Under the Oak Tree



Chapter 92: Chapter 92

Maxi was practically confined to her chambers until she was well again. Riftan’s concern was such that the maids were made to follow her everywhere, including to the privy chambers.

Even after she had fully replenished her mana and her dizziness subsided, his anxiousness seemed to remain. Maxi was obliged to stay cooped up in her chambers and could not attend to their guests. She kept herself busy by training the kittens to hunt mice.

“Ron i-is the best at it,” she mumbled as she half-heartedly swung the mouse-shaped doll Ludis had sewn for the cats.

The tabby, Ron, had grown heavier. He waved his front paws and snatched the doll.

Roy, on the other hand, was purring adorably on her lap in a display of sociability uncharacteristic of a cat. Laura, the white, haughty ice queen, was grooming her paws at a distance as if such silly antics were beneath her. From Maxi’s observations thus far, Laura was a fussy cat that showed no interest in anyone besides Riftan. Although Maxi had made consistent efforts in trying to attract her attention, the kitten never spared her a glance.

“Ron will be great at catching mice,” observed Ludis. “Not only is he the biggest of the three, he’s curious and aggressive. Roy is too meek, while Laura refuses to do anything that could dirty her white fur. The cook said they should be starved so they will learn to hunt early on.”

“Th-That won’t do. They’re still kittens… and I’m sure they’ll do their part once they’re grown.”

Maxi held the kittens protectively against her chest. She knew that it was normal for domesticated animals to be starved or thrown out if they did not serve their purpose, but ever since she was a child, Maxi had always hated this cruel treatment against animals. The wretched circumstances of those inept creatures seemed too similar to hers.

Seeing her adamant face, Ludis gave Maxi a gentle smile and said, “Even if I wanted to do as the cook says, my lady, it would be impossible to starve these little ones. The maidservants take turns sneaking them snacks, and even the knights secretly throw them food whenever they slink around under the tables. Just look at how plump this one has gotten.”

Ludis gripped Ron behind his front paws and picked him up. Maxi giggled at the sight of the cat’s soft body dangling like dough.

“Is it a-all right for them to be roaming about the castle already? What if people unintentionally kick them?”

“We only let them roam the kitchen or the quarters, so they should be fine, my lady. And they’re quick on their feet.”

Shaking the mouse doll, Maxi glanced down at the kittens, their adorable faces the picture of contentment. Stroking their soft fur always made her weary heart feel a little better.

“Shall I bring you your meal now, my lady?”

“Is it… that time already?” Maxi said, looking out the window.

The sun had already reached its peak.

“I-I do not feel hungry though…”

“His lordship clearly instructed that we ensure you do not skip any meals,” Ludis replied firmly.

The kittens began growling rebelliously as Ludis pushed them inside their basket.

Maxi suppressed a sigh. It was clear that in Riftan’s mind, she was a woman as feeble as a chick. He had always been overprotective to begin with, but the way he fretted over her now was close to paranoia.

Even when she read in bed, he would worry about her getting a paper cut, or that her muscles would ache from holding a particularly heavy tome. He fussed over the silliest things, so much so that Maxi was beginning to tire of it.

Not that I dislike it…

After more than twenty years of cruel treatment, Maxi could not say she disliked the excessive attention. She had to admit that being so cherished also made her a little happy. Even so, she was tired of being treated as if she were an infant.

“Then, please wait while I go fetch your lunch from the kitchen, my lady.”

“Th-Thank you.”

As Ludis took the kittens out of the room so they would not be able to destroy any of the expensive furniture or carpets, Maxi seated herself at her desk.

A half-burned candle, a fruit bowl, and a messy pile of books on magic were scattered across the surface. Maxi flipped through a few pages of one of the books, thinking she should read while waiting for her meal, but quickly found herself losing interest.

After realizing that being the lady of the castle was the only role Riftan would allow her, she no longer felt the motivation to study.

Maxi rested her chin on her hand and let out a deep sigh. The castle residents were occupied with the road construction, and even the guests were busy touring Anatol. Being the only person shut up in her chambers inadvertently reminded Maxi of the past.

She had been locked away in her chambers at Croyso Castle, hidden away from sight. Whenever she had caught the attention of a guest while daring to walk the halls, her father would…

“Maximilian, it’s me. May I come in for a moment?”

The sudden voice jolted Maxi to her feet, and she hastily strode to the door. It was Princess Agnes. She was in a white dress and had come without any of her attendants.

The princess smiled and said, “I apologize for the sudden visit, but I have hardly seen you of late. I hope you understand.”

Maxi’s face grew flushed with embarrassment. Preparing feasts for the guests who had come from afar and attending to their needs were important duties of the lady of the castle. Being absent from the dining hall over the past few days was practically neglect of her guests.

