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Ekaterina and Aleksei were escorted out by the Head Priest, and by the time the duke’s carriage left the Temple of the Sun God, it was already lunchtime.
This area, known for its upscale shopping district, also housed many fine restaurants. The Empire’s long history meant there were several establishments that had been in business for over a century. One of those long-standing restaurants had once been a favorite of her late grandfather Sergei, and it was there that the siblings decided to have lunch.

They stepped down from the carriage in front of the stately building and entered, with Aleksei escorting his sister. Beyond the door—held open with a respectful bow by the doorman—was a waiting bar exuding an air of quiet sophistication, steeped in history. It was a place to enjoy an aperitif while waiting for one’s table.
A few noble ladies and gentlemen were already sipping their drinks, but as soon as Aleksei and Ekaterina entered, a man in a black suit—clearly the maitre d’hotel—appeared and bowed deeply to them.

“It has been a long time, Lord Aleksei. No—Your Grace, the Duke. It is an honor to have you visit us.”
“It has indeed, Moore. You look well.”

The maître d’, Moore, was a somewhat short man with naturally silver hair and a gentle face. He looked up at Aleksei with warm eyes, and Aleksei replied in a tone tinged with nostalgia.

“Moore, this is my sister, Ekaterina. It is her first time here.”

Upon the introduction, Moore bowed once again to Ekaterina.

“It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady Ekaterina. I have long heard of you, but your beauty surpasses every rumor.”
“My, how flattering. I’ve been looking forward to visiting, since I heard this was Grandfather’s favorite restaurant.”
“I am honored to hear that. Now, if you’ll allow me, please follow me to your table.”

Led personally by the maître d’, the siblings proceeded to the back of the restaurant, watched by the patrons in the waiting bar with looks of admiration and envy.

.

We were shown to a private room at the far end—the very one that had served as the family’s reserved table since Grandfather’s days. The elegant yet tasteful furniture created a calm and comfortable atmosphere. A large window let in plenty of light, overlooking a small but beautiful rose garden, beyond which the stylish street and its passersby could be seen. It was unmistakably the best seat in the house.
Come to think of it, I seem to recall that in the West, seating in restaurants was often determined by a customer’s status or regularity. Perhaps it was the same here. But I thought in America, the best tables were the ones near the entrance, visible from outside—It’s fascinating that customs truly change from place to place.

Once they had taken their seats opposite each other, Ekaterina asked,

“Do you frequent this place as well, Onii-sama?”
“No, this is the first time since Grandfather brought me here as a child.”

Well, that made sense. Onii-sama was still a student living in a dormitory—he wouldn’t often go out to such expensive places.

“At that time, His Grace was still very young. How pleased Duke Sergei must be to see the fine man you’ve become.”

Moore’s comment invited a wry smile from Aleksie.

“Calling me ‘fine’ makes me feel like a child again.”
“We elderly take great pleasure in treating the young as children. You should try it yourself one day, when you’ve grown older.”

Moore replied with a composed smile.Then, smiling softly, he added,

“Duke Sergei once said those very words to me, some time ago. A kind man he was, but with a mischievous streak. Looking back, he wasn’t truly old at the time, though.”

His voice faded into a murmur.

Ekaterina’s grandfather had passed away at fifty-eight. Even in this world, where life expectancy was shorter than in her previous life, that was too early. He had held key positions such as minister and chancellor—so, in other words—

*Death by overwork!*
So even in this world, people could die from it! Which meant I *definitely* have to protect Onii-sama from the same fate! Grandfather, I swear—I won’t let Onii-sama follow in your footsteps!

Clenching her fist under the table, Ekaterina made her silent vow.

While she was doing so, drinks and appetizers were served. Ekaterina gasped at the beauty of the glasses before her.
They were decorated with intricate craftsmanship, their vibrant blue reminiscent of Venetian glass. The stems were twisted together from two shades of blue glass—utterly exquisite.

“What beautiful glasses.”

I used to own a glass ornament similar to this in my previous life. Well, only partially similar. I remembered how my artist friend had agonized over buying it, and how, seeing how lovely it was, I had ended up buying one myself.
Oh—maybe that design could be recreated in this world, too?

“You have an excellent eye, my lady. This is the work of Master Murano, said to be the finest glass artisan in the Empire. Sadly, he passed away two years ago, and their value has only risen since.”
“Ekaterina, if you like them, shall I have a set ordered for the estate?”

Oh, Onii-sama. The glasses we already use at home are wonderful enough.
But so the craftsman’s name was Murano, huh? That sounded a lot like *Murano Island* in Venice, where glass artisans were once confined to protect trade secrets.

“Rather than collecting them, I think I prefer the joy of finding them unexpectedly, like today.”
“How graciously spoken—truly fitting for the daughter of House Jurnova.”

Moore said admiringly. Aleksei smiled, saying “That’s just like you.”

When Ekaterina reached for her glass, Aleksei stopped her.

“Wait a moment.”

He held his hand over her glass, and she felt a faint tension of magic ripple through the air—*ting!*

“Touch it.”

As instructed, she touched the glass—and found it pleasantly cool.

