Inside the silent library following his return from the underground room, Arvin's steps halted.
His gaze swept across the rows of tall, neatly arranged shelves, filled with countless magic books, historical archives, and ancient literature of the Victoriaz Kingdom.
For a moment, a crazy and highly tempting idea crossed his mind.
I really want to take every single book here, completely draining the contents of this library until not a single speck of the Victoriaz Kingdom's history remains! Arvin thought, a sly smile blooming on his face. Considering the king intended to seize the gold mines in the Vedegra territory, he wanted to destroy everything starting from their knowledge.
However, the smile did not last long. Arvin immediately took a breath and reconsidered all the fatal risks that would occur if he acted recklessly out of impulsiveness.
No, that is a terrible idea! he decided immediately, realizing the foolishness of his intention. If I do that now, Kaydan will instantly be in grave danger. The king just gave him permission to enter this library a few moments ago. If the entire contents of this library vanish without a trace tomorrow morning, Kaydan will become the sole prime suspect of the theft and be immediately sentenced to death.
Having solidified his choice for the sake of his spouse's safety, Arvin suppressed his urge to plunder. He would not put someone he cared about in danger just for the sake of momentary vengeful satisfaction.
Then, Arvin walked calmly toward the library exit to quickly meet Kaydan in his room.
He activated his detection magic outside the room to check for any presences around the library.
After ensuring the surrounding hallways were completely safe and clear of guard patrols and assassins, he grabbed the door handle.
Click!
The library door opened slowly and closed back without a sound.
Once outside, the magic crystal lamps attached along the palace walls were now shining brightly, radiating a warm yellowish light. The atmosphere outside also felt much quieter.
Arvin finally realized one thing: the day had completely passed and night had fallen.
With calm and soundless footsteps in his invisible form, Arvin continued walking down the palace hallways. His memory of the palace's layout guided him straight to Kaydan's room.
The next plan was to ask the youth to show the way to the palace treasury room.
Upon arriving in front of the simple wooden door, Arvin halted his steps. He refocused his mana and used his detection magic to scan the contents of the room, ensuring that only his spouse was inside.
After confirming there was only one life presence in the bedchamber, Arvin opened the door slowly, slipped inside, and then closed it again until it let out a soft click.
Inside the dim room, his gaze immediately fell upon the bed. On the mattress, he saw Kaydan who appeared to be fast asleep. The youth's breathing sounded steady.
With very slow steps so as not to startle him, Arvin walked closer to the edge of the bed. He then seated himself carefully beside the brown-skinned youth.
However, the bed sheet sinking under the weight of Arvin's body caused Kaydan to instantly wake up. The youth opened his eyes and stared warily at the empty air beside him, before finally realizing who had come.
"Are you finished in the library?" Kaydan whispered, his voice quiet but sounding a bit relieved.
"Yes, my business there is all finished." Arvin answered quickly in a whisper. "Now, where is the treasury room? I must move quickly so I can return to the shelter house before anyone there realizes I am missing."
Kaydan slowly shifted his position. He sat up from his sleep and looked straight at the empty air beside the bed where his husband's voice came from.
"Before we go..." Kaydan whispered hesitantly. "Could you reveal your form? I want to see your face."
Arvin did not refuse. He immediately canceled his invisible magic, allowing his physical form to become visible once again under the dim light of the room. At the edge of the bed, he looked directly at Kaydan from a very close distance.
However, what happened next was highly unexpected.
Kaydan suddenly wrapped both his legs around Arvin's waist and pulled the youth's shoulders until he fell onto the bed.
Now, their position was incredibly intimate. Kaydan's body lay beneath the confinement of Arvin's body, who looked surprised but did not resist. Their faces looked at each other from a very close distance, their breaths mingling in the cold night air.
"Are you... are you truly sure you want me to be your spouse?" Kaydan asked with a very soft and trembling voice, his light green eyes staring at Arvin with a mix of awe and deep insecurity. "I am merely someone who comes from the Larde Tribe, a race that has always been considered lowly in this kingdom. My skin color is brown, I am a former slave... and I feel absolutely unworthy to be by your side."
Hearing the doubts born from his past suffering, Arvin looked at Kaydan with a gaze that sharpened slightly, then softened.
"So what if you are from the Larde Tribe?" Arvin retorted quickly and firmly, his tone leaving no room for doubt. "I don't care what tribe you come from! I don't care about your skin color or your status in the past! In my eyes right now, there is only the cute Kaydan, and that is the person I desperately want to marry!"
"Do I... do I really look cute in your eyes?" the youth asked again, his cheeks flushing red, as if thirsty for affirmation.
"You are incredibly cute!" Arvin answered straightforwardly without the slightest doubt, his thumb gently caressing the brown skin on Kaydan's smooth cheek. "Can you not judge for yourself just how far I went today just to be able to free you and make you my spouse?"
Hearing such an honest and protective answer, Kaydan's heart was filled with relief and happiness at the warm acceptance he had never felt in his entire life, causing him to smile gently as tears began to well up in his eyes.
The youth's hands reached up, then hugged Arvin's body extremely tightly.
"In that case..." Kaydan whispered right into Arvin's ear, his voice brimming with love and absolute surrender. "Propose to me officially, and forge a Life-and-Death Contract with me this very night."
Arvin returned the youth's embrace gently. Silence enveloped them both for a moment.
"I am sorry, Kaydan, but I cannot do it right now." Arvin declined in a very gentle and regretful tone.
Hearing the unexpected rejection, the gray-haired youth's body flinched slightly. He loosened his embrace, staring at Arvin's face with a frightened expression. "Why? Didn't you say that you strongly desired me?"
Arvin smiled reassuringly, stroking the youth's gray hair. "I desire you very much. But right now, the situation truly does not permit it."
Arvin stared intently into those light green eyes.
"Currently, out of the total nine spouses I have, there are still four who are not yet bound by a Life-and-Death Contract with me. And I must propose to them in their proper order." he explained honestly, revealing his plans. "I must first propose to a prince in front of his father at the Flamort Kingdom palace, propose to my classmate in front of his mother's grave, and formalize the other two."
"Then..." Kaydan's voice weakened, feeling his hopes fade slightly. "...what about my fate?"
"You don't need to worry, Kaydan." Arvin replied quickly and very gently, not wanting to let his spouse feel anxious in the slightest. "Of course I will not abandon you. I only need a little time until the circumstances allow it. Once the time is right, I will definitely return and immediately take you out of this rotten place forever!"
"You promise, right? You will definitely come for me?" Kaydan asked for reassurance, his voice pleading with hope.
"Yes, Kaydan, I promise I'll come back and bring you out of here!" Arvin stated with full conviction.
Hearing such a definite promise, the doubts in the gray-haired youth's heart completely vanished. He pulled Arvin's body close again and hugged him even tighter, as if he never wanted to let him go.
Within the warm embrace of the youth who would one day become his husband, Kaydan felt absolutely certain that their meeting today was not a mere coincidence, but an encounter destined by the Gods.