<Chapter 17>
#2. A Hamster in the Snake’s Den (7)
“Um… Is this how I should wear it?”
At Melty’s question as he peeked his head out while holding the long blackout curtain with both hands, Zephi nodded vigorously with a broad smile.
“Yes. Would you like to come out now? I’ll help arrange your clothes.”
Melty, who had been hesitating at the gentle and careful words, stepped forward. Zephi, somehow noticing the slight fear in Melty’s eyes as he looked up cautiously, lowered his posture to match his eye level.
“How does the fabric feel?”
“It-it’s comfortable.”
Melty’s cheeks turned slightly pink as he fidgeted with his fingers while speaking. At those adorable eyes, Zephi froze with a smile on his face and raised his right hand to cover his eyes.
Small beast-people were rare to see in this region led by the Padrian family. Although many people came and went since there was no place that didn’t need medicine, various rumors had combined to establish the perception that it was ‘dangerous.’ Even Zephi, who had run his shop here for a long time, was seeing a small beast-person for the first time.
In this world full of ugly ones, ugly ones with nasty personalities, and ugly ones with nasty personalities who also had no money, Calix Kuse Padrian was truly a precious existence. There were even beast-people who took root in this region just to see him, a wealthy and handsome man. However, seeing his face was not an easy task.
It was already a good enough day just being able to see his handsome face directly, but to think there was this small creature peeking out cautiously from behind him. Zephi’s clothes were carefully pulled down as he clenched his fist in excitement.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes. Of course.”
“Ah. That’s a relief. I thought you might be ill.”
Even the words spoken by the tiny, fidgeting creature were cute. Moreover, a cute creature backed by one of the wealthiest men on the continent, Padrian, was a golden lifeline. Covering his mouth and grateful for a day full of luck, Zephi was finally able to calm his heart.
“It’s because you’re so cute. When you came in with Calix-nim, I was so surprised. Having a handsome person next to a cute person.”
It was a touching scene even thinking about it again. Zephi was certain that all the employees who had stopped working and froze had the same thought as him. Melty, blinking his eyes at Zephi’s words, asked seriously:
“But is Calix-ssi really handsome?”
“Of course. He’s handsome. Tall stature, clear eyes, high nose bridge, and slim face shape—he’s the perfect definition of a handsome man.”
At Zephi’s slightly exaggerated explanation, Melty tilted his head thoughtfully.
‘Was that a handsome face…?’
Come to think of it, Angel had also heaped tremendous praise on Calix’s appearance. Wrinkling his nose bridge at this belatedly remembered conversation, Melty determined he should examine Calix’s face more carefully.
“Would you stretch your arms forward?”
Following his instruction, Melty stretched his arms straight forward. The white outfit, which looked cute thanks to its voluminous sleeves, slightly covered the back of Melty’s hands. Despite being the smallest adult size available here, it was still a bit large for Melty.
“It’s a bit big.”
“I think this will be fine.”
Zephi’s expression melted at Melty’s bright smile as he spoke spiritedly. After smoothing out the wrinkles in the clothes and finishing neatly, Zephi asked a curious question as if in passing:
“Calix-nim rarely visits shops with others, may I ask what your relationship is?”
“Relationship? I’ve just been working at Padrian’s for a short while.”
Zephi smiled brightly at Melty’s puzzled response and placed a feathered hat on his head. Unlike Melty who was distracted by the clothes, Zephi couldn’t easily dismiss his confusion. There was no way someone would spend so generously on just an employee. Even if by some chance it was an exceptionally kind employer providing welfare benefits, they would just hand over money, not personally visit the shop.
“If it’s not too presumptuous, may I ask which family you belong to?”
Melty, who had been intently looking in the mirror while fiddling with the hat placed on his head, answered with a casual smile:
“Crosel.”
“C-Crosel?”
“Yes.”
Zephi, who had been staring mesmerized at Melty’s innocent smile, barely regained his composure. The Crosel family was famous even among ordinary people. In life, it was natural to have people you wanted to kill. Although few people actually attempted it, it wasn’t uncommon to see drunk men in taverns declaring, ‘I’ll hire the Crosel family to snap that bastard’s neck,’ after downing a few drinks.
Their standards were unknown, but they didn’t accept requests just for large sums of money. The method of making a request wasn’t well known either, making them a family name akin to legendary murderers.
‘A Crosel working at Padrian’s? No, what exactly would a Crosel be doing there? For the heir of Padrian, famous for being a handsome trash, to put in this much effort…’
The thoughts in his head spread further. Zephi’s gaze slowly moved downward as cold sweat ran down his back. Unaware of his noisy inner thoughts, Melty tilted his head and looked up at him. His round eyes and chubby cheeks overflowed with harmlessness.
“Is it all done now?”
“Y-yes. Let me just give you some final touches.”
With an awkward smile, Zephi brought the coat he had selected in advance. The coat, made of thin but soft fur leather, was one of the most expensive materials in this shop.
“Wow.”
Zephi smiled gently, forgetting his earlier surprise at Melty’s genuine exclamation. There was no hint of bloodthirst in his innocent smile.
Calix, who had been sitting boringly on the sofa flipping through catalogs, gave a small exclamation at Melty’s appearance. Melty, who came running with light steps, didn’t know it, but the price tags of the clothes were roughly visible to Calix’s eyes. Whether intentional or not, the small hat with feathers and the light brown coat made Melty’s round eyes stand out even more.
