Holy Night: My Husband is Definitely a Paladin - Chapter 240

At that moment, new things appeared in the imagined home—

A very small bed. A low table. And wooden toys.

Even without those things, a life with Michael would shine brilliantly.

But… if she could have them, wouldn’t her shared life glisten with a different kind of light?

While Irene was lost in thought, Michael was still gently stroking her flat belly with his palm.

During dungeon raids, it was common for pairs to spend nights together. Naturally, children were sometimes conceived.

But pregnancy was still rare.

As the number of Purifiers who died in the dungeons while carrying swollen bellies increased, the fortress eventually developed a contraceptive.

Irene had taken that medicine before the Contract Night.

It was effective for nearly a year, so there was no possibility of her conceiving yet.

Of course, if they continued like this… one day, it would inevitably happen.

“Do you… want one?”

Michael’s voice broke through her thoughts, as if reading her mind.

Irene couldn’t answer.

Instead, she simply turned her face away, her cheeks burning red.

She thought he’d see right through her—

That he would, as always, react with rough, unrestrained passion in response.

But instead, Michael…

With a sorrowful expression, he lightly marked her chest with his teeth before pulling away.

As if to say—he could not give her what she wanted.

***

The sound of rushing water from the bathroom brought Irene back to the present.

Just recalling last night made her breath hitch, her body heating up on its own.

She let out a quiet sigh of relief as she tucked away the revealing underwear into her bag.

‘Thank goodness for Chomp-chomp.’

At first, Chomp-chomp had refused to return her undergarment.

It had even plopped it onto its head and whined—saying it wouldn’t eat its salad unless she let it keep it.

After a long struggle, Irene had smacked the tentacle, leaving a visible lump on its head, and finally reclaimed her embarrassing garment.

Lying at her feet, sniffling, Chomp-chomp sulked.

Irene let out a sigh and commanded,

“Get up.”

Chomp-chomp wiggled its body sulkily, pretending not to hear.

“Then I suppose I’ll have to tell Michael that there’s a monster here.”

[Your most loyal servant, Chomp-chomp, humbly presents itself before Your Majesty.]

The moment Michael’s name was mentioned, Chomp-chomp immediately straightened up, its tentacle lowering in a bow.

Irene shook her head and gave her order.

“Take these two metal fragments back to my room. Both of them—and put them exactly where they were.”

[Of course! Right away!]

Chomp-chomp snatched up both fragments in its mouth and vanished.

And shortly after—Michael returned.

The water had stopped for quite some time, yet he still hadn’t come out.

Michael was someone who usually washed up quickly.

But today, for some reason, he took longer than usual.

And when he finally emerged, his face was red—as if he had returned from some grueling labor.

It wasn’t as if he had been showering in boiling water… so why was he like this?

As Michael gathered fresh clothes, Irene caught a glimpse of something outside the window.

A thin tentacle, just barely peeking into view.

It drew a small O in the air.

It was undoubtedly Chomp-chomp, signaling that it had successfully returned the fragments to their rightful place.

And then—the very moment Michael turned his head, the tentacle vanished completely.

Clearly, Chomp-chomp was terrified of Michael.

Now dressed, Michael settled beside Irene—as if now that he had changed, he could finally touch her freely.

He kissed her, over and over.

Receiving his endless affection, Irene smiled and asked,

“Did everything go well at the shop?”

“Yes. It’s almost finished now. You can look forward to it.”

Michael had already given her more than enough.

Yet now, he spoke so confidently—telling her to anticipate even more.

Worried, Irene murmured hesitantly,

“Michael, I really—”

“You were about to say,” Michael interrupted, “that you don’t need such extravagant things. That they’re too burdensome and that you wouldn’t wear them anyway.”

“…….”

Irene closed her mouth.

He knew exactly what she was going to say.

Still holding onto her hair, Michael pressed soft kisses into the strands as he whispered,

“But if I overwhelm you with so many gifts, maybe you’ll keep at least one of them…”

Irene let out a small sigh.

Lately, Michael had been acting as if…

As if she would throw away everything he gave her.

She was about to reassure him, to say she never would—

But before she could, Michael spoke again.

“And tomorrow night, I want you to shine even brighter before the person we’re meeting.”

“We’re meeting someone?”

“Yes. If you don’t wish to, you don’t have to meet him. But I think… it might be best to end things properly.”

Michael’s expression grew tense.

Then, in a voice carrying carefully concealed tension, he asked,

“Will you meet Count Rhodiam?”

Count Rhodiam.

At that name, Irene felt a strange, distant feeling.

The man to whom she had owed her ransom.

The man who had bound her under the name ‘Rhodiam’.

Michael’s voice called her back.

“He is coming to collect your final body price.”

• Author
• Recent Posts

tangerine

Latest posts by tangerine (see all)