ã€ŠVillainess Is Changing Her Role To A BroConã€‹


 Chapter 0

    -Who am I? Where is this?

    You might think this is some shitty joke, but right now this is real, in all honestly this is for real, seriously.

    But, actually, who am I?

    Because within me right now, there are two different versions of me.

    My name is Yukimura Rina, a corporate ve.

    What are standard Labor Laws, does it taste good? Thepany I worked at was dirty, I was faced with unrealistic standards day in day out, every day was tiring and hectic as if like a raging storm. I usually only averaged about 3 hours of sleep every night. Staying overnight at thepany was considered normal, and if you could go home you were lucky. Those were the days I lived.

    Whether this was fortunate or unfortunate, at least the work was very rewarding. My job of helping make deadlines that were thought to be impossible was very satisfying, although no oneplimented me, I would like to believe that my work was appreciated.

    Yes, if you think about it, I was being used and overworked, a stupid, gullible corporate ve.

    I thought about changing jobs, but I was much too used to being a corporate ve. When I finally thought of doing a job change I was already sucked in way too deep my everyday work that just the idea of it was naive of me.

    ¡°Let¡¯s y an otome game to make myself feel better!¡±

    No I should sleep. If I think about it, I should take this little free time I have to rest.

    But then again, I¡¯ve been working so hard these days that I was no longer thinking straight, so I picked whatever otome game I could find and downloaded it on my smartphone. On the train ride home I started to y it, and I got obsessed.

    The idea of a magical fantasy world, and attending an academy with fellow students to capture a target, the prince, was very satisfying. Reaching the sweet ending of receiving a proposal was almost like torture for me. Then again, I¡¯ve always preferred action and fighting over shoujo and romance, so I wonder why I suddenly decided to y an otome game?

    But, I developed a favorite within this game.

    The game was verymon, it followed the basic requirements of having an evil viiness, being set in a magic, fantasy academy with a capture target prince. No, actually the setting was revolved around the Prince of an Empire. But there was one thing that was a bit different, it was that the brother of the evil viiness had a very strong attachment to the viiness.

    His appearance was perfect. Compared to the Prince and the other capture targets his appearance was so much better.

    Light blue hair, light blue eyes, ice magic, and an extremely handsome face thatcks emotions which gives off a cold feeling. He wears sses and is the smartest within the academy, a character set up to be extremely cool.

    And in this setting, he is a Duke, not a legitimate child but still a Duke, although he is just a student of the academy he seeded his father after he passed away at the mere age of 17.

    Looking at him now, he looks like he¡¯s 20, a very mature adult-like appearance.

    This particr person spoils only his evil viiness sister, and says phrases that are only meant for her.

    ¡°You are more beautiful than anyone, my dear sister, only you¡¯re fit to be the Empress.¡±

    ¡°I will put everything on the line, even my Dukedom to fulfill your wishes and desire, my dear jewel.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t even allow God to make you sad, much less the prince!¡±

    His character doesn¡¯t appear that much so his voice actor isn¡¯t really that famous, but his voice is very low-toned and nice sounding. He spoils his sister and is an absolute siscon, where did the original setup of his cool and cold appearance go? That twist in the game made meugh a lot.

    But his sister, in all honestly was a stupid child, why does she think that by harassing the heroine for no apparent reason would get her the love of the Prince? You spend way too much money on clothes that are way too extravagant, to the point where I can¡¯t even see your originally beautiful appearance anymore.

    Despite everything, her brother would keep giving her everything and anything possible, and when the viiness¡¯ ns of harassing the heroine fail he say to her,

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry it was all my fault.¡±

    And take full responsibility.

    No what the hell, this isn¡¯t your fault, it¡¯s your sister¡¯s fault.

    And so I continued ying the game whileughing at the joke of the brother sisterbination. Yes, as time went on I no longer cared about the prince capture target. But as I reached the final event of the sister losing control over herself and trying to kill the heroine, which resulted in the brother and sister being stripped of their titles and properties. It shocked me how

    the brother hugged the crying sister all the while consoling her for something she caused.

    Instead of feeling d I got rid of the evil in the game, I felt sad. He tried his utmost to make his sister the Empress, but rather he was just a mere 17 year old who suffered the consequences of loving his idiotic sister.

    Although I did y to the end after this event, the rest was just a painful experience.

    Maybe it was due to the underpaid ve like work I did at the corporate I worked at, or the nd unappreciated life I lived, but whenever I saw the brother unconditionally loving his sister, some part of my worn out heart healed itself.

    It would have been great if the brother was a capture target. But it seems that even through searching on the the brother was not avable as a capture target through some secret route. That¡¯s why after capturing the main target, I kept on reying the same route, watching the scenes that only included the brother and sister.

    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll say this one more time, I really need to go to sleep.¡±

    But once I realized this, I couldn¡¯t sleep anymore, maybe it was the stress or depression that had set in from my lifestyle, I just wanted an escape. Any escape.

    Iid down in bed at home, not being able to sleep holding my smartphone that was still running the game, as it was running, I cked out without even noticing.

    I probably died huh?

    ¡°I really am an idiot¡­¡±

    My name is Ekaterina Yurinova, daughter of the distinguished Yurinova Dukedom.

    (Ah, that¡¯s the name of the evil viiness of that otome game isn¡¯t it? Her brother is Alexei and the world is set in Imperial Russia.

    When I turned 15, for the first time ever in my life I left the Dukedom for the capital in order to attend the academy. Half a year ago my mother and I were held in captivity, so the world is much too big and much too scary for me as I was seeing it for the first time.

    (Huh? What¡¯s this about captivity? The settings of the game never had this written on it.)

    The Yurinova Dukedom is one of the three major Dukedoms. The Duke, Sergei was the brother of the founding emperor, Pyotr, and his most loyal subject. Thus he was granted a vast and bountiful amount of properties andnd. There were many well-fitting Empresses that were chosen in order to maintain the purity of the noble bloodline of the royal family, and on the off chance that the Emperor was not able to produce an heir, our family had the responsibility of carrying on the royal bloodline. Both my, and my brother¡¯s grandmothers were royalty.

    (That¡¯s so amazing, holy shit. It¡¯s almost as if I just became a family member of Yoshimune, a Shogun of the Edo period. Your household is as prestigious and well-known as the Tokugawa household within Japanese history¡­)

    My grandmother had a lot of pride and was a very strict woman, although she was a part of the Yurinova Dukedom, she was technically an imperial princess. Her existence was considered a special one. She loved her only son, my father, and greatly disliked my mother who came from a mere Marquis family.

    I have never met my father before. Since my birth, not once has my father ever shown himself in front of me and my mother. As for my brother, I don¡¯t have much memory of him from early on, right after his birth he was taken to my grandmother. My mother was not permitted to see him even once.

    My grandmother did not care about my existence since I was a girl, and as such I¡¯ve been with my mother ever since. Even so, I was somewhat grateful for that despite my difficult childhood. I was not allowed to leave the Dukedom¡¯s vi, and lived in a cold mansion with little to no food or clothing, but I was with my mother.

    (Is that so?! That¡¯s just abuse! What kind of imperial Princess are you? You¡¯re just a shitty old granny!)

    My mother has always been saying this to me,

    ¡°You will definitely be the Empress¡­ If you can be the Empress, not even your grandmother will be able to make me bow down to her. That¡¯s why, you must make the Prince fall in love with you, and be the empress. Once you do that, make sure youe here and rescue me.¡±

    Whenever she said this to me, her worn out, yet still beautiful face, was filled with tears, a face that was almost identical to mine.

    (I see, so that¡¯s why you were so desperately chasing after the prince, I¡¯m sorry for previously judging you.)

    My originally frail mother who was ill was no longer able to get out of bed anymore by the time I turned the age of 10.

    Oddly enough, whenever I went to visit my mother, I would always look out the window of her room. I could not see much, only a few servants and the trees changing colors along with the passing of the seasons.

    But, every now and then, there would be a group of people that would pass by the mansion.

    Seeing them was the one joy that I had. Whether they were going hunting or something else, amongst the group of bulking men there was a boy that was generally around my age. The mansion did not have any other children so this was the only time I ever saw others my age. He had beautiful light blue hair and a handsome face, whenever he walked by this area he would always be ncing in my direction.

    (Her brother¡­ He must have really wanted to meet his mother. The granny wouldn¡¯t let him so he tried to be as close as he could, but he couldn¡¯t really see her since he was merely passing by¡­ Damn! I¡¯ll never forgive you, you shitty granny!)

    That kind of lifestyle suddenly ended half a year ago.

    A messenger arrived at our constantly silent mansion- The message was that my father had died in an ident and my grandmother shortly followed him due to her grief.

    And so, under the new Duke¡¯s orders my mother and I were hurried into a carriage.

    I forced my mother onto the carriage, throughout the entire journey I encouraged andforted her to stay awake, but by the time we reached our destination she had already lost her sanity and had an extremely high fever.

    When the butler who received us saw the condition my mother was in, he scolded the messenger, but the damage was already done. The butler immediately called for a doctor to look after my mother, as sheid in bed with a pale white face, she looked almost half dead.

    This was when my brother rushed into the room.

    Yet at the time I did not know that the person who had rushed into the room was my brother, to me he was just a very tall, strict looking adult who wore sses.

    Mother suddenly opened her eyes.

    And started to cry why she saw my brother.

    ¡°You¡­ Finally¡­ Came to see me¡­ Alexander¡­¡±

    She had called out my father¡¯s name.

    My brother froze, but then he kindly said to her,

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Anastasia.¡±

    Those were my mother¡¯sst moments in this world.

    My brother has never, not once, heard our mother say his name.

    (Uhgg! I want to cry, the two of you have suffered a lot!)

    Yes, my brother should have been really bitter and heartbroken from this, I knew the feeling.

    But brotherpleted his tasks as the Duke perfectly, arranged mother¡¯s funeral and managed the territory without any ws. I could not believe that he acted like such an adult despite only being 2 years older than me.

    My brother felt really bad for me, and thus treated me very well. He gave me arge room, beautiful clothes, and a lot of servants. Comparing this to my life at the vi, everything felt like a dream to me. Even when he leaves the academy he would write letters to me asking what I need and what troubles I have recently been met with.

    ¡­But I never answered my brother truthfully.

    I told him I didn¡¯t need any of his gifts, and treated him with a horrible and extremely spoilt attitude. During the trip from the Dukedom to the Capital, even if my brother spoke to me I would only give him the silent treatment.

    (She must be doing this to test him, I¡¯ve heard a lot of abandoned and or abused kids do this, they want to see if a person is really on their side or if they¡¯re tricking them.)

    I knew this wasn¡¯t something I should be doing, but whenever I see or answer my brother my mother¡¯s death woulde to mind and for some reason that always makes me extremely angry.

    (Because thest person she called out for was your brother? Even though she mistook him for your father?)

    I¡¯m sure, not even my mother wanted me. My mother, father, and grandmother only really wanted my brother. I wonder, why do I exist? For what reason am I alive for?

    (Ah¡­ You must be doubting yourself,

    There aren¡¯t any parents in the world that would not want their own children, minus the very minute outliers.

    Besides, you are from a noble house, nobility tends to favor male offspring, so this is something that is verymon.

    But you know that all these problems were caused by your abusive and shitty granny right?

    I¡¯m not sure about your father, but you, your mother and your brother are all victims of this sad and unfortunate situation. If you¡¯re angry then write that granny¡¯s name on a piece of paper and stomp on it with sharp stiletto heels. I¡¯m sure, it also hurts you when you take your anger out on your brother, the two of you are originally very good children.)

    Stiletto heels? Haha¡­ Thank you for your concern.

    But, who are you?

    (Um, maybe, just maybe, but I think I¡¯m a version of you.)

    <em>Note: This chapter was originally tranted by Jesssational but because she only tranted Prologue and I can¡¯t contact her, I have decided to upload it here for ease of readers.</em>

 Chapter 1: Everyone Will be Happy~! (ã¿ã‚“ãªã§å¹¸ã›ã«ãªã‚‹ãžãƒ¼ï¼)

    <em>''Pan!'' </em>With the sensation of the world crumbling, I opened my eyes.

    What greeted me was the divine celestial world.

    <em>(Eh? Where is this? Heaven? Ah no, that''s the painting on the bed canopy. Wow, it looks like something a Renaissance master celebrity will draw~)</em>

    Wait, what am I thinking about? Where am I?

    "Ekaterina!"

    "Hauhh!"

    Having my name called right next to me, I, Ekaterina, turned my face sideways. And I became relieved when I saw that man.

    However, a part of me was so shocked that I leaned back.

    <em>(W-w-what a beautiful man! Even actors can''t be matched with him! I can''t believe I can see this appearance with my own eyes! He''s so handsome that my chest will have a hole!)</em>

    Beside my bed was Alexei Yurunova, my most favourite character in my previous life. Alexei still had light blue hair, light blue eyes, and wore his trademark monocr.

    But he''s far off more lovely than the picture in the game screen!

    What a beautiful white skin. And the color of his eyes! It''s not just light blue. How can I describe it? Do you know that gemstone Paraiba Tourmaline? His eyes look exactly like when you cast light to that gemstone, that neon blue! His almond eyes make him look smart. His nose is perfect. His slightly thin lips are well-bnced!

    From the point of view of a woman in her thirties, the remaining youthfulness in his delicate physique was dazzling, but his body had already grown, giving off the aura of manliness. He wasn''t cute, but cool.

    <em>Wow, I can observe so many details in just a second. I''m so amazing!</em>

    "Are you alright? Do you feel ufortable? If I lose you, I-I don''t know what to do..."

    My brother''s painful tone returned me to my senses.

    Ah, I made him suffer again.

    <em>(A crisis is an opportunity! This is a chance to improve your rtionship! Just depend on your brother like a spoiled child, he''ll like it!)</em>

    ...What''s, this?

    <em>(Ah, right now our personality is split, huh... That''s why the body is moving with the simultaneous thoughts of two people...)</em>

    My head hurts.

    I instinctively pressed my forehead.

    "Ekaterina... should I call the doctor? Just a nod is fine, can you give me a response? Please."

    I had to tell my brother that I''m fine. But I had been acting so stubborn that I couldn''t speak to him anymore.

    <em>(Then, let me move your hand from your forehead a little.)</em>

    I moved my hand from my forehead to my side... and reached out to my brother''s hand.

    Alexei widened his eyes.

    When Ekaterina realized what she had done, her eyes slightly trembled.

    Noticing that, Alexei took his sister''s hand and wrapped it with both of his hands.

    What a big hand. It''s warm. ...Comfortable.

    Ekaterina turned sideways, her eyes met with her brother''s.

    "Brother... I... I''m sorry for worrying you..."

    Alexei was stunned for a moment, but he immediately smiled. Very gently. Unable to contain his joy, it oozed off his lips.

    "What are you saying? It''s my fault. I''m sorry for taking you around even if it''s the first time you came to the Imperial Capital."

    Ah, right. Before I arrived at the Duke''s residence in the imperial capital, my brother took me to the Magic Academy I was going to attend with a carriage. The moment I saw the school building towering over the main gate, something burst out of my heart. Starting from that point, I didn''t remember anything else.

    <em>(Oh, the main gate of the Magic Academy? I saw it a lot at the opening of the otome game. So that''s ourst memory. That means this is the Duke''s residence, located in the district of the wealthy socialite.)</em>

    I had the memories of my previous life.

    <em>(That''s not really correct, though.)</em>

    Apparently, Yukimura Rina, a corporate ve in her thirties, was reborn as a viiness in an otome game, Ekaterina.

    <em>(Eh? Then my future will be ruined if I follow the plot of the game? There''s also a route where the empire got destroyed!)</em>

    "Ehhh!?"

    Alexei hurriedly let go of his sister''s hand that trembled even more.

    "Sorry, Ekaterina. But I really think I should call the doctor."

    "No, Brother. I''m not ill. Please don''t call anyone."

    "But..."

    "Rather than that, I... I want to hold your hand a little longer."

    Upon hearing that, Alexei''s face brightened in joy.

    "Yeah, of course. I''ll do whatever you want."

    That expression made his adultness slightly fade. The monocle didn''t match his boyish face.

    <em>(Ah, my brother is embarrassed. ...Ughh, so cute! It''s good that Ekaterina breaks the barrier too! </em>

    <em>Okay, I will never let you two down. Besides, I don''t want to die again from mental stress. Let''s live well! I''ll escape the destruction g. Everyone will be happy!)</em>

    "I-it hurts..."

    "Ekaterina!"

 Chapter 2: The Actual Toughest Flag (å®Ÿã¯ã„ã¡ã°ã‚“æ‰‹å¼·ã„ãƒ•ãƒ©ã‚°)

    It took me three days to merge the personality of the viiness and the corporate ve.

    On the first day, I went into a deep sleep after talking with my brother and relived the two persons'' lives in my dreams. It was really tiring.

    On the second day, I got up because I was pretty clear-headed. But I got surprised by something and fell down. It''s like the heart of the two souls thumped at the same time, freezing the body. The right foot and the left foot tried to move in different directions. In any case, it was unpleasant.

    On the third day, Alexei was so worried that he begged me to lie down, so I tried reading a book. Reading the characters that I had never seen was kind of creepy, but I could normally read it. I got slightly nauseated, but as I read on, the dizziness decreased.

    And when I realized it, the difort in my heart had disappeared.

    <em>I''m tired, but adapting in three days is pretty fast.</em>

    Even though they had merged, ''I'' only retained the speech of the viiness and leaned more to the corporate livestock in terms of personality. The length of my life was almost doubled, but Ekaterina spent most of her life in confinement. So this oue was only to be expected.

    Anyway, it''s time for the corporate ve disguising as a nobledy to appear onto the scene!

    On the morning of the fourth day, Alexei came to visit me. I confidently said with a smile, "Brother, I have worried you. But I''m alright now," but he was still worried. Like it''s natural for him not to trust me.

    "Nevertheless, you have to rest today. For you to have copsed so many times must be because your body is very delicate and sickly. You shouldn''t force yourself."

    A tsundere. This man was the authentic pioneer of a tsundere.

    ording to what I heard a long time ago, ''tsundere'' originally pointed out to the character of ''being cold to other people, only being affectionate to certain people.'' But I couldn''t guarantee the authenticity of my source.

    Anyway, Alexei didn''t act hostile towards Ekaterina. He was just affectionate. He looked like a very cool beauty, but he was warm towards only one person in this world, to the point of blind overprotection... And I was that person! What a great life!

    "I''m really alright. It''s the first time I''ve had such a refreshing morning. It''s like I''m reborn. Also, I have an important reason why I don''t want to rest," Ekaterina said, her expression stiffened. "Brother, it''s less than a month away before my enrollment in the academy. And yet, my schrly ability is too meager!"

    Boom!

    Right. Ekaterina, who had been imprisoned until half a year ago, didn''t have the opportunity to receive education as a nobledy.

    The typical noble family started the education of their children at the age of five with a tutor... probably. However, Ekaterina was neglected until she was fourteen years old. She remembered that her mother tried to get her a tutor, but they all eventually disappeared. Probably that shitty grandmother interfered. She never liked what her daughter-inw did anyway. Why did that olddy shittydy never get her punishment?

    Ekaterina''s mother taught Ekaterina to some extent, but she couldn''t do much with theck of teaching materials. Plus, she eventually became bedridden. Her brother had hired a teacher for her since half a year ago, but she hadn''t studied much since she was in her rebellious period.

    Therefore, I don''t think I can attend sses at the academy with my current knowledge.

    "The reason Brother took me to the imperial capital one month earlier before the enrollment was that you were worried about that, right?"

    "...But your health is much more important than anything. I''ll make sure anything will go smoothly. Even the public''s evaluation on you at the academy."

    Eh, hey hey hey hey!

    Did Ekaterina in the otome game ride the coattails inte her figure with the power of the Duke lineage?

    "But I would like to study. The history book that Brother lent me yesterday was very interesting."

    I could say that sincerely since it was the truth. In the first ce, I was a young woman interested in pre-Edo history until I got a job and I changed my profession into a corporate ve.

    To be honest, I liked history novels more than serious history books, but the book he lent to me was interesting. I really wanted to know more.

    "I finally have something I want to do. I have to learn a lot to achieve that."

    "Something you want to do? Hmm, may I know what is it?"

    "I will study a lot to reach the point where I understand everything aboutw... Then I want to help Brother''s work."

    Alexei widened his eyes in surprise.

    In my previous life, I didn''t really react much when I saw the setting of Alexei bing the Duke at the age of seventeen.

    However, I realized it after I think carefully in these three days.

    Being a Duke is extremely exhausting work, isn''t it!?

    If wepare it with the world of my previous life, it was at the same level as the president of a general tradingpany who also worked as the prefectural governor, right!?

    Alexei tried to stay as close to Ekaterina as possible for the past three days, but he kept getting chased to finish the documents and make decisions. It was insane.

    From what I could understand, he had to consider the production of the mines (amazing!!!) in the Duke''s territory, the exemptions of taxes in some viges that suffered because ofndmines and signing thepensation letter to another country that imported foods with awfully bad quality.

    Above all, I unintentionally heard about aint of a huge dragon appearing in the forest that spreads over the territory. Because of that, the woodcutters couldn''t enter the forest to cut down the four-hundred-years-old ck dragon cedar. It was important to make the custom made item ordered by an important figure. That''s why they requested for additional budget to strengthen the security and signed a letter of the dy to the client...

    The fantasy feeling of ''a dragon suddenly appears!''bined with the everyday feeling of ''report'' and ''additional budget'' was very surreal...

    Anyway, Alexei seemed to be extremely busy.

    But he managed to do well!

    Maybe he had memorized everything in the Duke''s territory. Just with the name of the vige alone, he could smoothly recite the location of it in the Duke''s territory, the terrain, the main products, the number of poption, and so on.

    Not only knowledge but his coping skills were also amazing. He promptly issued instructions to every problem. He handled the documents andmanded a ridiculously wide range of tasks. And fully understood everything.

    What a perfect man! Able to do such a thing at the age of seventeen... wasn''t that already cheating?

    Uesugi Takayama, a wise ruler in the Edo period, became a feudal lord at a simr age. But Alexei was amazing enough to be able topete with that famous figure.

    Then the corporate ve suddenly thought.

    This... I''m raising the overwork death g, right?

    I should gather with talented people when working!

    I decided to break the destruction g, but now I could already see the overwork death g st boss).

    Stop it, me!

    How could I break that g? This was tougher than the destruction g!

    That''s why I dered that I wanted to help him. Not recing him.

    Well, Alexei only smiled... He definitely didn''t take me seriously. But I guess that''s normal.

    "You''re a kind girl, Ekaterina. You don''t have to worry about work."

    "Yes. First of all, I have to acquire the normal level of academic ability," Ekaterina immediately replied, unwavering. "I promise not to overdo it. Therefore, please arrange a good teacher, Brother. ...I''m scared to enroll like this. Please."

    <em>Okay? </em>I slightly tilted my neck to look like a cute child. The siscon brother readily nodded and told me that a tutor woulde here starting tomorrow. Yay!

    ...I think only Brother will be shy when faced with the viiness who acts cute by pretending to be a helpless girl... I''ll be careful not to do it to other people. They might be disgusted with me.

    Anyway, I''ll do my best starting tomorrow... Only as much as everyone else, though~

    <strong>T/N: Hi, trantor (mii) here! I have something I want to ask to the readers... This novel sometimes change from first-person narrative to third-person narrative out of nowhere. Most side stories (like ) are in third-person narrative and I''m going to leave it that way, but what do you think about a chapter that starts with first-person narrative, then suddenly changes to third-person narrative in the middle out of nowhere? I wonder if it''ll be too jarring... But is it rude for me to change it all to first-person narrative...? (; ;) Or maybe dear readers want to wait until we reach that kind of chapter (chapter 4 onwards) first to see if it''s that weird...?</strong>

    <strong>By the way, feel free to point it out at thement section if you spot any typos or grammar mistakes! I''m not a native English speaker, so I''m not very confident in my trantions... A constructive criticism is also OK!</strong>

 Chapter 3.1: Side Story ~The Spiderworts Discord~ (æŒ¿å…¥è©±?é’èŠ±ã®äº‰ã„?)

    The chapter is getting longer, so I will chop it into two parts. But I will only do this for chapters with more than 4-4,5k characters, so don''t worry about it. ?? ? ?¡î * ??( ¡ð ?v? ¡ð )?? * ¡î ? ? ??

    Alexei POV.

    The days before Ekaterina entered the Magic Academy.

    After returning from the imperial pce to Duke''s residence, Alexei went to the study. There, Viscount Boris Novak, Alexei''s subordinate and confidant, greeted him. "Wee back, Young Lord."

    Alexei replied with slight irritation, "Take off the ''Young Lord''."

    "Excuse my rudeness, Your Excellency," Novak replied with a nonchnt air. As a fifty-three years old experienced business head, his short ck hair had a streak of white. But he was very healthy, which could be clearly seen from his robust body.

    Novak was an influential person responsible for managing the territory of Duke Yurinova for many years. He also became Alexei''s assistant from the early age of the younger man. He taught him the management of the territory from the fundamentals and supported him, be it in public or private. Alexei could even say that the current him existed thanks to Novak, although he would do so in displeasure. But Alexei didn''t conceal his feelings just in front of that man.

    "How was the Three Councils Meeting?"

    "The usual. Magna was unpleasant."

    The Three Councils Meeting was the Imperial Council of the three major dukes of the Yurigrand Empire in front of the emperor.

    Alexei was the head of the Yurinovas. Yurinova''s territory was in the north, rich in resources such as mines.

    Yurisein''s territory was located in the south. Facing the sea, it flourished due to the port trade.

    Yurimagna''s territory was located in the east. It had vast ins andkes.

    Peter the Great, the founder of the Empire, had a younger brother, and all of the Dukes had the same lineage as him. The empire''s important position was governed by someone with royal parentage.

    The Three Dukes called each other by omitting ''Yuri'', so it became "Nova", "Sein", and "Magna".

    Alexei handed his cloak to Ivan, his servant, and sat down in the leather chair with a thud.

    "He''s stillining that he''s the only one with disadvantages. He even shamelessly told us to hand over some of our mines or Sein''s ports. I want to ask him why he didn''t develop hisnd even if it''s very fertile. Plus, why do I have to pay for the Great Knights'' Order that''s living idly now just because they already existed at the founding of this nation?"

    "I see. But Your Excellency, you sound more displeased than usual."

    Alexei''s face became stiff. "...He insulted Ekaterina."

    <em>Nova''s nobledy is sickly. She has never learned anything from a teacher and has never received an invitation from another family. My daughter, Elizabeth, sympathizes with her and tells me she wants to invite her once. I have such a kind daughter!</em>

    George, the Duke of Yurimagna, was a thirty-eight years old man with trained big body and clear ambition. His words were aimed at the opportunity to increase his daughter''s value to be the next Empress, but it was an insult to Ekaterina, and eventually Yurinova. The younger Alexei had been ignoring the intolerable disrespectful behavior of that man towards him, but he couldn''t let this one slide.

    "It''s been a while since the room temperature lowers."

    "Oh."

    Alexei, who possessed a powerful magic power with ice attribute, could sometimes produce cold air when he got worked up. However, he had strong self-control and always considered his surroundings. That''s why something like this rarely happened outside. If he did it in front of the Emperor, he knew that he would be scolded.

    "Duke Sein distracted me, so I could ignore it. That''s because he was indifferent with the dispute for the next Empress'' seat."

    Dmitry, the Duke of Yurisein, was the oldest among them at the age of forty-five. His daughter was all a lot older than the prince, plus they were already married. Furthermore, the current Empress Magdalena was the sister of Dmitry, so it would be unlikely for the next Empress toe from his family. Alexei paid respect to Dmitry, a savvy and warm-hearted, yet clever businessman who made a fortune in the port trades.

    "Miss Ekaterina''s teachers have sent us a report on her current grades."

    "Is that so?"

    Upon receiving the documents and taking a quick nce, Alexei smiled broadly.

    "With this result, I think she can get on at the academy without any problems. She has worked hard."

    "As expected from Your Excellency''s younger sister. She never learned history, geography, and magic control, but she has mastered it enough. She''s also rather excellent in mathematics."

    The corporate ve Rina was a science student, so the subjects for high school first grade were naturally very easy for her. No, it was probably even easier than the subjects of the same grade in her previous life because the mathematics education level was lower here.

    Besides, the knowledge of the viiness Ekaterina was unexpectedly enough. She learned manners from her mother''s behavior and literature from repeatedly reading the limited books in the vi when she got confined. Combined, they made a solid foundation.

    "She told me she learned it from her mother. There''s no doubt that Miss Ekaterina is smart, but Mistress was also splendid."

    "...She was a brightdy."

    Alexei''s voice sunk.

    The messenger he personally sent to wee his mother killed her. That memory would haunt him for life.

    At her dying moment, she looked at him and called his father''s name. In Alexei''s memory, his mother never saw him as his son.

    "It''s the order of the Great Mistress. To kill the Mistress if she would return to the mansion. Even I lost my guard because I didn''t think anyone would follow that instruction after the death of the former Duke and his wife. It''s not your fault, Your Excellency."

    "My sin will never disappear for a lifetime. ...But Ekaterina forgave me."

    <em>(Brother is the one who suffered the most. The cruel one is Grandmother. And father too, for not protecting Mother. In reality, Mother should be able to hug Brother since she always wanted to see you.)</em>

    Then Ekaterina hugged Alexei as if she waspensating for their mother. ...Alexei couldn''t hide his tears that welled up for the first time at that time.

    "She''s a gentle child."

    Alexei, who grew up under his grandmother and was separated from his mother, never experienced being loved.

    His father, Alexandr, had a charm and good points that made other people love him. He grew up being pampered by his mother and became a slothful person who was only interested in ying women and gambling. Even after his father and Alexei''s grandfather, Sergey, died at the age of fifty-eight and Alexandr had to seed the position as a duke, he left the territorial management tasks to Novak. All he did was flirting around. Naturally, he wasn''t interested in his son as well.

    Alexei, whose appearance resembled that of his father, but whose serious personality resembled that of his grandfather, was treated severely by his grandmother. She pushed the responsibility of the work her son hated to her grandson. Shortly after his grandfather died, Alexei began to take some of the tasks on behalf of the lord. At that time, he was just a ten years old boy.

    Alexei had grown up into a mature child from that time, but of course, he wished his mother would stay beside him. His sister, who was very simr to his mother, gave him what he had dreamed of at that time.

    That''s why, he couldn''t stop resenting himself, who let her live a bitter life for a long time.

 Chapter 3.2: Side Story ~The Spiderworts Discord~ (æŒ¿å…¥è©±?é’èŠ±ã®äº‰ã„?)

    Never had Alexei imagined that his mother and sister had been mistreated until the first time he saw them. Because it was his grandfather, Sergey, who made them live in the vi.

    Sergey was the only person who could control his grandmother. He was the single man in this family deserving of sincere respect. But due to him sessively holding essential positions in this country such as the Duke and the Prime Minister, he had to leave the imperial city because of his busy schedule. Naturally, it would be hard for him to stop her from misbehaving all the time. So he gave his daughter-inw another vi and took steps to prevent his wife from doing anything. In fact, Alexei''s mother and daughter should have received more than enough more expenses and not face any difficulties in life.

    However, after the death of his grandfather, his grandmother secretlyid off the servants of the vi and stole their living expenses, making them unable to live a decent life. Not only that they couldn''t take a step outside, but they alsocked basic necessities such as food and clothing.

    Alexei, who should''ve taken over the role of protecting his mother and sister from his grandfather, was nothing but a ten years old child. He didn''t notice a thing.

    When he first met Ekaterina, the girl was standing beside their dying mother. She wore shabby clothes that were even too small for her skinny body. Even though she was the daughter of the Duke.

    And Ekaterina was looking at Alexei with frightened eyes.

    When they met again half a yearter, she grew into a beauty, not even a resemnce of that skinny figure left. But she didn''t speak to Alexei. And Alexei understood why, so he didn''t force her to talk.

    Then she came to the imperial capital and suddenly copsed. It made Alexei''s chest stuffed with worry, but then... when she regained consciousness, she reached out to him and asked him to hold her hand.

    Even if Ekaterina forgave him, Alexei didn''t n to forgive himself. And he swore to do anything for his sister.

    "She''s truly a gentle person. We just talked a little bit, but I could see that she has a bright and cheerful personality. Her magic power is powerful and her appearance is beautiful. The color of her hair and eyes is the noble blue, just like the blue rose of Yurinova.

    His Imperial Highness Princess Mikhail enrolls in the same year as Miss Ekaterina at the academy, so they should have many opportunities to meet. Elisabeth Yurimagna is still ten years old, so Miss Ekaterina has a significant advantage. I believe she can aim for the seat of the Empress."

    Although the people in the empire had various color of hair, blue-haired children were often born in the imperial family, so it was considered a noble color. In addition, the coat of arms of the Three Great Dukes'' family had flowers of each family''s symbol.

    Yurinova was a rose.

    Yurisein was a lily.

    Yurimagna was a narcissus.

    From here, the power struggle of the Three Great Dukes was named the Battle of Blue Flowers.

    Alexei shook his head. "No, Ekaterina won''t enter the imperial family. Yesterday, she told me that she doesn''t want to marry into the imperial family where Grandmother grew up."

    (I heard that the His Imperial Highness would enroll in the same grade as me. Mother wished that I will meet him and be the Empress when she was alive. So that even Grandmother has to bow to me... But Mother and Grandmother are no longer here. I don''t want to go near such a cold ce. I want to concentrate on my studies quietly without involving myself with the imperial family.)

    Novak shrugged. "...As ady of a noble family, her marriage is her duty to raise the family. I''m afraid she has to work hard for it."

    "But His Highness and Ekaterina are close to each other in blood. It''splicated. I''m not saying that they can''t get married, but there are high chances that noisy guys will appear. In that respect, Miss Elisabeth is clearly in advantage here.

    Instead, we should give up and watch the broke Magna to has financial difficulties for the marriage preparation. It''s more efficient to leave them ruining themselves rather than fighting them. If I lend them money for the dowry with a high-interest rate, I can hold down Magna''s neck even when dimir took the Duke''s position in the future."

    Alexei was rather talkative. To be honest, he was also in conflict with dimir, the eldest son of Yurimagna who''s a year younger than Alexei. But his real intention was clear. He didn''t want to let go of his cute sister after they finally could talk to each other like a pair of siblings.

    "I understand." Novak nodded with a chuckle. Noticing Alexei lifting his eyebrows to him, he added, "I mean, Miss Ekaterina''s feelings might change once she meets His Imperial Highness Mikhail. I heard that he also has an elegant and beautiful appearance."

    "...Hm." Alexei didn''t refute. He only frowned. "Fine. If she wants His Highness, I will fight a duel or start a war with Magna. Even if I have to give all of Yurinova, I''ll make her the Empress.

    Everything Ekaterina wants will be hers."

 Chapter 4: Time to Go to the Academy! (ã„ã–å­¦åœ’ã¸)

    I sat in front of the dressing table and took a closer look at my face in the mirror.

    Ekaterina could be categorized as a beauty. No, she was definitely one. Her blue hair, which I would never find anywhere in my previous world, had a deep color like apiszuli. It was naturally wavy, flowing down to her waist like the wave in the ocean. Her skin was as white as porcin. Her blue eyes had a tint of purple like tanzanite. Her nose was well-defined and her small lips were slightly thick. She oozed slight sex appeal.

    As for her style¡­ How could I describe it? She looked really mature.

    At the age of fifteen, I looked even more amazing than my previous life self who was in her thirties. What breast size is this? Can it grow any bigger?

    And my waist was more slender than before.

    Yeah¡­

    Bathing in the refreshing morning light with this appearance wouldn¡¯t suit me at all...

    Even if I was young, I already looked like an adult. And because of that, I didn¡¯t have any loveliness at all.

    I was more like an impactful beauty. Even if I stood in front of a terrifying old castle when it¡¯s thundering, I wouldn¡¯t lose to the background.

    Rather than smiling cutely, lifting one corner of my lips to chuckle orughing loudly would suit me more.

    That¡¯s only natural! Because I was the viiness!

    ¡°You¡¯re beautiful, My Lady.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Mina¡­¡±

    The maid Mina Frey, who was standing by Ekaterina¡¯s side, kindly praised her, but Ekaterina listlessly replied to her.

    Mina was a cool beauty with bob purple hair. The Duke¡¯s residence¡¯s tailored maid uniform looked good on her. She had been taking care of Ekaterina since she came to the imperial capital. At first, Ekaterina was confused because the maidcked facial expression and always talked calmly. She gave off an inhuman impression like a doll.

    ¡°Are you nervous?¡±

    ¡°Yes, a little.¡±

    Ekaterina ced her hands on her cheeks and exhaled. This day had finally arrived.

    Today, Ekaterina would leave the Duke¡¯s residence in the imperial city and move to the dormitory of the Magic Academy with Alexei. And starting tomorrow, she would attend the sses.

    <em>(I already know that I¡¯m going to be nervous, but my hands are trembling¡­)</em>

    What was waiting at the academy was Ekaterina¡¯s destruction g as a viiness. Furthermore, if the heroine couldn¡¯t clear an event, she would reach the imperial¡¯s destruction g.

    In the meantime, Ekaterina had taken measures to deal with her destruction g. She dered to Alexei that she wouldn¡¯t marry the prince, and her brother acknowledged it.

    She would try not to get involved with the heroine or the prince as much as possible. She would never bully the heroine. That should break the g.

    Perhaps the imperial destruction g was scarier than that. Ekaterina couldn¡¯t be sure if the heroine could clear the event. She wasn¡¯t involved in this.

    Therefore, even if the heroine deviated from the scenario of the game, Ekaterina had to do what she could. Thinking so, she put a lot of effort into the magic control ss. Ekaterina¡¯s magic power had an earth attribute. She didn¡¯t know how much she could use it at the events, but the teacher praised her for her powerful magic power. She managed to do all the tasks given to her as well.

    Well, to be honest, she was absorbed into her study because she found being able to use magic was fun.

    Ekaterina slightly wished that she would get a cheating level magic power with the reincarnation bonus, but she didn¡¯t get anything like that. What a shame.

    Well, she had been thinking about her measures in breaking the gs, but...

    When the enrollment day was right in front of her, she became nervous about a problem she hadn¡¯t thought about.

    <em>(The academy is full of nobles. That means I have to get along with people, right?)</em>

    After studying for the past month, Ekaterania¡¯s academic ability had reached the level where she could disguise her actual capability for a while. Even her teachers were surprised that she hadn¡¯t received any education so far. But they all focused on teaching her the areas that she would learn at the beginning of the semester. Since Alexei hired them, they were naturally a line of very talented people. Even if they did just like what was ordered, they made the exnation very easy to understand.

    But then.

    Ekaterinapletely forgot. That student life wasn¡¯t just about studying.

    What kind of conversation should she have? The trendy fashion? Popr actors? Or grilled meat? She didn¡¯t even know much about this world. There was no such idle talk in the game.

    The imprisoned viiness never met any other nobledies.

    The corporate ve in her thirties was naturally amoner. The Japanese aristocratic system didn¡¯t exist because GHQ had abolished it.

    Don¡¯t even mention the destruction g. She was already scared of enrolling the academy.

    Suddenly, Mina took Ekaterina¡¯s hand and began to massage the area around her thumb.

    ¡°If you press here, your body will be less stiff. Please try it when you are tired.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Right, I feel a little bit morefortable.¡±

    Ekaterina smiled, wondering if there was a concept of acupoint in this world. She just thought that a smiling face wouldn¡¯t suit her viiness¡¯ face, butughing out loud here would only make her a crazy guy.

    Anyway, Marin was a sensible maid, even if she was expressionless and blunt in her words.

    ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re following me to the academy. Please take care of me tomorrow as well.¡±

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t say ¡®please¡¯ to a maid, My Lady. You are the nobledy of the Duke family.¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t hurt anyone if I say it, will it?¡±

    ¡°My Lady, you¡¯re weird.¡±

    Mina often told Ekaterina that. Personally, Ekaterina wondered if the maid who said that a nobledy was strange directly to the person concerned was the strange one, but she didn¡¯t know what kind of maid was normal. In the end, she decided not to mind it too much.

    ¡°Only a few people in this nation are as high-ranked as you, My Lady. You¡¯re going to the academy with the Duke as well. You don¡¯t need to be so nervous.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I guess so¡­¡±

    Ekaterina¡¯s face stiffened. She saw their family being stripped of their titles, so she couldn¡¯t rx by relying on her social status. Plus because Alexei was with her, she couldn¡¯t let him get involved with this and fell into ruin!

    ¡°Are you scared of other nobledies? If so, you can either stick to His Excellency Duke and ignore them or go back to the dormitory and stay with me. I will protect you. But only as much as I can.¡±

    <em>¡°I will protect you¡± </em>sounds like what a handsome hero would say, right? This cool beautiful maid was actually a handsome hero.

    But Mina was a maid, so she probably meant she would protect her by keeping her in the room. But Ekaterina was grateful for her concern.

    Right, she could do that! Escaping was shameful, but that was the best option! She would do her best to break the g. But she would withdraw if the situation grew bad!

    Student life onlysted for three years in her life anyway!

    ¡°Thank you, Mina.¡± Ekaterina wrapped Mina¡¯s hands in both of her hands and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m starting to feel better.¡±

    ***

    After Ekaterina got dressed and went to the entrance hall, she noticed that Alexei had been waiting for her.

    Alexei was dressed in slightly formal attire, making him look like a picture of a young man even if he only stood alone. Ekaterina was charmed again. Then Alexei offered his right arm to her. As she inwardly squealed, she slipped her left hand there. It wasn¡¯t linking arms or holding hands, but the so-called ¡®escort¡¯. That¡¯s why she felt even more enthusiastic.

    <em>(It¡¯s good to be alive! No, it¡¯s good to be dead? Or maybe, it¡¯s good to be reborn!)</em>

    Ekaterina got on the horse-drawn carriage with Alexei and they went down the Main Street. The wheels of the carriage made a rattling noise, missing with the sound of the horses¡¯ hooves. Although she also rode a carriage on a trip from the territory, the experience became somewhat interesting now that she had regained the memories of her past life.

    And the city was beautiful!

    All she could see was a chic cityscape like the ancient capital of Europe far beyond. Tall stone buildings, towering bell towers, and stunning sculptures were all over the street.

    ¡°Brother, is that the imperial pce?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right.¡±

    The imperial pce, sitting perched in the center of the imperial capital, was as beautiful as the Cindere castle at a certain theme park.

    ¡°My, what a big sculpture!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s Peter the Great. There¡¯s also a sculpture of our ancestor, Duke Sergey, in the next street.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s simr to Brother?¡±

    ¡°Well, I wonder about that? What you¡¯ll see is his figure when he¡¯s fifty years old.¡±

    So that¡¯s it.

    ¡°It¡¯s your first time in the imperial capital, but I couldn¡¯t bring you out to sightsee even once. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the one who requested that I want to study. But Brother, please apany me to sightsee when we are on a day off. Brother is always working too hard. You should take a break.¡±

    ¡°Sure¡­ If you want to do that, let¡¯s do it. We¡¯re going to arrive soon, but are you alright?¡±

    <em>(Ah! I was so excited that I forgot to be nervous!)</em>

    "You copsed before, right?¡±

    ¡°Right. Brother¡­ Will you hold my hand?¡±

    Ekaterina held out her hand to Alexei. Alexei immediately covered it with both his hands.

    She could see arge gate ahead of the carriage.

    The academy was very wide, so the gate was alsorge. It had many school buildings, dormitories, auditoriums, ponds, and a small forest. Yes, Ekaterina knew that.

    Yurigrand Empire, Magic Academy. The stage of the otome game, ¡°Infinity World ~The Maiden of Salvation~¡±.

    The opening of the game started with the scene of the gate opening.

    And right now, the closed gate was open. With blue sky over it.

    It was just a gate. What she could see beyond there was just a building.

    ¡°I¡¯m alright, Brother.¡±

    ¡°If you say so.¡±

    Tomorrow was the entrance ceremony.

    <em>(I¡¯ll be fine. I won¡¯t lose to the destruction g. Definitely.)</em>

 Chapter 5: Entrance Ceremony (å…¥å­¦å¼)

    Ekaterina slept well.

    Today was the destined day of the entrance ceremony in the otome game. Yesterday, Ekaterinaid down with her mind full of worry whether she could sleep or not. But she ended up falling asleep in mere seconds. Even she had mixed feelings about this.

    Ekaterina looked around her unfamiliar room in the dormitory, ufortable.

    ¡°Good morning, My Lady.¡±

    ¡°Good morning, Mina.¡±

    Mina opened the curtain. The morning sun brightened the spacious bedroom.

    ¡°Spacious¡±. ¡°Bedroom¡±.

    Do you understand?

    The room where Ekaterina was assigned waspletely different from her image of a student dormitory. This room had a bedroom, a spacious living room/study room, a small room for the maid and a small kitchen.

    The academy prepared one special room for each of the thirty dormitory buildings, which had a long history. Only the children of the imperial family or the duke¡¯s family could live here.

    ¡°Do you want to eat your breakfast in your bed? Or should I bring it to the study?¡±

    ¡°My, we¡¯re not eating in the dining room?¡±

    ¡°Meals in the special room are carried from the kitchen by elevator.¡±

    Somehow¡­ how they treat people of high status was really amazing? How much would they make a distinction to the same students? The prestigious school in Ekaterina¡¯s past life was Eton School in Ennd, but she heard that they didn¡¯t distinguish their students, no matter if it was the royal family or a Japanese crown prince studying there.

    However, since the people living in the special room might be an emperor or an empress in the future, this might be a preventative measure against poisoning¡­ probably? Brother still had to fulfill his duty as Duke even when he was in this academy, so it might be necessary for him to have a room this size.

    The heroine¡¯s dormitory room Ekaterina in the game was a small one-room. Most of the students at the Magic Academy were nobles, so they didn¡¯t have a shared room, but one room for each person. Ekaterina remembered thinking that even that was already extravagant.

    Well, this kind of room was perfect for withdrawing in case of emergency!

    Ekaterina had her breakfast in her bed, changed into uniforms (or rather had Mina dress her up. The design was cute, but Ekaterina wasn¡¯t sure if it suited her viiness look), then she went to the entrance ceremony.

    In the game, the ¡®entrance ceremony¡¯ was an introductory section where the world view and the story of the game were introduced by a narration.

    But of course that wouldn¡¯t be the same in this world. Apparently, this event was exactly the same as the Japanese entrance ceremony. The new students gathered by their dormitories. And then the enrolling students apuded them. After the guests entered the auditorium, they could take a seat.

    Ekaterina, a nobledy of the Duke family, was naturally seated in the front row. She was d she slept wellst night. It would be embarrassing if she dozed off here.

    After the musicians of the orchestra booth (there¡¯s something like this in the auditorium!?) yed solemn music (national anthem?) and the principal gave a congrattory message, it¡¯s time for the representative of the non-graduates to give a wee speech.

    However,

    ¡°The representative of the non-graduates, His Excellency Duke Alexei Yurinova.¡±

    Whaaaaat!?

    <em>(Isn¡¯t this something the student council president does!? Why is it Brother!? Because he has the highest rank and highest grade!? Or maybe the student council president has a cold, so he substitutes in!?</em>

    <em>And why are they calling him with his peerage and title!?)</em>

    Alexei appeared on the stage.

    <em>(Kyahhh! Brother is so cool!!)</em>

    It was the first time Ekaterina saw her brother in uniform. She couldn¡¯t suppress her excitement.

    Alexei wore his uniform on the game screen, but it¡¯s different to see him in the same world. The men¡¯s uniform in the Magic Academy was a zer, but it was a solid military uniform (a more formal one since it had so many decorations?) The uniform fit spectacled Alexei¡¯s seemingly sadistic atmosphere.

    He was really tall. His legs were long. Compared to the principal and guests that gave a speech earlier, he clearly had a good style.

    Brother is slender, but he¡¯s manly!

    The noblemen in this world must learn horse riding and swordsmanship. In his morning practice, when Brother cut off his target with a sh of his long sword, his thick chest, broad shoulders, and muscles made such a beautiful figure!

    His good posture when he stretched his back was also wonderful!

    Alexei readily approached the podium. The expressionless fair-skinned beauty wafted off the dignity that didn¡¯t suit a student. His movement attracted everyone¡¯s attention in the auditorium.

    Once he stood in front of the podium, Alexei slowly scanned the auditorium. Even from a distance, his light blue eyes were bright, just like a Paraiba Tourmaline. The students were originally noisy, but they became quiet as if pressured by his intensity. The quietest moment of this day fell into the auditorium.

    Alexei then opened his mouth, ¡°Dear new students¡­¡±

    His low-pitched voice filled the auditorium. His words were the temte of what anyone would say in this situation; weing the new students as members of the prosperous Imperial Magic Academy. But the way he spoke made it sound like something of great importance.

    Howpetent. Brother was such a capable man!

    Alexei left the podium in the midst of the apuse, finishing his speech without being too slow or too fast.

    At that time, he nced at Ekaterina, so she secretly waved her hand.

    Alexei smiled for a second. It disappeared immediately, but his expressionless face certainly turned into a gentle smile.

    Kyaaa!!! The gap moe is here!!!

    ¡°Kyaaa!¡±

    <em>(What should I¡­ ah!)</em>

    The voice of her heart leaked out!

    Ah, no. That¡¯s not her voice. She heard it from behind. Then she heard it again, a squeal. Did something happen?

    As she thought so, the voice of the facilitator echoed.

    ¡°The representative of the freshmen, His Highness Prince Mikhail Yurigrand.¡±

    Hiiih!?

    The representative of the non-graduate students was the Duke, and the representative of the freshmen was the Prince! What an unexpected Noble vs Royal. The entrance ceremony started with Noble vs Royal.

    ¡°Kyaaa!!!¡±

    This time, everyone cheered loudly. In the midst of that, Prince Mikhal appeared on the stage.

    He had blue hair and blue eyes like the summer sky. His sweet face was dignified, but it also gave off a gentle and cheerful persona. He was tall, but he had a supple body that hadn¡¯t fully grown up.

    Even when he stood in front of all the students, he wasn¡¯t nervous at all.

    Ekaterina smiled.

    <em>(Not my type¡­ Ahh, what a relief.)</em>

    The prince was certainly a beauty. He was super handsome. Most girls would choose Mikhail over the cold-looking Alexei.

    But! As a woman in her thirties in her previous life, she couldn¡¯t like a fifteen years old boy!

    Her type was a reliable man!

    Even if she was fifteen years old now, she couldn¡¯t feel any love feelings towards such a cute teenager!

    Brother looked like he was already in his twenties and he was mentally calm, so she didn¡¯t feel guilty for fangirling over him. But a love g with a teenager the same age as her¡­ it would sink. The ship would sink and disappear somewhere.

    Ekaterina was a bit worried if she would fall in love with the prince when she met him and be reckless, but now she was sure that would be impossible. Great.

    The auditorium, which was quiet when Alexei was giving his speech, was very noisy now. It¡¯s like most of the girls were in the same fandom and yelled together. There was even a cheer before the prince appeared.

    But the timing was a bit strange, wasn¡¯t it? Couldn¡¯t they react a bit to Brother? Maybe he had hidden fans? Brother was also very handsome, his social status was high. He deserved to have a fanbase!

    Yeah. He was a super good looking man with top grade and top ss in this nation. He was also very rich.

    Furthermore¡­ he had no parents (meaning, no inws) or hard-to-deal shitty grandmother (grandmother-inw), so he should be highly evaluated as a marriage partner...

    Although his social status lost to the prince, many girls would say that the Duchess was a better position than the Empress in terms of pressure, right¡­?

    O-oh my.

    Brother¡­ he was such an excellent item! (In the sense of a marriage market)

    There¡¯s no doubt of it. Many girls should be aiming for Brother!

    No good, I had to protect him!

    ...Wait. Stop it, me.

    I¡¯m his sister.

    My brother would get married eventually.

    If I blindly chase off the girls who approached him, wouldn¡¯t it make me irritating instead?

    Haa! The future Duchess wouldn¡¯t have a mother-inw and a father-inw, but I would be the sister-inw!

    If I treat my future sister-inw like a hindrance, I would end up as the family member bullying the inw!

    Uwaaahhh. It¡¯s hard for me, but I had to watch over him. I just want to support him to marry someone with a gentle personality that makes Brother happy¡­ But he would probably marry for the sake of the family, so his sister wouldn¡¯t have a right to speak over this matter, right?

    ...Wait again, me.

    It wouldn¡¯t be strange if Brother already had a fianc¨¦e.

    I had never asked him so he never told me, but it was possible that he had decided who to marry! Yes, very much so!

    Then what should I do? I have to confirm it...

    After hearing the apuse from her surroundings, Ekaterina returned to her senses.

    The prince¡¯s speech was over.

    <em>(Ah¡­ I didn¡¯t hear a word from the prince. Your Highness, sorry about that.)</em>

    <strong>T/N: Ai, I really rte to Ekaterina about not being able to like high school boys character now that I''m at my 20s. I can''t even fangirl anymore when I y otome games with school setting. It''s like watching the cute neighbor''s kid oveing his difficulties, and this older sister only want to root for them~ Then they kabedon me and go "daisuki da yo," and I can only react with, "good boy, go get the heroine!"</strong>

    <strong>I can only go crazy to the ssy, mighty, but whipped CEO or Duke character, begging him to make me his sugar baby...! ~~((? ? ? *)(* ? ? ? ))~~//pped</strong>

    <strong>Haa, it''s good to be young.</strong>

 Chapter 6: Encounter (é­é‡)

    "Ekaterina."

    Alexei came to meet Ekaterina when she was moving to the school building after the entrance ceremony.

    "Brother!" Ekaterina happily ran to her brother''s side. "Brother, your speech was wonderful."

    "Hmm? Ah. I was a sudden stand-in, so I didn''t say much."

    Her guess about substituting someone else was a bingo. But even if Alexei didn''t prepare for the speech, he was so calm before.

    "Rather than me, aren''t you more interested in the prince?"

    "Eh?"

    "His Highness Mikhail gave a speech right after me, right? What do you think about him?"

    Eh? Ehhhhh?

    Why did he suddenly mention the prince? Did Brother find out I was having weird thoughts during His Highness'' entire speech?

    "Ah¡­ His Highness, eh. Right, uh, his speech is great¡­"

    No good. I sounded so suspicious.

    Let''s be honest here. So that Brother wouldn''t get angry at me.

    "Um¡­ It didn''t¡­ really leave an impression on me¡­"

    "......"

    Oh, a silent pause.

    Maybe he was stunned. But, but, Brother was better than the prince! It couldn''t be helped!

    "Uh, Brother! Rather than that, can I ask you something?"

    "Y-yeah, of course."

    "Brother, are you engaged with anyone!?"

    "...Huh?"

    No, Brother. Please don''t give me such a nk look.

    "Um, I know that it''s not something I can interfere with. But let me tell you this, Brother. No matter who is Brother''s wife, I will never be mean towards her! I promise that I won''t start a feud between women and trouble you!"

    <em>(''Don''t bully the inw!'' I had tattooed this slogan in my heart!)</em>

    Ekaterina inwardly emphasized, clenching her fist.

    "Feud¡­" Alexei muttered, then heughed.

    ...How rare. This was the first time Ekaterina saw her brotherughing out loud. He looked younger than usual, adorable.

    But this was not the time for him tough. The inw problem was probably a fundamental problem for women! Well, she never became a wife or mother-inw, though.

    A little farther away, Ekaterina could see the students heading to the school building were looking at Alexei in a daze.

    "I-I''m not engaged," Alexei answered, removing his monocle and wiping his tears. "I''ll consider it after I graduate. Since I have to focus on my job as the Duke and my studies, it''s not the time for me to get engaged. Besides, I will get married only after I marry you to a proper family. So there''s no need for you to worry about feuds or anything."

    Ekaterina was relieved to hear that. And when her brother removed his monocle, he looked even cuter.

    "I''m going to be a bride after seeing my brother''s happiness with my own eyes."

    "That means both of us won''t be able to marry, right? Then we will always be together."

    "That''s nice! For me, that''ll make the happiest!"

    <em>(Because Brother was my number one favorite!)</em>

    "You''re such a child," Alexei said with a bitter smile, but he looked happy. "When you''re a little older and have someone you like, tell me. As long as he can make you happy, I will do as you wish."

    Thank you, Brother.

    Actually, a part of me was eleven years older than you. I''m sorry about that.

    Not to say, I was an idiot who died after ying an otome game and spent too much of my spare time to watch the scene where Brother appeared even if just a little because I liked you although you weren''t the capture target. So there''s a big possibility that I would stay with you forever.

    I also nned never to leave your side to break the death from overworking g from you!

    After parting with Alexei, Ekaterina rushed to the freshmen''s building.

    She was definitelyte. Almost all the students were already in the school building. She could only see a few backs of people.

    When Ekaterina sprinted to chase them, her eyes were pulled to the back of a girl.

    She was a student with a delicate body.

    Her fluffy semi-long hair was the pale pink color, resembling the cherry blossoms. Ekaterina could see that she was pretty only from her back.

    The color of her eyes was bright purple like amethyst. She had round eyes and long eyshes, the cute uniform suiting her perfectly.

    The information that Ekaterina wouldn''t have known just by looking at the girl''s back from a distance sprung up in her head like angry waves.

    But it''s normal that I knew that. Because that was me.

    It''s also normal that the uniform suited her. Because it was designed to match that character.

    Why did she walk even if I hadn''t entered amand?

    <em>(No, it''s the heroine! I''m not ying the game right now! Get ahead of yourself, me!)</em>

    Wait, who am I again?

    My legs lost their power.

    <em>(Oh no, I got locked out!)</em>

    "Ekaterina!"

    I felt like I could hear Alexei''s voice from a distance.

    But before I could confirm it, I cked out.

 Chapter 7: Sudden Rest (ã„ããªã‚Šä¼‘ã¿)

    ¡°It¡¯s three days.¡±

    Mina raised her three fingers.

    ¡°Please rest for at least three days. If you can¡¯t keep that promise, you will have to stay away from the academy and return to the Duke¡¯s residence. That¡¯s His Excellency¡¯s message.¡±

    ¡°No way~~~¡±

    Lying in the bed, Ekaterina cried. But Mina¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change at all. Well, she was expressionless by nature.

    ¡°Please listen to him, My Lady. You were very healthy in the morning, yet you copsed out of nowhere. No one will believe you even if you say that you¡¯re fine.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m really fine¡­¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t leave this room for three days. If you do, I will be punished by His Excellency.¡±

    ¡°No way¡­¡±

    ¡°His Excellency¡¯s skill in using a long sword is quite good. He can slice off a person¡¯s neck without fail.¡±

    Uhh¡­

    Losing her strength, Ekaterina closed her eyes.

    To be honest, she was still dizzy. As soon as she saw the heroine acting as ¡®another person¡¯ even if she should be ¡®me¡¯ in the game world, her mind and body became estranged. Why did this happen now?

    <em>(In the game I yed in my previous life, I experienced this world as Flora.)</em>

    The heroine was Flora Cerny. She was born as amoner, but when her mother, her only rtive, died, Baron Cerny¡¯s family took her over as an adopted daughter since they were close to her mother. After that, the examination revealed that she had a strong magic power. So she got the permit to enter the Magic Academy¡­ that was the setting of the heroine.

    Ekaterina thought that she had finished the fusion of the corporate ve and the viiness. But now that she thought of it, she was studying at the Duke¡¯s residence all the time. Maybe her condition became unstable because the environment changed.

    <em>(Like what Brother said, it may be safer to take some time to adapt to the environment.)</em>

    Ekaterina had worried Alexei a lot.

    <em>(Oh no! I remember it again!)</em>

    Apparently, Alexei immediately noticed when Ekaterina copsed and ran to her. He then picked her up in his arms and tried to carry her to the infirmary.

    When Ekaterina regained her consciousness¡­

    <em>(Brother! He¡¯s carrying me! Like a princess!)</em>

    For a moment, Ekaterina didn¡¯t understand the situation. When she looked up, all she could see was Alexei¡¯s beautiful face right in front of her.

    <em>¡°Brother?¡±</em>

    <em>¡°Ekaterina! You¡¯re finally awake!!!¡±</em>

    At that time, Alexei had a sad face. He looked like he would cry any time soon.

    Then he pressed his cheeks against Ekaterina¡¯s forehead and hugged her tightly.

    <em>(Ahhh, just remembering it makes me feel like I¡¯m going to have a nosebleed! His arms, his chest, and his shoulders¡­ so warm!)</em>

    After Alexei did that, Ekaterina covered her face with both of her hands and wriggled.

    <em>¡°Brother, I can walk on my own. Please put me down.¡±</em>

    <em>¡°No.¡±</em>

    Ekaterina slightly yearned to have someone princess carry her like this, but when her wish came true, she was worried about her weight and became embarrassed.

    However, her request was promptly rejected.

    <em>¡°If something happens to you, I won¡¯t be able to live. Ekaterina, you are my life¡­¡±</em>

    <em>(I died! Brother, your words shot through your sister¡¯s heart, and she was dead now!!!)</em>

    After Ekaterina died thanks to Alexei¡¯s cuteness, she couldn¡¯t say anything else. Then they went to the infirmary. On the way, Ekaterina thought that it¡¯s amazing how Alexei could walk normally even if he was carrying someone. But then, the noblemen in this nation received training based on whether they could wear armor and run around the battlefield. The otome game didn¡¯t show that kind of violent setting, but she acquired that knowledge after she was reborn.

    Ekaterinaid down on the bad in the infirmary and asked Alexei to return to his ss, but he looked a little lonely and said, <em>¡°You don¡¯t want me to hold your hand today?¡±</em>

    Alexei had the image of a big, cool dog with drooping ears. He was clearly disappointed. Where did his previous intimidating look that pressured all of the students with just a nce go?

    <em>(I¡¯m losing it! I found the moe-ness that¡¯s making me insane!)</em>

    Ekaterina was about to slip out, ¡®Please hold my hand or whatever you want. I beg you.¡¯ But Mina came in at that moment.

    There, Mina substituted Alexei to attend Ekaterina, so Alexei returned to his ss.

    Somehow, Ekaterina knew that this situation was dangerous. She knew that Alexei had decided that his sister should take a leave from the academy for a while and rest at the Duke¡¯s residence. She could sense it through his words. That¡¯s why she took countermeasures and asked Mina to take her back to her dorm room.

    Since her room was in the girls¡¯ dormitory, no boys were allowed to enter. It was an absolute rule that not even the power of the Duke could break. Alexei wouldn¡¯t be able to forcibly step in and take her home.

    Ekaterina wanted to walk back to the dormitory on her own, but Mina unexpectedly lifted her up. Having the maid carrying her like a princess was awkward. Mina swiftly walked, carrying a youngdy without any trouble. How strong. This beautiful maid was too strong.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mina. Did Brother get angry?¡±

    ¡°Well, at first. But as I said, ¡®My Lady is crying because she¡¯s sad to leave the academy,¡¯ His Excellency became so depressed that he couldn¡¯t afford to be angry anymore.¡±

    ¡°I-I see¡­¡±

    I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry for taking advantage of your siscon, Brother.

    If I wanted to avoid our destruction g where we were stripped of our title, then being absent in the academy was the best choice. But I wouldn¡¯t know if we were heading to the imperial destruction g. I couldn¡¯t leave the academy.

    Ekaterina would break the imperial destruction g for you, Brother!

    Anyway, Ekaterina, who took a rest for three days after entering the academy, finally went to the ss for the first time on the fourth day.

    When she entered the ssroom, her ssmates held their breath and focused at her all at once. That¡¯s probably because Alexei was escorting her. Naturally, everyone would remember his intimidating appearance at the entrance ceremony. In addition, Mina followed them, carrying her bag. Most of the students had maids in their home, but only students in the special dormitory room could bring one into the academy.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Ekaterina Yurinova¡¯s seat?¡± Alexei asked the students nearby. Under his cold gaze, they could only timidly point to a seat. Then he had Ekaterina sit in that seat.

    ¡°Then I will return to my ss. If you feel unwell, tell the teacher. Be more aware that you¡¯re not fine at all. Please take good care of your body.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Brother. I will do as you say,¡± Ekaterina replied obediently.

    Still worried, Alexei stroked his sister¡¯s hair and sent a sharp re to the entire ss. It¡¯s like he was warning them that nothing could happen to his sister.

    Ekaterina¡¯s smile turned stiff.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for your return,¡± Mina said after handing her bag. Then Alexei left the ssroom with Mina, even if he still looked worried.

    ...Now then.

    Ekaterina casually scanned her surroundings.

    Yeah.

    They were all taking a distance from me!

    That¡¯s only to be expected. No one would want to approach such a troublesome person.

    I was also parading the ¡®I¡¯m special¡¯ aura.

    If I suddenly copsed, they would be in trouble. No one would befortable if they received a heavy responsibility over something they couldn¡¯t control.

    Since three days had passed, the girls already had their own groups too.

    Ah¡­ This is bad. Hahaha.

    Haa.

    Ekaterina turned her face to the seat next to her.

    ¡°Um¡­ Hello. My name is Ekaterina Yurinova. Pleased to meet you.¡±

    Then the girl next to her widened her eyes in surprise and replied respectfully.

    ¡°It¡¯s my honor. I¡¯m Flora Cerny.¡±

    Right.

    In the game, Ekaterina sat next to the heroine.

 Chapter 8: I Donâ€™t Need Any Followers, Really! (å–ã‚Šå·»ããªã‚“ã‹ã„ã‚‰ã‚“ã£ã¤ãƒ¼ã®)

    A few days had passed since the first day at school.

    Just as Ekaterina had expected, she was still alone.

    No. Actually, a group of girls called her out. She was relieved when they invited her to join them for lunch during the lunch break on her first day attending the ss.

    But that was the beginning of the disaster.

    Ekaterina joined the girls¡¯ trio and ate at the cafeteria.

    There, she immediately thought.

    <em>(This is not good.)</em>

    In the beginning, the trio tried to tter Ekaterina. But she didn¡¯t know how to react to their overreactingpliments, so she could only reply with a wry smile. Since Ekaterina wasn¡¯t very responsive, the trio immediately got absorbed in their conversation.

    The topic of their conversation was, to say it simply, backbiting and abusing other people. Among the girls in the ss, they didn¡¯t seem to like Flora, who used to be amoner (plus she was also a beautiful girl) and the daughter of the Count that had a sparkling atmosphere (like she was in the high position of the school caste).

    They also gossiped. They made a scandal from a groundless rumor and convinced each other with, ¡°It¡¯s clear that she¡¯s xxx!¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡±

    At this point, all Ekaterina could think was ¡°Uwahhh¡­¡± But she also remembered something.

    <em>(Ah! These girls are the Yes-Yes Trio!)</em>

    Turns out these three girls were Viiness Ekaterina¡¯s followers in the game.

    Ekaterina didn¡¯t notice it because their characters didn¡¯t have a name or a distinct face. All they did was follow Ekaterina and say, ¡°Yes, yes!¡± By the way, Yes-Yes-Trio was the random name Ekaterina gave to them when she yed the game in her previous name.

    <em>(Not good. Staying with these girls is the same as going straight to the destruction g.</em>

    <em>And I can¡¯t stand listening to this conversation any more.)</em>

    Upon finishing her meal, Ekaterina elegantly wiped her mouth with a napkin, showcasing her manner as thedy of the Duke family. Then she stood up.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I have to meet my brother, so I will take my leave here. Have a nice day.¡±

    <em>(Thank you, Mina. I¡¯ll run away by using Brother as my shield! Just like your advice!)</em>

    True to her thought, Ekaterina ran away.

    Even so, the Yes-Yes-Trio was persistent.

    When Ekaterina was alone, they would immediately approach her. No matter how many times she ran away, they woulde again. Ekaterina hoped they would soon realize that she didn¡¯t like them considering how she kept running away from them, but they didn¡¯t get it.

    Apparently, they desperately wanted to have a little share of Yurinova''s wealth and Ekaterina¡¯s privilege. From the first time they had a meal together, they always tried to find a chance to do that.

    ...They most likely preyed on Ekaterina in the game.

    During the short breaks between the sses, Ekaterina, who couldn¡¯t afford to ck off on her study, felt a sense of crisis and worked hard to review the lesson and prepare for the next ss. She repeatedly told them, ¡°I don¡¯t have time to chat. I beg your pardon.¡± After a while, they didn¡¯t approach her anymore at that time. But it might also because they wouldn¡¯t be able to get any advantages from her in such a short break.

    Then they would often crowd together and start saying nasty things loud enough that Flora, who sat next to Ekaterina, could hear it. Flora only focused on reviewing the lesson and didn¡¯t respond to them at all, but Ekaterina was irritated.

    And the biggest problem was the lunch break. The Yes-Yes Trio would approach her, so she couldn¡¯t eat in the cafeteria.

    Then, she asked the staff at the dining hall of the dormitory to make a sandwich for her and brought it to the academy. But when she was eating on the bench in the schoolyard...

    ¡°Miss Yurinova~¡±

    When she saw the Yes-Yes-Trio running towards her, she almost spitted out the sandwich from her mouth.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t eat alone in a ce like this. People willugh at you,¡± they said with a grin.

    Just give me a break!

    Whose fault do you think this is? Also, a corporate ve like me wouldn¡¯t mind eating alone like this! My mentality was strong enough! If I could only live depending on other people, then I wouldn¡¯t have survived working until I died!

    But Ekaterina couldn¡¯t yell all of that, so all she did was run away in silence.

    She didn''t want to bother Alexei. Even so, the only way to avoid those trio monsters was to stick to Alexei.

    Yeah, let¡¯s do that.

    Ekaterina went to the ssroom of the third year students, full of anger. But she was surprised when she arrived there.

    ¡°Duke? He¡¯s in the office,¡± Alexei¡¯s ssmates said.

    His ssmate was a manly handsome man. He had fiery red hair and golden eyes. Even so, he looked friendly and amiable.

    Huh? Ekaterina faintly remembered that there was this type of capture target in the game. But she only did the prince route, so she didn''t remember anything else.

    ¡°The office¡­?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, seems like he rented the academy meeting room to do his work in managing his territory. He¡¯s always there during lunch and after school since we¡¯re still in the first year.¡±

    So Brother was also working in the academy!

    No, wait. Brother had been working since he entered this academy!? Even before he was a Duke!?

    And when he returned to the dormitory, he would be studying untilte at night¡­ Oh no, the death from overworking g was no longer a joke!

    And his ssmate was calling him the ¡®Duke¡¯, huh? It sounded more like a nickname than a title.

    Ekaterina went to the office with the kind manly man telling her the location.

    There, Alexei was sitting in front of arge desk full of papers. His subordinates, who were people with important positions in managing the territory, surrounded him. Some were reporting something, and the others were writing documents on other desks. It reminded Ekaterina of the atmosphere of her office or executive room in her previous life.

    Brother was working very hard!

    ¡°Ekaterina. What happened?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ I wanted to eat lunch with Brother.¡±

    Brother smiled and apanied me to the cafeteria.

    However, Brother had to work longer than usual after school since I took his time, right? I also troubled his subordinates. This made me feel really guilty.

    Damn it, Yes-Yes Trio!

    When I asked Brother how he usually ate his lunch, he said that they would bring him the rmended menu from the cafeteria. I asked if he wanted to have something easier to eat that would taste delicious even after they cooled down, but Brother only shrugged. Seems like he wasn¡¯t very interested in food even though he was in a growing age.

    Hmmm.

    After that, the Yes-Yes Trio rushed to Ekaterina¡¯s room in the dormitory. There were ten first year dormitories, yet why were they all staying in the same dormitory? What bad luck.

    But in the game, Ekaterina, the Yes-Yes Trio, and Flora, the heroine, were assigned to the same dormitory too¡­ I-it couldn¡¯t be helped.

    And Mina chased away those three girls in mere seconds. I was surprised since I thought they would persist.

    ¡°Thank you, Mina. What did you say to them?¡±

    ¡°I only told them My Lady is studying. After that, I nced at their necks and kept silent, imagining how much power I should use to choke them until they stop breathing.¡±

    ¡°...I see.¡±

    My beautiful maid was a psycho.

    Well, I¡¯m grateful for that, so whatever. Hmm, is this really fine, me?

    ¡°My Lady, are they bothering you?¡±

    I didn¡¯t know how to answer Mina. I feel like if I say, ¡°Yes,¡± something terrible might happen. I¡¯m overthinking it, right?

    ¡°No, not that severe. They¡¯re just slightly annoying. I feel like I¡¯ll lose if I admit they¡¯re bothering me.¡±

    ¡°I understand. Slightly annoying, huh.¡±

    I still had a feeling that something dangerous would happen¡­ oh well.

    ¡°I will take care of them myself. Don¡¯t worry, Mina.¡±

    They wouldn¡¯t approach me during the small breaks and when I was in the dormitory. My current problem was during lunch break.

    And I wanted to improve Brother¡¯s diet.

    Right! It¡¯s a lot more fun to think about Brother than worrying about the Yes-Yes Trio. I wanted to make Brother understand the excitement of a meal!

    Working without taking a lunch break was what I did in my previous life as a corporate ve!

    Alright. Let¡¯s work hard. Not for the Yes-Yes Trio, but for Brother.

    But I might have to make some changes in my n to break the destruction g...

 Chapter 9: A Change of Plan (å¯¾ç­–å¤‰æ›´)

    The next day, Ekaterina immediately started working during the lunch break.

    Her destination was the cafeteria. Specifically, the kitchen.

    Ekaterina felt apologetic for bothering them at their busy time, but she caught the staff and asked them to lend a corner of the kitchen.

    Yes, she was thinking of cooking on her own.

    In her previous life, Ekaterina had been living alone since she entered university. So she had a lot of experiences in cooking. When her friends came to stay overnight at her apartment, they liked her home-made food, so she didn¡¯t think her skill was that bad.

    But to be honest, she survived with convenience stores¡¯ food after she got a job.

    The problem here was that the cooking utensils must be utterly different from the technology in her previous life.

    Maybe the kitchen would look like the one she saw in ¡®Kiki¡¯s Delivery Service¡¯ a long time ago. Microwave or cooking stove wouldn¡¯t exist here. Without that, she didn¡¯t know how to adjust the heat.

    Viiness Ekaterina naturally didn¡¯t have any experience in cooking. She didn¡¯t know how to cook in this world.

    So Ekaterina decided to see it personally.

    ¡°Sure,¡± said the staff simply. ¡°We have a kitchen table that we don¡¯t use, so feel free to cook there. Ah, someone else is using it right now. Please get along with her.¡±

    Ekaterina wasn¡¯t surprised hearing that she would share the kitchen table. Instead, she was relieved.

    The heroine was choosing the right route!

    She got ridiculed when she went to the cafeteria, so she decided to borrow the kitchen and make her lunch. Then she would eat itter.

    ¡°Miss Czerny.¡±

    The owner of the name, the girl with pink hair, turned her head towards Ekaterina and widened her eyes.

    ¡°Miss Yurinova¡­ Why are you in the kitchen?¡±

    ¡°Yes, actually¡­¡±

    Before Ekaterina could exin, her eyes stopped at the basket in front of Flora.

    The freshly made lunch box was packed in the basket with a rattan lid.

    Judging from its appearance, it looked like wrap sandwiches or deli crepes. The thin crepes wrapped the neatly lined up sds and eggs.

    Flora also used various ingredients, clearly considering the nutritional bnce of the meals. It also looked easy to eat, like something you would find in a food stall.

    Yes, this is it! She wanted to make something like this! Brother would surely eat it deliciously!

    Unable to control her excitement, Ekaterina grabbed Flora¡¯s hands.

    ¡°What a wonderful lunch! Miss Czerny, you are very good at cooking!¡±

    ¡°Eh¡­ N-no, not so much.¡±

    ¡°Please teach me how to make this. I want to make it for my brother.¡±

    ¡°Ehhh¡­¡±

    Ekaterina started exining to Flora that Alexei was working during the lunch break and not that interested in eating. That she was worried whether he properly had a nutritionally bnced diet.

    ¡°I have never cooked before. But I will try my best. Please help me? It¡¯s fine if you only show me how you do it once.¡± Ekaterina said, putting her hands together.

    Flora smiled. ¡°Miss Yurinova, you¡¯re really caring towards your brother.¡±

    ¡°Yeah! So can you lend me a hand?¡±

    ¡°This ismoners¡¯ food that matches our taste, so I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯ll fit the Duke¡¯s tongue¡­¡± Flora took one crepes from the basket and offered it to Ekaterina. ¡°Um. If you want to, please have a taste first.¡±

    ¡°My, thank you!¡±

    Wahhh, I wanted to try it!

    I took a bite without any reservation. The fillings were¡­ potatoes and bacon? It tasted like German potatoes: enough salt and enough spice.

    ¡°It¡¯s very delicious. You¡¯re truly skillful.¡±

    ¡°T-thank you very much.¡±

    Flora faintly blushed and smiled.

    Fwahhh¡­

    How pretty.

    Flowers were fluttering behind her. I could hear the chirps of the little birds too.

    As expected from the heroine. Her aura waspletely different from the viiness who looked good with an old castle and stormy weather as her background. Even the imperial prince would be an easy target for her.

    She¡¯s really a beautiful girl~

    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, then I will help you.¡±

    ¡°What a relief! Sorry for the inconvenience.¡±

    With that, the heroine and the viiness began to have friendly cooking time.

    It was honestly fun.

    Flora taught me how to mix the batter and how to use the stove. We tried to make potato sd from the fillings of the crepe (?), sauerkraut, and sausages. It reminds me of hand-rolled sushi.

    ¡°You¡¯re good at cooking the batter.¡±

    Thank you. I lived in Osaka for a while in my previous life, so I¡¯m confident I could turn okonomiyaki perfectly. I also had experience working part-time in a crepe stall.

    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Miss Czerny. You¡¯re very good at this.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s only because I have been doing it for a long time. I¡¯m in charge of the housework because my mother was working full-time.¡±

    ¡°My, is that so? It¡¯s amazing that you already have a responsibility from a young age.¡±

    No matter in what world, single mothers sure had it tough. A proper daughter willing to do the housework must be a lifesaver for them.

    ¡°...I also lived with my mother until seven months ago. But I was a useless daughter,¡± Ekaterina unconsciously murmured. That made Flora look at Ekaterina in surprise.

    ¡°Until seven months ago? Your mother is¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, she passed away.¡±

    ¡°My mother as well. She passed away seven months ago¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh dear¡­¡±

    The two girls looked at each other and smiled.

    Ekaterina already knew that Flora¡¯s mother died from the game, but directly hearing it from her mouth had a different weight. She also didn¡¯t know their mother passed away in the same month.

    Ekaterina¡¯s circumstances were tragic, but Flora only had her mother alone. It should be hard for her when her mother left her.

    Alright.

    For now, the change of n to break the destruction g was confirmed!

    Ekaterina decided that she wouldn¡¯t approach the heroine, but she changed her mind. Let¡¯s get along with her.

    Both of them would inevitably get assigned to the same ss. Since Ekaterina already took a distance from the Yes-Yes Trio, she would protect Flora from the bullying with the power of thedy of the Duke¡¯s family.

    Plus, Ekaterina felt like she could get along with Flora well. She didn¡¯t want to bully anyone. She got irritated listening to the Yes-Yes Trio unpleasant chatter.

    As long as she didn¡¯t approach the prince, the destruction g shouldn¡¯t be a problem!

    Flora helped Ekaterina carry arge amount of lunch they made to the office.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for bothering you with this even after you taught me this and that.¡±

    ¡°I have fun. Rather, I should thank you.¡±

    Flowers danced along with her smile. How cute~

    Ekaterina invited Flora to eat in the office together, but Flora refused. But of course she would feel ufortable eating in the same room with the Duke and unfamiliar uncles. Even so, Flora might get harassed again if she kept eating alone. Ekaterina took a note to join her someday.

 Chapter 10: I Tried Giving Refreshments (å·®ã—å…¥ã‚Œã—ã¦ã¿ãŸ)

    After Ekaterina knocked on the door, Ivan, Alexei¡¯s valet, opened the door. His eyes widened the moment he saw Ekaterina.

    ¡°My Lady, why are you carrying such a big basket?¡±

    Ivan took the basket from her at once. Ivan was a valet who was just as sensible as Mina. The only difference between them was Ivan had an amiable smile stered on his face, unlike Mina. His light brown hair and amber eyes gave off a gentle impression. He was pretty much as tall as Alexei, considerably good looking.

    ¡°Thank you. Can you make tea for everyone?¡±

    ¡°The basket smells good. What is this?¡±

    ¡°Ufufu. I made this!¡± Ekaterina said with a grin. That shocked Ivan.

    <em>(He doesn¡¯t have to look that surprised¡­)</em>

    ¡°Your Excellency, Miss Ekaterina came to visit.¡±

    Ivan got over the shock and called his master. At the mention of Ekaterina, Alexei looked up. ¡°Ekaterina. What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Brother, I brought our lunch.¡±

    ¡°It seems like Miss Ekaterina made this.¡±

    Ivan picked up the basket and showed it. That made Alexei¡¯s eyes widened. Not only Alexei, but the executives managing Yurinovas¡¯ territory in the office turned their faces up at the same time, looking at her.

    Was it that surprising?

    Well, Ekaterina wanted to speak to them anyway.

    ¡°Everyone, how about taking a small break from your work to have a meal? It¡¯s only a light meal, but I tried cooking it.¡±

    ¡°Did you really make it¡­?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Brother. I borrowed the kitchen in the cafeteria¡­ Um, someone taught me how to make it, so I don¡¯t think you need to be that worried.¡±

    While Ekaterina and Alexei were chatting, Ivan prepared the tes and served the crepes from the basket. Then Ekaterina remembered something and gave Ivan a share that had been tightly wrapped with cling wrap.

    ¡°This is for you. I wrapped it up so that it won¡¯t get cold. Make sure to eat it once you already serve everyone¡¯s share, okay?¡±

    ¡°My Lady, you prepared my share as well?¡± Ivan looked surprised, but he happily epted it.

    ¡°...It¡¯s delicious,¡± Alexei muttered after taking a bite, unable to hide his slight surprise. Hearing that, Ekaterina was joyous.

    (Yay! He¡¯s not ttering me just now! He unconsciously praised me, right! Brother praised me!!)

    ¡°This is a light meal that themoners buy at the stalls, right? I used to eat it when I was a student. How nostalgic¡­ You even put mustard on the sausages, My Lady. It¡¯s delicious.¡± Among the executives, the young man who was the head of the mines chewed the crepes, muttering with deep emotion. His name was Aaron Kyle.

    ¡°It has the home-cooking taste of the imperial capital. Fried onions and bacon are the standard ingredients in my parents¡¯ home, but potatoes and bacon are also delicious,¡± Boris Nova, Alexei¡¯s right-hand man,mented with a sombre voice.

    Since the Novak family was the branch of the Yurinova family, Most people thought that he was born in Yurinovas¡¯ territory. Turns out her grandfather Sergei appointed Boris to work for him when he used to be a junior public servant, then he married into the Novak¡¯s family.

    ¡°I have eaten this with sweets like jam in Yurinovas¡¯ territory, but these ingredients also taste good. Now that I think of it, there is a simr cuisine in other countries.¡± The person carefully scrutinizing the crepes with interest was Halil Tal, who was serving as the head ofmercial distribution.

    He had brown skin, an evident proof that he was from another country. As the direct lineage of the head of arge Halil with offices around the world, Harry could tell many details of other countries¡¯ circumstances.

    In addition to them, there were the head of forest-agriculture, the head of finance, the head of administration, the head of the Knights¡¯ Order, and the counsel wyer and adviser). Together, they worked as Alexei¡¯s brain. The executives took turns visiting Alexei one after another to report or ask for permission to the young Duke. Most of them were the talents found by Sergei, and they were the best pick among their respective fields.

    It could be said that Sergei left his greatest possessions to his grandson. Thanks to them, Alexei could bnce his studies with his duty as Duke.

    It was unusual for them to have friendly conversations about themoner¡¯s food, something not rted to their work.

    ¡°This is the first time I heard about Novak¡¯s parents¡¯ home. In which area of the imperial capital is it?¡±

    ¡°It''s located at downtown. Your Excellency, you won¡¯t know the location. I haven¡¯t visited them in thest twenty years¡­ I¡¯m sure it has changed a lot. Aaron, how about you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never been to my parents¡¯ home. I¡¯m the fifth son anyway. I¡¯m sure my parents have forgotten about my existence.¡±

    ¡°Being the fifth son is not that bad, you know? I have ten brothers, not counting my sisters. My father has three wives.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s amazing, Halil.¡±

    The menughed, then they immediately stopped after remembering Ekaterina.

    ¡°Everyone, please don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m happy that you are having fun.¡±

    Ekaterina smiled. She had experienced sexual harassment and power harassment in her previous life. Hearing about someone having three wives didn¡¯t really concern her anymore.

    ¡°I don¡¯t usually get the chance to talk to everyone like this. It¡¯s thanks to you, Ekaterina.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure to make Brother happy,¡± Ekaterina smiled in satisfaction. She was happy to make him rx even if just for a while. This was her n to break his death from overworking g!

    ¡°I¡¯ll be making something again tomorrow, so will you eat it?¡±

    Alexei frowned. ¡°I¡¯m grateful for that, but you will have to personally make it, right? I¡¯ll ask the kitchen to prepare these for us, so don¡¯t do it anymore. What if you get injured?¡±

    ¡°But they won¡¯t be keen on making this kind of dish, right? Brother, you can¡¯t demand special treatment from the academy too much, or it¡¯ll damage the reputation of Duke Yurinova. I¡¯m sure of that.¡±

    ¡°Mu¡­¡±

    Ekaterina had expected this.

    Alexei wasn¡¯t choosy about his meal, but she was confident that he would be concerned about this.

    Alexei used to say things like he¡¯ll do anything for her like making her have good grades or something like that, but he then restrained himself when it came to his needs. He was that kind of siscon brother.

    ¡°One of my ssmates also cooked their own lunch. We have fun cooking together while chatting. Please allow me to continue.¡±

    ¡°...If you wish so.¡± Alexei reluctantly nodded.

    Looking at the siblings¡¯ interaction, the executives stifled theirughter. Alexei wouldn¡¯t be affected by anything during work, but he was very lenient towards his sister. For them, such Alexei was funny to watch.

    Even after Alexei and the executives resumed their work, Ekaterina stayed in the office to help out with a few chores. She did that until Alexei finished his work near the end of the lunch break. They then returned to their respective ssrooms.

    The executives continued to work in the office even when Alexei already left. They had a lot of things to do, such as instructing their subordinates, filling the documents, and fixing the policies they had decided during the lunch break. They had to finish it by the time Alexei returned here after school.

    ¡°I never thought that we would be able to eat Miss Ekaterina¡¯s handmade cooking. This is the first time I met her, but she¡¯s a beautiful and gentledy. Not to say, she cares for her brother. I¡¯m deeply moved when I know that His Excellency finally has a family that cares about him,¡± Aaron said happily.

    ¡°I agree. But it seems like she¡¯s even more capable than that. Lord Novak, what do you think of this suggestion? This is Miss Ekaterina¡¯s idea.¡±

    ¡°What? What is this, a wagon?¡± Novak looked at the documents he received, puzzled.

    ¡°It¡¯s a long pending issue for the revitalization ofmerce in Duke¡¯s territory. Miss Ekaterina, who found out about that, looked at a report to Lord Aaron and proposed to use the wagons that carried the raw metal from the mine to the imperial capital.

    On the way back from the imperial capital to the Yurinovas¡¯ territory, the wagons¡¯ luggage is empty. Since they¡¯re going to return with guards anyway, they can load the items of the small stores in the imperial capital for a cheap price. After all, those stores can¡¯t afford to purchase a personal wagon. This will increase the stores that can handle the items from the imperial capital, which will naturally boost the market.

    Now that I think of it, the cargo ships owned by my family¡¯spany load as many things as we can when we depart and when we return back. We can do the same thing with the wagons.¡±

    Novak began to read the documents with a straight face.

    ¡°Business is not my speciality, but¡­ even if Miss Ekaterina casually thought of this idea, this is a groundbreaking proposal. Each department doesn''t share its information with other departments, so we can¡¯t think of this idea. And yet Miss Ekaterina was able to put this and that together. She has umon talent.¡±

    Halil nodded to Aaron¡¯s words. ¡°That¡¯s right. I was surprised that Miss Ekaterina, who was secluded and unfamiliar with the world coulde up with such a proposal. As expected from His Excellency¡¯s sister and the granddaughter of Duke Sergei.¡±

    If Ekaterina heard their evaluations, she would with no doubt inwardly shout, ¡°I¡¯m just a woman in her thirties who was experienced in the logistic management system in my previous life! Sorry for betraying your expectations!¡±

    But this was just the beginning of everything.

 Chapter 11: The Villainess was Capturing the Heroine (æ‚ªå½¹ä»¤å¬¢ã§ã™ãŒãƒ’ãƒ­ã‚¤ãƒ³ã‚’æ”»ç•¥ã—ã¦ã„ã¾ã™)

    Ekaterina slipped into the ssroom just before the first ss in the afternoon began. As she rushed to prepare for the lesson, she smiled at the girl sitting next to her.

    ¡°Thank you very much for your help before. Thanks to you, I could make my brother happy.¡±

    ¡°What a relief. I¡¯m d that I can be a help,¡± Flora said with a smile.

    There, they heard this kind of conversation.

    ¡°It¡¯s unpleasant how that shabby girl can act so cheeky, eh.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes.¡±

    <em>(Don¡¯t introduce yourself here, oi!)</em>

    Irritated, Ekaterina was going to re at those trio girls. But before she could do that, she noticed something.

    Flora was looking down. Which was strange, considering how she always ignored the Yes-Yes Trio¡¯s nasty remarks elegantly.

    Then, Ekaterina spotted slight spots of dirt on Flora¡¯s uniform. It looked like she fell on the ground.

    That made Ekaterina¡¯s head boil.

    Did they physically bully her!?

    ...It might be good if the teacher appears now. Because Ekaterina was about to directly start a fight with the Yes-Yes Trio. It would most likely escte into a catfight. But then it would give a bad reputation to Alexei, so she endured it.

    <em>(Fuck, how shall I take revenge?)</em>

    xxxxx

    The ss ended with Ekaterina unable to concentrate at all. Right after the bell rang, she leaned towards Flora.

    ¡°Miss Flora, can I have a little of your time?¡±

    ¡°Y-yes¡­¡±

    Flora¡¯s eyes were widened. Ekaterina wondered why for a moment, but then she realized that she called her with her first name.

    <em>(Let¡¯s be aggressive here.)</em>

    ¡°Should I not call you by name?¡±

    ¡°No! Please feel free to call me so.¡±

    ¡°What a relief! I¡¯m d to hear that. Please call me Ekaterina as well.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you hate it¡­ I thought we¡¯re already very close after talking about our mothers¡­¡±

    ¡°No, there¡¯s no way I hate it!¡±

    Flora shook her head so vigorously that her fluffy cherry blossom colored hair became slightly messy.

    ¡°But our social position is too different. I don¡¯t deserve it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not forcing you. But please understand that I would be happy if you could call me by name.¡±

    ¡°Y-yes. Um¡­ I¡¯m also happy to hear that.¡±

    Flora was smiling, a reddish tint on her white cheeks. As her name suggested, she looked like the spirit of a flower.

    By the way, Ekaterina suddenly noticed that Flora¡¯s name had a foreign feel in this world, where most people have Russian names. She never thought of that in her previous life. Maybe it¡¯s like a Japanese person with ¡®Maria¡¯ as her name? It¡¯s not that weird, just a bit unusual.

    ¡°Miss Flora. If you don¡¯t mind, could you show me your notes? You always take notes diligently, so I¡¯m curious.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Here.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you. By the way, I write mine like this.¡±

    ¡°My! So you are devising the way you write your notes.¡±

    Actually, Ekaterina wrote her notes using the ¡®business person¡¯s notebook technique¡¯ that she learned during her intern period as a new employee.

    However, markers and colored pens didn¡¯t exist in this world, so Ekaterina wasn¡¯t satisfied with this. By the way, her writing instrument was a quill pen. It looked fancy, but it was hard to hold the thin axle. Plus it could only suck a little ink, so she had to dip it in the ink bottle even before she could finish writing a line in her notebook. She wouldn¡¯t be able to use it anymore once the tip of the pen became dull, so she had to sharpen it with a knife¡­ Could someone invent something better soon?

    Flora¡¯s notes were filled with clean, easy-to-read letters. She wrote down summaries of what the teacher verbally exined.

    ¡°You¡¯re very good at summarizing the exnations. This is a good reference. I couldn¡¯t finish writing this part. May I copy yours?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    There, they heard another unpleasant remark.

    ¡°Look at her epting kindness at face value. How unsightly.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes.¡±

    ¡­¡­

    Ekaterina covered her ears, leaned her neck slightly, and smiled.

    ¡°Since it¡¯s getting warmer these days, the bugs are very noisy. Sometimes, their buzzing sounds unpleasant.¡±

    Flora widened her eyes. Then she chuckled. ¡°If it¡¯s getting too annoying, maybe we should have them exterminated. ...Oh my. Please pardon me. I¡¯m just talking to myself.¡± Then Flora only shook her head.

    Ekaterina wanted to voice out her agreement out loud, but that would awfully differ from her character.

    With this, the Yes-Yes Trio would now know that the nobledy of Duke Yurinova was supporting Flora. Ekaterina didn¡¯t n to hang out with those girls. If they did something to her again, she wouldn¡¯t let them go easily.

    ¡°Miss Flora, can you teach me how to cook again tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re fine with me, then of course.¡±

    For the time being, Ekaterina nned to stick to Flora so that they couldn¡¯t bully her. But she would only protect her until the event with the prince started. After all, he would protect the heroine at that point.

    For that, let¡¯s cook and study together to increase intimacy.

    ...Somehow, it sounds like Ekaterina wanted to improve the affection to obtain the target capture.

    The viiness capturing the heroine¡­ what kind of joke was that? There¡¯s no GL route in this game.

    But Ekaterina didn¡¯t y all of the game routes in the game, so...

    Nah, impossible.

 Chapter 12: The Event and The Third Wheel (ã‚¤ãƒ™ãƒ³ãƒˆã¨ãŠé‚ªé­”è™«)

    The next day, Ekaterina and Flora made lunch together again. Presently, they were heading to Alexei''s office while having a small talk.

    Many students in the corridor were looking at the girls like they were staring at a strange thing. Thinking about it, both of them together were an oddbination. One was the Three Great Dukedy, someone with the highest status among the nobledies in this magic academy. The other one was thedy of a Baron family who was born from amoner. The gap between their status was like the earth and the sky.

    Not only that, but they were both pretty girls. Naturally, they would attract attention. Well, one of them was exuding an awful amount of charm that she could be considered a prettydy now. That alone drew the gaze of the boys.

    "...Seems like thedy of Duke Nova is a shameless girl, not knowing of her position."

    Such a voice suddenly reached Ekaterina''s ears. She reflexively frowned.

    Who was it now?

    But she didn''t have time to think about it since she heard another voice calling her. "Hey."

    A head suddenly popped up from the window of the corridor side of the ssroom next to them. It had the color of the summer sky.

    <em>Gyahhh!? The prince appeared!?</em>

    Shocked, Ekaterina was taken aback. She almost stepped back. Apparently, she already unconsciously recognized that the prince was equal to the destruction g.

    "My, Your Highness. Good day to you."

    "Miss Ekaterina Yurinova, I''m sorry for suddenly calling you out. No need to be that formal."

    At first, Ekaterina would formally bow to him by raising her skirt a little and bent over. Even so, that wasn''t easy because of therge basket. Noticing that, Michael amiably stopped her. Not only his hair color, but his smile was bright and dazzling like the summer sky.

    epting his consideration, Ekaterina only bowed. Flora also followed her.

    But the prince called her full name, right?

    "I''m sorry for surprising you. dimir and I both heard that Alexei has a sister named Ekaterina. When I saw Alexei waving at the entrance ceremony, I knew that you''re his sister."

    <em>...Is Brother close with the prince?</em>

    After giving it a thought, their social status was close and they only have two years difference in age. Naturally, Alexei would have to be the prince''s ying partner or talking partner since he was a child.

    And the prince was pretty sharp-eyed!

    But who was dimir?

    At that moment, Mikhail nced at the end of the corridor.

    Following that line of sight, Ekaterina saw a male student with light bluish-purple hair standing there. He was a handsome guy, the corner of his lips twisted into a sarcastic smile.

    ¡­A high school student.

    Looking at his neck badge, he should be in the second grade. That means he was Ekaterina''s senior. But his lustrous cheeks were cute for her. He had the atmosphere of a visual member in a particr band when they had no makeup. Meaning, his beauty was outstanding. It would be nice if he weren''t troublesome to deal with.

    The eyes peeking from his long bangs were grayish-green.

    ''Green-eyed Monster''

    Somehow, that phrase came to Ekaterina''s mind. Sorry about that, Mister Shakespeare.

    For the time being, Ekaterina realized a thing from her intuition. The person who said that she was shameless was him.

    "dimir, do you have business with Miss Ekaterina?"

    When Mikhail called him out, dimir said, "No." He then turned his heels and left. Could he act like that to the prince?

    After sending off dimir''s back for a while, Mikhail smiled at Ekaterina again.

    "You also passed here with that basket yesterday, so I was curious. Where are you going?"

    Hmm?

    "Yes¡­ That''s¡­"

    Ekaterina wasn''t at a loss of words because she was bothered by the weird guy from before or surprised at how the prince suddenly started a conversation with her. It was because Mikhail''s words stimted the memory of her past life.

    This! This is the game event!

    This exchange happened in the route Ekaterina went through many times in the otome game. The prince was interested in how the heroine brought her handmade lunch and called her out.

    <em>So he has to talk to the heroine, not to me! That weird guy from before, you''re making the flow of the game strange!</em>

    At that moment, Ekaterina realized that it wasn''t just dimir''s fault.

    Both of them had an exceptional standing in society. Mikhail, the prince, had the duty to speak to a person with a higher status. As they were meeting each other for the first time, he might not talk to Flora in this situation.

    Ahhhh, what an idiotic move!

    The viiness clung to the heroine to protect her from the bullies, but now the event wouldn''t progress well! Ekaterina forgot about this!

    Ekaterina hung herself in despair. It''s essential to raise the heroine''s favorable impression here.

    "I am going to the room my Brother rents in the academy where he''s working. I''m delivering his lunch there. ...Your Highness, let me introduce you."

    Ekaterina immediately took Flora''s arm.

    "This is Baroness Flora Czerny. She''s kind and has good skill in cooking. I was worried about my brother''s lunch, wanting to make something warm and easy to eat for him. At that time, Miss Flora taught me how to cook."

    Flora, who was modestly reserving herself from their interaction, was suddenly dragged in, her eyes wide open in surprise. Her big purple eyes stood out, which was also a lovely sight to see.

    <em>How is this, prince! This girl is cute, isn''t she!</em>

    Ekaterina couldn''t stop herself from making a proud expression.

    Mikhail smiled, a perfect smile on his face. "Miss Czerny. I''ve heard about you. You must be an outstandingdy."

    Thinking about it, the prince was a good person. The reason he called the girls out was to help them keep the weird guy out. He was a genuine royal prince of noble birth, yet he could achieve a happy ending with amoner heroine. Now that Ekaterina was reborn in the same world, she understood how amazing that was.

    "Your Highness, if you don''t mind, why don''t you have a bite?"

    "dly."

    "Miss Flora, please give one to Your Highness. After all, you''re better at cooking than me."

    "Miss Yurinova is also very skillful¡­" Flora said, then she timidly opened her basket and presented it to Mikhail.

    Today, they made baked bread. After sandwiching various ingredients between bread''s dough, they baked it. It had a more chewy texture than the fluffy bread baked in the furnace.

    A delicious smell wafted out of the basket, making Mikhail smile. "Thank you. I''ll eat it," he said, then he took one and ate it. "It''s delicious. It has cheese in it. You also bake it well."

    "I''m d that it fits your tongue." Fiona grinned. Mikhail looked a little dazzled.

    Good!

    "Does that one have a different vor?"

    "Eh?"

    Ekaterina was a bit surprised when Mikhail shifted his gaze to her basket. He would have to eat his lunch soon, right¡­ But as a high school boy with a hearty appetite, it should be normal to eat this much. Ekaterina remembered that her high school ssmates went to an okonomiyaki restaurant after school and asked for another serving when they had dinner at home.

    Speaking of which, the prince, like Alexei, most likely trained in horsemanship and swordsmanship to the level that allowed him to participate in a battle. Then it''s natural that he was hungry.

    "It''s a sweet baked bread with berry jam."

    "I want to try it," Mikhail said with a sweet smile. He might charm a girl of the same age with that face, but Ekaterina could only see him as a puppy. Well, it was actually a stunning puppy.

    "Here you go."

    "Thank you."

    When Ekaterina opened the basket, he immediately took one and ate it. He looked happy. Did he have a sweet tooth?

    "This is also delicious. I like it."

    "I''m honored to hear that."

    <em>He''s happy after eating sweets, huh.</em> Ekaterina smiled, feeling like an older sister watching a young child.

    "Again, I''m sorry for stopping you."

    "Please don''t worry about it. Your Highness, we''ll take our leave."

    After Ekaterina bowed together with Flora, she started to walk away.

    <em>I managed to clear the event! ...Right?</em>

 Chapter 13: The Villainess is Cheering on the Heroine and the Prince (æ‚ªå½¹ä»¤å¬¢ã¯ãƒ’ãƒ­ã‚¤ãƒ³ã¨çš‡å­ã‚’å¿œæ´ã—ã¾ã™)

    Flora sighed, her breath trembling.

    ¡°Oh¡­ I was surprised. I never thought that I would be able to talk to the prince.¡±

    Flora held her chest, her cheeks flushed. Her figure was very lovely.

    Even though the undesired third wheel (who was Ekaterina herself) clung to her, Flora managed to make the prince have a favorable impression on her. Maybe.

    And after this, when the heroine was in danger because of the event, the prince would rush to her. Should be.

    ¡°He¡¯s a friendly person.¡±

    In that respect, Mikhail would be more popr with girls than Alexei. Flora was also impressed with the prince. To be honest, Ekaterina felt like she might be interested with the prince if she didn¡¯t have the memory of her previous life because he was very nice. Then she would make the heroine suffer and be the viiness¡­ shook.

    <em>Well. In the end, my most favorite character is Brother! A tsundere is the best!</em>

    Even so, having the ¡®popr prince¡¯ appear from the window of the ssroom and ask for handmade cooking was such a temte situation in ro school-life shoujo manga. But then, that was the ultimate pleasure of an otome game.

    Since Ekaterina¡¯s background made her y this otome game world in the extremely hard mode, she was a bit overwhelmed with the life and history that didn¡¯t appear in the game. This world had its own long history, everyone had their own life, the earth was probably round, orbiting the sun¡­ Ekaterina¡¯s eyes became slightly dizzy thinking about it.

    But then, the strong existence of the game rules existed here as well.

    So the destruction g and the imperial ruin g were right in front of her eyes!

    In order to live while taking the burden of the viiness¡¯ fate, Ekaterina had to do her best to break all of the gs!

    That¡¯s how Ekaterina clenched her fist in her heart.

    In the end, Ekaterina didn¡¯t want to brother Alexei. Even Alexei¡¯s subordinates would be troubled if Duke Yurinova suddenly got demoted to be amoner.

    It¡¯s scary to imagine what happened to Duke of Yurinova¡¯s territory after Alexei and Ekaterina were sentenced in the game. If the reliable boss suddenly disappeared, the corporate ve would receive too much workload that they could even cry.

    ¡°As expected from Miss Yurinova. You¡¯re very dignified when talking to His Highness.¡±

    ¡°My, I was surprised as well.¡±

    After all, I even wanted to step back thoughtlessly¡­

    The prince wasn¡¯t bad at all, but facing someone who (might) ruin my life wasn¡¯t good for my heart. I would be more relieved if he could enter the love mode with the heroine soon. ...I would, right?

    A-anyway, Flora and Prince Mikhail suited each other. I¡¯m also d if they could live happily ever after.

    Previously, I thought that the events in this game were just like the temte ro school-life shoujo manga, but looking at a beautiful boy and beautiful girl getting paired was also pleasing to eyes. In my current position, I could watch the young and innocent movie-like romance from the special seat. Rather, I could also help them, making me in an even better position. And both of them were good kids! This older sister would support them with all of her might!

    ...Huh? But I already decided that I wouldn¡¯t approach the prince and talk to him since I was getting along with the heroine.

    If I would support them, I couldn¡¯t afford to do that¡­

    Somehow, my measures against the destruction holes were full of holes...

    B-but it couldn¡¯t be helped!

    The prince talked to me first. Ignoring him or showing disrespect to him were even more dangerous!

    My n changed again. The viiness was cheering on the heroine and the prince!

    ¡°Miss Flora will surely have more opportunities to talk to His Highness. After all, you are the most adorabledy in this academy. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s also interested in you.¡±

    Flora¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Eh, no. Impossible. The prince definitely¡ª¡±

    But Ekaterina cut her off. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I would like to mention one thing. Referring to Prince Mikhail using ¡®the prince¡¯ is not correct, so it would be nice if you could call him ¡®His Highness¡¯. It¡¯s the small details, so please don¡¯t worry too much about it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I will be careful. Thank you very much.¡±

    Flora covered her mouth and blushed. Ekaterina smiled to cheer her up.

    After that, Flora couldn¡¯t say anything else. She secretly thought, ¡®<em>But I¡¯m sure that His Highness is interested in Miss Yurunova. She¡¯s beautiful, kind, and noble enough to bnce His Highness¡¯ status. Plus, her brother is close with His Highness¡­ And yet, she seriously doesn¡¯t realize that at all. How strange.¡¯</em>

    Only Ekaterina knew that this world was the stage of an otome game, that she was the viiness, and that she was a corporate ve in her thirties in her previous life.

    On the contrary, no one else ever imagined her to be a viiness.

    In everyone¡¯s eyes, Ekaterina Yurinova was the nobledy of the Three Great Dukes. She was respected among all nobles in this country and her family was wealthy. Not to say, her beauty was stunning enough to capture anyone¡¯s heart. A fifteen-years-old girl with a sickly body who didn¡¯t know much about the world.

    Focusing on breaking the gs, ustoming herself on the unfamiliar school life, taking care of her brother¡¯s health, and everything else made Ekaterina didn¡¯t realize that gap. Just when would she notice it?

    That day was unlikely toe for the time being.

 Chapter 14: Countermeasures Against Mysterious Dragon and Power Lunch (çŽ„ç«œå¯¾ç­–ã¨ãƒ‘ãƒ¯ãƒ¼ãƒ©ãƒ³ãƒ)

    When Ekaterina knocked on the door of the office, Ivan opened it. His eyes widened when he saw Ekaterina together with another person.

    ¡°My Lady, are you with a guest today?¡± He said, taking the baskets from both Ekaterina and Flora in a swift move.

    ¡°Yes, I invited her to join me for lunch. I¡¯m sorry for asking this at a working ce, but could we eat here?¡±

    Ekaterina knew that Ivan couldn¡¯t decide whether she could or not, but raising her voice to directly ask Alexei from here was an improper behavior for a nobledy.

    ¡°Your Excellency, Young Lady arrived. She wants to have lunch with her school friend, and she¡¯s asking for your consent.¡±

    The reliable servant Ivan considered Ekaterina¡¯s thoughts and delivered her message to Alexei. Alexei¡¯s answer was, ¡°I don¡¯t mind if she wants to do that.¡±

    Next to Ekaterina, Flora looked around the office, ufortable.

    Naturally, encountering the office of a president of a massive tradingpany with all of his executives (or the prefectural governors and directors?) in a school would make any student feel like they had entered a different dimension.

    Alexei, who was at the center of this room and dominating all of the dignified adults, seemed to exist in a different world from Flora¡¯s point of view. To repeat it once again, this scene was not normal.

    Since Ekaterina kind of forcefully invited her here, she felt somewhat apologetic. However, on the other hand, other students wouldn¡¯ty a finger on her here. This was an absolutely safe ce.

    Compared to yesterday, the number of people in the office increased by one. The additional person was Balthazar Forli, the head of forest agriculture. His tanned skin was as prominent as Harris who was born in a desert nation, proving that he had personally walked through the great forests in Duke Yurinova¡¯s territory to know everything rted to the forest like the back of his hand. His hair waspletely white and his face was wrinkled, reminiscent of an ancient warrior. Balthazar was 65 years old, the oldest of Alexei¡¯s executives. He was therade of the same age with Alexei and Ekaterina¡¯s grandfather, Sergei.

    When Balthazar heard that Ekaterina was offering her handmade cooking to them, he was speechless for a while before muttering, ¡°...I feel as if I¡¯m living in another age.¡±

    Catching his words, Ekaterina thought:

    <em>(I guess it¡¯s because I¡¯mpletely different from that shitty grandmother?)</em>

    Balthazar rarely left the forest. But this time, he came to report the emergence of a giant dragon which Ekaterina had heard before, and discussed how to countermeasure against it.

    So today¡¯s lunch was most likely going to be a power lunch with a meeting. Unfortunately, it didn¡¯t have yesterday¡¯s harmonious atmosphere. Ekaterina felt more and more apologetic to Flora.

    ¡°I received a report about the appearance of a dragon, but I have confirmed it with my own eyes.¡±

    Balthazar¡¯s report started with that sentence, shocking Ekaterina and Flora. The girls held their breath.

    What a wild on-the-spot investigation principle!

    In her previous life, everyone would make a fuss if they heard, ¡°I received a report that a big bear appeared nearby, so go and check if it¡¯s real.¡± Yet Bathazar had to make sure of something even more dangerous than that? Since they were talking about a dragon, it should be in the heart of mountains far from human habitation, right? The average life expectancy of this world might bepletely different from Ekaterina¡¯s previous life, but for a sixty-five years old man to do that feat was amazing.

    ¡°So how was it?¡±

    Brother wasn¡¯t surprised at all! He didn¡¯t evenment on it!

    ¡°Young Lord, I believe that is the ¡®ult Dragon¡¯. Different from other dragons, it was the most ancient monster representing the King of the North¡­ It wasn¡¯t something that humans could eliminate.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Wait a minute! The content of the report smells too much like a teenager''s delusion! Yet Brother nodded with a grave face, for real!?

    And Brother, your elder subordinates are calling you, ¡®Young Lord, huh. It¡¯s a bit cute. Hey me, this is not the time to focus on that.

    ¡°Since its appearance, it has be difficult to carry out logs. I was thinking of cutting the trees from a different section than nned. We could also wait for the ult Dragon to leave or decide the orders. Either way, we need to make a decision.¡±

    ...The choices were allpletely realistic, huh¡­?

    ¡°Harill, what do you think?¡±

    ¡°I rmend waiting. I believe the people making the orders could wait for half a year. If we declined them, the profit margin would be too thin for us since we already paid the expenses to open the shipping route.¡±

    Harill¡¯s conclusion and reasoning were concise and his immediate answer was precise. What a reliable man.

    ¡°Forli, what about you? Will the dragon move after half a year?¡±

    Forli made a troubled face. ¡°...I can¡¯t predict it. I¡¯m sorry. Unlike other demon beasts, the ult Dragon is said to have more intelligence than humans. Some believed that it could speak humannguage and transform into a human. And some others believed that it was the kings of demon beasts. It could lead all demon beasts at its will.¡±

    Hmm?

    A dragon that leads demon beasts at its will?

    That rang a bell in the memories of Ekaterina¡¯s previous life. She frowned and fell into a deep thought.

    ¡°I had no proof, but I think the ult Dragon is trying to find out how we will approach it. In recent years, deforestation has progressed rapidly due to the rising needs in building materials and fuels. It was probably displeased by that. Not only the ult Dragon, but the appearance of various demon beasts is increasing. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s purely because the ult Dragon leads them here, but because we are destroying the habitat of the demon beasts by cutting down the trees.

    If it¡¯s keeping us in check by showing its appearance, it won¡¯t move even if we wait. If we try to cut the trees in another section, it may move there instead.¡±

    Alexei¡¯s expression turned stern. ¡°If Forli, the revered forest man said so, then we shouldn¡¯t be too optimistic. This matter won¡¯t end depending on how we make decisions this time. We should be prepared for the day when the ult Dragon¡¯s anger wille. That time, it will most likely turn into an all-out war.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid to say that what you said is possible.¡±

    Wow, this conversation is a bit¡­ wah.

    Maybe that ult Dragon was thest boss in the empire¡¯s destruction route!?

    It didn¡¯t have that name in the game, though.

    The game didn¡¯t discuss this kind of thing to the yer. So this world already gave hints at this time!?

    ¡­What kind of rtionship did that game have with this world? What about game development, programming, etc¡­ Let¡¯s stop thinking about it.

    <em>(If I manage to resolve this, will I break the empire¡¯s destruction g? I don¡¯t know¡­ But I remember something about deforestation.)</em>

    Ekaterina dared herself to open her mouth.

 Chapter 15: Countermeasure Against the Deforestation and Last Boss (æ£®æž—ç ´å£ŠãŠã‚ˆã³ãƒ©ã‚¹ãƒœã‚¹å¯¾ç­–)

    ¡°Um¡­ You said that the ult Dragon is watching what move we will make, but if we show our effort to cut down the deforestation, the ult Dragon may retreat.¡±

    Everyone looked at Ekaterina with a surprised look. They didn¡¯t expect a nobledy to cut in on their conversation here.

    ¡°...I also think there¡¯s that possibility. But on the other hand, the demand for fuel is increasing. It¡¯s difficult to cut down the deforestation.¡±

    ¡°How about afforesting after cutting the trees in the forest?¡±

    ¡°Huh? Afforesting? Uh¡­ I¡¯ve never heard that word.¡±

    I knew it!

    When I lived in Osaka in my previous life, I went to Yoshino in Nara prefecture for an off-campus study. I would be happy if we went to see the cherry blossoms, but our study topic was Yoshino cedar tree nting. I heard that Yoshino¡¯s afforestation started in the Muromachi era. Then we had to write the report after that, and the theme was the current state and history of afforestation around the world.

    I knew this at that time. In Europe, forests had long been cleared and turned into farnd, and they had no idea to nt trees after cutting them down. The culture took root only in the second half of the neenth century.

    So it¡¯s also the same here!

    ¡°In the farnd, farmers will nt crops again after harvesting wheat. ¡®Afforestation¡¯ means re-growing the forest after cutting it down.¡±

    ¡°Re-growing the forest after cutting it down¡­?¡± That dumbfounded Forli. ¡°My Lady, a tree is different from wheat. It takes a year to grow wheat. But how long will it take for the forest to re-grow?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I understand your point. I¡¯ve heard this saying before. ¡®It takes one year to grow wheat, ten years to grow trees, and a hundred years to grow people.¡±

    It was rice, not wheat? And the proverb of my previous life probably didn¡¯t exist in this world? Well, I¡¯ll lose if I care!

    ¡°The Yurinovas is a family that boasts a history of four hundred years. How can we support the empire if we find it difficult to grow trees?¡±

    I put on airs, trying to say it smartly.

    The key to having a sessful presentation was a confident attitude. Learn the secrets of your presentation from a swindler!

    ¡°Lord Forli, you said that the ult Dragon is the oldest existence, and no humans can eliminate it. It¡¯s inevitable that we can¡¯t avoid the ult Dragon¡¯s anger if we continue cutting the trees like this¡­

    If it¡¯s now angered, not only Duke Yurinova, but this empire would be struck with a great disaster. We should avoid such things. I don¡¯t want Brother and all the people of the Empire to be at risk. Even if we can¡¯t immediately stop cutting the trees, we can continue to nt trees and use them in the future. Isn¡¯t it worth trying to see if we can calm the ult Dragon by showing our effort?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Forli groaned.

    Others were staring at Ekaterina thoughtfully.

    ¡°Ekaterina¡­ Afforestation, is it? I never heard of it before, but where did youe up with that?¡±

    ¡°Brother. Just as I said before, I thought of it as wheat. The trees in the forests are important products of Duke Yurinova¡¯s territory, aren¡¯t they? Then we shouldn¡¯t just cut them, but also think of a way to preserve them. It will take time, but if we take care of the trees ourselves, we may have better building materials than using the trees that grow naturally in the forest.¡±

    ¡°...Hm.¡± Alexei pondered. But he immediately raised my face.

    ¡°That sounds good. Leaving aside the ult Dragon¡¯s matter, we can effectively use the steep mountainous area unsuitable for agriculturalnd. We won¡¯t have any loss for the future. Forli, consider this afforestation and implement it as soon as possible.

    For the current order, have it postponed for half a year. We¡¯ll see how the ult Dragon reacts. If there¡¯s no movement, we¡¯ll think about itter.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    As expected from Brother! Even if he had never heard of ¡®afforestation¡¯, he calmly judged the benefits and found a middle ground to implement it. I really admire a reliable man like him!

    ...But then, the countermeasure against ¡®the oldest existence called the King of the North, the giant dragon, the ult Dragon¡¯, was ¡®afforestation¡¯.

    How in.

    I was the one who proposed it, but it was too in.

    B-But the ult Dragon¡­ no. If I remember right, his name in the game was d Foren, the king of demonic dragons. He was thest boss!

    Once we entered the route of the country¡¯s ruin, no one could beat him!

    No, I think it¡¯s possible to defeat it by capturing it as a love interest...

    Actually, he was the hidden capture character¡­

    I found out about that when I searched whether there was a route to capture Brother. When the yer met certain conditions, they could target the king of demonic dragons. When he transformed into a human, he had the appearance of a ck-haired, red-eyed beautiful man.

    But I had no idea how to capture him! After knowing that Brother wouldn¡¯t appear on his route, I didn¡¯t even care about him anymore!

    The king of demonic dragons (human version) that I saw in my browser was so beautiful that I hesitated whether I should challenge it or not, but my favorite type was still Alexei. Since the king of demonic dragons most likely had a cocky personality, I wouldn¡¯t experience the soothing sensation when watching my brother pamper his sister. So I didn¡¯t even look at how to capture that king.

    I¡¯m sorry for being useless!

    However, when I got the country¡¯s ruin ending, the king of demonic dragons (dragon version) trampled the burning castle to pieces, roaring powerfully.

    And he was as big as the castle¡­ He¡¯s probably over a hundred meters long. Yeah, twice as big as a Boeing 747...

    Come to think of it. The reason thest boss attacked the country wasn¡¯t exined in the game. However, not clearing the crucial events in the future would make arge number of demons attack the country one after another, with a high chance of thest boss¡¯s appearance.

    That¡¯s why I thought that I had to clear the events to break the empire¡¯s destruction g. But now that I found out that thest boss and the demons in this world went on a rampage because their habitat was robbed by deforestation, taking great care of it might stop the attack.

    Moreover, ording to the knowledge of my previous life, deforestation had tons of harmful effects.

    The water-retaining capability in the mountains would decrease, sh flood and mudflow would ur, and disasters such asndslides and debris flows would happen frequently. The reduction and drying of groundwater, the loss of biodiversity, and the change in nourishment flowing from rivers to the sea would affect the ecosystem.

    Now that I think of it, Brother received a report that a rockfall happened in one vige before.

    So let¡¯s stop deforestation!

    There¡¯s no loss in nting trees! Just do it!

    And I would do my best to clear the events so that I wouldn¡¯t enter the empire¡¯s destruction route!

 Chapter 17: Iâ€™m the Villainess, but I Will Participate in the Event (æ‚ªå½¹ä»¤å¬¢ã§ã™ãŒã‚¤ãƒ™ãƒ³ãƒˆã«å‚æˆ¦ã—ã¾ã™)

    "My Lady, would you like to have dinner now?"

    As soon as Ekaterina returned from the academy, she crawled into her bed. Mina called her to eat with her usual calm voice.

    "...Mina, eat it for me¡­"

    "I don''t need it. Why is it me who ends up eating it, My Lady?"

    "...Because it''ll be wasteful if no one eats it."

    Wasting food would incur heaven''s wrath. Food loss should be reduced as much as possible.

    Mina pat Ekaterina''s back from the top of the duvet.

    "I''m relieved that you''re not crying. What are you doing under the duvet, My Lady?"

    "I''m thinking¡­"

    "Why do you look so dejected? If I''m bothering you, I won''t enter the bedroom until you call me."

    "......"

    "Please call me when you have calmed down."

    After saying that, Mina left. I raised my body, restless.

    Uryahhh! Then I removed the duvet from her. Still on my uniform, I folded my arms and crossed my legs, looking like a monk entering a contemting state.

    When I properly use my brain, I''ll end up having this posture! But I can''t show it to anyone in this world! Because I''m a nobledy!

    Ahh~~~ But what should I do now?

    I knew this world from a game. But once again, I was fully reminded that this was a different world. Like Flora and Brother, everyone in this country, or even this world, believed that the position of social status is thew.

    I don''t want to criticize it. It''s the logical thinking in this world.

    Brother told me, "You will face a constant struggle with your ssmates." Probably, the Three Great Duke was like the Tokugawa Gosanke. In history, the families in Tokugawa Gosanke had a secret feud all the time. Brother also fought on that stage full of conspiracy ns. Thinking so, what he said to me was right.

    However, it shed with the sense I built in my previous life. I had no idea what were the disadvantages of having amoner friend. Also, I knew that Flora would prove her worth from now on from my knowledge of the game. And Ekaterina, surrounded by the Yes-Yes Trio, had a higher social status than Flora. But she ended up in ruin. That''s why I believe I shouldn''t judge anyone by their status.

    However, when I thought about it carefully, the aristocratic system existed in Japan seventy years ago. GHQ only abolished it after World War II.

    Besides, the concept of human rights¡­ um, the ergonomics of the Universal Deration of Human Rights that said all human beings are naturally free and have equal rights¡­? That belief was adopted after the war. It''s only recently that the deration became a familiar concept. No. Actually, that idea existed even earlier in the French Revolution slogan, "freedom, equality, phnthropy." I think some people already have that belief in this world.

    But the French Revolution was bloody. When Napoleon became the emperor, there was no equality¡­

    Yeah, it''s not like everyone had equality in my previous life. The real thing was there was amon understanding that we should be equal.

    Before I died from overwork, the widening disparity was a problem. Let''s talk about Japan. We adopted the mentality that all Japanese were in the middle-ss economy, but if we looked at it from a bigger scale, it was only a moment in history. Probably, the gap between the rich and poor was temporarily closed because GHQ disbanded the businessbines and released the farnd. We only narrowed the gap between the rich and the poor for a moment. Looking back, didn''t we have a revolution just a little while ago? It wouldn''t be strange if the social status system were revived in my previous world. The wheels woulde full circle.

    So it''s not time for me to be shocked.

    ...But I guess I was shocked. I even thought about thoseplicated things to calm myself.

    Also, what upsets me was not just the difference with my previous world, but also how strict Alexei talked to the current Ekaterina.

    Ekaterina had been imprisoned in a vi for a long time. The only chance she had to meet a child of the same age was when she asionally saw her brother passing by in front of the vi. Even after moving to Duke''s residence in the Yurinovas'' territory, she was not just wilful, but basically scared of everything. That''s why she didn''t listen to her surroundings most of the time.

    That''s why it''s fun to talk to Flora and cook with her. I had memories of my friends from my past life, but this was Ekaterina''s first experience since she was born. Flora was the first friend she ever made.

    However, Flora personally told her that she shouldn''t be with her. Her brother also did the final blow, agreeing with Flora¡­ Ahhh, too cruel.

    I knew that she said that after considering our positions carefully, but I kept persistently approaching her. Thinking about how Flora didn''t want to get along with me made me sad.

    When we were together, the students around us gave us strange looks. She might think that I was actually a bother¡­ I''m getting depressed. I couldn''t even raise my face.

    I didn''t even remember anything from my afternoon ss! Waaah!

    But then! Remember this!

    This was the correct route in the otome game. Raise the affection level of the prince. When other men approached the heroine from here and there, she must temporarily push the prince away.

    The reason for her denial was because she cared for him, not wishing to get in his way by staying on his side.

    That was the correct answer. Then the prince would chase the heroine who ran away from him. That''s how Flora captured him, pushing and pulling from time to time.

    Love tactics! Doing this kind of thing for real was absolutely impossible for me!

    I yed the game with that mindset, but I realized this aftering to the game world.

    That indeed traced Flora''s real personality. Wait. In the first ce, does Flora have the right character to make the game flow smoothly?

    Chicken first or egg first?

    But I''m sure she took a distance from me because she had such a character. She was considering my status.

    Then I should keep chasing her, like what the prince did in the game. Tell her that we should ignore other people. What''s the sin if I want to stay with you? If I told her so repeatedly, she would understand.

    ...Why did I sound like I was seriously trying to capture the heroine¡­ W-well, I would soon stick her with her destined prince, so no need to worry!

    Huh? If we changed the viewpoint, the viiness was taking the prince''s position, getting captured by the heroine¡­? Ahaha.

    I should be able to fix my rtionship with Flora. The problem was my brother¡­

    I unfolded my arms. I rested my elbows and my cheeks on my knees and started contemting.

    What is the problem?

    I knew that Brother had the mindset of a noble, be it for good or for bad. As a person born to be a Duke, he had a high pride, aware that he was different from other people.

    A seventeen-year-old student who did his best on his work everyday. That''s his noblesse oblige. Like how he fulfilled his duty, it''s natural for him to think that people in lower ranks should act as their status.

    I really like that part of Brother. He was calm and collected. The more strict he was to others, the more strict he acted to himself. He was enough that his surroundings thought that he was thickheaded, inflexible, and unable to understand other people''s feelings. Yet, he bore the most tremendous burden even if no one understood his bitterness.

    Yeah. I love Brother. There''s no doubt of it.

    He said something shocking to me, who still had Japanese mentality imprinted with human rights and equality awareness. The way I reacted was intolerant to him because I was upset by Flora''s words.

    But it''s not strange that Brother had such a mindset and made such a statement. It''s logical. Yet why did I make a fuss about it?

    Thinking about it, this was the first time I''d ever felt a gap with Brother since I remembered my previous life¡­

    How would he take my response? Maybe he would be disappointed since his sister wasn''t suitable to be the nobledy of the Duke family¡­

    ...He wouldn''t. Because he was a hardcore siscon. Rather, I should be worried if Brother was depressed after I cried. I even told him that he was the same as that shitty grandma.

    "Ah!" I unconsciously eximed.

    Ah, this is it!

    Brother''s siscon was mixed with mothercon. A part of him regretted and felt remorse that he couldn''t save Mother. He expressed that by pampering his sister, who resembled his mother.

    That also led to an aversion to the shitty grandma who picked on Mother until her death.

    I knew that, yet I told Brother that he was the same as the shitty grandma who bullied Mother!

    It''s like I stabbed straight into his trauma!

    So I felt depressed not because I was hurt, but because I had hurt Brother! And now I was scared if he would hate me after I hurt him!

    I was still inexperienced in bing a brocon. I had to work hard so that I would never do this again! My character was already questionable, though!

    But I couldn''t forgive myself for hurting my favorite character!

    Alright. I already investigated the cause of everything, made a n to solve it, and sorted my feelings. Now, let''s start moving quickly.

 Chapter 18: Its Late, but I Will Capture My Brother (ä»Šæ›´ã§ã™ãŒãŠå…„æ§˜ã‚’æ”»ç•¥ã—ã¾ã™)

    Upon knocking on the office door, Ivan opened it, smiling when he saw Ekaterina and Mina. Not a hint of surprise in his face.

    "His Excellency, My Lady is here."

    Right after Alexei heard Ivan, he raised his face from the document at once. Then he gasped when she saw Ekaterina and stood up.

    "Um¡­ I''m sorry, Brother. May I talk to you for a while?" Ekaterina said, sping his hands together, uneasy. Unable to raise her head, she kept looking down at her hands...

    "Y-yea. Of course."

    She was relieved to get a response. Mina pushed her back, encouraging her.

    For the executives in the office, only Forli wasn''t present there. Under the watch of the three same executives from yesterday, Ekaterina walked up to Alexei''s side.

    "I¡­ I came here to apologize."

    I want to tell him that I said something mean out of anger. As a member of society, I should apologize and correspond quickly and urately when a problem urred. The more I dyed it, the more it would hurt!

