<Chapter 27>
#3. The Only Ones Who Don’t Know (7)
As Angel suggested, Melty washed himself clean with warm water, put on a loose indoor outfit, and made his way to Calix’s office. Ahem, clearing his throat, Melty knocked on the door forcefully, his hand laden with discontent.
*Knock, knock.*
Just before hitting the door, he lessened his strength for the sake of his innocent hand that might get hurt. In the end, the timid knock sound prompted an indifferent voice from inside.
“Come in.”
With Calix’s permission, the door slowly opened with a click. Melty, whom Calix had expected to burst through the door immediately, only peeked his head in cautiously without letting go of the doorknob, exploring the inside.
Calix let out a snicker, seeing that the person who had openly displayed his discontent with a raised voice at the mansion entrance had instantly reverted to his timid self. As Melty still hesitated, seemingly lacking the confidence to enter, Calix moved instead.
When he grabbed and pulled the opposite doorknob, Melty lost his balance and tumbled forward. Calix supported him with his body to prevent him from falling. Seeing Melty’s hair dripping with water, he frowned.
“Why did you come without drying your hair?”
“Um… I thought you might be waiting…?”
Though he appeared carefree, Melty wasn’t a fool. Even when they had just arrived at the mansion, Melty had openly expressed his discontent, feeling that Calix was controlling his relationships. But by nature, Melty was somewhat timid and fearful.
Calix was the owner of the mansion and his employer. Moreover, he was also the person who had repaid the enormous debt that Melty owed. If the world were divided into those with power and those without, Calix would be the ultimate super-ultra-powerful one.
‘I must be crazy.’
Wanting to punch himself in the head for his momentary lapse in judgment, Melty instead observed Calix’s reaction. Rolling his eyes here and there, Melty glanced at Calix and smiled awkwardly.
With just that sour smile from Melty, Calix’s stern expression easily crumbled.
“Alright, sit down and have dinner.”
Taking Melty inside and seating him on the sofa, Calix easily picked up a towel placed on one side. On the table, which was usually piled with documents, a neatly arranged dinner was visible.
Confirming that the prepared meal was for two people, Melty turned to call Calix. Before he could call out his name, a towel covered his head. Calix moved his hands skillfully to dry Melty’s wet hair.
With practiced ease, Calix adjusted the pressure of his hands as he dried Melty’s hair, only removing his hands when water no longer dripped. Satisfied, he slightly frowned at Melty, who was staring up at him blankly without touching the food.
“What are you doing? Eat up. Weren’t you hungry?”
Despite the gentle way Calix had dried his hair, his tone wasn’t soft, making Melty pout. Still, knowing that the careful way Calix had arranged his hair and the thick blanket placed on his shoulders were considerations so he wouldn’t be cold, Melty couldn’t snap back with a sharp voice like before.
“Haven’t you eaten either, Calix-ssi? The meal is for two people, isn’t it?”
“Ah, well. I was going to eat once you started…”
“Let’s eat together.”
Melty tilted his head back to meet Calix’s eyes and whispered. Facing Melty’s red, mumbling lips and clear, sparkling eyes, Calix hesitated, averting his gaze as he let out a big cough and sat down opposite him.
Throughout the meal, Melty had been eyeing Calix, looking for the right moment to speak. By the time he opened his mouth, the neatly emptied dishes had been cleared away, and cups of tea were in both of their hands.
“If you have something to ask, just ask. Stop giving me those looks.”
“Will you answer if I ask?”
“I’ve always answered you, haven’t I?”
At Calix’s question, Melty’s gaze lowered. His long eyelashes, creating shadows as they extended downward due to his lowered eyelids, stood out. Thinking they were quite alluring eyelashes, unsuited to his cute face, Calix sipped his tea.
Unlike Calix, Melty was selecting his question. He didn’t want to engage in childish bickering like before. As Calix had said, he always answered questions, but the probability of getting a proper answer wasn’t very high. Still, there was something Melty needed to do before asking. After organizing his thoughts, Melty looked straight at Calix and spoke.
“Earlier, I was a bit upset, so my words came out harshly. I’m sorry.”
At Melty’s straightforward apology, Calix scratched his cheek. In fact, Melty hadn’t done anything wrong. All the blame lay with Johaim, who had been lingering around him for some unknown purpose.
Just thinking about it again made Calix’s brow furrow deeply with displeasure. Not noticing the change in his expression, Melty continued, with his head bowed, fidgeting with his fingers.
