The atmosphere in the room was still shrouded in a suffocating tension. The secret of the eternity contract that had just been exposed put Kazien in an even tighter spot. He no longer had room to make excuses.
Alvin, who had been observing the fragile dynamic between Kazien and Arken, finally decided to take decisive action. He stepped closer, staring at his fiancé who looked distraught.
"My Dear, I suggest you just accept him!" said Alvin, his voice sounding pragmatic yet urgent. "Think about it carefully. He is already bound by an eternity contract with you, and he will also be living with us in the capital under one roof, right? The situation won't change just because you refuse his status. Wouldn't it be better if you two just solidified your relationship officially?"
Kazien shook his head vigorously, his face reddening with pent-up frustration. "I already promised you guys that I don't want to have any more future wives!" asserted Kazien, his voice trembling as he held back his emotions. He looked at Alvin with a hurt gaze. "Why do you always force me like this, Alvin? First Allen, now Arken. Don't you respect my principles?"
"Forget about those rigid principles!" cut in Alvin. His tone sounded gentle, yet there was an undeniable firmness in his words. "This time the situation is different! Arken is the key. Because he has sworn an oath if you accept him."
Kazien's brow furrowed deeply. "Oath?" he asked, confused. "What oath?"
Alvin turned to Arken who was still sobbing on Kazien's lap. "Arken, just tell him! Let him understand that this is the end of everything."
Hearing Alvin's command, Arken lifted his wet face. With breath still hitching from crying, he gathered the courage to look into his brother's eyes.
"I swear..." Arken's voice sounded hoarse but full of determination. "If you accept me, and then in the future you end up having another wife after me... I want you to cancel this eternity contract even if you refuse, Brother!"
Kazien's eyes widened. That wasn't just an oath. It was a suicide threat wrapped in an agreement. Arken was basically saying that he would be the one to close the door to Kazien's heart, or he would die.
Kazien looked at Arken's face which was still shedding tears. His heart dropped. He let out a long, hard sigh, as if trying to expel the heavy burden crushing his lungs. That frustration finally exploded.
"Alvin, Allen! Can't you guys stop forcing me to do what I don't want to do?!" shouted Kazien in a loud voice that echoed throughout the room.
Silence fell instantly.
Alvin and Allen jolted in surprise. Their eyes widened. This was the first time Kazien, a man who was usually patient and spoiled them, had shouted in such a high tone. That emotional reaction was truly beyond their expectations.
Alvin fell silent for a moment, looking at Kazien with a gaze that turned into pity. It seems he is indeed very annoyed and tired because we always force him. thought Alvin, feeling guilty towards Kazien. His heart ached a little seeing his fiancé so stressed. But... this is better than letting Arken be alone without clarity, adrift in painful unrequited feelings.
Alvin quickly brushed aside that pity. He had to be the antagonist for the good of them all.
"Kazien!" retorted Alvin just as firmly, his voice booming to cut off Kazien's anger.
Kazien immediately fell silent, surprised by Alvin's counterattack.
"Do you realize or not? You killed his father!" Alvin pointed at Arken, bringing up the most painful fact that he shouldn't have brought up again. "And you were also the one who accepted Arken as your brother. Didn't you swear to his late father to make Arken happy for the rest of his life?"
Time seemed to stop around Kazien. Those words hit him harder than any physical blow. Memories of Arken's father's death and the oath he once said to Borris before sending him to meet the goddess, all swirled back in his head.
"Look at him!" continued Alvin, pointing at Arken's tear-streaked face. "Is making him cry like that fulfilling your promise to his late father? Is this the definition of 'happy' that you promised?"
Kazien could only remain silent, frozen in place. His tongue was tied. Everything Alvin said was true, a bitter truth that left him speechless. The guilt he had buried deep inside now rose to strangle him.
"Answer me, Kazien!" urged Alvin who was waiting for his future husband's answer. "If you really want to make Arken happy, make him happy in the way he needs! If he can be happy becoming your future wife, then do it and fulfill your promise, you Stupid Future Husband!"
Kazien was completely paralyzed. His arguments were shattered. He was further cornered into a spot where there was only one way out.
It seems I have no other choice anymore. thought Kazien resignedly. His defenses crumbling. If indeed Arken can be happy becoming my future spouse, I must accept him. That is the only way to atone for my sin against his father.
Kazien stared at Arken's face, who was still crying quietly in his lap. However, new doubts arose.
But, what will my family say if I accept Arken as my future spouse too? The image of his parents' faces, and especially his sister, Selena, flashed by. I'm sure they will all be angry with me. Taking three wives at once, and one of them is my own adopted brother? That's crazy.
As if knowing Kazien's feelings, Allen approached and sat on the edge of the bed, placing his hand on his future husband's shoulder.
"My Love, you don't need to be hesitant like that!" chipped in Allen softly, trying to calm the storm in Kazien's head. "Don't you want to see him happy? To see us happy with you?"
Kazien looked at Allen wearily. "Yes... I do want us all to be happy without anyone being sad."
"In that case, accept him!" coaxed Allen with a soothing smile. "I'm sure, he is the last person for you. There will be no fourth, fifth, or so on."
Kazien looked at Allen skeptically. "How do you know about that? And why are you sure that you guys won't force me again to marry someone in the future? You two, especially Alvin, are very cunning in this matter."
"I'm sure because of Arken!" asserted Allen, his eyes gleaming seriously. "His oath is no joke! We will not force you to accept someone anymore. If we violate our promise, we are willing to cancel this eternity contract!"
That subtle yet lethal threat became the final nail.
Kazien looked at Allen for a long time, then shifted to look at Alvin who was still standing with a demanding face, and finally looked at Arken's hopeful face.
He sighed for the second time, this time lighter. Resigned.
His hand lifted, his warm fingers sweeping Arken's cheek, wiping the tears wetting that cute face.
"Alright!" said Kazien finally. His voice was low, but firm. "I will accept you. I will accept you as my future spouse and love you sincerely, Arken."
Hearing the answer he had been waiting for, Arken's eyes shone brightly. Without wasting a single second, he immediately rushed to hug Kazien's neck tightly.
He didn't care that their bodies were still naked. He didn't care about Alvin and Allen watching.
His exploding feeling of happiness had made him forget everything, even forgetting the fact that their shafts, which were both still erect, were touching and rubbing against each other in that tight embrace.
"Brother Kazien... sob... do you really accept me?" sobbed Arken in the crook of Kazien's neck, making sure this wasn't a dream.
"Yes, I accept you, Arken." answered Kazien softly, his hand now returning the embrace protectively, stroking his back.
"I'm happy! So happy! I love you, Brother!" exclaimed Arken full of euphoria.
Kazien closed his eyes, returning Arken's hug even tighter, trying to absorb this new role. However, that romantic and touching moment didn't last long because Alvin's voice was heard again.
"How long are you going to hug in a naked state like that?" teased Alvin, his eyes looking at their touching bodies. " The view is indeed beautiful, but remember the time. Don't we have to go to the adventurer guild to undertake a mission before returning to the capital?"
Kazien was still hugging Arken. He didn't move an inch to release that embrace. With a flat face, he shook his head slowly.
"I'm not interested." said Kazien briefly.
Instantly, Alvin and Allen were shocked to hear that answer. The three of them, including Arken who was in Kazien's arms, fell silent, confused by Kazien's sudden decision to refuse to go to the guild to do the mission that had been planned before.