The fairy spoke firmly. Of course, Kai had never cursed.

It was when Kai was about to respond, feeling unjust.

“If I scold her, then scold me too. So, don’t scold Stella, it makes me upset.”

The tiny ground fairy, with a proud expression, scolded briefly and disappeared quickly. The people living here and even the mole-like fairies were really full of strange characters.

Kai, feeling that staying here longer might make him also strange, took the reins and led Ben away. He only had the thought of leaving this place before Princess Stella came back.

However, Stella’s running was faster than expected, and Ben’s stubbornness grew as the day went by.

“Wait a moment.”

Princess Stella, panting for breath, suddenly handed the bag she was holding to Kai.

Just looking at the princess, who was panting as if she would die after running such a short distance, filled Kai with irritation, pity, and a strange sense of annoyance, so his eyebrows furrowed.

“Take it. It’s your reward.”

To receive a reward from the emperor himself. Kai never expected to receive a reward for the simple task of putting seeds into holes.

Curiously opening the bag, Kai’s eyes widened. The bag was filled with vibrant orange carrots.

Seeing the person who had just acted like they were going to leave, now standing still and peering into the bag, Stella couldn’t help but chuckle.
He was big in size, had a strong appetite, and was a cute creature with a faithful instinct. Stella thought he seemed a bit older, but observing his actions, he appeared younger than her.

“Well, he’s probably just a junior knight; maybe not even twenty yet. He seems to have suffered a lot, looking prematurely aged. Poor thing.”

Stella started looking at Kai with a sisterly affection based on her own conclusion.

“Endure it, and someday there will be a day to smile. So endure it, and hold on until the end.”

Reflecting on her own life, Stella earnestly conveyed her feelings to Kai.

“Yes?”

Without saying anything else, Stella handed one silver coin she had kept as a memento to Kai as a gift.

Although she often wished for a younger brother while growing up lonely, now she felt like a caring older sister giving allowance to her little brother. It was heartwarming.

“Cheer up.”

Kai, realizing belatedly that the gift from Stella was a coin, struggled to decide whether to laugh or be angry, but reluctantly responded.

“Uh… Yes. Thank you.”

The situation of Ben, who had run here on his own, now being scolded, planting seeds, receiving admonition, and even getting an allowance, was truly absurd.

But he didn’t feel bad. Although these words may not mean much to him or be well-understood, it had been a long time since someone treated him so simply and kindly, aside from the interactions in Harang.

“Consider it a generous amount. Keep it. You never know when you might need it.”
It was amusing to Kai that Stella handed him only one silver coin and complained about the excessive amount.

However, with a pitiful heart concealed behind a firm demeanor, Kai stared blankly at Stella. Just as he was choosing an appropriate response, Princess Stella continued speaking.

“Don’t get too moved. It’s nothing special.”

It seemed that the princess had a significant misunderstanding. Kai, unable to find a suitable reply, eventually accepted the carrot pouch and one silver coin, returning to the castle. Whenever he got involved with that woman, strange things always happened.

Back in his room, Kai casually placed the pouch from Stella on the desk and found himself unconsciously glancing around. He was curious if the earth fairy had followed him, as happened last time. However, the surroundings were eerily quiet, as silent as the grave.

“Why didn’t she follow?”

When only the voice was audible, it felt unbearable, almost maddening. However, after seeing the earth fairy, it was no longer the case. Kai pulled out documents he had stored in a drawer. It was a mining transaction document, but now it held little significance. Clear footprints of the earth fairy were distinctly imprinted on it.

Staring at the paper with crooked footprints, Kai, who loved small animals and insects since childhood, put the paper back into the drawer. Apart from that paper, the drawer was empty.
It was something that would crumple tightly if squeezed with one hand, but the emotions felt when holding it in his hand, protecting it, were so overwhelming and heartwarming that words couldn’t adequately describe them.

The small teddy bear that Kai’s mother had handmade during his childhood was still stored in Kai’s treasure chest. Occasionally, when missing his mother became unbearable, he would take it out. Over time, the nose had softened from frequent touching, and the ears and tail had lost fur, becoming flattened.