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Olga is being escorted by Renat.

Since they are in the presence of Their Majesties, Renat is dressed in formal attire. The handsome young man with white hair looks absolutely perfect in his black formal suit, which makes his hair color stand out beautifully. The two of them, both petite, are perfectly balanced, and they looked like a charming pair of matching dolls.

Olga, too, is dressed in a gown. It is one of the heirlooms of Ekaterina’s grandmother Aleksandra, which the maids of the Duke of Jurnova’s household had altered to fit Olga. Designed for her grandmother—a tall, cool-looking beauty (a fact even Ekaterina had to admit, given that she resembled her brother Aleksei)—the dress had been altered beyond recognition to suit the petite and adorable Olga.

Olga is a girl with chestnut-brown hair and light green eyes, whose trademark is the large ribbon she wears to tie her hair back. But now, her hair is styled in soft, loose waves (a look created by the duchy’s maids sent to the villa to help her get ready), and the ribbon has been sewn onto the bodice and sleeves of her dress as decoration. The fact that emeralds sparkled discreetly at the center of these ribbons, serving as accents, was a touch befitting the Duke’s family of Jurnova, a region renowned for its gemstones.

The simple A-line dress was a pale grass green, and over it she wore a tunic made of ultra-thin silk. The tunic’s collar and sleeves featured a delicate design edged with fluffy ruffles, while the back featured a long train. Made of prismselc—a special silk that shimmers in prismatic colors—the tunic appeared white at first glance but shifted through various hues depending on the angle of the light. It was an ensemble that accentuated Olga’s delicate charm, while the old-fashioned drape of the hem and the shifting colors added an air of mystery, making her look like a shrine maiden or a fairy.

*(Yes! Olga-chan, you’re so cute! And you really stand out against this ancient-style stage!)*

In her heart, Ekaterina was pumping her fist in triumph. The maids did a great job!

“Allow me to introduce them to you, Your Majesties. These are my classmates, daughter of Baron Flurse, Lady Olga Flurse. And son of Viscount Selezar, Lord Renat Selezar. They are both vassals of the Seleznyov family.”

Ekaterina smiled at the Empress Dowager.

“As expected of members of the Seleznyov family, renowned for their musical excellence. I was deeply impressed by their remarkable talent during a class event. Although Lady Flurse has only just begun her studies, she may well be among those who will lead the Empire’s musical world in the future. That is why I thought it would be a good idea to introduce these new talents to Their Majesties today.”
“From Seleznyov…”

Perhaps intrigued by the mention of retainers from her family’s estate, the Empress Dowager stared intently at the stage and the two young people.

Ekaterina had chosen to speak in such a way as to praise Seleznyov out of respect for the Empress Dowager and to prevent Lydia from objecting.
But it seemed that wasn’t going to work.

“Wait!”

Lydia said sharply.

“T… these people are subjects of Seleznyov. Despite that, I was not informed of this! To do such a thing without my family’s knowledge…”

This protest holds some merit in terms of the Empire’s social hierarchy. Since it had been deliberately concealed, it was only natural that she would protest.
However, Lydia, trembling uncontrollably, had done something unbecoming of a noble lady. She pointed at Olga on the stage.

“That girl, in particular, is of a rank that, under the laws of Seleznyov, would never be permitted to appear before Your Majesty. The social hierarchy is the foundation of national peace! Lady Jurnova, surely you do not intend to shake the peace of the Empire? Do you, a daughter of one of the Three Great Ducal Houses, intend to harm this country?!”

Come on now…
Faced with these unexpected words, Ekaterina was more surprised than angry. What on earth does she mean by the peace of the nation being shaken just because I brought Olga-chan before Their Majesties?

But Lydia’s expression was, by any measure, serious. She was raised to believe this, and she believes it with single-minded conviction. And she likely believes that entering the imperial family and devoting herself to strengthening the empire’s class system is what’s best for this country.

The result of a pure upbringing, I suppose. And the puritanical zeal of a teenager. Being mentally an adult compared to her, I can’t help but wonder what I can do to fix her.

In any case, having been told this much, Ekaterina must accept the challenge for the sake of Jurnova’s prestige.
Now, how should I respond?

But just then, a quiet voice cut in.

“Hold your tongue, Lydia.”

The Empress Dowager’s voice, though quiet, possessed an unassailable dignity.

“Have you no awareness where you stand? The laws of Seleznyov apply only within Seleznyov’s borders. To bring them up in the presence of His Majesty the former Emperor is preposterous. Even though he has abdicated the throne, in His Majesty’s presence, you, that girl, and all the people are equally his subjects. Be mindful of your place.”

Lydia turned pale. Her cheeks trembled as she looked at the Empress Dowager, her eyes filled with resentment. Though a member of the Seleznyov family, she likely could not understand why the Empress Dowager would not support her “righteous” words.
Of course, for Ekaterina, it was only natural that the laws of Seleznyov applied only within Seleznyov’s borders; she simply agreed, “You are quite right.” That said, she knew from history that women who married into powerful families often showed favoritism toward their birth families. She felt a sense of relief that the Empress Dowager was not that kind of woman.

The fact that both the former Emperor and Mikhail remain silent suggests they’ve judged it best to leave this matter to the Empress Dowager.
I’d heard that the modest Empress Dowager Clementina used to struggle with acting like an empress, but look at her quiet dignity now. Is this what a mother of the nation looks like? Her Majesty the Empress Dowager, you’re wonderful!
But I wonder if this whole scene has made little Olga-chan feel intimidated. I hope she’s all right…

With that thought, Ekaterina cast a concerned glance her way, but to her surprise, Olga returned a small smile. Seeing her so composed, Ekaterina felt relieved.

“My deepest apologies…”

After Lydia, having mobilized all her aristocratic skills to apologize, finally returned to her seat, and seeing that the VIP section was now ready to hear the song, Renat whispered something to Olga. Olga nodded, and Renat stepped away from her and headed toward the piano.

Here we go.
The thought made her nerves spike, and Ekaterina clenched her hands on her lap. Now, more than ever, she found herself worrying about the song selection and arrangement—was that really going to be okay?
No, it’ll be fine. My choir advisor from my past life drilled the trivia about that song into me until I was sick of hearing it, but apparently, the original version of that song—“Jupiter” from the suite *The Planets*—is known as the “second national anthem” in the composer Holst’s homeland of England, where it’s set to different lyrics. Since the original was a piece suited for national ceremonies, it’s bound to go over well with Their Majesties! I’m sure of it!

Olga stood alone at the center of the stage and bowed toward Their Majesties in the VIP section. The curtsy Ekaterina had drilled her on was quite elegant.

Olga stood with her back straight and took a deep breath.