Chapter 155: Chapter 1
Maxi felt despondent at Ulyseon’s words. Could it be that Riftan was using the meeting as an excuse to avoid her? After all, he had always been adept at evading her whenever he was angry. She anxiously picked at her food and tried to rest.
When Riftan did not return even into the late hours of the night, Maxi surmised that her suspicions had been correct. She lay waiting on the cot until the fatigue finally dragged her into sleep.
Unsurprisingly, she awoke to an empty bed. She hurriedly got ready for the day. Just as she was about to rush outside, Ulyseon entered the tent.
“Good morning, my lady!”
The young knight gave her a bright smile and placed her breakfast on the table.
Maxi tried to conceal her anxiety behind a composed expression as she asked, “Riftan... did not return last night. D-Did the meeting last all night?”
“The meeting ended in the early hours of the morning, my lady. I was standing guard in front of the tent and only went back to the barracks after Sir Riftan’s return.” Ulyseon cocked his head. “He probably did not wake you since he thought you might be tired.”
Maxi was willing to wager the entirety of her accumulated mana that Riftan had noiselessly entered and left the tent to avoid her.
Her brow furrowed in irritation. “Can you tell me... where he is now?”
“He should be outside the gates inspecting our defenses. Is there an urgent matter to discuss with him, my lady?”
Opening and closing her mouth, Maxi weakly shook her head. The truth was, she did not know what else to say to him. Everything that needed to be said had been already. All she could do now was to wait for his anger to abate, as the princess had advised. Maxi heaved a resigned sigh.
Four days later, after still no glimpse of Riftan, her anger slowly grew. Like a coward, he would sneak in and out of the tent while she slept. It was infuriating.
Although she tried to stay awake, her tiredness always won. On the other hand, Riftan was a man who did not know what being tired meant. He could no doubt wait all night for her to fall asleep.
Irritably brushing away strands of hair sticking to her face, Maxi ripped up the herb in her hands and dropped it into the boiling cauldron. She was staring into the bubbling mixture, seething, when Idsilla returned with an armful of firewood.
Idsilla cocked her head at Maxi. “What is it? Is something wrong with the remedy?”
Maxi hastily tried to lighten her expression. “N-No. I was just... thinking about something.”
“Your husband will be going to the battlefront again. You must be worried.”
Maxi did not confirm nor deny the girl’s assumption and merely gave her an ambiguous look. Idsilla regarded Maxi knowingly as though she understood everything.
“They say that there won’t be an all-out battle anytime soon, so don’t worry too much,” she said, her tone consoling.
“I’m sorry,” Maxi replied after a pause. “You must be... more anxious than I am...”
“We are both worried for our families. It wouldn’t be right to say that one is more anxious than the other. For now, it is enough that I know he’s well,” Idsilla said optimistically.
Maxi had found out from Elliot that Idsilla’s brother, Elbarto Calima, was safe. The girl’s face had visibly brightened when Maxi had told her the news.
“The division... g-guarding the front should be returning soon... I am sure you’ll see your brother then.”
“I don’t want him to know that I’m here.”
Idsilla adamantly shook her head as she shoved dry twigs into the fire.
“Elba might be an outstanding knight, but he is not invincible like your husband. I have no doubt that he is already pushing himself because of his bad arm. I don’t want to add to his worries. I’ll see him once the war is over.”
Maxi felt a blush creep over her cheeks at the girl’s rationality. She felt ashamed for stewing over not seeing her husband for a few days. At the same time, she grew worried that her presence might become a burden to Riftan. Had she not given him one more thing to worry about when the war was already weighing down on him?
“There you are, my lady.”
The unexpected voice snapped Maxi out of her thoughts. She turned to find Ruth trudging out of the thick forest.
“Ruth... w-what brings you here?”
“The rune I spent an entire night formulating for Sir Hebaron’s injury failed to work. He seems to be in much pain, so I’m here to collect a remedy to help ease it.”
Rubbing the back of his neck, Ruth gave an undignified yawn and slumped onto a tree stump. Maxi’s face hardened with concern.
“H-His condition is not grave, is it?”
“His life is not in danger,” Ruth said flatly. Then he added with a sigh, “But the wound is worsening from infection, and it seems the pain is only growing greater.”
“Th-Then, shouldn’t we treat the wound properly... instead of only relying on magic?”
