Chapter 37
Tristan thought about what would come after the curse ended.
They’d attend official events together, and he would declare to the world that Maya was his wife.
He would proudly stand beside her and let everyone know who he was.
But there was something even more important than that.
Something he had locked deep within his heart.
“I want to tell you that I love you.”
He wanted to confess—openly, honestly.
Holding back the words, Tristan reverently kissed Maya’s hair.
Normally, Maya would’ve already been awake at this hour, but today was different.
Even with physical strength far surpassing that of an average person, fatigue still took its toll.
Tristan gently brushed back her hair and gazed at her face for a long time.
Had he ever found someone so utterly lovable?
Had he ever felt such happiness just from looking at someone?
Every moment with Maya felt new.
So new, in fact, he didn’t want to take another step away from her.
But it was time to get up. He slowly rose and changed into his clothes.
“Where’s the wyvern?”
“In the back garden.”
The air in the large clearing bordering the forest was crisp and clear. It was a different kind of chill from the biting cold of the North.
Unlike the freezing estate in the North, this place had its advantages.
“Kkiiing!”
The wyvern scampered toward Tristan excitedly.
“You can reveal your true form here.”
Understanding his words, the wyvern transformed immediately.
Tristan hadn’t left the training entirely to Maya.
As long as he didn’t interfere with her sessions, he had been secretly working with the wyvern as well.
He was even the one who taught the wyvern how to read, without Maya knowing.
He didn’t want a repeat of the past, where Maya had fought alone at Baeksa.
“Can you make yourself invisible to others?”
For the wyvern, that was nothing.
It lifted its head toward the sky.
Tristan climbed onto its back. From now on, he planned to make use of the early morning hours.
The day before, when they had traveled by carriage, the amount of attention they drew shocked even him.
So many people had gathered that it was impossible to see out the windows.
‘I didn’t think it would be this intense.’
In that sense, the wyvern was a blessing.
It allowed him to move around undetected and gather information.
“Let’s go.”
The wyvern soared high into the sky. The meat he used as a bribe had clearly paid off.
Tristan’s eyes narrowed as he surveyed the capital below.
Even from afar, the imperial palace was dazzlingly ornate.
Whose blood built that place?
‘It’s a shame I can’t go in myself.’
At least Dossien would be attending in Maya’s stead.
Though she was getting on in years, she was currently the best option.
The closed-off Beiadan family was extremely strict about letting in new people.
Maya’s own age group couldn’t be assigned as her maids, which was unfortunate—
‘But those two seem to get along well.’
Recalling Dossien’s past, he had a good feeling about the match.
A soft chuckle left Tristan as his eyes turned sharp again.
It was time to dig into the capital’s shadows.
“I overslept?”
Maya still couldn’t believe it.
It was, without question, the first time in her life she had ever slept in.
Tristan’s embrace had been warmer than she expected.
Even after waking up with the sun high in the sky and finishing breakfast, she found herself dozing off again on the sofa.
“Starting tomorrow, I really need to get back to training…”
She hadn’t felt this relaxed in a long time.
It was hard to stay on high alert around Tristan.
He had a way of making her let her guard down.
“Lady Maya!”
Dossien burst into the room.
She had the same determined energy she’d shown when speaking to Tristan the day before. Just seeing her bright, sparkling eyes woke Maya up completely.
“We’ll be going out to purchase dresses today!”
“Uh…”
“You’re not planning to attend the upcoming banquet in that, are you?”
Dossien smiled brightly, but Maya still broke out in a cold sweat. There was an irresistible authority to her cheerful tone.
“You can’t go out in your nightgown, can you?”
“I do have the dress I came in…”
Maya replied softly.
“The more dresses the better. Consider this a congratulatory gift from House Beiadan to celebrate your arrival in the capital.”
Without giving Maya time to refuse, Dossien helped her change into a ready-made day dress she had prepared in advance.
