Under the Oak Tree

Chapter 127 – Riftan’s Envy (2)

Despite the fact she said that, she was tempted inside. He really didn’t think badly about her? Suddenly, while in the midst of her musings, she heard the sound of the door opening. As she turned in the direction, she saw Riftan striding into the library without disarming himself.

“What have you been doing up to this hour?” Max was surprised by his question.

Ruth replied bluntly as he was checking to see if he was still angry. “What are you doing in the library?”

Riftan frowned and looked around the desk. Next to the messy pile of books were the dishes and trays that were emptied at lunch. He held his forehead and shook his head as if dumbfounded.

“I heard the maids have been stuck here today... Have you been reading all day?”

“Just as Lord Calypse wields a sword all day, there is a man who reads all day.” There was a faint displeasure looming over Riftan’s face at the pompous tone.

Max hurriedly packed her books, her nerves frayed by the strange environment. She said, “I... I... I... I was just about to get up.”

Riftan quickly picked up the book in her arm. “Let’s go. I told them to set the table in the room.”

“Don’t you eat at the dining hall?”

Riftan shot a crooked look over his shoulder because of Ruth’s question.

“Everyone is going to be eating at the knights’ quarters. I also told the servants to bring me food because I was too busy.”

“What the hell have you done to keep people from coming to the dining hall with only physical strength?”

“Aren’t you being so petty about my wife being drunk?”

Max looked up at Riftan with a surprised face. Was it possible that he harshly criticized the knights for what he saw? Max shook her head feeling sorry for the knights who had been scolded because of her, but Riftan only snorted.

“When I saw the jar full of alcohol rise, again and again, I felt he had lost his discipline, so I imposed on him a hard training.”

“You did?” Ruth said sarcastically and sighed.

Riftan just walked out of the library, holding Max’s hand while pretending he didn’t hear his comment. Max left a small greeting to Ruth and hurried down the cold corridor with the man.

“S-still-“

Max was almost running to catch up as he took long strides. But after a while he paused and looked back at her.

Max took the opportunity and spoke carefully.

“A-are you still a-angry?”

“...”

“N-now... I d-don’t drink alcohol like that... I-I won’t drink t-too much from now on... I-I can’t believe I was so drunk, I-I didn’t know.”

“I’m not mad.. yet.”

Riftan bluntly spat out and resumed his steps. She walked quietly with him, sometimes sneaking glances at his face every now and then. Contrary to his words, his lips were sternly pursed. He was walking down the hallway silently, but when he entered the stairwell, he spat out.

“Are you with him every time you stay in the library?”

“What?” Max looked up at him in all curiousness at the sudden question, but soon she nodded slowly.

“R-Ruth... Most of his ti-time seems to be s-spent in the l-library. We almost always run into each other.”

Max decided not to mention that he had left the tower and is now treating the library as his dwelling place. She thought she should at least maintain that level of loyalty.

Riftan frowned faintly and asked, “You behave like a saint, don’t you? ... He’s such a naughty boy, and he often tries to get others into trouble and.. he’s involved in such strange experiments too...”

“It’s m-me who is a-always bothering h-him. H-he s-seems a little strange... I d-don’t really k-know... H-he is always t-teaching me things. E-even if it hasn’t been long since he arrived... h-he has been of great assistance to me.”

Somehow Riftan’s mood seemed to worsen at her answer. Max was anxious by the strange tension surrounding him. Did Riftan hate Ruth?

It seemed to her that there was a lot of trust between them, even though it didn’t seem like it sometimes. Max rolled her eyes wondering what to do with his look of displeasure. It wasn’t until they were near the door to their chambers that Riftan asked.

“... Do you like smart men?”

At that moment she realized that Riftan was really offended by his wife mingling with another man. He had never been conscious of Ruth in that way, the way he never thought it would be pleasant for a husband. Max jumped up in blue, worried that she might be suspected of chastity.

“I-I d-don’t like it! Of c-course I-I respect-him, but.. it’s not like t-that! Ruth’s a s-stickler! H-he’s always mean and Of c-course I-I a-appreciate his help. T-There’s nothing... I d-dont know. I-I can count on him w-when you a-are in trouble, but... I.. I mean, h-he nags a lot. It’s like a n-anny... Quite nosy.. I don’t think that’s.. I don’t think Riftan should..!”

Max, who was desperately clamoring to plead innocence, shut her mouth. Riftan was staring down at her. She opened and closed her mouth like a carp with her head lowered. Without looking in the mirror, she could tell her face was flushed. Her ears were burning, and she couldn’t stand the silence any longer, so she made a gibberish remark.

“I-I mean.. H-he’s reliable.. a-and he’s a good r-rider.. T-the k-kind of person w-who’s always nice... Y-you like it or not...”

“I mean you...”

Surprised by the thud, Max raised her head. Riftan was slamming his head against the door when he let out a deep sigh, leaning against his forehead.

“How much weirder should I make myself feel here?”

“W-what?..”

Riftan glared at her with slitted eyes, grabbed her hand and pushed open the door. Max was led into the room by his arm and he closed the door behind him. He then lifted her up and pushed her against the wall.