The Republic of Ba托奇亞, Dentora Region, Mt. 枯枯戮.
Having lived in Mt. 枯枯戮 for over twenty years, it felt like a reunion after a long absence. Returning to Mt. 枯枯戮 was like returning to the beginner's village; seeing the familiar trial gate filled her with a sense of familiarity.
Unless she needed to deliberately display her strength, 默尔丝 always used the least amount of effort, pushing open only the smallest door of the trial gate.
She knew her actions were always contradictory; she craved attention from others, yet she also enjoyed hiding in corners, unnoticed.
Never mind, no need to overthink things; overthinking is the beginning of suffering.
After a few perfunctory words to 基裘, 默尔丝 said she had something to give to 糜稽, quickly ending the conversation with 基裘.
Every time 默尔丝 entered 糜稽's room, 糜稽 would be on high alert, sitting upright, as if he were receiving an inspection from a company leader. She wondered what he was so nervous about.
"Little 糜," 默尔丝 said, in a good mood. "Guess what I brought back for you? Hint: it's a specialty from 友客鑫!"
"Wh-what specialty?" 糜稽 shivered all over at the sudden nickname, goosebumps rising. "Sis, stop playing coy, I'm scared."
糜稽 guessed wrong three times, and 默尔丝 sighed, no longer wanting to torment him.
"Tada!" 默尔丝 clapped her hands together, then opened them. In her hands was a game console [taken] from her game inventory. "It's the 'Greed Island' I snatched from the leader of the Phantom Troupe!"
"Phantom Troupe? Snatched? Greed Island?!" As more and more unbelievable keywords piled up, 糜稽's mouth opened wider and wider, eventually forming an 'o' shape, big enough to fit an egg. "Th-this..."
He had specifically gone to the 友客鑫 auction two months ago, with over 20 billion Yen in funds, 15 billion of which was borrowed from his father. Yet, he hadn't been able to buy 'Greed Island'.
The game console in 默尔丝's hands was undoubtedly identical to the item displayed at the auction.
"Really? Is this really that legendary game, 'Greed Island', with an issue price of 5.8 billion Jenny?!", 糜稽 exclaimed in disbelief. "Can you really just snatch it? That doesn't seem very appropriate for our family, does it?"
Yes, assassins and bandits were different.
"It was a 'transaction', my deserved reward." 默尔丝, holding the game console, turned around. 糜稽, who had been trying to get a closer look, missed. "Do you want it, Little 糜?"
"...I want it, of course I do!" 糜稽's eyes lit up. "Even if you just lend it to me for a while, please, Sis! I'll do anything!"
"Oh? You'll do anything?"
"Uh, as long as I can do it."
默尔丝 put on a thoughtful expression, while 糜稽's face was full of eagerness, his gaze fixed on the game console in 默尔丝's hands, like a pet dog circling its owner's feet, begging for food.
"Then..." 默尔丝 raised the game console high, like the goddess of victory holding a torch. "I'll just give it to you."
"Really?!!!!!" 糜稽 gasped.
"Mm, I've already played it and lost interest."
默尔丝 let go. 糜稽, overjoyed, caught the game console. His long-held regret was suddenly fulfilled. He was as happy as a 200-pound child, almost raising his hands to bow to 默尔丝. "Sis! You are my only sister!"
Isn't that obvious? Your parents only had one daughter. Is the long-haired, black-haired Illumi also your sister?
Before 糜稽 could eagerly enter the game, 默尔丝 stopped him, needing to first inform him of important game information.
"'Greed Island' has no main storyline; it's a super high-freedom open-world game. The main gameplay involves collecting cards within the game. There are three types of cards in the game: 'Designated Cards', 'Spell Cards', and 'Other Cards'."
"There are a total of 100 Designated Cards, which can be obtained through quests, events, and various other means. Collecting all 100 Designated Cards allows you to clear the game. Spell Cards can be purchased at the card shop and are cards that provide auxiliary effects for player-to-player offense and defense, long-distance communication, etc. Other Cards are obtained through various channels and are generally ordinary game item cards or special function cards."