“How wonderful, Onii-sama. Such delicate magic control!”
“I once did this for Grandfather here. He was delighted.”

Of course he was! To pull off such fine control—something even adults struggled with—at around ten years old would make any grandfather proud. …Unlike that awful rotten hag of a grandmother, he’d actually been a proper grandparent.

They raised their glasses for a toast, and the refreshing chill of the berry juice brought a smile to her lips. Though the Empire had no legal drinking age, it was considered improper for children to drink alcohol. Ekaterina, who had been a light drinker in her past life, decided she’d wait until she was twenty before drinking here too.

“It’s so cold and delicious. Thank you, Onii-sama.”
“I’m glad you like it.”

Since this world had no refrigerators, only nobles with ice-elemental magic could chill their drinks directly. Otherwise, people had to use stored ice from icehouses—a rare luxury. What was ordinary in her previous life—a simple cold drink—was, in this world, a mark of privilege.

Moore, though the restaurant’s manager, personally took charge of serving the siblings that day. He said he was repaying a favor—back when he was just a humble waiter, their grandfather had taken a liking to him and given him opportunities to advance.

“Shameful as it is to admit, I could barely read or write in my youth. It was thanks to your grandfather granting me the chance to learn that I was able to gain an education. He had a fondness for nurturing people—not for the sake of using them as subordinates, but simply because he enjoyed seeing people change and grow. I believe he truly loved humanity itself.”

Hobby: *Human resource development.*
Quite the meaningful past time you have there, Grandfather.

“My grandfather must have been a wonderful man. I think I now understand a little why his subordinates still hold him in such high regard.”
“I’m glad to hear you say that. …If only he could have met you, he would have been overjoyed. You have a free and creative mind—he was much the same. Always thinking of what no one else would, and then acting on it. If he’d heard your ideas, he would have laughed merrily and said, ‘Exactly so!’ I can almost hear his voice now.”

Hmm… the image of that dandy-looking gentleman in the portrait laughing cheerfully—yeah, I’d like to see that.
Come to think of it, wasn’t Grandfather the one who once helped a friend elope back in his student days? I mean, yes, that’s quite something indeed… Though I doubt that’s what Onii-sama meant.

“I’ve always thought that you take much after Grandfather, Onii-sama.”
“Indeed, Your Grace resembles Duke Sergei greatly. You naturally inspire others to follow you, and your sharp intellect and tireless diligence are much alike.”

Wow, Moore really has an eye for people! As expected from the maitre d’hotel of a high class restaurant.

“And your voices are quite similar as well. Duke Sergei had a deep and pleasant voice, much like yours.”
“…Is that so? I wouldn’t know myself.”

Aleksei said, a bit embarrassed but clearly pleased. Since he took after our grandmother and father in looks, he probably hadn’t expected to share anything with our grandfather. And since his voice had changed gradually over the years, his subordinates likely never pointed it out either.
Well, it’s true—people don’t really know how their own voice sounds. So that wonderful voice of his is a family inheritance, huh? Way to go, genetics.

Their conversation continued, mostly revolving around our grandfather. Moore, serving them gracefully, occasionally shared anecdotes about people both he and the late duke had known in their younger days.

For example, how Grandfather’s trusted aide Boris ended up marrying into the Jurnova ducal family’s branch house—the Novak viscountcy—not so much by design as because the viscount’s daughter had fallen in love with him. The three of them—Grandfather, Novak, and the young lady—had dined in this very room, but Novak had been entirely oblivious to her feelings at the time.
Or how, back when the current Emperor was still a student and not yet named crown prince, Grandfather—then the Minister of Foreign Affairs—had arranged for him to meet the future Empress here under the pretense of hosting diplomatic gatherings, helping the young prince in his courtship.

Listening to these stories, Ekaterina sighed inwardly beside her brother.
Grandfather…
you really had a thing for matchmaking nobles, didn’t you?!

.

After a leisurely lunch, Onii-sama took me on a tour of the National Theatre building, and finally stopped by the Temple of the God of Time and Fate, where I was allowed to climb the bell tower. In the shimmering light of the approaching sunset, the view of the imperial capital spread before them was nothing short of magical.
It reminded me of the view of Tokyo from my previous life—maybe from the Metropolitan Government Building, or from the Skytree. How vast it had been, and how gray. By comparison, this imperial capital seemed so much smaller, greener, and far more beautiful.

Someday, perhaps far in the future, this place too would become a city of concrete and steel. But that would be long after her lifetime—long after she had lived and died.

“Ekaterina, did you enjoy yourself today?”
“Of course! I got to spend the entire day with you, Onii-sama—it was absolutely delightful!”

Asked inside the carriage on their way back to the ducal estate, Ekaterina answered with bright enthusiasm.

“You arranged for me to see such historical treasures and shared so many stories about Grandfather. I’m truly grateful for your thoughtfulness.”
“I’m glad to hear that. If you’re happy, then I’m happy.”

Aleksei said, smiling.
…Onii-sama, you must have spent quite some time thinking about where to take me today. You’re so busy, and yet you made time for me—I almost feel bad, but also incredibly happy.
Still, wherever we went, whatever we did—if it was with him, I know I would’ve enjoyed it all the same.