The Hunter First-Person RPG
It was the ancient age of sword and sorcery.
It was also a dark age of chaos, marked by frequent wars, stark class disparities, and immense suffering for the common people.
In that complex and turbulent history, one empress left a deeply etched mark. Many of her romantic and absurd anecdotes, due to the passage of time, are of questionable authenticity, often dismissed as fiction. Indeed, there is even debate about whether such an empress truly existed, and she has since been playfully referred to as the "Mo'er Dynasty."
As the saying goes, "How many events, past and present, are but fodder for laughter."
(1)
The Kingdom of Bartochia, Kukurucca Royal Palace.
King Silva Zoldyck and Queen Kikyo Zoldyck welcomed their first child, a daughter. She inherited her father's silver-white hair and her mother's fair skin, appearing like a tiny ball of snow in her swaddling clothes.
Queen Kikyo, gazing at the snow-covered landscape outside the window, whimsically declared she wanted to name their daughter "Snow White."
"No, the princess in that myth lost her mother in childhood and was nearly killed by her stepmother—this name is inauspicious," King Silva objected.
Although they eventually named their daughter "Mors," they never imagined their words would come true. The kingdom's most renowned fortune-teller, "Grandmother Galaxy," prophesied that this child would bring turmoil to the nation, cause widespread death, and lead to rivers of blood.
Recalling their daughter's unusual state of being neither crying nor laughing after birth, King Silva and Queen Kikyo were plunged into worry, losing sleep. The mentally weakened Queen Kikyo attempted to suffocate her daughter with a pillow but ultimately relented.
That winter, the snow arrived early and grew increasingly heavy. The snow disaster was followed by a drought, which in turn triggered an insect plague.
Grandmother Galaxy spread pronouncements of national ruin far and wide, causing widespread panic. The populace demanded the princess's execution, and the nobles exerted constant pressure. The old King Zeno, a strong believer in the fortune-teller's predictions, advised them, "You are young; you can still have other children."
Queen Kikyo and the old King Zeno engaged in a heated argument. During the dispute, Queen Kikyo suddenly fainted. After a medical examination, it was revealed that the Queen was pregnant and that any shock could cause a miscarriage.
To quell the public's anger and restore calm, King Silva ultimately decided... to execute Grandmother Galaxy.
"Father, the Kurta people are not to be trusted. They are merely a troupe of traveling performers; there can be no great prophets among them," King Silva told the old King Zeno.
Although the abdicated old King Zeno still retained the honorific "King," his status was reduced to "Prince," second only to the reigning "King." Once King Silva made his decision, the old King Zeno's ability to intervene was severely limited.
The fortune-teller Grandmother Galaxy was declared a fraud and sentenced to be burned alive in the Hururu Plaza on charges of spreading rumors and inciting panic.
"The Kurta are a rootless people, born to wander. They are inherently cunning, and their nomadic lifestyle facilitates crime."
"Grandmother Galaxy deliberately predicted misfortune, sensationalizing events to instill fear and profit financially."
"Grandmother Galaxy received a large bribe from an enemy nation, blinded by greed."
Flames consumed the firewood piled beneath the execution pyre. Grandmother Galaxy, until her last breath, proclaimed her prophecies to be true. In the midst of the inferno, she cried out, "The Princess will surely kill her parents and destroy this country!!!!"
The drought persisted for three full years. Grandmother Galaxy's prophecy was recalled by the people. King Silva, under pressure, secretly had his daughter executed, announcing her death to the public as due to illness. From that day forward, the First Princess, Alluka Zoldyck, vanished from the Kukurucca Royal Palace.
(2)
More than ten years passed. Queen Kikyo had given birth to four sons: the first prince, Illumi Zoldyck; the second prince, Milluki Zoldyck; the third prince, Killua Zoldyck; and the fourth prince, Alluka Zoldyck.
One day, the 14-year-old first prince, Illumi, went hunting. Following the flight path of an eagle, he discovered a tall tower.
A随从 (suí cóng - attendant) held up the eagle's carcass, constantly praising the first prince's archery skills. The first prince ignored his attendant's words and looked up at the tower, "It seems someone is inside."
"You don't say?" the attendant replied. "This tower looks ancient; it's unlikely anyone lives there. It might be haunted."
The first prince trusted only what he saw. He dismounted and approached the tower's entrance. A lock hung on the door; though somewhat old, it bore signs of recent use.
