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Even in Aleksei’s office, the tonkatsu sandwich was met with rave reviews.

“It’s just like you—a dish full of surprise and joy. I’ve never really understood why people care so much about food, but lately, thanks to you, I’ve come to understand. When I eat what you make, my body and soul are both satisfied. It makes me feel happy.”

I’m so happy!

Ekaterina was over the moon at Aleksei’s words.

After all, my biggest motivation for starting to make lunch was to bring the joy of food to Onii-sama. I want to fill his life with even more joy, happiness, and delight.
I’ll keep doing my best!

Incidentally, the tonkatsu sauce was a tomato sauce suggested by the chef. Although the tomato harvest season has already passed, he made a sauce packed with umami using sun-dried tomatoes—a preserved food—as a base. It’s completely different from the tonkatsu sauce I knew in my past life, but it’s delicious in its own right.
Apparently, the cutlet—a dish similar to tonkatsu that exists in this world—is traditionally eaten with tomato sauce. Since it’s a flavor that the people of the Imperial Kingdom can enjoy without feeling out of place, perhaps this is just how tonkatsu is supposed to be here.

The chef at the ducal imperial residence seems eager to serve tonkatsu when the Imperial Family visits during their annual imperial tour. He apparently wants them to enjoy the sight of large pieces of meat being dropped into a pot full of oil right before Their Majesties’ eyes, making that satisfying “sizzle!” sound.

Serving tonkatsu to Their Majesties… the thought alone made Ekaterina’s gaze drift off into the distance. A dish that uses oil so generously is indeed a luxury in the Imperial Capital. In fact, it’s quite fitting to serve to Their Majesties. Since there’s no one else who shares her sense of unease, she has no choice but to endure it in silence.

“If this catches on in the Imperial Capital, high-quality pork will be in high demand, won’t it?”

Ever the merchant, Khalil grinned.
Perhaps one day, tonkatsu will become a high-end dish that represents the Imperial Kingdom.
Uh, uuuhhh, I’m kind of sorry about that.

And among everyone in the office, the one who became most hooked on tonkatsu sandwiches was Aaron, the mine manager.

“It makes me realize once again how happy I am to serve the Jurnova family… If there were a restaurant serving this dish, I’d go there all the time, no matter how expensive it was.”

Contrary to his scholarly, intellectual appearance, Aaron seems to prefer hearty food. Ekaterina imagined that he must have become accustomed to meat dishes while accompanying Great-Uncle Isaac on his fieldwork, where they had to forage for food in the wild.
After all, Aaron’s love for Great-Uncle Isaac is a bottomless pit.
My love for Onii-sama is just as strong!

.

“Onii-sama, has your class decided on their plan for the school festival yet?”
“It has, but I’m not supposed to get involved in such events every year. I just don’t have the time.”

Huu…
His matter-of-fact reply came as a bit of a shock to Ekaterina, but she nodded immediately.

“You’re so busy, Onii-sama, so it’s only natural that you can’t participate in school events.”

I am worried that Onii-sama’s life is all about work, though.
As for whether enjoying class events as a regular student suits him… there’s a possibility it might just end up exhausting him.

“You’re always so kind. It’s just that working is easier for me. I’m a boring person, after all.”

Hearing Aleksei speak so matter-of-factly—hardly what one would call self-deprecating—Ekaterina shook her head firmly.

“The lives of the people of Jurnova depend on your work, Onii-sama. I believe it’s the right decision to prioritize that. I’m already worried about your health with just your work and studies—you really shouldn’t be participating in school events as well.”
“Thank you. But I’m far more worried about you. With the huge success of the Evening of Music the other day, the students in your class must be counting on you so much… but you mustn’t push yourself too hard. I’ve heard that beautiful people are as fleeting as dreams. If you are a dream, I never want to wake up from it. Please let me continue to see this beautiful dream forever. My dear Ekaterina.”

Your flowery rhetoric is really on full display today! Just as I expected from you, Onii-sama!

“Onii-sama, I will never push myself too hard. I will do everything exactly as you say.”
“Good girl.”

Ekaterina was in high spirits after Aleksei ruffled her hair.

.

These days, the school is buzzing with talk of the school festival.
Whenever friends from different classes meet, asking each other what they’re planning has become the standard greeting. Ekaterina had intended to ask Mikhail as well, but she ran out of time.

She dismissed it as a mere event to add flair to the otome game, but upon further reflection, it seemed strange that such an event even existed at this academy.

.

Even though this is a world where magic and magic beasts exist, and where you can even meet gods, I feel that the social structure, culture, and civilization of humans here closely resembled those of early modern Europe.

However, what stands out as truly unique within that context is the existence of a magic academy. I don’t think any country in early modern Europe had schools that required the children of the nobility to enroll—especially co-ed schools.

Well, admission to the academy isn’t strictly limited to the children of the nobility; it’s open to anyone who meets the mana requirements.
But as I listened to Flora-chan talk about the lives of commoners, that started to sound like a sophistry to me.

After all, in the Imperial Kingdom, it seems they don’t even measure the mana of commoners’ children!

Even Flora-chan was only subject to a mana examination because she became a baron’s adopted daughter; if she’d remained a commoner, it’s highly likely she would’ve been left alone. What a waste.
Well, since it’s apparently extremely rare for commoners to give birth to someone with a high amount of mana, I suppose there’s a matter of efficiency involved. Even so, I feel a contradiction with the stance that “enrollment is mandatory!”

Since I played the otome game in my past life, I just took magic academies for granted. I even thought the students’ romantic relationships were the whole point of their existence.
But now that I have a reasonable understanding of this world’s history and general knowledge—and can look back on it from a broader perspective as someone who knows another world—I can’t help but wonder… isn’t there another reason behind forcibly gathering the sons and daughters of the nobility, who possess the advantage of strong magical power?

The prototype of the Magic Academy had already emerged during the founding period of the Imperial Kingdom, in the era of Piotr the Great. It wasn’t yet in the form of a school, and even the aristocratic social hierarchy was still immature at the time. Apparently, it involved selecting boys and girls with exceptional mana from among the children of those who had become the Great Emperor’s vassals, and having them live together while studying.

Gathering the children of vassals in one place…
At that point, the history buff from her past life suddenly had a thought.

The Tokugawa Shogunate, which rose to dominance during Japan’s Warring States period, mandated that the principal wives of the daimyo and their children reside in Edo.
…To keep them as hostages.