After losing a gold coin, Klein barely resisted the urge to land a friendly punch on Evah's face. He shot him an exasperated glare before pressing on with his accounting. "So, when did you figure out I was a transmigrator?"
Evah blinked, pocketing the gold coin with an awkward smile. "Maybe… the first time we met?"
Klein's expression froze. He hadn't expected Jack to clock him so early. Staring in disbelief, he asked, "How did you know?"
He was sure he hadn't slipped up during their first meeting as Jack.
Evah took another bite of his apple, chewing slowly before saying, "What if I chose the name Jack Jones specifically to flush out fellow transmigrators as fast as possible?"
Klein paused, instantly getting it.
If Jack were truly a naive sweetheart, picking a name like that might've been for fun or nostalgia. But since Jack was a calculated schemer, the name had a purpose—like screening for transmigrators.
When Klein first heard "Jack Jones," he'd tried to keep his face neutral, but he wasn't a Clown back then. Letting a few tells slip was only natural.
As for "Jack Jones" being a fake name, Klein wasn't surprised. It was too unlikely to be real, just like his own "Sherlock Moriarty"—a convenient alias for moving around.
Realizing Evah had pegged him as a transmigrator from day one, Klein connected some dots, looking at him. "That's why you were so eager to answer my questions about the Antigonus family. It wasn't just enthusiasm—you were trying to confirm my identity."
"Isn't that normal? When you spot a potential fellow transmigrator, you dig deeper to be sure. Didn't you do the same?" Evah said, completely unashamed, even sounding righteous.
He was right. Jack knew Klein's transmigrator status early but played dumb, just as Klein had done.
Klein faltered, a twinge of guilt hitting him, only for Jack to continue. "I couldn't be sure if you were a good guy or a bad one. What if you were a scumbag like Roselle? I wasn't about to get backstabbed by a fellow transmigrator."
"Uh, Roselle's a scumbag, sure, but I don't think he'd backstab a fellow countryman," Klein said instinctively, feeling obliged to defend the predecessor whose diaries had helped him plenty. He genuinely doubted Roselle would betray a transmigrator.
"Just an example," Evah said, waving it off. He took another bite of his apple, chewed, swallowed, and added, "You had the same worries, didn't you?"
Klein went quiet for a second, then nodded honestly.
He'd held back from outing himself as a transmigrator after suspecting Jack for the same reason.
Something else occurred to him. "So that's why you pretended to be a naive sweetheart?"
"Exactly!" Evah nodded, clearly catching Klein's train of thought. A smug grin crept onto his face. "A seemingly naive fellow transmigrator is the fastest way to test if you're a good guy or a bad one, right? Plus, that persona cuts through people's defenses, making it easier to blend into new circles."
"But…" Klein's voice turned dry. "Didn't you just say you pegged me as a good guy from the start and didn't have any defenses up?"
Evah didn't flinch. He took another bite of his apple, looked at Klein, and said, "My gut told me you were a good guy, but who trusts their gut completely? You've gotta double-check."
"…"
Klein couldn't argue. He wasn't one to blindly trust his instincts either, especially on something this big. A little probing was reasonable.
Evah went on, "And after mostly confirming you were a good guy, I stopped playing the naive act so hard, especially after we left Tingen. Like with Little Red—I wasn't acting naive at all. I thought you'd notice."
Klein was at a loss for words. Could he admit his early impression of Jack was so strong he'd rationalized Evah's later behavior?
Stereotypes really do a number on you.
"So, when it comes down to it, it's your fault for slapping that naive filter on me too thick. You should've seen I was a schemer ages ago!" Evah said, boldly shifting the blame.
"…"
Klein didn't know what to say. He rubbed his temples, feeling a faint headache from the information overload.
Then another thought hit him. "If you're not some naive sweetheart, why did you use the Time Stone on Mr. Azik…" He stopped mid-sentence, already guessing the answer.
Evah looked at him, puzzled. "Is it weird to help a friend reunite with their family?"
"No, it's not. Sorry, I shouldn't have asked," Klein said, shaking his head with a slight apology. His question had practically doubted Jack's feelings for Mr. Azik.
"No worries. I get it. I'm a Mischief-maker, after all!" Evah said, waving it off generously.
His attitude let Klein breathe easier, though it left him a bit helpless. After a moment's thought, he asked again, "What about the Fool's honorific name? With your personality, you wouldn't accidentally blurt out the Fool's name, right?"
If Jack were truly naive, such a blunder wouldn't be surprising. But since he wasn't, Klein needed to know the intent behind it.
Evah's expression turned serious. "It wasn't an accident. I said that honorific on purpose."
"Why?" Klein asked, a mix of confusion and nerves, dreading an answer like, "Because I knew you were the Fool."
That would be mortifying.
Evah could tell what Klein was thinking, and it tempted him to mess with him. But after a moment's thought, he decided to save that for later.
He just looked at Klein and said, "This era shouldn't have a Fool. And that Fool's honorific… doesn't it feel oddly specific? I told you I dreamed of that gray fog. The moment I saw the Fool's honorific, I knew it had to be tied to a transmigrator somehow. So I tested the waters."
(End of Chapter)