The mascot doll gifted by the roast meat restaurant was not my type, so I gave it to Miji instead.
The restaurant's name printed on the doll's tag interested Miji more than the doll itself. After learning about the roast meat restaurant, he immediately expressed to Kikyo his desire to eat roast meat.
"Mom, it's not that you've already made it and are serving it. I mean the kind where you grill and eat at the same time," Miji explained.
"Miji, your recent training results have only been barely meeting the standards," Kikyo, still harboring some resentment, was being stricter in her evaluation of Miji's training. "When Illumi returns, I'll tell him to 'pay more attention' to you."
"..." Miji, at the bottom of the Zoldyck food chain, shivered in Kikyo's lingering aura. What a pitiable child.
His miserable state served as the best negative example. I firmly remembered his aggrieved expression when he was put in his place, and I diligently worked on my rehabilitation, striving for improvement. My pre-sleep electrotherapy meditations were never missed, and I lived a fulfilling life.
I readjusted my mindset, imagining myself as an aspiring athlete training rigorously for the quadrennial Olympic Games, aiming for a meteoric rise after a period of quiet perseverance. This way, I wouldn't be in a hurry to compete. As a result, when Silva suggested I participate in a regular tournament, my first reaction was hesitation.
A while ago, I would have been ecstatic to be able to go out. Now, my attitude had done a 180-degree turn, and I was quite reluctant. Even I found myself peculiar and troublesome.
Yes, just like in the "real world," I was the type of person people didn't like.
In any case, I no longer expected others to like me; everyone eventually disappears, and it's not worth the effort.
I quickly suppressed my dissatisfaction with the disrupted Olympic plan using my rationality. I recalled that my profession was a killer. Unlike athletes with singular combat scenarios, training only imparted a portion of professional knowledge; the rest had to be learned through diverse practical experiences.
Observing the target isolated in a hidden spot, like seeing a buoy suddenly sink in the water, I had to grip the fishing rod tightly.
Silva placed his hand on my shoulder, signaling me to calm down.
"..."
"It's too smooth," he said.
The variability in practical combat lies in plans never keeping pace with changes. Overly smooth development often signifies a trap, something to be guarded against more than sudden obstacles.
Having Silva, the Zoldyck's Boss, as a teammate made most missions feel like training mode levels, rather than actual challenges.
The mission objective was for me to kill the target, but I had merely followed Silva's commands throughout. He handled the most difficult part, finding the right moment, and the final act of killing an isolated, ordinary NPC was the easiest aspect of the mission.
Leaving the mission instance through the bathroom skylight, I was relieved I didn't have to act in the restroom. Although a professional killer shouldn't mind the location of their work, the title "Restroom Warrior" sounded rather unpleasant.
Completing the mission and disappearing without a trace was the hallmark of a killer's clean and efficient professionalism.
After confirming the mission completion, Silva and I took a airship and made our escape.
On the way home, we disembarked at an intermediate stop because I wanted to buy some souvenirs. This was to wash away my long-standing "homebody trash" persona of only receiving snacks brought back by others from their missions—I still had my pride.
Especially Illumi! Every time he went out on a mission, he would definitely bring snacks (and toys) for me (and Miji), as if afraid I wouldn't know he had gone out again!
Hmph!
What's so great about that!
Who says I don't have the chance to go on missions?!
Who does he think he is?!
He's not my elder! Don't look down on people!
I will definitely give him a souvenir, with the attitude of an elder, to let him know that he is just a younger brother! Your sister doesn't need your charity!
Regarding the choice of souvenirs, I first thought of Miji. According to the original story, he would later become a "shut-in otaku" who loved action figures and beautiful girl models. Currently, in terms of his anime preferences, he was already showing a tendency to enjoy magical girl transformation anime, making it very easy to cater to his tastes.
So, I headed straight for the themed store of a certain magical girl anime that Miji enjoyed. In the shop with its cute pink and tender color scheme, several girls around my age were being led by their parents, enthusiastically picking out the merchandise they wanted. Such a store seemed a bit difficult for a grown man. Silva chose to wait outside.
Based on the scenes in the original story, Miji seemed to like characters with larger chests. I unhesitatingly chose the action figure of the character with the largest chest.
When checking out, I used my notepad to write that the gift was for someone else and asked the clerk to help me package it.
Silva asked me who I was planning to give the "doll" to, as he had initially assumed I was buying it for myself.
No, Silva, this isn't called a "doll." We professionals call it an "action figure." Sigh, I bet he never imagined his second son would grow up to be someone who likes playing with dolls, like a girl. No, boys buying action figures have other uses for them. This is a generational gap, something you probably don't understand, Silva.
Of course, I couldn't mention the other uses for the action figure. I simply told Silva that this "doll" was one of the characters from an anime Miji had been watching recently, so I thought Miji would like it.
My next destination was also a store primarily for female customers. Unlike the magical girl anime themed store, this one catered to a wider age range, from elementary school students to professional women, and the store was filled with different feminine fragrances.
