Chapter 3: The Fox and the Wildcat

 

 

 

Chapter 3: The Fox and the Wildcat

 

“GOODNESS! What a fresh new look!!”

Lady Natalie’s eyes went wide when she took in the changed appearance of the villa’s backyard.

Her shock was understandable.

I had been using my magic to clear out trees for five days now.

The space where more than one hundred trees had once stood was now a spacious opening flooded with sunlight from above. I believed it would serve well to make up most of the dog park I had planned. I only needed to cut down a few more, then leave the fence building to the carpenters.

They had just arrived at the villa today, as a matter of fact. I could see them in the distance, busy with their work while simultaneously taken aback by the cleared-out forest.

“I’m going to make this a space for the dogs to run around in and get some exercise. You should come see it when it’s all finished, Lady Natalie.”

“I would love to!!”

Her face lit up right away.

The way she couldn’t hide her excitement was quite cute. She was truly acting like the sixteen-year-old girl that she was.

Fluffy friends were one reason she came to my home today.

One of my servants had brought his companion animal here two days earlier. He assured me that his dog was well trained and wouldn’t bite or snap at anyone.

Once I had the owner’s permission, we agreed that Lady Natalie would try her hand at petting the animal.

“This way, Lady Natalie. Please try not to make any loud noises on the way.”

She nodded instantly and wordlessly.

I led her around to the back where the companion animal was waiting.

“Good afternoon, Dynus. How is Snarl, your companion animal, doing today?”

“He seems quite well. It’s only his second day here, but it’s almost as if he’s grown used to the place already.”

Snarl, the dog tied up to the back of the house, was small, with droopy ears so large that they hung all the way down to his jaw. The size of the dog’s whole head almost rivaled those impressive ears.

The fur on Snarl’s belly was white, while his back was brown and black. He appeared about one size smaller than a beagle would have been on Earth.

His dark-brown eyes looked back and forth between us. The dog’s short fur was smooth and glossy. I could tell he’d been well-groomed.

Snarl showed no fear as Lady Natalie, a stranger, approached. He wagged his tail and stepped closer.

Just as Dynus had described, Snarl appeared to be a friendly dog who loved humans.

“…!!”

Lady Natalie was silently squirming.

Her face was still in doll mode, perhaps because Dynus was with us, but I could tell just how ecstatic she was. A quiet celebration took place as the girl realized she was finally on the verge of petting an adorable animal.

“Dynus, do we have your permission to pet Snarl?”

“By all means. He really loves attention, so you’ll be making him very happy.”

“Thank you. Now please watch what I do and follow along, Lady Natalie.”

I leaned down silently, being careful not to aggravate the dog, and placed the back of my hand in front of Snarl. He sniffed at it, taking in my scent, then nuzzled his head against my hand as if to get a feel for the sensation. His short fur glided across my skin until I reached one of his droopy ears.

I let Snarl take control for a while before moving my hand to stroke his head. I pet from the top of his head down to the scruff of his neck, keeping my palm nice and limp. Snarl seemed to want more. He was grinding his head into my hand.

“Oh! Snarl sure took a quick liking to you, Your Majesty.”

“He’s a very sweet, friendly boy. Here, Lady Natalie. Join me and try petting him too.”

“Okay! I’ll give it my best shot!”

She looked nervous as she crouched down to the ground.

When she stretched out her hand toward Snarl, he quickly ducked away from her.

“What…? Does he hate me…?”

“Hold on for just a minute. You saw how you brought your hand down toward him from above? Many dogs are wary of such a motion.”

You could move your hand down from above, or up from below. It may seem like a small difference, but it’s not uncommon for dogs to feel alarmed by one of these methods.

Humans are no different from giants in the eyes of a small dog. Who wouldn’t run away if a giant swung its hand down at you from above?

I only wanted her to keep that in mind, but instead, she pulled her hand away in a panic.

Snarl was just as startled by the quick motion. He took a few steps away from her.

“Ah…”

“…There’s no need to be so upset, Lady Natalie.”

Her expression remained blank, but her aura was proving easier to read than I would have imagined. Perhaps the presence of the cute little dog was causing her to let her guard down.

“Moving your hand so quickly only scared him. He wouldn’t hate you because of something like that. Look, Snarl’s back already! Try petting him from below this time, and go slowly, so you don’t startle him.”

“O-Okay!”

Lady Natalie nervously stretched her hand out toward the dog. Little by little, she closed the distance between them, until her pale palm landed on Snarl’s fur.

“So warm…”

I could tell the words slipped right from her lips when she felt Snarl’s coat.

With just one petting, she had already fallen captive to the alluring phenomenon of fur.

◇　◇　◇

LADY Natalie and I sat down to have tea together after she spent some time petting Snarl.

My servants set up a table in the front yard, under the bright-blue sky of the sunny day, and lined it with sweets. In addition to normal snacks like cookies, one plate also held my new-and-improved version of the chiffon cake.

Serving the cake would surely be of significance to Lady Natalie. In truth, I wasn’t planning on having it at all at first.

But after she told me directly that she wanted to try it, I decided I wanted to make that a reality for her.

“It’s delicious. The texture is somehow both soft and moist. It’s very intriguing…”

Lady Natalie neatly cut into the cake with her fork, then brought a bite up to her petite lips.

She finished off her slice, took a drink of black tea, and opened her mouth to speak.

“I may know nothing when it comes to cooking, but even I can tell that the flavor and texture of this cake are far different from the one made by Chef Giran. …If you’d given up the fight, that terrible attempt may have been what everyone knew as a ‘chiffon cake.’ …I really can’t apologize enough.”

Lady Natalie expressed her regrets as if she, not her subordinates, was the one behind the theft.

She was nothing like the fearful girl I had just seen in front of Snarl.

While I knew she may very well be putting on a brave face while still feeling timid on the inside, it was certainly impressive and promising behavior.

“…I know this doesn’t make up for my actions, but I have some information for you, Your Majesty. I’ve heard that the candidate for queen who lives in the eastern villa is planning on inviting you to her home.”

She watched eagerly for my reaction with her regal eyes.

“…The eastern villa candidate. That’s Lady Kate of the Wildcat clan, correct?”

I recalled the map of the territory that made up the royal castle grounds.

The main palace where King Glenreed resided was located in the middle of the vast area, slightly toward the north.

The four candidates to become the next queen lived in royal villas surrounding his castle on all four sides. The direction each woman lived in represented the area of the kingdom her family came from. Lady Natalie was granted the western villa, as she had moved here from the western region of Wolfvarte.

