Maxi never imagined that the princess would be so favorably disposed towards her, so she was completely confused by his friendly advances.
Did the princess not want to marry Riftan?
“I assume Riftan is in the annex with the knights?” Princess Agnes asked as they left the great hall.
Maxi's face hardened slightly when she saw how her husband's name came so naturally from the princess's mouth.
“H-He might be… Your Highness.”
"Then I guess I'll have to wait to ask him for a tour of the training grounds.
Can we go up the walls?
I'd like to see the castle grounds."
Maxi hesitated for a moment before nodding and leading the princess down a narrow forest path to the right.
It was a path normally taken by the sentries.
After following him for a while, they came to a stone staircase that led to the outer wall.
The sentries on patrol spotted them and immediately bowed in greeting.
Maxi explained that he was showing the grounds to the princess before they climbed the steps.
It was still early spring, and although the weather was warmer, the wind blowing from the mountains was chilly.
Princess Agnes rose to the front and stood at the edge of the parapet, her long skirt fluttering like a flag.
She stretched out in the buffeting wind as if she found it refreshing.
“What a beautiful place.”
Maxi followed the princess's gaze over the wall.
A violent gust blew over the steep slopes and sharp peaks of the snow-capped mountains.
Her eyes fixed on the horizon, the princess threw back her hair that was being tossed by the wind.
"I was told that Anatol was infested with monsters.
I was expecting a dark landscape, like a portal to the demon world."
They started to stroll along the patrol route when the princess suddenly turned to Maxi.
"But the village is bigger than I expected, with a thriving market.
I must admit, I'm quite surprised."
“Mercenaries and… traders head to Anatol… during spring,” Maxi murmured, repeating what she had heard as if it were something she knew well.
The princess stroked her chin, looking thoughtful.
"I can understand why Riftan is so attached to this.
It must have taken an enormous effort to make a land that had been neglected for decades so prosperous."
Something twisted in Maxi's lower abdomen; it was as if the princess was showing her intimacy with Riftan.
An impulse to yell at her, to tell her to stop acting so familiar with him, momentarily overcame Maxi.
Surprised by the fierce impulse, Maxi bit her lip.
A fiery blush rose to the tips of his ears as if his petty and narrow thoughts had been exposed.
“R-Riftan… has been working… day and night without rest… for the sake of Anatol.”
"It was the same during the campaign.
No one ever saw the man rest, nor show hesitation or weakness.
Everyone started calling him Wizard
1
out of fear and reverence.”
“Ma…go?”
"A mythical creature that neither sleeps nor tires.
It is believed to have a hundred lives," replied the princess, with a bitter smile.
“It was a nickname given to him by the Knights of the Osiriya Temple when they saw him rush headlong into danger as if he were invincible.”
Although Ruth had already told her about Riftan's recklessness, Maxi's chest tightened at the princess's revelation.
She shrugged her shoulders against the biting cold.
Princess Agnes studied her with calm blue eyes.
"I always wondered what the Magician's wife would be like.
I wanted to know who the knight who boldly threw himself into the dragon's fire wanted to protect..."
Speechless, Maxi moistened his dry lips.
The princess's statement wasn't a scolding, but Maxi couldn't help but feel like she was being scolded.
She knew she didn't deserve to be the wife of such a lauded knight.
The princess certainly knew this too.
Maxi couldn't bear to see her pathetic self reflected in the princess's blue eyes.
Despite knowing it would seem rude, Maxi turned abruptly.
"T-The wind...
is cold.
We should...
return to the castle, Your Highness.
H-There are also matters I must attend to..."
“Of course.”
Princess Agnes looked once more at the Anatolium Mountains before descending the stone stairs.
Maxi watched her for a moment, then hurried away as if fleeing the scene, a storm of anxiety raging in her heart.As night fell, the servants went up stairs to light the chandelier inside the banquet hall.
Freshly stocked braziers with burning embers were placed around the room, and the tables were laden with a luxurious feast.
Maxi was positioned next to Riftan at the head of one of the tables.
The princess and her entourage sat opposite them, while the royal knights occupied the rest of the seats.
As soon as the pages had served all the guests with fragrant wine, Riftan raised his golden chalice.
“We welcome you to Anatol.”
Everyone raised their drinks in unison.
The princess lifted her goblet, overflowing with wine, high into the air and gave Riftan an elegant smile.
“We thank you for the warm welcome.”
“You must be tired from your long journey, Your Highness,” said an old knight.
“Please enjoy the banquet.”
The princess laughed and raised the goblet to her lips.
Following suit, the diners around him picked up their utensils and began eating.
Maxi took a bite of bread and looked around the crowded table.
