Chapter 3: Macarons in the Rose Garden
Chapter 3: Macarons in the Rose Garden
IT was two days after I crafted the flower crown for Lord Aroo.
“I don’t need to bring any food to my next visit with His Majesty?”
“Correct. You can skip such preparations on this occasion.”
It was Melvin, visiting me on behalf of King Glenreed, who delivered the surprising news.
On my previous dinner visit, I’d presented Gilbert’s special dish, roast beef, along with the jam cookies…
Was he not a fan of the meal after all?
I kept a smile on my face while my spirits fell quietly on the inside.
“Fear not. His Majesty quite enjoyed the roast beef. Aside from the portion used for poison testing, he ate the entire dish on his own. I was disappointed that I didn’t get to partake as well, in fact.”
What a relief.
Melvin was a clever but compassionate man. He saw right through me, even though I tried to keep the emotions off my face.
“I appreciate the kind words. Shall I send you a roast beef meal of your own sometime in the future?”
“Haha. That’s very thoughtful of you, but I’ll have to decline.”
The smile on Melvin’s face appeared somewhat teasing in nature.
“…His Majesty would probably be jealous if I accepted a meal from the queen…” He was whispering something under his breath.
“Melvin?”
“Pay me no mind. …His Majesty would like you to meet him in the rose garden next time, instead of the dining room.”
“The rose garden… You mean the royal family’s rose garden?”
I’d heard the stories of the queen from four generations ago and her deep adoration of roses. She brought in roses from all across the land and made painstaking efforts to create a beautiful garden.
The one she established in the castle was said to be among the most impressive collections in the entire kingdom. However, only the royal family and their gardeners were allowed to enter under normal circumstances.
The carefully grown roses would be in full bloom as summer came upon us.
For one day only, guests could be invited into the bountiful garden by the king himself for what was known as a “Rose Gathering.”
“As the Wolfvartian queen, you have permission to enter the rose garden, Your Majesty. His Majesty plans to ask you to this year’s Rose Gathering as well, so he would like to invite you to the premises beforehand for a meeting.”
“Very well. I’d be honored to accept.”
I loved roses very much.
The Gramwell family crest was a rose, in fact, and I’d had many opportunities to look at roses throughout my life. I used to play hide-and-seek in the family rose garden with my older brothers. At some point, my second oldest brother decided he wanted to go all-out, and our simple games of hide-and-seek became full-on brawls with magic and swordplay allowed… Our gardener was absolutely furious with us, as I remember it.
I wonder how my big brothers are doing these days?
I knew them well enough to believe they were getting by, but I missed them all the same. Someday, I hoped to eat sweets with them again in the rose garden of our family home.
“…Um, may I ask you something, Melvin?”
“Of course.”
“Are there gazebos and benches in the rose garden? If there are, His Majesty and I would be able to eat a light meal or dine on snacks.”
I felt that His Majesty would probably enjoy some sweets during our outing as a nice change of pace during his busy schedule. Unlike Japan, with its yearly rainy season, summers in Wolfvarte always began with perfect weather. A delicious, sweet snack on a windy day would probably be a new experience for His Majesty.
“I seem to recall we had a simple table and place settings available to use. I’m sure His Majesty will be delighted if you brought some desserts for the two of you.”
“In that case, I’ll bring something simple. Aside from sweets and tea is there anything else I should prepare?”
“Hmm… Why don’t you have this as well? Please open it.”
Melvin handed me a mint-green cosmetics case.
“A rose… No, a hair ornament?”
For a brief moment, I truly thought it was an actual rose. But the gift was, in fact, a decoration for my hair—a dainty layer of thin fabric petals arranged to resemble a rose.
The light pink cloth was dotted with tiny pearls that resembled drops of morning dew. It was accented with ribbon and white lace.
“This is a gift from King Glenreed. It’s customary for guests of the rose garden to don a small rose accessory granted to them by the king, as the owner of the garden itself.”
“Thank you, Melvin. I’ll be sure to wear a dress that goes with this ornament.”
“Of course. I’m sure His Majesty will be most pleased. It was no easy task for him to decide which color of rose to gift you, by the sound of it.”
“…So he chose this piece himself.”
My heart began to speed up just slightly.
The last time I saw His Majesty, he didn’t seem to be grappling with anything internally, nor did he bring up the topic of hair accessories whatsoever. But still, he chose the piece he believed would suit me most. Such thoughtfulness lifted my spirits.
I saw Melvin off and didn’t waste a moment in getting to the preparations.
