"No, Klein doesn't know about me. I only suspected he might be a Beyonder, and it seems I was right." Azik said, shaking his head. His gaze on Alaric was like a parent looking at a foolish but endearing child, a mix of exasperation and indulgence.
Alaric seemed to realize he'd accidentally spilled Klein's secret. He stammered for a moment before saying, "Mr. Azik, can I tell Klein about you?"
"Why?" Azik asked, not angered by the bold request, his eyes still gentle.
"Because I let slip Klein's secret. I know you're a good person, Mr. Azik, and wouldn't harm him, but I need to make this right…" Alaric said with a serious expression. "If you both know each other's secrets, it balances things out. Of course, I'll make it up to you…"
Azik understood Alaric's logic. After a few seconds of thought, he nodded. "No need for compensation. You can tell him about me and arrange a meeting. I have some matters I'd like to discuss with him in person."
Azik indeed had things to talk about with Klein, particularly entrusting him to investigate his past. Among his current contacts, Klein was one of only two Beyonders he knew, and likely an official one at that.
As for why he didn't ask Alaric, the reason was simple... Alaric's naive nature and lack of an official Beyonder status made Azik worry he'd end up getting himself investigated into an official Beyonder prison.
With Klein, Azik had no such concerns, not just because of his official status but because Klein's dependable character far outshone Alaric's.
Alaric could guess what Azik was thinking, and this was precisely the outcome he'd orchestrated. He had no intention of disrupting the bond between Azik and Klein... hardly a father-son duo, but certainly a teacher-student one. Keeping them as each other's anchors was more beneficial to him. If both succumbed to excessive divinity from a lack of grounding, that would give Alaric a headache.
Alaric knew his limits. He could charm his way to high favor, but he could never be their anchor.
So, from the start, he wasn't here to break this family apart... he was here to join it.
Regardless of his inner thoughts, Alaric showed none of it, only flashing a delighted smile. "Then I'll write to Klein right away…"
"Dear Student Klein,
Please forgive me for making a mistake…"
Klein read Alaric's letter at a leisurely pace, feeling a slight headache forming.
After seeing the Zoroast diary at the Tarot Club two days ago, he'd planned to find time to meet Alaric and ask about his connection to the Zoroast family.
But the past two days had been hectic. During the day, he'd studied Beyonder knowledge with Old Neil, learning about mid- and low-sequence names and traits, as well as various secret organizations. In the evening, he'd accompanied Old Neil to Tingen's underground black market, broadening his horizons. There simply hadn't been time to visit Alaric.
And now, at the end of this busy day, he found this letter in his mailbox.
The letter detailed how Alaric had confessed his Beyonder status to Azik and accidentally revealed Klein's as well. Alaric apologized sincerely and mentioned that Azik wanted to meet him.
Truth be told, Klein wasn't too upset about Alaric exposing his Beyonder identity. As an official Beyonder, he wasn't as paranoid about secrecy as wild Beyonders. His main feeling was a wry sense of, "Oh, he finally messed up."
"I'd better get Jack's informant status sorted out soon, or I might end up visiting him behind the Chanis Gate…" Klein rubbed his temples, shaking his head helplessly before turning to another matter.
"Mr. Azik is a Beyonder too? I wonder what pathway. Jack didn't mention it... probably didn't ask…"
Recalling what he knew of Azik from his original memories and their last interaction, Klein felt Azik was unlikely to be malicious.
Still, he didn't jump to conclusions. Out of caution, he returned to the gray fog to divine whether meeting Azik posed any danger. The result showed none.
"I should meet him, then. I wonder what Mr. Azik wants." Klein mused, reviewing his schedule. While nothing critical was pending, his days were packed, and he might need to join the search for the Antigonus family's notebook at any moment, making it hard to take leave.
"So busy!" Klein muttered. He'd been a workhorse before transmigrating, but his current schedule was several times more intense, each day brimming with excitement.
"If it comes to it, I'll wait for my next day off…" Klein decided, writing a reply to Alaric. He reassured him that he wasn't upset about the slip-up, agreed to meet Azik, but noted his packed schedule might delay the meeting until his next day off.
He added that if he found time earlier, he'd visit them directly.
"It looks like by the time I see Klein again, he'll be a full-fledged Nighthawk…" Alaric set down Klein's reply, unsurprised. The Fool's post-transmigration life was indeed relentlessly busy.
He picked up another letter from Backlund, this one from Xio.
She wrote that she'd read his last letter and found his reasoning sound. They knew of a noble who'd been inquiring about Beyonder matters for some time and seemed trustworthy, so Xio and Fors planned to approach them.
"Even slackers get serious when it comes to their own safety." Alaric chuckled, starting replies to both parties. After finishing, he stretched and began plotting his next move:
"When Azik and Klein meet, he'll likely ask Klein to help investigate his past. Then, I can have my third alias appear in their sights."
***
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