The World of the Star-Reading Tree, Episode 11: The Herb Garden

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Episode 11: The Herb Garden

Inside the dome-shaped protective membrane,
the silver leaves were glowing.

As Fiona stepped a little closer,
the light softened,
like a gentle breath.

“...As I thought, it’s still strong.”

Naviel, standing before the observation desk,
brushed away the floating star-characters with his fingertips.

“The leaves’ reaction is still fluctuating.
It would be better to tidy them up a bit.”

Naviel said this while still looking at the leaves,
then took a small collection kit from the side of the desk
and fastened it to his waist. Inside, thin glass tubes, a slender blade,
and small cloth bundles were neatly stored.

“I’m going to the herb garden out back.
I’ll be harvesting herbs while watching the leaves’ reactions, so come along.”

Fiona blinked in surprise.

“O-oh, yes! Understood.”

“Hey, I want to go too!”

Shirol flapped his long ears.

Just then, Yuki’s voice came from the direction of the greenhouse.

“El. Go with Fio, just the two of you.”

Turning around,
Yuki was standing in the dim light of the corridor.
His golden eyes, reminiscent of moonlight,
were looking this way.

Fiona felt her cheeks flush slightly
because it was the first time Yuki
had called her “Fio.”

Yuki smiled.

“I’d like to call you that, too.”

“...Yes. Yuki, I’m happy.”

“Aw, but I wanted to go for a walk together.”

Seeing Shirol puff out his cheeks,
Yuki said,

“Shirol, there is something I want you
and the others to do here.”

“Eh, what is it?”

Shirol tilted his head.

Yuki’s gaze
turned softly toward Fiona.

“Let’s prepare a place where Fio can feel at ease.
It must be uncomfortable just staying on the sofa.”

Shiroru's ears twitched suddenly.

“Whoa, are we making a bed for Fio!?”

“A bed, huh.”

Milo said.

However, his tail was wagging happily.

Fiona opened her eyes slightly.
A place of her own.

“Let's go. Follow me.”

At Naviel's voice,
Fiona started and nodded.

When they stepped out behind the observatory,
the air changed slightly.

It was not just an ordinary garden.

Along the white wall of the observatory,
a narrow path stretched out,
and beyond it, a herb patch spread out,
bathed in the deep light of the Star-Reading Tree.
Even though it was well-tended,
it felt somewhat otherworldly.

Grasses with slender leaves holding morning dew.
Flowers storing pale blue light deep within their translucent petals.
Small plants with white roots stretching deep into the soil,

where only the leaf veins glowed secretly.
Every plant

seemed to be holding its breath.

“It’s beautiful...”

As she let the words slip out,
Naviel said without stopping.

“Watch your step.”

“...Yes.”

When she looked down as told,
the shadows of silvery leaves fell thinly across the path.
The coldness of the morning path reached the soles of her bare feet.
Between the two of them, star spores
drifted slowly.

Naviel knelt before the first plant.
He held his slender fingertips over the leaves.
That was the moment.

A pale blue diagram opened in the air.

Fiona gasped in surprise.

Thin lines of light tracing the contours of the leaves.
Small star-characters indicating the amount of morning dew.
The best time for harvesting,
the potency of its effects, and its compatibility with other herbs.

Like layers of thin glass plates stacked together,
quiet records floated in the air.

“Recording.”

Naviel said while looking at the leaves.

“It records automatically based on the information I see.
I judge and adjust the parts that are missing.
I am simply layering the observation results gathered so far.”

“That’s amazing.”

To Fiona,
it seemed like a very precious record
that Naviel had spent a long time
building up.

This person had been looking at each one like this,
remembering them, and recording them.

“We won’t use this.”

Naviel said, looking at the first herb.

“It cools the body. It doesn’t suit your current condition.”

They moved to the next plant.
In front of a grass with small, pale golden flowers,
the illustrated guide opened again.

“How about this one?”

When she asked timidly,
Naviel answered briefly.

“Too strong. It’s still too early.”

He wasn’t just looking at the grass.
He was choosing only what was suitable for Fiona.
She vaguely understood that.

In front of the third plant,
Naviel’s hand stopped.
It was a grass with thin white roots,
brimming with dew.
A very faint rainbow slept at the tips of its leaves.

“This one has a good balance.”

Naviel said, gently touching the leaf tips.

“We’ll only use the young leaves that contain morning dew.”

A white blade reflected a sliver of morning light.
With the slightest movement,
he harvested only the young leaves so as not to damage them too much.
His hand movements were very smooth.

Taking out one of the glass tubes fastened to his waist,
Naviel gently placed the young leaves inside,
and headed to the next plant.

As they went deeper,
the appearance of the herb garden changed slightly.

Between the tended plants,
the natural presence of the Star-Reading Tree grew stronger.

The shadows of the silver branches fell deep onto the ground,
and the low-growing flowers swayed as if whispering,
even though there was no wind.

In the center of that, there was a grass
with many thin flower stalks standing up.

The flowers were small and a translucent pale blue.
When she approached, there was a faint sound.

“...It’s chirping.”

“It’s a Chirp-Grass.”

Naviel answered while keeping the guide open.

“It chirps often when it’s in a good mood.”

The moment Fiona’s eyes went wide,

the sound of the Chirp-Grass suddenly brightened.
The leaf tips, like thin grass whistles, trembled in unison,
and a clear melody unraveled into the morning air.

Pew-pew-pew-pew-pew, pew-pew-pew-pew-pew.

“...It sounds like it’s singing.”

Naviel glanced at Fiona with his blue eyes.

