"I'm certain Haiter is among those who received the oracle, so… he must have recognized who it is to be working so hard." Sia thought, her heart sinking with an unsettling suspicion.
Could it truly be the God of Death's return?
For her, that would be far worse than if the Evernight Goddess had claimed the Uniqueness.
Sia knew well how ruthless the former God of Death. He would absolutly eliminate her, a Sequence 1 characteristic holder, without any mercy for her status as a supposed descendant.
"Investigate again. Check everyone who received the oracle. I need to know exactly who this so-called God of Death is." Sia ordered immediately.
She had already sent people to investigate once before, but most of those who received the oracle were tight-lipped, yielding little useful information.
Now, faced with the possibility that the God of Death might truly have returned, Sia was starting to panic, prompting her to issue a firm directive.
After her subordinate left to carry out the order, Sia patted her chest, reassuring herself, "It can't be His Majesty. He… would never be so merciful."
…
The Death Consul was unaware that his actions had driven the Pale-White Empress to suspect the return of the God of Death, spurring her to investigate the true identity behind the "God of Death" with fervor.
Even if he knew, he likely wouldn't care.
The Death Consul was wholly focused on the chessboard before him, holding a black piece. After several seconds of thought, he placed it on the board.
Across from him, Klein's eyes lit up as he held a white piece, placing it with a crisp "snap." His five pieces formed a line, securing a clear victory.
Indeed, after handling the Numinous Episcopate's affairs, the Death Consul's curiosity had drawn him to glance at the chessboard Klein and Amon were using. Someone had explained the game of Gomoku to him, and he was persuaded to give it a try.
This was his sixth game, and he had lost each one spectacularly.
As for the others, Lil' Amon had gone off with Will for lessons, as he had a full schedule today.
Medici, meanwhile, was busy again. The Death Consul's actions had inevitably caused upheaval in the Numinous Episcopate, and Medici saw it as an opportunity to make further arrangements, setting the stage to take control of the cult in one fell swoop.
"Jack Jones" Had been dragged along to assist Medici, who had grumbled, "This is about you and your mentor, so you can't just leave it all to me. At least one of you should help."
It was clear that Medici, likely overworked lately, was harboring some resentment toward his "boss."
Lucifer sat quietly to the side, sipping tea and observing the game between the Death Consul and Klein. Perhaps because of this, Klein didn't hold back, resulting in his six consecutive victories.
"Sorry, Mr. Death Consul." Klein said, though victorious, without a trace of arrogance, offering a slightly sheepish smile.
"It's fine." The Death Consul replied, shaking his head. Looking at Klein, he suddenly added, as if struck by a thought, "You can just call me Mr. Azik."
"Huh?" Klein blinked, hesitating as he glanced at Azik, who was still grappling with his past memories. Before he could respond, the Death Consul continued, "He is my future, and I am his past. I will eventually merge with him. To you, there's no real difference."
"Er, I've never thought of you as separate people. The different names are just for clarity…" Klein shook his head, speaking earnestly. "Of course, I won't deny that I'm more familiar with the current Mr. Azik."
This was true. Klein had never viewed the Death Consul and Azik as distinct entities, though he was undeniably closer to the present Azik. The Death Consul felt somewhat distant to him.
The Death Consul nodded at Klein's words. He lowered his head to gather the black pieces from the board, preparing for the next game, when he suddenly said, "You can get to know me too."
Klein froze, looking at the Death Consul with slight surprise. After a moment's thought, he replied seriously, "I'm already getting to know you, Mr. Death Consul."
Pausing, Klein suddenly smiled, a touch of nostalgia in his voice. "When I first learned of your existence, I was honestly quite worried."
The Death Consul looked at him, puzzled. "Worried about what?"
"Worried that Mr. Azik would be consumed by his past, that he'd become unlike himself, that the teacher I know would never return…" Klein spoke candidly, sharing his true thoughts. He looked up at the Death Consul, his smile lightening. "But when I met you, I realized I was worrying over nothing. Mr. Azik has always been Mr. Azik. Despite the mistakes he's made, your essence has never changed."
The Death Consul hadn't expected Klein to say this. He paused, staring at Klein in silence for a long while before offering a faintly warm smile. "I'm glad you feel that way. That's good."
In that moment, the Death Consul seemed almost like Azik.
He paused, then looked at Klein earnestly. "I'm also glad to meet you, Klein. To me, you're like a child. I've only ever heard of such bonds in stories, but now…"
"I finally have what those stories spoke of. That's truly good."
Caught off guard by such direct words, Klein looked a bit embarrassed. He smiled, scratching his hair, and coughed lightly, muttering, "Is that something you just say outright…?"
Clearly, Klein, who leaned toward subtlety, hadn't expected the Death Consul to be so forthright.
"Why not say it?" The Death Consul asked, genuinely puzzled, not feigning confusion.
"It's not that you can't, it's just… well, how do I put it? It feels a bit embarrassing…" Klein hesitated, explaining, "Where I'm from, people tend to express emotions more subtly. Some things aren't said so openly."
"I don't understand." The Death Consul said, shaking his head in confusion. Looking at Klein, he suddenly asked, "You don't like it?"
"No, it's not that." Klein quickly replied, shaking his head.
"Then there's nothing wrong with it. You like it, and that's good." The Death Consul said, nodding with his own logic.
"Hahahaha!" Alaric, who had been quietly sipping tea nearby, couldn't hold back a chuckle. He looked at the Death Consul and Klein, saying lightly, "You two look like a cat and a dog now."
"What's that mean?" The Death Consul asked, puzzled, awaiting an explanation.
"Don't mind it too much. It's just a metaphor. You could take it as a compliment." Alaric said with a smile.
"Oh." The Death Consul replied, not dwelling on it and nodding.
Klein's smile was a bit wry. He could tell that Mr. Lucifer really had a thing for fluffy creatures.
Of course, that was normal. Klein liked fluffy things too... he just didn't want to turn others into them.
At that moment, Klein noticed Azik's body tremble slightly before his eyes opened.
"Mr. Azik, are you alright?"
***
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