Chapter 6
‘My memory must be wrong.’
Maya desperately tried to recall the Duke’s face from her past life.
“Maya Pendragon?”
The man spoke as he looked at her stiff expression. His low, languid voice tickled her ears.
But that feeling didn’t last long—her heart dropped.
‘His voice is different too.’
The Duke in her memory had a softer, more youthful voice than this.
You… weren’t a boy?
‘So the curse isn’t related to age?’
Then why had he called her here? Why propose to her?
Everything she had prepared suddenly felt meaningless.
What about the deal?
Maya bit her lip to hide her confusion. She needed time to organize her thoughts.
The man she saw in her past life was definitely the Duke.
His commanding way of speaking, the way his subordinates called him “Duke” when they rushed to him, the black helmet, his noble presence—all of it matched.
…And yet, the man standing before her now felt strangely similar to that boy she remembered.
‘But he isn’t a boy.’
That was what she couldn’t understand.
“You don’t look well.”
The man narrowed his brows and stepped closer.
His tall frame cast an overwhelming presence over her. Anyone else would have shrunk back.
But Maya saw this as an opportunity.
‘A chance to see his face.’
If she was going to risk everything on this man, she needed to confirm it.
Was he really the same person?
Fortunately, she remembered his face clearly.
How could she forget?
He had shown kindness even to a sinner like her, respected her choices despite his own curse, and treated her with genuine dignity.
And honestly… he was the most handsome man she had ever seen.
She admitted that last part mattered too.
A pretty boy had become a devastatingly handsome man.
Maya stared at him intensely.
He did not avoid her gaze. Instead, he looked back at her with quiet interest.
‘Similar… but different.’
Black hair like a night sky fell neatly over his forehead. Thick brows peeking through suited his deep voice.
But what captured her attention most were his blue eyes.
‘Beautiful.’
She found herself staring blankly.
Even when she had entered the castle, snow had been falling.
His eyes reminded her of a clear blue sky stretching over white mountains.
When their gazes met, something sparked for an instant.
The man before her looked almost unreal—like a god sculpted into human form.
His deep eyes, sharp nose, slightly parted lips—all of it felt like a painting.
As if she were dreaming.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
Only when his hand touched her forehead did Maya snap back to reality.
She had been staring without answering him. It was extremely rude.
But instead of getting angry, the Duke simply removed his hand and tilted his head.
“You don’t have a fever…”
Just like the Duke she remembered from just before her death—warm and considerate.
That kindness, like sunlight she had never known, made her chest feel strangely ticklish.
The warmth of his touch still lingered.
Her heart was beating like she had just finished intense training.
Too close.
She had never been used to contact with others.
Before becoming knight commander, she either trained at home or hunted monsters.
After Kendrick died, she devoted herself even more to the sword.
After that, she was under the tyrant emperor’s control—forming normal relationships was impossible.
As she thought of the past, the man’s presence once again clouded her mind.
The boy she remembered and the man before her overlapped.
He had matured, but it was undeniably the same person.
Calm down. If he called me here, there’s a reason.
Maya steadied her breathing.
A Duke who hid himself from the world would not propose without purpose.
The curse was real—that much she assumed.
The Duke spoke again.
“Is there something on my face?”
His tone was slightly amused, not angry.
Maya stepped back and bowed.
“I’m sorry. You’re just… extremely handsome. I was staring without realizing it.”
It was at least half sincere.
“I think this is the first time I’ve received such a direct compliment.”
He looked surprised, resting his chin on his hand.
How do you not compliment that face?
Maya couldn’t understand.
“Before anything else, I apologize for making you wait. Did you have dinner?”
That simple question improved her impression of him instantly.
Anyone who cared about meals was a good person.
Maya briefly questioned her own standards.
Am I too easy to please?
Probably both.
She had no intention of lying.
“I’ve never had a meal as delicious as that in my life. I’m honestly jealous of your chef. Especially the meat—it melted in my mouth. I heard it was freshly hunted here. I’d like to try hunting it myself someday.”
The Duke lowered his head slightly, shoulders shaking as if holding back laughter.
Then he cleared his throat.
“I’m not laughing at you. It’s just… it’s been a long time since I met someone this honest.”
“I thought it would be better to be honest from the start. Better to surprise you now than later.”
Maya smiled lightly.
She knew she was unusual.
A proper noble would speak more carefully.
But she didn’t want to.
She was tired of living as someone else.
The Duke’s eyes shifted slightly at her words.
“I’m glad you enjoyed the meal. I’ll reward the chef. You can look forward to your stay here.”
That alone made this place feel more livable.
“I will.”
The Duke looked at her.
“You came here… does that mean you accept my proposal?”
“Yes. But…”
There was something she needed to confirm first.
“Why did you propose to me?”
Is the curse real?
Or would her prepared contract become useless?
The Duke studied her carefully.
“Is that question meant to evaluate the terms?”
Maya shook her head quickly.
“No. I wouldn’t have come if that were the case.”
She simply needed information.
“I am an unknown noble who never even attended a debutante. I know better than anyone that I shouldn’t be someone you choose.”
“There must have been better candidates.”
“But you chose me anyway. Someone useless and unknown.”
“Do you often describe yourself as useless?”
Maya froze.
Often?
It wasn’t emotion—it was fact.
Before becoming a Swordmaster, she had always been treated as insignificant.
“This is just objective truth, Your Grace.”
The Duke watched her silently.
His blue eyes deepened.
Maya felt uneasy under his gaze.
Why is he looking at me like that?
Her past life had been meaningless—useless.
And yet…
“I understand.”
He accepted her words calmly.
But the question he had asked lingered in her chest like a thorn.
“Then let’s sit down. This will take some time.”
