Chapter 2: A Craving for Ice Cream

 

 

 

Chapter 2: A Craving for Ice Cream

 

THE next day, I stood at the kitchen counter, wearing an apron dress borrowed from one of the maids. My blonde hair was tied back.

It was a little past noon. My staff had finished cleaning up after lunch, and it wasn’t time to get started on dinner yet either, meaning the kitchen was open for my use.

The ingredients and utensils I would need were laid out on the counter in front of me.

Eggs. Cream. Sugar. A bottle of honey.

Metal bowls, cups, a large pot, trays, and a wooden spatula.

Finally, there was a pile of scrap iron that my servants had gathered for me.

…It looked quite out of place, but the metal had an important purpose.

Taking a fistful of the iron, I set it in front of me, closed my eyes, and began to focus on the inside of my body.

I shifted that concentration to my hands, and then to my legs, followed by my chest, stomach, and head. Once I felt the magic swirling throughout my whole body, I concentrated on that energy.

This was Earth Magic. I recited my spell in its entirety, careful not to omit anything until the ritual was complete.

“That should do it…”

The magic exited me and made its way to the countertop.

The scraps of iron disappeared, and in their place now rested a shiny metal whisk.

This is called “transmutation,” a form of Earth Magic.

It’s used to reshape dirt or minerals into another form desired by the caster.

The spell appears handy at first, but few sorcerers actually practice transmutation due to a couple of reasons.

First, it requires a large amount of magical energy to cast. Even transforming a handful or two of scrap metal is a mid-tier spell in terms of energy use.

The second and most problematic reason is that transmutated items lack any real durability. In fact, most items start to fall apart after only an hour or so. Practicality is a big obstacle with transmutation.

…Fortunately, that wouldn’t be a problem for the amount of time I needed with my whisk.

If it fell apart, I knew I could just build it again from scratch.

I picked up the whisk and felt its cold weight against my hand.

“Hmm. It’s a bit heavy. And the head might be too small?”

I had been trying to create something like the stainless-steel whisks I always used when I lived in Japan. With many years of experience under my belt, I really believed I could make it perfectly on my first try.

But seeing the tiny flaws in my beloved whisk just bothered me all the more.

“I guess I’m starting over.”

A heavy whisk would quickly tire out my hand, so I decided to try again from square one.

Using magic on an already-transmutated item would be difficult, so I turned my attention to the unused pile of iron instead. After four or so more attempts, the whisk finally looked and felt just how it was supposed to.

“There we are.”

I gripped the whisk’s handle. A smile formed on my face at the feeling of the familiar weight. With a perfect replica of my favorite whisk, I was positive the rest of the work would be smooth sailing.

Today’s menu was ice cream.

It was the first food that sprang to mind when I considered the things I most wanted to eat.

I passed on from that previous life before I had a chance to taste my homemade ice cream, so the craving still lingered.

If only I could make strawberry ice cream. That would be perfect.

As far as I could tell, real strawberries didn’t exist in my kingdom. Fortunately, we at least had various berries that were similar in taste, but I decided I would keep up my search for the real deal until I’d found them.

But that was a problem for another time. I washed my whisk, dried it off, and began the process of making ice cream.

My first step was to measure out each ingredient into metal cups and bowls.

Then I separated the egg whites from the yolks into two more bowls.

I added sugar to the egg whites and whisked, whisked, whisked, and whisked some more…

…It got tiring fast.

And that was still from using the whisk. I don’t think I would have been strong enough to do the same job with a wooden spatula.

When I lived in Japan, I tried various techniques like chilling the egg whites in the fridge in advance, hoping it would save me some time. But now, I just wanted to play it by the book, or else I could easily mess something up.

I continued to whisk the whites until they formed peaks.

Next, I added more sugar to the bowl of cream and the bowl of egg yolks, mixing them well.

I then mixed the three bowls together, and finally, I stirred in the honey with my spatula.

Once I was sure the mixture was properly blended, I poured the bowl’s contents into three smaller vats.

Now it was time for more magic.

I picked up a large, flat-bottom pot and used a Water Magic spell to cover the inside with ice.

After carefully sprinkling salt onto the ice, I set the vats inside the pot.

I’d used this “refrigerant” technique in a science class experiment long ago.

The salt would keep the environment much colder than ice could on its own.

…But unfortunately, I didn’t really remember the correct ratio of salt to use, so I couldn’t just lock the ice cream away out of sight.

There was a box I could use to store my vats, but it wasn’t as insulated as I needed, and for that reason, I had to separate the mixture into three different pots and keep them in the icebox with different amounts of salt each time.

I added even more salt and ice a few times along the way, feeling the amount of magical energy I still had in my body each time.

“It’s not like before. I still feel great…”

Fire Magic is my specialty.

Normally, it takes a lot of my energy to use Water Magic, since it’s fire’s opposing element.

But for some reason, today, I wasn’t exhausting myself even after making large amounts of ice.

Even before that, my many attempts at creating a whisk didn’t seem to have drained me either.

I’d felt it ever since yesterday—my magic was flowing better than ever.

I was using the energy in my body efficiently and minimizing its loss. It was a remarkable improvement.

…I bet it’s because I remember my past life now.

Naturally, magic didn’t exist on the Earth I knew.

The “me” from that life was now sensing the foreign presence of magical energy inside her body, and even as Laetitia, I felt it more keenly than ever.

It was like an invisible web of blood vessels spiraling throughout my body, and I was probably the only one in this world who experienced that sensation.

Everyone in this world was born with magical energy to some extent. It was a natural part of the body, no different from flesh or blood. Though, the fact that my magic now felt unfamiliar in my own body was troubling to me.

Even years of studying under master sorcerers never made me so hyperaware of my own energy. The change in my body was a dramatic one, and it came about from regaining the memories of my past life.

If I had been using only 10 percent of my body’s magic at best before this, now that I had my past-life memories, I was somewhere around 60 percent use.

This was even more extraordinary when I considered that master sorcerers used less than 30 percent of their magical energy—an amount I had more than doubled for myself.

Even before this, my Gramwell blood held more magical energy than almost anyone in the kingdom. I was practically cheating at this point. If Sumia, the girl known as the Goddess, was to challenge me with her Light Magic, I could almost certainly overpower her spells with a single blow.

…Not that I had any real intention of using an attack spell on anyone.

An attack spell is designed to be used on someone else, after all.

I’d had practice battles with my older brothers, but I didn’t actually want to fight anyone in real life.

Dangerous situations like that were best avoided. I only needed the magic I used in my daily life—and in my cooking, of course.

Anything showier than that wasn’t safe and could leave people suspicious of me too.

Two hours passed as I kept my head busy thinking about these things.

“It’s done…!”

The smooth, frozen ice cream in two of the vats was now glimmering in the light.

One tray looked particularly messy, probably because I used the least amount of salt and it didn’t get cold enough, but the other two trays appeared to be successes.

The tray I used the most salt on was now holding perfectly smooth ice cream. I’d taken it out of the box many times, stirring it with a spoon to get some air into the mixture along the way. Now I knew that using a lot of salt was the best way to get the ice cream frozen.

I grinned at my finished vats. The kitchen staff came over, looking at my creation with curiosity.

“You’ve arrived at the perfect time, everyone. Would you each like to try some of this ice cream with me?”

“Say, what is that stuff? Frozen candy or something of the sort? If it’s too expensive, maybe it’s not something we should be eating.”

“There’s no need to worry about that. The ingredients aren’t that expensive, and I planned on sharing it with the kitchen staff in the first place.”

“Really? You did?”

“I thought that warm places make the best setting for a cold treat.”

I enjoyed eating ice cream during the winter too, but I usually had it in the spring and summer.

However, spring was only just arriving in Elltoria.

Despite my craving for ice cream, the cold air of the season was inescapable…

Except inside this kitchen.

It was almost time for the workers to begin preparing dinner, so they’d already lit a number of stoves throughout the kitchen. Slowly but surely, the temperature had risen in the room.

The conditions could hardly be more perfect for ice cream.

“Goodness…!”

The head chef took his first bite and froze in shock.

“It’s cold and soft, yet with such a delicate, sweet taste… This is wonderful!”

He stared at the ice cream bowl, spoon still in hand.

