Spoiler Under the oak tree

Discussion in 'Spoilers' started by Lovina, Dec 25, 2019.

  1. Assya206

    Assya206 Member

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    I think he’s feeling admiration toward her because of what happen in the first war and the demonstration of her polished skill on the second one. He knows what she’s been through and has probably grown attached to her since he’s the one that saved her when she was injured and he feels as if he needs to protect her ( how cute). :aww:

    He’s a guy that is ready to sacrifice anyone to attain good results or the best outcome of a mission he was given. But towards our lovely maxi, he softens up and always wants to save her and protects her no matter what ( his face doesn’t shoe it his actions does). I think he was looking at Maxi like that because he realized how maddeningly beautiful she was and was just in awe. ( we got to hear what the knights who were at ethylene castle think of her through the red haired lady song and I’m pretty sure he feels that way too).
    Maybe he’s falling for beautiful we never know :blobuwu:
     
  2. jujurlah

    jujurlah Well-Known Member

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    good analysis, if that is really the case with quahel, he could be one of the antagonists, his views of riftan are bad and he is obviously interested with maxi, not to mention he has great influence with the church and probably other kingdoms, instilling fear towards riftan in their minds won't be an easy thing to do for him.
    boy am i so scared and frustrated, might take a year or two or maybe more before the entire story ends.
     
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  3. Flyinghigh79

    Flyinghigh79 Well-Known Member

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    My favorite fan art! Praying to God for this to happen in the book! :love:[/QUOTE]
    I love this drawing!!! I've seen a lot of drawings depicting Maxi and Riftans kids they are some of my favorites. When I spot them there are some that depict their daughter as a knight that has her Father's hair and their son is a wizard with his mothers hair!! Aaaaaa I just love those drawings!! I want to see more! I want to see them happy with a family in the end!! I pray that there will be a happy ending for both Riftan and Maxi!! They both deserve a happy ending they have suffered for so long!!
     
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  4. asianelle

    asianelle Well-Known Member

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    [​IMG]
    I expect a happy ending as well. Just worried if the novel will be finished at all :cry:
    I love this image of Maxi... So beautiful! :love:
     
  5. jujurlah

    jujurlah Well-Known Member

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    this is sooooo beautiful!!!!!!!! ♥️♥️♥️♥️
     
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  6. emptycan_princess

    emptycan_princess Well-Known Member

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    its great you only took hours to find it, while i try to find it for you, i re read from page 1 and took me 2 days (with RL struggle) to reach page 55. so yeah, i gues there is some snusnu in the middle of the rain. well im glad riftan and maxi solve their problem temporarily. LOL
     
  7. judyjudie

    judyjudie Member

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    Can I ask what is her other novel? Btw do you guys know any other novels with the same genre as OAK? :aww: Fantasy romance with dragons, monsters, knights and socerers? :blobReach::blobReach::blobReach:
     
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  8. jujurlah

    jujurlah Well-Known Member

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    this is the author's list of other works in ridibooks
    https://ridibooks.com/author/16907
     
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  9. jujurlah

    jujurlah Well-Known Member

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    does anyone know Riftan's origin? I mean, he is often called mixed-blood? mixed-race? half-breed? is he some kind of a demigod or something?
    i only know max's, heir of the roem empire

    or is a son of a knight and a pagan woman?
     
    Last edited: Jun 26, 2021
  10. Lostinlove23

    Lostinlove23 New Member

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    This hurts really bad... Maxiiii...
     
  11. Deleted member 361214

    Deleted member 361214 Guest

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    Eversince in Riftan's first POV, there's not much except that his mother is from the South and yes He's a mixed blood, he was judged because of his tanned skin. He's just a normal man but he had a very great capability since back then as a kid, despite of having to work hard at an early age, he had a great stamina and strong health. he's like a superhuman described with super strength. And yes almost forgot his true father is a knight and his mother well I'm not sure but I guess so.


    You took the trouble in finding it for me...I really appreciate it but it's okay:blobwink:

    The old and veterans here might come back...when the Part 3 is finally released coz of course, they were waiting also. Eversince the first time a thread of UOT was made, the angels here (the spoilers) finished the Book 1 and almost the Book 2. Somehow I am amazed if there's a person here who's korean and engaging themselves here giving an english translations but then I'm in awe for the foreigners who had a great passion for Korean novels.
     
  12. jujurlah

    jujurlah Well-Known Member

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    I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT CHAPTER THESE ARE
    ALL OF THESE ARE SPOILED BY OTHER MEMBERS THAT I FORGOT WHICH PAGE AND WHO, I'M SO SORRY! THEY'RE DEFINITELY NOT FROM ME!


    so they need to go to another subjugation but Ruth is currently in another place. They need a wizard or a priest to be their healer. Maxi tried to get Riftan to agree to bring her but he would get so angry and told her that he would rather die than bring her. Riftan bargained with Aderon (the merchant Maxi bought the renovation materials from) for him to hire a wizard. He don't care how much it would cost and would even pay 10x the fee. Aderon told Riftan to wait for two days for the result. Riftan was angry at Maxi at this time because she kept on insisting to come as she can heal. He doesn't even go to their room to sleep.

    Maxi thought that if Riftan wouldn't listen to her then he would listen to the knights. She approached Hebaron and told him that she should go with them as going to a subjugation without a healer is very dangerous. The funny thing is every time Maxi would tell a knight that she should come with them their immediate answer would be, "The Lord will never permit it". Even their newly hired low-ranking wizard (Medrick) told her that.

    So two days have passed and Aderon could not find a wizard to go with them. The knights are in a meeting and Hebaron spoke on Maxi's behalf that she should go with them. Maxi was also on the verge of convincing the knights when Riftan came. Riftan got so angry that he and Hebaron are ready to fight but Gabel intervened. Maxi also told them that she does not only know healing but some defensive spells. One knight suggested that they should try the durability of Maxi's defensive spell. If her spell can withstand their blow, then a monster couldn't break her barrier. The knights agree and now Riftan can't disagree because it is a logical suggestion.

    They all went to the training grounds and was so surprised that Riftan was taking out his sword. :blobhero: Riftan insists that he should be the one to try it out but the other knights cried that even Ruth could not withstand his blow. It is unfair for the no.1 knight to test out Maxi's barrier. (Hahahahah riftan is so petty)

    Riftan allowed Maxi to pick the knight to test her barrier albeit begrudgingly. Maxi looked over the knights and looked at Gabel. In Maxi's eyes the other knights are full of muscles and Gabel is the thinnest of them all. (She was not very confident of her defensive spell here). Funny scene is Gabel asked her why she chose him. She just told him that he looks capable even though they all know her reason hahahha. Maxi put up a defensive spell and it did not break when Gabel struck it. :aww: Riftan then allowed her telling her to "Do whatever you want".

    They arrived at the Servin Castle and Maxi worked there as a healer. She does not use magic as she heals many people. One day, Ruth ans Elliot finally arrived at that place. He was rescued by Riftan and the Remdragon knights.

    (Their meeting is actually funny and what made me write this long spoiler. Haha. Ruth is my favorite character from Under the Oak Tree aside from Maxi and Riftan. He is a great friend and mentor of Maxi. )

    Maxi approached Ruth to give him water. Ruth did not bother looking at her and just took the water mistaking her as just another one of the priestess so Maxi touched his arm. The moment Ruth saw her, he stood up as if he was struck by lightning and was about to scream but Maxi told him to be quiet. Ruth asked Maxi if she is now a priestess and what about Sir Calypse lol. Maxi told him not to say any nonsense. She asked him barrage of questions like is Riftan okay, is he okay, she heard that there were injured knights from Remdragon but Ruth told her to give him some time to clear his head because Maxi just popped out of nowhere.

    Ruth asked if the Grand Duke knows that she's here. She told him that no one knows that she's there and that she's hiding her identity. Ruth told her that Riftan would be upset. Maxi told him to be quiet.

    Ruth's reply is as follows:

    "Why are you doing this to me? Please hide it so desperately from me too! You don't have to get me involved."

    Max's eyes narrowed at the harsh words. Her heart that was so glad that tears were coming quickly disappeared.

    "Oh, it's been a long time since... Is that all you have to say? Well, how worried I have been... !"

    "Then, did you think that I would be happy to meet you and dance?"

    Maxi was kinda sad by Ruth's reaction to being there. Ruth was the one who taught her the use of herbs and magic but he was not happy that she was a healer there. She thought to herself if Ruth's reaction was like that, what more would Riftan's reaction be. Ruth was proud of her progress though and helped her hide from Riftan. He told her that if her intention is to just see if Riftan is safe the she must observe him 1km away. Maxi was surprised (lol) but Ruth told her that Riftan's has excellent senses moreso if she's around.

    They arrived at the last place they will move to before the final battle. Maxi accidentally saw Riftan when she was about to take a bath in a lake. She immediately pulled her hood and was about to turn away when Riftan stopped her and asked her to look up. Idsilah(the noble lady with her) jumped in between them and explained that priestess are forbidden to look at men and they should go now. Riftan allowed them to pass but the moment that they turned their backs he pulled Maxi's hood.

    Riftan was so angry. They were having a shouting match at the barracks but was stopped by Uslin (this is also the time Maxi told Riftan that she is not a duke's daughter but a knight's wife from previous spoilers). He told them that they have gathered spectators outside and if they do not plan on sharing their story then they should stop. Riftan left because he might say words he would regret and would cool his head first. Maxi cried after this and Uslin felt awkward so he called Ruth and Elliot. Yurizion also came with them. Everyone is scolding Ruth because he hid Maxi. Even Uslin scolded Ruth and told him that he should have prioritized Maxi's safety above all. Maxi defended Ruth as best as she could.

    When they met again in part 2, Riftan was cold to Maxi (partly due to his sexual frustrations). He knows that it is not the time to relieve them (lol) because they are mainly sleeping outside. Hebaron found the whole situation funny haha. Maxi, however, thought that Riftan was still mad at her to the point that he does not want to stay next to her. (chapter 36) At one point of their trip, monsters attacked them and the horses for their supplies was taken away so some need to share horses. Maxi thought that it would be natural for her to share with Riftan but Riftan called Ruth instead and explained that Maxi's horse is small and not fit for the carriage. :blobrofl::blobrofl: Ruth tried to give a solution that Maxi and Riftan should share a horse while he will use Maxi's horse. Riftan glared at him so he has no choice but to comply lol.

    Their first kiss happened when Maxi saw Riftan sleeping in the stables. She kissed him and the kiss turned passionate but Ruth unintentionally interrupted hahahaha. Riftan wanted to continue but Maxi was so embarassed. (Happened earlier than spoilers above) He was still cold to her after this though.

    Maxi got fed up with Riftan's cold treatment in chapter 34 of part 2. Maxi and the other wizards put up a barrier because they were being attacked by a serpent(mtl). Riftan stepped in infront of her and rushed towards the serpent. His sword absorbed the serpent's breath and he quickly decapitated it. Maxi wanted to look if he has any injuries but he kept on declining so Maxi blew up :blobjoy:. She threw pine cones at Riftan and when there are no more pine cones she threw snow. She managed to land a snowball at Riftan's face. (Note that they were in front of 200 Holy Knights, Remdragon Knights, and wizards hahhaha)

    Their conversation after this is as follows:

    He scratched his head, brushed his eyes, and stepped forward in a couple of steps. Then she snatched her arm quickly and roared violently with teeth.

    "What the hell are you doing?"

    "Wow, who's talking. What the hell, do you intend to ignore people forever! if you have any complaints... You can tell! This, this yellow! Stupid idiot!"

    As she twisted her arms and kicked, Riftan clenched his teeth. Then turned his head and threw a sharp gaze at the people looking at them with exciting gazes.:)blobjoy::blobjoy::blobjoy:) Then he lifted her up with one arm and strided toward the forest.

    Max lifted up like a pack on his side, writhing like an angry foal, and poured out all the rants she knew.

    "this An arrogant jerk! A narrow fool inside! in the meantime... How did I study... ! Do you know how desperately I've been trying so hard to come back as soon as possible? if you ignore this, this, like this... Why did you follow me?!"

    "What do you want me to do?"

    Max could clearly feel the faint cramping
    of his arm on the side of his head. Riftan has tilted his head so close that their nose almost touch.

    "As if you had never left me, as if I had
    never been left behind, as if I had never spent each day in despair in the past three years. Do you want to behave like that? Do you really think I can?"

    He shook his shoulders as if suppressing the passion, but eventually lost control and shouted wildly.

    "How can you be so calm? Why is it so okay? You really don't know I'm barely going through this ridiculous situation? Damn it! I really don't know how desperately I'm holding on so I'm scratching like that!"

    A bang, and a fist wrapped in a gauntlet broke into the tree trunk.

    "How do I feel right now - !"

    Max squeezed hi neck as one hand of Riftan tightened and hurt her forearm. Riftan hastily released his hand. There was a deep sense of self-destruction on his face. Riftan, who had rubbed his face roughly as if to attract patience, hurried back from her. Mac noticed that he was about to kill his feelings again, and hastily pulled
    his hem.

    "Well, don't hide it that way! I hate what
    you do!"

    His eyes, looking down at her, trembled
    helplessly. Mac screamed earnestly, grasping his cloak so he couldn't escape.

    "You just have to talk! How do you feel, you can tell me directly! It's okay to resent. I want you to be honest. Being ignored in this way... I hate it."

    Riftan told her afterwards that he missed her terribly and they kissed very passionately after lol but they were interrupted when Remdragon knights signalled that there are monsters approaching (the ones who attacked their supplies carriage as mentioned earlier).

    Maxi have come so far from the trembling girl when she saw first saw Riftan. She can now shout at Riftan, kick him, and throw pinecones lol.

    So in part 2 you guys already know about this Riftan being frustated and deeply hurt by Maxi that he took a great ordeal to being icy and cold towards her, rejecting her advances and stuffs like that. Somewhere in the 2nd war while Remdragon Knights, Holy Knights and Tower Wizards are camping, our cute Maxi who missed Riftan so much after being separated for 3 years, tried to get to Riftan whenever there's a chance. While seeing Riftan and Quahel debating in the camp like Tom and Jerry (as usual), Maxi who finishes doing her cooking chores for the expedition, took an initiative to bring food towards Riftan who presumably not eating any dinner yet. She took a bowl of soup (is it soup or not I kinda forgot, forgive me), and took the largest piece of meat to it and brings it towards Riftan who was still debating with Quahel Leon. Then she said here I bring you some food, please eat, I learn how to cook while in hogwarts hence I cook this myself (how cute is our Maxi :aww:). But Riftan being a cold prick he was due being deeply hurt by Maxi, of course rejects her :facepalm:, only saying I'm not hungry yet, you go eat first. But Maxi said that she already ate so she didn't need to eat anymore. Riftan then again rejects her food nevertheless. :notlikeblob: Quahel Leon hearing all the couple banter, then interrupts saying "If he (Riftan) doesn't want it, then I'll take it" Everyone was surprised hearing that. Then Quahel Leon the politely asked "Can I?" Maxi of course can not refuse of such polite request then awkwardly tried to give the food towards Quahel Leon, but before she does that, Riftan immeadiately grabs her hand to prevent her. "I've changed my mind. I'm going to eat the food" said Riftan. LMAOOOOO Riftan :blobjoy::blobjoy::blobjoy: Maxi is the helen of troy.

    Again, apparently somewhere in the 2nd war, while the expedition is spying on the city of demons castle, Riftan goes inside the city of demons but haven't yet returned. Quahel Leon as the leader of then goes like we can't stay anymore, can't waste more precious days, we already waited and waited. But Maxi of course, being her previous protests to Quahel being dismissed (she didn't want to leave without Riftan and wants to at least continue wait for him), stopped protesting. Ruth finds it weird. And in the night, Ruth's hunch was true, Maxi tried to grab some horse and supplies to search for Riftan alone. But soon was caught in the act by Ruth and Quahel Leon. After debating hard with Quahel Leon, our Maxi didn't intend to give up and wants to "rescue" her hubby:blobsweat_2:.

    "In that case, you leave me no choice" said Quahel Leon, tired of debating Maxi :blobsweat: Hearing that triumph, Maxi feels a bit suspicious but soon continues to depart. Not long after that, she saw a large hand over her face and suddenly she lost all her strength and fainted. Quahel Leon then swoop Maxi in his arms and took her away. Appearantly Quahel Leon is the one who did that, he cast a paralysis spell and also heavy sleep spell. Hence, Maxi becames sleeping beauty for three days because of that. And when she wake up, she was in the wagon and was furious to Quahel Leon.

    After allied forces wins the siege of the Demon City, Maxi and the other wizard still have duty to collect any valuable information and also to search for monster hideout there before the place is going to be burned down to the ground by the Holy Knights. So, there's the time that Quahel Leon himself escort the wizards including Maxi. While Maxi is casting magic in doing her job, she soon exhausted, seeing that Quahel Leon ran to her like her personal escort and debated a while about why Maxi have lower mana energy then the other wizards and stuff. Apparently Quahel is curious about Maxi to the point he was blatantly staring at her. Soon it turns awkward and Maxi was like "Why are you looking at me like that?" Quahel Leon eyes widened a bit (so, at this point he was not as cold expressionless as before), probably because he was caught staring at her :blob_blush: Apparently Maxi was feeling offended by him looking at her like that, so while Quahel asked back what kind of expression is he making, Maxi said that he was looking at her curiously as if she was some sort of a strange creature. Now, in here, since it was Maxi's POV and we all know that she have this low self-esteem issue, it was probably not like that. Quahel was definitely interested at her. My fangirl radar says so :blobshh:

    Then, Quahel soon apologized politely to her for making her feel unpleasant and the rest of the story has been spoiled before in another post before, the one that Riftan was taken aback by the fact that Quahel Leon is stuck all day with Maxi. Riftan was like why the hell Quahel has to go there himself to escort Maxi even though as the leader he doesn't need to.

