Under the scorching sunlight shining on the main streets of the Astoria Kingdom capital, the grand merchant guild building looked busy as usual.
Right in front of the guild's double entrance doors, Arvin was standing frozen still. With his body completely erased by his invisible magic, not a single person realized his existence there. He was waiting for the arrival of someone who would enter the lobby.
Arvin was very careful and didn't want to take the risk of opening the doors himself to create a phenomenon of doors opening by themselves which might trigger mass panic in a place as crowded as the merchant guild.
His wait did not last long. A luxurious noble horse carriage stopped right in front of the guild building. A plump middle-aged man stepped down from his carriage and walked steadily up the stairs towards the guild doors.
When the double doors opened wide, without thinking twice Arvin immediately stepped quickly. He followed the middle-aged man from behind with a very thin distance and slipped into the guild lobby together.
The atmosphere inside the lobby was quite crowded with queues. Arvin ignored the crowd and his eyes immediately focused on one point: the receptionist desk in the corner of the room. There, a green-haired woman in an official guild uniform was busy tidying up some documents. It was Yonna.
Arvin kept walking soundlessly across the lobby's floor, walking towards the receptionist desk. Upon arriving in front of the fairly high wooden desk, he bent his knees slightly and immediately jumped over the desk with a very smooth and light movement.
Now, Arvin who was still in an invisible state was standing right behind the green-haired woman's chair.
"Don't make a sound!" whispered Arvin with a very soft tone right in Yonna's ear, while wrapping his arms and hugging the woman's body from behind with absolute gentleness.
The woman flinched in shock. Her eyes widened and her body stiffened when she felt the warm embrace suddenly locking her body, as well as the breath in her ear. However, once she recognized the deep voice that had just whispered to her, she let out a sigh of relief and gave a small nod, giving a sign that she understood.
"Immediately resign from your job today. Because after this, I want you to become my official spouse." whispered Arvin again, to the point without the slightest bit of small talk, but every word of his was filled with binding firmness. "Everyone is already waiting for your presence at the mansion now. Because after we are bound by a Life-and-Death contract, you will go directly with us to the Victoriaz Kingdom. I will wait for you near the exit door."
After delivering his absolute instruction, Arvin slowly released his embrace and moved away again, leaving Yonna who was still silent behind her work desk.
Yonna's heart beat wildly realizing the fact that soon she would finally truly become the fifth spouse and bind a Life-and-Death contract with the youth she had loved for a long time, extraordinary happiness overflowing in her chest.
Without the slightest hesitation, Yonna hurriedly tidied up the documents on her desk for a moment, then walked firmly leaving the receptionist area towards the room of Welma, the merchant guild master.
Inside the classic-nuanced guild head's room, Welma looked at Yonna with eyes widened in shock after hearing the statement from one of her best employees.
"Wait a minute, Yonna! Why did you instead decide to resign suddenly like this?" asked Welma in disbelief, putting her quill pen on the desk. "Is there a problem with your salary or the treatment from your coworkers?"
"There is absolutely no problem, Guild Master. Forgive me for bringing this sudden news." answered Yonna with a polite and slightly apologetic tone to the middle-aged woman who had guided her a lot. "I have to go to another city immediately to follow someone. There, I will marry him. I beg for your understanding, Guild Master Welma."
Hearing the very personal and deep reason behind the sudden resignation, Welma's shoulders relaxed slightly. As a woman, she understood very well. She completely had no right or strong reason to forbid someone who wanted to resign to welcome a sacred marriage bond.
"I see... If that is your reason, I am certainly happy to hear it too." said Welma while taking a long breath, looking at Yonna with maternal eyes. "But, are you really sure about this decision of yours, Yonna? Life after marriage is not easy."
"I am very sure, Guild Master!" answered Yonna quickly, her eyes radiating determination without the slightest bit of doubt. "If it's about the needs of life and finances, that will later become the full responsibility of my husband. And as a wife, I only want to focus on being a companion and a housewife wholly devoted to my husband."
Hearing that very firm and confident answer, Welma smiled faintly. She increasingly couldn't forbid her. And in the end, the woman had to let her best employee resign from the merchant guild today.
"Alright, if that has indeed become your determination. I give you my blessing, Yonna. May you always be happy with your husband." said Welma sincerely.
After taking care of her resignation documents and changing clothes, Yonna returned her official guild uniform. The green-haired woman bowed deeply while expressing her deepest gratitude to the person who had been instrumental in her past, then walked away leaving the guild head's room.
Seeing the woman had returned to the lobby area wearing her casual clothes, Arvin who was leaning near the double doors let out a sigh of relief secretly.
Before truly stepping out, Yonna took the time to approach the receptionist desk to say goodbye to her two coworkers. The two of them were good friends who had always faithfully accompanied her chatting, both during work hours at the guild and while relaxing at the mansion previously.
Yonna took out a leather pouch and put it on the desk.
"Here is a little farewell gift, 100 Gold for both of you." said Yonna with a warm smile. "Thank you very much for everything, for our friendship all this time. Please take good care of yourselves here."
Seeing the contents of the pouch which had a fantastic value, her two coworkers widened their eyes in shock. Initially the two of them strongly refused to accept it because the amount was too big for a farewell gift. However, Yonna kept insisting that her gift be accepted sincerely. And after a small debate filled with emotion, the two receptionists finally gave in and accepted her gift.
Before Yonna truly left the merchant guild, the three women hugged tightly once again for the last time.
A few moments later, after waving her hand to her two best friends, Yonna walked towards the double doors and exited the guild building. As soon as she descended the last step and stood on the street sidewalk, she felt a hand suddenly grip her right arm very gently.
"Let's go home now, Yonna." invited Arvin, whispering right beside her.
Hearing the gentle invitation, Yonna turned her head to the empty air beside her, giving a small nod and a very happy smile.
They then started walking side by side cutting through the crowd of pedestrians on the main street of the capital after leaving the merchant guild.
Even though Arvin's form was completely invisible to anyone's eyes, the youth remained faithfully walking by her side, holding Yonna's arm protectively and guiding her in the midst of the crowd.
Time seemed to pass very fast. Walking under the warm sun, enjoying step by step towards a new future, until unconsciously, the two of them had finally arrived in front of the mansion gate.
While walking along the front yard of the mansion, Yonna's feelings began to mix. She was very impatient to quickly bind the contract, but at the same time she felt very nervous. Her heart beat faster against her ribs. She still didn't expect that her biggest dream, to be able to live together with the person she liked the most, would truly become an absolute reality today.
Upon arriving right in front of the main door of the mansion, Arvin stopped his steps and canceled his invisible magic.
In the blink of an eye, the blue-haired youth's form slowly became visible again, standing firmly beside Yonna. He then turned his wrist, interlaced his fingers with Yonna's fingers, and held the woman's hand tightly.
Click!
Arvin turned the door handle and pushed it open. Holding hands, the two of them stepped together into the living room calmly.
Hearing the squeaking sound of the main door opening, the eight youths who were sitting chatting casually on the living room sofa simultaneously turned towards the door, realizing that the figure they had been waiting for so much had finally returned.
However, their anticipation instantly turned into a long silence. Allen, Alrain, Ordion, Alvein, Kylen, Dylan, Davin, and Arion froze, very surprised by the figure of the green-haired woman standing shyly beside Arvin.
Moreover, all their eyes widened in shock seeing the hand of the head of the family intimately holding hands with her.