The absolute demand that Kylen had just uttered sounded incredibly crazy and reckless.
Asking a man from another kingdom to come and directly propose to a prince in front of the King of the Flamort Kingdom was tantamount to seeking death. However, Arvin also did not want to make the youth who would soon become his spouse feel disappointed.
"Are you absolutely sure about what you just said, Kylen?" Arvin asked, trying to confirm the sincerity of that crazy decision.
"Yes, I am very sure!" Kylen answered firmly, his hands squeezing Arvin's shoulders. "Even if because of this decision I end up getting banished, having my title revoked, and being disowned by my own family, I will accept it gracefully! But... if that bad thing really happens, I hope you won't dump me, Arvin! If later you eventually end up dumping me too, I will have nowhere else to—"
Before Kylen could finish his pessimistic sentence, Arvin raised his hand and gently placed his index finger on the prince's lips. Instantly, he fell silent, his words swallowed back into his throat.
"If you have officially become my spouse and we are bound by the Life-and-Death Contract, how could I possibly have the heart to dump you." Arvin said with his soothing baritone voice, staring straight into Kylen's eyes. "Let alone dumping you, just seeing your face sad or hurt is something I wouldn't be able to bear."
Those sweet and earnest words successfully made Kylen's heart melt.
"He is right!" Allen suddenly chimed in, leaning his body forward from the opposite seat. "For our husband, our smiles and happiness as his spouses are things that stand above everything else. The most important thing is, don't you ever dare betray his trust."
Allen's gaze turned very sharp and cold. "And if that betrayal ever happens, the four of us will not stay still. We ourselves will torture you relentlessly until you cry begging for your death."
Hearing the dark threat coming out of Allen's mouth, Kylen's eyes widened.
"Are you crazy, Allen?!" Kylen exclaimed in shock, though he didn't feel intimidated at all. He looked at Allen with an offended expression. "Why would I betray my own hero and savior? I am a man who always holds fast to my principles! If I have dared to speak, it is taboo for me to take back my words! If I have decided to surrender my life and be with Arvin, it is taboo for me to betray him!"
Kylen puffed out his chest challengingly. "If one day I ever betray him, go ahead and torture me until all of you are satisfied! I will accept it with great pleasure!"
Seeing the blazing determination and the absolute lack of doubt in the prince's eyes, Allen's defense softened. He smiled in satisfaction and nodded.
"Yes, I acknowledge your resolve!" Allen said, giving his blessing. "I don't mind at all accepting you to be our husband's fifth spouse."
"Really? You guys... are allowing me?" Kylen exclaimed with sparkling eyes. He truly did not expect that he, who previously was terrified of being rejected and kicked out of the carriage, was now accepted with open arms.
"I also welcome you to join us!" Alrain answered with a warm smile.
"I agree too!" Ordion and Alvein answered in unison, giving their nods of approval.
The sincere acceptance from the four of them filled Kylen's chest with overflowing happiness. He lowered his gaze again, looking at the face of the youth whose lap he was sitting on.
"You heard it yourself, right? They all have agreed." Kylen said softly, his eyes radiating great hope. "So, will you now accept me as your fifth spouse, Arvin?"
"No!" Arvin answered briefly yet very firmly.
Instantly, the answer containing a flat-out rejection put Kylen in heavy shock. His body tensed. He felt as if he had just been flown high up to the seventh heaven, only to be slammed back down to the rocky ground very hard.
Not only Kylen, but Allen, Alrain, Ordion, and Alvein also could not hide their surprise hearing the rejection from their husband.
"My Husband!" Allen exclaimed, still in disbelief that his husband rejected Kylen after he dared to express his feelings. "Don't you know how difficult it is to be in his position? I also experienced the same fear before I dared to express my feelings to you!"
"My Love, have you truly lost your mind?" Alrain grumbled, unable to accept his husband's seemingly cruel decision.
"Isn't he very cute and has already dared to speak honestly to all of us?" Ordion added, furrowing his brows in confusion.
"Honey, do you actually not like Kylen?" Alvein asked innocently with a confused tone.
Receiving a barrage of protests from his four spouses, Arvin could only let out a long sigh. He did not expect that the thoughts of the four of them would deviate so far.
"Listen to me first. I said, I will not accept him as my fifth spouse!" Arvin stated firmly, raising his hand to calm the atmosphere. "But... if he is willing to become my sixth spouse, I will accept him gladly."
At that very moment, the atmosphere inside the carriage cabin became completely silent. The five of them became even more shocked and confused trying to digest the hidden fact behind those words. Kylen wouldn't be the fifth spouse, but the sixth.
"What did you say?" Alrain exclaimed, his eyes narrowing in disbelief. "Since when did you have a fifth spouse without our knowledge? Wait, is it my older sister? Impossible! She is a woman and you don't like women at all! Besides, you also rejected her very firmly when we were in the dining room!"
"Alrain is right!" Allen chimed in, his shock now mixed with high jealousy and curiosity. "Who exactly is your fifth spouse?"
"Hey, My Dear! Who is the person that has preceded Kylen?!" Ordion demanded, leaning his body forward.
"I just found out that you secretly already have a fifth spouse behind our backs." Alvein said, narrowing his eyes, his protective instincts awakening.
Seeing their over-the-top reactions, Arvin merely smiled faintly, full of riddles.
"You will all find out their identity later when the time is right."
Hearing that deliberately dangling answer, the four of them could only snort in resignation. They knew their husband's nature very well. If Arvin had decided to keep something a secret, it would be utterly useless for them to force him to speak.
Ignoring the grumbling of his four spouses, Arvin focused his attention back on Kylen, who was still sitting silently on his lap.
"So, are you willing to be my sixth spouse, Kylen?" Arvin asked gently.
That question immediately broke Kylen's reverie. The prince looked deep into Arvin's eyes.
"Become your sixth spouse?" Kylen repeated to confirm, which was immediately answered with a firm nod from Arvin.
Kylen fell silent for a moment, then smiled in relief. "As long as it means I can be with you, I don't mind at all being in any order. Besides, I really do like you."
Kylen then turned to Allen and the others. "Seeing how happy the four of them are when they are with you, I am very certain that you always treat them fairly without any discrimination. Because of that, I am also certain that you will definitely be able to be fair to me."
That agreement and full trust from Kylen made Arvin and his four spouses breathe a sigh of relief. But, Arvin knew there was still one big thing he had to settle before making the prince officially his.
"Alright, it's decided!" Arvin said, rubbing Kylen's back. "After the tournament at this academy is over, I will directly come to see your father at the Flamort palace and propose to you officially in front of him."
Hearing that promise, Kylen's face flushed brightly. A broad smile bloomed on his lips.
"Yes, Darling! I will be looking forward to it!"
The term of endearment that suddenly slipped out so naturally from the mouth of the usually prideful prince successfully caught Arvin and his four spouses completely by surprise. For a few seconds, they could only blink, before finally, crisp laughter exploded filling the entire carriage cabin.
Kylen didn't care in the slightest about the teasing laughter surrounding him. He leaned his head comfortably on Arvin's shoulder.
Something that had felt so obstructing and made his chest tight for days had now completely vanished. He could finally breathe a sigh of relief and feel peace after being honest with his own feelings.