Under the Oak Tree

Chapter 243

After the bitter conversation they shared, they then returned to the great hall. At the time they were back, the delegation was already preparing to leave. It felt suffocating for Max to send their visitors off without taking a proper rest when they had come from a long journey. She ignored Riftan’s words not to say goodbye and led her servants to the front of the door to say farewell to the delegation. The princess who threatened Riftan did not appear pleased, but she was still a royal and she shouldn’t be sent off so coldly like this.

“Don’t make that face, I was thinking of leaving today anyway. I will stay with Count Robern for a day and then head straight to Castle Croix. We must announce the withdrawal of the war declaration as soon as possible.” The princess looked at Max who was standing uncomfortably and flashed a hazy smile on her mouth. “Although I do not know what happened, based on Riftan’s behavior, the Duke of Croix must have done something very out of place. I apologize that I could not take the side of Anatol.”

“D-don’t be sorry. I understand… that your royal position forbids you.”

Max muttered stiffly, lowering her eyes. The clerical attitude of the princess towards the matter was disappointing, but it was her own fault that things got to that point. If she had not followed the Duke of Croix that day, the princess would not have had to intervene in this way, running around Weddon.

Max couldn’t raise her head due to the guilt that’s eating her. “Please… be ca-cautious as you depart. I wish you a… safe journey.”

“Thank you for seeing us off. Today…” The princess suddenly blurred the end of her words. She spoke in an awkward way, not very likely of her, who was always imposing. “I was relieved to see that you are in good health. I am deeply sorry for many things towards you Maximillian.”

“D-don’t say that.”

While waving her hand with a bewildered face, she shook her head firmly. “In many ways, my thinking fell too short. I’m sorry that you discovered it in the worst way possible. However, the rumors did not spread throughout the palace like what the Duke of Croix said. That man exaggerated.”

Max’s face hardened when she realized that the princess was talking about the rumors on her fertility. Agnes then added hastily.

“Of course, I am not trying to defend the king’s mockery towards the duke. It was wrong of His majesty. I apologize on behalf of my father. If by chance, you have anything you need help with, please don’t hesitate to tell me.”

Max looked at the serious face of the princess then glanced behind her and looked at Rosetta, who was turning her back on them as if she wasn’t interested in the conversation. She wondered if she could tell Agnes what her sister told her on the duke’s advances. Max, who was worried for a moment, opened her mouth.

“Later… If the Duke of Croix… exerts pressure on Anatol…please intervene and m-mediate as aggressively as you did today. That alone… is more than enough.”

As if thinking that she would not openly side with Riftan, the princess, who seemed a bit surprised, soon nodded firmly.

“Don’t worry about it. If your father does anything wrong, I’ll step forward and stop him.”

At the princess’s words, Max’s face became clouded. “I-indeed… His majesty values the Duke of Croix… more than Riftan.”

Princess Agnes, who had hesitated, soon admitted. “To be honest, yes. King Ruben wants to keep Riftan close, but that’s only because he wants to show off the knight called The Incarnation of Uigru to other nations. At the present time, when war is forbidden by the Treaty of the Seven Kingdoms, Remdragon’s armed forces are not of great value to use, except on subduing monsters and mediating disputes.”

Max hardened her face at the excessively cold words. But before she could retort, Princess Agnes quickly continued.

“But that will change the game in a few years. Anatol has developed further compared to last spring. If it continues that path, it will become the largest trading city connected to the Southern Continent. If so… the Duke of Croix, as well as the royal family, will not be able to do anything with Anatol at will.”

“But s-still…that’s not happening yet.”

The princess smiled bitterly at Max’s thorny reply. “His Majesty will soon see him differently. I will tell him about Anatol’s worth as soon as I return to the palace.”

Max sighed. It was useless to expect more from Princess Agnes. The princess will always be a member of the royal family. If Riftan tried to harm royal interests, she could turn to an enemy any time. She felt overwhelmed by a strange disappointment as she watched the delegation leave. She was relieved to say they weren’t going to war, but she couldn’t be happy when she thought about the future.

She trudged back to the Great Hall. Rodrigo came down the stairs with a coat in both hands, and approached as soon as he saw her.

“You shouldn’t be walking too long, madam. Didn’t you just regain your health? The master asked me to take his wife back to the room as soon as she returns.”

Max couldn’t beat the butler’s guidance, so she walked towards the stairs and looked around.

“Ri-Riftan… is he in the room?”

“The lord went to the training grounds with the knights.”

She looked out the window with an anxious gaze. Even if the declaration of war was withdrawn, there will be one or two things to resolve in the future. Max returned to the room and anxiously awaited his return. She thought about the words Rosetta had said as she wandered around the room. Perhaps what her sister said was what she was saying to herself. Did she fail and get frustrated even though she wanted to trust someone? Thinking about that made her anxious. Even her beautiful and bright younger sister has failed.

‘Can I really change?’

Max walked over to the mirror and looked into her eyes like a skeptical cat. Standing before her was an anxious woman, who did not appear to be sure in her eyes. She lightly squeezed her cheeks, then lost energy and laid down on the bed. Time had passed so much that she seemed to have fallen into a nap. When she woke up, the surroundings were already dark.

