Holy Night: My Husband is Definitely a Paladin - Chapter 183
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The mortuary of the fortress was eerily silent.
During dungeon cycles, it was typically filled with corpses and wailing, but today, only one body and the weight of silence filled the room.
Michael looked at Irene, lying in her coffin.
Her skin, always pale, had lost all remaining color, making her appear like a mere sketch on white paper.
It was hard to accept that she was truly gone, lying lifeless here.
āShe went into the dungeon alone and died, they said.ā
The idea was absurd.
Irene had rarely entered a dungeon, and only on occasions when she needed to collect rewards. Michael had always strictly prevented her from participating in dungeon expeditions.
It was only naturalādungeons were extraordinarily dangerous places.
Even seasoned knights who had trained their entire lives could lose their lives with a momentās carelessness.
Michael could never understand why some knights brought their partners into such danger.
If they were concerned about the contamination of miasma, they should train harder and practice techniques to quickly defeat monsters.
Dragging someone elseās life into peril for their own survival was something Michael found utterly distasteful.
That was why he always kept Irene outside the dungeon.
He wanted her as far away from danger as possible.
Sometimes, Irene would insist on joining him in the dungeon.
When he rejected her requests, citing the dangers, he once found her humbly asking another knightās pair to take her into a lower-tier dungeon.
āWhy would she go to such lengths to enter a dangerous place?ā
When he confronted her and demanded to know what she was doing, Irene avoided his gaze and said she wanted to familiarize herself with the dungeonās interior in case of emergencies.
It wasnāt an unreasonable answer, but hearing it made Michael feel suffocated.
Once someone had taken a pair, they were bound to the dungeon system.
The Alliance of Kingdoms wouldnāt revise the continental laws in just a year, so Michael would need a pair again next year.
As a result, both directly and indirectly, people began vying for the position of his pair.
But Michael had never once considered taking a new partner.
While continental law classified pairs as a temporary marital status, Michael didnāt see it that way.
Even if there was no physical intimacy, seeking another partner after being someoneās pair, even temporarily, felt inconceivable to him.
āUnthinkable.ā
Thus, Michael intended to continue pairing with Irene next year.
This way, she could remain safe and free from unnecessary risks.
Moreover, Michael knew she received far less reward than other purifiers.
Initially, he assumed she wasnāt concerned about money, but one day he saw her quietly questioning a staff member at the fortress.
āSir, I believe thereās an error in Sir Michaelās reward registration. Itās missing about 50 gold. Could you please check again?ā
Her voice was calm and soft, almost timid.
The fortress staff member waved her off irritably.
āThatās impossible. And really, youāre bothering someone for hours over a mere 50 gold? Youāre the first purifier Iāve ever met who makes such a fuss over loose change.ā
At his words, Ireneās face turned red.
But she didnāt back down.
āEven so, if you check, Iām sureāā
āEnough! Fine, letās say I made a mistake. Take it and leave! Honestly, how did Sir Michael end up with such a money-grubbing pair? No wonder he keeps his distance!ā
The staff member pulled a handful of gold coins from his pouch and flung them dramatically.
The coins clattered noisily to the ground, reflecting the light as they rolled.
It was an openly insulting gesture.
In such a situation, anyone else would have confronted the staff member, demanding an explanation for such behavior.
āAh!ā
But contrary to Michaelās expectations, Irene frantically chased after the rolling coins.
She even lunged ungracefully to grab one before it tumbled down the stairs, throwing herself onto the floor in a manner almost pitiful to behold.
