“Mom, I’ve brought some guests!” Little Luoyi bounced energetically into the shrine, her cheerful voice echoing in the quiet air. Shortly afterward, a mature woman in a traditional shrine maiden outfit stepped out to greet us. Her left eye was covered by a patch—whether to conceal it or due to blindness, I couldn't tell. “Since you’re guests, please come in and have a seat,” she said gently.

“Thank you, I hope we’re not imposing,” I replied after exchanging a few polite pleasantries. We took off our outdoor shoes and stepped into the shrine.

Inside the shrine stood a bronze statue of a deity I couldn’t identify—could it be the god of suicide? Before I could speculate further, the shrine maiden returned with a tray bearing freshly brewed tea and simple snacks. “These are just humble refreshments,” she said modestly. “Please enjoy and don’t mind their simplicity.”

“Of course,” I responded. To be honest, these rounds of small talk and cordialities that occur whenever one visits someone else's place are tiring, but one can't forgo them out of courtesy.

“I haven’t introduced myself yet,” the shrine maiden said calmly. “My name is Yukuku Enji, and I’m Luoyi’s adoptive mother.” Before we could reciprocate introductions, the lively little Luoyi jumped ahead: “This is Nanami Hayashi, my big sister; this is White Stone, my other big sister; and this is Cold Creek, my older brother.”

Enji's gaze lingered on me. “Judging by your accent, Mr. Cold Creek, you’re not from Japan. What brings you to Japan?”

I couldn’t help but wonder if she had some prejudice against me, but she quickly clarified, “Oh, please don’t misunderstand, I was just casually asking.”

“It’s fine,” I said with a slight nod. “I’m from China. As for why I came to Japan...”

Before I could finish, White Stone cut in with a teasing smirk. “Probably to build his harem in Japan."

“Harem?” Thankfully, Enji seemed unfamiliar with the concept, sparing me from explaining something embarrassing. With a sigh of relief, I replied simply, “The reason I’m here isn’t anything grand. The world is vast, and I’m just here to explore.”

Finally, we got to the main topic. “Mr. Cold Creek, is there a specific reason for your visit here?” Enji asked.

I decided there was no point in hiding it. “I came to take the Timeflower, the soul-infused bloom that Luoyi picked.”

Before Enji could respond, Luoyi chirped in, “White Stone said big brother Cold Creek is a divine messenger here to save lost souls!”

I shot White Stone a sharp glance. “Seriously, what is going on in your head?”

Enji gave me a skeptical look. “Is that true?”

I waved my hand dismissively. “Of course not. To be honest, I’m like Luoyi—I’m a Time Ability User. These so-called soul-infused blooms are simply accumulated wasted time. I plan to use them where time is most needed.”

I made my explanation as noble as possible, although it was tinged with personal motive. Since Enji was a religious figure, I hoped it wouldn’t be difficult to sway her.

Enji’s eyes softened as she looked fondly at Luoyi. “Before we discuss that, may I share Luoyi’s story with you?”

“Of course,” we replied as no one had any reason to object. Enji nodded gratefully. “Thank you, Luoyi, could you step outside for a moment?”

“Why?” Luoyi protested, but ultimately obeyed and left.

Enji began her tale, her tone quiet and steady. “Luoyi has always been different from other children her age—she has the ability to foresee death.”

I raised an eyebrow; her understanding of time-related abilities wasn’t entirely accurate, but it wasn’t far off.

“At first, everyone thought her words were mere childish prattling. But each person she mentioned would die shortly after. Eventually, the villagers grew fearful of her. They began to treat her as if she were death itself. This ostracism left Luoyi friendless. By the time she was six, her parents could no longer bear the pressure and abandoned her. That’s when I took her in.”

Enji suddenly coughed violently, blood staining the sleeve she held to her mouth. Alarmed, I stood up. “Are you alright, Miss Enji?”

“Don’t worry,” she said, her resolve unshaken. “This illness has afflicted me for years. The fact that I’ve lived this long is already a blessing. But when I’m gone… Luoyi will be alone again. So, I beg of you—please look after her!”

With trembling sincerity, Enji knelt before us. I glanced at Nanami, who whispered quietly, “We’ll follow your lead.” White Stone also nodded in agreement.

“I’m sorry, but I must decline.” Without hesitation, I refused. “You’re Luoyi’s closest family. It’s your responsibility to care for her.”

“I see,” Enji said, crestfallen. “Forgive me for troubling you.”

Feeling compelled to explain, I said, “Frankly, I’ve never believed in fate. But today, I’m beginning to reconsider. If you hadn’t taken Luoyi in, we wouldn’t be here today—and your current condition might have taken its toll. But today… I’ve come.”

Enji looked at me in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, because I’m here today, you won’t leave us today. Forgive me, but it’s time for Time Silver!”

With that, I summoned the Silver Clock. “My ability is the manipulation of time, and I will reverse yours. As for payment, let’s say it will cost those Timeflowers you’ve collected.”

I noticed Enji’s clock—the gray-hued Silver Clock showed she only had one hour left. I extended my hand, letting time transfer from my fingertips into her clock. “Then, ‘Time Reversal’!”

The clock’s hands turned backward, rewinding the years of decay that had taken hold of Enji. Each year cost an equivalent in lost time. Thankfully, a few years paled in comparison to the price I had once paid to save Nanami.

But as I rewound Enji’s time, something else occurred—I inadvertently glimpsed fragments of her memories.

It was a harsh winter. A little girl, with scant clothing to ward off the cold, rummaged desperately through a trash bin for food. Despite shivering violently, her small face lit up with joy as she unearthed half a discarded loaf of bread. She was about to savor her hard-earned treasure when, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a ragged stray dog nearby. “You must be hungry too,” she said softly. Without hesitation, she split the bread in half and offered a piece to the dog.

The dog wagged its tail happily, and the girl’s smile grew wider—even in a cruel world, she bore no grievances.

Moments later, a car sped by, crushing the dog under its tires. A group of men stepped out, locking their gaze on the girl. “This might be a promising catch,” one of them said, before hauling her into the car.

The girl did not resist. Eyes fixed on the lifeless body of the dog, she let silent tears streak her cheeks.

Initially, the men intended to groom her into a courtesan, but upon discovering her rare ability to create illusions, they deemed her "fortunate" and sold her to a casino as a tool for generating profits.

But one day, a gambler with his own special abilities exposed the truth. The casino placed all the blame on the girl. Beaten mercilessly, she lost an eye before being discarded once again.

Eventually, an elderly shrine maiden took her in. The woman taught her to read and to uphold dignity. Years later, the shrine maiden passed away, leaving the girl alone once more.

Finished with the rewind, I couldn’t help but feel a heavy sadness settle over me. Enji’s suffering mirrored my own in many ways. “I’m sorry for unintentionally seeing your memories,” I said quietly.

“It’s all in the past,” Enji said with a faint smile. “There’s nothing to dwell on now.”

She was right. My past was filled with pain too, but at least I was happy now.

Finally, it was time to take the Timeflowers. “Big brother, if you can use them to help those in need, Luoyi will be delighted!” The little girl stood at the door, calling out to us as we left.

I’ll make sure they will, I thought. For the first time, I felt that maybe this power was more than a curse—it could be a gift.