<Chapter 95>
#10. The Beginning of Change (7)
– ‘Special’…?
– I have feelings for Melty-ssi. For now… I’ll just say that much.
Recalling those gently curving light blue eyes, Melty sank deep into the sofa. Calix’s brow twitched as he looked at Melty sprawled out on the soft couch.
“What did that sheep bastard say?”
“…Johaim-ssi is a person, not an animal.”
There was still no strength in Melty’s voice. Seeing him lost in deep thought since meeting Johaim, Calix’s expression grew even more fierce. Instead of lashing out at Melty about whose side he was taking, Calix changed his approach to respect his opinion.
“So what did that person bastard say?”
“…That’s not what I meant you should change…”
Melty let out a hollow laugh at Calix’s firm determination to attach the word ‘bastard’ to Johaim one way or another. Calix approached Melty, who was half-sunken into the sofa, and slipped his hands under his armpits to help him sit up properly against the couch.
“Whatever. Why did that guy suddenly come looking for you anyway?”
“Umm…”
Melty hesitated to answer. Simply relaying the conversation felt like pouring fuel on the already deep rift between them. After a moment of hesitation, Melty reached out and patted the space next to him.
Though Melty hadn’t explicitly asked him to sit, Calix obediently placed himself beside him. As an added bonus, he extended his arm and pulled Melty into his embrace, resting his cheek on top of Melty’s head.
“So, your answer?”
“Calix-ssi. Do you want to threaten the continent?”
“…What? Threaten?”
Calix asked back, bewildered by the unexpected topic. Ignoring his confusion, Melty nodded firmly. As Calix’s cheek slipped away, Melty lifted his head to look up at him, waiting for an answer.
“Why would I do something like that?”
“Then do you want to conquer the continent?”
“No, I mean… Why would I do any of that?”
Furrowing his brow, Calix wondered how they’d ended up in such a childish conversation. The word ‘conquer’ itself was tacky, but if he wanted to do it, it wouldn’t be impossible. Being responsible for all the medicinal and poisonous herbs on the continent was essentially the same as holding all diseases in his hands.
If he were forced to do it, he could certainly take other families hostage with the lives of the continent’s people and gradually conquer them. Many people would certainly die in the process, and he’d be criticized for being inhumane, but Calix wasn’t someone who was greatly affected by others’ opinions anyway.
‘They would certainly face serious life threats, but with enough time, it wouldn’t be impossible. But if we’re talking about continental conquest, the Crosel family would be faster at it.’
Like a tyrant from an old novel, subjugating others through force would take less time. And the Crosel family possessed more than enough military power to do so. Instead of engaging in multiple battles, simply eliminating a few key figures leading the family responsibilities would easily cause many places to collapse.
While contemplating why Melty was asking him such questions, Calix looked at him while hiding his complex feelings.
“Why? Did you suddenly develop an ambition to conquer the continent? Do you like ambitious people?”
Preparing for the possibility that Melty might actually say “yes,” Calix quickly calculated methods to bring down other families. Unaware that Calix’s mind was working more actively than ever, Melty waved his hands and said:
“You wouldn’t possibly want to do something like conquer the continent.”
“…Then why are you asking about such things?”
“Hmm… I was just curious.”
Calix’s eyebrow twitched at Melty’s awkward smile. There was no way such a conversation would pop up without reason, and there was only one suspect.
“What did he say to you?”
At Calix’s sharp question, Melty scratched his cheek. He had no intention of relaying the message and deepening their misunderstanding, but he couldn’t keep dodging forever. After a moment of consideration, Melty decided to be honest within bounds that wouldn’t upset Calix.
“He said you’re deceiving me.”
“Huh…”
Calix exhaled shortly with an incredulous expression. Leaning comfortably against the sofa, he rested his arm on the backrest and propped his chin as he spoke.
“And what else? Did he not say I’m selfish, nasty, and a bad person?”
“Aren’t you angry?”
“I’m not. I told you the Sarvie people would speak badly of me.”
Melty nodded at Calix’s nonchalant response. When Calix told him about the bad relationship with the Sarvies, he had indeed mentioned something like that.
“Did he say any other nonsense?”
“Hmm. Nothing much else besides that.”
“He came all the way just to spout useless talk. You don’t need to worry about what he said.”
Melty nodded with an awkward smile as Calix dismissed the conversation, his brow still furrowed. Even without Calix telling him, Melty had no intention of taking Johaim’s words to heart. Everything Johaim had told him was filled with hostility toward Calix.
‘It doesn’t even make sense that Calix-ssi would try to exploit a gift I don’t even know about myself.’
With his head lowered, Melty stared at his own hands. Though he had used his gift after a long time, it still remained enigmatic. He was wondering if perhaps praying to the Beast God at the temple might provide answers, when he was brought back to reality by Calix’s touch kneading his cheek.
“Why do you keep touching someone else’s cheeks?”
“What’s wrong with me touching my boyfriend’s cheeks?”
“Before being your boyfriend, they’re my cheeks.”
“Before being your cheeks, they’re my boyfriend’s cheeks.”
