Chapter 5: The Search for Berry

 

 

 

Chapter 5: The Search for Berry

 

AFTER visiting the Bureau of Magic, I became very busy.

I had to watch over Lelena as she trained to be a maid, instruct my servants in their care of the newly arrived Tweety, cook various meals with Gilbert, mediate a relationship between Lady Kate and Lady Natalie, spend time playing with the wolves, make appearances at the Bureau of Magic…

Both the time I spent in Elltoria training to become the queen and my days slaving away at a terrible company in my previous life were busier than I was now, but compared with when I first arrived at the villa, there was no denying that I had many more things to do.

Half of that—maybe even more—was simply my own hobbies, so despite how hectic things were, every day was a fulfilling one.

“Here is the list of attendees for tomorrow’s tea party, my lady.”

I had just finished the lunch that Gilbert prepared for me when Lucian came to my room to deliver a list.

Recently, I’d been hosting quite a few tea parties at my villa. It had all started with Lady Kate and Lady Natalie—ever since the day the three of us made crepes together, I’d been inviting them over more often so that we could drink tea and cook together. As a result, the two of them had opened up with each other quite a bit…

But I wasn’t the only one who’d noticed the change, of course.

Lady Natalie was born to a duke who ruled over the western region of Wolfvarte, while Lady Kate’s father was the duke of the eastern region. Their families were the center of two respective factions formed throughout the aristocracies of the western and eastern territories. Young ladies of the upper classes greatly admired Lady Natalie and Lady Kate for their positions as daughters of dukes and candidates for queen.

“Once people found out that those two were having friendly tea parties at my villa…many other ladies started asking to join us.”

I’d learned that the young noblewomen had been visiting Lady Kate and Lady Natalie to solicit their own invitations, and I was currently on the receiving end of a number of requests to host tea parties for them. Some women specifically stated that they wanted to participate in gatherings that both beastfolk and humans could attend.

The kingdom of Wolfvarte in which we lived was formed by a territory that used to be made up of five smaller countries.

Each region differed greatly in various ways. In the western region where Lady Natalie hailed from, humans made up the majority of the population, while in Lady Kate’s eastern homeland, the majority were beastfolk. The two races looked down on each other and didn’t get along, meaning relationships between the two regions as a whole were just as strained. While some did try to meet the other race halfway, the current political climate in Wolfvarte made it difficult to publicly invite the opposite race to your home.

“…And that’s where my villa comes in,” I murmured to myself as I looked at the list.

As a foreigner in this kingdom, I had no ties to either region or their politics. This meant that humans of the western region and beastfolk of the eastern region could freely attend any tea party I held at my villa.

The noblewomen seemed to believe they could strengthen their bonds and form personal connections with each other through my parties.

“I’d certainly like to accept the ladies’ requests…”

There was a great divide between humans and beastfolk. If I could bridge that gap and improve the relationships between noblewomen, or even their families, the entire kingdom would surely be put on a better track. I wanted to achieve such an end, and hosting tea parties at my villa seemed like the least I could do.

“Lady Jerica Medissina, daughter of an earl, and Miss Lana Bartz, the daughter of a baron…” 

I read the names on the list and memorized the information. Tomorrow’s tea party would welcome as many as ten guests. These two women in particular were near the very top of the social pyramid.

“And Lady I-Liena and Lady Fillia will be joining us too.”

Like Lady Kate and Lady Natalie, these two women were candidates to become the next queen and were also the daughters of dukes, but from the northern and southern regions of Wolfvarte. All the tea parties I’d been holding at my villa were well received, and rumors of them had reached the other two candidates, who now wished to attend as well.

“Since they’ll be guests of my villa, I’ll have to be sure they’re entertained properly.”

I’ll be as careful as I can, but I can’t make any mistakes.

I decided to go visit the kitchen and check on the snacks for tomorrow’s tea party. As I walked down the hallway, a small shadow appeared at the other end.

“You’re always hard at work, aren’t you, Lelena?”

The girl looked just like a walking pile of fabric. She was carrying a hefty stack of ten folded linens with both of her hands.

Lelena, still only ten years old, was a beastfolk of the Wildcat clan. By this point in her life, she would already have as much muscle strength as I did, or perhaps even more. She clearly made use of it as she trained to be a maid.

“Thank you, Your Majesty! I hope you and Mr. Lucian keep up your hard work too.”

Lelena gave a quick bow, though she kept the mountain of linens perfectly in place.

Her sense of balance was also superb due to her beastfolk blood. She was a quick learner when it came to work, and between that and her commendable personality, she was fondly looked after by the rest of the villa staff.

“Lelena, you should take those linens down to the first floor around this time of the day, where you can hand them over to Misha. She’s in charge of ironing them.”

“Okay! Thank you for the information!” Lelena responded to Lucian’s advice with a cheery smile.

From time to time, Lucian would instruct Lelena in her training. He was a gentle and kind man, and he also knew the specifics of all the villa servants and their work. Lelena really respected and cared for him.

…I was a little bit jealous, in all honesty. Seeing as how I held the title of “queen,” Lelena still put a certain distance between us. We came from very different classes, certainly, but it made me feel blue nonetheless.

“…As long as she’s adapting to life here at the villa, I shouldn’t ask anything else of her.”

That was what I murmured to myself as I watched her carry the stack of sheets off into the distance.

◇ ◇ ◇

THE next day, my tea party began precisely as scheduled. It was a sunny day, so all we had to do was set the garden tables, and then it was time to begin.

I guided the ten guests to the three separate tables where they could snack on desserts and chat. I’d tried my best to take their families and relationships into consideration in forming the seating chart, hoping it would make conversations run smoother.

Though they weren’t in attendance, Lady Kate and Lady Natalie both supported the idea of me hosting public tea parties at my villa. They even provided me with information about the factions each guest belonged to, which was helpful when drawing up said seating chart.

“Good day, Your Majesty. I’m thrilled to be a guest at your tea party today,” Lady I-Liena greeted me with a very relaxed tone of voice.

I was sitting at the same table as her and Lady Fillia. As candidates for queen, it would be difficult for the other guests to speak freely with them. I’d seated them with myself so that I might entertain them instead.

“Hehe! I’m so happy you’re letting me indulge in some of your homemade treats. My friend here looks pleased to see you too, in fact. Don’t you think so?”

