Who is this young man?
He actually knows Young Master Kalluto.
Zebro had already stepped out of the security booth, but upon hearing Morrow's words, he quietly retreated back inside, silently observing as an inconspicuous bystander.
At the Testing Gate.
Morrow held his phone, but only silence came from the other end of the line.
Yet, if one listened carefully, faint breathing could still be heard.
After about two seconds.
Kalluto's usual indifferent tone came through the phone: "Oh."
"Just 'oh'?"
Morrow raised an eyebrow.
Then came Kalluto's derisive snort.
Morrow instantly understood the reason and sighed helplessly, "You don't believe me, do you?"
"Should I?"
Kalluto countered, then added coolly, "You spout nonsense from time to time. Remaining skeptical is the best way to handle it."
"Handle it?"
Morrow keenly caught the unusual phrasing in Kalluto's words, different from before, and asked in surprise:
"Kalluto, we fought side by side once. Do I really seem so difficult to deal with in your eyes that you need a whole 'method' to handle me?"
"..."
The other end of the line suddenly fell into dead silence.
But Morrow could hear the noticeably quicker breathing, like a child caught stealing candy, unable to wipe away the traces at the corners of their mouth in time.
"I do not!"
The next second, Kalluto's voice, feigning composure, came through the phone.
Compared to the deliberately cold tone from earlier, the hurried rebuttal now revealed some genuine emotion.
This guy's heart was rich and sensitive, yet he always hid behind a shell of reticence.
This was the result of his upbringing.
The Zoldyck Family's educational philosophy lacked basic humanity.
But no one else had the right to judge the Zoldyck Family's ways, it was simply their unique way of existence.
Moreover, in the coming years, this cold and harsh family atmosphere would be shattered by an anomaly in the Zoldyck Family, a member with the most talent across generations but also the least suited to be an assassin.
That anomaly was Kalluto's older brother, Killua.
Someone whose sheer talent allowed him to freely express his emotions in the Zoldyck Family environment and still receive the affection of every family member.
Sometimes, extraordinary talent could break through environments and rules.
But Kalluto lacked such talent, so he could only yearn for his brother.
"Fine, if you say so."
Morrow chuckled silently, choosing not to expose Kalluto's vulnerability. After all, children needed to save face. He then said with exaggerated seriousness:
"Anyway, I'm right outside your house. At least play the host a little, take me around the town at the foot of the mountain or treat me to some local specialties."
"I..."
Kalluto hesitated.
By now, he was certain Morrow wasn't lying.
The thought of Morrow being right outside the gates made him somewhat happy, but he had no autonomy.
Not even the simplest act of hospitality could be answered immediately.
It wouldn't be allowed.
Not by Mother, nor by any other family member. Members of the Zoldyck Family don't need friends. This ironclad rule is so absolute that "making friends disqualifies one from inheriting the Zoldyck name."
In situations like this, the only proper response is a firm refusal.
—--
Within the gloomy, shadowy halls of the Zoldyck mansion, Kalluto, dressed in a deep purple high-waisted kimono, parted his lips slightly, hesitation flickering through his eyes.
He knew exactly what answer was required in this moment. There should be no hesitation whatsoever.
"I... I have to..."
Kalluto tightened his grip on the phone, suppressing an unfamiliar impulse rising from within.
The urge to go meet a friend.
Though this friend was a complete bastard, he was also the only person Kalluto knew and interacted with.
"I..."
Kalluto knew he should voice his refusal, but that lingering impulse made him cling to a sliver of hope.
So instead of an outright rejection, he prepared to say, "I need to ask Mother first."
Yet when the moment came, he found even this compromise impossible to voice.
Because a chorus of voices kept echoing in his mind: No, absolutely not!
Kalluto gave up. The hesitation in his violet eyes gradually faded.
"Sorry..."
"Help me find someone, Kalluto."
Morrow's sudden interruption through the phone cut off Kalluto's apology.
"What?"
Kalluto blinked in surprise.
—--
Before the Testing Gate, Morrow tilted his head back to gaze at the massive stone doors.
Most people would only notice the imposing grandeur of the Testing Gate, overlooking the stepped walls flanking it, taller than the gate itself and rising progressively higher.
"I said, I need you to help me find someone. Consider this an official commission."
"Oh."
On the other end, Kalluto snapped back to attention.
So this was just "business."
His tangled emotions gradually settled. Shifting into work mode, he once again adopted a professionalism beyond his years, firing off a rapid series of questions:
"Who are you looking for? That person you mentioned last time? Pricing is at my discretion, no objections?"
"Nope."
"Huh?"
Kalluto froze again as Morrow continued:
"I don't know what they look like, or even if they're male or female. Just that they're somewhere in the Dentora Region. Oh, and they supposedly sell hot spring eggs, apparently really good ones."
"..."
Kalluto fell silent.
Hearing no response, Morrow chuckled. "Too difficult? If you're not confident, that's fine. I don't absolutely need to find them."
"100 million. I'll take it."
Kalluto's reply came swiftly, no longer silent.
His tone carried unmistakable eagerness.
"The family's minimum commission fee is 100 million."
As if suddenly remembering something, he quickly added this explanation.
Morrow smiled. "No problem. Don't forget, we made a killing last time."
"Yeah..."
Kalluto knew Morrow said this deliberately to ease his conscience.
And Morrow had noticed.
Then immediately found a solution.
That was the bastard's only redeeming quality.
In the mansion's dimly lit room, Kalluto smiled, unaware of the red dot watching him from the shadows.
—--
Before the Testing Gate, Morrow spoke into the phone, "Then it's settled. I'll wait for you at the main gate."
"Okay."
Kalluto's response came through the phone.
But the next moment, a slightly shrill female voice suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
"Kalluto, who are you talking to?"
"M-mom, I..."
"Who is it?"
"It's Mo..."
The words cut off abruptly.
The shrill voice pressed on, "Who? Speak clearly."
Then came a brief silence.
"Click."
The call was suddenly disconnected.
Morrow looked at the call-ended notification displayed on his phone screen.
That female voice just now... must have been Kikyo.
Kalluto's mother.