Korven closes Tynro's notebook for the sixth time. After reading it front to back for the sixth time. At first, she read the notebook for the sole reason of copying all important information about the chosen angels, so she wouldn't have to break any fingers to return to them later. By the fourth reading, Korven had copied almost every line down onto a series of her own notebooks, along with annotations and theories. Korven had grown up with a logical mind; this, along with her bravery and flawless memory, compelled Korven to pursue a career as a 'vigilante' detective. She hated every part of the mission, but once she was exposed to the truly evil nature of the Kilder underworld, she abandoned all hopes of a normal life, trying to defend everyone she could.
After reading the notebook for the sixth time, Korven had found all the clues left by Tynro for future readers. To start, putting the 25th letter of each line on page 25 (the page that acts as a bio on Hrin), next to each other, it spells HriNcaNtStAnd, or Hrin, Can't, Stand. A similar story with the page on Rulin, where the 30th letter on each line spells: sHemuSTblEeD, or She, Must, Bleed. The page on Aldrick didn't follow this pattern. Korven jotted these sentences down, even though she had not the slightest clue what these could mean, except for her leading theory,
"Weaknesses perhaps?" She mumbles to herself, curious about how many other codess she could be missing.
"Limitations?" She says, correcting herself.
But these sentences hidden in unassuming character bios aren't what caught her mind; in fact, it was something of much more significance. During her second read-through, she had noticed that Aldrick's name makes an appearance in a line unrelated to the Chosen Angels. A line about how Wuulyn had lied about his miracle. The line wrote,
"And even though Wuulyn defeated Aldrick, many people still judged him based on the fact that the colour of his skin was different from that of those in Kilder."
Korven originally skimmed over this section, as it had nothing to do with her mission. Once Korven paid attention to this portion on the second reading, she noticed Aldrick's name. Of course she did, those six letters shine too bright in Korven's mind for her not to. Aldrick's name could be written on the floor of the void, and Korven would still have seen it; The hatred Korven has for Aldrick is so grand that one might confuse it with undying love. As Frink Lenart would say,
"When love shines too bright, the only thing left to contrast it is hatred."
Ergo, when Korven noticed Aldrick's name, she immediately recognized how it didn't fit.
"Wuulyn never fought Aldrick. This line must be referring to his fight against Tranlen. Tynro would never make this mistake; there must be more to it." Korven thought after her second reading. Subsequently, her third reading focused mostly on finding other words that are out of place. The only one she could find was Aldrick's name.
"Aldrick, of course, has the power to turn invisible."
"After Arune's war against the gangs of Kilder, Aldrick took control."
"As the diplomat from Quenland, Aldrick's assassination was a story of international concern."
These three lines all must share something in common.
"I just have to find out what," she says, writing down every single code that Tynro had used in his notes.
"I am Korven, I see through the secrets of Kilder, and it is up to me to cut through them."
Korven had never seen the secrets so clearly.
"I am Korven, I see through the secrets of Kilder, and it is up to me to cut through them."
Korven had never been so close to cutting through them.
"I am Korven, I see through the secrets of Kilder, and it is up to me to cut through them."
Korven had never felt so alive, so alive that even when the city fell asleep, Korven didn't. She knows everything must be a clue, even if it's the slightest hint, Korven would consider it worth all the sleepless nights and wounds that had gotten her here. She tries to see if the names that Aldrick replaces have any importance; most of them have nothing in common. She writes down where each 'Aldrick' is found on one page and tries to connect them; the result is just a scribble, even when overlaid on a map of Kilder.
After 3 hours, Korven's notes are yet again full of crossed-out theories and tears, pouring from Korven's eyes.
No theory had worked, no clue appeared to her, no fit of genius had reached her.
"There must be a meaning, something that can help me find Aldrick. Tynro must have done this for a reason." Aldrick yells, eyes full of tears, more tears than Korven had ever expelled from the years of physical injuries she had gotten used to.
"Tynro was a genius! I have to figure out what this all means." Korven's denial-ridden screams lack the substance even to convince herself.
"This can't be a false lead, no, Tynro must have meant something, I'm just not smart enough to see through the secrets of Tynro, I don't see through the secrets of Kilder." Korven pauses before continuing,
"Why do I always come so close before failing? What am I doing wrong?"
Korven had stolen this book, hoping that it would be full of weaknesses and meeting spots. She had subconsciously hoped that it would be a guide on how to end a cult. But that wasn't the case; what was very little, even related to the cult, seemed useless.
First, Aldrick sent a message through her memory to meet, then Silia appeared at her door. Korven had gotten used to clues appearing, literally on her doorstep, that she had lost all of the urgency she once had. Tynro's notes were supposed to be a third perfect clue, as if Tyro wrote everything down for Korven. It wasn't.
Korven sits down on the grey, carpeted floor of her cramped apartment. Exhausted and lost.
By now, she had stopped crying and instead tried and failed to come up with some sort of idea, a move that she could make instead of waiting for a clue to arrive at her door. She allows her thoughts to flow through her body, letting her logical mind lead, hopping from one theory to the next. Outside of her window, for the first time in months, she can see the stars; every beautiful star that fills the sky reminds her how little everything truly matters. Each star she sees could be gone, and no one would know; only the light of the star matters; the death of a star from so far away doesn't even affect the night sky for thousands of years. How can Korven ever hope to make a change?
But that doesn't matter right now, for as long as Korven can change even one life, she would have left humanity brighter than if she hadn't been born. As long as she makes her mission her own, she might even have fun in her life.
"How can I call myself a detective when I can't even find the man who has sent assassins to my door. If he has really lost interest in me, then I have to find my own urgency, I have to find my own clues, tonight, I sleep, tomorrow, I find Silia."