Chapter 18 Navelette, outside the Momon Palace, halfway...
"It's your turn to introduce yourself. What's your name?"
"Whoa! Why such a scary expression—you're actually the type who's afraid of self-introductions!?"
There's no need for self-introduction; I've just temporarily transformed back into a human.
The name Mainkuhn...
The members of the Hearth House are one thing, but you fragile humans are better off staying away from danger.
*
I was treated gently.
I'm not used to it at all.
Sitting on the stool, the cat-eared boy shook his new shoes and socks in a daze—the size was estimated by Miles, and the bartender Wayne bought them as an apology for being the first to act.
Ordinary leather boots, nothing fancy about the Grey River, but...
Very comfortable.
"Kid, you've got some strength." The burly man casually poured two glasses of juice and one glass of wine.
"I misjudged you, thinking you were just some ordinary brat to be chased away."
They just experienced the monster's strength, yet they show no fear or disgust whatsoever. The people of the Gray River are truly strange.
As the catnip lingered in the air, the half-demon lowered her head to avoid his gaze, looking thoughtfully at the rose pattern on the table.
......
Although I don't want to interact with humans much, just communicating with White alone is already exhausting, but...
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have lifted you up."
My older brother taught me to apologize when I do something wrong.
"Don't mention this again!" The burly man's face turned red.
"It would be embarrassing for others to know that I was swung around by a child!"
"...I'm sorry, I shouldn't have...apologized?"
"Shut up, kid!"
Why does he look even angrier?
Humans are strange.
*
Although my mind was much clearer, the anti-anxiety effects of catnip were still present.
Can he still manage to get along with people for a while? It probably won't last long.
"Bubble orange juice, lemon juice, and grape juice, which would you like to drink?" Little Navia greeted Mainkuen warmly.
"...I don't want any of them."
The cat-eared boy carefully hid his face behind his scarf, not wanting anyone to see his sharp teeth and thin tongue.
"Whether or not Rose will resort to underhanded tactics is something I'm always curious about!"
Whether it was a misunderstanding or not, little Navia took out a new spoon, scooped up a spoonful of juice, put it in her mouth, and said, "It's delicious!"
"......"
The half-human, half-demon child wore a cold expression, but was struggling internally.
Maine knew, of course, that there was no poison in it; his monster instincts told him that no one here meant him any harm.
but...
Oranges, lemons, and the like—just the smell makes me nauseous.
Cats eating grapes can even develop kidney failure. Although someone my size probably wouldn't be affected by drinking a glass, but...
The short tail thrashed irritably behind its back: "No."
"Eh..."
After being rejected repeatedly, little Navia looked disappointed.
"These are Mondstadt grapes that I specifically chose..."
"......"
Mainkuhn twitched his ears.
“Each one is big and round, and I personally select them, just to squeeze out the most perfect juice to serve our distinguished guests.”
"......"
Mainkuhn looked away.
These were not enough to change the mind of the half-demon.
"But none of that matters. If you don't want to drink, then don't."
Although disappointed, Navia's young face still wore a considerate smile, like that of an adult.
"The most important thing is that the guests are happy!"
"......"
Critical hit!
How despicable! A mere child—a small and weak creature—
Why do you have to act so mature?
He loosened his fist, revealing sharp nails, and the half-demon coldly raised his cup.
Wow! I drank it...
The light blue liquid moistened his lips and then smeared onto the inside of his scarf.
"good."
The half-demon, who couldn't taste a single flavor, commented on it.
"Yay! I knew my cooking was the best!"
Disappointment, feigned thoughtfulness, and adult-like maturity all transform into innocent smiles.
"......"
The boy's appearance remained gloomy and aloof, but his short tail subtly curled up under the cover of his trench coat.
Ah, this young man.
Old Miles saw the interaction between the two and his heart softened.
Although he seems aloof and quiet, he's willing to put in the effort to please the young lady.
“Everyone has different tastes, Navia, don’t make things difficult for this young man.”
Old Miles was once again convinced of his conjecture.
This child is indeed not an extremely evil person, nor does he have any intention of harming others.
He's quite skilled in martial arts, which is why he's so good at threatening people... His wounds are also strange. Sigh, I have a feeling that if left unchecked, he'll definitely go astray.
Let this old man give him some appropriate guidance.
"Mr. Mainkun, what kind of information are you looking to buy?"
Whether out of an elder's love for the young, or out of pity for the boy's wounds, old Miles was willing to lend a helping hand to Maine.
"Consider this an apology for the old man firing the gun; the intelligence is yours for free."
"An apology?"
Maine shook his head in confusion, a tuft of hair on his earlobe drawing a black line in the air. "I attacked you first..."
"So, it's only natural that he got beaten to death."
"Kill him? It's only natural?"
Wow, the little guy is so young, but his ideas are so extreme.
“Violence! You had no intention of harming me from the beginning, but my counterattack was to kill you. If a tragedy occurs, the consequences of the two are not the same.”
Myles looked at the boy in front of him seriously.
"Child, human life is a very precious thing. You should cherish it. No one has the right to harm your own life or the lives of others!"
"......?"
Maine didn't understand.
The half-demon is fifteen years old in this life. He has been imprisoned and deceived for fifteen years. He has never seen the scales of justice, nor has he ever heard of a just trial.
Is life precious? Do we have no right to harm it?
Mainkuhn could only recall being picked up by Kujavina when he was six years old:
"Well done! That was the right thing to do!"
When he was a little older, he was often covered in bruises:
"Mainkuhn, I am the master of the Hearth House! Resist again and I will kill you!"
The Last Clementine:
"There's no escaping it, there's no way to escape it... We'll all die."
"Let's go and kill Mother."
Do you need power to hurt someone? I've never heard of that.
We all grew up hurting each other.
The half-demon blinked in confusion, staring at the human with its golden vertical pupils.
His eyes were so wild and peculiar that Miles didn't realize he hadn't understood and assumed he simply disagreed.
That's not good.
In any case, minors should behave themselves honestly and be considered virtuous and upright.
"Remember this, kid. Although you possess superhuman strength, if one day you harbor malicious intent and use this power to indiscriminately attack and harm others..."
The old man sighed inwardly, pulled out his gun, and slammed it on the table.
"Then, a bullet from law enforcement will surely pierce your brain, whether it be from the Grey River or the Court of Justice."
