Chapter 126: Farce

Hearing the schedule of visitors for today, Kurapika terrified the Nostrade Group servant; he reported the schedule with a furrowed brow.

Senritsu gestured with her elbow, and while Kurapika rubbed his forehead with his fingers, he apologized to the startled servant and told him to go back to work.

And when I turned back to the office to return to my workstation, Senritsu followed me, calling out to me.

"... Kurapika, why don't you take a break? You just returned from Yorkshin, let alone taking a vacation, you've been cutting back on sleep lately, haven't you?"

"... My personal actions in Yorkshin were too much, so this is just to make up for it.

Most importantly, the situation with this group of people is completely different from the Yorkshin era. You know very well there is no time to rest, right?"

I knew Senritsu was worried about me, but even so, I still returned those seemingly harsh words to her; even though I was the one who said them, I immediately fell into self-loathing.

Senritsu, who understood Kurapika's true intentions and feelings better than he did himself, naturally thought Kurapika's anger was cute, and was quite surprised by the negative vortex of frustration and self-loathing he had fallen into. I sighed.

"I understand. You are the one supporting this organization right now.

That is why I want you to take a break and borrow someone else's help. If you fall, this group is finished."

Senritsu already knew that words like "don't worry" or "it's okay" would only backfire on him—he was eighty-five years old, and she had long known that he had a low boiling point but was earnest, sincere, and self-deprecating—so Senritsu ignored his anger and went even further.

Kurapika could not refute this, so he remained silent.

However, just as Senritsu had pointed out, he had no intention of resting, and silently quickened his pace, heading toward the office piled high with paperwork and chores.

At this, Senritsu sighed.

Senritsu was completely stunned by Kurapika, who had always been so stubborn.

Thus, a slight sense of guilt vanished.

"... I gave you a Suggestion, so whatever happens, consider it deserved."

Senritsu's muttering in the hallway did not reach Kurapika's ears.

"Hey, Kurapika, what are you going to do about that old man? Do you want me to kick him out?"

Squala, who had walked into the office that originally belonged to Dalzollene, asked Kurapika, who was doing work that also belonged to him; Kurapika's expression was as stern as when the servant told him the visitor schedule, and I answered with a straight face.

"That is impossible. Right now, the boss trusts the man, not our daughter or us.

As an important guest, please tell Senritsu to welcome him politely.... Do not miss the moment the rags come out. Once the boss's trust is shaken, kick him out."

Perhaps he had already anticipated Kurapika's answer; even though he was ordered to do something dangerous for a customer, if it was important, Squala still replied with a "Heh heh."

Kurapika thought this exchange had ended his business, but Squala did not leave and continued speaking.

"I understand. I will do as you say, so even just a few hours would be fine to take a nap. Kuma is great."

"... I already took it."

"Liar. Even if you work in the nap room without a Computer, you can still get paid."

Kurapika had already taken over as Squala's boss, not just temporarily, but completely as Dalzollene's successor.

In terms of status, although Kurapika was above him, Squala was more senior than him. But I did not intend to break it, so I kept my mouth shut like a clam.

With a childlike stubbornness, he sighed just like Senritsu and continued.

"Well, I don't understand your view on responsibility, but I don't think you have the responsibility to do so much, do you?

That silly girl's Nen Ability was stolen, it was the silly girl's own fault. Relying on that silly girl's fortune-telling, being at a loss, and being an idiot on the verge of retirement, it was self-inflicted."

Squala must have followed up, but Kurapika had a ferocious look on his face and said nothing.

While remaining silent, he persisted in his heart.

"It's not like that," he said.

In the car, he discovered Chrollo had Neon's fortune-telling, but Kurapika regretted not realizing Neon's ability had been stolen, feeling it was his own fault.

If even his ability hadn't predicted it, I would have guessed that it was likely an ability to steal others' abilities, but what I couldn't imagine at all was Gon and the others; although I had nothing, I still couldn't get rid of the self-loathing of being too careless.

However, I also understood that Squala's words were not just caring for my followers, but also a valid argument.

Although the auction was cancelled, Yorkshin was indeed dangerous, and he had told him so, but it could only be said to be crisis management ability below that of an elementary school student; the word self-restraint was not strict. Reasonable. On the contrary, she was blessed as if she were alive.

And when it came to his father, he even felt it was a pity now.

He not only used his daughter's ability to improve his own status, but he was also more dependent than the client, so the moment he learned his daughter's ability had disappeared, he lost his mind.

He couldn't stand the situation common to ordinary people of "I don't know the future," and he couldn't do any work.

Fortunately, in the midst of misfortune, I had already predicted the entire month of September; just after Yorkshin, he was the busiest, and the most complex people like Huro and Dalzollene died, so in October, he became useless. Kurapika was already used to the work, and there was almost no work left that could only be done by Light.

Moreover, because the fans of Neon's fortune-telling and the strong supporters of the Nostrade Group, the Ten-rou, were all killed by Illumi and others, the same Ten-rou who relied on fortune-telling were treated the same way, harassed, and it never happened; originally, the Red Eyes that were auctioned off were more than imagined, and they were fakes, but a portion was returned.

Therefore, the Nostrade Group, which established and maintained its status through Neon's Divination, is currently in a precarious financial position, but they are also not a moment away from relaxing their vigilance.

It's not just Squala and Senritsu, but also Wese, Basho, and Rinsen; these days, one should be able to take advantage of the sour words of "taking a break" and take a break.

Although Kurapika knew this, he still refused and continued to be a workaholic, as if to whip himself.

It wasn't just responsibility. It wasn't that I was trying to finish my work and appeal that I had the ability, and that I would be in a higher position.

On the contrary, if you just calmly consider profit and loss, Kurapika had no reason to be here anymore.

No matter how much work he did to manage the group, he wasn't appreciated, even if he dealt with someone who relied entirely on his daughter's fortune-telling and could no longer live in a "present where the future is uncertain."

Even if things are going well now, if you don't know what the future will be like, then this kind of thing is meaningless.

If Neon's ability was restored, or if Light naturally understood "we don't know the future" and became rational, Kurapika's efforts might have been justified, but whether Kurapika's efforts here were meaningful was worth doubting as he became stronger.

The reason Kurapika became Neon's Bodyguard was because he hoped to obtain a higher position.

