Olivier Alway’s mornings began early.
“Good morning, Trane. Oh, Yeny and Emilia are early too.”
“Good morning, Olivier-sama.”
Trane Glasler, Olivier’s childhood friend, family, and cherished younger sister figure, greeted Olivier as she entered the kitchen.
“Good morning, Olivier Older Sister.”
“Older Sister, good morning.”
Following her were Emilia Alway, Olivier’s younger sister, and Yeny Daum, Jared’s cousin who admired him. The four of them were in the kitchen preparing their daily breakfast.
Previously, Trane had managed the kitchen alone, but with more family members living together, Olivier and the others had started helping out. Hannelore had been involved at first, but now she was refraining, as it wasn’t appropriate for the mistress of the mansion to be working.
“We were just discussing adding more warm dishes as it’s getting a bit chilly.”
Autumn was already approaching, and the chill in the mornings and evenings was quite noticeable. Even now, Olivier felt it was difficult to leave her room without putting on a thick cardigan. Especially since it was just before dawn, and the kitchen, located in a less sunny part of the mansion to preserve ingredients, felt even colder. Trane wore her usual maid uniform, but the younger sisters were dressed warmly.
“It’s getting colder by the day. Should we start preparing for winter?”
Emilia responded to Olivier’s words as she stirred a pot with practiced ease.
“Oh, are you ordering new clothes?”
“Of course not. I meant we should take out the clothes from last year.”
“Olivier-sama, you are from the Ducal Family. Wouldn’t it be better to have new clothes made?”
Yeny chimed in with a similar suggestion, making Olivier smile wryly.
“It’s true that nobles have clothes tailored every year, but I don’t mind. I’m not very aware of trends, and I like the clothes I had made last year.”
Noblewomen, without exception, preferred to have their clothes tailored. Nowadays, it wasn’t uncommon to go to stores and buy ready-made fashionable clothing, but tailoring was still the norm. Even families with limited funds would have at least one or two outfits tailored for the women. Party dresses, in particular, tended to be prioritized, as attending events in the same dress year after year would be embarrassing.
However, Olivier hadn’t attended parties for several years and didn’t have any specific dresses. Her father had offered to have some made for her, but she had refused more than once due to her resistance to inviting others to the mansion. Last year, her father insisted she visit, and she had a few dresses made, but they remained mostly unworn in her closet. In fact, the dress she wore when she first met Jared had been made six months prior and had been sleeping in her closet.
“I don’t particularly care for extravagance.”
Having said that, Olivier realized her slip of the tongue.
“Oh, my apologies. I didn’t mean to imply that you shouldn’t have clothes made. Rather, Yeny and Emilia, you are young, so please enjoy dressing up.”
It might have sounded like she was trying to cover up, but it was Olivier’s genuine feeling. Compared to herself, who was almost twenty-seven, Emilia and Yeny were teenage girls. It was natural for them to be interested in fashion and to dress up.
Although she would never say it aloud, one of the reasons she wore last year’s clothes was to maintain her figure, a typical concern for women. But for the girls, it was different. Seeing their enviably slender figures, Olivier felt an urge to hug them. While Olivier was also slim, as a grown woman, she was always strict with her own body.
“Is that so? If I return home, I still have clothes from last year. Besides, my body doesn’t seem to grow much.”
Yeny said this with a dejected sigh. The petite and adorable girl was still fourteen, and though she had growth ahead of her, she seemed impatient about it. Since Yeny started living with Olivier and the others, the number of women in the mansion had increased. Olivier was, of course, beautiful and had a great figure. Her mother, Hannelore, was also a gentle beauty with an elegant physique. Trane, too, had a good figure, comparable to Olivier’s, and her stoic expression and well-defined features made her quite beautiful. Rosa Roen, a combatant, excelled in physical activity, making her figure outstanding. Her long limbs and confident demeanor made her appear even more robust. Lily Rüdiger was slender but gave off a cheerful impression, which, combined with her personality, was captivating. Ernesta Kaif projected an intelligent and mature aura, making her an object of admiration. Surrounded by these women, Yeny sometimes felt resentful of her small stature. To others, she might seem to envy their rabbit-like cuteness that she lacked, but they didn’t realize they were all yearning for what they didn’t have. Emilia, with her silver-rimmed glasses, gave the impression of a talented scholar, but her figure was a bit too thin to be considered good. She was of average height, neither tall nor short. Though she didn’t possess any particularly striking features, her appearance was pleasant. Like Yeny, Emilia undoubtedly admired the adult women around her.
“I can still wear the clothes I brought from home.”
“Honestly… I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sorry. But, I want you both to dress as cutely as your age allows.”
Olivier’s consideration felt like the generosity of an adult, making the younger sisters even more eager to grow up. Yeny, in particular, who adored Jared as her older brother, desired to become like Olivier even more. Still, being young girls, it was a lie to say they didn’t want to dress up. Yeny and Emilia felt a mixture of wanting to be adults and childlike emotions, leaving them feeling restless.
“Then, why don’t you all have dresses made?”
Trane, who had been diligently cooking, suddenly stopped and made the suggestion.
“There will be Jared-sama’s introduction party, and soon there will be a party to celebrate the promotion of the two associated Court Mages. How about having dresses made for those occasions?”
“That’s right. Tres-sama and Adelina-sama are getting promoted.”
Through their connection with Jared, Tres Brauer and Adelina Bischof had become close to Olivier, and by extension, the Alway Ducal Family. They were now being promoted in the ranks of Court Mages. Tres would be Fourth Seat, and Adelina, Fifth Seat. Although they hadn’t achieved any major feats, their consistent efforts had been duly recognized. Tres, in particular, was to become the commander of the Royal Magic Knights, a unified force of the Royal Mage Corps and the Royal Knights, necessitating a suitable position. Additionally, it served as a means to adjust the seating for the young mages becoming Court Mages.
“Considering the Ducal Family and Jared-sama, there would be no harm in dressing up, would there?”
“…You’re right. I almost forgot. I’ve changed from my old ways.”
Olivier, who had abstained from aristocratic gatherings for several years, realized her old habits persisted. From now on, she would be seen not as the neglected daughter of the Ducal Family, but as the fiancée of Court Mage Jared Murphy. She couldn’t let the boy she loved be embarrassed.
“Alright. Then, let’s find time to have our dresses made. Of course, Yeny, Emilia, and you too, Trane.”
“M-me too?”
The sight of the usually expressionless maid flustered brought smiles not only to Olivier but also to the younger sisters.
“Of course. You are also an important member of our family, and my sister. I won’t leave you out.”
Olivier, who once believed she only needed her mother and Trane, now had a wider world. She had a fiancé and people she could call family, even if they weren’t related by blood. Without a doubt, Olivier Alway was happy.
