Beyond the Eternity

Upon death, your Body (그릇) and Source (우주) would be transformed into Furniture, doomed to remain in the Abandoned House forever.

This was the penalty for failing to clear the Sixth Fable.

It was a fate far more terrifying than simply dying.

"Oh my, it seems this one has broken."

"Let's take her to the Housekeepers for repairs."

"Yes, yes, she'll be fixed and good as new."

The other servants quickly noticed the situation and hurried to carry the still-laughing, bleeding maid out of the dining room, disappearing to some unknown destination.

They didn't even acknowledge our existence.

It was as if we were invisible in their eyes.

The rest of the group could only stare at them in silence, uncomfortable. Soo Jinyoung remained motionless, showing no reaction.

Ryu Yeji spoke first. He looked at me and asked:

"You referred to that woman as furniture. What did you mean by that?"

"Exactly as I said. She became furniture the moment she failed to clear the Fable. Didn't you see the penalty message on the Fable window?"

I replied, my tone flat.

"That's ridiculous. How can furniture walk and breathe? She's still alive, right?"

"No. To become furniture, you have to die. At least, that's what I believe. Considering the system's message at the time, I doubt this conclusion is wrong."

"So, if we fail... will we end up like that?"

His voice trembled slightly.

Moon Jiyeon interrupted. She spoke calmly:

"Calm down. Dwelling on thoughts like that will only weigh you down. Let it go for now."

"T-That..."

Ryu Yeji exhaled slowly, managing to regain some composure.

"Ah, sorry. How do you all stay so calm in a situation like this? Honestly, I'm envious."

"Good grief. How have you made it this far with such little restraint?"

"I guess I've just been lucky."

In this world, no one survives on luck alone. You're either a murderer, or you're already dead.

I turned my head and saw Soo Jinyoung already combing through the place, searching for that item. She really moves fast.

However, sometimes, It wasn't good to be too fast.

I stepped forward, approached the large table, and crouched down. My gaze swept across the surface until it landed on a small, glimmering object that resembled a shining ball.

It was a spiritual item that usually didn't take a physical form, but it wasn't completely unusual for it to do so.

As expected, it was here.

A satisfied smile tugged at my lips. The moment I grasped the small spiritual ball, a system notification appeared.

[Collected Shattered Fragments: 1/???]

Shattered Fragments.

The broken remnants of Memories. The clear objective of the Sixth Fable was to collect all the shattered fragments and unravel the mystery of the Abandoned House.

Those broken fragments were scattered throughout the House for players to find and collect them. They weren't easy to spot, unless you knew exactly where to look.

I stood up, raised the spiritual item, and called out to capture the attention of the party members.

"Everyone, attention please!"

As their gazes turned toward me, I began to explain.

"This item I'm holding is a Shattered Fragment. The objective of the Fable is to gather these fragments and examine them in order to solve the mysteries of this Abandoned House."

Moon Jiyeon asked, curious.

"What exactly are Shattered Fragments?"

"I don't know the entire details, but but from what I understand, these fragments are broken pieces of memories, scattered throughout the house. Collecting them is important if we want to clear the Fable."

"Interesting. So they're like clues to what happened here?"

"Exactly."

"So, we're investigating what happened here?"

"That's right. We'll begin the investigation. This broken shard is our first clue."

I focused, and then another system message appeared.

[Would you like to examine this shattered fragment?]

[ Yes / No ]

[ Yes (Select) / No ]

[Memory Examination will occur...]

I selected 'Yes', and the moment I did, something unnatural occurred.

Several shadows emerged from the doorway, entering the dining room one by one.

Each had a distinct posture, height, build, and gait, along with unique attire. The male shadows were clad in classic suits, while the female shadows wore elegant gowns and dresses. Among them was a shadow whose height matched Miyuki's, perhaps it might be a child around her age.

Regardless, one thing was certain. Their forms were closely similar to those of humans.

"?!"

The party members immediately dropped into battle stances.

However, the shadows showed no signs of hostility. Instead, they silently moved past and calmly made their way to the dining table. Perhaps they were sitting according to their hierarchy in the family, as the shadows seemed to take their places with an unspoken order, each settling into a seat that reflected their status.

How could one move with such elegance and order? Noble families are not to be underestimated.

The party members exchanged confused glances, but they kept their guard up as if waiting for something to happen.

Ryu Yeji spoke first. He asked:

"What are those things? They look like human, but they're shadows?"

"Ah, I see. I think I understand what's happening."

Moon Jiyeon sighed, and lowered the Poison Dagger. She looked at me and spoke, as if to confirm something.

"These people are the former residents of this mansion, correct?"

"Yes."

"But why are they in the form of shadows?"

To be honest, I was wondering the same thing. Could it be because it was a fragmented memory?

No, I shouldn't jump to conclusions at this point.

After settling into their seats and sitting in silence for a moment, the human-like shadows finally began to speak.

The First Shadow, a middle aged man with crimson hair, broke the silence. His voice was deep, carrying the weight of experience.

"Now then... how long has it been since we were last gathered like this?"

The Second Shadow, a composed and mature woman, answered thoughtfully with her finger on her mouth.

"I can't quite recall. Was it perhaps six years ago?"

The Third Shadow, a lively man radiating energy, chimed in with enthusiasm. He was dressed in a classic black suit, and his hair was crimson as well.

"Ah, yes! Six years indeed! I was so overcome with joy at the time, I could have wept. Truly, this is wonderful!"

The Fourth Shadow, a woman with a soft, teasing tone, chuckled lightly, with her crimson dress resembling a Chinese cheongsam.

"You're as excitable as ever. It reminds me of the old days when you'd stir up trouble, leaving behind a trail of teary-eyed girls."