    ...I said that, but I couldn''t raise my face yet. Even if I trusted Brother''s siscon tendencies, I could die just in case he was disappointed in me.

    "Regarding what I said at noon¡­ It was unfair to Brother. I understand that you said that for my sake. And yet¡­ my words were too cruel. Please forgive me."

    "......"

    Alexei seemed to be dumbfounded. Then he cleared his throat.

    "...Um, I also gave it a thought after that¡­ What I said to Miss Czerny might have been rather careless. You are a wise child. By spending around three years at the academy with someone of another status, you will know many more things. I should''ve considered that. You don''t have to apologize."

    Ohh.

    "Iter realized that you couldn''t even make your debut in social circles, so Miss Czerny should be your first friend. I¡­ I''m not good at understanding other people''s feelings. I already know that, and yet¡­"

    Ohhhhh!!

    Brother understood me well! And how he confessed hisplex with a slight embarrassment was too cute!

    I hugged him tightly. "Thank you, Brother! I love you!!!"

    Alexei didn''t move. He waspletely solidified. However, Ekaterina''s excitement had reached the MAX level.

    "I''m happy to have such a kind brother! I promise that I will make an effort to learn the behavior that won''t bring me shame as the nobledy of the Duke family. I shall live up to Brother''s trust! I''ll be good friends with Flora and increase my knowledge, just as you said! So please let me make your lunch! I will continue to have lunch here and do my best to understand my duty!"

    "Y-yeah!"

    Ekaterina obeyed Alexei''s words, making promises of what she wanted to do. Alexei lost to his sister''s aggressiveness, wondering what was happening right now.

    "Then, Brother."

    Ekaterina released her arms from Alexei and took his hand. She then smiled.

    "Brother, you said that you''re not good at understanding other people''s feelings. But I''ve heard that we could call it this way. That Brother has growth potential.

    Brother, you''re in charge of the Yurinovas'' vast territory at a young age. And if you could understand other people''s feelings, then you would be too perfect. There won''t be any room for growth in your life from now on.

    Being aware of your shorings is the first step toward improvement. Brother, you will surely ovee it. Because you arepetent. I respect you from the bottom of my heart."

    Brother''s cold and rational side was kind of funny, but he''s even cuter how he had a littleplex on that!

    In any case, I had experiences with these kinds of people. My ssmates, my club members, and my juniors at thepany. If they were aware of their ws, they could take measures to fix it, as long as they desired to improve. That way, they would go above the people who didn''t have any difficulties. I was too focused when I first joined thepany. Before I died from overwork, I could rival the employees who got hired through the back door. It''s a matter of hard work.

    If Brother could see through other people''s hearts, he could even be a prime minister now!

    "...Ekaterina, you said something pretty mature. Where did you hear that?"

    Ah! I couldn''t say that I was an advisor for a club in my previous life!

    "Oh, that''s what I heard from the tutor! The tutor arranged by Brother was all excellent!"

    "I see."

    Ekaterina knew she made a painful excuse, but Alexei nodded. When she thought about itter, she was d she said that. For Ekaterina, no one other than her tutors would teach her about the potential of growth.

    And Alexei smiled. It was faint, almost ephemeral.

    "Thank you, Ekaterina. You''re very kind¡­ I''m sorry for making you sad."

    (Uwahhh!!!)

    Ekaterina inwardly screamed. This should be it, right? It definitely was!

    Too ''precious''!!

    Ekaterina hugged Alexei again, d she was born to be his sister.

    "I''m also sorry for saying something cruel to you, Brother. I can''t forgive myself when I think that I made my brother sad."

    How could I forgive myself for making my favorite character sad? Brother healed me in my previous life. And he was the only one who thought of me the most in this life. I owed him a lot. I wanted to support Brother, who had too much responsibility even if he was only seventeen years old.

    You were still obviously a kid, but why did you have it hard every day? What a good boy.

    "......"

    Oh, I''m sorry. I inadvertently ruffled Brother''s head. His light blue hair was smooth!

    Brother solidified again¡­ Maybe no one ever stroked his head before? I''m very sorry¡­

    "M-my, I''ve taken a lot of your time, Brother. I''m sorry for disturbing you during your work. I''ll take my leave now. Everyone, I''m sorry for bothering you. Have a nice day."

    Ekaterina bowed to his brother and everyone in the office like ady. She then left the office with Mina with light steps.

    XxxX

    "My Lady, would you like to return to your room and have dinner?"

    "Before that, I''m going to see Miss Flora. There''s a saying that ''make hay while the sun shines''!"

    After talking to Brother, it''s time to capture the heroine! I''m probably being captured by the heroine, though! Hahaha.

 Chapter 19: Upside and Downside Which is Near Yet Far (é ãã¦è¿‘ã„ä¸Šã¨ä¸‹)

    For some reason, Mina knew Flora''s room in the dormitory. When Ekaterina thought that her beautiful maid was a irvoyant¡­

    "I know every student who lives in the same dormitory as you, My Lady. Be it their name, face, and room," Mina said. That only made Ekaterina unable to understand the maid''s scope of work.

    When they knocked on the door of Flora''s room, Flora responded after a pause and opened the door. Once her purple eyes saw Ekaterina, they widened in surprise.

    "...Miss Yurinova."

    "Miss Flora, I''m sorry for disturbing youte at night."

    Even after Ekaterina greeted her with a smile, Flora stood petrified.

    ...But that means she didn''t hate her, right?

    "You said this at noon. That you want my brother to decide. My brother''s decision has changed. He told me earlier to spread my knowledge well. I came here to tell you that."

    "But¡­"

    Flora looked at the ground. Seeing her long eyshes quivering, Ekaterina knew that she had a chance.

    "Hey, Flora. You said that our worlds are different, but did you realize that we are simr more than anyone else?"

    "That''s¡­ are you talking about our mothers?"

    "Yes, that''s the first one. And the other one is¡­" Ekaterina raised one finger andughed. "We are both lonely. One has the highest status and one has the lowest, but we''re the same."

    Duke Yurinova''sdy, who had been imprisoned seven months ago. Baron''sdy, amoner who never thought she would be a noble until seven months ago. They were suddenly thrown into a different world, shunned from their surroundings. For different reasons, but in the same way.

    "But¡­ I''m sure a lot of people wish to be Miss Yurinova''s friends."

    "You might be correct. That being said, Duke Yurinova has wealth and power. Many people will approach me to aim for those things. I believe everyone is that wicked, and I will have to learn how to deal with them. But to be honest, it''s troublesome. Don''t you think I''m too pitiful?" Ekaterina slightly tilted my neck and made a small joke. "And that''s the number one reason why I want to continue talking to Miss Flora. I thought I would get along with you when we were chatting and cooking together. I believe this is the best reason for wanting to be friends with someone."

    It was the matchless truth. I don''t care if you find it too naive. Because that''s my real feeling.

    It''s not only because I wanted to be Flora''s friend to break the destruction g since she was the heroine.

    But it''s because it was fun to talk with her.

    "If Miss Flora doesn''t like me, then it can''t be helped¡­"

    "That''s impossible!" Flora shouted, shaking her head vigorously. Then she covered her face with her hands and muttered, "That''s impossible¡­ Uu..."

    Ekaterina hugged Flora, who held back her sobs. Tightly.

    Flora had been doing her best. She had worked hard all the time.

    Flora was a good girl. Until just a few months ago, enrolling in a magic academy filled with only nobles wouldn''t have entered her life nning at all. She lost her mother seven months ago and unexpectedly became a baron familydy, and she found out that she had abundant magic power. Without giving her any choice, she was forced to enroll in this academy.

    The change in Flora''s environment was too drastic. She didn''t ask for it. To make things worse, she had to face nasty remarks and bullying. Just how unreasonable life could be? And yet, she worked silently, not giving up or turning rebellious. She was strong¡ªwhat a great person.

    You might think it''s only to be expected from the heroine, but that was not it. This was the world of an otome game, and Flora was the heroine, but Flora was born and raised here. She had a growing mind and a heart. She lived her life, not ying a game.

    With the heart of a child who had lived for only fifteen years, she had endured the loneliness of losing her mother and the pain of being unreasonably bullied, alone in this academy.

    Flora didn''t know her role as the heroine, which had been assigned to her.

    But when Flora said that she didn''t want to be a bother to me, that wasn''t cool at all. Flora was smart, but she was fifteen years old. Thinking that she could endure everything alone was silly.

    This thirty-years-old sister won''t leave you alone! So let''s not be lonely together.

    After stroking and patting Flora''s back until her tears stopped, I invited her to my room.

    I didn''t expect that Mina started preparing both of our dinners as soon as we arrived in my room, but it turns out Flora also didn''t eat dinner and stayed in her room. So Flora got depressed even if she proposed not to be friends with me on her own? This girl was too lovely!

    And Mina, who could see through that only after looking at Flora''splexion, might be the proof that my beautiful maid was really a irvoyant.

    During our meal, we talked about what to make for tomorrow''s lunch, how none of us remembered the afternoon ss materials at all, and so on. It was a friendly chat, but they talked about Ekaterina''s circumstances after the meal. I started from how her grandmother picked on her mother to the details of her mother''s death. I told her everything, even if just briefly.

    Flora was surprised and cried a few times. She said she had no experience with nobledies, so other people might make a fool of us if she misbehaved. That''s why she wanted to think of a way to be my friend steadily. I nodded.

    With this, I believe Flora wouldn''t keep a distance from me because she felt inferior.

    The viiness, capturing the heroine¡­ Did I sessfully do it? Have I¡­ be her friend?

 Chapter 20: Side Story ~The Maid and the Valet~ (æŒ¿å…¥è©±?ãƒ¡ã‚¤ãƒ‰ã¨å¾“åƒ•?)

    T/N: Seems like Chapter 19''s link was broken. I fixed it already, so kindly check it out if you haven''t~

    After Ekaterina and Flora chatted untilte at night, Mina sent Flora back at her master''s request. At first, Flora declined since they stayed in the same dormitory, but Ekaterina knew that she might get bullied in the dormitory, so she didn''t yield.

    After sending Flora to her room, Mina walked back to return to Ekaterina''s room. There, someone called her. "Hey, Mina."

    Not surprised, Mina looked outside the window. There stood Alexei''s valet, Ivan.

    "The women''s dormitories are closed to men."

    "I''m not entering the building, so this is fine, isn''t it?" Ivan said with a smile.

    However¡­ This was the third floor.

    Outside the window, there was a zelkova tree that reached the height of the third floor. Ivan stood on that branch. With a calm face, without even bending the thin branch.

    Ivan was as tall as Alexei. Typically, his weight would''ve broken a branch and make him fall to the ground. Why could he do that? But Mina didn''t even care.

    "Thank you for bringing Lady Ekaterina to the office. His Grace has finally recovered."

    "I didn''t bring her there. Lady Ekaterina decided to see His Grace on her own. Since she came home today, she had thought she told me she wanted to see her brother."

    "I see. She''s not knowledgeable about the world, but she''s somehow doing well. At first, I thought she came to persuade His Grace, but she actually came to apologize. His Grace will easily make concessions that way too."

    "Lady Ekaterina is smart, kind, and strong-willed. But, indeed, she doesn''t know the world. Sometimes she does things out ofmon sense, and she has considerably changed. That''s why I''m worried if she''ll get hurt one day. His Grace also thinks so."

    "Hee." Ivan grinned. "I know that His Grace is soft on Lady Ekaterina because she''s his only family left and reminds him a lot with his mother, but I don''t expect you to be infatuated on her. Lady Ekaterina sure is amazing."

    "My job is to protect My Lady. It''s also a part of my job to make sure not to hurt her feelings. Look at yourself. This has nothing to do with His Grace''s safety, yet you especially came here to ask me to act as a mediator between Lady Ekaterina and His Grace."

    "It''s because I''ve never seen him that listless and weak before. Well, it was fun," Ivan said with augh. "Even when he looked at the papers, he told us he couldn''t process anything in his head and ended up lying down on the documents. However, after Lady Ekaterina returned to her room, he nced at the documents and said, ''Send this to Daniil and have him examine thew," cleaning away the work in a puff as usual."

    And then Alexei suddenly said, "About Ekaterina¡­ I decide not to marry her to anyone."

    "Lord Novak panicked and told him not to be hasty. I wanted to praise myself for not falling on the ground at that time."

    "...He didn''t mean that, right?"

    "Even if he doesn''t really mean that, I believe that''s what he feels. That sounds like what a father who loves his daughter would say. Lady Ekaterina also stroked His Grace''s head. Maybe she did it on behalf of their mother. Both of them are trying to substitute for their parents. Isn''t that cute? I can''t help but think that their current rtionship is nice. That His Grace would be happy if Lady Ekaterina stayed by his side forever. But His Grace immediately returned to his senses."

    Then, Alexei said, "I just want to try saying that. ...Leave me alone."

    "Maybe he''s embarrassed or sulking, but having His Grace pouting like that was a natural disaster. I wanted tough so much. The other three executives also did their best not tough in the office."

    "Ivan, why did youe here again?"

    "It was so interesting that I wanted to tell it to someone else. But I really hope Lady Ekaterina will be with us all the time. Don''t you think so?"

    Mina snorted. "I will continue to serve her even if she''s married."

    "So I''m alone? I think Lady Ekaterina will be happier if she doesn''t go anywhere. They''re both very close, and no man will take care of her as much as His Grace."

    "What are you talking about? There''s no way she can marry His Grace. In the first ce, it''s not up to us to decide. Look, you''re also infatuated to His Grace."

    "Because he''s easy to serve. Not as easy to understand and kind as Lady Ekaterina, but he never does anything unreasonable." An ironic smile suddenly appeared on Ivan''s face. "He doesn''t treat me as a monster."

    Mina didn''t change her expression. "Maybe he''s just too much of a fool."

    "And I''ve met with that fool, eh." Ivanughed bitterly. "And I can''t help pitying him. When his mother died, he didn''t sleep at all for around five days to do funeral arrangements and work. He was so busy, but more than that, he couldn''t sleep. He finally slept in the carriage on his way back to the academy, but he copsed. At that time, all I could do was cover him with a nket. I sincerely wished someone would be kind to that person. It would be nice if his rtionship with Lady Ekaterina were this close at that time."

    Mina frowned a little. "If Lady Ekaterina knew that, she would feel guilty."

    "I won''t tell her. His Grace wouldn''t want her to know either."

    The loyal maid and valet looked at each other and nodded.

    "Why don''t we return to their side and pour them a cup of tea?"

    "Yeah, I need to go back soon. See you."

    After that, Ivan kicked the twig and jumped back, stopping on another tree branch like a branch. He didn''t even shake the leaves.

    Mina returned to the special room as if nothing had happened, without waving her hands and chasing Ivan, who had disappeared into the night''s darkness.

 Chapter 21

    Side Story ~ Brother And Sister-

    Let¡¯s go slightly further back in time, to the moment after Ekaterina ran away from Alexei.

    It was during the breaktime after the first afternoon ss. With elbows on the desk and both hands cupping his face, covering his eyes, Alexei heaved helpless sighs several times.

    He had been a mess during ss earlier. He hadpletely zoned out, and not only was he unable to answer when being called upon, he didn¡¯t even know what the teacher asked of him. He was stunned when the exasperated teacher told him ¡®That¡¯s enough¡¯. To someone who had always been a star student in his academic studies since enrolment, it was an utter disgrace.

    A boy with arge-built suddenly appeared next to him.

    ¡°Hey, Duke, what¡¯s with you today? Did something happen?¡±

    The boy asked with curiosity. ming red hair, golden eyes, a tall stature with spectacr muscles ¨C that was Nici Krymov, heir to a countship. Nici was friendly, and while everyone, including the teachers, kept their distance from Alexei out of respect, Nici treated him as if he was just any other ordinary person.

    The Academy of Magic didn¡¯t have a ss streaming system, so everyone stayed in the same ss throughout three years. Alexei had started discharging his duties as a Duke since the first year, and some had been calling him ¡®Duke¡¯ behind his back as a joke because of that, but only Nici had ever used the nickname straight to his face. At first, Alexei didn¡¯t reprimand him because the Yurinovas were once indebted to the Krymovs. But after he had officially inherited his title, the fact that he was still being addressed as ¡®Duke¡¯ by Nici in his deep voice made Alexei feel like it was his own name and not just a title, till then it had ceased being unpleasant.

    Alexei secretly thought of Nici as his pr opposite. Alexei could make the atmosphere of every ce he set foot into turn rigid even if he didn¡¯t intend to, while anywhere Nici goes, the atmosphere would turn calm and warm.

    That was why Alexei grew soft just now in Nici¡¯s presence, and he suddenly uttered:

    ¡°¡­I made my sister cry.¡±

    ¡°Ha?¡±

    Nici¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°Now, now, that¡¯s the reason? Sisters are crybabies to begin with. I leave mine alone and all of a sudden, I be the bad guy and end up getting beaten by my dad or mom, while she watches and sticks her tongue out to mock me.¡±

    Nici also had a sister, and thetter half of his reply became aint.

    It was strange to hear the words ¡®dad¡¯, ¡®mom¡¯ and ¡®beaten¡¯ being used while talking about a Count and a Countess, but the Krymovs were different. They had the secret of cross-breeding horses with demon beasts and raising them hands on by themselves. While many aristocrats often delegated even the management of their domains to their employees, the head of Krymov family worked on his vast ranch himself; he was known to even handle the newly-born foals with his own hands during the birthing season. The current Countess was the daughter of a powerful Marquis, but she loved horses so much that she forced the marriage with the Count of Krymov herself. She was remarked to have ¡®outstanding talent¡¯ by the previous Countess.

    Nici eximed, suddenly remembering something:

    ¡°Ah, that reminds me, someone who seems to be your sister came here. A pretty girl with indigo blue hair and purplish blue eyes, right? She¡¯s so beautiful and mature that it¡¯s hard to think she¡¯s a first year student. She has such pale skin that it looks translucent, and she¡¯s so slender that she looks like she was about to snap in half. She seems difficult to approach, but after I told her about your whereabouts, she thanked me politely. She gave off such a pleasant impression, yet somehow dazzling and elegant too. It was amazing. Sorry, she¡¯s something different from my sister. Mine is a monkeypared to her.¡±

    Niciughed.

    ¡°She seems to generate a lot of buzz as one of the top two contenders for the most beautiful freshman this year. She¡¯s called Blue Rose, and the other beauty is called Cherry Blossom. Anyway, why did you make such a sweet little sister cry? She should be treated with great care.¡±

    ¡°¡­I have some issues with her choice of friends. The one she brought with her is not her equal in status¡­¡±

    ¡°Huh.¡±

    Nici huffed at Alexei¡¯s unexpected answer.

 Chapter 22

    ¡°So you told her to stop going out with that person, and she cried? Well, it¡¯s true that people of the Yurinova should be wary of weirdos approaching them, but¡­Your sister should have known that since she was a kid, right?¡±

    ¡°That child¡­ doesn¡¯t know much about social disposition. She stayed somewhere else¡­for a very long time.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that reminds me, you werete at the entrance ceremony because your sister copsed. So she has a weak constitution¡­ That makes it even more different from my monkey sister. But if that¡¯s the case, doesn¡¯t it mean that the friend with different social status is the first friend she¡¯s ever made?¡±

    Alexei¡¯s eyes widened; he was taken aback by Nici¡¯s remarks. It must have been like what he said. He had received reports that when Ekaterina was at that ce, the servants had hardly ever heard her speak; she hadn¡¯t opened her heart to anyone, let alone having friends. Ever since arriving at the Imperial Capital, Ekaterina had been acting so uncharacteristically bright that it became difficult to imagine she was the same person in the reports, even making him forget her actual state prior.

    ¡°If you insist so much about this, the situation can turn really bad. Is that ssmate the unlikable, bad to associate with type?¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡±

    Alexei recalled Flora talking about her background without humiliation. She was quite dignified for a poor noble.

    ¡°Just that¡­ I want her to learn about socializing with other aristocrats. She still doesn¡¯t know anything, and she is too kind. I want her to get acquainted with people who can protect her¡­¡±

    Alexei mumbled. Those of nobility ranks were treacherous; he knew it very well.

    Suddenly, he wondered what his grandfather would do.

    His grandfather Sergei utilized people for their talents, not their status. But that was with his subordinates; his close friend Forli was the third son of a Marquis. Heter cut ties with his family, but Forli¡¯s lineage was worthy of his grandfather¡¯s friendship.

    But then¡­ There was his grandfather¡¯s younger brother from a different mother, his granduncle, Isaac. He was an illegitimate child. Even though they had different mothers, his grandfather and granduncle were close. It was said that his grandfather had adored his granduncle, who was younger by five years, since they were kids. Issac was a bit entric but kind, and he was also a well-known schr. He was acquainted with people from different social statuses, so some of them must have been introduced to him by his grandfather.

    It was difficult to imagine his grandfather saying anything bad if Alexei introduced amoner friend to him.

    Right, his grandfather wouldn¡¯t say anything. Topletely reject a friendship due to a difference in social statuses was¡­

    Alexei clutched his forehead.

    <i>Ekaterina¡­You were right.</i>

    Angry rants, like a raging inferno came back to torment him.

    The one who would reject such a friendship would be his grandmother.

    <i>I was like my grandmother¡­Who persecuted my mother¡­</i>

    He had always considered his grandfather as his role model, and it had been his greatest goal to protect the Yurinova family from his grandmother¡¯s oppression. He was proud that it was him that took over the Dukedom and not his father. And yet before he knew it, he had been tainted with his grandmother¡¯s way of thinking.

    That child too¡­ She probably wouldn¡¯t ask him to hold her hands anymore.

    Nici patted his shoulders.

    ¡°Duke, hey Duke, what¡¯s up? Yurinova Alexei.¡±

    Alexei returned to his senses.

    ¡°Are you alright? You don¡¯t look good. Are you feeling unwell?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m alright.¡±

    Alexei stubbornly shook his head, and Nici smiled wryly:

    ¡°It feels like the Ice Rose has melted and thawed.¡±

    ¡°What¡­?¡±

    ¡°You probably don¡¯t know, but that¡¯s the nickname some girls gave you. Now, now, don¡¯t be so depressed. No matter what, siblings will always be siblings for life, and there will be some discord from time to time. The three years at school are for socializing and making friends, so can¡¯t you just permit it? As long as that friend doesn¡¯t coax your sister into doing weird stuff.¡±

    Alexei smiled slightly for a moment.

    ¡°¡­Just things like cooking.¡±

    ¡°Ha?¡±

    ¡°She learned how to cook from that friend and brought it to the office for me. She said she wants me to eat properly.¡±

    ¡°Does such a sister even exist in this world?¡±

    Nici grumbled with a serious face.

    ¡°My monkey of a sister even eats my portions at mealtimes. But if I eat her pastries, she¡¯ll chase me around the garden with a pitchfork.¡±

 Chapter 23

    Pitchforks were used to scoop up things like hay in a farm, and were big enough to kill a person.

    ¡°Your sister isn¡¯t like a monkey at all. She¡¯s an angel. I think you don¡¯t need to worry so much. She¡¯s probably worried too, so why don¡¯t you talk to her tomorrow?¡± ¨C (Niki)

    ¡°Yes¡­You¡¯re right.¡±

    Alexei lied. He was scared of being rejected, and had no intention to talk to Ekaterina at all.

    The next morning, Alexei looked impable as usual. Seeing this, Nici gave out a wry smile.

    ¡°Good morning, Duke. You look well.¡± ¨C (Niki)

    ¡°Ah, good morning. That problem from yesterday was solved. My sister came and talked to me after school. Sorry for troubling you.¡±

    Alexei spoke with feigned indifference. Then, suddenly looking embarrassed, he casted his eyesights down and said in a hushed voice:

    ¡°Also¡­Thank you for your advice¡­ Thank you for yesterday.¡±

    Nici smiled, but then grimaced and rubbed the back of his head.

    ¡°Ouch.¡±

    ¡°? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¨C (Alexei)

    ¡°Ah, just the way they give me the looks¡­ Well, it¡¯s nothing.¡±

    Nici didn¡¯t really understand it, but it seemed like he, despite being a boy, had been shot by a stray bullet in a crossfire from the girls¡¯ secret fight over Alexei. No, it was bound to happen because Alexei was somehow acting warmertely, unlike his usual difficult-to-approach self. Like that smile during the entrance ceremony.

    So troublesome.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s good.¡±

    Alexei smiled slightly and nodded at Nici¡¯s answer, and a silent scream echoed in the ssroom.

    ¡­

    This happened some time after Ekaterina¡¯s and Alexei¡¯s reconciliation.

    Forli, who was researching the afforestation process in the duchy, arrived at the office to make a brief report. It¡¯s another power lunch, served with Ekaterina¡¯s and Flora¡¯s cooking.

    ¡°First of all, I have identified the districts that have been deforested but not yet reimed due to various reasons. They will be our first targets for afforestation.

    As for the saplings, this time we¡¯ll nt the ones growing natively in our forests. Logging has stopped in some areas due to the Phantom Dragon¡¯s appearance, and the lumberjacks there are in trouble due tock of work. If they know they will be paid for the work, I¡¯m sure they will want to do it.

    Then, I rmend letting some farmers take charge of cultivating the saplings. Even those who only owned intertilend will be able to grow some. Aside from ck dragon cedars, I think we should also mix in some varieties that can be harvested as food or wood like walnuts and cherries. ck dragon cedar can be sold for a good price, but it¡¯ll take twenty to fifty years for it to be usable as building materials. We need something that can be harvested sooner, I believe.¡±

    <i>Yes, Forli is very capable! </i>

    He has transformed an obscure idea into something useful, and evenbined it with countermeasures against unemployment, poverty and famine.

    Also, as Japan¡¯s afforestation n practically includes only cedar, the nation has to deal with its side effect of pollinosis. Their water-retaining capacity was also low, and it¡¯s not very good for the ecosystem. With an afforestation n that makes use of both cedar and broadleaf trees, the popce here won¡¯t have to deal with those problems anymore.

    (E/N: Pollinosis ¨C also Hay Fever, caused by environmental allergens such as pollens, moulds, animal hair, etc.)

    ¡°Have you thought about a system on how to buy back saplings from the farmers?¡± ¨C (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Let me see. I¡¯ve thought about tax exemption for the cultivators, but actual payment is probably better. After all, afforestation is a new concept. Everyone believes that growing something immediately edible on farnd is the best method, so we need to show the benefits of afforestation.¡± ¨C (Forli)

    He¡¯s also correct here. A lot of people will reject an idea simply because they¡¯ve never done it. When I was still working as a system engineer, releasing a brand new system was always a big problem.

    ¡°What do the Forest Folks think?¡± ¨C (Alexei)

    <i>Hmm?</i>

    ¡°They¡¯re doubtful that it¡¯ll work, but they appreciate the efforts to stop deforestation.¡± ¨C (Forli)

 Chapter 24

    ¡°Is that so? The Phantom Dragon is said to respect the Forest Folks. Will they inform the dragon of this effort of ours? I have some hope that they will.¡± ¨C (Alexei)

    ¡°Err, onii-sama, Sir Forli, who are the Forest Folks?¡± ¨C (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Ah, you don¡¯t know them, Ekaterina?¡± ¨C (Alexei)

    Forest Folks are a minority group that live in the forests of the duchy. They roam the forests without permanent settlements, and don¡¯t interact with others much. They¡¯re very unique people.

    ¡°The Forest Folks branches into several tribes, and the Chief of thergest tribe is Forli¡¯s wife.¡± ¨C (Alexei)

    ¡°Eh?!¡± ¨C (Ekaterina)

    Forli clears his throat and nods:

    ¡°Ah¡­ Well, that¡¯s true.¡±

    So, Forli, the third son of a Marquis, befriended our grandfather Sergei at the Magic Academy, and was invited to visit our duchy. He met the Forest Folks during a hike, an activity he had liked since then, and fell in love with the Chief¡¯s daughter after some great difficulties. Then he was disowned by his family and became grandfather¡¯s subordinate.

    <i>What, so amazing! What a romance!</i>

    I unintentionally exchange nces with Flora-chan; our eyes are glittering. Even though I¡¯m already over thirty inside, this story still has the power to turn me back into a young maiden.

    Forli clears his throat again and takes another bite at his lunch.

    It¡¯s pie today. Meat pie, mushroom pie, gratin pie with lots of veggies, and apple pie. Lunchbreak wasn¡¯t enough to make all of these; the truth is, the two of us had dropped by the kitchen after school yesterday, before school and during the short morning break to prepare this lunch. I¡¯ve also been reviewing lessons about brewing tea every night, and discussing tomorrow¡¯s recipes to rx has be my daily routine. The kitchen staff also wanted to learn Flora¡¯s recipe, and they helped with our discussion; the result is, our lunches have be more and more borate.

    ¡°¡­What is this? What a nostalgic taste.¡±

    Forli said, and Flora smiled.

    ¡°This is the Baroness¡¯ recipe. Her pies are truly wonderful. She¡¯s close to you in age; that¡¯s probably why you feel nostalgic.¡±

    ¡°Baroness Czerny¡­ Is her name Natasha?¡±

    Flora¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at Forli¡¯s words:

    ¡°Yes, Madam¡¯s name is Natasha¡­ Could it be that you know her?¡±

    ¡°Lady Natasha, Natasha Melno, the Count¡¯s daughter at that time, she was in the same year as me in the Magic Academy.¡±

    <i>Really?</i>

    ¡°I was in the same ss as Joseph Czerny, and I got to know Lady Natasha through him. They both loved cooking, and they borrowed a corner in the kitchen to make this and that for fun. Their food was very delicious, and everyone always scrambled for them. Lord Sergei always got a portion everytime. He was unexpectedly a glutton.¡±

    That ending, that ending. They really were close!

    ¡°Joseph and Lady Natasha eloped the night before our graduation ceremony. Actually, Lord Sergei was the one who arranged it.¡±

    ¡°¡­Ha?¡± ¨C (Alexei)

    ¡°Eh?¡± ¨C (Flora)

    ¡°What?¡± ¨C (Ekaterina)

    What a bombshell Forli has dropped.

    ¡°Err, I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s a bit¡­ Eloped? Eh? Those two? Those calm-looking two did that¡­? No way¡­¡±

    Flora was greatly confused.

    ¡°Wait, Forli, what did grandfather do?¡± ¨C (Alexei)

    ¡°Flora¡¯s foster parents and grandfather had such a close rtionship¡­? No, but, n-no way.¡± ¨C (Ekaterina)

    Alexei and Ekaterina were also greatly confused. Wait, but we¡¯re the viiness and the heroine! Is it alright to have such a connection?!

    ¡°Joseph might appear to be calm and reserved, but he has a strong mind, the type that always speaks up if he dislikes something. Lord Sergei seemed to like that character of his. You can say that we did expect him to elope.

    I don¡¯t know how he met Lady Natasha, but by the time we were in second year, the two of them were inseparable. It wasn¡¯t the showy kind of love, but everyone knew they would be bound together for life. But Lady Natasha¡¯s family had selected another marriage partner for her, and they didn¡¯t allow her to marry Joseph. So, we all decided to help them escape to the Czerny territory. That was the greatest memory of my student life.¡±

    So it was a crazy stunt pulled by the students¡­ With the sessors of threerge duchies as the ringleaders, I kinda feel pity for the teachers and guardians¡­

 Chapter 25

    ¡°Lady Natasha baked an apple pie for everyone as thanks after that, but Lord Sergei ate it all by himself. When I recall that incident, I smacked him without thinking much.¡± ¨C (Forli)

    <i>That is¡­</i>

    ¡°¡­I recall that my grandfather didn¡¯t like pies very much.¡± ¨C (Alexei)

    ¡°He ate so much that he got a terrible heartburnter. From then on, he didn¡¯t eat pies anymore even though he liked them.¡±

    <i>Is that so¡­</i>

    I mean, <i>eh?!</i>

    I¡¯ve never met my grandfather, but I¡¯ve seen his portraits in the Duke estate. There was also a two-shot with brother, who was about 10 years old then. Brother was such a pretty boy that I couldn¡¯t do anything but fangirl over him. Grandfather, however, was the epitome of dignity.

    A very dandy and cool uncle¡­

    Even though this was an episode from his younger days, the gap is still too big!

    Seeing the Duke¡¯s grandchildren being so perplexed, Novak and others smiled wryly. Sergei was indeed their supportive benefactor and yet also a stern superior, but they also knew of his easygoing side.

    ¡°Forli, this story between grandfather and Baron Czerny¡­Why have you never mentioned it before?¡± ¨C (Alexei)

    ¡°I think My Lord had some big decisions to make back then. It would have been a special case considering the connection with Lord Sergei, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± ¨C (Forli)

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Alexei was unusually silent. If he had allowed Ekaterina and Flora¡¯s friendship to blossom simply because of the connection to his grandfather, then he wouldn¡¯t be able to re-evaluate his way of thinking.

    ¡°I was curious about what happened between Joseph and Lady Natasha after that, but things kept happening here and there, and I wasn¡¯t able to catch up with them. Thanks to some strange fate, I¡¯m d to know that they¡¯re still living happily together.¡±

    Forli said earnestly and took another bite from the pie. It really was such a nostalgic taste, he says.

    They had watched Joseph and Natasha being driven away in the Duke¡¯s carriage earlier. Sergei joked that he had eaten all the thank-you pie, so Forli hit him, and he hit back. They were lying on the ground after wrestling each other for a while when Sergei said:

    <i>¡°¡ªMy chest hurts.¡± </i>

    ¡°Probably a heartburn, cause you ate too much. Are you stupid, eating a whole pie by yourself?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m stupid.¡± ¨C (Sergei)

    ¡°Yeah.¡± ¨C (Forli)

    Sergei sighed.

    ¡°¡­Maybe you shouldn¡¯t have let them go.¡± ¨C (Forli)

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I want. ¡­So, this is good enough.¡± ¨C (Sergei)

    ¡°Shut up. Why do you always have to drag me into these things, you idiot.¡± ¨C (Forli)

    It was definitely not love, not at all.

    The issue was, the person who Sergei was engaged with; Crown Princess Alexandra, despite being well-matched to him in terms of appearance, was an arrogant and a coldhearted person. To Sergei who was sincere but elusive, and unwaveringly fair yet gentle, she was the pr opposite. They were so different that it could already be seen from the very beginning that the rtionship would not end up so well.

    Natasha wasn¡¯t the type to be praised for her beauty, but she had a petite build, had gentle eyes, and always smelled sweet. If she was Sergei¡¯s marriage partner, he would be happy.

    ¡°I¡¯ll never eat apple pies again.¡±

    Sergei groaned, and Forliughed.

    In those days, Forli never thought that the annoying friend who always caused him troubles without any reservation would leave so soon, not even in a dream.

    Looking back, he now knew that those were truly the good old days.

    ¡­

    For some reason, I woke up a bit earlier that day.

    As I sit up and stare at the letter on my bedside table, Mina enters the bedroom. Her eyes widened slightly.

    ¡°¡®Morning, Mina.¡±

    ¡°Good Morning, My Lady. You¡¯re early today.¡±

    ¡°I somehow did.¡±

    Mina opens the curtain, and I squint at the brilliant sun. Seems like it¡¯ll be a fine day today.

    ¡°What do you have today?¡±

    ¡°Well, a new ss. Magic Control, the first one on practical skills. Because of that, I¡¯ll reread Mardu-sensei¡¯s advice. She¡¯s the teacher you delivered the sweets to, Mina.¡±

    ¡°Ah, that small youngdy. She was overjoyed about the sweets. She was thankful to receive a reward for just one question, terribly so. There¡¯s no one else like her.¡±

    ¡°A teacher¡¯s knowledge is something for sale. It was a proper payment.¡±

    Well, when I was a system engineer in my previous life, clients of previous projects often called and asked me all kinds of questions, taking up a lot of my time. Even though I wasn¡¯t in charge of maintenance and had already transferred to a new project, they kept going like ¡®Can you fix this? Yes? Then fix it.¡¯

    Knowledge and skills are not for free!

 Chapter 26

    Well, one man¡¯s fault is another¡¯s lesson. Also, Mardu-sensei has magic power and came from a noble family, yet she became a teacher because of her family¡¯s downfall. I deeply sympathize with her whenever I recall her story from the game; she was just a child when it happened.

    ¡°You won¡¯t need to work that hard. The teacher praised your great magic power and said that the lessons will be easy for you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Mina. I just want to be prepared.¡±

    Mardu-sensei also expressed her amazement in the letter. After all, the curriculum hasn¡¯t put much focus on earth-attributed offensive skills so far. Despite that, sensei still thoroughly exined the attack variations that I¡¯ve asked ¡®out of curiosity¡¯. Thank you, sensei.

    ording to the game, something that has a serious impact on the Empire¡¯s downfall will happen at my first practical Magic Control ss. It was the appearance of a demon.

    When the Magic Control ss starts at the practice field in the schoolyard, a powerful demon will appear. The heroine will have to join forces with the Prince, who rushes over at the news, to drive it back and awaken her magic power.

    If you can¡¯t clear this event, the Empire¡¯s destruction g will be triggered with no way to stop it. In the end, The Dragon King will attack the Imperial Capital and decimate it.

    <i>That¡¯s why I have to try my best to clear this event!</i>

    ¡­Or so I should say.

    <i>It¡¯s been almost one month since I was reborn into this world and started studying at this Academy.</i>

    <i>Will a demon really appear here¡­?</i>

    For hundreds of years, no demons have ever appeared at this Magic Academy, or should I say at the heart of the Imperial Capital. This event will be the equivalent of arge bear appearing and going on a rampage near Tokyo University¡¯s Yasuda Auditorium in my previous life.

    Just like there are bears in Japan, there are demons in this Empire. But these demons live in forests, mountains orkes; they don¡¯te into towns. The <i>Edo-no-Hana series</i> dated back to the <i>Edo</i> period, but there weren¡¯t any bears in them. I thought it might be possible to summon demons, but it seems like the techniques do not exist in this Empire. It¡¯s said that such techniques once existed in the great Astra Empire, but the details are lost now. Astra was an Empire that existed in this area thousand years ago; it boasted a territory several timesrger than the Yurigrand Empire, and was virtually the root of this Empire and the neighboring country. It¡¯s something like the Roman Empire of earth.

    <i>That¡¯s why I have no idea how a demon can appear here. </i>

    When considering how to clear this event, I thought about making up some excuses to arrange for armed knights to be deployed here; therefore unarmed students won¡¯t have to fight a demon. But the game didn¡¯t mention why the demon appeared, so I couldn¡¯te up with any excuses to make such an arrangement. If I just tell them that a demon will appear, no one would believe me. It¡¯ll be like telling the Tokyo University¡¯s administration that ¡®There will be a bear appearing around Yasuda Auditorium today, so please arrange for a hunting party.¡¯ It¡¯s on that level of unbelievableness.

    So, deploying knights was absolutely impossible. I¡¯m worried about brother¡¯s mental health if I tell him about demons appearing and such.

    Also, using knights will be different from the game¡¯s original plot; it might twist the fate, and some even more horrible catastrophe might happen in ce¡­ Just thinking about it scares me. It¡¯s not impossible, you know!

    <i>That¡¯s why¡­ I just have to do what I can. I will repel the demon with my magic.</i>

    And so, Ekaterina, along with her ss, went to the practice field.

    E/N: Edo-no-Hana series ¨C <i>¡°Edo-no-Hana¡±</i> or <i>¡°The Flowers of Edo¡± </i>was a phrase used to describe the finest features of everyday life, as experienced in the various districts of Japan¡¯s <i>Tokugawa</i> capital during the mid-19th century [source: Wiki]. Basically, the series was like a travel journal depicting the culture, ces and history especially in the capital, during the <i>Tokugawa</i> or traditional Japanese period.

 Chapter 27

    The training ground is just a somewhat-separated section of the school grounds, and isn¡¯t veryrge. It¡¯s the size simr to a tennis court. There¡¯s a water fountain with an elegant sculpture, some tree bushes and flower beds, and a line of braziers. They must have been used for practicing earth, water and fire magic, which are the mostmon attributes. Wind is also amon attribute, but it doesn¡¯t need any special equipment. There are many other attributes like ice, light, darkness, and thunder, and some people even possess more than one magic attribute.

    This is our first practice ss for Magic Control ever since our enrollment, and there are many variations of expressions amongst the students. Some look to be in high spirits, while others seemed gloomy.

    Students who are epted into the Magic Academy all possess some form of magic power, but at different levels of mastery. Practice sses allow students to show the extent of one¡¯s magic power, so it can¡¯t be helped that some are happy about it and some aren¡¯t. Those with strong magic power can secure a good marriage or adoption even if theye from a moderate background or in financial difficulties, so for the second sons and third sons, or those who can¡¯t inherit their family fortune, they are especially eager.

    <i>Which reminds me, in the historical novels I read in my previous life, there were many stories about men desperately looking to be adopted into a family via marriage. Samurai or nobles all ended up the same¡­</i>

    I look around while musing and notice that Flora looked a bit stiff.

    ¡°Lady Flora, may I ask what is it that is bothering you?¡±

    ¡°Nothing¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    I tried to hide the reason with a smile.

    ¡°Ah, your magic attribute hasn¡¯t been determined yet.¡±

    The heroine¡¯s magic power is at MAX level, but her magic attribute was [?] at first.

    Hearing that, the ¡°Yes Trio¡± start speaking:

    ¡°Now, now, she doesn¡¯t even know her attribute. Isn¡¯t it wrong for her to enroll?¡± ¨C (Yes Trio 1)

    ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right.¡± ¨C (Yes Trio 2)

    They said the same thing in the game¡­to Ekaterina the viiness.

    But this Ekaterina justughed.

    <i>Focus on the ss, guys.</i>

    ¡°The teacher said that rare magic attributes are often not determined immediately. I¡¯m looking forward to seeing what attribute she has.¡± ¨C (Ekaterina)

    In the game, the yer will determine the heroine¡¯s attribute. But in this world, she probably really has some unique attributes.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m also looking forward to it. But I also feel a bit scared.¡± ¨C (Flora)

    ¡°That¡¯s how it is. I have an earth attribute, the mostmon one, so I¡¯m a bit jealous.¡± ¨C (Ekaterina)

    <i>Flora-chan, I¡¯m sorry. I know your attributes, but I can¡¯t tell you. I have no choice but to shamelessly tell some harmless lie. Sorry~</i>

    But, in the game, the heroine and the Prince will join forces to bring down the demon. When I was ying the game on my smartphone, I only had to repeatedly mash the buttons to fight. But if the demon actually appears here for real, how can Flora-chan fight it, considering that she doesn¡¯t even know her attribute?! It¡¯s impossible!

    <i>So, hey game, let her realize her own magic power! It¡¯s not an unreasonable request at all!</i>

    ¡°Well then, let¡¯s start our practice. Everyone, gather here please.¡±

    As the ss starts, I return to my senses.

    At this moment¡ª

    I suddenly feel a tingling sensation on my skin.

    <i>(?)</i>

    I can sense something. I look back, not knowing what it is.

    I see a shimmering like a heat haze right in front of the water fountain. I strain my eyes at it, wondering what it is.

    The shimmering expands. A ck me materializes at its core and spreads wider. The atmosphere vibrates as if it was electrified, and the air ¡ª splits open.

    A howl strikes my eardrums.

 Chapter 28

    Its body is grey, almost ck. It has the form of a carnivore like a wolf, but it is covered in scales that have a metallic shine. In its mouth are three rows of teeth, like a shark.

    This can¡¯t bepared to a bear at all. Even an Asian ck bear is cuter than this about-3-meter-long thing! It must be as big as a grizzly bear, the biggest species of bear!

    The demon in the game, it has really appeared.

    This is bad, this is bad, this is bad. This is worse than seeing it on my smartphone. Was it really this big?!

    <i>You stupid game, this is not the kind of monster to appear right in the beginning!!</i>

    The students began to scream and run away from the training ground.

    That¡¯s right! Quickly flee!

    This is too scary. In my previous life, just encountering a wandering golden retriever that had escaped its leash was enough to scare me; yet now I have a carnivorous animal full of killing intent as big as a grizzly bear staring at me. It is a hundred-million times scarier than a golden retriever; it is the very incarnation of fear!

    One girl trips over herself while running and falls down. In a panic, she crawls. The demon leans forward straight into her direction. It bares its three rows of pointed teeth as if smirking.

    With a ¡®go¡¯, an earth wall rises up right in front of the demon¡¯s snout, separating it from the girl. It growls in displeasure, and smashes the wall with one shake of its head. During that time, the fallen girl had gotten up and fled away.

    The demon turns its head to look around. A dull anger is apparent in its all-ck irises.

    <i>You must know who raised the earth wall, right?</i>

    That¡¯s right, I can¡¯t run away. If everyone runs away, it¡¯ll get into the schoolyard, and even the buildings.

    To be honest, I¡¯m really scared! My legs are trembling, and my eyes are in tears. I¡¯m that scared!

    It¡¯s just too differentpared to seeing it on my phone screen. We¡¯re now in the same space with nothing to separate us; a killing strike of this carnivorous creature might kill me. A predator and its prey facing off with no cage or ditch between them; I¡¯ve never experienced something like this in my previous life!!

    But I¡¯ve known this beforehand, and thus I have been prepared for it.

    <i>Most of my ssmates are only fifteen; they¡¯re just kids. But I¡¯m in my thirties, an adult. I¡¯ll protect them! </i>

    That¡¯s why I won¡¯t run away!!

    In her letter, Mardu-sensei previously advised me this:

    <i>¡®My Lady, about what to do when encountering a demon: For those with earth attribute, I rmend summoning a golem as big as possible to intimidate the demon. It¡¯s in demons¡¯ nature to run away from an opponentrger than themselves, so please try it.¡¯</i>

    <i>I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll run away¡­but, I¡¯ll try!</i>

    I pour magic power into the ground, and the earth responds. The earth rises like water bubbling up from the bottom of a spring, taking the form of a person¡¯s upper half body. It¡¯s as tall as a three-storey building.

    The golem clenches its fist and swings it.

    I hear a roaring from beyond the golem. The demon leaps and smashes the golem¡¯s fist, thennds on its head and lets out another roar. Its stare pierces through me.

    I stare back. With teary eyes though!

    I immediately destroy the golem. The demon falls to the ground, and lumps of earth rain down on it. But it immediately flicks off the dirt with just one shake and puts arge forefoot forward.

    <i>Will it lunge? Aaaah it¡¯s so close, I¡¯m scared-! But I¡¯ll face you off-!</i>

    The demon stomps at the ground. Just then-

    Clink¡ªThe air is taut with magic.

    A glittering shield appears in front of the demon. The demon is about 3 meters in length and 300 or 400 kilograms in weight, but the shield drives it back, making it tumble to the ground.

    The shield also copses and drifts away in a gust of cold wind. It was made from ice.

    A tall person with light blue hair appears at the entrance of the training ground.

    ¡°Ekaterina!¡±

    <i>Brother! Wahh, he came for me-!</i>

 Chapter 29

    Sensing a new opponent, the demon turns towards Alexei. He stares back, his neon-blue eyes shining. In those eyes, there is not a single shred of fear, only overwhelming magic power gathering up.

    Alexei waves his right hand.

    Boom!

    An ice spear appears, piercing through the demon¡¯s body. Alexei didn¡¯t throw the spear at the demon; he created it inside the demon¡¯s body. He has wlessly executed a difficult spell and tore the demon apart from within.

    <i>Amazing! Brother is strong! So coool~! </i>

    The demon staggers in a violent shudder. But it howls again and shakes its body, breaking the ice spear. Bluish ck blood gushes out, but the bleeding stops almost immediately.

    I recall Mardu-sensei¡¯s advice:

    <i>¡®Unlike other creatures, demons won¡¯t die unless their cores are destroyed. A demon¡¯s core usually can be found in their heart, but it isn¡¯t umon for a demon¡¯s core to be elsewhere. Some have their cores in their legs or tails. If attacking the heart doesn¡¯t destroy a demon¡¯s core, you should stop and focus on restricting its movements instead.</i>

    <i>It is difficult to destroy a demon¡¯s core with earth-attributed magic to begin with, therefore I rmend imprisoning it within earth to restrict its movement.¡¯</i>

    Alexei¡¯s attack should have destroyed the demon¡¯s heart, but it seemed that the magic core wasn¡¯t there.

    <i>Then, there are no alternatives but to bury the creature underground in order to seal its movement. But would that work against something this agile? There is only one way to find out!</i>

    Or so I thought, when water from the fountain on the training grounds burst and shot up high.

    A deluge of water rained down on the demon from up above.

    With the addition of Alexei¡¯s magic, the demon was frozen solid.

    <i>Water¡­That¡¯s right. The person responsible for using the water magic should be¡­</i>

    When I looked at the entrance of the training grounds, the person I expected was standing there by Alexei¡¯s side. The prince with hair the color of the summer sky; Prince Mikhail. It was the first time I¡¯ve ever seen him make such a frighteningly serious expression, and the amount of magic that radiated from him was no less than Alexei¡¯s.

    <i>A pair of noble and royal, super handsome men fighting together side by side! That¡¯s super moe! If only it wasn¡¯t for this three meter-long demon, struggling and iling in front of the two, trying to smash the ice on its head!</i>

    No matter how lovely the two of them are, I¡¯m too scared to look away from the demon! The earth is shaking like crazy!

    However, Mikhail wasn¡¯t just supplying mere water magic. Every time the demon crushed some ice, he would shoot a spear of water at the beast to stagger its body movement, stopping its attacks before enclosing it in ice once again. He disyed a splendid control of magic.

    I wonder if Alexei and Mikhail knew how to deal with demons. They seem to have experience fighting them, at least.

    <i>Even though both of them are members of the highest ss in the Empire, they seem to have so much experience. Truly amazing!</i>

    When I came back to my senses, the ground around the demon was all muddied up. If that¡¯s the case¡­

    It¡¯s hard to control earth that contains elements other than itself, but I mustered up all of my magical power. The mud slowly crept up the body of the demon, and the frosty air froze it. It¡¯s said that frozen earth is as hard as concrete, so this should be far more effective than in ice at sealing its movement.

    Furthermore, the demon¡¯s own struggles continued to plunge it deeper into the mud, as it sank deeper and deeper due to its own movements. The mud it dug up also froze it even more, and this only served to restrict its movements even further.

    Before I realized it, I was already hyperventting heavily. Gosh, I¡¯m tired!

 Chapter 30

    Before I realized it, I was already hyperventting heavily. Gosh, I¡¯m tired!

    <i>But, I¡¯ll keep at it. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll only take a bit more.</i>

    By that point, the beast waspletely enclosed in ice.

    There was no way it could move anymore.

    <i>We¡­We did it.</i>

    I think?

    At that moment.

    The sound of a loud crack resounded through the air.

    ROAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!

    The beast stood on its hind legs, roaring loudly as the frozen earth ked away from its body.

    The giant dark gray mass leapt at Alexei and Mikhail.

    <i>Stop!!!</i>

    Hurriedly releasing my magical power, I erected a wall of earth in front of the two.

    But¡­ as if it had anticipated my movements, the beastnded on the earthen wall and¡­

    Jumped off of it to gain extra distance.

    From that height, it bared its fangs and took aim.

    It started to descend, with Ekaterina in its sights.

    <i>Huh¡­</i>

    My mind wentpletely nk.

    <i>¡®A demonic beast that flies cannot be trapped by earth elemental magic. Please try to run or hide from them.¡¯</i>

    It¡¯s not flying, but¡­

    <i>Dear teacher, I think both options aren¡¯t possible right now¡­</i>

    I lost control of my magic powers as I panicked, and the wall in front of Alexei and the prince copsed.

    <i>I¡¯m so stupid.</i>

    Even though I¡¯m just the viiness.

    <i>I¡¯m not even the heroine.</i>

    Of course there was no way I could take on the enemy.

    I thought it was just like in the game.

    That there was no way I could die.

    I was sorely mistaken.

    <i>I¡¯m sorry, big brother¡­!</i>

    While various thoughts raced through my head, I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off the three rows of white fangs the beast possessed, as if I was mesmerized by them.

    All of a sudden, the color of cherry blossoms filled my eyes.

    ¡°Stop!¡±

    The strained voice reached my ears.

    A white light erupted in front of me.

    Spreading her arms out to protect Ekaterina, Flora stood in between her and the demon.

    The demon was struggling in the air. A soft white light enveloped it, and no matter how hard it struggled, the light did not falter.

    The demon, which hadn¡¯t stopped moving even after being pierced, suddenly became weak.

    The anger in its ck eyes dissipated, as if the peaceful light had affected it to its core¡­

    The beast, which had stopped moving by now, calmly looked at Flora.

    With a poof, the white light disappeared, and along with it, the beast.

    A deafening silence fell over the training grounds.

    Flora¡¯s body swayed unsteadily, and Ekaterina rushed to catch her from behind. However, her legs gave in as well, and the two weakly sat down next to each other.

    Trembling and on the verge of tears, Ekaterina hugged Flora tightly.

    <i>Thank you, thank you.</i>

    Standing in front of that scary guy to protect me.

    <i>Flora, how brave you are.</i>

    <i>Even though you must have been scared as well.</i>

    <i>You¡¯re amazing.</i>

    Heroines really are amazing.

    ¡°M-M-Miss Flora, are you alright?¡±

    Though she was barely able to talk, Ekaterina worried over Flora.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ alright.¡±

    Replying while sighing in relief at the same time, Flora wrapped her hands on Ekaterina¡¯s arms, which were already tightening around her.

    ¡°How about you, Miss Ekaterina? Are you injured anywhere?¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯m fine, really¡­¡±

    While responding thus, Ekaterina realized that Flora had called her by her name for the first time.

    At that moment.

    ¡°Ekaterina!¡±

    Alexei rushed over to ce his hand on his sister¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Big brother!¡±

    Turning to face him, Ekaterina dove into her brother¡¯s embrace.

    <i>Waaaah, it was super scary!!!</i>

    Forgetting to hold back at the sound of his sister crying like a child, Alexei embraced his sister with all of strength.

    ¡°Ekaterina¡­ Ekaterina¡­¡±

    <i>It hurts.</i>

    My body¡¯s being squeezed to death, but I¡¯m strangely happy about it at the same time.

    <i>It hurts! But I¡¯m still alive!</i>

 Chapter 31

    <i>It hurts! But I¡¯m still alive!</i>

    <i>Regardless of my mental age or my previous position as a corporate ve, of course I was scared! I almost died! As a systems engineer, if I didn¡¯t finish restoring the program, I would be charged several billions of yen. My hands used to tremble as I thought I was going to die, but even so, I wouldn¡¯t have really died. But those fangs-!</i>

    Even when I¡¯m just remembering them, they¡¯re scary.

    <i>It was really super scary!!!</i>

    Alexei, who was squeezing his sister tightly, came to his senses after hearing Ekaterina groaning in pain, and loosened his hug.

    ¡°Sorry, did it hurt?¡±

    While clinging to her brother, Ekaterina shook her head.

    ¡°Big brother, thank you¡­ Foring¡­ Really, thank you¡­¡±

    After hearing the response she made while sniffling, Alexei put a little more strength into his embrace and whispered.

    ¡°If it¡¯s for your sake, I¡¯lle wherever you are. Even if I have to invade hell itself, I¡¯ll definitelye to save you.¡±

    ¡­*Hug*

    <i>I¡¯m dead! So many kinds of moe at once, I¡¯m absolutely dead!</i>

    <i>Being hugged! While being whispered to! With his sweet voice! Even better because his voice is hoarse! And even more so because I¡¯m a brocon! And that line¡ªit¡¯s like it was ripped straight out of a J-pop song¡¯s lyrics or an anime protagonist¡¯s lines! Except he¡¯s not trying to show off, he¡¯s actually making a deration of his intent!</i>

    More than anything, just as he said, he came running to rescue me when my life was in danger!

    <i>It¡¯s too much, your sister can¡¯t bear to get married anymore. Take responsibility for this, big brother~!</i>

    <i>Snap out of thinking stupid things like that, ne.</i>

    Nowing back to life after dying from moe, I regained the strength to stand up again. Moe truly is one¡¯s life force!

    ¡°Big brother¡­ Miss Flora saved my life.¡±

    Ekaterina said, realizing that Flora was still on the ground, looking up at the two of them while she herself was smiling.

    Nodding, Alexei let go of his sister.

    Kneeling in front of Flora, he took her hand.

    ¡°Miss Flora Cerny.¡±

    Calling out to her respectfully, he bowed while offering her his hand.

    <i>A beautiful young man, kneeling in front of a beautiful youngdy!</i>

    <i>How lucky I am to see this! It¡¯s something straight from a painting!</i>

    Inside, Ekaterina was excited to the brim.

    ¡°I sincerely thank you from the bottom of my heart for having the courage to save my sister. And as such, I would like to once again apologize for my impoliteness the other day. I was a fool.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to go so far.¡±

    Opening her eyes wide, Flora shook her head. Even so, Alexei continued to speak.

    ¡°The Yurinova family is now indebted to you. As such, I would like you to ept this vow of mine.¡±

    <i>A vow!</i>

    <i>Indeed, I remember the prince doing this in the game!</i>

    ¡°I, Alexei, dere upon the Yurinova name, that Flora Cerny is the friend of the Yurinovas. All those who bear the name of Yurinova rejoice in the good fortune of their friends, and fight the enemies of their friends as their own. Your enemy is my enemy, and your joy is my joy. Thus, I, Alexei, solemnly swear.¡±

    <i>Whoa¡­</i>

    It¡¯s like a relic of history. As a history enthusiast, my blood boils at the sight of this Warring Kingdoms-esque speaking style!

    ¡°Your Excellency, the Duke¡­! Please, do not pay it any heed. The one who owes Miss Ekaterina more than I can pay back is me. Please, there is no need to kneel in front of me.¡±

    ¡°Until you ept this vow, I cannot stand. That is how a vow works.¡±

    Alexei continued to calmly speak to Flora, who sat there shaking her head. Beneath that calm, I can feel that a switch has been flipped inside him, strengthening his resolve.

    ¡°I-I understand. I¡¯ll ept it. So please, stand already.¡±

 Chapter 32

    When Flora gave a response with a troubled look, Alexei smiled faintly. And, standing up, he slowly offered his hand to Flora.

    Flora¡¯s eyes widened, but she took Alexei¡¯s hand and slowly stood up assisted.

    <i>Ahh, big brother, you¡¯re wonderful! The two of you are as beautiful as a painting!</i>

    <i>But¡­ does this mean¡­</i>

    <i>A g has been raised?</i>

    <i>I wonder¡­ What¡¯s going to happen from now on¡­</i>

    Even though I don¡¯t think there was a route that allowed you to capture my big brother¡­But he didn¡¯t show up for this event in the game, either. Since he came running in like this, is this the start of a new route?

    I was a disappointing girl whose love life was her dark history, so I¡¯ve got no hope if the story diverges from the game¡¯s flow.

    If that¡¯s the case, as happy as I am for my brother, I¡¯ll feel a bit lonely¡­ even though I was happy to be reincarnated as my brother¡¯s sister, I wish I had at least tried to capture him in my previous life.

    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±

    <i>Huh?!</i>

    My heart almost jumped out of my throat at the voice that came out of nowhere. At some point, it seemed that Mikhail had arrived and had ever since been standing by my side.

    <i>Ahh, I¡¯m sorry, prince! Ipletely forgot about your existence!</i>

    There¡¯s no way I can let him find out about this!

    While I was thinking that, I noticed Mikhail¡¯s eyes had a glimmer in them.

    It didn¡¯t seem that he was angry but rather amused¡­ Why does it feel like he knows what I¡¯m thinking right now¡­

    ¡°When people find out that the Yurinovas are officially the shield of the Lady of the Cerny Family, her school life should be peaceful. Even if you don¡¯t always keep an eye on her, she¡¯ll be safe.¡±

    <i>Prince¡­ So you knew that Flora was being bullied. Even though you¡¯re the royal prince, you¡¯re truly a down-to-earth person. </i>

    That reminds me, even when he talked to me before, I did think of him as a sharp-eyed person.

    While I mused on that, I realized. The prince¡¯s uniform was caked with dust.

    Oh no¡­ it¡¯s from the wall of earth from earlier! I was trying to protect my brother and the prince from the demonic beast, but I ended up not being able to control it and it copsed¡­

    ¡°Your Highness, I truly apologize.¡±

    Ekaterina anxiously tried to dust off Mikhail¡¯s uniform.

    If I think about it now, that wall waspletely unnecessary huh¡­

    My brother and the prince could¡¯ve probably handled it better on their own.

    If anything, it only helped the beast by giving it a leverage to leap from, and because I lost control of it, it copsed on top of them, rendering it impossible for them to release their magic¡­

    I just put myself in trouble, that¡¯s all. How absolutely useless¡­

    ¡°Your Highness, I am truly grateful that someone of your stature came to help. But even so, I ended up doing something so impolite¡­¡±

    I mumbled despondently. And then, Mikhail began to grin.

    ¡°Well, I had received something delicious from you prior to this incident after all. Your cooking is truly something precious.¡±

    <i>¡­ So this is the power of feeding someone.</i>

    Well, even though it¡¯s actually probably due to the rules of the game. In the game, it¡¯s scripted that the prince woulde and save the heroine, so that¡¯s probably why.

    ¡°Additionally, Alexei and I are currently training for magic battles. We also have experience of engaging with magical beasts in battles. Since you don¡¯t have that kind of training yourself, of course you¡¯d run out of magic at that point.¡±

    <i>Uu¡­ I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re covering for me or attacking me¡­</i>

    <i>Say, hold on a second. Whaddaya think you¡¯re doin¡¯, takin¡¯ care of magical beasts when you¡¯re first in line for session ¡®n all!</i>

 Chapter 33

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know about Alexei, but all of the magical beasts I defeated before were ceremonial in nature, and most of the work was already done for me. Sorry for acting all high and mighty. As far as Alexei is concerned, I¡¯m sure he¡¯s had to actually take care of magic beasts plenty of times, as plenty of magic beasts show up in the Yurinova territory.¡±

    Mikhail exined whileughing.

    <i>I see, that means that you defeated a magic beast that has been marked and been surrounded by soldiers before he took care of it? Even so, facing something like that is still pretty scary. And, though that¡¯s all the experience you had, weren¡¯t you able to keep calm while facing that huge beast while summoning spears of water to keep the beast down? That¡¯s already quite amazing.</i>

    <i>Also, the scope of the Duke¡¯s duties is way too broad! Not only is he the president of a tradingpany and a governor of a prefecture, but he¡¯s also amander of a force designated to take out magical beasts! You¡¯re too cool, big brother!</i>

    ¡°But it¡¯d be best for you to prepare yourself. It¡¯s Alexei we¡¯re talking about here. When things calm down, I¡¯m sure he¡¯s going to lecture you. Alexei is a person who¡¯s strict and rational, so it¡¯s hard when he holds you down to reprimand you. We¡¯ve been friends ever since we were little, but it¡¯s always been worse to be lectured by Alexei than by an adult, so whenever I did something naughty, my mother would call Alexei over. And that¡¯s why I¡¯m wishing you good luck.¡±

    <i>Ugh¡­ W-What was wrong with those adults! Well, that¡¯s just as expected from my brother¡­</i>

    <i>M-My brother is a siscon, so there¡¯s no way he¡¯d lecture me like that!</i>

    <i>You look like you¡¯re enjoying this, prince¡­ Is his personality this rotten? I¡¯m supposed to be the viiness here, you know?</i>

    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ll be the one to talk to you before that.¡±

    Mikhail cracked a smile.

    <i>Wah, what do you think you¡¯re doing?!</i>

    Even if that¡¯s something you could say to a high schooler, those same words won¡¯t matter to someone who¡¯s around thirty!

    ¡°You were very brave.¡±

    <i>¡­Huh?</i>

    ¡°Even though you were scared to the point of tears, you did your best. Good job.

    I think the four of us here right now have the strongest magical power in the entire magic academy, even if we factor in the faculty.¡±

    ¡°Because you stood your ground, the four of us were able to join forces, and due to that, nobody was hurt.¡± He continued on.

    ¡°It was reckless for you to face it on your own, but I think what you did was praiseworthy.¡± Mikhail ended his praise.

    ¡­¡­

    <i>Um, you know. I didn¡¯t really do anything that was praiseworthy.</i>

    <i>I knew prior information from the game and realized that it¡¯d be a huge problem if the beast wasn¡¯t defeated, so I did my best, and that¡¯s all.</i>

    But, I do have to admit, I am a bit¡­ happy.

    Maybe it¡¯s because I remembered the job I had in my previous life. When I was told that if I didn¡¯t recover the system from its failure within three hours, I¡¯d have to pay for damages.

    I identified the cause of the issue within 15 minutes by myself, and fixed it in the next 30 minutes.

    When I reported my findings, I was told to ¡°write a report on the cause and preventative measures that can be taken, before the business operation resumes.¡±

    <i>The cause? It was the change in specifications that I was forced to make despite having told them that it was impossible, you dumbass!</i>

    Without saying that out loud, I dispassionately wrote the report. By staying up all night. That¡¯s what a systems engineer does, after all.

    This time, when I did my best, I was praised.

    That¡¯s all, but why are tears welling up?

    In my previous life, I was used to not being rewarded, but of course it was painful.

    <i>Thank you, prince.</i>

 Chapter 34

    Making someone who¡¯s around thirty cry at the young age of fifteen, what a frightening kid. I¡¯m sure that he¡¯ll be a great leader in the future, one that¡¯s both adored and feared by many of his subordinates.

    As I was thinking that, Mikhail grabbed both of my hands with his hands.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I might have made you upset. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°N-No, that¡¯s not the case.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good. Hey, if you¡¯re alright with it, would you mind calling me Mikhail instead of addressing me as Your Highness from now on?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ Huh?!¡±

    The reason I squealed loudly in a voice unbing of ady, was that I remembered these lines from Mikhail, from the otome game in my past life.

    After sessfully repelling the magical beast and raising the affection level of the prince, the prince says this line to the heroine. To call him Mikhail instead of using Your Highness to address him.

    A line. To the heroine! That¡¯s the important part!

    It¡¯s a problem if he says it to the viiness.

    ¡°T-Thank you very much.¡±

    ¡°Even Alexei didn¡¯t call me Your Highness until he took over his rank. Though, as soon as he took over the rank of Duke, he started to talk about the order between the sovereign and his vassal. You¡¯re not the Duke, and you¡¯re even a rtive of mine. I don¡¯t see any problems.¡±

    No, there is a problem! Though I won¡¯t say what it is!

    W-What am I supposed to do in this situation? What¡¯s the right course of action to avoid the destruction g?

    ¡°Your Highness.¡±

    All of a sudden, it got cold. Not the temperature, but my back.

    Of course, the one calling out to the prince was Alexei.

    He looked taller than usual. I don¡¯t know why, but he seemed to tower over everything else.

    But then again, his gaze was ice cold.

    ¡°Oh, sorry.¡±

    A surprised Mikhail let go of Ekaterina¡¯s hands.

    <i>Huh, this was the cause?</i>

    As expected of my brother. His sister matters more than the proprieties between the sovereign and his vassal. An unstoppable sis-con.

    Walking up to Ekaterina¡¯s side, Alexei took his sister¡¯s hands and red down at Mikhail.

    ¡°Your Highness. Please refrain from doing anything that may sully my sister¡¯s reputation.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was very moved by your sister¡¯s courage. Your sister is very lovely and brave.¡±

    There¡¯s no way my reputation would be sullied from just having my hands held. But I do suppose that was the case in the Victorian era for the aristocracy in Ennd. I should be careful.

    But, the prince¡­

    <i>Are you trying to kill me with praise in order to try to take advantage of my brother¡¯s siscon tendencies? You¡¯re very clever and crafty, especially for your age. Nicely done! I¡¯m really looking forward to your future.</i>

    ¡°And Miss Cerny as well. I¡¯d like for you to call me by my name as well. The magic power you used to defeat the magical beast was amazing. I¡¯d like to be friends with you.¡±

    Ooh!

    <i>Nice going, prince. You¡¯re getting close to the heroine!</i>

    <i>Alright, I¡¯m in!</i>

    ¡°It¡¯d be an honor. Excuse me, Miss Flora. I¡¯d be happy if we could call each other by our names without the honorifics. Would that be alright?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes. If Miss Ekaterina would like to.¡± ¨C (Flora)

    Flora, who hade to Ekaterina¡¯s side after walking over with Alexei, opened her eyes wide before smiling.

    And then, she took Ekaterina¡¯s arms and intertwined hers with them.

    <i>Ahh, she¡¯s so cute. </i>

    <i>The power of a point-nk smile¡­</i>

    And then she came to me to link arms with mine.

    It seems that, by calling me Ekaterina instead of Yurinova, we were able to close the gap between us in a moment.

 Chapter 35

    It seems that, by calling me Ekaterina instead of Yurinova, we were able to close the gap between us in a moment.

    Isn¡¯t this situation amazing? On one hand is my brother, and on the other, the heroine. A flower in each hand, a beauty in each hand.

    And in front of me is a prince.

    ¡­Though, I think the positions are swapped a bit.

    <i>Flora, isn¡¯t it okay to be a bit more friendly to the prince? I feel like you¡¯re looking at the prince a bit harshly.</i>

    <i>In order for you to conquer the prince, I can¡¯t go after him, but it¡¯s fine.</i>

    <i>The prince is a hunter who will chase you if you back off, and he¡¯s the type to get fired up if there are obstacles in the way. He¡¯s aplete carnivore.</i>

    <i>The big brother route might have been opened up as well, so do your best, Flora!</i>

    In the otome game, the magical beast event was over as soon as it was defeated, and the heroine and her party went back to their normal lives right after.

    However, just as to be expected, there was a huge uproar over at the magic academy.

    Inside the school, armed guards from the imperial city rushed in and went, creating a heavy atmosphere. It seemed they were checking to see if there were any more magical beasts that may be hiding on the campus, why a magical beast suddenly appeared, and if they could discover any clues as to why they appeared.

    sses were all cancelled and students were all sent back to the dorms and were instructed not to go outside. Yet, to Ekaterina who witnessed the appearance of the beast, as well as Alexei and Mikhail, who confronted it directly, they were asked to provide information.

    Flora, however, was taken away from the group to have her magical attributes re-examined.

    This is what transpired between Ekaterina and Alexei when they were going to be questioned by the guards.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead and speak to the guards on your behalf. You should first head back to the dorms and rest up. It¡¯s the first time you¡¯ve used that much magic, isn¡¯t it? You must be plenty tired.¡±

    Hearing Alexei say that, Ekaterina¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.

    ¡°No, my dear brother. I¡¯mpletely fine. The only one who was there when the magic beast appeared was me. I need to let them know exactly what I saw.¡±

    I want to tell them myself because I want to find out why and how the beast appeared there. If I ry the information through my brother, the information is bound to be distorted. However, Alexei shook his head.

    ¡°No. Your health was never that good in the first ce. What are you going to do if you copse again? Have more self-awareness. Take better care of your body.¡±

    Um, could you remove ¡°weak constitution¡± from my character setting already? The reason I actually copsed is actually different¡­but I can¡¯t really divulge to him what the actual reason is, so¡­

    ¡°Brother¡­ In order to make sure something like this doesn¡¯t happen again, I believe it is an important duty of mine to cooperate with the investigation. If I were to rest without helping the case to reach its appropriate conclusion, the name of the Ducal House of Yurinova would be tarnished.¡±

    The moment I brought up the pride of the three ducal houses, Alexei¡¯s eyes softened a bit.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been honorable enough, Ekaterina. You stood up against the beast in order to allow your ssmates to escape. You¡¯ve shown plenty of courage and spirit. I am very proud of my noble sister, who has lived up to the name of Yurinova. And that¡¯s why you should go back and rest.¡±

    ¡°But Brother.¡±

    ¡°Ekaterina.¡±

    Alexei¡¯s voice was stern.

    ¡°You did well. That¡¯s true. Yet at the same time, you also acted very recklessly. You DO understand that, right?¡±

    <i>Uuu¡­</i>

 Chapter 36

    ¡°You¡¯ve never been trained to cengage magic beasts inbat. On top of that, you¡¯ve only begun to learn how to control magic recently. If you had calmly thought through the situation, then the correct decision would have been to run away. There was no guarantee that His Highness and I would¡¯ve been able to arrive to help, after all.¡±

    <i>Uuu¡­</i>

    <i>That¡¯s correct, but¡­ It was something from the game! I had no choice!</i>

    <i>Waaah, I¡¯m being lectured, just like the prince said I would be!</i>

    On top of that, I¡¯m actually hanging my head for once? Even though, in my previous life, I had always spoken my mind about what I wanted to my superiors and my clients when I was at work?

    <i>What sorcery is this? Is it because his voice sounds nice? Is it because the words contain the truth?</i>

    <i>No.</i>

    <i>It¡¯s the spirit that¡¯s imbued in his words and sentences.</i>

    Nobody in my previous life, not my boss nor my clients, could say their words with such care. The prince said that he was subjected to lectures that were harder to listen to than those from adults.

    So this is what he meant! It¡¯s a bitte for me to be saying this, but, my dear brother.

    <i>Are you really 17 years-old?!</i>

    ¡°I thought¡­for a bit¡­¡±

    Suddenly, Alexei¡¯s voice started to tremble.

    ¡°I was surprised when I sensed a magical beast all of a sudden, and looked out the ssroom window to see what was happening. The beast was on the training grounds, and you were there. While the teacher was trying to run away, my sister stood there, trying to face it alone. How do you think I felt when I saw that scene?¡±

    <i>Auu¡­</i>

    ¡°I was afraid that I was going to lose you. I was unbelievably frightened. I¡¯m not frightened by magical beasts, but¡­ the thought of something happening to you¡­

    At that moment, I saw the beast heading to attack you after crushing the wall of earth. The only thought I had in my head was that I had to save you. At that moment¡­¡±

    Ekaterina gasped when she heard the pained tone in Alexei¡¯s voice.

    ¡°I thought to myself that, if I were to lose you, I¡¯d go ahead and freeze this worthless heart of mine. I thought that I wouldn¡¯t want to be alive.¡±

    ¡°Brother!¡±

    Ending one¡¯s life with their own magic. Simr to the way samurai wouldmit<i> seppuku</i> in my past life, it was the way nobles would take their own lives.

    (E/N: <i>Seppuku</i>, also referred to as <i>Harakiri</i>, was a practice voluntarily used by samurai to die with honor rather than fall into the hands of their enemies, or when theymit serious crime and dishonor to themselves.)

    ¡°I have nobody in my life but you. If I were to lose you too, what would be the point of living?

    Think about it. I told you before, that if anything happens to you, I wouldn¡¯t be able to live with myself. You are my life. You hold my existence in your hands. You¡­¡±

    ¡°Brother¡­?¡±

    ¡°Keep that in mind¡­¡±

    <i>Noooo! My dear brother, are you crying?!</i>

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m sorry I did something bad I won¡¯t do it again really I won¡¯t! Noo, don¡¯t cry!¡±

    Flying over to Alexei, Ekaterina ended up being on the verge of tears herself.

    ¡°It¡¯s the same for me too! You are my life! You¡¯re the most precious person to me, and I can do anything if it¡¯s for you. You¡¯re my happiness¡­ But even so¡­ you¡¯re¡­¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t forgive myself! I¡¯m sorry, Brother~!¡±

    Alexei stayed silent.

    <i>Huh?</i>

    When Ekaterina let go of Alexei and looked up at him, she noticed her brother smiling.

    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ughing at me!¡± ¨C (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Not at all¡­¡±

    Alexei shook his head, but no matter how much he tried to deny it, he was definitely smiling. He looked very happy.

    ¡°You¡¯re awful! You deceived me!!¡±

    ¡°Not at all, you were just so¡­¡±

    ¡°So you wereughing at me after all! You liar!¡±

    I really was on the verge of tears!

    <i>Waaah! What should I do to get back at him!</i>

    <i>Well, I guess I can do this!</i>

    Ekaterina reached her hand out to Alexei and ruffled his hair.

 Chapter 37

    It was such a childish way of getting back at him that Alexei couldn¡¯t help but to startughing out loud. To make it easier for his sister, Alexei even lowered his head. In the end, the revenge ended up not being effective at all.

    ¡­Just 10 seconds of ruffling his hair was enough to make me feel satisfied.

    If anything, what I was doing felt so stupid, that I had to stop myself.

    ¡°¡­¡± Puffing up her face, Ekaterina took her hand away.

    Though it¡¯s embarrassing for someone around thirty to do this, I just felt like pouting for now.

    ¡°Have you had enough?¡±

    Alexei asked from underneath his messed up bangs. His neon blue eyes were sparkling more brightly than usual.

    <i>Why are you so happy, why are you making such a happy expression, were your facial muscles ever able to make that expression, was it that good, weren¡¯t you supposed to be an expressionless character, even though you¡¯re that tall, why are you looking up at me, ah I can¡¯t, shoot jeez!</i>

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Ekaterina extended her hand to her brother and tried to fix his hair with her fingers. Alexei narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making you worry. I won¡¯t do something like that ever again.¡± ¨C (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Now that the heroine, Flora, had awakened her magical powers and cleared the event, there shouldn¡¯t be any danger of entering the route in which magical beasts destroy the empire. Thus, there shouldn¡¯t be any need for me to fight magical beasts anymore.

    ¡­Or so I hoped.

    ¡°But¡­ Brother. Even if the dormitory is close by, I¡¯m too scared of going back alone. I feel the safest when I¡¯m right by your side. Since that¡¯s the case, would you be willing to apany me when I go to speak with the guards?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    After a bit, Alexei let out a sigh.

    Nice, aeback victory!

    ¡°¡­that¡¯s some incredible willpower you¡¯ve got there. Very clever of you. Fine. I¡¯ll take you back to the dormster.¡±

    If an employee wants one of their requests approved, they can¡¯t give up after one or two rejections.

    You know, maybe I should¡¯ve just used this tactic from the start.

    You learn something new everyday!

    Alexei couldn¡¯t win against his sister, but aside from that, he was peerless.

    A conference room at the academy that was smaller than the room Alexei used as his office was being used by the imperial guards for their questioning. When they entered, they saw that three members of the guard, along with the principal (or rather, the headmaster of the academy), and the vice-principal were on standby.

    The sour look on the headmaster¡¯s face looked as if he was berating me for fighting a magical beast alone. After all, it was a very dangerous situation for a student like me. He might be saying that due to his perspective, but the situation at that time was unavoidable for me, so please forgive me this one. Perhaps my brother knew this would happen, that¡¯s why he wanted me to go back on my own.

    Mikhail, Alexei, and Ekaterina all took turns sitting down on the sofa, and Alexei began to speak.

    ¡°I have been waiting to hear your report.¡±

    The headmaster froze up a bit at those words.

    <i>I understand how you feel. </i>

    Brother, you know, those aren¡¯t words a normal student would say. Those are polite words from a superior.

    ¡°Uh¡­ A report¡­ you say.¡± ¨C (Headmaster)

    ¡°On the current state of the investigation. How the investigation ising along, what you know about the situation, and what you don¡¯t know at the moment. I don¡¯t believe there¡¯s been much progress yet. I don¡¯t expect results at this moment, but I would like to hear about your n of action.¡± ¨C (Alexei)

    He¡¯s totally the superior in this situation¡­

 Chapter 38

    ¡°Er¡­ Even if you ask about our n of action¡­W-Well, it happened on campus grounds, so I would like you to leave it to us for now.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t intend to be taking charge, but His Highness is currently attending the academy. How do you n on exining this situation to His Majesty, the emperor? If His Highness ends up having to report the situation himself, I will need to report the relevant details to His Highness. On top of that, the magical beast appeared in the ss that my sister, Ekaterina, was participating in. The Ducal House of Yurinova also bears interest in the situation. Please understand that I am not inquiring about this investigation as a student, but as Duke Yurinova.¡±

    His Highness, His Majesty, and a Ducal House.

    The pressure that royals and nobles can exert is amazing.

    The headmaster¡¯s face has been drained of all colors¡­ Being asked what he ns to report to the Emperor really must be troubling. I can sympathize.

    ring at the headmaster and vice-headmaster who were hanging their heads, Alexei told them to raise their heads before looking at the three members of the guard.

    ¡°I apologize for taking this long to get down to business. I would like for you to provide me with some information on the appearance of the magical beasts.¡±

    ¡°Roger.¡±

    The three straightened their backs.

    Oh geez. My brother¡¯s going to remain in charge, isn¡¯t he. Even though he¡¯s a student, he¡¯s the superior in this situation. That¡¯s my big brother for you.

    I noticed that Mikhail, who was sitting across from Alexei, was looking over at me while grinning.

    It looked like he wanted to say, ¡°Right?¡±

    Ekaterina quickly turned away and focused on the guards.

    What do you mean by, ¡°Right?¡± But hey, a handsome guy just made eye contact with me.

    Anyway, the prince had talked about the time when he was more afraid of my brother¡¯s lectures than those from adults, right? Has my brother always been like this? But to be honest, even when he was younger, he¡¯s always been cute. Fufu.

    By the way, prince, you shouldn¡¯t get too close to viiness.

    You¡¯re such a good kid that I don¡¯t know what to do about you. I¡¯m terrified of the destruction g.

    Three days after that day, the imperial guards proceeded to do a thorough search of the school grounds in case any other magical beasts were hiding about, and to check if there were any traces of a ritual, but it seemed that they weren¡¯t able to find anything.

    ¡°The school¡¯s investigation will continue on a reduced scale, but from now on, we will continue to investigate the existence of magic beasts in the Astra Empire. However, there¡¯s no evidence that anyone carried the magical beasts captured in theke area to the imperial capital. In the future, they will look into the summoning arts that are said to have existed in the Astra Empire. It seems that Yurimagna is offering full cooperation in the investigation of summoning arts.¡±

    Alexei, who received the report made in the conference room of the school, told me. He then called Ekaterina and Flora on his way back to the dormitory to talk in the pavilion near the girls¡¯ dormitory.

    Alongside the three of them were Ivan, the servant, and Mina, the maid who insisted on staying with the youngdy, even though Ivan said that Mina should wait in the dormitory.

    On the day of the appearance of the Magic Beast, Mina¡¯s cool expression was unusually distorted, and she was quietly seething in anger, saying, ¡°I can¡¯t believe I wasn¡¯t there for you when you were in danger¡­.¡± Since then, Mina has been like Ekaterina¡¯s shadow, refusing to leave.

 Chapter 39

    Hi, we have tried to make it easier for readers to understand the story. We hope that you like the changes.

    They were also watched from a distance by several guards who had followed Alexei to and from his dormitory to protect him.

    This pavilion was briefly mentioned in the Otome Game. The surrounding Azaleas are in full bloom right now. The sight of the neat Alexei and two beautiful girls sitting around a small table there was like a painting.

    ¡°To put it bluntly, I don¡¯t think we can make any more progress. But why Yurimagna?¡± ¨C (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Magna has had a research institute on the Astra Empire since its founding, and it is one of the richest in the world in terms of literature. They must have spent a lot of money on it.¡± ¨C (Alexei)

    ¡°Well¡­¡­¡± ¨C (Ekaterina)

    <b>[Ekaterina¡¯s POV]</b>

    Isn¡¯t this like the<i> Mito Tokugawa </i>n?

    I¡¯ve always thought that the three dukes are simr to the three <i>Tokugawa </i>families, and it seems that you canpare each duke to a different <i>daimyo.</i>

    (E/N: Tokugawa n ¨C Japanese dynasty which was formerly a powerful <i>daimyo</i> (feudal lords) family, consisting of three most noble branches: Owari, Kii, and Mito)

    The Mito Tokugawa family has beenpiling a history book called ¡°Dai Nihon Shi¡± (Great History of Japan) since the time they became the national model of its drama. The money spent on it was poprly spected, but I¡¯ve heard that it was estimated to be one-third of the Mito n¡¯s GDP. If you apply that to the GDP of Ibaraki Prefecture, it would be over one trillion yen.

    I¡¯ve heard that the Mito Tokugawa family, in order to keep their family¡¯s prestige in line with that of the other three families, set the price of stone higher than the original price (i.e., their ie), which put a heavy burden on them, and to say frankly, they were running out of pocket.

    The Yurimagna family was also under financial pressure, not only from the Astra imperial research institute, but also from the fact that they still maintain arge knightly order since the founding of the country. This is my personal impression.

    Pavel, the founder of Yurimagna, was a warrior, who started with the noble aspiration that one should excel in literature as well as in martial arts. The research of the Astra Empire is one of the most prestigious of academic disciplines, and it is said to be the pride of Magna itself, but I feel that they are¡­too overworked.

    And Yurisein, with its port, is the Owari Tokugawa family, while Yurinova is the Kishu Tokugawa family with its rich forest resources. Although she doesn¡¯t really care, it was a satisfaction of a history loving woman such as herself.

    ¡°I¡¯m worried that we don¡¯t know what caused the Magic Beast to appear, but since Flora has awakened to her own magical powers, I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t happen again.¡± ¨C (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right.¡± ¨C (Alexei)

    Flora blushes as she catches the gaze of the siblings.

    ¡°I wish I could help you in some way.¡± ¨C (Flora)

    ¡°There is no need to get worked up for, it is said that the mere presence of a person who has awakened the magical attribute of Holy Magic in the Imperial Kingdom is enough to quell the activities of the Magic Beast. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s a great thing for all the people of the Imperial Kingdom, but Lady Flora is not responsible for anything. You can continue your life as before.¡± ¨C (Alexei)

    Yes, we ¡®finally figured out¡¯ Flora-chan¡¯s magical attribute.

    Her attribute is ¡°Holy¡±.

    It¡¯s a very rare attribute that only one person with this attribute appears in a generation.

    I already knew it from the Otome Game, but I was very impressed when it was discovered!

    This didn¡¯t appear in the Otome Game, but holy magic attribute holders were also revered in the Astra Empire, and since they were often held by women, they were called saints in some eras, and yed the role of priestesses to appease the mighty Magic Beast of the Legendary Dragon ss. Therefore, I shouldn¡¯t have to feel so scared anymore!

    Now all we need is for Flora-chan and the prince to get together, and we¡¯ll have a perfect solution to the Death g!

 Chapter 40

    Now all we need is for Flora-chan and the prince to get together, and we¡¯ll have a perfect solution to the Death g!

    That¡¯s right, that¡¯s what I believe so¡­¡­

    Thinking about it, the only route I¡¯ve yed in my previous life was the prince route. I¡¯ve been trying to do something different from the game, so there¡¯s a possibility that I¡¯ve created a totally different route.

    I can¡¯t help but think about it¡­¡­

    ¡°Thank you very much, Ekaterina-sama. However, I heard that there is no one else with holy magic power now, so the only way to control magic power is to rely on the literature and work it out by myself. Even so, I was told that holy magic is well-known and there are many references to it, so it is better. If it is a rare attribute with almost no reference materials, you have to create a way to control it by yourself, or you may not be aware that it is a unique attribute in the first ce. Therefore, I am grateful for the references, and I would like to read them and develop my own methods of controlling magic power.¡± ¨C (Flora)

    ¡°That¡¯s very impressive, Lady Flora. Someone with such a rare magical power has to go through such hardships.¡±

    As expected of the hardworking Flora-chan.

    Even in this school¡¯s training room, the more people there are with certain attributes, the better equipped the facilities will be. And If it¡¯s something that only one person acquires per generation, it¡¯s inevitable that resources would becking and the teachers wouldn¡¯t know how to teach anything about it.

    ¡°I think the Yurinova family might have some materials on holy magic. I heard that they once had a duke stay in their territory to help clean up the Magic Beast. I will have them look into it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to be of service to the people of Yurinova¡­¡­ someday.¡±

    ¡°That would be great.¡±

    Since the Yurinova territory was heavily affected by the Magic Beast, it would be beneficial to have someone with the Holy magic attribute to help quell and eliminate the Magic Beast, a win-win situation.

    ¡°Yes, Ekaterina, the tutor who taught you how to deal with Magic Beasts was interested when I showed the letter to the Order Commander, who might hire her as the Yurinova Order¡¯s chief Magic Beast strategist.¡±

    ¡°Oh my!¡±

    Mardu-sensei, upgraded from tutor (non-regr employment) to knight instructor (regr employment)? That¡¯s amazing!

    ¡°Mardu-sensei is an excellent person. It seems that she has a young daughter. I think her family would be very happy if she gets a stable job, I hope brother puts in a good word for him.¡±

    ¡°If you say so, then so be it. You are a kind girl, even caring about your tutor¡¯s family.¡±

    Besides the smiling Alexei, Flora is also smiling.

    No, it¡¯s normal to care about the lives of people you know. In my previous life, there was a saying that people who wear each other¡¯s sleeves are bound by fate¡­¡­

    I think it¡¯s a little different in hierarchical society, though.

    Ah, no, no. What am I talking about now?

    It¡¯s just that my brother¡¯s opinion of his sister was very naive, that¡¯s all.

    ¡­

    sses resumed three days after the appearance of the Magic Beast. The school was dered safe on the condition that the Imperial Guard would patrol the campus due to the ss curriculum.

    The scene of armed guardsing and going in the school was rather tense, but now that the students are back, the school has regained its liveliness.

    Ekaterina invited Flora to join her on her way to school. When they entered the ssroom, both of them were surrounded by their ssmates, but they were already used to it.

    The two of them, or maybe it¡¯s just one of them, hear a voice that they don¡¯t want to hear.

 Chapter 41

    The two of them, or maybe it¡¯s just one of them, hear a voice that they don¡¯t want to hear.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like it. I don¡¯t like the idea of ¡°the culprit¡±ing to school as if nothing happened!¡± ¨C (Yes Trio 1)

    ¡°Yes, Yes!¡± ¨C (Yes Trio 2)

    ¡­It¡¯s been a few days since I¡¯vest dealt with this stupid nonsense¡­

    I¡¯ve been expecting it, though.

    ¡°I think I just heard the strangest nonsense you¡¯ve ever made.¡±

    Ekaterina turns to the ¡°Yes Trio¡± with a contemptuous smile that raises the corners of her lips in a way that suits the viiness perfectly.

    ¡°What do you mean by ¡°the culprit¡±?

    ¡°Oh, um¡­¡± ¨C (Yes Trio 3)

    The ¡°Yes Trio¡± seemed to have lost their nerve when Ekaterina, who usually doesn¡¯t pay attention to everything they say, responded.

    ¡°It¡¯s the Magic Beast from the other day. It¡¯s strange that something like that would appear in this academy. Someone must have been up to something.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes.¡± ¨C (Yes Trio)

    She gently grasped Flora¡¯s hand to reassure her, and then raised her eyebrows.

    ¡°If you think something is wrong, then the Imperial Guards are doing their best to investigate. And if you are saying that you know the culprit, why haven¡¯t you reported to the guards? If you have some kind of evidence that the guards can¡¯t find, why don¡¯t you submit it immediately?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any proof¡­But people are saying it. It¡¯s just that everyone is saying that somemoner with a different background is up to something.¡± ¨C (Yes Trio)

    ¡°Yes, yes! ¡± ¨C (Yes Trio)

    Ekaterina suddenly put one hand over her lips. The key is to hold your pinky finger up a little.

    ¡°Oh~hohoho~¡±

    A high-pitchedugh. I¡¯ve always wanted to do a viinessugh!

    Then, with lightning shing in the background, Ekaterina red down at the ¡°Yes Trio¡±.

    ¡°What do you mean, ¡°everyone¡±? I¡¯d like to know the names, please.¡±

    ¡°W-Well, everyone is everyone.¡± ¨C (Yes Trio 3)

    Yeah, all three of you. I know.

    ¡°This is nothing but malicious nders. The Yurinova family will not tolerate this any longer.¡±

    ¡°I would like to take this opportunity to say something. My brother, Alexei, Duke of Yurinova, has sworn an oath. I owe my life to Lady Flora Czerny, who is the friend of all who bear the name of Yurinova, and the enemies of Flora are the enemies of Yurinova.¡±

    At the mention of the oath, the ¡°Yes Trio¡± turned pale.

    ¡°I am also pleased to inform you that I have discovered Flora-sama¡¯s magical attributes. She possesses the rare attribute of Saint. Therefore in the Astra Empire, Flora will be recognized as the Saint and will be a revered figure.¡±

    Ekaterina proimed so loudly, so that everyone in the ssroom would hear her clearly.

    <i>Yes, I wanted to do this, especially so, as to shut up the ¡°Yes Trio¡±.</i>

    ¡°Adding to that, absurd remarks like ¡°she must be plotting something¡± won¡¯t be tolerated¡­I won¡¯t let you off, whatever the reason may be. In the first ce, do you know how an incident like that could happen, or are you saying that someone captured a Magic Beast from somewhere and brought it over undetected? Do they know about some forbidden technique that even experts of the Astra Empire never knew about, and summoned them there?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s amazing! For one toe up with that, one would either be well-educated in that field or basically just an idiot spouting nonsense!¡±

    All of a sudden, Ekaterina¡¯s voice boomed abruptly, then the background darkened, apanied by lightning strikes.

    ¡°How, how can that be¡­¡­?¡±

 Chapter 42

    ¡°How, how can that be¡­¡­?¡±

    The ¡°Yes Trio¡± was scared to death by the voice that sounded as if it was creeping from the bottom of the earth.

    If one shouts loudly, people will try to stop you, but if you scold in a low voice, they won¡¯t stop you much. If one gets angry, and an even lower tone of voice is used, it would make one feel as if it would be their final assessment in life.

    ¡°It only takes a moment of thought for you to understand.¡±

    Ekaterina¡¯s expression changed, and she smiled. Her voice turned bright and high-pitched.

    ¡°If you are too stupid to understand this, then you should be eaten and excreted by Magic Beasts!¡±

    The third time sheughed, the viinousugh echoed and silence fell over the ss.

    <b>[Ekaterina¡¯s POV]</b>

    <i>Un</i>, I thought to myself after everything I said.

    <i>I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a word for ¡°excretion¡± in this world, though. Not to mention, a youngdy talking about ¡°excrement¡± is a no no-word, isn¡¯t it?</i>

    <i>But, well, it just sort of came out of my mouth. Maybe I should just leave for now. They might forget about the wordter.</i>

    ¡­Is what I thought for a moment.

    I wanted tough and say, yes, that¡¯s it for this story!

    ¡­but I wonder if that would be a good idea.

    With a swoosh, I pulled out the chair and stood up.

    I wondered who it was, but it was the Countess, a sparkling, top-of-the-school-caste figure who was the center of the ss.

    She stood up and walked towards me.

    <b>[3rd POV]</b>

    Laughing, Ekaterina also stood up.

    <i>I don¡¯t know what her intentions are, but I¡¯ll take her on.</i>

    It was the first time she had ever seen the Countess face to face, and even looking at her again, she looked radiant. After all, her colors were bright. She had fiery red hair, golden eyes, and straight semi-long red hair with gold mixed in like a mesh.

    Skin slightly tanned by the sun, a few freckles scattered around the nose. Her face is boyish and well-rounded, and the light in her eyes is strong and wild. Above all, her body is so toned that you can tell even from her uniform that she¡¯s an athletic person.

    This could be a girl who is popr with girls rather than a girl who is at the top of the school caste.

    <i>I had a girl in my ss in high school who was active in athleticpetitions, and she was boyishly cool, which made girls squeal and swoon.</i>

    The Countess stood in front of Ekaterina and said, in a clear voice, eye to eye.

    ¡°We are in the same ss, but this is the first time we are speaking with each other. I¡¯m Marina Krymov.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, I am Ekaterina Yurinova.¡±

    She countered with a graceful smile. Marina¡¯s colors were as bright as the spirit of the dawn, while Ekaterina, with her indigo hair, purplish blue eyes and translucent white skin, looked like the spirit of the night. The two girls facing each other were in stark contrast.

    Marina¡¯s golden eyes narrowed. It¡¯s not that she can¡¯t do it, but she was not sure how to do it¡­

    ¡°Yurinova-sama, I¡­¡­¡±

    <i>Come on, what is it?!</i>

    ¡°I¡¯m here to apologize.¡±

    <i>¡­¡­Eh?</i>

    Marina chuckled.

    ¡°I would like to apologize for not thanking Yurinova and Czerny for their help during the recent magical beast attack. I apologize for not thanking you for your help. Please forgive us.¡±

    Ekaterina and Flora couldn¡¯t help but look at each other in response.

    ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve wanted to talk to you both for a long time now. But I was feeling uncharacteristically self-conscious¡­because.¡±

    Marina¡¯s face turned beet red.

 Chapter 43

    Marina¡¯s face turned beet red.

    ¡°When Yurinova-sama came to ss for the first time¡­The way you took your brother¡¯s hand and walked with him was so beautiful! It was hard to believe that both of them were students, they looked so mature, like they were from another world. I thought I shouldn¡¯t be allowed to talk to them!¡±

    <i>Ah¡­</i>

    <i>I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry that the viinous siblings seemed unnecessarily powerful.</i>

    <i>I wonder what the background will be if brother is part of the set¡­ An ice castle from a Disn*y movie? I¡¯m not sure what to make of it, but I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be great! </i>

    <i>Yet this is not the time for that, you idiot!</i>

    However, Marina-sama seems to be quite enraptured. I wonder if she¡¯s a fan of my brother¡¯s.

    ¡°But I¡¯vee to think that Yurinova is actually a friendly person, the way she talks to Czerny, and the manner in which she said¡­those things.¡±

    Marina cut off her words in a rush, trying to hold back herughter.

    You, were you about to mention¡­¡±excretion¡±?

    The Countess definitely caught me when I said ¡°excretion.¡±

    <i>It¡¯s funny. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s alright for me to say it, but if you think that¡¯s a friendly way of speaking, aren¡¯t you like an elementary school boy?</i>

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Czerny. I was told that you were born ofmon descent, but you are much more elegant and beautiful than I am. I had a hunch that you might not be who you say you are, or that there was something more to you than what you say.¡±

    Flora¡¯s eyes widened, and she giggled as she spoke in a brisk tone.

    Ekaterina looked at Flora again and smiled.

    ¡°Krymov-sama, I have understood your intentions. I don¡¯t need you to apologize, but I will ept your apology if that is what you wish.

    I am d to hear your frank remarks. If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to converse with you more intimately in the future.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so happy! Please, call me Marina.¡±

    ¡°You may call me Ekaterina.¡±

    ¡°And Miss Czerny, may I call you Miss Flora?¡± (Marina)

    ¡°Of course¡± (Flora)

    The three girls smiled at each other, and the atmosphere became heartwarming.

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    A shaky voice called out.

    ¡°Well, I, I also want to apologize, too. I¡¯m sorry for that time¡­sorry.¡±

    Standing a little behind Marina, looking frail, is a petite girl with glossy chestnut hair tied up with a ribbon and youthful green eyes. She is probably a baroness who doesn¡¯t stand out much in the ss.

    But what did she mean, by her apology?

    Ekaterina was about to tilt her head, but then remembered.

    ¡°Is it about the incident at the training grounds?¡±

    It was the one who fell down during that incident.

    ¡°Y-Yes, that¡¯s right. My name is Olga Fleurus. At that time, I fell down, and just when I thought it was over, I was protected by a mud wall. Thank you for your help.

    If not for me, then Lady Yurinova would not have stayed there and been involved in the danger¡­I kept wondering if it was my fault that you couldn¡¯t escape¡­¡±

    <i>No, no, it¡¯s not like that. Don¡¯t worry about it!</i>

    But I can¡¯t say, ¡°I knew that a Magic Beast would appear, and I was ready to fight them, so I¡¯m fine!¡± so I¡¯ll just say this:

    ¡°Were you alright after that incident?¡±

    The chestnut-haired girl looked at her and nodded her head in response.

    ¡°I see. I¡¯m d that you were alright.¡± (Olga)

    <b>[Ekaterina¡¯s POV]</b>

    Right, really, I¡¯m just d that everyone¡¯s okay.

    ¡°I was just being reckless. That¡¯s all. I could have run away if I wanted to, and I should have run away, but I chose not to. My brother scolded meter after that.¡±

    I smiled at her, and Olga smiled back, with tears welling up in her eyes.

    ¡°Um, us too!¡±

    Ekaterina was startled when another group of students shouted from behind Olga. Marina¡¯s cronies (or is it her fangirls?) which were the biggest force in the ss, including the boys, approached us with a very enthusiastic look on their faces.

 Chapter 44

    Ekaterina was startled when another group of students shouted from behind Olga. Marina¡¯s cronies (or is it her fangirls?) which were the biggest force in the ss, including the boys, approached us with a very enthusiastic look on their faces.

    ¡°I wanted to apologize, too.¡± (Crony 1)

    ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to talk to you.¡± (Crony 2)

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I ran away. It¡¯s amazing what you can do in the face of that.¡± (Crony 3)

    Well, this situation¡­what to say?

    Momentster, the teacher came in, and we all rushed back to our seats.

    <b>[3rd POV]</b>

    Ekaterina couldn¡¯t help but think about it.

    <i>I had thought that if I made a public statement about my brother¡¯s oath and Flora-chan¡¯s Saint attribute, people would stop being so tantly mean. What happened was far beyond my expectations. I wonder, is the prestige of the Duke of Yurinova a factor? In the game, the nastiness towards the heroine still should have continued for a while after the event. I wonder if it¡¯s deviating from the original game as well. Will they finally stop being so mean to Flora? Or will thews of the game soon kick in and things will be back to normal again¡­</i>

    <i>Of course, I¡¯d be happy if the nastiness went away, but I can¡¯t say that there¡¯s no possibility that deviating from the game would cause some strain and unexpected issues or anything like that. Anyway, I have to keep my guard up.</i>

    But by lunchtime that day, Ekaterina had already forgotten all about it.

    As usual, there was a new face in the office where we brought our meals.

    Efrem Rozen, the leader of the Yurinova Knights.

    He was in his mid-forties, with iron-gray hair and sported a mustache of the same color.

    <b>[Ekaterina¡¯s POV]</b>

    His outfit resembled something that I saw from my previous life from a fantasy setting. Is he probably a Knight Temr or something? Ekaterina was very excited to be around such a person at the table, but then Alexei remarked towards her.

    (E/N: Knight Temr ¨C knight from religious military order, basically the ¡°Holy Knights¡±)

    ¡°The rose season will soon be upon us. So, I¡¯ve been informed that the date has been set for the royal family¡¯s visit to the Duke¡¯s residence this year.¡±

    Alexei continued on.

    ¡°This will be your first audience with Their Majesties, so if you need to make any preparations, just let me know.¡±

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±

    The Royal Family visits the Duke¡¯s Residence¡­?

    A<i> Gyoko</i>, in Japanese, that is what they called a<i> gyoko</i>, right? It is also referred to as <i>Miyuki</i>. (E/N: Japanese term to refer to the Emperor¡¯s visit)

    There was one time I remembered about a Miyuki being told, it was in a literature called one hundred poems, from what line was it¡­

    <i>If the autumn leaves on the peak have a mind of their own. </i>

    I can¡¯t remember the first one. Uwaah, I need to stop trying to escape reality!

    Are you telling me that the entire royal family ising to our ce?!

    As expected of my brother. The sheer magnitude of problems he encounters is very different from mine!

    I understand what he¡¯s trying to say, but I can¡¯t understand the meaning behind it.

    It¡¯s as shocking as being struck by an ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile).

    <b>[3rd POV]</b>

    Seeing the look on her sister¡¯s face, Alexei hurriedly exined to her that each of the three dukes has a vast garden of flowers that symbolize their house in their respective imperial residence.

    It is an annual event for the imperial family to visit when the flowers are in full bloom.

    <i>Indeed, there is a vast rose garden in the Duke of Yurinova¡¯s residence in the Imperial Capital¡­But I didn¡¯t expect the royal family toe every year to admire it.</i>

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry. It was my fault.¡± With one hand on his forehead, Alexei was unusually flustered.

    ¡°I should have informed you sooner. Women should take into ount the time it takes for outfits and such to be prepared, I¡¯m sorry for being so inattentive to such matters.¡±

    ¡°No, no, brother. It¡¯s my fault for not knowing such an important subject.¡±

    <b>[Ekaterina¡¯s POV]</b>

    It¡¯s very normal for brother, yet I¡¯m sure it¡¯s something he doesn¡¯t realize he needs not bother exining.

    It¡¯s been eight months since I was released from my imprisonment, but the reason I don¡¯t know about this important event is because I¡¯ve been locked up in my cage for the past six months.

    That¡¯s why, it¡¯s not his fault, so don¡¯t worry too much about it.

 Chapter 45

    That¡¯s why, it¡¯s not his fault, so don¡¯t worry too much about it.

    However!

    The Imperial family visits to see the cherry blossoms every year, the three great dukes are amazing!

    I never dreamed that such a thing would ever be possible!

    I feel like I¡¯m losing my mind at this very moment!

    Did he tell you if I needed to prepare anything?

    Preparation?

    What am I supposed to do, what am I supposed to do? I have no idea what to do!

    <b>[3rd POV]</b>

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so nervous, youngdy. It happens every year, so we all know what to expect. All you need to do is prepare your own attire.¡±

    Novak called out to her, and thus Ekaterina returned to her senses.

    <i>Well, you¡¯re absolutely right. It¡¯s a regr event for everyone but me!</i>

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a relief for me to say it out, but I¡¯m sure it will be fine. The duke himself is apanying us, and Mikhail-sama will also be there.¡±

    Flora says, patting Ekaterina on the back encouragingly.

    <b>[Ekaterina¡¯s POV]</b>

    <i>Ah¡­I see. Indeed.</i>

    I¡¯ll be safe if I hide behind my brother. Even though they are an imperial family, one of them is the prince.

    ¡­The rest, however, are the Emperor and Empress¡­..! Nuoooooooo!!

    ¡°And don¡¯t worry about your clothes. As long as it¡¯s not too borate, we can rush it and have it ready in time. Fortunately, tomorrow is the weekend, so you can return to the Duke¡¯s residence and get ready.¡±

    Halil says with a smile. You¡¯re a man, how would you know how long it takes to prepare a dress? Oh, right, you¡¯re a merchant.

    I can¡¯t believe how shocked I¡¯ve been that everyone is so encouraging¡­¡­ I have to recover quickly!

    ¡°Thank you, everyone. Thanks to that, I¡¯ve calmed down.¡±

    But the clothes. The dresses¡­¡­

    I¡¯m sure there are trends and fashions to be considered too.

    ¡°If possible, I would like the youngdy to wear an outfit that is different from the current fashion fordies.¡± (Aaron)

    <b>[3rd POV]</b>

    Ekaterina was surprised when it was Aaron who said this with a sigh.

    She was surprised that the young mine manager, who had the appearance of a schr, would have an opinion on dress and fashion.

    ¡°The Yurinova territory produces gems, but in recent years, thedies have not been looking for luxurious gems, so the prices of gems have been dropping.¡±

    Aaron says.

    ¡°For several years now, the fashion trend has been for luxurious silk fabrics imported from beyond the Mountains of the Gods and has been the mainstay fabric for clothes with beautiful patterns woven into it, andrge jewels have been thought of as nothing more than a distraction or being looked down in poor taste.¡± (Aaron)

    The Mountain Ridge of the Gods is arge mountain range that towers in the middle of the continent, dividing the east from the west.

    <b>[Ekaterina¡¯s POV]</b>

    It resembles the Himyas in my previous life, but it is much steeper and seems to run through the continent like a spine. As a result, trade between the east and west is limited almost entirely to sea routes.

    ¡°We have been mining for the finest one, and it would be the best time to advertise it¡­Gems are the flowers of minerals. It¡¯s a shame to just let them deteriorate like this.¡± (Aaron)

    Aaron is certainly sad about it.

    ¡­¡­Aaron-san, you are a mineral enthusiast? It¡¯s amazing that your passion for minerals grew to the point of bing a mine manager.

    However, did you say even after mining the ¡°finest¡±?

    ¡°Um, so far you¡¯ve been able to mine good gems, but you can¡¯t sell them?¡±

    When I asked a simple question, a delicate air passed through the office.

    <i>Why?</i>

    I wondered, and Alexei told me bitterly.

    ¡°Grandmother forbade me to sell such things to others, saying that they belonged to her.¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°It was better than being meddled with¡­in the iron mines, so I let her do as much as she liked.¡± (Alexei)

    <i>¡­¡­Ah, I see, of course, it¡¯s because of the freak old hag!</i>

    <i>You¡¯re not just bullying mother, you¡¯re also doing that!</i>

 Chapter 46

    <i>¡­¡­Ah, I see, of course, it¡¯s because of the freak old hag!</i>

    <i>You¡¯re not just bullying mother, you¡¯re also doing that!</i>

    <i>And you, brother, I¡¯ve been aware of it for a while, but I knew you were made to do the work of the dukedom even before the death of your father and the old hag.</i>

    <i>You¡¯re the kind of olddy who should have been eaten by a magical beast and turned into a piece of shit!</i>

    ¡­.Calm down, ne. The old hag is not of this world anymore. When a person dies, they are being sent off to be judged by Buddha.

    There¡¯s no Buddhism in this world, though.

    But let¡¯s calm down. What¡¯s wrong with me?

    <i>And you want me to promote the brilliance of jewelry?</i>

    It¡¯s like a tourism ambassador promoting a specialty product¡­¡­ Can a viiness be a tourism ambassador?

    Halil then added.

    ¡°As forrge jewels, people would say that they would not be suitable for a youngdy, but with a beauty as dignified as yours, I¡¯m sure they will look great on you. I will prepare a gem that will make even the Empress envious, so please do use it as you please.¡±

    After thinking about jewels, he then continued.

    ¡°Your Excellency, the ¡°Heavenly Blue¡± as you call it, is perfect for the youngdy, isn¡¯t it? My Lady, please take this as well. It¡¯s about time for the Empress toe up with the next fashion trend. This is a good opportunity for you to determine what the next trend is.¡±

    Halil-san, you¡¯re really trying to use me as a free billboard.

    I don¡¯t know what ¡°heavenly blue¡± is, but I¡¯d be happy to help you. But you can¡¯t expect it to work just as nned¡­

    ¡°Ekaterina, you don¡¯t have to use the jewel or the Heavenly Blue if you don¡¯t like it. You can do as you please with them. If you like the imported silk fabric, buy as much as you like. If you want to entertain the Empress, it¡¯s safer to do so as well.¡±

    Alexei suggested, then exined about the empress.

    ¡°It was the Empress who started the trend of imported silk fabrics. Her family¡¯s home, Yurisein, is located in an important port for East-West trade, so it will be prosperous if imports flourish. But not only that, the amount of imperial products exported to the east has also increased, benefiting the entire empire. She is a wise one.¡±

    ¡°Oh my¡­¡­¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but marvel at Alexei¡¯s words.

    ¡°I understand that she is attracting merchants from the East by making high-margin silk textiles popr. The fabric alone would have left a void in the holds of the cargo ships, so they would have brought in other goods that could be sold in the Imperial Kingdom.¡± (Ekaterina)

    He then told me the details about how goods from the port are distributed in the Empire and at a slightly lower price, along with the high-margin silk fabric, making it a prosperous trade.

    Along with how the Empire¡¯s goods are being circted when they return to the East, increasing the Empire¡¯s export.

    Hmmm, Her Majesty the Empress is very talented.

    In my previous life, the ideal Empress was a princess of the Warring States period, or a woman of Renaissance Italy, who could bridge the gap between her parents¡¯ family and her marriage family, and make both thrive.

    ¡°What a splendid thing she has done. She has revitalized the economy by leading the fashion in costumes, which is a natural thing for an empress to do. She is the epitome of what a person in the position of Empress should be.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°¡­Ekaterina-sama, you understand that instantly.¡±

    Novak eximed. Is there any other 15-year-old girl who can instantly understand this level of information?

    This is because I¡¯m a retired woman, and I¡¯m also a Systems Engineer who has developedmercial systems such as logistics systems and ordering systems, and I like to watch economic documentaries a lot.

 Chapter 47

    This is because I¡¯m a retired woman, and I¡¯m also a Systems Engineer who has developedmercial systems such as logistics systems and ordering systems, and I like to watch economic documentaries a lot.

    ¡°Youngdy, don¡¯t you think you would like to do such a thing yourself one day when you ascend to the position of Empress?¡± (Novak)

    ¡°What? No way, I would never want to do that.¡±

    Novak¡¯s words were instantly rejected by me as a reflex. It was a straightforward sh and burn.

    Because! Even the event with the magical beast that I thought was so impossible happened just like in the game scenario!

    If the viiness wants to be the empress and go after the prince, the g of doom will be raised immediately! Absolutely! No way, I¡¯m scared!

    Ah, sorry about that, I just realized that Novak has gonepletely pale¡­

    ¡°Oh, dear, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry, I was selfish. However, you know I don¡¯t really like to be part of the Imperial Family¡­¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°¡­¡­I see.¡± (Novak)

    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay, I¡¯ve forgiven you.¡± (Ekaterina)

    <b>[3rd POV]</b>

    Novak sighed, but Alexei was in a rather good mood.

    ¡°Rozen, my sister is intelligent, isn¡¯t she? Until I marry a wife, or she marries into another family, the Lady of Yurinova is Ekaterina, thus Imand you to honor her as the Lady of the Order of Yurinova and offer her your allegiance.¡±

    Alexei dered to Rozen.

    ¡°The day before the royal family arrives, offer your sword and take the oath of allegiance. If anything should happen to me, the Order shall make Ekaterina their master and obey her orders.¡±

    ¡°I have received your orders, my lord.¡± (Rozen)

    The Knight Commander stood up and bowed with a fist to his chest.

    ¡°Your sister¡¯s kindness and intelligence have been noted by Mardu, who has just joined the Order. I am honored to have you as a Lady of the Order.¡± (Rozen)

    <i>Lady of the Order? Offering a sword? What¡¯s with that medieval chivalry story line and words that perfectly suits an ¡°Otome fantasy romance¡±. I¡¯m not sure what to say, but I can¡¯t help but be moved.</i>

    Alexei patted his sister¡¯s hair as she stared into his eyes and smiled.

    ¡°You still haven¡¯t gotten many of the things you deserve as a daughter of Yurinova. Let¡¯s get that right first. You¡¯re weak, and you don¡¯t need to aim for the Empress¡¯s throne. For now, you should only think about preparing for an audience with Their Majesties.¡±

    ¡°Yes, big brother. I will do as you ask.¡±

    Relieved, Ekaterina nodded.

    <i>Thank you, my dear brother. And I¡¯m sorry for thinking that I should drop the sickly status. Being sickly is a good reason not to be an empress!</i>

    <i>From now on, I¡¯ll use the sickly setting as a countermeasure against the doom g!</i>

    The next day, Ekaterina and Alexei took a carriage back to the Imperial residence of the Duke.

    <b>[Ekaterina¡¯s POV]</b>

    In the vast gardens of the Duke¡¯s residence in the Imperial Capital, the roses had already begun to bloom, and there were a number of gardeners busily tending to them that I have just noticed.

    From now until the day of the event, they will adjust the blooming time for each variety so that it will be at its best on that day.

    It is said that there are no varieties that are not found in Yurinova¡¯s garden, but there are several ones that are found only in Yurinova¡¯s garden. It must be very difficult to get them in full bloom on a certain day, so it is certainly a big event every year.

    As of yesterday¡¯s lunch, I had to scratch my head and wonder what I should do to prepare for the outfit. When I went back to the dormitory and told my maid, Mina, in a half-heartedint, she nodded nkly as usual.

    ¡°That¡¯s a servant¡¯s job, I¡¯ll make the arrangements. Just think about what you want to wear, youngdy.¡± (Mina)

 Chapter 48

    ¡°That¡¯s a servant¡¯s job, I¡¯ll make the arrangements. Just think about what you want to wear, youngdy.¡± (Mina)

    Oh, really? I thought, however, when I think about it calmly, I had many beautiful dresses made for me during the six months I lived in the main residence of the dukedom after I was freed from the imprisonment, but I didn¡¯t do anything by myself. I just wore the new dresses that were made before I knew it.

    And as far as I can remember¡­¡­ it didn¡¯t look very good on me. I¡¯m not sure what kind of challenger put me in a bright yellow dress with lots of frills when my hair was indigo, and I looked mature for my age.

    The way it should be done is that when I need a dress, the maids and butlers call the designer, and I tell the designer what kind of dress I want, and if I like the design, then I will order it.

    After serving us dinner, Mina went out for a while and made an appointment with a popr designer in the imperial capital. He¡¯sing to the Duke¡¯s residence tomorrow.

    Isn¡¯t it great that I can get an appointment for the next day the night before? Our beautiful maid is too talented.

    Well, maybe it¡¯s also the prestige of the Duke of Yurinova.

    And so, I immediately had a meeting with the designer. The designer was Cami Croze, an up-anding young woman in her thirties with greenish-silver hair that was intricately tied up in a slender bun.

    When I suggested that she sit on a chair, she was very surprised, so I wondered if a duchess was supposed to have a meeting with a designer standing up, and I didn¡¯t feelfortable with something like that. So, I suggested it again, and we sat across the table in front of each other.

    Cami was relieved when I told her that the costume was for weing the royal family and that I wanted the design to be simple enough not to be inappropriate.

    ¡°If it is yourdy¡¯s beauty, it would be better to keep it simple. The current trend is to use the beauty of the fabric in the design, which is exactly what you need. I have some wonderful fabric samples that I think will suit you, silk fabric of the highest quality, imported from the far east. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll like it.¡± (Cami)

    ¡°About that. Actually, I have some fabric I¡¯d like to use.¡± (Ekaterina)

    As if on cue, Mina quickly spread out a few pieces of cloth on the table. These were given to her by Halil this morning.

    ¡°I wonder if you¡¯ve ever heard of the Heavenly Blue.¡± (Ekaterina)

    All the cloths are a variation of blue. The darkest color is a deep blue, orpiszuli. The color is deep, yet transparent, as if the most beautiful moment of the dusk was captured.

    I fell in love with it at first sight! The lighter blues are also very beautiful, like the sky in spring or the zenith of the summer sky, where the highest universe can be seen through!

    The heavenly blue is produced by crushingpiszuli from the duchy of Yurinova and using it as a dye or pigment. This is why this cloth is so expensive. The cost of making a dress in the most expensive and darkest color would probably exceed the average annual ie of amoner.

    I knew thatpiszuli was used as a dye for cloth and pigments for paints in my past world. The blue name means ¡°ultramarine¡± in English, which could also mean ¡°something that came from across the ocean¡±. Lapiszulies from Afghanistan, thus in Europe, it was a blue that woulde from beyond the Mediterranean Sea.

    In our world, this blue has a name that directly trantes to Heavenly Blue. I don¡¯t know who named it, but it¡¯s beautiful, so good job!

    ¡°I know the Heavenly Blue, but¡­¡­¡± (Cami)

    Cami¡¯s eyes were glued to the fabric.

    ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen such an even and stunning coloration. Is there something special about it?¡± (Cami)

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s dyed not only withpiszuli, but also with an alternative dye found in our territory.¡± (Ekaterina)

 Chapter 49

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s dyed not only withpiszuli, but also with an alternative dye found in our territory.¡± (Ekaterina)

    The discoverer is my great-uncle Isaac, the younger brother of my grandfather Sergei. ording to Aaron, a mineral enthusiast with a sparkle in his eye like a maiden in love, he is the most outstanding mineralogist in the history of the Imperial Kingdom.

    This dye is said to be able to be created rather than being mined, and it may be that something simr to the synthetic ultramarine used in my previous world has just been discovered in this world.

    ¡°This new dye is far cheaper than anything we¡¯ve ever used before, and more beautiful than ever, and it can be used to dye Heavenly Blues. I would like the Empress to see it and evaluate it as a new product of the Imperial Kingdom.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°At a reasonable price?¡± (Cami)

    Quickly, Cami took the bait.

    ¡°It¡¯s wonderful, right¡­well, with the power of the Yurinova Duchy, I don¡¯t have to worry about the price though. But I want more and moredies to be able to wear this beautiful variation of blue.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°I hope so, mydy.¡± (Cami)

    It was really good that the abhorrent person who hated this and sabotaged its production was now gone. After all, this item was discovered by my great uncle Isaac about ten years ago.

    After that, they were working on research and development to ensure stable production, but after grandfather passed away, the old hag said she wouldn¡¯t allow such research saying that it was outrageous that the Heavenly Blue, which should only be worn by a select few noblemen, should be made affordable and used by lowlymoners.

    Halil and his team continued to research and perfect the product in secrecy while nodding their heads in agreement. But even after the old hag passed away, they still couldn¡¯t sell it as a product because it wasn¡¯t trendy.

    ¡­¡­The reason why brother and his men are so busy is partly due to the fact that there are so many other things that they can do now that the old hag is finally out of the picture.

    I¡¯ll make Heavenly Blue affordable and essible to themon people, so you can grit your teeth behind the weeds, you old hag!

    ¡°Also, I¡¯d like to incorporate some gems from the dukedom into the design. You can choose whatever you like from here.¡± (Ekaterina)

    Mina then pulls out a case containing various gems and shows it to Cami. I got this one from Aaron. The colorful, sparkling gems were all several centimeters in diameter.

    The colors are vivid. I don¡¯t know much about the quality of jewels, but I have a feeling that in a previous life, they would have cost a ridiculous amount of money. I know that the price would reach millions, no, hundreds of millions.

    It¡¯s just for free ! I¡¯m not giving it to you, I¡¯m lending it to you!

    ¡°I know it¡¯s not thetest fashion, but since I¡¯m representing Yurinova and weing Their Majesties, I wanted to show the unique characteristics of our territory. I¡¯ll make it into a brooch with a simple base, so I¡¯d like you to design something that can incorporate that.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Oh my goodness, what a wonderful collection of exquisite¡­ gems and this beautiful Heavenly Blue. The design should be simple and elegant, but the colors should take center stage. I can create a mystical beauty like a goddess with these. I love the idea of a new concept for a dress¡­¡­ instead of following the current trends. I¡¯ll do my best to work on it!¡± (Cami)

    With that said, Cami quickly started scribbling her pen through her sketchbook.

 Chapter 50

    <b>[Ekaterina¡¯s POV]</b>

    Things got really heated from here. Cami wanted to make the dress simple but gorgeous, while I wanted to keep it simple so that the fabric would stand out.

    I was going to leave the design to her, but I didn¡¯t realize how much fun it would be to worry about the dress¡­! Besides, it gives me a lot of strength to think that I might be able to help my brother and his men.

    Thanks to this, now I can look forward to the day of the flower viewing, when I will show off my dress. It¡¯s only a little, though.

    ¡°¡­.Youngdy, you are a person who thinks differently than your grandmother, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Ekaterina was almost done with the design of the dress when Cami said so sincerely, making Ekaterina wonder.

    ¡°If I may ask, have you met my grandmother?¡±

    ¡°Yes, when I was just starting out. She was strict¡­¡­ no, she was regal and proud.¡±

    <i>You can call her an old hag if you want. I can¡¯t say it, but I would like to.</i>

    ¡°Is there something wrong with my grandmother¡­¡­?¡±

    ¡°No!¡­Well, she was famous for ordering dresses frequently, so I made an effort to catch her attention and made a dress for her. However, although we delivered the dress, she did not like it. Even though it was a gorgeous dress with an intricate design¡­¡±

    <i>It¡¯s a good thing I¡¯m a working adult. </i>Ekaterina clears her throat.

    ¡°Yes, that time¡­¡­Payment has already been rejected?¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Yes, you know exactly what I mean. We did not receive any payment.¡± (Cami)

    <i>That Old Hag~~~!!. If you¡¯re so proud, don¡¯t step on a fledgling designer.</i>

    ¡°Excuse me, but do you have any proof of non-payment?¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Yes, if that is the case, I have received a letter. It¡¯s from your grandmother¡¯s associate, saying she doesn¡¯t like it and doesn¡¯t acknowledge receiving it, so she won¡¯t pay.¡± (Cami)

    ¡­I¡¯m getting a headache. You received the actual product, but you don¡¯t want to pay for it because you don¡¯t like it? Are you out of your mind?

    ¡°Mina¡­¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°I¡¯ll let the steward know.¡± (Mina)

    ¡°Thank you. Please show the letter to the steward and collect your payment. I apologize for my grandmother¡¯s behavior.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Thank you¡­!¡± (Cami)

    Cami bows her head deeply.

    I guess it¡¯s hard for dress designers to get funding. I¡¯m really sorry about the old hag.

    ¡°What a wonderful person you are, youngdy. You are kind, you have good taste, you are very young, and you are very knowledgeable¡­Even though you are the princess of the Duke of Yurinova, you are still very friendly to people like me, and I was very impressed.¡± (Cami)

    Ah, no. I¡¯m just not a princess on the inside. I¡¯m really sorry.

    Well, you¡¯re ttering me, but I feel awkward because I¡¯m feeling like I am scamming people in so many ways.

    ¡°Do you like this design? If so, would you like me to be your patron for creating new dresses.¡± (Ekaterina)

    (T/L: MC designed the dress.)

    ¡°Yes, it would be my pleasure. If you make any other designs using the heavenly blue, I would be happy to promote it as this design is not very well known yet.¡± (Cami)

    ¡°That will be great! I also know someone (Alexei¡¯s merchant subordinate) who is open to trying new things. He will surely be enthralled. I may be able to promote it to other nobledies with the help of both of you.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you to say.¡± (Cami)

    Maybe it will be a plus for Cami herself. It¡¯s a win-win situation. Win-win, yes, let¡¯s do our best!

 Chapter 51

    <b>[3rd POV)</b>

    After Cami left, Ekaterina went to a room in the residence of the Duke of the Imperial Capital, where she took her measurements and promised to bring the dress back for fitting next week.

    The room was decorated with portraits of the heads of the Yurinova dukes and their families. From the first Sergei to the current Alexei, a variety of figures filled the wide walls.

    Ekaterina smiled up at the picture of her dandy grandfather Sergei sittingfortably in his chair, and Alexei, a beautiful ten-year-old boy without his spectacles, standing beside him with a serious expression on his face.

    <i>¡­¡­It¡¯s too big!</i>

    A young woman was depicted in a veryrge portrait. She is very beautiful. She is tall and slender, and her clothes are luxurious. Her long light blue hair is tied up in a knot, and she wears a gorgeous tiara with a ne and earrings adorned with huge jewels. Her long, slit eyes, which should be smiling yet looks somehow cold, are light blue.

    <i>It¡¯s annoying that she looks so much like her brother. </i>

    This is my grandmother. When she was younger. Crown Princess Alexandra. Why do you have a portrait of her when she was a princess mixed in with the portraits of all the dukes of Yurinova? This is from when we weren¡¯t a family yet!

    <b>[Ekaterina¡¯s POV]</b>

    <i>¡°This old hag.¡±</i>

    I muttered inaudibly so that Mina, who was standing behind me, would not hear me.

    <i>Hmph!</i>

    I turned my head to the one next to her, where a beautiful man was sitting on a chair, looking rxed, with his long legs crossed and a sweet smile on his face. This one also looked just like his brother, only with light blue hair, light blue eyes, and without the one pair of sses. His father, Alexandre.

    Next to him is older brother. The beautiful young head of the family, standing dignified with a sword in his hand. He has a beautiful face just like his father¡¯s, but his face is tight and severe because he is aware that he is the only one who has to carry the immensely powerful and wealthy Yurinova dukedom on his shoulders, and he is steeling himself to face it head on.

    Unlike me, who resembles my mother, my brother¡¯s face is that of my grandmother and father. However, the color of their eyes is just light blue, not the impressive neon blue of my brother¡¯s eyes, which seem to be glowing by themselves. Maybe it¡¯s just because it¡¯s a portrait, and they couldn¡¯t draw it that well.

    Nevertheless, the portrait of my brother, both the one of him with my grandfather and the one of him alone, expresses the color of his eyes very well. Maybe it was the difference in the skill of the painter. But I would like to think that they were really different shades.

    <b>[3rd POV]</b>

    ¡°Youngdy.¡±

    Ekaterina turned around when a voice that wasn¡¯t Mina¡¯s called her.

    It was an older woman in a dark dress. The dress was tailored by the housekeeper, who united the female servants. However, she is not a housekeeper.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been sent by the butler. May I help you?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Are you the same Nonna who was my grandmother¡¯s chambermaid?¡±

    ¡°Yes, mydy. My name is Nonna Zales.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I understand that my grandmother frequently ordered dresses from you. I¡¯m sure she hasn¡¯t gotten rid of them yet, so I¡¯d like to take a look at them to see what they look like. Please show me where they are kept.¡±

    <i>I¡¯m not sure what to make of this. This attitude¡­.well, I kind of expected it.</i>

    <i>I know how to deal with this, but I¡¯d like to know some things.</i>

    ¡°What was grandmother like, from your point of view?¡±

    ¡°She was a greatdy, mydy.¡±

 Chapter 52

    <b>[Ekaterina¡¯s POV]</b>

    The answer came crisply. It was as if it was a well-informed model answer.