"Currently, there are two to three clearing teams in the game, and they have already collected over eighty Designated Cards, entering the final stage. I don't recommend you join those teams; sharing rewards with so many people is not cost-effective. Moreover, there's an unknown player called 'Bomb Demon' who is hunting players everywhere. I believe he's mixed in with one of those teams, waiting to reap the spoils of victory at any moment."
"Got it." 糜稽 hesitated, then spoke again. "Sis, you rarely say so much to me."
"You're not good at fighting, are you?" 默尔丝 said. "This game isn't something you can play by just moving a mouse and keyboard. Dying in the game means really dying. However, the technology in this game is truly amazing. Let's enter the game together, and I'll transfer my cards to you."
Despite 默尔丝's prior warning, 糜稽 was still deeply shocked when he actually saw the game's scenes.
It was incredible. This game was too realistic.
糜稽 marvelled, touching the walls of the corridor, and almost reached out to touch the beautiful NPC responsible for game explanations.
Exiting the starting map, the endless grassland before him, no, it should be called the game map, further piqued 糜稽's curiosity about how this game was made.
默尔丝 didn't have time to wait for 糜稽 to explore the game; she didn't want Phinks and the others to discover she had secretly logged into the game again. So, she used a Spell Card to take 糜稽 directly to the bounty city of 安多奇拔, and then handed the cards from the collection book to 糜稽.
"You play slowly. I'm going home now." Before 糜稽 could respond, 默尔丝 used a card and left the game.
Teleporting back to where the game console was, 默尔丝 glanced at the "nowplaying" text displayed on the computer screen and walked out of the room.
Before returning to Mt. 枯枯戮, 默尔丝 had completely tidied up her game inventory, feeling an unprecedented sense of lightness.
Decluttering. Discarding unnecessary, unsuitable, or outdated items and severing attachments to them, only then can one live a simple and clean life, making life more beautiful.
Closing the door, 默尔丝 placed the items she needed to leave in Mt. 枯枯戮 in her room. Her game inventory felt much lighter, just like her mood.
She felt like a hot air balloon; the more heavy objects she shed, the higher she floated.
Currently, 默尔丝's game inventory only contained 99 [Anchor Points], a mobile phone, a pack of tissues, a handkerchief, ten million Jenny in cash, ten servings of special cuisine, ten bottles of water, two sets of clothes, and [New Orleans].
默尔丝 wanted to release New Orleans into the wild, far from Mt. 枯枯戮, so that New Orleans would no longer have to obey any master's commands and could be a free eagle.
Everything that needed to be left behind was already placed in the room.
默尔丝 placed her hand on the doorknob.
Her heart was beating so hard it almost made her unsteady.
This feeling of her heart pounding was like the passionate love described in novels, a strong emotion she had rarely experienced in both lifetimes combined.
No, her breathing had also become rapid.
默尔丝 let go of her hand, leaned her back against the door, and slid to the floor.
Her palms were sweating, and she couldn't tell if she was excited or nervous.
She found herself trembling, as if she had regressed back to the useless, timid self she once was.
"No need to be nervous," 默尔丝 softly reassured herself.
"No need to be nervous," 默尔丝 hugged her shoulders.
"No need to be nervous," 默尔丝 closed her eyes, adjusting her breathing.
No matter what one does, the key is to take the first step; after that, it's simple.
Open that door.
Walk out.
Walk out.
默尔丝's footsteps were light, becoming faster and faster. She began to run.
She ran to the end of the corridor, out of the Zoldyck mansion. She stepped onto the grass, and the wind gently lifted her fluffy silver-white long curly hair, as if lifting a cloud.
The sun was bright, and the air was fresh.
It was a beautiful day.
And, there would be even more beautiful days.
