Chapter 399 - 160

399 Chapter 160

Maxi hastily stepped forward. "L-Let me call upon the duchy's vassals and have them send another supply party. It is not your obligation to fund the -"

"We can't waste any more time," Riftan interrupted, his tone icy. "Even if the vassals send more supplies, they will likely be ambushed again. It would be better to proceed to Dristan immediately."

With that, he nodded to his soldiers. "Transfer the supplies to our wagons. Combined with what we've bought here, it should sustain the army for about a week."

The soldiers swiftly unloaded sacks of bread, slabs of frozen meat, and barrels of ale. Maxi watched them heft the supplies onto their shoulders, biting her lip.

She shifted her gaze to the wagoners, her eyes narrowing. Though Riftan seemed convinced by their account, she could not shake her suspicion that this might be a ploy by the duke's vassals.

But a sly scheme or not, the supply party seemed visibly shaken. Maxi turned away. The truth of their claims was irrelevant; the army was still without supplies, as Riftan had noted. All her efforts had amounted to nothing. After instructing the knight behind her to accommodate the supply party to the barracks, she made her way to the Remdaragon Knights' camp.

"Don't blame yourself," Riftan said to her from behind. He squeezed her shoulder. "You did all you could."

Maxi looked up, startled. She had not expected him to be so keenly aware of her emotions.

He held her gaze before speaking again, sounding disgruntled. "I've told you repeatedly - you are no longer a Croyso. You are a Calypse. Your guilt on behalf of the duke is starting to get tiresome."

"I-I only...wanted to stop my father from troubling you any further."

"Look at me." He lifted her chin gently, gazing intently into her eyes. "The duke no longer has the power to trouble me. But even if he did, it's not something you need to apologize for."

"But..." Maxi started before closing her mouth. Arguing about her father would accomplish nothing. She forced a smile and said, "I understand."

Though he seemed to sense her lingering unease, Riftan kept silent. He sighed softly and lifted his hand from her shoulder. As he rejoined his knights, Maxi entered the barracks to gather her belongings .

Faced with dwindling supplies, the army had no choice but to press onto the next city despite the harsh weather. After packing herbs, magic stones, and several magical devices, Maxi went to the stable to check on Rem.

The mare was in excellent shape thanks to the attentive care she had received over the past few days. However, she seemed less than thrilled about another trek through the icy wilderness, stomping her hooves in protest as Maxi tried to take her out of her stall. It took a sugar cane to finally coax her out of the warm stables.

"W-We can...breathe easy for now," she murmured.

Catching her hushed comment, Elliot turned to look at her. "We will not be staying there long, my lady. Only the night. Then we must depart immediately for Vesmore."

Maxi struggled to hide her disappointment at the prospect of another battle before they had even gotten to rest. But they had to prevent the dragon's resurrection as soon as possible.

"I-I know," she replied.

Once they emerged from the gorge, the knights picked up their pace. Another hour or so, and there it was - the majestic sand colored gates of the fortress.

Maxi was slightly taken aback by the grand scale of the city, given its location on the border. Having grown up hearing that Dristanians were uncivilized, ruthless barbarians, she had not expected them to have architectural capabilities on par with Wedon. In fact, Dristan's buildings appeared even more formidable than those of her kingdom. Filled with wonder, she gazed up at the rectangular towers and the castle's thick stone walls.

Just then, a loud voice called from the front. "We are the coalition army sent by the Council of the Seven Kingdoms! Open the gates!"

The pulleys creaked, and the iron-clad gates swung open. A thunderous cheer erupted.

"Welcome to Braydon!"

Maxi glanced around at the people Gathered on either side of the road. hundreds of residents waved branches in the air, and some even scattered dried flower petals onto the streets. The warm welcome was in stark contrast to Maxi's concerns that they might receive a cooler reception than they had in the duchy.

"We thank you for making the long journey!"

As Maxi scanned the surroundings in a daze, a melodious voice carried to them from directly ahead. A young woman, surrounded by armored knights, came into view.

The woman gracefully stepped forward. "What a long time it's been, Sir Riftan. Shall I address you as Rosem Wigrew now?"

She offered a provocative smile before adding, "Or perhaps I should refer to you as Lord Calypse?"

"You may address me as you please," Riftan said curtly, dismounting from his horse.

He handed the reins over to a squire and approached the woman.

Maxi watched the scene with a guarded look. The woman was clearly of high standing. Her black hair was coiled and covered with a net adorned with pearls. Her long velvet dress was embroidered with golden roses, and her pale, slender neck and wrist were laden with jewels. With an almost haughty air, the woman extended a ring-adorned hand toward Riftan.