Chapter 1: The Black Cat Sister and Tomato Seafood Stew
Chapter 1: The Black Cat Sister and Tomato Seafood Stew
ONE day, I found myself lost in thought as I stroked Jenna, the wolf, in my villa’s yard.
The early-summer season was upon us. A few months had passed since the last days of winter in which I regained the memories of my past life.
I, Laetitia, reincarnated into this world after living the life of a modern Japanese woman. I believed it was the shock I felt when my fiancé, the crown prince, abruptly called off our wedding that caused my memories to come back to me. The resulting fallout meant that at the age of seventeen, I was forced to leave the Kingdom of Elltoria—the country in which I’d spent my entire life. I ended up marrying King Glenreed, the Silver Wolf King, and becoming his figurehead queen in a new land.
“Wolfvarte… So much has happened since I arrived here.”
I squinted in the pleasant early-summer sunlight.
His Majesty granted me this royal villa, and I began a leisurely life with lots of free time to cook. In that time, I met Lord Aroo and the other wolves, then harvested and dined on strawberries with Berry, the Gardener Cat.
There was a chiffon cake plagiarism scandal I put to rest, and in the process, I discovered an unexpected side to Lady Natalie, one of the candidates to become the next queen.
Just recently, I met Lady Kate, another candidate and member of the Wildcat clan. I brought the recipe of salt-crusted meat to this world for the very first time and even built a salt chandelier in order to put a stop to the schemes of Lady Kate’s half sister.
“Thanks to all that, Lady Kate and I were able to become closer, although…”
I was currently in the midst of considering a certain request of hers.
“Now she wants to have a tea party with Lady Natalie…”
Lady Kate had informed me that she wished to learn more about Lady Natalie’s character and form a relationship with her. I would certainly have liked to help her, but there were important considerations to be made.
As part of the Wildcat clan, Lady Kate still felt an invisible wall when interacting with humans. I needed to take into account the great differences in both their races and their individual personalities.
Lady Kate was outspoken, spirited, and emotional.
Lady Natalie was shy, thoughtful, and reserved.
On the surface, the two were total opposites. I couldn’t predict how they would get along at all.
“It’d be terrible if they came to dislike each other…”
I cocked my head in thought.
Lady Kate was extremely eager to get to know more about Lady Natalie, but that energy could backfire and cause Lady Natalie to feel overwhelmed.
Lady Kate was eighteen. Lady Natalie was sixteen. They were close in age and both daughters of dukes; their families were well known throughout the land. I could picture these similarities bringing them closer together, while at the same time, I could see the problems that might arise.
“But I can’t just force the two of them to be friends…”
What should I do?
Deep in thought, I stroked Jenna’s soft, fluffy coat.
“Woof?”
Jenna cocked her head too and blinked her adorable amber eyes.
“Maybe they need an opportunity to hit things off…?”
An opportunity for the two girls to grow closer. They could engage in lively conversation, then use that as a way to get to know each other better…
“…That’s it. I could— Whoa!!”
Lick, lick.
Jenna’s warm tongue was tickling the back of my hand. This was how Jenna made her demands. I’d been petting her back this entire time, but now, she was ready for me to move on.
“All right, all right. Is this where you want to be pet?”
I put my hand on the side of Jenna’s belly and she rolled right over for me. Her eyes were sparkling as she stared up at me expectantly. “Hurry! Pet me!”
“Aaahh!! I can’t take it! You’re so cute!!!”
“Guh-roof!”
Not wanting to keep her waiting, I sank both hands into her fur.
The friendly wolf loved to be petted by humans. While she also enjoyed the slicker brush, she seemed more interested in my hands today.
I buried my fingers even deeper into her soft undercoat and gently laid them flat to scratch her. Jenna rolled onto her back to show me her entire belly and let out a pleased cry.
“Aroooooof!”
“Does that feel nice, ma’am? Shall I use more pressure? Do you itch anywhere?”
This is fun.
I felt like one of those beauticians who give their clients scalp massages.
I scratched Jenna, being sure to use the right amount of force for her. She wriggled her body around in response to my enthusiastic massage. The more she cuddled up to me, the more I got my fill of her wonderful coat of fur.
My dress became coated in a layer of hair. Not that I minded in particular—I’d changed into a simpler dress after my tea party with Lady Kate. It had fewer frills and a plainer design than what you would usually see on a queen, but that made it all the easier to keep clean. It was the perfect outfit for playing with the wolves to my heart’s content.
“Aruff?”
All of a sudden, Jenna stopped wiggling and perked her ears up. I turned to see that all the other wolves had their eyes fixed in the same direction as well. Edgar, the boy in charge of them, seemed to take notice of this change too.
We were currently on an open patch of grass next to my villa. The grove of trees blocked our vision of the front lawn.