I could tell from the intensity of his look that he wasn’t just being polite.

For further proof, I watched him take two more spoonfuls of the ice cream, nodding his head vigorously with each bite.

He likes it. That’s a relief.

I felt a smile spread across my face, then watched as the other cooks in the gallery raised their eyebrows in surprise. It was true that I’d been extremely focused lately, even around the house. Perhaps my smile was an unusual sight.

I felt a bit bad about startling them, but I couldn’t help it.

Having my cooking praised lifted my spirits.

Being able to share tasty food with others was a blessing, and all the more so when it was something I made with my own two hands.

With a spring in my step, I scooped up a bite of ice cream from the tray and brought it to my mouth.

The cold treat was a pleasant contrast to the warm, humid room.

“My lady, this is delicious. The more it melts, the more you can taste the sweet, mild flavor of honey.”

Lucian also seemed pleased with the results.

The ice cream was light in both flavor and texture. I felt like I could practically eat the rest of it all by myself.

I had been nervous about the whole endeavor, what with the lack of stoves and refrigerators like I was used to on Earth, but the project turned out to be a success. I might even be able to combine my own craftiness and magic to create all kinds of other dishes.

Cheesecake. Cookies. Salisbury steak. Cream soup.

The list of foods I craved filled my head. I pondered each meal while savoring the sweet taste of ice cream on my tongue.

After finishing my own serving, I cast a glance at the kitchen workers.

Some of them seemed a bit uncomfortable as they attempted to take bites of the ice cream. They’d never had it before, so it was a novel experience.

It was also my first attempt at making it since my reincarnation, so it wasn’t perfect. The ice cream still had a few spots that were uneven in consistency. Some of the workers seemed to have found the areas that had frozen completely solid.

“If it’s too firm, please pour a little extra honey on top.”

I took out the honey, which I’d kept slightly warmer than room temperature.

There was honey already mixed into the ice cream itself, but I saved enough for us to use as an extra topping if we wanted it. I also wasn’t sure if the honey flavor would be very strong in the finished product, so I wanted a back-up option just in case.

Fine dining in my kingdom generally consists of extremely savory dishes that are doused in spices.

I knew that for our staff, who always prepared such foods for our family, it was possible they might not take to sweet, cold treats.

Hesitantly, the cooks approached the jar of honey and drizzled it over their bowls like I suggested.

The warm honey, golden and glittering, seeped into the surface of the ice cream.

The chefs looked nervous as they took their next bites.

“It’s so smooth…!!”

Satisfied, they quickly plunged their spoons back in, over and over again.

A warm topping on a cold dessert. Faint traces of honey in each scoop of ice cream, with another rich layer of it on top.

It was a clever, tasty combination of flavors and textures.

“Thank you for the treat, my lady. That ‘ice cream’ of yours was delicious.”

The head chef conveyed the thanks of the staff for letting them share my creation.

“I’ve never had any food with that kind of texture before…and it was a bit of a shock at first, if I’m being honest. I’ve had frozen ice sweets, but never ones made with frozen cream. Where did you learn this recipe?”

“It was from a rare cookbook from another kingdom… I read it as part of my education to become the crown princess, for my future dealings with foreign lands.”

I felt bad about lying, but I couldn’t exactly respond with “I made it in a past life!”

The kitchen staff looked surprised but convinced by my explanation.

“I see. Well, that’s very impressive! I wouldn’t have guessed the crown princess would need to study such things…”

They all seemed to agree. The expressions on their faces, however, looked somewhat sympathetic.

I was already the “former” crown princess.

Guilt crept into me for saddening them. At the same time, I watched the lie about the “incredible crown princess education” I received as it started to spread among all the staff.

“My lady, as for the vat of ice cream that didn’t freeze very well, do you think we could eat it if we try freezing it again?”

“Could it perhaps be made into a sauce of some kind instead?” I suggested.

Melting the ice cream down to refreeze it wouldn’t have any effect on the crystallization.

Since we couldn’t regain that light and fluffy texture, I had another idea of my own.

“A sauce?”

“That’s right. It’s a bit sweet, but I think it would go well with a meat dish of some kind. I’d like it if you could refrain from using too many other seasonings, and that way, you can savor the taste of the ice cream on its own.”

“Yes, that sounds like it could come out nicely…”

The head chef’s face looked a little gloomy.

“My lady, can I ask if you’ve grown bored of the savory meals we make for you?”

He was visibly nervous.

Perhaps, as a chef, he’d begun to grow suspicious of the quality of those overseasoned meals he always made for the nobles, while continuing to follow his orders at the same time.

That was probably why he looked so uneasy in his response.

“It’s nothing like that. I suppose I’d just like to try something new every now and then.”

Truthfully, the chef wasn’t wrong at all, but there was a reason I couldn’t admit it.

I’d spent my whole life eating rich, spice-filled foods without complaint. It would be odd if I suddenly started rejecting them now. A demand like that could even end up getting the kitchen staff fired.

Most chefs in my kingdom were commoners in rank. They could not disobey nobles. As a duke’s daughter, if I told the head chef that his food wasn’t satisfactory, it would cast a lot of pressure onto the poor man.

It wouldn’t be long before I left this house for foreign lands.

I decided to keep my nose out of the kitchen staff’s business when it came to the daily menus, since it could spell trouble for them after I was gone. I would stick to making small treats whenever I took to the kitchen.

Hmm.

Still, I really wished it didn’t have to be such a hassle. I was getting impatient.

When I made it to my new home, I needed to be sure that better cooking opportunities would be available.

Unsure of where the future would take me, I sat down with the head chef to discuss how he could use my leftover ice cream.

◇　◇　◇

I spent the next few days completing everything I needed to formalize the end of my engagement. In my spare time, I was able to use the kitchen for a bit of cooking too.

Despite my leisurely pace, I knew that Father was hard at work for my sake, and that fact filled me with guilt.

Father was already a busy man, but now I’d dragged him into this mess with Fritz on top of that. He’d become busier than I’d ever seen him before.

My mind was occupied with concern for Father’s health, when Lucian appeared, carrying documents in his hands.

I flipped through the report as quickly as I could. When I finished, Lucian spoke.

“I’ve read the results of the investigation, and it appears you were right, my lady… If this report had been finished before your engagement was annulled…would things have turned out better for you?”

“…I can’t say for certain, but I don’t think it would have made a difference.”

I was grateful the report provided answers to my questions, but still, it didn’t really matter in the end.

I was pretty sure my engagement would already be over by this point, regardless of when the report came out. I was explaining my reasoning to Lucian when a soft knock came from the door.

“Come in. What is it?”

“There’s a letter for you, my lady. It’s from…”

My eyes met with the name of the crown prince on the envelope.

The maid told me she’d found it unexpectedly in the pile of mail addressed to our house.

I read the letter. Inside was a request to meet with me privately that night so that Fritz could apologize for his actions.

◇　◇　◇

“WHEN I informed my father of my actions, he gave me a stern lecture, and I came to realize how cruelly I treated you. I know it may be too late, but I’d like to offer you an apology and discuss where to go from here. Would I be able to see you tonight? There’s a place I’d like to meet, away from the eyes of all the gossiping nobles. Please bring no more than one or two servants with you, so as not to stand out.”

The letter had instructed me to meet Fritz at the old ruins in the capital city’s western district.

It was a quiet place—large pillars still stood tall, though at crooked angles, and the remnants of stone structures lined the ground.

Night had fallen and the ruins were empty, aside from Lucian and myself. The moon bathed the deserted grounds in light from above.

Despite their central location in the capital city, the ruins were preserved for the purpose of being a monument to the ancient history of our kingdom.

We refer to our land as “the Kingdom of Elltoria,” but many other countries call us “Lesser Elltoria.” This is to distinguish us from our former name, “the Great Elltorian Empire.”

The Great Elltorian Empire had once controlled over half of the land on the western continent. Its influence is still felt throughout other countries even now.

Modern language was one such example. The most-spoken language on the western continent was called Elltorian. Other Elltorian dialects were used as well.

Much like English was on Earth, Elltorian was the best language to speak when dealing with international affairs. The countries of the western continent still showed many traces of the Great Elltorian Empire to this day.

