The Legend of Wind Chime Grass

"And the legend I'm going to tell is about Wind Chime Grass with nine flowers.

Unfortunately, the details of this legend have been lost. All I know is its ending—that was what my grandmother told me."

The Old Woman narrowed her cloudy gray eyes, smiling as she recalled the days long gone. The Little Boy also set down his grass weaving and listened wholeheartedly to the Old Man's story.

In the legend, Wind Chime Grass bearing nine 'bells' was a symbol of good fortune. Whoever found Wind Chime Grass with nine bells would gain happiness and longevity!

However, since Wind Chime Grass with nine bells could not be found, people usually used Wind Chime Grass dried in the sun instead. They would weave it together with Mangur Tree Fruit into a Straw Wind Chime, praying for good luck throughout the year."

Fiona listened with her lake-blue eyes wide open, then curiously asked the Old Woman.

"Grandma, have you ever found Wind Chime Grass with nine bells?"

"Wind Chime Grass with nine bells..."

As though Fiona's question had stirred some memory, a happy smile appeared on the Old Woman's face, and her voice grew slightly hoarse.

"I spent my whole life weaving grass crafts, and I only saw it once, when I was young!"

"You know, little girl? We weren't originally residents of Carlras. We came from a small mountain village dozens of kilometers away.

During a Beast Tide, our village was destroyed. Left with no choice, my husband and I brought our three children to Carlras.

To make a living, my husband chose to become a proud member of the City Guard.

As for me, I picked up the grass-weaving craft my grandmother had taught me. In the spare moments between housework, I would make little things and bring them to the market to sell for money to support the family.

That brief period was hard, but it was also the happiest time of my youth.

But beautiful things were always fragile. Three years later, during an invasion of Magical Beasts, a Wind Wolf tore open my husband's throat.

As compensation, we received official resident status in Carlras, as well as a place to live in the Lower District.

Though I had lost him, life had to go on. The children still needed me. But my grass-weaving skills weren't very good then, and my daily earnings were meager, nowhere near enough to cover our needs.

For a long time, the whole family could only eat two meals a day. My eldest daughter had no choice but to take on odd jobs to help support the household..."

At that, the Old Woman could not help but sigh.

"One afternoon in the Flowing Gold Month that year, I was out in the wilderness beyond the city, gathering grass materials beneath the blazing sun. ① Yet the perfectly clear sky became overcast within minutes. Soon, a torrential rain came pouring down.

I had no choice but to hold my basket over my head and run toward a small hill covered in shrubs, hoping to find somewhere to shelter from the rain.

But because I was running too quickly, I tripped over a stone and fell heavily into the mud. My clothes were covered in muck, the freezing rain soaked me to the bone, and the grass in my basket spilled all over the ground.

For one moment, I truly wanted to lie there forever and never get up again—

But I couldn't do that. My three daughters were still waiting for me at home.

I gritted my teeth and climbed back up. Braving the rain, I slowly gathered the scattered grass back into my basket bit by bit. Fortunately, the downpour had come quickly and passed just as quickly. Before long, the sun poked its head out from behind the clouds again.

On my way back, I passed beside a large boulder. Then, something glinting caught my attention."

As she spoke, the Old Woman's tone began to rise.

"In a crack in that boulder, I saw it—

Its emerald-green stalk was like a gemstone, gleaming with crystal-clear droplets of water. White flowers hung from the stalk, swaying in the wind like real bells.

I remember that sight very clearly—

There were exactly nine of them, not one more, not one less! I was in a hurry to get home at the time and didn't think much of it. I only felt that the plant was quite eye-catching.

It wasn't until the Frostfall Month that year, when I was sorting through my grandmother's belongings, that I remembered the legend once more. But that plant had long since withered and died. ② In the Scarlet Rain Month of the following year, I went back there again, but this time, it had the usual twelve flowers." ③ "I often regretted that time. If I had remembered the legend then, I definitely would have picked it. It probably could have sold for a lot of money and improved our family's circumstances.

But later on, my grass-weaving skills improved again, and more and more people began buying my work. Our living conditions slowly got better.

And during the annual professional aptitude tests, my second and youngest daughters were both found to possess the aptitude to become Professionals.

Their talent wasn't high, but it was enough to enter the Professional Academy. My eldest daughter also married a good husband and lived a very happy life."

At that, the Old Woman raised her face, smiling until her eyes narrowed into slits. Deep within the countless wrinkles on her face was an incomparably profound and peaceful sense of contentment.

"Thinking about it now, this ending wasn't bad either. Though I didn't pick it, I did find it in the end—"

As she spoke, the Old Woman seemed to suddenly realize something. She looked at the two girls again, her gaze carrying a trace of apology.

"I'm sorry, young ladies. I've taken up so much of your time. When people get old, they tend to become long-winded..."

"No, Grandma. Thank you for the story."

Fiona, who had been absorbed in the tale, came back to herself. Hearing the Old Woman's words, she hurriedly shook her head, though she had already made a decision in her heart.

Holding the Straw Wind Chime, she gestured for Annie to pay.

Then, she took the string of fruit back from Annie and smiled at the Little Boy, who had been sneaking glances at her. Her slender hand, clad in a white glove, placed the fruit into his hands—she had noticed his earlier gaze.

"Here, eat it."

Seeing this, Annie wanted to speak but stopped herself. Though she liked the young lady's kindness, as the little Princess of Olivenndi, she should not have too much contact with commoners.

In the end, Annie sighed and decided to pretend she had not seen her mistress's undignified behavior.

After all, she was merely a lowly Half-Elf maid.

"Thank you, Big Sister..."

Clutching the string of fruit, the Little Boy's face flushed bright red. He seemed rather shy as he hurriedly thanked Fiona.

Fiona froze for a moment, then giggled. Being called Big Sister felt novel to her—no one had ever called her that before.

"May the Gods bless you, kind little girl."

The Old Woman wore a grateful smile as well.

Fiona smiled and nodded to the Old Woman, then left the stall with Annie. Under the grateful gazes of the pair, the slender figures of the two girls gradually disappeared into the dazzling sunlight at the other end of the alley.

From afar, the faint conversation between the Little Boy and the Old Woman drifted over.

"Grandma, I'll be old enough next year. When the people from the academy come to test our aptitude, I'll definitely pass and become a mage! Then Grandma, the grass crafts you weave will really be able to move. They'll definitely sell really well!"

"Alright, Xiao Luoqi. Grandma will wait for that day—"

①: August ②: October ③: April