"Are they... making health supplements?"
Even though Ronnel had grown used to the strange behavior of the princes, this scene still threw him off.
Seventh Prince Luzurus was clearly enjoying himself, lounging comfortably while Basho busied himself nearby, setting things up. But that look of pleasure only lasted a moment before Luzurus's expression became doubtful. He glanced down at the cigar in his hand, then shot a look at Basho, who was sitting there casually as ever.
"This thing... is it really legal?"
"Of course~" Basho tugged lightly at his collar, flashing a smug smile at his prince.
Formerly Kurapika's comrade and a bodyguard for the Nostrade family, Basho was no ordinary hire. Sharp-witted and socially agile, he had a talent for knowing how to talk to both the living and the dead. Since joining Luzurus's guard detail, Basho had worked hard to earn the prince's trust.
That effort finally paid off—especially after Kurapika exposed the nature of the Beasts. Basho had demonstrated solid command of Nen, further proving his worth.
In this ragtag team of bodyguards—where there were no lions, and monkeys reigned as kings—Basho stood out as the de facto general. Not because he was the strongest, but because no one else came close.
Coincidentally, both he and the prince were avid smokers, and the shared hobby gave them rare moments to sit and chat as equals.
Luzurus would bring up exotic cigarettes he'd tried in Kakin, and Basho would use the Hunter Association's network to track down their recipes. But even so, Luzurus remained suspicious about the legality of producing such blends.
That wouldn't normally matter. But during the Succession War, any slip-up could be used as ammunition by the other princes.
"The ingredients I used are all clean leaves. Their full profiles are available on the official Kakin website," Basho explained, flicking ash from his cigar. "They're under temporary patent as a countermeasure against smugglers and pirates, but for personal use, there's no issue."
"I've experimented with different additives. This blend here? That's the final product."
He let out a puff, looking completely satisfied.
"And here's the kicker—this thing's practically a miracle. The more hooked people get, the healthier they become. All my friends swear they're in better shape now!"
It wasn't just the cigarettes. Even those so-called "Three Noble Delicacies" the upper class obsessed over were highly addictive.
But Basho was confident this little cigar could break that hold.
It was an unexpected success born of tireless effort.
"I see..." Luzurus stared at the cigar, eyes lowered in thought.
"Something wrong, Your Highness?"
"...No. Just thinking, this might actually help addicts recover."
His voice dropped. It was as if a memory had surfaced.
"One of my friends... he was destroyed by it. Went too far. This kind of thing deserves to be shared."
Luzurus's tone was calm, but something heavy lingered beneath it. He stared at the cigar again.
"The military handles this kind of product, don't they? So if anything blocks us... it'll be Prince Benjamin, right?"
He paused.
"If we ran clinical trials and gathered data, could we publish the findings?"
"Of course," Basho replied. "If you become king, Your Highness, it'll be the fastest route."
"Becoming king isn't that simple..."
Luzurus chuckled bitterly, but his eyes glinted with unwillingness to yield.
His friend had been consumed by drugs—died from them. Now, with a chance to combat addiction, Luzurus wanted to act.
But it wasn't just about goodwill.
In Kakin, the drug trade was legal—just like narcotics are in parts of the U.S. Sure, traffickers from places like the Republic of Padokea were shot if caught. But the trade thrived regardless.
Why? Because the profits were massive.
That revenue stream was firmly in Prince Benjamin's hands. If he caught wind that Luzurus held a formula capable of ending addiction, he wouldn't hesitate to dispatch elite soldiers to eliminate the threat.
...
Even if it meant breaking the law—they'd do it.
To implement Basho's breakthrough would take long-term planning, quiet execution, and strategic support.
But for now, Luzurus and Basho sat side by side, quietly holding hope that this small invention might one day change the world.
...
Meanwhile, next door in Sixth Prince Tyson's suite—Room 1006—
"Is this...?"
Izunavi, Kurapika's old master, stared blankly at the heart-shaped book in his hand. His lips twitched, struggling to keep a straight face.
Then, forcing what he must've thought was a charming smile, he turned toward Prince Tyson, who was energetically passing out copies.
"Your Highness, this is...?"
...
"This is The Book of Tyson! The holy text~"
Tyson puffed out his chest, eyes sparkling with pride. His gaze drifted toward Izunavi with disdain.
When this sloppy uncle first applied to be a guard, he presented himself as a seasoned, composed man. That's why he was kept on.
But it didn't take long for the façade to crack. The guy barely cared about grooming, dressed like he'd just rolled out of the woods, and gave off full-on degenerate vibes.
If he hadn't possessed the ability to see Tyson's Beast—and wasn't one of the few members of Tyson's team proficient in Nen—he would've been fired long ago.
Old men were still old men, no matter how they tried to act youthful. No competition against the handsome boys and pretty men Tyson preferred.
"Book of Tyson...?"
Izunavi cleared his throat awkwardly, pretending not to notice the disgust in the prince's tone. As someone who spent most of his time deep in the mountains and forests, fashion had never exactly been his priority.
"That's right! The Book of Tyson!"
Tyson beamed.
"When the entire world becomes followers of the Book of Tyson, true peace will finally come!"
His expression softened into a dreamy smile.
"You'll understand when you finish reading it!"
Izunavi: "..."
He looked down at the book again, bewildered.
Founding a religion at this age? Sure. Becoming a prophet in your own fantasy world? Why not.
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (799 chapters in total)