The fact about the secret theory behind the creation method of the Elixir of Archmage instantly shocked the eleven youths in the dining room. Their eyes widened slightly.
Especially for Allen. The pink-haired youth looked stunned. The fragments of his past memories suddenly pieced themselves together into a coherent and logical whole. He finally realized the mystery behind all the piles of red and blue potion bottles they had found when he and Arvin explored the ancient ruins in the past.
"No wonder..." Allen muttered with a suppressed voice. "...no wonder we found so many Elixir of Archmages in those ruins stored close to those red and blue potions." the pink-haired youth said while continuing to carefully support half of his husband's body weight.
Hearing the mention of the ancient ruins, Alvein, who stood supporting the other side of Arvin's body, offered a faint smile.
"Ah... the potions you found in those ruins were purely made by my master in the past." the silver-haired fairy chimed in suddenly, his tone of voice implying deep respect and pride. "He was a very great alchemist in his era!"
"Is that so? In that case, your former master was truly a great person!" Allen praised sincerely.
However, a second later, the pink-haired youth's facial expression drastically changed back to being very stern. He looked straight into his husband's pair of blue eyes, which looked heavy from extreme exhaustion.
"But, regardless of how great that alchemy theory is, I still will not allow you to drink that healing potion tonight!" Allen forbade absolutely. "Your body is already at its limit. Forcing the elixir's formation reaction inside your exhausted body will only kill you slowly!"
Hearing the words of his first spouse who forbade him so firmly, Arvin actually really wanted to argue against it.
However, when he saw Allen's facial expression more clearly, noticing the youth's pair of pink eyes radiating an immense amount of worry and a very apparent inner suffering from seeing his husband's condition, Arvin swallowed his words back. He truly could not bear to make his first spouse feel sad and hurt his feelings just because of his own selfishness.
"Alright, Allen..." Arvin sighed eventually, lowering his ego and choosing to comply. He gave a faint, soothing smile. "I will not drink it."
Hearing Arvin's words canceling his intention to drink the potion instantly made Allen let out a very long sigh of relief. The tension in his shoulders loosened slightly. He strongly believed that his husband was a man who held true to his words and would never disappoint him.
After that brief debate ended, Arvin shifted his gaze toward the bluish-white-haired youth standing not far from him.
"Kylen?" he called out hoarsely.
"Yes, Darling?" Kylen answered, stepping forward promptly, though his voice was still filled with worry.
"Come, we must return to the carriage now." Arvin invited him with the remaining strength he had. "We don't have much time left before morning arrives, and honestly... I also need to lie down and rest immediately."
Hearing that instruction, the prince of the Flamort Kingdom nodded in agreement without any further ado. Kylen immediately turned his back to Arvin and lowered his posture.
Understanding the cue, Allen and Alvein worked together very carefully. The two of them let go and helped transfer their husband's body slowly so he could be carried on Kylen's back.
Once he was comfortably on Kylen's back, Arvin turned his head back again, looking one by one at the faces of the eleven youths surrounding him.
"We are leaving now. I leave all matters here to all of you!" Arvin instructed.
"Just leave everything to us! You don't need to think about any more burdens tonight other than resting." Allen answered in a loud tone, taking the role to represent them all. "We will guard this house here and faithfully await your return, My Dear Husband."
Hearing the specific endearment slip from Allen's lips, Arvin was slightly stunned, then slowly chuckled softly over Kylen's shoulder. His laughter sounded weak yet very sincere and comforting.
"It feels like it has been a very long time since I heard that endearment come out of your mouth, Allen."
Allen blushed slightly. "Do you want me to call you by that endearment again from now on?" he asked to make sure, his eyes looking full of hope.
Arvin nodded slowly, resting his chin on Kylen's shoulder. "That's better. Because for some reason, every time you call me by that endearment, I am always reminded of our first day of marriage. And to me, that memory is a moment of happiness that is utterly priceless."
The answer that came out so straightforwardly and honestly from the mouth of the person he loved the most instantly made Allen freeze in his place. His heart trembled violently. He truly never expected that the simple endearment was a endearment that held a special space, capable of multiplying his husband's happiness folds over.
"If that's what you want," Allen replied with a slightly trembling voice, holding back an overflow of happy emotions, "then with great pleasure, I will always call you by that endearment again like before, My Dear Husband."
Arvin smiled sincerely at him. "Thank you, Allen."
Hearing that expression of gratitude, the pink-haired youth's chest felt tight. He wanted to cry so badly seeing his husband's pale face that looked so pitiful. My husband is always fighting tooth and nail, sacrificing everything for my happiness, and also for the guaranteed future of all his family members in this mansion.
He always tries to smile to reassure all of us, even though he is currently in a state that is very much not okay. Allen whimpered again in his heart, biting the inside of his lip so his tears would not fall and wet his cheeks. All I can do right now... I must return that smile. I must not look like a crybaby and make him even sadder, even though my heart feels like it hurts so much seeing him with such a deathly pale face.
Pressing his sadness deep down, Allen returned his husband's smile with an incredibly wide smile. A smile that was so sincere, warm, and happy that it showed his neat rows of teeth.
Seeing the sweet smile from his first spouse, Arvin's heart felt much lighter. And then, he raised his trembling hand, aiming his palm forward.
Utilizing the mana that had just recovered, he cast spatial magic and created a dimensional gate that connected directly to the bathroom of their carriage.
As soon as the gate's vortex formed stably, Kylen began to step forward firmly to enter it immediately.
"Everyone, we are taking our leave!" Kylen bid his farewell.
"I leave everything here to all of you." Arvin chimed in as his body was carried closer to the edge of the gate. "Take good care of yourselves. After all my business is finished, we will definitely all gather together again."
The eleven youths in the dining room did not answer with words. They only nodded in unison, then offered the warmest smiles they could give him.
Kylen kept walking, stepping through the surface of the gate. Until finally, his silhouette and also Arvin who was on his back, disappeared completely from the sight of everyone in the dining room. Along with that, the gate shrank and vanished without a trace, leaving silence in the room.
After the departure of the two of them, the atmosphere turned slightly more serious.
Alrain took the initiative. He stepped forward, approaching the dining table. He took out nine bottles of the Elixir of Archmage from his magic bag and placed the bottles lined up on the surface of the table.
The other ten youths focused their attention on him.
"Tell me!" Alrain said, making an announcement that broke the silence, his eyes looking at the faces of all his family members one by one. "Who among us will drink this elixir tonight?"