Maxi made an awkward attempt to stand upright.
As the princess had said, she was in perfect health.
Her features were normal, her cheeks flushed, and because Riftan had been feeding her constantly, her face had regained its fullness.
However, Riftan was still looking at her with eyes full of concern.
"I'm sorry, Your Highness, but my wife still needs rest.
Furthermore, the villa is full of visitors lately and is not safe.
I cannot put my wife in danger when she has not yet fully recovered."
“My dear Sir Riftan,” replied the princess.
"We are not asking you to send us to a battlefield.
We merely wish to participate in a festival that all innocent country maidens usually go to.
Don't you know that worrying too much is also an illness?"
Riftan frowned at her.
It was the look that made her knights break out in a cold sweat, but Princess Agnes only grumbled in response.
"Don't look at me like that.
If you're so worried, you can come with us."
“I don’t have time to waste on something so useless“” Riftan said, before cutting himself off when he saw Maxi’s face darken.
Maxi quickly put on a calm expression.
"I don't want to bother you.
I'm fine“"
Maxi stopped.
Out of habit, she was about to tell him that it was okay not to go, but stopped herself when she remembered that he didn't like hearing her say that.
An awkward silence fell over the room.
The princess crossed her arms and gave Riftan a merciless look.
Even the knights, who hadn't said a word until then, stared at him with incisive gazes.
"Come on, Commander.
Why not let them go?
It's just a village festival after all."
"He is right.
You also have the right to freely enjoy the festivities held in Anatol.
You will only earn his contempt if you try to keep her locked up, Commander."
When Hebaron and Gabel spoke for her, Riftan gave them a murderous look.
The knights made a show of shrinking into their seats and keeping their mouths shut.
Riftan remained silent for a long time, looking annoyed, before finally rising from his chair with a sigh.
"Okay.
Prepare a carriage.
I will accompany you."
He clicked his tongue as if displeased, then turned to study Maxi's face with narrowed eyes.
“But if I see that you are tired, we will return to the castle immediately.”
Maxi nodded, her face flushing with joy.
“I-Got it!”
Although she felt bad about taking up his time when he was busy, she couldn't contain her excitement at the fact that they were going for a walk together.
Riftan started to pick up some items when Hebaron approached him with a mischievous smile.
"Let me accompany you.
It never hurts to have more escorts after all."
“Are you sure it is not the village maidens you are looking for, Sir Hebaron?” said Gabel, blocking the burly knight's path.
"You must allow me to escort them this time.
In the name of chivalric code, I will protect the virtue of Anatol's horny maidens during the Spring Festival."
“You see, you’re no better than“”
“Elliot, you’re coming with us,” Riftan interjected, promptly ending the discussion.
"I don't want those two near the village.
I won't allow the women of Anatol to knock on my door with their bastards."
"Commander!"
Ignoring her objections, Riftan wrapped his arm around Maxi's shoulders and left the council room.
The princess shrugged and followed behind them.
They headed to the village in their more modest carriage to avoid unnecessary attention.
Riftan and Sir Elliot were lightly armed and dressed as discreetly as possible in hooded cloaks, while Maxi and the princess wore dark cloaks over their white dresses.
When they arrived at the village, however, Maxi noticed that many of the women were dressed for the occasion.
The princess quickly took off her cloak.
“I don’t think we’ll attract attention even if we get out of the carriage without our cloaks.”
“I still think it would be safer for you to keep them, Your Highness.”
“We would attract more attention if we kept them,” she replied sharply, letting her beautiful golden hair fall loose.
“Besides, it would be a shame to look so gloomy when everyone else is dressed to impress, wouldn’t you agree?”
“I… I’m not sure…”"Take off your cloak, Maximilian.
Don't be shy.
You must never miss an opportunity to show off."
When the princess tugged at her clothes, Maxi pretended to be reluctant before shyly removing her dusty cape.
Riftan, who had been reclining in his seat with a displeased expression the entire trip, watched as she did this.
His lips twitched, but soon he relaxed his shoulders as if he had been defeated.
“You can do whatever you want.”
“I really intended to,” joked the princess.
Maxi silently debated whether or not he should put his cape back on.
Noticing this, the princess snatched the piece from his hands and sat on it.
Riftan frowned.
The princess put on an innocent expression and ignored the furious look he gave her.