Click.
The bullet was chambered and pushed into the boy's ear.
"Or it might be mine."
The old man looked coldly at Mainkuhn.
"If you dare to do anything bad again, I'll blow your head off, kid."
*
The aristocratic district at almost the same time:
After Donatello deduced that the perpetrator was a minor, there was a moment of silence.
"What!??"
A colleague belatedly exclaimed in shock, "But how did they do that? Could it be someone with the Eye of God?...No, you're saying a minor did something so cruel, crushing someone alive into a pulp?! Why?!"
My colleagues simply couldn't understand it.
In my memory, he was mostly the one being protected. How did he suddenly transform into a man-eating demon?
“That is indeed the case.” Meluccinodine acknowledged and added to Donatello’s reasoning:
"Based on the clues found in the bedroom and bathroom, the suspect, a lynx, is approximately 1.6 meters tall, thin, and between fourteen and sixteen years old. His motive for the murder was not financial gain..."
He didn't kill for money...
"Could he be a born criminal, with an antisocial personality?!"
A colleague suddenly had a brilliant idea:
"That kind of born villain who enjoys the thrill of killing?"
"That possibility cannot be ruled out." Donatello nodded slowly, his face grave. "We must capture and educate this child as soon as possible, otherwise what will happen when he comes of age?"
Alas, child, a minor murderer.
Donatello sighed deeply.
Fathers inevitably tend to think more deeply about such cases.
I don't know how his family raised him, how could they have raised such a cold-blooded monster?
"His harm to society will inevitably increase with age, and his immature mentality will further exacerbate his danger..."
The two humans had practically sealed the killer's fate, while only Meloshin angrily put her hands on her hips again:
"I told you not to let fear cloud your judgment! Take a good look at this bathroom!"
What happened to the bathroom?
The two humans looked up in confusion.
The decor was opulent, and the bath was spacious and bright, though it was stained with the blood of an earl.
"A dot? More than a dot?... Ah, it's my fault."
Autigne bent over in dejection:
“I forgot that human vision is different from Melusin's. Let me tell you, in my field of vision—”
"This bathtub, which can hold dozens of people, was also covered with the blood of dozens of people."
The person looked toward the bathtub following the sound, but could see nothing but the pristine white exterior.
"Colorful, layer upon layer, like graffiti, like watercolor, tender, light, with lots of human blood, from boys and girls, from men and women."
"Colorful and beautiful!"
The descendants of the abyss praised it thus.
"I feel like I'll never see another bathtub this beautiful in my lifetime."
"......"
We're doomed.
The special patrol team members, who were familiar with Meluxin, broke out in a cold sweat.
The cold autumn wind blew by, carrying the scent of blood as it touched the words on the murder weapon: ...orphan...honor...
The bones distorted the gold lettering, but everyone could see the significance of this trophy.
The count was a philanthropist who donated to orphanages.
"This count is suspicious! Quickly, summon his servants for questioning!"
But what philanthropist's bathroom would be so stained with blood that Melissa repeatedly praised its vibrant colors?
Could this murder be... a revenge case committed by a minor?
Donatello felt a pang of anxiety as he inexplicably thought of his youngest daughter, Chavorei.
...If that's the case, then this tragedy is a result of our incompetence as adults and law enforcement officers.
*
The fluff rubbed against the steel gun muzzle.
Myles was surprised to find that even at this point, the boy's face still showed no fear or wavering, only a gloomy calm.
Are you betting I won't dare to shoot? You audacious brat!
...Although the Rose Society does not have law enforcement authority, we cannot shoot anyone in the head.
"?"
Maine twitched the tips of his ears, probing the demonic power within the body.
No increase.
That means there was no murderous intent.
“.
This old man is trying to scare people. Why?
Mainkun looked at Miles with a bewildered expression, but his pupils were too narrow and his features too sharp for anyone to discern his confusion.
I don't understand... Oh well, let him have his way, he's getting on in years.
Cats have always respected the elderly and loved the young, so they let the weapon be aimed at his vital points.
Anyway, you can crush the gun barrel before the bullet is fired.
......
Oh no! They weren't afraid at all.
Little Navia watched for a while, and then she became anxious.
No, no, if you don't recognize your mistakes, you'll make the same mistakes again!
Last time I ran into Miles during the "robbery," it was alright, but if I encounter bad guys next time, I'll definitely get beaten to death!
Completely deceived by the boy's frail appearance, selectively forgetting Maine's incredible strength in crushing a gun barrel with one hand, little Navia quickly began to threaten him with bared teeth and claws:
"Myles isn't kidding you, he's the deputy of the Rose Gang, he's super fierce! Ha! Fiercer than the Knife Ray, fiercer than the Armored Crab! Fiercer...fier...anyway, super fierce!"
Could there be a fierce monster?
Mainkuhn dismissed it with disdain.
"If you keep doing bad things!"
The panicked sounds subsided, and the little girl adopted a serious expression.
"Will Rose let you off the hook?"
"?"
Extending her index finger and thumb, the blonde girl also shoved her "gun" into the half-demon's ear.
"Bang, bang."
The tender, soft sound of gunfire emanated from the mouth of the future leader of the Rose Society:
"Your head will explode like this, it's really, really scary."
"......"
She tried her best to appear fierce, but...
It's not scary at all, on the contrary... it's very cute.
Maine hid her face even further behind her scarf, concealing the slight upturn of her lips.
Showing your fangs is not good.
Seeing Maine dodge, Navia assumed he was scared, so she quickly changed her serious expression and put on a big, bright yellow rose-like smile to reassure him.
On one side lay a steel weapon, on the other, the fingers of a human child; the head of a half-demon was caught in the middle, and voices of both the aged and the innocent offered advice simultaneously:
"Please don't do anything bad again, big brother."
"Don't do anything bad again, young man."
"Tell us directly if you encounter any difficulties."
Myles patted his neck meaningfully, alluding to the stacks of electrical marks.
"We, the Rose Society, a grassroots mutual aid organization, will never let any illegal activity go unpunished."
Don't do bad things?
The half-demon belatedly realized the true intentions of the two.
Very similar to her brother... worry and discipline, caring admonitions.
"......"
It's been such a long time since I've felt this way.
Although I don't understand what you're saying, and I can't comprehend your concerns, but...
