The Fruit of Words, The Flavor of the Heart
A few weeks after they began tilling the soil that echoed with sixteen languages, a mysterious tree—one never seen before—bloomed with pure white flowers. By sunset, those flowers had transformed into iridescent fruits that shimmered like rainbows.
“What kind of fruit is this?” the traveler asked. The gardener plucked one and handed it to him. “This is the ‘Fruit of Words.’ Go ahead, try it. It should taste exactly like what you need right now.”
As the traveler took a cautious bite, a strange sensation spread through his mouth. First came sweetness, followed by a hint of bitterness, and finally, his chest filled with a warm, nostalgic flavor—as if he were being held in his mother’s embrace.
“…It’s strange. It’s just a fruit, yet it reminded me of the time someone told me, ‘It’s going to be okay.'” A single tear rolled down the traveler’s cheek.
The gardener spoke softly. “Words contain nourishment. We have tilled this soil with sixteen languages because we wanted to provide the perfect ‘flavor’ for the heart of anyone who visits here, no matter where they are from.”
Glancing over, they saw Peri the cat and Tetsu the dog sharing a fallen fruit in the corner of the garden. Even without words, the “flavor of kindness” seemed to reach them perfectly.
“Gardener, I want to bring these fruits to the people in my hometown. There are many there whose hearts are parched.” At the traveler’s suggestion, the gardener gave a deep nod. “Yes, that is exactly why this garden (Pz) exists. Come, let us begin the harvest together.”
