“I had something to confirm.”

Will disliked being questioned unless it was about teaching swordsmanship. Therefore, he kept only a minimal number of people around, and they never crossed the lines he had drawn. Of course, Prince Kai was an exception in every aspect.

“Did you confirm it?”

“If I did, he’d probably be snoring on the bed right now.”

It seemed like a failure. Kai, feeling somewhat satisfied, chuckled and lightly tapped Will’s sword with the one he was holding.
“I’ll make you snore.”

“A familiar sound to my ears.”

Both of them rushed towards each other as if they had made a promise.

“Stella, Stella! Wake up!”

Upon hearing Esta’s voice in her drowsiness, Stella frowned and turned the blanket over. Perhaps due to the anxiety about the stranger who had come and gone, she couldn’t sleep well at night, and as a result, she couldn’t open her eyes in the morning.

Throughout the night, Stella kept vigil by the window at the slightest sound. She was so anxious about the possibility of a thief that she even hid the pickaxe under her pillow and slept lightly.

“Just a little more sleep. I’m too tired.”

“No, you have to wake up now.”

“No, I can’t get up right now.”

Ignoring Stella’s refusal, Esta approached her ear and whispered.

“The spinach has fully grown!”

“What?”

Stella suddenly got up from her bed, as if asking when Esta had dug into the blanket. Because of that, Esta fell with a squawk, and Oton’s amused laughter could be heard.

The drowsiness, which had pressed heavily on her eyelids just a moment ago, suddenly lifted.

“When I checked last night, it wasn’t that big, was it?”
Hastily getting out of bed, Stella prepared to change her clothes and asked. Mila’s face noticeably darkened each time she went out in her nightwear due to the chilly wind.

Mila was undoubtedly a maid, but strangely, Stella could sense something. If asked for a clear reason for observing the maid’s reactions, Stella couldn’t provide a definite explanation.

However, it didn’t mean that Stella disliked Mila or felt any distance between them.

“That’s how it is. Fairy spinach doesn’t grow big. But it’s even more delicious.”

Esta chuckled, speaking confidently.

“Really? If it’s too small, it might not sell well.”

Before checking the spinach, Stella already had the thought of selling it. Since it was a vegetable for consumption, if it was too small, there was a possibility that people wouldn’t buy it.

While worrying, Stella also picked up the pickaxe from under the pillow. Even though selling spinach was a trivial matter, it was a symbolic procedure for Stella.

Having it made her feel good, and thanks to the pickaxe, she could chase away the ground spirits trying to enter the mansion from the hunting grounds.

Moreover, perhaps due to meeting the Duke yesterday, Stella didn’t want to part with the pickaxe for a moment. The Earth fairies watched with pleased expressions as Stella picked up the pickaxe.

“Indeed, you’re an excellent farmer.”

“Doesn’t it suit me too well? From the beginning, that pickaxe was destined for Stella.”
The alternating words of encouragement from Esta and Arc made Stella wonder if it was actually making her feel better. However, now was not the time to worry about that. She had to go see the spinach, and the pickaxe needed protection.

Now, even the servants of Verudra didn’t find it strange that Stella carried the pickaxe.

For Stella, the pickaxe was a combination as fitting as a bright parasol carried by a noble lady on a sunny day.

Surprisingly, Stella didn’t run into Mila in the corridor this time; she was already in the garden.

Mila couldn’t believe her eyes even after seeing it. If her memory served her right, Stella had planted the spinach seeds before going on a hunting trip.

There hadn’t been much rain during that time, and the current weather of the Empire wasn’t excessively hot. Despite not knowing much about farming, it was clear that the weather wasn’t suitable for spinach to grow so abundantly. Nevertheless, Stella’s spinach field, planted by Princess Stella, was lush green.

“Mila, you’re already outside.”

“Princess, are you awake already?”

Startled by Stella’s unexpected voice, Mila turned around. Normally, it was still time for the princess to be asleep, so Mila felt sorry and embarrassed for not fulfilling her duties as a maid.

“Yeah, I woke up a bit early. Has the spinach grown a lot?”

Feeling that Mila might apologize for something, Stella quickly changed the subject.
Other crops had also grown at an alarming rate, but the spinach was different. It hadn’t grown to the point where the leaves were lush, but there was a playful feeling about it, if that makes sense.

Mila was in awe as she looked at the spinach leaves swaying gently in the soft breeze. She didn’t expect herself to be so fascinated by plants, making it even more surprising.

“I never knew green could be such a beautiful color.”

While expressing her admiration, Mila suddenly bit her lip. She felt like she had said something unnecessary.