Additional Chapter! Thank Slesk, vcut, Me,Zanc, and Aethergrey314 for this additional Chapter.
Enjoy!!
---
"Relax, Azik. I said I'd never harm my own kind. This time, I just have some private matters to discuss with Klein," Evah explained with a smile, pausing before adding, "Matters about transmigration, about the Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth."
At those words, Azik looked puzzled, but Klein the cat, who'd been meowing nonstop since Azik appeared, fell silent.
The sudden shift was so obvious that Azik gave Klein the cat a second glance.
Evah, too, looked at Klein the cat, smiling. "So, wanna have a chat, Klein?"
"…You really want to talk about that?" Klein the cat started, then froze, realizing he could speak human words again.
Evah's doing, naturally. He nodded. "I'll tell you the truth about transmigration and the scripts swirling around you."
Klein the cat hesitated. If his initial thought was Azik, save me!, now he couldn't help but be tempted by Evah's offer.
After a few seconds of indecision, Klein the cat looked at Azik. "Mr. Azik, let me talk with Mr. Lucifer."
"…Alright. When you're done, I'll come pick you up," Azik said, glancing at Klein to confirm his sincerity before nodding.
"Once we're done, I'll have him write you a letter," Evah said with a smile.
With that, Azik left, understanding that the conversation between these two fellow transmigrators wasn't for his ears.
Azik respected Klein's privacy.
...
Evah carried Klein the cat into his Backlund safehouse, setting him on the coffee table. He poured Klein a glass of goat's milk, brewed himself a coffee, took a sip, and said, "Though it's not our first meeting, let me introduce myself. Lucifer Zoroaster. I won't bore you with my past names. Call me Lucifer… or maybe Grandmaster?"
The "Grandmaster" bit came from Jack's perspective—teacher's teacher, no problem there.
"Klein Moretti, formerly Zhou Mingrui. You can just call me Klein," Klein the cat replied.
"I thought you'd prefer I call you—" Evah sipped his coffee, shooting Klein the cat a teasing grin, his voice taking on a mock-serious tone that only amplified the jest, "Mr. Fool!"
Klein the cat's fur exploded—not from shock, but sheer embarrassment. His hind legs twitched, like he was trying to dig a three-bedroom apartment right there.
"You knew!" Klein the cat finally managed, voice strained.
"It's no secret to me," Evah said, savoring Klein's fluffed-up reaction. He'd turned Klein into a cat for this exact reason—human Klein was too good at masking, but cat Klein's emotions were raw and fun.
"…Did your book tell you?" Klein asked, recalling what Azik had mentioned, his gaze drifting to the thick tome by Evah's side.
"I did learn about you from a book," Evah said with a smile, neither confirming nor denying specifics.
No way around it—Lord of Mysteries is a book!
Klein, unaware of Lord of Mysteries, took it as confirmation, his eyes lingering on the book with curiosity and scrutiny.
Evah didn't clarify, setting down his coffee and smiling at Klein the cat. "Not gonna ask me anything? I thought you'd be dying to know."
Klein hesitated. He was desperate to learn the truth about transmigration, but now that it was within reach, he felt lost.
He was scared—scared of hearing an answer he didn't want, scared of learning he could never return to his old home.
Evah didn't rush him, just watched Klein the cat quietly.
Why did Evah drag Klein here to talk about transmigration? Simple: by disrupting the original story, Evah had cost Klein his chance to leave the Nighthawks and the vengeance that would've driven him. To ensure the future Lord of Mysteries still emerged, Evah needed to make up for it.
Of course, he wouldn't keep Klein by his side too long. He'd only "kidnap" him for a few days, selectively sharing truths about transmigration, the apocalypse, and Sefirah Castle, then set him free.
Whether Klein returned to the Nighthawks or used this to break away was none of Evah's business.
Even if Klein chose to loaf around Tingen as a salted fish, Evah didn't care—Adam, the Evernight Goddess, and others weren't pushovers. The Lord of Mysteries' rise didn't need Evah babysitting it. Worst case, there was Bethel as a backup!
Sure, Bethel was still far from escaping the Mother Goddess's grip, but Evah trusted his skills to fish him out before the apocalypse.
As for the rest, they'd deal with it when the apocalypse hit.
Having survived one apocalypse already, Evah was pretty chill about it.
Of course, if Klein truly opted out of becoming the Lord of Mysteries, Evah, for old times' sake, wouldn't mind looking out for him. At the very least, he'd keep the likes of Amon from screwing Klein over.
"We're good friends, after all…" Evah mused inwardly, admitting he had a soft spot for Klein and wanted to give him a choice.
Klein the cat had no clue what Evah was thinking. After wrestling with himself, he steeled his resolve and looked at Evah. "Mr. Lucifer, can we go back?"
Evah snapped out of his thoughts, meeting Klein's amber cat eyes. He could foresee the despair to come, but he shook his head. "We can't go back. No transmigrator can return to the past."
He knew the truth was brutal, but better a sharp pain now than a lingering one. Evah also knew the truth about transmigration couldn't stay hidden forever. Rather than let Klein cling to false hope and drown in it later, it was better to rip the bandage off now. That way, after the pain, Klein could face his future head-on.
Whether he became the Lord of Mysteries or not, Klein deserved a new future in this world.
Klein's pupils shrank. Though he'd vaguely suspected this outcome, hearing it confirmed hit hard, a wave of grief and despair washing over him.
He couldn't go back...
He'd never see his mom or dad again...
(End of Chapter)