Chapter Twenty-Two #10
“At the moment, your position within the camp is ambiguous at best,” continued Ruth. “Since you can no longer claim to be a female cleric, Sir Riftan and Princess Agnes have been arguing over the suggestion of conferring you with a position as one of Wedon’s mages.”
“As I mentioned, your tasks will mostly be the same. The only thing that will change is that you will now tend to the wounded as a healer of Wedon and not a female cleric of the basilica,” Agnes explained in a gentle voice.
“You might think it unnecessary, but affiliation matters greatly in an army camp. Soldiers from Livadon, Wedon, Osiriya, and Balto are currently gathered here at Eth Lene. The men are in disarray because the lines of command are a mess. If a problem were to arise without us making your affiliation clear, none of the kingdoms would be able to offer you protection. You have been receiving the protection of the basilica’s soldiers until now, have you not? ”
Maxi nodded.
The princess gazed at her. “Now you must allow Wedon to protect you.”
“I will protect my wife!” Riftan spat, apparently reaching the end of his patience. “I don’t need you meddling in my affairs.”
“Do you intend to stay by her side all day, Sir Riftan?” Agnes retorted cynically, crossing her arms. “And when you are required on the battlefield? What then? Are you going to confine her to your tent? Stop being so stubborn! This is a war, and a war has no need for a noblewoman. If Maximilian remains at this camp as your wife and not as a mage, both of you will become a laughingstock.”
“Let them say whatever they want,” Riftan hissed. “I’ll do my part in this war, but that doesn’t mean my wife has to do the same!”
“But I…want to sh-share your burden,” Maxi interjected. “I-I do not want to be a liability. I wish…to accept Her Highness’s offer.”
Riftan pressed his lips together. She had only just managed to placate him, and now she could see him growing as cold as ice once again. But she could not back down.
“If you recall…I served as a h-healer in Calypse Castle as well. I don’t see h-how this is different,” she insisted. “I won’t overwork myself…so please stop opposing the idea w-without giving me a chance. I know I can do well.”
Riftan’s lips narrowed into a thin line as his eyes bore into Maxi’s face. She saw his gaze darken.
“Fine. Do as you wish,” he replied coldly. “You’re going to do what you want regardless of my objections anyway, so I would rather have someone watching you from the start than have you hoodwink me again.”
Maxi winced at his reproachful tone.
He glared at her for a moment, then turned his back to her. “I will assign men to guard you immediately. You cannot refuse me this.”
With that, Riftan walked out of the tent. Maxi was about to follow him, but Princess Agnes was quick to stop her.
“You should give him some time,” she murmured. “People might think he’s bad-tempered, but deep down, he is a sensible man. Once he has had a chance to cool his head, he’ll see that this is the best option we have.”
Maxi hesitated. “B-But…”
“Sir Riftan seems to be irrationally protective of you. Some might say as if he were trying to protect a six-year-old,” the princess said disapprovingly.
“Of course, that wouldn’t be a problem if you had no objection to it.
But if that is not the case, you must make him see that you possess a will of your own. ”
For some reason, Maxi felt both chastised and encouraged by the princess’s words. Agnes patted Maxi on the shoulder with a boyish grin.
“In any case, I’m truly glad you’re here. There are currently twenty-two mages at Eth Lene Castle, and we are up to our ears casting barriers around the camp, preparing defensive runes, and creating magical devices. We would be grateful for any help we can get.”
“Did you knock heads with Sir Riftan all so you could exploit Lady Calypse?” Ruth asked incredulously, glaring at the princess.
“Exploit her? What a mean thing to say!” Princess Agnes cried shrilly.
Maxi barely suppressed a snort of laughter as she gave Ruth an odd look. Was he not the one who had taught her magic just so he could use her as an assistant?
As if unable to remember his past actions, Ruth declared, “Sir Riftan would never allow it. Besides, it would be difficult to explain this situation to the other mages. I think it’s more than enough that her ladyship is helping at the infirmary.”
Princess Agnes glowered at Ruth before turning to Maxi and clasping her hands. “I do not ask for much, and I most certainly do not intend to exploit you. If you could help us with the formulation of the runes from time to time, I shall be forever in your debt.”
After a brief pause, Maxi nodded. “I-If it is in my ability…I-I will do my best to assist you.”
The princess looked deeply moved. Seeing her grateful face, Maxi suddenly recalled what it was like to help Ruth sort through runes all day and began to grow anxious. She was regretting her rash decision when the princess began to usher her toward the tent entrance.