Bathed in the old man's peaceful gaze, Mainkun gently touched the top of little Navia's golden head with his knuckles, his sharp, curved nails tucked into his palm.
Ah, it feels so warm.
Does the sun shine in the Grey River?
......
"Let's talk about the intelligence."
*
Mainkuhn eventually accepted the free intelligence offered by Myles.
...Even if I wanted to pay, I couldn't get Mora.
It's perfectly normal for a cat to not have money!
"I--"
Mainkuhn tried to accept the kindness with a clear conscience, as openly as a true beast.
Accept it! You want to be a cat? What cat pays for its own things? It's normal for them to enjoy things prepared by humans!
"..." The little short tail thrashed restlessly under the trench coat.
...I can't do it.
How can one accept gifts from others as a matter of course?
It's impossible.
Under the bewildered gazes of Navia and Myles, the half-demon's face darkened, and he made a decision on his own:
I owe Rose two favors, and I have to repay them.
The excuse of offering an apology is unacceptable.
After all, regardless of the motive or whether harm is caused, the moment a knife is placed at the neck of an innocent person...
I can no longer forgive myself.
*
"An incident occurred eight or nine years ago that prompted the Fontainebleau law enforcement authorities to crack down on human trafficking and rescue victims..."
The conversation overheard at the count's house came in handy.
It's been a long time since I spoke such a long sentence in human form.
The half-demon's fingernails dug straight into the table, his body trembling from the effort.
"I want to know who those human traffickers arrested by the court are, who the rescued victims are, and where they are now?"
The effects of the catnip were fading, and anxiety and panic began to rise again in the boy's body.
The old man and the child's expressions suddenly became complicated. Maine pressed down on her cat ears, not having the energy to guess what they were thinking.
"...I can only give you information about the human traffickers. The victims' identities are protected and are probably only kept in the archives of the Mo Mang Palace...except for the children who have been confirmed dead."
Old Miles pulled up a thick file:
"Their ashes are stored in the Ash River, so the Rose Society has information about them."
die...
Mainkun swallowed hard, his hooked fingernails trembling as he flipped through the papers.
There were seven or eight familiar faces again.
But I don't have a brother!
Thank you, Wind God, Geo God, Thunder God, Grass God, Fire God, and Ice God!
With a sigh of relief, Mainkuhn narrowed his vertical pupils and opened the human trafficker's intelligence report.
In the faded black and white photograph, the half-demon saw a pair of familiar faces.
They are my brother's adoptive parents!
The nobleman's highest judge, that four-hundred-year-old gentleman, had indeed captured them!
Where are they now? I need to go ask them where they sold my brother!
Ecstasy is a gift from the emergence of clues.
The wide brim of the hat concealed the boy's face well, but it couldn't hide his trembling ear tips.
My brother's beloved adoptive parents and the family he tried so hard to maintain were all a lie.
You beasts! How dare you bully my brother! I'll break your arms and twist your legs, and you'll never be able to utter a single word for the rest of your lives, except for the whereabouts of my brother!
Anger was ignited by the undeniable facts.
But the vermilion caption next to the photo was particularly eye-catching.
"Both of them are dead...?"
Maine was stunned.
...Dead?
They deserve to die; even if they hadn't, Maine would have killed them anyway.
But now there is a crucial question.
"A clue about my brother..."
Where should we look now?
Despair always comes.
*
Damn it! He couldn't have chosen a better time to die!
Mainkuhn's body began to tremble involuntarily, and red veins spread to his sclera.
A clue I finally found! What to do... That's right! There's a clue at Mo Mang Palace too—let me steal it! Let me do whatever it takes—
His emotions shifted from despair to excitement and then to numbness. Suddenly, Mainkuhn thought of something.
"......"
Isn't the Mo Mang Palace the abode of the gods?
The Seven Rulers of the Mortal World.
I can't beat her. I heard the Water Goddess is an incredibly powerful, crazy woman who loves watching dramas.
"......"
Yes, I want to find my brother. I'm willing to die to find him.
But my brother can't be hurt! If I offend the gods of Fontaine while trying to find him, how will he live in Fontaine afterward?
Damn it, how did those two beasts die?
"Oh yes, of all the human traffickers exposed, only the two of them died."
The old man pushed up his glasses and began to reminisce about the past.
"It seems that the one who killed them was a minor, a little younger than you, and it even made the newspapers at the time."
A little younger than me...
"!!"
My brother was about that age back then!
"What's your name!"
"!"
The half-demon grabbed Myles's arm, his nails digging painfully into the human's flesh through his clothes.
Miles was startled, but he couldn't bring himself to be angry.
Because on the boy's face, that innocent face that had always been hidden behind the scarf...
It is an undisguised hope and yearning.
"He, that child who killed someone, what's his name!" The question was pressed again, each word filled with sorrow.
"......"
“Leosley, his name is Leosley... Sorry, we don’t have a photo of the juvenile offender.”
"Leosley".
The name rolled between the half-demon's sharp teeth and thin tongue.
"...I don't know him."
Ultimately, it turned into deep regret and despair.
*
After going through the remaining information again and again, the cat was unaware that its brother had changed his name, bid farewell to the past, and been reborn in Mero Petersburg.
All he knew was that the trail had gone cold again.
"Are you alright, big brother?"
The sudden drooping of her back and the listless appearance of her cat ears caused Navia great concern.
Even the tufts of hair on the tips of his ears were as soft as noodles. Mainkuhn mumbled a few replies, said goodbye absentmindedly, and walked out of the tavern with his head down.
The sadness almost materialized, covering him completely instead of his scarf and hat.
"Looks like they really are looking for someone." Old Miles shook his head and sighed. "Poor boy, covered in injuries, running around in an adult's coat, how cold he must be."
What did he go through? Who is he looking for?
Watching the boy's departing figure, little Navia felt both sad and curious.
"Hopefully he can find it soon."
The little girl clasped her hands together in prayer.
"Yes, once you find a job, it's best if you behave yourself and find a stable job. Don't go around threatening people in the alleys..."
With such strength, she could probably support herself even by carrying bricks.
Myles nodded silently to himself, tracing the half-demon's silhouette with a look of blessing.
The boy suddenly stopped, and under the old man's bewildered gaze, he pulled out a small jar, buried his face in it, and took a deep breath.
