Chapter 203: Concerning Sumeru, the Unrevealed...

Navelette quietly watched Mainkun's bewildered expression amidst the cries of "Sage," "...Mr. Lishui Dieshan, the memories displayed now are of Liyue's Wuwang Slope, not the Lapis Lazuli Abyss you are accusing."

"Ahem!" King Ruoduo ignored him, forcing a look of sudden realization and deep regret onto his face, "It seems... the case isn't too far off!"

"I was wondering why the border between life and death in Liyue has been so peaceful in recent years, and even the area around the Laminariat is teeming with life! It turns out that the lynx's arrival was not to cause trouble, but to secretly repair the ley lines for Liyue!"

"I have wronged him, causing him to suffer injustice. It was truly wrong of me! It was so wrong!"

Ruo Tuo blinked hard, trying to force out a few tears of guilt. Zhong Li smiled, while Xiao turned his head away in disgust.

Fortunately, the audience's feelings are mixed at the moment, and few people are focusing on his exaggerated acting skills.

"The prophecy is false, and the lynx's plan to save the world with hatred is doomed to failure... but..."

Countless images of memories begin to converge, and reality guides the answers spoken of.

"The 'bad things' he's done..." someone murmured, "...the indirect consequences, so far... seem...not too bad?"

"Hmph, I really don't want to admit it."

Kares recalled those unpleasant days with a sour expression, "That kid was definitely a bit of a jerk, but if it weren't for the impulsive things he did, my illness might have gone much later."

Navia began to count seriously on her fingers, "If it weren't for the accident he brought, Vashe might have remained hidden in the world for a long time! This indirectly saved many young girls? Les also stopped production because of this... and the security in Fontaine has improved a lot..." Her voice grew softer and softer.

Putting aside other factors, both the old and new generations of gods received significant assistance in the Sumeru region, and Liyue also has ley lines…

"How eerie."

Chiori couldn't help but complain.

"How could someone who is determined to be a villain end up doing bad things that, as they go on, turn into...good deeds that benefit the country and its people?"

"Is there even a need to say it? The answer is obvious!"

Suddenly, Funina perked up, spread her arms wide, and shouted excitedly.

"This Mr. Lynx is a complete and utterly indecisive good guy at heart! His 'evil plan' is essentially an extremely clumsy—good deed!"

Avoiding the topic of prophecy, Funinna goes to great lengths to reveal the heart of the accused to the world.

"Friends! Look at these memories! Look at this absurd yet heartwarming outcome—could there be a more dramatic justice in this world?!"

"It seems like it's been a long time since I've seen her so excited."

When Furnessa stood up to make her declaration, Leosley couldn't help but sigh.

"……Um."

Navelette looked at the god's impassioned figure with mixed feelings, longing for her easy smile.

"The pressure that concealing the truth from her was no less than the pain we felt when we were deceived. If that's the case, then why... I can't understand it."

"Isn't there any other way to prove the prophecy is true? The kind that bypasses Frinina?" Siegwen leaned closer, looking worriedly at Mainkuen's pale face.

"For example, the large valve beneath the Mello Petersburg? Historians' research reports? The speculations of the Fontainebleau Academy of Sciences, and so on?"

“You also want Mainkun’s efforts to be viewed fairly? I’m afraid that won’t work.” Leosley shook his head regretfully. “Even if you resurrected the Miracle Lord and invited him to the witness stand to testify in person, Frynn only needs to say ‘the prophecy is false’ to defeat him. After all, he is a god.”

"So, if Mainkun wants true justice, we have to prove that Funina is a false god?" Sigwen concluded easily. "That doesn't seem difficult, and there are many ways to do it. Dangerous methods include the Sea of ​​Pregnancy, while safer methods include... Duke, are you listening?"

"...Let's forget about it."

After a moment of silence, he gently reached out and rubbed Mainkuen's ear.

“No one knows better than me how important Fryna is to Mainkuhn. He has abandoned me many times to choose the embrace of the gods. I think Mainkuhn is just as important to Fryna.”

"Hmm?" Melusin's pink eyes scanned the muscles on his face without moving. "You seem a little worried? Are you afraid that something bad will happen after you expose Funina?"

"My intuition kept warning me not to do that, after all, there are usually traps buried under unusual grass that can break a wolf's claws."

