Returning to the spawn point map, Kukuru Mountain, I wasn't surprised to see my bedroom had been redecorated by Kikyo once again, this time in a pale yellow scheme, complete with a gaudy gold new whistle… Oh no, that feels too nouveau riche.
Gold whistle, silver whistle, all that's missing is a River Spirit performing a certain fable.
After placing the gold whistle in the vanity cabinet and completing Kikyo's doll dress-up quest, I expressed my desire to continue using the silver whistle. Since the silver whistle had lost its chain in the Greed Island dungeon and was slightly worn and dirty, I took it for chain repair, restoration, and maintenance.
I don't know what Illumi said to Kikyo, but Kikyo unceremoniously dragged me to the Zoldyck medical room and subjected me to a thorough full-body examination, including a check for any violation. It seems the Zoldycks don't have 24-hour seamless surveillance technology, or at least don't employ it. Otherwise, Killua, at less than six years old in the original story, wouldn't have been able to conceal Alluka's special ability for a considerable time.
Speaking of which, damn you, Illumi! Do I have no privacy at all?!
"Moll, you need to be more cautious," Kikyo said with heartfelt distress. "A little test, and you almost went with anyone. Mother is so worried you'll be deceived by bad men!"
Then, she gave me an advanced course on self-protection, using romance guides and romantic films as teaching materials for reverse learning, aimed at warding off sweet talk and vows of eternal love, also known as a "Love Defense Class."
Before this tutoring session, during the biology class on human organs, the differing physiological characteristics and organs of males and females were briefly introduced. The scientific knowledge wasn't lacking, just that specific interactions between men and women hadn't been covered.
Since love was mentioned, it was unavoidable to touch upon all aspects of romantic relationships, so I was educated on deeper interpersonal matters between men and women, along with precautions.
"Dating is too early for you. Moll, if you have someone you're interested in, you must tell Mother first. Mother will investigate thoroughly and carefully screen them. We absolutely cannot let you be fooled."
Love isn't a major event like marriage that requires careful consideration of two families. If it's unsuitable, you can just break up. What fun is left in a relationship that is interfered with and screened?
"Mollsie, dating without the intention of marriage is insincere," Kikyo stated firmly. "Prior screening is very important!"
Then, she couldn't help but recall her own story of falling in love with Silva at first sight, investigating him, pursuing him, strategically advancing, defeating several rivals, and finally tying the knot… a very long story. Here's a pen for you, Mrs. Kikyo; I suggest you write a novel.
Kikyo's definition of marital bliss wasn't about how well Silva treated her, but rather that Silva's circumstances met her expectations—powerful strength, with his family background being an added bonus. Her admiration for the strong was enough to fill the part of her brain that experienced happiness. Being the wife of a strong person and raising excellent, powerful children together was Kikyo's definition of a happy marriage.
In that regard, Kikyo's requirements weren't too high. I feel I'll become passive about marriage, not just because my parents' marriage in my "real world" failed, but because my expectations for a partner are filled with unrealistic fantasies.
Appearance, character, personality, lifestyle habits, financial capacity, EQ and IQ, family situation, and so on and so forth… I've envisioned a perfectly happy marriage to a pathological degree.
If someone truly met those conditions, that person wouldn't be worthy of an ordinary person like me.
Even if I obtained such a person, I would fear losing them, losing sleep at night, because people always change.
Only money, lying there tangibly, doesn't change and can provide me with a place to live and food to eat.
Now that I don't have to worry about money, can I date, or even get married?
No, marriage is still out of the question. I fear pain, don't want to have children, and definitely don't want to raise them. They say children are mirrors of their parents. I don't want to see my ugly, vile soul reflected in my children, to relive the darkness within me. Looking at those filthy things all day might drive me mad. Besides, this is just a game; there's no need to invite trouble, right?
Dating, however, could be an experience, just for fun, as relaxed as possible, without any responsibility and without considering any future.
"Going to bed with someone is too early. No, it's forbidden. You cannot sleep with anyone until Mother agrees," Kikyo said. "You don't know how treacherous the outside world is. If you're not careful, you'll be tricked into getting pregnant."
After the Greed Island dungeon, in Kikyo's eyes, I seem to be the type to be swindled and still help count the money.
It must have been Illumi intentionally exaggerating!
This is too much! I'm not that stupid, am I?!
Besides, I wouldn't have the chance, would I? Just as Killua said to Gon in the original story, I practically stayed home training all day, with no opportunity to interact with peers.