An afternoon in the rose garden—bathing in the bright early-summer sunlight and pleasant winds, surrounded by roses in full bloom.
Excitedly, I began to picture what desserts I would make and what dress I should wear.
◇ ◇ ◇
WHEN the day came, it was an agreeable, beautiful day out, as most early summer days were in this kingdom.
I felt the refreshing rays of sunlight on me as soon as I exited my carriage.
“Good day, King Glenreed. I’m honored to be invited as a guest in your rose garden today.”
I held on to my dress and bowed.
The dress was light pink and white to match the rose-shaped hair ornament I had placed above my ear.
I wore a choker around my neck made with the same fabric as my dress, and it was also lined with white lace. A bow was tied at my chest, with ribbons laced down the front of the bodice. The sleeves were puffy at my shoulders and fell loose just past my elbows, and the cuffs were lined in layers of dainty white lace to create a refined look. Though the dress was tight around my waist by design, below that, the pink fabric of my skirt flowed freely, like an upside-down rose in the wind.
I’d bowed, being careful not to wrinkle my dress, but the king was showing no reaction.
“…Your Majesty?”
“…Yes. Thank you for coming, and welcome.”
The corners of his eyes softened. Those beautiful lips of his moved just slightly.
“…well…”
“What was that?”
His Majesty responded to my question with…
“The hair ornament and dress suit you w—”
“Meow!!”
A familiar cry drowned out his voice.
“Berry?!”
I turned to follow the sound.
A familiar lump of gray fur was sitting on the roof of the carriage. It seemed as if she’d ridden all the way here.
“Why did you follow me?”
“Meow!!”
She leaped from the roof and scampered toward His Majesty, in the direction of the rose garden.
Berry was a Gardener Cat. While she was most known for her intense love of strawberries, Gardener Cats were Mythical Beasts that held close relationships with plants in general. Perhaps the rose garden, which only the royal family were permitted to enter under usual circumstances, had caught her interest.
“…She’s…”
“This is Berry, the Gardener Cat I’ve mentioned before. The one who lives at my villa…”
Berry kept her eyes fixed on the rose garden. She didn’t look bothered by the king’s presence at all.
But this was unusual for her.
Gardener Cats had been hunted throughout history, which was why I believed Berry to be so guarded around new people. She always took the time to observe humans first, of course, as well as animals like Lord Aroo. She normally wouldn’t approach anyone so quickly, unless they were holding strawberry treats.
“Your Majesty, have you perhaps met Berry before?”
“…No. It’s my first time seeing her.”
King Glenreed kept his eyes trained on Berry. It felt as if he was trying not to look at me.
Berry then began to meow some form of greeting to the man.
“…It looks like the two of you get along already.”
I wondered if His Majesty was the exact opposite of Hayruth, in that animals just naturally took to him.
…For a moment, I imagined the king fawning over a cat, though his face remained unchanged in real life. Maybe His Majesty really would show a more relaxed expression around dogs and cats.
The thought sparked my curiosity. I kept my eyes on the king as he spoke to Berry.
“You want to go in the rose garden?”
“Meow meow!!”
“Very well. Wait here a moment.”
“…You’re permitting Berry to enter the rose garden?”
“She’s the one who grew those strawberries, right? This is my way of repaying the favor.”
His Majesty is such a kind man.
I wondered if he was fond of cats and other furry creatures—something I deeply related to.
His Majesty headed to the entrance of the rose garden and returned with a single rose in his hand.
“Laetitia, do you have a handkerchief or ribbon with you?”
“Yes, here.”
I retrieved from my pocket a ribbon that I carried in case the ones on my dress came off.
“All guests in the rose garden must wear a rose accessory that I’ve given them. For today, this rose will be the Gardener Cat’s gift. Place it around her neck.”
“Thank you. …Berry, sit still for a moment, okay?”
Lucian wrapped the ribbon around Berry’s neck and wove the stem of the pink rose through it.
“Hehe! You’re even cuter now,” I said.
“Mraw?”
It was only an accessory of convenience, but the rose suited her much more than I expected. Berry, the former stray cat (if it was right to call her that), was instantly giving off a much more elegant aura.
Roses really do hold such incredible power.
The three of us proceeded to the rose garden’s entrance.
The garden was surrounded by walls of hedges. Guards stood at the entrance too. As soon as we passed through the brass gates…
“Wow…!”
Roses were in full bloom, their petals spread open. A sweet scent was drifting through the air.