"As expected..." The first prince drew his sword without hesitation, severed the lock, and pushed the door open to enter the tower.
"Wait, wait for me, Your Highness!" the attendant stammered, hurrying to follow.
Ascending the stairs, the tower's interior was dimly lit. The wooden stairs creaked beneath his feet. The first prince gripped his sword tightly, ready to face any danger.
The light ahead grew brighter. The first prince finally reached the uppermost chamber of the tower. There stood a girl of similar age to him. Around her were simple living necessities, nothing extraordinary, much like ordinary living quarters—if this weren't a tower, and if the tower weren't locked.
The girl's hair was an extremely rare silver-white, a color usually considered a symbol of royal or noble blood in the Kingdom of Bartochia.
With a wary expression, she held a wooden board in front of her as a defense. The board seemed to be one of the boards used to cover the window.
"Who are you?" the first prince asked her.
"..." She remained silent, only staring intently at the first prince and the sword in his hand.
Indeed, facing an intruder wielding a weapon, she, an unarmed maiden, would naturally feel fear and hesitate to answer.
The girl showed no signs of magic and appeared frail, perhaps even malnourished. The first prince sheathed his sword. "Apologies for disturbing you, but I..."
Before the first prince could finish his sentence, the girl's eyes widened. She dropped the wooden board and rushed forward. However, her target was not the first prince, but the attendant who had just stepped into the chamber.
"...Ah!" The attendant was startled.
The girl succeeded in snatching the hunted eagle from the attendant's hand.
The eagle seemed to be something precious to the girl. She clutched the eagle tightly, and large tears streamed from her eyes as she wept silently.
"What in the world is going on!" the attendant whispered to the first prince.
The first prince gestured for the attendant to step aside. He approached the girl and said, "I mean no harm, I merely passed by. Who locked you in here?"
The girl, who had been silent throughout, suddenly lunged at the first prince with a small knife hidden in her embrace.
"!"
In the eyes of the first prince, who had trained in martial arts since childhood, the girl's movements were clumsy and slow. He caught her wrist with one hand and struck the back of her neck with the other, causing her to fall unconscious.
"Your Highness! Are you unharmed!" the attendant asked, very worried.
"I am fine." The first prince looked at the girl, then reached out to touch the tears sliding from her eye corner, licking his finger afterward.
"..." The attendant watched inexplicably as the first prince set the girl down and walked to the tower's sole window.
The iron bars on the window divided the view into four sections.
"From here, we can see the royal palace perfectly," the first prince said. "Prepare a carriage for me."
"Huh?"
"Her hair color is too conspicuous."
"...Your Highness?!"
The first prince finally turned his gaze to the attendant, his expressionless face fixed on him. "Do I need to repeat my order?"
"As you command, Your Highness."
(3)
King Silva had once again departed for battle.
Upon seeing the girl brought back by the first prince Illumi, Queen Kikyo nearly fainted.
It turned out that the First Princess, Alluka Zoldyck, had not truly been executed by King Silva over ten years ago but was instead imprisoned in the supposedly abandoned tall tower.
To maintain secrecy as much as possible, King Silva and Queen Kikyo specifically chose a mute servant from the lowest ranks of the palace and ordered her to care for Alluka Zoldyck, who was then only three years old.
The servant, unable to speak or read, could only communicate with Alluka through gestures and crude drawings. Fortunately, the mute servant sympathized with Alluka's situation and did her utmost to care for her. As the princes were born one after another, Alluka seemed to be gradually forgotten by the palace. Even when the mute servant found it increasingly difficult to obtain supplies and was subjected to various hardships, she did not abandon Alluka, eventually coming to regard her as her own daughter.
During this time, they took in an injured young eagle, undoubtedly adding to the mute servant's burden. However, she hoped the young eagle would provide companionship for Alluka. After all, to improve their living conditions, the mute servant had to work even harder, visiting the tower only once every three to four days to deliver food and clean clothes.
The young eagle grew and began to bring them food, initially small prey like field mice and sparrows, and later even rabbits.
For commoners, meat was an extremely rare commodity, and the mute servant was overjoyed. However, Alluka still preferred the "mo'er" (a type of flatbread or bun) that the mute servant would bake, which were actually leftover bread scraps the servant stealthily collected from the kitchen and lightly toasted over the stove.
Although Alluka remained somewhat malnourished, it was evident that the mute servant had done everything she possibly could.
