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The waltz played by the finest musicians of the Northern Capital flows lightly, lifting the spirits of all who hear it.

In the center of the grand hall, the duke and his sister dance with grace. Their movements harmonize so beautifully with the music, it seems as if the melody flows directly from them.
People, especially the young, gazed in rapt admiration at the lovely pair as they drew close, exchanged glances, and spun gracefully.

Aleksei’s tall figure, his dark attire accentuating his fair, handsome features, truly stood out on the dance floor. The man known as the Ice Rose, usually so cold and expressionless, had forgotten his usual stoicism. A faint smile touched his lips as he gently led his sister.
Surrendering to her brother’s lead, Ekaterina danced gracefully, a joyful smile never leaving her full lips. Her slender dress did not hinder her movements; each time she turned, the hem of her gown, like the petals of a blue rose, fluttered lightly.
The modest design of the dress meant only the faintest glimpse of her ankles was visible even then. Yet, combined with her alluring curves, it was enough to make the young men in the hall feel their hearts skip a beat.

A discerning eye might have detected a hint of unfamiliarity in Ekaterina’s footwork. Yet knowing this was her first dance, her freshness was rather endearing.

The Ice Rose and the Blue Rose siblings.
The banquet guests were utterly captivated by Jurnova’s two beautiful roses.

.

—Actually, you know how waltz and social dancing are the image of High Society?
In my past life’s memories, from the Middle Ages to the early modern period over there, dances where men and women danced so closely were considered improper and were actually forbidden.
Apparently, dances performed by nobles at formal occasions, even between male-female pairs, didn’t involve embracing. Hmm, what was it called… ah, yes, the classical piece ‘Pavane pour une infante défunte’—that pavane was one of the dances favored by nobles back then. Physical contact between partners was limited to holding hands at most.
But then, in the 19th century, the waltz became wildly popular in Vienna. From there, it spread rapidly, and this kind of close-contact dancing suddenly gained a high-society image.
Thinking about it now, it really is indecent, isn’t it? Wrapping your arms around each other’s bodies and dancing so close.

However, in this world—or rather, in the Imperial Kingdom—it seems dances where men and women embraced as pairs had been mainstream much earlier than in my previous life.
Why? Because students learn them at the Magic Academy!
Apparently, it’s a tradition dating back to the founding of the Empire by Piotr the Great and his family, who traditionally danced these styles at festivals and such. But by incorporating them into the curriculum, they actively encourage close contact between young men and women.

Turns out the magic academy is basically a matchmaking venue! Is dancing like a king’s game?
It’s a national trap—a matchmaking academy—designed to pair men and women with strong magical power, maintaining and increasing the Empire’s magical population.

But so what if it is, I’m happy!

In a glittering grand hall, dressed up as beautifully as possible, dancing a sophisticated dance with my wonderful Onii-sama who’s totally my type.
What a culmination of a maiden’s dreams! My past self wasn’t the type to idealize situations like this, but even so, I’m still totally swept up in it.
How happy! I’m so glad I was reborn!
And seeing how happy Onii-sama looks makes me happiest of all.
God—well, in this polytheistic world, I don’t know which deity orchestrated this, but thank you, God!

.

Yet, while these thoughts lingered in the back of Ekaterina’s mind—
She danced with such grace to the music that it was impossible to believe such thoughts occupied her mind.

.

“You’re very good, Ekaterina.”

Aleksei whispered with a gentle smile.

“It’s all thanks to you practicing so much with me, Onii-sama.”

Ekaterina replied with a smile.
She wasn’t being modest; it was an undeniable fact. After all, since arriving at Jurnova Castle, Aleksei had made time for her dance practice almost every day, squeezing it in between his busy duties.

And during those practice sessions, they also shared what had happened that day or the day before, making it a time for communication. It was during practice the day after she spoke with Raisa that she told Aleksei about her.
Conversations could be held without worry of being overheard, lost amidst the music.

…Being powerful is tough, Ekaterina often thought to herself.

Aleksei, naturally, had mastered dancing perfectly. Since dancing is led by the man, if Aleksei guided her skillfully, even a last-minute learner like Ekaterina could dance beautifully.
Still, it was only through Ekaterina’s tireless effort, keen intuition, and innate grace that she could dance so captivatingly.

And there were also dance fundamentals her mother Anastasia had taught her as a child, which they mostly did as a game. Her body remembering those steps vastly boosted her learning process. The dance steps her mother demonstrated were as beautiful as a butterfly, and young Ekaterina tried her hardest to imitate them. Her mother praised her, saying she was very cute.
When she shared this memory with Aleksei, he held her in his arms for a long moment, silent.

The waltz ended.
Lastly, the brother and sister bowed to each other. In this grand hall—nay, in all of Jurnova—there was no one else to whom the two should bow.

The surrounding crowd cheered and applauded them once more.

.

As the duke and duchess stepped off the dance floor, several couples, hand in hand, advanced onto it as the musicians began a new tune.
Yet few actually began dancing. Instead, people crowded around Aleksei and Ekaterina, each vying for attention.
Some sought to greet the Duke of Jurnova as a way to establish connections. Others—young men hoping to ask Ekaterina to dance, young ladies hoping Aleksei would ask them, parents wishing to introduce their sons or daughters to either of them.

But they didn’t approach the pair directly. They merely gazed at them, radiating enthusiasm, silently pleading for them to be spoken to.

—Fundamentally, one must not speak to someone of higher rank. One must wait for them to speak first.
When I first learned this etiquette, I inwardly screamed, ‘Versailles?!’
But now I get it. Makes perfect sense! If this whole crowd started talking to us at once, it’d be utter chaos. Dangerously chaotic.
It’s etiquette, not a rule, and it varies depending on the person or situation—it’s fine with close friends, for instance.
But in this situation, if someone just walked up and started talking to us, their reputation in society would plummet instantly.

This kind of etiquette wasn’t formed just for high nobles to show off their status; it actually has a real purpose. In my past life, I laughed when I heard about the iron discipline surrounding waiting for the girls’ musical troupe to come out or go in, but my apologies—I didn’t realize how important it was.

Well, high-ranking nobles use this etiquette not for simple status displays, but to build the system they desire.

“Novak.”

Aleksei called out, and the people surrounding the duke and duchess immediately reacted, parting to make way for Viscount Novak, a close aide to Duke Jurnova.
Novak, who appeared escorting his wife, bowed to Aleksei.

“Once again, congratulations on your new position, Your Grace.”
“It feels a bit late to be told that now by you.”

Aleksei chuckled softly. Having been by his side almost daily since inheriting the title, Novak was his closest aide. The remark was entirely fitting.
These words also served to remind everyone just how close Novak was to Duke Jurnova. While Aleksei’s presence at the Magic Academy as a student meant he hadn’t yet drawn much attention from the people within the domain, from now on, crowds would gather around Novak, seeking his mediation with the Duke. Soon, Novak himself would wield influence, contributing even more to the governance of the duchy. The power map of the Jurnova domain was steadily being redrawn.

When his father, Aleksandr, was duke, it was likely Count Novadin who held this position. That man must have thoroughly savored the benefits that came with it.
Where, and with what thoughts, was he watching the people swarming around the new power holder?

Hidden by the surrounding crowd, his figure was nowhere to be seen.
However, Ekaterina was certain he was not the type to simply step aside.