Holy Night: My Husband is Definitely a Paladin - Chapter 195
Hearing the sound of slowing footsteps behind him, Michael turned his head.
A few steps away, Irene stood gazing at the Stone of Silence in her hand, biting her lip.
Her face was tense, but it held no trace of fear. Instead, it was filled with anticipation and excitement for what lay ahead.
Michael deliberately slowed his pace, allowing Irene to walk beside him.
At times like this, Irene usually looked up at him, meeting his gaze.
But now, she seemed so deep in thought that she didnât even notice he was by her side.
âShe asked if I disliked her plan, didnât she?â
How could that be?
Ireneâs plan was flawless, meticulously crafted.
The only issue was that she had to serve as bait for it to succeed.
And there was another aspect that unsettled Michael.
âThis is something that could be accomplished without me.â
The fake Wilhelmina, grotesque and unsettling as it might be, wasnât an exceptionally strong monster.
It didnât necessarily require Michael to capture it.
As long as someone attacked it before it disappeared, even newcomers like Felix or Maxime could handle it.
âI had hoped to be indispensable to her.â
Michael wanted to be useful to Irene in some way, no matter what it was.
If Irene asked it of him, there was nothing he wouldnât do, no matter how ruthless.
But all Irene ever requested of him was to accompany her to the dungeonâsomething he did all the time, something so routine for him it hardly felt noteworthy.
And even then, she had been so apologetic just for asking that much.
Michael wanted to be a greater help to Irene.
Yet now, she was setting her plans in motion in a way that minimized any need for his assistance.
Michael thought over Ireneâs plan again.
She had distributed artifacts to the maids throughout the fortress, enabling them to alert others of the monsterâs presence.
If she had merely asked, the maids likely wouldnât have cooperated so easily.
After all, running away was the safest course of action for them when faced with a monster.
But after seeing their injured colleagues healed, the maids had developed deep gratitude toward Irene and the other purifiers, inspiring them to actively participate in the plan.
âAnd Irene didnât even calculate that outcome when she devised the plan.â
When Michael first heard about her plan, heâd asked if she was providing healing to motivate the maids, calling it a good idea. Irene had blinked at him in surprise and said,
âTheyâre paralyzed and canât move. Of course, we have to help them.â
As if helping people required any other justification.
Michael had stifled a bitter smile at her innocent response.
This was Ireneâs nature.
She helped those in need without expecting anything in return.
And now, that selfless kindness was working to everyoneâs benefit.
An altruistic heart, unburdened by the pursuit of personal gain.
In her previous life, she had lived like that and met a tragic end. He had thought this time might be different.
Indeed, many aspects of her behavior had changed.
Now, she no longer shrank away from malice directed at her but confronted it head-on.
She asserted her thoughts clearly and didnât back down easily, even if others dismissed her opinions.
Yet the purity of her goodwill remained unchanged.
Once she achieved what she desired, she never sought more than she needed.
âWho here is truly walking in the path of the divine?â
Michael let out a quiet, bitter laugh.
Feigning a cough, he lowered his hand and lightly tapped her side.
Only then did Irene look up, noticing him.
She smiled warmly and took his hand, and Michael immediately intertwined his fingers with hers, holding tightly.
Resting her head lightly on his arm, Irene said,
âDonât worry so much. We have you, the other purifiers, and the knights. Letâs catch that monster quickly so everyone can have some peace.â
ââŚUnderstood.â
Matching her pace, Michael walked beside her, deep in thought.
In truth, he wanted nothing more than to snap Princess Ceciliaâs neck right this instant.
However, he knew that a monster that lost its summoner could go into a berserk state, becoming a greater threat.
That wasnât the only reason he refrained, though.
âIf I kill her before the point where I first took her lifeâŚâ
This world would come to an end.