    ¡°And what was my father like?¡±

    This time, there was a slight pause before the answer.

    ¡°¡­¡­He was wonderful. He was so seductive that he could make any woman fall in love with him. Not only was he handsome to look at, but he was a refined gentleman who was always kind to women. He was always generous and enjoyed life without getting caught up in trivial worldly affairs.¡±

    <i>©`©`In short, he¡¯s adykiller!</i>

    <i>He¡¯s a coddled bastard which captivates every woman¡­a superb level of Hikaru Genji! His face looks exactly just like my brother, but even if he puts brother¡¯s sses on, he would never have the same aura my brother has. Brother will never be the same like him either, a man who only knew how to get under women¡¯s skirts.</i>

    <i>He even let brother do the work while he enjoys life behind the scenes, what kind of trash father is this.</i>

    (E/N: Hikaru Genji ¨C a peerlessly handsome and genius protagonist of ¡°The Tale of Genji¡± who had several affairs with women.)

    ¡°Well, yes. What kind of trivial worldly affairs are we talking about, for example?¡±

    <b>[3rd POV]</b>

    Nonna turned and stared at Ekaterina.

    ¡°Paperwork, money ounts, that sort of tasteless stuff.¡± (Nonna)

    ¡°Well. Father didn¡¯t count the money, did he?¡±

    Ekaterina looked back at Nonna with a smile that seemed to be sincerely amused. Nonna¡¯s gaze grew harsher, but Ekaterina¡¯s smile did not falter.

    Nonna looks away and starts walking again. <i>Haha, I won. That¡¯s a little pathetic of me.</i>

    But as soon as she arrived at her destination, Ekaterina almost fell to her knees. <i>What the hell is this?</i>

    There was no such thing as a walk-in closet. This is literally a walk-in hall! It¡¯s normal to have a walk-in hall, but not to have a hall big enough to hold a small party filled with dresses! The entire hall is a closet! The hall is a graveyard of dresses!

    To prevent the dresses from fading, the windows were closed, and in the dark, the countless dresses on the torsos could be seen dimly, what a horror story!

    It¡¯s really scary that the olddy¡¯s lingering obsession could be felt everywhere in this hall.

    ¡°This is not all of it, mydy. There are many more in the main residence of the dukedom. This is what a nobledy is supposed to do.¡± (Nonna)

    Nonna was proud for some reason.

    ¡°Your grandmother used to order a dress at least once a week. She never wore a dress more than once, and if she didn¡¯t like it, she wouldn¡¯t wear it or even allow us to see it again. This opulence, this pride, is the mark of the greatest of noblewomen.¡±

    Nonna then looked down with a cold gaze at Ekaterina.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been in the Imperial City for almost two months now, and this is the first time you¡¯ve ordered a dress. It¡¯s a pity, what do you think of the Yurinova family name?¡±

    Nonna talks with passion.

    She continued talking about how it shows the power of the duke household and how we should not be underestimated by lower sses. She also suggested being introduced to the best designers that met her grandmother¡¯s standards, which will make a dress for her at least once every weekend.

    Nonna then continued.

    ¡°You should also be aware that the way you are treating your servants is far from being ady. I will teach you exactly what your grandmother would have done. Only I, who served your Grandmother the closest, can do that. I will make thedy into a finedy ording to her standards.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­Is it really possible to be ady just by ordering a lot of dresses, though?¡±

 Chapter 53

    <b>[3rd POV]</b>

    ¡°Well¡­Is it really possible to be ady just by ordering a lot of dresses, though?¡±

    ¡°It shows that you are from a family with the financial resources capable to do so. But even that is trivial. A noblewoman only lives for beauty.¡±

    Nonna¡¯s tone became even more adamant when I questioned what she thought of and continued further.

    ¡°It is the epitome behavior of a noblewoman to despise those lowly people who are caught up in the trivial worldly things of wealth and power, and to strive to improve her own beauty by being surrounded and ornamented by beauty.¡±

    ¡°Oh, my.¡±

    Putting her hand over her mouth, Ekaterinaughed like a viiness.

    ¡°How vulgar.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Wh¡­.aa¡­¡­¡± (Nonna)

    Nonna¡¯s mouth fell open agape from Ekaterina¡¯ words.

    ¡°What¡¯s that? What do you mean¡­¡­by vulgar? Are you saying that what I have mentioned just now was vulgar?¡± (Nonna)

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s indeed what I said. Ordering more dresses than she needed, abandoning her duty as a member of the duke¡¯s family to live a life of selfish beauty, I don¡¯t feel she has any dignity at all. It was a stupid, foolish thing to do.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°You, You¡­How presumptuous of you!¡± (Nonna)

    Nonna exims, lifting her eyebrows.

    ¡°Your Grandmother, if Alexandra had been here, she would have had you whipped as punishment! Your words are an insult to the Imperial Princess Alexandra!¡±

    ¡°Oh my, I¡¯m so scared. I¡¯m d my grandmother¡¯s not here anymore.¡±

    Despite her snicker, Ekaterina¡¯s mouth twisted in a smile. It was because she had bad memories of her. She was sure the old hag didn¡¯t have her brother whipped when he was little. Because if she knew that she did, she would have been the one to murder her.

    ¡°My grandmother is now no longer with us. Now that both grandmother and mother are gone, the Lady of Yurinova is me. That¡¯s what my brother, the head of the family, has informed me. I will decide what kind of behavior is appropriate for ady of Yurinova. I have no intention of asking you to teach nor groom me.¡±

    Nonna began to tremble.

    ¡°You, you would need the authority of the princess¡­What do you think of the authority of the Imperial Family? I can¡¯t believe you think you¡¯re better than Lady Alexandra¡­¡± (Nonna)

    ¡°Again, my grandmother is no longer with us. And in case you didn¡¯t know, she was no longer a princess when she married into my family. Above all, you are not an imperial princess, who are you to think that you are better than the Lady of Yurinova?¡± (Ekaterina)

    She then added.

    ¡°Ah, our servant. By the way, did you say something earlier about the way I treat my servants? Is it enough to whip a servant who speaks out of turn?¡± (Ekaterina)

    When Ekaterina saw Nonna¡¯s face, she regretted it a little. The blue veins on her forehead had bulged to an unpleasant level.

    <i>Maybe she¡¯s going to attack me? I¡¯ve never been in a physical fight before, but since you¡¯re in your sixties, I¡¯m definitely not going to lose.</i>

    Just as she thought this, Mina quickly stepped in between Ekaterina and Nonna. She sheltered Ekaterina behind her back and red intently at Nonna.

    <i>I wondered if she was staring at her neck and imagining how much tightening she would have to do to stop herself from breathing, like she did with the ¡°Yes Trio¡±.</i>

    To her surprise, Nonna¡¯s face immediately changed color when she saw Mina in front of her. She turned pale and backed away.

    ¡°Alexandra would never allow such an unholy person to be near her! Get away from me, demon!¡± (Nonna)

    Hah? Without thinking, Ekaterina subconsciously summoned a certain martial artist in her mind.

    ¡°What in the world are you talking about?¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°How many times do I have to say it? My grandmother is no longer with us. And I will not allow you, a mere servant, to say anything about my personal entourage. Mina is a much better maid than you are. Thank you for showing me around. I¡¯m going back now. You don¡¯t need to follow me¡­Mina, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Ekaterina turned around with a sigh.

 Chapter 54

    <b>[Ekaterina¡¯s POV] </b>

    Jeez, the old hag was a much worse person after hearing about it directly from her subordinate.

    I didn¡¯t notice it because for the past month I¡¯ve been living in the Duke¡¯s mansion, I¡¯ve been studying hard to get ready for the academy, and I¡¯ve only been in contact with Mina, who was newly hired as my caretaker. But it seems that there are some strange people mixed in with the servants here. Especially the ones who once served near the old hag¡¯s side.

    It seems that if they fire people all at once, they¡¯ll run out of staff, so they¡¯re gradually firing and recing them, but I guess some of them refuse to take over and keep holding on to their jobs.

    ¡°Miss, do you want me to clean that up?¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    I was at a loss for a response when Mina told me inly.

    ¡°No, don¡¯t. Until we wee the royal family here, we¡¯re going to need some manpower. Even if they are like that, the butler may have trouble if they are gone. I¡¯ll talk to my brother afterwards and leave it to his judgment.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°I understand. And, miss, I¡¯m not a demon.¡± (Mina)

    Mina said this too matter-of-factly, and I smiled.

    ¡°Of course, Mina is not.¡±

    ¡°But my grandfather on my mother¡¯s side was a demon.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    Again I was at a loss for words, but inwardly I was lightly convinced.

    <i>So, Mina was someone with demon blood in her veins.</i>

    That¡¯s why she¡¯s so strong that she can carry me in her arms and walk around. I wonder if there are humanoid demons in this world, and if they have children with humans.

    But when I think about it, since (in the game) the Demon Dragon King does transform into a human and be the target of the heroine¡¯s love attack, I guess it¡¯s only natural for there to be possible romance between demons and humans.

    ¡°I see, so you were like that, I didn¡¯t know that. If you had mentioned it earlier and I forgot about it, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I told you about it. When thedy came to the imperial capital, she suddenly copsed, and thus I was not able to properly greet thedy.¡±

    (E/N: Refer to Chapter 1-2. Ekaterina fell unconscious for three days.)

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right.¡±

    My memories of my previous life came flooding in, and I had the memories and personalities of two people in my head. My head would hurt like crazy, and whenever I tried to move, it would instantly shut down, and I would lose consciousness. It took about three days for things to settle down, and I¡¯m really d.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a demon, but I do have demon blood. Some of them are like what you just said. Even in the duchy, they say that Yurimagna would never use someone like me. Don¡¯t you hate it, youngdy?¡±

    ¡°No?¡±

    Hmm, I don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t get the feeling that I hate Mina at all.

    Maybe it¡¯s because I read a lot of manga and novels with different species in my previous life. It¡¯s a shame that people hate that kind of thing.

    I mean, if a stranger was a demon, I might be a little wary, but Mina has been taking care of me for two months now, feeding me, changing my clothes, doing everything. Just because her grandfather isn¡¯t human doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯s not a good thing.

    ¡°Oh my, I remember now. When my brother wasn¡¯t by my side, I was thirsty but couldn¡¯t move, so I was struggling in bed. That¡¯s when you first helped me up.¡± (Ekaterina)

    She then continued.

    ¡°I remember how gentle andforting your hands were as you helped me up and gave me a drink of water. When I talked to you, I was a little surprised by your blunt speech, but I didn¡¯t mind because your hands were so gentle. I don¡¯t think I could ever dislike Mina.¡±

 Chapter 55

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    Mina, who is always expressionless, suddenly smiled at this moment.

    ¡°I remember that, too. I gave thedy some water to drink, and she said thank you. Thedy says thank you for every little thing, even if the person is a servant. I was surprised at first.¡± (Mina)

    ¡°Not just the usual things?¡± (Ekaterina)

    Tilting her head, Ekaterina¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.

    ¡°Mina, I wonder if you are also my bodyguard.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am indeed.¡±

    Mina affirmed easily.

    ¡°Is Mina strong?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am quite strong.¡±

    Ekaterina was shocked to have her suspicions confirmed again.

    <i>This means that Mina is¡­</i>

    <i>Abat maid!</i>

    <i>A beautiful woman who can do housework, a good fighter, and also looks gorgeous in a maid¡¯s uniform. It¡¯s not like they don¡¯t exist in real life, but there¡¯s one so close to me that I can¡¯t help thinking about it!</i>

    She needs to confirm something though.

    ¡°Mina! Are you getting paid enough?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Because just being a maid is hard work from morning to night. And if you¡¯re also acting as a bodyguard, I think you should be paid enough for the job of two people!¡±

    <i>Appropriatepensation forbor!</i>

    <i>Don¡¯t get into unpaid overtime services!</i>

    ¡°We have plenty of money, and the Yurinova Duke family is not stingy. His Excellency is quite generous when ites to spending money.¡± (Mina)

    ¡°I see. I¡¯m d to hear it.¡± (Ekaterina)

    For the first time, Mina broke into a smile at Ekaterina¡¯s relieved expression.

    ¡°You¡¯re a strange person, youngdy.¡± (Mina)

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s been a long time since you said that.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me, I¡¯d be happy to take care of the youngdy all the time.¡± (Mina)

    ¡°Yes, please.¡± (Ekaterina)

    Thanks to her conversation with Mina, Ekaterina had forgotten most of the unpleasantness she had experienced during her conversation with Nona.

    Unbeknownst to Ekaterina, Nona had destroyed herself big time.

    ¡­

    In the office where Alexei was meeting with the head butler to discuss the details of the day of the Imperial family visit, a furious Nona barged in and ranted about her dissatisfaction with Ekaterina.

    Alexei looked at his former grandmother¡¯s maid of honor with an icy glint in his neon blue eyes, and let her say what she wanted to say.

    ¡°Did Ekaterina ask you who you think you are, you who thinks you are better than your mistress?¡± (Alexei)

    Alexei continued in a very irritated tone.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what you are. You are a worm. You are nothing but a foolish worm who has been hiding under the fur of a tiger for many years and has taken advantage of its power to think of herself as a tiger.¡±

    To Nona¡¯s astonishment at his overly harsh words, Alexei added further rebukes.

    ¡°Did you think that by informing me of that, I would let you have your way with her? Did you really think that I would allow you to haunt her and feed off her blood like a parasite after her grandmother¡¯s death?¡±

    Not stopping, Alexei continued to voice out his dissatisfaction.

    ¡°Those of you who served my grandmother closely should know that I often admonished her for her extravagance. My grandmother became furious and often cursed me every time. What did you think she called me? I have been through a lot. Yet, she called me cold-blooded. Did you really think that I would want my kind-hearted sister to be remoulded into a splitting image of grandmother? You fool.¡±

    Spitting it out, Alexei looked at the butler.

    ¡°Graham. I¡¯m sorry about this time of year, but it seems like it will be much busier than expected.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to us that much, my lord. We have all the evidence prepared.¡±

    Alexei nodded.

    Then he said to Nona.

    ¡°Nona Zales, right? You are dismissed. I know that you have been embezzling payments from my grandmother to a contractor who has been working for her. If you refuse to leave, I¡¯ll hand you over to the Imperial Guard. You can either leave now or go straight to jail. The choice is yours.¡±

 Chapter 56

    Since they had business at the Duke¡¯s residence both days of the weekend, the siblings did not return to the dormitory but stayed overnight.

    At dinner together, Alexei tells Ekaterina that he has fired Nona, while omitting the detailed conversation, he said briefly.

    ¡°The reason you didn¡¯t say anything to me was probably out of concern for the hectic state we¡¯re in. I¡¯m sorry that I seem to have wasted your benevolence.¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°It is my deepest regret that brother has to be so concerned about my well-being. Big brother called me the Lady of Yurinova. It should be the duty of thedy to supervise the servants and take care of the affairs of the household, but because of my inexperience, such burden was also ced upon you.¡±

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    Come to think of it, acting as the duchess, this is something I should have done right away before saying anything about helping my brother with his work¡­¡­

    It was also the reason why I decided to check the dress collection of that old hag and meet the rest of the side servants.

    But I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t do that yet. I have a vague idea of what the role of a duchess is, but it¡¯s far from practical.

    I¡¯m sure I could make up for my schoolwork by reading books or something, but I don¡¯t have much knowledge about things that don¡¯te up on the public scene, such as housekeeping¡­¡­ Even in my previous life, I¡¯m sure this is a field that doesn¡¯t have many historical records, and I don¡¯t have much knowledge about it. I¡¯m sure I¡¯m not the only one who thinks so.

    Alexei smiled at me when I told him so.

    ¡°That¡¯s a very responsible thing for you to say, but you don¡¯t have to worry about it. Graham is in charge of the inner workings of the mansion. He¡¯s been the butler since grandfather¡¯s time, and he¡¯s the living leader of the residence. Just leave it to him.¡± (Alexei)

    Graham, who is waiting behind Alexei, bows. He is a little younger than grandfather, maybe around sixty years old, with beautiful silver hair and an austere, neat appearance that is very much like a butler.

    ¡°But if you wish, I can give you the authority befitting a mistress.¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°No, I would like Graham, whom my brother trusts, to keep a firm grip on the residence of the Imperial Capital as it is now. However, I would like to get to know the inner workings of the estate as well. Graham, would you be willing to teach me how things operate step by step?¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Of course, any time you wish, mydy.¡± (Graham)

    Smiling, Graham bowed his head graciously at me.

    ¡°I would rather hope that you, as the rightful mistress, will be in charge of us. The way things have been up to now, it was only out of necessity. I think it is wonderful that the gentle youngdy is supporting His Excellency, and that the siblings are supporting the dukedom in harmony.¡± (Graham)

    ¡°¡­¡­I see. I¡¯ve been relying on you too much, but I guess it¡¯s time for me to reduce a little of Graham¡¯s burden.¡± (Ekaterina)

    Ugh, I see. In this world, where the average lifespan should not be as long as in my previous life, Graham is about ready to retire¡­¡­?

    ¡°Ekaterina, if you really want to, but¡­.would you be willing toe back here with me for the next weekend and supervise the inner sanctum with Graham? We¡¯ll have to wait until after March is over and things have settled down. Oh, and I¡¯ve got exams, so that¡¯ll have to be after they¡¯re done, too.¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped, there¡¯s that matter too, after all¡­¡­¡± (Ekaterina)

    Kuh¡­

    That¡¯s right! The exam schedule was announced yesterday, for the first time since I entered the school. It will start the day after the event!

 Chapter 57

    That¡¯s right! The exam schedule was announced yesterday, for the first time since I entered the school. It will start the day after the event!

    ¡­¡­I¡¯ll have to put those ns on hold for now. I¡¯m sorry, brother.

    ¡°Of course I will. If I can be of service to my brother, I will be very happy.¡±

    I tried to smile like ady, not letting my inner storm of tears of blood get the better of me.

    ¡°Thank you¡­Ekaterina, I wish I had a way to tell you how happy I am to have a sister as sweet as you.¡±

    ¡°My, dear brother! What a nice thing to say. If you knew how happy I am to be with you, you would be surprised.¡±

    After all, he was my favorite character from my previous life!

    But I definitely don¡¯t want people to know that the sister you have is actually an over 30-year-old woman or apany employee. When people say that I¡¯m kind or smart, my heart hurts because I feel guilty for being a fraud.

    I¡¯m not nice. Even now, I understand that Nona has been fired and has no one to turn to, but I don¡¯t want to care anymore about her.

    The name ¡°Nona¡± means ¡°ninth¡±. She was a high ss servant at the duke¡¯s house, so she must have been born into the nobility. However, if she was born as the ninth child as her name suggests, she must have had no expectations or hopes from the time she was born.

    In this society, a dowry is required for marriage. Probably, it has been used up by her brother or sister, and they cannot provide it for her. In fact, it seems that Nona has been serving the old hag without ever getting married. And yet, she can¡¯t be taken care of in her parents¡¯ home for the rest of her life. There was no ce for her in her parents¡¯ house, and it was the greatest fortune of her life to be the old hag¡¯s maid, and she would have never been thrown out in a fit of displeasure.

    When the master she was attached to passed away, and the servants at her side were fired one by one, she tried to use me to continue leeching off our resources out of the situation. It was the end of her luck that she had been ustomed to trying to manipte me in an attempt to cling on to me.

    If it had been the real Ekaterina, a naive youngdy who had been imprisoned for many years, she might have been swallowed up by the madness (like how the original Ekaterina of the game ended, probably..?) But I¡¯m not sure.

    I guess that¡¯s how she had to live her life, worshiping and cheating others while umting money, just like how the old hag lived. When I imagine that, I feel sorry for Nona.

    But the result is something that she has to ept. I¡¯m sure they didn¡¯t give her any severance pay or a letter of introduction to get a new job. They didn¡¯t take away the money she umted, and I hope she can live the rest of her life with whatever amount she has embezzled.

    ¡­This is the first time I realize that the hiring side is also going to be troubled by it. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve been an employer all your life and have taken on that responsibility. I respect you again.

    As the acting duchess, I am in charge of this huge mansion (including the gardeners, the number of servants must be close to three digits..?) I was amoner in my previous life, so it¡¯s an incredible experience to me that I¡¯m still shying away from it like an American crayfish.

    I¡¯ll do my best for my brother!

 Chapter 58

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    The next day, Ekaterina spent the entire day with her Etiquette Teacher, training in the etiquettes of the royal family.

    Days flew by, and today was already the day before the royal visit.

    The vast rose garden of the Duke of the Imperial Capital¡¯s residence is almost in full bloom. The air filled with the delicate fragrance of the colorful and brilliant roses.

    In the midst of all this, the gardeners are busy making final adjustments. They rented roses that were past their prime with roses from another rose garden behind the mansion (brought all the way from the main mansion in the Duke¡¯s domain which is cooler than the Imperial Capital in order to adjust the blooming time), did final pruning, pulled out weeds, and swept the ground. There¡¯s a lot of work to be performed in order to get everything done today.

    One of the busy gardeners was tending to a deep red rose nted in a huge flower pot on the balcony of the mansion. He arranged the direction of therge, heavy flowers and removed any discolored leaves. The whole rose was made to look good, creating a beauty that was different from the garden¡¯s flower arrangement.

    ¡°My, this is lovely. Thank you for making it so beautiful.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Heeeh¡­¡­¡± (Gardener)

    The gardener turned around, thinking it was a maid, and his jaw dropped open.

    She looked like arge blue rose.

    She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

    Her glossy indigo hair tied up in a bun was luscious, and the nape of her neck was smooth and white. Herrge eyes were blue with a hint of purple, while her long eyshes must have been indigo as well. The plump lips with a smile drawn on them were very sexy. She wears gorgeous jewelry in her hair and on her ears. She is so slender that she looks as if she is about to break, but the richness of her features is so beautiful that it is hard to look away.

    And the color of the dress she wears¡­what kind of blue is that? Slightly bluer than indigo, like the blue of the deep, deep evening of the sky where the sun has just left, and the stars begin to shine. I wonder if it¡¯s a blue made just for this woman. How well it suits her.

    Oh, how he wished he could make a rose of this color bloom. The color of the blue rose that everyone has dreamt and fantasized about must be like this.

    ¡°I hope I didn¡¯t startle you. I¡¯m sorry to bother you.¡± (Ekaterina)

    With that, the gardener came back to his senses and panicked.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry that someone like me has ruined your sight¡­¡­!¡± (Gardener)

    The previous Duchess of Yurinova is famous for her unreasonable and unreasonable behavior. Whenever the Grand Mistress goes out into the garden, all the gardeners have to hide somewhere, no matter how busy they are.

    But the woman in front of me, who must be a nobledy no matter how you look at her, smiled.

    ¡°It¡¯s me who¡¯s sorry, please continue. Please forgive me for taking up so much of your time. Have a good day.¡± (Ekaterina)

    With her back turned, the Lady of the Blue Rose left.

    As if in a daydream, the gardener sighed.

    ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting.¡± (Ekaterina)

    Pulling the hem of her dress, she walked down the stairs from the second floor. Alexei and Knight Commander Rozen, who were talking downstairs, looked up at her and stopped talking.

    Ekaterina was relieved to notice the admiration in their eyes.

 Chapter 59

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    I¡¯m not sure if it was worth the trouble Cami and I went through.

    My brother, on the other hand, is wearing a knight¡¯s formal attire, which without hesitation, is even more gorgeous than the official attire of a knight.

    In the end, I ended up creating two dresses. The week after the meeting, Cami brought two preliminary sewing patterns. Since we had another event with the knights the day before the visit, we decided to order both dresses, since it would not be good to wee the royal family in the same dress as the day before. I knew that Cami was aiming for that.

    Both were in the standard A-line shape. The skirt was made less wide, and the hem was pulled back a little. The main color ispiszuli, taking full advantage of the beauty of the Heavenly Blue, with blue the color of the spring sky, and summer¡¯s zenith blue used only in some parts of the dress. The only difference between the two dresses was where the color is used and whether thece was white or ck.

    The dress I¡¯m wearing today is the whiteced one, with the color of summer¡¯s zenith blue peeking out under thepiszuli color on the skirt, and the blue of the spring sky on the sleeves and cor. On my hands are white gloves, and arge jeweled brooch on my chest.

    The gemstone is something that did not exist in my previous life. It¡¯s called the ¡°rainbow stone¡±. On thepiszuli-colored fabric, it emits a sparkling light©`©`<i>it¡¯s really glowing!</i>

    It¡¯s not like it¡¯s glowing, but it¡¯s as if a blue light is trapped inside while swirling around. The way it looks, it¡¯s like a rose of blue light is inside the stone.

    In fact, the rainbow stone itself is not so rare, and the ones that glow dimly are sometimes used as lights. However, such a beautiful stone is very precious and can be sold for a high price as a genuine gem. This stone, in particr, was highly rmended by Aaron, who said that we would never be able to find anything like this again. It¡¯s a museum ss artifact of a gem.

    The earrings are a pair of heavy andrge sapphires, it is an heirloom passed down from the Yurinova Family¡­I¡¯m afraid to think how much they would have cost in my previous life. Maybe even reaching a billion. Geez.

    The design of the dress was simple, but as expected of a gem of this ss, it had an incredible presence. How gorgeous.

    ¡­It¡¯s a simple and elegant dress, but it has a miscalction in which it clearly shows the lines of my body. If I wear this kind of dress with the shameful style of a viinous youngdy, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be able to get away with it¡­¡­Even though the dress does not expose my bosom or anything, it does give me a very sexy look, just like Fujiko Mine in a tight-fitting rider suit. I¡¯ve never seen a 15-year-old look so dainty.

    (E/N: Fujiko Mine is a fictional character in the manga series Lupin III. She¡¯s a professional criminal, burr and a trickster.)

    Cami seemed to have calcted those factors in, and so well at it and was thus very happy, ¡°The eyes of the imperial capital are going to be glued on you, youngdy!¡± I¡¯m sure she¡¯s very happy about it.

    No, I didn¡¯t ask for that, did I?

    Taking my hand as I descended the stairs, Alexei said sincerely.

    ¡°You¡¯re beautiful. You look like the Queen of the Night.¡±

    The queen of the night is the goddess of the night, also known as the ¡°spirit of the night¡±. Unlike the Europe of my previous life, this is a polytheistic empire, and although she is not a major deity, she is considered as one of the most beautiful goddesses.

 Chapter 60

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    ¡°Neither the light of a million stars nor the light of a full moon canpare to your beauty. I do not know who named it the blue of the heavens, but I am terrified that you might actually ascend to the heavens. Please don¡¯t go anywhere and stay by my side.¡±

    With that, Alexei kissed his sister¡¯s fingertips.

    ¡°Oh, my brother.¡±

    <i>That¡¯s my big brother. You have a thick siscon filter that beautifies your sister! </i>

    <i>And the rhetorical skills of the aristocratic men are surely amazing!</i>

    ¡°Mydy, you are truly beautiful. The Order of Yurinova was indeed blessed to be able to crown the most beautiful noblewoman in the Imperial Kingdom.¡± (Rozen)

    ¡°My, you¡¯re really skilled at this. Thank you, Sir Rozen.¡± (Ekaterina)

    <i>Does chivalry also include the art of sweet-talking to noblewomen? It¡¯s a knight¡¯s code of honor to be able to seriously admire beauty. Probably, that¡¯s why.</i>

    With Alexei escorting Ekaterina, Rozen led the way to a small room. It was an elegantly decorated room with dark green wallpaper and furniture.

    A person Ekaterina knew was waiting for her there.

    ¡°Youngdy!¡±

    ¡°Mardu-sensei!¡±

    The bespectacled and mild-mannered Anatori Mardu stood there, wearing the ceremonial dress of a member of the Order of Yurinova and holding a sword in his hand.

    (E/N: There¡¯s some misunderstanding with Mardu-sensei¡¯s gender so he was depicted as ¡°she¡± in the earlier chapters. Mardu-sensei is a man, we apologize for the confusion!)

    He then bowed profoundly to Alexei and Ekaterina.

    ¡°Thanks to you, I have been added to the glorious Order of Yurinova. I will never forget this great favor and will fulfill my duties with all my might.¡± (Mardu)

    Ekaterina was also impressed by his appearance. His spectacles and gentle tone made him look like a civil servant, but hisrge and strong physique made him look like a knight. Even though he was employed full-time, she was worried that going from tutor to knight might be too much change for a job, but perhaps this would turn out alright for the best.

    ¡°Well, sensei, it suits you well. I, for one, have been helped by your wisdom. I¡¯m d you¡¯ve decided to join our Order.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Yes, Ekaterina¡¯s fight against the magical beasts was excellent. I hope you can use your insight to improve the tactics of the Order.¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not. The youngdy¡¯s sess is due to her own great magical power and eager attitude to learn. I will do my best for the sake of the youngdy to whom I am greatly indebted, and for His Excellency Alexei, the beloved leader of the Order.¡± (Mardu)

    <i>Mardu-sensei, you fit in very quickly, or rather, your¡­¡­ knightly way of speaking is amazing. I¡¯m curious about his prior background before he became a tutor.</i>

    But then Alexei said.

    ¡°Ekaterina, did you know that Mardu was born in the branch family of Yurimagna and worked for the Astra Research Institute as a researcher? Magna has a very strong martial spirit, so even the schrs at the institute are trained fighters. He¡¯s also skilled in martial arts, and is the perfect person to be the Knight Order¡¯s chief strategist.¡±

    ¡°My, is that so!¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°I am embarrassed to say that Icked patience and ran away. In addition to picking me up from the brink of starvation, I was given a dream-like role to research the literature of the Yurinova family and use it to actuallybat magical beasts. I owe everything to you, youngdy. My wife and son are also deeply grateful.¡± (Mardu)

    Mardu-sensei is also going to do research on holy magic power for Flora-chan.

    <i>I just asked the teacher how to fight against magical beasts. I¡¯m really d that something turned out good.</i>

 Chapter 61

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    Apanied by Mardu, we moved to the Great Hall. In the glittering hall with huge chandeliers hanging from the ceiling and huge paintings on the walls depicting episodes from the founding of the nation, there is a g with the emblem of the Yurinova family and the g of the Yurinova Knights.

    In addition to the resident troops of the Imperial Capital, the members of the knight order who had been recruited from the dukedom to guard the city tomorrow were lined up in the hall. There were a total of about a hundred people. It is a spectacr sight to see knights dressed in formal attire and carrying swords lined up in a dignified and orderly manner.

    The total number of the Yurinova Knights is said to be around a thousand. In the past, they were the private army of the Yurinova family and spent all their time fighting against other countries and families. But now, after 400 years in the Imperial State, the country¡¯s domestic rtions with other countries have improved and be stable.

    Now, the main role of the Order is to clean up magical beasts, and since the Yurinova territory is inhabited by powerful magical beasts, the Yurinova Knights are renowned for their strength in fighting them. Also, saving people¡¯s lives when disasters ur.

    If it was in my previous life, it would be like a hybrid version of a special effects movie¡¯s security force and the Self-Defense Forces.

    ording to the regr schedule of the Order of Yurinova, they would select new recruits in April to fill vacancies, and then the selected knights would take the oath of allegiance on the day before March. The strong and cool knights on the side of justice are the object of admiration in Yurinova territory, and every year there is a rush of applicants.

    But I heard that in some other territories, knightly orders are not popr. It¡¯s either they¡¯ve be pawns of the lords who oppress the people, or they¡¯re useless money-grubbers and such.

    By the way, there are about 10,000 of them, and most are super money-grubbers. While the role of the Knights of Yurinova is to eliminate magic beasts, the main role of the Knights of Yurimagna is to crush by force any rebellion (or revolt) instigated by heavily taxed people, and they are generally hated by themon people there.

    ¡°His Excellency Alexei, Duke of Yurinova, and his sister Ekaterina, the Duke¡¯s sister, are here to see you!¡±

    Rozen said in a booming voice, and the knights cked their heels together noisily with fists on their chests, and bowed.

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    With Rozen leading the way, Alexei and Ekaterina stepped in front of the knights and faced them from a raised tform.

    ¡°Straighten up.¡±

    The knights raised their heads at Rozen¡¯s voice and looked up at Alexei and Ekaterina. The expressions on their faces as they looked up at the beautiful siblings were full of emotion and joy.

    Alexei was ten years old when his grandfather Sergei died, and thirteen years old when he first tookmand of a magical beast sweep. In that first battle, Alexei won the hearts of the knights with his magical power and bravery to kill the monsters by himself, and they admired his intelligence to always make calm and urate decisions.

    After the death of his grandfather, Alexei was practically the head of the Order, but his father, Alexandre, was the official head. Untilst year, it was his father who had taken the oath of allegiance from the knights here, while his grandmother Alexandra was thedy of the order.

    There was no way that the knights would support Alexandra, who entrusted dangerous missions to a young child and acted as the head of the Order only in safe and morous ces.

    Alexei, who has shared his life with the knights since he was a child, bes the head of the order in both name and reality, and receives the allegiance of the new knights.

 Chapter 62

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    The knights were all deeply moved.

    When Sergei died and Alexandre seeded the title, Anastasia, Alexandre¡¯s wife, was supposed to be the Lady of the Order. However, Anastasia died a horrible death after being imprisoned without receiving due honor.

    Ekaterina was a tragic daughter who had been treated atrociously by her grandmother along with her mother. This is what the knights had imagined.

    In addition, the story of Mardu, who came into direct contact with Ekaterina, has be all the rage. Like her brother Alexei, Ekaterina is brilliant, yet humble and kind. She always sends sweets to her tutor¡¯s young daughter which was such a kind of womanly concern. However, when a magical beast appeared in the school, she showed her dignified courage to fight it herself, allowing her ssmates a chance to escape from the carnage.

    Today, Ekaterina appeared in front of the knights for the first time, all dolled up and beautiful like a goddess, looking mature beyond her fifteen years. Who could be more suitable as the noble Lady of the Order? The hearts of the knights in attendance were filled with emotion.

    If Ekaterina knew the inner thoughts of those knights, she would have said, ¡°Excuse me! I¡¯m sorry for scamming you!¡±, she would probably scream with her hands on her head.

    Today, there are four people who pledge allegiance and offer their swords to Ekaterina, including the Knight Commander Rozen, the Deputy Knight Commander, and the two captains who havee to the Imperial Capital.

    Then, ten people, including Mardu, pledged their swords to Alexei and then to Ekaterina, as they were knighted into the Order.

    When a knight offers his sword, the recipient is supposed to take the offered sword and strike the knight on the shoulder with it.

    There are subtle differences in the manner of striking the knight, with some knights striking lightly, some striking just the shoulder, and some striking so hard that a bruise appears.

    <i>Yurinova is a light hitter. I heard that Yurimagna and Yurisein both beat their knights vigorously, but Yurinova was not suitable for the beating because Christina, the wife of Sergei, the founder of the order, was a kind and gentle woman.</i>

    Sergei seems to have been a devoted husband to his wife, and there was once an episode of his wife where a vassalined about the way she pulled her sword out, to which Sergei responded that he would be the one to beat him up instead.

    The Imperial Knights, the knights of the imperial family, are of the school that only applies it to the shoulders. It is said that this was simplified because it is thergest in the Imperial Kingdom and has many people.

    <i>Thank you, Christina-san. It is impossible for me to beat the shoulders of fourteen people to the point of bruising. In fact, swords are like metal rods. If you identally hit it hard enough, won¡¯t it break their bones?</i>

    <i>That is what I thought, but I heard that bone fractures caused by the impact of fighting spirit are amon urrence in knightly orders¡­¡­I¡¯m really d I¡¯m still just a child.</i>

    First, Knight Commander Rozen pulls his sword out of its scabbard, kneels down, and presents it to Ekaterina as an offering.

    The sword used by the imperial knights is saber-shaped and lightly curved, like a Japanese sword. About a third of the way from the tip is double-edged. It is a functional and beautiful sword that can be used for both cutting and thrusting.

    ¡°I, Efrem Rozen, Commander of the Order of Yurinova, dedicate my sword, the soul of a knight, to the noble Lady of my Order, Lady Ekaterina, with love and loyalty.¡±

    Ekaterina took the sword from Rozen and tapped the de on his shoulder as he recited the oath of allegiance. Then she uttered the oath.

    ¡°Ekaterina epts the allegiance of Knight Commander Rozen with joy. I thank you for your past work and look forward to your future diligence.¡±

    She then gently struck him on the shoulder with the t of her sword and held it in dedication before returning it to Rozen¡¯s hand.

    ¡°My Lady.¡±

    Again, holding the sword like an offering, Rozen bowed deeply.

 Chapter 63

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    ¡­Was thatst line part of the ritual?

    I¡¯m still a little nervous about having an austere old man like Rozen kneel down for me, it¡¯s both awkward and picturesque.

    It¡¯s a wonderful event that gets me super excited as a Rekijo (Japanese Female History Nerd). However, I¡¯m so nervous that I¡¯m already thinking that I¡¯d rather be an observer in the corner instead of being in a position to offer my sword.

    But that¡¯s not going to happen because I¡¯m my brother¡¯s sister.

    <i>Only thirteen more to go! Hang in there, myself!</i>

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    Despite Ekaterina¡¯s disappointment, the pledge of allegiance went without a hitch, and the ten new members of the Order officially became members of the Order of Yurinova.

    At the end of the loyalty ceremony, when Alexei and Ekaterina had left, and it was just the Knights, the new members were weed by their seniors and were told that they were envious to be able to offer their swords to those two.

    ¡°You must be tired, Ekaterina, you should go to your room and rest for the rest of the day in preparation for tomorrow.¡±

    Alexei told her as soon as they left the hall, and Ekaterina shook her head.

    ¡°No, brother. I¡¯m fine¡­just.¡±

    ¡°Just?¡±

    ¡°I realized something. I¡¯m¡­too weak¡­¡­¡±

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    <i>The sword was so heavy!</i>

    No, I think it¡¯s natural that it¡¯s heavy. It¡¯s a lump of steel with a de length of 80 to 90 centimeters.

    But I was shocked because I tried to hold the sword with the same feeling I had in my previous life, and was shocked to find that it was heavier than I expected.

    I think I would have been able to hold it a little easier in my previous life. No, I hadn¡¯t held a sword in my previous life, but I¡¯m sure I had more arm strength. Not only did I have more arm strength, but I also had more physical strength in my previous life. I was in the choir club in junior high and high school, so I had to build up my strength. I used to do a lot of running beforepetitions.

    ¡­¡­I don¡¯t understand why the chorus and brass band clubs are treated as cultural clubs.

    I¡¯ve been working in a ckpany, which I joined because I was physically strong, and I died of exhaustion because I couldn¡¯t get out before exhaustion overpowered me.

    ¡°That is¡­of course. As ady of Yurinova, you are not supposed to carry anything that heavy¡­I¡¯m sorry to put you through that.¡± ¨C Alexei

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry too, brother. As a nobledy of the Order, I just want to get my body and soul in good condition.¡±

    When I think about it, if I keep going on like this, there¡¯s no way I¡¯ll be able to train any physical or mental strength in this life. When I was imprisoned, I couldn¡¯t go out, and even after I got out of that state, I secluded myself, then even after remembering my previous life, all I did was escape by studying¡­¡­

    I, I think I should do something about it. We¡¯ll be having this event again next year after all.

    ¡°Brother, I would like to start doing some physical training, and I promise to do only what you consider appropriate for ady of Yurinova. Would you allow me if I do so?¡±

    ¡­¡­I suddenly remembered the other day when I decided to take advantage of the sickly setting in order to avoid being asked if I wanted to be an empress.

    I don¡¯t mind using the setting, but on the contrary, I really don¡¯t want to be seen as sickly! If I stay like this, just catching a cold or something would definitely cause my brother too much worry and trouble. If I¡¯m only sickly and fragile in my brother¡¯s eyes, but in reality actually a healthy child, that would be for the best!

    Yes, that¡¯s it! Now that I¡¯ll being to this duke¡¯s mansion every week, I¡¯d like to start learning something like horseback riding, vocal singing, or something that will train my strength within the ¡°eptable¡± ranges of a noblewoman.

 Chapter 64

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    ¡°As long as you promise not to overdo it, of course I don¡¯t mind. I think that would be very good.¡± ¨C Alexei

    Taking Ekaterina¡¯s hand, Alexei smiles. Ekaterina notices again the firmness of his hand as he works out every day.

    ¡°Big brother is very busy, but it¡¯s admirable that you work out every day.¡±

    ¡°The magic power wielded by the nobles is supposed to protect people from the dangers of the magical beasts. Yet, even though it is peaceful right now, it is our duty to train so that we can provide an armed force at any time¡­Oh yeah, there¡¯s also something that I want to show you. If you¡¯re not tired yet, can you please walk with me for a bit.¡±

    Alexei took his sister to arge room that contained a huge amount of armor suits. Armor suits of all kinds lined the walls, with spears and battle-axes stood erected neatly on what appeared to be storage stands. On the walls, swords were hung all around.

    Alexei picked up a sword disyed in the center of the room. The hilt was iid with precious stones and the scabbard was beautifully crafted.

    ¡°This is Lord Sergei¡¯s favorite sword, handed down in our family for generations.¡±

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    <i>Oooh¡­¡­The first sword. That is to say. The family¡¯s treasured sword!</i>

    In the stories from my previous life, I sometimes heard the phrase ¡°the sword of the family¡± used as a metaphor for ¡°the treasure of the prime minister¡± during the general elections. But this one is the real deal, an actual heirloom sword. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard of it.

    I¡¯m not sure what to say, but I¡¯m impressed with the dukes that have been around for four hundred years since the founding of the country.

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    Alexei held out the sword to Ekaterina in its sheath.

    ¡°Try holding it.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    She took it with great enthusiasm¡­

    Ekaterina¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°My, big brother, isn¡¯t this a little too light!¡±

    <i>What is this? It¡¯s much lighter than the knights¡¯ swords I just held.</i>

    <i>It¡¯s light as a bamboo sword, I think? </i>

    As if seeing through her doubt, Alexei took the sword from Ekaterina¡¯s hand and pulled the de out of the scabbard with ease.

    After four hundred years, the shining white of the de was exposed. It looked ratherrger and heavier than the swords of the knights.

    ¡°It is said that this sword feels lighter when held by those who have the blood of the Yurinova family, and heavier than a normal sword when held by those who are not blood rtives.¡±

    ¡°Amazing! There is such technology??¡±

    ¡°Actually, I think the weight reduction is activated when it senses someone with more than a certain amount of magic power. There is a rainbow stone iid in the hilt, and researchers once concluded that the rainbow stone is a mineral that condenses the magical power of nature attribute.¡±

    Alexei continues.

    ¡°In the Astra Empire, there is an old day tradition that it was possible to determine the rtionship between parent and child this way, but it is difficult to imagine that it can be done properly just by holding a sword.¡±

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re right.¡±

    Hmm, it was a bit disappointing, but the way brother exined it was logicallypelling. It¡¯s amazing that we can make a sword feel so weightless.

    By the way, my brother looks great holding the sword! The saber has a beautiful, warped appearance, simr to a Japanese sword. About a third of the de is double-edged, just like the double-edged tips of older Japanese swords. Yet, unlike Japanese swords, it is basically handled with one hand. I love the way older brother holds up the saber with one hand so effortlessly.

 Chapter 65

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    Alexei smiled when he noticed his sister¡¯s gaze looking at him with admiration. He took a few steps away from Ekaterina and readied his sword. He looked at the space in front of him.

    <i>¡®Ah!¡¯</i>

    Ekaterina¡¯s eyes widened when she thought she saw a magical beast simr to what had appeared at the training area in the space that Alexei was looking at.

    <i>Whoah! </i>And then, after creating a sword wind, the sword was swung down.

    The sharp sh of the sword struck down the head of the illusion of the magic beast.

    ¡°My, that was amazing, big brother!¡±

    Ekaterina couldn¡¯t help but apud.

    ¡°If that magic beast appeared, and brother had this sword in his hand, he would have been able to defeat it with ease.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡­You¡¯ve understood well. That¡¯s right, I¡¯ve thought about that magical beast just now.¡±

    ¡°After all, it¡¯s the safest to be at my brother¡¯s side. I know exactly what you mean.¡±

    Alexei smiled at his sister¡¯spliment.

    She then looked down at the sword in her hand and muttered.

    ¡°I am a Master of the Order after all, even though I am not a knight¡­¡±

    With that, Alexei dropped to one knee in front of Ekaterina, holding a drawn sword as an offering.

    ¡°Should any danger and harm approach you, I shall be your sword and shield, even if that would mean that I forsake the entire dukedom, my position as the head of the family, I would do anything for you are far too important of an existence to me that I would abandon even the world if the need arises. My Lady, Ekaterina, would you honor me to ept this sword and oath to you?¡±

    ¡°Brother¡­¡±

    Ekaterina¡¯s eyes widened at the unexpected words.

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    What should I do, my dear brother?

    A very handsome gentleman who is kneeling so devotedly in front of me is saying that he wants to offer his sword to me.

    <i>I¡¯m dying. I¡¯m going to die. My desire ising to kill me.</i>

    No, that¡¯s not the problem. Don¡¯t let yourself get moe bombed!

    ¡°No, you can¡¯t. Dear brother is the head of the family. As a younger sister, I am the one in a position to serve my dear brother.¡±

    ¡°Although I¡¯m the head of the family, I am stillcking in many ways. I don¡¯t feel like I can live without you, even though my entourage and my people support me so much. If you really do care about me, my welfare, me as a person, please ept¡­¡­this sword.¡±

    I¡¯m sure you¡¯re not the only one. I¡¯m going to die instantly from moe!

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    Boldly, Ekaterina received the sword. She ced the de of the sword against Alexei¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°I, Ekaterina, ept the Sword of Alexei, Duke of Yurinova, with love and loyalty. I thank you for the love and protection you have showered me, and I hope that we can continue to be together and support each other.¡±

    She gently tapped him on the shoulder with the de.

    After offering the heirloom sword as per etiquette, Ekaterina returned the sword to Alexei¡¯s hand.

    ¡­.But even as Alexei epted the sword, Ekaterina still kept her hand on it.

    ¡°Brother, please stand.¡±

    Alexei stood up, prompted by his sister who was smiling mischievously. Then, Ekaterina took the sword from her brother¡¯s hand, this time kneeling down herself.

    ¡°Ekaterina¡­?¡±

    ¡°Dear Brother, even though I am such a helpless person, I want to protect you in my own way. Therefore, please allow me to offer my sword to you, my dear brother.¡±

    <i>It makes me happy to be devoted to, but I also wish to devote myself to you! </i>

    <i>That¡¯s how I want it to be!</i>

    Ekaterina thought so.

    ¡°Ekaterina, but¡­..you are a noblewoman.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, I am a noblewoman. My dear brother, with love and loyalty, I offer you this sword. Would you please ept it as an expression of my devotion to you?¡±

    Looking up at her brother, Ekaterina smiled.

 Chapter 66

    Alexei looked uncharacteristically flustered, but soon enough, as if he had made up his mind, he took the sword from his sister¡¯s hand. He put the sword to Ekaterina¡¯s shoulder, who was bowing down.

    ¡°I, the Duke of Yurinova, Alexei, in deference to my Lady, ept the sword of my beloved sister Ekaterina, and in gratitude for Ekaterina¡¯s devotion, pledge to love and protect her forever and more.¡±

    With the t side of the sword, he lightly struck her shoulder¡­¡­except he actually didn¡¯t.

    That was not what happened. When Ekaterina looked up curiously to see what happened, her brother¡¯s hand had touched her cheek, and Alexei, who had bent down, kissed her forehead.

    ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡±

    <i>Kyaaaaaaaaaaa¡­ </i>

    <i>Live! Come on! Don¡¯t nk out! Get yourself together! Stay focused!</i>

    While she was thinking of that, Ekaterina was gently pulled up with Alexei taking her hand.

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    ¡°Brother¡­.isn¡¯t the way you just did that different from your usual manners?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t hit you. If I were to strike such a slender shoulder with such a rugged object, it would surely break. My heart would be broken if that happened.¡±

    He said in a troubled tone, and I felt as if my soul would fly out.

    I wanted to scream, ¡°You¡¯re so cute!¡± at the top of the mountains of the Alps! I want to shout it out to the Alps! I don¡¯t know why the Alps, but I just wanted to!

    I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m talking about!

    ¡°¡­¡­¡±

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    When she gestured for him to bow his head, Alexei seemed to think she wanted to ruffle his hair again, so he chuckled and bowed his head.

    cing a hand on his shoulder, Ekaterina instead nted a kiss on Alexei¡¯s forehead.

    <i>I¡¯ve done it!</i>

    Without revealing her inner thoughts, Ekaterina smiled leisurely.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that a tap on the shoulder is a good way to remember your vows. If that¡¯s the case, I think this will help me remember even better. This is the manner forward for the Duke of Yurinova¡¯s family, created by my brother.¡± ¨C Ekaterina

    ¡°Well, if you like it, it looks like I¡¯ve created something good.¡± ¨C Alexei

    Alexei bursts outughing in response.

    ¡°It is unheard of for a noblewoman to offer her sword to the head of the knight Order. However, your kind disposition, always wanting to give rather than to take nor be given, that is truly impressive and noble of you. Ekaterina, you are the noblestdy I have ever known.¡± ¨C Alexei

    The May sky was beautifully clear and blue.

    The rose garden of Duke Yurinova¡¯s residence was perfectly arranged, without a single leaf or weed, and the colorful roses were in full bloom. As a light breeze blew across the garden, the fragrance of the roses wafted in the air.

    A banner with the duke¡¯s coat of arms waved beside the knights on guard wearing their beautiful ceremonial clothes. The water gushing from the polished fountains glistened, creating a small rainbow.

    Ekaterina stood beside Alexei, waiting for the carriage of the royal family to arrive.

    In front of the main entrance of the Duke¡¯s residence in the Imperial Capital, in therge driveway wide enough to park several horse-drawn carriages side by side, a group of knights lined up in a neat row behind the two, holding up the national gs of the Imperial Kingdom and the coat of arms of the Duchies.

 Chapter 67

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    It¡¯s going to take a little longer for them to arrive. I know this because the cheers I could hear were still further away.

    It¡¯s not much of a distance from the Imperial Castle to the Duke of Yurinova¡¯s residence. It¡¯s roughly the same distance as from the Imperial Pce to the Akasaka Imperial Pce in my previous life. Come to think of it, the Imperial Pce in Akasaka used to be the location of the Edo residence of the Kishu Tokugawa family. I guess the hierarchy between powerful people will be the same even if the world changes.

    The annual visit to the three dukes is widely known among the citizens of the Imperial Capital, and people gather to catch a glimpse of the Imperial family on the way. The wide streets of this normally quiet neighborhood, lined with the Imperial residences of high-ranking nobles, were crowded with ordinary people on this asion. The Imperial family also waved at them as they drove their carriages slowly, so it took a long time to get around.

    In the first ce, the purpose of the Imperial Family¡¯s visit to the three dukes is to show the unity of the Imperial Family and the dukes. That¡¯s why they set up traffic control along the route to the destination in advance, ande with the Imperial knights in a grand parade-like fashion.

    In this way, the imperial family¡¯s intention is to increase the authority of the three dukes and give them the power to suppress other nobles, as well as to encourage a spirit ofpetition among the three dukes and deter the possibility of them joining forces to harm the Imperial family.

    The Yurigrand Empire has been in existence for four hundred years. This is a rare length of time in history for a nation, though it is due to a variety of factors.

    The Imperial family has maintained the government for such a long time.

    Even the three dukes, whose role was to protect the Imperial bloodline, were to be feared and respected.

    The cheers grew closer, and soon enough©`©`©`

    ¡°Ekaterina, can you hear me?¡±

    ¡°Yes, brother.¡±

    What I heard was the sound of a horn being blown.

    Alexei gave the signal, and the musicians of the Order of Yurinova raised their horns and blew loudly.

    During the founding of the country, when Piotre the Great, the eldest brother, and his three younger brothers, who wouldter be the founders of the Dukes, led their armies through the battlefields, they not only raised a visible banner, but also used their horns to blow a melody that they had set for each of them, so that they couldmunicate the location of their armies on the battlefield and cooperate with each other.

    Following this tradition, when the emperores to the dukes, he would have his knights blow the melody of Piotre the Great on their horns before they arrive.

    The dukes would respond with the melody of their respective founders.

    <i>Ahhhh, the History geek blood in me is boiling!</i>

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    Ekaterina, who had been reluctant to ept the royal family¡¯s visit, is now excited. The history of this world is also fun. The episodes of the four brothers during the founding of the empire were particrly interesting to her.

    The founding father, Piotre the Great, was a maxim who won the hearts of many generals, and as an individual, he was a legendary warrior with powerful lightning magic, as well as a man with vast political power. However, he was not good at leading individual battles, and he was often rescued many many times by his brother when he was on the verge of defeats.

    It was usually his second brother Sergei or his youngest son Pavel who came to his rescue. The third son, Maxim, was good at diplomacy and domestic affairs, but like his eldest brother, he was not good atmanding on the battlefield. However, Maxim was very ambitious, and many times he tried to conspire with Pavel to defy his eldest brother. However, after Piotre became emperor, he contributed greatly to the stability and development of the empire.

 Chapter 68

    Contrary to his eldest and third siblings, Pavel was a man of valor and was the best of the four brothers as a battlefieldmander. When he was young, he was violent, obsessed with strength, and made fun of intellectuals, but as he grew older, he came to understand the importance of knowledge. He always said that he had to improve his level of education, thus he started the Astra Research Institute to study hard.

    Sergei, the second brother, is an all-rounder with unbiased abilities. When the third son was about to rebel, Sergei persuaded him not to do so by knocking him down and was the one who restored the rtionship between him and the eldest brother.

    Piotre¡¯s trust in Sergei, who had never betrayed his eldest brother, was immense, but he relied on him so much that he threw everything at him, which resulted in two asions where Sergei was so angry that he threw everything away and voluntarily retreated to his own fortress. Both times, Piotre flew over and apologized, and they made up.

    ¡°Prince Sergei was more than just the right hand to Piotre the Great.¡±

    That¡¯s what one history book says. Ekaterina couldn¡¯t help but tough when she read that. The open-mindedness of the founding period of the country is somewhat simr to Japan¡¯s Warring States Period.

    ¡°Both Majesties have a friendly personality. Don¡¯t be nervous, act as you normally would.¡±

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    ¡°Yes, my brother.¡±

    The words were already repeated so many times, but it¡¯s still a very nerve-racking situation.

    <i>But I¡¯ll also do my best! Because my brother said that I look better in my dress today! Even if it doesn¡¯t really matter to me, that¡¯s what makes a girl work hard!</i>

    Today¡¯s dress also makes use of the heavenly blue ofpiszuli, but I made the front of the upper body the color of the spring sky andyered ckce over it. I added a modest ruffle ofce to the chest, and a rainbow stone brooch to the center of it.

    If I do say so myself, I¡¯m too into ckce for a viiness. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m saying this, but it looks really good on me. It¡¯s also more sexy. But I don¡¯t really need it, though.

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    Alexei¡¯s eyes widened when he saw Ekaterina appear after getting ready. Then, after having a rare thoughtful look of searching for the right words, he smiled a little shyly.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to sound foolish, but¡­¡­this is the first time I¡¯ve realized that men are creatures who feel empowered by the beauty of the woman beside them. If I could take your hand, I feel like I could do anything. You are beautiful. Even more beautiful than yesterday. I don¡¯t know much about women¡¯s clothing, but it seems to suit you better today.¡±

    ¡°My¡­¡­.I¡¯m so d to hear that.¡±

    <i>Hang in there, my knees! Don¡¯t copse ¨C hang in there!!!</i>

    Ekaterina smiled, hiding the fact that she was inwardly encouraging her knees which had already gone soft from Alexei¡¯s remarks to stay strong.

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    Yesterday I was able to get away with it, but today¡¯s destructive power is just too much!

    But what can I do when a man as skilled as my brother smiles so shyly? I just can¡¯t help it.

    <i>Anyway, thanks to big brother, I feel totally empowered! I¡¯m going to get through today and prove it!</i>

    Finally, the carriage carrying the royal family passed through the gates of the Duke¡¯s residence. It¡¯s a gorgeous carriage with magnificent decorations.

    <i>I mean, the horses are amazing</i>.

    The two horses pulling the carriage are not your average ordinary horses, but ¡°Krimov¡¯s Magic Horses¡± with the blood of a magic beast.

 Chapter 69

    The magnificent emperor¡¯s carriage is so heavy that if it was pulled by ordinary horses, it would only be able to move slowly to a crawl if they were pulled by six of them. However, these two horses can pull it with ease. At first nce, both were beautiful white horses, but they had silver horns on their foreheads, and their manes and tails were tinged with blue light. If you look closely, you can see fangs peeking out from their mouths.

    <i>Why fangs on a horse? Aren¡¯t they herbivores? Maybe they are not¡­¡­.</i>

    But that¡¯s what makes them so cool! The horses alone are amazing, so it¡¯s no wonder people are excited to see them.

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    The glittering carriage pulled up right in front of Alexei and Ekaterina.

    The emperor¡¯s attendant, dressed to the teeth, opened the carriage door.

    Alexei put his fist on his chest and bowed graciously.

    One step behind her, Ekaterina bowed deeply in a kneeling position, as graceful as a noblewoman.

    ¡°Alexei, I appreciate the wee. Make yourselffortable.¡±

    A resounding voice could be heard.

    ¡°So that¡¯s your sister there. I was hoping to meet her.¡±

    ¡°I am honored, Your Majesty.¡±

    Alexei takes a half step back and takes Ekaterina¡¯s hand.

    ¡°With your kind words, my sister Ekaterina is honored to meet you.¡±

    There was an uncontroble sense of pride in his voice. Held up by her brother¡¯s hand, Ekaterina stood up and raised her eyes from shying away.

    ¡°I am Ekaterina Yurinova. It is an honour to be granted an audience with you.¡±

    Although she was able to say it calmly, Ekaterina squeezed Alexei¡¯s hand.

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    <i>That¡¯s His Majesty the Emperor. The dignity and pressure is incredible. It was so amazing that I couldn¡¯t even say anything more.</i>

    The Emperor of Yurigran, Constantine Yurigran.

    He looks exactly like a carbon copy of the prince. I believe that he¡¯s about 40 years old, and I think he¡¯s the perfect example of what the prince will look like in the future once he reaches this age. This handsome man will be even more attractive the older he bes.

    His hair is the color of summer sky with a hint of white. His eyes are the same bright summer sky blue as the prince¡¯s, but his gaze is powerful and heavy. I wonder what kind of experiences he¡¯s lived through.

    Currently, the Imperial Kingdom is peaceful and stable. There is no doubt that this person is the most dedicated person in the empire to make that happen.

    <i>Thank you, Your Majesty, the Sage Emperor, whom even my brother respects.</i>

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    The emperor hummed and softened his gaze.

    ¡°Such a beautiful youngdy. I¡¯m so relieved to finally meet you and your brother, Alexei, and I¡¯m d you¡¯re on good terms.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m incredibly honored, Your Majesty.¡±

    Shaking Ekaterina¡¯s hand back, Alexei bowed and smiled as he locked eyes with his sister.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard about the magic beast. I was wondering what kind of tomboy you were, but I was surprised to see you looking sodylike.¡± (Empress)

    The Empress, standing beside the Emperor, called out to Ekaterina.

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    <i>I¡¯ve been hoping to meet you, Empress Magdalena!</i>

    Her hair and eyes are blue-green in color, the same as the coral reef sea, a very beautiful color. Her eyes were bright, and even though the corners of her eyes were creased with a smile, she looked young and didn¡¯t look to be the same age as the emperor. She is a beautiful woman with a dignified appearance. She¡¯s also unusually tall for a woman, not much taller than His Majesty.

    She is as cool as I imagined her to be! She looks like the kind of woman who can be a good boss. It¡¯s not that she has the same facial features, but she definitely looks like a former Takarazuka top star actress that I rather liked in my previous life.

 Chapter 70

    She is as cool as I imagined her to be! She looks like the kind of woman who can be a good boss. It¡¯s not that she has the same facial features, but she definitely looks like a former Takarazuka top star actress that I rather liked in my previous life.

    (EDITOR¡¯s NOTE: Takarazuka Revue is basically an all-woman Japanese version of an American Broadway theatrepany, read all about it in wikipedia if you want to know more)

    ¡°Ekaterina can be as strong-minded as her mother, you know. She¡¯s a sweet girl, though.¡± (Prince)

    <i>Hey, Prince, is that apliment or a letdown?</i>

    Having thought of that, my gaze turned to look at Mikhael whom I couldn¡¯t help but notice.

    <i>Ooh¡­the prince now really looks like a prince.</i>

    Come to think of it, I had only seen him in his school uniform. The school uniform is also nice, but it isn¡¯t regal. But today, they¡¯re wearing gorgeous outfits with gold braids or something, and their royal aura is in full swing.

    Mikhael was also a sight to behold.

    ¡°¡­Speaking of which, this is the first time I¡¯ve seen you outside of uniform. It¡¯s a nice dress, very mature, and it suits you well.¡± (Mikhael)

    ¡­¡­It¡¯s decent. A passable enough impression for a fifteen-year-old-boy. I guess my brother¡¯s ttery skills are still unrivaled, aren¡¯t they?

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not, Mikhael-sama is lovely too.¡± (Ekaterina)

    When I smiled, Mikhael blushed a little.

    <i>Sorry, please forgive me, I¡¯m a viin, I don¡¯t want to be rude, but sometimes I just have to.</i>

    But in his position, he¡¯s probably going to be seduced by an even more amazing person, so he should get used to it while he can.

    <i>In this world, where marriages are arranged much earlier than in my past life, aren¡¯t you already being targeted as a husband candidate? What are you doing blushing like this? Good luck, Prince.</i>

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s been another splendid year!¡±

    Empress Magdalena marveled at the entire rose garden that appeared after passing through the Arc of Vine Roses.

    The royal family and the siblings of the Dukes of Yurinova were now strolling through the garden. After admiring the roses, they had lunch together, which is their usual schedule.

    ¡°You seem to be doing well in the management of the mansion and the administration of the estate. You seem to be managing the another mansion and governing your domain as well.¡± (Emperor)

    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure receiving your praise, your Highness. We still have a long way to go.¡± (Alexei)

    Alexei responded to the emperor¡¯s words. As he had been Mikhael¡¯s ymate at the imperial castle since he was a child, the emperor knew him well and had high expectations of him.

    ¡°I met my grandfather¡­¡­the other day, His Majesty the First Emperor, and he asked if Sergei¡¯s grandson was well. He was very reminiscent of your grandfather.¡± (Emperor)

    <b>3rd POV </b>

    The previous emperor, Valentine, whom Sergei had served, was still alive, and the throne of the Yurigran Empire was basically passed down through session.

    Valentine was the younger brother of Alexei¡¯s grandmother Alexandra. He was intelligent, but sickly and timid, and was deeply grateful to Sergei for supporting him.

    He was a man who could not stand against his fierce sister, but he was concerned about Alexei after Sergei¡¯s passing.

    When the day eventually came for Mikhael to ascend to the throne, Alexei, like his grandfather Sergei, would serve as his vizier and minister.

    <i>When that happens, I¡¯ll be able to take over the internal affairs of the dukedom, and I¡¯ll tear down and rip apart my brother¡¯s ¡®overworked to death¡¯ g!</i>

    Ekaterina thought as she clenched her fists in her heart.

    ¡°Ekaterina, your dress is lovely. It¡¯s a beautiful shade of blue.¡±

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    <i>It¡¯s here!</i>

    My fist was still internally clenched when the Empress spoke to me.

    ¡°I am honored to receive such apliment from the Empress. Actually, we are using a new dye that was discovered in Yurinova territory. It¡¯s said to be cheaper and more beautiful than the usualpiszuli we¡¯ve been using.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Oh my.¡± (Empress)

 Chapter 71

    ¡°Oh my.¡± (Empress)

    The Empress¡¯s eyes glinted.

    She seems intrigued, but it¡¯s also obvious that she¡¯s trying to sell me something. That¡¯s because Her Majesty, the Empress, is also a skilled economic promoter, so she must be inundated with sales pitches for all kinds of things every day.

    The empress giggled.

    ¡°It is unusual for a youngdy such as yourself to value the products of her domain over a fashionable dress. It¡¯s a good mindset.¡± (Empress)

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid so. When I look at Your Majesty¡¯s attire, I am also fascinated by the beauty of silk fabrics from across the sea. I can understand why thedies who admire you are so eager to wear them.¡± (Ekaterina)

    Yes, I think so, without any ttery. The dress, made of silk woven with exquisite geometric patterns that resembled the Middle Eastern patterns of my past world, is absolutely beautiful! It perfectlyplements the Empress¡¯s already wonderfully feminine facial features.

    The Empress really reminds me of the top female stars of Takarazuka, so I¡¯m sure she¡¯s very popr among women. That¡¯s also probably the reason why women are very eager to wear the same dress. It¡¯s a fad.

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    The empress raised her eyebrows, and Ekaterina was about to crumble in disappointment, thinking that she failed to tter Her Majesty, when she was given a quick wink.

    ¡°That¡¯s a rather cute thing to say.¡±

    <i>A wink from a top star!</i>

    ¡°If it¡¯s blue dye, I think we can export it to the other side of the Mountain Range of the Gods. In those countries, the colours blue and green are often favored. For a desert country, colours that remind them of water and trees are very desirable.¡±

    ¡°Export! That¡¯s an interesting idea.¡±

    I see! Come to think of it, even in my previous life, I¡¯m sure that Middle Eastern countries liked the color green and often used it on their national gs. Plus, there were a number of mosques painted with beautiful blue.

    (Editor¡¯s note: A reference to Sultanahmet Camii a.k.a ¡°The Blue Mosque¡± of Turkey)

    ¡°Hohoho.¡±

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    The Empressughs, somehow enjoying Ekaterina¡¯s reaction.

    ¡°The unenlightened ones, though, sometimes reject the mere mention of a desert country, calling it barbarian or something else degrading. You, on the other hand, have a sparkle in your eye.¡±

    <i>No, who are they calling barbarians¡­¡­Just by looking at this weaving, you can see the height of their culture over there. </i>

    <i>From that point of view, the emperor is her nephew and the empress is her nephew¡¯s wife¡­</i>

    <i>That old hag¡­¡­no way, even the Empress is being annoyed by your wife, grandfather¡­¡­.</i>

    <i>Even when she be the empress, grandmother seems to still have her shadow tormenting and haunting them¡­..is that why¡­¡­</i>

    Ekaterina felt a pang of gloom as her mother¡¯s voice rang in her ears.

    ¡°Ekaterina, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    I came to my senses when the Empress called me.

    ¡°M-My bad your Highness, I¡¯m sorry for my rudeness.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. How are you feeling?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s just that I suddenly remembered my mother. I¡¯m sorry, but she was very close in age to you.¡±

    ¡°My, really¡­.¡±

    The empress sighed.

    ¡°Anastasia¡­¡­ I still remember her. She was a little younger than me, beautiful anddylike, the epitome of a noblewoman. I¡¯m sorry to hear about your mother¡¯s death. You are just like your mother. However, you seem to look much more mature and stronger.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you. Your warm words are soothing to my ears.¡±

    ¡­¡­This may be the first time I¡¯ve ever heard someone express regret about my mother.

 Chapter 72

    T/L: Yuki

    No, I¡¯m sure there were many such words at my mother¡¯s funeral, but I can¡¯t remember¡­a single word. The moment she passed away is the only thing that sticks out in my mind. After that¡­there were many flowers, many people, and the ceremony was grand and orderly. In the midst of it all, time passed in a blur, a mist, a shroud.

    <i>I¡¯m sorry I wasn¡¯t able to be of any help at that time, my brother¡­who was in charge of the funeral. I¡¯m sorry I made you face everything alone.</i>

    When I think about it, I¡¯m lucky to have my memory as a 30-year working woman back!

    Now I¡¯ll be entertaining the Empress, so to speak. I¡¯ve never been in sales in my previous life, but as a previous member of the previous society, how can I not at least be able to entertain guests?

    <i>Let¡¯s do this!</i>

    ¡°Your Majesty, regarding those so-called delicate youngdies you mentioned earlier. It is to my understanding that silk originally came from beyond the Mountain of Gods. If the people over there are truly barbarians as what thosedies think, then they would not be able to wear something as beautiful as this. After all, for this kind of fabric, you rather need some delicate dexterous, refined hands to process it properly.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Oh my, ho-ho-ho!¡± (Empress)

    Ekaterina remarked, causing the Empress tough for some reason.

    ¡°It is exactly as you said, and I also agree to that opinion of yours.¡± (Empress)

    <i>Ooh!</i>

    As expected of the Top Star of the Women¡¯s Garden, and it¡¯s even more awesome now that there¡¯s no olddy who dares to bully the young wife anymore!

    <i>So cool!!! She¡¯s¡­¡­she¡¯s like a cool Big Sis.</i>

    ¡°I¡¯m d to see that you and I are kindred spirits. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll have a lot to talk about together from now on.¡± (Empress)

    ¡°Yes! I¡¯m d to hear that.¡± (Ekaterina)

    After viewing the garden, we entered the mansion and had lunch served in the balcony overlooking the rose garden. The balcony was almost asrge as the entire plot of a one-room apartment wherepany workers lived in my previous life.

    Near the edge of therge balcony, the Yurinova Knights and the Imperial Knights are standing guard, alternately lined up with spears in their hands, looking like a neat row of gorgeous statues.

    Near the dining tables, waiterse and go, and sometimes a simple cooking table is brought in where the cooks entertain the guests by mb¨¦ing in front of them. There are also poison testers waiting at a small table some distance away, so there would be more space.

    (E/N: mb¨¦ing ¨C when the dish is doused with alcohol and lit with mes, typically done for dramatic effect)

    The weather was perfect for eating outdoors, with a fresh breeze carrying the scent of roses, and the atmosphere at the table was soothing.

    ¡°It is rumored that a powerful dragon lives in Sein territory.¡± (Ekaterina)

    The emperor asks Alexei if there are any problems with the governance of the territory, and he exins that the logging of building materials has been slowed down by the appearance of a giant dragon.

    The Empress spoke up when I told her that the dragon was an Ancient Dragon, the King of the North, who was also known to be the oldest being.

    ¡°The dragon of Sein is the dragon of the sea. They are called Green Dragons because of their shiny green bodies. Normally, they live in the deep sea and do not interact with people, but when people pollute the sea, they appear and destroy the cities in anger. However, when they change into human form, they are said to be the most beautiful people in the world.¡± (Empress)

 Chapter 73

    T/L: Yurika

    E/D: Spirit Song + Castle

    The Empress also follows with a story about a tradition in port towns dating back to the time of the Astra Empire, which is the offering of a ring to the green dragon during the summer festival. The chosen young man throws the gold ring into the sea and asks for her hand in marriage, saying these lines: <i>¡°O Beautiful One, I give you this ring as a token of my love and vow that it shall be yours forever.¡±</i>

    She also continued that if a young man is suitable in the eyes of the green dragon, they will appear before him in the form of a beautiful woman.

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    ¡°My, that sure is a romantic tradition!¡±

    Ekaterina can¡¯t help but exim in surprise.

    It¡¯s like the story about [Marriage of the Sea] in Venice in her previous life. There, the head of the city-state of Venice would say, ¡°I wed thee, O sea, so that you may be mine forever,¡± and throw a ring into the sea.

    As a result, after doing this for hundreds of years, it is now said that the sea level of Venice is rising year by year and the city will eventually sink into the sea, indicating the fate of a man who swore the oath and was captured by a woman with deeppassion.

    ¡°It is beautiful and peaceful to offer love instead of defeating it. I wonder if we could make peace with the Ancient Dragon by offering him an offering like that.¡± (Ekaterina)

    Ekaterina was hinting that it¡¯s a clue to trigger a hidden route to ¡®capture¡¯ d Fallen, the Demon Dragon King, a hidden character in the otome game who was also known as the Ancient Dragon.

    The Demon Dragon King, who she only saw on the search screen in her previous life, was a ck-haired, red-eyed handsome man. He was so attractive that for a moment, it made her want to ¡°attack¡± him.

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    I didn¡¯t want to attack him though, because my brother was more striking to my taste. I liked him enough to want to support him in life, even though he wasn¡¯t the target of capture and only said a few words beside the viiness.

    Anyway, the Ancient Dragon is angry because of the destruction of the forest, and now the Green Dragon is also angry because of the pollution of the ocean? Based on my knowledge from my previous life, it seems that these powerful dragons y the role of guardian gods that keep the Yurigran Empire sustainable. <i>Thank you for doing so.</i>

    ¡°I suppose even the sun woulde down from its heavenly throne if Ekaterina offered her ring and sought for love.¡±

    The emperor says with a smiling face.

    ¡°It is a great honor for me to receive such words from His Majesty.¡± (Ekaterina)

    The emperor¡¯s ttery skills are quite on par with my brother¡¯s. Though unlike my brother, even though it is clear that it is only a remark as lip service, but even so, it was still stylish. I guess he¡¯s been trained in this type ofmunication.

    I wonder if this is what the prince will be one day¡­¡­.m-maybe it is better if he stays the way he is.

    ¡°Whether it is an Ancient Dragon or the sun, I will not give my sister to them. Even if theye down from the heavens, I will challenge them to a duel.¡±

    Alexei said, muffled.

    <i>I¡¯m sorry about that, brother. I¡¯m sorry for turning into such a siscon for me.</i>

    ¡°Well, brother. If you want to fight a duel, I¡¯ll be more than happy to help you.¡±

 Chapter 74

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    Ekaterina said, and the entire royal family burst intoughter.

    ¡°That¡¯s very brave of you, Ekaterina, do you know how to use a sword?¡± (Emperor)

    ¡°Not at all, sir.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°I know how to use a rapier. I could teach you a few things.¡± (Empress)

    ¡°Great! I¡¯d love to.¡± (Ekaterina)

    <i>Her Majesty, the Top Star Empress, uses a rapier¡­that¡¯s a new door to moe! I want to see it!</i>

    ¡°Ekaterina.¡± (Alexei)

    Ekaterina came to her senses when someone called out to her in a soothing tone.

    ¡°Empress, thank you for your kind words, but my younger sister is physically weak, and I have made her refrain from strenuous exercise. After the entrance ceremony and after the appearance of the magic beast the other day, she has suddenly copsed many times.¡± (Alexei)

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    Oh no, they know what happened after the appearance of the magical beast!

    <i>Why though!?</i>

    Yes, on the day I survived the beast attack, Mina was waiting for me at the entrance of the dormitory, and I was about to go back to my special room when my¡­.consciousness nked out.

    I didn¡¯t get locked up like before, but when I tried to climb the stairs, I was so tired that I couldn¡¯t move, and I was carried in princess style again.

    <i>I wonder if Mina reported it. My brother is her employer, right¡­¡­.</i>

    But brother, this is a deration of non-participation in the next empress fight, which is in ordance with my request! Thank you very much!

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    ¡°Even after doing all that? Oh, I see, I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t notice at that time.¡± (Mikhael)

    Mikhael says, sounding surprised.

    ¡°She¡¯s a stubborn girl. I told her to take a break, but she still overworked herself hard.¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°Because I wanted to be by¡­¡­my brother¡¯s side.¡± (Ekaterina)

    Ekaterina said with an upward nce, there was a slight pause, and Alexei gave a small cough.

    ¡°Well, I allowed it, so it¡¯s not a problem.¡± (Alexei)

    <i>¡­¡­Their Majesties are looking at my brother with a very heartwarming look in their eyes. Brother, I¡¯m really sorry for making you show off your siscon side. </i>

    Ekaterina thought.

    ¡°I wonder if Magna also has a powerful dragon in their territory.¡± (Michael)

    Mikhael said, and Ekaterina was relieved that the subject had changed.

    ¡°Hm¡­dimir would know. Why don¡¯t you ask him?¡± (Emperor)

    ¡°I suppose so. I don¡¯t get to see him very often, even at the academy, but if I get a chance¡­¡± (Mikhael)

    Mikhael replied to the Emperor¡¯s words, smiling at Ekaterina.

    ¡°dimir is a wealth of knowledge, rather than just a poor schr. He has the memory to remember the literature he reads perfectly. He may not have enough strength to walk all over the territory because he¡¯s too weak, but I¡¯m sure he knows everything there is to know about Magna. He can even read old documents in thenguage of the Astra Empire as well as the Imperialnguage.¡± (Mikhael)

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    Eh¡­¡­dimir, the one who has been sarcastic in front of the prince before, is the legitimate son of Yurimagna? He¡¯s very handsome, but he¡¯s got a bad attitude..<i>.that¡¯s really him?</i>

    But then I remembered that my brother said he was an excellent person.

    He¡¯s also thin and a little unhealthy, like someone from a visual band. My brother and the prince, though slender, were well-toned and had a powerful air about them. But dimir didn¡¯t look like he had the kind of training that would allow him to run around in armor on the battlefield, even though he was the legitimate son of Yurimagna, who I¡¯d heard so much about as having a warrior¡¯s spirit.

 Chapter 75

    ¡°He was acting like that the other day, but he¡¯s shy and gentle by nature, and you know too, Alexei.¡± (Mikhael)

    ¡°¡­¡­people change overtime especially when something happens, that person also changed a lot.¡± Alexei says curtly.

    ¡°Seven years. I remember it well because around the same time your grandfather died, you couldn¡¯te to the Imperial Castle that much. dimir got very sick and didn¡¯te for a long time. After that, he changedpletely.¡± (Mikhael)

    Suddenly, Mikhael smiled.

    ¡°Another thing I remember very well, too. I was six years old, I think, when I first met dimir, who was seven, and it was you, who was eight, who held his crying hand and brought him to me.¡± (Mikhael)

    <i>Wow! What a heartwarming, cute episode!</i>

    ¡°It was the first time he came to the Imperial City, and he was bawling in tears that he was lost.¡± (Alexei)

    Alexei was still curt.

    Big brother, if that was a girl, that would be a g. It would be a first love g. It¡¯s a shame and a relief that it¡¯s a boy. But could it be a BL g¡­¡­it can¡¯t be, right?

    I don¡¯t know, but if that makes my brother happy, then I have to ept it!

    I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m talking about, but I¡¯m not going to get ahead of myself or go out of control!

    ¡°Giorgie is also a troublesome person, just like when he left his son for the first time in the Imperial Castle, the head of Magna has always had a habit of separating themselves from those closest to them.¡± (Emperor)

    dimir¡¯s father, Giorgie, the head of Yurimagna, was close in age to the Emperor, and like his sons, would have been a ymate when they were young. Now, however, the rtionship is not so close.

    ¡°Both Alexei and dimir are excellent people who will be responsible for the next generation of the Imperial Kingdom. Although they may have their own circumstances, I hope that they will cooperate with each other and serve the Imperial Kingdom.¡± (Emperor)

    ¡°I am honored, my liege.¡± (Alexei)

    At the Emperor¡¯s words, Alexei bowed his head in respect.

    The dukes had spent a great deal of time, effort, and money to prepare for the Imperial Family¡¯s visit, but the Emperor, who was extremely busy, would not be able to devote that much time to it. After lunch, they would return to the Imperial Castle.

    Outside the main gate of the Duke¡¯s residence, which was guarded by the Yurinova Knights and the Imperial Knights, the murmurs of the people were getting louder, as if they could sense the presence of the Emperor¡¯s returning.

    When the imperial family and the duke¡¯s siblings appeared at the front entrance, where the Emperor¡¯s carriage was waiting, a cheer erupted from outside the gate.

    ¡°Thank you for your hospitality, Alexei, it was well-deserved.¡± (Emperor)

    ¡°I am honored. I¡¯m sure the rest of the household is also pleased for the praise.¡± (Alexei)

    The Empress took Ekaterina¡¯s hand in both of hers as the two men exchanged words.

    ¡°It was a pleasure, Ekaterina, and I hope you wille to the Imperial Pce next time.¡± (Empress)

    ¡°I would be delighted, mydy. I¡¯d love toe if the opportunity arises.¡± (Ekaterina)

    Ekaterina shook the empress¡¯s hand back, as if they were close friends. Mikhael chuckled beside the Empress.

    ¡°Alexei, Ekaterina, thank you for today, I will see you at the academy.¡± (Mikhael)

    With Mikhael¡¯sst words, the family boarded the carriage.

    The carriage, pulled by a magical beast horse, began to move slowly on the signal of a high-pitched horn yed by a performer from the Imperial Knights, and then left the Duke of Yurinova¡¯s house.

 Chapter 76

    ¡°¡­The blue roses of Nova were quite beautiful this year. It was far different from what I had expected.¡± (Empress)

    ¡°Oh, it is unusual for you to be paying so much attention to that youngdy.¡± (Emperor)

    Emperor Constantine said cheerfully, while waving to the people along the road, as he had done on the way.

    Empress Magdalena, who was also smiling and waving, replied in an amused manner.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with liking her. You were also very chatty, weren¡¯t you?¡± (Empress)

    ¡°Yes, I was, indeed.¡± (Emperor)

    The empress smiled and then chuckled.

    ¡°Oh, that girl¡­! I¡¯ve never seen a youngdy so wide-eyed with interest and so eager to listen about customs duties and even shipping policies. Her understanding is so deep and wide after just a little exnation. As expected of Alexei¡¯s sister.¡±

    The Empress then excitedly exined that when the girl noticed the patterns on the dress, she was more interested in what country it came from and what culture developed it and also if it would look good on her, and she was also full of admiration for their skills and dexterity.

    ¡°If you want to impress the ambassador of that country, you should take Ekaterina to dinner with them. She listens happily and without prejudice to the stories of other cultures, and she has attained such insight at such a young age. I¡¯m sure she will impress the ambassador greatly.¡± (Empress)

    If Ekaterina hears about this assessment, she will bow deeply and say, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m not young at all inside.¡±

    ¡°Hmm. She¡¯s only been out in the world for less than a year, but she¡¯s made amazing progress.¡± (Emperor)

    Normally, Ekaterina¡¯s status could have allowed her to be in and out of the Imperial Castle since she was a child. Even her mother, Anastasia, should have been in a position to make a name for herself in the social circles of the Imperial City.

    And yet, she died without being seen for more than ten years. Her husband, Alexander, had spent most of his time in the imperial capital since taking over the dukedom, but nobody believed Anastasia when she imed that she was being treated with ill will.

    It was not hard to imagine that Anastasia and Ekaterina were living an unhappy life, unworthy of their status. The social circles had also cooked up horrible rumours that they had been locked up in a stone prison.

    But Ekaterina, whom she met for the first time today, is a bright and intelligent girl, full of spirit to assist her brother and make the duchy a better ce for everyone. Her strength of spirit is admirable. It was also funny to see Alexei, who was usually so stoic, show his soft expression to his sister.

    ¡°Alexei and Ekaterina, I can look forward to visiting Nova again in the future.¡± (Emperor)

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve been enjoying yourself more nowpared tost year, haven¡¯t you?¡± (Empress)

    The Empress smiled.

    As Ekaterina had imagined, Alexandra was not the kind of person who would bow down to her nephew¡¯s wife.

    Even before that, Magdalena and Alexandra were ipatible to begin with. There is Magdalena¡¯s coquettish way of speaking, her big smile, her connections to other countries, her manly skill with a rapier, hermitment to the economy, and her husband¡¯s stature.

    Alexandra denied every single one of them, spewing bile words such as ¡°You have no dignity ordylike qualities. You have no dignity, you have no elegance, you are the most unworthy person in the royal family. I¡¯m sure Peter the Great would pity my misfortune to have to educate such an unworthy member of the Imperial Family¡± despite Magdalena being the Crown Princess, and while sighing behind her fan covering her face.

    Although Magdalena also countered back with her own retorts, ¡°When did you be a tutor? You¡¯ve never realized the importance of working and earning your living, haven¡¯t you?¡±

 Chapter 77

    At the time, Alexandra¡¯s cronies were screaming at her, wondering how she could talk back to His Majesty¡¯s sister, even though she was only politely telling the truth, thinking that it was a fair reversal.

    Later, the Emperor, depressed by the loss of Prince Sergei, decided to abdicate, and Magdalena became Empress. She was an unpleasant opponent, even with her clearly superior status, but Alexandra¡¯s gradual loss of influence and irritation at Magdalena¡¯s denial of what she produced was amusing in its own way.

    ¡°But yeah, I will be looking forward to Ekaterina¡¯s future, although Elizabeth is a good girl too¡­Right?¡±

    Elizabeth is the daughter of Yurimagna, she is ten years old, she is trying to be liked by Mikhael, she is healthy, she is lovely to look at, she will probably also grow up to be a good noblewoman, but currently she is still very young.

    Her father, Giorgie, once ridiculed Ekaterina at a meeting of the Three Dukes in front of the Emperor, saying that Nova¡¯s daughter was sickly and had never been educated or had visited other families.

    Even if they are trying to kick down a rival, tantly demeaning an unfortunate girl lowers the stature of the person saying it. Mikhael¡¯s parents, and the family of Mikhael¡¯s wife to be, would be linked to the next Emperor. The next Emperor after him would be a rtive of Mikhael¡¯s wife¡¯s. It would be a shame if the head himself became a source of anxiety when he was trying to promote his daughter.

    The Emperor groaned thinking about this.

    ¡°However, what does Alexei intend to do with his sister?¡± (Empress)

    Alexei did not fail to understand the meaning of clearly stating [my sister is weak] in front of the Emperor and Empress. Being an empress and even a crown princess is a difficult position. Above all, in reality, her greatest duty is to give birth to an heir. Therefore, to have good health is a major requirement.

    Alexei¡¯s words were as good as stating that Yurinova did not wish to have Ekaterina to ascend as the Empress.

    ¡°Nova is all alone with those two now, isn¡¯t it? I wonder if he¡¯d like to put Ekaterina in a branch of the family to help leverage the whole house. Maybe he just doesn¡¯t want to let her go because she is so cute. But what does Ekaterina herself want?¡± (Empress)

    At this point,both the Emperor and the Empress; the husband and wife pair nced at their son.

    ¡°¡­Ekaterina is not interested in me.¡± (Mikhail)

    Mikhael waved a hand out the window without breaking into a smile, but the tone of his voice did not sound as nonchnt as he had intended.

    ¡°The first time I spoke to her, she looked at me like I was a caterpir. I even thought she might back away.¡± (Mikhail)

    Ekaterina waspletely aware of the fact that she was about to back away.

    ¡°I thought that might be the n, you know?¡± (Empress)

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen girls pretend to be unconcerned before, trying to get my attention. Girls are scary, aren¡¯t they? But Ekaterina doesn¡¯t seem to be like that. Even after the fight with the magic beast, she was so attached to Alexei that she forgot I was even there.¡±

    It was obvious that she had forgotten that he existed.

    ¡°I thought that she was indeed ady of Yurinova, she was calm and fighting in a defined way even though the appearance of the magic beast was so sudden, but then as soon as it was over¡­she cried a lot and clung to Alexie, as if she again had turned into a normal girl. When I praised her for her bravery, she also almost started to cry. That was¡­¡­a bit, adorable, though.¡± (Mikhail)

    The parents listened to their son¡¯s words, pretending not to hear what he was saying, as he gradually continued to talk to himself.

 Chapter 78

    ¡°To be honest, I¡¯ve never seen a girl who was as unique and extraordinary as her. But even so, there is no way that Ekaterina would want to marry me against Alexei¡¯s wishes. In fact, I think Alexei said that just as ording to her intention¡­ as expected, though, I don¡¯t think she needs to hate me this much.¡± (Mikhail)

    ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± (Emperor)

    It was Emperor Constantine who reacted.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s alright. There is still time before you graduate.¡± (Emperor)

    The heir to the throne of the empire would officially be the heir to the throne through a coronation ceremony after graduation from the academy. In many cases, the woman who is to be his consort would also participate in the crowning ceremony, andter be engaged and be the Crown Princess.

    ¡°Things change when they change. And so do the hearts of young people.¡± (Emperor)

    <i>¡®I¡¯m going to set up my own business association and do business. My dream is to have my own ship and sail around the world. Don¡¯t bother with a big girl like me, get another pretty girl as a bride.¡¯</i>

    The emperor and the empress both understand Ekaterina¡¯s intention.

    Mikhael inherited not only physical resemnce to his father, but also his father¡¯s temperament. He has also inherited a trait of a keen hunter; patient and persistent. He has the tenacity to chase his target, and will never stop until he finally grasps it within his hands.

    The royal couple clearly knew this, and was sure that as long as Mikhael wills it, he would most definitely take it upon himself to act on this matter.

    <i>Don¡¯t stir things up. (Emperor)</i>

    <i>I know, I know. It would only be counterproductive. (Empress)</i>

    Mikhael didn¡¯t notice that such a conversation was exchanged between his parents¡¯ gazes.

    ¡°Both of their Majesties are in a good mood. Thanks to you, Ekaterina.¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°I have nothing to do with this. It¡¯s only due to my brother¡¯s arrangement and everyone¡¯s hard work in preparing for the Royal Family visit.¡± (Ekaterina)

    After the emperor¡¯s carriage left the main gate of the duke¡¯s mansion, the two siblings exchanged such a conversation as Alexei¡¯s escort knights followed them back inside the mansion.

    Incidentally, the people who were waiting for the return of the royal family in front of the main gate were also admiring the Yurinova siblings, but neither of them noticed the cheers for them at all. They were siblings who were alike in a strange way, not really noticing the admiration for themselves.

    ¡°My lord, mydy, tea is ready. Please take a moment to rest.¡± (Graham)

    ¡°Yes, Graham, you¡¯ve had your work cut out for you.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Everything went well, as you¡¯ve done a wonderful job.¡± (Alexei)

    After congratting Graham, the butler, they entered a smallmon room near the main entrance. Ivan, the servant, and Mina, the maid, were both waiting there and proceeded to make tea for their respective masters.

    ¡°As my brother said, they were very friendly people. I had a really good time conversing with them.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°You and the Empress seemed to have conversed at great length.¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°I have heard many interesting things about her. Her Majesty is a very nice person. Perhaps it¡¯s because she¡¯s so close in age to my mother that I feel quite close to her.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°¡­I see.¡± (Alexei)

    Alexei smiles softly.

    ¡°His Majesty the Emperor was also in a good mood when he was talking to you, wasn¡¯t he?¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Yes, he has always treated me well. When he was still the crown prince, he would oftene to Mikhael¡¯s ce to impart everyone with his wisdom and gave pointers on swordy.¡± (Alexei)

 Chapter 79

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    His Majesty¡­ He must have been a good father. No wonder the prince grew up to be a good boy.

    On the other hand, my father was a lotus eater and a woman killer who didn¡¯t work, while Magna¡¯s father left his son to bawl on his own when he first came to the Imperial Castle, so I have a hunch that he¡¯s another irresponsible father too¡­

    I wonder if my brother ever wished for His Majesty, or the Crown Prince at that time, to be his father instead when he was little. The same goes with dimir-kun too.

    ¡°I was surprised at what Mikhael-sama told me about dimir-sama when he was a little boy. I¡¯ve heard that he used to be a very difficult person to impress.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Alexei dropped his gaze. He seems to be wondering how to respond.

    ¡°Well, brother. You don¡¯t have to force yourself to tell me.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s not that I can¡¯t. When we first met, dimir was indeed a gentle child. He was a bit shy, but he warmed up to me, didn¡¯t he? I thought he was like a little brother to me. He was also very intelligent and had a very good memory. At the age of seven or so, he could recite Astra¡¯s ssical poetry in no time at all.

    ¡­But I didn¡¯t see him for a while after his grandfather passed away, and when I did see him again, he would leave without answering when I spoke to him. Some time after that¡­¡±

    Cutting off his words, Alexei looked bitter.

    ¡°Somehow, dimir changed when he started apanying father often.¡± (Alexei)

    <i>Huh?</i>

    ¡°By father, you mean<i> our father</i>, Alexandre Yurinova?¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Yes.¡± (Alexei)

    <i>Yes, of course, there¡¯s no one else for him to call father. However, as if I would admit that I was his daughter!</i>

    I¡¯m not willing to admit and address that person as my father! Why should I acknowledge him as our father!? He even neglected his very own son, my very brother, and thus was left alone to learn everything all by himself!

    I know that my brother, his own son, has been neglected, but for that father to walk around with another child, no matter how mature my brother is, that would have been emotionally painful for him!

    <i>No, wait¡­that father¡­ he¡¯s a known cheater and yboy, right? A man like that would go to ces with professional women, like casinos¡­? </i>

    Is that even a ce where he can take children to?

    ¡°It¡¯s just what I¡¯ve heard from people, but it seems that sometimes they were in ces that were inappropriate for children. So dimir himself started to get some bad publicity. You know, it¡¯s not something ady should hear, so I can¡¯t exin the circumstances.¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°Yes, if that¡¯s what you consider it to be, then I won¡¯t enquire any further.¡± (Ekaterina)

    <i>I¡¯m sorry, but I can almost guess.</i>

    But what¡¯s with that father? He was having fun with another child while doing bad things and offending his own son. And how old was the child at that time? If it is true then what he¡¯s doing was definitely a form of abuse.

    ¡°In the first ce, Grandmother was close to Magna¡¯s predecessor. Her mother, the previous Empress Dowager, was from Yurimagna, and the previous generation of Yurimagna served her grandchildren, the previous Emperor and Grandmother, in a coddled manner.¡± (Alexei)

    Let¡¯s see, the olddy¡¯s grandfather, the head of Yurimagna at the time, pampered her so much. Maybe that¡¯s why she grew up to be like <i>that</i>¡­

    No, the previous emperor who was also subjected to the same treatment in upbringing was said to have been a gentle person, so I guess it¡¯s her own personal attitude problem after all. Yes, that must be it.

 Chapter 80

    ¡°That¡¯s why Father was close to Giorgie, the current head of Magna, for such a long time. In the years leading up to father¡¯s and grandmother¡¯s deaths, Giorgie would often visit grandmother. A lot of things changed when Grandfather died¡­ and that was one of them.¡± (Alexei)

    <i>Ahhhh¡­</i>

    My brother must have been so sad and lonely, mourning the loss of his respected grandfather, the only one in the family who showered him with love.

    The old woman started to do whatever she wanted, unscrupulous shrewd old men kepting into the house, the kids he thought were his friends stopped talking to him, and his father, who never paid attention to him, was frolicking around with other children.

    I think he must have felt very isted. It would have felt to him like his home is no longer his own.

    <i>I can¡¯t do this. It¡¯s not something I can forgive.</i>

    <i>I¡¯m sorry, BL gs. I¡¯m sorry I thought of something stupid like that. It was a story with deeper roots than I expected.</i>

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    Without thinking, Ekaterina took her brother¡¯s hand and sped it with both of hers.

    ¡°Brother¡­, I am sorry for your loss. It¡¯s a good thing that even when you were just a child, you fought to protect Yurinova. Although I am inexperienced, I will work hard and support you to the best of my ability. This, I promise you.¡±

    Alexei¡¯s eyes widened, then he smiled and gently squeezed his sister¡¯s hand in return.

    ¡°I am happy, Ekaterina, because Heaven gave you to me as a gift. It is my greatest honor and blessing to have this gift, as you are so beautiful and kind, mydy.¡± (Alexei)

    <i>¡­.No, it¡¯s not such a big deal. Sorry, you were more of a gift to me than I am to you, brother. Afterall, before this, I¡¯m just someone who¡¯s been admiring you ever since from my previous life~</i>

    ¡°Ekaterina.¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°Yes, brother.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Your mother¡­what was she like?¡± (Alexei)

    Ekaterina gulped.

    It was the first time her brother had ever asked her about her mother. He had once apologized for her death, but after that, this topic was never brought up again, as if it had been intentionally avoided.

    Ivan and Mina, who had been silently following the two, looked at each other for a moment in understanding then they bowed and stepped back gently.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Mother is¡­¡± (Ekaterina)

    Ekaterina¡¯s memories of her childhood came flooding back.

    ¡°She was a beautiful,dylike person.¡± (Ekaterina)

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    Her Majesty the Empress mentioned that mother was the epitome of a noblewoman. Now that I think about it, she really is. She was quiet and gentle¡­

    ¡°Yes, she was fond of embroidery. She was always doing needlework in the sunroom. She also liked to draw, and she was a good piano yer. When I was a little girl, I used to sing the songs she taught me while she yed the piano.¡± (Ekaterina)

    <i>Yes, when I was little.</i>

    The piano has long since disappeared.

    The embroidery¡­ the thread and needles are gone, as well as the elegant sewing box that my mother used to use. The paints, the brushes¡­

    Mother was still kind to me, but she became depressed and eventually fell ill and fell asleep often until the one time she never woke up.

    All the pleasant things disappeared as it gradually faded into memory.

    ¡°Sometimes¡­ she talks about big brother. Telling me that I have a brother, and that he will be a wonderful gentleman¡­Mother¡¯s voice was so soft and gentle when she talks about it.¡± (Ekaterina)

    <i>I wasn¡¯t lying. It¡¯s true that mother mentioned that many times.</i>

 Chapter 81

    <i>I wasn¡¯t lying. It¡¯s true that mother mentioned that many times.</i>

    But what mother repeatedly told me, to her young daughter, was;

    <i>¡°Your father is a very nice man. He has a beautiful, handsome face, is tall, and excels in his studies and athletics. Above all, he is a very kind man, and he says a lot of nice words that make me feel enchanted¡­</i>

    <i>At that time, there was not a single girl in the Academy who did not admire him. When I found out that he was going to marry me, I thought I was dreaming. I can¡¯t see him now, but I¡¯m sure he¡¯lle for you if you¡¯re a good girl and wait long enough for him.</i>

    <i>Oh, yes, you have a brother. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll grow up to be a fine gentleman, just like his father.¡±</i>

    I don¡¯t think that she had given much thought, affection nor concern for her son¡¯s welfare, who was separated from her the moment he was born. Instead, she was actually still reminiscing about her ¡®dear husband¡¯ whom she loved and adored greatly.

    Now that I think about it, if only grandfather had advised his son¡¯s wife to live in the Imperial Capital instead of the Duke¡¯s domain, she would probably have had a better chance of entering the nobility social circles and people would surely know about her. If only he had done that, his son would not have been viewed as so capricious under the public¡¯s eyes.

    But mother would have probably refused to do so. As a wife, she most definitely would wish to stay close to her husband and wait for the day when he would return to her. Mother was a maiden who fell in love with the man of her dreams, and she was also an example of a noblewoman who obediently believed in and loyally, lovingly followed her husband.

    ¡­Even then, the oue was that no good bastard of a husband never even once returned to her.

    After she fell into a bedridden state, she no longer talked about her husband. Instead, she prattled on about how she wanted her daughter to be an empress. In the end, she died hallucinating that her son, whom she had never met before, would grow up to be simr to her husband.

    It¡¯s just like ¡®Asakaya Ga Yado¡¯ of ¡®Amegatsu Monogatari¡¯. A wife waited for her husband in the midst of war. The next morning, he returns home wanting to spend the night with his wife, only to wake up and find his house in ruins and his wife buried in a grave.

    What if mother was not such an epitome of a noblewoman? What if she had a firmer character just like the Empress? I wonder if she would have been able to gather her courage to face her mother-inw and live with her own family.

    However, it¡¯s easy to think of such ¡®what if scenarios¡¯ that could¡¯ve given mother a chance to live better¡­<i>but in fact, I still knew how difficult it truly is in reality. </i>

    The situation is not the same aspared to Japan in the 21st century. Here, a noblewoman is not allowed to choose her own marriage partner, there is no option for her to work and live on her own. That¡¯s how this world works. It is admirable to think of the Empress, such a rare woman, who despite having been exposed to a lot of criticism, still stood her ground with courage and has not abandoned her principles.

 Chapter 82

    T/L: Yumiko

    <i>I know, but¡­it¡¯s just¡­</i>

    <i>I wish there were more things I could have shared with my brother.</i>

    <i>I wish I could have told him that mother was always thinking about him.</i>

    His mother lived a short but peaceful life and had her fair share of fun, so he didn¡¯t have to suffer from the thought that his mother had died miserably.

    <i>I wish I could have said that to him.</i>

    I wish I could have told him that, even if it was a lie, but I¡¯m sure my brother, who is intelligent, would have understood without a fuss. And he¡¯ll cajole himself a little to believe and pretend that he¡¯s happy with the lie.

    <i>I can¡¯t let him do that. I mustn¡¯t tell my brother a lie. </i>

    That¡¯s what I think, somehow.

    ¡°Ekaterina¡­I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry for asking you such a painful question. That¡¯s enough, so please don¡¯t cry. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t crying.

    However, when he hugged me, only then I realized that I had streams of tears flowing down my cheeks.

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    Oh, the fifteen-year-old Ekaterina is crying. It¡¯s been a while since she has cried.

    ¡°¡­There¡¯s nothing painful about it. I¡¯m happy. I¡¯m very, very happy to have you here with me, my brother.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m happy too, because you¡¯re here. You¡¯re so sweet, my goddess. My Queen of the Night. If you cry, the stars will be sad and drift away and fall. So please, please don¡¯t cry.¡± (Alexei)

    Ekaterina put her arms around her older brother¡¯s muscr body as he whispered, and hugged him. Her brother must have been so sad when he heard about his mother. No matter how mature he was, this man was still a child. He was a strong child who had fought entirely alone since he was only ten years old to protect everything his grandfather had left behind.

    Seventeen and fifteen years old.

    Two orphans, burdened with a vast dukedom, immense wealth, and a famous family with 400 years of history.

    A woman who once had passed away at the age of twenty-eight sighed for the fate of the siblings, who wereforting each other, as she stood in a void away from her own self in this life.

    ¡­

    In the The Duke of Yurimagna¡¯s residence in the Imperial Capital¡­

    Of the three major dukes, or rather all of the powerful noble families that have mansions in the Imperial Capital, Yurimagna¡¯s mansion is thergest and most expansive. This is because theplex also houses arge knight¡¯s quarters, a training hall, and a library that holds one of the most extensive collections of rare books in the Astra Empire.

    In the early days of the Empire after its founding, Yurimagna was prosperous. Its territory was the vast ins andkes in the east. The ins were covered with arable farnd from that time.

    Piotre the Great, the founding father of the country, gave his youngest brother, Pavel, the founder of Yurimagna, a territory that was easy to govern. It was a reward for his outstanding military prowess, which had often saved his brother¡¯s life, and was also a consideration for his younger brother, who was not so good at handling internal affairs.

    Pavel was so gratified that he reaffirmed his loyalty to the Great Emperor. In order to pass on his gratitude to his descendants, he passed down the family tradition: As long as the Yurimagna family continued to exist, they would continue to support the Imperial family with their military prowess.

    In addition, they learned from the wisdom of the ancients and their sessors further groomed themselves on human qualities, rather than focusing only on martial arts.

    Because of this family tradition, Yurimagna has been able to maintain the great order of knights that it was founded upon. That includes Astra Imperial Research Institute, which was established by the Founder.

    The funds needed for these were generated by the vast farnds of the estate.

    About four hundred years have passed since then.

 Chapter 83

    When dimir entered the head of the family¡¯s office, his father Giorgie was shouting something at the butler.

    ¡°You wanted to see me, Father?¡±

    ¡°Oh dimir!¡±

    Giorgie bellowed as he turned to his son. His muscr body, which seemed to be twice the size of his thin son¡¯s, was trembling in rage.

    ¡°I hear that young Alexei has dismissed the Lady¡¯s servant again! I¡¯ve known him since he was a mere child, but how dare he be so impudent? I feel sorry for the Lady!¡± (Giorgie)

    The ¡®Lady of the House¡¯, as Giorgie called her, was of course referring to Alexei¡¯s grandmother, Alexandra.

    ¡°Recently, both Nova and Sein have been disrespecting the royal family. The only one who has remained truly loyal is my Magna. My family must correct this misgivings¡­¡± (Giorgie)

    ¡°So, the dismissed servant hase to you again, asking to be hired?¡± (dimir)

    dimir interrupted his father¡¯s speech with a cold voice. Giorgie looked annoyed, but nodded.

    ¡°Yes. Do something about it.¡± (Giorgie)

    ¡°What do you want to do, Father? Do you want to hire her?¡± (dimir)

    Giorgie¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.

    ¡°Nonsense! The problem is that the servant is still alive. Why didn¡¯t she sacrifice herself when thedy was killed? Isn¡¯t she disloyal? There is no way I would hire such a person!¡± (Giorgie)

    ¡°I understand. Then I¡¯ll give instructions to them so¡­ Zahar, understand?¡± (dimir)

    ¡°Yes, of course.¡± (Zahar)

    Zahar, the butler, bowed.

    Giorgie clicked his tongue a little in distaste.

    ¡°If she can¡¯t even sacrifice herself, at least have the guts to avenge her master. Until she runs a sword through the young man who killed the Lady, she shouldn¡¯t be allowed to close her eyes with such disloyalty¡­¡± (Giorgie)

    ¡°Father?¡± (dimir)

    ¡°Hmm. No one has noticed the truth yet, but he can¡¯t fool my eyes. It was too unusual for a healthydy to suddenly pass away. It¡¯s not only thedy, but also Alexandre, who was said to have had an ident, but no details were given. The ruthless Alexei hadmitted the great crime of killing his parents. I¡¯m sure of it.¡± (Giorgie)

    ¡°Father¡­how could you speak of such things?¡± (dimir)

    dimir¡¯s tone is cold.

    ¡°It is very unlikely that Alexei had harmed Lady Alexandra, because Alexei went through the trouble of requesting that Lady Alexandra¡¯s remains be buried in the Imperial mausoleum.¡± (dimir)

    Originally, the remains of the surrendered Alexandra should have been buried in the mausoleum of her bridegroom, the Duke of Yurinova. However, Alexei requested that she be buried in the Imperial mausoleum because her grandmother¡¯s pride as an imperial princess was the most important to her until the end. The Emperor Constantine also acquiesced to this request.

    However, Alexei probably harboured the intent to not have wanted to put his grandmother to rest beside his grandfather who was lying in his own mausoleum.

    ¡°A dead body is the greatest evidence. If you have harmed them, there will be some kind of traces. If Alexei hadmitted a crime, he would have buried Lady Alexandra in Nova¡¯s mausoleum. He is not the kind of person who would give away his weaknesses on his own.¡± (dimir)

    ¡°¡­There will be times when there will be no traces of any evidence left behind.¡± (Giorgie)

    Giorgie¡¯s voice was low and somewhatced with amusement.

    dimir gazed at his father¡¯s eyes. They should have been grayish green, but now they are bright green. At this moment, there is a light that dwells within them.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± (dimir)

    ¡°Uh¡­uh¡­no.¡± (Giorgie)

    Giorgie looks away from his son, but then nces back at him.

    But by then, dimir had turned his gaze to his desk.

    ¡°I see that your work is not progressing.¡± (dimir)

    The papers were piled high on arge desk made from a huge, expensive ebony tree that had been used by the head of Yurimagna for generations.

 Chapter 84

    E/D: Castle

    T/L: Yuki

    Giorgie immediately threw a fit.

    ¡°Shut up! What do you know, it¡¯s all about money! This costs money, that costs money, the people have to pay taxes¡­all this boring stuff is choking me! I don¡¯t want to see my proud Magna talk about debts! You¡¯ve got to do something about this!¡± (Giorgie)

    ¡°It¡¯s already been made so that all you have to do is sign. I¡¯ll go take care of my own share of business, Zahar.¡± (dimir)

    ¡°Yes, Young Master. Your Excellency, please excuse me.¡± (Zahar)

    The butler who bowed in haste leaves the office, following dimir who quickly turned to leave with a stern look.

    A dull echo of something being thrown against the wall resounded behind him.

    dimir breathed a sigh of relief as he exited the office.

    <b>dimir¡¯s POV</b>

    <i>Father is always like that.</i>

    That doesn¡¯t mean my father is ipetent. In fact, hemands enormous loyalty and support from the knights, is a graduate of Astra Studies, and is able to control even a messy branch of the family. The only person who can keep the swollen Yurimagna together in line is definitely my father, Giorgie.

    However, he has a dangerous sense of self-righteousness, making decisions on whims based on his likes and dislikes.

    He also had a bad habit of promising things on the spur of the moment. At Alexandra¡¯s funeral, my father had probably pped his chest and told the servants toe to him if they were in trouble. But in fact, he actually never wanted to personally deal with anything if they asked him for help. Instead, he would let others deal with it because it would not make him look good if he refused it himself. That¡¯s the kind of person he is.

    ¡°Young Master, are you feeling unwell?¡± (Zahar)

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    Zahar looks at dimir with concern. He is an old butler, over seventy years old, whose hair and eyebrows have turned white, and whose once straight posture has even slumped. He had already handed over his main duties to his sessor, but he was fiercely loyal to dimir, and he was determined to continue serving him.

    ¡°This old man will deal with the dismissed servants. Please take a rest in your room. It is distressing that you have to work so hard on your days off.¡± (Zahar)

    ¡°I can only do it on my days off. It would be nice if we could set up an office at the school and do some clean up work every day¡­¡± (dimir)

    Just like what Alexei is doing.

    The ounts of him renting an office in the academy as soon as he entered the academy, for the purpose of his duties in governing the dukedom is well known to some people. He did it with impunity even when his father, Alexandre, was still the duke. It was an attempt to let people know that he was in charge of the affairs of the dukedom, and to dere that he was the actual acting duke.

 Chapter 85

    T/L: Yurika

    E/D: Castle

    Alexandre, who continued to indulge in debauchery even after his son hade out that way, might even be said to be blessed.

    But dimir¡¯s father, Giorgie, was not like Alexandre. He turns away from work that he does not want to do, and it is true that his subordinates, troubled by the slowdown in business, turn to dimir for counsel, and his son passes judgment on them. However, if this matter were to be exposed to the outside world, the Duke would be angry, believing that he is the sole person who holds all the power in Yurimagna, and should be the only person recognized with authority.

    The number of financial-rted matters his father hated to deal with would only increase, and the burden that falls on his shoulder would only continue to be heavy.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m in bad shape. But I¡¯ll take care of the personal matters first. I¡¯d like to go to the library to do some research.¡± (dimir)

    ¡°Please leave it to me. But it¡¯s still cold in the library. This old man will bring you your books. Please stay warm in your room.¡± (Zahar)

    ¡°I wanted to check out some restricted books. They can¡¯t be taken out by you.¡± (dimir)

    ¡°Then at least bring a jacket. This old man shall bring it right away. And you¡¯d better take some hot water. You haven¡¯t had lunch, so I¡¯ll also bring you something to eat.¡± (Zahar)

    dimir finally chuckled at the overprotective and meticulous old man.

    ¡°I¡¯ll bring you a jacket, then I¡¯ll also bring you some hot water.¡± (Zahar)

    ¡°¡­All right. I¡¯ll wait in the cloister.¡± (dimir)

    Standing in the corridor connecting the ducal residence and the library, dimir looked at the garden.

    The flower representing the Yurimagna is the Daffodil. In thete winter and spring season, the garden blooms into magnificence. Various kinds of daffodils bloom all over the ce, filling the air with their limpid fragrance. There is a corner in the garden where the colors of the flowers match the colors of the coat of arms of other duchies, and in another corner, the colors of daffodil resemble the colors of the national g of the empire. There are many exquisite and precious varieties of daffodil found only here.

    For now, however, there are only lush, green leaves. The garden is just a ce for the daffodils to bloom for the day when the royal family will be weed. During other seasons, there is nothing to see but the fountain.

    And this garden is quiet. There is no sound of birdsong nor the buzzing of insects¡¯ wings. Birds rarely peck at the daffodil leaves, and insects rarely eat them.

    This is because daffodils are poisonous nts.

    All parts of the nt, flowers, and leaves, are poisonous. The poison of the bulb is particrly strong. If you eat it, you will die.

    There is a legend about daffodils in the Imperial Kingdom.

    The daffodil nymph was a beautiful woman who, when her lover changed his mind and said goodbye to her, offered him a golden cup and wished to have ast drink with her. The golden cup was actually a yellow crown in the center of a daffodil flower, and the two died together from the poison of the daffodil.

    The daffodil is a flower that signifies undying love, but it is not rmended to be given to a lover.

    It is the flower of a single-minded, deadly love.

    Turning his sight away from the garden, dimir looks to the north.

    At this time of year, the garden in Yurinova must be very beautiful.

 Chapter 86

    T/L: Yumiko

    E/D: Castle

    It was in the shade of the steps of the Imperial Pce that he first met Alexei.

    He had been taken to the Imperial Pce to y with His Highness the Prince, but his father, who encountered someone he knew, had instead told him to go to His Highness all alone by himself and left him there and then.

    He knew all he had to do was ask someone for directions. Still, he was sad because it made him realize how insignificant he was to his father. At that time, he thought that it was his fault that he was born in a state that was not in ordance with his father¡¯s will, and he felt as if he had been abandoned. So he hid behind the stairs and cried.

    [shback]

    <i>¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± </i>

    <i>Someone called out to him, and he was scared he¡¯d been found out. However, he was slightly relieved upon hearing that it was a child¡¯s voice.</i>

    <i>It was an older boy with light blue hair, light blue eyes and a beautiful face. dimir was surprised by the brightness of his light blue eyes. He had never seen such striking eyes before.</i>

    <i>¡°I¡¯m Alexei Yurinova. You are¡­?¡± </i>

    <i>¡°I am¡­ dimir Yurimagna¡±</i>

    <i>¡°If you¡¯re dimir, Magna¡¯s son, you¡¯vee to the Imperial City to visit Mikhael-sama. What are you doing here instead?¡± </i>

    <i>He said it in a strong tone, which made it difficult for him to reply. dimir knew it would embarrass his father if he said that his father had left him to fend for himself, leaving him alone in such a vast pce.</i>

    <i>¡°¡­I¡¯ve never been here before.¡± (dimir)</i>

    <i>When he said that, Alexei was convinced that he was lost.</i>

    <i>¡°¡­Mikhael-sama is over there.¡± (Alexei)</i>

    <i>Alexei tried to walk away. But the tearful dimir hesitated, not wanting to step out from behind the stairs.</i>

    <i>Just then, Alexei turned around and looked at dimir closely.</i>

    <i>¡°Are you afraid of me?¡± (Alexei)</i>

    <i>¡°Eh?¡± (dimir)</i>

    <i>¡°Sometimes people say I¡¯m scary or harsh. They say I have a bad eye color. If you don¡¯t like me, I¡¯ll get someone else to apany you instead.¡± (Alexei)</i>

    <i>Later, dimir would know exactly who said those words.</i>

    <i>This time, however, he stared mesmerized at the color of Alexei¡¯s eyes, and suddenly blurted out a poem from his memory.</i>

    <i>¡°At theke on the mountain that reflects only the blue of the sky</i>

    <i>The temple has sunk.</i>

    <i>The pale blue of theke is clear and brilliant, </i>

    <i>The water¡¯s surface gleams in the sun like a vine.¡±</i>

    <i>As expected, Alexei¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief.</i>

    <i>¡°What? That is¡­¡±</i>

    <i>¡°It¡¯s a poem from the Astra Empire. Torres, a traveling poet, found it in the Mountains of the Gods. It is a poem about an ancient temple. </i>

    <i>The color of your eyes, they¡¯re pale blue like sparkling swords. I think the color of your eyes is beautiful. They¡¯re so beautiful, a poet would write a poem about them.¡±</i>

    <i>With such a passionate remark, Alexei smiled quite embarrassedly.</i>

    <i>¡°I don¡¯t want to bepared to a poem. But thank you. It¡¯s amazing how easily you can say something like that. If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯ll take you to Mikhael-sama.¡± </i>

    <i>Then he reached out and took dimir¡¯s hand.</i>

    <i>dimir opened his eyes wide. It was the first time he had been touched by a stranger.</i>

    <i>In fact, he should have shaken it off. That¡¯s what he¡¯d been taught to do.</i>

    <i>But at that moment, dimir reluctantly grasped the hand of the boy who had a soft smile in his glittering sword-like eyes.</i>

    <i>As he stepped out of the shadows of the stairs, he inevitably felt afraid again, and tears began to fall.</i>

    <i>¡°You¡¯re such a crybaby.¡±</i>

    <i>Alexei said teasingly, but his voice was gentle.</i>

    [End of shback]

 Chapter 87

    T/L: Yumiko

    E/D: Castle

    ©`©`©`Ake on a mountain that reflects only the blue of the sky.

    Reminiscent of this, from the time when he was still a child, Alexei had an air around him that made it hard for people to approach him. Children close to his age would shy away from him because of the intense istion his whole person exudes.

    However, behind that cold and hard front, he was infinitely kind to those whom he once took in.

    When they became friends and went back and forth to visit each other¡¯s houses, Alexei would always take dimir¡¯s hand when showing him around the rose garden. He was afraid he¡¯d get lost, just like the first time they met.

    Actually, when they first met, dimir was not lost, but he did not say so. That decision made him very, very happy because it made him see how Alexei truly cared for him.

    ¡­But now every time he remembers it, his heart aches, and weighs down like lead.

    Those days, when he could still cry andugh, seem so distant now.

    Seven years ago, when he was nine, wavering between life and death, he was desperately crying out unreachable apologies until his throat broke. He cried and cried until his tears ran dry, and since then he has not cried once.

    How hurtful it must have been for Alexei to see him suddenly change his attitude. But it was impossible to talk to him the same way as before, as if nothing had happened.

    With a heavy sigh, dimir turns his gaze back to the garden.

    In the past, when Yurimagna was rich, when the daffodil season was over, all the flowers would be reced and rented. But now, Magna cannot afford that.

    The fact that they were rich from the start must have been their downfall. In contrast to Yurinova, which had resources but no farnd at first, and focused on cultivatingnd from generation to generation until they umte wealth.

    Compared to the time of the founding of the country, the ie of the current Duke of Yurimagna has not decreased. However, the expenditure has increased, until it became insufficientpared to the ie generated.

    The ideals of Pavel, the founder, were highly ambitious. Considering the circumstances at the time of the founding of the nation, it would have been natural for him to maintain and teach his family to serve the empire with military strategy. However, times have changed. Yurimagna was not able to keep up with the times.

    The Order and Astra Research Institute are now nothing but a mass of vested interests. Major positions are handed down from generation to generation, regardless of ability, and they have colluded with merchants consuming huge sums of money. They have been engaged in internal power struggles, but are united against external enemies, and have fiercely resisted several attempts at reform and managed to evade them.

    Giorgie, his father, is supported by the Order because he has no intention of reforms or downsizing.

    It is not that there are no good-minded people in the Order or in the Institute. But the thickness of the walls is too much for them, and they leave.

    <i>¡°Yurimagna is a giant. A distorted giant with a swollen head and fists.¡±</i>

    <i>¡°It¡¯s dragging its distorted body and finally crawling, but doesn¡¯t realize it.¡±</i>

    It was Anatori Mardu, born into a branch of the Magna family and fully capable as an Astra researcher, who said this. He, who was unable to turn a blind eye to the rampant corruption, fought but was ostracized.

    <i>¡°Will dimir-sama¡¯s generation reform Yurimagna?¡±</i>

    When asked this question, dimir shook his head.

    Anatori would have taken that as a sign that he had no intention to reform. Or, perhaps, a resignation that reform was impossible.

    What he didn¡¯t know was that such a day would nevere at all.

    dimir thinks about the May sunshine in the garden.

    <i>When will the Duke of Yurimagna die?</i>

    <i>And when will I, dimir Yurimagna, die?</i>

 Chapter 88

    ¡°Flora-sama, hurry up.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Ekaterina-sama, but there¡¯s no need to hurry.¡±

    Floraughed as she apanied Ekaterina down the corridor to the entrance hall, walking as fast as a youngdy could.

    ¡°It¡¯s my first test results. I¡¯m curious.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°I hope you got a good enough score to be posted.¡± (Flora)

    ¡°Flora-sama will be fine!¡± (Ekaterina)

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    Yes, today is the day that the results of the first exam after entering the school will be announced. It was an important event in the Otome Game.

    If all goes well, Flora-chan should be in first ce and the prince in second. This shouldplete the lock-on from the prince, in which he¡¯d start having an interest in her, and begin messing around with her until he asks her to be his partner at the ballter on.

    ¡­The events of the duke¡¯s family have so much impact on me that the events of the otome game are about to fly out of my head¡­but for the dukes¡¯ sake, let¡¯s be careful and do our best to avoid the doom g!

    ¡°Most of the answers were the same as Ekaterina-sama¡¯s, so it must be a simr result.¡± (Flora)

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll be very happy.¡± (Ekaterina)

    At the Academy, the names of the top ten students in the examinations are posted in the entrance hall after school on the day of the announcement, with their names and rankings.

    I believe I¡¯m doing pretty well, but if I am included in the list of top ten students, maybe my big brother will be very proud and happy!

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    With this in mind, Ekaterina could not help but quicken her steps.

    When she arrived at the entrance hall, the exam results were already posted and a group of students gathered, checking for their names.

    She would look exactly like a viiness if she said, ¡°Make way!¡± Thinking this, Ekaterina and Flora instead queued behind the students.

    When the students noticed them, they started poking each other and gave them some space.

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    ¡°My, I am grateful for making way. Thank you.¡± (Ekaterina)

    I looked at the names of the first-year students and wondered if Flora-chan was in first ce.

    <i>¡­Hmm?</i>

    ¡°Ekaterina-sama! Congrattions!¡± (Flora)

    <i>No, wait. Wait, wait, wait. There¡¯s something weird going on here.</i>

    I¡¯m going to review it from tenth ce. There are names I don¡¯t know¡­

    When I got to the third ce, I found a familiar name.

    Third ce: Mikhael Yurigran.

    Second ce: Flora Czerny.

    First ce, Ekaterina Yurinova.

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    Without thinking, Ekaterina summoned her phantom partner and tsukkomi in her brain.

    <i>What? The first ce!? </i>

    The tsukkomi smacked her hand into her partner¡¯s back.

    <i>How did it end up like this?!</i>

    <i>I don¡¯t know!¡­but is it okay if you smack me again, tsukkomi?</i>

    No, that¡¯s not the point!

    (E/N: Tsukkomi has several meanings. Inedic sense, the tsukkomi is the one reacting to the jokester, usually with ¡®that¡¯s absurd/ridiculous¡¯ type of reaction. Simply put, she¡¯s having an internal drama with her own tsukkomi version.)

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    It¡¯s funny that I somehow ended up scoring first ce. Just the day before, we were hosting a visit from the royal family.

    Then, as soon as I got back to the school dormitory, I was so tired that I didn¡¯t prepare for the exam at all and fell asleep.

    Not only the day before, but also Saturday and Sunday were consumed with preparation, and even on weekdays, I couldn¡¯t concentrate on my studies because I was always distracted by other things.

    Even so, my answers were definitely close to Flora-chan¡¯s, and even for that I thought I was amazing..

 Chapter 89

    T/L: Yurika

    E/D: Castle

    Huh! What if this is<i> that!</i>

    ¡°Flora-sama. Let¡¯s go to the staff room to protest.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Huh? A protest, huh? Why so?¡± (Flora)

    ¡°It¡¯s strange that I¡¯m ranked above you, Flora-sama. I believe that this is due to an improper maniption of my status. This should not be allowed to happen. It must be corrected.¡± (Ekaterina)

    Flora-sama onlyughed like a flower in full bloom¡­<i>but how could I let it be? </i>

    ¡°Please calm down, Lady Ekaterina. There couldn¡¯t have been any maniption.¡± (Flora)

    ¡°No! It¡¯s the only thing I can think of.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Then there¡¯s no way I¡¯m in second ce. Because the third ce is¡­¡± (Flora)

    <i>Ah.</i>

    Third ce is a Prince. He is above me.

    <i>¡®Oh, I see. I¡¯m sorry, teachers, I falsely used you.</i>

    Eh?

    ¡­I¡¯m really in first ce.

    ¡­

    I tremblingly looked at my hands and tried my best to stop myself from burying my head in them.

    <i>I can¡¯t¡­this is too illogical¡­</i>

    But I¡¯ve really done it!

    B-b-b-but you see!

    I should have been at the bottom of the list! Normal nobles are educated from the age of five, that¡¯s why I somehow felt threatened and did my best to study as hard as I could. But still, it should not have resulted to this!

    ¡­This time, since it was a regr test, the scope of the questions was limited, and if it was within the scope of what I had learned in ss since I entered the school, I would have been at the bottom of the ss.

    I¡¯m not proud of it, but I can¡¯t help it.

    And although I¡¯m not proud of it, I¡¯m still brother¡¯s younger sister so the probability of me having high potential in terms of memory and understanding could be high too!

    I didn¡¯t know that! Flora-chan, who I was studying with, was at a simr level. But when you think about it, Flora-chan was the one with all the potential who should have been able to get first ce without any previous life bonuses or gifted education from childhood¡­.

    What¡¯s going on? What am I going to do??

    But Flora-chan is ranked higher than the Prince, too. It¡¯s barely safe?? Is it safe?? Uwah!

    ¡°Congrattions, Ekaterina and Flora.¡±

    Gyaa, there he is!!!

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    Screaming inwardly, Ekaterina turns around. And of course, there¡¯s the Prince.

    <i>Ah, I¡¯m sorry!</i>

    <i>I¡¯m really sorry, Prince! Please don¡¯t be offended!</i>

    Ekaterina is terrified.

    The Prince, however, smiled with warmness to Ekaterina and Flora.

    ¡°You¡¯re both great. Especially Flora, I¡¯m sure you had some subjects that were unfamiliar to you, but it¡¯s amazing that you¡¯ve been able to achieve such great results.¡± (Mikhael)

    <i>Oh, he praised Flora-chan. Good, that¡¯s a relief!</i>

    Ekaterina was so relieved that she looked at the Prince and Flora with a sparkling smile.

    Flora modestly shook her head.

    ¡°It¡¯s just that, I only studied it because I¡¯m not used to it, so it¡¯s not something worthy to be praised. Besides¡­¡± (Flora)

    With a mischievous smile, Flora wrapped her arm against Ekaterina¡¯s.

    <i>Oh, how cute!</i>

    ¡°Ekaterina-sama calls me to her dorm room every day to review and prepare for my sses together. It¡¯s the reason why I was able to get such good grades.¡± (Flora)

    ¡°A study group for the first and second ce of the grade? That¡¯s very useful.¡± (Mikhael)

    The Prince said with a smile, but he looked at the ranking list and sighed softly.

    ¡°¡­ I¡¯m ashamed of myself.¡± (Mikhael)

 Chapter 90

    E/D: Castle

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    <i>Sorry, I¡¯m really sorry, it was just because I have my previous life bonus as a cheat that I lowered your ranking. </i>

    <i>But you¡¯re doing well! Really!</i>

    Even if he¡¯s not as busy as my brother, he¡¯s certainly doing a lot of stuff. Visiting the duke¡¯s mansion is just a part of the royal family¡¯s events, and I¡¯m sure he has many other roles to y even if he¡¯s still a student. But even so, he still naturally thinks that he should have the top spot.

    He¡¯s a prince, you know. That¡¯s why he has been provided with the best teachers and learning resources since he was a child, and has probably received special education to hone his skill and talent.

    And yet, he¡¯s been ranked third, overtaken by two girls who are just starting out. A normal fifteen-year-old would be in a bad mood. It would be natural for a normal fifteen-year-old to be unhappy, toin, or even to get upset.

    Yet, he handled it so maturely. That¡¯s the Royal Prince for you.

    Or maybe it¡¯s because he¡¯s a Royal Prince that he¡¯s so great. He is in a position where there is a high risk that he will be pampered and be a snobbish, misunderstood bastard. There are a lot of aristocrats who aren¡¯t of the same status as the royal family, like the ones who have discriminated against Flora-chan. But the Prince was kind to Flora-chan from the beginning.

    I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be more serious next time, as a person who has received the best education and was born in a position where he deserves to be at the top. I don¡¯t think I can beat this Prince, who has faced his position without hiding or running away, to the point of not being ashamed of himself even after ranking third.

