Chapter 90
The oppression against House Bayarden, which couldn’t frequent the capital, continued without respite. This was true even when Reserfield was still a prince.
Unlike the ambitious Reserfield, Gallian, who was originally supposed to be the Crown Prince as the eldest, was a gentle man. He sent a letter saying that if House Bayarden would offer an apology, he would forgive past grievances and that he wished to see their faces, which he hadn’t seen in a long time.
In an effort to somehow resolve the ongoing conflict with the imperial family, the Bayarden couple left young Tristan behind and went up to the capital.
The content of the last letter they received was no different from usual.
[Tristan,
It seems things are going well. Prince Gallian appears to be inclined to look favorably upon House Bayarden.
If we establish trade involving monster parts and deepen our relationship with the imperial knights, it will benefit both sides.
It should be good for your future as well.
We love you.]
That was the last letter left by his mother and father.
‘So I finally know the truth.’
The bitterness in Tristan’s mouth was due to his hope that what he had suspected all along wasn’t true.
“Don’t be arrogant just because House Bayarden has descended from a great dragon. The imperial family is protected by the dragons because they have chosen it, so show the appropriate respect.”
These were words Tristan’s parents often repeated to him when he was young.
House Bayarden had always shown deference to the imperial family. But the result of enduring oppression and showing respect was betrayal.
Haven’t they endured enough?
“Kiiing!”
The wyvern rushed over to Tristan.
Thump, thump!
There was a loud noise as the locked library door was forced open.
“Ugh…”
“Huh, why did I…?”
He could also hear the voices of the people he had knocked out as they began to wake up.
They were far away, but they would close in quickly.
Tristan carefully gathered the documents he had been reading, put them in his bag, and fled with the wyvern.
As he jumped out of the window into the air, the wyvern expanded its body and quickly caught him.
As the wyvern soared into the sky, the door below burst open with a loud bang.
“Search every inch of this place! A trespasser in the imperial chamber!”
The loud commotion made it clear that they were referring to the room Tristan had entered earlier.
He hadn’t noticed when he entered, but it seemed the room had a security mechanism that had been triggered.
“Find the wretch, quickly!”
The sharp voice echoed in Tristan’s ears. He glanced down indifferently.
A man with striking red hair and dressed in extravagant clothing was barking orders at the hesitant soldiers.
His green eyes were cold rather than warm, and they gave off an unpleasant feeling, as if facing a sticky swamp.
The man’s face was etched with greed, and it was clear he was more accustomed to ordering others around while venting his anger.
‘That must be Reserfield.’
Tristan remembered hearing from his parents what Reserfield looked like when he was a child, including how behind his seemingly calm eyes lay a ruthless tyrant.
“What a mess, coming here to find Maya Pendragon and ending up with this.”
Tristan flinched at the words that came out of Reserfield’s mouth as he clicked his tongue.
Gripping the reins on the wyvern tightly, Tristan frowned.
‘So they’ve met.’
Many noble ladies were practically thrust upon Reserfield, but he had never truly accepted any of them.
Why is it that his sense of unease is never wrong?
Tristan, trapped in a mix of self-reproach and helplessness, felt his body beginning to shrink.
His hands became smaller, and his perspective changed.
‘Why am I so powerless?’
Not even his healing powers could do anything against the curse.
He had to rely solely on Maya.
Of course, Maya needed him too.
But Tristan couldn’t stand how much he was becoming dependent on her overall.
To avenge his parents, to bring down that emperor, he had to escape the shadow of the curse.
He needed to make contact.
He needed to touch Maya.
‘But I don’t want to touch her just for that reason.’
This was both a consideration for Maya and Tristan’s last bit of pride.
Even if that’s how it started, he didn’t want their relationship to be solely about the curse.
‘Why did I have to be cursed?’
Just thinking about their relationship was already overwhelming, and the curse only added to his anguish.
Tristan furrowed his brow.
“Tr… I mean, attendant.”
Maya’s voice broke through his thoughts.
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