A firm hand gently cupped Maxi's breast over her dress. She awoke to see the faint light of dawn filtering in through the windows. She had fallen asleep after supper while reading in bed.
She was drawing the blankets over her shoulders to ward off the morning chill when a powerful arm snaked around her waist. Startled, she turned to look behind her. Riftan was fast asleep, his bare chest exposed. Wondering when he had returned, she peered at his face with suspicion. Was he pretending to be asleep again?
Maxi narrowed her eyes, on alert for any sign of movement. But Riftan continued to breathe softly. Convinced that he was genuinely asleep, she gently pushed his arm away. To her surprise, he released her.
Maxi turned toward him as quietly as she could. Though Riftan usually woke at the slightest noise, he remained sound asleep. The sight warmed her heart.
Riftan's face was bathed in the bluish glow of dawn. Maxi gently traced its outline with her hand. His hair had grown longer and now sat over his fine forehead in a tousled mess, pricking his eyes. Seeing the slight frown on his face, Maxi brushed back the strands, and the frown disappeared. She smiled at the sight of him sleeping sweetly.
Maxi continued to look at him adoringly, though he was about 30 centimeters taller than her and twice her size. On impulse she crawled into his arms and put her head against his chest. Seeing that he was still deeply asleep, she felt the urge to do something more daring.
She buried her face in his neck and took in his warm masculine scent, which reminded her of sunlight mingled with the fragrance of the soap. As she drank in the inexplicably sensual scent, heat rose inside her belly.
She buried her face in his neck and took in his warm masculine scent, which reminded her of sunlight mingled with the fragrance of the soap. As she drank in the inexplicably sensual scent, heat rose inside her belly.
Maxi followed the outline of Riftan's jaw with her finger. He was truly a stunning man. Even in the dark, his smooth skin gleamed like gold, and with his long lashes lowered, he looked as innocent as a lamb.
Something must be wrong with me.
Just a few months prior, she would never have thought to describe this rugged knight as innocent. But now, she was overcome by a strange desire to embrace him and rub her face against him. She suppressed the urge. She not only lacked the courage, but she was also loath to disturb his much-needed rest.
Maxi slid out of bed and left the room with her robe in hand. The crisp morning air chilled the corridor. She draped the thick robe over her thin woolen dress and made her way to the kitchen. When she arrived, there was a warmth in the air.
"My lady! What brings you to the kitchen so early in the morning?"
Maxi gave him an awkward smile as she made her way to the fireplace. "I-I woke up early, and I l-left the room so as n-not to disturb the l-lord. Is it a-all right if I s-stay here?"
The cook seemed flustered that the lady of the castle would ask such a thing. He nodded so vigorously that Maxi worried his head might come loose.
"Of course! Would you like to have your breakfast now, my lady?"
As she sat in front of the warm fire on a full stomach, she felt drowsiness overtake her. Just as she was thinking about returning to bed, Ruth shuffled into the kitchen.
"Why, you're up early today, my lady."
Maxi's face fell in dismay. Ruth quickly made his way to her as if to stop her from escaping.
"I see you're enjoying an early breakfast. That must be nice. I, on the other hand, haven't had a single bite since dinner last night thanks to the special task Sir Riftan assigned to me."
Maxi gave him a stiff smile. "I-I was b-busy yesterday..."
"I'm sure you have a lot on your hands," Ruth added in a softer tone. "But strengthening our defenses is our priority. We need the magical device to stop further attacks. And you, my lady, are the only person who has the arithmetic skills to help me."
Maxi narrowed her eyes. She would have bet on her own life that Ruth did not think highly of her arithmetic skills.
"I-I understand, b-but making winter p-preparations is also i-important. I-I'll help you as s-soon as I'm finished."
"The safety of Anatolians takes precedence over all else for Sir Riftan. If I can complete the device with your help, his worries will be greatly alleviated."
Maxi's ears pricked up, and her eyes brightened. "Would it r-really?"
Excited by the chance to prove herself to Riftan, Maxi hardly took notice of the fact that Ruth had artfully chosen just the words that were needed to convince her. She glanced at the servants, who were listening intently to their conversation while pretending to work. Then she let out a long sigh as if she had been given no other choice.
"I-If that's the case, I'll h-help you f-first. A-Are you s-satisfied?"
"I'd be happier if you could start right away." Ruth ran a hand over his haggard face.
Maxi and Ruth made their way do the library and Maxi’s jaw dropped when she saw the mess he had made in the library in just two days.
"Why are y-you working h-here instead of your t-tower?"
"There isn't enough room. And Sir Riftan has made it clear that the tower will no longer be mine if I don't finish this device within a week."
Maxi frowned as she thought about the lofty tower located in the back garden. How could Ruth possibly have run out of space? Surely he wasn't sleeping in the library because he lacked room in the tower? Ruth seemed not to notice her disapproving look as he sat down. Maxi grudgingly took the seat across from him.
