Chapter 7: What Makes a Meal Delicious

 

 

 

Chapter 7: What Makes a Meal Delicious

 

A total of twenty-nine Gardener Cats emerged from the bushes. They were white, black, gray, and orange, and some even had different colored paws, as if they were wearing socks. Each creature had a different fur pattern, but as proof that these were anything but normal cats, they stood up and walked around sturdily on their two hind legs.

“I can’t believe my eyes…”

As Mythical Beasts, Gardener Cats were supposed to be very rare creatures. Berry was the only one of her kind I’d seen until now, but all of a sudden, I was face-to-face with nearly thirty of them.

The Gardener Cats exchanged meows as they conversed with one another.

“…Berry, can you explain what’s going on?”

While Berry gazed up at me, I managed to extract information from her, piece by piece.

The entire group of Gardener Cats before me had been living in the capital, keeping their identities a secret. This wasn’t a difficult task either, since they resembled normal cats so strongly.

“You won’t be hunted if you live as cats…but you have no way to ask humans to cook for you either.”

Each and every Gardener Cat nodded their head.

Okay, that’s adorable.

The assembled Gardener Cats, all standing on two feet, looked like something straight out of a fairy tale or a fantasy book, and they all possessed the same habit of growing their favorite foods.

It didn’t sound like most of them were as passionate about food as Berry, but they still shared the desire to eat dishes that turned those favorite foods into something even more delicious. This was said to be something like an instinct of theirs.

It was Berry who heard their many cries of discontent regarding their daily meals.

“So, Berry, you went all the way to the capital city and nearby towns to invite these Gardener Cats here, because you thought I might cook for them?”

“Mraw!!”

“Exactly!”

Berry let out a cry of agreement.

As a gourmet herself, Berry couldn’t ignore the circumstances her fellow Gardener Cats found themselves in. Apparently, that time I’d spotted her in the city, she was right in the middle of extending her invitation.

“That’s so sweet of you, Berry… But didn’t you know I was worried about you? You should have told me you’d be leaving to bring more of your friends.”

I looked at her with teary eyes, and Berry made a gesture toward the other Gardener Cats. She then crossed her two paws into an X shape as if to deny something.

“Um, hang on, let me think…”

Lucian and I put our heads together to translate what Berry wanted to convey.

“…Oh, I see. It was the city Gardener Cats who wanted to keep it a secret, not you, right? They hadn’t decided if they wanted to come here yet, so they didn’t want a human like me to know they were out there.”

Gardener Cats had been hunted throughout history, and they were said to be very cautious animals. These ones made Berry keep their existence a secret from a complete stranger like me. It was only natural. Even now, the Gardener Cats were still keeping a bit of distance between us.

“It’s nice to meet you all. I’m Laetitia, the owner of this villa. While personally, I’d love to welcome you all here…”

I should probably get His Majesty’s permission before I let this many Gardner Cats live with me.

Just as I arrived at that conclusion…

“Oh, I get it.” It hit me why Berry had chosen now to bring the Gardener Cats to meet with me. “You guys are going to help the roses in the rose garden bloom, aren’t you?”

I was looking at a group of twenty-nine Gardener Cats. It was very possible that a clowder this large would be capable of fixing the ravaged rose garden.

“So you want to work in the rose garden in exchange for His Majesty granting me permission to let you all live here…?”

I could hardly believe the plan Berry had come up with on the spot. As clever as she was, I found myself wondering if Gardener Cats were as intelligent as humans, or perhaps even more. Consider me impressed.

Berry let out a cry that, to my ears, sounded a lot like the words:

“So? You’ll take the deal, right?”

◇ ◇ ◇

“DO you really think they can restore the rose garden to how it was before?”

His Majesty seemed doubtful as he gazed down at the Gardener Cats. I’d brought the group straight to the rose garden, where they were now crying out loudly to each other.

“Mew!”

“Meow!”

