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That morning, Ekaterina hugged Regina and thanked her affectionately.

“Thank you, Regina. You’ve been such a great help.”

Regina fluffed her tail and pressed her big head against her.
That fluffy mane is irresistible! Animal therapy is so soothing~.
But today, it was time to part ways.

“Go back to your pack and rest for a while.”

As she stroked Regina’s snout, Regina bared her long row of teeth, her expression almost like a smile.

“Raisa, please take Regina back to the kennels.”
“Yes, leave it to me.”

Raisa nodded. Having been involved with Jurnova Castle for a long time, Raisa didn’t seem intimidated by the giant hound. Grandfather Sergei had a favorite hound too, so she was probably used to them.

Raisa had come to Ekaterina’s room to deliver something retrieved from the vault where valuables were stored. It lay within a flat box placed on the table beside her, radiating a brilliant, dazzling glow.

Earrings and a necklace studded with sapphires and diamonds.
The size of the rectangular sapphire pendant at the center of the necklace was astonishing. It measured about five centimeters long and three centimeters wide. Furthermore, the necklace portion encircling the neck was strung with numerous sapphires, each about two centimeters in diameter. All were surrounded by small diamonds and linked together by a glittering golden chain.

I heard it’s one of the Duke of Jurnova’s family heirlooms… The Imperial Capital Duke’s residence also had sapphire earrings and hair ornaments passed down through generations. Seriously, a duke’s house that’s lasted four hundred years is incredible.
The only ones I can think of who’d own something like this in my past life are the British Royal Family. I can’t even begin to imagine the price tag. It must be in the hundreds of millions, no doubt.
The thought of wearing something like that… Eek!

“You must be busy this morning. I’m terribly sorry to take up your time.”
“Not at all. This is my job. Managing the jewelry and delivering it to the lady of Jurnova is the housekeeper’s duty.”

Saying that, Raisa looked toward the back of the room.
There, draped over a mannequin, lay the dress. The day had finally come to retrieve it from the wardrobe.
Which meant she had to leave Regina behind. The dress would get covered in fur otherwise.

“What a beautiful dress. It will surely look splendid on you, my lady.”
“Thank you. This is my first time attending a formal party. I must stay focused so as not to embarrass my brother.”

Yes, the banquet was tonight. The celebration for Duke Aleksei Jurnova’s succession to the title. More than that, it was the day of the grand feast held to present his beloved sister Ekaterina to the duchy for the first time.

Apparently, noble young ladies usually make their debut in society before entering the Magic Academy. But I’ve been confined and withdrawn.
Most party guests will be strangers. Not to mention, I wasn’t in any position to attend formal parties in my previous life.
I know it’s a bit too late for this, but I’m getting really nervous now. It feels different from hosting the Imperial Family’s visit. Anyway, I just have to steel myself.

Raisa smiled.

“Precisely because it’s your first time, you should approach it with a generous spirit, accepting that mistakes are natural. Being slightly underestimated might even make things easier for you going forward.”
“You’re encouraging me? That’s lovely. Yes, tonight I need only focus on greeting everyone while standing beside my brother.”

Yes, right beside Onii-sama.
That’s the key point, isn’t it? Yeah. Either way, I’ll just focus on looking my absolute best. That’s all I need to think about.
I’m serving as my dear Onii-sama’s partner at a formal party! How could I not be pumped?! These treasures might be so valuable it terrified me, but I’ll use the family heirlooms without hesitation.
Forget about the other guests. Sorry. I’m big on Broconism, after all! I’ll do my best to make my brother think I look beautiful!
Though Mina’s the one doing most of the work. A combat maid who can dress me in gowns and style my hair… Mina’s range of skills is truly impressive.

.

The banquet begins at dusk.
At this time of year, the summer sun remains bright, only just beginning to hint at twilight.
At Jurnova Castle, the heart of the Northern Capital, servants bustled tirelessly with banquet preparations. In the kitchens, cooks stoked every stove and worked diligently over the food. In the gardens, gardeners lit lanterns early and carried them around. Some arranged polished silverware and plates on the serving tables; others fetched wine from the cellar. Everyone was busy, mindful of the time.
At the appointed hour, Duke Aleksei Jurnova visited Ekaterina’s room to escort his sister.