In the original story, Killua defied his family's arrangements and ran away from home at twelve, only then meeting his first companion. Illumi, on the other hand, likely diligently fulfilled his role as the eldest son, never deviating from his family's plans, which is why he only found a like-minded… notorious pervert, Hisoka, in his twenties.
By extension, if I don't run away from home, I'll probably have to wait until adulthood for adult matters. Oh, you truly are a traditional family, Zoldycks!
I think Kikyo is worrying for nothing. Dating, sleeping with someone – I have no interest in that. Normal children of "my" age wouldn't be interested either.
Look at Illumi. During his debate with Phinks in Greed Island, he made some restricted remarks disrespectful to his elder sister. However, that was just verbal bravado. Upon returning to Kukuru Mountain, he stopped paying attention to me. His current greatest interest is studying the facilities in the interrogation room, rubbing his hands together in anticipation of Mikan's third birthday, when he'll personally give him his first electric shock lesson – he truly is a devil.
Poor little Mikan, unaware of his future tragic fate, and even more unaware of Illumi's true nature. He's led around by Illumi every day, looking foolish, and their brotherly relationship seems good.
Although I am an adult at heart, I am a person who has detached from vulgar pleasures, a person with ideals. What I am fixated on now is the Boss battle that Silva promised me.
As the saying goes, "a man's word is a deceiving ghost." The promised Boss battle dungeon has never opened. Is Silva really that busy with work? Or is he chickening out?
Too cunning! Silva didn't specify a date back then, saying "when I have time." Thinking about it carefully afterward, it feels like a trap!
The concept of "when I have time" is rather vague, with the right of interpretation belonging to Silva. It can be anytime, or it can be never, and I can't rush him. Silva is the current head of the Zoldyck family; he has a vast enterprise to manage, and there are definitely other tasks to do regularly. It's not just about killing people when he goes out. He wouldn't have time to play with a child casually. With his strength, challenging him is like a pebble hitting a rock; he could knock me down with one punch and end the battle in a second. The reason he hasn't opened the Boss dungeon is likely that he doesn't want to be perfunctory with me and wants to find ample time to teach me properly in the dungeon. Yes, it must be!
Now, I'm like Hisoka, who lay in wait for years in the Phantom Troupe in the original story, desperately waiting for a chance to duel the Phantom Troupe leader Chrollo. I can't help but loiter outside Silva's Boss room. When I hear Kikyo calling me, I quickly slip away.
Please don't misunderstand. Today, I just want to be killed by Silva, or to kill Silva.jpg
Sometimes Kikyo calls me for doll dress-up quests, and sometimes for daily sibling tasks, like playing with little Mikan.
Illumi is highly motivated for family tasks involving taking care of younger siblings, saving me a lot of trouble. I usually use my whistle to summon "New Orleans" and let "New Orleans" play with little Mikan. Little Mikan is recently fond of "New Orleans'" feeding games. By the time I noticed, "New Orleans" had fattened up to the point of barely being able to fly.
According to the original story's development, Mikan will become obese. Is this what they call infectious fatness?!
Watching "New Orleans" waddle on the ground like a plump, large turkey, I have to consider its avian safety. After all, the Zoldyck family also keeps many large, fierce magical beasts. "New Orleans," unable to fly, might become their food, or be accidentally stepped on and killed.
Until "New Orleans" successfully loses weight, I've decided to take it with me wherever I go. It's well-behaved anyway; it doesn't run around, make noise, or mess. It can be kept in the room.
Picking up the slow-walking "New Orleans" and going to Kikyo, Kikyo said my grandfather Zeno wanted to see me.
"?!"
In the Zoldyck household, the person I fear most is Zeno. I'm more nervous seeing him than seeing Silva. He gave me the impression of being quite cunning in the original story, able to see through the intentions and Nen ability restrictions of the highly intelligent Chrollo at a glance. His intelligence and experience are abnormally high.
In front of him, any of my psychological activities are surely laid bare, making me feel very insecure. Therefore, I try to avoid any interaction with him unless he actively seeks me out, which is unavoidable.
Think positively, Zeno is the second Boss in the Zoldyck dungeon. I should steel myself and take this opportunity to observe the enemy situation.
Zeno's love for the element of "dragon" is evident from the appearance and names of his techniques in the original story. As I walked into his residence, the "dragon" element was even more overwhelming—dragons entwined on pillars, dragons on carved chair backs, dragons printed on carpets, dragons everywhere.
Oh, Mr. Zeno Zoldyck, are you perhaps the "Descendant of the Dragon" from another world?
For a new map, I should first check if there are any collectible shiny items. It's normal for me to look around curiously as a newcomer, right?
