Chapter 86: Who is stronger, who is weaker, a soft heart kills...

"Little Navia!"

When Vasher saw the girl stand up, he immediately exclaimed, "Come here quickly, don't let the bad guys hurt you!"

"Pah! How can you be so shameless!"

Navia looked at the pistol in her hand, which had just been fired, and couldn't understand how he could continue acting:

"Wasn't it you who threw me into that monstrous water a few hours ago?"

Vasher was taken aback: "You've been awake the whole time?"

"Of course, who can you fool with your clumsy lie? A prisoner holding a gun to force my dad into the sea? Hah."

Navia glared at him, and also at the cat beside her that was standing motionless with its back to her.

"With this guy's strength—why would he need a pistol? He just grabbed my dad like a little chick with a flick of his wrist!"

"..."

Mainkuhn stood by the pool, his back to her, as if he hadn't heard the complaints.

"?"

Vasher was shocked by her outrageous reasons for doubt.

But recalling the iron-like, firm hand behind his head, Vashes thought that Navia might be telling the truth.

"Wasn't the robber supposed to be a skinny, animal-eared boy...?"

In the end, Vashe could only look at the lively Navia with resentment.

"Kares really raised a good daughter, smearing his image in front of the enemy..."

"You have no right to comment, traitor!"

Thump! A punch knocked Vasher unconscious. Thinking about what had happened before, Navia felt a chill of fear. After all, she was still pretending to be unconscious in confusion when Vasher put her into the pool.

If that cat-eared bastard hadn't shown up, I would really be dead!

"Hey, it's En."

Thinking about this, Navia's feelings became complicated again. It was rare for gratitude and resentment to coexist within her, but Navia was an upright person and never hesitated to express her gratitude to anyone.

and……

There's a lot of incongruity.

They're everywhere.

"Thank you for saving me."

Navia stared at Mainkun's drooping cat ears, cautiously approaching his retreating figure, and first chose a harmless topic to begin with:

"I was pretending to faint to see what tricks Marcell was up to, but I never expected to discover something so incredible."

"..."

The other person stood there, motionless, without reacting.

Navia continued walking and said, "Water that only dissolves the people of Fontainebleau is truly unheard of. This reminds me of a long-standing prophecy in Fontainebleau. You should know which one it is?"

"..."

"Even if you don't want to talk to people, there should be a limit, right?"

Navia sensed something was very wrong, so she took a few steps to the edge of the pool and looked up at Mainkuen's face.

"Hello……!?"

This sight startled Navia; the boy's face, which had already looked weak, was now covered in a deathly pale color due to lack of blood!

"What's wrong with you?!"

Although she couldn't see the lower half of his face covered by the cloth, Navia had no doubt that his lips must have been bruised long ago.

"Wake up, hey!"

A scene unfolded in a secluded chamber deep underwater, one that defies comprehension.

The girl shook the kidnapper who had taken her father hostage, hoping he would be healthy and normal.

"Mr. En, En!"

Navia swayed a few times and noticed that he was barely covered by a piece of cloth, looking even more disheveled than in his faded trench coat.

"Damn it, why don't they ask the Rose Society for ransom when they're so poor?"

She discovered another suspicious point.

There's another scene that's even harder for people to understand.

The young kidnapper was jolted awake from his panic.

"!"

He looked down and saw the victim's daughter shaking his arm, her pretty little leather shoes just a few steps away from the murderous seawater.

"!!!"

Forgetting even their fear of humans, terrifying claws gripped the girl's waist, yanked her off the ground, and lifted her backward, all while letting out a tremendous roar:

"Get away from the water!!"

"..."

It had been a long time since he had shouted so loudly that even Mainkun himself was momentarily stunned.

"So loud."

But it wasn't until he met Navia's blank blue eyes that Mainkun realized what he had done.

[Me, me,]

The soft touch in his palm made him feel uneasy and uncomfortable, so he immediately released his grip, allowing the little leather shoes to land steadily.

[What just happened? Something really scary seems to have frightened me...]

The boy, who had roared, fell silent again. He blinked his wild, vertical pupils and looked around the secret room with unease.

[Collect emotions, and then... oh yes, water that can dissolve people!]

He immediately rushed back to the shallow pool, staring at the remaining water inside.

[I have to take them away and destroy them! ...Or study them, Marcellus! Take them all!]

[What is this water? Where did it come from? Will all seawater become like this in the future? Why… Damn it! I don't know anything! I have to go find Fucarus again!]

Mainkuhn found a few bottles in the stronghold and a few long-handled ladles left behind in a room that resembled a kitchen. He tried to scoop the fetal seawater into the bottles, but his hands kept shaking and he couldn't get it right.

[...]

Looking at the water that had barely covered the bottom of the bottle after a long time, an indescribable sense of despair rose in Mainkuhn's heart.

[There's nothing I can do.]

I'm trying, but so what?

My efforts are like the little water in the bottle, almost a waste of energy.

Think about it carefully, Mainkun. How can hatred and malice be used for salvation? Everything you do is in vain...

I can't do anything...

Mainkuhn had questioned his actions many times since he learned of the prophecy. He sat quietly by the pool, motionless, waiting for the despair to pass and for his hands to regain their steady grip.

[It's just another instance of self-doubt.]

Let your emotions subside before you try again.

