“A-An emergency meeting?” Maxi echoed with concern.
“The monsters are acting strangely,” Garrow chimed in. “According to the scouts who returned at dawn, a portion of the troll army has moved west. The meeting is to figure out what their plans are.”
Maxi gulped. “D-Do you think it will go smoothly? The Baltonian knights…seemed v-very angry….”
“The Remdragon Knights are a great deal more incensed than they are,” Ulyseon replied, his purple eyes flashing coldly. “Even so, we are not foolish enough to fight among ourselves when our enemy is right in front of us. I am sure that even that repulsive man Breston isn’t so foolish, either.”
Maxi furrowed her brow. She doubted that the vice commander was in possession of such good sense. After all, had he not harassed and intimidated another man’s wife despite being a commanding officer of a knightly order? As if that were not bad enough, the man had barraged Riftan with insults and even publicly challenged him to a duel. He certainly seemed like a supercilious man. Maxi’s eyes clouded with concern.
I wonder if Ulyseon is right.
Contrary to her fears, no news of a duel came even as thesun began to set. The urgent situation with the monsters had forced the men to put their animosity aside.
Riftan returned to the tent late that afternoon.
“A battle has broken out at the front,” he said as he hastily changed clothes. “I must depart at once.”
Maxi had been preparing herbs on the table. She turned to look at him with wide eyes. Though it was still hours away from nightfall, gray clouds blackened the sky, and the rain had still not subsided. The thought of Riftan riding into battle through the rain in pitch darkness chilled her to her bones.
“W-Will it be an all-out war?” she managed to ask.
“Not yet, but I’m going to turn it into one,” he replied flatly as he swapped his wet boots for a new pair.
Beside him, Maxi nervously fidgeted with her feet. “Turn it into one? Wh-What do you mean?”
Riftan’s face hardened. “It’s likely the monsters are simply trying to provoke us, but I intend to turn this into a decisive battle. I’m going to end this tedious war as quickly as possible.”
Anxiety curled in her chest at his determined tone. “Promise me…y-you won’t do anything reckless.”
It had taken mere seconds for Riftan to get changed. He now threw on his armor as he turned to look at her.
His frown morphed into an incredulous smile. “I’m not sure if I’m the one who should be making that promise.”
Sensing the rebuke in his statement, Maxi’s face flushed. “Are you…s-still angry with me?”
“Did you think I would be placated so easily?” he snorted. “I’ve been trying to keep my anger in check, so don’t think I’ve forgiven you for coming here against my wishes. I will not be satisfied until you’re safely back in Anatol unscathed.”
“B-But last night—”
Maxi caught herself and clamped her mouth shut. Color rose in her cheeks. A strange silence descended on them, and Maxi awkwardly smoothed her dress as she snuck a glance up at him. To her disbelief, a hint of red colored Riftan’s cheekbones.
He irritably ran a hand through his wet hair. “Do you not know what I go through when you’re in front of me? I’ve been celibate for months in this wretched place! Every day, I imagine you next to me whenever I lie down to rest!”
He strode up to her until their noses were touching.
“It’s like waving a bone in front of a starving dog,” he growled. “But I didn’t want to do that with you in a place like this! I didn’t want to embrace you like I was merely satisfying my desire. But when you’re right in front of me, I just can’t…”
Seeing the shock on her face at his fervent admission, Riftan clenched his jaw. He scrubbed his expression, looking exhausted. “I’m going to end this damned war within a month, so promise me…that you’ll be careful.”
Unable to speak, Maxi bobbed her head. She blankly watched him stride toward the entrance, sword in hand, before snapping to her senses. She rushed over and wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, gazing up at him with anxious eyes. Riftan stiffened.
“You mustn’t…leave while you’re so angry,” Maxi whispered. “W-We might not be able to see each other for a while…. We don’t know when the battle will end….”
Riftan’s eyes held a vulnerable sheen as he returned her gaze.
Cupping his cheek, she beseeched him, “Please promiseme…that you will return unharmed. I give you my word…th-that I’ll be careful, too, so—”
Maxi was so choked with emotion that she was unable to continue. When she rested her cheek against his back, Riftan turned around and drew her into a tight embrace. His cold, armored hand pushed into her hair and longingly caressed the lines of her neck.
