CHAPTER 56: SYSDI 56: INTO THE HIGHEST FLOOR 7

Evan wasn’t mishearing it, was he? The other female voice really said Spire?

The very same person that he had found in his bedroom after she went in their house to seek refuge after escaping her kidnappers? That Spire?

"Maybe it’s not just here." Spire replies, a small sigh can be heard. "We’ve been for a while, Camela. Maybe we should try other bookshelves and hope we’ll find it there."

The female conversing with her, apparently named Camela, sighs back. "Fine. You look at the right corner. Spire and I will be on the left. Tell me when you find it. We’ll meet back here."

When the instruction was given, Evan saw that three yellow opaque dots finally started walking towards where they will search next.

He waited for them to pass by him to make sure that he won’t be noticed if he does move. And when he saw that they were far enough away, he closed the map and went towards where the last books were.

’Huh, wasn’t that Spire?’Iva asked, when he started to move.

Evan resisted the urge to roll his eyes. ’Why do you seem a little too slow on the uptake for that?’

Iva hums. ’Not really. I don’t want you them to hear you accidentally make any sound. Besides, the book they’re looking for... I know where it is~’

Evan raised an eyebrow at that. He is right in front of the bookshelf that he needs to be. ’Are you telling me this because it’s the book you want?’

’Yeah! Second row, third book from the right.’ Iva says.

Evan goes to the spot and picked up the book. There is a title on the spine: The History of the Ancestral Language of Ecklesi.

It is a thick book, maybe equivalent to at least five books over on top of each other. It is the biggest and thickest book that Evan has ever seen or held before.

’It’s heavy.’ Evan mentally complains. ’Are you sure you really want this?’

’Yes! Take it, put it in your item inventory and get the other books. You don’t want to be caught right?’ Iva says, almost in urgency.

Since Evan couldn’t lift it even if he tried, he sighs and called forth his status panel. Then, held the book by the spine without lifting it and just put it in his item inventory that way.

When he was done putting the book away, he saw that there is another blank book. It is one of the ones that he was there for.

He double checked the front, the back and the spine just to make sure. Once he did, he also placed that in his item inventory.

Afterwards, he opens the map and see if he can find the last one of the books that Iva had marked within it.

He found one of the in the other side. It was located on the sixth row and eighth book from the left.

’There’s nothing else left right? That’s it?’ Evan asked, just making sure that they got all the books they needed.

Iva hums. ’That’s all of it. Those are the only ones I found. And if there are more when we get back, then it will be when we get back!’

Evan nods his head. ’Okay. Then, we are out of here before they come back.’

Going out is actually much easier now that Evan knew where to go. Going up the stairs, he opened the map and was surprised to see that there is less people walking about.

Still, he sneaked in, he will sneak back out.

Besides, he didn’t want to make Clara suspicious about disappearing for a long time.

He made his way towards the door he came from to. The door creaks a little when he opened it, making him cringe a little bit before he was able to get out, and close the door on his way out.

He picked out a random book from the bookshelf, not sure what the title was and definitely didn’t care. Evan just wanted to get one to make sure that he can show Clara that he did borrow a book, and not multiple that he had placed elsewhere.

Back at the gated stairs at the opposite side of the room, Evan met up with Clara. She is leaning against the wall, juggling three books with one hand. Well, not quite. She is mostly just using her telekinesis to move them. There is a look of boredom on her face. It is clear that she has been waiting for Evan for a while now.

They made eye contact and a smile appeared on Clara’s face. "Ah, finally!" She exclaimed in a whisper. "What took you so long?"

Evan points a thumb on where he came from. "Didn’t find any books of interest. But I did a lot of walking around to double check."

Clara nods her head, didn’t seem to ask more questions. "Okay, fair enough. You got a book and I got some books here that are supposed to be downstairs. We need to come back down now."

Evan didn’t argue with that. He waited for Clara to open the first gate for them before descending the stairs. The second came next and then the third. There wasn’t any talking between them at all, just comfortable silence.

When they did reach the last part of the stairs and the gate was finally locked, Evan felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Evan, I don’t know what secrets you’re hiding." Clara began, glancing back up at the stairs they had just come from. "But I want you to know that if you need help in hiding stuff, I am around. I can even help you sneak back up next time if needed."

Evan nodded his head. "Okay... Why are you telling me this?"

Clara sighs. "I’m not stupid. I heard that door opened. It was quiet in that floor, after all. I don’t know what lies there and I think you do. Just... Whatever the reason you went there, count me in next time."