Chapter 6 #5
To express her gratitude, Maxi instructed the servants to prepare a sumptuous feast for the merchant, and after indulging in their wine and the chef’s specialty of roasted venison, Aderon left the castle content.
Maxi and the servants saw him off, watching from the castle doors as his carriage receded into the distance.
“The castle is practically unrecognizable,” Ruth said, descending the stairs while running a hand through his disheveled ashen hair. “Sir Riftan will no doubt be surprised when he returns.”
Maxi glanced over her shoulder at him. “D-Do you think R-Riftan will like it?”
“Why wouldn’t he? He was the one who asked you to redecorate the place.”
Ruth’s indifference did little to assuage Maxi’s worries. As he gave an undignified yawn, her expression turned resentful. “W-Would it h-hurt you to give a c-compliment?”
“Oh, pardon me, your ladyship. The castle is so dazzling that I can’t bear to look at it! The splendor of it all is enough to put me in a trance!”
Maxi glared at him, but he paid her little mind, instead stretching languidly before striding past her. Then, suddenly, he came to a stop as if remembering something. He turned back toward Maxi and the servants.
“This might be the perfect time…” He pulled out a small vial from his pocket. “I’ve just finished making the elixir for the oak tree. Would you like to test it out?”
“Th-That was q-quick!”
“It certainly didn’t feel like it to me. I was so consumed with this that I haven’t been able to sleep properly for days.” Despite his complaints, his unkempt appearance made it clear he had just rolled out of bed.
Maxi was again stunned by the sorcerer’s brazenness, but he had lent her immeasurable aid during the renovations, so she simply nodded.
Ruth turned lazily on his heel to venture out into the pavilion. He strode right up to the large, leafless tree, coming to a stop under its gnarled branches. Maxi joined him and watched intently as he uncorked the vial and poured its mysterious contents onto the exposed roots of the ancient oak.
“Oh, great and merciful god of the earth, we beseech you! Extend your healing hands and fill this humble servant once more with your power!”
Maxi rolled her eyes at Ruth’s theatrical display.
Hierarchs had visited her countless times throughout her childhood to heal her whenever she was left injured by her father’s cruel abuse.
She had seen their ministrations enough to know that mages could channel their magic through simple runes or incantations.
Such lengthy and grandiose invocations were unnecessary.
But when she noticed the servants looking on in awe, Maxi suddenly understood why Ruth spoke the words. He wanted to prove to them—or at the very least, convince them—that he and Maxi had done their utmost to save the tree.
Ruth dramatically extended his arms toward the heavens as if he were being granted some divine boon, then lowered them again and clasped his hands in prayer. Maxi covered her mouth with one hand to avoid giggling at the spectacle.
Soon, however, she noticed a faint light collecting around Ruth, and she watched with amazement as the light began to coalesce into a small sphere between his hands.
With the exception of the hierarchs’ visits, Maxi had never witnessed magic from such a close proximity.
The delicate energy then flowed from Ruth’s hands to the ghastly tree, enveloping it before being absorbed.
Transfixed, Maxi reached out to touch the warm streams of light. The moment she made contact, it changed course and began seeping into the palm of her hand. She pulled away, startled, and Ruth looked at her in surprise.
“That’s unexpected,” he said, lowering his arms.
Once the tree fully absorbed the remainder of the radiant magic, Ruth touched its trunk as if to confirm something, then turned toward Maxi again.
“It seems you have some mana affinity, my lady.”
“M-Mana affinity?”
“The primary requirement for anyone who wants to practice magic.”
Maxi’s eyes widened in surprise, and she gazed down at her hands. Did that mean she could be a mage like him?
“It’s only the most basic prerequisite,” Ruth added casually. “The same way agile people are better suited for swordsmanship. That trait alone isn’t enough to make someone a sorcerer.”
“I-I see.” Her shoulders slumped. Of course. How could she think, even for a moment, that she might be capable of such an incredible ability?
Seeing her disappointment, Ruth smiled faintly. “But it is a rare talent, nonetheless. You’re quite full of surprises, my lady.”
“W-What do you m-mean?”
“To name a few, you’re surprisingly short-tempered, prone to exaggeration, stubbornly competitive, and now, it seems you’re magically inclined as well.”
Maxi’s face was flushed with embarrassment, but Ruth grinned and continued.
“And here I thought you were nothing but a feeble, demure highborn lady. You’re proving to be rather interesting.”
