Chapter 35
In the history books, the battles against the Demon King’s minions were either heavily downplayed or completely omitted.
It was only possible because Beaiden and Pendragon, her ancestors, were dragons who had no interest in human worldly honors.
“Uh, Duke.”
“Then, are the other minions still around?”
“Of course. Those who believed in the Demon King’s resurrection fled carefully, waiting for the next opportunity.”
“Among them, is there anyone who can use illusion magic?”
The White Dragon’s power was unlike that of ordinary monsters.
Even the monster that killed Kendrick was far too strong for him to handle.
“There… might be, but I don’t really remember. This persona of mine focuses more on swordsmanship memories than history or actual memories.”
Unfortunately, the persona left behind by Pendragon seemed to remember only fragments of the past.
“So, if the Demon King’s minions are coming back, that means the Demon King’s resurrection is imminent, right?”
Could the Demon King’s resurrection really be approaching? Maya was genuinely curious.
“Yes.”
The White Dragon answered without a hint of hesitation.
“Absolutely.”
“I see…”
“But don’t worry too much. You’re strong enough to defeat the Demon King.”
Maya gave an embarrassed smile at the White Dragon’s words.
“Thanks for seeing it that way.”
Still, she couldn’t let her guard down.
‘After all, the opponent is the Demon King.’
For some reason, she wondered what had happened to the Demon King after her death in her previous life.
Did the Demon King end up destroying the world in that timeline?
In any case, the clear fact was that now there was yet another thing she had to worry about, in addition to Tristan’s curse and the emperor.
“And Maya, don’t be overly cautious,” the White Dragon continued.
From the White Dragon’s perspective, Maya hadn’t done anything wrong.
“You’re just two people who are different from each other. You talk, learn, and understand each other—that’s all it is.”
Humans tend to overthink things. Even minor conflicts make them overly cautious.
“If you’re going to clash eventually, it’s better to clash first, right?”
Maya smiled at the White Dragon’s straightforward answer.
“You’re right, you are.”
Perhaps because Tristan was involved, she found herself thinking more than usual.
But this wasn’t really Maya’s style.
“Once we arrive in the capital tomorrow, I need to increase our physical contact right away.”
She faced the problems in front of her one by one, solving them and learning from each situation—this was the version of herself she accepted.
“That’s the right attitude!”
The White Dragon shouted beside her as if cheering her on.
“Cheee!”
The wyvern, silently listening to their conversation, let out a spirited cry.
“Do you really understand what we’re saying?”
Maya’s skeptical gaze prompted the wyvern to respond loudly.
“Cheee!”
Of course, she didn’t understand!
After spending so much time with the wyvern, Maya could understand most of its usual sounds.
Even the same “cheee” carried subtle differences in nuance.
Seeing its confident stance, Maya lightly smacked the wyvern’s head.
“Cheee!”
Still, the wyvern’s cry was as loud as ever.
Maya and Tristan arrived in the capital, Arts. However, Arts was quite different from what they had imagined.
Despite it being winter, the weather felt like spring.
The sun was warm enough that she didn’t even need the cloak Kendrick had given her.
Thanks to this, the remaining flowers and trees shone brilliantly.
“Tristan, this is your first time seeing Arts, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
The rivers and tall, ornate buildings scattered throughout the city were splendid. Unlike the northern regions, where practicality—like insulation and thick walls—was prioritized over design, Arts had a much more aesthetic focus.
Maya eagerly looked around the city with Tristan.
It had been a while since she’d seen the capital, and it felt refreshing.
But they couldn’t stay long.
The stares of people on the streets began to focus on the black dragon emblem on their carriage.
Even the carriage itself attracted attention.
“It’s better if we stop looking.”
Maya met Tristan’s gaze, smiled lightly, and sat beside him.
The carriage rattled loudly as they began moving away from the curious eyes.
“Just a little further, and we’ll reach the mansion.”
Tristan glanced outside and thoughtfully traced the route.
Maya nodded, smiling at Tristan’s face.
She recalled the scenery of Arts she had just seen.
Although they hadn’t been gone long, the capital felt different.
‘Maybe it’s because my mindset has changed.’
Or perhaps it was because she was with Tristan.
Experiences with good people could make everything feel different.
Maya remembered Tristan’s words carefully.
“Maya, during our married life, I will never give my attention to anyone else.”
That line stuck vividly in her mind.
Interestingly, Tristan didn’t add anything further.
A contract husband who was so faithful and considerate.
‘I should do my part properly too.’
Maya clenched her fist, thinking of what she wanted to say to Tristan, ready to increase the intensity of their interactions.
Tristan, sensing the determination in Maya’s expression, felt an inexplicable sense of unease.
‘What exactly is she thinking?’
He worried she might talk about something future-wife-related again, like before.
Their carriage entered a side road leading north through the forest, past the bustling streets, and the mansion’s lights began to appear in the distance.
“Wow…”
The White Dragon, popping up in excitement at Maya’s exclamation, smiled proudly at the well-kept mansion.
Although smaller than the castle in the north, it was still far larger compared to the Pendragon residence.
As the carriage stopped and they entered, people lined up, and someone rushed forward.
“Lord Tristan!”
An elderly woman bowed to Tristan and Maya.
“Welcome, Lady Maya. I am Dorshen, managing the Beaiden family in the capital.”
‘She really gives a good impression.’
Maya felt that no matter what she said, this woman would listen. She felt a strong sense of trust in her, similar to Tristan.
“Your honeymoon suite has been prepared. Please go and rest.”
“I asked for separate rooms,” Tristan said, but Dorshen smiled gently, the wisdom of years evident in her face.
“That’s impossible. A married couple should stay together.”
“I’ve told you repeatedly—we need to take things slowly…” Tristan said awkwardly, but Dorshen remained steadfast.
“The rooms are already prepared. If needed, we can switch them tomorrow. It’s impossible to prepare new rooms at this hour.”
It seemed she would not budge.
“I’m fine with it,” Maya intervened.
She had no objection to sharing a room with Tristan.
‘Actually, it might be a good opportunity.’
If she wanted to increase contact with Tristan, nothing could be better than staying in the same room.
Since Maya didn’t mind, it was almost funny for Tristan to argue further.
Eventually, Tristan nodded in agreement with Dorshen.
Dorshen beamed with satisfaction.
“You’ve married a wonderful wife, Lord Tristan.”
Tristan, unable to argue, sighed.
“What’s your relationship with Dorshen?” Maya asked.
“She’s my wet nurse who raised me as a child.”
Maya let out a small gasp.
It was hard to imagine someone who knew Tristan as a child.
Dorshen quickly chimed in.
“If you ever need anything, Lady Maya, feel free to contact me. I know all of Lord Tristan’s embarrassing past.”
“Embarrassing past? That’s harsh, Dorshen.”
“Even the Grand Duke was once an adorable child,” Dorshen said with a smile, responding lightly to Tristan.
She was completely different from when he was with Butler Robert.
Maya found herself curious.
‘I wonder what Tristan was like as a child.’
Even as a child, he probably seemed perfect.
“I’ll visit you later.”
“An excellent choice,” Dorshen said with a wink.
“Now, let’s stop talking and have some food first.”
Noticing the subtle exchange between them, Tristan shook his head and deftly shifted Maya’s attention to the meal.
The food in the mansion also pleased Maya.
‘When I was at the Pendragon residence, I never liked their food.’
It wasn’t her picky taste—clearly, it was the Pendragon family’s fault.
After a meal and a luxurious bath in warm water, Maya headed toward the room she would share with Tristan.