    OVERTANNED: So, Quahel Leon at first started as a cold icy priest without showing any human emotions, but later he gradually became interested in Maxi. He definitely cares about Maxi to a great extent since he is actually quite ruthless enough to take a risk of sacrificing human lives for greater good but then again, insists on saving Maxi many times when he actually can leave her to die whatsoever. So, there is definitely a thing about Quahel Leon towards Maxi.

    One time in part 2 without the remdragon yet, exhausted Maxi sat down near the bonfire. She wrapped herself with a blanket and eat hot stew but she started to doze off and couldn't overcome her fatigue. At that time, Kuahel grabbed her back before she fall over and asked her to sleep in the tent. It was a chilly night and Kuahel being so thoughtful asked Yurixion to bring over the furnace. He was described with cold personality but acts really caring towards our Maxi.

    When they learned the exact location of the monster city, they formed a small team for an investigation. The wizards are not volunteering and there's only one more slot left so they were selecting from the 3 wizards that are capable of search magic (Maxi, Annette, Royald). Royald is known for being a gambler and he suggested to decide who will go by playing a dice game. Annette never played before but agrees. Maxi thinks she's good so she agreed. She even felt sad for Annette (she thinks Annette will lose), but she also doesn't want to worry Riftan more. In the middle of the game, Elliot and Yurixion went inside the barracks to ask the wizards if they already decided who will participate. They were surprised that the wizards are deciding thru gambling. They looked at Maxi's cards and she asked if something is wrong. Yurixion said she is losing but Maxi answered she's second place haha. Riftan also went inside and the room became quiet and tensed. He almost scream when he learned what they're doing. They continued playing while Riftan give them pressure by just watching..Maxi lost in the end.
    Yurixion whispered: "My lady, just speak and I will silently treat it as an accident!".
    Riftan who was holding his forehead, looked at Maxi with a somber look, sighed then went out.
    Elliot comforted Maxi: "From the beginning, we were going to go together, so don't worry too much. This is what I expected."

    SWEETANENG: How Riftan got the dresses Maxi wore in Anatol when she first came weren't specified in the novel..probably they were bought on the same day. Actually, Maxi's doubts on previous lovers were not resolved yet in the story. Even though Riftan told her many times he wasn't familiar with women, it wasn't fully cleared.

    In early chapters, Ruth narrated to Maxi how riftan gathered money like a madman to build the walls. This part is included in Riftan's POV chapters (most already spoiled here). When Riftan got back to Anatol after meeting the grownup Maxi, Ruth told him they needed more funds to continue the wall construction. Riftan thought how Maxi will think if she sees Anatol and how inferior it is compared to Croix castle. He just kept thinking about her all the time after meeting her again like a teenager in love. :love: So Riftan, accumulated golds and treasures to raise funds and Ruth was super happy about it lol. He noticed that aside from gold, there were women's jewelries and asked Riftan if he went to an ancient queen's tomb. Ruth even said to sell those jewelries for more golds but Riftan told him NO hahah. The jewelries, including a tiara with precious stones :love:, were bought by Riftan. Why? We can only guess that even if he thinks Maxi is out of his league, he can't stop himself from getting jewelries for her..like how he secretly gave her pebbles even when he's exhausted just to make her happy.
     
    Last edited: Jun 27, 2021
  13. eidyia

    eidyia Well-Known Member

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    For those asking ridi questions, I translated the chapters with an app extension on my tablet and took scrolling screenshots of each of them, so I could save them to read offline forever. That is the best solution I have come up with til I can someday buy a translated official paper copy.

    And Kuahel Leon looking at Maxi like a strange exotic animal he wants to hunt. Gives me goosebumps.
    "Forgive me, from now on I will keep my feelings hidden." I think Riftan was right to be suspicious of Kuahel following Maxi around while releasing the magic from the city walls. And I love the last scene of Sejour's arm around Kuahels shoulders watching Maxi and Riftan go up the stairs to their room in Ethelyene--"I guess I will just have to satisfy myself with Sir Leon's company!" I laughed so much.

    I just read all of Oak twice since Easter. Pretty sure there is nothing else quite like it.
     
  14. jujurlah

    jujurlah Well-Known Member

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    @ainos: so, here the special side story, it's Gabel's POV and takes place some time after Riftan sent Uslyn, Elliot, Ruth and some more Remdragon knights to the castle that was taken over by the monsters and after Riftan and Maxi had their first big fight about Maxi using magic. At that time, Riftan didn't want her to practice magic, because he didn't want her to get sick because of that and they had a big fight where Maxi didn't talk to him for three days. [​IMG] This side story was really hard to translate, because drunken maxi is harder to understand than I thought
    Gabel, who was sitting in the knights' conference room organizing letters from the informants, ruffled his hair roughly with one hand. As Uslyn Ricardo led some of the knights and left for Ribadon, naturally their work was distributed among the remaining knights.
    Gabel was in great trouble for taking over Elliot Karon's work without much thought. It was amazing that while he was in charge of all these chores, he had never complained with a word.
    He was in charge of deciphering and organizing crude cryptographic documents flying from all over the country and managing weapons warehouses while he was keeping track of the knights performances.
    Gabel let out a groan, looking down at the roughly scribbled codes. Although he had learned military cipher and math while serving as Lord Triden's servant, he was not a very sincere student. (side note: Lord Triden was the leader of the Remdragon knights before Riftan took over and he was also the one who tought Riftan almost everything)
    Gabel, who was trying to decipher the letter from the north, eventually muttered a curse and threw away the quill pen. I've been looking only at the parchment all day long, and it's been killing me. If I had known this would happen, I would have joined the expedition at all costs.
    'I'm a knight, not a scholar.'
    He grumbled, got up from his seat and opened the window. The weather had become noticeably warmer. Perhaps Ribadon is hotter than here. When the faces of his colleagues, who were marching under the scorching sun in heavy armor, came to mind, the swelling discontent subsided and anxiety replaced the position.
    It's not that I don't trust my colleague's skills, but it's a war where the head flies away with a moment's misjudgment.
    He witnessed countless brothers who shared life and death falling over the mud. Furthermore, according to a letter from intelligence sources, the war was unlikely to end very simply. Perhaps we will send additional reinforcements from Weddon.
    With a serious look on his face, he turned his eyes to the far north. At that moment, I heard a knock on the door. Gabel shouted over his shoulder.
    "Come in."
    "Excuse me."
    The door opened and Kyle Hager, one of the knights under Hebaron, came inside. As soon as Gabel saw his sullen face, he noticed what had happened and sighed deeply.
    "And Lord Nirta disappeared again?”
    "I can't find him after the morning training."
    Kyle drooped his shoulders and lamented.
    "Today's the day of firearm training. There's 300 guards waiting in the training field right now, and I can't find anyone to oversee the training...”
    "Is there anyone who can replace him?”
    "Sir Calyps has gone out of the castle for construction, and the rest of the senior knights have gone on wall patrol. Can't Sir Raxion do it for him?" (side note: Raxion is the last name of Gabel)
    Gabel looked down at the pile of parchment on the desk. Although he was a little tired, he could not throw away his job. He shook his head with a limp.
    "I have an important report to post to the leader by this evening. Just ask Briman for now. It'll be on the watchtower.”
    "Sir Jacques Briman?”
    Kyle asked back with a little confusion whether he could entrusted the supervision of strategy training to a knight who had just been appointed.
    "He doesn't have any experience in commanding yet. Will it be okay?"
    "It would be nice to get experience on this. Just tell Briman it's my command for now."
    "...okay."
    He turned around, nodding his head reluctantly. He felt sorry for his drooping shoulders, so Gabel added.
    "I'm going to the Great Hall later. If I find him in the hall, I'll tell him to go to the training ground right away.”
    "Please do that."


    Kyle grabbed the door knob and turned around and said in a pleading tone.


    "With Sir Ricardo out of his seat, he can't keep doing this."


    When the knight left, Gabel sat at his desk again and began to organize the information. All the news were disturbing. He clicked his tongue, took out a new parchment, wrote a report, and got up.


    As I walked out of the conference room, I could see Jacques babbling on the platform, giving difficult to understand instructions to the guards.


    He clicked his tongue and walked straight towards the Great Hall. As I climbed the stairs across the wide garden at once, I could see the servants busily carrying the luggage into the hall.


    Gabel, who was about to pass them casually, stopped at his seat when he found Maximilian standing at the entrance of the kitchen and recording something. A smile came around my mouth before I even realized it.


    She was counting the stack of liquor bottles on one side with serious eyes, and seeing that she was unwittingly tearing out her hair, something seemed to be out of line.


    Gabel swallowed a laugh. She often tortured her own hair like that, but every time she looked in the mirror, she didn't know why her hair was tangled. After lightly clearing his throat, he greeted her in a cheerful tone.


    "Hello, lady. Isn't the weather nice today?"


    "Oh, hello, Sir Raxion....”


    She shrugged in surprise, and soon smiled shyly. Gabel spoke in a friendly manner, carefully sweeping her blue silk dress down with his eyes.


    "You're dressed very nicely. Aren't you going to the infirmary today?"


    "T, the groceries... It's the day they come in. I need to make sure the goods are in the right..”


    She shook the books with one hand and suddenly looked worried.


    "Did anyone... get hurt? Which person needs to be treated....”


    "No. I was just asking out of curiosity. You've been in the infirmary for the last few days."


    A thin smile passed by her lips.


    "I've had a lot of work to do in the infirmary. I don't know how Ruth used to... d, do it on his own. If, if you make medicine, every day... it's like the day goes by."


    Gabel, who read from her face a feeling of pride, smiled. It reminded me of the scene when she was taking the position of a therapist by confronting the leader. The sight of the world's Riftan Calypse limping in front of this feeble-looking aristocratic lady was unforgettable.


    He tried to keep a gentle face, swallowing a faint laugh.


    "Maybe we're putting too much pressure on you."


    "I'm... glad to be of help."


    She blushed and said awkwardly. The figure was so cute that Gabel almost patted her head. Gabel folded his arms to hide his flinching fingers.


    I felt strange. I never thought I'd feel this familiar to the daughter of Croix. He took a step back, feeling a little complicated.


    "Thank you for saying that. So, I'm going to....”


    "Madame, I've checked the warehouse, but I'm still short of a liquor bottle."


    Just as he was about to leave after saying hello, a servant ran over and shouted. Her attention flew straight towards it. After she asked the servant some questions, she gave a stern look at the man who appeared to be a merchant.


    "Oh, again... I think the wrong thing came in. I, I'm four bottles short.”


    "Well, it can't be. I checked several times when loading the luggage. Maybe someone stole it in the middle of the....”


    The merchant, who was refuting with a fiery face, hurriedly shut his mouth when he was looked at by the servants. Then he spoke in a more polite tone.


    "When the butler checked, the numbers were right. It must be somewhere in this castle."


    "Fi, first the numbers... it could be a wrong count. I've already checked the warehouse five times. Suddenly... the liquor can't have evaporated. T, there is no way."


    She had a good argument. There was a distinct sense of dismay on the merchant's face. Gabel, who stood there awkwardly and watched their scuffle, slipped away, judging that it was none of his business to intervene. Then, the thought that suddenly came to his mind hardened his back. He glanced doubtfully at the stack of liquor bottles. Can a sparrow leave a mill and just pass by?


    He looked up at the ceiling and soon broke in between Mrs. Calyps and the merchant with a sickening sound.


    "Did Sir Nirta stop by the Great Hall this afternoon?”


    She opened her eyes wide and looked at him, then turned to the servants. One of the servants, who exchanged glances, opened his mouth carefully.


    "He stopped by at the hall at lunchtime. He had a simple meal in the kitchen and then he went upstairs...”


    "When did the food get into the hall?"


    "About lunchtime....”


    The servant mumbled the end of his words as he noticing what he was suspicious of. Gabel sighed and asked the maids.


    "Where did he go?”


    "He has entered the largest guest's room on the second floor."


    Gabel went straight up the stairs. Maximilian Calypse, a merchant who carried goods and several servants followed suit.


    He was trying to send them away for the sake of the Knights' honor, but resigned when he saw the merchant's firm expression that looked like he had to confirm the whole story. He went up the stairs and opened the door at once.


    As he expected, Hebaron was drinking heavily. Gabel saw a bottle rolling around the floor and gnashed his teeth. While sitting in a relaxed position in front of the table, Hebaron, who was tilting his glass, waved his hand with no sign of surprise.


    "Hey, you show up like a ghost."


    Gabel was dumbfounded and raised his voice.


    "What are you doing in broad daylight? Have you forgotten that today is the day of guard training?"


    "Oh, right."


    Gabel gnashed his teeth at the easy response.


    "What's 'Oh, right!' I've got a lot of work to do, but the vice-captain....” (side note: Hebaron is the vice-captain)


    "By the way, without Ricardo, you're going to be a nagger now?"


    Hebaron snorted loudly.


    "Stop being so strict and come and sit down. The taste of this alcohol is just....”


    "How can you say such a thing in such a situation...!”


    "Hmm, hmm."


    Gabel shut his mouth at the sound of a sudden cough. Standing by the door and looking down at the four liquor bottles on the floor with a protesting glance, the merchant gave a dull look at Maximilian Calypse.


    "I think we've checked the quantity.”


    "Oh, t, that's right. A, all items ordered are... it, it's the right number."


    Mrs. Calyps, who had been in a daze, hurriedly scribbled her signature on the order. Her cheeks were flushed, as if embarrassed to question the stern man.


    "Oh, I'm sorry I misunderstood. Ro, Rodrigo... To those who brought things... p, please give them plenty of money."


    "Okay, ma'am."


    The merchant received the parchment and put it in his arms, with an expression of impatience.


    "No, I'd like to take care of your next deal."


    "O, of course. And the next deal... I, I look forward to working with you."


    When the merchant took the purse and left, Mrs. Calypse quickly sent the servants away, as if she were hiding something embarrassing, and closed the door behind her. Her resentful eyes flew toward Hebaron.


    He was relaxing and drinking wine, regardless of the commotion that was caused because of him. Mrs. Calyps, who looked at him with an angry face, soon raised her voice.


    "Sir Nirta, I was checking the order and I was not done yet. If, if you take it as you please, what am I gonna do? It, it's a special order of wine...j, just in case some guests visit... . I can't believe you drank it all by yourself!"


    "I didn't expect milady to say such a thing."


    Hebaron put down his glass and gave a grim look.


    "You mean I'm not precious enough to be treated with such a good wine."


    "Well, I didn't mean... this drink... ...when guests come from outside... ...we give it to them. It's a high-quality, high-quality liquor that I ordered with care. I, I gave 6 denars for a bottle....”


    Herbaron, who opened his eyes wide at a reasonable price, soon put a gloomy face on.


    "Surely, it's a waste of alcohol for me. How dare I drink six denars of wine a bottle!"


    "Y, you know... t, that means....”


    "Ah! It's my fault that I thought milady would treat me gladly! What a presumptuous idea! Cheap ale is enough for a guy like me!"


    Hebaron cried bitterly. The obvious trickery gave Gabel a stunning look. But Maximilian Calypse was bewildered by the funny play.


    "Well, I really didn't mean that. Last time... t, the guests from the royal family... t, they didn't like wine... I was told they didn't like it, uh... I, I ordered....”


    "How dare a man like me take a drink for the royal family! Ah! I can't raise my head in front of milady. I don't know how to pay off this crime!”


    "I, I see!"


    She interrupted him urgently.


    "Okay... please... t, that's enough. If Sir Nirta enjoys it...it, it's a pleasure for me, too. P, please... drink at ease. Come on, help yourself."


    "You're so generous. Mrs. Calyps is a very kind woman."


    Hebaron looked at her with an emotional face and naturally took out a new glass.


    "Come on, you can sit down, too. I was about to drink alone. Gabel, don't just stand there and sit here."


    "Now, Jacques Briman is the training director on behalf of you. Won't you go out to the training ground?"


    "It's almost time for him to gain command experience. He will do well on his own."


    He opened the new bottle without a trace of guilt. Maximilian Calyps's eyes were as gloomy as ever. Hebaron naturally hastened, pretending not to see it.


    "Come on, come on, sit down. I've never had such a delicious wine in my life. You should taste it, too."


    "I, I'm... it, it's okay. Th, there's work left to do, so....”


    "Milady works too much. Sometimes you have to relax."


    He winked at her, pulling out the chair next to him. She glanced back slightly as she alternated between the glass and the door with an embarrassed face. Looking at her worried look, she seemed to recall being scolded by the leader for being drunk at the dinner party last fall.


    Gabel also shuddered at the thought of the day. Hebaron Nirta must be out of his mind to want to give this woman a drink after being so severely beaten by the leader.


    Gabel quickly sat at the table and dissuaded him.


    "I'll hang out with you, so don't bother milady."


    "What a nuisance! I just want her to taste this quality wine, too."


    Gabel narrowed his eyes, because he thought that this man was already drunk. Having emptied a whole bottle by himself, it was no trouble to get drunk. Gabel shook his head.