"What are you looking for?" Zeno asked.
"..." Fearful. He saw through me at a glance. Cough, I don't dare to look, don't dare to look.
I forced myself to remain calm and shook my head.
"Silva has been quite busy with work lately. You don't need to keep loitering outside his door," Zeno said, finding it a bit amusing. "He won't go back on his word."
"..." Straight to the point from the start?! I hugged "New Orleans" tighter, my face flushing, and nodded slightly.
"Although your courage is commendable, you should also know that at your current level, challenging an opponent with such a vast difference in strength is not practically meaningful."
"..." What? Is he trying to dissuade me? I know such challenges won't yield experience points, but wouldn't it be a pity not to see a Boss dungeon where losing has no cost?
"You might be doing it for fun, but Silva will take it seriously. You also need to adjust your mindset, otherwise, you'll waste the opportunity." Zeno gestured for me to sit down and listen to him.
No way!!!! This looks like a long talk! As someone cautiously undercover in the Zoldyck (enemy headquarters), facing the Zoldyck patriarch (an old intelligence chief) for an extended period will be too much for my fragile heart!
"Nervous? Do you want to try challenging me?"
I subconsciously nodded, then immediately shook my head. These could be interpreted as answers to two separate questions, or a single response where the latter action negates the former. I wonder which interpretation Zeno will go with?
"Oh? You want to challenge me too?"
"..." Stay calm. This might be a test! Aren't these little tricks common in movies? Let the Zoldyck expression management course work for me!
"Despite being nervous, you want to challenge me. Is there a special reason?" Zeno relaxed his posture, leaning back in his seat, his eyes full of understanding.
"..." This is keen eyesight, a character with mind-reading abilities, which is why I fear meeting Zeno.
Even the intentions behind Chrollo's every move, a character of high intelligence, escape Zeno's eyes. My thoughts are practically transparent to him!
Should I feign ignorance to counter his unchanging demeanor? Anyway, I am genuinely clueless, so it's a pure performance.
After some deliberation, I responded with lip-reading: "I feel like... it would be very rewarding?"
Completing the achievement of defeating all Bosses might allow me to clear this game, obtain a certain ending, and reach the true end of life or something.
"Hm? Achievement?" Zeno showed a thoughtful expression, subtly lifting one corner of his mouth into a sly smile. "Like you want to pat Silva's head? This feeling of 'usurping the superior,' do you want to be the patriarch, Mills?"
Usurping the superior, which often refers to a subordinate replacing a superior, a branch family overthrowing the main family, or retainers eliminating the family head… such a sharp topic.
"?!" I quickly shook my head.
"Don't rush to deny it, Mills. This isn't a reprimand. As long as one is a family member, they have the right to compete," Zeno smiled nonchalantly. "Who inherits the family business simply depends on suitability. We don't care about other aspects. That is to say..."
"Troublesome," I replied with lip-reading. "I think such things are troublesome. I have no intention of inheriting the family business. Please stop joking... Grandpa."
I have no grand ambitions, nor the ability. Being a worker is enough for me. After finishing my assigned tasks, I can rest without worrying about other things. How comfortable is that?
"Is that so?" Zeno's expression seemed disappointed, then he seemed to recall something and said, "Well, then, do you want to pat my head?"
"?!" Shameless! No... can I pet Zeno?
Felines are natural hunters in nature. Hunting is their instinct. They have strong bursts of power but poor stamina, so they excel at ambushing. The original author intentionally integrated feline traits into the Zoldyck family's setting, such as the hand-claw skills, Killua's occasional chibi cat face and vertical pupils. It must be said that these settings are very fitting for a killer family's background and are also very cute.
In fan circles, the Zoldycks are often referred to as a "cat窝" (cat nest), expressing affection for the Zoldyck family's design. Yes, who wouldn't like cute cats? Gem-like cat eyes, smooth fur, soft paw pads, agile movements, elegant strides – aren't they earthly delights?
If you're in a cat nest and don't pet cats, your trip to this world is in vain.
Although Zeno has a lot of hair, its quality doesn't look as soft as Silva's. The petting feel shouldn't be as good as Silva's (Zeno:?!). I really want to pet Silva again (Silva:?!). That great opportunity last time was probably a once-in-a-lifetime chance. I didn't grasp it fully, chickened out at the start, and only managed to pet him twice. I'm so foolish!
I've petted Silva, Illumi, Mikan, and Kikyo. If I add Zeno, can I achieve "petted all Zoldyck cats" today?!