Now, our kingdom was located where the capital of the Great Elltorian Empire once stood.

The empire’s golden age was almost a thousand years ago.

But during that time, a string of incompetent rulers caused the land to fracture, and… I won’t go into the whole story, but when the dust settled, we were left with the Kingdom of Elltoria where I lived today.

Elltoria was left with less than 10 percent of the territory we’d possessed under the empire.

If we had any assets to boast of, it was our long history and the number of sorcerers we produced among our highest ranks.

Most people agree that out of hundreds of people, only one or two will typically possess the magic required to become a sorcerer. But magic does have a genetic element to it as well, and a child born to a sorcerer will often wield excellent powers of their own.

As a result, certain families, even now, produced many skilled sorcerers.

The rulers of the Great Elltorian Empire were made up of many sorcerers, and their descendants, the nobles of Elltoria today, still reflected their numbers. It was why we valued our kingdom’s history and our family lineage, though it was also why many nobles looked down on commoners as well.

Nearly 30 percent of high society in Elltoria is composed of sorcerers.

This is a significant number in comparison to most other lands, whose sorcerer populations are less than 1 percent.

Our noble families have many sorcerers among their ranks, but even for commoners, without a drop of sorcerer’s blood in their veins, some powerful magicians can still be born by genetic mutation.

It’s a rare occurrence, but we have many commoners in our kingdom. The mutation can occur in less than 0.1 percent of all births and still be visible among the population, making—

“It looks like your guest has arrived, my lady.”

Lucian’s voice stirred me from my thoughts.

I cast my gaze off to the distance until I could make out the approaching figure.

“Good evening. I had a feeling I’d see you here,” I said.

The one who drew near was not Fritz but a young girl with chestnut-brown hair.

Sumia.

“…What’s that supposed to mean?”

Sumia’s eyes narrowed in suspicion as she responded to me.

Between that look on her face and her biting attempt at a greeting, she was nothing like the timid, adorable girl I’d seen with Fritz and the others.

“Are you saying you knew that Prince Fritz wasn’t the one who sent that letter? Then why did you come at all?”

“I suspected you were the sender, which was convenient for me, as I’ve been wanting to speak with you.”

“Don’t lie. I copied His Highness’s handwriting perfectly from the letters I’ve received from him. How could you know it was me?”

“The ‘apology’ part was rather telling.”

I knew Fritz’s personality well enough. There was no way he would send me any kind of guilt-ridden letter like that.

Falling for Sumia had only caused him to become more shortsighted. A man like that would never have such a drastic transformation overnight, even if his father—the king—really did give him a good scolding. It just wasn’t believable.

And in the first place…

If Fritz was the kind of man who could easily identify his irrationalities and own up to his actions, he never would have done something as foolish as denounce me publicly in front of the whole world like that.

“Sumia, you’re familiar enough with His Highness’s personality, no? You can’t really think I’d fall for a letter filled with that much ‘honor’ from a man like him.”

“…!”

“Only a few days ago, when I was Prince Fritz’s fiancée, such a sweet letter probably would have won me over… But unfortunately, I no longer feel any affinity or loyalty to His Highness.”

Witnessing Fritz’s utter foolishness, along with the blow that regained me my lost memories, were both enough for me to cast away any feelings I still had left for him. That’s why I was so suspicious to receive a letter like that.

“Sumia, why did you want to meet me tonight under false pretenses? I do have a guess or two, but I’d appreciate it if you would just come clean already.”

I cast her my best intimidating smile. Sumia shivered in fear.

How rude.

She had no need to act the part of the “delicate baron’s daughter” right now. It seemed like quite the overreaction.

“Don’t act so cocky! Fine, I’ll tell you! I want you to renounce your title and live as a commoner.”

“I’ll have to pass, thank you. Why in heaven’s name would I do such a thing?”

Honestly, now that I had the memories of my past life, there was a part of me that did want to give up my responsibilities as a noblewoman and live a carefree commoner’s life.

But after seventeen years of being Laetitia, I knew that my duties and pride weren’t things I could abandon so easily.

“Ha! You don’t get it, do you? I’m only asking for your sake. Imagine if I told Prince Fritz that I wanted you made a commoner because I was scared of your bullying. Wouldn’t you rather do it voluntarily than under His Highness’s orders?”

She smiled triumphantly. I felt a headache coming on.

I understood that I was in her way, but there was no justifying a request like that.

“…So, you’re serious, then? You intend to make me a commoner when I’ve done nothing wrong? This will lead to a serious clash between noble families. Do you have the slightest idea what will happen to the kingdom if you do this?”

“His Highness is head over heels for me, just so you know. He’ll do whatever I ask of him.”

“…I think you might be right about that.”

The accuracy of that statement was the cause of my headache.

Fritz, the crown prince, had lost all his senses in love.

He’d already banished me from the kingdom entirely. I had no reason to think he wouldn’t go as far as trying to strip me of my title too.

“His Highness will probably bow to your every request.”

“Exactly! You get it, don’t you? So do as I say and relinquish yo—”

“Nirz Village.”

“…!”

Sumia’s smile faltered when she heard that.

“You said you were born and raised here in the capital, but that was a lie, wasn’t it? You’re from the small village of Nirz, which is territory under your father’s domain.”

“……”

She fell completely silent.

The expression on her face—twisted into a fearful grimace—showed me plainly that I was correct.

“And that’s not the only lie you’ve told. You don’t have a drop of noble blood in your veins, do you? Both of your parents are the most average of commoners.”

“…H-How do you know that?!”

“I’ve always thought it was strange.”

The clue was in the genetics of magic.

“The amount and type of magic you possess is heavily dependent on your family’s bloodline. But your father…well, the baron you claim as your father, has no other Light Magic users like you in his family tree.”

“…What’s so strange about that?! Non-Light families can still have Light-using children! I wouldn’t be the first!!”

“Sure, it could be a mutation… But don’t you think a few details seem…off about that?”

“No, I don’t!”

“You, a rare wielder of Light Magic, were suddenly born into a noble family. But before you turned thirteen, that family had no idea of your powers. And then, despite having no education or experience as a noblewoman, you were still able to get close to the crown prince.”

A baron’s bastard child, raised as a commoner, is revealed to possess incredible powers. She then meets the prince, her soulmate, and the two fall in love.

It reminded me of romance novels from my past life, actually. But to see these events play out in front of me in the real world, well, that was more than fishy to me.

“Any of those points would be unlikely on their own. But all of them happening to the same girl? No, that’s not just luck. How could I not find it suspicious?”

My theory was that the baron himself had masterminded this plan, along with the Ilegar family—including their son, Ilius the Glasses Creep.

The Ilegars and the Gramwells were political opponents. My marriage plans with Fritz weren’t something they’d just take lying down.

The baron was a distant relative of theirs, and he’d informed the Ilegars that he’d discovered a young girl who could use Light Magic. He then claimed her as his own daughter, the families declared her the second coming of the Goddess, and they used their political ties to push her closer to the crown prince.

It was a plan so outrageous, they probably never even expected it to work.

But Fritz, for better or for worse, was completely fooled by Sumia’s darling, innocent act. That was the final piece of the puzzle, and the Ilegar family got everything they wanted.

But the plan was supposed to stop there. I was sure the Ilegars and Glasses Creep himself never expected Fritz to end our engagement in such a public setting.

I had no proof, but I suspected Sumia went rogue that day when she told Fritz I pushed her down a staircase. Sumia most likely wanted to get me out of the way as soon as possible, so she went behind the Ilegars’ back and made up lies about me without consulting the family first.

As a result, Fritz believed her, lost his senses, and called off our engagement in front of a crowd of witnesses.

All of this was speculation on my part, but I felt confident it was close to the truth. Glasses Creep looked so panicked when it all went down, well, it was almost funny. It was an obvious sign that things had not gone according to his plans.

“I’ve been suspicious of you for some time, so I had your past investigated. I learned all about your true identity and the village you came from.”

“…You sure make it sound simple.” Sumia bit down hard on her lower lip. “My past was concealed very carefully, I’ll have you know.”

“After telling so many lies, you really think there was no evidence left to be found? My servants are highly skilled. With them on the job, it was only a matter of time before we found what we were looking for.”

I sung my servants’ praises with my head held high.