“Mraw mraw?”

They split up to take a look at the damaged roses. After a walk through the garden, they returned to one spot, where they seemed to be consulting each other on the matter. It was my first time seeing anything like a conference of bipedal cats.

“What do you think, Berry? Is it doable?”

“…Meow!”

Berry gave her approval. The Gardener Cats scattered to the four separate corners of the rose garden.

“Wow…!”

As one, they reached out their front legs, where their paw pads were glowing with light. In the very moment that light touched the cracked vines of the roses, the plants were healed almost instantly. The light enveloped the entirety of the rose garden, and then, a sweet scent began to waft toward us.

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“I can’t believe I got to see that! They made the whole garden bloom at once…!”

It was like something out of a dream.

Buds sprouted from the wounded vines, and one after another, they opened to reveal beautiful petals.

The newly bloomed roses were fragrant and lovely—each and every one resembled a work of art.

“…Gardener Cats are such amazing creatures.” As I murmured to myself, a nearby white Gardener Cat stuck its chest out as if to boast. I could tell that they were proud of their fine work.

“Marvelous gardening work. I now see how they got their name.” His Majesty seemed just as impressed. He placed his hand on a purple rose, observing its petals. “The roses had bloomed so nicely this year…but these ones are just as beautiful, if not even more so.”

“Do you think this year’s Rose Gathering will be possible now?”

“I wonder…” His Majesty looked around the rose garden in thought. “…There aren’t quite enough flowers. It’s still a beautiful sight, since each bloom is perfectly formed, but I don’t think there will be enough to send every guest home with a bouquet too.”

“The souvenir roses…”

He was right about that. It wouldn’t be complete without those bouquets. Guests would be dissatisfied without so much as a single rose to take home with them.

“Is it possible to prepare the souvenirs with roses from another garden?”

“I don’t think so. The usual bouquets are made with the kinds that only grow here in this garden. I don’t think we’d fool any of the rose-loving noblewomen with anything else.”

“I see…”

“Some years ago, we used to give out rose-shaped goods instead of real roses, but that probably wouldn’t go over well these days.”

The Rose Gathering was only three days away now. There was hardly enough time to arrange for some kind of fine good as a gift for everyone in attendance.

“…Ah.”

I suddenly had an idea for something that might work. There was no precedent for such a gift, but if all went according to plan, we would probably be able to prepare the required amount by the day of the Rose Gathering.

“Your Majesty, I believe I have a suggestion for an alternative souvenir.”

◇ ◇ ◇

TWO days passed.

Though I was overwhelmingly busy, I managed to successfully carry out my plan in time. The day of the Rose Gathering arrived, and His Majesty and I stood in the rose garden, welcoming our guests.

“Goodness, they’re such beautiful roses.”

I overheard Lady Kate’s cheerful voice. She was circling the garden, taking in the sights with a group of her noblewomen friends.

“Beautiful indeed. I feel like the roses this year are even more radiant than before.”

“I agree. They even smell lovely too.”

“Why, I don’t think I’ve ever seen such perfect roses in all my life.”

The girls were thrilled by the sights before them.

With His Majesty at my side, the two of us observed the guests. The remarks we overheard were overwhelmingly positive, and no one seemed to notice that this very garden had been ripped to shreds only a few days earlier.

“I’m not sure how we can ever thank Berry and the other Gardener Cats enough.”

“I agr— Don’t move.”

“Huh?!”

His Majesty reached out and grabbed my shoulders.

He pulled me in close, and I was greeted by the sight of his beautiful face approaching mine.

“Your Majesty…?”

“It’s just a bee.”

I realized he’d pulled me away before a bee stung me.

“Thank y—”

I trailed off before I could finish.

His Majesty’s blue-green eyes, now so close to mine, were the exact same color as Lord Aroo’s. My whole body stiffened.

“What is it? Did it actually sting you?”

“N-No, it didn’t. Thank you for your help.”

