When Hannelore contacted her family, the tailor who had previously made Olivier’s clothes arrived that very day.
“It is a great pleasure to see you again, Lady Olivier. I am Landock,” the tailor said.
“Oh, Landock, you are too grand. But yes, it has been nearly ten years since we last met,” Olivier replied.
“I have grown quite old, but to be able to make your dress once more… it is worth living for,” Landock murmured.
Landock, whom Olivier hadn’t seen in about ten years, was now grey-haired and middle-aged. He mentioned having grandchildren, and Olivier couldn’t help but feel the passage of time.
He, along with his daughter, expertly took the measurements of the women.
Olivier had initially thought of having just one dress made for herself and a few for her sisters. However, due to Landock’s recommendations and her family’s insistence that one shouldn’t wear the same dress to every party, she ended up agreeing to have three dresses made.
Her fiancé, who wasn’t present, heard about the dresses and offered to buy them as a gift. Olivier pondered whether it was right to use money earned by her future husband, a magician, so lavishly. However, she also felt that refusing too stubbornly might be impolite, so she decided to accept his offer this time.
Though Olivier, born into a Ducal Family, had never been fond of extravagance since she was young, seeing her sisters’ happy faces made her realize she shouldn’t let them hold back because of her.
After all, it would be a gift from Jared, and Olivier herself was thrilled.
“I have known you since you were a child. When you marry, please allow me, Landock, to make your wedding dress,” Landock said as he left in the evening after finishing the dress-making, sharing nostalgic memories with Olivier.
He had likely heard many rumors about Olivier’s engagement. He must have also heard about their broken engagements. Yet, Landock, seeing Olivier’s happy face, grasped that she would surely get married. His smile was like that of a grandfather delighted by his grandchild’s growth.
“You must be tired today. Rest from preparing dinner,” her mother said.
“I am fine. I will help,” Olivier replied.
“Then, it will be just Trane and I. Yeny and Emilia, you can have tea with Mother,” her mother instructed.
Her younger sisters also offered to help, but likely tired from the long measurement session, they readily accepted their mother’s suggestion.
Leaving her younger sisters with their mother, Olivier headed to the kitchen with Trane to begin preparing dinner.
“Hmph, Pfeil. Why do you always come here for snacks around this time?” Olivier admonished.
“I’m sorry. But I was training, so I got hungry. I ran out of rations, so I couldn’t help myself,” Pfeil replied, taking a bite out of an apple.
“Honestly, I made you some snacks, didn’t I? Did you already eat them?” Trane asked.
“The sweets Trane makes are delicious, but Rosa stole half of them. I’ll get her back next time,” Pfeil grumbled.
“You two are always fighting. You’re not little children anymore,” Trane sighed, taking cookies she had made beforehand from a cupboard. Olivier saw Trane’s actions as those of an older sister looking after a mischievous younger brother.
“Fruit is good, but this will fill your stomach more. However, if you don’t leave any for dinner, I won’t forgive you,” Trane said.
“Understood. Then I shall have some… Mmm, this is also delicious. With plenty of nuts and chocolate, it feels luxurious,” Pfeil replied, munching on the cookies like a small animal. Trane, showing an uncharacteristically clear smile at Pfeil, made Olivier smile too.
“You two are just like siblings,” Olivier remarked.
“—W-What? Do you think so?” Pfeil stammered.
“Pfeil as a younger brother… He can be a bit of a handful, but yes, that might be nice. I don’t have any memories from before, but perhaps I had a brother like you,” Olivier mused.
“Hey, Pfeil, why don’t you try calling me ‘older sister’? Of course, you can call me that too,” Trane prompted.
“Pfeil, please call me ‘older sister.’ For some reason, it feels nostalgic,” Olivier added.
Pfeil, under their expectant gazes, shifted his eyes, hugged the plate of cookies, and then quickly left the kitchen, exclaiming, “Who would call anyone ‘older sister’!”
“Oh, what a shame,” Olivier said.
“Indeed. But why do I feel nostalgic about being called ‘older sister’?” Trane questioned.
“Perhaps you really did have a brother somewhere. You haven’t thought about it recently, but can you not remember anything about your past?” Olivier asked.
Several years had passed since Olivier had taken Trane in. She had tried to find Trane’s family in the past, but due to her lack of memories, she couldn’t find anyone close to her. Trane herself didn’t dwell on the past and lived each day anew, so she hadn’t deeply considered it. However, Olivier couldn’t help but wonder where her precious family was and what they were doing. More than anything, if Trane had family somewhere looking for her, Olivier wanted to reunite them.
“It’s a shame, but I can’t remember anything,” Trane said.
“I see… I hope you can remember someday,” Olivier replied.
“Yes. But I was found by you, Lady Olivier, and Lady Hannelore, and treated as family. Now my family has grown, and my days are lively, so I am happy,” Trane declared with a clear smile.
Olivier embraced her cherished sister, who wasn’t related by blood but was an irreplaceable part of her life, with all her might.
“I am also happy because you are here,” Olivier said.
Olivier strongly felt that she was very fortunate to have such a precious family, even without blood ties.
