Beyond the Eternity

Chapter 217 Mirror Which Separates Two Boundaries [2]

Listening to the group members recount their experiences one by one, I couldn't help but feel a mixture of unease and curiosity.

I had asked them to share what had happened while we were separated and placed in the artificial dimension designed for the Hidden Narrative. Although the setting for the Main Narrative was the Witch's House, the Hidden Narrative could only exist within the framework of the Main Narrative. This meant that we had never truly left the house; instead, we had been trapped in isolated spaces within it, unable to interact with each other until the enemy was defeated.

At the same time, we were tasked with locating the missing Memory Fragments, a vital step that complicated the already dangerous scenario.

Like I once explained to Kagura Kuroi, it was akin to placing a smaller cube within a larger one.

From the outside, the artificial dimension was invisible, but from the inside, it resembled the house, albeit with subtle changes that made it look slightly different.

It could be described as a Sub-Space within the mansion, one that could be manipulated and altered at will.

However, that wasn't the confusing part.

The confusion set in when I inquired about their battle with the enemy, and they answered, quite naturally, with an expression that seemed completely unreasonable.

Soo Jinyoung: "I was stripped and had my back lashed with a whip."

Moon Jiyeon: "I was swallowed whole and almost digested."

Yoo Rin: "I was beaten up and slammed through multiple floors."

Miyuki Kuroi: "I was bullied."

"•...•"

I was silent.

Honestly, I didn't know how to respond.

How could anyone react to such statements when they were made so nonchalantly? Or maybe it was just exhaustion settling in?

I did not know.

At the same time, my curiosity reached its peak.

Who wouldn't be curious?

Such nonchalant statements were bound to spark curiosity, and I was, after all, a rather curious individual.

So, I asked for the real juicy details, and the group explained.

For Soo Jinyoung, she had faced two sisters: Invidia and Avaritia, the Flame of Envy and the Flame of Greed.

They were both opponents, sisters, who could manipulate the House and wield Magic.

Apparently, they were proficient in Binding Magic.

Binding Magic was a Mystery Art capable of immobilizing its target while simultaneously draining their magic reserves. With such overwhelming abilities at their disposal, they had easily subdued Soo Jinyoung and turned her into their plaything.

I initially thought it was a joke, but Soo Jinyoung didn't have a sense of humor, so there was no way she could be joking.

I couldn't even picture her attempting it.

「 He thought, she was that type of character. 」

I moved to the next person.

For Moon Jiyeon, her opponent was Gula, the Flame of Gluttony.

The problem for Moon Jiyeon was that, unlike the others, she specialized in Divination and lacked significant combat skills. At best, she could rely on a few artifacts for survival, but Gula proved too overwhelming.

She described the moment she was swallowed whole, her body trapped within the suffocating heat of Gula's stomach, barely clinging to life.

Her face was pale as she recounted her experience, and her voice wavered ever so slightly.

It was understandable.

Anyone would have been terrified in that situation. Her expression remained composed, but her trembling hands betrayed her inner turmoil. It was clear the ordeal had left its mark, instilling some form of trauma.

But what could I do? It wasn't like I was some therapist.

I didn't know how to comfort others. All I knew was how to write stories about these experiences.

「 Everything was just a story. 」

Then I moved on to the next person.

For Yoo Rin, like Soo Jinyoung, she fought against two sisters.

They were Ira, the Flame of Wrath, and Acedia, the Flame of Sloth.

At first, Yoo Rin fought only the Wrathful Flame and managed to defeat her despite Ira's overwhelming advantages. She didn't go into much detail, and dismissively referred to Ira as "annoying" to fight.

The real challenge arose when Ira and Acedia merged.

No. That couldn't be called a fusion.

The only downside was that I lost a chunk of my with that move.

Wait a minute... How come I lost more reality points from the Gacha than the Randomiser?

With that thought, I frowned.

What was the difference between the two? Did it have something to do with probability? Why was there a difference in probability?

As I pondered, I realized I needed to experiment with [Drafting] to gain a clearer understanding.

On the bright side, I did manage to pull some useful items from the Gacha. The extra items were stashed away in my Watcher's Dimensional Star Coat, while others were sacrificed into [Fusion] to create the A-Grade Twin Swords, Vesper & Aurelia. The twin swords were handed to Yoo Jinsung, while the Earth-Scorching Gauntlets went to Yoo Rin.

Although I was concerned about the "nature" of those gauntlets, they seemed surprisingly calm for something classified as a demonic artifact.

It should be fine, right?

I shook my head, dispelling the lingering thoughts.

Finally, I turned to the last member of our group, Miyuki Kuroi, the youngest among us all.

I looked into her eyes and asked,

"What happened on your end?"

Miyuki fidgeted slightly before responding, "Um, well... I fought a strange woman called Luxuria."

"Luxuria?"

"Yes! She could set traps and use some kind of strange magic! I don't fully understand it, but she attacked me using the air itself! Something about altering the properties of Ether. It was... weird."

"Altering the properties of Ether? I see. It must have been the manipulation of the four main elements to form a new law."

Miyuki blinked, staring at me. "Eh? Ajusshi, you understood that right away?"

"No. It was just a guess."

"That didn't sound like a guess," she countered, pouting. "You said it with certainty!"

Damn. This girl was too smart.

A certain someone behind me was staring daggers into my back.

Soo Jinyoung.

Her piercing glare felt like it could bore a hole straight through me. If she noticed how much I knew, it could lead to complications.

No one in South Korea was supposed to have this kind of information.

Let's change the subject and divert her attention.

"Ah," I said, feigning curiosity, "now that I think about it, how did you guys manage to defeat the enemy on your own? You never mentioned that part."

The group members exchanged glances before replying with unnervingly casual expressions, as if they were discussing the weather.

Soo Jinyoung shrugged and said, "Crushing."

Moon Jiyeon added, "Poison."

Yoo Rin chimed in, "Punching."

Finally, Miyuki Kuroi, looking slightly excited, exclaimed, "Burning!"

"•...•"

I blinked, utterly at a loss for words. The sheer nonchalance of their responses left me questioning my own sanity.

Were they serious? Or was this their twisted idea of humor?

This group... should I be impressed or concerned?

At this point, I didn't know. No, something was seriously wrong here.

It felt disturbingly familiar, too similar, in fact, to what I'd experienced when I first entered the so-called safety zone under Kim Minhyuk's rule.

At that time, It was Lee Jongho.

A creeping suspicion began to take root in my mind.

Could it be... these guys?

Were they messing with me on purpose? Or was I simply the only sane one in this entire scenario?

Either way, I decided to keep my doubts to myself. There was no telling what they'd say, or do, if I accused them outright. Instead, I bit the inside of my cheek and nodded, pretending I wasn't quietly losing my grip on reality.

"Right... crushing, poison, punching, and burning. Got it," I muttered, more to myself than anyone else.

For now, I'd play along. But the moment we got out of here, I would find a therapist, if not for them, then for myself.