After scrutinizing me carefully, Johannes hesitantly opened his mouth.

“S-Sister? Somehow… you seem different from usual.”

Having regressed a full 5 years, it was understandable that he sensed something off about me.

From his words, it was clear that the ‘sister’ he knew was the immature me from 5 years ago.

“Usually, if I fumbled like this, you would severely scold me…”

“Was that so?”

“Yes, when you visited the family, you would yell at me if I hadn’t prepared everything perfectly in advance. Saying I showed an inadequate image…”

“…That’s right, I did.”

In the past, I had been very strict with Johannes, my much younger brother.

I would scold him harshly if he acted even slightly careless when I visited, saying how could he not even properly receive guests as a noble.

Perhaps it was my father’s influence?

Father had educated me very strictly, wanting to raise me as a useful knight with my powerful abilities, and I had considered that normal.

I thought the more you loved someone, the more you had to push and prod them to make them perfect.

But if you ask whether I who grew up that way was happy, the answer is absolutely not.

I succeeded as a ‘knight’ as my father wished, but ‘Yulia’ who wasn’t just a knight was unhappy.

Didn’t I end up pathetically rejected after begging for love from the wrong man, love I couldn’t receive from my father?

…I didn’t want to make Johannes end up like me.

So, resolving to be different from now on, I smiled gently at Johannes.

“I won’t do that anymore.”

“Sister…”

“You don’t need to show a perfectly neat image all the time. It’s boring if a person is always perfect. Don’t you think?”

Saying that, I reached out and ruffled his hair.

He just stared at me with a dazed expression.

As if he couldn’t believe what was happening to me.

Leaving Johannes like that, I sat down on a nearby sofa.

“Take your time organizing. We can talk about things we haven’t shared after you’re done with your work.”

“Huh? Ah, yes!”

Only then did he seem to come to his senses and hurriedly begin organizing his documents.

For the first time, I leisurely waited for my brother.

It wasn’t a bad feeling at all.

I still vividly remember when Johannes was a baby.

The moment he firmly grasped my finger with his tiny, wriggling hand.

At that time, I learned the emotion of ‘adorable’ for the first time.

I thought I wanted to protect him.

That’s why I ultimately refused even when my scary and strict father strongly urged me to inherit the position of family head.

Rather than me taking the high position of Marquis, I wanted to pass it on to my young brother.

In the end, as I wished, Johannes inherited the family, and I devoted my life to exterminating monsters while roaming outside.

After that, I was busy, and wanting to raise him strong, I didn’t visit Johannes.

Even when he lost his beloved fiancée in an accident, I didn’t go to see him.

Because I wanted Johannes to overcome that sadness alone and become stronger.

So by the time I turned thirty, we had become almost like strangers.

However, today, it seemed there might be a small change in that relationship.

“Nothing happened, right? I’m worried because your atmosphere suddenly changed so much, Sister.”

Johannes asked as he sat down on the sofa opposite me after finishing organizing his documents.

I pondered for a moment. Should I tell him that I had regressed after dying?

After deliberation, I decided not to.

It was still too early to say such things.

It would take more time for our relationship to fully recover.

“Nothing happened. My thoughts have just naturally changed as I’ve gotten older.”

“Ah…”

“What about you? Have you found a partner to go to the event with?”

I actually already knew that Johannes was seriously seeing someone.

He had introduced that lady to me around this time before I regressed.

Nevertheless, I pretended not to know and asked, and Johannes answered as expected.

“Yes, there is someone I’m going with. A very wise lady with a kind character—”

“No need to try to convince me. I’m sure she’s a good person if you chose her. Do I know her by any chance?”

“You may have met her once at last year’s Foundation Day event. She’s Adelheid von Frankberg, the third daughter of Viscount Frankberg.”

He was indeed seeing the same lady as before I regressed.

I nodded calmly upon hearing the expected name.

But unlike me, Johannes had a very intimidated look on his face.

He must be worried that I would oppose his relationship with Adelheid.

After all, the Frankberg viscounty was not particularly notable compared to our family.

But I had no intention of opposing it.

“Adelheid, is it? Introduce her to me properly sometime. I have a few pieces of advice to give that lady.”

That lady had also been dating Johannes before I regressed, and they even got engaged.

But sadly, they couldn’t get married because Adelheid passed away in a carriage accident.

The current me knew exactly when and where Adelheid would have the accident.

So if I met her and naturally guided her not to go to the accident site, I could prevent the accident.

In any case, Johannes seemed very surprised when I readily approved of their relationship.

“S-Sister… You really… really have changed a lot.”

“You’d better get used to my changes quickly. Otherwise, you’ll spend all day just being surprised and the day will be over before you know it?”

Johannes burst out laughing at my light joke.

As his laughter subsided, he asked me:

“I heard you’ll be attending the event with His Majesty. How do you feel about it? You’ve always wished to be His Majesty’s partner, haven’t you?”

“…”

“Sister?”

As Johannes said, in the past when I liked Ernant, I always wanted to be his partner.

But despite wishing for it so desperately, Ernant always chose other ladies as his partner.

This time, he chose me as his partner as if doing me a favor to gain my favor, since it seems like I’ve become the Commander’s person.

His heart is probably with some other lady.

Of course, I had no intention of feeling bitter about that fact now.

After all, my heart had left him too.

“I’m not that happy about becoming His Majesty’s partner.”

“Pardon…? But Sister, you—”

“I used to, in the past. I admired His Majesty. But now… I’m not sure. I’m tired now. It’s quite exhausting to harbor unrequited feelings.”

Johannes’ expression turned frighteningly cold.

Since he always fumbled in front of me, this was the first time I’d seen such an icy expression.

With that face, he asked me:

“Then why did you agree to be His Majesty’s partner? Could it be… for the reason I’m thinking of?”

“Yes, it’s probably what you’re thinking. I received an imperial order and couldn’t refuse.”

As soon as I answered, he set down his teacup with a loud clack.

“If that’s true, I will formally protest to the imperial family.”

“No, don’t. It will only cause unnecessary conflict.”

“But Sister, for them to do such a thing when you don’t even want—”

“Johannes.”

When I called his name, Johannes, who had seemed somewhat agitated, finally looked at me calmly.

Looking into those worried purple eyes, I spoke:

“I’m fine.”

“…”

“Really. I’m fine.”

If Johannes formally protested to the imperial family as the head of the Schnesthern marquis family, Ernant wouldn’t be able to make me his partner.

Even the emperor couldn’t ignore the protest of the Schnesthern marquis family without good reason.

But if he did such a thing, Ernant would surely harm Johannes in some way.

Ernant was not a man who would quietly accept losing something he considered his.

So this is something I have to deal with.

Thinking that, I shook my head once again at Johannes, who still wore a worried expression.

It was a strong indication not to do anything.

Johannes finally slowly sat back down after half-rising from his seat.

I thought the situation had mostly calmed down with that.

Until the butler knocked on the study door and called for Johannes.

“My lord, I apologize for interrupting your precious time, but there is an urgent matter I must inform you about.”

“What is it?”

“Well… His Majesty has arrived. I think you should come out quickly.”