Arvin and Kylen, who had just finished cleaning up after spending more than two hours lost in endless, passionate lovemaking, were now soaking together in the bathtub. The warm water filling the tub felt incredibly soothing and refreshing.
Kylen, sitting comfortably on his husband's lap, raised his right hand right in front of his face. His eyes were filled with immense awe as he gazed at the white Life-and-Death Contract symbol now permanently engraved on the back of his hand.
Then, his gaze shifted to his left hand. A gold ring, adorned with a transparent blue gemstone, sat beautifully on his ring finger, as beautiful as the feelings Kylen was experiencing at this moment.
An overwhelming sense of happiness swelled within him, and a wide smile radiating pure joy graced his face.
Because today, he was officially married to Arvin, and not a single mortal in this world could ever separate them.
Finally... this white contract symbol is permanently engraved on my hand! Kylen thought, his heart trembling with profound gratitude. For all eternity, we are a rightful couple in the eyes of the Gods.
While Kylen was busy admiring the proof of their marriage on both his hands, Arvin, who still had the bluish-white-haired youth embraced on his lap, leaned his back against the edge of the tub. He closed his eyes, soaking in this soothing moment with his spouse.
Despite appearing relaxed and peaceful, Arvin's mind was actively churning through all his plans. There were a few crucial matters he had to accomplish in the near future:
First, to propose to Dylan in front of his mother's grave.
Second, to infiltrate the royal palace of the Victoriaz Kingdom.
Third, to retrieve Elenora and Savin, who were currently in the Holy Kingdom of Galdius.
"Darling?"
The gentle call broke the comforting silence, prompting Arvin to open his eyes and look directly into his spouse's face.
"Yes, Kylen?" Arvin replied in his calm voice.
"Could you accompany me to the academy tomorrow morning? I want to say goodbye to Vian and the others."
Hearing his spouse's request, Arvin nodded without a second thought. He completely understood his spouse's situation. Soon, Kylen would leave the Flamort Kingdom forever, and it was highly unlikely he would ever return. Bidding a proper farewell to his childhood friends was a must.
"Yes, I will definitely go with you tomorrow." Arvin promised, giving him reassurance. He then raised his right hand from the water, gently caressing his spouse's cheek. "But for now, let's finish our bath and get ready to have dinner together at the restaurant."
Hearing his husband's words, Kylen's eyes lit up. He immediately stood up, letting the warm water cascade down the curves of his body, then stepped out of the tub to dry himself with a towel.
In his heart, he felt incredibly enthusiastic looking forward to this dinner. Their first dinner, just the two of them, in their official status as a married couple.
Arvin smiled faintly upon seeing Kylen's enthusiasm. He followed his spouse's lead to dry off after draining the bathwater from the tub.
Once their bodies were completely dry and they had dressed neatly and elegantly again, Arvin and Kylen opened the bathroom door. They walked side by side out of the room, then proceeded down the inn's hallway.
As they walked and passed the reception desk in the front lobby, Arvin and Kylen paused their steps for a moment.
"Is there a restaurant in this inn?"
"Of course there is, Sir." the receptionist replied in a highly polite and professional tone. The woman then raised her hand, pointing toward a carved double door guarded by two neatly uniformed servers at the end of the hallway to the guests' right. "It is located right behind those doors."
Having received the information from the receptionist, Arvin and Kylen nodded, then immediately continued their steps toward the double doors at the end of the hall.
Seeing the arrival of their two guests, the servers standing upright in front of the double doors swiftly opened them for the young men.
Arvin and Kylen stepped elegantly into the room whose doors had been opened wide.
No wonder the room rate for this inn is so expensive. The service is truly satisfying! Arvin thought, feeling quite pleased with the work standard of the inn's staff as he continued walking. Hopefully, the food in this restaurant will also satisfy both our palates.
Upon arriving inside the restaurant, a grand sight welcomed them. The room was incredibly spacious, illuminated by crystal chandeliers, with numerous round tables covered in pristine white tablecloths arranged neatly. Some of them were already occupied by other patrons dressed no less luxuriously. In every corner of the room, dozens of servers stood by, ready to cater to their guests' every need.
Shortly after they stepped inside, a restaurant server approached them.
"Good evening, gentlemen." the man greeted in a very friendly, polite, and respectful tone. "Which table number would you like to be seated at?"
Hearing the server's words, Arvin and Kylen simultaneously scanned all the available empty tables.
Kylen, spotting an empty table located in a slightly quieter corner of the room, immediately pointed toward it.
