Under the Oak Tree

Chapter 344: Chapter 105

Riftan’s expression suggested Maxi had just uttered a ridiculous statement. She cast her eyes down. Riftan reached out to lift her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. He stared at her for a moment, then, seeing the discontent plastered over her face, let out an incredulous laugh.

“So that’s what you truly think. What have 1 done to deserve such a reproof? When have I ever neglected you?”

“Y-You have been nothing but aloof… since the start of the war.”

Though she had not intended it, the words came rushing out. Her face burning, she stammered, “A-And even though the war is finally over… we barely have time to talk… a-and I hardly ever get to see you.”

“So, instead of the husband you hardly get to see, you’ve been dallying with another man?” Riftan scoffed.

Infuriated, Maxi glowered at him. “W-Watch your tongue! You dare accuse me of dallying? D-Did you not also… spend the day with Princess Agnes?”

“That woman is my superior! 1 was doing my duty as her chief aide!”

“A-And Sir Kuahel was escorting the mages!” Maxi furrowed her brow in genuine bafflement. “W-What ridiculous suspicions are you harboring? He is a clergyman!”

“Countless bastards have been sired by clergymen,” Riftan spat stiffly.

Maxi’s face hardened. “Are you… honestly questioning my fidelity?”

Her frosty gaze seemed to wipe the cynical smirk from his lips. He raked back his hair and said tentatively, “That was not my intention. 1 just… can’t stand seeing you with another man.”

Though those words would have normally softened her heart, his absurd accusation had hurt her greatly. She found it impossible to speak without resentment.

“H-He is no ordinary man! And he has never shown any interest in me.” Glaring at him reproachfully, she added, “How could you hold such sordid suspicions?”

“Perhaps it’s because 1 was born of a sordid affair,” he said defensively. “I apologize if I have upset your sensibilities. Clearly, seeing you two whispering to each other left an impression on me, as my head filled with all manner of obscenities when I heard you were with him all day.”

Maxi could not fathom what he meant at first, but her face flushed when it dawned on her that he was referring to the time he had caught her spying on him and Princess Agnes. The truth was, she had no right to criticize him.

Her voice grew smaller as she muttered, “A-As I made clear then… we were… merely discussing something in private. 1 have done nothing… to be ashamed of.”

Of course, she knew her actions had been shameful. Her awkward response must have fanned Riftan’s suspicions; his eyes narrowed once again.

“What could the two of you possibly have to discuss?”

“I-l’m afraid… that’s confidential.”

Riftan’s brow furrowed at her feeble attempt at evasion. He smirked as his eyes locked on her face. “A secret you can’t even tell your husband? I feel my sordid imagination running wild again.”

Maxi glared at him. “What about y-you, then? What were you discussing with Princess Agnes? Because if memory serves me right… you were also whispering to each other.”

“Why do you keep mentioning that woman?” he hissed through clenched teeth. “You know very well that there is nothing between me and the princess. The fact that you’re feigning jealousy to avoid the subject makes me wonder if I really should be suspicious.”

“I-I am not feigning!” Maxi shrieked in exasperation. “i am jealous! I-I, too, am vexed w-when 1 see you with other women!”

She suddenly realized that their surroundings had grown strangely quiet. Jolting back to her senses, her back broke out in a cold sweat. She stiffly turned her head to look about. The flurry of activity around them had stopped, and both the soldiers and the knights, who were in the middle of distributing supper, were now openly staring at them.

Maxi’s face grew beet red. She pulled her hood even lower, wishing there was a hole she could crawl into. Why were they even having this silly argument? It had only been a few moments ago that she had rushed over out of sheer joy at seeing him.

“R-Riftan… you idiot,” she said through gritted teeth.

Before he could say any more, she fled to the mages’ tent.

***

The next day, Maxi avoided the glances of the other mages, who snickered among themselves as she made her way to the rear of the castle. Once there, she also ignored Kuahel Leon, who looked as though he had a million things to say to her, and Ulyseon, whose worried gaze followed her as she passed. She immersed herself instead in dispelling the castle’s fortification magic.

If someone were to tease her about last night’s argument right then, she was certain she would die of shame. She thumped her forehead against the cold stone wall now and again as she worked, letting out one tormented groan after another. Desperate prayer seemed to be her only course of action against some evil bard turning their marital fight into a song that would spread across the continent. She shuddered at the horrible thought.

