UNDER THE OAK TREE

387 Chapter 148

As soon as the soldiers laid the patients on rush mats, Maxi bent down to examine them. Most were unconscious, and the pallor of some was so pronounced that she feared they might have already drawn their final breaths. She signaled to the medics, instructing them to carefully remove the patients' armor.

She positioned herself beside a soldier whose injuries looked most critical. Taking hold of the man's heavily dented helmet, she pried it off, revealing a swollen temporal region that resembled a pufferfish. She swallowed back a defeated sigh; the damage to his skull had led to a buildup of blood within his head. Magic offered little aid in cases like these. She called out for a cleric and moved on to the next patient.

Excluding the medics assisting with more routine tasks, fewer than fifteen attended to the multitude of injured soldiers within the rectangular tent. Maxi could not help but imagine what it would have been like before she, Ruth, and the four mages of Wedon's royal army had arrived. During that period, a mere seven or eight healers would have shouldered the responsibility of over a hundred patients.

Maxi scanned the area, searching for the Temple Knights and high priests from Balto who had helped transport the holy relic.

"W-What are the clerics doing?" she asked Ruth, who was examining a soldier in the cot opposite.

"Performing purification rites over there." He wiped his brow on his sleeve and nodded to where Kuahel Leon and around thirty clerics were engaged in a simple rite. They moved among the bodies of the fallen soldiers laid out on the ground. "The dead will turn into ghouls if they are not purified immediately. Until the situation is under control, the clerics are focusing on the bodies."

Maxi swallowed back a sigh before continuing her duties. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Fortunately, the coalition army had many well-trained medics. With the siege paused for the evening, the influx of casualties dwindled, offering a brief respite from the chaos.

After ensuring every patient had been cared for, Maxi joined Ruth at a nearby campfire. He was busy boiling herbs above the crackling flames.

"The commander of the duchy's army told me... m-my father is not long for this world," she said.

Ruth turned to her, his brow furrowed. "Don't tell me you pity the man."

"O-Of course not! It's just... after hearing that I am the likely heir once he's gone... I could not help but wonder if we could leverage this to our advantage."

Ruth looked taken aback. He regarded her with a pensive expression before asking grimly, "Did that commander give you the impression he wanted you to inherit the duchy?"

"N-No, I believe he was more curious about my intentions." Maxi glanced around to make sure they were not being overheard and added in a hushed voice, "He seemed reluctant to offend Riftan... given the possibility of the duchy falling into my hands. And it occurred to me... that by appearing to assert my claim, I could also influence the behavior of the other vassals."

Ruth, who had been quietly mulling over her words, stroked his chin thoughtfully. "That's... not a bad idea."

Maxi could tell he was turning her proposal over, likely adding to it in ways she had not even considered.

After silently stirring the pot for quite some time, Ruth spoke slowly as though still organizing his thoughts. "While principle dictates that an estate should pass to a daughter in the absence of a male heir, in practice, it's a rarity for a woman to inherit her father's lands or title. The estate is typically transferred to a male relative or given to another by the king. But your ladyship has a compelling claim. Not only was your mother a direct descendant of Darian the Monarch, but your father's control over his lands is by virtue of his union with the Roemian royal family. King Reuben can't simply bestow the title to anyone, as Dristan would demand the return of its eastern territories unless the next duke is of the Roem line. Currently, only you, the crown princess, and her son possess the right to the duchy. ησ?ε??υ??.￠σмAnd as the firstborn, your claim is the strongest."

As she listened to Ruth's lengthy explanation, Maxi's brows furrowed in thought. "I am not... really wanting to take ownership of the land. There is no question... that Rosetta would get the duchy. She has the support of the royal family and our father's vassals. Given that he will likely leave everything to Rosetta's child, I don't intend on being drawn into a taxing battle."

"But you wish to instill fear by pretending you are interested?" Ruth's lips curled into a cunning smile. "The inheritance is not yet a certainty. The crown princess may enjoy the backing of the royal family, but you have Sir Riftan, the most influential figure in the southern reaches of the kingdom. Given his sway over the court, anyone with half a brain would tread carefully not to offend you."