“I’ve been applying salve regularly, but it’s not much help.” Ruth roughly ran a hand through his hair. “The bigger problem is that the curse is lowering the morale of the allied forces. Everyone is afraid they might end up like Sir Hebaron. Duke Aren has also proposed postponing a full-scale war until we can find a way to break the curse.”
“I... a-agree with him... on that. If... the monsters are a-able to cast such a curse freely, even the Remdragon Knights... w-won’t be safe.”
“I understand your concern, but dragging this war on would only put us at a disadvantage,” Ruth said gravely. “Our enemy is capable of limitless regeneration, while we are not. Not to mention the rift growing within the coalition army. It would be best for us to strike first before the solidarity of the forces weaken further.”
He heaved a sigh and shrugged.
“But you need not worry since my opinion is being utterly ignored. It’s likely that small skirmishes will continue for the foreseeable future. I fear that we will have to spend winter here at this rate.”
Maxi’s face was not the only one that darkened at Ruth’s words. Idsilla, who had been sitting quietly in the corner, looked worried as well. Sensing the heaviness in the air, Ruth quickly changed the subject.
“I’m afraid I’ve stayed too long. Sir Hebaron will rip out all the hair on my head if I don’t hurry back with the remedy. I heard that you have an efficient concoction. Would you be able to spare me some of it?”
“Of course. But first... would you mind if I also take a look at S-Sir Hebaron’s wound?”
“You, my lady?”
He regarded her with a look of surprise that Maxi found slightly irksome.
“I-I studied a lot while you were gone, you know! Things even you wouldn’t know, u-under a new mage staying in Anatol. Who knows, my remedy might work better than magic...”
“Well, it never hurts to try,” Ruth replied flatly, shrugging.
After scowling at his apathetic response, Maxi asked Idsilla to take over watching the cauldron and went to gather her remedies and tools. As she was leaving the camp, Ulyseon leaped up from the small wood carving he was working on.
“My lady! Where are you going?”
“I am... taking my remedies to Sir Hebaron.”
At her answer, Ulyseon’s gaze shifted to Ruth. “Is the curse not yet broken?”
Ruth shook his head as they trudged on. With Ruth and Ulyseon by her side, none of the soldiers attempted to approach her even though she could feel a few glances flicking over to them.
Relaxing, Maxi followed closely behind Ruth. They weaved through the cluster of densely-packed tents before stopping in front of the Remdragon Knights’ barracks. Ruth was the first to enter. The moment he stepped into the tent, Maxi heard a gruff voice bellow from within.
...
“Look who’s finally back! I thought you were waiting for me to die!”
Maxi grew wide-eyed as she entered the tent after Ruth. Hebaron lay on a cot with his brawny torso wrapped in bandages, fuming at the sorcerer. Surprised to see him so lively, Maxi stood blinking when the knight spotted her. His angry expression broke into a cheerful smile.
“And who’s this? I heard that you were here, my lady, but I must say that I’m still surprised to see you. Your courage never fails to amaze me.”
“I-I heard that you were hurt. How... is your wound?”
Maxi approached the cot, and Hebaron furrowed his thick brows. “Nobody here seems to give a damn about my honor! Did you really have to tell her ladyship that the unbeatable Sir Hebaron got himself injured?”
“I’m afraid your honor is already thoroughly tarnished,” Ruth retorted. “The men are already calling you the knight with the monster’s curse. I assure you, everyone at Eth Lene already knows about your situation.”
“Goddammit!”
The rage in his voice made Maxi recoil. Hebaron furiously yanked at his orange curls as if to express the extent of his anger.
“There can be no greater humiliation!”
“If you wish to salvage your reputation, I suggest you cooperate by keeping your mouth shut during treatment. I find it hard to concentrate with you bellowing all the time,” Ruth said through gritted teeth.
Hebaron glared at Ruth before turning his back on them as though truly upset by the sorcerer’s words. Maxi felt she should tread carefully, and she flicked her eyes between them before laying down the herbs and tools she had brought with her.
...
“I-I would like to take a look at your wound. Would you let me... undo the dressing?”
Ruth and Ulyseon helped Hebaron up to a sitting position and unwound his bandages. Maxi stifled a groan when she saw the wound.
The lesion that ran from shoulder to chest was like a crimson centipede crawling over his skin. Inflamed flesh surrounded the wound, and dark blue veins spread out from it like the legs of an insect.
“H-How...”
“It was a whip,” Hebaron said in a sulky voice, “and I owe it to a lizardman with black scales. A peculiar creature.”