Down at Lady I-Liena’s side were five brown fluffy tails that swished from one side to another.

This was Lady I-Liena’s companion animal—a two-tailed fox. The creature, curled up elegantly beside her chair, was a rare variety, in that it actually had five tails to boast of.

I could tell how well groomed those tails were. The fur was vivid and glossy in the sunlight.

“Your companion animal is as beautiful as ever, Lady I-Liena. I feel as if I could stare at those swaying tails all day.”

“Ehehe! Your flattery is always appreciated. My friend is happy to hear your kind words too. As a thank you, he’s quite insistent that you pet him, in fact.”

“Are you sure? May I take you up on that offer?”

“Of course, of course. Please give it a go.”

I received permission from Lady I-Liena.

Yes! Finally, I get to pet a fluffy fox!!

I stood up from my chair and approached the two-tailed fox, who brought his tails closer to my face so that it was easier to reach them. The puffy light-brown tails swished back and forth, and I was captivated.

“They’re so nice and soft. You have very nice fur, don’t you?”

I made a point not to let myself smile too much as I felt the fox’s soft coat.

The fox kept a prim look on his face, his pointy ears sticking straight up.

He was such an elegant creature, even in his expression, with an adorable black nose at the tip of his muzzle. So beautiful and charming—a perfectly suited companion for Lady I-Liena. His fluffy tails were so noble in appearance, I couldn’t help but think back to Tamamo-no-Mae, the nine-tailed fox of Japanese legend. Though this fox lacked the remaining four tails, if Tamamo-no-Mae really did exist, she would almost certainly resemble him in her wolf form.

…I busied my mind with such silly thoughts, until the time for petting had come to a close.

I washed my hands in a bowl of water Lucian brought me, then reached for a dessert on the table.

“This is delicious. This ‘chiffon cake’ is light and fluffy, almost as if I’m eating a cloud.” Lady Fillia smacked her lips, fork in hand.

Lady Fillia, the black-haired daughter of a duke, hailed from the southern region of Wolfvarte. She was eighteen years old, one year older than me, though she was cute and dainty in a way that made her look a good few years younger, and she had a petite build as well. Her slender fingers gripped the fork and gracefully carried the chiffon cake to her mouth.

Lady Fillia gave off a soft, delicate aura, much like the praise she’d given for the chiffon cake itself. She was quite the adorable young lady.

“That’s an interesting way of putting it, Lady Fillia. So you’re a fan of the chiffon cake, hmm?” It was Lady I-Liena who spoke between her own graceful bites of chiffon cake.

“Oh yes. It’s so delicious and cloudlike. Don’t you just feel like you couldn’t ever get sick of it?”

“Well, it saddens me to say I’ve never eaten a cloud before…but I agree that the cake is most delicious. Even if it was all we were blessed with, this alone makes me glad I attended today.”

The conversation between Lady I-Liena and Lady Fillia was pleasant and lighthearted. I didn’t sense any animosity between them at all, despite the fact that they were rivals in their battle to become the next queen.

Though I was quite certain that, deep down, they weren’t on friendly terms…

They simply preferred to avoid any open hostility while face-to-face. The two girls giggled and chuckled happily in a way that kept their true intentions hidden.

I just know Lady I-Liena is forming some kind of scheme in her mind right now…but what about Lady Fillia?

As delicate as she looked, it was hard to get a read on her emotions.

I watched over their conversation as the tea party carried on into the day.

◇ ◇ ◇

BY the end of the party, I hadn’t witnessed any troubling incidents at all. I’d even heard that the other two tables had also talked enthusiastically about the treats I served them.

There was a bit of awkwardness between the humans and beastfolk, but by the time the tea party was over, they appeared to be actually enjoying themselves.

“I think it’s safe to say it was another successful tea party.”

After seeing off the ladies, I began to instruct the servants on how to clean up.

My baked goods, like the chiffon cake, had received good reviews, but these ladies weren’t actually heavy eaters. Since the goal of this party was to form connections with people of the opposite race, a lot of food was left sitting on the table in the end.

“Wow…! Today’s treats look so yummy…!”

Lelena, who’d showed up to help clean, was staring at the table, her eyes completely lit up. Her childlike excitement was unlike her usual formal manner.

…Now that I think about it, her sister, Krona, had a weakness for sweets too.

Filled with a sense of nostalgia, I watched Lelena swiftly gather the remaining desserts. I’d already boxed up some leftover food to send home with the guests, so everything else that remained would go to my servants. The villa staff also looked forward to these sugary, fruit-filled desserts.

“Oh! I see you’ve got some more tasty-looking treats out here today.”

It was Hayruth who called out to me. He was an artist who visited me from time to time for chats, and he’d wandered into my garden once again today.

“Good afternoon, Hayruth and Nimur.”

“Gyauh!!”

Nimur, the scaled horse, bobbed its head in greeting.

For whatever reason, Hayruth was usually disliked by dogs, cats, horses, and other, more common animals. But Nimur, the lizard-like creature that stood on two legs, did seem to get along with him. Hayruth was always able to ride him in place of a horse.

The scaled horse’s body was entirely covered in scales, as the name suggested. While Nimur was taller than a human, his beady black eyes were round and endearing. His front legs were tiny, and his long tail swung from side to side like a dog. Each of his movements were rather silly-looking, which was another reason I found him cute.

“Gyah gyah?”

Nimur began to point his nose toward the tables and sniff at the air. I wondered if the scent of chiffon cake and the other unusual treats had caught his interest.

“Do you like the smell? I have a lot of leftover desserts from today’s gathering. Would you like to take some with you, Hayruth?”

“Woo-hoo! Much appreciated, Your Majesty!!”

“Gyah!!”

Hayruth seemed extremely pleased. Perhaps the man had something of a sweet tooth. Nimur swished his tail from side to side too, appearing happy to see Hayruth so excited. They were a friendly pair indeed, this human and beast.

“Since you’re here, would you care for a cup of tea?”

“Really? You wouldn’t mind havin’ tea with me?”

“I’d like to hear your tales of the Raiolbern Kingdom, and of my big brother Claude.”

Hayruth wasn’t born in the kingdom of Wolfvarte. He hailed from Raiolbern—a large country to the west of my homeland, Elltoria. As a young but successful painter for members of the aristocracy, Hayruth always had a wealth of topics to discuss, but he’d also managed to form a friendship with my older brother Claude since he arrived in Wolfvarte.

