For over a decade, I've been experiencing stomach pain and dizziness, coupled with a slight nausea.
Gelleno… no, I've decided to address him as "Grandpa."
He possesses willpower like steel, though it's not immediately apparent. However, I saw his health bar deplete by a third. With a bit more effort, I could defeat him without bloodshed, ending the life of this second Zoldyck Boss right here in this unremarkable diner.
These dishes were imbued with a potent poison unmatched by ordinary toxins. Gelleno and I kept placing spicy, oily dishes into each other's bowls. On the surface, we were a harmonious grandfather and grandson enjoying a meal, but beneath it, we were engaged in a battle where we both aimed to inflict a thousand wounds, yet only managed to hurt ourselves. By the later stages, my legs were already weak.
"You're quite capable, Muhr," Gelleno said, repeatedly wiping the sweat from his face with a paper towel. "The younger generation is truly formidable."
"..." I lowered my head, sticking out my tongue repeatedly, and grabbed the ice water, shoving ice cubes into my mouth.
The ice cubes held within the water could only momentarily fend off the fierce assault of the spice. As the ice cubes melted and shrank, no longer able to cover my entire mouth, the spicy inferno would rage. It was a flame that burned into the soul, a corrosive fire that wouldn't easily extinguish, bypassing physical torment to directly scorch my sanity. I would call it "the strongest."
Next time, I'll visit this place again, pack up the spiciest dishes, and [Pick Up] them into my game inventory. They'd surely become powerful weapons against opponents.
I... I'll primarily mix them into Illumi's food.
Heh heh heh heh heh.
Oh no, I almost lost consciousness.
In the end, we couldn't determine a winner. I felt that before a definitive victor could be declared, at least one cat would have to die, and that cat would likely be me—older cats are indeed wiser.
Having drunk too much water to quell the spiciness, I was now experiencing a different kind of discomfort.
I am already a dead cat.jpg
Dragging my weary body back to Kukuroo Mountain, since I was on a regular airship and not a Zoldyck private one, I couldn't fly directly into the territory due to security protocols. We had to pass through the Trial Gate and walk a considerable distance before reaching the main mansion.
"..." These are the downsides of being part of a prominent family: too many rules, a vast territory, and the hassle of simply returning home.
According to my character setting, the Trial Gate is my "home's" main entrance, but the mere thought of the effort involved in pushing it robbed me of my last shred of affection.
No, it's not about not being able to push it open. Anyone who's read the original work knows that pushing open the Trial Gate is a basic competency for all Zoldyck employees. Since I can go out casually, this minor task is nothing. Or rather, the act of Zoldyck family members pushing open the gate is actually a unique form of showmanship.
After learning "Nen," with its enhancement, my personal best was pushing open three doors, each weighing 8 tons on either side, totaling 16 tons.
Silva even patted my head and praised me!
When I'm alone, it's fine to go easy and just push open one door. But in front of other Zoldycks, I can't afford to lose face; I must display my best performance and not be looked down upon.
*Wuwu...*
Not in good condition, I exerted all my might and could only push open two doors.
Alright, let it be.
I'm exhausted. In the fierce battle with the second Zoldyck Boss at the "Chuan Cai Guan" diner, I've burned out completely.
On the long path from the Trial Gate to the main mansion, seeing the butlers bowing along the way, I even felt a strong urge to ask them to carry me back to the main residence.
No, you must remain calm, Muhrs! This is a test of your perseverance!
Your Grandpa Gelleno is perfectly fine by your side, you, a young person, cannot be so pathetic!
Sustaining myself with sheer willpower, I finally found salvation by collapsing onto the bed in my bedroom in a spread-eagle posture.
Kikyo called, telling me not to lie on the bed directly in my outdoor clothes. This woman is so bothersome; so many of her rules are exactly like my "real-world" mom's. My feelings are complex.
Fortunately, the "one-click outfit change" function of my game inventory perfectly saved my laziness.
[Equipping] the voice-emitting device, I replied to Kikyo that I had already changed into my pajamas. Kikyo reacted even more strongly, saying that upon returning from a mission, I should shower before resting, and that girls shouldn't be so sloppy. Having just fought the second Zoldyck Boss, I suddenly found my courage. With a resolute heart, I turned off my phone, tossed it onto the carpet, and dove under the covers to sleep!