A sea of roses was blossoming under the bright blue sky, ranging from a gentle pink to a practically transparent shade of white. The red roses reminded me of expensive velvet. Climbing roses around the garden were closer to a light purple.
They were all gorgeous, nearly large enough to break free from their stems, and in a greater number than I ever could have imagined.
“How breathtaking. It’s incredibly beautiful.”
“Meow!!”
Berry let out a cry—perhaps one of agreement. Her nose twitched as she looked from one rose to the next, and her tail swished in amusement the farther she walked through the garden.
The entire space was simply lovely—filled with the sweet aroma of the roses.
Petals sometimes drifted down toward us as we passed under the rose-entwined arches curving over the pathway.
His Majesty explained the various types of roses as well as the Rose Gathering event as we continued our stroll together. Along the way, I spotted a small table and chairs.
The little round table was painted all white and came with a set of three chairs. It matched its surrounding environment—light red roses and deep green ivy—quite well indeed.
“Shall we have tea at that table, Your Majesty?”
“Very well.”
I opened the basket I’d brought with me and quickly began to prepare.
First, I poured tea from the magic pot I’d transmuted, then set out a display of treats. Berry sat herself down in the extra seat, waiting until I finished.
“Your Majesty, today I’ve made an array of finger foods for you to try. Please have whichever one catches your eye.”
“…I think I’ll start with this, then.”
The king had picked up a small, plump macaron. It was light purple due to the early-harvested blueberries I’d added as an ingredient.
“…! What a strange texture… How amusing.”
The bites of macaron disappeared into His Majesty’s mouth.
The food had a unique texture—crisp on the outside, but soft on the inside in a way that dissolved in your mouth.
Each macaron was filled with a smooth layer of cream and carried the sweet scent of berries.
“Mraw!!”
Berry hadn’t hesitated to take a macaron into her paws. Naturally, she chose a strawberry one. She bit into the pink macaron with her tiny little mouth and devoured it in an instant, a blissful look on her face, then quickly reached her paw pads out for the next one.
“…Berry, could it be…?”
Did she follow me here just for these?
I let Berry have some strawberry macarons I made just for her before I even left the villa, but maybe that wasn’t enough to satisfy her.
“Hehe! So you’re like me too, Berry. Your appetite for food trumps your appetite for romance, right?” I said with a smile.
“…You realize you’re talking to a Gardener Cat, right?” His Majesty paused, macaron in hand, to ask me that question.
“Oh, that reminds me. The silver wolf came to visit my villa recently, and he gave me a certain judging look, as if to say, ‘Your appetite for food really trumps your appetite for romance.’”
“…I see.” He nodded, then started to mutter something under his breath. “…So she can read my face that well, even when I’m in wolf form? She’s no joke…”
It struck my curiosity, but by that point, he was already eating his next macaron.
I decided to join him in tasting another one.
Pink, off-white, purple, mint green, light lemon yellow: each colorful, plump macaron had a different flavor.
And there were even more treats than that—light brown madeleines, bite-sized fruit tarts, spiral-shaped cookies with black tea mixed into the dough, and a small, crunchy assortment of nuts.
I’d planned today’s refreshments to mainly consist of finger foods and sweets. The wide variety was due to the fact that I didn’t yet have a firm grasp on His Majesty’s preferences.
Fortunately, however, the king didn’t hesitate to sample one dessert after the next.
His long fingers reached out for yet another. I watched him part his lips for the macaron. It disappeared inside his mouth.
“…Yes. I like this white kind too. It’s sweet, but not too sweet…”
“It’s made with buttercream and a bit of salt as an accent. I think it helps to bring out the sweetness even more. You enjoyed it?”
“I did.”
His response was brief. But perhaps that bluntness came from being distracted by the flavor of the macaron.
His blue-green eyes softened slightly at the corners. The small change caught my attention.
…I’m really happy.
He really seemed to enjoy my desserts.
Small as the changes were, I could see the subtle ways his expression softened. To see him up close like this made my heart speed up.
“……”
I reached for a madeleine to distract myself.
The strong scent of butter filled my mouth. The sweet dough was soft and light, and it crumbled apart delicately on my tongue.
Mm. It’s delicious.
I mentally praised my own work. There was no better spell to bring joy than the sweetness of butter and flour.
I reached out for another—they were just that good. Between madeleines, I drank my tea. I really felt like I could eat these cookies forev—
“Laetitia.”
“Aghem!!”
I choked on a piece that got stuck in my throat. I’d been so distracted by the food and drink that the king’s voice had really startled me.