I gently pulled away from the king while I tried to soothe my racing heart.

…I really was trying not to think about it…

But Lord Aroo and King Glenreed were the same person. On top of that, His Majesty had witnessed some of my most humiliating moments while he was in wolf form. Remembering either of those facts was proving to be a menace to my heart.

“What’s the matter? You’re acting a bit strange.”

His Majesty had sharp eyes. He approached me once more, this time to see if I was all right.

“Really, it’s nothing. I think you might want to keep some space between us, or else people might get the wrong impression.”

“…You’re right.”

The warmth of his body retreated out of reach. That distance made me feel a bit sad, but this was the appropriate amount of space to leave between us. Even though I’d bonded with His Majesty through food, and even though I’d learned the secret of Lord Aroo, I was still merely a temporary, placeholder queen. No one would be pleased to see me acting too close with the king in a public setting.

“…Oh, look at that, Your Majesty. Liddeus has arrived too.”

Among the guests clad in brilliant colors was one man wearing black from head to toe. He stood out in the crowd, but he was wearing the official uniform of the Bureau of Magic, making it suitable formal attire for such an event.

Liddeus had attempted to cover for Belleas, the kidnapper. But it was also thanks to his actions that Lelena was returned safely, which meant he had avoided any punishment.

Liddeus, who was invited to the Rose Gathering as a young researcher from the Bureau of Magic, passed by a sneering group of aristocrats.

“Aren’t those people…”

“Yes. Friends of Diaz.” From my side, His Majesty stared at the group with an icy glare.

Thanks to Belleas’s confession, everyone involved in the kidnapping was successfully apprehended. The people here in attendance were, of course, friends of Diaz who had nothing directly to do with those crimes, but it was obvious, as they walked through the garden to view the roses, that they were displeased. It was very possible they knew of the kidnapping in advance and had been looking forward to seeing their schemes succeed.

“I knew it. They were aware of the whole plot and chose not to stop it, it seems. What a disgusting lot,” His Majesty growled at my side.

“What’s the matter, Your Majesty? Can you actually hear their conversation all the way over there?”

There was a good distance between us, and on top of that, the rest of the guests were chatting loudly throughout the whole garden…

“…Wolves have good ears. If I focus hard enough, I can make out their words.”

“That’s amazing…! What exactly are they discussing, might I ask?”

“Let’s see…” The king closed his eyes and focused intently. “I can’t hear it all…but I think they’re whispering things to each other like ‘I thought the rose garden was destroyed’ and ‘How did they get these roses together?’”

His Majesty furrowed his brow as he repeated the conversation.

“I also hear ‘Such annoying roses,’ ‘They must’ve brought them in from someplace else,’ ‘I doubt they’ll have any souvenirs for us,’ ‘Serves them right,’ and so on.”

“…Souvenirs, eh?”

I’d managed to prepare them in time, and His Majesty even had high praise for them when I showed him, but I didn’t yet know how they would be received by the guests.

I buried those fears and returned to greeting each guest, and soon enough, the Rose Gathering drew to a close. The royal servants took turns handing out souvenirs to each guest.

“How beautiful…! Just what is this transparent rose?” One of the guests immediately held their souvenir up to the sunlight.

“What is it? Some kind of crafted art?”

“It looks like it’s made of glass, doesn’t it?”

“I don’t think you could make a glass rose with such thin, realistic-looking petals.”

One by one, the guests relayed their thoughts on the souvenir roses.

With lustrous, transparent red petals, what they held were none other than candy roses that glimmered beautifully when held up to the light.

The guests were fascinated by their first glimpses of candy-sculpted roses.

Metal rose sculptures already existed in this kingdom, but the petals always came out thick, and the colors were metallic—completely unlike those of real roses.

Red, white, yellow, purple, and pink: the colorful and dainty candy petals were well received by the guests.

“…It’s all thanks to Gilbert and the chefs.”

