in saving Rosemary after she was dragged off to the underground auction house. If I took that spot, she might never be adopted into Papiope.
“…Should I just become that gentleman’s daughter instead?”
Is my selfishness making everyone miserable? Perhaps even myself.
I quickly shook my head, steeling my resolve.
“Tania, don’t get soft-hearted. Do you know how many years I’ve run for this moment?”
But if Elision wanted to be adopted by the Duke more than anything, my resolve might waver again.
“Let’s take the test first and then decide. I can reset the timeline whenever I want.”
With that, I went to the training center staff and announced my intent to join. Since only children from the talent training center could participate in the Papiope adoption competition, I had to cleanly give up on the idea of waiting another week.
“Hello. I’d like to apply for admission starting tomorrow.”
“Yes, I’ll process that for you. May I see your certificate of admission?”
“Here.”
“…Oh? Are you Tania?”
“Yes.”
“W-wait just a moment!”
The staff member who checked my certificate looked startled, and after telling me to wait, they vanished. A while later, it wasn’t the same staff member who appeared before me, but the director of the talent training center.
They must have been waiting for me, as they came rushing the moment they heard I had arrived.
“Tania, I was terrified that since you were being sponsored by another family, you would never come back to us.”
“Aigoo, you don’t have to worry, like I told you. My goal is to be adopted by the Duke.”
“That is exactly why I was so worried. Did you hear the news that the adoption competition is being held tomorrow?”
“Yes, well…”
“Right, you’re an ability user who sees the future, of course you would know.”
“No. It’s not like I can foresee every single situation. My lifespan decreases, too… I only learned that after coming this far.”
“…Ah! In that case, it is a great relief that you arrived before it was too late.”
The director wiped their forehead repeatedly with a handkerchief, breaking into a cold sweat.
“Truth be told, after we reported your entrance exam results, the Duke has been showing immense interest.”
I narrowed my eyes. Don’t tell me the adoption competition was moved up because of me?
“Tania, the staff told me you applied for admission starting tomorrow, not today…”
“Yes.”
“By any chance, if you happen to fail the adoption competition, do you intend to stay at the talent training center?”
I couldn’t answer easily. I had never even imagined the possibility that I might fail.
Thinking my silence meant something else, the director panicked and hastily made excuses.
“O-of course, I know you have already seen a future where you were adopted through your foresight. And I recognize your ability, too.”
Hearing the director’s words, I realized the piece I had missed. In other people’s eyes, they must think I have already seen a future where I was adopted. It was a loophole in my lie about being a ‘foresight’ Abilitator. Before the regression, everyone speculated that I was a foresight ability user, but because I shamelessly claimed I was an ability-less person, no one had known for sure—until now.
“But I’ve heard that Tania’s foresight isn’t always the definitive future, and that things can often go awry due to variables.”
“…T-that’s true.”
“Actually, before you, there was a child who showed such excellent aptitude that their adoption was all but certain…”
Elision. As expected, everyone was convinced he would be the one.
“I don’t know. For now, I predict that I will be adopted, but if that happens to go wrong…”
It would mean that no matter how many times I reset the timeline, I couldn’t beat Elision. Just because it’s a game where you can save and load doesn’t mean everyone can clear it. My ability only helped push the probability of success to a dramatic level.
“Yes, I think I will leave the talent training center. But don’t worry too much; I won’t accept sponsorship from any other family.”
If I gave it my absolute best and still couldn’t beat Elision, I would give up on the talent training center and live as Aiden’s daughter. I didn’t have much time left until the Duke adopted his third child.
“Then, I will come back early tomorrow morning. My curfew is 2:00 PM.”
“T-two in the afternoon?”
“Yes. A well-behaved child knows how to keep their curfew.”
Of course, I didn’t have the conscience to call myself ‘well-behaved’ when I snuck out like it was a daily routine. Just as I finished bowing to the director and turned to leave.
“…Tania?”
It wasn’t the director’s low, gentle tone. It was the clear voice of a young boy. I lifted my head and looked toward where the voice had come from.
“Uh…?”
The person who called my name.
It was Elision, appearing much younger than I remembered.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Take care.”
“Tania, what is this…!”
When Tania disappeared from his sight after saying those final words—take care—Elision thought she was doing it again. He had experienced it hundreds, thousands of times—Tania resetting time whenever she pleased. Every time she reset the timeline, Elision moved through time along with her.
An ability that ‘invalidates’ the opponent’s ability. That was the power of Elision, known as the only non-Abilitator among the Papiope adoptees.
[Are you trying to pretend nothing happened after we’ve already kissed?]
[If you’re going to seduce someone so openly, you have to take responsibility.]
Elision hadn’t even grasped the situation when he blurted those words out. And understandably so; the person he liked had kissed him and ran away, so how could he pay attention to anything else? Even with his eyes open, he couldn’t see anything properly. All his focus was filled with the thought of meeting this cheeky girl again and ‘punishing’ her with a confession.
In Elision’s mind, he was already fast-forwarding to a future where he quickly married Tania, lived with two children and one dog, and enjoyed a happy, affectionate life.
The moment he realized something had gone wrong was…
When he realized the place he was standing in was the Papiope talent training center, where he had lived twelve years ago.
In his damn, small, ten-year-old body.