The Miserable End Of Fiction

A woman with silver-grey eyes stood there.

She was present, yet it felt as if she wasn't. The air did not shift around her. The world did not acknowledge her. It was as if reality itself refused to register her existence.

Her presence was a whisper, barely disturbing the silence, as if she belonged more to the void than to the world.

She stood among us, yet the space she occupied felt hollow—like a shadow without a source.

I took a step closer.

And yet, it felt as if I were approaching nothing.

"What are you, Granny?" My voice came out steadier than I expected.

She tilted her head slightly, silver-grey eyes narrowing in amusement. She had the face of a young girl, yet something about her was… ancient. Like a relic of a forgotten time.

"Such a rude brat," she muttered, lips curling into a smirk. "Did they forget to teach manners to the new generation?"

"You're talking about generations…" I hesitated, watching her carefully. "Are you also a Zoldyck?"

She held my gaze for a moment before speaking.

"I was."

Something about the way she said it sent a chill down my spine.

She was a Zoldyck—but not anymore? Had she severed ties with the family… or with humanity itself?

I studied her carefully. Her eyes… they were all wrong.

"All members of the Zoldyck family have deep crimson eyes. But yours… silver-grey. That's a contradiction."

Her smirk widened.

"Ah, these eyes?" She gestured lazily, and suddenly, a mirror appeared before me, reflecting my own image.

My breath hitched.

A young boy stared back at me.

Silver-grey eyes.

The same as hers.

I swallowed hard.

"Is this because of the power of Legacy?" I asked.

She leaned forward slightly, her smirk never fading.

"I like that you're smart. It means I won't have to explain everything to you."

Then, with a flick of her finger, the world around us shifted.

The eerie stillness was gone, replaced by something else entirely—a vast, endless garden overflowing with vibrant flowers. The scent of fresh blooms filled the air.

I blinked, disoriented.

I was no longer standing.

Instead, I sat at an ornate table, a plate of delicate cakes and pastries in front of me. Across from me, the silver-eyed woman sipped her tea, perfectly composed.

"Here, have some desserts," she said, gesturing towards the treats. "I know you like them. You may ask me any questions while you eat. I will answer them… as long as they are not bound by the oath."

My hands clenched into fists beneath the table. How did she know I liked them? But forgot this not important right now.

So there was a limit.

She couldn't tell me everything.

"What exactly is this oath?"

Her silver eyes gleamed.

"I can't tell you anything related to the oath."

Of course. But there had to be loopholes.

I took a slow breath, choosing my words carefully.

"Is this oath the reason our family lost its power and history?"

This time, she hesitated.

"I can't tell you."

It was different.

She wasn't avoiding the question—she couldn't answer it.

I was on the right track.

"Then let me ask this—who placed this oath on us? Was it humans?"

Her smirk deepened, clearly aware of my thought process.

"I can't tell you anything related to the oath."

Different phrasing, Not humans. That was unexpected. That left only two possibilities.

"Was it demons?"

"I can't tell you anything related to the oath."

Not demons either.

That left only one possibility.

The beings that lived in the sky. The so-called gods.

But I needed to be sure.

"Was it the gods?"

She closed her eyes and took a slow sip of tea.

"I can't tell you anything related to the oath."

My heart pounded.

No. That answer was wrong.

Then who—?

A thought crept into my mind, one so absurd that I almost laughed.

But if it were true—

A chuckle bubbled up in my throat.

And then I laughed.

"Hahaha! Granny, is it really true? Haha!"

She merely watched me, her expression unreadable.

"Was it both gods and demons?" I asked, amusement lacing my voice.

If they both feared our power, then it made sense that they would join forces.

She smiled.

And for the first time, she looked… impressed.

"I can't tell you."

A rush of exhilaration shot through me.

So it was true.

The realization coiled in my chest. Gods and demons, eternal enemies, united to bury the Zoldycks. 'What power did we wield that shook heaven and hell?'

My mind swirled with questions, but one thought stood out.

"But Granny… isn't the Zoldyck family famous for its swordsmanship? Yet, the power your eyes hold… it's different. What does it mean?"

Her smirk faded slightly.

"First of all, don't call me Granny, you brat."

She leaned back, folding her arms.

"The sword is merely a smokescreen, a distraction for outsiders. Our family's founder… she was not a swordsman. She had a different power. She married a sword saint, but the reason why remains unknown."

She reached out, running her fingers through my hair.

"Did she marry out of love? Or did she use his swordsmanship to protect the family? We don't know. There is no record of the founder in history. But remember this—the Zoldyck clan is both selfless and selfish."

"Selfless yet selfish? What do you—"

"Shh."

She pressed a finger against my lips, silencing me. Then, she continued playing with them absentmindedly.

"When a young lady is speaking, you simply listen."

I briefly considered pointing out her age but quickly abandoned the thought when I saw the glint in her eyes.

"And the true powerhouse behind the family… is not the men. It's the women."

I froze.

"What? Then what about the men's achievements?"

"There's a reason your father could not awaken the Legacy. Do you know what it is?"

"Because he was unqualified? No… that's wrong."

I had read that after our family lost its history, no one could awaken the Legacy. But the conditions for awakening it were never mentioned.

And there was also the oath.

And the true power behind the Zoldyck family… was the women.

Wait.

now..

Everything made sense.

Her smirk widened.

"Looks like you've realized it. Only women can awaken the Legacy. No man has ever done so."

I clenched my fists.

"The same goes for swordsmanship. The sword style that once struck fear into even the gods… no woman has ever mastered it."

I waited for her to finish.

"It is the rule of the Zoldyck family. Or rather, the natural law."

She leaned forward, her silver eyes gleaming with amusement.

"Now, what will you do, my descendant? Are you angry that you cannot awaken the Legacy you so desperately sought? Do you feel like you've lost your world? Tell me."

I stared at her.

My fate had been decided long before I was even born.

I couldn't awaken the Legacy.

What a joke.

But—