Mrs Elm reveals the nature of the place: "Between life and death there is a library," whose endless shelves hold books that each represent a different life Nora could have lived, offering chances to explore choices and undo regrets.

Nora asks if she is dead. Mrs Elm clarifies she is not; death is outside, and Nora cannot walk to it. When Nora says she wants to die and moves away, Mrs Elm explains that death does not work that way—death comes to a person.

This deepens Nora’s sense of incompleteness, prompting her to question why she isn’t dead after inviting it. Mrs Elm says Nora may be close to death and that people who pass through the Midnight Library rarely stay long.

Nora confronts a cascade of regrets—careers, relationships, and responsibilities she believes she failed. Mrs Elm concludes that while the Midnight Library stands, Nora is preserved from death and must decide how she wants to live, setting the terms for what happens next.