N. E. N. [ H U N T E R X H U N T E R ]

Chapter 26

Last time...

I reached out my hand to the dog's face and started to pet it calmly, and continuing to do so for the rest of the night. I'd go see Silva and the others later. For now, I would simply enjoy the time I had to pass with someone that understood me: not someone that wanted to use my power, not someone that wished to hide me from society, not someone that desired to do anything with me, really. It was a dog.

Dogs don't care about that shit, as long as you pet them.

Plus, this dog knew part of what I had been through. It went through a lot too.

Now...

N. E. N. POV:

I distanced off from the dog. He might have been a friend, a companion, someone that could understand me, but he was bound to the Zoldyck family. I couldn't take him away from it nor could I stay with him.

With this thought in mind, I reluctantly scurried off, heading for the mansion itself. With the time I had passed here, I knew how to go anywhere. Well, except for one or two places they had blocked off from me, which I totally didn't explore in the little free time I had... definitely not that.

After a few minutes, I saw a large building loom over me, casting a shadow over part of the mountain. Without any hesitation and without any idea of what I would tell the house members, I entered the fourth level through an open window.

The room I had chosen to go into was large, and I recognized it. It was one of the 'unwanted visitors' room. I never had had to go into it, but I had heard screams and whines coming from it whenever someone one of the family members didn't seem to like went on the Zoldyck's propriety.

To put it simply, it was a torture room. They had a few of those in the basement, which also work as prisons, but this one's the special one, since visitors would never see their pain coming.

I exited the room, passing through the door effortlessly, and made my way back to ground level. I passed by about four maids rushing around, doing their usual work while doing so.

I took my time going down. I didn't want to enter through the entrance and make a ruckus, and I wished to see that place I had passed multiple years of my life in.

I swiftly brushed by a lot of familiar rooms, including my own, but then decided it was about time to face he head of the family. I'd seen enough; it hadn't changed throughout all of the years since i had left.

I approached the door leading towards the main room after hiding from another servant of the house. There were more now than in my childhood. The Zoldyck family had seemingly made more enemies.

I opened the grand doors, and was met by non other than Silva himself. He was sitting on his chair carelessly, as awaiting my arrival.

But he didn't know I'd come. He couldn't, unless he was at the same level as Netero, which I doubted. Unless I had misjudged.

"Long time no see," I casually greeted him, sitting down next to him.

"I wasn't expecting to see you again, Nori." He looked at me, a smirk shining on his face. "What a delightful surprise."

"I met your son, Killua, at the exam." I smiled. "I think it's your only child that didn't end up too messed up."

"What kind of messed up do you mean?" Silva chuckled deeply, amused.

"You understand what I mean. Now why did you make him go back home?" I inquired

"He's not ready. I heard from Illumi he even made friends. You know I cannot accept that." He replied, his assassin mind sharply denying this possibility.