This store also presented a significant challenge for a grown man, but I came here to pick out a souvenir for Kikyo and wanted to consult Silva's opinion.
Silva demurred, saying he thought Kikyo would be happy with anything I gave her, and stayed outside the store again.
"..." So cautious, Silva! Are you worried that if you stay too long, a dramatic family ethical scandal like "she smells of your perfume" might occur?
Don't forget, I'm here! I'll be your witness!
Are you feeling guilty?!
Have you really had other women outside?!
Or, perhaps Kikyo isn't your first love, and your first love was forced to separate from you because she didn't meet the Zoldyck family's standards, and you've been secretly in contact ever since?
"..." Giving Silva a deep look, I entered the store alone.
Things suitable for women are generally jewelry, clothes, bags, cosmetics, and flowers. However, Kikyo夫人 is not lacking in anything available on the market, and the few things she does lack are beyond my budget. Initially, I planned to buy souvenirs as return gifts for Illumi and Zeno, with the gift for Miji being a casual gesture from a sister figure to a younger brother. Then, I realized the Zoldyck family was small. Having already given gifts to three people, that's half of them, so I might as well give them all. More gifts are rarely a bad thing.
Excluding jewelry, clothes, bags, cosmetics, and flowers, I chose a handkerchief as a souvenir. It's a simple, everyday item, easy to get right, and doesn't take up much space even if unused, making it a classic, low-effort choice for general female friends. The difficulty lies in Kikyo's ever-changing preferences; I don't know if the pattern of the handkerchief I chose might step on her nerves.
"..." Honestly, Silva, Kikyo's husband, has already shirked his responsibility. There's no one I can consult with.
Even grown men have their unreliable moments. No, rather, everyone else is unreliable. It's better to rely on oneself.
Keeping track of grudges.jpg
Mols' favorability towards Silva -1.
Next up is Zeno. Generally, giving health products to older people is always safe. In the "real world," middle-aged people start their healthy lifestyle of drinking goji berries in thermoses early on. But Zeno isn't an ordinary person. Even years later, he's still energetic and active on the front lines as a professional killer. He fought Kuroro with such gusto. Giving him health products would imply his health is failing, which is a serious insult. His favorability would definitely drop by at least 10 points, which is too dangerous.
Giving him a chessboard or tea also wouldn't be suitable. Zeno is an old rich man; anything that would catch his eye is extremely expensive, and I can't afford it.
Should I give him a "senior's joy" toy? To scratch an itch? No, it feels too common, lacking a certain flair.
Things with flair are all the more expensive, what a hassle.
Giving gifts to rich people is too difficult! Who knew I would one day be so close to a wealthy family and have the luxurious problem of choosing gifts for the rich? In the "real world," rich people were entirely different beings to me, someone I would never encounter in my lifetime.
Carefully reviewing the films and TV shows I'd seen in the "real world," I decided to take a less conventional approach, aiming for a surprise victory. If it fails, so be it; I'll just be embarrassed. I've done my best.
Silva's earlier shirking of responsibility bothered me. As I wandered aimlessly from store to store, fretting over Zeno's souvenir, I didn't ask for his opinion nor did I let him accompany me into the stores, using the excuse of maintaining an element of surprise.
"Finished buying?" Silva looked at the bag in my hand. I immediately and vigilantly covered the opening of the bag.
"...I won't peek," Silva promised. "Where to next?"
Next, we went to an optical shop. Silva stopped at the entrance as usual. I looked up at him, and he, understanding, followed me into the store.
Optical shops don't typically have high foot traffic. As soon as we entered, a salesperson greeted us and offered assistance, starting with the question of what kind of glasses we were looking for.
Silva looked at me. Following Silva's gaze, the salesperson saw me hold up my notepad, on which was written "Sunglasses."
"Okay," the salesperson said, extending an arm. "Please follow me this way."
As the salesperson walked, she introduced the different types of sunglasses. When she finished, I picked up my notepad, indicating that I wanted to browse on my own first.
"Alright," the salesperson, not overly enthusiastic, moved about three meters away. "Please take your time."
After browsing the sunglasses on the display racks, I spotted a pair of all-black sunglasses. Due to my height, I couldn't reach them, so I pointed at the sunglasses and asked Silva to help me take them down.
I didn't take the sunglasses he handed down. Instead, I waved my hand and pointed at his face.
"...?" He was stunned for a moment, then understood my intention and put on the sunglasses.
"!"
I quickly lowered my head and wrote a sentence on my notepad, then showed it to him.
"???" Silva, somewhat confused, read the sentence on the notepad: "i'llbeback?"
Oh! Oh! That's right! So cool! A muscular hunk wearing sunglasses looks so cool! It has that "Terminator" Schwarzenegger vibe! Just as I imagined!
Mols' favorability towards Silva +1.
Satisfied, I turned around and used my notepad to write to the salesperson to pay and package the item.
Leaving the optical shop, Silva asked me who the sunglasses were for.
"..." I pointed at him.
"??" Silva looked somewhat surprised. "Why?"
I gave him a thumbs-up and mouthed, "Cool!"
