Chapter 45

"Delicious things are delicious, huh……"

His Majesty murmured and suddenly looked at me.

The emotion in his eyes was indiscernible, but the color was captivating.

Every move he made drew the attention of others; perhaps that was the aura of a king.

"Of course, it's a matter of fact, but it feels fresh when someone else points it out."

"……Could it be that you didn't like it?"

"No, I just thought it was something you would say."

Something I would say?

Could he be indirectly saying that I am greedy for food?

……Well, it's true, but it was surprising that His Majesty, with whom I had little familiarity, had noticed.

"Why did you realize that I have a strong interest in food, Your Majesty?"

"……If you observe, you can tell."

Was I that easy to read?

I thought I was putting on a good act when facing His Majesty……

"To begin with, if you didn't have an exceptional interest in food, you wouldn't have brought strawberries here today to get them recognized as an ingredient. You must have been aware of the risk of being punished for presenting something that could be mistaken for poison to the king, right?"

"No, I had no such fear. I don't think His Majesty would punish me without hearing my side of the story."

I smiled to show my trust in His Majesty.

His Majesty, who gave off a cold and distant impression.

However, from his behavior at the birthday celebration and his words during the brief audience in the past, I was confident that he was not the type to wield power unjustly.

"I believed that if I explained about strawberries, Your Majesty would approve of their cultivation at the palace. In fact, I received praise for their deliciousness. I am grateful for that."

"……To be happy with just the words 'delicious,' you are indeed an unusual queen. ……Even though it's due to the circumstances, you are living in the palace because of the political situation in this country. If you wanted to alleviate your boredom with jewels or luxuries, I was prepared to provide them……"

"No, thank you, but I don't want such things. Instead, there are a few things I would like. May I mention them?"

"What are they? Go ahead."

His Majesty urged me to continue.

"Thank you. First, I would like to clear a nearby forest, set up a strawberry field, and build a griffin shed. May I have your permission?"

"As long as it doesn't significantly alter the palace itself, it's fine. I'll send carpenters and laborers to help."

"Thank you. Regarding the payment for the carpenters……"

"I'll cover it. You don't need to worry about it."

"No, please let me pay. I would like to use this item as payment."

I reached into the hidden pocket of my dress.

The object I pulled out was not something that would fit in a luxurious room of the palace.

"……A slicker brush."

"Oh, Your Majesty, you know about it?"

You are well-informed.

I had already provided several slicker brushes to the wolf guards, Edgar and others.

The wolf guards are a position directly under the royal family.

It wouldn't be strange for King Glenreed to know about the slicker brush.

"This brush is a product of the 'Refinement' magic. Unfortunately, it breaks after a few days……"

Actually, I can make brushes that last over a month, but that would be an anomaly in this world's magic, so I kept it a secret. I intentionally adjusted the strength of the brushes to last about ten days and instructed Edgar and others to dispose of them every few days, so I don't think my subtle cheat has been discovered.

"But this brush is a useful tool for grooming wolves and fur-bearing animals."

"Yes, I know. The wolves seem to enjoy it, as I've heard from the wolf guards."

His Majesty nodded.

"I'm glad to hear that. If this brush can be replicated by a blacksmith, don't you think it could generate significant profit?"

"……So, you intend to dedicate the rights to this slicker brush to me?"

"Yes. I thought it would be a waste to use it only for myself and the wolf guards."

"A waste, indeed…… This country has many beastmen, and many of them keep animals related to their own species. If the production of this brush can be replicated, as you say, it could generate significant profit. In exchange for the labor costs for the strawberry field, it would be a waste not to capitalize on this. The labor costs would be far less than the wealth it could generate. Do you have other desires in mind for dedicating the brush to me?"

"……Thank you for understanding so quickly."

His Majesty was quick-witted and perceptive, recognizing the value of the slicker brush.

"Actually, I can make several other tools using 'Refinement.' However, if this fact becomes widely known, it might attract unwanted attention. To avoid such a situation, I would like to ask for your assistance, Your Majesty."

While 'Refinement' can create various convenient items like slicker brushes and whisks, it is a difficult magic that usually takes years to produce a single type of object.

The servants at the palace serve me, but they are also under the jurisdiction of this country and His Majesty.

If I use 'Refinement' to create tools at the palace, it might eventually come to the attention of the perceptive His Majesty, not just the slicker brush.

Therefore, I wanted to inform His Majesty about 'Refinement' in advance and seek his cooperation to prevent the information from spreading.

"……Understood. I will inform the palace servants in my name not to disclose your 'Refinement' to the outside. Fortunately, you seem to have built a good relationship with the servants, so none of them would act to your detriment."

"Thank you."

"However, it's uncertain whether 'Refinement' can avoid all the complications. The court magician, Bodley, was very excited by the 'Refinement' you demonstrated on the birthday celebration day."

"……I plan to handle that myself."

I had already received a request from Bodley to meet and talk.

Bodley is currently on a business trip away from the capital, but I expect to be bombarded with questions as soon as he returns. I need to prepare a strategy to avoid drawing too much attention.

"Understood. Then, you should prepare accordingly. ……You mentioned earlier that you have several desires. What else do you have in mind?"

"Then, may I ask about your plans for Lady Natalie?"

"……Natalie. I intend to punish the root of the problem, her father, the Duke. Specifically, I plan to have the Duke pay a portion of the profits from the port city in his duchy directly to the state for the next few years."

"I think it's a fair punishment, but will the Duke accept it?"

"Yes, he will have no choice. The actual perpetrators of the plagiarism were the Dears, but the responsibility lies with their master, Natalie. If Natalie is branded as an unsuitable candidate for queen and exiled, the Duke cannot complain. If he can avoid that, it would be his wish."

Indeed, that might be true.

If the Duke's daughter, sent to the palace as a candidate for queen, is returned as a criminal, it would be a great dishonor for the Duke's family. It would also eliminate the possibility of Natalie becoming the next queen.

Unfortunately, the current Duke's family has no other daughters suitable to be a candidate for queen besides Natalie.

If Natalie is exiled, the Duke's family will be forcibly excluded from the competition for the next queen.

Of course, the damage to Natalie's reputation from the plagiarism scandal is deep, but the possibility of her becoming the next queen is not zero.

Moreover, His Majesty probably does not want to exile Natalie.

If Natalie is gone, the power dynamics among the remaining candidates for queen could change dramatically, potentially leading to conflict.

Avoiding such a situation and keeping Natalie as a candidate would be a beneficial choice for His Majesty, as it would allow him to show favor to her family.

I asked for more details about the fines to be imposed on the Duke's duchy and sipped some tea to moisten my dry throat.

The liquid was already warm.

I might have overstayed my welcome.

"Thank you for inviting me today, Your Majesty. I know you are busy, so I will take my leave now."

"……Yes."

His Majesty nodded, but there was a hint of reluctance.

As I wondered about it, his gaze shifted.

In front of him was an empty plate that had held the chiffon cake.

"Your Majesty, did the strawberry dishes I brought today not satisfy you?"

"……Perhaps not."

"Thank you for your kind words. If you like, I can send you some strawberry dishes the next time I make them."

"No, that's not necessary…… When you visit me next, bring a dish as a gift. I have many questions about this slicker brush and your 'Refinement.'"

It seemed he had indeed enjoyed the dishes.

As I thought about what to bring His Majesty next, I left the audience with a good mood.