That is why I became a loyal dog, but there were no eyes of my compatriots here.

And Kurapika's creepy human body collector, mocking his compatriots' eyes, which were Kurapika's worst souvenirs because they were his beloved...

"Hey, I made tea, shall we take a break?"

Ignoring Squala's well-intentioned sermon, Kurapika's thoughts were interrupted by Wese's new words.

It wasn't just Wese carrying the teapot and the cups on the tray; Senritsu also walked in with tea cakes on a tray, and behind her was Basho, who was already gnawing on a tea cake.

Obviously, no matter how hard Kurapika tried, he didn't take a break, so he decided to force everyone to take a break.

In fact, this is far more effective than insisting on saying "rest."

After Kurapika understood that he cared about him, he did not show this kind of pointless stubbornness; even if he was treated this way, he would not "get angry," so he eventually gave up, gave up on the paperwork, and avoided the pile of squirrels on the edge of the desk.

At the time, I noticed there were six cups prepared by Wese, one too many, but I probably assumed Linsen would come later, or that Linsen would come, so I didn't ask; he took a sip of tea and told Senritsu.

"Senritsu. I told Squala before, but today you should be the 'guest' partner.

You know, if the boss thinks he is even slightly suspicious, it is very likely. Point out the contradiction and eliminate it."

"... Yes, I know."

Sitting on the reception sofa in front of Kurapika's desk, Senritsu responded to Kurapika's order, while Basho, sitting next to him, took a sip of tea and then expressed his own annoyance.

"I don't like it, hit me now."

"I cannot do that. If I did, my head would be cut off."

Squala agreed with Basho's words, yet said the same thing as Kurapika, and bit into a Madeleine with a bit of rage.

And as Wese stood tilting his teacup to drink, he said sarcastically.

"Really, because of relying entirely on the 'true' daughter, my eyes have been covered with a shadow, obsessed with such an easy-to-understand 'fake.'

Isn't it better to manipulate the boss with my kiss?"

"If there were no time limit on the effect, it would be worth considering."

Kurapika answered Wese's half-joking, half-sarcastic remark with a serious face, and the person who said it gave a bitter smile.

The others also gave bitter smiles, deeply agreeing with Kurapika's next words.

"If it were the same Puppet, it would be better to be forced out by a second-rate swindler. The boss would also float up."

They all let out deep sighs, as if in agreement with the disgusting reality of the situation.

Upon learning that his daughter had lost her Fortune Telling ability, Nostrade went mad, at first desperately trying to use the knowledge and connections of Master Kurapika to restore his daughter's ability.

However, Neon's ability was not sealed, but stolen, which is a relatively special situation; even Sora, as part of the crowd, could not give up the fact that it was wrapped in a flat circle to avoid being shocked, and the follow-up proposal was well-executed, but for Light, who had lost all room for maneuver, he wrapped it in a flat circle. There was no hope of "going back," and immediately after, he roared at Neon, "Useless!", "Money-grubbing worm!" had already reached the point of attack, and he spat it out.

Squala, who had originally intended to quit after the Yorkshin Auction ended, had not yet quit because of this wind.

For some reason, he had a kindness unsuited for behind-the-scenes work, thinking that having his ability stolen was what he deserved, but as expected, he sympathized with the father's revenge. I let my lover quit, but I stayed here.

Anyway, Kurapika and other "Nen users" honestly reported that "Neon's ability cannot be restored" and lost Light's trust; Light insisted on anything other than "Nen ability."

I don't know if he guessed something from Neon's closure and contacted him, or if he discovered it himself.

Before I knew it, Light relied on the existence of one person instead of Neon.

About a month ago, Light's heart calmed down a little, and he breathed a sigh of relief; after losing the fortune-telling itself, he forcibly drove out his daughter, who had been pulled away from the shock of her father completely denying her existence. He introduced her to that man.

A typical swindler, saying the name "Master Healer," full of suspicion, making you unable to help but laugh, and making a serious expression.

"His eyes directly interfere with people's thoughts, his right hand heals diseases, and his left hand is said to be a Savior who can purify monstrous Curses; are you joking when you say this?" I thought seriously.

Of course, the other party is neither a Savior nor a Nen user. He is not a self-righteous paranoid, he is a swindler who fully understands what he is doing.

Looking at the aura emitted, one knows at a glance that it is not Nen; Kurapika knows best that it is not the existence of Spiritual Power, but if you chat with the other party for a while, you will know it is not Dao.

The slogan of "directly interfering with other people's thoughts" is just cold reading and storytelling.

Cold reading is the act of reading a person's detailed information from their appearance, trivial habits, or seemingly irrelevant small talk, and then pointing it out.

Furthermore, the words they use can mean "your mother is dead" or "your mother is still alive," such as "your mother is gone, isn't she?" When you make a decision, be bold. This is a common technique in Divination, making people think they are right by saying things that apply to everyone.

I wouldn't call this a scam in itself.

For example, in Tarot Divination using only the Major Arcana, there are only 22 cards, so the types and arrangements of cards available for divination are limited.

It is just that because two people with different personalities, positions, and environments get the exact same cards, they cannot possibly walk the exact same Fate. In this case, the fortune teller's personality and current environment are interpreted as the meaning of the cards.

Therefore, cold reading is an essential skill for fortune telling; the illusion of their existence is not to make them rely on their own fortune telling, but to give confidence to those who have no confidence in the placebo effect.

A real fortune teller will use this method to interrupt the other party's hesitation and support the other party's decision.

However, this "Healer" who is ashamed to question sanity is different.

After threatening Light and Neon with abstract language, the man revealed his own desires, saying things like "you must purify yourself to break the Curse."

Light was just relying on the "healing mage," but relying on him, his mind also had a certain degree of stability, rejoicing that his gains and losses could be calculated.

The "Healer" is "an existence capable of restoring his daughter's ability," and Light's goal is "Fortune Telling ability."

Perhaps hiding his Fortune Telling ability was too much of a burden, and since the "healing master" also claimed to be "unable to predict," Light had no expectations other than "restoring his Neon's ability."

Therefore, if Light, who had already completely lost his daughter's trust due to abuse and beatings, pushed him here to become a "healing master" request, even if Neon restored his power, he would continue to do as his father said. There is no way to ask.

Instead, he closed his heart even more than now, and in the worst case, even if he restored his power, he might take his own life.

