Chapter 8

I'll take a short break for now.

The moment I stepped into the kitchen, I noticed something.

There wasn't even a single tea leaf in this house.

I was momentarily stunned, but then I was struck by the scene outside the kitchen.

The garden was filled with a variety of herbs. There were plenty of leaves that could be used for tea.

As soon as I stepped outside through the back door, I noticed a refreshing scent in the air.

It was the scent of mint.

Mint, which is hardy and can survive the winter outdoors, was growing vigorously even in the cold season.

A wide variety of mints were planted here.

There was "North Mint," which is often used in meat sauce and baking, "Apple Mint," which has a refreshing apple scent, "Peppermint," which is used in toothpaste and gum, and many others.

A quick look revealed that over twenty types of mint were being grown.

I was so indecisive about which one to choose that, after careful consideration, I decided on "Curly Mint," which has a sweet scent.

As I plucked the leaves, I could enjoy the strong aroma of mint.

While putting the mint into a basket in the kitchen, I noticed that my fingertips were wet with mint juice.

The words Eugen said to me earlier came back to me.

—Your hands, stained green, are disgusting to look at!

When was the last time I was concerned about my green-stained hands?

I was hurt by his harsh words when I heard them.

But these hands are normal for me.

They are proof of my years of handling herbs and making potions.

Even though I have to wear gloves to hide them at social gatherings, these hands are a part of me.

It doesn't matter what he thinks.

I shook my head and decided to forget about Eugen.

This much mint should be enough.

I stood up and went back inside.

In the kitchen, there was a magic faucet like the one in the bathtub.

When I turned it, a magic circle appeared, and purified water came out.

I was about to boil water in a kettle, but it seemed unnecessary. I noticed that the kettle had a magic stone for the lid handle, and rubbing the surface spell would automatically boil the water.

I'll use the glass teapot from the cupboard.

I packed the washed mint leaves tightly into the pot and poured the hot water over them.

When I placed it on the table, the color started to come out.

After steeping for about five minutes, the fresh leaf tea was ready.

Dried tea leaves are delicious, but tea made from freshly picked herbs is also delicious.

When I poured it into a cup, a pleasant mint scent wafted up.

Just inhaling the scent calmed my restless mind.

I immediately took a sip of the hot fresh leaf tea.

It was slightly sweet, and the refreshing mint sensation spread throughout my mouth.

My cold body warmed up.

Just as I was feeling cozy, I was spoken to.

"Is it delicious~?"

Looking down at where the voice came from, I saw the dust fairy looking at me with great interest.

"It's delicious. Would you like to try some?"

When I asked, the dust fairy nodded.

I poured the fresh leaf tea into a deep bowl and placed it on the floor, and the dust fairy dove into it.

It was more like the dust absorbed the tea rather than drinking it.

"Delicious~~!"

It was a unique way of expressing joy, but I was glad she enjoyed it.

After drinking the tea and taking a short break, I organized my belongings.

I checked what the maid had packed in my bag.

The bag contained four mourning dresses, undergarments, a brush, a set of cosmetics, and other essential items.

I've never been attached to material things, so this should be enough to live on.

The raccoon fairy sisters were watching me and called out.

"Beatrice, there are Alice's clothes over here!"

"There are a lot of cute clothes!"

"You'll definitely look good in them!"

Alice is my grandmother's name. Apparently, dresses she wore fifty years ago are stored here.

When I looked around the room, I didn't see a room where dresses were stored.

The raccoon fairy sisters ran up the stairs with a "tap-tap-tap" and guided me.

"Here!"

"Here it is!"

"It's a hidden door!"

The raccoon fairy sisters were scratching a seemingly empty wall.

"Grandmother's dresses are here?"

When I approached and put my hand on it, a magic circle appeared.

When I touched it, a door appeared.