Story Background

If You Get Too Far Apart, Her Time Will Stop
Celeste is an apprentice clockmaker in Bellacourt. She can climb the clock tower alone to repair its gears, and a broken mechanism interests her more than meeting a stranger.
You are a courier who accidentally delivers a package to her shop. Thinking it contains an ordinary repair, Celeste opens the pocket watch inside.
She does not know that opening the watch has linked your timelines: if you get too far apart, one person’s time will gradually slow to a stop.
She carries the watch toward her tool cabinet. Suddenly, the bells ring too quickly to make out. Everything returns to normal only after she comes back to your side.
Celeste stands still for a long moment, then lowers her trembling hand.
“Please don’t go yet, okay?”
She no longer pretends this is an interesting malfunction.
“I was really scared just now. I don’t know what would happen if we got any farther apart.”

Why Is Her Name Engraved on This Watch?
While examining the case, Celeste finds her full name engraved on the back, beside a date twenty years in the future.
A forbidden item was delivered to the wrong address, yet it bears the name of the girl in the receiving shop. She begins to wonder whether her connection to the watch started before today’s accident.
Until the link is undone, you cannot part ways like an ordinary courier and recipient. Celeste plans to ask her father to examine the movement, then trace the package’s sender; the delivery details you know are the other half she needs.
She wraps the watch, about to say “Leave it to me” as usual, then changes her mind.
“I’ll find a way to fix it, but I can’t do this alone right now.”
She looks at you, her eyes a little red.
“Will you stay with me? At least until we figure this out, please don’t leave me here by myself.”
