The allure of having cats cuddle on either side was truly disarming; I didn't want to get out of bed even after waking up. It was like the saying, "From then on, the king held no morning court."
Ahem, no, I can't be like this. I have to present a positive and upright image. Besides, Alluka, your black history suicide note is still in your bedroom, uncollected!
Alluka's fluffy silver hair was right there, soft like cotton candy, incredibly sweet. Who could resist that!
I couldn't help but linger in bed for over half an hour, savoring the warmth.
Speaking of which, my suicide note was actually quite cleverly written. It didn't quite look like a suicide note; it said, "I'm off, survival is my own responsibility, no need to look for me," without mentioning what I was going off to do.
"Survival is my own responsibility" doesn't mean I intend to die. It just means I'm aware of the risks and am a mature adult capable of taking responsibility for my own safety.
The note I left could easily be interpreted as a declaration of venturing out, like "Goodbye everyone, tonight I sail for distant shores."
So, even if it's not collected, it's fine. If I were to forcefully retrieve it against all odds, it would draw extra attention from my brothers, which would be detrimental to my situation.
I knew Killua's loose tongue would mean he'd report my near-drowning and stopped heart to the Zoldycks.
After acquiring the "Game Backpack," besides the phone the Zoldycks gave me for internal communication, I bought nine more phones intermittently. They were of different models and brands, primarily distinguished by color: white, red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, purple, and black. The phones with later serial numbers were used less frequently and were more discreet.
During the fleeting moments of solitude in the restroom and bathroom, I used the orange phone to quickly go online and research topics like "how to prove you are normal," "how to get out of a mental hospital," and "depression treatment."
According to my research, the most convincing argument was that "normal people don't need to deliberately prove their normality; they just need to maintain a calm state and cooperate with the doctors."
Right, I shouldn't be too deliberate. Suddenly becoming proactive wouldn't align with my usual image and would make me seem guilty. I should remain as I am, a quiet... lady?
The two little cats tried to alleviate my disappointment from failing to catch fish by initiating a "sea fishing" activity. Specifically, we sat on the deck of a yacht and fished.
The fish in this area weren't much to look at. Unlike in the "real world," they were all strangely shaped and uniquely ugly, looking unappetizing. So, I released all the fish I caught.
I remembered that not long ago, Rabbit died.
Mito and Killua came to me holding its body, guiltily telling me, "It won't move anymore, and we can't heal it." I checked and found no injuries or illnesses, but it had truly died. Death is the end of everything; there's no going back, so there's naturally no possibility of "healing" it.
As for the reincarnation and soul plot points in the original Chimera Ant arc, I think soul reincarnation probably only applies to animals with advanced cognitive abilities.
Generally, rabbits live for 6 to 12 years. Rabbit, as the most fragile and sole herbivore on Mount Kukurou, constantly feared the beasts inhabiting it and had no companions. Living a life of fear and loneliness like this, surviving to 5 years old was quite good. If anyone is to blame, it's "unsuitable environment."
Thus, I comforted Mito and Killua, who were in low spirits.
At that time, I asked them what their next plan was: to bury Rabbit in the ground or to cook and eat it.
"Eh?! Eat it?!" x2
"Yes, would you eat the meat of an animal you dislike?" I replied. "Burying it in the ground also turns it into fertilizer. Isn't it better to eat it with fond memories and gratitude, incorporating its taste into your memories of it as a good way to say goodbye?"
While tasting the braised rabbit, a piece of rabbit meat (non-toxic) was also given to New Orleans. Mito whispered in my ear, asking if New Orleans would also be eaten by us after it died.
I said that hawks live too long, and by the time it dies naturally, its meat would be very old and not tasty. It would be better to cremate it.
"Oh." x2
Together with the two little cats, we enjoyed the braised rabbit. The remaining fur and bones were buried in the ground, making a small grave for Rabbit.
Fragile herbivores are not well-suited for survival on Mount Kukurou. I suggested to Mito that if he still wanted to keep pets, I could give him a cat. Compared to rabbits, cats are also very cute animals.
When Mito first saw my private cat café, he exclaimed in surprise at the dozen fluffy balls before him. Eye met eye, "Wow!"