!?
The boy's condition improved visibly, and a faint relaxation appeared on his face. He blinked his ears in a daze, turned around, and disappeared.
! ? ?
What's in the jar? Tobacco leaves? Sedatives? LESS doesn't have solid forms!
But this reaction is definitely not a good thing—
"Myles! We should really lock him up!"
Little Navia slammed her hand on the table and stood up!
"If we leave him to wander around the Grey River, he'll definitely go astray!"
"What the young lady says makes sense."
Myles also cleaned his gun with a murderous intent.
"That kind of brat should be locked up in school for ten or eight years! Wayne, come with me to chase after him!"
"...I won't go, I can't beat him."
*
Thankfully, there's catnip.
After taking a few deep breaths, Maine felt better.
Pepe once said that I have a very strong ability to absorb human malice.
If I absorb the fear and hatred of millions of people, can I then stand on equal footing with the seven great gods?
Click, click...
Without realizing it, Mainkun put his nails in his mouth and gnawed at them, his canines and hooks grinding against each other.
I just don't feel like I should do that.
......
Where did Pepe and Clementine escape to with everyone?
...Everyone will definitely be better off without me... Let me turn back into a cat first, calm down, and then think about how to infiltrate the Mo Mang Palace.
The half-demon walked back to White's house, intending to leave his clothes on the roof as he used to.
Grey River has many identical rooftops, but for some reason, the boy always walks a long way just to switch forms on White's rooftop.
"Maine, Kuhn."
Just as he was about to do it again, a faint, dying cry came from inside the house.
It's White.
What do you want me to do?
Mainkuhn hooked his toes on the eaves and hung upside down, looking at him through the dirty glass.
"Sell the bed and buy me a cup of Laszlo."
The emaciated man twitched on the ground.
“.
Mainkuhn turned his vertical pupils away, his waist and abdomen curled up as if trying to climb onto the roof.
"Please help me, I can't walk anymore."
Unable to move? For wild animals, only the dying and the newborn are unable to move...
"!"
Maine immediately climbed off the roof, suppressed his discomfort, and went inside to check on White, who was lying on the floor.
Unfortunately, it's the former.
*
"......"
After circling around the ghost twice, Mainkuen couldn't tell whether his emotions were sadness or not.
"Last wish".
Is there?
"Les".
This is the same answer again.
Opening the catnip jar, Mainkun buried his face in it again:
"...Besides that? Don't you have any other wishes?"
"I want Les! I want Les! You beast! I'm about to die and you still won't buy it for me—I hate you!"
The madman's screams were violent and piercing, but Mainkun didn't move at all, just staring at him stubbornly and defiantly.
"No."
Don't you want anything besides the violin? The flute? The harmonica? Weren't those your favorites before?
White... your brother would be very sad to know you're like this.
This was repeated three or four times until White finally gave in.
"...beyond..."
White hadn't paid attention to anything other than Les in a long time, and for a moment he didn't know what else he wanted.
Speaking of which, Mainkuhn is really good-looking.
White squinted at the half-demon for a while.
It looks good, and it'll be lighter on the bed, but the best-looking one is still...
In a daze, White made his last wish.
"I want pink, jasmine."
*
White watched as his youngest brother, wearing his hat, walked away in silence.
...The gloomy feeling is disgusting; it doesn't show any trace of the lively person I was as a child.
Is he really Mainkun? Or has a monster possessed his body, and now it's a monster talking to me?
White slowly sat up from the ground, staring at the glass bottles scattered all over the floor, and began to ponder the riddled mess of his brain.
Monsters—so what? Monsters, even if they're born good, still get wrecked.
No, no, look at his naive and foolish appearance.
......
It didn't experience what I did.
On what grounds?
Click—
My hands were shaking so badly that shards of glass mixed with precious liquid shattered all over the floor.
White was so heartbroken he wanted to click his tongue, but his muscles were too stiff to do so.
White tidied up the bottles on the floor, working from noon until nightfall, until the cat-eared boy, enveloped in the chill of autumn, entered the room, and White finally finished collecting them.
"Have some water, Mainkuhn."
Perhaps it was a final burst of energy before death, but he felt his tongue was flexible again.
"...Aren't you going to take a look at what I brought you?"
Mainkuhn glanced at him but didn't take the half-cup of water.
"Have some water, Mainkuhn."
Perhaps it was a final burst of energy before death, but a smile managed to appear on his numb face.
"......"
The boy didn't reply, but just used his sharp claws to hold the cap of the catnip.
Please, have some water!
The cries of anguish grew louder and more heart-wrenching.
"This may be the last time I bring you water, little Mayne!"
"......"
Thump!
White knelt on the ground and presented the cup to the boy:
"I'm about to die—aren't you going to grant me my last wish, huh? You vicious beast!"
"......"
The youngest brother looked down at him, his eyes moist like golden sand washed by ocean waves.
"Whitey."
"Huh?" White was stunned for a moment. "How come you..."
Why did he suddenly start calling me "brother" again?
Mainkun called his name and looked at him, but his tone was empty, as if he were talking to himself:
"It's okay, I know, he's not you."
Then I took the cup, tilted my head back, and watched the water trickle down.
"!!"
White quickly leaned over to check the bottom of the cup.
Clean.
ha.
Ha ha.
"Hahahaha! Mainkuhn! You've been tricked!!"
A ferocious laugh suddenly erupted.
"It's Nex! You drank Nex! You're doomed!"
What can describe this ecstasy? A baby's first cry? Victory after a hundred defeats? No! Vulgar, vulgar!
Go and use puppies to smash the head of the idol, throw the remains into the autumn rice harvester, the harvest is bathed in the glory of life, the supreme joy is incomparable!
"You're doomed! You're just like me! Once you're involved with this, there's no escaping it! Hahaha!"
White laughed uncontrollably, while Mainkuen watched him quietly, his golden vertical pupils filled with a honey-like, sticky sadness.
"Waaaaah! Why aren't you crying! Why aren't you crying! We're all in the same boat!"
Laughter was followed by sobbing; the man's emaciated chest convulsed violently as he frantically pounded the boy's shoulder, nearly dislocating his own arm.
"I hate you! I'll kill you, kill you!! You'll never find... just like I won't find... we'll both be forced... kneeling..."
