Chapter 05
‘I need to move fast.’
She had to take advantage of the current situation.
‘Maybe choosing me was just a momentary impulse.’
Just like how she had once sworn loyalty to the emperor in her previous life on a similar impulse.
Since she didn’t know exactly what kind of curse Tristan the Grand Duke was under, she had no choice but to be cautious.
The plan definitely had flaws. It was undeniably reckless.
But the North was appealing enough for her to embrace even this anxiety.
Starting with the fact that no one’s eyes would be on her, and the presence of monsters—everything about the North was perfect for awakening as a hidden Swordmaster.
And not just that—
Rare ores dropped from monsters could even help her prepare for retirement.
‘There were quite a lot of monsters in the North, weren’t there?’
It was the perfect place to prepare funds for the future without catching the emperor’s eye.
‘…If I gain his trust, he might help me deal with the disaster later.’
Tristan would become the key figure in the revolution that would overthrow the emperor.
If she worked to earn his trust while standing by the side of the next emperor, she could ask him for help when the incident happened a year from now.
‘…But I won’t go back to being the Knight Commander.’
That part was regrettable.
The emperor was a bastard, but Maya had liked the position of Knight Commander.
She’d liked the crisp uniform, and she had been proud of the recognition she earned through her swordsmanship.
‘But that’s all in the past now.’
She had already stained her hands with blood. She wasn’t shameless enough to want that position back.
Still, it was hard to avoid feeling bitter.
Maya bit her lips as she headed to the guild building where the magical communication orb was located.
With that, she could send a letter in an instant.
‘This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I need to be careful.’
She had to confirm whether the curse was real—and whether the Grand Duke truly needed her.
Only if both sides had something to gain could she feel at ease.
She kept the message simple:
[ To the Grand Duke Tristan,
I am Maya, who has been stripped of the Pendragon name and left with only a surname.
I’d like to have a conversation with you. Would you be willing to send someone to escort me? ]
Just asking to have a conversation and requesting an escort—wasn’t that a bit much?
But Maya shamelessly made the demand.
‘I want to see if you’re desperate enough to accept such rude behavior.’
Because she, too, was desperate in this second life she had been given.
She scraped together every last coin she had and sent the message to the Grand Duke’s estate.
The next day, a guild member knocked on the door of her inn and delivered the reply.
It was no ordinary response.
[ I received your letter. ]
The opening was polite enough.
[ Maya Pendragon. I would like to marry you. ]
He got straight to the point.
**[ I am an unmarried man, currently twenty-five years old. It may sound arrogant, but I am not bad-looking.
That’s not all.
The North is rich in resources. You’ll be able to live comfortably as the lady of the house.
There will be nothing lacking in our life together. ]**
It was the most bizarre letter.
Even though it was clearly a marriage proposal, Maya felt like she was hearing about the benefits of a corporate job.
**[ We don’t need to stay married for long. Just live with me as my wife for six months.
During that time, I will do everything I can to fulfill any wish you have. After that, if you wish to leave, I won’t stop you. ]**
The gold coins that came with the letter were too many to refuse.
And he had even specified a six-month term.
Flawless manners and conditions without a single catch.
To Maya, Tristan’s proposal was simply too perfect.
She thought back to his appearance.
‘He wouldn’t have lied about his age in a marriage proposal, right?’
Two things became certain.
First, no matter how rude her message had been, Tristan was desperate enough to propose.
‘Though I still don’t get why marriage is necessary.’
As long as they kept boundaries, it should be fine.
Second, the Grand Duke was cursed.
A curse was a serious disgrace in a noble house. It could easily give the emperor an excuse to act against him.
The reason he hadn’t appeared in public likely had to do with the curse.
Judging from the situation, it was probably an age-related curse.
Whether the stated age of twenty-five in the letter was real, or whether the appearance she remembered from her past life was accurate, was uncertain.
‘I’ll discuss my terms in person.’
She doubted he would refuse her requests—like being allowed to hunt monsters in the North, or for him to become her contract partner.
While following his contract conditions, she could handle other matters. It was a win-win for him.
‘I think the Grand Duke stood up to protect people about six months from now.’
If she helped with the monster crisis, Tristan wouldn’t be losing anything.
[ I understand your intentions, Your Grace. I believe it’s best if we discuss the details in person. I will follow the escort you send. ]
Before leaving, Maya sent a carrier pigeon from the magic tower.
