Under the Oak Tree



Chapter 87: Chapter 87

Unfortunately for Ruth, his plan of not associating with the princess was not to be. The extensive road construction that would connect Anatol to the ports in the South Sea required enormous manpower. The knights left the estate several times a day to hunt the monsters that stalked the construction site, and thus a large number of workers built the road under their protection.

Ruth was required to join the efforts. He was assigned to take part in the monster raids and had to suffer Princess Agnes’s constant provocations.

Although he looked thoroughly unhappy whenever Maxi saw him, she felt no pity for the sorcerer. She envied him instead.

Everyone at Anatol was allowed to help Riftan except for her. While she merely worked on the garden, even the squires Ulyseon and Garrow contributed by slaying monsters outside the borders or running errands for the knights. Granted, managing the castle was not an easy task in itself, but Maxi still felt like a child left alone in an empty house.

As the days went by, Maxi began to wonder if there was a reason for her to continue learning magic. What would she do with defense magic, or the ability to summon fire or wind, when she never left Calypse Castle?

Ever since she had first started learning magic, she had harbored a dream of becoming a great adventurer who braved perils by Riftan’s side. That dream now lay shattered. Riftan would never allow her to join him on his dangerous ventures.

The realization made her feel isolated, but there was no one she could be honest with. Though the servants were courteous, Maxi did not think it appropriate for her to confide in them. Riftan was always busy, and in a way, he was the last person she wanted to reveal such feelings to. The only thing she could do was to endure the solitude and resolutely go about her day.

“Are you feeling unwell, my lady? You have not been eating well,” Ludis asked cautiously when she noticed Maxi picking at her late lunch.

Maxi shook her head and forced a smile. It was true that she was fatigued and did not have an appetite, but that was from waiting most of the night for Riftan.

“You look tired, my lady. Might I suggest a nap?”

“Th-Thank you for worrying… but I’m expecting the spice peddler l-later in the afternoon.”

“Then, shall I bring your supper to your chambers so you can rest early?”

Maxi shook her head. “I-It would not do for me to dine in my chambers…. w-when we have guests. I-It would be unbecoming behavior from the lady of the castle.”

“I am sure the guests would understand if they hear that you are not feeling-”

“I-I really am all right,” Maxi said, cutting Ludis off. The maidservant’s continued insistence began to annoy her.

Ludis pressed her lips together, and an awkward silence fell over the room. Maxi nibbled on a piece of bread and forced the food down her throat.

Her body did feel heavy and tired, but it was obvious that she would only drown herself in self-deprecating thoughts if she were to stay in bed for the rest of the day.

Believing that keeping herself busy would be better for her state of mind, Maxi lowered her food, got out of bed, and put on her cloak. She mused that she might as well inspect the kitchen before meeting the peddler.

“There you are, my lady!”

Maxi had stepped out into the corridor when she heard an urgent voice. She turned to find Rodrigo rushing to her, his face ashen.

“D-Did something happen?”

“It seems a problem has arisen at the construction site. We have received word that workers have been injured from a monster attack, and they have requested reinforcement and aid.”

Blood drained from Maxi’s face. Riftan was supposed to be at the construction site, so if a problem had arisen even with him there, it meant that they were dealing with something truly terrifying.

Although she was momentarily filled with fear, Maxi was able to regain her composure with great effort. Reminding herself that she had personally experienced dealing with such a situation last winter, she tried to recall the instructions Ruth had given at the time.

“P-Prepare… a-all the necessary materials… and load them onto a wagon immediately. A cauldron, firewood… bowls, c-clean cloth, thread, needles, herbs… and a-anything else that might be needed!”

“Yes, my lady.”

“H-Have a carriage ready, a-and prepare sheets and blankets j-just in case. W-Where is the m-messenger?”

“He is at the training grounds preparing the sentries.”

“I-I would like to h-hear what the e-exact situation is. P-Prepare the wagons and w-wait for me at the castle entrance.”

Rodrigo nodded and rushed down the stairs. Maxi followed him and scurried outside. Ruth was not here; she would have to calmly handle this situation on her own. Maxi wiped her sweaty palms on her skirt and quickly made her way through the garden. Beyond the gate, sentries were loading items into three wagons. She rushed over.

“I-I heard about the m-monster attack. W-Where is the messenger… who brought the n-news?”

A middle-aged soldier in a helmet stepped forward. “It is I, my lady. I was sent by Sir Ursuline to bring back aid.”