"Same! Same! Same!! Hahaha—"
Mainkun watched him go mad in silence.
The cat's ears drooped softly on either side of its head, and the lynx's fur pointed mournfully towards the ground.
Only after foul language was expelled from White's body like toothpaste did the boy finally speak to the withered and exhausted human.
"Do you want to see more?"
What are you looking at...?
"Pink jasmine flowers."
No...you have no idea what I want...
Tears welled up weakly from his aged eyes; he had used up his last strength in his madness.
What I want isn't flowers, but—ooh!
No, I didn't find any pink jasmine flowers, but this should be about the same for you.
A square, pink package landed silently on White's bed.
Ha... so you were out for so long just to buy me an urn? Is this color your way of getting back at me...?
White stared wide-eyed, panting, as the half-demon's sharp, hooked nails slowly untied the knot, revealing its contents.
Holy crap! That's ruthless! It's even a used urn with a name engraved on it. I wonder who my future roommate will be...
!
White's eyes wouldn't move.
jasmin
Fontainebleau...
Jasmine.
The little devil's soft, gentle explanation reached my ears, as if he were patiently coaxing an innocent baby.
“She stayed in the columbarium for a long time. No one buried her or claimed her, so I stole her.”
Mainkun took his hand and placed it on the pink urn:
"Jasmine, no surname, died at the age of seventeen. I saw her name in the intelligence, and we are from the same family of victims..."
"White, is this the flower you're looking for?"
*
The only response from Mainkuhn was a loud sob.
He saw White reach out his wispy arms and pull Jasmine into his embrace.
Human siblings embrace each other, as intimately as when they were children.
Why didn't you tell me you were dead?
The younger brother closed his eyes, complaining.
"I've been searching for you for so long."
He was almost about to leave this world peacefully.
But before the ruler of death came to reap his soul, the poor man kicked out and opened his eyes wide.
"Little Maine!!"
He screamed in terror, as if only then realizing what he had just done, "Les—"
"!"
An arrogant, awkward, but caring young man.
In these final moments, Mainkun finally managed to recapture a hint of familiarity on his face—
“I poured it all into the scarf, but I didn’t swallow a single drop.”
The cat slowly blinked its eyes, stretched out its paw, and patted the person's head.
"Sleep well, White."
"......"
His eyes were closed, and his expression was peaceful.
The despair and chaotic malice that had persisted since their reunion finally vanished from White.
The child of a demon and a human has lost yet another false family member.
......
Brother, will you do this too? Will I do this too?
Mainkun stared at White's corpse, his vertical pupils shrinking to pinpoints.
Will you get infected with loratadine? Will you be hurt by someone?
Will I never find you, until I go insane?
No, it won't.
I won't let that happen.
The half-demon gathers the remaining resentment, and the half-demon sniffs out the greed in Les.
Mr. Miles, Miss Navia.
You're lecturing me to cherish life.
But whose life should we cherish?
You're lecturing me; no one has the right to harm others.
But why don't I have that right?
You taught me not to do evil.
But what constitutes a bad thing?
I don't understand, and I can't comprehend what I'm saying.
If you don't understand anything, just follow your instincts.
This is how I've always lived.
*
"Mailers".
"Little guy, you've come at the right time! A new batch of goods has just arrived!"
With a smile that seemed to reach the heavens, the Les trader enthusiastically reached out to grab the half-demon's arm.
Thin, and still a child, he's probably not someone sent by the Rose Society to test us.
He enthusiastically and joyfully pulled death through the door.
"Come in quickly, minors get a discount!"
And he left behind his last words.
*
Mainkuhn carefully tied the vendors up and secured them to the chairs.
They removed the drainage hose and shoved the vendor's head down his throat.
'...What a disgusting feeling, I really don't want to touch humans...'
Mainkuhn trembled with anxiety, his hand holding the tube misaligned, and the Les trafficker let out painful groans in his unconscious state.
With a groan, the boy pulled a jar of catnip from his pocket, buried his face in it, and took deep breaths.
When the Les dealer struggled to wake up, this was the bizarre scene he saw.
"Waaaaah!"
Was it a scream of terror, a roar of rage, or a sob of pleading? Mainkuhn couldn't tell.
It could also be due to simple pain, since the rubber tube was inserted improperly and must have damaged the stomach lining.
"Waaaaah! Waaaah!"
The trafficker shook his head frantically in terror, trying like a duck to shake off the tube in his mouth, but could only shake out pain and blood.
"Don't move."
With the lingering scent of catnip, Mainkuhn stepped on the sinner's leg, tilting his head back to reveal his youthful yet sharp eyes.
"You didn't kill anyone directly, so I'm giving you a chance to live."
The advice from Miles and Navia did leave a mark on him.
"...Ugh."
The vendors quieted down at his feet, their throats bobbing as they showed expressions of relief.
The boy was not a bloodthirsty person; his past killings were mostly caused by his out-of-control demonic power.
Today marks the first time he has soberly exacted revenge on ordinary Fontainebleau humans:
"For a day and a night, however many lollies people come to you to buy, I will pour them into your bottle."
"If you are still alive after today and stop selling Les, I will not bother you anymore."
Mainkuhn felt the punishment was not harsh enough.
The price of Les is expensive, and there are few wealthy people in Grey River, so there probably won't be many buyers.
"......"
"Waaaaah! Waaaaah!!"
So why...
The man struggled even more fiercely...
His waist, hips, and legs were twisting wildly. The ropes had left bruises on his shoulders and neck, and large amounts of blood and foam gushed from his mouth through the rubber tube, staining his chin pink.
Is this some kind of severe retaliation?
His addiction to musket will surely worsen, but it probably won't be as severe as White's.
Mainkun inhaled the fear in the air caused by himself, and the demonic power within his body surged.
Even if it gets really bad, he'll just go crazy, but isn't that what he deserves?
"Waaaaah! Waaaah!"
The trafficker cried desperately, trying to vomit the foreign object stuck in his neck.
Devil! Devil!
"Boss, is the boss there?"
Amidst the confusion, the emaciated man gently knocked on the door, his face filled with barely suppressed joy and anticipation.
Ah, it's not even dawn yet, and people are still buying things at this hour.
...I'll just add some salt water and sell it to him; anyway, Les smells like diluted seawater.