Lucian, my head servant, and everyone under him were all commoners of exceptional talent. Their upbringings also made them all the more perceptive when it came to understanding fellow commoners.

It was all thanks to their efforts and father’s connections that the investigation succeeded, and we were able to uncover Sumia’s past.

“Sumia, I won’t allow you to meddle in my affairs any longer. The only reason you were able to become His Highness’s fiancée was your so-called ‘noble blood.’ You understand how classist the people of this kingdom are, don’t you? It won’t be pretty if His Highness or his father find out who you really are.”

“…! You’re bluffing!!” she screamed. “If you had any proof about who I was, you’d have already revealed it to the whole world! This whole thing is just a trick!! I bet you don’t have a single scrap of evidence!!”

“…You just don’t know when to give up, do you?”

With a sigh, Lucian removed a piece of paper from his breast pocket.

I mentally praised him for his good timing. I took the paper and began to read it aloud.

“Sumia. Birth name: Merrow. Seventeen years of age. Third daughter of Griada and Diersen. Born in Nirz Village…”

The more I read, the paler Sumia’s face grew, until she was the color of candle wax.

It appeared she finally understood just how much I knew about her true identity.

“…You get it now, don’t you? All I have to do is say the word, and you’ll be facing charges for impersonating a noble.”

“…Liar.”

Sumia wrenched her trembling lips apart to speak.

Her eyes were wide with fear. She was desperate to deny the facts before her.

“Why are you doing this?! I don’t understand! If you figured out that much, you could destroy me whenever you wanted! Well?! What are you waiting for?!”

“I don’t see the point in it. Do you?” I calmly explained the facts to Sumia, who was starting to break down. “If I’d been a month earlier in getting to the bottom of it all, I would have informed His Highness in secret. But if there’s one thing I’m sure of, it’s that I wouldn’t have revealed my findings publicly.”

“And why is that?!”

“I’d have to be a real fool, wouldn’t I? If the public found out that the crown prince had become infatuated with a liar of such proportions…it would be a huge scandal for the royal family, and therefore the kingdom itself.”

“…!”

“But still, even if I had known just a little earlier, I don’t think it would have changed a thing. How could it? Revealing your true identity on that day wouldn’t make Fritz take me back. It would only serve to hurt his reputation, being the foolish prince who fell for such a wicked scheme. Furthermore, it would be a greater insult to myself, a duke’s daughter, and to my entire family as well.”

I shrugged.

“All of that is still true today. If I exposed your lies, I’d only be hurting the royal family’s reputation, and it would also ruin Fritz’s chances of finding a suitable fiancée. For now, I feel like it’s better to let you hold that title.”

It wasn’t just Sumia—she had the support of the Ilegar family behind her too.

As long as they knew of her true past, there was no way Sumia could betray that family by doing anything stupid. She was a puppet to do their bidding.

On top of that, by accepting my unfair punishment without making a fuss, the royal family would now be indebted to the Gramwells.

I wasn’t going to just let Glasses Creep get away with it all. I knew that if anyone had a plan to stop the Ilegars, it was my father.

“Sumia, I’d wager that calling me out here tonight was your own plan, right? I’ll be informing Glasses Cr— Ilius of your actions to be sure his family monitors you much more strictly. I hope you’ll put more thought into your future actions.”

I’d said my part. My business with Sumia was finished.

Just as I turned around, ready to return home with Lucian…

“Looks like words won’t be enough.”

Four walls of light suddenly formed a barrier around me.

With a sigh, I turned back around to face her. Through the glimmering walls of the cage, I could make out Sumia’s bloodshot eyes glaring at me.

“It’s all your fault!!”

“And? What exactly is this meant to accomplish?”

“You can’t break my walls with your magic! You’ll be trapped in there while I call for help!”

“What, you want to silence me? Do you really think that will work?”

Obviously, there were more copies of that report back at home. If she killed me here, there’d be no doubt as to the identity of the culprit.

Not that I had any intention of letting her do such a thing.

The cage of light looked to be over ten feet tall on every side.

The space above me was sealed off too. I was completely enclosed.

Even when she wasn’t enraged, Sumia possessed a large amount of magical energy. I knew the walls around me would be incredibly strong.

However, I could easily destroy this barrier with my magic. It would just take some craftiness on my part.

If I started a fire in this enclosed space, there was a good chance I wouldn’t be able to avoid the flames.

“…All right. Let’s give it a try, shall we?”

Once I made sure Lucian was at a safe distance, I turned my attention to the wall before me.

It was Water Magic that this situation demanded. Thanks to my newly improved energy flow, water was now simple for me to handle, even though it used to be my weakness.

Focus. Focus. And then, chant the spell.

My target was in front of me—I was going to strike just at the right angle to avoid Sumia, who was smiling at me smugly, as well as the surrounding ruins.

…Release.

“What…?”

Sumia’s mouth fell open as she watched her walls of light begin to break.

The tiny crack in the wall splintered out into a web of fissures.

Barriers may be strong on their own, but they fall apart when they’re even slightly disturbed.

I’d used the same “transmutation” technique as I did with the whisk, but this time on water. I could create the water with my spell and control its shape however I wanted. Over and over I compressed it, then sent it flying in a beam.

It was supposed to act like a water jet cutter—a tool I knew from my past life.

This was a technique I’d practiced as a countermeasure against Sumia’s Light Magic, and it finally came to use.

“This can’t be happening…”

Sumia sank to the ground across from the crumbling wall of light.

She was devastated to see her precious Light Magic be destroyed…or so I thought at first, but that didn’t seem to be the whole story.

Fwish.

Sumia’s brown hair was severed just below her chin. The strands caught the moonlight and glimmered as they fell to the ground.

It looked as if the water blade had barely missed her neck.

…Oh no. That wasn’t supposed to happen.

I smiled at Sumia, who was still pale-faced and trembling, hoping she wouldn’t notice my mistake.

That water blade wasn’t supposed to hit Sumia when I discharged it. But I’d never used magic like that in a practical situation, so my aim wasn’t as accurate as I’d hoped.

I missed the mark and just barely grazed the side of Sumia’s neck, by the look of it.

Things could have gotten bloody. Horrifyingly, I’d almost sent her whole head flying off her body.

This world wasn’t as safe as the life I experienced in Japan, and therefore, I was always prepared to defend myself if the time came. Still, the former office worker in me who was used to peace and harmony didn’t actually want to resort to pointless violence.

What I really wanted was to avoid a sudden R-rated, gory twist in my life story. It would definitely haunt my dreams for the rest of my life.

…Attack spells are no joke. I have to be really careful with these.

With that lesson tucked away in my heart, I observed my surroundings and was relieved to see the water hadn’t harmed any of the ruins.

That was way too close.

These ruins were a thousand years old. They were an irreplaceable part of our history, just like a World Heritage Site back on Earth. Silently, I breathed a sigh of relief to see I hadn’t damaged them because of my careless mistake.

◆ ◆ ◆

“GOOD thing it only cut your hair. That could have been much worse…”

Sumia shuddered in response to Laetitia’s remark.

She sensed the intention behind her words—it was a clear threat.

Laetitia was warning Sumia that she could send her head flying whenever she felt like it. She let her off easy this time, only taking a bit of her hair, but Laetitia’s powers could be deadly whenever she wanted them to be.

Sumia was humiliated, enraged, and defeated.

The distinct feeling of fear was sending her heart into disarray.

Sumia’s latent Light Magic made people call her the second coming of the Goddess. She truly believed that her magic was unrivaled in power.

But Laetitia had shattered her light walls in an instant, then smiled over her like it was nothing.

“…How?” Sumia raised her voice. “How can you stand there and act so confident?!”

The dam inside her broke, and she unloaded all her emotions onto Laetitia.

“Something’s wrong with you!! Why are you always acting so cocky all the time?! Did you forget that I stole your fiancé?! He made a fool out of you in front of the whole world when he abandoned you! So why are you still…?!”

Sumia grit her teeth.

She had stolen the crown prince from Laetitia.

Sumia would be the crown princess—the highest title a woman could obtain in the kingdom.

She’d been completely victorious. She was the reigning champion in her battle against Laetitia.

She won everything. Laetitia lost. Until now, Sumia had believed those facts without an ounce of hesitation.

