Ekaterina PoV:

“Some of them will take radical actions. But I swear to you, you will not be in any danger whatsoever. If anyone tries to harm you, they will be punished a thousandfold. I promise.”

…There’s Big brother with his glowing neon blue eyes. I remembered the phrase [graceful ruthlessness]. It’s the title (or part of the title) of a book I read in a previous life.

Such a big brother was cool and nice too.

“If something happens to me, you will be the Duchess of Yurinova. If there’s no male heir to take over, the current laws of the empire stipulate that a girl can take over the governorship, you know. At that time, I want you to take over this matter and accomplish it.”

When something happens to big brother…

I’ll take over the throne, that meansーーbig brother.

Huh, what?

Wait, wait, wait, wait.

“Ekaterina!”

Alexei shouted, and took his sister’s hand.

“What’s the matter, please, don’t cry. Don’t you want to be a duke?”

“No…no…but…if anything happens to big brother…”

Ekaterina burst out in tears.

Ugh. I couldn’t stop it!

An older woman shouldn’t cry, big brother would be troubled.

But it wasn’t me, the older woman, who was crying. It was Ekaterina’s self, a fifteen-year-old girl, who was even younger than her age in some parts, who was afraid of everything in the world after her mother’s death, and who relied only on her big brother.

And even for me, an older woman, if by any chance my big brother disappears like my grandfather… I couldn’t, I would cry. I already cried, didn’t I?

From the moment I saw him on the screen of my phone in my previous life, I was smitten with him, and he was the only comfort in my overworked life.

When I was reincarnated as her sister, he would always be a man who loved me and was extremely good at his job, but he was also a devoted child who had suffered a lot in his childhood. More and more, I think I can do anything for my big brother! I thought.

But what would happen if big brother disappeared? No, not that he will disappear, but…

Just thinking about it made me feel terrible! I feel like I would lose the will to live. No, I would… Definitely.

Ugh!

I was scared of the words “something will happen to my big brother” because I could only imagine the social revolution that could be triggered by the rainbow stone magic circle!

“I’m sorry… it was my fault. I said some things to you that were not considerate of your sensitive nature. Please forget it.”

Alexei walked over to Ekaterina’s side and hugged his sister.

“When you cry, my heart feels like it’s about to burst. Please don’t cry – even the gods won’t allow me to make you sad. If it makes you sad, then I will never die. Even if I cross the river of oblivion, I will not forget you. I will always come back to you. So don’t cry, please. Please don’t cry…”

My big brother’s beautiful voice whispered in my ear. I shivered a little.

There were myths and folklore about the river of oblivion flowing between this world and the other world in various parts of the world in my previous life, but there are also similar legends in this world from the time of the Astra Empire. I remembered the memories of my previous life, and I didn’t forget my big brother even after crossing the river of oblivion in real life.

I had died once.

In the days leading up to my death from exhaustion, I was so numb to various things around me that I couldn’t feel things properly anymore, but it was still painful and difficult while my life was being gradually drained away.

Dying was painful and agonizing for me.

I don’t want my big brother to have to go through that.