Autumn Farewell

It was another autumn, with the crisp wind rustling through the air.

Behind the small cabin in the woods, a new wheat field now stretched, undulating and rippling in the breeze.

It sent forth cascading golden waves, releasing an intoxicatingly fresh aroma.

Kovit sat in a small pavilion beside the field, a cup of black tea cradled in his hands.

He watched the endless, undulating expanse, mesmerized by its rolling swells.

Suddenly!

From within the golden waves, two brown wolf ears, tipped with white, emerged.

“Holo, what are you hiding in the wheat field for again…?”

“I wasn’t hiding. I just love the smell of this wheat.”

“You like them because they smell like donuts, don’t you?”

“How bothersome. You always speak a maiden’s thoughts aloud; you’ll become disliked.”

Holo, clad in traveler’s attire, stepped out from the wheat field.

Her figure was petite yet graceful, and her amber eyes brimmed with intelligent luster.

A light brown tail, tipped with white, swished constantly behind her.

The two small ears atop her head occasionally twitched, adding to her adorably naive charm.

Holo had now blossomed into a graceful young woman, nearly identical to the vague silhouette that lingered in Kovit’s distant memories.

Of course, Holo, having grown up in the forest, hadn’t yet acquired the serene temperament of one who had seen the world’s splendors.

‘Had I stirred fate, or was the world playing a trick on me? Was my Holo truly Holo? Who could say…’

‘Regardless, if Lawrence ever truly appeared… my nightmare’s blade would be swift.’

The puppet wore a somewhat dangerous smile.

“To think that small pouch of wheat grains from that box, all those years ago, has now grown into such a magnificent field.”

“Indeed, it’s a truly astonishing miracle of life, these humble grains.”

“But what I found even more unbelievable was that, over these years, my Holo had actually ascended to godhood…”

“I never thought the worship of those simple folk would turn me into a deity either.”

Indeed, Holo was now known as ‘the Divine Great Wolf.’

This story began over a decade ago when the area around Yoiz Forest suffered a severe drought, with no rain for over forty days.

Many villages faced crop failures and famine.

Upon learning of their plight, Kovit, residing deep within the forest, thought, ‘I can’t eat it all anyway, so I’ll give some to the hungry.’

He then sent Holo, who was bored to the point of near-moldiness, to take some of their cultivated wheat out of the jungle and distribute it among the starving.

However, to their surprise, the villagers, filled with gratitude after Holo saved them, began to worship her, proclaiming her ‘the Wolf God of Harvest.’

Kovit, who hadn’t paid much attention initially, belatedly realized what had happened only after seeing the divine radiance emanating from Holo.

She had been deified by the villagers’ faith.

Fortunately, she had ascended in the flesh, meaning she wouldn’t vanish like conceptual gods if their faith waned—a truly terrifying prospect.

Strictly speaking, Holo wasn’t yet a proper deity.

She was merely a ‘divine animal’ that had condensed divinity.

Beyond an extended lifespan and a robust physique, she possessed no conceptualized divine functions.

At most, her power could prevent a particular land from becoming barren.

“Still, this is good. Your deified self has gained an almost endless lifespan.”

“But I become significantly weaker as soon as I leave the wheat…”

Holo gave him a deadpan stare.

“Haha, it’s alright. In this world, no one can break through the protection I’ve placed on your [Life Wheat].”

“That’s true. My Father is the strongest, after all.”

Holo walked behind the seated silver-haired figure, wrapping her arms around his scarf-wrapped neck.

She then rested her chin on the crown of his head.

A white-gloved hand patted the equally slender arms resting on his chest.

“Ha, before you leave, you’ve finally decided to call me ‘Father’ once?”

“Well, whose fault is it that your current body is even prettier than mine?”

“Who would want this? Those damned Church Knights…”

“I know, I know. My Father is a handsome man with an eight-pack and a sunny smile.”

“Hmph, as long as you know.”

“Hey, I was wondering…”

“?”

“…I want to eat your apple pie one more time.”

“You’re impossible. Just wait a moment, I’ll go make it now.”

Watching Kovit enter the house, Holo let out an almost imperceptible sigh.

