Hello, my lovely readers! It's been a while, hasn't it? I missed you all so so much! I haven't been active since last year and I apologize for it. My life went through many changes and that made me stop writing altogether because I couldn't bear reading anything of mine, so I'm relieved I'm actually excited about writing again because I missed it. I also missed this healthy atmosphere from the Illumi stans fanbase — I tried other fandoms but there's nothing like home lol.

Speaking of changes, I'm also into JJK now! Does that mean I will write something for it? Well, who knows? Certainly not me! But yeah, I do have ideas, whether I'll write them down it's a mystery... In any case, stan Satoru and Suguru and SatoSugu my children

Anyway, there's three other chapters ready but, as before, I'll be updating twice a month. I have university and it's draining me to the point I suspect I have depression yay! But I don't care about depression, I just care about Illumi's fat tits on my face

There might be a special spin-off Christmas present for you guys Stay tuned!

Thank you all for the kind words and not giving up on Cataclysm. Love you!

—Cherry

Illumi was quiet. Irritatingly quiet. During almost a whole day traveling to Padokea, he had only talked to Medea less than five times — mostly to make sure she did not have a fever anymore, but also to reprimand her bored sighs. Of course, this had yielded a monologue on her part about how she would not do that if she had something interesting to do, which he promptly ignored.

That being said, she had gone back to square one.

Medea was a woman who liked to interact with people. To her, they were fun tools to spend her time with, a vast shelf of chocolate bars that she could choose the most eye-catching one from. They were different. Intriguing. Good to keep her from wandering into the deep, dark corners from her mind. But with Illumi refusing to entertain her, she felt a pang of discomfort in her chest.

It reminded her of those endless, lonely, silent days in her childhood.

To recall that was horrible. No matter what she did, he would still not give her any attention. It got on her nerves. It was as if she were back in Proyca, asking anyone to play with her.

She glanced at him from the corners of her eyes.

Long black hair cascaded down his shoulders like liquid coal, shining like a jewel under the airship's lights. Smooth. So smooth. She felt tempted to reach out to touch it, but restrained herself and played with the rhodolites and the rubies on her wrist instead.

There was no way in hell she would beg for anyone's attention, much less Illumi's. She refused to do that. It was a matter of self-respect.

He had decided to have her, had he not? He had stalked, kidnapped, and made her so many promises… Therefore, he was the one who should find a way to start a conversation.

Until this moment, however, waiting for him to take the initiative did not seem to be effective.

The man looked more like a statue, still as he was, utterly silent while watching the clouds and, occasionally, the mountain ranges and the lights on the horizon. He did not even glance in her direction or try to sneak a peek at her through the reflection in the window, and, instead, opted to keep his head resting on one hand while he wandered off. The presence by his side did not affect him at all.

Medea scoffed. Quite contradictory after he had made a point of having her presence for the rest of his life.

Crossing her legs, Medea was about to close her eyes and take a nap when Illumi finally turned to her. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I did the last three times you asked." She muttered.

"Good. I am glad you seem to be recovering."

Reclining against her seat, she nodded. "Same. Wouldn't want your needles piercing me again, they hurt."

"Do they?" His brows knitted together as he pondered and stared out the window again. "Oh. We have arrived."

Medea grabbed the armrest with all her strength, anxiety flooding her veins. Even her coat did not seem to alleviate the cold that took over her body. She had sworn to never set foot in that place. Both her and Kurapika. She glanced at the rubies, chest heavy. Ten days ever since she had found out about his schemes and since she had seen him the last. It was weird. She was not furious, at least not anymore, but it still hurt. Had he been honest with her before Illumi handed her those papers, then maybe things would have been different.

She sighed.

It was no use to make conjectures. Right now, she had to focus on Illumi and, well, his family. There was an unsettling feeling in her gut as the aircraft finally touched the ground. After all that she had gone through in that place, it was more than understandable for her to be frightened. Besides, it was not a simple encounter, it was a family meeting. Her fiancé's family meeting.

Knowing that they would evaluate her was not exactly pleasant. They would have the final say on whether she was fit to be affianced to Illumi or not.

Affianced.

She had never imagined that she would be engaged someday, nor that it would happen overnight. Much less, of course, it would be to the same assassin who hated her and whose family she had robbed (or tried to, at least). It was a lot of information to digest at once. No wonder she had had an emotional fever.

"I'm starting to regret my decision on this." She murmured with her eyes closed. "Your family will kill me, I know it."

He gave her a low laugh. "Are you nervous?"

"No shit, Sherlock, how'd you find out?" She mocked as she sat up correctly again.

"You truly have a foul mouth." His voice was quiet, even if he was scolding her.

