The bright morning sunlight broke through the gaps in the window curtains, illuminating the room with a gentle warmth. Allen blinked his eyes slowly, adjusting his vision to the morning light. He stared at the ceiling of the room with a dreamy gaze.
His mind was still drifting, half-awake and half-dreaming. His memories of the hot night they had passed felt so real yet too beautiful to believe.
"Did I dream that I married Arvin?" he murmured softly in the morning silence. "If only that were reality, I would be so happy."
However, when he turned to the right, Allen's breath hitched. He was shocked to find Arvin lying on his side, propping his head up with one hand, and looking at him while smiling sweetly.
"Good morning..." Arvin greeted softly, his voice slightly hoarse from sleep which sounded very sexy to Allen's ears.
"G-Good morning too..." Allen answered stutteringly.
Allen looked shocked. He still couldn't fully believe that the perfect figure was now truly by his side, sharing the same bed with him.
Seeing Allen's confused expression, Arvin chuckled softly then put on a fake sad face. "I'm sad because you consider our marriage just your dream. Even though we already did 'that' many times last night. Just look at the back of your right hand!"
Allen immediately lifted his hand. His eyes widened as he saw a white contract symbol beautifully carved on the skin of the back of his right hand. The symbol pulsed warmly, in rhythm with his heartbeat.
"S-So... our marriage is not a dream?" Allen asked with a trembling voice.
"It is reality, Allen. From this moment and forever, I am yours!" Arvin stated firmly.
Happiness exploded in Allen's chest. Without a cue, he immediately lunged and lay on top of Arvin's body. He hugged his husband's neck tightly, hiding his face in the crook of Arvin's fragrant neck.
After a few moments of enjoying Arvin's body warmth, Allen lifted his face. He stared into Arvin's blue eyes seriously. There was one question that suddenly stuck in his heart, a question commonly raised in the world of nobles.
"Arvin, answer me honestly!" Allen pleaded. "Do you have any desire to marry anyone else besides me?"
Arvin looked at him calmly, then thought for a moment. "For now, there is none. My heart is already full of you. But... if we talk about possibilities in the future or in a previous life, there might be one person I truly appreciate and want by my side!"
Allen's heart fluttered. "Who?"
"His name is Alrain!" answered Arvin, his eyes gazing far into a past unknown to Allen. "He is the person who was always by my side until the end in my past life. Even though I was always rough, cold, and mean to him, he was always loyal to me. He was my right hand as well as my confidant."
Arvin sighed heavily, a tone of regret clearly audible in his voice. "At that time, he always tried to replace your position in my heart. However, until the moment he breathed his last breath, he could never make me turn away from you. I feel very guilty towards him and want to make him mine too if you don't mind."
Hearing the tragic story and loyalty of the person named Alrain, Allen's heart was touched. Instead of blind jealousy, he felt deep sympathy. Someone who loved Arvin so deeply that he was willing to die, deserved a place.
"If he is that loyal to you... and if he can take care of you when I cannot..." Allen stared at Arvin intently, "then I will allow it."
Arvin's jaw dropped wide open. He gaped in disbelief. He thought Allen would be angry or forbid him after he spoke honestly.
"Do you allow it? Are you not jealous?" Arvin asked in shock.
"I should be jealous. Very jealous!" Allen admitted honestly. "But for some reason, after hearing your story, I actually want him to be by your side too. The person who is willing to die for you deserves a place. Do you know where he lives now?"
Arvin scratched his head which did not itch. "Honestly, I don't know. In my past life, I met him when I was 25 years old and he was 24 years old, two years before my death."
"My Husband, let's look for Alrain's whereabouts! We can save him earlier!" Allen proposed enthusiastically.
Arvin smiled amusedly. "Allen, right now he is still around 16 years old. Surely his face and nature will be very different from the adult Alrain I knew."
"Hahaha. True!" Allen laughed crisply. "In that case, let's just wait until time answers it. If fate brings you two together again, we welcome him. But for now..."
Allen kissed Arvin's cheek. "Let's take a bath together! Don't we have to go to the merchant guild?"
"You're right! Let's bathe together!"
Arvin got up from the bed, then without significant difficulty, he carried Allen koala-style. Allen wrapped his legs around Arvin's waist and hugged his neck tightly as Arvin carried him to the bathroom.
In that embrace, Allen's heart whispered emotionally. For years I lived alone, lonely, and full of suffering. And now, I have become the spouse of the hero of my life whom I love very much. I have also become an immortal human like him. I am very happy. Him or me, we will never leave each other!
