Chapter 61 Driven by love and stress, embracing with fear…

[So fast, so fierce, so terrifying—Navilet!]

The cat trembled and squeezed into the corner.

[So close, so close...]

[He almost got caught! No, no, he can't! Mainkun can't be caught!]

"Cat God? What's he doing here?"

He pulled the half-demon, who was squeezed into the crevice of the chair, out of his sight. Vilette didn't have time to look at him again. She straightened her back, looked around, and called out in a slightly anxious tone.

"Mainkuhn? Mainkuhn?"

Don't call me by that name!

Each call was like a death knell, each punch shattered the cat's courage.

"It's him, I'm sure I'm not mistaken... gentlemen."

He held onto the backs of the two audience members' chairs, bent down, and looked them in the eye:

"Which direction did that boy with the downy ears run off in—did you see him?"

"N-no!"

Both of their faces turned pale with fright from the sudden turn of events.

"All we saw was you, hurtling towards us with overwhelming force, honestly, God..."

The humans were still in shock as they looked at the scattered pieces of the chair at the feet of the Water Dragon King.

"You're a bit scary."

"I'm sorry, I will formally apologize to you later."

Nodding hastily, Navigette quickly moved to the opera house entrance with the cat in her arms:

"Effie, did a boy with downy ears leave just now?"

"No, no, sir."

Melosine was alarmed by the urgency in the Water Dragon King's eyes:

"The trial has just ended, and people haven't even had a chance to come out yet!"

"That's good."

Navelette stepped back and stood directly on the other side of the door.

"grown ups?"

"Effie, please help me guard this gate."

Navisette's expression remained unchanged, her eyes resolute:

"Among all spectators, those who possess animal forms, those who conceal their faces, those with strange pupils, and those with gray or white hair shall all be stopped and not allowed to pass."

"Lady Vilette...this is against the rules and regulations..."

Melusin was too frightened to agree.

"And how could I let you be a doorman!"

Yes, although I didn't break the law, my actions did cause inconvenience to hardworking citizens, but—

"It's urgent, I'm begging you."

Suddenly, Violet crouched down, freeing one hand to tightly grasp Melusin's fingerless tentacle:

"Please believe that everything I have done is not out of personal desire."

"The goal is simply to return the long-lost child to his brother."

"!"

The cat trembled violently in his arms, but Violet paid no attention.

"Help me, Effie."

The dragon's compassion has remained unchanged for ten years, and its dedication has remained unchanged for ten years.

"This is a reunion that has been long overdue."

Navelette recalls young Leosley, his undeveloped shoulders and tender hands in the misty rain, the sea breeze carrying a melancholy mist across his calm face.

"Today, I will surely accomplish it."

"......Wow!"

Lord Navelette is asking me for help!

This is a rare occurrence; the time to repay this kindness has arrived!

Melusin became excited and her tail swished wildly behind her.

"We are determined to go all out—"

"What's going on, Vilette?"

Funina was the first to step out the door, walking somewhat hurriedly towards the Dragon King to grab his arm:

“Come tell me why you suddenly jumped off the judge’s bench? I… cough, I mean, everyone was terrified by you.”

"terribly sorry."

The dragon stood motionless, saying, "I will explain to you once I have dealt with what is in front of me."

"What is it? I didn't assign you the job of a doorman. You'd better report back to me right now... Cat God!?"

Only then did Funina realize that the big cat, who had quietly run away, had been caught by the water dragon again.

It's good that you're alright...

She breathed a sigh of relief, then quickly picked herself up again.

"Navilette, wait a minute, Cat God seems off!"

"?"

Violet regained her focus and only then had time to pay attention to the cat in her arms:

"!"

The moment he lowered his head, he sensed something was wrong.

Rapid breathing, dilated pupils, bristling downy hair, and ears pressed tightly against the back of the head.

"Cat God?"

Navelette reached out to stroke his trembling body.

"What’s wrong with you......"

"ha!"

The cat slapped his hand away and opened its mouth wide at the same time—

Baring fangs, a standard warning sign.

Navelette: "!"

"Wait, is he kissing you? Is he kissing you?"

Furina was so shocked that she was speechless:

"How is that possible?"

The Cat God has been in Mo Mang Palace for so long, and has been allowed to play with and pet it at will. It hasn't even struggled, let alone hissed at people!

"...I just smashed the chair next to him when I fell."

Navelette quickly analyzed the situation, her face showing shame:

"I must have scared him; cats are all a bit stressed."

"It's perfectly reasonable."

Funina opened her arms to the Dragon King, her eyes filled with worry:

"Since you have things to do, give him to me first, and I'll calm him down."

"good."

The Dragon King bent down slightly and tilted the large cat in his arms towards Funina's embrace:

"Catch it...!"

"ha!!"

With a trembling hiss, the big cat suddenly spread its limbs, its claws gleaming, and its entire beast hook remained firmly attached to Vilette!

"Cat God? Good boy, come down here."

Fu Ningna instinctively reached out to grab the cat by the scruff of its neck, but couldn't budge it after a few tries.

"Aren't you afraid of him?"

"Waaah—"

The cat hugged the Dragon King tightly.

"This...acting cute?"

Navilette reached out again, bewildered, wanting to stroke the mane standing on end on his back:

"You're not afraid of me anymore?...!"

"ha!!"

Its canine teeth bared, nearly scratching the Water Dragon King's finger.

Funina: "...What on earth is going on, Violet?!"

"Sorry, I don't know either."