Therefore, Light's favoritism and obsession with Neon these days are as artificial and obsessive as they were before the Yorkshin Auction, so it is unlikely that Neon will suffer the worst blow from the swindler now, but it is time. This is a problem.

For the time being, the swindler himself is still satisfied, polite and courteous, giving money, and not spitting his inferiority onto Neon to buy time is a success, but if Kurapika's impression is correct, the swindler is a second-rate swindler. This is a fool who doesn't know when to quit.

Leaving aside people like Light who come to grab straws, if it's not the first time meeting someone, even a teenage girl, suddenly saying "take off your clothes," even if she's about to be brainwashed, she will wake up instantly; if you have decent imagination, you can understand it without a swindler.

Kurapika and others hope that Light can realize that the other party is a swindler, but as time goes by, the "healing master's" reliance and blind faith have recently been a headache for the entire Kurapika and Nostrade Group.

Kurapika rubbed his temples to endure the headache, took another sip of tea, and then said in a displeased tone.

"Exactly... although the premonition is no longer reliable, for some reason, a person who climbed up using information as a weapon would fall for this kind of second-rate trick.

I know it's tempting to say we're useless, but if you can figure it out, even if you know what we're saying is more logical than that guy. It doesn't matter. Sure enough, it's futile to not be trusted anymore."

"There's no way, even if what you say and do is logically correct, what I, your boss, want is needed because it's fundamentally unsuitable.

No matter how good it is for the body, if someone wants to eat ice cream but is served a bowl of light hot soup, they will be angry. Even if I have diabetes from the overeating I caused myself.

It is precisely because I am an idiot that I believe those who give me ice cream without thinking, rather than those who treat me harshly for my own good. Unless he is the type of person who refuses anything he doesn't want, he wouldn't have gone crazy from withdrawal symptoms in the first place."

"Ah, so that's it. It's really easy to understand..."

Kurapika was convinced by Light's psychological answer, which was a question for Kurapika to the point that he really doubted he had been deceived, deceived. I nodded before I noticed.

The voice of the person who gave me the answer was someone who shouldn't be here right now.

Kurapika crossed his arms and slowly turned his head toward the direction the voice came from, with the clumsy movements of a mechanical puppet that had run out of oil.

During that time, I could see everyone in the room, but no one looked surprised, so they all knew.

"Hey, Kurapika. Long time no see."

"Where did you come from, you!?"

For the moment, Kurapika could only say this to Sora, who had walked out of the office closet, and Sora smiled.

＊＊＊

"What are you doing!? When did you even get in here!?"

"About two hours ago?"

"Just appearing normally is enough to surprise you, so don't do anything unnecessary, you idiot!! By the way, what on earth did you come here for!?"

As Kurapika stood up and approached Sora, Sora sat in the closet and answered with a straight face, making Kurapika even angrier.

However, Kurapika's statement was Sora's own, Kurapika's self-destruction.

"What did you come here for?"

Saying this, Sora reached out both hands, grabbed Kurapika's head, and pulled it down to the height where he was sitting.

Kurapika was forced to crouch down and tried to complain, but before that, Sora stroked Kurapika's eyes with his thumbs and asked.

"Kurapika, how long have you slept lately?"

Hearing this question, Kurapika guessed what Sora had come here for and momentarily averted his gaze, but he still forcibly pulled his swimming eyes back to face him, glared at him, and retorted intensely.

"None of your business!"

"Ha! Your opinion has nothing to do with me! I didn't come here voluntarily out of worry for you; I came here at the request of your subordinates!!"

"If the boss doesn't rest, it's hard for the subordinates to rest too! Don't create a black company! Let's throw it in the washing machine with bleach and spin it!!"

"What!?"

However, Sora laughed off Kurapika's stubbornness and immediately countered.

Thinking it was Senritsu who helped Sora enter the mansion, Kurapika pulled off Sora's hand and indicated that he was a subordinate, summoned by a comrade. He said: "Who called this guy!?"

"You guys! More than half!! Or rather, leaving Senritsu aside, when did Wese and Squala find out Sora's contact information!?"

"In the end, I couldn't thank you for helping me in Yorkshin, so I had Senritsu teach me."

"On the contrary, it was through Senritsu that I was contacted, saying you wanted to thank me again."

"Senritsu!!"

Kurapika raised his voice to protest the unbelievable betrayal of the person he trusted most in the Nostrade Group, but Senritsu naturally didn't think it was any kind of betrayal, so he smiled gently without apologizing.

By the way, Basho said: "I didn't contact him, and I didn't know at first, but I suggested it would be better to call this girl, and Linsen agreed." During the summoning process, Kurapika didn't know how he couldn't escape, because he was simply too kind.

"What are you complaining about? Isn't this a good workplace that cares about friends?"

Kurapika glared at Sora, who took the tea Wese had brewed for him, still sitting in the closet, drinking it elegantly with a relaxed tone, and shouted out what he most wanted to say.

"They can indeed be trusted, but don't you understand that, besides that, this is a Demon's nest that favors beasts!?"

"Do you really understand your appearance? Are you conscious of coming here? In the mansion of a Human Collector!!"

Accompanied by Kurapika's angry voice, the others watching thought: "I made you worry, so you should be scolded for a while." But as expected, they looked very uncomfortable.

I was angry at what they had done, but it is possible that Sora did not come directly to find Kurapika and make him "rest" and scold him.

When I asked him on the phone to let me take a break, he looked guilty and indicated that he had come all the way here.

The more there is such guilt, the more everyone here at the boss's Nostrade Group knows very well that it is dangerous.

The current Light is a madman; he doesn't even realize he is avoiding the Human Collector that his daughter is so obsessed with, forgetting why he lost his daughter's trust.

Anyway, his mind is only focused on restoring Neon's ability, and he believes only an impostor can do it.

Therefore, Light is more obsessed with pleasing Neon than before losing the ability, making his daughter listen to the "Healer" in order to let her do the "Purification" the impostor spoke of. To the extent that Neon's will is ignored, he buys everything.

When Sora appeared before Light, he was a human who would live as long as he didn't want his daughter. I have no collectibles to contribute, and even if I wanted one, if it were a professional Hunter, I could have persuaded my daughter to give up, but now I only think about returning my daughter's ability to me; if they find Sora in trouble, they will desperately try to find a way to plug Sora in.

