Chapter 32 In front of the opera house, Navigette recognizes an old friend…

Before Fimini woke up, the half-demon had transformed back into a human from a cat.

'Try my best to avoid letting people associate my cat form with my human form...'

Without any downy fur to cover it, the cold wind directly brushed against the electric shock scars on the boy's neck.

......uncomfortable.

With his equally scarred arms, he picked up the sweater and put it on. Mainkuen sat up from next to the child with a cold expression.

Humans, creatures without fur, with low skin defense and poor body temperature control, are nowhere near as good as my perfect cat form.

Even though that's what I was thinking.

Mainkuhn pulled out sunglasses from a drawer and put his scarf and mask back on.

Aside from the cat ears on its head and the sharp nails on its hands, it has the characteristics of a monster, as well as indelible scars.

Everything was carefully covered up.

very good.

Mainkun secretly grinned behind his mask.

It looks quite human.

"......"

But there's a problem.

Mainkuhn looked at his reflection in the mirror.

He was completely covered up, and almost no patch of intact skin could be seen.

I have this feeling.

And many of the guys who were killed by lynxes.

We're wearing the same outfit!

But it shouldn't be a big problem.

Harboring a strange belief, Mainkuhn did not change his attire.

After all, any outfit looks better than my face!

*

No, that's not true! It's absolutely terrifying!

After waking up, little Fimini hid behind the cabinet, trembling.

Why is she even more tightly covered up than last night?

Do you really not want anyone to see your face? Why!

Could it be—

The mother's words of advice suddenly echoed in the child's mind:

'Fimini.'

Amélie once touched her son's head with great anxiety.

'What if one day, a strange, masked man suddenly kidnaps you and does bad things to you?'

'Don't try to see his face clearly. Find an opportunity and run away as fast as you can... but don't run towards home, absolutely not.'

Eeeeeeeeeeee—

Little Femini started anxiously biting his hand.

Is this exactly the situation Mom described?

*

Completely unaware of how suspicious his attire was, the half-demon boy quietly bristled his tail.

Why are you secretly watching me without saying a word, Fimini!

This feels absolutely terrifying!

"......"

Mainkun was covered in cold sweat, pressed his ears, and glanced discreetly at the human child in the corner.

"...!"

Fimini shuddered as he sensed the half-demon's gaze.

I've been found out QAQ!

Mainkuhn's tail also twitched.

I've known about you for a while now, okay? I can hear everything you do, from getting up to getting dressed to washing up, in my cat ears QAQ!

What should I do?! This is so embarrassing, what should I say in this situation?

"Big brother!"

Looking into her dark sunglasses, little Femini straightened up and tried her best to greet people politely:

Good morning!

"......"

The boy opposite remained silent, appearing unusually indifferent.

Good morning? Oh right, humans greet each other when they wake up, but cats have forgotten that for a while now.

With his fangs slightly parted beneath his mask, Mainkun attempted a friendly "Good morning."

z…zao……

"!"

Fimini was very nervous, staring intently at the half-demon in front of him.

Is he coming? This is a friendly greeting.

"!"

Mainkuhn felt a jolt in his heart as he was being stared at, and his communication difficulties immediately kicked in.

Don't look at me like that—oh no! I can't say anything more!

The "good morning" that was just about to be said was immediately swallowed back in fright, and the lynx hairs on the tips of its ears began to tremble.

"!!"

Fimini was trembling much more than him, her little face even turning blue with fright.

"He doesn't even want to say a word to me..."

Could it be...?

In my older brother's eyes, am I already a dead person?!

"!!"

Such intense fear!

Mainkuhn was both surprised and panicked, his tail wagging wildly under his coat.

What did I do? I didn't do anything! What should I do?

Extreme stiffness and terrifying silence permeated the space between the half-demon and the human children.

"Gurgle—"

Until Fimini's hungry stomach could no longer bear it.

"I'm so sorry QAQ!"

He had just begun to apologize when he saw the gloomy-looking boy with droopy ears turn around and calmly open the refrigerator door to check.

In short—cook first!

His vertical pupils trembled incessantly behind his sunglasses.

*

I haven't cooked since leaving the fireplace house, I wonder if my cooking skills have deteriorated.

With long, sharp, black fingernails, she picked up an egg like chopsticks, flicked the tip, and twisted it.

"Sizzle—"

The white shell was perfectly spun in half, and the egg liquid fell into the oil, making a beautiful sound.

A weapon capable of piercing a human chest is, at this moment, nothing more than a convenient tool for opening an egg.

"..."

Little Fimi clutched her stomach, looking on with a mixture of unease and shock.

The older brother can actually cook!

Judging from his appearance, I thought he was the kind of guy who would order roast meat and sausages at the Grey River Tavern, then smash the entire bottle over someone's head without eating a single bite!

