Chapter 10:
 Spring Sunlight and Signs of Thaw.
Spring sunlight shone on the young leaves of the forest trees, and the ground was now covered with colorful wildflowers. Akio and the children were hard at work on the vegetable field they had planned during the winter. Near the cabin, on a sunny patch of land, Akio tilled the soil with a wooden hoe he had crafted, while Ayane and Alto formed neat rows. Kenta, Miko, and Yume busily picked out stones with their small hands and planted seeds or pieces of edible tubers Akio had found in the forest.
Beside these daily tasks, Akio continued a certain routine every few daysâhe would visit the place deep in the forest where he had once met Sylvia. Since that encounter, she had rarely shown herself, but Akio didnât give up. Sometimes, he left fragrant bread that Ayane had baked from crushed nuts and precious honey (found by chance in a tree hollow). Other times, he placed small wooden birds or animals he had carved in his spare time on a rock and quietly returned home.
âI wonder if Sylvia will eat thisâŚâ
âI hope she likes the little bird.â
The children, rooting for Akio, would say such things with innocent smiles.
What Akio didnât know was that after he left, Sylvia would quietly appear from behind the bushes and gaze at the offerings. The tiny wooden bird, small enough to fit in her palm, made her deep green eyes glimmer with a complicated emotionâas if it stirred a memory she had long forgotten. Without anyone seeing, she would gently take it and bring it home.
One day, Akio was gathering rich leaf mold to fertilize the field when he spotted a familiar figure a few meters ahead, picking herbs near the root of a large treeâit was Sylvia.
âSylvia-san,â Akio called out.
She gave a small start but soon returned to her usual impassive expression.
â…You again. Humans really are persistent.â
Her tone, though, no longer carried the sharpness it once had.
âThe soil around here seems good for crops. By the way, Sylvia-san, if itâs not too much trouble, could you tell me a bit more about these herbsâŚâ
Sylvia sighed, but to his surprise, she began to speak.
âThat plant with the yellow five-petaled flowersâgood for stomach aches. Crush the leaves and drink the juice. But the roots are poisonous. Donât ever mistake them.
And that one with the purple bell-shaped flowersâit helps with cuts and inflammation. Mash the leaves and apply them directly.â
Her tone was curt, but she went on to share several bits of herbal knowledge and warnings. When Akio expressed his gratitude, she turned away and muttered,
âItâs not for your sake. I just donât like ignorant humans ruining the forestâs blessings.â
But Akio noticed that the tips of her pointed ears were slightly flushed red.
Another day, something else happened. Miko and Yume were picking flowers near the forestâs edge, not far from the cabin. When Miko looked up, she spotted Sylvia standing in the shade of a tree.
âAh! Itâs the forest lady!â
Yume followed Mikoâs gaze, and together they waved their little hands.
âBig sisâ!â they called, running toward her.
At that moment, Sylviaâs expression froze. Faced with the childrenâs pure and innocent affection, she was clearly flustered, unsure how to react. The next instant, her figure vanished as if she had never been there.
âAh⌠she leftâŚâ
The two girls stood there blankly, shoulders drooping in disappointment.
That night, when Akio heard their story, he thought deeply about Sylviaâs complicated feelings. Her distrust toward humans ran deep. Yet she had begun to accept his small gifts and even share her knowledge of herbs. And when the children called to her so openly, she had been visibly shaken.
Perhaps, somewhere deep within her heart, something was beginning to change.
âIâm sure Sylvia-san will play with you someday,â Akio said gently.
The childrenâs faces lit up with bright smiles once more.
Like the spring sunlight slowly melting away thick ice, perhaps one day warmth would reach Sylviaâs frozen heart as well. Believing in that, Akio renewed his resolveâto tend both the growing fields and the fragile but genuine bond that had begun to form between them.
