Just like what Riftan said, they got up from bed around noon and strode down to the great hall as soon as they cleaned themselves and got dressed.
He opened the door with one hand while the other was enveloping Max close to his body, who seems to be feeling a bit chilly.
"Captain! We mish you! Havend sheen you for a long time!"
The orange-haired man cried with a mouth full of meat as soon as Riftan entered the hall.
"Lady Calypse too! You seem lovelier than ever!" He exclaimed, Riftan glared at him as he pulled a sit for Max.
"Shut up Nirta." Riftan hissed, now pulling Maxi by the hand as if she was a child who will get lost in the great hall then guiding her to sit. Max smiled at Hebaron's playfulness then took a seat.
"What? You don't think the lady is lovely?" Hebaron teased as if innocent from Riftan's view with Max.
Before Riftan could retaliate from Hebaron's teasing, Gabel decided to butt in and add more the teases.
"No, no Sir Nirta. It's the other way around, the commander hates it when other men compliment the lady." Gabel paused, pretending to think. "What do you call that again?"
"Jealousy. Selfishness." Uslin, who was seated in between Hebaron and Gabel, chimed in, gracefully cutting a piece of meat.
"WHAT?!" Riftan put down the mug with a thud. "I AM NOT! HOW CAN THAT BE JEALOUSY AND SELFISHNESS?!"
The three snorted at his reactions. On his side, Riftan noticed Max's gone quiet and looking down on her lap, fidgeting on her fingers. Sht. These idiots.
He sighed, completely defeated. His fingers naturally fiddled on his locks as if it was a habit. He looked away from them to hide his embarrassment, "I mean, yes, I admit I am jealous and maybe... it's considered selfishness if I don't... don't like it when other men take notice of her beauty." He swallowed and gulped the rest of his drinks.
Max, on the other hand, was looking like a red beet on her face down to her neck. She felt a great sense of victory upon Riftan's admittance.
Why the f*ck is he stuttering? They of them thought.
The knights who initiated the teasing ended up feeling extreme discomfort after witnessing their tough, muscular and eerie-looking commander blushed while confessing beside his sulking wife. They were not prepared for this. The image of him with reddened earlobes, fidgeting on his locks that swirls slightly to the right and ultimately shying away from them will be forever embedded in their minds.
"I don't want to get used to this." Uslin whispered while the two beside him nodded in agreement.
The giggling maids fixed themselves hiding away the smiles and chuckles. They quickly served food and drinks, placing roasted chicken, sausages, beef jerky and some vegetables on the side.
The maid serving them noticed Max was shivering a bit, her shoulders were shaking. She left and returned with a bowl of beef bone broth soup with slices of meat, potatoes and green vegetables.
"Madam, please have some soup." The maid carefully placed it in front of Max and stood still as if waiting for her to accept or reject the offer.
Max stared at the bowl with obvious expression of relief to the steam hugging her cheeks, afterwards, she turned to the maid to thank her and smiled happily. She quickly scooped the thick soup with bits of meat, blew and gulped the tasty flavors.
The maid was thrilled as she was able to get a positive reaction while tip-toeing around Lord Calypse who was quite engaged with her and the lady's exchange of words.
