Indeed, so it seems. Your Excellency is beginning to resemble Lord Sergei.

No, I was just wondering what Ekaterina would say. She would have phrased it in a gentler way but then again, she is the one who resembled Grandfather the most.

Alexei chuckled, but Novaks satisfied expression did not change.

In the past, Alexei might have simply replied with dismissive words after hearing the petitioners complaints. However, after such a conversation, he responded in a relatively calm manner, and those who had suffered financial damage from Novadine and the others were to be compensated for their losses upon confirmation.

This led to the rise in his reputation, letting people believe that His Excellency was a man who listened to people surprisingly well.

Nevertheless, it was an exhausting time. Few people have a sane reason for wanting a peerage. It was painful for Alexei, a rational man, to have to deal with a story that made no sense to him.

At dinnertime, Ekaterinas absence was wearing on him. His sisters gentle voice was absent, as she would immediately notice and care for her brother if he looked tired.

He had agreed to send Ekaterina away to the mountain temple on his behalf, only because he knew that the desire-driven petitioners would make the Yurinova castle noisy. He had lived for so long without knowing the feelings of family since the loss of his grandfather.

He felt as if the walls around him had weakened.

Perhaps it was because he fell asleep with such thoughts in his head which caused him to have a dream.

Alexei was wandering around inside a huge building.

He knew it was a dream. It was a dream he had from time to time in the past.

In this dream, he was still a child, but for some reason he was dressed in formal clothes.

The area was dull, gray, and hazy. There should be a staircase or a corridor, but they seemed to be wavering.

Where is this place? Where am I now, and where will I end up this time? He was searching for something, without knowing what it was.

There was a dull pain in his chest.

If he could find what he was looking for, the pain would be healed. He knew that, but didnt even know what to look for. Alexei stood still, realizing that he didnt even know what he should be looking for.

There was no one.

There was nothing.

No sound.

How empty this place was.

He was always wandering around in his dreams. He searched and searched, but never found anything.

Then

Big Brother!

A sound was born in that empty world.

Its me, Ekaterina, I am here!

Alexei turned around.

The only color in the gray world was the appearance of an indigo-haired girl clad in an evening dress.

She came running as fast as she could, looking gorgeous at the celebration, her long skirt was held with elegance. A dim light, like a heavenly river, surrounded her joyful smile.

The Queen of the Night has arrived, with stars in tow.

Ekaterina

Spreading his arms, Ekaterina jumped in without hesitation.

Big Brother, Im so glad to see you!

Ekaterina!

Alexei hugged his sister.

She was supposed to look like a child, but she had changed into an eighteen-year-old, just like in reality.

EkaterinaEkaterina.

Big brother.

Looking up at her brother, Ekaterina smiled brightly.

This is my dream world. Its always been an empty world, so how did you show up here?

I dont know, but I have made an offering to a certain old god. It must have been a very likable offering to him, and pleased by it, He must have responded to my desire to meet you, my brother.

What god? A mountain god?

No, it was someone else.

Shaking her head, Ekaterina gives a mischievous look.

My brother. I hope you dont feel lonely without me tonight.