Beyond the Eternity

After Angelica finally released me from her spine-crushing hug, I found myself explaining everything to the current party members.

Today's topic? Resurrection.

"Normally, resurrection means coming back from death, but my privilege is a bit... different."

"Oh? How so?" Someone asked.

"Well… let's call it something closer to Restoration."

"Restoration? Are you some kind of video-game character?"

"A video-game character? How absurd. Do I look like a creature made of pixels? I'm clearly human."

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"But still, resurrection is a total cheat ability, isn't it?"

As an overwhelming sense of déjà vu washed over me, the Yoo Rin and Yoo Jinsung stared at me, stunned. It was clear they had never encountered someone who could return from death, and their eyes sparkled with excitement and curiosity at such an unusual phenomenon. In their eyes, I probably looked like some strange, otherworldly presence cloaked in mystery.

Before I knew it, the twins bombarded me with questions from both sides.

Teenagers were curious nowadays, weren't they?

I answered every question, satisfying their curiosity while deftly sidestepping the more challenging ones, sharing only what they needed to know. It felt like I was a teacher trying to keep my students engaged while skillfully avoiding sensitive topics.

As a writer, stepping into the teacher's role was naturally pretty simple.

Hmm?

Out of the corner of my eye, I suddenly spotted Angelica watching me from a distance, who showed no intention of coming closer.

What was she doing all the way over there? Wasn't she the one practically crushing me in a hug moments ago?

When she saw me looking, she flushed and turned her gaze away, visibly embarrassed. It was clearly about what had happened earlier.

But I wasn't complaining. In fact, her embrace had been unexpectedly… comforting. For someone like me, who'd never experienced a hug from the opposite sex aside from my mother, it had been refreshing.

Part of me wanted to feel that warmth again. But the moment was short-lived.

[Personal skill, Black Box has activated.]

My mind was immediately cleansed of any lewd thoughts and emotions, replaced by an uncomfortable sense of indifference that washed over me.

This damn skill. Why does it keeps suppressing my emotions?

From my observations, It seemed that the skill suppressed any emotions that reached a certain threshold, effectively dulling unnecessary feelings to maintain a calm state of mind and an indifference to the chaos around me. This detachment allowed me to think clearly, but it also kept me from fully experiencing moments that could bring joy or connection.

But what exactly was a Black Box?

It was a tricky question since the answer can vary depending on the context. Yet one thing remained constant: a Black Box always held hidden elements. What it could do—and what it couldn't—was part of the mystery that defined it. Perhaps It was a skill related to Schrödinger's cat theory or an unknown wall that allows the user to perceive the world like a paradox.

Or maybe it was a privilege-related power… no, that couldn't be right.

Before I could explore this thought any further, Yoo Jinsung called out, pulling me back to the present.

"By the way, Mr. Kim, why haven't we teleported yet?"

"Now that I think about it," Yoo Rin added, "isn't it strange? We killed the boss, didn't we?"

I sighed and answered while maintaining a calm, even tone.

"The condition to complete the Fifth Fable is strictly to escape." I gestured at a door behind me, "All we need to do is step through that door—it'll serve as a portal back to our present—and the Fable will be fulfilled."

"Is it actually that simple?" Yoo Jinsung looked unconvinced.

"Yes. It's that simple."

"So we don't have to do anything else?"

"That's right."

"Then..."

"Ugh, let's go already." Yoo Rin hurriedly walked towards the door. "I've had enough of this creepy place."

"Hey! Wait a moment...!"

Yoo Jinsung hurried after Yoo Rin, and together they both stepped through the door.

Angelica was about to walk through that opened door, but she paused at the last second, and turned to look back at me with a curious expression.

"Aren't you coming?"

"Go on ahead. There's something I need to take care of first."

"... Alright."

She gave me a lingering look before passing through the door. With that, the rest of the party returned to the present.

I was alone.

My expression hardened as I picked up the grimoire left behind by the black sorcerer and glanced around the blood-stained room.

"You can come out now."

In the silence and shadows of the blood-stained room, someone slowly stepped forward at my call. It was Mary.

She cast a lingering look toward the door where Angelica and the twins had vanished, then asked, "Are they really gone?"

I shrugged. "Once they're back in the present, they can't return to this point in the past. So, yes, they're gone."

"I see. I don't know much about time travel, but… I suppose that makes sense."

"Oh, by the way, have you finally made your choice?"

"T-That..." She looked down, and spoke with a small voice. "I don't know.."

It was clear why she'd hesitate, why despair settled in her eyes. She'd made the grave mistake of immersing herself in the story, surrendering to the role of a dark apostle. Because of that choice, she was forever bound to this place.

She was trapped in the past.

In such a situation, there were only two ways out: she'd either die by my hand or by her own.

Only death would break the hold of this place on her.

Mary bit her lip, with her face pale with the weight of this inescapable truth. Tears threatened to spill, and her voice trembled as she whispered, "This is so unfair… Why am I trapped in this cursed place?"

