<Chapter 23>
#3. The Only Ones Who Don’t Know (3)
Melty turned his head sideways with a puzzled expression at the sudden voice. The first things that caught his eye were the calm, snow-white hair and round, curled horns. Due to their height difference, Melty had to tilt his head far up to see him properly.
Sensing Melty’s gaze, the man turned his head and used his index and middle fingers to push up the round glasses that had slid down his nose. His light blue eyes behind the lenses captured Melty’s face. Almost entranced by the man’s appearance without even realizing it, Melty finally spoke up.
“Um… so, which way did you say the inn was? That way?”
“Not that way, but this direction. As it happens, I have business near there too. Would you like me to guide you?”
Despite Melty pointing in a completely different direction from what he had indicated, the man calmly and kindly explained the inn’s location again. Melty hesitated at the politely added offer. The faces of his brothers who had repeatedly warned him not to follow strangers came to mind. But wasn’t this just someone giving directions rather than following them? As Melty pondered this, the man finished purchasing a well-grilled meat skewer.
As if not intending to rush Melty’s lengthy deliberation, the man shifted his gaze away and took a large bite of his skewer. Watching the seasoned meat disappear instantly into the man’s mouth, Melty rummaged through the coins in his pocket and bought one more for himself. After devouring the skewer as deliciously as if it were his first time eating it, Melty gently rubbed his slightly protruding belly.
“I’m heading off now. What would you like to do?”
After finishing a skewer just like Melty had, the man asked, and Melty thought for a moment before answering.
“Then I’ll take you up on your offer to guide me.”
“Alright.”
With a gentle smile, the man started walking first. Perhaps due to the difference in leg length caused by their height disparity, Melty’s steps quickened as he hurried to keep up. Noticing this difference in pace, the man slowly reduced his stride. A faint smile appeared on Melty’s lips as he realized the pace had been adjusted for him. Looking at the kind man with an appreciative gaze, Melty opened his mouth.
“By the way, I’m… Melty Crosel.”
At Melty’s self-introduction, the man unconsciously stopped walking. The clearly registered word made him turn his head to look at Melty. If he hadn’t misheard, those letters that seemed so incompatible with that soft, fluffy appearance had indeed come from those lips.
Melty tilted his head, confused by the man’s intent gaze. Realizing belatedly that he had been staring without saying anything, the man politely bowed his head at Melty’s puzzled expression.
“I apologize. It’s my first time meeting someone from the Crosel family in person, and I made a mistake without realizing. I am Johaim Kun Sarvie.”
“It’s okay! These things happen. They say small beast-people are rare around here. Ah! Sarvie… Do you also work in the medical field, Johaim-ssi?”
“You’re quite familiar with our family.”
Melty nodded at his gentle response. If the Padrian family was widely known for medicinal and poisonous herbs, the Sarvie family was famous for producing many promising doctors. For Melty, who had struggled to even leave his bed since childhood, these two families were impossible to not know about.
“Of course. There’s probably no one in the world who hasn’t been helped by the Sarvie family. I owe them a lot myself.”
“…I see. Are you doing well now?”
“Yes. I’m healthy now, thanks to the Beast God’s grace.”
Melty answered with a bright smile. Johaim smiled back and replied, “I see,” while thoughtfully stroking his chin. He lowered himself to meet Melty’s eyes and extended his hand.
“If you don’t mind, may I check your pulse for a moment?”
At his careful suggestion, Melty nodded eagerly and entrusted his hand to Johaim’s. Placing his index and middle fingers on the inside of Melty’s wrist, Johaim closed his eyes briefly before opening them with a smile.
“You’re healthy.”
“Right?”
Johaim smiled back at Melty, who was raising his voice in gratitude to the Beast God, and resumed walking. Perhaps because his own experience of good health had been confirmed by someone else, Melty couldn’t hide his excitement. Seeing Melty like this, Johaim also wore a small smile on his lips.
“We’re almost there. That building with the maple-colored roof is ‘Footprints of Sunset.'”
“Wow!”
It was a place Melty hadn’t been able to find while wandering around alone. Scratching the back of his head, he commented that he should have asked others for directions earlier.
“It’s always difficult for first-time visitors to find unfamiliar places. I’m glad I could help.”
“Have you been here often, Johaim-ssi?”
“I come here occasionally for various matters.”
Melty let out an impressed “Ohh” at Johaim’s response. People who traveled between different villages, like his brothers and sisters, had always been objects of admiration for Melty. His siblings knew this, so whenever they returned to the village, they would sit by his bedside and tell him about their experiences outside.
“So you travel to other places frequently too?”
“Well, I do have a lot of business outside.”
“Wow. That’s amazing.”
