Shizuku held a piece of cake in both hands and took a small bite. She chewed for a long time before finally reacting, then couldn't help turning to look at Gelman.
Her eyes seemed to ask: If you don't agree, can I keep eating?
Gelman nodded, meaning, Go ahead. It's fine.
He turned to Silva, who had suddenly asked the question, and noticed that both Silva and Zeno wore gentle smiles.
"Sure. I'll do my best to take care of him."
Gelman agreed without even offering an excuse to get out of it.
The others at the table reacted in different ways.
Zeno and Silva smiled even more broadly.
Kalluto quickly glanced up at Gelman, then lowered his head again. After blurting out something foolish, he did his best to make himself inconspicuous, which spared him a lot of scolding.
He had always done that. Unlike Killua, who shone so brightly, he was used to being a shadow.
Illumi stared at Gelman. With those wide-open eyes and utterly expressionless face, he looked just like a vengeful spirit that had suddenly appeared in a mirror, a wardrobe, or under the bed.
He seemed ready to pounce at any moment, but in the end, he only gripped both armrests tightly and kept silent.
Kikyo looked like an opera singer who had just been startled. She theatrically turned around, lifting her skirt, while her mechanical eye frantically scanned Gelman from head to toe.
She had been about to argue on instinct, but after the red lips beneath her bandages parted for a long moment, all she managed to say was:
"No, no! How can we hand Killua over to an outsider?"
That was all she could point out, because both she and Illumi had realized at that very moment that Gelman met many