Maxi's expression brightened. "Then... do you think I could pressure the vassals into sending supplies?"

"It depends on how convincingly you play the role," Ruth responded coolly, lowering the pot to the ground. "The duke has the power to reclaim any land he once granted his vassals, replace administrators, or reassign custodians. He can turn a cleric of his choosing into a high priest in any of the regions within his domain. It's how he maintains absolute obedience. But manage to expose his heir, in practice, it's a rarity for a woman to inherit her father's lands or title. The estate is typically transferred to a male relative or given to another by the king. But your ladyship has a compelling claim. Not only was your mother a direct descendant of Darian the Monarch, but your father's control over his lands is by virtue of his union with the Roemian royal family. King Reuben can't simply bestow the title to anyone, as Dristan would demand the return of its eastern territories unless the next duke is of the Roem line. Currently, only you, the crown princess, and her son possess the right to the duchy. And as the firstborn, your claim is the strongest."

As she listened to Ruth's lengthy explanation, Maxi's brows furrowed in thought. "I am not... really wanting to take ownership of the land. There is no question... that Rosetta would get the duchy. She has the support of the royal family and our father's vassals. Given that he will likely leave everything to Rosetta's child, I don't intend on being drawn into a taxing battle."

"But you wish to instill fear by pretending you are interested?" Ruth's lips curled into a cunning smile. "The inheritance is not yet a certainty. The crown princess may enjoy the backing of the royal family, but you have Sir Riftan, the most influential figure in the southern reaches of the kingdom. Given his sway over the court, anyone with half a brain would tread carefully not to offend you."

Maxi's expression brightened. "Then... do you think I could pressure the vassals into sending supplies?"

"It depends on how convincingly you play the role," Ruth responded coolly, lowering the pot to the ground. "The duke has the power to reclaim any land he once granted his vassals, replace administrators, or reassign custodians. He can turn a cleric of his choosing into a high priest in any of the regions within his domain. It's how he maintains absolute obedience. But manage to expose his heal.

Maxi left the tent with a heavy heart. She instructed the medics emerging from their lodgings to prepare tonics and porridge for the patients before heading toward the cooking area for breakfast.

Hundreds of soldiers were already lined up to receive their rations. Spotting Ruth's haggard face among them, she happily walked up to him.

"G-Good morning, Ruth," Maxi greeted automatically, then blushed as she realized the inappropriateness of such pleasantries on a battlefield.

Ruth, however, seemed unaffected. He responded with his usual nonchalance, yawning widely. "Good morning, my lady. Did you manage to rest last night?"

"Y-Yes, I did. Say, have you seen Riftan? I don't think he returned to the tent last night."

"He is in a strategy meeting with the knights in those barracks over there. We'll be joining them shortly. It seems they've come up with a feasible plan."

Maxi was suddenly wide awake. "Th-That was quick."

"Not at all," said Ruth. "In fact, we're lagging behind compared to Sir Sejuleu and Princess Agnes's units. They have already reclaimed three castles, while we've yet to take back even one. I think Sir Riftan intends to liberate Midna by tomorrow and then lead the army directly to the border."

Maxi stared at the sorcerer blankly. She could not fathom how that could be possible.

Ruth continued, now moving in the line for food, "Once we've retaken Midna and Vesmore Castle, we can set up a powerful barrier that will cut off all mana flow into the Lexos Mountains. That should thwart the dragon's revival."

"Tell me more about this barrier," Maxi asked, suddenly curious. Ruth looked at her quizzically as he ladled porridge into a bowl. "Have I not already explained it? The barrier was established four- well, nearly five years ago now. It was put there by the church before the Dragon Campaign. They identified five sites with strong energy currents and built holy sanctuaries, inscribing ancient divine runes to ward off the entire mountain range. It played a crucial role during the Dragon Campaign."

"Yes, I remember that part," Maxi said. "I meant... more specifics."

Ruth stood in silence for a moment until complaints from the back of the line prompted him to move forward.

Maxi clutched her bowl and hurried after him. "What role did the barrier play, exactly?"