Elliot kept his gaze out the window, as if wanting to stay away from his battle of nerves.
Trapped between the two, Maxi watched them nervously before pretending to adjust her skirt.
This scene unfolded until the carriage finally stopped.
Maxi breathed a sigh of relief.
The tension inside the carriage was suffocating.
“It seems the festival is held far from the village square,” muttered Princess Agnes as she got out of the carriage with Elliot’s help.
Elliot nodded politely with a gentle smile.
"The square isn't big enough for all the stalls.
Plus, there's no better place to enjoy spring than the green fields."
Filled with curiosity, Maxi looked around as she got out of the carriage after the princess.
Tents of different colors were spread out at fixed intervals across the bright green field.
The place was bustling with vendors advertising their wares, card players crowded around tables and regulars enjoying food and drinks at the stalls.
Fascinated, Maxi was busy taking it all in when Riftan pulled her to his side and handed the coachman a coin.
“Go get a drink.”
The old coachman took off his hat and bowed in thanks, then went to park the carriage in the designated area.
Many vendors evidently brought their wares in carts, for the space behind the tents was crowded with them.
“It seems like there are more visitors this year.”
"It must be because of the reputation of the White Dragons.
I'm sure more travelers have become curious about the land protected by the greatest knightly order in the known world."
The princess spoke proudly as if she was talking about her own achievement.
Maxi listened to the conversation with only half his attention as he watched the lively scene before them.
There were more people there than when she had visited the market previously with the princess.
The field was full of people dressed in the worn clothes of travelers, singing bards, playful maidens, and women selling food and drink.
From time to time, Maxi would also spot sentries patrolling.
“Maximilian, it’s over there.”
Overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of the festival, Maxi was absorbed when the princess began to pull her by the arm.
Still a little disoriented, Maxi followed behind the princess until they reached a tent where young women were selling floral garlands next to a stage decorated with colorful flags.
“Everyone was using one, so I knew someone would be selling it.”
After buying two garlands, the princess placed one on her head and the other on Maxi's.
Maxi ran his hand over the garland with a perplexed expression.
Although he didn't like how the little stalks coming out of the garland got tangled up in his voluminous curls, he didn't think it appropriate to refuse such a kind gesture.
When she smiled shyly at the princess in gratitude, Princess Agnes spun around with an expression of contentment.
"Dressed like this, I really feel like I've become a dryad.
Do you agree?"
“It really… looks good on you, Your Highness.”
“You look beautiful too, Maximilian,” she said happily, taking Maxi’s hand once again.
“Now, let’s go to that tent over there for a game of…”
"Your Highness.
You can't just wander around."
Riftan, who had promptly followed behind them, blocked the princess's path.
He pulled Maxi to his side again and clenched his jaw.
“My wife is not someone you can drag around like a servant.
You should raise a dog if you want something to pull!”
“My God, what a horrible thing to say.”The princess pursed her lips, looking offended.
Maxi turned pale.
Hadn't the princess told him that the royal family doubted Riftan's loyalty?
The fear that the princess would speak ill of Riftan to the king because he had offended her was enough to make Maxi's blood run cold.
"R-Riftan!
How can you be so r-rude to His Highness!"
"Listen, listen!
How insolence indeed!"
Maxi turned visibly paler at the princess's response.
"Y-You shouldn't...
talk to a lady like that.
You're a knight.
Please show some manners."
“Well said!”
Riftan was looking down at Maxi with a flustered expression.
Faced with the princess's provocations, her face changed to a look of hatred.
Princess Agnes simply gave Riftan a smug smile and tugged on Maxi's hand once more.
"We came to have fun.
Let's ignore this rude party pooper and enjoy the festival to the fullest.
You, sir, can stay put while we leisurely explore the stalls."
Maxi gave Riftan a worried look and tried to look reluctant as he followed behind the princess.
The truth was that she also wished to enjoy the festival freely.
Furthermore, she didn't think the princess's assertive behavior was that bad.
Unlike Maxi, who was always hesitant and indecisive, Princess Agnes seemed to have no problem satisfying her curiosity.
Whenever she saw something fascinating, she would take Maxi's hand and run towards it, and she would enthusiastically participate in all the different games.
The princess's enthusiasm was contagious.
Maxi began to enjoy the festival wholeheartedly, and she found that even her anxiety was dissipating in the lively atmosphere.