The examination hall was dead silent save for the scratching of pencils and the occasional nervous cough.
Miles flipped through the booklet, his brow furrowed.
The questions ranged from basic ethics to complex Trigger law—difficult, but manageable. He glanced at his teammates, hoping for some silent camaraderie.
What he saw horrified him.
Arthur sat perfectly still, his face a mask of calm—but his left eye twitched violently, a vein pulsing in his temple. His pencil hadn't moved since the test started.
"Gwin, meanwhile, was biting her thumbnail. Her other hand was tangled in her hair, pulling at the roots as she stared blankly at the page. A thin wisp of smoke curled from her ears.
Miles' stomach dropped as he thought, "Oh no. They're idiots."
---
An hour passed. Miles was on the final section—Hypothetical Hero-Sidekick Liability Cases—when he noticed something…off.
Arthur's pencil was moving now. Fast. Too fast.
Miles risked a glance.
Between Arthur legs, barely visible to the naked eye, was Galahad hand must smaller than usual floating in the air showing different finger signs. Most likely, Galahad was reading a student who seemed to understand the test the best and relay the answers to Arthur.
Miles' jaw dropped.
Then—
A tiny plip sound.
A droplet of blood rolled off Gwin's knee, hitting the floor. It quivered for a moment before sprouting into a tiny, eyeball on a stalk. The eye blinked, then scuttled across the floor like a spider, slipping under the desk of the smartest-looking examinee nearby.
Miles watched in mute horror as Gwin's grin widened, her pencil suddenly flying across the page.
They're cheating. They're both cheating. And I'm the only one actually trying. He thought.
---
The bell rang.
"Pencils down," Knowledge said, collecting the booklets with a disapproving glare.
Arthur stretched, cracking his neck, "That wasn't so bad honestly. They should really consider making them harder."
Gwin twirled her hair, "I know right, I finished mind so fast."
Arthur chuckled, "Same here, I guess my maid might be happy to hear her teaching paid off."
Miles stared at them whispering, "You two were cheating."
Arthur raised an eyebrow, "That's a bold claim."
Gwin gasped, "Miles! How dare you accuse your best friend of such a thing!" She clutched her chest, "I'm very disappointed in you."
Arthur rest his arm over Miles neck and whispered, "Let's say we did, how would you have known that information without peaking over to us."
Miles opened his mouth—then closed it.
He was outnumbered.
Knowledge cleared his throat, adjusting his glasses, "Preliminary scores will be posted in two days time. For now, an instructor will lead you to your shared dormitories. Afterwards you are free to roam the area."
As the other examinees filed out, Miles sighed, rubbing his temples, "We're doomed."
Arthur clapped him on the shoulder, "Relax. We got this."
Gwin nodded sagely, "Yeah! The three of us are unstoppable. The tree musketeers, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli or even the tree little piggies."
Miles groaned, "What have I gotten myself into?"
---
The dormitory was sparse but clean—two bunk beds pushed against opposite walls, a single cot tucked in the corner, and a small bathroom with a deep, steaming tub.
The instructor had left with a curt reminder, "Results post in two days. If you planing on exploring the faculties, do it before eight because our security are on then."
Miles claimed the bottom bunk, his shoulders tense, "We really shouldn't have cheated," he muttered, peeling off his gloves.
Arthur tossed his trench coat over the top bunk, "Relax. They can't prove anything."
Gwin flopped onto the singular bed, kicking her legs gleefully, "And even if they do, I will bake cookies to change their minds."
Miles slowly turned to Arthur, "She's joking, right?"
Arthur didn't answer, instead he simply just walked towards the bathroom. Leaving Miles even more confused and concerned.
---
The bathroom was fogged with steam, the scent of cedar oil thick in the air as Arthur sank into the tub, "This is heaven."
The heat seeped into his muscles, loosening the tension from the day.
Then—the door creaked open.
Gwin stood in the doorway, already halfway out of her dress, "Hello husband."
Arthur calmly cover his genitals and tilted his head, "What do you want?"
Gwin beamed, "Bath time with my husband!"
As calm Arthur was...he never seen a naked woman. Inside, he was a nervous but within in a spans of three seconds, he understood what he wants.
Arthur sighed, "Sure. Whatever."
Gwin squealed, shedding the rest of her clothes slowly realising Arthur gaze, "Oops I believe I dropped something." She bent over, giving Arthur a better view.
Once she turned to face the tub, "What colour is my hair?"
Arthur wasn't in reality at this point. Which meant that Gwin charms work. She quickly hops in with a splash.
Water sloshed over the edges as she wriggled into place, pressing her back against Arthur's chest with a contented sigh.
Once Arthur snapped back into reality, he stared towards the ceiling, "Where Miles?"
"He is taking a nap!" Gwin chirped, "He said he feels safe here. No wyrm watching him."
Arthur hummed. That was… good.
Then—
"Why do you call me your husband?" Arthur asked suddenly.
Gwin twisted to look up at him, her crimson eyes wide, "Because you promised!"
"In my defence, I thought you were joking around with that. But now with this, do you don't care about yourself. What if I had twist intention, would you have still thrown yourself on me?"
"Yes, regardless of your character, I would have fallen for you the moment I saw you. Even if you asked me to give myself to you at this very moment. I would if it makes you happy?" She giggled, snuggling closer, "Would it make you happy if I give myself to you right now?"
Arthur looked at her and said, "Nope, it wouldn't be right in the slightest. I barely know you and you don't know me. Besides, I can tell there's a small part of you who want me to say no."
Gwin remain quiet and only peacefully snuggling closer.
Arthur exhaled through his nose, "And the family thing?"
Gwin's smile dimmed, just for a second. Her fingers traced idle patterns in the water, "My parents are sleeping forever. Our mansion is big and quiet."
She pressed her cheek to his shoulder, "I want a family that stays together forever. A happy one. It's not unreasonable to ask for a warm welcoming family." She asked as voice slowly soften.
Arthur didn't respond. Just let her cling to him, the water cooling around them.
Somewhere, in the back of his mind, his thoughts drifted back to his original home. The day, his dad and mom abandoned him and forced him to become an orphan.
"I agree, having a family that is always there. Would be nice to have." He said