The wolves were staring toward the front of the house, where a young girl with black hair had just appeared.
“Wolves…?”
A pair of triangular ears sat atop the girl’s head. She was beastfolk.
As far as I could tell, she looked to be younger than ten years old.
If we were in Japan, I’d expect to see her with the leather-strapped backpack around her shoulders that was customary of elementary school students. Her black hair was split into two pigtails that hung down both sides of her face. I noted the soft skin of her cheeks, her small nose, the somewhat sharp corners of her golden eyes, and her long, thin pupils.
We’d never met before, but somehow, her face seemed familiar.
The beastfolk girl’s eyes were glued to the wolves.
“Those wolves… Are they…?”
The girl’s eyes moved from one wolf to another.
Aside from the wolves, only Lucian, Edgar, and I were with her in the yard. Edgar had reverted into his shy demeanor and was fidgeting visibly. Lucian had a perfectly pleasant smile on his face, but he was still a towering, adult man. I could see why such a young girl might struggle to speak up around them.
“…It’s nice to meet you, miss. Are these the wolves kept by the royal family?”
By apparent process of elimination, the girl had chosen me to address. Her diction was perfectly polite and she had a high-pitched, childlike voice. She seemed mature for her age.
“Indeed, they are. Cute, don’t you think?”
“Yes!! So adora— No, so cool!!”
She was just about to eagerly agree with me before she stopped to rephrase. The wolves were representative of the royal family’s prestige, so the girl likely feared that calling them “adorable” was inappropriate. Despite her youth, she appeared to sincerely care about that sort of thing—I could tell from her flustered correction.
“Hehe! There’s no need to be nervous. Would you like to try petting them?”
“…!! Are you sure I’m allowed?!”
The girl was hesitant, but those golden eyes of hers were sparkling. Her black tail bounced up and down in a clear show of excitement.
The people of Wolfvarte revered the royal family’s wolves. I certainly shared their love for those regal yet fluffy creatures too.
“The wolf here with me is very friendly. She won’t bite you, so it’s safe to pet her.”
The outgoing Jenna was always open to being petted. She was very sociable.
“She likes when you reach up from below to pet her, just like this.”
“Woof!!”
“Exactly! I love being petted!!” Jenna seemed to cry.
With Jenna’s friendly display, the girl appeared to have lost all hesitation.
“Okay, here I go…”
She teetered over to us and reached her hand out to Jenna. Her golden eyes went wide as soon as she got a feel of that soft fur.
“So fluffy…”
The words slipped straight from her lips. I watched a smile form on the girl’s face, and I broke into a smile too. She’s so cute. What a peaceful sight.
The cat-eared girl playing with the wolf was overwhelmingly adorable.
It was the most I’d ever missed the lack of cameras in this world. I decided to file the scene away into my mental storage instead. As I worked on burning the image into my memory, the girl turned to look at me with a shy smile on her face.
“She’s so nice!! Her fur is very soft.”
“Thank you. I’m glad to hear my brushings had the intended effect.”
I quickly wiped the silly grin off my face and smiled at the girl.
Edgar and I periodically groomed the entire wolf pack. Their fur was much smoother now that we were using slicker brushes. The newfound gloss to the wolves’ coats was a secret pride of mine.
“You take care of them, miss? Are you a wolfke— Kyah!!”
“Aroof?!”
“Whoa!!”
Jenna was demanding more petting. She’d butted her head against the little girl, who’d staggered in shock. I quickly reached out to grab the girl.
“Are you all right? I’m sorry she scared you.”
“Th-Thank you. …Um, miss? What’s your name?”
“Me? I’m—”
“Queen Laetitia!!”
One of the maids from my villa was calling for me.
I felt the little girl go stiff in my arms.
“…Queen…Laetitia…?” Her eyes went wide as saucers. “Forgive me! I’m so very sorry!!”
Her shrill voice echoed through the yard.
◇ ◇ ◇
“I’M so sorry that I didn’t realize you were the queen, Your Majesty…”
“There’s no need to apologize, Lelena. I sure wasn’t dressed like a queen, was I?”
That shabby dress of mine hardly made me look like nobility, much less royalty. I felt like I was the one who owed her an apology.
The cat-eared girl—Lelena—apparently had mistaken me for a wolfkeeper.
The two of us sat opposite each other on wrought-iron chairs set out in the front yard. The girl was now apologizing to me vehemently.
I spoke slowly, hoping to calm the nerves of the cowering girl.
“Lelena, you didn’t do anything wrong. You petted the wolf very gently, exactly as you were supposed to.”
“B-But…then I leaned up against you, Your Majesty…”
“That didn’t bother me a bit either.”
“But…”
“If you’re really that worried about it, the next time I’m about to fall, why don’t you be the one to catch me instead?”
