Chapter 19

"The wolves look so comfortable... Lady Letitia, you're really good at this today... I admire you..."

Edgar stared at me, his words stumbling but his interest unmistakable.

"It's thanks to the tool. I saw a diagram of this brush in a book I read back home, so I tried making it with magic."

"Amazing..."

"Thank you. I have another one, would you like to try it?"

"!! Is it okay to use such a precious item?!"

Edgar eagerly responded.

Given his role as a wolf keeper, his love and curiosity for wolves seemed especially strong.

"This brush is just scrap metal, so there's no problem. However, I'm not sure how durable it is, so I can't guarantee how long it will last... Do you think it's okay?"

When I asked, he nodded vigorously.

Beyond his long bangs, I could see his amber eyes shining brightly.

Handing him the slicker brush, he held it as if it were a holy sword, trembling with quiet emotion.

"Ooooooh, this is the brush of the gods!!"

"Now, now, that's a bit exaggerated. Do you know how to use it?"

"Yes!! I'm fine!! I've been watching for a few days!! Ah, when I say watching, I don't mean in a weird way, I mean the brush...!!"

"I understand. Just to be safe, start gently and with a light touch? Some wolves might not like this brush, so be careful."

This slicker brush, with its metal bristles, can be rejected by some wolves.

Fortunately, like the wolves in my previous life, the ones in front of me seemed to enjoy it, but caution was still necessary.

To avoid startling or upsetting them, it was best to start with a light touch.

"Yes, Master!! I understand!!"

Gripping the brush, Edgar glanced around and a wolf approached him.

He calmed the wolf by petting it and made it sit, then began to brush its fur.

At first, he was hesitant.

But soon he seemed to get the hang of it, moving the brush smoothly, and the wolf looked very comfortable.

He was certainly a capable wolf keeper.

"Amazing. You've already mastered it. Look, that wolf looks so happy."

"Hehehehe..."

Edgar smiled warmly, looking pleased.

It was hard to tell because he usually stood frozen in fear, but when he smiled, he had quite a handsome face.

"This brush, though it was a bit confusing at first, it's easy to use!!"

Edgar spoke enthusiastically about the brush.

Although he still avoided eye contact, his words were smoother, suggesting he was getting more comfortable.

"Plus, it's easy to remove tangled fur, which is very convenient!!"

As he spoke, he was removing tangled fur from the brush.

As a wolf keeper, he naturally owned several brushes for shedding season.

However, these brushes, regardless of their size, were all made with pig or animal hair.

While these natural materials were effective for brushing, they had the drawback of tangling with shed fur, making them difficult to clean.

In contrast, the slicker brush I made had metal bristles, making it easier to clean and maintain.

For Edgar, who cared for many wolves, this difference was significant.

With a cheerful spirit, Edgar began brushing the line of waiting wolves.

As I watched him, I continued to brush the wolf at my feet.

"Gruruu...?"

Under the slicker brush, the wolf shifted and let out a whine.

Perhaps I had pressed too hard?

Worried, I observed, but the wolf's gaze was directed not at me, but towards the trees.

I realized the other wolves had also stopped and were quietly staring in the same direction.

With their noses pointed and ears perked, they sat on their front paws, resembling courtiers awaiting their lord.

"Wow..."

In the silence, the trees rustled, and a wolf appeared.

Its fur, illuminated by the dappled sunlight, shimmered silver.

Its body, covered in beautiful fur, was larger and more powerful than the others.

The silver wolf approached the courtyard and looked around.

Its eyes, a vivid blue like a winter lake, were sharp and deep, exuding intelligence and pride.

The silver wolf stared intently at me as it approached.

"What's wrong... Oh!"

The silver wolf's face was close, sniffing with a snort.

From right to left, front to back, it seemed to be checking my scent from all directions.

'What is this smell? It's strange...'

The silver wolf tilted its head, as if to say.

The contrast between its human-like behavior and its fluffy body was amusing, and I felt my lips curve into a smile.

