Dear Contract Husband, I Didn't Know You Were Like This? - Chapter 117
After finishing their meal, Maya spread out all the desserts Kendrick had brought on the table and began devouring them, starting with the cake.
The sweet whipped cream and the soft, fluffy layers blended perfectly, creating a delightful sweetness.
“Kendrick, I heard you went to the Imperial Palace on the day of the banquet. Why did the Emperor summon you?”
At Maya’s question, Kendrick’s gaze grew distant.
‘Is he recalling that moment?’
Kendrick didn’t answer right away. Maya waited silently for him to speak.
“Oh, right. I did go. I was ordered to investigate the monsters. I had to go with the Tower Master.”
Kendrick’s speech was slower than usual.
‘Is he tired?’
Still, she didn’t feel the need to point it out.
“Did you find anything from the monsters?”
“No, nothing new. The bodies were disposed of immediately, so nothing was left behind.”
Kendrick furrowed his brow, looking regretful. Maya felt the same.
For Kendrick and the Tower Master to investigate together yet find nothing noteworthy—it was surprising.
Even more so, the fact that the bodies were immediately disposed of was astonishing.
‘Didn’t they disassemble and take the last monster’s corpse before?’
Maya tilted her head in thought.
“Oh, right. Maya, instead, they found something from the body of the white serpent monster we took last time.”
Kendrick rummaged through his bag and pulled out a beautifully crafted box.
“Here, take this.”
Maya accepted the box Kendrick handed her.
Inside was an opal that resembled the white serpent.
“…This came from the body?”
“Yeah, we had taken the scales for research, remember? It seems the scales combined to form this.”
Maya thought of the ruby she had stored safely in her room.
A ruby, and now an opal. Both gemstones originating from the corpses of massive monsters, the subordinates of the Demon King.
There had to be something about these two gems that Maya hadn’t yet discovered.
“Is it okay for you to just take this when it’s under research?”
“It’s from a monster you defeated. Anything valuable that comes from it should belong to you.”
Kendrick’s response was straightforward. Maya nodded in agreement.
Considering how suspicious the gemstone was, she figured it was better in her hands than Kendrick’s.
“What could these gems mean?”
Given how frequently mages encountered monsters in the course of their work, especially those stationed in the Tower or the capital, she wondered if Kendrick might know something.
“Well, it’s just my guess…”
Kendrick hesitated before continuing.
“Since the gems come from the Demon King’s subordinates, maybe they’re a condensation of their power.”
It was a reasonable assumption. After all, the gems could only be found after their deaths.
“Ordinary monsters don’t produce such gems.”
Tristan, who had been quietly listening, interjected.
“These monsters are special. They’re related to the Demon King.”
“Is that so?”
Kendrick scoffed slightly as he replied. Tristan blinked in surprise.
‘Well, that’s true…’
Maya nodded, prompting Tristan to accept the information as well.
Kendrick turned back to Maya.
“I spoke with the Emperor about the monsters, but fortunately, he doesn’t seem to have figured out your identity.”
Kendrick seemed to know exactly what Maya was worried about, reassuring her effortlessly. Maya let out a sigh of relief.
Although she had done her best to conceal herself in front of Reserfield, Kendrick’s confirmation put her further at ease.
“Kendrick, nothing strange happened to you, right?”
“What could possibly happen? What about you? Are you okay?”
As always, Kendrick was more concerned about Maya than himself.
“Of course. You haven’t gone out hunting monsters, have you?”
Kendrick nodded before letting out a deep sigh.
“I’d love to, but this whole monster situation makes me hesitant. It seems like the stronger mages are expected to stay in the capital. Probably to keep it safe.”
So typical of Reserfield. As long as the capital was safe, he didn’t care about anywhere else.
“And, Grand Duke, you should be more careful when entering the library in the future.”
Kendrick, as if suddenly remembering, addressed Tristan.
“How do you know about that…?”
“We’re the ones who operate the hidden magical devices inside. Your face was fully captured.”
At Kendrick’s words, Maya recalled her recent encounter with Reserfield.
“Thanks to me personally adjusting it, I was able to change the face.”
