Chapter 86

I don't know what lies at the back of the den. I've never ventured into the dark places where the light doesn't reach because I'm too afraid.

But today, I'm determined to uncover the secrets of this den.

Thinking that I might be able to make it if I just charge in, I dash from the entrance of the den into the depths, but as soon as I'm enveloped in darkness, I get scared and let out a small scream, "Kyaa!" and turn around.

I run back to the entrance, turn my body again, and run into the depths, only to scream "Kyaa!" and come back again.

It's kind of fun.

"Milfuria, what are you doing?"

Sitting on the bed, my mother in fox form asked curiously. I return to her, panting.

"I was wondering about the dark places at the back. There might be something there, or maybe even some amazing jewels."

Places that no one has stepped into are both scary and exciting. The fear of the darkness holds me back, but the den's depths are filled with romance. However, just as I was bracing myself to uncover everything, my mother casually tried to give an answer.

"There's nothing back there, nothing—"

"Wait!"

"—at all. I checked thoroughly when we decided to make this our home."

My dreams and romance crumbled with a rumble.

"But I said wait!"

I let out a wail and pretend to bite at my mother. Unfortunately, she isn't at all scared. She yawns lazily.

"Are you interested in jewels, Milfuria? You've been taking good care of the ones Hilg brought, haven't you? Maybe living with humans has made you adopt similar values."

She doesn't say whether that's good or bad, and then stands up.

"Look, there's an icicle over there. It's similar to a jewel, isn't it?"

She points to a long icicle hanging from the entrance of the den. Icicles are beautiful, but they're not the same as jewels. They melt, and they taste pretty good when you eat them.

"But, um, I want that longest one."

"I'll get it for you."

My mother stretches and heads towards the entrance but stops suddenly halfway. She tilts her head and moves her ears nervously, looking upwards.

"What is it?"

"Someone is entering the mountain."

She says it in a slightly low, cautious voice.

"This presence... it feels like a spirit, but not quite. It's not human."

I tilt my head in confusion, too. Perhaps because I'm insensitive, I hadn't even noticed someone entering the mountain.

"Who could it be?"

Feeling uneasy, I go down the mountain with my mother to identify the intruder. I run hard, but the distance between us grows because my mother is so fast, and I get buried in soft snow halfway. When I try to get out, the snow around me collapses like sand, and I can't escape.

I cry out in a high-pitched voice, calling for my mother's help.

My mother immediately returns and helps me out of the snow. She bites the back of my neck and tosses me onto her back. I cling to her back to avoid falling off, and she charges through the white landscape. When we reach the middle of the mountain, the snow begins to thin out, and there are more green areas.

As soon as we enter the coniferous forest, my mother slows down.

"There he is, over there."

I look in the direction my mother points. A man is walking unsteadily, leaning against a tree trunk. He's dressed like a woodcutter but doesn't have an axe. He doesn't seem out of place in the forest, but as my mother said, he doesn't feel like a human.

"He feels weak, but I sense a spirit's presence."

My mother, with a stern face, walks straight towards the intruder. I get off her back and follow. The intruder, noticing our footsteps, looks up at us.

"Snow spirit...?"

The man's voice and face are calm and gentle. He's not too tall or too short. His hair is a warm green, short and curly. He wears a loose white shirt with plant embroidery in green thread around the neck and chest. He has leather gloves, suspenders, and deep green pants with brown boots.

He looks like a fashionable woodcutter, but his clothes are dirty, and he doesn't look energetic. He seems exhausted, but when he spots me behind my mother, he smiles warmly.

"Oh, there's a child. How cute. I like children."

The intruder approaches us with a peaceful smile, but my mother bares her fangs and growls, warning him.

"Stay away from my child!"

"S-Sorry. Don't be so angry."

The intruder stops in his tracks, looking timid.

"I am Snowlea, the Snow Spirit. Who are you? Why did you enter my territory without permission? You might not get off easily depending on your answer."

My mother, ready to pounce, intimidates him, and he breaks into a cold sweat, trying to explain.

"W-Wait. I'm Woodbaum, the Tree Spirit."

"Woodbaum? You don't seem to be the Woodbaum I met once."

"The one you know is probably my father. He gave me his name when I left the nest. He said it was too early for me, but—"

"What is your purpose here?"

My mother glares at Woodbaum, who shrinks back uncomfortably.

"Don't glare at me. I don't like fighting. I shouldn't have entered your territory without permission, but I didn't come to take anything. I was just wandering aimlessly, looking for a beautiful place, and ended up here."

"Beautiful place? Why?"

I peek out from behind my mother and ask. Woodbaum, seeing me, relaxes and begins to explain.

"I've been on my own for 150 years. I've lived in the Porpoa Forest since I decided to make it my home. Do you know the country of Porpoa? You might not, since you're still young."

He speaks to me kindly, like a caretaker, then looks sad.

"But about ten years ago, deforestation started. Humans have always used wood for their lives, but with their increasing numbers, they've been cutting down trees without limit. The towns around the forest have also developed, and the environment is no longer as clean as it used to be. The water in nearby rivers has become polluted, and even though humans might not realize it, the soil and air, and the rain that falls on the forest, are also polluted."

Seeing Woodbaum's tired face, I realize that environmental issues exist in this world too.

"Water, soil, light, and the right temperature. The environment is crucial for trees to grow healthily, but human activities are destroying it."

Just as eating unhealthy food can make humans sick, trees are more prone to disease when they're in an unbalanced environment. Diseases have spread in the forest where Woodbaum lived.

"For the past ten years, I've been giving strength to the withered trees, healing the sick ones, and even pleading with humans, but I'm tired. Humans say that destroying the forest is necessary for their development, and they even ask me to grow more trees."

Because he's a gentle spirit, he hasn't been feared like my mother. However, he might have been seen as a convenient presence that could regrow trees no matter how many were cut down. Woodbaum runs his hand through his curly hair and says,

"I think I'm probably sick too. My hair is dry, and I can't clean my clothes or skin. My teleportation skills are also off, and I can't use my powers properly."

"Spirits can get sick too. No wonder your presence feels so weak. I can barely sense it."

A hint of sympathy creeps into my mother's voice, which had been cautious of the intruder.

"Yes, but I think I can heal if I stay in a clean place. I've felt a bit better since I came here. The land here is soaked with clean snowmelt, and the trees seem healthy. I do prefer a bit warmer climate, though."

Woodbaum smiles, touching the thick trunk of a nearby tree. Then he looks into my mother's eyes and pleads,

"Snowlea, merciful Snow Spirit, please let me rest here for a while."