“…Of course!! I’ll do…” Lelena trailed off midsentence. Biting her tongue, she looked at me, then down at her own body. She was still quite tiny. Lelena appeared to be deep in thought about how she could support me in the event of a fall.
I could tell she was the diligent, upstanding type.
“Hehe! It’s the thought that counts, Lelena. I want the two of us to get along, since you’ll be staying here with me for a while.”
“So do I! Yes, let’s get along!!” Lelena’s pigtails bounced as she bowed her head intensely. “Thank you so much for helping me, even though Big Si—even though Krona made such a mess for you.”
“Don’t worry about that. I’m doing this because I want to.”
Whenever I thought of Krona—the maid who used to work at my villa—I felt a dull pain in my heart.
Krona betrayed my trust during the chiffon cake plagiarism scandal. She’d tried to pay off a large debt to protect the young Lelena—her little sister. The two girls had no other relatives to rely on after the deaths of their parents.
Since Krona was currently serving time in jail, I decided to be the one to take care of Lelena for her.
“…Your Majesty, are you really sure I can stay at your villa?”
“There’s still plenty of unused rooms here, and I have His Majesty’s permission, so there’s no concern.”
“But I’m just making trouble for you…”
“I can’t exactly leave you on your own. Krona would be so sad if anything ever happened to you, you know.”
“Big Sister…”
Lelena bit down on her small lower lip.
As part of her atonement, Krona confessed to being involved in some of Diaz’s evil schemes. Diaz was Lady Natalie’s aunt and the mastermind behind the stolen recipe incident, in addition to many other crimes. With Krona’s confession, Diaz received the grave punishment of a few dozen years in jail. However, many of Diaz’s relatives escaped punishment, and they were left unhappy with the outcome of their schemes.
These were people who harbored contempt for beastfolk.
They could very well lash out violently at Lelena, Krona’s younger sister—in fact, there had already been multiple warning signs of such an event. So I went to the king to consult on how I should protect Lelena from those dangers.
I wanted to keep her safe, but it wasn’t possible to dispatch dozens of soldiers just for that purpose. Instead, I landed on the proposal to have her come work at my villa. Since it was located within castle grounds, the house came with a certain level of protection. His Majesty accepted my terms.
Lelena had arrived today with a personal guard in attendance. While the soldier waited to greet me—the head of the house—Lelena left to explore the villa grounds. Coincidentally, she then ran into me and had joined me in petting the wolves. It was then that the maid came to tell me a soldier was here to see me. The two of us just happened to miss each other, since I was in the garden, not the house.
“Diaz’s relatives shouldn’t be able to lay a hand on you while you’re here. His Majesty is currently looking into whether those people have committed any other crimes, so while I hate to keep you cooped up, would you be willing to stay at the villa until the investigation is finished?”
“P-Please don’t feel bad! Thank you so very much for having me!”
As if shriveling with humility…Lelena bowed her head low toward me.
◇ ◇ ◇
AFTER I’d welcomed Lelena into my home that day, I was in my bedroom, reading over documents relating to Lelena’s transfer to my villa.
“Lelena looks so much like Krona…”
It was part of why I felt such déjà vu when I first met her. Lelena’s hair and eyes were the exact same as Krona’s. Their facial features were similar as well. Once Lelena hit puberty in a few years, I could imagine her looking exactly like her big sister.
…But it was only their faces and hair that were identical. Lelena was very earnest and upright, unlike the more laid-back Krona.
“…Maybe Lelena couldn’t survive as an innocent child, considering her circumstances…”
“She lost her parents at such a young age, then was forced to separate from her big sister.”
At my side, Lucian narrowed his eyes as he responded to my remark. Lucian, my servant, was brought up in an orphanage without any relatives of his own. He seemed to connect with the circumstances surrounding the orphaned Lelena.
“Lucian, when you find yourself with free time, would you mind keeping an eye on Lelena for me? I’m sure she must be struggling, forced to live in a villa where she doesn’t know a soul.”
“Of course. I don’t want her to shed a single tear under your roof, my lady.”
“Thank you, Lucian.”
…Though, on the inside, I wished I could be the one to help take care of her. Unfortunately, Lelena was keeping her distance. Any careless action I took with her might just be a burden for her in the end.
“…But I’ll still do whatever I can for her too.”
I finished my paperwork, dressed myself, and left the room. My destination was a familiar one: the villa kitchen.
“Gilbert, I’ll be borrowing a corner of the kitchen.”
“Yes, Your Majesty! All the ingredients you requested are out on the counter, so please use any you like.”
Gilbert was standing in front of the stove. Evening was almost upon us. The kitchen always grew busy around this time of day in preparation for the coming meal.
“I hope Lelena likes it…” As I spoke under my breath, I took inventory of my ingredients.
I was about to cook a welcome meal to celebrate Lelena’s arrival.
