Following Shiba’s lead, we walked to the open kitchen inside.
Having witnessed Shiba’s prowess in mowing down enemies with basic attacks throughout the mission instance, my reverence for his combat ability soared. I trusted his judgment of the situation wouldn’t be flawed.
“No suspicious aura,” Shiba stated, looking down at me. “Did you see anything that caught your attention?”
At this moment, I clearly saw what had flashed in my peripheral vision earlier. It lay on the kitchen counter, much like a collectible item in an RPG. It emitted a small, intermittent flash, faint and brief.
This had to be a special collectible item from the game!
Action spoke louder than words. I stepped forward and picked up the object on the counter. It was a vibrant green cabbage, similar in appearance to an ordinary one. The only difference was the small flashes of light swirling around it.
[Glowing Cabbage x1]
After the text prompt, the cabbage vanished from my hand, and a grid-like interface appeared before my eyes. The cabbage was displayed as a thumbnail in the first slot, with the number 1 shown in the lower right corner, presumably indicating its quantity.
This, this was the inventory system from an RPG!
Perhaps it was because I had just completed an instance for the first time, advancing the game’s progress, that I had unlocked experience points, item collection, and the inventory system. This was great!
Before I could bask in the joy of the significant unlocking of game functions, Shiba asked me again, “What did you just do?”
I had called him over, only to be discussing a harmless green cabbage, which then suddenly disappeared from my hand. He must have had many questions. Given his intelligence and sharp eyesight, any lie or deception on my part would only be a cover-up. It was better to maintain my “honest” persona and tell the truth if possible.
I brought up the [Glowing Cabbage] from the inventory interface, and the [Glowing Cabbage] reappeared in my hand.
The [Glowing Cabbage] was a special game item. Its unique glow should have been invisible to everyone except myself, the “player.” Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been placed casually on the counter like an ordinary cabbage, and Shiba would have noticed its difference long ago.
“This is what I saw,” I said, mustering the courage to meet Shiba’s eyes and holding up the [Glowing Cabbage] in my hand to show I wasn’t “lying.” “It looked a bit special to me, and I could see faint flashes of light around it. Then, when I touched it, its physical form disappeared, and its image automatically appeared in a picture in my mind.”
“After that, I tried to imagine taking it out of the picture in my mind, and it reappeared in my hand,” I offered the [Glowing Cabbage] to Shiba.
Although I was reluctant to part with my first special collectible, the cabbage, which appeared so ordinary on the surface, had been described by me in such a peculiar way, and I could store and retrieve it at will. To an NPC, this would be incomprehensible, and Shiba would likely want to investigate it closely.
“Is there anything else special about it?” Shiba did not take the [Glowing Cabbage], nor did he continue to observe it. He was looking into my eyes, as if trying to see into my very soul.
Indeed, his attention didn’t need to be on the cabbage. Since he couldn’t even see the glow, he couldn’t immediately determine the cabbage’s truth. However, he could discern the truthfulness of my words at that moment.
I fiddled with the [Glowing Cabbage] in my hand for a while. The cabbage felt, smelled, and weighed no different from an ordinary cabbage. I guessed that the item’s only function was “collection.” Collecting a certain amount and meeting some condition might complete a game achievement and grant some game reward.
“…” I looked up and continued speaking with my lips, “It seems not. It can only glow and be stored as an image in my mind.”
Shiba fell into thought. He was a smart person; the depth and breadth of his consideration were beyond what an ordinary person like me could imagine. It would likely take him a considerable amount of time to think.
His contemplation lasted for about half a minute.
“This is a very special ability,” he said.
He had likely accepted this premise? The greatest convenience of this world was that all phenomena that defied common sense could be explained by a superpower called “Nen.” The threshold for Nen wasn’t high; with guidance from a professional, almost anyone could learn it, and a very small number of people were born with Nen.
An ability to see a cabbage emitting light and then store it was about zero in terms of danger, so he wasn’t in a hurry to get to the bottom of it.
He extended his hand and, as if stroking a cabbage’s head, patted the surface of the cabbage. “Is it just… a cabbage?”
I, holding the [Glowing Cabbage], nodded.
“Are there any other similar things here?” he asked.
Although the glow was faint, it was as obvious as a firefly in the dark in a dimly lit environment. I couldn’t have missed it. However, to be safe, I scanned the surroundings again and then shook my head.
“Put it away,” Shiba said. “For now, don’t tell anyone about this except me, and don’t let anyone discover it.”
“…” I had thought he would want me to explore this special ability further.
