As Liam strode into the throne hall, Mize lifted his head slightly, chin resting against Liam's shoulder as his ruby-red eyes roamed the vast space before them.
And woah.
'This place hugeeee!' His eyes gleamed.
If the rest of the castle looked grand, then this hall was on a completely different level.
The floor was covered in a massive, deep crimson carpet, woven with golden embroidery that ran straight from the entrance all the way to the throne.
The material was plush, so much so that each step sank slightly into its luxurious surface.
Towering black marble pillars lined both sides of the hall, stretching high into the ceiling.
Their surfaces were etched with intricate symbols, glowing under the flickering golden light of the chandeliers hanging above.
The soft illumination bathed the room in a mix of warmth and regality, the polished floors reflecting its gleam as they walked by.
Above the pillars, massive banners hung in massive waves, each embroidered with an emblem of a coiling dragon, a serpentine form in silver against a backdrop of deep violet.
And at the very end of the hall, elevated by a short set of ornate stairs, was the throne.
It was an exquisite piece.
Dark obsidian-like stone, sculpted into an imposing shape, its high back stretching toward the ceiling.
The armrests were sharp, claw-like engravings, and along the edges, fine silver inlays glowed softly under the chandelier light.
Mize's gaze didn't stop there.
Just behind the throne, nestled within the shadows and partially hidden from view, floated an orb.
It wasn't large, perhaps the size of a human head.
The sphere itself was a shifting mass of swirling energy, an ever-changing mix of deep purples, blues, and streaks of gold, like a piece of the cosmos had been condensed into a single, floating form.
Faint strange runic symbols flickered across its surface, appearing and vanishing in the blink of an eye, as if it were constantly processing something.
Mize's breath hitched slightly.
'That thing… feels alive'
'No wonder it was called the heart of the territory'
There was something peculiar about it.
Not threatening, but… present.
Like it was aware of its surroundings, aware of him. 'Perhaps the territory is alive?'
But it was just a guess.
Before he could fully process the strangeness of it, Liam's voice broke through his thoughts, snapping him out of it.
"This," Liam murmured, stepping forward toward the throne, "is the Heart of the Territory."
Liam adjusted his grip, effortlessly shifting Mize higher into his arms, one hand resting securely on his waist while the other supported the soft curve of his thighs.
His touch was steady and unbearably gentle.
His gaze flickered to Elias on the side that had been following them. "When the troops are properly stationed, we'll begin."
"Yes, My Lord. I will inform you the moment everything is in place" Elias responded with a respectful bow.
"Good"
Liam's attention turned back to the small figure in his arms.
Mize had finally stopped twisting his head in all directions, his curiosity momentarily satisfied as he pulled back slightly, peering up with those shimmering ruby eyes.
"This is a really nice castle, Liam," Mize admitted, his voice light, casual, but the admiration in his tone was evident.
His fingers absentmindedly toyed with the edge of Liam's sleeve before he added, "Say… how did you build all this in just a few days?"
Liam hummed, lips curving into a faint smile.
He didn't answer right away. Instead, he continued his slow, measured steps, rounding the back of the throne before carefully sitting down, adjusting Mize effortlessly onto his lap.
"It's because of you."
Mize blinked. "Huh?"
"I built everything because I want to be the strongest, for you."
Tch.
Mize clicked his tongue, eyes narrowing as he tore his gaze away.
Cliché.
So damn cliché.
And yet… the heat creeping up his neck and burning the tips of his ears betrayed the way those words actually hit him.
'I never thought I'd live to see the day where I, a man, fall head over heels for another man'
He swallowed hard, shifting slightly but making no move to escape.
"Not going to hiss at me, huh?" Liam teased, lowering his voice, deep, indulgent, intoxicating.
His warm breath ghosted over Mize's face, and for a moment, their noses nearly brushed.
"Hmph."
Mize looked away as usual, but the deepening flush on his cheeks wasn't so easy to hide.
Liam chuckled, clearly enjoying himself.
But before he could tease any further, Mize suddenly changed the subject.
"Why did you bring my entire house here without my permission?"
Liam paused.
Oh. Right.
He'd forgotten to mention that little detail.
His gaze drifted, scanning Mize's oversized hoodie, which barely covered his upper thighs, exposing his porcelain-smooth legs.
