The tailor’s was as crowded as ever, but that hardly concerned the two ladies who sauntered into the shop as though they owned the place. 

“This way please, Your Highness.” The tailor’s daughter hastily opened the door to a private room and closed it behind her once the pair entered. “P-please forgive me for the ill-prepared reception, we received notification of your arrival on such short notice…” 

“Erm...merci de me...recevoir?¹"Thank you for having me" (Anastasia is trying to recall what Maria taught her here, hence the hesitation)” Anastasia said with an awkward smile. “I guess this is the first time we met, right? What’s your name?” 

“H-huh? Thank you for what?²It's hard to write this in words, but Anastasia wrongly pronounced recevoir with a 'ree' sound instead of 'ruh' causing some confusion. Oops, still getting there with the 'r' sound...” 

After hearing Rasputinaʼs translation, the tailor’s daughter gawked at the princess, momentarily stunned. “Your Highness wishes to know my n-n-name?”

“Mm-hmm.” Anastasia tilted her head to the side slightly. “You don’t wanna tell me?” 

It suddenly occurred to Rasputina that she had never known what the tailor’s daughter's name was despite frequenting the shop so many times before; she directed a curious glance at the daughter while she opened her mouth and hesitated. 

“N-no, I’m just surprised Your Highness would…” She shook her head and smiled back. “My name is Sevil, Your Highness.” 

“Ooh, your name is so pretty,” Anastasia remarked happily. 

“Sevil?” Rasputina murmured. “That’s the first time I’ve heard such a unique name, I must say.” 

She averted her gaze shyly. “The word ‘Sevil’ means ‘beloved’ in the Caliphanic language.” 

Anastasia gave her a puzzled look. “Caliphanic language…?” 

“It’s the language of the Ottoski Federation,” Rasputina explained and glanced at the tailor’s daughter. “Not many people outside of the Federation know and speak it fluently, so I suppose Sevil’s mother is from the Federation?” 

“You’re right, um…” Sevil gave an embarrassed smile. 

“Ah, sorry, I forgot to introduce myself.” She bowed politely. “Please call me Rasputina.” 

Sevil nodded her head. “You’re right, Rasputina. My father met my mother while studying the art of tailoring in Constantinople.” She opened her mouth to say something else, but thought against it at the last moment and turned her attention to Anastasia. “Your Highness, let’s take your measurements first, shall we?” 

Rasputina quietly watched from the side as Sevil pulled a measuring tape around Anastasia’s shoulders, back and waist, scribbling numbers down on her notepad as she did so. 

“Your Highness, may I have you sketch on this paper the dress you have in mind?” Sevil handed Anastasia the notepad and pen. “It doesn’t have to be very detailed, just a simple outline will do.” 

“Mm…sure thing…” Anastasia did as she requested and returned her notepad. “Something like that, I suppose? I’ll leave the lining and fabric to you.” 

“A sleeveless décollété knee-length dress…I have never seen such a strange yet charming style before,” Sevil commented as she admired the sketch. “I’ll see to it that your request is fulfilled, Your Highness.” 

“By the way, Sevil,” Rasputina chimed in. “Do you think you can make an identical outfit to the one I’m wearing now? I would like to have a spare change of clothes on hand.” 

“Hmm…? Wait, I’ve seen your dress before—” Sevil gasped in surprise “—so you’re the ‘big brother’ that the girl who ordered this dress was talking about?”

“E-eh, did she call me by such a weird nickname?” Rasputina let out an awkward chuckle. “That child, I honestly don’t know what to do with her.” 

Sevil also laughed politely along with her. “I see, I see. Sure, I can also fulfil your request alongside Her Highnessʼ. Same measurements as before, correct?” 

While they waited for Sevil to complete their order, Rasputina and Anastasia killed time strolling along the bustling main street of the capital. 

“Oh, right.” Rasputina clapped her hands together in delight. “Since weʼre already here, we might as well stop by the bakery and purchase some treats to bring along with us on our journey.”

“Ooh, we should, their butter sugar cookies are the best!” Anastasia nodded her head eagerly in agreement. “I hope they sell cookies at the Exposition-something too.”

“Itʼs called the Exposition Universelle.” Rasputina sighed and gave her a sidelong glance while she pushed open the door to the bakery. “Please try to remember its name at least, you know…” 

The barista, who was cleaning the countertop when they walked in, looked up and flashed them a standard customer service smile. “Welcome! Please help yourself to a table, dear customers.” 

“Thank you…” Rasputina paused and smiled apologetically. “Oh, we are ordering takeaway today, so we wonʼt be needing a table.”

“Understood. Will you be ordering the usual, two servings each?” 

“Mm, yes. Please pack them in one box.”

“Right away, Miss.” The barista nodded her head towards the nearest empty table. “Please take a seat first, youʼll be served shortly. Would you like some coffee in the meantime?”

“Homemade blend please, thank you so much.” Rasputina paid the barista and told her to keep the change as a tip for her service. 

“So…” Anastasia gave Rasputina a sheepish smile while they sat at the table. “What will we be doing at the Exposition uh…Universelle?” 

She returned her smile with a “you are kidding me right now” look on her face. “You werenʼt paying attention to what the King was telling us yesterday, were you?” 

“Uh…ehe.”

“Ehe?” She let out a resigned sigh. “You and I are there as official representatives of the Aetherium Empire. Our role is mainly to oversee the Empireʼs exhibition and also engage in uh…diplomatic stuff.” 

“You donʼt seem to know what we are doing there too…” Anastasia paused as the barista approached their table and placed Rasputinaʼs order in front of her. “…wait a minute, Rasputina. You are from the Königreich, arenʼt you? Why are you representing the Empire instead?” 

Rasputina thanked the barista and raised the cup to her lips, inhaling the rich aroma wafting from the freshly-brewed coffee. “The Königreich isnʼt officially participating in the Exposition, so I am simply there as an invited guest of the Empire. Youʼll be doing the majority of the appearances and speeches—as a princess should—so you ought to start doing your research on the Exposition and representatives from the major participating nations.” 

“Ugh, I have to study politics in addition to the language here?” Anastasia scrunched up her face in disapproval. 

“Itʼs for your sake, you know. You wonʼt want to embarrass yourself in front of the entire world, right?” Rasputina drank her coffee in small sips, relishing the strong caffeine kick, and smiled wryly. “Donʼt worry, I am stuck with you on a steam train for five days and five nights, so we shall suffer together.” 

“Steam train…?” Anastasiaʼs eyes widened. “W-w-wait, we can take a train there?!”

She smiled wryly. “What, were you expecting to ride a miserable horse-drawn carriage across half of the Empireʼs massive territory?” 

“I wasnʼt expecting trains to exist in this world as well,” Anastasia admitted. “What do they look like? Ooh, something like the Harry Potter train?” 

“What are you talking about?” Rasputina laughed while shaking her head in jest. “Itʼs called the Orient Express, not whatever funny name you just conjured up.” 

“Orient Express…” The princess paused as she tried to recall where she had heard such a familiar name before. “Hang on, thereʼs gonna be a murder on the train?!”