Chapter 12

After being shocked by my own villainous lady smile, my father and I decided it wasn’t good to linger in such an uninhabited place. My father rode a black horse, while I took the carriage that was waiting near the ruins, and we each returned to the mansion.

After tidying up my appearance, I was called to my father’s study.

It seems that he has something to tell me tonight.

Originally, my father changed his schedule to return home early, searched for me, and realized I wasn’t in the mansion.

“Marry as a queen to King Gurenreed of the Kingdom of Wolfwald?”

The option presented by my father was unexpected.

For a young woman of my age, being exiled abroad.

The first thing that comes to mind is a political marriage, where I would be sent to another country.

I had accepted the idea of a political marriage since I was born into a noble family, but...

“Father, is this really okay? After being abandoned by Prince Fritz... being sent to marry a king of another country...”

Normally, this would be an impossible situation.

Even though the engagement was unilaterally broken by Fritz, I still carry the stigma of being a woman abandoned by the crown prince.

Yet, to be chosen to become a queen in another country, it’s a hard concept to grasp.

“Leticia, are you still uneasy? If you don’t want to, we can turn down this offer...”

“No, that’s not it. I’m just curious. King Gurenreed, despite his youth, has achieved great military success and is known as the Silver Wolf King. Why would such a person choose me as his queen...? And if the rumors are true, isn’t King Gurenreed known for his dislike of women?”

“That’s the point. Because he dislikes women. Do you know about King Gurenreed’s current private life?”

“Yes. I’ve heard that he has had four potential queens, but has never shared a bed with any of them.”

“That’s correct. However, King Gurenreed is 23 years old. The pressure from the nobles of his own country to settle down and have children is becoming intense. But the king dislikes women, and considering the political situation within his country, he seems to want to avoid taking a new queen candidate from his own country.”

“...So, that’s why I was chosen.”

It made sense when I heard the circumstances.

As a queen, one would usually be expected to come from a family of high standing.

However, there are few people who would willingly marry a king known for his dislike of women.

Additionally, in the Kingdom of Wolfwald, ruled by King Gurenreed, about half of the population are beastmen with animal ears and tails.

In this Western continent, most countries have deep-seated prejudices against beastmen.

It’s easy to imagine that it was difficult to find suitable queen candidates under such circumstances.

“So, what is expected of me is a ‘white marriage.’ I’m to stay at a distance from King Gurenreed, not seek his favor, and fulfill my role as a decorative queen, right?”

‘White marriage’

In this world, it refers to a type of political marriage without a physical relationship.

“Also, I believe that according to the marriage laws of the Kingdom of Wolfwald, if a ‘white marriage’ is maintained for two years without children, the marriage can be annulled without any hard feelings, correct?”

“Yes, that’s right. You know the details of a foreign country’s law quite well.”

My father praised me and smiled.

Despite his always intimidating and villainous smile, it made me feel loved and happy.

I never thought that my education as a crown princess would come in handy in such a way.

“Two years. I’m to serve as a decorative queen, shielding King Gurenreed, who hopes for a queen and an heir, right?”

“That’s right. After two years, you can return here if you wish, or if you like the country, King Gurenreed has promised to support your living and financial needs there.”

“I see...”

I thought for a moment.

This didn’t seem like a bad proposal.

As a noble lady, it’s expected that I would enter into a marriage.

However, I was abandoned by Fritz, and my reputation is tarnished.

In such a situation, any man who approaches me as a potential suitor would likely have his own issues.

Given this, marrying as a decorative queen in another country would be a good option that wouldn’t tarnish my reputation or the reputation of the ducal family.

“Leticia, I’ll say it again, if you don’t want to, it’s okay to turn it down. If there’s someone you secretly like, I’ll have a talk with him and give him a little beating, but I’ll recognize the marriage.”

“...That’s not a joke when you say it, Father.”

I couldn’t help but tense up.

Despite his intimidating appearance, my father cares for me deeply.

If I brought a mediocre man, he would likely go into ‘I won’t give my daughter to you!’ mode and cause a disaster.

“Father, please don’t worry. I don’t have anyone I admire or who admires me.”

Saying this made me a little sad, but it was the truth.

In recent years, I had Fritz as my fiancé and was busy with my training as a crown princess, leaving no time for romance.

In my previous life, I was so busy with work that I had no time for dating or finding a partner.

...I won’t think too deeply about how many years it’s been since I last had a romantic relationship, as it’s too sad.

“Leticia, why do you look so sad? Could it be that you have someone you secretly love?”

“No, it’s nothing. I’m fine. While I can’t say I have no longing for love and marriage, I am a duchess’s daughter. By accepting this marriage to King Gurenreed, I can do something good for the ducal family and the country. Besides, it’s difficult for me to find a proper suitor now. With a two-year term and the option to return to this country afterward, it’s not a bad deal.”

My father, with deep affection, was thinking about my future.