'Ah… that explains why she is dressed like this'
Liam finally exhaled, regaining his composure. "Regarding that…"
His fingers absentmindedly toyed with the strands of Mize's hair, twirling them between his gloved fingertips. "You'll be living in my territory until the Lord's Trial is over."
Mize's brow furrowed slightly. "Huh?"
Liam continued, tone calm, patient, as if he were explaining something obvious. "As for managing the territory, you don't have to worry. I will handle everything." His grip on Mize's waist tightened slightly.
"Except for the special abilities unique to each Lord, the rest is already being managed"
Mize tapped his lip, considering the situation. "So…" A slow smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. "I don't have to do anything except lay around comfortably and get stronger?"
Liam's lips curled into a smile, his fingers dragging through Mize's hair with indulgent slowness.
"Well… if that's what you want, you can."
He leaned in, voice dropping to a seductive murmur.
"You are, after all, my precious wife."
Mize froze.
The warmth crawling up his face was immediate.
His lips parted slightly, eyes flickering with something between embarrassment and indignation.
But before he could muster up a proper response, all he could do was let out a small, muffled hum, his brain short-circuiting for just a moment too long.
Mize fidgeted slightly, shifting in Liam's lap, his fingers unconsciously playing with the hem of his hoodie.
"W-well, I won't just freeload, okay? I'll figure out what to do later. And the dungeon, yes... I want to create a dungeon" His voice wavered, clearly trying to justify his laziness even though Liam had already given him full permission to take it easy.
Liam chuckled, his palm warm and steady as it continued to rub slow, deliberate circles against Mize's head. "Anything you want."
With the extra time before the merging process officially started, Liam began explaining the intricacies of the fusion, how it worked, what would happen, and what it meant for the both of them.
Mize listened attentively, though his understanding wavered between mild confusion and basic comprehension.
Some of the concepts were hard to grasp, but he managed to get the general idea.
"So basically, once the merging happens, my initial territory gets fused with yours, and we'll share everything as Lords, both at the same time?" Mize tilted his head, brows knitting together in thought.
Liam hummed, his fingers tapping lazily against Mize's waist. "That's… close enough. But not entirely especially the sharing aspect"
Mize's eyes flickered toward the floating orb behind the throne, its silent presence tugging at his thoughts. "But wouldn't that be kinda cheating?"
Liam arched a brow. "Cheating?"
"Yeah," Mize gestured vaguely, "if people could just partner up and merge their territories, wouldn't that make everyone a powerhouse? Like, double the strength, double the resources, wouldn't the whole world just be filled with overpowered Lords?"
Liam sighed, shaking his head. "It doesn't work like that, Mimi."
Mize gave him a skeptical look. "Oh? And why is that?"
"Because the requirements for merging are… extremely strict." Liam's voice carried a deeper weight now. "It's not as simple as just pairing up and combining strength."
Mize blinked. "Wait, there are requirements?" His curiosity flared. "I thought it was free?"
"If it were that easy, our human race would've already doubled its powerhouses to fight against the other races."
"…Ah." Mize nodded slowly, the logic clicking into place. "So the requirements are what? restrict people?"
"Exactly." Liam gestured with a flick of his wrist.
A small, fist-sized bead suddenly materialized between them, floating just above Mize's chest.
Mize's breath hitched slightly as he took in the sight of it. The bead twisted and shimmered, its surface shifting with an endless interplay of colors and distortions.
It looked like a piece of reality itself was warping in place.
"…Reality Shard?" Mize guessed, his voice laced with curiosity.
Liam's lips twitched in amusement. "Oh? You know about those?" He shook his head, his fingers hovering just beneath the bead. "No, this isn't a Reality Shard. But it's just as rare, maybe even harder to obtain."
His hand closed around the bead, but strangely, it never made contact.
Mize's eyes narrowed. "A space barrier?"
"An Infinity Barrier," Liam corrected, his grip tightening slightly around the weightless object. "If this bead were put up for sale at a human race auction, it would instantly attract every major power in existence."
His voice turned low, deliberate. "This is the kind of thing wars are started over."
Mize swallowed, his gaze flickering between the floating bead and Liam's enigmatic expression. "…It's that big of a deal?"
Liam's lips curled into a puzzling smile, his gaze dark with amusement. "More than you think."