    "Don't drink too much. If the leader finds out, you will not even feel your bones!”


    "The leader is so pathetically painstaking that it's a problem. It's not a big deal to get drunk, but I don't know why he's so crazy. If I were him, I would have died of suffocation."


    He grumbled and poured the glass full of wine. Gabel felt his saliva in his mouth, in the subtle fragrance. Certainly, it seemed like a really good drink.


    He sniffed and accepted reluctantly as Hebaron held out his glass. At that moment, a surprisingly cold voice was heard.


    "Ri, Riftan... h, he has just a sense of responsibility."


    Gabel was surprised that she could speak in such a cold way. She added rigidly, as if to defend her husband.


    "L, like you guys getting drunk... he just doesn't like it."


    Hebaron snorted.


    "The leader doesn't hate getting drunk, he can't get drunk. He can drink all night long. I once had Princess Agnes give him five bottles of ale to drink, but he didn't change a bit. He's a monster."


    Gabel rolled his eyes with a glass around his mouth. Maximilian Calyps face was visibly firm. She asked in an effortless voice, pretending to be calm.


    "Oh, with princess Agnes... y, you've been drinking a lot, haven't you?”


    "Of course, she's a fellow who's lived on a long journey with us together. Princess likes to hang out in boisterous places, so she never misses drinking. It's amazing to see how much alcohol goes into her skinny body. It was the princess who lasted the longest, instead of the leader."


    Hebaron chattered cheerfully. Gabel realized he was doing it to incite Maximilian Calyps and kicked his leg under the table.


    She glanced at the bottle with her mouth shut and soon strode to the table. Then he sat on the chair and raised her chin stubbornly.


    "I, I can drink that much."


    "Oh, really?"


    Hebaron asked as if provoked. Gabel kicked him in the shin again. However, Hebaron did not bat an eyelid, as if the guy had become as dull as a rock because of its drunkenness. He giggled and offered her a glass full of wine.


    "Let's test it out."


    "Sir Nirta, I am afraid of the consequences...."


    "Come on, stop nagging and have a taste of it. It's awesome.”


    He burst into laughter and filled the other glass with wine. Only then did Gabel realize that Hebron was more drunk than he thought.


    Gabel jumped up from his seat while making a painful sound, intending to grab him by the neckline and pull him out immediately. But before he could implement the plan, she drank the wine in one breath. Gabel watched the figure with a faint look.


    Mrs. Calyps, who emptied her large glass without breathing, held out her empty glass for Hebron.


    "P, please pour me another drink."


    "As much as you like."


    Hebaron burst out laughing and poured wine out of the bottle. She drank her second glass to the finish. The situation was now flowing in a direction beyond his control.


    Gabel watched with anxious eyes at the scene of her drinking wine with Hebaron back and forth. The leaders ferocious face lingered in my mind.


    The thought of getting out of this position immediately and getting out of trouble at least for himself flashed through his mind, but he wasn't sure if it was wise to leave these two alone. He dissuaded her with a nervous voice.


    "Madame, you've had too much. Don't overdo it and stop here...”


    "No, I'm not pushing myself! I, I'm still, f, fine. T, this is nothing."


    She glared at him with an angry look. Gabel flinched back. She had a character which, contrary to her appearance, was rather loath to lose. She brought the glass back to her mouth and took a gulp.


    "Hey, you drink really well. I was amazed."


    Her expression of satisfaction was met by Hebaron's praise. She seemed so drunk that she didn't realize it was strange to be happy to hear such a thing.


    Why? Her face was as red as her hair color. When the leader sees this, will not only Hebaron Nirta but also himself be dead.


    Gabel moistened his dry lips, recalling the leader's blind protective instinct for this little woman. Without knowing what other people are thinking, Hebaron continued his nonsense.


    "I didn't know you were such a generous woman. When I first saw you, I thought you were a boring little girl."


    Mrs. Calyps, who seemed offended by the insensitive remark, soon snapped bitterly.


    "Y, your first impression... it, it wasn't very good either. You're incredibly b, bi, big... y, you got a scary face. Y, you have a loud voice....”


    Hebaron groaned loudly, clutching his chest as if he had been fatally wounded. She smiled broadly as if she was satisfied with her brilliant rebuttal. Hebaron, who was giggling at the sight, asked interested.


    "What was your first impression of him?"


    She tilted her head as if she didn't know who he was talking about. Hebaron quickly added.


    "Sir Calyps. He's almost as big as I am, and he has a scary impression."


    Mrs. Calyps, who had been wrinkling her eyes as if she were thinking hard about something, quickly admitted.


    "Ri, Riftan... I, I was scared of him.


    "He's so handsome that he can't even be compared to Sir Nirta. It wouldn't have been the worst first impression like by Sir Nirta.”


    Gabel cut in hurriedly. I wanted to prevent this ridiculous situation as much as possible to not led to marital discord. But she shook her head with her hands tightly clasped to the glass.


    "A, actually... m, more than Sir Nirta... Ri, Riftan was m, much more scary. N, no facial expressions. H, his eyes are so sharp and... d, doesn't talk and because his tone is rough...."


    "The leader is intimidating."


    Hebaron responded.


    "In fact, rather than the type like leader, the slender, sleek-looking guy like Uslyn Ricardo is more popular among ladies.”


    "T, that's not true."


    How dare she compare Riftan with someone else? She glanced at him.


    "Ri, Riftan... h, he's really wonderful!"


    "But you didn't like the leader at first either."


    "T, that's... because I thought Riftan hates me....”


    She mumbled in silence and drank all the wine she had left in the glass. Then she wiped her mouth and stammered so hard that it was hard to understand.


    "My stomach, it's atrophied, it's atrophied, it's like... s, since the first time I saw him... I, I thought he was handsome. The C, Croix maids of the castle... T, They have been talking about Ri, Riftan all day. I, I s, sometimes, I sneak a peek from afar, too..” (side note: I don't know if the part with the stomach is right, drunken maxi is so hard to understand with mtl:sweating_profusely:)


    She suddenly confessed and dyed red to the nape. Even the people who saw it would feel embarrassed. Mrs. Calypse, who was bringing a glass to her lips as if to hide her shame, realized that the glass was empty and put her arm down again. Hebaron grabbed her glass and filled it with wine.


    "Oh... T, thank you."


    She gulped down the wine again. Hebaron, who was looking at the figure, asked in a tone as if in thought.


    "Did you like the boss?”


    Maximilian Calyps, who blinking her eyes as if drunk, shook her head slowly.


    "Well, I don't know. Well, I thought he was cool, but... You know, when you get close, he's so scary. I, I was so nervous. And w, with that person... when I was asked to marry him. When I heard it... I, I just wanted to run away. He looks like a violent person....”


    "I know he's ruthless with his enemies, but he's never cruel to the weak."


    Gabel quickly refuted it. She nodded quickly and held a glass of wine in her hand. The alcohol overflowed and left a red mark on the silk clothing, but it seemed to be unconsciously.


    “I, I know, n, now... I, I, mis, misunderstood... I know. Ri, Riftan...is g, good... c, caring... o, of course... When he's angry, he's still scary... t, though, h, he's angry because he's worried,... . s, sometimes it's... t, there are times when it feel nice... .”


    She sighed nervously and drank back a few sips of wine. Then her lips softened as if they had relaxed.


    "N, now like before... I don't think he's scary. Unexpectedly... t, there are many lovely things....”


    Gabel spewed out the wine he was drinking. Herbaron, who was baptized with wine on his face, uttered harsh curses, but it did not even catch his ear. He asked back, doubting his ears.


    "He's... he's adorable?”


    I couldn't believe she used that expression to a giant man over 1 kvet (12 cm) even after six kvettes (about 180 cm), so he opened his mouth blankly. She shouted angrily. (side note: that means that Riftan is 192 cm tall)


    "W, when he is sleeping h, he looks s, so lovely. T, the back, the back of his head, the ears look cute... When he's sleeping, his eyes are loosened... i, it doesn't look that scary. He looks, y, younger than usual...”


    Mrs. Calyps, who was speaking enthusiastically, suddenly twisted her hair shyly.


    "A, and... I've known about it's just recently... t, the hair swirl is slightly o, on the right side. I, I think it's lovely.”


    Gabel opened his mouth blankly. I was really worried if I might have drunk too much and my mind was getting weird. Even Hebaron had a stupefied face.


    "Is it lovely that the hair swirl is on the right?”


    "N, not on the left!"


    She exclaimed passionately.


    "It could be left or r, right in the middle... but it's s, slightly r, right!"


    He forgot what he had to say and only his lips twitched. Suddenly, I wondered why I was listening to what the leader's hair swirl was like. Maximilian Calypse did not stop there.


    "And... w, wh, when he's nervous, he's sweeping up his hair li, like this... it's lovely and... h, how big and warm his hands are. W, when we're hugging, it's cozy and it's reliable... h, his voice is low. It, it's nice to hear....”


    Gabel looked at the door with a distressed look and red ears. Why should I listen to this embarrassing confession? He shook his hips. But she seemed to have no intention of quitting this torture.


    "Oh, right his smiling face... lo, looks wonderful. Actually...it, it's cool when he frowns, but... i, it's a little scary, too. Ri, Riftan looks the coolest when he smiles like this.”


    “…….”


    "And... the chest... b, because it's so wide ..if, if you hug... it feels g, good..”


    Maximilian Calyps, who had spoken so far, suddenly shut up. Gabel, who was at a loss for shame, jumped out of his seat in surprise as her face suddenly turned pale. She staggered as if she were dizzy, then suddenly curled up on the table.


    "M, ma'am!"


    He held her shoulder in contemplation. My heart sank, because I wondered if she had any problems with her body because of excessive drinking. That fucking man is driving me crazy. (side note: he means Hebaron)


    Gabel glared at Hebaron, who was no less red than he was, and hurriedly hugged her. Then suddenly, I heard a snoring sound and looked down. Though pale, her breathing was even and her pulse was normal.


    "...I seems that she feel asleep because of the alcohol."


    Gabel fixed her up and gave a faint sigh.


    "If the leader sees this, you won't have a comfortable death."


    Despite his intimidation, Hebaron was not daunted at all and giggled.


    "Then we'll have to hurry up and destroy the evidence before the captain returns. Hurry up and get Milady....”


    "Hurry up... what are you going to do with my wife?”


    At that moment the temperature in the room seemed to have dropped to below zero. They stiffened their whole bodies and stood there while they barely managed to look back. Riftan Calyps stood there with a grim face like a lion rising from hell.


    Gabel swallowed dryly. The black eyes gazed at the rolling liquor bottle on the floor and the messy table before fixing their gaze to his wife, unconscious in his arms. Suddenly, I heard an eerie sound.


    "Let me explain what's going on."


    "A good drink came in and we had a drink together... Hahaha."


    Hebaron burst into laughter as if he would somehow try to gloss over the situation. The look in the leader's eyes grew darker. He walked appallingly slowly and took away Maximilian Calyps from his arms. At that hostile attitude, Gabel was contemplating and tried making excuses.


    "Well, I was just going to take her to her room because she fell asleep!"


    "In the first place, why did she end up drinking with you until my wife fell asleep beside you?”


    Gabel had no intention of covering up Hebaron at all, so he pointed at him with his fingertips without hesitation. Riftan held her tightly in his arms and glared at him as if to kill Hebaron.


    "Are you tired of living, Nirta?"


    "Why are you exaggerating so much about a drink we took to just strengthen our friendship?”


    When Hebaron, who had been booing lightly, saw the face of Riftan, which was becoming more and more ferocious, he closed his mouth. At least you know when to shut up. Gabel thought sarcastically inside. Riftan, who was staring at them in a harsh silence, gritted his teeth and said,


    "Both of you, stand by at the training ground. Let's try to build friendship."


    "L, Leader I....”


    Gabel tried to protest, but he turned his back to them without pretending to hear. He seemed more spooky than necessary, while moving his body carefully, fearing that his sleeping wife would be uncomfortable, even when he was mad angry.


    'I'm a dead man.’


    Gabel, who was staring at his distant back, soon turned a resentful glance at Hebaron. Maybe he was still drunk, but Hebaron couldn't figure it out and giggled.


    "It's been a long time since I've properly exchanged swords with the leader. It's an unexpected check. ”


    Staring at him as he took his sword, Gabel vowed in his mind that he would never get involved with him again. Hebaron shouted as if he were determined to upset others.


    "Come on, let's go play a game with lovely Lord Calyps, whose hair swirl is slightly on the right!
    Book 2 – Spoilers
    BY @ainos

    As Riftan Calyps entered the banquet hall, the people who chatted like parrots were all silent. In the midst of the tense tension in the hall, the lord of Anatol strode across the hall, exuding an eerie overwhelming sense of deterrence.

    The intense curiosity, fear, and admiration were intricately mingled on the faces of the ladies who peeped at his aloof face. They half covered their flushed faces with fans and whisperted something in each other's ears, and the men quietly held their breath in fear and awe.

    When he first set foot in the castle of Drachium, the nobles had no intention of condoning that beast, who had dared intrude on their turf. By now, however, those who rejected him and openly insulted him are in a position to save themselves.

    Within a few years, Riftan Calypse emerged as a frontrunner in the West and North, cementing a solid alliance with the Southern lords. He was so powerful that even the eastern nobles, who had kept him in check until the end, had long raised their hands.

    When he appeared, the young aristocrats were busy hanging around to try to mix words with the legendary knight, while the conservative aristocrats slipped away into the corner.

    However, Riftan was indifferent to their reaction. He walked straight to the arched door at the end of the hall, not giving a glance to those who were panting for a chance to flatter him. Then he stood by the door and said in a dry voice to the servant standing there.

    "I came to see Your Majesty. Put up a request."

    The ordered servant ran into the room. After a while, when he was given permission to come inside, Riftan headed into the room, waving a reddish-brown cape. Reuben III, sitting back leisurely on a velvet chair, greeted him with a crooked smile.

    "You're late. You don't have to please me anymore?”

    Riftan grins cynically, glancing at the mountain of congratulatory gifts piled up beside his chair.

    "I think the other vassals have done enough to build the royal prestige without my help...”

    "That doesn't make your duties lighter."

    The king grumbled with a sulky face and then chin-jaked toward the opposite seat as if to tell him to sit down. As he sat down, a standing servant quickly brought a glass. Ruben first gulped down the wine in his own glass and continued to speak like an angry child.

    "Today is the last day of the event. I was half resigned, thinking you weren't coming."

    "I thought it would be better if I didn't come."

    Ruben raised one eyebrow in an indifferent response. Riftan looked down at the glass and added calmly.

    "I wanted to avoid running into him as much as possible. Shouldn't there be no bloodshed in the celebration of the birth of the crown prince?"

    The king shook his head at the harsh words.

    "This is one. You pulled out all the Duke of Croix's teeth, and yet you aren't satisfyed?"

    He leaned against the back of the chair and breathed a long sigh.

    "He has already had enough of his power taken. Your influence now threatens the Duke of Croix. On the other hand, the duke's momentum isn't the same as it used to be. He's older, more obsessive and nervous. He's been very ill. I felt bad for him. He's not going to admit it even if there's a knife in his throat, but the Duke of Croix is terribly afraid of you. It's not too much considering the pressure you've put on him. You recently sent the Duke of Croix a box with a head as a gift, didn't you?”

    "It was an assassin from him."

    Riftan answered calmly with a voice that ruled out emotion.

    "I just gave back what I received."

    "You're going to slowly dry his blood and kill him."

    The king filled the glass again, with a sulky smile around his mouth.

    "I think it would have been more merciful for the Duke of Croix to let you take his breath away two years ago.”

    The king's sarcasm stirred a cold flame over the emotioneless eyes of Riftan. For Riftan, who harbors a grudge against the royal family for thwarting Anatol's declaration of war, it was not a light-hearted joke. As if he were suppressing the boiling emotions, he grabbed the glass tightly and spat out violently.

    "I didn't know you were so fond of him. Over the last decade, you've been using all sorts of tricks to defeat the Duke's power. Even my wife, who came back from a major incident on the battlefield, was used as a weapon to hurt his pride. Your Majesty, are you showing sympathy for him now?”

    "You're not going to leave it behind, aren't you?”

    The smile disappeared from King Ruben's mouth. He stiffened his face and laid down his glass roughly with a bang.

    "Will Jim have to kneel before you to let you feel better?"

    "I only want one thing from you."

    said Riftan, as if chewing it out.

    "Don't cut in between me and the Duke of Croix. I can't stand His Majesty's willingness to intervene again between me and him."

    "Now, are you threatening me?"

    "I beg of you."

    Ruben, who was glaring at him with his piercing eyes, suddenly breathed a long sigh.

    "It's never gonna happen again that Jim gets caught between you two, even if you don't growl like that. I don't want to bother you anymore. If you don't bother me with the burden of another war or trial, I'm not going to interfere in whatever you do behind your back."

    Then, after drinking the wine in one breath, he looked at Riftan's cold stone-like face.

    "But if you neglect your duty as a patron because of your hostility toward the duke, the story will change. You're now the great Lord representing the South. If you neglect the royal family, the loyalty of the other nobles will be shaken. Not to mention the knighthood worshipping Uigru's incarnation."

    “…….”

    "In the future, many will attach great significance to your words and actions. I am deeply concerned about what kind of message your reluctant appearance at the celebration of the birth of the crown prince will give to the nobles."

