Beyond the Eternity

[The <Twilight Shard> has activated.]

[You have been transferred to a space connected to the Spiritual Plane.]

A kaleidoscope of colors exploded in my mind, making it feel as though I'd been force-fed a cocktail of hallucinogens. A sharp, relentless pain pulsed in my forehead, as if my skull was on the verge of splitting apart.

Amid the throbbing agony, faint whispers began to rise, emanating from everywhere and nowhere at once.

[... Garshhhhhh ...]

[... Krrzzt—vhaterrrr...]

[... Naluhkethhh.....]

[... Sootherrr ...]

These weren't the voices of the Constellations. My severed connection to the world channel ensured I could no longer hear the messages of the Great Lords and Stars.

These voices belonged to something far more sinister: the inhabitants of this treacherous dimension.

They weren't gentle or welcoming. The whispers twisted and melded into a symphony of gibberish noises clawing at the edges of my sanity. It was as if the voices themselves were trying to burrow into my mind, splintering my thoughts with their unsettling cadence.

The pressure was unbearable. My consciousness wavered, and for a fleeting moment, I thought my mind might be ripped apart.

[The personal skill 「 Black Box 」 has activated.]

Silence descended like a thunderclap. The voices, so maddening just moments before, had vanished into nothingness as though muted.

The pain subsided in an instant. The throbbing in my head ebbed, and the distortions around me dissipated. My senses sharpened, but the world spun around me in a disorienting haze. I staggered, and struggled to regain my balance.

"This is..." My voice faltered.

When I finally steadied myself, my surroundings came into focus. I stood amidst a strange, alien expanse. Twisted reflections and warped landscapes stretched infinitely in every direction, casting fragmented versions of reality that defied logic.

The air quality felt dense and sticky. Beneath my feet, the ground was unnervingly cold, yet it also felt unstable, as if it might shatter at any moment. Scattered across the expanse were countless mirror fragments, guttering like fractured stars.

Those mirror fragments appeared as mere shards, but in truth, they were doorways. Illusionary pathways branched outward from them, connecting to mirrors or alternate, mysterious spaces. The paths twisted and interwove like a colossal, abstract spider's web, creating a labyrinthine network that bound this surreal world together in a web of shifting possibilities.

This was the Mirror Dimension.

"Well, this is interesting. It certainly looks as chaotic as the novel described."

I muttered in amusement, my voice devoid of fear or terror.

Some might call the Mirror Dimension a world of pure horror, but how could I not be fascinated by this scenery?

Despite looking as though it could collapse and fold in on itself at any moment, it appeared... alive. An ever-changing, pulsating reality, suspended between order and madness.

Truly, it was a realm of endless mysteries.

But I couldn't afford to linger on the scenery. I immediately checked the hidden narrative.

+

[Hidden Narrative – Fractured Reflections]

Category: Hidden

Difficulty: A++

Clear Conditions: Safely navigate the treacherous realm and return to your original world.

Time Limit: 5 hours.

Rewards: 12,000 Coins.

Penalty: ???

+

The narrative was exactly as Aurora had described. Her words flooded back to me in an instant.

[Under normal circumstances, the Mirror Dimension is pretty much unstable. However, the narrative should stabilize the world temporarily and protect you before the time limit runs out. But make sure to finish whatever business you have with that person and escape before the timer reaches zero. Otherwise, you will be consumed by the turbulence of the Mirror Dimension and lost there forever.]

I frowned. The stakes couldn't have been any clearer.

Apart from S-grade narratives, this was the first narrative I've encountered that carried a double modifier. It might has well been a S-grade narrative.

Of course, there was only one reason I'd willingly step into such a chaotic realm. Well... if I were being honest, there were two.

To accomplish both, I needed to find the correct path to reach that territory.

"The description of the Twilight Shard said I'd be invited into the Witch's Territory, but why wasn't I teleported there? Tch. Is this how anyone treats their guests?"

I clicked my tongue bitterly.

Calm down. If I was correct, someone should be arriving soon.