“Sorry. I shouldn’t have called out without warning.”
“No…I apologize. What…was it…you were saying, Your Majesty?”
“There’s a rose petal in your teacup.”
“Oh my. Thank you for telling me.”
A single petal was sending tiny ripples over the surface of my tea. It wasn’t exactly proper etiquette, but I decided to use my fingers to move the—
“Wha?!”
Just as I reached for the petal…
King Glenreed grabbed my hand in a tight grip.
“…Your Majesty?”
What’s the matter?
I felt his smooth but firm skin against my own.
With those long, slightly bony fingers…
His Majesty refused to let go of me.
◇ ◇ ◇
IT was the day of Laetitia’s visit to the rose garden.
Glenreed found himself completely captivated by the sight before him.
“Good day, King Glenreed. I’m honored to be invited as a guest in your rose garden today.”
Her golden hair fluttered as she bowed. The light pink rose ornament she wore above her ear perfectly matched the color of the dress adorning her slender body.
Laetitia raised her head and stared directly at Glenreed’s face. Her purple eyes caught the light and sparkled like amethysts. Accented against pale skin were her lips, nearly the same color as pink roses.
With the rose-shaped hair ornament, Laetitia looked truly beautif—
“…Your Majesty?”
“…Yes. Thank you for coming, and welcome.”
Glenreed couldn’t take his eyes off Laetitia as he returned her greeting. He squinted, as if that could capture the sight of her inside his brain.
The king had spent some time struggling over which color of ornament to send Laetitia. He even used his free time to transform into the silver wolf and go pick out a color with his own eyes…
But in the end, it was just as good as I imagined… No, even better…
Glenreed’s lips began to move.
“…well…”
“What was that?”
“The hair ornament and dress suit you w—”
“Meow!!”
He gasped and followed the sound of the cry to see a familiar Gardener Cat.
I don’t understand this cat…
The king relaxed a bit while he watched the conversation (or whatever it may have been) unfold between Laetitia and the Mythical Beast. Even though he’d met the creature many times during his visits to Laetitia’s villa in wolf form, it was Glenreed’s first time meeting her as a human. And yet…
…Did she figure out who I really am…?
The Gardener Cat approached Glenreed and meowed at him. Those eyes, staring up at the king, were indecipherable. The only thing he could tell for sure was the sense of familiarity and ease in that gaze.
“You want to go in the rose garden?”
“Meow meow!!”
“Absolutely!”
Glenreed could read that response from both the Gardener Cat’s face and her scent as she stared in that direction. While normal communication between him and the cat was impossible, the king still had his special nose. He was able to somewhat understand the intentions of others, even if they couldn’t speak with words.
I definitely can’t chase her out of here…
If the Gardener Cat really did know who Glenreed was, carelessly upsetting her could cause her to reveal that secret to Laetitia. Sure, it would be easy enough to have the small creature removed…but Laetitia downright adored her.
Glenreed certainly didn’t hate the animal either. She even rode on his back at times when he was in silver wolf form.
Cats can sometimes bring even the strongest of kings to their knees…
With a small nod, Glenreed allowed the Gardener Cat to enter.
Laetitia was taken aback by this, but then…
She smiled.
It was that soft, gentle smile that she usually never let emerge around Glenreed in his human form.
Why did she just look at me like that?
He couldn’t understand it.
Glenreed turned around, both to enter the rose garden and to hide the look on his own face.
Accompanying Laetitia and the Gardener Cat with the rose tied to her neck, the king made his way through the garden in all its fully bloomed glory.
“How breathtaking. It’s incredibly beautiful.”
“Meow!!”
“Of course. This rose garden is the pride of the royal family.”
The king explained the varieties and characteristics of each rose to his impressed guests. Laetitia listened intently and seemed to enjoy each moment she spent observing the roses.
Every now and again, strands of golden hair would sway in the breeze past Glenreed’s face, glittering under the sunlight.
…I didn’t realize how different we are in height.
The top of her head appeared in his line of sight.
The two had never stood side by side so close together before, at least not while the king was in human form. As a wolf, he always looked up at her. But this was the opposite situation.
Laetitia’s body was small and slender—over a full head shorter than the tall King Glenreed.
She always stands tall and proud when we meet as humans. I never noticed her true height until now…
His gaze was constantly being drawn to the hair upon her shoulders and her dainty neck. The distraction was bothering him, so he kept his eyes firmly set on the roses around them.