Big Brother Claude had been traveling to various countries for his work over the past few years. Despite being his sister, I’d been unable to see him at all, so I was curious as to how he was doing.

“I’d be honored to join you. I wouldn’t miss Your Majesty’s newly invented sweets for anything!”

He gave a friendly smile and was headed toward the shed to tie up Nimur when suddenly…

“Ugh. He caught me…”

“What’s the matter?”

Seeing the way his smile had contorted, I couldn’t help but respond, and then I heard the nearby bushes rustling.

“Arooo…!”

There, right before our eyes, was a visibly grumpy Lord Aroo.

Hmm? What’s got him so upset?

The wrinkles in his muzzle were creased, and his fur appeared to be standing on end, as if in anger.

“Roooo!!”

Lord Aroo crossed over the grass until he was close enough to glare straight at Hayruth.

“Leave this place immediately.”

That was the warning I felt as Lord Aroo came between Hayruth and me.

When Nimur saw the dignified presence of the wolf, he let out a faint “Krrr…” and curled his tail up behind him.

“No, no, Lord Aroo. You have to calm yourself. Look, you’re scaring Nimur.”

“Aroo…”

Lord Aroo’s blue-green eyes glanced at Nimur. The gesture alone was enough to make Nimur shrivel in fear. Lord Aroo let out something that sounded like a sigh.

“Guruff. Rrrroo…”

“I don’t like your master, but you’ve done me no harm. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Lord Aroo seemed to apologize with his cry, at which point he became a bit less menacing.

“How impressive, Your Majesty. Looks like you’ve got Kin—or rather, Lord Aroo under control.” Hayruth looked pleasantly surprised. He was smirking at the grumpy wolf.

“Despite his appearance, Lord Aroo is plenty rational when you reason with him.”

“Grah?”

“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean? You’re such a rude woman sometimes.”

He crinkled his nose once more in annoyance. The wolf was truly an expressive animal.

“Haha, I get it. I’ll head home for today. I can see that I’m just causing trouble.”

“Gyah gyah!!”

Hayruth took Nimur’s reins and hopped onto the scaled horse’s back. He settled into the saddle and stroked the beast’s neck.

While Hayruth looked to be quite slender, I was surprised by how strong he appeared. I’d heard that physical strength was important to some artists, and I wondered if Hayruth had been working out for that purpose.

I watched him depart atop Nimur’s back as I pondered the source of his strength.

◇ ◇ ◇

IT was the day after my conversation with Hayruth.

At King Glenreed’s invitation, I joined him for dinner at the palace.

I was grateful for the opportunity to dine together, as I had several things I wanted to ask him about.

Today I’d brought ham, egg, and vegetable sandwiches, along with onion soup. The dark golden soup was filled to the brim with butter-cooked, thin-sliced onions that were soft and sweet on the tongue.

I placed the pot of soup along with the sandwiches on top of a metal grill I’d brought with me, then warmed them using a fire spell.

“How very aromatic.”

His Majesty’s blue-green eyes were focused on the roasting sandwiches. Though his face remained unchanged, I could sense excitement from him…or so it seemed.

“Don’t they smell nice? Grilling bread like this makes it nice and crispy. It’s quite delicious.”

I presented His Majesty with the sandwich—now with grill marks on the surface. He picked it up with his hands, observed it for a moment, then took his first bite.

“Yes, this tastes very nice. It smells savory, and when I bite into the crispy bread, the softness inside comes through as well. It mixes nicely with the salt of the ham.”

He’d devoured the entire sandwich in about three bites.

Does that mean he liked it?

His Majesty seemed so disinterested with food when we first met, but now, he was easily able to express his thoughts on the sandwich. The change I saw in him was a joy to my heart.

“…What is it? Why are you smiling like that?” he asked me.

“Hehe! It’s nothing. I’m just glad to see you enjoyed it.”

It was so much fun to eat with someone who enjoyed their meals.

Once we’d eagerly finished our sandwiches and our appetites were satisfied, it was time to have a conversation with His Majesty.

I asked him my first question over our after-dinner tea.

“…You want to go outside the castle?”

“Yes, I do, which is why I’d like your permission. I’m sure I’d attract a crowd if people caught sight of the queen in the city, so I’d like to disguise myself and explore the capital.”

“What about your guards?”

“I’d prefer to have Lucian, my servant, at my side, as he’s trained in martial arts. I’ll also have the guards I brought from my homeland stay within a short distance.”

“I see. That doesn’t sound like it will be a problem… Shall I send some of my own knights too, just to be safe?”

“It would be much appreciated.”

While I had my own self-defense methods in the form of magic, I didn’t want to immediately resort to that while I was out in the town. As long as I had a few guards with me, along with Lucian, I was unlikely to find myself in any dangerous situations.

“When are you planning to go out?”

“Sooner would be better for me.”

“Do you have errands to do in town? Has something caught your interest?”

“I’m curious about the popular foods and shops throughout the capital. I’ve been hosting tea parties for the noble ladies of this kingdom, so I’d like to experience the things throughout the city that I heard from their stories.”

I can eat as I walk through the city. I’d definitely love to experience a capital stroll.

As much as I loved taking it easy at the villa, I was also looking forward to going out and exploring the city.

“Very well. I see why you’d need to understand the local fads as the host of those tea parties.” His Majesty gave a small nod of his head, apparently having accepted my explanation. “I’ve heard great things about the tea parties at your villa. They must be popular, as some of the young ladies have even attended more than once.”

“I’m glad to hear you say that. …I host humans and beastfolk; those hailing from the eastern region and those from the west. Some of the guests have sought an opportunity like this for a while but couldn’t express it due to the long history of bad blood between them.”

I wondered how His Majesty felt about the goal of my tea parties, so I had decided to push forward and mention it to him directly.

“…So I hear. I hope your tea parties are a way for the different regions and races to come to understand each other better.”

Thank goodness. So he supports my plans as well.

I knew that, as I was only a figurehead queen, he couldn’t openly give his approval for my actions, but those words alone were plenty reassuring.

“Thank you, Your Majesty. I hope to keep inviting all kinds of people to my future tea parties.”

“…All kinds…of people…”

The king was muttering something to himself.

Did I say something strange?

I suddenly got the sense he was somehow upset or annoyed.

