Behind Roy, Killua was sprawled on a rocking chair, half his legs dangling off the edge, looking one turn away from crashing to the floor.
Hearing the noise, Roy turned back, only to see the brat muttering and twisting like a caterpillar in his sleep. With a quiet sigh, he looked out the window.
Outside, the forest swayed gently in the breeze, tree shadows flickering, and cicadas humming in the late summer stillness.
A perfect picture of peace—
If it weren't for a certain younger brother snoring, farting, and grinding his teeth.
And then came the sleep talk:
"Damn you, Roy… I'm gonna get revenge!"
"Where are you hiding?"
"Told you to run…"
Killua suddenly swung a fist into the air mid-snore.
Roy narrowed his eyes. "Tch. Leveling me up while I'm awake, and beating me in your dreams?"
He walked over silently, folding his arms and looming over his so-called little brother.
"You trying to hang me up by my pants next? In your dreams you've got guts…"
Roy smirked darkly.
Then, he reached into his pocket, pulled out his phone, and turned on the camera.
Click.
One photo.
Then video mode.
He zoomed in, capturing the squirming Killua in all his ridiculous glory.
To finish it off, he "accidentally" opened Killua's pants just a little—purely for blackmail purposes, of course.
"Tsk. So that's the market price, huh?" Roy chuckled.
"Not bad for a kid. But compared to me, still not quite there yet~"
With that, he backed up the footage to the cloud, added a folder titled "Collaterals," and slipped the phone back into his pocket.
Now satisfied, Roy headed into the kitchen.
Lunch for one wasn't much.
Just some scrambled eggs with tomato, stir-fried pork with chili, and freshly steamed rice.
Simple, clean, filling.
"Mmm… smells so good…"
Of course. The bloodhound's nose never failed.
Just as Roy placed the last dish on the table, Killua shot up like a zombie resurrected by scent alone.
Eyes still half-closed, he staggered toward the table with chopsticks already in hand.
But—slap!
Roy's palm landed squarely on his forehead, pinning him back like a nailed-down chicken.
"What's the big idea?" Killua grumbled. "I paid for lunch!"
Roy stared at him expressionlessly and raised a middle finger.
"Not enough. This isn't about food. This is about mental damage."
"Huh?" Killua blinked. "Mental what?"
Roy didn't reply.
He took out his phone again, opened the blackmail video, and casually pushed it across the table.
Killua stared at the screen.
Watched himself tossing, laughing like a creep, whispering sweet threats to a dream-Roy.
Then the pants part.
Then his reaction to the imaginary domination.
His face turned from pale to red, then to ash gray.
"I—I was dreaming…"
"I didn't mean anything! You didn't have to record it!"
"Oh no, no," Roy said with a sweet smile. "You had your fun. Now it's time to pay up."
"One hundred thousand. That's the hush fee."
"ONE. HUNDRED. THOUSAND?! You might as well kill me!" Killua stood up, flustered. "I don't have that kind of money!"
"Then hand over what you've got."
"I've only got twenty thousand ring-nuns!"
"Then that's a down payment."
Killua was about to explode.
"This is daylight robbery!"
"Actually," Roy grinned, "it's lunchtime robbery."
But as Killua fumed, Roy's expression suddenly softened.
"It's alright. If you can't pay, I'll just ask your second brother."
Killua froze.
Roy's voice dropped to a whisper, eyes blank yet terrifying.
"I'm sure our family's interested in knowing the dreams of the Zoldyck successor."
Killua broke into a cold sweat.
"Y-You wouldn't…"
Roy tilted his head, still smiling.
"Dare me."