Holy Night: My Husband is Definitely a Paladin - Chapter 169
The next day, the fortress was abuzz with rumors.
The maids whispered to one another with frightened faces, discussing the events of the previous night.
The first to learn the details of what had happened was Cynthia, who was friendly with some of the maids.
Cynthia immediately sought out Irene, who had, just the day before, insisted on blocking visitors, claiming she had many matters to discuss with Michael.
âLately, it seems like Irene and Sir Michael have grown even closer.â
Michael, who had always roamed alone without forming a pair with anyone, was an enigma.
Having spent several years frequenting the fortress, Cynthia had often witnessed him entering dungeons alone.
Once, she had even been among a group he had rescued from a dungeon, bringing them out safely.
The first time she had seen Michael up close, she thoughtâŚ
âHe was a cold man.â
As a renowned holy knight, his courtesy extended equally to everyone, regardless of their status or abilities.
People praised and respected Michael for this.
But to Cynthia, his politeness felt inexplicably distant and frigid.
He was a man who treated everyone equally.
Which meant he considered no one particularly special.
People said it was because he had dedicated his entire life to the divine.
Even those who had built some camaraderie with him through dungeon expeditions were treated with the same cordial but distant kindness he showed to strangers.
But this year, as Cynthia observed him alongside Irene, she was genuinely surprised.
Even though they were paired, the sight of Michael staying so close to someone was unlike anything she had ever seen before.
That was why, when Irene had doubted that Michael would help with their gathering, Cynthia had encouraged her to ask anyway, just in case.
The result had been exactly as Cynthia predicted.
For the first time, Michael, who had never participated in any private gathering, appeared to assist with Ireneâs.
From that point on, Cynthia felt that Michael had grown even closer to Irene. After their time trapped in the dungeon, the two seemed far more intimate than she had expected.
The clearest sign was how Irene addressed him.
In front of others, Irene had always used the formal âSir Michaelâ, without fail, attaching the honorific.
This was despite the fact that Michael had long since begun calling her by her name alone.
To Cynthia, that difference represented the distance between them.
âMichael considers Irene much closer to him.â
But while Michael had moved closer, Irene continued to draw boundaries.
Until now, Michael had been the one to set limits with others, but for the first time, Cynthia saw the opposite dynamic.
Even so, Cynthia believed Irene would eventually lower her walls for Michael.
Michael was a man admired and adored by everyone.
Even if Irene wasnât naturally inclined to favor such a man, who in the world could resist someone like Michael when he stayed by her side?
Contrary to Cynthiaâs expectations, however, Irene maintained her distance. In fact, their separation seemed to grow even more noticeable.
âMaybe he really hadnât been her type.â
People had all sorts of preferences, after all. If Irene wasnât drawn to a man who had everything, so be it.
Maybe she simply didnât like blond hair, or blue eyes, or a perfectly sculpted physique.
But everything changed after the two returned from being missing in the distortion dungeon.
Michael, who had already seemed eager to grow closer to Irene, now stayed glued to her side.
âSince Sir Michaelâs return, heâs been so busy outside the fortress due to the decreased number of knights, so most people havenât noticed yet.â
