God's Blessing is a Curse

The morning after the garden, the world felt thinner.

The clocks ticked louder than usual. Footsteps echoed longer. Even the sunlight seemed diluted—stretched across the floorboards like it was unsure if it belonged here.

Shuji hadn't said much since I returned the evening before. He took one look at me, nodded once, and returned to his ledgers. But I could tell something had shifted. He moved slower, more carefully, like he was waiting for the world to lurch sideways again.

I finished my tasks early. Delivered a repaired pocket watch to the merchant by the riverside. Wiped down the entrance panels. Inspected the mainsprings on three timepieces awaiting return.

But by midmorning, I found myself near the edge of the Tachibana estate again.

I wasn't planning to go inside.

I wasn't planning anything at all.

Just standing.

Then I heard a voice behind me.

"You don't learn, do you?"

I turned.