"Hehe. What's wrong? Both King Glenreid and you seem so interested in my scent?"

King Glenreid.

At the mention of his name, the silver wolf's body seemed to stiffen for a moment.

Even though it was an animal, this silver wolf might have heard the king's name somewhere.

"Edgar, the king is amazing. To be feared even by wolves, that's not something just any king can do, don't you think?"

I said to Edgar with a bit of a joke.

"Stay back!"

I was grabbed by the shoulder and pulled behind Edgar.

Despite his large size, he was surprisingly strong.

Looking up, I saw his face was unexpectedly serious.

"That wolf is not one of ours!!"

"Huh?"

Could it be a wild wolf?

But it had a collar like the others?

Confused, I watched as Edgar tensed and faced the situation.

Lucian braced himself, and the silver wolf glared.

The tense silence was broken by the rustling of the trees again.

"Hehehe, no need to be so tense. I'll vouch for this silver wolf."

"Grandpa Mole?!"

I could see the tension leave Edgar's body.

The person who appeared was a small old man with a long white beard and eyebrows.

"Edgar, who is this?"

"... He is the head of our wolf keepers and the most senior, Grandpa Mole."

"That's right. It's a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness. Please be kind to me."

He bowed politely.

I introduced myself and asked for an explanation.

"... Grandpa Mole, what is this silver wolf? Edgar said he didn't recognize it..."

"This silver wolf has a bit of a story. Did you notice the color of its eyes?"

"The eyes were a beautiful green with a blue tint. They are a different color from the others..."

The wolf that had been sitting and looking at me, which I had just brushed, had eyes that glowed amber or brown depending on the light.

The other wolves also had brown eyes, varying in shade.

"Right? This silver wolf was born with blue eyes by chance. Wolves are the symbol of the royal family of this country, and the royal family members often have blue eyes. As a result, this silver wolf was highly valued and almost kidnapped."

"... That's dangerous. This wolf must have gone through a lot."

It was a cruel story to try to take it by force just because of its rare appearance.

"Fortunately, the kidnapping attempt failed... However, due to the kidnapping incident, this silver wolf has become a bit stubborn and is hard to get close to. For safety, it has been kept in a different place from the other wolves. Edgar, who is still a new wolf keeper, wouldn't know about it. I should have told you, I'm sorry."

Edgar seemed to understand Grandpa Mole's explanation.

Edgar is the same age as me, 17, and has been a wolf keeper for only about a year.

"Thank you for the explanation, Grandpa Mole. I understand the situation with this silver wolf... But was it okay for us to interact with it? Could it have escaped from where it should be?"

"No, it's fine. While it's for safety, being too isolated isn't good either. Today, it came here to stretch its legs. It might come here occasionally, so please take care of it... Ow, stop it, stop it!! Stop it!!"

'No one said to take care of it!!'

The silver wolf was headbutting Grandpa Mole, expressing its dissatisfaction.

It snorted and stared at me intently.

"Um... Is it this that you're interested in?"

In my right hand, I held the slicker brush.

It seemed this silver wolf had a high level of intelligence.

It might be curious about the unfamiliar tool and interested in it.

"Grandpa Mole, is it okay to touch this wolf?"

"It doesn't like being pet, but using the brush to groom it should be fine. After all, it's used to being groomed by others."

"Really?"

Direct touch was not allowed, but using a tool to groom was okay?

It was a confusing standard, but Grandpa Mole, who knew the silver wolf well, said so.

Although I was a bit disappointed that I couldn't pet its beautiful fur, I decided to groom it as a form of greeting.

I carefully brushed its fur with the brush, being careful not to hurt its skin.

I watched the silver wolf, whose fur became even more lustrous, thinking it was a unique wolf.

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By the way, later.

In a part of the castle, in the king's office.

"Ugh... I shouldn't have... The other wolves looked so comfortable with that brush, so I ended up getting brushed too..."

So it was said, by a king whose silver hair seemed to shine even more than usual.