"You should see the things I say in Dnihipian…"

"Refrain from using this type of crude language in front of my family. For our sake."

Medea bit her lip softly but nodded. "Alright. Sorry for cussing. I'm just… Scared they'll kick me out as soon as they see me."

"There is nothing to worry about," Illumi assured her, gently patting the back of her hand, "if my family did not want to receive you in our home, I would not have brought you here, right?"

"I don't know, you tell me!" She sighed and ran her fingers through her tattoo, trying to calm down. "I don't even know why I'm so nervous, to tell the truth, you said it yourself that no one can cancel this now that Killua saw me with the bracelet."

Illumi observed the accessory, an incomprehensible expression on his face, almost resembling a blank canvas.

What was he thinking? Medea did not feel comfortable when he did this. It gave her the chills. Maybe if he simply exposed the things he was thinking, they would engage in a conversation and she would feel more comfortable; she would get used to the engagement a little easier then.

He looked her in the eyes again. "Technically, they can."

"Oh?"

"But do not worry. You survived a lethal drug, believe me, they will accept you." He gave her a tiny smile. "You just have to answer what they ask you and everything will be fine, alright?" Getting up from his seat, Illumi extended a hand to the woman.

With a deep breath, she took it. Medea grabbed her travel bag and followed Illumi out of the aircraft quietly.

You can do this , she told herself. You can make a good impression this time.

The mountain air was heavier than she could remember, probably due to the stressful situation. Surprisingly, it was colder than she expected, and her coat suddenly seemed too thin and useless; would she spend the rest of the night and dawn shivering with cold? She hoped not.

Illumi's footsteps, confident and precise, became slower until he stood beside her. There was a content gleam in his eyes as he took in the sight in front of him. They were in his territory now.

When her eyes landed on the great and imposing mansion that she had sworn to forget, she inhaled deeply and, on an impulse, turned to the man in search of… What, exactly? Confirmation that he was sure of what they were doing? That she sure of it?

Noticing that he kept staring at the building, Medea lowered her eyes and started playing with a lock of hair.

That was his home. Their home. Not hers. She was not sure if she would ever be able to refer to it as such.

The doors opened, revealing a young butler who bowed as soon as she saw Illumi. Medea narrowed her eyes to look at her properly and smiled as she identified the familiar face — it was the same girl from the ball, the one with penetrating gray eyes. "Welcome back, master Illumi." She greeted him.

He just kept walking as if nothing had happened, which caused strangeness to the young white-haired woman. Was he not going to reply?

She blinked.

How rude.

Hesitantly, she waved at the teenager. For a moment, Medea could have sworn she seemed surprised by her action. Could have sworn that there was a frown on her face. Still, she did not reciprocate the gesture.

Slowly, Medea lowered her hand before continuing to follow Illumi.

Maybe this family did not show her politeness, but it did not mean that Medea would do the same.

"Why did you wave at Amane?" He asked when they entered a dimly lit hallway.

"Why wouldn't I? I wanted to be polite." She held on a little tighter to her coat, rubbing her arms to warm herself. "Is it always this cold in your house?"

"Our house is usually colder during this time of year," Medea did not fail to notice his choice of words, nor the way he increased the closeness between the two when he said it. "you can blame the altitude and the humidity of the clouds for that."

"Doesn't it bother you?" She chuckled. "I think I'll die of hypothermia during the night." She commented as they climbed the stairs.

He had an unshaken countenance, but squinted at her nonetheless, seeming intrigued. His pale skin almost glowed when the faint light shone against it and his long hair mingled with the shadows as if they were one thing, an endless, pitch-black mantle. His features seemed to stand out in the dark as contradicting as it was.

Medea had met many people throughout her life. Tall, short, beautiful, ugly, happy, and sad. She had had her fair share of interactions with them. But she had never met someone like Illumi Zoldyck.

Some people were made of light. Their inner glow brought warmth and fuzzy feelings and comfort, it was like they were tiny, capsuled stars in the shape of a person. It made no difference whether they were as intense as a midday sun or enchanting as the first rays of dawn. They were made to live in the light, even if they were momentarily obscured by clouds.

Illumi, however… He was far from being made of light.

Whenever she looked at him, she was engulfed alive by an endless and overwhelming cold. By fear. Affliction consumed her insides when she found herself under his attentive gaze, even if she would rather not admit that. It was like the two hypnotic black holes on his face yearned to devour every trace of light around them. Perhaps even her own soul, if she let them.

There was a thick veil surrounding him. A veil woven out of frostbite and agony. She had never seen something like that. It was terrifyingly beautiful. He was unlike anyone else. The night was his mother and his father, the shadows.

Illumi was darkness himself.

