Beyond the Eternity

As soon as the Fragmented Memory ended, an uneasy silence descended upon the group. They were likely taking time to process everything they had just witnessed, especially since this was their first encounter with a Fragment.

Soo Jinyoung, however, was the exception. She observed the shattered fragment with a cool, detached indifference, as if it were nothing more than another passing memory.

No. If I voiced that thought, she'd probably get upset.

Regardless, this was only the first clue in uncovering what had transpired here, and it was important to take notice of every detail.

But it still wasn't enough.

I needed more information.

The first to break the silence was Moon Jiyeon.

"Wow... That was... something."

I muttered. "Yeah."

"So, those people gathered here for the Lord's birthday, but somehow, the entire thing turned into a discussion about inheritance instead."

"Pretty much. What a charming group of people, wouldn't you say?"

"It honestly terrifies me that I can't tell whether you're serious or sarcastic."

She narrowed her eyes.

I allowed myself a small smile, but her skeptical expression made me falter. Was my humor really that incomprehensible, or was her sense of it just that terrible?

"....?"

She kept staring at me, as if attempting to drill a hole through my head.

Noticing the situation, Ryu Yeji cleared his throat awkwardly to draw our attention before speaking.

"While we've uncovered the first clue, it doesn't exactly explain what happened here. We'll need to gather more fragments, wouldn't you all agree?"

"Yes. We need to find more fragments. The Lord's study might be a good place to start looking for clues."

"The Lord's study?"

I paused for a moment before responding. "Let me ask you this—If you learned your father had just sold all his properties, assets and gave away his funds, leaving you with no inheritance whatsoever, what would you do?"

"Oh, I see what you mean. I'd be furious. I honestly can't understand why anyone would do something like that."

That was the mystery.

In fact, I believe that was the pivotal moment that set this entire mystery into motion. Based on the information I've gathered from the Memory, I could imagine several possible scenarios, but I needed concrete evidence to confirm my suspicions.

Therefore, we needed to head to the Family Head's study.

We did just that.

Soo Jinyoung, having already memorized the mansion's layout and structure, guided us to the Family Head Reginald's study on the third floor.

But when we arrived...

"?!"

We ran into an unexpected problem. Unlike the other doors, which were simple wooden designs, the door to Reginald's study was forged from reinforced metal.

What was this? What kind of eccentric old man were we dealing with?

Ryu Yeji frowned.

"What? It's locked."

"An iron door? Seriously? Did he hate being disturbed that much?"

Yoo Rin said, irritated.

"And there's no keyhole anywhere. What kind of door is this? Perhaps it's the type that can only be opened from the inside?"

Moon Jiyeon narrowed her eyes at the metal door.

I said briefly:

"I think that is the case."

"So, what should we do now? If there's no keyhole, then how do we enter?"

"What if we just break the door?"

Ryu Yeji, growing impatient, unsheathed the Tempest Sword and prepared to strike the door.

"Hey, stop that."

Soo Jinyoung's sharp voice froze his swing mid-motion.

"Huh? The door only opens from the inside. How else are we supposed to get in if not by breaking it?"

"Breaking it does sound like a great idea..."

"Then?"

"...If this were a normal situation. But have you forgotten where we are? Breaking the door might trigger a trap."

"....!"

Her words snapped Ryu Yeji back to reason.

Sure enough, we were still deep in enemy territory. Damaging the door or any property in this house would only trigger its defensive mechanisms.

The other players must have made this mistake, failed the Fable, and ended up being turned into furniture as a consequence. Continue reading at mvl

I addressed the group.

"There are a few rules we need to follow if we want to clear the Fable without any problems. I know you've all seen horror stories, but let me lay out the key ones for you."

Yoo Rin said excitedly.

"Oh, horror is my favourite genre!"

"Ah, you too? Damnit... concentrate."

"I'm sorry."

I pretended to clear my throat to hide my embarrassment and regain my composure. I began listing:

+

Rule 1:

Never separate from the group unless absolutely necessary, and only travel in pairs when required.

Rule 2:

Avoid damaging any property within the House at all costs.

Rule 3:

Do not harm or interact with the Furniture (Servants) under any circumstances.

