Chapter 63

The day after Goo-sama ate the sandwich.

I spent the entire day in the kitchen, preparing the dishes to be presented to His Majesty.

With the help of Gilbert and the other chefs, I managed to complete everything on time. I thanked them and, with a pounding heart, set off for the main castle to present His Majesty with dinner.

Before getting into the carriage, Fon let out a cheer, which made me very happy.

"Good evening, Your Majesty. I am honored to have the privilege of serving you dinner tonight."

"Don’t be so formal. Tonight’s dinner is more of a whim on my part."

We exchanged greetings and sat across from each other at the table. Behind me were Lucian and Gilbert, who were also acquainted with His Majesty. Once seated, Gilbert lifted the lid of the tray he was holding.

"Is this what a sandwich looks like...? It seems a bit different from what I heard."

"I made some adjustments to ensure it wouldn’t fall apart during the journey."

On the plate were small square sandwiches, each about a bite-sized. The ingredients were held in place with thin skewers, and there were decorations on top.

I traveled from my palace to this place by carriage. To prevent the sandwiches from falling apart due to the vibrations, I had to come up with a solution.

I remembered the colorful picks I used to stick in bento boxes in my previous life. By pre-piercing the sandwiches with skewers, they wouldn’t easily fall apart.

"Indeed. With this, it can be transported in a beautiful shape even over a distance."

"Yes, it seems to have worked. Please remove the skewers before eating."

"Then I will try it immediately. ...Is this a wolf?"

His Majesty was looking at the top of the skewer. The iron skewer was made by me through alchemy. At the top, there was a thin metal plate shaped like a wolf’s silhouette.

"I play with the wolves cared for by the wolf keepers at my palace. His Majesty, as the king, oversees the wolf keepers. I added the wolf decoration to express my gratitude for the opportunity to interact with these lovely wolves."

"Wolves, huh... You seem to really care for them."

"Yes. They are smart and adorable, and petting them feels like a cleansing of the soul, making me very calm."

I love them so much, they are so fluffy and wonderful! But I couldn’t say that directly, so I rephrased it. It’s important to be tactful, right?

"......Calm? You used to sing strange songs, didn’t you...?"

His Majesty spoke, but his voice was too low for me to hear clearly.

"Your Majesty, what did you say?"

"No, I was just thinking that this is a remarkable piece of craftsmanship. Did you make this decoration yourself?"

"I made it using alchemy. It won’t last long, but it should be fine for today."

His Majesty nodded and pulled out the skewer, taking a bite of the sandwich. The first one he chose was the one with herb-roasted chicken thigh. When he took a bite, I thought I saw his eyes soften slightly.

It seems he enjoyed it. He continued to try the other sandwiches one by one. All nine pieces were eventually eaten.

"Your Majesty, how did you find them? The sandwiches had different fillings. Was there one you particularly liked?"

"Yes... The first one with the herb-roasted chicken and the one with the sausage were especially delicious."

...I’m glad. I was happy to hear that he found them delicious.

"Your Majesty, thank you. If you enjoyed the herb-roasted chicken and sausage sandwiches, does that mean you prefer chicken and pork?"

"My preferences...?"

His Majesty paused and looked down slightly.

"I haven’t really thought about it, but now that you mention it, I might prefer chicken and pork over fish or beef."

Hmm, are preferences something you need to think about? His Majesty said he had never been interested in food, but it seemed like a severe lack of interest.

"Understood. If it’s not too much trouble, would you like me to bring dishes made with chicken and pork the next time I visit?"

"......Why such an offer?"

"It’s a way to thank you for giving me that palace."

Just saying I want His Majesty to take an interest in food wouldn’t mean much given our relationship. It might seem like overstepping, but I wanted him to enjoy his meals.

Eating is a significant part of life’s pleasures. Given that His Majesty ascended to the throne at a young age and has many worries, I hope that the three daily meals can be a small pleasure rather than a duty.

I recalled how Goo-sama had enjoyed the sandwich yesterday, looking so happy and relaxed. I thought it would be nice if His Majesty could enjoy his meals in the same way, even if that sounds a bit presumptuous. I wanted to help in any way I could.

"Your Majesty, what do you think? If it’s a bother, please feel free to say so—"

Was I being too meddlesome? I was worried, but—

"It’s not a bother."

He immediately denied it.

"If you don’t mind, it’s fine for you to bring dishes in the future. I’m not very knowledgeable about food, so I might not react as you hope, but that’s okay, right?"

"Yes, it’s fine."

Especially since His Majesty has little interest in food. Changing a long-standing habit of viewing meals as a duty might be difficult. But if I can share even a little of the joy of eating, I would be happy.

Fortunately, I have time, and I have strong allies like Gilbert. Even if I can’t assist His Majesty as a queen in governing or as a companion in love, I want to be of help in my own way.