As if finding her misery pathetic, Kuahel said coldly, “We have no time for dawdling. The task must be finished before the day ends. If you have room for self-pity, I suggest you use it to nullify one more rune.”

“Who are you to command her ladyship?” Ulyseon snarled. “She is no servant of yours. If you refuse to give her the due respect, I shall challenge you to a du—”

“I-It’s all right, Ulyseon. I do not mind.”

Though her interference forced the young knight to snap his mouth shut, it did not stop him from glaring disapprovingly at the clergyman. Kuahel, on the other hand, paid no mind to Ulyseon and motioned with his head for Maxi to keep working.

With a sigh, Maxi started moving along the castle wall. She drove last night’s humiliating memory from her mind and concentrated on the task at hand.

She only stopped after a while when she noticed Ruth standing on the path leading to the castle tower. He was carefully studying a pillar carving, recording something in the parchment clutched in his hand. After observing him with curiosity, Maxi quietly approached.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

Startled, Ruth snapped his head to her.

“Oh, it’s you, my lady.” Relaxing, he returned his gaze to the parchment and said flatly, “I should thank you for the entertaining spectacle last night. It would’ve been another boring evening if not for you.”

Mortified, Maxi’s face flushed. “Y-You could have stopped us instead of gawking!”

“Why on earth would I intervene in such an embarrassing quarrel?” Ruth said, snorting derisively. “Watching from afar was painful enough.”

Maxi’s face was the color of plums. Staring daggers at him, she quickly changed the subject. “M-More importantly… why are you loitering here? Aren’t the Remdragon Knights supposed to patrol the area around the city today? W-Why are you not with them?”

“They have the princess with them, so there was no need for me to go as well,” he replied evenly. He paused to study her face. “Don’t be jealous, though.”

“I-I am not!” Maxi shrilled.

Ruth shrugged and continued scribbling on his parchment.

“What are you investigating?” said Kuahel Leon, walking up behind Maxi and breaking her furious glare.

“I am recording everything 1 come across. Anything could be a clue to lead us to the dark mages,” Ruth replied. He then folded the parchment and shoved it into his bag.

Maxi inwardly sighed at his suspicious behavior. It might have been better had he openly confessed to hiding something.

Concealing her exasperation, she asked, “And? Were you able to learn anything?”

“Nothing yet. At the moment, I am merely recording whatever I can before they destroy the castle. I intend to look through them later.”

“Then I suggest you work with haste,” Kuahel said. “We are going to destroy everything and leave the city tomorrow.”

Maxi was surprised by his words. “S-So soon? I had thought… it would take us at least two more days.”

“Once the fortification spells are undone, the demolition will not take long.” The clergyman placed a hand on the castle wall. “We already found cracks in the walls during the morning inspection. A bit of impact should be enough to send the castle crumbling.”

Maxi anxiously looked up at the expanse of stone, which seemed to touch the sky, but resumed her task at Kuahel’s urging. Ruth had already slipped away by then. She resolved to ask the sorcerer about what he had discovered in private.

Unfortunately, evening came without her chancing upon him again.

Bone-weary, Maxi crawled into her bedroll. She briefly considered seeing Riftan but soon dismissed the idea, still embarrassed to face him. She feared that they would only end up arguing again. A part of her also hoped that he would seek her out first.

To her disappointment, there was no sign of him even as darkness fell. She forced it from her mind and burrowed into her blanket.

In the morning, the soldiers promptly broke camp and loaded the tents onto the wagons. The coalition army then began the march out of the city, with Balto’s soldiers making up the front. Maxi wiped the sleep from her eyes and secured her luggage to Rem’s saddle. Once she was done, she joined the ranks of the Wedonian army as they passed through the city gate.

The snow-covered hill sparkled under the faint light of dawn. The soldiers had done a thorough job of clearing the bodies, as the vast landscape showed no trace of the battle that had taken place only a few days prior.

Stopping at the gate, she watched the army march down the hill before slowly beginning her descent. A strange noise rang out once they were at a safe distance from the city perimeter. A moment later, the imposing castle, which covered a significant part of the mountain, slowly began to tilt.

Maxi watched as the castle tower collapsed. When the debris slammed onto the walls, the fortress crumbled like a sand castle..

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