Chapter Thirteen #7
“I am sure he will change his mind if you tell him you wish to stay in the capital. Please consider it. You would enjoy a far more opulent lifestyle in Drachium. The palace holds grand banquets every day, and there are so many things to see around the city. You would also be able to socialize with the other noblewomen.”
Maxi looked up at Agnes’s captivating face. The capital would have no shortage of similarly beautiful women. Surrounded by such company, Riftan would surely grow sick of his wife in no time.
Maxi felt no desire for the kind of lifestyle the capital had to offer.
“I th-thank you for the invitation, Your Highness…but I am happy with my life here,” said Maxi as resolutely as she could.
The princess’s lips parted as though she were about to disagree, but she let out a sigh instead. She eventually replied, “Both of you are as stubborn as mules.”
“Do you…wish to take Riftan back with you to the capital, Your Highness?”
“His Majesty wishes to keep Riftan close to him. He wants to quell any division in the kingdom by displaying Riftan’s fealty to the crown before all the noble families. Having a powerful knight like Riftan Calypse on his side would certainly strengthen the loyalty of the other nobles.”
The princess’s lips suddenly twisted into a bitter smile.
“That is also the reason why His Majesty attempted to have us wed. He was worried Riftan might desert Wedon and defect to Livadon or Osiriya. Every ruler in this world would want the greatest knight in their service, after all.”
“Riftan…is quite attached to Anatol. He would never abandon this land for another,” Maxi replied, surprised by how much the royal family doubted Riftan’s loyalty.
The princess shrugged. “That is what I think, as well. From what I’ve observed these past few days, it is obvious that he is putting everything on the line to breathe new life into Anatol.
He would not be putting in so much effort if he intended to defect.
I’m sure His Majesty will be similarly reassured if I relay this fact to him. ”
Maxi carefully studied the princess’s face. “Did you come to ascertain…if he had any intention of leaving, Your Highness?”
The princess only smiled, which was answer enough.
“It was not my intention to disturb your rest for so long,” said Agnes as she rose from her seat. “It seems I’ve unsettled you with my rambling. I should go.”
“N-No. I am grateful that you came to see me.”
The princess smiled genuinely at that. “You’ll need to rest for a day or two to recuperate. I pray that you return to full health soon.”
“Th-Thank you.”
Agnes’s blue eyes, which had somehow always felt cold, were filled with warmth for the first time. After regarding Maxi with a gentle gaze, she finally left the room.
Exhausted, Maxi slumped back against the bed.
—
When Maxi finally awoke and scanned the dim room, the sun had dipped low in the sky. She sat up, rubbing her dry eyes. Despite getting to rest, she still felt dazed and listless.
“How are you feeling?”
Startled, Maxi turned toward the voice. Riftan sat before the fireplace with his legs stretched out in front of him.
“Wh-When did you return? I heard that…you went to the training grounds.”
“I did, but I came back right after I received the knights’ reports about the wyvern attack.
I thought someone should keep an eye on you,” he said in a somber murmur, absentmindedly stroking the cat sitting atop his knee.
“I was unable to do anything because I was too worried about you getting out of bed.”
“I d-didn’t leave the chambers.”
“I know. I was here, watching you,” he answered bluntly.
Maxi rolled her eyes. Just how long had he been sitting there? She was not the only one who needed rest. Concerned, she studied his face, but Riftan turned away to place the clinging kitten back in its basket and walked over to the fireplace.
“You must be hungry. You haven’t had a proper meal all day, so I’ve warmed some soup. Do you think you can stomach it?”
“I think so, yes.”
Grabbing a ladle, he stirred the pot before pouring some soup into a wooden bowl.
“Be careful. It’s hot.”
Maxi took the bowl from him and lifted her spoon. The soup was watery, made with ground herbs, steeped barley, and eggs.
She blew on the rising steam before taking a small sip. The moment the warm, savory broth touched her tongue, her stomach began to grumble. Only then did she realize how famished she was, and she began to eat in earnest.