“Is something the matter, Your Majesty?”

“I don’t mind you hosting and befriending the young noblewomen…but you’re just being careless when you have tea with strange men you know nothing about. Just yesterday, a painter visited your villa and you invited him to tea, didn’t you?”

He was referring to Hayruth.

It wasn’t something I was trying to keep secret in particular, but the matter had somehow managed to reach the king’s ears.

“I appreciate your concern; however, I don’t believe Hayruth poses any danger. He’s a friend of my older brother, and he possesses an entry pass for the castle grounds, which means he’s been deemed a person of good standing.”

My villa was located in a corner of the castle territory. The land it was on was sprawling, and aside from a few certain spots, we were allowed to freely move about as we pleased. However, there were requirements that came with entering the territory. Aside from live-in staff members, all commoners required a thorough review before they could receive a visitor’s pass.

“…Right, I’m sure that’s the case…”

The king still seemed somewhat unconvinced.

When I saw those blue-green eyes and their apparent disapproval of Hayruth…

“You remind me of Lord Aroo sometimes, Your Majesty.”

The words simply slipped from my mouth.

◇ ◇ ◇

“YOU remind me of Lord Aroo sometimes, Your Majesty.”

Glenreed froze when he heard Laetitia’s remark.

Why on earth would she bring up Lord Aroo right now…?

He chose to press Laetitia for more information while he kept his unease from showing outwardly. “What do you mean by that? What about me is so wolflike, exactly?”

“Ah, my apologies. I must have confused you, didn’t I?”

Laetitia wasn’t acting strangely; she had the same beautiful smile on her face that she always did. Glenreed decided to keep a careful eye on how she responded.

“I didn’t mean anything by that. Yesterday, Lord Aroo acted very threatened by Hayruth’s visit to my villa. Your distrust of Hayruth simply reminded me of the wolf for a moment.”

“…I see.”

On the inside, Glenreed breathed a sigh of relief.

Laetitia wasn’t lying, nor did she appear at all suspicious. Glenreed’s special nose determined that her words were the entire truth.

Feeling a bit more at ease, Glenreed parted his lips. “I don’t know what this Lord Aroo’s reasoning may be, but I don’t dislike the artist. I only wanted to remind you to keep your guard up, now that you’re inviting so many people to your villa.”

Glenreed’s words were a mix of truth and deception.

Hayruth may not look dangerous, but he’s still a spy for the crown prince of Raiolbern.

Glenreed imagined that Laetitia hadn’t worked out that fact yet.

But she was an intelligent woman, and the king didn’t expect her to be outsmarted by Hayruth. He didn’t know exactly why Hayruth’s presence bothered him to such an extent, in fact.

…It may be in name only, but Laetitia is still my queen. I suppose it’s natural to worry that something might happen to her.

Glenreed conjured up that explanation to blame his uncertainty on.

Laetitia seemed convinced as well. Although…

“I understand. I apologize for misinterpreting the situation. …By the way, what do you think of Lord Aroo, Your Majesty?”

She had an unexpected question for the king as well.

What do I think…of Lord Aroo…? The question put Glenreed on edge once again. I’m sure she hasn’t realized that Lord Aroo and I are one and the same…

But Glenreed’s intuition warned him not to let his guard down.

“I’d like to know your thoughts. You have some knowledge about Lord Aroo, do you not?”

“……”

The king racked his brain.

In the past, he told Laetitia the following about Lord Aroo:

“He was, at one time, nearly abducted due to the unusual color of his eyes. As a result, he’s become a grumpy creature who has to be kept separately from the wolves and wolfkeepers, so as to thwart the risk of future kidnappings.”

…But that’s not what Laetitia wants to hear right now.

Glenreed put his thoughts in order before speaking.

“Then let me ask you first. What about him is so curious to you?”

“…Sometimes I think that Lord Aroo might be more than just a normal wolf.”

“Because of his eye color?”

“That’s one reason, yes…”

Laetitia trailed off. Her amethyst eyes were glimmering at Glenreed. She was watching for his reaction.

“I believe he’s too clever to be a normal wolf,” she continued. “To me, it seems he perfectly understands human speech, don’t you think? There’s been a number of times now where Lord Aroo understood my words at face value, and even the deeper meanings behind them.”

“……”

“It’s just your imagination,” he could attempt to say…

But unfortunately, she was already on the right track.

“As the king, I meet with many kinds of people, and occasionally encounter those who are unbelievably intelligent. Maybe this Lord Aroo just happens to possess a brain on the level of genius for a wolf.”

“…Is that really all it is?”

Laetitia wasn’t ready to drop the subject. She gazed at the tapestry on the wall. It was a colorful depiction of the forefather of the Wolfvartian kingdom—a silver wolf with a pair of blue-green eyes.

“Your Majesty, are you aware of the sacred lion that appeared in Raiolbern two years ago?”

“…Yes, I am. Though I’ve only heard rumors.”

The story went that the previous crown prince of Raiolbern was plotting a conspiracy, but was exposed by the current crown prince with the help of a young woman with a golden lion.

Legends stated that the forefather of the Raiolbern royal family was a Sacred Beast in the form of a golden lion. That golden lion returned to offer the current crown prince his divine protection in the face of danger to the kingdom…or so the story generally was told. 

But only commoners and children were innocent enough to believe such a rumor. Most aristocrats understood it as a made-up story meant to heighten the prestige of the current crown prince and distract from the wrongdoings of the former…

“Could it be possible…that a Sacred Beast really did appear in Raiolbern?”

“…And what if it did?”

“What if the sacred wolf from the legends existed in this kingdom as well?”

When Glenreed heard this, he silently applauded Laetitia.

Well done. It’s a wild idea, and yet it’s not that far from the truth…

Of course, she didn’t appear to have deduced that Glenreed was the one transforming into Lord Aroo, but she’d still managed to approach the correct answer with very few clues to work off of.

Now how do I respond to such a question…?

Laetitia was clever. If he tried to lie his way out of it, she would definitely see right through him.

Glenreed was very careful in the words he chose.

“…And if that were the case…and Lord Aroo really was a Sacred Beast and the forefather of my family, what would your intentions be? Would you capture him for your own use, or ostracize him out of fear?”

“Of course not. I would do no such thing.”

Laetitia didn’t hesitate to reject Glenreed’s hypothetical scenario.

