It was an afternoon when the spring sunlight poured obliquely through the gaps in the workshop window. Dust particles danced slowly in the sunbeams, and sandpaper dust was piled white on the legs of a half-finished oak chair. In a corner of the workshop, a wooden statue about two meters tall shone warmly, catching the afternoon light.

It was only two days ago that Guest finally set down the carving knife. Recalling the face of the man seen in a dream, the statue, carved little by little each night, was finally completed last night. From the long neck and sharp jawline to the deep-set eyes, the grain of the solid hinoki wood was smoothed down like skin, creating the illusion that it might breathe at any moment. It was just as Guest named the statue Spildos and was about to pick up the carving knife again.

It was at that exact moment that the fairy's whim took effect. Between the open windows, an invisible breeze slipped in. The air in the workshop grew strangely sweet, and the dust particles simultaneously lost their trajectories and began to spin in circles. An invisible touch brushed against the statue. As if playing a prank, or out of pure, harmless curiosity, the fairy picked up a black-painted music box sitting on the shelf and pushed it right into the center of the statue's chest.

With a small creak, the chest panel of the statue closed. Invisible gears hidden between the wood grains meshed together, and the axle turned. The first melody echoed through the workshop.

Tinkle...

As the music box sound stopped, the fingertips of the statue trembled minutely.

The air inside the workshop changed strangely. The dust particles no longer danced, but instead hung suspended in the air as if holding their breath. The spring breeze blowing past the window cut off abruptly, and a stillness descended, making it feel as though the world was skipping a beat.

A subtle change began in the statue on the shelf. A faint warmth emanated from between the wood grains, and the scent of hinoki wood spread much thicker and sweeter than usual. The parts that were the statue's fingertips began to take the shape of finger joints very slowly, as if ice were melting. The fine grooves believed to be wood grain were turning into wrinkles of actual skin.

From inside the chest area, the faint sound of something ticking and turning leaked out.