So, in Kurapika's view, until he came to this office, he was not relieved to safety, to the point where he wanted to cry. He retorted.

"Don't you know that I know my risks and ignore them, prioritizing you?"

This sentence shifted the risk of being targeted by the Human Collector onto Kurapika, but in Sora's view, Kurapika's excessive sense of responsibility was not expressed as a company slave, but that he took care of himself because he didn't want Sora to worry; Kurapika said it completely intentionally, which was unusual for her, and Kurapika was completely speechless because she felt the responsibility of her own intentions.

This was exactly my intention, but I didn't want Kurapika to feel guilty and self-loathing, "In the end, my selfishness put Sora in danger," so Sora quickly changed the subject.

"Well, I didn't just want you to rest, but what is the reason you came? I mean, I don't know if this is good or bad for Kurapika, but you are only a small part of the reason I came."

Although he felt guilty about allowing him to visit the Human Collector's mansion, when Sora said "This is not for me," Kurapika's childish side, which he usually suppressed, "didn't like it." Use it.

But when Squala said: "What did you come here for?" the commotion turned into a question.

Looking back, not only Squala, but even the others including Senritsu, looked puzzled at Sora's words; it seems the reason Sora came was not because someone made him do it, but a personal matter. So, Kurapika was also puzzled, "What did this person come here for?"

"Here, boss, you are addicted to a second-rate swindler? I know that swindler."

Kurapika's question seemed to have no intention of hiding, so Sora answered honestly. However, this answer only confused everyone, including Kurapika.

"Are you calling yourself a 'Healer' now? 'Chakichiniten used for Dainichisatsujin later that day', you studied religion correctly, and then started using a name you didn't want to give yourself as a fake medium."

Even the name "Healer" was a bit strange, but before that, why be fooled by this sentence? Kurapika and Senritsu were able to understand why Sora would know the swindler from the "fake medium," although they were disappointed that they really wanted to ask the victim's name.

8 or 9 times out of 10, it must be related to the memorial for the deceased.

Of course, others who didn't even know that Sora died on the spot didn't understand either, so Sora simply recounted how he got involved with the swindler a year and a half ago. By the time I finished speaking, the men's faces were gloomy, displeased and angry, while the women's faces were twisted with a painful expression.

Kurapika also clenched his fists tightly, suppressing the urge to punch that swindler, and looked down at Sora who was still sitting in the closet.

"... In most cases, I understand the purpose of your coming here. Boss, it's convenient for us to understand, so try to cooperate."

"However, I absolutely cannot accept you appearing before the boss yourself."

Sora hadn't said why he came here yet, but Kurapika knew her well from the events of a year and a half ago, and Basho and the others didn't know who Sora was yet. Kurapika talked about the Compromise of the limits he could give up, omitting the obvious story.

I don't have anyone's approval, but I don't need it.

If what Sora wants to do is what they think, depending on how they do it, they might suffer a lot of trouble, but the result Sora wants is for our benefit, not to cause harm.

And if you don't want to be damaged, everyone will think it's better to actively cooperate and participate, so I don't think there's any need to get approval.

But the final absolute non-Compromise was entirely the Nostrade Group not as a member of the group, but as the individual Kurapika.

This is the only thing Kurapika must protect, even if he throws away everything he has accumulated over the past four months.

However, the "thing that must be protected" itself does not understand Kurapika's thoughts.

"This is impossible, Kurapika.

If you just want to kick him out of this house, you certainly don't need to appear before your boss, but even if you kick him out, your boss will soon harbor something else. Being fooled. And perhaps a guy with a worse personality than that scum.

Many of the reasons I came here are because of the conflict a year and a half ago, but it is true that I came here, and I want to lighten your burden, so even I cannot give up."

Kurapika does not Compromise; the point of not compromising is what Sora herself insists on not compromising on, and Kurapika raises his eyebrows and glares.

The turbulent atmosphere, where they cannot forgive each other's words and actions precisely because they care about each other, makes Wese feel confused; Basho and Squala each try to appease them, but Senritsu silently sips her tea.

It is indeed so for Kurapika, but for Senritsu, who hears that Sora's heartbeat remains calm, interfering here is nothing more than being kicked by a horse.

As proof, Sora smiles calmly under Kurapika's gaze.

"But I won't let you worry. I don't want to be stuffed.

That is why I have already thought about it and prepared for it. The key is, if they don't know I look like a human collector, that's fine, right?"

From the beginning, although she wanted to face Light directly, she did not want to expose her true face without any defense.

However, when Sora takes "it" out of the suitcase she put in the closet and places it on her lap, the type of anger changes even more.

In front of Kurapika, who is surprised by the Miracle idiot who is still running diagonally upward for no reason, and the four people who are confused by the thing Sora produced, Sora lifts "that" and says with a smug face: Rice paddy.

"Hey, if you wear this, you can't see my face, hair, or eyes at all, right?"

"At the same time, you are just a fool like the swindler! What on earth are you going to do!!"

Although she thinks she knows what Sora wants to do, Kurapika, representing the confusion and doubt of his comrades, slams his hand on Sora's head while realizing he cannot understand this woman's thoughts and actions.

＊＊＊

"Neon, when you see a doctor for an illness, unless it's a female doctor, can't you have a stethoscope? No way, right?

There is nothing to be ashamed of. This person is like a doctor; no, he is even better than a doctor."

"Yes, Miss. I am sorry that I suddenly asked you to take off your clothes, including your underwear, because your situation is dangerous, but this is like a medical procedure, there is no need to be ashamed."

Following the words of the slightly annoyed father, the imposter says to the young girl sitting face-down like a doll.

The swindler firmly believes that today is the day he can turn this beautiful young girl into his toy.

Neon herself and her Bodyguard are hostile to him because he inadvertently made a premature request, but he has no intention of backing down because Light himself still blindly trusts both himself and the imposter.

Even if the Bodyguard is convinced that this is fraud, if the employer believes and does not doubt, any unnecessary remarks will only lead to him being cut off.

Especially considering Light's mentality and his daughter's tastes, "beheading" is more likely not a metaphor for dismissal, but literal, so now, out of sympathy, I protect Neon. Even if I do this, if my own life is in danger, out of good intentions, I will show Neon to myself as the boss's order, and then I will turn a blind eye.

