<Chapter 56>
#6. Waves of Change (3)
Kamin Patel’s gaze wavered unsteadily, a bit flustered by the unexpected question from the small creature who carefully inquired. After clearing his throat several times, he rubbed the back of his neck with his thick hand and said.
“Ah, well… Rather than brewing plant stuff, I prefer alcohol.”
“Alcohol?”
“Does the little one know how to drink?”
“I’m not a little one, I’m an adult.”
Melty frowned deeply and raised his heels as high as possible. Desperately standing on his toes to counter the man’s tall stature, Melty firmly held onto Calix’s arm to avoid falling over.
Calix, who silently supported Melty as he tried his best to appear taller, glared disapprovingly at Kamin Patel for bringing up the topic of “alcohol” in this situation. Despite Calix’s gaze, Kamin Patel’s eyes remained fixed solely on Melty.
“An adult? Our kids were exactly this size when they were 10 years old.”
Kamin Patel frowned as he moved his hand to a level slightly higher than Melty’s head. Shocked at the sight of him trying to recall his own children’s past heights, Melty’s mouth fell open.
“You shouldn’t compare him with your children who were sizeable from birth.”
Durasen, who stepped forward while patting Kamin Patel’s back, lowered his upper body to meet Melty’s eye level. Melty’s heels naturally came down as he noticed Durasen, who had been behind Kamin Patel and thus unnoticed until now.
“Nice to meet you.”
As Melty hesitated before the extended hand that came with a gentle smile, Calix quickly and swiftly took Durasen’s hand in Melty’s place. After casually shaking his hand, Calix spoke briefly.
“Now that the greetings are over and the misunderstanding has been cleared, let’s go to the villa.”
Durasen laughed out loud at Calix, whose face fully revealed his unwillingness to create a social gathering.
“Ah, what are you talking about! I was in the middle of a conversation with that little one! I was going to host a drinking gathering, a drinking gathering!”
“Ha. What kind of drinking is there in broad daylight? And I merely asked about preferences, I didn’t invite anyone to a gathering.”
Despite Kamin Patel’s booming voice, Calix’s tone remained cold. While some people developed deep friendships at exchange meetings, Calix dealt with them purely out of obligation. From the beginning, thanks to his gift, he could clearly see whether these people would be beneficial or harmful to him, so he had no desire to get entangled in complicated relationships.
Unlike Calix, Melty’s face showed slight dissatisfaction as he had intended to break down the solid wall erected between Kamin Patel and Calix. Getting along well was such a good thing, and he couldn’t understand why Calix put up walls against other people.
“When did I say I’d share drinks with you?! In any case…!”
“Oh my, has something interesting happened?”
A bright, high-pitched voice interrupted Kamin Patel’s thunderous voice that was about to resound again. Naturally, the gathered people shifted their gazes following the voice that refreshed the atmosphere itself. Her gaze, which lightly surveyed the quite serious atmosphere, settled on Melty’s cheeks, which were preparing to puff up with dissatisfaction.
Though she had only separated from Melty in the garden after a light tea time to catch something that had popped out, she never dreamed such an incredible combination would be gathered when she returned. As she pondered when and how to give Melty what she was holding in her hand, she decided to change the atmosphere first.
“From what I heard earlier, is there going to be a drinking party?”
“It’s the daughter of the McNeil family.”
“You recognized me already?”
“Ah, with hair that blazing red, how could I not know!”
Though his response was blunt, there was no hostility in Kamin Patel’s voice. She smiled brightly and passed by Calix, whose face was full of ‘what are you doing?’ light, and approached Melty.
“Lila-ssi, did you catch it?”
“No, I lost it. What about you, Melty-ssi?”
“…Me too.”
The corners of Melty’s eyes, which had been looking at her with expectant eyes, drooped down. Calix, who was checking his complexion with a sidelong glance, couldn’t resist his curiosity and opened his mouth.
“What did you lose?”
“Um… an insect.”
Melty, who was subtly avoiding Calix’s gaze, spoke in a shrinking voice. Not missing the moment when Calix expressed confusion at the sudden mention of an ‘insect,’ she smiled brightly at Kamin Patel and Durasen.
“I really like alcohol too. If it’s a fun gathering, could I join as well?”
“Of course I’d be happy! Hehaha! The more people there are at such gatherings, the more fun it is!”
“Do as you please.”
Having easily obtained permission from the two oldest people, Lila nodded with a bright smile.
