Maxi turned red as a pepper and pushed Riftan away.
When he reluctantly released her, she turned away from him and wrapped her shawl tightly around herself like a shield.
Riftan watched her uneasily and sighed.
“We’ll pick up where we left off when I get back,” he said.
Shaking his head slowly, he headed towards the armor stand.
Maxi watched from a safe distance as he donned his breastplate, dragon-engraved shoulder pads, greaves, and thighs.
He then secured the flanks and leg guards in place and wrapped his gloved hands in silver gloves.
Maxi admired the elegant man before her.
As he fastened her leather belt, she suddenly remembered the pendant she had bought at the market the day before.
She rummaged through the drawers for the colorful tassel.
“R-Riftan…”
Riftan turned to look at her questioningly as he clipped his sword to his belt.
After a moment of hesitation, Maxi held out the tassel.
“I c-bought this at the m-market yesterday on my way b-back to the c-castle… Sir Hebaron told me that a-attaching t-this to a c-sword belt g-grants the wearer the p-protection of nymphs.”
Riftan stared at her hand.
“S-Sir Hebaron f-was the one who p-paid for this, b-but I c-chose him… if it’s o-okay with you…”
His voice trailed off when he made no move to pick up the tassel.
Perhaps Sir Hebaron was right“Riftan really should consider such pendants useless.
Disguising her disappointment, she slowly lowered her hand.
“Y-You don’t have to take it i-if you don’t think it’s good.”
She turned to put the tassel back in the trunk, but a hand suddenly grabbed her arm.
“Give it here.”
Maxi turned around in surprise.
Riftan snatched the tassel from his hand and fiddled with the strings as he tied it to his belt.
The colorful ornament contrasted absurdly with the coarse leather of the belt.
Maxi blushed, regretting its rough taste.
"Thank you.
I'll keep it close."
Riftan planted a kiss on her forehead before turning his back to her again.
His disappointment at his indifference was fleeting; the feeling dissipated when she noticed his lips curling into a smile.
Riftan threw a cape over his shoulders, rubbing his chin as if to hide his smile.
But the blush that rose to the tips of her ears didn't escape Maxi's attention.
His heart swelled with pride when he realized that Riftan was genuinely happy.
Then, suddenly, she felt irritated with herself.
She had only purchased the insignificant gift at Sir Hebaron's suggestion.
Although she didn't have the means to buy something that could compare to the gifts he had given her, she could have bought him something better.
Seeing her joy over a gift she had bought on impulse, she was overcome with the desire to beat herself up.
“I’ll be back before you know it.”
When he was ready to leave, Riftan pulled Maxi in for one last hug.
She buried her face in his chest, holding back the tears and resolving to give him everything she could.
Riftan went on the attack with three knights, six soldiers and three squires.
Maxi was worried that there were only a few of them, but Ruth reassured her that it was routine to carry out small-scale attacks with groups of eight to fifteen men.
Maxi watched the figures of men moving away from the battlements.
Then, she headed to the weaving room to confirm that the order of fabrics had arrived.
In the corner of the spacious room, past the spinning wheels and looms, was a tall pile of high-quality woolen cloth.
Beside the fire, the maids were busy sewing winter clothes.
Maxi watched with interest as they traced patterns on thick fabrics spread across an extensive table before cutting out the pieces, placing wool between two layers of fabric and sewing them together.
With most of the shutters now closed for isolation, only beams of light penetrated the castle, but the maids' hands worked nimbly even in the candlelight.
Maxi couldn't help but admire their dexterity.
“W-When will everything be ready?” she asked.
Ludis frowned as she inspected the newly arrived fabrics.
"Everything should be ready in three or four days, my lady.
The completed pieces have already been distributed.
The men have agreed to share them until the rest is ready."Resettled, Maxi left the weaving room.
After dark, there was something sinister about Calypse Castle.
Perhaps its stillness disturbed her because she had become accustomed to the castle bustling with activity during renovations and preparations for winter.