It was both to check in and explain her situation to Kendrick Arkesia.
He had been the only person by her side in her past life—her one true friend.
She hadn’t asked him to be her contract partner because he was about to enter a secluded magic tower.
A contract partner couldn’t be too far away from her for a prolonged period.
She couldn’t ask Kendrick to give up the magic tower.
It was a place where, as a mage, he could grow stronger.
She had to create an environment where Kendrick could become as powerful as possible for the future.
‘…Kendrick.’
Her face darkened at the thought of him.
‘I won’t let you die in this life.’
Kendrick Arkesia.
He had died at the hands of an illusion monster—his body was never even found.
While her only friend lay dying, she had been following the emperor’s orders, hunting monsters.
How deeply she had regretted letting him go like that.
‘I won’t let that happen again.’
She would make sure there was nothing to regret.
Maya clenched her fist tightly with determination.
“Outsiders find the North quite harsh. Please wear this.”
Lost in thought, Maya turned to see the attendant offering her a bear pelt. Thick and furry, it looked very warm.
Just as she was about to gratefully accept it, she paused.
‘…Outsider?’
The word choice bothered her.
She would be staying in the North for six months.
That meant she’d have to earn points not just with the Grand Duke, but with the people around him too.
‘How cold was it again?’
She tried to recall her past. She remembered that while monster-hunting, the cold had been bearable.
“No, thank you.”
Maya pushed the fur back toward the attendant and shook her head.
“…Excuse me?”
Seeing his confused face, Maya smiled.
“I’m not an outsider anymore. I can withstand this much cold.”
If the attendant had been sent by the Grand Duke himself, then everything Maya said was essentially being reported directly to him.
“…The North is extremely cold, though.”
“I’ll be fine.”
Maya answered bravely.
And regretted it.
‘I should’ve just worn it.’
The North was far, far colder than she remembered—so cold it felt like it would freeze her bones.
“It’s one of the coldest years in the history of the North.”
…It was a loss due to her ignorance of that historic fact.
*
Shivering, Maya finally arrived at the castle and was greeted not by the Grand Duke, but by the head butler, Robert.
With elegantly silver hair, Robert bowed deeply upon seeing her.
“My apologies, but His Grace had to step out for urgent business. You’ll be able to meet him after dinner.”
That was the official excuse, but Maya quickly guessed the real reason.
‘He probably can’t show himself to me yet because of the curse.’
Just as she had tested Tristan with her own bold letter, he was likely testing her now as well.
‘Let’s prove I’m trustworthy.’
Maya took Robert’s words graciously.
“That’s alright.”
“You’ll also be dining alone. Is that okay?”
“Of course.”
Actually, that was perfect.
She didn’t have to be formal. She could eat in peace.
And the meal was delicious. Maya mentally added another positive note to her impression of the Grand Duke.
Apparently, he even had a refined palate.
It also reminded her how awful the food at House Pendragon had been.
‘He really seems like a good person.’
Her favorability toward him rose a bit more.
Everything was going smoothly.
Until dinner ended.
*
After finishing her dinner and even licking her dessert plate clean, Maya followed Robert to the Duke’s study.
‘He really intends to meet me face to face, huh.’
Seeing the black dragon motifs and Northern-themed artwork all around reminded her again: she was truly in the North.
“The Duke is waiting inside,” Robert said, opening the door politely.
The only light in the dark room came from a small lamp. Maya walked toward the faint glow.
The study was about the size of three rooms from House Pendragon, with books lined all the way up the walls.
As she walked farther in, she spotted a large window occupying one side.
A man stood with his back to the window, his face hidden in shadow.
The dim lamp and cloud-covered moon made it impossible to see his features.
Taking a deep breath, Maya spoke firmly.
“Your Grace. Maya of Pendragon greets you.”
The man stepped out of the shadows.
At that moment, the clouds parted and moonlight streamed in, revealing his face in clear relief.
‘…What?’
Maya bit her lips, lost all words, and stared blankly at him.
Her mind went completely blank.
“Nice to meet you, Maya Pendragon,” the man said.
“I am Tristan Vei Arden.”
The man claiming to be the Grand Duke—
was not the boy she remembered, but a perfect adult, as if sculpted by the gods themselves.
