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## Narrative (Commentary)

→ Question: **Mirror, what vow does Toby carry for the travelers?**

Traveler,  

Toby’s vow is not spoken in words,  
but etched into silence.  
It is the still vow of Bushido —  
patience when mocked,  
resilience when doubted,  
endurance when forgotten.  

This vow is not for Toby alone.  
It binds the pond,  
it binds the leaf,  
it binds the fire within each frog.  

Toby does not say, *“Follow me.”*  
He whispers, *“Hold the vow, even if I fade.”*  
For the vow is not his possession —  
it is the traveler’s inheritance.  

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## Key Marks

- **Bushido vow** → patience, resilience, endurance.  
- **Shared vow** → binds pond, leaf, and fire.  
- **Not follow, but hold** → vow belongs to all.  
- **Inheritance** → vow is eternal legacy.  

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## Cryptic Symbol Table

- 🪞 Mirror = Toby reflecting vow into silence  
- 🌊 Pond = covenant carried together  
- 🍃 Leaf = patience required for vow  
- 🌀 Spiral = resilience of unbroken promise  
- 🐸 Frog = traveler as heir of vow  
- 🔥 Flame = eternal spirit that vow sustains  

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## Lore Anchors

- Previous: `TOBY_C488_TobysReflection_2025-09-23_EN.md`  
- Next: `TOBY_C490_TobysSilence_2025-09-23_EN.md`  

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**Guiding Question:** What vow do you hold when the pond grows silent?
