Chapter 8
The method to break the curse.
The amount of time they needed to stay together.
His current condition.
Considering everything, the most suitable solution for Maya and him right now was a contract marriage.
The Demon King could reappear at any time, and the unresolved social obligations could no longer be ignored indefinitely.
Moreover, the Emperor—who did not fully understand Tristan’s situation—was continuously pressuring the Grand Duchy.
It was said without a hint of personal intent. Only for breaking the curse.
“…Pardon?”
But seeing Maya’s shocked expression, he felt as if he had made a grave mistake.
“What do you mean…?”
Looking at her doubtful face, Tristan slightly corrected himself.
“To be precise… it is contact.”
“Contact?”
“Yes. The stronger the degree of physical contact, the faster the curse breaks.”
When Maya asked if he was joking, Tristan’s expression remained completely serious.
“That is the core reason I proposed a contract marriage.”
Only then did Maya begin to understand.
“So… we have to be in a relationship where we touch, hug, and even kiss each other…”
If it were just about breaking the curse, he could have assigned her as a guard or simply invited her.
But among many options, Tristan chose “contract marriage.”
“It would be unreasonable to stay close for such long periods otherwise.”
Marriage was, after all, the most socially acceptable explanation for two people staying constantly together.
Of course, that wasn’t the only reason.
Tristan also needed a substitute to attend social gatherings in his place.
The North, where monsters appeared periodically, was surrounded by vast mountain ranges.
Those mountains were too high and dangerous for the Northern Knights alone to manage, so the territory had been divided and jointly controlled with the Imperial Court.
But that fragile balance had changed when the newly crowned Emperor began suppressing House Bayarden, wary of its growing influence.
He had acted after learning that Tristan rarely showed himself in public.
Tristan had sent a formal letter, politely explaining his dissatisfaction with the current situation and the role of the Northern Knights.
The Emperor’s reply had been one line:
If you are dissatisfied with your treatment, come see me yourself.
It was clearly mockery, knowing Tristan never left the North.
Hiding forever would not solve anything.
With monsters growing stronger, internal conflict could become a serious crisis.
“I will respect your preference regarding the degree of contact as much as possible.”
Tristan’s blue eyes locked onto Maya sharply, as if he might devour her.
The tension between them made Maya swallow nervously. Speaking suddenly felt difficult.
Contact.
She had trained and fought alongside men in the Knights, but “contact” was almost nonexistent.
They never acknowledged her as one of them, and she ignored them in return.
Her answer had always been the sword.
There was no “contact” in her narrow relationships.
‘Well… unless it’s hitting someone.’
But touching?
“Uh…”
Seeing Maya freeze like a stone, Tristan’s expression stiffened slightly.
He could understand her reaction.
‘I said she was beautiful, but that doesn’t mean it’s the same kind of attraction.’
He had actually thought about this carefully. He couldn’t explain everything in a letter due to risk of leaks, so he intended to explain it in person—but he hadn’t expected her to be this resistant.
‘I should minimize contact as much as possible.’
It was understandable that physical contact with a stranger would feel uncomfortable.
He decided to start with empathy.
“I understand if you don’t want to be touched. However…”
For Tristan, this was a crucial opportunity.
He could not live bound by a curse forever.
He had to step into the world again to protect the people of his lands.
The Duke’s greatest weapon is his face.
Recalling his butler’s words, Tristan took a breath.
“Maya Pendragon.”
He closed the distance between them.
If his face could be used as a weapon, then he would maximize its effect up close.
A cool scent drifted from him as he approached—like the freshness of the first snowfall.
Seeing him this close made Maya’s heartbeat quicken even more.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
It was so loud she feared it might be heard.
“Would holding hands be acceptable?”
His lowered eyelashes were longer than hers.
His face looked as if it had been painted—sharp masculine lines mixed with a strangely fragile beauty.
Maya closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them again, dazed.
‘How am I supposed to refuse that face?’
Her body reacted faster than her reason.
“Of course it’s fine. Even more than that.”
She shouted and grabbed his hand immediately.
‘I’m more weak to faces than I thought…’
A moment of self-reflection followed.
A faint smile appeared on Tristan’s lips.
“I’m glad. I will always ask for your consent first.”
“…That might be a bit much.”
Maya was slightly disappointed—and confused by her own disappointment.
She wasn’t used to this kind of interaction, so perhaps she was becoming more sensitive than she realized.
‘There’s a devil inside me or something?’
Get a grip, Maya Pendragon.
This man was Tristan Bayarden.
She must not harbor such personal feelings toward someone who might become the future Emperor.
Tristan would live a completely different, perfect life.
Whatever woman ended up with him would surely be noble, graceful, and flawless—far more fitting than her.
‘With that face, it’s definitely possible.’
So she had to be extremely careful not to cross any boundaries during this contract marriage.
She didn’t know when that “devil” inside her might wake again.
Tristan opened a drawer beneath his desk and handed her a crisp sheet of paper.
It was a neatly written contract filled with elegant handwriting.
“After the contract marriage ends, we will divorce cleanly. You will be free to live the life you want.”
Maya scanned the document. The terms were so favorable it almost seemed disadvantageous to the Duke.
The only concern was her role as his substitute in social circles after marriage.
She asked seriously.
“You saw how I speak, didn’t you?”
Surprisingly, Tristan didn’t mind.
“That’s fine. I’m not fond of noble pretenses either.”
An unexpected common point.
‘That’s a relief.’
Her honesty seemed to have worked in her favor.
‘I’m glad I stayed myself.’
Feeling a bit proud, Maya pointed at another clause.
“And this part.”
[After the marriage ends, Tristan Bayarden will divorce Maya Pendragon. The fault of the divorce will be attributed entirely to Tristan Bayarden.]
“Do you understand what kind of rumors this will create?”
Once the marriage became public, it would draw immense attention.
As his wife and representative, Maya’s every move would be scrutinized.
A sudden divorce from a Duke’s trusted wife would certainly become gossip.
People loved rumors. Especially bad ones.
They would speculate endlessly.
But Tristan didn’t care.
“Don’t worry. People talk behind your back for a reason.”
Maya, however, was concerned about something else.
“What about rumors regarding your private life?”
She was genuinely worried.
In the Knights, she had been mocked simply for being a woman. Men treated her differently, assuming she couldn’t compare.
So she had unconsciously learned that “men are like that.”
Even a Duke was still a man. He might think the same way as imperial knights. She didn’t want him to suffer in this arrangement.
‘He’s someone who trusts me.’
He was not like the Emperor.
She didn’t want him to be hurt or insulted.
Tristan’s expression turned strange.
After thinking for a moment, he asked:
“Do you think the reason I don’t sleep with you is because I have a problem as a man?”
“Huh? No, I just thought I should ask just in case.”
“I am completely normal.”
His narrowed eyes seemed slightly offended.
“…I see.”
It seemed she had worried unnecessarily.
‘How do I even explain this?’
She wasn’t used to talking like this—she used her fists more than words.
‘God…’
She sighed internally.
In the end, there was only one answer she could give.
“I understand.”
Quick acceptance.
“And why would others need to know about my condition anyway?”
Tristan muttered indifferently.
“Only my spouse needs to know.”