“Not bad.”
“It’s comfortable.”
“Good. Then let’s go with this outfit for now, but it seems we’ll need to order the rest. How does this look?”
Calix beckoned to Melty with a wiggle of his finger. In response, Melty sat on the sofa and tilted his head. As Calix tapped on the outfits in the catalog he had been looking at, asking for Melty’s opinion, Melty examined the clothes and fell into thought.
“This fabric is excellent. It just came in… The color turned out beautifully.”
As if he’d been waiting, Zephi gestured to the employees. Melty’s shoulders flinched and trembled at the appearance of the colorful fabrics spread out before his eyes. Zephi, with a business-savvy smile at the sight of his best money-making opportunity, began describing the characteristics and advantages of the fabrics.
“Nice. Do you like the clothing design?”
“Umm…? Ah, well… the clothes are comfortable, but…”
“As it gets colder, you’ll need warmer clothes. We can make them separately for indoor and outdoor use. This leather just came in, and it’s very soft and good.”
Zephi deliberately held out the leather toward Melty. Pretending to give in to his encouraging look, Melty reached out his hand and was enchanted by the soft texture that wrapped around his hand. Calix, who had been glancing at him as he uttered “Wow” while moving his small lips, nodded lightly to indicate his intention to purchase.
“Then we’ll need about 30 sets for indoor wear, and one of each from this section of the catalog for outdoor. Plus three more coats in that style and the black leather on the right. Add more hats and other accessories as you see fit.”
“Yes! I’ll prepare it as instructed.”
A bright smile spread across Zephi’s face at Calix’s unhesitating instructions. It was the first time he had sold so many high-end items in one day. Unlike Zephi, who couldn’t be happier, Melty’s face froze stiffly as he stretched his neck to scan the items in the catalog.
As soon as Zephi turned to give instructions to the employees, Melty pulled Calix’s clothes with all his might.
“What?”
Calix asked, lowering his posture toward Melty. At his calm question, Melty opened and closed his mouth several times before finally managing to speak.
“It-it’s too much. And it’s too expensive. Even if you buy that much, I won’t be able to wear it all anyway.”
“I’ve only bought winter items, so it’ll be insufficient anyway. I’m just purchasing the basics for now since nothing particularly caught my eye, so just wear them.”
“But…!”
Melty’s lips quivered. Although he ended up working here because of the contract, he had no intention of staying long. For Melty, who planned to return home as soon as the contract ended, these piles of clothes were a burdensome gift.
“…I’m going back home when the contract period ends.”
At Melty’s confession in a shrinking voice, Calix chuckled. Turning his posture completely to the side to look directly down at Melty, he asked in a pleasant baritone voice:
“So?”
“S-so it’s too much. This makes me feel too sorry.”
“Why feel sorry? You’ll be working for a lifetime, so just let me know if it’s not enough.”
Melty, who was about to object to Calix’s amused response, belatedly realized there was something strange about his words. Wondering if perhaps Calix hadn’t understood him properly, he carefully spoke again.
“Not a lifetime… I’m telling you I’ll leave when the contract ends.”
“Yes. That’s exactly what I’m talking about.”
They were clearly discussing the same topic, yet there was no communication at all. Realizing something was off, Melty tilted his head to the right. Looking at Melty’s puzzled expression with an amused face, Calix opened his mouth to ask:
“Then let me ask you something.”
“What is it?”
Calix’s contained smile deepened at Melty’s response. Resting his arm on the back of the sofa and propping his chin, he looked directly into Melty’s eyes and asked:
“Until when is your contract period?”
“Well, that is… next year?”
Generally, initial employment contracts were set for 1 year. Of course, there were cases extending to 2 or 3 years depending on the contract terms, but that was typically used when existing contracts were extended. There was no need to bind a person starting work for the first time with a long-term contract, which was why many first employment contracts were for 1 year.
At Melty’s innocent response, Calix took out a document from inside his clothes and handed it to him. Melty, who received it in a daze, could see it was a copy of the employment contract he had signed.
“So, until when is the contract?”
Calix’s repeated question was filled with a deep amusement. In response to the question that exuded a winner’s composure, Melty’s eyes slowly scanned the document from beginning to end. And the movement became faster with each repetition.
“Huh…?”
An unbelievable sigh escaped his lips. His brown eyes, clearly showing his confusion, shook anxiously. After carefully examining both sides of the paper, Melty looked up at Calix. Calix looked adoringly at those brown eyes clouded with confusion and the slightly parted red lips.
“W-why is there no date?”
“See? There isn’t one. Why are you deciding something on your own that’s not in the contract?”
“N-no! It should be in the contract. The contract expiration date!”
Calix smiled brightly as he watched Melty waving the contract copy with both hands. Then, in a matter-of-fact tone, he delivered the finishing blow:
“It’s not there.”
“That’s a lie! How can it not be there?”
“Oh dear. Since there’s no date, it can’t be helped. The contract period will be ‘lifetime,’ right?”
“What…?”
Melty’s questioning voice trembled. It was beyond simple confusion. His resolve to endure just the contract period with eyes firmly shut disappeared like scattered dust. With a blank expression of disbelief, Melty raised his voice in protest:
“There’s no such thing. This contract is invalid!”
