The week passed quietly—

  almost gently—

  as though even the sun itself had softened its light

  just for the Grandal family.

  ***

  The riverbank was calm,

  the water whispering as it flowed over smooth stones.

  It was Harlyn’s favorite place.

  Normally, she would be sitting there with a book in her arms.

  But today was different.

  She stood firmly with her feet planted in the dirt,

  her brows knit tightly in concentration.

  One hand stretched straight out

  toward a branch hanging low across the river.

  Nearby, Meryl watched over her.

  Her hands were clasped at her chest, eyes shining.

  “You can do it, Harlyn,”

  she said gently.

  “Remember what I told you.”

  Harlyn took a deep breath.

  Fwoo…

  The branch trembled.

  Just a little—

  but it moved. There was no doubt about it.

  For a moment, Harlyn froze.

  Then, in the next instant, her face lit up like the morning sun.

  “I did it! Mom, I did it!”

  Meryl rushed forward without thinking,

  pulling Harlyn into her arms.

  Kisses rained down—

  on her cheeks, her forehead, again and again.

  “I knew you could do it,” she said,

  Then lowered her head, their foreheads touching for a quiet moment.

  “I have always believed in you.”

  Harlyn giggled softly,

  the river behind them shimmering in the light.

  ***

  The teddy bear was tossed high into the air

  before landing with a soft plop in the water.

  Steam drifted upward.

  Inside the wooden bath,

  Harlyn sat soaked to the waist as she picked the bear back up.

  Behind her,

  Hale—wearing only his shorts—washed her hair with a serious expression.

  Carefully.

  Strand by strand.

  “Hey,” Hale grinned.

  “Even teddy bears need a bath, you know.”

  Harlyn thought for a moment—

  then nodded very seriously.

  She scooped water with one hand

  and poured it over the teddy’s head.

  Scrub, scrub—

  She rubbed the same spot at the top, back and forth.

  Quite vigorously…

  Completely focused,

  her tongue peeking out just a little from the corner of her mouth.

  Hale burst out laughing.

  “Hahaha! If you wash it like that,

  the poor thing’s going to go bald.”

  He leaned forward and demonstrated exaggeratedly.

  “See? Like this. Gently!”

  As he said that,

  he lightly flicked Harlyn’s head.

  Harlyn rubbed her head.

  “Dad, ow…” she muttered, pouting.

  Hale helped rubbed the spot and continued.

  “First the back of the head. Then the nape.”

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  His hand shifted.

  “Don’t forget behind the ears.”

  Then he tapped the teddy’s forehead.

  “And the most important part—the bangs.

  That’s the face. People always look at the face first.”

  Harlyn nodded solemnly,

  as if receiving ancient wisdom.

  “Thank you, Dad.”

  Just as she’d been taught,

  she resumed washing the teddy’s hair.

  Behind her,

  Hale smiled quietly to himself.

  ***

  From the green hill, the village stretched out below.

  Harlyn stood there, arm extended, trembling slightly.

  Behind her,

  whispers and quiet laughter drifted through the air.

  Several children stood there,

  their voices carried on the breeze.

  Unease made her want to turn back again and again.

  Then—

  A gentle hand touched her arm.

  “Harlyn,” Meryl said softly.

  “Look at Mom.”

  Harlyn turned around.

  Meryl was smiling calmly.

  “You don’t need to worry,”

  she said, gently adjusting Harlyn’s bangs.

  “Only I’m here.

  And I’ll always be right beside you.”

  It felt as though the world itself had gone quiet.

  Harlyn looked at her mother for a long moment,

  then nodded slightly.

  She turned forward

  and squeezed her eyes shut tight.

  ***

  In the garden,

  Harlyn stood with her arm raised, eyes closed.

  Beside her, Hale observed attentively, posture unchanged.

  “Harlyn…?”

  Meryl stepped out from the house.

  Hale immediately turned, raising a finger to his lips.

  Seeing her daughter so focused,

  Meryl stopped herself—

  and chose to watch in silence with a smile.

  Behind Harlyn’s closed eyes—

  In the darkness,

  countless specks of blue and red light drifted around slowly,

  like falling snow.

  Gradually, only the red lights gathered,

  swirling tighter and tighter before her outstretched hand.

  They compressed—

  A spark flashed for an instant,

  then vanished.

  Harlyn slowly opened her eyes.

  Hale’s hand came to rest on her shoulder.

  She looked up at him, confused.

  “…Did I do it, Dad?”

  Hale chuckled softly.

  “Well then,

  I guess I won’t have to rub stones together to make fire anymore.”

  ***

  Laughter echoed across the hill.

  Harlyn and Meryl were chasing each other around.

  Then—

  “Meryl, could you take a look at this?”

  A villager waved to them from down the hill.

  They stopped.

  “Coming…!”

  Meryl nodded, gently resting her hand on her daughter’s head

  before walking over.

  Harlyn followed, clutching her mother’s clothes.

  They stopped in front of struggling crops.

  “Something’s been wrong lately…

  everything’s been withering.” The guy sighed.

  Meryl knelt down,

  placed her hand on the soil, and closed her eyes.

  A pale green light spread outward,

  soaking into the earth.

  The leaves trembled—

  then slowly straightened,

  their color deepening into a healthy green.

  The villager let out a breath of relief.

  “I can’t imagine what this village would be like

  without you…”

  Meryl smiled gently.

  “I only lent a little help.”

  The man turned his attention to Harlyn,

  who was clinging tightly to her mother.

  Noticing his gaze,

  Harlyn shrank further,

  half-hiding behind Meryl’s.

  The man slowly crouched down to her level.

  “Be proud, Harlyn,”

  he said gently.

  “Without magic,

  we wouldn’t have made it through this year.”

  Harlyn didn’t answer.

  She buried her face in her mother’s dress, peeking out slightly.

  Meryl looked down at her daughter

  and smiled warmly.

  “It’s alright,”

  she said, patting Harlyn’s head.