"If you hadn't chosen to kill those people, you wouldn't be in this mess. Did you truly think you would have a happy ending if you chose that path?"

She clenched her fists and spoke with a shaky voice.

"I know… I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have killed those people to save my own skin. But was it really my fault? I would've died if I hadn't. Anyone would've done the same… right?"

"That's correct. Anyone would've made that choice in the same situation. It's unfortunate. Truly. But you already know what you have to do, don't you?"

Her shoulders trembled, and a fragile silence settled between us, broken only by soft, wavering breaths.

How long did we stay like this?

Finally, Mary spoke again, with her voice steadier, and a glimmer of resolve in her eyes.

"I understand... If I must die, I'd rather it be on my terms."

"Do you have relatives or family? I can't promise anything, but I'll try my best to give them your final words if I manage to encounter them."

"I don't have anyone. I'm an orphan."

"That's truly unfortunate. Very well. In that case, take this."

I handed her the grimoire—the Book of Da'at Abyss. She took it, tilting her head in curiosity.

"What's this?"

"It's a Grimorie."

"A Grimoire? You mean like a Magic Book?"

"That's correct. The name of that grimoire is the «Book of Da'at Abyss». Make sure to remember it."

"I don't understand. Why give this to me? Wouldn't it make more sense to just take it Instead?"

I shook my head. "This book is from a past era, so I can't bring it back with me. But it's different for you."

"Me? What does it have to do with me? Didn't you say I had to kill myself to escape? Why are you even helping me?"

That was a good question.

Even though her situation was unfortunate, I had no real reason to help her. Giving her a grimoire with Void Magic was a risk I didn't need to take—in truth, it would've been wiser to just burn it.

However, there was a good reason for my decision.

There was a secret contained within the Fifth Fable.

「 There are Stories beyond the ones that are shown. 」

Just because there was story presented at face-value, doesn't mean that was the end of that story.

I met Mary's gaze, my voice calm but carrying a weight of truth. "Yes, your death is inevitable. But that doesn't mean it has to happen right now. Even though you may never return to the present, even though you've endured great misfortune, that doesn't mean your future is hopeless. As long as you carry the memories and stories you've made, you would never truly be alone. And as for why I'm helping you? Just consider it as a whim. I'm no hero nor a saint that would save any damsal in distress that comes my way. But I think you deserve a proper ending. Don't you agree?"

When the master of the dark apostles dies, the grimoire chooses a new master to replace its previous owner.

Mary, who was the only surviving dark apostle after her conversion, was the perfect candidate.

Trapped in the Fifth Fable? Lost in the past? So what?

She wasn't bound to the narrow confines of the Fifth Fable. She would break through its limits, enter the world of that era, and carve her name into history.

Even if she faced betrayal, even if she was hunted for being a black apostle, even if she found no true love in this past era, she will not be defeated easily—for she was now the grimoire's master.

This would be Mary Aldridge's new life.

"So, from now on, live the rest of your days with a smile and no regrets, regardless of good and evil."

At that moment.

Sob! Sob!

Mary's eyes welled up with tears.

She tried to speak, but her voice was caught within her own throat, choked by the overwhelming flood of emotions that had been building up inside her. She clutched the grimoire close to her chest as if it were her last lifeline as tears rolled down her cheeks.

She was meant to die and fade into obscurity as a lost fragment of the Fifth Narrative, yet she realized she could carve out a new purpose in this era.

"Could you please not cry. It makes me feel uneasy."

"Ah, sorry."

Mary wiped away her tears and looked at me. "Thank you. Really."

"No need to thank me. I'm doing this just out of a whim, remember? Anyway, I'll be on my way now."

"Very well then. Take care."

I waved at Mary as I walked toward a door.

It was the door that would take me to the world I knew. However, before I could cross that door.

"Wait..."

Mary called out from behind me.

I glanced back. "Something wrong?"

She hesitated. "No… it's just… I never got your name."

"My name?"

"Yes. You never mentioned it. At the very least, I want to know who you are."

"Is that really all?"

She nodded softly. "Yes…"

To think she would stop for such a simple reason? Was she always this cute?

I smiled softly as I casted one last look back at her.

"Jakga. My name is Jakga Kim."

"Kim Jakga..." Mary repeated, a faint smile forming on her face as she held the grimoire tightly to her chest. "I'll remember it."

I nodded.

As I turned toward the door, any form of emotion was suppressed by the Unknown Wall.

As I stepped across the threshold, my body dissolved into light particles, and crossed space-time at the light speed.

[You have successfully completed the Fifth Fable.]

[50,000 coins will be given as the main compensation.]

[You have completed a Sub Narrative.]

[5,000 coins will be given as additional compensation.]

[The <System> has detected a change in the Narrative.]

[A new item has been added as a bonus reward.]

[The Fragment 'Dark Messiah' (Lesser) has been added.]