After Pairo's recovery, Kite didn't immediately depart. Her curiosity about Kevin's Nen ability remained strong, and she continued discussing relevant applications with him in depth. Instinctively, she hoped to establish deeper cooperation—building a good relationship now would make it easier to request favors when needed in the future.
Additionally, she needed to conduct further examinations on Pairo to ensure no sequelae remained. This was her professional ethics as a doctor: she would only collect payment and depart after confirming the patient's complete health.
On the manor's training ground, Mori stood quietly to the side, observing the scene before him.
Kurapika and Pairo engaged in basic physical training. Judging by their condition, the session had been running long. Both were drenched in sweat, which pooled beneath them, nearly forming small puddles.
Previously, Pairo couldn't withstand such high-intensity exercise. Even normal training for an ordinary child would have been difficult for him to bear. Now he relished it—the intensity only made him feel stronger, healthier.
Neon, who should have been training alongside them, rested quietly on a lounge chair nearby. High-intensity training proved too strenuous for her; her usual regimen was only half theirs. When she truly didn't want to continue, she'd throw tantrums and roll around, and Mori would reduce her training accordingly. He didn't force her in this regard—subjective willingness was necessary for this kind of high-intensity work.
Bisky sat under a parasol in the distance, quietly enjoying afternoon tea while flipping through a magazine. She looked exactly like a leisurely young lady.
"Bisky, what do you think of the three of them?" Kevin settled beside her, seeking her assessment. Though prophecy had already indicated these children possessed considerable talent, he valued Bisky's insights more. Her judgment was trustworthy.
Bisky didn't look up from her magazine, merely nodding slightly as she began her evaluation. "Kurapika is likely the most talented among them. Talent isn't just about innate conditions. He's rational, has principles, holds clear goals in his heart, knows how to persevere, and willingly puts in effort toward those goals." These qualities combined constituted a person's true talent and potential. Bisky had to acknowledge that Kurapika met every condition.
Kevin nodded. He'd noticed the same—Kurapika stood out among the three.
"Next is Pairo." Bisky continued. "Since recovering his health, his talent has begun emerging. He's also rational and, compared to Kurapika, thinks more comprehensively. However, I understand the hatred in his heart runs deeper than Kurapika's."
Kevin offered a helpless shrug. "Nothing I can do about that. He can't forget the hatred, and I don't want him to."
Bisky didn't comment on this directly, instead pressing forward. "The hatred and darkness in his heart won't simply disappear. Don't expect him to have outgrown it when he awakens his Nen ability. I understand your thinking—you believe they're still young, lacking clear worldviews and values. You're concerned that building a Nen ability now might lead to problems, extremes, or wasted potential."
She set down her magazine, meeting Kevin's gaze. "But I must remind you: despite their youth, their experiences and rationality make them not much different from adults. Their wisdom isn't significantly less. Whether they build Nen abilities now or years from now, the difference for them is negligible—at most a matter of accumulated experience. What kind of ability they develop is largely determined by their hearts and tragic experiences, already deeply imprinted on their souls. Unless equally significant change occurs, it won't shift according to your will."
Kevin fell silent. Because he had thought that way before. Compared to the experienced Bisky, he was still naive. He deeply admired her insight into people.
How could the hatred of a destroyed clan easily dissipate with time? That hatred would forever be engraved on their souls, inevitably reflected when they built their Nen abilities. Their tragic experiences had matured their thoughts and will. As they aged, only minor changes in subtle areas would occur—the essence wouldn't shift much.
They were no longer ignorant children. They'd long since silently made up their minds, moving resolutely toward their goals. They possessed their own understanding and views of the world, themselves, and their circumstances.
Kevin realized his previous thoughts had been conclusions drawn from an elder's perspective—a condescending attitude. It reminded him of his own childhood, or rather, the experiences everyone around him might have had growing up.
He only needed to prevent them from going to fatal extremes. For the rest, he should give these two children more confidence.
"Their experiences are extraordinary, and they themselves are extraordinary. Everyone's experiences differ—you can't view the problem solely through an age lens."
Bisky's voice was soft, almost contemplative. Kevin's understanding of Nen ability clearly remained insufficiently deep. This, too, was part of the teaching.
