Chapter 01
Maya Pendragon was the second daughter of the Pendragon Count family, a house that inherited the blood of the great White Dragon.
However, the once-great and noble name of Pendragon had long since fallen into ruin.
Before Maya was even born, the Pendragon family had gone generations without producing a single Swordmaster.
To make things worse, Count Pendragon had squandered what little wealth remained.
“We’re the noble Pendragon family! Of course we need finer clothes, a more luxurious house, and only the best food! If we run out of money, we’ll just marry you off!”
Blinded by their former glory, her family increased their debts and attempted to sell off Maya.
And then, the perfect bait caught their greedy eyes.
Tristan Beiadin, the Grand Duke who ruled the North and was shrouded in mystery, proposed to Maya.
Though he held the title of Grand Duke, he never once appeared at a single social gathering. No one had ever seen his face.
Even so, his name alone made waves in high society.
Even Maya, who paid no attention to gossip, had heard of him.
Rumors spread that he was hideously deformed, or perhaps suffering from a terminal illness.
Yet the Grand Duke never bothered to deny any of the rumors.
Why would such a reclusive man propose to her?
“Why me, of all people?”
Maya couldn’t understand the Grand Duke’s intentions.
She didn’t even get to read his handwritten proposal letter—it was snatched away the moment it arrived. All she knew was that he had proposed.
And Maya didn’t want to marry.
Not because her suitor was a Grand Duke.
But because this marriage would obviously end in misery—for the man.
Her family—no, those parasites—rejoiced at the proposal and used it as an excuse to rack up even more debt.
“The Grand Duke will pay it off! He doesn’t indulge in luxuries, so he must be swimming in money. It’s only fair that we enjoy it for him!”
Those words, spoken with such pride, were utterly idiotic.
“Am I really related to these people?”
Maya couldn’t bring herself to accept them as her family. Unfortunately, her otherworldly swordsmanship proved she carried the Pendragon bloodline.
“What do I do now?”
With a family like this, marriage was out of the question.
And besides, she had never even met the man.
Of course, she did once dream of getting married, but her standards were unusually high.
Handsome, a good voice, a strong personality—so faithful he wouldn’t even glance at other women…
Her ideal man was so perfect, he probably didn’t exist.
Still, to reject a Grand Duke’s proposal, she needed a justifiable reason.
And then, as if fate responded, Maya awakened as a Swordmaster.
Blessed with the White Dragon’s power, she became one of the strongest warriors in the empire’s history.
Naturally, the Emperor summoned her and offered the title of Knight Commander.
“Knight Commander, or marriage?”
With both events happening at once, Maya faced the biggest decision of her life.
The choice was obvious.
“Of course, I’ll be Knight Commander.”
As Knight Commander, she could fully unleash her swordsmanship.
Maya happily accepted and went to an audience with the Emperor.
“I’ve waited for a loyal subject like you.”
She knew she had made the right choice.
“You shall be my comrade and companion as we lead this empire together.”
Her family had only ever criticized and doubted her.
Yet here was a man with no blood relation to her, showing full trust.
For the first time in her life, Maya felt the warmth of recognition—and her heart trembled.
She’d never even had a proper debutante ball. A girl gasping under the weight of reality, she had craved someone’s attention.
Moved by the Emperor’s trust, Maya pledged her loyalty.
“Your Majesty, I have a request.”
And she revealed the Pendragon family’s secret.
“Please become my contract partner for the next six months.”
An “Awakened” of the Pendragon bloodline could wield the White Dragon’s power—but with a cost.
Dragons were solitary, selfish beings—completely detached from compassion.
When a Pendragon used the dragon’s power, they began to lose their humanity.
To preserve their sense of self, they needed a contract partner for the first six months.
Someone who could anchor them, remind them of what it meant to be human.
For that half-year, the Awakened would completely absorb the partner’s emotions and identity—the contract partner essentially became their second self.
Maya needed someone to fill that role, and meeting the Emperor had been a perfect opportunity.
“I gladly accept.”
The Emperor’s eyes lit up as he agreed without hesitation.
He seemed both generous and charismatic.
