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Passing by the statue of Duke Sergei, the river came into view.

“This is an artificial canal. It was built to draw water from the Chernov River into the Imperial Palace’s moat.”
“So it serves as a waterway to transport goods into the palace. I suppose even Her Majesty the Empress’s silks must have traveled through here?”

The Chernov River, which flows through the capital, is not only its lifeline but also the main artery of the entire Empire’s distribution network. It runs southward and empties into a bay in the port of the Jursein territory. Most imported goods brought from beyond the Summit of Gods are shipped up the Chernov to the capital. It’s clear how important Jursein is.

The carriage soon left the river behind, and large, imposing shops began to line both sides of the street. In this area, not only nobles but also wealthy commoners lived and ran their businesses. It was the kind of district where luxury stores gathered—something like Ginza or Nihonbashi in Tokyo. The atmosphere was far more vibrant than before.

“The streets have such a sense of uniformity.”
“This is the face of the Commerce Guild. Shops that don’t fit the atmosphere aren’t allowed to open here.”

That’s very Ginza-like.

“We’re almost at our first destination—the Temple of the Sun God. …Forgive me for dragging you along somewhere tied to work.”
“I am a daughter of the House of Jurnova. It makes me happy to accompany you in your duties, Brother.”

This part of the city wasn’t just for merchants; it was also home to many temples of the most widely worshiped gods. Though technically religious institutions, they were also major tourist attractions. The temples of the Sun God, the God of Commerce, and the God of Thunder were especially popular—splendidly built with abundant funds, they were must-see spots for anyone touring the capital.

In the otome game setting, there had been no mention of religion in the Empire. In reality, most people here believed in the gods—but rather casually. Some were devoted to a particular deity, while others prayed only in times of need. People visited temples both to admire their beauty and to pray sincerely when the mood struck. In that sense, it was quite similar to Japan.

However, in this world, gods do exist. Supposedly.
That said, they aren’t omniscient or omnipotent beings like those of monotheistic faiths. The gods of myth are varied—some with very human emotions, others almost animalistic. Some tribes even worship powerful magic beasts as gods, and the line between divinity and monstrosity is thin. Supposedly, the gods worshipped by those who were conquered were often regarded as nothing more than magic beasts by the conqueror.

Because of this, many gods are worshiped throughout the Empire. And since people from every province have built shrines to their hometown deities in the capital, gods are enshrined practically everywhere—including tiny roadside shrines. It’s the most deity-dense place in the whole Empire. Even the academy quietly enshrines the god of learning.
The density is so extreme that there’s a story about a priest who built a new temple, only for the summoned god to appear in a dream and say, *“Sorry, it’s too full—I can’t squeeze in.”* (Paraphrased.) Probably an urban legend… but who knows.

The Temple of the Sun God, one of the city’s top attractions, was crowded with worshippers that day. While commoners entered through the main gate, Aleksei’s carriage turned toward a smaller, quieter entrance. The guard, upon seeing the ducal crest, immediately opened the large gate, and they entered without incident.
When Ekaterina descended from the carriage, guided by Aleksei’s hand, an elderly man in an ornate priestly robe awaited them.

“Welcome, Duke Jurnova. The Grand Priest is expecting you.”
“I appreciate the welcome, Head Priest.”

So the head priest himself came to receive us, huh? The Jurnova family’s influence really is something else.

Following his lead, they entered the temple’s inner sanctum—a place closed to the general public. It glittered so magnificently that it brought to mind St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.
The Head Priest himself was a venerable old man, long white hair and beard flowing, his robes even more splendid than the others’—Pope-level opulence, in shining white, gold, and yellow, the colors of the sun.

“My apologies for the delay. I came to report that the black dragon cedar you ordered is finally ready for harvest, and to apologize for the postponement.”
“Given the dragon’s appearance, it couldn’t be helped. I am honored that Your Grace came in person.”

If the top man himself came to apologize, no one could feel slighted.
Despite the sixty-year age gap, Aleksei didn’t lose an ounce of presence before the Head Priest. In fact, when his neon-blue eyes glinted at key moments in the discussion, the old man seemed slightly cowed. As expected of Onii-sama. Are you sure you’re still seventeen?
He’d said earlier that his only talent was work, but performing at this level is no small feat. Even from an adult’s perspective, I have nothing but respect for him. He’s cute and adorable when he’s acting weak, but all things considered, capable men like him are wonderful.

