Chapter 188 A dazed and confused state, as if neither alive nor dead…

Mainkun laughed silently. He laughed as he was knocked unconscious, laughed as he was revived, and laughed as he was carried like a dog, his body being washed clean of blood.

"..."

When he was sent back to the dormitory, the muscles at the corners of his mouth suddenly relaxed, and the child's face was expressionless and lifeless.

"Peruveli, come here."

Kujavina was behind her, and her heart was pounding.

“I am here, Mother.”

"Pass the word down, my daughter, and inform your twenty-nine brothers and sisters... From now on, there will be no more distinctions between the remnants of the flame, nor will there be any more sudden separations, because you have all withstood the test of the past three years."

"……Mother?"

Kujavina didn't answer her, but gently crouched down, placed her hand on Mainkuen's shoulder, and tried to look the short child in the eye.

"Is this what you wanted, Mainkuhn? Be happy, my dear child."

"Smile at me, and know that no one in this world loves you more than your mother."

Mainkuhn remained silent and did not look at her, his pupils unfocused as he stared at the increasingly sparse number of beds in the bedroom.

The servant said a few more kind words, but Mainkuen, being slow-witted, didn't understand a word. He only saw the children quietly approaching him after their mother left, looking at him uneasily.

"Boss Maine, what did you do?"

Mainkuhn did not want to answer.

He didn't want to touch those decadent memories, didn't want to figure out who killed whom, whose blood was on his claws. He had to assume that some people were still alive, otherwise Mainkun would not be able to live.

"Little Mei, Little Mei..."

Clementine looked worried and seemed to be saying something, but Mainkuhn couldn't hear her.

"Oh, okay... then please wait here for a moment..."

Yes, Clementine, stay away from me, take everyone with you, stay away from me.

The room was empty, and Mainkuen sat quietly against the bed, staring blankly at the birdcage on the bedside table.

The pigeons grew very plump, twice their previous size, and Oriz and Tommy took good care of them.

"Coo-coo—coo-coo—"

It's very noisy.

But I didn't have the strength to make it shut up, and I didn't want to move.

Mainkun lay on the ground, pressed his ears, and fell asleep.

"Little Mei, Little Mei!"

He awoke to Clementine's calls.

"Have you been waiting long? I'm sorry, it took some time to prepare the gift."

Gift.

"Hmm! Xiaomei doesn't like to eat many things, and she doesn't like noisy people around her, so... ta-da~"

Clementine's voice was still lively, but Maine could sense the deep sadness buried within it.

But she still tried to smile in front of herself, attempting to make what was behind her appear in a more surprising way.

"..."

Mainkuhn twitched the corners of his mouth, trying to put on a supportive smile, but failed.

Fortunately, Clementine didn't mind and continued to enthusiastically introduce the gift in her hand... a small bottle of folded paper stars.

"..." Mainkun glanced at it calmly, without reacting.

Mainkuhn.

Clementine, however, wore a serious expression, picked out a pink one, opened it, and began to read.

"Today you have suffered for my life, and in the future I will give everything for your life."

The cat's vertical pupils widened slightly. "...What?"

Clementine ignored it, simply restoring the pink star to its original state, then disassembling the red one and reciting.

"I will remember the wounds you have suffered, and I will repay the blood you have shed."

Words of gratitude, words of repayment? It doesn't matter; Mainkuhn doesn't want to hear them.

“Cravlie…shut up…” He slowly began to struggle.

"Brother Maine, you're the best! Don't hate yourself!"

Yellow: "You're not a monster! You're our friend, our family, our Mainkuen!"

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!!"

Mainkun suddenly became agitated. He wanted to cover Clevie's mouth, but dared not extend his claws, so he screamed and kicked the bottle away.

"I won't listen!"

"ah……"

Clementine looked sad. She didn't pick up the scattered stars, but just tried her best to finish reading the one in her hand.

"...Let's live together, Mainkuhn."

"Shut up!"

Mainkun didn't want to know who wrote it, nor did he want to even glance at it, because he knew that these companions who wrote down their wishes or blessings for him were there before he killed Kugavina—

Perhaps they will all disappear...

Nothing will be left behind...

Since loss was bound to happen sooner or later.

"Then get out of here! Don't make me love you anymore!"

"Mainkuhn!"

Clementine reached out and hugged the cat tightly, who was in another emotional outburst. She buried her face in the crook of his neck and sighed softly.

"But love has already happened, it has already taken root in our hearts, and it can never be pulled out."

Mainkuhn froze on the spot, his not-so-bright brain starting to work, leading him to a pathetic conclusion.

"The pain of loss... will inevitably come again..."

Enough already, Gods! How much more hatred must I harbor...?

"..."

Young Clementine couldn't comfort him, so she hugged him tighter and shoved her stiff companion under the bed, to the place where he always hid.

“Run away, Mainkuhn, like the sun hiding behind rain clouds, or a grasshopper hiding in a blade of grass.”

In the darkness, Mainkuhn curled up in a ball, clutching his tail, watching the girl's small hands slide across the floor, collecting the stars one by one back into the small bottle.