Tap—! Tap—!

Footsteps echoed, drawing closer as someone appeared, stepping lightly on the mirror shards.

A middle-aged man in a black tuxedo, with a monocle in his left eye, approached.

My instincts flared, and I reached for Silver Demon, [Ivory], hidden within my coat. But the man made no aggressive moves.

With composed courtesy, he inclined his head slightly. "No need for alarm. I am your escort."

"Who are you?"

"Ah, of course. My apologies for the oversight." He straightened, stepping back with an elegant bow that seemed rehearsed a thousand times over.

"My name is Orvian, the personal butler of Lady Minerva. She has tasked me with guiding you safely to her domain. Judging by your appearance and recent arrival, I assume you are the expected guest?"

I didn't lower my guard completely, but I allowed my hand to fall away from [Ivory]. "I suppose that would be me. Though I expected to arrive directly at her domain. Why was I sent here instead?"

"The Witch's barrier prevents teleportation directly into her domain. It is a measure of security. Allowing anyone to freely enter would invite... complications." He adjusted his monocle and gestured to the fractured pathways ahead. "Now, if you'll follow me, young guest, I shall guide you to her domain."

I studied him carefully, searching for any trace of deception. Finding none, I nodded reluctantly.

"Alright. Lead the way."

A faint smile touched his lips as he turned and began walking.

As we progressed, his voice drifted back to me. "Make sure to stay close. This realm is... unforgiving to those who stray from the path."

"Don't worry about me. I'm already aware."

"Good. Then let us proceed without delay."

With every step we took, fragments materialized beneath the soles of our feet. It felt like we were walking on the surface of water.

The path wasn't straight.

It twisted and turned, spiraling upward and downward Inexplicably.

With no distinction between ground and sky, the journey felt as though we were traversing an endless void.

The overwhelming nature of it all made me feel like I might lose my mind just from walking.

Luckily, I had asked Aurora to make arrangements with that person, so an escort was sent to guide me.

'I wonder what the constellations would think about this place.'

Not all constellations could enter the Mirror Dimension. In fact, even the most high-ranking constellations wouldn't set foot here.

A pity. I could have made a nice profit from extracting coins from the gullible constellations.

I sighed.

Time passed in strange increments. Minutes, hours? It was impossible to tell in this place.

At last, we arrived at a door hidden within the labyrinth of endless, illusionary pathways.

The nameplate upon it bore the words: "Tenebrous Night Haven."

"We have arrived," Orvian said.

He opened the door, and we stepped inside. As it closed behind us, the chaotic atmosphere of the Mirror Dimension vanished, replaced by an almost nostalgic familiarity.

I looked around. The interior bore a striking resemblance to the Witch's House, though subtle differences set it apart.

"Does this place look familiar?"

Orvian noticed my expression and asked, "Are you wondering why it resembles the House?"

"It looks similar, but different. What's the difference? And how do you know about it?"

"Naturally, we watched everything that transpired there. The furniture you know as the Seven Flames are simply Lady Minerva's means of keeping watch over her territory."

"So she saw everything?"

"Yes. She was quite pleased with how the events unfolded. As for your earlier question, the House you experienced was where Lady Minerva lived during her mortal days, before her death."

"Her death?"

"Indeed. To become a Witch, which is a higher sequence within the Path of Mysteries, one must first die. Of course, the process is... complicated. But I wouldn't want to bore you with long details. Come this way."

He gestured for me to follow, leading me up a grand stairway.

Like the house in the Sixth Narrative, the structure of this place was layered into multiple stories. Truly, it was a place with a dignified presence.

At that moment, I heard strange noises echoing from a nearby room.

"You bitch! How could you give up like that?!"

"While everyone was getting killed, you were enjoying yourself! What a disgrace!"

"Hit her some more! Maybe that'll jog her programming!!"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

"Damnit! Stop apologizing! It doesn't fit your character at all!!"

Several venomous voices burst out, accompanyed by something being hit. From the sound alone, it was clear someone was being beaten.