“So why are you still acting like this…?”

Acting like Sumia was the true loser.

Like she’d wandered down the wrong path and didn’t even realize it.

As she stood there, her heart filled with shame and regret, Sumia couldn’t help but wonder if maybe that was true.

◆ ◆ ◆

“…WHY? Didn’t you feel ashamed to have your fiancé stolen away…?” Sumia whimpered.

I thought about her question for a bit and decided to respond.

“I do feel a little disappointed in myself that I let you get so far… But, ashamed? No, I wouldn’t say so.”

“…What do you mean? Everyone watched me take him from you.”

Sumia clearly couldn’t believe her ears.

“In comparison to Prince Fritz, what do I have to be ashamed of?” I asked her resolutely. “He’s the man who let himself be completely fooled by you while he was still engaged to me, then ended it all without ever considering the consequences of his actions. I have no respect for him as a man or as a person. So no, I don’t feel ashamed to have been abandoned by someone like that…”

Sure, when he called off our engagement, I was shaken up in the moment…

But after calming down, I realized just how unfit he was to be crown prince.

Even though he was still my fiancé only a few days ago, now whenever I thought about Fritz’s personality and actions, all I felt was repulsed by the man.

“I have no intention of forgiving the two of you for what you’ve done to me… But in a way, I’m actually grateful. You’re the person who freed me of my obligations to His Highness.”

My only regret, and it was truly a painful one, was the trouble I caused Father by ruining my marriage plans.

However, the truth was still that I was enormously relieved to be free of Fritz. Until now, I’d respected him as the crown prince, and even cared for him as a person to an extent…but the way he treated me, that day I regained my memories, was all I needed to see of him to rid myself of that attachment.

“…I don’t believe you. I take your fiancé, and now you’re thanking me…”

Sumia was arguing back, but her voice had lost all force.

Perhaps she understood my logic more than she wanted to let on.

I had no reason to believe that Sumia truly loved Fritz at all. Her only interest was becoming the crown princess. The way she clung to Fritz and seduced him with her charming words were both just a means to that end.

She was also probably smart enough to understand exactly how foolish Fritz was.

Now that I thought about it, Sumia might be on the brink of a life of hardships, being married to a man like that.

The only thing he loved was Sumia’s disguise. He probably wouldn’t lose interest in her, so long as she kept up the act, but still, that wasn’t “true love” in any sense of the phrase.

On top of it all, as appealing as the title of crown princess seemed to look, nothing in life came without a price. Being the princess would mean years upon years of responsibilities that Glasses Creep and his family wouldn’t allow her to simply ignore.

All that was left for Sumia was to play out her life as the puppet princess with a man she didn’t even love. Deep down, Sumia might already be aware of that fate.

When I looked at Sumia, who was on the verge of tears, I couldn’t imagine anything else.

“My lady, it appears someone else has arrived,” Lucian whispered into my ear.

I glanced around at our surroundings and spotted a figure with glasses frames that lit up under the light of the moon.

It was Ilius, the Glasses Creep.

“Oh my. Good evening. What brings you here so late at night?” I asked with a smile.

“…Her. I’m just here to retrieve Sumia.”

Ilius pushed his glasses up and looked away from me to hide his expression.

“I shouldn’t have let Sumia get away so easily, but tonight’s events could have been avoided if you didn’t fall for such a stupid letter.”

“Oh, is that right? Well, I think you ought to keep a better eye on her, myself. You don’t want to ruin all the work you put into ending my engagement, do you?”

Ilius didn’t seem to want to take any responsibility, so I decided not to hold back with my response.

I knew he was smart enough to figure out what had happened between Sumia and me.

He understood the situation and still made no attempt to apologize to me. This is why he really earned the “Creep” in “Glasses Creep.”

On the inside, I was cursing those glasses of his to break into a million pieces.

Truthfully, he was only acting in his own best interests as a nobleman, but that didn’t make it any less irritating.

A good punch to those glasses would probably make a nice sound…

“Ilius, since you’re here, let me give you a present.”

“…Can I refuse? I already know I’m not going to like it.”

“That’s correct. Here’s your reward: a report that I think you’ll find very interesting.”

I took the paper from Lucian and held it out to Ilius. He reluctantly took it from my hand.

It was a copy of my investigation into Sumia’s background.

Ilius’s face soured as he quickly scanned its contents.

“…What is it you’re after? You want me to keep Sumia on a tighter leash so her past stays a secret? Is this a demand to keep you and your family out of all this?”

“You’re as quick-witted as always. Though, I’d also ask you to keep Sumia and Prince Fritz under closer observation. I don’t want them doing anything that could harm the kingdom.”

“…I can’t promise it, but I’ll let my father know.”

“I appreciate it.”

I smiled softly at him, knowing it would come across as menacing. Hopefully that would be enough of a warning for the Ilegar family.

Leaving the kingdom peacefully meant the royal family would be indebted to us. Even if Sumia took my place as the crown princess, she would have no way of hurting my family.

“…By the way, Ilius, may I ask you about something that’s still bothering me?”

“What’s that?”

“You chose to cooperate in the plot by faking Sumia’s past and helping her cozy up to the prince, isn’t that right? It only worked out because His Highness was even more foolish than you imagined, but it was a dangerous plan with a slim chance of success from the start. Why would you ever want to be a part of it?”

It never made sense to me.

Ilius was by no means a good person, but he was smart. I had no doubt he possessed a strategic mind. That’s why it was such a surprise to see him cooperate in setting Sumia up with Fritz.

I knew his family was likely the source of his orders, but I didn’t see how they could force someone like Ilius into participating in their plot.

“…What’s so strange about that? My father, the duke, asked for my help, and I had no good reason to turn him down.”

It didn’t feel like a clear answer, but I could tell I wasn’t going to get anything else out of him. He probably had his own circumstances to consider, and there was no way he would share that information with his enemy, so I decided to let it go.

“I see. That makes sense. I’m sorry I asked such an odd question.”

With that, I was ready to bid farewell to Ilius, who looked deeply uncomfortable, when…

“Are those hoofbeats?”

I could faintly make out the sound of hooves approaching our location.

The noise grew louder until its source was finally visible before us.

“The devil?!” cried Ilius.

The person who appeared, glaring down at us like a demon on his large black horse…

“Laetitia, are you all right?!”

…was none other than my father. Most certainly not the devil.

The moonlight cast that menacing face of his in heavy shadows. It was enough to scare even me, his own daughter, for a moment. Naturally, the others were even more frightened. Ilius was frozen in shock. Sumia was visibly terrified. Only Lucian was unaffected as he stood at my side.

Lucian’s truly cut from a different cloth.

I expected nothing less from my capable (future) butler.

After a bit of mental praise for Lucian, I turned to look up at my father on his horse.

“Why have you come here, Father? I thought you’d be working through the night.”

“How foolish you are!!” he barked back at me.

The anger on his face certainly did resemble the devil.

“What’s more important than my daughter’s well-being?! How could I go on living if something ever happened to you…?” Father yelled.

He let out a deep sigh as he rubbed his temples.

Rage, anguish, and relief—his exhalation carried traces of each emotion.

“…I sincerely apologize for worrying you, Father…”

“…You scared me half to death. How could you run out of the house in the middle of the night without telling me where you were going?”

“I didn’t want to cause any trouble for you. I thought Lucian and I could make do without your assistance, just this once…”

That’s why I left the mansion quietly that night, so as not to alert anyone. I thought I could finish conducting my business and make it back before Father even noticed I was gone.

“I’m so sorry. It was selfish of me to do this by myself…”

“…Don’t apologize, Laetitia. You’re not the person who owes me an apology here,” Father growled, taking his hands away from his face.

His face was back to its usual stern, intimidating expression.

“You’re the third son of the Ilegar family, and you’re His Highness’s new fiancée, Sumia. Do I have that right?”

Sumia shuddered to be on the receiving end of his piercing gaze.

“Just what’s the meaning of this? Calling my daughter out here in the middle of the night…”

The question was heavy with implications—as if their very lives depended on what answers they gave.

But Father was a government official, so of course, it would never actually come to that…

The fact that the idea even appeared in my mind was just proof of how frightening he presented himself.

