Chapter 9

As I opened the door with a pounding heart, I found that it was filled with numerous dresses.

"All of these are Alice's dresses!"

"She seemed to have worn them carefully."

"Each one is so cute, isn't it?"

A quick glance revealed that there were over a hundred dresses. Lavish dresses with floral patterns, dresses made of silk and lace, and various other types were neatly lined up. On the floor, a magic array was drawn to preserve the condition of the dresses. Magic was cast to prevent the dresses from deteriorating, so even though they were all from fifty years ago, they looked as good as new. The magic array had paw prints stamped on it, so it was likely that Sable was maintaining the magic.

I picked up a dress with a color that evoked the soft green of new leaves. It had a stand collar with boning, and a ribbon was tied at the chest. The skirt was high-waisted, laced up with strings, and had a cute candy stripe pattern. The hem was adorned with intricate lace, making it a lovely dress. It didn't look old-fashioned at all and seemed to be in line with the current fashion trends in high society. Perhaps the fashion cycle had come full circle over fifty years, and these dresses were now considered new and fashionable.

"Alice said she wanted to give the dresses to her daughter if she had one."

"So, Beatrice, please wear them."

"She would surely be happy."

"But they seem a bit too cute for me..."

As I muttered this, the raccoon fairy sisters opened their eyes wide.

"You'll definitely look good in them!!"

"There's no doubt about it!!"

"It would be a shame for the dresses if you don't wear them!!"

"Y-Yes, you're right."

I was cornered and had no place to run. Indeed, as they strongly insisted, it would be a waste to leave these dresses unused. In a few days, the mourning period would be over. Then, I could wear my grandmother's dresses and try to live a brighter life. I felt that my grandfather and grandmother would be happy to see me do so.

"Grandmother, I will wear these dresses with care."

As I made this vow, the raccoon fairy sisters exclaimed, "Yay!" and were delighted. They then proceeded to tell me about the rooms and places that Sable had apparently forgotten to show me.

"This is the 'Fresh Food Storage Room.'"

"That one is the 'Dried Food Storage Room.'"

"There's also a 'Game Meat Storage Room.'"

All of these were hidden underground storage rooms in the kitchen, which could only be accessed by reciting a spell. The condition of the food was managed by magic, allowing for long-term storage. Naturally, since no one had used them for fifty years, they were empty.

The only room that was well-stocked was the wine cellar. My grandfather had been a wine enthusiast, so it was filled with wines, whiskeys, and brandies. The preservation magic was not cast on the alcohol, perhaps because it was meant to age. I hadn't had a drink since the wedding, but it might be nice to have one occasionally.

The garden also had various sections.

"That is the 'Home Vegetable Garden.'"

"The one over there is the 'Citrus Greenhouse.'"

"There's also a lawn for drying clothes."

The home vegetable garden was full of vegetables grown by the food-producing beasts, and the citrus greenhouse had lemons that could be harvested, managed by magic.

"Herbs, vegetables, and buildings—"

"Everything here—"

"Belongs to Beatrice."

If I stayed here, no one would treat me as an intruder. Moreover, I wouldn't have to worry about food, clothing, or shelter in the future. The thought of this brought a sense of relief.

I let out a sigh, and my stomach growled. I was surprised by this, as I hadn't felt hungry in a long time. Since my grandfather's death, I had lost my appetite. However, I knew I had to eat to survive, so I always made sure to have a slice of bread and some soup. Perhaps my soul and body had been out of sync, but now, being here, my soul had finally returned to my body. I decided to eat something nutritious.

Just as I made this decision, the squirrel fairies arrived.

"Hey! Here are the potatoes we just harvested."

"Please have as many as you like."

They handed me potatoes still covered in dirt and vines, and I gratefully accepted them.

"Thank you."

"It's no problem!"

"Let us know if you need any other vegetables!"

They said they had drawn a diagram of the available vegetables in white chalk at the entrance. I went to check and found cute drawings of potatoes, carrots, Brussels sprouts, butter pumpkins, and kale on the stone floor at the entrance. It was a blessing to have a home vegetable garden.

I decided to wash the potatoes at the well. The raccoon fairy sisters were already waiting there.

"We'll help!"

"We're good at washing!"

"Let us do it."

I handed them the potatoes, and Muku drew water from the well, Moko transferred the water to a bucket, and Mofu quickly washed the potatoes. As expected of raccoon fairies, they were skilled at such tasks. When I tried to help, they politely declined, saying it would disrupt their rhythm. Before I knew it, the potatoes were clean.

Now, what should I make with these potatoes? Just thinking about it made me feel happy.