Under the Oak Tree

Chapter 38: Chapter

Seeing Maxi shake, Ruth intervened.

“Stop being so unreasonable! Don’t blame us when you’re the ones who lost your identification. Do you expect us to allow thirty armed men into our land?”

“Ha! Is Anatol so weak they can’t let thirty men enter? I see that without their lord, Anatol is a mere den of cowards.” 𝑓re𝘦𝔀𝗲𝘣𝘯𝘰νℯ𝒍.c𝗼ｍ

“How dare you!” Sir Obaron, who had been trying to contain his anger, drew his sword as he yelled in outrage. “Ruth! Open the gates! I’ll cut off that arrogant bastard’s head!”

“Sir Obaron!”

Ruth turned to give the old knight an admonishing look, then immediately spun around again and stretched his hands into the air. But it was too late. A massive flame hurtled toward the gate with a tremendous roar and hit it with a thud. The rampart shook violently. Maxi shrieked and gripped the nearest wall while the guards retreated in confusion.

Rob Midahas unsheathed his own sword. “You want my head? I’d like to see you try!”

Maxi sank to the floor. Ruth quickly collected himself and pulled her up by the arm to lead her down the rampart. Maxi stifled a scream when she saw that the flames had smashed through the towering gate, allowing Rob Midahas’ knights to rush in.

“Shield!” Ruth yelled, his hand outstretched.

Gusts of blue wind created a barrier that blocked the knights. But before long, one of the knights shattered the barrier with a swing of his sword.

“He’s a high-ranking knight! Sir Obaron!”

“Leave it to me.”

Sir Obaron jumped down from the rampart, roaring at the trespassing knights as he swung his massive sword. The sound of clashing metal pierced the air. Maxi tried to run faster, but her foot caught on a rock, and she tripped.

“My lady!”

Ruth turned back to look at her, but he was too busy creating a barrier to help. Just a few steps away, Sir Obaron was locked in a fierce battle with the intruders.

Ruth and the guards were trying their best to keep the black-robed knights at bay. Anatolians who had come to see what the commotion was about fled in terror when they realized what was happening.

Finally, a guard helped Maxi to her feet, and Ruth called out to her.

“My lady! Take shelter!”

“B-But...”

“Please get out of here! There’s nothing you can do-”

Ruth suddenly stopped yelling. Maxi felt a sudden shift in the air. She looked up to see one of the guards on the rampart lowering his bow and shouting something.

“Th-The Remdragon Knights are here! The lord has returned!”

An icy silence swept across the grounds. Just moments ago, the intruders had been charging at the gates, but they were now looking behind them in disbelief. Knights clad in silver armor were thundering down the hill toward them. 𝒇𝐫ℯ𝑒𝒘ℯ𝑏n𝑜ѵ𝐞l.c𝗼𝗺

When Maxi saw the man at the fore, she sank to the ground in relief. She kept her gaze focused on Riftan, who looked capable of overcoming any obstacle without fear. Though they had spent only three weeks apart, the separation had felt like months.

Riftan reached the gates and appraised the black-robed knights. Beneath his dark, wind-tousled hair, a pair of icy eyes narrowed menacingly.

“I didn’t think I’d have guests while I was away. What do we call uninvited guests?”

Riftan raised a hand. The Remdragon Knights swiftly surrounded the enemy, the swords in their hands gleaming brilliantly under the sun.

“Trespassers, sir.”

“Thieves, more like.”

The knights chimed in as they reined in their excited steeds. Maxi watched the confrontation with bated breath. The black-robed knights, who had seemed so self-assured earlier, now looked uneasy. Riftan spurred his steed to get closer.

“You had the nerve to come to my land and cause a ruckus. For that, I’ll make sure to have ‘In honor of his boldness, foolishness, and disregard for life’ engraved on your tombstone.”

Riftan’s voice was soft as he made the chilling statement. As he drew his sword, the assailants’ faces went pale with fear. Their leader quickly lowered his sword and addressed Riftan.

“I-I am Lord Rob Midahas of Kaysa! A nobleman of Livadon!”

“A lord?”

Riftan paused and raised an eyebrow. Encouraged, Rob began to speak with more confidence.

“Your people have offended me by questioning my identity and refusing me entry! This little scuffle got slightly out of hand, that’s all!”