I froze for a moment, narrowing my eyes toward the source.

Orvian paused as well, glancing at me over his shoulder. "Ignore it. This is not your concern."

"What is happening in there?"

Orvian sighed, as though the question bored him. "Ms. Superbia is being disciplined by her sisters."

The name struck me like a lightning bolt.

Superbia. The Flame of Pride.

I see. So this was the place she had been transferred to.

"Is she being punished because she lost?"

"Not at all. It's how she lost that upset her sisters," Orvian said nonchalantly. "While the rest of the sisters fought to their last breath, the young lady simply gave up. Naturally, the others didn't take that well. They are... expressing their disappointment."

"I see."

The pieces began to fall into place. All the sisters had survived and were brought here. Thinking about it, the Seven Flames weren't human.

They were "furniture."

Fixing a broken human was difficult, but fixing broken furniture was a different matter altogether.

I shrugged my shoulders and turned away from the door. My curiosity was satisfied, but unease lingered in the back of my mind as we ascended further.

Orvian, ever the composed butler, remained silent for the rest of the journey, performing his role as an escort with quiet precision.

Not a word passed between us, his presence reduced to that of a shadow as he guided me through the labyrinthine halls.

Finally, we stopped in front of a massive door.

I glanced up at the nameplate, which bore the words, "Minerva's Study."

Orvian spoke with his usual formality, devoid of any emotion.

"We have reached your designation. Enter here. Lady Minerva is waiting for you inside, and with this, my duties as your escort are concluded until further notice from the Mistress herself."

"I see. Thank you."

"There is no need to thank me," Orvian said flatly. "I am simply performing my duties as high-quality furniture created by Lady Minerva. Offering gratitude to me is meaningless."

Furniture.

Even Orvian was one of them. A finely crafted piece of furniture, just like the servants and maids who populated this realm. Discover exclusive tales on empire

It was no wonder I felt so uneasy. Nothing in this place was truly human.

"With no further delay, I shall take my leave. I have other matters to attend to. I hope you succeed in whatever business you have with the Mistress."

Orvian turned to leave but paused abruptly, as though a thought had just occurred to him.

"One more thing. A piece of advice."

I raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"Whatever you do, do not upset the Mistress."

His voice shifted, losing its usual composed tone.

The warmth, even the veneer of politeness, vanished completely, replaced by something cold and foreboding.

For the first time, I sensed genuine weight behind his words.

"Although you have been invited here as a guest, that doesn't guarantee your safety. The Mistress's mercy is not infinite. She is as kind as she is cruel, as nurturing as she is destructive. A single misstep could turn her favor into unspeakable misfortune."

I opened my mouth to respond, but he continued before I could speak.

"Lady Minerva does not tolerate insolence or any form of disrespect. If you value your life, or even your soul, heed my advice. Choose your words carefully, and do not overstep your boundaries."

He hesitated for the briefest moment, and his eyes narrowed slightly.

"In the past, there was a brave fool who dared to insult the Mistress. They were transformed into a quivering cube of flesh, conscious yet immobile, condemned to endure an eternity of suffering. When the Mistress eventually grew bored of their torment, she cast them to the Demon Goats as a final act of kindness."

Only silence followed.

Without waiting for a response, Orvian straightened, and his expression reverted back to its usual impassive calm.

"That is all. May fortune be on your side."

With a curt bow, he turned on his heel and walked away, his footsteps echoing faintly down the endless corridor until they faded completely.

I stood there, staring at the massive door before me.

The butler's words lingered in my mind, replaying over and over like a haunting refrain.

A trembling cube of flesh? Conscious, yet unable to scream?

Goosebumps rippled across my skin as a cold dread coiled in the pit of my stomach.

That woman was far more terrifying than I had imagined.

"Well, I can't say I wasn't expecting something like this. After all, my opponent is a witch."

It was impossible to turn back when I have already come this far.

I took a deep breath to quell the unease growing within.

Then, with a firm resolve, I pushed the massive door open.