The atmosphere inside the shelter house, which was initially filled with the casual chatter of students resting in the afternoon, slowly quieted down. The commotion was replaced by the surprised stares of everyone present the moment the door opened.
Arvin's group had returned, but the sight presented before their eyes was highly unusual.
Alrain stepped inside carrying Arvin's limp, unconscious body on his back, followed by the other seven behind him.
Seeing the condition of the problematic yet highly valuable student to his academy, Dean Saires immediately stood up and walked quickly toward them. Lines of worry were clearly visible on the middle-aged man's face.
"What happened to him, Alrain?" Dean Saires asked while looking at Arvin's soundly sleeping face. "Was he attacked by someone while you were away?"
"No one attacked him. He is just exhausted after trying out a new magic, Mr. Dean." Alrain answered with a very calm and convincing tone, covering up the truth about the Soul Seal ritual he had just performed. "He ran out of mana and must rest immediately."
Hearing that explanation, Dean Saires breathed a sigh of relief. However, a moment later, the dean's eyes were diverted to an unfamiliar figure standing quietly next to Alvein.
A green-haired youth wearing the official Victoriaz Academy uniform whom he was seeing for the first time, yet his facial structure felt very familiar in his memory.
"Then... who is this youth whose face looks so much like your older sister, Alrain?" Dean Saires asked with a curious tone, staring intently at the handsome youth who was clearly not a student of the Astoria Academy.
Realizing the direction of the conversation had entered the scenario they had prepared, Alrain smiled faintly.
"He is my older brother who happened to just arrive in this capital to watch the tournament. His name is Alrian." Alrain answered smoothly, introducing Yonna who had now fully adopted his male identity. "He is my older sister's twin brother as well as our husband's fifth spouse."
The announcement spoken in a casual tone was like a time bomb exploding in the middle of the room. The information about Alrain actually having a very handsome older brother was enough to cause an uproar throughout the shelter house.
However, what successfully triggered screams of frustration from the female students was the reality that the handsome youth had now officially become Arvin Vedegra's spouse bound by the Life-and-Death contract.
"Arvin again! Arvin again!" complained a female student from the corner of the room, unable to hold back her frustration anymore until her voice echoed. "Why is it that every time a handsome man appears, the man always becomes his? Is he planning to marry every handsome guy in this world?"
"She's right!" chimed in another female student with an equally annoyed tone, pointing at the eight youths. "The faces of all eight of you are truly so handsome and perfect. Why must looks that are far above average belong to him alone? This is so unfair to us!"
Hearing the complaining protests and jealousy from the female students, Kylen, who had been silent all this time, suddenly furrowed his brow. A feeling of displeasure instantly took over his chest.
Without any cue, the bluish-white-haired youth stepped forward past Alrain, standing tall to directly confront the two female students.
"Hey, the two of you!" Kylen exclaimed loudly, his voice radiating an absolute authority that silenced the whispers around him.
The prince from the Flamort Kingdom stared at them with a sharp and piercing gaze.
"Listen to me carefully! We ourselves chose and consciously accepted him as our husband! You have absolutely no right to grumble or dictate our lives! Just so you know, even if we refused when he wanted us, he never once minded or forced us! If you really want to get a handsome man, then work harder in your own way, instead of whining like that!"
Kylen took a breath for a moment, then pointed at the two of them alternately with a slightly condescending look, yet full of pride for the man he was defending.
"Let everyone in this room know! We didn't choose Arvin out of coercion, but because he is our savior!" Kylen asserted, his voice trembling with restrained emotion. "Among us, there are those saved from cruel bullying, saved from deep frustration and despair, saved from agonizing loneliness, and even those who regained their freedom of life from hell because of his helping hand!"
Complete silence enveloped the main hall of the shelter house. Kylen's words struck the hearts of everyone who heard them.
"Can the two of you, or anyone here, do what Arvin did for us?" Kylen continued demanding an answer, staring sharply at the two female students who were now looking down pale. "When others chose to turn a blind eye, he was the only one who cared and helped people who desperately needed help! So, from now on, don't you ever insult or belittle our husband again with those dirty mouths of yours!"
Kylen's lengthy defense, full of absolute authority, successfully left the two female students utterly speechless. They could not deny the harsh words and indisputable facts the prince had just thrown at them.
Seeing the angry Kylen, Allen stepped forward calmly. The pink-haired youth patted his shoulder very gently, then gave a reassuring smile.
"That's enough! Don't let it bother you too much like that, Kylen." Allen said with a soft tone but audible to everyone. "They just feel shocked and jealous because they can't get what they want. Our husband wouldn't even mind small talk like this, unless his personal life is truly disturbed."
The calming words from the first spouse worked like magic. Kylen closed his eyes, taking a long sigh to discard all the remaining negative emotions that had momentarily taken over him.
When he opened his eyes, his facial expression had returned to calm, and he looked at the two women who were still looking down in fear.
"I apologize for scolding you in public." Kylen said with a sincere tone.
And what happened next successfully made the whole room seem to stop breathing. The prince stepped back slightly, then bowed his body politely to the two female students.
"I just really dislike it when my husband is accused or viewed unlike what we know about his truly affectionate personality." Kylen continued while in a bowing position.
The apology, followed by the act of bowing, left everyone completely astonished.
Alrain, Ordion, Allen, Alvein, and the others only smiled faintly, but for the six Flamort Kingdom guard soldiers, his four teammates, and the Astoria students, that sight was a miracle.
Vian, who was his childhood friend, stood frozen with his mouth slightly agape. He was utterly shocked.
A prince as stubborn as him... willing to bow his body to someone else just to apologize? Vian thought in disbelief, his eyes continuing to stare at Kylen's figure. This is the first time I've ever seen him bow like this. He really has changed drastically into a much better person. And all of that happened after he met Arvin Vedegra.
The two female students who had been the targets of Kylen's anger earlier immediately panicked. They felt highly unworthy of receiving such respectful treatment from a prince of a neighboring kingdom.
"I-I am also very sorry for the insolence of my mouth earlier!" replied one of the women in a panic, joining in bowing deeply. "Please, please raise your head again, Prince Kylen!"
"I also apologize for badmouthing your husband without knowing the truth about him." added the other woman with a voice trembling from guilt. "Please raise your head immediately, Prince! We promise we will never repeat it again!"
Hearing that response, Kylen lifted his face, stood tall again, and gave a very relieved smile to the two female students.
"Thank you very much for your understanding." Kylen replied gently.
After the small incident was resolved, the group immediately continued their main destination, walking straight toward their bed.
Upon reaching the edge of the large-sized bed, Alrain slowly turned his body. With the help of Allen and Ordion who supported the sides of their husband's body, he laid Arvin's body down very carefully.
Together, the eight youths moved without needing to give each other instructions.
Dylan took off Arvin's shoes, Davin adjusted the position of the pillow under his head, Alvein and Alrian tidied the arrangement of his clothes to make him comfortable, while Kylen pulled a thick blanket and covered their husband's body with full tenderness.
They placed the body of the man who became the center of their universe right in the middle of the bed.
The cohesion, harmony, and love-filled gazes of Arvin's eight spouses drew the attention and admiration of several students who saw it.
That sight became absolute proof that the King of Terror, a man so feared for his brutal strength, was a man highly respected and loved so sincerely by all his spouses.