Neither pure water dragons nor water gods could comprehend it.

If you're not afraid, then shut up quietly and don't hiss. If you're scared, then let someone comfort you quietly and don't cling to the culprit. So, Cat God, you—

He was so scared he was practically breathing on her skin, yet he still insisted on sticking to Vilette? Is he a masochist?!

"No, I think that can only mean one thing."

Claurind watched for a while before hesitantly speaking:

"That is, he trusted Mr. Navelette very much."

"What?" The water dragon and the water god looked at her at the same time.

"Ah, I mean... cats are alert and sensitive creatures. They instinctively remember people who frighten them and avoid them from afar next time. The cat god should be the same."

"Get to the point."

Funina urged her:

"He's already started chewing on that Villette glove!"

"...Because of my sensitivity, when I feel scared, I have to instinctively hide near someone I trust for a long time before I can feel at ease."

"etc."

Navilette seemed to understand something:

"you mean--"

"Perhaps the person he loves most and the person he fears most... is Mr. Villette at this moment."

At this point in her analysis, Claudia couldn't help but rub her forehead in exasperation.

"So, in my dilemma, all I can do is laugh at you, scare you, kiss you, and hug you."

Funina glanced at the Water Dragon King, who was being rubbed against and cursed by the cat: "..."

Navelette looked at the cat god, who was clinging to her, her sharp claws digging into the fabric: "..."

Mainkun glared at him: "Hiss!"

"This situation is not uncommon."

Claurind explained:

"After all, cats are quite stupid creatures..."

What a stupid guy!

Funina was so shocked that her hair stood on end.

I'm an idiot for doubting he'd reveal the secret!

Perhaps he was completely unaware of what the gods represented to Fontaine, nor did he realize the importance of this secret...

So stupid, so stupid, so stupid—

While she was thinking, she suddenly noticed that Villette was staring intently at her most trusted disciple—the yawning cat.

"......"

The dragon's horns were stiff; clearly, he was completely stunned.

"Navilette!"

The deity was startled and quickly advised him:

"Don't be angry with him. It's true that the student is a bit slow, but... but... but he can still be taught! Uh... Clorind, you should try to persuade him too!"

"ah?"

Clarin didn't know what to say. The cat was stupid, so be it; it wasn't going to the Sumeru Cult. So she could only speak, bewildered:

"Sir, cough, Cat God's intelligence is already among the best of its kind..."

"Yes, yes, yes!"

Furness was drenched in sweat: "Don't be discouraged! I'll start feeding him fish oil tomorrow!"

"......"

What?

Navelette snapped out of her daze amidst the two men's words of comfort.

Looking down at his chest, the small, silver-gray-furred beast never once lowered its claws to jump off the person who instilled fear in it.

"Hiss-hah—" Rattlesnake.

call......

Navelette closed her eyes and breathed slowly.

Funina: "Oh no, oh no, he's going to be furious..."

"Is it that serious? Do the cats in Mo Mang Palace need to have a degree?"

Claude also became anxious, and the two girls watched the Water Dragon King breathe in and out nervously, as if suppressing their intense emotions.

Finally, he slowly opened his vertical pupils.

"I never expected you to trust me so much."

His indifferent face radiated astonishing compassion and love!

The majestic Supreme Judge slowly removed the coat that supported his body, wrapping it together with the little beast within, a creature of intertwined love and fear, into a swaddling cloth.

"Clearly filled with fear, trembling with unease."

"Yet you still want to run into my arms and seek my comfort?"

"Cat God, your courage deserves praise and comfort."

He tucked the swaddled baby into the hands of the purple-haired guard, then resolutely stood guard at the opera house door.

"But important matters come first, and I really can't get away right now."

*

"......"

Wow.

He loves it.

Furina looked at the cat-shaped bundle in Clorind's arms with some shock.

"It's the first time I've ever seen Violet with that expression..."

He's really serious about taking on students.

“Mr. Navelette, you have a very kind heart.”

A strange sense of emotion crossed Claude's face.

"My first reaction was to judge the other person as an idiot, but I forgot that..."

She looked down at the small beast, trembling and disoriented inside the judge's coat.

"How much courage and trust does it take to seek comfort from someone who is afraid?"

"Our Supreme Judge of Fontaine is, of course, the best!"

She subconsciously offered a compliment, then turned her gaze to the cat trembling inside her clothes.

I was so worried that I lost my composure, and only now am I remembering.

Would a magical creature that can freely change its size be startled by a mere loud noise?

Or is it...?

Is there another reason?

*

[So scary, so scary, so scary! Violet is rushing over, it's terrifying!]

Mainkun is about to be caught.

[Mainkun of the Hearth House! Mainkun who killed his brother! Mainkun stained with blood! Mainkun the lynx! He's about to be caught!]

[No, no, no, no, I can't get caught! Mainkun! I'm not!]

[Mainkuhn is a lynx and a fugitive]

I am a fugitive.

[The Cat God is a Fugitive]

[...I'm a bad person.]

[No!]

[No, no, no! I'm just a cat! Help my teacher—ugh!]

"Lady Furina, he seems to be... gagging? Very violently."

"Huh? What caused this? Wait, wait, there's no veterinary hospital near the opera house!"

"A veterinary hospital? Are there any sick animals there?"

It was at this moment that Melsin, who appeared in human form, appeared before the two girls.

"Oh, isn't this the Water God?"

The leisurely Duke strolled slowly behind Siegwen:

"Why are you so flustered? This isn't like you at all."