Queen Kikyo promised the loyal and kind mute servant a house, land, and a considerable sum of money as a reward. However, the mute servant's only wish was to continue staying by Alluka's side.
Ten years passed. Alluka, having had no human contact for years, lost her ability to speak and could not understand the words of those around her. Only the mute servant, who had raised her, could communicate with her. Therefore, Queen Kikyo upheld the reward and additionally granted the mute servant's request to remain with Alluka.
(4)
Queen Kikyo, consumed by grief for her deceased daughter, publicly adopted the illegitimate daughter of the noble Hishitora, whose hair color, inherited from her biological father, was also silver-white, just like the First Princess who had passed away over a decade ago. She was bestowed the name "Alluka Zoldyck," the very same name as the First Princess who had died years ago.
Whispers of "cursed princess" and "fake princess" spread through the populace. Queen Kikyo ordered the beheading of anyone who publicly disrespected the princess. After a period of bloody purges, the escalating rumors gradually subsided.
Within the royal palace, Alluka, accompanied by the mute servant, spent her days learning language, writing, and etiquette. However, she found no interest in these subjects. She often missed her deceased eagle and frequently zoned out. Furthermore, she was unaccustomed to anything in the palace—the food, the routine, the living habits, the environment. Her world had previously consisted only of the small chamber, the mute servant, and an eagle. The sheer number of people in the palace made her restless and unable to eat or sleep peacefully.
Initially, the other maids showed considerable respect for the mute servant. That is, until one day, Queen Kikyo, suspecting the mute servant of intentionally hindering her efforts to re-establish a mother-daughter relationship with Alluka, publicly reprimanded and punished the mute servant.
Following the Queen's example, whenever Alluka's studies faltered, the mute servant would face punishment. Yet, no matter how hard Alluka tried, others would always find fault. The mute servant was left scarred and desperate, and Alluka could only turn to Queen Kikyo for help.
Queen Kikyo had those individuals whipped and banished from the palace, assigning Alluka a new retinue of maids and guards.
The mute servant bowed deeply to Alluka—or rather, to "First Princess Alluka Zoldyck"—and, through gestures, indicated that she was old and it was time to leave the palace and return to her hometown to get married. With the generous dowry provided by Queen Kikyo, she would live comfortably and have nothing to worry about.
"..." Alluka once again began to stare blankly.
To prevent her from seeking out the mute servant or causing any other trouble, she was forbidden from leaving the palace grounds and was constantly accompanied by maids and guards. Within this gilded cage, she could only gaze out of the window.
Her nominal parents and nominal younger brothers would visit her, but she always felt they were strangers.
...Strangers.
She missed the mute servant.
She missed her eagle.
Her personality grew increasingly reclusive.
(5)
The first prince of the Kingdom of Bartochia, Illumi Zoldyck, was proficient in both civil and military arts and possessed exceptional magical talent, making him the strongest candidate for the next king.
Not only that...
"Your Highness's popularity is as high as ever," the attendant remarked, glancing at the roadside populace.
Every time the first prince returned from an expedition with King Silva, the girls in the city would focus their gazes upon the first prince.
With hair as black as ebony and deep, cat-like mysterious black eyes, coupled with a calm, unruffled face—the handsome first prince was universally recognized as a prince charming by young maidens.
Of course, girls could dream. Every commoner girl could dream, because marrying the first prince was not an unattainable fantasy.
The class system of the Kingdom of Bartochia was divided based on magical strength, or rather, the current class structure was a result of this division.
The royal family, naturally, was the strongest in terms of magic, having emerged victorious in the rule of the fittest.
Nobles could wield magic, but their strength varied.
Commoners, however, were completely unable to use magic.
While the possession of magical talent was largely determined by lineage, a very small number of commoners could awaken their magical potential. The testing of magical talent was entirely free, and anyone could apply. Once magical talent was detected, they could enter the national magic academy to study magic for free. The price for this free education was that all students had to be adopted by nobles or royalty, severing all ties with their commoner status (including their biological parents).
Based on the child's graduation performance evaluation, their biological parents, who had "lost" their child, would receive appropriate compensation. Even the lowest grade of compensation was enough for an ordinary family to never worry about hunger again. Moreover, the child would be going to "live a better life," thereafter enjoying noble or even royal treatment. This incredibly rare and fortunate occurrence was akin to winning the lottery, and there were virtually no commoners unwilling to have their children tested for magical talent annually.
