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Under the Oak Tree

Under the Oak Tree

Suji Kim

Fantasy Romance

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Synopsis

The official English translation is finally here!

A flawless love story of the flawed.

Stuttering lady Maximilian is forced into a marriage with Sir Riftan, but he leaves on a campaign after their wedding night. 3 years later, he triumphantly returns, ready to cherish her. As life with her husband finally begins, she only has one question — does she deserve this love and happiness?

[The first season's spin-off and the second season of "Under the Oak Tree" will resume in the last week of August. Thank you for your support and patience in the meanwhile.]

Top Reviews

esra_Ha

esra_Ha

Status: c4 5d
Really captivating story. finally the official English translation is here .
This is the best love story any one will find in this world 💜 .
both maxi and riftan have flaws and their love is like they can do anything for each other.The main character is lovable and even when she struggles, you know she is trying her best. 
Thank you author for the wonderful story you made 😭💜.
Drasia_

Drasia_

Status: c1 10d
is this really original?  is this really straight from the author?  Is that true??? huhu 😭😭😭🥰🥰🥰🥳🥳🥳💕💕💕🌻🌻🌻😲😲😲🤗🤗🤗😋😋😋😘😘😘
DaoisttG3KuY

DaoisttG3KuY

1yr
bit.ly/3LyRF1N
💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗 

Chapter 1: Chapter 1

Maximilian Calypse paced around the drawing room.

She was so nervous that she did not realize she was biting her fingernails until the Duke of Croyso entered the room. Hearing his cane strike the floor with a clack, she hurriedly hid her hands behind her back.

"Have I not warned you time and again about that revolting habit of yours?"

"F-Forgive me…"

Hearing the biting chill of her father's voice, Maxi hung her head low. The duke clicked his tongue disapprovingly.

"Do not embarrass me. You have been fortunate beyond what you deserve. Should your repulsive behavior besmirch our family name, I shall not forgive you."

Cold sweat trickled down her back. As she opened her mouth to form some semblance of a reply, her spine went stiff with fear.

"I-I sh-shall do as you c-command, F-Father. W-When he comes, I-I will…"

Even without raising her head, Maxi knew perfectly well what sort of expression her father was making, for he wore a grimace of disgust whenever he heard her speak. Scrambling for words, Maxi tried to remain calm.

"I-I w-will persuade h-him t-to remain in th-this m-marriage…"

"Enough!"

The duke rapped his cane on the floor.

"Is it too much for you to talk and behave normally even for a day — no, for even an hour? What kind of man would want a stuttering wife?"

"I… I…"

"Riftan Calypse is no longer a low-class knight! He is now one of the best swordmasters in the continent — a hero who defeated the Red Dragon, Sektor! The church will annul this marriage at a word from him!"

Panting, the duke pressed a hand to his forehead. The mere thought of divorce scandalized him.

"I shall not allow the eldest Croyso daughter to be divorced by some lowborn knight! I will not stand by while my halfwit of a daughter ruins the reputation of this house!"

Maxi bit her lips, words rising in her throat like bile. It's not my fault. Neither she nor Riftan Calypse had ever expressed a desire to be wed to each other. It was her father who had pushed the marriage through.

As if he had read her thoughts, the duke followed with a scathing remark.

"If only you were half as beautiful as Rosetta… No, if only you were normal! Then I would not have to crawl at that lowborn's feet to humor his whims!"

At the mention of her half-sister, who was as beautiful as a rose in full bloom, the handful of defiance she had mustered slipped through her fingers like dry sand. The duke took in his daughter's face, which had turned deathly pale. He carried on without mercy.

"King Reuben may wish to take Riftan Calypse as his son-in-law, but there's nothing he can do if Calypse refuses! Had you managed to win your husband's affection, you would not be facing divorce! You have no one to blame but yourself!"

"B-But… h-he left for the c-campaign the d-day after the w-wedding…"

Maxi had hardly had a chance to talk to Riftan, let alone win his affection. She was about to protest when her vision went white for a split second as her father's cane landed on her side. Gasping for breath, she curled up. The pain was so severe that she could not even scream.

"How dare you talk back to me! Just thinking of that loathsome impediment of yours infuriates me!"

She quickly nodded to avert further blows. The duke's lips twitched as if readying itself to spew forth another stream of vitriol, but a knock on the door distracted him. He spun around to face the door. The quiet voice of a maidservant came through.

"Your Grace, the Remdragon Knights have arrived."

"Show them in!"

Her face filled with terror, Maxi raised her eyes at her father. He hissed through his teeth.

"Make it clear to Calypse that the marriage will not be annulled. I warn you once again — if you bring shame upon our house, you'll pay the price!"

The duke stomped out of the room. Maxi leaned against the window, stifling her breath while waiting for the throbbing pain to subside.

Blinded by the autumn sunlight streaming in through the window, she blinked back her tears. Crying would not make anything better. It would only drag her down deeper into the abyss.

Maxi clasped her shaking hands together. She had to collect herself — divorce was equivalent to a death sentence for a noblewoman. She would not only end up the target of ridicule, but also disgrace her entire family.