Max rubbed her eyes and looked to the side of the bed. She couldn’t find any trace of Riftan visiting. She frowned. Since returning to Calypse Castle, has he ever left her alone for so long? Max bit her lip anxiously, then got out of bed and draped a shawl over her shoulder. When she opened the door and stepped out, she saw the servants lighting up the lamps on the walls. She advanced towards them and asked at once.

“The l-lord hasn’t returned yet. Is he still… in the training grounds?”

The servants bowed their heads politely and responded. “The Lord is in the office. He said he was going to sleep in the bedroom next to it because he had a lot of work to do tonight. I just saw him after laying the firewood a little while ago.”

Max looked from side to side. Even in the midst of being busy preparing for war, he returned straight to his room at night. Was it so difficult to withdraw the declaration of war? She smiled at the servants who were looking at her and turned around, but she didn’t want to go back to the room and spend the night alone. She hesitated, but eventually went up the dark stairs. As she climbed the two flights of stairs, she saw light coming from the end of the hall. After a moment of hovering in front of the door, Max carefully opened it, entered, and saw Riftan sitting on the bed while sipping his drink and then spoke, looking at her with penetrating eyes.

“What are you doing not sleeping yet?”

“Because y-you haven’t returned to the room yet…”

Max felt slightly uncomfortable upon his sharp gaze and whispered her reply. Riftan sipped his wine, not saying a word. She closed the door quietly behind her and stood in front of him.

“Are you v-very… busy?”

“I had to send messengers to various places and explain the situation to the mercenaries I hired.” He answered bluntly as he refilled his glass. “For the time being, we cannot be lenient, so I decided to keep the military system as it is. Mercenaries will also be coming in and out of the castle for a while. They have rough speech, so you must avoid going to the great hall as much as possible although you might run into them once in a while. It’s not that good for you to exchange any words with them so as much as possible, don’t talk with them. Make sure you’re not walking around alone like now.”

“I’ll-I’ll be careful.” Max responded obediently and approached the spot close to his knees. Then there was a noticeable tension in Riftan’s body. He held his glass so tight that Max was afraid it would break as he spoke to her.

“Sleep by yourself today. I have work left to do.”

Max looked around the bed. She couldn’t find a piece of parchment. She clumsily touched the hem of her dress and then asked lightly, as if making a joke.

“Isn’t drinking a-alone… all that’s left for you to do?”

“I want to be alone”.

He put the glass on the table with a loud bang. Max flinched and was taken aback. Wine spilled over, creating an unsightly stain on the carpet. Riftan looked at her, rubbed his forehead, and regretted his harsh words.

“I don’t want you to see me angry. Let me be alone for today”.

Max stiffened and then slowly leaned in front of him. Riftan opened his mouth as if he was going to scream at her, then fell silent again. Max asked carefully as she looked at his cold, hard face.

“Wh-what’s wrong? I… I don’t know why. Why Riftan is so angry… “

“I… !”

Riftan’s shoulders shook and he gritted his teeth. His eyes went black. Max froze at his fierce expression. Riftan, who was panting sharply as if something had caught in his throat, spat out breathlessly.

“I want to make him suffer as much as he hurt you, no, a hundred times more painful than that. I can’t forget the sight of him beating you up. That room… your crying in that wretched room…”

When Max saw blood seep from his tightly clenched fist, she wrapped her hands around his hand in fear. Riftan sharpened his teeth quickly and screamed fiercely.

“I won’t be satisfied until I rip that trash into pieces. However, I cannot do anything because of the circumstances around me. Hard as I try to climb, I am still powerless. I cannot protect you properly and I cannot even fight for you.”

“R-Riftan… d-don’t do this.”

She shook her head, struggling to open his fist. Riftan screamed wildly, as if scratching his vocal cords with sandpaper.

“What use is the title of being a Reincarnation of Uigru! If I really am compared to a legendary hero, then why am I so pathetic and helpless.”

“Y-you’re not.” Max wrapped both hands around his face and managed to make eye contact with him. “Riftan… you saved m-me.”

“I arrived too late…! It was too late! I…”

Riftan, roaring like a trapped beast, suddenly stopped breathing. She lowered her head and placed her lips lightly on his. The hot breath tickled her lips gently. Max touched his cheek and whispered in a trembling voice.

“When I was y-younger… I used to pray every day… that the g-greatest knight in the whole world would appear… and save me from that castle… I hoped every day for someone to show up… w-wishing that person would take me away where my father couldn’t beat me up…”

As she tried to smile, a clear pain emerged above Riftan’s eyes. She stroked his messy hair and pressed her lips to his forehead as well.

“R-Riftan… you saved me, you fulfilled that. You… are my hero.”

He distorted his face as if he was being tortured. Max hugged his rigid body like a tight rope about to break, reassuring him. His big, hard body leaned over her like a helpless child. Her heart ached. If she had been a little stronger, he would not have suffered so much. She wanted to change for this man. She really wanted to change. She wanted to be tougher and stronger than anyone else.

She bent her head and kissed his warm neck. As their chests pressed together, she felt his heart beating as if it was about to explode.