“I don’t know what kind of relationship the two of you have, but I didn’t think Calix-ssi would go so far as to forbid me from meeting Johaim-ssi. Honestly, if you tell me I can’t do something without giving a reason, of course I’m going to feel bad.”
It ultimately sounded like he was determined to visit the temple with Johaim as planned tomorrow. Quickly grasping the core of Melty’s roundabout speech, Calix frowned.
“Do you absolutely have to go to that temple with him?”
“It’s not like that, but… it’s a promise. Johaim-ssi said he’d guide me all the way there.”
This was a village Melty had arrived at for the first time after leaving home. When he had boldly opened his shop, he didn’t have time to wander around because of it. In his village, he couldn’t go to the temple often due to poor health, and here, he hadn’t even thought about visiting while trying to adapt.
Examining Melty’s expression, Calix sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. In retrospect, just because he had abruptly said “No,” Melty had no obligation or reason to obey.
Having loitered around waiting for Melty to return, Calix had become irritated upon finding Johaim inside the carriage, acting overly familiar, and had admittedly been unreasonable.
“Even if I tell you that promises can be canceled, you won’t listen. There’s nothing special about visiting the temple anyway.”
“Maybe you’ve been there often, Calix-ssi, but I’ve never been to a temple in a different region.”
“I’ve never gone except for my coming-of-age ceremony.”
At Calix’s sullen reply, Melty opened his eyes wide and stared at him blankly.
“Why not?”
“Because there’s no reason or need to go.”
It wasn’t that he particularly disliked or distrusted the deity. If pressed to choose a side, Calix would fall into the category of ‘indifferent.’ Though he had received a gift and blessing from the deity during his coming-of-age ceremony and was using it beneficially, he was confident he would have lived well without it. Moreover, the “blessing” that everyone received was even less impressive to him.
Melty looked at him intently as he shrugged, and easily accepted his stance. Come to think of it, Calix was the kind of person who could very easily cancel even a vow made to a deity.
“I want to go. I haven’t properly thanked him yet.”
“Thank him?”
To Calix’s questioning look, as if wondering what he meant, Melty nodded and continued.
“Thanks to the Beast God, I couldn’t have even dreamed of wandering around outside like this.”
“What did the Beast God do for you?”
“…I don’t know exactly. But after visiting the temple for my coming-of-age ceremony, my body got better.”
At Melty’s careful explanation, Calix rubbed his chin. Thanks to what Melty had shared, he now understood why Melty believed in and relied on the Beast God so much.
“Then I’ll assign someone to guide you. Go ahead.”
Saying, ‘Anyway, not him,’ Calix resembled Melty’s siblings who had been overprotective of him. Remembering his family members whom he hadn’t seen in a long time, Melty sighed softly.
He knew well why his family members were so protective of him, but he couldn’t understand why Calix, who was merely his employer, was so adamantly opposed. So Melty decided to ask directly.
“Why do you dislike Johaim-ssi so much? Did something happen between you two?”
At Melty’s question, Calix made an indifferent expression and searched his thoughts. Among the 10,000 reasons he disliked Johaim, the main one was simple. According to Calix’s gift, Johaim was not the kind of person who would be beneficial to Calix.
But there were several issues with calling that an ‘incident.’ Calix could easily recall one event that had soured their relationship. With an indifferent expression, Calix looked at Melty and dropped a bombshell with a deadpan face.
“Incident? Ah, well. I killed his siblings.”
At Calix’s unexpected revelation, Melty’s eyes widened. Calix frowned at Melty, who had frozen stiff as if cursed to turn into stone. He cautiously waved his hand in front of Melty’s eyes. He had expected Melty to be surprised, but he hadn’t anticipated him to freeze up this much.
Only when Calix belatedly began to worry whether Melty was breathing properly did he hurriedly rise. At that moment, Melty reached out and grabbed Calix’s hand, which was awkwardly extended in front of him.
Though his trembling eyes still held confusion and bewilderment, there was no sign of fear. Caught in an awkward position, neither standing nor sitting, as his hand was grabbed just as he was about to rise, Calix looked at Melty.
“Hic!”
Seeing Melty hiccup with his eyes wide open, Calix let out a laugh intertwined with a sigh.
“Are you okay?”
At his casual question, Melty lightly threw away Calix’s hand that he had been holding, then covered his mouth with both hands as he continued to hiccup. And in his heart, he sincerely conveyed:
‘I’m not okay at all!’
