Ordion, Dylan, and Victor looked at the prince's face, a mix of bewilderment and confusion clearly painted on their expressions.
Since when has he been near this eastern gate? Victor wondered inwardly, his forehead creasing as his eyes remained fixed on the third prince. No! That's not the main issue. What's his intention in coming all this way just to meet the three of us here? And how could he know that we were in this area?
Despite his mind being filled with numerous questions, Victor chose to remain silent, allowing Ordion, who was positioned at the very front, to take charge of the situation.
With a faint, friendly smile slowly blooming on his lips, Oliver took a step forward to close the distance between them.
"Hello!" the prince greeted, initiating the conversation. His tone sounded incredibly calm and amicable, there was not the slightest trace of the typical high-noble arrogance in his greeting. "Could you spare a brief moment to speak with me?"
Ordion let out a soft sigh. Spending the entire day combing through the forest had left his body feeling sticky, and engaging in small talk was the absolute last thing he wanted to do right now.
"What's it that you wish to discuss, Prince Oliver?" Ordion replied flatly. His posture was relaxed, entirely un-intimidated by the status of the person he was speaking to. "Just get straight to the point. We are very tired and want to head home immediately to bathe."
Oliver was slightly taken aback by the bluntness of the subtle rejection, but he quickly neutralized his expression. He was well aware that dealing with Arvin's closest companions required a completely different approach.
"I simply wanted to ask you something." Oliver said softly, his eyes reflecting an unfeigned seriousness. "Is it true that Arvin currently has eleven spouses he has chosen?"
Hearing the question, Ordion snorted softly, then shook his head casually.
"You are mistaken. To be precise, there are twelve." the red-haired youth answered.
That brief statement successfully caused Oliver's eyes to widen slightly. He was quite surprised. The rumor that had just reached the palace mentioned the number eleven, but as it turned out, the number of youths Arvin had chosen to marry was actually more than what the rumor claimed.
Seeing the prince's surprised reaction, Ordion could instantly guess and understand where this conversation was heading. A specific question regarding the number of spouses was no mere idle curiosity.
He must have come here because he wants to become our husband's spouse too.
Not wanting to prolong the chatter, Ordion decided to cut straight to the core of the matter.
"Listen, Prince. If you harbor the desire to become Arvin's spouse, please don't ask the three of us here." Ordion stated bluntly, looking straight at the yellow-haired youth. "Just say everything directly to him after he returns from the Flamort Kingdom later."
Oliver flinched slightly and fell silent. He stared at the face of the red-haired youth who had, so easily and without any hesitation, just exposed his hidden intentions.
"And secondly, you must be able to convince Alrain to accept you." Ordion continued, his tone sounding far more serious than before. "If Alrain agrees, Arvin and the rest of us might be willing to accept you. But with one crucial note: as long as there is not the slightest bit of royal political intrigue behind your desire to marry our husband!"
After stating that absolute condition, Ordion stepped forward, approaching Oliver. Seeing this, Dylan and Victor naturally took a step forward behind him, as if providing their full support for whatever their husband's third spouse was doing.
Now, the distance between Ordion and Oliver was merely a few paces. He stared into the prince's light blue eyes with piercing intensity, trying to search for even a speck of deceit or hesitation within them.
Receiving such a close and sharp gaze that seemed ready to devour him alive, Oliver felt a slight chill of dread.
Why is he looking at me so intensely? Oliver thought, suddenly feeling uncomfortable and a little nervous. All this time, no one outside his family had ever dared to look at him in such a way, other than Arvin. Is he angry because I suddenly approached them and halted their steps here?
"W-Why are you looking at me like that, Ordion?" Oliver finally asked, unable to bear the awkwardness.
Ordion snorted softly, then withdrew his gaze.
"It's better if you just return to the palace." he said, offering a logical suggestion and ending the brief tension. "The three of us must head home and take a bath. Our bodies are covered in sweat and dust from the forest."
However, instead of complying and returning to the palace, Oliver took a step that was entirely unexpected by the three of them.
"In that case, let us go to the palace together right now!" Oliver quickly replied, his tone devoid of any hesitation. "After I ask for my father's permission, I will tag along with you and stay over at your home until Arvin returns."
Silence instantly enveloped the four of them.
Ordion, Dylan, and Victor looked at one another. The three of them actually knew very well that Oliver was one of the people their husband deeply desired to marry.
However, despite knowing that fact, they could not simply bring a royal prince walking home with them to the mansion like an ordinary friend, let alone allow him to stay over without the direct consent of the head of the household and the others.
Victor, who felt the request was far too reckless, finally spoke up.
"Are you aware of what you just said, Prince Oliver?" Victor asked with a furrowed brow, truly not expecting the prince's rather impulsive-sounding request.
Oliver nodded firmly, gazing at Victor without any hesitation.
"Yeah, I am very aware." Oliver answered sincerely. "But, I am doing this because I also want to wait for the person I like—"
"Then prove it!" Ordion interjected suddenly, cutting off the prince's sentence. "Shout it out here if you truly do like Arvin!"
That sudden demand was intentionally thrown out by Ordion solely because he wanted to measure the true extent of the prince's earnestness. He wanted to know if the prince was willing to throw away his pride for the sake of his feelings.
Hearing the absurd demand, Oliver's eyes went wide. He was stunned. Never had it crossed his mind even for a second that he would have to shout his feelings for Arvin out loud in an open space like this, where many people were still passing by around them.
The Prince remained completely silent. His heartbeat raced, pounding hard against his chest cavity.
Are you serious?! he screamed inwardly, a sense of panic slowly creeping in. Out of so many other demands to prove my sincerity, why must I shout something so humiliating right here? Has he lost his mind?
Seeing Oliver merely standing frozen in his spot without giving any response, Ordion let out a long, heavy sigh.
That sigh, laden with disappointment, successfully shattered the Prince's turbulent thoughts.
"I thought as much..." Ordion said flatly, devoid of any mocking tone, purely concluding what he was witnessing. "If you don't dare to do it, it means you truly harbor no real sincerity towards him."
Wasting no more time, Ordion, followed by Dylan and Victor, began to walk away, leaving the prince still standing frozen as he stared at the cobblestone street beneath his feet.
"Excuse us!" the red-haired youth said as he continued to walk.
One step... two steps... three steps...
Watching the backs of the three youths grow further away, a powerful urge suddenly erupted within Oliver's chest. If I let my ego win today, I might never have the chance to step into Arvin's life ever again.
"Wait!"
Spontaneously, the three youths halted their steps in unison after hearing the rather loud shout from behind.
"Alright..." Oliver spoke, his voice trembling slightly but laden with determination. "I will shout it right here so that you will believe me!"
Hearing that, Ordion, Dylan, and Victor turned around. They looked straight at Oliver, anticipating the moment to unfold.
Standing right where he was, the prince took a deep breath, casting far away his embarrassment and his pride as the third prince of the Astoria Kingdom.
And then...
"I'VE LIKED ARVIN VEDEGRA SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING WE MET!!!" Oliver yelled, his voice projecting so loudly and firmly, slicing through the twilight hustle of the street. Several pedestrians in the distance even turned their heads in shock.
The Prince stared straight at Ordion, Dylan, and Victor with slightly ragged breathing.
"PLEASE ALLOW ME TO STAY WITH ALL OF YOU UNTIL HE RETURNS, SO I CAN EXPRESS THESE FEELINGS OF MINE TO HIM!"