<Chapter 149>
#17. The Beast God’s Arrangement (1)
The world had stopped dead.
Calix firmly held Melty’s hand, who was still lying in bed, with both of his hands. Since Melty collapsed, truly nothing else existed in Calix’s world. Since nothing else entered his eyes, it was as if the world had been dyed black, and it had been a long time since he could no longer hear the voices of people crying for help from the epidemic or their criticism.
Sometimes he wasn’t even conscious of whether he was still breathing. Just sitting by the bed and examining every detail of Melty’s face made time pass strangely fast.
Neither the countless knowledge of medicinal and poisonous herbs that the Padrians boasted of, nor the medical skills of the Sarvies that were rumored to be excellent, could find an effective solution for Melty. All they could do was help him breathe evenly when he had been gasping as if he might die at any moment.
It didn’t help that it was difficult to identify what drug had been administered to him, and they couldn’t fully understand how the area full of hallucination flowers had affected him. Moreover, Melty had a child in his belly.
Though Calix wanted to try anything that could save Melty, the options were limited in the context of pregnancy. Furthermore, faced with the unprecedented situation of a male pregnancy, even experienced doctors couldn’t readily offer solutions. The most critical issue was not knowing how the safety of the child would affect Melty.
How much longer can you hold on?
Staring at Melty without the slightest movement, Calix kissed Melty’s small hand that was limply held in his own. It occurred to him belatedly that his dried lips might hurt Melty’s skin. But because the warmth transmitted from that point of contact was the only thing keeping Calix breathing, he simply couldn’t pull away.
‘I love you. I love you more than I thought I did.’
He didn’t know if it was because he hadn’t properly consumed fluids for days, or if words wouldn’t come easily due to his hot eyes and throat despite having nothing left to shed. Calix just continuously whispered in his heart the countless things he wanted to tell him.
It was a truly foolish and strange thing.
From the moment he caught the collapsing Melty in his arms, Calix’s world, which had been busily turning, came to a halt. For two days, he cursed and swore he would save Melty by any means necessary. On the third day, he shed tears, unlike his usual self. And today marked the fourth day.
‘How did I live without you all this time…?’
Thinking back, it was truly strange. When he first showed interest in Melty, it was only because he thought Melty would be quite useful through his Gift. He was a bit irritated that Melty would smile brightly at others while being wary of him. It was cute how he would open his round eyes innocently while being stubborn and insistent, and it was lovely how he would proudly claim to be his lover.
He thought he was being colored slowly, but in truth, he had been soaking wet from the moment they first met. So when he excluded him from his life, Calix had nothing left.
– “Calix-ssi! Do you know?”
The brown eyes that had sparkled brightly flickered before him. Even though the chattering voice and smiling face were just his imagination, color entered Calix’s vision which had been covered in darkness.
– “The Beast God can do anything in the world!”
Even though the talk about the Beast God wasn’t praising himself, Melty’s shoulders were full of strength. As he recalled how Melty would stick out his chest and praise the Beast God, a deflated laugh flowed weakly through his lips that had been devoid of light all this time.
‘If the Beast God really exists…’
With his lips buried on Melty’s hand, Calix prayed for the first time in his life. Owen Kun Sarvie had already warned several times that prolonging this situation further would not be good for either the pregnant person or the child. But Calix, not knowing which method was right, could not possibly take on a challenge that would stake Melty’s life.
Despite having felt that Johaim was pathetic for blaming others, Calix resented the Beast God. The blessing of immunity should have been bestowed on Melty, not himself. No, at least if he had received the blessing of health…
Calix sent a prayer to the Beast God, whom Melty had so relied upon, with a desperate heart. He repeated ten, twenty times the message that he would gladly do anything if only he could save his fiancé who adored the deity.
It was then that an unfamiliar light was felt beyond his closed eyelids. Frowning at the light that was clearly felt despite having his eyes closed, Calix slowly lifted his eyelids. The slightly dark room hadn’t changed at all from a moment ago, but there was something that caught Calix’s attention.
The temple model placed carelessly on the table not far from the bed was emitting a bright light. It wasn’t so bright as to hurt the eyes, but the fact that the temple model was emitting light at this particular moment was enough to grab Calix’s attention.
Especially since he had never brought that model here. He had only glanced at it in the room where Malek was being treated, and it was sufficiently questionable through what path this model had come to be in this room.
– “When you face an overwhelming problem, come find me.”
Why did that voice come to mind? Was it because he had heard it at the same place where he had bought that model?
As if entranced by the light, Calix slowly rose. After tucking Melty’s hand, which he had been holding tightly, inside the blanket, he examined Melty’s face for a long time as if reluctant to leave, before finally moving his feet.
Come to think of it… he couldn’t remember whether the old person who had been talking nonsense back then was a grandmother or grandfather. Despite having good memory, he couldn’t have forgotten something related to Melty.
His staggering steps slowly approached the model.
– “Don’t miss the noble person.”
– “See you again.”
…He shouldn’t have heard such a farewell that promised a next meeting, so why…?
Calix’s hand extended toward the temple. The thought that he somehow had to do this filled his mind. An inexplicable tension enveloped Calix’s body. It was when his outstretched hand touched the door of the temple model.
– “Welcome, my child.”
Along with an affectionate voice tinged with a smile, Calix tightly closed his eyes at the bright light that covered his vision. It felt as if he had been swallowed by the light. His breath, which had been tight and stuffy since the moment he was separated from Melty, strangely became easier to breathe. Calix could instinctively feel that he was in a space different from that room.
Despite the unexpected situation, he didn’t become more vigilant or angry. It felt as if his mind was foggy, as though he had taken a sleeping pill. Frowning as he tried to gather his wits, Calix slowly opened his eyes.
– “Finally!”
Calix hurriedly turned his head at the vibrant voice like that of a child. As if to prove his prediction right, the space where his feet stood was completely immersed in white, regardless of direction.
– “Finally met you!”
At the bright, bouncy voice that came again, Calix stiffened his expression. He felt as if someone was pressing his index finger firmly on the corner of his mouth, trying to lift it up. Shaking his head with all his might to reject them, Calix opened his mouth with a stiff expression.
“I don’t prefer jokes.”
– “For someone who says that, you enjoy jokes quite a lot.”
The voice, which he thought would be cracked due to having kept his mouth shut for so long, flowed out surprisingly smoothly. Clear laughter filled the space as if in disbelief at Calix’s words. Maintaining silence at his response, Calix took a deep breath and folded his arms. With the determination to never back down even once until he got what he wanted, he opened his mouth.
“Are you the Beast God?”
– “Then who do you think I am?”
The solemn quality that the word “god” carries had disappeared somewhere, and the vibrant, cheerful voice left a lingering echo in his ears. Confirming that he was indeed the Beast God through his counter-question, Calix opened his mouth calmly.
“I have something I want to ask of you.”
– “That doesn’t seem like the attitude of someone making a request.”
“It’s completely the attitude of someone making a request.”
There was no indication about the title “Beast God.” Just from that, Calix realized his thoughts were correct. Although the current situation where the Beast God, whom he thought would absolutely not exist, was directly present before him was sufficiently bewildering and felt completely unreal, such things weren’t important.
– “To think you’d be so brazen despite not believing in me. So, what’s the request you want to make?”
At his voice, which was clearly enjoying this situation, Calix took a deep breath. Whether this was reality or an illusion was still unclear, but anything that could save Melty was fine, regardless of what it was.
“Please save a person. If there’s any price or responsibility needed for that, I’ll bear it.”