“Eat slowly now. I made you a double portion.”

Holo began to eat the apple pie, its familiar taste lingering in her mouth.

Yet, for some reason, this flavor, which usually brought her such joy, only made her heart feel increasingly heavy this time.

“What’s wrong? Is it not to your taste?”

“…It’s nothing.”

Silently, she finished the apple pie.

Looking at the unchanging, gentle smile on the face opposite her, Holo finally couldn’t hold back.

“After I leave, will you miss me?”

“Of course I will.”

“Then why do you…”

“Holo, you must understand… Since you’ve already made the decision to leave here and venture outside, I won’t do anything that might alter or twist your will. Even if it means that you, who have always been by my side, will soon be far away from me.”

“Go out and see this beautiful world. Don’t always settle in one place; I’ve kept you living here for too long already.”

“So, go happily. Don’t be sentimental, don’t be sad. Just remember, no matter how tired you become, no matter how heartbroken you feel, deep in the Yoiz Forest, a puppet will always be sitting in front of the white house, waiting for you.”

Listening to these plain yet heartwarming words, surging emotions finally burst forth.

Glistening tears gradually began to well up in Holo’s eyes.

“Since you’ve made your decision, you must bravely stick to it. Besides, my Holo is so clever, I’m sure everything will be fine.”

A white-gloved hand rested on the crown of her brown hair, gently stroking it.

It imparted a warm strength to Holo.

“Well then, I’m off!”

The deity known as the ‘Wolf of Harvest’ smiled once more.

“Yes, go. Take good care of yourself out there. Pay attention to hygiene, and don’t eat just anything you find.”

The puppet walked up to Holo and gave her slightly disheveled collar a final straighten.

After tidying it, the puppet smiled, stepped back, and waved goodbye to the young woman.

“Goodbye!”

“Mm, goodbye.”

Holo turned her back on the puppet and, without looking back, slowly walked into the thicket.

Yet the puppet continued to wave, for a very long time.

It wasn’t until Holo’s presence finally vanished from his perception that Kovit lowered his waving hand.

“Ah… the child has finally grown up and flown far away.”

Though he spoke with magnanimity, the empty and forlorn feeling was unavoidable once the one who had been by his side daily had departed.

Looking up at the high, vast, and empty sky, Kovit felt his heart was as desolate as the cold wind in the heavens.

“Awooo~~” “Awoo…” “Awooo awooo~~”

As the puppet gazed blankly at the sky, various whimpering sounds gradually began to rise around him.

Coming back to his senses, he found himself surrounded by a circle of wolves with fur of various colors.

They watched him, their usually cold eyes now brimming with worry.

‘That’s right, I’m not alone. Even if Holo leaves, I still have these children with me!’

His desolate heart regained its vitality.

“I’m sorry for making you all worry. How about we have roasted chicken tonight?”

The puppet smiled as he spoke to the grey wolves around him, immediately sparking a chorus of joyful howls.

The night was enchanting, and a bright bonfire now blazed in front of the white house.

The orange-yellow flames danced like spirits, swaying and whirling upon the glowing red charcoal.

From their rapidly swaying crimson skirts, sporadic, fleeting streaks of red and white light scattered, casting themselves into the dark void.

They brought both illumination and warmth to those nearby.

Beside this bonfire, a group of sprawling wolves relaxed, along with a silver-haired puppet who was still drinking alone.

Through the bright flames, the puppet looked up at the brilliant galaxy in the firmament, a hint of intoxication in his eyes.

In a daze, the twinkling, dreamlike radiance seemed to coalesce into a playful, smiling face with wolf ears.

“Haha, my little Holo, I wish you a wonderful life! Cheers!”

Unlike his usual polite elegance, the slightly intoxicated puppet laughed heartily, like a boorish fellow.

He raised his wine cup high, toasting the sparkling stars above.

On a distant plain, Holo seemed to sense something.

She looked up at the brilliant stars in the sky, and without realizing it, a slow smile crept onto her face.

Lowering her head, she touched the small pouch of wheat hanging around her neck.

Holo felt her body once again filled with strength.

Taking a deep breath, she continued to step forward into the unknown.