Dozens of meters away from the main road, the atmosphere around Calian and Wolvin changed drastically. The hustle of the caravan area were left behind, replaced by the tranquil symphony of the wild.
Inside the forest, the air felt much cooler and more humid. Calian and Wolvin walked side by side at a leisurely pace. Their fingers were tightly intertwined, swinging gently in rhythm with their footsteps. If anyone else had seen them, they would have undoubtedly thought the two youths were on a date in a royal garden, rather than traversing a wild forest in search of a bandit gang's hideout.
The married couple continued to step deeper into the woods. The further they went, the denser the forest felt.
Massive trees towered high like protective pillars. The lush canopy of leaves above them was woven so tightly together that almost no midday sunlight could pierce through completely. Only faint glimmers of light slipped through the small gaps, creating pillars of golden dust that danced in the dim air.
Amidst the silence, filled only by the sound of their boots stepping on dry leaves, Wolvin turned his head.
"Darling, are you absolutely certain that the bandit gang has a base in this forest?" Wolvin asked, his voice breaking the silence with a curious tone.
"I cannot be certain either." Calian answered honestly, his gaze sweeping the surrounding area calmly. "But the basic logic dictates that any bandit group blocking a road must have a temporary base. It is better for us to act quickly and investigate rather than letting innocent lives be wasted in vain purely because of our negligence, right?"
Hearing such a wise answer, Wolvin's wolf ears twitched slightly. A faint smile bloomed on his lips.
Suddenly, Wolvin let go of their hands. With the natural agility of a beastfolk, he stepped a little faster ahead of Calian, then spun his body around smoothly.
Now, Wolvin was looking at his husband's face while walking backward. The Night Wolf youth's footsteps remained precise without tripping over any tree roots.
"You know, Darling... you've changed." Wolvin praised with a voice that sounded incredibly sincere. His golden eyes stared straight into Calian's pair of purple eyes. "Is it because you realize that you are a future emperor candidate, that your nature has slowly changed into a caring one like this?"
Hearing that unexpected question, Calian spontaneously halted his steps. His stride was cut off abruptly.
Seeing his husband suddenly stop walking like a statue, Wolvin also stopped his backward steps.
"What is it, Darling?" Wolvin asked in wonder, tilting his head slightly. "Why did you suddenly stop your steps?"
Calian shook his head slowly.
"I was just surprised by your statement just now." Calian answered honestly, his voice sounding slightly lowered. "To be honest... I am also surprised by the change in my own nature. Until the second you said it, I did not even realize that I had begun to think about the fate of strangers."
Calian fell silent for a moment. His memory drifted back to the past, a time when he was a figure not even considered a son, deemed as an 'empty' person possessing no blessing, which led to his exile to the West Pavilion. Back then, he lived entirely alone without anyone else for years, before fate finally brought him and Wolvin together.
Wolvin gazed at the pondering expression on his husband's face. With slow steps, the Night Wolf youth stepped forward, closing the distance between them. He raised both of his hands, then cupped Calian's cheeks with an incredibly gentle touch.
"I actually feel very happy with this change in you." he said softly, caressing Calian's cheekbones with his thumbs. "In the past, I was so afraid that you would remain cold forever. But seeing the you of today, who is beginning to care for others... it relieves me. So, please continue to be the Calian you are right now."
Calian's gaze softened. He looked at the cute face of his spouse, who was so close to him.
"Do you prefer my personality as it is right now?"
Wolvin nodded firmly without the slightest hesitation. He smiled, the brightest smile that could rival the sunlight occasionally peeking through the tree canopy.
"Of course! There is nothing wrong with changing for the better, Darling." Wolvin answered with simple wisdom. "It means that you are a human being who still has a conscience."
Hearing such a heartwarming answer, Calian slowly raised his hands, grasping both of Wolvin's hands that were still holding his face.
"You truly are the best spouse!" Calian praised from the deepest bottom of his heart. "You are always my balancer in everything. It's your presence that keeps me sane and ensures I remain a human being with a heart and common sense. Without you, I would probably just become a numb human."
Hearing such a sincere compliment, a faint blush spread across Wolvin's cheeks. His black tail wagged slowly behind his body.
"Are you truly happy being married to me?"
"Of course, I am very happy!" Calian answered swiftly and firmly.
"Even with all my flaws?"
"Yes!" Calian interjected with a very rare, warm smile. "I'm not free from flaws either. Haven't the two of us always been complementing each other's flaws all this time?"
Hearing his husband's answer, Wolvin smiled with utter sincerity in front of Calian.
Seeing that sweet smile amidst the dim forest, Calian was mesmerized. The Night Wolf youth's cute face radiated a charm that made it difficult for him to look away. For a few seconds, he was swept away by his own spouse's charm.
Wolvin, who was keenly aware of his husband's yearning gaze, let out a soft chuckle as he pulled his hands away from Calian's face, playfully patting his husband's chest.
"We had better continue our search for the bandits' base first!" Wolvin said softly, winking playfully, not wanting to waste any more time in the forest. "Once our mission is over and we arrive at the inn in Gias City later... let's pour everything out there!"
Calian blinked, snapping out of his reverie. He understood perfectly what his spouse meant by those words. Without a second thought, and not wanting to disappoint Wolvin with a rejection, the purple-haired youth nodded in agreement.
"Yes, you're right. Let's find that base immediately and finish this business!"
Wolvin stepped closer, then slipped his fingers back between his husband's fingers, holding the hand of the person he loved most tightly.
The two of them resumed their steps, exploring the forest to find the bandits' base.
The exploration continued steadily as time passed quietly. They traversed beneath the canopy of leaves that whispered to each other in the wind, stepping over sprawling old roots.
Although Calian and Wolvin kept walking hand in hand like a deeply infatuated couple, their vigilance did not drop in the slightest. Their eyes and ears remained locked onto every part of the surrounding forest area, hoping to quickly discover the location of the bandits' base.