“Ah, it looks like they are ready. Well then, Adrian. See you again!”
Despite dropping such an enormous statement, Brother ran off to his horse, leaving only the three of us in the awkward atmosphere.
Klen and I knew exactly what he meant by ‘still be annulled’ or ‘replace him.’
Did Brother actually take a liking to Klen?
The relationship, bound by the name of husband and wife, might easily crumble if someone decided to quit.
Yet, the thought of someone other than me standing beside him made my stomach churn.
Even if that person was my own brother.
My drastically plummeting mood turned into a sense of revulsion, traveling from my legs up my arms and giving me goosebumps all over.
[Hmm. I shall go see the Master’s brother off!]
“Aren?”
“Where is Aren going?”
“He says he’s going to see your brother off.”
“…”
Aren seemed unable to bear the awkward atmosphere and quickly flew toward Brother.
Perhaps it was because of the dark energy emanating from me.
It wouldn’t be a good energy for a Divine Beast.
But even from a distance, he didn’t land on Brother’s head or shoulder, but merely hovered nearby.
And so, only the two of us remained.
“L-Let’s go back to the room first.”
After saying that, I quickly moved forward.
Walking in silence, my pace gradually quickened until it was an ambiguous speed, neither quite walking nor running.
“Adrian. Do you wish to annul this marriage?”
“Ah, no!”
Startled by the voice from behind, I quickly stopped.
The words that burst out before my brain could process them were much louder than I had intended.
But a smile spread across Klen’s face as he quietly gazed at me.
Was he satisfied with this reaction that even surprised me?
“Then, are you willing to ensure this won’t be annulled?”
What?
My frozen mind slowly returned.
And the mouth that had only been twitching at the corners finally moved properly.
“…W-What about Rodney? Isn’t now the perfect opportunity to catch him?”
Perhaps this wasn’t the answer Klen had been expecting.
But now, with Rodney weakened from mana depletion, was the chance to link him to the monster summoning and capture him.
He certainly wouldn’t have had time to prepare a countermeasure.
Even at a moment like this, my mind first sought the path for my survival.
“Right now, I think it is the perfect opportunity to capture you.”
“…?!”
Capture me?!
When I flinched in surprise, a wry smile was etched on his face.
Even so, he took one step closer.
“But you can refuse if you dislike it. There is no need to force yourself. Just because we are married doesn’t mean we have to do it by obligation.”
“…”
He held out his hand to me.
I quietly stared at his palm, held open.
Contrary to his declaration that he would ‘capture’ me, he didn’t even touch my fingertip.
It was merely laid out before me, looking like a trap with a tempting bait.
I knew that once I bit, I would never be able to escape.
There was no need to force it.
But our situation was a bit unique, and it was something that needed to be resolved eventually.
Especially since my father’s life depended on it.
Of course, if I truly hated it, there was someone who could take my place.
‘If I dislike the idea of someone else standing next to him instead of me…’
The fact that this option was even presented only intensified my discomfort.
If that was what I felt most repulsed by and disliked, if I considered Klen’s side to be naturally my place, hadn’t my heart already decided a long time ago?
He showed no sign of wavering, even though I stared at his hand for a long time.
But as I slowly moved my rigid body and took his hand, his hand covered mine, as if a trap had been sprung.
And he gripped it tightly, as if he would never let go again.
“…”
I also gripped his hand firmly in return.
Our hands were clenched tightly, as if in a test of strength.
A creaking sound echoed between them, entirely unbefitting what was about to happen.
Our clasped hands did not separate even as we walked.
Since it wasn’t a rare sight for us to walk holding hands, no one paid special attention.
Only concerned looks followed us occasionally, wondering if I was unwell again.
But those concerned gazes made me feel unnecessarily self-conscious and brought on an embarrassing blush.
My attempt to keep my head down to hide the flush had the opposite effect, causing a few passersby to ask if I was alright.
Even after we arrived at the room, an awkward tension lingered around us.
Aren, who was absent as if he knew this would happen. When would he return?
‘What about Aren?’
Klen gave an instruction to Linda and returned to the room, and the curtains were drawn over the large windows.
As thick curtains covered the windows that had never been obscured before, a soft light emerged from the magic tools.
The room we had been staying in now felt like a different space.
That subtle feeling injected tension throughout my body.
Seeing the windows covered, Aren probably wouldn’t try to come inside.
“Adrian.”
Klen, who had finished everything, approached me and wrapped his arms around my waist.
The fingers touching my cheek were soft, and their movement tracing down my skin was ticklish.
And just as our lips drew closer and I could feel his breath,
Knock, knock.
“…!”
A light knock sounded on the door.
The moment was so sudden that my body gave a huge jump, and my mind snapped back to attention.
Thanks to that, I was able to clearly perceive the situation before my eyes.
Klen’s face completely filled my vision, with nothing else visible, and my lips were met with something soft.
Despite the coldness I felt throughout my body, the amber eyes staring straight into mine contained a searing heat.
‘Ugh.’
The instant I realized it, my heart started pounding so violently it felt like my ears would ring.
Heat rose in my face, as if it had caught fire from the intensely radiating warmth.
The quickly spreading heat reached the tips of my ears, burning hot.
But Klen quickly moved away, lightly brushing my lips, and headed toward the door.
He didn’t look angry or like his mood had been ruined by the visitor at a time like this.
“Lord Klen. I have brought the item.”
“…?”
Only Klen was visible from where I was.
I couldn’t see the person outside the door, but I recognized Linda’s voice.
‘Item?’
It seemed Klen had sent her on an errand.
Hearing Linda’s voice felt like returning to normal life.
My trembling body gradually relaxed, and the violent pounding of my heart regained its stability.
“Do you know the method?”
“Huh? Well… roughly.”
The man standing at the door was the same one who had been radiating seriousness and coldness in front of me just moments ago, but now he stood with an awkward smile, tilting his head.
I knew his acting was great, but even seeing it again, the impression was unconvincing.
“Do you understand? This is not harmful to the body in the slightest, so you must use it generously, without sparing it.”
It seemed I wasn’t the only one who felt that way.
Linda didn’t hide her anxiety at all as she lectured him.
After finishing her speech, she even let out a long sigh.
“I’ll take care of…”
“If you are not careful, Lord Klen, Lord Adrian’s body will suffer harm!”
Finally, she burst out a loud reproach.
‘Ah, was it about me?’