To nGL, to find that Chimera Queen Ant, to offer her blood and flesh, to exchange "death" for "rebirth". Human abilities have limits, unless one becomes a being that surpasses humanity.
Yes, 默尔丝 needed a new mother, a mother who could allow her to be reborn in a better state, even if that mother wasn't human.
"默尔丝... 默尔..." Her old mother, 基裘, who was about to be completely abandoned by 默尔丝, was calling her.
With a hint of pity, 默尔丝 stopped.
基裘, holding up the heavy skirt of her Western-style dress, finally caught up with 默尔丝.
"默尔, why are you running so fast? You almost couldn't catch up." The ornate decorations on 基裘's wide-brimmed hat were a bit disheveled. "Are you busy with work? Don't you even have time to sit down for a cup of tea? 默尔, 默尔, I haven't seen you in a long time. I miss you so much. Can you stay with me a little longer? Ten minutes, five minutes, even just three minutes... 默尔."
基裘 lowered her hands, speaking softly, as if afraid of provoking her, appearing very weak and helpless, with nowhere to turn.
Seeing that 默尔丝 had no particular reaction, 基裘 tentatively asked, "Can I hug you, 默尔?"
默尔丝 nodded. 基裘 beamed as if she had received a great pardon. She put one arm around 默尔丝's waist and the other behind 默尔丝's head, pulling 默尔丝 into a tight embrace.
"Time flies so fast. In the blink of an eye, you've grown so tall." 基裘 stroked 默尔丝's head, chattering with the usual old sentiments. "When you were little, you often sat in my arms, and I would comb your hair..."
默尔丝 listened to her chatter quietly, just like usual.
However, her usual quietness was a refusal to respond, whereas this time... it was the last time anyway, so letting her chatter a bit longer wouldn't hurt.
Meanwhile, the butler, who had received 基裘's instructions, pushed open the door to 默尔丝's room. His eyes widened, and he stood stunned when he saw the scene inside.
Having undergone strict training from the Zoldycks, the butler only froze for two to three seconds before resuming his actions, cautiously walking into the room.
Through the electronic eye, 基裘 could see the scene before the butler.
Money, money everywhere.
Stacked layer upon layer, countless banknotes here seemed like ordinary bricks, used to build walls that reached the ceiling. The room, over a hundred square meters, was left with only a narrow, winding passage.
This was... this was the source of the scent that clung to 默尔丝. This child had spent so much time in her room, doing this. 基裘 finally understood.
Yes, 默尔丝 was quite proud after completing this marvel.
Then, 默尔丝 habitually changed her clothes and washed her hands. She just didn't expect that when 基裘 hugged 默尔丝, she would smell the scent of banknotes lingering in 默尔丝's hair. Furthermore, 基裘 had felt a sense of unease, like a premonition, due to 默尔丝 staying in her room for too long. Therefore, 基裘 decided to have the butler check 默尔丝's room.
Yes, the order was given only after 基裘 hugged 默尔丝. 基裘 knew that 默尔丝 always ignored her nagging. When 基裘 mixed the keywords of the order into her nagging, delivering them to the butler with slight pauses, 默尔丝, standing nearby, was completely unaware.
The butler cautiously walked into the narrow passage between the walls of banknotes, turned twice, and at the end of the passage was a table with a large bouquet of blue-purple fresh flowers prominently displayed. 基裘 recognized them as bellflowers at a glance.
"默尔, I remember the first time you gave me a gift..." 基裘 stroked 默尔丝's hair. "Only you noticed that my name also means 'bellflower (キキョウ)'. I know that although you don't like to talk, you are the most thoughtful child. I was so happy then."
The first gift 默尔丝 gave her was a handkerchief printed with bellflowers. (Chapter 79)
The same flower can have different meanings.
The first gift was bellflowers, whose flower language is "eternal unchanging love."
Today's gift is bellflowers; what is their flower language today?
Is it "longing"?
Or, "hopeless love"?
Just like bellflowers with completely different flower languages, the most thoughtful child can also be the most cruel child.