“Good. Then we should head over to my tent this instant,” Agnes said cheerfully. “I think you are in need of a change of clothes.”
Maxi awkwardly tried to smoothen Riftan’s loose tunic. “First, I-I think I should go to the women’s tent…to fetch my belongings.”
Ruth, who had been waiting for the chance to get away, promptly volunteered. “Allow me to get them for you, my lady.”
Maxi stopped him as he tried to scurry out of the tent. “What do you intend to t-tell the female clerics? I disappeared so s-suddenly…they are bound to be suspicious….”
Ruth shrugged. “You’ve had your face concealed behind a hood until now. No one would recognize you even if you were to reappear as a mage of Wedon.”
Maxi was dumbfounded by how lightly he was taking the matter.
“How many weeks d-do you think I’ve been working with these women?” she asked dubiously. “Some of them surely must have seen my face…. A-And more importantly, some will recognize the way I talk…or my voice.”
After staring up at the ceiling for a moment, Ruth pulled an irritated face and said, “Very well. I will explain the situation to them.”
Maxi frowned. “Wouldn’t my i-impersonating a female cleric…become a problem?”
Ruth shrugged again. “Well, you aren’t a spy, and all you did was volunteer to tend to the wounded.
I don’t see why it would. Even so, there are always those who will sneer and slander, so I suggest we keep this from becoming public knowledge.
” He shook his head. “Fortunately, there are currently more than fifteen thousand people in this camp. I doubt any of them will notice the sudden appearance of a low-level mage from Wedon. You need not worry so much, my lady.”
He lightly patted Maxi on the shoulder and left. With Ruth gone, the princess immediately took Maxi to her tent and gave her new garments to wear.
Donning a pair of trousers and a fresh tunic, Maxi finally found herself dressed in something that was neither rough nor dull.
However, the hem of the trousers dragged on the ground, and they were so tight around her hips that she feared they would rip at the slightest movement.
Feeling like a duck with stubby legs and a bulging rump, Maxi let out a disheartened sigh.
She enviously eyed the princess’s tall, slender figure, which was reminiscent of a doe.
Looking embarrassed, Agnes handed Maxi a dress instead.
“It may not be as comfortable as trousers, but it shouldn’t hinder your movement,” the princess said. “It was designed for activity.”
Maxi slipped into the blue, ankle-length dress and strapped Riftan’s dagger around her waist. It was modest, barely exposing any skin, but Maxi still felt uncomfortable in it.
After being garbed in a glorified sack for quite some time, wearing such an outfit made her feel as though she were dressed for a ball.
Agnes handed Maxi a wooden tag bearing the crest of Wedon.
“This is a tag that shows you are part of Wedon’s army.
I know Riftan intends to have men guard you, but I still want you to carry this with you just in case.
” Her face grew stern as she added, “As I told you earlier, the soldiers of Wedon, Livadon, Osiriya, and Balto are gathered here. There have been quite a few disturbances lately with the men acting up.”
“D-Disturbances?” Maxi asked.
“They keep challenging each other to duels,” the princess answered sourly, “and the Remdragon Knights are the most frequent recipients of these challenges. Winning a duel against any of them would earn one the title of greatest knight in the campaign, so all the men are hell-bent on provoking them into a fight.”
Maxi’s jaw fell open. “The men…f-fight with one another when we are at war?”
“Foolish creatures, aren’t they?” The princess snorted bitterly.
“Though we have forbidden dueling, the mandate is difficult to enforce since the chain of command isn’t clear.
If I’m honest, the coalition army is currently no different from a magical device that could explode at any moment.
With headstrong men like Sejuleu Aren, Riftan Calypse, Kuahel Leon, and the vice commander of the Knights of Phil Aaron, the greatest knightly order in the north, all gathered in one place…
let’s just say they are like oil and water. ”
Agnes furrowed her brow. “Not to mention the knights under them. At present, the coalition army is merely a large mob of disorderly men.”
As if fighting the trolls was not enough. The color drained from Maxi’s face at the news. Seeing her reaction, Agnes quickly softened her expression.
“No need to look so concerned. I wasn’t trying to worry you,” the princess said hastily. “I’m telling you all this because some might try to use you to provoke Riftan if they find out that you are his wife. You must remember to be careful at all times.”
Maxi swallowed hard. “I…understand.”