Chapter 9:
A Gift of Gratitude and the Elf’s Solitude
Thanks to the herbs Sylvia had taught them about, Yume made it through the worst of her illness and grew visibly healthier with each passing day. Within a few more days, she had completely recovered—playing cheerfully inside the cabin with Miko and Kenta as if nothing had happened. Seeing that, Akio, Ayane, and even Arto and the others let out a deep sigh of relief from the heart.
“I’m so glad Yume’s all better now…” Ayane said softly.
“Yeah. It’s all thanks to that herbalist from the forest,” Akio nodded.
“Hey, Akio,” Arto suggested. “Shouldn’t we thank that elf lady properly?”
The other children quickly agreed—they all wanted to do something for that “older sister” who had helped them.
Akio felt the same way. If Sylvia hadn’t stepped in that day, he didn’t know what would have become of Yume.
A few days later, Akio prepared a small bundle: a fine rabbit pelt he had just caught in his traps—washed and tanned until it was soft—and a packet of nut cookies Ayane had baked with care. The cookies had no sugar, only the natural sweetness of the nuts, but they were crisp and fragrant—a treat she was proud of.
“Arto, want to come with me?”
“Yeah!”
Akio took Arto with him once again into the melting snow forest, to the very place where he had first met Sylvia.
When they arrived at the mossy rocks where they had last seen her, she was nowhere to be found. Akio placed the bundle gently on the rock and decided to wait for a while.
But even as the sun climbed and began to set, Sylvia did not appear.
“…Maybe we won’t see her today,” Akio murmured.
He felt a little disappointed, but he wasn’t ready to give up. The next day—and the day after that—Akio and Arto returned to the same spot at the same hour, left their gift, and waited quietly for Sylvia.
Then, on the third day—just as Akio was about to set the bundle down again—a quiet voice called out from behind him.
“…You came again, human. Persistent creatures, aren’t you?”
He turned to find Sylvia leaning against a tree trunk, her figure blending seamlessly with the colors of the forest. Her expression was as unreadable as ever.
“Sylvia. Thank you for saving my little sister the other day. This is just a small token of our gratitude.”
Akio bowed deeply and held out the bundle. Sylvia didn’t look at the gift—her eyes were fixed on Akio’s face.
“I told you, there’s no need for thanks. I only acted according to the laws of the forest. Nothing more.”
Her voice was still cool, but Akio sensed that the sharp edge it once carried had softened slightly.
“Even so,” he said, “please accept it as a sign of our gratitude.”
Sylvia was silent for a moment. Then she sighed softly and brushed the bundle with her fingertips—only to withdraw her hand almost immediately.
“…Leave it there. If I feel like it, I’ll look at it later.”
It might have been the greatest concession she could offer. Akio thanked her quietly and placed the bundle on the rock.
“Is that all you came for? Then be on your way. Your presence unsettles the beasts of the forest.”
She urged them to leave, but Akio, unwilling to waste the chance, voiced one more request.
“Sylvia, if you don’t mind… could you teach us just a little about medicinal herbs? We don’t have much knowledge, and we never know when someone might fall ill again…”
At that, Sylvia’s eyebrows twitched slightly.
“It’s not knowledge meant for human hands. The wisdom of the forest opens only to those who revere it.”
She dismissed him coldly. But just as Akio turned away in disappointment, Sylvia spoke again—quietly.
“…That plant over there—the one with three red berries. It’s highly poisonous. If a child eats it, they’ll die. Be careful.”
With that, Sylvia turned gracefully and disappeared into the forest before Akio could say another word.
On the way back to the cabin, Arto spoke excitedly.
“Akio! Sylvia taught us something—even if just a little! She seemed… kinder than before!”
“Yeah…”
Akio nodded, sensing something behind the elf’s walls of coldness—something fragile but genuine. She clearly didn’t trust humans, yet it wasn’t pure rejection either. There was an awkward gentleness there, and that gave Akio a small glimmer of hope.
When they returned to the cabin, Yume was playing with Miko and Kenta, laughing brightly as they used the wooden animals Akio had made. Her innocent laughter filled Akio’s heart with warmth.
His relationship with Sylvia had only just begun. The road ahead would surely be difficult—but Akio resolved quietly that he would not give up. He would continue to reach out to her with sincerity.
The spring forest was brimming with new encounters—and the promise of bonds yet to be nurtured.
