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The procession of carriages, guarded by a large number of knights, looked as grand and eye-catching as a parade, with the house banner and the knight order’s flag flying side by side at the front and rear.

The carriages followed the cobblestone highway leading to the ducal manor—Jurnovva Castle. The road, first constructed during the days of the ancient Astra Empire, was still in use even a thousand years later across nations that once belonged to the empire’s dominion.
In that sense too, the Astra Empire resembled the Roman Empire of her previous life.

As they passed through villages along the highway, the villagers came out of their homes, waving and cheering at the procession. Feeling the people’s support for Aleksei, Ekaterina’s heart swelled with joy.
The children—especially the boys—were captivated by the knights on horseback, their eyes sparkling with admiration. Some even ran alongside the carriages for a while; truly, knights were heroes to them.

When her eyes met those of the villagers or children, Ekaterina smiled and waved back. From her commoner’s sensibility in her previous life, it felt presumptuous—like she was some celebrity—but if it helped raise the people’s affection for her brother even a little, she was happy to bury that self-consciousness somewhere deep.

Aleksei, on the other hand, was never good at such things; he only smiled wryly and kept his gaze away from the outside.
Then I’ll make up for it on your behalf, Onii-sama! With that resolve, Ekaterina did her best to charm the crowd.
…Though I couldn’t help but worry if anyone really wanted a smile from a villainess.

“Onii-sama, aren’t children adorable? That one there—he’s dressed up like that because he wants to be a knight, surely.”

When she said that, Aleksei glanced out the window too, smiling faintly at the sight of a small boy wearing a pot on his head and swinging a stick. Beside the boy stood a young mother, who blushed when the young duke happened to smile in her direction.

“You’ve been a great help to me.”

Aleksei said softly, and Ekaterina instantly felt elated.
Onii-sama said I’m a help!

“If I can be of service to you, that alone makes me happy. But the people welcome you so warmly because of your good governance, Onii-sama. I’d like to show those who underestimate you just how much the people love and trust you.”
“Wise girl.”

Aleksei replied with a smile.
The grand procession, the slow pace that allowed for an overnight stay—both served the purpose of drawing out the people’s reactions. It was also a message to the local nobility: the knights and the people stood behind Aleksei.
It was likely the idea of the experienced retainers—Novak and Rozen—rather than Aleksei himself. And Ekaterina, who instinctively understood their intention and naturally supported her brother’s weak points, was surely part of their calculation as well.

“If you’re tired, don’t push yourself. I don’t want to burden you with duties—just enjoy the journey.”
“I am enjoying it, Onii-sama. This is my first time seeing how our people live.”

From the secluded manor where I had once been confined, I couldn’t even see a single village—only forests changing colors with the seasons. Now, at last, I could see what lay beyond those trees.
Actually, no, I have seen these villages before, when traveling from the duchy to the capital—but back then, my heart had been elsewhere, my eyes turned outward only to avoid looking at Onii-sama.

This time, with the memories of my past life, I could truly enjoy the sight—the wooden and whitewashed houses, the colorful embroidery on the villagers’ clothing—all reminiscent of Switzerland or Scandinavia. It even reminded me of Heidi.
I also noticed many livestock—cows and the occasional goats, pigs, and chickens wandering freely.

A little boy was trying to ride a goat like a horse and was promptly thrown off.
Adorable, but dangerous—stop that! And the goat looks *so done* with you. Still, that’s probably just what boys around here do.

“It all looks peaceful and cheerful, but life for the people is fragile, isn’t it? A drought, a cold summer, long rains, or monsters appearing—any of those could destroy it. Seeing the people with my own eyes makes the reports and numbers we read in the office feel so much more real.”
“Yes. Novak often says the same—that one must see the land firsthand. …But you seem to understand that without being told.”

Sorry, that’s just the cheat of having memories from a past life. I used to do system design, and seeing the real fieldwork was always crucial… kind of unfair, sorry.

When Ekaterina asked, Aleksei fluently explained the village’s name, its main products, its population, and even a bit of its history.
Then he laughed and said, “You’re the only young lady I know who enjoys such talk.”

.

That evening, they arrived early at the town where they would stay the night.
Instead of an inn, they were hosted by the local minor lord who governed the area. The elderly man, round-faced and warm, welcomed the young ducal siblings with delight.
He had once served their late grandfather, Sergei, as an attendant, and had long provided lodging whenever Aleksei traveled this way.
Assured that she could relax, Ekaterina settled into a cozy room—not large, but comfortable—admiring the exquisite embroidery on the bedcover and savoring a cup of uniquely flavored herbal tea brewed by the lord’s wife.

When she noticed townsfolk gathering outside the window, she opened it to smile and wave at them, receiving cheers in return.

Royal family, much? I’m blushing!
The prince has to do this sort of thing from birth, doesn’t he… must be tough. Maybe I’ll praise him for that next time.
Ah, no—better leave the praise for Flora-chan to do. The villainess shouldn’t! I can’t risk triggering a doom flag!

.

Then, as she leaned out the window again, noticing that the crowd had grown even larger despite the sun setting—

“Ekaterina.”
“Onii-sama!”

Aleksei had come to her room. Ekaterina blinked in surprise.

“You must be tired. Don’t overdo it. I shouldn’t be taking advantage of your frail body like this.”
“Oh, Onii-sama, I truly am enjoying this. Everyone’s so welcoming!”
“I see. Well, with your beauty, it’s only natural that they rejoice to see you.”
“Oh, Onii-sama…”

And there it is—the Siscon filter in full force again!

“But you mustn’t push yourself either, Onii-sama. I know this sort of thing isn’t easy for you.”
“Yes, I was never one to be liked. I’ve always been poor at pretending to smile. I suppose I’ve always rebelled against the idea of earning affection through mere appearances.”

Yeah, because the one you were rebelling against was that deadbeat father of ours, for someone so lazy he could be so charismatic. Can’t blame you at all.

“But today, I finally understood—so long as you are by my side, even I can smile easily.”
“Onii-sama…”

Aleksei smiled gently, placed an arm around his sister’s shoulders—and from below, the people let out the loudest cheer of the day. The crowd’s reaction had a distinctly high-pitched tone.
The siblings waved together for a while longer, until Aleksei raised his clear voice and spoke to the people:

“Thank you, everyone. I’m grateful for this warm welcome. But the sun is setting—go home and have your dinner. …We shall do the same.”

Just before the window closed, one particularly loud voice rang out from below—

“Be happy together!”