Under the Oak Tree

“It could be given a t-try. My fa…father must also know that fighting…against the Remdragon Knights would cause a lot of da-damage. If our side takes a s-step back…and n-negotiate conditions…”

“The chance to negotiate has already gone. Even the lady knows that.”

Ruth muttered with a grim face. Max couldn’t find any more words to refute and could only clasp her skirt. The Duke of Croix was a person who, above all, valued ​​his dignity as a nobleman, his pride, and the honor of his family. For the first time in the Duke’s dignified life, he was reduced to a crawling, blood-covered mess. Her father will not grow lenient no matter what condition will be offered.

She knew well that there was nothing she could do. Max wrapped herself around her cold forearm and trembled at her helpless situation. Ruth, looking at her in that state, then said.

“Doesn’t the lady seek to get revenge on the duke? Despite him being your father… he had put you through such a situation.”

Max was caught off guard with Ruth’s unprecedented question. After a moment of looking at Ruth with a startled expression, she lowered her eyes and muttered coldly.

“I,I… it doesn’t matter to me whatever happens to him. It’s just…having Riftan or the others… be subjected again to the battlefield… I don’t want that.”

“They have lived on the battlefield their entire lives. And in the future, they will continue to live on the battlefield. It’s inevitable, fearing for them every time they go out to the battlefield would be of no worth.”

Max closed her mouth tightly. Ruth looked at her and sighed.

“I understand your sentiments. However, please side with Sir Calypse’ decision for this matter.”

She nodded reluctantly. No matter how much she has been reeling in her head, she couldn’t think of a way to change her father’s decision, and she couldn’t find any words that would dissuade Riftan either. While biting her lips with a sunken heart, Rudis entered the room with a steaming herbal tea. However, neither of them was in the mood to leisurely drink tea.

Max excused herself from Ruth and returned to her room. As soon as she sat on the bed, she felt her energy drain, perhaps from all the tension she felt from the conversation. She collapsed in bed, recalling the faces of the Duke’s vassal knights. None of them could match Riftan. Although she said to herself to appease her troubled mind, her anxious heart hardly recovered. She then massaged her throbbing temple and shut her eyes.

Preparations for war continued steadily. It was often noticed that the mercenaries and the knights often interacted with each other in the training grounds, and wagons full of ammunition and weapons entered the castle frequently. Max had to keep silent and pretend not to know what was going on. Every time she looked at Riftan’s face, countless words would climb up her throat, but she didn’t know what to say. She didn’t know if she had to apologize for being subjected to this kind of situation all because of her or beg not to take revenge for her because she didn’t want that. She couldn’t help but pull away from him several times, and he must have felt the tension surrounding her but Riftan didn’t say anything either. And his attitude also played a big role in driving her to a deeper depression.

He was always more polite and cautious than necessary, and Max feared he had lost his enthusiasm for her. He cared for her more carefully than ever, but his treatment for her was closer to that of caring for a newborn baby than a wife. He hadn’t even told her that he would be pursuing a war.

‘Is he so concerned that if he communicated that fact, I could go into shock?’

Max thought as she looked out the window. The garden was full of workers busily preparing for the winter season. Among them were guards carrying in military supplies. She asked Rudis to fetch details about it and found out that in the next three days, the preparations for the war would be ready. Riftan will lead an army of over four hundred on horseback and march towards Croix. She turned away from the window, consciously trying to put the horrors of war out of her head. Rudis, who was sewing by the fire, looked at her grim face and shot her a worried look.

“Madam, would you like me to get you some snacks?”

“I ate too much for lu-lunch so I don’t feel like eating.”

“Then, how about a cup of hot tea…”

“I said it’s f-fine.”

Rudis closed her mouth somewhat nervously at her rejection. Max felt embarrassed and sorry for the annoyed attitude she displayed.

“I’ll tell you…if I n-need anything. Right now, I re-really… don’t want to eat anything.”

Rudis showed a slight smile, showing that she didn’t mind Max’s attitude, then plunged back into her sewing. Max wandered around the room, feeling like a resentful child. As she idled around, she suddenly heard a long blast of trumpets from outside. Max turned her head towards it. She heard two long blows from the trumpet. It was a signal that a noble visitor had arrived. As she ran in front of the window and looked out, she saw a delegation of about 40 men carrying the royal flag pass through the gates. A cold sweat flowed down her back.

‘Will the Royal family intervene with the matter as expected?’

“Ru-Rudis… help me dress and groom. G-guests have arrived.”

In the rush, Max almost tripped over the protruding folds of the carpet. Rudis quickly held her up and sat her in front of the mirror. Then, in the blink of an eye, with wonderful skill, she carefully curled her hair, covered it with a mesh, and heated a flat iron with a stick over the fire to smooth out the wrinkles in Max’s skirt. After looking at herself through the mirror, she threw a velvet cloak around her shoulders and hurried out of the room.

As she descended the stairs, she saw Riftan and the Remdragon knights welcoming the guests under the railing. Max felt the air tense and paused. Princess Agnes emerged from the crowd lined up in the hallway. For a moment, she was relieved that a person who was a friend of Riftan came as the representative of the delegation, and then Agnes’ dignified voice resounded solemnly.

“I came a long way to deliver His Majesty the King’s message. Please forgive me for not informing you of our arrival in advance.”

Riftan looked at the princess with a cold gaze and then slowly turned around.

“If it’s urgent, we can’t afford to wait for you to rest first from the journey. the royal delegation to get ready. I’ll arrange a seat. Rodrigo, assist the remaining guards outside and let them have a rest.”

