Despite the distance, Max could clearly see her father’s jaw stubbornly stiffening, it was an expression he used to make to suppress his temper when his anger peaked. The Duke of Croix glared at Riftan with hostility, directing his eyes towards him as if he wanted to kill him. He was holding the cane in his hand so tightly that it seemed as if his veins would burst.

  Max noticed her father’s speech indeed became slightly slurred, but not enough to sound ridiculous. His sense of authority, arrogance, and pride were etched deep in his bones to the point that he appeared overbearing even in front of the king. However, the Duke of Croix himself appeared aware and humiliated of the slurred speech that was the aftermath of the incident. Every time he spoke a word, anger flared in his eyes, he glared at Riftan with such hatred that it made everyone in the hall discreetly nervous, but Riftan’s anger and hostility were no less than the duke’s. The king swept an annoyed look at the two people who were at the verge of attacking each other right then and there, he then clicked his tongue and turned to Count Robern.

  Count Robern smiled bitterly and instructed the nearby butler to take the distinguished guests to their rooms. When the king led the princess and the attendants like a sole general, climbing the stairs covered in the shadow of gloomy gray, the people who were kneeling in respect all stood up at once. Max watched in confusion as the Duke of Croix hurried to retreat behind the knights. When she saw her father’s malevolent expression, an abominable premonition came over her that nothing would change her father’s mind.

  Riftan looked at the duke with deep contempt, then turned his head as if he couldn’t stand the sight of him.

  Together they walked towards the annex. When her husband’s large, trustworthy body completely blocked her father’s hateful gaze, Max managed to release the breath she had been holding. Riftan led her to an empty room and began to convince her again.

  Max shook her head firmly.

  Riftan snapped harshly and Max released a weary sigh.

  Riftan gave her an expression like he was cornered. Max took his stiff hands and gave him a sincere smile.

  Perhaps those were words that were preferable not to say because Riftan’s face turned grim and a sharp pain could be seen in his eyes. He seemed determined to speak until they heard a firm knock on the door.

  It was Uslin Rikaido’s voice. Riftan looked at Max in anguish and reluctantly left.

  Riftan, standing in front of the door, gave this stern order to the knights who were there and crossed the hall quickly. Max sat in front of the fireplace and waited impatiently for the meeting to begin. A second felt like a minute and a minute like an hour. A long time passed, she began to bite her nails and her mouth felt dry until she heard a knock on the door again.

  Max stood in front of the mirror and looked at herself. There were several fine hairs sticking out of her carefully braided hair, but she managed to look elegant. She carefully put her cloak over her shoulder and left the room.

  Uslin answered as he led through the hall and then to the stairs situated in the middle.

  Max was relieved that there would be fewer people than she had expected, but when she saw the huge number of people following the duke, she felt a bit daunted. The knights led her to the conference room located on the second floor and she looked around with a tensed gaze. At the farthest side of the spacious conference room, King Ruben took a seat with dignity as if he were a judge, on the right was Princess Agnes and on the left was Count Robern, both of them had solemn expressions.

  Riftan and the Duke of Croix were sitting on either ends of a long table in the middle of the room, both turning their heads the opposite direction as if they despised seeing a glimpse of each other. Max was stiff and frozen as Elliott led her to the end of the room, to the side where Riftan was sitting.

  Max sat in one of the long rows of chairs that were propped along the walls. Elliott and Uslin sat on either side of her. The king, who was looking at a long scroll of parchment, raised his head and asked.

  The king leaned an elbow on the armrest of his chair and tilted his chin, waving the parchment.

  He glanced mockingly at the parchment and smirked as if the whole thing was amusing.

  Uslin rose from his seat furiously as if to protest, but before he could say anything, King Ruben calmly continued.

  The duke banged on the table and quivered as he retorted, his face turning a reddish color.

  Uslin, who had lost patience, raised his voice.

  One of the attendants tried to warn him about his rude action, but King Ruben raised a hand and clenched his chin as if to speak. After ignoring Riftan’s warning look, Uslin knelt on one knee before the king and began to speak rapidly.

  The duke screamed as he slammed the table.

  King Ruben frowned and he muttered.

  At the king’s cold warning, the duke closed his mouth with an expression of dissatisfaction. King Ruben paused for a moment with a thoughtful expression and opened his mouth again.

  he said naturally without blinking.

  Riftan, who was sitting quietly and had maintained a calm temper, suddenly froze. As if he couldn’t believe what he had heard, he looked at the duke with stern eyes.

  His gaze was so fierce that the duke’s body stiffened and his face paled. He stirred like he was seeing his worst nightmare, turned his head, and appealed to the king.

  Elliott screamed as he stood up and glared at him.

  Uslin and Elliot stood from their seats and glared at the duke with such hostility in their eyes that the knights by the king’s side felt the fierce momentum from the two and they quickly drew out their swords.

  As they reluctantly sat back down, the king shifted his position and heaved a long sigh. His indifferent eyes then turned to Max who had stiffened.

  The king sternly stopped Riftan’s intervention.

  Max tried to smile at Riften to comfort him when she saw him so stiff and began to stand up slowly. She felt her fingers tremble slightly at her father’s intense gaze. She grabbed the hem of her skirt to grasp out her nervousness and straightened her posture.

  She swallowed dry saliva and tried as hard as she could to refine her trembling voice.

  Her voice cracked slightly. She took a little pause and looked at Riftan’s face. When she saw his pale, weary face, her chest ached. She just wanted to get him out of this place and embrace him tightly against her chest. Max licked her dry lips and desperately spoke the words out of her lips.

  She hesitated for a moment, then exhaled laboriously.

  The duke was so tense that a vein protruded from rage. He opened his mouth wide, as if he were about to vomit profanity, then clenched his teeth as if swallowing a ball of fire. He had an expression of disbelief, he looked as if his slave rebelled against him, the master.

  Max lowered her eyes to avoid that look full of anger. After a moment of silence, the king opened his mouth to speak again.

  The king sighed and burrowed his back into the leather-covered chair.

  The duke rebutted desperately.

  Max was completely overwhelmed by her father’s impudence. He had such a calm, insolent expression and it manipulated even her to believe his words. The duke lifted his chin proudly.

  He turned and looked directly into Riftan’s fiery eyes. Apparently, the hatred that welled up in his gut gave him the courage to look at Riftan and he continued.

  Hearing the duke’s roar, Max held her forehead with her hand and staggered, Elliott quickly held her up, but his face was just as pale as hers. As if already prepared for this outcome, Riftan sat silently with an expressionless face.

  Note –

  : I can’t describe the hatred I’m feeling right now >:(