Chapter 69
Maya headed for Geberan, where the insect swarm had first appeared.
When Hayden finally came face-to-face with a wyvern, his jaw dropped.
“Good heavens… I feel as though I’ve stepped into a legend.”
As they moved busily, Hayden filled the time with stories.
Tales of House Pendragon—things not even Pendragon’s own members knew.
How fascinating that was.
It seemed the world was far more interested in House Pendragon than Maya had ever realized.
“I’d like to hear more about the legends.”
It was embarrassing for Maya to be asking such questions as the heir herself, but what was past was past.
She could only learn now.
“It must have been difficult for Your Grace to encounter such stories directly. I only picked them up bit by bit.”
With a calm expression, Hayden began.
“I became skilled at digging things up on my own. Through my own little network, I came across quite a few legends.”
Though surprised that Maya and Tristan knew less about the legends than he did, Hayden continued.
“They say if the powers of House Pendragon and House Bayarden join, none can defeat them. No matter what may come, their strength will last forever….”
He even hummed a song that praised the power of the two dragon houses. To Maya, it was all astonishing.
“I used to think legends were just that—nonsense.”
Hayden grinned at Maya.
“But now I know better.”
At that, Maya laughed.
It was refreshing, hearing about the legends in this way.
But Hayden’s chatter ended within an hour.
On the road, his stamina gave out, and he eventually had to ride on Alec’s back.
For a marquis—and a man—it was embarrassing.
But no matter how he tried, he simply couldn’t keep up with their pace.
“I hope being carried doesn’t hinder your fighting. I feel guilty.”
Flustered, Hayden asked. But Maya answered in his place—
“I could tell you to fight, but why bother? I’m faster anyway.”
On the way, they encountered several bands of thieves, but each time Maya swung her sword, they fell like leaves before the wind.
Watching her move with perfect precision, Hayden’s scholarly spirit flared.
“The sword and swordsmanship of Pendragon from the legends themselves….”
He felt it instinctively—
what he saw now in Maya Pendragon would someday become legend, like the Pendragon of the founding era.
And then curiosity struck him.
Why exactly were they chasing this butterfly monster?
“Why are you pursuing this creature?”
Even the fact that it hadn’t been slain yet was puzzling.
Both Hayden, who asked so late, and Maya, who had never explained, looked at each other with sheepish faces.
“To rescue Kendrick.”
Maya admitted at last.
“Kendrick? That name sounds familiar….”
Hayden tilted his head—then his face froze.
“Surely not Kendrick Aksia?”
Maya brightened at once. Was Kendrick really so famous?
“So you know him?”
“That cursed Aksia…!”
Hayden’s face trembled with rage.
Something felt wrong.
“Aksia is the sworn enemy of my house. If the West has Rebour, the East has Aksia, as the saying goes.”
“Really?”
He slammed his fist down angrily (though it was against Alec’s back, Alec didn’t so much as flinch).
Clearly, the enmity ran deep.
“They pretend neutrality, yet linger at Recerfield’s side, never hesitating to slander other houses.”
So Maya really had been out of touch with society.
All this was new to her.
In her past life, she had wondered why House Aksia stayed so long beside Recerfield.
Now she understood—there was history behind it.
“But Kendrick severed ties with House Aksia long ago. I can vouch for that.”
Maya knew Kendrick better than anyone.
There was no way he would ever act together with House Aksia.
At her firm declaration, Hayden let out a sigh.
“Even so, it’s best you keep your distance. The Marquis of Aksia doesn’t see it that way.”
“Truly?”
“Is he not a talented son?”
Since Kendrick had accompanied the Tower Master on an imperial visit, his reputation had spread far and wide.
It seemed the Marquis of Aksia was now spreading word that Kendrick was his son.
“The Marquis of Aksia is a fool.”
Maya could say for certain: the marquis was digging his own grave.
“Does he even know what Kendrick might do?”
She could already picture it—Kendrick raging when he heard the rumors.
He wouldn’t sit still.
He might very well beat the marquis half to death.
Though knowing Kendrick’s soft heart, perhaps not kill him outright.
…But for the sake of seeing that, Kendrick had to return alive.
Neither the Tower nor House Aksia truly cared about finding him. They only ever thought of using him.
Now that he had gone missing, none searched.
So Maya would remember him, and seek him.
Because Kendrick was her precious friend.
***
Two full days later, at night.
Maya, Tristan, Alec, and Hayden made camp near Geberan.
Night was safer, less likely to draw eyes.
After all, in the West there was no one who didn’t recognize Hayden’s face.
They had been on the move without pause.
At last, they were able to rest properly.
On the way, they had crossed paths with insect swarms more than once.
The damage was severe, and the more Hayden saw, the deeper his worry grew.
But the path itself had been oddly smooth. Suspiciously so.
It was almost as though the butterfly monster were guiding Maya toward itself.
But what could they do?
Sometimes, even knowing the path ahead might be a trap, one needed the courage to walk it.
At least, tonight it was not snowing.
Maya warmed herself close to the campfire. The heat was comforting.
Sitting together, Tristan broached a subject he had long wanted to discuss.
“What do you think this jewel means?”
They had learned several things about the gem taken from the monster.
It could not be scratched by any means.
It could not burn or break.
And more—
no matter how far it was placed, it would return to Tristan’s hand like a puppy seeking its master.
He hadn’t intended to let it fall into anyone else’s possession anyway….
But still, mysteries abounded.
Why had that monster felt the need to hand the jewel to Maya in the first place?
And why had the wolf monster afterward, upon realizing who Maya was, surrendered so meekly to death?
That was why Tristan kept asking Maya to recount the details of what she had seen up close.
“It really surrendered so easily?”
Maya nodded.
“It had utterly lost its will to fight.”
That was the strangest thing of all.
Monsters were the minions of the Demon King.
And wasn’t Pendragon the descendant of the dragon who slew the Demon King?
Then why would they submit, rather than fight to the death?
“Even last time, the butterfly monster didn’t exactly try to kill us, did it?”
“That’s true.”
They had to uncover the reason behind this contradiction.
“So this time, we’ll….”
Tristan explained his plan to Maya, and her eyes widened.
“That’s not a bad idea.”
Maya agreed.
“If it doesn’t work, we can always attack anyway.”
That was true enough.
“I hadn’t thought of it that way….”
Tristan’s idea was definitely worth trying.
Returning with a load of firewood, Alec and Hayden watched the pair with satisfaction.
Though a knight commander, Alec’s role on this journey was little more than following behind Maya.
But even this gave him plenty to learn.
From her training methods to the very way she gripped and swung her sword—he could study it all.
Maya’s swordplay held both perfect form and boldness.
“I made mistakes early on, so…”
He was determined to play Cupid.
“Newlyweds really are sweet.”
Seeing the handsome couple together warmed Hayden as well.
It reminded him of his own newlywed days with Kleine.
After Alec’s simple stew for supper, Maya and Tristan helped set up the portable tents Alec had brought.
There were two in total.
Without hesitation, Alec and Hayden pointed to the first one they set up.
“You two should sleep in this tent.”
