YOAW 17

Chapter – 17 

The Call of the Forest and the Unknown Vein.

The summer sun shone mercilessly, and the green of the forest deepened all the more under its glare. Around Akio’s cabin, peaceful yet lively days flowed by. The crops in the fields were growing well, and the laughter of children never ceased. Silvia, too, had completely blended into their family, and her knowledge of herbs had become indispensable to their daily life. Yet Akio, rather than resting on the comfort of stability, was always thinking ahead.

“Everyone, gather around for a moment. There’s something I’d like to discuss about what comes next,” Akio began one evening after dinner, facing Silvia and the children.

“This cabin has become quite livable, but the children are growing. And we’ll need a better place to store more food safely. Winter will come again, no matter what.”

Silvia nodded quietly. “If I had a place dedicated to drying and mixing herbs, I could make them more efficiently—and with better quality as well.”

Ayane added, “And we could use sturdier dishes and cooking tools too.”

“To do that, we’ll need new materials,” Akio said. “So I was thinking—Silvia, me, and… Alto, how about it? Why don’t we explore deeper into the forest, to places we haven’t been yet? It might take a few days.”

Alto’s eyes sparkled. “Yes! I want to go! I want to help you and Silvia!”

Silvia thought for a moment, then gave a slow nod. “It would be a good opportunity for Alto to learn how to move through the forest. But—you will not go anywhere dangerous, and you must follow our instructions at all times.”

Ayane looked a bit worried but smiled bravely. “Don’t worry. Leave Kenta, Miko, and Yume to me.”

A few days later, at dawn, the preparations for departure were complete. Akio, Silvia, and a slightly nervous Alto shouldered packs filled with dried meat, nuts, water, and the minimal tools necessary for exploration. They waved goodbye to Ayane and the others before setting off into the depths of the western forest.

“Take care, Akio. And Alto, listen to everything Silvia says,” Ayane called out.

Silvia’s voice carried a motherly tone as she added, “We’ll be careful.” Though she spoke curtly, her words were filled with unmistakable affection.

Their destination lay deep within a valley to the west—a place even Silvia rarely ventured. The journey was full of encounters with the unknown. Silvia taught Akio and Alto how to read the forest: identifying direction from the trees and moss, inferring animals from the faint traces they left behind, and countless other lessons on surviving in the wild.

“These red berries are poisonous. Birds can eat them, but they’re harmful to humans.”
“There might be a large snake under that rock ledge—don’t get too close.”

Alto listened intently to every word, his eyes wide with focus. Akio, too, was impressed anew by the elves’ deep connection with the forest.

By the afternoon of the second day, they had reached a wide, open area along a mountain stream. Akio noticed that the soil along the banks had an unusual texture—fine-grained and sticky.

“Silvia, what do you think of this soil?”

Silvia scooped some into her hand, kneading it between her fingers. Her eyes widened slightly.

“…This is good-quality clay, Akio. If fired properly, it could make strong pottery. Or, if sun-dried, it might even serve as bricks for building walls.”

“Really!?” Akio’s voice leapt with excitement.

Pottery would solve their problems with containers and storage. Bricks meant sturdier, more comfortable buildings. They collected as much clay as they could carry to take back.

The next day, they discovered the entrance to a dark, overgrown cave.

“This place… I’ve never seen it before,” Silvia said warily. “It might be a beast’s den. Be cautious.”

With torches in hand, the three stepped carefully inside. The air was cool and damp, with only the sound of dripping water echoing through the cave.

As they ventured deeper, they noticed large patches of reddish-brown discoloration on the cave walls. Akio chipped off a piece with his stone axe—and in the broken cross-section, a faint metallic sheen gleamed back at them.

“This is… could it be…” Akio whispered, breath catching. His knowledge from Earth told him it might be iron ore.

Silvia examined it closely. “In old elven tales, there is mention of the ‘Red Stone.’ It is said that when melted in flame, it yields a hard metal—iron.”

Deeper still, they found glittering veins of rock tinged with green and blue hues—possibly copper or tin.

If they could extract and smelt these metals, they could craft superior tools, blades, even nails for construction. It would change their lives completely.

Carrying samples of the clay, iron ore, and other minerals, Akio, Silvia, and Alto began their journey home, filled with excitement and hope.

“Akio! If we can use these, we can make even greater things, right?” Alto asked eagerly along the way.

Akio smiled. “Yes, absolutely. But it won’t be easy. This is where the real challenge begins.”

When they returned, Ayane and the children gathered around, eyes wide with wonder at the strange new soils and stones.

New tools, sturdier houses, and richer meals—all of it now seemed within reach. The discoveries deep within the forest had brought them a spark of hope, and with it, Akio and his companions stood at the threshold of a new chapter in their lives.