“M-Must you fight till the end? Can we not p-part on good terms?”
“He was the one who provoked me this time!”
“Are you waiting for sundown to depart?”
Agnes’s inhaled deeply, ready with a quick retort, but the sigh that eventually escaped her lips was one of resignation. “Fine,” she said. “This unwanted guest shall take her leave.”
“You have my gratitude, Your Highness.”
“R-Riftan!” Maxi tugged at the hem of his tunic, worried he had finally gone too far. He glanced down at her, then looked back to Agnes with a forced smile.
“I wish you a safe trip, Your Highness.”
“How kind of you,” the princess replied dryly before turning her gaze to Maxi. Her lips curled into a friendly smile. “I wish you well, Maximilian.”
“Please…be careful on your journey, Your Highness. I pray no harm will come to you…on the way.”
“And I wish you good fortune, as well.” With a playful wink, the princess circled her horse around and trotted over to the wagons. The blast of a kopel rang through the air, and the royal party began to cross the drawbridge, leaving behind a cloud of dust.
Maxi waved until Agnes was no longer visible. She wondered why she felt strangely empty, as though she stood in the stillness after a storm, while she watched the person who had filled her head with so many unpleasant thoughtsdisappear into the distance.
“Let us return to our chambers.” Riftan wound his arm around her waist, pulling her attention away from the castle gates, and she turned into his warm embrace.
—
After Agnes’s departure, peacefulmonotony returned to Maxi’s life. With the landscaping completely finished and the energy of spring filling the air, Calypse Castle was transformed into a beautiful and vibrant place, and it soon became livelier with peddlers visiting the estate again.
Riftan still worked tirelessly on the road construction while the knights patrolled the ramparts from dusk till dawn.
Maxi was the only one spending her days in utter idleness. She had made efforts to replace all the old furniture and refurbish every nook and cranny. As a result, there was no longer anything in the castle that required her attention. The servants’ diligence meant that she did not have to spend all day supervising them.
As for her magic studies, that was something she no longer pursued. She could not devote herself to studying arcane theory when she was unsure if she should even continue learning magic.
Perched by the window, she sighed as she idly perused the bookshelf. Agnes had told her that she had talent, but Maxi could not share in the princess’s certainty. If her potential was not guaranteed, was it really worth studying magic knowing it would upset Riftan?
Her husband had made it clear that he did not need herhelp, and his firm rejection had crushed her confidence.
Maxi gazed out the window as the pearlescent sunlight streamed in. She felt torn. Even when she naturally gravitated toward a book on magic, doubt crept in and she would end up vacantly staring out over the grounds as the hours passed. She had even lost her enthusiasm to practice the phonetic training table Ruth had made for her.
What was she supposed to do now?
Resting her head on the windowsill, Maxi let out a sigh.
“What’s wrong? Are you not feeling well?”
Startled, Maxi looked over to find Riftan standing in the doorway. She rose from her seat and rushed over to him. “Wh-What brings you back…so early?”
As usual, he had left before dawn that morning. She studied his face, wondering if something had happened at the construction site. His messy hair glistened like obsidian as he remained motionless, imposing as always.
Regarding her carefully, he gently pressed a hand to her forehead. “I dropped by to see you because I had business at the forge. Do you have a fever?”
“N-No. I was just…looking out the window.”
“You were sighing. Has life here become tedious?” His voice was tinged with anxiety. “Would you like me to invite the neighboring nobles for a banquet?”
Maxi knew that it was not the best time for them to hold a banquet. Although the cost was not a problem, Riftan and the knights did not have time to entertain guests. Despite that, his face was as serious as when he had insisted on holding a year-round festival for her. Maxi quickly waved her hands.
Riftan frowned and ducked his head, staring intently ather. “You’ve been listless ever since the guests left. If it’s because you’ve grown tired of country life…”