“That’s great. Oh, is Calix-nim coming as well?”
“…If you want to have a drinking party, just do it with those who want to drink. If you tell the villa, they will prepare for you.”
“I see.”
Lila nonchalantly nodded at Calix, whose face was fully showing his displeasure with the current situation. For her, who already held his weakness, it wasn’t difficult to lead the situation in her desired direction.
“What about Melty-ssi? Won’t you join us? It will surely be fun.”
Calix’s expression hardened at her smiling invitation. Lila completely ignored Calix’s glare, which seemed to scold her for dragging a child into such a gathering. Hesitantly, Melty glanced up at Calix who was standing by his side.
“Yes! Little one! I’ll show you the world of alcohol! Hohoho!”
At his eager invitation, Melty’s feet subtly moved sideways. Calix, twitching his eyebrows, immediately snatched Melty’s nape as he was gradually moving while checking the atmosphere.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“Ugh. No, just…”
“Just what.”
“…I was going to taste the world of alcohol…”
“Huh?”
Calix was at a loss for words at Melty’s statement, which was properly made despite his mumbling. Normally, Melty lived with sweet snacks constantly in his mouth. Seeing him gleaming with interest despite never having mentioned alcohol before, it seemed he was attempting his first deviation.
“Have you ever tried it before?”
“Everyone has a first time.”
Calix suppressed a sigh at the sight of him earnestly talking with a deadpan face, and covered his face with his other hand that wasn’t holding Melty. The round eyes that were slightly looking up were very cute, but he couldn’t just let him go like this. Slightly bowing his head, he spoke in a voice small enough for only Melty to hear.
“Where did all my warnings about being careful at the exchange meeting go? Do you still want to go after experiencing what happened yesterday?”
“But they seem like good people. And, and today I have Naru and Pel-ssi too…”
Busily fidgeting with his interlocked fingers, Melty muttered something that wouldn’t make any difference, saying, “And I’m friends with Lila-ssi too…” Calix, with narrowed eyes, stared blankly at Melty. He doubted if this was the same person who had been so shy just by making eye contact with him until this morning.
Kamin Patel frowned as he confirmed Melty was struggling in Calix’s grasp. Extending his arm, he separated Calix and Melty without much difficulty.
“He’s an adult who says he wants to do it! Since when has Padrian been so coercive and rude!”
“Huh?”
Calix was at a loss for words as the atmosphere suddenly turned into everyone being on the same side except for him. He moved his stiff neck to look at Durasen standing next to him. It was to seek help from him, who was the most rational among them, but even he easily sided with Kamin Patel while stroking his chin.
“That’s enough now. Hmm. Doesn’t Padrian make infused liquor? I heard herbal liquor is good for medicinal purposes…”
Calix rubbed his face dryly at the sight of him coveting alcohol that obviously could only be manufactured at Padrian. More than anything else, it was more shocking that Melty seemed to be taking their side instead of listening to him.
Melty, who was worriedly watching his serious appearance, approached Calix again despite Kamin Patel having just freed him.
“Calix-ssi.”
“What. I thought you were going to drink.”
Calix muttered while slightly shaking his arm that Melty was holding, like a sulking child. At his words, Melty looked up at him with a dejected expression.
“Isn’t it good for everyone to get along well?”
“…”
But no. I’m satisfied just getting along well with you alone.
His mischievous personality, full of sulkiness, kept stirring his insides. The sharp dissatisfaction that had been bristling was instantly melted by the bewitching hamster’s gesture, who was smiling broadly while trying to persuade him.
“What kind of relationship do those two have? Is it this?”
Kamin Patel, who was watching the two who had instantly fallen into their own world, asked while tapping his two little fingers together. Recognizing that his fingers were indicating a ‘romantic relationship,’ Lila covered her mouth with her hand and laughed.
“Are you asking me?”
“Ah, well, I just thought you might know better than me. They say young people sense these things, right?”
At Kamin Patel’s question, Lila glanced at Calix’s face, which had instantly crumbled at the corners of his mouth, with a light laugh. It seemed like she would need more time to adjust to his appearance, which had instantly lowered its tail and become gentle, like a dog leashed by its owner. Melty, who had instantly captivated the sharp viper without even realizing it himself, was looking this way with a grinning face, shouting ‘Let’s eat together!’
Lila, covering her mouth with her hand, closed one eye slightly to wink and whispered to Kamin Patel with a voice tinged with laughter.
“Not yet, but one side is working hard on it.”