Nobles and royalty did enjoy superior material comforts that commoners could only dream of. In return, nobles and royalty had to be constantly prepared to go to battle, engaging in magical combat with enemy mages. Casualties were inevitable, thus requiring a continuous replenishment of combat power.
However, for the vast majority of commoners who struggled to find food, the probability of dying on the battlefield was likely lower than the probability of starving to death. After all, it was just one life, so there was nothing to fear.
Perhaps they could achieve merit and rise in noble rank.
Perhaps they could gain favor and join the royal family.
Regardless, it was still better than the predetermined fate of "commoners remaining commoners until death." This was the only path visible to the common people.
"The current Empress herself came from a commoner background!"
A true dream was laid out before the commoner girls.
"But, compared to magical talent, isn't appearance more important?"
"Yes, yes, yes. I heard there was actually a girl with better results than the current Empress at the time."
"Then you definitely have no chance,嘻嘻 (xī xī - sound of giggling)."
"You look in the mirror yourself! I'll hit you!"
The girls giggled, half in jest, their voices gradually fading into the distance.
"Your Highness, aren't you going to visit the national magic academy?" the attendant asked. "I hear several exceptional students have enrolled this year."
"I only look at the graduation performance evaluations." After all, the royal family had the privilege of selecting first.
"You know very well I'm not talking about the Knight Order..."
Due to frequent wars, the average lifespan was generally not long, and early marriages were common.
The first prince was already 16 years old and could begin considering marriage arrangements. However, the first prince, who had always been independent, seemed prepared to directly follow his parents' wishes, completely disregarding matters of love.
Pity those dream-filled girls. The attendant recalled the various romantic fantasies about the first prince circulating in the city, such as "Chosen as the Prince's Consort on the First Day of School," "In Love with the First Prince," "I Became the First Prince's White Moonlight," and "Magical Talent is the Key to Becoming the Prince's Consort." He shrugged helplessly.
(6)
"Sister."
The first prince had come to visit the palace where the First Princess, Alluka Zoldyck, resided again. Aside from Queen Kikyo, the first prince visited most frequently.
The first prince preferred quiet and would dismiss others whenever he came. Although the first prince rarely spoke, usually just drinking tea and eating snacks before leaving after a short while, but...
"Do you like me?" Alluka suddenly asked.
"?" The first prince put down his teacup and tilted his head in confusion.
"Thank you for helping me investigate... the whereabouts of." Alluka lowered her gaze.
Queen Kikyo disliked Alluka inquiring about the mute servant. Others were also perfunctory in their responses. After all, Alluka, as the First Princess, held no real power, only a title that guaranteed her corresponding material provisions.
The first prince was the only one willing to help her investigate the mute servant's whereabouts. Unfortunately, the investigation revealed that the mute servant had encountered bandits on her journey home and had been robbed and killed.
"Oh," the first prince thought for a moment, then said, "Yes, I do like you, Sister."
He had felt a sense of closeness from their first meeting, otherwise, he wouldn't have brought a stranger back to the palace immediately.
"Sister!" the third prince, Killua Zoldyck, exclaimed, running in excitedly, followed by the fourth prince, Alluka Zoldyck, and several attendants. "Big Brother is indeed here again!"
"What are you so happy about?" The first prince, uncharacteristically, lifted the corner of his mouth, displaying the demeanor of a doting elder brother.
"Look!" the third prince, Killua, held up his hand, bending his fingers as blue lightning crackled at his fingertips. "I can use magic!"
"!" A rare, discernible look of surprise appeared on the first prince's face.
"Having awakened magical talent at the age of four, Third Prince is an unparalleled genius!" "Even His Majesty would be astonished." "Indeed, silver hair seems to signify greater talent."
Among the four princes, the third prince was the only one with silver hair. The other princes inherited Queen Kikyo's black hair.
The current King Silva and the former King Zeno both had silver hair.
People often overlooked that some nobles also had silver hair, and their magical talent was inferior to that of the royal family, such as Hishitora.
None of this mattered. The key point was that the Kingdom of Bartochia's succession principle typically followed the rule of "appointing the capable, not the eldest."
While everyone vied to praise the third prince, a shadow fell over the first prince's gaze.
Alluka watched and listened quietly. Many questions swirled in her mind, and the one she most wanted to know was indeed...
"What is 'magic'?"
