<Chapter 129>
#15. Epidemic (3)
“Still not coming…”
A small sigh escaped from Melty’s lips as he stared reproachfully at the door that remained tightly shut without any movement. Since that day, Melty hadn’t been able to exchange proper words with Calix during their entire carriage journey, all for “safety reasons.”
When he heard that they would arrive at the mansion as soon as the time period suggested by Malek and Calix for safety ended, Melty was filled with dreams. He seemed to have been annoyed by Calix’s clingy behavior in the past, but after being separated for a few days, he found himself constantly missing the warmth of his body.
“I heard everything was wrapped up well.”
After finishing his meal and having a light conversation with Malek, Melty enjoyed a nap. They say food coma exists after meals, but lately it had been particularly severe.
Melty, who had fallen into a deep sleep without any strength to resist, opened his eyes when evening came. Though all he had done since arriving was eat and sleep for the entire day, his inconsiderate stomach made rumbling sounds without any shame.
Perhaps because it had been a while since he’d eaten the chef’s food, the meal tasted exceptionally delicious. It was to the extent that he had cleared three bowls completely and even eaten dessert.
“It’s strange…”
Malek had said, “It’s understandable since the journey was tiring,” but it wasn’t very convincing. Unlike people who traveled on horseback, Melty had moved by carriage the entire time, and the inside of the carriage was comfort itself. Even after arriving, thanks to others who busily prepared everything according to Calix’s instructions, it was a journey where he didn’t have to lift a finger.
“Even that dream.”
At Melty’s muttering, Naru, who had been playing within his sight, looked at him. Melty examined Naru, who met his eyes with a profound expression, from various angles.
“Right. It seems to resemble Naru.”
At Melty’s muttering, Naru, still unable to understand, tilted his head to the opposite side. Laughing softly at the sight, Melty reached out and carefully wrapped his hands around him.
“In my dream, there’s a snake that looks just as pretty as you. It gives me delicious fruit…”
It was always the same type of dream, where a snake much smaller than Naru suddenly transforms into something enormous. Lately, the snake had been appearing every night in his dreams, picking one fruit for him, causing his appetite to increase after he opened his eyes.
Attributing his good appetite to the pretty snake, Melty burst into a small laugh, finding it amusing even to himself. Naru, still bewildered by Melty’s incomprehensible behavior, just crawled around on his hand and arm.
“Ugh. I don’t know. But that apple was really delicious. A shining golden apple.”
Each time he dreamed, the snake would pick various fruits for him. However, Melty hadn’t tasted all the fruits in his dreams. Sometimes, he would wake up before taking a big bite. While smacking his lips in regret, real food would soon enter his mouth in reality.
“But why isn’t Calix-ssi coming…”
Melty’s dejected body fell backward. Naru, seemingly startled by Melty throwing himself onto the soft bedsheet, quickly retreated to a corner of the bed. Melty, with round eyes at Naru’s quick movement, put his hands together to apologize. After confirming that Naru’s rising and falling breath had stabilized, Melty finally waved his arms and legs freely.
“He said the urgent matters were finished! Why isn’t he coming!”
With whiny protests of “eek, eek!” and vigorous flailing of his arms and legs on the bed, Melty finally straightened his body, catching his tired breath.
“…I miss him.”
This too was a strange thing. He missed Calix so much that anyone watching would think they were lovers separated for a long time. Lately, Melty had many days where he found it difficult to control his suddenly swirling emotions.
Despite claiming to be a proper adult, his fluctuating moods didn’t feel like his own. Unlike when he was playing with Naru, Melty flipped over, feeling downcast at the absence of Calix. With his face buried in the bedsheet, he sank deep into depression.
Though Calix had said he was busy, Melty wanted to hear properly about what was happening with the work. And he also wanted to know if Calix had been injured somewhere while suppressing today’s noisy riot.
Calix always thought about many things by himself but didn’t easily share them with those around him. He would tell if asked, but often it wasn’t satisfying enough.
“…Still, now we’re going to get married.”
It wasn’t just an employer-employee relationship, nor was it a simple romantic one. The word ‘Marriage!’ soared through Melty’s mind with pure white wings. A grinning smile appeared on Melty’s lips, which had been gloomy until just moments ago, at the sight of those letters leisurely floating around.
“Ah! What should I do~!”
His fist, clenched in a ball, pounded on the innocent bedsheet. Naru, who had been staring at emotions rising and falling so unpredictably, flickered his tongue from his corner spot and turned his gaze away from Melty.
At that moment, Melty’s ears perked up and moved at the familiar sound of footsteps reaching his ears. His body, which had been buried on the bed, sat upright as if it were a spring. The moment his gaze, full of excitement, reached the door coincided with Calix opening that door and entering.
“Calix-ssi!”
