Under the Oak Tree (Web Novel KR) Chapter 217

“But I can't bear the thought of you being in a place like this even for a moment!”

Riftan pulled her away from his chest and held her at arm's length, making her sit straight up. His broad, tensed shoulders gleaming pale blue in the dim glow of dawn. His eyes were shaded under his hair as he looked down at Max, roughly sweeping his eyelids.

“I had no intention of having you in this situation when I brought you along with me from Anatol.”

“Riftan… I really don't mind this situation. We are h-husband and wife. I also… want to help you in any way. I may be w-weak, but… I know how to c-cure, and I am capable of casting healing magic. My body is also much healthier than before. The journey of coming all the way here… I withstood it well, didn't I? I am not that w-weak.”

Despite her profound persuasions, the skepticism on Riftan's face didn't fade away. Max leaned in an attempt to burrow in Riftan's arms, but hesitated when she thought that he might push her away. Then, Riftan let out a deep breath that he was holding in and drew her closer to him. Max moaned as she felt his thick tongue press for entrance and pushed into her mouth. Her breasts were pressed tightly against his sturdy chest as his large arms secured her body like the roots of a tree.

She chased her breath, like a fish that was caught in a net. He passionately devoured her lips, his high, perfectly straight nose pressed eagerly against hers and his rough, stubbled jaw brushing over her delicate chin. As she felt his hot, damp tongue covetingly explore the roof of her mouth and swipe the inside of her cheeks, she shuddered in pleasure. The kiss was so ravenous that it felt like he would swallow her.

“Maxi…”

Riftan called her name in a low, heated voice, as he gently laid her down on the bed. His hot fingers trailed a path between her legs, making her shiver and grab his forearm. Riftan's black eyes burned so intensely that she could have easily thought that he hated her. He stroked her passionately but at one point, as if all his patience was lost, he used his body to crushingly grind her underneath him. Dizzying heat spread throughout her body, pulling her out of her right mind with the weight of his body moving above her.

Max greedily trailed her eyes over the sturdy, smooth figure of her husband, a gesture that meant no less than desperately asking him to take her. Beads of sweat started to form on her skin and blood rushed to her fingertips. The yearning for him seemed to burn the insides of her body. She ran her hands incessantly against his back as an invite, drawing an erotic moan from Riftan lips to echo in her ears. The way she was lying down with him like this was so good that she could die.

However, the passionate heat engulfing them was snuffed out by the loud sound of approaching footsteps.

“Commander! They're calling to assemble!”

Someone exclaimed from outside the quarters. Riftan slammed his face against the bed and spat out frustrated profanities.

“Fuck, such a timing… at this moment…” He closed his eyes tightly and temperamentally yelled back. “I'll be there soon.”

Max pulled down her clothes that had been rolled up. Riftan looked at her with the eyes still burning for passion, then forced himself to stand up. She could see how the muscles on his back were taut, showing his distress from the desire that he hadn't been able to satisfy.

He capriciously swept the ruffled hair on the back of his head and pulled out a new tunic, pulling it over his head. Then, he washed his face and wore his armor in a blink of an eye. Max was wrapped in a blanket as she sat down to watch him transform instantly to an ingenious knight. While he was strapping his sword around his waist, he finally looked back at her with poignant eyes.

“I'll be back soon, so don't go anywhere and stay here.”

“B-but I also have work to do…”

Max immediately shut her mouth. He warned her in a tone similar to that of a growling wild dog.

“I can't have you wandering alone in a place full of vulgar brutes. Don't even think about stepping out of this tent.”

He shot her one last daunting look as if warning her that he would not tolerate it if she disobeyed him again, then he went out of the tent. She was too late when she hurriedly adjusted her clothing and attempted to go after him, as she was blocked by a soldier guarding the entrance.

“My apologies. Sir Calypse left specific instructions not to let the Lady leave the tent.”

