<Chapter 108>
#12. Black Cloud (6)
As soon as they arrived at the mansion, Durasen greeted Melty. Mentioning Iel’s disappearance, he guided Melty to his office, saying they should have a brief conversation. Nodding obediently, Melty followed behind him without saying much. Up to this point, everything matched what Angel had told him.
“Please sit wherever you’re comfortable.”
At the gesture inviting him to take a seat, Melty placed his bottom on the sofa. Durasen personally moved to set tea and snacks on the table. Gazing at the tea, Melty discreetly surveyed the office.
The first thing that caught his eye was a portrait that captured the appearance of a family. There was Durasen and his wife, as well as two adult couples who were presumed to be his children. The faces of a young boy and girl seated at the front were full of mischief.
“Wow. Is this a family portrait? You have a big family too, Durasen-ssi. So do we.”
At Melty’s chattering, Durasen burst into laughter with a “hoho” sound. Looking at Melty with warm eyes, he offered him refreshments. Without hesitation, Melty gladly picked up one of the chocolate cookies handed to him. Before taking a bite, he didn’t forget to break off a piece and share it with Naru.
“But it seems like I haven’t seen any of your other family members.”
“Hoho. My son and his wife live elsewhere.”
“I see… Don’t you miss them?”
At Melty’s question, Durasen fiddled with a small pocket watch, his face downcast.
“I do miss them. In fact, I was thinking of visiting them once this matter is over.”
Seeing his face deeply immersed in memories, Melty blew on the hot tea and took a sip. It was natural to miss family when separated from them. Since meeting his brother Malek after a long time, Melty too had been remembering the faces of his other family members one after another. Because of this, he could better understand Durasen’s feelings.
“Well. The reason I wanted to talk is to ask a few things about Iel Tuanivel…”
“Yes. Please ask.”
Melty nodded without hesitation. Seeing him waiting for the next words with gentle eyes, Durasen’s lips curved into a warm smile.
***
The tapping fingers near the chair’s armrest were filled with displeasure. Calix, in a poor posture with his chin propped up, stared at the firmly closed door. Though he had been politely told to “please wait until the case is resolved,” to Calix’s ears it sounded like, “We know you’re the culprit, so behave yourself.” And Calix was convinced that was their true intention.
He could easily guess that there were guards outside the door, exuding a hostile atmosphere. As a result, many tasks he was supposed to do today were frozen. However, there was something else that made Calix feel worse than those pending tasks.
‘Just my luck. Why did this have to happen today of all days?’
It was just yesterday that he had spent the first night with his young lover who blinked his round eyes and wagged his tail. His plans to spend sweet and comfortable time with Melty squirming on the bed had been thwarted by Malek Crosel, who arrived at dawn. Since then, he had been without Melty from early in the morning until now. Even if Melty returned to the mansion, it was uncertain whether he could meet him in this isolated state.
Just as Calix’s expression wrinkled with rising anger at the mere thought of the situation, a light knock sounded. Since it wasn’t mealtime, there shouldn’t have been anyone visiting. Calix glared at the door with a puzzled look. At that moment, the door opened slightly, and Melty, who had been occupying Calix’s mind until just now, peeked his head in.
“Calix-ssi?”
At the softly whispering voice, the displeasure that had settled on Calix’s face disappeared instantly. Having spotted Calix, Melty entered with a bright face, opening the door. As Melty ran towards him with arms wide open, Calix quickly lowered his posture and embraced him in return.
After deeply inhaling the outdoor scent that clung to Melty, Calix seated him on his lap. He nuzzled his nose into the fluffy hair, eliciting a small laugh.
“Well. How did you get here?”
“On my two sturdy legs.”
Though he knew perfectly well that Melty was joking, Calix laughed pleasantly. The warm scent he had fully enjoyed on the bed subdued his frantic nerves.
“Did they let you in so easily?”
“I spoke to Durasen-ssi, and he said I could just go in.”
“That old geezer allowed it without any conditions?”
The question spontaneously left Calix’s mouth. Judging by the continued presence of people outside the door, it was clear his suspicions hadn’t been cleared. At Calix’s question, Melty nodded with a smile.
“He did say he’d prefer if you didn’t leave the room for the time being.”
“Ah…”
At Melty’s words, Calix looked towards the door with narrowed eyes. If it was a method to calm his anger at being imprisoned without guilt, it was an excellent choice.
“What’s this around your neck?”
Belatedly noticing a scarf that hadn’t been on Melty’s neck when he left, Calix frowned. It was evident that it had been wrapped tightly to hide his skin. When he moved his hand to unwrap the scarf, red marks scattered here and there on the exposed neck caught his eye.
“My brother gave me that to wear.”
“There’s no need when it’s just the two of us. This is much prettier.”
“…This?”
“Yes. That.”
Calix smiled with crinkled eyes and stroked Melty’s cheek with his hand. Melty raised his hand and unnecessarily touched his neck area. He didn’t quite trust Calix’s words when he so casually called the neck spotted with red marks pretty.
“What? Don’t you like it?”
Calix smiled as he kissed the skin with an audible “chu” sound. Pushing away his face that was burrowing into his neck with the palm of his hand, Melty grumbled.
“It stings when you keep touching it. This is all because you bit so eagerly, Calix-ssi.”
“You bit me too, you know.”