Perhaps it was his cautious attitude towards the unknown.
In the original work, after he realized Alluka’s special abilities, his attitude wasn’t very urgent. Instead, Illumi was more eager to understand the truth of the abilities. In the end, Illumi sacrificed many lives to confirm the danger of the abilities, and then Shiba isolated and confined Alluka. The series of heavy security doors and the secret room located in the deepest part could be described as extremely cautious.
I had only produced a harmless green cabbage. Such a zero-danger, seemingly useless special ability shouldn’t lead to my confinement, right?
Was I being forced into a hikikomori lifestyle?
No!
“This is our little secret,” Shiba said, ruffling my hair. “In exchange, I’ll take you to eat something delicious. Okay?”
I nodded.
It was not advisable to linger here. We quickly left the crime scene; no, we exited the game instance.
In the “real world,” I had never gone out after 11 p.m. because I felt it was too late and unsafe.
My knowledge of places that operated late at night was limited to similar TV drama themes like "Midnight Diner."
Eating out in the dead of night was a novel experience for me, regardless of the world.
The bustling commercial street in the city was brightly lit, with people coming and going, making it almost impossible to distinguish day from night.
This was indeed another world. The people on the streets had varied hair and eye colors, and their fashion styles differed significantly from the “real world.” Unique clothing was not uncommon. Walking among them, a combination of a muscular man and a doll wouldn’t attract any attention.
I followed behind Shiba, looking around left and right. Only when Shiba said, “This is the one,” did I retract my gaze.
The interior of the restaurant was decorated in warm orange tones. The boisterous voices and the stream of heat mingled with the aroma of food washed over me. After seven years of staying indoors in the cold atmosphere of the Zoldyck household, encountering the warmth and clamor of human life again made my eyes slightly moist.
The menu offered a very rich variety of dishes; there were hundreds of desserts. My indecisiveness immediately kicked in, but I didn’t want to dawdle, so, like in the “real world,” I chose from the lower-priced categories. That way, even if it wasn’t delicious, I wouldn’t feel bad about the money.
I quickly chose something… pan-fried dumplings.
“Don’t you want anything else?” Shiba asked.
I shook my head.
“Afraid of getting fat?” Shiba asked again, his expression unchanged, but his words carried a hint of helpless amusement.
This question was likely based on Kikyo’s habits. Kikyo was a fervent believer in maintaining a perfect figure; her waist was so slender that one could hardly tell she was the mother of three children.
I hesitated for a moment and then nodded.
I couldn’t exactly say that I was accustomed to being poor in the “real world” and only ordered the cheapest item out of habit!
As the waiter took our order and left, Shiba said, “Mel, your taste preferences are quite similar to your grandfather’s.”
My grandfather? My grandfather had passed away a long time ago… No, a second later, I realized he was referring to “my” grandfather, Zeno.
In the “real world,” some readers had analyzed the original work, suggesting that a significant portion of the Zoldyck family’s cultural background was derived from our country.
Yes, judging from their eating habits and the dragon totems, that was indeed the case.
It was heartwarming to be able to use chopsticks in another world and eat familiar foods like steamed buns, dumplings, and noodles.
Unfortunately, the local menu wasn’t comprehensive, and the flavors weren’t entirely authentic, mostly incorporating a mix of Eastern and Western culinary practices from the “real world.” It would be even better if they had items likeyoutiao, doufunao, matuan, mianwo, ciba, or reganmian from the “real world.” (Laughs)
Never mind, I shouldn’t be too demanding. As long as it’s delicious, there’s nothing to complain about.
Although the dishes on the Zoldyck family’s dining table were a fusion of Eastern and Western cuisine, the presentation of many dishes indicated a stronger leaning towards a particular country’s cuisine from the “real world.” The Zoldyck family members also had their own preferences: Zeno favored Chinese-style dishes, while Silva preferred Western-style. Kikyo and Illumi leaned towards Japanese-style.
Come to think of it, my keen sense of taste is truly meaningless and overwhelming. If only a bit of it could be transferred to combat ability.
Today, I actually managed to produce a [Glowing Cabbage]. Does this mean my most suitable future profession isn’t an assassin, but a Gourmet Hunter?
That would be too disappointing for the Zoldyck family’s upbringing of me!
Madame Kikyo would surely collapse on the spot.
“…” No wonder Shiba told me not to tell anyone about the cabbage. This ability is too embarrassing.
No, I need to look on the bright side. Gourmet Hunters are still a type of Hunter, after all. Many rare ingredients are difficult to obtain and quite dangerous. To become an excellent Gourmet Hunter, one’s combat abilities are not low.
