Chapter 168 Upon arriving in Fontainebleau, Funina immediately...

"I'm not going!!"

A piercing roar tore through the air, and thin black mist poured wildly from Mainkun's body, slashing violently at the horizontal bar in front of the wheelchair.

However, Mainkun did not hear the familiar sound of metal shattering. Instead, he heard a buzzing sound, and a golden barrier with dragon patterns unfolded around him, making the wheelchair seem like a prison on all sides.

"this……?!"

Incredibly, Mainkun once again channeled his power, but the black mist was completely swallowed up by the gentle and unshakeable golden light. However, when he reached out in vain to push, the barrier vanished like a phantom.

"Why…"

This barrier... only imprisons his demonic power?

When his body was weak, the few remaining emotions were Mainkuen's only means of protection, but now, even that last bit of claws has been precisely stripped away.

...a person who is utterly powerless.

"Zhongli!!!"

In shock, Mainkun reached out to the immortal, wanting a hug or something else to reassure him.

But when Zhongli turned around, the hem revealed the same dragon pattern as the screen.

“…Zhongli?”

The scream for help suddenly turned into a breathy sound, stuck in the throat.

...Did you...do this?

Why you?

"Xiao En."

To Mainkuen's disbelief, the god bent down, reached out, smiled, and stroked his head one last time.

"Go through the growing pains before you are born."

Before Mainkuhn could skillfully reach out and touch her, his hand was decisively withdrawn.

“Mr. Elhesen, Mr. Kavi.”

"Push him away, he can't run anymore."

Goodbye Fontaine, Little En.

...

"Zhongli!!!"

A bloodcurdling scream, almost inhuman, exploded in Maine's throat, "You can't do this! I don't want to go! I don't want to go! Elheisen! Kavi!!"

But the figure approached him like a vengeful ghost. Mainkun desperately pushed the horizontal bar in front of his chest and released a large amount of accumulated black mist without any regard for the consequences, but all his efforts were in vain. Elhesen successfully grabbed the handle, and in the end, he could only lean out with all his might and reach towards Zhongli with his only remaining hand.

"Help me! Zhongli!"

Don't make me return to my brother in such a sorry state!

As his fingertips brushed against the Emperor's robes, Mainkun was quickly pushed away.

"Elhesen!!"

He twisted wildly in his restraints, his neat clothes becoming disheveled again. Mainkun pressed down on Elhesen's hand that was pushing the wheelchair and bit down hard, really hard!

Kavi exclaimed in surprise: "Elhesen!"

"It doesn't matter."

Alhesen let him bite, his steps swift and uninterrupted.

"I put on protective gloves beforehand."

The expected resistance.

He swung his head left and right, tearing it apart. Hmm, Mainkuhn must have intended to kill him.

But it doesn't matter, he's already too weak to bite through the special gloves.

Ah, they've relented; it seems they've realized this.

Be smart, compromise now, there's nothing you can do.

"Elheisen, Elheisen..."

After staring at the gloves for a moment, Maine pursed her lips, her madness vanished, and she tilted her head back to reveal a gentle, slightly ingratiating smile.

"Please don't take me to Fontainebleau, please..."

The wheelchair beneath him suddenly jolted.

Elhesen lowered his eyes, the strange red stamens in his eyes trembling for a few seconds before finally meeting Mainkun's beastly gaze.

Please!

Mainkuhn thought this would work, so he stopped hiding his severed hand, twisted his body, and thrust the stump straight into his chest for him to see.

"Elheisen, my vizier! Look at me, look, it hurts here..."

He sobbed, shaking his head on the crown, his ears drooping, appearing utterly weak.

"I'm already in such a miserable state, just give in to me this once, listen to me this once, go along with me this once, okay? Elheisen! I don't want to go to Fontainebleau!!"

He has resorted to any means to achieve his goal.

"hiss…"

Kavi took a deep breath, his steps becoming increasingly hesitant.

"Your Highness, please don't do this..."

This scene was far too impactful for him.

He inexplicably recalled his first meeting with Mainkuhn, that arrogant young man who fell from the sky carrying a god.

The memory made him want to raise his arm, wipe his eyes, or hug the cat.

"I assure you, everything is arranged, really, no one will hurt you, none of your fears exist..."

"The Wise King".

Elhesen interrupted him.

"It's been a long time. You've become much smarter, and you've even started using schemes."

Kavi roared, "Is this the time to say that?!"

“Vizil, now that I’ve made progress, can I skip going to Fontainebleau and return to Sumeru…”

What changed you? Was it this missing arm, or the hopeless future?

Ignoring all the noise, Elhesen pressed down his raised severed limb, thought for a moment, and then awkwardly placed his hand on the cat's ear, rubbing it in the same way Zhongli had done.

"No matter the reason, I don't really like it, and you'd better change it back to me as soon as possible."

After saying that, he started running wildly.

Pushing the wheelchair, they raced towards the port, disregarding everything else.

"Elhesen!"

The cat paused for a moment, its vertical pupils slowly becoming moist.

Because he already knew that Al-Hysen's mind was made up and could not be swayed.

Just as he said, after refusing to assist, he never helped collect negative emotions again.

"You're such a heartless and cruel bastard! Waaaaah—!"

He struggled, cried out, trembled, banged his head against the back of the chair, and bit Al-Hysen's hand that was protecting his head, until he was exhausted.

"I'm not going to Fontainebleau!!"

He fainted, whether from exhaustion or fright, it's unclear.

*

When Seno met them on the ship, he was startled.

"Didn't you say there was a way to force them without using force? How did things end up so messy?"

"Oh dear, what a dirty face."

The stragglers were also puzzled, so they went closer to check if Mainkuhn had any external injuries.