Hmph, these are the cute kittens I painstakingly selected. They come in various colors and are all high-value contestants. Their personalities have also been screened; they are all bold and human-friendly. When they see strangers, they approach with curiosity or enthusiasm, welcoming comfortable petting.
The kittens mingled and tumbled together. Mito found it difficult to choose which one to keep. Killua had no intention of keeping a cat, thinking it was great to enjoy the cat café for free. As they say, free for a while feels good, and free forever feels even better.
I told Mito he could choose any of them, except for my favorite one with white fur and blue eyes.
"Mm," Mito nodded, and his attention was ultimately drawn to the only kitten wearing a collar, a blue-gray one.
I said it had the most lively personality and liked to roam, so to prevent it from getting lost or encountering danger, I put a tracking collar on it. Its walking time is one hour every morning; it can't be too long, otherwise, it would relieve itself anywhere. Although the Zoldyck staff are not ordinary people and wouldn't accidentally step on excrement on the ground, the smell would definitely cause trouble. I need to be considerate.
"Then I'll take it for walks every day!" Mito declared, patting his chest.
And so, the blue-gray kitten was chosen.
Watching Mito chase the kitten around the Zoldyck estate, I remembered the first hawk I raised. I was about Mito's age then, and I used to chase it everywhere just like this. Its wingspan was wide, allowing it to glide for a long distance. As it flew in the sky, I on the ground was small. At first, I couldn't keep up and would trip over tree roots. Later, I could run faster and faster, but it flew higher and higher, to a place I could no longer reach. I lost it forever.
If only I hadn't cared about it so much back then. I wouldn't feel so sad when I think of it now.
I originally thought I didn't care that much. After all, I hadn't even given it a name until I lost it.
"..."
Incidentally, Mito named the kitten "Little Gray," just like that, befitting a child's naming style.
Ah, I'm drifting off.
On the last day of the holiday, we went to the amusement park. As everyone knows, things sold at amusement parks are much more expensive than market prices. However, I am a wealthy person now, so I don't need to worry about prices. I bought whatever I wanted to buy, and the experience was extremely pleasant.
"Speaking of which, the last time I came to an amusement park with my sister was about ten years ago," Migo commented, seemingly reminiscing.
The two little cats looked at Migo with great interest. Migo then added, "That was on a mission, not for fun. Sister?"
Hearing Migo suddenly call me, while biting into an amusement park special snow cone that tasted ordinary but had its price doubled due to its unique shape, I shifted my gaze to Migo's face. "?"
"Do you remember our first mission together, Sister?" Migo asked.
"..." Slowly swallowing the snow cone in my mouth, I replied, "Yes, you were much thinner back then."
"The mission went without any major accidents, but I didn't expect that it would be so long before we returned home. Migo recalled. "That period was difficult in many ways. What do you think, Sister?"
"..."
"Sister?"
"..." I licked off the melting part of the snow cone and met Migo's gaze. "I don't like to recall unpleasant memories."
"Then, for you, Sister, what are some pleasant memories worth recalling?" Migo asked.
"..." I ate my snow cone and organized my memories.
By the time I finished the entire snow cone, I couldn't list a single pleasant memory worth recalling. Because happiness is often accompanied by pain, and gains always end in loss, it's difficult for me to pick out pure joy.
Ugh, I hate it, I really hate it, I hate thinking about whether I'm truly happy. If I don't think about it carefully, the wounds won't reopen.
Along with the snow cone stick, I threw the troubles caused by my thinking into the trash can. I never answered Migo's question, and fortunately, no one urged me to. Everyone forgot about this insignificant interlude and wasted the last minute of our precious holiday.
More than the two little cats, I was probably the one who least wanted to return to Mount Kukurou. Just imagining Kikyo's intense reaction to my near-drowning gave me a headache.
A member of the infamous Zoldyck family, nearly drowning without any attack, was too embarrassing. Would there be punishment after returning?
The physical pain was secondary. Would they lock me up and keep me under strict supervision, like they did Alluka in the original story?
... I absolutely don't want to go back!
That's what I thought, but except for the bathroom and restroom, which were the only physical exits, I was watched everywhere I went, unable to find an opportunity to escape.
My mood was so heavy. The two little cats comforted me by saying, "We can play together again later." No, that wasn't what I was worried about! Well, it was quite pathetic for me, an adult of my age, to be comforted by children.