The butler walked to the table, bowed his head, allowing 基裘's electronic eye to see the other items on the table more clearly.
A whistle necklace, a dagger, and at the bottom, a notebook.
基裘 ordered the butler to open the notebook. It contained no special messages, merely simple records of 默尔丝's culinary thoughts during her travels. The handwriting was old; there were no recent entries.
This was... a notebook Zeno had given 默尔丝 before. (Chapter 143)
The dagger was given by Silva. (Chapter 91)
As for the whistle necklace...
At this point, 基裘 understood completely. "That moment" had arrived. Her child, her 默尔, was about to disappear from her arms forever.
"默尔," 基裘's voice was choked by tears, sounding muffled like the sky before rain. "Don't go. 默尔, I love you. 默尔..."
默尔丝 finally realized something was wrong. She lifted her head from 基裘's embrace, mentally prepared to use [Anchor Point] at any moment to teleport to another city.
"You're getting further and further away from me, and I feel like I can't see you clearly anymore." 基裘 cupped 默尔丝's face, and what she said next was similar to usual. "I want to spend more time with you. We can do anything. Do anything that makes you happy, okay?"
"Don't... want..." The second word gushed out of 默尔丝's mouth with blood.
默尔丝's eyes widened in disbelief as her body went limp in 基裘's arms.
默尔丝 didn't know that at this moment, there was no difference in what she answered, because when she looked up at 基裘, her eyes, devoid of any lingering affection, had already spoken the true answer in place of her mouth.
The organ in her chest that had been beating excitedly moments ago was no more. With a small, but powerful explosion, it turned into countless fragments, spilling out of her throat.
Humans have many fatal spots.
The Zoldycks chose the "heart" as the primary target for the foundational skill [Heart Steal] because it yielded the highest mortality rate, minimizing the target's struggling time and reducing the risk of assassination work.
In the moments before death, time slows down, allowing for much thought.
默尔丝 knew that she only had enough time left to accomplish one thing.
Should she use [Anchor Point]?
No, it was meaningless now. Her heart was gone. Special cuisine couldn't save this injury because the remaining time was too short to consume the special cuisine and allow it to take effect.
Then...
She could only do that one thing.
"..."
[Retrieve] [New Orleans]
As 默尔丝, who had collapsed in 基裘's arms, her hair touched the ground, New Orleans flew out of her palm.
Perhaps thinking 默尔丝 would be more comfortable lying down, 基裘 bent her body down with 默尔丝, kneeling on her knees, letting 默尔丝 rest her head on her lap.
基裘 took out a handkerchief, her hand trembled, and the handkerchief slipped from her fingers. She then used her sleeve to wipe the blood constantly flowing from 默尔丝's mouth. The ornate lace and ruffles on her sleeve were soaked with blood.
"...Mom?" 默尔丝's gaze became unfocused, leaving only a bewildered look at the sky.
"默尔," 基裘 cried out, cupping her face and calling out repeatedly, "默尔... 默尔."
The eagle flying in the air also cried out, a high-pitched eagle's cry, as if possessing the power to tear apart souls.
New Orleans knew its master was dead. It flapped its wings and swooped down towards 基裘 in a hunting posture.
基裘 made no attempt to dodge. As the mistress of the Zoldycks, she couldn't even deal with an eagle.
Killing an eagle was easy, just like... just like 基裘 killed the first eagle 默尔丝 raised.
A mere pet could have countless replacements, or even better replacements.
...A mere pet.
基裘 ultimately did not make a move, and New Orleans, after all, was trained by the Zoldycks. It merely knocked off 基裘's wide-brimmed hat, let out a mournful cry, circled low a few times, and then flew away.
"默尔, Mom is right here." After wiping the blood from 默尔丝's face, 基裘 closed 默尔丝's eyes with her hand and kissed her forehead. "Sleep peacefully."
"Sleep, 默尔."
"Sleep, my dearest baby."