Riftan, seated quietly at the edge of the bed, gave a sigh of relief.
“Your appetite is back. You must be on the mend.”
“I kept t-telling you I was all right.”
“But that’s what you always say, even when you aren’t.
” He stood and walked over to the fireplace to hang a small kettle over the flames.
Clutching her spoon, Maxi gazed nervously at his back.
Was he still angry with her? Although he looked calmer than when he had left that morning, he still seemed tense.
After a few moments spent staring absently into the fireplace, Riftan broke the silence. “I heard Agnes came by this morning…. Did she say anything rude?”
“N-No. She didn’t say anything. She just…” Maxi trailed off, unsure if she should tell him about the princess’s invitation to live in the capital.
Riftan turned to look at her quizzically. “She just what?”
“She said that…there had been a breach in her barrier…which is how that monster managed to wreak havoc on the camp yesterday. I-It seems that she feels responsible for the situation. She blames herself for putting me in danger…so she apologized.”
“I see.”
An awkward silence fell over the room once more.
Uneasy, Maxi studied her husband’s face.
She did not know how she was supposed to act when he was so obviously angry with her.
Whenever her father had been in a foul mood, she had tried to make herself as inconspicuous as possible.
Her words would only stoke his anger, so she quickly learned not to speak.
Riftan’s mood, however, only seemed to worsen the longer she kept silent.
His face was grim as he went back to staring into the flames. Finally, he spoke in a low voice. “Maxi, what happened yesterday can never happen again. Do you understand?”
She flinched at his calm tone. Although he had not been explicit, she knew exactly what he meant. Riftan poked at the fire, then slowly turned his head to look at her, his gaze intense.
“I know you were trying to do your duty as my wife, but Anatol is different from Croyso. Countless monsters dwell in these lands, and it’s impossible to know where or when they might strike. You heard about the lives that were lost, yes?”
Maxi nodded stiffly. For a brief moment, hesitation lurked in Riftan’s eyes, but then he shook his head and whispered, “It could have been you.”
A knot formed in Maxi’s stomach, and she hunched her shoulders, shrinking in on herself. Were it not for Ulyseon’s quick actions, she could have been gravely injured—killed, even. Riftan was right, and all she could do was hang her head in shame.
His voice grew harsher. “You don’t even know what you’re doing. The fact that you used your magic until you were out of mana is proof enough. If I had known you would be so reckless, I would never have allowed you to study it.”
“I-It was only because I was inexperienced. I will be…more c-careful next time.”
“There will be no next time.” His voice was as cold as ice.
Maxi’s eyes welled with disappointment. “B-But you were the one who said…I could do as I wished.”
Riftan stalked over to the bed. “Not when it compromises your safety! You are my wife. It is my duty to keep you safe. I cannot stand the thought of you in danger, nor can I bear to see you in pain. What happened yesterday can never happen again.”
“Then…what shall I do? What shall I do…wh-while you are fighting battles and enduring all kinds of hardships?”
“You don’t have to do anything.” His broad chest heaving, Riftan cupped Maxi’s face in his hands. “Have I not told you countless times that I have no expectations of you? You’ve completely transformed this castle, and you’re already managing the household. That is more than enough.”
Maxi wanted to argue, but she did not know what to say.
At a loss for words, her lips quivered pitifully.
Everything she had done so far had been to prove she was useful to him.
She had worked so hard to be someone he could rely on.
Yet Riftan did not require her help in the least. Unable to accept this, Maxi pressed her lips shut.
Riftan’s stern facade crumbled. “I’m begging you…. Don’t make me worry.”
Tears welled up in Maxi’s eyes. How could she argue against such a plea?
Unable to disagree with the man who was beside himself with concern for her, Maxi nodded weakly. Riftan pulled her into a tight embrace, and she rested her head on his shoulder. She mumbled in a choked voice, “I’m sorry.”
His hot breath grazed her neck as he sighed. He drew her tightly against his chest, and Maxi slowly closed her eyes. She could not understand why his strong arms, which had always put her at ease before, now felt so confining.