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Marrying the Callous Villain

Knight
Under the Oak Tree • [연재] 상수리나무 아래

The daughter of a duke, stuttering young Maximilian, married a

knight of humble birth at the insistence of her father.

Her husband left for expedition after the first night.

Three years later, he comes back as a famous knight of the whole

continent.

How would Maximillian face him?

Author(s): Miwangyeol
Artist(s): Hermes
Year: 2017
Country: Korea
Genres: Adult, Drama, Ecchi, Fantasy, Mature, Romance, Smut
Tags: Character Growth, Cold Love Interests, Jealousy, Mature
Protagonist, Yandere
Source: Secret Translations

ASIANOVEL VERSION: 3.11

PDF VERSION: 1.4
UUID: a5d350e0-77e8-11ec-a53c-7bcbfc3360e1
USER: lenedith
DATE CREATED: 2022-01-17
LANGUAGE: English

More info and chapters:

https://new.asianovel.com/series/marrying-the-callous-villain-knight

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Chapter 157
Source: Secret Translations

Note – Nymeria: Since some of you struggle with names, a quick

reminder! In this chapter you’ll see Sir Gabel, Sir Hebaron Nirta and
Sir Elliot Caron

Max stood up properly and fixed her posture. As the princess said,
her health was completely restored and was in perfect health. She
had a good complexion, a reddish tint on her cheeks, and her face
had gotten plumper. However, anxiety was still written all over
Riftan’s eyes when he looked at her.

“I’m sorry to say that she still needs to rest. Moreover,

there are a lot of visitors right now in Anatol which makes
the security unstable. Sending my wife, who hasn’t fully
recovered her health, to a dangerous place…”

“Dear Sir Calypse. I’m not saying that we are going to a

battlefield. What I’m saying is that we are only going to a fun
spring festival with innocent country girls. Do you know that
worrying too much can make you sick?”

The princess interrupted his words and retaliated bitterly, glaring

at him with fierce blue eyes. Riftan darkly glared back at her,
unfazed. Even the knights shed a cold sweat witnessing such
authoritarian gazes, but the princess didn’t blink an eye and even
snorted at his words.

“You can’t intimidate me. If you’re really worried, then go

to the festival with us.”

“Spending so much time on such useless events…!” Riftan,

who started shouting, immediately bit his mouth when he saw Max’s
defeated face. She quickly rearranged her expression.
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“I d-don’t mean to be a bother to you, Riftan… I’m oka-”

She habitually tried to say that she was fine, but suddenly
remembered that he hated it when she said that and bit her tongue.
When the awkward silence subsided, the princess, imposing high
pressure, folded her arms in front of her chest and glared at Riftan;
even the knights who were silently sitting glared at him.

“Can you not be like that and give us permission? There’s

nothing wrong with going to the village spring festival.”

“That’s right. Your wife has every right to enjoy Anatol’s

festivals to her heart’s content. If you try to tie her up too
much, she’ll hate you, Captain.”

As Hebaron and Gabel tried to convince him, Riftan scowled at

them. The knights shrugged heavily and shut their mouth. Riftan,
who was silent for a long time with a disgruntled expression, finally
got up from his seat with a sigh.

“Fine. Prepare the carriage. I will go with you.” He said

reluctantly, then he squinted his eyes at Max and clicked his tongue.
“However, if you show any sign of exhaustion, I’m taking you
back to the castle right away.”

“Y-Yes…!”

Max nodded, her face lighting up with joy. She was guilty of taking
his time while he was busy, but she couldn’t hide the fact that she
was happy he was about to go out with her. When Riftan started
picking up his things, Hebaron cleared his throat and approached
him.

“I will come with you. The more escorts, the better.”

“Sir Nirta is only interested in seeing the village girls.” Out

of nowhere, Gabel stepped in front of him.

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“Please bring me with you this time. I’ll be chivalrous and
keep the spirits of the innocent virgins high at the Spring
Festival.”

“Man, this jerk is no better than me…”

“Elliot, come with me.” Riftan cut off their bickering at once.

“Don’t even let those two guys near the village. I don’t want
to see Anatol’s women holding illegitimate children knocking
on the gates.”

“Captain!”

He ignored the complains and walked out of the conference room,

his arm around Max’s shoulders. The princess merely shrugged her
shoulders and followed them.

***

They headed for the village riding a modest carriage in an effort to

avoid unnecessary attention from the people. Riftan and Sir Caron
wore hooded robes with minimal ornament and dressed as casual as
possible, while Max and Agnes wore dark colored cloaks over their
white dresses.

However, when they reached the town square, upon noticing that
there were more village women than they had expected, the princess
thew off her cloak right away.

“Even without the cloak, it doesn’t seem like we’ll stand

out.”

“It’s better to disguise ourselves for safety.”

“Wearing this robe will only make us look more

suspicious.” As she spoke bluntly, she let loose her shimmering
blonde hair. “Everyone’s dressed for the occasion, we can’t be
the only ones dressed like this, right? Isn’t it?”

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“Uhm… that… I’m…”

“Don’t be like that, take yours off too, Maximilian. Don’t

miss the opportunity to flaunt yourself.”

As she pulled on the hem, Max took off her stuffy cloak, pretending
to be defeated. Riftan, who had been sitting stiffly with a disgruntled
face throughout the entire journey, started to open his lips, and then
dropped the tense on his shoulder, as if he had lost energy.

“… Do whatever you want.”

“Are you going to do whatever you want?” The princess

replied sarcastically, while removing the cape from Max, who was
trying to put it back on.

Riftan frowned, but the princess wore an innocent expression and

ignored his glare. Sir Caron, on the other hand, looked out at a
distance to the window, not wanting to intervene in their flag fight.

Max who was stuck between them, pretended to stretch out the
pleats of her skirt. After a long time, the carriage halted, and Max
released a sigh of relief. The air felt tight and cramped in the
carriage.

“This spot is quite far from the square where the center of
the festival is.”

The princess mumbled as she was escorted by Sir Caron, whilst

descending from the carriage. Elliot replied with a gentle smile.

“The square is a little cramped because there are a lot of

festival booths installed. Besides, isn’t spring best enjoyed
on fields where there’s grass?”

Max followed the princess and got off the carriage, scanning the
area with a curious gaze. Tents of various colors were erected at
regular intervals in a wide field that shimmered in blue. People were

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doing business with their seats spread out, sitting around tables
playing card games, enjoying alcohol, and eating food in street
restaurants.

“Go and have a drink or something.”

Riftan tossed a coin at the coachman. Max, whose head was busy
turning side to side scanning the area with curiosity, was pulled by
Riftan possessively to his side. The elderly coachman took off his hat,
bowed gratefully, and drove the carriage to shelter. It seemed that
there were a lot of visitors who brought carriages, and there were
several wagons packed at the back of the tent.

“It seems that there are more tourists this year.”

“Isn’t it because of the reputation of the Remdragon

Knights? Obviously, more and more travelers are growing
curious about the land protected by the world’s mightiest
knights.” The princess wore a proud expression.

Max listened to their conversation and watched the lively festival

scene. It seemed that more people were gathered than the time she
had visited the market with the princess. There were shabby-dressed
men who appeared to be tourists, bards performing with their hats
off, young ladies who were there to join the festival, various alcohol
and food for sale, and some guards who patrolled for safety.

“Maximillian, there it is!” The princess suddenly pulled Max

who was overwhelmed by the festival. Max followed as they ran
towards a tent. Young girls were selling garlands beside a stage
decorated with colored flags. “Everyone is wearing a flower
crown, so I thought they had to be selling them somewhere.”

The princess bought two and put one for herself and placed one on
Max’s head. Max touched it with a quaint expression. The prickly
stalks, tangled with her wavy hair, felt ominous, but she couldn’t
refuse the favor. She smiled awkwardly with gratitude and the

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princess turned away with satisfaction.

“Doesn’t this just make us feel like dryads? Right?”

“It…r-really looks good on you.”

“You, Maximillian, looks really lovely too.” She complimented

with joy and pulled Max’s hand back. “Now, let’s got to the tent
over there and play a card game.”

“Stop wandering around.”

Riftan who had been tailing them closely, blocked the path in front
of the princess. As he pulled Max back into his arms, he gritted his
teeth threateningly.

“My wife isn’t your maid that you can just drag anywhere
you want. If you need something to drag around with you,
then bring a fucking dog!”

“Oh my, my, my. You’re really rude with your words, aren’t
you?”

Princess Agnes pouted and Max’s face turned blue. The princess
didn’t exactly say that she doubted Riftan’s loyalty, but she was still
part of the royal family. If the princess got offended and told King
Ruben anything negative about him, that might the spark for a
disaster.

“Ri-Riftan…! What a disrespectful way to talk to her

highness!”

“Yes, right! He’s rude!”

Max grew paler in front of the princess. “You can’t speak that
way…t-to a lady. You’re a knight. You have to be polite.”

“That’s right! That’s right!”

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Riftan looked down at Max with a confused face and sent death
glares to the princess. Agnes grabbed Max’s hand without batting a
single eye, but with a sullen smile.

“We came out to play so let’s leave the colic, unscrupulous

man and enjoy the festival to our heart’s content. They
should quietly stand back and watch us relax and enjoy.”

Max glanced back at Riftan with anxious glances and followed the
princess, pretending to be defeated. Honestly, she also wanted to
freely enjoy the festival and the princess’ stubborn attitude didn’t
bother her either.

Unlike her who always lingered and hesitated, the princess seemed
to be someone that had to run and satisfy her curiosity. When she
wanted to see something that looked new or strange, the princess
grabbed her hand and ran without hesitation, and Max actively
participated in all kinds of games. Getting caught in the passionate
momentum, she also began to enjoy the festival to her heart’s
content. Even her anxious thoughts seemed to have been blown
away amongst the noisy, festive, atmosphere.

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Chapter 158
Source: Secret Translations

For the first time in her life, Max gambled by playing dice. She
mixed in with the crowds to watch a street performance, tried beer
that had a musty odor and tasted a pie which had a beef-tasting
filling. When her stomach was filled with these exotic peasant foods,
Max was egged by Agnes to participate in a javelin toss.

Agnes threw a javelin to demonstrate as she explained nicely to

Max. “You have to hold the back part of the javelin to toss far.
Hold it here and angle it properly for the right projectile
before you release.”

Max stumbled onto the platform and swallowed, Riftan was

watching her from a distance with his arms folded. She hoped that if
she performed well with the javelin, he would trust her ability and
worry less about her. Max threw the javelin with a determined look
on her face, and yet, instead of reaching the flag, the javelin bounced
off the floor in less than five cubits* (1.5 meters) from her feet. Her
face turned hot. Even the twelve-year-old boy who played before her
had done better.

“Miss, you need to aim your pole upward!” a scraggly-

bearded spectator laughed. He handed her the javelin again.

Max was still embarrassed. She wanted to run away from the
platform, but knew that if she fled, the crowd would only laugh
harder. She closed her eyes and threw the javelin again. This time, it
sailed in a high arc and passed by the second flag finely. Max looked
back to get Riftan’s attention, but her excitement quickly left her.

Two women in flamboyant, typical Romani clothes were writhing

their bodies around Riftan and Knight Karon in a curious way. As one

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of the two Romani moved closer to Riftan, Max felt her insides boil.
She went down from the game platform and rushed to his side in a
cold fury.

“Ri-Riftan!” she yelled.

He had an annoyed look on his face from garnering the strangers’

attention and he was still standing with his arms folded, but he was
now looking heavenward above everyone’s heads. At Max’s call, four
pairs of eyes met hers at once. Although she was briefly intimidated,
she soon wedged herself between Riftan and the Romanis. She gave
a strict look at the women.

“Wh-why are you ap-approaching my husband?”

“Omo, omo! Did husband and wife go together to the

festival?”

The two Romanis clapped their hands and laughed without fear,
they had a strong smell of alcohol about them. Max frowned and
stepped back. The women began circling her slowly, grinning
playfully, like cats preying on a fish.

“I envy you. To have such a handsome man as your

husband”, one said. “Hmmm, can you share? Just lend him to
us for a little bit”, added the other.

Their impudence made Max blush. She had been taught that all
ladies had to be modest, so she was baffled at how those strange
women could get drunk in public and approach a married man like
that.

The devilish prostitutes then tried to catch the dragonslayer’s

attention, the same one who could not usually be sidetracked. Max
clung to Riftan’s arm.

“No, I can’t share him!”

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“Oh, don’t be like that, let us borrow him for a little while.”

“A-absolutely not. Not even for a little bit!” Max cried, trying
to catch Riftan’s eye. She wanted him to be on her side.

Riftan, who had been still as a rock, moved his eyes in a frenzy and
passed a hand roughly over the side of his face. His neck, which was
usually a crisp copper color from being sunburned, was now turning
red.

“Er, yeah”, he muttered, looking away from everyone. He

struggled to find something else to say. “She says… you can’t
borrow me.”

It was such an odd statement that Max stared at him in disbelief.

Suddenly, someone laughed out of nowhere.

“Huhuhu!” Agnes laughed nonsensically. “No one’s going to

believe this. That the Mahgo could say something this
stupid…”

The princess, who had pursued Max, grabbed her sides and kept
laughing loudly. Through her blurry tears, she made eye contact with
the drunk Romanis.

“Huhg! I wanted to enjoy a good man, but it looks like this

one has two women”, one of them said, breaking eye contact with
Agnes. She shrugged and coolly stepped back, as if the game wasn’t
fun anymore.

“There’s nothing we can do, sister. Let’s go over there and

enjoy some more drinks”, the other said.

The Romanis sighed from discontent and waved their arms before
turning away. “It was nice to meet you all”, they chimed. “If any
of you men change your mind and want to have some fun,
we’re staying at the Reddin Inn.” They left smoothly with their
bums moving, as if they were cats wagging their tails in the wind.

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Max squinted at their retreating backs. How dare these women try
to seduce a married man so impudently?

Agnes, who still somehow exuded the cocky demeanor of a

princess while doubled over laughing, approached Max. Her
shoulders were still hunched as she tried to catch her breath.

“It’s not uncommon for women like that to approach Riftan.

Strong men are popular these days.”

Agnes wiped the tears from her eyes and pulled Riftan’s hood over
his head. “You’re the one who needs to cover your face, not
me or your wife. You’ve made Maximilian jealous, Riftan.”

“What the hell do you mean?” Riftan shouted and turned to

look at Max. “I was telling them to shove off, but they were
more stubborn than I thought.” Max returned his look, doubting
him. “It’s true, I was telling them to leave!”

His expression seemed to be half-embarrassed and half-joyful. She

raised her eyebrows, studying his face. When she saw the corner of
Riftan’s mouth lift upward, she grew angry and pulled on Agnes’ arm.

“W-we should just enjoy this f-festival. And Riftan, you c-

can do whatever you want.”

Before he could reply, she rushed off with the princess. Agnes

giggled before following in-stride.

“That’s a good idea, Maximilian. Let’s have fun, just the

two of us.”

The women ran like the wind, leaving Riftan and Sir Karon to dwell
on their humiliation. They headed to the green field where music was
playing.

Young women adorned with the traditional Uigru fabrics tied

around their waists were dancing on the plush, green hill. Without

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missing a beat, Agnes took Max’s hand to join in.

“We’re dancing too!”

Max fell in and was swept away by the other women who danced
around her. They spun around and around, hand-in-hand; Agnes,
peasants, and noblewoman alike. The dance consisted more of
jumping than your typical waltz, but the moves were fun and natural
to dance to. All the ladies seemed to dance from pure joy to the
sound of the music. Without much thought, Max followed the group
along the hill to a field.

The melody began to become grow more fast-paced and slightly

unrefined, unlike the soft, elegant music present at Croix Castle. The
lively, traditional beating of the drums, the soft echoes of the lute,
and the whistling sound of the pipes blended to create a lovely
melody. It sounded like thick reeds blowing in the woods. The ladies’
footwork began to speed in time to the music, as the notes echoed in
the sky.

Max felt the soft yet rough melody go through her body and felt joy
from dancing for the first time in her life. The women laughed when
the tambourine began to play. Even the bystanders started to tap
their feet strongly in time to the beat. Someone began to sing nicely
along to the lute:

And so, the knight picked up the broken body

As the spirit flew away

The oak tree spirit that he loved

Only he remained alone on the hill

The wind shaking the gentle branches of the oak tree

Beside him

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Darling, when the snow melts

And the season changes

New leaves will sprout from my body

And I will sing a song for you

Ah, the wind is my voice

That I hope will relay to you

It was a song strangely familiar to Max. Perhaps because it was

about the story she had heard before, about the legendary Sir Uigru
and the dryad who loved him.

The maidens with the traditional fabrics around their waists sang
along to the sad lyrics. It was a stark contrast to the playful melody
the instruments continued to play. It all sounded so odd together,
that Max began to laugh out loud until her body shook and she felt
dizzy. She had never remembered laughing so hard like that.

Her heart strummed quickly to the drumbeat, and her blood

seemed to flow through her veins more quickly throughout her body,
all the way to her fingertips. She felt free. Had it always been this
pleasant to stand under the sun and move freely just for the fun of it?

“Maxi.” Someone grabbed her arm.

She looked up only to see Riftan with his hood over his forehead.
He was staring at her with burning eyes and Max suddenly felt
aroused to see his desire showing on his taut face. He led her out of
the crowd while Agnes, who was still dancing with the other maidens
and enjoying the festival activities, did not even look their way.

Max began to breathe raggedly as she kept up with Riftan. The

music and voices of the festival participants were fading behind
them. He held her by the waist and looked around them urgently, as

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if trying to find a seclusive spot. She felt his enthusiasm vibrating, as
he leaned her body against hers. Max began to heat up, suddenly
thinking of his touch or a kiss. This was all a new experience for her.
Even her slight anger towards him seemed to fuel her passion.

“Ri-Riftan…”

“Here.” He pulled her into a densely covered area and kissed her
roughly, as if he could not hold back anymore. His hot breath swept
over Max’s lips as he pushed his tongue in.

It wasn’t enough. Max began to desire him more, as if she were

drinking him in, but only tasting salt water. Riftan groaned as she
reciprocated his lust and pushed her against a tree. She wrapped her
arms around his neck and leaned her back against the rough bark.
Their moist lips overlapped again, and his hot, soft tongue began to
eagerly explore her mouth.

Max groaned and laid her hand by Riftan’s collarbone, feeling his
pulse from the neck. His soft tongue, which was the only soft part of
the man, continued to pursue hers, as if searching to taste all of her
sensitive parts. Max was feeling dizzy from her inability to breathe.

“Ri-Riftan…” she said again.

Her lungs were swelling up as if desperate to explode. He pulled

her up by her thighs and Max felt his touch over her thin dress. She
shuddered as her legs wrapped against his hard body.

It was hard to believe they were acting like that in public while
close by, the festival was still going on.

Have I lost it? Max caressed Riftan’s chest and shoulders, then
grabbed his clothes and pulled him closer.

Riftan reacted like a hungry dog, dribbling kisses along her neck.
He pushed her dress slightly upward and stuck his hand underneath
her clothes. His hot palm and callused fingers felt rough against the

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sensitive areas of Max’s breasts.

She sighed, thrilled by his warm touch, and rubbed her forehead
against his shoulder. Riftan pushed his hardness against her stomach
as he kept massaging her breasts. A warm sensation began to spread
through Max’s body, as if a flame was burning in her stomach.

She spread her legs further when she felt the familiar ache to
accept him and desperately tugged at his robes, rubbing herself to
him, as giving him permission. Then Riftan grew intense, as if he
demanded to feel more skin, and his body seemed to shake from
excitement as he lifted the hem of her dress.

At that moment, a loud roar emitted in the sky.

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Chapter 159
Source: Secret Translations

Max looked up, startled. Fireworks were cascading over the festival
grounds, scattering flashes of light everywhere. Max was entranced
by the magnificent scene but Riftan groaned shortly beside her ear.

“F*ck, Agnes.”

Max understood: clearly, Agnes had initiated the fireworks display.

Then she came to her senses, panicked, and tried to push Riftan
away.

“W-we should go and see w-what happened.”

