Note: Uslin was in the beginning called Rikaido, then it was switched to Ricardo. We’re now going back to call him Sir Uslin Rikaido, since we feel it’s more accurate.
Riftan glared at Agnes, who was smiling in triumph.
“You’re fine with that?” he said.
“What can I say when I’m just a guest? I’m thankful you’re letting your wife accompany me.”
The princess placed one hand on her chest, mocking a salute. At that moment Max blushed, wishing she could be half as confident as her, and felt sorry for Agnes since it was because of her weakness that Riftan felt compelled to send a guard to accompany them. However, at the same time she was elated that she had obtained his permission to leave the castle.
Riftan looked at the royal princess without smiling.
“You haven’t changed a bit.”
His tone was flat and unwelcoming, yet Max could feel her heart stop. It seemed that Agnes was used to his rudeness, otherwise how could Riftan dare address the princess like that? There seemed to be an invisible bond between them that had developed over their adventures together.
Max looked down, feeling the tension. The mood subsided quickly, but she could not shake off how casual Riftan had talked to Agnes, without titles or honorifics. She was an ally who had fought in battle with him. The Remdragon Knights, Ruth, and the princess: all of them had earned Riftan’s trust. And yet, his wife had done nothing. What had she done to deserve any affection and trust from him?
As her face darkened with these thoughts, Riftan frowned and grazed the strands of her hair with his fingertips.
“You can do whatever you like. Don’t be upset now.”
Max smiled weakly, trying to hide the jealousy dwelling inside her. Riftan gave a small smile in relief and then took a sip of wine. Since his expression was soft, she suddenly felt the urge to crawl onto his knees to kiss him. She wanted to touch his beautiful, masculine face, bury her face in his wide chest, and breath in his scent forever.
Why did she have to desire him like this? If anyone found out what she was thinking…
Max covered her face with her glass, pretending to be thirsty. These emotions were so new to her and she felt lonely, like a lost child in a foreign place.
***
Max only remembered taking a sip to get rid of the uneasy feelings she had, but when she woke up, she found herself in bed. She blinked confusedly in the dark. Riftan was next to her, removing the accessories from her hair and untying the straps of her loosened dress.
“F*cking torture” he grunted and stripped off the remainder of Max’s dress.
She frowned, looking at him from underneath her eyelashes, and he saw her lying there, defenseless in her thin, see-through chemise.
“I want you, but I can’t. Not when you’re like this. Do you know how difficult you’re making things for me?”
Max wanted to say that he didn’t have to hold back, but no words came from her mouth. She didn’t deserve his concern since she had been distracted and had drunk excessively, so his self-restraint only made her more ashamed and self-conscious. She wanted him to have her if he sincerely wished it, to see her as someone elegant and not poor or shabby. She wanted him to be hard for her. Only in his arms could she forget her anxiety and loneliness.
Riftan sat on the bed and touched her disheveled hair, brushed her cheeks with a burning gaze and then grabbed her fingers before touching her breasts, too severely tempted to resist any longer. Max gave a sharp intake of breath and pushed her chest out, wanting his hands to touch her more. Riftan breathed heavily before their mouths met, his moist tongue tasted like wine on Max’s lips.
Her ears were beet red from the pleasure and she blinked under her heavy eyelids, waiting for him to roll up her chemise and induce heat between her legs. Riftan’s large hands seemed to be burning a hole on her torso, fingers flickering around, as if longing to caress her entire body.
But it didn’t go any further. Riftan slowly moved away and sighed, the bed shifted as he rose. Feeling disappointed, Max soon fell asleep again.
***
Max opened her eyes when she felt something dry and scratchy tickle her cheek: Roy, the black kitten, had begun to lick the bridge of her nose. She rubbed her face and rose from the bed. Riftan had already disappeared earlier, as if he had never even been there last night. Max washed her face and called for her maid, Rudis. Fortunately, her head wasn’t split with pain from a hangover like last time.
“My lady, the Princess Agnes went out early this morning to view the training grounds. She asked you to join her when you awoke. What should I tell her?” Rudis said.
She imagined the long journey from the royal palace to Anatol. Despite the travel, Princess Agnes was already up and about before her, unfatigued and ready to view the town. Max snapped her eyes shut for a moment, before quickly pulling a cape over her shoulders.
