Chapter 63 The Assassins of Kukuroku Mountain 06 Mom, she only listens to...
Ayana opened her eyes, intending to drink a glass of water before going to work.
However, just as she grasped the water glass, the system's voice rang out at an inopportune moment.
[Detected that the affection level of the good boy [Illumi Zoldyck] is 30%.]
"My favorability rating has increased?" Ayana murmured to herself, somewhat puzzled, wondering how her favorability rating had increased after she took a nap.
She suppressed her doubts and began her workday as usual.
When Illumi appeared, it was no different from any other day.
He silently carried out his daily training, his instructions to Ayana were concise and flat, as if the confrontation of the previous night had never happened.
Illumi didn't even glance at Ayana, and this complete normalcy only made Ayana's unease grow quietly like vines.
Just as she finished her morning work and was about to take a short break, the system notification sounded again.
[New mission unlocked: Re-encounter the key figure [Killua Zoldyck], attempt a brief conversation with him, and observe his condition.]
[Task Reward: 200 points.]
He's in contact with Killua again?
Ayana's heart tightened.
After what happened last night, she is now wary of any action involving Killua.
But the system's mission was not to be refused, so she had no choice but to bite the bullet and look for an opportunity.
In the afternoon, she "bumped into" Killua doing basic physical training in the training forest area behind the main house.
The silver-haired boy had a thin layer of sweat on his forehead, his eyes focused, seemingly completely immersed in his own world.
Ayana took a deep breath, composed herself, and stepped forward like a dutiful butler, bowing respectfully: "Young Master Killua, good day."
Killua stopped what he was doing upon hearing the sound and turned to look at her.
Those blue cat eyes held a hint of impatience at being disturbed, but more like the doubt and scrutiny one would show when looking at a stranger.
"Who are you?" Killua frowned, his tone carrying undisguised aloofness. "Big Brother's new butler?"
Ayana froze on the spot, her blood seemingly freezing instantly.
Does he not recognize her?
How could this be?! Yesterday they even sneaked into the back mountain together, and he questioned her with that cold, wary look in his eyes!
But at this moment, Killua looked at her as if she were a servant he had never seen before.
"I...I am Ayana, the direct butler of young master Illumi." She forced herself to remain calm, lowering her eyelashes to conceal the turmoil within. "Yesterday we..."
"Oh." Killua interrupted her, then resumed stretching with little interest, his tone casual. "Don't bother me during my training unless it's absolutely necessary."
His completely unfamiliar attitude was like a bucket of ice water poured over my head.
Ayana couldn't finish her sentence.
As she watched Killua's focused back as he trained, a chill ran down her spine and up her neck.
This is absolutely abnormal!
What did Illumi do to him?
Ayana dared not linger any longer and whispered, "Yes, I take my leave."
He then hastily turned and left.
Her mind was in turmoil. She walked quickly along the forest path, her mind replaying Killua's clear yet empty blue eyes.
She needed to sort things out immediately, as this sudden turn of events had disrupted all her plans.
Just as Ayana was feeling uneasy, a tall, slender figure appeared silently at the corner of the path ahead, blocking her way.
Ayana suddenly stopped in her tracks, her heart halting.
Illumi stood there, as if he had been waiting for a long time.
He remained expressionless, his long black hair swaying gently in the breeze, his hollow cat-like eyes calmly watching her, as if he could see through all the panic and confusion she was trying to hide.
“It seems,” Illumi began, his voice flat yet carrying a subtle, all-knowing quality, “that you are quite curious about Xiaoqi?”
Ayana's heart nearly jumped out of her throat.
"Young...Young Master?" She forcefully suppressed the denial that was about to spill out, trying to make her voice sound only confused and slightly fearful of being questioned. "This subordinate does not understand your meaning. This subordinate just happened to meet Young Master Killua and was simply paying respects according to the rules."
Illumi didn't immediately refute her, but just stared at her quietly, his black, hole-like eyes never blinking.
The air was so stagnant it felt like a solid, making it almost impossible for Ayana to breathe.
"Is that so?" After a long silence, he spoke again in that flat tone, but the topic suddenly shifted in a direction that caught Ayana off guard. "However, Ayana, I have recently discovered that my own memory seems to be having some problems."
Ayana's pupils contracted sharply.
Illumi took a step forward, his tall figure casting a shadow that completely enveloped Ayana.
He tilted his head slightly and continued, "This is very unusual; my memory shouldn't be having problems."
Illumi's fingertips had somehow caught the dark Nen nail again, sending chills down one's spine.
His gaze was fixed on Ayana, her reflection so clearly in his empty cat-like eyes for the first time, with a chilling focus.
He took another step closer, so close that Ayana could feel the oppressive aura emanating from him.
“So, I was thinking…” Illumi’s voice was even lower, almost a whisper, yet more threatening than any roar, “Did you… do something to me?”
"Is that you, Ayana?"
These words, like a final judgment, struck Ayana, leaving her completely stunned.
A tremendous fear gripped her, leaving her limbs cold and her blood running backward.
Ayana was about to retort when she suddenly felt a sharp, brief sting on the back of her head, as if a cold needle had pierced it with extreme precision.
The pain came on quickly and went away just as fast, almost making her think it was a hallucination caused by excessive tension.
But then, an irresistible darkness, like a surging tide, instantly overwhelmed her consciousness.
Before she could even think about what the stinging pain meant, everything in front of her gradually became blurry.
