The blood drained from the administrator's face.
He looked back and forth at the imposing knights around him.
His eyes returned to Riftan's impassive expression, and he swallowed hard.
“I-I didn’t mean to offend,” he said, suddenly less combative.
“I just…”
The man hesitated before bringing his lips together.
Although visibly frightened, he seemed stubbornly unable to remain silent.
"This city belongs to the Duchy of Croyso," he said, tilting his chin proudly, "and I am merely conveying my lord's wishes.
In recent years, you have not only taken our servants, but have also attracted many of our artisans and traders to the south.
Many of the duchy's settlements are in precarious situations.
Don't you think it is natural that we should not welcome you here?"
The man stared at Riftan with all the fire of a martyr fighting injustice.
It was clear that he truly believed that Riftan was the cruel oppressor.
Outrage rose in Maxi, and she felt her face heat up.
How dare he defame the noblest of knights like this?
If she had been as tall and strong as Hebaron, she would have dragged the idiot out of the inn by his collar.
She didn't understand why none of the knights were doing just that.
Just when he was about to reprimand them, Riftan coldly replied, “No.”
Neither Maxi nor Borman seemed to immediately understand what he meant by that.
Riftan put down his wine glass and said irritably, “I don’t think it’s natural.” With that, he raised the empty glass to the waitress, signaling the end of the conversation.
"We're out of wine.
Bring us another bottle."
"O-Of course.
Immediately, sir."
The waitress cast a nervous glance at the administrator before hurrying into the kitchen.
As if agreed, the knights resumed their meal.
Borman turned red with indignation at having been so blatantly ignored.
He stared at Riftan.
“You are invading our lands!”
Silence fell over the noisy tavern once again.
As the knights' hostile gazes made the man retreat slightly, his words gushed out tenaciously.
"This city belongs to the Duke of Croyso, and I asked you to leave in his name!
Your non-compliance could be seen as an act of insurrection..."
“Silence!”
Unable to suppress her anger any longer, Maxi jumped to her feet.
She was furious.
Her gaze was incendiary, and she directed it at the man's despicable face.
"H-How dare you...
How do you insult my husband?
Riftan has already saved this land countless times!
He protected the East from the dragon threat...
and fought bravely during the monster wars.
And, as if that wasn't enough...
he came all this way to save this wretched place once again!
But...
you still dare to call him an invader?"
“I’m just following the Duke’s orders…”
“Tell that to my father!” Maxi exclaimed, cutting off the man's weak excuse.
"If he wants us to leave...
he should make a formal request to His Majesty.
If the king accepts his request, we will gladly leave the duchy and never set foot here again!"
The man remained silent, his mouth closed.
Maxi pointed to the door and shouted, “If you understand, then go away!”
"I am the administrator of this city!
You have no right..."
“I told you to leave!” Maxi screamed, uncontrollable rage overcoming her.
The man flinched as if he had been whipped, and his face became even redder.
Losing his patience, Maxi cast a sharp look at the knights.
"What are you waiting for?!
I want this man out of my sight!"
This seemed to snap Hebaron out of his dazed-looking state.
He jumped up and grabbed the administrator by the neck.
The burly knight then dragged the man towards the door before his guards could do anything and threw him into the street.
“W-What a piece of…”
“Didn’t you hear our lady?” Hebaron wiped his hands and gave the man a menacing smile.
“She wants you out of her sight.”
“This is an act of oppression!”
“I never said it wasn’t,” Hebaron replied.
“I suggest you go complain to your master now.”
Then he turned to the four soldiers frozen uncomfortably inside the tavern and gestured with his chin.
"Take your superior and leave.
I suggest you stay well away from this inn while we are here."After exchanging glances, the soldiers hurried out, and Hebaron slammed the door behind them.
Maxi stood frozen, watching through the window as the administrator walked away with his men.
She suddenly realized that he hadn't come to drive out the White Dragons.
After all, it would be a fool to think that he could expel hundreds of knights with just four soldiers, and no fool would have been allowed to reach such a position.
His true aim had been to openly insult Riftan.
“Maxi.”
Warm fingers closed over his cold hand.
When Maxi turned his head, Riftan murmured reassuringly, "Sit down.
Finish your food."
A lump rose in your throat when you saw him smile as if nothing had happened.
Unable to look him in the eye, she shook his hand rather abruptly.
"I-I've had enough.
I...
would like to rest up there", he managed to swallow.
Then, before Riftan could stop her, she ran upstairs.
She went up to her room and threw herself on the bed.
Tears threatened to flow, which made her feel incredibly silly.
The shame of having a man like her father fell upon her.
Suppressing sobs, she pressed her burning eyes against her sheets.
She had no idea how long she had laid there, trying to contain her rising emotions, when she felt strong arms wrap around her.
She looked at Riftan through her tears.
He pushed her onto his lap and hugged her tightly.
When he started patting her back, as if he were calming a child, Maxi wrapped her arms around his neck and snuggled against his broad shoulder.
“I’m s-sorry… you had to endure such treatment.”
“You have nothing to apologize for.”
He held the back of her head and kissed the edges of her red eyes.
That tender gesture opened the floodgates.
“Don’t cry,” Riftan said, frowning as he wiped the tears running down his cheeks with his thumb.
Suddenly, an icy anger flashed in his black eyes.
"It angers me to see you so upset.
I should never have allowed that man to talk so much."
With a small sigh, he tightened his arms around her trembling form.
The warmth of his body against hers helped Maxi regain her composure.
Sobbing, she said in a calmer voice, "It infuriates me...
that my own father would insult you like that.
I detest the fact...
that such a man is my father."
“You have a hundred other reasons to hate him, but what happened today isn’t worth getting upset about.” He shook his head as if he thought her reaction was excessive.
"Since I don't want you to see me as the innocent victim here, I'm going to tell you the truth.
The man was right“I am the reason for the duchy's gradual decline."
Maxi stopped sobbing and looked at him in surprise.
Riftan playfully pinched her red nose and continued, "I hired mercenaries to help the duchy's servants escape, and I convinced the guild of eastern merchants to bring skilled artisans to Anatol.
It's understandable that the men who used to line their pockets with all those taxes gritted their teeth at the sight of me."
“B-But… you said Anatol didn’t do anything against the law.”
"Of course.
No one was forced to leave.
But I lured them with irresistible bait to betray their lord."
“Irresistible bait?”
“Personal gain call,” Riftan replied sarcastically as he lowered her onto the bed.
He went to the wood stove to rekindle the dying fire.
After seeing him deftly maneuver with a rock, Maxi approached him and wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders.
"No matter the reason...
such disregard was unnecessary.
It is not something I can forgive."
"I can let them vent a little.
They can bark all they want.
It barely affects me."
Riftan turned his head to look at her, an amused smile curving his lips.
He seemed pleased with her unwavering support.
But soon, a fire lit up in his dark eyes.
"I intend to do much worse things to this place.
I will make that man watch his empire crumble before him."
Maxi shrugged at his surprisingly icy words.
Riftan looked away as if to hide the cruel pleasure on his face.
Looking at the crackling flames, he added in a firm tone, “That man hurt you, and I will make sure he pays the price.”
“Riftan, I…”She had no desire to waste her life seeking revenge against her father.
All she wanted was to distance herself from him and the Duchy of Croyso forever.