Even from this distance, Maxi could see her father clenching his jaw. It was something he did to hold himself back when his anger was at its peak. The veins in his hands bulged as he clutched his cane. He gave Riftan a murderous glare before replying to the king.

“If I may remind His Majesty… I did stress that taking this arduous journey was wholly unnecessary.”

His speech was slightly slower but nowhere near enough to warrant ridicule. The degree of authority and pride ingrained in the Duke of Croyso’s being refused to kowtow even before royalty. He would never allow himself to look pathetic.

Nonetheless, the humiliation of his defect stood stark on his face. Anger flashed in his eyes with each word he spat. He glowered at Riftan with such hatred that it sent a ripple of nervousness through the audience. Riftan’s animosity was just as palpable.

King Reuben passed an annoyed gaze over the two men champing at the bit to rip each other’s throats. He clicked his tongue. “Let us get a few hours’ rest before we commence. It appears we’ll have to step in before our favored vassals start stabbing each other.”

“Allow me to escort you to your room, Your Majesty.”

“No. You watch over these two to make sure they don’t tear each other to shreds.”

The earl responded with a bitter smile and instructed the castle’s steward to show the royal guests to their chambers. King Reuben led the princess and his attendants up the staircase shrouded in gray shadow. As the royal delegation left the hall, those kneeling rose to their feet in unison.

Maxi watched uneasily as her father retreated behind his knights. A sense of foreboding rose in her chest at the malice she saw on his face. It was clear that no words would be able to change his mind.

Riftan directed a contemptuous glare at the duke’s back, then turned away as though the sight of the man revolted him.

“Maxi, come here.”

He strode over before starting toward the annex where they would be staying. As his reassuringly large frame blocked her father from view, Maxi finally exhaled. Riftan led her to an empty room and began to persuade her once more.

“I’ve told you countless times, you don’t have to attend. This isn’t a formal trial. It’s just a meeting called by King Reuben to mediate between me and the duke.”

Maxi resolutely shook her head.

“No matter what you say… I cannot s-stay out of this. My father intends to bring you to trial… for breaking into his castle and assaulting him when… you were only trying to save me…”

“lⁱve always wanted to beat that man to death, Riftan said savagely.

Maxi exhaled a tired sigh. “Riftan… you believe that you had just cause for attacking my father, but how will you prove that if I am not part of your story?”

Riftan looked defeated. Maxi clasped his frozen hands and gave him a determined smile.

“I’m not… the naive noblewoman you th-think I am. You must know this by now. I had a rough childhood… and I’ve journeyed across h-halfthe continent. Not to mention going through… a t-terrible war as well. This isn’t enough to hurt me.”

As Riftan’s expression darkened and his eyes clouded with pain, Maxi thought that it may have been better to have stayed quiet. He looked as if he was about to say something when there was a knock at the door. Ursuline Ricaydo’s voice came through.

“Commander, the king wishes to speak with you before the mediation.”

Riftan silently gazed down at Maxi, his eyes full of anguish, before he reluctantly left the room. “Don’t let anyone in.”

After giving the stern command to the knights guarding the door, Riftan cut across the hall. Maxi sat before the fireplace and anxiously waited for the mediation to begin. A second felt like a minute, and a minute felt like an hour. Weighed down by the fraught tension, she began biting her nails when there was another knock. “My lady, the mediation has begun.”

“P-Please give me a minute.”

Maxi examined her reflection in the mirror. She still looked elegant despite a few stray hairs sticking out from the braid coiled around her head. Maxi draped her cloak over her shoulders and stepped out of the room.

“Where is Riftan?”

“He has gone ahead to the assembly room with His Majesty,” Ursuline replied as he led her to the stairs in the center of the hall. “Please do not worry. Charon and I will enter with you.”

“Who else… will be joining us?”

“About ten people from the kings retinue, attendants, and guards… and the duke will probably bring five or six people with him.”

