The straightforward and unwavering answer that Arvin had just given hung peacefully in the warm bathroom air. Three words that sounded so simple, yet carried an extraordinary magical weight for Calverd.
In a fraction of a second, all the nervousness, anxiety, fear of rejection, and frustration that had been suffocating Calverd seemingly evaporated. The dark clouds that had long loomed over his mind were swept away, replaced by an explosive sense of relief in his chest.
The atmosphere inside the bathroom instantly felt so alive. The happiness and relief of the three of them melded into one, filling every corner of the room and banishing the cold remnants of trauma.
Calverd looked at Arvin with slightly teary eyes, still trying to process the reality that he had truly been accepted entirely.
"Is..." Calverd swallowed hard, his voice sounding much lighter than before. "Is my status right now your twelfth spouse?" he asked, wanting to confirm his place in the household and the life of his savior one more time.
"Yes, you are my twelfth spouse, and I truly want you by my side!" Arvin answered in a very gentle tone, stating everything transparently without holding anything back. He looked straight into the pair of emerald green eyes before him. "From this second on, your name is Calverd Vedegra, the twelfth spouse of Arvin Vedegra."
That absolute declaration, granting him a new identity and family, made Calverd's heart truly blossom. A comforting warmth spread through his veins. He finally had a place to call home.
However, the euphoria only lasted for a moment before common sense and his trauma knocked on the door of his consciousness once again. Calverd's expression slowly turned melancholic, his eyes radiating a clear sense of guilt.
"But I apologize..." Calverd said with a tone full of regret, lowering his gaze to the ripples of the water. "For now... I'm still not ready to be touched by you. I really don't want to lose control and ruin everything again like earlier."
Hearing the boundary Calverd drew, Arvin did not show a single trace of disappointment. Instead, he nodded in understanding.
"I understand." Arvin replied soothingly, not wanting to throw his spouse's newly mended mental state back into disarray with unnecessary pressure. "You don't need to force yourself. After my business with Kylen in the Flamort Kingdom is finished, I promise I will help you erase that trauma slowly. We will take it at your own pace."
Hearing a response so laden with extraordinary sincerity and understanding, Calverd felt immensely grateful for his husband's magnanimity. But at the same time, he also felt guilty for making the person who had just accepted him hold back and refrain from touching him.
However, Calverd's worries were actually completely unfounded.
For Arvin, that physical boundary was not a major issue or something to complain about. On the contrary, as a former gamer who had transmigrated to another world, he responded to this situation from a different perspective. He treated the restriction and the wall of trauma like a main quest that had to be completed with full dedication.
In his eyes, Calverd was an extra romance target whose heart had to be conquered entirely, not just his body. He wanted Calverd to surrender himself based on absolute love and sincerity, not out of the coercion of status.
This reminds me of my life on Earth. Arvin thought, a small trace of irony crossing his mind as he compared his past with the reality he currently stood upon. Back there, I just played the game and conquered the hearts of all the romance targets without feeling any emotional burden. But here, I have to do it for real, and I can feel everything. Their pain, their fear, and their happiness.
Arvin slowly leaned his back against the edge of the tub. He tilted his head up slightly to stare at the bathroom ceiling, while his hands still held Kaydan, who sat quietly listening on his lap.
I almost forgot that I'm someone who transmigrated into this body of Arvin Vedegra. he continued in his mind, reaffirming his main goal. I'm here to change the villain's fate so he doesn't have to end up losing the people he loves. But...
"Arvin..."
That soft call pulled Arvin's consciousness back. He immediately tilted his head, lowering his gaze from the ceiling to look at Calverd.
"Thank you so much for accepting me, tainted as I am, to be your spouse." Calverd said with a very soft voice.
Hearing the choice of words Calverd used, Arvin's previously relaxed gaze turned a bit sharper.
"You want to erase your trauma, right?" Arvin asked without beating around the bush.
Calverd naturally answered the question thrown at him with a firm nod. "Of course I want to!"
"If so... from now on, never call yourself tainted again!" Arvin stated in an incredibly firm tone, leaving no room for compromise. "You are my spouse! Be proud of who you are now, because you have managed to survive this far!"
"But I—"
"I do not want to hear any arguments from you!" Arvin cut in swiftly. His voice carried loud enough to echo off the bathroom walls, ensuring every syllable was embedded into his spouse's brain. "From this second forward, never look down on yourself again! Do you understand, Calverd?"
Even though the reprimand was delivered in a rather loud and dominating tone, Calverd did not feel threatened in the slightest. On the contrary, he could feel the profound earnestness, protection, and sincerity from the person he had now chosen as his husband. Arvin was defending him against the greatest enemy that existed inside his own head.
"Yes, I understand, and I promise I will not look down on myself anymore!" Calverd resolved in an equally firm tone, sealing his own promise. "I will also fight hard to help you erase my trauma!"
Arvin nodded in satisfaction. A relieved smile returned to grace his handsome face. "Now that's the spouse I'm proud of!"
Hearing the proud praise, Calverd's emotional defenses finally melted completely. He met his husband's gaze, then smiled broadly, revealing his neat row of white teeth.
The smile was so pure, bright, and unburdened. It was the first time he had shown such a beautiful expression since they met in the pitch-black hallway of the underground prison.
When he smiles happily like this, he is incredibly cute. Arvin thought in awe. He was silently captivated by Calverd's face, which now looked so much more alive. I swear, I will try as hard as possible to completely erase your trauma, and I will not let that beautiful smile disappear from my sight!
Seeing the atmosphere now completely filled with warmth, Kaydan, who had been sitting quietly listening on Arvin's lap all this time, finally spoke up.
"Congratulations, Calverd!" Kaydan said with a gentle, friendly smile, looking at his new family member. "I feel so relieved that you finally decided to become his spouse too."
"Thank you very much, Kaydan!" Calverd replied sincerely, his heart overflowing with gratitude because his presence was welcomed with open arms by the other spouse.
Meanwhile, at the exact same time in the mansion's dining room.
The tense atmosphere that had previously shrouded the long dining table slowly faded away. Kylen and Davin, who had been sitting with serious faces, suddenly let out long exhales. In unison, both of them smiled happily.
Seeing Kylen and Davin suddenly smiling brightly for no apparent reason, Allen, Alrain, Ordion, Alvein, Alrian, Dylan, Arion, and Victor exchanged glances. They felt utterly bewildered by the sudden shift in the atmosphere.
"Why are the two of you smiling to yourselves like that?" Allen asked with an expression that was a mix of wonder and confusion.
"It seems that, starting tonight, Calverd has officially become the twelfth." Kylen answered calmly, sweeping his gaze across his family members.
Kylen's statement was immediately met and affirmed with a firm nod from Davin, who was also feeling the surge of positive emotions through his soul bond.
Hearing the news, the eight youths sitting at the dining table widened their eyes in unison, surprised by such a rapid development. However, the shock only lasted for a few seconds. Soon after, expressions full of relief and genuine smiles slowly began to bloom on each of their faces.
An immense enthusiasm welled up within them. They were all eagerly waiting for Arvin to come out of the bathroom, ready to warmly welcome the presence of the twelfth as a new family member into the household of Arvin Vedegra.