“Lady Kate is the eldest daughter of the duke who governs the eastern territory. I’ve heard rumors of both her pride and beauty. How would you describe her, Lady Natalie?”

“I suppose I’d call her my exact opposite,” Lady Natalie responded after a moment of thought. “She’s very cheerful and expressive. I would even call her strong-willed. Her hair and facial features are beautiful, her cat ears are well-groomed, and her tail is bent at the end. I remember how much that tail of hers always moved.”

So she has a kinked tail?

Lady Natalie’s love of animals seemed to result in her taking in all sorts of details.

I had never met Lady Kate before, but I could easily picture the beautiful cat girl with a kink in her tail from that description.

“She sounds like a very lively person.”

“Yes, and that’s why she’s my exact opposite. …Both in personality, and in how she managed to become one of the candidates.”

“…So the rumors are true? Lady Kate and her sister were engaged in a power struggle for the candidacy?”

The eighteen-year-old Lady Kate supposedly had a half sister who was one year younger than her.

The mother of this half sister was a woman of high status; however, she was somewhat cruel to Lady Kate’s own mother. It was rumored that the family had quietly been at war over which daughter would be up for consideration as the next queen candidate.

The battle of the women of the Wildcat clan.

The word catfight flashed in my mind for a moment, but I kept the thought to myself.

“I don’t know for certain, but from what I could tell, Lady Kate did seem hostile toward her sister. It would probably be best not to mention her.”

“Thank you for the information. You’ve been a big help.”

“…I deserve no thanks.”

She brought her cup of tea to her lips. Perhaps it was to hide the slight blush on her cheeks.

I imagined that between her parents’ strict discipline and Diaz’s constant monitoring, Lady Natalie wasn’t used to being praised. She was the one sent to be a candidate for queen after her older sister fell ill. But at heart, she was a kind girl who loved animals, with no desire for power or prestige.

It was almost the exact opposite for Lady Kate, who had fought her own half sister for the very same position.

Lady Natalie never wanted to be queen, whereas Lady Kate struggled against a sister she shared blood with for the title.

If only they’d been in each other’s positions. It was unfortunate indeed.

I pondered the bent-tailed Wildcat candidate and her difficult circumstances until I felt the presence of something approaching us.

This was no Wildcat, but a feline of my very own villa.

Berry, the Gardener Cat, was silently wandering up to us.

“How cute! Is this your pet cat, Your Majesty?”

“Something like that, I suppose?”

Berry was transfixed by the plates of cookies set atop our table.

Each bite-size cookie was made with crushed strawberries mixed into the dough. They came out of the oven with a faint pink color. I prepared them to familiarize Lady Natalie with strawberries, as the cookies didn’t contain the fruit’s original shape. They were a cute color as well.

“Your eyes are as sharp as ever, Berry…”

As a lover of strawberries, Berry had already tried these cookies, of course.

But now it appeared that she wasn’t satisfied and had come to beg for more.

She sure was perceptive, considering these cookies barely resembled or smelled like strawberries at all.

The cat walked right up to the legs of our table and stared up at us.

“…Lady Natalie, would you mind giving her one of those cookies?”

“Are you sure?”

“Berry is a Mythical Beast known as a Gardener Cat. It’s safe for her to eat cookies.”

“A Gardener Cat!! I’ve never seen one before!”

“I hear they’re quite rare. I’d appreciate it if you could keep her presence here a secret.”

It felt like a good idea to keep her existence a secret.

Lady Natalie seemed to understand. She quickly nodded in response.

Her eyes stayed glued to Berry the entire time.

“Here you go.”

Lady Natalie held out a cookie.

The cat stood up on her hind legs and clutched the cookie between her paw pads.

“She stood up!! Your Majesty, she stood up!!” cried Lady Natalie, her cheeks turning slightly red.

The excited girl and I struck up a more lively conversation as we watched Berry eat her cookie.

Our time together was both enjoyable and nostalgic to me.

When Krona, the maid, was still here, the two of us sometimes chatted casually together like this.

The fond memories of the time she spent in the villa stung my heart.

“…Oh, Berry, you finished your cookie? Lady Natalie, you can pet her now, if you wish.”

Berry didn’t run away when the girl stretched her hand out. I wondered if she was just that happy to have had a taste of her beloved strawberries.

Lady Natalie couldn’t hide the smile on her face as she took in the feeling of the cat’s soft fur.

The two of us spent our afternoon enjoying Berry’s company as we chatted. Eventually, it was time for Lady Natalie to leave.

She seemed like she wasn’t ready to go yet. I had one last thing I wanted to ask her anyway.

“You said that Lady Kate and you are exact opposites, right?”

“Yes, absolutely.”

“In both your personality and in your past reasons for becoming candidates…but that’s not all, is it?”

It wasn’t just their histories.

Lady Natalie might be seeking a different future as well.

I decided to ask her about her feelings on the turmoil surrounding the queen candidacy.

“I’ve heard that Lady Kate is very strong-willed and that she desires to be King Glenreed’s next wife more than anyone else. Is that correct?”

“…Yes. All four of us were battling behind the scenes, but no one wanted it more than Lady Kate.”

“And that intense desire hasn’t changed since I arrived in this kingdom, has it?”

“I don’t believe so.”

“…So that makes you the ‘complete opposite’ of Lady Kate, yes?”

“…Yes, that’s probably a good way to think of it.”

She spoke as if talking about someone else entirely. Her reply was hard to read, but she made no attempt to deny my implication, which helped me understand her true feelings.

Lady Natalie most likely had no intentions of becoming the next queen whatsoever.

She was only in her position as a replacement for her ill sister in the first place, and she didn’t seem at all interested in power or prestige. I believed that becoming the queen was never even a priority for her at all. However, she desperately stayed in the running so as not to let down her parents and everyone else in her life.

I respected her efforts, but there was no doubt that the plagiarism led by Diaz had been a big blow to the work she’d put in. I didn’t regret exposing Diaz’s crimes, but I couldn’t deny that I was responsible for hurting Lady Natalie’s chances of becoming the next queen. I was sure she knew just how bad her prospects looked too.

But she wasn’t going to ramp her efforts up just because the going was tough. Lady Natalie already seemed to have given up on winning this battle. She had other plans in mind. In her current position, that was the best option, but with the expectations of her family on her…

There was no way she could ever say the words “I withdraw from consideration as the next queen.”

If she ever stated something like that publicly, she may very well have been forced out of the castle altogether. For that reason, she phrased it abstractly by saying she was the exact opposite of Lady Kate, who was desperate to be selected as queen.

