Playtime always passes quickly, and even summer, with its longest daylight hours, inevitably draws the curtain of night.
The beach's operating hours ended before that. Changing back into casual clothes in the changing room, I joined the dispersing crowd heading towards the exit, still undecided on where to eat dinner.
It was then that Mikan suggested we go to the Zoldyck's villa in the area.
Huh?
The Zoldycks have a villa here?!
If even the homebody Mikan knows about it, why don't I? Am I really a Zoldyck daughter?
"I think so, I can't quite remember," Mikan said, calling back to confirm.
Freelancers who only take assassination jobs can't form a prominent family.
The Zoldycks own businesses in various parts of the world, though, of course, outsiders don't know the Zoldycks are behind those ventures.
I won't inherit those businesses, nor am I responsible for them, so they have almost nothing to do with me. My understanding of them is only slightly more than an outsider's – I know they exist.
Oh, despite being a Zoldyck daughter, the difference between me and an outsider isn't that great.
Watching the night view outside the airship, the two little kittens, their energy drained by the amusement park rides, were fast asleep with their heads leaning against each other on the seats. I couldn't help but ask Mikan how long it would take to reach our destination. He said he had misremembered; the Zoldycks didn't have a villa locally, and we were now heading to the nearest one.
"Don't worry, sister. It's by the sea too, so it won't affect watching the sunrise tomorrow," Mikan said. "The beach there doesn't have tourists, so it'll be even more beautiful. There are also more shells and things, much better than today's spot."
"...Mikan, you really hate crowded places, don't you."
"Mhm, that's why I like staying home."
Closing my eyes, I checked the collectibles I'd picked up today from the beach map in my game backpack: [Sparkling Seashell], [Decent Starfish], [Hermit Crab Shell], [Fresh Seaweed], [Special Shell], etc. Instantly, I was filled with motivation.
Hooray! A private beach! Undisturbed! Rich resources! Tomorrow, I'm going to collect to my heart's content!
"Sister, have you decided what you want for dinner?" Mikan asked. "Call ahead early so they can prepare."
"Mhm, I've thought about it. I want instant noodles."
"Instant noodles?"
I want to eat instant noodles in the villa! Cheap, ordinary things, when placed in a high-class setting, transform into rare delicacies and exude a special kind of class.
"I have instant noodles in my game backpack. Please cook them for me with an egg, ham, and vegetables, served with some side dishes," I emphasized. "And a cup of milk, skimmed, please."
Even though my height has been hovering around 165cm for a long time without change. No, I'm not yet 18, I'll definitely grow taller. I'm just not growing noticeably, so I can't give up on drinking milk, exercising, and getting enough sleep!
Speaking of exercise, I haven't had a chance to exercise these past few days. The consequence of a significantly reduced activity level is excess energy, making it harder to fall asleep quickly at night. Tidying my game backpack before bed and writing diary entries in the game backpack has replaced my habit of playing on my phone before bed in the "real world." It's also a very time-consuming activity, further contributing to late nights.
And my bedtime electrotherapy... I've missed it terribly after not doing it for a few days.
There's a stun gun in my game backpack, but I haven't found a suitable opportunity to use it. After all, I spend all day with my brothers, and I can't electroshock myself in front of them; they'll think I'm crazy.
Nonsense, if I were an observer, I'd also think someone who likes bedtime electrotherapy is crazy.
No one knows that I'm still diligently cultivating to transform "qi" into electricity, a story worthy of a song.
Staying in the bathroom or restroom is a rare chance for me to be alone, but the bathroom and restroom aren't very soundproof, and they're places with a lot of water. If people outside hear strange noises, or if water accidentally conducts electricity and affects the connected wires, exposing my secret electrotherapy, my situation would be very awkward.
I won't say more. I can't stay up too late today. I'll write today's diary entry now.
Opening my game backpack, I selected the "Common Reading" category, chose the notepad marked "Diary 5," selected [Use], and then wrote with my mind.
Once I got used to writing with my mind, the experience was super great. Writing speed was incredibly fast; whatever I thought of appeared instantly, truly "thoughts becoming reality." If I were a writer, this ability to type while lying in bed and imagining would avoid the visual and physical strain of hunching over a desk, resulting in extremely high typing efficiency – it's practically a god-tier skill. However, I'm not a writer, I'm an assassin... *Pfft*, that sounds so chuunibyou.
Oh no, I've written my rambling thoughts in "Diary 5" too. There's no help for it; I'll just use my mind to strike through those irrelevant contents.
Writing diaries in the "real world" is mainly for venting emotions, relieving stress, and complaining, so the word count is usually quite high.
Here, it's mainly for recording the day's events, so it's written more concisely, making it quick to review when needed.
