Arvin got up and got ready. Since he planned to stay overnight outside for a few days, he certainly needed thorough preparation.
He walked to the wardrobe. Deftly, he selected several sets of comfortable casual clothes, spare robes, as well as toiletries and other daily necessities.
There's no way I'm sleeping at an inn wearing this stiff academy uniform, he thought.
Cling!
With a little flow of mana, he put all the casual clothes and items into his dimensional storage space.
After all necessities were safely stored, he turned to the special hanger in the corner of the wardrobe.
He remembered the absolute rule of Astoria Magic Academy: Every dormitory student wishing to leave the academy grounds must wear the Special Exit Permit Uniform.
There were no exceptions. This rule was created for security and identity.
Arvin put on the dark blue robe with gold stripes. The fabric felt heavy and luxurious, radiating an aura of magic protection. On his left chest, a silver badge with the academy emblem was pinned—a sign that the wearer was an official student on legal leave. His appearance looked very formal, dignified, and radiated the aura of a scholarly noble.
After ensuring his appearance was perfect, he stepped out of the room.
In the dormitory lobby, the guard on duty, seeing Arvin wearing the special uniform, immediately nodded in understanding. He didn't ask many questions, only handing over the attendance book.
"Please fill out the permit form, Young Master Arvin. Your appearance is in accordance with procedure," said the polite officer. "Remember, the day after tomorrow before curfew, you must be back at the dormitory."
"Yes, I know." Arvin answered briefly while affixing his signature.
And then, Arvin walked upright leaving the dormitory, following the path towards the magnificent main gate of the academy. His dark blue robe fluttered gently in the afternoon breeze.
At the main gate, the gatekeeper—a friendly young man named Morn—immediately opened the giant iron door upon seeing the special uniform Arvin was wearing.
"Good afternoon, Young Master Arvin. Be careful on the road," greeted Morn while pulling the gate lever.
As Morn made that movement, Arvin's sharp eyes caught something glistening on the back of the man's right hand.
A glowing symbol. A pure white contract symbol.
Arvin stopped walking right at the threshold of the gate. "If I may ask, are you married?"
Morn smiled broadly, his face blushing with pride as he rubbed the back of his hand. "Ah, Young Master noticed it? Yes, that's right. I was engaged for a few months and just got married two weeks ago."
"Wow. Congratulations!" said Arvin. His tone was sincere, a thin smile that was very rarely seen now appeared fleetingly on his face.
"Thank you very much, Young Master."
Then Arvin stepped out of the academy area, following the road towards the city center. His mind drifted to the white symbol on the academy gatekeeper's hand earlier.
Contract Symbol... he thought with deep envy. I really want to have that white contract symbol.
In this world, the contract symbol was not just a decoration or a magic spell made by wizards. It was an absolute law of nature. A biological and magical phenomenon that occurred naturally.
The symbol would carve itself on the back of someone's hand right when they had sexual intercourse. There were no spells, no ceremonies. It happened just like that as nature's response to the union of two bodies.
The color of the symbol that appeared depended entirely on the condition of the relationship between the two parties when the union occurred. And every couple possessed a unique symbol shape that matched only their partner's symbol.
Arvin remembered the details of that knowledge:
Black Symbol: Appears naturally if they have sexual intercourse outside of a legal marriage bond (adultery).
Yellow Symbol: Engraved automatically if sexual intercourse is performed while they are in an official engagement period.
White Symbol: This is the most coveted. Appears if the couple performs the union after the official marriage blessing. This symbol radiates an aura of purity.
Red Symbol: A cursed mark. Appears on the hand of someone who murders their own partner.
Blue Symbol: A sign of mourning. Appears naturally if someone is left behind by their lover due to fate (not killed by their own partner), as a sign of eternal loyalty.
Broken Black Symbol (Cracked): The most despicable mark. Appears on a rapist. The universe punishes the perpetrator with a permanent mark, and human law ensures they are sentenced to death.
The symbol is permanent and cannot be hidden. Even if someone recklessly cuts off their hand to get rid of the symbol, the mark will reappear on the perpetrator's forehead as a warning to everyone.
And the most absolute law of nature: Anyone who violates the contract of life and death—such as divorcing a loyal partner without a justified reason, lies, or because of an affair—then that person will die instantly on the spot.
A cruel world for love criminals, but a paradise for those who are loyal, thought Arvin while tightening his special uniform robe.
Allen's image appeared in his mind again.
Someday... I will ensure that white symbol is naturally engraved on both our hands.
When the gate closed, Arvin looked up at the sky above him. He took a breath and then exhaled. He did this three times.
He imagined Allen's cute face with the white contract symbol engraved on the back of his right hand.
I was really looking forward to that day. I hoped I could have Allen. Besides his cute face and his very good nature and personality, he was my favorite character.
A smile of happiness radiated from the handsome face of the blue-haired man standing in front of the academy gate.
But before that, I must find the whereabouts of those mercenaries.
With burning determination, Arvin quickened his pace toward the capital city bustle. Today's mission was just a small step toward changing his future destiny. He was determined to change the protagonist's bleak future.