Having said this, Bisky fell silent, quietly resuming her tea and snacks.
Kevin seemed to grasp something. He shifted the subject. "What about Neon? How do you evaluate her?"
"No particular opinion." Bisky shrugged. "She's a girl who spontaneously awakened her Nen ability—gifted, certainly. But as you can see, she lacks subjective desire to become strong. She's a typical child—life simply gifted her talent, and she awakened spontaneously."
She paused, considering. "I don't know what ability she awakened, but it appears to be Specialization type, with significant restrictions—hence her frequent Zetsu state. But like you, these children who spontaneously awaken Specialization abilities are extraordinary. It means they've possessed their own persistence since childhood."
She reconsidered. "Though that analogy isn't quite right—you're Enhancement type, fundamentally."
In this world, not everyone was competitive or yearned for great strength. If everyone were like that, the world would have descended into chaos long ago. Everyone had their own goals—this diversity was what human society needed to develop.
Kevin pursued power because he was mature enough to understand its importance in this world, and because of his own insecurity. One couldn't judge others based solely on personal preferences and personal concepts of right and wrong.
Neon was innocent, lively—a girl who loved beauty. Fighting and killing shouldn't concern her; a strong physique wasn't what she desired. Despite her talent for spontaneous awakening, her own will was an important factor in measuring talent and potential.
"For her, my suggestion is not to interfere excessively. Ensure basic physical training—that's sufficient. As she ages, gradually increase training intensity. Her Nen amount will naturally increase, and that increase will feed back into her ability. This way, she won't remain in constant Zetsu, doing nothing, yet won't become too fragile either."
Bisky shrugged. "She's a girl who loves beauty. Nothing wrong with that. Just ensure basic exercise."
Kevin felt Bisky's tone carried something unusual.
"And—" Bisky's eyes sparkled as she pointed toward the training ground.
Kevin followed her gaze.
Kurapika, having finished his rest period, walked over and settled beside Neon. Neon immediately sat up, fanning him and offering water. Kurapika smiled gently in response.
Pairo sat nearby, seemingly oblivious to anything unusual.
"Ah~ future childhood sweethearts." Bisky cupped her face, looking utterly entranced, her expression radiant. She nudged Kevin with her elbow. "You must invite me more often in the future. I want to witness their growth. How wonderful!"
As she spoke, Bisky began wiggling in place, apparently lost in some private fantasy.
Kevin shook his head helplessly. They're just children—innocent at this stage. Don't try forcing them together. He wondered if Light was somewhere gnashing his teeth.
"I'm just watching. I won't interfere," Bisky muttered, slightly offended.
Then, regretfully: "That Pairo of yours—so gloomy all day. Alas, shouldn't this be a perfect love triangle?" In her view, a slightly complicated triangle, full of love, hate, and resentment, would be most interesting.
"With Pairo's personality, he won't like Neon. With Neon's personality, she couldn't like Pairo." Kevin, now also observing the dynamics, offered his assessment. He might not excel at many things, but this aspect he understood.
"I think Bisky's meaning might differ from what you're thinking," Menchi interjected softly, having somehow squatted down beside them.
"Oh! You understand!" Bisky leapt from her seat, immediately squatting beside Menchi like a kindred spirit.
Menchi smiled slightly, and the two began whispering—their conversation inaudible, but the strange smiles on their faces clearly signaled no good. At some point, Kite had also approached, though she showed no interest in the gossip. She was simply taking a break from research while checking on Pairo's training progress and monitoring for any sequelae.
Buhara stood beside Kevin, puzzled. "What are they talking about?" He seemed not to grasp this particular subject.
Kevin had already guessed what Bisky—that "eternal child"—was thinking when Menchi spoke. "You don't want to know."
"Oh. Alright." Buhara dropped it.
At the resting area near the training ground, Kurapika and Neon sat together.
"Why do you train so hard? Aren't you tired?" Neon asked.
Kurapika glanced at her, then gazed firmly into the distance, shaking his head. "I'm very tired. But I must persevere—there are things I need to accomplish."
Neon sat quietly beside him, staring intently at his profile. "Then you must work hard."
"Thank you. I will." Kurapika turned to her seriously. "I'll protect you too!"