I'll write about which rides I went on today, what I ate, how Mikan's wretched choose-or-lose question made Alluka cry, and that we're going to the Zoldyck villa to spend the night. Today's diary ends.
I watched the two napping kittens' adorable sleeping faces until the airship landed. Zoldyck's standard black-suited attendants were already waiting for us on the tarmac.
To be honest, when I was young and impressionable, in my "Mary Sue phase," I loved Cinderella plots like "Rich (handsome) young master's forceful abduction" and "Domineering (cool) CEO falls for me" when watching TV. Thinking about it now, I was mainly attracted by the power of money, not love. Specifically, it should be more like the feeling of "Granny Liu visiting the Grand View Garden."
Oh, this luxurious experience is damn sweet!
What does it matter to me if the male lead is rich? It's most satisfying when my own family is rich! Why be Cinderella?
Humans betray, but money does not.
Never rely on others.
I had already showered in the airship's bathroom, so I could go directly to enjoy the prepared dinner after disembarking.
I handed the instant noodles from my game backpack to the butler. Five minutes later, the instant noodles served exuded a rich aroma. Amidst a table of exquisite dishes, it was like a suona suddenly appearing in an orchestra, its loud and clear notes overpowering the other instruments with formidable destructive power.
"It smells so good!" x2
The two kittens exclaimed and simultaneously turned their gazes towards the aroma of the instant noodles.
Cheap instant noodles that couldn't possibly appear in a wealthy family were a rarity in the eyes of the young Zoldyck masters who knew nothing of commoner's hardships.
Oh, I thought of a great light novel title: "I'm a Commoner Sample in a Rich Family" – how about that? (Laughs)
Lifting my chopsticks, I carefully poked the soft-boiled egg in the center of the soup bowl, using my chopsticks to guide the flow of the yolk, dyeing the noodles with a layer of gold. The steam wafted over; the noodles were very hot right after being served. I had to pick up a spoon, scoop up only a small portion of noodles, blow on it a few times to cool it down, then pick up a slice of ham, cover it with a piece of greens, gather all the deliciousness onto one spoonful, and put it into my mouth.
"!!!" It was delicious!
Although the taste was a bit off. The chef, unable to resist, had done some processing to the instant noodle broth, attempting to elevate this packet of spicy beef instant noodles costing less than 300 jen to a higher level, completely destroying the most familiar taste from my commoner memories. But given how delicious it was, I'll let it slide.
My expression at this moment must have been very expressive and contagious. Watching me eat the entire time, the two little kittens simultaneously let out sounds of swallowing.
So, I beckoned to the two little kittens.
The two little kittens jumped down from their respective chairs with delighted smiles and came over to me. I first picked up Alluka and sat him on my lap, placed some noodles and side dishes on a spoon for him, cooled it down a bit, and brought it to his mouth.
"Mmm... mmm," Alluka's puffed-up cheeks returned to normal after he swallowed the noodles. "It's so delicious!"
I placed my hands on Alluka's waist, preparing to put him back on the ground. He tilted his head up, his face full of reluctance. "Onee-chan, I want one more bite, just one more."
And naturally, I would... fulfill the request of the adorable little kitten!
After feeding Alluka two bites, it was time for my dearest Killua!
Oh, oh oh oh oh oh, Killua's waist, Killua's hair whorl, Killua's weight, Killua's breathing – it makes me unable to restrain myself. Killua is sitting on my lap, being fed by me. We share a spoon, which is practically equivalent to being a couple in love. I'm so happy I feel like I'm going to faint!
No, I need to stay calm. I absolutely cannot reveal my perverse thoughts.
Even little Alluka can tell I like Killua more. To maintain superficial balance, I have to prioritize Alluka and hide my affection for Killua.
Keeping things fair, after feeding Killua two bites, I put him back on the ground.
Having tasted the somewhat novel flavor of the instant noodles, the two kittens lost interest in their own meals and also wanted instant noodles. However, I firmly told them not to waste food and that they could have instant noodles tomorrow if they wanted.
Despite their unwillingness, the two little kittens were very sensible and didn't pester me further, lowering their heads and eating quietly.
They are too well-behaved! It's hard to imagine Killua becoming the Zoldyck's most rebellious kitten in the future.
One of the joys of being rich is not having to wash dishes after eating. Putting down our chopsticks, we wandered around the villa to aid digestion.
I conveniently [collected] some sparkling items, hehe.
Among these, I was most looking forward to the basement dungeon, which would allow me to electroshock myself before bed. Unfortunately, the basement here is only for storage, with no torture devices, not at all Zoldyck-like.
