Under the Oak Tree

Lady Maximilian is the daughter of the powerful Duke Croyso, but she is rarely allowed outside her family's castle for fear that her stutter will tarnish their noble name. When she is forced to marry Sir Riftan, a lowborn knight caught in one of her father's schemes, Maxi does not dare hope for happiness, let alone love. Her stumbling speech and his gruff manner sour the marriage before it can begin, and Riftan leaves without a word the morning after their vows are exchanged.

Three years later, Riftan returns as a celebrated war hero. Despite rumours that he was offered marriage to Princess Agnes, a beautiful and renowned sorceress, he still wants Maxi for his wife. When he comes to claim her, his longing becomes a desire that bewilders her, even as she is overcome by the heat his presence ignites. As she learns to navigate the intricacies of her new life, Maxi begins to find her voice, her magic, and her courage — and discovers she is anything but powerless.

Under the Oak Tree began as a Korean web novel by Suji Kim and became the number-one title on MANTA. This is the first volume of the updated, official English translation, published in print by Inklore in November 2024, and it collects chapters 1-76 of the original serial.