Silence once again blanketed the dining room after Alrain made his emotional plea. The teenager's eyes were glassy, radiating a desperate hope that his older sister could accompany him into eternity. However, Arvin did not answer immediately. He stared at the golden liquid inside the small bottle with an unreadable expression before finally letting out a long sigh.
"I am sorry, Alrain, I can't do it." Arvin answered in an incredibly soft voice, yet it carried an absolute firmness.
Alrain winced. The hope that had just soared felt as though it had been forcibly pruned.
"The elixirs I have right now are extremely limited, Alrain. These are not things I can obtain easily." Arvin continued, trying to dampen the disappointment beginning to show on his second spouse's face. "If I were to search for the ingredients to brew a new batch, I would have to travel to a place very far from here and it would take a very long time."
Hearing his husband's honest answer, Alrain fell into a deep silence. He did not argue, nor did he sulk. He simply bowed his head low, staring at the surface of the table. His fingers gripped the fabric of his trousers. A suffocating sensation pressed against his chest. Tee fear of loss that had haunted him since his previous life.
"It is alright, Alrain." Yonna said suddenly.
Yonna's voice sounded calm. There was even a faint smile gracing her beautiful face. She reached out, stroking the back of her brother's hand with deep affection.
"You do not need to worry about me like that. Every living thing must die eventually, right? It is a law of nature that we cannot fight forever." Yonna continued. She looked at Alrain with the gaze of a sister who only wanted her brother to be happy. "Besides, right now Arvin is your husband. As his spouse, your duty is to live with him, support him, and protect your bond. Do not make me a burden in your journey."
"But, Sister—"
"I do not want to hear your protest!" Yonna cut him off firmly.
Yonna's gaze, usually soft, now turned sharp, locking onto her brother's eyes so he would no longer argue. "You must respect his decision. Do you think your husband did not consider the feelings of both of us when he said that?"
Alrain was stunned, his tongue tied.
"He must have thought about it very carefully." Yonna added, her voice softening again but remaining authoritative. "You, who know him so well, surely understand your husband's personality, don't you? Just look, he is willing to guarantee my safety and allow me to live here. That is more than enough for me. Do not demand something that will only burden him."
Alrain could not deny his sister's words. What Yonna said was a stark truth. He knew Arvin well, a figure who was always blunt but never spoke carelessly.
Even though Alrain never knew that the soul residing in Arvin's body was currently that of a transmigrator from another world, he still felt an extraordinary wisdom coming from the blue-haired teenager.
After remaining silent for quite a while to process everything, Alrain finally nodded slowly. "Alright... I am willing to accompany you into this eternity, My Love. Because from the beginning, that was indeed my wish. I have always wanted to be by your side forever."
Arvin nodded slowly, feeling relieved that Alrain had finally accepted the reality. However, Arvin's attention had not yet shifted. He was now looking at Yonna's face. There was something that had been nagging at the back of his mind since they first met.
"Yonna, answer me honestly." Arvin said suddenly.
Hearing the unexpected request, Yonna was slightly startled. She turned and looked straight at Arvin, who was watching her.
"What should I answer?" Yonna asked curiously. She straightened her posture, trying to hide the sudden nervousness. "Please, just ask, Arvin. I swear I will answer honestly."
"Do you have feelings for me? And... do you have a desire in your heart to make me your husband?"
The frontal question instantly made the dining room fall into a heavy silence. Yonna stood frozen. Her face, which was initially calm, slowly began to flush. She had not expected Arvin to ask such a sensitive thing in front of her brother and the other spouses. The silence lasted quite a while, enough for Alrain to guess the answer behind his sister's quiet demeanor.
So... Sister Yonna really does like My Love? Alrain thought, feeling a bit surprised but also understanding. Who wouldn't fall for a man as perfect as my husband?
"From your reaction, it seems my guess was correct." Arvin said without waiting for a verbal answer from Yonna's lips. His voice was not judgmental, but merely stated a fact. "Now answer this! Since when did you start liking me?"
Yonna took a long breath, trying to gather her courage. She knew there was no point in lying in front of this man. "S-Since... since I saw how much you cherished and pampered Allen at the merchant guild back then." Yonna answered honestly. Her voice trembled slightly. "At that time, I saw another side of you. I felt that being your wife would be an unparalleled happiness for any woman. In those moments, I even had a silly thought... if I were born as a boy, could I be yours too?"
Arvin listened intently. "So, you liked me even before fate brought me back to your brother?"
Yonna only answered with a small nod, not daring to look into Arvin's eyes any longer.
"I am sorry, Yonna, I can't make you my wife." Arvin answered. There was a faint note of regret in his voice, but no hesitation. "Because before you, I have already rejected a beautiful woman who loved me deeply. And I have already matched that woman with my younger brother."
Arvin sighed, providing a deeper explanation so there would be no misunderstanding. "If I were to make you my wife now, I would surely be betraying my own words. And if that happened, I would end up having a harem that included women as well. And to be honest... you are very beautiful. But, I am truly not interested in women at all."
"I understand." Yonna said. Her voice sounded resigned, yet there was a sense of relief because she was no longer harboring that secret. "I also do not want to make you a man who breaks his own words just because of me. Thank you for giving me an honest answer."
"Thank you for your understanding, Yonna." Arvin replied softly.