The original plan was to have her arrive tomorrow, when a special dinner was supposed to be served. That was why I spent the day playing with the wolves, without a care in the world…
But plans change.
In a world without any kind of transit system, it wasn’t uncommon for schedules to run awry. It was nothing like Japan, with its public transportation that was always punctual down to the exact minute.
Though my plans had to be hastened, fortunately, the ingredients for the meal arrived today. I decided to cook it myself, as I happened to be free that evening.
“Tonight’s dinner will revolve around this fish.”
The plump river fish in front of me resembled a trout. I quickly put my knife into the flesh to remove the bones and innards. I’d cleaned fish before in my past life and practiced it since coming to the villa, so this part was easy for me.
Leaving the skin on, I cut the fish into strips about two inches in length.
Tonight’s menu was tomato stew. Krona had once told me that it was a favorite of Lelena’s. The two girls were born in a town near a river, where even commoners could feast on fresh fish.
“First I heat up oil in the pot, add the garlic and fish, and then…”
The garlic let out a strong aroma from inside the pot.
I then seared the fish skin-side down and seasoned it with olive oil and wine.
After letting the juicy meat sauté for a bit, careful not to scorch it, I added sliced onions, boiled tomato puree, and a variety of herbs, then covered the pot with the lid.
The ingredients stewed together for a few minutes, at which point I moved the lid to see how it was doing. I took a taste, confirmed that the alcohol had cooked off, and added a bit more salt. With that, it was finished.
“My tomato seafood stew is ready…!”
The warm steam rising from the pot carried the scent of tomatoes with it. The boiled tomatoes coated the white fish to give its surface a glossy red shine.
When I tried a piece, it immediately began to melt in my mouth. I could feel the sizzling heat from the freshly cooked fish. When I bit down, the meat fell apart, and my mouth was filled with its juicy, savory flavor. I swallowed the fish and broth together. An acidic aftertaste of tomato and herbs lingered on my tongue.
The exact combination of herbs was something I’d consulted with Gilbert on. As a result, the aroma of the stew was an appetizing one, since the muddy scent of the tomatoes was overpowered.
“Yes, this is delicious. She might just enjoy this…”
I had attempted this dish many times in preparation for today.
I wonder if she’ll like it?
I called in a maid to bring the dinner of tomato stew, salad, and bread up to Lelena. Lelena had seemed tired, perhaps from the nerves of arriving in this brand-new environment, so I had ordered the dinner be sent to her room. I feared the act of dining with me or any other stranger might only add to her fatigue.
I decided to eat my own dinner as I waited. It was another exquisite creation by the skilled Gilbert and his chefs, and was as delicious as ever.
“I wonder if Lelena’s finished eating too…?”
I brought a spoonful of black tea ice cream, my after-dinner treat, to my lips. The aroma of the tea combined with the sweet flavor of cream, creating a tasty dessert that tasted like milk tea.
After the successful creation of my strawberry ice cream, I began to experiment with other flavors as well—honey, blueberry, cherry, and even apricot. I’d attempted many flavors, but black tea was the best received of the bunch. Even Gilbert loved it, calling the dessert a “soft, frozen tea.”
“Your Majesty, may I have a moment?”
With the pleasant aftertaste still in my mouth, I exited the dining room, only to be stopped by one of my beastfolk maids—a member of the Wildcat clan just like Lelena. I had tasked the maid with serving Lelena’s meals and keeping an eye on her.
“Did Lelena eat her dinner?”
“Yes, she finished her meal. However…” The maid trailed off, hesitant to continue.
What’s the matter?
“…She started to cry.”
“……”
…Did she really hate it that much?
If she did, then I’d done something terri—
“Graaaah!!
“Mraw mraw!!”
What on earth?!
I heard the sound of cat-like screeching and something thumping rapidly against the floor. Once the noise came closer, I saw a four-legged shadow darting forward.
“Mraaaw!!”
“Berry?!”
“Please help me!!” she seemed to be pleading as she leaped for me. I swiftly caught her in my arms.
From the direction Berry had come, I saw a black cat appear around the corner.
“…I haven’t seen you before.”
We had a couple of cats—companion animals belonging to the Wildcat clan servants—living with us at the villa. However, I’d never seen this particular one before.
It puffed up its tail and glared sharply at Berry. As I tried to figure out what was wrong, I heard light footsteps pattering toward me.
“Wait u— Your Majesty?!”
It was Lelena. Her clothes and hair were askew from running. She bowed her head to me and scooped up the black cat.
“My apologies!! Melan’s making such a terrible fuss…!”
Apparently, the black cat’s name was Melan.
I looked from Melan to Lelena, then back to Berry. Fortunately, neither cat seemed to be injured.
“Is that your companion animal, Lelena?”
