Chapter 186 (2/2)

“It’s j-just…Is that… dinner?”

“It’s soup, boiled with jerky and bread”

He crawled inside and set the tray on the floor His tall and sturdy figure instantly made the tent feel stuffy Max took the bowl of soup and watched out of the corner of her eye as Riftan stretched one of his legs and took off his ar her to eat her food

“The food is pretty hu it while we travel Even if it’s not to your liking, at least try eating it”

“…I have n-no complaints about the food”

Max responded with annoyance and ate in silence The bread was stale, and the soup tasted bland, but it was as if she was having a feast as all she had consumed since daas an apple and a few pieces of jerky Max ate her portion of food in a flash She was so hungry that she felt like she ht even eat the wooden tray

“You ry”

Riftan’s eyes sank as he watched her Max blushed, wondering if she ate too hungrily

“A-a little”

“This kind of deet to the port Can you really handle it?”

Max nodded stubbornly as Riftan continued to stare at her softly, eating his share of food As soon as they finished eating, they laid down next to each other in the tent Even though she felt like she could pass out frohed and rolled over to find a coainst his leg, Riftan, as using his arm as a pillow retracted his entire body as if he had just been burned by fire

Max immediately froze at the unexpected response Was there ever a time that he had hated a touch froether, he would always hold her in his aret as far away from her as possible as he pretended to sleep It was as if he could not stand to be even touched by her Max suddenly felt terrified Maybe Riftan wasn’t just mad at her, perhaps he was completely disappointed in her

Max looked at him anxiously and hovered her hand over his arm Riftan’s body visibly stiffened He inhaled sharply, and in the blink of an eye jurabbed his scabbard

“I’ll be outside, so go ahead and sleep”

Then, he left her without sparing a moment for her to hold him back Max blinked her eyes in bewilderment and pulled the covers over her head In the distance, she could hear thewater

Riftan hout the expedition During the day, he would lead the knights,her food and set up her bed, but that was all After that night, he never entered the tent again

When she asked Hebaron where he slept, she found out that he was sleeping in a blanket right outside her tent or stayed up all night Her anger skyrocketed when she heard this No ry he was at her, how could he not worry about his own health like an idiot? Max immediately confronted Riftan about it, but he only responded with agitation

“Trustoutside helps me rest better”

What else could she say when he was so firht that it was rather fortunate that the expedition was so horribly difficult If she wasn’t coh to i all day because of Riftan’s cold attitude towards her

“Starting noill be crossing that mountain The road will be difficult, so you will have to follow carefully”

Gabel warned her as they passed through the dense forest Max nodded and wiped the beads of sweat from her forehead That day was particularly hot and huust of wind

Max looked up at the blazing sun peeking through the foliage and stroked Rem, who seeret of not having brought the hat and veil that the pair of sea It worried her that she would grow more freckles on her face

“There is a small town just past here If we are lucky, ill be able to sleep in a place with a bed tonight So please lift your spirits up a little ht of washi+ng her body in cool, clean water, scrubbing her hair with soap, and sleeping in a clean bed invigorated her They had travelled tirelessly for so long that even the horses started showing signs of exhaustion and visibly slowed down Eventually, they had to dismount froasped as they climbed the steep ht that seeped through the dense leaves stung her eyes She gazed at the steep mountain path hazily Her chest ached as if it had been stabbed with every breath she took and the soles of her feet felt like they were set on fire

She longed to propose resting for a while, but she desperately suppressed it down her throat The endless infernal march continued for what seemed like an eternity, when it h of relief at the loud roar that rang out from the front

“Put up a barrier, now!”

It was Riftan’s voice, Max looked around as all the knights drew their swords in a state of half-confusion

“Goblins!”

Before she could process as happening, the ground began to ruan to rain down from over their heads Max screa dwarf creature with dark green skin and a blunt, aquiline nose sprinted towards her carrying an ax

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Note – LF: I have a feeling Riftan is feeling horny that’s why he didn’t want to be around Maxi Just like the chapters when he avoided her as he brought her to Anatol lol

Nymeria: That’s definitely the case, LF At this point I’d expect Maxi to understand hiuess her innocence is still intact lol Also Riftan being as petty as her with that “Not Sir Calypse?” made my day lmaoo