Glenreed had visited this garden many times, but it wasn’t a love of roses that drew him there—it was simply a part of his job. The routine was something of an annual ritual for him. It had never particularly swayed his heart over all that time.
The roses this year are…
Beautiful.
It was as if they existed to adorn Laetitia herself.
The vivid colors of the thriving roses practically took his breath away.
“Shall we have tea at that table, Your Majesty?”
“Very well.”
Keeping those emotions from appearing on his face, Glenreed agreed with a calm and collected expression.
Laetitia swiftly laid out plates and sweets. She was so confident in how she set a table, it was hard to believe she was actually a duchess at all.
Glenreed felt his lips untense as her cheerful aura took over him.
…She must really love food and cooking.
He liked to see Laetitia like that.
The aroma of the baked goods on the table mixed in the air with Laetitia’s scent. Ever since the day the two first met, something had always been strange about that scent. But right now, it was sweet… So sweet. It stirred up his appetite, along with something else he couldn’t put his finger on.
…What the hell am I thinking about…?
With that question at the forefront of his mind, Glenreed reached for one of Laetitia’s homemade treats. There were macarons, madeleines, fruit tarts, and cookies. Despite only laying eyes on some of them for the very first time that day, the king enjoyed each and every bite. One by one, he went back to try more.
“…Yes. I like this white kind too. It’s sweet, but not too sweet…”
“It’s made with buttercream and a bit of salt as an accent. I think it helps to bring out the sweetness even more. You enjoyed it?”
“I did.”
As he savored his own macaron, Laetitia took a madeleine. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, and she appeared to be in high spirits.
…Maybe she loves madeleines?
Glenreed watched her curiously…
Then the wind carried a fluttering rose petal down from above.
“Laetitia.”
“Aghem!!”
He’d made her choke on her bite.
“Sorry. I shouldn’t have called out without warning.”
“No…I apologize. What…was it…you were saying, Your Majesty?”
“There’s a rose petal in your teacup.”
“Oh my. Thank you for telling me.”
Laetitia reached for her tea. She seemed about to remove the petal with her fingers. But if it dripped on her, she might stain her dress.
“Wha?!”
The king grabbed hold of Laetitia’s hand.
He’d made it just in time. She had been on the brink of making contact with the tea.
Glenreed let out a quiet sigh, then inhaled the air again.
So sweet. So soft…
It was Laetitia’s scent that tickled his nose, and the feeling of her slender fingers against his skin.
He didn’t even realize he was moving his hand.
He simply wanted to experience that smell even closer.
Glenreed drew Laetitia’s fingers toward himself.
◇ ◇ ◇
“…YOUR Majesty?”
What exactly is he doing?
His Majesty wasn’t letting go of my fingers.
Those blue-green eyes of his were staring at my hand.
Before I even knew how to respond to such intensity, he began to lift my fingers up. They were headed toward the king’s delicate, beautiful lips.
I could feel his breath tickling my fingertips. My heart nearly leapt out of my chest.
“Your Majesty, what are you…?”
I called out to him louder this time.
I was on the verge of full-on blushing.
“…Just being sure you didn’t get tea on your fingers.”
King Glenreed released me and returned his gaze to the teacup.
“You tried to take the rose petal out with your fingers. I didn’t want you to drip tea on your dress.”
“…I appreciate your concern.”
I thanked him as I tried to quietly soothe my racing heart.
That really shook me up…
My fingertips still felt warm where His Majesty touched me.
Even though he looks like a beautiful ice sculpture on the outside.
He was a human with body heat, meaning any touch of his would be warm. That was only natural, of course, but it felt like something I’d forgotten until now.
I didn’t want to let him see how shaken up I felt, so I reached for a treat. I grabbed a pink macaron and—
“Mraaaw?”
It was Berry’s cry, sounding lower than usual, that broke the silence.
She placed her paw pads on top of my hand to stop me. Then the realization hit me—this was the last strawberry-flavored macaron.
“Mraaaoh?”
“You wanna go? You wanna fight for that strawberry macaron?”
I could hear her threatening tone. She didn’t dare break eye contact with me. Her tail was puffed up in preparation for battle.
“Berry…”
Berry had been devouring strawberry macaron after strawberry macaron while His Majesty and I were speaking. She’d stuffed her cheeks, savoring the taste of each and every bite as she ate. When I came along to take the very last one, she had no choice but to get physical.
“Don’t you worry. I won’t take it from you.” I smiled awkwardly as I released the macaron.
Berry was simply a strawberry fiend. She was usually laid-back and calm, but when it came to strawberries, she was dead serious.