“Lord Aroo will always be Lord Aroo, no matter what his true nature may be. If he wishes to keep pretending to be a normal wolf…then I’m going to dote on him exactly the same as I always have.”

Laetitia’s words contained no lies. The king was certain of that much, but he couldn’t help muttering under his breath anyway.

“…I don’t remember receiving any ‘doting,’ per se…”

“What was that, Your Majesty?”

“…No, it’s nothing.”

Glenreed heaved a sigh in his mind.

Still, she wants to treat a Sacred Beast like a normal wolf… I can’t tell if she’s simply an accepting person, or if she lacks common sense…

But regardless, Glenreed was pleased with Laetitia’s answer. 

I don’t exactly hate the time I spend with her at the villa as Lord Aroo.

Glenreed was comfortable acknowledging that fact at this point. He felt distinctly soothed somehow whenever he watched Laetitia pet the wolves with that silly smile on her face.

At least Laetitia doesn’t seem to have any real proof about who Lord Aroo truly is. As long as I don’t reveal that fact, I can’t see it causing any major problems.

Glenreed nodded to himself and opened his mouth to reply to Laetitia.

“I simply can’t speak to any other information on Lord Aroo. Even if he truly was a Sacred Beast, as long as that didn’t bother you, then I believe there’s nothing more to do than treat the wolf as you always have.”

◇ ◇ ◇

“I simply can’t speak to any other information on Lord Aroo. Even if he truly was a Sacred Beast, as long as that didn’t bother you, then I believe there’s nothing more to do than treat the wolf as you always have.”

I felt myself let out a sigh of relief when I heard His Majesty’s response. It wasn’t unthinkable that His Majesty would demand I stay away from Lord Aroo once I started asking questions about his true nature.

I was so glad to learn I’d be able to pet Lord Aroo from here out just like I always had.

“A Sacred Beast…” I mumbled those words to myself during the carriage ride home.

I still didn’t understand what Lord Aroo truly was, but judging by what His Majesty had said, I knew the creature was something more than a simple wolf.

“…But Lord Aroo will always be Lord Aroo.”

As long as he still came to visit me at the villa, I was going to dote on him like always.

Lord Aroo was a proud and moody creature, certainly, but he had a compassionate side as well. He was expressive, too, despite his lack of words, and had even tried to lift my spirits when I was feeling depressed in the past.

“I’d be so sad if he stopped visiting me…”

I quietly decided that Lord Aroo would be on the receiving end of many, many more pettings from me in the future.

◇ ◇ ◇

“BERRY, are you here? It’s breakfast time!”

My voice echoed through the villa that morning. I was walking from room to room with a plate of strawberry jam in hand as I called out Berry’s name.

“…She still hasn’t shown up…”

I searched the entire villa and even did a lap around the outside walls, but…

“If the strawberry jam won’t lure her out, then she really must not be nearby at all.”

With a separate plate of strawberry jam in his hand, Lucian let out a small sigh. “Don’t tell me the creature’s run away from home, forgetting exactly how much my lady has done for her?”

Recently, Berry had occasionally been leaving the villa for an unknown destination. I was curious about her trips, of course, but as of yesterday, she’d failed to even show up for her meals.

I was a little concerned. Just then…

“I couldn’t find Berry over there either.”

“Thank you for letting me know. I appreciate it.”

It was Lelena who scampered up to me. The look on her face was strained as she bit her bottom lip.

“…It might be my fault that Berry is gone…” Lelena was mumbling, her voice trembling, as she gripped the sleeves of her maid uniform. “She got fed up with Melan after I brought him here, and that’s why she ran away…”

Melan, Lelena’s black cat, had once chased Berry all around the house. Berry had had to leap into my arms for safety.

“…I don’t think that’s the reason. Berry and Melan had some difficulties at first, yes, but things have remained pretty calm since then, and they’ve been growing more comfortable with each other.”

“But isn’t that just because Berry was putting up with him?”

“Well… I’m sure she was putting up with the situation, at least a little bit…”

If Berry really did have any big, long-lasting complaints about Melan, she probably would’ve come to me for help at least once, instead of immediately leaving the house without a word. Berry had already demanded that I stop Tweety from his cuddle attacks, after all.

“There are very few places in this kingdom where one can eat strawberry treats,” I said. “I certainly can’t think of any outside this villa. Given that Berry’s such a strawberry connoisseur, it’s hard to believe she would run away without any warning at all…”

“…Then why did she leave…?”

I didn’t have an answer for that either.

As I struggled to respond, Lelena suddenly took off running.

“…I’m going to go search inside the villa again!”

I watched Lelena disappear into the distance. With her beastfolk physical strength, she was probably faster than I was.

“I wonder where Berry is…?” I pondered.

I was worried, but at the same time, I had a feeling that Berry might return as if nothing had happened whatsoever.

Strawberry season was over now, and summer was nearly in full swing…

“…Maybe Berry’s like a bird, and she’ll migrate back here for the next strawberry season…?”

“…I could see that being the case for such a greedy, gluttonous cat.”

Lucian was grumbling to himself, but when I looked him, I could have sworn his expression was tinged with sadness.

◇ ◇ ◇

ANOTHER two days passed without any sign of Berry, and the day of my secret trip into the capital city was already upon me.

I wore a simple style of dress that was common among the people of Wolfvarte, with a brown wig over my hair to change my appearance. Once I donned a hat and veil, it wouldn’t be possible to see my eyes.

“…It’s been a long time since I disguised myself like this.”

Years ago, my older brother Claude and I often snuck out of our mansion to goof off together. I was too busy nowadays to take any secret trips, but it certainly wasn’t my first time in a disguise either.

In my current state, I looked like any other commoner…well, no, not quite. My appearance was more like that of a lower-ranking noblewoman, or perhaps a wealthy commoner, but I certainly wasn’t recognizable as the queen any longer.

“All right, then. Shall we head out?”

I met up with my guards, boarded the carriage, and set off for the capital.

Once I found what looked to be a good spot, I left the carriage and decided to take in the sights with Lucian at my side. The roadside windows were decorated with roses and other seasonal flowers—a real treat for everyone who saw them. As I strode along, I peeked in at all the boutiques and jewelers I’d heard were popular with the young ladies.

“There are so many beautiful wares here,” I said as I looked in at one particular jeweler’s shop. Everything on display was so lovely, which made sense because this jeweler was very well known.

