Since I Was Abandoned After Reincarnating, I Will Cook With My Fluffy Friends, page 1
Table of Contents
Copyright
Character Page
Chapter 1: Winter is the Season for Fluffy Friends
Interlude: The Things Seen by His Eyes
Chapter 2: Nostalgic Food, Nostalgic People
Chapter 3: Part Time Student, Full Time Queen
Chapter 4: Leopard in the Cage
Chapter 5: A Qualified King and the Wings of the Butterflies
Chapter 6: Return to the Villa
Bonus Chapter 1: A Big Brother’s Hopes and Schemes
Bonus Chapter 2: A Farewell and the Oldest Son’s Thoughts
Bonus Chapter 3: New Year’s Festival with His Majesty
Other Series Pt. 1
Other Series Pt. 2
Since I Was Abandoned After Reincarnating, I Will Cook With My Fluffy Friends: The Figurehead Queen Is Strongest At Her Own Pace Volume 5
Yu Sakurai
Translation by Emma Schumacker
Illustration by Kasumi Nagi
Title Design by Elisabet Lopez Pons and Arbash Mughal
Editing by A.M.Perrone
Proofreading by Charis Messier
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Since I Was Abandoned After Reincarnating, I Will Cook With My Fluffy Friends: The Figurehead Queen Is Strongest At Her Own Pace Volume 5
©Yu Sakurai 2019
First published in Japan in 2021 by
Futabasha Publishers Ltd.
English translation rights arranged with
Futabasha Publishers Ltd.
English translation ©2023 Cross Infinite World
All rights reserved. In accordance with U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, email the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the email below.
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First Digital Edition: May 2023
ISBN-13: 979-8-88560-053-8
Chapter 1: Winter is the Season for Fluffy Friends
“HOW cold! The mornings are still so chilly.”
My words dissolved into the air along with my white breath. With each exhale, I watched the cloud of mist form and gradually melt apart. My villa’s front yard was equally white from a blanket of snow.
I wore a thick dress, a scarf, and a pair of fluffy mittens. I was sufficiently insulated, but the cold still nipped at my cheeks and the tip of my nose.
“Shall I bring you some more garments for warmth, my lady?”
The question came from Lucian, my servant, who was also dressed in a warm overcoat. He stood prim and proper, and aside from the puffs of white breath coming from his lips, I would never imagine that he was cold.
“I’m perfectly fine like this,” I said. “It’s already starting to get a little warmer.”
We’d passed the peak of winter, and the fallen snow was gradually receding.
This was my very first winter since I came to the kingdom of Wolfvarte.
Compared to my hometown, the kingdom of Elltoria, winters in this country were harsh and filled with heavy snowfall. This felt like the first time I’d ever seen so much snow with my own two eyes, even in my past life.
“I wonder if this region has a more northern climate than even Hokkaido…?” I murmured.
“Ho-kai-do…?” Lucian repeated the word to himself quietly.
It was natural for him to be confused by the foreign location.
I, Laetitia Gramwell, possessed memories of a past life. I was once a perfectly average office worker who lived in a country not to be found in this world—Japan.
One year ago, Prince Fritz, my fiancé in this life, suddenly broke off our engagement. That was the exact moment my more than twenty years of past life experience came surging back. That may have been what kept me from being weighed down by the termination of my engagement, so that I could now live a healthy life.
My current role was to serve as a figurehead queen to the Silver Wolf King, King Glenreed. Despite my superficial role, His Majesty treated me well, and we maintained a generally strong relationship. I was able to spend my days pursuing my favorite hobby, cooking, here at the royal villa he granted me to live in.
From last summer to fall, Wolfvarte received Prince Ernest and his Pegasi, and despite the temporary disruptions from his subordinate, winter had passed peacefully so far.
The heavy snowfall in this country made visitors uncommon during winter. I had also spent most of the season shut inside my villa.
“Where is this Hokkaido located?” Lucian asked.
“It’s not on this continent. I’ve never been there either.” Not in this reincarnated body, to be more accurate. But I still remembered the delicious salmon roe and crab I ate on trips there in my past life.
“Is that so? Did you learn of this region from books as well?”
“Yes, something like that,” I said vaguely.
I decided it was best not to correct him.
Even before I regained my past life memories, I would occasionally reveal pieces of information from my life in Japan, thinking that I must have read about it in books at some point myself.
Big Brother Claude, the brother closest to me in age, influenced me to start reading at a young age. I’d spent the past few years occupied by educational books in preparation for becoming a queen, so I didn’t have time to reexamine each piece of information in my head and pin down where it originated from.
Compared to back then, my current life was much more relaxed, so I could do as I pleased. As I reflected on the joys of a life of leisure, I heard some quiet footsteps crunching toward me.
“Meow!”
