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The days flew by, and before they knew it, it was already the day before the Imperial visit.
The grand rose garden of the Jurnova Ducal Estate in the capital was almost in full bloom. The air was heavy with the fragrance of countless roses, dazzling in every shade imaginable.
Amid that fragrant sea, the gardeners were busy making their final adjustments. They replaced bushes that had already passed their peak with others from a separate garden behind the manor—brought all the way from the ducal estate in the cooler countryside to control the blooming period—and swapped those that were still slow to flower with ones from the greenhouse. They performed final pruning, pulled weeds, swept the paths clean—everything had to be finished by the end of the day, and the list of tasks was endless.

One of the gardeners was tending to a deep crimson rose planted in a large pot on the balcony. He carefully adjusted the direction of its heavy blooms and removed any discolored leaves. He worked to give the rose a balanced shape, creating a beauty distinct from the flowing waves of flowers in the main garden.

“My, how lovely. Thank you for keeping it so beautiful.”
“Huh…?”

The gardener turned around, thinking it was a maid, and froze with his mouth open.

She was like a great blue rose herself.

A woman of breathtaking beauty stood before him. Her glossy indigo hair was swept up, revealing a pale nape of neck that glowed with allure. Her large eyes were a blue tinged with violet, framed by long, indigo lashes. Her lips curved in a soft, sensual smile. Jewels gleamed in her hair and on her ears. Though slender to the point of fragility, her figure had an abundance that made it difficult to know where to look.
And her gown—what kind of blue was that? A shade just a touch brighter than indigo, like the deep twilight sky after the sun has set and the first stars begin to shine. Surely, that blue had been made for her. It suited her perfectly.
Ah, if only I could make a rose bloom in that color, the gardener thought. The blue that every rose grower dreams of—this must be it.

“Did I startle you? Forgive me for disturbing you while you’re so busy.”

Her voice brought the gardener back to his senses, and he panicked.

“M-my apologies, ma’am! Someone like me shouldn’t be in the sight of—!”

The Jurnova family’s former duchess dowager was infamous for her temper and pettiness. The servants had been strictly forbidden to let their presence offend her eyes; whenever the old lady went out into the garden, every gardener had to hide, no matter how busy they were.
But the lady before him—clearly of noble birth—only smiled gently.

“I’m the one who should apologize. Please, do go on with your work. Forgive me for taking your time. Good day to you.”

Turning away, the lady in blue departed.
It felt like waking from a daydream, and the gardener let out a long sigh.

.

“I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.”

As Ekaterina descended the staircase, carefully lifting the hem of her gown, Aleksei and the knight commander Rozen, who had been conversing below, both looked up—and fell silent.
There was awe in their gazes, and Ekaterina felt relieved. It seemed all the deliberation she and Kamilla had gone through had paid off.
Though, really, Onii-sama in his formal regalia—a more ornate version of the knights’ ceremonial uniform—look far more magnificent than I do

In the end, I had two dresses made. The week after our first meeting, Kamilla had brought two prototype designs for fitting. Since there was also a ceremony with the Knights’ Order on the day before the Imperial visit, it wouldn’t be proper to greet the imperial family in the same gown two days in a row—so I decided to order both. It was clear Kamilla had planned exactly that.
Both dresses were of a classic A-line silhouette, though the skirts were modestly spread and trailed slightly in the back. To bring out the beauty of Celestial Azure, the main color was lapis lazuli, accented here and there with spring-sky blue and the bright zenith blue of summer. The only differences between the two were the placement of these accent colors and whether the lace trim was white or black.
The one I wore today had white lace. The skirt was lapis, revealing glimpses of zenith blue underneath; spring-sky blue adorned the sleeves and collar. She wore white gloves and a large jeweled brooch at her chest.

The jewel was something that hadn’t existed in my previous life, Prismite. It shimmered brilliantly against the blue fabric—and it’s actualling emitting light! Not so much it glowed, more so that this transparent gemstone trapped blue light where it swirled inside. It gave an illusion of a blue rose sealed inside a jewel.
Prismites weren’t particularly rare in themselves; dull ones were often used as lamps. But beautiful ones like this were extremely valuable, sold as true gemstones. This one in particular was so extraordinary that Aaron, the maniac that he was, had sworn nothing like it would ever be found again—a museum-grade treasure, he said.

