Chapter 360

“What’s wrong? Is my being here making you all uncomfortable?” Calliope asked, glancing around the table.

“If you’re not happy about it, I can just leave,” she offered, starting to rise from her chair.

Monty reached out to stop her. “Callie, that’s not what we meant. Don’t be so sensitive.”

Valerian looked at Calliope with a sneer. “Calliope, we know about everything you mentioned. But is it really that important? So what if you let Lisette have the swing? Or gave her a room? You still have your own room, right?”

“And sure, Lisette might’ve taken some credit. But is the credit really what matters here? Horatio can walk now, isn’t that what counts? Does it really matter who treated him? Even if we mistakenly thought it was Lisette who helped, she never asked for any special treatment. So why is it different with you?”

Calliope raised her eyes, amused by Valerian’s words.

Did she really care about all that? These people were unreasonable, and she didn’t want to waste her breath on them.

She simply smiled, took a sip of water, and listened quietly without responding.

Seeing Calliope’s lack of reaction, Valerian lost interest and stopped talking.

Just then, the waiter began serving the food.

Monty tried to lighten the mood. “Alright, let’s not dwell on the past. Let’s just enjoy this meal together. Callie, this dinner is my way of apologizing. I know I wasn’t there for you enough back then.”

Calliope remained noncommittal. The food was served, and she didn’t hold back, diving right into her meal.

The atmosphere shifted as everyone focused on their plates. The place was known for its delicious dishes, and the room grew quiet as they ate.

Monty occasionally encouraged Calliope to eat more.

After a few bites, Calliope turned to Million. “Million, help yourself. Don’t be shy about what you like.”

Monty raised an eyebrow at Million. “It doesn’t eat dog food, then? It joins us for dinner?”

“Yeah,” Calliope replied, “Million loves the meals from Pearl Tiger Club. It’s right up his alley.”

“Well, I’ll have the waiter bring a larger bowl for him to eat from,” Monty chuckled, trying to bond with Calliope. “I love dogs too. Yours looks amazing! You’ve done a great job with him.”

Before Monty could finish his sentence, he felt a sharp smack on the back of his head, sending his face straight into his plate.

He looked up in disbelief.

There was Million, looking at him with mild disdain, paw still raised in mid-air.

“Did… did he just hit me?” Monty asked, pulling a piece of lettuce off his head, eyes wide as he looked towards Calliope.

“He’s not a dog,” she replied curtly. “Calling him one is an insult to him.”

She continued, “And he doesn’t need a bowl. He prefers to eat at the table like everyone else.”

Million shuffled forward, sitting on a chair with an oddly human-like posture. He surveyed the table, taking in the scene.

Zelda finally snapped, unable to hold back any longer. “Calliope, what do you mean by letting him eat with us? Have you ever seen a pet dining at the table with people?”

Calliope put down her fork, having sampled all the best dishes. “I have, right now, in fact.”

Zelda was so infuriated she nearly rolled her eyes in exasperation.