“Lord Gramwell, I’m afraid you’re mistaken. We meant no harm toward Lady Laetitia.”

Ilius was the one who spoke, drawing Father’s eyes away from Sumia, who was still trembling off to the side.

Glasses Creep showed no hesitation on his face, though I’d expect nothing less from him. He responded to Father with flawless manners and carefully chosen words.

“You meant no harm? Then why did you call her all the way out here? What discussion has to take place in such an isolated area?”

“…Sometimes young people like to chat among themselves where they won’t be spotted by others.”

“They like to chat, huh? And you there, Sumia. Would you like to explain what happened to your hair? Did you do something to my daughter to make her strike back at you?”

“…!!”

Sumia turned her head, biting hard on her bottom lip.

Father let out a chuckle as he stared down at her.

“Hmph. When I heard you stole the prince away from my daughter, I imagined you’d be a fine young lady of good character, but now I see you for what you are… Ilegar boy, your father will be hearing about this, and I won’t back down until I receive an apology. But I’ll let you go for now. Take Sumia back to your home and start thinking of an explanation for your father.”

“…Thank you for your generous response.”

Ilius bowed and grabbed Sumia’s arm.

I could still see the regret in her eyes as they departed in the opposite direction of Father.

He kept his glare fixed on them until they were out of sight. He then dismounted the horse and stood before me.

“Laetitia…”

“Father…”

The moonlight illuminated us from above as we faced each other in silence.

After everything that happened, I could hardly bear to look him in the eye, but I knew better than to break his gaze.

“You still won’t come to me when you need help… I wish I was a more reliable father in your eyes.”

“That’s not it. I trust you, and I know more than anyone how reliable you are.”

“…I don’t want to hear your flattery. Ever since we lost Selina, your mother, I’ve struggled with how to approach you. That much is true.”

“No, Father. You’re the one who taught me what it means to be a noblewoman, and I know how much you’ve protected me throughout my life. You even helped me in my studies to become the crown princess.”

My father was always acting in my best interest. Though, it was true I’d always felt a sense of distance between us. After all, the man never so much as smiled…

But regaining the memories of my past life meant I now had a more objective view of parent-child relationships. I knew there was no reason to doubt the love my Father had for me.

“Laetitia, I’m blessed to have a daughter as bright as you…able to understand my feelings even when I fail to express them properly… That’s why I arranged for your engagement to His Highness. I thought it would be a good use of your talents…”

His expression stiffened. I imagined the look on his face could knock out a person all on its own.

“…And yet, that half-witted prince had the gall to break up with you and banish you from the kingdom in front of a crowd. I can’t believe it came to that… I’ll never forgive myself for betrothing you to a man like that.”

“Father…”

“I know how hard you’ve been working to become the crown princess, and all this time, I’ve never heard a single demand of yours. I’m sorry if it’s too late, but…if there’s anything at all I can do for you, I don’t want you to hesitate to ask.”

Father was serious. It didn’t seem like he would stand down until I made some kind of request.

“…I see. In that case, will you smile for me, Father?”

“…I don’t understand.” Father’s voice was low and serious. “Is that really what you want, Laetitia…?”

“Is something wrong with that? It’s not that I question how much you care about me, but I was hoping to see it in a more visible expression…”

“Er, I don’t…”

“Can’t you do it for me?”

“…Very well. Prepare yourself, Laetitia.”

Prepare myself?

I stared at my father, wondering what he could mean.

“!!”

Terrifying. It’s downright terrifying!

That was my immediate reaction to seeing Father smile at me.

Right…that’s a smile.

Logically, I knew he was smiling…

But the expression on his face was overwhelmingly intense. Frankly, it made him look completely evil. His already stony face was intimidating enough as it was.

The smile not only failed to soften his looks but somehow made him appear even more threatening. Father looked like he was hatching some kind of scheme. Any child who saw him like that would surely burst into tears.

“Father…y-your smile…”

“…Frightening, right? I know. I discovered long ago that I appear to be one of the worst smilers in all the world… When you were a child, I once made the mistake of smiling at you, only to have you burst into tears and start avoiding me for a while… I’ve been trying to prevent that from happening again, so I thought it best not to smile at all…”

“…I’m sorry.”

An apology was all I could muster in response.

I had just finished thinking about how his smile could make children bawl, but I had no idea that I’d been a victim myself… Children can truly be cruel creatures.

“So you’ve never smiled at me because you thought it would frighten me?”

The realization knocked the wind out of me.

Father was always an “awkward” man. He’d lost his wife, worked his fingers to the bone at all times, and struggled with how to approach his only daughter. I already knew all this…but now it felt different.

My father excelled as a public servant while struggling with his personal life. Sometimes both sides of him came out at once…

“That’s right. Your older brothers also warned me about how horrid my smile is… It’s always saddened me to know that you inherited my looks.”

“…Huh? Wait a moment. What are you talking about?” The response came out of my mouth automatically. It was completely unexpected. “I resemble Mother, don’t I? When I look at her portraits, it feels like I’m looking in a mirror.”

“…Your faces are similar, sure. You have Selina’s stunning beauty, but…when you smile, you look like me. I’ve seen it on your face many times.”

Are you kidding me?!

I whisked my hand mirror out of my dress pocket, eager to prove him wrong.

Thankfully, after I flashed a quick smile, the only thing I saw was the reflection of a blonde girl with a pleasant expression.

“Take a look, Father. How is this anything like your smile?”

“Yes, I know, you smile like an angel at times… But let’s try something. Imagine the prince is here with you. Think about smiling at that boy, being sure not to show any signs of weakness at the same time.”

“Imagine the prince…”

I pictured him in my mind.

In all the time we spent together, I always tried my best to project nothing but confidence around Fritz. I didn’t want to bring any shame upon myself, so I hid the weaker sides of my personality.

“…What the…?!”

I’d accidentally let out a cry unbefitting of a young lady.

My reflection was now showing the face of an undeniably villainous girl.

Shocked, I glared back at the mirror. My eyes had narrowed menacingly, and my lips were curled up into an overbearing smile. Even I didn’t want to go near the girl I was looking at. It was certainly successful at not presenting weakness…but something so evil wasn’t my objective either.

It wasn’t as overpowering as my father’s smile, but the fact that it was attached to a seventeen-year-old girl somehow made it all the more intimidating.

Father’s DNA really did this to me?

I shuddered. Our blood relation was on full display—that much was certain.

Even after two years of attending the academy, I could count the number of classmates I’d made as “friends” on one hand. I always assumed that was normal, considering my own rank, as well as how busy I was with studying to become the crown princess.

But with this sinister smile, my standing as a duke’s daughter, and the future title as the crown princess on top of it all, I must have been very difficult to approach.

And how had I never seen this smile in the mirror before…?

I suppose it’s difficult to get an objective look at your own face and expressions.

Now that I had my memories of my past life, it was even more shocking to see the evil girl staring back at me in the mirror.

I’d only just discovered how dominating my smile was, but already, I had the sinking realization that it explained what had happened with Fritz and Sumia.

I had no intention of forgiving the prince, nor did I believe any blame rested with me…

But I couldn’t help but wonder if Fritz felt intimidated, being with a girl who always had such a threatening smile on her face.

Very well. I’ll improve. I’ll get myself a better smile.

At that moment, I swore to rid myself of my dreadfully villainous looks.

◇　◇　◇

I couldn’t stay focused on the shock of my evil smile forever.

Father and I decided it was best to leave such an isolated area sooner rather than later, so he returned home on his horse, while I took the carriage parked near the ruins.

After we arrived, I freshened up in my room, then headed to Father’s study, where he’d asked to meet me.

Despite the late hour, he had something he needed to tell me, and that was why he changed his work schedule to come home early and ended up noticing I was missing.

“How would you like to marry King Glenreed and become the queen of the Kingdom of Wolfvarte?” Father asked me.

This was an option I never expected to hear.

I, his daughter of marriageable age, was being expelled from the kingdom.

One natural resolution was to have me enter a political marriage with someone outside of Elltoria.

As a young lady of noble blood, I had already accepted such an outcome. And yet…

“Father, are you sure that’s a good idea? Seeing as how Prince Fritz…the crown prince of this kingdom rid himself of me, how can I marry the king of another land…?”

