After the heavy conversation at the dining table, Tobio and Ageha fell silent.
The sound of crickets from outside was clear. The aroma of tea still lingered in the air.
Ageha let out a long sigh. She stood up slowly. "Wait a moment."
Tobio just nodded. His eyes followed his grandmother as she walked to her room. Inside his head, he was still processing everything—Sacred Gear, a world that had suddenly become much wider and more dangerous.
Ageha returned a few moments later.
In her hand, a small box. Old wood, simple carvings on its surface—cloud and mountain motifs. Worn, but well-maintained.
She sat across from Tobio. Opened the box.
Inside—a bracelet.
Not an ordinary bracelet. Black leather cord, tightly woven. In the center, a small pendant—black agate with silver veins, wrapped in thin silver wire. Simple trinkets. Not flashy.
But Tobio immediately understood. This wasn't just jewelry.
This was protection.
Ageha looked at him gently. Her eyes—which had been tense when discussing the world's secrets—were now warm again. As usual.
"Here, a bracelet. Wear it."
Tobio received it. Felt its weight—light, but there was something inside it. Like a subtle vibration.
"I know you're thinking what this is for." Ageha smiled.
Tobio touched the stone in the center of the bracelet. "To protect me from dangerous situations?"
Ageha nodded. "Correct. You understand quickly."
Tobio put it on. The bracelet fit perfectly on his wrist—not loose, not too tight. As if made for him.
Or perhaps it was made for him.
His mind immediately went to work. 'If I use the power that forces an outcome... This bracelet will crack first.'
Absorbing the impact. Acting as a shield.
He stared at the bracelet. Black stone with silver veins—beautiful, but fragile.
Ageha watched him silently. Then, suddenly, she spoke: "You're thinking that if you use your power, that bracelet will break first, aren't you?"
Tobio was surprised.
He looked at his grandmother. She knew.
She read his mind.
Ageha smiled—not a proud smile, but a warm, slightly bittersweet smile. Her wrinkled hand stroked Tobio's head.
"Don't use that power too often." Her voice was soft, but there was a warning within it. "This bracelet is to protect you. But more importantly—I hope you don't use your power recklessly."
Tobio was silent. His grandmother knew what he was thinking.
Not because she could read minds. But because she knew him.
Or... she knew Tobio.
And maybe, she was beginning to know me. "I... understand."
His voice was soft. Almost inaudible.
Ageha held his hand—right over the bracelet. Warm. "Don't push yourself."
Ageha took the dirty dishes to the kitchen.
Tobio heard the sound of running water, the sound of dishes clinking. The normal rhythm of the house. A rhythm that made him... calm.
He sat in the living room, staring at the bracelet on his hand.
Protection.
Ageha finished washing the dishes. She walked to the sofa near the window, sat down slowly. Her eyes looked outside—at the rice fields, at the hills, at the evening sky.
Tobio watched her from the side, then slowly stood and walked towards the outer door.
His grandmother—she hid many things. But she never hid her love for Tobio.
Suddenly, Ageha spoke. "You want to go outside?" she asked without turning.
Tobio nodded, even though he knew his grandmother couldn't see. "Just relax by the river. Need some time alone."
Ageha turned. A faint smile. "Don't come home too late."
"Yes, Grandma." Tobio walked slowly.
Past the rice fields. Past the neighbors' houses. Past the path he was beginning to memorize.
Some villagers greeted him—"Tobio-chan, where are you going?"—and he answered as needed.
Hanyu Village in the morning felt peaceful. Farmers in the fields. Mothers hanging laundry. Small children playing tag.
No one here knew about the supernatural world. Or maybe some knew, but chose to remain silent.
Tobio entered the forest.
The trees grew denser. The sounds of the village began to fade. Only the sounds of birds and rustling leaves.
Fifteen minutes of walking, he arrived.
That river.
Clear water flowing over white rocks. Sunlight piercing the tree canopy, creating golden beams of light. The sound of flowing water—calm, rhythmic, soothing.
Tobio found a seat under the large tree—the same place as yesterday, where Sae had slept on his shoulder.
He sat down. Leaned his back against the tree trunk.
Closed his eyes.
SILENCE
Breath.
Water sounds.
Crickets in the distance.
Tobio let it all in. Not analyzing. Not looking for patterns. Just... being.
'Peace.' That word appeared in his head.
In his old world, he had never felt this. There was always pressure. Always a schedule. Always expectations.
Here—nothing.
Just him. The tree. The river. Tranquility.
But his mind—as usual—couldn't stay still for long.
'What should I do?'
In this world, there was a big story. Conflict of three factions. The threat of Trihexa. A protagonist named Issei.
'Should I get involved?'
'Or just stay still, leave everything to them?'
He opened his eyes. But if he stayed still... there would be victims.
Innocent people, like Yamamoto's family in his old world.
Victims of the system.
And he— had already been a victim.
Also a cause. Though indirectly.
Tobio sighed. 'But I don't have a cheat power. No system. No entity giving me choices.'
'Only this power.'
'That forces outcomes.'
'With a price to pay.'
Tobio stood up.
He looked at his right wrist—the bracelet from Ageha was still wrapped around it.