Here, take it.

A bottle of seawater suddenly swayed in front of him, and Navia asked:

"Is this what you want?"

"..."

His vertical pupils stared at her without moving.

"You're moving so slowly, how long will it take you to collect all this? I'm just trying to help you out, you're welcome."

Little Navia swung her arms by the edge of the fetal seawater pool, a hint of pride on her face:

"I'm the best in every aspect!"

[Meow! ! ! ]

Mainkun pulled her up and threw her outside.

[Are you asking for it?!]

[...]

He only realized something was wrong after he threw it away.

[Damn! I'm going to die!]

He ran a few more steps, enduring the discomfort, and caught Navia as she flew through the air.

Are you alright...?

Mainkuhn put her down on the ground with trembling hands, not daring to look the little girl in the eye.

[Who told you to scare me... by touching something so dangerous...]

Her body felt light, and she was quickly lifted into the sky, only to be caught again. When Navia stood on the ground again, she was still a little dazed about what had just happened.

"Ha ha ha ha!"

But after testing the waters, one thing is certain.

"What is that?"

She laughed loudly, jumped up, and gave Mainkuhn's drooping ear hair a good tug.

"Rather than calling you a bad guy, you're more like a complete idiot!"

[!?]

Ah, Father, forgive me. I know you are now in a precarious situation, not knowing where this guy is keeping you. I should have drawn my gun on him and used my fury to force him to hand you over.

But look at the trembling muscles and curled nails this guy had when he touched me; I don't believe he'd hurt me.

"Mr. En, weren't you quite arrogant when you caused such a scene at the Rosebush Association?"

Navia propped herself up on her feet, her little leather shoes twirling merrily on the stone slabs, as she devilishly approached the silent boy.

"Who is truly the stronger party? Hmm? You?"

The girl, who had neither fangs nor claws, nor the Eye of God, smiled gently as she looked up at the half-demon advancing:

"But when I approached, you cowered and made way for me."

[...]

Mainkuhn, who was retreating, froze at the ankle.

[What happened?]

He tried to stand still calmly, but his vertical pupils couldn't help but glance sideways at Navia.

Why does she suddenly seem so scary?

"Hahahaha... A soft bun, after hardening slightly, actually fooled us all."

Navia almost laughed at his feigned nonchalance. She strode forward and cornered Mainkun, who was a head taller than her.

[!?]

"Hello!"

Humans are creatures that are prone to taking advantage of others, and Navia is no exception. She bared her teeth and brandished her claws in a menacing gesture:

Give me the ladle you used to scoop water!

[...]

"Give me!"

Little Navia jumped up and slapped him on the forehead.

[！！]

Although the slap was light, it was enough to terrify Maine, who immediately offered him the soup spoon.

"good."

With the imposing presence of a mafia boss, Navia tiptoed and patted Mainkun's stiff shoulder, threatening him:

"Come with me, and do whatever I tell you, or else..."

Before she could say anything else, the cat nodded repeatedly in terror.

"." The most threatening episode.

Everything went smoothly until little Navia led the cat back to the edge of the fetal seawater pool.

[No! No! You can't go over there!]

The boy remained silent, his hair standing on end, and he used his fingernails to hook at her collar.

[Danger! You'll turn into a puddle!]

"Ugh, this is so annoying! Didn't I tell you to do whatever I tell you to do?!"

Navia slapped his hand away:

"If you move again, I'll tear off these rags and make you swim ashore naked!"

[...How could you do this!]

Being human is nothing compared to being a cat; without fur to cover his shame, Mainkuen could only desperately take the bottle that Navia handed him.

"Take this and bring the bottle to the surface of the pool. We need to conserve this stuff... Hold it steady, don't shake it!"

[You're going to die! You're going to die! Aaaaaaah!]

Mainkun almost fainted as he stared at little Navia scooping up seawater.

[I can pack this water myself, it might just be a little slower!!]

"...Never mind, it's okay to shake."

Helpless, Navia could only aim haphazardly at the trembling bottle opening and scoop in a spoonful.

As expected, most of the fetal seawater spilled out of the bottle, flowed onto Mainkun's hands, and fell back into the pool.

[...]

Mainkuhn has always hated the feeling of being wet.

But as the amniotic fluid repeatedly soaked only his own hands, he gradually calmed down.

Once she calmed down and looked again, she realized that when Navia used the long-handled spoon to lift and move the water, the terrifying liquid was actually far away from her body and had no chance to touch her.

Little Navia's hands were steady and quick, and her long nails didn't interfere with her work. In fact, she didn't need Mainkun to hold the bottle to catch it, and she wouldn't hurt herself.

But she still comforted him in this way.

“Look, Mr. En.”

"Things that one person cannot do, or things that are very dangerous for one person to do."

"It's faster and safer when two people do it together."

[...]

Mainkuhn turned his head away, avoiding her bright smile and gaze.

I was educated by a child younger than myself...

Navia didn't want to see the back of his head.

"Therefore, please take me as your companion and share your secrets and difficulties with me."

She reached out and tugged at Mainkuhn's hairy ear, turning his face toward her.

"Tell me, what are your reasons for kidnapping my dear father?"

"The bloodthirsty, dark hero, Mr. Lynx?"

She was pleased to see the boy's vertical pupils tremble with fear.

"That's really true."