It was a relief to learn that there would be fewer people than she had anticipated. The sheer number of men her father had brought with him had been intimidating.

The knights led her to an assembly room on the second floor. Maxi nervously glanced around as they entered. King Reuben sat like an imposing judge at one end of the spacious room. Princess Agnes and the earl stood at his right and left respectively, both wearing grave expressions.

Riftan and the Duke of Croyso sat at opposite ends of a long table. They had their heads turned away in a blatant refusal to even look each other in the eye. The icy atmosphere petrified Maxi. Seeing her frozen to the spot, Elliot led her to her place behind Riftan.

“This way, my lady.”

Maxi sank into one of the chairs that lined the wall. As Elliot and Ursuline took their seats on either side of her, the king looked up from the roll of parchment he was reading.

“Are all concerned parties now present?”

Propping his elbow on the armrest, King Reuben rested his chin crookedly on one hand and waved the parchment with his other.

“I was just re-reading the lengthy case sent by the Duke of Croyso. The duke claims that our most favored knight did something heinous last fall.”

An amused smile tugged at the kings lips as he mockingly scanned the parchment.

“To summarize, he claims that the champion of Wedon broke into his castle and attempted to murder him.”

Ursuline shot to his feet in anger, but the king continued speaking before the knight could say anything.

“Around the same time, you, Calypse, declared an unlawful war on the duke. It eludes me why one of you is raving about a war, while the other is dead set on a trial. Do shed some light on what exactly transpired.”

“Your Majesty! We are not here to discuss that man’s d-declaration of war!” the duke protested, his lips trembling. His face flushed with agitation. “That beast of a man… is guilty of trespassing and assault! I was at death’s door for four days despite immediate treatment by a high priest. I barely survived. You must pronounce judgment on the man who dared to lay a hand on a high-ranking noble! Your Majesty, it is the least you can do for your subject who has been loyal to you all his life.”

Unable to contain himself, Ursuline cried out, “Your Majesty! The duke’s claims are biased and misleading!”

An official went to reprimand the knight for his insolence when the king raised his hand, cutting him off. He then bobbed his head, prompting Ursuline on.

Ignoring Riftan’s silent warning, Ursuline knelt before the king. His explanation seemed to tumble out all at once.

“The reason we went to Croyso Castle that day was to see Lady Calypse. Though he had no right to do so, the duke had confined her ladyship. He refused us entry. What man would do nothing if his wife was taken from him? Our commander had no choice but to break in and bring back Lady Calypse. Strictly speaking, it is the duke who has committed the offense.”

“H-How dare you… spout lies before the king?!” the duke bellowed, slamming the table. “You accuse me of locking up my daughter?! All I did was allow my own child to stay at my castle. Is that a crime? Her Highness is my witness! Did you not see my daughter chose to return to Croyso Castle of her own accord?!”

“Cease this assault on our ears,” King Reuben muttered with a frown. “We are not here to argue about who’s at fault. The reason I have come all this way is to personally hear your explanations and to offer a resolution. Do consider my efforts, and stop shouting at each other.”

The duke pressed his lips together, disgruntled at the reprimand. King Reuben appeared to be lost in thought for a moment before he continued.

“Unfortunately, Lord Croyso, I must agree with Sir Ursuline. A woman is the property of her husband. You had no right to prevent Calypse from meeting his wife when he requested it.” “Your Majesty, I was merely trying to protect my daughter,” the duke said with astounding sincerity.

Thus far, Riftan had managed to maintain a calm, silent demeanor. As soon as he heard the duke’s lie, his expression grew cold.

“Did you just say…” he said, shooting daggers at the duke, “you were protecting her?”

The duke seemed to freeze at Riftan’s menacing look. His face grew ashen, and he flinched as though confronted with a nightmarish monster.

“My daughter was abandoned at Drachium Castle after suffering a miscarriage.” The duke jerked his head toward the king and began his appeal. “I reacted as any father would! I was only trying to protect her from the endless court gossip and my son-in-law’s neglect.”

