A Word, Only a Word — Volume 01

In the shadowed pines of the Black Forest, a lively spring day finds two youngsters—Ulrich, a boisterous boy with bright blue eyes, and Ruth, a shy girl with coal‑black hair—playing among bundles of dry sticks. Their laughter echoes through the trees, mingling with the calls of birds, while a simple debate about the nature of words spirals into something deeper. Ruth recalls her father’s solemn belief that the world itself was born from a single word, a notion that both intrigues and unsettles the pair.

As the sky darkens with gathering clouds, the children’s conversation turns to personal longing. Ulrich hints at a mysterious tale his mother once told—a story of a word powerful enough to move mountains and reveal hidden treasures. Ruth, moved by the idea, wonders whether that same word could restore what she has lost. Their curiosity sets the stage for a quest that will test the meaning and magic of language itself.