Damon and Phoebe were both stunned by Claire's revelation.
But Damon felt it even more deeply — because he had experienced Kevin's ability firsthand.
The coincidence was unbelievable…
Claire's cousin, the Arcana who almost killed him, working directly under Senator Julius.
Still shaken, Damon asked the next question that burned in his mind.
"Then who's the man following us?"
Claire's expression darkened.
"He's another Arcana," she said quietly.
"One of the people Kevin was talking to."
She explained what she heard last night — how Kevin had woken up before dawn, urgently calling for backup.
Claire overheard him saying he needed the ability of the Arcana he was speaking to.
That was how she knew the man trailing Damon wasn't an ordinary person.
"So I warned you," Claire continued, her voice tense.
"If you used your ability, he would've seen it.
And they would know — for sure — that you're also an Arcana."
Damon clicked his tongue in frustration.
"Tsk…"
He was nervous, annoyed, and furious all at once.
For so long, he had been careful — extremely careful — with every move he made.
He erased his tracks, hid his presence, avoided unnecessary fights.
But now?
People searching for The Fool were already suspicious of him.
Already watching.
Already close.
Too close.
And in that moment, Damon realized just how dangerous the situation had become.
Moments later, Claire suddenly broke down in tears.
Phoebe gasped, startled, and she exchanged a worried look with Damon before asking,
"Claire… what's wrong? Did something happen? Did your cousin do something to you?"
Claire shook her head quickly, struggling to breathe through her sobs.
"N-No… no…" she stammered, wiping her tears with trembling hands.
"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry, Damon…"
She cried harder, voice cracking with guilt.
"Because of me… they're suspecting you now. If I hadn't gotten involved with you… if I hadn't shown up in your life… this wouldn't have happened…"
Her words cut deep — and painful as they were, Damon knew there was truth in them.
Her sudden appearance in his life, carrying his lost diary tied to The Fool, had drawn unwanted attention from Kevin and the people hunting him.
But he couldn't blame her.
Claire was young — innocent — untrained in caution or subtlety.
She didn't fully understand the danger she had walked into.
Damon gently placed a hand on her shoulder, steadying her trembling form.
"Claire… it's okay," he said quietly.
"I'll handle this."
He forced a reassuring smile.
"They only suspect. They have no proof. As long as I don't slip… they can't pin anything on me."
Claire's sobs softened, though the fear didn't fully leave her eyes.
But Damon meant every word —
and he knew he had no choice now but to stay ten steps ahead…
because suspicion alone was enough to get him killed.
Damon came up with a plan.
He told them he would take a different route to draw the follower's attention away from them.
Then he turned to Phoebe.
"Do you have enough money?" he asked.
"You and Claire need to stay in a hotel for now. Your house isn't safe anymore. They already know you're connected to me."
Phoebe nodded immediately.
"Yes… I still have enough in my account. And if we need more, I still have my family's credit card. There's still some savings left before… before they were gone."
It was enough.
They had a way out.
With that, the three of them separated — Claire and Phoebe slipping into the hidden path Phoebe had shown earlier, making sure no one could spot them.
Damon, on the other hand, went back.
He returned to the street where he knew the follower would easily see him.
He walked openly, deliberately, allowing himself to be noticed.
Because now, Damon had a different goal.
A plan was already forming in his mind…
a dangerous one.
He wanted to find out exactly what kind of ability the Arcana trailing him possessed.
And to do that —
He needed to face him.
Damon found an empty bench in a small park and sat down, pretending to rest.
He kept the stranger within his line of sight — not directly, but through subtle, calculated glances so he wouldn't draw suspicion.
From what he observed, the man following him was inexperienced.
His movements were stiff, too obvious.
He didn't blend into the crowd.
He didn't know how to tail someone properly.
Damon could see it clearly —
this Arcana wasn't used to this kind of work.
He was sloppy, uncertain… an amateur thrown into a dangerous role.
Damon smirked to himself.
Good.
He could use this.
Slowly, the pieces of his plan started to fall perfectly into place — a clean, precise setup to corner the unknown Arcana who had been shadowing him.
The hunter was about to become the hunted.
Moments later, a loud, energetic man passed right in front of Damon, holding his phone up as he recorded a video.
His face was familiar.
Too familiar.
Damon's eyes narrowed as recognition struck him.
It was Jay — the loudmouth vlogger whose phone he and Phoebe once borrowed to broadcast the horrific celebration of corrupt VIPs to the entire world.
A slow smile curved across Damon's lips.
"Perfect… looks like fate is on my side today."
He noticed something else —
the man who had been tailing him also shifted his attention, glancing toward Jay.
Just that small change in focus was enough.
Damon seized the opportunity.
He activated his ability.
And with a single invisible command,
he took control of Jay's body.
The vlogger stiffened mid-step, eyes glazing over for a split second —
completely unaware that his every movement now belonged to Damon.
The trap had begun.
Damon gave a silent command to the vlogger under his control —
and Jay suddenly snapped.
Without warning, Jay began shouting wildly and charged straight at Damon, his camera grip raised as if ready to strike.
Damon immediately acted the part.
"W–Wait! Stop! Please—don't!"
He shouted loudly, making sure everyone nearby could hear the "assault."
He staggered backward, pretending to panic, showing fear, acting like he was desperate to escape.
Then he turned and ran toward a narrow alley.
Jay, still trapped under Damon's mind control, chased after him aggressively, swinging his camera holder like a weapon as the two disappeared into the tight passage.
The man tailing Damon saw everything — Jay's sudden outburst, Damon's fear, the chase.
Without hesitation, the follower rushed after them to "help" Damon.
And in that moment, Damon knew—
His plan was working.
Now all he needed was to see how the unknown Arcana would try to save him…
So he could finally discover exactly what ability this mysterious pursuer possessed.