He frowned and Medea took some time to understand that he had said something. "Oh, sorry, I didn't quite catch that. Could you repeat it?"

Illumi sighed and faced the hall again. "The temperature does not bother me, I am used to it." He answered. "And you will not. I will ask someone to put thick blankets in your room until you grow accustomed to it."

Your room, not ours , Medea thought relieved. At least for now she would have the right to a minimum of privacy. That made her chest lighter. He opened the nearest door and gestured for her to pass through it.

"This is your room."

She made a point of going in there with her head held high — hopefully, it would influence her future there; she did not want to risk getting off to a bad start. It was a big room with just enough furniture to make it not resemble a prison, but the decorations on the wall and bed, as well as the ivory-colored walls, created an elegant and cozy look in the environment. Frankly, she found it charming.

"Oh, Illumi! It's beautiful!"

"It is good to hear that you liked it."

"I loved these sheets, they look so soft! And, and these details on the wallpaper too, are they made of velvet? I love velvet!" Twirling around the room, she giggled. "It's so pretty! Ah, look at this dresser, it's mahogany, isn't it? I'm sure it is, I know that shade of wood anywhere!"

Placing the bag over the dresser, she took no time before throwing herself on the bed, slowly stretching out atop the warm, gentle fabric. She covered her face with her arm and smiled. "It feels amazing, I could stay here forever!" A delighted sigh escaped her. " It's so good! "

As soon as she lowered her arm again, she turned her face to Illumi, but he was already staring at her, unblinking. He seemed neither mad nor confused. Actually, he was expressionless. She sat up on the soft mattress, facing her fiancé expectantly.

Then, he blinked and leaned against the door. "This room will be temporary."

Medea arched an eyebrow. "Why?"

Illumi imitated the gesture. "Because we will be married, of course."

"So? Many couples sleep in separate rooms." She retorted. "Even royalty has this custom."

He approached the bed and held the canopy firmly, looking at her with severity. Suddenly, Medea felt foolish to even suggest that. "That is out of the question." He determined. "We will sleep together like a normal couple, no unrealistic ideas."

"I don't think they're unrealistic, I just don't want to give up on this room!" She grabbed a pillow and pressed it against herself. "I liked it a lot, even the colors here enhance my skin! We were made for each other!"

"Medea, it's a room ."

"But…"

"No. You are going to sleep by my side. End of conversation."

She rolled her eyes. "Ok, I get it. I'll enjoy the time I have here and then…" She grimaced. "It's a double room ."

Illumi nodded, satisfied. "Exactly. Now come, dinner should be ready soon."

"Already?" Medea got up from bed in a hurry, staring at her reflection in search of any imperfections in her makeup. "Why didn't you warn me before?"

"Because it was not the right time to do it." Stated him, matter-of-factly.

"How am I supposed to look good for your family if I don't have time to get ready?" Opening her travel bag, she quickly grabbed a couple of makeup items and a hairbrush and sighed, stressed.

"Calm down."

"Calm down? Illumi, I have to be presentable! You told me that yourself!" She insisted, trying to apply a bit of eye shadow with her shaky hands. "Shit! Now I won't have time to fix my hair! I'll look like an unkempt mess!"

Illumi approached her and grabbed the brush from the hairdresser. Then, much to her surprise, he started brushing her hair. It was mechanical, calm, and precise, like everything else she expected from him. He glanced at her through the mirror. "Do you not have to finish your makeup?"

She nodded. "Y-Yeah."

"Then do it. You still have yet to put on your dress." He told her.

Medea took a deep breath and focused on her reflection. She added the mocha eyeshadow to the outer corner of her eyes, then the mascara before finally moving to her skin. Foundation, concealer, a bit of powder, and just the right amount of color on her cheeks.

"There," Illumi said, putting down the hairbrush, "All done."

Medea smiled. "Thank you."

"The dress." He reminded her.

"It's in my bag."

"No, I do not mean that one." He walked to the closet and opened it, revealing a long-sleeved plum dress. "I took the liberty and bought this for you."

Her eyes widened. "You what?!"

"I was not entirely sure of your size, but I think it will fit." He motioned for her to get closer with a finger and held the dress in front of her when she did. Black eyes narrowed. "Yes. It will."

"When did you buy this?" She asked in a mix of wariness and surprise.

"A few days before we met on Whale Island."

"Wait, you bought me a dress before I even formally accepted to marry you?"

"Yes, now put it on. I will be waiting for you on the outside. Be fast."

After he walked away and the door closed, she exhaled loudly. "Weirdo." She muttered under her breath, quickly unbuttoning her shirt and taking off her pants.

The dress felt as smooth as pure water against her skin, even with the tight, puffy sleeves. As she zipped it up, she looked at her reflection in the hairdresser.