With a sense of regret, I casually [collected] sparkling items like carrots, cabbage, potatoes, and onions. Unexpectedly, I found a treasure chest in a corner, obtaining [4x Basic Ore]. Hooray.
After exploring the entire villa, it was time to sleep. I grabbed a pillow and shamelessly knocked on their doors.
Don't misunderstand!
It's for safety reasons!
It's most secure for everyone to stay together!
Ignoring Mikan's presence, I contentedly slept on the same bed as Killua, with Alluka between us. This is practically sleeping next to Killua, and I'm so happy!
I'm so happy that I don't even want to wake up early to watch the sunrise. Come to think of it, watching the sunrise over the sea was something I mentioned casually; I don't have a strong desire to see it.
When Mikan woke me up to see the sunrise, besides cursing him internally for disturbing my sweet dreams, I closed my eyes, [retrieved] a cushion from my game backpack, and threw it at his face, hoping he would be quiet.
If one isn't enough, then two. If two aren't enough, then three. I have a total of 99 cushions in my game backpack.
Mikan quickly quieted down.
In the joy of victory, I hugged Alluka beside me and enjoyed my sleep.
Incidentally, Mikan also went back to sleep.
It seems neither of us has much artistic sensibility; no one particularly wants to see the sunrise.
After breakfast, we decided to go to the beach near the villa to collect shells and such. Mikan clearly had no interest in such activities and remained on the sidelines. I advised him to return to the villa to play computer games, as I hadn't seen him online at all these past few days, warning him that his game rankings might drop.
"It's fine, I know what I'm doing," Mikan's internet addiction seemed less severe than I imagined. "This is more important."
I had misjudged Mikan. I thought he deliberately detoured to the Zoldyck's own villa because the security level had increased, allowing him to stop worrying about the safety of the Zoldyck's future head and go off to satisfy his internet addiction.
Family is more important than the internet. Mikan isn't an incorrigible internet addict. His image suddenly became grander, earning my admiration.
Raising my hand to adjust the brim of my hat blown by the sea breeze, I returned to the two kittens and showed them the seashell bracelet I had just strung with fishing line. Without tools, the line reinforced with "Nen" easily pierced the shells, much like using a sewing needle to pierce a thin piece of paper. I easily made a bracelet, receiving unanimous praise from the two kittens.
Hehe, I was quite good at crafts classes when I was little. I often used materials from plants and animals to make things. If my first eagle hadn't died in an accident, I wouldn't have been so sad that I burned those things as a burial offering for the eagle.
As a result, did my second "childhood" leave nothing but ashes?
Never mind, everything eventually turns to ash anyway.
Riding on a yacht at sea, I quickly got bored after one round. "Richness" is a comparative term; richness without anyone to show off to is so dull. It would be better to do something more meaningful. At my suggestion, we decided to make the best of our surroundings and play beach volleyball, a game none of us had played before. Speaking of which, my initial impression of beach volleyball came from a blonde, twin-tailed beautiful girl in a certain game in the "real world." Yes, beach volleyball is best complemented by beautiful girls. If it weren't for my brothers being present, I'd really want to bring some beautiful girls to play beach volleyball with me.
While waiting for the butlers to set up the court, we looked up the specific rules of beach volleyball online. Considering the state of the two kittens, we lowered the net height to 1 meter. When forming teams, even if the Zoldycks' most talented Killua and Mikan were paired, the combat power would be extremely unbalanced.
A couch potato who is not diligent in physical activity (in the Zoldyck household), paired with Alluka, who cannot contribute much combat power, isn't this a combination I can easily defeat without pressure? Should I put Alluka on Mikan's team too? A couch potato plus two little ones, it's still my overwhelming advantage. Oh dear, I'm almost embarrassed to say it and crush their spirits. However, this isn't a competition; as long as the two kittens have fun, that's enough.
"It's so light." Killua picked up the volleyball and tossed it high with one hand.
Oh, I remember that according to the original setting, items in the Zoldyck's base on Mount Potos, Kukuroo Mountain, are mostly specially made, super-heavy versions. This volleyball was bought temporarily, and it's naturally very different from the balls Killua usually plays with.
"Yes, rather than strength, it requires control and technique," Mikan suggested. "Let's add some fun to the game. The winner can make a request to the loser, any request within their ability, what do you say?"
"!"
There's such a thing?!
Dealing with Mikan would be easy and enjoyable, wouldn't it? I could even handle a one-on-three! I... I want Killua to snuggle in my arms and say, "I love you most, Onee-chan."
No, no, no, that's not allowed. Can I really do that? Isn't it a bit too embarrassing to make such a shameless request?
"The game is two people per team. Do requests also have to be made by two people together?" Killua asked.