The woman lost all sensation, her body slumped forward, and before she could even utter a sound, she was completely enveloped in boundless darkness.
Her world fell silent.
Illumi stood there, looking at Ayana lying motionless on the ground.
He slowly squatted down, his slender fingers brushing aside the hair behind her neck, revealing her smooth skin.
There were no wounds or marks there, as if the stinging pain from just moments ago had never happened.
His empty cat-like eyes were devoid of any emotion as he easily reached out and scooped up the unconscious Ayana.
The woman's body leaned limply against Illumi's chest, completely powerless to resist.
Illumi picked her up and turned to walk towards the main house.
The corridor was empty and silent, with only Illumi's barely audible footsteps echoing through it.
*
Something's not right.
With a spoon in his mouth, Killua's blue cat eyes, hidden beneath his silver hair, subtly swept across the table across the table once more.
This is the third day.
It was as if a silent shadow had appeared beside Illumi.
The personal butler named Ayana no longer only appeared in the training grounds or during missions, but was almost inseparable from Illumi.
Just like now, even during the Zoldyck family's dinner time, she stood quietly a step behind Illumi's chair, her head bowed and eyes downcast, like a well-made, wind-up doll.
Killua frowned.
He remembered this woman.
A few days ago, she came over to greet me at the training ground, claiming to be my brother's direct housekeeper.
At the time, he felt a little confused and even annoyed, since it had disturbed his training.
But now it seems things aren't so simple.
My older brother never did this before.
His requirements for a butler were that he be efficient and discreet, a competent tool, not an appendage that needed to be carried around or even involved in family activities.
What made Killua even more uncomfortable was the woman herself.
She was too quiet.
It wasn't a quietness in her personality, but rather a kind of lifeless stillness.
The woman's eyes were always lowered, her gaze fixed on the ground near Illumi's heels, as if something there was capturing her entire attention.
Her movements were precise and standardized, each one flawless, yet they exuded an inhuman stiffness.
Illumi would occasionally turn his head and whisper something to her, his voice so soft it was like a whisper, that Killua couldn't hear what he said at all.
The atmosphere at the dinner table was subtle.
Father Silva ate his meal calmly, seemingly unaware of the unusual occurrence.
The second brother, Milluki, was busy with the food on his plate, occasionally stealing a glance at Ayana with curiosity and a hint of envy in his eyes, as if he envied his eldest brother for having such an obedient subordinate.
Killua could sense that his mother's gaze, hidden behind the ornate fan and electronic eyes, had scanned Aiana countless times like a searchlight.
The breathing coming from behind the fan seemed a little more rapid than usual.
As dinner drew to a close, Kikyo finally couldn't hold back any longer.
She slammed her exquisite fan shut, the tip pointing directly at Ayana, her tone filled with intense displeasure: "Illumi! Get this butler out of here! What kind of behavior is this, standing here during the family mealtime!"
The air seemed to freeze for a moment.
Killua instinctively looked at Ayana, expecting her to bow and retreat in fear, just like the other butlers who had been reprimanded by the lady.
However, it didn't happen.
The woman remained standing there, her posture unchanged, as if she hadn't heard Kikyo's words at all.
Then, Illumi's calm, emotionless voice broke the suffocating silence.
"Mom, she only listens to me."
The short sentence caused Kikyo's electronic eyes to flash red for a moment, and even Silva's chewing motion paused almost imperceptibly for half a second.
Kikyo seemed enraged, slamming his fan on the table. "Illumi! What do you mean by this? Bringing a butler to the family dinner, and being so rude! She's just a servant!"
Illumi slowly turned his head, his empty cat eyes meeting Kikyo's flashing electronic eyes. His tone was flat, yet carried an air of certainty, as if announcing an established fact: "She's more than just a housekeeper."
He paused, seemingly considering his words, or perhaps simply stating, "From now on, she will become a member of our family."
That was the sound of Milluki's fork falling into the plate.
His mouth gaped open, his fleshy face filled with shock. He looked at Illumi, then at Ayana, who looked like a doll, as if he had heard something unbelievable.
Silva put down his knife and fork, and for the first time, his dignified gaze fell formally on Ayana, filled with scrutiny and consideration.
Kijuh's electronic eyes emitted a high-frequency "buzzing" sound, her fan creaked as she gripped it, and her gorgeous lace skirt swayed slightly with the trembling of her body.
She clearly understood the implied meaning in Ilmi's words.
To be brought into the family's dinner time in this way and to be declared a "family member" has a self-evident meaning.
The entire venue fell eerily silent.
Even Killua forgot to chew the food in his mouth, his blue cat eyes wide open.
Family members?
What does my brother mean...?
He looked at the woman who hadn't reacted at all, and an indescribable chill crept up his spine.
This is so strange!
Only Illumi remained calm throughout the entire restaurant.
He even picked up a napkin to wipe his mouth, as if the words that had just caused such a stir were just an ordinary greeting.
At the heart of the matter, Ayana remained standing quietly, her eyelids lowered, as if all the shock, scrutiny, and anger around her had nothing to do with her.
She was like an object displayed by her owner, silent, submissive, and lifeless.
Killua took a big gulp of water to suppress the discomfort in his throat.
He looked away, the uneasy feeling in his heart growing stronger.
This woman definitely has a problem.
The eldest brother's behavior was even more bizarre.
He couldn't eat a single bite of that dinner.
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