Maxi swallowed hard and asked, “I-Is the situation grave? H-How many are hurt?”

“About twenty workers were injured, and fifteen or so of the sentries supervising them were badly wounded. Those with critical wounds have been given emergency treatment by the sorcerers, but since the battle is still raging at the front, they could not tend to everyone since they had to preserve their mana…”

Maxi’s hands turned cold at the news that the skirmish was not yet over.

“I-Is his lordship… u-unharmed?”

“I cannot say for certain, my lady, but knowing our liege, I am sure he must be all right.”

The soldier’s certainty helped Maxi regain a bit of composure.

“I-I understand. Please… make haste.”

The soldier nodded and returned to the wagon. Maxi’s eyes glinted with determination as she watched the sentries loading weapons, tents, and rations onto the wagons.

As the soldier had said, Riftan was the greatest knight in the continent. She was sure there was no need for her to worry. She only needed to focus on her duty as the lady of the castle. Maxi clasped her hands and offered a silent prayer.

***

When all the preparations had been made, Maxi stepped into the carriage while the sentries climbed atop the wagon. They were troubled by her presence, but they could not rightfully stop her from coming along.

Maxi was fraught with anxiety. She watched the scenery pass by the carriage window in silence. They reached the bottom of the hill, and the carriage darted past the village square and to the southern gates in no time.

Bricks and sacks of sand were piled in front of the gate, and two carts carrying the injured were rolling in through the half-open entrance. Maxi stepped out of the carriage and rushed to the patients.

“My lady!”

Maxi had been inspecting the broken leg of a pale-faced worker when she heard a strangled voice calling from behind. Maxi’s eyes widened when she saw Ulyseon, clad in full armor, rushing toward her. He looked even more surprised to see her there.

“W-What are you doing here, my lady?”

“I-I heard that there was a problem… I brought reinforcements. Are the patients… being transported here?”

“We lacked men to transport all of the injured, so we only brought those we could move safely.”

Maxi inspected the three men in the cart. Although their wounds did not appear to be life-threatening, all three were bleeding heavily.

One of the men was sitting up at the edge of the cart. Maxi undressed the cloth that was tightly wrapped around his thigh to check if his wound was clean. Fortunately, it was free of grit. After making sure the bones were properly aligned, she ripped the man’s tattered trousers further and healed his wound with magic. The mana she had accumulated drained away rapidly and she suddenly felt dizzy.

This was her first time healing such a severe wound, and she was flustered by the toll it took on her body. Did such a wound really require so much mana? Even her arms prickled from the sudden depletion in her mana pathway.

“Are you all right, my lady?” Ulyseon asked, looking down at her pale face with concern.

Maxi forced herself to look calm and smiled at him. She then proceeded to heal the other two men.

Cold sweat trickled down her back as mana bled out of her, but Maxi knew she could quickly replenish it again. She asked the sentries to take the men to the sick bay, then climbed back into the carriage. Ulyseon followed behind her.

“M-My lady! It is too dangerous. Please, do not endanger yourself and return to the-”

“D-Don’t be absurd! I-I am the lady of the castle. It is my duty to help… w-when problems arise. Did you not just see m-me heal those men?”

“But you have only recently learned how to use magic, and there are still monsters lurking-”

“I-I can also do my part! D-Did I not tell you h-how… I was unfazed by o-ogres and werewolves in the past? Y-You need not worry,” Maxi said coldly before slamming the carriage door closed.

Maxi’s pride was wounded; even this young man of sixteen was treating her like an incompetent child.

If she had intended to stay cooped up in the castle, then she would not have bothered to learn magic in the first place. Had she not chosen to learn magic so she could be useful in such moments?

When Maxi gave the coachman the order, he directed the carriage out of the gates at full speed. Ulyseon promptly mounted his horse and followed after them. Although she could see the squire throwing concerned glances at the carriage through the window, she tried her best to ignore him and concentrated on replenishing her mana.

After a while, the well-paved brick road came to an end, and a humble camp dotted with piles of soil and sand came into view.

The carriage pulled to a stop on a vast plot of land. As Maxi stepped out, she recoiled back in fear when she saw the gigantic form of a monster that lay amongst the felled oak trees.

Ulyseon leaped off his horse and came to steady her.

“It is a wyvern, my lady. It is that beast that caused all this wreckage.”