They were the ones who’d crafted the candy roses, and they did it incredibly well in such a short period of time. They’d managed to make just the right amount for the number of guests at the Rose Gathering.

“…Honestly, I wasn’t sure they’d make it in time,” muttered His Majesty at my side.

His response was only to be expected. The art of candy sculpting hadn’t yet been developed in this land, and it was His Majesty’s first experience with the craft. I seemed to recall that back in Japan, the art was perfected around the Edo period or so.

“Everything came together perfectly,” I said. “I just happened to be experimenting with candy sculpting recently too.”

It stemmed from the metal flowers I saw during my secret trip into town. They brought me back to my past-life memories, and I remembered the existence of rose-shaped candy sculptures.

Candy in this kingdom was only the simple kind, but I believed that with careful work, detailed shapes could be crafted as well. Once I suggested the idea to Gilbert, we decided to take on the challenge with the other villa chefs.

“The candy sculptures may look very complex, but they’re simpler to make than one might think.”

“How is it done?”

“First, you heat up the candy with a flame, and once it’s cooled a bit, you use your hands to stretch, fold, and knead it over and over again. That allows the oxygen…the air to enter the candy, which makes the surface glisten in the light. You have to be careful not to burn yourself, but the candy also solidifies if it cools, so it becomes a race against the clock… Anyway, you start to get the knack of it after enough attempts.”

I’d failed at the process many times in my past life, so I was plenty used to it by now. There were differences in the tools and ingredients required in this world, but I managed to work it all out with the help of Gilbert.

“Then you tear off pieces of the finished, shiny candy, and stretch them out until they look like flower petals. Once you curve and layer them around a center portion, the warm candy acts like an adhesive, so you can keep molding the rose until it’s finished.”

The trick was to keep the rose as large as the outer petals. That made it possible to craft a three-dimensional rose with petals that fanned out perfectly from the center.

“Listening to you explain it, it doesn’t sound so hard… But each of the roses you brought here today is so detailed, from the petals to the folds, exactly like the real thing. I’m sure that wasn’t easy, right?”

“I’m just as surprised as you are, in fact. I didn’t imagine they’d produce such fine work in such a short period of time.”

I gave thanks to the talent and spirit that Gilbert and his chefs possessed.

…Though the food culture in this kingdom was lacking in comparison to my past life, once you gathered the ingredients and gave instructions, the people were quick to learn and improve. Gilbert was the epitome of that idea. Even though I had past-life experience with candy crafting, he had already overtaken me in skill.

As I watched the guests, each of them looking impressed with the candy sculptures in their hands, I felt a smile form on my face.

◇ ◇ ◇

“PHEEEEW! I think I finally get to relax today!”

It was a few days after the Rose Gathering came safely to an end, and I was taking it easy in my bedroom. I’d already given Gilbert and the chefs their bonus compensation. They’d been holed up in the kitchen before the Rose Gathering, doing nothing but making candy sculptures at my request. It was their hard work that had made the Rose Gathering the success that it was.

“These are so pretty when you hold them up to the light.”

I angled the crimson rose-shaped candy toward my window. The finely molded petals were lustrous—both shiny and translucent at the same time. I turned it from side to side, taking in the beauty and the craftsmanship with each turn, when suddenly…

“Mraw!”

“Ah!”

Chomp!

Berry bit down on one of the petals.

Her tiny mouth became stuffed with the candy, and she seemed to enjoy licking it to savor the taste.

“Clever, aren’t you…?”

This candy rose was made with strawberry jam to give it the signature red coloring. In this house, there was never a strawberry without Berry nearby.

She licked the strawberry candy without a care in the world. Taste seemed to be much more important than aesthetics to her.

“Hmm. I feel like it’s a waste to just break it apart so soon…”

But the fleeting beauty in the craft was what gave it so much value. Just like with real roses, such beauty couldn’t last forever, which was exactly what made them so special.

