The days passed at a steady rhythm, as if time itself had decided to move in a straight line without deviation; waking up, eating, working, returning to the inn, bathing, training, and finally sleep that swallowed whatever energy remained in my body.
A routine… one that had become familiar—so familiar it nearly became a part of who I was.
Until the second week arrived.
I woke up that morning as I always did.
Nothing set it apart from the others. I ate quickly, then headed to work with steady steps.
Deep down, I knew this day was different…
not because anything obvious would happen, but because it was the day I would receive a new ability.
Even so, I chose to postpone thinking about it until I returned, as usual… I wanted to experience the moment of discovery with full focus, without the exhaustion of work or the noise of others clouding it.
The day passed in slow monotony; cleaning weapons, organizing crates, and repeating tasks that held no surprises.
Even the sunset felt like a copy of the ones before it.
I received my pay, then returned to the inn with Visper. We exchanged a few passing words, then ate in near silence.
After that, I went up to my room.
I closed the door quietly behind me…
Silence.
I took a few steps forward, then sat on the edge of the bed and let out a long breath, as if releasing whatever remained of the day.
Then I said in a low voice:
"Ability card…"
For a moment, I felt nothing.
No tension… no overwhelming excitement… just a calm anticipation, mixed with a faint hope.
I didn't expect much this time…
But deep down, I wished… just for something reliable.
And suddenly—
It appeared.
A golden card, shimmering like the sunset as it embraces the horizon's last threads of light.
It wasn't just a card… it was a presence… something that demanded attention.
I slowly reached out, my eyes scanning its details.
[ Category: Class C. ]
I froze.
I blinked once… then again.
"Class… C?"
For a moment, it felt like the words had lost their meaning.
Is this… real?
My breathing quickened without me realizing it, my focus locking onto that one word as if afraid it would disappear if I looked away.
"I'm… not dreaming… right?"
A small, hesitant smile began to form on my face…
Then gradually turned into genuine happiness.
I got it…
Sooner than I expected.
I continued reading, my heart still beating differently:
[ Ability: Unwavering Memory. ]
I raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Memory…?"
I kept going:
[ Description: You can remember anything that happens to you in this world, down to the smallest and most insignificant details. ]
My eyes widened slightly, my mind racing.
Everything…?
Even things I don't notice?
Scenes, words, faces, fleeting moments… all preserved?
I whispered to myself:
"This might be… more useful than it seems."
I continued:
[ Usage: Remember important things such as passwords, answers to questions, and more. ]
A faint smile appeared again—this time more confident.
"If I had this ability in my previous world…"
I paused, then chuckled softly:
"I would've been first… without any effort."
Then I reached the final line:
[ Conditions: You can only use it ten times per month. ]
I nodded slowly.
"Ten times…"
Not much… but not too little either.
It was… reasonable.
Reasonable for someone who was starting to learn how to use what they had… instead of rushing blindly.
And as I absorbed all of that—
The card vanished.
Gone as suddenly as it appeared…
As if it had never been there at all.
But its effect… remained.
I lifted my head slightly, looking at the ceiling, a calm smile forming on my face.
"I'm… evolving."
It wasn't just a passing thought…
It was a truth beginning to take shape.
Step… by step.
I might not be the fastest…
But I'm not standing still.
I placed my hand on my chest, feeling the steady rhythm of my heartbeat.
"And I'm… getting closer."
Closer… to my goal.
To my family.
To the truth still waiting for me somewhere.
...
I fell silent for a moment, staring into the empty space before me, as if trying to fully grasp what had just happened…
Then I breathed slowly and said in a quiet voice:
"Status window."
It appeared instantly, glowing with its familiar calm blue light, like a piece of the ocean placed in midair.
[ Yes, user. ]
I observed it for a few seconds, then spoke more seriously:
"Tell me everything important about the Unwavering Memory ability."
The response came quickly, as cold as ever:
[ The card has already explained everything. ]
I narrowed my eyes slightly, then exhaled.
"Then… I'll ask some questions."
I hesitated for a second before asking:
"Can I remember things that happened before I obtained this ability?"
A brief silence…
Then:
[ No, user. That is not possible. ]
I lowered my gaze slightly, feeling something faint tighten within me.
"I see…"
I muttered softly:
"That was… expected… somewhat."
But despite expecting it… a part of me had hoped otherwise.
I raised my head again.
"Second question… can this ability affect me in any way?"
This time, the answer wasn't just direct…
It felt heavier:
[ Physically: No.
Psychologically: Yes.
With your ability to recall everything in detail, you may revisit events you do not wish to remember. ]
I froze.
The answer wasn't shocking…
It was clear.
Too clear.
A faint smile formed on my lips… but it didn't reach my eyes.
"I understand…"
I said quietly:
"That… makes sense."
But inside me, something else was forming—
An unsettling thought.
That I won't forget.
Not just the good moments…
But the bad ones too.
Mistakes… regrets… the faces I left behind…
Everything I tried to bury… would remain.
Clear.
Present.
As if time itself had stopped there.
I slowly raised my hand and closed the status window.
The blue light vanished…
And the room returned to its heavy silence.
I lay back on the bed and let out a long breath, feeling as if my entire body collapsed at once.
"Ah…"
I whispered tiredly.
It wasn't just physical exhaustion…
It was something deeper.
Something that built up with each passing day… unseen.
I stared at the ceiling, my eyes half-closed, as thoughts began to creep in uninvited—
"I wish…"
I paused, then continued in a barely audible voice:
"I could go back…"
To my home.
To my warm bed…
The one I never truly appreciated.
To the smell of food…
To my mother's voice calling me…
To those small details…
That I never realized were… everything.
A bitter smile formed on my face.
"Even university…"
I let out a soft, empty laugh.
"I used to complain about it…"
I closed my eyes slightly, as if seeing those days before me.
"And now… I wish I could go back… even for one day."
Silence.
Heavy… but honest.
Then I whispered:
"But…"
I slowly opened my eyes, staring into the void.
"Reality… isn't a place where wishes come true."
I took a deep breath, as if convincing myself:
"And if they came true easily…"
I paused for a second, then continued:
"They wouldn't mean anything."
Finally, I closed my eyes.
This time… for real.
My body was exhausted…
And my mind… even more so.
But through all of that—
One thing was clear:
I have no choice… but to keep going.
And with the last thread of consciousness…
Everything sank into darkness.
And I slept…
A deep sleep…
Unlike anything before.