It was certainly a slow way of doing things, but perhaps, when considering Lady Natalie’s circumstances and responsibilities, it was the best option.

She had lots of demeaning words for herself, but when it came to difficult truths, she struck me as a very clever person in how she came up with indirect ways to express herself.

“…I understand your thinking, Lady Natalie. By the way, does your father, the duke, share your feelings on that?”

“I think he’s a bit more motivated than I am… However, after what happened with Diaz, he doesn’t seem as strict about wanting me to become the next queen.”

Her eyebrows arched a bit sadly.

It looked like she felt guilty that she couldn’t live up to her father’s expectations.

I remembered feeling the exact same way when my engagement fell apart.

“…I’m not confident I would be the best queen for this country. I’m a timid person, and the people who raised me are terribly prejudiced against beastfolk. The beastfolk of this kingdom wouldn’t welcome a family like mine joining His Majesty at the highest seat in Wolfvarte.”

“No matter how fantastic a queen may be, it’s unlikely that every single citizen of this kingdom will take a liking to her. In fact…”

I looked at Lady Natalie.

She was the girl who came here in place of her older sister.

But regardless of how it came to be, she was still a candidate to become the next queen.

“Beastfolk and humans have a complicated relationship, of course, but that can still be changed. You’re here right now to represent your family. Regardless of whether you wished for it or not, your position comes with obligations, influence, and power.”

“Power? But I—”

“You could, for example, make it public that you see beastfolk as friends. Your family won’t support such an action, I’m sure, but if you stick to your opinions, it could easily change your family’s current stance, for better or worse.”

Perhaps, to Lady Natalie, everything I was saying was unfair. I was urging her not to stay silent in the face of her family’s prejudice. She needed to make use of the power that came with her position.

“Even if you act, I can’t be certain that the results will be favorable. It could just as easily backfire. If your family decides you’re no longer useful to them once you’re not merely a puppet, they may even decide to deal with you by imprisonment or assassination.”

I warned her of the dangers.

Much like her nickname of “Doll Princess” would imply, Lady Natalie had lived her entire life at the orders of her parents. I didn’t know how things would turn out if that doll suddenly learned how to act on her own.

“I…”

The girl was trembling.

“I don’t know if I can do such a thing properly, and I highly doubt that my father, my family, and the people of my homeland will approve of those actions. However…”

She continued on.

“Nevertheless, I agree that it’s not okay to ignore the way my family is worsening relations between humans and beastfolk. If I can make a difference, even if it takes a long time to do so, then it would give purpose to my position as a candidate.”

“Lady Natalie…”

“Thank you, Your Majesty. May I continue to receive your help from now on? I’m lacking in so many ways, and I know almost nothing about beastfolk and their companion animals. I would love to hear more about them, perhaps over tea like today.”

“Of course. Berry and I will be waiting for you here at the villa with tea and snacks.”

Lady Natalie and I came from different lands. We belonged to different factions. I couldn’t give her my direct support, but I could hear her out when she wanted to talk or complain, and I could certainly revel in the joy of adorable animals with her.

“Thank you so much!”

Her face lit up in response.

I was sure she was still uneasy, but she appeared to have made her choice.

“…If only…”

“Did you say something, Lady Natalie?”

“…No, it’s nothing. I have a date in mind for my next visit!”

With a happy, if not somewhat rushed, look, Lady Natalie began to describe her schedule.

“If only you could be the queen forever.”

I wouldn’t learn of Lady Natalie’s words for some time to come.

◇　◇　◇

I saw Lady Natalie off, asked the servants to clean up the tea party, then received an envelope from one of my maids.

It was an invitation from one of the candidates.

This was exactly as Lady Natalie had predicted; however, one important detail was different.

“This invitation is signed by Lady Kate of the eastern villa and Lady I-Liena of the northern villa?”

Lady Kate was of the Wildcat clan.

Lady I-Liena belonged to the Snow-Fox clan.

The two candidates possessed cat ears and fox ears respectively, and now, I would soon be meeting both.

◇　◇　◇

WHY would Lady Kate of the Wildcat clan and Lady I-Liena of the Snow-Fox clan both sign my invitation?

I believed the reason for this likely originated with Lady Kate.

Lady Natalie and Lady Kate were the two of the four candidates who were regarded as the most likely selections to take my place as queen. Now that Lady Natalie had lost her power during the plagiarism scandal, Lady Kate was the obvious frontrunner.

I was sure she was planning to invite me to her home, display her superiority as a candidate, then try to get me on her side in the battle. However, there were also circumstances that would make it difficult for her to form a relationship with me.

This time, opposition came from within.

The majority of the residents in Lady Kate’s eastern homeland were beastfolk, including Wildcat clan members. Unfortunately, many beastfolk did not look kindly upon humans. Just as humans mocked beastfolk for being “mutts,” some beastfolk also used the term “hairless apes” to demean humans.

“Hairless… That’s a harsh insult to some humans…”

I smiled bitterly from inside my carriage.

Fortunately, my older brothers and my father still had plenty of hair left on their heads. But there was no shortage of middle-aged and elderly people who struggled with hair loss, regardless of their class. Who knew what kind of carnage could result from poking fun at their baldness?

Well, actually, such a result had already happened.

I’d heard that fights breaking out between enraged humans and beastfolk over the term “hairless ape” wasn’t uncommon in this kingdom.

“It’s not very funny at all…”

I loved the fluffy tails and fuzzy ears of beastfolk, but that didn’t mean each and every single one of them was a good person.

The small numbers of beastfolk in other kingdoms tended to result in them being mistreated, but here, they made up just under half of the entire population. In Lady Kate’s home territory, where the vast majority of people were beastfolk, many of the local population looked down on humans.

I’d learned that many of Lady Kate’s close associates weren’t comfortable with humans either. From their perspective, my title as queen was only a formality, and my status as a human wouldn’t earn me a warm welcome.

I was sure that was a problem for Lady Kate. She wanted to invite me over and make an ally out of me, but it would be difficult to convince her subordinates. Instead, she and Lady I-Liena had banded together to avoid such troubles.

Lunch was being held at Lady Kate’s villa today. Lady I-Liena, who was also going to be in attendance, expressed the desire to have me join them.

That seemed to be the gist of it. I was certain Lady Kate had arranged with her beforehand to invite me herself.

Though it was Lady Kate’s lunch, Lady I-Liena was the one who had insisted upon my presence. Both of their names were signed to the invitation as well. That appeared to be the key to convincing Lady Kate’s human-hating servants to go along with their plan.

“Such a hassle… Aristocrats always make things much too complicated…”

The lower-middle-class self inside me let out a loud sigh.