The rose candy souvenirs I gave out during the Rose Gathering had been appreciated by everyone.

“Meow! Meow meow meow!!”

“More strawberry candy, please.”

Berry stared up at me.

The rose candy was gone without a trace. There was no doubt it had disappeared into Berry’s stomach.

“You sure do eat fast… You were chewing that candy instead of licking it, weren’t you?”

With a smile born from pain, I decided to bring her some strawberry cookies I hadn’t yet eaten. Berry had done a good deed by bringing the Gardener Cats here. I’d already made up my mind that she deserved a bit of spoiling for a while.

◇ ◇ ◇

I watched Berry fall asleep once her belly was full of strawberry treats.

After that, I was relaxing in my room when I heard a knock at the door.

“Who is it?”

“It’s Lelena. May I come in?”

I gave my permission and watched Lelena enter the room nervously.

I’d been busy ever since the kidnapping, so I hadn’t had a chance to speak face-to-face with her like this in some time.

Her face was pale as she sent her head flying down in an apologetic bow.

“I’m sorry!! Really, really sorry!!” She gripped her apron with trembling hands as she apologized. “I left the villa without telling anyone and ended up abducted…! I’m so terribly sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused you…!”

“…You don’t need to apologize so many times.”

Sure, I was a bit angry over how she fled the villa without so much as a word, but I understood why she felt she had to, and the resulting kidnapping was really nothing more than a coincidence.

“The abduction was just a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It wasn’t your fault, Lelena.”

“…But…!”

She still didn’t seem satisfied with my answer. Since she was acting a bit stubborn, I decided to press further.

“…Lelena, you said you left the house because you thought Melan caused Berry to run away, right?”

Lelena nodded.

But the truth was that Berry had left for the capital city to gather up the Gardener Cats.

Although, it was understandable why Lelena believed Melan to be the cause.

“And you thought Berry would come back if you took Melan and left?”

“…Yes, I really thought it would work…”

I believed her, but I also got the sense she wasn’t telling me the whole truth.

“Lelena, there’s something I want to ask you, and I promise not to get upset.”

Lelena stiffened. She seemed to have an idea of what was coming next.

“…What is it, Your Majesty?”

“The other reason you left the villa that day was because you felt lonely, didn’t you?”

“…!”

I was right on the money, by the look of it.

Lelena opened her golden eyes wide and turned even paler. I started to feel sorry for her.

“Th-That’s not true… You and everyone at the villa have treated me so kindly.”

“…But kindness doesn’t erase loneliness. This isn’t the house you grew up in, and Krona, your family, isn’t here with you.”

She had been brought to a strange place, where she began a new life. The homesickness got the best of her, and it wasn’t easy to grow accustomed to this life.

“I…”

“I’m not saying it’s your fault. You tried to get into the swing of things here by training to become a maid. I’m proud of all the hard work you’ve put in, and no one is mad at you.”

Lelena worked harder and harder…until she pushed herself too far. Unable to say a single word of complaint, she was forced to bear the loneliness she felt in her heart.

“…It was just the timing that was the problem. You were blaming yourself over and over again, thinking you were the reason Berry ran away, and that made you want to go back to the home you shared with Krona, right?”

Even though it was just an empty house without Krona around, it was her childhood home, in the town she was born in. It was only natural to want to return.

…When I really thought about it, it would be nearly impossible for the young Lelena to make it out of the castle and back to her hometown. But the fact that she even considered that choice at all was proof of how overwhelmed she was.

“…I can empathize a little, Lelena.”

“Really? Even with someone like me…?”

She let her disbelief be known.

“I left the town I was born and raised in to come to this kingdom as well. Fortunately, His Majesty granted me a royal villa, and I enjoy each and every day here…but I still miss my home from time to time too.”

My father, brothers, and a few friends remained behind in Elltoria. Some nights, I longed to return.