Long, bouncy pearlescent hair fell in waves behind her shoulders, bringing out the golden tone of her skin and the rich shade of the taffeta. Elegant and refined. The makeup gave her a coquettish air that she very much appreciated. Tonight, she had to present herself as an amicable woman, not a sly thief or a fierce Hunter; she had to play along with Illumi.

Medea put on her black heels, opened the door, and fixed the bracelet on her wrist. "All done."

"Good."

"How do I look?"

His gaze roamed over her from head to toe, sharp and analytically. "Nice. Although I should have opted for a different neckline."

"What? Why?"

"Your breasts." He told her. "They should be more covered."

"Oh." She frowned. "Does it look vulgar?"

"Not exactly the word I would use… Still, there is nothing I can do now." Illumi sighed. "Come." Before she could make any objections, he took her hand and dragged her out the doorway.

Illumi pulled her through so many corridors that she was sure she would have a hard time going back to her room by herself. Finally, after many gray and lifeless passages, they arrived at two large metal doors; on the other side, there were rushed footsteps and a wonderful smell of meat.

She bit her lower lip as her hands trembled a little.

There was no way to escape now.

Medea stared at him with apprehension, eyebrows furrowed and lips pursed. Gently, he put a lock of hair behind her ear and took his index to his lips, in a silent request. She nodded and squeezed his hand impulsively, but neither of them commented on it.

The door slid open when Illumi pressed a button attached to the wall, revealing a huge dining room.

The walls were covered in fancy beige wallpaper and golden flourishes created so delicately that she wondered if they had been handmade since each and every single one of them was uniquely shaped; it would make sense if that was the case. The floor was made of a really dark type of wood, one she had never seen before, but it evened out the intense, reddish glow of the rest of the furniture.

The decoration, however, contrasted brutally with it. Hanging everywhere, there were different types of canvases picturing various scenes of graphic violence, each more gloomy and vile than the previous. It made her nauseated.

Albeit unusual, the decor was actually what she expected from that family. Rich. Eccentric. Borderline uncomfortable to look at.

In the middle of the room, there was a table. It seemed antique, but very luxurious nonetheless, covered in gold and bronze details. It was so humongous that Medea was sure that her last mission's entire crew could fit there and there would still be available seats. The chairs were made of the same material, and their armrests were curved in angles that looked rather funny from afar.

Only five of the many chairs were occupied.

At the head of the table was the father, Silva, eyeing her down with the grandiosity of a lion. Illumi had told her that he was the current leader of their family, although from what she had observed at the engagement ball, it was the grandfather, Zeno, who had the final say. The old man sat on his son's right, with his daughter-in-law by his side. Medea narrowed her eyes. While she did not trust him, he seemed approachable, at least more than his own child. Maybe she should try to fall into his good graces.

Beside Illumi's mother was the second son, whose name she did not know, looking at her without much enthusiasm. On the opposite side of the table, two chairs away from his father, sat the youngest son, Kalluto.

A few servants were placing the last and biggest tray in its center so that everyone could reach it. The main dish was huge and roasted and smelled like the best thing Medea had ever smelled in her life. It seemed to be pork, but Medea was not sure.

Illumi guided her to the seat next to his youngest brother and sat beside his father, calm as always.

The uncomfortable silence was too loud for her ears, but Medea found it wiser to keep quiet so as not to cause any negative reaction — even if their gazes were making her nervous. Zeno cleared his throat, capturing everyone's attention. "It has been a long time, miss Lanfort. It is good to see you again." He greeted her.

"Indeed, sir. I hope you all have been doing well." She replied with a small smile.

"Yes, we have, thank you. I am glad you got here so fast, we are all quite hungry. Tell me, do you like pork?" The woman nodded. "Excellent, we were a little afraid that you were one of those activists who do not eat meat." And yet they chose meat as their main course, how lovely , whispered the voice in her mind. "All I ask is that you leave the sirloin to Milluki, it's his favorite part."

Medea glanced at the second eldest son and nodded. "Of course!"

"Wonderful. In this case, I believe we can begin our meal."

Before she could react, two butlers approached the table. They cut the slices of pork and distribute them among the plates with enviable agility. As a side dish, there were sautéed potatoes and the most diverse vegetables, besides, of course, an enormous quantity of salad. The fragrance was simply magnificent and just seeing the variety of colors made Medea's mouth water.

Once everyone was served, she remained immobile next to Illumi, waiting for some sign to eat, and it was only after Silva shortly nodded that they grabbed the silverware. As each person around the table began to focus on their plates, Medea allowed herself to mimic them. It was only courteous to do so.