Most importantly, the brainwashing of Neon herself is almost complete.

Of course, unlike her father, this girl knows she does not trust herself, but she does not know why she cannot perform the fortune-telling she has confidence in, and the father who uses fortune-telling is furious. - The evaluation became negative and empty because of being beaten.

In such a state, I said to my father: "If you listen to the Healer, you can tell fortunes again." The combination of desperate mood and lack of self-confidence leads to an obsession with "I must listen to what I am told."

Of course, this man does not even know that the "real thing" already existed a year and a half ago, and he is a swindler who has not even heard of the term "Nen Ability"; it is impossible for him to be able to restore Neon's ability.

I feel that Neon's fortune-telling is really just fortune-telling, so using it as an outlet for my inferiority complex turned into a placebo effect; if I can tell fortunes again, I only consider myself lucky.

As long as Neon refuses his request, Light's dissatisfaction will turn toward Neon, but if Neon listens to him and still cannot tell fortunes, then the dissatisfaction will turn toward him, and even this second-rate swindler knows that suspicion will arise.

However, since he cannot think of a countermeasure, the reason why the person calling himself the "Master Healer" has room to maneuver and confidence is precisely because he has already found a place to escape.

This imposter is much more confident than usual today, and for some reason, the opponent who gives the Neon guards the most headaches is absent today.

As Neon is about to succumb to her father's and the swindler's brainwashing, Neon's Bodyguard always intervenes and asks Light to ignore Neon's wishes and respond to the "Master Healer's" request. In the "Master Healer," Neon has been stalling and giving up resistance.

His mood is good because there is no boy who is the youngest and the leader of the guard team, the one who is the most talkative and always forces him to retreat.

Senritsu, who hears the heartbeat of such a swindler, mutters to herself in her heart.

(My condolences)

The swindler thinks that the reason Kurapika, the most troublesome of the bodyguards who interfere with his fraudulent activities, is absent is because he talked too much and was finally dealt with by Light.

To correct the misunderstanding, Senritsu exchanges glances with other comrades, and since they also agreed, she signals Kurapika's Mobile Phone with her own hidden Mobile Phone.

Less than a minute after the signal is sent, the door of the Reception Room is knocked, and Kurapika walks in expressionlessly, and only then does Light let him in.

After Kurapika enters the room, the imposter makes a look of disgust for a moment and yells at Kurapika, who entered before getting Light's permission, "What are you doing in front of the guests!"

However, Kurapika does not flinch because of the angry voice; as expected, with a clear face, he says "Sorry," hurriedly ignores him, and explains the situation.

"Boss, Boss, there is another guest who urgently needs to see the 'Healer' who came to find me, so I brought him."

Having said that, both Light and the imposter are stunned.

If it is Light's guest, Light puts the "Master Healer" first, so he yells at him: "How can a rude person who comes without an appointment be a guest! Get rid of him quickly!" The moment the "Healer" is told that he is also a guest, he cannot help but shout out and look at the other person to confirm.

Of course, the "Healer" does not know who the "customer" is at all, so he shakes his head expressionlessly.

Light's face turns red, and he wants to yell at Kurapika again, perhaps feeling that his reaction is not only disrespectful to himself but also disrespectful to the "Healer" he admires.

"……Hey, can't you hear anything?"

"……Ringing?"

Wese asks Rinsen next to him, and Rinsen tilts his head and puts his hand on his ear as if listening to something. Senritsu answers what the sound is. Tighten the abdominal muscles.

This is a monkey show that even the performers think is intentional, but it was small at first, but the bell constantly echoing from the Clock Tower makes Light and the swindler sit silently like dolls in Neon. Even he himself is confused and completely unaware of the amateur acting of the guards.

Looking coldly at the three, Kurapika says without concealment: "Oh, it seems you have come." Light says: "What are you talking about! Who on earth did you bring... what!?"

Unlike the first angry shout, Kurapika is startled and questioned, but Kurapika remains unmoved.

"I didn't bring you; you called me."

Because he says meaningful words, making Light's anger and fear intensify, Light clenches his fists, almost hitting Kurapika, but before that, he knocks the doorbell in the room even louder. Enough to be heard, I heard a voice.

"Where is it?"

There is a voice that is neither high nor low, like a child's voice before pronunciation difficulties.

And the moment I heard that voice, there was a loud bang, and when I turned around, the "Healer" had already fallen from the sofa.

His face, which was full of confidence and flashing with disgust, is no longer visible, stained with fear.

"Where are you...!"

I heard that voice again, as if I were about to offend him.

Hearing that voice, I let out a scream, "Hey!!", my face deathly pale, covered in sweat, my body so weak I couldn't even stand, stumbling backward.

No matter how you look at it, even for Light, who only sees what is convenient for him with his eyes closed, he is nothing more than a pathetic middle-aged man.

A while ago, I felt he was a god worthy of the title "Master Healer," but now I can't even feel a sense of cleanliness; I am just an old man with metabolic syndrome and thinning hair.

It appeared in front of the opponent, who was nothing more than an old man.

"-Where is it!"

Just after a particularly loud bell rang, a voice as loud as the bell echoed in the room, and it appeared.

The first thing that caught my attention was a skull mask with large horns.

The person wearing that mask, a fusion of Death God and Demon, was clad in armor with a skull ornament on the chest, holding a large Sword close to their body, looking as if they had merged with it.

The height itself was not short, but not particularly tall either. It was about the same size as Kurapika, so I don't know exactly where the armor is, but in terms of physique, Light is superior.

Even so, Light could no longer stand before the suddenly appearing opponent, his limbs going limp just like the "Master Healer."

Light could not withstand that invisible torrent, yet it absolutely existed, different from the pressure and Heavy gravity emitted by his body.

Well, if I get rid of the spoilers, it was just me being hit by the aura suddenly amplified by the "Kneading" in "Zetsu."

The reason it appeared suddenly was that until just now, this masked person had completely erased their existence to the limit, so they didn't even notice these two people who were not Nen Ability users.

Of course, it is "Absolute"ly impossible to truly disappear, so if you go out of your way to ring the bell, the chance of you noticing it is high enough, but even for a Death God, his existence is extremely thin, capable of manifesting as a monster. The opponent who can see everything approaches slowly because it causes fear, but there are not many people who can suddenly switch from "Zetsu" to "Zetsu." "Kneading," such accomplices, Neon's guards, everyone except Kurapika was shocked for a moment.