I already wanted to go back home to my villa.

The beastfolk I interacted with on a daily basis like Edgar and Borgan were all kind people. It was almost easy to forget…that beastfolk and humans had a difficult relationship. My personal relations were just fine, but as a public figure, there were many walls and obstacles I had to navigate around.

Once I arrived and exited my carriage, I switched off the melodramatic background music playing in my head. I put on my best smile so as to not give my gloomy heart away. It wasn’t long before I was thrown right into the swing of things.

“Welcome, Queen Laetitia. We’re so honored to have you here with us today.”

A beautiful girl with silver hair, fox ears, and a tail was outside to greet me. Her slender golden eyes were just slightly red at each corner, giving them an entrancing look.

As beautiful as she was, I was more interested in the ball of fur at her side.

An incredibly fluffy fox with a silky golden-brown coat and five plush tails stood there with an elegant posture.

“Oh my. Are you fond of foxes, Your Majesty?”

She smiled sweetly at me.

Sure, I did get distracted by her fox’s fuzziness, but I was purposefully trying not to let it show on my face.

The girl was perceptive.

“My name is I-Liena. I’d be so happy if the two of us could be friends.”

“I’m Laetitia. Thank you for your generous invitation today.”

The two of us exchanged spirited greetings.

Lady I-Liena of the Snow-Fox clan was the candidate for queen who resided in the northern villa. I’d known her name for some time now, and it was actually our second time meeting directly. The first was during His Majesty’s birthday celebration. I was more focused on Diaz and her followers’ actions on that day. Therefore, this was our first real one-on-one conversation.

Lady I-Liena was a beautiful woman and the same age as King Glenreed at twenty-four years old.

The Snow-Fox clan had a rich culture of their own, so she was clad in unusual garments. Layers of dyed and patterned fabric made up her tunic. It reminded me somewhat of kimonos or the native garments of the Ainu people that I knew from my past life.

“I’ve heard rumors of your companion animal’s beauty.”

I was referring to the gorgeous fox waiting at Lady I-Liena’s side.

This creature was known as the two-tailed fox. On the outside, they appeared to be normal foxes with long tails, but the number of tails varied, despite the name. Usually they only had two, but some had more; the more tails, the rarer they were considered to be.

Lady I-Liena’s five-tailed fox was a physical representation of her own notable status.

The rare creature boasted an overwhelming amount of fur. Each of its five long tails swished back and forth.

The elegant yet charming animal was incredibly stunning.

“Why, thank you. He seems happy to receive your praise.”

“So he’s both beautiful and clever.”

“How kind of you to say. Would you like to pet him?”

It was an invitation.

The underlying message behind an invitation to pet her companion animal upon our first real meeting was “I hope we can be friends.” Rejecting such an offer would be rude, and I had no reason to either. I didn’t fully understand why Lady I-Liena had cooperated with Lady Kate in inviting me here, but I decided not to play games for the time being.

This was a fantastic opportunity to pet a very rare animal.

“All right, then. Don’t mind if I do.”

I crouched down and stroked the fox’s head.

Unlike Lord Aroo and the wolves, this fox had a coat that was silky smooth.

As I let my hand glide across that wonderful fur, taking in the sensation, I felt a soft breeze hit my cheek.

Swish. Fluff. Fwish.

One of the fox’s long tails was gently grazing my cheek.

Each of the five tails were swishing against my body at his whim.

Animals are so amazing!!

I almost broke out into a smile when I realized just what exactly was happening. The impending doom I’d felt in the carriage disappeared in an instant.

I pet the incredibly fluffy fox, let him pet me back with his tails, until it was time to leave again. I didn’t want to say goodbye, but I had to continue my conversation with Lady I-Liena as she led me into Lady Kate’s villa.

Lady I-Liena’s silver-white hair and fox ears were like physical embodiments of the name “Snow-Fox clan.” Her body was curvy and feminine underneath the brightly bejeweled native clothes she wore. The pleasant smile on her face emphasized her eye-catching red lips.

The northern region of Wolfvarte from which she hailed was a snowy area that was generally said to be distrustful of outsiders. However, Lady I-Liena didn’t seem hostile to me at all. She was skilled at conversation too.

Though she was friendly on the outside, I needed to stay alert. I almost felt like she was about to lead the conversation in a direction I had no control over whatsoever.

“I’m Laetitia. Thank you very much for inviting me here today.”

Lady Kate was waiting for us in the dining room. I introduced myself to her there.

It was my first time meeting Lady Kate face-to-face.

She was a beautiful girl with oval eyes, golden-brown hair, and well-groomed cat ears.

“Welcome, Your Majesty. Thank you for traveling such a distance to join us.”

It was almost a normal greeting at first glance, though I sensed a certain bite in her words, as if the “long trip” she was referring to was the one I made from a foreign country to become King Glenreed’s wife.

“Oh my, Lady Kate, what’s the matter? Your fur is standing up on end.”

“Could you please keep such comments to yourself? I see that smirk on your face again.”

Lady Kate immediately lashed back at Lady I-Liena’s quip.

She really did look like a cat whose fur was standing on end.

---

---

These two women invited me here together, but they didn’t seem to get along particularly well. I’d heard that Lady Kate was a strong-willed person, so maybe that was why. So long as only one candidate could be made the next queen of this land, there was no doubt in my mind that she would be on guard around her every rival.

It was then that I realized something strange. I could see Lady Kate’s cat ears twitching on top of her head, but her tail was nowhere in sight.

Beastfolk treated their tails the same way humans treated their limbs. Their clothes always had special holes just for their tails to hang free.

I knew that Lady Kate had a short, kinked tail, so perhaps she was hiding it along her back?

It was a stark contrast to Lady I-Liena’s plush tail.

I feared the two of them would devolve into a full-blown argument if I left them alone, so I decided to change the subject.

“Lady Kate, is that the famous rock salt from the eastern region that I see?”

There was a large crystal on display in the center of the dining table. It was as large as my head, with a beautiful, glittery surface.

“Yes, that’s right. What a surprise to hear that a foreigner such as yourself is familiar with it.”

“I’ve heard the rock salt from the eastern region is abundant and of the highest quality. It even shines like crystal when it’s polished.”

This famous product from the east was sometimes referred to as “white gold.”

Lady Kate puffed her chest out with pride to hear my praise for her local specialty. She was easy to read, or rather, she was very expressive, just as Lady Natalie had told me. Despite the pointedness I’d sensed in her words at first, perhaps she wasn’t a bad person after all.