As she sliced the pork, she felt a persistent weight on her figure. At first, she brushed it off as being Illumi, but it did not feel like his gaze on her skin. It was unfamiliar. She frowned.

Raising her face, she was surprised to realize that it was Silva looking at her. No, glaring . Blood froze in her veins. That man was terrifying, she did not feel safe around him in the slightest; there was no doubt he would rip her head off with his bare hands at that very moment if he could.

And yet, Medea found herself sustaining his gaze, unblinking. He wanted to intimidate her, she was well aware of that, so she could not show any sort of nervousness. It was simple and coherent, after all, Medea was under his roof, in his territory and he wanted to impose his authority. What was happening was a way to demonstrate power, and if she bowed down to his behavior, he would never respect her, which was honestly worrisome.

Silva not only had the posture of a lion, but he also acted like one. His behavior was primitive.

Medea showed him what most would consider a courteous smile, but the two of them knew well the underlying message behind that. She was baring her teeth. A public display of aggression between most animal species, a warning, even, of an upcoming attack.

If he wanted to be animalistic, then so would she. Two could play that game.

He narrowed his eyes, yet said nothing.

Finally, Zeno spoke again: "So, Miss Lanfort, where are you from? I believe that with all the past events we did not have the opportunity to get to know you properly." He took the glass of wine to his lips.

"I am Dririan, sir." She promptly replied.

"Dririan, you say?" Inquired Illumi's mother, display directed to Medea. "You do not look like it."

"Ah, yes, I get that a lot. I suppose it's due to my skin tone," Medea told her, "most Dririans are quite pale."

"No, that is not why. You are fat."

She blinked. "I… What?"

"I know my fair share of Dririan people and all of them are way thinner than you." She chuckled. "They are struggling with the war, after all. It is actually impressive that you do not seem to have been affected by it in the same way as them…" The red light on the display roamed her figure briefly. "A pity." She sighed before taking a sliced potato to her lips.

Medea smiled. "Indeed, ma'am. But I'm glad that does not seem to be a problem for your son. He chose me, didn't he?"

The woman scowled. "Again, a pity."

This bitch, I fucking swear.

"Speaking of war, have you struggled with it, miss Lanfort?" Asked Zeno. "I heard that many people had to flee and seek refuge in other nations when the Kakin Empire started to support the invasion."

"Not really. I was born in Drires, but I left the country years before the war erupted, I was still a child. I barely have memories of my time there."

"And why did you leave?"

Medea sipped a bit of wine, searching for the right words. She could not simply say where she lived after that, it would mean giving them a reason to break off the engagement, and, consequentially, the promises Illumi had made her. The promises she would make sure to be fulfilled. "My aunt wanted me to have a better life, so we moved to a tiny archipelago. Have you ever heard of the Republic of Lapet, sir?"

"Surely. It is a small, rural country near the Begerossé Union, no?"

"Yes, and that's where we went to." She explained. "Actually, I still live there."

"What about your aunt and the rest of your family members?"

She took a deep breath. "Well, she passed a few years after that." Medea slowly chewed on a small green bean. "I have no one else."

He arched an eyebrow. "No siblings or parents?"

"No. I'm an only child and my mom… I never met her. Nor my dad, for that matter."

Illumi's mother snickered, attracting her attention again. "A suitor from a barbaric, uncivilized nation who does not even know her own family… How amusing."

Medea narrowed her eyes as she chewed on the pork, not even acknowledging the spices on the meat or how juicy it was. That woman was playing the same game as her husband, then. Things could not get any better.

"My motherland is not barbaric nor uncivilized, ma'am." She told her, voice leveled even if rage started to flow through her body.

"Of course it is! You merely disagree because you have yet to learn about your own people and history." The corners of her lips curled upwards. "That place is a barn filled with stupidity, whether you admit that or not."

"Many famous philosophers came from there, we are not stupid!" Medea argued. "My country is only in a delicate situation because of the Kakin Empire, but Drires is a beautiful, culturally rich country!"

This time, Silva scoffed. "Please, Kikyo is completely right. Kakin has nothing to do with the deplorable state Drires is in right now, the war, yes, but not the massive ignorance that spread like a virus through that land. That, miss Lanfort, is your people's own fault."

"Are you joking?" Asked Medea. "They have been financing attacks since they found out about Drires' plan to become an industrial country! Both Kakin and Idamol have been doing it for centuries now!"

"Think what you will, but it will not change the fact that your country is simply in ruins. And so are your people." He growled, smirking with satisfaction as she inhaled sharply.

"They are not!"

"Oh, please, Dririans are so mentally deranged that they are mingling with their own enemies." Scoffed the man. "Fathers are willingly selling their daughters to Kakin and Idamol soldiers, mothers are signing their children to serve the foreign military forces as soon as they are born. Even the women are marrying them in an attempt to gain some sort of benefit from it."

