When Kikyo invited the stranger to stay for dinner, Silva didn't feel like contradicting her. He was still thinking about a way to get rid of this boy while sparing his wife's feelings. If he shooed away the boy now, he would just confirmed the version where he was a terrible natural father, and she would be upset for days. So for the moment he was remaining quiet, observing, and would draw a conclusion. This was how he always did. And the solution showed by itself.

Milluki was an insatiable attention seeker, and Chrollo satisfied him. He was an enthusiastic and disposable playfellow, with an infinite patience, who didn't hesitate to play with the toys and dinosaurs even if he was way too old to have fun with it. Milluki turned a couple of times to Illumi, claiming : "Chrollo love me !" "Chrollo is more funny than you ! " and finally : "I love Chrollo more that Illumi !". Said Illumi didn't look like he cared in the least. Confronted to this total lack of reaction, Milluki finally gave his total attention to the guest, this attention became interest, and his interest turned into a real and absolute affection. He demanded that Chrollo served his 4 o'clock snack, when it usually was his special moment with his father. Silva imitated Illumi's indifference, and watched Milluki stuffing himself, looking at his father out of the corner of his eyes, declaring it was the best snack he have ever eaten. Chrollo looked so proud. Silva hold a snort back.

When Milluki's affection would have reached its peak, Silva would order him to kill the boy. Milluki was old enough to learn that death wasn't only a distraction. The familial tradition required a puppy, given as a gift to the child, who would have to kill it six months later. Silva disapproved cruelty to animals, so this perfect victim came along at just the right time. A Zoldyck had to respect the value of life not to become a monster, but also to respect the value of death not to become crazy, and the first step was making no difference between destruction and affection. Illumi had shown an astonishing talent for this.

And Kikyo would support his idea. She was fully committed to their children. She would always favored them in any situation. She wouldn't regret the stranger if they made a good use of him.

Two birds with one stone.

At diner, Chrollo showed exquisite manners. He conversed lengthily with Kikyo about flora, and surprised everyone by his erudition. Milluki pouted until the dessert. His new best friend wasn't paying enough attention to him. So, after he cleared the table, Chrollo made amend by telling him a story. A horrible story, full of blood, treason, poured entrails, evil spirits, burned eyes, madness, teared off limbs, and tortured children. Milluki was in awe. Then he applauded hysterically and asked for an encore. And then another one. Chrollo might knew hundred of stories, and Silva had to admit he was indeed a very good storyteller; he found himself listening with pleasure. Soon, even Illumi couldn't resist and, just before bedtime, nestled near one another under a fluffy curtain, the whole family listened to a bloodcurdling story. At the end, Milluki screamed, and fell asleep.

While Tsubone was carrying the child into his room, Silva accompanied his wife in the garden. She was suffering from insomnia lately, and taking slow walks helped her to get to sleep. He purposely had left the guest with Illumi; the boys obviously didn't get along with each other and Silva was curious of how a face to face would end up. He had been disappointed. As soon as he had been left alone, Chrollo had got a book out of wherever, crossed leg right on the tatami and started to read, as if the floor were the most comfortable place on earth. He has a touch of a cat in his behavior. Illumi didn't seem to bother in the least and silently played with his needles.

It was the beginning of summer, but the air was fresh and the wind was getting up, bringing dark clouds.

"It's so strange the two boys don't get along. They are closer in age than Chrollo is to Milluki."

"Milluki craves affection. I don't think Chrollo knows how to handle people who don't deeply need him."

"He's not bad at taking care of young children, though. I really liked the last story he told. The rural policeman had an ingenious idea, when he gave the baby's remains to the wild boars. It may inspire the kids if they need to make a corpse disappear in a forest."

"I'd rather he doesn't tell dead babies stories in your condition."

"A dead baby and a killed baby are different things. And I love you all so bad that sometimes I want to eat you too."

She stood up on her tiptoes and pretend to bite Silva's ear. He smiled.