"Your task, my lady, is quite simple. I'd like you to draw copies of these diagrams using these tools. I'll explain how to use them, of course. They should be easy to use as long as you know basic arithmetic."
Maxi studies the diagram with interest.
"Magic runes are tools that allow us to amplify the mana in our surroundings tenfold or even a hundredfold. That's how all magic is created. A mage's talent is determined by how efficiently they use these runes to create the desired effect."
Maxi tilted her head. "B-But I've seen m-mages use magic without r-runes before."
"That’s possible only when we’ve memorized the spell so well that we can draw the runes in our heads. But only basic spells can be used this way. Advanced spells take a great deal of time and effort to prepare."
"D-Does that m-mean you can use m-magic if you know how to d-draw these r-runes?"
"The runes won't work if you can't activate them with magic, and for that, you'd have to know how to control mana. Magic isn't something you can create from nothing, but something you must harness."
"B-But I've seen ordinary p-people use magical d-devices."
"That's because they have magic stones."
Ruth rummaged through the cluttered desk and pulled out a glimmering red stone the size of Maxi's palm.
"This stone contains a fixed amount of magic and functions as an energy source for magical devices. By placing one inside a device, ordinary people can use magic."
Maxi studied the stone. Holding the stone in her hands, she felt as if she had been given a glimpse into a strange new world. Her heart began to beat faster.
"Now, if that satisfied your curiosity, shall we get started? If we don't finish this soon, I shall lose my tower."
Ruth shoved a pile of books to one side to make room on the desk. Maxi set the stone down and listened attentively as he explained step by step how to make calculations and how to draw the complex designs.
With Ruth's detailed directions, Maxi quickly grasped the task at hand, methodically adding and subtracting as she redrew the diagrams with a ruler. Though it was a complex task that she could not fully comprehend, she never found the work tiresome.
Just as her fingers began to ache from gripping the quill, the library door burst open. She turned to see Riftan striding toward them.
Her eyes widened when she saw that he was clad in leather trousers and a black tunic instead of his armor, a sign that he did not intend to leave the castle that day. She had half risen from her seat to joyfully greet him when she heard his icy voice.
"The servants tell me you've been here since early this morning. What do you think you're doing here?"
Riftan ran his eyes over the piles of books and parchment on the desk. The displeasure on his face puzzled Maxi.
Ruth seemed unfazed. "Isn't it obvious? Her ladyship and I are making the device you requested."
"What I want to know is what my wife is doing here."
"I've asked her ladyship for her assistance. If you recall, I informed you countless times that it was nigh impossible to finish the device by myself within a week."
Riftan leaned over the desk until he was looming over the sorcerer. "Are you trying to get back at me by ordering my wife around?"
"I didn't ask for her ladyship's help just to annoy you. She happens to be the only literate person in this castle who can also do arithmetic. It's not as if I could ask the knights for help now, could I?"
"But you think it's acceptable to ask my wife?!"
"R-Riftan, I really d-don't mind," Maxi quickly cut in.
Riftan gave her a sharp look, making Maxi's shoulders quiver. But after all that Ruth had done for her, she could not allow him to be berated thus.
Trying to keep her voice even, she continued, "I-It's not difficult, and more i-importantly, it's f-for Anatol. I d-don't want something s-similar to h-happen again."
"I'll make sure it never happens again." Though Riftan's voice was now softer, he still looked irritated. "But there's no need for you to put yourself in danger."
"And what danger could she possibly be in? Are you afraid she'll die from the prick of a quill?"
"You're prone to starting fires with the flick of a hand! And why are you here instead of your tower? What if you start a fire?!"
"What I'm making is a protective device. The chances of an explosion or a fire starting are slim to none! The worst that could happen is that the library becomes safer."
Riftan scowled, irked that he had no further arguments to make. Maxi gently tugged at his tunic. She knew that the best way to stop two hounds from fighting was to separate them.
"P-Please don't be a-angry. R-Ruth says i-it's safe."
"I'm not angry, just worried." Riftan sighed. "Fine. Help him if you must, but don't overexert yourself. And Ruth, don't you even think about involving my wife in dangerous experiments."
"Just what kind of person do you think I am?"
With that, Riftan pulled Maxi toward him. In the past, a frown from him had been enough to terrify her, but strangely she now felt no fear at the fact that a large, angry man was pulling at her arm. His displeasure still made her anxious, but she knew that he would not hurt her.
"That's enough for today," said Riftan, leading Maxi toward the door. "You can carry on on your own for the rest of the day."
Ruth quickly rose from his seat. "Where are you going without your armor?"
"Nowhere. Even I need days of rest from time to time."