“P-please help me prepare to go o-out with her highness. We will go b-by carriage to see the town. B-but I don’t know t-the city that well… I’ll need a m-maid.”
“Then I’ll go with you.”
Max was relieved that Rudis didn’t need further instructions, she didn’t even know the directions from the castle to the market square.
“G-good. Then tell P-Princess Agnes that we will d-depart soon.”
***
Max walked quickly through the Great Hall towards the training grounds. Agnes didn’t seem like a bad person, but she was still uncomfortable with her. It wasn’t just because of the previous rumors about Riftan marrying her: Max still didn’t know why the princess had come to Anatol in the first place, so she had to be alert. Agnes was a prestigious wizard. Had she really come from the north to Anatol to simply see a temple?
I know that even if she has an ulterior movie… I don’t have the means to stop her, but…
When Max saw the training field within sight, she tried her best to keep her depressing thoughts at bay.
The weather was sunnier than yesterday, the wind was chilly, the air was hot and the ground was turning green from early spring. As the clouds shifted lazily in the blue sky, Max stepped past the gates into the training field and caught Agnes’ distinct accent among the other shouts reverberating in the air. The princess was wearing a knight’s uniform, Max was half-impressed and half-scandalized by the princess’s audacity. She was not only wearing pants like a male again that day, but had also added silver armor and wielded a sword. She moved nimbly, like a dancer, as she sparred and attacked her opponent, listening to the instructions that were yelled at her.
“Your lower body is open. Lower your posture to defend yourself!” the voice echoed sharply over the field. Max turned mechanically only to see that it was Uslin instructing the princess. After Riftan had punched him, Max had not seen the knight, except from a distance. Sir Rikaido was still on the stairs, bellowing encouragement. The princess sat on the floor to rest.
“Really! I thought I trained well, but I couldn’t even land a single attack!” Agnes grumbled.
At her complaint, Uslin smiled and sheathed his sword, letting the scabbard dangle on his waistbelt.
“If I had a hard time training with a wizard, I would be expelled from the knights.”
The voice coming from the gentleman who always looked at Max disapprovingly was an incredibly soft and gentle.
“But your skills are much better than before.”
The princess stood up, muttering with a grumpy face.
“You say that, but you don’t even have a drop of sweat.”
Max hesitated before descending the stairs to join them. The princess took a towel from a servant and wiped her face. When she saw Max, she smiled kindly.
“Good morning, Maximilian.”
“G-good morning. Was y-your room c-comfortable?”
“I slept well, thank you.”
Agnes frowned slightly at Max.
“Please speak with me comfortably. No need for formalities.”
“Y-your royal h-highness…to speak w-without honorifics… I can’t.”
“Maximilian is a cautious person” she observed nodding. “Then, at least call me Agnes. I would like that. It keeps me from getting a swelled head since I won’t be constantly reminded that I’m royalty.”
The princess was such a very confident person that Max couldn’t look at her intense blue eyes directly, so she lowered her gaze with negative emotions swelling in her heart.
“I u-understand, Ms. Agnes.”
“Good! Now, I still want to see the town. Are you ready to leave?”
“Y-yes. I gave instructions t-to prepare the c-carriage.”
“It may be easier to ride by horse”, Agnes said.
“T-there will be one maid… w-with us.”
The princess knitted her eyebrows before shrugging.
“Well, let’s try it your way” she said amiably.
Uslin, who was standing behind the princess in silent, looked briefly at Max, slightly shook his head and then turned to follow the princess.
A lavish carriage pulled by two thoroughbred horses stood at the front gates. Max climbed into the carriage and sat beside Rudis. When the princess was ready, she came with a guardsman and sat opposite to them, while the two escorts, Hebaron and Uslin, flanked the carriage on their horses. When all the preparations were completed, the coachman raised the whip and the carriage started to move out of the castle grounds.
Note – LN: In addition to Under the Oak Tree, I am now translating 여주인공의 오빠를 지키는 방법 / The Way to Protect the Female Lead’s Older Brother. Please read! One sentence summary: a woman wakes up in a R18 novel and must save the prince from her psycho family.
Nymeria: Ugh Uslin can you just… stop? Also, I miss Ruth TT