"Not necessarily. Whether to make requests individually or as a team is decided by the winner," Mikan replied. "You can only choose one of the two options."
Everyone fell into thought. Killua was the first to raise his hand and say, "Then I want to team up with sister!"
As expected of the original protagonist, he immediately saw that teaming up with me would have a higher win rate. However, I must refuse Killua's team invitation. Because after the game, requests can only be made to the other team. If Killua and I team up, I won't be able to make requests to Killua.
Accepting Killua's choice by default, Alluka nodded.
No, this way I won't get Killua's affectionate behavior!
"I'll team up with Alluka," I said, patting Alluka's head. "Little Kill, for the sake of fairness, let's assign by age. You should be with Mikan. However, Mikan's physical fitness is really not good. How about this, your required defensive range is halved, what do you think?"
"It's not about that," Killua explained. "It's that I don't have many requests I want to make to sister and Alluka."
"I see," Mikan nodded. "Does Little Kill have any requests for me?"
"Mmm, I haven't thought of them yet," Killua didn't dwell on it. "It's not too late to think about them after winning. Sister, can you really not team up with me?"
The white-haired, blue-eyed kitten's attack of feigned distress! Extremely effective! Millus almost instantly lost her reason!
Note: "Almost." Close call, I almost completely lost my reason.
Calm down, Millus. As things stand, your desires and Killua's requests clearly cannot be simultaneously satisfied. Then you have three things to do: fairness, fairness, and damn fairness!
When it's hard to decide, let's use a coin toss.
The cash in my game backpack isn't all large bills; there's also a lot of change. I [took out] a 1-jen coin and had Killua bet on which side the falling coin would land on.
Fate granted my wish. Killua lost the bet, so the beach volleyball game had Killua and Mikan as one team, and I was with Alluka.
The original work's Greed Island arc has a famous indoor volleyball scene, played with great vigor, where a mistake could cost you your life, also known as "murderous volleyball." Our situation is different. The two kittens are still very young and not yet at the age to know about "Nen." Mikan and I naturally kept it a secret and didn't use any "Nen" on the volleyball, restraining our strength and playing in a relatively ordinary manner.
Given the significant age difference, Killua and Alluka definitely wouldn't be able to receive our serves. The entire game would turn into a one-on-one match between Mikan and me, which would be meaningless. Therefore, we added a game rule: Mikan and I could only defend, and Killua and Alluka would serve.
The light volleyballs are easily affected by the wind. The two kittens' serves were not smooth at first, often hitting the ball out of bounds. As expected, the talented Killua was the first to get the hang of it, gaining more control over the ball and even having the leisure to correct Alluka's serving style.
However, just because the mind thinks it has understood doesn't mean the body can react immediately. The original protagonist's talent level is something most characters cannot reach, which is why he is called the "protagonist."
"Ah, it went wide again." Alluka looked a bit dejected.
"It's okay," I said, catching the ball hit from the other side and patting Alluka's head. "You just need to hit the ball over the net. I can catch all the balls that come from the other side, so don't worry about the score. Let's take it slow."
"Mhm!"
The power and speed of the two kittens' serves were like child's play in my eyes. Catching them all was very easy, and even the couch potato Mikan looked relaxed. Not a single shot could successfully score. The decisive age difference was right there. The game was destined for a 0-0 stalemate from the beginning, offering no challenge. I just treated it as playing with children and getting some exercise.
"If we keep playing like this, there won't be any results," Killua stopped serving. "Let's change the game rules and have me and Alluka receive the balls?"
I didn't have any objections, so I looked at Mikan, who nodded. "Okay."
After switching sides, the game resumed. After one round, the two kittens truly experienced the meaning of the age gap; the speed difference was too great, and they couldn't react in time to receive the balls.
An annoyed Killua pulled a similarly annoyed Alluka aside and whispered for a while, reaching a conclusion...
"Sister and I will be representatives for each team?" Mikan asked, looking down at the two kittens. "Then what about you two?"
"We'll cheer!" x2
"It doesn't matter much to me," I said, holding back a smile and patting Mikan's shoulder. "Mikan doesn't usually exercise much. It wouldn't be good for me to bully my brother. Winning won't be meaningful either."
The two kittens looked at me, then at Mikan, and firmly expressed their trust in Mikan's abilities.
Huh? Mikan, when did you build up so much reputation with the two kittens? Just based on your usual tech-savvy abilities? Practical skills and athletic ability are two different things, Mikan.
Perhaps for the sake of his pride as an older brother, Mikan chose to accept the challenge.
Alright, I'll also show some magnanimity as an older sister and not let Mikan lose too badly. You'll thank me later, Mikan.