Maine carefully lowered his hat, covering his beastly eyes that gleamed in the night.
How much do you want?
The man rubbed his hands together excitedly:
"15L, settled in one lump sum!"
......
? ?
Even the most composed beast can't help but show a look of surprise.
White was going to sell the bed, but he only dared to tell me he was going to buy "one cup" of Les, fifteen liters...
How much will it cost?
How could the Grey River people have so many Mora?
The half-demon scrutinized the guest before him with narrowed pupils—his clothes were tattered, and he was thin. He suppressed his anxiety and tried to ask a question.
"...No accounting is done here."
"No problem, I have plenty of money!"
The man laughed heartily, grinning from ear to ear, and pulled out a bag of gleaming gold Mora, slapping it into the half-demon's arms.
"I just sold my mom!"
"...!?" The velvety ears stood up in alarm.
"Mommy, Mommy!"
"May I always be happy! Forever joyful—yeah!"
"!?!" The half-demon stared at him with his mouth agape.
"Ah, ah—"
The madman saw his face and immediately screamed.
"You're so beautiful! You look—"
It's worth way more than my mom!
"...Are you the only one running the shop here?"
After a moment of silence, he peeked into the house.
"The boss isn't here?"
The human's hand quietly took the half-demon's hand.
"..."
*
Mainkun's demonic power has gone out of control again.
By the time he regained consciousness, everything was finished.
ah......
Mainkuhn, as always, didn't feel anything, except that he learned some basic biological knowledge.
One person really can't drink fifteen liters of lux.
It's difficult for two people too.
*
Is it possible for my brother to become like this...?
Stop thinking, Mainkun! The half-demon instinctively reached for the catnip jar.
However, nepeta lactone is not a panacea.
A cat's reaction to catnip can last up to fifteen minutes, followed by a refractory period of one to two hours... This is a gentle protective mechanism to prevent the cat's nervous system from being overstimulated.
Even with his extreme sensitivity to catnip, Mainkuhn could not escape this protective mechanism.
But at this moment, what a half-demon needs least is this kind of gentle protection mechanism!
Since smelling is no longer useful, open your mouth and swallow all the plant fragments between your sharp teeth!
Mainkuen stretched out his thin tongue and used its barbs to scrape and lick every blade of grass in the jar, swallowing the children's gift of gratitude cleanly.
It seems to be of little use.
My mind... I can't calm down...
But there are still things to do... that mother who was sold, we have to find her...
The half-demon chewed on dry grass, pressed his ears, and banged on the door with his short tail.
"I'm buying people."
“Even if no one can hear you, don’t be so blunt! If you’re talking about buying horses…” The trafficker muttered as he opened the door, his eyes lighting up as he looked at Mainkuen.
"Holy crap...so beautiful...cough! Little one, where's your mom? I might have a business deal with her—"
"Buy people!!"
"Okay, okay, don't be angry, I understand."
He turned and winked at his accomplice, "Come on in!"
"......."
Mainkuhn looked up at him.
You know what you're doing, right, human?
The half-demon walked into the house without resistance, letting them swarm around him, pressing his large hands down on his body and covering his face with a towel.
"Wow! We're going to be rich!"
Amidst the laughter, the half-demon, having consumed his malice fueled by greed, allowed his demonic power to rob him of his reason. He leaped up, his eyes vacant, and swung the bag of Mora that the customer had used to buy Les Espresso, striking it at the half-demon's head.
Once again, the demonic power has spiraled out of control.
"Murder! Murder!"
His accomplices began to scream wildly, like dogs with broken legs.
"Get away from me! You monster! Aa ...
The uncontrolled demonic power is too useful.
After regaining consciousness, Mainkuen stood in the blood-soaked ground, stunned.
She had absolutely no memory of contact with humans, and when she woke up, those annoying guys had disappeared.
That's great.
......
Honestly, I brought money with me to buy it.
*
"Auntie, what's that noise outside?"
In another room, the little boy, his hands and feet ice-cold with fear, desperately tried to hide in the arms of a woman he barely knew.
"Who's yelling? They...they've killed someone again? Will they kill us? I'm so scared, Mommy, boohoo..."
"Don't be afraid, my dear child."
No mother would not react to the word 'Mom'. Even after being betrayed by her own child, Nina reflexively reached out and hugged another man's son.
"Mom is here."
"Mom will protect you."
Mother, she leaned against the cold iron cage, holding her warm child in her arms, her heart overflowing with sorrow.
Silly child, what are you afraid of?
You are still young and valuable. Even if you don't make a move for a while, they won't kill you easily.
I'm not so sure...
There may be things more terrifying than death.
Aunt Nina was trembling slightly, and for a moment she couldn't tell whether it was the child who was trembling or herself.
Amidst this trembling, she encountered a boy who was also trembling.
*
Mainkuhn always felt unwell in his stomach.
Hungry?
The last thing I ate was the salt water given to me by Linnie and Lynette.
It didn't take too long.
Amidst the red blood and white splatter on the ground, Mainkuen shook off his wet Mora bag, picked up an empty pistol, and went into another room.
"Who are you!? How...how did you get in?"
The woman in the cage was terrified, and the child in her arms cried loudly.
"His eyes...his eyes are like a tiger's...blood, so much blood, waaaaah—"
"Shut up!"
The catnip had completely lost its effectiveness, and the half-demon was trembling with anxiety.
He fears people, both his own human form and ordinary people.
"Shut up!!"
The child's cries gave him a splitting headache, and reminded him of the fireplace fire, the collar, the pain, the syringe... everything that was awful.
Please, please stop crying—
"Shut up!!!"
He raised the gun high, and the woman quickly covered the child's mouth in terror.
Snap!
The gun didn't fire a venomous bullet; instead, it rose high like a rock and smashed the lock on the cage.
Huh?
Nina sensed something was wrong.
"Holding, holding the child, I walked out myself..."
Mainkuhn, holding a bent and deformed pistol, pointed it at the woman's head and gave the order.
......
The gun barrel wasn't even straight.
"that..."
Nina tried to strike up a conversation with him:
"How...how did you get in? Who's outside—"
"Shut up!!"
The boy bared his sharp teeth and roared, his silver-gray fuzzy ears peeking out from under his hat pressing down menacingly.
"Don't talk to me! I'm going to shoot!!"
Okay!!! Don't shoot!
