<Chapter 5>
#1. This Contract Is Somehow Wrong (5)
“…Huh?”
The numerous thoughts in Calix’s mind disappeared at Melty’s single utterance. They say when bewilderment exceeds a certain level, all thoughts vanish—and that was exactly Calix’s situation. For such a desperate cry, the content was too worthless to deal with.
“Who would eat whom? Me eating you?”
“I know everything. There’s no use trying to deceive me!”
No matter how wide he opened his round eyes, it wasn’t threatening in the slightest. Letting out a hollow laugh while receiving Melty’s intense gaze, Calix ran his hand through his hair with a tired expression.
Since becoming an adult, he had used his Gift from the Beast God very effectively. Using his Gift to see connections, he broadly classified people into two categories: those who would be helpful to him and those who wouldn’t. And according to that standard, Melty clearly fell into the “helpful to him” category. Not just “somewhat” but “tremendously.”
Every word from Melty had such an impact that for the first time in his life, Calix was questioning his Gift.
“I won’t eat you. I’m not a criminal who practices cannibalism. Hah… how can you even think that?”
Unable to bring up how he had seen his own face when using his Gift on Calix, Melty simply kept his mouth shut. It wasn’t just that he was wary of Calix because what appeared when he used his Gift twice wasn’t food but his own face.
“I know everything. I heard the snake clan eats people. They bring in outsiders for poison experiments and…”
“I don’t know who spread such lies, but you believe that? The world is so vast with so many things to eat, why would anyone eat people?”
Despite his incredulous tone, the wariness in Melty’s eyes didn’t disappear. Watching him stick to the wall while casting suspicious glances, Calix sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.
“And even if I did eat people, why would I eat someone like you who would barely yield a few pieces of meat?”
“W-what’s that? Are you saying you’ll eat me or you won’t?”
Melty trembled as Calix smacked his lips, even though he’d just claimed not to eat people. Smiling faintly at Melty’s wary appearance, Calix said:
“I promise I won’t eat you.”
“I don’t trust promises made just by mouth.”
He’d thought Melty would easily give in because he seemed so docile, but Melty was different than expected. Looking at those eyes that, despite being frightened, shone with clarity, Calix opened his mouth with a satisfied feeling.
“Then shall I write you a contract?”
At his question, Melty shook his head from side to side. To Calix’s questioning “Then?”, Melty thought for a moment before speaking.
“B-bet on it.”
“On what?”
“Bet your most precious thing and swear to the Beast God. Then I’ll believe you.”
His actions had seemed smart, but what came out was imbued with pure innocence. It wasn’t rational to trust someone based on a mere oath to the Beast God rather than a signature, but Calix simply shrugged. Then he clasped his hands together.
“I, Calix Kuse Padrian, bet myself and solemnly swear to the Beast God that I will not eat Melty Crosel.”
With those brief words, Calix glanced at Melty. At his half-hearted attitude that seemed to ask ‘Is that enough?’, Melty fidgeted with his lips before taking a deep breath and nodding. As soon as Calix rose from the bed and took a step forward, Melty pressed himself against the wall again.
“Now that I’ve sworn, I’d appreciate if you could stop being so afraid. Any other questions?”
“…Is it also false that you experiment with poisons on outsiders?”
“That part is true.”
Of course, it was a form of punishment carried out only on criminals. He didn’t feel like explaining that kindly. At his mischievous words, Melty’s face turned white again. Satisfactorily observing Melty’s ever-changing expressions, Calix spoke in a relaxed voice:
“We’ll be working together now, so is there any need to be so nervous?”
Melty sincerely regretted signing the contract. Calix placed his hand on Melty’s shrinking head and rubbed it vigorously. The fine hair that brushed against his fingertips was soft and fluffy. He hadn’t particularly touched the hair, ears, or tails of furry beasts before, nor had any occasion to, but somehow his hand was drawn to it. Perhaps because of Melty’s height that barely reached his chest, the height was just right for placing his hand.
“Now it seems like it’s my turn to ask questions?”
“Q-questions?”
Calix smiled as he watched Melty roll his large eyes around, gauging the situation.
“W-what is it?”
Looking at the small head that was trying to lower itself to escape his hand, Calix opened his mouth.
“Are you really a ‘Crosel’?”
“In what sense are you asking that?”
“You don’t seem to be from the hamster clan.”
Calix was being somewhat serious. He had met quite a number of different species throughout his life, and naturally, that included hamster people. But he’d never seen one that was this soft, fluffy, meek, and trembling. From the small, cute ears to the small tail that could be fully wrapped in one hand.
“If I’m not from the hamster clan, what clan do you think I’m from?”
Melty blinked with a puzzled expression, tilting his head. At Melty’s question, Calix recalled various beast-people he knew. He tried to think of the most fitting type, but there was no clan that seemed properly related.
“Why would I ask if I already knew?”
“I am from the hamster clan. You can tell just by looking at my ears.”
Calix hardened his expression even as Melty pointed to the ears positioned on top of his head.
‘No, that’s not it. Those guys have ears full of muscle too, so they don’t feel this soft at all.’