The royal knights accompanying the princess seemed to be well acquainted with the White Dragons; were engaged in friendly conversation.
Even the princess herself addressed the White Dragons without bothering with formalities.
Princess Agnes seemed to pay no attention to the etiquette and decorum expected of a noblewoman, and Maxi was a little surprised by this.
Even sitting among men much bigger than her, the princess stood out and didn't seem intimidated in the slightest.
She laughed out loud as she slapped the knight next to her on the shoulder.
His way of speaking was lively and provocative.
What surprised Maxi even more was how the knights didn't seem to care about this.
The princess was in the middle of an animated conversation with the boy next to her when she abruptly turned to Riftan.
"I would like to take a look at Anatol as soon as possible.
Could I bother you for a walk tomorrow, Sir Riftan?"
Riftan took a sip of wine and replied coolly, “I will ask Sir Ursuline to show you around, Your Highness.”
"Listen here, Stone Lord of Anatol.
Don't think you can dismiss me so easily.
I have traveled to the ends of the earth to see you."
“I don’t remember ever making such a request before.” The royal knights' expressions darkened at Riftan's impertinence.
Maxi nervously studied the princess's face.
Such lack of politeness towards the royal family would not be tolerated, even from a knight whose prestige was known throughout the continent.
However, instead of being outraged, Princess Agnes burst into laughter as if Riftan had made a joke.
“I see you haven't changed,” she said, turning her gaze to Maxi with a charming smile.
“So, could I trouble you to be my guide, Lady Calypse?”
Riftan stopped cutting his lamb meat to face the princess.
Maxi blinked speechlessly, confused at being dragged into the conversation.
Unfazed by her reaction, the princess continued.
“I’ve been looking forward to getting to know you better.”
Riftan lowered the knife with a clatter.
“Your Highness,” he said in a low, icy voice.
“If you don’t mind waking up early, I’ll be your personal guide.”
He spoke between his teeth.
“Oh, how kind of you,” joked the princess, clearly not intimidated by his threatening tone.
“You have my sincerest gratitude.”
Maxi stiffened at their easy talk.
Just imagining the two of them taking a pleasant stroll around Anatol together was enough to make her stomach turn.
“Please… c-may… do me… the honor, Your Highness,” Maxi said impulsively.
Riftan looked surprised.
Wetting his dry lips, Maxi added calmly, “You’re busy, Riftan… so… let me show Her“”
“How could you hope to accompany His Highness when you yourself only arrived last autumn?” he interrupted.
A deep blush stained Maxi's cheeks.
"B-Still.
I think I'm c-able...
to show her around.
I was...
at the m-market with Ruth...
and...
I was also in the vicinity..."
“In the vicinity?”
Riftan's voice suddenly sounded serious.
Embarrassed, Maxi looked up and saw his eyes glowing dangerously.
Come to think of it, she had never told him about her trip to help those injured after the werewolf attack.
This had happened while he was away on the goblin raid.Maxi looked around at the knights sitting at the table.
In the end, she saw Sir Elliot shaking his head vigorously, signaling her not to say anything.
Maxi swallowed.
She was just doing her duty as lady of the castle, but she knew Riftan might not see it that way.
Remembering her fury upon discovering his efforts to learn magic, she quickly changed the subject.
“W-What I want to say… is that… I also know Anatol… enough… to guide His Highness.”
"Enough.
Sending you out of the castle unprotected is out of“"
“Oh my,” Princess Agnes deftly interjected.
“And is it okay for me to leave the castle unprotected?”
Riftan gave an irritated look.
"You are capable of protecting yourself, Your Highness, but that is not the case with my wife.
All she has ever known are the walls of Croyso Castle!"
“A-Even I am… able to s-show our guests… our lands!” Maxi exclaimed, glaring at him.
Being treated like an incompetent child in front of a distinguished princess was a blow to her pride.
Her face turned red as she retorted, "I...
I-I saw...
other places.
If you remember...
I-I had to travel to get to Anatol...
from the Duchy of Croyso."
Hebaron was quick to support Maxi.
"Your lordship is right, Commander.
What harm could happen to her with the king's knights accompanying her?
If that still concerns you, I will accompany them."
Riftan's face became increasingly gloomy with the persistent hitting.
Maxi was inwardly terrified as her anger was barely contained.
But even so, she couldn't back down.
He needed to prevent Riftan from spending time with such a captivating woman at all costs.
"Riftan...
you m-barely have time...
to rest.
Please...
let me help."
Seeing her so stubbornly obstinate, Riftan's face turned serious.
After a brief silence, he finally raised the white flag.
"Okay.
I'll leave that up to you."
It's really a Magician, it's not the same thing as Ruth is, but the name is still Magician
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