It didn’t make any logical sense.

Even though it was entirely Fritz’s decision to end our engagement, I could never escape the reputation I’d earned as the woman rejected by the crown prince. It should be unthinkable for me to immediately become the queen of another kingdom after only just having my engagement to a prince broken off.

“Does that idea scare you, Laetitia? I can reject the offer if it’s not to your liking…”

“No, that’s not it. I’m just very confused. I know King Glenreed as the young ruler who’s achieved many victories in battles with neighboring lands. They’ve even given him the moniker ‘Silver Wolf King.’ I don’t understand why a man like that would want me as his queen… And if the rumors I’ve heard are true, King Glenreed quite despises women, does he not?”

“Exactly. He hates women. So you’re aware of the state of his private life.”

“I am. He’s already had four potential candidates to become the queen but never settled on any of them to marry.”

“Correct. But King Glenreed will be turning twenty-four this year, and the aristocrats of his kingdom are demanding he settle down and have children. Since he hates women, and considering the internal pressure, he doesn’t want to pick another candidate for queen from his own kingdom yet.”

“…And so that’s why he chose me.”

Now it made sense.

A woman of high status would normally be sought to become the queen, but few women would be up for this particular task, knowing what they did about his character.

On top of that, around half of the people of Wolfvarte were known as “beastfolk”—humans who possessed animal ears and tails.

Few of the lands in our western continent viewed beastfolk as their equals. I imagined that made it even harder to find a willing queen from outside their own kingdom.

“In other words, he wants me as a placeholder queen to take the pressure off himself for the time being. I’ll just need to keep a respectable distance from King Glenreed, forget any ideas of winning his favor, enter a ‘white marriage’ with him, and fulfill my duty as a figurehead queen.”

A white marriage.

This is one type of political marriage carried out in our world, where the two parties never share a physical relationship with each other.

“If I recall correctly, Wolfvartian laws dictate that white marriages are declared invalid if a child isn’t conceived within two years. After that, the two parties can divorce without any repercussions.”

“Exactly. Even when it comes to obscure places, you sure know your stuff.”

I never imagined my training as the future crown princess would come to use for something like this.

But Father’s smile and the praise directed at me certainly made it worth it.

His smile was the usual fiendish one that could make even the fiercest of warriors cower, but I was still happy to see it.

“Two years. I’ll be a figurehead queen for two years, so that King Glenreed stops being pressured to take a wife and have children. That’s all, right?”

“You’ve got it. After those two years, you could come back home, or if you take a liking to that kingdom, King Glenreed promised me he would provide you with a home and living expenses so that you could stay there.”

“I see…”

I thought about it for a bit. Nothing about the idea struck me as unfavorable.

Getting married was a natural step in the lives of all young noblewomen. But for me, well, I had a bad history with the crown prince now. Any man that still wanted to marry me after that might not be up to my standards. But even if the title carried no real weight, becoming the queen of another kingdom wouldn’t lower my family’s reputation. It wasn’t a bad option at all.

“I’ll say it again, Laetitia—you’re allowed to refuse if this isn’t what you want. If there’s some boy out there you have your heart set on, I’ll sit down and talk with him, and once I’ve nearly beaten the life out of him, I’ll give him my blessing to marry you.”

“…That doesn’t sound like a joke when you say it, Father.”

I felt my face twitch in response.

Father wasn’t easy to read, but I knew just how much he loved me. If I ever turned up with an unworthy man, well, I could already imagine the bloodbath it would turn into.

“Rest assured, Father. I’m not interested in any particular man, nor are any men interested in me.”

Though, saying it out loud was a little disheartening.

I’d spent a few years with Fritz as my fiancé, but since training to become the crown princess kept me so busy, I had no spare time to dwell on romance. Even in my past life, I was overwhelmed with work every single day, and I never had a moment to even think about meeting someone or starting a relationship. That made for two whole lives where I’d spent years without experiencing romance. It was a depressing fact, so I decided not to think about it too much.

“What’s got you so sad, Laetitia? If you really have found someone special, you can tell me.”

“No, it’s nothing. I’m all right… I’d be lying if I said I had no interest in love and marriage, but I’m still a duke’s daughter. If I agree to become King Glenreed’s bride, I’m sure I’ll win favor with our king as well, and it’s not like it’d be an easy task for me to find a true husband after recent events. I’ll be allowed to return home after two years are up, right?”

“Indeed. And, of course, your brothers and I will be ready to welcome you home when the time comes. You’ll be able to pursue work and hobbies as well. If you fall for someone, you’ll finally be able to settle down with them, or at least I hope so.”

Father’s love for me was apparent whenever he talked about my future.

It sounded like King Glenreed didn’t actually have any interest in taking a bride. I was to secure a good reputation for my family and my kingdom, but then, my freedom was guaranteed. When I thought of it as a job, ignoring the context of love and romance, it sounded like a fine marriage to agree to.

“I’d like to accept the offer. Is there anything else I should know in advance?”

“I’m not sure how important this is, but…Laetitia, you enjoy cooking, right? I’ve watched you come alive lately, whenever you’re in that kitchen… I haven’t seen you look so happy in years—not since you became engaged to His Highness, at least.”

“Oh my, Father. Have you been spying on me in the kitchen?”

I broke eye contact with him. It was a bit embarrassing to hear.

He’d seen me cooking away as I hummed cheerful songs to myself.

I even remembered feeling a sharp gaze on me in the kitchen at times. I was starting to keep watch for assassins and everything.

But it appeared that Father’s eyes inherently carried a certain intensity, wherever they looked.

“Well, as you’ve seen, I do love to cook, though I know it’s not the ideal hobby for a noblewoman…”

“It’s rare, sure…but only for noblewomen of our kingdom.”

“Our kingdom? Does that mean…”

I detected something more in Father’s words. Something I was eager to hear.

“You guessed it. Wolfvartian women of high status are also known to cook. It’s a much more accepted hobby than it is in our kingdom.”

Hell yes! That’s awesome!

Mentally, I was pumping my fist in the air.

“It’s the whole reason I decided to share this offer with y—”

“Thank you so very much, Father! I accept this offer in its entirety!”

A figurehead queen with a time limit of two years.

I wouldn’t be expected to concern myself with political matters or physical ones. I’d have all the time in the world to myself.

With this new opportunity to take to the kitchen, I silently reveled in my excitement.

◇　◇　◇

AFTER that discussion, I began to carry out the plans for my marriage within a few days.

Between King Glenreed requesting my presence sooner rather than later, and the route to Wolfvarte becoming more dangerous with the changing of the seasons, there were many reasons to rush.

“Have you forgotten anything, Laetitia? Did you get enough sleep? How about your health? Are you feeling all right?”

Father seemed more anxious about the journey than I did. He was pacing the room as he questioned me. Despite his busy schedule, he’d come to see me off.

“Please try to calm down, Father. I’ll have Lucian with me all the way, so there’s nothing to worry about.”

“Are you sure you’re okay? You don’t have to put on a brave face for me, you know.”

I chuckled, seeing him so insistent.

His face looked as nefarious as ever, but the words he spoke made his intentions obvious—he was simply a father deeply worried about sending his daughter away.

The contrast between his appearance and his heart was as amusing as ever.

“I’m more concerned with how you’ll fare, Father. There’s something I’d like you to handle for me while I’m away.”

“And what’s that?”

“Here.”

I handed him a stack of papers I’d written up.

“What do we have here…?”

“I gathered a list of the meals I’d like you to try and wrote down each recipe here. You’ve been looking quite pale lately, and I’m sure that’s in part because you’ve been working so hard for my sake, but I don’t think that’s all.”

“Hmm. Then what is it?”

“You eat too much rich food. Of course, salt and spices can make a meal very delicious…but consuming too much isn’t good for your health. I read about it as part of my royal education. That same book also included recipes for lighter dishes, so I tried sprucing them up a bit.”

“I see. I knew you’d gained a sudden passion for cooking, but I had no idea you were this concerned for me…”

Father’s face was overwhelmed with emotion. Of course, it only made him look sinister.

He was terrifying on the outside, but in his heart, he was a good man who cared intensely for his daughter.

