500th Time Reborn, A World Only Known By Women: The Karma System

I followed after her and stopped at the door to read the following inscription for the fifth trial. So far, there have been some difficulties, but for the most part, anyone with a brain between their ears could have figured them out. This next door looked like it was going to be more of me type of trail, and I was kind of excited after all the stupid puzzles and sexual frustration, but it still seemed like a puzzle.

'The fifth trial will not be easy,

But if you can find the right key,

Then you will have won half the battle.

The other half is up to you.'

I turned to look at Kelly and lifted an eyebrow. "Find the right key?" I repeated, but she just shrugged in response. "Well... This should be interesting." With that, I opened the door and walked into what looked like a library. There were bookcases lined up against every wall filled with dusty old books; it looked like someone's personal collection. But there was something off about this place, too; It felt like I was being watched somehow... Or maybe it was because Kelly had been staring at me since we came in? Either way, It made my skin crawl a bit as I walked further into the room, looking around for any clues on where to start looking for this 'right key.'

Books were alright, but they were fighting and fucking, so being stuck in a room full of them for an extended period of time would probably send me over the edge, but thankfully, I didn't have to look for long. Taped to the side of one of the bookcases was a scrap piece of paper with something written on it. I snatched it off the wall and quickly looked it over before pocketing it into my jeans.

"What does it say?" Kelly asked from behind me, making me jump a bit; I had been so focused on looking at the paper that I hadn't even heard her move!

"It says to find the book with the missing spine and then use that to open the door," I explained as I started looking around for any books that looked like they were missing a spine.

"That's easy enough," Kelly said after a moment as she started walking down one of the rows of books. "I mean, how many spines can be missing from these things?"

She had a point there; It couldn't be too hard to find one book with a missing spine in all of these, but it still took us a while because this room was fucking huge! We ended up finding it in the back corner on one of the top shelves; whoever put this together really wanted us to work for it!

"Got it!" Kelly exclaimed as she pulled the book off the shelf and then started walking back to the door.

"No, wait!" I called after her as I ran to catch up. "We still need to find out what the key is."

Kelly just stared at me for a moment before groaning and turning back around to look at the book in her hand; It was an old leather-bound book with no title, and it looked like it had seen better days. She opened it up and started flipping through the pages until she finally stopped on one near the middle of the book.

"What does it say?" I asked as I peered over her shoulder to try and read it, but the writing was too faded and smudged to make out.

"It says... 'The key to the fifth trial is...'" Kelly trailed off as she squinted at the writing, but then she frowned and shook her head. "I can't make it out; It's too faded."

"Let me see," I said as I held my hand out for the book, but Kelly just tightened her grip on it and stepped back away from me.

"No! I found it, so I get to read it!" She snapped at me, and I just stared at her for a moment before finally sighing and shaking my head.

"Fine... But hurry up," I muttered before turning around to lean against the door while Kelly continued to try and decipher the clue. After a few minutes, she finally gave up with a frustrated huff before shoving the book into my hands.

"I bet you are great at making friends," I growled at her as I took the book and started to stare at the only words in the book. "The key to the fifth trial is...'" Just like she said, it was too faded and smudged to make out, but I could see a few letters that looked familiar. I just needed to piece them together in the correct order.

After a few minutes of staring at it, I finally had it, and I turned back to Kelly with a smirk on my face. "The key is 'love.'"

Kelly just stared at me for a moment before scoffing and shaking her head. "What is that even supposed to mean?"

"I have no idea," I admitted as I shrugged and started walking towards the door, but Kelly just stood there staring at me with a confused look on her face. "Are you coming or not?"

She didn't respond but just turned and followed after me as I walked up to push on the bare door, but nothing happened. I pushed again a bit harder, but still nothing.

"What's wrong?" Kelly asked as she came up to try pushing as well, but gave up right away in frustration. "This is pointless! There is no keyhole or anything!"

"Yeah, I noticed that too," I muttered as I stepped back and started looking around the room again; There had to be something that we were missing. The inscription said that the other half was up to us after we found the key, so whatever it was, it had to be in this room somewhere.

After a few minutes of searching, Kelly finally let out an excited shout which caused me to jump and turn around to see her standing in front of one of the bookcases with a triumphant look on her face. "I found it!"

"Well, don't just stand there; Show me!" I exclaimed as I hurried over to where she was standing.

She turned and pointed at one of the books on the shelf with a big heart on the spine, and sure enough; It looked like there might be a hidden compartment inside of it!

I pulled the book off the shelf and then carried it over to one of the tables before setting it down and then looking back at Kelly with a raised eyebrow. "Well? Aren't you going to open it?"

She just glared at me for a moment before finally sighing and rolling her eyes as she walked over to join me. "Fine... But I get to keep whatever is inside."

"We will see about that," I muttered under my breath as Kelly pried open the hidden compartment; Inside was a small silver key, but there was also something else in there too... A ring! And not just any ring either; It was an engagement ring!

"What is that ring for?" Kelly asked, and I frowned.

"It's an engagement ring. You give this to someone that you are going to marry or become partners with, I guess," I explained, and Kelly nodded as she picked up the ring.

"Okay, but what are we supposed to do with this now?" Kelly asked as she looked at the ring that had a single-karat diamond placed in it. "It is kind of pretty."

"I am not sure," I said as I reached down to grab the key, but the moment my hand touched it, the room started to spin and change.