“Meow!”
Berry reached for the macaron…
“What’s the matter?”
Her front paws froze in place. She was staring at the macaron with wide eyes, whiskers twitching as if she was thinking something over.
“…Mraw!”
Up and down.
Berry was moving her front two paws.
Each time, she looked from me to the macaron.
“…Let’s see… You want to split this macaron in half to share with me?”
Does she mean for me to split it with a spell?
But Berry just shook her head.
“Meow!”
She pointed her paw pads at King Glenreed.
Could it be…?
“You want to share with His Majesty too? I should split it into three pieces?”
“Mraw-hah!”
“Exactly. Painful as it may be, I’ll share my macaron with both of you.”
She nodded with an air of deepest solemnity.
“…Berry, that’s so sweet of you…!”
I was so moved to learn that Berry still wanted to take care of His Majesty, a man she’d only just met for the first time. But then…
“…Heh!”
I heard a tiny little chuckle.
It was His Majesty. He couldn’t contain his laughter at the sight of my negotiation with Berry.
Oh no!
My face was on the verge of breaking out into a full blush. I’d been so busy chatting with Berry, I completely forgot that His Majesty was sitting at the same table with us.
…I know not to let my guard down like that. What happened to me?
It was a bit strange to realize how open I was around His Majesty. The two of us didn’t spend much time together, but for some inexplicable reason, he felt like a person I knew very well.
“I don’t need any. You can split it with the Gardener Cat.”
With the blank expression back on his face, His Majesty rejected the macaron and took another sip of his tea.
◇ ◇ ◇
AFTER that, I spent the rest of the tea party learning about the “Rose Gathering” from His Majesty before returning home.
It was the one day of the year that the rose garden was open to outsiders. His Majesty and I would show our guests around and send them home with a bouquet of roses as a gift. In the past, these bouquets were sometimes composed of artificial flowers instead of real ones.
However, the true value of a rose comes from its temporary beauty, which will someday be lost. That was the idea behind using real roses over the past few dozen years. Some people still harbored the opinion that better offerings could be made, but the main reason for using real roses was to avoid the expense of manufacturing fake bouquets for every single guest.
I’d learned that His Majesty was going to give out real roses again this year.
“…Even the fanciest events have their own hidden stories.”
I reflected on the hard work His Majesty seemed to be putting into the event.
I was on my way home inside my carriage, stroking Berry’s soft fur. Having had her fill of macarons, the Gardener Cat was now curled up at my side, purring happily to herself.
The carriage finally pulled to a stop, and Lucian opened the door for me. Berry and I were about to go into the villa when…
“Berry?”
The Gardener Cat leaped to the ground and began heading in the opposite direction.
Berry almost always stayed inside the villa or ventured nearby for walks.
I wonder where she’s going?
I was curious, but I went straight inside the villa myself. Upon my arrival, Borgan, my head butler, approached me.
“Your Majesty, you’ve received a letter from Mr. Bodorey, the head sorcerer of the royal court.”
Oh, it’s the director…
I first met the head sorcerer during His Majesty’s birthday celebration. He was quite excited when he saw how I was able to use transmutation to form a chiffon cake mold. I’d heard he was away from the capital on business for a while but had recently returned home.
By this point, I’d already received multiple invitations to the Bureau of Magic so that the two of us could discuss transmutation, general spells, and similar topics.
“What shall you do, my lady?” Lucian sounded a bit uneasy in his question. “It might cause trouble for you to have someone observe your magic skills up close. Why don’t you consider coming up with a reason to decline the invitation?”
“There’s no need for that. Besides, I don’t think a single rejection would be enough to sway him either way…”
I was currently hosting tea parties to mediate a relationship between Lady Natalie and Lady Kate. While I enjoyed my life of leisure at the villa, I also wanted to do what I could for the good of the kingdom. I didn’t feel that I could avoid any interactions with Director Bodorey, the head sorcerer of the royal court, in that pursuit.
“That’s why I think I should accept.”
“Very well. I’ll arm myself accordingly and be ready immediately.”
“Arm yourself…? No, there’s no need for that in this case.”
I couldn’t help the awkward smile from forming on my face.
The most memorable sorcerers Lucian ever encountered were my older brothers. The two oldest helped train me in spellcasting.
I say “helped,” but…
They were both, to put it bluntly, teachers from hell. It was tough love at its finest.
