Inside the mansion's bedroom, it was incredibly quiet and still. The late afternoon sunlight peeked through the gaps in the curtains, illuminating four bodies lying motionless on the massive bed.
Gasp!
Suddenly, Kazien, Alvin, Allen, and Arken opened their eyes in unison. The four of them immediately woke up and sat bolt upright, panting heavily, their chests heaving rapidly from the shock of the dimensional hole's gravity that had abruptly sucked their souls away. The sensation of returning to their physical bodies after leaving them for so long felt incredibly heavy and startling.
Kazien rubbed his face roughly.
"That Goddess..." he grumbled in a highly annoyed tone, breaking the silence of the room. "Why does she always have to make that ridiculous trapdoor whenever she wants to send our souls back?!"
Hearing the grumble laden with irritation, Alvin, who was sitting beside him, turned and looked at his husband's face, unconsciously letting out a soft chuckle.
"Ah... I understand now." Alvin said amidst his chuckles, his eyes narrowing into beautiful crescents. "No wonder the first thing you did when you woke up from your coma back then was scream. It turns out the feeling really is that shocking."
"Yeah... that's just how she is!" Kazien replied as he threw off the thick blanket covering his body and stood up by the side of the bed. "Anyway, I want to go outside the room to check on the mansion. What about you guys?"
"What are you talking about, My Dear?" Alvin answered immediately, his smile not fading in the slightest. "Of course, the three of us will always follow wherever our husband goes, right?"
Alvin's words were immediately met with firm nods from Allen and Arken, who had also risen from their sitting positions.
Kazien, who had just stood beside the bed, gazed at the three youths he loved so dearly. A warm feeling spread through his chest, and he immediately gave them a truly sincere smile.
"Let's head out!" he invited gently.
Alvin, Allen, and Arken got out of bed and walked out of the room, with Kazien leading the way at the front.
Once outside, the atmosphere felt incredibly quiet. There was barely any sound of the maids' usual activities.
The four of them continued walking through the mansion until they finally arrived at the family room.
There, on a single sofa, sat a young boy who was seriously reading a thick book. The most striking feature of the child was his hair, a very distinct silvery-white mane, exactly like Kazien's.
Who is he? Kazien wondered inwardly. His steps halted instantly.
It wasn't just Kazien who felt curious about the little boy. His three spouses standing behind him also furrowed their brows, exchanging glances because they did not recognize the boy sitting all alone in front of them.
"Who are you?" Kazien asked, breaking the silence and initiating the conversation.
Hearing a sudden, unfamiliar voice echoing in the family room, the boy stopped reading and looked up.
In that very instant, time seemed to stop around him. The thick book on his lap nearly slipped and fell. The boy's eyes widened, completely fixated on Kazien's face without even blinking, as if he had just seen a ghost in broad daylight.
"U-U-U-Uncle Kazien?" the boy stammered, his voice trembling from sheer shock.
Hearing himself called 'Uncle', Kazien narrowed his eyes. His mind raced, trying to recall the identity of the child in front of him.
However, upon seeing the boy's silvery-white hair, his memory immediately brought him back to the past, stopping at the image of a tiny baby who shared those exact same traits.
"Are you... Vildan?" Kazien guessed hesitantly, wanting to confirm his suspicion.
The young boy nodded.
Crackt! Thump!
Kazien felt as if he had been struck by lightning in broad daylight upon realizing that the boy before him was Vildan, the baby he had first seen when his older sister, Virena, came to watch the tournament in the Larkvood Kingdom.
His mind instantly fell into disarray.
The silvery-white-haired youth began to calculate how much time had passed while he and his three spouses were enduring hellish training in the divine realm.
Behind him, Alvin, Allen, and Arken were also unable to hide their shock. Their eyes widened as they stared at Vildan.
That tiny baby I held back then... is already this big?! Alvin thought in absolute shock. Wait... exactly how much time have we lost while training up there?
"How old are you right now, Vildan?" Allen suddenly asked, joining the conversation, unable to contain his curiosity.
"A-Almost nine years old!" Vildan answered innocently, much like any normal child.
Gasp!
The four youths simultaneously held their breath. They were beyond shocked; more than eight years had simply slipped away while they were training in divine realm!
"H-How long..." Kazien swallowed hard. "How long were the four of us asleep in that room?"
"My mom said yesterday... you four have been asleep for eight years and eight months." Vildan answered innocently.
Hearing the exact timeframe coming from the boy's mouth, Kazien and his three spouses immediately widened their eyes. Their bodies felt frozen.
The four of them now deeply realized the most crucial thing of all: they were completely out of time.
Damn it! It won't be long before Lunarias truly breaks free from his seal! Kazien thought anxiously. His heart was now pounding intensely. What kind of chaos will unfold in this world once those dungeons begin to emerge?
With heavy steps, Kazien walked toward the long sofa in the family room.
But... there is only one thing I regret the most right now! Kazien lamented inwardly, slumping onto the sofa. Up until now, I have never attended my siblings' wedding ceremonies. Even though I really wanted to see their happy, smiling faces at the altar.
In the family room, Kazien leaned his back and head against the sofa. His sapphire blue eyes stared blankly at the ceiling.
The silvery-white-haired youth drowned in deep regret for never having attended a single wedding of his siblings, whether it was his biological siblings, adopted siblings, or cousin.
At the same time, Alvin, Allen, and Arken could instantly feel the emotional turmoil radiating from their husband. A regret so thick and heartbreaking suddenly flowed from the depths of Kazien's mind, traveling through their Eternity Contract and tightening the chests of the three youths.
Alvin stared intently at his husband, feeling the resonance of that sorrow within his own soul.
"What's wrong with him?" Alvin murmured softly, looking straight at his husband who was leaning limply. "Ever since he found out how long we were asleep, he has been overwhelmed by such a profound sense of regret."
Feeling the same grief through their soul bond, Allen refused to stand idly by.
"Let's go to him!" he suggested firmly, stepping forward to approach his husband first. "We can't let that regret burden his mind at a time like this!"
"You are right, Allen!" Alvin replied, also starting to walk, following the purple-haired youth from behind. "Let's ask him directly to ease his mind!"
But, the brown-haired youth looked at Kazien with eyes full of deep love and worry.
"My Hubby..." Arken said anxiously, rushing to catch up with Alvin and Allen to comfort their husband.