“That can’t possibly come ‘before’…”
Calix burst into a low laugh at Melty’s disgruntled retort. With his golden eyes still crinkled with laughter, Calix whispered:
“So, do you dislike me touching them?”
“…It’s not that I dislike it, so just massage them gently.”
“Heheh. Alright.”
Having received permission from the original owner of the cheeks, there was no reason to hold back. Letting out a low laugh, Calix rubbed his thumb in circles on his cheek. Watching Melty’s cheeks scrunch up and return to normal, Calix opened his mouth.
“Tomorrow, we’re going to the Botenta family.”
“Where Durasen-ssi is?”
Calix nodded lightly to Melty’s question as he recalled the gentle-natured bear beast-person they had met at the exchange meeting. A memory suddenly surfaced, and Melty looked at him intently.
“What about Kamin Patel-ssi? He invited us.”
Calix frowned at Melty’s words. The people who had begun gathering periodically due to the drinking session at the exchange meeting were all individuals to be cautious of. Especially since they kept telling Melty strange things, they were figures to be even more wary of.
“Let me tell you in advance, we’re not going there.”
“Why not?”
“Why, you ask? Like I’d go to that violent old man’s place.”
“Violent?”
Melty pushed his lips forward as he raised an objection. Completely ignoring his opinion, Calix said with half-closed eyes:
“How should you make a fist?”
“Like this.”
“And what’s the most important thing to remember then?”
“The brow, philtrum, and solar plexus.”
Melty tightly curled his hand with the thumb outside, responding to Calix’s questions based on what he had learned from Kamin Patel. Calix sighed deeply at the answers that flowed out as if he had been waiting for them.
“And who’s the target?”
“Well, Calix… oops.”
Just as he was about to confidently say “Calix-ssi!” Melty hurriedly closed his mouth, but he couldn’t take back what had already slipped out. Covering his lips with his hand and rolling his eyes, Melty was met with Calix’s penetrating gaze.
“Who are you going to hit?”
“Well… that was before we were dating…”
Calix maintained his displeased expression as Melty laughed nervously while checking his reaction.
“So temporary dating isn’t real dating~ Is that it?”
Though he knew Calix wasn’t really angry by the way he dragged out his words, Melty still smiled sheepishly while gauging his mood. Firmly fixing his lips that were about to soften at Melty’s eye-smile, Calix narrowed his eyes. Watching Melty fidget in his arms, his right eyebrow slightly raised.
“You find this funny?”
“…Am I not allowed to laugh?”
“Nope. Not allowed. If you want to laugh, give me a kiss first.”
Melty couldn’t help but smile at the way Calix proudly offered one of his cheeks. Pretending to give in, Melty lifted his head high to kiss his cheek. Before his lips could touch Calix’s cheek, Calix moved his head to the side and swiftly stole a kiss from Melty’s lips.
“Just ask for a kiss on the lips directly.”
Melty grumbled, rubbing his lips that had barely touched and separated. Calix pressed his forehead against Melty’s and whispered as he rubbed them together:
“Oh? Then give me one more.”
Melty let out a small laugh at his voice and without hesitation pressed his lips against Calix’s. The brief touch and separation of their lips deepened the smile on Calix’s face.
As if he’d been waiting, Calix moved his lips to stamp kisses on Melty’s nose bridge, cheek, and neck. Melty burst into giggles at the ticklish sensation, his body slowly lying down on the sofa. Calix’s kisses continued as he brushed Melty’s bangs in different directions.
The playful kisses gradually grew more intense. Melty squirmed beneath him, exhaling hot breaths. At Melty’s slight movement, Calix barely managed to stop his hand from delving under his clothes. Breathing a deep sigh, Calix buried his face in Melty’s chest and steadied his breath.
“…I’m dying.”
Despite Calix’s small groan, Melty covered his flushed cheeks with both hands. Glancing up to check Melty’s face, Calix could only bury his head again at the sight of those plump, parted lips and the mischievous flesh nestled inside.
His lower region felt uncomfortable due to the center that vigorously asserted its presence in the limited space, but he had no intention of showing it. Unlike Calix, who was groaning and moaning, Melty calmed the red flush on his face and fiddled with Calix’s hair.
Even though he knew perfectly well that the touch had no sexual meaning, Calix had to desperately try to suppress his center that was shouting, “It’s time now!”
“Calix-ssi? Are you in pain?”
Melty carefully asked, seeing him bury his head in his chest and groan. Recalling the injury he had sustained during the landslide, concern quickly clouded Melty’s eyes. At his question, Calix took a deep breath.
“It hurts but doesn’t hurt.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Calix laughed bitterly at Melty’s grumpy question. He wasn’t some animal in heat, and he couldn’t show his swollen lower region that was about to burst just from a few kisses and hearing Melty’s ticklish laughter. Burying his face and rubbing it back and forth to compose himself, Calix brought up another topic that might interest Melty, to divert his attention.
“Aren’t you curious about why we’re going to the Botentas tomorrow?”
“Huh? I am curious. Will you tell me?”
Relieved that Melty had easily taken the bait, Calix smiled brightly.
“I’ve found the cause of the drought.”