“Hehe! You’re pretty clever for a human. Most of the ones I know have forgotten the wonders of salt. Don’t you think humans are so silly for using all those lavish spices?”

“Well, I enjoy both salt and spices.”

“I’m more fond of a salty taste, myself.”

“…Lady I-Liena, this has nothing to do with your opinion.”

Lady Kate seemed displeased with both Lady I-Liena’s interruption and my own response.

Salt and spices.

Both were vital elements when it came to cooking, but that wasn’t their only role in this kingdom.

Lady Kate’s home region, in eastern Wolfvarte, had been the main producer of rock salt since long ago. On the other hand, the kingdom’s main harbors were generally located in the west, where Lady Natalie’s family came from. Their main import was spices from overseas.

The nobles of Lady Natalie’s hometown used an overabundance of spices in their cooking both as a form of antagonization toward beastfolk and also as a display of the value of the ports where said spices were brought to the kingdom.

It made sense that one would have an attachment to the products originating from their own lands. Lady Kate’s question of my preference for salt or spices definitely held a deeper meaning. Lady Kate’s hometown was famous for its rock salt, while Lady Natalie’s highly valued spices. She wanted to know which party my alliance was with.

Both salt and spices were delicious.

I thought that might be the best answer to give.

With that, lunch was served right away.

As I’d imagined, most of the dishes were seasoned with salt.

The pickled cabbage was supposedly made much like sauerkraut was back on Earth. As sour as it was, I was pretty certain no vinegar had been used. The chopped cabbage was mixed with salt, then left to ferment. The sour taste was refreshing and paired well with the main dish of herb sausages. I could have easily helped myself to many more servings.

The sausage had a pleasant snap with each bite. It was the perfect texture to go along with the crisp fermented cabbage. I imagined it was a meal that kept well too. I decided to make it myself at the villa some other time.

I’d heard that beastfolk, even among the upper classes, only ever used spices in moderation. It appeared that was true. Though the meal was a bit salty, I felt as if I preferred it to the foods served to human aristocrats.

“Lady Kate, thank you for the wonderful meal.”

“I’m honored to hear you’re enjoying it, Your Majesty. It included a bounty of rock salt harvested directly from my hometown. I’m quite confident in its quality.”

Lady Kate seemed pleased, though her eyes contained a distinct, pointed glimmer.

“Can I be confident in the honesty of your praise for my lunch, and for your acceptance of my invitation today?”

“Of course. Is something weighing on your mind?”

“…This is taking too long.”

Her eyes were focused on me.

“Your Majesty, I’d like to ask you a question. Do you have any intentions of aiding me in becoming the next queen? You accepted my invitation and came to visit me today. Shall I interpret that as a showing of your alliance to me and my candidacy?”

It’s déjà vu, all right.

Diaz had asked me the same question upon my first visit to Lady Natalie’s villa. She had believed I was going to support Lady Natalie because we were both humans. However, once Lady Natalie lost her influence and that power went to Lady Kate’s side, Lady Kate seemed to believe that would earn her my support.

It was true that her chances of becoming the next queen would be high, so long as nothing rocked the boat too much along the way. As the current queen, even if I was only a placeholder, my support of Lady Kate would nearly assure her victory.

Perhaps the best option for me would be to ally myself with her, the clear winner in this race, and use it to benefit the relationship with my homeland once she was queen.

I was aware of that possible outcome, but there were still concerns that weighed on my mind. I couldn’t bring myself to agree to her request.

“…I’d like the two of us to be friends, and—”

“…! What a great answer!!”

Her ears perked and her expression lit up.

But unfortunately for her, she hadn’t let me finish.

“…And I’d like to be friends with Lady I-Liena as well.”

“…What do you mean by that?”

Lady Kate’s joyful face did a complete reversal.

Her reaction was more proof of why I couldn’t support her in becoming the next queen. Even during this short conversation, I could see she had trouble keeping her emotions in check. I certainly didn’t hate emotional people, but was that really the best trait for a potential queen? Someone who couldn’t control their own conduct would cause a mountain of trouble as a member of the royal family.

“Why would you mention Lady I-Liena right now, Your Majesty?”

“The two of you signed your names to today’s invitation. Isn’t it natural to want to befriend both of you?”

“Oh, I’m honored. I’d like to be friends with you forever, Your Majesty!”

Lady Kate seemed to ignore Lady I-Liena’s entry into the conversation. I could see the wariness and disappointment clearly in Lady Kate’s eyes.

“Your Majesty, if I might be so honest, it would be most beneficial for you to ally yourself with me. That she-fo— I mean, Lady I-Liena may be a smooth talker, but if you take into account the areas of her home region that are lacking, it’s impossible to think she’d be chosen as a queen over me.”

“…That may be true.”

“Then why won’t you simply agree to my request? Do you look down on me because I’m beastfolk?”

I could only chuckle awkwardly on the inside when I heard Lady Kate’s incorrect assessment of my behavior. I had no interest in belittling beastfolk whatsoever. Even if I did hate them, I would never let such a personal emotion show in front of Lady Kate. If anything, it was she who was failing to hide her contempt for me, a human.

I knew she probably couldn’t help it, considering the state of relations between humans and beastfolk, but in all honesty, it made me hesitate to support her as the next queen.

Elltoria, my homeland, was inhabited mainly by humans.

I feared the possibility that the relationship between our two kingdoms could become strained if someone like Lady Kate, who was prejudiced toward humans, became the Wolfvartian queen.

But I couldn’t voice any of those opinions out loud, so I decided to avoid the question.

“I have friendly relationships with all the beastfolk employed at my villa. I have never given humans favorable treatment over beastfolk, and if you saw how I acted with Diaz and her henchmen at His Majesty’s birthday party, then you witnessed that proof with your very own eyes.”

“…I suppose so. But in that case, can you explain your treatment of Lady Natalie? You invited her to your villa just the other day, right? How can you be so kind to the girl responsible for Diaz?”

“Lady Natalie is at fault for failing to control her subordinates, certainly, but she never acted maliciously herself.”

“So that just makes it all okay? That’s exactly what I meant by favoring your fellow humans to—”

“Hehe! Lady Kate, you really don’t get it, hmm?”

“…What do you want now?”

Lady Kate gave Lady I-Liena a side-eyed glare for her interruption.

But Lady I-Liena seemed unmoved. She looked at Lady Kate as if she were observing a young child.

“Do you understand that when Her Majesty accused Diaz of those crimes, she earned the scorn of all the humans in Lady Natalie’s camp?”

“Of course she did. That’s just out of retribution.”