What? You say the Zoldyck family also has Maha Zoldyck who hasn't been petted? No, his character design clearly resembles E.T. He's an alien, not a cat, so he's excluded.
A knock on the door. A butler brought in hot tea. After the butler closed the door and left, I looked at Zeno. He picked up the teacup, blew away the steam from the rim, and wasn't looking at me.
I am mute. To make him look at me, I need to make another sound to get his attention. Just as I took out my whistle, I heard Zeno tell me to feel free to drink the tea.
Putting "New Orleans" down from my arms, I picked up the teacup, then put it back down.
Zeno noticed my action of putting down the teacup. "Don't like it?"
I shook my head and replied with lip-reading: "It's hot."
While he hadn't looked away, I immediately followed up with lip-reading: "About the earlier... is that okay?"
"Hm?" Zeno took a sip of tea. "What do you mean?"
"That..." I hesitantly asked with lip-reading, "Can I... pat your head?"
Come on, the "petted all Zoldyck cats" achievement is right before my eyes! It should be okay, right?! Zeno isn't the current patriarch, so there's no need to consider the patriarch's dignity. Besides, patting his head won't cost him anything, will it?
Staring—
"Oh? Is that so?" Zeno looked at me with a half-smile, unsure what he was scrutinizing or thinking.
"..." If I back down now, won't it make my intentions suspicious? I braced myself and met his gaze.
I truly, truly have no ill intentions. I just want to "pet all Zoldyck cats" purely. It has nothing to do with Nen ability restrictions or anything. Come on, believe in Zeno's mind-reading level; he should understand me!
"Looking at me like this is useless. I'm not as easy to talk to as Silva," Zeno said leisurely, sipping his tea, implying a refusal.
"..." Huh?!!!!!!!!! Really?! So, the stoic Silva is the kind and benevolent one?
Bending down, I picked up "New Orleans" again. I wonder if I can report to Zeno and then leave?
Seeing me stand up, Zeno reminded me, "If you don't want tea, you can have some snacks first."
"..." Is this a polite gesture? Should I leave or stay?
"I suggest you sit down," Zeno's mind-reading ability came into play.
"..." I sat down as advised and picked up the snacks on the table as advised.
The snacks looked beautiful and smelled delicious, but I had no appetite at all.
Ah, it's too quiet. The pressure is immense.
It would be impolite to put the snacks back. If I'm supposed to eat them, I can't do it right away. I broke off a small piece of the snack and fed it to "New Orleans."
"Don't feed it. It's poisoned," Zeno said, stopping me. Although he wasn't looking at me, his peripheral vision still noticed his surroundings.
"!" I immediately grabbed "New Orleans" by the neck. "New Orleans" had just opened its mouth. Close call, it almost ate it.
Oh dear, since I didn't have any adverse reactions myself, I forgot about the poisoned setting. One must be careful when keeping pets here.
As I snatched the food from the eagle's maw, I ate the snack to offer comfort, stroking the feathers on "New Orleans'" back. It's really delicious. It's hard to imagine it contains deadly poison.
The snacks are finished. Can I leave now?
Holding "New Orleans," I stood up again.
"Moll, you're not even saving a piece of the snack for me?" Zeno asked.
"..." I sat back down, lowering my head, feeling extremely awkward.
Ahhhhhh this is so awkward, no matter what I do here. Someone save me! Silva! Silva is busy, and can't be relied on usually... Kikyo! No, Kikyo is just a daughter-in-law; her family status isn't as high as Zeno's! Illumi and Mikan, two clueless kids, can be ignored.
Fortunately, "New Orleans" is with me, offering a little support, otherwise, I would be so ashamed I'd want to dig a hole and hide.
Zeno walked up to me. I dared not look up, just awaiting judgment.
"Don't be so nervous, Moll." Zeno picked up the teacup in front of me. "Let's play a game. If you win, I'll let you pat my head, how about it?"
This... no matter what the test is, I'm sure to lose.
"..." Out of politeness to elders, I looked up.
"The rules are very simple. You can attack me as you please, and I won't retaliate, as long as you..."
"..." As long as I can touch him? Given the current level difference, I can't even touch a single strand of his hair.
"As long as you can spill the tea in this cup, even half a drop, you win."
The water in the cup must not be spilled? Are you referring to Fujiwara's Ae86?
"See, this cup is quite full. It will spill with a slight shake," Zeno tried to fool me into thinking the player's win rate in this game is very high.
"..." But what if I feel nothing inside?
"Mollsie, you've eaten two portions of snacks. It's time to get some exercise, right?"
"..." I stood up with a "whoosh."
Alright!
It's better to obey than refuse!