Chapter 78
The internal struggles within Adrian lasted for a long time.
From late spring until mid-July, until the annual Black Friday auction was about to start again, I was struck by how quickly time had passed.
Illumi has quietly reduced the frequency of his conversations with me.
Occasionally, when he came to Adrian to see me, he would just sit silently on the sofa not far away and watch me.
"I didn't expect you to be able to handle these things so well." He commented on my work in a casual manner. "I've seen the documents, and you've organized them more concisely and highlighted the key points."
“Because I know more about Zoldyck than my mother does,” I replied.
This conversation became an unspoken illustration of the shift in our relationship; he rarely brought up those methods of controlling me anymore, and instead maintained a proper distance from me as a collaborator.
At this point, everything related to the engagement began to drag on.
Mrs. Kikko didn't care about any business dealings between the two families. Instead, as always, she liked to come over by video call while fanning herself and asking about the progress of my relationship with Illumi. Little did she know that it was already difficult for Illumi and me to have any conversations about our feelings.
We've been apart for far too long, and so many things have changed in between. I've become a different person, and he's accepted that I've transformed from a puppet in his hands into a partner who can bring him benefits.
After my obedience decreased and my aggression gradually emerged, he began to slowly reduce his presence in my life.
Illumi's preferences are fixed; he's not interested in me now.
...But as long as my mother is still in Adrian, I cannot relax for a day, and I still have to use my identity as Illumi to suppress her.
"Would you like to attend this year's auction, Miss?" the assistant asked, confirming the schedule.
Several years ago, the Phantom Troupe wreaked havoc at an auction, during which the leaders of the Black Gang were almost entirely slaughtered. Mother didn't let this opportunity pass; she used the chaos to climb to yet another peak—
Where people congregate, unexpected opportunities always arise, not to be missed. Who knows what exciting events or thrilling disasters might unfold this year?
It's worth the gamble.
"Go," I readily agreed.
In previous years, I would accompany my mother as a family member or an associate of the organization, but this year, I can have my own exclusive service as a junior leader.
My mother was still putting up a stubborn resistance. She tried to get past me and sit in a higher position at the meeting, but I stopped her.
“Mom,” I said, taking my seat first. I gently squeezed her fingers, which were covered in silk gloves, and looked up at her with a soft smile. “Your health is the most important thing. You’ve been working so hard for so long. You should rest in a comfortable spot.”
My mother wanted to protest, but the bodyguards I had bribed beforehand were quick to guide her away from our row.
Once the struggle was over, the crowd gathered around me again, chattering amongst themselves to identify me, their tone friendly:
"Miss Adrian has grown so much!"
“Time flies,” I replied, “It’s time to take on the responsibilities of the family and let the elders enjoy their leisure time… If there is anything you may need Adrian for in the future, please feel free to discuss it. Although I am not as experienced as my mother, I will never let you down. We are all in this together, and we should share the good times.”
"Sharing the good fortune."
After the lively greetings, the mother's decline was irreversible.
I'm in a good mood.
After the auction ended and everyone had said their goodbyes and left, I was the last one to slowly stand up.
My mother has been taken back to the hotel by the bodyguards. She wanted to contact me through the bodyguard captain, but I refused.
The battle is over, and there's nothing more for us to say. Now I'm just resting and breathing in this rare moment of clarity.
Looking back, my life has never been so simple and easy.
I was always worried about my mother's criticism and coldness, Illumi's manipulation, and Zoldyck's gloom. My life was always shrouded in the endless rainy season, damp and gloomy, my beautiful princess dress was covered with mold, and my bones smelled like something that could never be dried.
Now, I can't smell that smell anymore.
The sky hadn't cleared up, but it had stopped raining.
People always criticize my "willfulness" with silent eyes, but no matter how much I restrain myself and behave carefully, they will not let me go. Their gaze is as ever-present as the moisture in the rainy season.
But when I really act willfully and don't meet any of their expectations, no one looks at me that way anymore.
Because they know it won't work.
It took me more than twenty years to understand this principle, and I almost lost my life for it.
Thinking of this, I took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.
Lost in thought, the car pulled smoothly into the hotel where my mother and I were staying. As I entered the lobby, I caught a glimpse of a familiar figure out of the corner of my eye, though the hair color seemed somewhat unfamiliar…
I stopped and stared at the figure for a while, thinking. The person in the figure turned around and met my eyes warily. He was wearing sunglasses, so I couldn't see his eyes, but his lips were shaped like a slight upturn, which was quite distinctive.
That's a modified Kurapika.
At tomorrow's auction, a pair of fiery red eyes will be the grand finale, presented as a rare treasure.
He must have come here for this reason.