“She’s having fun again. That woman loves being a pain in

the a**.” He sighed and let out a shaky breath, trying his best to
calm his growing desire. He wiped his face, where his excitement
was easy to read. “F**k, what’s Elliot doing, letting this go on?”

“Y-you should help.”

Again, the loud eruption of explosives resounded in the air. Riftan

slammed his head against the tree and began cussing out. Max didn’t
know how she could help him. Her body was still leaning against
Riftan’s, which was still burning like a hot fire. When she heard
people cheer on the festival grounds, Max came back down to Earth,
and a wave of embarrassment overwhelmed her.

Dear God… Sir Karon must know what we were up to. What did he
and the passerby think when they saw us leave quietly?

Hot steam seemed to blow out of her ears and Max began to cry
out from shame, her face turning a deep red. Riftan sighed at her
discomfort and reluctantly set her feet on the floor.

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“Damn, give me a minute. Let me calm down.”

Like a small, discouraged boy, he collapsed onto the ground and

pressed his forehead against his knee. Max kneeled next to him and
waited for him to cool down completely. In-between her legs it was
still throbbing from the desire and the roof of her mouth was dry.

She was so embarrassed about the situation that she couldn’t raise
her face and Riftan’s mood was the same, if not worse. He had dug
his head over his knees only for a few seconds when another spark
suddenly flashed in the sky. He gritted his teeth.

“That damn woman. I’ll exile her from Anatol.”

“Oh, d-don’t say that. She is a guest from t-the royal

family.”

“Should we let unwanted guests stay here?” Riftan said

bluntly, glancing at Max. “You’ve gotten pretty close to her
lately, have you?”

Max gave an uncertain look as the question floated in the air.

Although she and Agnes were polite with each other and had played
in the festival hand-in-hand, she still didn’t know her true character.
Max was too honest to reply that they had a good relationship, so
simply said with a nervous laugh, “S-she seems like a nice person
a-and is kind to me.”

“Aren’t you tired of her dragging you around?”

“It’s okay. A-actually, I feel I have more energy than

usual”, Max said trying to placate him.

She waited for his answer, wondering if it sounded convincing

enough, but in response Riftan just looked down and curled a few
strands of Max’s hair between his fingers, then tugged them behind
her ears.

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She shuddered at his touch. A few soft leaves fell and left a pale
green shadow over his sharp face as they fell to the ground. Riftan,
who had been staring at Max quietly for a while, muttered softly,
“Today is the first time I’ve seen you so happy, enjoying
yourself… having fun.”

“Th-this is my first time at a town festival”, Max answered,

caught off guard by his serious gaze.

“Do you want me to hold a festival every day?” Riftan said,

seriously.

“D-don’t be ridiculous,”

“I’ll pay for them all.”

He looked like he was being too serious, so Max clasped her hands
and turned pale. “Y-you mustn’t. N-next year. It w-would be
nice enough to c-come here together again.”

Riftan’s eyes became unfocused. He closed his eyes, thinking

deeply about what she said. “Yes, next year, the two of us…”

Before he could finish speaking, another BANG rang out and his
brow furrowed. He stood and said distractedly, “Let’s head back. I
need to put this out before she burns all of Anatol.”

Max clumsily stood as well. Riftan patted her clothes, took her
hand, and led the way out of their spot behind the tree. She still felt
light-headed, as if she were walking on a cloud. A warm, spring
breeze flowed around her body, as if hugging her. She couldn’t even
remember why the festival was being held in the first place.

At the top of the hill, Agnes was still emitting fireworks into the sky
with her magic. She only stopped when Riftan came to berate her
and stuck her tongue out at him. At his terrible gaze, Sir Karon
muttered his apologies for not being able to control the princess.
Riftan’s dark mood didn’t dissipate as he walked down the hill among

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crowds of spectators, he stared at every face who caught his eye
with a menacing glare. Agnes’ followed him, morosely.

“You needn’t be so angry. Everyone enjoyed the lights”,

she mumbled.

“Some of these people might’ve recognized you. Christ.

You’re a blond, blue-eyed wizard. Isn’t that typical of a
Capitol citizen?” He locked eyes with the princess and said
menacingly, “Please be aware. You’re a king’s daughter, and
some people here want to hurt you.”

“Don’t be so stiff. If anyone tries to harm me, I can take

care of myself.” She clamped her mouth shut upon Riftan’s cold
gaze. She rolled her eyes, but eventually said softly, “I may have
overdone it a bit this time since I was excited.”

“You went overboard”, Riftan said fiercely through his teeth. He

looked around. Although he wore a hood, there were still many young
townspeople who seemed to recognize him. Even worse, Agnes, the
person who had magically set off the fireworks, was in his presence.

Spectators were watching them and whispering, the word was

spreading among the festival participants that the Lord Calypse and
an elite wizard were among them. To avoid trouble, Riftan and the
group headed straight for the main road.

“Please, wait one moment. I’ll bring up the coach”, Sir Karon
said quickly once they broke from the crowd.

Looking back, Agnes said sincerely, “I am sorry that our outing

ended early because of me. I only wanted us all to enjoy
ourselves more.”

“Oh, it was a n-nice surprise. I enjoyed your magic. It w-

was amazing! I d-didn’t know a technique like that existed.”

Agnes beamed from Max’s praise. “I learned how to make

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fireworks when I was at the Wizarding Tower. The fireworks
are a bit noisy, but cool to the touch. Since it burns quickly, it
won’t affect its surroundings either. I often conjure them for
annual celebrations.”

“I see. T-This magic is for entertainment.”

Maxi lowered her eyes, a bit disappointed in herself. A while ago,

she had almost become comatose from wasting too much mana,
even after trying to preserve as much magic as she could for her
patients. Yet Agnes had emitted scores of fireworks and looked
perfectly fine: to the princess, that amount of mana was miniscule.
Max felt an inferior gap between herself and Agnes again.

While Riftan was checking the carriage, Agnes leaned in and

whispered in Max’s ear, “By the way, it looked like a scene from
a tale.”

“Y-yes?”

“When Riftan took the dancing Maximilian into the forest.”

Max’s face began to turn as red as charcoal burning in a fire, but
Agnes didn’t stop. “What did you two do in the woods?”

“A-agnes!” Max almost screamed.

Agnes giggled and scampered into the carriage. Riftan, who was
checking that the jockey was still sober, looked at the princess
retreating back in surprise. Max shook her head to show that nothing
important had happened and quickly followed her into the carriage.
Agnes was leaning against the carriage door when she saw Max’s
expression and laughed.

“Your face looks red like a plum. Aren’t you too innocent to
be a married woman?”

“D-don’t laugh. Please.”

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“That’s a hard request to obey. I enjoy teasing you,
Maximilian.” Agnes blue eyes shone brightly while her laughter
turned into suppressed giggles.

Max began to sweat, not knowing how to respond to this odd

behavior. The princess smiled gently.

“Thank you for coming out with me today. I’m glad we were
able to make some happy memories together before I head
back.”

Max’s eyes widened at this remark. “H-have you finished your

duties here?”

“I should head back to the Capitol soon. I see it’s pointless

now to convince that man to come with me”, she said pointing
outside at Riftan. “I should be satisfied now that I’ve confirmed
he’s doing well.”

Max’s breath stopped as she heard the admiration in Agnes’ voice.

She wasn’t sure if Agnes favored Riftan as a man or admired him as
the invincible Mahgo.

Agnes looked at her and her countenance became serious. “If you
have the time, please consider stopping by the Palace at
least once. I’ll guide you from there to every corner of the
surrounding Capitol.”

“Th-thank you for the offer.”

“I mean this sincerely. It’s a formal invitation”, Agnes raised

her finger in emphasis.

Max averted her eyes to hide her embarrassment. The princess did
not seem upset to be leaving Riftan alone, which made her a bit
more relieved. If Agnes really did have feelings for Riftan, she would
not be this kind, Max considered. If that was the case, the princess
would have stayed longer and taken advantage of her situation in

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Anatol to win him over.

After another moment, Riftan and Sir Karon finished their

discussion and entered the carriage. Once all the passengers were
seated, one of them knocked on the partition, and the carriage began
to travel back to the Calypse estate.

Looking out through her window, Max saw the fields, green from
early spring, pass her by. Soft leaves rustled in the wind, as if a spirit
were singing faintly.

It was a lovely scene, but also somehow lonely.

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Chapter 160
Source: Secret Translations

The next day, Agnes and her men began to prepare for their
journey back to the Palace. With Rodrigo’s help, Max reviewed the
packing list while coordinating the servants to prepare for their
guests’ departure.

The original plan was to consult with Riftan to provide a gift to the
King, but the monster bones and skin took up most of the available
space in the horse-drawn carriages. Besides, between Agnes’ spoils
from the monster raids and the purchases she had made in town, the
servants could only fit four tapestries and six ruby-encrusted wine
glasses in miscellaneous places.

“Ha-have you inspected the carriages?” Max asked Rodrigo.

“Yes, my Lady. I replaced one of the wheels and fed the

horses. The blacksmiths also plan to check the horseshoes
prior to departure”. Max continued to scan the packing list as
Rodrigo briefed her. He watched her quietly for a moment before
saying nervously. “My Lady, it hasn’t been long since you’ve
recovered. If you need rest, please leave everything to me.”

Max gave him a sour smile. Riftan’s overprotective personality

seemed to have spread amongst the servants. It was now a recurring
theme for someone to ask her to rest whenever she was engaged.

She moved her thin body, watching the skirt of her pale, green
dress swish faintly. Did she look sickly? She knew she didn’t look
particularly strong, but she wouldn’t break from standing either. Max
raised her head and said assuredly.

“I-I’m not sick. I have had enough r-rest, thank you. I-I’m
fine now.”
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“I’m glad to hear that, my Lady, but please don’t
overwhelm yourself.”

“Yes, I know”, Max said wryly, unperturbed by the butler’s words.

She turned to focus on the servants scurried around the castle. She
wanted to help the busy staff and didn’t want to be treated like a
weak, old man. She strode down the corridor with a nonchalant
expression to look professional.

Agnes and her knights were inspecting their weapons, magic

artifacts, and other equipment near the Great Hall. A knight had told
Max that crossing the Anatolian Mountains in itself was already a
dangerous journey, so they had to prepare for monster ambushes.
The knights dressed their horses with protective armor and installed
sharp blades on the flat roofs of the carriages to prevent monsters
from roosting there. Finally, the knights began to check their
personal armor for defects. Even the attendants were lightly armed
with swords and leather armor. Instead of going home, the party
looked like they were going to war.

“Maximilian!” Agnes waved at her happily. “Thank you for

helping my men and I pack.”

“Yes. Pl-Please let me know if there’s a-anything else you

need”.

“We just need enough food and water now to reach the
estate of Baron Luvein. Any more goods, and it will be
dangerous to maneuver. The extra weight will slow our
movement.” Agnes viewed Max’s packing list and nodded in
approval. “Looks accurate.”

“Y-you requested medicines this morning?”

“Thirty shekels of detoxifying potion (about 330 grams),

and twenty shekels of recovery potion (about 220 grams) will
be enough”, Agnes said.

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Max wrote down the quantities before handing off the list to
Rodrigo. The princess watched the transaction with a sad smile.

“I’ve had a headache since dawn. I considered prolonging

my departure a couple more days, but my father has sent an
urgent message.” She sighed, motioning to a messenger hawk
resting on one of the carriages.

Max’s eyes widened. “Ha-has something happened at the

Capital?”

“The typical drama. Another territorial dispute”, Agnes

rubbed her forehead. “After the rainy season, the bloody fools
who have been locked inside all day tend to make noise, as if
they’re bears waking up from hibernation. There really is
never a peaceful day.”

Max’s heart fell. She remembered the Knights of Croix often

leaving the estate for one of her father’s campaigns. Knights seemed
to spend most of their lives on the battlefield.

“R-Riftan will also have to depart a-at some point.” Max said
deeply, trying to hide her dejection.

“Yes, if the conflict grows large enough to require the

Remdragon Knights”, Agnes said with her usual, cheerful attitude,
checking that the goods were secured tightly on her saddle. Max hid
her face, trying to review the packing list again, but her eyes were
too blurred with tears to read the words properly. She bit her lip to
hide her disappointment.

“When that time comes, Maximillian, you can come too.”

Max rose her head. “M-m-me?”

“Aren’t you a wizard?” Agnes tilted her head, surprised at her

response. “If a crisis is large enough to require Riftan’s
assistance, his group will need healing magic as well. There

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are too many conflicts in this world and not enough wizards
to support. He may need your help soon, Maximilian.”

“Oh, I-I’m not sure if I would be helpful. I o-only started

learning magic a while ago. The l-last time I used healing
magic, I fainted. I do-don’t seem to have that much mana”.

“Your magic will improve exponentially with practice”,

Agnes said, frowning. She seemed to have expected a more
enthusiastic response from Max. “I heard from the knights you
only started learning magic a few months ago. You’ve done
impressive feats as a beginner, Maximilian.”

“I h-have only done simple healing spells. Ruth does many

other types of magic. I-I’ve tried other branches of magic
with him, but h-have not advanced much.”

“It’s not uncommon for wizards to excel in certain

branches. Most likely, Maximilian, you have an affinity for
healing magic. If you train for a few years and take some
risks outside of the castle, I have no doubt that you will
become a great healer in a few years.” Agnes seemed so
convinced about Max’s potential that even she almost began to
wonder if she did have some innate talent. The princess lowered her
voice to encourage Max, “Do not forsake the talents that God
has given you.”

Max stared blankly at Agnes’ blue eyes, at a loss for words. She
had lived almost twenty-two years being called a stammering fool by
her father. Since she had arrived to Anatol, she pretended to act like
a distinguished noblewoman, and was often discouraged about her
poor performance. Yet now, a powerful wizard like Agnes who had
traveled across the entire continent said that Max had a gift. She
looked at the princess nervously, trying to see if she truly meant
what she had said. Agnes’ expression was tender, but her eyes were
firm. She seemed sincere.

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Max swallowed before saying, “I-I’ll try my best.”

“You can do it”, Agnes smiled, trying to motivate her, then she
lightly tapped on her shoulder before checking on her knights.

You can do it. Those simple words seemed to produce a ripple in

Max’s mind, as if sprouting a new idea that she could control her
future.

***

An extravagant dinner was set in the dining hall as an informal

farewell party for the guests. It was a bit too simple to call it a feast,
but the guests enjoyed their meal without complaint. Every
Remdragon Knight was present to wish Agnes’ and her men good
luck on their journey. After a short farewell ceremony, the knights
lined themselves outside the castle.

Agnes leapt onto her red-brown horse without delay, wanting to

camp at the foot of the mountains before sundown.

“Thank you all for your generosity. I had a wonderful time”,

Agnes smiled at Max. She was thanking her host as etiquette
demanded, as expected from a princess.

“N-no. I wish I h-had been a better host”.

“Let’s end the formalities here”. The princess looked over

shoulder, making sure her party was ready to leave. Three stocked
carriages and her attendants were behind her, her knights to her left
and right were all staring at her, ready for the command to depart.
Six additional Remdragon Knights had temporarily joined Agnes’
party. They had been ordered by Riftan to escort Agnes’ safely out of
Anatol. “We should get going”.

Hebaron, who was part of her entourage, gave a huge grin while
scratching his back.

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“You came like a typhoon making a mess and now you’re
leaving like thunder. Do you have to make a big impression
on everyone who crosses your path?”

“I do hate the idea of leaving a mess”, Agnes said.

“It’s because you’re too impatient and reckless.” Riftan,

standing in the front row with his arms crossed over his chest,
muttered cynically under his breath and Agnes laughed as if Riftan’s
suspicions were ridiculous.

“Lord Calypse is the last person who should be teaching me

about patience.”

“Don’t even think about discussing patience with me”,

Riftan warned. “I haven’t raised my voice at you once. I’ve
been enduring your presence for the past few weeks while
you’ve tried to coerce me with your schemes.”

“Haven’t raised your voice?” Agnes repeated him, bewildered.

Note – Nymeria: Agnes leaving

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Chapter 161
Source: Secret Translations

Max watched Riftan and Agnes argue. It was embarrassing to see

them fight in public, but the knights around them seemed used to it,
and shook their heads, bored.

“Christ, say your goodbyes and leave already”, Riftan said.

“You started the argument first!”

“Do you plan on leaving after the sun sets?”, he added.

Agnes’ shoulders briefly trembled as if she was trying to hold back

a retort, then she sighed. “Yes, unwanted guests should leave.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

“R-Riftan!” Max pulled on the hem of his shirt.

Riftan looked down at her before forcing himself to give a fake

smile to Agnes. “Please have safe travels.”

“Thank you”, Agnes said dryly, but smiled when she turned to
Max. “Maximillian, thank you also for your hospitality.”

“Pl-please stay safe and good luck”.

“I wish you the same”, the princess said before alerting her
men.

Her knights yelled in approval before following Agnes across the

drawbridge, kicking up dust beneath them. Max waved her hand until
she had disappeared from her sight. She had felt uncomfortable
having Riftan and Agnes spend time together, but now, a mysterious
hollow feeling seemed to replace our anxiety.

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“Let’s go back to our room”, Riftan told her.

He hugged her firmly while looking at the castle. Max turned in his
embrace to watch him: his arms felt thick and strong like a tree
trunk.

***

Max soon completed her tasks of renovating the gardens and

castle. The gardens were now green and lush, depicting full bloom
flowers. The sky over the garden became noisy as hawkers trained
their birds. In the castle, old furniture was replaced, and every corner
was either decorated or clean.

Meanwhile, Riftan was still busy coordinating the road construction.

The knights toiled from dawn until dusk around him, keeping the
monsters away.

Max soon fell into a monotonous routine. The servants were

diligent and competent, needing little supervision. Before, she had
studied magic in her free time but was now hesitant to start again.
Her apathy towards the subject affected her ability, in fact it took her
longer to memorize complex formulae without her past enthusiasm.

In the comfort of her bedroom, she sighed as she touched the book
spines lined up in rows on the bookshelf. Agnes had said she had a
talent for healing magic, but Max still wasn’t quite sure. Should she
continue to learn magic, even if Riftan was against it? Her husband
had made it clear that he never wanted her help, and Max was too
discouraged to follow up after his initial rejection.

White rays of sunlight poured over her through the window and she
kept getting distracted by the view outside instead of reading, and
she had lost interest in the speech practice worksheet that Ruth had
made for her. What was the point in continuing? She laid her head
against the windowsill and sighed again.

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“What are you doing? Are you sick?”, Riftan said.

Max turned quickly and walked up to him. “W-Why are you here
at this time?”

Riftan had left before dawn to supervise the road construction. Max
looked at him with worry, wondering if there had been issues.
However, he was unhurt and stood tall as always, displaying a
confident presence. His hair was shining like a black onyx with
strands outstretched here and there at odd angles.

He looked at her methodically, checking for any signs of weakness.

After taking off his leather gloves, he rested his hand against her
forehead.

“I had to come back to see the blacksmith and stopped by

to see you. Do you have a fever?”

“Oh, no. I w-was only looking outside.”

“You were sighing. Are you bored here?” he said, troubled.

“Would you like to invite some of the neighboring nobles and
hold a banquet?”

Max widened her eyes and drew back in surprise. Although Riftan
had the funds to hold a banquet now, the knights didn’t have the
time to leisurely enjoy their food, drink, and entertain guests. His
offer was ridiculous, just like the time he had offered to hold a
festival every day of the year. Yet his face showed that he was
making a genuine offer, so she shook her head quickly. Riftan
frowned and bent until they were at eye level. His gaze was serious,
as if wanting to know what she was thinking about.

“You’ve been making faces since the guests left. If you’re

bored from the country life—”

Max cut him off. “No! I-It’s only because the weather has
been warm. I w-was drowsy. I d-don’t want to hold a banquet

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or feast. I do-don’t enjoy those things.”

“At Croix Castle, you didn’t stay at the banquet for long
either”, he said thoughtfully. “You only revealed yourself and
left after a short while.”

His tone sounded disapproving to Max. Did he want a more social

wife?

“I w-want to be a good host and m-make sure our guests

feel w-welcome”, she said resolutely. “Bu-but I generally do not
enjoy loud events. Even as a child, I’ve never liked them.”

