As soon as Stella returned to Verdura Castle, she shared her connection with Kukus with Milla.

“So, I let Kukus use the shop to make it easier for him to sell vegetables.”

Milla listened to Stella’s story, unsure whether this was a good decision.

“But how do you know Kukus, and why did you tell Darren to go to the Moonlight Guild? From what I hear, you specifically mentioned the Moonlight Guild and nowhere else.”

It was only then that Stella realized Milla also had a connection with Kukus. In response to Stella’s question, Milla hesitated for a moment before sharing her past, as if recounting an old tale.

“When my family fell apart, we were all scattered. I had to find a way to make money, but no noble family would accept me as a maid since I had fallen out of the king’s favor. Then I learned that in the Credion Empire, someone like me could work as a maid for the royal family, so I boarded a ship to the Credion Empire without a penny.”

“How old were you then?”

It didn’t seem like a recent story.

“That was seven years ago.”

“So, you were thirteen?”

“Yes, I guess so.”

“My goodness. You were really brave.”

Imagining young Milla boarding a ship to a foreign land tugged at Stella’s heart.

Once the floodgates of the story opened, Milla quietly shared a part of her life with Stella.

“Three days after the ship set sail, I was discovered hiding in the storage. I was starving and needed to eat something. I thought for sure I’d be thrown out or tossed into the sea. That’s when I met Kukus.”

“Kukus hid you, didn’t he?”

Kukus, who appeared rough on the outside, couldn’t have ignored a girl who boarded the ship alone in search of work. He probably sneaked food to her at mealtimes.

“Yes. Thanks to Kukus, I was able to hide safely in the storage for a whole month without going hungry.”

Kukus was truly a consistent person. Knowing someone like him was by her side felt more reassuring than ever.

* * *

Stella’s swordsmanship lessons began with learning how to properly hold a dagger.

Expecting to train with a longsword like the knights, Stella couldn’t hide her disappointment when Royce produced a dagger.

“Are we using that? For swordsmanship lessons?”

She looked around to see if there was another sword, but there was nothing else near Kai.

“Once you can handle the dagger properly, I’ll teach you the next step.”

Kai’s voice was dry and calm. Outwardly, it seemed like he had no expectations, but there was a reason he started with the dagger. Stella’s performance in the hunting grounds had left a deep impression on him.

Though her skills were rough and unpolished, she showed a sharpness and precision unusual for a beginner. With a little teaching and refinement, she could soon become quite skilled.

The dagger Kai brought had a slightly longer blade than the one Stella had.

It was sharper and more pointed, with a wooden handle wrapped in leather straps, perfectly sized for Stella’s grip. Kai held the dagger and began his explanation.

“This dagger is also known as a dirk. There are two main ways to hold a dagger: with the blade facing up, or like this.”

As Kai spoke, he deftly flipped the dagger and caught it in a reverse grip.

“Wow!”

Even though it was just a simple throw and catch, there was an indescribable skillfulness in it. Stella clapped in admiration, and Kai, feeling a bit proud, cleared his throat.

“You can also hold it with the blade facing down.”

Each time the blade’s direction changed, it glinted in the sunlight. The thought of such a sharp object piercing a person’s body was suddenly frightening.

“The reverse grip looks more threatening.”

“That’s why most people hold it that way. However, because situations requiring a dirk arise suddenly, there’s often no time to prepare properly.”

“Then what do you do?”

“There’s still a basic stance you can follow. Try it.”

Stella mimicked Kai’s stance, observing him closely. Although her attempt was clumsy, her focused gaze suggested she was ready to learn, which was somewhat commendable.

Kai raised the dagger with both arms as if in a salute, and Stella awkwardly followed suit, trying to find her footing.

“This position leaves your lower body vulnerable, but it’s the most powerful way to thrust in a reverse grip. Give it a try.”

Stella gripped the dagger tightly with both hands and raised her arms.

“Left foot forward.”

Kai tapped Stella’s left foot with his own as she stood at attention. Although the tap was a bit strong and startled her, Stella quickly stepped forward with her left foot and regained her balance.

“In that stance, you should swing the sword downward as if to stab. Be careful, because if you hold the dagger clumsily and try to stab an enemy, you might end up cutting your own fingers.”