“P-Please forgive my inhospitality, Your Highness. I-I have been recuperating…”

“Heavens, have you not yet recovered from the mana depletion?”

“No, I-I am… all right now, but… Riftan is being overprotective,” Maxi mumbled.

The princess’s brow furrowed slightly before she heaved a sigh.

“I thought that might be the case. I’ve noticed how unreasonable he can be when it comes to you. I suppose he doesn’t know that it’s bad for you to stay in your room the whole day. How will your body regain its vigor if you do not move around?”

With a subtle smile, the princess stepped closer to Maxi.

“On that note, why don’t you join me for an excursion today?’

“A-An excursion?”

“Today is apparently the start of the Spring Festival. Do you remember? The one we heard about when we went to the market.”

The princess took a couple of steps back and executed an elegant twirl. Maxi’s eyes grew round when she saw a girdle made of twisted blue fabric fluttering over with the princess’s skirt. It was only then that Maxi remembered.

“Do you still have the girdle I gave you?”

“Y-Yes, but…” Maxi trailed off, a troubled look on her face. “I do not think…. Riftan would a-allow me to leave the castle.”

“There will be nothing amiss if we have the knights escort us.”

The princess sounded confident. Maxi had been the subject of Riftan’s excessive worrying for some time, however, and was skeptical.

“I-I am grateful for the invitation, Your Highness, but… I cannot leave the castle without my husband’s-”

Maxi did not finish her sentence, unsure if the princess, who freely traveled all over the continent, would understand her situation.

The princess’s face suddenly grew serious. “All right. Let us go ask him now. You do wish to go, don’t you?”

After a moment of hesitation, Maxi slowly nodded. She truly was curious about the Spring Festival.

Princess Agnes’s blue eyes glinted as if she could read Maxi’s mind. She then grabbed Maxi’s arm and entered the room.

“Then you should get ready now. I will talk to Riftan, so don’t fret about that.”

Although Maxi was flustered by the princess treating her like a young sibling, she obediently changed into a white dress and tied the red girdle around her waist. When she finally slipped on a robe and stepped out of the room, the princess took her hand and began striding down the corridor.

“Riftan should be at the training grounds. I heard that he wasn’t going to the construction site today.”

“I-Is that all right?”

“Since we stamped out the wyverns, no other monsters have appeared at the construction site. Though monsters might approach the site to attack the workers… I’m told that Ruth has set up magical detection devices all over the camp, so they are now able to be dealt with before they cause any problems.”

The princess’s lips twisted into a frown as if what she was about to say next tasted sour in her mouth.

“He might not be a decent man, but Ruth’s ability when it comes to creating magical devices is exceptional. If he says all is well, then it should be. There is no need for Riftan to guard the construction site all day.”

“Th-That is good news,” Maxi said, smiling brightly for the first time in a while.

She had been worried about Riftan, so she was relieved to hear that he no longer had to leave the estate so often.

They went straight to the training grounds. Maxi had expected to see another intense session, but the vast training grounds were empty when they arrived. When she looked around in bafflement, the princess explained that the schedule had changed due to the knights taking turns guarding the construction site. The fact that a guest of Anatol knew the operations of the Remdragon Knights better than Maxi, the lady of the castle, made Maxi smile bitterly.

“They should be gathered in the council room.”

The princess greeted the sentinel with a nod, then strode in the direction of knights’ quarters located next to the grounds. Maxi stayed close behind her. Although it had been months since Maxi had come to Anatol, she had yet to set foot inside the guardhouse or the knights’ quarters. Her heart raced as if she were entering forbidden territory.

“Forgive the intrusion.”

The princess swung the door open without hesitation, and Maxi poked her head out from behind her to peer into the room. It was a dim space lined with wooden chairs, tables, lances, and armor. Riftan and five other knights were in the middle of a discussion. They looked up at Princess Agnes and Maxi in unison.

“Your Highness. What brings you here? Didn’t you say you wished to rest today?” Riftan asked with a frown, clearly unhappy about the interruption.

The princess shrugged, unfazed by the cold reception, and strode over.

“I had something to ask you. I would like to enjoy the Spring Festival with Maximilian. You don’t mind, do you?”

Riftan’s impassive face instantly grew icy. He looked back and forth between Princess Agnes and Maxi, who hovered behind her.

“My wife has only recently regained her health. I’ll have the knights escort you, so please enjoy the festival on your own.”

His rejection was cold, leaving no room for reconsideration.

“But your wife looks perfectly fine.”

Narrowing her eyes, the princess turned to Maxi. The gazes of the men sitting around the council room all turned to her at the same time.