Time passed. Once finished bathing and cleaning themselves, they returned to the bedroom area. Arvin then took out a waist bag that looked elegant but simple from his dimensional storage, along with a pile of clothes mounting on the mattress.
Allen was shocked by the amount of clothes there. Starting from casual clothes, winter clothes, sleepwear, to formal clothes whose materials looked very expensive.
"Is... is this all for me?" Allen asked in amazement.
"Yes, that's all for you! While you were still sleeping earlier, I deliberately used alchemy magic to make all those clothes fit your size. And this bag..." Arvin pointed to the leather bag, "this is a magic bag with unlimited space capacity. I made it so you don't have to carry heavy items like that bag again! What if your waist bone breaks due to heavy loads?"
"Hahaha!" Allen's laughter echoed in the room. "You are so exaggerating, My Husband! How could my waist bone break just because of that big bag! I am a man, you know!"
Despite laughing, Allen felt very touched by his husband's detailed attention. He looked at Arvin's face with affection then took the magic bag happily.
"In that case, I will accept this gift of yours, my Dear Husband. Thank you."
Allen began to sort through his new clothes. But then, his gaze was distracted by a set of black clothes with a very dashing dark blue cloak. He immediately picked it up and spread it out.
He was surprised to see a family crest neatly embroidered. It was the crest of three ice crystals arranged neatly in a triangular pattern which was the pride crest of the Vedegra family.
"Arvin..." called Allen hesitantly. "Why does this clothing have the Vedegra family crest? This is your family crest."
"We will use that clothing when attending formal events!" Arvin answered casually while putting on his clothes. "For example, a meeting at the palace or attending a noble's wedding!"
Allen shook his head in panic. "But... but I am not a noble! I am a commoner. Wearing your family crest without official permission can be considered a crime and—"
Snap!
Arvin flicked Allen's forehead quite hard.
"Ouch! It hurts!" Allen rubbed his forehead.
"You fool!" said Arvin exasperatedly. "You have become my spouse! We are legally married in the eyes of God. Surely you will use the name Vedegra as your family name from now on, Allen Vedegra."
Arvin stepped forward, gently holding both of Allen's cheeks, staring at him deeply.
"Listen, Allen. You have refused to awaken your power through hatred. You chose the path of love. So, in exchange, you will be under my protection completely. Don't ever once think about leaving my side or feeling unworthy! Do you promise me?"
Allen was transfixed. The warmth of Arvin's hands on his cheeks spread to his heart. He held both of Arvin's hands cupping his face, staring back at his husband's handsome face.
"I promise never to stay away from your side!"
Hearing that promise, Arvin smiled widely full of sincerity. And what happened next, Allen was instantly mesmerized. His heart beat fast seeing the smile that made Arvin's handsomeness radiate even more clearly many times over.
Accidentally Arvin glanced down. He saw Allen's naked body with his shaft currently erecting.
Arvin smirked mischievously. He held the shaft gently while teasing. "Well, well... Is it just because of my smile, your shaft becomes erect like this?"
Allen's face turned beet red. He held his husband's hand and removed that hand from his shaft.
"S-Shut up! Which wife is not mesmerized by our husband's handsome face, Fool! That is a natural reaction!" he defended in panic.
"Hahaha. You are so funny." Arvin laughed satisfied. "Alright, alright. So that you can be a perfect wife and channel that energy, let's go buy a house for us to live in!"
Allen's eyes sparkled again. "Yes, my Dear Husband! Let's buy a house!"
With burning spirit, Allen began to put on his clothes. Arvin and Allen agreed to wear the matching green clothes Arvin had just made. The clothes looked very suitable on their bodies.
However, when they were neat and standing in front of the large mirror, they looked at each other. Their smiles slowly faded, replaced by self-conscious expressions.
They just remembered one important thing. Because they lived in the academy dormitory but were currently outside the academy area, academy rules still strictly applied to students.
"We are still required to use the academy's special uniform if we go out on school days, right?" asked Allen softly.
"Yes... true." Arvin answered with a sigh. "If we wear these green clothes, the disciplinary patrol will definitely arrest us for violating academy rules."
Realizing the carelessness they committed, that they had dressed up neatly in free casual clothes even though their status was still academy students, both of them could no longer hold back their laughter.
"Hahaha!"
Arvin and Allen laughed out loud in front of the mirror. They laughed at themselves who had been lulled by their marital status, until they forgot the most fundamental reality.