Chapter 17
Maya was doing her best to avoid stepping on Tristan’s feet.
She had told him repeatedly—it really wasn’t intentional.
‘I thought I’d pick up physical movement quickly…’
She belatedly realized that swordsmanship and dancing were two entirely different things. Maya accepted that she was, unfortunately, clumsy.
‘Maybe it was lucky I never had a debutante ball.’
If she had, she might’ve gained infamy as a foot-murderer, stomping on every partner she danced with.
“Maybe I should practice after I awaken.”
Maya seriously considered it, then shook her head.
There was one thing she realized for sure while dancing with Tristan just now—she had no talent for dancing.
Sadly, the gods had been perfectly fair in this regard. They didn’t give her everything.
‘Still… this is nice.’
Regardless, her heart felt like it was soaring.
‘A gift I didn’t even know I wanted.’
Unexpected as it was, it touched her deeply.
She felt like she could truly do anything for Tristan.
‘Is this the kind of devotion a vassal feels toward their sovereign?’
Even if she were to live quietly after their divorce, it wouldn’t hurt to have a strong connection.
She was happy that she’d built such a positive relationship with Tristan.
Unlike Kendrick, who she came to know through family ties, Tristan was someone Maya had formed a bond with through her own efforts.
‘Sorry, Kendrick.’
But the feeling was truly different with Tristan.
After the dance ended, Maya subtly glanced at his feet, worried she might’ve hurt him. Tristan smiled and pointed to a table.
“I’ve prepared it just like a real banquet, so please enjoy it to your heart’s content.”
On one side of the ballroom, a spread of finger foods and drinks awaited.
Looking at the dainty desserts made her smile.
‘A ball prepared just for me.’
Maya sipped the champagne and began to hum to the waltz still softly playing.
She thought she’d heard it somewhere before.
‘Dancing alone should be fine, right?’
Standing in the middle of the ballroom beneath the chandelier, Maya spun gently.
The hem of her dress flared like the blooming petals of a flower in the sunlight.
Its soft green hue resembled the fresh sprouts of spring.
‘Time for myself.’
Yes. If she had more days like today, life would be worth living.
Maya smiled faintly.
Basking in the grace of the hall and feeling like a true debutante, Maya suddenly remembered—it was her turn now.
She stepped toward Tristan with determination.
To be honest, after receiving such a grand gift from him, her own gift now felt a little lackluster.
She’d neither given nor received such materially luxurious gifts before.
But that feeling only lasted a moment.
‘What matters is the heart behind it.’
After receiving Tristan’s gift, Maya was certain—it had moved her heart. And her gift would do the same for him.
It would mean just as much.
‘And I even spent money on it.’
That made it the perfect gift in her eyes.
Suppressing a cough, Maya placed a wooden box brought by a maid onto the table.
She respectfully gestured to a spot in front of her.
“Tristan, would you please stand here?”
“Of course.”
Maya opened the box containing a pair of brooches. She had used a plain wooden box to save money since her personal funds were limited, but the brooches themselves were of excellent quality.
They were sword-shaped brooches—a design Maya favored. She handed one of the two neatly nestled inside to Tristan.
“This is the gift I prepared. Brooches can be worn regardless of your age, so I thought it’d be perfect.”
Maya Pendragon had thought long and hard—just as much as when she’d chosen a gift for Kendrick.
She knew that Tristan likely wanted to sever himself from the cursed stigma he carried.
She sincerely hoped that when he saw her gift, it wouldn’t even remind him of the curse.
So anything dependent on size or form—anything too personal—had all been ruled out.
Furniture, tools, and other such items he might already have—also ruled out.
As she eliminated each unsuitable option, the final choice turned out to be rather expensive.
Even in the resource-rich North, gemstones came at a high price.
But giving up wasn’t in Maya’s nature anymore.
She persistently negotiated with the seller until they struck a compromise.
The result was the brooch now resting in Tristan’s hand.
A silver-crafted longsword design Maya loved, inlaid with a blue topaz matching Tristan’s eyes.
“I’ll put it on for you.”
With a solemn heart, like someone standing before a priest, Maya pinned the brooch onto Tristan’s chest.
The white formal uniform he wore today paired perfectly with the silver brooch.
“It’s a beautiful brooch. Thank you.”
A sword-shaped brooch—was that because the Pendragon family was known for swords?
Tristan thought it was a fitting gift and was about to say more when—
“Now, would you please take your position.”
Her lowered voice brushed against his ear.
Tristan paused, but then obediently followed Maya’s instructions.
She knelt, placing her right hand on his shoulder.
“It’s not a perfect gift yet. Because I haven’t awakened. But one day, when you truly need it, I believe it’ll be of use.”
Maya’s eyes sparkled as she caught her breath.
“I, Maya Pendragon, swear an oath to Tristan Beiadon.”
The brooch was just a formality. The true gift was something else entirely.
“Even after our contract marriage ends—if you need me, no matter the task, I will come.”
Only then did Tristan realize what Maya was doing.
“…Are you making the Pendragon Oath right now?”
The Pendragon Oath.
As someone bearing Pendragon blood, if Maya broke her oath, her life would be forfeit.
“Maya, please stop. This isn’t like signing a contract! This is foolish!”
Contracts can end at any time. But this oath was different.
Unless Tristan invoked it, it would remain, binding Maya like chains.
Panicked, Tristan tried to pull Maya to her feet.
She simply smiled.
“It’s alright. I’m a foolish person, after all.”
It hadn’t been an easy decision.
She hesitated for a long time.
But the ball he’d prepared just for her…
The way he gently told her that he, too, never had a debutante’s ball…
That was when she realized:
‘It’s okay if it’s you.’
She was certain that Tristan would never misuse the Pendragon Oath.
They had only spent about half a year together.
Once the contract ended, they’d likely stop communicating altogether—if something urgent happened to him, Maya probably wouldn’t even know.
This gift was for those times.
For when the Emperor might need the blade of Pendragon.
That day would surely come.
Maya chose to believe in someone again.
She was certain this life would lead to a different ending.
And more than anything—
‘I want to believe.’
She wanted to truly trust the man in front of her.
Tristan, now burdened with a newfound sense of responsibility, looked at Maya with a heavy heart.
Maya met his gaze firmly.
Her upright, unwavering eyes hadn’t changed since the first time they met.
‘It hasn’t even been that long…’
And yet the trust she placed in him was so pure—it was almost disorienting.
‘…’
It was Maya who broke the intense moment between them.
“I’ll try to awaken as soon as possible.”
If she explored the deepest parts of the mountain range, she might be able to do it within three days.
Of course, it would be much tougher than in her previous life…
But if it meant repaying the debt she owed Tristan—and lifting his curse—it was worth it.
‘This is enough for a birthday celebration.’
On top of that, Kendrick had unexpectedly shown up and given her a great gift too.
From morning till now—it had been the perfect day.
“I’ll leave this evening. I’ll finish packing after lunch and ask Knight Commander Alec more about the monster he saw.”
Now that she had a clear goal—it was time to give it her all.
‘So that Tristan Beiadon can return to a normal life, and become the perfect emperor without delay—I’ll lift the curse.’