"They are forced to! It's a war!" Under the table, Illumi's knee bumped on hers, but she blatantly ignored it.

"No, they are not. I have seen it myself!"

"These women are being raped !"

"Are they?" Kikyo chuckled. "I highly doubt it. Everyone knows how easy the ones of your liking are."

"We—"

"Which leads me to an important question," Continued Silva, purple eyes glowing with sadistic entertainment, "How many men have you slept with? That is, if you can even recall that quantity."

On her right, Illumi raised his face and stared at his father with an unreadable expression as he slowly put down the wine glass. Still, he did not say nor do anything.

Medea's eyes widened. "Excuse me?"

"Are you a whore?" Asked Kikyo, taking a piece of potato to her lips and staring at Medea with disinterest.

"Mother!" Reprimanded Illumi, tone slightly harsher than she would have expected him to use with his own mother.

A whore.

You are a whore, Medea, she heard Araeso yell at her. She could feel him yanking her hair, could feel the frame of the gigantic painting that hung on his wall crashing against her face, even the tears wetting her face. A whore. And I won't let you escape again.

Medea stared at the red light on the woman's display with a blank expression.

So that was their plan, she realized, to anger and embarrass her. They wanted to humiliate her, to make her feel inferior to the rest of the family. How creative. Or maybe they wanted to go further and push as many boundaries as they could until she acted on impulse and they had an excuse to kill her. Again, it was an attempt to force her into submission.

She batted her eyelashes innocently. "Oh, those are a lot of questions! Illumi," She turned to her fiancé and giggled, "you never told me how curious your family was, it's endearing! It means you are actually interested in getting to know me, I feel so welcomed already!"

"Endearing?"

"About how easy Dririan women are, ma'am," Proceeded Medea, ignoring the woman, "I have to disappoint you. Those are just unfounded rumors."

"You know very well that they are all a bunch of sluts!" Silva intervened, which made the young woman look at him again.

"Well, they are comfortable with their sexuality, I see no harm in that." She pondered.

"And I suppose you, too, have partaken in such behavior, is that not right?"

Smiling, she shook her head. "If your concern is how many have taken me to bed, sir, rest assured for there was no one."

Barely.

Illumi's hands seemed to hold his silverware with less force, but his face remained as stoic as before, not even a spark of emotion.

"Do you expect us to believe in what you say?" Kikyo provoked, display gleaming intensely. "You could simply be claiming that to consolidate yourself in our family through lies."

"But I'm not."

"We would only find out about your whorish past after it was too late."

"Too late for what?"

"For Illumi to come to his senses and find the right option for him, the woman who he truly deserves as a wife!" The woman told her, taking the wine to her lips for a moment before sneering. "You just want to marry him for our money!"

"No, I don't, honestly! Besides," Continued her, cutting the pork, "I don't see how the question of my virginity can be a determining factor in my relationship with Illumi." Medea stated, putting a lock of hair behind her ear.

"But of course it is!" Silva intervened, eyeing her with disdain. "If you are tainted, this whole arrangement will be called off, I will not allow my son to marry somebody else's hand-me-downs!"

Medea simply ate another baby carrot.

Calm yourself, advised the voice in her head, do not give them what they want.

She knew she should behave with politeness and sympathy to try to please them, but controlling herself was becoming more and more difficult. Still, she forced herself to look at Illumi's father. "I understand your worries, sir, but I assure you that I am not… Tainted."

"How can we be sure of that?" Retorted him.

Medea sighed. "I can have a doctor examine me to attest my virginity if that's what you want. I won't mind."

"I think it is a reasonable option." Considered Zeno.

"So she can change the papers? Or perhaps pay for the doctor to lie?" Kikyo shook her head. "It is unacceptable."

"It can be a doctor you trust, ma'am, it makes no difference to me."

"No! We will not order a doctor to examine you!"

"It is either that or having you be present at our honeymoon, mother." Intervened Illumi, looking at his mother from behind his crystal glass. "You choose."

Kikyo gasped, mouth ajar. "Illumi! How dare you say something like that?"

"I am simply giving you and father another option," He stated nonchalantly, "of course, it is not what I would prefer, but it is the only other way to prove that Medea is telling the truth. Would you mind that?" He asked Medea.

She shook her head. "If that's what your family decides, then I'll do it."

"Are you asking her what she wants?" Silva questioned his son, voice heavy with dissatisfaction. "She does not even care about you, Illumi, she wants the influence our family has! Why do you not realize that at once?" He growled.

"I do care for him!" Medea declared.

