Without anyone telling them, they picked the leaves, harvested the fruits, and some gathered the piled leaves and fruits in one place. Stella’s only task was to use the pickaxe to dig out the Gihicho with only the roots remaining.

Now, Stella, who had been waiting for a proper day to use the pickaxe, swung it with excitement as much as the earth fairies did.

Meanwhile, the sight of the princess wielding a silver pickaxe alone in the garden on a moonlit night shocked the shadows watching.

Moreover, leaves and orange fruits of unknown origin piled up in one part of the garden in the blink of an eye.

The only thing the princess did was swing the pickaxe, and no one could figure out when all that had piled up.

‘Maybe she’s a magician.’

Some shadows cast suspicious glances, but since they couldn’t make any noise, they silently observed.
The shadow assigned to observe had already set off towards the imperial palace from the moment Stella first swung the pickaxe. By now, the report to Her Imperial Majesty, the Empress, might have been delivered.

The shadows were curious about how the Empress would react to Princess Stella’s peculiar behavior.

‘But why does it look amusing?’

Watching Stella’s actions with a suspicious gaze, the shadows unconsciously began to tilt their heads and, with increasing curiosity, observed Stella’s behavior.

The next morning, Mila, who came to the garden, was shocked to find Stella with a face and hands covered in dirt, holding a pickaxe.

“Oh my! Princess, what in the world is this!”

It wasn’t just Mila who was astonished. Daelon, who came to the garden belatedly, and Brin, who came to work quite early, both seemed to be at a loss for words, staring at Princess Stella with their mouths wide open.

“Did you really do all of this alone? Overnight?”

“Yeah. Before the sunlight gets strong, I need to put these separately into the sacks. Daelon, put the fruits, Brin and Mila, put the leaves. Dool, put only the roots in a sack. I need to wash up and get some sleep.”

Stella’s face, dividing tasks, looked proud, but due to staying up all night, her hair was frizzy like straw.

“Princess, doing all this alone. You should have called us.”
Bryn looked at the exhausted Princess Stella all night and asked as if questioning why she did that. Princess Stella worked quietly, to the extent that no one woke up at night. As she worked by the moonlight, no one noticed her.

“It was because it was too late. You must all be tired from working all day; you should get some rest.”

A long yawn followed Stella’s words.

“I’ll get you some bathwater.”

As Bryn quickly offered, Stella nodded and smiled. While yawning, Stella wiped away the tears that had gathered in the corners of her eyes with her fingers.

The earth fairies were dozing off, hanging over Stella’s head, shoulders, and hands, but no one could see them.

“Thank you. It would be really nice to soak in warm water.”

“Princess, next time, please be sure to call us. Never do it alone. What if you hurt yourself?”

Bryn emphasized her concern with a voice full of worry.

“Okay. I’ll be sure to ask for help next time.”

It wasn’t entirely alone, but she couldn’t say she was with the earth fairies. She didn’t feel the strain when swinging the pickaxe with excitement, but after finishing the work, her whole body felt sore.

Using muscles that weren’t often used, her shoulders, arms, and waist felt heavy, as if burdened with a load.

“Today is a school day; are you okay?”
Milah, who followed behind Stella, also had a face full of worry. Just having stayed up for one night, there were quite a few concerned looks directed towards her.

Stella felt sorry and grateful to them once again. It was an emotion she had never felt in her homeland.

“Yeah. Since classes are in the afternoon, I’ll be fine after a little nap. I’ll make sure to wake up at the right time?”

Stella deliberately answered more brightly to ease Milah’s worries.

“Yes, but if you’re too tired, it’s okay to skip classes for a day.”

It was not a statement that could come from Milah, a principled person, saying it was okay to skip classes.

“Thank you. And sorry for causing you concern. But I’m really okay. It was so much fun staying up all night. Almost sorry for doing everything by myself.”

Princess Stella spoke slowly due to fatigue. Nevertheless, her statement that it was fun was sincere, and at the slow-moving corners of her lips, there was a soft smile.

Milah, facing her with a satisfied expression, as if someone who tasted a sweet dessert, couldn’t help but smile along.

It seemed that Stella wasn’t the only one tired, as the four earth fairies, having finished their bath, lay down next to Stella and fell asleep.

Stella bathed while Bryn was fetching water, and alone in the hot water, she washed the four earth fairies one by one.
The boys, Ark and Iver, who claimed to be men, screamed in horror. Estha roughly washed herself and then received water separately. Othon entered the bathtub with Stella.

For Othon, Stella had to support him with her hands and lift him onto her shoulders because the water was deep. However, Othon seemed very satisfied with the fragrant and soft foam.

Covering the rich foam on her head, Othon, cutely and lovably, gently burst the transparent foam that had puffed up with a light tap.

“Shall I comb your hair?”

At Stella’s words, Othon, after a moment of contemplation, nodded. Stella carefully washed Othon’s brown hair with four fingers.

Othon’s brown hair was surprisingly stiff, but after Stella washed it meticulously and applied oil, it began to flow with a glossy radiance.

Othon, pleased with the softened hair, continued to touch his own hair with his hands in amazement.

After finishing the bath, the five dried themselves, combed their hair, and then, without deciding who would go first, each went to their own bed and lay down.

Listening to the earth fairies snoring under the bed, Stella closed her eyes with a peaceful feeling, thanks to Mila carefully closing the curtains, preventing sunlight from pouring onto the bed.