Maxi's eyes went round. Seeing the same surprise on Ruth's face, she surmised that Riftan rarely took rest.
"But what about the intruders?"
"I've sent a messenger to Livadon. They'll be released once I receive compensation. Until then, keep them alive in the dungeons."
"What if his father refuses to pay?"
"Then I'll cut off their—" Seeing the look on Maxi's face, Riftan stopped and waved his hands at Ruth. "I'll take care of it."
"Fair. Enjoy your day off. It's well deserved."
Maxi turned to nod goodbye to Ruth before exiting the library. In the corridor, bright rays of sunlight flooded in through the windows. Riftan looked out the window for a moment before turning to Maxi with bright eyes.
"We'll need something warmer before we go out. It's a fine day, but the wind's chilly."
"You have your own horse now. You should take her out before it gets too cold. I'll show you a good place to ride."
Maxi's lips parted in surprise. She was pleased that he wanted to spend time with her outside the bedchamber.
"B-But you m-must be tired. M-Maybe you should r-rest..."
"I'm not an old man, Maxi. But if you insist on spending time in the bedroom..."
Maxi caught her breath when she saw the desire in his eyes. Her face burning, she cast her eyes down. Riftan laughed softly and pulled her into a firm embrace.
"It's tempting, but we are going out today. I want to show you, my land."
After changing into a dress more suited to riding, Maxi followed Riftan to the stables. With the help of the stable boy, she led her beautiful new white mare outside. Riftan followed behind with his mighty war horse, which Maxi immediately recognized as the one that he had ridden on their journey to Anatol.
Riftan gently stroked the horse's neck. "You remember Talon, don't you? Aside from his fiery temper, he's as perfect a horse as you could wish for."
"D-Do you like h-horses?"
"I've dreamt of having one ever since I was a boy of ten. And Talon here is the best among all the horses I've had."
Riftan rubbed his cheek against Talon's muzzle. The sight suddenly filled Maxi with jealousy. She turned away, mortified that she was jealous of a mere beast. According to the teachings of the church, nothing was more shameful than a woman's jealousy.
Riftan stepped toward her. "Have you given her a name?"
Maxi shook her head, trying to rein back her emotions.
"You should choose one soon. She'll warm up to you faster if you call her by her name."
"W-What should I n-name her?"
"It's your horse. You should be the one to decide."
After mulling it over, Maxi said, "R-Rem..."
Riftan smiled playfully. "'Rem' because she's white? I see that my wife's imagination is wanting."
"I-It has a n-nice ring to it." Maxi did not mention that the inspiration for the name had come from the order of knights under his command.
Just then, a groom came to saddle the horses, and Riftan helped her onto her horse. Still unused to being on horseback, her body stiffened reflexively. She clutched the reins nervously.
Riftan stared at her awkward posture. "You're not used to riding, are you?"
Maxi nodded, embarrassed. "I never l-left Croyso Castle. Th-There wasn't much ch-chance for me to ride."
"I know. I heard the rumors. It was said that the Duke of Croyso's eldest daughter avoided the outside world because of her delicate disposition."
Something in his voice made Maxi nervous.
"I-I didn't know th-that was how p-people perceived me."
"The Duke of Croyso is one of the most powerful men in the Western Continent. It's only natural for people to take an interest in his daughter. And unlike your sister, you never made any public appearances, which only served to inflate their curiosity. I know of a knight who sneaked into Croyso Castle just to catch a glimpse of you."
Maxi avoided his gaze. She had been entirely unaware of such curiosity.
"H-He m-must have been d-disappointed," Maxi said brightly, trying to mask her self-doubt.
"How so?" Riftan turned to look at her, frowning.
"He w-went through all that t-trouble just to s-see an ordinary-looking w-woman."
Maxi tightened her grip on the reins as she tried to feign nonchalance. Calling her looks ordinary was generous, but she did not want to go so far as to admit that to Riftan. Her ears turned red.
Riftan slowed down to ride by her side as they made their way toward the back gate. "I have to disagree. I find you charming."
Maxi smiled awkwardly, certain that he was only being polite. "Th-Thank you."
Riftan frowned. "It's not my habit to say things that I don't mean. If I didn't find you alluring, you wouldn't drive me into a frenzy when we're alone together. Or had you forgotten because we had one peaceful night yesterday?"
Maxi's whole body flushed with embarrassment. At a loss for words, she opened and closed her mouth repeatedly. Riftan leaned in closer and cupped her chin with his hand. Her heart began to pound when she saw the desire in his eyes.
"Perhaps riding was a foolish suggestion. Shall we turn back?"
Maxi shook her head, and Riftan straightened his back with an inscrutable expression. She could not tell whether he was smiling or frowning.
"Then let us hurry. We don't want the sun to set before we've even left the castle."
Maxi trailed after him, trying to calm her racing heart.
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