“I had the merchant guild procure this for you.”
Maxi’s eyes widened when she saw the navy-blue dress folded inside the velvet box. Riftan looked her over, and his brow furrowed slightly in disapproval.
“Perhaps you would wear it today? I am sick of seeing you in those trousers.”
“Wh-What is wrong…with me wearing trousers?”
He did not answer, and she pursed her lips, but still took the dress out of the box. She could not help but blush with delight at the smoothness of the silk, something she had not felt in a while. She gleefully unfolded the garment and held it against her body. After locking the door, Riftan slowly walked over to her and held out a hand.
“Let me help you. Turn around.”
“I-I can do it by myself,” Maxi said, clutching the dress defensively.
Riftan narrowed his eyes. “I do not intend to lay a hand on you until you are used to being on the ship, so stop worrying and give it here.”
Maxi eyed him dubiously but handed him the dress. Riftan pulled her tunic over her head and undid the straps of her trousers. He regarded her for a moment before clenching his jaw and slipping the dress over her head. Maxi slid her arms into the loose sleeves, relishing the feeling of the smooth fabric softly enveloping her skin. Riftan pulled the dress down to her ankles, then gently tugged at the tangled laces on her back and knotted them.
“Good. It suits you.” He turned her around and scanned her from head to toe. Maxi was keenly aware of the faint heat rising between them, but Riftan took a step back and brusquely looked away. “You look well. Let us dine at the mess hall. We better leave the cabin before I change my mind.”
Maxi quietly followed him out without bothering to ask what he meant. They went down to the mess for a latebreakfast before making their way up to the deck. There were no clouds in sight, and the clear blue sky was so vast it was almost overwhelming to behold. Racing to the railing, Maxi once again watched the waves churning with white foam. Riftan stepped up next to her and leaned an elbow on the railing.
“If this weather keeps up, we will be able to reach Levan in a week.”
“H-How far is the battlefield…from Levan?”
“It is about three or four days away. Once we get to Levan, we will head to the basilica first. If we are lucky, we might be able to meet up with the Temple Knights dispatched by Osiriya and depart for the battlefield with them.” Riftan’s face suddenly grew tense. “You must remain with the church. I will arrange for you to stay at the monastery.”
Maxi felt her back stiffen. When she did not reply immediately, Riftan straightened and anxiously turned her around to face him.
“If you do not wish to stay at the monastery, I will send a request to the royal family of Livadon for you to stay at the palace.”
“I-I do not wish to be left behind…in an unfamiliar place. If I went with you—” Maxi stopped and quickly pressed her lips together when she saw his face contorting.
“Do not be petulant,” Riftan said in a stony voice that sent shivers down her spine. “Bringing you this far was already extremely difficult for me.”
“B-But…the knights will need a healer….”
“There will be plenty of high mages and hierarchs in Livadon. There is no need for you to put yourself in danger.”
Maxi weakly hung her head. She had long since realized that Riftan’s icy warnings were far more dangerous than his loud anger. She swallowed hard and answered sullenly, “I understand. Then…I-I should like to stay at the monastery.”
The tension in Riftan’s shoulders relaxed at her compliance, and he caressed her cheek as if to console her. “I will make sure that you have everything you need, so stop frowning. The monastery in Levan is quite opulent. It is not a bad place to stay.”
Maxi stifled a sigh. Did he truly think she could be at ease all by herself after sending him off to danger? She knew being with him would put her mind at ease even if she had to ride on a horse all day until her buttocks were sore or sleep on bumpy ground inside a tent. Though she had suffered hardship after hardship in order to follow him this far, she had never once regretted coming. Hiding her disappointment, Maxi turned to face the railing once more.
Riftan silently hugged her from behind, but his warmth, usually reassuring, only made her feel more despondent. Maxi limply leaned her head back against his chest. Once the voyage was over, she would have to watch him ride off to war. The thought of being left behind to anxiously wait for him to return carved a chasm in her heart.
—
Their voyage continued smoothly.The ship cut across the sea thanks to strong winds in their favor. Although the waves caused violent rocking from time to time, their vessel was steadfast and nimbly navigated the rough waters.
Maxi had become used to the waves, but she still pretended to be scared because she liked the way Riftan held her tightly whenever a rogue wave tossed them about. Time on board the ship was terribly monotonous, but Maxi never felt weary. Riftan was always with her except for the times he went up to the bridge. She cajoled him into continuing her lessons with the dagger and spent time studying the dice game the knights played to pass the time.
For Maxi, it was the most gratifying time of her life. Riftan never frowned or grew annoyed no matter how much she pestered him. Even when she beat him at dice countless times, he jovially pulled off a gold button from his clothes and handed it to her. At night, he helped her bathe and combed her hair like a faithful servant.
She read to him some nights. Unable to refuse his pleas, she would sit on the bed and haltingly read epic sagas of ancient heroes or romantic poems of the bards. Riftan would lie with his head in her lap, his eyes closed as though he were listening to a sweet melody. No matter how much she stammered, he never looked at her with exasperation or treated her like a fool.
The peaceful days felt so precious that Maxi secretly wished the ship would lose its way and drift on the sea like this forever. Still, whenever she had such thoughts, she recalled Ruth’s face and those of the knights in danger at the front and was stricken with guilt. She was, of course, worried about them, but her heart grew terribly anxious whenever she thought of sending Riftan into danger, too.
