Riftan gently massaged the roundness of her breasts with his soap-covered hands.
Maxi hurriedly lowered his arms to cover himself, but that didn't stop him.
Feeling something hard pressed between her buttocks, she closed her eyes tightly.
His hands slid through the warm water, exploring her waist and abdomen.
Tenderly, he caressed every curve of her body and massaged the knots beneath her skin before washing her tangled hair.
His tense body began to relax.
“Now, wash my hair” he said, rinsing her hair.
Maxi stared at him blankly, his eyelids heavy with sleep.
But soon she took the soap in her hands and started rubbing it into her scalp.
As Riftan lowered his head so she didn't have to stretch her arms, she felt his warm breath on her lap.
Suppressing her embarrassment, Maxi carefully worked her hands through her soft hair.
Riftan gently licked the drops of water accumulated in the hollow of his lap.
It was like bathing a big dog; he couldn't sit still, licking everything he could reach.
Her mind went back to the time when she had sneaked into the garden as a child to play with her father's dog.
They had thrown water at each other just like she and Riftan were doing.
“The foam is getting in my eyes,” Riftan complained, throwing a handful of water on his face.
Seeing him pout, she almost laughed.
She splashed water on her hair to rinse it of the suds.
Then Riftan took a teapot from the shelf and poured more hot water into the bathtub.
The knots in her muscles softened like jelly and, up to her shoulders in steaming water, she began to doze off.
Tension had kept her tiredness at bay, but now fatigue enveloped her.
In his half-sleep state, Riftan's touch felt comforting.
“Maxi…”
He murmured in her ear, then adjusted her so she could lean against his chest.
A sweet tingling sensation ran through his body.
She gave herself to him, his steady heartbeat lulling her to sleep.
His eyelids grew heavier.
"Maxi?
Are you...
sleeping?"
“…”
“Are you really sleeping?”
Riftan's gentle movements on his back turned into insistent shakes.
She tried to say something, but all she got were unintelligible mumbles.
His vision began to fade.
Soon, she was snoring lightly with her nose buried in his shoulder.
Riftan looked at her not knowing what to do.
“I don’t believe it…”
A blinding ray of sunlight opened Maxi's eyes.
His limbs ached, and his head throbbed.
Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she got up from the bed only to feel a draft of cold air on her skin.
She looked down and realized that she was completely naked under the blanket and hurriedly covered herself again.
Disoriented, she tried to remember what had happened.
I arrived in Anatol yesterday, and…
She had fallen asleep while taking a shower with Riftan.
Her head lifted to scan the room, but she was alone.
Riftan's robe lay next to the dying embers in the fireplace.
Where had he gone?
She looked for something to wear.
A nightgown neatly folded on the shelf near the window caught her eye.
Wrapping the blanket around her body, she hurriedly stood up and was reaching out to pick it up when she heard a knock.
“Y-Yes?” she said sharply.
“Sorry for disturbing your sleep, my lady” replied a gentle voice.
“It’s time to rekindle the fireplace…”
"O-Okay.
I j-already d-slept p-plenty.
C-You can c-come in."
A tall maid who looked to be around thirty years old entered the room and bowed.
"My name is Ludis Ain.
I will be at your service from today onwards."
"I'm M-Maximilian C-Calypse.
P-Nice to meet you."
The maid showed no surprise at his stuttering.
“You went to bed without dinner last night,” replied Ludis courteously.
“Should I have your breakfast prepared now?”
“I w-would like to g-get dressed first…”
"One moment.
I'll help you get dressed."Ludis removed some logs from her basket to feed the embers, using an iron to stir occasionally.
Then she brought the folded clothes to Maxi.
Maxi quickly changed into some linen underwear and, on top, a thin nightgown.
Ludis filled a small basin with warm water and added a few drops of scented oil.
Then she dipped a clean towel into the scented water to pat Maxi's face, neck and arms before helping her into an elegant, ankle-length dress.
