So… after the two completely burned themselves out in their on-the-spot race—an impulsive contest that left the streets utterly ruined—they finally made it to their destination.
The aftermath of their sprint was written plainly on their bodies. Both of them looked like they were standing on the very edge of collapse, chests heaving violently as they sucked in air like it was the only thing keeping them alive. Their legs trembled beneath them, muscles screaming in protest, every step and breath demanding rest that neither of them could afford just yet.
"Hah… look at you…" William wheezed, forcing out a crooked grin despite the way his vision swam. "Just a little jog and you're already tired… don't tell me you're gonna collapse just that."
He tried to sound confident, but the shake in his voice betrayed him. His legs quivered uncontrollably from the sheer power he had poured into the run, and he had to brace his hands against his knees just to keep himself upright. Every muscle felt stretched thin, like one wrong move would snap something important.
A short chuckle came from beside him. Lerna wasn't in any better condition. Her breathing was just as ragged, her legs sore and wobbly as she struggled to maintain her balance. Sweat clung to her skin, and her posture sagged as exhaustion weighed down on her all at once.
"Please…" she muttered between breaths. "Like you can talk…"
The moment the two of them finally started to give in, their knees buckling as they leaned back from sheer exhaustion, strong hands suddenly caught them both.
A jolt of surprise shot through them, followed by a cold chill crawling up their spines. Instinct screamed at them to react, but their bodies simply refused.
"Hah… it hasn't even been a day yet and you two already made a big mess."
The voice was firm, deep, and calm—strong, yet strangely gentle. It caught them completely off guard. Slowly, stiffly, they turned their heads toward the source.
Towering over them was a giant woman, easily standing around seven feet tall—maybe even taller. Her presence alone felt overwhelming. Her black eyes were deep and unreadable, like bottomless abysses that swallowed light itself. Dark gray hair was braided neatly around her head, leading back into a thick ponytail that rested behind her.
The two of them stared, momentarily forgetting their exhaustion.
"Hm?" the giant woman tilted her head slightly. "Somezing on my face?"
Her tone was casual, almost amused. That snapped William and Lerna back to reality. With a sudden burst of adrenaline, they straightened themselves up despite their aching bodies and exchanged quick glances, each silently asking the other the same question.
Do you know who this is?
Recognition dawned a moment later on the giantess's face. She brought one fist down into her open palm with a soft thud, a surprisingly gentle smile spreading across her features.
"Ah. Right." She nodded to herself. "I vas sent here by Boss Farah to help you two. You can call me Tethy."
To prove it, she reached into her pocket and pulled out her AC-B ID, holding it up clearly for both of them to see. The identification left no room for doubt.
Just as William and Lerna noticed something off—some detail they couldn't quite place—Tethy swiftly tucked the ID back into her pocket and continued speaking, as if nothing had happened.
"Anyways," she said, waving a hand dismissively, "since you two seem to be… good. I'll take you to your target—"
That was as far as she got.
Both William and Lerna collapsed again, bodies finally giving up as the reality of their exhaustion came crashing down on them all at once. They hit the ground limply, consciousness slipping away almost immediately.
Tethy let out a tired sigh.
Without hesitation, she bent down and carefully scooped them both up, one under each arm, surprisingly gentle despite her size. She adjusted her grip just enough to make sure neither of them would wake.
"Let's get out of ze bubble first…"
She turned and began walking away, heading toward a building on the outskirts of Oksbøl. With each step she took, the destruction left behind by the two slowly vanished. Cracked pavement repaired itself. Debris lifted and settled back into place. Everything reverted to its original state, as though nothing had ever happened there at all.
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After getting some rest, the three of them found themselves back where they were before. Tethy stayed close, effortlessly stopping any fight that broke out between Lerna and William without fail, usually with nothing more than a firm hand or a sharp look.
As they walked, William's attention drifted elsewhere.
Something was wrong.
All around them, nothing moved. The air felt strangely still, oppressive in its silence. Objects that should have been affected by the environment simply weren't. A flag mounted to a wall was frozen mid-blow, fabric locked in place as though time itself had forgotten it existed.
"That's… weird," William muttered.
Tethy followed his gaze to the flag and immediately understood. She looked back at him, her expression turning thoughtful.
"Ze file you got from Boss Farah," she asked, "did you notice anyzing weird viz it?"
William and Lerna both paused, thinking back to the information they'd been given. Slowly, pieces began to fall into place. William connected the dots first.
"Is it Doe Peace's Conviction?"
Tethy nodded silently, confirming it before continuing.
"Her Conviction makes it so ze flow of change stops in a large area around her. Zings exist in a natural flow of time and change. As time moves, changes occur."
She bent down, picked up a small rock from the ground, and tossed it away. It sailed through the air, exactly as expected.
"But vhat if ze flow of change is removed from ze equation?"
The rock suddenly reversed direction.
It flew back toward them at incredible speed, slicing through the air before dropping neatly back into Tethy's hand—and then falling to the ground exactly where she had found it.
"Time makes it so change doesn't happen by reversing ze effect of change," she explained calmly, "reverting it back to its previous state."
She straightened up.
"Zat's ze power of her Conviction."