"..." Silva thought for a moment and said, "...But I probably won't wear them much."
I shook my head and mouthed, "It's okay not to wear them, just keep them."
"Mm," Silva still didn't seem to fully understand why I would buy something that wouldn't be used again.
Yes, Silva, you don't understand. This is the feeling of being rich and willful!
Since I stated that it was okay if he didn't wear them, he didn't pursue the reason further.
The last purchase was a souvenir for Illumi. If Illumi were an ordinary person, I would definitely buy the scariest jack-in-the-box to scare the little brat to tears, but he's not. It probably wouldn't have any effect.
Oh well, since I couldn't think of anything to make Illumi suffer, I unenthusiastically ended with buying a box of snacks.
Returning to Kukuroo Mountain, I was back within Kikyo's strong surveillance range. I first presented the packaged handkerchief to Kikyo, who appeared first.
"Mols?!" Kikyo was extremely, extremely surprised, her electronic eyes blinking incessantly.
"Oh! Mols! This is... I'm happy with whatever you give me!" Kikyo didn't unwrap it but hugged me tightly and patted me to her heart's content. "You actually know how to care for Mommy! Mommy is so happy!!!!!"
Such suffocating maternal love, in every sense of the word.
"..." I couldn't breathe.
Silva, you truly understand your wife. She indeed wasn't picky.
Weakened by the lack of oxygen, Kikyo finally released me, allowing me to hand the packaged action figure box to Miji, who was standing beside Kikyo.
Miji was curious about what was in the packaging. I told him it was a toy and suggested he open it after returning to his room.
Then came Illumi. By asking Kikyo, I learned he was in the training ground.
Hmph, he doesn't slack off on training for a moment. He's smarter than me and more diligent. What a troublesome enemy. I'm quite grateful that he sometimes has to divide his attention to educate his younger brother, allowing me to train for longer hours each day. I hope diligence can compensate for lack of natural talent.
"Sister?" he greeted me with his usual expression, as if nothing had happened.
"A return gift," I handed him the box of snacks.
"Thank you," he said, accepting it with both hands.
"You don't need to bring me snacks from now on," I declared solemnly. "I am your elder. From now on, I will bring you snacks."
You are just a younger brother.jpg
"?" Illumi's mouth opened slightly in surprise.
"Understand?"
"..." Illumi replied obediently, "Yes, I understand."
"Good," I said, patting his shoulder with the demeanor of an elder. "Continue your training, little brother."
Having solidified my position as an elder sister, I turned away gracefully and headed towards Zeno's "instance." By the way, the Zoldyck mansion's labyrinthine map is too vast. Running errands is exhausting, no wonder Killua found it annoying. I prefer using a skateboard for transportation within the estate.
"My turn?" Zeno preemptively stated that he had been waiting for a long time.
No matter how large the Zoldyck estate is, it doesn't affect the speed of internal communication.
"..." The souvenir for him was the one I was least confident about. I hoped he wouldn't expect too much.
Mustering my courage, I took out a small box from the bottom of the bag and handed it to Zeno.
"Hmm?" Zeno, opening the box, let out a questioning sigh, just as I expected.
The "surprise" element of the surprise victory has been met. A good start is half the battle. I gained a little more confidence and told Zeno that the two walnuts in the box were for "playing with."
My knowledge of playing with walnuts came from the "real world." I couldn't let it slip, so I explained that I saw them while browsing stores and found them interesting. After asking the salesperson about their specific use, I bought them.
In reality, I had seen wealthy individuals wearing thumb rings and playing with walnuts on "real world" television, so I thought this would have some flair (and wasn't expensive).
In summary, it's a toy that adults can also play with. It might become a useless item, but it's harmless.
With a sense of relief, I exited Zeno's "instance." The family errand mission for today was complete...
"..."!
E.T. appeared in the corridor, no, it was Maha, one of the Zoldyck bosses. How did he, the least frequently appearing character, show up?! Could it be...
"..." x2
Fortunately, when I was struggling to decide what to buy for Zeno, I bought something else as a backup.
I took out my last remaining inventory from my pocket: a small UFO toy. I thought aliens might feel a sense of familiarity towards such things.
Pressing the switch on the bottom of the UFO, the small lights on the UFO's edges lit up, flashing in different colors, illuminating E.T.'s face.
"..." x2
E.T. accepted it.
E.T. patted my head.
E.T. left, disappearing into the darkness.
The first interaction between a human and an alien was successful... probably.
[Zoldyck Family Errand Mission (6/6)]
[Maha Zoldyck Instance Activated]
According to the original setting, Maha is the strongest Enhancer-type Nen user in offense and defense. He was evenly matched with the human world's strongest Hunter Association Chairman, Netero, years ago. His strength is unfathomable. Regarding how to defeat this boss, I believe outliving him is more realistic and safer. I refuse to believe he can break the limits of human lifespan unless he can acquire an extremely, extremely, extremely, extremely rare item from the Dark Continent that increases lifespan... The probability of that should be low, right?
Enough thinking, time to wash up and sleep.