    "...you're very hard on me for being late once."

    Riftan twisted his mouth cynically.

    "I have no intention of antagonizing the royal family. If that's what you're worried about, I'll make it clear on this occasion. No matter how powerful I am, I am your servant and your knight. This fact won't change."

    The king's golden eyes clung tenaciously to his face as if they were reading from the inside. For a moment the tense silence flowed, the king returned in a relaxed manner and gave a dry smile.

    "Then let everyone know the fact. Show me that you are truly celebrating the birth of your crown prince."

    "...I'll try."

    As if he did not like the insincere answer, the king, who was raising one eyebrow, clicked his tongue and shook his hand.

    "Okay. Now get out of here."

    Riftan bowed his head, expressed his courtesy, and then walked out of the banquet hall again. Then the people who were in the midst of a loud noise shut their mouths in unison. Riftan ignored all those who glanced at him and entered the arch-shaped entrance on the left side of the banquet hall.

    Inside the circular hall with colorful patterns of rugs, aristocrats dressed in silk and fur gathered together to chat. At the center of the conversation, princess Agnes's, who was leading the conversation, smiled brightly when she found him.

    "You're here, Lord Calypse."

    "Long time no see, Your Highness."

    She approached him with a graceful gait after asking for understanding from her relatives. Riftan looked strangely at the princess looking unfamilar in her dress and turned to the one standing next to her. A young man with a face so much like Agnes and vivid golden eyes was looking up at him with curious eyes. I could guess the identity of the young man without having to hear his name. Riftan bowed lightly to take an example.

    "It's been a long time. Your Highness the Crown Prince."

    "Long time no see, Lord Calypse."

    The young prince extended his hand in welcome.

    "The first time I've seen you was when I was young, right? Thank you for coming all this way."

    "Forgive me for not visiting you sooner. I brought four horses from Rakasim as a congratulatory gift. I hope you like it.”

    "From Rakasim?"

    A bright smile hung around the crown prince's mouth. Riftan looked down at his boyish young face with a curious glance. With slender frame and marble-white, smooth skin, Elias Ruben looked so young and naive that he could not have just become the father of a child. He shouted in a heated tone.

    "What breed is it? What about the color of his fur? If it's Lord Calypse's eye, they must be great, right?”

    Agnes, standing beside him, shook her head as if dumbfounded.

    "You seem more pleased to be given a horse as a gift than that Abel was born."

    "Abel is cute, too. He looks like his mother and already has a beautiful face."

    The prince smiled in a way that seemed to boast of the puppy he had received as a gift.

    "But he's too small to ride.”

    "I can't live."

    The royal princess glanced at her brother and turned her eyes back at Riftan.

    "Thank you for coming. The child is in the other room. Would you like to meet him?”

    Riftan nodded slowly. The prince seemed to want to run to see the horse at any moment, but he took the lead at the urging of his sister.

    He entered the room at the end of the hall and removed the thick veil from the entrance. Then I could see Rosetta Ruben sitting on a long chair with a thick cushion on it, served by the maids.

    She looked up and looked at them indifferently.

    Dressed elegantly in a rosy dress and gathering the silver blonde hair and placed them neatly together, the princess looked no less noble and dignified. The prince approached her and shouted cheerfully.

    "Rosetta, Lord Calypse has come to congratulate Abel on his birth."

    The quiet turquoise eyes of the Crown Princess turned toward him. Riftan hardened his face when he felt her eyes glancing around him as if looking for someone. Rosetta's lips clapped open as if to say something and soon turned her head toward her husband as if she had changed her mind.

    "He just fell asleep. Everyone, please keep your voices down."

    Rosetta, who warned them in a chilly tone, took the baby from her maid and held it in her arms. Despite his wife's cold attitude, the prince shrugged his shoulders once and smiled like a rascal at Riftan.

    "He's a demon when he's awake. His voice is so loud, he must be a huge tyrant when he grows up."

    Then he leaned down and stared into the face of his son, who was fast asleep. In contrast to his light words and deeds, there was a deep affection in his eyes, looking down at his young son. The prince tickled the baby's chubby chin and smiled gladly.

    A sigh of relief flowed from Agnes mouth watching the scene. The younger brother, who was reunited with them after a few years, had grown up to be just as good as his father. I was quite relieved because I was always worried about him hiding his true feelings behind his humorous attitude, and how he would behave like that to Abel.

    'You seem to be quite attached to Rosetta..'

    Contrary to rumors that the prince and his wife were not getting along very well, the two managed to seem friendly. Agnes smiled gladly as she saw them matching like a picture.

    At that moment, the shadowy face of Riftan standing at the entrance came into her sight. Agnes, who was trying to persuade him to come close and meet his nephew, suddenly held her breath. Looking at the crown prince, the crown princess and their young son in slight distance, there was a vivid pain in the eyes of Riftan. It was as if their figures were daggers and slashed him. Agnes was startled to see the miserable look and reached over his arm.

    "Riftan, are you all right?"

    Riftan grumbled and shook her hand away fiercely. Everyone's eyes flew towards them in a rather violent act. Agnes smiled as if nothing happened and spoke softly to Riftan.

    "You look tired, Sir. You must have been tired of running a long way, so go to your room and rest."

    Riftan lowered his eyes as if to hide his feelings and nodded slowly.

    "It's late, so I'll leave you alone."

    Seemingly sensed the strange atmosphere, the prince nodded in silence. Riftan bowed lightly, expressed his courtesy, then turned and left the room. Agnes quickly chased after him.

    "Are you sure you're okay?”

    "What do you mean?"

    Riftan answered in a dry tone, with eyes in front of him. Agnes shut her mouth in that cold attitude. After walking silently like this for a long time, when they reached the deserted corridor, the princess opened her mouth again.

    "It seems like there has been a recent exchange between the World Tower and the temple. I don't know exactly what's going on, but I think they're exchanging information about the demons that are starting to proliferate again."

    Riftan came to a halt. Agnes, who was looking at his stiff face, carefully spoke again.

    "When the World Tower and the temple begin to interact actively, the regulations on the tower will be loosened. Then you will be able to contact the trainees freely. If you want me to tell Maximilian sooner or later....”

    "Mind your own business."

    Riftan turned toward her and spat out violently. Agnes instinctively took a step back. Riftan, who was staring at her with icy eyes, chewed out every word.

    "I don't need your interference. If you step in between me and my wife again, I won't let you go."

    At the end, to the harsh, squashed voice, she couldn't utter any more words and kept her mouth shut. Riftan turned and walked out of the hall. Agnes let a deep sigh out at the stubborn appearance.

    After Maximilian Calypse left for the World Tower, Riftan began to devote himself to gaining power. The means he used to win the loyalty of the southern lords were astounding.

    Riftan did not hesitate to carry out ingenious political manuever, threats, and economic oppression, and eventually mastered not only the south, but also the western aristocracy. Under such terrible propulsion, there was an uproar in Drachium Palace.
    She bit her lip lightly. She was determined to suffer his rejection for sending Maximilian to the World Tower to stop the trial. However, she may have been too complacent to think that it will soften naturally over time.
    Agnes threw one last glance at his back and soon turned away weakly.
    They soon moved toward their path. The bright winter sun was blazing down, but the wind was freezing cold and frost was frozen in the garden flower bed. Maxi hugged the shivering cat tightly in hers cloak, crossing the garden she had landscaped herself and strolled the Great Hall and the stairs that connected them.

    Entering the wide-open gate, a familiar scene unfolded. She looked around the Great Hall with a strange feeling of emotion. The sunlight pouring down from hundreds of windows dazzled the whole hall, and the passageway connected to the kitchen gave off the smell of meat and bread.

    Most of them gathered at restaurants to prepare meals, but the hall was not visible except for some soldiers and young servants carrying firewood. Yuri Xion gave the guard a solemn order.

    "Mrs. Calypse is back! Bring forth the servants!’’

    The soldiers who were chatting on one side of the hall looked at them with a surprised look and ran toward the kitchen. After a while, five or six servants rushed out. Maxi found a welcoming face which brought a wide smile around her mouth.

    "Rodrigo! How are you?”

    "Madam! You're back.”

    The butler greeted her with a childlike smile on his wrinkled face. Maxi also greeted Ludis, who ran with some distance steps behind him.

    "How have you been, Ludis?”

    "I'm getting along well, my lady. I'm glad you look healthy, as well.”

    The maid smiled affectionately and held her hands gently. Their warm hospitality eased her tension. Maxi greeted the rest of the maidens, and introduced them to Calto, Serbel and other sorcerers standing absentmindedly.

    In the evening, knights flocked to the Great Hall to meet her. While dining with the wizards, Maxi smiled awkwardly at Uslin Ricardo and Yuri Sion, who strode into the dining hall.

    With Uslin's serious look on his face, it seemed as if he had already heard that she was leaving for Pamela Plateau. He ignored the wizards who looked at him with a curious look and walked to Maxi and bowed politely.

    "Long time no see, Mrs. Calypse."

    "Oh, long time no see, Lord Ricardo."

    Maxi gulped down the food in her mouth and murmured in a tense voice. Of all people, she has to face the most uncomfortable knight. She glanced towards the entrance. She thinks she can explain her expedition more comfortably to Hebaron and Gabelle...Unfortunately, except for Sir Yuri Xion and Sir Lombardo, her and Uslin were not all very close.

    "I've heard a little bit from Lovar. You seem to have jumped into something dangerous.”

    Maxi looked at Yuri Xion with a look of betrayal. Yuri Xion waved his hand violently as if he was falsely accused.

    "I never spoke that way! I'm just worried about your lady...!”

    "What the hell are you thinking? I can't believe you're going back to Pamela Plateau...Do you think I will allow this?”

    Uslin cut off Yuri Xion's retort in the middle and questioned it harshly.

    "I can't let you go to such a dangerous place. After all your hard work, you're thinking of going on an expedition again! Madam is too reckless. This time, for the captain's sake....”
    The sorcerers sat down at the table again and began to eat, and Maxi asked Calto for his understanding and went out with the knights. They all looked disturbed and anxious. Maxi shrugged her shoulders with guilt.

    "I'm sorry to worry you. But... I wanted to get out of the island as soon as possible. And…I thought there would be something I could do at the dispatch."

    "…don't apologize. I shouldn't have blamed you."

    Uslin spoke in a soft tone.

    "The reason Mrs. Calypse went to the world tower was to save Anatole and Lord Calypse. It was presumptuous of me to do this and about what you did to get out of the tower. But…."

    He frowned at the end of his speech.

    "I'm worried about how Lord Calypse will accept this."

    "He, to him... Did you send a telegram?”

    "I sent it. I thought I'd have to let him know that his wife left the island as soon as possible..”

    Yuri Xion said, scratching the back of his head. Maxi swallowed a dry saliva. How will he react? Having experienced a very heartbreaking and miserable breakup, and having been away from her husband for too long, Maxi could not stop shaking when she saw that he had kept her letters. Maxi muttered in a half hoarse voice.

    "I don’t think I’ll be here when he comes back"

    "How many days do you plan to stay in Anatole?"

    When asked by Uslin, Maxi took a pause.

    "A week or so... But I'm not sure. I don't know much about it except that we plan to leave as soon as the Order arrives.”

    "I've heard information that the Knights of the Holy Father are recently investigating the Arex and eastern Dristan areas."

    Lombardo, who stood tall like a pole near the wall, uttered in a calm voice.

    "It's not that far, so it won't take long."

    Uslin stroked his smooth chin with a thoughtful look. Maxi, who was looking at his face, asked questions all the time.

    "Ruth and all the other knights... Did they follow Riftan to Rivadon?’’

    "The magician, Nitta, and Caron went with the leader to Livadon. And Lakshion and some of the knights are in charge of the security of the quarries and mines."

    "a mine?"

    "The Anatorium Mountains are no longer a beast habitat. Sometimes goblin is found, but it's not as dangerous as before. The area has been cleared up in a major civil war. And that's how we get all the resources out of the mountain range. That's why Anatole has been able to do well in a short period of time."

    Maxi looked out of the window with a thoughtful look. Anatole was surrounded by mountains rich in stones and trees. Mana would have been a great help to the construction of the city, as it would have provided the necessary stone and timber for the construction.

    "Anatole have changed a lot. At first, I thought I might have come to the wrong place.”

    "We couldn't believe what we saw with these two eyes as well." Uslin gave a proud smile.

    "As soon as the port was opened, a line of Southern targets came in. More people came to visit Anatole than we expected. Then, to buy their goods, businessmen flooded in from all over the Western continent, opened stores in the market, and started building houses. When the big construction started, the architects moved to Anatole to find jobs. In addition, as the carpenters, masons, and workers they hired began to live there, the market grew bigger, and as the market grew, more merchants flocked... It was like snowballing."

    Suddenly, a cold smile passed over his face.

    "It caused frequent friction with the Eastern lords. Eastern landowners were hit hard by peasants abandoning their farmland and moving to the south in search of new jobs.”

    Looking out of the window at the dark surrounded mountains, Maxi turned her face hard.

    "I don't believe... my father... Did he do something else?”

    "He's not the kind of person who's going leave us alone.’’ Uslin said with a shrug.

    "He has done all sorts of dirty things, including filing a petition to the king to sanction Anatole and punishing the merchants who deals with it. But that was also useless. Rather, such tyranny caught the ankle, speeding up the desertion of the residents. Although it belatedly implemented conciliatory policies such as lowering the area and guaranteeing the autonomy of merchants, most merchant unions had already moved their branches to the south. I don't know, but I'm sure he's had a lot of financial damage."

    "My father... he’s not the one to give up" Maxi spouted nervously.

    "I'm sure... He’s going to conspire again. My father is persistent, and he is very vindictive. What kind of retaliation will he bring this time....”

    "He doesn't have the power now." Uslin shook his head firmly.

    "The power of the Duke is in wealth based on fertile land. Lord Calypse took his time to weaken it step by step. The peasants and technicians were taken away to bankrupt the Duke's servants one after another and strengthened his alliance among the southern nobles, gradually narrowing the position of the eastern nobility. The activation of trade has also helped weaken the power of conservative aristocrats, who no longer have to rely on food produced in the East. His influence is no longer the same as before."

    He looked down at her face and uttered in a solemn tone.

    "So, you don't have to be nervous anymore. The Duke is no longer able to stand up to Sir Calypse. Every attempt has already failed, and Lord Calypse's influence is getting stronger.”

    "I've heard that Riftan... has decided to take the title of Count.”

    "It's a little late." Uslin murmured bitterly.

    "Thanks to the weakened power of the conservative aristocrats, he has been able to confer the count on the leader without difficulty. Lord Calypse will be more firmly established when he returns from his expedition. The Duke of Croissus is no longer Lord Calypse's match."

    Maxi felt a sharp shudder running down his spine. Although she was not as afraid of her father as before, apart from that, she knew how powerful the Duke of Croeso. However, Riftan completely overwhelmed the ruler of the East in his status as a vongsin knight.

    Maxi asked in a trembling voice.

    "Rosetta... what happened to her? My father had wanted to marry her into the royal family since she was 11 years old.”

    "He has accomplished that goal."

    Sir Edon Crude, who was listening to the quiet conversation, replied in a unique blunt tone.

    "A few months after your lady left, there was a wedding for her Royal Highness. She gave birth to a baby not too long ago."

    "Ro, Rosetta had a baby?”

    Maxi looked at him with a startled look. Rosetta became a mother...An unexpected pain struck her when she remembered her holding a baby in her arms.

    Maxi blushed. Didn't she realize a few years ago that Rosetta is just a human being with a lot of wounds? When she remembered the dilapidated eyes she saw when she last met her, she felt guilty for being jealous of her for a while.

    "Your Royal Highness... What kind of person is he? I hope... he’s not a violent person, is he?”

    "He's never the one who uses force against women."

    Uslin quickly answered what she was worried about. But it didn't sound so sure. When she threw a suspicious look, he sighed and added.

    "While he was studying at a university in Osiria, his personality changed a little bit mischievous... But he's basically a soft guy."

    "Lord Ricardo... are you close with your Royal Highness?"

    "I once coached him horseback riding when he was young. He was playful and frighteningly intelligent."

    Maxi gathered her eyebrows. Uslin was friendly to the royal family, so it was hard to fully trust his statement, but it was unlikely that the prince would be harsh on Rosetta if he’s similar to Agnes. Maxi relaxed her stiff shoulders.

    "Thank you for letting me know. Everyone must have been busy working all day. I'm afraid I've taken too much of your time away."

    "Don't say that! If you want, we can stay up all night."

    Yuri Xion exclaimed enthusiastically. Maxi slipped backward. She didn't mean to make a noise here all night. She gave the knights a polite smile.

    "Everyone still has to go eat. I... want to take a break today."

    "You must be tired of coming all the way here.’’ Uslin sighed softly.

    "Okay, we’re going to back off now, so take a rest."

    Maxi went straight up to the room when the knights walked away. Even if she went to the place where the wizards were gathered, She was sure that there would be only annoying questions. She changed into her pajam
    As soon as Calto's words fell, Uslin had been listening to Cuahel's answer. He paused for a moment and glanced back at Maxi. She flinched her shoulders. The knight, who looked down at her with emotionless eyes, soon spoke in his unique dry voice.

    "Okay, I'll allow only one person to join the squad."

    Uslin's face was distorted. But before he had any rebuttal, Cuahel continued.

    "It is enough for you to provide nineteen horses for the wizards to ride."