Perhaps she hadn't received the news, as Kikyo behaved as usual and didn't do anything to me. Seeing her exceptional concern for Killua, I thought it was probably because Killua had replaced me as her number one in her heart, so she wasn't as attentive to me.
The two little cats, upon returning home, were noticeably more relaxed and had withdrawn their special attention towards me, no longer following me constantly.
The magic that made me the center of the world had ended, and I felt a bit lost.
Some say that love disappears.
Others say that love doesn't disappear; it just shifts elsewhere.
Yes, beautiful things cannot be kept with me, no matter how much "[Save]" fee I use.
I am... the only "player" in the entire world.
I collected various commemorative trinkets from the places I visited during the holiday and put them in a small box. I handed it to the butler, saying it was a souvenir for Kalluto.
As the butler took it, there was a hint of hesitation.
"?" I tilted my head towards her.
Like Tuttle, the butler who watched Killua grow up in the original story, I also had a butler who watched me grow up. They say that even a stone kept in your pocket for a long time will gain warmth, but I never considered my affection level for her because, in the original story, the Zoldycks' butler died easily. Tuttle, for example, was killed very suddenly, and the readers didn't even have time to react.
Death is that sudden, and it doesn't matter if you're good or bad, strong or weak, male or female. I always thought, maybe she'll die in the next hour, but she hasn't died yet today.
... Will she die tomorrow?
"Yes, I understand." She bowed to me and left with the box.
I believe I had been keeping a low profile for quite some time. As usual, the Zoldycks gave me a mission. Perhaps I had accumulated enough reputation points with the Zoldycks; this was the first time I had received such a troublesome series of continuous missions. It was like casually talking to an NPC with an exclamation mark above their head in a game to pick up a quest. I thought it was a normal daily mission, but it turned out to be the longest puzzle-solving quest in the entire new game version. I spent an entire afternoon on it and still didn't finish. As a "retired player," I was greatly shocked.
After the mission, I lingered outside for an extra day to reward myself before returning to Mount Kukurou. I didn't see the two little cats in their usual spots, so I went to Migo's place first. I gave him his black bean sea salt cake and asked him to check the current whereabouts of the two little cats.
"Oh! You mean that one! It's really popular lately! That's great!" Migo said, without a word, first holding up his phone to take a picture of the cake, planning to post it on his social media account later.
As expected of the youth, so full of energy. An old person like me, who had long been tired of reality and everything social in the "real world," felt a slight感慨.
It was Migo's blustering that made me almost forget the main thing. I asked him for Killua and Alluka's current location. He said a major incident had occurred at home, and both Killua and Alluka were confined and forbidden from visitors.
Migo's storytelling was very wordy. After listening for a few minutes, I finally realized that the "major incident" he mentioned was something that happened in the original story. It was about Alluka's special ability, Nanika, being known to the Zoldyck elders. To understand the rules of the ability, many bystanders were sacrificed. They discovered that the ability was uncontrollable and extremely dangerous, possibly leading to the family's annihilation. Thus, they confined Alluka to a secret room until the main storyline of the original work began. After going through transformation and growth, Killua overcame all obstacles and brought Alluka out of the secret room.
From Migo's description, the entire progression of events was roughly the same as in the original story. However, Migo, perhaps out of caution or for some other reason, didn't mention that he had also used Alluka's ability to make a wish. Instead, he focused on the fact that several butlers had died because of Alluka's ability.
He revealed three rules of Alluka's ability to me:
1. Fulfilling three "demands" for Alluka can achieve one "request."
2. The greater the "request" fulfilled, the greater the difficulty of the next three "demands."
3. If Alluka's "demands" are refused four consecutive times, at least two people, namely the refuser and the refuser's most beloved person, will immediately die. If the number of deceased exceeds two, the person who has spent the longest time with the refuser will also die.
"..." As someone who had read the original story, I naturally knew these rules. I even knew the special rule that Killua did not inform the Zoldyck elders about, intentionally concealing it.
The only undeniable fact was that Alluka had already been confined, and I had completely missed the opportunity to make a wish.
I don't know if I'm being sensitive, but I feel like I'm being targeted.
Regardless, I'll go to Silva's place first and try to see Alluka.