The blinding golden light faded as quickly as it had appeared, leaving a momentary hollow sensation in the air. As they slowly opened their eyes, King Nalvon, Prince Felix, Dean Claus, and Duke Hubert momentarily froze in silence.
They looked around with expressions of suppressed shock. The Larkvood academy environment made of white stone structures had completely vanished, replaced by the grand pillars and the vast expanse of the garden they knew so well.
In just a single breath, they, along with dozens of griffons and a row of horse carriages, had transported across the continent, arriving perfectly right in the main courtyard of the Garveon Kingdom's palace.
No one had ever expected that Kazien could use that extinct teleportation magic.
"Brother Kazien!" Hudeon exclaimed, breaking the silence, his voice trembling with amazement. The green-haired boy looked at Kazien with sparkling eyes, as if the heavy trauma of Haverd's presence, who had just been embraced by Kazien, had suddenly evaporated. "I truly never expected that you could also use massive-scale teleportation magic as great and precise as this."
"I have never said—"
Kazien's words were cut off by a violent struggle from within his embrace. Haverd, who hadn't had the chance to close his eyes when the spatial magic activated, was now experiencing incredibly severe spatial distortion. The green-haired youth's face was as pale as cotton, cold sweat flooding his forehead.
"Let me go!" Haverd cried out in a hoarse voice, struggling with the remaining strength he had. Tremendous nausea churned his stomach. "I feel sick! Let me go right now! Do you want my vomit to get on your uniform?! Let me go quickly!"
Realizing that his temporary captive was experiencing severe teleportation sickness due to not closing his eyes, Kazien immediately loosened his grip and let him go.
As soon as the strong embrace was released, Haverd immediately staggered a few steps away from the crowd. He bent over deeply and vomited the entire contents of his stomach onto the palace courtyard grass, not far from where they stood.
Hearing the sound of vomiting and seeing Haverd's now-free figure, Hudeon's senses instantly returned. The fear that had been haunting him all this time crept back up. The boy immediately stepped back in a hurry, moving away from his brother and returning to stand taking shelter beside his father.
Kazien ignored Haverd, who was still coughing. The silvery-white-haired youth turned his body and looked straight at the father of the two youths.
"Lord Duke Hubert?" Kazien called out in a very polite and authoritative tone, yet his facial expression and gaze were as cold as winter ice. "May I borrow your son for the next three days?"
Duke Hubert stared intently at Kazien, then shifted his gaze to Haverd, who was still bent over limply, and finally looked at his youngest son, Hudeon, who stood trembling beside him. The Duke deeply understood the intention behind the silvery-white-haired youth's request.
"Do you intend to fulfill your words and promise to me from that time?" Duke Hubert asked to confirm, his voice deep and flat.
Kazien nodded his head firmly, not a hint of doubt in his eyes. "May I?"
"Go ahead." Duke Hubert answered without hesitation, giving Kazien full permission to take his son. "But remember one thing. After those three days have passed, you must return him to me directly."
"Of course, Lord Duke. I will certainly keep my promise to you." Kazien replied while bowing his head slightly as a sign of respect.
After obtaining the absolute approval from the Duke, Kazien turned his body once again. He walked casually toward the green-haired youth, who was slowly beginning to straighten his posture while wiping the corner of his lips.
"You are Haverd Guartav, right?" Kazien called out.
Haverd turned his head with a glaring look, his breaths still panting. "Yes... I am Haverd Guartav! Who are you to dare hold me?!" he answered curtly from his position.
Kazien formed a sweet smile and a spoiled facial expression that he intentionally feigned very neatly.
"Hey, handsome. I want to spend some time just the two of us for the next few days. Are you willing?" Kazien asked in a soft, coaxing tone.
Haverd stared at Kazien with a sharply furrowed brow. "What did you say?!" he exclaimed in disbelief, but the nausea attacked his stomach once more, forcing him to bend down and vomit again.
Seeing his target helpless, Kazien stepped closer. He reached out his hand and channeled high-level healing magic into Haverd's body. A green light enveloped the youth's body, instantly eliminating the dizziness, nausea, and the effects of spatial distortion tormenting him.