    "That's too one-sided...!”

    "If you think it's unfair, you don't have to accept it. There is nothing to be desired from our side. Even without Anatol's support, there's plenty of stopovers to the Pamela Plateau."

    He cut Uslin's protest with a single knife as if he had no intention of negotiating anymore. However, Uslin persistently insisted on not giving up easily.

    "Please include at least six people! That's not even a noticeable number of people."

    "One is enough’’ Cuahel countered coldly.

    "You’re putting a convenience and safety of one particular person throughout the expedition. As the wizard said, if only one person is given a special treatment, there could be a problem inside the dispatch. I want to lead them to the Pamela Plateau without problems as much as possible. So, I can only allow one escort. If you can't accept it, then we’re done with this discussion."

    Uslin bit his lips gently. Then he nodded helplessly, realizing that there was no room for compromise.

    "Okay, so at least one of you....”

    "Come on, wait a minute!"

    Maxi, who could no longer be listening silently, intervened between them.

    "From the start... you can't ignore the opinions of both parties and make decisions at will! I... I don't need an escort or anything.!”

    "I’ll volunteer!"

    Before she could finish her speech, Yuri Xion shouted fiercely.

    "If only one could escort the lady, I’d love to accompany her. I can't give up on this!"

    The momentum was so intense that she was speechless for a moment. Yuri Xion looked at Uslin with intense eyes and said.

    "Please, let me go."

    "Hey, Yuri. I know what you're capable of, but if only one person can escort her, we should choose a more experienced knight....”

    "I am 6th in the Order of the Remdragon!" Yuri Xion growled fiercely at Gabel, who sneaked in.

    "Stop treating me like a child! I have enough qualifications. Moreover, the Lords are responsible for a lot of things in Anatol. On the other hand, I'm only in charge of managing the harbor security guards. My job can be replaced by other knights!"

    "Wait, wait!" Maxi has been stamping her feet in anger at their behavior of ignoring her.

    "Do every one of you have ears or are you deaf? I don't need an escort!"

    "Is it because you... don't trust me?"

    As if she had never acted like a dog, Yuri Xion looked down at her with drooping eyes. Maxi hardened her body. He dropped his head sullenly with a somber look on his face.

    "I know I was a terrible escort in the past. I said I’d risk my life to protect you, and I exposed you to danger several times. As if it was not not enough... You even suffered a lot and was close to losing your life. I can't help it if you don't trust me."

    "It's not like that! It's not that I can't trust Yuri Xion. I'm just a wizard, I need to do things alone as much as I can....”

    She hurriedly denied it with a perplexed face, but the dark expression of Yuri Xion was not going to be resolved. Maxi was restless and soothed him.

    "You were never a terrible escort. If it weren't for Yuri Xion and Garow... I'm sure you've been through a lot. You guys were so brave to protect me! It's not that I don't trust Yuri Xion, I just....”

    "Then it's decided." Uslin burst in.

    "You said you trusted Lovar so much... I'll let Yuri Xion Lovar escort you in respect of your will."

    Maxi glared at him. As soon as she was about to yell at them to listen to people, she could see the desperate face of Yuri Xion. Looking at the sparkling eyes, she couldn't help but agree. When she let out a groan of pain and stretched her shoulders, Gabel approached her and patted her on the back as if to comfort her.
    The Knights of the Remdragon, who had been running like an old man, marched toward the center of the village, relentlessly blowing the undead with spears and axes. The beasts surrounded by the Knights of the Holy Father and the Knights of the Remdragon were rushing to the ghouls which fell on the floor. The knights drove their horses over them and brutally crushed the bodies of the charred ghouls.
    Maxi shuddered as she watched the scene from afar. The dead, who struggled with half their bodies smashed, soon turned into ashes. She soon found out that she had succeeded in destroying Annette and Armando’s law school.

    The balls, which lost their regenerative power, were crushed with the knight wielding swords, and the ghouls movements were noticeably slowed down due to the loss of mana supply. Thanks to the Remdragon knights, the battle ended in a flash.

    "…I think I'll be able to join the contingent now."

    Miriam, who was chewing on the roots to make up for the mana she consumed, murmured. Maxi nodded absentmindedly. She was still confused in her head. But it was unclear what she was so shocked about.

    It was not clear whether it was because they were dramatically out of the crisis of death, or whether she was in a state of emotional panic because she met Riftan after so long.

    She bit her lips nervously. She wanted to run to where the Riftan was right away. But she was so afraid of his reaction that she wanted to hide. Undecided, holding the reins, some knights on horseback ran toward her.

    "Long time no see, Mrs. Calypse."

    The knight raised his visor and greeted her politely. Maxi opened her eyes wide when she saw his face exposed under the pitch. Elliot Caron asked, looking at her with a serious look.

    "Are you hurt anywhere?"

    Maxi shook her head. She was bruised when she fell off the horse, and her hips and back were throbbing, but it wasn't unbearable. He breathed a small sigh of relief and turned the horse's head again.

    "The battle is over. You can join the other Knights now."

    Maxi looked at his back for a moment and slowly walked out from behind the stone wall, patting on the rumbling Rem. The Knights of the Holy Father surrounded her and moved across the ruined city to where the Knights of Remdragon camped.

    She moistened her dry lips. The closer the knights gathered, the harder her heart beat painfully, and her lower stomach became stiff with tension.

    Maxi held the reins like a lifeline and rolled her eyes nonstop. In the midst of the knights, she tried to find Riftan, but she couldn't find him anywhere.

    Maxi became more and more anxious. Why does he not run to her as soon as the battle is over? Maybe he didn't even want to see her. She dismissed the idea by recalling the letters he had cherished. Unless he wanted to see her, he couldn't have run to this place.

    "Madam!"

    Just as she reached the hill, a loud voice was heard. The knights turned their heads in unison and looked at her. Most of them were familiar faces, but some of them were unfamiliar. She stopped and smiled awkwardly at them, and among the knights, a giant-looking knight strode out of the crowd. Maxi recognized him immediately and shouted with delight.

    "Lord Nitta!"

    He took off his pitch, showed his carrot-colored hair, which was tangled like a wild man, and his bearded face as if he hadn't shaved for a few days, and smiled broadly.

    "Long time no see. We always get together in an unexpected place.”

    He threw a bone-in word and clutched the head of Yuri Xion, who followed him, with a big hand in a gantlet.

    "Well done. Dude, if you hadn't contacted me through the informant, the roads would have been quite crossed.”

    Maxi opened her eyes wide when she realized that it was not Anatole that Yuri Sion contacted through an Osirian informant but a Remdragon Knight who left for Livadon. Yuri Xion, who had been strangely silent for some time, kicked his hand out irritably.

    "Don't treat me like a child!"

    "Oh, when did you get so rough when I haven't seen you? Are you finally starting to rebel?”

    "If Lord Nitta keeps doing this, how do I face the other knights?’’.

    "Hahaha, my little boy's grown up. You've got a face!’’ When he grabbed his stomach and burst out laughing loudly, Yuri Xion's face twisted violently.

    "I'm going to take over Lord Nitta’s seat in the next race, so please enjoy it until then. You’ll not be able to laugh until then."

    "Oh, I'm scared. I'm so nervous. Why are there so many people looking for my place?"

    Yuri Xion seemed genuinely annoyed, but Maxi relaxed a little bit at the sight of them quarreling. In addition to Hebaron, several familiar articles came up and greeted her. She relaxed her shoulders and gave a more natural smile.

    "Everyone... Long time no see."

    "Are you hurt?"

    While exchanging greetings with the knights, a well-built knight suddenly spoke to them, taking off his pitches. Maxi stared at the familiar face. The knight said, scratching his back of the head awkwardly.

    "Can't you recognize me? I’m Garrow Rivakion."

    She let out an exclamation of surprise, scanning his thickened face and a well-proportioned body.

    "Well, really... you've become very mature. I was surprised by your appearance. I don't recognize Garrow at all."

    "Three years is quite a long time."

    He said with a look of embarrassment. Maxi felt a tingling sensation in her chest. It was heartbreaking that their changes seemed to tell how long she had been away from Anatole.
    A little further away, there were six young men and women sitting around, all wearing musical instruments on their backs and clubs or daggers on their backs that seemed to be self-defense. They raised their glasses in unison, giving a friendly smile.
    "We are a wandering troupe. This year, due to the fast winter, the harvest was not enough, so the number of banquets held by the lord decreased. When I heard that Osiria could afford it, I was running a long way."

    "Did you come through Dristan?" When the man nodded, Kuahel Leon, who was touching his chin with his leather-glove hand, turned his head and waved at the clerk.

    "Here, bring ale," he said, looking back at the wandering party.

    "Why don't you join us if you don't mind? I'd like to know about Dristan's situation. I've heard that there have been a lot of mana lately. Have you ever been attacked on your way here?"

    "And even though I almost had a big trouble because of the crowds, I was able to get away with it by traveling with the upper crowd to the border. However, it seems that the copper is often found in the south. The growing number of migrants has made the food market worse in the northwest." The nomads gladly took the table, put it next to them, and told this story. Max observed them with curious eyes. It was very common for the nobles to invite wandering performers to the castle, and she had also met clowns or minstrels in Croix's stronghold, but it was the first time she sat at a table and talked to them. They spoke in a very fluent and cheerful tone, vividly describing what they saw and heard as they traveled, and Max soon found that Dristan was in trouble with the succession to the throne and that the food issue had begun again in the western part of the country. Not only her, but also other wizards, with their ears wide open, paid attention to their stories. After years of isolation on a small island, everyone was hungry for new rumors.

    "Dristan is a mess right now. political problems, food shortages, and so on. Mercenaries say the number of undeads appearing is three times higher than last year. Perhaps because of the war that took place three years ago, the number of grubs increased exponentially. A corpse contaminated by the hands of a demon is said to be undead with high probability. Tens of thousands of bodies that the priests couldn't recover were buried in the ground, and now they're wandering around the world." The mature gypsy woman, who appeared to be in her mid- to late 30s, said in a gloomy tone, her lips moistened with beer. Max bit her lips, recalling the battle in Ethylene Castle.

    When I recall that there was an uproar because of the ghouls that sprang up from the ground, my back still got wet. If she was unlucky, he might have done the same. No, actually, I'm still exposed to that kind of danger. If even one of them were to die in an accident in the Pamela Plateau, and if she was buried somewhere in a desolate land without even recovering her body, her soul would wander from the heavens and suffer forever. All of a sudden, when I vividly touched how dangerous I had jumped into a dangerous job, my whole body became cold. As if she were not the only one in fear, the wizards lost their words. Perhaps the heavy atmosphere was irritating, Annette, who was biting the lamb, kicked her tongue roughly.

    "That's enough of the mouth-watering melancholy story. I'm just taking a break in the roof, and I don't want to spend it in a tight mood."

    "Oh, I'm sorry. We ruined the atmosphere." The man scratched the back of his head with a embarrassed face.

    "It's hard to say that it's an apology, but why don't we show you a small performance for you as a reward because we've been drinking alcohol?" The man smiled gentlely as he took out mandolin from the leather pocket on his side.

    "We have gained quite a name in the Eastern region. If you have a song you want, I'll play it as much as you like."

    "I want to hear a hero epic!" Situated in front of the wall table with the wind's wizards, Sidina, who was eating, shouted cheerfully.

    "Play a song with 12 Knights of Darian and Wigru's Adventures. I'd like to hear the story of the handsome men popping up!" Her face was already burning with intoxication. Max glanced at the paladins. Can you just go on a spree in front of the priests? But the knights were all silent, and Kuahel Leon sat with his head against the wall, staring only at the fireplace flame, which burned still with a long face of thought. Max glanced at his shaded face, wondering what the fire shadow was so ready for.

    The paladins said nothing more than essential throughout the trip. The wizards, too, were unwilling to speak to the knights, so they were treating each other in a distant manner, like strangers who happened to accompany them on the journey.

    I didn't expect wizards and priests to cooperate in a friendly atmosphere in the first place, but will they be able to overcome this condition? A faint anxiety clouded my face, and the cheerful music began to ring in the restaurant.

    She looked with astonished eyes at the man who skillfully turned on the mandolin in the dim light. He was a really good bard. As the man sang the life story of the ancient heroes, pulling the mandolin strings with flamboyant hands, his party played the flute, tambourine, mandolin, rut and lebeck, respectively. The sudden start of the festive mood made Max feel all his anxieties blown away.

    As the music reached the absolute government, Sidina, who was in a spooky mood, grabbed Kiel's hand, the tower horse judge of the same wind, and came out and began to spin and dance. Annette, who saw Kiel dragged around by Sidina and crying, burst into a loud laugh, and some even danced with their feet thumping along her. The jubilant wizards begged to play a new song after eight long verses.

    "This time, sing me a song with a beautiful girl!" cried Ronald and Joel, young wizards of Undaim, waving their beer glasses. It must have been forgotten that there are ten monks in this place because of the rising spirits of alcohol. Max glanced nervously at the paladins' expressionless faces. They were quietly pushing food into their mouths, as if they had no interest in the disturbance that was taking place around them.

    For a moment, Max opened her mouth to warn her colleagues. At that moment, there came the bright voice of the minstrel. "If it's a beautiful song, 'Red-headed Lady' would be good."

    "Is it a famous song?"

    "Have you never heard of it?" At Sidina's question, the man tilted his head.

    "It was written by Balrog, the greatest bard poet on the continent. It's the most beloved song on the continent recently," he explained, coordinating the strings of mandolin.

    "He nearly lost his life three years ago when he fought in the war, and it was the red-haired lady who saved his life. At the end of the war, Balrog wrote a song praising her with gratitude and began to travel around the continent. It has now spread across the continent, becoming one of the most popular songs."

    "Oh, my God, it's such a romantic story," said the romance-crazy Sidina, glistening her eyes and hitting the wall.

    "Love story that transcends the status of a minstrel and a lady!"

    "Unfortunately, it's not such a romantic song. Balrog wrote the song with a pure admiration for her. The red-haired lady already had a husband," the man grinned.

    "It's Lord Riftan Calypse, the first knight on the continent," Max almost blew beer through her nose. When she broke her back and coughed violently, Yurizion jumped up and patted her back. Her reaction gave the man a curious look.

    "Oh, are you all right, miss?"

    "Oh, I'm fine, ···."

    "So, it's a song to praise the wife of Dragon Slayer?" I was waving my hands to say it's okay, and I heard Annette's trembling voice. Max stiffened her shoulders. The minstrel said cheerfully, as if he had not noticed the strange silence among the wizards.

    "Yes. You've heard of Mrs. Calypse, haven't you? She was a sorcerer three years ago, in the Ethylene castle just before the fall, who defeated the evil forces and led the war to victory. According to the soldiers who participated in the war, Mrs. Calypse has beautiful hair and angelic beauty like fireworks! As this rumors spread across the continent, red wigs have recently become popular among young ladies." Max slipped the hood on her head. My face was burning hot. Who spread such false rumors, and I wanted to take the bull by the horns. Perhaps he had a bad feeling about himself. While rolling her eyes around with a desire to hide somewhere, Yurizion muttered senselessly.

    "Famous rumors are usually exaggerated, but somehow the lady's rumors have been reduced. Not only is she as beautiful as an angel, but she is more lovely than a nymph, wiser than a sage, and brave as a lion!" Max clenched her teeth, feeling the urge to shut his mouth. Fortunately, the surrounding area was noisy, so the minstrel did not seem to have listened to Yurizion. Annette, who was looking at Max with an exciting look, grinned and said.

    "It's such a great song. I must listen to it once."

    "I'll play it nicely."

    The man cleared his throat lightly, and began to sing beautifully in a medium-low voice.

    "Oh God hear our screams
    Beyond that wall, black monsters
    Wielding an iron spear
    Ah, don't be too late to reach out

    Hear our prayers
    Did you let her go
    She, with red hair, climbed the mountain alone
    Red-haired she made her way through the darkness

    Her courage became a mace
    It spilled over our enemies.
    The shout of victory shook the walls
    We have seen the hand of salvation come down from heaven.

    Ah, even if the sun loses its light and darkness covers the world
    We know
    When the dawn comes, the red-haired angel
    Bring me the flag of victory."

    A delicate and beautiful melody reverberated gently in the inn. Max waited for the song to end with a raw torture. To my great pain, the song had up to four verses! She dared not even think to look up at her colleagues' faces and only shed cold sweat. The music only came to an end just before she fainted from shame.

    When applause erupted from all over the place, the minstrel bowed with a satisfied face. Max breathed a sigh of relief into her mind. At that time, Yurizion's voice of discontent was heard.

    "The lyrics are very poor. The lady is much more ·····." She stamped on his boots with all her might. Yurizion looked down at her with a puzzled look. Max glared at him threateningly, meaning she would not let it go if he said one more thing. Yurizion, who was blinking his eyes, looked worried.

    "Are you uncomfortable with something? Even if the food goes wrong ···."

    "You'd better all go up and rest." Kuahel, who had his head against the wall and quietly closed his eyes, suddenly opened his mouth. His quiet eyes toucher her for a moment and then fell. Max blushed. It would have been less disgraceful if there had been signs of teasing or mocking like other wizards, but the knight had a sly, indifferent look, as always. He pulled up a leather pocket and threw a coin to the minstrel and pulled himself up.

    "That's the price for making my group feel better."