As he climbed the stairs, the princess, two knights on her left and right, and four splendidly dressed attendants followed him. Max hid behind a pillar, hesitating on what to do. The sharp air around them made her shudder. How could she intervene in such a tense atmosphere? After moments of hesitation, Max, who was still unable to settle her thoughts, followed them to the drawing room. She didn’t want to go back to the room and be anxious about the situation by herself. And in plain sight, she’s part and involved in this matter. As she bravely approached the mahogany arched door, the two knights and a veiled attendant turned to look at her. Max froze and stopped on her tracks. Just as she was about to give them her greetings, the princess’ cold voice came from the other side of the door.

“His Majesty has made it clear that war is unacceptable.”

Hearing these statements made Max flinch and turned her body stiff. Riftan’s enraged voice was heard after that.

“The royal family has no right to interfere in this matter. You failed to keep your promise to protect my wife. And yet, with what grounds is it that you ask me to stop!”

“Please refrain from speaking and behaving in a rude manner!”

There seemed to be an uproar about it for a while, then it became quiet. After that, the princess’s voice, which had subdued a lot, continued.

“I admit my lack and I have no face to present to you in that matter. However, that is a debt that I must personally pay. Right now, I have come to Anatol not as Agnes Reuben but as His Majesty’s messenger. Given that, I ask you to treat me appropriately.”

Riftan muttered something in a low, daunting voice but it was so low that Max could not understand what he said given the distance. The tense atmosphere made her feel like her liver had shrunk to the size of a bean. Max gathered all her courage to open the door, but she sweated profusely and was stuck standing by it. The princess’s harsh voice came out again.

“His Majesty does not want Whedon’s stability to be disturbed. As you know, the Croix family has had a long territorial dispute with Dristan. If the war with Anatol takes a toll on the duke’s troops, Dristan will not let that opportunity go unnoticed. It is certain that they will try to reconquer the eastern part of the Croix territory which would then result in staggering damage to Whedon.”

“Stop exaggerating the matter! Territorial pillaging is a direct violation against the Treaty of the Seven Kingdoms. Dristan would never be that blatant.”

“Dristan also has a justification to execute that. The eastern part of Whedon was originally ruled by them. This is the territory that should have been originally returned to them according to the Seven Countries Agreement. Wasn’t the duke’s union with the Roem family a scheme to force that territory to be under his ruling? If it is pointed out as such, Osyria will not be able to arbitrate hastily.”

Max’s face froze at the serious tone of the princess. Agnes’s voice deepened even more.

“The peace agreement only exists because of the delicate balance of power in the Seven Kingdoms. If that collapses, the power of the agreement will be useless. In that case, the order of the Seven Kingdoms will crumble with it.”

“Even now, disputes continue to exist in every country for all sorts of reasons. A system that would collapse because of one war should have collapsed a long time ago!”

“You are demonstrating that the war between Anatol and the Duchy will not end in a mild conflict! We cannot tolerate a war that could weaken Whedon’s power and furthermore give Dristan an opportunity to invade. If the Lord still will go against the king’s command, His Majesty is planning to call Osyria for reinforcements to stop Anatol.”

Max gasped. It was a harsher response than expected and a chill ran deep in her bones. The tension could be felt even from beyond the door. After moments of silence have passed, Princess Agnes continued to speak in a slightly softer tone.

“The royal family is taking this issue very seriously. Please do not take such extreme measures.”

“Are you now… threatening me?”

“I’m asking you for a favor. The Reincarnation of Wigrew is a title that can only be obtained when you have contributed greatly to the peace of the western continent. Even so as not to spoil the name, please withdraw the declaration of war.”

A loud bang was heard, a sound of firsts heavily hitting the table. Riftan’s roaring voice echoed.

“It’s a title I never wanted in the first place, anyway, it’s fine. If Dristan invades, I’ll take responsibility and stop them. No matter what His Majesty says, this time I can’t obey him.”

Max could not stand idle any longer. She reached out to grab the doorknob but before she opened the door, a thin hand like white jade appeared to overlap hers. She turned her head in surprise. The princess’s attendant approached her side. She looked at Max through the veil then tugged on the doorknob and stepped into the room. Riftan’s fierce gaze flew straight towards the person who just entered. However, the attendant walked in front of Riftan confidently and removed her veil. Then, his eyes widened.

“Why are you here…”

“I asked Her Majesty to let me come as her attendant. I thought that if His Majesty couldn’t persuade you, I would have no choice but to ask you myself.”

Max questioned her ears. The soft and fine voice that she had been listening to for decades resounded calmly.

“Coming here was also a risk for me. I came here in the belief of the Lord’s honor, trusting that he will bear me no harm.”

“I could just let those words be ignored.”

Hebaron, who was standing silently next to Riftan, raised an eyebrow. “We are not cowards to take an innocent girl as a hostage.”

She ignored him and looked at Riftan with an arrogant look. “The lord is in debt to me. Is he not?”

“Do you want me to pay off that debt by withdrawing the declaration of war?”

Riftan’s voice lowered dangerously. The girl did not back down at all despite the pressure emanating from his entire body.

“What else would I ask of you?” She sneered and turned her head towards Max.

Max met Rosetta’s turquoise gaze and her eyes widened. She had no idea what was going on as her sister spoke with a sarcastic smile on her lips.

“Of course, if you don’t think you owe me anything, you can ignore it. If you think my help was trivial and worthless, ignore my request and invade the land where I live. If you think it is more important to fulfill your own will, I have no reason to protest”.

After moving his gaze along her eyes, Riftan’s face met Max’s and hardened. Max took a step back before the suffocating silence fell upon them. Rosetta looked at Riftan with a testing expression, and Princess Agnes pressed him silently. Riftan, who had clenched his teeth, soon muttered in a grudging voice.

“… I owe you an irreparable debt.”He looked at Rosetta and spoke through gritted teeth. “Fine. The declaration of war is withdrawn.”