Chapter 133: Farewell to God, an unspeakable farewell...

"Meow meow meow meow—"

"Pepe, what's that sound?"

Clementine rushed over upon hearing the commotion and immediately spotted the child in Pepe's arms.

"Isn't that Linni... Ahhhhh!"

Bang!

Black claws stabbed, sending wood chips and pieces of iron flying. Clementine watched helplessly as a large hole was slashed through the door.

"Enemy attack??"

A lop-eared cat's head squeezed into the hole.

"I...I disagree..."

She was still staring at the children in Arecino's arms with teary eyes.

"My, mine..."

"Mr. En!"

"No, they are already mine."

Peruvée coldly and ruthlessly stopped him, her first words being provocative.

"She sold herself into the thieves' camp to find her missing brother. Ah, how touching. I wonder which lucky person has such wonderful three children. But it doesn't matter, they're all mine now anyway."

Clementine: "..."

Peipei, you seem to be holding a lot of resentment. Are you releasing stress?

"Waaaaah! No—waaaaah!"

And you, Maine, your mental state is becoming increasingly unstable. You can't even tell she's teasing you?

"Why don't you come down first and we'll talk then?"

Unable to bear it any longer, Clay sighed and looked at the cat hanging on the door.

"If the children saw this, they would laugh their baby teeth out."

"Ugh!"

With a loud sob, Mainkuen hunched his shoulders, twisted his waist and legs, and scurried into the house through the small hole.

[Why, Linni!]

He only stared at Linni, not daring to look into the eyes of the other two children.

[I thought you loved your younger siblings the most, how could you tell them such a terrible thing!]

"Such a supple body! Amazing..."

The little magician's face first showed envy, then slowly turned into worry.

"Mr. En, you seem to have lost weight again? Ah, what does that look mean..."

"He doesn't understand why you told Lynette and Femini about his identity."

Clementine translated for him offhand.

"This doesn't match your usual behavior of caring for your family? Oh~ then you're quite suited to a fireplace house."

A fireplace house?

Seeing Clementine's skillful translation, the three children simultaneously realized:

You've come to the right place; this place is definitely closely related to Mr. En!

"Meow!"

[No fireplace house! No fireplace house!]

Trembling, Mainkun reached out his claws and tried to pull Lynette back by her clothes.

[I can give you money, lots and lots of money, enough to live happily ever after even without anyone to take care of you.]

The child dodged the half-demon's hand and nimbly returned to the executor's side.

“It wasn’t Linni who told me; I guessed it myself.”

[...Huh?]

[It was me... Where did I fail to conceal it? But I always washed off the blood properly when I got home...]

"Just washing away the blood isn't enough."

Mr. En is a good man; this is something Lynette was certain of from the very beginning, when she passed that rainbow rose through the claws.

A person who can use magic to calm someone's fear with practiced ease must have a delicate and gentle heart, and be unwilling to hurt others.

Trusting her, Lynette didn't investigate the large amount of blood on her skirt after she fainted, nor did she play with the pistol and bullets hidden in the ceiling. She acted as if she were just a kind stranger in someone's home and didn't show any unusual behavior.

"But I know that my brother will not easily show fear in front of me, nor will he repeatedly tell me 'killer jokes' that I don't like."

"So, I knew it from the very beginning."

"You're a killer."

"And I was adopted by an assassin."

[...]

Mainkun slowly hunched his back, his hair becoming fluffy.

"Ha, you can't even keep it from a little kid."

Peruvéli mocked him, but the sound only rang in the cat's ears, indistinct.

[I knew it from the beginning...]

[How is that possible...]

It's not that I doubt Lynette is lying, it's just that Mainkuhn can't understand it:

How could it be possible to live peacefully and happily in the same house as a beast that slaughters its own kind, and even show it love and care?

[What about Nafimini?]

[Fimini, surely he couldn't know that too?]

The youngest child gave a shy smile: "I don't really know. I only know that Brother En may have been doing some shady things that he needs to keep from me."

[Then why...]

"I've been playing on the streets lately, but it's not just to help find my father and sister!"

"It's also to find out who the chivalrous hero of Fontaine is, who punishes evil and promotes good, who is a hero even more heroic than others, and who helped the lost child find its mother and caused the Grey River to lose all trace of Les?"

A small hand gently pinches the fingernail to squeeze the sharp edge.

"Is that you, the criminal lynx?"

[...]

It's hard to describe how I feel right now.

Everything in front of me seems unreal.

Mainkuen opened his mouth as if to say something, but only silently shed tears.

So this is what it feels like to be loved even after your sins have been exposed... Is this true happiness?

I really want to give up trying.

"how."

Arecino sighed; she was used to cats crying.

"Looking back now, your life will be much easier."

"No."

"Oh, then you can leave. If you don't want to join, then leave our home." The tone turned cold instantly.

[...]

Before leaving, Mainkuen gestured to the worried children, "Come with me."

[You don't need to decide your future path because of me.]

"If Mr. En is willing to tell us everything, we will go with you!"

[Ha ha…]

[Your resolve is no less than mine.]

The beast brought a carefree dream, but when winter passed and the dream ended, it seemed that all fates had returned to their starting point.

"Father, what are we going to do?"

Linni looked nervously at the stern-faced servant.

Theft, murder, intelligence gathering?

