The World of the Star-Reading Tree, Chapter 8: The Silver Mark

#Creative Awards2026 #Fantasy Novel Category

Chapter 8: The Silver Mark

Fiona sat on a silver branch of the Star-Reading Tree,
gently stroking the leaves that hung down to her back.
The wing-shaped leaves curled softly under her fingertips,

and every time she touched them,
they trembled with a faint, iridescent glow.

Right beside her,
Naviel wore a slightly stern expression.

"Stay still."

Naviel said.

"...Yes, I'm sorry."

Fiona nodded slightly, remaining perched on the branch.
Naviel looked down at the branch
Fiona had climbed up.

"...I'm impressed you managed to climb this far. You're like Milo."

"Yes. For some reason, my body seems to remember how."

"...That's not normal."

Fiona felt embarrassed and
looked up at Naviel quietly.
His lapis lazuli earring
swayed in the silver light.
He was closer than usual.
Naviel said nothing more,
watching the leaves swaying behind Fiona.

He looked like he might be angry,
but his profile, bathed in the light of the leaves,
was very beautiful.

On a branch slightly below,
Shiroru flapped his ears.

"But it's amazing...
I think this might be the first time I've seen the leaves of the Star-Reading Tree this close."

"You try to climb it every time,
and every time you get stopped."

Milo said, sounding exasperated.

"But I'm curious!
I want to fly through the sky
with the Star-Reading Tree, too."

"Yes, yes, I get it."

Milo closed his eyes and
flicked his tail.

A little ways off on a silver branch,
Yuki was standing before anyone had noticed.

Even though he should have been far away just a moment ago,
not a single sound of his footsteps could be heard.

“El.”

A clear voice reached her from right nearby.

Golden eyes were looking at the
swaying branches and leaves
behind Fiona.

“It’s reacting. That leaf.”

“Brother, what is it?”

“The leaf swaying behind Fiona.”

Fiona turned around to look at the
branches and leaves of the Star-Reading Tree
that had been swaying as if draped over her back.

They were brighter than before.
It wasn’t just one leaf.
A thin light connecting from there
was running deep into the branch like a vein.

“...It’s glowing.”

Fiona gasped.
Naviel gently pulled on Fiona’s wrist.

“Stop touching it.”

His voice held more caution than impatience.

However,
even after Fiona pulled her fingers away,
the light did not fade.
A pale light flowed through the silver branch
like a narrow river.

A faint look of interest appeared
in Yuki’s golden eyes.

“There is clearly a reaction.”

“Brother, when I first met her,
something similar happened.
It seems we need to investigate
what is happening.”

Naviel said.

“I think there was a similar record in the past...
It is recorded that the Star-Reading Tree makes its roots glow faintly at night.
But to come all the way to the observatory in broad daylight,
and to react to a specific person at that—
there is no precedent for this combination...”

Yuki remained silent for a while, thinking.

Eventually,
he smiled as if he had realized something.

“It is highly likely that you are
the trigger for this reaction.”

Fiona looked up, startled.

Me? ...I, I'm sorry.

No, I'm not blaming you. As El said, we need to investigate whether you are connected to this reaction. The Star-Reading Tree can look out over not just this world, but many different worlds. If necessary, it can even touch the memories of distant stars. That is why El is being cautious.

Yuki spoke the facts calmly, neither to comfort nor to threaten.

It was then. Directly above Fiona's head, the silver leaves trembled all at once.

Ring, rustle, ring.

It was a strange sound, like the overlapping of insect wings and rustling leaves. From the tips of the branches, countless grains of pale blue light spilled down, drifting softly. It was as if the stars had come undone in the daytime sky.

Oh...

Shiroru pricked up his ears.

It's beautiful...!

However, as if sensing danger, Naviel immediately pulled Fiona's shoulder toward him. Naviel's white haori cloak wrapped softly around Fiona. For a moment, Fiona's vision was obscured.

W-what...?

Don't move.

Naviel whispered in her ear. Fiona nodded slightly. Naviel seemed to be on guard for any danger.

Ignoring Naviel's caution, the grains of pale blue light, lighter than snow—

Ring, rustle, ring.

Drifting softly

poured down as if to envelop the two of them, emitting a dazzling light.

And then, one of them—

landed gently in Fiona's palm. What remained there was a single small leaf. A silver leaf shaped like a wing, small enough to fit in her palm. Deep within its veins, a faint, rainbow-colored light lay dormant.

Fiona held her breath.

“...It’s like a feather...”

Naviel’s arm stiffened slightly.
Yuki’s golden eyes looked between the two of them
with a smile.

“...You’re protecting it quite carefully, El.”

“Brother, this might be a dangerous sign.”

Naviel said with a puzzled look.
Yuki looked at Fiona’s palm.

“The leaves of the Star-Reading Tree rarely leave their branches.
Even if they do,
they should return to light immediately.”

Fiona looked down at her palm.
The small leaf there
remained, not yet having faded into light.

“Then, why...”

To Naviel’s question, Yuki answered faintly.

“Perhaps it has no intention of returning.
This might be
some kind of sign from the Star-Reading Tree.”

