Holy Night: My Husband is Definitely a Paladin - Chapter 148
The princess wasnāt entirely wrong.
Now that he was outside the temple, he would have to live by the rules of the secular world.
In that case, it would make sense to ally himself with the princess, who held the most power.
āI too am curious about these worldly pleasures you speak of. Howeverā¦ā
Michael roughly brushed the princessās hand away.
āNot with you.ā
Now excommunicated, he was no longer bound by the courtesy he had shown everyone under the divineās name.
Therefore, Michael no longer hid his disdain toward Cecilia.
Perhaps she hadnāt expected her proposal to be rejected.
Cecilia looked flustered, then struggled to compose her expression.
āThenā¦ what do you intend to do now?ā
āI plan to take responsibility for my actions.ā
As he said this, Michael thought of Irene.
She had always been sensitive about money.
āIād like to give her what I received from the templeā¦ā
The high priestess had shown him some compassion upon his excommunication.
Recognizing that he would need resources to live in the secular world, she had given him a considerable sum.
While he didnāt believe money could serve as atonement, he hoped she would accept it if it could ease her life even a little.
And if possible, he wanted to continue their pair bond and live together as a true married coupleā¦
Confronted with so many new choices, Michael felt uncertain about where to begin.
Just then, Cecilia spoke.
āIrene Rhodiam isnāt here. I saw her head to the archives early this morning. Perhaps you should look for her there.ā
The archives. It was indeed a place where Irene often spent time.
āAll right. Then Iāll be going.ā
Michael gave a slight nod to Cecilia and immediately turned to leave.
Heading to the archives based on her words would prove to be his greatest mistake.
At the archives, aside from a few staff members, there were no other purifiers or knights in sight.
āSir Michael, what brings you here?ā
āIām looking for Miss Irene Rhodiam.ā
āPardon? Why are you looking forā¦ her?ā
The staff member, frowning at the mention of Ireneās name, saw Michaelās reproachful gaze and quickly replied.
āShe hasnāt been seen here today. Perhaps sheās somewhere else.ā
The response left Michael at a loss.
In such a vast fortress, he had no idea where Irene might go regularly.
Eventually, he ended up searching all around the fortress.
As he wandered, a sudden commotion arose from one side of the fortress.
āWhat happened?ā
āThey say there was a casualty in an uncleared dungeon.ā
āA casualty? Who would be foolish enough among the staff to enter an uncleared dungeon?ā
āI donāt know. Apparently, it wasnāt a staff memberā¦ Knights sent to clear the dungeon found a body.ā
At the mention of this, Michaelās heart sank unexpectedly.
A sense of foreboding crept up his throat.
Michael approached them and asked urgently.
āWhere is that dungeon?ā
āOh, Sir Michael! You neednāt worry. The fortress personnel have already taken care of everythingāā
āWhere was the deceased found?ā
Startled by his raised voice, the staff member raised his hands in alarm.
āJ-Just there. Itās the low-level dungeon right in front of the fortressā¦ā
Michael immediately dashed in the direction indicated.
The lowest-grade dungeon right in front of the fortress.
A crowd had gathered, murmuring, at the entrance.
Michael pushed through them and went inside.
And there, he saw it.
Irene, covered in blood, lying with her eyes closed as if in sleep.
No longer breathing.
* * *
Perhaps because he had recalled her final moments, Michaelās breathing grew unsteady.
At this rate, Irene, resting with her head on his arm, might awaken.
As he steadied his breath so as not to disturb her restā
Swoosh.
A long tendril climbed up the dungeon wall, reaching out toward Michael.
It was the tendril that had prevented him from leaving the dungeon.
He ought to rise immediately and fend it off.
But Michael glanced at the tendril and spoke.
āHalt.ā
And with that, the tendril stopped in its tracks, like a hound obeying its masterās command.