“A little scuffle, you say?” said Riftan ominously, taking in the battered gate and the injured guards on the ground.

Rob’s face stiffened.

“I-I apologize for letting my anger get the better of me. W-Why don’t we end things here? I-I’m sure you wouldn’t want things to get more unruly than they have.”

“This means war.”

Riftan’s calm voice sent shivers through the crowd. He slowly approached Rob Midahas, grinning like a wolf baring its teeth. The Remdragon Knights, who had the intruders hemmed in, parted to make way.

Riftan’s face betrayed no trace of concern as he continued, “You came to my gates with your men and attacked. What could that mean if not war? In response, I’ll cut off your head, ride to your land, and reduce it to ruins.”

“D-Do you mean to break the armistice between the Seven Kingdoms? Our king won’t forgive you!”

“You lost its protection the moment you destroyed my gate.”

A chill ran through Maxi’s body, and she wrapped her arms around herself. Riftan’s manner reminded her of the calm before a storm.

Rob Midahas went pale as if he had also sensed impending doom. He hastily made to retreat, but before he could go far, Sir Obaron blocked his path with a sword.

With the panicked look of a cornered rat, Rob Midahas cried out, “I-I have hundreds of knights in Kaysa who are pledged to me! If you kill me, it really will mean war!”

“I very much look forward to it,” said Riftan, raising his sword.

Ruth dashed toward Riftan, shouting, “Sir Riftan! You mustn’t kill this man if he really is a nobleman. It’s best to deal with him after we’ve confirmed his identity and sent word to Liva-”

“Are you questioning my decision?” Riftan asked, impervious to the sorcerer’s urgency.

“War only brings loss. It’s best to follow protocol and receive compensation.”

“I disagree,” Riftan answered coldly. “Protocol? I can just invade his land and pillage everything there.”

He seemed unconcerned about the thirty knights before him and the hundreds more he would find in Kaysa. Ruth let out a sigh.

...

“We truly will find ourselves in conflict with Livadon if we do that...”

Ruth trailed off as he glanced at Maxi, who had been hiding behind the guards.

“Must you sully the eyes of our esteemed ladyship any further? You should show her the essence of a knight’s chivalry.”

Riftan furrowed his brows and followed Ruth’s gaze. When he saw Maxi slumped on the ground, his eyes widened in shock, and his impassive face turned hostile. He glowered at Ruth.

“Hell! Why is my wife here?”

“It’s only natural that the lady of the castle should handle disputes while her husband is absent.”

Ruth was unfazed by Riftan’s wrath. Riftan gritted his teeth. In a flash, he had the tip of his sword on Rob’s neck.

“Surrender your weapons and dismount your horses. I’ll let you keep your heads if you don’t resist.”

“L-Let me go! I’ll leave immediately and never-”

“You want me to release you after attacking my land?” Riftan angrily cut him off. “You shall either die here, or surrender. Now choose.”

Rob frantically assessed the situation. His knights were completely surrounded. Realizing that they stood little chance of victory, he threw his sword onto the ground and dismounted. When his knights followed suit, Riftan signaled to the guards.

...

“Bind them and toss them in the dungeons!”

Maxi released a sigh of relief, astonished that Riftan’s arrival had put an end to the confrontation so quickly. A guard helped her to her feet.

“Are you all right, my lady? Are you hurt?”

“What were you thinking?”

Maxi froze. When she looked up, Riftan was towering over her on his horse, his back to the sun. His face was difficult to see, but she could tell that he was furious.

She shrank back in fear and began to stammer. “I-I heard th-there was a problem...”

“And what the hell could you have done?”

Maxi’s blood ran cold. She quickly lowered her head to hide her shock. Riftan, who had treated her with such kindness before he left, now wore an expression so icy that she felt as if the breath had been knocked out of her.

“I-I...”

She bit her lips and desperately tried to think of an answer, but her mind drew a blank. She heard Riftan emit a stream of curses over her head before she was suddenly lifted off the ground by the waist. She shrieked as Riftan placed her in front of him on the saddle.

“I’m heading to the castle first,” Riftan said to the knights. “Clean up this mess.”

And without waiting for a reply, he took off. Villagers who had gathered to watch from afar scrambled to make way. Maxi clung to Riftan’s armored chest with her eyes squeezed shut. The arm around her waist tightened, the cold forearm armor digging into her side painfully.