    Oh¡­ This is the same as my brother¡¯s. He has a natural Noblesse Oblige in his blood. It seems like we¡¯re not alike at all, but I guess it¡¯s only because we¡¯re so close.

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    ¡°Mikhael-sama, you¡¯re doing a great job of handling your important position.¡± (Ekaterina)

    Ekaterina said, and Mikhael smiled a littleplicatedly.

    <i>Yes, you are a really good boy.</i>

    <i>So, I hope that the reserved Heroine Flora-chan will capture you and make you happy!</i>

    ¡°Ekaterina!¡±

    Ekaterina¡¯s face lit up at the voice that came over her.

    ¡°Brother!¡±

    The students who were surrounding the test results promptly made way for Alexei in a wide circle. It was as if the Red Sea parted before Moses.

    <i>As expected of my big brother.</i>

    Alexei opened his arms, and Ekaterina jumped into them without hesitation.

    ¡°You did well. I¡¯m proud of you.¡± (Alexei)

    Hugging her sister, Alexei said affectionately.

    <i>Yay, I got praised by my brother! I¡¯m d I got first ce!</i>

    Ekaterina¡¯s soared, throwing her earlier bad mood into a wormhole somewhere.

    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear your praise. But I am not even close to the level of my brother.¡± (Ekaterina)

    She nced up at the ranking list of the third years. First ce, Alexei Yurinova, the undisputed leader.

    ¡°I was just raised that way. Your efforts are worth more.¡± (Alexei)

    Alexei says simply.

    <i>That¡¯s how you think, after all. Not everyone grows up the way they were raised, and even though their own efforts and qualities are also significant, they can just casually say this.</i>

    By the way, the first ce student of the second grade was dimir Yurimagna.

    ¡°You and your siblings are really close, aren¡¯t you?¡± (Mikhael)

    Mikhael smiles wryly, Flora looks over with a smile, and next to them, for some reason, are ssmates Marina Kruimov and Olga Fleurus, who have their hands folded in front of their chests.

    ¡°My, Marina, Olga. How can I help you?¡± (Ekaterina)

    Ekaterina asked, pulling away from her brother a little, and Marina giggled.

    ¡°I saw that you two left the ssroom in a hurry, so I thought you must havee here. I knew you¡¯d get good marks, since you¡¯re always studying so hard, but I didn¡¯t expect you to ce first and second! That¡¯s wonderful. It makes us very happy.¡± (Marina)

 Chapter 91

    E/D: Castle

    T/L: Yurika

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s very kind of you.¡± (Ekaterina)

    They came all the way here because they cared. They¡¯re good kids.

    Just then, a voice called out to me. It was a nice, deep voice.

    ¡°What are you doing here? There¡¯s no way you¡¯re in the top ten, is there?¡±

    ¡°¡­Oh, brother.¡±

    Marina spoke, but her tone definitely plunged two notches and it was icy.

    <i>What, big brother?</i>

    When I looked at the person who called out to me, I saw a tall young man with magnificent red hair and golden eyes, a macho sportsman type, and he stopped to look at me.

    Oh my, this is the same guy who showed me where my brother¡¯s office was when I visited his ss a while back. I see¡­he¡¯s the same skin tone as Marina-chan, and they share the same athletic build¡­he¡¯s Marina-chan¡¯s brother. So we¡¯re in the same ss, sister to sister and brother to brother.

    ¡°Oh, duke. You¡¯re in first ce again, that¡¯s great. And your sister, too. Long time no see, I don¡¯t know if you remember me, but my name is Niki Kruimov.¡± (Niki)

    ¡°Long time no see, of course I remember you. It¡¯s been a long time, of course I remember you, thank you very much for your help.¡± (Ekatrina)

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    Beside the smiling Ekaterina, Alexei looks at Marina and smiles.

    ¡°So this is your sister.¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s my monkey.¡± (Niki)

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    Nikiughed and Marina squealed in anger.

    ¡°What did you just say!? If I were a monkey, Big Brother is a big monkey! You are a gluttonous demon beast with the power to destroy two storage sheds, pretending to be a human!¡± (Marina)

    ¡°Who¡¯s a demon beast? You told me to destroy the storage sheds, so you could rebuild them!¡± (Niki)

    <i>Eh¡­but you can tear it down, doesn¡¯t that mean you¡¯re a demon beast?</i>

    ¡°You pretending to be a warrior girl is much more painful, how can you even do that?¡±(Niki)

    ¡°Oh-ho-ho, I¡¯ve mastered the [Five Cat Strikes] technique handed down from mother, so I have no blind spots!¡± (Marina)

    ¡°¡­ How can you just say Cat Strikes in front of so many people?¡± (Niki)

    ¡°Haaah!¡± (Marina)

    Marina stiffens.

    <i>Yes, Niki-san, what a good point.</i>

    So, Marina has five cats? I suddenly imagined her with five cats above her head, like a cat tower. How fluffy, this is so moe isn¡¯t it?

    As apany employee who suddenly became ady, I feel a kinship with her.

    (E/N: She¡¯s probably referring to having a hidden alter-ego. Marina looks strong/athletic but actually likes fluffy things, Ekaterina seems like a truedy but actually used to be apany employee.)

    So, I¡¯m going to help and make a joke.

    ¡°Marina-sama, do you have that many cats? I¡¯m sure they¡¯re adorable.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Yes, I do!¡± (Marina)

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    Marina quickly jumped at Ekaterina¡¯s attempt to ease the situation.

    ¡°We run a horse farm, so we have a lot of cats living in the stables. They help us get rid of vermin, and even the roughest horses tend to get along with our cats.¡± (Marina)

    ¡°A cat and a horse bing friends? How wonderful. Yes, I saw the Kruimovs¡¯ magical beast horse the other day. It was beautiful, powerful, and stunning.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°My, that is very kind of you! Thank you for your kind praise.¡± (Marina)

    Marina felt that she had finally managed to escape, and was pleased with Ekaterina¡¯s words.

    Looking around, everyone except for the dumbfounded Niki, are smiling and seem to be willing to pretend that Marina got away with it.

    Looking at it, the Kruimov siblings seem to get along so well that they could fight and have banter like this.

    Ekaterina looked up at her brother beside her and smiled wickedly.

    ¡°Big Brother, the two Kruimovs look very close, aren¡¯t they? Compared to them, I think we¡¯re not as close as we should be. Why don¡¯t you try calling me monkey for once?¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°No.¡± (Alexei)

    Alexei simply replied.

    ¡°Big Brother, you gave up too soon.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°But I really can¡¯t. I¡¯ve never actually seen a monkey, but I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s a tree-dwelling creature that lives in groups in the southern forests.¡± (Alexei)

 Chapter 92

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    Yeah, I heard that there are no monkeys living in the Yurigran Imperial Kingdom. I heard that there are many of them in the southern countries, and they are sometimes kept as pets in the Imperial Kingdom.

    Even in my previous life, I imagined monkeys to be found in tropical rainforests and hot ces, and I was sure there were very few to be found in Europe. Japanese monkeys do take hot spring baths and drink monkey wine in the snow (Not Confirmed), but they were an exception to the rule.

    Alexei reached out and brushed Ekaterina¡¯s hair, stroking it down slowly.

    ¡°If there is a forest where such beautiful creatures live in groups, I would abandon my dukedom and live there. I would build a small house and live there happily, looking up at the tree tops all day long without even stepping outside. So I can¡¯t call you a monkey, my Queen of the Night. Because I want you by my side, not up among the trees.¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°My, I¡¯m honored, Big Brother.¡± (Ekaterina)

    <i>The siscon filter is kicking in again today!</i>

    ¡°It¡¯s very unusual for Big Brother to say something like that.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°I don¡¯t joke around. It¡¯s not in my nature to do so.¡± (Alexei)

    Alexei kept a very straight face as he replied.

    Niki groaned.

    ¡°¡­Hey, Duke, wait a minute. How can you speak of such embarrassing things so easily?¡± (Niki)

    ¡°That¡¯s a funny thing to say. I¡¯m apparently not very good at putting what I have in mind into words. I am aware of it.¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°No, you¡¯re rather too good at it. You¡¯re not even aware that you¡¯re not self-aware¡ªIs it obvious, or am I talking out of my mind?¡± (Niki)

    Niki puts a hand to his forehead.

    ¡°No, there was a tendency from the beginning,¡± Mikhael answers Niki and says, ¡°Lately I¡¯m having trouble polishing my skills in this area, it would be a good idea to learn¡­I guess I¡¯ll have to imitate him on this stuff.¡±

    Mikhael¡¯s expression seems to have an unusually restless look on it.

    <i>No, Prince, don¡¯t try to emte him. </i>

    <i>You might be able to do it, though. Your father, the Emperor¡¯s rhetorical skills, were on a par with Big Brother¡¯s.</i>

    <i>But I want you to be your own character, be your own self.</i>

    Olga-chan looks a bit red, while Flora-chan is smiling as usual.

    And Marina-chan, why is she covering her face with both hands? I can see that she¡¯s staring at me between her fingers. Hey, some cats aren¡¯t doing their job.

    <i>I¡¯m sorry for upsetting everyone with Big Brother¡¯s siscon attitude.</i>

    <i>But I¡¯m going to make it to the top of the brocon list, too!</i>

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    ¡°The Ancient Dragon has left us, sir.¡±

    The day after the test results were announced, the oldest member of the duke¡¯s administration, the chief forest farmer Forli, appeared in his office for the first time in a long time and said so.

    Ekaterina couldn¡¯t help but gasp at the mention of the giant dragon, Ancient Dragon, that had been lingering in the forests of Duke Yurinova¡¯s domain for the past few months. If he transforms into a human, he will be the hidden target of the Otome Game, the Demon Dragon King d Fallen.

    It can be said that he has finally made his move.

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    <i>Flora-chan had cleared the event, so it¡¯s not like he¡¯s going to march into the Imperial Capital on the route to the destruction of the empire, right? I don¡¯t think they¡¯ve made a move on the hidden attack route!? I don¡¯t know what the assault method is, so I can¡¯t make a judgement!</i>

    ¡°Forli, are you sure?¡±

    ¡°I saw it with my own eyes, sir.¡±

    The white-haired Forli, who still looked like a seasoned warrior, nodded his tanned face at Alexei¡¯s words.

    <i>No, Forli-san, where and how did you see the oldest and strongest Ancient Dragon leave?</i>

    <i>That¡¯s amazing, you really are a wildlife expert, aren¡¯t you?</i>

    However, Forli continued to tell us how it happened.

 Chapter 93

    T/L: Yurika

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    [shback]

    Forli had been preparing for the nting of trees in the duke¡¯s territory, and had managed to nt the first trees in the target area on a trial basis. All the trees had been chopped down and hauled away, leaving only stumps, but the steep slopes made it difficult to turn thend into farnd, and thus the area had not been cultivated.

    <i>¡®We were able to give the impression that nting trees is a good way to make money by paying the loggers a daily wage for nting saplings, as they were unable to enter the forest due to Ancient Dragon¡¯s presence.¡¯</i>

    <i>¡®Now we have to watch over the growth of the nted trees. Maybe we can make this a job, so that those who can no longer do as much hard work as logging can earn a living.¡¯</i>

    With this in mind, Forli was going around checking the condition of the saplings with his healthy legs, which were still strong even at the age of sixty-five.

    Forli¡¯s wife, the chief of the forest people, was also looking forward to the nting and came along to see the site. She looked up at the sky and said,

    <i>¡°The dragon¡¯s herald bird is watching us.¡±</i>

    He looked up overhead and saw arge ck bird circling in the sky. The bird was ck like a raven, but it¡¯s body was more like a bird of prey. Even Forli, who knew the forest of Yurinova like the back of his hand, had never seen anything like this before.

    His wife said that the dragon¡¯s herald bird was a subordinate or an alter ego of the Ancient Dragon. They are like scouts, reporting to the Ancient Dragon what they have seen and heard. They must have noticed that the humans were behaving in an unfamiliar way and came to scout the area.

    As if it had heard them, the bird quickly lowered its altitude. It perched on the tip of arge rock near Forli and his wife and stared at them.

    The bird¡¯s eyes glowed bright red as rubies.

    Then Forli spoke to the dragon bird.

    <i>¡°What we are doing here is called nting trees. Humans have been cutting down forests for years, but from now on, we are going to nt and grow trees in the areas that have been cut down and use them.</i>

    <i>It will take fifty years for the nted trees to grow to the point where they can actually be used, and until then, we would like the logging to continue. The sister of Duke Yurinova, the leader of thisnd, came up with this idea, and His Excellency the Duke ordered us to proceed with it. It is a measure ordered by the Duke¡¯s Excellency, and the Duke¡¯s family wants to get along with the forest.</i>

    <i>His Excellency, the Duke, wishes to coexist with the forest and the Ancient Dragon with respect.¡±</i>

    Then, the dragon¡¯s herald birdughed.

    In a human voice, itughed out loud.

    Then it spread its wings and flew away with a loud buzz of its wings.

    Once the bird had flown away, Forli felt somewhat embarrassed. He had no idea if the bird could really understand him, and he thought it was funny that he was talking to it so earnestly. It was at that moment that he smiled at his wife.

    The sky, which was supposed to be clear, suddenly turned dark.

    The weather in the mountains is always changing, and as he looked up to see if clouds had appeared, he instead saw a huge silhouette in the backlight. Far above the treetops, stretching toward the sky and blocking the sun, was the long, ck head of the Ancient Dragon.

    Even with the backlight, the fiery crimson eyes were looking at Forli.

 Chapter 94

    Even with the backlight, the fiery crimson eyes were looking at Forli.

    Reactively, Forli gulped, gathered all the courage he could muster, and looked back at those eyes that were so high up.

    He thought that the crimson dragon had a smile on his face.

    <i>¡°Interesting.¡±</i>

    Was that how he sounded like?

    A faint glow spread across the forest. Behind its long neck, an even more massive wing spread out.

    The wings pped. A thunderous wind rumbled through the air.

    Then the Ancient Dragon took off.

    Forli closed his eyes reflexively from the dust that the wind blew off. When he opened his eyes after the wind had calmed down, the dragon had already flown off into the distance.

    [End of shback]

    <b> Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    <i>This is an episode that makes my nerdy heart itchy¡­ Where did he go, that Demon Dragon King?</i>

    ¡°Interesting, he said?¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± (Forli)

    At Alexei¡¯s words, Forli nodded.

    ¡°It had already flown away, but it¡¯s probably watching us from somewhere. He is probably wondering if we are really trying to coexist with the forest or justing up with another trick.¡± (Forli)

    ¡°Hmm. In other words, the Ancient Dragon saw the good in nting trees. It¡¯s easy to see why he would limit the cultivation of thend. Very well, let¡¯s make a hundred-year n for the Duke of Yurinova¡¯s domain. From now on, we will basically nt trees in the areas that have been cut down.

    However, in consideration of the feelings of the people, if there is a ce suitable for farming, we will allow cultivation. Please work with Danil to legalize the area.¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°By your will.¡± (Forli)

    Danil Regal is the legal advisor to the Duke of Yurinova. Considering thews of the empire, the territorialws of the dukedom, and the situation on the ground that Forli knows about, he has to think about details such as how to treat those who vite the measures after clearly stating the measures. Punishing them unterally would cause a bacsh from the people.

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    ¡­The fantasy of talking to the most ancient of dragons has turned into an unbelievable bureaucratic job of makingws and regtions.

    In this world, dragons are not a fantasy, but a reality.

    While thinking about this, Ekaterina daintily took a bite of today¡¯s lunch of fried bread filled with ingredients. Even a youngdy who strictly watches out for her diet would not be able to resist taking a bite of this. It was warm and delicious.

    She made this with Flora. However, Flora was not in the office right now because she was called to a special ss outside the school to learn about Holy Magic. Though, she took some fried bread with her for lunch.

    ¡°And with this and that done, I guess we can cut down the special order ck Dragon Cedar from the Sun Temple.¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°I¡¯m relieved. It would be good to keep a good rtion with that ce.¡± (Halil)

    Halil, the head ofmerce, responded to Alexei¡¯s words, and a relieved air passed through the office.

    ¡°I have a report for you, Young Lady. We have received an order from the Empress for the Heavenly Blue. She will be using it inbination with imported fabrics. There are a few more orders from other sources.¡± (Halil)

    ¡°My! That¡¯s very nice of her.¡± (Ekaterina)

    <i>Yay, the Empress had adopted it! I¡¯m sure it¡¯s going to be a very stylish dress. I¡¯m so d, Cami, the designer, really rmended it.</i>

    Viiness Tourism Ambassador, mission clear!

    ¡°You¡¯ve solved a conundrum for me. You¡¯ve been very helpful.¡± (Alexei)

    Ekaterina shook her head at Alexei¡¯s words.

    ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you. But what I did was only a matter of trifle. This was only made possible with the help of Big Brother and all of you.¡± (Ekaterina)

 Chapter 95

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    I¡¯m not being modest, I really mean it.

    ¡°If it were any other family, they would not have taken up my idea even if I tire my voice out to say something. It¡¯s because Big Brother and all of you are so open-minded that you listened to my idea and saw the possibilities. And it is exactly because of your wealth of experience and the trust of those around you that you were able to give shape to my idea so quickly. Without that, my words would have been worth nothing.¡± (Ekaterina)

    In my previous life, I was a system designer, so I know how annoying and time-consuming it is to give shape to an idea.

    And in my previous life, when I was working, there were many people who wouldn¡¯t even listen to what a neer had to say.

    Probably, the reason why the executives whoe to this office are so receptive to what I have to say is because Big Brother is so talented at such a young age, and all his chosen executives are also extremely talented. Because they are so talented, they are able to judge even the words of a youngdy who has only been out in the world for a few months as suitable for her purpose.

    The Duke of Yurinova is amazing. No, this talent was left to him by Grandfather, so Grandfather must be a great man too.

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    However, the executives exchanged nces and secretlyughed at Ekaterina¡¯s words. Her words were true, but it was rare to find someone wise enough to realize that fact.

    ¡°You really are a clever girl. But this time, there was a lot of value in youing up with something that no one else would have thought of. You also got an excellent grade in the exam. I¡¯d like to give you a reward, is there anything you want?¡± (Alexei)

    <i>No, no, this life with Big Brother is my reward!</i>

    ¡°If you¡¯re talking about exceptional grades, you should reward it to yourself, since Big Brother has always been at the top of the ss. If I were to be asked, all I wanted was to be around Big Brother.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Ekaterina.¡± (Alexei)

    Alexei¡¯s expression warmed.

    ¡°It¡¯s because you are so precious like that, that I want to give you something.¡± (Alexei)

    Halil and Aaron also added.

    ¡°Since you¡¯re here, Young Lady, why don¡¯t you prepare some more clothes. You never know, the Empress might call on you.¡± (Halil)

    ¡°And jewelry, by all means. Even if it¡¯s for a bridal gift, why don¡¯t you try to arrange something nice?¡± (Aaron)

    ¡°¡­¡±

    <i>Come on,e on. You can¡¯t encourage a child to be extravagant!</i>

    <i>At this rate, if she just let it be, he¡¯s going to find her something luxurious instead. But she doesn¡¯t want it! Memories are better than material things!</i>

    <i>Oh.</i>

    ¡°Big Brother, there¡¯s something I want.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Is that so? What is it?¡± (Alexei)

    Ekaterina giggled at Alexei¡¯s sweet smile.

    ¡°Do you remember, the day before I entered the academy, I asked you to take a day off to see the Imperial City¡­ Big Brother, would you like to take a day off work and join me?¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°¡­Is that what you want?¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°A day with Big Brother is priceless! Please grant me this request.¡± (Ekaterina)

    Alexei looked puzzled, but when Ekaterina insisted, he smiled helplessly as if he had been defeated.

    ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t mind. If that¡¯s what you want.¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°I¡¯m so d!¡± (Ekaterina)

    <i>Yay, yay, yay!</i>

    <i>A date!</i>

    <i>With Big Brother!</i>

    So, that weekend, Ekaterina dressed up a little more stylish than usual and walked lightly to the carriage.

    Alexei was already waiting for her in front of the carriage, dressed in something a little more formal than usual, and smiled when he saw his sister.

    ¡°I apologize for keeping you waiting.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Waiting for a beautiful woman is an honor. That¡¯s what you taught me, Ekaterina.¡± (Alexei)

 Chapter 96

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    <i>Oh my, I¡¯m delighted.</i>

    It¡¯s amazing because Big Brother is on a level of siscon who can say such words seriously, not only as lip service.

    <i>I really like this sincerity, thank you very much.</i>

    I sp my left hand over the offered right hand and get into the carriage with Alexei¡¯s help as he escorts me.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to keep repeating this, but are you sure you want to do this?¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°Of course I do. I am very happy.¡± (Ekaterina)

    I¡¯m not sure how many times I¡¯ve been asked if I¡¯m sure or what I really wanted. I was offered not just jewels, but a horse, a carriage, and even a pce for me¡­.

    It¡¯s crazy. He¡¯s giving me a pce because I got good grades. There¡¯s no limit to how crazy it gets! I heard it¡¯s one of the vis in the recreational area, but <i>¡®it¡¯s not suitable for you because it¡¯s not elegantly built¡¯</i> is what he told me.

    That¡¯s not the point.

    What shocked me the most was that the leaders of the dukedom didn¡¯t stop Big Brother¡­they even encouraged it. I was scared when Novak-san muttered <i>¡®I think we should prepare the bridal gifts separately.¡¯</i>

    I think he¡¯s imagining things arbitrarily. I remembered in my previous life, I once saw in a museum a princess who was married to a daimyo from one of the three Tokugawa families. I saw a couple of the princess¡¯s bridal gifts, and it was amazing. The things were covered either in silver or goldencquer.

    Novak-san definitely hasn¡¯t given up on trying to get me to be an empress. I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t give up just once or twice, but I don¡¯t really want it and I absolutely won¡¯t aim for the Empress position!

    I have made friends with Flora-chan and the prince, and if I were to end up being ruined and condemned by those two, my heart would die!

    But let¡¯s not think about that for now.

    The carriage moves forward with the sound of its wheels rattling.

    The Imperial City is spread out around the Imperial Pce. The area near the pce is lined with the imperial residences of high-ranking nobles and government office buildings. It is tranquil and beautiful, and the cobblestone streets are wide and well maintained. It seems to be somewhat simr to the atmosphere around the Imperial Pce in Tokyo.

    The beautiful Imperial Pce looks like something out of a fairy tale, and I imagine that in the Edo period, Edo Pce must have looked like this towering over the city.

    ¡°That¡¯s the statue of Lord Sergei you wanted to see.¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°It¡¯s very huge!¡± (Ekaterina)

    On my usual route between the Duke¡¯s Pce and the Academy of Magic, I use the street with the statue of Peter the Great. This time, we came to the street with the statue of Lord Sergei, our ancestor, as our first stop to see the Imperial Capital.

    ¡°He seems to resemble grandfather in some way.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Yes, I once said the same thing to grandfather. Heughed and said that maybe he was named Sergei because he looked like him from the time he was born.¡± (Alexei)

    I wonder how young Big Brother was when that happened. Maybe he was younger than the ten years old in the portrait of him and his grandfather. He must have been clever from then on, talking like an adult. He must have been cute.

    I smiled and Alexei tilted his head.

    ¡°Are you having fun?¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was thinking of Big Brother when you were just a little boy. Brother, you must have been so cute.¡± (Ekaterina)

    Alexei shook his head.

    ¡°I was always told that I was not adorable.¡± (Alexei)

    Was the Old Hag the one who said that?

 Chapter 97

    T/L: Yurika

    E/D: Castle

    Big Brother when he was little, I guess he was hurt. Well, of course he was¡­

    ¡°¡­ I¡¯ve always had a hard time socializing with people. It¡¯s not because I want to, but because no one wants to be around me.¡± (Alexei)

    He broke off abruptly, perhaps remembering the one friend he had.

    Uncharacteristically, Alexei slumped.

    ¡°The only people who are happy that I¡¯m here are you and grandfather. You always worry that I work too much, but the only thing I have going for me is my work. I can¡¯t think of a single thing I want to do when I have free time¡­ I¡¯m a boring person. I don¡¯t think it would be fun spending a day with me.¡± (Alexei)

    Looking at Big Brother, I suddenly thought¡­

    <i>Big Brother¡­.</i>

    <i>He¡¯s so cute!</i>

    I don¡¯t know but this is the cutest thing I¡¯ve ever seen, a guy who is extremely cool and capable but could also be a little fragile!

    It¡¯s cute when you think of it from the perspective of an adult, but still, a seventeen-year-old boy confessing his weaknesses¡­

    <i>Is that why you¡¯ve been checking me over and over again, or why you have been feeling a little squirmy?</i> <i>Brother, you were actually thinkingplicatedly like this?</i> <i>Oh my, I love him so much.</i>

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    Ekaterina took her brother¡¯s hand and squeezed it with both of hers.

    ¡°Big Brother¡­ I don¡¯t know how to tell you this in words, but I really enjoy it when Big Brother is around me. It makes me feel at ease. I have been lonely since my mother passed away. But after I came to the Imperial City, Big Brother took my hand and made me feel less lonely.¡± (Ekaterina)

    Ekaterina continues.

    ¡°Big Brother has big and warm hands. He is sincere, strong and reliable. He is also very knowledgeable. I can assure you that it will be much more fun to be with Big Brother than with some refined gentleman who is good with women.¡± (Ekaterina)

    Alexei¡¯s eyes widened.

    The Old Hag must have beenparing her favorite son to Big Brother all the time, saying that <i>¡®he was cute when he was little, and you are not¡¯.</i> I¡¯m sure that Big Brother only looked back at her coldly, but deep down he must have been hurt. Just thinking about it makes me want to hug him.

    Every child, every human being, is different! Everyone is different, and nothing¡¯s wrong with it!

    <i>I¡¯m sorry to say that I prefer Big Brother. In my eyes, only Big Brother is good. But I understand that everyone has their own strike zone.</i>

    <i> Big Brother is your grandson. Normally, grandmothers would love their grandsons unconditionally. Well, not everybody is the same. It¡¯s all different for each person, but still, it¡¯s not good. But why were you like that? </i>

    ¡°Thank you, Ekaterina.¡± (Alexei)

    Alexei took Ekaterina¡¯s hand and ced it on her forehead as if to push her away.

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    Yaah, my bangs are all over your hands, being shuffled.

    ¡°You truly are a gift from heaven. You are kind, wise, and beautiful. I wonder to myself if I¡¯m good enough to deserve such a wonderful gift.¡± (Alexei)

    <i>No Big Brother, what gift? I¡¯m just a brocon sister.</i>

    <i>I¡¯m sorry about that.</i>

    As we pass the statue of Lord Sergei, we see a river.

    ¡°This is a man-made canal, built to draw water from the Cerno River to the moat of the Imperial City.¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°So it¡¯s a canal to bring goods to the Imperial City. I wonder if the Empress¡¯s silk fabrics were also transported through here.¡± (Ekaterina)

    The Cerno River, which flows through the Imperial City, is a major logistics route not only for the Imperial City, but also for the Imperial Kingdom, flowing down to the south into the bay where the Yurisein territory¡¯s port is located.

 Chapter 98

    Many imported goods from beyond the Mountains of the Gods are transported up the Cerno River to the Imperial City, indicating the importance of the Yurisein territory.

    The carriage soon left the river, andrge stores began to line both sides of the street. This area became a district where not only aristocrats but also wealthymoners lived and did business. It is a ce where high-ss stores gather, like Ginza and Nihonbashi in Tokyo. The atmosphere is more morous than before.

    ¡°There¡¯s a sense of unity throughout the entire cityscape, isn¡¯t there?¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°This is the face of the Commercial Guild, you know. Stores that don¡¯t fit the atmosphere aren¡¯t allowed to open.¡± (Alexei)

    That part was also very Ginza.

    ¡°We¡¯re about to reach our first destination, the Sun Temple¡­ I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s a ce where business is involved.¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°I am also a daughter of Yurinova. It would be a pleasure to work with you on this.¡± (Ekaterina)

    There are many temples of powerful gods in this area with many believers as well as stores. Although these are religious facilities, they are also tourist attractions.

    The most popr are the temples of the Sun God, the God of Commerce, and the God of Thunder, who have been built with ample funds. This is a spot not to be missed if you want to see the Imperial Capital.

    In the setting of the Otome game, I don¡¯t think there was any mention of the religion of the Imperial Kingdom. Most people in the Imperial Kingdom believe in gods yet have a rather loose rtionship with them.

    Some people are devout believers in a particr god. Whenever they are in trouble, they turn to the gods. Regardless of which god¡¯s temple it is, they visit it just to enjoy the splendor and origin of the temple, and pray with all their heart. Basically, it is simr to Japan.

    But in this world, gods do exist¡­or so it seems.

    Well, God is not an omniscient and omnipotent being, as is believed in monotheistic religions. The gods of mythology are various. Some have human feelings, some are closer to animals, and there are even peoples who worship certain demons as gods. There is a fine line between gods and demons. It is said that the gods of the conquered people are often subverted to be treated as demons.

    This is why so many gods are worshipped in the Imperial Kingdom. In the Imperial Capital, people from various parts of the empire build temples for the gods of their hometowns, so there are gods enshrined everywhere, even to the smallest of temples. This is the ce with the highest density of deities in the Imperial Kingdom.

    Speaking of which, there is also a God of Learning quietly enshrined in the school, isn¡¯t there? It is said that the density of peopleing there was so high that when they built a new temple and invited the god toe, the god only stood and sighed in a dream and said, <i>¡°I can¡¯t enter the temple, it¡¯s too full.¡± </i>

    The temple of the Sun God, which is one of the most popr tourist attractions, is visited by many people today.

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    The carriage passes through the temple gates¡ªwhich the visitors pass on foot¡ªand heads for another, less crowded gate. The gatekeeper, seeing the ducal coat of arms, ran out and opened the gate wide. The carriage arrived at the temple without a hitch.

    Alexei took Ekaterina¡¯s hand and she got out of the carriage being met with a pleasant greeting by someone. It was an elderly man dressed in a priest¡¯s uniform, a rather morous priest¡¯s uniform at that.

    ¡°Your Excellency, Duke of Yurinova, wee. The High Priest is waiting for you.¡± (Priest)

    ¡°The High Priest is waiting for me?¡± (Alexei)

 Chapter 99

    <b>Ekaterina POV </b>

    <i>The High Priest is waiting for him? Even after all this time, the prestige of the Dukes of Yurinova is really amazing.</i>

    Then, the chief priest led us to the inner sanctum of the temple, which is not open to the public. It reminded me of St. Peter¡¯s Basilica in the Vatican, it was very morous.

    The high priest was an old man with a long white beard and white hair. The high priest¡¯s uniform was even more morous than the chief priest¡¯s, it was at the level of the Pope. The colors of his garments were also yellow, white and gold¡ªthe colors of the sun.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry it¡¯s been so long. I am pleased to report that the ck dragon cedar you ordered is now avable for harvesting, and I apologize for the dy.¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°With the appearance of the dragon, it cannot be helped. It is a pleasure to have His Excellency the Duke himself present.¡± (High Priest)

    It¡¯s hard to feel bad when the head of thepany himselfes all the way to apologize.

    However, Big Brother is not the least bit intimidated by a high priest who is about sixty years older than him. In fact, when his neon blue eyes sh at key points in the conversation, the other side even seems pressured.

    <i>Again, I wonder, are you really seventeen years old?</i>

    You said earlier that all you have to offer is your work, but it¡¯s already a big deal that you can do so much. I have nothing but respect for you, even from an older woman¡¯s perspective. I¡¯m fascinated to see a man who can do so much work so easily. Yes, it¡¯s indeed cute if he¡¯s a little weak, it was very adorable. But after all, a man who is highly capable of doing many things is wonderful.

    Then, the high priest led us to see a number of hidden treasures, including a thousand-year-old statue of Gods from the Astra era, which is not open to the public.

    As expected, the Sun God was super handsome. He looks beautiful like a Greek sculpture. If it was in my previous life, it might have been a world heritage.

    The origin of the treasures is also amazing, with the names of Peter the Great, his brothers, and generations of emperors and dukes appearing one after another. It was a paradise time for a historical fanatic woman like me.

    I was told that Big Brother had booked this visit in advance because I am a history buff. I¡¯m so d that Big Brother, the original tsundere, was so kind to me.

    ¡­However, there are a lot of good men and women visiting the shrine over there, while I have this special treatment. I don¡¯t like it because I¡¯m just a fake noble inside, but it¡¯s a ss-based society, so it can¡¯t be helped.

    Is it a perfect form of inequality? Besides, I have to deal with building materials. I learned a lot from the exchange between Big Brother and the High Priest, who asked me to study the prices of building materials.

    After that, at Alexei¡¯s request, we parted ways with the High Priest, and the Chief Priest led us back to the same area as the regr worshippers. However, we were not in the Sun Shrine, the main shrine, but in the Pce of the Queen of the Night, the Spirit of the Evening Darkness, one of the guardian deities that few people visit.

    The Sun God has many legends of love, but the Queen of the Night is said to be a chaste goddess who was loved by the Sun God, but refused to give herself over to an unfaithful man. Therefore, she only appears in the sky after the sun has left. Nevertheless, as a goddess rted to the Sun God, she is enshrined in this Sun Temple.

 Chapter 100

    T/L: Yurika

    E/D: Castle

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    ¡°My apologies, sir, for keeping you waiting.¡± (Priest)

    A small, fat, mild-mannered-looking priest came hurrying over. Suddenly, he stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Ekaterina, and stared at her.

    <i>What is it, I wonder?</i>

    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m sorry about this. I mean¡­ I thought the goddess had manifested.¡± (Priest)

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    <i>Oh, you¡¯re good.</i>

    ¡°Oh, so I¡¯m not the only one who thinks so.¡± (Alexei)

    Big Brother¡¯s mood meter went up a notch. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be offering a lot of money to this pce in the near future. Congrattions.

    Oh, by the way.

    ¡°I am afraid I am not the manifestation of the goddess, but it was my honor for you to think so. Big Brother, why don¡¯t you dedicate the Heavenly Blue pigment to this shrine? If you give it a beautiful blue color befitting the Queen of the Night, she will surely be pleased with you.¡± (Ekaterina)

    I thought that if we could make the pce beautiful and worth seeing, it would attract more visitors, and it would also help advertise the Heavenly Blue. I hope the offering will pay for itself in advertising¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Goddess.

    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. I would like to make an offering to this goddess, if that is alright.¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°That would be much appreciated¡­ But you are his sister, aren¡¯t you? I thought you were the wife.¡± (Priest)

    <i>What, no, it¡¯s not like that!</i>

    Don¡¯t worry about it.

    The fat priest seems to be in-charge of this shrine. He showed me the statue of the goddess, which is not usually open to the public. It was a small wooden statue about fifty centimeters high, but it was a very beautiful carving of a figure looking up at the heavens.

    It is said to be the most beautiful statue of this goddess in the Imperial Kingdom.

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    ¡°She¡¯s beautiful. She looks like you, after all.¡± (Alexei)

    Alexei smiled, but Ekaterina felt heartbroken. She believed she looked like her mother.

    Alexei immediately noticed her expression. Gently, she hugged Ekaterina¡¯s shoulders and whispered.

    ¡°If you wish, I can wee the goddess to our mansion.¡± (Alexei)

    <i>¡­No, wait, Big Brother.</i>

    <i>Does that mean you¡¯re going to buy this statue or something? No. It may not be a world heritage piece like the treasure the High Priest had shown me earlier, but it¡¯s still worth something like an important cultural asset. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s a good idea to take it for private use. I don¡¯t want it to be wasted.</i>

    ¡°¡­I think that this goddess should belong to all the people who visit the temple.¡± (Ekaterina)

    Ekaterina shakes her head, and Alexei smiles.

    ¡°Well, you really are very considerate.¡± (Alexei)

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    <i>Ah, siscon filter activated.</i>

    Anyway, Alexei offered to let the chief priest and the little fat priestess make a copy of this goddess statue.

    There is no portrait of my mother Anastasia in the Duke¡¯s residence. There used to be a portrait of Anastasia in the room where the portraits of sessive dukes and their families were disyed, but after my grandfather Sergei died, my grandmother burned it down.

    As a recement, he wanted to disy a copy of the statue.

    That¡¯s Big Brother¡­ requesting to have a duplicate is practically just a drop in the bucket.

    ¡°That¡¯s a wonderful idea. I¡¯m sure Mother will be very pleased.¡± (Ekaterina)

    I¡¯ll disy it in front of the portrait of my father, the man she fell in love with so much.

    She should be a strong and beautiful goddess who could defeat even the Sun God, and she should elbow my father in the face who was a Hikaru Genji incarnate, a scum. But my mother wasn¡¯t that kind of woman, but if she were ever to be reborn, I hope she would be that strong.

 Chapter 101

    By the time the duke¡¯s carriage left the Sun Temple after being seen off by the chief priest, it was already time for lunch.

    The area around the temple, an upscale shopping district, has many high-ss restaurants. As an Imperial Country with a long history, there are a number of long-established restaurants that have been in business for over a hundred years. My grandfather, Sergei, used to patronize one of these old restaurants, and we had lunch there.

    We got off the carriage in front of the massive exterior of the restaurant, and Alexei escorted us into the restaurant.

    The doorman bowed graciously as he opened the door to reveal a waiting bar with a chic, historical atmosphere. This is where you can enjoy an ap¨¦ritif while waiting for your table to be set.

    (E/N: ap¨¦ritif ¨C an alcoholic drink taken before a meal to stimte the appetite)

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    As Alexei and Ekaterina stepped into the bar, the ck-d manager appeared and bowed to them.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Alexei-sama, no, Your Excellency the Duke. It is an honor to have you here.¡± (Moore)

    ¡°It has been a long time, Moore, and I am d to see you are well.¡± (Alexei)

    The manager, Moore, a rather small man with natural silver hair and a soft face, looked up at Alexei with a warm gaze, and Alexei replied with nostalgia.

    ¡°Moore, this is my sister Ekaterina. This is her first timeing here.¡± (Alexei)

    After the introduction, Moore bowed to Ekaterina once again.

    ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you, Ekaterina-sama, I have heard so much about you. You are even more beautiful than what I have ever heard.¡± (Moore)

    ¡°Well, you are very good. I¡¯ve been looking forward to seeing you at grandfather¡¯s favorite restaurant.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Thank you. Now, let me show you to your seats.¡± (Moore)

    The manager himself led the Duke of Yurinova to the back of the restaurant, and the people waiting at the waiting bar looked at them with envy and admiration.

    They were shown to a private room at the far end of the restaurant, where they had been seated since their grandfather¡¯s time.

    The furnishings were luxurious yet dignified, creating a rxing atmosphere. It was brightly lit withrge windows overlooking a small but beautiful garden with roses and people passing by on the fashionable street. It must be the best seat in the house.

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    I had heard in my previous life that in Europe and America, seating in a restaurant is clearly determined by the ss of the customers and their patronizing. This may be the case here as well.

    However, in my previous life, I was told that in the U.S., the best seats were those that were close to the entrance and can be clearly seen from the outside. Sure enough, different ces have different values.

    As soon as I settled in my seat, I asked Brother who was sitting across from me.

    ¡°Is this your favorite ce too, Big Brother?¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°No, not since grandfather brought me here a long time ago.¡± (Alexei)

    Big Brother was still a student and living in a dormitory, so it was unlikely that he would eat out at a ce like this.

    ¡°You were still a little boy then, Your Excellency. I¡¯m sure Prince Sergei would be very pleased with how good you¡¯ve grown.¡± (Moore)

    Alexei smiles wryly at Moore¡¯s words.

    ¡°With how you say those words, it seems that you still treat me like a child.¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°The only pleasure an old man can have is to treat a young man like a child. Try it sometime when you are older, my lord.¡±

    After saying this in a clear voice, Moore smiled.

    ¡°That is what Lord Sergei told me a long time ago. He was a gentle man with a bad temper¡­ When I think about it, at that time, he wasn¡¯t even old enough to be considered that old.¡±

    Thest part was said almost like a murmur.

 Chapter 102

    Edited

    My grandfather died when he was fifty-eight years old. Even in this world, where the average life expectancy is shorter than in my previous life, it was too early. He had held important positions such as a minister and a prime minister, so that means¡­.

    He died of overwork!

    <i>There is such a thing as death by overwork in this world too?? That¡¯s why I have to protect Big Brother with all my might! Grandfather, I swear that I won¡¯t let Big Brother fall into the same trap as you!</i>

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    Ekaterina clenched her fists under the table, assuming the cause of her grandfather¡¯s death.

    While she was doing this, the drinks and appetizers were being served, and Ekaterina marveled at the beauty of the sses in front of her.

    It was a gorgeous blue color, like Vian ss, with stunning decoration, and the foot of the ss was a twist of two different shades of blue.

    ¡°It is a beautiful ss.¡±

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    In my previous life, I owned a ss artwork simr to this one, though the resemnce was only partly simr. I had seen a friend of mine, whose hobby was to draw, go through a lot of trouble just to buy a beautiful piece. It was so beautiful that when I saw it, I ended up buying it myself.

    <i>Maybe I can recreate that in this world?</i>

    ¡°You have a good eye, youngdy. This is the work of Master Murano, who was said to be the best ssmaker in the empire. Unfortunately, the master passed away a year ago, and its value has only increased.¡± (Moore)

    ¡°Ekaterina, if you like it, I can have it arranged at the mansion.¡± (Alexei)

    <i>Oh, brother. The ssware we use in the mansion has a lot of history and they are all wonderful</i>

    But the sses that I thought looked like Vian ss were made by Murano? The ind of Murano in Venice is a prominent ce full of ssmakers who make beautiful pieces of ssworks .

    ¡°It¡¯s more fun toe across something unexpected like this than to buy it all.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°As expected of the Duchess of Yurinova, you are quite eagle-eyed.¡± (Moore)

    Moore was impressed, and Alexei smiled, as was typical of him.

    As I was about to pick up a ss, Alexei stopped me.

    ¡°Give me a minute.¡± (Alexei)

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    With that, Alexei put his hand over Ekaterina¡¯s ss. Suddenly, she felt a rush of magic.

    ¡°Touch it.¡± (Alexei)

    She did as she was told and touched it, the ss was chilly upon her touch.

    ¡°This is wonderful, brother. What a delicate control of magic.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°I did it for grandfather here a long time ago. He loved it.¡± (Alexei)

    <i>He would have been pleased. At only ten years old or so, he is able to control magic in a way that is difficult even for adults.</i>

    <i>.</i><i>..Unlike the old hag, grandfather was a decent person, wasn¡¯t he?</i>

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    I raised my ss in toast and smiled at the refreshing coolness of the berry juice. It seems that there is no age limit for drinking in thews of the empire, but it is naturally considered a bad habit for children to drink. Since I had a low alcohol tolerance in my previous life, I decided to wait until I reached twenty before allowing myself to drink alcohol.

    ¡°It¡¯s cold and delicious. Thank you.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°I¡¯m d you like it.¡± (Moore)

    There were no refrigerators in this world yet, so unless you were a noble with ice-attribute magic, the only way to cool down cold drinks was to chill them in the ice room or with the precious ice stored in the ice room. Cold drinks, which weremonce in my previous life, are a luxury here.

 Chapter 103

    Moore, the manager of the restaurant, would be serving us today. He said he felt indebted to grandfather, who had taken a liking to him and looked up to him when he was once just a waiter.

    ¡°I am ashamed to say that I could not read or write well when I was young. Thanks to my grandfather who gave me the opportunity to learn, I was able to be educated. He loved to train people. He said he enjoyed seeing people change until they get better, even if it was not for the purpose of using them as his subordinates. I think he was a person who loved people.¡± (Alexei)

    Hobbies and human resource development.

    How wonderfully meaningful, grandfather.

    ¡± Grandfather was a wonderful man. I now understand a little more why even now your subordinates still look up to grandfather.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°I¡¯m d you said that¡­ If grandfather had been able to meet you, he would have been very pleased. You are a free-thinker, and grandfather was the same. Youe up with things that no one else can think of, and you put them into action. If he had heard your opinion, he would haveughed with pleasure as if he had understood. I can almost hear his voice doing so.¡± (Alexei)

    Hmmm¡­I¡¯d like to see the dandy in that portrait in the mansionughing with delight.

    By the way, I remember that grandfather made his schoolmates fall in love with him when he was a student. He might have had some great ideas and skills in that area¡­I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what my brother is referring to, though.

    ¡°I always thought that grandfather was a lot like Big Brother.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Your Excellency is also very simr to Lord Sergei. I see the same natural ability to be outstanding among others, the same keen intellect and willingness to work hard.¡± (Moore)

    Moore-san, you have a keen eye for observation! As expected of a manager at a top restaurant.

    ¡°And your voice is very simr to his. Lord Sergei also had a good, deep voice.¡± (Moore)

    ¡°¡­ I see. I am not sure myself.¡± (Alexei)

    Although he said that, Alexei looked a little happy when he said it. He was like his grandmother and father in appearance, so he probably didn¡¯t expect to see any resemnce to his grandfather. His voice must have gradually changed to what it was now, so it would have been hard for his subordinates in the office to recognize and point out that he sounded like his grandfather.

    <i>It¡¯s hard to recognize your own voice, isn¡¯t it? But I guess Big Brother¡¯s wonderful voice indeed came from his grandfather. Good job on the gene!</i>

    After that, my grandfather was the main topic of conversation, and I listened to the stories that Moore shared while serving us. These were episodes from the youth of my grandfather and the people he knew at that time.

    His confidant, Novak, entered the Viscount Novak family, a branch of the Duke of Yurinova, not purely because of grandfather¡¯s intention but because at that time, the Viscount¡¯s daughter had a crush on him. In this room, he had dinner with grandfather (who sneakily arranged everything), and the Viscount¡¯s daughter, but Novak did not realize his intention at all.

    When His Majesty, the Emperor, was still a student and had not yet been appointed as the Crown Prince, grandfather helped him win over the current Empress. My grandfather, who was the Foreign Minister at that time, intentionally invited the two here oftentimes to meet with dignitaries from other countries.

    <i>Grandfather.</i>

    <i>You¡¯re a celebrity matchmaker!</i>

 Chapter 104

    After a leisurely lunch, we were taken to the National Theater to see the buildings, and finally to the temple of the god who controls time and fate, where we were allowed to climb the bell tower. It was almost nightfall, and the view of the Imperial Capital with flickering lights against the colorful sky was quite fantastic.

    It reminded me of the cityscape of Tokyo that I had looked down upon in a previous life. Was it from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government or from the Sky Tree? How vast it was, and how gray. Inparison, this Imperial Capital is much smaller, greener, and more beautiful.

    I wonder if one day, as time goes by, this ce will be an inorganic city with concrete buildings.

    <b> 3rd POV</b>

    That would be long after Ekaterina¡¯s lifespan was over, where regardless of how long she lived, would have to die like everybody else in the end.

    ¡°Ekaterina, did you have a good time today?¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°Of course I did! It was a pleasure to be with Big Brother all the way.¡± (Ekaterina)

    When Alexei asked her on the carriage ride to the duke¡¯s residence, Ekaterina answered cheerfully.

    ¡°It was very kind of Big Brother to arrange a tour of the historical treasures for me and to share so many memories of grandfather with me.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°I see. I¡¯m d you were pleased.¡± (Alexei)

    Alexei smiles.

    <i>¡­Big Brother, I wonder if you had a lot of trouble deciding where to go and what to do today. I¡¯m sorry to take up so much of your time, but it really made me d.</i>

    <i>But I¡¯m sure I would have enjoyed it no matter where we went or what we did, as long as I could be with Big Brother all the time.</i>

    The first thing Ekaterina did as soon as she returned to the Duke¡¯s mansion was to ask Mina for a favor.

    ¡°Hey, Mina. I¡¯d like to make a special order of some ss artifacts, but I don¡¯t know how to go about it, and I¡¯d like to arrange it without telling Big Brother.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°You don¡¯t want me to tell His Excellency?¡± (Mina)

    ¡°Yes, I want to ask for a gift for Big Brother, I want him to be surprised.¡± (Ekaterina)

    When she asked Ivan when her Big Brother¡¯s birthday was, he said it was in about a month and a half. If what she came up with at the restaurant could be recreated in this world, it would be just the perfect gift for her Big Brother.

    ¡°ss, huh? Whatever it is, if it¡¯s a craft, you can send money to the studio and order it. Just tell me what you want, and I¡¯ll go there and order it for you.¡± (Mina)

    ¡°It¡¯s a little¡­ I think it would be difficult. It¡¯s something neither Mina nor the craftsmen in the workshop have ever seen before.¡± (Ekaterina)

    When Ekaterina drew a picture of something on a piece of paper, the always expressionless Mina narrowed her eyes.

    ¡°What is this?¡± (Mina)

    As she prepares a cup of tea for Ekaterina, Mina makes a puzzled face.

    ¡°As you said, I may not be able to exin well what you want, Miss. If that¡¯s the case, you could call the master of the workshop here, but then His Excellency would know. It would be best if the youngdy went to the workshop to ce the order, but I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not a ce she should go by herself.¡± (Mina)

    ¡°I would like to exin it myself, if possible. I wonder if it would be a big deal if I go to the workshop.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a big deal. It¡¯s just that it¡¯s not appropriate for the daughter of a family as prestigious as the Dukes of Yurinova.¡± (Mina)

    ¡°In that case, I¡¯d like to go. If Minaes with me, it won¡¯t be dangerous, will it?¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°¡­I understand. If you say so, My Lady.¡± (Mina)

    With her usual nk expression, Mina nodded.

 Chapter 105

    Then, at night, by the time she had Ekaterina dressed in her nightgown, she had made the arrangements.

    ¡°I heard that Master Murano¡¯s workshop, which had a reputation for being very skilled, was closed down after he died, so I¡¯ll take you to the one that¡¯s said to be the best of the current workshops tomorrow.¡± (Mina)

    ¡°¡­Well, that¡¯s nice. I¡¯m so d you arranged it so quickly.¡± (Ekaterina)

    <i>My beautiful maid is too talented.</i>

    So the next day, Ekaterina went out in a carriage with Mina.

    Graham, her butler, smilingly helped her when she told him what she wanted to do, so she sessfully went out without Alexei knowing. When she thinks about it, she has always traveled in a carriage with her brother, so even though Mina is with her, she feels a bit nervous.

    <i>I¡¯m not saying that a 30-year-old woman should be nervous, but I am!</i>

    <i>I¡¯m sure I¡¯m not the only one.</i>

    Mmm! Ekaterina said in her mind.

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    The carriage took us to a different district from the one Alexei and I had toured yesterday. It was a more popr and lively district, full of signs of life to the point of obscurity.

    Children run through the streets, where more wagons than noblemen¡¯s carriagese and go. There are many buildings that look like workshops, and you can hear the loud sounds of metal being forged.

    In Tokyo, this is Ota Ward, where small and medium-sized manufacturingpanies gather.

    But you can seeundry hanging in the backstreets, making it look like Hong Kong or Naples in Italy.

    The carriage stopped in front of arge building among the workshops. It was still new and had a rather borate sign that read [Garen Workshop].

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    ¡°Master Garen¡¯s workshop. This is it.¡± (Mina)

    Mina said, opening the door and getting out of the carriage with ease. Taking Mina¡¯s outstretched hand, Ekaterina also exited the carriage.

    ¡°My Lady, please be careful.¡± (Mina)

    Returning a smile to the gentleman who called out to her, Ekaterina stepped into the Garen workshop.

    The first thing she felt was the heat. There was a furnace at the back of the workshop, and she could see the orange glow. It was probably used to melt ss. There seemed to be a number of other furnaces as well, for different purposes. Around the furnace, half-naked craftsmen were busily working.

    One of these craftsmen, a young, kind-looking man, noticed them and quickly walked up to them.

    ¡°Wee, may I help you?¡± (Craftsman)

    ¡°Send for Master Garen, I told him that the youngdy of the Dukes of Yurinova will be visiting.¡± (Mina)

    ¡°The youngdy of¡­ I¡¯m sorry, please wait a moment.¡± (Craftsman)

    The young man was taken aback by Mina¡¯s words, nced at Ekaterina, and rushed off to the back of the workshop.

    Soon, a man who looked like Garen himself arrived. He was an old man, probably around fifty years old, with incredibly thick arms and a big belly.

    ¡°Hello, youngdy, how nice of you toe all the way to such a shabby ce to visit this Garen, hehehe.¡± (Garen)

    Hisugh¡­was quite strange and somewhat unpleasant.

    <i>I wonder if he¡¯s okay.</i>

    <i>What¡¯s more, where is he looking?</i>

    Mina, who looked at theughing man without expression, silently offered Ekaterina a fan, which Ekaterina also silently epted and flipped open to cover her mouth and chest.

    In the corner of the workshop, there is a sofa that looks like a reception set, where Ekaterina and Mina went to sit facing Garen.

    ¡°I understand that you want to order some special ssware. If that¡¯s the case, that¡¯s where Garenes in. What do you want, I can make you a veryrge vase, a decorative te, anything you want.¡± (Garen)

    ¡°What I want you to make for me is not a big thing. I¡¯m sorry to say that it¡¯s an amateur painting, but you can see it here.¡± (Ekaterina)

 Chapter 106

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    When I presented the painting I had shown Minast night, Garen gave me a wry look.

    ¡°Huh. What¡¯s this?¡± (Garen)

    ¡°It¡¯s a ss pen.¡± Ekaterina)

    ¡°What? A pen?¡± (Garen)

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a ss pen.¡± (Ekaterina)

    Yes. A ss pen, a beautiful writing instrument that was very popr among some enthusiasts in her previous life.

    It was invented by a Japanese wind chime craftsman in the Meiji era, and it seems to have exploded in poprity at the time, but with the emergence of ballpoint pens and the likes, it is no longer in general use. However, there are still a certain number of people who prefer ss pens because of its aesthetic and writing quality.

    In the Imperial Kingdom, quill pens are the mostmon writing tool. This pen also looks nice, but the barrel is too thin to hold, the ink is so small that you have to dip it thoroughly into the inkpot before you can write a line in your notebook, and the nib is so easily crushed that you have to sharpen it with a knife. It¡¯s not very practical. It¡¯s a pain in the ass for a 21st century Japanese like me.

    So, if I could recreate that ss pen here, I¡¯m sure Alexei would be pleased, since it¡¯s much more practical than a quill.

    But¡­

    Garen snickered.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how you came up with this idea, but I¡¯ve never even heard of ss pens before. Don¡¯t you know that ss doesn¡¯t absorb ink? I don¡¯t know why you think you can write with ss, hehehe.¡± (Garen)

    ¡°You carve a groove in the tip. The ink is sucked up into the groove. It¡¯s the same as the way a quill pen¡¯s barrel sucks up ink.¡± (Ekaterina)

    It¡¯s called capiry action. It¡¯s a term from my previous life.

    With that being said, quill pens don¡¯t suck up ink, either.

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    Suppressing her annoyance, Ekaterina fanned herself a little. It was then that she suddenly noticed someone watching from behind the master. The kind-looking young man who had called out to her earlier was staring at the ss pen drawing that Ekaterina had made in the master¡¯s hand.

    Garen noticed, turned around and yelled.

    ¡°Hey, Rev, what the hell are you doing!¡± (Garen)

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± (Rev)

    The young man called Rev rushed back towards the furnace.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, miss. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m not very good at disciplining young people.¡± (Garen)

    Laughing again, Garen handed Ekaterina back the ss pen drawing.

    ¡°Well, if you want to order ssware, I can get you some of the finest. I¡¯ll show you now¡ªHey, bring it in.¡± (Garen)

    <i>He didn¡¯t want to make exactly what I ordered, he only wanted me to order what he was good at.</i>

    Ekaterina sighed behind her fan as she watched the apprentice-like young men struggling to bring her a vase sorge and heavy that it took two people just to carry it.

    ¡°It is not for you to carry, my dear. I apologize for wasting your time, Mina, but we must return.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Yes, mydy.¡± (Mina)

    Mina stands up.

    ¡°No, no, wait a minute, miss. You¡¯ll like what you see.¡± (Garen)

    Garen, a little impatient, reaches out and grabs Ekaterina¡¯s delicate hand. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll like it.¡±

    ¡ªMina¡¯s white hand mped down on his thick arm.

    She says in a low voice.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch the youngdy with your dirty hands.¡± (Mina)

    ¡°What the hell, b*t*h¡ªHmph!¡± (Garen)

    Garen¡¯s eyes widened as he tried to shake off Mina¡¯s hand. The thin, white hand didn¡¯t falter, but mped down on his arm in a vice-like grip.

    The sound of bones creaking sounded.

    ¡°Ugyah!¡±

    Garen screams.

    In the meantime, Ekaterina had gotten up and moved behind Mina, out of Garen¡¯s reach.

    ¡°Mina?¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Yes, mydy.¡± (Mina)

    Mina tosses Garen out with a ¡®pop¡¯.

 Chapter 107

    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, I apologize for the disturbance. Have a nice day.¡± (Ekaterina)

    Smiling at the pale and trembling Garen and the dazed craftsmen in the workshop, Ekaterina left the Garen Workshop with Mina in tow.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, miss. I can¡¯t believe I let a guy like that see the youngdy.¡± (Garen)

    Mina bowed apologetically to Ekaterina as she got into the carriage, Mina stays and stands outside without riding the carriage.

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    ¡°It¡¯s not Mina¡¯s fault. It¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t imagine that the master of a workshop with a good reputation would have such a rude character.¡± (Ekaterina)

    With that kind of character, I don¡¯t know how he managed to grow his business like that.

    ¡°I heard that he¡¯s nothingpared to the master called Murano. But now that he¡¯s dead, he¡¯s the best craftsman in the country, and the fame has quite gotten to his head.¡± (Mina)

    ¡°Oh, I see¡­¡± (Ekaterina)

    In other words, he has turned arrogant.

    ¡°But he sure is good at it. I think there are only a few craftsmen who can make a vase that big. But I guess that¡¯s also the reason why they¡¯re not good at crafting fine, delicate things.¡± (Ekaterina)

    It¡¯s possible that he didn¡¯t want to say he was not good at it because of his pride as the best craftsman in the country. The more negative the information, the more clearly it should be presented, uncle.

    Also, I¡¯m sure he also took advantage of the fact that there were only two women. Even in Japan in the 21st century, there were a few people who were arrogant when their partner was a woman. What more in this world where male chauvinism is deeply rooted.

    ¡°I¡¯d like you to try to find a workshop that specializes in detailed work this time.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Do you still want to make that ss pen?¡± (Mina)

    ¡°Of course, Mina, I¡¯m not going to give up so easily.¡± (Ekaterina)

    You couldn¡¯t just give up after one or two times. It is important to be persistent. It¡¯s a natural part of being a working adult.

    ¡°Miss. If that¡¯s the case, would you mind waiting here for a while longer?¡± (Mina)

    ¡°Here?¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Yes.¡± (Mina)

    Her expression is as nk as usual, but Mina seems to have an idea.

    ¡°Very well, if that¡¯s what Mina says.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡­

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    The waiting man soon appeared.

    One of Garen Workshop¡¯s craftsmen, a young man known as Rev, came out of the workshop, he seemed a little guilty, as he was trying to avoid the eyes of his colleagues.

    But when he saw the duke¡¯s luxurious carriage that was still parked in front of him, his eyes turned round in amazement.

    ¡°You wanted to see the youngdy?¡± (Mina)

    Mina called out bluntly as she stood outside the carriage.

    ¡°Yes! Um, yes, I do.¡± (Rec)

    Rev was spooked, but quickly looked at Mina as if he had regained his senses.

    ¡°Um, about your order earlier¡­. I was wondering if you could tell me more about it.¡± (Rev)

    ¡°Can you make what thedy wants?¡± (Mina)

    Mina asked bluntly.

    Rev replied with a terribly serious expression.

    ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure until I hear more about it. But I have a feeling I can make it¡­ Or rather, I¡¯d like to make it with my own hands.¡± (Rev)

    Ekaterina couldn¡¯t help but smile as she saw the expression on his face from inside the carriage.

    <i>That¡¯s a good example of a craftsman!</i>

    <i>If there¡¯s a challenge, you forget about your hunger, if you¡¯re asked to make something difficult, you skip countless nights of sleep until you figure out how to do it.</i>

    <i>Huh!? This means he¡¯s going to die of exhaustion.</i>

    ¡°Do you have time?¡± (Mina)

 Chapter 108

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t right now. I just got out of work for a while. But I¡¯ll have my lunch break in a little while.¡± (Rev)

    Ekaterina nodded as Mina nced up at her.

    ¡°The Lady says she is willing to speak with you.¡± (Mina)

    Rev bowed deeply.

    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m Rev Narrow.¡±

    Ekaterina and Mina took the carriage to the address that Rev had given them to wait for him there.

    The destination seemed to be a workshop, but the door was padlocked and closed. The name written on the small, old signboard was ¡°Murano Workshop¡±.

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    I guess Rev was originally a craftsman here and moved to Garen Workshop after his master passed away.

    ¡°So this Rev guy was trained here, that¡¯s why he knows how to be polite.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure he got a lot of orders from nobles and big merchants. He must have been used to dealing with them.¡± (Mina)

    We waited while talking about this, and soon Rev came running in.

    ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting. I¡¯ve borrowed the key, pleasee inside.¡± (Rev)

    As I entered, I noticed that the Murano workshop was simr to the Garen workshop, with several furnaces, but the structure of the Murano workshop seemed more efficient. Its appearance gives a sense of functional beauty.

    I remember I was told that the master passed away a year ago. Maybe Rev cleans it regrly. The neat and tidy atmosphere was probably due to the fact that the workshop was well organized before it closed.

    Organization and tidiness are important in the field of manufacturing. In my past life, Toyota¡¯s Kanban system seems to have started with rifying the location of things.

    Master Murano must have been an excellent craftsman.

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    Removing the white cloth from the corner of the workshop, we found a sofa set, which was better than the one at Garen Workshop. Rev invited Ekaterina and Mina over, who then sat facing each other.

    He looked at the outline of the ss pen that Ekaterina had given him with a serious gaze.

    ¡°You carve a groove in the tip. In a spiral, multiple grooves.¡± (Rev)

    ¡°Yes. That way it should be able to suck up much more ink than a quill.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°May I change the design of the handle?¡± (Rev)

    ¡°Anything as long as it¡¯s non-slip and aesthetically pleasing to the eye. How about that?¡± (Ekaterina)

    At Ekaterina¡¯s suggestion, Rev raised his head up from the drawing.

    ¡°It¡¯s long and narrow, so I think the problem is strength. Especially the tip. If you made it out of regr ss, it would probably chip if you hit it just a little too hard.¡± (Rev)

    As expected of a pro. The brittle tip is a weak point of ss pens.

    In my previous life, I bought a ss pen from a friend, but it was hard ss, so that was better.

    ¡°So, I guess it¡¯s difficult.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Yes, normally. But would you care to take a look at something for a moment?¡± (Rev)

    Rev stood up and took a ss from under a white cloth on a nearby shelf. It¡¯s a beautifully colored and ornately decorated ss, simr to the one he used in the restaurant yesterday, but shorter, more like a brandy ss.

    The color was red. As I recall, red ss is more expensive than other colors. It is the case, I believe, because it requires molten gold for coloring.

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    Rev came back with the ss in his hand and quickly tossed it away on the sofa set table.

    ¡°!!!¡±

    Ekaterina gasped. The ss hit the table with a thud and rolled with a small bounce.

    Rev smiles.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. It won¡¯t break.¡± (Rev)

    He picked up the ss and held it out. Ekaterina took it and looked at it carefully. She was amazed when she saw there was not a scratch on it.

 Chapter 109

    ¡°Murano Kobo¡¯s sses are not only beautiful, but they are also strong enough not to break easily when dropped. This strength is created by a processing method developed by Master Murano. A long, thin pen would be a bit more fragile, but we can make it much stronger than if it was made from ordinary ss.¡± (Rev)

    ¡°Do you know how to process it?¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Yes, I inherited it from my master. I made this ss myself.¡± (Rev)

    Hearing these words, Ekaterina looked at the ss carefully again.

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    I don¡¯t know how to evaluate a ss, but the shape is perfect, the thickness is even, the red color is vivid, and there is no unevenness in the color. If he was entrusted with such a ss made of expensive materials, Rev would have been evaluated greatly by his master.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know much about ss, but it¡¯s beautiful. I think you did a wonderful job.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Thank you, my Lady. Master Murano¡¯s work was far more impressive, but he also recognized that my work could be produced and proudly carry the name of Murano Studio.¡± (Rev)

    Oh, so you¡¯re saying that it was created by Master Murano, but the whole workshop was producing it. I suppose that¡¯s normal. By the way, I heard that in my previous life, there was a time when the paintings that were believed to be the works of the painter Rembrandt were found to be the works of Rembrandt¡¯s workshop. Many of them were his disciples¡¯ paintings, and the paintings in various museums were reappraised to see if they were his own.

    I heard that many museums were disappointed to find out that the paintings were those of his pupils, but I thought that Rembrandt must have been a great artist to have trained so many pupils who could paint as well as he did.

    When I was thinking about it, Rev said with a serious face.

    ¡°But there¡¯s a problem.¡± (Rev)

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    ¡°Well, what is it?¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°This strength can only be achieved here in the Murano workshop. We can¡¯t make it without a fire in that furnace, which is full of the master¡¯s ingenuity.¡± (Rev)

    <i>Eh.</i>

    ¡°This workshop is now up for sale. My master had debts. My master was a great craftsman, but he wasn¡¯t good at business. There were times when he was cheated. So, as soon as my master passed away, they took away our workshop.¡± (Rev)

    With a thoughtful expression, Rev looked at Ekaterina.

    ¡°But I want to work here. I want to make things here that can only be made here. That¡¯s why I¡¯m begging you, Miss. Please buy this workshop!¡± (Rev)

    !?

    Rev bows his head deeply.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make ss pens, sses, or whatever you want, Young Lady. I will never let you lose money. The name of the Murano workshop has not been forgotten yet, and I¡¯m sure that the products made with my skills, which were trained by my master, will fetch a good price¡­ Well, I¡¯ve never done business before, but I¡¯ll do my best. My sry can be much lower. So, please help me keep this workshop going.¡± (Rev)

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, you said you needed help?¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°If this ce is bought by someone who wants to do something different, not a ss workshop. The master¡¯s furnace will be destroyed. It wouldn¡¯t be right. It¡¯s worth so much. It¡¯s the only one in the world, and there are many beautiful things that only it can produce. That kind of value.¡±

    Rev Continues.

    ¡°I know I¡¯m being absurd. But there aren¡¯t many people who could afford this ce. Surely, this is our only chance. Please, I beg you. Miss, please buy this Workshop.¡± (Rev)

    ¡°¡­¡±

 Chapter 110

    T/L: Hi, we were unable to contact our current editor (Castle) for more than a week so we have to hire a new editor. If you notice any problem with chapters, please let us know using [Report] button on top.

    ¡­

    Well¡­ I originally intended to just order a gift.

    Now he wants me to buy the whole workshop.

    So it¡¯s no longer a matter of procuring a gift anymore but it has ended up into something like a request for a full-scale acquisition project!!!

    <b>3rd Person POV</b>

    When Ekaterina returned home to the Duke¡¯s mansion, she immediately set out to consult her brother about the workshop.

    However, she stopped when she saw the office in front of her. She stood frozen in the corridor, unable to move forward, mulling about the same thing over and over.

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    How did this happen?

    This is simr to a-ng thing from my previous life, but now I¡¯m really upset. I can¡¯t think of any other words to exin how I feel right now.

    How did this happen?

    Initially I just went there to ask them to make a ss pen for myself.

    In the end I ended up making a decision to buy a [ss] workshop that I didn¡¯t even know.

    That¡¯s crazy. Just how did things turn out this way?

    I just asked my brother toe with me to the imperial capital to see the sights, and now I¡¯m asking him for something else again, even after saying that I actually didn¡¯t need anything.

    Even that siscon of a brother would be appalled¡­ He might even end up lecturing me.

    ¡­No, I just don¡¯t have to buy it, right? I know that.

    When I asked the price of the Workshop, it was in the region of tens of millions worth in Japanese yen.

    <i>That¡¯s a lot of money</i>, I thought.

    That¡¯s not an amount I would pay for a ss pen.

    If I ask other workshops, they might be able to make one for me. It¡¯s just a matter of finding the right one.

    I haven¡¯t assured Rev that I¡¯ll buy the workshop. I said I¡¯d consult someone about it. He bowed his head over and over again, asking for my help, but he seemed to understand that it was an impossible task to begin with. If I told him it didn¡¯t work out, he would definitely be disappointed, but that would be the end of it.

    I know that.

    But you know what?

    ¡­I enjoyed doing something like that in a previous life.

    I liked doing projects and stuff like that.

    I liked TV Tokyo¡¯s economic programs.

    Professional¡¯s work, or something like that. Josu na Tairiku.

    <i>(Editor¡¯s note: Josu na Tairiku is a documentary show. There is also a song,posed, with the same name)</i>

    I liked those kinds of non-fiction and documentary programs more than dramas. I really liked them. I like the spirit of craftsmanship¡­.

    <i>(I want to make something here that can only be made here.)</i>

    <i>(There are many beautiful things that can only be created here. That¡¯s what it¡¯s all about.)</i>

    Rev¡¯s earlier words really struck a chord with me!

    And then, after oveing the crisis of going out of business and reviving thepany¡­ And if it turns out to be as what I expected it to be¡­. Then that would be a hit! I would love it!

    I can¡¯t wait to hear the theme song sung endlessly in my brain by the great singer-songwriter of my previous life!

    I¡¯ve already figured it out. If there is a star on the ground, you should let it ascend to the sky, right?

    And if the Duke of Yurinova wanted to buy a workshop, he could do so¡­.

    However¡­!

    That¡¯s worth millions of yen?? Buying a workshop is like buying a small business, isn¡¯t it?

    A fifteen-year-old girl begging for such a thing. That¡¯s crazy. Dresses and jewelry would seem so modest inparison. It¡¯s beyond the luxury for a princess.

 Chapter 111

    If we buy it, we¡¯ll have to run it, won¡¯t we? And then there would be running costs, right? If we end up in the red, we¡¯ll be putting the Yurinova family through even more financial trouble.

    How can I do that? I¡¯ve been in the service of businesses, but I¡¯ve never run a business in my previous life. However, if someone asks me to keep this, I¡¯ll take good care of it until the end! I mean¡­ Oh, I¡¯m not keeping it, I¡¯m buying it.

    I¡¯m not going to keep it, I¡¯m going to buy it.

    <i>Rev, you said it yourself, the odds are good.</i>

    The manager of the restaurant, Moore, also said that Murano¡¯s works will only increase in value. If that¡¯s the case, even if it¡¯s not his work, there will always be people who want Murano Workshop¡¯s products.

    Besides, there is Rev. He can provide the quality of the works of the Murano Workshop as they were before his master¡¯s death.

    Rev is now twenty-two years old. He first joined his master¡¯s workshop as an apprentice when he was ten years old and was recognized as a craftsman the following year.

    Mina told me that it usually takes more than two years to graduate from an apprenticeship. If you are recognized as a full-fledged craftsman in just one year at the Murano Workshop, the highest level in the Imperial Kingdom, which requires a higher level of skill than a normal workshop, then you must be a very talented person.

    He has also passed the guild¡¯s master¡¯s exam and is qualified to have his own workshop. Nevertheless, he remained in the Murano Workshop to further hone his skills under his master.

    ¡­ That¡¯s what I love about this career¡­. Rev, are you a health product acupuncture stick?

    And anyway! I¡¯m making a proposal presentation to my brother and all the dukedom officials!

    But today, I¡¯m just going to give a head start. We¡¯ll see how they react, set some hurdles for them, and work with Rev toe up with a way to solve the problem. We¡¯ll try againter and do a full-scale presentation.

    First, gather information. Don¡¯t be scared to move with that in mind. Good luck to you.

    Oh, the music in my brain has changed. A violinist with a shaggy head is ying the theme song of a passionate continental TV program.

    Let¡¯s borrow that momentum and go for it.

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    Alexei smiled when he saw his sister appear in the Oval Office.

    ¡°My dear Ekaterina, what can I do for you?¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°Brother¡­ Actually, I have a favor to ask of you.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Oh.¡± (Alexei)

    Rather happily, Alexei¡¯s neon blue eyes twinkled.

    ¡°Tell me, anything.¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°Um¡­ I have something I want.¡± (Ekaterina)

    Ekaterina throbbed, fidgeting with herbined hands as she dropped her gaze.

    ¡°It¡¯s unusual for you to want something. I wonder what it is.¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°A ss¡­workshop.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Workshop?¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°Big Brother, I hope you remember this. At the restaurant you took me to, you may have noticed some beautiful ssware. I was a little curious, so I asked Mina to look into it and found out that the master who made the beautiful piece of ss, Murano, has passed away, but his workshop is for sale. I found an apprentice of his who still wishes to continue working there, so if we buy the workshop, we can freely create such beautiful things. That¡¯s what I want.¡± (Ekaterina)

    Alexei¡¯s lips formed a smile. Then he started to chuckle.

    ¡°That¡¯s just like you. I told you you were thinking outside of the box, didn¡¯t I? I have considered looking for a craftsman¡¯s work and buying it, but you have found a workshop, and now you want me to create works of art from it.¡± (Alexei)

    He then turned his gaze and looked at his men.

 Chapter 112

    ¡°Halil, make the arrangements; Kimberly, treat it as a new business. Oh, Ekaterina, is this your first time seeing Kimberly?¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡± (Ekaterina)

    A skinny man who looked to be around sixty years old stood up and bowed. He looks strong-willed, with arge eagle nose, bald head, and eyes that are more silvery than gray.

    ¡°My name is Emelyan Kimberly, and I am honored to serve as Treasurer of the Duchy of Yurinova. I¡¯ve heard rumors about you, youngdy, but you¡¯re more than you seem.¡± (Kimberly)

    <i>What kind of rumors are you talking about, now I¡¯m afraid!</i>

    ¡°Kimberly-sama, it pains me to ask this of you, even though we have never met before. If you were the treasurer, I¡¯m sure you would have been offended by the prospect of wasting such a substantial sum of money.¡± (Ekaterina)

    Ekaterina said with trepidation. But Kimberly¡¯s eyes widened as if he had been told something unexpected, and he shook her head with a smile.

    ¡°This is not something you should be ufortable with. It¡¯s not a waste of money, it¡¯s something I¡¯m really looking forward to as treasurer.¡± (Kimberly)

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    <i>Oh, exciting? What are you talking about?</i>

    ¡°But the Murano Workshop, that¡¯s really something to look forward to, isn¡¯t it?¡± (Kimberly)

    Halil chuckled.

    ¡°The master¡¯s fame is unrivaled. The prices of his works have gone up in the market, and I¡¯m certain that if a direct apprentice were to create a work of art of his own and put it out under the name of Murano Workshop, it would sell like hotcakes.¡± (Halil)

    <i>Oh, the appeal of the presentation is spoiled!</i>

    Halil¡¯s marketing research skills are too good. There¡¯s nothing he doesn¡¯t know about the movement of goods in the Imperial Kingdom, isn¡¯t there?

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about making money. When I said new business, I only meant ounting, so you can let the workshop make whatever you want.¡± (Alexei)

    Alexei smiles sweetly.

    <i>Huh?</i>

    ¡°Oh, Big Brother, I¡¯m so sorry for being so selfish. I know I said I wanted to buy it casually, but the amount is, um¡­¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Did you even check the price?¡± (Alexei)

    <i>No, Big Brother, why do you look like you¡¯re smiling?</i>

    <i>Why do you look like you¡¯re smiling?</i>

    ¡°Is it a fair price for the Imperial City Workshop?¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°It should be hard to sell, since the equipment would be specialized for ss, and it would be hard to destroy the furnaces and other equipment that can withstand high temperatures to use it for other purposes. They¡¯ll probably make you drop the price even more.¡± (Halil)

    No, wait, Big Brother, Halil-san.

    I wonder what¡¯s going on. This is not what I was expecting.

    <i>I came here to make a presentation to you all, but I was prepared to be taken aback by Big Brother.</i>

    ¡°It¡¯s interesting that it¡¯s called ss. I¡¯ve heard that the raw material is white sand. Perhaps there is a ce in the Duke¡¯s domain where we can collect it. I¡¯m sure your great uncle, Dr. Isaac, would know.¡± (Aaron)

    <i>No, Aaron-san, how can you add more work to your busy schedule?</i>

    <i>But if you do, you might be able to buy the raw materials discounted¡­ don¡¯t get too carried away!</i>

    <i>No, wait a minute!? I can¡¯t keep up with you, but have you decided to buy it?</i>

    ¡°Big Brother, please give me your honest opinion as the head of the family. Isn¡¯t it selfish of me to make such a request? Please give it some more thought.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°As long as I am the duke, everything you want is yours. There is nothing selfish about that.¡± (Alexei)

    Big Brother said all of that with a straight face¡­.

    ¡°No, Big Brother, please don¡¯t say such a thing. You can¡¯t expect an inexperienced person like me to have everything I want.¡± (Ekaterina)

    <i>People change, you know. What if I be corrupt and want to be ridiculously extravagant?</i>

 Chapter 113

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s a natural limit. If you want to build and live in a castle the same size as the Imperial City in the Imperial Capital, I¡¯ll have to ask you to forgive me for not being capable of doing so.¡± (Alexei)

    I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about! That level of treatment is not a limit.

    Everyone, please say something to Big Brother!

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s anything to worry about. I¡¯m sure the young Lady would be more than willing to do something unexpected and spectacrly selfish. Such as wanting to keep an Ancient Dragon in your garden.¡± (Novak)

    <i>¡­No, Novak-san, that¡¯s not what I¡¯m asking.</i>

    Just give Big Brother something toin about.

    Or rather, give him a tsukkomi. Don¡¯t reply to a joke with a joke.

    What the heck! I¡¯ll tell you when you¡¯re being grandiose and selfish!

    Yoshimoto-san of the previous life!

    Please reincarnate arge number of elite tsukkomi as an emergency reaction!

    Am I the one who¡¯s strange!?

    Something is wrong with Big Brother because he is Siscon. Even so, there¡¯s something wrong with the rest of you.

    What is it? Is Siscon an airborne disease in this world?

    ¡°Is it Grandfather who thought about keeping an Ancient Dragon in the garden?¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Sometimes he said things like this that I¡¯m not certain how to respond to.¡± (Alexei)

    ¡­I understood from the conversation between Big Brother and Novak-san. The rest of you are the aftermath of Grandfather¡¯s affection. It¡¯s something our grandfather would have done if he had been free with his ideas, so it¡¯s rather weed.

    The rest of you, well, you¡¯ve been used to the old hag¡¯s stupid spending for years, so maybe you¡¯ll ssify the workshop as a decent purchase because of the potential returns¡­.

    I think I¡¯ll have to switch gears.

    The goal is to develop a ss pen! The real work of this project is yet toe!

    I thought it would be impossible to finish it in time for Big Brother¡¯s birthday, but I might be able to make it possible¡­ I¡¯ll do my best to make Big Brother happy.

    I¡¯m not going to lose, I¡¯m going to make it to the top!

    I don¡¯t know what kind of fight this is, but¡­!

    <b>3rd POV</b>

    ¡°So, you had a pleasant time.¡± (Flora)

    It was the beginning of the week. On the way from the girls¡¯ dormitory to the ssroom, Flora smiled and said to Ekaterina, who told her about the day she went out with her brother when asked.

    ¡°Yes! Big Brother escorted me all the way, and it was a very fun day for me.¡± (Ekaterina)

    Ekaterina replied with a wry smile.

    <i>The next day was so intense that the date with her Big Brother was a little less impressive¡­.</i>

    <i>But it was a great day, that¡¯s for sure!</i>

    ¡°Ekaterina is really close with her Big Brother, so it¡¯s fun to watch.¡±

    The smile of the beautiful girl is soothing.

    Flora is a good girl. She¡¯s also a lonely girl, so it won¡¯t be surprising if she¡¯s jealous of the fact that she is alone within her family, but that¡¯s not the case at all.

    Flora, who was born and raised in the imperial capital, goes home on weekends to the baron and baroness who took her in. She¡¯s a good cook, and she¡¯s been teaching herself some recipes that would be good to make for lunch.

    ¡°I hope you will join us at the mansion this weekend. The roses are still blooming beautifully.¡±

    ¡°Yes, thank you. I¡¯m very excited to be invited to the duke¡¯s mansion.¡±

    Flora said, looking truly happy.

 Chapter 114

    It was the season of roses, and since they were able to get first and second ce in the exam thanks to studying together, Ekaterina invited Flora toe and visit the Duke of the Imperial Capital¡¯s residence.

    ¡°Since you are alling with us, it will be lively and fun.¡±

    When Marina and the others heard about Flora¡¯s invitation, they were so jealous! When she told them they were wee to join us, the number of people who wanted toe increased, and now it was open to anyone who wanted toe. It seemed that most of the ss, and even the rest of the ss, would being along.

    After all, this was the rose garden that the Emperor had admired. It was only natural that they would want to see it if they were given the opportunity.

    She felt bad about burdening everyone in the mansion who had just finished a big event like the royal visit, but Graham, the butler, said with a nice smile that the Duke of Yurinova¡¯s mansion has entertained more people than the whole ss even at [small] parties, and that they were wee toe anytime.

    Amazing, isn¡¯t it? Even after all this time.

    <b>Ekaterina¡¯s POV</b>

    The next day, I¡¯m supposed to meet Rev at Murano Workshop.

    Yesterday, I was able to get Big Brother to buy the Murano Workshop easily, so I immediately wanted to let Rev know about it. Reporting should be done promptly.

    ording to Mina, who went on my behalf, Rev was more stunned than happy. Yeah! I know exactly how you feel¡­. I¡¯m still in a bit of a daze too¡­

    Anyway, by the end of the week, Halil-san¡¯s people will contact the lenders who own the rights to Murano Workshop, and they will buy the workshop quickly. Rev will leave the Garen Workshop and return to the Murano Workshop. We¡¯ll have another meeting on the weekend to finalize the details of the ss pen project.

    ¡­a present made in the workshop that Big Brother spent a lot of money to buy for me¡­ That may be a bit tricky. But it would be something rare and out of this world. After the gift, Rev and I will work hard to turn it into a mass product and make the workshop profitable.

    I¡¯m starting to get busy, but I can work as hard as I want for Big Brother!

    <b>3rd Person POV</b>

    The week flew by and it was the weekend.

    In the rose garden of the Duke of Yurinova¡¯s residence in the Imperial City, forty or fifty boys and girls came and went, marveling at the blooming roses.

    ¡°The gentle breeze is filled with the scent of roses!¡±

    Marina eximed, taking a deep breath. Flora and Olga, who were with her, giggled and took a deep breath as well.

    ¡°It¡¯s really a beautiful garden. I¡¯ve never seen so many kinds of roses in one ce before. The fountain, the pavilion, everything is so elegant, it¡¯s like a dreand.¡± (Flora)

    ¡°I¡¯m d you enjoyed it.¡± (Ekaterina)

    Ekaterina smiles under the parasol at Flora, who says happily.

    By the way, this parasol was opened and offered by Mina as a matter of course, but I insisted on holding it myself and somehow managed to get it. It¡¯s called a nanny parasol. Please don¡¯t be embarrassed.

    ¡°It¡¯s so different from my house. My yard is mostly horse stalls, so if I take a deep breath, the smell I inhale is¡­ Hmm.¡±

    Her brother Nici, who was standing next to Marina, coughed as he was hit in the throat.

    ¡°What are you going to say in such a nice ce?? I should have left Big Brother in a box!¡± (Mina)

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me like that! Mother would haveughed at you even if you¡¯d hit her.¡± (Nici)

    ¡°It¡¯s because Big Brother is so vulgar! You monster cat!¡± (Mina)

 Chapter 115

    In this world, demonic beasts and monsters exist in reality, but there are also imaginary creatures whose existence is questionable, and they are called Youkai.

    I¡¯m uncertain if you can call a monster cat an imaginary creature, though.

    The reason why Nici is with me is that Alexei had invited him toe too, if he wanted. He said he was worried about his sister, with whom he gets along so well that they fight.

    ¡°We have a stable at home, too. When you get tired of the flowers, you can look at the horses if you like. Since you are a warrior, I wonder if you are interested in swords and spears. I would be happy to show you some of the armor that has been handed down from our family¡¯s ancestors.¡±

    Knowing that it was unusual for Alexei to approach a ssmate on his own, Ekaterina was eager to entertain Nici.

    ¡°That¡¯s worth a look. I haven¡¯t seen it in a while myself.¡±

    Ekaterina couldn¡¯t help the slight twitch in her mouth at the voice in question.

    <i>Why are you blending in here, Prince?</i>

    If it¡¯s my garden, you¡¯ve seen all of it the other day, but now it¡¯s strange to see His Imperial Highness riding in the Krymov family carriage with his ssmates!

    Well, the moment I saw the Krymovs¡¯ carriage arrive at the duke¡¯s house and the four imperial knights guarding it, I knew it was possible.

    As soon as the prince got out of the carriage after the Krymov siblings, who had an indescribable expression on their faces, he said, ¡°Hey!¡± I just wanted to retort, ¡°Why the heck are you doing this?¡±

    The reason for this is that there are economic disparities even among the nobility, and not everyone has a carriage in the capital. I said, ¡°Those who have carriages should give rides to those who don¡¯t,¡± wrapped in a thick envelope. It was not my intention to make it convenient for you to go out on your own and blend in with the crowd.

    If you¡¯reing, you¡¯d better give me a heads-up and set up security or something!

    ¡­Ekaterina smiled brilliantly, shoving her inner cries of ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡±

    <b>1st Person POV (Ekaterina¡¯s)</b>

    ¡°Well, have you ever been here before, Mikhael-sama?¡±

    ¡°Yes, a long time ago. When your grandfather was here, I came to visit Alexei, and he showed me around.¡±

    I wonder if it was when Grandfather was still alive.

    Mikhael¡¯s voice suddenly dropped.

    ¡°¡­ Ekaterina, I¡¯m sorry foring so suddenly. I¡¯m sorry toe on such short notice, but this ce is well guarded. I wanted to take a casual stroll with everyone for once.¡±

    <i>Oh¡­.</i>

    Well, you know. I understand that because you are born a Royal Prince, it¡¯s hard for you to go out and do things that people around you can easily do.

    As a student, you are in the mostfortable position, and today, when the Duchess invited everyone toe, is a precious opportunity for you to be ¡®like everyone else¡¯¡­ Maybe?

    By the way, I heard that your father, His Majesty the Emperor, dined at a restaurant thanks to Grandfather when he was a student in an attempt to win over the woman of his dreams. I think.

    ¡°Besides, Mother had you all to herself the other day. I¡¯d like to talk to you some more, too.¡±

    <i>What? Why?</i>

    I¡¯ve learned a lot about diplomacy and trade. If you want to know something like that, why don¡¯t you talk to the Empress directly?

    Mikhael smiled, but Ekaterina just kept asking questions in her mind.

    ¡°Oh, Ekaterina-sama, the butler is here.¡±

    <i>Huh! That¡¯s right!</i>

    I immediately responded to Flora¡¯s voice.

    I should have told them what to do. But Graham-san, your timing was perfect.

    Ekaterina smiled gratefully at Graham, who was bowing at the perfect angle as a butler, at the best distance, not too close and not too far away.

 Chapter 116

    ¡°Graham, do you have the drinks ready?¡±

    ¡°Yes, mydy.¡±

    ¡°Then serve it to the guests. Make sure you bring more tea for the young masters.¡±

    ¡°Very well, mydy, I will.¡±

    <b>3rd Person POV</b>

    The silver-haired butler bowed and raised one hand to signal. With that, the maids and waiters who had been waiting near the mansion began to move in an orderly fashion. Tables and chairs were brought out on thewn, covered with pure white linens, and tters and tea sets filled with sweets wereid out as if for decoration.

    Olga sighed as she watched the butler walk back to them.

    ¡°As expected of a family as prestigious as the Yurinova family, the butler has a different aura of dignity.¡± (Marina)

    ¡°That¡¯s the ideal of a butler. I¡¯ve heard that some families have been stewards of famous families for generations, I wonder if he¡¯s from one of those.¡±

    Ekaterina shook her head as Marina gave her an inquiring look.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about Graham¡¯s lineage. To me, Graham is like a guardian spirit who has been in our family for a long time and has been watching over us. I rely on him so much. Well, everyone. It¡¯s a beautiful day, you must be thirsty. I have prepared some wild rose tea for everyone to try.¡±

    After tea, lunch was served buffet style, and it became an informal garden party.

    It was the perfect way for Ekaterina, now the Duchess of Yurinova, to rehearse how to run a party. As expected of an experienced butler, Graham suggested this to Ekaterina, who only asked if it would be okay to bring a lot of friends.

    I should havee up with that idea myself. I¡¯m ashamed of myck of skills around housekeeping. Unlike studying or business, I have too little knowledge and experience in this field.

    That¡¯s why I¡¯ll do my best.

    ¡°This little pie is very delicious. Is this the kind of lunch you two always bring to His Excellency the Duke?¡± (random)

    ¡°Yes, this is a recipe I received from Baroness Czerny. Our chef was very impressed with it, so I asked him to use it.¡± (Ekaterina)

    When I told them that Baron and Baroness Czerny were actually ssmates of my grandfather Sergei, the way they looked at Flora seemed to change. As expected of a grandfather who served as Prime Minister and major minister, he is still a household name even among the young!

    More and more students were talking to Flora,plimenting her pies, asking for her recipes, and there were no traces of bullying anymore.

    ¡°I¡¯ve just had some rose-shaped cookies for tea, and they are wonderful. I¡¯m certain that they must be the traditional sweets of the Duke¡¯s family.¡± (random)

    ¡°Ie here every year, but I¡¯ve never had that before. I¡¯m sure they¡¯vee up with something new. Ekaterina, the rose cookies are very popr because they are so nice and delicious.¡± (random)

    ¡°I¡¯m d you like them. It¡¯s a new twist of recipe that the chef has developed.¡± (Ekaterina)

    In fact, I had the chef make them with a hint from a long-selling sweet bread from a previous life. Why it had cookies in the name remained a mystery to me. And it was a calorie bomb. But they were delicious. This time, the cookies were really cookies, just imitating the shape, but the chef put the traditional Dukes¡¯ rose jam on them and made them excellent.

    Incidentally, there are other traditional sweets, like small round doughnuts filled with rose jam. It¡¯s surprisingly simple, but I guess that¡¯s because my family has been around for a long time. They were delicious, too.

 Chapter 117

    Ekaterina was doing her best to host as the mistress of the house, answering the questions of her ssmates as they came and went, and looking out for anyone in need at a distance.

    At first, I thought that Mikhael was going to give me a free pass since he was nearby all the time, but I was rather grateful that he was able to assist me when I was being talked to by several people at the same time.

    Ekaterina is particrly impressed with Mikhael¡¯s ability to handle almost all the boys whoe to talk to him.

    You¡¯re the best, Prince. If it weren¡¯t for you being the incarnation of the g of doom, I¡¯d want you toe every time.

    Well, Flora-chan has been around the whole time, and before I knew it, the two of them were talking quite friendly. Maybe I really should invite them every time I want to support these two.

    <b>1st Person PoV (Ekaterina)</b>

    The Krymov siblings are the ones I want to see every time I visit, and even though they are fighting with each other today, both of them have an aura that makes the ce warm and inviting just by being there. Attracted by this, they are surrounded by a constant stream of people. With them around, most events would always turn out to be a sess.

    ¡­That was the most amazing thing about them. However, they¡¯re not the only ones with such presence.

    That includes the Yes Trio!

    I almost forgot about them with all the traveling and tests. Well, I¡¯m d to see them here. I mean, those three have a huge amount of energy.

    Well, they have been eating well. It seems like they areining about various little things to their servants. If they don¡¯t like the taste of the food, then don¡¯t eat it, and if they have anyints,e down here to Versailles! But when their eyes met mine, they freaked out and quieted down¡­.

    By the time the boys and girls, especially the boys, had devoured their meals with a hearty appetite, I was beginning to feel a bit bored, or at least a bit mellow, no matter how magnificent the rose garden was.

    So, just when I thought it was time to go, the atmosphere in the garden became tense.

    It was because Alexei, the head of the garden, had appeared.

    The tall Duke walked leisurely to the corner of thewn where Ekaterina, Flora, Mikhael, and a group of their ssmates surrounded them. No one announced his appearance, but everyone¡¯s eyes were drawn to him.

    What power. As expected of a big brother.

    Even at school, the difference between the highest grade students and freshmen is like that of adults and children. Even Niki, who is also a third year student, is a few steps ahead of his male ssmates in size andposure, but big brother is even more special.

    Standing in front of his sister and Mikhael, Alexei takes a bow.

    ¡°Your Highness Mikhael, wee to our home.¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°Sorry for the sudden appearance. I was wondering if we could talk about why I was here today.¡± (Mikhael)

    At this point, Mikhael nces at Ekaterina, then turns to Alexei and smiles.

    ¡°It looked like many boys would be here, so I thought I¡¯de too. It¡¯s a gorgeous rose garden.¡± (Mikhael)

    ¡°¡­¡± (Alexei)

    Alexei squints his neon blue eyes.

    He felt like a bug telling him that Mikhael was here to repel other bugs¡­I don¡¯t know if I should say this, but as a vassal to speak those lines, it would be very offensive to the point of l¨¨se-majest¨¦.

    His slightly thin lips lifted in a smile that seemed strangely fierce.

 Chapter 118

    <b>1st Person PoV (Ekaterina)</b>

    ¡°I understand, you have an interest in our family¡¯s armor. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve had enough of the view of the flowers by now, so I¡¯ll show you around.¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to take up so much of your time. I wish I could get someone else to show me around. Now that you have a family member who can serve as a worthy substitute.¡± (Mikhael)

    ¡°There is no way that someone other than the head of the family would be able to guide His Imperial Highness.¡± (Alexei)

    Both of their smiles remained unfazed.

    ¡°Then I guess the boys will all be moving along together. I appreciate it and look forward to working with you.¡± (Mikhael)

    ¡­<i>Oh, I¡¯m no good at this</i>.

    In front of these two, Ekaterina sighed inwardly with a smile stered on her face.

    I know that the conversation between big brother and the prince has a meaning behind it, but I can¡¯t read the meaning. What is it? Does the phrase ¡°I want to see the armor¡± serve as some kind of code? The conversation between a Royal and a Noble is very deep.

    Ekaterina was disappointed, but not in the way she thought. She had been a disappointment to all her friends in this area since her previous life, and she wondered if the day would evere when she would be able to break free from her strong sense of self-disappointment.

    ¡°Ekaterina, I¡¯ll see youter.¡± (Mikhael)

    ¡°Please enjoy yourself.¡± (Alexei)

    Ekaterina inwardly wondered why there was a slight feeling of exhaustion on Mikhael¡¯s back as he walked away, but this was quickly erased when Alexei, who had almost left with Mikhael, quickly came back and leaned in close and whispered.

    ¡°Graham was justplimenting you on your fine disy ofdyship. You¡¯re doing very well for a first timer.¡±

    He smiled sweetly as he bent down a little and put his face close to his sister¡¯s ear, causing thedies behind Ekaterina, whom all of them behaved as if they had been hit by a cross hail of bullets, to groan and blush, and Ekaterina to swoon.

    <i>I¡¯m so happy to be praised! No, technically, Graham praised me, but I¡¯m twice as happy to hear it from my big brother! Now I can do my best even in my weakest field!</i>

    ¡°Please entertain thedies. Not only that, but everything in the mansion is yours to do with as you please.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, big brother.¡± (Ekaterina)

    Then let¡¯s have a secret event for the girls.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we all take a look at thedies¡¯ weapons while the gentlemen take a look at the armors?¡± (Ekaterina)

    With that, Ekaterina invited the girls to enter the mansion. She took them to a hall that wasrge enough to hold a small party.

    Ekaterina opened the door. And then¡­

    ¡°Oh, my!¡± (Random Noble)

    ¡°Oh, wonderful, it¡¯s gorgeous!¡± (Random Noble)

    The girls all shrieked and squealed in unison.

    The hall that Nona had led me into before was filled with luxurious dresses today. However, all the armored doors that had been closed that day were now open, and the room was bright, and the air was not stagnant.

    ¡°These are the dresses that once belonged to my grandmother.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°This is the one¡­!¡± (Random Noble)

    If they were convinced, it meant that the old hag¡¯s fancy dress was pretty well known in the aristocratic society. That¡¯s right, the designer, Cami-san, said it was famous too.

    ¡°Lady Ekaterina, may I have a closer look?¡± (Random Noble)

    ¡°Of course. Moreover, if you don¡¯t mind.¡± (Ekaterina)

    Looking around at all the girls, Ekaterina said clearly enough for everyone to hear.

    ¡°If you like what you see here, you may take it home along with you.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°!¡± (Random Noble)

    A silent but enthusiastic response came from all of them.

 Chapter 119

    ¡°My grandmother was born an imperial princess and married into our family. Concerning such a status, relics such as dresses are supposed to be given away as a memento to those close to her. I did so after the funeral, but I still have this many items left. As some of you may know, my grandmother was a woman who was very interested in fashion.¡± (Ekaterina)

    Ekaterina added.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure my grandmother would be pleased if her dresses were useful in nurturing the sensibilities of the youngdies who will continue to shoulder the future of the empire.¡± (Ekaterina)

    It¡¯s a lie! I can¡¯t allow my dress to be the property of a baroness! I¡¯m sure she would furiously say something like that behind her grave!

    But that¡¯s alright!

    If you want toe crawling out of the grave in the style of a certain Sadako*,e and see me, I¡¯ll take you up on it, you old hag. I¡¯ll bury you to the depths with earth magic.

    (E/N: Sadako, from ¡°The Ring¡± horror series. The japanese version).

    ¡°I think it is due to my grandmother¡¯s guidance that so many of youdies have gathered here today. As you all know, the school will be holding a ball in the second semester. I would be pleased if this could be of help to you when you are considering your costumes for that asion. I am sorry to say that these are all old items, but it would be interesting to incorporate them into the current trends as materials. I hope you will make use of them in various ways.¡± (Ekaterina)

    To be frank, I¡¯d be happy to sell them off. Even if you are a nobleman, circumstances vary, and I¡¯m sure there are families whose lives are difficult.

    If my family sells it off by itself, Giorgie, the head of Yurimagna, who loved the old hag, would surelye biting at big brother, and it wouldn¡¯t be good for us to have unneeded spections and rumors flying around that we might be having financial difficulties, or that we might not be loyal enough to the royal family. But once the item is given away, the recipient is free to do whatever they want with it.

    It is customary to give her belongings to the maids. If they were the kind of people who cheated to pay their suppliers, they would have taken all the belongings and sold them off, but they never touched my grandmother¡¯s things.

    Judging from the way Nona looked, the array of dresses and jewelry must have been an incarnation of my grandmother to them. Maybe they wanted to think that as long as they had those things in their house, they could act just like grandmother did when she was here. How could I let that be?

    ¡°Take a look first, everyone. If you find something you like, please try it on. Our maids will be happy to assist you.¡± (Ekaterina)

    The maids, including Mina, bowed in unison, and after indicating with a gesture more maids appeared behind the girls.

    There are many things that can be done, such as taking the dress off the torso and putting it on the body, though it depends on the size of the dress.

    In addition, looking at the dress here, it seems that the old hag has kept her body size the same throughout her life. That¡¯s the one thing I¡¯d like to give her credit for. That¡¯s the only good thing about her.

    ¡°Oh, but¡­¡± (Random Noble)

    ¡°Oh no, what should I do¡­¡± (Random Noble)

    The girls peered around the room with an impatient look on their faces. Now, how am I going to push them along?

    But then, a group of three ran into the hall, breathing hard.

    The Yes Trio were really lively!

    ¡°Oh my, pearls! There are so many real pearls sewn on here!¡± (Yes Trio 1)

    ¡°This is Rainbow Silk! Just as I¡¯ve heard, it shines in seven colors¡­I¡¯ve never seen it before!¡± (Yes Trio 2)

    ¡°Oh my, which one is the most expensive??¡± (Yes Trio 3)

    ¡­You guys are showing your true colors, aren¡¯t you?

    But now all their reservations have been blown away.

    Ekaterina looked around at the other girls and smilingly extended her hand into the hall.

    ¡°And now,dies and gentlemen, please.¡± (Ekaterina)

    Let the battle begin, Kahn! (The sound of a gong)

 Chapter 120

    The JKs were squealing and flocking to the gorgeous dresses. They wandered around the hall searching for something that would suit them, their eyes shining brightly, or they would look at each other to see which one would suit them best, and then they would suggest, ¡°You look great, you should go for that one! You should decide!¡±

    I understand. I do feel the same way when I go shopping with my friends in my previous world. What is it about this psychology that makes you want to rmend it with all your might?

    When I first saw the collection of the clothes, I thought they looked creepy, like an olddy¡¯s obsession, but when I saw the girls happily admiring them and praising them for their beauty, I started to consider them to be treasures. I¡¯m sure the dresses will be taken care of in good hands.

    The life force of the young and bright girls is burning even more in the state of a bargain sale of clothes, so the vindictiveness of the old hag can be dispelled in the blink of an eye. Bargain sale purification. Hahaha.

    Flora came over to Ekaterina, who was watching everyone at the back of the hall, thinking about that.

    ¡°Everyone seems to be having a great time.¡± (Flora)

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s been a good time.¡± (Ekaterina)

    Flora-chan didn¡¯t pick out a dress, though. She¡¯s not the type to be picky about such things.

    ¡°¡­Flora-sama, aren¡¯t you feeling ufortable?¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Huh?¡± (Flora)

    ¡°You seem to be putting on a show. I¡¯m sure everyone is enjoying it right now, but somewhere down the line, it¡¯s going to be moreplicated.¡± (Ekaterina)

    A new dress every week is too extravagant, no matter how wealthy you are.

    If this world had a social structure simr to that of early modern Europe or the Edo period in Japan, then clothes themselves, not just dresses, would be much more expensive than one could imagine in the past, when fast fashion was in full swing. Even for themon people, buying new clothes was a luxury in itself. Buying old clothes and wearing them is the norm.

    There are no synthetic fibers here. There were no polyester or nylon, which can be freely produced from petroleum.

    Cotton, silk, wool, and linen. The raw materials are grown with a lot of time and effort, harvested only once a year, and then turned into fiber with even more time and effort, woven into cloth, and made into clothes. All of this is done manually by hand. Even a single piece of clothing can be made with an enormous amount ofbor.

    Even cotton, which is cheaper than silk, must be more precious than what it was in my previous life. In my previous life, I have heard that cotton production in developing countries uses a tremendous number of pesticides. In this world, where pesticides have not yet been developed to such an extent, it is only natural that the amount of cotton produced in this world is much less than in the world I lived in the previous life, if only to meet the demands of standards of quantity and quality.

    In the magic academy, the standard of living is higher when you bear a title, so there are many nobles who are almost in debt to maintain their family name. I think the children of such families will have mixed feelings when they see this bunch of dresses. In fact, they might be disgusted inside.

    ¡°You know that Ekaterina has no intention of showing off. There is no reason for me to feel ufortable.¡± (Flora)

    Flora said firmly.

    Thank you, you¡¯re a good girl.

    ¡°Lady Ekaterina, you mentioned the second semester ball earlier. All of those who are not wealthy were worrying about getting their dresses ready now. Now they won¡¯t have to worry about it anymore, and I¡¯m sure there¡¯s no one who doesn¡¯t understand that Ekaterina-sama did this out of the kindness of her heart.¡± (Flora)

    She¡¯s a really nice girl..

 Chapter 121

    <b>1st Person PoV (Ekaterina)</b>

    She¡¯s a really nice girl¡­

    But I¡¯m not being kind, I¡¯m just annoyed by the old hag¡¯s stupid collection of clothes. Well, the sense of equality in previous generations in Japan is strong, so it¡¯s ufortable for only a few rich people to dress up. So, why don¡¯t we just give this dress to everyone so that everyone can dress up for the big day? Is what I thought. Even though I was worried that it might make them feel ufortable, as if I was showing them how rich we are.

    I¡¯m sure not everyone is as pure as she is, and I¡¯m sure they all have different feelings inside, but I¡¯m d that she said that.

    ¡°Thank you, I¡¯m d to hear that, Flora-sama, I hope you found one of the dresses to your liking.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯m an easygoing person who doesn¡¯t feel the need to look good.¡± (Flora)

    Flora put on a smile in return.

    <i>Yeah, I did expect you to say that.</i>

    So I went ahead and personally handpicked out a dress that would look good on her.

    ¡°Oh, here¡¯s another dress. It looks like they forgot to remove the cover.¡± (Ekaterina)

    <b>3rd person POV</b>

    Ekaterina said, removing the cover and revealing a dress that had been hidden underneath it.

    It was a neat, white dress. The basic shape was simple, but the lily-like sleeves, the skirt and the cor were covered with a wonderfulyer ofce woven with silver thread. There were also tiny aquamarines sewn into thece here and there, making it sparkle.

    There were many gorgeous dresses here, but this one was strangely impressive, due to the remarkable tailoring. The folds of the skirt and the lines of the spreading sleeves seemed to have been sewn into the most beautiful shapes.

    ¡°Well, this dress seems to be made for Flora-sama. With a little work and changing the aquamarine to a cherry blossom ornament that matches Flora-sama¡¯s hair color, it would be perfect.¡± (Ekaterina)

    Ekaterina smiled at Flora, thinking that it was probably obvious.

    Flora, however, seemed oblivious to Ekaterina¡¯s words and only stared at the dress with a shocked expression.

    ¡°My mother¡¯s¡­!¡± (Flora)

    ¡°Eh!?¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°I think it¡¯s a dress that my mother sewed. She told me that she had to be careful because thisce was extremely expensive, and she was more careful than usual, so it really left an impression on me.¡± (Flora)

    <b>1st Person POV (Ekaterina)</b>

    <i>So, Flora-chan¡¯s mother was a seamstress.</i>

    <i>That means this dress was sewn by Flora-chan¡¯s mother??.</i>

    <i>Seriously?</i>

    Ekaterina immediately grabbed Flora¡¯s hand without thinking.

    ¡°Flora-sama, this dress was definitely meant for Flora-sama, and Flora-sama must have it. You should have it, because it was a dress that your mother took great care to make. It was probably lying here, waiting for Flora-sama.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Ekaterina-sama¡­¡± (Flora)

    ¡°Your mother was a remarkable woman, I¡¯m sure. This dress is especially beautiful.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Ekaterina-sama!¡± (Flora)

    With tears in her amethyst-purple eyes, Flora hugged me tightly.

    ¡°Thank you, thank you. I¡¯m so happy, it¡¯s a dreame true to me to be able to wear the dress my mother made¡­! As His Excellency the Duke always says, Ekaterina-sama is like a goddess. Thank you very, very much.¡± (Flora)

    <i>No¡­ In regards to Big Brother, that¡¯s the fault of the Siscon filter, you know?</i>

    <i>The goddess is YOU, THE heroine. I¡¯m just..A viiness.</i>

    Because Flora-chan¡¯s mother¡¯s dress currently looks so pure. I wonder if this can also dissipate evil spirits with the power of holy magic.

    <i>Old hag, you are just incorrigible.</i>

 Chapter 122

    <b>1st Person POV (Ekaterina)</b>

    After all the girls had decided on the dresses they wanted, I went back to the garden together with the others to take a break and have some tea. Then the boys came back, and thus we were all gathered together.

    I noticed that Alexei and Mikhael were having a practice match with their long swords in the training room near the armory.

    It was a great match between two highly skilled people. The tension of the sparks flew as if it was a real battle, and that was irresistible.

    Although the match did not conclude with a clear winner, Alexei had the upper hand. He was taller, had a longer reach, and was two years older than his opponent, so it was no surprise that he had the advantage. Mikhael stood his ground toe to toe and kept up against him, which was admirable.

    Furthermore, Niki lent his support to the underssmen and trained them one after another, tearing and throwing, then breaking and tossing¡­ I heard that Niki trained the underssmen in such a way that even I, and almost all the first-year boys in my ss werepletely fascinated by him.

    It was now in a state that everyone wanted to just cry out [let us call you brother].

    I mean, Prince! What are you doing, keeping Big Brother busy?

    I wasn¡¯t nning on letting Big Brother take up too much of his time, and I was going to ask Graham-san to lead the boys on a tour of the armory. But since you showed up unannounced, I had to ask the head of the family to show up, and that caused me a lot of trouble.

    ¡°Mikhael-sama, that¡¯s not very nice. It is a great honor to have you here, but my brother works hard every day between bncing his duties as head of the Yurinova family with his studies. Please don¡¯t make him take up too much of his personal time and do something that could be dangerous.¡± (Ekaterina)

    Alexei was no longer there, having already returned to his office. Mikhael held up his hands in embarrassment as an angry me red with my willowy eyebrows on behalf of my brother.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ekaterina, but Alexei has been my sword training partner for a long time, and he asked me to spar with him after a long time. (Mikhael)

    <i>Nn?</i>

    ¡°Well, did my brother ask you to do that?¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Yes. He said that since he took over the title, his body seemed to have be stiff. It wasn¡¯t like that at all, though.¡± (Mikhael)

    <i>Oh, shoot.</i>

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know what was going on, and I¡¯m sorry for being so rude.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°That¡¯s okay, it¡¯s good of you to be so considerate of your brother. I¡¯m sure Alexei is lucky to have such a sister.¡± (Mikhael)

    ¡°Oh, I am really ttered.¡± (Ekaterina)

    <i>Really? You really think so?</i>

    Big Brother is a Siscon, and he often says that he¡¯s happy to have me, but if it looks like I¡¯m making Big Brother happy from a third party¡¯s point of view, I¡¯m very happy.

    ¡°Oh, by the way, you said you wanted to learn rapier from Mother. If it¡¯s okay with you, I can teach you a little sometime. I¡¯m sure Alexei won¡¯t be upset if you can learn to wield it.¡± (Mikhael)

    <i>Wow, I want to try it.</i>

    <i>¡­No, wait. Hold on, myself.</i>

    Remember, the prince, i.e. the g of doom, unless Flora-chan wants to learn together with me, or maybe if she just wants to learn it herself, then she is the one who should personally learn it from the prince.

    ¡°Flora-sama, are you interested in rapier?¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Huh? Me, huh? A rapier is a slender sword, right? I¡¯m not really interested¡­¡± (Flora)

    Well, girls aren¡¯t usually interested in rapiers, are they?

 Chapter 123

    <b>1st Person POV (Ekaterina)</b>

    I¡¯m sorry, Prince. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t be of any help to you, though I¡¯m sure you thought Flora-chan would follow you if you invited me.

    I need to quickly learn, adapt and assume the role of a mistress from Graham, and I also have a ss pen to develop in the future.

    ¡°Thank you for your concern. However, I need to learn how to oversee the house for a while.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°All right, you are the Duchess¡¯ deputy until Alexei gets married after all. If there is anything I can do to help, please let me know.¡± (Mikhael)

    ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you to say.¡± (Ekaterina)

    <i>Thank you, Prince. You¡¯re a really nice guy.</i>

    That¡¯s why I shouldn¡¯t feel threatened by the doomsday g.

    <b>3rd person POV</b>

    The day ended like that, and Ekaterina, who had business to attend to at the Duke¡¯s residence the next day, saw everyone off in their respective family carriages as they headed back to their dormitories.

    She handed each of the girls a dress in a boxrge enough to hold the dress and covered the box with ribbons, and asked them to take it home. They all hugged the boxes happily and thanked her.

    But there were three people who didn¡¯t made it.

    The ¡®Yes¡¯ Trio, of course.

    All the other girls chose only one dress. They looked this way and that, and then grabbed about five dresses and didn¡¯t let go. Fifteen dresses for the three of thembined.

    There was no way they could fit fifteenrge boxes in the carriage, which was packed to the limit.

    ¡°Ekaterina-sama said that she would give us this dress. It is your duty to find a way to bring it back for us!¡± (Yes Trio 1)

    The girls were packed in with the duke¡¯s servants. It was so absurd that Ekaterina couldn¡¯t help but tough.

    <i>This is just like my Osaka auntie in my previous life. That¡¯s what happens when the bad side of an Osaka auntiees out. No, in that case, one person would make a boke and one person would make a tsukomi to get augh, and then it would all go away.</i>

    Ekaterina was on her way to the three of them, but she stopped. Graham, the butler, gave her a wink.

    Graham walked over to The ¡®Yes¡¯ Trio and bowed to them condescendingly. A perfectly angled bow, as if perfectly measured with a ruler.

    ¡°How may I help you,dies?¡± (Graham)

    ¡°This maid is defying Ekaterina-sama¡¯s orders! She doesn¡¯t want to follow the instructions!¡± (Yes Trio 1)

    <i>Haah?</i>

    ¡°We¡¯ve been given so many dresses specially for us. Shouldn¡¯t you guys give us some special attention? It¡¯s only natural for you to provide us with another carriage.¡± (Yes Trio 1)

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± (Graham)

    <i>¡­A certain fighter, you¡¯re up.</i>

    [What are you even talking about?]

    Graham smiled slightly. An elegant, but somewhat opaque smile, like a butler¡¯s.

    ¡°Ladies, as members of the Duke of Yurinova¡¯s family, we are doing our utmost toply with our master¡¯s wishes.¡± (Graham)

    ¡°Oh, yes! Then you know what you have to do.¡± (Yes Trio 1)

    ¡°Lady Ekaterina would like to make sure that our guests have an uneventful journey home. In order not to cause any inconvenience to thedies riding along with you, I will send this dress to the dormitory of the Magic Academy tomorrow. Please do not worry and leave.¡± (Graham)

    ¡°Hey! That¡¯s not what I meant!¡± (Yes Trio 1)

    One of the members of The ¡®Yes¡¯ Trio shouted. But Graham didn¡¯t even waver in his sardonic smile.

    ¡°Excuse me, but is the youngdy in question Countess Sofia Cymer?¡± (Graham)

    ¡°Yes!¡± (Yes Trio 1)

    She lifted her chin, was her name Sofia? I¡¯m surprised it¡¯s so close to ¡®Yes¡¯. How did you know that, Graham?

    Later, I found out that all three members of The ¡®Yes¡¯ Trio were named Sofia. It¡¯s amazing.

    But for me, you lot will always be The ¡®Yes¡¯ Trio, yes, and I¡¯ll call Miss Cymer ¡®Yes¡¯ Number 1.

 Chapter 124

    <b>3rd person POV</b>

    ¡°If you know the Countess¡­¡±

    ¡®Yes¡¯ Number 1 was about to say, when Graham bent down and whispered something into her ear.

    That was all it took for Number One¡¯splexion to clearly change.

    Graham bowed again.

    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, please have a safe journey home.¡± (Graham)

    ¡°Okay, okay!¡± (Yes Trio 1)

    And the ¡®Yes¡¯ Trio left in a hurry.

    <b>1st Person POV (Ekaterina)</b>

    Mr. Graham, you¡¯re too good¡­ My butler can do it like magic.

    The ¡®Yes¡¯ Trio, you may have lost something important due to short-term greed.

    That is the value of property in the marriage hunting industry.

    This is a magic academy where aristocratic boys and girls with magic power that meets the standards gather from all over the empire.

    This is also the front line of the marriage hunting market.

    It is essential to learn how to control the magic power for those who are 15 to 18 years old. That is certainly the main reason for the existence of the magic academy.

    However, in this world, this age group is also the perfect age for marriage.

    Noblemen marry for the sake of the family, but if they could get a better match at the school than the one their parents had arranged for them, and even their parents would approve. I also want to fall in love here and marry someone I like and who likes me. That¡¯s what most of the students want. I¡¯m graduallying to understand that fact.

    I guess it¡¯s self-evident.

    I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry that I¡¯m not familiar with things like wanting to fall in love and youth. Because to me, love is a g of doom!

    Aside from me, isn¡¯t the empire actually aiming for the students to find a marriage partner here? One of the reasons for the existence of the school is to maintain the quality and number of people with magic power by encouraging marriages between people with magic power. In addition to this, there are many other things that you can do to make your life easier. Themoners who have magic power are the ones who should be the targets of the school.

    Flora is a perfect example. So, even if the prince sees her, he can¡¯t say no to her because of her status. I think that¡¯s the reason why the prince is so interested in her.

    After realizing that, to me now the magic academy seems to be a grand venue for a blind date. An academy party set up by the state? Yes, it¡¯s a school party. No, it is a national level honey trap.

    The boys and girls don¡¯t even care what the state actually wants.

    At any rate, everyone has already entered the marriage hunting market, and they may have a crush on their type of partner, or they may fall in love at first sight like a meteorite, or they may cleverly hook up with someone who meets their requirements.

    In a way, I think the person in question tends to have more stricter or higher requirements when they seek for a marriage partner. They want a man who is good-looking and has more money and status than their own family.

    I¡¯m not saying that they should aim for fortune or the other way around, but it would be nice if they could. Young people are filled with dreams, hopes, and recklessness.

    So, about The ¡®Yes¡¯ Trio.

    The boys were there when the carriage ride took ce. It was bad enough that they exposed their greed, but if they were so desperate, their family¡¯s financial situation must have been questionable.

    The chances of them finding a suitable partner went down considerably. In fact, I¡¯d say it was actually closer to zero.

    I don¡¯t know if there was even any hint of possibility before, though.

 Chapter 125

    <b>1st Person POV (Ekaterina)</b>

    Although I thought it was stupid, I couldn¡¯t hate them any more than this, but I couldn¡¯t help but think about the Yes Trio.

    Well, live strong. No, I don¡¯t want them to be stronger.

    But what did Graham-san say to Cymer, to be able to silence such a strong Yes Trio with only a single word?

    After all the guests left, I asked Graham to give me an ount of the party.

    ¡°Graham, I¡¯m sorry that my ssmate caused you so much trouble earlier, but I admire the way you handled Miss Cymer.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Thank you, my Lady.¡± (Graham)

    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind me asking what you said to her?¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°I told her that the Cymer family owed us a debt, and that it would be fine if she used this dress to pay it off.¡± (Graham)

    Oh my.

    ¡°I see. No wonder she showed such a change. It¡¯s an amazing ability to understand such things and to even memorize her name. I just can¡¯t do it.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°No, well, I don¡¯t really know about it.¡± (Graham)

    Graham simply added.

    ¡°Young Lady, we do not lend money as part of our business, but we do receive letters of debt in our various ounts. However, I don¡¯t know which family the deeds belong to or how many of them are currently in our possession. However, it is normal for a noble family to have debts, whether small orrge. I simply mentioned that there are debts owed to this family, that is all. Mina came to tell me Cymer-sama¡¯s name because she knew all the people in the same dormitory as the Young Lady.¡± (Graham)

    <i>¡­Uwaah¡­</i>

    <i>No way, it was a bluff!</i>

    Marina-chan was just ying along with the dignified butler of the duke¡¯s household, who she said was the ideal butler!

    ¡°Oh my, ho ho ho!¡± (Ekaterina)

    Ekaterina burst outughing and apuded in glee.

    ¡°What a brilliant performance! I¡¯m so impressed! As expected from Grandfather¡¯s favorite actor. It was so wonderfully acted that I didn¡¯t even notice that it was a stage. It was a great scene.¡± (Ekaterina)

    Then Graham stood up and bowed. Not the usual perfect butler¡¯s bow, but an exaggerated and magnificent bow, as if he were a stage actor.

    ¡°I am honored to receive such high praise for my shabby performance, mydy.¡± (Graham)

    <b>3rd Person POV</b>

    Ekaterina smiled.

    When Ekaterina told Marina and the others that she didn¡¯t know Graham¡¯s family background, she wasn¡¯t lying. Ekaterina did not know what family he was born into. But he did tell them what kind of life he had lived before serving under their grandfather Sergei.

    Graham had once been an actor in a traveling theater troupe.

    When the troupe he was in passed through Yurinova¡¯s territory, they were unfortunately attacked by a magical beast. Although the magical beast was ultimately defeated by the Yurinova Knight Order¡¯s swift response, unfortunately the troupe was practicallypletely wiped out. Only one person; Graham, was the sole survivor. Although he survived, he lost everything and also lost the will to live.

    It was an incident that happened more than thirty years ago, and back then Graham was probably in histe twenties. He may also have had a family in the troupe. He didn¡¯t talk about it, though.

    While he was being treated for his wounds by the Order, he was as lifeless as a shell, when Grandfather called out to him. He said that he was troubled by the sudden resignation of his squire.

    [You¡¯re an actor, aren¡¯t you? When you get well, will you stay with me for a while and y the part of a squire?] (Sergei)

    That was how it all started, he said.

    He loved to act. He didn¡¯t want to do anything else. But he couldn¡¯t bring himself to forget what he had lost and join another theater troupe. Grandfather¡¯s words, which seemed to reflect his feelings, stuck with him.

    So Graham decided to y the part of a servant.

 Chapter 126

    It was said that in a traveling y, there is no such thing as a script. It wasmon practice to create a y by winging it to the situation, ad hoc.

    Graham, who had been trained there, was good at dealing with sudden situations and putting difficult-to-deal-with-people in their ces. Other nobles even envied my grandfather for his tactful and loyal servant. Whenever this happened, my grandfather would often in private apud with amusement.

    [You¡¯re a great actor. It¡¯s such a great performance that no one would have known it was you on stage.] (Sergei)

    A normal person would have said that he was better suited to be a servant than an actor, and that he was a good servant. That would have been true, too.

    But Grandfather called him a great actor.

    Duke Yurinova. The only person of higher rank than him was the royal family, and he had said this to a mere traveler who was willing to give his life for the Duke Sergei, or so Graham thought.

    In the Imperial Kingdom, high-ranking female servants were often noblemen, but this was usually just a way to establish a rtionship with a high-ranking nobleman before marrying off. Male servants, on the other hand, are professionals and their identity is not required. However, it is not normal for a traveling actor to serve so close to a Duke.

    Whenever my grandfather was asked about Graham¡¯s origins, he would say that he was a guardian spirit who had been by his side before he knew it.

    So, without being questioned about his status, Graham went from servant to chambein, and from chambein to Personal Butler. He was able to rise to one of the highest positions in service to the Duke¡¯s family.

    ¡°All these years, Lord Sergei was my only audience.¡± (Graham)

    Alexei was unaware of Graham¡¯s past. Grandfather did not inform his earnest grandson.

    But Graham had personally revealed it to Ekaterina himself.

    ¡°The Young Lady is much like Lord Sergei. Like him, she has a somewhat free spirit.¡± (Graham)

    ¡­I¡¯m really sorry for being a fraud when you say something like that to praise me.

    Grandfather was a wonderful man, and I am d to hear that I resemble him.

    Thank you, Graham-san.

    I think you are indeed a great actor that Grandfather cherished the most.

    Later, Kimberly-san, the treasurer, quietly told me that most of Yes Trio¡¯s ims (i.e., the right to collect debts) on the family home had been paid by the Yurinova Household.

    He told me that he had arranged for his family to inform the three of them about it, so they wouldn¡¯t have to bother about it anymore.

    Well, it¡¯s not like we forced them to take on a debt, rather we were able to consolidate the debt and the interest rate went down significantly, so it¡¯s not a bad thing for them.

    But still¡­our Yurinova House is amazing.

    But I guess they still won¡¯t learn their lesson. I thought to myself.

    <b>3rd Person POV</b>

    ¡°Young Lady, wee.¡± (Rev)

    The day after the short party with her ssmates. Ekaterina smiled at the ssmaker, Rev, who greeted her happily at the Murano Workshop, which she visited again by carriage.

    ¡°Good day, Rev, I¡¯m sorry to have startled you with such a short notice.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°No way! Thank you so much for listening to my insane request so quickly. I can¡¯t believe that this workshop is no longer for sale to be disposed of, and I¡¯m so happy to be able to once again light up the master¡¯s furnace.¡± (Rev)

    Yes. The purchase of the workshop was alreadypleted.

    It was the end ofst week when Ekaterina approached Alexei about buying Murano Workshop. Halil, themercial manager, who was assigned by Alexei to arrange the purchase, apparently made the arrangements almost immediately after that.

 Chapter 127

    Halil¡¯s subordinate, who was appointed to be in charge of the purchase, looked up the right holder of the workshop and contacted him early in the week.

    They immediately started negotiating the sale price, and it took them three days to haggle the price down to almost half of the initial offer.

    It was the day before yesterday when we paid the agreed amount in a lump sum, shook hands with the negotiator with a smile, and received the key to the workshop.

    Yesterday, Ekaterina received the key from the person in charge of purchasing, and delivered it to Rev.

    <i>So fast!</i>

    I¡¯ve heard that Japanesepanies are notorious around the world for being slow to make decisions, but I wonder if the empire is still very European. Perhaps the business speed is fast enough to beat the global standard of my previous life.

    Most of thepanies I¡¯ve been involved with in my previous life have made only a week¡¯s worth of progress in convincing my boss that I need to make a presentation to get approval for a purchase budget. That¡¯s progress? I know that sounds like a lot, but that¡¯s really how it is for conglomeratepanies.

    And even after cutting the price in half, the price of the workshop is still worth several times my annual ie from my previous life¡­.

    Even though it was a ckpany, ourpany paid a good amount of overtime. That¡¯s why I think my ie was fairly good for my generation.

    But to think it¡¯s several times that.

    ¡­I¡¯m sure I died of exhaustion without having time to use that earnings properly¡­I¡¯m sure my savings returned into the government unimed money treasury¡­well, there¡¯s no point in thinking about it.

    Anyway, not only the Siscon Big Brother, but also all the duke¡¯s officials spoiled me by buying me a ss studio.

    Now that they¡¯ve spoiled me, I have to be careful not to get spoiled even any further.

    Even in my previous life, tens of millions of yen was enough to change people¡¯s lives. In this world where there is a huge gap between rich and poor, I don¡¯t know how many people¡¯s lives I could change if I were amoner. After having that much money spent on me, I have to do everything I can to make sure the Duke House doesn¡¯t lose any more money!

    ¡°Rev, you can count on me. I need you to create a lot more of beautiful, people-pleasing things.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Thank you, my Lady. I would love to be able to do that as well.¡± (Rev)

    ¡°I¡¯m d. I don¡¯t know anything about ss. You¡¯re the only one who can help me make this work.¡± (Ekaterina)

    Ekaterina smiled, but her expression immediately tightened.

    ¡°But I don¡¯t want you to have to bear the entire burden alone. This workshop is now in my name, and in the name of Yurinova, I will bring the benefits of being a part of the Duke¡¯s household to this workshop. And eventually, I will fulfill my duty to return the benefits from the workshop to the Duke.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°A boon and a duty¡­?¡± (Rev)

    Ekaterina nodded at Rev, who was puzzled.

    ¡°First, let me ask you something. You said that Master Murano was not very good at business. How about you? Do you n to keep track of everything in the workshop, including business, like your master? Or would you prefer to be able to concentrate on making your work?¡± (Ekaterina)

    Rev gulped and let his gaze wander for a moment.

    ¡°Well¡­I¡¯m sorry, I have no idea about business nor money matters. My master always said that I¡¯m not suited for business, and that I¡¯d be better off as a hired craftsman rather than owning my own workshop.¡± (Rev)

    ¡°Well, then, I guess we¡¯ll just have to split the work.¡± (Ekaterina)

    Ekaterina says cheerfully.

 Chapter 128

    <b>3rd Person POV</b>

    ¡°I¡¯ve been assured that Murano Workshop¡¯s products will be in great demand. I¡¯ve been itching to sell them.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you.¡± (Rev)

    Rev smiled, relieved.

    ¡°I was talking about the Murano Workshop¡¯s standard products, such as ssware. As for the ss pens, it will take some trial and error before we can produce them to amercially-viable standard. I have been given permission by the Duke of Yurinova to fund the development of new products until the workshop is back on track. Mina.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Yes, my Lady.¡± (Mina)

    Mina ced the bag in front of Rev, and the coins clinked together.

    ¡°Here is your paycheck for this week, Mina told me that you were fired from the Garen Workshop after you spoke with me.¡± (Ekaterina)

    That old man is a lousy employer, suddenly firing people without paying them for their work.

    It¡¯s probably because he noticed that I was talking to him, but I suspect that Master Garen took it out on Rev-kun because Mina gave him a twist when he tried to grab my arm.