    "Thank you, sir!" As if he had been talking from the beginning to show the performance and get a reward, the man picked up the coins and went straight up the stairs with the party. Max, who had only been peeping at her chance to leave, jumped out of her seat, taking advantage of the mess.

    "Me, I'm going to have to go up there, too. I'm tired." Then I scurry up the stairs, and Annette followed behind her. Max looked back at her with a wary look. Annette showed a naive expression.

    "There are only nine vacancies, so two women have to share the same room. You have to use the same room as me."

    "Me, I'd rather have Sidi." Max lowered her gaze down the railing of the stairs. Sidina was half drunk and half distracted. I'm wondering if it's better to take it up and take care of her, or to be a tease by a mischievous Umli wizard, and Annette pushed her back.

    "Come on, let's get up there. I'm dying of sleep."

    "...."

    "By the way, I didn't know. I can't believe the Gnome Hall giant was such a great wizard. No, should I call you an angel with red hair, not a giant from now on?" Max wrapped her forehead around her. There was a sigh of relief at the thought that this would be a teasing for at least a month.
    Maxi bite her lips and focused on destroying the magic. As soon as the magic was blown along the bizzare circular path that the world tower had never encountered, a strong backlash rose immediately. She forced her mana to twist the circuit. The, the magic formula that used to splatter flames soon lost its mobility and disappeared. She exhales a long sigh, wiping the sweat from her forehead.

    However, the relief did not last. At the heavy roar that shakes the axis, Maxi groaned and turned her head. Three giants were running out with their feet thumping in the woods dyed bluish with dawn.

    It was a very unrealistic sight, so there was no scream. At least 16kbet (about 4.8m) tall, thick like rock, gray skin..

    "Fuck.."

    Like her, Miriam, looking forward with a dazzling face, vomited a harsh swearword.

    "Come on, get on the horse! Giant!"

    Maxi grabbed the horse reins as if snatching and jumped onto the saddle. However, due to excitement, Rem raised its forefoot, causing her to roll on the ground. Maxi groaned in heavy pain. At that time, the ogre rushes towards her at a terrifying pace.

    "Lady!"

    Yurizion, who was handling the ghoul, ran like a flash and blocked her front. A tremendous roar rang out. She sat down on the floor and stepped back. It was incredible. Yurizion, who had blocked an iron rod the size of his body with a thin sword, cried out wildly.

    "Come on, avoid it!"

    She grabbed the reins of the wildly rocking horse and climbed again. To prevent Rem from dropping her, she tightened the saddle with her thighs and pulled the reins vigorously. As the mare was trained, it ran forward like an arrow.

    However, the retreat was soon blocked by another giant. She created a barrier before the ogre hit the mace. As the soaring earth wall blocked the front, the ogre cried out load and swung the iron rod. At once, the wall was cracked. She was stunned by the tremendous power.

    Maxi erected another barrier in front of the defensive wall before it was completely smashed, and hurriedly sprinted away. Suddenly, a bunch of ghouls came and camped in front.

    "Get out of there!"

    Miriam passed her and sparked an enormous flame in front of her. Maxi instinctively turned her horse's head in the burning heat. This time, it started running to avoid the undead coming through the flames. But in front of her, another giant stood up.

    Yurizion ran at a terrifying pace and tried to stop it, but was too late. She felt the massive ogre cast a deep shadow over her head. She hurriedly tried to strike a barrier, but the ogre was faster. Maxi tightly closed her eyes.

    At that time, a sharp sound breaking through the wind was heard, and a bull-like screaming resonated. Maxi pulled tight on the reins of Rem, who jumped wildly in fear.

    Soon afterward, a massive thumping noise made the ogre's massive body rolled back. She couldn't understand for a while what had happened. She took a short, cold breath to her chin.

    Eventually, as the dirt collapsed, the dust gradually settled, revealing the appearance of an ogre pierced by a massive javelin. Maxi, looking down at it, slowly raised her head.

    Hearing the sound of dalg-dak, and a horseshoe, a black horse appeared in the dust. In the morning dawn, Maxi looked up at the pale shining silver armored and a dark blue cloak blowing in the wind with a dazzling face.

    At that moment, she could've swore that her heart had stopped. Even though he was covering his face with a faceplate, she could recognize it at a glance. (I'm screaming now at this point![​IMG][​IMG])

    He pulled the chain attached to the tip of the spear and pulled the javelin through the giant's skull. Then he grabbed the reins wickedly. At the command of the owner, a huge warhorse raised his muscular forelimbs up, almost vertically, and slammed the ground heavily with his hard hooves.

    Almost at the same time, a huge javelin, measuring 10 kvets (about 3m), shoot like a beam of light and flew away, piercing the chest of another giant that had struck them.

    Maxi couldn't breathe. The massive body of the giant, precisely pierced through the heart, shook the axis and rolled over the ashes.

    The knight who looked at it quietly turned his head toward her again. Maxi looked violently shivering, looking into his black eyes, burning intensely from the inside of his face cap.
    HAPPYGNOME: So in this chapter, Riftan was arguing with Kuahel, The Knights of the Holy Father's leader, about their plan. Previously, the knights of the Remdragon actually had their own expedition in Livadon but Uslin sent a message to Riftan telling them that Maxi is already out from the tower and is going to Plateu. Riftan then change his plans and went to where she was at once. My boy Riftan playing hard to get in these chapters.



    Riftan, who was talking to Kuahel, swung his head.

    Maxi stopped towering at the entrance. Suddenly, unexpected dizziness hit her and she lost her breath. She looked up at his sharp face in the backlight with blank eyes. He looked ten times more daunting than she remembered.

    His face, which had become more defined as he had lost a little weight, exuded a chillingly masculine beauty, and his appearance of slightly turning back a lot of dark blue hair gave him a much more mature atmosphere.

    Maxi swallowed a dry saliva. His black eyes looked at her from head to toe, and her whole body seemed to be asleep. Oh, how much she missed him. His remark that a day was like a year was not an exaggeration at all.

    She bit her lips to calm her surging emotions. He also seemed as emotionally elevated as her. His whole body could clearly feel the tension. Maxi thought he might yell and get angry or hug her and kiss passionately.

    But it wasn't either way. His fierce eyes calmed down at some point and became as cold as snow. He turned to Cuahelion again and spoke in a dull tone.

    "Then, I understand you've agreed to move on to the camp."

    She and Kuahel, who glanced at Riftan, nodded slowly.

    "…all right, I'll follow your plan for this time."

    At the end of the conversation, Riftan picked up his cloak that had been taken off, passed by her side and went outside. Maxi, frozen in shock, hurried after him.

    Riftan stared at her harshly and swung back and forth. He, who had been holding the saddle tightly as if he was suppressing his feelings to explode, soon sat down on top of Talon.

    "We don't know when the beasts who attacked this place will come back. Before the sun goes down, we need to go hurriedly so prepare to leave. We need to move to Sebron. "

    Maxi looked confused. "Riftan... are you going with us?”

    "Didn't they ask for support?" He twisted his lips cynical.

    "The Knights of the Remdragon are the reinforcements."

    "But…."

    Maxi, who had vaguely read a sign of danger from his face, quickly shut up. Riftan, who looked down at her with dark eyes, soon turned his horse's head and went down to where the Knights of Remdragon camped.

    Maxi looked vacantly at his back as he moved away. If he had been mad at her, she would not have felt so sad and miserable. She curled herself up in her cloak.

    The cold winter wind seemed to permeate the inside of her ribs.
    Feeling her eyelids getting heavier, Maxi rubbed her stiff eyelids one after another. There was a very good reason why she was getting exhausted. Until yesterday, they had barely managed to cross the border by running their horses nonstop. Then, they found a ruined city, recovered their body without a break, and prepared for the camp.

    She was exhausted, both emotionally and physically, with Ogre's death and Riftan's neglect.

    "Are you all right?"

    Elliot, who rode against the line, looked at her haggard face and asked anxiously. Maxi nodded her head in the sense that she was all right. The answer was yes, but it was hard to keep her eyes open. He stared at her face and asked hesitantly.

    "If you don't mind, why don't you ride my horse with me? Why don't you lean on me and close your eyes for a moment....”

    "If that's the case, I'll do it!" Yuri Xion stepped in quickly. "I'm my lady's escort!"

    He looked a little nervous, worried that his position would be threatened. Maxi bit her lips. She was instantly tempted, but she wasn't the only one who was tired. Even though it was hard to show outstanding performance than others, she didn't want to show at least inferiority or lagging behind others. She shook her head stubbornly.

    "Everyone’s tired. I'll go on my own, so don't worry."

    "I mean, it's fine. In the past, I had three men on board so..’’

    "Take a break here."

    Elliott stopped talking at the sudden heavy voice. Riftan, who stood up in front of their horse, turned the horse's head and shouted.

    "Caron! Take some of your men and make sure there are no monsters hiding around here."

    "Yes, sir!"

    Elliot answered loudly and left the line with some knights. Maxi managed to get off her horse with the help of a glass Xion. The long horseback riding made her thighs and hips throb as if they had bruised, and her back and waist were stiff and painful.

    She sat under a tree that seemed to have been cut off by a lumberjack and looked around the other wizards. Everyone was sitting on a rock or on the ground resting. Arnett and Sidina, who had been talking so energetically, were exhausted, and they became so quiet that they were quenching their thirst with ale.

    Maxi just wanted to lay her head down and keep her eyes close for a while. However, she couldn't let Rem be as exhausted as she was. She managed to lower her saddle from her back by the side of Rem, who was sitting on the floor, and leaned against her horse. Rem bothered her with a wet nose, but she didn't have the energy to push her away.

    She began to nod off. Suddenly, something fell on Maxi, she looked up in surprise. Riftan was looking down at her with a dark look.

    "Eat it. If you don't eat when you have time, you won't be able to make it to dinner.”

    Maxi, who was blinking with a puzzled face, slowly lowered her head. There was a fist-sized ball wrapped in dried leaves on the robe. He urged nervously as she just stared at it.

    "Why are you not eating?"

    "Oh… well…."

    Maxi looked blank because it was absurd to give her something to eat after ignoring her completely the whole expedition. She looked up at him again as if she was looking at his intentions, but she couldn't read anything from his cold face in the backlight. She hesitated and picked up what he had handed and carefully peeled the leaves. Inside was a piece of smoked meat. Riftan let out a blunt remark.

    "Do you have anything to drink?"

    "I brought wine."

    Only then did Maxi realize that he was doing a good deed, so she scurried out a bucket of water from Rem's saddle. Then she sat next to him and said, "Why don't you eat with me?" But before she knew it, he went away. Maxi sighed in despair. At best, he spoke to her first, but she lost her chance to talk to him while acting dazed.

    'Still... you haven't completely lost interest in me.’

    Maxi consoled herself looking down at the meat. Then she took out a loaf of bread, ate it with meat, and put her eyes on it for about 10 minutes in front of the campfire. After that, a little bit of strength returned. She rejuvenated, saddled up Rem's back and sat down on it.

    They began to quickly cross the dense forest of coniferous trees again. The sky was gradually turning from scarlet to purple, and dusk was falling on the road. Then the knights took out their torches one by one and lit them.

    The expedition was not able to reach its own operations until the surrounding area was completely dark. As the knights approached the black wall made of logs, the guards on the watchtower shouted loudly.

    "What's the matter?"

    "It's the Knights of the Remdragon.’’
    Max heard the cold voice of Riftan.

    "Let the ladies use the guest room. We'll sleep in the hall."

    "Give our room to the wizards," Kuahel followed. The butler opened his mouth wide as if to argue back, and soon gave the servants a sigh of resignation, telling them to take guests to their rooms. Wizards climbed the stairs, appreciating the consideration of the knights. Max fumbled at the side of Riftan for no reason. Riftan, who nodded at the news that he would set fire to the sauna, turned his head toward her. Max shrugged her shoulders in his sharp eyes. Somehow he looked worse than before.

    "What are you doing standing still, not going up to the room?"

    "That's, ··." Max, who tried to ask if he would talk to her for a moment, blushed at the curious eyes of the knights and closed her mouth.

    "Oh, nothing." Then she went up the stairs.

    ×××××××××××××××××××
    Dawn the next day, Maxi went out towards the stables...
    ×××××××××××××××××××

    Max, who was about to run there, suddenly stopped. Not far away, Riftan was sitting with its long legs stretched out. Max opened her eyes wide. He leaned almost on Talon's back, his arms folded around his chest, and his eyes closed softly.

    "Riftan? Why in a place like this?" As I tried to reach him over the bushes, Talon, who was sitting on the floor trying to get to him, snorted loudly as if to be quiet. Max hurriedly shut her mouth. It seemed to me that I should not disturb his rest. She stood motionless for a moment, held her breath, then carefully moved her steps and crouched in front of him as Riftan showed no sign of waking up.

    He gently relaxed his mouth and then lowered his long eyelashes, which, unexpectedly, seemed so tender and tired. Feeling her heart tightened, Max groped his face with her eyes. No matter how cold and lonely he looked, she just wanted to hold him tightly in her arms and warm him up. She sat with her knees in her arms, giving a sigh of distress.

    Then, a stream of wind shook his hair lightly and passed by. Max watched impatiently as a few strands of hair pierced his eyelids. There is a faint wrinkle in the forehead of the Riftan. After hesitating for a long time, Max reached out her hand carefully and handed over his bangs. Then I could feel the soft, warm breath on my wrist.

    She flinched and looked down at his straight nose and the shapely lips beneath it. Then, she leaned down impulsively and touched his lips slightly.

    At that moment, Riftan lifted his eyelids. Max hardened stiffly. He was staring at her with clear eyes as if he had fallen asleep. His face was soaring with an expressionless glance that could not be understood.

    She hurried back. Then a large hand with leather gloves wrapped around the nape of her neck as if snatched. Max groaned, feeling the hot tongue penetrating her mouth. He has leaned his head deeper, pulling her over his lap. His steely arms have tightened her waist as tightly as chains, and a muscular firm chest gently crush her chest.

    Max gasped wildly, caught in his black eyes. It was as if I were hugging a fireball. Flames seemed to flow in the blood, and a terrible sense of relief, passion, and longing came at once like a tidal wave, leaving my mind blank. Max grabbed his hem of clothing like it was torn and pulled as hard as she could toward him. At that moment, her eyes met with Ruth Serbel, whose mouth was wide open over his shoulder.
    "Ah, I didn't mean to interrupt! Don't worry about me and just keep doing what you guys are doing!"

    Then he turned quickly. As he was about to leave, his foot got stuck in a tree root. Ruth fell to the floor with a strange scream. Riftan, who was staring at the pathetic figure with a cold look, kicked his tongue and stood up.

    Talon naturally rose from his seat along with Riftan. He stroked the thick neck Talon and asked Ruth in a dismal tone.

    "What's going on?"

    Ruth looked up at Riftan with a glaring look and sighed and held out the parchment he was holding in his hand.

    "This is a telegram from Lord Aren. I came here because I thought you'd have to see this as soon as possible....”

    He glanced at Maxi and added an excuse.

    "Who would have thought you were doing that in a place like this? I didn't mean to interrupt you."

    His pulse turned almost purple, not red. Riftan threw a warning glance at Ruth, then picked up the telegram as if he had snatched it up. His face became serious, whether it was written in a bad content or not.

    "Where's Hebaron?"

    "Weren’t you with Sir Nitta, Sir Calypse? How would I know where he is?"

    Ruth answered in a Bolmen voice and rose from his seat to shake off his robe. Riftan put the telegram into his pocket and helped Maxi up, which was still sitting on the floor, with a blunt touch.

    Maxi staggered for a moment, then balanced out. Riftan, looking down at her with a dark look, straightened his posture and turned to Ruth.

    "I'll leave the horse in the stable, so go to the castle first and call the knights."

    Then he led Talon into the stable. Maxi looked at his back with a blank look. While she was as distracted and confused as if she had drowned, he looked as calm as if nothing had happened. She wondered if she daydreamed. She smoothed her slightly swollen lips. Then, a heavy sigh from Ruth could be heard.

    "…there's no luck."

    She looked back at him with her hands removed from her lips. Ruth said with an awkward expression as he was scratching his head.

    "I'm sorry to interrupt your good time unintentionally."

    "Okay, that's it!"

    She screamed and walked away toward the castle. Ruth grumbled after her as he followed her.

    "Do you think I wanted to see that? I will have nightmares from now on. I understand it’s been a long time you guys have seen each other, but please do it in the right time and place."

    She gazed at him with a prick. He hasn't changed a bit over the years. Maxi, who had been staring disapprovingly at him, spouted out harshly.

    "It's been a while since we met... Is that all you have to say?”

    "It's been a long time since I've seen you." Ruth answered back and looked her down from head to toe.

    "You haven't changed a bit."

    "…as do you." There is no such thing as a flattering reunion with him. She sighed.

    "Where have you been all this time? You didn't hide away from the world's top wizards, did you?

    "Who's been hiding?” Ruth chanted with a snort.