This was Berry, the Gardener Cat. She wore a scarf wrapped around her neck. Berry stood up on her hind legs and began to teeter toward me. She usually traveled on four legs like a normal cat, but I could tell she wanted to keep as few paws on the freezing snow as possible.
Berry came up to my legs and snuggled up to me.
“Mraw mraw mraw mraw…”
“I hate how cold my paw pads get during winter.” That was what Berry seemed to be telling me as she rubbed her paws together aggressively. Despite her scarf and coat of fur, her paw pads remained unprotected.
“Wouldn’t you like to have some gloves, Berry?”
“Meow meow!”
She shook her head, refusing to give in. I knew Berry didn’t like wearing mittens because they hindered her ability to use her claws. Instead, she pawed at the bottom of my dress, although her claws didn’t penetrate or tear the fabric.
“You want up? Here we go.” I stooped down, lifted the cat up, and adjusted her in my arms so that she’d be comfortable.
She managed to find the best position after squirming around from side to side. Then she leaned against my chest and began to nuzzle her soft head against my cheek.
“Heehee. That tickles.”
I felt the weight of her in my arms and the gentle sensation of her fur against my cheek.
Winter was truly a lovely season.
Berry spent about thirty percent more time snuggling me in the winter compared to other seasons. She was an excellent replacement for a hot water bottle to snuggle with, and feeling the limp weight of her against me warmed my heart just as much.
As I brushed away the pieces of snow stuck to her striped, gray fur, Berry’s ears suddenly started to twitch. She craned her neck to look toward the outer gates of my villa.
“Oh my. Do we have a visitor?” I asked. “Or are the wolves coming from that side today?”
I’d come out to the garden to wait for the wolves in the first place. They usually came to my villa as a stop on their daily walk, but I was used to them coming from the forest next to my villa, not the front gates.
“Woof woof!”
“Bark!”
The visitors did indeed turn out to be the wolf pack.
I heard the sound of the wolves coming from the gate, along with an unfamiliar scraping noise.
“Hi there, Your Majesty!”
“Edgar! What are you riding on?!” I managed to wave back at him despite my shock.
He arrived with not a dog sled, but a wolf sled. Edgar was standing on the sled and gripping the ropes, with a few of the wolves pulling him around. He easily ordered the wolves to slow down until they reached me.
“I didn’t know wolves could do that!”
My eyes were drawn to the wolves. This was rather exciting. They were all standing perfectly in lines while connected to the harness. To me, they appea
Berry seemed just as fascinated as I felt. She jumped out of my arms to get a closer look at the wolves.
“I’ve seen dog sleds before, but this is my first time seeing one led by wolves,” I commented.
“Even in this country, I think us wolfkeepers are the only ones who do this. I practiced all winter to finally get to the point where I could ride one,” Edgar said proudly.
“Wow. You look so cool on your sled!”
These wolves were used to being around people but were still less friendly than dogs. I’d heard that wolves are prideful beings.
Edgar had to be a talented and capable wolfkeeper to be able to control them on his sled like that.
“C-C-C-C-Cool?! I-I’m not cool at all…!” He blushed and his triangular beastfolk ears began to twitch. Despite being a skilled keeper of the wolves, he was a shy, easily embarrassed young man.
“I think you should be more confident, Edgar,” I told him. “You take such good care of the wolves, and that’s why they obey you.”
“Awoooo!”
One of the wolves let out a howl as if to agree with me.
Wolves are clever beings.
It was possible they understood the meaning behind my words.
“There, there. Good boy, good boy. Such a clever, adorable little wolf you are!” I cooed.
“Woof woof!”
Fluffa fulla fluff.
I praised the wolf as I pet him from the head down to the neck. I could feel the overwhelming density of fur even through my gloves.
Yet again, I felt grateful for winter.
The wolves’ coats became thicker in winter to protect them from the cold. It took the form of a fuzzy white layer that peeked through from underneath their gray and black fur. This layer, known as the undercoat, was extremely protective against the chill of winter. It was also extremely fluffy.
Ah, this is bliss. I’m so grateful for the blessings of winter.
Spellbound, I continued to pet the wolves and watched as others approached me, snorting from their noses. I loved the contrast between the gallant wolves who pulled the sled and how they acted now, like friendly dogs.
One wolf, two wolves, three wolves…
Including those not hitched to the sled, there were about twenty wolves in total.
After finishing my rounds of petting each one, I stared at the sled.
Is the frame made of wood?
It was well-constructed with something resembling leather covering the handle and base. I wondered if it was built that way to preserve the structure and prevent friction.
“…May I try the sled too, if I go slowly?” I requested.
“You want to, Your Majesty?” Edgar asked.
“Is it very difficult? The snow here is quite soft and deep, so I don’t think I’d be injured if I fell off.”