Maxi sighed when she saw the intricate embroidery.
With its dropped sleeves, the golden dress gave her the appearance of having butterfly wings.
It was no less adorable than something from Rosetta's wardrobe.
“Please let me know if it’s too tight,” said Ludis, tying a red ribbon just below Maxi’s bust.
Maxi shook his head.
She could hardly believe that the woman in the mirror was her.
Her pale face looked radiant, perhaps due to her good mood, and her tousled red hair now elegantly complemented the gold of her dress.
“Would you like me to braid and tie your hair, my lady?”
“Y-Yes, please.”
Maxi sat in a chair near the window.
Ludis adjusted the mirror and began to gently comb her hair.
Hearing the sound of the ivory comb sliding through her hair, Maxi looked outside and saw a palisade of gray cliffs and tall pine trees that pointed toward the sky like spears.
“Do you wish to eat here, my lady?”
She was about to say yes, but realized she wanted to take a look around the castle.
Here, there were no surly stepsisters or parents who could fly into a violent rage at any moment.
She was free to walk wherever she wanted.
She mustered up the courage to look Ludis in the eyes.
“I-I’m g-going to c-eat in the d-dining room.”
“Yes, my lady.”
In the blink of an eye, Ludis finished braiding her hair into a bun and brought her a pair of long-toed shoes.
Maxi slipped her feet into her elegant shoes, then examined her reflection in the mirror.
After days of travel, a change of clothes and freshly styled hair did wonders for her appearance.
Her cheeks flushed with excitement.
Would Riftan be happy to see her?
“W-Where is R-Riftan“ w-you mean, Lord C-Calypse?”
“I was informed that the lord went to the training room at dawn” replied Ludis, looking worried.
“Ma’am, do you feel unwell?”
“N-No…”
Without knowing why he had given that impression, Maxi tilted his head.
Soon after, she immediately realized that Ludis must have thought she was sick because of her stutter.
The blood rushed to his face, and his excitement was swept away by a great wave of embarrassment.
“I-I’m fine.”
His trembling voice sounded horrible even to his own ears.
Unable to bear the shame any longer, she left the room.
Ludis ran after her with a worried expression.
"M-My lady!
Please allow me to guide you through the castle."
Maxi had left embarrassed without knowing the layout of the castle.
She gave a slight nod, grateful that Ludis continued to treat her with respect.
“This way…”
As Ludis led her towards the stairs, Maxi peered into the corners of the castle she had missed the day before.
The gray stone walls, although rough, had a natural beauty.
Sunlight streamed in through the arched windows, casting intricate shadows on the floor.
She squinted in the blinding light as she followed Ludis.
Calypse Castle looked different in daylight.
It was as gloomy and empty as it had been at night, but it also radiated an old charm.
It's the perfect castle for a knight...
“Is there anything you would like to eat or any food you don’t like?”
“N-No, not really…”
Maxi was silent.
A look of suffering passed over Ludis's face.
Perhaps she is lamenting the misfortune of having met a difficult teacher.
Discarding self-deprecating thoughts, Maxi followed Ludis into the kitchen.
A long cherrywood table stood in the center of a spacious dining room, and a line of servants stood along the wall.
One of them pulled out a chair for her.
“I trust you had a good night’s rest, my lady?”
“Y-Yes, I did.”
"Forgive me for not introducing myself yesterday.
My name is Rodrigo Ceric.
I supervise all the servants in this castle."Maxi realized that he was the old man who had been the target of Riftan's wrath the day before.
“P-Nice to meet you,” she said, trying to remain calm.
Rodrigo bowed.
"At your service, my lady.
Please don't hesitate to let me know if you need anything."
“S-Speaking of that, you t-told me yesterday that I c-could decorate the c-castle…”
"Indeed, you made it clear this morning that I am here to help you in any way possible, my lady.
I was planning to summon the traders to the castle soon.
Would you like to take a look around the castle before then?"
“Y-Yes, I w-would like to.”