Kikyo, who was pregnant yet remarkably energetic, arrived swiftly, unleashing another stream of nagging.
I could only weakly state that I had eaten something bad outside and was feeling very unwell, urgently needing to lie down and rest. She could ask Gelleno about the specifics; I needed to rest.
Kikyo was very concerned about my physical discomfort, which, in other words, translated to more nagging. Sigh, it gave me a headache.
As a supporting character in the Zoldyck family, without the protagonist's extraordinary encounters, living according to the Zoldycks' predetermined trajectory was exceptionally mundane. Aside from training and missions, everything else was just these trivial, petty matters, not worth mentioning to outsiders. Occasionally, I had the illusion of living an ordinary person's life.
No wonder the rebellious youth Killua chose to run away from home. The Zoldyck lifestyle was monotonous; it was better to be a Hunter, adventuring freely across the world.
No wonder Illumi enjoys grinding dungeons and is never home; dungeons are more exciting, and they earn a lot of money.
Oh, after staying with the Zoldycks for so long, I've come to understand both Killua and Illumi simultaneously.
As for Milluki, his combat ability is rather lacking, and his personal hobbies are focused on the internet, gaming, and weapons manufacturing. He rarely needs to go out, so his route as a homebody is understandable. His most outstanding achievement is proving that Zoldyck genes don't necessarily prevent obesity.
Alluka has already been born. Unlike Illumi and Milluki, who have black hair and black eyes and resemble Kikyo, she was born with black hair and blue eyes, a combination of her parents' features.
Giving birth to Killua, the chosen one, an SSR rarity, felt like the Zoldyck ancestors' graves smoking with good fortune. I don't think the Zoldycks expected to have another Killua or someone even better. However, when Alluka's birth report was submitted, showing a rating similar to Milluki's, Kikyo displayed obvious disappointment.
Hmm, Milluki x2. Thinking about having two otaku shut-ins in the family seemed to be quite a blow to Kikyo. Objectively speaking, Milluki was a top-tier tech otaku in the original work, capable of outperforming ordinary people. Unfortunately, Zoldycks were generally elites and highly valued martial prowess, making Milluki seem less outstanding. Coupled with Killua's existence, which raised Kikyo's expectations, it made Kikyo's mood quite low. Only when looking at the chosen one, Killua, could she find a bit of joy in life.
Although it's said that "like father, like son," and "a rat's son knows how to dig holes," whether excellent parents can produce equally excellent children is a matter of probability, not an absolute certainty. If it were, human evolution could rely on scientific breeding, and the entire human race could become elite—it's not that simple.
Kikyo's depressed mood lasted for more than a week. I thought she, like her acceptance of me, a mute, was gradually accepting the fact that Alluka was her child. So, I tentatively asked her when she was going to have a sister.
According to common speculation in fanfiction, Kikyo desperately wanted a daughter but ended up having five sons. That's why she dressed the youngest son, Kalluto, as a girl.
My existence, therefore, disrupted this established narrative. Kikyo wouldn't be bothered by the lack of a daughter, and she probably wouldn't dress Kalluto as a girl anymore.
To salvage the precarious original setting, I deliberately used the word "sister," attempting to maintain Kikyo's original intention of dressing Kalluto in girls' clothing.
"Muhr, do you want a sister?" Kikyo placed her hand on her still-flat abdomen. "I'm sorry, Muhr. We feel that five children are enough. We've already decided not to have any more."
" ? ! ! !"
She's not going to have any more after five? Is that a known setting? Because of my existence, the last child lost the chance to be born? The main plot of the original work has minimal scenes for Kalluto, with no significant interaction with the protagonists' actions. Removing his scenes wouldn't seem to affect the main plot. However, the horror of the butterfly effect lies in the fact that the starting point of a hurricane is merely a butterfly flapping its wings; small changes can trigger massive impacts.
This isn't just a minor impact! Due to my existence, the protagonist directly lost a younger sibling. If this deviation continues unchecked, who knows how unrecognizable the future plot will become.