It was an unimaginable dishonor, one that could only be counteracted through a duel against Riftan Calypse. But the Duke of Croyso had no sons, and none among his relatives or sworn knights stood a chance against Riftan.

Who could win a duel against a swordmaster who had felled a dragon? Tarnishing her family name seemed inevitable. The duke would never forgive her — a timely accident might kill her before the annulment was complete. She would not put such designs past her father.

I must do everything to prevent that…

But would Riftan Calypse listen to her?

She bit her lips, feeling as though she was standing at the edge of a precipitous cliff. Her marriage had been arranged solely for the convenience of the duke and his knights.

Three years prior, when news had spread across the continent that Sektor the Red Dragon had awoken from hibernation, King Elnuima Reuben III had issued an order for his vassals to participate in a campaign to subdue it.

Duke Croyso had also been bound by law to gather his forces and embark on the campaign. But he had found a way to shift his duty to Riftan Calypse by marrying off his daughter.

Maxi shuddered, recalling the thinly veiled insults whispered among the guests on her wedding day. As a low-class knight, Riftan had had no choice but to obey the duke's command and make an appearance in the wedding hall. Maxi could not imagine the resentment and humiliation he must have felt that day. He had looked as if he was suppressing something, and she had been terrified by the expression on his face.

If I were half as beautiful as Rose, could I have won his heart?

These thoughts only deepened her torment. Riftan Calypse was a stunning man. Even Rosetta, who often mocked his humble background, could not help but blush when she saw him dressed in the ceremonial attire of his order.

Riftan could have chosen any beautiful lady to court. How could he possibly find a plain-looking woman with a stutter attractive, especially now that his accomplishments had superseded his lowborn status?

Now that he's likely to marry a princess, my pleas won't be enough to change his mind.

They had spent a single night together after the wedding. The following morning, Riftan had left for the campaign without a word, and he had never once written to her in his absence. Maxi could not be sure that he even thought of her as his wife.

With her mind clouded by dark thoughts, she had just buried her face in her hands when she heard a sullen voice.

"This is a sight to behold."

Maxi looked up with a jolt to see a giant of a man glowering at her from the door. She had not heard him enter.

"A wife trembling in fear while awaiting her husband's return from mortal peril," the man said sarcastically, approaching her with slow, silent footsteps.

Dressed in silver armor and a navy-blue tunic reminiscent of a monk's robes, Riftan was far more powerfully built and intimidating than Maxi remembered. Frozen, Maxi held her breath as she watched him draw closer.

"I didn't expect a warm welcome, but did you have to tremble as if I were carrying the plague?"

His frigid tone snapped Maxi out of her trance. Realizing that she had managed to displease him within minutes of their reunion, blood drained from her face.

"I-I am relieved t-to see you u-unharmed…"

What else could she say? She did not even know how to address him.

Riftan? Too intimate. Sir Riftan? He would surely mock her. Max's voice trailed off in confusion. Unsettled by his piercing gaze, she took a step back.

She could not fathom why he was looking at her like that. His face hardened further with each step of her retreat. Finally, he yanked Maxi's arm toward him with a threatening whisper.

"At least pretend you're happy to see me!"

She froze. Their bodies were so close that she could smell the potent undertones of leather, horses, and sweat. The overwhelming maleness of the scents pushed up memories that she had hidden even from herself over the past three years.

The curious heat radiating from his muscular body. A gaze that seemed to see straight into her mind. He had looked at her with that same look in his eyes that day. Like a hound about to rip apart fresh meat…

Maxi hastily lowered her gaze. She could feel her face burning. There was no stopping the torrent of memories now that the floodgates had opened. Memories of that night washed over her, as vivid as if they had occurred just yesterday.

Chapter 2: Chapter 2

"Take off your clothes."

A bewildered Maxi looked apprehensively at her new husband. Her nursemaid had led her by the hand to the bridal chamber just as the wedding feast was coming to an end. She was sitting on the bed after the maidservants had finished bathing her when he entered the room.

Unable to gauge his intentions, she could only stare at him wide-eyed. She could not comprehend why the man who had ignored her throughout the ceremony would abruptly make such a demand. Although she was vaguely aware that intimate, unspoken things happened between husbands and wives in the privacy of the bedroom, she had never been made privy to the details.

Her nursemaid had impressed upon her that she must follow her husband's commands and remain still, no matter what he did. Surely removing her clothes wasn't one of the commands that she was expected to obey without question… She was still in a daze when he pulled his tunic over his head and shot her an impatient look.

Riftan Calypse stepped closer. "Must I remove them myself?"

Maxi let out a gasp. Every cord of muscle on Riftan's body seemed to be made of steel. His shoulders were twice as broad as hers. His long, thick neck was connected to a solid chest, which tapered down to a taut, slim waist, not unlike that of a graceful panther.

Maxi had heard that Riftan was a giant even among the knights, but to see him standing before her eyes was overwhelming. Her mouth went dry. A few blows from her father had caused her unbearable pain. Would she survive if a man like Riftan decided to strike her?

"You're looking at me as if you've seen a monster."

