Gourmet Hunter - Chapter 26 (Patreon)

Chapter 26: A Special Feeling

For Luo, Meteor Street was just a temporary resting place, his unintentional first landing in this world being in the junkyard.

From the beginning, Luo never felt that he could stay in Meteor Street for too long, nor could he develop any sense of belonging to it.

Thus, if the Elder Council were to pursue the matter with Cook, he'd brazenly take off, thankfully having found the ominous hand of significant value to leave for Machi, making his departure much more serene.

The content and expression in Luo's words seemed joking, yet Chrollo Lucilfer and Uvogin, having just made contact with Luo, could tell he was serious despite not knowing him well.

Faced with potential sanctions from the Elder Council, not just Luo, but anyone, would find it impossible to obediently accept judgment.

Luo placed his hands on Machi's shoulders, who, with injured legs, needed Luo's support to stand, hence she could only helplessly grasp Luo's arms, presenting a peculiar stance.

She wanted to shrug off Luo's hands, but that was merely wishful thinking.

"Chrollo, it was Cook who struck first, his death was deserved," Machi said helplessly, turning to Chrollo.

"Hmm," Chrollo nodded, earnestly, "But the Elder Council only looks at the outcome."

"So, how did the Elder find out about this?" Machi asked, her tone becoming stern.

Chrollo remained unmoved, not answering the question but instead lightly saying, "I'm surprised. Though we're not close friends, our acquaintance isn't shallow enough for you to doubt me."

Machi shook her head slightly, serious, "It's not doubt."

She didn't actually doubt Chrollo; her question stemmed from curiosity, as she was the one who informed Chrollo about yesterday's incident and its connection to Luo.

To Chrollo, this was an external matter, but the Elder of the Eastern District knew of Cook's death and that Luo was the killer, both pieces of information known to Chrollo.

The Elder Council hadn't made a noticeable move yet, but Chrollo already knew.

Her curiosity was about this fact, not doubting that the Eastern District Elder knew so quickly because Chrollo had informed them.

Chrollo, observing Machi's serious expression, realized his misjudgment, smiled after a moment, and said, "Cook had a group of brothers; that's the reason."

He didn't elaborate further, feeling no need to, as this explanation was sufficient.

Cook had a group of brothers well-informed about his outings, but since Cook didn't return home last night, they naturally went looking for him, inevitably discovering his body.

The reason he knew about this was based on the trust Machi placed in him, prompting her question, so he didn't expend more effort explaining.

Machi's trust was enough for him.

Uvogin watched silently, injured, with limited abilities to act, but if Luo decided to flee, he'd undoubtedly leap from the bed to help Luo escape the Elder Council's pursuit.

For this, even sacrificing his life was no matter.

That was repayment.

"Well, since I'm going to flee, discussing these matters is meaningless."

Luo glanced at the ominous hand casually tossed aside, appearing relaxed. If there was anything worth caring about, it was the debt he owed Machi for meals.

He wasn't sure how many from the Elder Council would pursue him or their strength, but he chose not to dwell on these details. What mattered was the escape.

This might indicate a bold heart, but it was also a recognition of the essence.

Since escape was necessary, the focus naturally shifted to how to flee more swiftly.

Machi suddenly glared at Luo, saying coolly, "Don't speak."

"...," Hearing this familiar phrase again, Luo's expression darkened slightly, considering throwing the words back at her next time, although the chance of meeting again seemed slim if he were to flee.

Or perhaps he should just let go and allow Machi to fall, wondering if that would be too cruel.

Then there was the "raising a loli" plan, which would be scrapped if he fled.

He didn't wish for Machi to become a cold-blooded fugitive in the future; even if he couldn't change much, he at least aimed to prevent harm to innocent, defenseless people.

Machi was unaware of Luo's thoughts about her. After glaring at him, she turned her attention back to Chrollo, seeking to clarify one thing.

Chrollo's gaze shifted between Luo and Machi, not hiding his interest.

He was increasingly curious about Luo, akin to Machi's special sixth sense, feeling something extraordinary about Luo, explainable only through sensation.

Certainly, he was someone worth exploring in detail, different from anyone else in Meteor Street.

"Chrollo, I know you have a way to prevent the Eastern District Elder from pursuing this matter, or else you wouldn't have spoken so much about it," Machi stated, getting straight to the point.

Subconsciously, Machi didn't want Luo to leave Meteor Street just to evade capture. This was her genuine thought, so she had Luo stay silent until she could confirm this with Chrollo.

Of course, her saying "don't speak" carried a bit of a tsundere vibe, given it was the same phrase she initially told Luo, which he then threw back at her during their arm-wrestling challenge.

"Hmm."

Chrollo's expression remained calm, simply stating, "That's why I came here at this time."

Machi, with her keen sense of focus, did not beat around the bush, and he didn't either, acknowledging directly.

He had connections with the Eastern District Elder, which is why he was well-informed about the situation. His concern wasn't for Luo alone but for Machi, Uvogin, and himself as a trio.

Staying in Meteor Street wasn't a permanent plan. Before leaving, he intended to form a team, possibly within six months to a year, but no longer than two years.

This idea came to him after awakening his Nen abilities. Machi, Uvogin, Nobunaga, and Pakunoda were the people he had in mind as teammates.

Meteor Street's unique environment had nurtured countless talents, yet only a few caught his eye. So, naturally, he couldn't afford to let anything happen to Machi and the others before the team's formation.

Machi smiled wryly upon hearing Chrollo's admission, wondering why he had come so early in the morning. However, knowing Chrollo had a solution was reassuring.

Not only Machi but Uvogin shared the sentiment of not wanting Luo to leave. Despite only formally meeting the day before, they had already forged a bond through life-and-death situations, making Luo one of their own.

"I'm pretty clear about what happened," Chrollo said, stepping forward to pick up the ominous hand Luo had carelessly thrown on the ground. "Originally, my early visit was to advise Luo to leave Meteor Street, since without him, the three of you would have been dead by now."

"By noon, that was the deadline given by the Elder, but now, it's no longer something worth considering."

Chrollo lifted the ominous hand, his tone resolute.

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