Maximilian Calypse

Maximilian Calypse is the protagonist of the Korean light novel Under the Oak Tree (Korean: 상수리나무 아래; RR: Sangsurinamu Arae), authored by Kim Suji (Korean: 김수지), and manhwa of the same title. Maximilian is a noble lady and the elder daughter of Duke Croix. She is married to Riftan at her father's behest and as part of his plot to send Riftan to the dragon subjugation in his place.

Being married to Riftan, Maximilian is the lady of Anatole. In the latter part of Book 1, she expresses desire to study magic and is mentored by Ruth. Later on, she joined the Remdragon Knights as a wizard in the expedition to Livadon. In the final chapters of Book 1, Maximilian goes to the World Tower on the island of Nornui to formally study magic; she officially becomes an earth-attribute wizard in Book 2.

Appearance
Maximilian is relatively thin and short with a skinny build. It is unknown if her stature is a result of her upbringing due to the fact that she has trouble eating sometimes. She is described to look like a doll, with a round forehead, small nose, and plump lips. Maximilian has large, downturned grey eyes and wavy long red hair that reaches down to her lower back. Her hair is described to look almost dark purple in the night and it gleams a brilliant red when illuminated by the light. Often times, her hair is attributed by her husband to be the color of clouds against a sunset. She has light brown freckles that dust her nose, cheeks, and shoulders. She is typically seen with her hair in braids or, as Riftan likes, down without any alterations to her hair texture. Maximilian is also susceptible to blushing, and her skin quickly pales when she is afraid or nauseous.

Her clothes appear to be from the 15th-16th century with long, wide sleeves, and simple skirts that don't have much volume. In Castle Croix her dresses were described to look "homeless" compared to her sister's outfits, as she was never given the proper dresses a Lady should wear due to her abuse. She is seen wearing plain dresses and tattered shoes when she lived in Castle Croix, and is only given proper luxurious dresses when she is presented in banquets in order for the Duke to keep their reputation up.

Upon living in Castle Calypse, Riftan ensured that she would be dressed in the most beautiful of dresses. She wore stunning skirts with intricate embroidery all made by a seamstress her husband has hired. The maids decorated her hair and she often wore pieces of jewelry when she went about her day. Maximilian liked wearing the colors red and green, which suited her hair and complexion. The knights described her to look more beautiful than forest nymphs.

When joining an expedition, Maximilian is seen to wear practical clothing, like tunics and trousers in order to adapt to the harsh travelling conditions. She also likes bringing leather pouches and bags with her in order to carry essential healing supplies.

Personality
Maximilian has a speech disability, which has manifested in her early childhood. She stutters and has a difficult time communicating. She has a very shy personality, partially due to the fact that she has been abused by her father, Duke Croyso since she was a child. She believes herself to be inferior to others, especially to women like her sister, Rosetta, and Princess Agnes. She is left with the trauma that her father gave her and during her second encounter with Riftan, she flinches every time he raises his voice. Maximilian was reinforced with the idea that she was worthless and useless all her life, and has therefore carried this notion with her even into adulthood. Maximilian deeply resents herself for not being able to be as strong as she wants to be, as she thinks that nobody will ever want her and that she would understand why.

She is easily scared and rattled; in the beginning, the cold gazes of the knights intimidated her and she even faints at the sight of an ogre. She is often anxious on how she will act and how others will perceive her, as she is worried that people will see her as nothing but a lazy and useless stutterer. She is a very private person who rarely tells anyone about herself or her past. She sees herself and her abuse as shameful and she despises the thought of people seeing her as even more pitiful and weak. Maximilian also tends to underestimate herself, as she sometimes assumes she won't be able to handle certain tasks. She also gets flustered easily, even discussing intimate moments with her husband when they are alone can cause her to blush uncontrollably.

Despite being nobility, Maximilian is far from snobby, unlike her father and sister. She is a timid and kind woman, who naturally looks out for weak and lonely creatures. She does not strive for an expensive and luxurious lifestyle and does not demand to be pampered. She is soft-spoken and polite to everyone who is kind to her, and she also treats her staff with kindness and respect. She often worries over people she cherishes, like her husband or her friends. Maximilian despises the thought of being comfortable while Riftan goes off to war, and she is anxious over his wellbeing.

Once she began to came out of her shell, Maximilian is described to be quite stubborn and hotheaded. She is also shown to have admirable willpower, even with her insecurities she pushes herself to fulfill her duties. She stands her ground to those who bully and threaten her and she won't easily back down even though she is embarrassed. She will prove herself if she believes she is in the right and she hates losing. Maximilian also has a strong strive to improve herself, she hates the thought of staying as the pitiful girl in her past which is why she is often learning new things and trying to be stronger. She does not like being treated as incompetent and hates being idle.

Story
In the beginning of the story, she had a rough first night with Riftan and was afraid of him, but after he comes back from the expedition, she starts to fall for him and learns how to receive love for the first time.