Max held the doorknob as she waited for Rudis’ response. Rudis was evidently hesitant, her face uneasy as she opened her mouth with a reluctant tone.

  As soon as Max heard her response, she immediately opened the door without any hesitation and left the room. She could feel Rudis rush to follow her, but she pretended to be ignorant of it and quickly ran down the stairs, seeing servants busily carrying kegs of beverage and trays of food. Max brushed off their startled glances and headed straight for the dining hall. She hid along the hallway that led to the dining hall and secretly listened to the loud voices of the knights. It was difficult to understand every detail of the conversation as it was a mix of Whedon and Southern languages, but it seemed like they were talking about war horses and weapons.

  Max frowned at the tepid conversation. The atmosphere was so casual that it didn’t seem like a place to discuss important issues.

  ‘Were they…… really just hired to keep Anatol safe?’


  She wanted to try peeking through the cracks of the dining halls’ doors, but she didn’t want to be caught by any of the knights who always had keen senses, so she settled for listening to the intermittent voices that resounded from a distance. Then suddenly, someone tapped her shoulder. Max let out a little startled cry and looked to see who it was. Ruth was glaring down at her with creased eyebrows.

  Max was embarrassed to be found spying, so her face turned red, and she quickly straightened up her posture.

  Ruth’s eyes narrowed as she fiddled with the hair that fell forward her face and searched for an excuse. Max awkwardly lowered her gaze. Since seeing him again back in Croix Castle, they never had a proper conversation yet, so she had no idea how to approach him. Max stuttered as she struggled to make up her excuse.

  Ruth looked into the dining room and clicked his tongue like it wasn’t worth knowing.

  Max forgot her embarrassment at Ruth’s accusing tone and glared at him. As he witnessed her attitude take a turn, he turned his back at her to hide his laugh.

  Before Max could retort, Ruth went up the narrow stairs which were used by the servants. Rudis, who followed Max like a shadow, hesitantly followed, looking anxiously towards the dining hall that was noisy from the knights’ voices. Ruth proceeded to the drawing room situated on the second floor, then pulled the window curtains open and lit the fire with magic.

  He asked as he dragged a chair next to the fire and sat down. Max, who was standing by the doorway, nodded.

  Ruth muttered bitterly and gestured his head to urge her to sit down. Max asked Rudis to bring him a cup of hot drink and then carefully sat down across from him. After a moment of silence, Ruth spoke first.

  She fiddled with her skirt and plucked up her courage to raise her head and look at him. There was no sign of pity or awkwardness in the wizard’s eyes. Max’s shoulders relaxed as she watched him poke at the fireplace with the usual slightly gloomy and indifferent expression Ruth wore. Max sighed in relief at his normal attitude and raised her question comfortably.

  Ruth asked back, his forehead wrinkling. Max thought for a moment then shook her head. The wizard took some time to hesitate then eventually confessed a sigh.

  Max’s whole body froze. Although she half expected that it would happen, her heart still sank upon confirming it from someone else’s words. Seeing her complexion turn pale, Ruth hasted to speak.

  Ruth opened his mouth and closed it again as if he couldn’t find the right words to say. Max lowered her head with a desperate expression. Her clasped hands visibly trembled. As she bit her lips, she felt the guilt and shame weighing heavily on her chest, then Ruth spoke in a cold voice.

  As if that thought didn’t cross his mind, Ruth shrugged and replied.

  Max’s shoulders tensed and she couldn’t help asking.

  Despite being vague about what she was pertaining to, Ruth seemed to have known what she meant. He paused for a moment and rubbed his nape, then eventually nodded his head.

  Ruth added hesitantly.

  Max lowered her eyes in shame, not knowing what kind of reaction she should have. Ruth spoke with an exaggerated sigh, as if trying to clear the deeply sunken atmosphere.

  Ruth’s voice suddenly dropped low. Max flinched and raised her head. The wizard looked at her with a serious gaze.

  Max’s lips quivered, she was at loss for words. She was reminded of that time when she envied the bond that glued Riftan, Ruth, and the Knights. Her heart raced. She wondered if she was really considered as part of that bond now. Seeing her face that was deep in thought, Ruth gave her a bitter smile.

  Max bit her trembling lips lightly and her eyes went watery. At the same time, her throat felt blocked as if she had swallowed a piece of lead. If she hadn’t followed her father in the first place, it wouldn’t have been necessary for Riftan nor the Knights to go to war. If she had not been so weak, if she only had a little courage and had believed in Riftan, if she only had believed in others, she would not have thrown herself out in that situation if she didn’t abandon her own self……

  She closed her eyes tightly and spoke roughly.

  Ruth said firmly.

  A perplexed expression floated across Ruth’s face as if he thought she might burst into tears with her weak, trembling voice. Then, he spoke to her in a soothing manner.

  Ruth shrugged his shoulders as if what he was saying was a matter of fact and murmured.

  Then Max asserted urgently.

  Max’s shoulders grew more tense. A cold sweat formed on her back when she remembered her father’s figure, laying on the floor, covered in blood. He is certainly not the type of person who would sit still after going through such a thing.

  She bit her lip gently and then nodded with a stiff face.

  Max ended the conversation and rose from her seat, Ruth followed her and stood up as well while giving her a stern look.

  Ruth narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms in front of his chest as he gave her a relenting serious look.

  Max’s face turned red at his words that seemed to see through her.

  Note –

  : I love how even Ruth is in favor of the war lol. And aww, Max is really part of the RDK <3