She looked up at him with uneasy eyes. Idcilla must be worrying about her, not to mention, it would arouse the priestesses' suspicions if she wasn't back immediately. Max grew more restless as she looked at the sky that grew brighter every moment.

“J-just for a moment… I must go to the infirmary, I will come back.”

“We must honor Sir Calypse's orders above all.”

The soldier did not even budge. Max bit her lip as she looked up at the man and went back in. She felt furious with the coercive treatment Riftan was giving her, but she couldn't despise him for it because she knew that he was only trying to protect her. She plopped down helplessly on the bed as she waited for him to return. However, as she had never been idle for the past few weeks, having gotten used to working from dawn until dusk, she grew increasingly anxious.

Max wandered around the tent, touching the things he had arranged. His barrack was sparsely decorated, but very spacious and comfortable. An armor and a sword stand were placed next to the bed lined with tapestry, along with several spears and shields. A table with dozens of chairs was set up near the entrance, it was so long that it could easily accommodate thirty people.

In the rhombic ceiling, a round hole was made instead of a window, and a long rope connected to the canopy hung to the floor so that it could be closed at any time. Max tugged on the rope like a curious cat, then moved onto something else. She leisurely looked around the barracks, then she felt the surroundings of the tent grow increasingly noisy. Max jumped up from her seat and went to the entrance, pushing away the flap that covered it. Then, from a distance, she saw a woman engaged in an argument with Riftan. Max's eyes widened as she recognized her face.

“Agnes?”

They both turned their heads towards her at the same time when they heard her voice.

“Maximillian!” The princess ran towards her before Riftan could even open his mouth to speak. “When I heard about it from the knights, I thought that there was no way, it couldn't be. But it's true! It has been a while. How have you been all this time?”

Max stared wide-eyed at the unexpectedly warm welcome. The princess continued to greet her cheerfully and held her hands despite Max being in stupor. “Coming all this way must have been very difficult. And yet, these brutes nagged you instead of welcoming you, didn't they?”

Unable to refute the princess's statement, Max turned and shot Riftan a nasty look, who frowned and clenched his jaw at the accusation.

“Don't even think about spewing nonsense to my wife.”

“Nonsense you say! What makes you say that?” The princess snorted at him. “I am proposing a rational offer. Besides, it's the lady's decision that will matter, not the lord's decision.”

Max couldn't understand what was going on, and out of nowhere, Ruth appeared to prevent the two from embarking on another argument.

“Both of you, stop it and calm down. You're making the Lady uncomfortable.”

Riftan shot Ruth a bloody look before focusing on Max. She had no idea what they were talking about, and seeing the concern on her face, her husband roughly swept his face and reluctantly headed towards his barrack.

“Fine. Let's talk inside.”

“Oh heavens, you are so benevolent.”

Agnes said, her tone dripping with thick sarcasm. Max followed them with her expression still confused. Seeing the disorientation spreading across her face, the Princess gave her an apologetic smile.

“I apologize for being so sudden. We were discussing the Lady's situation and someone got so riled up that he lost his temper. This man here had to be stubborn.”

“M-my… situation?” Max looked anxiously back and forth between Agnes and Riftan.

Clearly annoyed by the state of events, he screamed in frustration. “What happens to my wife is my business. It means that the Princess has no right to interfere.”

“I am the commander of Whedon's forces. Since the Lady is a subject of Whedon, then of course I have the right to interfere!”

“She is not a wizard dispatched by Whedon!”

“That is why I am going to appoint her to that position now!”

“W-wait a minute!” Max quickly intervened before the two of them went at each other again. “What… I don't quite understand what you're talking about.”

Deciding that it would be too difficult to get a proper explanation from them, Ruth, who was standing at the sides, sighed and explained it himself. “It's actually quite simple. The lady is here as a priestess from Livadon who joined the support unit. However, you can no longer claim that identity. With that said, it would be better for the lady to be introduced formally as an official wizard from Whedon.”

“An o-official wizard?”

