Arlen, currently sitting upright on the sofa in the physical form of a six-year-old boy, could no longer hide his joy. He smiled happily, having received a direct offer to work as an imperial alchemist.
For anyone living in the Erthland Empire, working and taking shelter within the palace grounds was the ultimate dream that could drastically change the life of a commoner.
On the opposite sofa, right in front of Arlen, Calian felt satisfied with the decision the alchemist had just made.
"A good decision!" Calian said, responding to Arlen's enthusiasm with a straightforward tone. "But for now..."
The purple-haired youth paused for a moment, then shifted his gaze away from Arlen. He stared straight at the middle-aged man who had been sitting quietly next to the brown-haired boy all this time.
"Mr. Eralio, please immediately prepare what is needed to make the key."
Eralio felt honored to receive his very first direct order from the future emperor.
"As you wish, Your Highness." he answered without hesitation.
The middle-aged man immediately stood up from his sofa, bowed to pay his respects to the Prince, and then walked out of the room. He headed toward the storage room on the lower floor to fetch the magic stone and iron ore needed to craft the handcuff key.
After the host left, the only ones remaining were Calian, Wolvin, Arlen, and the two men who were still petrified under the stasis authority.
"What are we going to do with this man, Darling?"
Calian immediately turned his head and looked at his spouse, who was still standing casually in the exact same spot, right next to the two frozen men.
"Just kill him the moment I cancel my Stasis authority." he answered, giving the execution instruction without hesitation.
Hearing the confirmation from his husband's mouth, Wolvin immediately responded by walking around and positioning himself right behind Dio's body, preparing to stab the man's back using his favorite black dagger.
"I am ready, Darling!" Wolvin said, giving the signal to his husband.
Exactly one second after the Night Wolf youth confirmed his readiness, Calian instantly cut off the Stasis authority of his blessing.
Instantly, the shackles of time binding the man's body were completely released, allowing him to move once again.
Dio, who had just been freed from the Stasis and whose memory was still connected to the exact second before time stopped, jolted. The man was incredibly shocked to see that Eralio was no longer on his sofa, as if the middle-aged man had simply vanished without a trace in the blink of an eye.
"W-Where did Mr. Eralio go?"
However, in his deep confusion regarding the host's whereabouts, the man was completely unaware that at this very moment, right behind him, Wolvin was already prepared to stab the left side of his back.
Giving his target no chance to comprehend the ongoing situation, Wolvin immediately swung the black dagger forward with incredible speed and precision.
Zrash!
"Ugh!"
A sudden surge of pain assaulted his nervous system. The man named Dio groaned as he felt something sharp and cold abruptly pierce his left back.
His pupils trembled violently as he lowered his head and saw fresh blood beginning to seep out, soaking the left side of his chest.
"W-Why... am I..."
The man died before he could process what had happened. He had absolutely no idea when exactly he was stabbed from behind, did not know who had pierced his back, and did not even have the chance to finish his final sentence.
The lifeless body began to sway, losing its balance and about to collapse onto the surface of the floor.
However, right before the body fell, Wolvin immediately stored it into his dimensional storage necklace.
Witnessing firsthand what the Night Wolf youth had just done right in front of him, Arlen's light purple eyes instantly sparkled. He became extremely enthusiastic and was filled with an immense curiosity about the silver necklace.
"Your Highness!" Arlen called out in a spirited voice, ignoring the tension of the silent execution that had just occurred before his eyes.
Wolvin, who heard the exclamation and assumed Arlen was calling his husband, chose to ignore the call.
Instead of turning toward Arlen, Wolvin stepped closer to the body of the other man, the first one who had died in a tilted position, to continue his task.
Noticing that his spouse had misunderstood and given no response to Arlen, Calian spoke up from his seat.
"He is calling you."
Hearing his husband's words, Wolvin immediately turned toward the sofa, right after he touched and stored the second man's body into his dimensional storage necklace.
"I thought he was calling you. That's why I did not respond to his call." Wolvin replied, explaining his reasoning in a calm tone to his husband.
The Night Wolf youth then walked with a relaxed pace toward the sofa set in the middle of the room. He seated himself comfortably right next to his husband.
Wolvin looked straight at Arlen with a slightly serious expression, trying to understand why the boy was so excited.
"Why did you call me?"
"It is like this, Your Highness." Arlen answered to the point, feeling incredibly curious about the details of the magical tool. "Who is the person that made the necklace hanging around your neck?"
The very sudden and specific question spontaneously made the Night Wolf youth raise his right hand.
"This necklace?" he asked to confirm, his fingers holding the silver necklace around his neck.
Arlen replied to the question with a very enthusiastic nod. His curiosity about the magical tool was growing out of control.
"This necklace was given by my mother-in-law to make it easier for us to carry all our belongings." Wolvin answered, honestly explaining the origin and function of the necklace. "And as for who made it, I have absolutely no idea who created this necklace."
"Wow!" Arlen praised sincerely, his voice filled with pure admiration. He truly did not expect that such an amazing necklace was given directly by Wolvin's mother-in-law.
Doesn't that mean the necklace was given directly by Prince Calian's mother? Arlen continued his words in his heart. It is a shame he doesn't know who made it. But I am certain that the person who created such a masterpiece is a great alchemist, far greater than me!