A knock sounded at the door.

“My lady, are you ready?”

The voice belonged to Yvan, Aleksei’s valet. Mina the maid immediately approached the door and swiftly opened it.

“She is ready. Please come in.”

Yvan stepped aside, allowing Aleksei’s tall figure to enter the room.
He stopped, clearly surprised.
Ekaterina smiled at her brother, who stared at her silently, his neon blue eyes wide.

“Thank you for picking me up, Onii-sama.”

She truly was one special flower.

This dress was a mermaid line. Slender yet adorned with frills at key points, adding a touch of glamour. The base color was a twilight-like celestial blue, but the gradient, fading from light to dark like the evening sky, made it even more beautiful.

The slender skirt flared from around the knees, its blue deepening in a gradient toward the hem. The entire flare below the knees resembled the shape of petals.

Even more dazzling was the design of the bodice, emphasizing the slender waist while the blue intensified upward. Furthermore, the collar featured overlapping ruffles of varying sizes, reminiscent of rose petals just about to bloom. The neckline is narrow yet deep, teasing a glimpse of ample cleavage before a lavish sapphire necklace sparkles into view. Even so, Ekaterina’s white neck and collarbone peeking from the frilly center remain captivatingly elegant. Earrings adorn her ears with dazzling brilliance.
The sleeves, too, are dusk-colored yet made of sheer fabric. Through this fabric, the whiteness of Ekaterina’s skin is emphasized in the viewer’s mind, a masterfully calculated transparency.

Her abundant indigo hair is styled into a complex updo, also reminiscent of a rose. Adorning this hair are genuine blue roses. Upon closer inspection, they were glass hair ornaments, but their lifelike craftsmanship drew more attention than even the most precious jewels. This blue rose unified Ekaterina’s attire with a rose motif, presenting her as a living, single bloom.

Somehow, I managed to get ready in time! Well, Mina made sure I did. It took from morning until now.
The dress for the Imperial Visit was simpler, so it wasn’t nearly this difficult. And then there’s the hairstyle, of course! Getting it done takes forever. Kamila the designer insisted on this exact style… Even Mina couldn’t manage it alone, so she called in two extra maids to help.
They say getting a woman ready takes time, and I never knew it’s true until now. Maybe I wasn’t actually a woman in my past life. Getting ready always took me a maximum of fifteen minutes, even when I really tried.

But spending hours getting dressed up was worth it. Because today, Onii-sama looks even more wonderful than usual!
He usually wears mostly white, but today he’s in the formal attire of a duke’s lord—a chic outfit dominated by black. And it suits him so well… Of course, someone as handsome and well-built as my brother looks good in anything, but today he radiates an almost intimidating presence.

“Ekaterina.”

Aleksei extended both hands, and Ekaterina stepped toward her brother, placing her hands in his.

“My Blue Rose”

With reverence, Aleksei kissed the tips of his sister’s fingers.

“What beauty. It’s no wonder so many have tried to create a blue rose and failed. If it were this beautiful, it would surely ascend to the heavenly gardens the moment it bloomed. That the phantom blue rose should approach me and touch my hand… My heart trembles. My Ekaterina. My Goddess.”

With an almost reverent gesture, Aleksei gently touched Ekaterina’s cheek. He gazed at her with a look of longing.

“I have but one request. Please, do not venture outside while the sun still shines. As His Majesty said, the sun itself would pine for you and come to claim you. Even the gods themselves could not resist seeking this blue rose.”
“Oh my… Onii-sama, you’re such a tease.”

You’re such a siscon today too!
And your flowery speech skills are insane again today. Gold medal! I’d give you the National Honor Award or whatever. Even though I’m the only population in this brocon country. Sorry about that.

“I detest ascending to heaven. I wish to remain here on earth, holding Onii-sama’s hand like this. Being by your side is where I find the greatest happiness.”
“Thank you—I am happy, very happy.”

Aleksei smiled.

“I usually find banquets as nothing but a drag, but I’m actually starting to look forward to this one. Everyone will marvel at your beauty. I can’t wait to see their reactions.”