The atmosphere in the dormitory corridor suddenly turned chilling. Arvin still gripped the red-haired student's shoulder, pinning him against the cold stone wall. His sharp gaze seemed to pierce through the boy's soul, causing anyone who saw it to lose their nerve.
However, instead of resorting to violence, Arvin brought his face closer to the student's ear and whispered in an indecipherable tone.
"Are you serious that there are no men in this academy who like other men?"
The student swallowed hard, cold sweat beginning to bead on his temples. "A-Actually, there are some." he answered haltingly. "But... no one dares to be as open as the two of you. Why do you ask?"
Hearing the answer, Arvin slowly loosened his grip. He released the student and healed the wounds on the boy's back.
Arvin then turned back toward Allen. "It's nothing. I just wanted to know." he said flatly.
Arvin's response left the red-haired student and the other onlookers glancing at each other in bewilderment. They could not fathom the meaning behind the sudden question from the academy's "King of Terror." Yet, none of them were brave enough to ask for further explanation.
Arvin looked at Allen, his gaze softening. "Allen, once you have gathered all your belongings and changed your clothes, meet me in my room immediately."
"Yes, I will definitely meet you!" Allen answered firmly.
Arvin then walked away toward his room, located not far from there. Allen hurried into his own room with a fluttering heart. Deftly, he folded all his clothes and tucked them into the magic bag.
Finally! Allen exclaimed joyfully in his heart. Finally, he and I will live under the same roof. Every day, I will always be by his side and gaze upon his face from up close.
Allen paused for a moment. He raised his right hand, staring at the white contract symbol beautifully engraved there. The soft glow emanating from the mark seemed to pierce directly into the depths of his soul.
Until this moment, I still never expected that I could belong to Arvin completely. Allen thought as he stroked the symbol with his thumb, smiling. This mark... is the proof that I am now officially his. Thank you, Arvin... I am so, so happy.
After finishing everything, Allen left his dormitory room and headed to Arvin's.
Creaak...
The door opened. There, he saw Arvin standing naked. Instantly, Allen's face turned a deep crimson. He immediately closed and locked his husband's door from the inside.
"My husband, what are you doing?" Allen cried out, annoyed because Arvin hadn't locked the door while naked. "Why did you leave your door unlocked? I don't want your naked body to be seen by anyone else!"
Arvin simply smiled at Allen. "I've never locked my room all this time, and no one has ever dared to enter!" he replied casually.
Hearing his husband's answer, which was indeed the truth, Allen let out a long sigh. He couldn't argue. For a long time, Arvin had been known as the King of Terror at the academy, someone who was always cold and didn't hesitate to act harshly if anyone dared to annoy him.
Allen approached his husband, who was putting on clothes and sitting on the edge of the bed. "Do you know that student from earlier?"
"Yes, I know him very well, but not in this timeline!" Arvin answered, his voice suddenly growing heavy.
"Isn't he a student from Class 1-C? Who is he, and what is his connection to you?" Allen asked again.
"He is Ordion, my enemy and also your comrade-in-arms who was killed by Alrain during the great war!"
Hearing the answer, Allen was stunned. He never expected that the student was someone who, in the past, had fought by his side against his own husband.
"Are you not going to make him yours as well, just like Alrain?" Allen asked cautiously.
Arvin turned around and approached Allen, who was sitting on the edge of the bed. He stared into the cute, pink-haired man's face with an incredibly sharp gaze.
"He is indeed cute and fits my criteria!" Arvin answered firmly. "But that doesn't mean I have to possess him too. If you truly allowed me to build a harem, there are several people who are indeed my targets. They must be by my side and belong to me forever!"
"Who are they? Is—"
"Before I answer that..." Arvin interrupted suddenly. "Answer my question first! Are you truly okay if I build a harem and make them mine? Answer me honestly, Allen!"
Silence blanketed the room. Allen lowered his head, his fingers interlacing anxiously. "Actually... I'm not okay with it." Allen replied in a low voice.
"In that case, I don't need to build a harem. Having only you and Alrain as mine is enough!" Arvin stated without a hint of hesitation. "I also don't know if they are truly loyal to me or not!"
Allen was startled. He never expected his husband to be so compliant and choose to abandon his desire to claim all those people.
I don't know whether to feel happy or sad. Allen said in his heart while thinking about his husband's future. If I forbid him, perhaps they will become my husband's enemies. If I allow it, there will be many people becoming his spouses, and I cannot accept sharing his love.
Arvin patted Allen's shoulder. "I don't know what you are thinking. Whatever your decision is, I will always strive to make you happy, Allen."
Allen immediately hugged Arvin tightly, burying his face against his husband's stomach. Although Arvin was smiling in front of him, Allen knew that his husband was currently carrying a very heavy burden.
Arvin stroked his hair gently. That tenderness only made the tightness in Allen's chest harder to bear.
"My husband..." Allen called out softly.
"Yes, Allen, what is it?"
"What must I do so that my hidden power can awaken?" Allen asked earnestly.
"I don't know any other way for sure." Arvin answered hesitantly. "But it seems that after you go through much humiliation, suffering, and pain, that power can awaken from within you."
"In the past..." Arvin continued with a heavy voice. "The old Arvin always insulted you, oppressed you, and even drove you nearly to suicide. Eventually, your power awakened after you hated the old Arvin so much that you harbored a deep grudge against him."
"But now..." Arvin let out a sigh. "I can't even bear to see you pout. Let alone torture you just to awaken your hidden power."
Allen hugged him even tighter. He realized that Arvin's past struggles, which appeared cruel, were actually for the sake of making him strong. This realization only made him love his husband even more.
"My husband..." Allen spoke again, his voice faint. "Is there really no other way to awaken my hidden power?"
"To be honest, I don't know." Arvin replied shortly.
He truly didn't know another way, because in the game, that was the only method to awaken Allen's power.
Hearing Arvin's answer, Allen could only remain silent in his husband's embrace, lamenting the selfishness that he felt had now become a burden for the person he loved so dearly.