With a sigh, Leosley stroked the cat and asked Navelette, "What punishment do you think he'll be sentenced to?"

"The death penalty is absolutely out of the question."

The Dragon King's tender gaze gently fell upon the cat.

“But Melo Peterburg can’t escape it. Even if we remove the cases related to the House of Hearths and the Rose Society, there are still cases of burglary and intimidation of citizens… It’s hard to determine his murder charge, but I expect his sentence to be around fifty to seventy years, not even counting the time yet.”

"Oh...that's not bad either. By the time I die of old age, he'll probably be out of prison soon. It'll be a long time of companionship, and I'm really looking forward to it."

Leosley calculated the time and was quite pleased.

"Whether it's trial or salvation, let it end quickly."

"I only hope that when my timid brother opens his eyes again, he will only see a peaceful and happy future."

...

"Sleepy……"

After a long and tiring journey, Mainkuen, who had rushed back to Fontaine from Wuwangpo overnight, walked in a daze on the streets of Fontaine.

At the end of the road, Leosley saw his younger self gently opening his arms.

Sure enough, the dazed kitten followed the path and bumped into his arms.

"A familiar...smell...it's reassuring."

The fluffy head nuzzled against the Duke's broad chest, a relaxation that even the mask couldn't hide.

Maine.

His chest trembled.

Have you done anything bad lately?

"!" The audience straightened their backs.

"No... I've been busy saving the world lately..."

"Have you found something? Wait, no..."

"good."

In the video, Leosley relaxes his shoulders with a sense of relief.

"I believe you, Maine."

"call……"

The audience in real life also breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's strange. My rational mind tells me it's better if his plan is stopped sooner rather than later."

"But why does my heart keep yearning for that moment to never come?"

"elder brother! "

With his brand-new clothes and a cat-mouth mask, the boy was lively and cute, and apart from being a little quiet, there was almost nothing unusual about him.

"Look, the deep abyss of layered rocks."

His footsteps moved merrily through the Three Kingdoms period, without end.

"Judge, can we cross this out now?"

Navelette nodded very quickly.

"Gurgle."

A large, silver-gray cat crouched outside the Academy of Sciences window, domineeringly snatching their latest water level report.

"It's gone down! It's really gone down! How is that possible... you naughty cat!"

"Snoring~"

With its tail raised, front paws lifted, head shaken, and pounced repeatedly, the cat has its own unique celebration ritual when it's happy. It darted towards Fontaine with a swaying gait.

blank.

...Blank? Is Furness here at a time like this?

"What? Isn't Mo Mang Palace my home? It's perfectly normal for me to pass by. I didn't even touch it that time. What are you thinking? Do you think he could share the results with me?"

Oh, I see...

Overwhelmed with joy, he stopped 'working' for the first time in many days and went out into the streets to find the children playing happily.

Fimi, Linnie, Lynette...

"Come to think of it, he doesn't seem to have any demands on his three children at all, whether it's studying or doing housework."

"Yes, they're being a bit incompetent. All they do is provide enough money, food, and toys; they're too lax. It's a miracle the kids haven't been spoiled..."

...

They suddenly remembered the countless nights the cat-eared child had been locked up.

"...Perhaps, this is what he thought was the best way to raise children."

"Eat cake! Eat as much as you want!"

After scaring away the little rascals who were bullying Lynette, he generously gave money again.

Mainkuhn wasn't particularly interested in these sweets, but he enjoyed seeing the happy smiles on the children's faces.

But this time he ultimately didn't see the children unpack the cake.

"Run! Run as far as you can!"

Kares grabs the boy; he is a harbinger of misfortune.

"Otherwise, no one can protect you! Lynx!!"

"Father!?" Navia turned her head in astonishment. "So you've done something like this before?"

"I know it's illegal."

Kares suddenly had an urge to drink strong liquor.

"But it shouldn't have reached the point of arrest, because Mainkuhn... didn't even try to escape."

"Mr. Mainkuhn."

The former Navigette led his men to personally arrest his wicked nephew.

"Please defend yourself."

"No--!!!!!"

The screams of the audience erupted in the opera house even faster than Mainkuhn's inner thoughts.

"God...God! You can't treat me like this!!"

"No!! He's praying to God again!"