"What? What are you saying!" Neon's cheeks flushed slightly as she quickly looked away.
Kurapika, oblivious, continued earnestly, "Uncle Light and Uncle Kevin both told me to protect you well."
Neon was a key protection target, requiring reliable guardians nearby. Since discovering Kurapika's exceptional talent, he'd become a suitable candidate. Within the manor, things were fine—but future outings might require him to guard her. Not yet, but informing him early allowed mental preparation. This would also let Kurapika assist Light to some degree, helping with certain tasks while promoting his own learning and growth. Light had arranged this thoughtfully.
Kevin and Light had both seen the prophecy. Ultimately, Light chose Kurapika—his daughter got along relatively well with him.
Pairo sat nearby, quietly drinking water. More mature, he vaguely understood the dynamic between the two. He found them noisy.
"Kurapika, saying such things so casually!" Bisky, eavesdropping from afar with a simple Nen trick, was practically vibrating with excitement. "What did he say?" Menchi, unable to hear the conversation, grew anxious—she'd only caught the serious expression on one and the shy face on the other. "Tell me quickly!" She scratched at her ears in frustration at missing the key details.
Kite silently sipped tea nearby, rolling her eyes helplessly at Bisky's behavior. Perhaps this was Bisky's secret to staying young at heart? Kite knew Bisky was significantly older than her, yet her mindset remained so youthful.
That night, Kevin sat at his desk, examining a specially made syringe. He turned it over in his hands, reached out to touch it, even extended his tongue to lick it experimentally.
Anyone watching might think he'd developed some strange illness.
"Materialization is so troublesome."
He was expanding his Nen ability—adding a new usable component to "A Moment's Dream." Bisky fully supported the idea. This essentially reinforced his own capabilities, potentially enhancing both abilities while creating stronger combat applications. She'd discussed Materialization System principles in depth, sharing extensive knowledge.
To materialize an object, you must understand its texture, its feel—even what it feels like to lick it. Details like size must be clearly imprinted in your mind. You need to reach the point where thinking about it carefully generates various sensory feedback, as if the object were right before you. This took time.
Then came building the rules. What characteristics should the materialized object possess? Rules could connect closely to the object, amplifying or distorting based on that connection. Even without relevant connection, it was possible—just required paying a higher price.
With "A Moment's Dream" serving as an associative aid, Kevin had already worked through this. The foundation was solid.
But the first step required significant time investment.
"Guess I'll sleep with it." Kevin muttered to himself, hugging the syringe to his chest. "I feel like a strange pervert." He drifted off like that.
Several days passed.
Kite prepared to depart. She'd confirmed Pairo's complete recovery and had her own matters to attend to.
"Leaving today? Won't you stay longer?" Kevin asked, genuine reluctance in his voice. This period of exchange and learning with Kite had been immensely valuable. Having such a top medical scholar and Nen user by his side had dramatically improved his medicine-making concepts.
"I have many things to handle as well." Kite paused. "But I've gained much from our discussions too. I can offer a discount on the commission."
Kevin smiled helplessly at the rare joke. He produced an exquisite box from his belongings and handed it to her. "The potions you requested. All ready."
Kite opened the box, counting carefully, then nodded. Her gaze caught a card attached to the lid.
"This card?" It wasn't part of the agreed compensation, and it didn't resemble a bank card.
The surface was pure black, with golden lines wrapping the edges, outlining an irregular stone shape. Inside the stone outline, crystalline red gleamed—like an irregular ruby placed on the card. Exquisite workmanship. The back bore a large "V," an anti-counterfeiting mark, and a barcode for data reading.
"A Member card. Top tier. I'm calling it the Black Card." Kevin explained. "After my shop officially opens, use this for purchases. Significant discounts and privileges. I'll notify you of specific details when the time comes."
Kite nodded, tucking the card away with evident interest. "Then I'll take my leave." She paused at the threshold. "Before I go—a small inspiration."
She met his eyes. "Have you considered making your potions part of the materials themselves? Refining and stacking them a second time?"
Kevin's brow furrowed.
"That's all. I think you've already had relevant insights during our exchanges." Kite waved and departed.
"Second refining... stacking?" Kevin murmured to himself.