Kurapika, the only one not surprised, used the remote control he had hidden to block the ringing coming from the small speaker in the armor at just the right moment, watching this farce in a daze.

This was just a farce.

But that was the beginning.

The words of the man called "Healer," Light's "Here you go" words, were a farce from the beginning, and she said it was fine.

That is why she continued the farce without knowing how serious she was.

"Long time no see, messenger of Chakichini. No, are you calling yourself the Chief Healer now?"

Although he changed the way he spoke to match his current appearance, he did not change his voice. That is why I noticed.

Even if you hide that unique hair and eyes, and the beauty that perfectly balances the beauty of men and women of all ages, you can still notice it because the voice is also unique.

About a year and a half ago, the person in front of me, wearing a skull mask, armor, and a large Sword, claimed to be "Dainichigasajin, messenger of the Great Sun Tathagata." Abandoning the fraudulent act of patching up religious terms I heard as a child, I realized I was a "real" person and managed to Escape with my life.

"That, that is..."

"Shut up."

He seemed to blurt out his own name, so I ordered him to raise the great Sword to his nose and gave the order in a low voice.

This Sword looked exquisite, but it was actually made of plastic; knowing this, Kurapika and Senritsu, who know Direct Death, were calm and relaxed.

Judging from the fraudster's reaction, this woman must have definitely died directly before.

If you know the mischief in those eyes, it doesn't matter if the Sword in front of you is real or a toy. But because he knew well that making it a toy was crazier and more terrifying, the fraudster's face turned even uglier, and he knelt on the spot, saying: "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please forgive me!!" and began to beg for forgiveness clumsily.

Forgetting that there was no one here who believed he was the Savior anymore, he threw away his self-esteem, just slamming his forehead against the floor to apologize, continuing to beg for his life.

"Hey hey, what are you!!"

"Oh, what are you all doing! Hurry up and do something about that suspicious person!!"

As the opponent's "Kneading" subsided, Light remembered that even if he didn't have spare time, there were people who possessed Nen Ability, and while lying on the floor, he shouted orders.

However, they also squatted down, shoulders trembling, as if they were scared, or facing the Wall, as if calling out to the masked figure they saw nothing of.

Well, in reality, it was just the accomplice's abs being hit by two terrified old men, but Light misunderstood, and even a person with Nen Ability didn't want to deal with them like that, his face turning desperate. He made a mess of his accomplice's abs.

"Light Nostrade"

The masked man shouted, interrupting the bloody scene with such a large temperature difference.

"What are those eyes of yours looking at?"

"Hmm?"

Ignoring the impostor who continued to beg for his life, the mask turned to ask Light, without any preamble, and Light rattled his tooth roots with a confused voice.

However, the person behind him, ignoring him on the ground, his forehead hitting the floor and bleeding, could not care about Light's confusion and awe, and continued to speak.

"Your daughter's happiness? You don't know what she fears, what she despairs of, what she longs for?

Your own success? What can a person who cannot move forward because the 'future is uncertain' achieve?... You fools."

The reason Light clung to the fraudster in front of him was to ruthlessly tell him that he was a blind man, and even if it were his true intention, it would have no meaning.

Shake and split.

The sofa the fraudster was lying on just now was actually split in two so smoothly; I don't know if it was designed that way from the beginning.

Seeing this, Light and the impostor let out a muffled grunt and backed away from behind the masked man, leaving Neon, who was still sitting on the sofa, eyes wide, dumbfounded.

And those accomplices who knew the great Sword was made of plastic could not understand what was going on, because they knew.

Except for Kurapika, Senritsu, and the people in the farce, everyone was swallowed by the atmosphere here.

If it were Light now, even if he stuck this plastic great Sword into his nose like the fraudster just did, he might not notice, so the protagonist of this farce approached Light.

"Are you afraid? I don't know what will happen now.

This is normal. No wonder. This is normal and normal.

Hope is born precisely because the future is unknown and undecided. Embracing hope and walking on a dark road without knowing what lies ahead, that is the meaning of 'life.'

Eliminating all dangers by knowing them in advance and only obtaining promised success is nothing more than laziness, depravity, and corruption.

That is why they were used by such an obvious scam.

-Accept it. You haven't lost your future; you have finally found it. If your feet are too rotten to accept it, if your eyes are deep in accepting the truth, if your ears are full of filth and you cannot hear the voice of a girl who wants you... that is delusion and fanaticism, misunderstanding, and if you say you cannot go back while currently depressed..."

Kurapika and the others were his employers, so he raised the great Sword and stated solemnly and pointedly that he had been trying to persuade him over and over again.

"You are already dead; in that case, I will at least be your Angel of Death."

"……Now, listen. The evening bell tolls for your name. —Take your head out!!"

As he spoke, his "Kneading" suddenly released a burst of aura; even though he was not struck by the aura, even a genius without defensive capabilities would be filled with a formidable presence.

This time, even Kurapika got goosebumps.

This was a response to the signs of "Death" that I could feel even beneath the mask.

I felt that her eyes were undoubtedly revealing the beauty of heaven.

Immediately after, the aura and his own "Death God" were forcibly dragged out, and after being hit at close range with the feeling of being stripped bare, that giant sword, which should have been real, suddenly rose in my mind. It was thrown at him, emitting a short, sharp scream "higyah!!", as if something had shattered; his eyeballs rolled, the whites of his eyes turned up, and he collapsed.

The plastic sword was blocked by Light's head, but the mentally cornered Light rolled his eyes back and collapsed.

There was a strange smell, but this was the final regret; I didn't want to know, so Sora ignored it, wearing the horn mask and saying: "Yes, this old man is finished now!" I returned, saying in my usual soft voice.

Then, while turning around, he threw a large plastic sword at him.

"What are you trying to escape from, you bastard!!"

"Oh!"

The impostor who had been kneeling beside Sora begging for his life, taking advantage of the fact that Sora and the others' attention had shifted to Light, tried to stop kneeling and escape through the window, but this was just a formality. It was precisely because he realized this that Sora not only knocked Light unconscious but also acted as a deterrent, stopping the impostor, so he suddenly started his Cultivation again.

