Inside the carriage cabin that was moving smoothly slicing through the streets toward the Flamort Kingdom, the atmosphere felt so comfortable and very peaceful. The jolts of the carriage wheels were barely felt at all thanks to the high-level alchemy magic applied to the cabin.
Vian, Tania, Ziona, and Anna were seen sitting leaning back on their respective plush sofas. They closed their eyes for a moment, stretching their muscles, and relaxing their stiff bodies after enduring a series of exhausting tensions during their stay in the Victoriaz Kingdom's capital.
However, that relaxed and calm sight did not apply to Kylen at all.
The Flamort Kingdom's fifth prince did not touch his sofa in the slightest. He instead chose to sit and be pampered on Arvin's lap, resting his head in the crook of the blue-haired youth's neck while hugging him very tightly, as if afraid his husband would disappear.
"Finally, I can completely monopolize your body, Darling." Kylen said with a very evident tone of relief, exhaling warm breath into the crook of Arvin's neck. "It feels truly comfortable and peaceful to be able to sit and hug you on your lap like this."
Arvin only smiled faintly, letting his spouse seek comfort, while one of his hands rubbed Kylen's back with a soothing rhythm.
Kylen turned his head, looking at his childhood friend's face who was sitting on the sofa next to them with a teasing gaze.
"Hey Vian, why are you sitting alone over there and not holding Anna on your lap?" Kylen teased with a provoking tone. "Isn't she your prospective wife?"
Hearing her name suddenly dragged into the conversation, Anna's face instantly flushed red. Meanwhile, Vian could only let out a resigned sigh and massage the bridge of his nose, feeling utterly bewildered by the prince's behavior.
"Shut your mouth and don't compare me to the current you!" Vian replied with a curt tone to cover his nervousness. "I still have a sense of shame when it comes to being affectionate and sitting on laps in front of many people like you."
"Ah, nonsense! Just say that you actually don't have the courage and are too much of a coward to start it!" Kylen replied quickly, refusing to lose and continuing to try and provoke Vian so the cabin atmosphere wouldn't be too quiet.
"Your provocation won't affect me at all!" Vian retorted while crossing both his arms over his chest. "Just enjoy your moment comfortably with Arvin over there and don't bother me!"
Kylen chuckled softly, victorious over the petty argument, then buried his face back into the crook of Arvin's neck.
Vian secretly stole a glance, seeing the prince's behavior as he returned to hugging Arvin very tightly and full of affection.
But to be honest... Vian said in his heart, his facial expression slowly softening. I truly never expected that in the end he would choose to marry a man, and that man is someone from the Vedegra descent who is highly feared and also highly respected.
He leaned his back against the backrest of the plush sofa again. His head tilted up slightly, staring at the carriage cabin ceiling.
At the very least, you have now found your own true happiness, Kylen. As your best friend, I also feel very happy for your happiness, even though deep down in my heart, I am still very worried about how your father and the palace will react when we arrive later.
....
Time continued to pass along with the turning of the horse carriage wheels. Late afternoon finally arrived, bringing a tinge of orange to the western horizon. A soldier serving as the carriage driver decided to stop the horses' pace on the side of the quiet main road, pulling over near a small river stream just to rest after their group had traveled overland for quite a long and exhausting time.
While the others were stretching their legs outside or resting on the sofas, inside the carriage bathroom, Arvin and Kylen were bathing together.
"Darling?" Kylen called out in a pampering tone, his voice echoing slightly inside the bathroom.
Arvin, who was washing his body, paused his movements for a moment. He turned his head and stared intently at his spouse's face.
"What is it, Kylen?" he asked gently.
Kylen lowered his gaze slightly, playing with his fingers nervously. "M-May we lather each other's bodies?"
Hearing the innocent request blurted out with a hesitant tone, Arvin unknowingly shook his head slowly while smiling wryly. He truly never expected that Kylen, who was initially always defensive, tsundere, and very stubborn, would now always be able to act straightforward and very clingy when they were alone.
