Chapter 39

It has been three days since Krona's betrayal was discovered.

The punishment she is to receive is expected to be imprisonment for two years.

Compared to the crime she committed, it can be said that this is a rather lenient punishment.

The reason for the reduction is partly because I, the primary victim, did not desire severe punishment, but also because the information Krona confessed was very useful.

Specific methods of plagiarism and the people involved.

Furthermore, it was revealed that the loan shark who had pressured Krona's family into debt was a dirty character.

The loan shark had a bad reputation even before, and King Glenreed had been suspicious, but there was no decisive evidence of wrongdoing.

With the information provided by Krona, it became clear that the loan shark was colluding with the family into which Dear's daughter had married.

The king, seizing this opportunity, intends to pursue their crimes and bring out all the dirt.

"Dear, 60 years in prison... ..."

I muttered while brushing Goo with a slicker brush.

The punishment for Dear was apparently leaning towards 10 years of imprisonment.

However, with the additional information from Krona and the fact that I, the queen, was indirectly targeted for assassination, the charges multiplied, and the punishment became several times more severe.

The average lifespan in this world is much shorter than in Japan.

Even among the nobility, few people live past 80.

For Dear, who is currently 37 years old, 60 years of imprisonment is practically a life sentence.

And the head chef, Gilan, was also sentenced to 30 years of imprisonment.

The reason was that the plagiarism of the chiffon cake, which was intended as a gift for the king, constituted an act of insult.

Once a renowned chef, there was no one to plead for a reduction in his punishment after he lost his reputation as a commoner.

"What about Lady Natalie? What does the king intend to do?"

When I spoke to Goo,

he turned his face away as if to say, "I don't know what to say if you ask me now..."

"You're right; it's only natural that you wouldn't understand. But maybe because of your silver fur and blue eyes, which resemble the king's, I can't help but be a little concerned about him."

I checked the results of the brushing and looked at Goo's entire body.

Yes, I did a good job.

The tips of the neatly groomed silver fur were shining in the sunlight.

I wanted to enjoy petting him right away, but because I had petted him too much before, he growled when I tried to pet him.

It's my own fault, but it's very, very disappointing.

"Still, I might have done something bad to the king."

Goo's ears twitched.

"Even though I thought it was the only place to expose the plagiarism within the time limit, causing a disturbance on the king's birthday, which only comes once a year, was probably wrong."

"Ooh!"

"I don't think that's the case. Don't worry about it."

Goo seemed to be trying to reassure me. It felt like I was being comforted by a wolf.

"Thank you. I hope the king feels the same way... I haven't received any direct feedback on the chiffon cake I gave him. He might be angry with me for causing a disturbance at the birthday celebration, but even if he isn't, the king is very busy, so it's understandable."

At the mention of "very busy," Goo seemed to flinch for a moment.

... Was it just my imagination?

"Of course, I did receive a letter of thanks for the chiffon cake. But it only contained very formal words... I would like to hear the king's thoughts on the cake directly, if possible. I want to use any suggestions for improvement, and even though it caused a lot of trouble, it was originally made for the king's birthday."

I don't know much about the king's character, and I might not have much to do with him in the future.

But I was grateful to the king for setting up my life in this palace.

That's why I wanted to express my gratitude by making a chiffon cake as a gift.

... Well, it wasn't just pure gratitude.

I chose a chiffon cake, which is a rare dish in this world, with some ulterior motives, and that led to the plagiarism scandal.

Now that the scandal has settled, I was curious about the king's thoughts on the chiffon cake.

The king has a rule not to eat gifts at the birthday celebration immediately because they cannot be completely checked for poison.

First, they are checked for poison, and then he would eat them on the night of the event or the next day.

"I haven't heard that the king dislikes sweets, so I hope he enjoyed it... Oh!"

Goo rubbed his head against my palm.

... If he came to me on his own, does that mean it's okay to pet him?

I tentatively petted him, and he stayed still without running away.

It felt so good to pet him.

"Goo...?"

I'm happy, but why did he suddenly let me pet him?

"It's a kind of thank you. Accept it gratefully."

Goo seemed to be looking at me sideways, as if to say that.

I don't understand the timing, but since he offered, I decided to enjoy petting him.

I was careful with the pressure and made sure not to pet him too much like last time.

As I was enjoying the fur, Goo stood up and moved his ears forward and backward.

Looking in the direction Goo was focusing on, I heard the sound of a carriage approaching.

The messenger from Lady Natalie arrived on a carriage pulled by four horses.

On the part of the carriage where people usually sit, a large wooden box was placed.

"Miss Letitia, I'm sorry to bother you, but may I ask for a moment of your time?"

"What is it?"

"Could you please look at the window of this box?"

I went to the back of the carriage, where the part of the wooden box that served as a window was.

Through the small opening, I saw the familiar eyes of a raptor.

"Griffin...?"

"Yes. We have made sure it is well-fed and secured with a chain. Would it be alright to let it out?"

"... Yes, that's fine."

The box was opened, and the Griffin stepped out, spreading its wings gracefully.

The raptor's head and wings covered in white fur, the muscular body and hind legs of a lion.

The Griffin was a majestic mythical creature, but the decorative feathers that protruded from the sides of its head, resembling cat ears, made it look cute.

The Griffin seemed a bit surprised by Goo but soon turned its body back to me.

Our eyes met, and the Griffin bowed its head.

It folded its front legs like a raptor and lowered its head to the ground, exposing its head and neck, which are vital points, to me.

"A posture of submission...?"

"Indeed, it seems the Griffin has chosen you as its master."

The messenger nodded in understanding.

Griffins are very proud creatures.

Occasionally, they will serve a person they deem worthy.

... The Griffin's attitude is clearly due to the thunder magic three days ago...

Fortunately, my magic successfully neutralized the Griffin without any fractures, only minor bruises from the fall.

This led to the Griffin recognizing me as superior and eventually as its master.

"If Miss Letitia is willing, I would like to offer you the Griffin..."

"Is the Griffin a gentle and valuable mythical creature?"

"Yes, but at the same time, if it has chosen a master, it will not be tamed by anyone else and will run wild if left alone, causing us a lot of trouble."

"I see..."

The messengers looked troubled, and the Griffin looked at me with hopeful eyes.

I want to meet those expectations...

"To make up for the trouble I've caused Miss Letitia and to resolve the issue of the Griffin's care, we would like to cover the cost of food and other expenses for the next 10 years."

"Understood. I will take good care of the Griffin."

I answered immediately.

The cost of food and care for a Griffin of this size is not trivial.

Since these costs are covered and the Griffin has chosen me, there are no obstacles.

--- With the addition of the Griffin, the new fluffy addition to the palace, along with the wolf and the gardener cat, the palace gained a new member.

I always appreciate your feedback, evaluations, and corrections.

Since I have some free time on the weekend, I plan to respond to your feedback and make corrections gradually.