"......"

The food was served very quickly.

There was no pre-meal prayer, only a plate bluntly handed to you by sharp claws.

There wasn't even a word like "It's time to eat breakfast." The boy's mask and sunglasses perfectly concealed all his emotions.

"...Thank you, big brother. Well, I'll eat first then?"

In the silence, Fimini hesitated before picking up his knife and fork, glancing at the food on his plate...!

Wow—what a feast!

Almost instantly, the child's eyes lit up.

There's meat, eggs, and pasta! And milk too!

It feels like ages ago that I ate this well! ...Can I really eat this well?

Little Fimi tentatively cut a small piece of fried egg and took a bite.

Or are they just tastier than they actually are? After all, my family still has a lot of money to pay off, and Mom definitely can't afford the food... So delicious! Super delicious!

The fried egg was as soft as a cloud, with the bottom perfectly browned! You could even poke the yolk and it would ooze out!

The pork chop was delicious too! Every bite was bursting with hot, juicy goodness—so fragrant! And it had a sweet sauce on top!

The pasta too! Every roll is beautifully stained red with tomato sauce, and it's so satisfying to slurp it into your mouth!

Mainkun watched in astonishment as the little boy in front of him, who had completely shed his nervous and shy demeanor, buried his head in the plate and began to frantically show off.

The fear in the air... just vanished like that?

It's pretty good.

The lynx hairs on the tips of its ears curled up slightly, and Mainkuhn was a little pleased.

It seems my skills haven't deteriorated.

"Amazing!"

The little child suddenly looked up and gave the half-demon boy an excessively bright smile.

"Big brother, you're amazing at making such delicious food!"

Is it tasty.

Mainkuhn didn't want to eat.

After all, whenever it opens its mouth, it will inevitably reveal its overly long canines and shark-like incisors... as well as its cat tongue covered with white barbs.

...It will definitely scare people.

But Fimini was really enjoying the food.

"It's so delicious! Big brother, why aren't you eating?"

"......"

Mainkun carefully lifted a small gap in his mask, rolled the piece of meat into his mouth with his thin tongue, and chewed.

Um.

Although the meat is full of juice, it is not as good as freshly dead live animals.

Although the meat is tender, it is not as good as warm offal.

Alas, one cannot expect wild animals to have the same sense of taste as humans.

Mainkuhn knew from a young age that his sense of taste was different from that of ordinary people; many foods that other children found delicious tasted strange or even terrifying to him.

Can food made by wild beasts taste good? Hahaha... Back at the House of Hearths, everyone coaxed me into thinking it was delicious. I never expected that even Fimini would coax me now.

"It's so incredibly delicious!"

But the children, with their bright eyes and exaggerated gestures, repeatedly expressed their affection:

"Fimini has never! Never before has she eaten such delicious food!"

If you lack language skills, make up for it with emotions and frequency.

The child stubbornly kept stuffing praise and affection into the half-demon's soft, furry ears—

"You're really amazing, big brother!"

"......"

Really?

Mainkuhn hesitated for a moment, then picked up another piece of meat and chewed it between his sharp teeth.

...Seems alright?

"Big brother, do you only eat meat? Are you out of pasta? Fimini is willing, willing to give you this..."

You should really see how reluctant you are to leave, Fimini.

His tense back gradually relaxed, and Mainkun inserted another piece of flesh.

Don't worry, cats don't like soft, fluffy carbs.

*

A strange pair of buyers appeared at the clothing store in Fontaine.

The younger one's clothes were worn out; he was clearly a child from a poor family.

The older one was even stranger; not only was he poorly dressed, but his face was also completely covered, making him look like a little robber!

Logically speaking, one should be wary of customers like this; kicking them out or calling Officer Melissa on patrol would not be unreasonable, but—

"......"

Without saying a word, the boy simply shoved the little Fimini and a heavy bag full of things into the shop assistant's hands.

"Sir, what's wrong?"

The shop assistant smiled and tried to communicate:

"Are you going to pick out clothes for your little brother?"

“.

The boy with droopy ears twitched his hairy ears, then silently turned his face away, ignoring everyone.

"?!" The smile instantly froze on the shop assistant's face.

Holy crap! So arrogant! They don't even bother to talk to the service staff!

Does having money give you the right to look down on others?

The shop assistant instinctively wanted to swing the item in his hand and throw it back.

She opened the bag and glanced at it before swinging it.

"......"

Seeing her silence, Fimini quickly explained:

"My older brother might just be quiet, please don't be angry..."

"Young Master~ What are you saying~"

The child's shoulder was suddenly pressed down, and Fimini had never seen such a fervent and respectful expression on an adult's face before:

"It is my honor to serve the young masters!"