The man arched a brow. "Oh, do you?"

"Yes." She insisted, taking a deep breath. "Illumi and I might have had some issues with each other, but we're past that. I am not here for the money. I am a Hunter and I can take care of myself financially, I have been doing that for years now…"

"Then what are you here for?"

For a moment, Medea stopped and stared at her now empty plate.

She could feel everyone's gaze on her, including her own fiancé's, waiting for a response. An acceptable one, at that. It made her anxious.

Her eyes met Illumi's and she placed her hand on top of his, lacing their fingers together in an attempt to hide how she was trembling. She looked at the point where they touched, and she hoped she looked convincing enough. "There is something that pulls me to your son, mister Zoldyck. At first, I thought I was just curious as to why he seemed to hate me so much, but now… Now I see that is something different. It's magnetic. Uncontrollable. I have never felt this before." Her thumb caressed the back of his hand, but Illumi did not as much as glance at it. "And I am intrigued to figure out what it might be."

"Are you saying you have feelings for him, miss Lanfort?" The man asked.

The intensity with which his black eyes kept staring at her the whole time made her bite her lower lip. "I do." Whispered the young woman, cheeks blushing slightly.

Zeno smirked. "That is good. We were somewhat scared that Illumi had forced you into this relationship."

"Illumi would never do that, sir!" She had her doubts. "I'm with him because… Well, because he swooped me into his arms!" Medea replied, chuckling. "At least that's what it felt like to me."

The old man laughed as he wiped his lips with the napkin. "I see… Oh, everyone is finished. Excellent. I suppose we can proceed to dessert now, is that not right, Silva?"

The man glared at Medea but merely gestured for the servants to approach the table.

All the plates were replaced by cone-shaped bowls filled with a creamy caramel-colored substance. The sweet aroma emanating from it was intoxicating, and the young woman took a deep breath to inhale it properly. Apparently, providing delicious food was also included in Illumi's promises. Another good reason to be engaged.

She took a spoonful of the dessert and ate it, making an effort not to moan in delight. The flavor had balanced notes, neither too sweet nor tasteless, it was the right measure to please everyone, and when allied to the soft and smooth texture, it became irresistible to any palate. However, the real stars were the crunchy little pieces that popped into Medea's mouth, contrasting impeccably with the rest of the dessert. It was indescribably good.

"This is caramelized peanut pudding," Illumi commented, slowly retreating his hand to its original place, "have you ever tasted it before?"

"No, I usually opt for citrusy desserts, but I'm positively surprised," Medea told him, "what about you, do you have any preferences?"

"I do not care much for sweets." He shrugged.

"Ah, I see…"

The rest of the dinner continued in silence, each one focusing on their own dessert, but the tension in the air was palpable. When everyone finally finished eating, Silva's purple eyes glanced at everyone at the table, before he cleared his throat. "I expect to see you all in here next week, as usual." He gave his eldest son a stern look. "That includes her."

"Of course, father."

"Everyone is dismissed." The tone in his voice did not open margins for debate, so everyone simply nodded.

Illumi stood up and took Medea's hand in his, helping her to rise from her own seat and accompany him through the dining room. She frowned in confusion as each family member simply left, not even sparing a glance at the others or saying goodbye. They were all so weird.

They remained silent as they made their way through the corridors. Would she remember which path to take when he was not by her side? She could only hope so.

"You did well," Illumi told her, "but you should have refrained from talking back to my parents, especially my father."

"I could not simply sit down and allow them to undermine my country and my people!" She argued.

"You will have to learn to." The man said turning to look into her purple eyes. "If you want to be treated well, then you will have to learn how to act according to this family's expectations of you."

"What do you mean?"

He sighed. "The Zoldyck family has strict codes. The younger children respect and obey the eldest, which, in this case, is me. I, in return, must also respect and obey my father. If he had an older brother, he would respect and obey him, as well." Illumi explained. "However, since he is an only child, his allegiance is to his father, even if he became the leader of this family himself."

"What about me?" Medea asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

"You are an outsider, therefore, in the hierarchy, you must be subservient to all of us."

"Eh? But isn't your mom an outsider too?"

Illumi fixed his shirt's collar. "It is different in her case. She fulfilled her purpose to this family."

"What do you mean?"

"She bore Zoldyck children."

Medea blinked. "So I will only stop being considered an outsider when I… When I have…"

"A child." Tilting his head to the side, he squinted his eyes at her. "What is wrong?"

"Nothing. I just didn't think it would take so long to be accepted." Confessed the young woman, frowning a bit. "What a bummer."

"Blood ties are sacred to us, Medea. They connect souls." The tone with which Illumi said that made her shiver. "There is a reason why we take our contracts so seriously, and also why carrying a child for this family is capable of making you be considered a part of us."

