“Wow! To think that such a tiny creature could create such a large web!”
We watched the widow spider that Sylph had summoned spin its web. It was still just a spiderling, though it was already the size of my palm. Apparently, it had come by riding the wind that Sylph had created!
If memory served, doing that was called ballooning. According to Teiren, spiders didn’t just ride the wind—instead, they used the static electricity in the air...or something. But since Sylph had used her power this time around, maybe the electric stuff hadn’t played as much of a role.
“You really are fond of it, aren’t you?” came a soft voice from behind me.
I turned to see a woman smiling at me serenely. Her light green hair was tied up loosely, and she wore a skirt with floaty ruffles.
“Sylph! You’re in your human form today!”
“I realized that it would be more convenient to assume this form if I am to spend my time with you,” she said. Somehow, she seemed both bewitching and reserved all at once. This was my first time seeing her in this form since she’d arrived.
I supposed that it would be more difficult for a bird to work in the field than a human, not to mention the far more important matters of eating and drinking tasty treats!
“I almost didn’t realize it was you! I didn’t know you were capable of transforming,” I said.
“There are a fair number of spirits who can take on human form in order to blend in among them.” Sylph then grinned like a mischievous child as she told me that Salamander had a human form too. She also said that Undine’s true form was actually that of a fish! I was desperately curious to see both of them. “You know, I was worried that you might cry upon seeing the widow spider, but it seems I fretted for nothing.”
I laughed. “It was more adorable in the flesh than I’d imagined. It’s like a big stuffed animal, really!”
The way the spider kept moving about its web was surprisingly cute. Its jet-black body and bright red eyes were the same as the sketch in the reference book I’d seen, but overall, the spider had a short, wide shape. Both its head and body were rounded, and its legs were short and thick. As I watched it toddle around on the fine silver netting of its web, I found the spider impossible to hate!
The spider’s first job was to protect Iggy, who had taken root on one side of the field. We had the spider spin its web between the treant’s branches. It was doing exactly as we had asked, and it was done in no time at all—a testament to Sylph’s handpicked helper! It was amazingly intelligent.
“I selected one who was a capable hunter, but who also wouldn’t intimidate a human. I am so glad you like it too, Fran.”
“And I’m grateful! Your thoughtfulness was what allowed me to embrace it so easily.”
Had Sylph not made such a careful choice, I might have disliked it as I did most insects. I was sure that it was no coincidence that this was the spider who had come over. The widow spider in the reference book had been far more insect-like and had been described as an agile creature. This one, however, was more graceful and had a cuter appearance. Sylph had chosen well indeed.
“Watching it work so hard to spin its web makes me think of it as an artist,” I said.
“It is beautiful, isn’t it? Such a shame that webs are delicate enough to fall to a storm.”
“But that fragility lends itself to the web’s beauty, don’t you think? Either way, I hope this little spiderling will work hard to protect Iggy and the field.”
Sylph agreed. “Yes, me too. Oh, see how large its web is compared to its body? That allows it to catch bigger prey and is a sign of its hunting prowess. I am sure this spider will prove itself useful to you.”
As we chatted, the spider was still working on its web before our eyes. If I were to hold my arms to make a circle, the web was already bigger than that! And now the spider was waving its forelegs at us like it was promising to live up to Sylph’s expectations. I certainly couldn’t fault its enthusiasm! And in case it wasn’t able to catch its own food, I could always order some meat for the spider. That wasn’t to say that I wanted it to slack off, of course!
“Won’t you give it a name, Fran?” Sylph prompted.
“Yes, I should. After all, it’s one of us now! It seems a little cruel to just keep calling it ‘widow spider,’ or ‘spiderling.’”
What sort of name would be suitable, I wonder? Was there something I could take inspiration from like I had with Iggy and Yggdrasil? Spiders... Spiders...
I tried rummaging through Teiren’s memories and found the mythical “Tsuchigumo,” the “Jorougumo,” and the “Yamagumo,” but none of them seemed to fit... I also came up with “Arachne,” but that was a feminine name—I didn’t know if this widow spider was male or female. I needed a name that could fit either while still being related to spiders.
Oh!
“Atla! How about ‘Atla’? It’s a name inspired by a spider god with a black body and red eyes.”
“Just like this spiderling! It sounds perfect.”
“The god in question spun a large web in a huge valley. I hope Atla can take inspiration from that and create its own big web!”
Though Teiren’s memories were vague, it seemed that the deity in question was part of a fictional myth. Nevertheless, it was a spider, and it didn’t seem to matter if the original was male or female, so to me, it seemed to be a fitting namesake! That said, Teiren seemed to remember something about the world ending once that spider deity had completed its web...but I didn’t think that’d matter since I was just borrowing its name! It truly would be disastrous if the island crumbled the moment Atla finished its web...but it wasn’t like I expected that to happen!
Anyway, Atla was waving its legs around, giving off a smug sense of joy. If it was happy, I was happy!
“We wouldn’t want to get in your way too much, Atla, so we shall take our leave now.”
Sylph laughed softly. “Do your best, little one. Or should I say, ‘Atla’?”
I gave Atla a wave and quietly turned away. It seemed a little sad to see us go...or perhaps I simply imagined that?
“Things are progressing very quickly, aren’t they?” Sylph remarked with awe as she danced in midair on the wind.
“They certainly are. I cannot believe we’re seeing sprouts after a mere three days!”
I was just as astounded as she was. The cultivated field was already filled with green as far as the eye could see. I was no expert when it came to gardening, but it did seem a little soon for our crops to be sprouting...
“I think it’s quite clear that the mana-rich soil is influencing their growth. I’d like to do some experimenting to find out how much difference a change in mana can make...”