Chapter 21
The weather is not good today; it's gloomy and covered in dark clouds.
I scrolled through my phone screen, from today to tomorrow, carefully studying the weather forecast, trying to figure out exactly when the weather would clear up.
Meanwhile, Milluki, who had done his research beforehand, sat confidently across from me, staring intently at a spot across the building, waiting for the target to appear.
However, with less than ten minutes remaining before the planned assassination, the enemy still hadn't appeared.
I've already looked at the weather forecast for this city for the next 72 hours. Milluki is still observing something. I switched the weather forecast to the area near Kukuroku Mountain and glanced at Milluki again.
"What if he suddenly doesn't come today?" I asked casually.
“Impossible.” Milluki rejected the idea decisively.
"Just in case." The weather on Kukuroo Mountain has been nice lately, mostly sunny days, so I replied while looking at the sun icon in the weather forecast.
Mi Ji, however, remained silent with a furrowed brow.
I didn't ask who the task was, nor did I volunteer to help... To be honest, I was already being nice by not causing him any trouble.
If I were to help, things would likely spiral out of control; there have been instances of this happening before.
Illumi, who was in a rare good mood, took me and Killua on a mission. Killua was the main force, while Illumi was responsible for observing and guiding from the shadows. As for me, Illumi said, "Rai, you can do whatever you want."
When he came up with this terrible idea, he probably wanted to see if I was suitable to be an assassin.
The result was disastrous.
It was to the extent that Miki shook his head repeatedly upon hearing it.
...
Time ticked by, but the pre-arranged assassination target still hadn't appeared.
"Maybe he really won't come," I said, blinking indifferently.
Milluki was furious. He took out his phone... and finally, a guy who looked like the mission target appeared from around the corner. Milluki noticed him out of the corner of his eye, excitedly put down his phone, and then realized that they just looked alike.
His meticulously planned operation came to an ambush when the target never appeared at the designated location.
I finished researching the weather forecast for the area near Kukuroo Mountain, and then I glanced at the weather forecast for the location of Adrian Manor... wait, it's sunny here too.
Is it only in this place, where I am right now, that the cloudy weather will last for a full 72 hours?
"What do we do now?" I asked. "You're about to check out, and your small plane has already been booked. If you can't complete the mission on time, remember to coordinate with them."
Miji's fingers flew across the keyboard, he was frantic with work, and he said impatiently, "Can't you say something nice? You could at least call a hotel to extend the room, right?"
“It’s not impossible,” I said slowly, unconcerned about his bad temper, “but if I were to do it, I’m not sure what I would say to my older brother.”
Mi Ji: "..."
He was completely devastated, his face etched with the pain of utter despair. I pretended not to notice, then picked up my phone, racking my brains to figure out which city had the best weather... just then I heard Milluki suddenly swear.
He has a pretty bad temper, but it's rare for him to suddenly swear. I rubbed my ears, feeling like my mental state had been damaged, and asked:
"What's wrong"
"It's nothing." Milluki turned off his phone, looked up, and said without saying a word, "I know where the mission target is. The room and the plane don't need to be changed. You go back first, and I'll take care of him and then find another way to get home."
...Hmm, it seems suspicious no matter how you look at it.
This attitude of wanting to kick me out without explanation clearly shows that they don't even want me involved as a bystander...
"Did he go to the exhibition?" I turned off my phone, rested my chin on my hand, and asked Milluki with a smile, "Illumi wouldn't let me near the exhibition, so you were in a hurry to send me away."
“That’s not true,” Milluki denied without changing his expression. “I just think you’re in my way.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“Okay,” I said readily, “I’ll go first then, you go after her yourself.”
"...So easy?" He became suspicious, his eyes filled with wariness. "You're not still thinking about getting rid of me and going to find that Phantom Troupe, are you...? But how do you even know them?"
"No, not at all," I said. "But since you've put it that way, I'll stay and see that person before I leave... Actually, we don't really know each other, my... Mom..."
It had been a long time since I'd called out that name, and it took me a moment to mentally prepare myself before continuing:
"...They had the information they wanted, so they lured one of them over, that's roughly it."
"...You didn't get involved with that guy too, did you?" Milluki swallowed hard and asked.
I opened my eyes wide innocently: "Am I the type of person who can be with just anyone?"
Miji: "That's right, this is too outrageous..."
Just as he was about to misunderstand me, I clapped my hands and excitedly interrupted him: "You guessed right! Back then, anyone but the eldest brother would do."
Mi Ji: "..."
Milluki: "You really are..."
He seemed to have a lot to say, but after several changes in his facial expression, he fell silent along with his voice.
The body language that was originally leaning slightly towards me unconsciously shifted back, as if making a gesture of escape.