“But scorn in retribution is still scorn all the same. Do you know what would happen if Her Majesty treated Lady Natalie coldly after that incident?”

“I…”

Lady Kate trailed off quietly. She seemed to have reached the right conclusion.

There was a reason why I had invited Lady Natalie to my villa.

While I did want to speak with her and offer her my personal support, that was far from my only motivation.

Indeed, I was the one who exposed Diaz’s crimes.

But the only people I opposed were Diaz and her direct followers. I invited Lady Natalie to tea as a means of showing I felt no ill will toward her. As a result, her subordinates would not be able to be openly hostile toward me either.

“Lady Kate, I don’t wish to make enemies out of you, Lady Natalie, or Lady I-Liena… Can you accept that?”

“…If you don’t want to be enemies, then why not offer me your support?”

“That might be the case in the future, but it’s a bit soon for that, is it not? We’ve only really met for the first time today.”

“True, but—”

“The two of us are different races and come from different homelands. I think it’s only natural for us to need time before we can understand each other well.”

“…Fine, then. We’ll save the complicated discussions for later. Let’s enjoy the rest of our meal for now.”

Lady Kate was retreating. I breathed a sigh of relief.

Unlike Diaz, she didn’t seem to see me as a full-on enemy just because I rejected her initial offer of partnership. Lady Kate was unable to control her emotions, and she didn’t seem fond of bargaining either, but perhaps she wasn’t a bad person after all.

Even her standoffish behavior seemed somewhat normal, considering our differences. If I took my time to develop a friendship with her, maybe Lady Kate would soften up a bit, or even rid herself of some prejudice toward humans.

I concluded that our first meeting wasn’t too bad in the end.

Feeling a bit lighter, I began to resume my meal, when I felt someone’s eyes on me.

I glanced around and realized Lady I-Liena had been looking my way. Well, it felt that way, at least. She was much harder to read than Lady Kate, so it was possible I’d just imagined it.

I picked up my fork and brought a bite of sauce-covered beef up to my mouth, when…

“?!”

My whole body went stiff in an instant.

Immediately, I swallowed the sliced meat in an effort to appear calm.

Salty. It’s so salty!

An intense, almost painful saltiness assaulted my tongue.

All the moisture disappeared from my mouth, as if I’d been served a glass of seawater.

I knew their food revolved around salt, but this was clearly too extreme.

Something was off about this one dish in particular.

But as the guest, I couldn’t simply express it outright, so I tried to act normal as I brought my fork back down to the plate.

I could see Lady I-Liena eating the same meat dish with her usual smile on her face.

Is something wrong with the seasoning on my plate? Or is Lady I-Liena just trying to avoid making a scene like I am?

As I tried to figure out what to do, Lady Kate was the next person at the table to try the beef dish.

“What is this flavor?! What mockery is this?!”

Lady Kate slammed her fork into the plate and rose to her feet.

Although I’d done my best to avoid causing a fuss, the emotional girl appeared unable to resist.

Her fork let out a loud squeak as it collided with the plate.

Before the room could even fall silent again, Lady Kate had dashed away from her seat.

“That fiend!! I won’t allow this!!”

“Lady Kate.”

“Don’t move!! I’ll get the real dish right n—”

“Lady Kate!! Please just wait!!”

I grabbed hold of her arm before she could leave the dining room.

“What’re you doing?! Let go!!”

“Please calm down. For now, have a seat and—”

“There’s more important things for me to deal with right now!! Get out of my way!!”

“Kyah!!”

She swung her arm, sending me stumbling back.

Lady Kate and I were roughly the same size, but beastfolk were physically stronger than humans. The two races had vastly different muscular strength. I staggered backward from the blow…as part of an act.

She really did manage to shake me away, but my stumble and shriek were both for show.

It almost seemed unnatural, but Lady Kate gasped and rushed to pull me back on my feet.

Her tight grip sent pain through my arm. But now, I knew how she felt.

I was a human she’d only just met. When I was on the verge of getting hurt, her first instinct was to help me.

Her instantaneous act of kindness didn’t feel calculated, and I’d successfully prevented her from leaving.

“Thank you, Lady Kate.”

“…I shouldn’t have shaken you away so hard.”

Lady Kate’s embarrassed but sincere apology conveyed her good character. Her true self seemed to be shining through her words for some time now.

“I apologize for trying to pull you back too. But I need you to wait just a moment.”

“…Why? You also tasted that oversalted meat, right, Your Majesty?”

“Yes. It was quite delicious.”

“Huh?”

Lady Kate looked downright dumbstruck.

“Are you mad or something? I eat salty foods all the time, and even I couldn’t take it!”

“But it was delicious. You thought so as well, right, Lady I-Liena?”

“Hehe! I loved how salty it was.”

She followed my lead without hesitation. We seemed to be on the same page.

“Are your taste buds broken? Maybe you’ve both come down with something and can’t taste things anymore…?”

As Lady Kate began to worry about our conditions, I decided to explain our thinking.

“Why can’t…we just say it was delicious? It wasn’t salty enough to make anyone sick or something so terrible. No such meal could ever be served at an event led by the two of you.”

“That’s…true.”

Lady Kate seemed to accept this.

Serving an inedible dish while entertaining a guest was a grave embarrassment for a host. Regardless of what caused it, Lady Kate and Lady I-Liena would take the blame as today’s hosts. That’s why I proposed we pretend the overly salted meal hadn’t happened in the first place.

I prevented Lady Kate from leaving the dining room in an effort to contain the situation as much as possible. While I was angry with whoever the offender was too, when I saw Lady Kate’s frenzy over the situation, I could tell she was a victim as well.

And if it was all an act, well, then Lady Kate was a stunning actress.

I didn’t see any motive for her to serve such oversalted food. I decided to exclude her as the culprit for now.

“…Thank you, Your Majesty. I lost my temper and almost made things much worse.”

Lady Kate’s cat ears slumped forward sadly. I realized that in her own way, she was embarrassed by her overreaction too.

“I appreciate your help,” she said. “The criminal…or at least, the offender, will be punished as soon as I find them.”

“On that topic, might I ask you a favor, Lady Kate?”

“…What do you need?”

“It’s regarding Lady Sienna… I’d like to meet your younger sister, if you’d be so kind.”

◇　◇　◇

“PLEASE excuse my intrusion. I’m Sienna.”

A young noblewoman with a light-brown tail and cat ears entered the room.

She took step by graceful step toward us with a pleasant smile on her face.

This was Lady Kate’s younger half sister, and the two bore little resemblance.

“I’m honored to have an audience with you today, Your Majesty.”