“It didn’t seem that way at the festival. I just want to see
you enjoy—”, Riftan winced, noticing that he was raising his voice.
His shoulders stiffened. “Then, would you like to take a walk
with me now, instead?” he added more softly.

“You d-don’t have to. You’re busy”.

“I’m not busy enough to stop breathing”, Riftan said,

annoyed. He picked up Max’s cloak hanging off the wall. “Do you
want to avoid spending time with me?”

“No, I don’t d-dislike your idea. B-but Riftan, you’re always

working. You don’t have t-time to sleep properly. Instead of a
walk, y-you should rest even for a little bit. I-it will be better
for you.”

“Taking a nap in bed together sounds nice”, Riftan glanced at

the bed before grimacing. “But I’m not confident enough that I
can just lay down with you and sleep quietly.”

Max blushed and he laid a hand on her shoulder before fastening

the clasp on her cloak around her neck.

“Let’s take a walk. I haven’t seen the gardens you’ve

decorated up close”. A fresh breeze entered through the open

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window and Riftan sniffed, then made a strange face. “The whole
castle smells like flowers”.

“Do you dislike it?”

“No, it’s something different”, he said dryly. “I’m used to the

smell of dirt, horses, sweat, blood…”

Max felt that perhaps Riftan had more in common with the flowers
than she did. He was full of life just like their garden, was familiar
with living every day, through hardship or training. He was strong
and brave enough to overcome his trials, while she was just empty.

“Let’s grab some refreshments first”, Riftan said lightly, trying

to improve her mood.

Max smiled, trying to hide her worries. “A few days ago, I b-

bought a lot of fresh fruit. T-there were quality spices on
sale. We w-will have a lot to choose from.”

“Good, it’s been some time since I’ve had fresh fruit. Not
dried or pickled”.

Riftan looked straight ahead and went out with Max. After stopping
momentarily in the kitchens, they left to go outside with a basket of
raspberries, mulled wine, freshly baked apples, and bread.

Max squinted when bright sunlight shone over her, making the dew
on the flower buds shine like jewels. Compared to the stone floor the
servants cleaned and polished every day, the grass felt like a soft
carpet that emitted a soft, bluish hue.

“Are you cold?”

“No, I’m v-very warm”. She took his hand and walked slowly.
The Uigru tree was now sprouting buds. Max smiled and laughed
quietly while she admired the foliage. Ruth’s magic had worked, the
tree had finally come back to life.

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“What are you smiling and laughing about?”

“The tree here. Do you see? The f-flowers have

blossomed”.

“I thought this tree was dead”.

“Ruth said the t-tree may seem dead but t-there was a high
chance it was still alive. I-in autumn, he applied his magic”,
Max stopped as she saw Riftan become impassive. “Is something
wrong?”

“No”, he said bluntly and tugged on her arm. “I don’t see

what’s interesting about an ugly tree having leaves. We
should look at something else. Let’s go to the garden you’re
always looking at from our room.”

“The merchant gave me some recommendations. I p-

planted a medley of flowers. I hope you e-enjoy them”.

They walked down a path past the training area gates at a relaxed
pace. Max smiled in delight as she saw the sun filter through the
foliage and light up her husband’s face.

She loved looking at him and yet feared to disappoint him at the
same time. His naturally cruel and sharp eyes, his large and
overbearing body that moved lithely, even when he was at ease…
She admired all of him and was no longer scared of his appearance.

She didn’t understand why such a handsome man felt so

passionate about a woman like her. Regardless, her heart seemed to
fill with him more and more as the days went by.

“The garden view is even more wonderful up close”.

They finally arrived. A medley of colorful flowers were in full bloom

and Riftan began to speak.

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Chapter 162
Source: Secret Translations

“Ah, the scent smells really good.”

Max gazed at it with a sense of relief and pride. Bright red buds
saturated the area around the small puddle dug by the servants, and
the shrub trees that were lined up like little soldiers had bluish-purple
flowers sprouting, next to them was a field of various herbs which
grew pleasantly and created a wonderful harmony with the flowers.
Max placed a handkerchief on a flat chair carved out of stone and
sat.

“The p-plants here… all of them can be used as h-herbs

and spices.”

“You mean you made an edible garden?”

“It’s o-one thing to have pretty flowers in a garden, b-but

planting useful plants… I thought that it w-would be nice.”

Max’s words made Riftan laugh gently. “I will instruct the

guards to make sure that nothing harms this garden and to
keep it intact.”

“Do you l-like… it?”

He looked down at Max who was sitting a step away from the
flower garden and then he nodded slowly. An intense emotion
flashed over his eyes and then disappeared briefly.

“Yes, I like it.”

The voice that came with his response was oddly strained. Max
looked at him with a puzzled glance, when Riftan squatted near her,

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patting his lips as if trying to hide his feelings.

“A year ago, I never imagined I would spend such a

leisurely time in a flower garden with my wife.”

Max grew nervous upon realizing that Riftan was pertaining to the
time he went on an expedition.

“I heard that… you have g-gone through a lot of t-trouble

during the e-expedition.”

“It wasn’t easy. There were thousands of monsters living in

the Lexos mountains and the road to the Dragon lair was
surrounded by layers of barriers and labyrinths.”

He replied grimly, rummaging through a basket and taking out an

apple. He took a big bite out of it and its fresh juice gently moistened
his lips. Max’s face flushed red, sensual memories flashing in her
head. Regardless of her wild imaginations, Riftan, who was sitting on
the ground eating an apple, seemed free and relaxed; like an
innocent boy who was naïve of the cruel world. He took a green
apple and offered it to her.

“It tastes pretty good. Try it too.”

Max absently took a bite on the apple. There was no taste on her
tongue as it was hardened by the tension she was feeling. She had
suffered immensely because of her father, which made her so
preoccupied with her own misery for the past three years that she
had never thought about the hardships Riftan went through. Rather,
she even feared that if he came back, he would inflict unimaginable
harm on her.

But how can he be so comfortable by my side?. Overwhelmed by

the question in her head, Max looked down carefully at Riftan who
was enjoying the breeze.

Has he ever blamed me? Max hoped that wasn’t the case, but after

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all, Riftan married her even knowing all the hardship it was going to
bring him. Wouldn’t any man in the world who faced such misfortune
lament? It was a miracle that he decided to keep his wedding vows
and was satisfied with her. Her thoughts made her heart feel
uncomfortable, so she quickly changed the topic.

“Is the r-road construction…going well?”

“It’s going well. It will be completed by the time fall

comes.” Riftan threw the apple seeds into the bush with an
ambitious smile. “I will expand the port as soon as the road is
complete. It would cost a lot of money to keep it
indestructible by monsters but the traders from the south
will be able to dock huge ships and they will reward us
handsomely for that. It’s going to be extremely profitable.”

“Can you make t-that much money… from t-tolls alone?”

“It’s not going to be just tolls. Partnering with merchants

can make you more money than the king. They share a
portion of their income in exchange for protecting their
expensive cargo and helping them run their business
smoothly. There already are many merchants lining up to
cooperate. I won’t let you miss the privilege of enjoying rare
silks and spices coming from the south at an affordable
price.” He leaned back and smiled at her. “When the trader
brings the ship, I will give you 500 silk clothes.”

“I have m-more than enough s-silk clothes.”

“It’s not enough”, he affirmed and laughed. “Hang in there. I

will give you countless numbers of the most expensive
clothes in the world. Then, I’ll put diamond rings that shine
brighter than the sun on each of your finger. From your neck
to your wrist, to your ankles, I’ll decorate you with jewels.”

He grabbed her hand and pressed his lips on her wrist. The feeling

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of the slightly cold, wet lips pressing against the sensitive, pulsing
skin made Max shudder. Riftan’s dark eyes were deeply satisfied.

“I will make you the most honorable lady in the Seven

Kingdoms. I will make you enjoy as much as wealth as the
princess of Roem.” Riftan caressed her palm and spoke
passionately to her. “If the empire did not perish, you would
have been treated as the most precious woman in this
continent. Someone like me wouldn’t have been allowed to
even talk to you.”

“D-don’t say such nonsense. Roem perished a long t-time

ago and the Roem family barely maintains their name… now
t-they have no power, n-no influence. I am j-just one of the
m-many many nobles of Whedon.”

“You’re being too humble. You are the descendant of the

great imperial family who once ruled the empire, and the
eldest daughter of the most powerful Duke in Whedon. You
are not just any noblewoman.” Suddenly, a look of cruelty
permeated Riftan’s face. “I despise your father, but I don’t
intend to disrespect him. The reason the Duke chose me as
your husband is because I was useful to him, not exactly
because I’m a suitable or worthy groom for you.”

Max’s hand, which was held by Riftan, flinched. Like a hound that
instinctively crushes a bird flapping out of his claws, he tightened his
grasp.

“I have no noble relatives. Even if I die, I have no brothers

who will bother to avenge me. A commoner knight who has
the skill and reputation, but no power. It was no big deal for
him to make me his acting commander, it wouldn’t be
difficult to take care of any matter that may arise. He just
chose me to be the man whom he could use, then let die.”

“Th-that’s…”

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“He thought I would never come back and continue our
marriage.” Riftan emphasized gently but his tone was frightening.
“But I came back alive, and our marriage is real. Now that
man has no authority over you. I am your family.”

At those words full of possessiveness, she felt a cool breeze

sweeping through her heart. She was worthless to her father, it was
only Rosetta that the duke acknowledged as his daughter.
Maximillian was a failure, a useless daughter, who was married to a
commoner knight at a timely opportunity, just to be of use to the
Duke, so the fine noblewoman Riftan was referring to couldn’t
possibly be her, but Rosetta.

Max bit her lips. The fact that her own father had thoroughly
deceived and used her husband gave her a new kind of anger and
she felt unbearably sad that she had been the key to that deceit. The
Duke of Crox should have given a cherished daughter to a young
knight who would risk his life for him, he should have given the
beautiful and bright Rosetta to Riftan. He should have been treated
with that much. As the emotions rose fiercely in her heart, Max
began to speak in a trembling voice.

“I’m r-really… s-sorry.”

All of a sudden, as if all the spite escaped from him, Riftan clasped
her face between his palms.

“Damn, I’ve said too much nonsense. I wasn’t trying to

blame you, I know you have nothing to do with your father’s
evil tactics. You never wanted to marry me, did you?” That
was true. He smiled at her bitterly as he looked at her eyes that
couldn’t deny what he said. “You are just another pitiful pawn
who was forced by your father to marry a lowly human like
me.”

“I-it’s not like that. D-d-don’t say it that way-”

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But he did not listen to his wife’s urgent words. “However, I will
make you perfectly satisfied. I will make you feel like
marrying me was better than marrying any other noble or
royalty.”

Unable to bear his words anymore, Max started to speak. “I-I

already feel that way. S-so…”

Suddenly she leaned over and wrapped her arms around his neck.
Riftan stiffened from surprise, before raising his arms to hug her
vigorously. He pulled her head and placed his lips over hers. Max
trembled helplessly as his sweet tongue, faintly scented with green
apples, gently filled her mouth.

The urge to bury her face against his neck and cry soared. The
fantasies he had of her was ridiculously surreal. Max closed her eyes
tightly, feeling miserable: no matter how hard she tried, she would
not be able to meet his expectations.

They stayed together like that, with their bodies glued to each
other, for a long time. When a guard came looking for him, he
stroked her cheek and stared at her with a sad expression, then gave
her a gentle kiss and reluctantly got up from his seat. Max watched
gloomily as she watched him leave to fulfill his duties as a Lord. She
was feeling so much guilt thinking that her father had thoroughly
deceived him and she just had silently obeyed him. She knew the
unchanging past wasn’t worth thinking about, but she couldn’t shake
her own self-condemnation.

Max trudged back to the room and collapsed on the bed. The fact
that Riftan treated her like an honorable princess made her
uncomfortable to her bones. For the past 22 years, Max was raised
like a dog by her father. When the dogs rebelled, her father would
raise his whip, but they would at least bare their teeth at him. Max
instead just sat down on her knees, bearing the punishment and
obeying with tears in her eyes.

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She had a deep understanding of how helpless and miserable she
was. As she crawled on the floor like a bug and hung on her father’s
feet, Max couldn’t forget what her figure looked like through the
mirror in the room. Her skin was all swollen and she wriggled on the
stone-cold floor like a worm.

Princess, Duke’s precious daughter… all those titles were

ridiculous.

Max curled up and buried her face in her lap. The more she
thought of Riftan, the tighter her chest became. Was it okay to admit
who she really was and how far she was from his perfect wife idea
that he had in his mind? However, just imagining herself telling the
truth to her husband caused her body to have cold sweats and
twisted her stomach.

She was well aware of how the servants of Croix Castle looked at
her. Their glances, filled with lukewarm sympathy at a distance, were
sometimes harder for her to bear than her father’s violence.

It would be better to die than to receive such a look from Riftan.

Her husband believed that his wife was the most honorable lady in
the world, and she never wanted him to know how miserable she had
been living.

Max got out of bed and left the room after she couldn’t bear the
spiralling depressive thoughts anymore. If she continued to be locked
up alone, her own negativity would swallow her whole.

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Chapter 163
Source: Secret Translations

Max needed to make herself busy. Being idle brought memories of

her time at the Croix Castle and it made her feel stagnant. She then
decided to go to the kitchen and supervise the servants to see if
dinner is going well. Just as she came down from the stairs and was
heading towards the hall, a thick voice called over her shoulder.

“Lady Calypse!”

Max shifted her gaze to the source of the voice. Knights Gabel
Laxion and Lombardo walked through the wide-open door. Their
serious expressions made Max nervous.

“Wh…What’s the matter? At this time of the day…?”

“I apologize for calling you so suddenly. There is someone

injured, will you kindly take a look at him?” They passed
through the servants who were cleaning the hall’s floors and ran
straight to her. Max was taken aback, her eyes widening.

Back when she had just started to practice healing magic, she
often looked after injured knights and never experienced depleting
her mana. However, since the incident of mana depletion happened,
such exchanges ceased.

It must be something serious that they decided to ask her for such
a request. Max felt embarrassed and hurriedly opened her lips to
talk.

“How about…R-ruth?”

“The wizard is at the construction site right now. I don’t

want to burden you, m’lady, but I couldn’t afford the time to

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go down the town and find another healer.”

They were in a hurry and didn’t wait for Max’s reply as they quickly
led her to the door. Max almost stumbled in hurry as she tried to
keep up the pace with the knights’ wide strides.

“H…How…Who was injured?”

“There are the knights who were sent for reconnaissance

to Libadon last winter. It seems that they were attacked by
werewolves beyond the territory of Anatol as they are going
back. One of them was bitten and infected with venom…”

Gabel lightly clucked his tongue and belatedly glanced at Max with
anxiety.

“Do you know how to use magic for injuries involving

venom?”

“I-I studied the magic formula. Yet I haven’t had the chance
to actually practice…”

“You can give it a try this time.”

Gabel spat out without hesitation, then began to slide down the
stairs’ railing. Max hurriedly jumped in pursuit but had to pull her
dress’s hem up to one side to prevent her from rolling down.

“R-rather… Wouldn’t it be better to wait for Ruth to

return?”

“If we delay it any longer, the venom will spread, and he

will be unable to use his right hand for the rest of his life. His
life as a knight will be over. We wouldn’t blame you if you
fail, just please give it a try first.”

Lombardo spat out in a tone that seemed more like a compulsion

than a request. Max swallowed dryly. The knights have so far lived

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trying to hide even the smallest injuries, now that they are coming to
her for help on such a serious problem, she didn’t know whether she
would feel happy or overwhelmed for what is expected of her.

What if I can’t handle it? She followed the knights across the
garden and stretched out her damp palms to wipe them against her
skirt. They passed through the gates and headed straight towards
the dorms.

“This way.”

Max stepped in the wooden building to follow them, she stiffened

as she saw the situation inside the room that’s made dark with thick
curtains. As the knight lit a candle, a desolate space with three or
four camp beds came into view. The room seems haphazardly made
to cater just those who were injured during training.

As she followed the knights, she saw a shelf-full of medicinal herbs

and bottles of unknown medicine, a brazier emitting a faint light, and
a boiling kettle.

Her shoulders were raised at the eerie scenery, her head turned
side to side, then she heard a weak, moaning sound. Max turned
towards the sound and saw a young knight lying down on the
farthest bed.

She stepped over to him and frowned, “It’s dark, so I can’t see
the wounds well. C-can the curtains be taken off?”

“Werewolves’ venom makes one’s nerves extremely

sensitive. Sunlight exposure intensifies the pain so the
struggle will be harder. Here, let me light a candle instead.”

Gabel explained briefly and lit a candlestick next to the bed. The
dim light revealed the knight’s bare torso. Max looked down tensely,
confirming that the size of the wound was not larger than she had
expected, her shoulders loosened a bit. There was a deep bite mark

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on his forearm, fortunately, the bone didn’t seem to be damaged.
However, the infection was serious.

Max placed the back of her hand against the young man’s face, her
eyebrows furrowing at the heat of his body temperature.

“The antidote… Ha-has he taken it?”

“He immediately took it when he was bitten, but the

monster who bit him seems to be an elite that the antidote is
not working.”

Max turned her head at the unfamiliar voice. A young knight with
an emaciated face entered the infirmary, carrying a flask. Sir
Lombardo quickly took the flask out of his hand.

“I told you to take a break and let the servants do these

chores.”

“I am fine. On the other hand, this guy was bitten while he

was bandaging me. It’s my responsibility to take care of
him.”

The young knight stubbornly replied, grabbing the flask, and

approaching the bedside. He then soaked a towel with water and
began to wipe the body of the unconscious knight. When the cold
towel met the young man’s feverish body, a weak moan erupted
from him. Sir Lombardo irritably looked at the scene and turned to
Max with urgency.

“Please hurry, If the venom spreads further, his arm will be

permanently damaged.”

“I… I’ll try.”

She tilted the candlestick with a tense face, carefully examining

the condition of the arm bitten by the monster. She had already seen
a werewolf bite before but that was very different from this. There

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was a foul odor emitting from the two pitted teeth marks that are so
deep they look like they have been nailed with a mallet. The bruise
on his arm seemed like a smeared dark reddish-purple paint and was
swelling like a plump sausage.

Will I be able to properly heal it? Max tried to recall the magic she
had learned from Ruth as she placed her trembling hand on top of
the wound. Healing venom-infected wounds consumed less mana
than healing magic, but the process and exhibition is more complex.

She tried drawing out her mana according to how she remembered
the unfamiliar formula, but controlling mana was not as easy as she
thought. She drew the magic formula twice. The tension was evident
in the faces of the knights and they watched quietly by her side,
noticing that she was encountering trouble during the process.

“Is it…difficult?”

“I… I’ll try one more time…”

Max muttered in a creeping voice, her face turning red from the
effort she’s exerting. She felt regretful; thinking that she should have
practiced this variant of magic instead of wasting time struggling
from self-pity. Max was afraid that if she didn’t succeed in healing
this young knight, the trust that was built between her and all the
knights would crumble. A hazy blue light emitted and wrapped
around the knight’s arm, and she began drawing intricate patterns.

The magical power that flowed into the knight’s body purified the
blood contaminated with venom and discharged it from the body with
the help of the magical formula Max drew. Gauging that the formula
is working, Max exhaled with a long sigh of relief. After a while, the
dark red energy around the knight’s arm and its angry swelling
subsided.

“It’s…a-all done.”

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Max slowly removed her hand as she felt that the dark energy was
completely eradicated from the wound. Gabel picked up a
candlestick and looked closely at the knight’s complexion. He then
suddenly pulled up the curtains and the bright sunlight flooded in,
making Max squint her eyes and furrow her eyebrows.

“He’s not reacting aggressively to the sunlight. It seems

that the magic worked, and the venom’s completely gone.”

“It’s not certain, there may be some v-venom and dark

energy left…he’ll need more antidote. Will you kindly boil
medicinal herbs?”

“I’ll prepare it.”

The other knight who was restless by her side quickly started
making tea, putting herbs and leaves into a kettle. Max sat by the
window and sighed for a moment as the tea boiled. It has been a
long time since she used magic, so she felt slightly tired, but she
wasn’t feeling dizzy like how it was when she depleted her mana.