“Huh? Uwak!”
Once upon a time, Melty had launched himself away from Calix to get away from him, but this time he ran toward him. A short groan of “ugh” briefly sounded from Calix’s mouth as he was suddenly attacked by Melty. Instinctively extending both hands to catch the charging Melty, Calix managed not to fall thanks to the door firmly supporting his back, though he did hit his back against it.
“Isn’t this too intense of a welcome? Did you miss me?”
Without voicing the sentiment that he thought his ribs might break, Calix bent down and kissed Melty’s head. The ears standing at attention at the breath touching his head fluttered and moved.
“Of course. I was worried because you seemed to be taking too long. Why did you come so late?”
A smile formed on Calix’s lips at Melty’s voice, which was clearly filled with excitement. The solution that simply wouldn’t come forth, finishing discussions with Johaim, and contemplating how to make an announcement tomorrow to calm the angry people – time had passed more quickly than expected.
“I’m sorry. If I had known you were waiting, I would have abandoned everything and come.”
Though he was mixing in laughter, Calix was sincere. If he had just told the refugees or whoever to get lost from the beginning, it was obvious he wouldn’t need to worry about such things now. Johaim claimed that it didn’t spread through simple contact, but that too was uncertain.
If infection could occur through simple contact, it was obvious that many people here would already be unknowingly diseased. The bigger issue was still about the treatment.
“You worked hard.”
Melty offered comfort, worriedly looking at Calix’s face covered in fatigue. Feeling the fatigue melt away under Melty’s touch as he patted his back, Calix, as always, easily lifted him into his arms and walked to the bed.
With his cheek buried in Melty’s head, he deeply inhaled Melty’s scent that he had missed so much. They had only been apart for a few days, but it felt as tender as if they hadn’t seen each other for thousands of years.
“But why did Johaim-ssi come all the way here?”
“He said he came because he couldn’t reach us. In the end, my prediction was right.”
“What was?”
“The epidemic.”
At Calix’s explanation, Melty let out a small “Ah.” When Calix had talked about it earlier, he had thought it wasn’t a big deal, but if an epidemic had really occurred, it was an enormously serious problem.
“Was what Calix-ssi saw really an epidemic?”
“Yes. We matched up the stories, and the symptoms were identical. Just in case, don’t go outside for the time being.”
Melty, who was about to obediently agree with Calix’s words, immediately asked with a puzzled expression as questions arose in his mind.
“But why outside? You said it occurred in drought-affected areas. Padrian has never experienced drought.”
“Ah…”
Realizing belatedly that he hadn’t explained certain things to Melty, Calix scratched the back of his neck with an awkward face. The refugees they had accepted on a large scale were those who had lost their homes due to drought, and in the current situation, there was a high possibility that they were infected with the disease. When it wasn’t yet certain, he hadn’t wanted to worry Melty with what was merely a hypothesis. However, now that he had final confirmation through Johaim, it was information he needed to convey.
“Do you remember when you went to the temple alone during the exchange meeting?”
“Yes.”
“And you couldn’t properly see the temple that day.”
Melty nodded vigorously at Calix’s words. Gently brushing Melty’s hair, Calix briefly summarized the explanation.
“There’s a high possibility that those people are infected with the epidemic. So we isolated them to the outskirts and minimized contact with other people inside. That’s why this riot happened.”
Melty’s mouth automatically fell open at Calix’s blunt summary. Calix, with a smiling face, helped close Melty’s opened mouth. As if still processing the situation, the dazed Melty asked a question.
“S-so, was the prolonged conversation with Johaim-ssi also because of this?”
“Um… to some extent.”
“Johaim-ssi took a lot of herbs too. So is there some solution? Did they find a medicine formulation?”
Calix became gloomy at Melty’s gaze, which held desperate expectation. It would be nice if he could happily tell him ‘yes’…
“No, all formulations failed, that useless guy. I knew this would happen.”
As if seizing the opportunity, Calix’s grumbling continued on and on. Melty, still listening to his story with a shocked expression, swallowed dryly.
“T-then what do we do now…?”
“Um… first, we’ll persuade the people in the outskirts and individually isolate them. And then we need to find a treatment.”
“How long do you think it will take?”
Calix remained silent at Melty’s question. How long it would take was something you’d only know by trying. Even when the epidemic occurred four years ago, it took a year to develop the medicine.
Calix’s brow slightly furrowed at the situation that was complicated just thinking about it. Watching his expression, Melty cautiously opened his mouth, tightly clenching both hands.
“You know, Calix-ssi.”
“Yes?”
“I have one suggestion.”
Suggestion?
Calix, with a puzzled expression, nodded his head. At his gesture asking Melty to speak, Melty cautiously opened his mouth.
“Would it be possible for me to meet the people in the outskirts once?”
