Merss sank into the soft cushions of the sofa. The airship hadn't originally come with a sofa; the only one was a single-seater that Merss had bought herself.
Illumi, who had followed Merss onto the airship, did not find another seat. Instead, he chose to stand while speaking with her.
Perhaps it was because he preferred such an elevated perspective? Who knew? Merss, however, cared not one bit.
Merss leaned back, resting her head against the soft sofa back, and watched Illumi as if viewing slides on a wall.
That face, so much like Kikyo's, was a typical East Asian feature, with smooth, gentle lines. His black hair was fine and soft, and his dark eyes were large, like a cat's. When he wasn't smiling, he seemed quite docile.
Beneath this docile facade, Illumi spoke, "I do not covet Sister's inheritance."
He followed this with an even more sincere statement, "The only reward I desire is Sister's corpse."
"..." Merss propped her elbow on the armrest, her hand supporting her cheek. She lifted her chin towards Illumi, signaling him to continue.
According to Illumi, his Nen ability, called "Marriage Contract," had the following activation conditions:
1. The user must thoroughly explain the activation conditions, effects, and解除方式 of their Nen ability to the "betrothed."
2. The user must honestly answer all questions posed by the "betrothed" regarding the "contract."
3. Both parties must be in complete agreement to "enter into a marriage contract." Similarly, the解除方式 also requires mutual consent.
4. The ability can only be used on one person at a time; one cannot "enter into a marriage contract" with multiple individuals.
5. After the ability user completes the contract's terms agreed upon with the "betrothed," they must "hold the wedding ceremony" by personally killing the "betrothed." The method and timing of killing the "betrothed" are unrestricted.
If the "betrothed" dies before the "wedding ceremony" is held, the "marriage contract" will automatically be voided, and the "marriage" will fail.
Here, Merss listed the possible ways of death she could conceive of on paper: [Natural Death, Accidental Death, Homicide, Suicide]
Natural death is generally defined as death due to old age or illness. For Merss, this would also include "exhaustion of lifespan." Although Merss was young, after transplanting the Scarlet Eyes, she unlocked the "Absolute Time" skill, which could only be used in the Scarlet Eye state. This skill consumed one hour of lifespan per second of activation, making reaching the "exhaustion of lifespan" dead end within a few years not uncommon.
Accidental death refers to death caused by unforeseen events or actions, not out of intent or negligence. The most common types include "death due to natural disasters," "death due to unexpected events, such as traffic accidents, industrial accidents, medical accidents, etc.," and "death resulting from the person's own errors while performing an action."
Homicide typically refers to murder, but it can sometimes include accidental killings or killings in self-defense.
Suicide refers to when a person takes various means to end their own life.
"Mmm, in cases of 'natural death' and 'homicide,' the 'marriage contract' will be automatically voided. However, 'accidental death' requires a special clarification," Illumi's earnest discussion of death methods with Merss seemed very sincere. "If one deliberately engages in life-threatening activities, pursuing low-probability events, such 'accidental death' should be categorized under 'suicide'."
"The key to judgment lies in the person's intent. Whether it is deliberate or unintentional."
"Any act intended to seek death, regardless of the method, is collectively termed 'suicide'."
"Is that acceptable?"
Merss nodded in agreement.
Illumi did not directly state the impact of "suicide" on the "marriage contract." He played coy, first asking Merss if she thought "suicide" would automatically void the "marriage contract."
Merss initially intended to nod, but after a moment's thought, she chose to shake her head.
"That's right, 'suicide' will not automatically void the 'marriage contract'," Illumi raised the corners of his mouth. "Instead, it will bypass all steps and allow for an immediate 'wedding ceremony'—because 'suicide' is equivalent to Sister declaring complete abandonment of 'self' and a desire to 'marry' me immediately."
Suicide is forbidden; once she commits suicide, she will immediately become Illumi's puppet, and Illumi will not have to expend effort to fulfill Merss's 999 wishes—this is the most advantageous route for Illumi.
"That's why I truly don't want Sister to commit suicide; I want Sister to live," Illumi said.
Is that true? Hmph, how could someone coveting the corpse of a "betrothed" possibly want the "betrothed" to live? Wouldn't Illumi have worked for nothing otherwise? Don't forget, Illumi never does unprofitable business.
What are the benefits of the "betrothed" staying alive?
The most suspicious aspect is that the contract terms proposed by Illumi require time measured in "years" to complete.
Everything suggests that Illumi is not in a hurry to "hold the wedding ceremony" but rather wishes for the "betrothed" to live longer.
