Dear Contract Husband, I Didn't Know You Were Like This? - Chapter 120
The monster, moving with graceful butterfly-like steps, narrowly evaded her attacks.
The fight dragged on.
Maya hesitated, unwilling to inflict serious harm on Kendrick, while the monster’s attacks lacked true intent to cause damage.
Unlike when it first spread the powder, the monster now seemed uninterested in actually fighting Maya.
‘It’s holding back its attacks.’
Was it conserving its energy?
Everything was full of mysteries.
And that wasn’t all.
Maya realized that the monster’s gaze was directed at Tristan.
‘Why is it watching Tristan?’
It wasn’t attacking him.
Was that all?
Even in a situation where its life was at risk, the monster wore a satisfied smile.
‘…Do monsters fall in love with people? Is Tristan’s face its type?’
From the beginning, it had assumed Kendrick’s form and conversed with Tristan and Maya.
It had even delivered the gem supposedly found in the white serpent’s body to Maya.
‘What does it all mean?’
Since it was a monster she hadn’t encountered in her past life, Maya knew little about it. The lack of understanding frustrated her.
“Why are you so interested in Tristan?”
At Maya’s question, the monster grinned with Kendrick’s face.
“Frustrating, isn’t it, descendant of Pendragon, not knowing anything?”
“Yes, it’s frustrating.”
Maya admitted it honestly.
“What are you hiding?”
“You seem to care about that man quite a lot.”
The monster didn’t answer Maya’s question, and so Maya didn’t respond to the monster’s words either.
“I’ll just tell you this—at the end of this road, you’ll find only despair.”
“Stop speaking in riddles.”
“Graaah!”
Maya was now atop a wyvern that had appeared out of nowhere.
She relentlessly pressured the monster, nearly capturing it in her grasp.
“I’m… running out of strength…”
The monster, panting and laughing with Kendrick’s face, suddenly slumped forward.
Its wings folded swiftly, and Kendrick’s body began to fall through the air.
Whoosh—
“Kendrick!”
Maya grabbed Kendrick’s body with one hand.
In her arms, Kendrick opened his eyes.
“Maya, kill thi—”
It was undoubtedly Kendrick’s voice.
“Kendrick, you’re back?”
The moment Maya called out to him in relief, wings sprouted once more from Kendrick’s back, sending Maya and Kendrick flying apart in an instant.
“As expected, such remarkable talent.”
It was the monster’s voice again.
The subdued Kendrick must have awakened, battling from within.
Kendrick was fighting.
For his survival.
‘Kendrick won’t lose easily.’
Maya trusted him.
“Descendants of Pendragon and Bayarden, if you wish to destroy me, then come and find me.”
Realizing it had no more advantage, the butterfly-like monster spoke cryptically before wrapping itself in its wings.
It was trying to escape.
‘Letting it go now would be dangerous.’
Maya looked around and grasped at the protective barrier created by Tristan’s power, her last resort.
If it was created by Tristan’s power, perhaps it could be used to track the monster later.
“Tristan, can you remove this?”
“…I’ll make it smaller.”
Tristan focused and created a miniature version of the protective barrier that fit in Maya’s hand.
Maya hurled the barrier with all her strength toward Kendrick.
As soon as the barrier stuck to Kendrick’s body, the monster disappeared.
“……”
Maya bit her lip hard.
Since her return, she had approached everything meticulously, regaining her power step by step.
Never had she felt so powerless.
‘I let my guard down.’
She should have paid closer attention to Kendrick.
Or perhaps if her skills had been more refined, she could have resolved the situation immediately.
If only she had been just a little better.
Dismounting from the wyvern, Maya ran straight to Tristan.
“Tristan, since you control the barrier, can you track its location?”
Tristan was her last hope.
“Maya, give me your hand first.”
“Tristan, please answer me.”
Maya’s voice was urgent, desperate.
She had lost her composure, teetering on the edge.
“I can.”
Tristan’s calm reply came as he opened Maya’s clenched fist.
“So don’t neglect to take care of yourself.”
“……”
“You need to save your friend, don’t you?”
Tristan held Maya’s hand and used his healing power, erasing the bloody mark on her palm.
As if comforting her, Tristan spoke steadily.
“You can save him.”
Maya lowered her head, her face flushing red.
His words stirred a torrent of emotions within her.
It felt as if he was telling her that the future could indeed change.
“Everything will be fine.”
Tristan embraced Maya and gently patted her back.
As Maya leaned into Tristan, regaining her composure, a familiar voice interrupted them.
“…I never thought I’d see such a scene.”
Startled, Maya and Tristan turned their heads swiftly.
T/N: Thank you all for reading thus far! I’ll be taking an indefinite hiatus from this novel for now. I’m not quite sure when I’ll be able to come back as I’ll be focusing on other novels, but if, in the meantime, someone else would like to pick this up, you’re free to do so.
