DEATH
It was a bright and busy day for Valencia, a mother of two who had just moved from Osaka (Japan) to Milan (Italy). She was busy organizing her belongings and her children's belongings in her new home. Besides organizing her belongings, she also cleaned up the empty spaces in her house, right down to the last room. However, strangely, while cleaning the last room, she discovered an old box with a sentence written on it in ancient Latin script.
Valencia, a former student majoring in Ancient Italian History, could certainly decipher the writing on the old box. The writing read "Aequus Esto," which means "Be Just." Curious about the meaning of the writing, Valencia opened the box. Inside was a gold bracelet adorned with jade beads. Valencia stood under the flickering light of the room, staring at the small object already on her wrist—a beautiful but gloomy-looking bracelet. As she put it on, the bracelet suddenly glowed, as if it had been waiting for her. At that moment, a strange sensation spread throughout her body. It wasn't pain, but something deeper, like an "understanding" implanted directly into her mind.
That night, while she was putting her children to bed, her ex-husband suddenly called and demanded money. Valencia, already quite upset by his behavior, suddenly remembered that a bracelet she owned could avenge him in a "fair" manner. She began to try it on. The next day, she received news from a relative that her ex-husband had died. Realizing that her wish had come true, Valencia jumped for joy. Realizing her plan had succeeded, she wanted to continue upholding what she believed was just. Her first target was a pickpocket who frequently disturbed the neighborhood. With just a brief touch, Valencia "sent a signal." Three days later, the pickpocket was found dead of a heart attack. The neighborhood thought it was a coincidence that actually brought everyone joy and peace. Feeling that her actions were accepted by the community, she continued her activities. Valencia tried again. And again. The result was always the same: everyone she targeted received the fair treatment she believed they deserved. Each of her targets inevitably suffered, whether it was disability or death.
Nothing ever went wrong. However, because so many people were suddenly experiencing horrific events, the local community began to become uneasy, and security officers became suspicious. Several officers were assigned to investigate the strange occurrences. Meanwhile, Valencia began to develop a system, targeting only criminals. However, the time intervals between the incidents were random, and there was no pattern to the locations. Valencia believed one thing: "I don't kill or harm. I just expedite justice."
Meanwhile, one of the officers assigned to investigate the case, Cyrus, sat in a room filled with investigation boards. Photos of the victims were neatly pasted, with red lines connecting them. Everything seemed random, until he noticed something small. Cyrus muttered, "They were all... in the same place before they died." Not the same place specifically. But a strange moment of interaction: a point where their lives intersected with someone else. Cyrus smiled faintly and muttered again, "So... this isn't an ordinary death." Valencia, beginning to feel watched, began to tighten her strategy. She feared an incident that would threaten her and her children's lives. However, strangely, some deaths occurred more neatly than she had planned. It was as if the world itself was helping to perfect the outcome. She ignored the changes.
Meanwhile, Cyrus began setting traps. He arranged meetings for certain people. He observed who "survived" and who didn't. And slowly, the circle of suspects began to narrow. One day, Valencia identified a target, a notoriously slippery criminal. But something was different. Day one: nothing happened. Day two: the target nearly died, but survived. Day three: the target died in an accident Aether never planned. Valencia fell silent. "I... didn't choose this." For the first time, she felt... out of control. Cyrus finally found Valencia. Not because of direct evidence. But because of the imperfect pattern that led them to meet. No confession. No threat. Just a look and a conversation. Cyrus said, "Do you think you choose who dies?" Valencia immediately replied, “I know what I’m doing.” Cyrus continued, “No. You’re just choosing… who’s worthy. But how they die? That’s not you.” Valencia fell silent. Cyrus continued, “Have you ever wondered… why everything is always ‘perfect’? Why it never fails?” The atmosphere turned silent. For the first time, Valencia felt… afraid.
She began testing the bracelet in different ways. She tried marking people at random. The results were always “neat.” She tried changing her mind at the last second. But the result was still a terrible event. And finally, she realized that the bracelet wasn’t following her will. Instead, it was directing her will. All this time, she felt like she was choosing the targets, she felt like she was controlling the system, she felt like she was the judge. But the bracelet was choosing everything. Valencia was merely an intermediary or a tool. This realization devastated Valencia. Everything she’d done up until now wasn’t her just will. Or could it be said that she’d been following a subtly implanted impulse? Valencia began to doubt herself. Every decision didn’t feel like her own.
Valencia had realized her mistake. Cyrus didn't arrest Valencia. He only took her bracelet. Before Cyrus left, he simply said: "If you never had control, Then the only way to stop is to stop. Humans often think they're in control, when in fact they're just following an invisible path. Power can be the greatest illusion. Not all choices are ours."