"Huh??"

Little Fimi suddenly lost her footing and was ushered into the changing room.

"Suddenly, so enthusiastic?"

Lord Yan, he has given so much! How could I not be enthusiastic!

"Young Master! Do you want two holes cut in your hat? Here! I'll cut them for you!"

The young master doesn't like to talk? No problem! As long as he's happy! It's all my fault!

"Young Master! How's this angle? Is it comfortable for your ears?"

I'm going to smear the most expensive clothes in the whole store all over you two—

"Young Master, Young Master, Young Master—Let me tie your scarf for you, don't you need it?"

Let me serve you! I love service! Give me the money!

"Young Master, you must come again next time!"

The shop assistant tearfully bid farewell to the two.

Mainkuhn walked out of the clothing store, his hair standing on end.

Too enthusiastic—it's terrifying!

I'm never coming to this store again!

*

The route leading to the destination is... Navia's route.

That name sounds so familiar.

"Big brother, are we going to build a rail patrol boat!?"

Little Fimimini excitedly followed behind Mainkuhn, looking around everywhere:

"This is my first time riding a rail-guided ship, it's amazing!"

This is my first time too.

The half-demon's ears drooped.

It's not scary at all, but there are other passengers.

Not only were there other humans, but also the pink Melusin staring at us.

"...Please take your belongings with you and prepare to get off the bus."

Ofini couldn't muster any enthusiasm for her work, but her eyes remained sharp as she stared intently at Mainkuhn and Fimini's hands, which they had never held before.

"Personal belongings, including children's items."

Mainkuhn: "."

"I'm not targeting anyone in particular, I just suddenly remembered a few cases of children going missing on the rail patrol boats."

Ophini watched the half-demon mutter repeatedly.

"They just let go and the child is gone, gone in the blink of an eye."

We won't get lost even if we don't hold hands; I'm not a stupid human being.

Mainkun pretended not to hear.

"Then, I had to accompany the parents to search again and again, and I didn't get off work until very late..."

The pink-haired Melusin's tone became resentful, and her gaze toward Mainkuen grew increasingly dark.

"I don't want to work overtime, I ......"

What's wrong with this guy? I'll just pull it out!

Mainkuhn quickly and carefully pinched Fimini's hood with his fingernails.

It's clearly not human, yet it smells so human! How terrifying!

"Alright."

Meilushin reluctantly shut her mouth, leaving the half-demon huddled under her ears in fear.

Sure enough, cats are more carefree.

But what would happen to Fimini if ​​she turned into a cat...?

He was just an ordinary child, and the Hearth House, even one managed by Pepe, wasn't suitable for him...

Let's try again later to win Amélie back.

As long as the blame is pinned on me...

Mainkuhn remained entangled until he reached the entrance of the Opikley Opera House.

"Mother!"

"Fimini!"

Amélie stared at the child in disbelief.

She thought she wouldn't see her child for a long time.

"How did you get here!?"

"Didn't you ask your older brother to pick me up?"

Little Femini dashed past the police officers on either side and leaped into her mother's arms, crying, "Mommy, I missed you so much!"

"Ah, ah..."

Amélie hugged the child in shock and looked up at the boy in front of her.

Should I let Xiao En answer? I didn't.

Xiao En is a child himself, and a child with obvious psychological problems. How can I put the burden that should belong to me on his shoulders?

"......"

Mainkuhn silently turned his head away, avoiding looking into Amélie's eyes.

“Fimini, let me take a good look at you.”

Rosy cheeks...full of energy...neatly dressed...

"Mom! Big brother's cooking is so delicious! It's such a pity you didn't get to eat any—"

Although I don't know how she did it, Femini was taken very well!

"That's wonderful..."

Tears welled up in Amélie's eyes as she tried to look into the half-demon's eyes through her sunglasses.

She failed; all she could see were the tufts of hair on the boy's ears trembling with unease.

"......"

Despite being so afraid of people, why would she take Fimini from the orphanage for my sake?

Were these new clothes you're wearing specially bought for Fimini to put my mind at ease?

How much determination and courage did you must have to be so silent and so terrified?

"Xiao En, you're such a good child..."

The mother couldn't help but murmur to herself.

"Now I can go to jail with peace of mind..."

"Xiao En?"

Suddenly, a blue and white figure emerged from behind the mother. Villette stepped forward, her eyes sharply fixed on the gloomy boy before her:

"Your name is Xiao En?"

Not Mainkuhn?

Could it be a nickname?

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

Author's Note: The thought of little Femini and Mainkuhn being afraid of each other being displayed on a big screen in a future opera house makes me want to laugh...

Hahaha! Just wait until you're doomed, future Fimi!