"Do you want more, Mainkuhn?"

"..."

"It's okay, I'll keep it safe for you."

Clementine tucked the small bottle into her bosom, walked out of the bedroom, and smiled at the children waiting outside.

"Everyone, don't worry, Xiao Mei really likes our gifts, he'll get better!"

"oh!"

The children rejoiced at the news and at the abolition of the squalid system; while they laughed, only Peruvier remained silent.

The video paused, and Nasita continued to summarize her crimes.

"The offspring of an executive, and five hundred and thirty-two ordinary fools—this is all the bloodshed Mr. Mainkuhn committed between the ages of six and nine."

As usual, no one paid any attention to her. The audience members discussed among themselves, but none of their opinions concerned the defendant's crime.

"General, you look so frowning, what are you thinking about?"

"I want to teach this half-demon how to create the Pure Land of One Heart, so that he can escape the suffering of the human world."

The moment the general began to ponder, the fox grew frightened, and Yae no Miko quickly warned, "You are not allowed to approach Mainkun!"

“Well, this isn’t exactly the right path, but his spirit has clearly suffered irreparable damage and must be dealt with properly.” Lei Yingdian pondered again, and a flash of inspiration struck him.

"I remember your friend dreamed of Tsukimi Mizuki, who could bring peace of mind to people by consuming nightmares..."

"Heavens! There aren't many great yokai left in Inazuma, do you really want to poison one more??"

Inazuma and Mainkun were not very familiar with each other, so they were not in a hurry, while the defendant's seat was already completely silent.

“Traveler…”

Paimon's voice drifted, "Do you remember how Mainkun almost died of fright when Manyo and we went to Inazuma to rebel...?"

"I remember it so clearly. Back then, whenever Xiao mentioned this, he would cover his face and scold him for disrespecting the immortal master."

Kong looked down and saw that the young immortal's expression was not good, so he knew that he probably wouldn't scold him anymore.

"He was just too afraid of losing his friends; it was a childhood trauma that haunted him for the rest of his life..."

"Endless loss... Alas, today I finally understand why he became the Cat God."

Thinking of the big cat sleeping peacefully on his lap, Leosley sighed deeply. He passed by the bewildered travelers and others, pleading with his friends for his brother's life.

"Please don't hold it against him for concealing this matter, Vilette, Frinina..."

“No need to say anything more,” Navelette interrupted him. “I knew from the beginning that Cat God was sincere in his friendship with me. There was not a trace of greed or malice in his tears. No matter what the outcome of this trial is, I will still regard him as a student who needs guidance.”

"What's wrong with running away for a bit?"

Funina's answer was more direct; her ahoge (cowlick) drooped listlessly, and her expression was one of feigned arrogance.

"Although he is called the Cat God, he has not truly reached the transcendent state of mind of a deity like me. Since he has a human heart, he can completely follow his instinct to escape... In short, I forgive his deception of the gods!"

Deceiving the gods and the judges resulted in an out-of-court settlement for two serious crimes, but Leosley was far from happy.

He looked at his sleeping brother with a melancholy expression, feeling that he was broken inside and out, and there was simply no way to repair him.

"Although I have a psychological counseling certificate, I don't have any practical experience yet..."

"You went to take the exam too?" The Water Dragon King suddenly turned his head.

"...What? You too?"

"So the Duke and Mr. Navigette also took the exam?"

"Wait, head nurse, what are you doing here too—"

“Mr. Mainkuhn is definitely coming to Melo Petersburg, isn’t he? I’m just making preparations in advance.”

Melusin, the dragon, and the human exchanged bewildered glances before finally turning their gazes to Funina.

"Could it be that you also..."

Funina panicked at the stare. "Why are you looking at me? Gods are omnipotent! They don't need any certifications!"

Navelette thought for a moment, "The exam was quite difficult. Don't be discouraged if you don't pass. Funina, I didn't pass either."

"I really didn't take the test!"

"Hahaha..." Finding a bit of a laugh amidst the somber court proceedings, Leosley felt a little relieved.

As a reliable adult, he will not be crushed by the darkness of the past, but he often feels regret.

"Will this regret be erased by the abundance of love in the future, Maine?"

He listened to the Dragon King and the gods arguing and gently patted the big cat's head.

In the footage, Kujavina's attention to Mayin Kuhn began to increase rapidly.

Although she had previously valued this little half-demon, she hadn't gone mad.

After all, while Mainkuhn was excellent, he was ultimately just a candidate. Without passing the House of Hearth's selection for the throne, he was nothing.

But things are different now. His ability to kill a fragment of the Second Seat at the age of nine deserves all the privileges and preferential treatment he is entitled to.

As for the other children...

"Do not be lazy, my children. There should be no other thing in your eyes but the throne."

"To punish you for falling behind, next week I will give you 28 people 27 portions of food, the following week 26 portions, then 25 portions, 24 portions... until one portion, but not zero, because I will start the next cycle again, starting with 27 portions of food."

"Mother!"

Jack exclaimed in disbelief, "What are you doing? If we don't eat our fill, we...we won't have the strength to fight each other!"