Rule 4:

Always inform someone before entering any room.

Rule 5:

Pay close attention to your surroundings. If you notice anything unusual, such as objects appearing where they shouldn't, report it to the group immediately.

Rule 6:

Do not eat anything you see in this House. Treat any consumable item here as if it's poisonous.

Rule 7:

If any 'Furniture' attempt to speak with you or even makes eye contact, kill them on sight.

Rule 8:

Never trust anything that seems too familiar. This House plays with your perceptions, and what you think you know might be a trap.

Rule 9:

If you hear any noises or voices coming from behind closed doors or in empty rooms, ignore them.

Rule 10:

If the lights begin to flicker, it's a sign that an enemy is nearby. Be prepared to fight or run.

+

Those were the ten rules mentioned in Song of Nightmares. This Fable existed beyond the influence of the constellations, making any reliance on their power useless.

In other words, we were completely on our own.

After I listed all the survival rules for the Sixth Fable, Yoo Rin tilted her head and raised her hand.

"Ahjussi, I have a question."

"Yes?"

"Doesn't Rule 7 contradicts Rule 4?"

"No. The furniture isn't meant to perceive us. If it does, it's likely an enemy disguised as furniture."

Miyuki, standing besides me, added. "Ahjussi, It makes me uneasy if you refer to them as furniture."

"Okay, I'll refer to them as servants. If any of the servants tries to speak with you, make sure to kill them immediately."

"Understood."

Yoo Rin and Miyuki answered like soldiers in the military.

Weren't they too energetic?

In any case, I asked:

"Any more questions?"

Ryu Yeji raised his hand.

"You said we would need to travel in pairs, but why would we seperate at all in this situation?"

"It's likely that at some point, we'll be forced to separate. If that happens, be prepared and ensure you regroup with another member of the team as quickly as possible."

"Okay. Understood."

"Any other questions? I don't mind going through everything over again."

"No. I'm good."

"What about you, Moon Jiyeon-ssi?"

"There's no need. The rules are simple enough."

"Yoo Rin?"

"No. I understand everything."

"Miyuki?"

"Nope."

Everyone answered one by one. It seems they understood the situation.

We would investigate the mystery of the Abandoned House while keeping those ten rules in mind.

There was also the 'Housekeepers' to worry about. But as long as we don't violate Rule 2 and Rule 3, then those people won't make an appearance.

My eyes caught Soo Jinyoung pacing down the dim corridor. Moments later, she approached, holding a faintly glowing spiritual orb in her hand.

It was a Fragment.

[Would you like to examine the Shattered Fragment?]

[ Yes / No ]

[ Yes (Select) / No ]

[Memory Examination will occur...]

Without wasting time, Soo Jinyoung proceeded with the Memory Examination.

Ding!

The memory started and the scene of multiple shadows banging on the metal door of Family Head's study emerged.

As expected, It was the continuation of the previous memory.

"Father, open the door!!"

"Why did you sell off all the assets and properties of the Valoment family?!"

"What about us? How could you make such a decision without telling any of us?!"

"Damn it! Answer us, Father!!"

It was a dramatic scene.

Elena Valoment, Dante Valoment, and Isabella Valoment pounded desperately on the heavy metal door, with their voices trembling with a mix of anger and despair. Some of theme were even on the verge of tears.

It was almost laughable, watching grown adults throw tantrums like children.

But It wasn't an unexpected reaction.

By selling off all the assets and properties, and draining the family funds through reckless donations, the Family Head had effectively declared that the Valoment Family no longer had a place in the world of wealth and power. He had stripped them of their legacy, their status, and their future. Worse still, it meant there was no inheritance left for his children.

Naturally, his children saw this as a betrayal. They were left with nothing—not a shred of their father's fortune, nor the hope of any future wealth.

All of them had fallen into financial ruin and pinned their hopes on an inheritance to solve their mounting troubles. Instead of waiting for their father to die and hoping to inherit his wealth, they had begun scheming, planning to corner their older brother and force him into sharing what little they thought he had.

Contrary to their expectations, Julian's financial situation was far worse than they had imagined. Even if they resorted to threats, it would have been pointless—Julian was as penniless as they were. Worse still, there was no inheritance to rely on, leaving them completely stranded.