Is it because Merss is his "important family"? Don't be naive! In the original manga's Election arc, he also considered turning Killua into a puppet; his selfish desires can override so-called "family."
Killua... Right, that's the issue! Merss vaguely grasped a kind of inspiration.
Think about it, in the original manga, Illumi, who had four younger brothers, showed such "special care" for Killua.
It was because of Killua's immense potential, because Killua's talent was the highest in the Zoldyck history!
Potential... That's right, because of potential.
Nen users generally reach their peak in middle age, after which they begin to decline. In other words, before middle age, they are in their "growth period."
Merss was still in her "growth period," and a dead Merss would no longer grow.
Merss who lived longer was naturally of better quality than Merss who died immediately.
I see, I see!
Illumi appropriately maintained his silence, showing no hint of the urgency of a "door-to-door salesman," patiently waiting for Merss's thoughts.
No, things shouldn't be this simple. Merss calmed herself.
The reason intelligent people are intelligent is that they can think further ahead than ordinary people, not just two or three steps into the future, but five, six, or even more.
Do not be smug upon obtaining the most superficial answer. Illumi deliberately set up the highly suspicious "completion of 999 wishes" precisely to make Merss strive to find the answer. This answer is a bait intended to cloud her mind, and it must be analyzed at a deeper level.
The most brilliant lies are constructed from truths. Moreover, telling only the truth complies with the constraint of "honestly answering all questions posed by the 'betrothed' regarding the 'contract'."
Recall how Kurapika used truth to deceive Hisoka in the original manga. Even a seasoned manipulator, skilled in lying and detecting lies, was led astray by Kurapika's truths.
Conceal the most crucial information. Divert attention. Mislead.
The first layer of the answer is "Merss who lived longer is of better quality than Merss who died immediately," and the point of attraction is "I will fulfill Sister's 999 wishes."
Do not follow Illumi's lead. The more Illumi circles or emphasizes something, the further away the true trap is hidden.
...Suicide. Illumi deliberately picked out this method of death and discussed it with Merss, seemingly kindly warning her of the negative consequences of suicide and stating that he did not want her to commit suicide.
Then, let's consider the opposite: the trap must lie outside of "suicide."
Which one is it? The ones that Illumi briefly skipped over were "natural death" and "homicide." Does one of them contain a trap? No, it's possible both contain traps!
The rules of the "Marriage Contract" Nen ability are ultimately subject to the sole interpretation of its developer, Illumi. If every situation is not clarified, it's easy to overlook clauses that are only beneficial to Illumi.
Merss decided to discuss from the beginning. She first wrote on the paper: [What if I fall into a volcano and my remains are completely lost?]
"Haha, Kukuroo Mountain?" Illumi once again displayed his unenviable sense of humor, then he said, "In that case, the consumption on my end will be higher, as Sister will turn into a 'Nen beast'."
The original manga did feature "Nen beasts" that looked identical to humans. Perhaps turning into a "Nen beast" would be more convenient for Illumi. "Nen beasts" can generally be summoned or hidden at will.
Thinking deeper, if Illumi wished for Merss to eventually become a "Nen beast," then when he killed Merss, he would try to damage her body as much as possible to prevent her from becoming a high-grade puppet.
Merss gritted her teeth and continued writing on the paper: [If I deplete my lifespan due to Nen ability consumption and eventually die from exhaustion of lifespan, how should this method of death be classified?]
"You've developed such a Nen ability. Mmm, it truly fits Sister's personality." Illumi directly omitted the hypothetical nature of Merss's words. This guy had no doubt that Merss would develop an ability that consumed lifespan. "According to what I said earlier, the key to judgment lies in the person's intent—Sister developing this ability is for suicide, isn't it?"
As expected, Illumi predicted Merss's tendency to develop Nen abilities. If Merss used her Nen ability to deplete her lifespan, it would also be judged as "suicide" by the "Marriage Contract."
"It's the same for 'homicide'," Illumi proactively added before Merss could ask. "If Sister deliberately hires, tempts, or makes enemies, thereby actively causing 'homicide,' it will also be recognized as 'suicide'."
"Ah, in that case, besides waiting to be killed by me or encountering an accident or natural disaster, everything else can be considered 'suicide' for Sister."
Damn it, this guy never does anything without assurance.
"But Sister, have you overlooked something?" Illumi lightly clapped his hands, drawing Merss's attention back to him. "Why only consider death? Sister can also choose to live forever. The contract content is to fulfill 999 wishes, meaning Sister can even ask me to fulfill 998 wishes and then stop requesting me to fulfill wishes. She could also find ways to make me dissolve the contract, or use a more brutal method—'Unleash Nen.' In that way, Sister's benefits will be maximized."