A small experiment.
He wanted to know the limits of this power.
He removed the bracelet. Placed it on a flat rock near the river.
Then picked up a small stone—about the size of a child's fist.
The stone was heavy. Solid. Real.
Tobio raised it to chest height. Prepared to drop it.
In his head, he formulated the desire: "I want this stone to stop 3 seconds before it hits the ground."
Not a big desire. Not changing fate. Just temporarily interfering with gravity.
He released the stone.
The stone fell.
And right before it touched the ground—at a height of about ten centimeters—the stone stopped.
Hovering.
Not falling.
Not moving.
Tobio counted in his head.
'One.'
The stone was still.
'Two.'
The stone was still.
'Three.'
The stone fell.
Thud.
The sound of a small impact on the ground. And at that same moment— Pain.
Not ordinary dizziness. But like something stabbing from inside his head. Like his brain was being slowly squeezed.
Tobio held his head. Knelt on the ground. His breath came in gasps.
A few seconds—maybe ten, maybe twenty—he could only stay still, enduring the pain.
Slowly, the pain subsided. He was panting. A law of physics was violated. That was the price.
The greater the violation, the greater the pain.
He reached for the bracelet. Put it back on. 'If I wear the bracelet, maybe the pain will lessen. The bracelet will absorb it.'
But the bracelet would break, and his grandmother... would know.
Tobio sat by the river's edge. His eyes stared at the flowing water.
His mind worked. 'If the Laws of Physics can be violated... That means natural phenomena can be changed. History can be changed. Fate can be changed.'
But— Sooner or later, he would break.
This body. His soul. His existence.
Every time he forced an outcome, Tobio paid with himself.
And if too often... He didn't want to think about the rest.
This wasn't a cheat power.
This was a suicide power.
Tobio stared at the bracelet on his hand. Grandma knew.
That's why she gave him this. Not to protect him from enemies.
But to protect him from himself.
Tobio walked home.
His steps were slower than usual. Not because he was tired—but because his mind was heavy.
He knocked on the door. Opened it. "I'm home."
Ageha was weaving in the living room. A traditional loom—old wood, colorful threads. Her movements were slow but steady.
"Welcome back." She didn't turn, but her voice was warm. "Don't forget to do your schoolwork. Summer is almost over."
Tobio was stunned.
School.
'Ah, right. I'm still in school.'
Twelve years old. Sixth grade elementary. Or first year middle school? He didn't know.
"Okay. I'll do my homework first."
Tobio opened his school bag—a dark blue backpack worn in some corners.
Textbooks. Some were tattered, some still new.
He opened them one by one.
Mathematics—fractions, decimals, percentages. Sixth-grade elementary material. Still remembered. Haruto used to have private lessons, his teachers were the best money could buy.
Japanese—kanji, grammar, essay writing. Easy.
Science—photosynthesis, food chains, the solar system. Also easy.
History—Heian period, Kamakura, Edo. Tobio read a bit. No difference from the history in the old world. At least on the surface.
But behind that history... maybe there were Angels and Devils.
Maybe the great wars were actually their conflicts.
And humans were just pawns.
He shook his head. No need to overthink now.
Tobio started working on math problems.
Pen in hand. Numbers on paper.
A soothing rhythm.
Tobio had almost finished one exercise book.
Math was done. Japanese had a little left. Science was nearly complete.
He lifted his head, stretched his neck.
Outside, the sun was directly overhead—noon. The sound of crickets subsided, replaced by the silence of heat.
Suddenly— A knock on the door. "Tobio, time for dinner."
'Dinner?'
Tobio looked at the clock. But in the village, dinner was earlier. By 6 PM it was already dark.
He closed the books. Walked to the dining room.
A simple table.
Miso soup, grilled fish, rice, pickles, and stir-fried vegetables.
They ate slowly. Not much talking. But the atmosphere was comfortable.
After finishing, Ageha asked gently. "How is your schoolwork?"
Tobio nodded. "I've almost finished everything. Just a little left."
Ageha smiled. "Good. Get enough rest."
Tobio nodded. Helped wash the dishes—a habit he was beginning to enjoy.
Then returned to his room, the light was turned off. Tobio lay on the futon. The sound of crickets from outside—a night rhythm that had become familiar.
He stared at the ceiling, the crack in the left corner.
'Today... I learned a lot.'
'About the world. About my power. About my limits.'
'And about Grandma. She knows. She knew I would try something stupid.'
'That's why she gave me the bracelet. To protect me. From myself.'
Tobio held the bracelet in his hand. The black stone with silver veins felt warm against his skin.
'Maybe I should be more careful.'
Not just because of the danger, but because... someone cared about him.
For the first time.
Someone cared about him, not because Tobio was useful.
He closed his eyes. 'I hope every day can be like this.'
Calm. Peaceful. Normal.
But... His eyes opened briefly.
How far along was the plot now? Had Issei already died and been reincarnated? Had the three-faction war already ended? Or had none of it started yet?
He didn't know. Tobio closed his eyes again.
Crickets chirped. The fish swam.
And in the small village of Hanyu, a boy with the power to force outcomes, fell asleep.