It was not the answer that I had wanted, but as she was adorable, I patted her on the head for being so good. It was a great mystery, but Michelie’s smile would always somehow make every other problem seem insignificant to me.

“Nevermind that sister. But how was the ball yesterday?”
“Huh? Oh, it was…”

As usual, my beloved sister would want to hear about very specific subjects. I organized my thoughts. Michelie was still so young, and I had to make the story easy to understand and as entertaining as possible.

“We all gathered at a place called a dance hall. It was full of pretty decorations and delicious food. It was an amazing and sparkly place, and in it, everyone wore dresses and danced and had fun. And in that, I was the most popular of all. Why, people would incessantly come to introduce themselves to me.”
“I know why. Because you are so cool!”
“Fufufuh, yes. Right, right, right!”

The conviction that my beloved sister adored me was my greatest joy in life.

“Also, there were other children my age there. But most of the time we were just there as our parents were greeting each other… Oh, that’s it. Michelie, I made a new friend.”
“Friend…?”
“Yes.”

I was, of course, talking about Charles. I had only talked with the other children of nobility while still wearing my princess disguise, so I had not made any honest friends there.
Now, perhaps I did make some sort of promise of secrecy with Charles, but my heart was constantly and fully open when it came to Michelie, and so the rules must be relaxed this time. It could not be helped.
Even so, I would keep out the parts that must remain a secret. Such as his name and that he was royalty and that we ruined a flower bed together. Those parts especially.

“The new friend is a boy. How can I say this, he was a small and wicked runt who unconsciously tried to corner me, a genius. He had the upper hand from the moment he appeared. He must be very lucky to have caught me like that.”
“A boy…”
“Yes. I was pretty close to acknowledging him as a rival, but in the end, I was completely victorious. But after a little talking, we decided to be friends on equal standing and things settled down. Is he not the most amusing?”
“…”

I was most entertained as I recalled those moments, but then I noticed something. The more I talked the quieter Michelie’s answers became. And she had now become very quiet.
Usually, her blue eyes would have glimmered brightly as she listened. What could have happened? I was worried as I looked into her face.

“What is it? Michelie?”
“…Sister…”

My black eyes met her blue ones. She continued in a desperate tone.

“Me and that boy friend, who do you like more?”
“I like you more!”

I said without a moment’s hesitation.
Apparently, my story about Charles had caused Michelie to feel a pang of jealousy. But my order of priority was unchanged, Michelie would always be number one in the whole world. I was so moved by Michelie’s adorable and innocent emotions that I hugged her tightly.

“I, your sister, will always, always love you! Now, long before, and from here on out, more than anyone!
“…Really?”
“Really!”
“…You promise?”
“I promise!”
“Promise, promise?”
“I promise, I promise, I promise!”
“…Eheheheh.”

I assured her repeatedly and Michelie finally started to smile again.
Now that her worries had been erased and her angelic and brilliant smile was restored, Michelie hugged me back with all of her strength.

“I love you too, sister!”
“Fufufuh. My love for you is even stronger than your love for me!”
“That’s not true! I love you just as much as you love me!”
“Oh, I’m not too sure!”
“It’s true!”
“Hooray! We both love each other equally!”
“Yes!”

With words and an embrace, our sisterly bond was reaffirmed and we basked in that bliss.
We sisters were the best of friends. After we had hugged for a while, we let go of each other with a smile of immense happiness.

“Fufufuh. We are the strongest pair. I think you will become good friends with him too one day.”

After all, according to my knowledge of my past life, this was a possible pairing that would leave me, his fiance, in the dust. In this current life, I was a genius, a bug. So I did not think such a thing would happen this time, but I still felt that they could get along quite well, if it was just as friends.
So I said those words with confidence, yet Michelie laughed and answered:

“I don’t think that is possible.”
“Huh?”

Her surprising denial left me at a loss for words.
Why would she declare that it was impossible if she hadn’t even met him?

“…is it, impossible? He is quite amusing, you know?”
“Yes. It’s still impossible!”

The genius brain of mine was left confused as Michelie laughed and started to grab and tug at my sleeves.