I noticed a silver item laid out on a velvet cloth.

“Well, don’t you have an eye for fine goods, miss? How’d you like to try on that hair ornament yourself?”

The merchant was pointing at the silver rose.

“A rose ornament…”

The realization hit me very suddenly.

Why exactly my eyes stopped on that out of everything on display…

…It was because I was unconsciously thinking of the one His Majesty had given me. It was the first present I had ever received from the king. I wasn’t wearing it that day, but I kept it stored away safely in a box, as it was something of a treasure to me.

“…Thank you, but that won’t be necessary. It only caught my eye because I have a similar ornament at home.”

“Is that right? Well, go ahead and take a look at the rest of our pieces here.”

I took the merchant up on his offer and began to browse the jewelry.

With rose season fully upon us, I noticed many pieces seemed to be rose themed. There were brooches carved into the shape of roses, miniature rose-shaped lockets, and more. Most were small in size, but some of the metal hair ornaments were three-dimensional and large enough to resemble actual roses.

“These look expensive…,” I quietly remarked.

They appeared to be made of silver. The petals were bulky, perhaps because of limitations in the smithing process, and I imagined they took quite a bit of material to manufacture.

There were other three-dimensional rose pieces, all made of metal, that came in gold, silver, and even bronze.

“That reminds me…”

The sight of the metal roses sparked something in my mind.

I would look into it when I returned to the villa. For now, I decided to head to the next location.

I spent some time visiting the shops I recognized from the rumors, and soon, it was time for lunch.

“Lucian, why don’t we go over there to eat?”

A row of carts sat at one corner of the large street. It looked like the kind of place we could purchase food quickly and take it with us to eat as we continued walking. I loved that I was able to do this kind of thing now that I was in disguise and no longer identifiable as the queen or a noblewoman.

“Does that bread have nuts in it?” I asked. “It looks freshly baked.”

“Yep, it’s hot out of the oven! It’s a real treat,” the woman at the stand replied.

I purchased bread for the two of us, as well as a bowl of bean soup.

“It’s still a bit warm. Lovely, isn’t it?”

“Absolutely. It’s freshly baked, after all.”

Lucian and I each tore off pieces of our bread and felt the heat wafting into the air.

The texture of the bread in my mouth was a bit rough, and the flavor was a simple one, but the nuts baked in it made it even more interesting to eat, and tastier when dipped in the soup as well.

“Walking while eating makes the food taste almost twice as good.”

Once I’d soaked the last bite of bread in soup, I decided to take a stroll down the main street. The cobblestone surface gave the road an animated feel. It was an easy street to walk.

“His Majesty’s capital city is beautiful, of course. I wouldn’t mind liv—”

“My lady?”

I did a double take when I saw a small shadow dart by out of the corner of my eye. The gray creature that dashed down a side street looked just like…

“Berry…?”

It was the last place I expected to see her. I raced after her.

I wasn’t sure if Berry had noticed my presence at all, given that I was disguised at the moment, and Berry seemed to be in a hurry too.

“I think I saw her go down this alley…!”

I peered down the side street but didn’t see any sign of the Gardener Cat. There was a turn in the road just up ahead and I wondered if that was where she went. I continued down the narrow street toward the corner, but after a thorough examination of the area, I couldn’t find any trace of her.

“Maybe she didn’t stay on the street, and jumped up on one of the rooftops instead…?”

I was stumped. Berry, like a normal cat, was very nimble. It wouldn’t exactly be easy to search for her up high, instead of just at street level.

“Hmm, what should we do? If we call her name loudly enough, she might come our way…”

But as I was currently in disguise, I didn’t want to draw attention to myself.

As I was figuring out how to proceed…

“Hey there, missy. What’re you up to in a place like this?”

A beastfolk man, who was clearly up to no good, was approaching me from the other side of the street. It appeared that, in my search for Berry, I’d wandered into an area of town that wasn’t quite as safe. I then realized that another beastfolk man—probably his friend—was also creeping up on me from behind.

“If I were you, I’d stay nice and calm for us. We’re not gonna hurt ya, promise. All you’ve gotta do is empty those pockets for us. Simple, eh?”

There was one man in front of us and two behind. They advanced slowly, closing the distance.

“Don’t tell me ya think this guy here’s gonna save ya? He’s skin and bones! A twerp like him’s not gonna be any help.”

“…Such a clichéd volley of threats. It almost makes me nostalgic.”

Lucian narrowed his eyes. Apparently, this sort of thing wasn’t uncommon in the life of a man who was raised in an orphanage in the slums. Though he looked at the beastfolk as if they bored him, I could see he was poised to take action at the drop of a hat.

“What shall we do, my lady?”

Lucian was a talented man.

We were outnumbered by beastfolk, but they clearly didn’t know who they were dealing with. Lucian was more than capable of taking all of them out alone, so long as he got the jump on them. Even if the unthinkable happened and he was overwhelmed, we still had our hidden guards in the distance. That was reassuring. However…

“I really don’t want to cause a fuss…”

Should I swallow my pride and just give them money?

Since I was in disguise, I only carried a small sum with me that day. But I wasn’t sure if it was a good idea to hand over my coins just so that we could pass through. I would only be encouraging them to continue this kind of behavior.

“Hey now, hey now, what’s the matter? Too scared of us to move? Or maybe you’re thinking you’ve got something even better than money to give us?”

The beastfolk followed up their taunting with even more threats.

…This simply won’t do.

“…Sorry, but I’m not the type to just give in without a fight.”

“Aaah!!”

I gave the beastfolk my most exquisite smile. It was the villainous, evil grin I’d inherited from my father. I hadn’t needed to use it in quite a while. I was hoping they would flee in fear without demanding any money, but it appeared they weren’t about to give up so easily.

The men raised their fists, and just as Lucian was about to strike…

“Gah!!’

The beast man in front of me was slammed into the wall.

This wasn’t Lucian’s doing, nor was it the work of my guards.

A door to the alley had flung open and launched the man into the wall.

“Whoops, sorry, miss. Didn’t mean to send any garbage flying your way.”

A tall man emerged from the doorway and stepped gracefully out into the alley, not appearing at all concerned by the vicious glares from the beastfolk.

“I was having such a lovely time playing around, but these noisy gentlemen just had to go and ruin it.”