We began with the basics in spellcasting, then proceeded on to real combat practice. My second-oldest brother studied fencing, meaning he would use the full range of both his magic and swordsmanship abilities as my opponent. The youngest of my brothers, Lucian, and I all had to put in every effort we could to make it out of their training alive.
Although, this was why Lucian had ended up so skilled in weaponry and other shady tactics…
“Sorcerers aren’t all like my brothers, so fear not.”
“…Of course. I’m well aware. However…I suppose I’d say it makes me nervous not to have any weapons on hand.”
“…I know exactly how you feel…”
Lucian and I both stared off into the distance in a daze.
The scars my brothers’ magic training had left on our hearts simply ran that deep.
◇ ◇ ◇
“AH, Your Majesty, are you going out today?”
When I stepped out of my villa, the Shiba Inu knight…or rather, Keith, approached me.
“I am. I received an invitation to visit the Bureau of Magic. Are you on duty as my guard today, Keith?”
“Yes! If you’re heading to the bureau, then I’ll be ready!”
Keith’s tail stiffened with that declaration.
He was ready, certainly. I watched him grip his spear tight.
Once Keith was seated in the driver’s seat, our carriage departed from the villa.
The Bureau of Magic was located on castle grounds, but it was actually quite far away, as the building was situated in a corner of the castle’s territory, just like my own villa.
“It certainly tells a story, doesn’t it…?”
It was like a visual representation of the bureau’s place among Wolfvartian society.
Unlike the Kingdom of Elltoria, where I was born and raised, this land had few sorcerers among its population. They played little role in politics either, and were very often pushed to the side during negotiations.
“That must be it.”
Before me was a brick building nestled in front of a forest. Since I’d arrived a bit early, I exited my carriage and began to explore the bureau grounds. The land that surrounded the building was unoccupied.
Maybe that’s so they can conduct magical experiments and training?
I could see stands and other fixtures meant for magical catalysts.
I was walking around with Lucian and Keith, imagining the kinds of experiments they might conduct here, when…
“Hey, you!”
A voice called out to me from behind.
I turned around to find a young man who seemed to be about the same age as Lucian, or perhaps slightly older. He looked the part of a sorcerer—he wore a black cape over a collared shirt. His black bangs were slightly overgrown and cast dark shadows over his eyes.
“What’s your business here?”
“I was observing the location of your magical experiments. As a fellow sorcerer, I’m curious to see what kinds of work you take part in.”
“You wanted to observe the testing site…?”
He furrowed his brow in suspicion. His green eyes moved toward Keith, who stood behind me.
“Are you sure you’re a sorcerer? Even though you’ve got some beastfolk guy with you?”
“…What’s your problem?”
Keith opened his mouth to grumble out that retort.
The unusually belligerent attitude seemed to put the man on edge.
“You got something you wanna say to me?”
“It just doesn’t seem right.”
“Doesn’t seem right? You’re really doubting the words from Queen Laetitia’s own mouth?”
“…Queen…Laetitia…?” The wrinkles in the man’s brow only intensified. “That’s impossible. I know Her Majesty hails from the Kingdom of Elltoria. A girl like her would never be seen in the company of beastfolk. I demand to know why you’re impersonating the queen!”
He raised his arms, as if preparing to cast a spell.
Keith readied his spear in response.
Both parties were on the verge of attacking.
“Please calm down, the both of you. I really am Laetitia.”
I looked around at the testing site. It was a large, empty space devoid of people.
Good, this will work.
“…Hands of red. Power in my tongue. Now, bring forth a blooming inferno!!”
I focused my magical energy and chanted a spell. Flames formed and billowed above me. The crimson fire burned nearly thirty feet tall at our heads.
“…An advanced spell without a catalyst, and cast so quickly…?”
The man’s eyes went wide as the wave of heat grazed his cheeks.
“Was that enough proof that I’m Laetitia the sorcerer?”
“…Right. I apologize.”
The man shot his head down in an intense bow. His black ponytail bobbed up like a horse’s tail flicking behind him.
“To doubt a sorcerer of such skill…is unforgivable.”
I could make out the anguish in his voice. He appeared to understand and truly regret his wrongdoing.
“Everyone makes mista— What?!”
I unintentionally flinched when the man suddenly shoved his hand out toward me.
“What the hell are you doing?!”
Keith stepped forward protectively and took a look at the other man’s hand. It held a partially translucent blue rock around the size of a chicken egg.
“A magic stone…?”
“Please take it. It’s an apology gift.”
…In all honesty, I had no idea what to do.
