Published: July 25, 2025
Today is the first day I’m going to the forest on my own two feet.
Instead of the tote bag filled with stone tablets, I carried a slightly smaller basket like the others, and I had a wooden spatula that looked nothing more than a toy shovel for digging soil.
Honestly, am I the only one who thinks this wooden spatula is even less reliable than a child’s plastic shovel when it comes to digging?
As I swung the fragile-looking wooden spatula around, my father grabbed my shoulder firmly. Ever since we decided I would go to the forest, I’ve heard the same words repeated so many times they’re like a blister in my ear.
“Myne. Today, you’re just going to the forest and coming back. Everyone will be carrying a lot of stuff and will be tired on the way back. Your goal is to rest in the forest and come back with everyone, okay?”
“I understand.”
Maybe my reply wasn’t enough to ease his worries, or maybe he was just tired of repeating himself. With a bitter look, my father turned to Tulli.
“Tulli, I know it’s tough, but I’m counting on you. Make sure Myne returns before the gates close, and coordinate well with Lutz.”
“Yeah. We’ll finish early today.”
Tulli, full of responsibility, seemed fired up by my father’s request. He was going to be a bit strict today.
Outside, several children had already gathered with baskets like mine. There were eight of us—some about my size, others bigger like Tulli and Fey.
Pink-haired Fey led the group, and Tulli walked at the rear. I usually started out at the front but ended up near the back by the time we arrived.
“All right, Myne. Let’s go. Don’t lose the pace.”
I was able to walk normally up to the gate, but this was my first time walking all the way to the forest. And my pacemaker was Lutz.
Over the past three months, walking between home and the gate, Lutz had somehow learned the speed that wouldn’t push me too hard. Thanks to him, I’d been able to walk without overexerting myself lately.
“Thanks, Lutz.”
“Don’t mention it. Your family’s done a lot for us too.”
Recently, at Lutz’s house, we dealt with the final disposal of Paru pulp. Paru, which can only be harvested in the snow, spoils quickly once it gets hot.
So as a thank-you and a favor for the future, I taught him to make Paru burgers—okara hamburger steaks but bulked up with okara.
At first glance, they looked like yellow paprika, but inside was a sauce made by simmering pomodoro, which tasted like tomatoes, topped with cheese. The gentle sweetness of Paru added unexpected depth to the flavor. I was surprised by how well they turned out.
By the way, Lutz and his brothers actually cried tears of joy—not just because it was delicious, but because they could eat twice as much as usual.
Aunt Carla was impressed, saying, “Myne’s cooking is kind to the household budget.” Well, having four boys who eat that much must make the Engel coefficient skyrocket, right?
“Why didn’t you teach me the Paru burger recipe during winter?”
“You can’t mince meat without fresh cuts, can you? Besides, mincing is hard. I wasn’t sure if you’d help…”
“Ah, it’s tough, but if it’s for Myne’s cooking, I’ll give it my best.”
I didn’t have the strength to keep pounding meat with a kitchen knife until it minced, and knowing how hard it was, I never asked my mother to make it. So until now, I hadn’t eaten anything like a hamburger steak. Being able to make it with everyone at Lutz’s house and eat it together felt like a stroke of luck.
As we chatted, we walked toward the forest. Talking made the long walk more enjoyable, but the fatigue afterward was intense.
While everyone foraged, I sat on a slightly large stone to recover my strength.
Seeing me panting harshly while sitting on the stone, Lutz rubbed my back and said,
“Fey and Tulli’s baptism ceremonies are coming soon, so you need to get used to the forest quickly, Myne.”
“…Why?”
I knew about Tulli’s baptism ceremony because I was helping make clothes and hair ornaments, but I didn’t understand exactly what changes after the baptism.