Max weighed her remaining mana, having thought that she could
afford to use healing magic, she applied it on the knight. As the bite
marks on the knight’s forearm rapidly healed, the young man’s face
started to look better.

“We are grateful that you did so much, this is beyond

favor. M ’lady should also drink the tea that’s brewing as the
medicinal roots in it also help restore mana.”

“T…Thank you.”

“We have to properly express our thankful greetings to

you. Thank you for saving this young knight’s life.”

At Gabel’s polite words, Max’s face turned red. Hearing such

appreciative words from others was like sweet rain amidst a drought,
a break from the oppression of dreadful thoughts. Max muttered with

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a shy face whilst sipping the steaming herbal tea.

“It’s a r-relief…that I was helpful.”

“You are extremely helpful. If the aid was late, the venom
would have spread, and his arm would have been
permanently useless. Sir Ruth is not around; luckily for this
guy, m ’lady is capable of using healing magic.”

He suddenly frowned and looked at the attending knight.

“You didn’t have to return to the castle immediately, you

should have prioritized going to the healer without delay.”

“We entered Anatol through the front. We decided that it

would be better to go to the castle immediately than go down
hill and pass by the village. Moreover, he insisted that no
matter what happens, we should go straight to the castle. I
didn’t even know that the venom has spread worse than I
thought.”

The knight who was sweating whilst stirring tea in the kettle
refuted with a prejudiced expression.

“And above all, we thought that we should deliver the news

to the lord as soon as possible.”

“What news?”

Gabel asked with a puzzled face. Then, the attending knight

opened his lips, carefully choosing the right words to deliver.

“The knights must have known that the Lord had sent us to
Libadon to gather information. We stayed in Libadon over the
winter and investigated the monster movement
phenomenon.”

“Did you discover something out there?”

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The knight then nodded his head with a firm expression.

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Chapter 164
Source: Secret Translations

“There seems to be an alliance forming between subracial

monsters in the Pamela Plateau, north of Livadon. Highly intelligent
lizardmen and trolls formed a large army of monsters that began
raiding villages. According to what we heard just before we departed
from Livadon, the troll army looted even a fairly vast territory in the
north. “

“A large-scale alliance between the monsters?”

Not only the knight’s eyes widened, but Max’s as well at the absurd
news.

“Let’s say the monsters did form an alliance. At best, it will

be at the level of a small village. In all my life, I have never
heard of subracial monsters forming large armies.”

“No one has ever tried going deep into the Pamela Plateau.
It is possible that highly-intelligent monsters have achieved a
kingdom-scale of civilization, beyond small villages, without
us being aware of it.”

Max became pale and felt weak at the young knight’s serious
narration. Her body trembled in horror as tremendous numbers of
monster armies plundering humans unfolded in her imagination.
Even Lombardo’s face hardened, sensing the severity of the
situation.

“Is your information reliable?”

“It’s a rumor going around, it hasn’t been confirmed.

What’s certain is that a monster army made of lizardmen,
trolls, and red goblins have begun to do planned ransacks.”

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Gabel pondered, stroking his chin. “Do you think Livadon can
handle the situation?”

The young knight anxiously shook his head, his eyes squinting,
forming wrinkles on his face.

“I think there is a high possibility that each country in the

seven kingdoms will soon dispatch knights.”

“If it comes to that, then it is Whedon, their alliance in the

west, which will be first called for reinforcements.”

“You mean… the R-Remdragon Knights will go on an

expedition to Livadon?”

Max, who was listening intently to their conversation, suddenly

interrupted. She knew that the topic was something she should not
intervene with, but she felt impatient and couldn’t help but ask. It
was only then that Gabel noticed how pale her complexion was and
shook his head quickly.

“The Remdragon Knights barely returned last year after a three-

year expedition. Even if there is a call for reinforcements, the extent
of it will only be up to the Royal Knights, they’ll be the ones
dispatched.

“There’s no guarantee about that. According to the

wizards, this phenomenon of large-scale monster migration
occurred because of the evil army lurking in Pamela Plateau,
which swept the northern area. It’s a serious problem that
concerns the western continent. Obviously, even Anatol will
be called for reinforcements. We have to prepare.”

“We’ll discuss the matter when the Captain comes back.”

Sir Gabel glared at the young knight who wasn’t able to read the
room. Max realized that he was trying to put an end to the
conversation for her sake and got up in a hurry.

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“He s-seems to be okay now… I have to get up and g-get
going first.”

“I will accompany you to your room.”

“I-it’s okay. I can go by myself.”

“I insist. You need an escort even inside the castle.”

Sir Gabel firmly responded and quickly walked towards the door.
Max instructed Sir Lombardo to tell Ruth to check the patient again
when he returned, as there was a possibility that there was leftover
venom in his body, then she left the knight’s quarters. The sun had
set and the sky was tinted with a scarlet-orange shade.

“I heard that milady suffered from excessive mana

depletion the other day. Is your condition bad?”

“I-it was nothing. You don’t have to worry… I won’t pass

out again.”

Gabel leaned down and carefully examined her face. Only when he
saw that her complexion was still rosy, he nodded reassuringly and
continued to walk.

As they walked silently side by side, Max gazed anxiously at the

distant mountain. After hearing the news of an army made up of
monsters wreaking havoc, she could no longer afford to get stuck in
the past when there were so many uncertainties in the future. She
strongly felt the need to prepare herself for it. Just like today,
someone could suddenly be poisoned or fatally injured, and in cases
like that it was her that could answer pleas for help. It was her magic
skills that saved the young knight from the doom of losing his arms
forever.

Riftan had said he didn’t need her help, but that wasn’t the case
today. There is also something I can do. Max clung to that thought
desperately. Her father instilled in her countless times the idea that

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she was a useless human being, but she proved him wrong today.

No. It wasn’t only that day. Since she came to Anatol, she had
been desperately learning many things and improving herself. If she
gave up all of that now, she would never escape her lifelong sense of
inferiority. She would just be an incompetent failure for the rest of
her life, just like her father said. Max, who was taking her steps with
a thoughtful face, had a resolute glint in her eyes.

***

Riftan didn’t return to their room until late. It seemed that they
discussed the news brought by the young knight during their
expedition in Livadon all night long. She had decided to wait for him
to return and ask Riftan’s plans for the future, but after long hours of
waiting, she became exhausted from using her mana and could not
withstand the fatigue she felt. Max, who laid down on the bed, at
some point fell asleep like she had fainted.

By the time she opened her eyes, the sun was high up in the sky.
Her shoulders drooped as she saw the empty sheets next to her.

Guarding the territory, road constructions, and even

monsters…why can’t the world leave my husband alone of its worries
for a while? She sighed deeply, grasping her hair that was fluffy as a
cloud with her right hand.

“Milady, are you awake?”

“Rudis…”

As always, the maid who was in perfect shape and had not a single
hair out of place, came into the room with a tray of food. Max
laughed awkwardly, embarrassed that she overslept until noon.

“It’s too late f-for me to say g-good morning, right?”

“The Lord had instructed me to be considerate and let

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milady sleep as long as she needed. He said that milady was
tired…” Rudis placed the tray down on the shelf next to the bed
with a gentle smile.

All of a sudden, Max became worried about how Riftan would react
if he knew that she used her magic to heal the young knight the day
before. Would he be against it like he had been so far, or would he
reluctantly admit that her magic helped? As she was lost in her
thoughts, Rudis presented her a unique-smelling tea.

“The wizard handed me herbal leaves and said that it

would help replenish milady’s mana.”

Max took the teacup and her eyes widened. “Ruth returned?”

“He gave me the pouch containing the tea last night,

instructing me to boil it when milady woke up.”

Rudis opened a leather pouch, showing dried leaves and well-

groomed roots inside. Max was able to learn about medicinal herbs
and was immediately aware of what the tea was made of. It was a
mix of Mandragora roots and dried herbs.

Max rolled her eyes. It seemed everyone knew about her magic
performance of the day before, they must have discussed it together.
Just what kind of things the wizard went around telling without her
knowing?

“I should say t-thank you to him. Perhaps h-he’s still in the

castle?”

“The wizard?” Rudis tilted her head, placing one hand on her
cheek, as if trying to scan her memory. “I saw him come down to
the kitchen this morning to eat, but after that… Shall I go to
the library and check?”

“I-it’s alright. I’ll go b-by myself. I have something I want

to ask him…”

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She murmured vaguely as she sipped and blew on her tea. After
finishing the slightly bitter tea, Max simply filled her stomach with
the meal Rudis brought and washed her face. She then headed
straight to the library after fixing her hair and wearing a navy-blue
silk dress by the seamstress.

It had been a while since she saw Ruth, which made her feel a little
uncomfortable. She opened the door slightly with a nervous face,
expecting to hear a sarcastic comment about her interrupting him,
but the wizard was nowhere to be seen.

She searched every corner, even behind the farthest shelf, to see if
maybe he was hiding somewhere sleeping. When she saw no sign of
him, even the books were neatly piled up, she sighed; it seemed like
he had gone to the road construction site. It was a huge project,
crossing the rugged mountain range, so there was no doubt that they
would need a wizard to do more than a thing or two.

She gazed at the window with a sullen face and then rearranged
her thoughts. Even if Ruth wasn’t around, she could still research on
her own. She looked through the bookshelf and picked up a heavy
atlas, recalling the words from the young knight.

‘Pamela Plateau…’

She placed a thick book on top of the desk and flipped the pages,
finding the name in the northwestern region. Max then ran her
fingertips over a rough map. Pamela Plateau was located at the far
end of Livadon, in the northern area adjacent to Balto. She squinted
her eyes at the squiggly letters written at the side of the map which
were difficult to recognize. The brief description about the said region
was that it was an uninhabited wasteland, due to its harsh climate
and desolate environment.

Her forehead creased as she scrutinized the next page of the book
for any explanation, but to no avail, she resigned and closed the
nook. In the first place, the young knights said that there was not

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much known about the place, explaining the reason why there was
no detailed description in such an old book.

Max quickly got rid of her disappointment and began to search the
bookshelves again. Soon, she was able to find several books about
monsters in a corner. She pulled them out, looked inside, and
selected an encyclopedia with detailed drawings and sat down again
by the desk. As she unfolded the heavy book daunted with an
elaborate leather cover, a foul smell crept to her nose. Max went
through the faded sheets of paper with her nose scrunched. She was
able to find the names of the monsters she heard yesterday in the
second chapter.

‘Troll…’

It was the name of the cannibal monster that was often heard in
heroic bard stories. She looked down at the detailed illustration with
narrowed eyes. The troll appeared terrifying with its rough skin
reminiscent of a toad, giant arched nose, pointed ears, heavy
muscular limbs, and a bulging stomach. The monster stared back at
her with sunken eyes bent under swollen eyelids. Max, who was
looking at the vivid picture, read the description right below.

Max’s shoulder unconsciously tensed as she read the scribbled

words. Imagining an army made of strong cannibalistic giants who
were intelligent enough to make tools sent shivers down her spine.

‘It’s okay, the distance between Pamela Plateau and Anatol

is great, almost to the continent’s edges…’

However, the fact that the rampaging monster army was far from
Anatol did not comfort her. After all, it was a situation that might
demand her husband to leave for an expedition at a distant place.

Max anxiously bit her lips before turning to the next page.
Drawings of goblins and ogres appeared one after another. She was
focused reading the descriptions written underneath them when

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someone suddenly patted her shoulder making her jump out of her
chair, taken by surprise.

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Chapter 165
Source: Secret Translations

“What, what is it? Why are you so surprised?”

Max frowned when she saw that it was only Ruth, who ridiculously
shrugged.

“Don’t pretend to be i-innocent… What do you expect when

you sneak up on me like that!”

“Gods, who’s sneaking up on who? I walked perfectly

normally, didn’t I?”

“You have to at least make a s-sound.”

“Did I have to holler and say, ‘Ruth the Great Wizard has
arrived’?”

He retorted unwaveringly and pulled a chair across from her. Max

couldn’t figure out whether she should laugh or get angry at Ruth’s
rude attitude. Even though they hadn’t seen each other in a long
time, Ruth’s attitude remained the same.

The wizard yawned wide, his face gloomy as usual, and then took
the book from her hand, skimming through it.

“There are several wrong descriptions. Lizardmen are

technically closer to being subspecies of dragons rather than
being a sub-racial monster. Their bodies contain mana
stones, and they can cast magic spells. There would be better
details and explanation in Lord Calypse’s records than this
book.”

“Between d-dragon subspecies and s-sub-racial monsters…

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is there a big d-difference?”

“Of course, there’s a big difference. Sharing a common

ancestor with a dragon gives them powerful magical abilities,
such as their unique dragon breath. They also have excellent
anti-magic abilities, so a lot of magic spells don’t work on
them. That is what makes them so difficult to defeat.” He
placed the book back on the desk and scratched his head in agony.
“Lizardmen are at a much higher level compared to trolls.
They are intelligent, can use magic, and have outstanding
physical capabilities. Thus, they are hard to kill with either
sword or magic. One of them is harder to deal with than ten
trolls combined.”

With a new impression, Max’s eyes traced the drawing of a beast

that looked like a lizard and a human fused together. It had a reptile-
like face, a muscular body covered in scales, and a long tail. The
strange beast did not appear as clever as he said. As she squinted
her eyes to read the description below, wondering how dangerous of
a monster it was, Ruth tapped the desk with his fingertips, as if trying
to call her attention.

“By the way, what made you read through the book of
monsters?”

“Yesterday… I heard the news brought by the young

knights. It made me wonder what kind of m-monsters he was
talking about…”

Ruth tapped the tip of his chin with a thoughtful expression and
spoke. “I was told that you healed an injured knight from
werewolves’ venom using detoxifying magic. You must have
heard the news then.”

Max nodded stiffly. “North of Livadon… I heard that t-there is

an army of monsters r-ransacking villages. Will the
Remdragon Knights…be involved in the e-expedition?”

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“It’s still too early to be certain. However, there is a
possibility they will be called for reinforcements.”

Max felt like all the blood drained from her body. Even though she
was half-expecting that response, her heart still tightened at the
thought of being separated from Riftan. She bit her lip, recalling the
far distance of Pamela Plateau. How long would the expedition take
this time around? How many months? Perhaps even years? Ruth,
seeing her pale complexion, added cautiously.

“There’s a lot of work left in Anatol which the lord has to

oversee. We have discussed it until the wee hours of the
morning yesterday and we have come into conclusion that
either Sir Hebaron or Sir Uslin will take and lead a part of the
troops shall they be called for reinforcements.”

“I-Is that true?” Ruth nodded with a wry smile at Max’s eager
question, she was unable to hide the relief on her face. “Unless it is
inevitable, Lord Calypse will not leave Anatol for a long
period of time. The road construction is a huge income
generating project. Moreover, it’s been less than a year since
the Red Dragon conquest, we can’t leave the territory empty
for several months again.”

“I-inevitable circumstances… Are you saying Riftan will join

the expedition in case that happens?”

Ruth hesitated to answer her question but eventually confessed

frankly. “If the situation in Livadon takes the worse turn, Lord
Calypse will have to come forward. Also, if King Ruben
appoints Lord Calypse to join the expedition, it won’t be easy
for him to escape his order.”

Ruth fumbled with his fingers, weighing the possibilities, and then
sighed deeply. “There are so many bothersome precepts that knights
have to follow. ‘Protect the weak, obey the monarch, and fulfill their
duties to the way of the sword.’ Lord Calypse is not an ardent

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believer of chivalry, however… one cannot ignore these
commandments. It would damage the reputation that he has worked
so hard to build. “

“R-right…”

Max’s face darkened as she recalled the words of Princess Agnes

about the king suspecting Riftan’s loyalty. There was a chance that
King Ruben would go to the extent of nominating him to join the
expedition just to test him. The agreement made between the Seven
Kingdoms was a treaty created for the sake of peace and safety of
the continent’s whole population. It was made under the jurisdiction
of court laws, even Riftan didn’t have the power to easily defy it.

Max gazed at the drawings of the hideous beasts through the

book’s pages and bit her lips ‘til it hurt. Her stomach twisted as she
imagined Riftan battling enormous armies of monsters. No matter
how tremendously skilled a knight was, there was no guarantee that
he would be safe or unharmed in battle. Several times, she had been
made aware of Riftan’s recklessness so she was certain that he
wouldn’t spare himself in battles, he wouldn’t hesitate to fight like
hell in the front lines.

She felt angrily emotional out of nowhere. Riftan was a hypocrite

for being obsessively anxious about her safety but not caring a bit for
his. What kind of absurd way of thinking did he have? Her lips were
protruding due to her disgruntled mood, deeming it unfair that she
was the only one who worried to her stomach. Ruth’s calm voice
suddenly broke her relentless thoughts.

“I’ll be joining the expedition too.”

Max lifted her head. Ruth, who was staring at the ceiling with his
arms crossed, spoke like he was lost in thought.

“A long journey going to Livadon will require a wizard.

Whether it’s Lord Calypse or another knight who will take the

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lead, it’s no doubt that I will have to accompany them. That
would mean that Calypse Castle will need more of your magic
skills than it does now.”

“My… magic?”

Max’s eyes moved anxiously at his sudden remark. Ruth nodded at

her with a serious expression.

“Of course, I’m not obligating you. Currently, Anatol has a

considerable number of mercenaries. Surely, there are
wizards among them. I can gladly hire one of them, but it’s
too much of a trouble to get a mercenary wizard to settle
down. In case there’s no finding a skillful wizard, Lady
Calypse would be the only one who can respond when an
accident comes up just like yesterday.” He continued calmly,
but then walked back and forth behind Max with hesitation. “I’m
aware that milady suffered a great deal during the accident.
It was heavily my responsibility for not telling you what
would happen if you depleted your mana. I wanted to
apologize back then, but Lord Calypse had a certain glint in
his warning eyes so I couldn’t go find you…”

“You don’t need to apologize. Ruth, you also had to leave

in a h-hurry because of the wyvern attacks… you couldn’t
have predicted what would happen.”

“No, I knew that there was a possibility of an accident

happening because of those monsters. However, I didn’t
expect m‘lady to go to that extent in helping the wounded.”

Max didn’t have words to say at his extreme candor. “W-well,

that’s the reason why I learned magic. To h-help… in the
event of an accident… you taught me m-magic, right?”

“I did teach you with that intention in mind. But…I didn’t

expect you to actively do it.”

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He confessed with a shrug. Max was dumbfounded, her face slowly
stiffening. She felt betrayed by the fact that the man who insisted for
her to learn magic, did not expect much from her. Max stared at him
coldly and noticed how Ruth was unusually timid.

“I apologize for underestimating milady’s sense of justice.

You don’t know how much I sincerely regretted teaching you.
When I heard that you lost consciousness, I suffered from a
guilty conscience all night.”

“Ruth’s conscience i-is not that great… i-it’s not.”

“You don’t have to say that. I really, sincerely blamed

myself for what happened.”

Max didn’t reply and simply glared at him while Ruth scratched the
back of his head in shame, perhaps seeing how she was truly
offended.

“I realized again that there is nothing more dangerous than

half knowledge. If you will give me a chance, I’ll teach you
everything you need to be careful with when using magic and
how to deal with various crises…”

“You didn’t expect much… from me…”

“That’s not true. What I meant is that Lady Calypse

exceeded my expectations. Milady’s response was beyond
excellent. It was a bit over the top, although it wasn’t that
long since you started learning magic, you’ve helped me as
much as you can.”

Max looked up at him, scrutinizing whether he was really speaking

from the bottom of his heart. Ruth persuaded her calmly, confronting
her with a sincere look in his eyes.

“If you’re already fully recovered from last time, I want to

continue teaching you magic from where we left off. If

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milady’s skills improve from now on, I will be greatly
relieved.”

Max swallowed dryly at the increasing pressure she was put under.
She also felt the need to polish her magical skills. She had been in
Anatol for less than a year, yet she had already experienced two
major accidents.

During the early days of winter, she took care of large numbers of
injured people who were attacked by werewolves at a logging site
and recently the attack of the wyverns at the road construction site.
There was nothing that could assure her that it would never happen
again.