She nodded, processing his words.

They stopped in front of her bedroom door shortly after and she took a deep breath before she turned to him. "Are you…"

"I'll accompany you inside."

"Oh. Alright."

As soon as she entered the room, Illumi followed her and locked the door behind them. Medea made her way to the bed and sat there, turning to him, patting the empty space by her side in silent permission. The mattress sunk when he sat there.

None of them said anything when she laid down.

None of them said anything when he kept staring at her.

She closed her eyes. "Why didn't you go to your room?"

"I wanted to talk to you."

"We did."

"Without being watched." He added. "I must say that you were quite convincing. I think you managed to fool them, which is a relief. I suppose we have to thank that silver tongue of yours."

A smirk appeared on her lips. "Maybe."

"I told you everything would be alright, did I not?"

"Our definition of alright differs greatly." She chuckled. "Your father hates me and I am sure he would crush my skull if it were not for your grandfather."

"Of course not. He would probably dismember you and then rip your heart out."

"Doesn't sound much better." She sighed, running her hand through her face. "Do you think they'll… You know…"

"Try to call off the engagement?" Medea nodded. "Unless you do something really stupid, I do not think so. You looked pretty, you managed to ignore most of their provocations and you did a good job to convince them that you are not interested in our money. You behaved well."

"But I am not."

"You are not what?"

"Interested in your money. I already told you that." She mumbled, opening her eyes. "And thank you for not telling them about Proyca."

Illumi shrugged. "I did not wish for them to look at you any differently."

"The mere fact that I'm Dririan did it." Medea pointed out.

"It is not the same."

"Yeah. It's not."

"They will never know about it, I promise." He whispered. "And I'm glad you left Lys unharmed."

Mostly.

"Yeah, me too."

For a moment, he did not say a word. Then, he laid down by her side, a crease between his brows. "I did not know you had an aunt."

"I don't." Her voice was cold when she said that, and she was sure Illumi noticed it. He was far too observant not to.

"Did she really die?"

"I don't know."

"Then why—"

"Let's not talk about her. Please."

"Alright."

He just kept staring at her in total tranquility.

She did the same.

The silence always seemed to accompany him no matter where he went. It created a bubble in Medea's stomach that tickled her organs. It was agonizing. She did not know how to deal with people this quiet, so how could this situation work? She hoped that, in time, she would get used to it, otherwise, she would not be able to live with a husband as expressive as a statue for a long time.

"I was in Clayso a few weeks ago," Illumi told her.

Medea arched an eyebrow. "Were you?"

"Yes. That is how I found out about Kurapika's secret." Her chest ached. "I met an old courtesan from Lys, she seemed to hate you."

"Myo?" She seemed surprised for an instant. "It's been a decade already, I thought she was dead!"

"Now she is."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Illumi ran his fingers through the wavy ends of her hair, overly focused. "I killed her."

The naturality with which that small phrase came out of his mouth made her heart race. Warmth ran through her body and settled right between her legs. Medea gulped. She pressed her thighs together as subtly as she could, hoping he would not notice. " Oh. "

"She told me about what happened the night you destroyed the brothel, but some things were too vague."

"Like what?"

"Why did you go back? You did not have to. You were safe, had passed the Hunter Exam, it makes no sense."

Pursing her lips, she lowered her gaze to the collar of his blue shirt. "Love."

"Love?"

"Yeah."

"But your friend betrayed you, no?"

"She did."

His gaze became as hard as steel. "I am glad she died."

Medea said nothing.

"About your Nen…"

"Hm?"

"What is it capable of?" Asked the man, a crease between his eyebrows as he wrapped a strand of platinum hair around his finger. "What does it do?"

"Well, what do you think it does?" She retorted.

Illumi frowned, deep in thought. "Explosions or fire."

"That's your guess?"

"It would explain what happened at Lys. Am I right?"

She smirked. "Who knows?"

"Stop being evasive."

"And what is the fun in that?"

His eyes shone and his lips curled into a smile as he sat up. "I have to go. You have a tour around the mansion tomorrow morning with me, so you should go to sleep soon. One of the butlers will bring you breakfast at six. Be up by then."

"Alright."

"Dress comfortably and tie your hair." Instructed him, walking away. "Do not put on perfume. I need to be able to smell you."

"Wait, what?"

"Just do as I say, you will understand why tomorrow. Goodnight."

He was about to open the door when Medea sat upright. "Wait!"

Blinking, Illumi turned to her again, "Yes?"

"Is it true?"

"What?"

"Did I really look pretty tonight?" She asked.

With a feline smirk, Illumi said, "Who knows?"

After that, he opened the door and left.