Afterward, the Head Priest himself showed them the temple’s treasures; ancient idols and relics from the thousand-year-old Astra era, usually closed to the public.
The Sun God was, unsurprisingly, *gorgeous.* Like a Greek sculpture—radiantly beautiful. These would absolutely be World Heritage material in my previous life.
The relics’ histories were equally dazzling, tied to Emperor Piotr the Great, his brothers, and generations of emperors and dukes—a paradise for any history geek.
Apparently Aleksei had requested this tour in advance, knowing my love of history. As expected of the original Tsundere—he’s showing his dere through grand gestures. How sweet of him.

…Still, while throngs of ordinary believers prayed outside, here I was being given a private tour. It felt awkward, me being a commoner at heart—but this was a class-based society, after all. The final form of a stratified society, so to speak? Besides, we had business dealings related to temple construction materials. Watching Aleksei and the Head Priest skillfully spar over prices—“I hope Your Grace will study our material costs more closely,” the priest *hinted*—I learned a lot.

Later, at Aleksei’s request, we parted ways with the Head Priest and were guided by the temple’s second-in-command to a quieter section open to the public—specifically, the shrine of one of the lesser deities: the Queen of Night, Spirit of Twilight.
The Sun God had many tales of romance, but the Queen of Night was said to have refused his advances, remaining a chaste goddess who rejected a fickle lover. Thus, she appears only in the sky after the sun has left. Still, as a consort goddess related to the Sun God, she was enshrined within the same temple.
Few came to pray at her shrine, perhaps because she offered no worldly blessings, and that kept the decorations somewhat plain in comparison. However, that was precisely why it felt elegant and dainty.

“Forgive me for the wait.”

Said a plump, kindly-looking priest, hurrying toward us. But when he saw Ekaterina, he froze mid-step, staring at her in shock.
Uh, what do you want?

“Ah… f-forgive me! I thought… the goddess herself had manifested before me.”

Oh, how smooth of him.

“Oh? So it wasn’t just me who thought so, then.”

My brother’s *good mood meter* instantly shot up. I can already tell that later, a generous donation is going to be made to this shrine. Congratulations.
Ah—right.

“I would never dare claim to be such a divine apparition, but your words honor me deeply. Onii-sama, perhaps you might consider offering some of the Celestial Azure pigment to this shrine? Would it not delight the Spirit of Twilight to be adorned in a beautiful blue worthy of her grace?”

If the shrine became more splendid and drew more visitors, that would also help promote Celestial Azure. Hopefully, the donation would pay off as advertising expenses… sorry, dear goddess.

“That’s an excellent idea. I would like to make an offering to this goddess—would that be acceptable?”
“It would be a great blessing indeed… Ah, but the young lady is your sister, I see. Forgive me—I had assumed she was your wife.”

Oh no, oh gee, what do I do?!
Do Nothing, me!

The plump priest, who turned out to be the caretaker of this shrine, also showed us a statue of the goddess that was not usually on public display. It was a small wooden figure, about fifty centimeters tall, carved in the moment she looked back while ascending the stairway to heaven—a breathtakingly beautiful piece. It was said to be the most beautiful depiction of this goddess in the entire Empire.

“How beautiful she is. Truly, she looks just like you.”

Aleksei smiled, but Ekaterina’s chest tightened. She thought of their mother.
Seeing his sister’s expression, Aleksei seemed to notice immediately. Gently placing a hand on her shoulder, he whispered:

“If you wish, I could bring the goddess to our home.”

…Wait a moment, Onii-sama.
Does that mean *buying* this goddess statue? That’s not good. It might not be quite on the level of those national treasures the Head Priest showed us earlier, but it’s definitely worth at least a *cultural heritage* designation. You can’t just privately own something like that—and besides, I really don’t want you wasting money.

“…I believe this goddess should belong to everyone who visits the temple.”

When Ekaterina shook her head, Aleksei smiled softly.

“I see. You truly are modest of heart.”

Ah, the *siscon filter* just activated.
Either way, Aleksei later asked the Head Priest and the plump priest if they could make a replica of the goddess statue.

There is no portrait of our mother, Anastasia, in the ducal manor. Once, her portrait had hung among those of the past dukes and their families, but after their grandfather Sergei’s death, our grandmother burned it.
So, as a substitute, Aleksei intended to display the replica statue instead.
As expected of Onii-sama—a sensible compromise.

“What a wonderful idea. I’m sure Mother would be delighted.”

We’ll place it before Father’s portrait—the man she loved so deeply.
Let the strong, beautiful goddess who even rejected the Sun God herself stand before him, elbowing that shining Genji playboy right in the chest. Mother wasn’t that kind of woman, but if she could be reborn, I’d want her to be that strong.