Under the Oak Tree



363 Chapter 124

"Here, put this on for now," Sidina said, extending her coat to Maxi.

Accepting it without complaint, Maxi draped the garment over her robe. Even though the corridor was empty, the fact that she was standing in her nightgown still made her feel self-conscious. 

She bundled the knee-length coat around herself and began walking down the corridor, lit with the bluish hue of dawn. She could not help but feel puzzled as they descended the stairs without encountering anyone.

"Where are the servants? I think I should ask one of them to explain my absence to Riftan when he wakes... so he won't be alarmed." "

"The maidservant who let me sneak in should be waiting for us near the back door. You can ask her to convey your message."

"Y-You had to sneak in?" Maxi asked, looking at Sidina in confusion. "Is this not a place... you can enter freely?"

"This was built as a clandestine meeting point for royals and prominent nobles from all over the continent. Only a handful of servants are allowed to enter. To prevent scandals, you see."Author updates n0VelfuIlb0ok. Sidina shot Maxi a mischievous smile over her shoulder. "I'm told it's rather unusual for a married couple to spend so much time here." 

Maxi blushed, mortified at the thought of maidservants gossiping about them.

"The limited number of servants clearly didn't stop word from spreading," Maxi grumbled, scowling.

"The two of you are married – hardly a scandalous affair requiring secrecy. It's no wonder you became gossip fodder for the maidservants." Sidina suddenly stopped giggling, her tone turning cautious. "Though other unpleasant rumors have been circulating lately." 

"W-What do you mean?"

"There's been talk that Sir Riftan has you confined and that he prevents the maidservants from seeing or even talking to you," Sidina explained, looking embarrassed. 

When the girl saw the shock on Maxi's face, she quickly added, "Of course, only a few took the rumors seriously. I tried to ask the maidservants several times to pass along a message to you, just in case, but I was turned away every time. That's why I had to sneak in." 

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't realize you would be so worried. But... I-I was never confined against my will. We... We just..." 

As she hurriedly defended her husband, Maxi could not help but recall how he had indeed prevented her from leaving the room. She had not taken his threat seriously, attributing it to a momentary lapse caused by overwhelming passion.

Attempting to sound convincing, she said resolutely, "We just... needed some time alone."

"I thought as much, but Anette seemed genuinely concerned. I think Sir Riftan's past actions have not left much of an impression on her. She doesn't hold him in high regard." Noticing Maxi's troubled expression, Sidina smoothed her brow and smiled. "I'm sure she'll be reassured once she sees you." 

"I also... would have hated to part with her without a proper farewell. Thank you for coming to get me," Maxi said with a small sigh. 

Grinning, Sidina tugged at her arm. "Let's hurry, then. They're traveling with a merchant group heading east, so they won't be able to wait long. We must make haste if you want to return to your room to change first." 

Maxi glanced over her shoulder one last time before breaking into a run. 

***

He was underwater. At least, that was what it felt like until his fingers met the chilly sheet beside him, jolting him awake. For a moment, Riftan wondered if it had all been an incredibly long dream. 

Blinking his eyes in a daze, he reached out to pull open the curtains, only to be greeted by the harsh sting of sunlight. 

He felt disoriented. Over the past few years, he had rarely managed more than three hours of sleep a night. He never remained under for more than an hour at a time, so he could hardly believe that he had slumbered soundly through the night. 

He squinted up at the bright sky before turning his head to survey the empty room. A wave of shock crashed into him. His mind refused to accept that she had left while he was fast asleep. 

He sprang to his feet and hastily pulled up his sagging trousers, then snatched his crumpled tunic from the floor and threw it on. As he shoved his feet into the boots he had carelessly discarded in a corner, faint footsteps outside the room caught his attention. 

Like a cannonball, he lunged toward the door and swung it open, revealing a startled maidservant. 

"Where is my wife?" he demanded menacingly.

"H-Her ladyship..." The maidservant shrank back in fear, her voice trembling. "Her ladyship left with a mage named Sidina."

"You dared to let someone enter our chambers?"

The color drained from the maidservant's face as her lips quivered. "She insisted th-that it was important..." 

"What did she say?" he snapped.

The maidservant cowered as if whipped, her shoulders hunching. She replied meekly, "Th-The mages are departing for the Mage Tower... so her ladyship left the castle with them. Sh-She asked me to explain the situation to you before she left." 

Riftan stiffened as the maidservant continued to babble. However, her words seemed to fall on deaf ears. It was as if he had been floating amid the clouds, only to be abruptly thrust back to the ground. After staring blankly at the maidservant's face, Riftan stalked past her and marched down the corridor. 

His mind wiped of all thought, he left the Roemian palace and cut across the expansive garden. Soon, the basilica's university building came into view.

He passed by clerics on their way to offer morning prayers and continued to the dormitory. Though students directed curious glances at him as he passed, Riftan remained oblivious to his surroundings. 