The man was holding a lute in his left hand, and the place he’d come out of was a tavern. He must have been a bard of some sort.

“Shit, that hurts!! We’ve got business with the girl, so stay outta it!!”

“I highly doubt any of you people have business with such a beautiful woman.”

“Shut your mouth, bastard!”

The beastfolk rushed forward to attack the man.

My eyes opened wide, and I was on the verge of crying out for the man to run.

“Argh!!”

“Guh!!”

“Gah!!”

The three beastfolk each let out a pained grunt. They’d been knocked to the ground before I could even process what I was seeing. 

“Your cries are as disgusting as your actions. Boring souls down to your very core, aren’t you?”

The man stood completely unharmed. He’d easily emerged victorious against three separate opponents.

“…Thank you for your help,” I said to the man, looking him over from head to toe.

Now that I had the time to take in his appearance, I saw that he possessed quite beautiful features. He looked to be in his mid to late twenties and had green eyes that drooped a bit, which gave him sort of an alluring, seductive look. There was a red tint to his brown hair, as if it had been brewed in the finest red tea, and it was tied into a ponytail that draped across his shoulder. Over his coat, the man wore a cloak that was clasped together with a feathered fastener. He was tall, fit, and stylish.

---

---

“There’s no need to thank me. I simply silenced those pesky flies for you.”

“You’re very strong, aren’t you?”

“Well, I’m handsome, after all.”

“…Pardon?”

Where did that come from?

It wasn’t an untrue statement whatsoever, but hearing it from the man’s own mouth diminished the value a bit.

He shrugged and gave a knowing smile.

“Men are jealous creatures. When they see that they’ll never rival me in looks, they resort to brute force and attack me.”

“…Oh dear, that sounds very difficult.”

“Absolutely. It’s a nightmare. But now that I’ve met you, well, maybe it’s not all bad in the end.”

“…”

Is he trying to hit on me?

Lucian’s smile was turning cold beside me.

“Miss, would you stay and listen to a song? I promise it’ll be worth your time.”

“I’m sorry, but I have plans at the moment.”

“Don’t be like that. Maybe you’re just nervous to stay with a man whose name you don’t know? I’m Leonard.”

“No, that’s not the issue…”

I tried to reject him, but Leonard wasn’t budging.

“Sadly, I’m quite busy today. I’ll be on my way now.”

I turned away from Leonard to walk in the opposite direction, and fortunately, he didn’t seem to be following us. I was relieved, but then I heard his voice call out.

“All right, then. If today doesn’t work, how about the next time we meet?”

“…Sure, that would be best.”

I felt bad, but I knew the chance to see him again would never come. I was in disguise, and I hardly ever left castle grounds in the first pl—

“It’s a promise. I’ll be sure to visit you at your royal villa sometime.”

“?!”

What did he just say?!

I whipped my head around and saw Leonard smirking at me.

“You’re Queen Laetitia, aren’t you, miss? I got a good look at you on the day you arrived in Wolfvarte. You waved at us all from up in your carriage.”

“…You only saw me that once? I’m surprised you remembered me.”

“I never forget the face of a beautiful woman.” He gave a wink and knocked on the neck of his lute. “Minstrels get around, you know. I’ll come visit you at your villa to sing you a song, so think of one you want to hear before I get there.”

“…I look forward to it.”

He gave a quick strum of the lute in his hands, and with that, he turned and left us there. I watched the cape flutter at his back as he disappeared into the alley with familiar ease.

“…What a smug man.”

I agreed with Lucian. He was smug and acted seductive, but both traits seemed to suit the man. I’d grown rather certain that Leonard and I would indeed meet again in the future…

“But before that, I want to try to find Berry.”

I took a look at our surroundings. A fair amount of time had passed in our ordeal with those thieves. Even if we returned to our search, Berry was probably long gone by now.

◇ ◇ ◇

“I wonder where Berry could be…”

Ten days had passed since I met the man named Leonard. Berry’s whereabouts were still a total mystery to me. Morning and night, I walked around in search of her with a plate of strawberry jam in one hand while attending to chores.

“We’re honored by your visit today, Your Majesty.”

I arrived at the Bureau of Magic and was greeted by Belleas. Ever since I took Tweety home with me, I made occasional trips back to the bureau and always spoke with Belleas upon my arrival.

As we discussed Cuddle Birds and various spells, Liddeus appeared and rushed over to us.

I bet he’s been up all night researching spells again.

The dark circles under his eyes only made his gaze more intense.

“Your Majesty, it’s great that you’re here. I wanted to speak to you about what we discussed earlier, the crest with a delayed spell and the composition of the magic base— Hey, what’re you doing?!” Liddeus let out a groan.

Keith, who was there as my guard, stopped him from approaching.

“Stay back, sorcerer. You’re too close to Her Majesty.”

“No, you stay back. I need to discuss magic with the queen. Get out of my way.”

“No, you get out of my way!”

The two were bickering. The bad blood between them seemed to stem from the first day they met.

“Please calm down, both of you. We can speak about magic at this distance.”

“Yeah, see?”

“…I understand.”

Liddeus was quiet, and Keith still seemed upset, but they both backed down.

Neither of them were bad people. They simply didn’t get along. Liddeus was a scholar and a bit of a magic nerd, while Keith was an outgoing, physically active knight. On top of the differences in their personalities, there was a deeper rift between them from their identities as sorcerer and beastfolk.

All beastfolk possessed incredible physical strength. Lelena, for example, rivaled me in strength even though she was only ten years old. While beastfolk were stronger on the whole, they were also completely unable to cast spells. This incompatibility with magic was the source of much mockery from humans. Beastfolk didn’t think very highly of sorcerers either.

To Keith, Liddeus was never someone he would be able to get along with, and in turn, Liddeus didn’t seem to care for Keith. The mood between the two of them was particularly biting.

As I silently wished the two could find a way to clear the air a bit, something caught my eye.

“Is that feather from your Cuddle Bird, Liddeus?”

The large light-blue feather was stuck between his cape and shirt. Each Cuddle Bird had a different color, which made identifying them from their feathers fairly easy.

“Oh, I guess so. He must have left it when he was clinging to me earlier.”

It stood out like a sore thumb to me, but Liddeus didn’t seem to have noticed it at all. He plucked the feather off with his bony fingers and began to offer his theories of magic to me.