If she faced a situation where she had a lot of injuries to deal with
and Ruth was not around, she wasn’t confident that she would be
able to properly resolve it. Max, who tried to measure her abilities
coldly, shook her head. Her mana depleted after healing four or five
people, her current skill-level was not enough.

She wasn’t sure how many months it would take for her to practice
so she could be able to replace Ruth. Max gathered all her
confidence and managed to barely utter the words out, like sand
slipping off her mouth.

“Alright. If you t-teach me… I’ll do my best. Even though

Riftan is against it… I still want to k-keep learning how to use
magic.”

“Then it’s settled. Come to the library whenever you have

time. I’ll be here unless I have to do something in particular.”

He grinned with a satisfied expression and tapped Max on the

shoulder.

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Chapter 166
Source: Secret Translations

They wanted to start training right away, but because Ruth’s

schedule didn’t allow it, it was decided that they would have started
studying the following morning instead.

Ruth picked up a couple of helpful books from the shelf and

headed out with a bunch of parchments. Max, on the other hand, was
left alone in the library and began to read a thick, faded book.

The book the wizard had handed her was intermediate geometry.
Her head swirled and her eyes grew weary at the book’s complexity,
its content was difficult to understand. Max, who was earnestly
flipping over the pages and scanning the bookshelves, had her
eyebrows creased in concentration. After a while, she reached her
limit of exhaustion and laned her neck back.

Without taking notice, the day had already gone by and the sky
was tinted bright orange to a pale indigo. She massaged her stiff
shoulders whilst gazing at the dark orange sun through the window,
then closed the pages of the book and rose from her seat. Her
stomach protested as her hunger rushed in.

Thinking of it, she hadn’t had any proper meal today, aside from a
simple bread and soup. Max came out of the library, rubbing her
groaning belly. In the hallway, servants were busy lighting up the
candles. She gave them her habitual greeting and then slowly
descended from the stairs. As she was coming down a couple of
staircases, her eyes caught four servants carrying something
beneath the railing. Max looked inadvertently and realized that what
they were carrying was a blood-soaked armor, which made her
harden her face.

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“W-what’s going on? Again… Who got i-injured?” As she
glided down the remaining steps, the servants who were carrying the
heavy armor whimpered and stopped at their tracks. Max hastily
spoke before they even got the chance to answer. “Is… is the l-
lord i-injured?”

Her eyebrows furrowed as her eyes inspected the breastplate,

tassels, and vambraces that were all soaked in dark blood: the pieces
matched Riftan’s armor. What in the world had happened that his
armor ended up like this? Even if it wasn’t his blood that soaked it,
there sure was a lot of blood.

“Where is the l-lord…right now? Did he go up to the room?”

Her face was flooded with confusion. “Why… are you washing all
these outside?”

“That’s… because… we also don’t…” As the servants

stumbled upon their words, flustered, Max decided not to wait for
their answers anymore and turned around. She had to see with her
own eyes what was happening to properly understand and ran out to
the courtyard at once.

As she scanned the large, vacant lot, she saw workers splitting
firewood, merchants passing by with carts full of thread, and maids
pulling buckets of water from the well. Max’s eyes narrowed as she
saw Riftan standing next to the servants with his upper body
completely naked as he was pouring water on his head. When two
maids approached him, handing him a bucket filled with water, he
took it and used the water to rinse his blood-stained hands.

A clear gush of water soaked his long, thick nape and rushed down
to his sturdy shoulders, smooth back, and slender waist. Witnessing
the maids stealing glances at him and exchanging meaningful looks
at the view of their Lord, Max angrily ran toward them with her face
bright red. Riftan, who was rubbing his neck with his palms, widened
his eyes at the sight of her approaching.

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“Maxi…?”

“Why in a place like this… you are…”

She was going to reprimand him for washing top-naked in a place

where lots of people could see, but seeing him made her lose her
voice, as if someone tightened a rope around her throat. Max
glanced at his torso that shined like a golden statue in the dark
reddish sun, his enormous body was tightly woven with exquisite and
delicate muscles, and his golden-brown skin shone dazzlingly with a
vibrant hue. She licked her dry lips. Even though she had seen his
body a dozen times, her neck felt burning hot.

“I tracked down the monsters who attacked my knights in

training and killed them.”

Hearing his voice, Max raised her gaze that was wandering on
Riftan’s chest. He swept his jet-black hair, which appeared darker as
it was soaked in water, and spoke in a somewhat awkward tone.

“The encounter stained my whole body with blood so I’m

washing it off.”

“But you can go wash it in the r-room. I’ll ask for a bath to
be prepared r-right away…”

“But I was a mess. I’m telling you, I looked like a ghoul.”

He muttered under his breath, then a maid took the canteen he

held and refilled it with water, so he poured it again on his head. Max
took a step back to avoid the flowing water, while Riftan shook his
head like a hound to dry himself off and took a sniff on his forearm.

“Damn, the bloody smell won’t go away.”

“Th-then why don’t you… go up to the room. Clean it with

soap, I’m telling you… it will go away.”

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She said, lightly wiping her face with the sleeves of her dress.
Seeing that, Riftan moved away abruptly, as if burnt by fire. His
sudden reaction made Max widen her eyes in response. Riftan’s
expression displayed irritancy and he spoke with a cautious tone.

“Don’t get your clothes dirty for nothing. Werewolves’

blood smells revolting.”

“It’s just c-clothes… It’ll be alright once I change.”

With her loose sleeves, Max approached him to wipe the dripping
water off his cheeks and nape. Riftan flinched, as if he was about to
push her off, but then gently lowered his head. She smiled faintly at
the way he was acting, like a pet pressing his head against his
owner’s hand, and swept the dripping hair away from his forehead.
Riftan’s earlobe seemed to be burning red and she thought it could
be because of the sunlight, or perhaps, because he was developing a
fever, so Max anxiously touched his forearm and frowned at how cold
he was.

“Your body… is cold. It’s still cold… in this weather…”

“This doesn’t bother me. There was a time in the middle of

winter when I broke the ice on a lake to wash my body…”

“Don’t be s-stupid. If you get a c-cold what are you going

to d-do about it?”

Riftan’s eyes widened at Max’s aggressive persistence. She timidly

looked down, wondering if she had been presumptuous, but he
simply picked up a drenched tunic. After wiping the blood off his
body several times, he tossed the dingy cloth to the maids.

“Wash and soak it in lye. If the smell still lingers, then just
go ahead and burn it.”

“Yes, my lord.” Riftan glanced at Max as the maids scurried to do

the laundry. “Right, let’s go inside.”

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She went to his side and followed him with relief written on her
face. Riftan was soaked in so much water that in every step he took,
he left a dark puddle on the ground. Looking down at them, Max
spoke in a firm voice.

“From now on… come at once to the r-room. Don’t do such

t-thing outside.”

“And what, show up drenched in seven bags of blood and

frighten you again?”

Max frowned at his blunt response, but couldn’t help feeling

embarrassed when she realized he was talking about the time they
were attacked by a horde of ogres.

“T-that was my first time… seeing monsters… I was

overwhelmed.”

“If you say so…” He muttered skeptically. It seemed like he

knew what he was talking about and that Max was lying about what
she really feared. She anxiously looked from side to side.

“Now… I’m not afraid of seeing blood anymore like

before… you don’t have to worry about it.”

Riftan’s expression grew darker at her words, particularly when she

said that she wasn’t afraid of blood anymore. He looked down at her
with a piercing stare.

“I have no intention of making you get used to that kind of

sight.”

Max couldn’t retaliate and kept her mouth shut. She felt a strange
tension between them, it seemed like Riftan wanted to say
something more, but she avoided his gaze and followed him into the
castle.

She trailed hesitantly as he crossed the hall and called a servant

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on standby.

“Listen, prepare water for a bath and bring it up to the

room. Bring new clothes to change into too.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“After bathing, I intend to have my meal in the room.

Prepare and bring it on time.”

He bluntly commanded like a military and walked up the stairs

quickly. Max grabbed the hem of her dress and hurriedly followed
him. Riftan climbed two floors of stairs with wide, marching strides,
and opened the door of the room, which was very warm since Rudis
had already set fire in the furnace in advance. He carefully stepped
inside avoiding the carpet and took off his boots.

“F*cking wolf cubs… making a mess out of my good pair of

boots.”

She closed the door behind her and watched as Riftan cursed.
There was a faint reek coming off the dripping wet leather boots,
which made him wrinkle his nose, and he threw them to a corner.
Max picked up a towel and handed it to him.

“D-dry yourself…first.”

“I don’t need it. I’m going to take a bath anyway.”

“You shouldn’t stay wet w-while you wait for the bath
water.”

He glanced at the pool of water beneath his feet, sighed, and took
the towels from her.

Max walked over to the fireplace and poked the firewood burning
in the hearth with a steel rod to raise the temperature, then carefully
threw in some more wood.

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When she heard some rustling sound behind her, she turned
around to look over her shoulder and held her breath as she watched
Riftan take off his wet pants. His perfectly shaped buttocks tightened
as he bent his slender waist and his long, muscular legs were
revealed. She thought of turning her back to be polite, but she
couldn’t budge, she felt like she had become a statue. Max stared
blankly at him, as if her brain had been short-circuited.

For the past few weeks, she barely managed to see her husband’s
face once a day, she couldn’t even remember the last time she had
felt his body grind on top of her to fulfill her pleasures. Having
thoughts filled with desire, Max’s chest pounded, and her cheeks
turned hot. At that moment, Riftan turned to look at her, as if feeling
her lustful gaze.

Max quickly turned around and picked on the firewood, like there
was suddenly something interesting in the fireplace. She felt
embarrassed being caught drooling over her husband’s nakedness,
her ears tinting red.

Please, get it together and don’t act like a pervert starved for
pleasure! I mean, behave quietly and gracefully, like a woman from a
noble family…

As Max scolded herself internally, she heard a tight voice over

shoulder.

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Chapter 167
Source: Secret Translations

“…give me one more towel.”

The bass that came with his deep voice sent shivers down her
spine and made all the hair in her body stand. Max picked up a towel
and handed it to him, struggling to keep her gaze lowered.

Riftan took it in slow motion, soaked the cloth in a basin, and

began to lightly wipe his sticky legs. Max turned her back, avoiding
his figure, and touched the hem of her dress awkwardly. However, all
her nerves screamed for him. Max licked her dry lips.

Her fingertips tingled with the desire to look at him and touch him
with all her heart. After moments of pushing down embarrassing
fantasies and holding herself back, she thought of how it would feel
to touch her husband.

Didn’t Riftan say that it’s natural for couples to long for each other?

Max impulsively approached behind him and gently placed her

hands against his smooth, hard back. Riftan stiffened at the touch
and roughly pulled her away.

“…don’t be like this.”

His growling voice frightened Max, making her take a step back.
Thinking that he rejected her, her face almost turned purple.

“S-Sorry…”

As her eyes dropped to the floor, not knowing what to do, Riftan
groaned weakly and embraced her in his arms.

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“Yesterday, you used up your mana to save a knight. What
if you overwork yourself and drop to the ground like before?”

As if he was trying to sooth her, he stroked her hair with his wet
palm. Max exhaled with a trembling sigh at the feeling of his hot skin
against her thin clothes. A feeling of ecstasy flooded her. His body
smelled like fish blood, musk, and horses that couldn’t be washed
away. It was an odor that would never be associated with being
fragrant, but to her, Riftan’s smell was fascinating.

“I-I am fine. I didn’t consume…that much mana…I had e-

enough rest…I’ve completely recovered now.”

Riftan nodded and made a sore sound whilst rubbing his nose
against her chest. He muttered impatiently, his fingers fiddling with
her braided hair.

“…I have been holding back for a long time, I don’t think I
can do it gently.”

Max tilted her head. Has he ever been gentle? She didn’t
remember well. At first, he would carefully and slowly pleasure her,
but once he connected with her, he would pick up pace like a lunatic.
Reminiscing how insanely pleasurable those moments were, Max
looked up at him teasingly.

“…you don’t have to do it g-gently…it’s okay.”

At those words, Riftan’s self-control was shattered. He hugged her

tightly and, in a flash, ravenously devoured her lips. Max wrapped
her fingers in his wet, slippery, black hair. His lips tasted like fresh
water. She pressed her wet tongue against his mouth and locked it
together with his, pulling his head closer. Riftan groaned weakly,
wrapping his hand around her breasts, rubbing the flesh beneath the
smooth silk.

At once, a tingling heat rose from her belly. She unconsciously

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pushed her chest further against his palm. Then, against their
gasping, a sigh came out from Riftan’s lips which was close to hers.

“Damn it… you are seriously so pretty. I can hardly hold

back.”

Max looked up at him with confusion, like he just said that the
moon was green. Riftan caressed her cheeks with his lips, pulling
down the neckline of her dress and slipped his hand inside her dress.
As his rough palm softly rubbed her tender flesh, a thrilling
excitement washed over her. She groaned weakly, her lips trembling.
As Riftan looked down at her, he muttered ecstatically.

“Every time I touch you, I go crazy. How can someone’s

body be like this? It’s so soft, like it would melt… from your
fingertips to your toes nothing’s not pretty.”

“I-I’m not…”

Her thoughts ran astray as he pulled her bodice, revealing one of

her breasts. He stroked her mound with his cheek and then caressed
her rosy breast with his mouth, flicking her nipples with his hot,
damp tongue. She clung desperately to his neck, shuddering in pure
pleasure. Riftan groped her ass and positioned her perfectly against
his extremely thrilled body. Max, who was shivering to his naked
touch, glanced anxiously at the door.

“Ri…Riftan…slowly…the water for the b-bath…it might

come…”

“You should have thought of that before seducing me.”

“I-I did not seduce…ah…I did not. I-it wasn’t a

temptation…”

“You pleaded for me to hug you and stole me as if you

wanted to swallow me. If that’s not temptation, then what
is?”

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He loosened the straps of her dress and lowered it down to her
waist. Max looked down with a flushed face as he sprinkled tiny
kisses all over her flat stomach. Her legs melted away as if the bones
in them disappeared. Riftan pulled the dress down to her knees,
spread her legs, and buried his head in between. She stumbled,
lustfully mewling, and collapsed on his shoulders. Her knees shook
and her hamstrings tingled.

He gently rubbed the sensitive area and sucked in the tender flesh
inside her thighs. Max’s toes curled and she wept like a baby. Her
whole body flushed red and pink, and her reasoning was completely
burned away by pleasure. She shook her head like crazy and her
body trembled helplessly.

He skillfully intensified her pleasure even without pushing his

fingers and tongue deep into her. By the time she was about to reach
the climax, a sudden knock was heard.

“Master, the bath water is prepared.”

Riftan raised his head. Max grabbed him as he tried to get up and
smacked him, he shouldn’t stop leaving her in that state. Just a bit
more and he would relieve her from this tension, but he mercilessly
stopped his ministrations and pushed her onto the bed.

“Endure it for a bit, hm?”

“N-no.”

“It’s been a long time. I don’t want to do it hastily just to

get the job done.”

As if he were soothing her, he gently patted her stomach and

brushed his lips against her temple. Max looked up at him with damp
eyes, trembling pathetically like a newborn doe. Riftan looked down
at her, held his breath, and then kissed her fiercely. Then, as if barely
finding the will, he covered her body with a blanket and swiftly put on

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a nightgown himself.

“Do it quickly.”

As he opened the door, the servants came in with a steaming

bathtub. Max hid beneath the sheets, her palms against her burning
breasts. It felt like hours as the maids adjusted the water’s
temperature, put extra water by the fireplace, and placed clothes,
soap, and towels on top of the cabinet. Riftan also shouted
ferociously as if he was as impatient as she was.

“Done, hurry and get out.”

“W-we’re sorry.”

The servants left the room with confused faces, holding empty
basins. As soon as she heard the door close, Max rushed to Riftan’s
side. He grabbed and clung to her, placing her between his knees.
Max flipped his nightgown and wrapped her legs around his bare
waist. A hard flesh pushed smoothly inside her and filled her tightly
to the brim.

“Uh…”

Her spine tingled. She looked at him with hazy eyes, thrilled by the
heat. The man’s face, overwhelmed with passion, looked terrifyingly
fierce yet fragile at the same time. He embraced her tightly and
trembled like a man who endured terrible suffering. But Max couldn’t
wait any longer. She moved her waist and tinkered with his body.
Riftan puffed and inhaled heavily, holding her pelvis tightly with both
hands, deep creases forming in his forehead.

“W-wait! W-wait a second! Maxi…”

“R-Riftan”

“If you don’t wait…” As he tried to calm her down, he swept her
slick back with his palms. “I want to be as gentle as possible.

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If… If you get hurt…”

Max stared at him irritably. She was sick of him saying that. She bit
his lips and lustfully moved her body against him aggressively.
Riftan’s body hardened, and soon began to lie down on the bed,
thrusting and digging her from the bottom. She sobbed as she clung
to his body like a snake, his fiery desire quickly overwhelming her
heat. He lowered her head and sucked her chest, moving vigorously.

Max felt like she was riding a stallion on full power, and she
couldn’t handle it. Unable to keep up with his speed, a convulsion
arose in her thighs, and between her legs, as if they were burning on
fire. She completely lost control over her body, twisting and weeping.
The moment she thought that it was coming to an end, he would
push her up to a higher level of pleasure. Unable to endure the
intense pleasure surging through her body, she instinctively
struggled to get out of his arms. Then, Riftan bit her earlobe and
groaned fiercely.

“No. You drove me this far. You have to deal with it until
the very end.”

“W-wait… Wait… I-I can’t.”

“You can.”

He gasped rapidly between his teeth and moved like crazy. For a
moment, her eyes rolled back, and her whole body bent like a taut
bow. She screamed and her body jerked. Riftan’s back also
hardened, and he shivered in pleasure. They embraced each other
like one body and waited for the perfect climax to subside, then he
muttered with a haft-lost voice.

“Oh, heavens… I don’t even know where I am…”

Max raised her sweaty face with an anxious look. “Did it

feel…bad?”

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“There’s no way it was bad. I’d go and catch another
dragon to experience again what I just experienced.”

He smiled and gently kissed her on the shoulder. Max reassuringly

hugged his head and pressed her face against the nape of his neck.
Riftan rose from the bed and laughed as if he were being tickled.

“We can’t waste the bath water they prepared.”

He then strode over and soaked in the bathtub. Max sighed at the
contact of lukewarm water against her scorching skin. He scooped up
some water and poured it over her neck and shoulders, then gently
sucked her wet skin with his lips.

“Your skin is always soft and moist; it feels good.”

“I have a lot of f-freckles…I don’t want you to see…”

“It looks as if you’re sprinkled with sugar, it’s appetizing.”

As if to prove his claim, Riftan licked the faint brown freckles on her
shoulder. Max’s throat tightened and her face blushed. He giggled
and kissed her cheeks as well. “I like it when you turn red so
quickly like a peach.”

Max rolled her eyes. As she listened to his words, she really
wondered if she somehow managed to look good. Riftan’s taste must
have deviated from what was generally deemed as beautiful.

“Are you uncomfortable anywhere?”

“N-no. As I said, I’m okay.”

He looked carefully, sweeping the hair away from her face. Max
sighed as he continued to worry.

“R-really, it’s nothing. Back then… I healed a lot of

seriously injured people… t-that’s why I depleted my mana
and fainted. If I do not do as much as back then… It’s

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alright.”

Riftan gave her a thoughtful look as she spoke. “Ruth said you
did so well that there was nothing left for him to do. The
young knight told me that he was so blessed and asked to
thank you.”

This was the first time that Riftan acknowledged her magic
abilities. Max looked up at him with fluttering eyes full of joy.

“I’m glad… that I was of h-help.”

“…Yeah, it was a big help.”

While responding so gently, Riftan had a complex expression.

Max’s mood subsided quickly at the ambiguous face he had. Would it
be okay to tell him that she was learning magic again from Ruth?
Max looked at his face and firmly closed her lips. It was useless to
bring that up, and she didn’t want to break the intimate air for the
time being.

In fact, he didn’t exactly tell her to stop learning magic, so it

should be okay as long as she didn’t do anything reckless. As Max
rationalized her actions, she set the unpleasant feeling aside. For
now, she just wanted to fully enjoy that pleasant time.

