<Chapter 66>
#7. Journey (5)
Melty, who had been staring intently at the elderly person, first removed Calix’s hand that was attached to his body. He had almost dropped the figurine he had just purchased because of it.
“What is it, do you want to see that too?”
“They’re calling us.”
Melty whispered just loud enough for him to hear. Calix shot an annoyed look at the elderly person who was still waving their hand, beckoning them over from the same spot. The elderly person with a broad build and snow-white hair made it impossible to tell whether their eyes were open or closed. Their thick, hooked nose and long robe that dragged on the ground made them look even more cantankerous.
“They’re just calling to attract customers.”
“I know that much, you know? But it’s such a chilly day and they’ll keep looking for customers, so why don’t we go over just once? It’s not that difficult.”
“You’re going to get yourself in real trouble someday.”
Calix, who had embraced Melty from behind to prevent him from running over, sighed softly as he spoke. With a playful smile on his lips at Calix’s words, Melty tilted his head back to look up at him.
“Even if I’m going to see it with you, Calix-ssi?”
“…Oh, really.”
Calix covered his face with his hand and groaned. Inwardly, he muttered ‘mischievous hamster.’ Whether Melty was acting calculatedly or simply without any thought, Calix wasn’t sure, but one thing was clear—his actions had a fatal effect on him.
Realizing that Calix had obediently given in to him, Melty giggled and pulled his hand. Calix, who had been showing clear displeasure all over his face until just moments ago, now followed behind Melty with plodding steps, as if he had no choice.
“Hello.”
At Melty’s cheerful greeting, the elderly person slowly settled their buttocks onto the chair. The elderly person, who had placed their right hand on the table, gazed at Melty and said,
“Yes, child, shall I read your palm?”
“My palm?”
Melty echoed the elderly person’s words questioningly as he looked at his hand. Calix pulled over one of the chairs from the elderly person’s stall and placed it behind Melty.
“If you’re going to do it anyway, sit down. Don’t stand.”
Melty smiled at Calix’s consideration and sat on the chair. After placing the figurine he had been holding onto the counter, Melty rubbed his palms on his clothes once. Then he placed his now clean hand on top of the elderly person’s. Calix, who stood behind Melty with his arms crossed, scanned the elderly person with a cold gaze. He was determined not to let it slide if they tried anything strange.
“Hooo… you’re a good child.”
The elderly person uttered their first words while fiddling with Melty’s hand. Calix recognized this as a ‘scam’ due to the all-too-common comment. Despite his family background, Melty had always had a naturally gentle appearance and personality. Sometimes when angry, he might pull someone’s hair, but… that was still at a level that could be considered cute.
‘I’ll just pay them generously when this is over.’
Swallowing his sigh internally, Calix thought about where to take Melty sightseeing after this ridiculous fortune-telling was over. The elderly person, who had been glancing at Calix, let out a quiet, chuckling laugh again.
“Child, overeating is not good.”
“Eh? Overeating?”
“Especially if it’s your first time seeing it. Eating too much of anything will cause problems. Even if it’s good for you, you should eat slowly.”
“Excuse me.”
How much would our child eat!
Calix’s expression immediately hardened at the unexpected ‘overeating warning’ while standing behind Melty. How the flowers of laughter bloom on his face when he excitedly eats food, how soft and plump his protruding cheeks are, and how cute his belly is when it pops out after feeling full!
From Calix’s perspective, the elderly person had said something utterly nonsensical. It was Melty who stopped Calix’s outburst that made him look like a doting parent. Melty firmly pulled on Calix’s clothes with his free hand to restrain him, and leaned forward to hear the elderly person’s words better.
“Is it okay if I eat slowly?”
“It’s best not to eat what you don’t like.”
“What I don’t like?”
Melty tried hard to recall foods he disliked. Whether it was because he was trying to remember so suddenly or not, nothing came to mind immediately. Looking at Melty deep in thought, the elderly person let out another chuckling laugh.
“What you know isn’t necessarily the truth.”
“What I know…?”
“The answer to what you’re curious about is nearby. So keep your thoughts and actions broad. It’s better to ask about things you don’t know rather than trying to do them alone.”
The elderly person’s words were all puzzling. The elderly person, who had been chuckling while watching Melty blink with a confused expression, turned their gaze to Calix.
“You come sit here too.”
The elderly person, who had already released Melty’s hand, tapped the front of the table and spoke. Melty, realizing that his turn had ended instantly, awkwardly stood up.
“I don’t want a reading.”
“You… have a bad personality.”
“Pfft!”
“I said I don’t want one.”
Despite expressing his refusal, the elderly person spoke anyway. Melty, who burst into laughter at the first statement, trembled while covering his mouth. Calix pulled him into his arms. Without even giving the elderly person a glance, Calix opened his mouth.
“So, how much is the fee?”
“Don’t miss your noble person.”
“…Hah. Are you claiming that you’re my ‘noble person’? I have enough discernment to recognize who is truly noble.”
Calix ran his hand through his hair, feeling tired from the non-communicative conversation. Although Melty’s eyes were shining with interest in what the other was saying, Calix was dissatisfied. From his perspective, the elderly person’s talk was just the common practice of tailoring vague statements to the person in front of them.
“The gift you received is very precious, but if you only look at that, you might miss everything else.”
Despite Calix’s cold treatment, the elderly person continued with what they wanted to say. Melty, who had been looking back and forth between Calix and the elderly person, spoke to the elderly person with a face still tinged with laughter.
“Grandmother, this person doesn’t like this kind of thing. I’ve seen enough today, thanks to you. Don’t stay out too long in the cold, please go inside. But how much does it cost?”
Although Melty politely brought up the subject, the elderly person’s gaze was still fixed on Calix. Still with eyes that couldn’t be determined whether they were open or closed, the elderly person stared at Calix and opened their mouth again.
“Come find me if something happens that you cannot handle.”
“…Pardon?”
“Come find me if something happens that you cannot handle.”
It wasn’t that Calix didn’t understand what the elderly person had said when he asked again. However, the elderly person repeated the exact same words as if they thought Calix hadn’t heard them properly.
“If we come to find you, you’ll solve it for us, Grandmother?”
Melty asked the elderly person in place of Calix, who wasn’t asking any questions. At Melty’s question, the elderly person chuckled happily. Then, nodding their head greatly, they said,
“Ah, yes. I will solve it. It’s not free… but if I receive two gifts, I can solve it for you.”
“Eeh. What about me? Won’t you help me?”
Though they had clearly just met, Melty treated the elderly person with familiarity. In response to Melty’s question, asked while lowering his posture just as when he had sat in the chair, the elderly person’s wrinkled hand moved toward his head.
“The child has nothing to worry about. If you do~all the things you want to do. That should be enough. But that one over there isn’t brave enough, so it’s no good.”
“…I don’t know why I’m listening to this.”
At a loss for words due to the biased opinion, Calix placed an amount of money he had calculated arbitrarily in front of the elderly person. Though he hadn’t heard the exact fee, it was definitely not an insufficient amount by any standards.
“We’ll be going now. It’s chilly, so go inside and rest.”
With these brief words, Calix pulled Melty away. At his gesture to leave, Melty politely bowed to the elderly person before moving his feet.
“Ah, you!”
The elderly person urgently opened their mouth, watching as they moved away. Though it wasn’t a particularly loud voice, strangely enough, it pierced through the surrounding noise and reached Calix directly. Realizing that Calix had looked at them, the elderly person smiled gently and opened their mouth once more.
“Don’t forget about contraception.”