"Don't push yourself.'

'You're not really funny today" sighted Kikyo." You're upset by the presence of your other son, I can see that."

Silva saw an opportunity.

"You know… there is no actual proof that he's my son."

"I doesn't matter."

Silva stopped dead, almost making his wife stumble.

"You knew ? You know this boy is not my son, and you allow him in our house ?"

"You misapprehend me. I know nothing. I have a doubt Silva. I will always have a doubt and will make everything to keep it. If I knew this child is yours, I may be jealous. If I knew he's not, I may lose interest in him. So I stay with my doubt. It's better for everyone."

Something in her tone voice warned Silva.

"Honey…"

Kikyo rubbed her belly.

"You shouldn't have married me."

"I don't wanna hear such stupid things. We've talked about it often enough."

"Milluki took the water glass test this morning. He's a manipulator, too."

Silva did his best to hide his disappointment.

"He's only our second child. We don't know yet what nen killua will develop.".

Kikyo shacked her head.

"I'm cursed, Silva. My uterus is rotten. I contaminate every baby I carry. I'll never give you a transmuter heir."

Silva hold a sigh back. He was feeling more concerned than he showed. Heredity played a crucial role in the nen nature. A Kikyo's grandfather was a transmuter. He had hoped it would be enough.

When Zeno had reached the age of paternity, he solved the problem on his own way. He closed a deal with a transmuter woman, in good health, strong, well trained, and with no interest for kids. Silva never knew what the deal exactly had been based on. He've only heard that, the day he passed the water glass test, a very rare stone change of ownership. He hadn't made his own enquiries any longer. It wasn't his business.

In the Zoldyck family, everything was known about death, and nothing about love. Not that it was a taboo, or a shame; it just wasn't a matter of concern. Even friendship was an odd concept quite hard to understand. It interfered with business, and Zoldycks learnt to do without. Nothing had prepared Silva to his meeting with kikyo. He didn't understood why he suddenly felt this pressing need to be with her all the time, to talk to her, to listen her, to touch her, to kiss her. He had brought her into the manor. He didn't have a specific goal in mind. He only wanted to spare themselves the horror of a separation.

When Zeno heard she was a manipulator, he chased her away. Silva felt into a fit of rage and killed two intendants. It has been the day he heard the words "in love." These words were uttered from two maids, whispering in the corridor : do this, do that, everything is disrupted, master Silva is in love.

He had never considered this. But yes, it was true, it was obvious, he was in love, so he just had to marry, just like lovers do. Zeno put up a strong resistance. He tried to kill Kikyo. Silva threatened to run away with her, to change his name, leaving the estate without an heir. Zeno conceded more than he consented. He didn't have a choice.

"Silva…" Kikyo's voice brought his husband back from his memories. She had an hesitant voice. "I asked Chrollo what his nen was. He didn't want to tell me what ability he's working on. But he's a transmuter."

"Did you make him take the glass test ?"

"No, but…'

'So maybe he lied."

"Why would he ? And how could he know we absolutely need a transmuter heir ? It's a closely guarded secret. Even to me, you didn't tell anything before I became pregnant, and I know why. Ho, no need to look embarrassed. You already honored me by marrying me. You couldn't take the risk to keep by your side a sterile wife."

"I would have kept you by my side."

"As a concubine. You would have divorced, and marry a fertile transmuter. But you wouldn't have told me why. I understand. Nen ties are sometimes more important than love ties."

Silva felt a raindrop falling on his head. He looked up at the sky. Dark clouds were accumulating, announcing a storm.

"Let's get in, Kikyo. It's starting to rain, and you don't want to miss the passage flower's bloom."

Silva wasn't a man to unload. If he were, while he was accompanying his wife inside their house, he would have told he had never regretted his choice, he had married her in full knowledge, despite everything, despite what he knew, despite the curse that weighed upon his family, despite the story of the first of all Zoldycks and the legend of the seventh nen.