He understood his mother's intentions, but he didn't understand her determination.

"Aren't there still ponds? Aren't there still trees?"

Kujavina smiled maliciously. "Go and swallow the mud and river mud with your humiliation, and then launch a vengeful charge against the victor."

"Mother--"

Only the strong can obtain everything.

To set an example, she personally reached out and led the cat-eared child who was quietly sitting alone in the corner... She didn't hold his paws, but just pinched his wrist.

"Mainkuhn, this is all yours."

A perfect lunch consists of a quarter plate of high-quality protein, such as beans, eggs, meat, and fish; a quarter plate of carbohydrates, such as bread and rice; and half a plate of vegetables, snacks, and a small amount of fruit. It is colorful, with a variety of flavors, including salty, sweet, sour, and spicy. It is also served with dessert and an energy drink.

"Enjoy your glory, Mainkuhn."

She personally brought the cutlery to the children.

"This afternoon, I will personally tutor your cultural studies class, starting with the theory of elements..."

If she had cared about children even a little, she would have noticed that Mainkuen was acting very strangely.

It was already strange that he didn't protest, but what was even stranger was his actions and expression. His empty, unfocused eyes were like those of a dead beast, and his face was relaxed and expressionless. Mainkun seemingly took the fork normally, and then remained in the raised position for nearly thirty seconds in a daze.

"And you, Peruvieri, don't focus on things unrelated to getting stronger. You're a talented child, surpassing Mainkuen is not impossible... Mainkuen, what are you dawdling for? Move around, don't waste your precious time."

Mainkuen blinked very slowly and then stabbed the chicken with his fork.

We've finished eating.

"Where are you going? Finished eating? How could that be?"

Kujavina looked at the remaining food on his plate in astonishment; apart from a bland steamed chicken leg, he hadn't eaten anything.

"Are you being stubborn with me? Because of the order I just gave?"

What command? I didn't hear it...

“Mainkuhn, I’m warning you, you’re not allowed to deliberately leave food for others…”

"No, Mother."

Oriz explained in a low voice.

"Mainkuhn has always eaten like this; he's a bit of a picky eater."

"Yes, we usually save all of his favorite dish for him..."

Tommy explained that although the number of servings had been reduced from over fifty to over twenty, it was still enough for little Mainkuhn.

"Nonsense! No wonder Mainkuhn is so short!"

Kujavina's gaze swept over the children. Before, Mainkun always had his ears perked up, so she hadn't noticed anything wrong. But now that they were lowered, she realized that the king's promising child was actually half a head shorter than the shortest child, a clear case of developmental delay!

"You can't do this, malnutrition will lead to..."

She quickly pressed Mainkuen back into his chair and began to give him earnest advice.

“…So you must…Mainkuhn, do you understand? If you understand, then pick up your fork!”

Kujavina's voice was as faint as fog. Mainkuen was in a daze for a while, and when he woke up, he saw a fork in his hand with a piece of garlic bread stuck on it.

Does that mean I should eat it?

"No."

Why aren't you eating!

Kujavina was furious. "Didn't you listen to a single word of what I just told you?! There's a limit to being stubborn!"

"You can't eat it."

"Why can't I eat it!" She slammed her hand on the table, pointing at his eyebrows and scolding, "Will you die if you eat it?!"

"Um."

This is true, Mainkuhn told the truth, but Kujavina only believes what she wants to believe.

"Talking back, an ungrateful wretch who can't tell right from wrong."

She was extremely disappointed in herself for wasting her breath, but she did not intend to force him.

“From now on, none of you are allowed to give him any food.”

She ordered the children to cure Mainkuhn's picky eating habit.

"But I don't think you'd be foolish enough to waste what's already limited supplies, would you?"

Mainkun automatically ignored what she said and threatened, until he suddenly felt very hungry when he got back to bed that night and realized something was wrong.

"What happened, Pepe?"

Perru looked at him with her peculiar eyes for a while, and finally chose to explain the current situation to him in a simple and easy-to-understand way.

"It seems like a very bad thing."

"This is so mean, boohoo! I don't want to go hungry!"

Jack, being a sly one, immediately feigned a few sobs and pounced on Mainkuen, "Boss! Can you use your hunting instincts a bit more? Bring me a few more pigeons or something?"

Huh? Mainkuhn tilted his head silently.

I thought you wouldn't eat these live little animals, since you stopped me when I tried to before.

"Once it's cooked, there won't be any problem, and the kitchen can still be used!"

Based on his years of experience, Jack guessed what he was trying to say.

"Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures, it's better than starving! Please, boss!"

Oh, I see.

Peruvieri frowned. "Jack, go away. Mainkuhn, ignore him. Just mind your own business... Don't put too much pressure on yourself."

She softened her tone, her voice becoming quite gentle.

"It doesn't matter."

Mainkuen slowly glanced at his own paws.

"Hunting is not difficult, and you will not go hungry."

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Author's note: There will be no updates tomorrow, only zero updates in the game.

This has almost made me depressed; I need to take a day off and relax.