Chapter 18

"Huff, huff, ha, free time, huh, huff, huff."

Good afternoon.

I am Letitia, the duchess's daughter who has become an ornamental queen.

………What am I doing?

It's a combination of time-killing and training to overcome my weaknesses.

As a duchess's daughter, I was born and raised for 17 years, and my weakness is none other than a severe lack of muscle.

In this world, there are no cars or convenient home appliances, but as a duchess's daughter, I always had attendants around me.

As a result, I had few opportunities to move my body sufficiently and was quite out of shape.

I did learn dancing and horseback riding, but those were just part of a lady's education, mere pastimes.

I probably have some core muscles, like inner muscles, to maintain a beautiful posture, but unfortunately, my arm and leg muscles were as weak as bean sprouts.

The last time I made ice cream, I even got muscle pain that night.

I made a whisk using magic, and I tried to be creative with it.

Cooking, when you get serious about it, inevitably requires strength and stamina.

Especially in this world, where home appliances and cooking tools are not advanced, there are many situations where you have to use your own body.

Even though I intend to use magic to make things easier, there's no harm in building up my body.

………So, in my hands are shiny black metal weights, or dumbbells, to be precise.

Dumbbells for a duchess's daughter.

It's a bizarre combination, but they are undoubtedly useful for training.

And these dumbbells are not just for training; they are also for practicing magic.

Earth magic, "Refinement."

This magic, which can freely change the shape of minerals, should be quite convenient if mastered.

For practice, I created dumbbells based on the ones I used for dieting in my previous life.

Making dumbbells of different weights, two for each arm, and in a comfortable shape, was quite a good exercise.

………So, with these dumbbells, which are probably the first in this world, I have been working out lately.

"Huff, huff, ha, huff, today, it's already, huff, ten days, huff."

It has been ten days since I came to the imperial villa.

During this time, King Glenreed, my husband, has not visited me once.

I understand that His Majesty is very busy, but I am being completely ignored.

So far, I have not been given any role in the government, and I spend my days from morning to night at the imperial villa.

In the forest villa, being ignored by my husband…….

Generally, this would be considered neglect, but I am actually welcoming this life.

Having free time and peace is a good thing. I am all for a slow life.

………Looking back, in my previous life, I was always a corporate slave, and after being reborn, I was busy with studies as a duchess's daughter. In recent years, I also had the education of a crown princess, making my schedule very hectic.

Compared to that, my current life is like a paradise.

I have no intention of lamenting a loveless marriage, and I can only be grateful to His Majesty for giving me a free life.

"Hmm, the water is so refreshing today………"

After finishing my workout, I drink the prepared lemon water.

A moment of bliss.

This is what I live for.

After quenching my thirst, I pull out a drawer to put away the dumbbells.

Inside the drawer are dumbbells of different weights and a whisk.

The cool, smooth metal feels good in my hands, and the shape fits well.

"This whisk still shows no signs of breaking………"

I flick it with my finger, and the thin metal of the whisk part vibrates.

It only vibrates, showing no signs of collapsing or breaking.

I made this whisk over a month ago when I was at the duchess's mansion.

Considering that objects created by "Refinement" usually don't last a day, this is an astonishingly long-lasting item.

"Hmm………a subtle cheat………?"

If I don't have to remake it every time, it is indeed convenient.

I'm not sure why it doesn't break, but it's probably due to my memories from my previous life.

The lifespan of objects created by "Refinement" is influenced by the caster's imagination.

It is said that the more familiar the object is, the stronger and longer-lasting it becomes.

However, no matter how much you touch the original object and burn its shape into your mind before using magic, the lifespan is usually only a few days.

That's the general consensus, but my whisk has been around for over a month and shows no signs of breaking.

"Is it because of my knowledge of iron………atoms, protons, and steel-making methods………?"

I'm not particularly knowledgeable, just what I learned in middle and high school and some trivia.

Still, I might know more about the material "iron" than anyone in this world.

Given that magic exists, it's questionable how much the laws of physics are the same as on Earth……….

Still, it seems reasonable that my knowledge is the cause of the unbreakable whisk.

"Miss Letitia, it's almost time for Edgar and the others to arrive. Are you ready?"

"Thank you, Lucian. I'm coming now."

I put the whisk back in the drawer, take off my sweaty undergarments, and put on an apron dress.

This apron dress is both easy to move in and cute, and it's relatively easy to clean.

It's too simple for a queen, but I intend to dress properly in public, and since I'm being ignored at the imperial villa, I prioritize comfort and convenience.

After quickly changing without the help of a maid, I go down to the front courtyard.

My steps are light, and my heart is buoyant.

Thanks to interacting with the wolves Edgar brings every day, they have started to get used to me.

"Miss, Miss Letitia, I'm sorry to intrude again today."

"Good afternoon, Edgar. I'm glad to see you again."

When I greet him with a smile, Edgar's face turns red and he stiffens.

He looks like a boiled lobster, but this is his usual self.

It seems Edgar is not good with people, and he is always nervous around me and Lucian.

It's the complete opposite of his confident demeanor when controlling the wolves.

With Edgar leading the way, about ten wolves enter the front courtyard.

Some sniff the well-tended flower beds.

Some run around trying to catch butterflies.

And some come up to me, rubbing their heads against me.

"Good job, you came."

When I pet their heads, they look up at me with longing eyes.

To respond to their expectant looks, I search my dress pocket.

"Here, don't rush. I'll brush you today, okay?"

I sit down on a handkerchief, and a wolf immediately comes to my side.

In my hand is a metal brush I made with "Refinement."

It's a slicker brush, a grooming tool for dogs on Earth.

When I lived with my family in my previous life, I often used a slicker brush to groom Jiro.

The only difference is that the handle is made of wood or metal.

I'm quite proud of how well I managed to recreate the fine wire bristles.

"Uuuuuu～～～～～～"

When I brush them with the slicker brush, the wolves purr contentedly and close their eyes.

I carefully brush, being careful not to hurt their skin, and gray and white fur tangles and fall out.

It's spring now, and the temperature is gradually rising.

It's the shedding season, when the wolves' winter coats are changing to summer coats, and they seem to be itchy.

Getting brushed with a slicker brush makes them feel refreshed and comfortable.

The wolves have learned this and have appointed me as their grooming specialist.