Kai spoke nonchalantly about the grim reality and demonstrated it himself.

After the lesson, a modest dinner was prepared. Although it was rather late for dinner, Lianne had hurriedly prepared it for Stella, who had missed mealtime due to various tasks.

The table was filled with dishes made from fresh vegetables. Seeing the table laden with greens and little meat, Kai thought it might be a good idea to slightly increase Verdura Castle’s budget.

“Eat up. It’s made with spinach I’ve grown myself. You missed it the last time you were here,” Stella said as she served some spinach salad onto Kai’s plate.

Although Kai hadn’t planned to stay for dinner, he accepted the food, thinking that getting a bit closer with her might increase the chances of learning the truth about the silver coins.

“Thank you.”

When Kai accepted the food without complaint, Stella smiled with satisfaction and added more greens to his plate.

In fact, Kai wasn’t particularly hungry, as he had eaten a hearty early dinner before coming here. But since Stella was offering so confidently, he accepted out of courtesy.

However, before he realized it, Kai had finished three plates of spinach salad, which he didn’t even like.

“See? It’s delicious, isn’t it? You have no idea how popular my spinach is.”

“It really is,” Kai admitted. The crops grown by Princess Stella were something special. They were delicious, fresh, and fragrant.

“Did you always farm?” Kai asked, curious about Stella’s skills. He thought even if she didn’t answer truthfully, it was worth asking.

“No. I tried it for the first time after coming here.”

Kai’s eyebrows shot up like seagull wings, a rare expression of surprise.

“Hard to believe, right? I never knew I had such a knack for farming. It’s fascinating.”

Stella put down her fork and examined her hands, proud of the hands that had sown seeds and harvested crops. They were small and white, hands that didn’t seem suited for wielding a large hoe.

They looked like hands meant to hold only fine, delicate things. Yet, with those hands, Stella sowed seeds, cultivated crops, and wielded a hoe. She was a remarkable woman.

As Stella proudly gazed at her hands, she leaned toward Kai and whispered while Lianne was busy bringing out the next dish.

“I think it’s thanks to these friends. They say I’ve received the blessing of Terra, the goddess of the earth.”

Although Lianne couldn’t see them, four earth fairies were busy enjoying their own feast on the table.

As she spoke, Stella let out a light laugh. In the Credion Empire, far from her homeland and family, she received blessings from the earth fairies that she had never received from her own people.

Thinking of them as family, the thought alone made her chest ache as if reopening an old wound.

“The blessing of Terra, you say?” Kai knew of Terra. She was the goddess worshipped in the temples when the Credion Empire was first established.

Now, with the empire’s expansion and the blending of various cultures, the types of temples had diversified, but long ago, Terra was the only deity worshipped in the Credion Empire.

Nowadays, it was hard to find a temple dedicated to Terra even in the capital.

“Yes, Terra. The goddess of the earth. I didn’t even know such a goddess existed until I came here. Did you know about her, Royce?”

“Yes, I did, since I’m from the empire.”

“I see. Do you pray to her then?”

“I don’t believe in gods.”

“Oh dear, that’s unfortunate,” Stella said with a bitter smile, prompting Kai to ask curiously.

“Do you believe in gods, Princess?”

“Sometimes I think there must be one, seeing how they praise her, but other times I doubt it because I can’t see her. If I could meet that goddess, I’d ask for more than just farming skills.”

“What would you ask for?”

“Blood…”

She nearly mentioned the bloodline. Thinking that Royce, like her, could see the earth fairies, she found herself letting her guard down and blurting out unintended words. It was dangerous.

Stella was relieved she caught herself in time and firmly shut her mouth.

“Blood? What’s that?”

“S-siblings! I’d like to see my siblings who are far away.”

“Do you miss your sister in Amalrune?”

“No.”

The words slipped out before she could think. When Kai looked at her with puzzled eyes, Stella laughed awkwardly and deflected.

“Not miss, but I can’t stand not seeing them. Is that the same thing?”

Stella awkwardly laughed and took a sip from the glass on the table. Her hasty attempt to change the subject was suspicious, but Kai didn’t press further.

From the gifts sent from Amalrune with Princess Stella, it was clear enough that her relationship with her family wasn’t harmonious.