I watched his change with a cold eye, lowered my hand that was supporting my chin, and sat up a little straighter.
"Am I really... what?" I asked, "annoying?"
He didn't reply.
“But if you’re a nuisance,” I said, “it will give everyone a chance.”
"Some people went through a lot of trouble to get their number plates. Am I supposed to just invalidate everyone's numbers all at once? That would be too much, wouldn't it?"
The deliberate distance he maintained just a moment ago was suddenly disrupted by panic and anxiety.
He stood up impatiently and changed the subject: "I'll take you home."
I straightened the hem of my skirt before getting up.
"good."
I said.
...
Milluki completely forgot he was supposed to be discussing the Phantom Troupe with me.
He probably thought that whatever I was thinking, it would be fine as long as he saw me board the plane.
Theoretically speaking, everything should indeed end here.
I can spend the rest of my life like this.
Without angering Illumi, plan fun activities for yourself, casually tease his younger brothers, go shopping, spend money, and try not to think about things you shouldn't think about.
Anyway, it doesn't matter whether he's the one I marry or not. When I put the engagement ring on my finger, as long as I keep walking down this path, the future will be clear and simple, as you can see right through it.
Aside from the Zoldycks, whom I loathe, there has never been anything particularly special in my life... except for that person.
But it had to be that person.
I've realized over and over again that he's abandoned me, but even though I've been abandoned, I still want to turn around and look at him one last time.
Why exactly?
I want to ask this question to clarify things.
There is absolutely no reason why they have to abandon me.
It wasn't out of love, but more out of uncontrollable dissatisfaction and disgust with the predetermined future.
As the small plane that Miki had specially booked flew high and far, turning the city below into a flat map, I sighed.
"I'm sorry," I said with an apologetic smile to the driver, "I have to go back for a bit."
"Would you like to turn around yourself, or do you want me to help you turn around?"
"I really mean we'll turn around." I reminded him gently, making sure he chose the right option.
Under the impact of the Nen-pressure and the Zoldyck-style bent-limb technique, the driver, his face ashen, turned around and landed again.
Too lazy to bother with my luggage, I walked out the door empty-handed. After taking a couple of steps back the way I came, I heard Milluki's voice:
"...You really came back."
"Well," I don't really like lying, so I said frankly, "I can't help it, I'm the type who gets upset if I don't get to do something I want to do."
“Go back, Ray,” Milluki said firmly. “If you don’t keep your promise this time, your older brother won’t let you out again… You don’t want that, do you?”
I didn't say anything, I just looked at him quietly.
A moment later, I smiled.
“I really don’t want to,” I asked, “but what can I do? I don’t want to be reprimanded, but that’s all I do.”
I'm not so afraid of my older brother anymore.
I used to fear him as a god. He was tall with a long shadow, his angry expression was terrifying, his mental pressure was frightening, and his strength was so great that I couldn't break free at all.
...But those were all things from a very, very long time ago.
As I grew up and during the time I was away from him, I gradually realized that Illumi's influence on me was based on my fear.
As long as you're not afraid, everything will be fine.
At worst, you'll be caught and killed—when things get to that point, try pretending to be pitiful and asking Illumi with tears in your eyes, "Don't you really love me at all anymore?"
If accused of betrayal, turn the tables and accuse him of "leaving my side first."
If you're advised to "start today and be together forever"... then on every day after that when you don't see him, pretend you miss him so much you're dying, and that you can't live without him.
He must be troubled by this, because then he won't be able to go on missions easily as he wishes.
“No one can go against Big Brother’s wishes.” Milluki seemed to have figured something out and seriously tried to dissuade me. “You’ve clearly seen what he turned Killua into.”
“Those methods don’t work on me.” I sighed, changing my address several times, “Mom, Mother… Don’t you know why that woman was able to become the uncrowned queen of the underground intelligence empire?”
“My abilities and hers,” I continued, “are inherited from each other.”
That's probably why she hates me so much.
Because her daughter was just as terrifying as she was.
"Speaking of which," I said lightly, changing the subject, "I really feel that I absolutely must see those rare exhibits... Second Brother, please let me go."
"No!" Milluki refused me without even thinking.
I couldn't help but ask, "You'll definitely agree in the end, so why insist on refusing now?"
Miki shouted, "I said no, and that's final!"
“You would have agreed,” I said, “just like how you’ve thought about hating me so many times, but you always gave in in the end.”
My ability is simply this kind of existence.
“Forget it, second brother,” I advised him, “Anyway, you don’t want to see me with eldest brother, right… Let me be the bad woman.”
In this way, it will be fair to everyone.
Because no one can receive a gift individually.
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