Maxi flinched. His tone was frosty. He crossed the distance to the bed with a single stride and looked hard at her. Maxi's line of vision was filled entirely by his body, which gleamed bronze in the glow of the flames dancing in the fireplace.

"Do you find me so undesirable?"

"Ah… I-I…"

He leaned over her. Two black pupils embedded in a near-flawless face gave off a frightful glint. His mouth, clenched shut, twisted into a cynical smile.

"How could I, a lowly knight, expect to please the proud daughter of a duke?"

Maxi trembled uncontrollably at his contemptuous tone. As his wife, she was his possession and at his mercy. He had the right to flog her and subject her to the cruelest of punishments if he so wished. Realizing that she had earned his scorn, she broke into a cold sweat.

"Come. Fulfill your marital duties."

Maxi wanted to ask what her duties were, but the question never left her lips. She kept her gaze locked at his feet as his body cast a dark shadow over her. A long, calloused finger reached down to lift her chin. There was something subtle in his gaze that she could not read.

"A marriage is annulled if it is not consummated. Do you wish to leave me?"

She trembled, feeling as if she was drowning in the depths of those dark pupils. This brought yet another sneer to his lips.

"Speak now if you want me to dress and leave."

"…"

"I won't stop once we begin."

Maxi's mouth went dry. Her father would never forgive her if she let him leave. Remembering that they had never had a choice to begin with, she squeezed her eyes shut and began to unclasp her belt with shaking fingers.

She feared her father's blows far more than the shame that she would suffer at the hands of this strange man. Should she fail, her father would not stop at a beating. He would punish her brutally and send in another knight to this very room in a matter of days. She was nothing more than a tool for her father's convenience.

Maxi removed her jewelry one by one and set them next to the bed in suffocating silence. The only sound in the room was the crackling of burning firewood. Riftan's gaze bore into her. She pulled down the straps of her linen dress and removed her arms from the frilly sleeves.

The night air felt cold against her bare back and shoulders. Not daring to expose herself further, she stopped undressing, clutching the dress to her bosom. Seeing her hesitate, Riftan knelt on the bed and pulled her dress down.

"W-W-Wait…"

The dress slipped off her body before she could stop it. She desperately clutched at her skirt. Riftan grew impatient.

"Keep your hands away."

"W-Why a-are you p-pulling…"

She gazed up at him in confusion. His face was concealed in shadow, silhouetted against the light. Being unable to see his expression only intensified her terror.

"Do you want me to leave? Make up your mind."

Maxi stifled her sobs. As she reluctantly lowered her hands, the dress slid to her waist. Riftan pulled it down further and flung it on the floor, sending shivers up her spine.

"There's no turning back now."

His deep voice chilled Maxi's heart. His rough, warm hands caressed her tense body. She pushed him away instinctively, only to end up caught more firmly in his embrace as he locked an arm around her waist. As skin touched skin, his body exuded an unfamiliar heat that made her shudder for a reason she could not explain.

"N-Not so c-close…"

He carried on as if he had not heard her stammering plea, leaning forward to brush a kiss on her breast. Maxi's eyes widened in shock.

Warm lips swept across soft skin. A shiver coursed through her body at this new sensation. At the sight of him burying his face in her bosom like a newborn babe, her mind went blank.

"Relax."

Using his calloused palm, he stroked her back, which was paralyzed with fear. His damp breath gave her goosebumps.

Rubbing his chin on her soft skin, he slid a hand under the garment that was covering her waist. Maxi jumped in shock, her lips quivering. She had never imagined that a man's hand would intrude on this region of her body.

"W-What are y-you—"

"Stay still. You'll get hurt without warming up."

Maxi's legs struggled helplessly. She had only ever exchanged a few greetings with this man, and now — now, here he was, touching her most intimate parts so casually. She could not believe it.

"P-P-Please, d-don't…"

She grasped his thick shoulders as if to plead with him. It was his turn now to quake and quiver. Her hands burned when she touched his firm, smooth skin as if she had wrapped them around a red-hot iron.

Riftan's lips moved slightly. But instead of words, Maxi received a rough kiss. He tasted of something savage and untamable. She was still trying to make sense of what was happening when he removed the last piece of clothing left on her. She screamed — but even that was swallowed by a kiss.

"Damn it…"

He let out a series of curses and moans. Maxi gasped for air like a fish out of water. He was encroaching on parts of her body that she had never even known existed.

She thrashed her legs against him, but they were soon weighed down by the bulk of his unyielding body. She was trapped like a helpless animal caught between the jaws of a wolf.

"Damn it, I can't hold back any longer…"

He muttered to himself impatiently, his fingers entering her deeper still. Maxi held her breath. She had long forgotten her nursemaid's instructions about dutifully submitting to her husband's will. Under his touch, her body twitched and jerked like a fish gasping for air, overcome by unthinkable sensations.

"N-No! D-Don't… Oh!"

It was futile to struggle; there was no chance of escape from his rough kisses and caresses. She tore at the pillow.

She could not believe that something so grotesque was happening. Her eyes felt as if they were on fire, and her mind spun.

What's happening to me?