Aiden woke before sunrise.
The apartment was unusually quiet, the kind of quiet that carried weight. He sat up slowly, rubbing the back of his neck as the familiar, invisible shimmer of the system pulsed faintly in the air around him—subtle, but undeniably present.
Ever since Emma's lie yesterday had manifested in reality—a fully restored medical bill, a stocked fridge, and a school scholarship that simply appeared—Aiden could no longer pretend it was coincidence.
This was real.
He didn't know how or why, but Emma's lies were shaping his life.
He stepped into the living room and glanced at his sister sleeping on the couch, wrapped like a tiny burrito in their one thick blanket. Aiden's expression softened. Even now, even with a power that defied logic, he felt more fear than excitement. Because the truth hovered over him like a shadow:
If Emma's lies could create miracles…
What else could they create?
What if she lied about something dangerous?
Or impossible?
Or irreversible?
He forced the thought away. No—he wouldn't let anything happen to her. That was the entire point of everything he did.
He grabbed his jacket and quietly stepped outside the apartment to clear his mind before she woke.
The Neighborhood Whispers
The morning air was cool and sharp, carrying the scent of asphalt and rust from the nearby construction site. Aiden walked along the cracked sidewalk, hands shoved into his pockets.
Two neighbors—Mrs. Tan and Mr. Lim—stood beside the staircase, whispering in low voices.
"Did you hear?" Mrs. Tan asked. "That boy… Aiden Cross… apparently he won some kind of inheritance."
"Inheritance?" Mr. Lim frowned. "From who? He has no one."
"That's what I thought, but the children at school are talking. The sister bragged about her brother having 'a rich grandfather in the city.' Maybe the man died and left them money."
Aiden froze.
His heartbeat dropped into a slow, cold thud.
Emma wouldn't have said that… would she?
But she might have. Innocently. Carelessly. Children lie without meaning harm.
And with Emma… lies were never just lies.
Before Aiden could slip away, his phone buzzed violently.
A system notification.
One he had never seen before.
[NEW REALITY CONVERSION IN PROGRESS]
Trigger Source: Emma Cross – Unconfirmed Statement
Conversion Type: Inheritance Creation
Estimated Manifestation: Within 24 hours
Aiden nearly dropped the phone.
An inheritance?
A fake rich grandfather?
Money falling from nowhere?
This wasn't small like yesterday's changes.
This was massive.
And potentially dangerous.
He walked faster, nearly sprinting back toward the apartment. He needed to talk to Emma. He needed to undo this before it spiraled.
But when he reached the front door—
He saw someone standing there.
A man in a suit.
Tall. Sharp. Expression unreadable.
"Good morning," the man said, stepping forward. "Are you Aiden Cross?"
Aiden tensed. "…Yes?"
The man reached into his coat and handed him a thick envelope.
"This contains the documents regarding your inherited property and assets. Our firm represents your late grandfather, Mr. Alexander Vaughn."
Aiden's blood turned to ice.
"I— I don't have a grandfather," he said carefully. "There must be a mistake."
The man didn't flinch.
"Sir, our records are very clear. Mr. Vaughn left everything to you. And he instructed immediate transfer upon his passing."
Aiden's throat tightened.
The system wasn't just creating opportunities now.
It was creating people.
Histories.
Legal structures.
Entire realities.
The man continued, "We'll also need your signature at our downtown office later today. A car will arrive by noon to escort you."
Aiden couldn't even form words.
"Have a good morning, Mr. Cross."
The man bowed slightly and walked away.
Aiden stood there trembling.
This was no longer something he could ignore.
This was no longer just about money, food, or scholarships.
Emma's lies had the power to rewrite the world.
He opened the envelope with shaking fingers.
Inside were:
– A property deed
– A bank transfer slip
– A letter addressed to him, handwritten
– A legal family registry with his name and a grandfather he had never met
– A map to a mansion estate
His vision blurred.
Every document was real.
Every stamp verified.
Every number valid.
All because a ten-year-old girl said something without thinking.
Back Inside
Emma was in the kitchen pouring milk over cereal when Aiden walked in. She looked up with her usual bright smile.
"Morning, Aiden! Are you going to work early today?"
He stared at her—so small, so innocent—completely unaware that her voice alone could reshape reality.
He knelt down beside her.
"Emma… did you tell anyone at school that I have a grandfather?"
Emma blinked. "Huh? Oh! I told Mei-Ling yesterday. She said her grandfather is super rich and buys her toys all the time. I didn't want to look… you know… poor. So I said you had a rich grandpa too. I didn't think it mattered."
Aiden exhaled slowly and placed both hands on her shoulders.
"It matters," he whispered.
Emma tilted her head, confused. "Did I get you in trouble?"
"No," Aiden said softly, pulling her into a hug. "Not trouble. Just… next time, can you tell me what you say about me? Anything you make up, even small things. Can you promise me that?"
Emma nodded slowly. "Okay… but why?"
Aiden forced a smile. He couldn't tell her.
He couldn't burden a ten-year-old with a power she didn't understand.
"Because I just want to know everything you say. That's all."
"Oh… okay!" she said cheerfully and returned to her cereal, completely unbothered.
Aiden stood there, gripping the envelope behind his back.
He had to protect her.
He had to control this power.
He had to keep her from creating something catastrophic.
But above all—
He had to make sure no one ever discovered the truth.
Because if they did…
Emma would never be safe again.