Holy Night: My Husband is Definitely a Paladin - Chapter 224
As Irene picked up her fork, still thinking about the metal fragmentâ
Chomp. Chomp, chomp.
ââŚâŚ?â
A strange sound echoed once again.
Irene immediately froze and listened more closely.
Choooomp. Chomp. ChompâŚ
When she first heard it, it sounded like something drinking water very aggressively.
But now, the sound had slowed down, as if whatever was making it was losing strength.
However, that wasnât the real issue.
This time, Irene didnât call out to ask if someone was there.
Instead, she grabbed a glass bottle in one hand, slipped off her slippers, and carefully approached the bathroom, making sure not to make a sound.
At the same time, she glanced behind her.
If something happened, she had to either run straight for the hallway or scream for help.
After confirming her escape route, she turned back.
Chap. ChapâŚâŚ
The sound continued. Following it, Irene held her breath as she reached the slightly open bathroom door.
âItâs definitely coming from here.â
She hadnât imagined it. Irene stood still, waiting for the sound to come again.
And thenâ
Chomp-chomp.
âWhoâs there!â
Clutching the glass bottle tightly, Irene slammed the bathroom door open.
The door swung wide, fully revealing the inside of the bathroomâ
ââŚâŚYou!â
Irene froze in place, still gripping the bottle.
Behind the bathtub, filled to the brim with water, a tattered, ragged tentacle was lapping weakly at the liquid.
At the sudden appearance of Irene, the tentacle also froze in place.
Thenâ
Cough! Cough! Cough!
It convulsed violently, spitting out water as if it had swallowed too much.
Anyone could tellâit had just choked while drinking.
The struggling tentacle let out weak, stifled coughs for a long moment before finally settling down.
Then, it turned to look at Irene, swaying feebly.
Watching its movements, Irene unconsciously muttered,
âCanât you drink just a little more?â
***
Chomp. Chomp-chomp. Chomp-chomp-chomp-chomp.
With a complicated expression, Irene watched the tentacle in front of her enthusiastically devour its salad.
ââŚWhat am I even doingâŚ?â
When she first discovered the tentacle in the bathroom, she had known it was a monster.
Yet, she hadnât screamed or swung the glass bottle.
Maybe it was because she instinctively felt it wouldnât harm her, or maybe it was because it looked so utterly pitiful.
If it were a person, she might have given it a few coins out of sympathy.
When she had seen it back at the fortress, it had been a smooth, peach-colored tentacle.
But now, it was covered in dirt and dust, with dried leaves stuck all over it.
It looked like it had crawled through a mountain path in sheer desperation.
At that thought, Irene unconsciously murmured,
ââŚDid you follow me?â
The tentacle flailed wildly.
– Ah, ah, ah, no! Thatâs impossible! Iâm just a lost tentacle! How could I dare to follow someone I saw at the fortress!
ââŚâŚâ
That only made it more suspicious.
A monster appearing inside the fortress was shocking enough, but following her all the way to this distant city?
That was simply unheard of.
She seriously considered whether she should call someone and have it eliminated.
But just as she was debating, the tentacle let out a loud stomach growl.
Then, it lifted itself up and gazed longingly at the dining table, making an exceedingly pitiful gesture.
Anyone could tell it was saying, Iâm hungry⌠Can I have some of that food?
And now, Irene found herself sharing part of the breakfast Michael had prepared with a tentacle.
She had expected it to prefer meat, being a monster.
But instead, it stretched itself toward the salad plate, drooling.
The tentacle was a vegetarian.
It eagerly licked up even the dressing, and once it seemed satisfied, it plumped up slightly, looking revitalized.
Then, as if expressing gratitude, it wiggled its body at Irene.
âYou want to⌠repay the favor?â
Nod, nod.
The tentacle nodded vigorously.
Then, suddenly, it disappeared behind the bathtub.
Irene hurriedly followed and peered behind the tubâ
But just like at the fortress, there was no trace of it anywhere.
âDid it just leave after saying it would repay me?â
She was still puzzled whenâ
Shuffle.
The tentacle slid back out from under the bed.
Startled, Irene instinctively recoiled behind the sofa.
Meanwhile, the tentacle dropped something onto the table with a plop.
– Here! You were looking for this, right? I brought it for you!
Irene stared at the tentacle for a moment before shifting her gaze to the table.
Never mind how it had brought somethingâ
The real question was what it had brought, considering how smugly it was wriggling in pride.
Curious, Irene leaned in to lookâ
And immediately sprang to her feet.
âThis is⌠the metal fragment?â
On the table lay the very metal fragment she had planned to search for once she returned to the fortress.
– Yes, yes! Thatâs the one! You were looking for it, werenât you? Iâm capable of at least this much!
At Ireneâs startled reaction, the tentacle wriggled even more proudly.
She picked up the metal fragment, turning it over in her hands.
âHow⌠did it bring this from the fortress?â
âWould something like this be easy for a monster?â
As she marveled at the impossibility of it, Irene suddenly noticed something important.
ââŚThis isnât mine.â
The fragment in her hand looked similar to hersâ
But it was a different piece altogether.
