Under the Oak Tree

Chapter 154

Translator – LN

Proofreader – Nymeria

“I don’t know if I should strangle you or the idiots who let you exit the castle gates”, Riftan said. “What were you thinking about going to that monster-infested area? Did you forget? I ordered you to stay away from danger.”

“B-but, I w-was alone in t-the c-castle. I s-should h-help o-outside as well.”

“Of course you should have stayed in the castle!” Riftan beat his fist against his chest. “Why do you think I work from morning until night? Who do you think these city walls and castle were built for?!”

His voice rose almost to a roar until he met Max’s white, tired gaze and he closed his mouth. His shoulders shook fiercely as he tried to pent his emotions.

“Don’t even think about leaving this room today”, he spat in a suppressed tone, as if someone were chocking him. He turned away from Max, picked up a shirt that had fallen to the floor and left, closing the door behind him.

She kept her eyes on the closed door, confused. Riftan was often impatient and had a crass way of speaking, but this was the first time she had seen him this upset.

Was he that shocked about her condition? Max began to worry. This was the second time he had gotten upset with her because she had fainted. Of course, he would be tired of her by now. Her heart was still racing from Riftan’s outburst as she tried to calm her heartbeat, when someone knocked on the door.

“My Lady, I brought a change of clothes and your meal. May I come in?”

“Ye-yes, come in.”

After hearing Max’s confirmation, Rudis entered the room with a large tray.

“I have brought some herbal soup for your health. How are you feeling, my Lady?”

Max tried to smile when she saw she was worrying her maid.

“I-I’m okay. Y-yesterday, I used m-more mana t-than I expected.”

“Your condition yesterday seemed severe”, the maid said carefully, before setting the tray by the bed. “The Lord was very worried. When he left, he told me to treat you well, my Lady.”

Max’s tense shoulders relaxed, and relief washed over her. She felt better knowing that he still didn’t seem to be completely uninterested in her.

“L-Lord Calypse, w-where did he go? Ye-yesterday and t-throughout the night, he b-barely rested to c-care for me. H-has he l-left the ca-castle again?”

“He has left to the training grounds, my Lady”, Rudis said kindly, spreading the outfit she brought on the bed. “I am ready to dress you, at your convenience.”

With her help, Max changed into a new and soft dress before returning to bed and partaking in a clear soup. While she was busy, the maid lit a fire in the fireplace and prepared some tea. Max peeked at her and began to ask some questions.

“Perhaps, do you k-know what h-happened to t-the other people?”

“Other people, my Lady?”

“B-because the monster s-suddenly appeared where t-there were a lot of injured people. T-there was chaos”, Max said.

Her words were faint as she remembered people flailing in the air with just a flutter of the monster’s wings. Rudis saw her Lady white and tired face and talked measuredly.

“I am not quite sure about the details, my Lady. Should I inquire further?”

“Y-yes, please do”, she smiled nicely and nodded.

“While I’m gone, the Lord has told me that you must stay in your room and rest.”

Max nodded again. She wasn’t sure she had the energy to leave the room anyway, even if Riftan hadn’t said anything. Rudis transferred the kettle from the fire to the shelf before taking her leave. Max set her bowl of soup aside and laid down to rest in the bed, recovering, until the maid knocked on the door a while later.

“My Lady, the princess has requested an audience with you.”

“Oh, wait!” Max said, surprised.

She rose quickly out of bed before getting dizzy and fell back. She was underdressed, wearing only a thin linen dress. She could not welcome her Royal Highness in such simple attire, and yet, she couldn’t deny an audience with Agnes either. Max moved again to stand in front of a mirror. She brushed her hair that had gone poof like a cloud and pressed a wet towel to reduce the swelling around her eyes.

Her efforts didn’t change her appearance much, but at least her hair had settled a bit. Max returned to bed.

“P-please come in.”

The door opened and Agnes and Rudis entered the room. Max gazed at Agnes outfit, disheartened.

The princess was in high spirits and wore an elegant blue dress that highlighted the curves of her body, her long blond hair was braided and swayed nicely as she walked. It was a stark contrast to the pants and bulky clothing she usually wore.

“Maximilian, how are you feeling?” Agnes said.

“I-I’m okay, thank you. P-please forgive my a-attire. It is r-rude to greet you i-in this condition.”

“Etiquette is unimportant right now. I’m sorry I didn’t request an audience with you earlier and came on a whim. I saw your maid questioning the guards about what happened yesterday and decided to come and explain the situation to you myself.” She sat in a chair Rudis had offered her and gave Max a half-smile. “I also want to apologize.”

“S-sorry?”