    ¡°I¡¯ll pay you in advance because we can¡¯t afford to develop products if you¡¯re having trouble making a living. I¡¯ve already paid the same amount as I did for the Murano Workshop, but we¡¯ll make a proper contract at ater date. I will do my best to give you an amount that is befitting of your position in the workshop.¡±

    ¡°Wow, you are indeed a great entrepreneur¡­! Thank you very much.¡±

    He took the sry without hesitation, and Rev looked as if he was dreaming.

    ¡°And¡­¡±

    Ekaterina was about to say when she heard a clear sound. The sound of a beautiful bell, simr to a wind chime, ying a musical scale. It seemed to be that the doorbell of this workshop was made of a ss bell that rang when the lever next to the door was pulled.

    Before Rev could get up in a hurry, Mina quickly walked out. Then she came right back.

    ¡°Where do you keep the firewood?¡±

    Mina asked, and from behind her, a man holding arge bundle of firewood peered into the room.

    ¡°Ah, yes, it¡¯s in the basement storage. I¡¯ll show you.¡±

    Rev rushed out to answer. As expected of a Murano Workshop with a well-thought-out flow line, the fuel seemed to be stored in an underground warehouse that could be essed directly from the outside.

    Rev returned with a stunned look on his face, and Ekaterina smiled.

    <b>1st Person POV (Ekaterina) </b>

    ¡°It arrived before I could speak to you, and I apologize for the surprise. The purchase of materials and fuel will both bebined with the duke¡¯s other businesses operating purchases. The reason for this is that we can save money by purchasing in bulk. Besides, we can leave the purchasing to people who are better skilled in price negotiations, which will further lighten the burden on the workshop.¡±

    Halil-san suggested this to me when I praised him for cutting the price of the workshop in half. He told me that by including the workshop¡¯s portion in the purchase, the buying side would have the advantage of being able to increase the quantity purchased and negotiate the price more favorably, so he proposed that I do so without hesitation, to which I gratefully epted.

    ¡°Also, would you be interested in hiring an ountant with specialized knowledge for the role of bncing the books and calcting profits and losses?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you can do that for me?¡±

    Rev¡¯s eyes were nk, and he didn¡¯t really seem to realize it yet.

    I¡¯m not going to let the duke¡¯s family lose money, but I am going to make sure that the duke¡¯s assets and human resources are properly utilized. Somewhere inside me, a Tsukomi is trying toe out¡­

    Don¡¯t get distracted by it! Face it with pride.

 Chapter 129

    <b>1st Person POV (Ekaterina) </b>

    This is not the time to be reserved.

    I¡¯m a novice in business management, so I needed a professional to help me around. A novice should not try to do things on his own.

    A new employee thinking that he could fix the system by himself because his seniors seemed to be busy, or that he could recover from a fault, would have caused a catastrophe¡­ It was amon urrence in my previous life.

    Even if a senior didn¡¯t seem to be overly busy, they didn¡¯t want to say things such as they couldn¡¯t do it or didn¡¯t understand it , nor something uncool like that, so they kept saying things like ¡°everything is going well¡± or ¡°it¡¯s almost done¡± and suddenly stoppeding into the office.

    Yeah, I¡¯ll stop remembering that.

    Also, I think it¡¯s right to invest money at the beginning, and if it¡¯s not working, quickly assess the situation and decide what to do before cutting losses. It¡¯s foolish to put in only a bit of effort after you¡¯ve run out of steam.

    I don¡¯t know if a beginner like me can make such a judgment, although I¡¯m sure I could!

    I think we should ask for help from the experts. If we can find a reliable expert; the Duke of Yurinova¡¯s family is very blessed when ites to that.

    ¡°Therefore, Rev, I would like you to take it easy and concentrate on creating your work. I want you to make ss pens. It is my role to provide you with an environment where you can do so. If there is anything you need, please do not hesitate to ask.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Young Lady.¡±

    Rev bowed deeply.

    ¡°I cannot thank you enough. I am incredibly fortunate to have received so much consideration. Now that the wood storage room is full, we can put fire in the furnace whenever we want. Once the furnace is lit, this studio wille to life. The me is the very life of a ss studio. I will definitely make the ss pen that you want, Young Lady.¡±

    <b>3rd Person POV</b>

    Rev then spread a sheaf of papers on the table with a rustle.

    ¡°I drew sketches for the ss pen. Which design do you like for the handle?¡±

    ¡°Well, as I expected, it¡¯s beyondparison to my amateur drawings!¡±

    Ekaterina¡¯s excitement went through the roof at the realistic and beautiful sketch.

    It had the vibe of a Da Vinci sketch that she had seen in the past, which was already wonderful in itself.

    ¡°First, I want you to make something for my Big Brother, Duke Yurinova, to use. So it should be masculine and elegant. He hasrge hands, so it would be great if the circumference can be thicker for him to hold easily. And as for the color¡­¡±

    Ekaterina was so excited that she couldn¡¯t help but make a lot of requests, which sheter regretted.

    At the end of the following week, the school received a call from Rev, who told her that the prototype of the ss pen was ready, and he wanted her to take a look at it.

    Fast!!

    ¡­

    ¡°Wee, youngdy.¡±

    ¡°Rev, are you sure it¡¯s ready?¡±

    Ekaterina asked excitedly with a smile shining with anticipation as Rev greeted her at the workshop. Rev, who had a dazed expression on his face, nodded his head.

    ¡°Yes, I think it¡¯s ready. Please check it out.¡±

    A ck velvet cloth wasid on the table of the sofa set in the corner of the workshop, where a number of ss pens were lined up. All of them are entirely transparent.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t used colored ss yet. The inclusions for the colors are expensive, and for now I wanted you to check out the nibs first.¡±

    ¡°Well, that is the main concern after all.¡±

    Nevertheless, the shape was already beautiful. There were elements like twists and beads strung together. I¡¯m sure it would be even more beautiful in colored ss, but the effect of clear ss is also very pleasing.

 Chapter 130

    <b>3rd Person POV</b>

    I picked up one of the pens on disy and stared at it. The spiral grooves on the pen¡¯s nib were beautifully engraved.

    When I dipped the nib into the prepared ink pot, the ink quickly ran down the groove and drew a spiral pattern on the nib.

    <i>Yes, this is it!</i>

    A piece of paper was prepared for me to try writing on. First, I wrote my name. I could write smoothly with the new pen. It didn¡¯t feel as scratchy as a quill pen.

    Below my name, I drew the coat of arms of the Yurinova family. No matter which direction I move the pen, it didn¡¯t get stuck. Yes, this is the advantage of ss pens.

    And the ink did not fade until I had almost finished drawing the coat of arms.

    When I bought a ss pen in my previous life, I was told that once you dip the nib into the ink pot, you can write long enough to fill up an entire postcard or so. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s more than that.

    The pen I just tried was just the right size for Ekaterina¡¯s hand.

    I picked up another pen. This one is a little bigger and heavier than the previous one. I¡¯m sure this one would be morefortable in Alexei¡¯s hand. When I tried it out, I found that the ink also colored the nib with a beautiful spiral, making it easy to write with.

    ¡°Um¡­how about this? Do you think I should design it to suck up more ink? It would make it a little more difficult to bnce the look.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s fine.¡±

    Ekaterina put down her pen.

    Then she sped, and squeezed Rev¡¯s right hand with both of hers.

    ¡°Rev, you are a genius! You¡¯vee a long way in such a short period of time, and you¡¯ve only shown me one of your designs! I¡¯m very impressed!¡±

    ¡°Ha¡­! Um, no, not really!¡±

    Turning bright red, Rev shook his head.

    ¡°No, you would need to have a great deal of natural talent to be able to do that. You have a wonderful sense of craftsmanship, insight and understanding. You also have a curiosity for the unknown and a sense of adventure. How fortunate I am to have met you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, thank you, Young Lady. I, I, I don¡¯t know what to do.¡±

    Rev is about to cry.

    Mina, who was standing by his side, swooped in. She gently took Ekaterina¡¯s hand and peeled it away from Rev¡¯s hand. Then, Mina went back to her ce.

    Ekaterina came to her senses. What a shameful thing for a youngdy to hold the hand of a man of the opposite sex.

    <b>1st Person POV (Ekaterina)</b>

    And Rev, it¡¯s ufortable to get praised so much, isn¡¯t it?

    But I can¡¯t even begin to tell you how impressed I am! I¡¯m really impressed! You are a real genius to be able to produce at such quality so quickly. It was so amazing that even if I wanted to make an hour-long program, I would have run out of, what was it, film footage? I think it would be too much for an hour-long program.

    No, he must have hit a wall in his own way at first. But I¡¯m sure he quickly overcame them with his wisdom and ingenuity.

    You¡¯re currently only twenty-two, right? You may be a master craftsman, even surpassing yourte master, Master Murano.

    Yes, you are a star on the rise. That¡¯s what my eyes are telling me. I¡¯m really looking forward to your future.

    I¡¯m really d that I was able to buy the Murano workshop. A Duke¡¯s family is astounding. You can be a patron of geniuses. It¡¯s like the Medici family in my previous life.

    ¡°Oh, Young Lady. Are you sure this is the right design to present to His Excellency the Duke?¡±

    Ah! That¡¯s right, I have to have it redone in colored ss before Big Brother¡¯s birthday. It was incredible that the prototype was made in time before his birthday, but we didn¡¯t have that many days left.

 Chapter 131

    <b>3rd Person POV</b>

    As Rev brought up the matter of a business meeting, Ekaterina¡¯s mode immediately switched.

    ¡°Well, this twist design is nice and easy to hold. Then there¡¯s this design with a bulging handle. The engraved patterns are beautiful, and I love that it¡¯s designed to be non-slip. And then¡­¡±

    Thest time I told him what design I wanted while looking at the drawing, he also made exactly what I asked for. An borate design that resembled the beautiful dagger scabbard I had seen disyed in the duke¡¯s weapons collection room.

    ¡°I knew this would look good on Big Brother. Can you make it out of colored ss without any problems?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I can.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯d like you to make these three pieces in three different colors, and make them as gorgeous as a gift for the Duke of Yurinova. The colors will be exactly as I requested before, no further changes.¡±

    Rev¡¯s eyes lit up. He was probably looking at the finished ss pen right now. In his mind¡¯s eye, he already had a picture of the finished product.

    ¡°You can count on me, Young Lady. I¡¯ll do my best to work on it.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, I¡¯ll be counting on you.¡±

    Smiling, Ekaterina suddenly turned serious.

    <b>1st Person POV (Ekaterina)</b>

    ¡°Rev, there¡¯s one more thing I want you to make sure you adhere to.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you may say anything you like.¡±

    ¡°Eat properly every day, sleep well, and take care of your body. That¡¯s all I want you to do. A person as gifted as someone like you would probably be happy to continue using your talent. Instead of sleeping or eating, you probably would be so absorbed in creating things, and you would genuinely feel happy. But you must not forget to eat and sleep. I would not ask you to sacrifice your life to present a gift for Big Brother. Even if it is a littlete on his birthday, Big Brother will be happy to receive it, even btedly. Life is unique and irreceable. Make sure you take care of yourself the best you can.¡±

    Honestly, that¡¯s what I would have said to myself in my previous life.

    When I was working, I thought I had to do whatever it took. But, I didn¡¯t realize that it was something that could cost me my life.

    <i>It was my life, and I should have taken better care of it¡­.</i>

    So! Since I have the memories of my previous life, I have to make use of that experience in this life and do my best to prevent anyone from dying of overwork!

    ¡°¡­¡±

    <b>3rd Person POV</b>

    Rev seemed to be in a daze.

    After a moment, he grunted.

    ¡°¡­Oh, if you insist, Young Lady.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Promise me that.¡±

    Gently looking away from the smirking Ekaterina, Rev muttered.

    ¡°But it makes me feel like I should do my best, even if it means dying.¡±

    <i>Wait a minute, seriously, don¡¯t!</i>

    It was a weekday.

    Flora, who had been watching Ekaterina fidgeting since morning with a smile on her face, told me that they were going to have lunch today and that she would cook it for them.

    ¡°But, Lady Flora. We can¡¯t afford to cause you that kind of trouble.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a nuisance,¡± she said, ¡°the happiness of Lady Ekaterina and the Duke is my happiness as well. Besides, I don¡¯t think Lady Ekaterina should be around knives and fire right now. Her heart is not in the right ce.¡±

    Flora giggled as she said this. Her smile, as always, is like a flower.

 Chapter 132

    <b>1st person POV (Ekaterina)</b>

    <i>Ugh, I¡¯m sorry. Thank you, Flora.</i>

    But today is Big Brother¡¯s birthday. I¡¯ve been preparing for this day, and I¡¯m so excited, so please forgive me. Sincest night, I¡¯ve been thinking too much about what I¡¯d do if he wasn¡¯t happy with all the effort I put into it.

    No, I don¡¯t think there would be anything that he wouldn¡¯t appreciate, because Big Brother is a siscon. But still, I want to give him something that he would be happy with, not because he is a siscon, but because he genuinely really likes it and finds it useful. That¡¯s why I chose to give a ss pen.

    I don¡¯t think that anything is good enough to make Big Brother happy. My brocon will not be beaten by Big Brother¡¯s siscon!

    I still don¡¯t know what the fight is about, though!

    So, as soon as lunchtime came, I headed for the office.

    When I arrived, I saw that Alexei had also just arrived, and he looked surprised when he saw me along with Novak and the others.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, you seem to be earlier than usual today.¡±

    ¡°I wanted to wish you earlier¡­ Happy birthday, Big Brother.¡±

    Alexei¡¯s neon blue eyes widened when I told him with a smirk.

    <i>Ah, this reaction. Big Brother¡­you forgot your own birthday! You¡¯re so busy with household matters that you don¡¯t care about yourself at all.</i>

    No, maybe you didn¡¯t forget, but you didn¡¯t n to do anything special? What if he had a traumatic birthday or something?

    Alexei smiled.

    Then he reached out and gave me a hug.

    ¡°Thanks. I thought my birthday was no different from any other day, but if you¡¯re celebrating it, then it¡¯s a great day.¡±

    Kyaa, I¡¯m d. Big Brother, the original tsundere, is just a deredere today.

    I didn¡¯t expect him to react this way when I congratted him before presenting the gift. As expected of Big Brother.

    I extended out my hands and returned a hug to Alexei.

    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that. I¡¯ve brought you a little gift to celebrate. Please take a look at it and see if you like it.¡±

    Alexei smiled at these words and gently stroked my cheek.

    ¡°How could I not like a gift from my Goddess? I¡¯m more than happy with just your feelings alone.¡±

    As expected of Big Brother¡­.

    Anyway, I finally presented the gift box. It was a blue velvet box with a light blue ribbon. The box was also custom-made as a case for the ss pens, and was stuffed with padding and lined with silk to hold the pen in ce and prevent the delicate nib from being damaged.

    Alexei untied the ribbon and opened the box to reveal three ss pens insideid out.

    I think that Rev¡¯s talent is even more evident in the finished product in the colored ss versions of the ss pens.

    One of them had a ¡®twist¡¯ design. There were in fact two sparkling colors, light blue and indigo, twisted together. Of course, the color scheme was inspired by the color of Alexei and Ekaterina¡¯s hair.

    The next one was designed to be thicker and fuller at the handle and thinner towards the back end. It is transparent as a whole, with two blue roses, one light blue and the other indigo, drawn in some way inside the thickest part. On the outside, the leaves of a flowing rose vine were painted with lines of green ss.

    The third one was designed to resemble a dagger sheath. The outside of the pen was transparent, but only the core was light blue, making it look like a transparent ss sheath wrapped around a light blue de. Indigo was used for the back end of the pen, the part that resembles the handle of a dagger.

    And on the outside of the transparent ss, there were words written in gold. Since Ekaterina could not read nor write Astra, she only told Rev that the dagger scabbard she was referring to was decorated with what looked like letters, and he chose words that were often used for this kind of decoration.

 Chapter 133

    <b>1st Person POV (Ekaterina)</b>

    It was no wonder that Alexei looked at them with a curious expression on his face. In the Imperial Kingdom, where there were only quill pens, it was only natural that he wouldn¡¯t know what this was at first sight.

    ¡°Big Brother, this is a pen for you?¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°A pen?¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°It¡¯s a ss pen made out of ss. It can suck up more ink than a quill pen, so you can write more letters in a row. You use it like this.¡±

    With a chuckle, I pulled out my own ss pen. I have carefully chosen one of the prototypes Rev had made that fits my hand. By the way, I was carrying it in a long, narrow wooden box that Mina found for me, stuffed with cotton.

    I borrowed the ink pot, got myself a sheet of paper, and when Alexei suggested I sit down, I borrowed a nice leather chair and headed for the big office desk. I felt as if I was sitting at the president¡¯s desk, but I guess I still had too much of the corporate spirit in me.

    I dipped the tip of a ss pen into the ink pot and filled the grooves with ink.

    Oh, what should I write? I can¡¯t draw my family¡¯s coat of arms in the workshop well enough to show Big Brother, so I don¡¯t want to¡­ I want something that shows I can write a lot of words.

    <i>Well, there you go.</i>

    Quickly, I run my pen across the paper.

    I¡¯m writing the lyrics to the theme song of a certain something. It was repeating like an earworm in my brain so much that I had to trante it into the imperialnguage to clear my head. It was quite difficult to trante the lyrics so that it would fit the music and be easy to sing, but I think I got it down to a decent level.

    I breathed a sigh of relief as I was able to write the entire first verse with just enough ink to dip the ss pen into the ink pot once.

    ¡°Once you dip the tip in ink, you¡¯ll be able to write so much more than a quill pen.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s revolutionary.¡±

    Novak groaned, and that¡¯s when for the first time Ekaterina was startled to realize that the office desk was surrounded by the duke¡¯s executives.

    They were all looking at the ss pen with great interest.

    <i>Well, um¡­</i>

    ¡°Um, Big Brother, try it out.¡±

    Ekaterina stood up from the leather chair and motioned for Alexei to sit down.

    Sitting down in her seat as her sister had told him to, Alexei looked closely at the ss pen. She picked up one of the pens, which resembled a dagger.

    ¡°Fate, luck,petence.¡±

    Alexei muttered and Ekaterina tilted her head.

    ¡°What are those?¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°It¡¯s the meaning of the Astra words inscribed here©`©`thest of which can be tranted as virtue, courage, prowess, and mettle, in addition topetence. These three words are often written in pairs, as both good fortune and personal prowess are needed to overturn fate.¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°Well, it would seem so, wouldn¡¯t it? I don¡¯t know Astra at all, I¡¯m ashamed to say.¡± (Ekaterina)

    It was a pity that I never received any form of education as a noblewoman. In the past, Astra was apulsory subject for nobles, and even now, it was natural to be able to read at least the major words. Maybe I¡¯ll get ripped off in ss one of these days.

    ¡°You have nothing to be ashamed of. There are plenty who can read Astra, but my sister is the only one who is wise enough to understand it.¡±

    <i>Thank you, Big Brother¡¯s siscon filter is performing well today!</i>

 Chapter 134

    <b>1st Person POV (Ekaterina)</b>

    ¡°By the way, this poem, it¡¯s in an unusual form. Did you write it?¡±

    Oh, I didn¡¯t expect that!

    ¡°No, no, I read it somewhere.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°I see. I read some poetry myself, but I¡¯ve never seen anything like this.¡± (Alexei)

    Big Brother, you read poetry books, don¡¯t you? That seems a little surprising.I wonder if he was influenced by the fact that dimir of Yurimagna, who used to be a good friend of his, said that he could recite the poems of the Astra period without difficulty.

    Haha, I get it now! That knowledge of poetry is the source of Big Brother¡¯s rhetorical skills!

    Alexei dips his ss pen into the ink bottle.

    And he wrote his name first.

    ¡°Hoh. What a¡­ smooth feeling. No snags.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s how it works.¡±

    <b>3rd Person POV</b>

    Alexei changed the paper and started writing something else. Something that Ekaterina can¡¯t read, because Alexei is writing in Astra in gorgeous, ornate script.

    I had seen in a museum the decorative writing style of the Heian aristocracy in the past, where they wrote letters and such, but to be able to write something like that so effortlessly was truly a characteristic of aristocratic culture!

    ¡°I can write with this pen in either direction. It¡¯s apletely different feeling and sensationpared to a quill pen.¡±

    Alexei groaned, but Ekaterina was more likely to groan.

    It was his first time using a ss pen, so there was a bit of fumbling, but with masterful handwriting, Alexei wrote out aplete sentence in Astra.

    ¡°Big Brother, what did you write?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve tranted this poem into Astra. It still needs some boration.¡±

    <i>Heee! I had a lot of trouble tranting it from Japanese into the Imperialnguage, and you¡¯re tranting it for the first time just like that?</i>

    ¡°Ekaterina, this is your¡­ ss pen, you say? Did you have it made in your ss studio?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I did. We have good craftsmen.¡±

    ¡°When you wanted a workshop, you said you wanted people to make beautiful things as they pleased. So this is it.¡±

    Gently, Alexei put down the ss pen.

    Then, standing up, she hugged her sister and kissed her temple.

    *smooch*

    <b>1st Person POV (Ekaterina</b>)

    <i>Kyaa!</i>

    ¡°Thank you, Ekaterina, my goddess. You are unbelievably amazing in every way.¡±

    <i>Kyaa!</i>

    <i>Kyaa!</i>

    <i>Kyaa!</i>

    <i>Kyaa¡­Hey, it¡¯s time to calm down, me!</i>

    (Editor¡¯s note: Multiple critical-hitbo achieved, Shun Goku Satsu!)

    ¡°Big Brother¡­I¡¯m so happy that you enjoyed it.¡±

    Ugh, I¡¯m really happy.

    ¡­Well, since I was able to make the ss pen thanks to the purchase of the workshop, I¡¯m not sure if I can call this a gift from me. But I¡¯m definitely d that I came up with the idea of giving him a ss pen!

    ¡°Delighted, huh?¡±

    Hmm, Alexei chuckles.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you gave me something like this for my birthday. You really are¡­¡±

    ¡°Big Brother is the most important thing to me, and your birthday is more important than anything else.¡±

    If he could say that it was such a great gift, I¡¯d be delighted if I could make it into a product.

    But really, for me, the most important thing was making Big Brother happy, not talking about the economic benefits. That was the way it was with Big Brother and me being a Brocon.

    <b>3rd Person POV</b>

    ¡°¡­I see. Thanks.¡±

    Alexei muttered faintly.

    Just then, there was a knock on the door of the office.

    Ivan, the servant, quickly opened the door and there was Flora. She was carrying arge basket as usual, and had apparently brought us lunch.

    ¡°Why, thank you, Flora-sama. I¡¯m so sorry for leaving everything to you.¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve had a lot of help, too.¡± (Flora)

    Flora said with a smile, and her ssmates Marina and Olga popped up from behind her and waved.

    ¡°Happy birthday, Your Excellency, I helped out a bit on Ekaterina-sama¡¯s behalf.¡± (Flora)

    ¡°There are all kinds of things in there from the kitchen to help you celebrate, too.¡± (Marina / Olga)

 Chapter 135

    <b>3rd Person POV</b>

    Apparently, even the kitchen staff, who had be friends with Ekaterina and the others as they went to the kitchen every day, had heard that it was her brother Alexei¡¯s birthday and wished him a happy one. It was so heartwarming.

    Alexei put his hand on his chest and bowed.

    ¡°Ladies, I offer you my thanks, as the Duke of Yurinova, Alexei.¡±

    Marina and Olga squealed at the sight of the picture-perfect figure.

    The two of them left, saying they would have lunch in the dining room as usual. So in the office, the usual group of people ate a slightly more borate meal than usual.

    At the end of the day, Flora brought out a modestly sweet pound cake beautifully decorated with dried fruits as a small gift from me, making the asion even more heartwarming.

    Alexei asked her to stay in the office after school, so Ekaterina showed up as soon as ss was over.

    <b>1st Person POV (Ekaterina)</b>

    ¡°Wee, youngdy.¡± (Novak and others)

    Alexei was still nowhere to be seen, while Novak and the others stood up to greet Ekaterina.

    ¡°My Lady¡­ it is presumptuous of us to say this, but lunchtime was a very good time. It was a pleasure to be able to celebrate Your Excellency¡¯s birthday in such a warm manner.¡± (Novak)

    ¡°Sir Novak, gentlemen, I have always appreciated your thoughtfulness towards Big Brother. Is it possible that Big Brother has never been fond of celebrating his birthday?¡± (Ekaterina)

    Not only Big Brother, but everyone else seemed to be acting as usual, which meant that Big Brother was indicating that there was no need to celebrate.

    Novak gave an uncertain look at Ekaterina¡¯s words.

    ¡°The former Duke¡­yourte father liked his celebrations to be very lively. There were times when it went a little too far, so His Excellency decided that after he inherited the dukedom, it would cease to be so. Still, the duke¡¯s residence has continually been receiving congrattory gifts from various people, but almost all of them are being handled administratively.¡± (Novak)

    That was what Big Brother hated.

    I guess my dad had been doing that since my grandfather passed away, when Big Brother was between ten and seventeen years old. He was at an emotional age¡­ stupid father.

    Just then, Alexei arrived.

    ¡°Ekaterina, you¡¯re here.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Big Brother.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to bother you. I¡¯d like to talk to you about your ss pen, Halil, apany me.¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± (Halil)

    Halil Tar, themercial distribution manager, bowed. He had a very nice smile on his face, a grin filled with anticipation.

    ¡°Actually, I was hoping to discuss this with you as well. I would like to develop this ss pen into a profitable product for the Murano workshop. Would you be willing to help us?¡± (Ekaterina)

    Alexei smiled as I asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s great, you are quick on the uptake. I think it has great potential. Not only is it innovative as a writing instrument, it¡¯s also beautiful. ¡­I think you¡¯re the only one who could create something like this and give it as a gift to your family first. I was worried that you were too selfless, but I¡¯m relieved to see that you have the vision to develop it into a business. You really are a smart one after all.¡± (Alexei)

    <b>3rd Person POV</b>

    She didn¡¯t create it, so it was just impossible for her to be greedy. She was really sorry to the wind chime maker who invented the ss pen in her previous life during the Meiji era.

    She wondered if he had a patent or something. No, the patent was valid for only 20 years, so it must have expired a long time ago. And the Yurigran Kingdom was not a member of the Paris Convention, an international treaty that protects patents and the like from previous generations. Of course, this was a different world, so who cares about that?

 Chapter 136

    <b>3rd Person POV</b>

    Ekaterina wondered if there was a patent-like system in this world.

    ¡°Miss, could you please show me this thing called a ss pen?¡±

    ¡°Oh! Please, Mr. Halil. Please try it and see how it feels.¡±

    Pulled back from her thoughts, Ekaterina hurriedly presented her ss pen to Halil, who dipped it in ink and immediately began to write.

    She knew that he would write his name first, but he seemed to be writing his name in severalnguages, one after another. As expected of the head of arge merchantpany with offices all over the world. He already had a global presence at this age.

    Oh, there was also a pattern of writing from right to left.

    But now, vertical writing! And ideograms? It might not be the same as the kanji from my previous life, but the shape of the characters themselves seems to have a meaning!

    While Ekaterina was inwardly excited, Halil stopped his hand and groaned in amazement.

    ¡°¡­I can write so much with just one ink dip. And as His Excellency said, it writes smoothly in either direction. It¡¯s ss, so naturally, unlike quill pens, there is no need to re-sharpen it when the tip gets crushed, and it can be used for a long time.This thickness will also feel easy to hold once you get used to it.¡±

    Halil continued.

    ¡°Beyond the Mountain Ridge of the Gods, in the eastern countries even further beyond my home country, they use soft nibs made of animal hair. The shape of this nib is reminiscent of the writing utensils of those eastern countries.¡±

    <i>Wow, Halil, you must have been very knowledgeable.</i>

    She thought that this world was really simr to her previous life.

    She did make a ss pen with a nib that resembles a brush. The creator of the ss pen in her previous life, a wind chime maker in the Meiji era, may have been able to create the ss pen because Japanese people were used to writing with a brush, not a quill.

    ¡­If that was the case, would it be unreasonable for a ss pen to suddenly appear in this imperial country?

    She didn¡¯t know, she didn¡¯t care! There¡¯s no point in thinking about it now!

    Alexei also opened the velvet box that contained the ss pen and handed it to Halil. Halil examined the colored ss pen carefully.

    ¡°Your gift to His Excellency is both a practical object and a work of art, worthy of the Duke of Yurinova¡¯s use. The craftsman that the youngdy has hired seems to be very skilled.¡± (Halil)

    ¡°Well, Halil-sama, you know your stuff. The craftsman is only twenty-two years old. I expect him to be able to make even more wonderful things in the future.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    Halil groaned, and Alexei asked.

    ¡°What do you think, Halil, about it as a product?¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°It will sell.¡± (Halil)

    Halil replies crisply.

    ¡°If this doesn¡¯t sell, then the merchant who sells it must be very bonkers. I¡¯d love to sell it myself.¡±

    ¡­Halilughs with Fufu, his eyes shining. Not sparkling, but zing.

    <b>1st person POV (Ekaterina)</b>

    <i>A merchant¡¯s instinct? Amazing.</i>

    I mean, would you dare to say the word ¡®bonkers¡¯ in front of Big Brother?

    ¡°What I¡¯m rather worried about is that the manufacturing side won¡¯t be able to keep up with demand. There¡¯s only one craftsman who can make this, isn¡¯t there?¡± (Halil)

    Ah, Halil-san, you are indeed right.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I¡¯ve asked him to contact some of the artisans who used to work at Murano Workshop, but I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯lle back.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°I see you¡¯re quick to make your moves.¡± (Halil)

    Halil smiles.

 Chapter 137

    <b>1st person POV (Ekaterina)</b>

    ¡°Halil-sama assured me that the ss pens will sell well, and I can guarantee that the craftsmen will receive the best treatment while working for our workshoppared to where they are presently employed at. However, even if they doe back, I am not sure if they can produce ss pens to the same standard as our current craftsmen.¡±

    Ekaterina added.

    ¡°In this case, I think we can make a profit by having the other craftsmen work on Murano Workshop¡¯s unique works other than the ss pens, and for the time being, we can sell the ss pens to only a handful of people in search of a rare value. While doing so, we will pass on the skills to other craftsmen, and when the supply system is properly established in ce, we will increase the number of pens we sell. By that time, if we can establish the image that ss pens are the property of high ss aristocrats, we can sell them at a considerably higher profit margin.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°¡­¡± (Everyone else in the room)

    After a moment of silence, Halil sighed sincerely.

    ¡°I thought I knew that the Young Lady was a remarkable person. There are no two youngdies who can think that far ahead.¡± (Halil)

    ¡°No! It¡¯s just an amateur idea. I have absolutely no insight into the possibility of what would happen.¡± (Ekaterina)

    Sorry, I am just a woman whose previous life was not that of ady.

    This was just a theoretical hypothesis that was based on the knowledge she gained from watching the TV series ¡°Dawn of Something¡±. She did not know whether it would work or not.

    ¡°It¡¯s extraordinary for an amateur to be able to think that much, my dear wise Ekaterina.¡±

    Alexeiughs.

    ¡°I was thinking of having Halil¡¯s people take over the ss pen business, but¡­ if the idea is that good, would you rather continue to continue taking charge of the business?¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°It would be presumptuous of me to lead it, but since I asked for and received this workshop under my care, I think I should be the one to continue to be responsible for it.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°That¡¯s just like you. You¡¯re a girl with a strong sense of responsibility.¡± (Alexei)

    Alexei sighed.

    ¡°I¡¯ll assign someone to take care of the practical work, so don¡¯t take up too much of your time and fall ill. Just be careful about that.¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°Thank you, Big Brother, and I will do as you ask. I don¡¯t know much about anything, so if somethinges up, please let me talk to Big Brother and Halil-sama right away.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Yes, I would love that.¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°You can always call on us. However, youngdy, the policy you just told us about makes a lot of sense. I hope you will not hesitate to proceed as you see fit.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that. However, I don¡¯t know how exactly I can make the image of ss pens as the property of high ss nobles take root. I¡¯m just saying what I think I know, I¡¯m so embarrassed.¡± (Ekaterina)

    She considered asking her big brother to be a billboard, but he was still a student, and he didn¡¯t seem to like that kind of thing, and she didn¡¯t want him to feel bad. But what else could she do?

    Alexei and Halil looked at each other and giggled.

    ¡°Ekaterina, can you have your craftsman prepare a ss pen as gorgeous as or even more gorgeous than the one you gave me?¡± (Ekaterina)

    Alexei¡¯s words puzzled Ekaterina greatly.

    ¡°More than this, you say? As befitting a duke, Big Brother, our craftsmen have done everything in their power to create something wonderful¡­ I could provide you with aparable item, but what would you use it for?¡±

    Alexei said simply.

    ¡°I¡¯m offering it to the Emperor. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll like it.¡± (Alexei)

    Oh, I see¡­ that¡¯s right¡­ that establishes the image of something that belongs to the nobility!

    Big Brother could even hand them over to an audience!

    ¡­But that¡¯s not even close to being a top seller¡­

 Chapter 138

    <b>3rd Person POV</b>

    Yurinova¡¯s dream.

    When she asked about patents, which she was curious about earlier, she was told that there is a system in the Imperial Kingdom that allows the exclusive protection of inventions for a certain period.

    The term of validity is ten years. At first, it was three years, but gradually it became longer and longer.

    The fifth head of the Yurinova family, Vassily, had once lobbied the emperor to establish this system. At that time, he invited famous inventors from other countries toe to Yurinova to make inventions that would help improve mining and the iron manufacturing, and they were very sessful. So, to encourage them to stay for a long time, they instituted a system to protect their rights as part of various generous treatments.

    Since other countries, including the inventor¡¯s home country, did not have a patent system, the inventors probably decided to stay in the imperial country as long as they could protect their rights. It was a smart move.

    Although it sounds like they were more desperate than being wowed by the patent protection.

    ¡°However, it¡¯s not always advantageous to register in this system. To register, you have to report the process, principles, etc., so you expose your whole trade secrets. When it expires, it will be imitated all at once.¡± (Halil)

    That was just like patents in her previous life. When she thought about intellectual property rights at work, she remembered learning that the purpose of a patent was to protect the rights of the inventor and encourage inventions, and disclose the inventions for wider use.

    ¡°You should consult with the craftsman and Danielle to see if the ten-year exclusivity is worth it.¡± (Halil)

    Danielle was Danielle Regal, legal advisor to the Duke of Yurinova, a name Ekaterina had heard often but had yet to meet.

    ¡°Yes, thank you, I¡¯ve heard that Danielle is a very talented person and I would be happy to discuss things with him.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Is there something on your mind?¡± (Halil)

    ¡°Following the example of our ancestor, Lord Vassily, I would like to establish rules and regtions in my workshop to attract good craftsmen. These are rules that I, as the employer, will have to abide by as well as have the workers abide by.¡± (Ekaterina)

    She continued.

    ¡°For example, I will not force them to work long hours, I will also guarantee them a certain amount of minimum sry, and if the workshop makes a profit, I will give them a portion of the profit as a reward. I would like to make sure that these things are clearly stated in the contract and exchanged. I would like to consult with you to see if there are any problems with the content of the contract in light of thews of the empire.¡± (Ekaterina)

    The story about the fifth generation also gave her hints, but as an ex-corporate worker, if she was going to institute a proper employment act, she would want to implement work rules and employment contracts.

    Once in her past life, she got engaged in a discussion about ¡°to whom thepany is answerable to¡±, whether it was to the various shareholders who invest and have a stake in thepany, the employees who work for thepany, or perhaps the customers who buy products from thepany?

    The answer that she arrived at in her previous life was ¡°thepany belongs to the stakeholders¡±. In reality, whoever had the money, had the say. The more money the person has, the bigger say that person has on thepany. That trend had taken off and became prevalent. Especially in the Western countries. The trend had even slowly morphed the structure of society to favor the ones who are well to do, and the ones with money.

    Yet when she heard the question ¡°to whom thepany is answerable¡± in her previous life, her initial thought was ¡°do we need to discuss this? What is the point of discussing it?¡± To her, it belonged to all three parties. Shareholders, employees, and customers all have their rights and obligations. Apany should be formed by bncing those rights and obligations.

 Chapter 139

    <b>3rd Person POV</b>

    Well, in her previous life, she was an employee who died from exhaustion after being overworked to death. Even though she was thinking about it in the corner of her mind, for that reason, she would like to try to create an organization that strikes a work and life bnce in this life.

    <i>I¡¯ll avenge Edo in Nagasaki! Though it¡¯s much further away!</i>

    This world favors the employer more than those in her previous life. Even in that one, her previous world was one in which disgruntled employees and unions established workers¡¯ rights over a long period.

    However, that doesn¡¯t mean that employed people have no rights whatsoever. As she was doing some work in the office, she heard that somews and conventions protected them to a certain extent. She would like to ask the experts about that in this world.

    ¡°Do as you wish. Lord Vassily will admire it, and I¡¯d like to know what results you get from your attempt. Your ideas are truly brilliant.¡± (Alexei)

    Alexei smiles.

    <i>Sorry, it wasn¡¯t my idea, it was something that was discussed in a previous life, sorry.</i>

    ¡°¡­Even though you¡¯ve only been out in the world for about four months. You¡¯ve be an invaluable member of the duke¡¯s family, not to mention me. Not only have you contributed to our work, but your love andpassion have given me so much joy. No amount of gratitude will ever be enough.¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°¡­¡± (Ekaterina and others)

    <i>Oh, no.</i>

    It caught her off guard, and she was so moved that she started to squirm¡­

    <i>Oh, the joy!</i>

    ¡°Big Brother¡­I¡¯m more than happy to hear that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m d you said that.¡±

    Alexei said with a new expression on his face.

    <b>1st Person POV (Ekaterina)</b>

    ¡°It¡¯s been less than a year since I took over the title of Duke. There are still many things yet to be done, but there is one thing that I would like to work on as soon as I get settled. My grandfather once tried to start this, but he passed away before it could take shape. It is his legacy. I would like to take over such an endeavor. Eventually, this may be a major project that will require the full power of Yurinova¡­ Will you lend me your strength?¡±

    ¡°Of course, it would be a pleasure to be able to join you in what you want to do, big brother. It¡¯s a pleasure to help my big brother do what he wants to do, and it¡¯s something he inherited from his grandfather. I¡¯ll do anything I can to help.¡±

    If it¡¯s something my big brother wants to do, I¡¯ll support him unconditionally. Moreover, it¡¯s a big project that can be said to be grandfather¡¯s legacy¡­ I have a feeling that it¡¯s going to be a project filled with romance again. I love it.

    ¡°Aaron.¡±

    Alexei made a summon, and the mine manager, Aaron Kyle, stood up quickly, recing Halil, who entered the office with a fine leather folder in his hand.

    ¡°Youngdy, please take a look at this first. It is a paper written by your great-uncle, Professor Isaac.¡±

    The way he held it out was so elegant. Aaron-san, who looks like a schr, was a mineral enthusiast and seemed to worship our great-uncle Isaac, who is also a mineralogist. Great-uncle Isaac¡¯s papers may be like a holy scripture to him.

    But first, he told me, that this paper was a major piece of work¡­.

    Oh, and the contents were serious, too. It had a lot of technical terms.

    But I will try my best. I picked up what I could understand and managed to figure it out.

    At any rate, the title of the paper is [Continuation of activated magic ¨C Use of magic power contained in rainbow stones and magic circles].

    There was a theory that the rainbow stone is a mineral that contains condensed magic power.

    And a magic circle! It was a romance topic in my previous life, but in this world¡­. They were academically studied many times, and you can find them in most books on magic control. However, it was concluded that the effect of amplifying magic power was not that great for the amount of time and effort it took, so it was almostpletely abandoned now.

 Chapter 140

    <b>Ekaterina PoV:</b>

    And a magic circle! It was a romance topic in my previous life but in this world¡­. Various institutions academically studied magic many times, and you can find it in most magic control books. However, the researchers concluded that the effect of amplifying magic power was not that great for the amount of time and effort it took. Hence, academic institutions almostpletely abandoned efforts into studying their practical effect now.

    Yet it could also be a good idea to utilize the magic of the rainbow stones instead of using the magic of humans as a source of power. With a magic circle? How do they do that?

    By the way, Yurinova¡¯s first Lord Sergei¡¯s favorite sword had Rainbow Stones iid in it. If anyone with magic power wielded it, it would activate weight reduction. About 400 years ago, humanity developed the means to use rainbow stone technology.

    However, the condition to activate it was the innate magic power of the person, and it would only work while the person was holding it. But in theory, magical device users could sustain the spell with a magic circle and rainbow stones, so wouldn¡¯t that be amazing?

    The first chapter consisted of examples of the uses of rainbow stone magic.

    There were many examples detailing the uses of rainbow stone magic in various parts of the empire, including Lord Sergei¡¯s beloved sword. Wow, this book was awe-inspiring. Great uncle, you must have been a fieldwork demon.

    Chapter 2, The Effects of the Magic Circle.

    Ugh¡­ this was tough for me. I don¡¯t fully understand it. But I concluded that various parties had researched magic circles mainly to amplify magic power. Magic circles also had the function of enabling the activated magic to remain activated continuously, so as long as there is a continuous source of magic power supplied to it.

    Chapter 3, The Connection between the Rainbow Stone Magic Power and the Magic Circle.

    Yes, this is the crux of the matter. With the magic power, a human being can apply the effects of a magic circle by using their own magic power and channeling it into the magic circle. But how does one extract the magic power of the rainbow stone to make it flow into the magic circle to activate the said magic circle?

    ¡­Therefore, in the end, researchers came up with an idea of how they would incorporate the uses of rainbow stone together with a magic circle. They discovered that when a human¡¯s magic is channeled into a magic circle, there was an entry point at which the magic flows into the circle¡­From there onwards, they tried mimicking that process by setting up rainbow stones to guide the magic with pinpoint uracy, which distributes the magic power stored by the rainbow stone to the magic circle.

    Chapter 4, Rainbow Stone Magic Circle Practice.

    The requirements to activate it. ¨CThat¡¯s a lot of work! How much rainbow stone could it possibly need?

    The quality and condensed magic should be of the same kind. Collecting this many rainbow stones of the same type of magic power condensed in high purity¡­

    The magic circle is also huge. I wonder who will be able to draw all this without any hups¡­

    But¡­ I figured it out.

    It means that magic power can be extracted from minerals and used sustainably.

    This is it. This concept, this idea ushered a revolution in the world in my previous life.

    Oh, my hands are shaking. How amazing.

    This would change the world in more ways than one.

    Ekaterina lowered her hand that was holding the leather folder onto the table. The folder ttered against the table as her hands shook.

    This. Is. An industrial revolution.

    *******

    This is a magical engine capable of mimicking the steam engine from my previous life.

    I now hold it in my hand, like an egg from which it would be born.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You don¡¯t look well. Are you feeling sick?¡±

    ¡°No! No, it¡¯s just that this is¡­ this is¡­ this is very, very serious research. It¡¯s groundbreaking¡­¡±

    When Ekaterina replied to a worried Alexei, Aaron gasped.

    ¡°Do you understand this, youngdy? You understand the value of this paper, which the schrs of the academy could not evenprehend, after just one reading?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t understand all of it. However, as long as we have rainbow stones, we can continue to perform magic, right? We could create a spring in and where there is no water. We can make a windmill work as long as we want, creating wind only where we need it. We can keep a fire going without cutting down the forest for firewood. We could use the magic of the earth to cultivate thend. If we could do those things, how different our lives would be.¡±

    Right now, the potentials of rainbow stone magic circle is huge, but I¡¯m sure the researches into this topic will soon be improved,partmentatlized, and diversified.

    And the initial activation of the magic will be possible together with artificial equipment. It would happen.

 Chapter 141

    <b>Ekaterina PoV:</b>

    I suddenly remembered the day when I was touring the imperial capital with Big Brother, overlooking the city from the bell tower of the temple. It reminded me of Tokyo from my previous life, and I thought how vast and gray it was.

    Perhaps this paper would be the path to change this imperial city into that Tokyo?

    ¡°Great Uncle Isaac is an unmistakable genius¡­ An amazing genius who will go down in history.¡±

    ¡°Yes, he is, Professor Isaac Yurinova is the greatest genius in the history of the Imperial Kingdom, and this paper is proof of that. However, the youngdy is also truly intelligent. How could you know so much from just one reading of the paper? The old-style schrs are no match for you, mdy.¡±

    No, Aaron-san, the reason why you are lowering the academics of the academy and praising me to such heights was the fact you admire Great Uncle Isaac too much.

    ¡°Aaron is right. I learned about this paper before Grandfather¡¯s death when Great-Uncle Isaac came to him and told him that he had written something like this, but at the time I had no idea how much potential it had.¡±

    Before Grandfather¡¯s death, Big Brother would have been under ten years old! That¡¯s normal!

    ¡°Grandfather understood immediately. He was very happy. He told me over and over again that Isaac was a genius. You are just like Grandfather. Only Yurinova can aplish the practice of the rainbow stone magic circle. We need to prepare a huge amount of rainbow stones. The cost would be immense. But if it can be put to practical use, the effect will be incredible. As you say, it could change the world. That¡¯s why I would love to have your help.¡±

    Ekaterina looks back at Alexei with a serious expression.

    To be honest, I¡¯m more than a little hesitant. This was beyond anything I¡¯ve ever seen in a project. History was in motion at that time. This was not the history of a single country, but the history of the world, the history of mankind.

    However, Big Brother asked me to lend a hand.

    <i>Who am I?</i>

    <i>I¡¯m a brocon! </i>(clenched fist)

    Although not without a bit of stupid escapism. Okay, I¡¯ve made up my mind.

    At any rate, the problems I had in my previous life, such as greenhouse gases and global warming, shouldn¡¯t ur in this world because we don¡¯t use fossil fuels.

    With the knowledge from my previous life, I understand that there were more than just difficulties, and not all of them were good. But many good came out of the industrial revolution too.

    And most importantly, it¡¯s what big brother wanted.

    Make the world change!

    ¡°If we can seed in putting the rainbow stone magic circle to practical use, the name of Yurinova will be engraved in the history of mankind, beyond the Imperial Kingdom. It would be a great honor for our family. Above all, it was Grandfather¡¯s wish, and if that is what Big Brother wants, I will do whatever it takes to achieve it.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. It¡¯s nice to have a family that is united.¡±

    Alexei smiled.

    ¡°But I want you to be careful about one thing. You must not speak of this matter to anyone else for the time being.¡±

    ¡°Is there a risk that the other families will get there before us?¡±

    ¡°No. There is a fear that some¡­ well, perhaps most of the nobles will rebel against the loss of their monopoly on magic.¡±

    Ah, Ekaterina gasped.

    I see. Right now, magic power is a symbol of nobility. Having magic power is a great pride of nobility.

    However, the rainbow stone magic circle requires a person with magic power to start it up, but it can be continued as long as the rainbow stone is added. Even people without magical power can benefit from the magic power.

    The value of an individual¡¯s magical power may drop drastically. No, it will.

    And¡­ the rise of themoners? ¡­ Will the empire and the world move toward democracy¡­?

 Chapter 142

    <b>Ekaterina PoV:</b>

    ¡°Some of them will take radical actions. But I swear to you, you will not be in any danger whatsoever. If anyone tries to harm you, they will be punished a thousandfold. I promise.¡±

    ¡­There¡¯s Big brother with his glowing neon blue eyes. I remembered the phrase [graceful ruthlessness]. It¡¯s the title (or part of the title) of a book I read in a previous life.

    Such a big brother was cool and nice too.

    ¡°If something happens to me, you will be the Duchess of Yurinova. If there¡¯s no male heir to take over, the currentws of the empire stipte that a girl can take over the governorship, you know. At that time, I want you to take over this matter and aplish it.¡±

    When something happens to big brother¡­

    I¡¯ll take over the throne, that means©`©`big brother.

    Huh, what?

    Wait, wait, wait, wait.

    ¡°Ekaterina!¡±

    Alexei shouted, and took his sister¡¯s hand.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, please, don¡¯t cry. Don¡¯t you want to be a duke?¡±

    ¡°No¡­no¡­but¡­if anything happens to big brother¡­¡±

    Ekaterina burst out in tears.

    Ugh. I couldn¡¯t stop it!

    An older woman shouldn¡¯t cry, big brother would be troubled.

    But it wasn¡¯t me, the older woman, who was crying. It was Ekaterina¡¯s self, a fifteen-year-old girl, who was even younger than her age in some parts, who was afraid of everything in the world after her mother¡¯s death, and who relied only on her big brother.

    And even for me, an older woman, if by any chance my big brother disappears like my grandfather¡­ I couldn¡¯t, I would cry. I already cried, didn¡¯t I?

    From the moment I saw him on the screen of my phone in my previous life, I was smitten with him, and he was the onlyfort in my overworked life.

    When I was reincarnated as her sister, he would always be a man who loved me and was extremely good at his job, but he was also a devoted child who had suffered a lot in his childhood. More and more, I think I can do anything for my big brother! I thought.

    But what would happen if big brother disappeared? No, not that he will disappear, but¡­

    Just thinking about it made me feel terrible! I feel like I would lose the will to live. No, I would¡­ Definitely.

    Ugh!

    I was scared of the words ¡°something will happen to my big brother¡± because I could only imagine the social revolution that could be triggered by the rainbow stone magic circle!

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ it was my fault. I said some things to you that were not considerate of your sensitive nature. Please forget it.¡±

    Alexei walked over to Ekaterina¡¯s side and hugged his sister.

    ¡°When you cry, my heart feels like it¡¯s about to burst. Please don¡¯t cry ¨C even the gods won¡¯t allow me to make you sad. If it makes you sad, then I will never die. Even if I cross the river of oblivion, I will not forget you. I will alwayse back to you. So don¡¯t cry, please. Please don¡¯t cry¡­¡±

    My big brother¡¯s beautiful voice whispered in my ear. I shivered a little.

    There were myths and folklore about the river of oblivion flowing between this world and the other world in various parts of the world in my previous life, but there are also simr legends in this world from the time of the Astra Empire. I remembered the memories of my previous life, and I didn¡¯t forget my big brother even after crossing the river of oblivion in real life.

    I had died once.

    In the days leading up to my death from exhaustion, I was so numb to various things around me that I couldn¡¯t feel things properly anymore, but it was still painful and difficult while my life was being gradually drained away.

    Dying was painful and agonizing for me.

    I don¡¯t want my big brother to have to go through that.

 Chapter 143

    <b>3rd Person POV</b>

    ¡°Youngdy.¡±

    The squire Ivan softly called out to Ekaterina, who continued to sob uncontrobly in her brother¡¯s arms.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t cry, my Lady. I will protect His Excellency, and I promise that nothing will happen to him. Even if my body is torn into eight pieces, I will return him safely to you. So there¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Sniffling, Ekaterina finally looked up and looked at Ivan.

    Oh, Ivan was just like Mina, he was also the big brother¡¯s bodyguard.

    ¡°¡­Ivan, are you strong?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never met anyone stronger than me, my Lady.¡±

    Ivan replied without hesitation.

    Wow, Ivan, which protagonist were you?

    ¡°¡­Ivan, pleasee back without getting hurt too¡­¡±

    ¡°I understand. If you say so, I¡¯lle back without getting hurt.¡±

    Again, Ivan said in a teasingly cheerful voice.

    <b>1st Person POV ¨C Ekaterina</b>

    I didn¡¯t know that Ivan was the type of person who could lie through the teeth without hesitation.

    If big brother was in danger, Ivan would definitely protect him, even if he was torn to pieces. He was really strong beyond the realm of humanity.

    ¡°¡­Thank you, Ivan.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wee, my Lady.¡±

    <b>3rd Person POV</b>

    When Ekaterina finally stopped crying, Ivan gave her his usual amiable smile.

    Alexei also smiled, relieved, and wiped away his sister¡¯s tears with his fingertips.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for not being more considerate.¡±

    ¡°No, big brother¡­I¡¯m so embarrassed that I could be so distraught on your birthday. Please forgive me.¡±

    Alexei¡¯s eyes widened as she looked up at him, embarrassed.

    ¡°Forgiveness? You thought of me and my welfare, and I would rather have you forgive me for my insensitive words. I swear I will never, ever leave you alone. Thank you for shedding tears for me, a tactless person who didn¡¯t even know the meaning of celebrating my birthday. The ss pen was a wonderful gift, but there is nothing more beautiful and precious than your tears. My dear Ekaterina.¡±

    <b>1st person POV ¨C Ekaterina</b>

    <i>¡­Ugh, that¡¯s so sweet. I¡¯m sorry I¡¯ve been such a pain in the @*s to my brother</i>.

    I¡¯m a bit of a brocon myself, but I didn¡¯t want to embarrass my big brother.

    <i>Okay! I should do my best again.</i>

    By the time big brother started working on the rainbow stone magic circle, I would have alreadyid the structure and organization to the ss pen business. I should be able to use my experience (in both this world and previous) to help big brother!

    ¡°As long as big brother is here, I have nothing to be afraid of. I¡¯m looking forward to the day when we can work together on grandfather¡¯s legacy. So please take good care of yourself.¡± (Ekaterina)

    ¡°Oh. If that¡¯s what you want, then so be it.¡± (Alexei)

    It was ironic that what the big brother was trying to do might be the herald to the beginning of the end of the traditional aristocratic society.

    In fact, with our family as the Duke leading the way, we may be able to move towards a new societal system with a softnding, rather than via a bloody revolution like the French Revolution.

    It might sound presumptuous, but I would like to do everything in my power to make that happen (in keeping my family safe).

    With my big brother by my side, I could have as much power as I want. I would do anything!

    ******

    About half a month had passed since Alexei¡¯s birthday.

    The three dukes of Yurinova, Yurisein, and Yurimagna gathered in front of the emperor for the first time in several months.

    Seizing the opportunity, Emperor Constantine graciously granted Alexei¡¯s request to present him with a gift before the Tri-Council, and he adjusted his minute-by-minute schedule to make time for it.

    ¡°Your Majesty.¡±

    Alexei, who had been waiting for him, stood up as Constantine appeared in the luxurious conference room of the Imperial Castle, where the Three Council Meetings were held. He bowed graciously.

 Chapter 144

    ¡°I thank you for your valuable time.¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°Now that there is no one to bother us, make yourselffortable. You must be very busy with your studies in addition to your duties as a duke, and yet you have something you wish to present to me.¡± (Alexei)

    Constantine returned the salutations in good faith. When he was still the crown prince, he used toe and visit his son Mikhael and teach Alexei and dimir, who were studying with him, how to study and also swordsmanship.

    Alexei smiled.

    ¡°Yes. I am sure that your Majesty will be pleased with the results.¡±

    ¡°Hoh.¡±

    Constantine thought while returning the smile like a hawk. He wondered how many years it had been since he had seen such a soft expression on this child¡¯s face.

    Every time Constantine sees Alexei, he thinks he looks more and more like his womanizing father; Alexandre, and yet he has grown up to be theplete opposite.

    Constantine and Alexandre had been friends since childhood, just like Mikhael and Alexei are now. And then there was Giorgie from Yurimagna. However, Constantine didn¡¯t really get along with Giorgie, and was closer to Alexandre. Alexandre was charming and well-liked by everyone, and as a child, he had considered him his best friend.

    However, when he entered the Academy of Magic, he began to distance himself from him. The reason for this was because Alexandre¡¯s promiscuity in women¡¯s rtionships became too much for Constantine himself to ignore, and partly also because Constantine realized that the essence of the man who had a great intellect and could easily handle anything, even martial arts, was nothing but emptiness.

    When Emperor Constantine opened the purple velvet box that the young Duke, Alexei had presented to him and saw the offering, he tilted his head first.

    Beautiful. There was no doubt about it.

    Securely fastened to the silk lining were three long, thin ss artifacts. Each of them had a beautiful spiral carved into the tapered transparent ss at the tip, and the rest of the ss product was borately decorated and etched.

    One was made of purple colored ss with gorgeous gilding and enamels depicting the winged serpent, the symbol of the god of thunder. Purple is the color of the emperor, and the god of thunder is an auspicious design, especially favored by the imperial family since the founder of the empire, Peter the Great, possessed the magical power of thunder.

    The second one was also made of purple ss with a lion¡¯s head design on the back end. A lion is, of course, a symbol of a king. Although it was only the size of a fingertip, it was so beautifully formed that the emperor, who was already ustomed to seeing fine artifacts of various shapes and sizes, could not help but admire it.

    The third one was simpler than the others. Two colors of ss, one blue like the summer sky, the other blue-green like the Southern Ocean, were twisted together.

    It clearly represented the color of Emperor Constantine¡¯s and Empress Magdalena¡¯s hair, and Constantine chuckled to himself as he thought of his wife when he untied her hair, which was always tied up, andbed it through his fingers.

    It was a secret scene in the bedroom. It was not something he should be thinking about in a conference room, and in front of a child no older than his son.

    ¡°Beautiful, but what is this?¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s called a ss pen. It is a revolutionary writing instrument that not only looks beautiful, but it is also easier to write with than a traditional quill pen, and it can absorb a lot of ink and write a lot of words at once.¡±

    Alexei¡¯s voice sounded like he was trying to contain his pride as he exined.

 Chapter 145

    Constantine groaned as he took the ss pen as suggested and dipped it in ink to see how it felt to write. The nib did indeed run much smoother than the quill, and even after writing several lines in a row, the ink had yet to run out.

    ¡°I certainly like it, Alexei, this is good stuff.¡±

    Constantine smiled.

    An innovative writing instrument that was both beautiful and practical. His beloved Empress would definitely like it.

    ¡°But where did you get something like this? I have not heard that Yurinova has branched out into ss work.¡±

    Alexei hesitated for a moment, then answered.

    ¡°My sister Ekaterina had them made in her own workshop.¡± Alexei replied matter of factly.

    ¡°What?¡± (Constantine)

    ¡°She¡¯s always been a selfless girl, but suddenly she wanted me to buy her a ss studio, so I gave it to her, and on my birthday she gave a ss to me as a gift.¡± (Alexei)

    Alexei then pulled out a blue velvet box from within his overcoat and opened it to reveal a light blue and indigo ss pen.

    ¡°The craftsman was ingenious, but it was Ekaterina who came up with the idea of making a pen out of ss in the first ce. She is now very eager to turn this ss pen into a business to pay the craftsmen of the ss workshop.¡±

    Constantineughed as Alexei spoke as inly as he could.

    (Editor¡¯s note: This sistercon of a brother is trying to do a poker face reply to THE Emperor, the irony of it)

    It was hard to believe that a youngdy of the house hade up with such a revolutionary idea. But Alexei was not foolish enough to lie about what Emperor Constantine could find out on his own. In fact, the child did not want to tell Emperor Constantine that this was his sister¡¯s idea.

    Alexei did not want the royal family to further elevate his sister¡¯s reputation.

    After all, Yurinova had no intention of making Ekaterina the Empress.

    So he hesitated for a moment, but then spoke. The emperor¡¯s questions could never be answered with deceit or falsehood. The wise Alexei knew this very well.

    (<i>But Ekaterina?</i>)

    Constantine thought back to the way Ekaterina had greeted the royal family on the day of their visit. She was a slender girl dressed in a dark dress that showed off her almost translucent pale white skin. Her mature good looks were not outdone by the gorgeous jewelry, and she looked no older than fifteen.

    She was not afraid to exchange words with the empress, and her eyes lit up when she talked about tariffs and insurance, which would not interest an ordinary daughter. Above all, Alexei¡¯s sister is the grandchild of Prince Sergei. If Ekaterina had indeede up with this ss pen, she might have taken after her grandfather.

    ¡°You want to make a business out of ss pens, or is Duchess Yurinova going to run a workshop herself?¡±

    ¡°¡­She asked me to buy it for her, so I think she should be responsible for it.¡±

    Constantine finally broke intoughter.

    ¡°She would like to pay the wages of the craftsmen, and she should be shouldering responsibilities for them? That sister of yours is truly noble and endearing.¡± (Constantine)

    And Alexei smiled, he couldn¡¯t help but be proud of his sister, even though he didn¡¯t want the imperial family to appreciate her.

    ¡°Then tell Ekaterina. I will buy this ss pen as a gift for the Empress, and I will have a craftsman make one as beautiful as this one.¡±

    Those who were close to the imperial family knew for a fact that Emperor Constantine would personally order the purchase of any items that were offered to the Emperor or the Imperial family that was worthy of his attention. This was so that he could give it as a gift to the Empress. As expected of a man who had been using every trick in the book to woo his wife since he was a student, Constantine was very diligent.

    Anyway, if it was a gift for the emperor, everyone would recognize it as a first-ss item, but if it was a gift from the emperor to the empress, the reputation would be elevated to an even higher level.

 Chapter 146

    <b>3rd Person POV</b>

    Alexei¡¯s neon blue eyes lit up at Constantine¡¯s words.

    ¡°I am honored. I¡¯m sure my sister will be very impressed.¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that Ekaterina is enjoying herself so well. You said she was weak, but how has she been?¡± (Constantine)

    ¡°Thanks to you, she is currently living her school life without any problems. However, it¡¯s about to get much warmer in the Imperial Capital, so I¡¯m worried about her physical condition since she¡¯s not used to the climate here.¡± (Alexei)

    After all, Alexei wanted to give the impression that she was sickly.

    ¡°Then, will you and your sister return to the territory together for the summer vacation?¡± (Constantine)

    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking, Your Highness. It¡¯s been less than a year since I took over the title, and I have to take control of the territory.¡± (Alexei)

    ¡°Hmm.¡± (Constantine)

    Constantine pretended to think for a moment.

    ¡°The Astronomical Department told me that this summer will be hot. Would you like Mikhael to spend the second half of his summer vacation in your domain?¡±

    It was not a bad idea for Alexei to wee the prince to his domain and show the people that the new duke was on good terms with the royal family.

    The fact that Alexei¡¯s expression was subtly meant that Mikhael was doing his best, and it seemed that Ekaterina was no longer treating him like a caterpir.

    ¡°¡­Of course, I would be honored to have him. However, I have not been in the position for long, and Ekaterina is not used to being the acting mistress at the duke¡¯s main residence, so I have some concerns about our quality of hospitality.¡±

    Constantine nodded in a restrained, emotionless response.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind. I¡¯m not even the crown prince yet; you can take it easy on me.¡±

    ¡± I humbly apologize.¡±

    There was nothing Alexei could do now but bow his head.

    Suddenly, Constantine raised the edge of his lips.

    ¡°Even though Ekaterina is with us, the position of a duchess should not be vacant for long. Why don¡¯t you at least get engaged soon?¡±

    ¡°Huh¡­¡±

    Seemingly caught off guard, Alexei was momentarily stunned. Apparently, this boy tended to hate women.

    But as to why it was understandable.

    After all, the only woman in his life was his grandmother. His own father was a genuine womanizer who walked around with women without restraint. Even when he got into physical contact with other women, he would always wonder why they did such foolish things, as if it were someone else¡¯s problem.

    In addition, there were rumors that the women who had affairs with his father often came to seek Alexei to seduce him because of their simr looks. Such an experience must have been very disgusting for him.

    That was why, unlike his father, he was a serious man, and I hoped that he would be able to build a decent family with a properdy as soon as possible. That was partly the emperor¡¯s desire for the stability of the powerful Yurinova, but it was also the sentiment of a nosy rtive.

    ¡°It is our policy to consider such matters after you graduate from the academy. We hope you will forgive us.¡± (Constantine)

    ¡°Oh, I see.¡± (Alexei)

    He couldn¡¯t resist interjecting even though Emperor Constantine had been aware of it. He could see that Alexei also had the same charm that attracted women like his father, even though their personalities werepletely pr opposites.

    There was a scene that reminded him of when Alexei was still a child and was close to dimir, the legitimate son of Yurimagna.

    Both Alexei and Mikhael were brilliant children, but dimir was a child prodigy when learning. Alexei had been strict with himself and others since childhood, but he cherished dimir unconditionally. The boy was very fussy about people, but he had an honest appreciation for the best of them.

    When he peeked into the room to drop by where the children were studying, as Constantine often did in those days, Mikhael was not there, and Alexei showed dimir a book of poetry and asked him if he could recite it.

 Chapter 147

    <b>3rd Person POV</b>

    [I read that one the other day so that I can do it.]

    [I see, that¡¯s great.]

    [¡­I¡¯m just good at remembering things. There exists a bird called a parrot which repeats the words it learns, and I¡¯m no different to it.]

    [I don¡¯t really understand the beauty of poetry even when I read it. Apparently, I don¡¯t have the heart to feel it. But when I hear your voice reading a poem, I think it¡¯s beautiful.]

    Alexei said very seriously but then smiled with a sparkle in his eyes.

    [If that parrot makes me think words are as beautiful as you do, I¡¯d like to keep it and walk around with it. I¡¯d be so happy to have a bird that sounds like you and talks like you by my side all the time.]

    ¡­ dimir was blushing pathetically at that moment.

    Somehow, without entering the room, Constantine thought that Alexei might turn out to be a worse man than his father. It was frightening even to believe that a child could spout such a pick-up line to a friend so innocently.

    Fortunately or unfortunately, Alexei has always been able to open his heart to a minimal number of people. If he finds a woman he is attracted to, he will capture her in an instant and live with her forever.

    After his falling out with dimir, Alexei doesn¡¯t seem to have a special someone in his life. Will Mikhael be rewarded if he focuses his affection on Ekaterina alone?

    <b>Ekaterina PoV</b>

    ¡°Big Brother, wee back.¡±

    Ekaterina greeted Alexei in the entrance hall as he returned to the Imperial Duke¡¯s residence from the Three Council meetings at the Imperial Castle, which were held during the school holidays.

    ¡°Ah, Ekaterina.¡±

    The Three Council Conferences are imperial meetings where the Emperor and the heads of the three major dukedoms gather. Dressed in formal attire suitable for the asion, Alexei was even more dignified and beautiful than usual, a nobleman himself. No matter what was bothering her, Ekaterina couldn¡¯t help but gaze at her brother with fascination.

    Alexei smiled fondly at his sister.

    ¡°Your ss pen is to His Majesty¡¯s liking, after all. He ordered it on the spot, and it will be a gift for the Empress.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so happy! That makes me very happy!¡±

    In the first ce, Ekaterina had intended to offer the ss pen to the Empress, but Alexei stopped her. If it is a gift that the Royal Family will appreciate, it should be presented to the Emperor only, and I bet it will be chosen as a gift for the Empress. Her grandfather, Sergei, had often done so.

    In other words, her grandfather would introduce gifts for his wife to the Emperor, even though he called them gifts. He was probably cheering on the couple¡¯s happiness to continue his celebrity matchmaker hobby.

    Looking back, His Majesty was also his wife¡¯s nephew in his grandfather¡¯s eyes. His hobby as a celebrity matchmaker might have been like, ¡°I¡¯ve known him since he was a little boy, he¡¯s got a girl he likes, let¡¯s give him a hand.¡± ¡­ Although, it was amazing that the person he was cheering for would eventually be the emperor¡­

    ¡°One more good thing happened. When Lord Sein saw the ss pen of His Majesty, he said he would also love to have one. He was so enthusiastic that he wanted to follow in the footsteps of the Empress. He wants to show it off when he signs the contract with the great merchantsing from beyond the Mountains of the Gods. He said he didn¡¯t know that we had such beautiful and outstanding things in our country.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ what an honor.¡±

    His Majesty the Emperor, and Empress. The heads of the three major dukedoms, Yurinova and Yurisein.

    That¡¯s more than enough members to establish a brand image for luxury goods!

    And if Lord Sein showed off his ss pen in front of the merchants of other countries, they might order it as a gift for the monarch of other countries. It was a convenient delusion, but it wasn¡¯t impossible, either.

    <i>All right, I¡¯ve got this game!</i>

 Chapter 148

    ¡°When I told him it was your idea, Lord Sein said he¡¯d like to meet you. He knows a lot about business and trade, and I think he¡¯ll be able to learn a lot from you. You were the main topic of conversation at the Three Council meetings today, which is why Magna was so mortified.¡±

    Big Brother¡¯s mood was annoyed as heughed. He probably wasn¡¯t good enough to be the topic of conversation at such a great event, so he told me that he squirmed like a lobster. But if that made her siscon Big Brother happy, all the better.

    <b>3rd Person POV</b>

    What Ekaterina needed to do was increase the production of ss pens so that Murano Workshop could resume full-scale production of ss pens and make a profit. To that end, she was nning to meet with Master Murano¡¯s apprentices tomorrow, whom Rev had approached, and invite them toe back to the workshop.

    Oh, and she also had an important job to decide how much to charge for the super high-end ss pens¡­ she has no idea how much would be appropriate!

    <i>Halil-san, help me!</i>

    Andter, when Ekaterina asked Halil about the price of the ss pen, she froze for a while when she heard Halil¡¯s straightforward answer with a friendly smile.

    ¡°Young Lady, don¡¯t be surprised. It would be an embarrassment to His Majesty if it were not this much, and it would not cover the overall cost.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. It¡¯s a gift for the Empress.¡±

    If the gift were cheap, it would disgrace the Emperor.

    She was thinking about the costs. She now remembered the ounting system she had used in her previous life: bnce sheet and ie statement.

    Was the purchase cost of the workshop a liability? Or was it capital? She needed to produce ie to match that amount, whatever the case may be. And the profit that exceeds the cost ofbor, materials, fuel, misceneous expenses, and so on must be recorded on the ie statement.

    Even if a ss pen costs as much like a gem, it was a fair price if the buyer was satisfied! It was the price of the world¡¯s only celebrity luxury writing instrument, so she must not freak out!

    The next day.

    Ekaterina got ready and headed to Murano Workshop. Rev and four other craftsmen who used to work at Murano Workshop were waiting for her.

    As she stepped into the workshop, she no longer felt the emptiness and the cold before because Rev had lit the furnace for the ss pen. It was as if the living thing in the workshop had regained its body heat. The white fabrics that used to be draped everywhere had beenpletely removed, and the neat rows of various tools gave a sense of calm vitality.

    ¡°Young Lady, thank you foring all the way out here.¡± (Rev)

    ¡°Rev, I have some fantastic news for you. And thank you all for being here. I¡¯m Ekaterina Yurinova.¡±

    Ekaterina smiled, and the ssblowers froze in ce.

    They retreated to the reception set in the corner of the workshop, but those who couldn¡¯t sit on the couch stood nearby. Rev stood too, the only employed craftsman in the group, but he was reserved, probably because he was the youngest of the group.

    The ss workshop informed her that the Murano Workshop was a meritocracy, not a seniority system, and it was probably because of Rev¡¯s quiet personality that he was standing.

    Then, instead of Rev, she decided to give them a shot at surprise.

    ¡°First of all, Rev, let me inform you. Yesterday, Big Brother Alexei, Duke of Yurinova, presented the ss pen that you made to the Emperor. He liked it so much that he ordered an equally beautiful one for the Empress as a gift.¡±

    ¡°!¡±

    The artisans were shocked. It was the highest honor to have their work presented to the Emperor. What¡¯s more, the emperor himself would buy it as a gift for the empress.

 Chapter 149

    <b>3rd Person POV</b>

    The artisans were shocked. It was the highest honor to have their work presented to the Emperor. What¡¯s more, the emperor himself would buy it as a gift for the empress.

    ¡°Furthermore, I heard that His Excellency Duke Yurisein, who saw the ss pen we presented to His Majesty, was very eager to purchase one himself. So, Rev, I would like you to make two sets of ss pens, one for the Empress and the other for the Duke of Yurisein¡¯s order.¡±

    ¡°I am honored, thanks to the Young Lady. Thank you very much¡­¡±

    Rev bows his head deeply.

    ¡°It is because of your skills that you are the only one in the world who can create ss pens now. I intend to continue to create an environment in which excellent craftsmen can create their work freely.¡±

    Smiling at Rev, Ekaterina turned her attention to the other four ssblowers.

    ¡°You are all former artisans of the Murano Workshop, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Fueeeh¡± (artisans)

    Each of the artisans bowed their heads.

    ¡°I heard that you all work in different workshops now, but I was wondering if you could return to Murano Workshop. We can promise you better conditions in terms of sry and treatment than the workshop you work at.¡±

    The craftsmen still did not respond to Ekaterina¡¯s words but bright and hopeful expressions. The earlier exchange seemed to have affected them.

    ¡°As you have heard, we want to make our newly developed ss pen product one of the mainstays of Murano Workshop in the future. However, many people still want to buy Murano Workshop¡¯s beautiful ss and tableware. That is why we would like to see the return of the artisans who have inherited the skills of Master Murano. Eventually, I would like you to learn how to make ss pens as well.¡±

    ¡°¡­May I ask one question?¡±

    The man who opened his mouth was a tall, thin man who seemed to be the oldest among the artisans.

    ¡°Of course, go ahead.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Miss.¡±

    He was polite as he had been trained at Murano Workshop. But what he asked was quite harsh.

    ¡°Why would the Young Lady of the Duke of Yurinova be running a ss workshop herself? I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be married off to someone respectable within a few years. If she does, what will happen to this workshop?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s rude! Excuse us, Young Lady!¡±

    Rev shouted, discarding his silence. But Ekaterina only smiled, unfazed by the question.

    ¡°Thank you. Rev, that is a fair question. It¡¯s something I¡¯ve been meaning to tell you.¡±

    It¡¯s not a question from a particr journalist in her previous life, but it¡¯s still a good question!

    The older artisans were smart men. Even in her previous life in Japan, women underwent drastic changes due to life events. In this world, on the contrary, women cannot choose their own lives. Based onmon sense, there was a great possibility that her position would change in the future, and she would have to withdraw from the management of the workshop.

    <b>1st Person POV</b>

    I don¡¯t want to leave my big brother¡¯s side, and I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll give me what I want, but that¡¯s not something for the artisans to know.

    If the workshop closed again right after I changed jobs, the artisans would not be happy.

    ¡°As for the management of this workshop, I am indeed in charge. However, as you are concerned, there is a possibility that my position will change. Therefore, the workshop will remain the property of the Yurinova family, and the Yurinova family will also be responsible for the workshop. As for your employment, Yurinova will sign a contract with you, so there will be no change in your treatment even if I leave the family. Please do not worry.¡±

    Ekaterina then took out a paper and handed it to the older craftsman.

 Chapter 150

    Ekaterina then took out a paper and handed it to the older craftsman.

    ¡°This is your employment contract. I prepared it in consultation with our family¡¯s legal counsel. If you do not receive the treatment as promised here, you can sue for breach of contract under the empire¡¯sws. In the imperial capital, the craftsmen of the workshop receive a fixed sry no matter how much work they do. Still, for this contract, I have introduced a piece-rate system in addition to the basic sry. If you do your work without straining yourself, we have calcted that you will be paid more than other workshops. And so if you work hard, you will be rewarded for your hard work.¡±

    She continued.

    ¡°¡­However, you must never work too hard. Please keep that in mind. We also state that you will not beid off without just cause and that we will pay youpensation if you are injured on the job and impaired from working. Since there is no signature from either of you, please take it home and take a good look at it. Please discuss it with your family and decide whether you want to return or not.¡±

    I handed them out to the other three craftsmen, who were quite impressed.

    <b>3rd Person POV</b>

    Rev signed the employment contract on the spot.

    With a prototype ss pen that he helped to develop.

    Ekaterina smiled at the spirit of the four craftsmen as they stared at her curiously.

    She wished that they would return to Murano Workshop.

    Looking back, those were the days of excitement.

    Ekaterina thought to herself as she listened to the teacher¡¯s talk in the school ssroom in homeroom.

    <b>1st Person POV (Ekaterina)</b>

    Today was the end of the school ceremony.

    The first semester was over, and tomorrow would be the summer vacation.

    It seemed as if the entrance ceremony had been just yesterday, and the days had been so long.

    Many things happened, such as the events and projects.

    At the time of the entrance ceremony, all I cared about was that I had to break Otome Game¡¯s g of destruction and doom. That was my only thought.

    And the g of the destruction of the empire, that was, the event of the appearance of magical beasts. However, that was cleared, or rather, Flora-chan cleared it for me.

    As for the doom g¡­ at that time, I thought that I wouldn¡¯t go near the heroine or the prince, and I wouldn¡¯t talk to them. I remember thinking that way.

    Well, hahaha.

    Yeah, I was utterly goofing off¡­ I conversed with her almost every day.

    The heroine, Flora-chan, was now my best friend, which was not an exaggeration.

    I believe we became close friends.

    She was kind, hardworking, and brilliant as well, yet reserved, but with a strong core.

    She was a good girl that even a woman in her 30s like me could respect.

    And I even talked to her almost every day.

    That¡¯s because the other side kept calling out to me! And for the sake of Flora-chan, who was with me, I had to raise the intimacy level.

    The viiness was rooting for the heroine and the prince!

    The prince always eats one or two lunches that she brings to big brother¡¯s office.

    He might be slim, but he eats a lot.

    Even after discovering that the big brother didn¡¯t like sweets, I still made him something sweet because I knew he would like it.

    No, it was because I wanted to eat it myself.

    There were others who had a sweet tooth, too.

    I always thought the prince was a good boy, too.

    I think he had a lot of insight.

    But I think he might be astute, but he never shows it; he just takes a step back.

    He was born with the destiny to be a top executive, so I think he decided to control himself so that he wouldn¡¯t be a one-man operation.

    That kind of self-control at such a young age was impressive in a different way from my big brother.

    And the two of them have a good rivalry in terms of grades.

 Chapter 151

    The other day, when I took the final exam, I knew that the prince would take it seriously, so I studied hard too.

    And the results were!

    First ce, Mikhael Yurigrand.

    Second ce, Flora Czerny.

    Third ce, Ekaterina Yurinova.

    ¡­I ced third.

    Well, it was a result of hard work, right?

    I congratted the prince and Flora-chan from the bottom of my heart.

    I think they were both admirable.

    The prince may even have full marks in all subjects.

    Flora-chan and I checked our answers, and we thought we got a pretty good score, but he went above and beyond.

    [I¡¯m relieved¡­and happy. I¡¯ve never felt like this before in my life.]

    I was impressed by the prince, who was smiling bitterly when he saw the rankings posted on the board. I guess he had never tried so hard to score points.

    To be honest, I was a little frustrated, but I am also d he was rewarded. I would be honored if this bes a memorable part of his school life when he eventually bes emperor, yes.

    Big brother did his best to support me. It was only natural that he was busy preparing for the workshop, and what he did for me was far more valuable than my schoolwork, or any other things.

    He even gave me a big hug and patted me on the head in front of the ranking list! How much of a reward is that! I was rather happy to be third!

    But big brother, who even at the time when he must have had times of great difficulty just after seeding to the dukedom, was still holding on to the first ce. ¡­It was embarrassing inparison to my own.

    I couldn¡¯t help but think about it.

    [Big brother is too lenient with me. He will spoil me.]

    Then big brother stopped patting my head and spoke with sadness.

    [¡­do you hate it now?]

    Boom! Then an affection rocket ignited with a bang and broke through the stratosphere in one second, and reached outer space. The earth was blue!

    One rocket of affection, one second!

    What the hell are you talking about, me?

    I returned the hug as hard as I could and tried my best to say that this was impossible, but the prince was holding his forehead and muttering as if he was trying to hold back a headache.

    [¡­How can I catch up with him?]

    What was the point of catching up? You were already in the first ce.

    By the way, at that time, there was an unusually dense poption with Marina-chan and the other girls in our ss and a senior girl who seemed to be in her third year (big brother¡¯s ssmate?).

    I wonder if everyone worked hard this time.

    I was d that I could create a good rtionship with Flora-chan and the prince, but the problem was that I didn¡¯t know what the doom g would be!

    Maybe things will be okay now? Well, possibly not.

    Well, I don¡¯t know.

    I thought it would never happen, but there was a monster that appeared!

    I could not say that it was impossible for the event of condemnation to be triggered all of a sudden.

    I¡¯m scared!

    So, despite all the goofy doom g measures, I would not get any closer to the prince!

    Prince, would you please stopmunicating with me! I wanted you to get along with Flora-chan!

    I guess I should cheer for them in my heart and make a n to increase the intimacy between the two.

    I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m not very talented.

    My friends from my past life agree that I didn¡¯t have any talent in rtionships or anything.

    I had no idea where my talents went wrong, but they said something was wrong with me.

    I was simply unattractive, but sometimes strange guys would flirt with me, and my friends would use me of going for that one without going for the others¡­ I never went for the others, and I never went for them, you know?

 Chapter 152

    <b>1st Person POV (Ekaterina)</b>

    I was simply unattractive, but sometimes strange guys would flirt with me, and my friends would use me of going for that one without going for the others¡­ I never went for the others, and I never went for them, you know?

    In this life, I had been a boxed-in girl and imprisoned.

    I couldn¡¯t believe in love or men when I remembered my mother, who was in love with me but never rewarded me.

    My big brother was the only person I felt safe with.

    So, I guess Ekaterina, the daughter of this life, was deeply rooted in her brocon.

    This was the first time I was aware of it.

    But I did my best yesterday!

    After the test results came in, I got two more of the prototype transparent ss pens that Rev gave me for my use, and I called Flora-chan and the prince to give them as gifts.

    I hope we can continue to work hard together as good rivals.

    I felt ufortable using something so convenient when I was studying with Flora-chan all the time.

    So I figured that if I could involve the prince in celebrating the top three, Flora-chan would ept it without hesitation.

    The prince worked hard, and I thought it would be nice tomemorate him.

    However, it was still a child, even with his status as a prince.

    ¡­I thought it would be a good idea to give a prototype to the prince, but he was still a child despite his status.

    I think it would be wrong to give him an expensive finished product just tomemorate his hard work.

    Both of them were happy.

    Well, I gave the prince a big pen with the exact specifications as big brother¡¯s pen, and I was a little surprised to see that his hands were about the same size as big brother¡¯s.

    The prince was also quite tall, but maybe he will grow even more in the future? Or did he grow tallerpared to when he first entered the school?

    Anyway, we had a chat about our ns for the summer vacation.

    I heard from my big brother that the prince would visit Yurinova territory in thetter half of the vacation, so naturally, we talked about it.

    And

    I suggested to Flora-chan.

    [If you don¡¯t mind, Flora-sama, why don¡¯t youe with Mikhael-sama to our territory? I¡¯m so sad that I won¡¯t be able to see you until next semester.]

    [I¡¯m also sad that I won¡¯t be able to see you, Ekaterina-sama. But, I can¡¯t possibly¡­]

    Yeah, I was afraid to be with the prince.

    I couldn¡¯t ask for such a thing, could I?

    Chira.

    Chira-chira.

    [Uh¡­Flora, if you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like you toe with me to Yurinova territory. Because traveling is more fun when you have apanion.]

    Yes!

    [I¡¯m sorry that I have to be the one to apany you, but if you feel that way¡­]

    [Of course, I mean it. I¡¯ve felt that you and I should have a long talk.]

    Good.

    All right, all right!

    When big brother told me that the prince wasing to the territory, I thought, ¡°What should I do?¡± I thought.

    A pinch means a chance! This opportunity should assist in bringing the Prince and Flora-chan closer together.

    A trip together could be the perfect event to raise the level of intimacy between the two of them.

    A special event created by a viiness!

    I think this was an excellent assist for me.

    I will do my best!

    There was one more thing that surprised me during our chat.

    When I told him that I had made the ss pen a birthday present for my big brother, she suddenly asked me.

    [When is your birthday, Mikhael-sama?]

    [It¡¯s the tenth of April. It¡¯s long past.]

    What?

    Right after the entrance ceremony? When I was absent from ss because I copsed?

    Eeeeeeh, so that means.

    [Mikhael-sama, you¡¯re 16 years old?]

    [Yeah, didn¡¯t you know?]

    I didn¡¯t know.

 Chapter 153

    I thought you were only fifteen years old¡­ At that time and that time, I was wholly convinced that you were too old for fifteen, or that you were too old for fifteen¡­

    No, from the perspective of a 30-something-year-old, there was no difference between a 15-year-old and a 16-year-old.

    I felt like I was born a little too early¡­

    As I fidgeted, the prince chuckled.

    [This might be the first time someone has asked me when my birthday is. It¡¯s a little new to me.]

    My apologies, Prince.

    Thinking about it, you were one of Their Majesties¡¯ children, and when you were born, the whole Imperial Kingdom would have celebrated.

    Birthdays were standard practice, weren¡¯t they? Sorry, we were rted, but I didn¡¯t know that.

    [Alexei should have told you a little more about me.]

    It¡¯s not big brother¡¯s fault, you know!

    [If you have something against big brothers, let me be your opponent!]

    I didn¡¯t have any experience in martial arts, but I was one of the best in my grade in Physical Enhancement Magic! Come at me!

    [¡­]

    Don¡¯tugh at me!

    <b>3rd Person POV</b>

    ¡°Young Lady, please don¡¯t move! Just at least one more moment, please, because that¡¯s all I need!¡±

    ¡°How many times do you have to ask for one more moment¡­?¡±

    Ekaterina spoke effortlessly, but still kept her pose as requested.

    Arge, middle-aged man was frantically sketching Ekaterina in a pose looking back at him. He was a wood sculptormissioned to make a replica of the Queen of the Night or the Spirit of the Evening of the Temple of the Sun.

    In order to make the goddess statue more realistic, he wanted to use a flesh-and-blood woman as a model. The priest said that the Young Lady of the Duke¡¯s family looked like a goddess materialized in the world. The priest asked passionately for a reference, so the sculptors decided to take the time to make the sculpture.

    Ekaterina, who looked like her mother, would be a better model for the statue, since it was ordered in the likeness of her mother, rather than as a replica of the goddess. Therefore, neither Alexei nor Ekaterina had the option of refusing. They took their time, even interrupting their preparations for the trip back to the dukedom.

    ¡°Young Lady.¡±

    Rev, a ssblower who had been led around the duke¡¯s mansion by a maid, and another ssblower, who was looking around the duke¡¯s mansion, called out to Ekaterina, as if relieved to see her.

    When he caught sight of her, his eyes immediately turned round, his pupils erged.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Rev, but could you give us a moment?¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course. ¡­um¡±

    As if determined, Rev pulled out a sketchpad and ss pen, which he seems to carry with him at all times.

    ¡°May I sketch, too?¡±

    When the sculptor was finally satisfied and left, Ekaterina faced the Rev and the others in the smallmon room.

    Mina made a pot of tea, which she sipped first. Even though it seemed like she was just standing there, she was honestly tired. The sculpture model, being three-dimensional, needed an omnidirectional view.

    ¡°You two, please have some. Thank you foring all the way out here.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry to have been invited to such a fine ce.¡±

    Rev and another bow their heads. The other was a man in histe twenties. He had dark green hair, yellow eyes, and an intellectual air about him, but he also had a stubborn appearance with slightly elongated gills.

    He wanted to work for Murano Workshop.

    The four artisans Ekaterina met the other day have all decided to return to work at Murano Workshop.

    They all came with signed employment contracts the day after Ekaterina spoke with them. When they talked to their wives about it, some of them were not against it but urged them to move immediately.

    Unexpectedly, other ss artisans who had heard about their treatment from Ekaterina and his colleagues expressed an interest in moving to Murano Workshop.

 Chapter 154

    The reputation of the Murano Workshop as the best ss workshop in the country had never diminished. The Yurinova family, one of the empire¡¯s most prestigious and well-financed families, bought it. They have developed new and novel products to be presented to the Emperor and have been looking for artisans to employ on favorable terms.

    In the imperial capital¡¯s workshops, hired artisans were not always treated well. This was because it ismon for artisans to own their own workshop and be masters once they have acquired a certain level of skill, so that even if they be apprentices to other craftsmen, these artisans still feel that they are in the position of being allowed to learn their skills.

    Therefore, the conditions offered by Ekaterina were highly coveted by the hired craftsmen. The more they worked, the more they were paid. Also, they would not be worked against their will. There waspensation in case of injury, and the conditions were clearly stated in the contract and there was protection against contract breaches.

    It was worth the gamble, even if they had not yet made a serious move. That¡¯s what many craftsmen thought.

    But there was a strange offer in the mix.

    ¡°Are you Toma Egor, the lens maker?¡±

    ¡°Yes, the workshop where I was working went out of business. That was when he heard about you and asked for your help. I know I am not from the same field as them, but I am good at devising various ways of building things and making things work. Could you please hire me somehow?¡±

    Indeed, he was a craftsman who made lenses for eyesses. Although there may be a connection with ss, as he stated, it was a different field.

    However, when Ekaterina received the report by a letter from Rev, she immediately wrote back a reply. She had wanted to meet the lens-maker at all costs.

    There was a reason why she had been concerned about the ss pen since she decided to make it her business. In her previous life, the heyday of the ss pen was very short-lived.

    As a mere writing instrument, something more useful will eventually emerge. Something like a ballpoint pen or fountain pen.

    In a world where only quill pens existed, development of a low-cost alternative would make it possible to be the most popr writing instrument once it was developed. However, the more the market share expands in this manner, the greater the fall will be when it is eclipsed by something else. The impact of such a copse could endanger the workshop.

    Although establishing the workshop as a high-end writing instrument would be more advantageous at the moment than in her previous life, it would also be much better to continue to make sses like tableware, they would be able to diversify the risk. However, there were also plenty of other types of sses they could develop.

    One such product, ording to her knowledge from her previous life, is a type of ss manufacturer that has remained a growingpany even in Japan of the 21st century.

    Those are Lens Makers.

    Lenses were an essential element in optical equipment, medical equipment, and other fields expected to experience growth even in the 21st century. If Murano Workshop could position itself as a precision/specialty instrument maker now, it might survive for another hundred years. Even if ss pens fall from grace, the artisans may preserve their jobs.

    ¡°The reason I asked you to visit us is that there is something I would like you to make with the lenses. I wonder if you are familiar with microscopes.¡±

    ¡°Microscope¡­I know the name, but I¡¯ve never actually seen one.¡±

    Microscopes do exist in this world. However, they are very primitive and have only a magnification factor of about the same, making them appearrger than a magnifying ss. The Yurinova family owns a few, but they were purchased for Great Uncle Isaac by Grandfather Sergei for his research.

 Chapter 155

    This world tends to be less developed in terms of science and technology. This may be because of the existence of magical power. This development would be that people tend to use magic power rather than scientific development.

    Most of the Yurinova family¡¯s microscopes were possessed by great-uncle Yurinova in the ducal estate, but there was one microscope in the imperial residence. After showing it to Toma and letting him use it, Ekaterina exined what she wanted.

    ¡°I would like you to make me a microscope with a mirror underneath, in this shape. I want to be able to ce the object I want to magnify on this stand, and the mirror underneath could be angled so that I can shine the reflected light on the object I want to magnify for a brighter view.¡±

    She then drew a simple picture.

    The microscope in this world differed from its predecessor in shape. There was no stand on which to ce the object to be magnified, and the object to be magnified was ced directly on a table-top or the like, making the examined material quite challenging to observe. So just making it the same shape as in her previous world would improve its functionality to some extent.

    ¡°And there¡¯s something I¡¯d like you to research for me.¡±

    What she would eventually like to create would be achromatic lenses. It would prevent color blurring and blurred image centers, and be called a color canceling lens. The microscope could take shape bybining a convex lens and a concave lens with different refractive indices and dispersion. At least that was how it was supposed to be.

    She learned about the history of microscopes as an afterthought in college. What is it about microscopes that distinguishes them from other types of lenses? The following was written in the history of the microscope. She had a vague recollection of it.

    How could such a thing have stuck in her memory? The human memory was a mystery to her.

    ¡°Two kinds of lenses, huh? How could youe up with such an idea?¡±

    Toma, the lens craftsman, said it as if he was surprised and realized it was a rude remark and shrugged his head ¨C quite understandable.

    Sorry. It wasn¡¯t my idea, but my knowledge from my previous life.

    ¡°How about it?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can do it, but I think it would be interesting. I¡¯m a bit of an borate guy, so I¡¯m looking forward to trying things out. ¡­If this project puts food on my table, I¡¯ll be happy.¡±

    Toma finallyughed. He might be quite a brash character.

    ¡°As long as you make progress, you¡¯ll be paid.¡±

    It wouldn¡¯t be immediately profitable, though.

    <b>1st Person POV (Ekaterina)</b>

    The erasable ballpoint pen was a big hit in my previous life. I heard that it took ten years to develop that ink. And while it was being designed, it was just an appealing ink that changed color with frictional heat, and the function of ¡°making it transparent and erasable¡± was not envisioned. Sometimes it was necessary to spend money on developing something that may or may not turn out to be useful.

    ¡­I would say that the Yurinova family has ample funds to do so. I apologize. I¡¯m sorry for being a burden.

    ¡°Let me prepare an employment contract for you. Please check the contents carefully and sign it if you like.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much. I will do so.¡±

    Aside from Toma, the Rev would hire other job applicants if they are up to Murano Workshop¡¯s standards after assessing their skills. The necessary structure to develop the business is established.

 Chapter 156

    Aside from Toma, the Rev would hire other job applicants if they are up to Murano Workshop¡¯s standards after assessing their skills. The necessary structure to develop the business is established.

    ¡°Rev, I¡¯m sorry I have to leave the capital just as the workshop is starting.¡±

    ¡°No, everything has been prepared for us. From now on, I can leave the business to the experts and devote myself to making ss pens for the Empress and Lord Yurisein. I am happy as if I were in a dream.¡±

    ¡°It is only because of your skill and talent. When I leave the capital, you mustn¡¯t get so absorbed in your work that you neglect your health.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Young Lady.¡±

    Bowing deeply, Rev offered Ekaterina a long, narrow box.

    ¡°Um, after making the Emperor¡¯s ss pen, I had some spare time on my hands, so I made this for a break¡­ if you¡¯d like to take it.¡±

    ¡°Oh, my!¡±

    Ekaterina beamed with glee as she opened the box. It was a single blue rose hair ornament made of blue ss.

    ¡°How beautiful¡­you are a genius to make such a thing out of thin air. I am so impressed. How much is the cost?¡±

    ¡°No! Really, I just wanted you to receive it. I thought it would be my way of saying thank you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s so sweet of you, Rev.¡±

    Ekaterina smiled at him, and Rev turned bright red and slumped.

    Toma patted him on the back with a look of understanding.

    The two have only known each other for a short time, but they have already be good friends. This makes for a great working environment at Murano Workshop!

    Ekaterina watched them, smiling with such thoughts.

    Unfortunately, her thoughts were constantly directed somewhere else.

    ¡°Big Brother.¡±

    When Ekaterina visited the Duke¡¯s office, Alexei immediately stood up to greet her.

    ¡°Ekaterina, I am sorry to call on you when you are busy preparing for your trip. I¡¯m sure you must be tired of dealing with the sculptor.¡±

    ¡°No, Big Brother, it was a rare experience, and I enjoyed it.¡±

    She was tired, but she really had a great time. The sketching in all directions and the realism were as good as possible. In this world without photographs, this was the first time in her life that she had ever seen her own backside.

    I should have asked him to draw one of Big Brother too! Then I could always carry it with me!

    But it was okay because he was right in front of her. He always dressed in dignity as a duke, but now that summer arrived, his uniform changed to summer clothes, and even in his office, he was wearing a shirt instead of a jacket. The shirts worn in the office were high quality, like jackets, embroidered with silver threads. He now looked slender and well-trained, and she could see his excellent physique, which was a real eye-opener. Thank you very much.

    ¡°Let¡¯s start with a good report, Halil.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Halil, head ofmercial distribution, smiled at Ekaterina. It¡¯s a friendly smile I¡¯ve seen a lottely.

    ¡°We have received arge order from the Temple of the Sun for the Heavenly Blue, which was triggered by the Young Lady¡¯s proposal for the dedication of the Heavenly Blue. The Queen¡¯s Pce at night, which the Dukes paid for and decorated in celestial blue, has be so well known for its beauty that the number of visitors has skyrocketed, and they have decided to actively incorporate it into their other offerings.¡±

    ¡°My, that¡¯s great news!¡±

    The publicity was right on target!

    ¡°First, the pigments. They wanted to boldly use the heavenly blue color for the new giant wall to be painted on the main shrine of the Sun God. Also, for next year¡¯s Summer Solstice Festival, they want to put up a tent dyed in the heavenly blue to make visitors feel as if they were in the sky. It¡¯s quite a fancy idea.¡±

    ¡°As one would expect from the popr Sun Temple, they are excellent at capturing the people¡¯s hearts.¡±

 Chapter 157

    When I toured the Sun Temple the other day, I thought it was as morous as the Vatican. Shall I decorate it further?

    Religious facilities should give people a sense of the extraordinary. It should be a ce where people were reminded of the existence of God, the afterlife, and other things far removed from their daily lives. It seems to be the same in this world, where magic and magical beasts exist.

    ¡°I suppose it is a sign that you are a goddess when your proposal captures people¡¯s hearts. I hope you would not gather too much faith and be just my own goddess. Forgive me.¡±

    Big brother took my hand and kissed my fingertips. I¡¯m so happy!

    Siscon Filter is hard at work today!

    ¡°Heavenly Blue is a beautiful, inexpensive, wonderful thing, and it is only the product that stands on its merit, you know. Moreover, everything I do is for my big brother. Everything I own belongs to my big brother.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. You¡¯re a sweet girl.¡±

    Ahhh, the color of those neon blue eyes was gentle.

    Since big brother spoils me so much, I couldn¡¯t catch up without returning the favor to him with all my might.

    ¡°Halil-sama, I discussed this with the dress designer the other day, and I have decided that for the time being, I will certainly incorporate the Heavenly Blue color somewhere in my dresses. I would like to spread the usage of Heavenly Blue in our territory as well.¡±

    Cami-san, the designer, was rather pleased when I said so.

    [No one looks better in Heavenly Blue than the Young Lady. A designer would rather burn with those kinds of restrictions!]

    It seemed that dresses in celestial blue were bing fashionable in the social circles of the imperial capital. I believed it wasrgely because the Empress adopted the color. Cami-san, who was the first to introduce it to fashion-conscious people, earned the respect of those who knew how to dress fashionably. She worked closely with Halil-san, or the person in charge under him, to get the fabrics distributed at a preferential and reasonable price¡­ I guess I could count on her. A win-win situation was always the best for business.

    ¡°Thank you. As you said earlier, Heavenly Blue is a valuable thing, and it is only through your talent that the recognition of its value has spread so quickly. I will not be able to apany you to the Duke¡¯s estate, but I will be waiting for you with great anticipation.¡±

    ¡°Well, yes, themercial distribution center is the Imperial Capital after all¡­¡±

    Halil-san was a regr member of the office team, and I felt a bit uneasy about leaving him since I hade to depend on him so much for the ss pens and the workshop.

    However, I am beginning to understand him a little better. It was undeniable that the Imperial Capital would be his base for his work. Still, Halil-san, who could tell at a nce that he was from a foreign country, would not be able to spend the same kind of time as in the Imperial Capital, anywhere in this country.

    The Dukedom of Yurinova was not originally a prejudiced area in the imperial capital. Still, influences from the past have remained.

    That Old Hag again!

    I guessed this from various things I heard in and out of the office without even asking.

    For the past seven years since Grandfather¡¯s death, it seems that Old Hag and my bastard of a father have been living here at the Imperial Duke¡¯s residence.

    However, until then, when Grandfather was alive, both of them lived in the primary residence of the Duke¡¯s estate. Since Grandfather, who was in charge of the national government, mainly lived at the Imperial Duke¡¯s residence, they lived separately to avoid his demanding wife.

    They (that Old Hag and my bastard father) did not stay in the dukedom all the time, but came to the imperial capital from time to time. Their presence irritated the Empress, who was the Crown Princess at that time, in various ways.

 Chapter 158

    They (that Old Hag and my bastard father) did not stay in the dukedom all the time, but came to the imperial capital from time to time. Their presence irritated the Empress, who was the Crown Princess at that time, in various ways.

    Still, the main residence of the dukedom had long been the home of that Old Hag. Therefore, there may still be some servants who still share Old Hag¡¯s worldviews, such as Nonna, the maid we fired a while back.

    Big brother was raised by Old Hag in the main residence of the dukedom when he was very young. He was raised strictly and coldly.

    After that, when he was probably around 6 or 7 years old, he was taken in by our Grandfather and lived mainly in the imperial capital.

    And when grandfather died when my brother was 10 years old, he took advantage of the work he was forced to do and began to spend as much time as possible with Novak-san and his entourage away from Old Hag. My brother often sought / cooked up excuses to remain in the primary residence of the Dukedom. He was often invited to the imperial capital because he was the prince¡¯s ymate.

    I saw big brother passing in front of the mansion several times when I, the daughter Ekaterina, was in the vi where I was imprisoned, but that must have been when he was living in the primary ducal residence after he was ten years old.

    ¡°Kimberly.¡±

    Alexei beckoned for the treasurer, and Halil bowed and stepped back.

    In turn, Kimberly came in front of the siblings, carrying a bulky bag. It had two keyholes and looked as solid as a safe.

    ¡°Ekaterina.¡±

    Alexei¡¯s voice was gentle as usual, but Ekaterina couldn¡¯t help but straighten up.

    ¡°I¡¯m somewhat torn about whether I should tell you. What I am about to tell you is something you should not know if you are an ordinary daughter. But you are capable of ruling the Dukedom together with me. I have been shown that for a while. So will you listen to me?¡±

    ¡°It is big brother¡¯s decision to talk about it. Whatever it is, I will listen.¡±

    ¡°Good girl, really. ¨CKimberly.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Kimberly took out his keys and unlocked one of the locks on his bag.

    Alexei took out another key, which Kimberly received and opened the remaining lock. It was a very, very borate scene.

    (Editor¡¯s note: You can search ¡°This is how nuclear football actually works¡±. It is somewhat simr to that.)

    From the opened bag, Kimberly pulled out a few papers.

    ¡°Miss. This is a list of embezzlement that were discovered after a close examination of the various ounts of the duke¡¯s family.¡±

    Darkness before departure.

    Ekaterina¡¯s eyes widened at the words Kimberly uttered so nonchntly.

    <i>Embezzlement!</i>

    <i>Not so gentle!</i>

    ¡°Ekaterina, Kimberly, is the most knowledgeable person in regards to the Dukedom¡¯s finances, having served as treasurer during Grandfather¡¯s lifetime. However, when Grandfather died, he was abruptly fired.¡±

    ¡­ I don¡¯t need to even ask who fired him.

    ¡°There were many other personnel who were fired unreasonably, including Halil¡­ Kimberly was the first and received the most inexplicable punishment. Nevertheless, Kimberly, Halil, and many others remained loyal to Yurinova. He stayed with me, and Novak brought them together to create an organization that was responsible for the actual management of the estate.¡±

    Oh. It¡¯s like the Shadow Cab. I remember that the British opposition parties formed a cab so that they could take over the government anytime they wanted.

    (Editor¡¯s note: the author here understands things a little differently, since the British / Westminster Shadow Cab isn¡¯t meant to take over the government any time, but we¡¯re just pointing out; for the sake of pointing out.)

    But this ¡®shadow cab¡¯ existed to behave more like an actual cab. It was my brother and his handpicked close associates who were appointed to run the show.

    ¡°As soon as I seeded to the dukedom, I put them back in their appropriate positions. There were many problems while everyone was away, especially financial problems, and once I had Kimberly to focus on that investigation. These documents are the result.¡±

 Chapter 159

    What kind of embezzlement would be so severe that the treasurer would devote himself to investigating it¡­.

    Ekaterina looked down at the documents handed to Kimberly.

    The entries were simple¡ªthe date, the name of the fund, and the amount.

    I see¡­ It started around the time Grandfather passed away. ¨CThat¡¯s right, immediately after that!

    And the amount! What¡¯s with these digits? If we convert it into Japanese yen¡­ it should be over a hundred million.

    Well, only the first time, huh? The next time¡­ it was still tens of millions.

    But then again, it was in millions! And then another!

    Have they lost their restraint already?? Almost every month!

    The total amount for the first year was already a big problem.

    ¡°Well¡­where is Kimberly-sama¡¯s sessor, the treasurer, now?¡±

    ¡°¡­missing.¡±

    At Alexei¡¯s answer, Ekaterina¡¯s eyes widened slightly, and she shifted her gaze to Kimberly. Kimberly¡¯s silver eyes, bald, bushy-nosed, and imposing to look at, said nothing.

    I have a hunch that both of them know the whereabouts of the sessor treasurer, but my instincts were screaming at me that it would be better not to know, so I decided not to ask any further questions¡­.

    Looking at the following years in the record.

    As expected, the amount per case became smaller. However, the items became more diverse, and the total annual amount did not change much.

    No, the reason why there were so manyrge amounts in the first year may have been because the names themselves were fabricated payments, fake ones.

    Perhaps they changed their method of ounting because they had gone too far and could no longer handle it. They may have changed their methods to a different one, where they would select payments that were not likely to be discovered from the actual payments, and skim them off.

    <i>Ah. I see now.</i>

    One of the items caught Ekaterina¡¯s eye, and she gasped.

    Annexation expenses.

    Mother¡¯s and my living expenses. It had been embezzled and disappeared somewhere.

    The amount of money was a modest sum for the Duchess of Yurinova¡¯s living expenses. Still, if they had properly given this money to us, we would not have had to live like that,cking in food and clothes.

    ¡°Ekaterina¡­!¡±

    Feeling strange about his sister¡¯s condition, Alexei realized what she was looking at.

    ¡°Sorry¡­sorry.¡±

    ¡°No, big brother.¡±

    Big brother knew where mother and I were, but he didn¡¯t try to take us out of there. It must have been a lonely and painful time for him, isted in the Yurinova family after the death of his grandfather. He wanted to see us, but he held back, limiting himself to just passing in front of the mansion.

    It must have been because it was supposed to be safer for him to stay at the vi than to be within reach of grandmother¡¯s influence.

    Ever since that time when he was still a child, big brother had been doing his best to protect mother and me by setting himself behind the scenes. I would never have dreamed at that time that the duchess¡¯s living expenses were being embezzled.

    I wonder how big brother must have felt when he found out that we were forced to live in those bad conditions.

    He must have found that out during mother¡¯sst days when our dying mother called him in recement to father, who could be said to be an aplice in our mistreatment. At that time, when he pretended to be father and gently answered her, I wondered if he was inwardly enduring the pain of having his heart ripped out of his chest.

    ¡°Big brother is not bad. You have been trying to protect mother and me for a long time.¡±

    ¡°Ekaterina¡­¡±

    Don¡¯t look so bitter. You were still such a child. And yet, you were not allowed to behave like a child.

    The paperwork examination still continued, as there were even more to go on.

 Chapter 160

    The paperwork examination still continued, as there was even more to go on.

    Many disaster relief money and reconstruction funds that the dukedom should have given to the territory¡¯s residents have been embezzled. Even in the vast Yurinova territory,ndslides and sh floods ur every year, perhaps due to deforestation. There were also some mine cave-ins.

    A dismal list.

    But how many lives were destroyed by the embezzlement of the money mentioned here? How many lives could we have helped rebuild after the disaster had been shattered instead due to the embezzlement?

    ¡°Ekaterina, that¡¯s enough. You don¡¯t have to look at it anymore. I¡¯m sorry. I should have thought about how much it would hurt you to see this, my gentle sister. Forgive me.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m willing to carry the same burden as big brother.¡±

    Alexei nodded to his sister, who clutched the list with tears in her eyes and a worried expression on her face.

    ¡°Okay¡­However, as for the disaster relief money on the list, we have been able to provide some of it through a separate fund. Around the third year, when I inspected the disaster sites, I noticed there were too many times that the relief money that we should have provided did not reach the people of the territory. Old Forli and Great-Uncle Isaac also noticed the anomaly, and we all did what we could to deal with the situation. Only after I inherited the title, I realized the embezzlement was on such arge scale.¡±

    ¡°Oh, really? As expected of big brother.¡±

    Visiting a disaster site¡­if it was three years ago, was he only thirteen at that time? At such an age, was big brother visiting dangerous ces by himself? Did this aristocratic big brother walk through the disaster area on his own feet, covered in mud?

    <i>Go drink the nail polish of big brother, you bastard father!</i>

    And it must have beenplicated to deal with the situation with no financial authority. How stressful it must have been for everyone.

    ¡°Even before you inherited the title, you were fulfilling the duties of a lord, weren¡¯t you? That is truly admirable.¡±

    I wonder what would have happened to the Yurinova territory if big brother had not been such a cheat-level excellent lord.

    The GDP of Yurinova¡¯s territory was probably not more than a few hundred million. However, divulging the mismanagement of such a huge budget could have caused a lot of things to happen, including a deterioration of public order due to the growing discontent of the people.

    The list of embezzlement that had gone on for seven years finally came to an end. Ekaterina felt her skin crawl when she saw the cumtive amount listed on thest page.

    Converted into Japanese yen¨Cabout 30 billion.

    <i>Wait a minute. What is this?</i>

    Who spent this amount of money and for what?? No, it was definitely done by the old hag. But she embezzled for extravagance? She spent it all right upfront. Still, it should not have reached this obscene amount.

    Come to think of it; I think there was a gambling addict CEO who withdrew 10 billion from his ownpany in a previous life. Our Father seemed to spend all his time ying with women and gambling, but he was again too unconcerned about wasting money over here to embezzle it. He automatically charged the duke¡¯s estate for all betting losses, and he never paid any of his own bills.

    The other thing¡­.for thest seven years, the only possible destination for huge sums of money to flow¡­.

    An entity that would spend huge sums of money.

    As I vaguely recall, the French Revolution. It was said that Queen Marie Antote¡¯s extravagance had caused France¡¯s financial crisis, but in fact, the cause of the financial difficulties was military spending. Speaking of money-eating locusts, the military was the main culprit.

    Yurimagna, with its Grand Knights, was in financial difficulties.

 Chapter 161

    As I vaguely recall, the French Revolution. It was said that Queen Marie Antote¡¯s extravagance had caused France¡¯s financial crisis, but in fact, the cause of the financial difficulties was military spending. Speaking of money-eating locusts, the military was the main culprit.

    Yurimagna, with its Grand Knights, was in financial difficulties.

    Big Brother told Ekaterina that Giorgie of Magna visited him frequently in those days¡­.

    Ekaterina looked up.

    ¡°Big Brother, Mr. Kimberly. Was the missing treasurer introduced to our family from somewhere?¡±

    ¡°There is no letter of introduction or any other evidence of any kind. But¡­ we know they are from Magna.¡±

    Ekaterina involuntarily closed her eyes.

    It hit her.

    The former finance chief sent by Yurimagna funneled Yurinova¡¯s money over there. The old hag had allowed it to happen right under her nose.

    Damn hag¡­I knew she had nomon sense or sense of right and wrong, but to let another family embezzle our money like that was just too good to be true! Were you so crazy that you couldn¡¯t even understand that it was wrong?

    No, there was no connection between the old hag and embezzlement. Anyway, who would engage in such an act of embezzlement, sneaking around and skimming money from someone who believed herself to be noble and righteous? The self-proimed ¡°bestdy¡± who despised money ounts and embezzlement. It doesn¡¯t fit the image in any way¡­. It doesn¡¯t feel right, but Yurimagna must have conspired with her in some way or form¡­?

    But we don¡¯t have any proof, but we know it¡¯s from Magna? Missing¡­ no, I mustn¡¯t think about it.

    ¡°Big Brother¡­. This Imperial Ducal Pce, where you have been living since you seeded the dukedom, has been set up to meet Big Brother¡¯s wishes, hasn¡¯t it? However, in the main residence of the duke¡¯s domain where we are going now, are the remnants of those doing such evil things still remaining, walking through these hallowed halls?¡±

    ¡°Clever one as always. Yes, some wereplicit, although they may not be aware of Magna¡¯s involvement. We have eliminated the major yers, but I am sure the little ones are still there. Many wicked thieves among the rtives and minor nobles in the fiefdom are willing to line their pockets whenever the opportunity arises. I asked you to see this so that you would understand this.

    ¨CI will not let anything happen to you. They already know what will happen if they attempt to do so.¡±

    Big Brother¡­I love the wispy smile on your face, but it wasn¡¯t the magic that made me feel like the room temperature had dropped. It was the atmosphere of a beautiful ice demon king.

    Come to think of it, that messenger who forcibly took out my bedridden mother and shortened her life. That must have been a pawn of the old hag. I am sure that the man got what he deserved.

    What kind of retribution he got¡­I guess I¡¯m better off not knowing, just like the former treasurer¡¯s disappearance.

    ¡°Thank you for sharing, Big Brother, and as the Lady of Yurinova, I will oversee the main house expenses with all my heart.¡±

    My mind suddenly went back to the many beautiful but ill-fitting dresses that were made without my permission when I was living in the main residence of the duke¡¯s estate.

    I felt a strange sense of satisfaction that this was the case.

    It was like a remnant of the old hag to express her hostility in such a way, as if wrapped in cotton, while treating Big Brother politely out of fear. By the way, when Big Brother was praised by His Majesty the Emperor during his visit, he repeatedly said that he still had a long way to go. I guess he was not being modest, but was serious.

    I was prepared to confront the remnants of the party, saying that the main residence had originally been the home of the old hag for a long time.

    However, I could not have imagined that things had gone so far to be so tacky. I am so d they told me.

    And Yurimagna.

    When was it that Big Brother said something like there was a constant struggle between aristocrats of the same ss? But I didn¡¯t know that they would harm us in this way. How dare theymit such an outrageous thing, embezzling another family¡¯s funds?

 Chapter 162

    I had long noticed Big Brother¡¯s dislike for Yurimagna for a long time, and right now I think that dislike was justified.

    I guess there were no rules or honor in the war between the houses.

    Nevertheless, the fact that they would try to pull this kind of stunt means that their finances were so tight that they were willing to engage in criminal activities.

    But, old hag, why did you allow this kind of behavior?

    ¡°Ekaterina, if you don¡¯t like to stay at the main residence, you can remain in the imperial capital. We can go to a vi on the city¡¯s outskirts to get away from the heat.¡±

    ¡°No, Big Brother, I would like to join you. I would feel mostfortable at Big Brother¡¯s side.

    I may not be the most skilled person in the household, but I won¡¯t leave Big Brother alone.

    ¡°¡­Thank you. If you say so, I will definitely protect you. As a brother, a duke, and one of my Lady¡¯s Swords.¡±

    Oh, Big Brother was so dignified when he said it out loud.

    Okay, then.

    Let¡¯s go to the duke¡¯s primary residence and strike back!

    But it should be our own ce! We should be saying; we were going back home, not this!

    ***

    ¡°I grieved for Ekaterina.¡±

    As his sister left the office, Alexei muttered a shame-filled mutter and mmed his fist down on the office desk.

    ¡°I never wanted her to see that. Damn you, Magna¡¯s dog.¡±

    ¡°Unusually, you are so inquisitive. I am sure you have decided that it would be more dangerous for the youngdy to enter your territory without knowing about it.¡±

    Standing by Alexei¡¯s side, Novak said with a scornful look on his face.

    ¡°Oh, she¡¯s smart. If she knows what she¡¯s doing, she¡¯ll avoid unnecessary danger. She¡¯ll report what she notices to us often. But it¡¯s unbearable to see the tears.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s only a distraction, but shall we put a little pressure on Yurimagna? Sir Kimberly has identified payments rted to that area that the former treasurer had deferred payment on. If we tell them to pay all of them at once, we will get what we want.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a fair ce to start. Fine, it¡¯s just an exercise of a legitimate right, but it should hurt them somehow. Collect the money discreetly, and if Magnains in front of His Majesty, we¡¯ll make them look like fools. Then, spread the word to the other houses and the Chamber of Commerce that Magna¡¯s financial power has deteriorated.¡±

    With a cold glint in his neon blue eyes, Alexei locked eyes with Novak.

    ¡°Is it still going to be a while before you can bring the dog out in public?¡±

    ¡°It seems so. For the time being.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, why don¡¯t you juste to clean up like a shadow? Kimberly, you still can¡¯t trace the money to Magna?¡±

    ¡°I am sorry. All of the supposed intermediary financiers have been murdered and their buildings burned to the ground¡­ We have found no way to trace them back to where they originate from.¡±

    Alexei¡¯s expression suddenly softened as he turned to Kimberly, who bowed his head.

    ¡°¡­Okay. I¡¯ll leave the rest of the sleuthing to the others, and you can go back to your primary duties. I¡¯m sorry I made you do something you weren¡¯t suited for, but you¡¯ve done well enough.¡±

    ¡°By your will.¡±

    Kimberly bowed his head again, seemingly chewing Alexei¡¯s words of thanks with some surprise.

    Then, patting the bag to which he had just returned the list, he said sincerely.

    ¡°Miss Ekaterina, she is a very kind and intelligent person, isn¡¯t she? I believe that she saw beyond the list of numbers to the people¡¯s hardships. Many people, even those in finance, are not able to do that¡­but for a youngdy of deep insight, it is a remarkable quality. What can I say? She has wisdom running in her blood.¡±

    No, this was only because the contents of the daughter of profound insight were mixed with a 30 year old Company Employee who was amoner and had developed an ounting system.

 Chapter 163

    ¡°Oh, she¡¯s bright and kind. She has a stout heart, but she has a strong sense of caring for the weak. ¡­I must take care of myself at best. If anything happens to me, that girl will be the Duchess of Yurinova, but there are too many things I don¡¯t want that gentle girl to know.¡±

    ¡°I will protect you, Your Excellency, so that nothing will happen to you. I promised the Young Lady that I would.¡±

    Ivan, the squire, said cheerfully as he arranged the top of his office desk.

    ¡°Oh, yes, of course.¡±

    Alexei smiled.

    <i>Nothing must happen to Big Brother¡­</i>

    The other day, Ekaterina burst into tears. While she had wowed Aaron, the mine manager, with her astonishing insight just before that, she became like a little child when she became worried about her brother¡¯s safety. This difference made her all the more endearing.

    It was called ¡°Gap Moe¡±.

    ¡°The youngdy is kind to everyone, but it¡¯s adorable that she adores His Excellency the most.¡±

    ¡°Ivan, don¡¯t put those papers away.¡±

    Staring at the squire, Novak took the papers Ivan was trying to clear from his desk.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I thought you had finished.¡±

    Ivan was smiling as usual, but there was no mistaking the hint of a slight tongueshing.

    And Alexei shared the same feeling.

    ¡°Your Excellency. You mustn¡¯t put it off when selecting who your engagement partner will be.¡±

    ¡°¡­it¡¯s still okay for now.¡±

    ¡°We are alreadyte. If you are considering an engagement partner after you graduate from the academy, it can be done without any problem, as you can choose from younger daughters, but for women, they should be of the same age or older. If you want to choose a good match for her, she must be currently in school. If you are thinking of the best interests of the Young Lady, you should take care of it as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°Well, but if she is as beautiful and noble as the youngdy, any man will jump at her, even if she is engaged to someone else. So, there¡¯s no need to rush.¡±

    Novak stared at Aaron, the mine manager, who interrupted him.

    ¡°How can you let such an unfaithful man near the youngdy?¡±

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, you¡¯re right.¡±

    Aaron shrugged and pulled away.

    Novak piles on the words to Alexei, who still seems reluctant to say any word in retort.

    ¡°As His Excellency said earlier, the youngdy will end up as Yurinova¡¯s sessor with no wife and children. Even if she is married, she will continue to be the heir, depending on the situation. If she is engaged to or married to the wrong person, Yurinova could be struck by a greater disaster than Prince Alexandre¡¯s reign. The engagement of the youngdy is a serious matter for this family. Your Excellency understands this. Then, there is the youngdy¡¯s talent. If she marries into another influential family, it would be a shame to give her talents to another family. The Imperial Family or a branch family. I think the choice is between the two.¡±

    After speaking sternly, Novak sighed softly.

    ¡°As a subject of the Imperial Family, I would like the Young Lady to marry into the Imperial Family, if possible. Who could be a more suitable daughter to be the empress, the mother of the people? And if she marries into the imperial family, she will be the best pir of support for Yurinova in the development and practical application of the rainbow stone magic circle.¡±

    Novak Continued.

    ¡°However, since she has expressed her refusal to marry only into the Imperial Family, and since Your Excellency has given approval, we have no choice but to do so. Either choose one of the branch families, or take a worthy son-inw and set up a new branch family. Then the youngdy can continue to support His Excellency close by.¡±

    ¡°¡­I guess that is also a choice.¡±

 Chapter 164

    Alexei finally agreed when the option to keep his sister at arm¡¯s length came up, and Alexei nodded.

    ¡°But who in the branch family is good enough to take care of that girl? I wouldn¡¯t have even considered it if Andrei was single.¡±

    Thetter part of his voice took on a mangled tone that was unusual for Alexei. Andrei was Novak¡¯s son. He was strong-eyed, strong-looking, and handsome, and in addition to being a good student, he also had the same magical powers as his mother and father. But he already had a wife and children.

    ¡°Foolishness is not an option. If the branch family is no good, I will start a new branch family and get a son-inw from someone else.¡±

    He easily left the existing branch of the family, probably because he could not find a suitable partner from Novak¡¯s point of view.

    ¡°So, the other options would be¡­¡±

    Alexei nced at Aaron and Halil, themercial distribution heads. Other than these two, the legal counsel, Danil, would be the youngest unmarried member of the executive, but Danil was the eldest son and therefore the least likely to be a son-inw candidate.

    Aaron¡¯s schrly appearance turned bright red. Of the three, he would be the most likely choice. His parents, the Kyle family, were counts, wealthy and influential. He was the fifth son, so bing a son-inw would not be a problem. Besides, he has powerful earth magic. His intelligent-like appearance could also be described as ¡®refined¡¯.

    He remained single until this age because he focused on studying mineralogy during his student days. After graduating from the magic academy, he became a devoted helper of Professor Isaac Yurinova, who he got to know through his studies. Because of all the research and stuff they have done, he missed his chance searching for a partner and was still a bachelor.

    Furthermore, his age was 31, more than twice the age of Ekaterina.

    Halil was also 33 years old and from another country, which was evident at first nce.

    However, he was the son of the head of arge tradingpany, whose economic power far outstrips that of most small countries. He had an exotic feminine appearance that was eye-catching, and his abilities were also excellent. If he were to be a son-inw of a branch family, it would not be absolutely impossible.

    But either way, Alexei just shrugged and turned his face away. They bothughed together. Inwardly, it was a beautiful fantasy.

    Novak rubbed his temples in disappointment.

    ¡°If a branch family is no good, then someone from another family will do. If they are ofparable stature to our family, and the son is close to the youngdy¡¯s age, then the first choice would be dimir of Yurimagna.¡±

    ¡°No way!¡±

    Without thinking, Alexei mmed his palm down on the office desk.

    ¡°It¡¯s doubly and triply impossible! There is an unwritten rule that marriage between the three dukes is not encouraged, and Magna¡¯s treatment of women is abominable. I would never send Ekaterina to a ce like that!¡±

    The three dukes, who hadplicated blood rtions through the imperial family, should avoid intermarriage. That was indeed an unwritten rule that had been observed for generations. In reality, it was a measure by the Imperial Household to prevent the ties between the dukes from bing too strong.

    ¡°I am aware of that. I know the unwritten rules and the treatment of women. It may have been sixteen or seventeen years since inheritancews were proposed to be amended to clearly state the inheritance rights of women, yet it was Yurimagna who opposed it to the very end. The current Duke Giorgie still upholds that view to this day, right?¡±

    Turning against the Crown Prince and Crown Princess of the time and his grandfather Sergei, who was the Prime Minister, Giorgie and his party thoroughly resisted the amendments.

    In the ancient Astra Empire, women had no inheritance rights. ¡°We should not go against the ancient wisdom.¡± Such was his argument.

    <b><i>[TL Note: I have tried to summarize everything in this TL note. You can safely skip this without affecting the story.</i></b>

    <i>In this story, a Mistress and a Duchess are two different positions in which a Duchess is basically an inheritor of the title of a Duke or a Royal Family which have the blood of the house flowing in them, a Mistress on the other hand is only a wife with no power and was only to provide a proper heir.</i>

    <i>However, a Duchess has never been dered in this story because of some policies within the political circle of the higher nobles that do not recognize Females as Rulers thus not inheriting the title of Duchess.</i>

    <i>There was however talks about this within the circle of dukes and the royal family from the past generations 16 to 17 years ago story wise, but this waspletely blocked off by one of the Duke Houses which is the Yurimagna House who only see females as Heir Producers and only Males have rights to inheritance¡­</i>

    <i>These talks have continued until now but with the current duke of Yurimagna still following this principle, never budged so inheritance to houses are still being carried on by males, and if the was no males from the direct bloodline then a Male from a branch family will be married into the current bloodline to produce hoping to get a Male heir to which the title would be inherited into.</i><b><i>]</i></b>

 Chapter 165

    In the ancient Astra Empire, women had no inheritance rights. ¡°We should not go against the ancient wisdom.¡± Such was his argument.

    ¡°In the midst of all this, dimir was born, and Lord Giorgie was grumbling about the fact that if men work hard, they always seed in having a baby boy. I remember it well.¡±

    If Ekaterina heard about it, she would immediately summon a particr fighter in her brain.

    ¡°This is ridiculous.¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    ¡°dimir once told me that my mother was not allowed to read even a single book. Although he said he was d he wasn¡¯t a woman. He sounded sad.¡±

    Alexei chased the memory away with a shake of his head, and looked at Novak.

    ¡°The Anachronistic Magna will eventually fall if left alone. Do you want me to finish them off with my own hands and dedicate them to Ekaterina?¡±

    His Excellency may have a n to settle the matter. If as an Empress, then a Duchess. She will reign as the real Duchess, the Duchess of Yurimagna, the Mistress of the Yurimagna Dominions. If your Excellency, the Duchess, your sister stand side by side as Dukes, it will be a historic victory for Yurinova. As a branch of the family, the best she would be was a count, but I think the prior would be a position more befitting of the youngdy.¡±

    ¡°¡­hmm.¡±

    Alexei was momentarily distracted, perhaps because he was thinking about his sister reigning over Yurimagna, who had, directly and indirectly, caused his mother and sister so much hardship, which would be the perfect retribution. But he immediately shook his head.

    ¡°Don¡¯t even start with that out of your mind. His Majesty will not allow Yurinova to expand its power to such an extent, even if it is in the guise of saving the bankrupt Yurimagna. In the first ce, even if the position is suitable for her, she will not be happy. I have no intention of putting her in a dangerous position full of enemies. Besides that¡­¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°¡­Yurimagna territories are far away.¡±

    Novak sighed in resignation.

    <b>Ekaterina PoV:</b>

    Yurinova territory was far from the capital.

    It would take two weeks by horse-drawn carriage each way. In other words, it would take a month to go there and back.

    Just going there and back would consume most of my summer vacation.

    It would have been better not to go back.

    But fortunately, there was another means of transportation that was much faster. That would be by boat.

    By traveling up the Cernov River, the great river that flows through the imperial capital, and following its tributaries, one could reach the territory. Incidentally, merchants and traders transported timber from the Yurinova territory to the capital by following this route in reverse. As was the case in Europe and Japan during the Edo period (1603-1867), it was a theory that civilizations flourished on the banks of great rivers, and rivers were the main arteries of logistics and transportation.

    Even so, the river ran upstream, and because we were on a sailing ship, we could not go as fast as a ship with an engine from my previous world. It usually took a certain number of days to get there.

    However, in the Imperial Kingdom, a unique ship existed that was much faster than usual.

    Rapid Ship Rapidus.

    All the crew members were specialists in the art of sailing ships at high speeds, with all of them possessing magical powers of water or wind. Several of these fast ships were in the kingdom, but they were assigned to a specific basin, and Yurinova¡¯s family always used the Rapidus.

    It was an effective and peaceful use of magic power. However, the technology that enabled the ship to sail at high speed with magic power was apparently learned in the imperial navy.

    Like a certain robot vacuum cleaner from my previous life, I believe that was also a diversion of military technology. It was human nature that the military would first study superior technology, even if the world was different.

 Chapter 166

    Ekaterina was sorry to see the sleek, fast-looking ship¡¯s hull at a river dock, but she was reminded of a round, t, cat-vehicle-like robotic vacuum cleaner.

    ¡°Are you afraid of boats, Ekaterina?¡±

    Alexei, her escort, asked her sister, who was staring at the fast boat.

    Ekaterina rushed to deny that she had given her the wrong impression.