Maya let herself be guided and quietly confessed,
“I’ve never bought a dress before. I’m worried I’ll behave awkwardly and embarrass the Beiadan family.”
She wouldn’t have minded if it were just her.
But here in the capital, she was carrying the name of House Beiadan.
And she wanted to be cautious and respectful of that fact.
Dossien gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder, her aged eyes crinkling kindly.
“New experiences are always exciting. Shall we go?”
A magical phrase that left no room for refusal.
Maya nodded, and the two boarded the carriage for the shop.
Their destination was the most prestigious boutique in the capital—Madame Ophraje’s.
Even Maya, who knew little about fashion, recognized the name.
Madame Ophraje’s boutique was immensely popular. Every dress she released was in high demand.
The phrase “you can’t buy it even if you want to” was made for her designs.
Though in her previous life, that fame hadn’t lasted long.
After refusing the imperial command to design exclusively for Lisperfield, her shop couldn’t withstand the pressure and had to close down.
Eventually, she was exiled from the capital, and her whereabouts became unknown.
“I remember she had a lot of pride in her work.”
It had been Maya who first introduced Ophraje to the emperor.
Already well-known as the captain of the imperial knights, Maya had drawn considerable hostility from Ophraje at the time.
“I can’t stand people without pride like you! How can you serve that emperor?”
Maya had always been disliked by many, but Ophraje had been one of the few to openly detest the emperor as well—something Maya hadn’t forgotten.
“I wonder what she’ll be like this time around.”
Now that Maya wasn’t the emperor’s lapdog, perhaps they could maintain a better relationship.
Old yet new encounters always stirred strange emotions in Maya.
A relationship where she knew everything about the other person—but they knew nothing about her.
She took a deep breath and stepped out of the carriage.
The grand sign boasting Ophraje’s name caught her eye.
Inside, Madame Ophraje greeted them warmly.
“Welcome!”
Her freckled face and bright orange curls gave her a dog-like charm.
Though her dress seemed haphazardly thrown on, the accessories she wore brought harmony to the look.
The combination of bold green and red somehow looked stylish rather than tacky.
“You must be the lady of House Beiadan whom Dossien mentioned. It’s an honor to meet you.”
Maya blinked, surprised by the energetic and respectful greeting.
“So this is what she’s really like.”
She was a completely different person from the angry woman Maya had once known.
Perhaps the emperor and the circumstances had twisted her.
Recalling the dramatic shift in Ophraje’s life after Maya brought her into the imperial fold, a wave of guilt swept through her.
“…I’m happy to meet you too.”
This time, I’ll do better.
Maya swallowed hard and returned the greeting.
“We’ve cleared the shop for today, so feel free to choose whatever you like. Would you care to have a seat?”
“I will, thank you.”
Maya sat down, and Ophraje brought over a catalog prepared specially for the occasion.
“Please, take your time and choose a dress from here.”
Maya slowly flipped through the densely packed sketches.
But she had no idea what to choose.
Everything was so unfamiliar.
“What do you think would suit me?”
She decided to trust Ophraje’s eye.
“I’ll leave the choice entirely up to you.”
“Oh—my choice?”
Ophraje, who had been smiling confidently, blinked in surprise.
This was a woman who had valued her designs over imperial orders.
Someone who had stood proudly before the emperor and protected her craft.
“I believe I can trust your choice.”
And Maya truly meant it.
After choosing a dress, Maya left the shop in high spirits.
“Would you like to stop anywhere before returning home?”
“Ah, yes—there’s a dessert shop called Red’s I’d like to visit.”
It had come to mind the moment she arrived in the capital.
“Then allow me to escort you to the dessert shop.”
Maya happily climbed into the carriage.
—or rather, reached for the door handle.
That’s when she narrowed her eyes.
Was that just my imagination?
A fleeting silhouette behind the wall had looked disturbingly familiar.
It looked like McGuire.
But he was more at home in gambling dens than in places like this.
Must’ve been a mistake…
Still, the unpleasant feeling lingered.