Shiba misunderstood my silence and said, “If you want more later, you can order again.”
“…” I nodded politely.
The efficiency of this restaurant was very high. In about five minutes, steaming hot late-night snacks were served one after another, filling the table.
“…” Did I order so much? In the “real world,” this would be enough for five or six people!
Considering Shiba’s physique, this portion size seemed reasonable. Moreover, this was another world; one shouldn’t judge based on “real world” common sense.
Yes, for example…
“!” I couldn’t help but shiver.
So hot.
The pan-fried dumplings in this world were actually filled with soup, and they burned my tongue.
In the “real world,” I wasn’t particularly afraid of heat, but here, the senses of this body were too acute, and the sensation of heat was amplified countless times. I was now very afraid of heat. This must be what they call a “delicate palate,” right?
“…” I lowered my head, sticking out my sore tongue and panting repeatedly.
Even more unfortunately, because my hand trembled, the soup splashed onto the bow tie on my chest. This was the most obvious piece of evidence that would let Kikyo know I had eaten a late-night snack without her permission.
Putting down my chopsticks, I picked up the paper napkins on the table and tried to wipe it, but it was all in vain.
This was terrible. I would be deprived of food by Kikyo again, and my snacks for the near future would probably be…
“Did you get your clothes dirty?” Shiba asked, sitting opposite me.
“…” I looked up at Shiba with a grimace.
“Come here,” Shiba beckoned me.
While I was struggling with the stain on my clothes, he had already finished most of the food on the table. His efficiency was terrifying!
Approaching Shiba, he examined the stain on my clothes and also wiped it with a paper napkin. However, the stain was not something that could be removed by force; it required chemical products like laundry detergent or soap. Therefore, even the boss’s personal intervention yielded no results.
“Hmm, if she finds out, you’ll definitely go hungry,” Shiba muttered to himself. “At least three days, starting from scratch.”
Yes! Isn’t that stating the obvious?! Kikyo is your wife; of course, you know her better than I do.
“Mel, do you want to go hungry, or do you want to be whipped?” Shiba suddenly posed a binary choice.
“…” I don’t want either!
“I think you’d be less willing to go hungry, wouldn’t you?” Shiba bit his thumb and smeared it over the stain, covering the soup mark with a bloodstain. “This should do it.”
“!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Shiba, you!!!!!!!!!!!!
…You are a ruthless person.
In the “real world,” during my chuunibyou phase, I once tried to imitate the summoning jutsu from Naruto. This jutsu required biting one’s finger first to summon a spirit beast, and the biggest reason I failed was that biting my finger hurt terribly. I felt pain even after just breaking the skin.
Seriously, Shiba, you didn’t have to bite your finger for such a trivial matter. I just figured it out; compared to being whipped, I’d rather go hungry for a few days.
“The soup should have cooled down by now, so you can continue eating,” Shiba said, patting my shoulder as if nothing had happened and suggesting I return to my seat.
“…” I finished the remaining dumplings with the mentality of eating my last meal.
During this time, I had already imagined what Kikyo would say, likely something like, “How could you still get your clothes dirty with such simple work?” or “Didn’t you cause any trouble for Father?!”
On the way back, I gloomily watched the night scenery outside the airship, while the culprit, Shiba, closed his eyes to rest.
Now I believe Illumi is Shiba’s biological son. You are both equally infuriating.
Damn it, when I grow up, I’m definitely going to participate in the Hunter Exam and become a Gourmet Hunter, not an assassin, to spite your entire family!
As the sky fully brightened with the sun shining brightly, the airship arrived at Kukuroo Mountain, landed, and came to a stop.
I followed behind Shiba with my head down, prepared to accept Kikyo’s punishment for my “failed challenge.”
“Wait a moment, Mel,” Shiba called out, stopping me.
“…” I obediently stopped, looking down at the ground.
Shiba reached out and tore off the stained bow tie on my chest, handing it to the butler who was waiting to greet the airship, and instructed him, “Dispose of this.”
“She only said not to get it dirty, didn’t she?” Shiba said.
“!” I looked up in astonishment.
There’s such a move?!!
How could I not have thought of that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Brilliant! If the stained part is directly removed, it doesn’t count as the clothes being dirtied!
Although it seemed like sophistry, it made perfect sense!
You truly live up to your reputation, Shiba. You truly live up to being the current head of the Zoldyck family. I even want to kneel and call you “Dad” on the spot!