    M: Riftan! Uh, what's going on?
    R: I'm here to talk
    He said bluntly and took the book from her arm. Max looked happy.
    M: I, I wanted to talk to Riftan, too. Actually, I've been to the room a few times, but I can't wake you up because you seem to be sleeping soundly. (Maxi, your hubby is definitely pretending haha)
    R: I'm planning to send some of the Knights of Remdragon back to Anatol. I'd like you to come back then.
    He cut her words off. Max looked up at him with a frozen look. A smile lifted from her face in an instant. She glared at him with a cold look.
    M: Well, I've heard there's a good chance we'll make it in a couple of weeks. By the way, are you trying to disperse all the important forces?
    R: Weddon's Royal Army will arrive in Ethylene in a few days. We have enough power. Then you should go back to Anatol with the knights
    He said in a calm tone.
    M: Is that an order or a favor?
    R: It's a request.
    When she gave no answer, Riftan nervously said.
    R: What's the answer?
    M: How many knights are you going to send?
    R: About fifty.
    Whether she took her question as a sign of consent, a look of relief passed through his face.
    R: Karon's coming with you. I'll get a maid to wait on you so you don't feel uncomfortable on your way.
    M: Thank you, but I'll pass. I'm not going back.
    Max replied with a slightly gentle retort and took the book from his hand. One eyebrow of Riftan wriggled. He leaned towards her and gently moved her.
    R: Tell me again.
    M: I'm not going back.
    Max took the book to her chest and took a step back. Riftan's jaw tightened firmly. She added quickly before he took his lips off again.
    M: Well, at this point in time, does it make sense to separate the knights? Even if the Royal Army is coming, they're not your loyal knights.
    R: You're trying to teach me about military matters?
    Riftan looked down at her with arrogant eyes and laughed in vain. Max raised her chin in a fit of rage. M: Well, if you'll send well-trained knights off in the face of war, I think an advice is needed.
    R: I don't need your advice.
    M: That's good. Then we'll have nothing to say.
    Max turned coldly. I felt stupid because I was anxious to talk to him. She left Riftan and began to stomp out of the hall. Riftan strode after her.
    R: Is that your answer to my polite request?
    M: Now, did you say polite request? you must have misunderstood the meaning of the word 'polite'!
    R: Okay! Then I'll give you an order. Go back to Anatol!
    M: I refuse!
    She shouted in a shrill voice. The servants who were passing through the corridor stopped and looked at them. But I couldn't even think of saving face. She glanced at him with rebellious eyes and then shifted her steps again. Riftan walked along her and spoke harshly.
    R: I'm your husband.
    Max snorted and walked faster.
    M: Well, that's amazing. I thought you were forgetting that fact.
    R: What does that mean?
    M: What do you think it means?
    R: I don't want to play with you.
    M: Well, then, we'll have nothing more to say!
    Max was now almost running across the hall. Riftan snatched her arm. The pile of books fell to the floor, but no one cared. Riftan, who drove her into a corner so she wouldn't run away, said, pointing at the wall.
    R: I mean, you don't even want to hear it, do you? It's all about doing what you want to do.
    M: Ri, Riftan, you don't want to listen to me at all!
    She pushed his chest furiously in a fit of rage. But Riftan didn't even budge. The sight made me more angry. The strongest wall in the world must be more flexible than this man!
    M: I, I was thinking of talking to you anyway! But, uh, you don't even want to consider what I think. How much I care about you, even though I've told you so many times, you don't care! What I'm saying doesn't matter at all, does it?
    His face turned dark red. Riftan opened his mouth wide as if to refute, but when he found her eyes reddened, he closed his chin again. A heavy groan came from his throat.
    R: It's not like that. I'm worried of the same thing happening as before. I don't want to see you hurt again.
    His eyes sank darkly.
    R: If it happens again, I won't be able to keep my sanity.
    M: I was a lot immature then.
    She murmured in a quivering voice. When the memory of the past came to mind, the strength drained away from my shoulder. Max spoke cautiously in a subdued tone.
    M: I know you're worried about me. But, ·· that doesn't mean to put the burden on you. I'd rather stay in ethylene. You don't have to put so many knights as escorts.
    R: No way!
    Riftan cried fiercely. Max looked up at him with puzzled eyes. On the other hand, he made a big concession, but was surprised when the violent response returned. Riftan stared at her and raised his voice as if he were frustrated.
    R: I can't leave you here. Did you forget what happened last time? The crazy wizards that create the undead are roaming this land! What else do you think they're gonna do to leave you here?
    M: Well, then, I guess we have no choice but to go together, right?
    Max looked up at him with a hopeful look. Riftan's face was horrendous. He rubbed his forehead as if his head were pounding and spoke with emphasis.
    R: Go back to Anatol.
    M: But, ··can you really be relieved with that? Wouldn't it be more dangerous to go back? I almost got into trouble while I was on the move with the paladins.
    When I saw Liptan's eyes shaking a little, Max sang with joy.
    M: Being with tens of thousands of elite soldiers may be the safest. Riftan.. wouldn't you be more relieved to have me by your side?
    She wouldn't be relieved without him, either. Max recalled the past few days when Riftan had not been able to get back on time and made her crazy. I felt with my whole body what it meant to be dry. It seemed to me that I was ready to burn for months in such a mood. At that moment, she decided to go with him no matter what.
    M: If you're nervous, I promise you I'll never come forward. I'll just have to go into the medical units and work only in the rear.
    R: No! Stop your sophistry. Anywhere would be safer than a battlefield. I can't take you to that hellhole.
    M: I can't let you go to war with just a hundred knights, either.
    Max gave him a cold look, feeling angry at him for refusing to yield a step. The tendon was strained against the neck of the Riftan. He let out a slow, subdued tone.
    R: How will you stop me if I say I will?
    At that moment, something snapped in her. Max barely dropped it and threw at him the book she had on her side. Riftan, who had his chin hit the corner of the book, took a step back, muttering a small curse word. But in a rage, Max couldn't feel a little sorry for her violent behavior. She screamed whether the servants looked at her or not.
    M: Okay! Everything, do whatever you want! I, I, I'll do as I please!
    R: Damn it, Maxi!
    M: Let go of me!
    She violently knocked out his hand trying to hold her and went straight down the hall.

    After this argument, Maxi then signed up with the Allied Forces. ^^
    While sitting in front of a bonfire and having dinner with watery bean porridge, Max found Riftan and looked pleased. Since she started to destroy the magic formula at dawn, she has not seen her husband's shadow all day. She put down the wood bowl and ran towards him at a stroke.

    "Ri, Riftan!"

    Riftan, who was rapidly moving between the tents, stopped at her cry and turned his head. She felt his sharp eyes skimming her from head to toe and quickly smoothed her hair. It was so tangled that I couldn't get over it with just a few brushings. She swallowed a sigh, pressed the hood deeply, and approached him.

    "Where have you been? Ha, I haven't seen you all day.”

    "I'm leading the knights around the mountains. That fucking woman has been screaming for the Oryhalcon lode, and she's been digging up the rubble." (side note: he means Agnes, because they found a Oryhalcon/Orichalcom mine and it seems to be really rare and valuable)

    He glanced back, muttering grimly. Following his gaze, Max found Agnes coming across the square, leading a group of royal knights and blushed her face. It's hard to see my husband once a day, but I was a bit upset that another woman was with him all day. She had a stiff smile around her mouth.

    "So... did you find the lode?”

    "It was a good waste of time."

    He gave the reins of Talon to the servant who was following him and massaged him tiredly.

    "It's a good thing, but finding a lode or something will only lead to a conflict.”

    "Well, if you think so...You didn't have to go out looking.”

    She lowered her eyes to see if he had read an unpleasant note from her voice. Mac tried hard to pretend to be calm. Fortunately he didn't seem to notice any of her narrow jealousy. Riftan answered in a nonchalant way.

    "I went out to search the hideouts of the demons. I was going to take a look around the city anyway. Well, even that didn't pay much."

    He murmured bitterly and looked at her carefully.

    "Well, how have you been? I've heard you're starting to stop searching and start dispelling spell from today, isn't it hard?"

    "Well, not at all. It's better than I thought, so we'll be able to finish it by tomorrow.”

    "From tomorrow on, Lobar will escort you again, so take him with you." (side note: Lobar is Yurixion, Lobar is his last name)

    Max frowned. Three or four knights of the Remdragon Knights were looming around already to escort her. In addition, there was no need to add a high-ranking article, which ranks sixth in the Remdragon Knight. She said firmly.

    "You don't have to. Paladins follow us and....today I was stuck all day with Sir Leon.”

    Riftan, who strode toward the tent with the flag of the Order of Remdragon, stopped at the stand. He squinted his eyes and asked back in a spooky voice.

    "The Holy Sword followed you around?"

    "Not, not me, but...I mean, he escorted the wizards that worked on dispelling the spells. Oh, just in case there's an accident....”

    "Is it necessary for the head of the Devine Knights to take the job himself?"

    He leaned toward her with his arm in front of his chest.

    "You've been strangely stuck with him a lot. He seems strangely caring about you....”

    "Well, not at all! He just found me to be a bit curious....”

    Max, who was flustering and making excuses, suddenly shut her mouth. Does he have any right to question her after spending all day with the princess? Furthermore, the opponent is a high priest! She said softly, suppressing her surging rebelliousness.

    "Well... because my husband is neglecting me...Could it be that he cares about it?." (here I'm now 100% sure if the translation is right, that's what was written in Korean: “그야…. 남편
    되시는 분께서 몰라라 방치하고 있으니…. 안돼 보여서 신경 주시는 아닐까요?)

    Riftan's face hardened at that.

    "You... are you saying I'm neglecting you?"

    With his truly absurd tone of speech, she looked down at the floor with a coy look. Then Riftan lifted her chin and forced her to look at him. And after looking into her eyes for a while, he read out the signs of dissatisfaction in them and laughed in vain.

    "You really think so. Why on earth should I take such blame? When did I neglected you?”

    "Well, since the war started... You've been acting cold all along."

    Even though I didn't mean to do so, a blaming sound came out without realizing it. Max blushed and stuttered.

    "Well, even though the war is just over... there's no time to talk properly... and it's hard to see your face for a second...”

    "So what? Instead of a hard-to-see husband, you're flirting with another man?"

    Riftan said sarcastically. Max glared at him with an angry look.

    "Who, who was flirting? Don't talk dirty! And you, too. Oh, you've been with princess Agnes all day!"

    "She's my boss! I was only assisting as an lieutenant!"

    "Sir, Sir Leon just escorted me as a wizard!"

    She frowned her brows as if she could not understand him.

    "Wha, what kind of ridiculous suspicion are you making? He's a priest!"

    "And where in the world are the priests with a row of illegitimate children?"

    Riftan spat out. Max hardened her face.

    "Are you... are you seriously doubting me?”

    The cynicism that floated in the mouth of Riftan slowly faded away in her ice-like look. He hesitated, scratching his hair roughly.

    "I didn't mean that. I just don't like... other men hanging around you."

    "He's not a man. He's a priest! He didn't even hang around me."

    She spat out coldly. The confession would have softened her heart if it had been the usual, but she was not moved because she was offended by the outrageous criticism. Max stared at him with a reproach glance and shot him one more word.

    "Oh, how could you have such a dirty suspicion?"

    "I guess it’s because I was born dirty."

    The tone in his voice rose again.

    "I'm sorry if I hurt your sensibility. The sight of two people sitting next to each other and muttering the other day is clearly imprinted in my memory. Just hearing that they've been together all day makes me have dirty imagination again.”

    Max had a puzzled look on her face, not understanding what he meant and blushed as she recalled what had happened while spying on him. In fact, I was in no position to tell him what to do. She himself boiled with jealousy and then followed him and Agnes. She swallowed dry saliva and murmured awkwardly.

    "Ha, as I said then... We... just had a quiet discussion. What is not honorable of... I didn't do.”

    My voice crawled away. In fact, it is not fair to spy on him. As if her awkward attitude had aroused suspicion, Riftan's eyes narrowed again.

    "What the hell do you have to discuss with him?”

    "Well, it's... it's confidential... I can't say."

    His brows were creased by the rough words. Riftan stared at her and smirked.

    "It's a secret you can't tell your husband. My dirty imagination is about to be activated again.”

    Max stared at him in a fit of rage.

    "So, what did you talk about with princess Agnes? According to my memory... I think you two were secretly flirting."

    "Why do you keep mentioning her?"

    He spat out like a person who was tested for patience.

    "You know very well that there is nothing between the princess and me. You pretend to be jealous and keep trying to gloss over what happened that day, so that you don't seem suspicious."

    "Gee, I'm not pretending to be jealous, I'm really jealous! Me, too, I get angry when I see you with another woman!"

    Max, who raised her voice in frustration and resentment, felt that it was strangely quiet around them and came to her senses. As the reason that had left returned, a cold sweat broke out behind her back.

    She moved her stiff head and looked around. All the knights and soldiers busily carrying meals between camps stopped what they were doing and stared blankly at them.

    She pressed the hood deeper, her face reddening. If there was a hole, I wanted to crawl and hide inside it. I just ran to see my husband, but why did I end up having such a stupid fight? She murmured.

    "Ri, Riftan... you stupid idiot.”

    And before he said anything, she fled to her tent.
    Maxi quietly watched as the soldiers scattered throughout the castle under the guidance of the servants, and then pulled the luggage down from Rem’s saddle. Annette, glancing at the figure, suddenly asked a question.

    “What are you going to do?”

    She looked back at Annette with confused eyes.

    “What...what?”

    “I mean the accommodation. Are you going to use the same room with us again?”

    Maxi blushed and avoided her gaze. She couldn’t figure out what to answer. She wanted to share a room with Riftan, but she was afraid of how he would react.

    After that day’s ridiculous quarrel, she couldn’t even talk to him properly. She was exhausted from his attitude of closing the door of his heart again if she wanted to get closer. Maxi was looking down on the floor and quickly smiled.

    “Oh, yes. I am a member of the top world wizard. I can’t be treated alone.”

    “During the war, I thought it was right to stay with us to lead the other wizards. You don’t have to do that anymore.”

    Annet said, frowning. Maxi countered it with a blunt tone.

    “Well, whether it is necessary or not, it’s a matter for me to decide.”

    Annette glanced at her face, sighing and nodded.

    “Okay, do whatever you feel comfortable with.”

    Then she pulled the pack off the saddle and put it on his shoulders, waited for the reins she had in her hand, handed it to the good servant and beckoned to her.

    “Come on, let’s go. After organizing my luggage, I have to go straight to see Calto.”

    “No, she won’t go with you.”

    Suddenly, a voice was heard from overhead. Maxi turned around. Riftan picked up a package from her shoulder. Wrapped it over his shoulder and bluntly added.

    “My wife is going with me.”

    Maxi looked up at him with amazed eyes and hardened her face slightly. Contrasting emotions of joy and anger flowed in at the same time. Her eyes were overwhelmed by his eyes looking down at her. She disliked the appearance of casually claiming his rights.

    She firmly squeezed the arm held by Riftan. In an instant, there was an impulse to shake off his hand. But she didn’t want to blow up the opportunity to restore the relationship to build pride. Haven’t you been waiting for him to come first? Maxi turned her head towards Annette, resolving.

    “I’m sorry. I just...I’ll stay with my husband.”

    She felt a slight escaping strength from Riftan’s grasp.Are you nervous about getting rejected? As I looked closely at his expressionless face, Annette’s anxious voice came.

    “Are you okay?”

    The words seemed to have touched Riftan’s stomach. He stared at her with a sharp glance.

    “She’s with me, why wouldn’t it be okay?”

    Annette’s face was slightly distorted. When Maxi realized she was about to say something sarcastic, Maxi quickly opened her mouth.

    “Riftan is right. I’m okay.. Don’t worry.”

    Annette looked closely at her, shrugged once and followed the wizards. Maxi looked up at Riftan again. He still had a numb face with no way of knowing.

    “Come on.”

    Riftan drew one arm above her shoulder and pulled it closer. She was able to take on the masculine body scent in his arms. He couldn’t have washed it properly after a long journey, but why doesn’t it smell anything unpleasant? He always smelled leather and faint musk.

    “I will use the room I used to use.”

    Riftan spoke to Sejour Aren, who was giving orders to the servants on one side of the station. He nodded happily.

    “ Do what you like. The servants will immediately bring water and food.”

    Then he added with a mischievous smile.

    “I told you to set fire in the sauna, but what are you going to do?”

    “ I don’t need it.”

    Riftan replied bluntly and took her up the stairs. She suddenly felt her pulse beating rapidly. She heard a spiteful laugh behind her back.

    “Oops, my pleasure is one less. Well, it wouldn’t be bad to build a close friendship with dear sir Leon at this opportunity.”

    She looked back. Sejour’s arm was bent while he was shouldering the icy priest. As she looked at it with wide eyes, Riftan took her and went into the building.
     
  15. Elfstress

    Elfstress Well-Known Member

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    I just check in to see if the author is back to writing/ alleviating us of blue balls. Just get the couple to their bedroom already.:
     
    ptt33 and bradpitt69 like this.
  16. shaizinaquinn

    shaizinaquinn New Member

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    Small correction it was his father who was from the south and gave him the darker skin.
     
  17. jujurlah

    jujurlah Well-Known Member

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    UNCATEGORIZED CHAPTERS - NONE OF THESE ARE SPOILED BY ME
    so they need to go to another subjugation but Ruth is currently in another place. They need a wizard or a priest to be their healer. Maxi tried to get Riftan to agree to bring her but he would get so angry and told her that he would rather die than bring her. Riftan bargained with Aderon (the merchant Maxi bought the renovation materials from) for him to hire a wizard. He don't care how much it would cost and would even pay 10x the fee. Aderon told Riftan to wait for two days for the result. Riftan was angry at Maxi at this time because she kept on insisting to come as she can heal. He doesn't even go to their room to sleep.

