Both of them came down, and Adrian went to open the door.
The attendant stood straight in front of him.
"Sir! All the tasks have been completed." The attendant reported loudly. Anybody could hear him from miles away.
'This buffoon! Why did he have to be so loud?' Adrian made a mental note of 'teaching him properly' later.
Behind the attendant stood the helpers: cleaner, cook, and gardener. They bowed respectfully in front of Adrian and then bowed again, in front of Arella to show their servility.
The attendant introduced them to each other.
After the introduction, another row of army fellows followed inside the house. They carried big boxes.
"Go and arrange the room," Adrian informed the army batch.
"I asked them to buy you some toiletries, clothes, and all the necessary items. They have also collected your luggage from your natal home." Adrian made his way to Arella.
The clothes! Amid the sudden situation since the morning, Arella had forgotten all about her luggage. While Arella was condemning herself for her stupidity, she saw Adrian handing over something to her.
"This is the transfer certificate of this property." Adrian handed her a stamped paper.
Arella had a face full of confusion.
"This is a bank card registered under your name." Adrian gave her a newly prepared card. He had asked the attendant to transfer the money earned from the bet to this card.
"And this is my salary card. You can use it at your disposal." Adrian continued handing over things to her.
"You don't have to give me these!" Arella reacted in a flustered tone.
"You are my wife. Who else am I supposed to give it to?" Adrian did make sense.
Arella could not find anything to refute him. But taking these things still made her feel awkward. Especially the property papers. Hadn't he said that this was where he lived with his parents? Shouldn't this be his ancestral property? Why should he give it to her?
Looking at the people moving into their house, she silently took the things and politely thanked him. Maybe she should wait for the helpers to go out first. Then, she would hand him back these things.
While the helpers worked, Adrian and Arella, one after the other, took a shower in the guest bedroom. The clothes the people prepared were a natural fit. Arella felt refreshed.
It was evening by the time everybody finished their tasks. The cleaner and army people had arranged their room and the cook had prepared their dinner. They left one after the other.
By now, the silence was back in the house. It was still bright outside. Both Adrian and Arella did not know what to say or do.
Then, out of nowhere, Adrian asked Arella, "Can you greet my beast now?"
'His beast? He wants me to touch his beast?' Arella's mind crashed!
She had thought that she had seen it all and nothing could surprise her any longer. But a single sentence has crumbled all her fantasies!
Being rejected by a childhood sweetheart, being trampled upon by her step-sister, the cold shoulder from the so-called family, the arrival of a Major General, soul knot, blood oath, and a 100% spiritual connection, all of these things had already taken a toll on her. All she wanted to do was to sleep.
But with just a casual sentence, this man had sent her a high-voltage shock! Till now, she was already hovering over the edge of reality. All the things that had happened since the morning were already too much! But what is this? He wants her to touch his beast? It's really happening, right? This couldn't be her illusion. Because she didn't have such far-fetched fantasies!
Meeting a beast is a sacred ritual on their planet. Meeting the beast of their partner and touching him was equivalent to making a bond for a lifetime. After this, the beast won't accept the touch or smell of any other beast. They could only be subjugated by their partner's beast spirit. Nobody else would be able to tame them.
The beast spirits were proud by nature. They would not bow down to anybody, except for their partners. But this was only possible if their partner's beast spirit was either more powerful or at par with their own beast spirit.
Though the soul knot and blood oath bound the human form, their beasts were still free. But by acknowledging their beasts, even their beasts would be tied together.
Even people who have been married for ages won't perform this ritual! The dangers were too much! Although Beast clan was an advanced generation and members would not change into their beast form out of impulse, the odds weren't any less.
There were instances when beasts lost their sanity, and only their partner's beast spirit could calm them. But, in case the partners were not there at the moment, it could become catastrophic!
Also, just in case, the partner passed away, the remaining beast would soon follow. Nobody could take such risks.
Seeing that the girl remained silent, a faint sense of nervousness enveloped Adrian's core.
"My beast has been feeling very edgy and restless since the morning. It wants to come out and meet your beast." Adrian spoke to convince her.
"But, but my beast is still dormant. I cannot wake it up." Arella conveyed in a bewildered state.
"I know. But you are surrounded by a faint beast spirit energy. As long as you touch my beast, you will be able to calm him down." Adrian saw the hesitation and embarrassment on the girl's face.
"I am only a D-ranked tamer. I, I don't think I will be able to touch your beast." Arella spoke in a small voice.
Her concerns were well-founded. She knew that he was an A-ranked beast. Higher beast ranks had a powerful, and dominant aura that could easily suppress any lower-ranked beast spirit.
She had sensed a dominant aura around Luke as soon as he broke into the B rank. It was hard for her to raise her head in front of him who was a mere B-ranked beast. If she met the beast of A rank, she was not even sure if she could breathe.
"We have a soul knot. My beast has already acknowledged you as its partner. You do not need to be worried. It won't harm you." Adrian pacified the frightened girl gently.
Looking at her like this, she appeared just like a small bird about to take its first flight. She was scared, hesitant, and nervous.
Adrian felt soft all over. He wanted to touch her badly. He wanted to hold her and calmly pet her. His beast was raging too. He could feel its restlessness growing higher. If this continued, he was not sure if he could keep it in.
Once again looking at the girl who was sitting in a reserved manner in front of him, he just prayed to the beast god that she would make up her mind soon. He wanted to give her space. He wanted to respect her decision, but the raging beast was making it harder for him.
Finally, the girl's sweet voice came as an answer to his prayers.
"Okay." By now Arella had performed all her calculations. They were already tied together. She did not have any thoughts of betraying either him or his beast. Maybe meeting his beast could help her dormant beast as well.
How his beast acknowledged and accepted her dormant beast, was beyond her imagination. Arella was of the mind, that since the beast showed no resistance during the ritual, it deserved a reward.
"Let's go to the grassland." The moment Adrian heard an affirmative response, he stood up and took her hand, going in the direction of the open grassland near their house.
Once they reached it, Adrian raised yet another crucial question.
"Do you know what my beast form is?"