“I am a nobody.”
The Garden spoke.
“I tread upon every sort of ground with bare feet, gaze at the sky, and taste the air.”
The enchanting eyes smiled.
“Is that not something quite a great many people could accomplish?”
“…You are correct.”
“But this is different. It is a magic hat.”
“Magic….”
“Yes, magic. Isn’t it marvelous?”
He turned the empty hat upside down and showed it to the Gardener.
“What might be inside?”
“I… know nothing. Nothing at all….”
“Oh dear. Are you frightened? I understand that feeling. But look—there is nothing inside. Do you not wish to fill it? Are you not curious about what it may contain? Do you not want to reach inside?”
“But how could I dare…?”
“Reach out and touch it.”
“……”
The Gardener put their hand inside.
“What do you feel? Ah, hurry and tell me. I am terribly curious.”
“…It feels like… a hard mineral.”
“What is the mineral’s temperature? Is it cold? Hot? Lukewarm? Cool? Warm?”
“…C-Cold… perhaps?”
“Does it move?”
“It does not.”
“Hmm, I wonder.”
His pale hair spilled down.
“What about this?”
The hat in his hand shook playfully, and the Gardener whose hand was inside felt the vibration as well. The hard, cold mineral in their grasp shook together with them in response to that mischief….
And the Garden asked,
“Did it shake?”
“…Yes, it did. So did I.”
“Does it still not move?”
“……”
“Is it still cold?”
“……”
“Is it still… hard?”
“…Ah….”
Without realizing it, the Gardener withdrew their hand and looked at what they held.
“…No.”
It was a rough-looking mole.
“It was… a mole. A mole….”
“Good heavens…! Such an adorable friend emerged that I am deeply moved! A mole—surely there is no greater little troublemaker in this lush…