“He’s my late father’s. I take care of him now, so I brought him to the villa with me.”
“I see. He must be overwhelmed by the new environment.”
“Yes. I’m very sorry. I only took my eyes off him for a second… He’s a very curious and energetic cat, and he doesn’t get in very many fights, but something seems to have set him off…”
Now I get it. Melan probably can’t help it.
I looked down at Berry.
“Berry, are you hurt at all?”
She shook her head from side to side.
I then asked if any furniture had been destroyed as Melan had chased her around the house, to which she shook her head again.
“Wow! What a clever cat.”
“…Actually, she’s not a cat at all.”
“Huh?”
Lelena’s mouth fell open.
Yeah, I know just how you feel.
The first time I met Berry, she didn’t look any different from a normal cat to me either.
“Berry is a Mythical Beast known as a Gardener Cat.”
“Gardener Cat… I’ve heard the legends…” Lelena looked Berry over from head to toe. She’d likely known about them since she was a member of the Wildcat clan. “Wow… I’ve never seen one in person before…!”
“Isn’t she cute? The workers here know she’s a Gardener Cat, but since they’re a very rare type of Mythical Beast, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t let that information outside the villa… Can I count on you for that?”
“Of course!” Lelena nodded at lightning speed.
Melan, the black cat in her arms, seemed a bit more relaxed than before. His fur didn’t appear to be standing on end like it had been a moment ago.
“Her name is Berry. See how she looks exactly like a cat? I understand why Melan felt confused and scared by her.”
The other villa cats avoided Berry at first too. By now, though, I would occasionally see them sunbathing together, despite their initial fear.
Berry never got upset or picked a fight with anyone, unless they got in the way of her strawberries or her food. I hoped Melan could come to see that Berry was an open-minded creature.
“I look forward to them getting along someday. Will you help keep an eye on them as well?”
“I will. I’ll be careful not to let Melan bully Berry again.” With a bow of her head, Lelena moved to carry her cat out of the room.
“Hang on. There’s one more thing I’d like to ask you.”
“What is it?”
“Was there something in tonight’s dinner you didn’t care for in particular?”
“I…” Lelena faltered. She looked as if she was unable to answer me.
“Everyone has foods and seasonings they dislike. If there’s something you prefer to avoid, I can be sure your meals don’t use it anymore. Can you let me know?”
“I can’t eat any vegetables at all”: an extreme diet restriction like that would be troublesome, of course. But judging by Lelena’s personality, I couldn’t picture her making such a request.
“Um, no, that’s not it. The meal was delicious, but as soon as I ate that fish, the tears just started to come…”
Wait, was my cooking the problem?
I tried not to let my worries show on my face as I listened.
“I couldn’t help but cry. I never imagined I would be able to eat the same seafood recipe here that I used to eat in my hometown.”
“…Oh, I see. That must have really startled you.”
I nodded and decided not to question her any further.
Startled likely didn’t cover it… She was surely overwhelmed with nostalgia.
Krona had once told me that tomato seafood stew was Lelena’s favorite food. The meal was intended as a welcome gift, but it appeared that the actual result was inducing a sense of homesickness in the girl.
Lelena was still a child, despite how brave she acted. Her words served as a reminder—I needed to be more careful in the future.
◇ ◇ ◇
“THAT was rough, wasn’t it, Berry?”
I carried the Gardener Cat back to my bedroom and asked how she was feeling. The earlier game of tag had been initiated by Melan. I wanted to comfort Berry, the victim in the whole situation.
“Mraw mraw…”
The Gardener Cat’s cry sounded like her usual self.
Only Berry, Lucian, and I occupied the room. Once she knew she was in a safe place, Berry jumped down from my arms. She then took to the task of grooming the fur I’d disheveled as I carried her.
…Hmm…
Berry didn’t seem particularly bothered by Melan’s presence, but maybe I simply couldn’t read her signs of stress properly. The correct method for introducing new cats into a house is to keep an eye on the original cat and be sure they’re properly cared for. But what could I do in Berry’s case?
As I pondered this question, Berry trotted over to my writing desk. She crouched, then leaped up on the desk.
“How unusual. And here I thought this cat had some manners…,” Lucian muttered.
Indeed, it was rare to see Berry on top of my desk, or any other area that was meant for me alone. It was a strange sight. She then began to paw at a bundle of paper sitting on a corner of my desk.
“Those are some recipes I’ve written down… You want to read them?”
“Meow!!” she responded.
With her right paw, Berry began to imitate the motion of flipping the pages.
It was downright adorable.
“Demanding use of Lady Laetitia’s hands… What a scoundrel.”
“I think Berry’s simply being thoughtful. She doesn’t want to tear the paper with her claws.”
I sat in my chair and began to turn the pages, one by one.