Sure enough, the impostor's legs were terrified by Sora's aura and could no longer move; while he was in a state of sleep paralysis, Sora threw a large plastic sword at him.

Sora stepped mercilessly on the head of the impostor who had been knocked to the ground by the sword; even wearing a mask, Kurapika and Senritsu could tell that his eyes must be quite blue.

"Long time no see, Great Lord Daijigasa. Ah, are you a healing master now?

The Tachikawa School is mistaken for a lascivious cult, where drug-addicted women can be screwed at will; he taught me the contradictions and misunderstandings of the doctrine in detail, and was refuted. Ahahaha~, damn it, don't just learn to protect yourself, you rotten Kalluto!!"

Those who were swallowed by the air when Sora cut the sofa with Direct Death, unlike Sora, could not change the air instantly; I could only compare the trampled fraud and try to become an apology machine, the employer who fainted from incontinence.

"……Kurapika. What is that woman?"

Rinsen, who had the least relationship with Sora and was very passive about this farce, was completely confused rather than happy that he had succeeded according to plan, and asked Kurapika, but Kurapika replied with a straight face: "I want to know." when asked.

Kurapika, who silenced Rinsen, decided to let Sora do as he pleased, ignored Light for the time being, and continued to walk forward, perhaps not understanding why he had become a masked man, why no one was wary of the masked man, standing in front of the wide-eyed Neon, as if saying: "I can't believe it."

"……I don't know why, but except for the three of you, everyone else is an accomplice.

At this rate, the boss could have forced you to hand yourself over to that fraud, so I asked that masked man who has a connection to the fraud to help me see reality clearly."

Neon, stunned by Kurapika's words, didn't know how much she understood, but Kurapika didn't care and continued the conversation.

"If you could tell fortunes again, things would have been easy to solve, but that didn't happen, but the boss himself believed him and didn't doubt him, so before the worst happened, the fraud handled himself. If you expose yourself to a monster that has lost its credibility and point out that what you did was wrong, you are still being deceived, but you think you are moving in a better direction than now, 'Yeah. So you did it. I tried, but the former seems to have succeeded, but the latter depends on the future.'"

Kurapika simply explained the true meaning of this farce to Neon.

As Sora pointed out in the office, Sora just wanted to get rid of the fraud and didn't need to appear in front of Light, but what Light was obsessed with was his "Fortune Telling" and "healing ability". The fraud "Master" himself was a trivial category.

Even if he disappeared or lost his credibility, it wouldn't solve anything. Light was just obsessed with and believed in other things he wanted to believe, things that were convenient for him to believe.

So Sora's plan was the skin-peeling ghost theory.

If you threaten and intimidate Light to the point where he only believes what he wants to believe and keeps running away without facing the reality you don't want to see, then a terrifying monster will appear and attack you. I have planned and done it, is there a problem?

By the way, I wanted to know where he got that design of a fusion between a Death God and a Demon, the appearance with the sound of bells, and the old-fashioned male voice, so I asked him, and he said it was a character from a game Sora recently made. Apparently.

Kurapika recently met a Hunter named Medea, who for some incomprehensible reason makes costumes and swords, "as consolation money." Needless to say.

Of course, this was not the end of the plan.

Afterwards, I had Weze use his ability to blur the memories of Light before and after he fainted, and then everyone agreed.

These Neon guards were about to complete the perfect crime used by the classic mystery Queen Allguru.

The story behind the match was that when I thought I heard a bell ringing from nowhere, the lights suddenly went out, the figure of the fraud disappeared like smoke, and he fell into a miserable state on the sofa where he was sitting. Everyone testified to this, Kurapika had never brought a client, and Sora had never gone crazy because of his high spirits.

This was a lie that usually couldn't be believed, but Light was an ordinary person who knew of the existence of Nen, but couldn't refute it on the grounds of "impossible."

However, because he didn't think it was "impossible," he also used the painful excuse of "impossible," even for Nen users, because the fraud was gone, and the fear he felt in the mask in his memory. And tried to believe only what they wanted to believe, but the sound of the bell Sora used in the production was used to deprive them of the chance to escape.

If he didn't listen to Sora's advice and refused to accept the fact of the unknown future, then the bell that no one but him could hear would ring (Kurapika and the others, who were accomplices in the crime, insisted). The moment the kindness of the skull mask disappeared, he had been aggravating his anxiety, and he would also disappear like the fraud, sometimes he would ask for Sora's cooperation to appear again to correct Light. This was a long-term plan with a rough idea.

Kurapika wondered if Light was being treated like Pavlov's dog. Are you smart?

"So, I'm sorry for surprising and scaring you to the point where I agreed afterwards, but could you please agree with our views on today and the future?

...... I don't want to say this, but this might be the easiest way to ensure your safety."

Kurapika knelt on the ground, looked up at Neon, and pleaded with him.

Although she received help from Kurapika and her bodyguards, she refused and resisted the demands of her father and the impostor, not expecting to be rejected.

Kurapika was not only insulted but also beaten by her father, so even if he didn't want to believe that if he didn't kill her father at this speed, Neon might be killed, but Kurapika didn't say it out of consideration. Somewhere you have to understand.

However, what Neon said was not an affirmation.

"……Why are you helping me?"

It was not approval, nor rejection, nor refusal; first, Neon asked about the premise of "ensuring her own safety" and "helping herself" in a mosquito-like voice.

Kurapika thought about how long it had been since he heard her voice answer.

"Because we are your Bodyguards."

"But you are hired by Daddy?"

Faced with Kurapika's direct answer, Neon immediately asked me with a blank face again.

"Daddy is the one who hired you and pays for you, so instead of listening to and protecting me, you should listen to Daddy…… why are you me?" Can you still protect me?

I…… I can't do anything anymore…… I can't tell fortunes anymore…… but…… why?"

Neon's eyes were empty, with only tears left as she asked.

A useless piece of trash who had lost the meaning of existence and the meaning of uselessness, who shouldn't have been born…… the girl scolded by her father asked why they were helping her.

I couldn't find it myself, I questioned the reason for my helping and protecting.

Kurapika stared at the young girl in silence for a while.

Kurapika knew that the selfish but innocent girl had become so empty not only because she lost her ability, but more because her father denied everything about her.

Kurapika answered.