My hair was done up with gold ornaments set with large sapphires, and matching sapphire earrings, heavy enough to weigh my ears. These were heirlooms of the Jurnova family. If I converted their worth into modern currency—I don’t even want to think about it. It’s gotta be in the millions. This is scary.
The dress design was simple, but the sheer presence of those gemstones made it unmistakably grand. Gorgeous.

…Only, the simplicity of the dress also meant my figure showed clearly—a bit of an oversight. With the “villainess noble” physique I’d been given, even without a hint of exposed skin, the tight, body-hugging silhouette gave off an unexpectedly sensual aura, like Fujiko Mine in her skintight suit. Absolutely not the look of a “sweet fifteen.”
Kamilla, however, had been thrilled, exclaiming, “The gentlemen of the capital won’t be able to take their eyes off you, my lady!” That’s not what I was going for, though.

.

Taking Ekaterina’s hand as she descended the stairs, Aleksei said with quiet admiration,

“You are beautiful—like the Queen of the Night.”

The Queen of the Night referred to the Spirit of the Twilight, also known as the Goddess of Night. Unlike in my previous life’s Europe, the Empire followed polytheism, and though this goddess was not among the chief deities, she was considered one of the most beautiful.

“Neither the light of a million stars nor the full moon can compare to your beauty. I don’t know who first called this color ‘Celestial Azure,’ but I fear you might ascend to the heavens yourself. Please, don’t go anywhere—stay by my side.”

Saying that, Aleksei kissed the tips of his sister’s fingers.

“Oh, Onii-sama.”

As expected of him—his sister-beautifying filter as a siscon is as thick as ever!
And noblemen sure have incredible poetic-flattery skills!

“My lady, you are truly radiant. For the Jurnova Knights to be graced by the most beautiful lady in the Empire is nothing short of a blessing.”
“My, how flattering. You honor me, Lord Rozen.”

Praising noble ladies with flowery words is part of gallantry, afterall. To be able to speak such compliments sincerely must be part of his training as a knight. Much obliged.

.

Escorted by Aleksei and led by Rozen, Ekaterina was brought to a small chamber—an elegantly decorated room, its wallpaper and upholstery unified in deep green, meant for small gatherings.
There, someone familiar awaited her.

“My lady.”
“Professor Mardov!”

Anatoli Mardov, who always gave a mild impression behind his glasses, stood there in the Jurnova Knights’ formal uniform, a sword at his side.
He bowed deeply to both Aleksei and Ekaterina.

“Thanks to your gracious favor, I have been allowed to join the glorious Knight Order of Jurnova. I will never forget this great honor and shall devote myself wholly to my duties.”

He truly looked the part, and Ekaterina was impressed. His glasses and gentle manner had always made him seem more suited to an academic role, but his tall, sturdy build gave him the air of a capable knight. She had been worried that, even as a formally employed member, shifting from tutor to knight was too drastic a change—but perhaps it would work out fine after all.

“My, Professor, it suits you so well. I, too, owe you much for your scholarly guidance. I’m truly delighted to have you among our knights.”
“Indeed. Ekaterina’s prowess in battle against the magical beasts was splendid. I expect you to use your knowledge to improve our tactical capabilities.”
“I am humbled. The lady’s success stems from her own remarkable magic and tireless pursuit of learning. Still, for my gracious lady’s sake—and for my lord Aleksei, the esteemed master of the knights—I will do all in my power.”

Professor Mardov really adapted fast—he already sounded perfectly knightly. His speech, his manner—it all fit. I’m beginning to wonder what his life had been like before becoming my tutor.
As if reading my mind, Aleksei said,

“Ekaterina, did you know? Mardov was born into a branch family of the Jurmagna and worked as a researcher at the Astra Research Institute. The Magna are steeped in a martial spirit—they even make their scholars train in combat. With both intellect and martial skill, he’s an ideal strategist for the Knights.”
“My, I see!”
“Though I must admit, I lacked patience and left my post. After being taken in despite my failings, I was given the dreamlike duty of studying the Jurnova archives and applying that knowledge to magical beast countermeasures. I owe it all to you, my lady. My wife and child are deeply grateful as well.”

It seemed that Professor Mardov would also be the one to research Holy Magic for Flora-chan’s sake.
All I had done was pester him endlessly with questions about fighting magical beasts—but somehow, everything had turned out wonderfully.