The Fifth Shadow, another woman who spoke with quiet amusement, added.

"I agree, sister. Dante was rather reckless back then."

The Third Shadow, visibly flustered, widened his eyes and immediately protested.

"Oh, come on! Are we really bringing up ancient history when we're supposed to be catching up on the present? That was ages ago! I'm not that guy anymore—I married an amazing woman, and my son has grown into quite the exceptional young man."

Straightening his tie with a proud grin, he basked in his own words, clearly savoring the moment.

The Fourth Shadow shifted her gaze to a younger figure seated near the grand table. Though her facial features were unclear, the slight tilt of her head and the air around her suggested she was smiling.

"Ah, Adrian!" she called out warmly. "How have you been? I heard you recently graduated from the Academy with a law degree. Not only that, but you've inherited your father's striking looks. Surely, you have many stories to share."

Adrian, the young shadow in question, laughed awkwardly and scratched the back of his head.

"Ha ha ha! It's really not much of a story. And why do you always tease me like this, Aunt?"

From his youthful build, upright posture, and confident demeanor, Adrian appeared to be in his early twenties. His hair was a striking shade of blonde, and he wore an antique white suit layered over a black collared shirt, a golden tie elegantly draped around his neck, and matching antique white trousers. He radiated an air of timeless sophistication, as though he had stepped out of a portrait from another era.

Before he could say more, another voice cut through the room.

The Sixth Shadow, a young woman with smooth crimson hair and a playful voice, remarked.

"It's not uncommon for a child to resemble their parents, but don't you think Adrian bears an uncanny, almost unsettling, resemblance to Mr. Dante?"

The Seventh Shadow, a younger man, black haired, who had been quietly observing, added with a sly grin.

"That's very much true, indeed. Have you seen his baby pictures? It's downright scary."

Adrian's face twisted into a mock pout as he turned to retort.

"Oh, come on! Are we seriously bringing up my baby photos now? And for the record, I look nothing like my damn old man! Honestly, I don't see how anyone could even make that comparison."

No matter how I viewed the scene, this seemed like nothing more than a typical family gathering.

There was nothing odd or out of the ordinary in this fragmented memory.

Could it truly be just a normal memory? But why were their faces concealed?

Perhaps we need to gather more memories before we can reach a conclusion.

How long was it now?

The shadows of the former residents continued conversing among themselves, discussing various trivial matters, while the party members observed the scene in silent contemplation.

This was the first time they had experienced a Memory Examination, so it was understandable.

Meanwhile, Soo Jinyoung leaned against the wall, arms folded, and observed the scene with an expression filled with a mix of boredom and intense focus.

If I remembered correctly, this was her first time encountering a Fable like this. She was more accustomed to fighting through Stories, but her detective skills were far from lacking.

Her Dragon Demon Eyes would be useful in this Fable.

Deciding to ignore her for now, I turned my attention back to the memory, focusing on the scene that unfolded after a maid with mature features entered the room, carrying a silver tray laden with dishes, and carefully arranged the food on the large table before retreating quietly.

First, I memorized all of their names from their conservation. Discover exclusive tales on m,v l'e-NovelBin.net

The First Shadow was Julian Valemont, the Next Family Head and the First Son of the Family Head.

The Second Shadow was his wife, Victoria Valemont.

The Third Shadow was Dante Vermillion, the Father of Adrian Valemont.

The Fourth Shadow was Elena Valemont, the mother of Victor.

The Fifth Shadow was Isabella Valemont, the mother of the child shadow, Beatrice.

The Sixth Shadow was Iris Valemont, the daughter of Julian Valemont, and Victoria Valemont.

The Seventh Shadow was Victor Valemont.

The Eighth Shadow was Adrian Valemont.

The Nineth Shadow was Luna Valemont, the mother of Adrian, and the wife of Dante Valemont.

The Tenth Shadow was Beatrice Valemont.

The Eleventh Shadow was Simon Valemont, the father of George.

The Twelveth Shadow was Dr. Riccardo Falcone, the Family Head's personal physician.

From what I gathered, it seemed that not all of the individuals had lived in this house. The primary residents were the next Family Head, along with his wife and daughter, as well as the servants who maintained the household. Most of the others were based in different countries and cities. If I were to use Earth's timeline as a reference, this memory likely took place sometime around the 1980s.

Based on their accents and attire, I concluded that the house was located somewhere in England.

Aside from that, there was little else of significance, except for the fact that these individuals had gathered for their annual family meeting. However, the Family Head had refused to leave his chambers for some unknown reason.

At some point, the younger members—Adrian, Elena, Iris, and George—excused themselves from the dining room, leaving only the adults behind.

"?!"

The calm atmosphere suddenly grew tense, as if a heavy pressure had descended upon the room.

The adults' expressions shifted from calm to predatory in an instant, their eyes narrowing as they exchanged sharp, calculating glances.

It was as if the dining room had abruptly transformed into a battlefield.

I see. The previous conversation was merely a tactic to buy time. The real discussion was about to begin.

Julian Valemont scanned each person seated at the large table, with a sharp and calculated gaze, before leaning forward and finally speaking.

"Children these days... They grow up so quickly. It truly tugs at my heart."

"Indeed. They grow up so fast that I don't even recognise them anymore. Look at Adrian, I can't believe he had grown quite the remarkable young man."

Says Simon, while wiping a single tear.

"They have grown really fast, but I'm afraid we're not children anymore."

Says Elena.

"That's certainly true. Now that those little brats are out of the way, let's move on to the main topic of this meeting."

Dante said in a half-serious tone, adjusting his tie once again.

"Main topic? Whatever do you mean?"

"Don't act like you're unaware. Why drag this out any longer?"

Finally,

"Let's proceed with the intellectual discussion about the family inheritance."