I understood why he felt the need to apologize, but the stone was something on a different level altogether. It was a gigantic magic stone, and despite the cloudy color, it would fetch an incredible price if sold—enough for an entire commoner family to live on for a year.
If I accepted something so valuable here and now…
I’d be starting off on the wrong foot in my relationship with the Bureau of Magic. His attempt at an apology was much too expensive for me.
“I can’t accept this. Your words alone are plenty for me.”
“…This isn’t enough, is it?” He furrowed his brow and began to rummage inside his sleeves. “Then how about this water stone along with salamander scales…no, mandrake root would be better…”
“Um, please don’t worry about that. I have no need for any of them.”
Despite my insistence, he was muttering to himself as he searched for the right apology gift. He appeared to be the kind of person who shut out the world around him when he was deep in thought.
“What’s with this guy? Listen to him grumble like that…”
Keith was annoyed. But fortunately, he didn’t seem as enraged by the man as he had earlier.
“You’re not going to get through to him like this. Why don’t I give him a jab with the blunt end of my sp—!!”
Keith readied himself for battle once more.
I whipped my head around to see…
“…Your Majesty?!” A young man with straw-colored hair was racing toward us.
“Good day. Are you a sorcerer with the bureau?” I asked.
“Yes, that’s right. What’s going on here?”
“I arrived before the scheduled time and decided to take a look at your magic testing grounds, when this man happened to strike up a conversation with me…”
When the new arrival caught sight of his acquaintance, who was still muttering under his breath, his face stiffened right up.
“Liddeus!! Now what have you done?!”
The man with the black hair was named Liddeus, and from what I gathered, he appeared to be something of a problem child at the bureau.
◇ ◇ ◇
“FORGIVE me for not introducing myself earlier. My name is Orth, and I work here at the Bureau of Magic.”
The sorcerer with the gentle face identified himself as Orth, and his smile was a fearful one. This was because I’d explained what had happened between Liddeus and me.
Orth and the others had been inside preparing for my arrival. But when they caught sight of the sudden billowing flames outside, Orth rushed out to determine what was going on.
“So that’s what happened…? Then why was Liddeus outside at the time?” I asked.
“For my spells,” Liddeus said curtly.
“Your spells?”
Orth stepped in to explain Liddeus’s blunt response. “Forgive him, Your Majesty. Liddeus is a poor speaker and struggles with everything that isn’t magic… Shall I explain on his behalf?”
“…That would be appreciated.”
“Recently, Liddeus has been obsessively working on a new style of spell. I’m sure he was out at the test site to practice it.”
“That’s right. It took me three days and three nights, but the spell is finally ready.”
Orth sighed out loud. “Three days and nights… Does that mean you haven’t slept a wink in three days?”
“That’s nothing for the sake of magical research.”
“But it’s a big problem for everything else, right?!” A vein in Orth’s temple was visibly twitching. “I bet you weren’t listening this morning when the director informed us of Her Majesty’s visit, were you?”
“……”
Liddeus, in an apparent feeling of awkwardness, turned his head away from Orth. I realized the man truly did feel guilty for what happened.
“Your Majesty, I sincerely apologize for Liddeus’s actions…”
I sympathized with Orth, his head bowed in apology. From there, we decided to head inside the bureau.
Before I decided to accept the apology or not, I needed to meet with Director Bodorey first.
“Welcome to the Bureau of Magic, Your Majesty!” Director Bodorey rushed over to us, his round belly bouncing with each step. “Were you the one who cast that fire spell just now? It was wonderful! Tell me, what type of spell did you use?”
His eyes sparkled as he voiced his praise, not waiting a second to hound me with questions. His enthusiasm seemed fitting for the man who was Liddeus’s boss. I remembered how excited he became when I used transmutation to create a chiffon cake mold.
“Please calm down, Director. You must hear what Liddeus has done to Her Majesty…” Orth quickly interrupted the director to catch him up to speed.
Orth appeared to be a levelheaded man caught between two magic fanatics—his boss and his coworker. I could see the toll it was taking on him.
You can do it, Orth. I just hope you don’t get a stomachache…
Once Director Bodorey heard the whole story, he made a proposal.
“Your Majesty, as a means of apologizing, there’s something I’d like to show you.”
Show me? What could it be?
Director Bodorey rang a bell that was hanging from the wall. The noise chimed through the room, and what appeared before us were…
“Furballs…?”
No, that’s not right.
They were birds. An entire flock of fluffy birds.
I was face-to-face with gigantic baby chicks…or something of the sort…that stood even taller than I did.