I’d always wanted to ride in a sled. It looked like so much fun in the movies and manga from my past life. I hoped Edgar would allow me to ride it, even if we could only stick to walking speeds.
“Snow, and the wolves… In that case…” Edgar looked from me to the sled and then to the wolves. He was muttering to himself, appearing to be deep in thought. “…But wait, that would mean…”
“Is it too much to ask?” I asked sadly.
Perhaps I had asked the impossible.
Of course he wouldn’t be enthusiastic to let an amateur run wild…
I apologized to Edgar, but he shook his head from side to side, causing his white ears to sway.
“N-Not at all! You can ride it!! I’m sure if anyone can do it, it’s you, Your Majesty!”
“You don’t mind?”
“Of course not! The wolves really trust you, so they shouldn’t take off running or anything, and you probably won’t be hurt badly if you fall off… It’s just…um, well…” Edgar really struggled to get the words out. He glanced at me, his face getting redder and redder.
“Do you need me to do something?” I asked.
“You see… It’s very hard to ride a sled alone the first time. I’ll have to ride with you…”
“That would be great. I know I can count on you,” I said with a smile.
Beginners do need a coach.
I used to ride together with my teacher when I practiced horseback riding.
Edgar was a skilled wolf handler, and despite his shyness, I’d come to trust him as a person. We may have been of the opposite sex, but we were both wearing very thick clothing, so I didn’t feel like I had to worry about anything in that area…
But Edgar was clearly blushing and he remained perfectly still. Perhaps he was nervous about teaching someone how to ride for the first time.
“I’m sorry. Please forget I even asked—”
“No, don’t say that!” Edgar cut me off with a shout. “I’m not worthy, but I can’t waste this opportunity!”
“…This opportunity?”
When I cocked my head…
“He can’t hide his true feelings. Of course he doesn’t want to miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime chance.” Lucian was mumbling something to himself. Whatever it was, I could tell his words had some bite to them.
◇ ◇ ◇
“SO fast!! Woo-hooooo!!”
My shout was drowned out by the wind and buried in the field of snow.
“Huff, huff, huff!”
The wolves dashed forward in their pack ahead of the sled. They kicked up snow with their paws and panted heavily, sending clouds of white smoke into the air.
“It’s so cold! But this feels incredible!”
The frozen wind hounded my cheeks. It felt like they were going to freeze solid, but in a way, the sensation was refreshing.
The wolves ran at the speed of a light jog, leaving paw prints and sled tracks in the white snow. I could feel the bumps of the sled as we rode, but it was much smoother than I’d expected. I could enjoy myself without having to worry about falling, even as a total beginner.
It was all thanks to Edgar, who rode along with me and kept me safe from harm. He stood behind me on the sled while keeping an eye on the wolves and myself. I couldn’t see his face from my position, but his directions were vital in keeping the sled ride stable.
“…The person in front of me is just a beginner. Just a beginner. Not Queen Laetitia, just a beginner…”
Edgar repeated the word “beginner” as if to convince himself of something. Perhaps he wanted me to remain humble so that I didn’t make any mistakes.
I allowed Edgar to teach me, careful not to stray from orders, as we sled over the snow. Some of the instructions for the wolves were similar to horseback riding. After some practice…I started to feel like I was getting the hang of it.
“Thank you! That was so much fun!” I exclaimed.
I brought the wolves to a stop and stepped off the sled, feeling quite pleased. I patted the wolves who’d transported us, along with Sana, Edgar’s companion animal.
“Woof woof!”
Sana wagged her tail and let out a happy bark. She ran parallel to the sled the whole time, making sure I didn’t fall or get hurt. Her plan was to let me fall into her soft, white fur if anything went wrong.
“What a clever, fluffy, adorable girl you are. I think you might be perfect, in fact…” I scratched her head over and over again to express my gratitude. Scratch, scratch, scratch, scratch.
Unlike the wolves, with their soft coat under the slick exterior, Sana resembled a Samoyed dog whose fur felt like the texture of cotton candy no matter where I placed my hands.
I pressed my palm against her a bit harder and watched my entire hand sink into her coat. It felt fantastic. Sana squinted her eyes like she was smiling, seeming to enjoy being pet.
The other wolves were relaxing after all the exercise. Only Edgar seemed strangely nervous.
“You were great, Edgar,” I told him. “Thank you for making it so easy to ride. Can we do that again sometime, if you’re not too busy?”
“O-Of course, I would love to— Eek!”
“Huh?”
Edgar suddenly went completely stiff.
Wondering what had happened, I looked at the wolves and saw a slight bit of tension in them as they lifted their heads.
“This reaction… Could it be…?” I wondered.
“Aroo!”
The cry was short but unmistakably proud.
