What do you mean by "this is a dating game"?

Chapter 43 Eye end

The next first-order fire palace cycle will be in five days.

The meeting at this moment was just a brief explanation of the situation, without going into any depth.

In less than fifteen minutes, Lala stopped using her supernatural powers and said, "That's roughly it."

Grapefruit looked at Emilia and asked, "Peach, are you coming?"

"Ms. Lala is very professional, and I am happy to participate in this operation."

"Okay! I'll prepare a room for you, you can come anytime."

Emilia nodded with a smile, which was taken as an agreement.

Seeing that the matter was over, Fox stood up solemnly and said, "Well then, we'll take our leave."

He was a little nervous.

Next... we'll have to face Walker.

You must act naturally and not arouse his suspicion; tell him that this is not Sieg.

"Are you leaving? Da Gen, see them out." Grapefruit Pupa stood up abruptly. "I'm so hungry, I'm going to get breakfast."

This regimental commander is completely inhuman.

Sieg stood up and said, "I'll see you out."

The three of them stood up.

As I walked out of the main building and into the courtyard, an elderly man dressed in trousers and a vest approached me.

His silver hair was neatly combed back, and his stubble was meticulously trimmed.

The old man walked with his head held high and chest out, exuding an extraordinary air.

Fox and Emilia's expressions changed slightly when they saw him, and they immediately stopped in their tracks.

he is--

Walker!

Walker, holding a small picture frame, also saw Sieg and the others. His sharp, silver-gray eyes scrutinized Sieg, wondering, "Is this the 'suspected Sieg'?"

"Lord Walker, what brings you here? Haha."

Fox reacted quickly.

He pushed past Sieg and strode forward, as if meeting an old friend, linking one arm with Walker's and patting his back with the other, extremely enthusiastic.

Walker was dumbfounded.

What's going on?

It's only been half an hour, but it feels like half a century. Why are you being so attentive?

Emilia reacted extremely quickly!

She smiled beautifully and stepped forward, saying, "Mr. Walker, were you waiting anxiously? I'm so sorry to have taken up your time... Now that it's all over, let's go back!"

She stood between Walker and Sieg, using her body to block them.

With an undeniable air of authority, she forcefully diverted Walker's attention, determined to take him away.

but……

Walker, burdened with this responsibility, would not easily waver.

His gaze passed over Emilia's shoulder, landing on Sieg, and he asked, "This young man is truly handsome! Who is he? What's his name?"

"Oh, this is Da Gen, a teammate recruited by Xi You. He's just a simpleton, nothing special."

Fox said it casually.

He stepped forward and whispered in Walker's ear, "Lord Walker, he's not Sig. I saw Sig eighteen years ago, he was about my age then. Look at this man—so young, how could he be Sig?"

"..."

Walker nodded silently.

Looking at Sieg's face, he thought that this person was indeed too young and could not possibly be the Sieg who teamed up with Fox and Oz for adventures eighteen years ago.

but--

Lord Oz's entrustment must not be disobeyed.

Walker walked forward and stood in front of Sieg, under the sudden, somber gazes of Fox and Emilia.

He looked him straight in the eye and asked, "Sir, your name is Da Gen?"

Sieg remained composed: "Yes."

"I have a painting here that I hope you will appreciate."

Walker remained calm, turned the picture frame he was holding upside down, and held it in front of Sieg.

See, in dark red ink, was a tightly closed eye.

It must have sensed Sieg's gaze.

The eyelashes of the painted eye trembled slightly, and then slowly, gradually opened. The pupil of that eye was like the Milky Way, with countless stars shining inside, dazzling and magnificent.

A gaze fell from the highest, highest place.

It traversed eighteen years, timid and hesitant, carrying the shyness and anticipation unique to a young girl, gently frozen on Sieg's face.

Rabbit Tea Party.

Oz's Study.

"what……"

A short, sharp sob escaped his lips, and the flames in the fireplace flickered.

The rural landscape in the oil painting on the wall is frozen in time, and the colors on the canvas are softer than ever before.

A single tear fell silently.

……

……

It's Oz.

Without any basis or reason, Sieg looked at the eyes on the canvas, convinced that he was being watched by Oz.

For a moment, all calculations stopped.

There was no worry or fear.

Without Sieg noticing, the corners of his lips lifted, and a smile appeared unconsciously.

But he quickly realized what was happening.

"No, I have to hold it in... I can't laugh now!"

Once you laugh, you've given yourself away.

Sieg suppressed his emotions, but once again, scheming thoughts surfaced in his mind.

Everything is being calculated!

Sieg's decision to employ the "amnesia tactic" had one major premise.

That is--

【The Crown of the Eastern Demon King】!

The Demon King's Crown grants him the [Transcendent] trait, rendering him immune to detection and prophecy magic.

It's not "immunity".

Rather, it is "distorted".

Anyone who tries to spy on Sig will not see the truth; they will only get a fabricated, false perception.

In their perception, the magic worked, the answer was obtained, there were no abnormalities, and everything went smoothly.

But they are actually further away from the truth.

Sieg keenly sensed that the eyes on the canvas were gathering magic.

At Oz's command, this magic will activate the spell to draw the incantation and explore everything about Sig.

then.

She will gain a fabricated understanding.

Sieg, you've passed!

"Come on, Oz."

Sieg adjusted his breathing: "Use your magic to sense me, and you'll exclude me! You'll think I'm not Sieg, just Dagen!"

but……

It never sparked anything.

At this crucial moment, Oz found herself unable to make a decision.

She is running away.

"If...if he really is Sieg..."

What should I do?

Revenge on him?

Ignore him?

Accept him?

Oz was in a state of utter confusion.

Perhaps he isn't Sieg, but just looks remarkably like him. Look, he doesn't even react; his eyes remain as gentle and calm as they were eighteen years ago.

Whether it is or not, you can find out by activating the spell.

but--

"...I dare not."

In the oil painting, Oz closes his eyes.

at the same time.

The eye in front of Sieg slowly, gently, closed.

A single tear fell from the corner of her eye, flowing clearly and deeply onto the canvas, a startling sight.

The magic that had been building up dissipated, Oz failed to cast a spell, and Sig's perfect plan fell apart.

Looking at the tear stains on the painting, Sieg was overwhelmed with emotions and remained silent for a moment.

There's a foreign object lodged in my throat; I can't swallow it or spit it out.

In a daze.

He heard Walker adopt a more relaxed tone and say with a smile, "Mr. Dagen, isn't this painting quite good?"

Sieg smiled. "I... don't know anything about painting. These eyes are beautiful, and they can even move."

"Hehe, this is Lord Oz's doing."

Walker was about to take the painting back when he thought for a moment, then reached out and handed it to Sieg: "It's yours!"

Sieg accepted the reply, somewhat bewildered: "...Thank you."

Walker nodded with a smile and looked at Fox: "Commander Fox, I'll have to trouble you to make a trip. Lord Oz has sent word that he would like to invite you to a tea party."

Fox was taken aback: "Invite me? Now?"

"Yes. Let's go, don't keep Lord Oz waiting."