<Chapter 121>
#14. Calm Before the Storm (3)
Where exactly did things go wrong?
Calix sank into serious contemplation. As always, the subject that plunged him into such terrible worry was Melty Crosel, who stood before him.
“Are you really not going to eat? Aren’t you hungry?”
“I’m not hungry.”
Melty replied firmly while sharply turning his head to the side at Calix’s question. Contrary to his words, he didn’t forget to wipe his mouth with his sleeve, as if saliva had pooled there.
How can a person be this extreme?
Calix covered his face and let out a deep sigh at the overwhelming fatigue. Since declaring two days ago that he would suddenly reduce his food intake, Melty had been eating only two meals a day. Judged objectively, it was an average amount of food, but since he had reduced both his portions and frequency, Calix couldn’t help but worry.
It had been no easy journey convincing Melty, who had said he would just wait in the carriage since he had no intention of eating, to come down. But making Melty eat comfortably like before seemed even more difficult.
“Is it because I mentioned you were eating a lot before?”
“…No! That’s not it! I’m just not hungry, that’s all!”
Despite his vigorous declaration, Melty’s gaze fixed on the meat skewer in Calix’s hand. As he stared at the skewer as if entranced, swallowing his saliva, Melty quickly turned his head in the opposite direction the moment his eyes met Calix’s. Calix let out a hollow laugh at this obvious movement that anyone could see through.
Given that Melty usually had food constantly in his mouth, his reduced food intake seemed particularly pronounced. Because of this, Calix had just received a scolding from Malek, who was secretly following them for their safety.
“Just because I’m a little distance away, surely you’re not mistreating my brother.”
Recalling Malek’s words spoken in a chilling tone, Calix let out another heavy sigh. Even without Malek’s pressure, Calix himself was most concerned about Melty’s sudden behavior.
If only he could turn back time, he felt like beating up his past self who had worried that Melty was eating too much.
Stretching out his arm to pull Melty into his embrace, Calix deliberately held the meat skewer in front of his eyes. When the juicy and plump meat skewer, freshly hunted and grilled, appeared before him, Melty tightly closed his eyes, feeling dizzy.
“I was wrong. Just eat whatever you want.”
“…But Mr. Calix didn’t do anything wrong…”
“No. I was wrong. I’m the bad guy.”
“No, why are you going that far? It’s just that I thought I might have gained a bit too much weight… and felt like I was eating too much, so I wanted to cut back a little.”
Melty glanced sideways, concerned about Calix who was uncharacteristically blaming himself for merely reducing the frequency and amount of his meals. Simultaneously, meat lunged into Melty’s open mouth. Having instinctively bitten down on what entered his mouth, Melty froze at the distinctive aroma and taste of meat spreading in his mouth.
“…I’m not eating because I’m hungry. I’m only eating this once because you keep insisting.”
Calix smiled contentedly for Melty, who had uttered this excuse for himself, and nodded his head greatly. Reassured by his reaction, Melty began eating in earnest. Calix quietly smiled along as he watched Melty’s brown eyes that sparkled whenever he ate delicious food and his lips that curved into a smile.
‘Still, it seems this method works. I should use it next time too if he pretends not to be hungry.’
Melty seemed unaware, but after significantly reducing his food intake from his usual amount, his stomach occasionally made cute growling sounds. It was a small sound that would be easy to miss unless one was listening carefully, but for Calix, who always focused his attention on Melty, it was very audible.
As Calix was methodically building a strategy book to win over Melty, he turned his head following a piercing gaze. Angel, who had been making a disgusted expression as if he had seen something he shouldn’t have, gently shook his head from side to side as soon as his eyes met Calix’s. And Malek, who was seated next to him, quietly moved his hand.
Covering his own eyes with his index and middle fingers raised, he then moved his wrist to change direction. His two fingers now pointed at Calix. The finger movement conveying the message ‘I’m watching you’ was repeated a couple more times.
“Has Mr. Calix eaten?”
“Yeah. I’m good. Eat a lot. Want more?”
Calix mumbled with his cheek resting on top of Melty’s head. Calix brought three more meat skewers for Melty, who was lost in thought while biting the last piece of meat.
“But if I eat everything, what will everyone else eat?”
Melty asked, swallowing hard while unable to take his eyes off the meat. Suppressing a chuckle at his question, Calix placed all the skewers in Melty’s hand and spoke.
