"…You're really not afraid of dropping dead, are you?" Klein couldn't help but quip, glancing at the coffee in Evah's hand. "I think you should skip the coffee and get some rest!"
"I know, I know, I'll sleep soon," Evah said, nodding while finishing the coffee in his cup, proving with actions that his attitude was cooperative but his resolve was unyielding.
Before Klein could say more, Evah deftly changed the subject. "You came today because you got my letter, right, Klein?"
"Yes, I did receive your letter," Klein said, his attention successfully diverted. He nodded, looked at Evah, and after a moment's thought, asked, "Jack, what's this about the mysterious powers you mentioned?"
"That…" Evah yawned, his face taking on a thoughtful expression as if organizing his words. A few seconds later, he looked at Klein and said, "You're into occult studies too, aren't you, Klein? No need to deny it—only an occult enthusiast would be so curious about the Antigonus family and The Fool. Plus, I saw your name on the Divination Club's roster a few days ago."
Divination Club?
Klein blinked, his first thought being what a coincidence. But then he realized that if Jack Jones was indeed a Beyonder, it made perfect sense for him to check out the Divination Club for information.
This realization also explained why Evah was so open about discussing the Beyonder's realm. It wasn't just his personality—from Evah's perspective, Klein, a history graduate poking into ancient families and secretive entities while being a Divination Club member, was clearly an occult enthusiast, possibly even an Beyonder himself.
With this in mind, Klein didn't bother denying it. He nodded straightforwardly. "I am indeed something of an occult enthusiast."
"Then you've probably heard about Beyonder powers," Evah said, getting straight to the point.
Klein wasn't surprised by this. After a few seconds of consideration, he nodded. "I do have some knowledge of the Beyonder realm—like the pathways of the divine and Extraordinaries."
There was no need to hide this. Seasoned occult enthusiasts knowing such things wasn't unusual. Miss Justice, for example, knew about these concepts before becoming a Beyonder.
On the contrary, if a guy like Klein—digging into ancient families, chasing secretive entities, and part of the Divination Club—claimed ignorance, that would be suspicious. Admitting it openly made the conversation easier.
"Since you know that much, I won't need to explain further," Evah said, flashing a smile, seemingly unsurprised by Klein's response. He paused, as if choosing his words, then continued, "Since you're aware of Beyonders, I can be more open. Beyond what I wrote in the letter, I've uncovered some other things about the Antigonus family and The Fool recently."
"What things?" Klein pressed.
"According to my findings, the Antigonus family controlled two divine pathways: Seer and Sleepless," Evah said without hesitation. "And The Fool seems to be a deity tied to the Seer pathway."
While the fact that a pathway's pinnacle leads to godhood is a secret, the connection between deities and specific pathways isn't. For example, the Church of the Evernight's Sleepless pathway or the Church of the Lord of Storms' Sailor pathway—anyone with eyes can see the link. It's practically common knowledge in occult circles.
A deity tied to the Seer pathway… Klein froze, his mind reeling as if struck by thunder. He'd speculated about this possibility based on the information he had, but hearing it confirmed today still filled him with an indescribable sense of absurdity.
The original Klein's death was undeniably linked to the Antigonus family notebook. Klein himself had an unbreakable bond with The Fool and had chosen to become a Seer because of Roselle's diaries. This chain of events went beyond mere coincidence—it felt like an invisible hand had orchestrated everything, guiding him onto his current path.
If there really was a mastermind behind it all, what was their goal?
In that moment, Klein's mind raced through a hundred tropes from web novels—puppet masters playing chess with him as a pawn, body-snatching resurrection schemes, or being a vessel for someone's revival. He even felt a tightness in his chest, struggling to breathe.
"Klein! Klein! What's wrong?"
It wasn't until Evah firmly patted his shoulder that Klein snapped out of his spiraling thoughts. He exhaled softly. "Sorry, I got lost in thought for a moment."
As he exhaled, Klein's fist clenched under the table. He didn't know what secrets lay behind his circumstances, but if there was indeed a mastermind, he wouldn't just sit and wait for his fate.
"You…" Evah looked at him, hesitating for several seconds before saying tentatively, "Klein, are you connected to The Fool somehow?"
Klein's heart skipped a beat, his instinct to deny it rising, but then Evah continued, "…Are you cursed by The Fool too?"
Cursed? Wait, what does he mean by 'too'?
Klein blinked, looking at Evah with suspicion. "You're cursed by The Fool?"
"No, no, it's not me. It's an ancestor of a friend of mine who seems to have been cursed by The Fool," Evah said quickly, shaking his head.
Is this 'friend' just you?
Klein muttered to himself, but some of his doubts clicked into place. As a cautious person, he'd understood Evah's friendliness but had always been wary of why he was so eager to help investigate The Fool.
It wasn't that Klein was ungrateful—when pies fall from the sky, any cautious person would weigh them carefully.
Now, hearing Evah's explanation, it dawned on him: no wonder Jack was so fixated on The Fool—he had a personal connection to him too.
Wait, if Jack is a transmigrator too… could The Fool be tied to transmigration?
Klein instinctively considered this possibility, then looked up at Evah. After a moment's thought, he nodded vaguely. "I might indeed have some connection to The Fool."
This statement was true from any angle. As Zhou Mingrui, he called himself The Fool above the gray fog. As Klein, he was entangled with the Antigonus family notebook. How could he not be linked to The Fool?
(End of Chapter)
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Translator's Note: If you see "Rowling" or "Lou Lin" mentioned in the previous chapters or in this chapter, please let me know so I can make the necessary changes. The next chapter will be the last one for today—unless we reach 10 power stones, 1,000 collections, or receive a review. Thank you, and enjoy!