Chapter 18

When Izabel came to see the farm, her advice was, "First, increase the number of mulberry trees."

"This is not nearly enough. Silkworms have a tremendous appetite before they make cocoons. We should increase the number of mulberry trees much more before we talk about silk fabric."

After saying this, Izabel stroked the raw silk in her hand and continued, somewhat amazed.

"Your first attempt at spinning silk is really excellent. Did you really just read a book about it?"

"Yes, I managed to get this far by reading a book."

Izabel shook her head.

"I'm amazed. For a novice to spin such strong and beautiful silk without the silkworms getting sick is incredible."

"Is it good silk?"

"Yes, it's top-quality silk. You have a talent."

I was delighted. I didn't expect to be praised like this, especially since it was just a novice's work based on what I read in a book.

Today's visitors included not only Izabel but also Chana, Hakim's sister. Chana said that she had been off medication for about two months after starting to eat the water and food that Hakim brought home.

"Does our water and vegetables really have such an effect, Alesia?"

"Yes, they do, Alesia. I was bedridden for years, but after I started eating the water and food from here, I gradually got better. It's definitely because of that!"

Chana insisted.

Chana is small and thin, but today she was able to ride a camel to get here and even walk around the chicken coop and fields, looking at them curiously. She must have gained some strength.

"I haven't seen the farm before, even though I can walk around the neighborhood with my mother now."

Chana seemed to have dressed up, wearing a light blue dress and tying her light brown hair with a blue ribbon. Her green eyes, like Hakim's, are round and gentle. She is very cute, and when I first saw her, I thought, "Is she a fairy? Or an angel?"

Eventually, Hakim went to work in the fields, leaving me, Izabel, and Chana.

"It's almost lunchtime, so I'll prepare a meal. I can't make a feast, but our vegetables and eggs are delicious."

"I'll help too, Alesia!"

"Thank you. I'm so happy. This is my first time chatting with a girl!"

Chana looked surprised.

It's no wonder she was surprised. A nine-year-old energetic child not having any friends is quite unusual.

"I've only been living here for about a year. Before that, I lived in a place where there weren't many people."

"Oh, I see. Nice to meet you, Alesia."

"I'll just take a look around the farm."

"Please do, Izabel."

When it was time for lunch, everyone returned to my house. Chana bowed to my parents, uncles, and aunts, and even to Ethan, who came in last.

Ethan was standing at the entrance, frozen.

"Huh?"

I looked around, but there was nothing particularly surprising for him to see. The others weren't surprised or looking around. What's wrong with Ethan?

While everyone else was setting the table and serving the food, Ethan was still standing at the entrance. He was staring at Chana, who was arranging the spoons, with his mouth open in a silly way.

(Could it be that Ethan...?)

Even during the meal, Ethan kept staring at Chana with a dazed look. Chana was chatting happily with everyone and enjoying the dish of steamed wheat with stir-fried chicken and vegetables, saying it was delicious.

Ethan seemed to be in his own world.

(Could it be his first love? Love at first sight?)

"What's wrong, Alesia?"

"Nothing, Dad."

There are nine of us at the table, and everyone is talking to the people nearby. I spoke to Izabel.

"Izabel, is it possible to buy a tool for reeling silk?"

"You can buy one, but a simple one can be made by a novice. I'll ask Hakim to make one later."

Is it okay? I looked at Hakim, and he nodded. It's faster to talk with someone who has experience.

"Alesia, why have you been looking around so much?"

"Oh, nothing, Hakim. I just saw something unfamiliar."

Izabel, who was eating a dish of boiled potatoes and eggs, seemed interested in my response. But it would be cruel to expose Ethan's first love in front of everyone.

"It's nothing, please continue eating."

In the evening, Hakim, Chana, I, and Izabel were riding two camels back to Hakim's house. I offered for them to stay, but they all declined. I will bring the two camels back. It's only a 2.5-kilometer one-way trip, so it won't take long.

I was riding with Izabel, and she brought up the topic again.

"Alesia, you seemed quite surprised earlier. What was it?"

"Oh, actually, Ethan was captivated by Chana, and I thought it might be his first love."

"Ha ha ha. Alesia and Ethan hardly ever leave that farm, so they probably don't meet new people. Chana's cuteness must have surprised him. It's a good thing, isn't it?"

"Yes, Chana is incredibly cute."

If Ethan's first love is someone who always sticks with me, I feel both happy and a bit lonely.

For a cute first love at seven years old, we should quietly watch over it.

The next story will be about weaving silk fabric with the silk I spun over a year. It will take place one year later.