I cannot tell her that being alive is worth it, just like the blue sky four years ago. The truth is that Kurapika did not find the value of Neon.

Even so, even though flattering Light was more profitable for him than flattering Neon, Kurapika still spoke about why he still protected and helped Neon with a natural expression.

"... Just like that idiot over there beating up the fraudster."

I tilted my head to look at Sora, who was still wearing a mask and armor, hitting the fraudster with his large plastic Sword.

Sure enough, Squala and Basho boldly approached Sora to try to stop them, but Sora glared at them from behind the mask, and the two retreated reluctantly.

I had no intention of killing him, but that was because it was certainly in front of Kurapika.

Sora could not forgive this fraudster and honestly wanted to kill him, and no matter how many times he killed him, he would not kill him.

Even if everything was over by the time I discovered it, even if this guy didn't dirty his hands, I couldn't forgive myself for not being able to catch up to this extremely cowardly piece of trash in time, so I couldn't forgive myself for being angry. I thought while hitting.

"I won't throw you in prison for inciting murder; it's doubtful whether you can be prosecuted for fraud!

I won't allow the death penalty!! Don't let me be easily electrocuted, hanged, or poisoned!!"

"I'm sorry! Please forgive me! Please!!"

"What did you do to that child who was crying like that!? What did you make the child's parents do!?

You, Stick to making Miso and Training, making your parents beat and kill a sick child! You cannot be forgiven for deceiving parents who grabbed at a Root to call you to cure their child's illness, and killing them before the condition worsened because you couldn't cure it!!

You haven't reflected on anything at all, playing around just like that brat; you want me to catch you and take the chance to jump high!!"

She screamed in a voice as painful as crying, screaming at herself under the attack, facing the most serious crime committed by the fraudster.

Kurapika and the others who heard it in advance suddenly felt sick, Neon's face turned pale, and she hugged her own body with both hands as if to protect herself.

Kurapika turned his gaze back to Neon and opened his mouth to speak.

"That masked person is too angry, but I don't know the victimized child, nor do I know the parents who became the abusers.

By chance, I learned of the existence of another victim, and I was able to help him before he suffered serious harm like you did today; I cannot forgive myself for being unable to help.

... That's it. Gains and losses don't matter, it doesn't matter, it's just because I don't like myself, she gets angry, and I protect her. That's all.

I have no special reason for you. However, I cannot forgive the most despicable crimes, so I will protect you. That is how it is."

He knew his answer was not what Neon wanted, and he said some extremely cruel things.

He protected Neon not because he wanted to protect the girl named Neon, because he found his own value in Neon.

Kurapika told him that this was nothing more than self-satisfaction, because he did not want to make himself sad.

"... So that's how it is. That's right... I have no reason to protect myself."

To this, Neon's voice was still hollow, emitting a convincing sound, full of helplessness.

I have already given up. I am desperate. But Neon still said.

"... Thank you."

Although Neon said he had no reason to protect himself or was worth helping, he did not say like his father, "If you lose your value, then walk away."

Even if he couldn't see the value in protecting Neon himself, Kurapika had always been guarding himself, not wanting her to be played by fraudsters later. Seeing the crying face, thank you.

Kurapika didn't know if she wanted to cry or laugh.

I don't even know that I am thinking about those words of thanks.

Because of this, I turned back to respond to the voice calling Kurapika, while Kurapika couldn't say anything.

"Kurapika. What are you doing to this guy?"

"... Just in case, are you still alive?"

Rather than beating him out, he might think it is meaningless to hurt someone who has fainted.

Sora, who finally stopped beating the fraudster, said: Boss, Boss, of course, before the daughter Neon, Kurapika strictly ordered him not to take off his mask even in front of him. So, he wore a skull mask, and while asking, he hit the fraudster who fell to the ground like a rag and stabbed him with a cracked Sword, asking rather blandly.

"Are you not doing life activities for the time being?"

"So that's it. Then, leave the rest to me. There is a lot of work, and the death penalty seems better, so I believe you will be able to satisfy your wish."

Sora answered Kurapika's question rather sloppily, but Kurapika didn't seem to care much, and talked about a plan worse than sentencing the fraudster to death.

It was obvious, but no one intended to let this guy escape. A year and a half ago, I met Sora and the fraud was exposed, but I had no sympathy for someone who ran away without discipline and committed similar fraud.

Although the motive was righteous indignation, Kurapika wanted to mock himself for starting to say very Mafia things, but Sora didn't seem happy or sad about Kurapika's words, just watching him silently.

Kurapika tilted his head at Sora's reaction and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Kurapika." "Focus."

Hearing this, Kurapika, who was confused but did not doubt Sora for a moment, gathered a stream of Aura in his eyes.

Light and other Bodyguards who were cleaning up the fraudster were confused by Sora's words, but Kurapika did not refute, and did not even ask "Why?" Just a few days later, they also "repaired" their eyes in the same way.

Then Sora walked forward and approached.

She passed by Kurapika, who was giving instructions, stood in front of Neon, and pointed simply.

"You have not lost your ability for Prediction."

Standing in front of Neon, looking down at Neon, I said it clearly.

Neon, who was unfavorable to the words of the masked person Sora from the beginning, turned blue and became the color of paper.

Those Neon eyes, dyed by despair into a Goddess who knows everything and can do everything, were repainted with surprise and fear.

At the same time, Kurapika saw Neon's Bodyguard.

A white, fluffy body, small and unbalanced arms.

Thin, thread-like eyes and an eerily realistic and disgusting mouth.

Like the arms, the bat wings were unbalanced and perfunctory on the head part.

I saw many "Demons" clinging to her shoulders and head.

In the plot stage, Sora borrowed colored contact lenses from Kurapika, just for his own eyes, facing Light Nostrade, but considering his mentality, Kurapika thought it was impossible for him to let Sora appear, so he was forced to use them. I am doing a roleplay, what do you mean?

Also, the religion used by the fraudster before was Shanben, which is Tachikawa-style, but it has nothing to do with the Kai-Tian Beast.

It's just that if it's a completely fictional religion, it's not convincing, but if it's modeled on an existing religion, it might be confusing, so I want to say, "I can only understand that the correct teachings have been lost due to oppression, and there are various misunderstandings." The Tachikawa-ryu, known as the "Teru Religion," is just easy to use.