Fiona stared at the silver leaf in her palm.
The leaf had not vanished after leaving the branch,
and remained in Fiona’s hand.

Naviel, while staring at the leaf,
spoke as if he had remembered something.

“...It was the same with the Time-Telling Grass.”

Fiona looked up.

“The Time-Telling Grass...?”

“At that time, the Time-Telling Grass did not ring.
It did not tell your time.”

At those words, Yuki nodded slowly.

“Perhaps it was because you, Fiona, had not yet adjusted to the cycle of this world.”

“The cycle...?”

Fiona asked back in a small voice.

Yuki paused for a moment, as if choosing her words carefully.

The Time-Telling Grass is a plant that tells the time of those within the cycle. Naviel and I are both within the cycle of this world. That is why our time can be told.

But am I... different?

I think you were a little different. You hadn't entered the cycle of this world yet, which might be why the Time-Telling Grass remained silent. That is just my theory, though.

Fiona placed a hand over her chest.

It is a little difficult to understand...

That is true. You do not need to understand everything right now. Perhaps you will come to understand it little by little from here on.

Yuki gazed at the silver leaf in Fiona's palm.

The small leaf glowed faintly at Fiona's fingertips.

The Star-Reading Tree does not react to everything that comes from the outside. However, it found you, Fiona. It might be preparing to welcome you into this world.

Fiona looked down at the leaf in her palm.

The small leaf did not flee or vanish, but remained in Fiona's hand.

Rustle, rustle.

Before she knew it, the ringing sound like the buzzing of insect wings had faded, and only the sound of leaves could be heard. In the distance, a meadow draped in light spread out like ripples. The lake was a deep indigo, and a rainbow-like shimmer shone thinly across its surface. Amidst that beautiful scenery, only the leaf in Fiona's palm pulsed with a secret light.

Shiroru approached cautiously.

Hey, I wonder... if I touch that, will it disappear?

Don't touch it.

Naviel said immediately.

Eh! You're such a stingy El! I'm curious!

Shiroru puffed out her cheeks.

We don't know what might happen.
Don't provoke it.

Fiona looked up at Naviel.
Her eyes were cautious,
as if looking at something fragile.

Fiona gently pulled the leaf
closer to her chest.

...Hey. Just as I was saying...

Naviel said, sounding anxious.
Then, the leaf grew slightly brighter.

It's warm... so very gentle.

Fiona closed her eyes.

It seems there's no danger,
El. There's no need to worry so much.

Yuki placed a hand lightly on Naviel's shoulder
and said soothingly.

Milo looked at the leaf with narrowed eyes.

Shiroru flapped her ears
and leaned forward a little.

El, you're worrying too much!
I want to touch it too!

As Fiona held the leaf to her chest,
she suddenly felt a strange sense of nostalgia.
It felt familiar in her palm,
as if she had known it for a long time.

Yuki kept his eyes on the leaf
and murmured softly.

...It's nostalgic.

A faint smile
appeared on Yuki's lips.

What do you mean?

When Naviel asked,
Yuki did not answer immediately.

He simply watched Fiona's palm,
a soft light glowing
deep within his golden eyes.

I feel like something similar happened a long time ago.
...El, let's go inside now. It's getting cold.

With that, Yuki smiled quietly.

...Understood.

Naviel replied, though he looked suspicious.
Then he looked at Fiona.
He looked at Fiona.

"I'm returning to the observatory."

"Can I keep this
feather leaf?"

"You keep it."

Naviel answered curtly.

"Yes."

"Don't grip it too tightly."

"Yes."

"Also, don't climb the Star-Reading Tree on your own."

"...Yes."

"And don't put just anything in your mouth."

"I, I wouldn't..."

"You never know what you might do all of a sudden."

At their exchange,
Shirol couldn't help but twitch his ears.
Milo's tail
swayed as if it were chuckling.

Naviel, appearing unconcerned,
held out his hand.
Fiona stared at his long fingers.

"Thank you very much."

As she gently placed her hand over his,
the moment they touched,
a soft warmth ignited deep in her chest.
She wasn't afraid in the slightest.
It was different from when they first met.
If anything, she felt at ease.

The world visible through the silver branches
was beautiful beyond measure.

"Let's go home."

Before she could answer,
her body floated away from the branch.
Before she knew it, Naviel had effortlessly
lifted Fiona into his arms.

Yuki glanced at the scene
out of the corner of her eye,
and then, as softly as before,
she fluttered back down in an instant.

Shiroru flapped his ears,
while Miro twitched
his long, thin whiskers
as they nimbly descended the branches.

In Fiona's palm
lay a small silver leaf.
She still did not know
what it meant.

Just before returning to the window,
Fiona turned back once.
The high branches and leaves of the Star-Reading Tree, in the pale blue light,

swayed softly, gently, rustling.

at that moment.

At that moment,
the leaf in her palm
grew a little brighter.

Naviel's blue eyes watched it.
The leaf was in Fiona's hand.
Fiona felt a warm light
kindle within her heart.

Continues to Episode 9: "The Observatory Dining Table."

♪Bonus♪
Episode 8: Silver Mark Image Illustration