After inspecting the kitchen, stables, and outbuilding with Ludis, Maxi returned to her room to rest.
While leafing through a book on her desk, she began to feel melancholy.
With winter preparations almost complete, there was little left for her to do.
She stared out the window, wondering if a day was always this long.
Less than a day had passed since Riftan's departure, but she already felt lonely.
The realization surprised her.
She had always been alone in the past…
"You look tired, my lady.
Would you like some tea?" Ludis's cautious voice brought Maxi out of her melancholy.
She smiled brightly and nodded.
It was unworthy for the lady of the castle to be dejected in her husband's absence.
At that moment, a strong gust of wind shook the windows.
Maxi's face clouded with worry again as she watched the branches shake violently outside.
The cries of migratory birds echoed in the distance.
Winter had arrived in Anatol.
Two days later, the first snow came.
Maxi peered out the window and down into the garden, which looked like it had been dusted with flour.
His gaze then turned to the mountains in the distance.
With the temperature dropping drastically, she worried about Riftan's safety.
Ludis, who was sitting on a chair sewing, let out a sigh.
"This year's winter seems harsher than most years, my lady.
It came earlier than usual as well."
“I m-remember you telling me that the winters here never get that cold.” Ludis looked agitated.
"Yes, Anatol is in a basin, so the winters here are milder than other places.
But this winter feels different.
There is already a thin layer of ice on the surface of the well."
“H-Is there enough firewood to last the winter?” “We prepared more than usual.” Ludis smiled reassuringly.
Maxi's lips curled into a smile as she sat in front of the fireplace, thawing her freezing hands.
With the weather growing colder, a stillness had fallen over Calypse Castle as if everyone had gone into hibernation.
Servants who normally hurried around stood idle in front of the embers.
With merchants no longer visiting the castle, the gardens looked like a desert.
Although Maxi usually preferred peace and quiet, the sudden change of atmosphere had left her feeling melancholy.
Noticing her desolation, Ludis approached her with an excited voice.
“Shall I serve lunch, my lady?”
“Wh-what’s for lunch?”
“The cook prepared cream stew with peas, smoked sausages and pumpkin pie with molasses and cinnamon.”
Maxi's mouth filled with water.
Seeing the look of anticipation on his face, Ludis carefully folded the piece she was mending and left the room.
While waiting, Maxi opened the book of poetry he had checked out from the library the night before.
She had barely read two pages when she heard a loud knock on the door.
Wondering why Ludis had returned so early, Maxi called the person in.
Rodrigo and Ruth entered.
“Please forgive me for interrupting your rest, my lady, but the sorcerer has an urgent matter to discuss with you.” Maxi stood up from his chair.
“Is there t-any problem?”
Ruth sighed.
"Monsters scaled the walls in the middle of the night.
The sentries and knights managed to suppress them, but it seems many were injured in the process.
They requested assistance.
Could you send some servants to tend to the injured?"
The color drained from Maxi's face.
A crisis had arrived just days after Riftan's departure.
"With the winter here, food is harder to find for the monsters.
Their outbreak is not uncommon this time of year, but they have never managed to infiltrate our walls before.
So the sentries were taken by surprise."
Hearing Ruth's calm voice, Maxi managed to regain her composure.
“H-How many servants do they need?”"At least a dozen.
Please instruct them to bring sufficient supplies of clean cloths, wooden planks to use as splints, herbs and a cauldron to brew them, a bucket, brass bowls, thread and needles, and basic provisions.
The injured are on the outskirts of the estate, so it will be difficult for them to obtain these items from the market."
Maxi listened to Ruth's hurried instructions, then turned to look at Rodrigo.
The butler nodded quickly.
“I will have everything prepared immediately, my lady.”
"And m-send word to the i-church immediately.
A-Ask them“"
“There are no clerics in Anatol capable of performing divine magic,” interjected Ruth.
"Anatol was isolated for a long time, and it was only when Sir Riftan distinguished himself that clerics were sent here.
The central church would never send a hierarch to such a distant region."