Chapter 23
It had been a fight with vastly different mindsets from the start. The winner had already been decided.
After spinning and flying around for half a day, the wyvern finally lost its strength and staggered down to the ground.
The sun was setting behind them.
Maya finally set foot on solid ground.
It felt strange to have something firm beneath her after flying through the air for so long.
A sharp pain radiated from her right ankle. Maya winced slightly and finally pushed the loose strands of hair from her face.
Her curls had become a wild mess from the prolonged high-speed flight.
Thud.
The wyvern collapsed beside her.
“Maya!”
Tristan came running to her, gasping for breath.
“Oh, you’re back to your original self.”
Due to the erratic curse, Tristan hadn’t been in his adult form at all today—until now.
Realizing Maya’s right ankle was broken, Tristan bit his lip and dropped to his knees.
Maya followed and sat down as well.
Now that there was no pressure on it, the pain in her ankle eased slightly.
Maya looked at Tristan and straightened her shoulders proudly.
“See? I told you I could do it.”
Her eyes sparkled.
Seeing her flushed face, Tristan carefully chose his words.
Half a day had felt as long as all the years he had spent waiting for her.
He had wanted to slash at the wyvern with sword energy and launch attacks just to get Maya away from it.
But every time, it was Maya’s firm words and stance that held him back.
“Don’t!”
“I’ll never lose.”
“You can only watch, Tristan.”
The smooth outcome was largely thanks to Maya’s magical judgment.
Tristan had feared that not following her plan would lead to unpredictable variables that could ruin everything.
“You did well.”
The first thing he offered was praise.
Until just moments before seeing Maya, he’d been ready to unleash his frustration.
“How could you be so reckless? Do you even understand what it’s like for the ones waiting below?”
But seeing her sitting awkwardly with a bright smile—
Seeing her expectant face waiting for praise—
He couldn’t say any of that.
“You were amazing.”
Maya’s smile deepened at Tristan’s words.
“We need to talk about something else now.”
Tristan gripped Maya’s hand tightly. Startled, she tried to pull away, but failed.
Their joined hands were warm.
His flushed face wasn’t just from joy.
“Maya.”
Trying to hide her nervousness, she slowly looked up.
Something about the atmosphere turned icy cold.
Just moments ago, she’d felt like she could fly to the heavens from joy…
She took that back. Flying? Her guts were sinking.
But she wasn’t the type to delay a response just because she was nervous.
“Yes,” she said, sneaking a glance at Tristan.
‘He found out after all.’
Even someone as dense as Tristan couldn’t be kept in the dark forever.
His furrowed brows looked fierce.
Gulp. Cold sweat dripped down her back—something that hadn’t happened even during the wyvern fight.
Well, at least then, the wind had cooled her sweat as it came!
The point was, Tristan’s presence was overwhelming.
“Let’s treat that first.”
“Uh… you don’t have to go all out. Just do it lightly.”
Tristan placed his hand on her injured ankle. A dark light glowed from his hand, and the bone mended.
It was fascinating how that dark light—usually associated with demon lords—held such power.
‘Even mages can’t do this, can they?’
Even priests at the temple could only offer prayers and minor healing, not fully restore damaged areas.
In that regard, Tristan’s power was truly extraordinary.
“Your shoulder seemed off too.”
‘He’s quick at picking up on things like this.’
Tristan healed her shoulder as well, then stood up.
Her shoulder and ankle, which had been unusable moments ago, were now fine.
“I’ve rejoined the bones. But the pain won’t disappear completely.”
He checked her temperature and frowned.
“Your fever’s still lingering.”
“This is already amazing. I can walk now.”
Maya jumped up and stretched.
“Thank you, Tristan.”
As she bowed her head and thanked him, Tristan quietly watched her before making a declaration.
“Next time, I won’t stay still.”
Maya looked troubled.
“That won’t do.”
“It will. I’m your husband.”
At the word “husband,” Maya’s mind went blank.
Even though she knew they were in a contract, she couldn’t help but repeat that word in her head.
“But… it’s just a contract, right?”
“The title doesn’t change. And right now, I’m clearly on your side.”
On my side.
“Whatever you do, I’ll be with you.”
Hearing Tristan repeatedly remind her that he was on her side stirred something inside Maya.
Her heart was beating fast.
Is this… touching?
No, it was hard to define the emotion as mere joy.
Her fingertips tingled. Her heartbeat was loud.
She was thankful she had a fever. Otherwise, the redness of her face would’ve been far too obvious.
It was all because Tristan was too kind.
Get a grip.
Maya opened her eyes wide. She needed to stay grounded.
Maya Pendragon.
Tristan Beiadon is not someone you’re worthy of standing beside.
Tristan’s actions stemmed from his kind heart.
There’s no way he meant anything more by his words—she mustn’t misunderstand.
More than anything, instead of being flustered by such comments (Maya admitted she actually was), she needed to focus on convincing him.
“Tristan, just wait like you did today. Once I take down the serpent beast, you can heal me then.”
“I followed to fight with you, not to let you go alone, Maya.”
Back and forth. Their argument dragged on, and Maya struggled to find what to say next.
Tristan’s way with words was too much for her to handle.
“I have to do this alone to awaken.”
“Delaying your awakening is better than you dying.”
As the argument continued, Tristan’s voice grew quieter.
“Why do you always try to do everything alone?”
His words pierced her heart.
“Because… that’s how I’ve always lived.”
She mumbled, and only then did Tristan regain composure.
“Just because that’s how you lived doesn’t mean you have to keep living that way.”
Returning to his gentle expression, Tristan held her hand.
“You can lean on me.”
But she couldn’t lean on him forever.
After all, once the contract ended, they’d go their separate ways.
Maya didn’t voice that thought.
She didn’t want to see his reaction if she did.
Was there a way for both of them to be somewhat satisfied?
What would that be?
“Then Tristan, let’s do this.”
Maya finally found a compromise.
“If I don’t come out after three days, come find me.”
Last time it took her ten days to awaken.
But that had been without fighting a wyvern and right after arriving from the capital.
“You can use your healing powers as much as you like then.”
Maya’s face was firm, unwavering.
Her eyes burned redder than the sunset behind her.
“Let’s make a promise, Maya.”
As she nervously waited for his response,
Tristan, standing tall with the forest behind him, looked like an old tree—
A tree that had weathered all seasons and storms, firmly rooted in place.
“I’ll be part of the next battle from the beginning.”
“…”
“Whether you awaken or not doesn’t change that.”
Of course, Maya’s awakening was important to Tristan.
It was the key to reclaiming the life she’d had to hide.
But he hated that she risked her life for it.
“I mean it.”
“…I know.”
Maya knew he was sincere.
Tristan wasn’t someone who spoke lightly.
“I know you’re saying this for me.”
It wasn’t that she didn’t believe him.
It was just that she never knew what kind of expression to make when she heard words like that.
She didn’t know how to respond.
The more she talked with Tristan, the more she lost her words.
He knew how crucial her awakening was, yet he still acted like this—how?
Maya stared straight at him.
“Tristan, I will awaken this time. So don’t say if I don’t awaken.”
Maya decided to plant hope in his life.
“I will awaken, no matter what.”
Because that was what she could do.
Maya’s injuries hadn’t been severe, thanks largely to the cloak Kendrick had given her.
When its protective magic activated, it did its job perfectly—and even informed Kendrick of Maya’s location.
“She’s really far out.”
Stuffing food Maya liked into his bag, Kendrick began moving.
