Beyond the Eternity

"Did you find anything useful?"

A cold voice broke through my thoughts, grounding me in the present.

I turned my head to see Soo Jinyoung watching me. Her indifferent eyes carried a faint glimmer of curiosity, barely noticeable but impossible to ignore.

I shook my head.

"It's nothing important."

"Then what's that journal you're holding?" Her gaze flicked briefly to the book in my hands.

I hesitated, glancing at the worn cover. "It seems to be Reginald's personal diary. Do you want to take a look?"

"Hm..."

Without a word, Soo Jinyoung took the journal from my hands and began leafing through its pages. Her expression shifted subtly as her eyes scanned the writing.

Her brows knitting together in a subtle but growing frown.

"... What is this?"

"A love letter to his dead wife, I think," I said dryly.

She flipped to another page, her frown deepening. "Then what's this about a man who doesn't exist? Was his wife in love with... a fictional man?"

"Who knows? Maybe his wife really was in love with someone else. Or perhaps Reginald was so paranoid about the idea that he invented a fictional rival in his own mind."

"That's not right. He said something about taking away her silence. What does that mean?"

"I honestly don't know. I'm rather useless in this regard."

A wryly smile formed on my lips.

Minerva may have only sought solitude to reminisce about her past lover, but Reginald entered her life and somehow managed to claim her for himself.

Therefore, taking away her silence.

Reginald must have realized that Minerva was unhappy in their marriage at some point and became depressed. Her death only compounded his pain, leaving him alone in a world that felt emptier than ever.

Perhaps that was the true reason Reginald secluded himself in his study, refusing to step foot into the outside world.

He couldn't come to terms with the loss of his wife, Minerva. Even though he suspected she might never have truly loved him and had stayed by his side for reasons he couldn't fathom, his heart refused to move on without her.

Considering that Minerva was the Black Witch, it was likely she had stayed with him to pursue some hidden agenda. What that agenda might have been remained a mystery.

It was impossible to truly know the depths of another's heart. Even when you share your life with someone, you can never fully understand them, as they only reveal the image they choose to portray. In truth, even Minerva herself may not have fully understood the secrets of her own heart.

If Minerva didn't love Reginald at all, why would she leave him all her possessions and gold?

Witches were known for their greed, never parting with their possessions unless they gained something of equal value in return. If Minerva was truly a witch, her actions made no sense in that regard.

She was the Black Witch, therefore, the black sheep.

Even if Minerva hadn't felt anything for Reginald initially, she must have developed some affection for him over time. They shared moments of intimacy, which led to the birth of four children.

Two sons and two daughters.

Would anyone willingly bear children with someone they didn't love?

Perhaps such people exist—those who use children as pawns to achieve their own desires—but I don't believe Minerva was one of them.

Yet, that was not enough to convince Reginald, who was burdened by his own flaws and insecurities, causing a huge shift in his personality.

But was my deduction correct?

"Tch."

I clicked my tongue.

Damnit It. This won't do at all.

How can I possibly understand the true nature of their relationship by only reading one side of the story? And how does all that relate to Reginald's death?

Perhaps if he had taken his own life and plunged his family into a Game of Demons, then his story would have become a pivotal turning point.

"?"

My attention shifted abruptly to Soo Jinyoung, who was staring at me without uttering a single word.

What was it? Why was she looking at me like that? Had she remembered something?

"Ahjussi, I think I found something."

Soo Jinyoung and I both turned our heads at the sound of Miyuki's call. She was standing by the wooden table, staring intently at something.

We walked over and Miyuki pointed to something on top of the table.

It was a button.

I leaned closer, inspecting the small button Miyuki had pointed out.

It was old, worn with age, but unmistakably distinct. Its intricate design marked it as something more than a mere button. There was a peculiar symbol engraved on its surface, one I hadn't seen before, yet it felt oddly familiar.

"What is this?"

Soo Jinyoung narrowed her eyes, inspecting the button closely. "It looks like it could be part of some hidden mechanism."

"A hidden mechanism? You mean this is the button for the door."

"Maybe. Didn't you mention that the door could only be opened from the inside?"

"That's correct. But something feels off. No, it just doesn't make sense."

"What do you mean?"

I turned to Soo Jinyoung and said, "We have already confirmed that the door can only be opened from the inside, right?"

"Yes..."

"Then how exactly did the Family Head, Reginald, die? If he had to grant access, he couldn't have been killed by an intruder. The metal door to the study was too sturdy for anyone to break in."

"So It had to one of the family members?"

"Not exactly. He was still alive when his children confronted him, but he chased them away, and they all gathered in the parlor. That's why I suspect the killer might have been one of the servants."

"In that case, the Family Head's butler would be the prime suspect."

"But that's the problem. It's too obvious. Why would he kill the Family Head, especially when he's known to be the last person to enter the study?"

Soo Jinyoung fell silent, crossing her arms and resting her chin in thought. Her eyes narrowed.

"You're right. The butler couldn't have been the killer. It must have been someone else—another one of the servants, maybe."

"It's possible that the buttler left the study and came back only to discover Reginald's dead body."

"So he was framed?"

"I don't think it's that simple. Did you check around for any other hidden mechanisms? It's possible that the killer used a hidden door to kill Reginald and retreat without opening the main door."

Soo Jinyoung shook her head.

"No. There are no other extrances into the study, even in the other sections."

"Hold on... That doesn't add up. Reginald, the Family Head, was the type of person who locked himself away because he didn't trust his own family. There's no way he would have opened the door for anyone except his personal butler. If there were no hidden entrances then how exactly did he kick the bucket?"

Soo Jinyoung shrugged. "Maybe he simply killed himself. That's also a possibility considering his declining mental state."

"I know that but still...!"

If he had wanted to take his own life, wouldn't he have done so long before his 80th birthday celebration?

Furthermore, it would be too simplistic to say he simply took his own life. We still don't fully understand the depth of this entire incident.

Therefore,

"What If he died before his birthday?"

A voice suddenly asked.

It was an unexpected question.

Soo Jinyoung and I turned our attention to Miyuki who had been silent throughout the conservation. She looked at both of us with dull eyes.

"What do you mean by that?"

Miyuki snapped her eyes open.

"Eh? What do you mean?"

"Didn't you ask a question just now?"

"I asked a question?"

"You can't remember the question you just asked?"

Soo Jinyoung frowned, while Miyuki Kuroi tilted her head in genuine confusion, clearly unable to grasp the situation.

"I think I know what happened."

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Soo Jinyoung turned to me, "What do you mean?"

"Miyuki has the Medium attribute. It's possible that entities from the spiritual plane are using her voice to convey their thoughts."

"There's an attribute like that?"

"There are countless undiscovered attributes. Most are completely useless, but a rare few hold significant value. The Medium attribute is one of those rare exceptions, and I was genuinely surprised when I recognized it myself."

Soo Jinyoung's gaze shifted from me to the bewildered Miyuki Kuroi.

Her eyes began to glow with an otherworldly light, resembling flickering will-o'-the-wisps.

[Soo Jinyoung has activated Dragon Demon Eyes!]

Wasn't this person rather greedy?

She meticulously scanned all of Miyuki's information with her glowing eyes, carefully analyzing every detail as if conducting a thorough examination.

She spoke briefly.

"I see. I understand the situation now."

"What are you two talking about?" Miyuki asked, still looking bewildered. She clearly didn't grasp the extent of her own ability. How was I supposed to break this to her?

I crouched down and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder before speaking calmly.

"Miyuki, it seems you have the ability to see and communicate with ghosts and spirits."