The distraught audience began screaming wildly, their eyes filled with anguish as they looked towards the dock, where the defendant and the judge stood. "Forgive him...no, no! Understand him! Because he was just...just—"

"I know what you're thinking, friends."

Water Dragon couldn't bear to close his eyes, and Leosley picked up where they left off.

"elder brother! ! ! "

"You're thinking he just loves us, right or wrong?"

I love you! I…

"I know."

"Don't hate me... Waaah..."

"Don't worry, you won't dislike him."

...

The scene I didn't want to see still happened, and the opera house was somewhat somber.

Although they knew this was an inevitable turning point, the audience still found it hard to accept.

"What is this? He's about to completely sever ties with Fontaine? With the place he wanted to save? He's all alone in Sumeru?"

"Just thinking about it is disastrous. A country that was forcibly occupied, it's a miracle they didn't take the opportunity to torture the lynx to death. No wonder the lynx looks so miserable now!"

“Slander, blatant slander.”

Sino couldn't believe that he, as the head of the disciplinary committee, could be wrongly accused.

"Where do they get their confidence? Based on their Fontainebleau Academy of Sciences, which doesn't even have a veterinary specialty?"

"Shut up, you're the only one who's ever masturbated to the virtuous king's disciple."

Tinari still remembers the scene where little Seno is hugging the big cat in the slightly skipped footage, "Did you even study animal nutrition? I did all the post-production work..."

"Anyway, we've finally gotten to a scene we're familiar with." Kavi breathed a sigh of relief as he watched himself and Elhesen Nasita revive the half-dead Mainkun in the desert. After being given the potion, he looked almost normal.

"You're a miracle worker, Al-Hysen! If he had continued his hunger strike, he really would have died again. That time, it was all thanks to you..."

“.

Kavi rarely praised his junior directly, but he saw that Elhesen had a slightly speechless look in his eyes.

"...No? What did I say wrong?"

He subconsciously began to reflect.

"That 'one' time, unfortunately, it wasn't just once. My salary was more than enough to cover the number of times I worked. What a pity."

The memory flickered, and something seemed to have been skipped over. When the image stabilized again, what appeared before the audience was...?!

"Hiss—!!!"

The boy Mainkuhn pinned to the bed and Elheisen gripping his claws tightly?

"Get out... let go..."

"Do you want me to let go? No, I can't."

Blood trickled down the intellectual scholar's wrist and dripped onto the pristine white sheets.

Elhesen showed no sign of pain, of course, because the blood wasn't his.

"If I let go, you will continue to hurt yourself."

He shifted his body, using his knee to press down on Maine's hip to hold him in place, while simultaneously pulling on his hand to expose his bruised and battered forearm to the air.

"Hiss!!"

Get out of my way!!

"No, and of course, you'd better not struggle either."

If self-harm symptoms appear, confiscate the weapon first before proceeding with further action.

"Because I am just a weak scholar, you can easily tear me apart."

As long as the nails are always covered by a human hand, Mainkuen dares not move, not even to pull or tug. Elhesen used this characteristic to restrain the noble tyrant, and freed up one hand to reach for the dagger.

"Could you reduce the trembling a bit...? Well, no."

Al-Hysen quickly and easily shaved off the ten blood-stained, black-tipped fingernails.

"Waaaaah—!"

Mainkuhn couldn't suppress a sob, and Elhesen knew he was nearing his limit, so he was about to let go of him.

He offered further advice before letting go.

"Wrathful King, please be careful to control your actions before you harm yourself. The tip of your hooked claws could easily sever your arteries. At least cut them flat before...?"

As he was offering his advice, he suddenly felt a needle-like sensation in his palm. He loosened his grip slightly and looked at it.

Ten brand new, tiny, and sharp fingernails are growing at a visible speed, stubbornly and silently...

All attempts to round it off are futile.

"..."

Elhesen paused for a moment, then looked down at the young king's golden eyes, which were unfocused with fear.

"Ugh..." Even now, the tyrant doesn't dare to bend a single finger.

"...I retract my previous statement. For the sake of Sumeru's stability, you are forbidden from using these hands to injure yourself in any way."

"In the name of your advisor, Vizier."

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Author's note: From now on, Sumeru will mostly write about things that haven't been written before or have been omitted, such as how he cured Mainkun from being mute to being able to speak a little.