“You have nothing to worry about. It's only as a nominal introduction. The lady can go about living her life as she normally would.”

The Princess added quickly when she saw Max get flustered at the prospect, but she remained skeptical of the proposition.

“I-If everything stays the same… d-do we really have to go through a cumbersome process? I can stay with the priestesses like I've been doing…”

“Do you really think I'm going to let you stay there?” Riftan fiercely said between his clenched teeth. “Damn it! The fact that you have been living all this time in that place makes me want to flip it upside down! Are you kidding me right now?”

“… And because of that, the Lady cannot stay with the priestesses.” It seems that Ruth has suffered quite a ton from Riftan, as he mumbled the words and his shoulders drooped wearily. “Currently, the lady's position is very ambiguous. As the identity of being a priestess could no longer work, the two of them are now arguing over the option of granting the lady an identity that would make her a wizard from Whedon.”

“Once again, nothing will change regarding your daily duties. You will still tend the wounded, but as a Whedon healer, and not a priestess of the Great Temple of Livadon.” Agnes explained in a softer tone. “This may seem insignificant but ranks in the barracks are very distinguished. Soldiers from Livadon, Whedon, Osyria, and Balto are now gathered here in Ethylene. There is no central commanding system, and it becomes confusing because there's no unity. If you do not have a clear affiliation, the lady may not be able to receive protection in case of any unfortunate event. You have been under the protection of the knights deployed by the great temple all this time, right?”

Max nodded.

“From now on, you must be under the protection of the soldiers and knights of Whedon.”

“I will protect my wife!” Riftan yelled out the words as if his patience was about to reach its limits.

“So stop this unnecessary interference.” He spat vehemently.

“Does the lord think he will be by his wife's side all the time? What are you going to do if you are out on the battlefield?”

Agnes crossed her arms over her chest and cynically sneered at him. “Are you going to lock her up in your barracks? Stop being so stubborn! We have a war going on. We don't need a Lady here. If Maximillian stays here as the wife of Riftan Calypse and not a wizard, both of you will become a laughingstock to everybody.”

“I don't give a damn what everyone else says. I'll take care of everything. There's no reason to put any burden on my wife!

“But I… want to bear that burden w-with you.” Max intervened urgently. “I don't want to be an extra l-load. I'll do… as the princess suggests.”

Riftan's jaw clenched. His barely masked emotions from before were now completely released, she could feel chills from the aura he's emanating but she couldn't back down.

“Back in Calypse Castle… I also worked as a healer. It's going to be no d-different from that. I will never overdo it… so p-please consider and don't just oppose. I can do really well.”

Seeing the determination in her eyes, Riftan's entire face hardened, and his eyes darkened.

“Fine. Do what you want.” He spat in a voice of ice. “No matter how much I disagree, you'll still do it anyway. It would be better to have a person in your sight in the first place, than be stabbed in the back again.”

Max recoiled, her shoulders hunching from his pricking tone. He stared at her for a moment, then turned away. “I will assign an escort for you right away. Don't even attempt to turn that down.”

When Riftan walked away, Max hurriedly tried to pursue him, but Princess Agnes dissuaded her. “Let it go until his head cools down. He's ill-tempered, but he's a rational person. When his mind clears, he'll realize that what we're doing is for the best.”

“B-but…”

“Riftan is irrationally overprotective when it comes to the lady. He's just like a six-year-old kid storming off.” The Princess had a displeased expression on her face. “If Maximillian is satisfied with being treated like that, then it doesn't matter. Otherwise, it is good to make sure that he understands that you have your own will too.”

Note – LF: In another episode of “Riftan deprived of snusnu”. He might be extra hot-tempered 'cause of that lol. Anyway, completely stanning Agnes here.

Nymeria: YOU GO AGNES! You tell both of them! She really has to make him understand that! We agree that what she did was reckless, but she's handling it well and as a wizard she has a lot to offer. She can totally manage!

Chapter end