Alaric then cleared his throat, breaking the awkward silence that had fallen over them. He turned to Carlton and spoke in a measured tone.
"What you said may not necessarily be true. Remember, we still have doubts about your identity as Carlton from 11 years in the future. Even if time has passed, it's highly unlikely for anyone to change so drastically."
Kastiel nodded vigorously at Alaric's words, his fragile heart beginning to heal upon hearing them. However, Carlton looked crestfallen and saddened by Alaric's lack of faith in him. After a moment of contemplation, he suddenly remembered something important.
"Ah yes... this should be around the time when King Albertus is interested in forging a trade agreement with our kingdom on rare minerals!" Carlton mused aloud.
Both Alaric and Kastiel were surprised by Carlton's remark since they had only been discussing this matter moments ago.
"Wait, what do you know about it?" Alaric asked curiously.
Carlton took a deep breath before revealing a potential problem with King Albertus and the upcoming trade agreement. "King Albertus made false promises about rare minerals found within our kingdom to secure better terms for himself and his people." Carlton explained with conviction.
"This has led to an unfair deal which ultimately caused tension between our two kingdoms." he continued. "I suggest sending a team of experts to inspect the mineral deposits within your lands before entering into negotiations with King Albertus, husband."
Kastiel and Alaric exchanged glances; surprised by how well-informed Carlton was on this matter. Nevertheless, they took his advice seriously as they knew how crucial this trade agreement was for their kingdom's economy.
Carlton then looked at Alaric's face with a triumphant expression that seemed to say 'finally, you believe me now, right?'. But despite Carlton's confident demeanor, Alaric still found it hard to believe that his words were true. After all, if he admitted that this Carlton was really from the future, it meant accepting all the absurd things he had said as fact.
"I understand where you're coming from, Carlton..." Alaric began cautiously. "But even if what you say is true... it still doesn't prove that you're truly Carlton from the future."
The disappointment on Carlton's face was palpable as he tried to think of a way to prove his claims. Meanwhile, Kastiel and Alaric were both feeling happy and satisfied for once - after all, earlier they had been driven almost crazy by Carlton's bizarre words and actions. But now, the tables had turned, and it was Carlton who seemed frustrated and unsure of himself!
Carlton finally seemed to give up, admitting that he had no more ideas. He walked over to Alaric and took hold of his hand with both of his own, looking at him with pleading eyes.
"Husband, do you really distrust me so much?"
Alaric felt a shiver run down his spine, still not used to seeing this side of Carlton.
He closed his eyes and let out a heavy sigh.
"Then tell me...how can we get married if there are no feelings of love between us?"
Instead of answering directly, Carlton chuckled and playfully tapped Alaric lightly on the chest - a gesture that nearly sent Alaric stumbling back in surprise. The once-macho best friend now appeared almost endearingly spoiled.
"What are you saying, husband? You were the one who fell in love with me!" He teased affectionately. "You said it yourself that because of the war, you realized your true feelings for me. That's why after the war ended, you confessed your love and proposed two months later," Carlton said with a grin on his face as he reminisced about their proposal.
Alaric's face turned ashen at the words that were spoken to him. He had braced himself for a barrage of absurdities, but hearing that he was the one in love with his best friend - who was a man, and had even confessed those feelings, made his head throb painfully.
Meanwhile, Kastiel looked at Alaric like a paparazzo who had just uncovered a big scoop...
Oh, my goodness! During the war, his highness had always made time to visit Duke Carlton. Under the cloak of night, amidst the stars and the chaos of battle, perhaps...perhaps something more than duty had blossomed between them...
Kastiel imagined Alaric's heart pounding with a different kind of ferocity - not from charging into battle, but from stolen glances and whispered conversations under a moonlit sky. If Kastiel were a man living in modern times, he might have envisioned this scene with all the trappings of a Korean drama - carefully angled shots to evoke romance, perhaps even accompanied by an emotional love ballad playing softly in the background.
Fortunately for Kastiel, Alaric remained blissfully unaware of the scandalous thoughts swirling through his loyal confidant's mind. Had he known, there was no doubt that Kastiel would soon find himself hanging upside-down from a tree branch - tied up by none other than his own prince!