Ruth's chin trembled.
He held his forehead as if overcome by dizziness.
"I heard you were staying at the monastery, but...
did you really decide to join the monastic order of your own free will?
And Sir Riftan?"
“W-What… nonsense?!” Maxi screamed shrilly.
Surprised by how loud her voice came out, Maxi nervously looked around.
Soldiers leading horses down the hill cast suspicious glances at them.
Becoming anxious, she hurriedly whispered, "The habit… is so that I can follow the support unit.
Currently, I am… working as a healing assistant for the camp's wounded."
“An assistant?” Ruth repeated like a parrot.
Maxi seriously considered giving him a good whack on the head so he could think clearly like he usually did.
"I don't have time t-to explain.
Before you leave, I want to hear about...
everything that happened.
S-Sir Riftan...
are you okay?
Is everyone m-okay?
I was told some were hurt“"
“Wait, wait!” Ruth shouted angrily, getting up from the water.
"You can't just say what you want after showing up out of nowhere like that.
I need time to collect my thoughts."
He narrowed his eyes and slowly examined her from head to toe as he wrung out his soaked cassock.
Suddenly aware of her disheveled hair, sticky face, and torn clothes, Maxi blushed.
Ruth covered her face with her hands and let out a long moan.
“My God… does Duke Aren know you’re here?”
“I told you… that no one else k-knows,” Maxi murmured, putting the hood that had slipped back into place.
Ruth frowned as if she finally understood what was happening.
“Sir Riftan will be furious if he finds out!”
Surprised, Maxi covered his mouth again.
“Please… speak more quietly.”
Ruth looked up at the sky like a man whose patience was being tested and muttered a short prayer.
"Why the hell are you doing this to me?
Couldn't you have kept all this a secret from me too?
I don't see why you had to drag me into this."
Maxi's eyes narrowed at his overly harsh words.
The happiness she had felt upon seeing him, which almost made her cry, quickly dissipated.
"I-That's all you have to say...
when we haven't seen each other in so long?
And I-I was so worried about you!"
“Did you think I would dance with joy when I found out?” Ruth retorted sarcastically with a snort.
Outraged, Maxi raised her chin.
"Won't it be fine...
as long as I make sure it doesn't cause any problems for you?
Tell me about the situation on the battlefield.
I came here to get a more d-detailed account of what's going on...
but I've been too busy to ask."
"Don't try to change the subject!
I don't know how you managed to join the group undercover, but I can't close my eyes now that I see you here.
You really put me in a difficult position!"
“Is there a problem?”
Maxi tensed.
One of the soldiers who was moving the horses was looking at them curiously.
Maxi quickly lowered his head.
She could almost feel Ruth hesitating.
It seemed like this damned wizard was going to reveal who she was.
She closed her eyes and clasped her hands together.
Moments later, he heard the click of his tongue and Ruth's grumpy voice saying, “No, it's okay.”
Maxi sighed in relief, but the feeling was fleeting.
Ruth came out of the water and faced her.
“Which tent are you staying in?”
“In the d-of the east end.”
"Got it.
I'll come see you later when I get the chance."
"T-That won't work.
Someone might find it s-suspicious“"
“We'll have to come up with a suitable excuse,” he replied.
He sighed and added, "I can't stay here for long.
I have important matters to discuss with the men.
I'll look for you in an hour or two."
Without waiting for a response, Ruth crossed the gravel path and climbed the hill.
Maxi watched his angrily walking away figure before heading back to the infirmary tent.
Idsilla, who was anxiously waiting for her, ran over and asked if she had discovered anything.
“I-I… I’ll tell you everything later.”
It was time for the administration of herbal decoctions, and the tent was buzzing with clerics.
Realizing that this was not the best time, Idsilla nodded silently.
Maxi rolled up his sleeves and got to work, but he couldn't stop his eyes from constantly straying to the entrance.Ruth had said she would come and see her in an hour or two.
Did he plan to convince her to return to Levan?
His reaction had discouraged her a little.
After all, the sorcerer was the one who taught her the art of healing and magic.
However, he seemed to disapprove of the fact that she was using her abilities there.
Maxi bit his lip.
If Ruth's reaction was so bad, she couldn't even imagine how furious Riftan would be.
She nervously combed the stray strands of hair into her hood.
She gave the patients medicine to ease their nausea, and had just begun changing their bandages when Ruth entered the tent.
Maxi's eyes widened when she saw him enter so carelessly.
The clergywomen who were tending to their own patients around the tent looked at him curiously, but Ruth didn't seem to be phased.
"I'm here to check on the men's condition.
Please don't worry about me and continue your work."
With that, Ruth actually started walking between the gurneys and checking the patients' faces.
Maxi wondered why as she cast glances at him.
He only approached the soldier she was looking after after seeing all the patients in the tent.
Inspecting the long gash on the man's chest, Ruth said, "A clean spot.
I'd say they'll be ready to be removed after another two days."
Not knowing how to respond, Maxi simply shook her head.
Ruth studied the suture carefully, then gestured with her hand for her to continue what she was doing.
Maxi stiffly applied an ointment made from crushed herbs to the wound and bandaged the area carefully.
After watching her work in silence, Ruth exaggeratedly said, "You are quite skilled at this.
If you don't mind, sister, I would like to hear your advice on treatment methods.
Could you give me a moment?"