Lady Sienna kept her eyes fixed on me instead of on today’s host—her older sister born to a different mother. Her posture was almost like a declaration that she was the true head of this villa.

“I’m pleased as well. Thank you for seeing me despite the sudden request.”

“I heard that the queen wanted to meet with me. I was already staying here so that I might be of help to my sister. Such good fortune indeed.”

“Be of help to me? Can you knock it off already?”

Lady Kate was clearly upset.

On the other hand, Lady Sienna kept that calm smile on her face without dissenting.

“Lady Sienna, I’d like to give you something in honor of our first meeting. Would that be all right?”

“Why, certainly!! I’m honored to—”

Her face stiffened.

The tail behind her body began to puff up.

She was staring at my plate of oversalted beef. I’d removed the small portion I already ate from.

“Your Majesty? Is this a joke of some kind? That’s part of today’s lunch, is it not?”

“Yes, exactly. It was delicious, so I thought you might like to try a bite as well?”

“…No thank you. My stomach isn’t feeling too well today.”

She shook her head lightly.

Lady Sienna was called here only to be presented with a guest’s plate of food. It wasn’t strange for her to reject it…but it seemed like there was more to the story.

As soon as I showed her the plate, what flashed in Lady Sienna’s mind almost certainly wasn’t simply bewilderment, but rather, “I can’t eat something so disgusting.”

Her expression was one of revulsion.

It was far too strange a reaction in response to being offered a single bite. I was quite sure Lady Sienna already knew exactly how salty the dish was.

Therefore, she had to be the person who ordered the change in seasoning.

Lady Kate seemed to have arrived at the same conclusion. Her fur stood on end as she lashed out at her half sister.

“Sienna!! I knew it was you!!”

“Please don’t yell, Big Sister. I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“You’re the one who made the food come out salty! I just know you’re trying to drag me down, right?!”

“What in heaven’s name are you talking about? If you’re going to treat me like a common criminal, you’d better have proof.”

“You wouldn’t take a single bite just now!!”

“That’s all? You think that gives weight to your false accusations?”

“…!!”

Lady Kate fell silent.

This helped me gain a good understanding of the state of Lady Kate’s camp.

Though Lady Kate was the one chosen as a candidate to become the next queen, her inner circle wasn’t entirely on the same page. Her command of her subordinates was clearly lacking if some chef could be ordered to oversalt a meal like that. Lady Kate seemed to be thinking the same thing.

“Big Sister, please don’t accuse me of wrongdoing without any proof. You and Lady I-Liena are today’s hosts. Whatever occurred today, the responsibility lies with the two of you. Don’t you agree, Your Majesty?”

“Yes, certainly.”

“Eek!!”

Lady Sienna let out a quiet squeak.

She was a scheming woman but, deep down, an utterly simple one too.

I was smiling at her with my coldest, most intimidating villainous smile.

“The meal today was quite delicious. Lady Kate, Lady I-Liena, I thank you for hosting a wonderful lunch this afternoon.”

“…What did you just say?”

“Is something the matter? Lady Kate felt the dish was a bit too salty, but Lady I-Liena and I both enjoyed it.”

It was an indirect assertion that I had no plans to pin the blame on Lady Kate. Lady Sienna’s face instantly distorted when she heard that. It seemed she understood my intentions.

Yeah, she’s definitely a simple person.

The girl tried to put on an air of elegance, but there were still instances where she failed to hide her thoughts whatsoever.

She really shouldn’t have refused my offer to try a bite of the beef. If she’d gone through with it, she would’ve rid herself of all suspicions of being the one who ordered the salting in the first place. She could have even used it as an opportunity to criticize Lady Kate for serving such a salty dish. But she simply didn’t want to taste it for herself, which had resulted in an awkward refusal.

I imagined she was confident that no one could come up with definitive proof of her misdeed. It seemed to be making her act carelessly. But as long as Lady I-Liena and I had our stories straight, Lady Sienna would have no public knowledge of the problem with the dish at all.

She was clearly eager to embarrass her half sister and ruin her efforts. But the execution itself was sloppy.

Well, as emotional as Lady Kate was, maybe a sloppy execution was just fine. I had no obligation to play along with their sibling rivalry.

I couldn’t exactly treat Lady Sienna like a criminal without any proof, so instead, I decided to make a mental note of the dangers she might pose. Much like with Diaz, I hated anyone who used food as a means of harassment. I knew I wouldn’t get along with someone who played such cowardly tricks on her own half sister.

“Lady Sienna. Yes, I’ll definitely remember that name.”

Her face fell. She was quick to recover her expression, but I could still decipher her emotions in time.

Messing with food seasonings was no laughing matter.

Lady Sienna had presented me with something not even she could stomach. It was an undeniable act of harassment against me.

I was retreating for the time being, with no proof of what she’d done and a desire to contain the situation, but I was parting with a warning—she wouldn’t get off so easy next time.

“…Thank you very much. I’m feeling a bit unwell due to my stomach, so I’ll be taking my leave now.”

She practically fled the room, seeming to understand that I was displeased with her.

I spent some time pacifying the still-angry Lady Kate, but with no further incidents, the lunch came to its end.

◇　◇　◇

“VERY well done, Your Majesty.”

Lady I-Liena called out to me as I was about to board my carriage. Lady Kate had already left to search for the offender in the beef salting incident.

“You kept calm when you tasted that toxic disaster and took the wind right out of Lady Sienna’s sails. I underestimated your skills, I must say.”

“…Thank you, but the same goes for you, Lady I-Liena. You kept a cool head in that situation as well.”

Her smile widened when I praised her. The look was both fascinating and indecipherable. I decided I needed to ask her something that had been on my mind.

“Lady I-Liena, did you know the dish was going to be served oversalted?”

“Whatever do you mean?”

“I felt you looking at me before I even took a bite.”

“That was just your imagination… Well, I’d like to say that, but you’re perceptive, aren’t you?”

Lady I-Liena didn’t try to deny my theory. She confessed right away.

I knew she must have learned of Lady Sienna’s suspicious actions beforehand. I couldn’t imagine they were coconspirators, but it was true that she didn’t think to directly interfere either.

Lady Kate and Lady I-Liena were both hosts of today’s lunch.

Seeing as how the two of them didn’t get along so well, I could imagine there must have been many conflicts and disagreements arising from the preparations for this gathering. Lady Kate was probably too preoccupied with all that to notice what Lady Sienna was up to.

However, only the slightly careless Lady Kate had been tricked by her act. Lady I-Liena was in the know.