“Th-That didn’t sound l-like a c-compliment.”
“It was,” Ruth said, his eyes mischievous as he gave her a smug smile.
Still skeptical that any honest compliment could sound so sardonic, Maxi changed the subject, prodding the roots of the tree with the tip of her shoe. “A-Anyway, did we s-succeed in reviving th-the tree?”
“I can’t say for sure.”
“H-How can you n-not know?”
Ruth shrugged. “All I did was infuse the tree with the earth’s mana. We’ll have to wait until spring for the results. If it sprouts leaves by then, it means the magic has worked. If not, then it’s beyond saving, and you can cut it down with a clear conscience.”
Maxi looked up at the oak’s dense tangle of brittle branches and nodded.
Taking a step back, she surveyed the bleak garden and thought back to the plans she had discussed with the groundskeeper.
If the tree was still dead come spring, she intended to replace it with bright flowers and a new sapling, regardless of anyone’s objection.
—
With the renovations complete, winter preparations began in earnest at Calypse Castle. There was barely a moment for rest for the servants as they worked to cover the well with thick wooden planks, repair the partitions in the stables, and gather enough hay and firewood to last the coming winter.
Inside, the maidservants washed linens until their hands swelled, scrubbed every room in the castle from top to bottom, and wove at the looms. They were tasked with assembling winter apparel for the guards before the weather became unbearably cold.
Seeing the strain on everyone, Ludis approached Maxi with a cautious suggestion. “My lady, I fear that we may not be able to complete the garments on time. Would it be possible to purchase some of the fabric instead of weaving all of it ourselves?”
Maxi readily agreed, aware that everyone was overworked.
“H-How much sh-should I order?”
“About half of what we initially required. We’ve already prepared the rest.”
Maxi eyed the bolts of fabric in the corner.
If she failed to calculate the exact amount, she was sure to hear an earful from the meddling sorcerer.
Determined to see this done properly, she retrieved a piece of parchment to calculate just how much she would need to purchase, making sure to account for what the maidservants had already made.
“W-Will this suffice?” She turned the page over for Ludis to see.
“Yes, my lady. And if you could also procure more of the leather straps, thread, and needles…”
“My lady! I’m sorry to interrupt, but we have an emergency!”
Maxi was not even finished jotting down Ludis’s request when her gaze flicked up to the doorway. There stood Rodrigo, out of breath and clearly distressed.
“W-What is it?”
“A man by the name of Rob Midahas is at our gates with thirty of his knights. He claims to be a Livadonian nobleman, but he has no identification to prove it.”
“Rob M-Midahas?” Maxi frowned at the unfamiliar name.
Livadon was one of Wedon’s allies to the west, and it was the kingdom that Wedon interacted with the most. Despite the alliance, the nobles of Wedon did not necessarily know all the nobles of Livadon.
That was doubly true for Maxi, who had lived a cloistered life at Croyso Castle, and so she could hardly be expected to know a single one of them.
She looked at Rodrigo with a sheepish expression. “D-Did he say w-why he was h-here?”
“Apparently, he’s come all this way to meet the Lord of Anatol and extend an offer of friendship.”
“Then c-can’t we just l-let him in?”
“My lady, we cannot let armed men into our land without confirming their identities first.” Rodrigo’s tone was unusually stern.
“The area surrounding Anatol is beset with monsters, so it’s not uncommon for visitors to carry weapons, but they are only allowed entry if they can provide proper identification or show their family crest. It is a precaution against those who might attempt to pillage our lands while the lord is away. ”
The color drained from Maxi’s face, and she could hear Ludis inhale sharply in fear. Maxi herself stood frozen, never having faced such a crisis. After a few moments, however, she managed to will herself to be calm.
“I-Is it…necessary to be so p-precautious? Who would d-dare p-pillage the land under the R-Remdragon Knights’ protection?”
“We can never be sure, my lady.” Ruth’s voice cut through the air as he entered the room with a grim countenance, his steps swift.
“Everyone on the continent knows that our knights are at the capital attending the victory celebrations. It’s suspicious that this Rob Midahas is visiting us while Lord Calypse is away. ”
Maxi felt nauseous. “D-Do you also think th-they’re here to attack us?”
“It’s certainly possible. As the acclaimed hero of the Dragon Campaign, Sir Riftan was allowed to keep a large portion of the treasure found in the dragon’s lair. It’s a tempting prize for those blinded by greed, even at the risk of crossing the Remdragon Knights.”