In just a matter of seconds, Haverd stood upright again. He took a deep breath, feeling his body return to health and full vigor as if nothing had ever happened.
"Hey, was that magic just now you healing me?" Haverd exclaimed, his tone of voice suddenly turning enthusiastic after feeling the greatness of that healing magic. He looked closely at Kazien's face, only just realizing how mesmerizing the features of the silvery-white-haired youth before him were. "Thank you! What is your name?"
"I am Kazien Altavis. Nice to meet you." Kazien answered casually while smiling friendlily. Yet deep down in the bottom of his heart, an immense anger was boiling fiercely looking at the figure of the abuser who was now smiling at him.
Kazien slowly raised his hand, then stroked the side of Haverd's face with a very gentle and careful movement, as if he were teasing him with deep affection.
"So how about it, handsome? Are you willing to spare your time to spend the next three days with me?" Kazien whispered.
In the distance, Alvin, Allen, Arken, and even Selena, who were bound by the Eternity Contract with Kazien, instantly fell silent. Through the soul bond flowing in their minds, the four of them could clearly feel the surge of dark, dense, and lethal emotional anger from within Kazien's heart, which was in stark contrast to the gentle smile on his face.
Instead of feeling jealous seeing their fiancé stroke another man's face, Alvin, Allen, and Arken merely stood silently observing. They let their beloved fiancé play his role. The three of them already understood very well that such a sweet attitude was a bad omen. And they already knew what a terrifying fate awaited Haverd right before their eyes.
As for Selena, the red-haired woman could only sigh softly in her heart. She felt a little pity looking at Haverd, realizing that the youth would only become the object of her brother's currently suppressed anger.
In the middle of the courtyard, Haverd, entirely unaware of the danger stalking him, stared at Kazien with a bewildered expression adorned with a confident smile.
"Why are you acting as if you're flirting with me like this?" Haverd asked with an arrogant tone typical of a noble. "Do you like me?"
"And what if I do like you?" Kazien replied, baiting him, the smile on his lips growing even more captivating.
Hearing that highly inappropriate-sounding question, Duke Elgard, who stood not far from them, immediately furrowed his brow. Just as the Duke took one step forward intending to interrupt and reprimand his son, Duke Hubert quickly raised his hand, giving a firm signal for his friend not to interfere. He sighed and dropped his intention.
"Hahaha!" Haverd laughed crisply, feeling his ego and pride soar high after being teased by a youth as handsome as Kazien. He looked at the handsome youth with an assessing gaze from top to bottom. "Then what do you want? Do you want to make me your fourth fiancé to accompany those three?"
"Of course!" Kazien answered with a deliberately feigned enthusiastic tone, yet his acting looked incredibly natural and convincing in Haverd's eyes.
Haverd smirked in satisfaction. He felt he had the upper hand.
"Alright, in that case, I am willing to accompany you!" Haverd answered confidently.
The green-haired youth then leaned his body forward, bringing his lips right next to Kazien's ear, and whispered in a low tone.
"But in exchange, you must hand over that cute High Elf to me. We can enjoy his body together during these three days."
Kazien did not pull his face away and merely smiled sweetly as if it were a sign of agreement. However, inside his chest, the anger he had been suppressing all this time now exploded entirely, ready to shred the sanity of anyone who dared to touch what was his.
Alvin, Allen, and Arken gasped. The three of them felt the sudden, drastically horrifying surge of anger from their fiancé's emotions.
"That fool must have just whispered something he should never have said to Kazien." Allen muttered in a flat voice, glancing toward Alvin and Arken.
"I actually feel sorry for that guy's fate." Alvin chimed in while shaking his head slowly, looking at Haverd as if looking at a dead man.
"What a disgusting nonsense he just whispered to My Huby?!" Arken hissed with a clenched jaw, his own emotions peaking as he felt the resonance of Kazien's wrath. He clenched both his fists tightly. "I feel like walking over there right now and destroying his face immediately!"