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Refreshments were brought to the VIP section, and the plan was for everyone to sit at the same table as Their Majesties and enjoy some conversation.
However, Ekaterina couldn’t help but feel restless and uneasy. She was worried about Olga and Renat, who were surely waiting somewhere.

I wonder if Olga-chan is all right. She must be so nervous. When I first thought of asking Her Majesty the Empress Dowager for a word, I never imagined there would be such a professional theater here. Won’t timid little Olga be overwhelmed by the atmosphere?
Renat-kun, too—it’ll be a new place for him to play an unfamiliar piano in…
Huh? No, wait. Actually, I realized that no matter how hard I try, I just can’t worry about him. He’s that cute yet super confident type who boldly declares he’s good at anything that makes a sound. Lately, he’s even started acting like that passionate guy from my past life.
Come to think of it, I heard he’s a love interest in a dating sim. I wonder what kind of character he was. Has he lost his cool?

“Ekaterina.”

Ah!

Realizing Mikhail had been calling her softly, Ekaterina snapped back to her senses.

Eek! Daydreaming in front of Their Majesties is a huge blunder!

“O-oh dear, I’m terribly sorry.”
“Lady Jurnova, are you feeling unwell?”

Lydia tilted her head, looking concerned.

“Come to think of it, I’ve heard you’re quite frail. I heard you collapsed right after the entrance ceremony at the academy.”

Oh, the good old “frail health” trope. Welcome back, long time no see.
I see. She thinks of me as a rival in the race to become the next Empress, so she’s spreading negative rumors about me in front of Their Majesties. Okay, go ahead, go right ahead.

“You seem to know quite a lot. I’m touched by your concern.”

When Ekaterina smiled, Lydia’s eyes widened slightly before she adopted an even more concerned expression.

“Given your noble lineage, the House of Jurnova is the center of attention. The students in my class are always abuzz with talk of Lord Jurnova. Even in the imperial capital’s social circles, your mother, the Duchess of Jurnova, was occasionally the subject of conversation. I hear she was also frail. When we heard she had been convalescing at the estate for some time, we were all quite concerned. I’d also heard she was a woman of great beauty. When I saw you, my lady, I understood exactly what they meant. That breathtaking beauty of yours—it must be something you inherited from your mother.”

Saying this, Lydia smiled admiringly, but Ekaterina’s cheeks were visibly stiffening.
She’s implying that my frail health is something I inherited from my mother—that it runs in the family. And that it will likely be passed down to my children as well. What a brilliant, subtle dig.
I really wish…she’d stop bringing my mother into this..

Just then, Mikhail spoke up.

“Come to think of it, I heard Ekaterina collapsed after fighting the magic beast with me, too. She’s completely back to normal now, so I tend to forget about it. Besides, back then, she created a large golem and manipulated vast amounts of muddy water using earth-element magic—I was truly impressed by the strength of her magic. Grandfather, I recall you remarked that she was a brave young lady when I spoke of that incident to you.”

Hearing his grandson’s words, the Former Emperor Valentin nodded.

“Indeed. I hear that Jurnova is plagued by powerful magic beasts, but for a young lady of her age to fight to protect her fellow students is truly admirable. My brother-in-law Sergei also told me stories of how he would often go out to slay magic beasts himself in his domain. They sounded like tales of adventure, and I used to look up to them in my youth. You are truly the granddaughter of that Sergei. What a splendid feat, despite your gentle appearance.”
“……I am humbled by your praise.”

Ekaterina bowed her head to the former emperor.
His Majesty the former emperor still truly cherishes my grandfather. Whenever he brings up bloodlines, the conversation turns to my grandfather, which works in my favor. The clever Lydia probably won’t bring up my mother anymore. Does my frail health get offset by my strong magical power?
Honestly, right now, getting one back at Lydia feels so satisfying. Thank you, Prince, for setting things up that way! Lately, I feel like I’m constantly in your debt.
Wait, but maybe being seen as unfit to be a bride is actually a good thing?
Then again… the idea of Lydia becoming Empress someday is still a bit…

In any case, she shouldn’t be making a smug face or looking like “What?” right now. As a lady of the court. Ekaterina did her best to keep a composed expression, lowering her eyes to avoid looking at Lydia, but she sensed something simmering over there.