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Chapter 168
Source: Secret Translations

The next morning, Max ran to the library as soon as she finished
grooming herself. Ruth had come back last night and she saw him
sleeping next to the brazier. She frowned as she looked down at the
man lying like a corpse. There were various rooms where he could
sleep comfortably just three floors below the library, but it was too
tiring for him to make such an effort, and she felt sorry for the man
who slept on the stone-cold floor all the time, looking sad and
pathetic.

Max looked around, picked up a kindling on the wall and poked him
on the back.

“Ruth, it’s morning… wake up.”

“Hng… “

Ruth grunted annoyed and turned his back to her, wearing his cape
all the way to his head. Max continued to poke his back like a grumpy
kid pushing a wiggling caterpillar.

“Come on, w-wake up… as soon as I opened my eyes this

morning… I came here right away.”

“Ugh… I wish you came an hour later…” He squinted his eyes

narrowly and looked up at her with a frown. “Did you just poke
me like firewood with that?”

Max quickly hid the kindling behind her back. Ruth opened his eyes
like he was fully awake and then leapt up to his feet and snapped.

“I’ve been thinking about it before, but aren’t you treating

me so harshly?”

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“I can’t just carelessly touch the hair or b-body of a s-
sleeping man, right?”

“Can’t you at least do it in a more polite manner!” He looked

at her displeasingly and sighed. “Anyway, it’s alright. I’ll prepare
for class.”

Ruth began to tidy up the parchment and bookshelves on the floor.

Max felt a little sorry and quietly helped him clean up. He gathered
parchment papers with dense writing, rolled them up, tied them with
a leather string, and threw them into a large box.

“Did you read all the books I recommended yesterday?”

“Only half of them… I couldn’t read the others.”

“Did you finish studying element theory?”

“N-not yet…”

He squinted and stroked his chin. “It’s hard to learn defensive

and offensive magic without having a basic understanding of
geometry and elemental theory. At the least, you should read
all of the books I’ve recommended.”

“I will read a l-little more.” Max replied with an interested face.

“When I finish reading the books…will I be able to learn how
to attack with magic?”

“I thought it would be better for you to learn some basic

self-defense magic first.” Ruth shrugged his shoulders. “When
you are in a dangerous situation like last time, you should
have at least a means to protect yourself.”

Max nodded sullenly as she recalled the wyvern’s attacks. Ruth

leaned back and looked at the ceiling with a contemplating face, then
snapped his fingers.

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“Fine. Today, let’s train you to master the magic you’ve
learned so far. I have asked the apprentices to collect the
necessary ingredients.”

“I-ingredients?”

When Max asked with a curious face, Ruth gave a soft ominous
smile. “It’s a special material that will help greatly improve
the lady’s skill.”

Max had an anxious expression written on her face. Just what in

the world is he up to?

She glanced at Ruth dubiously as he packed something into a sack

he had placed under the desk and walked straight out of the door.
Her steps were reluctant as she followed him.

“Where are we going?”

“We’re going to get the materials I told the apprentices to

get.”

“What kind of i-ingredient is that?”

“You’ll know once you see it.” Ruth hummed and went out of
the castle at once.

Max stopped bombarding him with questions: as Ruth said, she

would be seeing it for herself soon. She swallowed the anxiety in her
throat as they passed through the long promenade and a wooden
building emerged.

Two elm trees towered on both sides of the antique building like
gatekeepers. In front of the building were three boys, including
Garrow and Yulysion, sparring with wooden swords. Ruth waved one
hand at them and greeted them loudly.

“Greetings, everyone.”

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“Sir Wizard!”

The apprentice knights laid down their wooden swords and turned
their heads towards them.

“We were going to visit as soon as we finished the morning

training. You asked yesterday…”

Yulysion, who was speaking cheerfully while wiping his sweaty

face, found Max standing behind Ruth and his eyes opened wider. He
hurried to her and started chatting happily.

“The lady is here too! How are you? It’s such a relief that
you have regained your health! You don’t know how very
worried I have been. I should have been able to protect you
better…Are you feeling well now?”

“Yuly, calm down. You’re embarrassing the lady.”

The teenage boy Garrow looked at her as he called out Yulysion for
his behavior, then smiled politely and talked with a softer tone.

“Greetings, Lady Calypse.”

“G-greetings. I-It’s been a while… since we’ve seen each

other, both of you.”

“But what is milady doing here? Does milady have anything

to ask us?” Yulysion asked, his eyes shining like lanterns.

Ruth stated his business on behalf of Max, who found herself in a

bind. “I’m here to pick up what I asked for yesterday. It’s for
the lady’s magic training.”

“Ah! So that was what milady needed! Kindly wait for a

moment. I’ll bring it right away.”

Yulysion quickly jumped into the outbuilding while Max looked

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bewilderingly at the dark entrance. After a while, he came out with a
large bucket in his hands. Ruth, who received the bucket, lifted the
cover and nodded with a satisfied expression.

Just what is that? Max, intrigued by it, looked over his shoulder and
into the bucket. Inside the large container was full of something like
a reddish piece of flesh. She was terrified and took steps back in
response.

“W-what in the world is that!”

“This is a special helper that will be crucial in training you

on your detoxification magic.”

Ruth grinned, reached into the bucket and lifted the thing, which
had the size of his palm. It was a large reddish-brown toad with black
spots on its back. The dead toad’s black limbs drooped down weakly.
Max shuddered at the sight of the creature.

“W-what in the world are you going to do… with that?”

“We’re going to do the so-called ‘detoxification magic

special training.’ This black spotted swamp toad is very
poisonous. If you practice with this, you’ll be able to decipher
drawing out most of the poison at once.”

He shook the dead toad in anticipation. Max’s stomach curled at

the sight of its swaying, long, slimy limbs. She stepped back and
looked at the path she had come. She wanted to turn back and run
away but Yulysion and Garrow were looking so curiously that it was
difficult for her to escape from the situation.

Didn’t you pretend to be bold in front of them the other day and
brag with all kinds of stories? Max bit her lips with a calm face and
gulped.

“W-with that frog… What kind of training are you planning

to do? P-perhaps… Are you thinking of poisoning someone

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for an experiment?”

“No way. Who would cooperate with such a foolish method

of training?” He laughed lightly and turned his head towards the
apprentices. “Someone bring me a bucket of water. It doesn’t matter
if it’s a pot, brass bowl, or basin. Just bring it with plenty of water. “

“I’ll bring it.”

Garrow looked at him with an excited expression on his face and

stepped forward. While he was in the outbuilding getting the water,
Ruth counted how many toads were there by placing them on a tree
stump one by one. A total of 31 toads were counted. Max was on the
verge of throwing up, but the wizard let out a burst of admiration.

“How did you manage to catch so many of these in just one

day?”

“I used a dead rabbit as a bait. If you put a rabbit or a bird

near the swamp, they will surely flock around it.” Yulysion
explained with a proud voice. “When the swamp toad had
gathered, at that moment, I pulled up the net I had set
beforehand and caught them all at once.”

“Indeed!” Ruth struck his palm with his fist and poured out
endless compliments. Max murmured deeply, saying she didn’t want
to know much about how to catch a swamp toad.

“Will this be enough?”

While they talked about how to collect toads, salamanders, and

various poisonous worms, Garrow returned with a bucket of splashing
water. Ruth took the bucket and nodded his head with satisfaction.

“It’s perfect.”

Max watched his actions with curiosity. He lowered the bucket by

the base of the tree stump and picked up a toad. Then, he took a

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small knife out of his bag and stabbed it deep into the toad’s back.
Black essence flowed from the opening of the toad’s body and fell
onto the clear water.

“Now, try purifying this water.”

“Here… do you mean I have to u-use detoxification magic?”

“That’s right. It’s a well-known method used by magicians

to master detoxification magic.”

Max looked down through the bucket. A gooey liquid from the
toad’s body spread like ink in the water. As she hesitantly placed her
hands over it and increased her magic power, she felt a faint sense of
resistance. Max tilted her head. The feeling was obviously different
from applying magic to the human body, and it was vague to know
where to draw the magic formula. As she struggled for a long time
not grasping the sensation, Ruth, who was watching silently, gave
her some advice.

“Try injecting mana in a circular motion, from the edge to

the center. Once you’ve got the trick, it’ll be easier than
casting a spell on a human body.”

Max followed as he instructed and let her mana flow from the edge
of the surface. The blue energy from the palm of her hand slowly
began to purify, focusing on the black energy in the water and
drawing it into the center, slowly cleansing.

After a long time, the water that had been contaminated with a
cloudy tint returned to its clear color. Ruth nodded as he tasted the
water with his fingertips.

“Well done. One thing to note is that you’ve wasted too

much mana, but you’ll be able to work on that with repeated
practice.”

“Are we repeating t-this exercise… over and over again?”

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“You have to do it over and over again.” Ruth said firmly and
threw the toad’s corpse to the base of the tree stump. “These toads
were caught eagerly by these apprentices, so why not make
use of all of them meaningfully?”

Max looked at the bucket filled with toads with a pale complexion.
Do I have to keep going until they’re all used? Her shoulders drooped
unexcitedly while Yulysion, who wasn’t able to read the room,
declared proudly.

“I’ll catch them again so milady can use as many as she

wants. To serve the lady is a great pleasure and an honor to
a knight.”

“ time, please catch a long-tailed lizard.”

“Please leave it to me! I’ll find you as many as you want,

there are plenty of them in the west cave.”

Yulysion exclaimed confidently, tapping his chest with his fist and
she smiled stiffly. Before Ruth left for the expedition, it really seemed
like he was making sure to improve her skill. Without hesitation, he
picked up one more toad. A long tongue hung from the dead toad’s
mouth. Max barely swallowed the vomit coming up her throat as he
chopped off the tongue with a dagger and held it out in front of her.

“Would you like to try it yourself this time?”

Max’s shoulder stiffened, she wanted to shake her head in

disagreement, but the apprentices watched her with anticipation so
she couldn’t show a sign of disgust. She eventually accepted the wet,
slippery toad with tightly closed eyes. The cold, soft, texture made
goosebumps travel all over her body. It was the worst texture that
she had ever touched in her life. Max flipped the body of the toad,
holding back the urge to throw it away. Ruth placed a dagger in her
hand and pointed with his fingertip on a spot just under the head of
the toad.

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“Now, with the knife… you can stab this part deeply and
cut it long.”

Max hesitated for a while, and then pushed the dagger into the
toad’s cold body. Its skin was tougher than she had thought, so she
had to exert more strength with her harm for it to budge. As her
hands rattled and barely slit the toad’s back, a black, sticky liquid
oozed.

She was in a hurry to throw the toad away and finally reach the
end of this experience, but Ruth mercilessly gave the next order.

“Now squeeze the toad. There should be enough poison

flowing out.”

The next time she found that wizard sleeping, she swore deeply to
her heart that she would poke a hole in his back with a kindling.

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Chapter 169
Source: Secret Translations

Max was only able to return to her room after Ruth left for the
construction site. She was exhausted. She washed her hands
thoroughly at the well, but the slimy texture of toads seemed to
remain.

The moment she returned to her room, she stripped off her toad-
spattered dress and bathed with hot water, scrubbing with soap and
sponge from head to toe. However, it still didn’t help, her entire body
still felt disgusting.

How many more times do we need to do this disgusting training?

The wizard did not appear to have any mercy. The following time, he
would probably have her practice with poisonous lizards, tarantulas,
or even snakes. Max rubbed the goose bumps on her forearms and
vowed to do her best to advance on her training as soon as possible.
To do that, she had to first master her understanding of basic magic
theories.

After rinsing her body clean, Max put on new, comfortable and
fluffy clothing, then sat down in front of her desk. She searched
through the drawers and took out books, parchment, and ink to start
studying. Rudis, who was by the fireplace heating a kettle,
approached her with a steaming cup of tea.

“The wizard provided this tea. Please have some.”

She gave the maid a grateful look and took a sip of the hot liquid.
The bitter tea had a refreshing scent that seemed to help repel her
nasty experience earlier. She drank the tea carefully while reading
her heavy textbooks page by page. Although she was terribly
exhausted after using a considerable amount of mana and longed

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badly to rest, Max didn’t budge. She didn’t want to waste a single
precious second. She had planned to convince Ruth to teach her
defensive and offensive magic by tomorrow and somehow managed
to read all her assignments by the end of the day.

“Milady, it’s Rodrigo, may I have a moment of your time?”

Max was three-quarters done with the textbook she was reading
when she heard the butler’s voice and a soft knock on the door. She
raised her head from the page she was reading and gave him
permission.

“You may come in.”

Rodrigo opened the door carefully, stepped inside, and bowed with
practiced grace. “I apologize for interrupting your rest.”

“You d-don’t have to apologize…May I know what’s the

matter?”

“There are guests coming to visit the Lord. They will be

staying in the castle for about two days. I thought I should
inform milady in advance.”

“Guests…? From wh-where have they t-traveled?” Max

asked, her face reflecting her confusion. Rodrigo’s face slightly lit up
with embarrassment.

“The Lord did not disclose to me where the guests are

coming from. He simply instructed to prepare rooms for three
knights, baths and hot meals…”

Max’s eyebrows creased with anxiety. Could it be an order for

reinforcements? A messenger from the royal family? Barely three
days have passed since we received the news about the monster
attacks…

“According to the Lord’s orders… he asked for the rooms to

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be prepared on the second floor. Also, to instruct the kitchen
in taking care of the guests’ meals.”

“I see.”

As the butler bowed in exit, Max sat by the window and looked out
intently over the gardens. Soon after, five men on horseback entered
the estate. She could barely recognize their faces in the distance but
the two men leading the entourage appeared to be escorts from the
Remdragon Knights and the following three were the guests Rodrigo
had mentioned.

Max squinted, trying to decipher the emblem printed on the orange

triangular flag they were carrying. The emblem on the flag was far
from the golden bird representing the royal family, yet looked
familiar, so she guessed that it belonged to another noble family of
Whedon.

She gave up trying to figure out which family that coat of arms
belonged to and stood up. As lady of the castle, she had to welcome
them, especially if one of them was a messenger from the royal
family. Max called for Rudis to quickly put her hair up in a neat
manner and left the room in a hurry. As she flew down the stairs, she
saw Riftan enter the castle with the guests. Her eyes trailed his cold,
solemn face, and then switched to observe the guests that followed
behind him.

Two young men and a burly middle-aged man were looking

cautiously around the hall. Seeing their wary expressions, Max
gauged that their visit was not for a simple camaraderie. She
approached the men with a rather tensed expression.

“Riftan… I heard that there are guests…coming…”

Riftan’s eyebrows creased and he visibly frowned as he saw her

figure. He crossed the hall at once and went to her, twirling her still-
damp hair.

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“You should be resting, don’t let this interrupt you. These
men are from Ruigen. They will be leaving in two days; you
don’t have to worry about them.”

Max was bewildered at his blatant, inhospitable words despite

being in front of the guests. She glanced at their direction but didn’t
see any sign of them being offended. The middle-aged man
approached her with a calm expression and kissed the back of her
palm to show his courtesy.

“Greetings, milady. My name is Aaron Levaier. We came

under the order of Count Robern.”

“P-pleasure to meet you, Sir Levaier… I sincerely hope your

stay here is comfortable.”

Count Robern was one of the king’s vassals, he ruled a vast

amount of land not far from Anatol. Max eyed them with curiosity as
she wondered why the Count sent his knights. At that moment,
Riftan’s sharp voice resounded.

“Hey, did you travel this far just to flirt with someone
else’s wife?”

“I was just giving my regards.”

“Didn’t you say we have urgent matters to discuss? Don’t

waste time and go up.”

Riftan turned and walked up the stairs. The knights sighed, bowing
politely to Max, and followed him into his office. Max felt dejected for
being pushed aside and trudged back to her room.

Riftan did not return to their room until late at night. Max pinched
her thighs to keep herself from falling asleep and ran to him the
moment he entered the room. Riftan’s face appeared weary as he
opened the door, his eyes widening as he saw his wife still awake.

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“What are you doing, why are you still awake and not
sleeping?”

“I was waiting for you to come…b-back. I wanted to know

what was going on…”

He frowned as he pulled out a chair to sit on and began to take off

his armor. Max hung a kettle over the fireplace and set up a basin for
him to wash in. Then, she walked over behind him and placed her
hands on his waist to help him undress. Riftan, who was in the middle
of unraveling his vambraces, awkwardly pushed her hands away.

“I can do it myself, don’t worry about it.”

“… To serve her husband…It is the w-wife’s duty…” Max’s

face heated, wondering if her words were too blatant. There had
been countless times he took care of her, yet she had only
reciprocated it a couple of times. She spoke again, hurriedly adding
to her statement, as if to make excuses. “You’re too busy… you
leave early at dawn and come back late after midnight… O-on
the other hand, I don’t have much to do… Wives have to
make sure their h-husbands rest comfortably, I want to take
care of Riftan too.”

Max didn’t wait for his response and stubbornly took the heavy
pieces of armor with her hands. She staggered at the heavy weight
and barely managed to maintain her posture as she waddled over to
the wall where she hung the chainmail, and propped his breastplate
against the wall, placing his greaves neatly on top of it. Although she
had traveled only 10 steps, her forehead was drenched in sweat. She
wondered how in the world Riftan walked around so quietly wearing
heavy pieces of metal in his body.

“Leave it alone.” Riftan quickly dissuaded her when she tried to

pick up the scabbard containing his sword. “You won’t be able to
lift that.”

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Max looked up and down at the sword that was practically stuck to
his waist. Compared to those huge claymores that other knights
carry on their back, Riftan’s sword appeared to be average in size.
His sword stretched to approximately 4 kvets (about 120 cm) and
neither the handle nor the scabbard held any ornate leather
decoration. It didn’t look heavy at all and Max confidently refuted it.

“W-well… I may not be able to swing it… but I can at least

lift it…”

Riftan pulled the sweat-soaked tunic over his head. He eyed her
slender wrists skeptically and arched an eyebrow.

“You can’t lift it.” He said again, his tone filled with certainty.

Max ignored his uncompromising comments and placed her hand

around the sword’s hilt with a stern expression on her face. However,
just as Riftan predicted, with precision, she could barely lift the sword
from the ground, let alone carry it somewhere. Surprised by the
unexpected heaviness, she desperately gripped the hilt with all her
might. Her wrists trembled as if they were going to break and almost
dropped the sword to the ground. Her face reddened as she exerted
effort, the sword lifting barely a finger off the ground.

“S-see, I can lift it.”

“You call that a lift?” Riftan clicked his tongue and then took the
blade from her hands. “Hand it over to me, you might get
injured.”

He handled the source with light movements and leaned it against

his side of the bed like it was light as a feather. Max was stunned as
he looked at him with amazement. She wondered how he could
easily do that.

“Are… all swords usually that heavy?”

“My sword is much heavier compared to average bastard

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swords. The blade was made wider and heavier using a
special casting method to enhance its power. At first, I also
had a hard time wielding it.”

He explained with a subtle smile as he washed his face in the basin

with the water Max prepared and wiped his body with a towel. Max
took a change of clothes from the trunk and placed it next to him,
carefully choosing her words as she spoke.

“May I ask why… the Count sent his knights…?

Riftan nodded calmly and rubbed his nape with a towel. “He sent
them to form an alliance. He’s becoming anxious of the
increasing monster attacks in his lands.”

“An a-alliance?”

“He seeks for the help of the Remdragon Knights in

subduing the monsters running rampant in his territory. In
return, he would pay us generously and actively support the
road construction in Anatol.”

Max breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that it wasn’t an order for

reinforcements from the royals.

“So… are you planning to accept… the a-alliance with

Count Robern?”

“I said that I will think about it. It’s not a bad proposition,
but I don’t think it will be worth it to disperse Anatol’s
military power…”

“Is it because soon… you will leave for an expedition?”

Riftan, who was washing his hands with soap, paused and turned
his head to look at Max.

She added hastily. “I… I heard that the monsters from the n-

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north are attacking… and the Remdragon knights… might
have to be r-recruited…”

“Who told you about those useless stories?”, Riftan asked

sharply.

Max flinched and hesitantly muttered. “I… happened to

overhear the knights… when I was treating them…”.