His terrible performance caused Maxi to stare at him in bewilderment.
The clergywoman tending the gurney beside them intervened.
"Sister Meg is the best healer among us.
There is no herb she is not familiar with, and she can stitch up wounds in the blink of an eye.
She would certainly come in handy."
Not used to receiving compliments, Maxi blushed.
She had no idea women thought so highly of her abilities.
Ruth watched Maxi with a mysterious expression, then requested formally, "How reassuring.
So please give me a minute of your time."
“Very well,” replied Maxi after a pause.
Maxi's patient grimaced at the tingling sensation from the newly applied ointment.
After apologizing to him, she stood up.
Ruth promptly led her out of the tent and looked for a secluded area.
Sensing his dark mood, Maxi nervously looked around.
Ruth led her through dense trees for some time.
Just before stopping, he looked around to make sure they were alone.
He turned to face her.
"You keep surprising me more and more, my lady.
I never imagined you would be so fearless when we first met."
Blushing like a scolded child, Maxi started making excuses.
"O-After I heard that the war was going to be prolonged… I-I just couldn't sit still and wait.
I thought I could get a better understanding of… w-what was going on if I was closer to the battlefield."
“Is that why you secretly joined the campaign dressed in those rags?” Ruth asked as she stared blankly at the burnt holes in her clothes.
They were sparkling embers as they lit fires.
Although she felt ashamed to have seen him in such an undignified state, Maxi deliberately tried to appear calm as she brushed the dust off her clothes.
"W-What's wrong with my attire?
I'm not ashamed...
of what I'm wearing.
It just shows that I'm working hard!"
“I had no intention of criticizing you, my lady,” said Ruth, letting out a long sigh.
"You are a skilled healer and have come this far to take on the heavy burden of caring for the injured.
If anything, you deserve praise."
The relief Maxi felt at her unexpected words didn't last long, as Ruth added stiffly, "However, I cannot praise you for hiding your identity and secretly joining the campaign.
The basilica must be upside down looking for you right now."
"I-I made arrangements!
The basilica thinks I'm currently visiting the house of a friend I made at the monastery, so don't worry."Even with her confident assurance, the frown on Ruth's face did not soften.
"There will be hell to pay if your deception is discovered.
Duke Aren will certainly be embarrassed, and Sir Riftan will be furious."
“I-I intend to… formally offer my apology to him after this is all over,” Maxi said, shrugging.
Ruth had pointed out the very thing that weighed heavily on her conscience.
He shook his head and let out a sigh.
“I doubt the Duke imagined you would do something so reckless.”
Maxi swallowed hard at his biting tone.
“Y-Do you… intend to send me back to Levan?”
Ruth clenched her jaw, and Maxi looked up anxiously, feeling like a criminal awaiting her verdict.
He furiously scratched his messy hair with both hands before letting out a long, painful moan.
“If that were my intention, I would have informed the Duke immediately.”
Maxi's face lit up with relief.
Seeing this, Ruth became angry and said angrily: "Don't smile at me.
If Sir Riftan finds out about this, he would skin me alive."
"H-He won't find out.
Not even you were able to recognize me right away, remember?
Besides, how could he find out...
w-when we're so far away?"
"It's not that simple, my lady.
The army is planning to move the support unit to Castle Eth Lene within the week!"
Maxi's eyes widened.
“T-Does this mean… that the army managed to recapture Eth Lene?”
"Yes, and they intend to use it as a base to prepare for the final battle.
We are expecting an all-out war, and the army wants to have all our manpower, equipment and supplies close to the front."
"B-But...
many of the men have not yet recovered from their injuries.
Their conditions may worsen if we f-force them to march."
"Myself and another wizard have agreed to stay here to help tend to the injured so that they will be fit to travel to Eth Lene by then.
I have checked the men, and none appear to be in critical condition.
In three or four days, they should have recovered enough to endure the journey to Eth Lene."
Maxi's face became conflicted.
Although the thought that she might see Riftan again made her heart beat faster, the knowledge that the men she had cared for so carefully would be forced back into battle weighed heavy on her chest.
She was lost in her thoughts when Ruth quickly continued.
"Frankly, I would like you to be escorted back to Levan immediately, but I'm afraid we don't have the means for that at the moment.
And it may be safer for you to remain close to the coalition army." Ruth gave him an uneasy look.
"Please don't let Sir Riftan see her.
Just thinking about the confusion it would cause is enough to give me a headache."
"Don't worry.
I'll just look at him from afar."
“You can do this at will as long as you are fifty madons away from him.”
“I couldn’t see him from so far away!”
"You mustn't come any closer than that.
Man has keener senses than a wild animal."
Maxi thought this was a bit extreme.
She felt quite confident; he had managed to keep Duke Aren unaware of his presence and, except for the meeting with Kuahel Leon, he had maintained his anonymity.
"N-No need to worry so much.
Even if I get caught...
I'll never mention you.
Now, c-could you tell me what the situation is like at the front?
I was told that members of the White Dragons were injured...
w-who was injured?
Are they seriously injured?"
“Sir Hebaron suffered a shoulder injury while fighting a lizard-man,” replied Ruth, her face suddenly turning grim.
"The wound itself is not serious...
but healing it is another story.
The lizard-man's curse prevents it from being healed with magic.
Monster magic follows completely different principles from ours, so undoing their spells is not a simple task."