“I’m the one who chose this kingdom and went through with moving here, but I can’t erase the loneliness entirely.”

“You get lonely too, Your Majesty…?”

“I do. You’re quite a bit younger than me, but you’ve already been through so much. It’s only natural that you’d feel lonely.”

Gently and reassuringly, I stroked Lelena’s hair. She was still so much shorter than me.

“I’m sure I can’t make the loneliness go away for you…but maybe I can serve you some delicious meals instead.”

“…Delicious meals?”

“Like tomato seafood stew.”

Lelena’s face turned gloomy. On her first night here, she had cried after tasting my stew.

“Don’t worry. Starting today, I won’t make the same stew I served you last time.”

“What…?”

“I wrote a letter to Krona and received her recipe.”

Once a month, I was allowed to exchange letters with the imprisoned Krona. The content was inspected beforehand, but she was able to send me a detailed recipe without incident.

“Big Sister’s recipe…”

“Yes, that’s the stew I’ll make. …It’s the one you wanted to eat, right?”

Lelena nodded slowly.

The last tomato seafood stew we served her was devised by Gilbert and me together. We were confident our flavors would bring out the taste of the river fish, but to Lelena, the true flavor of tomato seafood stew belonged to her big sister’s recipe.

I knew why Lelena must have cried on her first day here—she must have been startled and saddened to taste a stew so different from the one she’d always known.

Flavor isn’t the only thing that makes a meal delicious. When it comes to some meals, it’s the memories and emotions packed into every bite that make them worth eating.

“It’s not safe enough to let you go home right now…but until then, you can stay here, eat the same foods you did in the past, and wait for Krona to finish her sentence in prison.”

“…You don’t mind if I keep living here at the villa?” Lelena’s question came out hesitantly.

“Of course not. You’re welcome to continue training as a maid, if that suits you.”

I smiled back at the girl, hoping it would ease her nerves.

◇ ◇ ◇

“I’VE finished carrying Lelena to her room, my lady.”

“Thank you, that’s great. Good work, Lucian.”

For a second time, Lelena had started to cry when she tasted the tomato seafood stew. The nostalgia in the flavor was enough to break down the dam she’d been building inside her. She’d fallen asleep from all the tears, but the look on her face as she slumbered was, to my eyes, a peaceful one.

I hoped that the good cry was enough to release her pent-up emotions, and I reflected on that thought as I stared aimlessly out the window.

A group of fuzzy friends were resting outside—seeking shelter from the heat in the cool shade of the trees. Tweety was fast asleep, his face perfectly pressed into the ground. Berry was curled up on top of Tweety’s soft feathers, and Melan was there too—though some distance separated the two cats.

“I wonder if it’s too hot for them outside?”

I kept my eyes peeled, but Berry didn’t move a muscle. I wondered if Tweety’s feathers were comfortable enough to outweigh any concerns about the temperature.

It’s so cute how they all get along.

I couldn’t help but smile at the sight of the adorable nap-mates.

Berry and Melan had started out on bad terms when they were first introduced. Though they hadn’t yet grown close enough to cuddle up together, it appeared they’d found just the right amount of distance between them to feel comfortable.

“Time always changes relationships…” 

I was no exception to this rule myself.

I married into this kingdom as a figurehead queen, met the wolf named Lord Aroo, and learned the secret behind his existence…

His Majesty and I had been too busy ever since that day to sit down and have a real conversation about it, but who knew how our own relationship would change as time went by.

“But before all that, I have to look after the Gardener Cats…”

I turned my gaze toward the nearby forest that bordered the villa.

Berry’s gathering of Gardener Cats was supposedly out near the strawberry patch, working on growing the plants they each brought with them to the villa.

“Berry, Fon, Tweety, and now we have a clowder of Gardener Cats.”

I pictured each of the fluffy friends that had gathered to live at the villa with me.

On my face, I wore the most joyous of smiles.