As his child, I wanted Father to live a long and healthy life. With Father’s combination of anger issues and high blood pressure, if he ended up passing away while I was in another kingdom, I would never forgive myself.

Fortunately, the two of us shared the same love of food. Like me, Father didn’t seem to be too enthusiastic about all the rich foods he ate either. When I borrowed the kitchen to make my second batch of ice cream, I could see how much he enjoyed it after I brought him a bowl to try.

I’ll just say that it was quite a shock to see a stone-faced man like my father breaking out into such a tender smile over ice cream.

“I didn’t have a lot of time to work on this recipe book, so there are still parts missing. If you need help handling any of the ingredients, could you let the kitchen staff take care of it for you?”

I turned around to look back at our manor.

All the chefs stood outside in a row, ready to see me off on my journey.

We had gotten to know one another better after I started spending time in the kitchen. Each and every one of them was a talented cook worthy of serving a noble family.

They also worked hard to improve their talents. The staff had been very interested in the recipes I remembered from my past life on Earth, and we even shared culinary information as well.

My knowledge of cooking and practical experience all came from my past life. In this one, I’d never cooked anything before. Just like the whisk, there were many other utensils that differed from what I knew. Even with “cheats” like my magic, it still took a whole lot of trial and error, despite the help of all the chefs.

We continued to work out our culinary problems together, and a sense of camaraderie had formed between us along the way… Well, I didn’t know if they felt it, but I sure did.

Our societal statuses were vastly different, but I believed the desire for delicious food was human nature in every world. I couldn’t transform Elltoria’s food culture all on my own, but when it came to my father’s health, a change seemed much more within reach.

Many of the kitchen staff also seemed displeased with the current trend of adding so many spices to meals, so this change was a blessing to them too.

After leaving my book of Earth recipes with Father and the chefs, it was time for me to depart for Wolfvarte and finally meet the Silver Wolf King.

Father’s recipe book…

At that time, I had no idea that something so insignificant would shake up the food culture and future of our kingdom forever…

◆ ◆ ◆

IT was the day of Laetitia’s departure from her homeland, when she was to meet and marry Glenreed, the Silver Wolf King.

Ilius, the third son of the prime minister, was sporting a gloomy look from behind his glasses.

“Hey! Are you even listening?! I wanna go see His Highness already!”

Sumia, with her freshly cut chestnut hair, was throwing a fit in front of him.

After the skirmish with Laetitia at the ruins, Sumia couldn’t exactly hide what had happened to her hair, so she decided to cut the rest of it off at chin length.

“Hehe! Please don’t worry, Your Highness. I just wanted to try something new, you know? Well? Do you like it?”

She’d given her best effort in charming her fiancé, but apparently, she was actually pretty upset about her haircut. Around Ilius, Sumia didn’t have to hide her true emotions.

Ilius sighed for what felt like the millionth time that day, now finding himself on the receiving end of the girl’s frustration.

“You’re the one who needs to listen, Sumia. If you want to see the prince, remember my teachings and use them to finish this problem.”

“I’m already doing it! It’s done, isn’t it?!”

“No, it’s not. This answer isn’t good enough. Start over with the theory and do it again.”

He wasted no time in shutting down Sumia’s demand.

Ilius had assigned her homework but was unimpressed with her response.

The topic was “appropriate manners and etiquette in relation to the royal family.”

Sumia shouldn’t have had any trouble completing the homework if she applied herself, but unfortunately, she lacked the focus to actually get the job done.

With another sigh, Ilius stared at Sumia, wondering how it had come to this.

Ilius liked intelligent people. He also liked people who worked hard to become intelligent. That’s why he didn’t hate Sumia the first time they met.

It was four years ago that his father, the Ilegar duke, brought Sumia into their home.

He told them that she was to be raised as the daughter of a baron they controlled, since the girl was one of the few wielders of Light Magic ever discovered. His father wanted Sumia to grow into a useful pawn, so he arranged for Ilius to educate her in secret.

Sumia was never fit for a commoner’s life of poverty—she was a girl able to play the part of a baron’s daughter.

On top of that, she was always eager to learn and improve, making her a wonderful student.

Sumia began her studies with only basic reading and writing skills, but she passed as the perfect noblewoman after only three short years of work. This was no doubt the result of both her talent and hard work.

But now, she’s acting like this…

Ilius stared at Sumia with bittersweet emotions inside him.

She was supposed to have memorized proper etiquette as a noblewoman, but it appeared to have been shallow knowledge all along. Ilius guessed the readiness and pride that all nobles needed to carry deep in their souls wasn’t something he could just teach her.

Is she acting this way because she finally won His Highness’s heart?

The commoner girl had faked her way into high society and made the prince fall for her. He could hardly imagine a more extreme boost to one’s self-esteem. Sumia had grown more and more arrogant, and all traces of that hard work and aspiration she’d once shown were long gone.

Even worse, Sumia had begun to harass Laetitia, her biggest threat, even more than before. She made up the lie about Laetitia pushing her down the stairs, shared it with Fritz, and forced him to end his engagement for no good reason.

And on top of it all, she’d called Laetitia out in the middle of the night after that and made ridiculous demands of the woman.

This was entirely out of line for any noblewoman. Twice now, she’d threatened the politics of their kingdom with her blunders. Sumia, along with her guardian, Ilius, was now the target of Duke Ilegar’s fury.

Ilius’s role was to make Sumia the crown princess and be sure not to leave any trace of their plot. To that end, he had been instructed to give Sumia more lessons on etiquette, which he was doing his best to carry out now.

He watched Sumia resist her homework, crying about how unfair it was, while on the inside, Ilius’s heart was roaming in different directions.

This was the day Laetitia left for her new home.

He first met the girl two years earlier when they’d entered the academy together.

When it came time for their entrance examinations, Laetitia was the one who took the title of top student, beating Ilius by only one point.

As he never imagined he would lose that spot, much less to a woman, Ilius took it as quite a shock. The two developed a rivalry as fellow honor students and began to drop their prim and proper facade when they interacted.

Between Laetitia’s menacing smile, her title as a duke’s daughter, and her beautiful yet stern amethyst eyes, the other students at the academy all did their best to avoid her.

But Ilius knew the truth.

He knew that every now and then, like when she’d solved a difficult problem or found joy in something around her, those eyes would soften and sparkle like violets in bloom.

She was a talented student, with an intellect rivaling Ilius’s, who hid away those tender eyes from the world.

The more he thought of her that way, the more Ilius began to feel that Fritz wasn’t good enough for Laetitia.

Fritz and Ilius were close enough that they spent time together at the academy. Ilius respected Fritz’s title as the crown prince, but that was about it. The boy’s personality was another matter. He completely lacked the desire to improve himself in any way and seemed only motivated by jealousy of others. It was hard to find any real appeal in the future king’s character.

Fritz was an ordinary man who just happened to hold the title of prince. Laetitia deserved a better husband than him.

Those feelings might have been why Ilius hesitantly agreed to participate in his father’s schemes. A year ago, his father approached him with the plan to set Sumia up with Fritz to become his future wife.

After that, Ilius spent his days busy with the work of pushing Sumia and Fritz together. The original plan was to wait a few years before spreading the news of their relationship, gather allies, and have Laetitia give up her engagement in a peaceful manner.

Now that she’s not the prince’s fiancée anymore, what’s going to happen to her?

Who would she marry? Was there anyone worthy of her in the kingdom?

Ilius had been trying not to think about any of it too much.

After all, Laetitia could even end up engaged to himself, the third son of the Ilegar family…and Ilius had no choice but to acknowledge that this might have been part of his calculations all along.

“…Maybe I deserved my punishment for that evil deed.”

Sumia looked at him suspiciously when she heard him murmur this.

Ilius ignored her, looking off a bit to his right—the direction of the kingdom of Wolfvarte, where Laetitia was already heading.

With their plot collapsed because of Sumia’s recklessness, Ilius and his father were now under the Gramwells’ thumb, and on top of it all, Laetitia was going to a foreign country to marry a king.

All that was left for Ilius was his duty to babysit Sumia, who had lost all sense of motivation, and his role of protecting Fritz, the empty-headed prince.

Though these consequences were the result of his own actions, he was surrounded by nothing but nuisances.

Ilius pushed up his glasses to hide the expression on his face.