Holy Night: My Husband is Definitely a Paladin - Chapter 139
That day, the dungeon expedition proceeded smoothly.
Even though it was a mid- to high-level dungeon, to Michael, it was just a bit busier than usual and otherwise left little impression.
Every time he swung his sword, he could hear the admiration of the other knights behind him, but he paid no mind.
His abilities were a gift from the divine, after all.
Though he put in the effort to hone his skills, he believed that if others had been granted the same talents, they too would have trained just as hard.
After clearing all the monsters and confirming the rewards, he hurried out of the dungeon.
As he stepped outside, a staff member from the fortress looked at him, surprised.
Michael usually waited until everyone else had exited, giving the dungeon one last check before coming out himself.
âSir, youâre out firstâwas there some kind of problem inside?â
ââŚNo. Nothing unusual.â
Answering this way, Michael scanned the area.
Irene often waited outside the dungeon until his expedition was complete.
Perhaps she had been unable to come that morning but had shown up later in the day, so he had come out quickly just in case.
ââŚâŚâ
But there was no sign of Irene anywhere.
* * *
Several days passed, and Ireneâs presence remained absent.
Perhaps because of this, Michael no longer experienced the burning sensations at night.
Whenever he felt any stirrings below, the thought that Irene might be unwell somewhere caused those feelings to disappear in an instant.
Still, a sense of emptiness continued to build within him.
Though he kept up a composed exterior, each time he noticed that Irene was no longer visible among the purifiers, Michael felt an increasing sense of unease.
Eventually, his restlessness became apparent to those around him.
âIt seems youâve been searching for something latelyâŚâ
A purifier he didnât know approached him cautiously.
He should have said it was nothing, or that it was no cause for concern.
But his mouth moved on its own.
âI havenât seen Miss Irene recently.â
The moment he said it, he regretted it.
As a holy knight, he knew it was proper to avoid interactions as much as possible, yet here he was, asking about a woman first.
âOh, so youâre looking for your pair.â
Hearing that he was looking for Irene, the purifier showed a faint expression of disappointment, then continued in a somewhat curt tone.
âLooks like sheâs finally figured out her place. After all, it was rather shameless of her to keep showing up despite being of no help.â
The blatant disdain for Irene left Michael astonished.
Irene was his pair.
And yet, here this person was, speaking of her this way right in front of him.
As he was about to express his disapproval, other purifiers joined in the conversation.
âNow that you mention it, she hasnât been seen around the quarters lately either⌠Irene must feel lucky. Without lifting a finger, she still gets a share of the rewards from all the dungeons Sir Michael clears.â
âThatâs right. She always takes her portion, and it must be quite a lot by now. I wonder where she spends it all since her quarters are always tucked away in the cornerâŚâ
The purifiers, no longer even acknowledging Michaelâs presence, became increasingly absorbed in their conversation about Irene.
The next day, Michael went to the purifiersâ quarters.
It wasnât unusual for a knight to visit the purifiersâ quarters.
In fact, it was almost unnecessary to separate their quarters, as knights and purifiers often shared the same spaces.
As evidence, when Michael entered, he saw some of the knights who had been in the dungeon yesterday leaving their rooms with refreshed faces.
They must have spent a purifying night with their pairs.