After everyone else had left, Alluka, having heard the word "magic" for the first time in her life, asked the first prince.
The first prince gazed at Alluka's fluffy, silver-white, curly long hair. After two years of pampered living and meticulous grooming, Alluka, already naturally beautiful, bloomed like a nascent flower, exuding a dangerous fragrance.
Later, he leaned close to Alluka's ear. "I can tell you, Sister. But there's a price."
(7)
Magic is divided into five attributes: Fire, Wind, Lightning, Earth, and Water.
These five attributes are mutually antagonistic: Fire counters Wind, Wind counters Lightning, Lightning counters Earth, Earth counters Water, and Water counters Fire.
In theory, anyone with magical talent can learn all five attributes of magic. However, it is generally not recommended, as each person's adaptability to different magical attributes varies. Learning attributes to which one is highly adaptable can yield twice the results with half the effort, and vice versa. Therefore, individuals with low magical talent typically learn at most two attributes, while those with high magical talent learn more than two attributes based on their own circumstances.
Judging by the third prince's performance, he clearly excels in lightning-based magic.
The first prince's specialty is earth magic; on the battlefield, he uses soil to create puppet soldiers for attack.
"This is a paper for testing magical attributes," the first prince handed Alluka a seemingly ordinary white sheet of paper. "Infuse this paper with your magic, and the paper's changes will indicate your magical attribute."
Alluka infused the paper with magic, and it automatically split in half.
"Sister's greatest proficiency is in wind magic," the first prince smiled faintly.
"I thought Sister's greatest proficiency would be water magic."
"Because... I can always hear the sound of water here."
(8)
Alluka spent two years learning magic. With her current magical power, she was already sufficient to serve as the first prince's副手 (fùshǒu - deputy/second-in-command).
What unfair talent.
Considering the third prince's even more terrifying magical talent, the first prince slowed his movements.
It didn't matter. Sister was already his possession. The third prince, despite his outstanding talent, was still young. The second prince, Milluki, had mediocre talent and had been his shadow since childhood. Coupled with his support from the nobles, he could smoothly ascend to the throne at a suitable juncture.
Was this a suitable juncture?
Queen Kikyo unexpectedly discovered the secret between the first prince and the princess. Alluka, acting preemptively, used wind-based magic to create wind blades that severed the Queen's head.
With matters having reached this point, there was no turning back.
The first prince initiated a coup ahead of schedule, laid a trap, and pierced King Silva's heart with his sword.
Facing the vacant thrones of King and Queen, the first prince and the princess exchanged smiles.
Before the first prince could sit down, the princess kicked over the King's chair.
"We only need one throne," she said.
A black rabbit climbed onto her shoulder, its crimson eyes emanating an evil magic.
Magic is divided into five attributes: Fire, Wind, Lightning, Earth, and Water.
These five attributes are mutually antagonistic: Fire counters Wind, Wind counters Lightning, Lightning counters Earth, Earth counters Water, and Water counters Fire.
Beyond these five common attributes, there is a sixth attribute that is not countered by Fire, Wind, Lightning, Earth, or Water. It is considered the forbidden "Dark" attribute, said to be obtainable only through a pact with a demon.
"...Demon," the first prince murmured.
Red eyes are the symbol of a pact with a demon.
When using dark magic, the princess's eyes, as blue as seawater, turned crimson like fresh blood.
The first prince was enveloped by the princess's magic. Icy magic seeped into his limbs, while his collarbone felt a burning sensation like fire.
His heart felt as if it had been ripped out; he could no longer feel the beat of life. His chest cavity was hollow.
A sense of immense emptiness and loss, like two frenzied beasts, tore at his nerves from either side.
His pride, his self-esteem, his will—all twisted into a unified hue.
"Master-servant contract," the black rabbit stated. "You have already been branded."
In his madness, the first prince clawed at his collar, revealing a black tattoo on his collarbone—the word "mors."
"I will not kill you, for I am utterly incompetent at governing a country," the princess walked up to the first prince. "From now on, you will work for me until you die. Swear your allegiance to me, my dear brother, my most loyal servant, Illumi Zoldyck."
The struggle on the first prince's face disappeared.
"Yes, my lord." He knelt on the ground, piously kissing the princess's shoe.
The old nation was destroyed, and a new nation was born.
The Mo'er Dynasty—no, our greatest Empress, Her Majesty Alluka Zoldyck—her tyrannical reign had just begun.