Just then, Empress Dowager Klementina’s quiet voice rang out.

“I’ve been looking forward to your music today. Perhaps it’s about time.”

Lydia quickly looked up and cast a questioning glance at Ekaterina, but immediately turned a smile toward the Empress Dowager.

“I’m ready to sing anytime.”

……So you pretended to consult with her with your eyes about who should sing first, but you actually planned to go first.
I get it. After listening to someone who sings well, the flaws in the next person’s singing really stand out. Even at choir competitions, if we knew the order and a powerhouse school was right before us, we’d all complain about it.

Lydia stood up abruptly.
Instantly, her expression changed.
Her gaze was now fixed straight ahead—toward the stage, toward the relief of the God of Music overlooking it—as if she had already forgotten all about Ekaterina.

.

At a signal from the attendant standing beside the former emperor, a young man who appeared to be the accompanist emerged from the wings. He must have been the professional pianist Lydia had mentioned—the one who accompanied her during her formal lessons. Judging by the way he walked toward the piano, this didn’t seem to be his first time here.
Lydia stood confidently in the center of the stage and bowed. Her slender frame seemed larger than life.

The first time she heard Lydia sing, it was, in a word—spectacular.

(Amazing! She’s so good!)

The song Lydia sang was from an opera based on the life of Piotr the Great, the father of the nation. It is a song in which the first empress, Lyudmila, rallies and encourages the Tsar on the eve of a great battle, while also declaring her love for him.
Lydia sang this grand piece, filled with patriotic themes and perfectly suited for a performance before Their Majesties, with great poise.

A beautiful, radiant tone.
A volume rich enough to fill the entire theater.
Perfect pitch, superb technique.
It was a flawless voice—one that was hard to believe came from a young girl.

Ekaterina found herself completely absorbed in the song, even forgetting the insult directed at her mother just moments before. Come to think of it, Renat had said that one simply couldn’t help but be captivated by the young lady’s singing.
But he’d also said it wasn’t enjoyable.

Her performance left no stone unturned. She held back where she needed to and built to explosive climaxes where the music demanded it. Even when she let her voice resonate to the fullest, there was a cool calculation ensuring she never ran out of breath. Yet when she made her voice tremble with poignancy, the listeners’ hearts trembled as well.
Musical technique was developed to deliver music to the listener’s heart. That is why superior technique strikes a chord with the listener. Ekaterina was impressed, elated, and moved. I think she enjoyed it.
But… I don’t know.
When Ekaterina heard Olga sing at the musical evening, she felt as though her soul had been carried away. That sensation, it’s simply not here. Perhaps it is because Lydia is so full of pride. Her heart just isn’t quite in it. Perhaps her current conflict with Lydia is making me feel this way.

Yet, when Lydia’s song ended, Ekaterina applauded more enthusiastically than anyone else.
Just how many lessons she must have taken to acquire such skill. Her dedication is truly worthy of praise.

.

Lydia returned to the VIP section.

“That was a splendid performance. It seems your skill has improved even further.”

At the former Emperor’s words, Lydia curtsied with a flushed face. Then she smiled at Ekaterina—with an expression that spoke of certain victory.

“Lady Jurnova, please. I’ve been looking forward to hearing you sing.”

Ekaterina replied cheerfully.

“I’m sorry. But I won’t be singing.”
“……Huh?”

For the first time, Lydia showed her true expression. She looked completely bewildered.

“Ah, you must have misunderstood. The song we sang at our class event was unexpectedly well-received by everyone, so Lord Mikhail suggested we play *the song* for Their Majesties. The song, not me”

As she emphasized this with a gentle smile, a look of realization, surprise, and anger slowly spread across Lydia’s face.

“I haven’t devoted myself to vocal music since childhood like you, Lady Seleznyov. My clumsy singing is by no means something fit to be heard by Their Majesties. Therefore—”

Ekaterina cast a glance at the attendant standing beside the late Emperor. The attendant bowed and signaled toward the stage.

“I thought Their Majesties might be pleased if I could introduce them to a new talent I met in my class.”

Olga and Renat appeared on the theater stage, where a relief of the God of Music looked down upon them.