Nina looked at the lynx fur on his ears that was trembling incessantly and dared not say another word, for fear of provoking this boy whose emotions were clearly not right.
Even if you can't kill someone, it's not good to injure them!
She picked up the sobbing little boy and, following the half-demon's instructions, crawled out of the cage that imprisoned her.
"Waaah..."
"Don't look at me!! And don't look at the ground—cover his eyes! You're not allowed to open your eyes either!"
Mainkuhn, trembling with anxiety, pressed the gun against the woman's back and slowly pushed her and the child out of the house.
The dampness from her shoes gradually subsided, and a refreshing night breeze ruffled her hair. Nina, with her eyes closed, suddenly realized that she had been forced out of the human traffickers' hideout at gunpoint—without anyone stopping her.
I just went out like that!? Why didn't anyone stop me?
This was Nina's first reaction.
What happened? Am I... free? But there are still people pointing guns at me.
"Um, you—"
Nina's intense desire for freedom compelled her to speak, but the only response she received was the curved gun pressed against the back of her head.
"Shut up! Don't talk to me!"
"Waaah! Mommy..."
"......"
The roar choked, the boy's voice weakened slightly, but it was still fierce:
"No, open your eyes, take two steps to the right."
The skull accidentally flew out of the house...
*
Two right turns, about 500 steps, then a left turn, down the steps...
Nina closed her eyes and memorized the route in her mind.
The boy finally spoke only after the child stopped sobbing in her arms and after her arms had lost their strength.
"stop."
Nina shuddered and obediently stopped in her tracks.
Is the boy's purpose finally about to be revealed?
What has snatched us from the clutches of evil—is it justice delayed, or an even more wicked devil?
If he is righteous, why does he look like a beast? The fingers gripping the gun clearly have sharp, eagle-claw-like hooks.
If he is the devil, why did he break the chains that bound us? The flesh and blood of the wicked faintly reek of rotten mud.
The woman held the infant to whom she had no blood relation, anxiously awaiting her fate, but instead received a strange instruction.
"Take off that child's coat and give it to me."
? ?
You probably can't fit into it, right?
The gun was pressed against the back of her head as the boy roared the order.
"hurry up!"
Amidst confusion and fear, the child's coat was handed over, followed by the faint clanging of metal behind him.
"Big...Big brother?"
Being so young, the child could no longer hold back and asked in a tearful voice, "What...what are you doing...?"
The soft metallic clanging stopped, and something heavy, wrapped in clothing, was roughly stuffed into the woman's arms.
"!"
Before Nina could figure out what it was, the boy quickly moved the gun from her back and placed it next to the child's head.
"What...what are you doing...!?"
The poor little guy's voice was trembling.
But it wasn't loud enough.
The half-demon boy hesitated for a moment, but quickly and resolutely started fiddling with the pistol.
Click!
A clear cocking sound.
The sound of a gun being cocked is something even a three-year-old can understand.
Cry, cry louder.
“...Ugh.”
"Waaaaah—I don't want to die!"
A loud, innocent cry pierced the darkness before dawn. Nina opened her eyes abruptly, and bright lights, each adorned with rose patterns, lit up before her.
"I*!"
A drowsy, muttering voice rang out, "Why are there still kids on the street at this hour??"
"Something might have happened. It sounded like they were shouting something like 'I don't want to die'?"
"What kind of heinous crime could happen at the headquarters of our Rose Society?" The blonde young lady, still half asleep, got out of bed and reached for a gun while still wearing her nightgown.
"Young Miss, you should continue sleeping."
Old Miles picked up his gun and coaxed little Navia, "I'll handle any problems."
"No way—"
Meanwhile, Wayne, the bartender who also served as the information exchange point, had already opened the door and frowned at Nina, who was standing dumbfounded on the steps.
What's wrong with you?
I......
Nina turned around in a daze, but the cat-eared boy was nowhere to be seen.
Only an empty bag covered in white slurry lay in the garbage heap at the corner.
Dream?
But the little boy in his arms hiccuped and tugged at the coat that was snuggled up to him in a daze.
"There's something hard inside my clothes...it's hurting me so much..."
What?
Nina shrank back in confusion and squeezed the bag in her arms.
Ding-dong.
Several glittering Mora coins fell out of the child's clothing bag.
That was money obtained by a scoundrel who sold his mother.
Today, the half-demon was returned to its rightful owner.
......
Even if Lord Rock himself came, Mainkun would insist that this was a matter of returning the item to its rightful owner, and that it was absolutely fair and just.
"alright."
Wayne glanced at the still-shaken mother and child before him, then at the lock marks on their feet and the bruises on their bodies, and decided to quickly open the tavern door:
"If you have any difficulties, come inside and we'll talk. We can still provide free hot tea and rose tea."
*
A child's cry is indeed the most effective alarm in human society; one cry and everyone is awakened.
It's great that we don't have to figure out how to wake up everyone in the Rose Society to help.
If Myles and Navia find out what I've done, my gut feeling is that something troublesome is going to happen...
As dawn broke and few pedestrians were around, a large, silver-grey cat with a broken tail walked wearily through the streets of Fontainebleau.
After turning back into a cat, those complex anxieties and fears disappeared like bubbles on water.
Just like a child who, after being frightened by a ghost story, hides in their warm bed in terror, a safe haven where ghosts and spirits can never invade—
The fur covering his body in cat form also served as a protective barrier for the half-demon, separating him from the terrifying human world.
With a light heart and staggering paws, Maine climbed to the back door of Moman Palace and lay down on a bench at the Carles Line dock.
......
My stomach feels really uncomfortable.
Mainkun stuck out his tongue, revealing barbs, and began panting like a puppy.
Huff... huff...
I haven't been starving for many days, so why is my stomach hurting so badly?
Just wait a little longer, and the golden seagulls will come and snatch the fries from the legal officers and civil servants, and my breakfast will be sorted out...
'elder brother. '
Mainkuhn was in great pain, and tears began to stream from his eyes.
Do you ever get so hungry that your stomach hurts?
'But you have no sharp claws or teeth, and you don't know how to hunt. What will you do when you get hungry?'
Just thinking about it made the half-demon's golden vertical pupils begin to seep out, drop by drop, string by string, onto the light blue cushions of the bench.
