Twisted Feelings X Familial Rules

Pairo, without a doubt, is still a teenager by modern standards.

He is even a year younger than Kurapika.

That means he's only fifteen years old.

Because of the hatred caused by the annihilation of his clan, he appeared to be older mentally than he actually was.

But he is still a teenager at heart.

For the killer.

He was curious.

Of course, after taking over some work at the Nosra Manor, this curiosity naturally disappeared.

But for a so-called family of assassins...

They are also one of the world's top assassin families.

It's impossible for him to say he wasn't curious.

He wasn't unfamiliar with the Zoldyck Family; based on their previous collaborations, his impression of the Zoldyck Family was:

Calm, efficient, and professional.

He didn't do anything like a psychopath that would make Pairo furious.

His performance was exactly like that of the most serious and upright assassin in entertainment works.

He came here with this initial idea in mind.

But things don't seem to have gone as planned.

From the very first moment the tour guide introduced the Zoldyck Family's mansion, he had a bad feeling.

Of course, at that time he was just a little puzzled.

The Zoldyck Family's power somewhat dispelled this strange feeling.

But when he saw the current atmosphere of the reception hall, he had to draw certain conclusions in his mind.

That is.

Some people in this family... well, have twisted emotions?

He couldn't give a very precise word.

Before Qi came in, everything was fine; it seemed to be just a minor conflict.

He felt that Uncle Kevin could easily solve the problem.

But when Qi came in...

Everything has changed.

The atmosphere in the entire reception hall instantly shifted from tense to peaceful.

Uncle Kevin showed an unexpected level of enthusiasm.

Others wouldn't notice.

But he could definitely tell at a glance.

Uncle Kevin did it on purpose.

He didn't understand why Uncle Kevin was being so enthusiastic at first, but he knew when he noticed the atmosphere starting to twist from an outsider's perspective.

Uncle Kevin was deliberately provoking the others present.

The first person he looked at was Illumi, who was standing opposite him.

My first impression of Illumi was that he was a cold-blooded killer, so cold that I could even sense his lack of emotion.

But now, the jealousy, envy, and desire to take their place on the other person's face are all too obvious.

Has even her facial expression control gotten out of control?

Especially the moment when Qi didn't deny that Kevin was his older brother.

Pairo could definitely sense the other party's murderous intent towards Kevin, and it made no attempt to hide it.

He didn't believe the other person was unaware of Uncle Kevin's power.

But even knowing its power, they still exhibit such obvious hostility due to distorted emotions.

It's clearly getting out of control.

Why?

Is it because Qi acted so close to Uncle Kevin?

Brother Complex!

Although he rarely reads comics or similar works, he does have Nion around, and his sister Melusina is also an extreme comic book enthusiast.

In addition, Kurapika sometimes watches and discusses things with Nion.

He has some understanding of modern anime and manga terminology.

This is undoubtedly a case of Brother Complex!

And some of them are too distorted.

That's so cool.

The lady from just now, although her expression was also somewhat distorted, seemed to be slightly more normal than Illumi's.

After all, some things had already been anticipated; this was a mother who excessively hoped her son would succeed.

But what about the boy dressed as a girl?

The emotion in your eyes is strange too, okay?

Is there something wrong with this place?

Pairo couldn't help but mutter to himself.

Qi, why did you come here?

Kikyo's voice rang out at this moment, as she suppressed the emotions in her voice.

Try to make your voice as gentle as possible.

However, he seemed completely unfazed by the slight madness, as if it were a habit, and casually said, "Grandpa sent me."

"Father-in-law?"

Kikyo's voice was tinged with confusion and anger.

This is a sign of distrust.

My father-in-law suddenly intervened in my education again.

She deliberately didn't tell Qi about Kevin and the others' arrival, because she wanted to meet Kevin first and get some information.

And make some changes based on your own ideas.

"By the way, Kevin, what brings you here?"

Qi isn't stupid.

He didn't think Kevin had come to his house specifically to see him, especially since his mother and brother were there to receive him.

Something must have happened.

"It's about something, but it concerns your request."

