Chapter 10
Chapter 10
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: Chameleon (2)
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'Even if the Chameleon transforms, it can't acquire memories from long ago.'
The briefing information flashed through my mind.
It was a weakness: even if the monster absorbed memories and knowledge, it couldn't perfectly obtain recollections from the distant past.
That just might be our breakthrough.
I scanned the people gathered in the living room again.
We had each faithfully carried out our assigned roles.
Seo Ji-hyun was still glued to her smartphone, but every now and then she lifted her head to check the positions of things like the fire extinguisher in the corner of the living room or the poker by the fireplace.
At the same time, her fingers danced busily across the screen.
She was probably cross-referencing the suspects' personal details and any peculiarities.
Information gathering. She was doing her part.
Now it was my turn.
My role was to approach people as naturally as possible and probe their 'old memories.'
I headed toward the fisherman.
"...The rain's coming down so hard, we can't go out... Did you come here to fish?"
When I struck up the conversation, the fisherman glanced at me.
"...Yeah, I was planning to take the boat out, but with rain like this..."
"I used to go fishing with my dad every summer when I was a kid... Have you been fishing since you were little?"
At my sudden question, the fisherman furrowed his brow for a moment before chuckling and opening up.
"Well, me... I grew up in a mountain valley in Gangwon Province. Back then, we didn't even have proper fishing rods. I'd just tie bait to some string and catch sweetfish or whatever by the riverbank. Didn't get into real fishing until I moved to Incheon as an adult."
He seemed to be reminiscing about the distant past, squinting as he gazed out the window.
There was no fabrication in his expression or tone. At least, that's how it felt to me.
This qualified as an 'old memory' easily.
Could a monster fabricate a story this detailed?
"I should try fishing again sometime after all these years."
"You know, living life, I've found no hobby beats fishing."
I nodded along appropriately and wrapped up the conversation.
The fisherman turned his gaze back to the window.
As I returned to my spot, I made brief eye contact with Seo Ji-hyun. She gave a slight nod.
She had just confirmed there were no lies in what the fisherman had said.
She must have verified that his hometown was a mountain valley in Gangwon Province and that he moved to Incheon as an adult by comparing against the data.
This level of info was something she could check with the materials provided.
The odds of the fisherman being the monster just dropped.
Now the remaining suspects were the owner grandfather, the grandson, the dog, and the young couple.
Right then—
Voices rose from the young couple sitting on the sofa in one corner of the lobby.
It started as whispers, but soon the woman's sharp tone mixed with the man's defensive replies, slicing through the heavy air in the living room.
"Haa... I'm gonna step out for a bit to clear my head."
In the end, the man shot up from his seat with an irritated look, stomping up the stairs to the second floor.
The living room was left with a chilly silence, the woman fuming with her arms crossed, and the others at a loss.
Opportunity.
I quickly signaled Han Sora and Seo Ji-hyun with my eyes.
Han Sora nodded and smoothly approached the woman on the sofa, striking up a comforting conversation.
I took the opening to quietly climb the stairs.
I needed to check on the man who'd gone up to the second floor.
The second-floor hallway was darker and quieter than the first.
A faint smell of cigarette smoke wafted through.
Following the scent to the end of the hall, I found an open window with a man leaning against the frame, smoking as he stared outside.
It was the guy who'd stormed up just moments ago. The pouring rain was lightly dampening his shoulders.
He was somehow managing to smoke in this downpour.
Sensing my approach, he turned his head.
Our eyes met, and he gave an awkward, bitter smile.
"Ah... haha. Could you not tell the owner grandma? It's raining out, and I got frustrated without thinking..."
"Ah, sure. Of course. I came up here because I got frustrated after arguing with my friends too..."
I replied awkwardly and stood beside him.
I opened the nearby window and gazed at the rain.
At first, he eyed me oddly, but when he saw me exhale deeply out the window, he seemed to feel a sense of camaraderie and spoke up.
"Whew... This is driving me crazy. I don't know why my girlfriend's so on edge today... We were fine until just a bit ago, right? The trip was great the whole time, but starting this afternoon when the rain really started pouring, she suddenly flipped out."