He truly changed drastically upon becoming my spouse. Arvin thought with a feeling of endearment.
However, a misunderstanding had occurred. Kylen, who had been watching his husband's reaction the whole time, assumed that 'shaking the head' was a form of outright rejection of his request.
What happened next was that the bluish-white-haired youth immediately fell silent. His shoulders slumped weakly, and his face instantly folded into a very sour pout. He turned his face away, staring blankly at the bathroom wall.
Seeing the drastic change in his spouse's expression, who suddenly pouted, Arvin quickly realized that Kylen was currently misunderstanding his head shake just now.
"Hey, why are you suddenly pouting like that?" Arvin asked, deliberately baiting and pretending not to understand the current situation. "Are you suddenly feeling unwell?"
"Shut up!" Kylen replied in annoyance, looking at his husband with eyes slightly welling up with tears because he felt rejected. "You are the one who made me upset like this! Are you completely unaware?!"
Seeing his spouse starting to sulk, Arvin couldn't hold back his smile any longer. He stood up from his seat, took the soap, then walked slowly approaching Kylen while carrying his wooden chair.
Once right behind the youth's body, Arvin set the chair down and sat back down. He began to rub his soapy palms until they lathered, then his hands started to move, lathering his spouse's back with very gentle and soothing strokes.
Kylen flinched slightly upon feeling the warm touch on his back, but he did not resist.
"I shook my head just now not because I rejected your request, My Cute Prince." Arvin said in a very gentle and deep tone, continuing to move his hands lathering the curves of Kylen's back. "I shook my head because I didn't expect you to ask such a silly thing when you actually already know for sure what the answer is."
Kylen widened his eyes, realizing his foolishness. He didn't expect that he had jumped to a one-sided conclusion and misunderstood that 'head shake'. Now, he didn't dare turn his body around at all, feeling very embarrassed by the childish misunderstanding he had just created.
"You know?" Arvin continued again, his voice flowing warmly through the sound of the water. "I am your husband! Whatever I have right now, be it my love or my entire body, is entirely your right. I also could never bear to reject your requests when that rejection would surely make you all disappointed."
Arvin moved his chair closer until he could hug Kylen's body from behind. His hands slipped to the front, beginning to lather the youth's chest and stomach with a gentle touch.
"I desperately do not want to lose the happy smiles on all of your cute faces. Because to me, the smiles of my spouses are a priceless treasure."
Kylen's heart felt completely melted hearing such a sincere confession. He immediately raised his hands and tightly held his husband's hands that were rubbing the front of his body. Spontaneously, Arvin stopped the movement of his hands and waited.
"May I... may I do anything to your body?" Kylen asked to confirm once again, this time with a slightly trembling voice.
"Didn't I tell you that I am your husband?" Arvin answered gently, lightly kissing Kylen's wet shoulder. "Of course, my love and this body are entirely your right to enjoy. That also applies to the others."
Kylen's defenses crumbled. He slowly leaned his back completely against the front of his husband's body, who was hugging him tightly, seeking a support.
"Darling... I want to bathe while sitting facing you on your lap."
"Sit on my lap, Kylen. I will be very happy to do it."
The bluish-white-haired youth stood up from his position, then turned around to face his husband. With slow movements, he began to lower his body, before finally sitting landing perfectly on his husband's lap.
The two of them looked at each other from a very close distance, ignoring their bodies which were currently in a naked state.
"This is the first time I've sat on your lap completely naked like this." Kylen said softly. His hands slowly lifted, beginning to touch and caress his husband's handsome face. "Darling... answer me honestly from the bottom of your heart. Have you ever felt regret for making a prince from your enemy kingdom your spouse?"
The question slipped out just like that, carrying the entire weight of fear that had been shadowing Kylen's mind, thinking about Arvin who had destroyed the Flamort Kingdom in his previous life.
"No!" Arvin answered very quickly, his eyes staring sharply piercing through Kylen's eyes without the slightest hesitation. "You are you, Kylen. And your kingdom is your kingdom. If someday you betray me, I—"