Melty smiled while honestly expressing his thoughts. Johaim, whose eyes had widened as if surprised by Melty’s comments, eventually couldn’t help but smile back. After hesitating for a while, he reached out and removed a leaf that was stuck in Melty’s hair. While doing so, he gently stroked Melty’s soft hair and bid farewell to those sparkling eyes.
“…I have other business to attend to, so I should get going now. Take care.”
“Yes! Thank you. Good luck with your business, Johaim-ssi.”
After waving enthusiastically to say goodbye to Johaim, Melty approached the inn with bouncy steps. Though he had always heard about this place from his family, it was his first time visiting in person.
‘Footprints of Sunset’ was an ordinary inn that could be found anywhere. It also served as a contact point for locating the frequently changing residences of the Crosel family. Wrinkling his nose slightly, Melty stepped into the noisy establishment.
In the spacious ground floor, the loud voices of people already drunk in the early evening could be heard. Carefully making his way past them, Melty easily found the counter.
“Welcome. How can I help you?”
The female innkeeper smiled brightly as she asked Melty, who had cautiously approached the counter while looking around. At her kind inquiry, Melty took out a thick letter from inside his clothes and placed it on the counter. Her eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected item, and she waved her hands dismissively while laughing.
“If you want to send a letter, this isn’t the place…”
“Crosel.”
Adjusted to her height, the counter desk was even higher than Melty’s eye level. Standing on tiptoe while gripping the desk with both hands, Melty smiled cheerfully at the woman who was looking back and forth between him and the letter. Belatedly saying, “Ah, right,” Melty fumbled to show her the necklace he was wearing.
The black rose in the center, with swords piercing it from both ends, was a seal commonly used by the Crosel family for commissions. Moreover, the four red jewels embedded in the sword indicated direct lineage. The woman, whose face had turned pale as she alternately looked at the necklace and Melty’s face, hurriedly took the envelope he had handed over and put it in a drawer below.
“I’ll make sure it’s delivered without any problems.”
“Yes. Thank you.”
Melty smiled back at her kind assurance. After giving a polite bow, Melty headed outside. Since he had finished his business, the sky was already darkening. A small frown of disappointment appeared on Melty’s face as the quickly setting sun meant he couldn’t explore the village as thoroughly as he wanted.
“Maybe I’ll come out again tomorrow. Should I visit the temple tomorrow?”
Naru nodded happily, flicking its tongue in response to Melty’s question as he stroked his body. Melty giggled at Naru’s nod and was about to start walking when it happened.
A strong hand, appearing from who knows where, grabbed his arm. Before he could even cry out in surprise, Melty’s body was helplessly dragged by the force applied to his arm.
With a dull thud, Melty’s back hit the wall, causing his body to curl up instinctively. The person firmly holding his hand to prevent him from falling was a formidable man with a burly physique and menacing fangs protruding from his lips. Three other men stood beside him, surrounding Melty.
“W-who are you…?”
Melty’s eyes trembled anxiously as he flinched and shrank back. Right next to the establishment was a narrow alley. With the darkening sky and no lighting fixtures, it was a gloomy space. The only illumination came from the light leaking from the establishment, which was far from sufficient to brighten the entire alley.
“You don’t need to know who we are.”
The man who had scanned Melty’s attire with his eyes raised the corner of his mouth in a smirk. Melty shrank his shoulders at the suspicious smile that was beyond lecherous. Bending down to lean his upper body closer to Melty, the man continued in a hoarse voice thick with phlegm.
“If you bump into someone, you should compensate them, right? You know what compensation is?”
“I-I didn’t b-bump into anyone, so why should I compensate?”
These were people he wouldn’t have even faced if they hadn’t grabbed his hand just now. Melty frowned tearfully as he stammered out his words. Coming down to the village, meeting kind people, and eating delicious food had all been enjoyable. Because of this, he had completely forgotten about the possibility of encountering dangerous individuals.
“You’re quite brazen for your looks, aren’t you?”
“This isn’t going to work with nice words, is it, hyung?”
“A few hits would snap him to his senses. Why waste time with words?”
The men’s snickering remarks were menacing. Melty’s eyes welled up with tears as he looked around desperately, with no chance to escape. The man who was still roughly gripping Melty’s arm smirked at the sight of Melty trembling and rolling his eyes.
“A beating is the best medicine for someone slow to grasp the situation.”
Whether it was because of their build or their thick hands, Melty couldn’t tell, but everything about the men standing before him felt threatening. For Melty, who had experienced nothing but pleasant things all day in the village, it felt like a bolt from the blue. As the man raised his hand as if about to strike at any moment, Melty curled up tightly and squeezed his eyes shut.
