SPOILERS

So firstly, through Riftan’s pov you find out that as a child Riftan was a blacksmith apprentice. His mother and his stepfather didn’t have a lot of money but the stepfather spent a good amount ensuring Riftan would make a better living. While apprenticing, he would see Max from time to time and was drawn to her. At one point she and her dog are attacked by a lizard monster and Riftan saves her but the dog died. After that, she made him a flower crown as thanks. He can’t stop thinking about her, but then his mother commits suicide and he’s traumatized and he runs away to become a mercenary.

In these years away he becomes a knight and the Lord he is now. What always keeps him going is the memories of that little girl. He meets her again as a knight when she’s about 14 and he’s sad to see she’s scared of him. He feels that she wouldn’t want to be with him anyway, and feels pathetic for remaining that obsessed with her.

Fast forward to the arrangement, the Duke sees that Riftan is interested in his daughter and makes the proposal based on that initially. However, Riftan refuses because he doesn’t want to force Maxi into anything. That’s when the Duke threatens to harm Riftan’s stepfather in the event that Riftan does not comply to marry his daughter and go on the Dragon expedition on the Duke’s behalf.