<Chapter 62>
#7. Journey
Angel let out a deep sigh and subtly rolled his eyes to look at Calix standing beside him. Unlike the people who were preparing for departure by organizing the carriages and arranging displays, Calix had quite a relaxed expression. Angel glanced at his face from the corner of his eye and opened his mouth.
“I’ve done as Lord Calix instructed.”
“Have you?”
“Our suspicions were correct—he disappeared without a trace.”
Though no specific subject was mentioned, Calix could understand that the protagonist of Angel’s story was ‘Bain Spangky.’ After all, it was Calix who had given the instruction to deliberately ease the surveillance.
“Fleeing just as all the exchange meeting guests were leaving—it’s perfect, as if deliberately calculated.”
“At this point, it’ll be difficult to pinpoint exactly who it was.”
Nodding his head lightly as if agreeing with Angel’s words, Calix stroked his chin and sank into thought. Bain Spangky, who had infiltrated the mansion with the help of ‘someone’ among the exchange meeting attendees, had gone so far as to fearlessly threaten Melty.
Calix, who had been furious to the point of madness over that incident, originally had no intention of letting him live. Thanks to this, he had conducted as many potency and toxicity experiments as he wanted that he hadn’t been able to do before, but he still couldn’t find the mastermind behind this affair. The reason he let Bain go this time was to discover that mastermind and completely uproot them.
“Threatening elements must be perfectly eliminated.”
“If Lord Calix had been appointed as the successor from the beginning, we could have put immediate pressure on the Spangky family.”
“Then I would have lost my target for venting. I would have had to release that guy with all limbs intact.”
At Angel’s words, Calix raised the corner of his mouth in a slight smile. While answering smoothly as if he had foreseen everything that had happened, Calix’s gaze stopped at one particular spot. When silence continued instead of instructions, Angel, whose curiosity was piqued, subtly turned his gaze sideways to look at Calix. Following Calix’s line of sight, Angel let out a hollow laugh.
Melty, carrying a small bag just large enough to fill one palm slung to his side, was busily examining the contents of his bag. And the kitchen staff and entourage surrounding him were holding well-packaged food items. As soon as Melty raised his head, they passed their snacks to him and engaged in conversation.
“Anyone watching would think they’re fattening him up to eat him.”
“What does it matter? He’d be even cuter if he’s plump.”
“Ugh…”
At Calix’s words, spoken with a smile on his lips, Angel shuddered. Looking at Calix with a disgruntled expression all over his face, Angel asked.
“Are you really taking Melty-ssi with you?”
“Ah, of course. It might be dangerous to leave him at the mansion at this time.”
“Please show some concern for my safety too.”
Angel grumbled with drooping shoulders. Calix turned to look at him, patting his shoulder lightly as he spoke.
“You won’t die.”
“…The discrimination is too much.”
Calix narrowed his eyes at Angel, who was shaking his head and sighing dramatically. Calix could clearly see what Angel’s desired objective was.
“Angel Fryce.”
“Yes?”
“After eating so much all this time, now you have to pay your dues.”
Angel shut his mouth tight at Calix’s words, spoken with a smile. There was no room for rebuttal. Angel, who had been aiming for a bonus of a few gold coins during this opportunity, quickly acknowledged that his plan had already been exposed to Calix.
“Understood. I will manage the mansion well so that you won’t have to worry.”
“Be sure to send urgent matters to me.”
Having finished speaking briefly, Calix hurriedly walked towards where Melty was without listening to Angel’s response. Melty was carrying a snack bag that was so full it had lost its original shape, thanks to the people who had provided for him.
“How much are you planning to eat?”
“Eek! You startled me. Where were you?”
“I had some instructions to give before departure.”
Calix, who had wrapped his arm around Melty’s waist to support him so he wouldn’t fall over—Melty was still easily startled—answered in a gentle voice.
“Are you all ready?”
Calix asked with a smile after briefly checking Melty’s snack bag, which looked like it might burst at any moment. Melty, who had been looking at Calix with an awkward expression, slowly nodded his head.
After lightly hugging Melty to help him board the carriage, Calix gave a few additional instructions to Jenny, the housekeeper, and others. Melty, who had been staring at him intently, rubbed his side where Calix’s hand had touched with an embarrassed expression.
Calix had contributed more to the ‘temporary relationship’ between Calix and Melty. He had pushed so insistently, as if it were only natural, that Melty had fallen head over heels while still wide awake. But Melty just couldn’t shake off the somewhat unsettled feeling.
‘He used to touch me more before we started this temporary relationship.’