She didn’t dare to add that Ruth had explained in detail what his
plans were, it was obvious that it would spark an argument. Riftan
sighed, clicked his tongue, and lightly threw his towel on a chair.

“We still have to gauge how the situation progresses

before I can decide whether to go or not.”

“If… once the order for reinforcements is issued…” Max

swallowed dryly. Even though she already knew from Ruth that they
were planning to send another knight to lead, she still wanted to
confirm it herself. “Ri-Riftan… will you be leading the
knights…in case that happens?”

Riftan stared at her intently, as if trying to read the intentions

behind her question. Then, he shook his head slowly.

“No. I’m thinking of sending and handing its command to

either Uslin or Hebaron.”

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Chapter 170
Source: Secret Translations

“I… I see…”

Max didn’t realize the relief obviously displayed on her face. Riftan,
gazed down at her figure and cupped her cheek with one hand.

“Do you hate it when I leave?”

Max looked up at him with tense eyes. She wanted to tell him the
whole truth, but she was afraid that he would be upset by her
attachment, so she chose her words carefully.

“If Riftan… stays, everyone will feel safe. The ci-citizens

will also feel at ease…”

“…I suppose.”

A flash of disappointment passed over his onyx eyes, but before

Max could address it, the subtle expression disappeared behind his
usual impassiveness. Riftan tossed the towel hanging around his
neck into the sink and said in a slightly sulky tone.

“I also have no intentions of leaving Anatol empty either. I

have been gone for a long time, I don’t plan on neglecting my
duties as a Lord of this land again, I am going to fulfill my
responsibilities.”

“Even… even if King Ruben orders you to go?”

“If that man barks and scolds me, it will only be nothing
but a little annoying.” He frowned, but soon shrugged lightly. “I
have lots of excuses I can make to get out of it. Unless King Ruben is
a fool, he knows well of the consequences he will face shall he force

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me to show my loyalty more than necessary. “

Max felt a cold sweat break out at Riftan’s disrespect for the
monarch, but honestly, she was more relieved than anything. His
determination to remain in Anatol was more solid than she had
expected, and her shoulders visibly relaxed.

“That’s a r-relief.”

“Do you feel safe when I’m by your side?”

Max nodded slowly. Looking at her with a thoughtful gaze, Riftan

leaned down and gently pressed his lips against hers and her eyelids
fluttered. His soft lips lingered and swept her lips sweetly as his
rough fingers gently caressed her earlobes

“…Good, you should not worry about anything. I will

protect you, no matter what happens.”

At those spoken words, Max felt her heart beating wildly against
her chest. Max looked up at him, searching his eyes for confirmation.

“A-always?”

“Always”. He held her face and repeated his vow. “I won’t let
any danger come near you.”

She leaned into his chest and rubbed her cheek against his palm,
hiding the moisture that brimmed up her eyes. As a child, she had
dreamed of a knight who would one day save and protect her.
However, as she grew up, she realized how useless and unattractive
she was to others and didn’t hope for long. Yet here she was now
with Riftan, her fantasies awakening, just like how she always
dreamed it would be. In her fantasies, she was a noble lady whom
knights longed to protect, to the extent of sacrificing their lives as
they worshipped her blindly.

Max wrapped her arms around Riftan’s neck as she felt a lump

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heating up her throat. His breathing hitched, and he suddenly
grabbed her, showering her with passionate kisses. His damp tongue
gently sucked on her lips and his calloused palms slowly slid down
her spine, tracing it. She ran her fingers through his jet-black hair,
which was smooth and soft like the feathers of a raven, then her
hands traveled down to his forearm and his slightly stubbled chin.
Riftan’s face visibly tensed at the contact and his dark eyes grew
darker with sexual desires.

“I should be used to this by now…” He frowned, muttering in a

muffled voice. Max lifted her eyes, confused as she tried to
understand what he meant, but Riftan just sighed over her lips.
“Every time I touch you, my whole body feels like it’s on fire.
And the feeling just gets more intense every time…”

With a shaky smile, Max buried her face against his neck, wiping
away the remaining drops of her tears, and gently nipping his skin.
Riftan stiffened and nearly crushed her as he embraced her with his
rock-hard body. She felt a pleasurable tremor run through her whole
body. His warmth, stark, and strength evoked a burning arousal that
melted the bones within her, and she had no means of controlling her
innate reaction to his touch. She wrapped her limbs around him
pulling him close and allowing the heat of their bodies to join

Riftan ran his fingers over the smooth skin of her thighs and calves
as he walked to the bed. With Max’s breasts crushed against his, he
could feel her heart pounding.

“Sometimes I want you so much that it’s excruciatingly

painful.” He murmured in a strained voice as he gently laid her on
the bed.

Max reached out and ran her fingers over his face, clouded by the
shadows. Grabbing her outstretched wrist, he planted butterfly kisses
along the palm of her hand.

“Riftan…”, she moaned and closed her eyes as she felt his hands

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slip into her clothes and dig into her.

***

The guests were forced to leave Calypse Castle after receiving

nothing but a disappointing response regarding their proposal for
alliance. The knights who had to cross the rugged mountain paths
and survive the forests infested with monsters appeared beyond
dismayed, but Riftan didn’t even bat an eyelid in their direction. He
was determined to have the upper hand in the terms, shall he form
an alliance with Count Robern. According to Ruth, no one had ripped
off Riftan before. He always came out with a deal that was in his
favor.

Max learned that despite her husband’s cold and blunt demeanor,
he was a brilliant negotiator. He could be a man of few words, but he
was good at negotiating, and he knew how to use people to his
advantage.

In addition to this, Max also began to learn other fascinating

aspects about her husband. First, he was an excellent architectural
supervisor, which was evident in the road construction. He was a
composed and impartial judge and very adept in building tools with
his hands. Riftan didn’t only train knights and supervise the road
construction, he was also involved in the creation of new weapons
with the blacksmiths, and he dealt with all the issues that came up in
the premise. She was amazed at how one person could oversee
everything.

But thanks to that, I can continue learning magic…

Max sighed as she looked down at the defensive magic formula

she drew on the ground. Her husband had hectic days from dawn
until late at night, thus she was able to focus and practice her magic
lessons without worrying about being caught.

Is it really okay for me to do this…?

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With another deep, wistful sigh, Ruth frowned as he examined the
formula she drew.

“You’re staring at it too much, it’s not like it will fix itself.

Stop wasting other people’s time, if you’re done, let’s go
ahead and just try it.”

At Ruth’s incessant persistence, Max shook herself out of her

thoughts. This was her first practical application of defensive magic;
she couldn’t afford to be distracted.

“Then… I’ll begin…”

After checking again that she drew the formula correctly, she
carefully took her mana out and amplified it as she allowed the
formula to transform. The air around her stirred and a blue,
transparent barrier formed around her.

Ruth’s eyes focused at her barrier with a searching gaze, then

gestured for Yulysion , who was standing idly, to take a step forward.

“Alright, now attack the barrier.”

The boy flinched as if he had just been hit with a whip.

“D-do I really have to do it?”

“Of course. How else are we going to test the shield’s

strength?”

Yulysion scratched the back of his head, hesitant on participating

in that training session.

“Can’t it be someone else instead…?”

“We cannot ask any of the official knights to practice with

us. Besides, my attacks won’t be useful.” Ruth rolled up the
sleeves of his robe to reveal his slim forearms as if to prove his point.

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Yulysion simply rolled his eyes at his attitude, thinking how the
wizard had no masculine pride at all. Although it was true, Ruth was
physically weak compared to him and he couldn’t care less.

“Hey, stop cowering like that and attack.”

“But… how can I raise my sword against the lady?

Especially with my strength, equivalent to that of a
knight…?”

“That’s not even a real sword, it’s wooden. It’s absolutely

safe for the lady. If she was ever in a dangerous situation,
this training may save her life.”

Yulysion couldn’t argue with Ruth’s firm point, so he gulped and

stood in front of Max.

“Alright. Then, milady… please forgive me for this.”

Max nodded nervously, amplifying her mana to fortify the shield.

The young apprentice raised his wooden sword above his head and
swung it down slightly. Max’s eyes widened as she heard a whistling
sound from the barrier followed by a loud clattering noise.

Her shield shattered in vain like thin ice. Yulysion didn’t have the
time to pull the sword back and the wooden sword relentlessly
landed on Max’s forehead. Her eyes flashed white with pain, she
grabbed her head and fell backwards, crumpling on the ground.

“M-milady…!!!” Yulysion screamed shrilly.

The pain was splitting. Max groaned with excruciating pain and
kicked her legs as tears streamed down her face in an instant.

“Nghhh…!”

“W-wizard! Please do something! Quickly! The Lady…! The

Lady is hurt!”

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Yulysion, who was in shock from hitting the Lord’s wife, held Ruth’s
shoulders and shook him from side to side violently.The wizard only
looked blankly at the absurdity and sighed, squatting next to Max’s
huddled body.

“Just a second, move your hands so I can heal you. I will

cast recovery magic.”

Max exerted great effort to barely manage prying her hands away,
revealing her tear-stained face. Ruth cast her a pathetic look, not
bothering to hide his feelings and clicked his tongue before casting
the healing magic on her head.

Max felt her face redden with embarrassment as she got up from
the ground. She wanted to dig a hole and hide in it.

“Are you a-alright? Does it still hurt…?” Yulysion wandered

around her uneasily, examining her.

“I’m… I’m fine.” Max replied, pretending it was no big deal and
brushed the dirt off her skirt.

“I am so, very, sincerely, truly, sorry for hurting you,

milady…”

“N-no, it’s because my magic… was very weak…”

Ruth muttered something under his breath and shook his head
disapprovingly.

“You’re right. I had never seen such a weak shield in my

entire life. I’d rather make a barrier out of parchment than
your shield.”

“It-It’s because this is my first time! … next time it will be

better.”

She defended herself, but Yulysion simply turned blue at her

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statement.

“Is… the Lady thinking of trying again?”

“Y-Yes. I’ll practice… until I can do it properly.”

Max answered firmly, nodding determinedly and examined again

the formula she drew. She racked her brain trying to figure out where
she went wrong. She was able to apply it very well, but why did it
break so pathetically?

“The Lady’s shield is ridiculously weak because the mana

flow is too slow. She needs to increase the flow three times
her current speed to achieve the strength of an average
shield.”

“T-three times ?!”

“Either that or double the mana you’re using.”

Max felt like crying. “Both… Both suggestions are difficult…”

“Give it a try. The shield should, at the very least, be as

durable as a glass window to even be called a shield. Yours
couldn’t even block a Dragonfly’s wings.” Ruth criticized her
harshly and waved a hand at Yulysion, who was still blue.

“I don’t think we’ll need Mr. Lovar’s help anymore. You can
go now. This should be more than enough.”

Ruth bent down, picked up a thin branch from the ground, and
swung it in the air like he was swatting a fly.

“We can consider today’s training a success if you can

block this.”

Max nodded, feeling disheartened as she stared at the small

branch of the width of a pinkie finger.

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Chapter 171
Source: Secret Translations

It took Max five attempts to finally be able to repel the thin wooden
branch. However, it was still not up to the mark for actual use, so
after a long and bitter practice, they decided to explore another
method of defensive magic. Max, who had been struggling for days
memorizing formulas and theories, had her shoulders sag in
disappointment, but Ruth was adamant. He did not want to cling to
an incompatible method. He didn’t bother for a break and
immediately jumped to another lecture, drawing a new magic
formula on the ground.

“There are two types of defensive spells when it comes to

the universe of magic. The first one is an abstract shield and
the other one is a physical barrier. Since your shield is
practically useless, we have no choice but to learn the other
type.”

“Then… Do I need to learn a new formula? It… took me a

whole week just to memorize the last one…”

“The basic formula is almost identical, so it shouldn’t take

you long to learn it. Also, this barrier type requires only a
quarter of mana compared to the last one.”

Max narrowed her eyes and glared at him. “T-then why… didn’t
you teach me this type of shield in the first place?”

“The magic formula used for abstract shields is less

complicated. Unlike a shield that it’s formed with the use of
pure mana, a physical barrier transforms tangible elements
around you to create a shield. Since it involves the
manipulation of matter, it involves complex calculations and

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formulations more difficult than abstract shields.”

Ruth explained as he continued to write down formulas on the

ground using a wooden stick. Max looked at the overly complicated
drawings and her face began to contort in horror.

“What… What if I practice building the abstract shield

more? I… I can get better with time.”

“That’s possible, if the lady will be able to build up her

mana pool. But that will take at least a year to happen. The
lady needs to learn magic that you can use anytime now. It
would be better for you to learn as much magic as possible
before I go.”

Max looked at Ruth, pulling her eyes away from the complex
shapes that made her dizzy when she stared at them.

“Did you… perhaps… receive a royal order to l-leave for

the e-expedition?”

“It won’t be long now. I received a message from Livadon

yesterday, saying that the situation is getting more serious.
The high priests of Osyria are already discussing
countermeasures.”

If Osyria was involved, then the obvious conclusion would be to

gather reinforcements from each of the seven countries. Max looked
anxiously at Ruth.

“How… how long does it take… to get to Livadon?”

“About a month. It would take two weeks on horseback,

with no breaks, to reach the border northwest of here. From
there, you would have to travel for another ten days by boat.
If there are monsters encountered on the way, it will take
longer.”

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Max’s mood clouded and she sighed just imagining the terrible
journey.

“It… it must be a tough journey…”

“It really is. Traversing the Lexos Mountains was more than
enough for a lifetime of suffering, but now another damn
expedition had to happen! To be honest, I want to be stuck in
Anatol for at least ten years.”

Ruth’s shoulder slumped as he lamented. Max was a little worried

about the man who couldn’t even be bothered to travel to his room
to sleep, and yet would be forced to go on such a long journey. Every
corner of the world had monsters lurking and the journey to Livadon
would certainly not go smoothly.

“Will it r-really…be alright to take just a few knights…for

the expedition…?”

“We can’t take all the knights and leave Anatol

unprotected to save Livadon, can we?” Ruth responded
sarcastically and quickly finished the formula. “Besides, we are not
the only ones responding to Livadon’s call. As we move
northwest, knights sent by other countries will join us.”

“Knights… from other countries…?”

“Lord Calypse isn’t the King’s only vassal. On behalf of the

King’s command, each Lord shall send his own knights and a
large-scale army will be formed. This is the common
procedure when reinforcements are sent to allied countries.”

“I… I see…”

“Troops will be dispatched from Whedon, Balto, and Osyria,

so no matter how many monsters unite, we can settle the
matters by late fall this year.” Seeing his confidence, Max was
able to relax a bit. “When this is all over… I will be able to

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return to Anatol not later than the start of winter.”

“I sincerely hope that will be the case.”

Finally finishing the magic formula, Ruth dusted his palms and
straightened his back.

“In the meantime, the lady will have to take over my role
somehow.”

“O-of course… I’ll do my best.”

Her shoulders hunched with the burden Ruth had placed on her.

“But… there may be situations when it will be difficult for

me to handle on my own… before Ruth leaves, shouldn’t we
get at least… another healer?”

“If I could, I would have already.” Ruth sighed and crossed his
arms on his chest. “All the magicians are gathering in Livadon
because of the chaos the monsters are inflicting. Therefore,
the pay for wizards almost doubled, so every wizard is
determined to go there. Moreover, the demand for wizards is
steep, so no one will be willing to settle in Anatol unless the
compensation is beyond generous.”

Max’s face reflected pure anxiety, the world was more chaotic than
she thought. Ruth gave her a serious look.

“That’s why we have to work on improving your magic

skills as much as possible before I leave. That way, I can have
a little peace of mind when I depart.”

“I-I’ll try.” Max replied helplessly as she gazed at the complicated

magic formula that spanned out like a spider’s web.

Patting her shoulders to cheer her up, Ruth began to explain step
by step the principles behind the magic.

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***

Just as Ruth predicted, the royal family’s order for reinforcements

arrived ten days later. Riftan was the one who received the imperial
decree from the royal messenger. He quickly flipped through the
contents and immediately summoned the knights to discuss it. Max
nervously paced in the room, anxiously awaiting Riftan’s return: she
needed to know what was the final decision in their response to the
order.

He made it clear that he had no intention of leaving Anatol

unattended and would order another knight in his place, but
depending on what was written in the royal order there was a
possibility for him to change his mind. King Ruben could have made
it impossible for him to refuse the order.

She clasped her hands, praying. The thought of him leaving her for
so long gnawed at her and seemed to burn her nerves. It felt like an
eternity before the bedroom door finally opened. Max turned her
head to the sound of the door and Riftan entered, looking exhausted.
She immediately went to him like a blow of wind.

“What-what… was the decision? What was written in the

decree? You-you don’t plan to leave Anatol, do you?”

“Hey, take it easy.”

He grabbed her by the houlders, surprise evident on his face at her

sudden outburst, but she grabbed his forearms and advanced
nervously.

“Are you leaving for Livadon?”

“I told you I don’t plan on doing that.”

A faint smile danced on his lips. Riftan gently removed Max’s grip,
released the sword tied to his waist and placed it against the
bedside. She ran after him and continued hurling questions in his

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direction.

“Then…what was decided on w-who will go in your place?”

“Uslin Rikaido will lead the expedition.”

Riftan collapsed into a chair and massaged his stiff neck.

“Nirta and Rikaido were barking at each other for the

opportunity so much that the knights grew tired. I had to
listen to them scream for three hours. My ears are paralyzed
from their noise.”

Max gave him a sympathetic look as she remembered how those

two knights acted like each other’s mortal enemies. If they had been
fighting, then their screams would have been thunderous.

“It looks like…Sir R-Rikaido won this time…”

“Nirta was at a disadvantage from the beginning. Allied

knights from around the world are merging. A commander
with a mercenary background will invite nothing but
backlash. Rikaido on the other hand is from a prominent
family, it would be most favorable for him to stand as the
representative.” There was a hint of mockery in Riftan’s tone at
the words ‘prominent family’, but he just clicked his tongue lightly
and continued. “Nirta’s arguments were strong, but I finally
managed to convince him that nothing good comes from
internal conflicts. In the end he’s a rational person, it doesn’t
fit his bear-like physique.”

Max nodded as he remembered how meek Hebaron always

seemed. “Who else is l-leaving?”

“Elliot Caron and Lombardo will be assisting Rikaido. There

will be ten other knights, twenty apprentice knights, thirty
more men on horseback, and a wizard… It has been decided
that a total of sixty-four men will depart for Livadon.”

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“I… is there anything I can do to help for the p-
preparations?”

Riftan frowned slightly at her suggestion. “You don’t have to

worry about anything. They are going to pack their own
luggage and they are all used to these kinds of tasks.”

“Still… if there is anything they n-need, I’ll have it prepared. They

are going on a long journey… There must be s-something I can do to
help. “

“Then, tell the servants to prepare an extravagant dinner.”

He smiled bitterly.

“The preparations for the expedition will be finished by

tomorrow. They are going to leave at dawn the next day, so
tomorrow night is the only time for a send-off dinner.”

Max evaluated his expression carefully and acknowledged that he

was reluctant to part with his men. She understood him. The bond
between them was forged through blood and fire, no one could
happily send his knights, who have followed him loyally through life
and death, to war. She nodded vigorously, determined to inform the
chef to use the best ingredients, expensive spices and the highest
quality aged wine for dinner tomorrow.

“I’ll tell them… to prepare only the best and most delicious
dishes…”

“Please do.”

With a slight smile, he removed his thick leather boots and untied
his tunic-tight waistband. Max took his boots and carefully placed
them against the wall and ordered Rudis to prepare a bath.

Meanwhile, Riftan stood in front of the open window and allowed

the refreshing night breeze to cool his body. He gazed at his land,
covered in the night’s darkness. Max opened the trunk and pulled out

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a new set of nightwear and paused to look at Riftan’s figure.

His wide back seemed stiffer than usual, and there was a darkness
to his sharp features. Her heart sank painfully knowing he was tired
and annoyed by all the burdens piling up on his shoulders. Duty to
the king, duty as lord, duty as commander of the knights… so many
responsibilities. Even a man made of steel would be beaten at that
point.

Max hesitated, but then slowly approached him and wrapped her
arms around his waist. Riftan turned slightly and looked at her with a
soft smile.

“What is this? Are you trying to seduce me again?”