    ¡°No, Big Brother, I had a ride with you when we came to the capital, and it was veryfortable, and I didn¡¯t get sick. Besides, I didn¡¯t have anything to be afraid of when I was with Big Brother.¡±

    ¡°I see. We will stay on this boat for three days until we reach the territory, but tell me immediately if you are not feeling well. We¡¯ll discuss another way to get you there.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Big Brother, I will do as you have asked.¡±

    Big Brother¡¯s neon blue eyes were kind today. Being a siscon today too, thank you very much.

    It should be safe to say that there was no better way to get around than by fast boat, even if it was another way to travel.

    When Big Brother, the duke, returned to his estate, he would be apanied by Novak-san, Aaron-san, other executives, Ivan, Mina, and other personal attendants. The fact that all of them could travel together was a big advantage of the fast boat. They could even do some work while on the move. However, I would like them to rest from the standpoint of avoiding the overwork g.

    In terms of safety, although there would be some disorder in the provinces in the Imperial Kingdom, many of the crew members are from the Navy. They all have magical powers, and they could easily handle bandits.

    The boat will take us nonstop up the Cernov River to a tributary that leads to the Dukedom of Yurinova. The ship operates 24 hours a day in three shifts, which was how the navy operates.

    Unless the weather was rough, the journey, which would take two weeks by carriage, would take less than half that, five or six days, including getting off the ship and transferring to the duke¡¯s main residence.

    Furthermore, the ship was equipped with the prestige and facilities appropriate for the use of a duke, just like Big Brother. The interior was designed to be lightweight and simple, but with elegance. The cabins were asfortable as a hotel for aristocrats, and the food served was quite delicious.

    The Kingdom originally built this ship for the purpose of transporting the Emperor. I have to tip my hat to the imperial family for doing the necessary groundwork to make the boat avable for rent, but I couldn¡¯t help but think that Grandfather Sergei was the one who encouraged them to do so.

    The rental fee may be expensive, but considering all the advantages, it was worth it. Moreover,pared with the cost of transportation and lodging for two weeks, it would certainly be much cheaper.

    What would I do if my health prevented me from taking such a wonderful trip?

    I couldn¡¯t let it be such a waste of time.

    I must be careful not to get absolutely sick. I must not cause any trouble for Big Brother, as a Brocon!

    With Ekaterina¡¯s determination on board, the fast ship Rapidus set sail.

    Today was a fine day. Under the blue summer sky, the ship is sailing at afortable speed. True to its name, the ship was faster than any other ship on the river.

    Ekaterina stood on the deck, her hair blowing in the river breeze and looked up at the bright blue sky. Come to think of it; this was simr to the color of the prince¡¯s hair and eyes¡ªthe colors of summer, bright and deep, endlessly distant and somehow sad.

    ¡°Ekaterina, it must be hot in there. You should go inside the cabin.¡±

    ¡°The river breeze is cool and pleasant.¡±

 Chapter 167

    <b>1st Person POV ¨C Ekaterina</b>

    To begin with, I feel that summers in the Imperial Kingdom were morefortable than the sweltering Japanese summers I remembered from my previous life.

    Nevertheless, in this life¡¯s memory, summers in the imperial capital were certainly hotter than those in the dukedom. And when I was on deck, I felt sorry that Mina was standing beside me, holding a parasol over my head.

    ¡°But if Big Brother is concerned, I will do as you ask.¡±

    ¡°Good girl.¡±

    Alexei smiled and took her sister¡¯s hand.

    They were to stay together in Alexei¡¯s cabin until dinner.

    Ivan brewed a pot of fruit tea. It was a refreshing tea with citrus fruits added. Alexei ced his hand over it and let it cool with the ice magic.

    ¡°Thank you, Big Brother, it¡¯s very good.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re happy, I can think my own magical attributes aren¡¯t so bad.¡±

    ¡­I guess it¡¯splicated because the old hag and the bastard father also had the ice attribute.

    I, who was someone in their 30s before, just want to pet Big Brother¡¯s head or something.

    ¡°The imperial capital is enormous, isn¡¯t it? Even with such a fast ship, it seems we haven¡¯t left the Imperial City yet.¡±

    ¡°Yes, because the imperial capital continues to expand along the Cernov River. But this area is no longer the official imperial capital. It is just an area popted by the influx of exiles.¡±

    Alexei¡¯s words caused me to review the rows of houses visible from the ship¡¯s windows. Indeed, the houses looked much smaller and shabbier than they had looked when we first set sail.

    ¡°¡­I wondered if there were any residents of Yurinova territory who ended up living here¡­¡±

    People who could not live because of disasters and embezzlement of the aid they were supposed to receive.

    ¡°There may be some. They will return once their homnd is restored.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure they will. I will do what I can to help them return to their hometowns.¡±

    If they haven¡¯t established a basis of living in anothernd, or if they are still struggling and have a better chance of making a living if they return, they will surely return.

    ¡°¡­ you are really a kind person being concerned about them.¡±

    Alexei sighed softly.

    ¡°There are too many greedy people in the world. People who are already wealthy in their own right, but are not ashamed to steal from those who can¡¯t even make ends meet tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Big Brother has been fighting them all his life, hasn¡¯t he? That¡¯s admirable.¡±

    He had just turned eighteen, but he carried himself with tremendous dignity because he had been through so much.

    I once thought that his interaction with the Headmaster was a bit like facing a boss who was a little too polite with his words, but I guess that means there was a difference in experience that even the Headmaster couldn¡¯tpare to.

    Alexei smiled as he looked at me, lost in thought.

    ¡°When we return to the dukedom, you will be the queen of thatnd. No one will be allowed to oppose you. You can behave as you wish, unfettered.¡±

    ¡°Big Brother, the head of the family, is Big Brother. I serve Big Brother as his sister.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am the head of the family. And although I am the head of the family, I am also your loyal servant. My beloved Mistress, Ekaterina.¡±

    Alexei then took Ekaterina¡¯s hand and kissed her fingertips.

    Ekaterina was inwardly squealing.

    <i>Big Brother as my servant! Why must you say something like that!</i>

    <i>Was it my imagination, or am I just being an idiot!</i>

    ¡°I¡¯m still a student myself, and this will be the first time I¡¯ll spend time in the territory in earnest since I inherited the duke¡¯s title. Many people will underestimate me because I am young, but I will not allow them to be disrespectful to you. I swear it.¡±

    <i>Oh, that rifies things.</i>

    Ekaterina smiled at her brother.

 Chapter 168

    ¡°In other words, you can measure their loyalty to Big Brother by their attitude towards me. I am happy to be of service to you, Big Brother, and I hope you will tell me more about the Dukedom during our stay on the ship. I will not tolerate anyone who disrespects the Big Brother, not even those of our own family and certainly not by those who serve our family.¡± (Ekaterina)

    After thanking the captain and crew for their hospitality, Big Brother and I disembarked from the ship.

    We have stepped foot in the territory of the Dukedom of Yurinova. The breeze felt colder than in the imperial capital, as we had traveled far to the north. There were buildings lined up along the banks of the tributaries. They looked different from those in the imperial capital. They had an atmosphere simr to Switzend and Scandinavia in my previous life, with the extensive use of wood and bricks on the exterior.

    In the memory of my previous life, the scenery was exotic.

    It was also nostalgic.

    Although, I had been living a not-so-happy life in the duke¡¯s vi for a long time. Even the wind, the color of the sky, and the greenery of the surrounding mountains felt deeply familiar to my body. It was the first time I had returned to my hometown since the memories of my previous life returned to me, and it was a strange feeling. After all, this was my hometown in this life.

    <i>Wow! The discrepancy between the sensations of my previous life and this life could be a dangerous signal, right? I must be careful not to copse and get myself locked up as I did after the entrance ceremony!</i>

    <b>3rd Person POV</b>

    ¡°Ekaterina, are you okay?¡±

    Ekaterina came to herself when Alexei gently took her hand.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Big Brother. I missed the scent of the wind, and I just got a little fuzzy.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Alexei gently stroked his sister¡¯s hair.

    ¡°It takes a whole day by carriage from here to the territory¡¯s capital. We¡¯ll stay overnight on the way and go slowly, but if you¡¯re not feeling well, tell me right away.¡±

    ¡°Yes, um, Big Brother ¡­please hold my hand.¡±

    The simrity between my previous life and this life was my love for Big Brother!

    So if I stick with Big Brother and concentrate on helping him and break Big Brother¡¯s overworked g, there should be no chance of being locked up.

    Alexei¡¯s mouth rxed.

    Then he wrapped his hands around his sister¡¯s slender hands.

    ¡°I won¡¯t give you a hard time again. I will protect you all the time.¡±

    ¡°Big Brother¡­¡±

    Oh, Big Brother, no.

    This was because of the trauma of my imprisonment or anything rted to it.

    I¡¯m sorry. Please forgive me for being a pain of a sister, with my past life experiences locking me in ce.

    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of anything, as long as you keep doing this. I know I¡¯m helpless, but I¡¯m going to protect Big Brother, so he doesn¡¯t have to go through that pain again.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, you sweet child.¡±

    Alexei chuckled.

    Then he looked up and called out behind Ekaterina.

    ¡°Looks like you guys have less work to do, my knights.¡±

    ¡°No change for the Young Lady. You are so brave sometimes, even with that delicate appearance.¡±

    An austere-sounding voice replied.

    ¡°Eh?¡± said Ekaterina, turning around wide-eyed.

    ¡°Rozen-sama!¡±

    Rozen, a handsome man with iron-gray hair and mustache, Commander of the Knights of Yurinova, stood at attention with a group of knights standing in neat rows.

    Rozen marched up and stood at attention in front of Alexei and Ekaterina, straightening his back and bowing with his fists to his chest.

    He and the other knights were not dressed in formal attire, but in everyday attire, unlike when the imperial family was on their way to the pce. Unlike formal wear, they were worn, faded, and covered with scratches, making them recognizable as warriors.

    ¡°Your Excellency, Young Lady, we congratte you on your return.¡±

    ¡°It was a splendid wee.¡±

    Alexei responded briefly.

 Chapter 169

    As expected of Big Brother, he could say these time-honored lines without hesitation and sound like he was on the right side of the stage.

    ¡°Our Lord, Ourdy. We, the Knights, will escort you to Yurinova Castle.¡±

    The knights all put their fists to their chests and bowed their heads with Rozen¡¯s words. It was a beautiful, coordinated movement.

    Beyond the knights, several carriages were lined up, led by an elegant carriage with the duke¡¯s coat of arms painted on it. They must havee from the main residence.

    Ekaterina was surprised to see another group of knights escorting the carriages. They were also dressed in in clothes, but the clothes bore the g of the Knights of Yurinova and the dukedom¡¯s coat of arms. There were four banner bearers. Two g-bearers were stationed at the head of the carriage procession, and two more were stationed at the tail of the carriage procession¡ªeach one hoisting the group g and the coat-of-arms g side by side.

    There was a sea of knights in the procession.

    I didn¡¯t know the correct number of knights in charge of escorting. The number of knights was too many for a mere guard procession, I thought, ording to mymon sense. Probably, there may be many powerful monsters and beasts still lurking in the Yurinova territory.

    The young duke had just seeded to the title. The territory was infested with unsavory elements, and he could expect to face fierce opposition.

    Considering this, the current show of force by the Knights must be a clear statement of the Yurinova Knights¡¯ position in supporting the new Duke Alexei. A clear message of support, indeed.

    The full support of the Knights, thergest military force in the dukedom, would be a tremendous strength for Alexei.

    Yurinova Castle was the main residence of the dukedom. The Duke¡¯s residence in the imperial capital was referred to as the principal residence of the dukedom for distinction, but the actual main residence in Yurinova territory was often referred to as Yurinova Castle.

    During the founding period of the kingdom four hundred years ago, the castle was a military fortress. Still, now that the imperial kingdom became stable and a territorial capital developed around the castle, the Yurinovas rebuilt it into an elegant ¡®mansion¡¯ (rather, a pce). Even so, the knights, in particr, probably still refer to it as a castle, which had developed into a custom.

    Of course, as expected of Big Brother.

    While father was fooling around, the still young Big Brother went out with the Knights to clear out dangerous magical beasts and rescue victims of disasters. Such actions were not his grandfather¡¯s legacy but something Big Brother himself had built from the ground up. He forged bonds that will never waver.

    It was truly remarkable that at the age of 18, he already had grasped full control of the most crucial part of power in the territory.

    And to think, this was because our Knights continued to be what it should be, an organization that protects people from demonic beasts and disasters. In other ces, knights were only a decoration for appearance, or they protected only the lords and nobles and oppressed the territory¡¯s people.

    <i>Again, thank you.</i>

    Ekaterina smiled gratefully at Rozen and the knights.

    ¡°That¡¯s very dependable of you. Even a pandemonium of demon beasts will never make our noble and powerful knights cower in fear. We can return to our home in peace.¡±

    A smile graced Rozen¡¯s mouth. It would seem that Ekaterina had conveyed her point to the Knight Order.

    ¡°The people have been looking forward to the return of His Excellency and the Young Lady. I am sure they will be pleased to see you.¡±

 Chapter 170

    The people of the Duke¡¯s estate also supported Big Brother, which was to be expected, knowing what Big Brother had done. Still, I was confident that Novak and the executives would take various opportunities to inform the people that Big Brother was actually in charge of the Duke¡¯s work.

    That¡¯s what I assumed. What Big Brother did was something that had to bemunicated to get the message across.

    Alexei smiled and pulled his sister¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go home to our castle.¡±

    ¡°Big Brother, Big Brother, is the Lord and Master of the Castle.¡±

    ¡°I told you I am your servant.¡±

    Ekaterina pondered as her brother led her by the hand to the carriage.

    <i>Big Brother, I still feel that the word ¡°servant¡± was wrong, so please don¡¯t say it in public too often.</i>

    But Big Brother was a siscon, so I guess Alexei couldn¡¯t help it.

    ***

    The convoy of carriages, protected by many knights, became as spectacr and prominent as a parade, partly because the two standard-bearers, one at the front and the other at the back, were carrying the duke¡¯s coat-of-arms the knighthood¡¯s g side by side.

    The carriage followed the cobblestone street leading to Yurinova Castle, the main residence of the duke. The roads, built in the days of the ancient Astra Empire, continued to be used by the countries that were once part of the empire even after a thousand years had passed.

    In this way, the Astra Empire closely resembled the Roman Empire of Earth, which was also from a previous era.

    As we passed through the viges along the road, vigers came out of their homes to wave and cheer the siblings, and Ekaterina was happy to see themonfolk¡¯s show of adoration and support for Alexei.

    The children, especially the boys, seemed to be looking up at the knights on horseback, their eyes sparkling with admiration. Some children followed them at a trot for a while; surely, the knights were their heroes.

    Ekaterina smiled and waved as her eyes met those of the vigers and children. In her previous life, she would have thought that she was a celebrity, which would have been unbing of her. But she knew that if she wanted to increase her brother¡¯s poprity among the vigers, she would dig a hole in the ground and bury it.

    Alexei just smiled and said he wasn¡¯t good at such things, so he didn¡¯t look outside the carriage.

    If that were the case, I would do my best to make up for Big Brother! said

    Ekaterina, who was trying her best to be more sociable with the masses.

    <i>¡­ Though I was a little worried about the demand for the viiness¡¯s affection.</i>

    ¡°Big Brother, the children, they are adorable. I¡¯m sure they think they are knights with their equipment like that.¡±

    When Ekaterina mentioned this, Alexei also looked out the window and smiled at the sight of a small child with a pot over his head and a tree branch swinging around.

    There was even a young mother beside the little child, who was smiling at the young duke and blushing (a misunderstanding).

    ¡°You¡¯re a big help to me, you know.¡±

    Alexei said sincerely, and Ekaterina was easily pleased.

    <i>Big Brother said I helped!</i>

    ¡°I would be pleased to be of service to Big Brother. However, it is only because of Big Brother¡¯s past administration that the people are so weing. I would like to show those who disrespect Big Brother how much the people support him.¡±

    ¡°Clever as always.¡±

    Alexei smiled.

    One of the goals of this conspicuous line of carriages, and the leisurely pace with an overnight stop along the way, was to elicit a response from the territory¡¯s residents. This was to show the minor nobles of the domain that Alexei had the support of the knights and the people of the domain.

    This was probably the n of Novak, Rozen, and other senior figures rather than Alexei himself. Ekaterina, who understood their intentions without saying a word, and who would follow up on her own to shore up on his brother¡¯s weakness, must have been factored into the n.

 Chapter 171

    ¡°If you¡¯re tired, don¡¯t strain yourself. I¡¯m not going to put you on a mission. Just enjoy the trip.¡±

    ¡°It is a pleasure to be weed. I¡¯ve never seen how the people of our territory lived before.¡±

    I could not see a single vige from the vi where I was imprisoned. I could see only trees in the forest, which changed color with the seasons. I could finally see the other side of that forest with my own eyes.

    No, I had seen it on the journey from the duke¡¯s estate to the capital. However, my mind was not in the right ce, and I was only looking out the window to keep my eyes away from Big Brother.

    This time, with memories from my previous life returned, I could now look around and appreciate the houses and clothes of the vigers, which still reminded me of Switzend and Scandinavia. The houses were made of wood and had white walls, and the clothes were colorfully embroidered, reminding me of Heidi in the anime.

    Cattle and goats could be seen here frequently. There were also pigs and chickens wandering around.

    A boy who was pretending to be a knight climbed up on a goat to use it like a horse, and was easily shaken off.

    It was cute but dangerous, so please don¡¯t do it. The goats also look very annoyed, so stop it. But I bet this was amon thing among boys in this area.

    ¡°It may look peaceful and joyous, but the people¡¯s livelihoods are fragile, am I right? When I see the people in the territory, I am reminded of the difference between what you spoke at the office and what I read in the documents.¡±

    ¡°Ah, Novak had also advised that we should take a closer look at the site. ¡­You seem to understand without being told.¡±

    Sorry, it was because of my knowledge from my previous life. It was vital for me to see and understand the situation on the ground when designing the system¡­ sorry for being a kind of cheat.

    When I asked Alexei, he readily told me the name of this vige, its main products, poptionposition, and approximate history.

    Heughed and said that I was the only youngdy who enjoyed listening to him talk about these things.

    We arrived in the town where we were going to stay the night.

    We stayed not at an inn but a small mansion belonging to a local lord in charge of the area. The elderly lord weed us, the young duke and his sibling, with a warm smile on his face.

    He had once been in the service of Grandfather Sergei, and had always taken care of Alexei when he needed to stay in the area.

    So, Ekaterina was told she could rx and feel at ease, settling into the small but cozy room she was shown in, admiring the beautiful embroidery on the bedspread, and enjoying a cup of herbal tea made by the lord¡¯s wife, which had a rather unusual vor.

    Then, when she noticed the townspeople gathered outside her window, she opened it and smiled and waved at them, earning jubnt cheers from the crowd.

    I was just like the Royal family. So embarrassing!

    I wonder if the prince had been doing this since he was born. It must be hard work. Next time I see him, I¡¯ll treat him a little better.

    Ah, but that was for Flora-chan to do, right? I would not do that as a viiness! What if it raises a doom g!

    Then, for the umpteenth time, I opened the window and leaned out, thinking that it was almost nightfall and to my surprise, there seemed to be more people than ever.

    ¡°Ekaterina!¡±

    ¡°Big Brother!¡±

    Ekaterina¡¯s eyes widened when Alexei came into the room and called out to her.

    ¡°You must be tired, don¡¯t work too hard. I should have known better than to take advantage of your frail body.¡±

 Chapter 172

    ¡°You must be tired, don¡¯t work too hard. I should have known better than to take advantage of your frail body.¡±

    ¡°Big Brother, I am enjoying myself. Everyone is so friendly and weing.¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course. With your beauty, it¡¯s no wonder they appreciate you so much.¡±

    ¡°Oh my, Big Brother, you.¡±

    The siscon filter is also strong today!

    ¡°Big Brother, don¡¯t be so hard on yourself. You are not good at this kind of activity, right?¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not a crowd-pleaser. Besides, I¡¯m not good at fake smiles. Thinking back on it, I guess I was repulsed by the idea that a favor obtained only by ostentatious affection would be of any use.¡±

    The bastard father who didn¡¯t work was disgusting, but he was outgoing and good at pleasing everyone. It was only natural that he would end up hating it.

    Smiling softly, Alexei hugged his sister¡¯s shoulder, and the city¡¯s people gave the day¡¯s biggest cheer. It was a big cheer.

    After a few moments of waving together, Alexei spoke clearly.

    ¡°Thank you, everyone. I¡¯m d to see you all here today. It¡¯s gettingte. Go home and have a meal¡­ and so do we.¡±

    With that, the window was closed, but at thest moment, the words echoed through the air as one member of the territory shouted louder and louder.

    ¡°We wish you happiness!¡±

    ***

    The next day, the Duke of Yurinova and his entourage departed earlier than nned from the Minor Lord¡¯s residence.

    The capital was already quite close to the city. Therefore, they had nned to leavete, but early this morning, the people gathered around the Minor Lord¡¯s mansion one after another. The Duke and Ekaterina wondered what was going on, but it turned out to be people just wanted to catch a glimpse of the Duke and his sibling. The unexpectedlyrge number of people might make it impossible to proceed with the carriage, so they had to depart earlier than expected.

    <i>(Wait¡­did I overdo it a bit?)</i>

    Ekaterina was sweating profusely inwardly. She didn¡¯t expect this to happen just by waving her hands.

    She was clearly misunderstood and cheered yesterday, but she thought it was just a wave of the hand, which may be a strange reflection of the disappointing thoughts of romantic rtionships. Just as honesty may not always be a virtue, neither was showing appreciation necessarily good.

    And Alexei, too, may not understand the meaning of a misunderstood cheer. He thinks it was only a congrattory gesture to himself as the new duke and to his sister, who has regained her position as the duchess. In a strange way, they resemble each other.

    Knight Commander Rozen bowed to Ekaterina with a generous smile.

    ¡°Young Lady, do not worry. We, the Knights, will surely protect you both. Besides, the people of thend adore His Excellency and the Young Lady with all their hearts. If you smile at them with the same ease and confidence as you did yesterday on your remaining journey, they will all be moved by the Young Lady¡¯s kindness. Please enter the Castle of Yurinova amidst the cheers of the people.¡±

    <i>¡­I wondered why Rozen-san seemed to be reopening the situation.</i>

    She wasn¡¯t sure why, but Novak was in a simr mood before they left. But there was nothing wrong with everyone being excited, right?

    All right, another day of hard work for Big Brother!

    So, Ekaterina was smiling and waving today as well.

    Surprisingly, her face didn¡¯t twitch. But instead, she was having fun. It was probably because everyone gathered there was smiling with joy. It was easy to smile back at them.

    And Alexei, in his cool way, seemed to be enjoying himself as well, likely because Ekaterina was trying to entertain him by spotting someone in the crowd she was interested in and talking about it to him.

    However, Alexei was more amused that his sister seemed to be enjoying herself than the effort.

 Chapter 173

    After passing through the city of the Minor Lords, other than a few viges, the only road in the ancient Astra Empire was the road to the capital.

    They were surprised to find that the people were already waiting for them as they approached the viges. In a world without telephones or e-mails, rumors had already spread throughout the territory. The power of word-of-mouth propagation was spectacr.

    And then, the capital appeared at the end of the road.

    The capital of the Dukedom of Yurinova was also called the Northern Capital. It was thergest capital in the northern part of the kingdom for the dukedom and other domains. It resembled Sapporo, opposite to Tokyo.

    Although it may not be asrge as the imperial capital, it was one of thergest cities in this part of the world. And while it had an atmosphere simr to that of the imperial capital, it also had a different aesthetic beauty from that of the imperial capital.

    This Northern Capital was the castle town of the Dukes of Yurinova.

    Like the imperial capital, the cities of the empire were generally not clearly separated from the outside world by outer walls or barriers. There were some such cities during the period of warfare in the founding years. Still, thankfully, now that peace and stability have prevailed, the northern capital, like the imperial capital, continued to expand.

    Nevertheless, there still existed a borderline between the two capitals.

    ¡°This is the capital.¡±

    Alexei told me this at a spot where I could see the ruins of a small, old, and venerable gate that reminded me of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, but smaller and older.

    As if in response to Alexei¡¯s words, the knight¡¯s musicians blow their horns. It was said to be a melody to announce the return of the Lords.

    People had been lined up at both ends of the street to wee the entourage, but as soon as the horn sounded, people starteding out of the houses in the area. More people poured out. And even more as time went by.

    <i>Wow, it was bing a big deal.</i>

    The poption here was so different from that of the viges along the way.

    The people, whose poption was still increasing, looked at the carriage in which the siblings were riding with shining eyes, and when Ekaterina waved her hand, they waved back and shouted with joy. It was like the Japanese equivalent of banzai¡­well, maybe I¡¯ll just call it banzai for now since it¡¯s tooplicated. I hear many banzais.

    Also, they included wee back chants.

    ¨D¨DI see, we¡¯re back. We are finally back.

    Perhaps it was because I regained my memories of my previous life in the imperial capital, or maybe it was because I was confined in this life and knew little about the capital after leaving the vi. Yet, I still find myself looking at the scenery with an unusual sense of curiosity. It may be toote to say this, but this was my and Big Brother¡¯s hometown.

    Ekaterina made eye contact with Alexei and smiled.

    ¡°Wee back, Big Brother.¡±

    Alexei smiled back, his neon blue eyes sparkling.

    ¡°I¡¯m home. ¨Cand wee back, Ekaterina.¡±

    Taking his sister¡¯s hand, Alexei wrapped his hands around it.

    ¡°This is your city, my Mistress. All who dwell here shall kneel before you. Those who disobey, I will remove them, I promise.¡±

    ¡°Big Brother, I would like to join forces with you, even if it is only in a small way, and I will destroy those who do not obey Big Brother.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s very encouraging.¡±

    Alexei chuckled as he said the second half mischievously.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go. We¡¯re going to exorcise this abode of demons.¡±

 Chapter 174

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go. We¡¯re going to exorcise this abode of demons.¡±

    Then came into view the main residence, Yurinova Castle, in the carriage¡¯s path.

    I think I saw something simr in a brochure of an overseas trip I had seen in my previous life, or maybe a building that looked a bit simr. I remember it vaguely, but I think it might have been the Stockholm Pce in Sweden. Unlike the Imperial Castle, it was not a fairy-tale castle with many spires, but it was an architecture thatbined elegance and simplicity.

    Ekaterina gazed at her ¡°home¡± where she had lived until a few months ago.

    It¡¯s huge!

    No, not all of this building was for residential use. It served various functions, such as a prefecture government office, headquarters for a general tradingpany, and a guest house for weing distinguished guests.

    But still, this was also my residence.

    Eventually, it may be a world heritage site.

    Will UNESCO be established in this world someday?

    The group advanced amidst the cheers of the people, just as the Knight Commander had said. The hail of cheers was deafening.

    The gates of Yurinova Castle were wide open.

    A group of more knights stood in line on either side of the gate.

    The musicians blew their horns again, and the knights raised their swords and rallied a loud battle cry.

    The siblings entered Yurinova Castle amidst the cheers of the local people and the battle cries of the knights.

    ***

    When Ekaterina got out of the carriage, Alexei took her hand, and a line of servants bowed their heads in unison.

    Then

    ¡°Alexei-sama!¡±

    I look over when a bright voice unexpectedly greets me.

    There was a man and woman of noble birth, dressed in luxurious clothes, whom Ekaterina did not recognize, and who were not servants in any way. Not much resemnce, but perhaps a father and daughter.

    Behind them, there was another group of people dressed in what appeared to be aristocratic attire, though not as luxurious as the father and daughter.

    ¡°Wee back. We have missed you!¡±

    A youngdy, who appeared to be about the same age as Ekaterina, hurriedly walked up to Alexei. She had bright-green hair and blue-green eyes, and although her face was stern, I would say she was beautiful.

    But her hair¡­it was in a magnificent tight vertical roll.

    A viiness? Well, I couldn¡¯t say anything about others. I¡¯m the real viiness. Also, I wouldn¡¯t say they have a stern face, straight at them.

    Alexei¡¯s neon blue eyes were coldly ring at the youngdy. The youngdy did not seem to notice this and was about to push Ekaterina away with a big smile.

    Ekaterina leans in close to her brother as if to show off to her. As expected, the youngdy stopped and red at Ekaterina grimly. ¨CThen, perhaps realizing that she was Alexei¡¯s sister, she rushed to smile.

    The vertical roll girl was surrounded by the several daughters who had followed her.

    <i>Cronies! Cronies!</i>

    Vertical Roll, were you a viiness after all? Is this the Real Viiness vs the Local Viiness!

    ¡°Alexei-sama, I¡¯m so d you¡¯re back safe and sound. I wee you as the head of this Novadine, the first branch of the family.¡±

    The father bowed. His hair was yellow. More yellow than blonde. His eyes appear to be orange in color. He was also quite good-looking, but his smile, which should have made people like him, was somewhat suspicious.

    And what makes me wonder¡­wee? It was as if he thought he owned this mansion.

    Now, what should I do?

    Just as I was thinking that, Mina, the maid, came up to me. Deliberately and coquettishly, she holds out a fan to Ekaterina.

    ¡°Thank you, you are always so thoughtful.¡±

    Smiling and epting it, Ekaterina opened the fan with a flick and hid her mouth.

    Behind it, she leaned closer to Alexei.

 Chapter 175

    ¡°Big Brother, who are these people?¡±

    I tried to keep my voice low but audible. Also, if I¡¯m this close, the vertical rolls can¡¯t get close to Big Brother, either!

    Alexei raised the edge of his mouth in amusement.

    ¡°This is Ishdol, head of the Count family of Novadine, and Miss Keira from one of the branch families, you know.¡±

    ¡°Oh, my¡­ that is unfortunate.¡±

    Ekaterina sighs behind her fan. I tried to convey my point without being too obvious about it.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that a member of the Yurinova family, even if only from a side branch, does not even know how to address the head of the main family and has the audacity to call him by his name without permission.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me. It¡¯s just that, as duchess and mistress of Yurinova, it¡¯s unforgivable that you weren¡¯t even greeted.¡±

    At that point, we stared down at the Novadine father and daughter. It was not a look of disdain, but rather a look of condescension.

    Vertical Rolls was staring at us. And the cronies were scared, or rather, blushing because Big Brother was too good-looking?

    Vertical Roll, there was no point in getting close to your father with a puffed up face. My Big Brother and your father are as different in many ways as Mount Everest and Mount Temporal in Osaka (Altitude difference of about 4 meters) from each other (ording to mypany¡¯sparison).

    The father, Count Novadine, seemed to flinch for a moment when he was looked down upon by the good-looking siblings.

    But then he smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

    ¡°This is¡­my apologies, Your Highness. But please understand, as a close friend of Lord Alexandre, I am trying to y the role of your father figure to the best of my ability.¡±

    Ekaterina pondered.

    Wow, this guy was super fishy.

    ¡°Young Lady Ekaterina, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. I am sorry that I could not greet you at your mother¡¯s funeral. You have be beautiful, just like your mother. But your mother was a bit more patient and the epitome of ady.¡±

    The words caught me by surprise; I could hear the contempt not only for Ekaterina, but for my mother as well.

    This guy¡­he must have been taking advantage of my mother¡¯s meekness to be a pawn of the Old Hag, to bully her.

    ¡°Lord Alexandre was a man of deep friendships and did not treat his subordinates with disrespect. He called me his brother and told me to consider the ducal residence my home. I hope to continue to cherish that friendship.¡±

    Novadine mentioned their father¡¯s name as if to introduce himself, but Alexei cut him off.

    ¡°I will never let you do what my father did. If you consider my father¡¯s house your home, go to the mausoleum and live there.¡±

    ¡°Nah¡­¡±

    The harsh words, as one would expect, leave Novadine crestfallen.

    The entourage, including Novak and Aaron, as well as Rozen and the other knights of the Order of the Knights, had appeared and surrounded the duke and his siblings as if to protect them.

    ¡°¡­Oh, you are from the Viscount¡¯s family, Novak.¡±

    Novadine called out to Novak in a stiff voice, probably out of rivalry as members of the same branch of the family. Novadine¡¯s back was also solidly guarded by several nobles who appeared to be of a lower rank.

    Count Ishdol Novadine. I had actually heard this name from Big Brother on board the fast boat.

    Being a count family, they have the highest status among the branch families. That was why he called himself the first head of the branch family, but he was not currently ying any role in the family.

    He was one of our father¡¯s best friends (self-proimed) and a close associate of the former duke, or rather, a ymate of his since he was young. It was said that he used to go back and forth between the imperial capital and the duke¡¯s territory, messing around with father in the imperial capital and doing whatever he wanted in the territory under father¡¯s authority.

    In other words, this was a meeting of the new and old powers of the dukedom.

 Chapter 176

    In other words, this was a meeting of the new and old powers of the dukedom.

    ¡°Your Excellency, Young Lady, you must be tired from your long journey, shall we enter your residence?¡±

    Novak-san, you have entirely ignored them! In a sense, he was the most merciless!

    However, while they were enjoying the springtime of their lives, Big Brother, Novak-san and the rest of his entourage were in charge of ruling the Duke¡¯s territory. Trying to keep them in my sights would be a waste of my optic nerve.

    Anyway, why does this guy have such a big attitude? If he was trying to turn the tables by making Keira a mistress, he would have gone after Big Brother rather than using Keira.

    I swear I would never be mean to Big Brother¡¯s wife-to-be, no matter who she was. [Don¡¯t bully the wife, ever!] was my motto in my heart.

    If they wanted to prey on Big Brother for the sake of their own prosperity, then that would be a big no-no!

    I mean, Big Brother, he seems to rather dislike you.

    ¡°I am not tired, but I am worried about Ekaterina. She¡¯s been answering people¡¯s questions with her frail body for a long time, and I¡¯d like to see her rest soon.¡±

    ¡°It has been a pleasant journey for me. But if Big Brother asks me to rest, I will do so. So Big Brother rest yourself, too. I wish you all the best.¡±

    ¡°¡­ you are such a sweet girl.¡±

    With a kind smile, Alexei strokes his sister¡¯s hair.

    I thought I heard a rustle from the vertical rolldy and her cronies, what¡¯s up?

    ¡°Young Lady.¡±

    Knight Commander Rozen offered Ekaterina a small bouquet of flowers.

    ¡°One of the Knights received it from the Lords and said that a young girl and her sister had brought it to give to the youngdy.¡±

    ¡°Oh, my, what a pleasant gift!¡±

    Ekaterina couldn¡¯t help but smile as she epted the gift. It was a simple bouquet of roadside flowers, but it made her happy to think that a young child hade up with it as a gift on their own.

    However,

    ¡°Oh my, I don¡¯t like it, it¡¯s filthy.¡±

    There was a mocking voice. Of course, it was Keira, aka Miss Vertical Roll.

    ¡°Poor Ekaterina-sama, the mistress shouldn¡¯t have touched those shabby flowers from the poor.¡±

    ¡­Hey.

    ¡°Keira-sama is right.¡±

    ¡°I wonder if the knight who received it was nning to insult Lady Ekaterina.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s so pitiful that she would be pleased with something like that. I wonder if there are any gentlemen who would give her a proper flower.¡±

    Keira¡¯s cronies giggle.

    You guys sure know how to make your voices loud enough to be heard, don¡¯t you? And you were excellent at being insensitive and not noticing that everyone in Big Brother¡¯s entourage was getting pissed off, yes.

    I was annoyed for a moment, but then I remembered immediately. This shoddiness was just like the [Yes Trio].

    Ekaterina held her ear with one hand and chuckled at Rozen.

    ¡°Well, I think I just heard something that sounded like insect wings.¡±

    Rozen¡¯s eyes widened for a moment and she giggled.

    ¡°I wish it sounded a little more elegant now¡­ but it can¡¯t be helped, they¡¯re not human, they¡¯re just insects.¡±

    For a change, Alexei¡¯s entourage, including Novak and Aaron, seemed to be in the mood to burst outughing.

    ¡°Sir Rozen, I would like to thank the knight for epting the flowers. I am happy that you were kind to the little girl. I know that protecting the weakdies and girls is the way of chivalry.¡±

    ¡°You are right. We, the Knights of Yurinova, know our mission is to protect the Dukes and Mistress as well as the people of Yurinova.¡±

    Rozen bowed, and the knights of the Order who followed him smiled and bowed to the nobledies.

 Chapter 177

    Rozen bowed, and the knights of the Order who followed him smiled and bowed to the nobledies.

    ¡°If a knight¡¯s duty is to protect his lord anddy, then ady¡¯s duty should be to show charity to her people.¡±

    Alexei smiled at his sister.

    ¡°You are kind to everyone without any discrimination. You are beautiful, wise, merciful, and the best of thedies.¡±

    Ah, this will be the first time a siscon filter was shown to the old power in the territory.

    ¡°I just want to be a sister worthy of Big Brother, that is all. Our citizens are only weing to me because of Big Brother¡¯s and all of your people¡¯s excellent governance.¡±

    Oh no, I wanted to show off my brocon too, but this was just a fact. I must be more diligent and master the art of brocon!

    Ekaterina covered her mouth with her fan and nced at the Novadine father and daughter.

    ¡°I wonder how old that youngdy is. I¡¯d like to talk to her when she can learn to greet me properly.¡±

    I muttered while chuckling softly.

    Unaware of it, her gaze turned into a kind of wistful re. Keira¡¯s eyes widened in rage, but her father, Ishdol, couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    Ekaterina, however, had already turned her back on them, and was now yielding her hands to her brother¡¯s escort.

    ¡°Come on, Ekaterina.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Big Brother.¡±

    The duke and his sister, apanied by their men, left behind all of their old associates and entered their own castle with dignity.

    Morning at Yurinova

    Next morning.

    This is the room, or rather the floor, where I once spent six months as a shut-in. In addition to the bedroom with the huge bed, there was a study, a guest room, a room for music and other hobbies, and a wardrobe room.

    ¡°Good morning, Young Lady.

    ¡°Good morning, Mina.¡±

    Having just woken up, Ekaterina smiled at Mina, the maid, who came in pushing the wagon.

    ¡°How wasst night?¡±

    ¡°Thanks to you, I slept well. It¡¯s much cooler and morefortable here than in the Imperial City.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯m d.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t Mina tired?¡±

    ¡°There was nothing to be tired of.¡±

    Mina said nonchntly, but a lot had happened since yesterday.

    After entering the mansion, the Yurinova siblings were greeted by the main servants.

    Ekaterina, who had barely spoken a word in the six months since her mother¡¯s death, was beaming as she greeted them. Alexei¡¯s gentle gaze on his sister was a shock to them.

    [Young Lady¡­I am d to see you are doing so well.]

    Novarus, the main residence¡¯s old butler, became moist under his white brow. He, too, was from a branch of the family, and the first lord he served was Grandfather Sergei¡¯s father, in other words, the great-grandfather of Ekaterina and her family. Since then, he has served four generations of dukes, and is truly the living embodiment of Yurinova Castle.

    [I am sorry for the worry I have caused you.]

    As Ekaterina lowered her gaze, Alexei gently ced his hand on his sister¡¯s shoulder.

    [After such a painful experience, it¡¯s no wonder you didn¡¯t recover for so long. I¡¯m the one who should be sorry.]

    [I¡¯m sure Big Brother was going through the same thing. Please do not say so.]

    Ekaterina ced her own hand on Alexei¡¯s hand.

    [When you do that, it¡¯s as if Lord Alexandre and his wife are standing right here]

    Anna, the head maid, muttered something that appeared to be unintentional. This was a plump woman, with hair that had once been bright scarlet but had now turned half-white, who had also served the duke for a long time.

    And there was another woman staring silently at Ekaterina. Lysa, the housekeeper who manages the female servants. She was a tall, thin woman with dark purple hair that was almost ck and purple eyes that were a lighter shade of purple than her hair.

    [Imand you to serve Ekaterina as you served the Princess. She is the mistress of Yurinova until Ekaterina is married or I take a wife.]

    When Alexei finished, all of the servants bowed respectfully.

 Chapter 178

    [Imand you to serve Ekaterina as you served the Princess. She is the mistress of Yurinova until Ekaterina is married or I take a wife.]

    When Alexei finished, all of the servants bowed respectfully.

    ¡­I¡¯m curious about what will happen from now on.

    I wonder if any of them have some hidden agendas¡­

    Ekaterina thought calmly.

    She didn¡¯t have the knowledge or experience in the housekeeping genre, but in order not to cause trouble for her Big Brother, she would do her best to control the servants as a mistress!

    Novarus asked Alexei, clenching his fist over his chest as he always did.

    [This is from Lord Novadine. He is staying in the Vine Rose Room. It seems that he was nning to join you for dinner, but¡­ would you like it?]

    To their surprise, the Novadine father and daughter were staying at Yurinova Castle without permission. They truly believed they would be treated in the same manner as when their father, Alexandre, was alive.

    Alexei ordered the old butler to [get rid of them] immediately.

    The servants, on the other hand, were slow to act because Novadine¡¯s father and daughter, particrly her father Ishdol, must have known Alexandre since they were children and had been in and out of the mansion since then. In addition to the old butler, there were other servants from different branches of the family, and there must have beenplicated rtionships or interests among them.

    Novadine may have intended to show Alexei that he could behave in the same way as his father had.

    Alexei could see it, and he nodded his head.

    Then he turned to Ivan, his servant, who was always by his side.

    [Ivan, get him out of here.]

    [Yes, sir.]

    Ivan responded cheerfully as usual.

    [Call out to the Knights as well and tell them I have ordered them to deal with the toon.]

    [As you wish.]

    [Young Master¡­! No, no, my lord¡­]

    The steward, Novarus, sounded aghast.

    [It¡¯s a branch family, your family. It would be too much for the knights to be sent out-]

    [Shut up.]

    Alexei said it with a strong light in his neon blue eyes, but when he saw Ekaterina¡¯s gaze looking up at him, his eyes dimmed with mncholy.

    [¡­You must consider me to be horrible¡­].

    [No. I know you are rather kind.]

    Ekaterina replied while the servants looked at her curiously.

    [By the looks of things, I¡¯m not sure how far she¡¯ll go to undermine Big Brother¡¯s authority. They may eventually send an army of knights to forcefully crush the other branch families. Big Brother is a kind man who is trying to prevent such a situation from happening by teaching them well while you still can.]

    In my previous life in system development, I had to give a hard time to the clients who casually added or changed specifications, from the very beginning. Otherwise, I would have been in troubleter. We once went to court with a client from anotherpany, and the client lost the case, and the payment and court costs were a huge blow to the client.

    So, what Big Brother was doing was the right thing!

    [You are a smart girl. I¡¯m d that you understand].

    Alexei said sincerely.

    [Just a reminder, Big Brother, dealing with Keira is going to be a problem for the Order, and you should ask Mina to help you with that.]

    [Right. The Knights would be more than pleased to leave Keira up to you, Mina]

    [Yes, Your Excellency.]

    Mina bowed her head nonchntly as usual.

    Ivan and Mina strode together to the guest room.

    Ivan and Mina entered the father and daughter¡¯s respective rooms without knocking, pulled out their bags without permission, threw in a change of clothes and other things, and quickly packed up their belongings. Thoroughly ignoring the surprised yelling of the uninvited guests.

 Chapter 179

    Ivan and Mina entered the father and daughter¡¯s respective rooms without knocking, pulled out their bags without permission, threw in a change of clothes and other things, and quickly packed up their belongings. Thoroughly ignoring the surprised yelling of the uninvited guests.

    The baggage was carried away by the order¡¯s knights without being asked. One of the knights grabbed a servant of Novadine¡¯s who was attempting to grab him and carried him on his shoulder out of the mansion as if he were a piece of luggage.

    Novadine himself was almost taken by both arms and led away, but he shook them off and walked out indignantly.

    The most difficult person to deal with was his daughter, Keira. As one would expect, it was impossible to carry the daughter on one¡¯s shoulders, and the knights were bewildered in the face of her unruly behavior.

    However, Mina walked up right in front of her and stared at the daughter expressionlessly at close range.

    Then she wrapped her arms around her and lifted her up.

    Mina carried Keira, who looked as if she was in a daze, and pushed her into the Novadine family¡¯s carriage.

    It was a brilliant move.

    With a face as if nothing had happened, Mina was now making tea for Ekaterina.

    ¡°¡­Young Lady, at least for the time being, you should only drink tea that I have brewed.¡±

    ¡°Oh, why so?¡±

    Ekaterina nodded her head, and Mina pouted.

    ¡°There was tea for the Young Lady, but someone secretly reced the tea leaves with damp ones.¡±

    ¡°Oh my.¡±

    Ekaterina chuckled.

    ¡°I bet that someone is too scared of Big Brother to do something directly, so they wanted to use me to get rid of their sorrows.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t let them do that to you.¡±

    ¡°My, thank you, Mina.¡±

    Although it was petty harassment, I was able to smile because I could trust that Mina would protect me.

    ¡°Mina is wonderful. Thanks to Mina, I can sleep peacefully and drink good tea.¡±

    Ekaterina smiled, and Mina, who was normally expressionless, raised the edges of her lips to form a smile.

    Although she could have breakfast in her room if she wanted, Ekaterina still went to the dining room. She was sure that Alexei would be there.

    Because they usually live in dormitories at the school, they rarely see each other in the morning. However, the morning after a weekend stay at the Imperial Duke¡¯s residence, they would always have breakfast together. So, Big Brother must be nning to do the same!

    During the trip from the Imperial Capital to the Ducal Pce, they were together not only for meals, but for the entire trip¡­.

    Ekaterina thought that this and that were two different things. She didn¡¯t know exactly what she was talking about, but apparently there was no logic to a brocon.

    Ekaterina, who was strolling down the long corridor with Mina close behind, looked out the window when she heard a sound.

    Then her eyes widened.

    The dining room, which she had rarely visited when she was a shut-in, was just as she had pictured a nobleman¡¯s mansion dining room to be, with gilded decorations, paintings on the walls, and chairs lined up at a long table.

    ¡°Good morning, Ekaterina.¡±

    ¡°Good morning, Big Brother.¡±

    Alexei showed up a littlete, and they ate breakfast at the end of a long table, facing each other.

    Ekaterina stopped to look at Alexei¡¯s light blue hair, which was a bit disheveled. I love it like this! And yes, it¡¯s probably that.

    ¡°I see you¡¯ve been doing your morning workout.¡±

    ¡°Oh. I had hand-to-handbat with the knights, and it took more time than I wanted.

    ¡°I saw you through the window in the hallway. But it wasn¡¯t the knights guarding the perimeter.¡±

    Ekaterina said mischievously, and Alexei smiled.

    ¡°Would you like a closer look?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°Well, then, I¡¯ll bring them over to you¡­Yurinova¡¯s hounds may not be as good as Kruimov¡¯s beast horses, but they are well-known among those in the know.¡±

    Ekaterina was thus apanied by Alexei to the kennels at the Yurinova Castle.

 Chapter 180

    The dogs had now been let out of their cages and were lounging and ying as they pleased in a small area that looked like a yground, but when they noticed the two of us, they all turned to face us at once.

    ¨CThey all turned their heads at once when they noticed the two of them.

    More than a dozen huge balls of fur were huffing and puffing as they looked at us.

    They didn¡¯t look like hounds at all, but wolves with saber-toothed tiger fangs! I don¡¯t remember wolves having such a fluffy mane. Perhaps it is a cross between a lion and a wolf!?

    ¡°It is a demon dog born from the crossbreeding of a certain type of magical beast with a dog indigenous to this region. These are the Yurinova hounds. They are not only used for regr hunting, but also for clearing demonic beasts. They are the best hounds in the imperial kingdom, and they will not flinch when confronted with any kind of demonic beast. ¡±

    ¡°They are so big!¡±

    ¡°It could stand up on its hind legs and look down on me.¡±

    Big Brother was probably close to one hundred and ny centimeters tall. These dogs must be about two meters when they stand up.

    Amazing power! And cool! And mofu-mofu!

    ¡°May I touch these dogs?¡±

    ¡°They are wary of people they don¡¯t know, but ¡­Igor.¡±

    ¡°Heh, Young Master¡­no, Your Excellency.¡±

    A man of unknown age appeared quietly. He was short but broad-shouldered, with a strong, muscr build. He had a bald head and a single eye, with an eye patch over the other. He looked menacing.

    He looks like¡­some character from my previous life.

    Ekaterina had this thought as soon as she saw him.

    She didn¡¯t even know his name, but he was a character from a boxing manga that was a milestone in the history of boxing, saying something like, ¡°You have to hit!¡±.

    ¡­I¡¯m sorry Igor-san, I¡¯m sorry forparing you to a boxing uncle.

    ¡°Ekaterina, Igor is the keeper of the dogs, the only one who can handle Yurinova¡¯s hounds.¡±

    ¡°My, you must be very talented to be able to handle such big dogs. Igor, my name is Ekaterina. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡±

    ¡°Heh, heh. Hello, I mean, I¡¯m happy to be of service¡­¡±

    Ekaterina said with a smile, and for some reason Igor looked terribly surprised and bowed his head several times.

    Sorry for ovepping you with a famous character, and I apologize forughing louder in my brain than I should have.

    ¡°Igor, call the dogs. Let them approach slowly.¡±

    ¡°Alright¡±

    Igor gave a small whistle, nodding to Alexei¡¯smand. He soon repeated it.

    The hounds suddenly roused themselves.

    A group of five or six of them approached us at a leisurely pace.

    They were huge!

    Even golden retrievers could notpare to them. They were bigger than the Great Pyrenees, which I thought was a pr bear when I saw it walking around. And the sparkle in their eyes! They looked strong and smart.

    ¡°Young Lady¡­aren¡¯t you afraid?¡±

    Igor asked worriedly, and Ekaterina shook her head.

    ¡°It¡¯s so magnificent, I¡¯m just thrilled. But if it were dangerous, Big Brother would never have let me near it.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, you are always clever about this. ¨CIgor, Ekaterina will be fine. She is so strong that she once stood up to a demon beast all by herself. She¡¯s not like those other youngdies.¡±

    At Alexei¡¯s uncontrobly boastful words, Igor¡¯s one-eyed gaze widened.

    ¡°This Young Lady? But she is certainly not afraid of me or my dog. As expected of His Excellency¡¯s younger sister.¡±

    No, that demon beast was scary.

    But, in hindsight, I suppose that, inparison to that demon beast, these dogs appear to be able tomunicate with one another, so it¡¯s all right.

 Chapter 181

    The hounds that approached us were rubbing up against Alexei. They seemed to acknowledge Alexei as their leader, sitting at his feet, wagging their tails, and rubbing their heads against his hands to be petted. Despite their size and fearless appearance, they seem to behave just like normal dogs.

    They were also very interested in Ekaterina, whom they had never met before, and came to sniff her.

    Even if they didn¡¯t stand up on their hind legs, their faces would be around my shoulders. It would tickle me when it would huff and puff around my neck. The face up close is so muchrger than the size of a dog¡¯s face. I want to touch its mane and its fluffy hair!

    ¡°I wonder if they would be offended if I touched them.¡±

    ¡°These dogs respect those with strong magical powers. Show them your magical power.¡±

    Showing magic power?

    After a brief moment of thought, Ekaterina poured magic power into the soil at her feet. It¡¯s a small amount. Imagine, control, and activate.

    With a faint sound, a pattern of assorted circles was etched on the ground. The pattern covered a fairlyrge area.

    ¡± That¡¯s a fine and precise control of magic power. You have strengthened your skills.¡±

    Wow, Big Brother praised me!

    The hounds¡¯ attitude shifted dramatically after that. The dogs that had been nuzzling Ekaterina¡¯s neck opened their eyes and sank t on the ground. The dogs that had been hanging around, trying to get Alexei to y with them, all shifted their attention to Ekaterina and sat down. They seemed to show their reverence.

    Then another dog, who had been lying down some distance away from Ekaterina, suddenly stood up and approached her.

    It was slightlyrger than the other dogs and had a beautiful coat. The hounds were generally grayish, but this one was almost white, with golden tints on the tips of its fur.

    ¡°Have youe, Regina?¡±

    Alexei held out his hand, and the dog called Regina rubbed her face into it. Then it looked at Ekaterina with its golden eyes.

    ¡°Ekaterina, this dog is called Regina, the leader and queen of the hounds of Yurinova.¡±

    ¡°Oh my!¡±

    The pack¡¯s alpha dog was a female. Bute to think of it, I remembered reading on the inte news that when wolves were studied in my previous life, it was discovered that there were a few packs where the female was the leader. I suppose intellect is more necessary than fighting skills, or rather,munication skills.

    ¡°Regina, I am Ekaterina, and it is a pleasure to meet you.¡±

    I smiled at Regina, and I thought she smiled back too, showing a row of fangs.

    Then, she stood up on her hind legs and leaned her upper body on me.

    Oh, Oh my!

    I couldn¡¯t resist! I hugged Regina, and buried my face in her fluffy mane.

    Mofumofu! Warm! Mofumofu! I¡¯m so happy!

    It¡¯s just girls hugging each other!

    Fuwah, I look up from the mane to see Regina looking down at me with clear eyes.

    ¡°Are you weing me?¡±

    I asked, and Regina rubbed her long snout against my cheek.

    Kyah!

    Ekaterina looks up at Alexei with a delighted smile.

    ¡°Big Brother, I have my first female friend in the dukedom!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Regina deserves your attention. Until I met you, Regina was the smartest and kindest woman in the world to me.¡±

    ¡­He said it frankly, but I believe he had some issues with humandies. The bitchy old hag must have been a big part of it.

    Big Brother, you are a bit of a woman hater, I guess.

    Alexei patted Regina¡¯s head.

    ¡°Regina, protect her well, Ekaterina is my sister and my life. Protect her so that no one can harm her, so that not even a single strand of her hair will be lost. You know what I mean, right?¡±

    Regina looked at Alexei with golden eyes and growled, as if she understood what he was saying.

 Chapter 182

    Alexei asked Ekaterina if she wanted to go for a walk in the garden, and she hesitated, almost d to oblige.

    ¡°It would be my pleasure, Big Brother, but I think you¡¯re busy.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s okay. Thanks to you, I can spare some time.¡±

    ¡°Am I of any use to you?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Alexei took his sister¡¯s hand and gently grasped it.

    ¡°Your beauty gives me strength. When I hear your kind words, I feel a sense offort. I¡¯ve never believed in God, but I¡¯ve realized through my interactions with you that it¡¯s a joy to worship something.¡±

    ¡°Oh you¡­Big Brother.¡±

    This morning was another siscon time!

    As the siblings walked off, Regina, the leader of the hounds, followed them.

    She seemed to understand Alexei¡¯s wordspletely, and she snuggled up to Ekaterina and never left her side. Igor, the hound keeper, seemed to have a deep trust in Regina, patting her head when she showed signs of wanting to go and sending her on her way, telling her to be sure to protect the little girl.

    Alexei¡¯s eyes narrowed at his sister, who happily stroked Regina¡¯s fluffy fur.

    ¡°If you like animals, would you like to see the horses? If you prefer flowers, I can take you to the flower garden.¡±

    ¡°I like horses, too. They are beautiful creatures.¡±

    I would enjoy anything with Big Brother.

    But it¡¯s true that I adore horses, so seeing so many of them was a treat. Come to think of it, I always wanted to do some horseback riding to improve my fitness. ¡­I was unable to do it at all since I became so busy¡­.

    But, because I walk a lot every day, I think I¡¯m getting stronger. Because both the Imperial Capital and this ce were sorge, I was walking a lot more than I had in my previous life. As there were no elevators, I had to go up and down the stairs a lot too.

    The stables at Yurinova Castle wererge and full of horses. It seemed that not only the horses of the duke¡¯s family, but also those of the knights who were staying at the castle, were being cared for. There seemed to be arge number of attendants.

    Alexei knew the duke¡¯s horses well. Not only their names, but also their personalities, characteristics, and even their parents or pedigrees.

    ¡°Big Brother likes horses, doesn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I enjoy riding horses.¡±

    ¡­I sometimes wish we could just run away into the distance.

    It wasn¡¯t surprising, but it was natural to feel that way because we were in a position of too much responsibility.

    All horses hadrge, luminous eyes and long eyshes, and were cute creatures despite their size. But when Ipare them to each other, I think that the duke¡¯s horses were more beautiful and well-proportioned.

    In this world, horses are also a mode of transportation, so this stable is a huge garage, as it was in a previous life. The duke¡¯s horses were on par with supercars like Ferraris and Lamborghinis. The knight¡¯s horses were luxury cars, not super-luxury cars like the Fair Lady or RX or something like that.

    And the sturdy-looking farm horses that we sometimes saw on our travels were light trucks.

    Ekaterina thought of Hokkaido¡¯s Ban¡¯ei horse (which weigh twice as much as thoroughbreds, making them huge), but perhaps such a horse is not the case.

    However, horses were expensive animals, and not something that mostmon people have, like cars in my previous life.

    Perhaps it was the sight of a knight riding such an expensive horse that drew admiration from the lords anddies. In Yurinova¡¯s knighthood, even if you were amoner, you could be a knight by passing an entrance examination and presenting your sword to the duke, the head of the Order. At the same time, a knight was given enough money to keep a horse and hire a stable steward.

    It would not be a title that could be passed on to one¡¯s descendants, but it would be a status above that of amoner, and one¡¯s life would be much better. It would be a dreame true.

 Chapter 183

    Ekaterina was enjoying her time with the horses, feeding them carrots brought by the stable manager, when she suddenly noticed a small building visible from the stable window. It looked like a stand-alone stable, but it seemed too well-built and did not look like something suitable for human habitation.

    ¡°Big Brother, what is that?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±

    When Alexei saw what Ekaterina showed him, he mmed up unusually, and Ekaterina quickly exined that she had only casually asked about it.

    ¡°It¡¯s just something that caught my eye. If it¡¯s something you don¡¯t feelfortable talking about, I won¡¯t ask.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ll take this opportunity to talk about it. Come.¡±

    Alexei escorted us to the small building we had seen earlier, which turned out to be a stable. It seemed to be designed to house only one animal, as there were no partitions inside, but it was spacious, magnificent, and looked quite sturdy. However, it looked like it had not been used for a long time and was deserted and dusty.

    As if to make up for the absence of a horse, there was a painting on the wall.

    It depicted a horse and its rider. The rider was Grandfather Sergei.

    The horse was gray or ash-colored, and it was sorge that Grandfather, who was tall, appeared to be dwarfed by it. On its forehead was a silver horn. In addition, there were fangs peeking out of its mouth.

    Kruimov¡¯s magical beast horse!

    ¡°This is Grandfather and his beloved horse Zephyros. This stable was built for Zephyros. There used to be a simr stable in the ducal residence in the imperial capital.¡±

    ¡°Oh my! So, Grandfather¡¯s beloved horse was a magical beast horse from Kruimov!¡±

    As expected, of Grandfather!

    If the Duke¡¯s horses were Ferraris, owning a Magic Beast Horse would be like owning a private jet, wouldn¡¯t it? Private jets, as I recall, could cost millions of dors.

    ¡°The Kruimovs were the imperial horsemen of the Emperor. All the magic beast horses are originally presented to the imperial family. No matter how much they are worth, they could never be bought with money. However, the head of Kruimov received a privilege. They were given authority to give away their magical horses to whomever they saw fit. Grandfather was given Zephyros by the previous head of Kruimov.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that is wonderful¡­¡±

    Sorry, my mind went into calction mode, so I was unable to focus.

    If I had to choose an entity that money couldn¡¯t buy, I would say F1. There was no market price for it, but it was a mass of advanced technology, and I think it was worth a lot of money. I would venture to say that the development cost was several tens of billions of yen¡­oh, I¡¯ve converted it again to mary terms.

    F1 aside,e to think of it, horses were not only a means of transportation in this world, but also a weapon in the form of military horses. Considering that the magical beast horse was a military secret, it was not something that could be sold or bought. However, if it was given to a person who is beneficial to the country¡­it would be better protection than having bad escorts. Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.

    Well, if that was the case even now, then great for the Kruimovs! In some ways, they hold more trust with the royal family than the three major dukes! Niki and Marina, who always entertained us with their brother-sisteredy, were actually the children of an incredible family!

    Regina sniffs the floor. The floor, once covered with straw, was now bare nks. As if she had found the scent she was looking for, Regina sprawled out on the floor.

 Chapter 184

    Regina sniffs the floor. The floor, once covered with straw, was now bare nks. As if she had found the scent she was looking for, Regina sprawled out on the floor.

    ¡°Zephyros was a difficult character, but he and Regina got along well. Hounds with magical beast blood had a much longer lifespan than normal dogs, and Regina was a little older than me, and even when she had just be the leader of the hounds, she was so wise and gentle, which was from before our grandfather¡¯s death.¡±

    ¡°Oh my, then Regina is like our older sister.¡±

    A little older than Big Brother¡­about twenty? A wise and kind 20-year-old beautiful sister? And a fluffy one at that.

    I wondered if Big Brother, when he was still small, was spoiled by Regina. Little Big Brother wrapped in fluffy fluff¡­oh my God! Super moe!

    ¡°It is said that the lifespan of a magic beast horse is the same as that of a human being, although it varies from person to person. Zephyros and Grandfather had been best friends since they were young. They couldmunicate with each other with just one nce¡­.¡±

    He continued.

    ¡°Like Regina, Zephyros was smart. And strong. When Grandfather went on a magic beast cleanup, Zephyros bit and killed the beast when it attacked him.¡±

    ¡­So, those fangs were not just for show.

    In my previous life, I believe there was a legendary great horse named Ikokui Kesuki in the Tale of the Heike. I heard it was named so because it was so fierce that it ate living things. I thought to myself, ¡°That¡¯s impossible for a horse,¡± but not for a magic beast horse. Indeed, Zephyros would make a great warhorse.

    ¡°Zephyros didn¡¯t like children, so I wasn¡¯t allowed to get close to him. But sometimes he would reluctantly let me ride him if I was with Grandfather. He would scowl at me when I reached out from the saddle to pet him. Grandfatherughed, and we had a good time. It was very dignified, and every creature in the ducal pce paid Zephyros respect, you know. At least, that¡¯s how I felt.¡±

    I could feel the longing in Big Brother¡¯s voice.

    Big Brother could buy a ss studio for a pittance and have anything he desired in terms of material possessions. Having said that, he rarely wished for anything.

    Even such a Big Brother could not get something special even if he wished for it. That was Kruimov¡¯s magic beast horse.

    ¡°If Big Brother is as good as he is, I am certain that someday they will give you a magic beast horse.¡±

    Niki was his friend, and Big Brother was a friend of the Prince and was respected by His Majesty the Emperor. I bet that one day he could be in a position to take charge of the country¡¯s government like Grandfather, and would be presented with a magic beast horse.

    But Alexei shook his head at Ekaterina¡¯s words.

    ¡°I will not be presented with a magic beast horse because Yurinova hasmitted a sin against Kruimov.¡±

    ¡°Sin¡­you say?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Alexei¡¯s tone sank heavily.

    ¡°After Grandfather¡¯s death, Zephyros visibly lost his spirit and stopped doing anything. He refused to be touched by anyone and remained cooped up in his stable at the Imperial Duke¡¯s residence.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I think he intends to pass on to where Grandfather went. That was the first thing that came to my mind. As many who know of them are aware, the Kruimov Magic Beast Horses have a strong bond with their master. I respected that spirit and kept a close eye on him. And so did everyone.¡±

    Alexei continued.

    ¡°The Magic Beast Horse¡¯s life force was strong, and he continued to live long after he stopped eating¡­ But after a month, as one would expect, he became weak and just leaned against the wall of his stable, waiting for hisst moments. It was at that moment that fools broke into his stable and forcibly dragged the dying Zephyros out.¡±

    ¡°Who in the world would do such a thing!¡±

    Ekaterina eximed involuntarily.

 Chapter 185

    Ekaterina eximed involuntarily.

    I probably shouldn¡¯t glorify martyrdom, but I admire Zephyros¡¯ sincerity because of the aesthetics of prehistoric Japanese culture, or perhaps it is because of the aesthetics of this world as well. Who would be so foolish as to forcibly drag him out at that point?

    ¡°That man¡­no, it was one of our father¡¯s cronies. They didn¡¯t understand anything about the Magic Beast Horse¡¯s nature. They simply assumed it was the duke¡¯s family¡¯s property, and they attempted to bring it before father, reasoning that if it was a great horse, the next head of the family should take it over. They were also drunk at the time.¡±

    ¡­those bastards.

    Big Brother, I actually called my worthless father ¡®bastard¡¯ internally¡­ excuse me, I apologize for being such a vulgar sister.

    ¡°No matter how weak he was, Zephyros was a veteran warrior. He kicked them in the nuts and broke their bones. So¡­ they brought out their swords.¡±

    Ekaterina closed her eyes.

    Alexei stroked his sister¡¯s hair. He didn¡¯t say anything about what happened after that.

    ¡°Did those imbeciles¡­ get the punishment they deserved?¡±

    ¡°Only house arrest. Father protected them. To them, it was only a beast, and they defended themselves after all.¡±

    ¡­Somehow, I get the feeling that Novadine was a part of it.

    Is that why he was so cocky? Maybe it was because of this irreparable rift between him and Big Brother that he gave up on fawning over him and decided to leave the matter alone.

    ¡°The Magic Beast Horse is essentially the property of the Emperor. Any house that has the honor of being presented with it must treat the Magic Beast Horse with respect. This case has tarnished Yurinova¡¯s family name.¡±

    He continued.

    ¡°But Grandmother, who was uninterested in horses and believed she was a member of the imperial family and did not need to pay respect to the Magic Beast Horse, requested His Imperial Majesty at that time to order Count Kruimov to present a new Magic Beast Horse to father.¡±

    ¡­Wow, I wanted to punch her. She should have apologized for letting Zephyros die, but instead, she even ordered a new horse. I had never in my life wanted to punch anyone so much as that old hag.

    ¡°So I went to the Kruimovs and apologized in father¡¯s ce.¡±

    ¡°Hah?¡±

    Ekaterina couldn¡¯t help but react in shock.

    Big Brother was ten years old at the time, and he had done nothing wrong, but he was more angry and bitter than anyone else because of what had happened to his idol Zephyros, wasn¡¯t he?

    ¡°Father didn¡¯t want to apologize. It would have been unbing of him to do so by proxy. At the very least, an apology was required, so I, his legitimate son, did it in the name of the Yurinova family. So, I went to Count Kruimov to apologize, and I promised that Yurinova would never seek Kruimov¡¯s Magic Beast Horse in the future, neither my father nor I.¡±

    Big Brother¡­did you cut off your own hope of getting what you longed for?

    Gwah!!! I want to punch both the old hag and father. I would like to drag them down to the lowest depths of hell, and have them be bitten like Judas in Dante¡¯s ¡°The Divine Comedy¡±.

    ¡°Grandmother¡­ she scolded Big Brother, didn¡¯t she?¡±

    ¡°But that was soon set aside because His Majesty had decided to abdicate.¡±

    Ah¡­I see.

    I wonder if the olddy got impatient. I bet His Majesty hasn¡¯t epted any intervention from the olddy since that time. After all, she took advantage of having a younger brother who respected her as the Emperor.

    ¡°His Majesty the previous Emperor relied on Grandfather. He used to enjoy hunting with Grandfather, and he knew about Zephyros.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡±

    Maybe he thought it was okay for her to be a little selfish, but when he heard about his sister¡¯s attitude toward Zephyros, and herck of shame about it, as well as his disappointment in himself for not being able to hold her back, all of those things could have given him the final push he needed to get her out of his life.

 Chapter 186

    ¡°I met the current Count Kruimov, Nici and Marina¡¯s father. He is rarely involved in politics or social life, but I have heard that His Majesty has a lot of faith in him. The Zephyros affair was almost unspoken of and quietly settled; Marina probably isn¡¯t aware of it, but Nici most likely knows about it, and he hasn¡¯t mentioned or even hinted at it in the more than two years we¡¯ve been ssmates at the school. He is a trustworthy person.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Nici-sama is a good friend to Big Brother.¡±

    Ekaterina said, while Alexei muttered, ¡°I see,¡± and looked down at her, as if embarrassed. Then he smiled.

    ¡°Treat the Kruimovs the same way you¡¯ve always treated them. They are, indeed, good friends. However, I think we should keep our side of the story, so I decided to mention it to you.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Big Brother, thank you for telling me.¡±

    I have a feeling that the next time I see them, I will stare at them with indescribable feelings.

    But I was certain that Nici-san would not waver in the slightest, and would show his usual smile. That was all I could think of.

    I wonder what Count Kruimov thought about, as the father of those siblings and a man trusted by His Majesty, when my ten-year-old Big Brother appeared in his father¡¯s ce at that time.

    I was confident that, despite his young age, Big Brother would have acted with dignity, mourned for Zephyros, and apologized for his father¡¯s disrespect with sensible words. How would he have viewed Big Brother at that time?

    I was going to keep my promise not to ask for the Magic Beast Horse, but I wondered. Big Brother was a very sharp man for his age, especially considering he was only 18 years old, but he probably didn¡¯t realize it.

    Maybe¡­ he felt sorry for Grandfather and Zephyros and was punishing himself for not being able to do anything about it. It might have been an unconscious act, but¡­.

    Big Brother was always trying to make me happy, but he was also endeavoring to fulfill his responsibilities. All he does is carry out his duties.

    Ekaterina took her brother¡¯s hand and held it gently.

    ¡°¡­Did I make you feel sad?¡±

    ¡°No. No. But Big Brother must have been feeling sad at that time. I wanted to share that feeling with you.¡±

    ¡°You really are very kind.¡±

    Alexei squeezed his sister¡¯s hand back.

    And then arge head rested on the sibling¡¯s hands. Laughing, Alexei patted Regina¡¯s head.

    ¡°Regina is kind, too. In the past, it was Regina who used to share my feelings with me.¡±

    These words, in return, seemed to bring out the image of a lonely child.

    Ekaterina looked up at her brother and smiled.

    ¡°Yes, of course. Regina is a wonderful big sister.¡±

    ¡°I am a lucky man. To have two intellectual, kind, and beautiful women looking out for me.¡±

    ¡°Big Brother is the nicest gentleman of all. Right, Regina?¡±

    Regina looked up at them and wagged her bushy tail.

    ¡°Big Brother¡­ will those deviants show up for the weekend¡¯s festivities?¡±

    ¡°Probably. After all, it will be a celebration of my session to the dukedom, as well as an invitation to the majority of the territory¡¯s major yers to make you widely known as a duchess.¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t let me leave your side. If such people try to approach Big Brother, I will drive them away.¡±

    Big Brother knew that kicking those people to the curb would be desirable. But he still needed to hold back, even if it was a little unpleasant.

    This brocon viiness will not allow such a thing!

    ¡°I see. I¡¯m counting on you.¡±

    Despite this, Alexei cut himself off as if he couldn¡¯t stop himself.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be concerned about those people. You can turn your beautiful eyes and kind heart to something deserving of your attention. You are the one who has the ability to make the world more beautiful and pleasing. It is extremely rare to find someone who can see things from such a broad perspective. You are a bright child, but you don¡¯t always seem to understand yourself.¡±

    ¡­hmm?

    Huh?

    That¡¯s what I thought about Big Brother earlier!

    Was my brocon not as good as Big Brother¡¯s siscon in terms of content? I felt so frustrated!

    I was uncertain if I should beparing a siscon to a brocon, but so be it.

 Chapter 187

    When the Duke of Yurinova seeded to the title, a banquet was held in the ducal territory and in the imperial capital.

    Like the imperial family, it was customary for the three major dukes to pass on their titles while the duke was still alive. In such cases, the feast would be held promptly.

    If the session urred after the death of a predecessor, a funeral would be held first, followed by a banquet to celebrate the new duke after a certain period of time.

    A banquet to celebrate Alexei¡¯s session to the dukedom had already been held in the imperial capital.

    The feast at the dukedom, on the other hand, had been postponed for an unusually long period of time because Alexei was a student which could not return to the dukedom very often, or, in other words because he did not want to. He thought that the feast in the capital would suffice.

    However, times have changed, and now a grand banquet is to be held. The feast¡¯s purpose was not only tomemorate his session to the dukedom, but also to make his sister Ekaterina, who had never appeared before the people of the dukedom since her birth, widely known as the Duchess of Yurinova.

    In other words, this banquet was held by Alexei for Ekaterina. It was no exaggeration to say so.

    ¡°Young Lady.¡±

    Anna, the head maid, entered the room with her head bowed and was about to speak when she was cut off.

    Ekaterina was writing at her desk, and Regina, who was lying at her feet, jerked herself up. A huge hound with sword-like fangs was staring at her with glowing eyes, and Anna, a veteran with scarlet hair mixed with gray, was so frightened that her plump body trembled.

    ¡°Regina, don¡¯t frighten Anna.¡±

    Ekaterina smiled and patted Regina¡¯s head. Squinting, Reginay back down again.

    ¡°Oh, Young Lady, hounds are not allowed in the mansion.¡±

    ¡°Big Brother allowed it. I was also told that when Grandfather returned to his estate, he kept his favorite leader dog by his side.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±

    Anna, a veteran who remembered Grandfather¡¯s time, stammered, unable to argue. She seemed to mumble something about the Magic Beast in the mix.

    ¡°More importantly, did you not want to see me?¡±

    ¡°Ye, yes.¡±

    She looked up and quickly regained herposure, which I suppose was in part because of her experience.

    ¡°Youngdy, which outfit would you like to wear for the feast?¡±

    ¡°The one I prepared in the imperial capital. What about it?¡±

    Ekaterina asked, her purplish-blue eyes wide, and Anna looked puzzled.

    ¡°That¡¯s because we will be preparing for the Young Lady. We need to know what kind of clothes you will be wearing. Besides, there are trends here in the northern capital, and I would be happy to take a look at your clothes and give you some advice.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you thought so. Don¡¯t worry, my dress is tailored to thetest fashions in the capital. If it doesn¡¯t match the fashion in the northern capital, then we¡¯ll leave it at that.¡±

    Ekaterina smiled, and then her expression changed.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to change anything, even if Anna tells me to. This dress is made of a fabric developed by Big Brother to be a new specialty of the Yurinova territory. Moreover, when we entertained the imperial family in a dress designed by the same person, the Empress praised it and purchased the fabric. I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to change it because of your advice. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes¡­I am sorry, Young Lady, for my insolence.¡±

    Ekaterina¡¯s tone was gentle, but every word was clear. There was no other way to respond.

    ¡°Mina knows how to prepare. You can assist her as she instructs you on the day of the event.¡±

    ¡°Yes, my Lady.¡±

    Anna nced at Mina, who was standing behind Ekaterina.

 Chapter 188

    Anna nced at Mina, who was standing behind Ekaterina.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to ask you about that as well; having only one maid apany the Duchess of Yurinova does not reflect well on our family. May I request that the servants who previously looked after the Young Lady be brought back to apany her?¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s fine.¡±

    Ekaterina said smiling.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to talk to you about that, too. You know that there is only one maid that I can take with me to the dormitories of the magic academy. As a result, I¡¯ve grown ustomed to having only Mina look after me. I won¡¯t be at ease with anyone else. Mina will be the only maid apanying me until I graduate from school. The other maids are to listen to Mina¡¯s instructions when she needs help.¡±

    ¡°Young Lady¡­¡±

    Anna raised an eyebrow, but Ekaterina seemed oblivious.

    ¡°It¡¯s only two and a half years until graduation, and I¡¯ll talk to Big Brother and Novarus, the butler, to make sure they don¡¯t misunderstand you.¡±

    ¡°¡­Thank you for the consideration.¡±

    Anna couldn¡¯t help but bow her head, unable to disobey after being told this much.

    ¡°Young Lady, you have changed.¡±

    ¡°I wonder¡­¡±

    Ekaterina calmly tilted her neck in response to the unintentional murmur.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t really know myself.¡±

    Uwah, should I really do it like this¡­!

    Ekaterina was indulging in self-disgust in her own room after Anna had left, while elegantly sipping from the teacup Mina had handed her.

    I didn¡¯t change at all! A different persona was created. It was such a big change that I nearly copsed a few times in the beginning, and I almost failed several times from the start, but I haven¡¯t changed at all.

    Ekaterina, who had previously lived here, would silently put on the clothes they made her wear and stay in her room all day, like a dress-up doll. Anna must have been taken aback by how different I was.

    ¡°That was cool, Young Lady.¡±

    Ekatrina¡¯s eyes widened at what Mina, who was standing beside her, said casually.

    ¡°Did I do well?¡±

    ¡°Yes, youpletely overturned the head maid¡¯s suggestions. You look very sharp.¡±

    ¡°My, I¡¯m d.¡±

    Ekaterinaughed.

    Mina, the battle maid, told me I was cool. I was so embarrassed.

    ¡°I better make sure that Regina and I are always in the same room.¡±

    ¡°¡­I wonder if she¡¯s going to ruin the dress or something.¡±

    That would be typical viiness harassment, wouldn¡¯t it?

    Huh? But I was supposed to be the viiness.

    ¡°She¡¯s clever, so I doubt she¡¯d do anything serious enough to warrant dismissal. But she might encourage someone else and make them do it. You¡¯ve got to be careful.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see.¡±

    Ekaterina let out a sigh. I wondered if it was enjoyable to harass someone with a well-thought-out n.

    ¡­Well, I¡¯m not a saintly person, but¡­. In my previous life, I remembered cursing my boss, who put me in the middle of negotiations with a client and then shot me in the back, thinking that his wife should find out about his infidelity and divorce him and ask for a hugepensation payment. I do not know if a curse counts as harassment, but I heard that it worked. I didn¡¯t know the details, but my cheeks were fixed with a smile for a while after that happened.

    To be honest, it made me feel a bit better. I would say that I understand the mindset of harassing someone and being happy when the other person feels bad, even if only a little.

    However, I would never consider snitching on his wife. It¡¯d be a waste of time and energy. If it caused harm to the other party, it would make me feel more bad than happy.

    So I thought I understood, but I still wouldn¡¯t know!

    It wasplicated!

    ¡°I will never let anyone mess with Young Lady¡¯s stuff.¡±

    I was surprised to hear the underlying strength in Mina¡¯s indifferent voice.

 Chapter 189

    I was surprised to hear the underlying strength in Mina¡¯s indifferent voice.

    I remembered that when I was asked about the feast in the imperial capital, she asked me if I wanted to make a new dress, and I told her that the dress I wore at the visit would be fine. I remembered having many dresses made at the Duke¡¯s estate, but they didn¡¯t suit me very well, and when I casually mentioned it¡­ the color of Mina¡¯s, Graham- san¡¯s, the maids over there, and other key members of the Imperial Duchess¡¯s eyes changed, which scared me.

    Cami, the dress designer, was immediately called to create a new gown and deliver it to the Duke¡¯s Residence. My suggestion that I could just use the dress I had made before was politely brushed off.

    Everyone knew that was a danger signal.

    ¡°Young Lady, is Anna in the way?¡±

    Ah¡­it¡¯s been a while since I had seen my maid in an enraged state.

    But it couldn¡¯t be helped, Mina was a fighting maid. That¡¯s why she picked up on Anna¡¯s subtle hostility right away, and I was able to warn her.

    They had withheld or omitted a lot of information, but Anna seemed to have a connection with my useless father, so she had mixed feelings about Big Brother, who looked exactly like him but was different on the inside.

    Ivan, her cousin, told me about this. And she was annoyed with me, who resembled my mother, my father¡¯s wife, and was adored by Big Brother. This is Mina¡¯s opinion.

    Good grief, why do I have to be harassed? How could they havee up with such borate methods of harassing someone?

    I had it easy thanks to Mina, who was 100% trustworthy and dependable. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be able to rx.

    ¡°As long as Big Brother is not harmed, I¡¯ll leave her alone for a while, since she¡¯s doing a good job as the head maid. With Mina around, Anna won¡¯t even be an obstacle. Thank you for everything.¡±

    As Ekaterina said this, the hint of rage disappeared from Mina¡¯s face and a slight smile appeared on her expressionless face.

    ***

    ¡°Young Lady, may I speak with you about the preparations for the feast?¡±

    It was Laiza, the housekeeper who was in charge of the female servants, who came to Ekaterina¡¯s room.

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s fine.¡±

    Laiza ced her books on the table and sat across from Ekaterina. She did not look at Regina, the huge hound dog who was looking up from her feet, and put on a pair of sses she had brought.

    The silver bezel of the sses glinted.

    Oh, it was a fake.

    That¡¯s what I thought when I saw it.

    What she presented was,

    The number of guests and the predominant figures.

    The type and quantity of food and beverages to be served.

    The grade, type, and preparation procedures for the tableware. Especially silverware. The manpower and time needed to polish the silverware in advance.

    The hospitality and its arrangements.

    Which rooms will be opened for the feast, and how will the other areas be guarded?

    How many carriages are scheduled to arrive, and where will they wait?

    Where will the guests¡¯ attendants wait?

    How many servants will be assigned, how many temporary workers will be hired, and where will they be ced?

    And the cost of each. With an exnation of what would be reasonable.

    It had be a marathon! A light sprint! All right, let¡¯s do this!

    Maybe it was because I had this kind of personality that I had died of exhaustion in my previous life.

    ¡°Laiza, wait a minute. Our guests¡¯ attendants have been on standby all the time, but you are telling me that you stopped serving them food and drinks eight years ago?¡±

    ¡°Yes, because they were reced by Lord Alexandre to avoid incurring such unnecessary expenses.¡±

    ¡­I guess this was one of those embezzled expenses. On the financial books, I guess they were supposed to have been provided.

 Chapter 190

    ¡°I¡¯d like to get this back on track. If you can arrange it now, please provide food and drinks like you did when Grandfather was here.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Young Lady, that will be arranged.¡±

    As she responded, a satisfied smile seemed to sh across Laiza¡¯s lips.

    ¡°You wanted me to say that, so you went to the trouble of writing here about how you haven¡¯t offered it in eight years. Right?¡±

    Ekaterina smiled.

    Then a cup of tea was offered to her.

    ¡°Young Lady, you need to rest a bit. You¡¯re working too hard.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Mina.¡±

    I epted it, took a sip, and was surprised to realise how thirsty I was.

    ¡°Here.¡±

    ¡°¡­Thank you.¡±

    Mina offers Laiza the cup as well. Laiza took it with some surprise.

    Regina moved a little further away andy down to sleep for a while. She seemed to be sleeping soundly.

    ¡°I see that the housekeeper¡¯s job had a wider scope over here. In the imperial mansion, this sort of thing was the job of the butler.¡±

    ¡°Novarus-san is getting older, so we¡¯re gradually taking this burden off his shoulders. Do the butlers of the Imperial City Mansion discuss with the Young Lady this kind of behind-the-scenes stuff?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the role of the mistress. I also don¡¯t mind working behind the scenes.

    I like knowing how many people work behind the scenes of a morous party and how much nning goes into each detail.¡±

    As a woman who was a history lover in her previous life, I felt as if I was able to learn the backstage of the parties of the royalty and nobility in Western history, and I really enjoyed it. This was a field I was unfamiliar with because there were few records of such events.

    I remembered a Japanese history schr who discovered a family ount book of a certain samurai family mentioning an introduction about this, and he was so excited when he was writing the book. It was rare and extremely valuable! I was so proud of myself for finding it! He was like, ¡°How did you find it?¡± Later, when the book was made into a movie, the actor who starred in the movie said, ¡°The introduction is an incessant bragging.¡±

    Laiza smiled.

    ¡°What Graham-san said in his letter was true. The Young Lady somehow resembles Prince Sergei.¡±

    Ekaterina¡¯s eyes widened at these words.

    It was possible that Graham, the butler of the imperial residence, and Laiza, the housekeeper of the duke¡¯s main residence, may have exchanged letters. But I doubt they¡¯d write about how Ekaterina resembles her grandfather if the letters were strictly professional.

    In other words, would the two be close enough to keep in touch personally?

    ¡°I wonder if Laiza has any interaction with Graham.¡±

    ¡°I have known Graham-san since he was a servant of Prince Sergei. Besides, my background is simr to Graham¡¯s. I heard that Graham-san told the Young Lady about his background. That he was a traveling entertainer.¡±

    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±

    ¡°I was aundry woman. I was a low-level servant at the bottom of the food chain.¡±

    Laiza was only eight years old when she began working at Yurinova Castle.

    Her parents were killed when magical beasts attacked the vige where she lived.That year there was a dreadful winter in the dukedom, but it was also the year of the country¡¯s heaviest blizzard. She would normally have been taken in by a rtive or ced in an orphanage. However, rtives in the same vige could not afford to do so, and even the orphanage had no vacancies.

    To provide a ce for the children who could not be taken in by the orphanage, wealthy families in the capital were required to provide them with a ce to live and work. Naturally, the Duke of Yurinova took the initiative. Laiza was fortunate enough to be chosen.

    Laiza had to work at a very young age, but even then, she knew she was lucky. She knew that if she lost this opportunity, she would starve, freeze, and die.

    So, she worked as hard as she could with her small body.

 Chapter 191

    Laiza had to work at a very young age, but even then, she knew she was lucky. She knew that if she lost this opportunity, she would starve, freeze, and die.

    So, she worked as hard as she could with her small body.

    It required significant effort to wash clothes. But working as aundress at Yurinova Castle was not hard at all.

    The castle was built with an underfloor heating system that warms the entire ducal residence by circting warm air through pipes that run beneath the floor. The warm air is produced by furnaces in the castle¡¯s basement, and this warm air was also used to dry theundry.

    As a result, even in the winter, they were never cold.

    Because the fire was used to boil arge amount of water for heating, the castle not only had arge bath for the duke and his family, but also bathrooms for the servants.

    Not only could they bathe every day in therge bathtub, but they could also use the leftover water for washing their clothes, so their hands would not get cold.

    Unknown to Laiza at the time, the system of underfloor heating had existed since the time of the ancient Astra Empire and was developed by a famous inventor invited from another country by Vassily, the fifth generation Duke of Yurinova.

    It was the mainstream heating method in the northern capital, and that of Yurinova Castle, among others, was the best equipped in the empire.

    What a wonderful ce!

    Laiza would never forget the first time she stepped into theundry room of Yurinova Castle. The air was hot and sticky in the middle of winter. It was an entirely different world from the small houses in the vige she had grown up in, where the water she had drawn would freeze on cold winter mornings.

    She started working and washed a lot of clothes. By the end of winter and early spring, Laiza, who was clever and dexterous, was allowed to handle a few of the Nobles¡¯ clothes. The child was rather well suited to wash delicate silk shirts and the like.

    And so, it was up to her to do theundry on a daily basis. There was only one member of the family who soiled their clothes terribly.

    Isaac Yurinova-sama was 18 years old at that time. He had just graduated from the Imperial Magic Academy, but his clothes were always covered in mud, like a toddler ying in the dirt.

    Isaac-sama was usually treated a little lightly at Yurinova Castle. He had always been an unusual child, collecting ordinary stones every day and piling them up in his room. He learned to read and write at a veryte age. So even theundry room workers made fun of him, saying that he was a bit strange, unlike his older, more respectable brother.

    Laiza was exasperated.

    The duke was a great benefactor. How dare they mock his son? What right did they have to talk about a man who had learned to read and write so well, when most of the servants couldn¡¯t even do it?

    The 8-year-old child made up her mind.

    All right, I¡¯ll ask Isaac-sama to keep his clothes clean. So that everyone would not make fun of him.

    Now that she¡¯s an adult, she realizes how foolish she¡¯d been to think that way. Theundry woman¡¯s ce was underground. Inparison, Isaac-sama, a member of the ducal family, even though he was a strange one, was a person above her. She was not allowed to talk to him, or even to show herself to him.

    A child from the countryside did not know this.

 Chapter 192

    A child from the countryside did not know this.

    And then, by chance, they happened to meet. Two men in fine clothes were walking in the garden. Although she did not know their faces, she recognized them by their clothes. One was Isaac-sama.

    She ran up to them without hesitation, bowed her head, and asked them not to stain their clothes. Because silk should not be washed with excessive force, removing dirt was extremely difficult. She did her best to exin the washing method she had learned.

    If aundry woman had said such a thing to the son of a duke, she would normally have been beaten and thrown out so severely that her entire body would have swollen. It seemed that she had been too young to notice such an obvious fact.

    Hearing Laiza¡¯s words, Isaac silently dropped his shoulders and sighed.

    [I¡¯m sorry. I guess I¡¯m a bad guy. When a rare mineral calls to me from the ground, I can¡¯t help but dig for it. But I didn¡¯t know I was bothering a little girl like you. From now on, I¡¯ll only do it when I¡¯m wearing clothes I don¡¯t mind getting dirty].

    Again, Laiza was fortunate. Isaac-sama was a strange man, but he was as innocent and gentle as a child, despite the fact that he said and did strange things and behaved as if he wasn¡¯t an aristocrat.

    The other gentleman, a tall man with a distinguished air, patted Isaac-sama on the back and smiled at Laiza.

    [I¡¯m sorry my brother has caused you so much trouble. But you¡¯re amazing. You¡¯re the first one to convince Isaac that he shouldn¡¯t get his clothes dirty. Even though you are a child, you exin things so well. You¡¯re a smart kid. How old are you now? What¡¯s your name?]

    That was the first thing Lord Sergei said to Laiza.

    ***

    ¡°Grandfather is truly a wonderful man. And Great-Uncle too.¡±

    Ekaterina smiled.

    That¡¯s my Grandfather. She remembered Moore-san, the manager of the restaurant she and her brother had visited in the capital, who told her that her grandfather loved to nurture people.

    Hobby/Talent development. Grandfather was really thoughtful.

    ¡°Lord Sergei was still a legitimate son and not a lord at that time. But he was already the one who ruled the fiefdom. It was Lord Sergei who allowed a child like me to be taken in by a wealthy family in the capital. He was my benefactor.¡±

    ¡°Oh my¡­ as expected, of Grandfather.¡±

    If Great-Uncle Isaac was eighteen years old, then Grandfather Sergei, who was five years older than him, would have been twenty-three at that time. In my previous life, he would have been in his first or second year of work after graduating from college, still in his early years.

    And yet, he was such apetent lord. He really was a great man.

    By the way, Laiza was eight years old when Grandfather was twenty-three, and now she would probably be fifty? She didn¡¯t look like that! I mean, I saw her as the type of person who looked mature when she was young and whose appearance didn¡¯t change throughout her life.

    ¡°But Laiza is great, too. Even though you were very young, you had more sense than an average adult. You didn¡¯t make fun of your great-uncle like everyone else, and you were even able to convince him.¡±

    ¡°I am regretful about that myself. But I was just a child at that time. I didn¡¯t understand many things.¡±

    **

    You exin things so well. I¡¯m not very knowledgeable aboutundry, so when we meet again, you can teach me a lot.

    Sergei-sama said, and the eight-year-old Laiza was ted.

    She wanted to teach them a lot the next time she saw them. She worked harder than ever. She asked how to wash the noble¡¯s clothes, which she had not yet been entrusted with. Women¡¯s clothes were difficult to wash because they were decorated with many ornaments.

    In her spare time, she wandered around the garden, hoping to see Sergei-sama.

    How that wish must have warmed the heart of a child who had lost her family and was living alone in an unfamiliar environment.

 Chapter 193

    How that wish must have warmed the heart of a child who had lost her family and was living alone in an unfamiliar environment.

    But¡­. When Sergei-sama appeared in the garden as she had wished, Laiza hesitated as she ran up to him. She had not yet learned the word ¡°social pleasantries,¡± but she knew that adults sometimes say things they don¡¯t mean in order to please the other person for the time being. So how could it be true that such a fine person would want to hear aboutundry from a child?

    Laiza¡¯s thoughts were honest and reasonable. But when Sergei-sama spotted Laiza, he smiled and waved.

    [Laiza, it¡¯s nice to see you. Do you have a minute?]

    Sergei-sama then listened to her story about theundry. She talked about how impressed she was with the facilities in theundry room and about the gossip and rtionships among the workers. Laiza became more and more eager to answer Sergei-sama¡¯s questions. He asked about other people and about what was going on around her. They met and talked many times in the yard. The conversation spread outside theundry room to the various departments of housekeeping.

    **

    Cutting the conversation there, the present Laiza smiled.

    ¡°Young Lady, do you understand what that was all about?¡±

    As for Ekaterina, she could only giggle.

    ¡°Grandfather¡­he had Laiza as his eyes, didn¡¯t he?¡±

    In the harshest terms, it could be said that he was using her as a spy. He must have discovered something suspicious at that time. Laiza¡¯s eyes, the eyes of a clever child without any calctions or human ties, would have been an invaluable source of information for Sergei, who would normally not be able tomunicate directly with a servant.

    It was somewhat ridiculous. Grandfather took advantage of a pure child in such a natural way¡­ a natural-born maniptor, I would think. But at the age of twenty-three, how could he do such a thing so casually?

    Laiza looked at me a little surprised and smiled.

    ¡°Do you consider the feelings of a child? So kind¡­. This is why His Excellency Alexei is so concerned about the youngdy. What Lord Sergei did is natural for a duke. I am only d that I could be of service to him, as aundress, for example. And, after all, you resemble Lord Sergei a lot. That man, too, has been impossibly good, even to aundry woman like myself.¡±

    **

    [Laiza, would you like to learn to read and write?]

    [Yes! I think I could be of more help to you if I could write to you. ¡­but that¡¯s a luxury for aundry girl¡­]

    Besides Sergei, Laiza slumped. Her hands were chapped as she looked down at them. Still, she considered herself fortunate to have food and a ce to sleep.

    It had been several months since she had arrived at Yurinova Castle. Laiza was ustomed to her new surroundings and her new job, and she was proud of her secret rtionship with Sergei. Although she still thought she was happy, little by little, she began to hope that she would not end up just being aundry girl.

    [You are a smart girl. And you are single-minded and always try your best. I like talking to you.]

    Sergei said this, but the next time they met, he said something unexpected.

    [Why don¡¯t you leave the castle and be a child of a family I know?]

 Chapter 194

    [Why don¡¯t you leave the castle and be a child of a family I know?]

    There was a family that had produced knights of the Yurinova Order for generations, but their two sons had both be knights and had died in the line of duty without having married yet. The discouraged parents had intended to let the family die out, but they still felt lonely and decided that they would like to take in a girl and raise her. If it was a boy, they would undoubtedly raise him to be worthy of being a knight, but if it was a girl, they believed she would stay by their side forever if they took a son-inw.

    [But I can¡¯t do it. They will be disappointed.]

    If a family had been knights for generations, there was no way that Laiza or anyone else would be taken in. He could have chosen any number of suitable foster children, even if they were not from a poor countryside vige.

    But Sergei smiled.

    [That¡¯s the thing; they want you. Besides, I want you to be a child of that family. And I want you to be a child of that house, after which you can study and learn. I want you toe back and work at this castle in a different position. Your presence would be very reassuring to me.]

    ***

    ¡°So, I had been adopted.¡±

    ¡°¡­Laiza must have adored Grandfather very much.¡±

    She simply said, ¡°I was adopted¡±.

    In the Dukedom of Yurinova, the status of knight was only for one generation, but there were families where the father was a knight and then properly trained their children for generations, in effect, bing generations of knights. By being raised in such a way, they naturally be strong.

    Such a family was considered a great family and treated second only to the nobility, so it would be a bit unlikely that a servant would be desired to be adopted by a family of knights for generations. It was suspicious.

    And yet, when she asked Grandfather about such a possibility, he simply answered that it was alright.

    ¡°There was a reason I was wanted for adoption, though it was sort of orchestrated by Lord Sergei. Do you know why, Young Lady?¡±

    ¡°A reason, like the one Grandfather gave you?¡±

    Well, I wonder.

    Was it because Laiza was considered a favorite of Grandfather¡¯s? If they were often talking in the garden, people would have seen them, even if they didn¡¯t tell anyone. It was strange for the heir of a ducal family to repeatedly meet with aundry girl.

    If Laiza was older, she might have been rumored to be a lover of different status, but at eight years old, that would be impossible¡­.

    Ah.

    ¡°I wonder if Grandfather¡­ adored Laiza [as if you were his younger sister].¡±

    ¡°I suppose Lord Sergei hinted that I might be the illegitimate offspring of his father. Of course, there was no such possibility, but it was a convenient excuse for him to contact me, who was someone of a different status.¡±

    Grandfather¡­ Well, that was probably just a lie, but¡­ Grandfather, you did it the wrong way!

    But, Great-Uncle Isaac was thought of as a bastard, and my great-grandfather did have a mistress. I guess there were some people who remembered that, or at least interpreted it that way¡­

    ¡°When Lord Sergei proposed that I be adopted, my parents-inw wondered if there was some secret about my birth, given the fact that he was willing to do so given our different social standing. I was surprised when I learned of the misunderstanding. I clearly denied it to my adoptive parents, but they kept me as their adopted daughter. They said that my personality was simr to that of their deceased sons.¡±

    Grandfather¡­you knew your knights very well. If they were not yet married, they must have been quite young. Maybe they were close to Grandfather¡¯s age. If her father was also a knight, he knew their personalities, so he thought that as long as they could manage to meet Laiza, who resembled their sons, they would be able to work things out.

    I was uncertain if he had it all nned out from the beginning¡­ but he was quite a schemer!

 Chapter 195

    ¡°I was educated, including reading and writing; I learned manners; and at the age of fourteen, I went to work at Yurinova Castle again, this time as a maid. Lord Sergei had already be the Duke. At that time, it became an open secret that I was the illegitimate daughter of the previous heir. I was careful not to confirm or deny it because Lord Sergei did so to protect me.¡±

    Ah¡­ the old hag, I understand.

    I heard that she once kicked out a gardener who worked in the rose garden by insinuating that a lowly person was not allowed to be in her sight. I could not begin to imagine what she would do to a formerundry maid if she came into her sight. He set it up so they wouldn¡¯t treat her that way.

    At the age of twenty-three when he met Laiza, he should have been already married. Grandfather¡­I wonder what happened¡­why did he have to marry that woman? They are such a contradictory couple.

    ¡°Prince Sergei was busy with his work as a duke as well as the affairs of the country. He was travelling back and forth between the imperial capital and the dukedom. Master Isaac also went around the Imperial Pce researching for his studies, so even though I was his maid, my main job was to write letters here and there and make various arrangements for the two of them, rather than carry trays.¡±

    You were more of a secretary than a maid. I wonder if she has been bespectacled since those days, an intelligent and beautiful secretary. It was so moe!

    ¡°In addition, Lord Sergei asked me for many unusual favors at that time¡­ It was a dizzying, joyful time. But when I was eighteen, I got married and moved out of the castle to raise my children.¡±

    I¡¯m curious if, as a celebrity matchmaker hobbyist, he casually introduced Laiza to a man he considered a potential match.

    Grandfather was fifteen years older, while my great-uncle Isaac must have been ten years older than her. I wonder if he adored her¡­but she was supposed to be his unofficial sister, and there seemed to be nothing she could do about it, I guess.

    ¡°After that, I often came to assist him on some asions, and when I finished raising my children and left them to my adopted parents, he asked me if I would be interested in serving him again. That was about 10 years ago. The Grand Mistress and Monsieur Alexandre were the only guests at the castle, and I kept a low profile, helping the housekeeper at the time with her work and keeping him informed of what was happening at the castle. Then, after Prince Sergeis¡¯s death, the housekeeper was dismissed.¡±

    Laiza¡¯s voice trailed off. But she quickly continued.

    ¡°When Prince Alexandre became the Duke, the housekeeper was reced by someone who had been introduced by another family, and soon I was no longer allowed toe and go.¡±

    Introduced by another family¡­.

    So, in my father¡¯s time, Laiza was excluded.

    ¡°But about five months ago, I heard that the housekeeper was no longer avable, and the butler, Novarus-san, asked me if I would like to be the housekeeper.¡±

    Ah, there were others that went missing other than the former treasurer!

    I knew it, the former housekeeper was probably sent by Magna to initiate the fraud. Big Brother said he had weeded out the major yers, one of them being the former housekeeper.

    Come to think of it, one of the duties of a housekeeper was to take care of food and goods. To cover up the embezzlement, it was necessary to seize this ce, I guess. I remembered hearing that in Victorian Ennd, the housekeeper was in charge of keeping the keys to the pantry and other rooms where valuables were stored, and that the bundle of keys was a symbol of authority.

    ¡°So I am now the new housekeeper. And this banquet is my first big job.¡±

    ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, I thought you seemed quite adept at it.¡±

    ¡°Even when I was serving Lord Sergei, the housekeeper was old, so I gradually took over for her.¡±

    If that was the case, then Laiza was really supposed to be the next housekeeper. No wonder she was ousted.

 Chapter 196

    ¡°That¡¯s reassuring. I am also the new Duchess.¡±

    Ekaterina and Laiza looked into each other¡¯s eyes and smiled.

    But Laiza¡¯s eyes were downcast.

    ¡°¡­I am sorry that I could not help you and your mother.¡±

    Ekaterina shook her head.

    ¡°It¡¯s not Laiza¡¯s fault.¡±

    If she had returned to work ten years ago after raising her children and leaving them with her adoptive parents, then by that time my mother and I were already living in the vi, and there was nothing Laiza could have done to help us.

    ¡°Grandfather left Big Brother with many wonderful people, and he also left Laiza to me. I never had the pleasure of meeting him, but I am d that I was able to connect with him through Laiza.¡±

    ¡°¡­After all, the Young Lady is so much like Lord Sergei. He gave us many wonderful words, just like that one. Of all the words I have heard in my life from Lord Sergei, yours would be the third most gratifying.¡±

    I believe I would know what those words were.

    [Laiza, nice to meet you. Do you have a few moments?]

    ¡°Well, if I am the third. May I ask the first and second?¡±

    Ekaterina said mischievously, and Laiza smiled.

    ¡°The first is the first word my son ever spoke. [Dear Mother].¡±

    ¡°Oh! Not even Grandfather canpete with that one. What¡¯s the second thing?¡±

    ¡°The second thing is¡­¡±

    Laiza suddenly clears her throat.

    ¡°It¡¯s a secret.¡±

    Laiza¡¯s cheeks turned slightly red after saying so.

    Well, maybe.

    Her marriage was a happy one.

    ***

    That morning, Ekaterina hugged Regina and thanked her profusely.

    ¡°Thank you, Regina, you¡¯ve helped me a lot.¡±

    Regina wagged her fluffy tail and pressed her big head against her.

    I love her fluffy mane! Animal therapy was so soothing!

    But today, she had to leave.

    ¡°Please go back to your herd and rest for a while.¡±

    I said, stroking her snout, and Regina showed me a row of fangs that looked like she was smiling.

    ¡°Laiza, please take Regina back to the dog house.¡±

    ¡°Yes, at your service.¡±

    Laiza nodded. Having been involved with this Yurinova castle for so long, Laiza seemed undaunted by the giant hounds. Grandfather had a favorite leader dog, too, and she must have been used to working with them.

    Laiza came to Ekaterina¡¯s room to deliver something she had taken from the safe where she kept her valuables. It shone brilliantly in a t box on the table beside her.

    A pair of earrings and a ne, dotted with sapphires and diamonds.

    The centerpiece of the ne was a rectangr sapphire pendant. It was five centimeters long and three centimeters wide. The ne around the neck was made up of a number of sapphires, each about two centimeters in diameter. All of them were surrounded by small diamonds and held together by a shimmering golden chain.

    It was said to be one of the heirlooms of the Duke of Yurinova¡¯s family¡­ There were sapphire earrings and hair ornaments that had been handed down from generation to generation in the Imperial Ducal Pce, and again, it was astounding that a ducal family had been in existence for 400 years.

    In my previous life, the only people I could think of who would have something like this would be the British royal family. I couldn¡¯t even imagine how much it would cost. I could only assume it must be worth at least hundreds of millions of dors.

    To think that, they would wear something like that¡­.

    ¡°You must be busy this morning. I¡¯m sorry to have taken up so much of your time.¡±

    ¡°No, this is my job. It is the housekeeper¡¯s job to take care of the jewelry and deliver it to the Lady of Yurinova.¡±

    Laiza then looked towards the back of the room.

 Chapter 197

    Laiza then looked towards the back of the room.

    There, the dress was ced on a trousseau. It was finally the day to take it out of the wardrobe.

    So, I decided to ask Regina to leave because she would get a lot of fluffy hair on the dress.

    ¡°That¡¯s a beautiful dress, I¡¯m sure it will look great on the Young Lady.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ve never been to a formal party before, so I must be careful not to embarrass Big Brother.¡±

    Yes, tonight was the celebration of Alexei¡¯s session to the title of Duke of Yurinova. More than that, it was the big day of the banquet, which he was hosting to introduce me, his beloved sister Ekaterina, to the dukedom for the first time.

    It was my first time attending a social event, and it was said that noble daughters usually make their social debut before entering the Magic Academy. However, I have lived a confined life until now.

    Most of the attendees at the party had never seen me before. Of course, I had never been associated with any formal parties in my previous life.

    I was, after all this time, mildly freaked out. It was a different feeling from entertaining a royal family. Anyway, I had no choice but to be prepared.

    Laiza smiled.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s best if you go to the celebration with a rxed attitude, as if it¡¯s natural to make mistakes. Being underestimated can make things easier at times.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate your words of encouragement. So, tonight, all I have to think about is greeting you all next to Big Brother.¡±

    That¡¯s right, next to Big Brother.

    That was the key, of course. Anyway, I should just try to be as beautiful as I can. That was all I could think about.

    It was a formal party, and I was the partner of Big Brother, the star of the show! What was I supposed to do if I didn¡¯t get into the spirit! It was too much of a treasure for me, but I didn¡¯t hesitate to make use of the family heirloom.

    I decided not to think about the participants anymore. Sorry. I have my priorities. I just worked hard to make Big Brother think that I looked beautiful.

    It was mainly Mina who did the hard work. Abat maid who could both dress and arrange my hair¡­Hats off to Mina for her broad skill set.

    The feast would begin in the evening.

    In this season, the summer sun was still bright, and the twilight was only just beginning to set in.

    In Yurinova Castle, at the heart of the northern capital, the servants prepared for the banquet. In the kitchens, the cooks diligently set fire to all the furnaces, and in the gardens, the gardeners quickly lit themps.

    The tableware and tes were polished andid out, and the wine was being brought from the wine cer. Everyone was busy, mindful of the time.

    At that time, Alexei, Duke of Yurinova, went to Ekaterina¡¯s room to apany his sister.

    There was a knock at the door of the room.

    ¡°Young Lady, are you ready?¡±

    It was the voice of Ivan, my brother¡¯s squire. Mina, my maid, walked over to the door and quickly opened it.

    ¡°Everything is ready. Come in.¡±

    Ivan stepped aside and Alexei¡¯s tall figure stepped into the room.

    Then he stopped, as if surprised.

    Ekaterina smiled at her brother, who stared at her silently with neon blue eyes.

    ¡°Big Brother, thank you for picking me up.¡±

    It was as if she were a blooming flower.

 Chapter 198

    This time the dress was a mermaid line. The dress was slender, but the ruffles in various ces added a touch of mor. The basic color was a heavenly blue, the color of the evening sky, but the gradation, which resembled the sky as it faded from light to dark, made the dress even more beautiful.

    The slender skirt extended below her knees, with the gradation of blue deepening toward her feet. The entire skirt below the knees resembled flower petals.

    Even more gorgeous was the design of the upper body, which emphasized the slenderness of the waist while the blue color darkened toward the top. And the cor wasyered with ruffles of various sizes, reminding one of the petals of a rose just about to bloom.

    The slit at the bust was narrow but deep, revealing a rich cleavage, and a luxurious sapphire ne sparkled in the background. Still, Ekaterina¡¯s white neck and corbone peeking out from the ruffle was alluring while maintaining her dignity. The earrings adorning her ears sparkled with a dazzling brilliance.

    The sleeves, while also evening-colored, were made of a translucent fabric. The transparent fabric emphasized the whiteness of Ekaterina¡¯s skin to the viewer¡¯s mind.

    Her rich indigo hair was tied up in an intricate bun, which also reminded one of a rose. Furthermore, her hair was adorned with a real blue rose.

    Upon closer inspection, one could see that it was a ss hair ornament, but its true-to-life form was more eye-catching than the expensive jewelry. The blue rose brings Ekaterina¡¯s outfit together with the image of a rose, making her look like a living flower.

    I managed to get ready in time! Or rather, Mina made it in time. It took us from this morning until now to get me ready.

    It wasn¡¯t this hard at the time of the Emperors¡¯ visit because of the simplicity of the dress, but the hair was the most important thing at that time. It took so much time to get it tied. Cami-san, the designer, was adamant that the hairstyle be perfect. I had to call in two maids to help me out.

    It was true that a woman needed time to prepare for a wedding.

    Perhaps I wasn¡¯t much of ady in my previous life. I always prepared myself in just enough time, 15 minutes at the most.

    But I was d that I spent hours getting dressed up. Because today, Big Brother looked even better than usual!

    He usually dressed in white, but today he was dressed in a chic ck outfit, the formal attire of a ducal lord. It suited him well¡­.

    Big Brother, as handsome and stylish as he was, would look great in any outfit, but today¡¯s appearance was a little too much for me.

    ¡°Ekaterina.¡±

    Alexei held out his hands, and Ekaterina walked over to her brother, cing her hands in his.

    ¡°My blue rose.¡±

    With a pleasant smile, Alexei kissed his sister¡¯s fingers.

    ¡°What beauty. No wonder so many people have tried to create a blue rose and have not seeded. If it were so beautiful, it would have ascended to the garden of the heavens the moment it blossomed. I never thought that a phantom blue rose would walk up to me and touch my hand. I feel my heart tremble. My Ekaterina, my Goddess.¡±

    With an almost pious gesture, Alexei gently touched Ekaterina¡¯s cheek. She gazes at him wistfully.

    ¡°I wish for only one thing. Please do not go out in that form while the sun is still shining. As Your Majesty has said, the sun wille to you, longing for you, and take you away. Even the gods must bepelled to seek this blue rose.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­Big Brother.¡±

    You are at the peak of being a Siscon today!

    And your beautifully articted skills were wonderful. Gold medal! I would like to give you a National Medal of Honor or whatever. As expected of me, a National Brocon. Sorry, for being such a sister.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to ascend into the heavens. I would like to ask Big Brother to take my hand while I am here on earth. I am happiest at Big Brother¡¯s side.¡±

    ¡°Thank you-I am happy and delighted.¡±

    Alexei smiled.

    ¡°I¡¯ve always found banquets depressing, but now I have something to look forward to. Everyone will marvel at your beauty. I can¡¯t wait to see how it all goes down.¡±

 Chapter 199

    A fireworks disy wasunched from Yurinova Castle, signaling the beginning of the banquet.

    The people of the city, who were gathered around the castle, suddenly stopped to look at the fireworks. Because the sky was still clear, the fireworks were only sound and smoke.

    ¡°I see the celebration has begun.¡±

    ¡°Yes, and a big one at that.¡±

    Such discussions took ce while looking at the castle. The smiling merchants must be the ones who delivered the food and other items for the banquet.

    ¡°The new duke knows what he¡¯s doing, even though he¡¯s young. He patronizes the serious merchants and brings money to the localmunity, just as Lord Sergei did.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m d because after Lord Sergei died, some stranger from who knows where took over all of the work in the castle, and I was worried about what would happen next.¡±

    These sentiments were shared by many of the merchants in the capital. They had no way of knowing it was the aftermath of a massive embezzlement, though.

    ¡°Is the duke going to be here for a long time now? I heard he brought his beautiful wife with him.¡±

    This was also amon rumor in the capital.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s his sister. She is the princess of Yurinova, but she was locked up somewhere for a long time. The duke is taking excellent care of her because he feels sorry for her.¡±

    Many people nodded their heads at these words.

    ¡°What? I heard they were a close couple.¡±

    ¡°No, they¡¯re brother and sister. I heard that directly from a servant at the castle. I¡¯m sure of it.¡±

    ¡°But the people who saw them in person said they were a perfect couple.¡±

    ¡°No, they weren¡¯t.¡±

    This was one of the many conversations that took ce that evening.

    The Great Hall of Yurinova Castle.

    Two huge chandeliers were already lit, illuminating the glittering decorations and huge paintings on the walls.

    And another chandelier in the center, made of the most luminous of all the glowing stones, the rainbow stones, illuminated the people. The Yurinova family was proud of this light, created by an inventor invited by the fifth Duke Vassily. Not even in the imperial castle were their lights asrge and bright as these.

    Many of the invited guests had already gathered at the castle, where beautifully dresseddies and gentlemen were whispering and smiling. The waiters were passing by, serving drinks, and the sumptuous food was beautifully arranged and served.

    However, the banquet had not yet officially begun. The main actors, Duke Alexei and his sister Ekaterina, had not yet appeared.

    The musicians waited in a corner of the hall with their musical instruments. As soon as they started ying music, the Duke would make an appearance, as was the custom at the Yurinovas¡¯ evening banquet.

    The musicians, at the signal of the butler, set their instruments at the ready. The guests gasped as the music began to flow out.

    Then they looked up at the grand staircase that connected the hall to the upper floor.

    The Duke of Yurinova, dressed in his formal ck robes, and ady in a dress that resembled the evening sky, appeared on the floor at that very moment. The crowd cheered at the sight of these two stunning figures.

    In response to the loud cheers, Ekaterina unintentionally ced her hand on her brother¡¯s right arm.

    I was so surprised!

    I didn¡¯t realize that when so many people shout simultaneously, it could create a shockwave like a bang!

    And this grand staircase. Simr to the one that was shown in the ssic Hollywood movie ¡°Gone with the Wind¡± or the finale of a girl¡¯s revue. Going down there with all the eyes on you¡­was a mental ordeal.

 Chapter 200

    And this grand staircase. Simr to the one that was shown in the ssic Hollywood movie ¡°Gone with the Wind¡± or the finale of a girl¡¯s revue. Going down there with all the eyes on you¡­was a mental ordeal.

    ¡°Ekaterina, are you okay?¡±

    Alexei held Ekaterina¡¯s hand in his left hand as if to wrap it around his own.

    ¡°Yes, Big Brother, I was just a little surprised.¡±

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have to take it so hard. If you feel sick, tell me right away.¡±

    Oh, the sickly setting was still active. I had naturally forgotten about it.

    ¡°I will be fine no matter how many guests there are. With Big Brother by my side, I feel safe.¡±

    ¡°¡­Is that so?¡±

    Alexei¡¯s neon blue eyes softened at his sister¡¯s words.

    ¡°All those people over there are the people of the territory. They are your subjects. Don¡¯t worry about them, just act like a princess.¡±

    ¡°Big Brother. The Lord is Big Brother, and I am a subject of Big Brother.¡±

    ¡°I am your servant, my Mistress.¡±

    Oh, I made him say it.

    I wasn¡¯t afraid to walk down the grand staircase in the middle of all the attention because Big Brother was standing right next to me. My Big Brother was more talented than a Hollywood star, more talented than the top star of a girl¡¯s idol group!

    People sighed and marveled at the sight of the siblingsing down the grand staircase, snuggled up to each other in an intimate manner.

    Many of them have known Alexei Yurinova, the heir apparent to the dukedom, for a long time. However, this was the first time such a banquet had been held at Yurinova Castle since the session of the former Duke Alexander to the throne. At the funeral of his father, grandmother, and mother, Alexei was busy with the high nobility, and few people saw him, partly because he disliked socializing.

    He had matured into a dignified, handsome man who was more poised than he should have been at the age of eighteen. The ck formal attire of the Duke, worn over his tall, slender body, was proof that he reigned supreme over all the people gathered here. The cold expression on his face as he red down at the people below exudes a dignity that does not allow them to underestimate him as a young man.

    However, when he looked at his sister, his expressionless face changed to one of gentle ease.

    This change was surprising to those who knew Alexei well, and there were many stunned young men and blushing youngdies who looked at him.

    Ekaterina, on the other hand, was unknown to everyone. Most of them were seeing her for the first time.

    A daughter who had been confined for many years and knew nothing of the world. She had never made her debut in the social world, and had not even received a proper education. Many people imagined a girl who didn¡¯t even know how to act like a noblewoman based on this information.

    However, when Ekaterina appeared, she was wearing a dress more sophisticated than any of the noblewomen in the northern capital, and her appearance was full of elegance. Her slender dress was minimally revealing, but it also revealed a curvaceous, feminine figure, which was quite seductive. The dress¡¯s design was clearly inspired by the blue rose, the Duchess of Yurinova¡¯s symbol, as if to dere to everyone that she was a legitimate heiress to the Duchess of Yurinova, which had a 400-year history.

    Her beauty, which was far more mature and stout for a 15-year-old, was not only equal to that of her elder brother, Alexei, but also gave her an unapproachable air.

    This beautiful woman had just made her first social appearance. She did not belong to anyone yet. She was the princess of Yurinova, a woman of the highest honor and wealth.

    It was not surprising that young people of Ekaterina¡¯s age were excited to see her.

    Everyone erupted in apuse.

    It quickly grew into thunderous apuse from the entire hall to greet the siblings.

    ¨CNow, it had begun.

 Chapter 201

    Smiling at the people, Ekaterina noticed a group of people clustered near the grand staircase out of the corner of her eye. They did not join in the apuse, but instead cast hostile nces at the siblings.

    Count Novadine and his daughter Keira were among them.

    Miss Keira, today too, was in a firm, vertical roll.

    Oh, it looks like a willow.

    Ekaterina inadvertently smiled.

    Keira saw it as a smile of amusement and raised her eyebrows in anger, but Ekaterina¡¯s gaze had already shifted to the other side.

    Alexei¡¯s closest aide, Novak, Mine Chief Aaron, Forest Farmer Forli, and other familiar executives from the school¡¯s office were already waiting for Alexei and Ekaterina with smiles on their faces.

    Everyone was there. Above all, Big Brother will be standing next to them.

    We are not afraid of Vertical Roll and her father¡¯s henchmen.

    ***

    It was customary for the duke to stop at thending of the grand staircase to thank those gathered to celebrate his session to the throne.

    Naturally, Alexei also stopped to look around at the crowd gathered in the grand hall. His tall, slender figure appeared evenrger, and his neon blue gaze, which seemed to radiate its own light, made the people quiet down as if they were overwhelmed.

    Silence fell.

    ¡°First, I would like to thank you all for being here today.¡±

    A resonant, clear voice spreads through the hall.

    ¡°I, Alexei Yurinova, have seeded to the Dukedom of Yurinova. I may be young, but I am willing to risk my life and fight for the stability and development of this Yurinova territory.¡±

    For a moment, the light in his eyes became even stronger as he looked at some people in the audience.

    But they soon returned to a calm, cool-headed color.

    ¡°¡­I hope you will all work hard with me. And I will introduce you all to the one who will inherit Yurinova with me.¡±

    Alexei¡¯s expression changed as he turned his attention to the side of the room. Smiling gently, he took Ekaterina¡¯s hand.

    ¡°This is my sister, Ekaterina Yurinova. This will be her first time in front of everyone, as she has been resting with our mother for a long time.¡±

    Alexei raised Ekaterina¡¯s hand.

    Ekaterina smiled, and the hall cheered.

    ¡°This wise sister will now support me and help me rule Yurinova, and all who are associated with Yurinova will give Ekaterina the respect she deserves.¡±

    Alexei¡¯s words were greeted with a resounding ¡°At your will!¡± and the hall was once again filled with apuse.

    ¨Cas expected of Big Brother.

    It was concise, precise, and sophisticated.

    This reminded me of the entrance ceremony at the magic academy. At that time, he could make the whole school quiet with a single nce.

    At that time, I was on the side of the audience, but now while standing next to him and seeing everyone¡¯s reaction, I was reminded once again how amazing Big Brother was.

    He was unfazed by therge crowd in front of him, which wasrge enough to fill this spacious hall. On the contrary, everyone was more overwhelmed by Big Brother¡¯s spirit.

    When I stood in the same ce as Big Brother, I learned for the first time. Facing the crowd like this, I could somehow feel the emotions of the people.

    The smiles on many faces were not always so obvious, but when Big Brother spoke, a tingling tension crept up on me, and I could feel their expectations and desires welling up in my mind.

    Big Brother was born to be the heir to a duke.

    He was destined to stand in this ce eventually, and he has lived to be so.

    Little did I know how lonely it would be to stand here.

    Big Brother was no longer alone with my arrival. I think I realized how important it was for Big Brother to have someone by his side.

    Once again, I promised that I would not let go of Big Brother¡¯s hand.

 Chapter 202

    I still remember being a 30-year-oldpany employee in my previous life, and the feeling that I was doing something wrong in a ce like this hasn¡¯t disappeared yet.

    Big Brother was already a great ruler at such a young age, and I wondered how I could be of help to him.

    I intend to do my best to support Big Brother because I am a brocon!

    Ekaterina shook her brother¡¯s hand.

    Alexei smiled at his sister, squeezed her hand back and whispered.

    ¡°It¡¯s time to show the results of your practice, Ekaterina.¡±

    Kyah!

    I wanted to run away so badly, even though I had just sworn I would stand by his side.

    The two of us had to dance the first dance of this feast together in front of all of these people! Who made the rule that the highest-ranking person should dance first?

    Ekaterina smiled, not letting her feelings show.

    ¡°It is a pleasure to dance with Big Brother.¡±

    ***

    The round dance music yed by the best musicians in the northern capital flowed lightly, lifting the hearts of those who listened.

    In the center of the grand hall, the duke and his sister danced gracefully. The beauty of their movements was in harmony with their performance, as if the music was flowing out of them.

    The people, especially the young people, were gaping at the beautiful duo as they danced close together, exchanging nces and fluttering in circles.

    Alexei¡¯s tall figure, enhanced by his ck robe and white beauty, really stood out in the ballroom. The cool-headed man, who was also known as the ¡°Ice Rose,¡± was gently leading his sister with a faint smile, as if he had forgotten his usual expressionless face.

    Ekaterina danced gracefully, her plump lips never failing to show a joyful smile as she left herself to her brother¡¯s lead. Her slender gown did not restrict her movements, and the hem of her gown, which resembled the petals of a blue rose, swayed as she moved.

    Even though the dress was so modestly designed that her ankles peeked out only slightly when she moved, the young men in the audience couldn¡¯t stop their hearts from pounding faster with her alluring curves.

    The more discerning among the audience would have noticed ack of familiarity with Ekaterina¡¯s footwork, but they knew this was her first time dancing. But knowing that this was her first dance, they rather liked the inexperience.

    The Ice Rose and the Blue Rose, siblings.

    The banquet guests werepletely enchanted by Yurinova¡¯s two beautiful roses.

    ¨CI imagined that waltz and other social dances were a symbol of high society.

    ording to my memory from my previous life, in the Middle Ages and early modern times, this kind of dance in which a man and a woman were in close contact with each other was considered inappropriate and was supposed to have been banned, you see.

    It was said that nobles danced in formal asions, even in male-female pairs, but never embraced each other.

    The ssical piece ¡°Pavane for a departed princess¡± was a kind of dance loved by the aristocrats of that time. I heard that contact between a man and a woman was limited to holding hands at most.

    However, in the 19th century, the waltz became very popr in Vienna, and from there it spread rapidly, and this type of close contact became the image of high society.

    When I think about it, it was most definitely inappropriate. They wrap their arms around each other¡¯s bodies and get very close to each other.

    But it was said that in this world, or rather the Imperial Kingdom, dancing was the norm, with men and women embracing in pairs much earlier than in my previous life.

    Why, because students learned it at the Magic Academy!

 Chapter 203

    It supposedly had a long history, as Peter the Great and his family, the founders of the empire, traditionally danced such dances at festivals and other asions. But the meaning of incorporating it into the sses is to bring men and women of the same age into active contact with each other.

    After all, a magic academy was a venue for a blind date! Dancing was a game of kings, right?

    It was a trap of the state to keep and increase the poption of magicians in the kingdom by bringing together men and women with strong magical powers.

    But regardless of whether it was a trap of the state or not, it made me happy!

    In a glittering hall, all beautifully dressed up and dancing in the most sophisticated way, with a wonderful Big Brother who perfectly fits my taste.

    What a culmination of a maiden¡¯s dream! I wasn¡¯t the type to dream of things that would never happen in my previous life, but I was still ted.

    How happy I was! Thank God I was reincarnated!

    Big Brother seemed to be having a good time, which made me the happiest.

    I didn¡¯t know what kind of god was in charge in this polytheistic world, but anyway, thank you, God!

    Ekaterina was thinking about it in the back of her mind.

    She was dancing to the music so gracefully that it was hard to believe that she could dance like that.

    ¡°Excellent, Ekaterina!¡±

    Alexei whispered with a gentle smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Big Brother¡¯s extensive training.¡±

    Smiling, Ekaterina replied.

    It was not modesty, but a definite fact. Alexei had taken time out of his busy schedule to apany Ekaterina to practice almost every day since she had entered Yurinova Castle.

    It was during these practices that theymunicated with each other about what had happened that day and the day before, and it was during the practice session the day after the talk with Alexei that he told her about Laiza.

    A musician was also essential to the dance practice. It was possible to dance without music, but the Duke of Yurinova¡¯s House had its own musician who would y for the Duke and his sister at any time.

    The music allowed them to talk to each other without fear of being overheard.

    ¡­It was tough being the person in power, Ekaterina mused.

    Alexei, of course, learned to dance perfectly. Dancing was about a man leading a woman, and with Alexei¡¯s skillful guidance, even a novice dancer like Ekaterina could dance beautifully.

    However, it was her tireless efforts, intuition, and natural beauty that made Ekaterina¡¯s dancing so impressive.

    When she was a child, her mother Anastasia taught her the basics of dance as an extension of her ytime. It was also significant that her body remembered them. The dance steps that her mother showed her as a model were as beautiful as a butterfly, and the young Ekaterina tried to imitate them as hard as she could. Her mother praised her for being so pretty.

    When she told Alexei about this memory, he held Ekaterina in his arms for a few moments in silence.

    The grand dance came to an end.

    Finally, the siblings bowed to each other. There was no one else in the hall, no one else in this Yurinova territory, to whom they should bow.

    The people around them cheered and apuded again.

    As the duke and duchess exited the dance floor, several pairs of men and women walked out onto the floor, holding hands, and the musicians began to y a new piece of music.

    However, not everyone began to dance, and instead, arge crowd gathered around Alexei and Ekaterina.

    Some wanted to greet Duke Yurinova, some wanted to ask Ekaterina to dance, some wanted Alexei to dance, and some wanted to introduce one of the two to their sons or daughters. They were not alone in doing so.

    But they did not speak to them directly. They just stared at them with enthusiasm and made silent appeals to be approached.

    ¨CBasically, one should not approach a person of a higher status than oneself. One should wait for the other person to speak to them.

 Chapter 204

    ¨CBasically, one should not approach a person of a higher status than oneself. One should wait for the other person to speak to them.

    When I first learned of this etiquette, I was secretly thinking, ¡°Is this Versailles?¡± But now I understand it.

    I see¡­ it was necessary! If this group of people talked to me, all hell would break loose. I would feel in danger.

    It was just courtesy, not a rule, and if it was someone close to us, it would be fine, or it could vary from time to time.

    In this situation, if someone spoke to us without our permission, his reputation in the social world would be ruined at that moment.

    This etiquette was formed for a proper reason, not for showing off the high ranking of an aristocrat. In my previous life, I onceughed when I heard that there was an iron discipline in waiting to enter and leave a girls¡¯ revue, but sorry, it was really something important.

    The high nobility, on the other hand, would use this etiquette not for simple social ranking, but to establish a system that they desired.

    ¡°Novak!¡±

    Alexei called, and the people surrounding the Duke and his sister immediately reacted, clearing the way for Viscount Novak, a close aide to Duke Yurinova.

    Novak appeared, escorting his wife and bowed to Alexei.

    ¡°Once again, congrattions, Your Excellency.¡±

    ¡°Now that you mention it, I guess it¡¯s a littlete for that.¡±

    Alexei huffed. He was the closest person to him and had been by his side every day since he took over the title, so his words made perfect sense.

    And these words also revealed how close Novak was to Duke Yurinova, who was still rtively unknown because Alexei was a student at the Academy of Magic, but from now on, people would flock around Novak and ask him to be their intermediary to the Duke.

    The power structure of Yurinova was steadily being reshaped.

    When Alexandre was the duke, it was probably Count Novadine who was in this position. The man must have savored the vor that came from it to the fullest.