"We would like to sit there!"
Hearing what his spouse wanted, Arvin immediately nodded in agreement without a second thought.
The server glanced toward the table the bluish-white-haired youth pointed at, then looked back at his two customers with a polite smile.
"Please allow me to escort you to table number 19!"
Accompanied by the server, Arvin and Kylen walked side by side across the room toward their reserved table.
However, without them intending to, their presence instantly drew the attention of almost all the patrons around their path. Their calm strides inadvertently created an unavoidable wave of reaction.
For the people on the left side of the married couple, their gazes were instantly locked and focused on the white contract symbol engraved on the blue-haired youth's left hand, as well as the transparent blue-gemmed gold rings resting so harmoniously on the ring fingers of both youth's left hands.
Meanwhile, the people on the right side of the married couple focused their gazes on the white contract symbols permanently etched on the backs of the right hands of the two youths who had just passed them.
Witnessing such a highly unconventional phenomenon, whispers began to surface like buzzing bees. The topic among them discussing their same-sex marriage status emerged.
However, neither Arvin nor Kylen cared in the slightest about everyone's stares. Their faces remained flat as they continued walking with calm steps toward the table they had requested.
At table number 19, Kylen and Arvin sat facing each other, then ordered the best food on the menu, as if the world sneering at them did not exist at all.
...
A few moments later, four neatly uniformed servers approached their table, carrying trays filled with their prepared orders.
Moving with sheer professionalism, they began to set down the plates, two glasses, and a bottle of wine, arranging each item on the table with utmost precision.
The savory aroma of the roasted meat, coated in a thick sauce and rich spices, instantly wafted through the air, tantalizing their senses.
"Please enjoy your meal, Sir." one of the servers said in a polite tone.
"Yes, thank you." Arvin replied briefly, his tone sounding calm and authoritative.
After bowing respectfully to their two guests, the servers promptly returned to their respective posts at the corners of the room.
Now, it was just the two of them, left alone with the luxurious dishes still emitting wisps of hot steam.
Arvin picked up his knife and fork. With an elegant gesture, he began to cut the steak in front of him, slicing the thick meat into a perfect bite-sized piece, then pierced it with his fork.
"Kylen?"
Hearing the gentle call of his name, the bluish-white-haired youth, who was just about to pick up his own cutlery, immediately stopped his movements and looked at his husband's face.
"Yes, Darling?"
Unexpectedly, instead of bringing the piece of meat to his own mouth, Arvin's hand slowly guided the fork with the pierced meat across the table, straight toward Kylen.
Kylen was stunned for a moment, not expecting his husband to feed him the bite of meat.
However, that astonishment quickly turned into pure happiness. Kylen immediately leaned forward, opened his mouth, and accepted the bite.
The savory flavor of the incredibly tender meat instantly melted on his tongue, but it was his husband's small act of affection that made it taste countless times more delicious.
After swallowing his bite, Kylen did not want to merely be the one fed. A strong urge surged in his heart to return the gesture, to feed the person he loved so deeply for the very first time.
Wasting no time, the bluish-white-haired youth grabbed his own knife and fork. He began to cut his untouched steak. Once he got the perfect piece, he pierced it with his fork, leaned his body forward, and fed the very first bite of his steak to his husband.
Arvin stared at the tip of the fork for a second, then looked into Kylen's eyes. He did not refuse. He accepted the bite calmly. Once he finished chewing, Arvin looked at his spouse and gave him a gentle smile.
Seeing the smile on his husband's face, Kylen returned it with a much brighter smile. He felt incredibly happy.
That happiness wasn't just because today they were officially bound in a marriage recognized by the universe, but also because he received the first bite from his husband. Such a simple gesture made him feel so cherished and loved that he could no longer hide the expression of pure joy on his face.
This dinner truly makes me so happy! Kylen exclaimed inwardly. His eyes never left the figure of the man in front of him, thoroughly enjoying these private moments with his husband that felt so incredibly perfect.
Throughout the dinner, Arvin and Kylen continued to enjoy the dishes on their table while engaging in light conversation, occasionally feeding each other again without the slightest bit of awkwardness.
All around them, there were many pairs of eyes from the restaurant patrons secretly watching them. Stares filled with astonishment, whispers about same-sex marriage, and judgmental glares constantly surrounded their table.
However, the married couple remained completely indifferent to it all. They continued to enjoy their dinner calmly and comfortably, entirely immersed in their own little world, as if, in that vast and magnificent room, there were only the two of them.