Swallowing the denial that was about to burst from his lips, Calix skillfully maintained his expression. Watching Melty’s ears sway lightly from side to side, Calix smiled slightly and moved on to the next question.
“Let’s say that’s true.”
“It really is true.”
Are snake people’s eyes bad? Or have they never seen hamster people before?
Dissatisfied with Calix’s response, Melty pushed out his lower lip and fiddled with his ears. He couldn’t understand why Calix was reacting this way—his ears weren’t any different from his family’s.
“You’re definitely an adult, right?”
Melty frowned at the one common thread in all the questions so far. With arms firmly crossed, he glared at Calix and spoke, emphasizing each word:
“I don’t lie.”
“Hmm?”
“From earlier, you’ve been making me out to be a liar! Being from the hamster clan, being a Crosel, and being an adult—they’re all true!”
Despite Melty’s sullen gaze, Calix didn’t budge. He raised his hands slightly and said in a light tone:
“I wasn’t particularly trying to doubt you. Isn’t it better to be certain about everything?”
“That IS doubting me!”
Perhaps feeling indignant at having to look up while snapping back, Melty rose on his tiptoes. Of course, such a small increase couldn’t overcome their height difference. Thinking that Melty’s behavior was just like animals puffing themselves up before a fight, Calix reached out. His extended hand landed on top of Melty’s head. Then, as if it were nothing, he pressed down firmly on Melty’s protruding head.
“Urgh, urrgh.”
“I didn’t get to see the Gift you said you’d show me, and watching you just now, I’m doubting whether you’ve really received a blessing.”
Melty wanted to immediately protest, ‘That’s because you were trying to eat me!’ but he kept his mouth shut, fearing he might receive a poison shower instead of being eaten. Stamping his foot in indignation, Melty filled his cheeks with air. Feeling the urge to press those plump cheeks, Calix moved his hand without hesitation.
Squish, squish.
Despite Melty’s struggling and groaning, the air in his cheeks quickly escaped under the pressing touch. Holding and gently shaking Melty’s now-deflated cheeks with one hand, Calix asked with a smile:
“The blessing typically received by hamster clan members would be speed or strength, right?”
Due to the squeezing of his cheeks, the pronunciation came out incomplete. Though Melty struggled with both hands to remove Calix’s hand from his face, Calix didn’t budge an inch.
“I mph. It could be something else, you know.”
“Really? Then why don’t you tell me? What blessing did you receive?”
Melty’s body stiffened at his words. The blessing he received from the Beast God was a secret even from his family. Calix’s lips curled into a smile as he gazed steadily at Melty, who was rolling his eyes with his mouth firmly shut.
“Why have you gone quiet?”
“……”
Calix’s smile deepened as he watched Melty fidget with his fingers, mouth tightly closed. While there had been several suspicious circumstances, judging from their conversations and behaviors, Melty’s story was certainly true. The reason Calix continued to act mischievously despite realizing this was because he found Melty’s reactions entertaining each time.
Unaware of this, Melty’s sense of injustice was steadily piling up. He’d thought it would be a good job, but it was a snake’s den. Everything he said was being doubted. Quickly recognizing the sorrow rising on his face, Calix once again placed his hand on Melty’s tiny head and rubbed it.
“If you don’t want to talk about it, that can’t be helped. Shall we go eat then?”
“…?”
Melty blinked in confusion at Calix’s relaxed words, who until just now had been pushing him with suspicious tones. Calix barely held back his laughter as he watched Melty’s expression change from tearful to blank.
“That’s it? After pushing me like that…”
“If we delay any longer, mealtime will end.”
Swish, swish. Melty gave a sidelong glance at the hand tousling his hair. Calix nonchalantly received the unfriendly look, finding it hard to take his hand away from Melty’s soft, fluffy hair. Somehow, he felt like he could get used to this sensation.
***
Tap, tap.
Calix’s fingers rhythmically drummed on the table, creating a sound. The noise, as if revealing his discomfort, grew increasingly faster. Finally, marking an end with a light slap of his palm on the table, he raised his gaze.
“Eek!”
Along with the sound of hurried inhalation, a small figure hiding behind Angel came into view. Whether as a precaution, the small hands were firmly gripping Angel’s clothes. Sensing something odd in the quiet silence, Melty peeked out his head slightly. Then, upon meeting Calix’s gaze, he hurriedly hid behind Angel again.
“…What on earth is going on?”
With a deeply furrowed brow, Calix was extremely displeased with the current situation. Because Melty kept trembling and being afraid, he had willingly made that pathetic oath, and for Melty’s sake—who seemed uncomfortable talking about his blessing—he had promptly changed the subject. While walking to the dining hall, he had introduced the employees and given a brief tour of the mansion. So, until then, the atmosphere hadn’t been bad. Why it had reverted to the original state now after finishing the meal, he had absolutely no idea.
“Ha, haha. Indeed. What on earth could be the matter?”
Speaking each word in a monotonous, mechanical tone, Angel turned his head to look at the small head of Melty hiding behind him. Then he turned his gaze to Calix, who was glaring at them with terrifying eyes. In over five years of working under Calix, today was the first time he had received an invitation to dine. But it seemed that it might have been a funeral meal.
“I’ve done everything you asked, so what’s the problem?”