    Where and with what thoughts could he be looking at the people who flocked to the new power?

    He was hidden from view by the people around him, so we could not see him.

    He was certainly not a man who would back down.

    ***

    Despite the envy of those around them, Alexei and Ekaterina had a pleasant chat with the Novak family.

    Andrei, the viscounty¡¯s heir apparent, was a handsome, dark-haired man with strong eyes who looked much like his father did in his youth. He was currently in charge of most of the management of the Viscount¡¯s estate, and he would eventually join Alexei¡¯s entourage alongside his father.

    He possessed magical powers that met the criteria for admission to the magic academy, and spoke fondly of his memories of his time at the academy.

    And Novak¡¯s wife, the Viscountess, whose name was Adelina, did not meet Ekaterina for the first time. In fact, they had seen each other every day since they came to the dukedom.

    ¡°Young Lady, that dance you just did was brilliant.¡±

    Mrs. Adelina said to Ekaterina with a warm smile.

    ¡°It was all thanks to your guidance, madam. Thank you.¡±

    Yes, Adelina was Ekaterina¡¯s dance teacher at the Duke¡¯s estate.

    In contrast to the strong, austere Novak, she had a soft smile. She had pale wisteria hair and wisteria eyes, and although she was not the most beautiful woman, she had an air of attractiveness about her. She said that she had been good at dancing since she was young, and that she first met Novak, who was called Young Master Liss Kurtz, as a young child. When she danced with him at a ball at the suggestion of her grandfather, Sergei, she liked the way he led the dance.

    ording to an old story Adelina told between lessons, at that time, she was criticized by others as a foolish girl who was only attracted to a beautiful man¡¯s face.

    The reason was because Boris Novak had almost no magic power.

 Chapter 205

    Boris Novak was the illegitimate son of an aristocrat, amoner by birth, and had no financial resources. Nheless, he had many outstanding qualities, including a clear mind, extensive knowledge despite his self-education, and a decent talent in martial arts.

    In fact, Novak was able to make a living through his own efforts precisely because hecked magical power, and he devoted himself to his studies and martial arts even in his impoverished lifestyle.

    He grew up in the imperial capital, and to him, nobles who value magic power that has no use in times of peace seem nothing but foolish, and it seems that he refused to have anything to do with them. Therefore, Novak himself did not take Adelina¡¯s interest in him seriously at first.

    Even so, Adelina, who locked onto Novak and pursued him, may be a hunter innately, despite her appearance.

    Adelina would have had to give up if it hadn¡¯t been for Grandfather Sergei¡¯s fondness for Novak and his celebrity matchmaking hobby. Adelina said she remained deeply grateful to their grandfather, even now.

    And now, Novak was one of the Duke of Yurinova¡¯s closest aides, bringing honor to the Viscount Novak family.

    ¡°Thank you for looking after my sister, Mrs. Novak.¡±

    Alexei¡¯s tone was polite because he knew that Novak was busy with his duties as a close aide, leaving Mrs. Novak to handle the Viscount¡¯s family affairs.

    ¡°It is a waste of words. It is the duty of a branch family to support the main family, and I am only d that my husband is of use to you.¡±

    It was the role of the branch family to support the main family, so Adelina sent her husband away, telling him not to worry about the family. She was the epitome of a good wife and a wise mother who raised a son and a daughter while running their own domain.

    Her youthful hunter¡¯s temperament was nowhere to be seen, but in fact, it may have been because of that temperament that she was able to do things well.

    Mrs. Novak was the daughter of the family, and Novak was the son-inw. Despite that, she never made her husband feel that his position was weak, and she taught her children that their father was doing an honorable job and raised them to respect him, which was a great aplishment.

    As a result, Novak now seems to be head over heels in love with his wife. This was not because of his son-inw¡¯s reservation, but because he was grateful to his wife and felt guilty for putting her through so much hard work. Moreover, even Alexei expressed consideration for his wife. In a way, it could be said that this was the most sensible way for a woman to live.

    What could I say¡­ she was a woman of passion, wasn¡¯t she? I would have nothing but respect for her, thinking that it must be the result of her daily perseverance and hard work.

    In my previous life, it would have been impossible for me to live the life of a woman like her. Maybe someday in this life, I¡¯ll be able to learn from them.

    After all, in this world, I was of the right age. I may end up being married to someone else as soon as I graduate from the school¡­.

    Where I would go would be decided by Big Brother. As long as I don¡¯t end up in the Imperial Family, I will just have to do what I¡¯m told, no matter where I am.

    I wouldn¡¯t want to go anywhere if I could. I wish I could always be by Big Brother¡¯s side.

    Following Mr. and Mrs. Novak, other members of the entourage arrived

    to greet us.

    Among them, the young mine manager, Aaron Kyle, had a schrly appearance and a sad expression on his face.

    ¡°Your Excellency, Young Lady, I apologize for myck of ability¡­.¡±

 Chapter 206

    ¡°Your Excellency, Young Lady, I apologize for myck of ability¡­.¡±

    Alexei and Ekaterina looked crestfallen as Aaron suddenly bowed.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Aaron?¡±

    Alexei asked, and Aaron turned his head away.

    ¡°Professor Isaac¡­ your great-uncle, he won¡¯t be able to see you.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±

    You still admire Great-Uncle Isaac a little too much, don¡¯t you, Aaron-san?

    He was recruited by Grandfather Sergei as an assistant to Great-Uncle Isaac, a mineralogist whom he had met as a student, even though he was just a beginner. After some time passed, he became a mineral enthusiast.

    ¡°The Professor is a person who never takes offense. He also cares about His Excellency and was really looking forward to meeting the Young Lady. He simply cannot think of anything else to do when there is something of academic interest to him. It¡¯s never¨C¡°

    ¡°Aaron, don¡¯t worry about it. I know what kind of man Great-Uncle is.¡±

    Alexei smiled as Aaron struggled to follow through, and Ekaterina did her best to suppress a giggle.

    Aaron¡¯s impatience was understandable because Great-Uncle Isaac was supposed to be waiting at Yurinova Castle for Alexei and Ekaterina to return to the Duke¡¯s estate. However, when they entered the castle, they found that Great-Uncle Isaac was not only absent but also missing.

    In a fit of desperation, Aaron looked around for him and found that he was holed up in a mine in the territory, and he sent a messenger to ask him to go home. But he was apparently ignored.

    ¡°Great-Uncle Isaac is a true schr, isn¡¯t he? He discovers the world¡¯s mysteries, so it¡¯s no surprise that he¡¯s uninterested in something as small as the banquet schedule. Indeed, it would be a great pleasure for humanity if Great-Uncle¡¯s research was further expanded.¡±

    I heard from Laiza-san that he was not the type to worry about everyday things. It was a pity, though, because I was looking forward to meeting my Great-Uncle.

    Come to think of it, in my previous life, I wanted to go to a lecture by a professor who won the Nobel Prize for iPS cell research. Well, I wasn¡¯t so much interested in the lecture¡¯s content as I was in seeing and hearing the words of a remarkable individual who had created an amazing invention that had the potential to change the world. But I was still working that day, so I couldn¡¯t go¡­

    In this life, I had rtives who were wonderful enough to change the world. It was very extravagant that I could meet him as many times as I wanted.

    ¡°Thank you, Young Lady, you really know your stuff.¡±

    Relieved, Aaron smiled.

    ¡°Professor¡¯s habit is saying [I don¡¯t know anything]. He has the best brain, but he¡¯s really humble and innocent like a child.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    A bit like a quote from Newton, a great man in my previous life. ¡°I was like a child ying on the beach picking up pebbles, untouched by the truth that stretches out like the ocean¡±¡­. I believe he said something nuanced like that. Come to think of it, both of them had the same name, Isaac.

    But I heard that Newton had a rather nasty personality.

    ¡°Young Lady and Professor will surely get along well with each other. I hope you will meet him soon.¡±

    ¡°I would like to meet him too. If Great Uncle is not back yet, I would like to visit him myself.¡±

    ¡°Oh! If you do that, I will apany you to the mine.¡±

    Aaron looked happy, but when his eyes met Alexei¡¯s, he became frightened and his presence became small.

    ***

    Alexei and Ekaterina were the highest ranking people in their domain, but the order in which they greeted their guests at the official banquet to celebrate their session to the title had to follow a certain hierarchical order, such as close associates and the most important people in the domain.

    The people around the couple waiting to be greeted knew who was next in line and would quickly make way for them. Some of them were probably standing here to get a sense of the power structure in Alexei¡¯s reign.

 Chapter 207

    The people surrounding the area were rushing to get out of the way.

    ¡°Stand back, this is no ce for a man like you!¡±

    A high-pitched female voice rang out, and Ekaterina involuntarily turned her head to look in that direction.

    She didn¡¯t know the woman who was yelling. But her bright green hair, on the other hand, looks somewhat familiar. Or rather, her hair was pulled up in an upward bun, hanging in a vertical roll at the back¡­.

    ¡°If Alexandra-sama were here, she would whip you and throw you out. I, who served Alexandra-sama closest as her handmaiden, will not allow any undesirables toe in or out and degrade the dignity of Yurinova Castle!¡±

    Wow.

    So, she was the old hag¡¯s chambermaid. And she was apparently the mother of the little brat, or in other words, the wife of Countess Novadine.

    I wonder if all the Old Hag¡¯s attendants were like this¡­. What a disgusting ce to be¡­. Or maybe it ended that way because the master was like that in the first ce.

    Ekaterina was dismayed, but Alexei put his hand on her slender shoulder, as if to protect her, and quietly called out toward themotion.

    ¡°Come, Forli!¡±

    Balthazar Forli, a forester in Alexei¡¯s entourage, stepped forward, silencing the rowdy countess.

    He looked far too different from the upper ss gathered here, with his tanned skin and stout, rough hands, a far cry from the upper ss¡¯s white faces and beautiful white hands. His face, with its deep wrinkles, radiated dignity. Even at his advanced age, he still had a straight back and a dignified appearance, like an ancient samurai.

    And then there was the talldy who ced her hand on top of his.

    Like Forli, she was old, but her dignified appearance reminded me of her beauty in her youth. Her skin was almost as tanned and brown as her husband¡¯s, and her slender body was toned and strong. Her long white hair was unkempt and only tied up with an ornament, and her entric costume was very colorful and exotic, more like a kaftan dress from Moro than a loose-fitting empire-style dress.

    This woman was Forli-san¡¯s wife. The head of the forest people!

    The forest people were a minority group living in the forests of the Duke¡¯s territory. They have no permanent residence but move about in the forest, and do not interact much with other people. They were the subject of various legends.

    Because of this, they were sometimes feared and discriminated against. Forli, who was the third son of a venerable marquis, was apparently disowned by his family because of marrying her.

    ¡­So, Mrs. Vertical Roll was making a lot of noise. Because she was outside the imperial status order.

    ¡°Young¡­no, Your Excellency, Your Lady, I congratte you.¡±

    Forli bowed with his wife, and Alexei smiled.

    ¡°Calling me young lord will suffice; after all, you are grandfather¡¯s best friend. I will allow you to address me as such.¡±

    ¡°I will be addressing you as ¡®Your Excellency¡¯ this evening. And since you seem to have grown more dependable ofte, perhaps I should no longer call you young lord.¡±

    Forli¡¯s words were unexpected, and Alexei¡¯s neon blue eyes widened. He calmly stated.

    ¡°I thought it was inevitable in the past for Old Forli to call me that way, but now that you say you won¡¯t be calling that way anymore, I feel kind of sad. It¡¯s a funny thing.¡±

    Forli¡¯s wrinkled face rxed.

    ¡°Well, you have plenty of time. The tension that had been building up has eased, and you have grown stronger.¡±

    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know about that. If you look at it that way, it must be thanks to the blessing of the goddess.¡±

    With that, Alexei looked at his sister beside him and smiled.

    Ekaterina returned her brother¡¯s smile, though her eyes widened.

    Inwardly, I was sorry for making him perform as a siscon to his vassals in the territory, but I was afraid that Forli-san had interpreted Big Brother¡¯s being a siscon as something wonderful.

    But I¡¯m d the tensions have eased and people have felt relieved. I was wondering if I could be of help to Big Brother in any way. I¡¯d be happy if I could put him at ease.

 Chapter 208

    ¡°Young Lady, may I introduce my wife, Aurora.¡±

    Ekaterina¡¯s face lit up at Forli¡¯s words. Wow, I had been wanting to talk to her!

    ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you.¡±

    But just as Ekaterina was about to say this, a voice called out to her.

    ¡°Please wait!¡±

    It was Mrs. Vertical Roll who came out of the crowd.

    ¨CWho told you to make the ¡°wait a minute¡± call? Who the heck do you think you are, Mrs. Red Whale?

    Ekaterina¡¯s mind returned to her old-fashioned way of thinking of a woman who had lived for around 30 years.

    Mrs. Vertical Roll, unaware of Ekaterina¡¯s inner thoughts, gave Alexei a magnificent kneeling bow, as expected.

    ¡°Your Excellency, as a member of the first branch of the Novadine family, I will risk my life to admonish you!¡±

    ¡°Please do not defile the Dukes of Yurinova¡¯s four hundred years of history. She is a barbarian who does not know how to live in a decent house and spends her days crawling through the mountains. She is an ouw who does not respect the imperial order!¡±

    She continued.

    ¡°Many of our venerable subjects are gathered here. You should not leave them all behind to exchange words with such a lowly person! Even if I am scolded, it is my duty to protect my lord¡¯s honor, as Alexandra-sama has personally taught me the pride of nobility. Please listen to me!¡±

    Countess Novadine bowed her head deeply with a seemingly tragic atmosphere.

    Ekaterina nced up at Alexei, whose eyes were frozen like ciers as he stared at the woman.

    Hey, Mrs. Vertical Roll. Big Brother, who didn¡¯t like socializing, was having a nice conversation with Forli-San just a few minutes ago. You ruined it!

    What you say may be the logic of this world. There must be a certain number of upper-ss people here who may even agree with you in their hearts. In episodes of the history of the past, this kind of thinking was often prevalent.

    However, when you talk about order and then storm into this ce while Big Brother was talking to someone, it was you who was being too rude, ording to the logic of this world. Why did you all think that you were allowed to do whatever you wanted?

    So, Ekaterina gently tugged on her brother¡¯s sleeve and whispered. She tried to keep her voice loud enough to be heard.

    ¡°Big Brother¡­she said she was Grandmother¡¯s maid, but I wonder if Grandmother would allow a servant to behave in such a rude manner.¡±

    Alexei¡¯s lips curled into a smile.

    ¡°There would be no such thing as forgiveness for doing something so rude. Everyone here knows that she was like that.¡±

    Around us, there was a nod of agreement that spread like ripples.

    ¡°Of course there won¡¯t be, right? I have observed it from Grandmother myself. I am so ashamed of you, and I am so distressed that you call yourself the head of a branch of the family and yet, you are like this.¡±

    Alexei¡¯s face flushed as Ekaterina held up her ample bosom, which was adorned with an opulent sapphire ne.

    The boys who had been staring at Ekaterina¡¯s bosom had focused their gazes on it, and then looked away in a panic.

    ¡°Ekaterina, you poor thing¡­. What a treacherous person to make you suffer. Now, with my own hands, let me cut them down and throw them away.¡±

    ¡­uh, Big Brother, you are joking, aren¡¯t you?

    No, it¡¯s not a joke! His neon blue eyes, which always seemed to shine with their own light, glowed even more brightly, and he was as powerful as the devil king himself!

    ¡°You, Your Excellency¡­¡±

    Countess Novadine¡¯s face was pale, even though she had just said she was willing to risk her life.

    Ekaterina touched her brother¡¯s shoulder and shook her head.

    ¡°Big Brother, please do not do this. I would never allow you to defile your de for me.¡±

 Chapter 209

    I was protecting Big Brother¡¯s beloved sword rather than Mrs. Vertical Roll¡¯s life. Because this family seemed to have a life force as strong as that of the Yes Trio. If you cut them down, they might split and multiply.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that we have been so rude to our guests.¡±

    ¡°I see. I see. You have a strong sense of responsibility, but it¡¯s not your fault. You shouldn¡¯t be so worried about it.¡±

    Putting his arm around his sister¡¯s body, Alexei gently soothes her.

    ¡­Yes, I caught a glimpse of Forli-san and his wife¡¯s faces, and no matter how I looked at them, they were holding back theirughter. Sorry, I was really sorry that your best friend¡¯s grandchild is like this.

    ¡°Aurora, the Lady of the Forest. I apologize for that person¡¯s rudeness, as well as my own.¡±

    Turning to Forli and his wife Aurora, Alexei changed his tone.

    The Countess Novadine¡¯s eyes widened at the mention of the word ¡°Lady¡±.

    ¡°My knights have often been weed and even assisted by your n when clearing the forest of monsters and beasts. Grandfather Sergei has always been grateful and called you the Lady of the Forest. He smiled fondly whenever he spoke of you.¡±

    Aurora smiled graciously and gave a nobleugh.

    ¡°I wonder what stories he told you.¡±

    Her voice was slightly faint and dignified for a woman. As the head of a family, she exudes dignity.

    Alexei smiled back.

    ¡°Let me tell you a story about our House¡¯s rtionship with your n. Three hundred years ago, the fifth Duke Vassily, told us that he had granted your family a permit to pass through any part of his territory because Giovanni Dee Santi, an inventor whom he valued, asked for guidance when he investigated the ruins of the Astra Empire, and the permit is still in your n¡¯s possession today. ¡°

    He continued.

    ¡°He said that the letter of authorization was to be handed down to your n. We still have ess to the various facilities built by the empire thanks to Dee Santi¡¯s work restoring the site, but it was also only possible because of your n, who assisted him, ording to what I was told.¡±

    Ekaterina gaped.

    Big Brother, was that for real! No, of course it was serious.

    And they were written with the documents, obliterating what Mrs. Vertical Roll had previously said about Aurora-san, about them being barbarians and ouws.

    In Rome, prehistoric Italy, sewage systems from the Roman Empire were still in use in the twenty-first century, and naturally, the water and sewage systems of the Astra Empire are still in use here and there.

    However, many of these facilities were constructed 1,000 years ago, and during the several hundred years of warfare that followed the fall of the Astra Empire, the technology to construct such facilities, or even to repair them, was lost, so many of them were damaged and decayed.

    It was the inventor, Dee Santi, who uncovered the structure of the water and sewage systems and re-established the techniques of repair and construction when he was still a young man in his nativend, and Vassily the Fifth, hearing of his fame, invited him to the Yurinova territory.

    So, it was quite natural that Dee Santi also investigated the ruins of the Astra Empire in the Yurinova territory.

    ¡°Yes, I have never heard of such a thing! Why would the wise Lord Vassily have anything to do with such people!¡±

    Countess Novadine wailed, but froze at Alexei¡¯s icy stare.

    In addition, the people who surrounded the duke¡¯s siblings began to casually distance themselves from her. A physical separation.

    ¡°It is a nostalgic thing. Lord Sergei also added an apanying note to Lord Vassily¡¯s letter of recognition.¡±

    Aurora¡¯s casual remark firmly puts the Countess in her ce.

    No, I actually do understand the Countess¡¯s point.

 Chapter 210

    I wondered why he asked the people of the forest to guide Dee Santi to the ruins. Normally, they would have asked apany of knights or a government official.

    Of course, the forest people would be more knowledgeable about the ruins hidden in the forest, which few people are aware of. The duke¡¯s territory was inhabited by many magical beasts, and he would not have sent his precious inventor to such a dangerous ce.

    What kind of connection did they have to begin with?

    But since Big Brother mentioned this, there was no doubt that the people of the forest were like direct subordinates of Lord Vassily.

    That¡¯s kind of cool! A shadowy army or a ninja vige? I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be turned into dramas, movies, and video games in the future!

    And then a figure appeared out of nowhere beside Countess Novadine.

    ¡°My Lord!¡±

    It was Laiza, the Housekeeper, who called out in a clerical tone of voice.

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be feeling well. Please rest in the other room. I¡¯m sure the other guests will be concerned.¡±

    A wonderfully thick oblique way of saying, ¡°You¡¯re bothering the others, so go away!¡± as expected of a professional.

    ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡±

    The flinch may have been because of what she knew about Laiza. She was rumored to be the sister of the previous Duke Sergei, although in actuality, she was not his sister. In other words, she was like the current Duke Alexei¡¯s great aunt. That¡¯s what everyone close to the Duke¡¯s family assumed.

    ¡°Please.¡±

    Laiza¡¯s tone was quiet. But behind her, there were three figures exerting silent pressure on her. Two of them were dressed in knight¡¯s vestments, and the other in ordinary attire, but all three of them were very intimidating.

    They were Laiza¡¯s husband and twin sons.

    Laiza, once aundress of the castle, had been adopted and raised by the family that was suggested by Grandfather Sergei, who was a knight for many generations. Of course, he was still a knight, and now he was the vicemander of Yurinova¡¯s Order of Knights, seeding Knight Commander Efrem Rozen.

    His twin sons took different paths, bing a knight and a civil servant, but both were excellent martial artists with magnificent physiques. They have made a name for themselves in their respective fields.

    The pressure from these three men, all three of them, was heavy. Very heavy pressure indeed.

    Without a word, Countess Novadine went to another room as she was told.

    The dance music was still ying in the great hall of Yurinova Castle, though.

    As Ekaterina walked away, the full chorus of the song yed in her brain.

    ***

    ¡°Ekaterina, aren¡¯t you tired? You need to get some rest.¡±

    ¡°No, Big Brother, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    To tell you the truth, I was a little tired.

    I wondered how many people I had greeted in one day. The total number of people who attended the feast must have exceeded 2,000¡­. I didn¡¯t want to think about it because it would make me feel faint.

    I could not talk to all of them. Even so, I kept greeting everyone.

    But I¡¯d learned by now that if I left Big Brother¡¯s side, I¡¯d be even more exhausted.

    Big Brother had always been concerned about me and strongly advised me to sit down and take a rest as soon as I finished receiving greetings from the most important members of the Duke¡¯s territory.

    When I left Big Brother, I was surrounded! By men!

    And they asked me to dance. From all directions.

    I felt that it was only natural since I was the host¡¯s family, or rather, the Lord¡¯s sister. A courtesy visit was a must. So there must be an unwritten rule that one should not make the lord¡¯s sister a wallflower.

 Chapter 211

    I was so new to this that I was desperate enough to turn them down. Maybe I should just ept the offer and dance, but it would be too obvious that I wasn¡¯t good at dancing. I also wondered how I should choose my partner¡­I guess I should follow the pecking order, but it was difficult to judge who had the highest rank among them when they came so close to me.

    Anyway, I just smiled and yed along, and soon Big Brother came to the rescue. Thank you very much. That was what siscon was all about.

    I was so surrounded by men that I couldn¡¯t see the surroundings, but when Big Brother came to my rescue, the center of the room was broken with a snap. When Big Brother appeared from behind, all the men fled to the left and right like something was shooting out of Big Brother like a shimmering me.

    But when his eyes met mine, he smiled kindly and led me out of the encirclement.

    My Big Brother was the most wonderful person in the world.

    And what was impressive about Big Brother was that he knew almost everyone who had gathered for the feast.

    Whenever someone came to say hello, Big Brother would always ask them about their territory, business, family, or ancestors. He had known them since childhood, unlike me, and I am sure that he had done his homework for this day, but there were at least 2,000 people. So it was still amazing that he had everything memorized.

    That was why the men were so scared. They knew exactly who he was and where he was from.

    But even Big Brother had his blind spots. I figured it out.

    ¡°Big Brother, aren¡¯t you tired? The duties of the head of the family are important, but you should take some time off. Why don¡¯t you go dancing with one of thedies?¡±

    I tried to be as euphemistic as possible.

    Big Brother¡­you are dull! He only favored me!

    I thought he might actually be popr at the magic academy. I once thought that, in the Duke¡¯s domain, that was already the object of admiration, no matter how you look at it. There were many cases where the daughters looked at Big Brother desperately and wanted to ask him for a dance, but when they didn¡¯t get any response, they ended up crying halfheartedly.

    I was a brocon, but my motto was ¡°Never bully his wife,¡± and I promised myself that I would never interfere with Big Brother¡¯s love life! So, I suggested that Big Brother should not hesitate to give a little more attention to thedies. I felt sorry for them.

    Even now, when I looked around for a moment, the daughters would look away from me in a hurry. Whenever Big Brother smiled and talked to me, I thought I heard a stifled scream from them.

    What was that? This was simr to the atmosphere at the magic academy when we were looking at the exam rankings.

    Alexei giggled.

    ¡°I am not tired, not in the least. On the contrary, I¡¯ve never enjoyed a banquet so much.¡±

    Taking Ekaterina¡¯s hand, he gently wrapped his hands around both of hers, which were much smaller and more elegant than his own.

    ¡°Everyone is admiring and marveling at your beauty. So beautiful you are, standing by my side, tenderly caring for me¡­ howfortable and happy this makes me. My dear Ekaterina, no matter where I am or what I am doing, every moment that you are by my side is just a joy for me.¡±

    ¡°Oh my, Big Brother!¡±

    Yes, that¡¯s right, as a siscon and brocon, we should be intimate and together!

    I was wondering if I could have Big Brother dance with the other youngdies¡­ Sorry for being such a brocon sister.

    ¡­though I wish I could stay like this forever, that would not be the case.

 Chapter 212

    I was wondering if I could have Big Brother dance with the other youngdies¡­ Sorry for being such a brocon sister.

    ¡­though I wish I could stay like this forever, that would not be the case.

    In the first ce, Big Brother should not be looking for a marriage partner in our territory. He should be looking for one at the magic academy. So, dancing would only make the other party feel deceived.

    Big Brother must have understood that.

    ¡°The fireworks will be set off in a few minutes. It is entertainment for the feast, but it is also a signal that the party has reached the halfway point. After that, some of the guests will begin to leave. When that happens, you are also free to leave at any time.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Big Brother, for your consideration.¡±

    At an event of this magnitude, guests may not all arrive at once on time and leave at once at the same time. If all the guests came and left at the same time, the carriage traffic would be very congested. Therefore, by unspoken agreement, some peoplee early, someete, and some leave at different times.

    Around the middle of the party, the number of participants reached its maximum.

    Then fireworks would beunched, everyone would enjoy themselves, and those who arrived early or were elderly and wanted to leave early would leave. Such was the arrangement. It wasn¡¯t much of an arrangement but a necessity.

    At this hour, people were still waiting for their turn to greet the guests, and conversations were exchanged in between receiving greetings. I had, however, already met the leading figures.

    ¡°I want to stay with Big Brother for a while, if you will allow me to do so. It will be a pleasure for me to be with Big Brother.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you to say. But you mustn¡¯t overdo it.¡±

    Alexei said gently, but when he looked at the next person who stepped forward to greet him, a cold glint appeared in his neon blue eyes.

    ¡°Your Excellency, I apologize for myte arrival.¡±

    ¡°Novadine, huh?¡±

    Novadine, escorting his daughter Keira, bows, seemingly oblivious to Alexei¡¯s cold voice.

    Today, both father and daughter were dressed in luxurious attire. Keira, in particr, appeared over-decorated, wearing an array of jewelry, and seemed to re momentarily at the magnificent heirloom ne that sparkled on Ekaterina¡¯s chest.

    ¡°I regret that my foolish wife may have been rude to you earlier.¡±

    Novadine, bowing once more, quickly looked up, beaming.

    ¡°But to be honest, I am also relieved to hear what you said. I understand that you also believe that we should follow the legacy of our predecessors.¡±

    Ekaterina¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. What was this guy trying to say?

    As if to answer Ekaterina¡¯s question, Novadine reached into the inside pocket of his jacket.

    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, look at this!¡±

    He said loudly while holding up a sealed envelope. It was made of expensive-looking paper, and looked important.

    ¡°I am pleased to announce to all of you gathered here on this auspicious day, the betrothal of His Excellency Alexei, Duke of Yurinova, to my daughter Keira!¡±

    The sudden deration caused a great stir in the hall. Not to be outdone, Novadine¡¯s voice was also quite loud.

    ¡°The former Duke Alexandre loved Keira so much that he arranged her betrothal to his son before his death. This was the document that confirmed Keira as your fiance, and it was signed and sealed by both Prince Alexandre and Alexandra-sama. It is a wonderful match, blessed by Alexandra-sama, the Princess of Yurinova! Please bless all of us!¡±

    In the midst of the ever-expanding crowd, Keira walked up to Alexei quickly with a radiant smile on her face.

    But Alexei did not look at Keira, but gently hugged her sister¡¯s shoulder.

 Chapter 213

    Unconsciously, Ekaterina clutched her brother¡¯s sleeve.

    This was it! The root of Novadine¡¯s leeway!

    I had thought that he might be trying to make Miss Keira a duchess. I had also thought that she was behaving strangely.

    This is the reason: He already had the trump card to make Miss Keira a duchess from my father and the olddy without having to make her flirt with Big Brother. That exins why she greeted Big Brother at Yurinova Castle with such arrogance.

    But still, what is this?

    It was just like a crime scene in a game.

    No way, no way, no way, the game didn¡¯t go ording to the scenario? Did the doom g just strike here?

    ¡°Ekaterina, are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Big Brother.¡±

    Ekaterina came to her senses when she saw the worried look on his face.

    I need to be strong. Something is not right here.

    ¡°Alexei-sama!¡±

    Keira shouted impatiently.

    Alexei turned his gaze on her, a gaze that was different from the one he directed at his sister. Keira¡¯s face lit up, as if she didn¡¯t even notice the coldness of his gaze and was simply delighted that their eyes had met.

    ¡°Alexei-sama.¡±

    She took a kneeling bow, which was probably inherited from her mother, but was still a fine kneeling bow. Keira then smiled and extended her hand to Alexei.

    ¡°I am so happy to finally be able to stand next to you! I will never leave you alone again. I will always be with you! Both my father and mother want to support you, Alexei. Even though they are inws, they are still your parents. You don¡¯t have to be so serious about the territory anymore. My father will handle everything, and you will be able to live your life as freely as your father, Lord Alexandre. I have always dreamed of the day I would set you free!¡±

    ¡­In her brother¡¯s arms, Ekaterina couldn¡¯t help but raise an eyebrow.

    Um, Vertical Roll-chan.

    You¡¯ve reallye to believe that, haven¡¯t you? If you marry Big Brother and old man Novadine takes over Yurinova, Big Brother will be happy.

    Wow, amazing.

    But¡­ Come to think of it, that was not surprising. She was still a child. From a child¡¯s point of view, his father, who led a morous, carefree life devoid of responsibility or duty, must have seemed a blessed man.

    I would not say that Big Brother, who had been burdened with responsibilities since he was a child, was a happy man. But beyond Big Brother¡¯s duties, the happiness and unhappiness of many people¡¯s lives in his domain were at stake. How could he be happy if he abandoned them?

    Vertical Roll, you would never understand it, and you would probablyugh at me if I tried to exin the responsibilities to you. I remembered that being fifteen was usually like that in my previous life.

    Oh, but this girl was worse than a fifteen-year-old in my previous life. She was a girl who looked down on themoners, using her aristocratic status as a cover.

    The local viiness. When a viiness tried something shy like this, she would get herself into trouble.

    Because ¨C Big Brother, he seemed very calm.

    Alexei stroked his sister¡¯s hair and smiled reassuringly.

    ¡°Ekaterina, will you wait for a moment?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Big Brother.¡±

    As Ekaterina let go of his sleeve, Alexei looked up and focused on Novadine. A piercing, neon-blue gaze.

    Passing by Keira¡¯s offered hand and Keira herself inplete silence, Alexei looked down squarely at Novadine.

    ¡°Letter, please.¡±

    ¡°Ha¡­¡±

    Novadine flinched but then handed over the letter, and Alexei quickly examined its contents.

    He nodded with a cold expression.

    Then he looked around the hall and called out.

    ¡°Danielle, is Danielle Regal here?¡±

    There was a slight pause, and then the answer came back.

    ¡°Yes, my lord, Danielle Regal, at your service.¡±

 Chapter 214

    The people in the hall quickly made way for him. Emerging from what looks like a floral pathway is the legal advisor to the Duchess of Yurinova. He was a young man with silver-rimmed sses and an intelligent appearance. His hair was grey and in, but his eyes were a bright jade green behind the sses. Although he was just under 30 years old, far too young to be awyer, there seemed to be a sharp light in his jade-colored eyes.

    And there was a sly smile on his mouth, as if he was enjoying this bizarre situation.

    ¡°Check the contents and exin it to them.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Danielle quickly read the contents of the letter he had received from Alexei.

    Then, smiling, he said in a cheerful, resonant voice.

    ¡°Under Imperialw, this letter does not validate your engagement. From a legal standpoint, this letter has no particr meaning.¡±

    The people in the hall groaned again.

    ¡°Shush, that¡¯s rude!¡±

    Novadine turned red.

    ¡°Meaningless? Don¡¯t be ridiculous! It was written by the former Duke Alexandre. It has his seal!¡±

    ¡°Yes, it does.¡±

    Danielle pushed up his sses and smiled.

    ¡°As you said, the handwriting appears to be that of Lord Alexandre. The seal stamped here, however, is Lord Alexandre¡¯s personal seal, not the seal of the Duke of Yurinova, as is the seal of Alexandra-sama.¡±

    Danielle continued.

    ¡°The marriage of a leading noble is a contract between houses. Therefore, it is stipted in the Imperial Marriage Law that a letter of engagement or marriage must bear the seals of both families and the signatures of the heads of both families. The signatures of the former duke and his mother do not satisfy the requirements.¡±

    Thewyer exined, holding up the letter to Novadine and pointing to the handwriting, seal, and each of its parts. The people in the hall were impressed by every word spoken in full view of the public.

    As one would expect from awyer who was ustomed to courtroom arguments. His crisp, forceful tone was very persuasive.

    ¡°Shut up! Whatever thew may be, Lord Alexandre has written in this letter that Keira is to be betrothed to his son Alexei. Do you think you are allowed to disrespect your father¡¯s wishes!¡±

    Novadine¡¯s words fill the hall with a bewildered murmur.

    Danielle nodded with a sincere expression.

    ¡°It is allowed. It would be disrespectful to the Emperor to assume that this letter confirms His Excellency Alexei¡¯s engagement.¡±

    The crowd gasped.

    ¡°This is because the engagement and marriage of the heads and heirs of the three great dukes must be approved by His Majesty the Emperor. This has also been thew since the founding of the country.¡±

    Danielle then exined.

    ¡°If the engagement of His Excellency Alexei were to be consummated at the sole discretion of Prince Alexandre, it would be considered a disregard of the authority of the Emperor. In the past, dukes who attempted to marry without the Emperor¡¯s approval were severely reprimanded and even suspended.¡±

    He continued.

    ¡°Thest one was around two hundred years ago, so it¡¯s not surprising that you don¡¯t know about it-but, well, there are many of you who do know. As a result, unless the Imperial Seal of His Majesty¡¯s Name is presen here, we cannot say that His Excellency Alexei¡¯s engagement is valid. It would be impossible to say so.¡±

    Novadine¡¯s voice was hoarse with a scowl.

    ¡°A¡­Alexandra-sama is an imperial princess. She has the seal of Alexandra-sama, so of course the Emperor would approve of this marriage!¡±

    ¡°No, since she has married into the ducal family, Alexandra-sama¡¯s status is that of a duchess. She is not a member of the imperial family, but a vassal, ording to thews of the empire.¡±

    ¡°Shut up! If you respect Lord Vassily¡¯s charter, then the wishes of your father, Lord Alexandre, should be respected even more!¡±

    ¡°Is that really what he would have desired?¡±

    Danielle¡¯s tone was quiet¡­and yet, disturbing.

 Chapter 215

    ¡°Wha, what did you say? What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Lord Alexandre, and Alexandra-sama, of course, knew. If they truly wanted to marry His Excellency Alexei and Miss Keira, they would have gone through all the formalities. It would have been sanctioned by the Emperor. And yet you only have this letter.¡±

    Novadine was at a loss for words when he was questioned about his letter.

    ¡°I suppose that Lord Alexandre prepared this letter, knowing it to be inadequate, and Alexandra-sama signed and sealed it. That means that neither of them really wanted this to happen.¡±

    Danielle continued.

    ¡°As a matter of fact, Lord Alexandre did this often. If someone asked him to do something difficult, he would give them this letter and smile, saying that he had granted their wish because he didn¡¯t want to let people down. Oh, and Count Novadine, since you¡¯ve been friends for so long, you must have known Prince Alexandre was this kind of man, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°No¡­don¡¯t lump me together with those hopeless people. I am special! I am his best friend!¡±

    Sweat was beading on Novadine¡¯s forehead as he said this.

    This man knew Alexandre¡¯s [kindness] well. He may have even sneered at those who wished to benefit from his kindness. Feeling superior to others, thinking that he was the only one who was different. If this was brought up, the validity of this letter would be further denied

    ¡°It seems that Lord Alexandre was a very charming man. He made many people feel like they were special to him.¡±

    Danielle nods with admiration. The words were a direct way of saying that he was not special.

    Perhaps none of the people who thought they were special to Alexandre Yurinova were actually special. That was right, none of them.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid to say it, but no matter how much she favoured her, did Alexandra-sama really want Miss Keira to marry the Duke? Your family¡¯s title is only a Count, after all.¡±

    At thewyer¡¯s words, the hall fell silent.

    ¡°You¡¯re so rude! How dare you call yourself awyer, young man! What do you know? It was certainly prepared in the hope that the two of you would make Keira a duchess!¡±

    Novadine howled, but the people became sober and collected. Those who had believed Novadine¡¯s earlier deration of engagement were disgusted with themselves after hearing thewyer¡¯s convincing words.

    Some still remembered Alexandre¡¯s wife, Anastasia, the daughter of a venerable marquess who, in the short time she had been with her husband, had been abused by Alexandra as a lowly daughter.

    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen! How dare you listen to such words!¡±

    Trying to change the atmosphere, Novadine began speaking loudly.

    ¡°Lord Alexandre didn¡¯t care about the details, and Alexandra-sama thought that the formalities would be arranged by someone lower down the line. The two of them believed that all they had to do was to indicate their intentions, and everything would be arranged ordingly. You are aware of this!¡±

    Novadine continued.

    ¡°And you, young man there, you call yourself awyer! I¡¯m not sure how long you¡¯ve been a licenced attorney, but you¡¯re just a young man. You don¡¯t know anything about these people, and you think you can get away with it! You will be crushed if you ever have to face a skilledwyer in court!¡±

    ¡°¨Chou.¡±

    Danielle¡¯s voice was not loud, but it was clearly heard.

    He pushed up his sses again and smiled smugly. His face was intelligent, yet terribly¨Cwicked.

    ¡°Oh, so you wish for this to be fought in court? I am really looking forward to it. Please tell your seasonedwyer that I am a young man who qualified as awyer at the age of 18 and will do his best to fight you..¡±

    Those who have knowledge about this field widened their eyes. In the imperial kingdom, the qualification to be awyer was granted to those who havepleted theirw studies at university and have passed an examination.

    However, those who did notplete theirw studies at university and passed the examinations were qualified to bewyers, and they were deemed to have the same level of knowledge. The requirement to pass the exam was extremely difficult to meet.

 Chapter 216

    Danielle would be the youngest person ever to pass the bar exam if he was admitted intow at the age of 18.

    Furthermore, the qualification examination itself was known as the most difficult of all examinations. Passing it at the age of 18 would usually be deemed impossible.

    ¡°Oh, and if you¡¯re a man of virtue, you should have known me through my father¡¯s connections. My father¡¯s name is Maxim Regal, and he was the royal family¡¯s legal advisor. He is no longer a member of the royal family and now serves as the Secretary of the Grand Chamber of Justice.¡±

    The hall was now crazed.

    The Grand Chamber oversees the judiciary of the Crown. If the person was its Secretary, he would be the highest authority in the legal circles of the Empire.

    ¡°My father had the privilege of knowing Alexei¡¯s grandfather, Prince Sergei. He was a noble man who knew that his words and actions could affect many people.¡±

    Danielle continued.

    ¡°Now, let me begin by saying that I, Danielle Regal, grew up readingw books instead of picture books for children, and that my conversations with my father were like courtroom arguments. I may have been awyer for only 12 years, but please do not judge me based on that. I will do my best to live up to the trust of His Excellency Alexei, who has made a young man like me a legal advisor to the Duke¡¯s family.¡±

    Danielle bowed politely with his hand on his chest.

    If he had been trained in legal knowledge and courtroom debate skills since he was a baby by the highest authority in the legal profession, it was no surprise that he had been admitted to the profession at the age of 18. This youngwyer was not to be underestimated. And a 12-year career was not a brief one.

    ¡°G¨Ckuh¡­ugh!¡±

    Novadine¡¯s eyes were swimming.

    No one in the hall who he looked to for help made eye contact with him. Not even his cronies. Some were even sneaking away in the crowd.

    It must have been unexpected that Alexei would handle the situation so calmly and dispassionately.

    Common sense dictates that one should honor one¡¯ste father¡¯s wishes, even if they are not legally required to do so. Moreover, the letter was signed by her grandmother, Princess Alexandra. Even if Alexei did not want to marry Keira, it would be natural to settle the matter without anyints.

    If there were no otherints, Novadine was going to say that Alexei had also agreed to the engagement.

    But thewyer came to the conclusion that [Alexandre and Alexandra did not actually want this engagement]. The people in the hall were satisfied with that conclusion. And thewyer, a super-elite, also used a dramatic dialogue to expose his father¡¯s status as the highest authority in the legal profession.

    Novadine no longer had the cards in his hand to change the atmosphere. His cronies knew it, too.

    He pretended to have a trump card, and he had been acting tough and arrogant even towards Alexei in order to maintain his persuasive power. Now, the ting waspletely off.

    Novadine fell to his knees.

    ***

    ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡±

    A high-pitched voice rang out.

    It was Keira who shouted. She red at thewyer with angry eyes, and then blurted out more.

    ¡°Alexandre-sama, uncle, took really good care of me. He always told me in his sweet voice that Keira was a sweet girl and that he considered me to be his own daughter. He loved me the most! That¡¯s why he wanted me to be a duchess! He wanted me to be his real daughter!¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡±

    The sound of the whipping voice made Keira shudder.

    Alexei stepped up to his sister and gently covered her ears with his hands.

    ¡°Ekaterina, you don¡¯t need to hear these words.¡±

    ¡°Big Brother¡­ Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Ekaterina looked up at her brother and smiled.

 Chapter 217

    Ekaterina was just a little taken aback that he was speaking to a stranger in such a nice tone while his own daughter was imprisoned. Though she didn¡¯t care much about what her father, whom she had never met, had to say about it.

    The reason she felt a little tingle in her chest is because Ekaterina feels sorry for her mother. That was all there was to it, so there was no need to worry.

    ¡°Good girl. Come on, let¡¯s go to the balcony now. The fireworks are about to start. ¨CDanielle, my legal counsel. You¡¯ve done me a great favor.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Your highness.¡±

    With a rather refreshing smile, thewyer bowed.

    ¡°Alexei-sama!¡±

    Keira eximed, rushing over to Alexei.

    ¡°Please, please, say that you will take me as your wife! I have always been in love with you. I have only ever wanted to live with you. You are the only one for me. Please ept my single-mindedness!¡±

    Alexei looked at Keira, then back at his sister. Then he covered his sister with his back.

    He then coldly stated.

    ¡°You are not qualified. If you can¡¯t even get into a magic academy, you can¡¯t possibly be a duchess.¡±

    With a jolt, Keira stopped moving.

    Keira was the same age as Ekaterina, but they had never met at the Academy of Magic. In other words, Keira had never been enrolled at the academy.

    The Magic Academy admitted all the people of the Kingdom who had enough magical power to meet its requirements. In other words, Keira¡¯s magic power was determined to be below the standard by the measurement.

    Surprised and doubtful voices came from all over the hall. The Novadines must have pretended that Keira had been admitted to the Academy of Magic.

    Keira shouted in desperation.

    ¡°No, it was a conspiracy! Someone who was envious that I was Uncle¡¯s favorite falsified the measurements! My uncle understood that, which is why he made me your betrothed!¡±

    ¡°And the result is that letter.¡±

    Keira paled as Alexei spoke quietly.

    Alexandre must have told her that he believed that she had the magical power to fulfill the regtions. That must have been a great source of strength for her.

    If she had dreamed of marrying Alexei and bing a duchess since she was a child, it must have been a great shock to be judged ascking in magical power.

    But she, and her father, were not the kind of people who would have despaired because of that. They would have been overjoyed when Alexandre gave them that letter after pleading with him.

    It was, in fact, only an illusion.

    No wonder Keira staggered. Everything that was supposed to have been given to her had been drowned out just as she was about to grab it.

    ¡°¡­No, this is not the reason.¡±

    Alexei shook his head. It was not out of consideration for Keira, but rather for his aide, Novak, who had no magical power. As a lord, he should not decide to close a person¡¯s future based on the presence or absence of magical power in front of his subjects.

    In the past, he might not have shown this kind of consideration.

    ¡°I do not want you. I am the Duke of Yurinova, and I judge that you will not bring good things to the dukedom. I doubt that a woman who would cause such amotion in front of the guests invited to the feast is fit to be a duchess.¡±

    Clear and convincing, Alexei¡¯s words were met with nods from many. It was insane to unterally announce an engagement, a contract between houses, in such a forum.

 Chapter 218

    The Duke of Yurinova was a lord, the sovereign of the dukedom, and Novadine was his vassal. To decide on his daughter¡¯s engagement without the consent of the duke, without regard to his position, was the equivalent of a coup d¡¯¨¦tat.

    Novadine had to have known that Alexei didn¡¯t want to marry Keira. Even if they tried to carry out the engagement properly, or if they had discussed it privately, they could have blocked even Alexandre¡¯s letter. That was what he thought.

    And if Alexei¡¯s time came and he took control of the territory, Novadine, a Count, would have no chance. No, he knew that the situation would not end there.

    So, they took a gamble by publicizing the letter at this feast to fill the outer moat and bring about an engagement. This way, Novadine¡¯s downfall would be an ugly story for Yurinova, which could save him. That was the n.

    And he lost the bet.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so¡­ mean.¡±

    Keira was shaking with a forced smile.

    It was not unreasonable to say that if Alexei rejected her, she would have little chance of finding a proper marriage after this. She would have to live in humiliation as the daughter of a count who was an embarrassment at a gathering of all the dukedom¡¯s major figures.

    This banquet was supposed to be the most glorious event of her life. She had even adorned herself with extremely ostentatious jewelry.

    ¡°It¡¯s a feast, and if Alexei epts the engagement to me, there will be no better news for anyone. Please know how much I adore you. For a long, long time¡­¡±

    But Alexei did not listen and took Ekaterina¡¯s hand, heading for the balcony.

    ¡°No!¡±

    Keira shouted, following her to the balcony.

    ***

    ¡°Please don¡¯t go. Please don¡¯t leave me ¡­I adore you!¡±

    There was no one else on the balcony. The other balconies were packed with people anticipating the fireworks, but traditionally, this was a ce where only members of the Yurinova family came.

    Alexei sighed softly and looked back at Keira.

    ¡°You must have hated the color of my eyes.¡±

    ¡°No, I have always thought you were wonderful! It was Alexandra-sama who said she didn¡¯t like it.¡±

    ¡°And you came here to tell me every single time.¡±

    Alexei¡¯s tone was not angry. Just a disgusted, dry tone.

    ¡°Oh, I wanted to talk to you! Please remember, Alexei was always alone, and I was the only one who could talk to you¡­ I was happy to talk to you and see even the slightest change in your expression. I adore you!¡±

    She continued.

    ¡°I was Alexandra-sama¡¯s favorite, and if only Alexei-sama would ept me, I would show you how to behave in a way that would please Alexandra-sama. My way is really smart.¡±

    Ekaterina reached out and covered Alexei¡¯s ears.

    He smiled wryly.

    ¡°We don¡¯t want to hear the buzzing of insect wings, Big Brother.¡±

    What a delightful change in expression, and I was happy to have made her look so disgusted.

    How could you call it smart when you just wanted to tter the old hag?

    What was even more incredible was that she had no remorse or doubts about what she had done to be able to say that so proudly at this stage of her life.

    Roll-chan, vertical. In short, you were the type of person who would harass girls in the hopes of attracting the attention of the ones you liked.

    Abusing someone because you like them might seem to be moremon in boys, but girls do it as well. And whether it was a boy or a girl, they would despise it if you harassed them. That was a given.

    I really couldn¡¯t understand it. I would like to be kind to the person I love. I want them to be happy. No matter what. Wasn¡¯t that what being in love means? Why would anyone not do that?

    There may be as many forms of love as there are people.

 Chapter 219

    Big Brother was someone who loved me earnestly. I hoped that he would find someone who would love him as much as I do.

    Alexei smiled.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care. I never cared about winged insects in the first ce. So let go of this hand because it¡¯s going to be hard for me to hear your voice.¡±

    Then he gently shifted his sister¡¯s hand, which had been covering his ear, and ced it on his cheek. His neon blue eyes softened gently.

    ¡°Your voice is like that of a strange sounding bird that is said to dwell in the flower gardens of the heavenly realm. They say that your voice is as sweet as the nectar of the gods and intoxicates the soul. Moreover, the words you speak are always gentle. Your voice is the most delightful music to me.¡±

    ¡°Oh my, Big Brother.¡±

    Also equipped for hearing. The Siscon filter has no blind spot!

    ¡°That¡¯s awful!¡±

    Keira red at Ekaterina with eyes brimming with hatred.

    ¡°Why are those words not for me? That¡¯s where I belong! Those are the words I¡¯m supposed to hear!¡±

    In her dream, Alexei would have thanked Keira and whispered kind words by her side.

    And Keira would have be a duchess, living a life of luxury and splendor surrounded by the highest honor.

    ¡°It¡¯s all your fault! You stole my ce!¡±

    With a maniacal cry, Keira pounced on Ekaterina.

    Ekaterina could not react at all. All she could think about was how Keira¡¯s face, with its upturned eyes, looked just like a hannya mask.

    But then¡­

    Suddenly, Keira flew into the air, spun around, and mmed into the balcony floor.

    (What?)

    Why did she suddenly be a light magician? Was it because she was the daughter of a countess, or was it because she was a light producer?

    After a flurry of ¡°weird thoughts¡± ran through her brain, Ekaterina finally noticed that Mina, the maid, and Ivan, the servant, were standing on either side of Keira.

    She couldn¡¯t see them before, but one of them must have grabbed Keira¡¯s arm and tossed her away with a foot swipe. Perhaps.

    ¡°Young Lady. I apologize for giving you a scare.¡±

    With her usual nk expression, Mina apologized to Ekaterina.

    ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t have the time to be scared. You handled it so quickly and brilliantly.¡±

    The corners of Mina¡¯s mouth turned up just a little as Ekaterina praised her, slightly stunned.

    ¡°She¡¯s an outsider who tried to harm Yurinova¡¯s Lady. Make sure she is treated ordingly.¡±

    Alexei ordered, not looking surprised. Unlike Ekaterina, he was aware that Mina and Ivan were escorting them and must have seen their movements.

    Mina and Ivan bowed, took Keira by both arms, who was passed out on the floor, and carried her away.

    She was a countess, but she was being dragged along with her toes on the floor. Ekaterina felt sorry for her.

    As a fellow viiness, she recalled the scene in the game where she was condemned, and was horrified. But then I remembered what she¡¯d done. Ekaterina in the game was better than this, she thought.

    Big Brother was there to hug me, after all.

    Goodbye, local viiness.

    She hoped that neither she nor her Big Brother would have to deal with it again, but she hoped that there would be some sort of redemption for her in the future. After all, she was only fifteen years old.

    ¡°Come on, look at the sky.¡±

    Alexei turned his sister¡¯s gaze to the night sky, cing a gentle hand on her shoulder as they turned away from Keira.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about those people. Enjoy yourself.¡±

    Just then, the first fireworks went off.

    ¡°Oh, my, it¡¯s beautiful!¡±

    Ekaterina eximed.

    She heard that fireworks in the Edo period did not have colors. They were just golden flowers of light, not multicolored like modern fireworks.

    But now, the fireworks blooming in the night sky wererge blue flowers.

    They may not be able to change colors like they did in her previous life, but they seem more developed than they were in the Edo period.

 Chapter 220

    ¡°Yurinova¡¯s fireworks are renowned for their beautiful colors. This is also the result of Great Uncle Isaac¡¯s research.¡±

    Well, the color of fireworks could be changed by adding metals, so Great-Uncle Isaac, a mineralogist, contributed to this¡­ Great-Uncle Isaac was spectacr! His aplishments were so diverse!

    Fireworks wereunched one after another. The basic color was a golden flower of light, but red, green, pink, and other colors were mixed to form a flower. The fireworks were not only monochromatic, but also bicolored, and were set off at roughly the same time to create a two-colorbination.

    The guests at the feast were also looking up at the night sky in the garden or on the balcony, and every time a firework went off, they cheered loudly.

    ¡°¡­I wish your eyes could only see such beauty. I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m not strong enough.¡±

    Alexei muttered in between the fireworks.

    That again, Ekaterina thought. How much of what happened today had been predicted by her brother?

    Ekaterina had expected that Novadine would try something, but did Alexei have an idea of what it would be? ¨CDid Alexei already know what was in the letter?

    But for some reason, he did not tell his sister in advance.

    The Siscon Big Brother probably wanted to keep her in his treasure chest if possible, and didn¡¯t want to expose her to the whole ordeal.

    However, he decided to meet Novadine at this feast, in front of the people, as that was the best way to deal the biggest blow to the rival faction. And then he carried out his decision with a cool head.

    Big Brother was a cool and super talented guy, and he was my favorite! I love a man who can do what he needs to do!

    ¡°Big Brother, I want to see the same things as Big Brother, even if they are not beautiful so that I can help Big Brother. But, of course, Big Brother is the head of the family. If you think I shouldn¡¯t see everything, I will follow your decision.¡±

    He probably decided it was best not to discuss it so that people wouldn¡¯t notice he was trying to turn the tables on them with my reaction and so on. I wasn¡¯t raised as an aristocrat, so I was aware that my social skills were not good. Even if I could manage my facial expressions without bing socially awkward, I couldn¡¯tpletely hide my thoughts.

    So, even if they don¡¯t tell me everything, I won¡¯t sulk or get angry. Even in my previous life, I was once subjected to information control over management decisions. I know that what I see from my point of view is not everything.

    But I would rather help Big Brother than be protected alone in a treasure chest.

    ¡°My Ekaterina.¡±

    Alexei called his sister, sounding as if he were deeply impressed.

    ¡°You have always been so understanding, so forgiving. My sister is so clever and kind. Maybe you have a special kind of magic in you. You grew up not knowing the world, but you see everything too well.¡±

    I didn¡¯t have any special magical powers; it was because I was already a 30-year-old inside. Sorry!

    I could never tell anyone about that!

    Sorry, I was not the princess character that Big Brother thinks I was, and I apologize for being a sister who had a lot ofpany employee characteristics.

    ¡°All I have is my love for Big Brother. I have heard that love can work miracles.¡±

    Alexeiughed as Ekaterina said with a clear smile.

    ¡°Then I guess I can work miracles too. I do love you too, after all.¡±

 Chapter 221

    The next day, Ekaterina received a report from Laiza.

    Last night, she heard that the territory guards and knights had raided the residences of Novadine and many others who belonged to his faction. While the master was away on an invitation to a feast, evidence of bribes and othermunications detrimental to the dukedom was seized, and they were all captured upon their return from the feast.

    However, Novadine himself escaped after being captured at Yurinova Castle and was currently [missing]. [TL Note: Hmmmm, yes missing, probably hiding underground]

    Wow, that was aplete setup!

    I was d I didn¡¯t hear about it because I would have been forced to look at them with pity and wonder if all of their fates were going to end today!

    As expected of Big Brother!

    My brocon is getting more and more empowered!

    ***

    ***There may be violent depictions. Please be warned.***

    The night of the feast. Midnight.

    Yurinova Castle, like a huge ck mass, looming at the center of the night in the capital.

    The feast was already over. Even the servants who had been cleaning up the mess were already asleep. It was the deepest hour of the night.

    Yurinova¡¯s hounds slowly roused their massive bodies.

    ¡°All right, all right, it¡¯s time, boys.¡±

    Igor, the hound keeper, a bald man with an eye patch over one eye, called low to the dogs.

    ¡°The Duke presented you with your prey, here.¡±

    Igor held up a gentleman¡¯s jacket. It was of the finest quality, made of silk and richly embroidered. Even if a poor man spent his entire annual ie on this jacket, he would not be able to afford it.

    However, the jacket was badly soiled and torn.

    Behind the sniffing hounds came a ratherrge hound with a beautiful white coat.

    ¡°Regina, take a sniff. You know what the prey is, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Regina, the leader of the hounds, sniffed the jacket.

    Then she wrinkled her nose and growled.

    ¡°You understand, I see. The Duke will allow you to avenge your friend¡¯s death. He¡¯s somewhere in this castle. Find him and drag him out. Remember, don¡¯t kill him. But I¡¯m sure His Excellency won¡¯t mind if you take a nibble. Now go!¡±

    Igor opened the kennel door and all the hounds ran out at once.

    ***

    (Why¡­why is this happening?!)

    In a corner of the vast Yurinova castle¡¯s garden, there was an evergreen grove of bushes.

    Cowering in it for cover, Novadine trembled with anger and despair. The costume he had spent so much money on for the asion was stained and ripped, and his jacket was gone. He could not believe his wretched appearance.

    His wife and daughter were captured, and Novadine himself was almost captured. He had somehow managed to hide here. But there was no way out of the Yurinova castle now, and he would be discovered.

    He was supposed to marry his daughter Keira to Alexei and be an extended family member of the Duke. He was supposed to be the duke¡¯s father-inw, a member of the duke¡¯s family, and a powerful man, yet here he was, sneaking around and hiding in the open. It was not right.

    It was not supposed to be like this.

    Oh, Alexandre, Alexandra-sama, how could they have passed away so quickly? If they were alive and well, Keira would have been safely engaged.

    What¡¯s wrong with a count wanting to be father inw of the Duke of Yurinova?

    Alexandreughed happily at that, and Iughed along with him, hiding the bitterness in my heart. Still, he did not give up, and after much pleading, he finally got it.

    We didn¡¯t just beg. We did everything to achieve it.

    They had to constantly run errands for the strangers Alexandra-sama had brought with her. And they even did everything in their power to get rid of those who stood in their way.

    And as they did so, they realized that Alexandra-sama was onlyplying with the strangers¡¯ demands.

 Chapter 222

    And as they did so, they realized that Alexandra-sama was onlyplying with the strangers¡¯ demands.

    No, not that she would notply. But she gave in to what the strangers demanded. And yet, he would have never done such a thing.

    And then¡­again, he thought.

    ¨CI used to think he was a pain in the neck, Lord Sergei. He was a strong man, but he died suddenly¡­

    After that, no matter how many times I pleaded with the Lord, they justughed at us. So I made a deal with the strangers. In exchange for doing what they asked, they told me that they wanted to support Keira¡¯s engagement.

    I knew they were only after money, so all I had to do was tell them where the money was. They were incredibly greedy, but I told them every time money moved in the duke¡¯s territory, and when I told them that I would be more useful to them if my daughter became a duchess, theyughed.

    The man was the treasurer.

    It was not long after that that Alexandre handed me the letter. When I asked for Alexandra-sama¡¯s signature as well, I promptly got it.

    After all that effort, I finally got the letter. So, now that they were both gone, I had no choice but to bet on it. I couldn¡¯t give up.

    What were those strangers holding in their hands? I tried to find out, but I had no idea. I even felt like my life was in danger, so I gave up. Should we not have given up then?

    But when Alexei seeded to the title, they disappeared.

    I was d to be rid of them.

    It still did not feel good to give money to strangers. It was only a small share, but it seemed that the first branch of the Duke of Yurinova was taking advantage of it. If they disappeared and Keira became a duchess, she could free herself of that money. The world seemed rosy to me. There was nothing to fear anymore.

    But Alexei was a disaster.

    Where was the former treasurer being held? Surely in the old dungeon of Yurinova Castle, but I couldn¡¯t find him during my stay at the castle before Alexei¡¯s return. Even after I was kicked out, I kept looking for him, following a trail of clues, but I never found him in time.

    If only I had gotten my hands on that man, none of this would have happened tonight¡­.

    Just then, a monstrous growl could be heard from behind the bushes.

    The evergreen branches were snapped off, and something with huge fangs attacked.

    ¡°Uwaaaah!¡±

    Novadine eximed. He jumped up and tried to run away, but there was another beast with fangs in front of him, and he screamed even louder.

    He struggled to escape on all fours, but his body would not move.

    Instead, he was dragged backward.

    The fangs of the beast were digging into his legs. He was dragged out of the bushes and deeper into the grounds before he could feel the pain. Dust and leaves washed into his mouth as he screamed.

    ¨CThey¡¯re going to kill me!

    Will I die here?

    Get eaten. I¡¯m going to die. No, help me, someone!

    He was swung around and tossed and mmed to the ground. The pain made him faint, but he found himself coughing, spitting out the dirt and leaves in his mouth.

    Crawling on the ground, Novadine finally caught sight of the beast that had attacked him.

    Yurinova¡¯s hound.

    ¡°Uwah, ah¡­¡±

    When his eyes got ustomed to the darkness, he caught sight of a group of ravenous beasts that could bite a demon beast to death, staring at him with glowing eyes. A growl, like the rumbling of the earth, echoed through the air.

    (I will fight them¡­!)

    He tried to boost his magical power. But, rusted from years of easy living, it didn¡¯t respond in the least to his terrified and disturbed will.

    As if sensing this, arge white-furred hound stepped forward.

    ¡°Gyaa!¡±

    Novadine jumped up and ran.

    Where and how could he escape?

 Chapter 223

    Chased by the hounds, he scurried through the castle garden, then ran into a small building as if cornered. After barely closing the door in time, he slumped to the ground.

    Just then, the door was pushed open with such force that Novadine was sent tumbling to the floor.

    ¡°Excuse me.¡±

    A voice, so amiable as to be out of ce, called out.

    A tall young man with a rainbow-stonemp entered through the door that had been pushed open. The glow of the rainbow stone dazzled his eyes, which were ustomed to the darkness. The young man was a servant of Alexei, the man who had driven Novadine out of the castle some time ago.

    And there was one more.

    A tall figure stepped into the doorway.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to flee to Zephyros¡¯ stables.¡±

    ¡°Ah, my lord¡­¡±

    Novadine started to tremble at the sound of Alexei¡¯s low voice.

    ¡°Did you think he was in the castle?¡±

    ¡°Ha¡­¡±

    ¡°I know you¡¯ve been snooping around to see where the former treasurer was. I¡¯ve already fired Anna, the maid manager, who was working for you.¡±

    Novadine shuddered.

    ¡°Did you think the former treasurer didn¡¯t tell us anything?¡±

    The words took his breath away. So¡­ he knew about it beforehand? The existence of that letter.

    ¡°The man you are looking for is not in the castle. However, you could spend the rest of your days in this castle.¡±

    Alexei turned his attention to the walls of the stables. There, a painting of a man and a horse loom dimly in the light of themps.

    ¡°Remember Zephyros? The one you killed.¡±

    Alexei¡¯s voice was unusually full of sentiment.

    ¡°I should have left you alone back then. Zephyros would have bit you to death even if he was dying. He died defending me as I intervened to stop the fight.¡±

    Novadine¡¯s mind reyed the scene. It was a ragged image, clouded by intoxication.

    Alexei, who had run out of the mansion to shield the damned beast-horse behind his back, was always a wily child with a hateful calmness about him. But he was screaming frantically at that moment.

    So¡­just to tease him a little, he raised his sword. It was just a joke. He was drunk.

    But that beast let out a tremendous roar and intervened between Alexei and the sword.

    It was a great kill. That¡¯s why he thrust his sword as hard as he could. Again and again, and again he did so. Because if he didn¡¯t, the beast would have attacked¡­.

    This was the truth of Zephyros¡¯ death, which Alexei did not tell Ekaterina so as to not cause her grief.

    ¡°Ha, haha.¡±

    Novadine cracked a drawn-outugh.

    ¡°You were¡­unusually childlike at the time. That was the first time I ever saw you cry.¡±

    Gasp! And with a jolt, Novadine rolled on the floor again. The squire threw a kick at him.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my lord. I shouldn¡¯t have taken the liberty.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. ¡­In the past, I might have done that myself.¡±

    Alexei shook his head at the attendant who bowed his head. Whatever he was thinking of, thetter¡¯s tone was rather calm.

    But the look he gave Novadine was simply cold.

    ¡°The man you were looking for escaped from the Territorial Guard and has disappeared. No one knows anything about what happened to him.¡±

    Novadine stiffened. Did they let him get away on purpose?

    No, he was trapped in Alexei¡¯s hands. No one knows. So he was at the mercy of Alexei.

    ¡°You know, in the basement of this castle there are several huge furnaces. They are used for heating in the winter. From the end of autumn to the beginning of spring, the furnaces are never without fire. That¡¯s where you¡¯ll be spending your time. ¡°

    Novadine paled.

    Alexei smiled wistfully.

    ¡°Day and night you will no longer know¡­ but wait with bated breath for the first snow.¡±

    Alexei left the stables with Ivan while the knights dragged away Novadine, who continued to scream.

 Chapter 224

    ¡°I think he¡¯s going to tell us everything he knows by the end of the night. That guy should be burned, for real.¡±

    Ivan said cheerfully. But Alexei shook his head.

    ¡°Nope. He¡¯s got a big face in the upper ss of the dukedom, and there¡¯s a chance of disaster if they conspired to pin us for murder. We¡¯ll keep him down for the time being¡­ We can always clean it up. We should use them more effectively anyway. ¡°

    After saying this coolly, Alexei¡¯s expression suddenly softened.

    ¡°Besides, Ekaterina won¡¯t like that sort of thing. I don¡¯t want her to hate me.¡±

    ¡°Young Lady would not hate you, no matter what Your Excellency does.¡±

    ¡°Oh, she will understand and forgive me. ¡­But I don¡¯t think we should take advantage of the fact that she forgives everything.¡±

    These were his typical, earnest words. But then again, there were many people who demanded endless forgiveness from those who forgave them.

    ¡°There was one thing the Young Lady would not allow. That is, that you stay upte at work.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I must get some rest.¡±

    Alexeiughed at Ivan¡¯s words, and the squire swiftly strode back into the castle.

    ***

    ¡°Ekaterina¡­ You can¡¯t help but go, can you?

    Alexei said sadly as he took his sister¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Brother, I am.¡±

    Ekaterina was about to say, but seeing her brother¡¯s grief-stricken expression, her lips trembled. She squeezed his hand back.

    Sorry, I won¡¯t be going anywhere, I promised to stay by Big Brother¡¯s side, but¡­

    ¡°Your Excellency, Young Lady¡­¡±

    Aaron Kyle, the mine manager, stifled the words that Ekaterina was about to utter.

    ¡°It¡¯s only a few days, and I¡¯m sure you approve of the Young Lady going to the mountain temple in your honor.¡±

    Aaron was the youngest of Alexei¡¯s entourage, so he was usually reserved, but this time he was pushing hard.

    ¡°The professor is waiting for her at the old mine¡­Great-Uncle Isaac would be delighted to meet the Young Lady.¡±

    Aaron, you love Great-Uncle Isaac too much. But I couldn¡¯t say the same about too much love, especially when it came to Big Brother.

    After all, this was the fifth time we had done this grieving session.

    The events that led to the mncholy or charade began with a new morning after a night of feasting and purging.

    When Ekaterina woke up that day, she felt refreshed, though tired fromst night¡¯s festivities.

    She went to have breakfast with her brother in the dining room, but Alexei was unusually absent. Laiza, who appeared as a recement, informed her of Novadine and the others¡¯ capture, as well as the [Missing].

    And Anna¡¯s removal.

    She didn¡¯t give her any details about the situation, but the timing was just right.

    How could there not be a connection?

    ¡°Well¡­thank you for telling me, Laiza, I was just worried about the burden it might ce on you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Young Lady, Anna was a skilled head maid, so there is definitely a big hole to fill, but we will all do our best.¡±

    Laiza smiledzily at that.

    Then two young maids arrived pushing a wagon. Ekaterina recognised them as the two who had assisted her in preparing for the feast yesterday and smiled at them.

    ¡°Thank you for yesterday. Thanks to you, we were well received by our guests.¡±

    One of them bowed graciously, as if she were a well-trained maid. The other, however, smiled and said with vigor.

    ¡°Youngdy, you are so beautiful! And your words were so beautiful that I was enchanted! Even that scary man is also very gentle to you, isn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°Now, now.¡±

    Laiza red at her, and her smile instantly turned into a flustered grimace. She looked as if she were about to cry.

    Ekaterina giggled.

    ¡°I appreciate yourpliment. But that was not proper behavior for a maid of Yurinova¡¯s Household. Big Brother is a wonderful head of the family and a lord. If he seems harsh, it is because he is doing his best to rule the territory for the good of all.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    The maid nodded, but didn¡¯t seem to understand much.

 Chapter 225

    The maid nodded, but didn¡¯t seem to understand much.

    Well, it can¡¯t be helped, can it? Or perhaps it¡¯s better to be called scary for a while.

    [It is desirable for a monarch to be loved and feared, but if both are impossible, it is much better to be feared.]

    A famous passage from Machiavelli¡¯s [The Theory of Monarchs], a famous book from my previous life. At eighteen years of age, big brother is too young to be both loved and feared by the powerful men in his domain as a lord. Butst night, when he wiped out the Novadine faction, the powerful people in the fief who were present at the feast came to fear him.

    It was amazing that brother had seeded in making himself feared at such a young age, not even a year after his session to the title.

    And Machiavelli also wrote, as I recalled, People would rather hurt those who love them than those who respect them. A favor that was done to someone in kindness would be cut off as soon as the stakes became too high.

    Big brother was loved by the people of his domain. It was because he had protected their lives. He was not just doing them a favor, but he was also holding their interests in check.

    However, some powerful people in the fiefdom may have found it more convenient when my father was a duke, because he neglected his duties as a duke. Some of them may have attempted to challenge Big Brother in order to protect their own interests. But after seeing how he mercilessly crushed Novadine, I was certain they would reconsider defying him.

    So for this reason, I would never say that my brother was really kind. I want to respect the way he tried to be kind.

    Because he would be most wonderful the way he is!

    ¡°Young Lady is really wonderful, isn¡¯t she? You are younger than me, but you are like a much older person.¡±

    The words of the nonchnt maid hit Ekaterina spot on. Sorry! Inside, I am already in my thirties!

    Mina was standing next to the maid before she knew it, staring down at her with a nk expression on her face.

    Laiza, giggling even more, strode up to the maid and grabbed her by the cor.

    ¡°I apologize for the rudeness, Young Lady, and as the housekeeper in charge of the female servants, please ept my apologies.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡±

    Ho-ho-ho, Ekaterina showed a smile, but perhaps from now on, this cheerful maid¡¯s work life will resemble a Spartan training camp.

    Keep up the good work.

    ¡°I hope big brother has eaten his breakfast. I¡¯m worried about his health.¡±

    ¡°Yes, he has. He said he didn¡¯t need it at first, but we told him that the Young Lady would be worried if he didn¡¯t eat. So he asked us to prepare it for him.¡±

    As expected of my siscon Brother. It was good that he cared about his health.

    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that. I¡¯d like toe say hello to himter.¡±

    ¡°I will let him know right away, mydy.¡±

    After seeing Laiza off with the maid in tow, Ekaterina ate her breakfast served by Mina and gazed out the dining room window while waiting for Laiza to return.

    There was a certain crispness in the air, as if the atmosphere of the castle was closer to that of Alexei.

    A new master hadpletely taken over Yurinova Castle, or rather, Yurinova Domain.

    When Laiza returned, she was apanied by a servant carrying arge package, which she imed was a delivery for the Young Lady.

    Upon hearing the sender¡¯s name, Ekaterina asked her to unpack it right away and was delighted by the contents, which appeared to be securely wrapped.

 Chapter 226

    The atmosphere in Alexei¡¯s office was fraught with activity.

    In addition to Novak, Aaron, Treasurer Kimberly, Knight Commander Rozen, and other members of his entourage, uniformed members of the Guardians of the Realm were constantlying and going. They seem to havee to report on the evidence seized from the captured Novadine factionst night and the confessions obtained from their interrogation.

    ¡°Good morning, big brother, I¡¯m sorry to bother you in your busy schedule.¡±

    ¡°Good morning, Ekaterina, I am d that you came.¡±

    Alexei smiled.

    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that you had breakfast despite your busy schedule. I hope you can take good care of yourself.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, if that¡¯s what you want.¡±

    Alexei was as kind to his sister as usual, but the members of the territorial guard looked at him with astonished eyes. He must have been dealing with the captives in a decisive and harsh manner, as if they were bloodless and tearless until Ekaterina came along.

    Hmmm.

    She was right about being feared earlier, but it seemed like the fear would diminish when she was around. She wondered if she should not see him very frequently for a while.

    But it was a little hard not to see him, even though they were in the same house (though it might be too big to call it a house).

    Oh, bute to think of it, my big brother was in full siscon mode in public at the celebration party. I guess it¡¯s a little toote for that.

    Then, Novak asked.

    ¡°Your Excellency, I would like to ask the Young Lady to visit the mountain temple on our behalf.¡±

    A mountain temple was literally a temple dedicated to the gods of the mountains, I was told.

    In this world, gods do exist, and they interact with humans on a whim, sometimes bringing grace and sometimes disaster.

    There were several mines in the Yurinova territory. Therefore, one must not offend the mountain gods. If the mountain gods brought disasters to the mines, the damage would be devastating.

    For this reason, the Dukes of Yurinova have worshiped the mountain temples with great devotion since the time of their founder, Sergei. It was one of the duties of the Dukes of Yurinova to visit the temple on every important asion, as well as to make offerings.

    However, Alexander the Yurinova¡¯s predecessor visited the mountain temple only once, right after he became the Duke. He was spending all his time in the morous social circles of the imperial capital. Alexei, his legitimate son, had been visiting the mountain temple in his ce, doing his duty of venerating the gods of the mountains.

    And, now that Alexei seeded to the dukedom, his studies at the magic academy and his duties as duke in the capital made it difficult for him to visit the mountain temple, which was several days away from the capital. Still, I had nned to visit the temple during this summer vacation.

    First, Prince Mikhail¡¯s visit to Yurinovaplicated the schedule.

    After that, the capture of the Novadine faction from yesterday, as well as the subsequent cleanup, or rather, adjustments, were expected to take longer than expected.

    This situation made it difficult for him to visit the mountain temple.

    I was right on the money. Even a well-prepared big brother and all the executives were surprised that the adjustment would take so long.

    They would confiscate the titles and properties of Novadine and his family and distribute them to others!

    Perhaps raise Novak-san¡¯s title from a viscount to a count. I recall that raising a person¡¯s title to a higher rank was called advancement.

    The coordination would be difficult. Even though it was customary for the main family to have discretion over the knighthoods of the branch families, the level of resentment toward Novak-san, who could be given a title despite having no magical powers, would be intense.

 Chapter 227

    The coordination would be difficult. Even though it was customary for the main family to have discretion over the knighthoods of the branch families, the level of resentment toward Novak-san, who could be given a title despite having no magical powers, would be intense.

    Those who would like to keep him as an ally should be dealt with more carefully than those who would be enemies to be crushed. It would be dragged out untilter if it was mishandled in the face of jealousy and criticism. I understand the need to take good care of this area. When I was a member of the workforce in my previous life, it was really difficult to deal with a bigwig who would bend over backwards just to get a word in with someone in a certain order.

    ¡°I would be pleased to be of help to my big brother. Please leave that role to me.¡±

    Ekaterina said with great enthusiasm, but Alexei looked reluctant.

    ¡°But¡­there are many magical beasts in Yurinova territory. There are also bandits and other ouws in the mountains along the way. It would be too dangerous to let you, a weak woman, travel alone.¡±

    No, I was not weak. I may not be strong, but I inherited the personality of my previous life and have be very bold, and when people say that I was weak, I feel a sense of difort causing me to do a lot of work.

    I would never be able to say that, though!

    ¡°Your Excellency, all we have to do is follow the road to the mountain temple. You know that there are very few dangerous magical beasts in the area.¡±

    ¡°If the Young Lady, the beloveddy of the Order, wishes to visit the temple, the Order will apany her and protect her, and she will not be alone.¡±

    Novak and Rozen said.

    This was rare; I had never seen big brother being criticized by all the members of his entourage.

    I also saw my big brother who looked away and pretended not to hear me. Normally, I¡¯d wonder, ¡°Are you really eighteen?¡±

    Ekaterina walked over to Alexei and took her brother¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Big brother, I would like to go there. I would like to see and understand with my own eyes, as a daughter of Yurinova, thend where my family rules, so that I can be of service to big brother.¡±

    ¡°Your Excellency, now that your schedule has changed, we have no choice but to ask the Young Lady to visit the Mountain Temple. You know that it would be unbing to the gods if she were not in a position close to you.¡±

    ¡°¡­I know.¡±

    Alexei pouts after receiving a barrage of blows from his sister and Novak. Then he squeezes Ekaterina¡¯s hand back.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s just selfish behavior on my part. To think that once you leave the castle, we will no longer exchange greetings in the morning¡­ No, even if we never speak, even if I never see you, I always think of you when I wake up in the morning. I know that you are in the same castle. It warms my heart to think of you. That¡¯s why it pains me to know that you are not going to be present here. I wish that you would always be by my side, you know.¡±

    ¡°Big brother¡­¡±

    Yes, I understood, I won¡¯t be going anywhere¨C

    ¡°If she is so important to you, young master, please consider the significance of asking her to attend in your ce.¡±

    Not letting Alexei¡¯smentation go unchecked, Novak insisted.

    ¡°If the Young Lady can perform her delegation to the Mountain Temple, we can say that she has received the approval of the gods as the second in line to His Excellency. And, while she was introduced to the main crowd atst night¡¯s feast, many people in thend are unaware that you have a sister, so please take advantage of this opportunity to make the Young Lady¡¯s presence known.¡±

 Chapter 228

    ¡°If the Young Ladyes to the Mountain Temple, she should also meet with Professor Isaac, who is in the old mine. Young Lady, the Mountain Temple is right next to the old mine.¡±

    Aaron says, following Novak. Ekaterina remembered.

    ¡°In that case, I have something for Great-Uncle Isaac.¡±

    Arge package that had just arrived this morning.

    ¡°I have just received the items that I had made for him in my ss studio. I would like to give it to you for your academic research.¡±

    Toma Egor, the sender, was a lens maker who came from a different field, optical works, to work in the ss studio that Ekaterina had purchased to make ss pens.

    He sent her an improved microscope that Ekaterina had asked him to make. Ekaterina had originally asked her great-uncle Isaac, a renowned schr, to try out the microscope and find out how it worked, and when the improved product was ready, she asked him to send it to her estate.

    ¡°My sister seems to have produced something interesting again.¡±

    Laughing, Alexei stroked his sister¡¯s hair.

    ¡°All right. I will allow you to visit the Mountain Temple, if you so desire. Go see Great-Uncle and give him that microscope.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, big brother, it would be my pleasure. Please remember that even though we are apart, my heart will always be with you, big brother.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll be waiting for you with those words in mind. So pleasee home soon.¡±

    After Alexei said these words, he repeated hismentations four more times.

    ***

    Ekaterina finally set out on her journey, her hair drawn back by her brother¡¯s forlorn expression.

    Then, Alexei came to see her off, and with that, Ekaterina got into the carriage. The doors were closed, the reins snapped, and the carriage began to move, but she continued to wave her hand even after he was out of sight.

    But when the carriage exited the castle gate, she stopped, as expected, and put her hands down on her knees.

    Then, with a loud sigh, she sank into the back of the carriage seat.

    ¡­Something just slipped out of her. Probably the energy needed to live.

    Wan!

    Why did I take the easy way out, you idiot!

    My big brother, a siscon said he would miss me, and of course, I, as a brocon, would miss him too!

    I was so happy every time my big brother tried to stop me¡­ That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t realize how much I was going to miss him!

    Uwah, I won¡¯t be able to see him for days until I return! I won¡¯t be able to see my big brother under the same roof!

    ¡°Young Lady, are you not feeling well?¡±

    huh! That¡¯s right!

    Ekaterina came to her senses at the sound of a heavy voice. She quickly straightened her back and smiled at him.

    ¡°Please forgive me, Sir Forli, for making you feel ufortable. I am fine, so please don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    Yes, apanying me in the carriage was big brother¡¯s aide and my grandfather¡¯s close friend, Forli, the chief of the forestry and agriculture department.

    I assumed I¡¯d be going with Aaron, the mine foreman, but after Alexei spoke with Aaron, he said he had some business to attend to at the old mine and left first.

    When Aaron was leaving, he seemed to be burdened with a heavy heart, so something might have gone wrong at the mine.

    Forli, however, was well remembered by the mountain gods, and as the chief of forestry and agriculture, he always apanied Alexei when he went to the mountain temple to pay his respects to the mountain gods.

    I need to pull myself together! Stand firm!

    Could I really do big brother¡¯s work for him if I was so lonely just by being away from him for a little while?

    I swore that one day, when big brother was in charge of the country¡¯s government, I would be able to take over the administration of the dukedom and break big brother¡¯s death g!

 Chapter 229

    This trip to the mountain temple gave me the opportunity to do a small part of big brother¡¯s work. How else can I help him if I don¡¯t go?

    Being someone around my 20s in my previous life, I traveled alone on a whim!

    If you add up the life of the youngdy Ekaterina, I would be over 30¡­

    Ah¡­ as expected, adding up the numbers would be too painful, so I should stop.

    This was not the time for her to say she was lonely, anyway, as she was going out with such arge group.

    There were six knights escorting the two carriages in which Ekaterina and Forli were riding. As she recalled, the escort knights who followed Prince Mikhael on his outings were four knights.

    In addition, three of Yurinova¡¯s hounds, including the leader, Regina, were following Ekaterina¡¯s carriage.

    Of course, Mina, a maid, escort, andbat assistant, was also apanying them.

    Aaron-san was apanied by only one normal attendant, I think.

    Big brother, you worry too much¡­ well, as expected of a siscon, I guess.

    I should have asked Aaron-san to join me on the ride. It must be difficult for Forli-san to spend so much time with someone his grandchildren¡¯s age.

    But I heard that Aaron-san was single, so I wondered if it would have been too much of a problem for the duchess to spend a lot of time with a single man.

    ¡°I¡¯m delighted to have you with us, Sir Forli¡±

    Ekaterina said, and Forli¡¯s face, which was almost tanned to the point of being brown, broke into a smile.

    ¡°I am delighted that the Young Lady wishes to learn more about the estate.¡±

    Apparently, Forli did not usually like to travel by carriage, preferring to ride on horseback or on foot. The reason he was riding with Ekaterina this time was because Ekaterina asked him to teach her about the Yurinova territory while they were on the road together.

    Forli was an expert on the forests and agriculture of the Yurinova territory, and there was no reason not to make the most of her time with an expert in the field.

    ¡°It is very crude to talk about agriculture with a youngdy¡­¡±

    ¡°No! It is the most important thing in the life of the people of Yurinova. Please tell me what you know about it.¡±

    Ekaterina, who had been eager to learn more, took out a notebook and a ss pen.

    She began with the main products of the Yurinova territory.

    First, timber, represented by the ck dragon cedar. Most of the buildings in the imperial capital were built of stone, but actually a lot of timber was used for the interior. Yurinova¡¯s ck dragon cedar was the most reliable building material, he exined.

    Come to think of it, I have heard stories that at about the same time as the famous fire in the Edo period of the previous century, there was a fire in London so big that most of the city was affected.

    I wondered how a stone building could burn, but I was told that wood was actually used as a construction material as well. It seems that the imperial city was the same in that area.

    If I recall, the main streets of the imperial capital have broad avenues. There werenes wide enough for four horse-drawn carriages to pass (fourne roads), and wide sidewalks on both sides of the streets. This could have been done to prevent mes from spreading in the event of a fire.

    The first agricultural product was livestock. Not only meat, but also cheese, butter, and other dairy products were distributed asmodities to the imperial capital.

    In Yurinova, odd breeds of sheep and cows were often born. This was probably due to the presence of blood from magical beasts.

    While some of them may be rough-tempered and troublesome, others experience positive changes, such as not getting sick at all, having wool that glows faintly, or having medicinal properties in their milk.

 Chapter 230

    Even the rough-tempered ones were said to be good to have in a herd because they would stand up to a monster and protect their friends in case they were attacked.

    However, when such an individual was mixed in with a herd of female cattle, the herd as a whole became an iron-d defense against not only magical beasts but also males, and ranchers once had a hard time keeping them in line. Sounds interesting.

    And then there were fruit trees. Apples being the mostmon, peaches, various berries, etc. Some fruits didn¡¯t have an equivalent in my previous life, apparently.

    However, grapes were the breadwinner. Winemaking flourished as well. Forli-san must be a wine enthusiast because he told me exactly what kind of wine was made at which wineries.

    I had no idea. I was a non-drinker in my previous life. Sorry.

    The odd one out, and one that they have been putting significant effort into recently, was sugar beet radishes.

    In fact, it was reported that the Yurinova territory currently produced thergest amount of sugar in the imperial kingdom.

    One of the mostmon types of sugar used in the Imperial Kingdom was imported from the southern countries. It was widely used, but much more expensive than in my previous life.

    I was allowed to use it in the kitchen of the magical academy, and the taste was the same as in my previous life, but this was due to the high-ss environment of all the nobles.

    Come to think of it, Flora-chan,ing from amoner background, was cautious with the use of sugar. The apple pie and other sweet foods in her repertoire were recipes of the baroness who took her in after her mother passed away.

    Sugar made from sugarcane was produced in the Yurisein region, but not inrge quantities.

    In such a situation, it turned out that sugar beet, which could be grown in cold regions, could be used as a raw material for sugar, and it was Grandfather and Forli-san who encouraged its cultivation as a highly cashable crop.

    Yes, even in pre-industrial Japan, Hokkaido would have been thergest producer of domestically produced sugar. The raw material was also sugar beet. When I thought of sugarcane, I had an image of sugarcane from Okinawa or something, but I think it was because of the difference in farnd size.

    The mountainous Yurinova territory did not have arge area of farnd, but it had been cultivated for 400 years since the time of its founder, Prince Sergei, and the farnd was systematically allocated to crops that support the lives of its people.

    However, for convenience, it was my interpretation to call the crop ¡°sugar beet¡± because it resembled it.

    What did he mean by ¡°it moves a little¡±?

    When I asked, he told me that ¡°It resists when I try to pull it out.¡± Was that really a nt? Was it some kind of mandragora?

    In the forests of Yurinova, there were nt-type magical creatures that roamed around, and the turnip-like ones that were used to make sugar were said to be a subspecies orrvae of these¡­

    Or, to be more precise, they were individuals that for some reason or another failed to grow from juveniles to adults, and a certain number of them can be found in the forest.

    The forest people who lived in the forest of Yurinova knew of their existence for a long time and liked to eat them as a sweet and tasty wild herb (is that alright?).

    The young Forli-San introduced it to grandfather, who had his subordinates study it and seeded in cultivating it, and found that it could be used as a raw material for sugar.

    By the way, there was no need to remove the seeds. If the neck of the radish (which looks like a turnip) was cut off and the leaves were cut into small pieces and nted, the radish could grow again even from the small pieces¡­ How powerful was its life force!

 Chapter 231

    I once read a manga essay about how potatoes sprouted from the peeled potatoes that were thrown away in the garden, so maybe it was simr to that¡­perhaps?

    The entire thing, a Project Anything type of story, was my personal favorite.

    It was some sort of fantasy or otherworldly project.

    But Forli-san¡¯s story was very informative and interesting. Before I knew it, we had entered a small town and the carriage stopped at the inn where we were going to have lunch, but I waspletely absorbed in the story until then.

    ¡°Young Lady is a very unusual and studious youngdy,¡±

    Forli-sanughed, but I guess he saw that I was feeling lonely after being away from my big brother, so he told me a particrly funny story.

    Thank you for caring about me as the granddaughter of your best friend.

    ***

    As I looked out the carriage window after lunch and before leaving the small town, I thought about the information from Forli about the crops grown in the area.

    This area was still close to the northern capital and had been cultivated a long time ago. Beyond the endless green ridges of what looked like potatoes, I saw tall bushes of something like sweet corn.

    In my previous life, both potatoes and sweet corn were brought to Europe from South America during the Age of Exploration and Discovery. They arrived in the Imperial Kingdom about 200 years ago, when trade with the other side of the Mountain Ridge of the Gods was established.

    And¡­.

    The field was still far away, but the buzzing sound could be heard from afar. Leaves were being nted.

    ¡°Youngdy, those are sugar beets. ¡­But something is making a lot of noise.¡±

    Making a lot of noise? A vegetable.

    I somehow felt bad for the sugar beet in my previous life. But there was nothing else that fit the bill.

    I wondered how it works. I wouldn¡¯t expect a leaf to have muscles or tendons or anything like that. Magic beasts were a mystery.

    However, I heard that nt-type magical beasts, when they reach a proper adult form, slither out of the ground and walk slowly. The sugar beet apparently didn¡¯t grow up to be able to walk, but just wiggled around as it was nted, so let¡¯s just say that it was less mysterious¡­yet.

    Ahhhh, I didn¡¯t know how to describe that thing!

    ¡°Um¡­ Forli-san. It would seem to be an unusual crop, so how did it spread so quickly?¡±

    Even in my previous life, when potatoes and tomatoes were first introduced to Europe, people were wary of them and did not spread them that easily.

    No, potatoes and tomatoes originated in other countries had already taken root in the imperialnds, and sugar beets originated in Yurinova, so the conditions were different¡­ but¡­it was all so confusing!

    Forli chuckled at Ekaterina¡¯s words.

    ¡°It was introduced somewhat forcibly about 30 years ago in thend directly under the duke¡¯s control, and the peasants have grown ustomed to it, but even after that long, it has not spread to thendowners, such as the small lords and otherndowners.¡±

    Forli continued.

    ¡°We can buy it at a good price because it is an expensivemodity when processed into sugar, but only those who need to earn money due to their own circumstances are willing to grow it.¡±

    Ah, I knew it.

    But maybe that exins why Yurinova managed to get a near monopoly on the production of sugar beets.

    ¡°That¡¯s not surprising, since sugar beets are the favorite food of many omnivorous magical beasts. Therefore, it is not possible to grow it in areas close to the habitat of the magical beasts.¡±

    Ah, yes. Even in my previous life, the problem of beast damage was a major issue, but I imagine it¡¯s even worse in this world.

    Just then, the carriage stopped.

    ¡°Young Lady, Sir Forli. I apologize for the sudden interruption.¡±

    The person who called out from outside the carriage was Oleg Gardia, who was leading the escort knights. He was the eldest of the twin sons of Laiza, the housekeeper of Yurinova Castle. The twins shared their mother¡¯s dark purple hair and fine features, as well as their father¡¯s strong physique as vice-captain of the Yurinova knights, giving them the best of both worlds.

 Chapter 232

    ¡°What is it, Oleg?¡±

    ¡°I have something to tell you. A person from this neighborhood hase to seek the help of the Knights. A monocr bear has been sitting in the sugar beet fields and has been vandalizing them.¡±

    ¡°Oh my, so close to a human settlement like this, in the middle of the day?¡±

    ¡­Speak of the devil.

    So, the sugar beets were making a fuss because their friends were being attacked by a bear?

    However, even though the knights were adored by the people in the Yurinova territory, they must have been either very conceited or very cornered to call out to the knights who were guarding the duke¡¯s coated carriage.

    Ekaterina looked outside the carriage and saw the vigers lying t on their knees, which immediately gave her an answer. They seemed to be in a desperate situation. A poor old man slowly approached us.

    ¡°Young Lady, please wait a moment.¡±

    Forli quickly stepped out of the carriage and spoke with the man for a moment.

    Then he returned with a slightly stern look on his face.

    ¡°Young Lady I¡¯ve heard that this man hase here from anothernd and decided to grow sugar beets in a rented field on the outskirts of the vige to make a living with his grandson. However, taking advantage of the fact that the field is far from the vige, a monocr bear ended up upying the field and trying to eat up all the sugar beets.¡±

    Forli continued.

    ¡°I heard that the man used to live in a more remote vige. He must be lying, judging from his ent. However, six years ago, when the vige was swallowed by andslide, his son and daughter-inw lost their lives, and they could no longer live there. They are in debt and have put their hopes on the sugar beets, but if they fail, they and their grandchildren will not survive, they say.¡±

    Ekaterina gasped.

    What came to mind was the list of embezzlement shown to her by Treasurer Kimberly. Many disaster relief and reconstruction funds that were supposed to be given to vigers who suffered fromndslides and other disasters had been embezzled.

    Was this old man a victim of this?

    ¡°We may not be able to proceed the nned distance if we sweep up the monocr bear, but¡­¡±

    ¡°No problem. I would be happy to help.¡±

    Ekaterina said firmly, and Forli¡¯s expression turned into a smile.

    The monocr bear was not a powerful magical beast, but the knights had note equipped for a sweep. A strategy meeting would be necessary.

    So, they all moved to a ce where they could see the bear. Ekaterina was carried by knight Oleg¡¯s horse.

    Regina and the other hounds of Yurinova were left with the wagon so as not to rm it.

    Monocr bears looked like normal bears, but their heads were strangely long and slender. It was a magical beast with a single, huge eye.

    The bear, probably thinking that no one would dare to challenge it, was sitting on the field, munching on a sugar beet. The sugar beet was making a small resistance, iling about and hitting the monocr bear with a leaf. It was strangely endearing.

    By the way, I heard that when the beet is pulled out, it squeals ¡°Beep¡±. Strangely cute.

    ¡°It has a scar on his nose. It looks like it was defeated in a territorial dispute with its own tribe and fled to a human vige like this. That¡¯s probably why it¡¯s starving.¡±

    Forli said. He was indeed a wild-life, on-the-spot observer, and at sixty-five years old, had a keen eye for detail.

    ¡°The vantage point is good, so I¡¯m sure it will notice us as soon as we approach.¡±

    One of the knights said, crossing his arms, and Oleg nodded.

    ¡°Hmm. The surrounding fields would be destroyed, but we could rush in at once with our horses.¡±

    ¡°Yes, if we let the hounds hold it back and go from multiple directions at the same time.¡±

    This sense of sharing images in a simple meeting was very professional. That¡¯s cool.

 Chapter 233

    This sense of sharing images in a simple meeting was very professional. That¡¯s cool.

    ¡°Um, gentlemen.¡±

    Ekaterina called out, reservedly.

    ¡°I possess earth magic. If I dig down around that magical beast and drop it into a pit, I wonder if it would be possible to get close to it without destroying the field.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡±

    Oleg, who was about to think about it, shook his head in a panic.

    ¡°But, we don¡¯t want the youngdy to do that. It is dangerous.¡±

    ¡°No, big brother told me that a noble¡¯s magical power is to protect the people from magical beasts and the like. Besides, I am the one who decided to ask you all to clean up that beast. If there is anything I can do, I am willing to do it.¡±

    I understand that all the knights are professionals at cleaning up monsters and beasts, but theycked weapons such as firearms or anything of the sort. Everyone¡¯s standard arsenal included a short spear, and they had to be close enough to be able to deliver an attack.

    Even from a distance, I could tell that a bear the size of a brown bear from my previous life would be a dangerous creature. It would be my fault if any of them were hurt because I decided to clean up the monocr bear. It would mean that I was the one who caused the injury.

    It was a littlete for that, but I realized that with poweres responsibility.

    I would be able to attack someone from a distance with my magical powers. I hope I can make use of it.

    ¡°Of course, I will not do anything dangerous. Even from here, my magic power is enough to reach that magical beast. I wonder if that is not possible¡­¡±

    Ekaterina nodded her head, Oleg stopped talking, and Forli giggled.

    ¡°Noble words, befitting ady of the Order. I¡¯m sure everyone must be thrilled.¡±

    ¡°Yes, indeed.¡±

    Oleg and the other six knights all put their fists on their chests and bowed to Ekaterina.

    ¡°The Knights of Yurinova will not be slowed down by a single-eyed bear, but if anything should happen to Oleg, Erik of Yurinova Castle will know about it. We can¡¯t let the Duke worry about this.¡±

    Erik was Oleg¡¯s twin brother. He shared the same strong physique, but instead of bing a knight, as his mother had wished, he served the Yurinova family as a civil servant. They have such a strong bond that whatever happens to one of them will be passed on to the other. They said that they could not talk to each other, but they could certainly sense each other.

    One of the reasons Oleg was chosen as Ekaterina¡¯s bodyguard was that if anything happened to Oleg, it meant Ekaterina was in danger. He¡¯d be able to inform Alexei of his sister¡¯s danger as soon as possible.

    Note that the older brother Oleg was married and the younger brother Erik was single.

    ¡­I had heard about the bond between twins in my previous life, but I imagined that it was a bit of an urban legend or something that had not been scientifically proven. But in this world, as one would expect, the exnation that ¡°although weak, they have that kind of magical power¡± made it an unquestionable fact.

    But, now that I think about it, I wonder how much thought and effort my big brother put into ensuring my safety. He was taking every precaution possible in this world without a cell phone. As expected of a siscon.

    ¡°I will be with the Young Lady to protect you. Please do as you say and help us.¡±

    ¡°I will protect the Young Lady.¡±

    As if to overshadow Forli¡¯s words, who was a close aide of Duke Alexei, Mina, the maid who was following half a step behind Ekaterina, said in her usual nonchnt manner.

    ¡°Hmm, I see.¡±

    Forli nodded without showing any signs of being offended, probably because he knew that Mina was abat maid. But the knights were crestfallen by the beautiful maid¡¯s loyal words.

    ¡°Then, we, the Knights of Yurinova, will have the honor of fighting alongside the Young Lady.¡±

    And so, the strategy was changed.

 Chapter 234

    As discussed, everyone was in ce.

    Ekaterina directed her magic into the ground. Because of the distance, she let it trace through the earth like a thin line before letting it umte beneath the monocr bear.

    Forli, who probably sensed the amount and speed of the magical power that Ekaterina was manipting, groaned.

    Ekaterina nodded, and Forli raised one of his hands and swung it down.

    With that, Ekaterinaunched her magic power with all her might.

    (Soryaaa!)

    As a youngdy, she could not let people hear this inner spirit. But it was effective.

    Doon!

    With a ground-shaking sound, the sugar beet field caved in locally. A cloud of dust was raised, and it seemed as if there was something being burned. When it settled, the disced soil rose around it, giving it the appearance of an overgrown mole hole.

    It was about three meters in diameter and an estimated ten meters deep.

    The monocr bear was nowhere to be seen.

    Forli waved his hand at the bear, which was the signal for Regina and the other hounds toe running out from the side of the wagon. They sprinted like unleashed arrows, quickly encircling the hole and howling.

    ¡°The monocr bear has already started to climb up. The head is in sight, but the hounds have roared at it, and it looks like it is unable to get out.¡±

    ¡­Forli-san, you can see that from this distance? What a wildlife on-the-spot approach!

    And the physical ability of a monocr bear was astonishing as well. How could it climb up a ten-meter vertical hole so fast?

    But even if it wasn¡¯t a magical beast, bears in my previous life also had spectacr physical abilities. I once saw a video of a bear running alongside a car, and I believe it was running at 40 to 50 kilometers per hour. A monocr bear, a magical beast, could probably climb a vertical cliff faster than a human could climb stairs.

    Ah, I could see it. It was using the dirt at the edge of the hole as a shield, looking for a way out.

    I heard a roar, and the bear swung its burly wed paws toward Regina. But then a gust of wind blows, and the bear falls back into the hole with the dirt it was using as a shield.

    Ekaterina looked at Forli, who smiled back at her.

    As expected of an old veteran, the speed of this activation and the precision of the control were outstanding.

    The monocr bear quickly climbed back up and came out of the hole while the hounds retreated, but by then the knights had arrived. Surrounded by the knights with their spears at the ready, the bear tried to escape back into the hole.

    Not so fast!

    Ekaterina released her magic power and tried to build an earthen wall at the edge of the hole. However, the monocr bear forced its way into the hole.

    It mmed into the earthen wall.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    To be precise, it was caught up in the mud wall that was about to rise from the ground after it ran into it, and only its head and both paws went beyond the mud wall, leaving it suspended and iling in midair, with its chest and below remaining on the other side of the mud wall.

    Was this aedy show? What are you doing, Bear!

    ¡­But magic was so useful that it could stop a bear without using firearms. I see¡­no wonder people with magic power became the ruling ss. That exins why the nobles wanted strong magical power. I understand it now.

    The knights, whoughed bitterly, regained theirposure and readied their spears.

    (Ah¡­)

    Ekaterina quickly looked away.

    I should see it through, right? She was responsible for it. But she couldn¡¯t watch the scene.

    However, she could hear voices.

    Come to think of it¡­this was the first time in this and previous lives that I had witnessed the end of a creature¡¯s life.

    No, I didn¡¯t just witness it. I was the one who decided to do this clean-up. Even if it wasn¡¯t my fault, I was the one who put an end to that life. I took that bear¡¯s life. I have to be aware of that.

 Chapter 235

    ¡°Young Lady, are you feeling sick?¡±

    Mina immediately notices her master¡¯s condition and calls out to her.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m OK physically.¡±

    Ekaterina nodded her head, but she probably wasn¡¯t as pale as she thought she was. What¡¯s wrong with me? Why am I acting like a sensitive youngdy now?

    Mina put her arms around Ekaterina and hugged her tightly.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. A normal woman wouldn¡¯t be good with corpses. And I should have known it would have been impossible for the gentle Young Lady to be able to handle this. I should have taken you somewhere else.¡±

    ¡°Mina¡­¡±

    Now, that sounds like something Big Brother would say and do. What if being a siscon was a serious airborne disease in this world?

    I mean, there was no way that could be true, right?

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, really. And I know it¡¯s inappropriate to say that I don¡¯t like corpses because I always eat meat with my meals.¡±

    Yeah. I must not forget, meat was obtained from the corpse of a dead creature. And we epted it; taking its life would seem cruel or disgusting, but it was something we needed to do to survive.

    So, I wondered, what was the point of looking away?

    ¡­Sorry, I couldn¡¯t look at it. I wondered why logic didn¡¯t work¡­I was shaking. Urgh, move.

    ¡°Um¡­ everyone.¡±

    Ekaterina was startled by the hushed voice.

    ¡°Thank you very much. Thanks to you, we¡¯ll be able to grow the rest of the sugar beets. I really don¡¯t know how to thank you.¡±

    Ekaterina stepped away from Mina and smiled at the old man who hade to her for help.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. It is our duty to protect our people. I¡¯m d I could be of help to you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, thank you very much.¡±

    The old man burst into tears.

    Forli giggled.

    ¡°With its entire body avable, the monocr bear makes for excellent prey, Young Lady. Its fur is strong and warm, and its meat is nutritious. Above all, they have special organs, and the fluid that umtes in them is the raw material for high-quality restorative medicines and can be sold for a high price.¡±

    ¡­I was worried about being eaten by a bear earlier, but now I was on the side that eats the bear¡­.it was truly a eat or be eaten rtionship.

    But well, thank you Forli-san!

    ¡°You have a debt, don¡¯t you? I would be more than happy to help you pay off your debt with the money from the monocr bear.¡±

    A disaster turned into a blessing. All things in life eventually change for the better. I hope the old man, who went through many hard times, will feel that something good has happened to him.

    But, if he would continue to grow sugar beets, live a serious life, and pay taxes, it would be most appreciated by the government officials.

    I could also now understand a bit about the Ainu people, who used to worship the prey of their hunts as a gift from the Gods.

    Thank you, monocr bear. Your life would give some people a chance to live.

    The old man gasped and shook his head.

    ¡°No, no, no¡­the bear now belongs to all of you because you defeated it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s yours. You must have grandchildren. Give them some of the nourishing meat to eat.¡±

    Originally, we should have been taking care of them when they suffered from a disaster in their hometowns. It was about time we made it up to them.

    ¡°I can feed them good food¡­ thank goodness¡­!¡±

    The old man was no longer in tears.

    By this time, the other vigers hade to check on him. They must have noticed the cloud of dust when they had just dropped the bear into the pit.

 Chapter 236

    Forli noticed that one of the people in the distance was the vige chief and called him over. They quickly agreed on the processing and division of the monocr bear.

    The old man¡¯s family would take arger portion of the meat (the monocr bear weighed an estimated 200 kilograms), but they would also share it with the vigers (in a world without refrigerators or freezers, where preservation is not possible, this would be the best option, although some meat would be dried). The bones would also be shared among the vigers, but the skull would be given to the old man (it was said that skulls were very effective in repelling animals).

    Ekaterina praised the vige chief. He had lent the old man and his grandson an empty house and a field (a kind of abandoned farnd). He was very generous and kind to him. I hope that they will continue to take good care of others in the future.

    The house and the farm were not free, so the old man suffered from debt. Well, there was nothing we could do about that. Even the vige head could not afford to be that much charitable.

    Rather than dwelling on that, if the old man and his grandchildren were going to live here from now on, it would be better to make a good impression on them. ¡­I had the impression that rural viges and strangers could be extremely troublesome if things went bad¡­.

    The vige chief was taken aback, but he seemed pleased to be praised by a noblewoman, so I expected him to continue to be kind to the old man¡¯s family.

    The old man and the vigers could process the bear, but they would need to be skilled in order to extract the organs that could be used to make recovery medicine, so the knights would take care of that for them.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t give the Young Lady a good demonstration, so at least let us be useful.¡±

    Ekaterina shook her head as Oleg mentioned the monocr bear cleanup, which ended in an anticlimactic fight.

    ¡°I am very impressed with your ability because your coordination was wless and you were able to bring the bear to a stop. I admire everyone¡¯s ability to not only avoid danger, but also to win without it.¡±

    The result was contrived, but if the knights had had a chance, the monocr bear would have chosen to mount a suicide attack rather than run back into the hole.

    A seemingly simple assist was more important than a wonderful performance. So said my ser fan friend in my previous life.

    At these words, the knights bowed again, this time with their fists to their chests, and went back to work.

    While waiting for them, Ekaterina decided to use her earth magic to assist the knights in clearing the dirt in the untended fields on the outskirts of the vige. She was also teaching herself how to control her magic, effectively killing two birds with one stone.

    She poured her magical power into the weed-infested vacant lot and dug deep into the soil. The soil rumbled and shook on all sides, and weeds and ckened subterranean soil that had breached the surface of the ground rose.

    In a world where tractors did not exist, digging up the earth was hard work. In no time at all, a farnd with soft, fluffy soil, perfect for nting crops, was created.

    Ekaterina exhaled with a smile.

    I¡¯m tired, but I worked up a good sweat.

    Then, there were cheers and apuse.

    ¡°Wow! Noblemen are spectacr!¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Mistress!¡±

    The vigers who were watching were cheering wildly.

    ¡­Hmm?

    ¡°Here, everyone. This youngdy is no Mistress, she is the Duke¡¯s sister, the Princess of Yurinova!¡±

    Everyone was taken aback when Forli said this.

    ¡°Oh, I beg for your forgiveness. I heard rumors that the Duke has brought a beautiful wife.¡±

    The vige chief bowed his head in a panic.

    Where did that rumore from? That beautiful wife of Big Brother was me?

    Oh my, that made me so happy.

    As a brocon, this hit the spot.

 Chapter 237

    Having finished collecting the restorative organs, Ekaterina¡¯s group returned to the road.

    Before that, the old man and the vige chief insisted on giving Ekaterina a piece of meat, and the old man¡¯s grandchildren thanked them for their hospitality. And it also didn¡¯t take long for Regina and her hounds to be so popr with the vige children that they surrounded them and asked to be carried on their backs.

    ¡°Princess, please visit us again!¡±

    The group was sent off by such a cute chorus together with the old man and the vige chief, who bowed their heads earnestly, and the group set out on their journey.

    When I looked at the sugar beet field, the leaves were swaying impatiently as if they were waving. Perhaps they were showing their gratitude for saving them from the monocr bear.

    ¡­In the end, I n to harvest you guys and boil you down to sugar. Sorry, I was really sorry.

    Aaah, I think sugar beets are root vegetables if ssified, but why do I get a glimpse of how livestock farmers feel, raising cows and pigs and shipping them out!

    ¡°Young Lady, aren¡¯t you tired?¡±

    Ekaterina came to herself when Forli called out to her.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not that tired. But it has taken up more time than I thought it would. I guess we¡¯ll have to find a ce to stay for the night.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I was thinking.¡±

    Nodding, Forli said something unexpected.

    ¡°Youngdy, would you like to be our guest for the night in a camp site of forest people?¡±

    ¡°My¡­¡±

    That sounds lovely. But I wondered if it would be all right for me to suddenlye over.

    To begin with, the forest people were supposed to be a small group of people who moved from one ce to another in the forest, without settling down. I wonder where they are now.

    Ekaterina turned her head to Forli to find out, and froze.

    This was not the story of a legendary, highly rated TV show!

    Forli-san, behind you, behind you!

    Behind Forli-San, outside the carriage window, a huge bee loomed.

    The size of the bee was beyondparison to that of a giant ho. In my previous life, a wasp would have been about the size of an adult¡¯s thumb, but this bee is not just the size of a thumb, but the size of the palm of an adult¡¯s hand. It was the size of a sparrow.

    Huh, Forliughed.

    ¡°Young Lady, do not worry. The one outside was a messenger, a Great King Bee. They are friends of the forest people.¡±

    The Great King Bee was a magical beast, or should I say magical insect? They are forest people¡¯s allies, and the two groups have a symbiotic rtionship. In my previous life, symbiosis would have been like the rtionship between a clownfish and a sea anemone or an ant and an aphid.

    Even in the Yurinova forest, which was home to many powerful magical beasts, the great king bee was one of the strongest. This would be because the hive was led by a highly intelligent queen bee with a powerful venomous stinger that could kill a bear with a single sting, and if the hive or its members were threatened, the entire colony would fight the external enemy without a second thought.

    Since some time ago, the forest people were sheltered by the giant bees by tending to injured adults and providing them with food. In exchange for helping them take care of their hives and eggs, the great king bees would share their honey with them.

 Chapter 238

    The reason why the forest people were able to live in the dangerous forests inhabited by many magical beasts was because most of them worked with the Great Big Bee.

    I see.

    It was a wonder that the forest people could live in the mountains of Yurinova, where many powerful magical beasts, such as the brown bear-sized monocr bears, live. There was a reason for that.

    ¡°The great king bee builds multiple nests all over its territory, and the queen bee moves around,ys eggs in each nest, and cares for her young. This practise may be a wise way to avoid total extinction. The forest people also make their homes near each hive and move around at the bee¡¯s request.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I have heard that the forest people do not settle down. Was that the reason?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. And one of their settlements is close to here. The fact that the Great Bee¡¯s messenger came here means that the people of the forest are here, and they are inviting us.¡±

    Oh, right, they were just like the nomads in my previous life. They didn¡¯t settle down either, they moved around searching for grass to feed their livestock, but I had read somewhere that their seasonal strongholds were usually predetermined.

    ¡°That exins a lot.¡±

    Ekaterina nodded.

    ¡°I appreciate the hospitality of the forest people. I will dly pay them a visit. I¡¯ve been looking forward to speaking with your wife, Lady Aurora, since we didn¡¯t have much time to talk the other night.¡±

    I would probably never get a chance to visit a forest people¡¯s residence again if I missed this opportunity! Super lucky!

    It was like being a mystery hunter on a show about discovering mysteries. In my former life, non-fiction TV shows were my favorite, and this one was no exception.

    Ekaterina¡¯s words made Forli break into a smile.

    ¡°It is an honor to have you as a guest, mydy. I am sure my wife and daughter would be delighted.¡±

    He then waved to the Messenger Bee outside the carriage, and the bee quickly flew away.

    The road left the rural area behind and entered the forest.

    The summer sky was still bright, but the sun was setting and the darkness under the trees on the road was growing thicker. Soon, it would be impossible to proceed.

    ¡­If it had not been for the offer of the forest people, we would probably have camped out in the woods.

    In this time, in this world, in this ce, the risk of changing ns was significant. I should reflect on this. I didn¡¯t regret defending the grandfather¡¯s farm, though.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, youngdy. The forest people¡¯s residence is not far away.¡±

    ¡°Oh my, that¡¯s good to know. They are closer to the vige than I thought.¡±

    ¡°In the past, these farming viges were also forests. The territory of the Great King Bee has not changed since ancient times. The reason why this area has remained a forest and not been cultivated is because of the legacy of the 5th Duke Vassily.¡±

    Forli continued.

    ¡°It is likely that Lord Vassily, who was in touch with the forest people, avoided a conflict with the Great Bee. And it was to protect these forests that Lord Sergei appointed me Chief of Forestry and Agriculture.¡°

    ¡°I see¡­¡±

    He mentioned that recently, forests were being cut down at a rapid rate for fuel and building materials. It would have been very difficult to protect the forests so close to human settlements. Even in my previous life, the logic of economics was stronger than that of environmental conservation.

    But I understood this because of the knowledge I had from my previous life. Many wonderful things would be preserved if this forest was left for future generations, such as a variety of species, water retention, wind protection, disaster prevention such asndslides, and so on.

    Oh, no, it was just knowledge from a past life. Sorry, I apologize for being a fraud.

 Chapter 239

    ¡°It is only because Forli-sama understood it. I believe that the idea of mixing the ck dragon cedar with other trees whose berries are edible and can be used for furniture will one day save the people of the territory. I hope there will be no famine, but the weather is not always cooperative.¡°

    ¡°Indeed, it seems so. The youngdy really knows her way around things at such a young age.¡±

    ¡­Sorry for the scam¡­.

    When they reached a certain point, Forli called the coachman to a halt, and Ekaterina could not make out anyndmarks, but she was told that there was a path leading to the forest people¡¯s residence.

    Stepping out of the carriage alone, Forli led the carriage to a clearing away from the road. The road disappeared after a short distance, hidden by a grove of trees. This would make the carriage¡¯s presence hard to see from the road.

    Just as the two horses were detached from the carriage, they heard the loud buzzing of insect wings. The Great King Bee¡¯s messenger from earlier appeared, weaving through the grove of trees.

    Although, because they couldn¡¯t identify the individual bee, it could be a different bee.

    ¡°The carriage will be protected by the Great King Bee. Let us make our way to the Forest People together.¡±

    Forli climbed onto the horse he detached from the carriage after watching the Great King Bee perched on the carriage¡¯s roof and led the others along an unclear trail. Ekaterina was again allowed to ride with Oleg¡¯s horse, while the coachman and Mina rode on the other horse that was pulling the carriage.

    It was already quite dim in the forest. She had never entered the forest in the dark, not in her previous life and not in this life. A chill ran down her spine, a fear that probably stemmed from the very roots of humanity.

    Then, a white ball of light appeared.

    Around the horse¡¯s feet, the white light increased.

    ¡°These are white beadworms. They are as small as a grain of wheat, but they glow so brightly that the forest people use them as lights on summer nights.

    ¡°They are beautiful¡­¡±

    How fantastic. It was like a dream on a summer night.

    Guided by the white beadworms, the group continued along the path in the forest until they finally reached a clearing. Here and there,rge, brightly colored tents were set up.

    A woman standing in front of one of these tents bowed.

    ¡°Wee, youngdy.¡±

    Aurora, the chief of the forest people and Forli¡¯s wife, smiled.

    ***

    The meat of the monocr bear was a nice souvenir.

    The Forest People provided several tents for Ekaterina¡¯s group to stay and rx. Aurora was very pleased, though Ekaterina thought the meat was simply a small token of appreciation for the trouble she had caused.

    ¡°When eaten, this warms the body and makes it more resistant to illness.

    I¡¯ll put it in the soup, and you¡¯re wee to eat it as well, youngdy.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Madam. Thank you for the kind invitation.¡±

    Ekaterina smiled, and the knights bowed in acknowledgement.

    I offered to help prepare the meal, but Aurora only chuckled. The Forest People rarely epted guests, but once they did, it was their custom to entertain them with all their heart and soul, so Ekaterina said nothing more and decided to enjoy her stay.

    I was allowed to take a walk around the residence to rx my stiff body from the carriage ride. In addition to Mina, the maid, I was apanied by Forli and Oleg. Regina and her hounds were also with us.

 Chapter 240

    The Forest People, who did not interact much with foreigners, did not speak to Ekaterina. However, perhaps because of Forli¡¯s presence, some of them smiled or nodded at her, and Ekaterina returned their greetings.

    They were all tall and slim, with long, lustrous hair. Even the men had long hair, which suited them and gave them a somewhat neutral look. It was reminiscent of elves, who were popr in fantasy in my previous life, as well as their lifestyle of living in the forest.

    At this hour, the women of the Forest People were busy preparing meals. But then, it seemed that some families had men preparing meals. Perhaps because they had a symbiotic rtionship with the Great King Bee, led by a Queen, they didn¡¯t care much about gender and chose their roles based on their individual suitability.

    Hmmm, surprisingly innovative. I doubt they need an Equal Employment Opportunity Law or anything like that. Not that thismunity needed such a thing in the first ce.

    ¡°You are all wearing very colorful clothes, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    The design of the garments they were wearing was antiquated. It was as if, in my previous life, a cartoon character portraying a Celtic tribe dressed in this kind of clothing. There was fine and stunning embroidery on it, and the colors were vibrant.

    She had often admired the beauty of embroidery since arriving in Yurinova, butpared to those, the color of this embroidery was unique and wonderful.

    She was reminded of Flora when she saw the lovely flower embroidery.

    Something like that would suit Flora-chan. I hope she is doing well. And the Prince too.

    ¡­I wondered if big brother was feeling lonely without me. It hadn¡¯t even been a day since he had seen me off this morning, and normally I wouldn¡¯t miss him or anything, but he was a siscon.

    I was also lonely! Because I¡¯m a brocon!

    ¡°The Forest People have excellent knowledge of dyeing. The color of the tent never fades, even when exposed to the wind and rain. I¡¯ve long wanted to spread the product in the Imperial City, but I¡¯m not very knowledgeable about clothing.¡±

    ¡°If that is the case, I would be happy to assist you.¡±

    Ekaterina recalled her experience of assisting in the spread of the heavenly blue.

    A small field of crops was nted in a corner of the settlement. Even though they did not settle permanently, their movements were seasonal, so they would most likely be able to harvest summer vegetables, which grow quickly. Some crops, such as tomatoes, might have been introduced by Forli.

    And¡­.

    ¡­as I thought. I could hear them.

    They were buzzing around¡­

    ¡°The sugar beets here are more wild than those nted in the farming viges earlier.¡±

    ¡°¡­They are shaking vigorously¡±

    The nts at the edge of the field were swaying back and forth, left and right. It seemed as if their leaves were about to fall out.

    ¡­and then, with a ¡°plop, plop, plop,¡± the two-twisted roots slipped out of the ground¡­

    What is this¡­

    ¡°Oh, it looks like the one that failed to mature has just emerged.¡±

    The sugar beets, having broken out of the ground, stood up (¡­) with two roots, but they were wobbly.

    Oh, it stumbled.

    ¡°They are referred to as ¡®never growing up¡¯ because they remain in the same form as when they were juveniles, unable to mature. They may roam around, but they are pretty much harmless, so you can rest assured.¡±

    ¡­I wasn¡¯t sure what I should be relieved about.

 Chapter 241

    And then, from somewhere, another walking sugar beet appeared. This one moved well, taking tiny steps with its two roots, not fast, but with a familiar gait. ¡­ I wondered if this was the right gait it had developed. It was still walking using roots, though.

    It offered a leaf to the copsed sugar beet. The copsed sugar beet also wriggled its own leaf into that leaf and was pulled up¡­

    ¡­beautiful brotherhood¡­?

    The sugar beet that cameter was handsome in what he was doing¡­ a handsome sugar beet¡­ though itcked a face¡­

    But then, suddenly, a ck shadow jumped out from the forest. A beast, probably a badger, about the size of a small dog, chomped the handsome (?) sugar beet.

    I heard it squeal. With the beet still in its mouth, the badger rushed back into the forest.

    At that moment, there was the sound of something cutting through the air.

    ¡°Young Lady!¡±

    Mina drew Ekaterina behind her for protection, while the knight Oleg stepped forward with his sword drawn. The hounds growled threateningly, but Ekaterina had no idea what was going on.

    Only that the badger disappeared in a puff of smoke, and the beet that had been bitten fell to the ground and rolled around.

    ¡°Mina, Oleg, don¡¯t worry. Quell the hounds, too. They will not attack humans as long as we don¡¯t touch them. ¨CEkaterina-sama, a mature one has appeared.¡±

    ¡°Is that it¡­¡±

    Ekaterina¡¯s eyes widened when she saw where Forli was pointing. She could only make out half a figure of it in the forest outside her house in the vermilion light of evening ¨Ce to think of it, this time of day was called the hour of meeting in her previous life ¨C but it was simr to the sugar beet in the field.

    First, it wasrge. It must have been two meters tall. The part that should have been the root of a turnip was covered with a tough, bark-like skin that was as thick as an adult¡¯s leg.

    The part of the nt that was split into two legs waspletely stable and looked like an elephant¡¯s foot, while the neck, or rather the part where the leaves were growing, appeared to have been transformed from leaves into sword-like spikes.

    And mixed in with the sword-like spikes were several whip-like, vine-like stalks (?). One of these stalks was connected to the vine that sprouted earlier. It was wrapped around the badger I saw earlier.

    ¡°The adult protects the young and feeds on those that attack them. It has a pouch full of digestive juices in its body and can digest them.¡±

    Ahhh¡­ like a carnivorous nt in my previous life¡­

    The mature sugar beets were not aggressive toward the forest people and were friendly to the giant bees. The individuals near their habitat were ancestors of those nted in the fields and had grown into full-grown individuals, so they probably remembered how they were taken care of in the past.

    The full-grown individuals would eventually produce enormous flowers, and the Great King bee would collect the nectar with the bees under their control.

    The Great King Bee, on the other hand, collects nectar from fully grown giant flowers to produce a special royal nectar to nurture the queen bee. Thanks to the Great King Bee, the full-grown nts would be cross-pollinated and produce fruit. This is why full-grown sugar beets are grown near the Great King Bee¡¯s territories.

    Royal nectar would produce Royal Jelly, right? ¡­Is the sweetness of the sugar beet what attracts the Great King Bee when it blooms? I guess the sugar beet needed to berge enough for the Great King Bee to pollinate it.

    The full-grown beet disappeared into the depths of the forest, shaking its big body in azy manner.

    The beet, which had been almost snatched by a badger, seemed to be safe (?) and was supported by the other beets.

    Because they didn¡¯t reach full maturity, I understood what they meant by ¡°safe.¡±

 Chapter 242

    Then Ekaterina noticed something shining in the forest and turned her attention to it.

    ¡°A horse¡­¡±

    ¡°A horse?¡±

    Oleg, who returned his sword to its scabbard, looked back with a grim face. The knights¡¯ horses, as well as the eight horses pulling the carriage, were tied up in the centre of the settlement, leisurely eating the grass cut for them by the knights and the Forest People.

    ¡°I noticed arge, ck creature that looked like a horse. Its mane glowed silver¡­didn¡¯t Mina notice?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see it.¡±

    Mina looked puzzled, though her face remained expressionless.

    Forli¡¯s expression turned stern.

    ¡°Perhaps, did Miss witness [The Maiden of Death]?¡±

    ***

    The [Maiden of Death] was a legendary being passed down by the Forest People.

    Her appearance was said to be that of a beautiful young girl. However, she wears a blood-stained corpse coat and holds a scythe that was unbing of her slender body. She was also said to appear riding a huge jet-ck horse with a silver mane and tail.

    She was not a living person. She was a girl who died a horrible death a long time ago and wandered around without sleeping peacefully.

    Everything that her hand touched died. She was a cursed maiden, seeking vengeance even after death.

    It must have happened about 2,000 years ago, when the ancient Astra Empire did not yet have thisnd as its territory.

    She was born as the youngest child of a prestigious and powerful family whose territory included a portion of what used to be the northern capital of the country. She grew up to be a healthy, kind-hearted girl with a faithful father, a loving mother, and a close brother and sister.

    She was beautiful, but her older sister was even more beautiful. She was famous in the neighborhood for her beauty, and there was no end to the number of marriage proposals offered to her.

    Her sister won the hand of the heir to another powerful family that was growing in power in the area at the time. He was not only a handsome young man but also an ambitious one, and he skillfully captured the elder sister¡¯s heart and made her fall madly in love with him. The father of the young woman, who was aware of the greed of the young man¡¯s family, was reluctant, but the sister¡¯s eagerness won him over, and he agreed to let his daughter marry him.

    The night of the wedding.

    The bridegroom¡¯s n killed all the bride¡¯s n and took their territory.

    To celebrate the asion of the wedding, the bride¡¯s n gathered in their fine clothes. They drank many cups at the feast and talked a great deal with the bridegroom¡¯s n, and by the time night fell, they had fallen asleep. At midnight, the bridegroom¡¯s family took out their hidden weapons and attacked the sleeping men. There was not a moment to lose.

    Even the beautiful bride was ughtered only after a single night of marriage, as if they had no use for her once they had theirnds.

    The maiden died along with her family. But she was too grief-stricken to die. She rejected the god of death, who wanted to take her to the underworld, and wished for vengeance to avenge the death of her entire family.

    The god of death told her, If she refused to go down to the underworld, she would belong to this world. If she epted, then she could fulfill her wish.

    The maiden nodded her head in agreement. And she became the [Maiden of Death], and everyone she touches dies.

    ¡°¡­With the scythe in her hand, she reaped the lives of all her enemies¡¯ families and exacted her revenge. But even after that, the Forest People narrated that she was still trapped in death and wandered forever as the living dead.¡±

    ¡°A sad tale.¡±

    Ekaterina sighed.

 Chapter 243

    [Maiden of Death], from what she remembered in her previous life, was the personification of the gue. In Eastern European folklore, the gue was a symbol of blood and death.

    Ekaterina had read in a book about an Eastern European folk tale about a woman in white waving a bloodstained handkerchief at the entrance of a vige, causing the gue to spread through the vige and people to die in a chain of deaths.

    But in this world, [Maiden of Death] was not a personification of something, but a real person.

    ¡°Are you saying that what I saw was this [Maiden of Death]?¡±

    ¡°You must think this is absurd. But my wife, Aurora, met the Maiden of Death when she was a child.¡±

    At that moment, Aurora appeared.

    ¡°Dinner is ready. It¡¯s not much, but here you go.¡±

    Before I knew it, the sun hadpletely set.

    Here and there, in the evening darkness, the light of white beadworms floated around the residence. They were like soap bubbles of light.

    Aurora led us to arge tent in the living area, where a hearty dinner wasid out on a long, low wooden table. The smell was a little spicy and appetizing.

    Even in the tent, a few caged white beadworms were gently glowing.

    It was a bit like indirect lighting from her previous life; it was fashionable.

    There were no chairs, and the guests were encouraged to sit on cushions. Forli was worried that I might not like it, since there was no culture of sitting on the floor in the imperial capital, but thanks to my memories of Japan in my previous life, it was perfect.

    Most of the tableware was made of wood. However, the wooden tes and utensils were elegantly shaped and exquisitely carved, giving them an artistic rather than a rustic appearance.

    The spoons and forks were also made of wood, and their borate workmanship was impressive. Flowers were ced here and there on the dining table elegantly.

    ¡°It¡¯s lovely. You all have such excellent taste in aesthetics. I am sure the guests at the Duke¡¯s garden party will be delighted to use such tableware.¡°

    ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you to say. It must seem entric from the youngdy¡¯s point of view, but you have a big heart.¡±

    No, no, it¡¯s really lovely. It would have the advantage of being lighter than china, and I would seriously like to introduce it to a standing party. I¡¯m in the process of developing a sales outlet for the ss tes and sses at Murano Studio, in the imperial capital, and I was thinking that with this atmosphere, it could be sold to the same buyers¡­

    I was lucky enough to be invited here, but I shouldn¡¯t get too carried away.

    Butter, maybe I should ask them if they would be interested in a cash ie.