“What brazen lies!”

Both Ursuline and Elliot shot to their feet, murderous looks across both of their faces. They exuded such a threatening aura that the royal knights drew their swords.

“Settle down! You are in the presence of the king!”

The two knights begrudgingly took their seats. The king exhaled loudly as he shifted in his chair, then turned his apathetic eyes on a petrified Maxi.

“It appears that you are at the center of all this. What is your opinion on their claims?”

“Your Majesty, my wife—”

“I was addressing your wife, Calypse. Not you.”

Riftan grew stone-still after the kings dismissal. Glancing at Riftan first, Maxi forced a smile and rose from her chair. Her fingers trembled faintly under her father’s ferocious gaze. Trying to shake off her trepidation, she gripped her dress and stood straighter.

“M-My father…” Maxi gulped and willed her voice to stop shaking, “did not prevent me from seeing my husband for my protection. My father… was only concerned about the shame that would befall the family if I were to be divorced. And if I am being honest, Your Majesty, I briefly shared his fears. I was too ashamed to face my husband… a-and the fear of being denounced foolishly made me follow my father. But when my husband came to Croyso Castle…”

Maxi’s voice cracked. She paused and flicked a glance at Riftan. Her breath hitched when she saw his face drained of color, and she was overcome with a desire to drag him from the room and clutch him to her chest. She wet her parched lips.

“I-I… wanted to speak with him, but my father did not allow it. And when I tried to go against his wishes…” She hesitated before willing herself to continue. “My father locked me in a room and subjected me to harsh, c-corporal punishment. My husband… was enraged when he saw this.”

“You dare…”

Veins stood stark on the duke’s neck. He opened his mouth as if to unleash obscenities before clamping it shut. The muscles of his jaw twitched as though he was forcing a fireball down his throat. To the duke, this was no different than if his slave had rebelled against him, the master. Disbelief was etched across his face.

Maxi stared at the floor to avoid his vicious gaze. After a moment of silence, the king spoke.

“It seems we now have a rough understanding of what transpired.”

He leaned back against his fur-laden chair and drew out a sigh.

“Lord Croyso, if this is true, then you are not completely blameless either. Maximilian Calypse belongs to Riftan Calypse. You lost all authority over your daughter the moment they were wed.

It wasn’t your place to confine her, or to inflict physical punishment.”

“That child is embellishing events in a shameless ploy to defend her husband! The only reason I was against her meeting him, and meted out mild corporal punishment, was to protect her future and the reputation of my house! When I found my daughter alone at the royal palace, I thought that Calypse was planning to abandon her. Is doing my best to protect my daughter from further pain such a crime?”

Maxi was utterly fed up with her father’s brazenness. He spoke so assuredly without a hint of shame that it made her wonder if he truly believed what he was saying.

The duke raised his chin in a proud tilt. “I will not deny… that I may have overreacted at the time. And if you must hold me accountable, I am willing to pay the required fine. But I have no intention of forgiving that man no matter what you say, Your Majesty.”

It must have been a deep-seated hatred that gave the duke the courage to look at his adversary then. He turned his head and stared straight into Riftan’s blazing eyes.

“No matter the reason, Riftan Calypse’s actions were out of order. If he was so displeased that I prevented him from seeing my daughter, or that I disciplined her to correct her manners, then he could have voiced his concerns there and then. Instead, what did he choose to do? He…

attempted to kill me on the spot! Not only that, but he even had the audacity to threaten me with military force. W-Who in their right mind would do such a thing? You must make him step down as the commander of the Remdragon Knights, strip him of his knighthood, and confiscate his land!”

Maxi clutched her forehead as she listened to her father’s bellowing. Elliot, his face as pale as hers, moved to steady her as she teetered. The only person who appeared calm was Riftan. His face was impassive as though he had expected nothing less from the duke. .