My First-Ever Little Sister

My First-Ever Little Sister

My First-Ever Little Sister

Upon returning to Ehrenfest, I retrieved the small chalices from the blue priests who had traveled during the Harvest Festival, also receiving reports on the harvests and conditions in their respective provinces. I would need to collate these reports together in preparation for a meeting with the archduke at the castle.

And once this is done, we can get to work making my jureve. Let’s do this!

Ferdinand and I arrived together at the castle, then went our separate ways, with me going to the northern building with Rihyarda.

“After you have delivered today’s report to Aub Ehrenfest, milady, you are due to greet Lady Charlotte.”

“Lady Charlotte...? That would be Wilfried’s little sister, correct?”

“Yes. Her baptism ceremony is this winter, so a room and the like are being prepared for her as we speak.”

Now that Rihyarda mentioned it, Elvira had actively ensured that my room in the northern building was ready for me to use right after my baptism ceremony. I hadn’t exactly been in any position to help her with that, given that I was partway through having a noble upbringing hurriedly beaten into me at the time, but Charlotte was apparently learning to lead people by taking charge in how her room was arranged.

You know... it sounds like she’s a lot more competent than Wilfried.

I considered that possibility as I entered the northern building and climbed the stairs. The door to the room beside mine was wide open, and I could see furniture being carried inside. A short girl about my size was observing the process.

She must have heard us come up the stairs as she immediately whirled around. Her dress fluttered, and her blonde, almost silver hair swept through the air behind her. Her face was so adorable that I could have mistaken her for a life-sized doll, and her lively indigo eyes blinked rapidly. When we locked gazes, she broke into a happy smile and immediately began walking over, her retainers following along with her.

“Rozemyne! Big Sister!”

Aah! She just called me “Big Sister”!

I was immediately overcome with emotion. Hearing that phrase from such a cute little girl with a big smile on her face was enough for me to embrace the idea entirely—I was Charlotte’s older sister, and that was that.

“I haven’t had my baptism ceremony yet, so I can’t give an actual blessing... but may I give you a traditional greeting anyway?”

“Yes, of course.”

Charlotte glanced up as she tried to remember the words of the prayer, then knelt and lowered her head. “May I pray for a blessing in appreciation of this serendipitous meeting, ordained by the fruitful days of Schutzaria the Goddess of Wind?”

“You may.”

“May Schutzaria the Goddess of Wind bless you. I am Charlotte, daughter of Aub Ehrenfest. I pray that the threads of our fates be woven together.”

Although Charlotte couldn’t give actual blessings yet, she had the words memorized and recited them flawlessly. I knew all too well how nerve-racking it was to give that kind of greeting for the first time: back when I had given one to Elvira, I was so worried about messing up that my heart had started pounding.

As Charlotte knelt, I tried to roughly echo what Elvira had said to me in response. “I pray the same, Charlotte. I am your older sister.”

She looked up at me with a relieved smile, and I couldn’t help but smile back.