    The cuisine consists mainly of wild vegetables. Many of the ingredients were new to me, and I was excited.

    I was a little hesitant to try the soup with bear meat because I thought it might have a bad smell, but it was delicious and aromatic with a hint of herbs. It had a slightly sour and pungent vor. The bear meat still had a wild taste, but thanks to the herbs, it was considered a hint of vor, and the taste was addictive.

    There was also turnip in the soup. It was sweet and delicious. ¡­I see, this is not turnip¡­

    I should not think about it! Everything I have ever eaten was also once alive!

    Thank you, beet! Thank you, bears! Thank you for all the life you have offered for me to eat! Thank you!

    Other items include a kind of brownish, sticky baked bread full of nuts (instead of flour, they use a certain kind of groundnut flour and bake it with nuts on top), grilled mushrooms with a slightly bitter taste, bulbs of some kind with a crunchy texture, and a variety of fruits, including small peaches, raspberries, and blueberries, and something resembling an akebi.

 Chapter 244

    Ekaterina enjoyed the delicacies, which were also a rarity. The fact that they were eating in the Forest People¡¯s tent, instead of the Duke mansion¡¯s luxurious dining room, was also a pleasant change of pace.

    ¡°Youngdy, are you all right?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s really delicious, Mina. Is it ording to your pte?¡±

    ¡°I eat anything edible.¡±

    Mina was eating next to Ekaterina because the Forest People had agreed to serve her. She insisted that she would serve the youngdy, but Ekaterina dragged her over and made her sit down next to her. It might be difficult to do escort work when eating together, but with six knights in attendance and Forli, there should be no need to worry about safety. Mina, who was always at work, should turn off her work mode once in a while.

    For the forest people, the difference in status might be something beyondprehension. As amoner in my previous life, I was grateful that I did not have to worry about it.

    By the way, Regina and the other hounds got a big bone outside the tent and were chewing on it.

    Aurora nodded when I asked her about [Maiden of Death], wondering if it would be a good topic of conversation during the meal.

    ¡°Yes, I encountered it when I was a child. I still believe that it was [Maiden of Death].¡±

    As a child, Aurora¡¯s first encounter with [Maiden of Death] was when she was lost.

    She went to pick mushrooms and got carried away, and the next thing she knew, the sun was setting, and she didn¡¯t know where she was.

    Aurora involuntarily began to cry because she knew it was too dangerous for a child to spend the night alone in this forest.

    Then she heard a gentle voice.

    [What¡¯s wrong?]

    Surprised, she looked in the direction of the voice and saw a strange girl standing there. Her long blonde hair was shining in the evening sun.

    What a beautifuldy.

    She was slender and delicate, pale as if she were glowing, and her fine face was a little sad, but she was beautiful, neat, and elegant. She was about 15 or 16 years old.

    Relieved that she was no longer alone, Aurora admired the girl¡¯s beauty and imed that she was lost.

    Then the girl smiled.

    [You are a child of the Forest People. All right, I¡¯ll send you to your n. Just don¡¯t ever, ever touch me.]

    Aurora noticed for the first time that the girl had a huge scythe in her hand and flinched. The adults had told her about [Maiden of Death].

    Forest People heard about the curse of the [Maiden of Death].

    The avenger of her family, who was tricked and killed by the husband of her sister. Some of those people who had a small connection to her family survived and fled to the forest, fearing the Maiden¡¯s wrath. The Forest People were their descendants.

    But if she could not return to the others before dark, she would be attacked and eaten by a magical beast.

    So, fearfully, she followed the girl.

    Staring at her, she simply appeared to be a beautiful girl.

    But it was strange to see a young woman in a ce like this. Her simple white dress looked dirty. The [Maiden of Death] was supposed to be wearing a robe stained with blood. And the scythe in her hand looks like it could cut a person¡¯s head off with ease. She was carrying it on her slender arm, but she did not seem to feel the weight of it as she walked along.

    Although she appeared to be kind, what if she was really nning to kill everyone?

    The ce where she was living at that time was soon found. The girl turned around and pointed in that direction.

    [Go¡­]

    [¡­where are you going, big sister?]

    The girl just smiled in response. She wondered if the girl would spend her days alone in a forest full of magical beasts.

    At that moment, a huge horse appeared beside the girl. The horse¡¯s body was jet ck, its mane and tail were silver, and its eyes were silver as well, shining so coldly that it was hard to believe it was a horse. It was the very horse that [Maiden of Death] was said to ride.

    At that point, she realized that it was really [Maiden of Death]

    But she saved her.

    Aurora suddenly thought of something and held out a basket full of mushrooms.

    [Thank you. Here, you can have it.]

    [No, it¡¯s alright.]

    Aurora threw the mushrooms in the basket at the girl who shook her head. The mushrooms hit the girl, who quickly tried to avoid them.

    The mushrooms, which had been lush and fresh, transformed instantly. They became shriveled, ck and dried up ¨C lifeless and dead.

    It was then that she confirmed that it was the Maiden of Death!

 Chapter 245

    Aurora screamed and ran away at once to her ce of residence.

    ¡°It was more than fifty years ago, but I still remember it vividly.¡±

    Concluding her words, Aurora sighed softly.

    ¡°The [Death Maiden] you speak of, Aurora-sama, does not sound like a terrifying existence, does it?¡±

    Aurora smiled as Ekaterina said this.

    ¡°I see. When I was a child, I was both terrified and proud to have encountered the [Maiden of Death]. Back then, I would have spoken to her a little more if I was not so terrified.¡±

    Aurora continued.

    ¡°But over time, as I recall each of her words, I havee to believe that she was only being kind to me. I did a bad thing at the time. I was terribly rude to someone who was kind to a lost child. I hope to see her again someday and apologize for that time, but I was unable to see her again.¡±

    ***

    ¡°Everyone dismissed.¡±

    After the meal was finished, Forli led the knights and the hostess away from the tent.

    When Ekaterina thanked them for the delicious meal, they returned a happy smile that seemed to be more than just a courtesy.

    Mina remained by her side and Forli nodded in agreement. He had no intention of asking her to leave.

    ¡°Miss, over here, please.¡±

    Smiling, Aurora held out a te of what looked like thin cookies.

    ¡°It is a pastry coated with the royal nectar of the Great King Bee. Originally, only the queen bee of the Great King Bee eats it, and since it is only made in small quantities, it is only rarely shared with humans. Even the emperor would not be able to eat it. It is the only luxury hospitality we Forest People can offer.¡±

    ¡°Oh, well, that is something. The delicacies we had at the dinner table were all very delicious.¡±

    Nevertheless, it was exciting to think of it as such a precious thing.

    Ekaterina tried a mouthful and found it to be crispy and pleasantly crunchy. The sweetness was not strong, but only slightly sweet.

    (Ah!?)

    ?

    Ekaterina¡¯s eyes widened at the sensation that came after taking a pause for a moment.

    What was it, this magic power? I felt a surge of energy, as if fuel had been injected into my veins. It was as if all the energy I had consumed from clearing away the monocr bears and shoveling the soil in the fields had been recharged all at once.

    ¡°For a person with strong magical power like you, the effect is strong.¡±

    Forli chuckled.

    ¡°The royal nectar of the Great King Bee is excellent for the body even if eaten by an ordinary person, and it has the effect of healing illnesses and wounds surprisingly quickly, but if a person with magic power eats it, it will increase their magic power.¡±

    ¡°My¡­ how wonderful.¡±

    ¡°I heard that the fifth Duke Vassily called the royal nectar ¡®the treasure of the forest¡¯.¡±

    It looks like a restorative potion from a game in my previous life or something. Amazing. If this were an adventure game world instead of an Otome Game, adventurers would have rushed in to get it. Thank goodness there were no adventurers in this world.

    I forgot for a while that this was an Otome Game world¡­ Sinceing to the Duke¡¯s territory, I was not involved in any Otome Game scenarios. It was a little scary that I might forget all about the scenarios and events of Otome Game.

    ¡°The queen bee of the Great King Bee is highly intelligent and seems to understand human reason, and that the Duke of Yurinova is recognized as ruler of thisnd. When the Duke visits the Forest People¡¯s habitat, they often share their royal nectar with them. It seems as if they are making their value known.¡±

 Chapter 246

    If that was the case, then the queen bee was really intelligent. In a sense, she was a marketer, grasping the needs of humans and pitching to them.

    I guess Lord Vassily¡¯s protection of the Great Bee Forest was partly to secure this royal nectar.

    In a world where individual magical power could be a tremendous advantage, an item that enhances magical power would be a priceless treasure. If it also works for illnesses and injuries, it would be a hidden treasure or a supreme treasure, especially since medical care was not that developed yet.

    ¡°¡­I would like my brother to eat it.¡±

    The words dropped out of my mouth.

    I wondered how my brother was doing now. Is he workingte just because I was away? Is he eating properly?

    If he consumed this royal nectar, maybe he would break his overworked g. I should bring it home instead of eating it.

    Ah, but I was afraid he¡¯d increase his work hours just because he could recover. Could he work 24 hours a day after taking recovery pills? No, that¡¯s not the point.

    It looks like I was missing my big brother more than I expected.

    Aurora distracted Ekaterina, who was bing a bit emotional.

    ¡°Miss, would you like to see some of the items rted to Lord Vassily that we, the Forest People, have passed down to our people?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes, please, we would love to see it.¡±

    Oh no, no, this was not good, my brocon symptoms were showing up.

    From the corner of the tent, Aurora brought a wooden box. It was a beautiful box, with a glossy, well-worn, and finely carved surface. The front of the box was divided into nine sections, each with a different nt carved on it.

    When Aurora opened the top lid and moved something, one of the nine front panels came off with a tter, and Aurora then shifted the remaining eight panels as if it was a puzzle.

    This was called a Karakuri box. I wondered how Forest People could make such items.

    Finally, a thin drawer appeared, and Aurora handed me the old-fashioned letter that she had taken out of it.

    ¡°I wonder if this is the imperial letter that big brother mentioned at the feast.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is.¡±

    The texture was not much different from ordinary paper, but the ink had not discolored even though the letter was about 300 years old, so it was probably parchment.

    ording to my knowledge of this world after I started visiting Alexei¡¯s office, parchment had long been used for important documents, although the use of paper had already been widespread by the time of the founding of the empire. This was due to the fact that parchment was thought to be more durable than paper for long-term storage.

    If this was parchment, Lord Vassily must have considered the protection of the Forest People and the Great Bee Forest as an important matter to be passed down to the next generations.

    I opened the letter and read it.

    The handwriting was old-fashioned, but powerful. As one would expect from the wise and famous Prince Vassily, one could sense the strength of his will even among the sessive dukes of Yurinova.

    The writing style was traditional, but official documents were still written in this style, and I was able to read them because, thankfully, I had been in contact with them in the office.

    The content was brief, with four main points.

    Permission for Forest People to reside in Yurinova Territory.

    Permission for Forest People to pass anywhere in Yurinova territory without exception.

    Prohibition of cutting down and cultivating the forests where Forest People reside.

    In return for granting the above privileges, the inventor, Giovanni Di Santi, was to be provided with every convenience, protection, and anything else he might ask for, in exchange for his loyalty to the dukedom and to the Duke¡¯s family.

    One line was added at the end with an apanying note in a different handwriting. The letter was dated, but there was another signature written on it that was still valid. It was the handwriting of Grandfather Sergei, which I had seen in the Oval Office.

    ¡­ording to the contents of this letter, the Forest People could even enter Yurinova Castle by showing this letter. Or, more urately, it was written in such a way that they could. We could have royal nectar delivered to us whenever we needed it.

    But the price for this kind of hospitality was a favor to the inventor Giovanni Di Santi¡­Lord Vassily seemed to be very devoted when it came to inventors. I guess the main issue was loyalty to the duke¡¯s family, and it was just a front to get the royal honey. Besides this, it was Lord Vassily who established the patent system in the kingdom, which was to discourage Di Santi from returning to his homnd by protecting his rights¡­ I wondered if this was just used as a cover.

 Chapter 247

    ¡°Miss, would you also like to see the portrait of Lord Vassily and the inventor.¡±

    ¡°My! There¡¯s still a portrait of the inventor?¡±

    I had never seen it before. Di Santi, the inventor, was renowned for his achievements, but I had no idea who he was or what he looked like.

    Receiving a hand-mirror-sized miniature portrait, Ekaterina took one look at it and almostughed.

    ¡°Surprisingly¡­ he looks young, doesn¡¯t he?¡±

    Aurora ced a basket of white beadworms on the table, and by their light I took a closer look at the inventor, who was sitting stiffly alongside Lord Vassily, with a rather childish, or rather pretty, face.

    He had pale salmon-pink hair, bright yellow eyes like lemons, andrge, bright eyes. He had a mustache on his face, but it was wonderfully ill-fitting.

    In a variety show in my previous life, for some reason, female idols would sometimes do a performance called ¡°mustache dance¡±, but it looked fake. I was thinking of Leonardo da Vinci as an inventor. I was expecting the famous self-portrait of an austere old man, but I didn¡¯t expect a bearded idol. What a surprise.

    And Prince Vassily, next to him, was tall like every Duke of Yurinova and had a magnificent physique that showed that he had been working out, so the gap between him and the others was like a majestic waterfall. Lord Vassily, who looked a bit stern but handsome with blue-gray hair and eyes, probably around 30, and Di Santi, most likely in his 20s with a cute baby face ¨C if my friend from a previous life who liked BL saw them, she would immediately go into full delusion. Thank you, ancestors. Excuse me.

    ¡°Miss, this one is next.¡±

    Aurora handed me another miniature portrait, and this time I saw it expecting a boy with a baby face and a beard.

    The beard was gone.

    Or rather, his clothes looked like a dress.

    An old-fashioned, loose-fitting one, simr to what the Forest People wear. His hair was short, but he wore a flower ornament thatplemented his pretty face, and he was being held by Lord Vassily, who was leaning over him as if to wrap him around his lordship¡¯s tall figure¡­

    Ummm¡­

    With a sh of inspiration, Ekaterina looked at the back of the portrait.

    There, in Lord Vassily¡¯s handwriting, was the following inscription.

    [Giovanna Di Santi, Mypanion.]

    Giovanna was a woman! A woman!

    And hispanion!

    ***

    In a panic, Ekaterina traced the family tree in her mind.

    The fifth Lord Vassily, like his grandfather Sergei, had been given an imperial daughter-inw. He would have married at the age of 18 or 19, the typical marriageable age for an imperial noble. The portrait of the young Duchess Vassily can still be seen in the Duke¡¯s residence and in the Yurinova Castle in the ducal domain.

    However, she supposedly died prematurely within a few years of her death due to illness. Fortunately, she had a legitimate son, so Prince Vassily did not remarry and remained a widower, ording to official records.

    But in fact, a few years after his wife¡¯s death, he met a woman whom he called his consort. Well, since a formal marriage involves many formalities, officially he was not really married to Giovanna-san, a lifelong inventor and a man, but only a partner in his heart. I was certain that she was the only woman he had ever wanted to be with.

    I was d to hear that¡­ Thank God, he was not having an affair or anything like that.

    First, I apologize for doubting you, Lord Vassily. But if the former prince¡¯s wife had a personality like the Old Hag, I would have supported him all the way, regardless of whether he was cheating or having an affair. I mean, his wife was a fragile beauty in the portrait, so she probably didn¡¯t have that kind of personality.

    And that was OK¡­to think that Giovanni Di Santi, a great man in history who was a renowned inventor, was a woman¡­hee hee hee. What a shocking backstory!

 Chapter 248

    And that was OK¡­ to think that Giovanni Di Santi, a great man in history who was a renowned inventor, was a woman¡­ hee hee hee. What a shocking backstory!

    Honestly, it was delectable information for me, a woman who likes history! The truth buried in the shadows of history. I rather liked the theory that Kenshin Uesugi was a woman in my previous life.

    ¡°Were you surprised?¡±

    Fufu, Aurora giggled, and Ekaterina came back to herself and nodded.

    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±

    But, if someone were to be associated with Di Santi, why the Forest People, when a knight or a ranger would be more appropriate? I had wondered, but if the inventor had had such a secret, it made sense.

    With no contact with the public and a great debt of interest to the Duke¡¯s family, the Forest People were the perfect match who could help the inventor while also keeping her secret.

    Di Santi¡¯s aplishments began when he, or rather she, was still in her native country, re-establishing the technology to repair and build water and sewage systems that had been lost during the centuries of warfare that followed the fall of the Astra Empire.

    She aplished this when she was still very young and came to Yurinova territory at the enthusiastic invitation of the fifth generation Vassily, who learned of her fame.

    When did she start pretending to be a man, and when did Lord Vassily find out? Mystery after mystery!

    But then Aurora handed me an old notebook.

    ¡°It is a journal written by the chief of the Forest at that time. The chief was a woman named Luci, who was a close friend of the inventor. It is only a fragment, but if you read it, you will understand what the circumstances were.¡±

    ¡°My, thank you very much.¡±

    Wow, a first ss historical document of unknown history! I was so excited.

    When I read it, it suddenly began with this exchange.

    [I asked her why she was pretending to be a man, why she had risked her life to flee her own country. She replied, ¡°I pretended to be a man in order to save my father¡¯s life. But in my country, if they knew I was really a woman, they would have burned me at stake.¡±]

    Execution by fire!

    And then, she risked her life to escape? And dressed as a man to save her father¡¯s life? That was a lot of information!

    Oh, but there was someone like that in my previous life. There was a girl who was burned at the stake for the crime of dressing as a man.

    Jeanne d¡¯Arc, the Maiden of Orleans.

    I wondered if the inventor¡¯s homnd was as oppressive to women as the medieval Catholic Church was at least three hundred years ago.

    The scraps of information in the memoir, supplemented by Aurora and Forli, provided a more or lessplete picture of the inventor¡¯s situation.

    Giovanna Di Santi was the daughter of a master stonemason, born in one of the surrounding cities around Astra.

    She was not raised as a man from the beginning, but as a girl, though she wasn¡¯t feminine at all, but rather a tomboyish girl who ran around the neighborhood with all the boys as her minions.

    She was intelligent even back then, and she learned to read and write by observing her older brother Giovanni, who was always one step behind her. She learned to read and write from her father, and she was despised by her brother for this.

    The city-state of Astra was once the center of the Astra Empire.

    Just as Rome was the center of the Roman Empire. Rometer became the capital of Italy, but it was one of the city-states for a long time, too.

    But as a result, the warfare after the fall of the empire was so intense that books were burned, ruins were destroyed, and even then ¨C or even now, three hundred yearster ¨C the main cities were still engaged in battles among themselves. The cultural civilization that once flourished had fallen far behind.

    It was amon belief in this world that warfare had caused the cultural civilization to recede.

 Chapter 249

    It was amon belief in this world that warfare had caused the cultural civilization to recede.

    If the global climate was changing in the same way in my previous world and in this one, the root cause of civilization¡¯s retreat was not warfare. Warfare was just one of the results; it was not the primary cause that produced the results.

    It would be the cold climate, which continued for several hundred years after the decline of the empire.

    Studies of the past had shown that the climate became colder during the decline of the Roman Empire and at least the first half of the Middle Ages in Europe.

    Cold weather damaged crops and people starved. People living in the north (Germanic tribes) abandoned theirnds and moved south, fighting for food and farnd, leading to a period of warfare.

    The empire was destroyed because there was no room left to continue, let alone develop civilization. The ancient times came to an end and the ¡°dark¡± Middle Ages began.

    The same thing probably happened in this world as well.

    Of course, climate change was probably not the only cause, but it must have been a major factor.

    ording to an old theory of previous generations, the reason why cultural civilization did not develop very well in the Middle Ages was because Christianity was strictly suppressing people.

    However, it seems that Christianity was not originally so strict.

    There was a mystery set in 7th century Irnd in which a nun yed the role of a great detective, which I rather liked, but she was an independent woman who was also awyer and could get married. The author was a schr of Celtic studies, so I guess it was actually possible in those days.

    But even in that work, there were depictions of Christianity bing stricter. Furthermore, after that, Christianity became more and more strict, with clergy not allowed to have contact with the opposite sex, the Inquisition, witch hunts, and a refusal to ept anything that did not conform to what the Bible said.

    I think the cold weather was a factor, and people became lessfortable with their lives, and so they turned to religion, which is how Christianity became so powerful. This, too, was the result, not the cause.

    So, unlike in my previous life, although monotheism was not mainstream in this world, the major historical trends were not so different from those in my previous life. There was even something equivalent to an inquisition or witch hunt, which was strictly enforced around the city-state of Astra.

    Humanoid demons, vampires, and werewolves were regarded as evil beings, and people who were involved with them were considered depraved sinners.

    Love with demons was truly evil and depraved. Just the mere mention of having been in love with a demon was enough to get you imprisoned and tortured, and if you confessed, you would be burned.

    I finally found out why Nona, who was the Old Hag¡¯s attendant in the imperial mansion, once made a fuss about Mina, saying that she was unclean.

    Yurimagna, who was close to Old Hag, was devoted to researching the ancient Astra empire and had ties to the city-state of Astra. Forli-san told me that if they are not given the gift of Imperial marriage, they will sometimes take wives from prominent Astra families.

    In today¡¯s Astra, people would not be burned for being involved with demons, but they would be subjected to discrimination. Yurimagna, therefore, would not employ people who have demon blood.

    Nona was probably inspired by this thinking and said such a thing to Mina, who was of demon blood.

    I was often called naive, I guess because I didn¡¯t know about things like this, things that could not be said openly but weremon sense because I was confined during my childhood. I didn¡¯t know anything about it.

    And I would never be influenced by such ideas in the future! (clenched fist)

 Chapter 250

    The technology to summon magical beasts, which once existed in the Astra Empire, was said to have been lost because it was considered an evil act and books containing descriptions of it were burned.

    However, I wondered when and why demons and magical beasts became evil¡­

    In the Astra empire, the use of demonic beasts wasmon, and demons, whether vampires or werewolves, could even get citizenship if they wanted (or if they paid taxes).

    ¡­But vampires paying taxes sounded surreal.

    Perhaps climate change had something to do with it, as the demonic beasts became more powerful and caused more damage.

    The other reason may be that during the war period, a powerful demon helped a foreign tribe from the north, and the ruler of the city state of Astra, who was kicked out by the demon, decided that demons were evil out of spite.

    Then, the idea spread all over the ce, even to the city-states around Astra, or even to other countries geographically distant from it.

    It smelled like a holocaust, scapegoating a minority group to vent in difficult times, a nasty tactic.

    So, about Giovanna-san.

    Giovanna-san grew up in a city on the periphery of the war-torn city-state of Astra, where she was treated well by her father, despite the various oppressions she faced.

    Her father was a stonemason, but he was also an excellent craftsman, and he was always listening to his daughter ask ¡°Why? Why?¡± He patiently listened to his daughter, and after the continued attacks, he gave in and taught her as much as he could.

    In a world where a woman¡¯s education would only do her harm, her father became Giovanna¡¯s greatest confidant and helped her experiment with various ideas.

    It was spectacr that the technology for restoring the water supply and sewage system was already included among those [ideas].

    Giovanna, who understood the structure as she yed with the ruins, consulted her father, who was a stonemason, and said, ¡°I think this is how it was originally built, and if I fix it like that, maybe we can pump water, so I want to try it¡±. He agreed, and together they went through the trial and error process.

    For her, it was just for fun. Just like summer vacation crafts? I was amazed that a genius could unearth ancient wisdom at an ageparable to that of an elementary school student. Although she had a series of failures at first, she gradually established her theory and technique over several years, and finally seeded when she was 16 years old.

    Sixteen years old. Geniuses are scary.

    She and her older brother did not get along well. The older brother, Giovanni, had a feminine face, so much so that he was often mistaken for a girl.

    Like Giovanna, he resembled his mother, and the siblings were very much alike. Giovanni was too thin to be a good stone cutter like his father, and he was not as good as his sister in academics, so he slowly became a cynical man with aplex.

    His mother loved him, and a rift developed between father and daughter and mother and son.

    This kind ofposition existed everywhere and at various times.

    Just as Giovanna was about to get married, another war broke out in the small town where Giovanna lived, and her mother was killed by a stray arrow.

    But before they have time to grieve, a storm sweeps over the family. A nobleman named Astra, themander of the war, noticed the waterworks had been restored, and the water was flowing again, and he asked the people of the town who had fixed it.

    When her father¡¯s name came up, the aristocrat took him back to Astra.

 Chapter 251

    The nobleman who brought the inventor Giovanna¡¯s father back to the city-state of Astra ordered the ruins of the waterworks in the area to be restored and made avable.

    The ambitious nobleman wanted to expand his power by taking credit for the restoration of the waterworks to make up for the poor results of his military campaign.

    Her father was able to fix some of it.

    But he could not fix most of them. Many of the ruins differed in shape and size from those he and his daughter had tried in their hometown, and there were numerous areas where different techniques were thought to have been used. There were too many things he didn¡¯t understand.

    He didn¡¯t talk about his daughter. There was no way they would believe that a sixteen-year-old girl had done what no one had ever been able to do before.

    More than anything, he was concerned for his daughter¡¯s safety and wanted to keep her out of it.

    A water supply system was only meaningful if it was connected from the source to the ce where it was used. Even if a part of it could be repaired, the water could not flow.

    The aristocrat who ordered the restoration was furious because he had been misled, but there was nothing he could do about it.

    However, another nobleman, who was at odds with the aristocrat, used her father. There was no way that an uneducated stonemason could havee up with the technology to restore the ruins. Saying that his knowledge must have been obtained by making a contract with a demon.

    ¡­Ekaterina thought to herself, a certain fighter would have been very busy if she had been there.

    [What the heck am I thinking about?]

    Even in her previous life, the Inquisition was often about convicting wealthy Jews and the like and taking away property, or in numerous instances. I guess the idea of [heresy] as a crime arose in this world because there were powers that could be used as they pleased.

    But it was only a minor skirmish for those in power, and if found guilty, they would be burned at the stake. Sacrificing the lives of low-status people in order to gain power, I realized, was a bad tradition that had continued throughout history, but if they tried to stop it, they would be punished!

    The usation against him was ridiculous. But many people have lost their lives because of this ridiculous usation.

    The father was hauled before the court and asked how he came up with the idea of restoring the ruins of the waterworks. The taciturn stonemason could not exin himself well enough to hide his daughter from the court.

    The news of what their father had been used of was immediately passed on to Giovanna and her brother Giovanni, who remained behind.

    Shocked and heartbroken, Giovanna tried to talk to her brother about how she could support her father, but he told her, ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me¡±.

    [I¡¯m not going to get into trouble because of that father. I don¡¯t give a crap.]

    Then he took all the money in the house and disappeared.

    ¡­he was a bastard, that brother. I¡¯d ask him to take some of my brother¡¯s less desirable qualities, but my big brother was so good that I wouldn¡¯t let that happen even after suggesting it!

    Giovanna was stunned, but she told the chief of the vige that it made her feel refreshed and liberated.

    The first thing she did was to cut her long hair into chunks with scissors from her mother¡¯s sewing box.

    Then she put on her brother¡¯s clothes, which were not much bigger than hers, quickly packed her belongings, put on a hooded cloak, and headed for Astra.

 Chapter 252

    Giovanna sang songs and mumbled aloud what she needed to say the entire walk. Until her voice becamepletely muffled and she started stuttering. Her voice had be so broken that it no longer sounded like a woman¡¯s.

    She found herself in the middle of her father¡¯s trial when she arrived at the courtroom. Her father, who could barely answer any of the questions being asked of him and only remained silent, was bound to be found guilty. That was the atmosphere in the courtroom.

    Giovanna rushed into the courtroom. And she shouted.

    [Wait! It is I, Giovanni Di Santi, the son who nned the restoration of the ruins of the waterworks! My father was only concerned for me because I was too young!]

    She also exined to the audience that she did not make any contract with any demons and that everything she did was the result of her observations and considerations.

    As evidence, Giovanna presented the notes and sketches she had written over the years.

    She dumped arge number of them on the floor of the courtroom, and hoarsely and raspily exined how she came up with the restoration method while ying at a nearby ruin, how she had tried various methods over the years, and how she had finally seeded in restoring it after repeated failures and re-dos.

    It was natural that the optimistic daughter would be much more articte than her taciturn father.

    Giovanna herself was the most surprised by the apuse that erupted when she finished speaking.

    And all themon people who filled the auditorium were on the side of the brave son who rushed to protect his father. They werepletely enamored with the boy genius, who looked as pretty as a girl (she was a girl) and spoke intelligently and methodically about difficult subjects.

    [Give him money! Give him authority! Fix the waterworks and give us water!]

    Themon people shouted in unison, even though she had no intention of doing so.

    This was the moment [inventor Giovanni Di Santi] was born, although he never intended to.

    In no time at all, the arrangements were made, and Giovanna was assigned to repair the waterworks of Astra. The young ruler of the city-state of Astra, who was at court, made the decision upon hearing what Giovanna had to say.

    Of course, at first, she nned to run away with her father when she saw an opening.

    If it was discovered that she was a woman, she would undoubtedly be brought before the Inquisition again, and she would be immediately convicted. In the ancient Astra Empire, the status of women was low, and they had no rights.

    In the aftermath of the fall of the empire, women were even more oppressed, and it seems that they could not even learn to read or write. This was also the case in the Roman Empire and medieval Europe in the past. It was even certain that she would be assumed to have borrowed the power of a demon. But¡­

    Soon she waspletely devoted to her work as Giovanni.

    No doubt!

    Talented people are always eager to show off their abilities, right?

    [When Giovanna would talk about her ideas, people would just snicker. But when Giovanni Di Santi said something, everyone would listen. He can turn an idea into a reality.]

    Everyone would look and move in the direction I pointed to, and together we would create the same thing. And then they will be grateful and moved¡­

    [I couldn¡¯t go back to being Giovanna].

    She told the vige chief of that time.

    Yes, I think I could understand.

 Chapter 253

    Within three years or so, Giovanna had almostpletely solved the construction of the water and sewage system that remained in and around the city-state of Astra, established restoration techniques, and disseminated them to artisans. Not only did she revive the old techniques, but she also did a lot of inventive work of her own.

    Water once again flowed through the city, and the fountains in the zas were restored and became ces for people to rx. He was also called an inventor for his many other innovations. His fame spread beyond the Astra neighborhood to other countries.

    If she stood tall, surprisingly, no one would suspect her. Once one became so conspicuous, no one would ever guess that she was a woman.

    However, she could not rx. The town where she was born and raised was nearby, and there was always the possibility that her name would be revealed as Giovanna rather than Giovanni.

    It was around this time that an invitation arrived from Prince Vassily Yurinova, Duke of Yurigran.

    [I have always admired Yurigran. Because I heard that there was a school where women could study together with men] She told him.

    Giovanna-san, I¡¯m sorry. That was a state trap¡­

    However, the Magic Academy (the original form of the school) was established shortly after the founding of the Imperial Kingdom. If I applied it roughly to the history of Europe in the previous era, we would say that the current time is around thete modern period, and 400 years ago was around the beginning of the Renaissance. If I applied it to Japan, it would be around the Muromachi period, perhaps?

    Coeducation was indeed very innovative!

    I respected the founding father, Piotre the Great, once again!

    But when the young ruler of the city-state of Astra learned that Giovanni Di Santi intended to ept Yurinova¡¯s invitation, he was furious.

    He was Giovanni¡¯s protector and patron. He must have considered Giovanni, who was also a citizen, as his own property. The ruler himself was fond of Giovanni, who was popr among the people, and he had no intention of letting him go. In times of war, the city¡¯s waterways were a military secret, and Giovanni himself, who knew all about Astra¡¯s, was a man with ssified information.

    [If he wanted to get out of my hands. I¡¯d rather keep him with me as bones than give him to someone else.] said the ruler.

    Giovanna was desperate, too. And the emissary, who had urged Vassily to assess the inventor¡¯s worth, was determined to bring him back to his master after seeing what he had aplished in three years.

    [Whether I sit down and wait for death or throw the roll of the dice in my hand, I have already made my choice.]

    Giovanna had no hesitation when she said so.

    Thus, an escape n from Astra was formed.

    ***

    She had always been paranoid, but if the Astra ruler at the time was aware, or at least suspected, that Giovanna-san was a woman, the phrase [I¡¯d rather give it to someone else¡­] would have drastically changed.

    The ruler¡¯s name was not mentioned in the memoir, but it was said that he was still young and quite shrewd.

    Lord Vassily was probably in histe 20s at this time, and the ruler of Astra might have been about the same age. Two young men of status and ability vying for Giovanna-san, a beautiful, boyish genius in men¡¯s clothing¡­ Somebody, make a movie about this love triangle!

    ¡­But first, the world would have to be able to produce movies¡­

    In the end, Giovanna-san seeded in escaping from Astra and moving to Yurinova, but it was a very dangerous time.

 Chapter 254

    A group of fully armed guards followed Giovanna everywhere she went. They were there to protect the inventor, Giovanni Di Santi, but they were also there to make sure she did not escape.

    Because the inventor was constantly on the move, working on various projects such as the restoration of the waterworks, she was not prohibited from leaving the house to supervise these projects, but she was not permitted to leave the house at any other time.

    She was not allowed to meet with the emissaries of Lord Vassily. Letters could be exchanged, but their contents were regted.

    Despite these circumstances, Giovanna and her family were able to escape thanks to the appearance of the Joker, a devil¡¯s card that Giovanna and her family had not anticipated.

    Giovanni, the older brother, appeared before their father and acted as a bridge between him and Yurinova. He did this by saying that he needed money and demanding a reward, but when Giovanna escaped at the end, he suddenly appeared and drew her pursuers in the opposite direction.

    [I¡¯m grateful to my brother¡­ and I¡¯m sure it was true that he was in need of money, because he was my brother¡­]

    The sister¡¯s feelings were mixed, but thanks to her brother buying her time, Giovanna was able to escape outside the walls of Astra and joined the emissary from Yurinova and the people who came to pick up the inventor to take her to Yurinova.

    And as soon as they arrived, the man who had weed them pushed her up on the back of his horse, leaving the messenger and her father behind, forcing them to drive off on their own.

    [It was the right thing to do because we didn¡¯t know when they would find out that my brother was a decoy and the pursuers woulde this way. But that was reckless!!!]

    ¡­Giovanna-san, every time the topic of that timees up, you seem to be losing your temper.

    But if it really were like this, it would certainly be absurd.

    After all, it was said that the journey that normally took seven days was aplished in one day.

    Seven days in one day.

    I thought this must be a mistake, so I checked with Forli-san, who curtly assured me that it was true. It was actually possible.

    He said a normal trip with horses walking at a brisk pace and stopping for breaks would take seven days, and a fast horseback ride would take two days. The fastest way, however, was to change horses several times along the way and run as fast as possible, but not with two riders. The best-case scenario for two riders would still be two days.

    However, it seems like they took shortcuts here and there, but they rode the same horse all the way through in a single day.

    Well, there were horses in this world that could do that.

    Kruimov¡¯s magic beast horse.

    The reason why it was possible, as Forli-San said, was because he was a close friend of Grandfather Sergei¡¯s horse, Zephyros, and he knew Zephyros well.

    Like Grandfather Sergei, Prince Vassily had also received a magic beast horse as a gift from Count Kruimov.

    In other words, the man who came from Yurinova to wee the inventor was Lord Vassily himself.

    Giovanna-san, you are right. That was indeed absurd!

    What was the Duke of the Three Great Dukedoms doing!

    However, Lord Vassily was a man of efficiency, a man who would do things if he thought them efficient or effective, regardless of precedent ormon sense.

    That was why he was able to leave his mark on Yurinova¡¯s history as a wise man, but to his contemporaries, he was a man of many troubles.

 Chapter 255

    Giovanna-san has hardly ever ridden a horse before this.

    For a beginner, riding on the back of a horse was intimidating because of the height, and when the horse walked, it was surprisingly shaky and scary.

    And then, suddenly, the horse started to run at a high speed.

    It was said that the beast horse could maintain a speed equivalent to the full speed of an average horse for a long time, and the surrounding scenery looked as if it were torn to pieces.

    The full speed of a horse is about 50 kilometers per hour, right? It must have been an unimaginable experience for Giovanna-san, aspared to me, who was used to traveling by car or train in my previous life.

    Although she was held tightly from behind, she said she was terrified. She also screamed when they jumped over a wall as tall as a person, and when they jumped over a river in a giant leap ¨C she screamed.

    [You passed out, sorry!]

    Giovanna-san was still losing her temper several yearster when she was reminiscing with the head of Forest People.

    It was not her fault. ¡­Ancestors, what a thing to do.

    No, I understand he was doing it to avoid being caught. A person using a magical beast horse would have been called a heretic or an unclean being around Astra at the time, and it would have been considered wrong.

    They would be disguised to look like normal horses, but it would have been obvious if they ran like this, so once they started running, the only way was to run through until they reached a safe area.

    But it was definitely a terrible experience.

    By the time Giovanna-san regained consciousness, the magic beast horse the two of them were on was moving at a leisurely pace.

    After a short stop, Lord Vassily asked.

    [You¡¯re a woman. Where is the real inventor?]

    The moment she was asked that, Giovanna-san unintentionally pped her opponent.

    [I am not an imposter! I am the inventor, Giovanni Di Santi! I am the one who restored the waterworks. I am the one who invented the winss, the crane, and the tools. I am the one! Man or woman, it makes no difference what¡¯s in my head!]

    The umted resentment, exhaustion, and stress exploded, and she cried a lot after that.

    At that time, she did not even dream that the person she was dealing with was the Duke. Of course, no one would think so in that situation.

    [I see. Well, I¡¯ll let you prove it at work.]

    Lord Vassily simply said so while waiting for Giovanna-san to calm down. When Giovanna-san looked up, expecting to hear words like ¡°Don¡¯t lie¡± or ¡°A woman can¡¯t do that,¡± he looked back at her, as if to say, ¡°What a surprise.¡±

    [I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s a male or female, as long as it¡¯s a cat that catches mice well.]

    When Giovanna-san arrived safely in the sphere of influence of the Yurigran Empire and was informed by a group that hade to pick him up that the other party was the Duke of Yurinova, she fainted once more.

    I deeply sympathize with her.

    Later, Prince Vassily described Giovanna-san as looking like a kitten with its hair on end. Even the p was cute, reminiscent of a kitten¡¯s cat punch. I guess he could easily handle it.

    I wondered if my brother would feel the same way if he was pped by me.

    No¡­no. I couldn¡¯t p my brother, even in my imagination!

    Instead, I would pat him on the head in my imagination. And hug him. Hehehe.

    Stupid me.

 Chapter 256

    T/N: Chapter 255 has been fixed. Please check it out too.

    Despite such a road trip, Giovanna-san was very active aftering to Yurinova territory.

    Beginning with the restoration of the waterworks ruins, she invented and improved machines and tools to make mine work more efficient. st furnaces and other equipment now performed better in her care.

    Furthermore, she was responsible for the design that transformed Yurinova Castle, once a battle fortress, into the elegant political and administrative center that it was today. She also oversaw the construction of the building, using such ingenious ideas as underfloor heating and innovative lighting. She was truly a jack-of-all-trades.

    At one point, four scribes followed her around, taking notes and running to craftsmen in charge of prototypes. Genius was terrifying.

    There were several requests from Astra to return the inventor, and the emperor of the time ordered to send the inventor to the capital for the development of the entire empire, but Lord Vassily suppressed all of them.

    Meanwhile, he came up with a patent system to protect the rights of inventors and first enforced it as a territorialw of the Yurinova territory. ¡°Both Astra and the Crown should first try to do the same thing,¡± he said. Then we¡¯ll talk.

    Lord Vassily was also wonderful at realizing a progressive initiative and expertly using it as a bargaining chip.

    Giovanna-san was a total workaholic,menting that she has so much more to do but not enough time to do it. Overworked yellow card.

    However, when she was working so hard that she forgot to eat and sleep, Lord Vassily grabbed her by the scruff of the neck and threw her into bed to rest. She was so desperate to work that he had to hold her down and put her to bed.

    The chief of the Forest Peoples frequently made fun of the two for spending so much time together.

    [My Companion.]

    These words were written on the back of the Miniature Painting.

    Once again, Duke Yurinova¡¯s use of the word [Companion] was very heavy. I believed that Prince Vassily truly and deeply loved Giovanna-san, despite the fact that they were of different social sses and that she lied about her gender. This was evident in every word he used.

    In thest years of his life, near the end of the memoir, after he had passed down the dukedom to his legitimate son, Lord Vassily proposed to Giovanna-san several times. Giovanna-san had to marry, otherwise she would not be able to enter the mausoleum of the Yurinova family.

    The imperial family¡¯s and the three Great Dukes¡¯ mausoleums were said to be massive mausoleums orbyrinth-like catbs with many rooms inside, where the heads of the families and their family members slept in the same room in their coffins. He wanted to be with Giovanna-san even after his death.

    Giovanna-san did not agree because it was an offer that would have required her to give up the name of inventor Giovanni Di Santi and assume the identity of a noblewoman, which would have been too much to ask for. Above all, she felt bad for his wife, who died at a young age.

    But she designed Lord Vassily¡¯s coffin and had a cat carved on it.

    Besides the cat, an ancient Astranguage was inscribed. [The cat would never leave you in life or in death].

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s a wondrous story.¡±

    Ekaterina looked at the memoir she had just finished reading and smiled.

    ¡°Luci-sama, the chief of the forest people at that time, was a very good friend of Giovanna-sama. It must have been very reassuring to have such an open and honest friend.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure she was surprised at first by our way of living in symbiosis with the giant bees. It would have been unthinkable in her hometown of Astra. Maybe that¡¯s why she felt so free.¡±

    Aurora smiled. Her pride as the current head of the forest people seemed to seep into her words.

    ¡°Now I understand how reliable friends the forest people are to us, the Yurinovas. I am reminded once more that, as a daughter of Yurinova, I would like to work with my brother to protect the Great Bee Forest and cherish our friendship with the forest people.¡±

    I was certain that one of the purposes of showing me this memoir was that.

    I thought the forest people for the Dukes of Yurinova were like a ninja vige or a shadowy army, but they really do have a profound rtionship of trust. I hoped we could continue to have a win-win-win rtionship.

 Chapter 257

    ¡°By the way, may I ask you something?¡±

    Ekaterina cleared her throat. The words she couldn¡¯t miss as a Japanese in her previous life were written in the memoirs.

    ¡°The Forest People¡­ are you familiar with the hot springs in the forest?¡±

    ¡°Yes. There are some in this settlement. However, it is not indoors, so the youngdy may not feel at home.¡±

    So, you mean¡­

    A natural hot spring outdoor bath!

    ***

    (Open-air bath!)

    Ekaterina slowly soaked herself in the bathtub. She sighed unintentionally.

    In the Japanese sense, it was like a secluded, hidden hot spring. The bathhouse was built along a creek, and the temperature was controlled by the river water that was drawn in to keep the water at the right temperature. It was probably left by the inventor Giovanna and was protected for 300 years by the Forest People.

    There was a tent to block the view in the direction of the forest people¡¯s residence, but nothing in the direction of the creek or the sky. One could look up at the star-filled sky while listening to the murmuring of the creek.

    To say the least, it was the best!

    The number of stars one could see was so different from those in my previous life in Japan. The night sky was full of stars. I could see the Milky Way, the Heavenly River!

    ¡­The Milky Way of the Heavens was really a swarm of stars that can be seen in the direction of the center of the gxy. I wondered if the sr system of this world was also located at the edge of the gxy. Was this Earth in another world or another¡­I should stop, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to sleep if I think about it.

    ¡°Miss, aren¡¯t you afraid to take a bath outside?¡±

    Mina, who followed her in, asked, and Ekaterina shook her head with a smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s veryfortable, you know. It¡¯s nice to be outside in the fresh air. Besides, it¡¯s nice to be here with Mina.¡±

    ¡°¡­It¡¯s strange that a Duchess is happy to take a bath with her maid.¡±

    ¡°Oh my, I haven¡¯t heard you say that in a long time.¡±

    When I first met Mina, I was frequently told that [the duchess is strange], but I haven¡¯t been told that much recently. I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯ve grown ustomed to life as a youngdy, or if Mina has grown ustomed to me.

    But Mina¡¯s abs were wonderful. They were as muscr as those of the world¡¯s best female athletes I saw at the World Championships in Athletics or something simr. Come to think of it, why were female athletes in track and field so revealing? It was a sight for sore eyes, you know.

    As for me, the viiness, I felt a little more rxed than when I was confined to the house, but I was still the same as ever.

    Before I left for Yurinova, I had my measurements taken by designer Cami-san in the capital, and she said to me happily, [You¡¯ve be even more enchanting!] I had enough of that already.

    Mina washed my back. There was a thick leaf that the Forest People used for bathing, and when I rubbed it, it felt slimy. I was told that if you wash your body with it, your skin will be clean.

    In this world, or rather in the Imperial Kingdom, people were highly conscious about bathing, washing their faces, and washing their hands. Flora told me that there were public bathhouses not only for the nobility but also for themon people in the city.

    It was well known that hygiene was quite bad in pre-medieval and early modern Europe. The fact that this was not the case in the imperial city could be attributed in part to Giovanna-san¡¯s restoration of the water and sewage systems.

    Besides, the area is abundant in high-quality water. There are many clean and tasty springs all over the ce, especially in Yurinova territory, which is rich in forest resources.

    And it was also thanks to the Gods. People washed their hands frequently because it was said to be for the god¡¯s benefit.

    The Medicine God likes cleanliness, so washing the hands would prevent people from getting sick.

    Of course, people didn¡¯t have any knowledge of germs, but they were just doing it as a spell. Scientifically correct! Good job to the Medicine God who told this to the people by oracle a long time ago!

 Chapter 258

    ¡°I will wash Mina¡¯s back.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need it. I can¡¯t let you do that.¡±

    Of course, she couldn¡¯t let me do that! Even though they were naked together!

    I begged, ¡°Mina, won¡¯t you let me?¡± but Mina¡¯s guard was so irond that she quickly washed it herself. Tsk.

    I felt sorry for taking too long, so I quickly climbed out of the tent and put on my clothes in the shade of the tent.

    What was unfortunate was that all the knights were stationed around the hot spring. Although they all appeared to be heavy drinkers during the meal, everyone was gracious enough to continue their work without alcohol because they were on guard duty.

    ¡°Thank you very much, gentlemen. I am going to take a rest now, so please feel free to enter and enjoy the rest of the evening.¡±

    When I said this to them, all the knights turned their backs to me and responded with a ¡°Ha!¡­ I apologize for everything.

    We went into a tent that had been lent to us for sleeping and asked Mina tob my hair. Even though we had to get off the carriage in a hurry upon arriving at the Forest People¡¯s residence, Mina had made sure to bring with her the tools to take care of my hair and nails. It also contained a blue rose hair ornament and other valuables, so it was best to keep them on hand for that purpose.

    I assumed that the bed would be a futon because I sat on a cushion on the floor while we ate, but it was a regr bed, albeit a small one.

    And there was a nice scent from the pillow. It had a fresh scent, like lemongrass. It must be an insect repellent. Are the giant bees okay with this? Well, they did not enter the tent, so I guess it was okay.

    The Forest People seemed to have a wealth of knowledge about aromas. Hopefully, this could also be put to good use in the future. I would like to maintain the forest and create a path for the Forest People to be economically powerful and to be able to live as they do, even if times were to change.

    In my previous life, indigenous peoples from various countries experienced various hardships. I hoped that if this world developed as it did in my previous life, the Forest People would not have to go through such hardships.

    Once in bed, Mina released the white pearl worm in the basket outside, just as Aurora had told her to do. Closing my eyes in the darkened tent, I soon fell asleep.

    I wondered what time I had awakened.

    It was bright outside the tent, but it felt as if it was midnight.

    -I¡¯m being called¡­.

    Oh, I have to go. I naturally thought so and got myself up.

    After getting out of bed and putting on a shawl over my nightgown, I suddenly realized something was wrong.

    Mina did not wake up.

    Mina, who would wake up at the slightest sign of anything, was still lying on the other bed in the same tent and did not seem to be waking up.

    Even so, I was not afraid. I had a feeling that I knew what was calling me.

    I left the tent.

    There was no one awake outside, not even Regina and the other hounds. They were all curled up and asleep.

    Before I knew it, the moon had risen. It was a full moon, shining brightly. The stars that had filled the heavens were almost invisible in the overwhelming moonlight.

    I looked down at my feet. A shadow was cast clearly by the moon towards me.

    I lifted my gaze and saw someone sitting on the horseback.

    The rider¡¯s scythe gleamed in the moonlight.

    Ekaterina gracefully took adylike pose.

    ¡°This is the first time we have met. My name is Ekaterina Yurinova. Maiden of Death, what business do you have with me?¡±

 Chapter 259

    The girl smiled and slid off the back of the huge ck horse.

    Her long, straight blonde hair swept down her face. Her slender body and refined face gave off a sad feeling, but she looked graceful and beautiful.

    ¡°I am Selene called Selene.¡±

    Selene was the name of a beautiful woman who lived on the moon and yed the lyre in the mythology of this world. It seems to have been a popr name in the past and was often seen in ssical literature.

    ¡°I am d that you don¡¯t seem to be afraid of me.¡±

    ¡°Aurora-sama told me you were a kind person who guided a lost child.¡±

    Honestly, though, it was more like a dream.

    Mina, the knights, the Forest People, and even Regina and her hounds have not awakened from their slumber, and the surrounding forest was quiet. This was probably because of Selene¡¯s influence. I felt as if I, too, had been rendered numb.

    ¡°Well, I am pleased. Most people who see me tend to describe me as very frightening.¡±

    Leaning close to the horse, her cheek was buried in the silver mane as Selene said softly.

    ¡­I wondered if this really was the girl who once eradicated her enemies to avenge her n.

    But when I looked down, I saw a dark stain on the simple white dress she was wearing. The Maiden of Death, as legend has it, was d in a blood-red corpse robe.

    ¡°You are so clever. However, keep your distance from me.¡±

    Fufu, Selene smiled.

    She tilted her head and looked at me with her faintly glowing eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to call you out like this. But I found you to be a strange existence ¨C your soul. I have lived in this world for two thousand years and I have never seen a soul like yours before. You are something different from everyone else. What are you?¡±

    Ekaterina took a deep breath.

    Excuse me, I was just a Viiness. Can I just answer that?

    No, probably not. That Otome Game was not set around 2,000 years ago, so it would not be understood. I mean, even now, 2,000 yearster, it would still be iprehensible to say ¡°Otome Game¡± in this world. Even though this world was an Otome Game.

    No, I should just answer the question directly, my real self.

    ¡°I am¡­¡±

    Saying so, I took a breath and said the rest boldly.

    ¡°I have memories of my previous life.¡±

    I never thought that the day woulde when I would say such a dubious thing to someone¡­.

    But the other person was also a supernatural being called the Maiden of Death!

    It would be impossible for me to lie or deceive her when she stared at me with those eyes.

    ¡°Memories of a previous life.¡±

    After mumbling to herself, Selene shook her head.

    ¡°There have been people like you before, but there¡¯s something different about you. You stand out so much. It¡¯s like a melody I¡¯ve never heard before, like a strange colored light is shining through you. Something¡­ different from anyone I¡¯ve ever met. Something subtly out of ce in this world. That¡¯s what I couldn¡¯t help but notice, and that¡¯s why I came here to see you like this.¡±

    Uwah.

    Was it so obvious¡­ sort of?

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because¡­ the world in which I was living in my previous life was a different world, not this one.¡±

    Selene¡¯s eyes widened at Ekaterina¡¯s resigned words.

    ¡°Another world?¡±

    ¡°First, the world in which I lived my previous life seemed to have more advanced technology than this world. In a few hundred years, this world may reach a level simr to the world in my previous life. Above all, in the world of my previous life, there was no magic power. There were no magical beasts, and there were no gods who have ever shown themselves before people.¡±

    Selene seemed crestfallen. She looked up at the ck horse, inteced her fingers in its silver mane, and shook her head.

    ¡°¡­I can¡¯t imagine that happening.¡±

    ¡°I suppose so.¡±

    In a world where God did not exist, she would be an impossible existence, having wished upon the God of death to stay in this world. Her reaction may not be unreasonable.

 Chapter 260

    ¡°Have you ever lived in worlds other than here?¡±

    ¡°No ¨C or rather, I don¡¯t know. I only have memories of my previous life, the one before this one.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s strange. I thought souls traveled within a single world. I thought maybe your soul might be so unique that it travels to many different worlds. It must be very rare for a soul to go from one world to another. Do you have any idea how that happened?¡±

    Ummm.

    I did have an idea, but I still wondered about the rtionship between this world and the Otome Game I yed in my previous life.

    ¡°In my previous life¡­ how should I say this¡­ there is information that was portrayed about this world. Perhaps that was the reason I was sent to this world.¡±

    ¡°Things that depict this world? In your previous life, did you have the ability to peer into other worlds?¡±

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. It is just something like a story. I did not know that it was a real other world. It was just an imaginary world that I was enjoying. Nevertheless, it described the magic academy I attended in the Imperial City, and discussed my schoolmates, His Imperial Highness the Prince, and my friend who had the magic of the Spirits. The Yurinova territory was not mentioned in it, but¡­ yes, the being we call Ancient Dragon did make an appearance. There¡­¡±

    Ekaterina paused and thought for a moment. What she thought in Japanese was automatically converted into <i>Words of a Young Lady</i> when she uttered it, or rather, she could only speak within that vocabry. It kept her from saying Old Hag or anything foul out of her mouth. So it was rather difficult for Ekaterina to speak as she did in her previous life.

    ¡°¡­Blood Fallen, it was once named after the Demon Dragon King Blood Fallen¡­¡±

    As soon as Ekaterina said this, Selene¡¯s ck horse moved away from her.

    The darkness erupted from the ck horse, and its outline began to change. In the end, a man appeared at its ce.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Ekaterina was speechless.

    I was not surprised that a horse had turned into a human.

    His skin was jet ck and his hair, which was as long as his height, was a beautiful and silky silvery wave. His eyes were the same shiny silver color. The ancient-looking long robe he wore was all ck, with a slight silver pattern on the belt.

    When his silver eyes looked at me, it was as if my heart had been clenched by a hand.

    Moonlight shone on his silver hair, as if toplement its beauty.

    (The Demon Dragon King I saw in my previous life was already an immensely beautiful man, but seeing him in real life was something else!)

    Jet-ck, otherworldly, yet immensely beautiful.

    Goosebumps.

    ¡°Did you say Blood Fallen, Yurinova¡¯s youngdy?¡±

    The low voice attracted the listener as if under some maic spell.

    ¡°That is indeed the name of the King of the North. The Dragon King, who rules over all the magical beasts of thend. But how could a mortal like you know that name¡­ you say you knew it from your previous life?¡±

    Ekaterina could not respond. She struggled to hold back the feeling that might cause her to copse awkwardly.

    What¡­ what was this pressure? Even the pressure of the emperor whom she had received at the royal visit was nothingpared to this.

    Ah, yes, he was the one who was keeping the maiden of death in this world.

    If she refuses to go down to the underworld, then she belongs to him in this world.

    The God of Death.

    Is this pressure a Divine Majesty?

    Selene walked up to the God of Death, and she reached out and gently hugged his shoulder. That loosened the pressure a bit, allowing Ekaterina to exhale.

    ¡°Ye, yes. I have known His name in my previous life.¡±

    ¡°¡­Well answered. You are a strong-minded youngdy.¡±

    The God of Death smiled faintly. The beauty of that smile had the power to make you feel faint in a different way.

 Chapter 261

    ¡°You mentioned that your soul has probably been transferred to this world, and it has been bound to this world by some story from your world. Strange¡­ How did that story tell you exactly about the existence of another world?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea why either¡­¡±

    Rather, please tell me.

    ¡°Then, I would like to ask you something else. Your soul might be different from those of this world because of the memories that have been carried over from your previous world.¡±

    He continued.

    ¡°Since you¡¯ve already died once, crossed the river of oblivion, and were born again, then you should have probably forgotten your memory at one point. When did the memorye back to you?¡±

    So, until the memory of previous life was revived, a soul that was transferred from another world would not be distinguishable from the others¡­?

    ¡°The memories of my previous life suddenly came back to me just a few months ago. When I first visited the Magic Academy of the Imperial Capital, which I mentioned earlier, I suddenly remembered my previous life, as if it had suddenly erupted.¡±

    Ekaterina said, and the God of Death nodded.

    ¡°Earlier, you said that you have a friend in that Magic Academy who possessed the magical power of the Holy One. Perhaps the Creator God was involved.¡±

    ***

    ¡°Creator God, you say?¡±

    In the mythology of this world, the Creator God was said to take the form of a man wearing a cloak and a hood covering over his eyes, with a staff in his hand.

    The face behind the hood was said to be either masked or faceless, and the staff in his hand was said to have two bells, ¡°Fate¡± and ¡°Chance¡±, tied to it.

    ¨CWhen the Creator God waved his staff, either bell, fate or chance, rang, and light arose from nothingness.

    The creation myth that Ekaterina read started like that. She remembered being a little surprised to see that the Creator¡¯s staff, depicted in the illustration, was shaped like a scepter.

    The Creator God waved his staff, a bell rang, and the world was created. Whether the ringing of the bell was by fate or by chance was never mentioned.

    The Creator God never seemed to utter a word and he did not engage with humans. He just selfishly tossed them around, either by fate or by chance. Other deities also avoided rtions with the Creator God. There were even several popr stories about them restraining or condemning human beings who wished for something from the Creator.

    For this reason, they said, there were no Temples that were dedicated to the Creator God.

    ¡°Yes. What you call holy magic power is connected to the power of the creator god.¡±

    The God of Death said.

    What did he mean by that?

    Flora-chan, you were indeed a heroine.

    ¡°Perhaps the Creator God waved his staff and by chance interfered with the world in which you lived your previous life. Thepiler of the tale you read glimpsed and depicted the destiny of the one with the holy magic of this world, without knowing it. This gave birth to your soul and this world¡¯s history, and your soul was transferred¡­ Perhaps that was the case. That was certainly something he could do.¡±

    Oh¡­ so that means that¡­ When Authors or musicians sometimes say, ¡°It happened to pop up in my head¡± or ¡°It was like it was already there from the beginning.¡±, it was caused by a reckless act of a god from another world.

    ¡°¡­I have told you something that should not be told to humans. Never speak of it to another, lest the Creator God appeared to thee and brought you here either by fate or by chance.¡±

 Chapter 262

    Be it Fate or chance, those were something I could never go against. I should be careful.

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind. I know it¡¯s not something I should worry about, but I wonder if the two of you will be in any trouble if you tell me this secret.¡±

    Fate and chance. Even the gods could not escape from them.

    The God of Death chuckled.

    ¡°To be so concerned about the gods, you are indeed a soul beyond this world. Well, who knows what the Creator will do? But he has already waved his staff at us¡­¡±

    Involuntarily, Ekaterina looked at the God of Death and Selene.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know at what point it happened. The ancestors of Selene destroyed those who worshiped me, and I became a sealed god. Maybe it was then? The daughter of the family that sealed me for generations was born with the magical power of the Underworld. It was probably at that time.¡±

    A sealed god?

    Come to think of it, in this world, there was a fine line between gods and demons. The gods of conquered peoples were often subverted to be treated as demons.

    But the magical power of the herworld¡¯?

    ¡°It is even rarer than the magical power of the divine, so it is unknown to mortals. The power of the Underworld is the power of life and soul that belongs to the one who is to be my priestess. But before long, the family was conspired against, and Selene was no longer a living being¡­ perhaps it was that time he waved his wand.¡±

    ¡­Never mind the fact that my thoughts seem to be going through the tubes. After all, he is a God, right?

    ording to the legend that Mr. Forli told me, the Maiden of Death rejected the God of Death, who tried to lead her to the underworld.

    But Selene was born into a family rted to the God of Death, wasn¡¯t she?

    Then, how did Selene be the Maiden of Death, who could now bring death to any living being she touches?

    ¡°¡­I became like this by myself. I didn¡¯t know I had the magical power of the herworld,¡¯ but in the midst of being killed and dying, I was engulfed by rage and resentment, which led to this transformation of me. I had distorted the gentle power that should be used to heal the soul.¡±

    Again, as if reading Ekaterina¡¯s mind, Selene responded.

    ¡°My family was all killed on my sister¡¯s wedding night and it was done by none other than the man my sister was betrothed to. The man who told her he loved her and would protect her for the rest of her life. I knew I would never forgive those people for killing my sister, who always had a smile on her face and looked so happy.¡±

    Ekaterina¡¯s mind was filled with images of herte mother. She was in love with her husband till the end, a person who did not even protect his wife from his mother¡¯s beating.

    I would like to put my fist or kick or something in the face of the bastard father who didn¡¯t protect mother¡­ Yeah, I couldn¡¯t me her for her grief because I feel that way, even though it couldn¡¯tpare to what Selene experienced.

    ¡°But if things had remained as they were, her body would have decayed, and she would have be an undead. It was I who suppressed the symptoms of her body. At first, I was trying to get her to break the seal, but¡­ she didn¡¯t ept.¡±

    Stroking Selene¡¯s hair, the God of Death chuckled. Looking up at the god, Selene said.

    ¡°You are already free.¡±

    ¡°I am still trapped¡­ far too deeply.¡±

    Selene smiled gently at the God of Death¡¯s words.

    Then she looked at Ekaterina and smiled again.

 Chapter 263

    ¡°I am happy with what I got. It¡¯s funny, isn¡¯t it? The only saddening part is that I couldn¡¯t touch flowers anymore, but I¡¯m still content with my life.¡±

    Oh, of course, the flowers would wither instantly when she touches them.

    Suddenly, Ekaterina had an epiphany.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Please wait for a moment.¡±

    I hurried back to the tent, opened Mina¡¯s toolbox and searched around, and there it was!

    A blue rose hair ornament.

    I¡¯m sorry, Rev, for taking the liberty of giving away something you so kindly offered me.

    ¡°Selene-sama, here. It¡¯s a flower that will never wither.¡±

    ¡°My!¡±

    Selene gawked at the crystal clear blue rose, which was made of frol ss. Ekaterina held it up. The elegant looking rose was shimmering in the moonlight.

    Selene asked Ekaterina to ce it on the ground, and when Ekaterina did so, Selene fearfully picked it up.

    Her face lit up in a smile as she gazed at the flower, which didn¡¯t wither, and its beauty remained unchanged in her hands.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t wither¡­ a flower that will never wither. How beautiful¡­¡±

    Then, looking up at the God of Death, Selene held out the rose in her hand.

    ¡°Do you remember? When I was alive, I used to pick flowers every day and throw them into the mausoleum where you were sealed up. I thought you might miss it.¡±

    ¡°I will never forget anything rted to you.¡±

    The God of Death gently took the blue rose from Selene¡¯s hand.

    He then ced it in her long blonde hair.

    Selene looked at the God of Death and gave a lovely smile.

    ¡°Ekaterina, thank you so much.¡±

    ¡°Yurinova¡¯s daughter, today you did a very big favor to us. I, the God of Death, promise you to return this favor when the timees.¡±

    At both of their words, Ekaterina smiled and shook her head.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t mind it. I¡¯m already very happy since I was able to please both of you.¡±

    The God of Death¡¯s extremely beautiful face bloomed into a breathtaking smile.

    ¡°You do not understand. It is no small thing for a God to grant a favor to a human. In the future, the Creator may wave his wand at you. When He does, remember this favor.¡±

    ***

    That night, Alexei went to bedter than usual.

    The reason he waste was because he had to work. No, it was not specifically because of work itself, but because of the people who came to see him in the hours he usually worked.

    It became known that he had captured Novadine and others who had been wrongdoers in his father Alexander¡¯s time. It was easy to predict that their titles and property would be confiscated and distributed ordingly.

    And many people were already flocking to join the cause.

    Petitioners were asking for titles and property to be given to them. The grounds for their ims varied. The credit of a distant ancestor, the present poverty, or the unreasonableness experienced during the former duke¡¯s reign.

    Whatever the reason expressed by the person in question, the real reason still stayed the greed.

    They did not contribute to Alexei¡¯s administration in any way. And yet, they were quick to make demands. No wonder Alexei was disgusted by their brazenness.

    However, Novak advised not to turn down the people who havee to his door.

    ¡°Lord Sergei would have listened to them. It would be a good opportunity to get a grip on the situation that each of them is in.¡±

    Grandfather Sergei was a man of high character, but he was also very crafty. Integrity was not enough to be a ruler.

    Alexei nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure Grandfather would have bailed them out if it had been for the right reasons. Even if not, if there may be some use for them, we could use them in the right ce.¡±

    Novak smiled with satisfaction at hisment.

 Chapter 264

    ¡°Indeed, so it seems. Your Excellency is beginning to resemble Lord Sergei.¡±

    ¡°No, I was just wondering what Ekaterina would say. She would have phrased it in a gentler way¡­ but then again, she is the one who resembled Grandfather the most.¡±

    Alexei chuckled, but Novak¡¯s satisfied expression did not change.

    In the past, Alexei might have simply replied with dismissive words after hearing the petitioners¡¯ints. However, after such a conversation, he responded in a rtively calm manner, and those who had suffered financial damage from Novadine and the others were to bepensated for their losses upon confirmation.

    This led to the rise in his reputation, letting people believe that His Excellency was a man who listened to people surprisingly well.

    Nevertheless, it was an exhausting time. Few people have a sane reason for wanting a peerage. It was painful for Alexei, a rational man, to have to deal with a story that made no sense to him.

    At dinnertime, Ekaterina¡¯s absence was wearing on him. His sister¡¯s gentle voice was absent, as she would immediately notice and care for her brother if he looked tired.

    He had agreed to send Ekaterina away to the mountain temple on his behalf, only because he knew that the desire-driven petitioners would make the Yurinova castle noisy. He had lived for so long without knowing the feelings of family since the loss of his grandfather.

    He felt as if the walls around him had weakened.

    Perhaps it was because he fell asleep with such thoughts in his head which caused him to have a dream.

    ¨CAlexei was wandering around inside a huge building.

    He knew it was a dream. It was a dream he had from time to time in the past.

    In this dream, he was still a child, but for some reason he was dressed in formal clothes.

    The area was dull, gray, and hazy. There should be a staircase or a corridor, but they seemed to be wavering.

    Where is this ce? Where am I now, and where will I end up this time? He was searching for something, without knowing what it was.

    There was a dull pain in his chest.

    If he could find what he was looking for, the pain would be healed. He knew that, but didn¡¯t even know what to look for. Alexei stood still, realizing that he didn¡¯t even know what he should be looking for.

    There was no one.

    There was nothing.

    No sound.

    How empty this ce was.

    He was always wandering around in his dreams. He searched and searched, but never found anything¡­.

    Then¡­

    ¡°Big Brother!¡±

    A sound was born in that empty world.

    ¡°It¡¯s me, Ekaterina, I am here!¡±

    Alexei turned around.

    The only color in the gray world was the appearance of an indigo-haired girl d in an evening dress.

    She came running as fast as she could, looking gorgeous at the celebration, her long skirt was held with elegance. A dim light, like a heavenly river, surrounded her joyful smile.

    The Queen of the Night has arrived, with stars in tow.

    ¡°Ekaterina¨C¡°

    Spreading his arms, Ekaterina jumped in without hesitation.

    ¡°Big Brother, I¡¯m so d to see you!¡±

    ¡°Ekaterina!¡±

    Alexei hugged his sister.

    She was supposed to look like a child, but she had changed into an eighteen-year-old, just like in reality.

    ¡°Ekaterina¡­Ekaterina.¡±

    ¡°Big brother.¡±

    Looking up at her brother, Ekaterina smiled brightly.

    ¡°This is my dream world. It¡¯s always been an empty world, so how did you show up here?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I have made an offering to a certain old god. It must have been a very likable offering to him, and pleased by it, He must have responded to my desire to meet you, my brother.¡±

    ¡°What god? A mountain god?¡±

    ¡°No, it was someone else.¡±

    Shaking her head, Ekaterina gives a mischievous look.

    ¡°My brother. I hope you don¡¯t feel lonely without me tonight.¡±

 Chapter 265

    At these words, Alexei suddenly put his hand on his chest.

    ¡°I see. I have felt pain here¡­¡±

    Was that loneliness?

    Ekaterina tilted her head and ced her hand over Alexei¡¯s with a concerned look.

    ¡°You have been lonely for so long that you don¡¯t even know how lonely you are.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­perhaps. I feel like I¡¯ve been holding it here ever since Grandfather passed away, that is, until I met you.¡±

    Muttering, Alexei looked around. The world that had been gray and hazy was taking shape in the evening darkness and the faint light of the stars.

    ¡°So this was the Imperial Castle.¡±

    ¡°The Imperial Castle?¡±

    Ekaterina, who had never been to the Imperial Castle, looked disappointed. It was a far cry from the image of an imperial castle, so it was understandable.

    This was the shadow of a staircase in the Imperial Castle.

    ¡°I had a friend a long time ago. This was where I first met him¡­¡±

    Ekaterina gently grasped Alexei¡¯s hand as he muttered.

    ¡°You must have really cared for him because Big Brother is not a person who cares for others very much. For that reason, once you have put your trust in someone, no matter how the rtionship changed, you won¡¯t ever truly abandon them.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I know. I would go further and say that Big Brother is very selective in his choices. From a very young age, he was surrounded by a well-distinguished entourage that Grandfather recruited. It is no wonder that children of your age are no match for you. If such a Big Brother considered him a friend, he must have been an excellent person.¡±

    Perhaps because she was in a dream, Ekaterina seemed less reserved than usual. It was hard to argue with her when he was told that he was very judgmental of people.

    ¡°Yes, maybe. He was called a prodigy. Even then, he always had a shy expression and felt insecure¡­ and his personality made me want to protect him, which I did.¡±

    ¡°Big Brother is one who protects the person he puts in his mind by adoring them with everything he got, right? Mikhail-sama is also an excellent person, but he is a ruler. He knew since he was a child that he should not let anyone into his heart. That is why Big Brother was the first person whom he let into his mind¡­¡±

    ¡°Now I have you already. It was foolish of me to look for him when you are the one I should love and protect with everything I have.¡±

    ¡°You used toe here all the time, when you were lonely. It¡¯s the way your heart works.¡±

    Alexei smiled.

    ¡°You seem to understand everything.¡±

    Ekaterina then pouted her lips a bit.

    ¡°That¡¯s because this is Big Brother¡¯s dream, and he thinks I¡¯m like that. I¡¯m not really this perceptive.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Alexei broke off and touched Ekaterina¡¯s lips with his fingertips.

    ¡°Still, you seem to be the real Ekaterina. I have never seen such a lovely expression on your face. You have shown me your pouty face before, but your face is even lovelier now. My dear Ekaterina.¡±

    ¡°Oh my, Big Brother!¡±

    Ekaterina smiled broadly.

    ¡°How¡¯s your trip? Any dangers or inconveniences?¡±

    ¡°Nothing at all. Nothing unexpected, but I¡¯ve learned a lot from Sir Forli, seen and heard some unusual things, and had a good time along the way. How has Big Brother been? You must have had a hard time, for you must have missed me.¡±

    Alexei smiled, cing one hand on her sister¡¯s cheek as her face turned worried.

    ¡°I wonder how you¡¯ve been. I¡¯m so happy now that I can look at you, I forgot.¡±

    ¡°Oh Big Brother.¡±

    Alexei hugged Ekaterina, who smiled again.

 Chapter 266

    ¡°Thank you for caring, Ekaterina, there is no one in the world who I can think of who could love someone as sincere as you do. How lucky I am to have a sister as wonderful as you. It is hard not having you by my side, but I will bear your absence, knowing that you cared for me even in my dreams. Please travel safely with a happy heart ande home soon.¡±

    ¡°Big Brother, I love Big Brother because he is the nicest person I know, and if Big Brother wants me to return soon, I will do as you ask. If Big Brother wants toe back soon, I will do as he asks, so please wait for him, and be healthy and well.¡±

    Putting her arms around her brother, Ekaterina returned the embrace.

    Ekaterina responded to her brother¡¯s wish for a safe journey by saying that she would do exactly as he asked.

    She had no way of knowing at the time that she would have to do well on that promise.

    ***

    Next morning.

    Ekaterina woke up pleasantly, and as Mina helped her get dressed, she told her that she had given the blue rose hair ornament as a giftst night. She also mentioned that the other party was the Maiden of Death and the God of Death.

    She wondered whether to tell Mina, since it was a rather toned-down story, but she had to exin to Mina why the hair ornament was missing. And with Mina on the other end of the line, there was no way she could cover it up.

    I decided that the best thing to do was being honest about it. Of course, I kept the details to a minimum, and did not mention the Creator God or reincarnation.

    ¡°I was supposed to wear it when I went to the mountain temple to pray, but somehow excuse me.¡±

    As expected, Mina was crestfallen for a while.

    ¡°Young Lady¡­ I can¡¯t believe I wasn¡¯t by your side when you met such a dangerous being.¡±

    She seemed so angry at herself for being put to sleep and not being able to deal with the intruder that a pale me could almost be seen.

    ¡°They were wonderful people. It was a divine summon, and Mina couldn¡¯t have done anything.¡±

    ¡°Young Lady seems to be in somewhat of a good mood this morning.¡±

    At Mina¡¯s words, Ekaterina smiled quickly.

    ¡°Yes, I was given a pleasant dream after that, I met Big Brother!¡±

    Later, before breakfast, Aurora gave me time to tell her about my meeting with Selene, the Maiden of Death. She said she was delighted to have spoken to the gentle woman.

    Aurora was left speechless often, but she seemed to believe me. She then nodded when I told her that Selene was sad that she could not touch the flowers and that she would be pleased if the Forest People carved flowers and offered them as wood carvings, which they were good at.

    ¡°If they were pleased with the offering, it would lessen their regrets. I will tell everyone about it.¡±

    After breakfast together, Aurora gave us many souvenirs. Elegant wooden tableware, beautifully dyed cloths made from nts and trees, and even a smelling bag sachet that smelled as fresh as lemon grass.

    ¡°We, too, have to buy some things from outside, such as knives and salt. If these things can be used to make money, we would be truly grateful.¡±

    ¡°I would be happy to be of service. Even if it bes a business, we will consult Aurora-sama and Forli-sama to ensure that it does not disturb the livelihood of the forest people.

    Aurora smiled at Ekaterina¡¯s words.

    ¡°Thank you. I am very impressed with such thoughtfulness at such a young age.¡±

    Ahhhh.

    Sorry for being a fraud~.

    The Forest People, who had been friendly to Ekaterina during the night she stayed, though they did not speak to her, all waved farewell to her at the end of the stay.

 Chapter 267

    Ekaterina, who was allowed to ride Oleg¡¯s horse as she had when she arrived, smiled and waved back at them.

    It was like spending the night in a lodge-like pension. And it had an open-air natural hot spring bath. And the food was delicious, so I guess it¡¯s called an outdoor lounge.

    Thank you for a wonderful night!

    Ekaterina and her group then resumed their journey.

    No, before that, there was a scene where Forli flipped out and threw away two sugar beets that had somehow gotten into the carriage.

    Maybe those two beets were yesterday¡¯s handsome beet and the other one. Why were they here? If he didn¡¯t notice them, we would have taken them with us as we left. They opened the door of the carriage with a leaf, dexterous. As dexterous as a cat that opens the door of a refrigerator.

    And they were so close. They were holding hands, or rather leaves, when they were thrown out of the carriage.

    Forli-san, who tossed those two creatures away nonchntly in the style of harvesting crops, was a marquis by birth, but he waspletely well-versed in farming as a Chief of Forestry and Agriculture¡­.

    I was worried that the sugar beet would be eaten by forest animals because of its delicious taste, but a messenger of the Great King Bee, which had perched on the roof of the carriage to protect it, quickly flew away. The adult beet, which looked like a bizarre nt, was probably around somewhere, and we should be fine.

    ¡°It might have been a good idea to bring some for emergency rations.¡±

    Forli said as if he thought of something, but Ekaterina shook her head.

    I was uncertain if I could identify them individually¡­ If I took them with me, I was sure they would be increasingly attached to me.

    And if they ended up in my soup, I would cry.

    Anyway, after that, the trip went smoothly.

    After all, we had fallen behind on the first day and had to make up for it. The driver and the horses did their best, and the group hurried along the road that wound its way through the deep forest.

    The journey was leisurelypared to my previous life. Unlike traveling by car or train, the journey was made by carriage, and the horses had to rest periodically to drink water and graze.

    During the breaks, I would leave the carriage and wander around the area, or y with Regina and the other hounds.

    I helped brush the horses along with the hard-working caretaker to treat the horses, and although I made the elderly caretaker scared to death, I enjoyed learning which of the two horses liked to be brushed and where to brush. Horses were cute.

    When I was about to pick some flowers and grass to give to the horses, Mina pointed out that there were some poisonous grasses in the mix for the horses, and I was in a panic to get them checked.

    At first nce, it seemed like a sight for sore eyes. A beautiful maid peered into the flowers held by a youngdy in her hand, but in fact, it was just to check for poisonous weeds.

    The knights¡¯ horses were also given flowers that had been checked. Iughed when one of the knights told the horse that he should understand how grateful he should be to receive flowers from the Young Lady. Forli and the other knights were alsoughing.

    Sometimes they bought fodder from viges along the road and fed it to the horses, and at such times the vigers would gather to watch.

    Ekaterina waved and talked to them, trying to make a good impression, andughed when most of them thought she was the wife of the duke. It seems that such rumors have spread all over the ce.

 Chapter 268

    To begin with, Alexei had been responsible for the administration of the estate since before he seeded to the title, so it seems that people did not believe that he was only eighteen years old. It might be inevitable, since he looked like he was in his twenties.

    ¡°Thisdy, Ekaterina-sama, is the younger sister of His Highness the Duke. She is the legitimate Duchess of Yurinova, a descendant of the first Duke Sergei.¡±

    Forli had to repeat this to the vigers every time.

    ¡°It is a happy mistake to say that I am Big Brother¡¯s wife.¡±

    Ekaterina chuckled.

    As a brocon I was happy! Me, as Big Brother¡¯s wife¡­oh no, that sounded so exciting!

    Stupid me!

    We arrived at a ratherrge town along the road as nned that night and stayed at an inn.

    The next day, the journey continued smoothly, and soon, a sheer rock cliff came into view.

    ¡°Young Lady, that is the old mine. The mountain temple is beneath it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±

    The deep forest has been cut off at some point, and the surrounding area is once again a field. The trees were probably cut down and cleared for fuel. Steel manufacturing consumes tremendous amounts of fuel.

    Beyond the undtions of the verdantnd, the gray Rocky Mountains loomed in Ekaterina¡¯s view with a strange intensity.

    What was this feeling¡­? Something about it seemed familiar.

    The old mine was once an iron mine with arge vein of ore, and mining had already begun during the founding period of the Imperial Kingdom. At that time, this ce belonged to a powerful indigenous family skilled in mining and iron-making techniques, but the four founding brothers of the empire pacified it, and Sergei, the founder of the Dukes of Yurinova, married Christina, the daughter of a powerful family, and peacefully acquired the mine along with mining/iron-making techniques.

    However, the veins of ore in this mountain had already been extracted, and the iron ore was mined in other mines. However, the reason why the mine was still existing, even though it was called an ¡°old¡± mine, was because rainbow stones could be extracted here.

    Even though the mining site was moved to another location, this was still the center of Yurinova¡¯s mining industry. Beneath the old mine was the Mining Division, which oversees not only the mountain temple, but all of Yurinova¡¯s mining-rted operations.

    It was directed by Aaron Kyle, the Mine Director.

    ¡°Young Lady!¡±

    When the carriage arrived, Aaron greeted us as if he had been waiting for us.

    ¡°Thank you for meeting me despite your busy schedule, Aaron-sama.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m d you arrived safely. I am sure you must be exhausted, so please rest first. I hope you will say hello to Professor Isaacster, he was looking forward to meeting the Young Lady.¡±

    Ekaterina smiled at Aaron, who was still in total adoration of Great-Uncle Isaac.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure, I was looking forward to meeting him too.¡±

    The person was writing something in a cluttered room in a corner of the mining operations headquarters.

    He was facing a simple table, not a magnificent desk, but just a board with four legs. It was just a board with four legs, but it was huge.

    Here and there, seemingly innocuous-looking stones were ced, crushed with a hammer and soaked in some kind of chemical, or heated in a beaker that had been seared by amp, or ced in a magic circle and flickered.

    At the back of the room, a row of cupboards were lined with various ores, all neatly cased and carefully stored with nametes bearing their names.

    It reminded me of theboratory in my college days. It made me want to wash test tubes.

    ¡°Aaron?¡±

    A calm voice asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m writing a letter now, can you please send it for meter? To the observatory beneath the [Mountain of the Gods].¡±

 Chapter 269

    Aaron was now the head of this mining operation headquarters, but he was still considered an assistant, just as he had been in the past. And Aaron nodded, as if it was normal.

    ¡°Yes, I understand. But first, Professor, we have a guest.¡±

    ¡°A guest?¡±

    Curiously, mineralogist Isaac Yurinova turned around.

    He looked at Ekaterina and his eyes widened.

    Smiling at her great-uncle, Ekaterina was inwardly surprised.

    He looked just like my grandfather Sergei!

    The grandfather she knew only from portraits, even though she knew of his gentle personality, he had a rugged appearance that personified his dignity.

    He was the most suitable person to hold such important positions in the country as Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. He was also an attractive man, a dandy in his own right.

    Great-Uncle Isaac, my grandfather¡¯s half-brother, had a distinct resemnce to Grandfather, with well-defined eyes and nose. He was much mellow looking, but not as tall as my grandfather.

    His hair was bluish white, probably because his originally blue hair had turned almost gray.

    The color of Grandfather¡¯s eyes was bright blue, but Great-Uncle¡¯s eyes were a pale blue, like those of a faded ambergris.

    They could be described as light blue, but they were gentle and different from Alexei¡¯s neon blue or my grandmother¡¯s icy blue.

    ¡°¡­Anastasia?¡±

    Ekaterina shook her head when her mother¡¯s name was mentioned in a puzzled manner. She then assumed adylike curtsy.

    ¡°I am pleased to meet you for the first time. I am Ekaterina, Great-Uncle Isaac, and it is a pleasure to meet you.¡±

    ¡°Ekaterina!¡±

    As if sprung to his feet, Isaac walked up to Ekaterina with a big smile.

    He held out both hands and gently wrapped them around Ekaterina¡¯s small ones. They were big, warm hands.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s so good to see you! I kind of thought you were still a little girl. I had no idea you had be such a beautiful youngdy¡­but yes, Aaron told me that you are a very clever youngdy.¡±

    Isaac snapped out of it. He gulped and said.

    ¡°Oh¡­sorry, I was supposed to meet you and Alexei at the castle. I forgot all about it. You¡¯ve already arrived here from the imperial capital. Oh, no, I was told to go because there was a banquet at the castle. Either way, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m a really useless guy¡­¡±

    Ekaterina smiled at Isaac, who was dejected.

    As she had heard from Aaron and Laiza, the housekeeper at Yurinova Castle, he was not the type to deal with anything concrete.

    Since he was a genius schr, his life story would be more interesting if he were this way.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t mind it. I havee to visit the mountain temple in the name of Big Brother. It was a pleasure to meet you.¡±

    ¡°Really¡­? Ekaterina is a very determined girl.

    Sorry, I was already around 30 years old inside. When someone praised me with such a genuine smile, all I could say was, ¡°I apologize for being a fraud¡±.

    ¡°We were not alone, Forli was with us. He is meeting with the priests of the mountain temple to discuss tomorrow¡¯s visit.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it would have been so reassuring to have Brother Balthazar with us. I used to travel with him a lot.¡±

    Forli, who had been a close friend of his brother Sergei, seemed to have been a close friend of Isaac as well.

    ¡°Professor, the Young Lady has brought a gift. She wanted to give it to you as soon as possible, so I left the meeting to Sir Forli and brought the Young Lady here.¡±

    Isaac looked surprised at what Aaron had just told him.

    ¡°Souvenirs? Ekaterina brought me?¡±

    ¡°I hope you will find it useful for your research, Great-Uncle. ¨CMina.¡±

    Ekaterina called, and Mina came up to her carrying arge package. She ced the luggage on the table and quickly unpacked it.

 Chapter 270

    What appeared was a microscope.

    To Ekaterina, it looked somewhat retro, but its shape was clearly recognizable as a microscope. But Isaac nodded his head curiously.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what this is, I¡¯ve never seen it before. But it looks like a research instrument.¡±

    Isaac said this because, although microscopes do exist in this world, they were different from those in her previous life in terms of shape and are quite difficult to use.

    They didn¡¯t have preparation tes yet, so the objects to be magnified were ced on a table or something simr. So, it was quite difficult to see.

    Igor Toma, a lens craftsman hired by the Murano Workshop in the Imperial Capital, was asked to make this microscope and also to manufacture a ss slide for the ss preparatory te, which he sent to us.

    By setting the object to be magnified on the ss slides and reflecting the light from the mirror below to brighten the field of view, the microscope was much easier to use than the existing microscopes in this world.

    Toma also told me that he had devised various ways to make the magnification higher than that of the microscope in the duke¡¯s residence in the imperial capital. It was apparently true that he called himself an enthusiast.

    ¡°This is a microscope. It is an improved version made in the ssworks purchased by the Yurinova family in the imperial capital. We use it like this.¡±

    I took a piece of finely ground rock powder from the table and put it on a ss slide.

    In my previous life, a drop of water or something like that was ced in the preparatory te and covered ss, but ultra-thin cover ss was still a bit difficult to make. I think it was amazing that they even made ss slides that were quite nice and clear and uniform in thickness.

    I set it on the stand and looked into the lens. After adjusting the mirror below to brighten the view with reflected light and turning the adjustment screw to focus, the powder appearedpletely different.

    Mixed in with the ckish, clumpy stuff, I could see a number of bright, clear, beautifully colored crystalline-looking things. Some of them looked like beautiful snow crystals. Judging from the shape, they did not appear to be crystals.

    ¡°Please, take a look, Great-Uncle.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Isaac, who had been watching Ekaterina¡¯s operations with wide-eyed amazement, hurriedly peered into the lens.

    ¡°Oh!¡±

    Isaac eximed at first nce.

    ¡°Wow! I¡¯ve never seen such brightness¡­such magnification. How clear it looks. Oh, it almost seems like it is speaking to me¡­¡±

    The excitement turned into an enraptured murmur, and Isaac began to stare at the microscope in silence, holding his breath.

    Then, he took his eyes off the microscope and fidgeted, as if looking for something.

    Aaron, with a knowing look on his face, held out a notebook, a quill pen, and an inkwell to Isaac. It seems that he had somehow brought them from another ce, where he had left them on the table.

    ¡°Oh, thank you, Aaron.¡±

    Isaac took it happily and began sketching and making notes in the notebook.

    Aaron watched Isaac with satisfaction as he immersed himself in his work, forgetting everything else, his assistant skills seemed to be perfect.

    Aaron was certainly not a prodigy, nor did he possess the connections to be a mine manager at such a young age.

    Despite that, he managed to keep track of all the mines in Yurinova, and kept a vast amount of data in his brain.

    That included the output and estimated reserves of each mine, the topography and transportation routes around each mine, the approximate costs, profits, the number of people employed, the corrtion between the key yers and their rtionships, and much more.

    If the mines¡¯ ¡°haves and have-nots¡± were inting costs or not delivering results as instructed, he would smirk and inform something outside the normal chain ofmand, which would somehow improve the problem, even causing a somewhat scary phenomenon.

 Chapter 271

    He was the youngest in the office, so he acted modest, but he was a very capable man, as he was brought up by Grandfather Sergei, whose hobby was to train people. And he was certainly a good find.

    His ability as a mine manager might actually be part of his assistant skills to create an environment in which Isaac could devote himself to research to the fullest. Aaron¡¯s happy expression when he was working as Isaac¡¯s assistant made me think that he was simr to Great-Uncle Isaac.

    ¨CAaron-san¡¯s great-uncle Isaac love was too deep. My brocon may be losing against. This was a crisis!

    Ekaterina felt a foolish sense of frustration.

    Isaac, having finished his sketch quickly and taken his eyes off the microscope, looked at the microscope itself with renewed admiration and stroked it gently.

    Then he finally came to his senses and looked at Ekaterina with a panicked look.

    ¡°Oh, sorry. I got carried away again.¡±

    Ekaterina smiled.

    ¡°It¡¯s good that you are concentrating on your important research. Will this microscope be of any use to you?¡±

    ¡°Of course it will. Of course. It¡¯s a great innovation to put a stand like this on the ss and use a mirror to shine light on it from below. It¡¯s so different from other microscopes.¡±

    Isaac patted the microscope happily.

    ¡°Are you sure you want me to have this wonderful thing?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Please let me know if there is anything you would like to see in the microscope.¡±

    ¡°Professor, this microscope was developed by the Young Lady.¡±

    Isaac was taken aback by Aaron¡¯s words.

    Yes, that was the right response. It was crazy that I coulde up with something like this! Because I didn¡¯te up with it!

    The truth was, over the hundred or two hundred years since the microscope was invented, various people made various improvements, and this was thetest form it took.

    But I could never say such a thing.

    ¡°It¡¯s just an amateur¡¯s idea. As women, when we dress up before a banquet, we check our hair and makeup by shining a light on them in the reflection of a mirror. Perhaps this is a way of using a mirror that the gentlemen are not familiar with.¡±

    I was impressed with myself foring up with excuses like that¡­

    ¡°I see. But it¡¯s wonderful and brilliant, and as Aaron said, Ekaterina is a smart girl.¡±

    Isaacplimented with a childlike smile.

    The purity of that smile made Ekaterina¡¯s conscience squirm.

    ¡°Oh¡­great-uncle, what kind of minerals are you looking at right now?¡±

    Ekaterina asked, and Isaac chuckled.

    ¡°This? This is a rainbow stone.¡±

    ***

    ¡°My, this is!¡±

    Ekaterina¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t recognize it. I thought rainbow stones were supposed to be more luminous.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s hard to tell when they¡¯re so small. But it looks like it¡¯s just transparent because of the brightness of the view, but it¡¯s glowing. I was able to confirm the vortex light of magic power, so there is no doubt about it. This is the scrap stone from the area around arge rainbow stone, and I¡¯m trying to figure out if there is an efficient way to extract this kind of fine rainbow stone from it.¡±

    Oh!

    The only rainbow stone I saw sullenly was the one made into a brooch during a visit to the Imperial Duke¡¯s residence, but it was a transparent stone with blue light trapped inside and swirling around it.

    I guess by ¡°swirling light¡± he was referring to that light.

    That kind ofrge, strong light could be extracted, but he probably wanted to extract the same light from microscopic rainbow stones.

    ¡°That¡¯s for rainbow stone magic, right? You not only mine high-quality rainbow stones, but also try to create high-quality rainbow stones artificially by extracting microscopic rainbow stones?¡±

 Chapter 272

    ¡°Ekaterina, you know about the rainbow stone magic circle? That¡¯s about right. Naturalrge rainbow stones may contain low quality magic power or a mixture of attributes, so the results of magic circle activation would be inconsistent. So, I decided to crush them and sort them by quality and attributes, hoping to extract fine iridescence from the waste stones that I had been throwing away. I thought it would be a shame because some of them are small but of high-quality and rare attributes.¡±

    So, the aim was to achieve uniformity of quality and single attribute? I see.

    Improvement had already started before the trial¡­.that was impressive. As someone who was an SE in my previous life, I could understand how important it was to notice problems and improve them at the design stage.

    There was already a perfected rainbow stone magic circle in this person¡¯s head. So real that he could find problems in the simtion in his head. He was really a genius.

    Something that would move history was born from the brain of this person in front of me. Even now, a turning point in human history was being worked out right in front of my eyes.

    Wow, that made me shudder at the thought of it. It was so moving that it gave me goosebumps.

    ¡°Metals such as iron, gold, and silver are smelted by melting ores at high heat. That method cannot be used for rainbow stone, right?¡±

    ¡°No. Rainbow stones are not melted by heat like metals. It is better to think of it as a kind of gemstone, but since it is a condensation of natural magic, it has different properties from ordinary stones¡­ It has not been studied much so far, so I don¡¯t understand it very well yet.¡±

    ¡°My¡­ that¡¯s very interesting.¡±

    It was like a new continent of knowledge that had never been explored before. An intellectual adventure itself. It was so romantic!

    Isaac smiled at Ekaterina, whose eyes were sparkling.

    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear you say that. I don¡¯t think ordinary youngdies would be interested in something like this.¡±

    ¡°For my part, I¡¯d be surprised if I wasn¡¯t interested. What else can be more exciting than this? I am honored to have been introduced to Great Uncle¡¯s research. It¡¯s exciting to see how it has the potential to entirely change people¡¯s lives.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure. Thank you.¡±

    Isaac reached out and patted Ekaterina¡¯s head.

    ¡°Ekaterina is a clever girl, you are indeed Alexei¡¯s sister, Alexei was also very clever since he was little, and I was always impressed with him, but you seem to have a different cleverness than that child.¡±

    A genius called me smart! I was so embarrassed.

    No, this wasn¡¯t the time to be embarrassed, sorry for being a fraud. I wasn¡¯t clever, I just knew in my previous life what civilization would be like a few hundred years from now. If I think that I was smart, it would be the end of me as a person, I must remember that!

    ¡°Once again, thank you for this microscope, Ekaterina, it makes me happy, I haven¡¯t received anything this nice since my brother gave me a cupboard when I was little.¡±

    ¡°A cupboard¡­you say?¡±

    Ekaterina tilted her head.

    Great-Uncle, so you called Grandfather Sergei [my brother]. I guess it was already been a long time ago. The way he called that white-haired gentleman was a bit childish, it was cute.

    when he was a little boy, Grandfather would have been a child too. What kind of situation would it be for a child to give a cupboard to another child, and be happy about it?

    ¡°I have always been attracted to minerals, and when I was little, I used to pick up rocks and bring them into my room every day. But I was always scolded about it, and it was always thrown away. I can¡¯t me them now, but I was sad then.¡±

    He continued.

 Chapter 273

    ¡°When I was crying in the yard, my brother came and told me about how to keep them from being thrown away. He told me that I should arrange them neatly and put a name tag on them. That way, other people would know that I wanted to keep it because it was rare. Then he gave me a cupboard to keep the stones in and a mineralogy book.¡±

    I see!

    It was said that looks ount for 90% of a person¡¯s appearance, but if an object was disyed with care, it would appear to be valuable as well. Grandfather, you were so smart even as a child.

    But to be able to give a cupboard to his younger brother, it was so expensive and big, it was something only a celebrity could do.

    ¡°That was when I was seven years old. But even then, I still couldn¡¯t read. My tutor was teaching me, but I didn¡¯t understand. I thought I could understand better by going outside and listening to the sky, the trees, and above all, the sound of stones, rather than trying to read the meaning from the letters. So, I was told I was a bad kid.¡±

    Great Uncle Isaac continued.

    ¡°But a picture book has many pictures, so you canpare the picture and the stone and find the same thing. If you find a picture that is the same as a stone, write down the name of the stone. It will help you learn how to write. My brother told me. The mineralogy book was very interesting, and I was surprised to find that every stone I had ever picked up had a name that someone had given to it. So, I got hooked and looked at it all night, and the next morning I could read it all.¡±

    Really?

    ¡°I could also write most of the technical terms for minerals. It was an illustrated book for adults, so I learned a lot.¡±

    The great-uncle who said that with a smile on his face had many misconceptions. So much so that I raised the white g that I could no longer give a tsukkomi.

    ¡­I guess he really learned to read and write overnight! Genius!

    I suddenly made eye contact with Aaron-san, and he nodded deeply. Yes, his beloved Professor Isaac was really a remarkable person. Please write a biography one of these days.

    ¡­He might have already written it.

    ¡°But I was still happy with the cupboards. As my brother said, I put name tags on them and put them in the cupboard, and the maid, who had always been angry with me, was impressed. ¡°I didn¡¯t know stones had names¡±, she said. I feel like my whole world changed after that.¡±

    Isaac continued.

    ¡°When the cupboard I got was full of stones with name tags, I showed it to my brother, and he was amazed and praised me so much. Then he gave me a new cupboard. Since then, he has always supported my research. He helped me arrange a ce to store the cupboards that were full, got me permission to go to other territories and ces where I normally couldn¡¯t go to collect, and did many other things for me. They did that all the way to the end.¡±

    Isaac recounted his memories with sincerity. Perhaps the cupboard was a symbol to him of the bond he had with his brother Sergei.

    ¡°Since my brother¡­passed away, Alexei did the same thing for me. I¡¯m always impressed with how smart and admirable that boy is, even though he¡¯s still so young. And you did the same thing for me. My brother always listened to me with a look of excitement on his face, just like you are now.¡±

    Isaac chuckled.

 Chapter 274

    ¡°Ever since my brother gave me a mineral reference book, I¡¯ve dreamed of building something like it someday. It would cover all the minerals that weren¡¯t in that illustrated book. And I did. But I wanted to make another one. I want to revise the illustrated book to improve it, adding this microscopic appearance to it. I¡¯ll start when I¡¯m done with the research on the rainbow stone, my new dream. I am d that you, like your brother, gave me a dream, and that you are my brother¡¯s grandson. Thank you, Ekaterina.¡±

    Cute. Why was he so cute when he was so amazing?

    I could understand Aaron-san¡¯s love a little bit now. And I was sure Grandfather would have been adorable with Great-Uncle Isaac.

    I was a brocon, but I was also starting to love Great-Uncle Isaac.

    Ekaterina smiled.

    ¡°I¡¯m so d that I am also a rtive of your great-uncle.¡±

    ***

    Ekaterina gave him a ss pen, which Isaac was also very pleased with.

    It was not the same as the gorgeous colored ss that she had given to Alexei, but a prototype without color.

    Isaac often travels on uneven terrain during his fieldwork, so Aaron¡¯s advised that something that could be damaged would be more appropriate was followed.

    ¡°Wow, hey, much better than a quill pen. you¡¯re a genius toe up with something like this, Ekaterina is a great girl.¡±

    No, the real genius was Great-Uncle. And I didn¡¯te up with this one. I would like to apologize so much to the real inventor of the ss pen, a wind chime maker from my previous life in the Meiji era.

    ¡°It looks like it would be difficult to make such a long and slender object out of ss, wouldn¡¯t it be difficult to make it sturdy?¡±

    ¡°I expected you to notice that! Our craftsmen have used their ingenuity to increase the strength.¡±

    ¡°Really? I wonder what kind of ingenuity they have used.¡±

    Isaac looked at the ss pen with interest.

    ¡°Well, maybe it¡¯s the temperature. To make strong ss, you need high temperatures. There might be other ways to do it, though.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I remember now. I was referring to the ingenuity of the furnace. The furnace had to be full of the ingenuity of the previous master to be powerful enough to get this results.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s interesting. I would like to see it.¡±

    ¡°Pleasee and see it when you visit the Imperial Capital. If you could advise the craftsmen with your great-uncle¡¯s knowledge, I am sure they woulde up with something even more wonderful. I would also like you to meet the craftsmen of the microscope.¡±

    I do hope that with great-uncle¡¯s advice, we could further improve the facilities of the workshop and have Rev produce works that would exceed the works of histe predecessor, Master Murano. He was a genius too, so it was not a far-fetched dream.

    I mean, just meekly, I wanted to see a two-shot picture of two geniuses!

    Isaac looked at Ekaterina with a smirk as she said enthusiastically.

    ¡°I see you are also interested in minerals. I¡¯m so d.¡±

    You misunderstand!

    I didn¡¯t dislike it, but I didn¡¯t consider ss to be a mineral. It just happened that I got involved in a ss studio.

    But I couldn¡¯t say that to my great-uncle, who seemed so genuinely happy!

    Isaac then said to Ekaterina, who was giggling.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to return the favor to you as well. I would like you toe with me to the old mine.¡±

    Ekaterina was thus invited to apany her great-uncle.

    Ekaterina was about to reply, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about repaying me¡­¡± when Aaron, behind Isaac¡¯s back, said, ¡°By all means, please ept it!¡± and suggested that I ept the invitation.

    ¡°How is Alexei?¡±

    ¡°Well, he is fine, but I am worried about him because he is so busy¡­¡±

 Chapter 275

    Ekaterina was full of ulterior motives, hoping to get her great-uncle into the camp of breaking Alexei¡¯s death-by-overwork g.

    ¡°Would great-uncle please ask Big Brother to take care of himself, so he doesn¡¯t work too hard?¡±

    ¡°Is he that busy?¡±

    Isaac¡¯s eyes widened and he looked shocked.

    ¡°I guess my brother was the same way. All I do is create more work for him, and I can¡¯t be of any assistance¡­¡±

    Oh, there¡¯s andmine hidden here!

    No, Great-Uncle, the work you were creating was for Yurinova¡¯s future¡­and you were admitting that you were creating more work for Yurinova. I didn¡¯t say it out loud, so it was safe. I almost got myself in more trouble.

    We left the Mining Division with a conversation like this and climbed the gentle slope to the old mine.

    It was rare for a duchess to walk on her own feet outside the grounds of the mansion or school, even for such a short distance.

    Moreover, on this road, muscr miners from the mine were passing by with wheelbarrows carrying the rainbow stones they mined.

    If Alexei had been here, he might have arranged for a carriage or a pnquin for Ekaterina, believing that it would be unthinkable for her to walk under the gaze of such lowly men.

    However, Alexei was not present, and Isaac, who was supposed to be Ekaterina¡¯s guardian in terms of his position, was waving his hand and saying ¡°Thank you, how are you, sir¡± in a friendly manner when the miners that called out to him.

    ¡°You¡¯re with a pretty girl, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Some miners would smirk at her, but when Ekaterina would smile back and say, ¡°Thank you very much, and have a good day¡±, they would look at her with a nk stare, and then Aaron and Mina would stare at them as if they were going to kill them, and they would get scared. A pheasant would not be shot unless it chirps.

    The entrance to the mine, which opened up into a gray rocky hillside, came into view.

    And the azure-gray rocky hill was still looming over us with a strange power, or rather, pressure.

    ¡°Young Lady, is the slope too hard for you to climb? Shall I carry you with me?¡±

    Ekaterina shook her head.

    Mina was a battle maid who could carry Ekaterina in a princess¡¯s carry and walk fast, so what she suggested was possible, but that would be too embarrassing.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not tired. I just¡­¡±

    Unable to find the words, Ekaterina raised an eyebrow. She felt like she remembered this feeling, but she couldn¡¯t remember.

    Isaac looked at Ekaterina and gave her an awed look.

    ¡°Ekaterina, have you ever met any of the gods?¡±

    ¡°What???¡±

    Ekaterina shouted at the unexpected words.

    ¡°It seems that there are about three mountain gods descending on this mountain right now. I guess it¡¯s because the priests told them that the Duke¡¯s family is going to visit the mountain.¡±

    Isaac said something amazing without hesitation.

    ¡°Great-Uncle, do you know anything about such things?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I see the Mountain Gods often.¡±

    Isaac said something quite outrageous.

    Who really are you, my great-uncle???

    What kind of attributes do you have in addition to being a genius schr of history!

    But with that, the question Ekaterina had been feeling was cleared up.

    Oh, right, this was divine majesty. This was what she felt when she came face to face with the God of Death.

    The mountain deities enshrined in the mountain temple were not just one. They were to worship the deities of all the mountains in Yurinova¡¯s territory.

    The main role of the mountain temple was to appease the anger of the gods, especially those of the mining mountains, by asking for forgiveness for the sins of damaging the mountain surface and extracting minerals from it.

 Chapter 276

    However, worshiping a mountain god in a temple did not necessarily mean that the Gods themselves would descend. We would simply hope that they would descend on a whim, and not be so rude as to try and summon them.

    Although, in recent decades, namely since Grandfather Sergei began worshiping and then Alexei took over the role, at least one mountain god would descend.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that. I didn¡¯t know that when a mountain god descends to the temple, they would reside on this mountain.¡±

    ¡°This Mountain God here was one of the highest ranked among the mountain deities, and the other deities would stop by to say hello before they descended to their mountain temples. He is a gentle man, and was very fond of Christina, the wife of Lord Sergei, and was a priestess in this temple. Even now, he is kind to the people working on the Mountain Temple and the Dukes of Yurinova.¡±

    I see¡­thank you, Christina-san, for that.

    Come to think of it, it was thanks to the gentle nature of Christina-san, the former high priestess, that the pledge of allegiance of the Knights of Yurinova was to lightly tap the shoulders and not to punch the knights as hard as one could.

    While we were talking like this, our group had arrived at the entrance of the old mine.

    In addition to the main tunnel where the miners descend, there was another tunnel blocked off with iron bars and a ¡°No Entry¡± sign posted on it. Aaron told us that these were used when the miners were extracting iron ore, which was no longer used.

    Aaron opened the padlock with the key he brought with him, and then, with his Rainbow Cantera, which he had brought with him, we followed his lead down the narrow tunnel.

    ¡°Is there something here?¡±

    ¡°Well, the main tunnel should also be fine, but there are things here that are just easier to work with because it was less crowded.¡±

    Isaac suddenly paused and said.

    ¡°Ah, is it scary? I¡¯m sorry that I let you girlse to such a dark ce. I was careless again and¡­¡±

    ¡°Great-uncle, please don¡¯t be concerned. I¡¯m not afraid because I¡¯m with all of you.¡±

    I was around 30 inside. I went through life with little fear of dark, creepy, and scary things, but with no demand for them.

    I was a corporate employee who usually went homete at night. Fueh, I was thinking of nothing but questionable factors from my previous life.

    But what do you mean by ¡°easy to work with?¡±

    ¡°Ekaterina is a kind and firm girl. I¡¯ll try my best to find something nice for you to take.¡±

    With another mysterious remark, Isaac dropped to one knee on the spot.

    (Ah¡­)

    The magic power bes tense.

    I could feel Isaac¡¯s magic power flowing into the bedrock beneath my feet. Quick as a bolt of lightning, deep, deep into the depths of the earth.

    Ekaterina¡¯s earth magic could not flow like this into the bedrock.

    Could it be that Isaac had a special magical attribute? Was it something close to earth but not exactly earth magic, something like the rock magic?

    Ekaterina could not possibly follow where the magic was going.

    After a while, Isaac muttered.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got it.¡±

    The magic power returned.

    Something was being pulled up from the far depths.

    ¡°This is big!¡±

    Aaron, who was probably feeling Isaac¡¯s magic with the same Earth attribute as Ekaterina¡¯s, shouted excitedly, almost simultaneously, lights much more dazzling than Aaron¡¯s cantera filled the tunnels.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve got a good one for you.¡±

    Isaac said in a leisurely, but slightly tired voice.

    In his arms was a rainbow stonerge enough to hold, with a dazzlingly strong light.

 Chapter 277

    ***

    The rainbow stone in Isaac¡¯s arms was shaped like a branch coral, as if it had branched off from the base and grown upward.

    The color of the light was pale red. The light color was simr to a rose. Warm and gorgeous colors swirled slowly in a shape that looked as if it were extending its branches to the sky.

    It was breathtakingly beautiful.

    ¡°Neat right? This is for you.¡±

    ¡°My¡­! But, it is such a precious thing.¡±

    Isaac smiled and offered her the rainbow stone, but Ekaterina hesitated. It wasrge, and in terms of overall value in terms of light intensity and beauty, this was a gem that could not even bepared to the rainbow stone that had once been made into my brooch.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this an interesting academic sample? Great-Uncle should have it. I am content with your sentiments.¡±

    ¡°Ekaterina is a good girl. It seems to be a rare attribute and of good quality, so I would be happy to let you analyze it sometime, but since it was picked for you, I hope you won¡¯t mind epting it. Oh, but it¡¯s too heavy for a girl, so I¡¯ll hold it for you.¡±

    ¡°Professor, I¡¯ll carry it for you.¡±

    ¡°Aaron-sama, if it belongs to the Young Lady, I¡¯ll take it.¡±

    Aaron quickly stepped forward, but Mina was quicker than Aaron to snatch the rainbow stone from Isaac¡¯s arms.

    ¡°It¡¯s heavy¡­oh, but you are, I see.¡±

    Isaac nodded, seeming to have guessed Mina¡¯s background in the way she held it lightly, though she seemed to be someone who would never let a girl carry anything heavy, even if she was a maid.

    ¡°So, Professor, Young Lady, shall we go back?¡±

    ¡°Oh, sure, Ekaterina, you must be tired. Take a good rest when you get back.¡±

    Aaron said, as ifing to his senses, and Isaac nodded calmly.

    Aaron¡¯s tone seemed strangely impatient, and Ekaterina tilted her head, wondering if he had another n, but then she thought about the fact that they were entering a closed mine. There must be some safety issues or something.

    Convinced, Ekaterina hurried to withdraw.

    ¡°Great-Uncle, just now I felt your magic power going far into the depths of the earth. This rainbow stone was drawn ¨C from those depths, wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    Ekaterina said to Isaac on the way back to the mining operation headquarters.

    Amazing special magic power. Like using Aport if I were topare it to the knowledge I had in my previous life? Was that psychic power?

    On the contrary, in this world, there should be almost no examples of magic to bring materials to one¡¯s hand.

    I did see a description of such a case in a research book on magic, but it was only a few verses long.

    Speaking of calling things into existence where they did not exist, fire, light, darkness, lightning, and so on fell into this. Water could also be possible, but I think that it was actually water vapor in the atmosphere that was liquefied. Bringing a stone buried in the ground to one¡¯s hand was fundamentally different.

    ¡°Ever since I was a little kid, I¡¯ve been looking for rocks, and the rare ones would call to me from somewhere. When I was called, I couldn¡¯t resist picking them, so I used to dig them out of the ground with a shovel. But I knew that it would be a nuisance because it would stain my clothes, so I tried hard to figure out if I could bring them to me using my magic powers, and I was able to do it.¡±

    So, that¡¯s what Laiza-san, who was aundry woman, was talking about!

    So, the genius thought didn¡¯t stop at [stopping to collect the stones], but worked towards [being able to collect the stones without soiling his clothes]¡­ they did mention that a genius was 1% inspiration and 99% effort¡­

    ¡°Is Great-Uncle¡¯s magic attribute earth?¡±

 Chapter 278

    ¡°Categorically, yes, that¡¯s what it¡¯s supposed to be. But there are many variations of earth attributes that I don¡¯t think should be called that. It seems strange that a man with magical power over nts and I share the same attribute. I think it¡¯s no longer possible to apply the ssifications based on those of the Astra Empire era.¡±

    I see.

    There were various types of magical attributes such as earth, water, fire, wind, ice, light, darkness, thunder, and holy, but these were the general ssifications during the ancient Astra Empire era.

    It would be impossible to shake it because of its great authority. Even if something didn¡¯t seem to fall into any of these categories, they would force it into one of them.

    Even the magical attribute of Selene-san, the Maiden of Death, [Death], would not exist in the ancient Astra ssification.

    So, even if someone had [Death] magic power currently, it would have been mixed up with one of the others.

    I once read in aic book that something simr happened in my previous life, and that Aristotle of Ancient Greece promoted the theory that the four elements of earth, water, fire, and wind to either make up the world, which led to a long period of blind faith and [no dissenting opinions]. I heard that Aristotle¡¯s authority was almost divine.

    ¡°You are right. Maybe someday the ssification of magic by attribute itself will no longer be done.¡±

    Isaac¡¯s eyes widened, and he chuckled when Ekaterina said this, bearing in mind that the smallest unit of matter was proven to be the atom and the theory of the four elements disappeared.

    ¡°That¡¯s a bold thing to say. That¡¯s the kind of thing I love. I¡¯ll definitelye to the Imperial City one of these days. I¡¯d love to see your workshop and talk with you a lot.¡±

    The next day, Ekaterina went to visit the mountain temple.

    Apanied by Forli, the Chief Forester, and Aaron, the Chief Miner, Ekaterina entered the inner sanctum of the temple, led by the priests who admired her beautifully dressed, but modest, figure as a sign of respect to the gods.

    In addition, Isaac, whom she thought was nning to follow her, said.

    ¡°Ah, I won¡¯t be following. I don¡¯t understand God¡¯s jokes.¡±

    He seemed to be immersed in his research today, saying that he was not sure about what that was all about. I wondered if he was close enough to the Gods for them to make jokes with him.

    In the ancient stone temple, there was a row of magnificent carvings, each depicting a mountain deity who presided over the mountains of Yurinova, some in human form, others in the form of animals such as wolves and boars, and others in more peculiar forms.

    In the center of these deities stood an old man with white hair and beard, who appeared to be an elder.

    When I was told that this was the mountain god of the old mine, the image of the god shed in my mind.

    It was a manifestation.

    The light flowing out of the statue transformed into the figure of an old man who was the exact duplicate of the statue. The humans bowed in reverence to the divine authority that filled the ce.

    Then a voice called out to me.

    ¡°Yurinova¡¯s Child, you may look up. The rest of you, too, make yourselvesfortable.¡±

    The voice was kind, but old beyond measure.

    Ekaterina looked up.

    ¡°It is with great pleasure that I am pardoned to see you. I am Ekaterina Yurinova.¡±

    ¡°You are a beautiful girl. Greetings, my dear.¡±

    The smiling old mine God looked like a gentler version of the gray wizard from the Hollywood blockbusters in my previous life, imprable and dignified, yet still very much like a good-natured old man.

    Another statue of the god was also illuminated, and two more gods descended.

 Chapter 279

    One pir, also in human form but opposite to the old mine god, took the form of a young girl. She looked like an elementary school girl, but in my previous life, I had never seen such a level of cuteness with the naked eye.

    She was like an angel. An angel despite being a God. Her long, soft hair was the color of young grass, and she wore a crown of flowers woven from various kinds of flowers. Like the spring mountain itself, which was in full bloom, the princess goddess was lovely and fragrant.

    The other was a gigantic wolf, evenrger than Regina and her hounds.

    Moreover, it was cloaked in mes.

    Its mane and the tip of its tail were burning orange mes. Its golden eyes looked like molten gold, and mes were pouring out of itsrge mouth. Yet, I felt no heat, perhaps the god of the old mine was protecting me.

    This Mountain God perhaps governed a volcano, more fearsome looking than a Magic Beast.

    Amazing, fantastic, very fantasy-like!

    The priest nced at Ekaterina with concern, as if he thought she would be scared, but then noticed that she was rather excited and had a nonchnt expression on her face.

    She reported to the three Gods about Alexei¡¯s session to the dukedom and apologized for his absence.

    ¡°My, I thought the boy was already the head of Yurinova. Since he was brought here by his predecessor when he was a small child, he has oftene to see us and has done his duty well.¡±

    Oh, the Old Mining God didn¡¯t recognize my father, the one who apanied Big Brother to Yurinova, must have been Grandfather.

    Ok, let us not correct that assessment.

    Ekaterina then read out the list of offerings to the Mountain God. As was customary, liquor, food, ornaments, etc. All were of the finest quality. The worship session went smoothly.

    Ekaterina then asks the Gods about the Yurinova family¡¯s administration of the estate.

    The question was about afforestation.

    Since it was directly rted to the mountains and forests, there was no better way to make a statement to the gods.

    ¡°nting trees, huh? Hohoho.¡±

    The Old Mining Godughed softly.

    ¡°Compared to the trees, humans may have a short life, but they have be so generous as to restore the forests they have cut down, haven¡¯t they?¡±

    The me-d wolf-god spoke.

    ¡°Keep the forest, and the Magic Beast will inhabit it. Don¡¯t the humans want to eradicate Magic Beast?¡±

    It was a heavy bass, powerful voice. Golden eyes, like molten gold, fixed on Ekaterina.

    Ekaterina bowed.

    ¡°Frankly speaking, Magic Beast were terrifying. Each and every human being is weak, and if they meet a Magic Beast, they would lose their lives without a chance to fight back. There are many who wish for it to cease to exist.¡±

    The monocr bear and the giant bee. Both of them were beings that ordinary people without magical powers would not be able to contend with.

    The old man, who could do nothing about the monocr bear that had entered his field but watch it devour his crops, would only be relieved if the Magic Beast became extinct.

    Even in prehistoric Japan, people in areas where wild bears were seen often secretly wished they could make the bears extinct. It is natural to feel this way because if they are not careful, they will be killed.

    The attempts to preserve the forests and ecosystems were, ording to those who live under the threat of Magic Beasts, would be treated as the selfishness of those who live in safe ces far away from them.

    ¡°But the great King of the North, Ancient Dragon-sama, seems to be displeased with humans cutting down the forest any further. If we incur his wrath, it will be the humans who will be eradicated. Therefore, we have decided to preserve the forest by attempting to nt trees and explore a way for humans and Magic Beast to live together.¡±

 Chapter 280

    If we don¡¯t nt trees, the Ancient Dragon would stay here again, so we had no choice! That was a very understandable excuse, wasn¡¯t it? Thank you, Demon Dragon King, which was also a hidden character in the story.

    ¡°Besides, the blessings of the forest are precious to human beings. If the forests are cleared and turned into farnd, and the Magic Beasts are eliminated, it will remove one worry from human life, but what will be lost along with it will be something irretrievable.¡±

    I knew that in my previous life, delicious bread was made from yeast found in the Shirakami Mountains, medicines were developed from research on nts in the rainforest, and many other things. I knew that to destroy the forest would be to destroy such possibilities.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to say nicely that the Magic Beast should be kept alive because it is the same living being. I just think that human beings should refrain from losing something forever for our own future. It¡¯s just that¡­¡±

    I remember the monocr bear¡¯sst cry.

    ¡°Humans¡­feel pain in their hearts when they take the life of something. Even if it was a being that was trying to kill them. Strange, I know. I wish that Magic Beast, or whatever that lives, would exist as long as it does.¡±

    It was a somewhat naive idea, I suppose.

    Oh, oops. I talked to God in my own wording with all my might.

    ¡°¡­¡±

    The wolf god looked at Ekaterina with an indescribable expression.

    After a moment, he said.

    ¡°You have an unusual soul.¡±

    Gyaaa!

    Selene-san, the Maiden of Death, told me that souls reincarnated from other worlds look strange to other Gods, too.

    Forli-san, Aaron-san, don¡¯t look at me. Don¡¯t smile at me.

    ¡°You have changed your mind. Have you decided that you want a human as your partner?¡±

    Ekaterina inwardly screamed once again as the flower-crowned princess goddess said something outrageous in a cute voice.

    ¡°Not with this one!¡±

    The Wolf God snorted.

    The Goddess turned to Ekaterina.

    ¡°By the way, were you not with my partner the other day?¡±

    ***

    (Hah?)

    Your partner.

    ¡­

    ¡­

    I couldn¡¯t understand it, what she was implying.

    I suppose ¡°Old Style I¡± should be used by an old person, but it was a bit strange to think that a beautiful young girl who looks like an angel was using it when she speaks, but partner?

    How could an elementary school girl-looking Goddess having a ¡°Partner¡±?

    I mean!

    Who was she talking about?

    I had a scary premonition, but if it was something from yesterday¡­

    I nced at Aaron¡­he had eyes like a fish about three days after its death.

    The flower-crowned Princess Goddess then mentioned in an upbeat tone.

    Go for it, I was here on behalf of Big Brother, I must not do anything that will bring shame to Big Brother! For Big Brother!

    Ekaterina smiled as she straightened her back tensely.

    ¡°I see, Isaac is my Great-Uncle. Yesterday, we went to the mountain together.¡±

    ¡°Mm. I felt the magic of his partner, so I thought I would follow to visit him, but he left soon after.¡±

    ¡­When we returned from the old mine, Aaron-san was strangely impatient, was it because he had guessed this, or perhaps he had anticipated it?

    Aaron-san, did you know the Princess Goddess? A rivalry over a great-uncle?

    ¡­Love to the point of fighting against God¡­Aaron-san¡¯s love was so deep that it was now a swamp.

    I would like to try my best to be a good person. I didn¡¯t know whether I should do my best or not.

    ¡°My partner is beautiful, isn¡¯t he? There are not many souls as beautiful as that one.¡±

    Oh, I kind of get it. My great-uncle¡¯s soul must have been clear and beautiful.

    ¡°You have an unusual soul, despite being rted to that one. You are charming as well.¡±

    Ah, the bowl has turned over.

 Chapter 281

    ¡°I¡­ I am honored to hear such words from such a beautiful Goddess as yourself.¡±

    ¡°Am I beautiful?¡±

    The Goddess proudly puffed out her childish chest, and brightly colored lilies bloomed on the crown of flowers that adorned her hair.

    The flowers on the crown were not plucked and woven, but rather, they seemed to be live flowers.

    ¡°I will not say that I will take you as my partner as well, so you can rest assured. Human beings are only supposed to be married to one person. I am also mindful of human customs.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t keep up with the tsukkomi.

    ¡°But you did not know that Isaac had a partner, right? I had informed your predecessor, and he has epted it.¡±

    Grandfather!

    What happened back then!

    Oh¡­I just realized. My great-uncle was a bachelor, but my grandfather, with his celebrity matchmaker¡¯s taste, would have found a good wife for his cute little brother.

    So, the only reason why he stayed a bachelor was not because he didn¡¯t want to marry but was it because of an agreement with this Goddess with Grandfather¡¯s help¡­?

    I thought my Great-Uncle was joking, though.

    Anyway, it should not suppose to be a [Partner]! At the very least, it should have only been a, [son-inw]!

    I wanted to correct it, but was it safe to do so?

    How would I even correct it in the first ce? Did he even realize that he had be a God¡¯s partner?

    As Ekaterina was about to answer, the Old Mining God chuckled.

    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped if you don¡¯t know. What matters is that we¡¯ve taught you.¡±

    ¡°If the Old God says so, I will say no more.¡±

    Fortunately or unfortunately, the opportunity to correct it drifted away. Goodbye, my chance.

    Ekaterina, having regained herposure, returned to the worship ceremony. The end was near.

    Then, a heavy bass voice called out to her.

    ¡°I have something to tell you.¡±

    The me Wolf God said bluntly.

    ¡°My mountain will erupt soon. Be prepared.¡±

    ¡­

    (Ueeeeeehhhh????!)

    This was something like a serious statement right before the end of the meeting.

    It was like the pattern I had experienced so many times in my previous life as a corporate employee, when I was just finishing up the day¡¯s work and an urgent call came in about an urgent problem.

    Ekaterina swallowed her inner cry and bowed politely to the wolf god.

    ¡°Thank you for informing us of such a serious problem. I am sure many of our people will be saved thanks to you.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care what happens to the humans.¡±

    The me Wolf God turned away.

    This God¡¯s tsundere meter is skyrocketing.

    In my previous life, I might have been sentenced to extended overtime work as a corporate employee, but it seemed that Gods didn¡¯t have any overtime work. After that, nothing happened and the worship ceremony came to an end.

    After the three gods returned to the statue as light again, the humans immediately put their foreheads together and held a meeting to discuss countermeasures.

    As soon as the gods left, a young priest dashed out of the inner shrine and came back with a map and the record of past oracles. Super good job.

    The priests were excited to hear that an oracle had been brought by a Mountain God to warn of an eruption in the past.

    It¡¯s here! They are like, ¡°Oh, no!¡± It seemed to be one of the roles of the mountain temple to receive and deal with such oracles.

    ¡°Although you mentioned that it will erupt soon, in the past, it has not happened today or tomorrow. There have been cases of eruptions that urred nearly a hundred years after the oracle was first announced, so please rest assured.¡±

    Ekaterina felt a little weak when she was told this.

    ¡°To the mountain gods, a hundred years is just a moment. However, there have been cases of eruptions in a few months, so there is no need to rush.¡±

 Chapter 282

    Hmmm. Since it was an oracle from God, they could have been more precise! But I guess even Gods would not know the exact time and date of the eruption.

    Maybe, in human terms, it was like when someone felt like sneezing, but couldn¡¯t, but would eventually sneeze? Sorry for the crude analogy.

    In the past, volcano prediction was based on the prediction of volcanic eruption cycles from literature and other sources, and the instation of seismometers on mountains with high eruption potential to pick up volcanic tremors and measure the geomaic field.

    Compared to that, we could get pinpoint forecasts without any effort on the part of humans, so it was very cost-effective. Yes, I do appreciate it, after all.

    ¡°As the head of the Forestry and Agriculture Department, I must actually see the sacred mountain, even if only from a distance. I must predict the damage to the forest and farnd in the event of an eruption, and I must also identify the neighboring viges and make ns for evacuation.¡±

    Well, Forli-san was right. It would be difficult to predict the damage based on the shape of the mountains and the topography of the area using only a map.

    It might be dangerous, but it was necessary to check the site. As expected of a wild-life, on-the-spot approach.

    ¡°You are right. And if we go there, we can predict the timing of the eruption to some extent from the plumes from the crater and the earthquakes in the surrounding area.¡±

    If volcanic tremors and plumes were intense, an eruption would be considered imminent. Interviews with nearby vigers will tell us if there have been any recent changes.

    ¡°Do the Priests have any knowledge of the signs of an eruption, and would you be willing to go with Lord Forli to the mountain to see if an eruption is imminent?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is our duty to umte knowledge about volcanoes. We will send someone who knows more about the volcano.¡±

    ¡°¡±Please do. Can you also check the literature to see if there have been any eruptions at the mountain in the past?¡±

    ¡°I will begin my research immediately.¡±

    The priest, who seemed to be an old-timer, tapped his chest.

    However, unlike in my previous life, I would not be able to find the records I wanted to look at with a single search.

    It would be necessary to scour the records by human wave tactics. Oh, I want to make a database.

    ¡°This is an evacuation site, but in this old mine, there is still a building that used to be a miner¡¯s dormitory. It is only partially used now because they can no longer get iron ore. It will be in a lot of disrepair, but let¡¯s check its condition.¡±

    ¡°Well, Lord Aaron, that is a good suggestion. If the eruption urs in the next few months, we need to start preparing an evacuation site immediately.¡±

    I didn¡¯t want to make a move on my own, but it was an emergency, and Big Brother must not see it as a problem.

    ¡°I must inform Big Brother. Is it quickest for me to go back and talk to him? Or would it be better to have one of the knights rush back?¡±

    ¡°I think it would be better if the Young Lady would provide the details, since it would be difficult to coordinate with His Excellency, even if I were to deliver the news a little earlier.¡±

    ¡°If that is indeed, Sir Forli, then I shall do so.¡±

    The chief priest of the mountain temple bowed to Ekaterina.

    ¡°I am impressed by the intelligence of the Young Lady, and how calmly she handled such an unexpected situation¡­and she is so familiar with the signs of an eruption, such as smoke plumes and earthquakes.¡±

    Oh, no, the troubleshooting mode from my previous life as apany store employee had been activated.

    But I see, things like volcanic tremors, which weremon knowledge in my previous life, were special knowledge in this world, right?

    It was probably a bad idea to say it as if it were a matter of course. But this was an emergency, so there was no time to worry about it.

    ¡°I am very impressed with the way you have handled the situation. I see that the mountain temple is not only in charge of honoring the gods, but also of saving the people of this world.¡±

    ¡°I thank you, my Lady. The wise Duke Vasily has decreed that the mountain temples should not only receive oracles.¡±

    As one would expect from the efficiency-oriented Lord Vasily, he made people work hard, even in a religious institution. It was like an oracle to the point that it was reflected in human society.

    In my previous life, I was nervous about the separation of church and state, but in Yurinova, politics was incorporated with religion in the governance of the people.

    Unlike in my previous life, in the mountain temples, the Gods really appear, so there would be no fear that religious people would use religion as a cover to realize their own desires.

    I guess it was because gods don¡¯t descend so often in the sun temple of the imperial capital, so the high priests and others seem to do as they please.

    ¡°As the Young Lady said, a number of viges will be saved thanks to the oracle. Such an oracle can only be given if the worshipers satisfy the will of the Gods. The fact that three gods have descended on this asion shows that the Young Lady is a person who is remembered by the gods. Please visit us again.¡±

    ¡°I, personally, would only visit you if Big Brother¡¯s government is in ordance with the will of the Gods.¡±

    But I would like to visit the mountain temple again, this time at a more leisurely pace. I would like to take the time to see the stone statues of the gods and learn what kind of Gods resided on the mountains.

    Now, I must hurry back home again, and ask the horses and the priests to do their best.

    Big Brother! As I promised in my dream, I would return home as soon as possible!

    I have something urgent to report, though!

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