Climbing the stairs, he made a beeline for the quarters designated for the mages. Knowing which room she was assigned spared him the need to search each one. Reaching the chamber in the middle of the corridor, he forcefully flung the door open, only to be met with a tidy yet empty space. 

Devastated, Riftan took in the vacant room in one sweep before swiftly turning on his heel and resuming his hurried pace. In fact, he was verging on a run. He only came to an abrupt halt when he spotted a familiar face among the bustling crowd. 

Grabbing the nonchalant-looking young mage, Riftan pinned him against a wall. The startled mage gasped for air as fear flashed across his face. 

"W-What is the meaning of this?" the mage managed to stammer. Though Riftan could not recall if the man's name was Royd or Royald, he remembered the fellow as a match for Ruth at being lazy. 

Riftan glared viciously down at the mage's thin face. "Where is my wife?" 

"Sludge-" 

The mage's words caught in his throat when he noticed the look in Riftan's eyes. "Lady Calypse," he quickly corrected himself, "left for Gillian Canal about half an hour-" 

Releasing his grip on the man's collar before he could finish, Riftan sprinted down the stairs. He was in such a state of panic that it did not even occur to him to fetch a horse. Without armor or even a coat, he raced across the basilica's vast grounds. His heart pounded, and a cold sweat broke out on his back. 

He could not say how long he ran. All he knew was the raggedness of his breath as he pushed his body to its limits. The landscape around him blurred as he darted through the bustling square. 

The memory of his desperate pursuit of her three years ago flooded back to him, the anguish and profound sense of loss still palpable. Riftan had to pause for a moment, his lungs threatening to burst from the strain. 

As he fought for breath, beads of sweat trickled down his forehead, gathering on his chin before falling to the ground. After a fleeting gaze at the blurred figures around him, he raised his head to scan the flurry of people. A line of cargo-laden wagons formed a queue nearby. He forged through the crowd, making his way toward them.

Before long, a series of small boats moored along the narrow canal came into view. Amid the throng of people standing beside them, he searched for a familiar face, his heart shriveling with fear.

Sifting through the faces of those boarding the boats with the intensity of a hawk, Riftan hastened toward the luggage storage.

He gripped the custodian by the shoulder, his voice thick with urgency as he asked, "Did any individuals appearing to be mages come here today? They would likely be in gray robes."

"Mages?" the man asked, looking puzzled. "Ah, you must be referring to the group that departed with the merchants headed for Gilford. They left about fifteen minutes ago."

Despair filled Riftan's eyes as he stared at the man's deeply tanned face. He shifted his gaze back to the canal. The current was not particularly strong. If they had left fifteen minutes ago, he could still catch up to them.

If I borrow a horse, I can reach them in no time.

Turning around, he started toward the congested road. A stable was within sight. He was about to make a beeline toward it when his feet suddenly felt rooted to the ground. He stared down, confusion washing over him.

Did he not want to keep her safe from all dangers? Was he not exhausted from the constant worry for her well-being?

Throughout the war, he had been plagued by harrowing fear. By the time the final battle concluded, he was so emotionally drained that he wanted to distance himself from her. That was why, when Ursuline had warned him that he might face a similar situation again, he had decided to send her far away. So why was he so desperately trying to chase after her now? Should he not be grateful that she had chosen to leave of her own accord? 18 "R-Riftan?"

At the sound of her voice, Riftan slowly turned his head. Maximilian Calypse's startled face came into his blurred vision. After gaping at him in surprise, she pushed through the crowd, determined to reach him. 

"W-What are you doing here? Didn't the maidservant deliver my message?" 

Riftan stared at her face without blinking. All at once, the walls around him crumbled. 

"You were right," he confessed, his words strained as if choking on a lump in his throat. 

She froze.

"All this time, I've been trying to protect myself." 

His voice was hoarse now. She blinked vacantly, and he could see his disheveled self reflected in her clear gray eyes. After staring at the helpless face of the man who could no longer feign composure, Riftan squeezed his eyes shut.

"I once vowed to know all of you, no matter the anguish that may bring. But I never imagined it would be this painful." 

Maximilian continued toward him, and Riftan took a ragged breath. Everything within him shattered one by one with each step that brought her closer. He had never felt so vulnerable. 

"I never wanted to feel such agony again. That's why I-"

She suddenly ran to him and cupped his face in her hands. Only then did he realize that he was crying, as was she. After gazing at her anguished expression, Riftan weakly hung his head. 

"But I can't anymore." 

"R-Riftan."

Her warm fingers anxiously caressed his face. He placed his hand over hers, pressing his cheek to her palm.

"I never... want to be separated from you again." 

Maximilian, who had been opening and closing her mouth as if to say something, wrapped her arms around him. He could feel her sorrowful sobs against his neck. Riftan broke out of his daze, instinctively pulling her into a crushing embrace. 

Burying his hands in her soft curls, he said hoarsely, "I don't care what happens to me. I want to be with you."