"My commission?" Qi asked, somewhat surprised, pointing to himself.

He had absolutely no idea what was going on.

Kevin smiled and nodded, but didn't say anything more.

Instead, he turned to look at Illumi.

When Kevin started behaving normally and not getting overly intimate with Killua, Illumi had already begun to manage his emotions.

It looks slightly better now, but only slightly.

However, Kevin didn't care at all, and even gave Illumi a bright smile.

In Illumi's view

This is provocation.

A blatant provocation!

However, he couldn't defeat his opponent, and the chances of fighting or even escaping decreased over time.

Such a death is meaningless and will not leave any impression on Qi's mind.

"The person who issued this request was Silva, Qi's father, right?"

"Yes."

Illumi nodded, giving a clear answer.

Upon hearing this, Kevin's face broke into a bright smile.

He stood up without hesitation and patted Qi on the shoulder.

"Then there's nothing more to say. Let's start after my client arrives. Looks like I'm indeed early."

As he spoke, he turned to look at the Gotoh beside him.

Should I leave now, or rest here for now?

Gotoh bowed respectfully.

"You are a distinguished guest of the family. We have prepared a place for you to rest. Please follow me."

Kevin nodded.

Looking at Kikyo and Illumi sitting there.

"After all, the target of the commission is Qi. Before the commission begins, can I learn more about him?"

As he spoke, he patted Qi on the shoulder.

"No, Qi still has a lot to do!"

Kikyo refused without hesitation.

Illumi remained silent in response.

Kevin looked at Qi's face.

I was somewhat unhappy, but also seemed somewhat helpless.

"Don't look so down. Let's catch up properly when the commission starts in a few days."

As he spoke, Kevin looked at him and smiled, and Qi smiled and nodded.

"Good!"

Following Gotoh, they left the reception room.

Melusina smiled and waved goodbye to Qi.

As Pairo prepared to wave goodbye to Qi, Qi pursed his lips in delight, seemingly disliking Pairo.

However, she still nodded at him.

What did I do to offend this child?

Pairo it a little strange, but didn't pay much attention to it.

Even the most gifted child is still a child.

As Kevin and the other two left, Qi also left, only briefly greeting his mother, brother, and younger brother.

Now.

Only Illumi remained in the Reception Hall.

"How perceptive... Hmph, well, then we'll just have to wait for your father to come back."

Illumi calmly stood up and nodded.

"There's nothing we can do about it, Mom."

The three of them talked and then left.

After leaving, Kevin and the others followed Gotoh to a villa nestled in the woods.

"This is where the guests are resting. If you don't like it, there are other places to choose from."

Kevin glanced at the two people behind him.

Melusina and Pairo both shook their heads, indicating that there was no problem.

"This will do then, thank you."

"It's what I should do, but please don't go up the mountain during the next few days. That's where the Zoldyck Family members live, and no one else is allowed to go in without their permission."

However, as long as they don't go up the mountain, the Zoldyck Family can move freely anywhere else in the world, even if they leave.

Upon hearing this, Kevin nodded to indicate that he understood.

After leaving behind two servants...

The three entered the villa and casually sat in the living room, drinking tea brought by the servants.

After sitting down.

Finally, unable to contain his doubts, Pairo asked, "What's going on with the people in this family?"

He remained silent throughout the entire process, observing the whole thing from an outsider's perspective.

The beginning was fine.

But everything changed when Kevin started asking questions.

His subsequent behavior was rather inexplicable.

Hearing Pairo's question.

Kevin leaned back in his chair and pondered for a moment before saying, "It's just a gut feeling."

Melusina handed the prepared tea to Kevin, then turned to look at Pairo.

"They're not family; they're just pretending to be family."

Kevin took a sip of tea and nodded with satisfaction.

"Yes, that's roughly the idea."

Upon hearing this...

Pairo remained noncommittal.

From his perspective as an outsider, this family was simply emotionally distorted, but they should still be a family; otherwise, such emotional distortion wouldn't exist.

"Can't read?"

Pairo nodded obediently.

In his view, this is indeed the case; one cannot deny that others are family simply because of distorted feelings.