But since it's related to Mr. En, he probably won't do anything heinous. Wow! I'm going to become the Dark Knight!

"study."

Without even looking up, Peruvieri pulled out a stack of textbooks.

"The House of Hearths is not illiterate; do they know multiplication and division?"

...

“I can count the Mora in the hat, very quickly.”

Lynette took out the magician's hat.

"Won't?"

Peruvée frowned.

"That's true, after all, he can't read either. Can he write something in cipher text for me to see?"

? ?

Linni was silent for a moment: "How about I conjure up a flower for you?"

"What about the theory of fundamental elements? He knows that."

Fimini held up a wrench: "Elements? I can fix refrigerators."

...

"Ha, Clementine, that bastard really didn't teach me anything."

He sneered, grabbed the three children, and locked them in the classroom.

"Don't worry, I won't let you follow in his footsteps."

"Wait a minute! Something's not right!"

Linni stared at the mountain of exam papers in front of her.

"What about a tense and exciting top-secret mission?"

Clementine walked onto the stage with a smile:

"Everyone in Fontainebleau is very law-abiding. We're already in the off-season! There are no tasks for you minors!"

How can I earn merit and gather intelligence without completing missions?!

"Why is Mr. Naen so busy?"

Lynette keenly sensed something was wrong: "Every time I see him, he seems to be getting more and more tired."

"Oh, speaking of which, there's something I forgot to tell you."

Clementine added insult to injury with a smile.

"On the surface, we are enemies with your Mr. En, after all, he is a 'dead traitor'."

"...Huh!?"

Fimi felt deeply deceived.

"You...aren't in cahoots...?"

Arecino started to sound alarming: "Didn't you notice how his face changed when he heard 'House of Hearths'?"

Although it's a conditioned reflex, it will subside after a while.

But the three children, who knew nothing, immediately jumped off the table and chairs and lunged toward the window.

"Mr. En, don't go! Waaaaah!"

Coming here is a huge loss!

*

[If it's Pepe and Clementine... they certainly raised their children very well.]

[But...oh no! I clearly met Fimini and the others first, I did!]

[Sob...]

[But they entered the Hearth House for my sake, Pepe. You may have won their bodies, but you'll never win their hearts!]

[hey-hey! ]

With its tail held high, Maine Coon, now a silver-grey cat, crept furtively toward the Moman Palace.

Before returning to Sumeru, is it alright to take a quick look at my brother... or my teacher?

Just one look, just one glance.

Hesitantly, Mainkuhn entered the familiar office, but found no one inside.

[Where did you go? Is there an emergency?]

The cat searched each room, but instead of finding the dragon or the human, it found the god first.

Funina talks with the scientist who has returned from being missing.

"You mean... transforming the pitch-black seawater into elemental energy?"

"Yes, Your Majesty, from what I've observed, he seems to have polluted the seawater using some unknown means."

"Ms. Funina."

Clarinde leaned closer and whispered in her ear in an almost inaudible voice.

"This pollution seems to be what Mr. Navelette mentioned, the control of negative emotions."

"Ah, oh... I understand, break down seawater."

absentmindedly kicking her shoes, Funina politely reassured her:

"Don't worry, the Melushin Squad of the Shadow Chasing Court has already gone into the water to carry out the search mission. The criminal Lynx will definitely be brought to justice...!!"

The cat peeking out from the doorway immediately felt a strong gaze upon it.

[？？]

Mainkuhn ducked his head, looking like he wanted to run away.

[The way Funina is looking at me is so strange.]

[Why does this feel a bit... a bit similar to Fucarus?]

"I... cough, Vilette will come back to question you after she finishes her mission. So stay at Mo Mang Palace and don't wander around. I'm leaving, no need to see me off!"

After dismissing the scientist with a few words, Funina immediately got up and grabbed the cat.

[？？]

The big Maine Inu pressed its four paws against the wall, its ears pressed down as it looked at the god with suspicion.

[Fukaros? I've never heard of you being able to possess people?]

Although I was nervous, I didn't run away.

Because both Fryna and Fucarus are safe.

Seeing that he didn't run away, Funina slowed her hurried steps, walked slowly to the cat, squatted down and stroked his head.

[Strange, this technique...it's definitely Funina.]

People often relieve stress by petting cats, but few people know that cats can also relax by being petted. After having his back stroked, Mainkuen quickly lay down.

"Gurgle."

Cool.

The cat-petting skills honed over five hundred years captivated Mainkun, who didn't even mind being lifted into his study.

"Gurgle."

In the study, Funina picked out a silver comb from the wide variety of pet supplies and gently combed away the tangled fur.

[This time he didn't try to touch his belly, that's good...]

With its paws scented, its short tail combed to a fluffy texture, and its whiskers clearly defined, the big cat looked energetic and adorable.

[It's so quiet today, Funina. Are you unhappy? Who scared you again?]

Funina did not answer.

She smiled as she gathered the fluff, tidied up the cat's belongings, and then gently hugged the cat's neck, as if embracing a brave warrior about to embark on a thorny path.

Mainkuhn.

Before we say goodbye, can I see your face?

...

Oh dear, it ran away in fright.

Fine, let's run, let's run.

Bearing your unspeakable aspirations, let us shoulder the fate of Fontaine together and move forward.

Don't look back.