Calyx soon caught up to the boy. Standing beside the knight who was following at a distance, he could clearly see the boy’s figure under the moonlight.
“It seems he’s lost.”
The knight spoke in a low voice.
As the knight said, the boy did indeed appear to be lost. He stood still, restlessly looking around in every direction. Yet despite being lost, he showed no signs of anxiety or impatience. He simply searched for the way with calm, easygoing eyes.
“My eye level’s different now, so it’s totally confusing.”
After looking around for a while, the boy muttered softly. Then he wrapped his arms around himself and shuddered.
“Ugh, it’s cold.”
Calyx clicked his tongue at the boy’s mumbling.
It was an early winter night. There was no way he wouldn’t be cold without even an outer coat. The sight of that small body trembling was irritating to the eye. Still, the plucky boy soon puffed out his chest and started walking again.
Where on earth was he trying to go in the dead of night?
The boy walked on without stopping. His steps were bold, with not even a hint of hesitation, yet it was hard to guess his destination. Whenever the path was blocked, he turned right; after walking straight for a while and hitting another block, he turned right again. The guards they encountered along the way had been cleared aside by the knights walking ahead, but soon even that became unnecessary. They were already walking the same path for the second time.
The boy didn’t seem to think that he was lost at all. Or perhaps he simply believed that if he kept going, something would eventually turn up. If left alone like this, he would probably keep circling the same spot. And when he got tired, he might stop right there and call out for someone again.
Calyx recalled a time long ago when his cat had shouted at the top of his lungs. Sitting still, calling him over and over again—only to throw a tantrum once Calyx finally approached and scooped him up.
Thinking about it now, even if the situation were the same in his current form, the boy would probably react no differently. If that happened, how would the boy call for him? Would he call out “patron,” just like last night?
No matter what he called him, it didn’t really matter. If the boy shouted his name again and again at the top of his lungs, that would undoubtedly be a pleasant thing. And so would be gathering the boy—shivering from the cold while searching for him—into his arms.
“…Where even is this place?”
the boy finally stopped and muttered. His back, slowly scanning the surroundings before letting out a deep sigh, was endearing. Calyx watched the boy standing still and gazing up at the sky, then hesitated for a moment.
Well now. What should he do?
The boy, shivering from the cold, stood alone, lost and stranded. It would be best to pull him into warmth and put him at ease soon—but part of Calyx also wanted to watch just a little longer. The boy had a personality that never hesitated to ask for help when he needed it. Perhaps this time, too, he might shout his name out loud.
Calyx assessed the boy with a measuring gaze.
The boy’s body trembled at regular intervals as he stared blankly at the sky. Yet he didn’t rub his arms or hunch over to ward off the cold. When Calyx noticed the fingertips beneath the boy’s sleeves had turned bluish, he clicked his tongue and approached.
“Whoa!”
When Calyx wrapped him from behind with his coat, the boy jumped in surprise. As the boy flailed backward, Calyx caught hold of his ice-cold hand. It was far colder than he had expected.
The boy looked up at Calyx’s face and made a startled “Eek—” expression. His black eyes blinked rapidly, spinning busily as thoughts raced through his head. After a moment, he narrowed his eyes and shot a suspicious glare instead. Until he fully grasped the situation, he clearly had no intention of speaking first.
But Calyx focused on enclosing the boy’s freezing hands in his own, pouring warmth into them.
The boy’s hands, easily hidden within Calyx’s palms, were so blue they looked on the verge of frostbite. As Calyx gently kneaded and rubbed them, color slowly returned—but it still wasn’t enough to satisfy him.
I should’ve brought gloves.
Calyx clicked his tongue inwardly.
“…Hey.”
The boy called out in a sulky voice.
It seemed he’d finally reached his limit after Calyx paid attention only to his hands for so long. Even so, his gaze and tone were just as sulky, clearly displeased with the situation. Calyx continued rubbing the boy’s hands as he spoke.
“I’m Calyx.”
“…Huh?”
“My name is Calyx.”
“…Ah…”
The boy blinked his black eyes and tilted his head slightly, then nodded. With an awkward expression, he spoke.
“I’m… K.”
“K?”
“Yeah. K.”
When Calyx repeated the name, the awkwardness vanished from the boy’s face, replaced by an enthusiastic nod.
“K.”
Calyx called the boy’s name while meeting those black eyes now gleaming with life. Hearing his name, the boy smiled, his dark eyes curving softly in delight.
“Ah. I can live now.”
After taking a sip of warm tea, the boy spoke with a relieved huff. Even after turning human, he still couldn’t handle hot things—it took a long time of blowing “hoo, hoo” before he finally managed that single sip.
The boy’s cheeks, frozen stiff earlier, were now flushed red from warming by the fire. Drowsiness crept in, and he let out a yawn. Rubbing at the corners of his sleep-heavy eyes, he stretched both arms wide as if trying to chase the drowsiness away.
“Ughhh— I seriously almost froze to death before even making it to the library.”
After muttering to himself, the boy suddenly turned his head to look at Calyx. Suspicion still dangled unmistakably in those black eyes. Normally, Calyx would’ve soothed him by patting that black head—but for now, that wasn’t possible, which was somewhat regrettable.
“But why were you wandering around at night like th—?”
the boy’s suspicious question trailed off awkwardly. Watching his gaze fixed intently on him, it was clear he was weighing how to phrase his words. When Calyx didn’t immediately react, the boy let out a small, tentative smile. Then, finally, his eyes sparkled as he spoke again.
“Huh? What were you doing outside?”
Calyx saw the suspicion still hanging in the boy’s eyes despite his deliberately light tone. The way he pressed for an answer with just his gaze overlapped perfectly with his usual self. Whenever he wanted something, the boy always stared with wide, round eyes and let out a plaintive meow.
“I was looking for a cat.”
The boy’s shoulders twitched. Calyx continued, smiling faintly as he looked at him.
“I woke up and the cat was gone, so I came out to find him.”
“…A cat?”
“Yes. A cat.”
The boy gripped the teacup with both hands and began pretending to blow on it again, burying his face as if he might dunk it inside. But inside that small head, thoughts were surely racing. After a moment of blowing softly at the tea, the boy sent a sidelong glance his way.
“What kind of cat?”
Calyx smiled at the black eyes brimming with curiosity. It was almost as if he could see a tail swaying left and right, unable to contain its interest.
“Black fur.”
“Black?”
“Yes. Black.”
“And?”
“He’s small.”
“……”
At the word “small,” the boy’s expression turned sulky. His small lips moved silently, muttering something under his breath. As expected, a boy was still a boy—seeing how sensitive he was about his size.
“And what else?”
the boy snapped irritably. Calyx reflexively tried to reach out and ruffle his hair, then stopped himself. Pulling his hand back left an uncomfortable emptiness behind.
“He likes having the back of his neck scratched. You have to pet his head with just one finger, and he likes his back stroked slowly.”
the boy’s sulky expression melted away. He narrowed his eyes and blinked slowly, as if recalling the sensation. Whenever Calyx stroked his head or back, he always wore that exact expression.
“Why were you looking for the library?”