◇ ◇ ◇

“I believe that by connecting this base directly to a catalyst, I’ll be able to improve and stabilize the conversion efficiency all at once.”

Liddeus began to rattle off his thoughts regarding magic crests. His words were rapid and packed to the brim with information, but I managed to follow him and respond with my own opinions.

“Well, in that case, I believe the catalyst for the second base on the crest you’re developing should be made of mercury instead of moonstone. What about connecting it with wire to the third base as well?

“Connect a wire to the third base…? No, wait, that would mean I need to alter all the connecting points on every base, not just the second…”

Liddeus’s rapid speech only increased in speed, perhaps because what I’d said struck a chord with him. By that point, I couldn’t even make out what he was saying any longer.

I had to throw in the towel, as there was no keeping up with him now.

I fell silent, though Liddeus hardly seemed to notice, as he continued to rush out one thought after another.

“Good to see you, Your Majesty. It appears that Liddeus has taken great interest in your suggestion.” Belleas was kind enough to step in when he saw the signs of fatigue on my face. He was a caring, considerate person.

“I’m just glad I can be of help… However, I’ve only dabbled in magic research myself. I can’t imagine my knowledge holds up to the standards of a scholar like Liddeus.”

Liddeus devoted every waking moment of his life to the study of magic knowledge and the creation of crests. I was a sorcerer too, but my specialty was in the practical use of magic. There was no way my knowledge rivaled that of someone with as much research experience as him.

“That’s not true! Your input has been a big help, as you have a unique point of view. Magic research differs from country to country, which is why Liddeus has been so eager to discuss it with you.”

“Is that so…?”

That didn’t quite sound right to me, but there was no way Liddeus was putting up an act. I was glad to learn that my simple knowledge was proving useful here.

“At such a young age, your knowledge of magic appears most impressive. It’s what one would expect from someone brought up in the Kingdom of Elltoria. I envy you, in fact.” Belleas continued on. “Elltoria conducts much more research on magic than we do, and I’ve heard they receive lots of capital in the pursuit of such studies.

“…It’s true that we have more sorcerers back home than you do here.”

Roughly half of the Wolfvartian population was beastfolk. This resulted in a lower proportion of sorcerers throughout the country, which appeared to be a source of hardship for these men.

“I truly envy you. Our bureau is always pressed for funding, and the building itself is hidden away in a corner of the castle grounds.” Orth’s words came out like a sigh.

He seemed to have his own frustrations on the treatment of sorcerers in Wolfvarte.

“Beastfolk soldiers take up all the good jobs in the army and defense forces. That’s why there are fewer opportunities for us to prove the usefulness of magic, which leads to our budget getting cut. It’s a vicious cycle that’s gone on for many years now…” Orth sighed even deeper than before.

“Please don’t be so upset, Orth. If I remember correctly, hasn’t His Majesty increased the bureau’s budget since he took the throne?”

“…While I appreciate King Glenreed’s efforts, the truth is that it’s still not enough. I know it’s not something that can be fixed overnight, but still, it’s a painful situation…”

Orth seemed to have no shortage of complaints.

No matter how strong their motivation was, without funding, the bureau’s research couldn’t make progress. At the same time, however, they couldn’t take any funding from the military, which was controlled by beastfolk. The problem was complex. I wondered if this was another reason why Liddeus treated beastfolk like Keith with such hostility.

◇ ◇ ◇

“I’M exhausted…”

I slumped back into the carriage seat.

The sun was already low in the sky by the time I left the Bureau of Magic.

It was a draining feat to keep up with Liddeus’s magic discussions. I was glad to be on the receiving end of such abundant knowledge and new theories about spells, but I felt like I’d practically overloaded my brain.

I leaned my forehead against the inner wall of the carriage, feeling like my head needed support before it broke out into a fever.

With my mind in a daze, I gazed out the window and watched the rose bushes pass by in a blur.

“Rose season is almost at its peak…”

Five days from now was the day of the Rose Gathering—just in time to see the roses at their best. Since the date was decided months in advance, the Rose Gathering tended to miss the peak from year to year. But we were lucky this time. The date fell right when the roses would be in their most beautiful state.

“I sure hope Berry comes back by the Rose Gathering…”

“I agree,” Lucian said with a nod.

I could tell he was saddened by Berry’s sudden disappearance too.

With a gloomy mood in the air, we exited the carriage, only to be met with yet another concerning incident.

“Lelena left the villa?”

“Yes, that appears to be what happened.” The ears of Borgan, my head butler, were drooping with guilt. “She was scheduled for a job she never showed up for, and when I went to her room, this was what I found.”

I ran my eyes over the scrap of paper Borgan handed me.

“Melan made Berry run away, and I feel very guilty for that after all you’ve done for me. I don’t want to cause you any more trouble, so Melan and I will be leaving the villa.”

That was what the slightly warped brush strokes of her message read.

Judging from her handwriting, I could tell how overwhelmed she must have felt.

“Why would Lelena do this…?”

It wasn’t Melan’s fault that Berry ran away from home. I had told that to Lelena so many times, and yet it appeared to not be enough for her. She was an upstanding young girl, and the worries inside her were enough to make her feel like she had to leave.

“It’s my job to oversee the servants, Your Majesty. I always intend to be sure the villa is a safe place, and I must apologize for losing track of Lelena.”

“There’s nothing more you can do. It’s perfectly protected from intruders on the outside, but I don’t believe it’s possible to prevent escapes from the inside.”

Lelena was a fast learner and a diligent worker. Perhaps, as she’d been running around the villa during her maid training, she managed to memorize the guards’ patterns and find the perfect time to escape.

“We can review the guards’ defense of the villa later. Right now, the priority is finding Lelena. How is the search going?”

“I’ve asked all servants who don’t have urgent business to look for her, but as of now, no one has s—”

“Your Majesty!!” A servant was rushing over to us in a panic. “Look at this! I found it on the ground outside by the woods!”

“…A maid’s hair covering?”

The white cloth was part of a maid uniform—it was worn in their hair. The cloth was smaller than usual, indicating it belonged to a child. It was Lelena’s.

“I’m sure this belongs to Lelena, and I also found this note with it.”

“What is this…?”

I could feel the look on my face turn grim.

A few simple sentences were written on the paper.

“Lelena’s mine now. If you want her back, then you’ll have to meet my demands…”

 That was how the note began.