Chapter 49

"Perhaps the shed for Fon will be built around there……"

The day after I discovered an unexpected side of Lady Natalie, I was walking in the front garden of the palace while waiting for the wolves Edgar was bringing.

In front of the palace’s entrance, there is a front garden centered around a fountain. Compared to Lady Natalie’s palace garden, it is smaller in scale, but it is well-maintained and the flowers in the flower beds are lovely.

I plan to clear a space among the trees at the side of the front garden to build Fon’s shed. It will be located diagonally in front of the palace.

"And, I’ll have the field that Ichiro made in the forest surrounded by a fence and tidied up……"

I looked in the direction of the strawberry field in the forest slightly to the side and behind the palace, planning out the work. This time, I had received permission from His Majesty to make changes around the palace. As long as the work doesn’t cost too much or involve altering the palace itself, I was allowed a certain degree of freedom.

I want to build Fon’s shed, tidy up the strawberry field, and there are a few other things I’d like to create. As I was thinking about the renovation plans for the area around the palace, the trees rustled. It was the fluffy time I had been waiting for. It seemed the wolves were arriving.

"Woof?"

"……It’s not a wolf, is it?"

I met the round, black eyes. What jumped out from the trees was not a white fur ball, but a fluffy, long-haired, white, upright-eared dog. Its face, which seemed to be smiling, reminded me of a Samoyed from my previous life.

"Nice to meet you……?"

"Woof!"

In response, its curly tail swayed gently from side to side. It was a friendly dog, but why was it here? As I was wondering, Edgar appeared, chasing after the dog.

"Hello, Lady Letitia. This is the first time you’re meeting Sana, right?"

"This one is Sana, huh? Is she Edgar’s companion animal?"

"Yes, that’s right. Isn’t she cute?"

Edgar stroked Sana’s head proudly.

Sana, Edgar’s companion animal. A companion animal is an animal that a beast person loves as if it were their own self. I had heard that especially for canine beast people like Edgar, it is customary to train their companion animals with deep affection.

By the way, there are many different races among beast people. Edgar and the head butler Bogan are canine beast people, while Crona is a lynx beast person. There are also snow foxes and the rare bird-winged beast people living in this country.

Although they are often lumped together as beast people, I had heard that their cultures and histories differ greatly depending on their race. For example, this is reflected in how they choose and interact with their companion animals. Canine beast people typically choose dogs as their companion animals and train them to establish a clear hierarchy. On the other hand, lynx beast people generally allow their companion cats more freedom.

Perhaps because of these differences, canine beast people are often seen as serious, while lynx beast people are seen as self-centered. However, these are just tendencies. There are individualistic canine beast people and loyal lynx beast people. It’s like saying Japanese people are neurotic and Americans are over-the-top. In my previous life, I was far from being meticulous, so it seems that individual qualities have a much greater impact than nationality or race.

"Is it okay to pet Sana?"

"Of course! I think Sana will be happy too."

With the owner’s permission, I stroked Sana’s head. My palm was almost buried in the cotton-candy-like white fur. As I narrowed my eyes in delight, Sana seemed to do the same.

Just as we were enjoying the moment, a gust of wind suddenly blew from above, and the sunlight became abruptly dim.

"Fon!"

"Kyaaah?!"

Fon gently landed right beside me. Seeing Sana for the first time, Fon seemed to be stimulated by a mix of caution and curiosity. Stepping forward to protect me, Fon’s large body surprised Sana, but she didn’t run away and instead watched us and Edgar.

"Fon, there’s no need to be on guard. Edgar and the others are important guests of this palace."

I stroked Fon’s neck to calm him down. Fon remained still for a while, but he seemed to understand that Edgar and the others were not enemies. After nudging his beak against me once, he flapped his wings, causing a breeze, and returned to his usual perch in the wooden box.

"Wow, the griffin is amazing up close……!"

Edgar said excitedly. Although he was being glared at by Fon’s sharp eyes, he didn’t seem to feel any fear. He had been quite scared during our first meeting, but it seemed he was fine with Fon.

"Thank you very much for this valuable opportunity."

"I’m happy you let me pet Sana. ……Are the wolves not here today?"

"Yes, today, a different wolf keeper is on duty for the walk and is expected to arrive a bit later."

"Then why are you here with Sana, Edgar?"

"To give Sana instructions and have her memorize the route to the palace. I plan to have Sana assist the wolf keepers in their work."

"Oh, I see. A dog leading wolves, that’s impressive!"

I looked at Sana in admiration. Sana, who resembles a Samoyed, is quite a large dog. She seems well-trained and doesn’t seem to be intimidated by the wolves.

"Yes! That’s right! Sana is so excellent, she’s almost too good for me!!"

Edgar’s face lit up, and his wagging tail conveyed his happiness.