Thanks to Alluka's abilities, which are currently in some unknown time and space, the story between me and all of them has been reset as if by a great purge.
At this point, Kurapika probably only had memories of me from his days as a young waiter. I was too lazy to bother with such a cold guy, so after exchanging glances with him for a moment, I didn't react any further.
We just brushed past each other at the front desk.
He checked in, and I took the elevator.
As I went upstairs, it suddenly occurred to me that since Kurapika was here, and given the Phantom Troupe's usual practice of fighting him to the death... Chrollo was very likely also nearby.
This is something to be careful about.
This premonition was confirmed at the auction the next day. When the auction was in full swing, I saw Kuroro appear in his true form without any hesitation—perhaps as a provocation.
He participated in the fierce bidding.
I propped my head up and watched coldly as the bidding prices soared amidst the rising and falling voices. In the end, it was obvious that Kuroro had shouted out an amount far exceeding the price of the goods, and no one was willing to bid any lower. He was confident of victory.
How annoying.
I held up the sign.
Kuroro followed the host's surprised gaze and looked at me.
He had no expression, so I smiled at him. The host asked enthusiastically if anyone was willing to bid higher. Kuroro remained silent, and so the deal was finalized. In the end, I, as the winner, paid the ridiculously low price for this collectible.
...Actually, I think the whole auction process for Scarlet Eyes is absurd.
Whether it's the public's fascination with human organs or the chase between victims and suspects over them.
No matter how beautiful and dazzling they are, the original purpose of these eyes in the world is simply to enable their owner to see the world clearly.
Just because of beauty, a pair of eyes steals the show, and the owner of the eyes becomes a mere object for them. People don't care about the life or death or feelings of their fellow human beings, and they fight over those eyes without a care in the world.
I didn't want to get involved in such an absurd struggle, so I left early, leaving the hotel address at the auction, only changing the room number, and sent it to someone who needed it more.
With this as the conclusion, I resolved to no longer participate in the battle between the orphans of Kuruta and the S-class fugitives.
Fortunately, the Phantom Troupe didn't cause too much of a stir at this auction. Apart from Chrollo's grand appearance, I haven't heard any other information about them...
Kuroro seemed to want to contact me, but I tried my best to avoid meeting and talking to him before I realized what was going on.
After the auction ended, Illumi reappeared. He didn't mention his own thoughts, but only asked what would happen to Adrian and Zoldyck's engagement, whether it could still be fulfilled, and when they planned to fulfill it.
This guy, who has tormented me for most of my life and is practically a nightmare, vaguely revealed his unhappiness during the conversation... I thought he would never be able to get rid of his morbid infatuation with me.
I never imagined that everything would change like this.
"I'll listen to my older brother," I said, trying to evade the question.
Illumi stopped pretending and openly revealed his resentment.
“...You’re not cute at all right now,” he complained to me.
"Really?" I laughed genuinely. "But now I actually find my older brother quite adorable."
Now that things have come to this, the engagement that once troubled me no longer matters to me.
On the contrary, the thought that Illumi is the one who is unwilling right now makes me even more excited.
That's really interesting.
If the priest were here right now, asking me if Illumi would marry me, I would probably answer him, "Yes."
—End of text—
[Author's Note]
This concludes the main text of this article.
This was originally a story about a popular but toxic woman named Ryde, who was portrayed as a charming yet morbidly fragile young lady who was supposed to have a happy ending with someone. However, she consciously hated everyone.
She needed love, not a lover, but in life, only she herself will always love herself. So in the end, no matter what, she couldn't write a romantic pairing and could only leave it as an open ending in the main story.
If they were to write a side story, Rai would probably still obediently marry Illumi, but he would probably dream about Kurapika every night afterward. After all, what you can't have is what you miss the most. Without Rai's temptation, he would definitely be the "good man" that Rai can't let go of.
Then let me recommend some of my older works. The ones I'm most satisfied with so far are "My Volleyball Club Boyfriend," my first Hunter x Hunter story which is now finished, "After Falling in Love with Killua Online" (this one seems a bit childish now, sob sob), and the short story "My Controlling Boyfriend Is Controlled by Me" (I personally think it's a bit silly; I made it up as a new attempt at writing something).
Next up is an upcoming pre-order, "Making a Fortune of 300 Billion, Zoldyck Won't Let Me Quit." This time, having learned from my mistakes, I've decided not to write a dark and gritty story. The content is just like the title suggests: the female protagonist works as a special consultant at Zoldyck. Because the projects she plans generate such high profits, she's being clung to by the boss and won't be allowed to quit. It's a story about a working woman who is completely entangled with the boss and won't be allowed to leave.
above.
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