“It’s j-just… you look sad and tired…”

Her face turned red as she pretended to brush dust off his tunic. A
light laugh escaped Riftan’s lips. He wrapped her tightly around his
strong arms and planted a kiss on her head.

“You’re growing more appealing with each passing day. It

turns me on.”

Max buried her head against his broad chest, feeling relieved that
the somber atmosphere clouding him had disappeared. She felt sorry
for the knights but was overwhelmed by the joy of knowing that
Riftan would not be leaving for such a dangerous place.

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Chapter 183
Source: Secret Translations

The maid waiting by the door took the bag from her hand,
volunteering to carry it. Max sat on the saddle strapped to Rem after
the train of servants escorted her outside with a tearful farewell. All
the knights were lined up in the training grounds, ready to depart. It
didn’t seem like it only took two days of preparation as they
appeared well-prepared for the expedition.

“Have all your necessities been packed?”

As she approached the ranks of the knights, Gabel, who was

inspecting the battle lines, spoke to her. Max nodded. He examined
the size of the bag she had tied to Rem’s chair, then gestured for
something behind her.

“Hey, Lady Calypse is here.”

At his urge, two boys emerged from the squires standing behind
the ranks. Max’s eyes widened when she saw Yulysion and Garrow
running towards her, dragging a giant stallion.

“We were told that the Lady was coming too. We

volunteered to be your escorts throughout the journey.”
Yulysion explained after running in a fuss.

“But… Yulysion and Garrow are still apprentices. Is it a-

alright for them to participate in this expedition?”

“Squires are originally selected from their apprenticeships

ahead of their knighting ceremony. Don’t worry, we’ve
gained a lot of experience over the past months.”

Garrow proudly pumped his chest confidently and Yulysion nodded

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vigorously at his side. “I will never put milady’s life at risk, just
like the last time. We’ll keep you safe no matter what
happens, you have nothing to worry about!”

Max smiled at the two boys who had grown even more dignified
during the times they were apart. “T-thank you. I’ll put my faith
in you.”

“Rovar and Livakion are the best among the squires. Please
have the two of them by your side wherever you go. Also, you
must never leave the ranks at will. If there is any problem,
please inform me or another knight.”

Gabel instructed her with a solemn face and Max nodded firmly.
“I’ll keep that in mind. By the way… where is Ri-Riftan?”

“The Commander is over there.”

Max looked at where Gabel was pointing and saw Rodrigo, two
older knights with gray hair, and her husband. They were discussing
it with their other younger knights.

“The commander is delegating the supervisory of the

castle. The maintenance of the great hall will be the
responsibility of Rodrigo, while Sir Obaron and Sir Sebrick
will oversee the training and military facilities.”

Riftan handed a ring of keys to Rodrigo and the older knights, then
walked towards the front of the line. Max intently followed him with
her eyes as he sat on top of Talon. Riftan’s gaze suddenly flew to her.
Max tensed, fearing that he would suddenly change his mind and
order her to leave this expedition, but Riftan simply led Talon
towards the gates without saying a word.

“Let’s go!”

As his loud commanding voice resounded, the guards stationed on

top of the walls blew powerfully into their horns, signalling for the

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knights to maintain their line and march across the castle moat in an
organized manner. Max grasped the reins and drove Rem along the
line. As Calyspe Castle drew further and further away from her, a
sense of fear and strange excitement swelled within her. She
wondered about what awaited them in the near future. Garrow, who
was riding his horse beside her, seemed to have noticed her anxiety
and opened his mouth, speaking calmly.

“There is nothing to worry about. We spent the entire

spring scouring the mountains around Anatol wiping off
monsters, there won’t be any drawing of arms in the
upcoming time.”

Max felt her cheeks heat up with embarrassment seeing how a

much younger boy acted more assertive than her. Not only Garrow,
but all the other young knights all around his age wore the same
calm expression.

As they crossed the town square of Anatol on their horses, people

flocked to the side of the road and watched them march into battle in
amazement. Max felt like an innocent puppy lost in a pack of wolves.

“Ma’am, please move to the center of the ranks once we

pass through the gates.”

Gabel yelled over his shoulders and Max obediently followed his
instructions. She directed Rem to the center of the line as soon as
they were out of the guarded territories. Riftan glanced at her from
the front of the lines, then began to drive his horse at a faster speed.
The knights followed his lead, speeding straight through the valleys.

Max drove Rem whilst trying her best to match their pace, careful
not to be run over by the other horses. Riding through the uneven
dirt road was more difficult than she imagined. If she hadn’t
practiced in her spare time, she wouldn’t have been able to keep up.

As she wondered how many hours more they had to ride like that

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while out of breath and sweating, Yulysion beamed at her
encouragingly.

“We will be crossing through two mountains today. Once

we leave Anatol, the road will be easier to travel, so please
hang in there.”

Max nodded, wondering how the young man could ride at this
speed and not bite his tongue in the process. Her thighs were already
numb and her hips were tingling, but she couldn’t mutter a word of
complaint after insisting so stubbornly that she had to go with them.
Max struggled as she rode to keep up with the knights.

Fortunately, as the road got steeper, they were forced to decrease

the speed of movement. She managed to regain her composure and
inspected her surroundings. Lush green trees flanked them on either
side of the narrow path of the mountain valleys. Sharp, jagged rocks
carved out by nature tilted at the foot of the mountain, and she could
hear the faint rush of water from a nearby stream. Since they had
been traveling for a while, they finally decided to take a break there.

Max had a hard time dismounting from her horse as her legs
jittered, then led Rem toward the water. The knights ate bread and
dried beef while the horses drank water thirstily, like they would be
emptying the stream. She also drank water from her canteen,
moistening her dried lips, and ate a piece of dried meat that was as
tough as a piece of wood. They rested for about twenty minutes
before climbing back on top of their horses, immediately going back
to the road.

In less than half a day, Max was completely defeated. Her saddle-
mounted butt was like it was on fire. And her lungs felt like they were
being stabbed with a blade. Her braided hair kept loosening up and
stuck to her face, which also annoyed her. Compared to her, the
knights around her looked more comfortable despite their heavy iron
armors.

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Max clenched her thighs against the saddle to correct her
collapsing posture. The infernal march only ended when they
reached the end of the narrow and remote path, finding a somewhat
gentle place to set camp.

“We will camp here today.” As Riftan’s voice resounded

heavily, Garrow climbed off his horse and muttered quietly.

“Even after a full day’s travel, we’re still in Anatol

territory…”

Max was so relieved that she could finally rest from traveling on
horseback that she didn’t mind spending a night in the mountains.
She almost rolled off the saddle as she dismounted. If it weren’t for
Yulysion who was quick to assist her, she would have found her face
against the damp ground.

“You must be tired. Please sit here and rest. I’ll pitch the
tent up right away.” Yulysion grabbed her by the shoulders and
gently held her to sit on a flat rock. She barely managed to mutter a
thank you at her level of exhaustion.

The two boys quickly removed the saddles off their horses and
unpacked, without showing any signs of exhaustion. The other
knights were also busy making a pit for bonfires, lighting them, and
providing food and water to the horses. Max knew she had to help
but she really couldn’t lift a hand at the moment. She pressed her
reddened palms against the cold rock’s surface, cooling them from
the strain of gripping the reins too long.

“I’ve set up a bed. Milady, it’s pretty shabby, but you may
come in and rest…”

“I’ll take care of her.” Max shuddered at the low voice that
interrupted. She looked up to see Riftan looking at her, still with the
same expressionless face. “Go and tend to your horses.”

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At his command, Garrow and Yulysion immediately ran towards the
steeds.

She was worried that he would scold her for being in such a
disorderly state and unable to contribute, but Riftan merely helped
her up and guided her towards the tent pitched under a tree without
any reprimand.

“I’ll bring you a meal when it’s ready, so lie down in the
meantime.”

“I’m f-fine. I too should help…”

Max immediately pressed her lips shut when Riftan shot her a
terrifying look. He lowered the tent’s awning and walked away.
Truthfully, she had no energy to even lift a finger, so she just slid
helplessly on top of the thick blankets, worrying about what awaited
her the following day. She knew her butt and thighs would be bruised
black and blue in the morning, so she wondered how she was going
to survive throughout the expedition. She quickly shook her head and
dismissed those defeatist thoughts.

No. Just one more day and then we’ll be out of the Anatol
mountains.

According to the map, there would be plenty of flat plains on their

way to Livadon once they get past Anatol. Also, her body will slowly
adjust to riding, especially when the trails would become less
cumbersome. She shouldn’t give up so easily. While trying to
motivate herself, Riftan returned to the tent.

“It would be better for you to get a massage before having

a meal. Take off your pants.”

He bent over to enter the tent and sat on a corner, pulling a small
bottle of oil from a bag. Max looked at him, not certain of what she
had just heard.

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“Just now… what did you say…?”

“Take off your boots and pants. You won’t be able to ride a

horse again tomorrow unless this medicine is applied.”

Riftan answered nonchalantly and took off his gauntlet, gaiters,

and vambraces like they were cumbersome, setting them down on
the corner. In the meanwhile, Max continued to stare at him blankly.
He frowned when he saw her idle and placed his hands on her boots
to remove it. She protested and crouched to the farthest corner of
the tent in panic.

“I… I’m f-fine! There’s no need!”

“You look like you’re about to pass out any second, what
do you mean you’re fine?”

Riftan approached and caught Max, who was trying with all her
might to escape, placing her back in place. Her throbbing muscled
screamed as he grasped her thigh. When she could no longer hold it
back and whimpered in pain, Riftan frowned and began undoing her
boot laces which were very tight around her calves, making Max’s
face dyed bright red.

“I-I got this. I’ll… I’ll do it myself! G-give me the oil, I can
do it… g-go outside for a moment.”

“You don’t even have the strength to lift a finger.”

“That’s n-not true. I c-can d-do it myself so…”

“At least listen to your husband, even if it sounds

ridiculous.”

She stopped protesting, realizing that his patience was reaching its
edge again. Riftan took off her boots and threw them off to a corner,
then placed his hands on the strings of her trousers. Max glanced at
the entrance of the tent and felt like crying.

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“W-what if someone walks in…”

“I told them not to come near the tent so don’t worry.”

He exhaled bluntly and mercilessly pulled off her sweaty pants.

The cool air that touched her bare skin made her face flush red as a
beet.

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Chapter 184
Source: Secret Translations

Riftan made her lie face down against the blankets and drew a
clean cloth and a canteen of water from his bag with a grim
expression. Max looked down in embarrassment as he drenched the
cloth and began to wipe the sweat off her legs. The cold towel gently
cooled her burning skin. He meticulously cleaned her thighs, calves,
and even her feet. Then, he picked up the small bottle of oil and
pulled the cork out with his teeth. As the slippery liquid slid down her
skin, Max’s toes curled. Riftan pressed the center of her feet’s soles
with his thumb then slowly moved his hands up to massage her taut
calves. Max groaned in pain.

“I-it hurts…”

“If I don’t press your muscles, you won’t be able to move

when morning comes.”

He relentlessly loosened her tight muscles. All Max could do was

stifle her groan as she buried her face in the thick blanket. The pain
was so immense that she couldn’t even afford to be ashamed of her
current state.

Riftan massaged her calves sufficiently regardless of her pain and

applied peppermint-scented oil on her thighs. Max tried to pull away
when his rough palms swept down the scorching skin near her
private area.

“I… I’m really fine now. Riftan, you must be exhausted

too…” Before she could finish, he sighed deeply and pulled her
underwear down to her knees. “Ri-Riftan!!”

“Stay still. We have to apply this medicine or else it will be

difficult for you to ride on horseback tomorrow.”
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“I’ll a-apply it! I can do it so…!”

“What are you so ashamed of?” He huffed and shifted his

weight lightly on her thighs to prevent her from wriggling. “Stop
exhausting yourself and lie down still. I’m not going to do
anything strange.”

Riftan was determined to finish his task. He poured a generous

amount of oil onto his palms and began massaging her bare bottom
in a circular motion. Max’s ears burned as she clutched the covers
tightly. It was so embarrassing to be touched in a clear state of mind,
especially right after yelling to everyone that she would become their
healer during the expedition. Yet there she was now, the one
receiving treatment. It was pathetic.

Still Riftan, oblivious to her inner dilemma, silently applied the

peppermint oil to her bruised flesh, and placed her underwear back
on when her tight muscles were loosened enough.

“…I’m going to check if the meal is ready. I’ll bring it to

you, so lie down and rest.” He murmured in a strained voice as he
rubbed the back of his neck. His face was a little red, probably due to
being crammed into the little tent. Max simply nodded and pulled up
her trousers.

He let out a heavy breath and walked out of the tent with a slight
limp from bending his knees too long, while she dropped onto the
covers feeling like a pile of soggy noodles, completely exhausted.
Max felt shame and pain colliding during Riftan’s massage, but the
muscle pain had significantly subsided. She rubbed the parts of her
body that he had touched, then crossed her arms and closed her
eyes for a moment. Riftan did not return until the orange sunset
turned into a blue night.

“I’ve brought smoked ham from the campfire. Here’s some

bread to go with it.”

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He placed the wooden tray next to her: there was a thick slice of
sizzling oil-glazed ham, three fist-sized loaves of bread, a block of
cheese, and a canteen of wine. Riftan pulled out a dagger and began
cutting the food into smaller pieces for Max, who quickly scooped up
the food and popped it into her mouth. The food was definitely much
humbler compared to the food in the castle, but she was so hungry
that it tasted more delicious than anything else.

“Should I bring you more?”

Riftan asked bluntly upon seeing her shove food down hungrily.
Max shook her head, but she almost emptied the tray. Her body felt
like a thousand pounds as her belly began to swell and she felt
drowsy. Max immediately fell asleep in the blink of an eye,
completely forgetting the fact that they were camping in the middle
of Anatol mountains that were full of monsters.

The next day, the knights began packing their belongings in

preparation for their departure even before the sun had risen. Max
also got ready in a hurry and climbed into her saddle. There was no
time to wash her face, let alone brush her hair. Fortunately, her butt
didn’t hurt as much as she feared it would, courtesy to Riftan’s
massage. However, keeping up with the knights was still too
overwhelming.

Yulysion helped her navigate the dark mountain path and the
lurking knights were constantly on high alert, moving only faster, not
slowing down even for a moment. When they reached the foot of the
mountain, they slowed down and Max could hardly ask.

“Why do they look so t-tense… I… haven’t seen any

monsters at all.”

Garrow, who was traveling beside her, shook his head. “The
monsters that inhabit Anatol possess a certain level of
intelligence. When large armies pass by, they are intelligent
enough to stay hidden in order to survive. They tend to

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watch from a distance. Last night, I heard from some of the
knights that a few forest goblins tried to steal our food
supply”.

“L-last night?”

Yulysion quickly intervened when he saw her face turn a deep blue
hue. “Don’t worry. The knights on duty immediately noticed
and took care of them.”

“Was anyone h-hurt?”

“Of course not! Forest goblins can’t even hope to scratch a

Remdragon knight!”

Yulysion lifted his chin indignantly, as if her words were insulting.

Still, Max worried and inspected the knights in the front lines.
Everyone calmly rode their horses without a sign of exhaustion. She
looked ahead and tried to find Riftan, buried among the big bulky
knights, but she quickly gave up and concentrated on driving her
horse across the bumpy mountain road.

They finally made it out of the Anatol Mountain ranges after the
sun rose high in the sky. They took a short break near a stream that
flowed through the meadow. The attending gentlemen tended to the
horses, while others began to distribute the food for a late breakfast.

Max quickly washed her face as Rem took a drink by the stream.
She wet her neck and pulled out her comb to tame her wild hair. She
almost gave up on detangling her hair, but once she was done, she
put it in a braid and walked back to the field.

Yulysion handed her an apple and a piece of bread.

“You must be hungry? Please eat this for now. We will have
a more decent meal prepared in the evening. We cannot
afford to waste time cooking food over fire during the day as
we need to travel as quickly as possible.”

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“No… not at all… this is good enough.”

She quickly accepted the food and suddenly Yulysion concentrated

on her outstretched palms.

“Your hands are red! Did you hurt yourself?”

“It’s because of… the reins.”

She smiled like it was nothing, not realizing how seriously Yulysion
was studying the sharp red burns on her palms.

“It looks painful, shouldn’t you get treatment?”

“No… this is nothing…”

“It doesn’t seem so! It’s so swollen…”

Garrow, who was feeding the horses, hurriedly ran towards them
as he heard the worried voice of his friend. He thrusted his head
between the two of them and looked at her palms as well with a
frown.

“Yulysion is right. It will only get worse and you’ll suffer

the whole journey. Wouldn’t it be better to cast healing
magic on it?”

“I-It’s fine. I don’t need to apply magic to my own body…

It’s c-comparable to drinking your own blood when you’re
thirsty. Unless it’s fatal, it’s better to let it heal naturally…
and… I want to save as much mana as possible.”

“But still, you’re hurting…”

Max sighed at their fuss and sat down on the cape laid down on the
grass.

“Really, I’m f-fine… Even if I cast a healing spell… my

hands will turn out like this as long as I ride a horse. I can’t

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heal myself every time. So even if it’s difficult, it’s better to
let the body adjust…” She confidently showed them the hands. “If
this continues, calluses will inevitably d-develop in a few
days. When my palms become rough… it won’t hurt anymore
no matter how far I ride on a h-horseback.”

Yulysion had a complicated expression as he looked at her hand,

thinking of a solution. Then, he hurriedly went to his bags tied around
his saddle and searched through them.

“For now, please use these.”

Max looked at the leather gloves he held out in front of her.

“Didn’t… you didn’t bring them for yourself, Yu-Yulysion?”

“I brought it just in case. I don’t need it so please use it

without worrying about me.”

Max was hesitant but accepted the gloves. To be honest, her palms
were sore. She reached into the soft, tan gloves, but on her
diminutive figure, the large gloves just fell off, leaving enough room
for another hand.

“Yulysion… your hands are bigger than they appear…” Max

commented as she noticed how long his fingers were compared to
hers. She was amazed at the sight. Despite the fact that the young
apprentice had a delicate face and a slender body, he was still a
man. Yulysion blushed and scratched the part behind his head in
embarrassment then he pulled a leather string out of his bag.

“I’ll secure it to your wrists. It’ll be a huge problem if it

comes off while you’re riding on horseback.”

Max wordlessly raised her hands and allowed Yulysion awkwardly

tie a piece of rope around her wrists.

“Isn’t it too tight?”

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“…It’s perfect”. She waved her hands a few times to prove it and
smiled satisfactorily “Th-Thank you. I’ll use it…well.”

“It’s no big deal.”

Max finished her food with her gloved hands. She looked at Riftan,
who was reading a map and discussing routes with the other knights
at a distance. After he finished issuing orders, he refolded the map
and tucked it in his bag. She sat there, waiting for him to come over
and talk to her; however, he only frowned slightly and turned his
attention to saddling Talon for departure. Max’s eyes casted
downwards at his disgruntled attitude.

After how he cared for her yesterday, she thought things between
them would go back to normal. But was he still mad at her for
disobeying him and clinging tightly to the expedition? Max
contemplated breaking through the wall first and talking to him, but
before she could finish thinking, Riftan had already mounted his
horse and shouted coldly.

“Don’t sit idle. We have to start moving now. From here on

we enter the territories of the half dragons. Never let your
guard down, even for a second!”

The knights mounted their horses and formed up, so Max quickly
jumped on Rem as well. Riftan, who was in the lead, turned to see
how she was doing, then led his horse across the plain at the speed
of light.

They traveled along the stream as they combed the lush green
field like a wind. Max couldn’t help but smile when she felt the cool,
refreshing breeze pleasantly caress her face. She knew this was not
the time to ride enjoyably, but that was her first time running her
horse so freely across an open plain. Her heart was so overwhelmed
beyond comparison to the horrible mountain road from before.

She looked around with dazzling eyes. The sky was clear and

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cloudless and the deep blue stream flowing through the wild fields
sparkled like crystals. Under the nourishing early summer sun, the
wildflowers bloomed vibrantly, displaying their vitality. The landscape
around her was so peaceful that she couldn’t believe an army of
vicious monsters were currently in the move.

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