"So the reason they wouldn't let me and the head of discipline tie him up directly is because they hired a more skilled person? They're afraid I'll accidentally crush him to death while catching the cat?"

"Believe me, Mr. Zhongli has done everything he can to calm him down..." Kavi swayed as he helped Elhesen lift the sleeping Mainkun onto the ship and laid him flat on the bed.

"But as soon as he hears it's Fontainebleau, he goes completely crazy and can't listen to anything else..."

He was exhausted, but the problem wasn't physical; it was mental.

"Sigh, do we really have to do this? Can't we just drug him and let him sleep until the plan is over?"

"I know it hurts you, but I can't."

Seno brought a damp cloth and patiently wiped away the tear stains on Mainkuen's face, readjusting his clothes and crown as if dusting off a statue.

"The trial of Mainkuhn will take anywhere from a few days to several months. Even the best sleeping pills will eventually wear off. If he opens his eyes to find himself being criticized by humans, he might be so frightened that he becomes ill. It's better to give him a warning now."

"Although painful, it wasn't to the point that I felt abandoned in the courtroom."

"...That's true."

Kavi quieted down, stopped complaining, and stared blankly at Mainkuhn.

The heart-wrenching cries faded away, leaving only a serene...beauty on the young king.

Kavi still remembers the scene when he stood in front of the immortal gate, captivated by the extraordinary face. Even the usually composed Elhesen beside him slowed his breathing for a moment.

"If we hadn't hit that mask back then, we would have let him go out with his face bare..."

"Will there be even more people who love him?"

"Ha!" the soldier chuckled. "How do you know that beauty only brings benefits? In my opinion, it's more likely to bring malice and spying."

“Who would have the heart to touch someone so beautiful? I certainly wouldn’t.” Kavi put himself in others’ shoes, and once his admiration took hold, he temporarily forgot his frustration and stared at Mainkuen’s face repeatedly.

"I wonder who was better, the Flower Goddess from thousands of years ago or Mainkun?"

"Hmph, naive fool..."

"Hey! You sharp-tongued brat, what did I do to you again!"

Amidst their argument, Al-Hysen held the book and read, but didn't turn a single page for a long time.

Finally giving up, he frowned, stopped trying to read, and joined the conversation aloud.

"Kavi, how have you been lately?"

"Huh??" Kavi exclaimed in surprise, looking at Elhesen as if he had seen a ghost. "Why are you suddenly concerned about me?"

"Speak quickly."

"It's all good, everything's fine." Kavi wondered suspiciously what was unusual about his life lately that had attracted Elhesen's attention.

"The project is complete, the client is satisfied, the money is in the account, everything is going smoothly..."

No depressive symptoms? Normal stress tolerance? Perfect cognitive function?

"Of course! The brilliance of the School of Wondrous Theories is not just a name!"

"...Not bad either."

He took out the book again, turned to a page, and stared into thought, looking like he wanted to read but couldn't bring himself to.

"Hey, this is so weird!" Kavi put his hand on his book to stop him from reading. "Why are you suddenly asking these questions? You know perfectly well that I'm always beaming with pride!"

"Put it aside."

Elhesen pushed his hand away and refused to answer, but the skirmisher laughed and exposed him, "Hahaha! Kavi, he's afraid you won't be able to get into the opera house!"

"I have all the necessary paperwork, and I'm a witness, so why can't I get into the opera house?"

“Oh, I forgot to tell you, Kavi,” Seno explained to him. “Before this trial begins, all participants must undergo psychological testing. Those who do not meet the standards will not be allowed to sit in the audience, and witnesses will be asked to leave the opera house immediately after giving their testimony and will not be allowed to watch the entire trial.”

"Why is there such a rule?" Kavi asked blankly. "It seems I need to be more careful when I take the test, otherwise I'll have come all this way for nothing."

"Not really. Fontainebleau has beautiful scenery, and Nasita will also be broadcasting the trial live. As travelers would say, it's a censored, edited version..."

The ship rocked and swayed until it finally docked at Ruo Deng Port.

Al-Hysen put Mainkuhn back in his wheelchair, adjusted the backrest, and made him sleep peacefully and comfortably.

“The land of water…” In the elevator, Kavi’s interest grew with the increasing height. “What would the country where Mainkun was born be like?”

There must be a continuous sea and an endless expanse of blue...?

Kavi rubbed his eyes and looked at the scenery in front of him repeatedly.

"So many...mountains and gorges beneath our feet? Are we still in Chenyu Valley?"

"It's the strait of the past. You've forgotten everything Mainkuhn has done over the years."

Pushing the sleeping wise king, Elhesen stood on the high harbor, looking down at the ruins in the distance under the sunlight.

Scientists wearing rain boots are walking through it, excited by the preserved relics and saddened by the stranded seashells.

Mainkuhn, which did you hurt more, or which did you save?

What kind of ending will the intertwined love and hate within you lead you to?

Elhesen was curious, but what intrigued him even more at that moment was...

"Lady Funina."

He turned around and looked at the growing number of guards behind him.

"Now that the God of Grass and the God of Thunder have graced Fontaine with their presence, and immortals and knights are arriving one after another, and Dong Fang has even sent three executors—a servant, a lady, and a young master—with such distinguished guests, why don't you, as the host, personally receive any of them, but instead come here to receive a mere criminal?"

"Enough with the nonsense!"

Funina's face was pale, but Funina was full of fighting spirit. Funina raised her cane and gave a firm order.

"I am the Goddess of Justice. What's wrong with prioritizing criminals? Clarind, bring him here!!"

-----------------------

Author's note: No update tomorrow, because the "Collapse Iron" update is coming.