Chapter 7.1
Chapter 7.1
The first thought that struck her was that Damian had also read this book. Every night, multiple times. He knew how to get to District 12, and he knew where to hide from the Serpiente. If he were alive and hadn’t come to District 13, there was only one possibility left: he’d gone to another district.
But the questions didn’t end there. Where did Damian get this book? He must have known the things she’d deduced, so why hadn’t he said a word? What exactly was this book?
Unfortunately, the person who could answer these questions wasn’t here.
The only key left was Kyle, the one who had mentioned some ‘book’ to her. He hadn’t mentioned the title, but a strange certainty had grown in her heart on her way here.
The strong conviction that Kyle knew something. She had to see him, quickly. She had to see him and tell him everything, hear everything he knew.
Her fingertips tingled, and she kept clenching and unclenching her hand. Her anxiety grew with each passing moment, swelling like a balloon about to burst.
Just then, Susan returned from delivering her message to Kyle. She was alone, her expression apologetic and troubled. She offered Adeline a hesitant smile.
“Um… he know who you are, but he have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“What?”
“To mimic him exactly, he said, ‘I haven’t lent out any books. If you want to meet, make an appointment like everyone else.’”
Susan mimicked Kyle’s cold tone with a touch of playful exaggeration, as if trying to lessen Adeline’s embarrassment.
“He said he knew nothing about a book?”
“Yes. When I asked again, he seemed annoyed, even angry. Are you sure you’re not mistaken?”
“That’s impossible…”
“You said it was your husband’s book. Go and double-check.”
‘That husband you want me to check with has disappeared!’
She wanted to scream, but she held back.
This was an unexpected turn of events. Why would Kyle lie? He’d specifically asked for the book back. Questions piled up one after another.
Her mind was a jumble of question marks, with no reassuring exclamation points in sight. It was suffocating. Even as Susan and the woman at the desk offered to schedule an appointment, a thick fog lingered in her mind.
‘Where do I go to find answers now?’
***
The return trip was shorter, though she felt weaker. She repeatedly told herself not to give up, even if Kyle knew nothing.
‘Giving up isn’t like me.’
Arriving home, she showered, changed, and stubbornly opened the book again. She had to grasp at straws, delve into any clue she had.
With a renewed desire to investigate, her appetite returned. It was then that she realized, ‘Oh, that sandwich from yesterday was all I’ve eaten.’
She prepared a meal solely for sustenance: a basic salad, fruit juice, and vitamins. She ate the hastily assembled food while reading the novel. From beginning to end, she meticulously read every single word, devouring the text, striving to find even a single hint.
And as she closed the worn, yellowed cover, an unexpected visitor arrived.
It was Kyle.
***
“Has anyone visited this house looking for someone?” he asked abruptly as soon as she opened the door.
“What?”
“For instance, authorities.”
“Yes, several times.”
“I see. Would you care to join me for a walk?”
It was practically a threat, judging by his grim expression and frosty tone.
When Adeline hesitated, Kyle’s gaze fixed on the novel on the table. It was a clear signal. Adeline picked up her coat without complaint, the book clutched in her hand.
‘I’ll play along for now. I have a mountain of questions.’
Kyle walked in silence until they reached the common area. Adeline waited.
When they reached a secluded part of the walkway, he finally spoke.
“The circumstances are clear, so I’ll be blunt. Have you read that book?”
“Yes.”
Kyle’s pale face froze for a moment before he let out a short, resigned sigh.
“Then you must have many questions.”
“Yes. So many that I don’t even know where to begin. First of all, what exactly is that book?”
“A guidebook.”
“…What?”
“Exactly as it sounds. As you’ve probably guessed, it’s a guidebook and map to the underground districts.”
“I find that hard to believe, but let’s assume it’s realistically possible. Then who wrote this book? How did Damian have it? And how do you know about it?”
Questions flooded out like a tidal wave. Kyle remained silent, continuing to walk. Watching him sigh irritably, Adeline quietly considered the name she had just spoken. Her hand instinctively clenched into a fist.
“Damian. Yes, why didn’t Damian ever mention this book to me?”
At that moment, Kyle stopped abruptly. His expression now seemed to shift from annoyance to anger. He finally spoke, his face tight with suppressed fury.
“To protect you until everything was certain, of course. Speaking of which, are you insane? Bringing this to the Research Division. Why do you think I specifically asked you, and not him, to deliver the message?”
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