Berry couldn’t read, of course, but I’d also drawn simple illustrations on each of my recipes. As she stared carefully at each page, the one that caught her attention was the one I had kind of predicted.
“Strawberry jam cookies…”
“Meow meow meow!!”
She patted her paw pads against the drawing of the cookie before bringing them up to her mouth over and over again.
“You’d like to eat strawberry jam cookies tomorrow, wouldn’t you?”
“Meow!!”
Berry’s eyes lit up.
…The trick to having a happy multi-cat home is to care for the cat who lived there first.
I realized then that I had no choice but to make Berry a batch of her favorite cookies.
◇ ◇ ◇
“URK… My precious strawberry jam…”
Reluctant to say goodbye to the product, I whined to myself in the kitchen.
I was going to bake strawberry jam cookies for Berry, and of course, I needed the right ingredients. One was the strawberry jam I’d kept stored away for my own use.
“I don’t want to use it up…but I don’t want to use Berry’s share either…”
A line of jars filled with strawberry jam sat atop a wooden shelf in one corner of the kitchen.
Each jar that sported a green ribbon belonged to Berry. The red ribbons indicated my own share, and the jars without ribbons were to be used by guests, Gilbert, or the other chefs.
Summer had only just arrived. Strawberry season was already behind us, and I planned to save these preserved berries for future use.
Berry’s powers as a Gardener Cat gave her a limited ability to grow strawberries outside their normal season, but I couldn’t ask her to overexert herself like that. I decided to make do with the finite amount of fruit she had provided me, so as not to impact her health.
…And by the way, the strawberry jars with distinctive ribbons were just one sign of the strict rules about who had ownership of the jam. It was the result of a riveting debate between Berry and me.
“…I was much too intense during that whole conversation…”
I let out a dry laugh when faced with the memory. Lucian seemed to be staring off into the distance beside me, thinking about the same thing.
It was the final night of jam-making, at the very end of strawberry season. Berry and I were in an intense face-off like never before.
“How about forty percent for your share, Berry?”
“Mraw!!”
“No good? Then forty-five percent should be ple—”
“Mraaaaw? Meow meow!!”
“What? Still no? Not even close? You want me to start over?”
Berry shook her head, and I gave offer after offer as the spring night grew late. Gradually, the discussion turned into a spewing of emotions about strawberries in general.
A human and a cat engaged in a fierce conversation.
Berry’s meows grew unbelievably expressive when it came to the topic of strawberries. Her passion was palpable.
…Thanks to that ordeal, morning came in the blink of an eye, and Berry and I greeted a more refreshing dawn than usual, strangely enough. Of course, it wasn’t exactly normal to spend an entire night debating with a creature who can’t even speak…
But I wasn’t going to let that get to me.
Lucian had this to say: “No matter what you may tell me, my lady, I still intend to keep my guard up around the creature.”
I decided not to mind his very serious tone.
To cheer myself up, I looked down at the ingredients laid out before me.
“This is for Berry, the biggest strawberry lover of them all.”
I picked up the strawberry jam and began making the cookies.
Today, they’d be shaped simply with cookie cutters. I decided to make two kinds—those that used Berry’s strawberry jam, and those that were meant for me and the villa servants.
As for the cookies themselves, I’d made them a number of times already. This batch was sure to turn out nice, so long as I kept the humidity, temperature, and measurements of each ingredient finely tuned.
I combined the butter and sugar with a wooden spoon, mashing the ingredients against one another. Then I started to beat them together with the back of a fork, in the same motion used to whisk scrambled eggs. Lucian was working on dough at my side as well, so I knew I was going to end up with the perfect amount.
Once the dough turned lighter in color, I stirred in a whisked egg, pausing two or three times to be sure it incorporated well. After more stirring and the addition of cake flour, the dough was complete. I then set it inside a box filled with ice—used in place of a refrigerator—to let it rest for a while.
While I waited, it was time to begin on the cookies that would contain some of Berry’s strawberry jam.
I mixed together the same ingredients but this time added the strawberry jam at the end. I didn’t hold back in the amount I used, and the dough turned out a nice pink color.
Next, I set the strawberry cookie dough next to the plain dough to rest and prepared the cookie cutters while the oven heated up. I made circles, stars, paw prints (modeled after Berry), and more paw prints (modeled after the wolves).
At a glance, the two paw prints strongly resembled each other, but I’d put great care in the details of each shape. Such attention to detail would result in a clear difference once they became cookies… Well, okay, that wasn’t really true. All that mattered was that I had a fun time making them.
“All right. Now I just need to roll it out…”
I retrieved the resting dough, used a rolling pin to flatten it to about a quarter inch thick, shaped it using cookie cutters, and placed them in the oven.
“That’s the smell of roasted wheat, butter, and sour-sweet strawberries…”
The very hint of such a scent was enough to induce pure bliss. I was taking in the delicious aroma when I spotted a small shadow in the kitchen entrance.
