The sun was leaning further toward the west when Arvin and Allen arrived at the academy gates. The towering iron structure stood as a silent witness to their return, bearing a status far different from when they had departed that morning. Arvin stepped forward firmly toward the gatekeeper on duty.
"Is Dean Saires in?" Arvin asked without preamble.
The guard bowed slightly upon recognizing the figure before him. "It seems he is in the faculty room, Young Master. A large meeting is currently taking place there."
"Fine, thank you." Arvin replied briefly.
After the heavy iron gate opened with a low creak, Arvin and Allen walked side by side along the academy corridor.
The silence of the afternoon felt a bit tense for Allen, but Arvin's warm grip on his hand gave him strength. Arvin intended to immediately register Alrain as an academy student so that the three of them could always be together.
Upon arriving in front of the large faculty room door, Arvin knocked firmly.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
The door opened slightly, and a male teacher with glasses perched on his nose peeked out. He looked surprised to see two students standing there as the sun was nearly setting.
"We are in an important meeting! What business do you have coming here?" the teacher asked, feeling puzzled by the two students before him.
"I wish to meet with Dean Saires Lemort and all the teachers present here." Arvin answered with a calm yet undeniable voice. "There are several important matters I wish to convey to you all."
Seeing that the look in Arvin's eyes showed no sign of a lie, the teacher finally allowed them to enter. Inside the room, Dean Saires, who sat in the main chair, appeared quite surprised by the arrival of the two.
"What is it, Arvin? It is unusual for you to come at an hour like this." Saires asked while adjusting his seating position.
"There are three things I wish to convey to you, Dean Saires!" Arvin said while standing tall in the center of the room.
"What are they? Just say it, I will listen."
Arvin raised his right hand, clearly showing the back of his hand. "First, I have married Allen and Alrain!"
Instantly, the white contract symbol beautifully engraved on Arvin's right hand emitted a soft glow. Allen did the same, showing a similar symbol on his right hand as proof of a legal bond.
Dean Saires and all the teachers in the room were aghast. The sound of shocked gasps could be heard from several corners. "Y-You married a man? Are you serious, Arvin?" Saires asked with a voice slightly hoarse from shock.
"Does this contract symbol on my right hand look like a lie in your eyes?" Arvin shot back with a sharp gaze.
Saires cleared his throat, trying to regain his composure. "Ah... as long as it is not a black or yellow contract symbol, which would indicate you made a contract outside of a holy and sacred marriage, the two of you will not be expelled from the academy. Then, what is next?"
"Second, I will register Alrain into this academy. Please process the registration documents immediately without any delay."
"When do you want him to start studying here? And what is your reason for bringing in a new person in the middle of the semester like this?" Saires asked while starting to pick up a blank sheet of parchment.
"The day after tomorrow! And the reason is simple. It is so that the three of us can graduate together from this academy without having to wait for each other anymore!"
Saires nodded, somewhat impressed by Arvin's ambition. "Very well. After this meeting is over, I will immediately process the registration documents. Then, what is the third thing you wish to convey?"
Arvin took a deep breath, his gaze sweeping across all the teachers there. "The third! I will be leaving the dormitory and have decided to live in the house I just bought. And from this moment on, please remove Allen's name from the list of students receiving scholarships!"
The room was in an uproar again. Allen himself was startled, his eyes widening as he looked at Arvin. He had never expected Arvin to revoke his scholarship rights just like that.
"M-My husband, if you revoke my scholarship, how will I pay for this academy's fees?" Allen asked with a tone of suppressed anxiety.
Arvin turned, looking at Allen with a gaze that was slightly softer yet firm. "Allen, do not be a greedy person! Remember, I am your husband and it has become my responsibility to cover all your needs, including your education! Just give that scholarship to other students who are more in need!"
Hearing such an authoritative and responsible explanation, Allen's anxiety vanished, replaced by a sense of deep emotion. He lowered his head, agreeing to his husband's proposal.
Because Allen had agreed, Dean Saires and the board of teachers also agreed to remove Allen's name from the list of academy students receiving scholarships.
Behind his extreme actions, it turns out he is a man who is very responsible toward his spouse. Dean Saires thought in admiration. At the very least, Allen is now part of a noble family, and I am certain no one will dare to disturb him again as they did in the past.
"From this day on, you are permitted to leave the dormitory." Saires said finally. "But, go to the dormitory first to return all those special clothes to the dormitory officer as a formal procedure."
"Yes, Dean Saires!" they answered together.
Arvin then brought out a large amount of money for Dean Saires and placed it on his desk. "This is for Allen and Alrain's education fees, Dean Saires. The total is 10,000 Golds."
"But, Arvin... this money is far too much just for the education fees of the two of them!" Saires protested upon seeing the pile of money before him.
"It is up to you how you wish to use the remaining money. Thank you very much for being willing to spare your time. We take our leave!"
Arvin and Allen immediately stepped out of the room, leaving the teachers still frozen in place. Inside that room, their impression of Arvin Vedegra, who had long been considered cold and brutal, began to change. They had just seen a compassionate and deeply caring side of the young man.
All along the way to the dormitory, Arvin and Allen walked while holding hands. The sight made the students they passed stare in shock, especially as the afternoon sunlight shone upon the white contract symbols on their hands.
Suddenly, a cute red-haired male student boldly ran up to them, breaking the silence of the dormitory corridor. "A-Are you two married?" he asked with a somewhat loud voice.
Arvin remained silent, his face returning to an unreadable cold expression. Realizing his husband had no intention of responding, Allen gave a friendly smile. "Yes, you are right! We just held our marriage yesterday." Allen answered with a happy glint in his eyes.
"Really?" the student exclaimed again, looking very enthusiastic. "Great! This is the first time I've known that a man and a man could get married like you two."
Hearing the student's reaction, the atmosphere suddenly turned chilling. Arvin abruptly released Allen's hand. In a lightning-fast motion, he grabbed the red-haired student's shoulders and pushed him hard until the boy's back slammed against the dormitory wall.
Thud!
The student winced in pain, while Arvin stared at him with an incredibly sharp and intimidating gaze, as if interrogating his prey.
Allen was surprised to see Arvin's sudden aggressive change in attitude.
However, instead of intervening, Allen chose to remain silent and observe closely. I'm sure he's acting because there's something strange about the plot again. It's better if I just let him seek information from that student. My husband wouldn't do something impulsive without a strong reason.