“The lizardmen have the highest intelligence of the dragon subspecies. It is not uncommon for them to use advanced magic. It’s my guess that the monster that attacked Sir Hebaron is a superior specimen even among its own kind.”
“Well, that’s depressing.”
Maxi was momentarily unsure of how to treat the ghastly wound. In the end, she carefully applied the salve she had brought with her onto the lesion. Among the remedies Melric had taught her, it was the most efficient at relieving inflammation and pain. It must have proved effective, as Hebaron’s face soon became markedly brighter.
“Great God, that worked like a charm! I think I could fight right now if the call came.”
“I’ve only n-numbed the pain... The wound is not yet healed. You mustn’t overexert yourself... just because you don’t feel it.”
Maxi warned him as sternly as she could, then dressed his wound with clean bandages. She asked for a fire to be lit and used the flames to collect herb ashes in a linen pouch.
“Use this as a warm compress... on the wound for about twenty minutes. The area is numb, so b-be careful not to burn him.”
Maxi patiently waited until the pouch was at the right temperature before handing it to Ruth. He looked down at it with a dubious expression before gingerly placing it on Hebaron’s shoulder.
Hebaron frowned as though he found the heat uncomfortable, but he soon fell asleep. Ruth explained in a whisper that the knight’s exhaustion must have been great after weeks of painful, sleepless nights.
“Thank you for your help, my lady. I think we’ll be able to get some peace until I can break the curse.”
“I-It only relieves him of the pain and inflammation temporarily.”
“That is more than enough. Please leave the rest to me. It is just a monster’s curse; it shouldn’t take long to find a way to undo it,” Ruth said, looking uncharacteristically determined.
Offering him an encouraging smile, Maxi quietly gathered her things and stepped out.
They had been in the tent for quite some time, and the sky had dimmed to lilac. Maxi quickened her steps. She wanted to check on the injured men in the infirmary once more before retiring for the night.
She was almost out of the barracks when someone blocked her path. Startled, Maxi took a step back. A tall man with fierce eyes looked down at her.
“I haven’t seen you around here before. Why’re you wandering about the barracks?”
“Stand back!”
Ulyseon quickly hid Maxi behind him and grabbed the hilt of his sword.
“Her ladyship is not someone the likes of you can address so lightly.”
“And what do we have here?” Clearly unfazed, the man smirked and looked Ulyseon up and down. “Aren’t you the white lizard’s little puppy? What a shame. Here I was thinking two pretty lasses were in need of a pimp.”
Ulyseon’s face flushed crimson. In the blink of an eye, his sword was out of its sheath and poised at the man’s throat. He moved with such speed that Maxi could not believe her eyes.
The man appeared to be taken aback as well. He retreated a step, but Ulyseon swiftly closed the distance between them.
“I suppose you northern swine know nothing of decency,” Ulyseon growled menacingly, looking nothing like the guileless young man that Maxi knew. “If Sir Riftan had not commanded us to avoid trouble, I would have cut off your head for tainting her ladyship’s ears with your vile snorting.”
Snickers rang out at the squire’s retort. Hunched behind Ulyseon, Maxi flinched and turned her head toward the direction of the sound.
Not far from them, a circle of burly men sat playing dice.
One of them howled with laughter and shouted, “Oi, Devron! Didn’t I warn you not to mess with that kid? A few have lost their noses to him because they were fooled by his pretty face. Think how bad his temper must be for people to call him the devil’s spawn when he’s still just a squire.”
Ulyseon’s expression hardened, and Maxi warily studied the speaker’s face. He was a young man with ash-blond hair that was nearly white. He seemed to have a fierce demeanor. Tossing the dice onto the table, he gave Maxi a stilted smile.
“Damn, another two-three. I’m having terrible luck today, miss. Why don’t you come here and be my goddess of fortune?”
“That’s enough! I will not condone any disrespect to her ladyship, even if you are the vice-commander of the Knights of Phil Aaron!” Ulyseon cried out.
Maxi’s eyes grew wide. To think that such a crude man was a commanding officer of Balto. She could hardly believe that he held such a high rank.
“Her ladyship? Listen here, devil’s spawn. There are no noblewomen here. Even a princess isn’t regarded as one on a battlefield. Still, with you making so much fuss, it does make me wonder who she is.”
Taking a swig of wine straight from the bottle, the man scanned Maxi from head to foot with the cool gaze of a serpent.
“I heard Calypse dragged a woman to his tent. I guess that was you.”
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