“…I knew you’d show up, Berry.”
Berry was clearly lured in by the wafting scent of strawberries. The other chefs smiled when they spotted her.
“Oh, there she is again.”
“Would she really be our Berry if she didn’t come running at the first whiff of strawberries?”
“Such an adorable kitty.”
Right?! I couldn’t agree more! Berry’s super cute! You see the truth!!
I mentally gave the chefs my seal of approval.
Berry, who always waited for her strawberry treats in the entrance of the kitchen, had become something of a mascot to the kitchen staff. She was used to their presence by now too.
She paid the fawning humans no attention as she stared at the strawberry cookies inside the oven. I could sense her silent pressure and demand, so I checked that the cookies were finished baking, removed them from the oven, and placed them on a rack.
Once I was sure they’d cooled enough, I placed one on Berry’s plate and carried it outside the kitchen.
“It’s ready, Berry.”
“Meow!!”
She stood up on her hind legs. She couldn’t wait any longer. Berry deftly grabbed the cookie between her paws and didn’t waste any time in stuffing her cheeks.
“…She’s like a hamster…”
Even though she looks exactly like a cat on the outside.
Berry devoured her cookie, paying no mind to the sound of me snickering to myself. Her whiskers twitched as she munched, and at times, she closed her eyes in pure delight.
“I’m such a lucky chef…”
It was gratitude for this experience that filled my mind as I watched Berry in her state of bliss. I didn’t mind using the strawberry jam when I saw how happy it made her.
◇ ◇ ◇
I returned to the kitchen after I fed Berry her strawberry cookie snack.
My next recipe for the day was a large serving of chicken legs. I began by sprinkling the legs, which were covered in pockets of light pink fat, with salt. I made sure the entire surface was properly salted, meaning the only remaining step was to cook the chicken.
“Last time, the inside ended up cooking too, so I had to serve it well done… But let’s try it rare today.”
I heated my frying pan and decided how long I would let the meat cook.
This chicken wasn’t for me, but for Fon, my griffin.
Griffins like Fon, who’d claimed a human as their master, loved to be fed meat by that particular human. The act of feeding him meat directly seemed to strengthen our bond of trust.
However, if I fed him every single day, it would actually be detrimental to his health, or so I’d heard, so I was currently cooking meat for him on a schedule of once every ten days.
Fon generally consumed raw meat for his meals, but he didn’t seem to mind the cooked variety either. I was currently working on finding the level of doneness and flavoring he would most enjoy.
Each meal contained somewhere around eleven pounds of meat. It wasn’t particularly easy to prepare, but I made do by cooking each piece at a time in the frying pan.
Since I had the opportunity, I wanted Fon to eat meat I’d personally cooked for him. It made me feel like one of the zookeepers I’d seen on a documentary in my past life.
“As magnificent a meal as ever…,” remarked Lucian as he swiftly placed each slab of cooked meat in a bucket.
“This could easily feed a few dozen humans.”
I added a few kinds of herbs to another bucket and headed out to see Fon.
The habits of wild griffins were generally still shrouded in mystery, but what was known was how they enjoyed eating meat along with fragrant plants, which my two buckets would help facilitate.
“Kreeeh!!”
Click, click!
Fon began to rattle his beak when he saw Lucian and me. It was a sign he was hungry for meat. His beak was large enough to hold my entire head inside it, and he was capable of producing sound at an impressive volume.
It used to scare me at first, but when I learned it was a way for baby griffins to ask their parents for food, I started to find the habit rather endearing.
“There, there. I’ve got some rare meat for you today. Eat up!”
I stuffed meat and herbs together into his wide-open beak.
Chomp.
He gobbled the meat down in the blink of an eye. He always ate by gulping down his gigantic bites at once. He seemed to enjoy today’s rare meat—he was eating much quicker than usual.
Once he’d finished the entire bucket, Fon leaned his head forward to nuzzle me, the white feathers of his plumage tickling my cheek.
“Fluffa fluffa… It’s pure heaven… And the smell of meat…is so intense…”
“Krah?”
Fon cocked his head adorably, but the smell of his meal still hung heavy in the air. I stroked Fon’s body, enjoying the appetizing scent.
“There, there. …Do you want scratches anywhere else?”
Fon shook his head. He looked deeply satisfied, with a full belly and a well-scratched body.
I decided today would be a good day to train him, since his spirits were so high.
…Although, I wasn’t going to be the trainer myself. That role fell to Lucian.
Fon had already learned to follow commands from me. But there was no guarantee I could be with Fon at all times, so I’d begun to train him to follow orders from other people as well.
“Stop right there.”
“Kwaah!”