He exhaled a long plume of smoke and continued.
"I asked what I did wrong, but she won't even give a straight answer... It's killing me. I have no idea what's up with her."
His face was etched with genuine frustration and bewilderment.
He truly seemed clueless about his girlfriend's sudden change.
While comforting the man, I checked the map in my head.
The clean layout of the second floor appeared, with no red dot.
'Not him.'
Since the map distinguished between the second and first floors, I could be certain the guy in the couple wasn't the monster.
If we could lure them up one by one, separating them might make identifying the monster straightforward.
"...Maybe everyone's on edge because of the rain."
"...You think?"
I offered some generic reassurance and left first.
The man was still staring out the window, his expression unresolved.
A little later, I came down to the first-floor living room, where Han Sora had finished talking with the woman and stepped back.
I signaled Han Sora and Seo Ji-hyun with my eyes, then headed to a room on the second floor to avoid the others' notice for a quick strategy huddle.
"So, how'd it go?"
Han Sora spoke first when I asked.
"That woman said today marks exactly two years since they started dating. But her boyfriend totally forgot and just planned the trip. She'd been upset about it, and when he didn't pick up on it, she blew up."
"Two-year anniversary..."
That made her anger understandable.
I relayed what the man had told me to the two of them.
"I talked to the guy earlier, and he said they were fine the whole trip until this afternoon when the rain started pouring, and that's when she suddenly changed."
Seo Ji-hyun looked up from her phone screen at my words, furrowing her brow.
"Hmm... Seems like it really was their two-year anniversary."
The woman's anger had a valid reason.
"The guy's not the monster? How does he forget the two-year mark?"
"It happens a lot."
"Huh? Really?"
Seo Ji-hyun stated it firmly at Han Sora's surprise.
I nodded with a wry smile.
It's more common than you'd think.
From the conversation alone, the guy seemed a bit suspicious, but I'd confirmed he wasn't the monster.
Now, three suspects left.
The owner elderly person, the grandson, and one dog.
"The problem is, it's tricky to verify 'old memories' with them."
Just as Seo Ji-hyun said.
It was natural for a child not to know things from years ago. Obviously, we couldn't exactly ask the dog about its past either.
The owner grandmother was the most feasible, but it wouldn't be strange if her age made her memories fuzzy.
"For now, let's report the situation so far to the team leader and keep observing."
No better ideas came to mind.
We each settled into corners of the living room, discreetly watching the remaining suspects as time passed.
Outside the window, the fierce rain continued to pour, and the time inside the pension dragged on slowly and anxiously.
As evening arrived, the owner grandmother bustled about the kitchen with the young child.
Chop chop chop.
The elderly person prepped dinner with practiced knife work.
The puppy stuck close by, eagerly snapping up any vegetables that happened to fall.
Steaming dishes were laid out on the living room table, and at the elderly person's call, everyone in the pension awkwardly gathered around.
The mood at the table was predictably poor.
The anxiety and disappointment of being trapped in the storm.
The awkwardness among strangers, plus the couple who'd even argued—it all hung heavy over the meal.
"Mmm~ This is delicious!"
"Aww... Seeing you eat so well is a joy."
Han Sora forced a cheerful tone to praise the food, but it couldn't fully dispel the awkwardness.
I acted as naturally as possible, observing the others' expressions and behavior, but spotted nothing unusual.
As the meal neared its end, Seo Ji-hyun quietly rose and headed to the kitchen.
Pretending to get water, but I intuited she was checking something.
Moments later, she returned casually with a glass of water and sat back down. Then, under the table, she tapped my leg with her foot—just for me to notice.
She had something to say; come quick.
I finished eating without changing expression, signaled Han Sora, and followed Seo Ji-hyun to a corner by the kitchen.
As soon as we entered, she whispered lowly.
"Two kitchen knives are missing from the block."
"What?"
"One was used by the owner grandmother during dinner prep and left in the sink... But another one's gone too."
A chill ran down my spine at her words.
A kitchen knife had vanished. Even excluding the one used for cooking.
In this isolated pension, someone had hidden a knife.