Due to Calix becoming particularly busy since the exchange meeting, the time they spent leisurely together had decreased significantly. Perhaps because of this, it had been quite a while since Calix’s hand had touched Melty’s head, which he used to stroke as if it were his to caress whenever he wanted. Melty subtly raised his hand and stroked his own head, feeling oddly disappointed.
“Why are you standing instead of sitting?”
“I’ll sit!”
Startled by his sudden address, Melty raised his voice and hurriedly sat down on one side. Perhaps because it was a carriage for a long journey, the ride felt different in many ways from the one he had taken to the nearby village.
A smile played on Calix’s lips as he took in every detail of Melty’s appearance. After boarding the carriage, Calix spoke briefly to those who were only waiting for his command.
“Let’s depart.”
***
As soon as the carriage departed, Calix observed Melty, who was glued to the window and wouldn’t detach himself. Though there were documents he had brought to work on during the journey, it was inevitable that watching Melty was more interesting.
The stack of papers that would have originally waited for their master’s touch on the desk were now occupying one side of the seat like common stones rolling on the ground.
“How long will it take?”
“Well, about two days?”
At Calix’s answer, Melty barely tore his gaze from the window. Although it was startling to be suddenly taken away by Calix, he was a little excited about the prospect of leaving the mansion and seeing other places.
– If I leave the mansion with Lord Calix, there’ll be no one to work. So please take care of things in my place.
Even without Angel’s request, Melty knew very well that he would have had to board this carriage anyway. Wrinkling his nose, Melty subtly rolled his eyes to look at Calix. Though he quickly turned his gaze back to the window as soon as their eyes met, Calix, who hadn’t taken his eyes off him since boarding the carriage, wouldn’t miss it.
“Is there something you want to say?”
“…I do have something I’m curious about…”
Finally giving up on turning away from him, Melty honestly brought up the subject. Calix, who was simply pleased to see him turn his head away from the window where he had been stuck as if glued with adhesive, nodded with a smile. Gaining confidence from his gesture, Melty swallowed a dry gulp and spoke.
“I did assist with work, but I still don’t know much.”
The work he had done so far was limited to sorting letters arriving at the Padrian mansion or organizing order forms. Since his experience of the outside world had only begun since coming to Padrian, he lacked general knowledge as well.
“Will I be of help?”
Calix’s lips curved into a deep smile at Melty’s question, which was asked with a serious expression full of concern. Perplexed by his smiling face, Melty blinked.
“Of course, you’ll be a great help.”
“Really, truly?”
Calix nodded vigorously in response to Melty’s expectant gaze. Melty waited for him to provide more detailed words, his eyes sparkling brightly. Calix found it cute that Melty had been worrying about such things while eagerly pressing his nose against the window as soon as he boarded the carriage.
“Yes. Curious about how you’ll be helpful?”
Melty glanced sideways at Calix, who asked with a sly smile, and obediently nodded. After uncrossing his legs, Calix leaned his upper body slightly forward and reached out his hand. Melty grabbed his outstretched hand without any particular suspicion.
Calix firmly grasped his small hand that had fallen into the trap and pulled it with force. Due to the jolting of the carriage, Melty’s body, whose buttocks had lifted, naturally leaned forward. Before he could grasp the situation, Calix quickly caught him with his arm and finally sat him on his lap.
“……”
Even though his eyes were clearly open, everything happened in an instant, flowing like water. Blinking with a blank expression, Melty came to his senses at the sound of muffled laughter above his head.
“See? I told you you’d be helpful.”
“…By sitting on your lap?”
“Yes.”
Calix smiled brightly and, as if he had been waiting for this moment, rubbed his cheek against Melty’s soft brown hair. Feeling like he had suddenly been transformed from a person to a pet, Melty wore a disgruntled expression. His tightly clenched fist thumped against Calix’s chest.
“I’m a person, you know!”
Soft fists that didn’t hurt at all striking his chest only felt like affection. Removing his cheek from Melty’s hair, Calix looked at him, full of indignation, and said,
“You’re a person, but also my lover, right?”
Melty’s body stiffened at his words that came at an unexpected timing. Although the word ‘temporary’ should have been attached in front, a lover was still a lover. Melty’s lips parted blankly at the words from someone who hadn’t shown any such words, let alone actions, for a while.
Gazing at the even redder color faintly visible within the beautifully lined red lips, Calix smiled deeply. He wanted to steal those cute lips right away, but that would still take time.
Dealing with various families, he was closer to a businessman and a merchant. He had no desire to lose a deal that was already done through hasty actions. Moreover, if that merchandise was the mischievous hamster in front of him, it was even more so.
“W-why bring that up now?!”
Calix laughed deeply as he watched Melty snap back with a flustered expression, and whispered in a seductive, languid voice.
“Let’s go on a date.”