No, no, there's still time. I have at least three months to try and change Kikyo's mind. I can't delay too long, or Kalluto's age will differ from the original. Ah, never mind that; age is secondary. The crucial point is that Kalluto must be born! The impact of a character being deleted is definitely greater than the impact of a character's age differing by one or two years.
The key is to convince Kikyo. As long as the woman is willing to have children, there are many ways to conceive the target child. Once conceived, the subsequent ten months of gestation, and so on, are up to the woman. The man's role in the entire process of having a child is actually less than a minute, right?
I asked Kikyo for her personal reason for deciding not to have more children.
She said she thought five children were already enough.
The difference between "five children are good" and "five children are enough." Combined with her period of postpartum depression, I could roughly grasp the meaning of "enough."
This woman cares a lot about the children's aptitude. Well, it's human nature for parents to want their children to be smart and beautiful. Considering the scene where she almost strangled me when I was born, well, this woman cares more than the average person.
Among the five children already born, there are two Millukis, one mute, one excellent student, and one genius. Counting it up, that's a failure rate of three out of five.
The family's best successor and a backup successor are already present. The remaining three are just fillers.
In such a situation, should one continue to have children?
Having children is a gamble. Kikyo no longer wishes to gamble, nor does she need to. She has fulfilled her mission of laying golden eggs. She wants to leave the gambling table and focus entirely on nurturing Killua, the chosen one.
"B-but, Mom, don't you want another daughter?" I don't have much eloquence, and my words are quite limited. "Um, if you... have another black-haired sister, she'll definitely be very cute."
"Muhr, I have you, my daughter, and that is enough," Kikyo said, patting my head. "Besides, the next child might not be a girl. Perhaps it will be another boy. You won't get what you want just by wishing for it."
This is bad. As expected, it's my fault that Kikyo is no longer insistent on having more daughters.
"How is that enough!" I quickly exclaimed. "What if I die in a few days? Then Mom won't have a daughter anymore, right?"
"...Muhr, don't say such nonsense," Kikyo's hand paused. "The mission we gave you isn't that difficult, is it?"
"No, no, I meant... uh, sudden illness, something like that."
"Then let's go get a full body check-up now." Kikyo turned around.
"No, I was just using an example!" I grabbed Kikyo's sleeve. "Everyone dies, and perhaps I'll die earlier. Then it will be too late to think about having a daughter."
"Then I guess I'll just be unlucky," Kikyo took my hand. "Muhr, you think about things too simply. Having a child requires careful consideration, not for a vague possibility. That's meaningless. Get the check-up, Muhr. I will pay close attention to your health, and at least I won't let you die from a sudden illness."
No matter how I explained it, Kikyo insisted that I undergo a full set of medical examinations. The results showed that my physical condition was excellent, so good that a perfect score of 100 felt insufficient.
Faced with irrefutable scientific reports, Kikyo solemnly warned me not to mention the possibility of my sudden demise again, as it would make her sad.
"..." Should I be grateful that she didn't forbid me from mentioning my desire for a sister?
Right, since she didn't forbid me from mentioning my desire for a sister, it means I still have an opportunity!
I accidentally triggered a minefield today, so it's not suitable to continue. A few days later, I changed my reason, saying that I actually wanted to be a boy, disliked long hair and preferred short hair, disliked dresses and preferred men's clothing, and that in the future, I wanted a girlfriend, not a boyfriend. Therefore, wanting a sister was to consider Kikyo's fondness for daughters and her not wanting to be sad about "losing" her only daughter.
Kikyo put down the spoon she was using to feed Killua his porridge and asked me in a cold tone to "say" it again.
To salvage the original setting, I repeated it, mustering all my courage.
"Fine," Kikyo said without anger. "Then let Milluki lose some weight, and it wouldn't be bad if he were the one to wear skirts."
That day, just as many fanfictions like to depict, Milluki, ordered to lose weight, was sweating profusely on Kukuroo Mountain, collapsing from exhaustion during training, becoming a dead (fat) cat.
I bet Milluki's favorability towards me dropped by at least 5 points.
Whatever. Let it all be destroyed. Let it happen quickly.