"How about this, you can change their family relationship from relatives to a company, um - just treat it as a family company."

A family is bound together by kinship, interests, blood ties, and rules.

He then added something else.

"Of course it should be more twisted."

Kevin didn't realize this at first, which is why he had some verbal conflicts with Kikyo.

But when the odds are in motion.

Kevin could also clearly sense the feelings that the other family members present had for Qi. Not only these family members, but even the butlers around them showed varying degrees of emotional fluctuation.

He couldn't feel these emotional fluctuations because they weren't directed at Kevin, but he did when Kevin started deliberately engaging in overly intimate reminiscing with Qi.

These emotional fluctuations were transferred to Kevin, and through this, Kevin was able to accurately judge these people's emotions.

The emotions others express in relation to their interactions with Qi can also reveal their feelings towards Qi.

Let's analyze this emotion further.

Kevin keenly observed the power dynamics within the Zoldyck Family.

"When we first came in, we viewed the Zoldyck Family as a large, established clan."

For example, before Kevin's real client Silva, even appeared, he began discussing the details of the job with the Zoldyck Family's mother Kikyo, and Illumi.

This is because this is the behavior that would normally occur under normal circumstances.

After all, they are family.

Kikyo is Killer's mother, and Illumi is Killer's older brother, and Illumi has shown a very obvious tendency to Brother Complex- complex.

Therefore, from a normal perspective...

The goal of the commission is extraordinary.

So even if we discuss it with Kikyo and Illumi, it seems there won't be any problem.

That's why the minor conflict that followed occurred.

"In a normal family, our behavior is not a problem, but clearly the Zoldyck Family is not a normal family."

As he spoke, Kevin held up one finger.

"Firstly, when Qi arrived, he said that his grandfather had sent him here."

Pairo.

Such behavior seems normal within a typical family.

However, if we shift our perspective and look at it differently from normal behavior, then, in conjunction with the current situation, we can identify the problem.

"I actually figured this out by observing the way the butler treated me."

Kevin then explained.

What he said was simply that when he first started to have some conflict with Kikyo, all the stewards were hostile towards them.

This is normal.

After all, servants and butlers are loyal to the family.

But when something strange happens.

Especially when Qi showed a friendly attitude towards him,

Some of the butlers still harbored hostility, but a number of them, led by Gotoh, began to show a clear change in attitude, and it was quite obvious.

I ask you.

Despite the hostility of the matriarch of the family, these servants, who were loyal to the family, were changed because of the attitude of a child named Qi, although only a few of them were changed.

However, a problem has clearly arisen. At this point, we need to reflect on why Grandpa Ki suddenly sent Ki here, and observe Kikyo's attitude when Ki said that his grandfather had sent him here.

It's quite obvious.

Kiyo's grandfather deliberately brought Kiyo over at this time in order to interrupt or stop Kikyo.

In layman's terms, it means to sow discord among the other party, or to create obstacles for them.

In other words, they belong to different factions.

Upon realizing this, Kevin immediately took action.

As expected.

Kikyo and Illumi's attitudes then changed.

"Therefore, I have a serious suspicion that the timing of our arrival was deliberately arranged by Illumi, just in time when Silva, as the head of the family, was absent."

"He is using the messenger and my contact to achieve some purpose of his own, and his mother Kikyo, may be on his side. It is certain that the head of the family, Silva, is in another faction, and Kiju's grandfather, whom we have never met, may be in the same faction as Silva, or he may be in his own independent faction."

This cannot be confirmed at the moment, but we will stay here for a while and then we can find out more about it.

This family is really interesting.

Kevin smiled.

Melusina, who was sitting next to Kevin listening, suddenly poked Kevin's cheek.

"You're actually interested in something like this?"

Upon hearing this, Kevin looked at Melusina and playfully pinched her cheek.

What? Aren't you interested?

"Hmph, of course I find it interesting too."

Pairo remained silent.

I can't stand it.

I thought I'd finally have some peace and quiet after leaving Kurapika and Nion, but I didn't expect you two to be just like that.

Throat.