Calix pulled down his collar demonstratively. Near his collarbone, close to the scales unique to snake beast-people, a cute bite mark, clearly belonging to someone, was still distinctly imprinted.
“You said it was okay to bite. But I didn’t leave so many marks like Calix-ssi did.”
“If you feel wronged, you can leave one more?”
Calix readily offered his neck to Melty. Staring at his exposed neck, Melty shook his head from side to side.
“It’s too bright in here.”
“…I just told you to bite, what exactly are you imagining?”
At Calix’s teasing reprimand, Melty responded by pouting his lips instead of answering. Pretending not to notice Melty’s sharp glaring eyes, Calix stroked his hair. Swallowing his laughter internally, wondering where the hamster who boldly pounced even in broad daylight had gone, Calix changed the subject as Melty wanted.
“Did the talk go well?”
“Ah! That’s right. I got permission from my brother.”
At the proudly delivered statement, with his chest fully expanded, Calix opened his eyes wide.
“Really?”
“It’s not complete permission… But he said he’d at least watch over me staying with Calix-ssi.”
At Melty’s answer, a slight smile settled on Calix’s lips. Given how hostile Malek had been, Calix hadn’t expected to receive straightforward permission, so he could just accept it as is. Above all, he was relieved that Melty’s complexion, which had been restless after encountering Malek, had become much more comfortable.
“But until when will you keep calling me ‘Calix-ssi’?”
“Then what should I call you?”
Melty, who had been blinking his eyes while fully leaning his neck on Calix’s embrace, looked up at him and asked. Seeing his round eyes, Calix smiled slightly and continued in a gentle tone.
“What did you call me on the bed yesterday?”
“T-That was because Calix-ssi told me to call you that way! How can you bring that up when it’s so bright out here?”
If only I couldn’t remember, it would be less embarrassing!
Recalling the previous day when he had gasped out the nickname Calix wanted, Melty covered his face with both hands. With his face flushed red, only his eyes peeking out, Melty snapped at Calix and then whispered softly afterwards. Seeing Melty raise his guard despite there being no one else in the room, Calix leisurely whispered back.
“You were the one who climbed on top of me first yesterday, why are you suddenly shy about this?”
“Yesterday is yesterday. Bringing up past events is really not cool.”
Calix burst into low laughter at the mumbling voice as Melty buried his head completely in his embrace. Overnight, the person who had been actively pouncing had turned into a shy hamster, but that wasn’t bad either. While playfully touching Melty’s hair, Calix asked.
“Are you hurting anywhere?”
“Hurt? Where?”
“That’s exactly what I’m asking…”
Looking at Melty, who was staring up at him with a puzzled face, Calix burst into laughter again. Besides the difference in physique, considering it was Melty’s first time, Calix had certainly tried to proceed carefully on their first night. Though calling it a “first night” wasn’t quite accurate since it happened in broad daylight, but anyway, that had been Calix’s initial intention.
Thanks to Melty, who had become uncharacteristically brave that day, Calix’s plans had come to nothing. Recalling the small body that had clung tightly to him, he busily kneaded Melty’s waist and hip area with his hands.
“Are you really not hurting anywhere?”
“It’s a bit stiff, but it doesn’t hurt.”
“Where is it stiff?”
Calix examined Melty’s body from various angles with a serious face. Though Melty twisted his body as if tickled by Calix’s touch, he faithfully pointed out the areas that were stiff. Receiving Calix’s massage with a languid expression, Melty, who had relaxed in his embrace, raised both hands to stop Calix’s hands.
“I’m fine now.”
“Maybe it’s because you’re young…”
Calix let out a hollow laugh at Melty’s answer and mumbled. Though Melty narrowed his eyes at his remark and chided him for sounding like an old man, Calix smoothly let the comment slide.
“Well, if you were hurting, you wouldn’t have begged for more like that.”
Calix retorted with a smirk, recalling Melty’s figure burning not just with enthusiasm but also with lust. At his words, Melty pushed out his lips and wrinkled his nose bridge.
“You enjoyed it too.”
“Yes, I did. And I like that term of address too.”
With a cheerful retort, Calix kissed Melty’s wrinkled nose bridge. As soon as his lips touched, Melty relaxed his expression and clung even closer to Calix.
“Angel-ssi said to give this to you.”
Melty, who had been fiddling with the family seal that he always carried, moved the back of it to retrieve a rolled-up piece of paper. Remembering how medicine had come out from there when they were in the cave, Calix unfolded the paper.
“What does it say?”
“It’s nothing. I just ordered something.”
Though Melty stretched his neck upward with a face full of curiosity, Calix seemed to have no intention of showing the paper as he neatly folded it and tucked it somewhere inside his clothes. Dissatisfaction filled Melty’s eyes at Calix’s movements.
“So what is it?”
Melty moved his bottom from side to side to get even closer to Calix as he spoke. At his squirming movement, Calix let out a small groan and spoke in a sigh-mixed voice.
“Alright, stop being impatient.”
Calix kissed Melty’s round forehead and then readily told him what he was curious about.
“This is evidence confirming that my hypothesis was correct. There’s a connection between the recent drought and Iel Tuanivel’s disappearance.”
“A connection?”
Playfully pinching Melty’s cheek, who was looking at him quizzically, Calix smiled and said.
“Yes. And I think I know who’s behind this.”