...From what I’ve heard, this marriage to King Gurenreed is an unexpected opportunity.

As a duchess’s daughter, I can bring benefits to my family and the country, and I will have a certain degree of freedom afterward.

If I consider this as a job rather than a marriage based on love, it’s a good deal.

“I want to accept this offer. Are there any other points to note or any special hidden circumstances?”

“Not really, but... Leticia, do you like cooking? Recently, you’ve been so lively in the kitchen... you’ve been cooking with a smile that I’ve never seen before, even when you were engaged to Prince Fritz.”

“Oh, Father, you were watching me in the kitchen?”

I averted my gaze slightly.

It was a bit embarrassing.

I was caught singing and cooking enthusiastically.

I often felt a sharp gaze while cooking and wondered if it was an assassin, but it seems it was my father.

...Father, your gaze was so intense.

“Yes, as you’ve seen, I like cooking. It’s not a very praised hobby for a noble lady, but...”

“True, it’s rare for a noble lady, but... that’s only in this country.”

“In this country? Does that mean...”

My father’s cryptic words. Could it be...

“Yes, as you guessed. In Wolfwald, even noblewomen can cook. Cooking is more accepted as a hobby there than in this country.”

Yay, I did it!

I cheered in my heart and made a small fist pump.

“That’s why I thought this marriage might be a good opportunity for you...”

“Thank you, Father!! I’m happy to accept this marriage proposal!!”

-- A decorative queen, and for a limited two-year term.

I won’t be deeply involved in state affairs, and I should have some free time.

I was excited about the opportunity to improve the culinary situation.

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The preparations for the marriage were quickly completed over a few days.

The marriage was to be as soon as possible, and the land route to Wolfwald would become difficult to traverse if we missed this season.

“Leticia, have you forgotten anything? Did you sleep well? Do you feel unwell anywhere?”

My father, more flustered than I was, was pacing around.

He had come to see me off despite his busy schedule.

“Father, please calm down. Lucian will be accompanying me. There’s nothing to worry about.”

“Are you sure? Are you not putting on a brave face?”

Seeing my father’s worried expression, I smiled.

Despite his intimidating appearance, he was a father deeply concerned about his daughter.

The contrast with his usual stern demeanor was amusing.

“Father, please take care of yourself. I’ll be away for a while, but I have something I want to entrust to you.”

“Something to entrust to me?”

“This.”

I handed him a bundle of handwritten papers.

“What is this...?”

“I’ve chosen some dishes I want you to try and summarized the recipes. Father, you’ve been looking unwell lately. While it’s partly due to your busy schedule, I think there’s more to it.”

“Hmm, what’s the cause?”

“The overly seasoned food. I read in a book during my crown princess training that while salt and spices are delicious, too much can harm your health. The book also included recipes with less salt and spices, so I tried to follow them.”

“This is it. I thought you were suddenly enthusiastic about cooking, but you were thinking of me...”

My father, despite his intimidating face, was deeply moved.

...Father, you look scary, but you’re a good person who cares for his daughter.

I want my father to live a long life.

If he were to suffer from high blood pressure and a stroke due to a high-salt diet while I’m abroad, I would regret it deeply.

Fortunately, my father, being a relative, has similar tastes in food.

He doesn’t seem to welcome overly spiced dishes, and he enjoyed the second batch of ice cream I made in the kitchen.

...Seeing a grown man with a tough face melt while eating ice cream was quite shocking.

“This recipe book is still incomplete due to the lack of time. Can you leave the fine-tuning of ingredients and cooking methods to the mansion’s chefs?”

I looked back at the mansion.

There, the chefs were standing straight, ready to see me off.

I had grown close to them while working in the kitchen.

They are all excellent and ambitious chefs employed by the ducal family.

They showed great interest in the recipes from Earth, and we exchanged information.

I have culinary knowledge and cooking experience from my previous life, but I had never cooked in this world.

Even basic kitchen tools were different, and I had to experiment a lot with their help, despite the existence of magic.

Through these efforts, I felt a sense of camaraderie with the chefs.

Despite the difference in status, the desire for good food is a universal human trait.

While it’s not wise to blindly change the existing food culture, the reason of ‘for Father’s health’ should make it easier to accept changes.

Many of the chefs also had concerns about the current heavily spiced dishes, so this would be a good opportunity for them as well.

...Thus, I left the Earth recipes with my father and the chefs and set off for Wolfwald, to King Gurenreed, the Silver Wolf King.

The recipe book I entrusted to my father and the chefs.

I didn’t know then that it would create a significant ripple and have a major impact on the country’s food culture and future.

Thank you for reading.

If you enjoyed it, I would be grateful for your feedback and ratings.

I appreciate all the feedback and typo corrections I’ve received.

I’ve made corrections and responded to the feedback.

If you have any more comments or corrections, I would be happy to hear them.

In the next update, the story will move to the fluffy country mentioned in the synopsis.

I also plan to post a side story from Leticia’s perspective tonight.