Chapter 89. Kalpas and Aponia
Siberia, in a spacious orphanage with refined décor.
Xander lay powerless over a table, his expression showing a hint of pain.
Even though he had taken medicine before boarding the plane, the turbulence along the way still left his head muddled.
Thud!
A bowl filled with a strange liquid was slammed down in front of him.
Without thinking, Xander grabbed the bowl and gulp—gulp—gulped it all down.
"Tch, you actually get airsick to this extent. Useless."
Although the voice dripped with mockery, its owner's gaze remained fixed on Xander, brows tightly furrowed.
Ignoring his taste buds' protests, Xander chugged away.
A barrage of bizarre flavors exploded in his mouth and stomach.
The indescribable stimulus shot straight to his brain, waking him up in an instant.
He sprang to his feet and bolted straight to the restroom.
Soon, after the sound of flushing faded, Xander walked out supporting himself against the wall, looking a bit weak.
He looked at the short, silver-haired man standing there with arms crossed, who had been waiting the whole time, and said gratefully, "Thanks, Kalpas."
After retching like that, his body felt much better at once, and the dizziness vanished without a trace under that jolt.
"Tch. Knowing your body can't handle it, why fly at all?"
Kalpas shot Xander a glare and clicked his tongue in annoyance.
But noticing how much more comfortable he looked now, Kalpas's furrowed brows relaxed.
"I wanted to get back sooner, that's all. Been missing your cooking, Kalpas."
"Only spouting nonsense. If you eat too little at noon, just see how I'll 'teach' you."
With a snort, Kalpas stopped paying attention to Xander and returned to his faithful kitchen.
Plenty of kids who'd graduated were back today—he had his hands full.
As a world-class chef, Cocolia had spent no small amount of effort to invite him to the orphanage back then.
Kalpas had started learning to cook in childhood.
In just over twenty years, he swept all the honors in the culinary world and was admired by countless people.
However, he deeply loathed those so-called "upper-class types."
They might spend lavishly on his dishes to show off, but aside from a few true gourmets, he was nothing more than a prop for them to flaunt their status, which disgusted him.
To him, those hypocritical flatteries could never compare to a child's happy smile after eating the food he'd made.
That was also why Cocolia succeeded in inviting him.
At first, Kalpas had thought Cocolia was the same kind of repulsive socialite.
But upon hearing the cooking was for an orphanage's children, he agreed to come.
Incidentally, an orphanage he had been funding was also folded into Cocolia's Orphanage with one bold stroke from Cocolia.
For the sake of a good meal, Xander had gotten chummy with Kalpas from a young age.
Seele, by extension, learned a lot of kitchen skills from him as well.
Out in the yard, Seele and Bronya were handing out the gifts they'd brought to a bunch of little rascals.
Seeing Xander walking over, Seele immediately put down what she was holding, said a word to Bronya beside her, then squeezed her way through the tots and quickly came to her brother's side.
As for yesterday's conflict?
That kind of thing was simply resolved overnight.
Being caught in the middle had been a bit too stimulating for Seele, and even Veliona—who'd been forced out—lost the ability to keep up a stiff mouth.
"Brother, how's your body feeling?"
Supporting her brother, whose face still looked weak, Seele asked softly.
"Much better. Thanks to the soup Kalpas made."
"That's good."
Relieved, Seele led him to sit on a bench in the yard.
"Then I'll go help Bronya first, okay?
Brother, just call for me if you need anything~"
"Mm, go on."
He patted Seele's little head.
She lifted her face to rub against his palm twice, then, brimming with energy, she returned to Bronya's side to wrangle the boundless energy of the little rascals.
Tap—tap—tap.
Soft footsteps slowly approached from behind.
A slender, pale hand gently rested on his head.
Ten soft fingertips paused over various acupoints and began to press lightly.
"Does this feel a little better?"
A gentle voice, like a clear spring, flowed into his mind and smoothed his mood.
Together with the massage on his head, the comfort made Xander feel like dozing off then and there.
"Sister Aponia?"
That voice was simply too distinctive, and Xander guessed it at once.
"Mm.
Although the children were all looking forward to your return, I still hope you'll take care of your health."
"Got it~"
Aponia had originally taken care of the children's daily lives at the orphanage Kalpas had been supporting, and so she had joined Cocolia's Orphanage along with them.
As a guardian full of maternal gentleness, she immersed every child in her tenderness.
She was also one of the few in this orphanage who could keep Kalpas in check.
After massaging for a while, Aponia withdrew her hand.
Xander felt it was a pity.
He turned his head—and his eyes were instantly overwhelmed by a pair of enormous… things.
He had seen them many times before, but every time they delivered an immense shock.
There was no helping it.
They were just too, too large.
She clearly possessed a saint's kindness and compassion, yet that exaggerated figure could practically stand as the emblem of lust.
The fierce opposition between the two was perhaps the deadliest temptation under heaven, drawing people into deep infatuation.
Strangely, however, anyone who tried to draw close to her would be unconsciously moved by her voice.
Listening to her teachings, their hearts would harbor not the slightest impure thought.
This fallen sanctity made Aponia herself seem like a bank of mist—one could be trapped within without even realizing it.
Xander used to be the same.
But once the dream fragments in his mind had pieced together into a whole, the fog around Aponia seemed to disperse.
Now, when he looked at that massive lure to the human heart, all he felt was a shiver.
Noticing the reluctance and yearning in his eyes, a faint smile surfaced on Aponia's face—at once holy and seductive.
She looked at him and spoke tenderly, "I have some matters to handle later.
If you still need a massage, I'll come find you at around three in the afternoon."
"I do."
Without the slightest hesitation, Xander added expectantly, "Could I get a lap pillow as an add-on?"
"Heh~"
With a soft laugh, Aponia raised a hand to ruffle Xander's short hair, her expression even gentler.
"Of course.
I wish you sweet dreams."
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