Project Necro is an official initiative by Re:Library.

“Among the events of this journey, there are two matters that I must report to you at once, Onii-sama.”

Saying so in their inn room, Ekaterina held up two fingers for Aleksei to see.
This was quite some time after Aleksei had first asked what had happened.

Ekaterina had asked that she be allowed to speak once they could take their time winding down, and Aleksei had agreed. As a result, they checked into the finest inn in town, shared a meal together, even received greetings from the town’s representatives who had rushed over—and only after all of that, once they were seated across from each other in Aleksei’s room with tea prepared by Yvan and Mina before them and everything had finally settled down, did Ekaterina open the conversation in this way.

Of course, Ekaterina had deliberately used that time to reconsider how she would report the events of the journey. Adjusting the content of a report to suit the atmosphere of the moment was report skill number one she had cultivated back in her corporate slave days.
There was also the added bonus of letting Aleksei enjoy a relaxed stretch of time—eating slowly and chatting idly—beforehand.

“The danger that was conveyed from sir Oleg to sir Erik—that is what you are asking about, Onii-sama. However, there is a separate matter that I must report to you as a duke first, so that will take priority. I will speak of what you asked after that.”

Numbering the report and laying out the order in advance to guide the listener’s understanding—while in truth, reporting something else first to disperse attention away from a potentially troublesome issue—this was report skill number two of the corporate slave.
No, in the first place, Ekaterina had been trying to return quickly precisely because there was something urgent to report to Aleksei, so naturally that should come first. It wasn’t as though she was trying to hide anything. There was nothing suspicious at all. Her proof of innocence was flawless.

One thing, however, went completely unnoticed by the person deploying these corporate skills.

Even if she sharply raised her fingers like a businessperson, her appearance was that of a perfectly sheltered young noblewoman, leaving an undeniable sense of incongruity. And since her audience was Aleksei, it only came across as her trying to act grown-up—and being cute for it.

“Ah… I see. Then, what is the matter?”
“Of the three gods who descended at the Mountain Temple, one deity delivered an oracle. That god’s mountain will, in the near future, erupt.”

Aleksei’s neon-blue eyes widened.

“That is indeed an emergency.”
“Yes, it is. However, according to the priests of the Mountain Temple, in past instances of such oracles, there has been a delay of anywhere from several months to as much as a hundred years before an actual eruption occurred. Accordingly, sir Forli has gone to that mountain to assess how much time remains before the eruption and will report back. And sir Aaron is checking whether the old miners’ lodgings can be used, in case the nearby villagers need to evacuate.”

Aleksei’s expression had tightened for a moment, but Ekaterina’s brisk, orderly report eased the tension in the room.

“I see. Those are appropriate measures. As for that matter, let us wait for reports from Old Forli and Aaron.”
“Yes, please do.”

After nodding, Ekaterina cleared her throat softly.

“And then… the second matter.”

She hesitated mid-sentence. She didn’t want to upset her brother.

“Um, Onii-sama… may I ask you to hold my hands?”
“Ah, of course.”

There could be no other answer. Aleksei gently enclosed the hands his sister offered, holding them carefully in both of his own.

Good. This should help him stay calm while listening. Just like the textbook says—start with the key point.

“I encountered the Black Dragon.”

Crack—! A sound like something splitting or grinding echoed through the room.

.

Eek—my preparation wasn’t enough!
Aleksei’s expression didn’t change. And yet, an intense chill ran through her.
Wait, isn’t it actually cold? Did the room temperature drop? Hey, the AC’s too strong—no, forget that, is this my brother’s magic power?!

“Ekaterina… how pitiful…”

Without changing his expression, but with an intense light filling only his neon-blue eyes, Aleksei tightened his grip on her hands.

“You must have been so terrified that you couldn’t even speak without holding hands. Because I left that thing unattended, you were forced to endure such an ordeal… I will mobilize the full might of Jurnova and have it slain.”

Completely the opposite effect!
My brother’s siscon exceeded my expectations! As expected of him!
This is bad—humanity has no chance against a jumbo jet. No, more importantly, he explicitly said he wouldn’t be hostile, so please don’t do this!

“No, Onii-sama, that is not the case. Nothing frightening happened. Please, calm yourself. Please.”

Flustered herself, Ekaterina could only repeat the same plea over and over.

At that moment, Mina moved.

She stepped smoothly toward the siblings and, at some point having produced a shawl, gently draped it over Ekaterina’s shoulders.
She bowed once, then glided quietly back to her place.

Then Yvan as well.

“Let me brew fresh tea. At this rate, it looks like it will chill your body,”

He said, and swiftly cleared away the cups. …The tea inside them appeared to be frozen.

“…What am I doing? To let you grow cold like this—how could I. Forgive me.”

Ah—my brother’s expression is back. Mina, Yvan, good job!

“No, it is I who am at fault, to cause you such distress. There was no danger to me at all, Onii-sama. I should have explained that clearly, step by step, so that you could understand.”

Then, after taking a sip of the tea Yvan had quickly rebrewed, Ekaterina began to recount the events of the journey in brief.