Maximilian Calypse (née Croyso) is the female protagonist of the Korean light novel Under the Oak Tree (Korean: 상수리나무 아래; RR: Sangsurinamu Arae), authored by Kim Suji (Korean: 김수지), and the manhwa of the same title. Maximilian is a noble lady and the eldest daughter of Duke Croyso and older half-sister to Rosetta .
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.
After getting married to Riftan, Maximilian became the Lady of Anatol. In the latter part of Book 1 of the novel, she expresses her desire to study magic and is mentored by Ruth. And later on, she joined the RDK as a wizard in the expedition to Livadon.
In the final chapters of Book 1 of the Novel, Maximilian goes to the World Tower on the island of Nornui to formally study magic; in Book 2 of the novel, she officially became an earth-attribute wizard.
She is 22 y/o in Book 1 of the novel and in Book 2 she's 26 y/o.
Appearance[]
Maximilian is relatively thin and short with a skinny build. It is unknown if her stature is a result of her depressive upbringing due to the fact that she has trouble eating sometimes. She has been 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 has been described to look almost dark purple in the night and it gleams a brilliant red when illuminated by the sunlight.
Often times, her hair is attributed by Riftan to be the color of clouds against a sunset. She has light brown freckles that dust around her nose, cheeks, and shoulders. She is typically seen with her hair in braids or, as Riftan likes it mostly, 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 at times.
Her clothes appears to be from the 15th-16th century with long, wide sleeves, and simple skirts that don't have much volumes. When Maximilian was living in Castle Croyso her dresses were described to look "homeless" compared to her half-sister's outfits, as she was never given the proper dresses a Lady should wear due to her abuse by her father, the Duke. She was often wearing plain dresses and tattered shoes when she lived in Castle Croyso, and is only given proper luxurious dresses when she was presented in banquets in order for the Duke to keep up their reputation and to show off their wealth to others.
Upon living in Castle Calypse in Anatol, Riftan ensured her that she would be dressed in the most beautiful of dresses. She wore stunning skirts with intricate embroidery all made by a seamstress that her husband had 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 often seen wearing practical clothing, like tunics and trousers in order to adapt to the harsh traveling conditions. She also likes bringing leather pouches and bags with her in order to carry essential healing supplies that she might need on the expedition.
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 raised 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 RDK 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 well being.
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.
Plot[]
In the beginning she gets married to Riftan and she had a rough first night with Riftan and was afraid of him due to him being bigger than her he then leaves the next day while she is asleep after their wedding, Maximilian tells her father the duke that Riftan left in the middle of the night and she gets hit by the cane and her father tells her to be quiet and orders a priest to heal her, he then tells her to make sure that she doesn't get divorced she then waits anxiously until she hears someone come in to the room she is in which turns out to be Riftan who returned from the campaign after 3 years. She then goes with him to Anatol to fulfill her duties as the "Lady" of Anatol.