Their frantic pounding on the door was a desperate attempt to force their father out of his study, to demand answers. But it was clear their father had no intention of opening that door anytime soon.

Minutes passed, stretching into what felt like an eternity.

Finally, a raspy, yet lively voice echoed from behind the door.

"ON THE SOUL OF MY DEAD WIFE, YOU'RE ALL ANNOYING! WHY MUST I BE BOTHERED WITH YOUR PETTY GREED AND SELFISH WHINING?! LEGACY THIS, LEGACY THAT... I DIDN'T KNOW I RAISED SUCH PATHETIC CHILDREN WHO CAN'T SURVIVE WITHOUT THEIR FATHER'S MONEY!! IF YOU DISTURB ME IN MY STUDY ONE MORE TIME, I'LL BURN YOU IN THE FURNACE! WHERE IS GEORGE? SEND HIM TO PREPARE THE MAGICAL WHIP OF DISCIPLINE!!"

The corrider fell silent.

Even the relentless banging of the door stopped at that instant.

It wasn't the sound of a man threatening with power, but the helpless, furious voice of an old man. Yet, the siblings trembled uncontrollably upon hearing it.

That voice belonged to their father.

Reginald Valoment.

He was the head of the Valoment Family and the father of its siblings, the man who had single-handedly risen the family from nothing to its current state of glory.

How could they stand against such a person?

It was impossible.

In the end, they could only grit their teeth, bite their lips, and clench their fists, unable to utter a single word in retaliation.

Even if they complained endlessly, it was their father who had built the Valoment Family to its current prominence. Therefore, everything belonged to him, not them. If he chose to leave no inheritance, how could they possibly challenge that?

It must have been heartbreaking for them. If I were in their shoes, I would have raised the white flag and ended it all.

Julian Valoment, who had watched everything unfold, wore a satisfied expression as if he was enjoying everything. Perhaps he was.

"As you can see, this is what Father has decided. Honestly, there's nothing we can do. I even cried myself to sleep for a whole week. Perhaps I should vent my frustrations in a book, but I have no talent for writing whatsoever. Hehehe...."

He said those words in a joking manner, trying to lighten the mood, but it only had the opposite effect.

His siblings shifted their gazes from the door and glared at him.

It was a glare filled with years of accumulated resentment, perhaps even since childhood.

"Julian... you bastard. Tell us, why are we only hearing about this now? If you knew what Father had done, why didn't you tell us sooner?"

Dante spoke with displeasure.

He made no effort to conceal the hostility in his words, but Julian responded nonchalantly as if mocking him.

"Why the hell are you looking at me like that? Even if I had told you, what would you have done? By the time I found out, it was already too late. I tried to recover the sold assets and salvage the losses, but it was a complete failure. Even if I bought those assets using loans, I would still need to pay those loans back, right? It's rather unfortunate. It truly can't be helped. It's really unfortunate."

"Tch..... Damn you..."

"..... Dear, please calm down."

"What are you saying, honey? Can't you see calm I am? I'm extremely cool..... You bastard."

Luna grabbed Dante's hand in an attempt to calm him down. But the gesture made him look truly pitiful, so he shook her hand off.

Julian laughed upon seeing his brother's weakness.

"… How truly tragic. How deeply unfortunate. This is such a sad situation, genuinely heartbreaking. In moments like this, I can't help but wish I could hear Mother's voice again and give her a comforting embrace. But unfortunately, she's no longer with us. Perhaps we should all drink tonight and forget about our misfortunes. After all, it is Father's 80th birthday. If we keep dwelling on this matter, wouldn't it ruin the mood? We aren't children anymore, didn't you all say so yourselves?"

The air around the siblings soured even further, but they stayed quiet. They seemed too tired and drained to respond.

Julian glanced at someone dressed like a buttler. He said briefly:

"George, look after Father. I'll take our guests to the parlour."

"Understood, sir."

The old butler, George, bowed respectfully and remained behind with the physician, while Julian led his siblings and the other guests downstairs.

[The Memory Examination has ended.]

[You have reached the end of this Memory.]