Just then, a dark glove came into Mainkuen’s view, damp with the undried tears on the cushion.
"strangeness."
With his index finger and thumb pressed together, he gently rubbed the teardrop between his fingers, conveying both majesty and compassion, elegance and approachability, all perfectly embodied in a single voice.
"Do cats cry too? And their emotions are so complex and diverse."
!!! !!! !!! !!!
Mainkuhn immediately hunched over! He stared in horror at the white-haired man before him!
This person walks without making a sound, and even their scent is as faint as water.
"Ah, I was rude and startled you. I'm sorry."
Seeing the large cat with its fur standing on end, Navelette took a step back, politely creating some distance, and nodded in apology.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. I am the Supreme Judge Navelette."
The Water Dragon King paused, then hesitantly added the title:
"The Cat Goddess of Mo Mang Palace... Your Excellency."
......
Mainkuhn had heard of the title of Supreme Judge, both from the mouths of dead nobles and from the streets and alleys of Grey River.
He can be roughly described as having an iron fist, enforcing the law with unwavering resolve, and having handled no wrongful convictions or miscarriages of justice in Fontainebleau for four hundred years.
The cat translated it in its own words.
Impartial and incorruptible: His facial muscles were stiff.
Enforcing the law with unwavering resolve: He was a burly man as imposing as a mountain.
He's lived for four hundred years: Hmm—an old man? Or is it Melousin? He definitely has laugh lines on his face.
By the way, what was the Supreme Judge's name again? Edwin? Kares? Frynn? Aranjijodan?
...I can't remember, but it shouldn't be this Navelette—a strange young man who apologizes to stray cats and introduces himself.
"Are you listening, Your Excellency?"
My stomach feels really uncomfortable, I'll just ignore it.
Mainkuen licked his lips, his sharp eyes spotting seagulls circling in the distance.
Breakfast is here.
He endured the pain, opened his front paws, used his hind legs to propel himself into the air.
...and then it was stopped mid-air.
Navelette held the cat by its ribs, lifting it like a baby, her face full of disapproval.
"Your Excellency the Cat Goddess of Mo Mang Palace."
"!?"
He raised his voice to warn the bewildered plush cat held in his arms.
"I have already identified myself, yet you still... break the law and violate regulations in front of me."
? ?
I've been caught? Me?
The big cat slightly opened its mouth, staring in disbelief at the young man in front of it.
Navilette was completely oblivious and continued her earnest sermon:
"Perhaps no one has told you this before, but the Purple-Gold Gulls of Mo Mang Palace are protected by law, and you must stop..."
Mainkun instinctively kicked the air a few times with its hind paws, only to find in horror that it could not escape Villette's arm—a long, beautiful arm adorned with wavy white silk.
? ? ?
Does this make sense?
Even without the malice of humans, my strength is not something an ordinary human could control.
He was still a thin and weak human!
"Don't you understand... But the complexity of the emotions contained in your tears surpasses that of most humans. Logically, you shouldn't only possess the intelligence of a beast."
Seeing Mainkuhn twisting his body so violently, Villette frowned, solemnly placed the cat back on the bench, half-squatted down, and stared intently into his cat's eyes:
“My judgment is correct. Stop hiding. You are no ordinary beast.”
"?" What tears? What emotions?
A theory I'd never heard of before, and it actually came true!
No, I can't let him tarnish my pure feline image!
Mainkun quickly stuck out his tongue, pretending not to understand human speech, and licked his paws while grooming his long fur.
"......."
Navilette scrutinized him seriously.
"I'm talking to you about something important, so please pay attention."
Mainkun casually raised one of his hind legs and scratched his head with his hind paw, looking utterly adorable.
"......"
His serious gaze began to soften.
"You are being quite rude."
Seriously? You can't even win this over?
With a determined heart, Mainkun slumped back into the chair, turned sideways, and exposed his belly.
"Mmm~"
The big cat twisted its waist, its snow-white belly rippled like waves, and every hair tempted humans to place their hands on it.
"......"
Navelette could not resist this temptation either.
"Perhaps, perhaps the brain is still in its developmental stage, and intelligence has not yet reached its peak."
If Funina were here, she would definitely exaggerate the half-demon's nearly one-meter height and then dramatically question Vilet's biological knowledge.
But thankfully she wasn't there.
A faint smile appeared on Villette's lips as her long, slender fingers covered the big cat's fluffy belly.
It feels so...soft, it's amazing.
No wonder humans keep these small animals as pets at home.
......
Perhaps I should have taken off my gloves before touching it.
"...!"
The cat's wriggling body suddenly stopped.
If time could stop at this moment, it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing for harmony.
"......"
But it was too late. The instant the soft fur on his belly was being stroked by fingers, Maine's feline instinct for defense had already taken over his mind—
With its mouth full of fangs open, its four claws embrace its prey—
"Snap."
"......?"
Navelette could clearly feel the tearing sensation of her glove being pierced by the canine teeth.
He looked down, bewildered, and met the gaze of the large cat that was nibbling at his hand.
"......Why?"
Cat, didn't you spread your belly out first to invite me to pet you?!
"...!"
Mainkuhn detected a hint of grievance in his calm voice.
sorry--
Releasing the Supreme Judge's hand, Mainkuen quickly gave him a slow wink as an attempt to make amends.
That's how we cats are—unintentional.
"The crime is compounded."
Navelette examined the four round holes in the gloves, her lips slightly drooping as she did so.
"Damaging other people's property..."
Mainkun felt that biting a human who meant him no harm was an extremely awkward and terrible situation.
However, that is not the case.
He forgot about the stomach pain he had been forcibly ignoring.
"Mmm~"
The body is not a rigid machine; when pain reaches a critical point, the body will spontaneously react.
When Mainkuhn tried to open his mouth and meow again to ease the tension between him and Navelette, an unbearable shock replaced the soft meow.
"vomit!"
Green grass blades mixed with red bloodstains sprayed all over the ground in front of the Water Dragon King.
......
!?
-----------------------
Author's Note: Dangerous uncontrolled demonic power, a lack of compulsory education, a lack of adult guidance, a wild and untamed sense of justice, an undeniable kindness, a precarious mental state... Can you feel any of the above?
Well, can you sense that I'll be glossing over Maine's crimes from now on...? I definitely prefer writing about everyday life and making friends.
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