“What are you going to do, Your Majesty? Are you upset that I let Lady Sienna, that scheming little kitten, get away with it?”

“…No, I won’t chastise you. I understand why you reacted the way you did, considering your position.”

Lady I-Liena had multiple reasons for letting Lady Sienna off the hook.

First, despite the joint invitation signed by both Lady Kate and Lady I-Liena, Lady Kate was the one in charge of both the location and the meal. If something was wrong with the food we were served, it wouldn’t particularly hurt Lady I-Liena’s reputation or reflect poorly on her.

The two were also political opponents in the war to become the next queen. Lady I-Liena had no reason to stop a member of Lady Kate’s family from trying to drag her down, nor would it make sense for her to expose Lady Sienna’s plot and earn her contempt.

There was also a second reason I suspected she allowed it to happen. Lady I-Liena wanted to see how I would respond to Lady Sienna’s harassment. She avoided painting a target on her back while also measuring my reaction at the same time.

That thought process would explain her behavior today.

“…I think you sympathized with me in your own way, no? You could have avoided the salty meal for yourself, but you purposefully joined me in tasting it.”

The same soft smile stayed on her face all the while, but I saw what I saw. Lady I-Liena ate the same disgusting meal that I did.

My theory was that she would have felt too guilty to let me eat such an obviously unhealthy meal all on my own.

“Oh my. I didn’t exactly expect you to be so observant. I see that Your Majesty is quick-witted indeed.”

Her praise didn’t exactly lift my spirits.

Lady I-Liena was a fox, and not just in appearance. The image of the clever, deceptive vulpine fit her to a tee. Unlike the blatantly transparent Wildcat sisters, she appeared to be much more of a fox in sheep’s clothing.

◇　◇　◇

I left Lady Kate’s villa and returned home.

With my mouth still stinging from the salty food, I decided to make a light meal to cleanse my palate. The best option would be whatever ingredients I could put together the quickest.

I swiftly changed clothes and headed to the kitchen.

“Gilbert, is my bread from earlier out of the oven yet?”

“Yes! It came out looking splendid.”

Gilbert looked at the loaf of bread, the outer crust cooked to a nice dark-brown color. It looked just like the normal white bread we ate for breakfast in my past life. I’d baked it as a treat for tomorrow’s morning meal, but now that it was available, I decided to eat some in advance. It was nicely cooled already, at the perfect temperature to eat.

“This ‘loaf’ is certainly baked in an interesting way.”

Gilbert was eyeing the rectangular metal pan sitting next to the bread.

Loaves of bread are made by placing fermented dough in a pan, then baking it in an oven. However, the bread in this world is generally made by kneading dough into a ball and baking it as it is. Gilbert seemed to find the shape of the loaf to be unusual.

“It’s sort of like a cake in how you use a pan to bake it. Would it be possible to make cylindrical loaves if you used a cake pan for the bread…?”

He gazed at the pan I’d made with my transmutation, murmuring about his other ideas for shapes. They all seemed to originate from the bread loaf I brought into this world.

While anticipating all the variations that would surely arise from his passion for food, I began to prepare the fresh bread. I briefly warmed up my sharp kitchen knife over a flame. Then I sliced into the loaf, little by little each time. The white surface of the bread that came into view was soft and fluffy. I was quite sure it would be delicious in this form too.

However, I was after something that would take a bit more time to prepare.

When you’ve got a fresh loaf of bread, what’s better than toast?

I decided I was going to make grilled toast for a snack.

I warmed up a metal grill and used it to cook the slices one side at a time. Careful not to let it burn, I took in the savory smell of the roasting bread.

My excitement for my snack was at its peak.

“There we are. Butter and strawberry jam.”

I removed the bread from the grill and brought it to the table. Once I spread the surface with butter and jam, it would be perfect.

The butter melted down over the steaming bread, its aroma sinking in. I spread it out evenly and opened my mouth to take my first bite.

“This is it! The ultimate taste of breakfast…!”

Despite the afternoon hour, I decided that for right then, it was breakfast time at my table.

The bread crunched nicely under my teeth as I inhaled the buttery aroma. I bit down a little harder and grazed the soft center of the toast with my tongue. Savoring the smell, I next reached for the strawberry jam. I slathered it over the toast, then topped it with sliced strawberries, which clung nicely to the sticky jam.

“…Don’t worry, Berry. I have some for you too.”

Berry never failed to show her face when there were strawberries on the table. As expected, she had come rushing to the kitchen as soon as she sensed their presence. I offered her a piece of my strawberry toast.

She took in her very first sight of sliced bread, seeming a bit guarded.

Little by little, Berry poked at the toast with her paws, keeping her claws tucked away all the while, until her appetite won out in the end. She skillfully clutched the snack between her paw pads and took a bite, careful not to knock the strawberry slices from the top, then began to dig in. She brought the toast, glimmering with a layer of strawberry jam, to her mouth the same way I did.

The crunchy white bread paired well together with the velvety sweet jam and juicy chunks of strawberry. By the time I even got to the pot of black tea Lucian had prepared for me, I’d already finished two whole slices.

Berry seemed to be satisfied. She was fast asleep now, curled up in my lap. When I cleaned a bit of strawberry jam off her whiskers, her nose twitched up and down.

I stroked her fur. She seemed like she would be out for a while. The sting of salt was completely gone from my mouth by this time.

“Lady Kate and Lady Sienna…”

The sight of Berry’s ears reminded me of the two Wildcat sisters.

Lady Natalie had been correct in telling me that the two women seemed to be at odds with each other. Maybe that was inevitable, considering they had different mothers, but as someone who had ended up in the middle of their sibling rivalry, I couldn’t just let it slide.

“Oh no… Now I’m irritated again…”

My anger returned when I thought of Lady Sienna’s face. I expected to feel better by now, but that didn’t seem to be the case…

“I guess I’ll have to make the best of it.”

I returned to the kitchen and found it was empty. The chefs weren’t starting on dinner preparations yet. Since I had been successful in my creation of a loaf of bread, I decided to whip up enough dough to share more bread with the rest of the villa servants.

Mix, knead, knead, knead, smack, smack, and smack some more.

As I smacked the bread hard against the counter, I let out all my anger and irritation with each blow. This was usually an annoying part of the cooking process, but right now, it was the perfect stress relief.

I put my heart into beating the bread dough, and along the way, the chefs came to join me in what turned into a lively bread-making session.

◇　◇　◇

…AND that was the story of how I ended up with far too much bread.

It was too much for even the servants to finish, so I chose to share my massive amount of bread with the construction workers who came to renovate the outside of the villa.