“Everyone’s eating well, so don’t worry about it. But I think we’ll probably have to sleep outside tonight.”
He had no desire to make travel uncomfortable. But this time, he felt a strong urgency to return to the mansion quickly. Because the words he had spoken to Owen Kun Sarvie were also extremely unsettling, Calix was urging them to move. Melty looked up at Calix’s apologetic tone and smiled faintly.
“Mm! That’s fine! I actually enjoy sleeping outdoors like this.”
With a small smile, Melty resumed aggressive eating, seemingly having decided to stop holding back. Pel, who was in charge of the escort, approached Calix as he watched Melty’s meal with a content expression.
“Lord Calix.”
“What is it?”
At Calix’s puzzled question, Pel hesitated briefly before quietly opening his mouth.
“Well… I think you need to come and see this.”
***
It was not easy to leave Melty, who seemed to have regained his appetite, holding meat skewers with both hands and chewing. Calix’s face was filled with irritation as he forcibly moved his feet that seemed stuck in a swamp.
Pel gave an awkward laugh at Calix’s hardened expression, clearly intending not to let it go if he had been called for something trivial. Though he had stepped forward for a detailed explanation as the person in charge of the escort, he simultaneously regretted not leaving it to a subordinate, had he known he would receive such a look from his master.
“So what’s the matter?”
Under Calix’s impatient gaze to speak quickly if he had something to say, Pel hurriedly mentioned what he had found strange throughout their journey.
“I’m reporting that the scout found something unusual.”
“And what exactly is it that requires calling me away separately?”
Reconnaissance was essential for safe camping. But Calix was suspicious about what kind of report required him to be taken aside rather than discussed on the spot. At his question, Pel hesitated briefly before speaking in a calm tone.
“It’s a young girl.”
“…That makes even less sense.”
Finding people during reconnaissance wasn’t unusual. Though they were using a shortcut with few people to return to the mansion as quickly as possible, it wasn’t a path where people couldn’t pass through.
Calix glared at Pel, demanding further explanation, unable to understand why he would be called aside for such a trivial matter. Struggling with how to explain under his scrutiny, Pel recited exactly what had been reported to him.
“I apologize. I’m not sure how to explain it properly.”
Listening to the report delivered by the troubled Pel, Calix could roughly understand the situation. The girl discovered by the scouts was in very poor condition, as if she might die soon, but she was still breathing.
However, they couldn’t bring a girl of unknown identity to this location without Calix’s permission, nor could they abandon a dying person.
“So after hearing there was a cabin nearby, we moved her there for now.”
“I don’t know why a child would be alone in the mountains… I suppose she might have eaten some poisonous mushrooms?”
Calix snorted, saying the symptoms of children wandering in the mountains were predictable without even looking. Pel had made a good choice by not reporting this on the spot. If it had been Melty, he would certainly have brightened his eyes and said they should help.
“…Did you say a cabin?”
“Yes. There were signs that someone lived there, but it looked like a temporary residence.”
Calix pondered briefly. No matter how well-prepared they were, a bed would be better than sleeping roughly in such a place. While Melty might greatly enjoy sleeping outdoors, Calix didn’t want him to have an uncomfortable night’s sleep. After brief consideration, Calix opened his mouth.
“Is that cabin far from here?”
“It’s close.”
Pel began guiding the way to the cabin as Calix silently nodded. As Pel had said, it wasn’t a very close distance, but it wasn’t so far that they couldn’t go back and forth.
‘It’s quite far for a child to travel alone though.’
Calix frowned as he finished this thought. He had come with the intention of borrowing a bed if the cabin looked decent. But somehow, he had an ominous feeling that this would become a troublesome matter. Yet, having come this far, he wasn’t inclined to simply leave either.
With a low sigh, Calix opened the door and stepped inside, his expression hardening. As soon as he turned his gaze sideways, there was a small room with a bed. And Calix was certain that a child would be under the blanket that formed a bulge.
“Lord Calix?”
Pel expressed puzzlement at Calix, who stood motionless at the doorway. Without looking back at him, Calix spoke.
“Gather everyone who has had contact with that child here. Strictly isolate them from the people near the carriage.”
“What?”
Pel’s bewilderment was palpable from behind. Without turning to look at him, Calix spoke in a rigid tone.
“It’s an epidemic.”
