The High Ogre maids typically handled the daily cleaning, and we performed a thorough deep cleaning every spring. Consequently, the mansion was spotless. However, there were far too many belongings cluttering the place. I felt I needed to do something about the current situation where several spare rooms had essentially become storehouses—especially for the sake of the children who would soon be born.
I started with the first room: the dressing room. It was packed to the ceiling with outfits, mostly mine. Zabuton had clearly put in a lot of effort, and I felt a twinge of guilt realizing I rarely wore most of them. Then again, many simply weren't to my taste. Flashy, ornate garments weren't exactly suitable for farm work. One particular outfit looked like it belonged to a king; it would have been a crime to get it covered in mud. But if I kept hesitating, I’d never finish. I steeled my heart to dispose of the clothes I didn't need, but then Zabuton’s children swarmed around me. Their big, round eyes pleaded with me to reconsider, as if saying there was no need to clear anything out. I wasn't heartless. Zabuton had gone through the trouble of making these for me, after all. I decided to leave the room as it was for now, promising to build a larger dressing room later and move everything then. The spiderlings rejoiced at my decision.
The next room was much the same—filled with even more outfits. Zabuton’s children acted spoiled again, begging me to overlook this room too. I realized the new dressing room would have to be massive. At this rate, maybe I should just build a dedicated house for it all?
The next room was full of boxes. When I wondered aloud what they were, a High Ogre maid appeared to explain. They were magic tools Lu had collected. She had been doing it gradually for a while, but the pace had accelerated since the teleportation gate to Village Five opened. Since she used her own funds, I wasn't worried, but the sheer volume was staggering. The maid warned me that while it looked messy, the arrangement was specific to Lu’s needs and easy for her to use. I asked if she would be angry if I touched them, and the maid confirmed that she likely would be. I decided to refrain from doing anything that would anger my wife when she was so close to giving birth. This room stayed as it was.
The moment I opened the door to the next room, a mechanism triggered. Objects clattered as they fell over, a ball rolled, strings whirred, and finally, a banner dropped down in front of me that read: "Welcome." The High Ogre maid looked like she wanted to offer an explanation, but I declined. I decided this room would be cleared out thoroughly. I told the several Mountain Elves hiding inside to help me. I had to admit, the contraption was impressive.
The next room was also packed with gear. It turned out to contain my old belongings. My things had been moved around quite a bit during various renovations and expansions, and they had ended up here. There were cups, plates, and pot lids I’d made long ago, dating back to the time before I met Lu. It was nostalgic. I even found the battered flying disc and ball I used to play with Kuro and the others. I’d thought I lost them. I found some ancient, bone-dry meat and some wheat that I decided to toss out for safety. Then, I found three barrels. I remembered these; I’d set them aside to age when Donovan and the others first started brewing. It was a happy discovery.
However, the barrels felt lighter than expected. When I wondered if they were empty, the culprit, the Sake Slime, appeared sheepishly. It claimed to have only finished one barrel, and sure enough, two were still full. I told it not to act so proud, as it was only natural for them to still be there, but I promised to let it have some after dinner. I saw the Sake Slime off as it left happily and continued with the room.
I found a box lined with cloth and filled with fresh dried meat and fish. Miel began meowing at me angrily—it was clearly her secret stash. I told her she had to move it since I needed the room, promising to replace the food later. I realized the other Older Sister Cats likely had their own hideouts and gave Miel a knowing look. She tried to look away, but I knew better.
The next room was filled with large barrels. The smell gave it away immediately: someone was making pickles. Some kind of magic must have been used to keep the scent from leaking into the hallway. The maid explained that Flora and the Head Maid found that pickles made in this specific room tasted the best. Since food was a priority, I officially designated this the Pickle Room. It wasn't because I was afraid of Flora or Ann, of course.
The next room looked like someone was actually living in it. The maid explained it was Earth’s Room. Since the Soil Doll had acquired an adult body made of magic clay, he needed a place to keep his clothes and have some privacy away from Urza's room. He apparently wanted a place where he could feel at ease. I decided to let him keep it.
Another room was filled with flowerpots and greenery. The Fairy Queen was sprawled out on a bed she’d brought in, fast asleep. I couldn't barge into a lady’s bedroom, so I withdrew. Apparently, she’d been living there since winter. This room also stayed as it was.
I wasn't going to let anything surprise me anymore. When I tried to open the door to the next room, the High Ogre maid stopped me. She explained it was filled with various tools and items Raimeiren had prepared for Hiichiro. Understanding the situation immediately, I decided to leave that room well alone and moved on.
That evening turned into a grand feast. It was held to consume the food discovered during the cleanup. I had been hesitant about the safety of the older ingredients, but apparently, there was magic to verify if food was safe to eat. Magic really was a lifesaver. I had been surprised by how much was stored away, but the maids simply thought I had been intentionally stockpiling. I gave the Sake Slime and the dwarves the aged sake to enjoy while I stayed in the kitchen.
I stayed behind to cook as a self-imposed punishment. While I had been preoccupied with cleaning, Lu had given birth. Even though she told me it wouldn't happen for a bit longer, I felt terrible for being so distracted that I wasn't by her side. Lu laughed it off, saying I couldn't have done anything anyway, but I wanted to discipline myself for the future. I prepared a special meal using fresh ingredients for Lu and tried to send it up with a maid, but she insisted I deliver it myself. She told me the other maids would handle the kitchen and that Lu was waiting.
She was right. I headed to Lu’s room to see her and our new daughter, and to talk about what we should name her.
The passage of time was truly a frightening thing.