“Yesterday, the soldiers and I had planned to corral the wyverns into the valley and pick them off one by one. If I had conjured the barrier properly, not a single wyvern would have escaped past the knights, who were trying to corner them. But there was a hole in my barrier…” Agnes sighed. She fretted and moved a strand of her hair away from her forehead. “My mistake caused a mess for everyone and even got you, Maximillian, injured. I am really sorry.”

Max was surprised that the princess was admitting her mistake. Agnes was the highest-ranking person currently at Calypse Castle, she did not have to apologize to anyone there and did not even have to assist them the day before. She quickly rose her hand to deny the princess’ claim.

“N-no. P-please don’t a-apologize to me, Y-Your Majesty. E-even though y-you d-did not have to h-help, y-you fought at the f-front for Anatol. If you h-had not helped us at all y-yesterday…”

“I didn’t do it for free”, Agnes laughed with her trademark, easygoing smile. “Yesterday, we caught twenty-three wyverns, twenty-three gemstones, monster bones, and skins. They even overpaid me for the little help I offered.”

Max looked at her, dubiously. She didn’t know the exact worth of all the materials that Agnes had listed, but understood they were of high value.

“However, because of my mistake, I will talk to Riftan to divvy the spoils. My conscience wouldn’t let me do otherwise”, the princess said sadly.

“D-did a lot of people get hurt?” Max asked. “Y-yesterday, how d-did the people fare?”

Max didn’t care much about the monsters’ fate or the spoils of war, she only wanted to know what happened to the people she treated.

Agnes saw her anxious look and seemed to choose her words carefully, then she talked slowly.

“Six people were critically injured, but received prompt treatment with healing magic and are now safe. The others had minor injuries. However… two civilians got trapped under the wyvern while we fought the monster. By the time the fight was over, one of them had already ceased to breathe.”

Despite the princess’ calm brief, Max turned white from shock. Her back became cold as she took in the news that someone she had seen yesterday, someone who was in the same time and place as her, was now dead. Did her healing magic save anybody? Max lowered her eyes and whispered softly.

“W-what I did o-out there was meaningless.”

“Absolutely not!”

Agnes wrapped her hand around her fingers and gave her a probing, distinct look. Max was surprised by how warm her hand felt against her cold fingers.

“Some of the people who survived the wyvern monster attack only survived because you, Maximilian, healed them with your magic. You were very brave.”

“N-no. I-it’s nothing w-worth bringing up”, Max said, self-deprecating herself. Her eyes were still downcast. “It w-wasn’t just me w-who d-decided to help. A-and I had an o-obligation as the Wife of L-Lord Calypse. Although R-Riftan d-didn’t l-like me out t-there.”

“It was more than just dislike. When he saw you on the ground, he almost turned insane. Dear God, to think that the Mahgo, the same one who didn’t even blink twice in front of a real dragon, would act like that!”

Max was annoyed with the princess’s words. It seemed that what Riftan said about the princess getting on people’s nerves was true. She muttered, a little resentful.

“Riftan w-was worried about me b-because he is a k-kind person. He k-knows my b-body is weak. My health is o-often not good.”

For some reason, Agnes gripped her stomach and began laughing at her retort.

“Ah, of course. That guy is a kind person.” Tears formed under her eyes and she gasped for breath.

Max was confused. She did not find the situation funny and grew angry, believing she was being ridiculed. The princess noticed her change in demeanor and collected herself.

“What I mean to say is, Maximilian, you did a great job out there. Don’t worry about how Riftan took it. Once he calms down and thinks straight, he will be proud to have a brave and capable wife.”

When she recalled Riftan’s attitude, Max didn’t think Agnes opinion was very convincing, but she did not disagree out loud with her.

“I see. T-thank you for telling me.”

“I mean this sincerely. Listen, didn’t you only start to learn healing magic to prepare for an attack like that? Not many noblewomen would go that far.”

Max’s cheeks glowed with shame. She hadn’t learned magic for such a noble cause as Agnes had thought, she had only been shrewd enough to believe that once Riftan grew tired of her, he might still keep her around if she was adept at magic, instead of throwing her away. She avoided the princess’ gaze and said uncomfortably.

“I s-started learning m-magic last winter, b-but my skills are s-still not very good.”

“To heal seven critical patients in on day, considering you are a beginner, that is a great feat!” Agnes said casually. “Maximilian, you may be a prodigy for healing magic.”

Translator note – LN: When Agnes says “Maximilian” a lot, she is saying that in place of “Lady Calypse,” which insinuates that she wants to have a close relationship with Max. Yay, best friends!

Nymeria – Still vibing with Agnes here B)