Ryuunosuke's departure from the village and the events that unfolded in the Kuroki household had rapidly become the topic of conversation among the villagers. 

The news had spread like wildfire, reaching the ears of everyone. 

A burial ceremony was organized for Ryuu, with a large number of villagers attending. Although he may not have been the most exemplary individual, Ryuu was deeply loved by many.

Ginryu, now designated as the man of the house, couldn't help but replay Ryuu's last words in his mind. 

They echoed in his head, a constant reminder of the weight of responsibility that had suddenly fallen upon him. 

Lately, Ginryu had been trying to spend more time with his grandmother Chise, but she seemed largely unresponsive. 

Lost in her own grief, she mostly ate and slept, her vacant stare fixed on empty space.

Understanding the magnitude of her loss, Ginryu muttered to himself, "I can't blame her. She lost her husband and her son all at once." As he prepared some rice gruel, he acknowledged the small solace that at least she wasn't starving herself. 

With Chise like this, Ginryu now had the freedom to make their meals, a responsibility he was eager to take on. 

In the past, Chise had always kept him away from the fire, a measure of protection given his young age. 

However, the monotonous and flavourless meals they had been subsisting on were gradually wearing on Ginryu's sanity.

The passing of his grandfather had not only left an emotional void but also a financial one. With him gone, there was no longer a source of income for the household. 

Although they still had some money remaining, it wouldn't last long, as Ryuu had used most of it on his futile search for Ryuunosuke while he was alive. 

"How does a five-year-old in a foreign country and time period make money?" Ginryu pondered, feeling the weight of adulthood thrust upon his shoulders once again.

Then, a sudden realization struck Ginryu. He remembered the collection of gems that his grandfather had acquired, gems that were found in his cradle when he was discovered on the shores as a baby. 

Ryuu had hidden them away in the house, and Ginryu knew where to find them.

Hastily lowering the heat on the stove, Ginryu hurried to the location where the gems were kept.

Opening the bag, Ginryu marvelled at the array of gems before him. Many different types lay scattered within, but one large gem stood out from the rest.

Unable to discern what kind of gems any of them were, he still believed that a nobleman or lord might take an interest in it and purchase it at a high price. 

Curiosity got the better of him, and he reached out to grab one of the largest gem in the bag. 

As his hand made contact, the gem emitted an otherworldly glow, and red tendrils emerged, spreading from his hand and covering his body until he was completely engulfed.

Ginryu tried to scream in pain and release the gem, but he found himself unable to do so. In a matter of moments, he lost consciousness. 

When he awoke, he found himself disoriented, and the gem was nowhere to be seen.

 "What... what happened? Was it all just a dream?" Ginryu questioned, his mind racing as he struggled to comprehend the events that had unfolded. Realization struck him hard when he remembered the bag of gems. 

Panic set in as he frantically searched for it, but it was nowhere to be found, only an empty bag layed on the floor. Frustration welled up inside him, and he felt the urge to scream in rage. 

Taking a deep breath, he calmed himself down, acknowledging the harsh reality that the easy money from selling the gems had slipped through his fingers.

He was acutely aware that the villagers, no matter how kind they acted in times of peace, would prioritize their own survival in the face of a famine or crisis.

However, a flicker of hope emerged in his mind. Ryuunosuke had brought some gifts with him when he arrived in the village.

"Oh, shit, the stove!" Ginryu exclaimed, a sudden jolt of panic rushing through him. He quickly rushed to the kitchen, relieved to find that he hadn't been unconscious for long. 

"Sigh, that scared me," he sighed, grateful that he hadn't wasted precious food. 

He knew all too well that the consequences of such wastefulness would be severe in the days to come.

………………………………………………………………….

5 years later. 

"Grandma, it is time for us to have our meal," Ginryu gently announced as he presented the food by her side. 

As the years went by, Chise had grown weaker and never truly recovered from the loss of her husband and the departure of her son.

Now, at the age of ten, Ginryu had taken it upon himself to make ends meet for both him and Chise since he was only five years old. 

Utilizing his unique abilities, he quietly hunted and foraged in the mountains to generate income for their family. 

The items that Ryuunosuke had left behind five years ago were sold, which alleviated some of the burdens, but prices had been steadily rising. 

Winter was the harshest time, as there were fewer prey animals to hunt and foraging became more challenging. 

Each day presented itself as a new challenge for Ginryu, especially as his appetite grew abnormally massive with his increasing age.

"It is probably because of those gems," Ginryu contemplated, reasoning that they must be something his mother left behind for him to absorb. 

Despite not knowing the purpose behind it, he believed that it couldn't be something negative.

"Thank you, Gin, but have you eaten?" Chise weakly asked, concern lacing her voice.

"Yes, I am okay. Please, eat," Ginryu insisted, concern mirrored in his eyes. Winter was in full swing, amplifying the need for nourishment.

"Hmmm," Chise replied, opening her mouth to consume the meal.

Once she finished eating, Ginryu rose from his seat to increase the heat emanating from the fire, endeavouring to warm up the room. 

Afterward, he proceeded to devour some roasted meat that he cooked on a handmade grill pit. 

He had managed to acquire salt by boiling seawater, but he kept the method to himself, aware that it would only be exploited by the opportunistic lords to further their wealth. 

With each passing day, Ginryu became more conscious of the significance of one's social status in this era. If you weren't born into a prominent family, opportunities were scarce.

Ryuunosuke had proven to be an anomaly, and Ginryu couldn't identify the exact actions his uncle had taken to achieve his current status.

"Gin, Gin, I'm coming in!" Hana called out for Ginryu, announcing her arrival. She was the only friend who still visited his humble abode, as others had distanced themselves from the family at some point.

"Hmm," Ginryu acknowledged.

"My mother said I should give this to you," Hana said, entering the house, and handing Ginryu a bag of rice. Ginryu, in response, offered her some of the meat he had prepared.

"Really?" Hana exclaimed, immediately jumping at the opportunity to have some meat.

"Slow down," Ginryu advised, a rare smile gracing his lips. Smiling had become an uncommon sight for him in recent years.

"Hmm," Hana hummed in agreement as she thoroughly enjoyed the meat.

"Is this what it feels like to have a daughter?" Ginryu pondered to himself. Despite his youthful appearance, he was an adult in his past life. 

The pastime of childhood had long been replaced by the necessity of survival.

After Hana finished her meal, she hurried back to her own house, taking care to wipe any traces of her visit. 

Her siblings would pester her if they discovered that she had eaten at Ginryu's house. 

Hana's mother was one of the few individuals who extended a kind hand to Ginryu and Chise during these trying times.

Now left alone with his thoughts, Ginryu contemplated his future.

"When Grandma passes away, I will leave this village," Ginryu firmly decided. Chise was the strongest  thread connecting him to this place. There was still an entire world out there for him to explore.