Fon let out a cry and stopped in his tracks when he heard Lucian. His front paws fell perfectly still into position. Having followed the orders precisely, he kept his eyes fixed on Lucian.
“Well done. Try petting him, Lucian.”
“Yes, my lady. Here I go… You did well. You’re a clever creature.”
“Kyueeh!!”
Fon let out a cry as he accepted a neck petting from Lucian.
I expected nothing less from my servant Lucian. He’d shown the quickest progress in training Fon compared with the other villa servants I’d asked to give it a try.
“Lucian, you’re so amazing.”
“I pale in comparison to you, my lady.”
“Fon already sees me as his master. You’re the only other person who can get him to obey like that. Is there some kind of trick you’re using?”
“A trick…?”
Lucian’s black hair rustled in the breeze as he pondered my question. It cast a shadow over his sharp blue eyes.
With him standing next to Fon, who had his wings folded up neatly, they painted a compelling picture of a human with their pet.
…Ignoring the faint aroma of meat that hung in the air, of course.
I was starting to get a bit hungry.
“I wouldn’t call it a ‘trick,’ per se…but perhaps he feels a sense of fellowship with me.”
“Fellowship? Between you and Fon?”
“Fon is a griffin with a good enough head on his shoulders to choose you as his master. I believe the two of us can work well together, as two followers of the same master.”
“Kwah!!”
Fon nodded in agreement. The two tufts of feathers on top of his head shook with each movement.
“…Thank you, Lucian. I’m glad I can rely on you.”
I smiled at the sight of the perfectly matched human and beast. The pair even shared the same diligence and sense of duty between them. I could imagine them getting along well, despite the difference in species.
…I guess compatibility really is a factor.
Lucian didn’t hold back in his praise for Fon, yet he still harbored somewhat biting words for Berry. He always had something to say about the Gardener Cat’s extremely relaxed way of life, but when it came down to it, he never ignored Berry when she went to him for something. Berry, of course, didn’t show the slightest annoyance whenever Lucian took care of her.
That was simply the state of their relationship.
◇ ◇ ◇
AFTER Lucian finished training Fon, we returned to the villa and found Lelena standing there waiting.
She clenched her fists tightly and pursed her lips together in a show of anxiety.
“What’s the matter, Lelena?”
“I have something I’d like to ask you, Your Majesty.”
“…Was there a problem with the food and clothing I had prepared for you?”
I didn’t want to burden Lelena, whose environment had changed so dramatically, so I’d asked for her to be supplied with all living necessities… But perhaps something in particular had stuck out to her, just like with yesterday’s tomato seafood stew.
“Not at all!! The bed is so soft, and the food is delicious… I hardly deserve any of it.” She was showing her appreciation, yet her face showed no relief from those worries.
…I sensed what she was about to say next.
“…You’ve treated me so well, Your Majesty, and I’m incredibly grateful for that…which is why I don’t think it’s fair to only be on the receiving end of such kindness.” Lelena raised her head to look at my face. “So, please allow me to train as a maid while I stay in this villa, so that I might repay you for everything.”
“Train as a maid…”
I considered it for a moment.
I’d been planning on taking care of everything Lelena would need to live a life free of worry at my villa. But maybe that wasn’t enough…or rather, it was too much for her.
Lelena and I were strangers. We shared no blood relation or anything of the sort. The fact that I was providing her everything she could possibly need seemed to have spawned a deep guilt in her heart.
“Lelena, please don’t fret. I know how much life has changed for you since you arrived here. I think it’d be best for you to rest for a while.”
“…Thank you very much. But it’s hard not to fret when I have nothing to do but sit in my room alone…” Lelena pressed on.
I wondered if she and I were opposites—instead of loving any free time she could spend slacking off, she preferred to stay on her feet. Not to mention, she had memories of her hometown and Krona that probably overwhelmed her when she was all alone.
“I see. …So if I get the matter in order, would you like to apprentice here to learn how to become a maid?”
“Yes! Please allow me to!!”
After she accepted the offer, I asked her many questions about the arrangement and decided not to waste any time setting things up.
The more I thought about it, the more it felt like a good deal for me as well. I’d promised Krona that I would look after Lelena, but Krona was worried about not just Lelena’s day-to-day life, but her future as well.
Lelena had lost her parents, who were merchants, and had no one left to rely on. Her best option would be to learn a trade she could live off of and avoid the difficult path of taking over her parents’ business.
Because I was the queen, the servants who worked at my villa were incredibly skilled. In all likelihood, Lelena wouldn’t have trouble obtaining work after she left here if these were the servants she learned from.
I wasn’t able to pay her that much in salary, since she was only going to be apprenticing… However, for a child’s pocket money, it was sure to be a hefty sum.
“…A few years from now, I believe you’ll be a wonderful maid with enough money to live a good life.”
With that, I went on to have things arranged for Lelena’s employment.