“To serve a man like this…”
Maya truly believed her future would be full of promise.
She had forgotten one simple truth.
Flowers grow from dirt.
“I don’t like him. Kill him.”
Once he had Maya, the Emperor became a tyrant.
He killed anyone—noble or commoner—who displeased him.
“Your Majesty, forgive me, but I must speak as your subject…”
“Denied.”
Her words held no power.
“This is just a phase.”
Maya tried to rationalize the Emperor’s behavior.
He was, after all, the only person who had ever acknowledged her.
…But she didn’t have to.
Bound by the contract, Maya began to merge with the Emperor’s identity.
“Don’t those people deserve to die anyway?”
She began thinking things that no longer felt like her own.
“I’m going insane.”
She could no longer deny it.
The Emperor was trash.
And she wanted to snap his neck.
Even knowing that killing her contract partner meant death for her too.
Her time as Maya Pendragon was slipping away.
Innocent blood stained her hands.
She became the Emperor’s puppet, infamous and feared.
When she regained her clarity, she cried out that she had been used—but no one believed her.
Just hearing her name struck fear into people’s hearts.
“Why did I become Knight Commander in the first place?”
She regretted ever asking the Emperor to be her contract partner.
Consumed by guilt, she repeated acts of murder, all while slipping deeper into the Emperor’s influence.
Her life had become irredeemable.
Until one day, drunk and rambling, the Emperor revealed the real reason he chose her as Knight Commander.
“You were exactly my type. Who knew you’d actually be useful?”
Even her swordsmanship—her everything—was denied.
“Then why do I exist at all?”
Maya believed the rest of her life would be darkness.
Until she met him.
“…Maya Pendragon.”
A man in a pitch-black helmet entered her view.
It had been a long time since she’d truly returned to being Maya Pendragon—no longer the Emperor’s dog.
“Who are you?”
She already knew.
It was Grand Duke Tristan—the man who had once proposed to her.
Rather than answer, the man looked at her with disbelief.
“Why didn’t you alert the Emperor that I was coming?”
“You are Grand Duke Tristan, are you not?”
While she had been reduced to the Emperor’s beast, Grand Duke Tristan had risen in the North, leading his army clad in black armor.
The Heir of the Black Dragon.
Tristan had become a hero to the people.
“But is he truly better than the Emperor?”
Maya, jaded by power and betrayal, wasn’t sure.
Still, she followed his every move.
Wherever he went, he handed out money, created jobs, and helped the people.
He was cultivating hope in barren lands.
His knights now advanced toward the capital.
“Kill Tristan Beiadin, Maya.”
That was the Emperor’s command.
Maya didn’t obey.
Still, since that was her final memory before losing her mind, she feared she might kill him if her sanity slipped again.
And yet, she wished—deeply—that he was clever enough to surpass her.
Because she truly wanted to break this curse.
“Thank goodness.”
If they had met like this, it meant he wasn’t just kind—he was capable.
“The Emperor is in the garden.”
“…Why are you telling me that? Aren’t you one of his people?”
“No.”
Maya smiled at the confused man.
“I am Maya Pendragon.”
Yes. She was Maya Pendragon.
Not the tyrant’s dog.
Saying it again brought a strange sense of peace to her chest.
“Grand Duke!”
A crowd rushed in behind Tristan.
Maya knew this was the end.
Her wretched life was finally over.
“They’ll probably kill me painfully.”
She couldn’t complain.
She had taken too many lives to cry injustice.
“Capture Maya Pendragon.”
The Grand Duke gave the command and turned toward the garden—no doubt to deal with the Emperor himself.
Victory for the rebellion depended on his every step.
He needed to be the one to end the tyrant.
“…Please, kill him as painfully as possible.”
Maya whispered her final wish.
The Grand Duke paused and looked back.
He could’ve ignored her.
She was the Emperor’s monster, after all.
“…I’ll do my best.”
But he didn’t.
Even in his voice, there was kindness—for someone like her.
“Words are nothing. Action matters.”
If only she hadn’t been fooled by the Emperor’s pretty words.
If only she’d met him instead—
Maybe she could’ve become a better person.