    Maxi thought that if Riftan wouldn't listen to her then he would listen to the knights. She approached Hebaron and told him that she should go with them as going to a subjugation without a healer is very dangerous. The funny thing is every time Maxi would tell a knight that she should come with them their immediate answer would be, "The Lord will never permit it". Even their newly hired low-ranking wizard (Medrick) told her that.

    So two days have passed and Aderon could not find a wizard to go with them. The knights are in a meeting and Hebaron spoke on Maxi's behalf that she should go with them. Maxi was also on the verge of convincing the knights when Riftan came. Riftan got so angry that he and Hebaron are ready to fight but Gabel intervened. Maxi also told them that she does not only know healing but some defensive spells. One knight suggested that they should try the durability of Maxi's defensive spell. If her spell can withstand their blow, then a monster couldn't break her barrier. The knights agree and now Riftan can't disagree because it is a logical suggestion.

    They all went to the training grounds and was so surprised that Riftan was taking out his sword. :blobhero: Riftan insists that he should be the one to try it out but the other knights cried that even Ruth could not withstand his blow. It is unfair for the no.1 knight to test out Maxi's barrier. (Hahahahah riftan is so petty)

    Riftan allowed Maxi to pick the knight to test her barrier albeit begrudgingly. Maxi looked over the knights and looked at Gabel. In Maxi's eyes the other knights are full of muscles and Gabel is the thinnest of them all. (She was not very confident of her defensive spell here). Funny scene is Gabel asked her why she chose him. She just told him that he looks capable even though they all know her reason hahahha. Maxi put up a defensive spell and it did not break when Gabel struck it. :aww: Riftan then allowed her telling her to "Do whatever you want".
    They arrived at the Servin Castle and Maxi worked there as a healer. She does not use magic as she heals many people. One day, Ruth ans Elliot finally arrived at that place. He was rescued by Riftan and the Remdragon knights.

    (Their meeting is actually funny and what made me write this long spoiler. Haha. Ruth is my favorite character from Under the Oak Tree aside from Maxi and Riftan. He is a great friend and mentor of Maxi. )

    Maxi approached Ruth to give him water. Ruth did not bother looking at her and just took the water mistaking her as just another one of the priestess so Maxi touched his arm. The moment Ruth saw her, he stood up as if he was struck by lightning and was about to scream but Maxi told him to be quiet. Ruth asked Maxi if she is now a priestess and what about Sir Calypse lol. Maxi told him not to say any nonsense. She asked him barrage of questions like is Riftan okay, is he okay, she heard that there were injured knights from Remdragon but Ruth told her to give him some time to clear his head because Maxi just popped out of nowhere.

    Ruth asked if the Grand Duke knows that she's here. She told him that no one knows that she's there and that she's hiding her identity. Ruth told her that Riftan would be upset. Maxi told him to be quiet.

    Ruth's reply is as follows:

    "Why are you doing this to me? Please hide it so desperately from me too! You don't have to get me involved."


    Max's eyes narrowed at the harsh words. Her heart that was so glad that tears were coming quickly disappeared.

    "Oh, it's been a long time since... Is that all you have to say? Well, how worried I have been... !"

    "Then, did you think that I would be happy to meet you and dance?"

    Maxi was kinda sad by Ruth's reaction to being there. Ruth was the one who taught her the use of herbs and magic but he was not happy that she was a healer there. She thought to herself if Ruth's reaction was like that, what more would Riftan's reaction be. Ruth was proud of her progress though and helped her hide from Riftan. He told her that if her intention is to just see if Riftan is safe the she must observe him 1km away. Maxi was surprised (lol) but Ruth told her that Riftan's has excellent senses moreso if she's around.

    They arrived at the last place they will move to before the final battle. Maxi accidentally saw Riftan when she was about to take a bath in a lake. She immediately pulled her hood and was about to turn away when Riftan stopped her and asked her to look up. Idsilah(the noble lady with her) jumped in between them and explained that priestess are forbidden to look at men and they should go now. Riftan allowed them to pass but the moment that they turned their backs he pulled Maxi's hood.

    Riftan was so angry. They were having a shouting match at the barracks but was stopped by Uslin (this is also the time Maxi told Riftan that she is not a duke's daughter but a knight's wife from previous spoilers). He told them that they have gathered spectators outside and if they do not plan on sharing their story then they should stop. Riftan left because he might say words he would regret and would cool his head first. Maxi cried after this and Uslin felt awkward so he called Ruth and Elliot. Yurizion also came with them. Everyone is scolding Ruth because he hid Maxi. Even Uslin scolded Ruth and told him that he should have prioritized Maxi's safety above all. Maxi defended Ruth as best as she could.
    When they met again in part 2, Riftan was cold to Maxi (partly due to his sexual frustrations). He knows that it is not the time to relieve them (lol) because they are mainly sleeping outside. Hebaron found the whole situation funny haha. Maxi, however, thought that Riftan was still mad at her to the point that he does not want to stay next to her. (chapter 36) At one point of their trip, monsters attacked them and the horses for their supplies was taken away so some need to share horses. Maxi thought that it would be natural for her to share with Riftan but Riftan called Ruth instead and explained that Maxi's horse is small and not fit for the carriage. :blobrofl::blobrofl: Ruth tried to give a solution that Maxi and Riftan should share a horse while he will use Maxi's horse. Riftan glared at him so he has no choice but to comply lol.

    Their first kiss happened when Maxi saw Riftan sleeping in the stables. She kissed him and the kiss turned passionate but Ruth unintentionally interrupted hahahaha. Riftan wanted to continue but Maxi was so embarassed. (Happened earlier than spoilers above) He was still cold to her after this though.

    Maxi got fed up with Riftan's cold treatment in chapter 34 of part 2. Maxi and the other wizards put up a barrier because they were being attacked by a serpent(mtl). Riftan stepped in infront of her and rushed towards the serpent. His sword absorbed the serpent's breath and he quickly decapitated it. Maxi wanted to look if he has any injuries but he kept on declining so Maxi blew up :blobjoy:. She threw pine cones at Riftan and when there are no more pine cones she threw snow. She managed to land a snowball at Riftan's face. (Note that they were in front of 200 Holy Knights, Remdragon Knights, and wizards hahhaha)

    Their conversation after this is as follows:

    He scratched his head, brushed his eyes, and stepped forward in a couple of steps. Then she snatched her arm quickly and roared violently with teeth.

    "What the hell are you doing?"


    "Wow, who's talking. What the hell, do you intend to ignore people forever! if you have any complaints... You can tell! This, this yellow! Stupid idiot!"

    As she twisted her arms and kicked, Riftan clenched his teeth. Then turned his head and threw a sharp gaze at the people looking at them with exciting gazes.:)blobjoy::blobjoy::blobjoy:) Then he lifted her up with one arm and strided toward the forest.

    Max lifted up like a pack on his side, writhing like an angry foal, and poured out all the rants she knew.

    "this An arrogant jerk! A narrow fool inside! in the meantime... How did I study... ! Do you know how desperately I've been trying so hard to come back as soon as possible? if you ignore this, this, like this... Why did you follow me?!"

    "What do you want me to do?"

    Max could clearly feel the faint cramping

    of his arm on the side of his head. Riftan has tilted his head so close that their nose almost touch.

    "As if you had never left me, as if I had

    never been left behind, as if I had never spent each day in despair in the past three years. Do you want to behave like that? Do you really think I can?"

    He shook his shoulders as if suppressing the passion, but eventually lost control and shouted wildly.

    "How can you be so calm? Why is it so okay? You really don't know I'm barely going through this ridiculous situation? Damn it! I really don't know how desperately I'm holding on so I'm scratching like that!"

    A bang, and a fist wrapped in a gauntlet broke into the tree trunk.

    "How do I feel right now - !"

    Max squeezed hi neck as one hand of Riftan tightened and hurt her forearm. Riftan hastily released his hand. There was a deep sense of self-destruction on his face. Riftan, who had rubbed his face roughly as if to attract patience, hurried back from her. Mac noticed that he was about to kill his feelings again, and hastily pulled

    his hem.

    "Well, don't hide it that way! I hate what

    you do!"

    His eyes, looking down at her, trembled

    helplessly. Mac screamed earnestly, grasping his cloak so he couldn't escape.

    "You just have to talk! How do you feel, you can tell me directly! It's okay to resent. I want you to be honest. Being ignored in this way... I hate it."

    Riftan told her afterwards that he missed her terribly and they kissed very passionately after lol but they were interrupted when Remdragon knights signalled that there are monsters approaching (the ones who attacked their supplies carriage as mentioned earlier).

    Maxi have come so far from the trembling girl when she saw first saw Riftan. She can now shout at Riftan, kick him, and throw pinecones lol.
    So in part 2 you guys already know about this Riftan being frustated and deeply hurt by Maxi that he took a great ordeal to being icy and cold towards her, rejecting her advances and stuffs like that. Somewhere in the 2nd war while Remdragon Knights, Holy Knights and Tower Wizards are camping, our cute Maxi who missed Riftan so much after being separated for 3 years, tried to get to Riftan whenever there's a chance. While seeing Riftan and Quahel debating in the camp like Tom and Jerry (as usual), Maxi who finishes doing her cooking chores for the expedition, took an initiative to bring food towards Riftan who presumably not eating any dinner yet. She took a bowl of soup (is it soup or not I kinda forgot, forgive me), and took the largest piece of meat to it and brings it towards Riftan who was still debating with Quahel Leon. Then she said here I bring you some food, please eat, I learn how to cook while in hogwarts hence I cook this myself (how cute is our Maxi :aww:). But Riftan being a cold prick he was due being deeply hurt by Maxi, of course rejects her :facepalm:, only saying I'm not hungry yet, you go eat first. But Maxi said that she already ate so she didn't need to eat anymore. Riftan then again rejects her food nevertheless. :notlikeblob: Quahel Leon hearing all the couple banter, then interrupts saying "If he (Riftan) doesn't want it, then I'll take it" Everyone was surprised hearing that. Then Quahel Leon the politely asked "Can I?" Maxi of course can not refuse of such polite request then awkwardly tried to give the food towards Quahel Leon, but before she does that, Riftan immeadiately grabs her hand to prevent her. "I've changed my mind. I'm going to eat the food" said Riftan. LMAOOOOO Riftan :blobjoy::blobjoy::blobjoy: Maxi is the helen of troy.
    Again, apparently somewhere in the 2nd war, while the expedition is spying on the city of demons castle, Riftan goes inside the city of demons but haven't yet returned. Quahel Leon as the leader of then goes like we can't stay anymore, can't waste more precious days, we already waited and waited. But Maxi of course, being her previous protests to Quahel being dismissed (she didn't want to leave without Riftan and wants to at least continue wait for him), stopped protesting. Ruth finds it weird. And in the night, Ruth's hunch was true, Maxi tried to grab some horse and supplies to search for Riftan alone. But soon was caught in the act by Ruth and Quahel Leon. After debating hard with Quahel Leon, our Maxi didn't intend to give up and wants to "rescue" her hubby:blobsweat_2:.

    "In that case, you leave me no choice" said Quahel Leon, tired of debating Maxi :blobsweat: Hearing that triumph, Maxi feels a bit suspicious but soon continues to depart. Not long after that, she saw a large hand over her face and suddenly she lost all her strength and fainted. Quahel Leon then swoop Maxi in his arms and took her away. Appearantly Quahel Leon is the one who did that, he cast a paralysis spell and also heavy sleep spell. Hence, Maxi becames sleeping beauty for three days because of that. And when she wake up, she was in the wagon and was furious to Quahel Leon.
    After allied forces wins the siege of the Demon City, Maxi and the other wizard still have duty to collect any valuable information and also to search for monster hideout there before the place is going to be burned down to the ground by the Holy Knights. So, there's the time that Quahel Leon himself escort the wizards including Maxi. While Maxi is casting magic in doing her job, she soon exhausted, seeing that Quahel Leon ran to her like her personal escort and debated a while about why Maxi have lower mana energy then the other wizards and stuff. Apparently Quahel is curious about Maxi to the point he was blatantly staring at her. Soon it turns awkward and Maxi was like "Why are you looking at me like that?" Quahel Leon eyes widened a bit (so, at this point he was not as cold expressionless as before), probably because he was caught staring at her

    Apparently Maxi was feeling offended by him looking at her like that, so while Quahel asked back what kind of expression is he making, Maxi said that he was looking at her curiously as if she was some sort of a strange creature. Now, in here, since it was Maxi's POV and we all know that she have this low self-esteem issue, it was probably not like that. Quahel was definitely interested at her. My fangirl radar says so

    Then, Quahel soon apologized politely to her for making her feel unpleasant and the rest of the story has been spoiled before in another post before, the one that Riftan was taken aback by the fact that Quahel Leon is stuck all day with Maxi. Riftan was like why the hell Quahel has to go there himself to escort Maxi even though as the leader he doesn't need to.

    OVERT ANNED: So, Quahel Leon at first started as a cold icy priest without showing any human emotions, but later he gradually became interested in Maxi. He definitely cares about Maxi to a great extent since he is actually quite ruthless enough to take a risk of sacrificing human lives for greater good but then again, insists on saving Maxi many times when he actually can leave her to die whatsoever. So, there is definitely a thing about Quahel Leon towards Maxi.
    One time in part 2 without the remdragon yet, exhausted Maxi sat down near the bonfire. She wrapped herself with a blanket and eat hot stew but she started to doze off and couldn't overcome her fatigue. At that time, Kuahel grabbed her back before she fall over and asked her to sleep in the tent. It was a chilly night and Kuahel being so thoughtful asked Yurixion to bring over the furnace. He was described with cold personality but acts really caring towards our Maxi.
    When they learned the exact location of the monster city, they formed a small team for an investigation. The wizards are not volunteering and there's only one more slot left so they were selecting from the 3 wizards that are capable of search magic (Maxi, Annette, Royald). Royald is known for being a gambler and he suggested to decide who will go by playing a dice game. Annette never played before but agrees. Maxi thinks she's good so she agreed. She even felt sad for Annette (she thinks Annette will lose), but she also doesn't want to worry Riftan more. In the middle of the game, Elliot and Yurixion went inside the barracks to ask the wizards if they already decided who will participate. They were surprised that the wizards are deciding thru gambling. They looked at Maxi's cards and she asked if something is wrong. Yurixion said she is losing but Maxi answered she's second place haha. Riftan also went inside and the room became quiet and tensed. He almost scream when he learned what they're doing. They continued playing while Riftan give them pressure by just watching..Maxi lost in the end.

    Yurixion whispered: "My lady, just speak and I will silently treat it as an accident!".

    Riftan who was holding his forehead, looked at Maxi with a somber look, sighed then went out.

    Elliot comforted Maxi: "From the beginning, we were going to go together, so don't worry too much. This is what I expected."
    SWEETANENG: How Riftan got the dresses Maxi wore in Anatol when she first came weren't specified in the novel..probably they were bought on the same day. Actually, Maxi's doubts on previous lovers were not resolved yet in the story. Even though Riftan told her many times he wasn't familiar with women, it wasn't fully cleared.

    In early chapters, Ruth narrated to Maxi how riftan gathered money like a madman to build the walls. This part is included in Riftan's POV chapters (most already spoiled here). When Riftan got back to Anatol after meeting the grownup Maxi, Ruth told him they needed more funds to continue the wall construction. Riftan thought how Maxi will think if she sees Anatol and how inferior it is compared to Croix castle. He just kept thinking about her all the time after meeting her again like a teenager in love. :love: So Riftan, accumulated golds and treasures to raise funds and Ruth was super happy about it lol. He noticed that aside from gold, there were women's jewelries and asked Riftan if he went to an ancient queen's tomb. Ruth even said to sell those jewelries for more golds but Riftan told him NO hahah. The jewelries, including a tiara with precious stones :love:, were bought by Riftan. Why? We can only guess that even if he thinks Maxi is out of his league, he can't stop himself from getting jewelries for her..like how he secretly gave her pebbles even when he's exhausted just to make her happy.
     
  18. Deleted member 361214

    Deleted member 361214 Guest

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    The old and veterans here might come back...when the Part 3 is finally released coz of course, they were waiting also. Eversince the first time a thread of UOT was made, the angels here (the spoilers) finished the Book 1 and almost the Book 2. Somehow I am amazed if there's a person here who's korean and engaging themselves here giving an english translation
    I believe that all this months of author's break has something to do with regular check-up, therapy and health training since it was said in one of our peeps here that the author is suffering from a herniated disc which is degenerative, it is crucial for the author, I doubt if she can even focus to do even bit by bit but yes it's a bit frustrating, her publication might have felt the same way too but overall, let's just hope for the best. We all wanted a great ending but let's not put so much pressure that it might be even harder for the author to get back
     
    meepmedicine likes this.
  19. beewink

    beewink Well-Known Member

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    Thankk you ….also how long did it take for ridibooks to accept your adult verification? It’s been 2 days for me now and I have yet to hear anything from them…it’s driving me insane because I really want to purchase the book[/QUOTE]


    I received the confirmation in only a few hours. . . But I've seen across the board it can take up to a few days to go through. Give it another day or so and if you haven't heard anything resubmit it
     
  20. Sidetrack

    Sidetrack Well-Known Member

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    I absolutely ADORE this one. toddlers will be a real challenge for Riftan. hehehe! BTW can anyone translate what Maxi and Riftan are saying, I am sure it is PRICELESS!
     
    Last edited: Jun 26, 2021