It did not take long tor Maxi to regret missing her chance to be alone with Riftan. The image of him turning away in anger refused to leave her mind. In the end, she glanced over her shoulder as they reached the barracks entrance, but he was nowhere to be seen.
-You must be concerned about him,’ Sejuleu Aren said, genially leaning toward her.
There was a mischievous twinkle in his hazel eyes.
Maxi gave him a stem look. -You seem to find us amusing, Sir Sejuleu.- Apologies if I’ve caused offense, my lady,” Sejuleu replied with mock remorse. “It pleases me so much to see that chum expressing actual human emotion that I’m unable to stop teasing him.”
Maxi looked up at him, perplexed. She found it intriguing that he still thought well of Riftan despite her husband’s shocking rudeness.
?Are you and Riftan… close?” she asked cautiously.
?I should like to think so, but I doubt he’d agree.” A small smile tugged at Sejuleu’s lips. “I first met your husband ten years ago at a swordsmanship tournament m the west. He was still the vice commander of the Remdragon Knights back then. I initiated conversation because I wanted to size up the fellow who had won the Knight’s Sword, but before I knew it, we’d gotten into a heated argument.
Maxi’s eyes widened.
Sejuleu grinned. “My past self was rather coarse too. Having been spoiled all my life, I lacked patience, and my growing fame as a knight made me terribly proud. So, you can understand how infuriated I was when your husband openly ignored me. I was the one who acted like a child and picked a fight.”
Maxi frowned reprovingly. Seeing her expression, Sejuleu sheepishly scratched his cheek.
“I know now how shameful my actions were.”
-Both of you must have made quite the impression on each other… So how is it that you hold him in such high regard?”
“Many things have happened since.”
sejuleu’s eyes crinkled ever so slightly, and Maxi could not tell if he was frowning or smiling.
Your husband completely crushed my ego in that tournament. It was the first defeat of
my life.”
They had entered the barracks and were now climbing a flight of stairs. A series of wide, arched windows were built into the stone walls. Silver sunlight poured through, along with the occasional brisk winter breeze.
Sejuleu positioned himself nearer the windows as they walked, blocking the draft. ‘That incident proved beneficial for me. It allowed me to leant humility after being shown beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was not, in fact, the best. Soon after, 1 was tasked wtth forming a joint raid party with him. Admitting defeat allowed me to admire hts talent as a knight objectively. He is a man endowed with many admirable quahties.”
He stopped in front of a wooden door and turned to her.
“Though, I admit, I still find it difficult to appreciate his foul mouth.”
Having nothing to say to that, Maxi gave an awkward laugh.
Ruth raised an eyebrow as though the answer was obvious. “Of course. Even if Sir Riftan does not wish it, the king will command him to battle.”
Maxi bit her lip. After studying her pensive face, the sorcerer said abruptly, “What do you intend to do, my lady?”
When Maxi looked up at him in surprise, Ruth folded his arms.
-It seems to me that Sir Riftan wants to have you escorted back to Anatol.”
Maxi’s face hardened. “W-With whose permission? How could he decide such a thing without even—”
?I said that he wishes it, not that he intends to do it,” Ruth said, raising a hand at her rising voice. “Sir Riftan also seems to be agonizing over what to do. Under the circumstances, no travel is safe, and with your penchant for the unpredictable…” Soon after angrily opening her mouth to retort, Maxi sheepishly pressed her lips together, recalling the numerous times he had caught her wayward actions.
Ruth sighed deeply. “So, you do intend to participate in the war.”
“I-I was going to discuss it with Riftan first,” Maxi grumbled.
Throwing on his coat, Ruth shook his head. “I can already see Sir Riftan’s reaction.”
“Still… I should discuss it with him.”
After throwing a skeptical glance up at the ceiling, Ruth once again let out a long sigh. He started toward the door.
-The war with the monsters is not the only battle we have to look forward to, then. I shall endeavor to stay away from Sir Riftan for the next few days.” Though Maxi shot daggers after him, her shoulders slumped weakly as the truth in his statement hit home.
***
True to Ruth’s predictions, the war preparations progressed swiftly. A few days after their conversation, the Royal Army of Livadon marched into Eth Lene Castle. The following day, Osiriyan forces entered the city in a long procession. Seeing the castle packed with soldiers made Maxi realize that war truly was looming. She grew rest ess, wanting more than anything to have a calm conversation with Riftan, but she coul never seem to find the right time.
The various preparations kept him busy from dawn until the late hours of the night. She was also buried in work, trying to decipher the dark mages’ records. As the sttuafon dragged on, she discovered she was not alone in her frustration. One day, she was hurrying out of the library carryingastack of reference books forher translation when Riftan blocked her path.
“Riftan!” she exclaimed, smiling widely. “W-What are you doing here?”
-I came to talk to you,” he replied curtly, taking the books from her.
Maxi’s face brightened. “I-I wanted to speak with you as well. I went to see you in your room a few times, but you were always asleep, and 1 couldn’t bring myself to wake-” I’m sending some of the Remdragon Knights back to Anatol, and I would like you to go with them.”
Stunned, Maxi stared up at him. Her smile vanished, and she gave him an icy glare.
“I-I was told the army would be marching out in a few weeks, yet you… would divide one of our main forces at such a critical moment?”
His reply was infuriatingly calm. “The Royal Army of Wedon will be here in a few days. We will have enough men, so I want you to return to Anatol with our knights.” Maxi’s response was equally smooth despite forcing the words out through her clenched jaw. “Is that… an order or a request?”
Riftan furrowed his brow at her soft tone. He seemed to mull over his answer for a moment.
“Consider it a request…”