“It’s reacting to you.”

Beyond the Chirp-Grass,
at the tips of indigo stems,
white flowers like small birds were lined up.
The edges of the petals, touched by morning dew,
were faintly translucent with blue-silver,
making it look as if real small birds were perched there.

“Even though they’re flowers... they’re like little birds...”

Fiona murmured softly.

“They are Flower-Birds.”

Naviel said briefly.

“Don’t get too close.”

However, before he had even finished speaking, Fiona’s feet had already taken a step forward.

Flap, flap, flap.

What she had thought were flowers opened their wings all at once. The countless white petals became the wings of tiny birds, and while scattering blue-silver light, they soared into the sky together.

“...!”

Fiona gave a start, her shoulders trembling. She instinctively stepped back, but morning dew remained on the moss at her feet. Her body swayed unsteadily.

The next moment, a strong force pulled her arm. A white cloak brushed past her vision. She squeezed her eyes shut.

When she realized it, Fiona was in Naviel’s arms.

Thump.

Her heart raced. It wasn’t because she was scared. It was because he was too close. One arm supported her back, and the other hand held her slender arm firmly. Even though he looked lean, the strength in his arms was surprisingly powerful.

“Be careful.” Naviel’s voice sounded right by her ear.

“...I-I’m sorry!” “Watch your step.”

It was a scolding tone. Fiona understood that he had truly been startled.

Just as she tried to put her feet down, it happened.

“Don’t move.”

Saying that briefly, Naviel then lifted Fiona up with one arm.

“Eh...”

Before she could protest,
white robes swayed right beside her.
She was being held firmly
in one arm.

“I’m sorry, I, I’m fine!”

Naviel said nothing
as he walked to a bench a few steps away,
and sat Fiona down gently.

“Stay still.”

Saying that,
he then crouched down in front of Fiona.

Naviel’s hand
reached out softly toward Fiona’s feet.

Dew and soil from the herb garden
were lightly clinging to her bare feet.
Even thin leaf fragments and the shimmer of star spores
remained on the tops of her feet and her heels.

Naviel remained silent
as he brushed them away with his fingertips.

He removed the thin leaf fragments,
checked near her ankles as if to ensure there were no wounds,
and then, once more,
softly brushed away the dirt.

Fiona said impulsively.

“Th-thank you.”

Her voice cracked.
Her heartbeat quickened, and she felt restless.

“You have a few scrapes.
If you apply this medicine, you’ll be fine.”

After saying that,
Naviel lightly washed the wounds with water,
and gently applied the ointment.

At that moment,
his silver-white hair spilled down smoothly.
Because Naviel was crouching,
that hair she usually only looked up at
was now lower
than Fiona’s line of sight.
It was the first time
she had looked at it so closely.

When Fiona was found under the Star-Reading Tree,
he had seemed as cold as ice.

But now,
shimmering in the morning light,
his silver-white hair was soft
and terrifyingly beautiful.
What would it feel like if she touched it?
The moment she thought that,
Fiona was surprised at herself.

“...That should do it.”

Naviel said, turning his blue eyes, which held the stars, toward Fiona.
Then, he furrowed his brows ever so slightly.

“It’s dangerous to be barefoot.”

Fiona lowered her eyes.

“I, I’m used to it.
But... I’m sorry.”

“You don’t need to apologize anymore.”

After a brief pause,
Naviel stood up.
But for just an instant, Naviel’s gaze
looked at Fiona’s feet.

When the two of them entered the observatory,
a small bed had been prepared
in a secluded area of the main space.

A pale-colored blanket. A small table.
On the table, a potted snow-lantern plant
was casting a soft light.

Shiroru puffed out his chest happily.

Look, look! It's still a work in progress, though!

Milo wagged his tail.

It's become a place where you can relax a little, hasn't it?

Fiona couldn't find the words for a moment.
A place really had been made for her.

At the end of her gaze, Yuki smiled.

Welcome back, El, Fio.

The voice was calm and
very comforting.

Thank you very much.

When Fiona said this quietly,
Shiroru's ears twitched happily.

Hehe! I'll make it even fluffier!

Fiona, your face is red. Do you have a fever?

said Milo.

No, I'm fine.
Thank you so, so much!

As Fiona said this,
she couldn't help but hug Shiroru and Milo tightly.

I-it's tight...

Shiroru squirmed.

You're being dramatic.

said Milo.

Yuki watched them and smiled.
Naviel had already returned to work.

Morning in the herb garden.
The voices of the chirping grass.
The fluttering of the flower-bird grass.
The strength of the arms that helped her.
The gentle hands that applied medicine to her injured leg.

And,
the words "welcome back" directed at her.
It was a feeling she had never experienced before.

Her chest felt tight and she felt like crying, but—

Fiona was certainly feeling happy.
But at the same time, she was also a little scared.

That night.
Fiona fell asleep
in her new little bed.

Naviel stood before the observation desk and
closed the record of the herbs she had gathered.
Then, she suddenly looked toward the bed.
Under the light of the snow-cave grass,
small toes were peeking out from the edge of the blanket.

The image of those small feet, which had nearly
tripped in the herb garden while barefoot that morning,
still lingered in her eyes.

Naviel took a small material box
from the side of the desk.
Inside, soft silver fibers and
thin, light-blue strings
were neatly wound and stored.

A single pale blue star-character floated in the space.
Naviel slid her fingertips through the air and
quietly began to craft something small.

Continues to Episode 12, "Morning Light and White Shoes."

♪Bonus♪
Image illustration for Episode 11, "The Herb Garden"