Unleash Nen, this guy even considered "Unleash Nen."
"In that case, the 'risks' and 'benefits' we possess are actually equivalent, aren't they?"
"..."
It sounded impeccable. Illumi had indeed been planning this for a long time.
Afterward, they clarified what constituted "death," defining "brain death" of the "betrothed" as the definition for "holding the wedding ceremony."
Wait a minute.
Merss raised her hand, signaling that she still had questions. She wrote a new line on the paper: [What if, before the 'wedding ceremony,' I kill you, or you die for another reason yourself?]
When Illumi saw Merss write "I kill you," he smiled, but Merss was looking down at her writing and didn't see it.
"If I die, the 'marriage contract' will be automatically voided," Illumi's answer was concise this time.
Merss scanned him with a look full of suspicion and continued writing on the paper: [Will it not affect me?]
"Of course not. Combat is completely free, after all. 'Holding the wedding ceremony' is something for both of us."
"..."
Her mind was a mess. Merss felt she had used her brain more today than ever before, and she felt a little dizzy, needing a sugar boost. So she [took out] a lollipop from her game backpack and put it in her mouth.
Speaking of which, what would the Zoldycks think if they knew Illumi had signed a contract with her?
Illumi saw through her desire for death—no, she hadn't hidden it at all, so the Zoldycks were also aware of her persistent suicidal tendencies.
Would the Zoldycks wish for her corpse to continue serving the family after her death? This could maximize the recovery of the Zoldycks' years of investment in Merss.
Kikyo probably wouldn't refuse Merss becoming a doll, after all, Merss no longer listened to her, and she had been displeased for a long time, merely suppressing it.
Silva would also accept it, as Merss always wanted to die, and dying at any time wasn't unusual.
According to the script provided by Illumi, the Zoldycks recovered their training costs, Merss obtained the death she desired, Kikyo gained an obedient doll, Silva gained peace by having one less troublemaker, and Illumi gained a high-grade puppet.
Everyone gained happiness.
Yes, everyone.
After all, Merss didn't care what happened to her after she died, did she?
No—
No, there was one person who shouldn't gain happiness!
Illumi... Illumi, that scumbag, didn't deserve happiness!
At this point, Merss finally understood more profoundly the reason why Illumi was certain she would accept the "Marriage Contract." Illumi didn't just see her desires; he also saw her...
...hatred.
Illumi was indeed narcissistic, but he wasn't foolish. Even though his personality was twisted beyond human definition, he somehow knew perfectly well the hatred Merss had harbored towards him for so long.
This was an opportunity, both for Illumi and for Merss.
This was a gamble, betting Illumi's time and effort, and Merss's corpse after death.
The stakes were roughly equivalent.
For Merss, the best outcome would be to satisfy her desires while making Illumi work for naught, voiding the "contract" and failing the "marriage." The worst outcome would be for Illumi to successfully "hold the wedding ceremony" and obtain Merss's corpse.
Even in the worst outcome, what Merss would lose was merely what belonged to her after death, things she didn't care about.
Yes, things belonging to her in life were more worthy of care than things after death.
Death is like the extinguishing of a lamp.
Should she take a gamble?
"..."
In the "real world," Merss had fully experienced the distress of being an honest person, a poor ordinary person, and being very afraid of risk.
Now, she was different. She was no longer poor, didn't have much she cared about, and more importantly, she had resolved to die before the age of thirty, to freeze time at her most brilliant twenties.
... Gamble!
Before dying, she would make Illumi regret it, regret willingly offering the blade pointed at himself.
Merss used paper and pen to ask Illumi some questions about "entering into a marriage contract."
Finally, she agreed to sign the "Marriage Contract" with Illumi.
"Do you wish to sign the 'Marriage Contract' with me?" Illumi formally confirmed.
"..." Merss nodded.
After Merss nodded, both parties felt a subtle connection with the other in the void, but it vanished instantly, as if nothing had happened.
However, the strange feeling just now was enough to prove that the "Marriage Contract" had been successfully signed.
"..."
"..."
Nen was profound and extensive, especially Nen abilities involving various rules, which should be studied meticulously.
The two of them savored the strange feeling they had just experienced, contemplating, and falling into silence.
Time ticked by, and who knew how long had passed.
Illumi made the first move.
He approached Merss, leaned down, and his shadow, cast by the ceiling light he blocked, crept over Merss's body, eventually covering her entirely.
"Then..." Illumi placed his hands on both sides of Merss's sofa armrests and met her gaze. "From now on, I am yours."
From now on, you are mine too.