The blood drained from the administrator’s face. He glanced back and forth at the intimidating knights surrounding him. His eyes darted back to Riftan’s impassive expression, and he gulped.
“I-It was not my intention to offend,” he said, suddenly less combative. “I am merely…”
The man wavered before pressing his lips together. Though visibly scared, he seemed spitefully incapable of staying quiet.
“This town belongs to the Duchy of Croyso,” he said, tilting his chin at a proud angle, “and I am merely conveying my lord’s wishes. Over the past few years, you have not only taken our serfs but have lured many of our artisans and merchants to the south. Many of the duchy’s settlements are thus in dire straits. Do you not think it natural that we do not welcome you here?”
The man glared at Riftan with all the fire of a martyr fighting injustice. It was clear that he truly believed him to be the vicious oppressor.
Indignation surged through Maxi, and she felt her face growing hot. How dare he slander the noblest of knights like this? Had she been as tall and strong as Hebaron, she would have dragged the imbecile out of the inn by his collar. She could not understand why none of the knights were doing exactly that.
Just as she was about to rebuke them, Riftan replied flatly, “No.”
Neither Maxi nor Borman seemed to comprehend what he meant right away.
Riftan lowered his wine cup and said irritably, “I do not think it natural.” With that, he raised his empty vessel to the barmaid to signal the end of the conversation. “We are out of wine. Bring us another bottle.”
“O-Of course. Right away, sir.”
The barmaid flickered a nervous glance at the administrator before scurrying to the kitchen. As if on cue, the knights resumed their meal. Borman flushed with indignation at being so openly dismissed.
He glared at Riftan. “You are trespassing on our land!”
Silence fell over the noisy tavern once again. While the knights’ hostile looks made the man cower slightly, his words poured tenaciously forth.
“This town belongs to the Duke of Croyso, and I have asked you to leave on his behalf! Your noncompliance may be seen as an act of insur-”
“Silence!”
Unable to suppress her anger any longer, Maxi shot to her feet. She was livid. Her gaze was searing hot, and she leveled it at the man’s despicable face.
“H-How dare you… How dare you insult my husband? Riftan has s- saved this land numerous times! He protected the East from the dragon’s threat… and fought valiantly during the monster wars. And, as if that weren’t enough… he has come all this way to save this wretched place yet again! But… you still dare to call my husband an invader?”
“I am merely following the duke’s-”
“Convey this to my father!” Maxi exclaimed, cutting off the man’s weak excuse. “I-If he wants us to leave… he should make a formal request to His Majesty. I-If the king accepts his request, we shall gladly leave the duchy and never set foot here again!”
The man fell silent, his mouth snapping shut.
Maxi pointed to the door and bellowed, “If you understood, then be gone!”
“I am the administrator of this town! You have no right—”
“I told you to get out!” Maxi shrieked, an uncontrollable rage surging through her.
The man hunched as if he had been whipped, and his face turned even more red.
Losing her patience, Maxi shot the knights a sharp look. “W-What are you waiting for?! I want this man out of my sight!”
That seemed to jolt Hebaron out of his dazed blinking. He sprang from his seat and grabbed the administrator by the nape. The burly knight then dragged the man toward the door before his guards could do anything and threw him onto the street.
“W-What sort of-”
“Did you not hear our lady?” Hebaron dusted off his hands and gave the man a menacing smile. “She wants you out of her sight.”
“This is an act of oppression!”
“Never said it wasn’t,” Hebaron snapped. “I suggest you go whine about it to your master now.”
He then turned to the four soldiers frozen awkwardly inside the tavern and motioned with his chin. “Take your superior and go. I suggest you stay well away from this inn while we’re here.”
After exchanging glances, the soldiers hurried outside, and Hebaron slammed the door behind them. Maxi stood frozen, watching out the window as the administrator stalked off with his men.
She suddenly realized that he had not come to drive the Remdragon Knights out. After all, one would have to be a fool to think they could expel hundreds of knights with just four soldiers, and no fool would have been allowed to rise to such a position. His true goal had been to openly mock Riftan.
“Maxi.”
Warm fingers closed over her cold hand.
When Maxi turned her head, Riftan murmured reassuringly, “Sit down. Finish your food.”
A lump rose in her throat at the sight of him smiling as though nothing had happened. Unable to look at him, she shook off his hand rather roughly.
“I-I’ve had enough. I would… like to rest upstairs,” she managed to choke out.
Then, before Riftan could stop her, she made a beeline for the stairs. She ran up to their room and threw herself on the bed.
Tears threatened to spill over, for which she felt incredibly foolish. Shame at having such a man as her father washed over her. Suppressing her sobs, she pressed her burning eyes to her sheets. She had no idea how long she lay there, trying to contain her rising emotions, when she felt strong arms enveloping her.
She looked up at Riftan through her tears. He nudged her onto his lap and held her tightly. When he began to pat her back as though soothing a child, Maxi wound her arms around his neck and nuzzled against his broad shoulder.
“I-I’m sorry… you had to endure such treatment.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for.”
He cupped the back of her head and kissed the edges of her red eyes. That one tender action opened the floodgates.
“Don’t cry,” Riftan said, frowning as he wiped the tears streaming down her cheeks with his thumb.
Suddenly, an icy cold rage glinted in his black eyes. “It angers me to see you so upset. I should never have allowed that man to run his mouth.”
With a small sigh, he tightened his arms around her shaking form. The warmth of his body against hers helped Maxi regain her composure.
Sniffling, she said in a calmer voice, “It infuriates me… that my own father would insult you this way. I detest the fact… that such a man is my father.”
“You have a hundred other reasons to hate the man, but what happened today isn’t worth being upset about.” He shook his head as if he thought her reaction excessive. “Since I don’t want you to think me the innocent victim here, I’ll tell you the truth. The man was right – I’m the reason for the duchy’s gradual decline.”
Maxi stopped sniffling and looked up at him in surprise.
Riftan playfully pinched her red nose and continued, “I hired mercenaries to help the duchy’s serfs escape, and I persuaded the eastern merchant guild to bring skilled craftsmen to Anatol. It’s understandable that the men who used to fill their pockets with all those taxes would grind their teeth at the sight of me.”
“B-But… you said Anatol has done nothing against the law.”
“Of course. No one was forced to leave. But I did lure them with irresistible bait to betray their lord.”
“Irresistible bait?”
“Called personal gain,” Riftan replied sardonically as he lowered her onto the bed.
He walked over to the stove heater to restart the dying fire. After watching him skillfully maneuvering a flint, Maxi approached him and wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders.
“No matter the reason… such slight was uncalled for. It is not something I can forgive.”
“I can let them vent a little. They can bark all they like. It hardly affects me.”
Riftan turned his head to look at her, an amused smile curling his lips. He seemed pleased by her unrelenting support. But soon, a fire rose in his dark eyes.
“I intend to do far worse things to this place. I will make that man watch as his empire crumbles before him.”
Maxi hunched her shoulders at his surprisingly chilling words. Riftan looked away as if to hide the cruel satisfaction on his face.
Gazing into the flickering flames, he added stonily, “That man has hurt you, and I will make sure he pays the price.”
“Riftan, I-”
She had no desire to waste her life seeking revenge against her father. All she wanted was to distance herself from him and the Duchy of Croyso forever.
