Holy Night: My Husband is Definitely a Paladin - Chapter 259

Screams echoed through the banquet hall.

“Guhk!”

Michael drove his sword into the chest of the knight who had tried to swing an axe at him.

Even though the man was wearing thick armor, Michael’s blade pierced through it with ease, slicing through the flesh beneath.

Blood seeped from the gaps in the armor as the knight collapsed onto the floor.

His gasping eyes were filled with utter disbelief, as if unable to comprehend what was happening.

The remaining knights hesitated, instinctively stepping back.

They, too, could not understand how things had come to this.

“Wasn’t he supposed to be the princess’s pair?”

There had been no official announcement, but anyone who had eyes in the royal palace had been certain.

Michael had always been at Princess Cecilia’s side, smiling as if he belonged there.

And yet…

That very same man had now massacred the royal family and slaughtered those who followed them.

As the knights retreated, they heard an unsettling squelch beneath their boots.

The blood of their fallen comrades had pooled on the floor, thick enough to ripple like a shallow stream.

“Ugh…”

Michael strode toward them, shaking the blood from his blade.

The knights froze in terror.

Was this truly the Holy Knight Michael they had known?

The man butchering people without a single hint of emotion—could this really be him?

“S-Someone, help!”

At last, one of the younger knights turned and ran.

The others braced themselves, expecting Michael to cut him down first.

But to their surprise, Michael merely glanced at the fleeing knight and then turned away, making no effort to chase him.

And that was when they realized.

Michael was only killing those who stood against him.

The knights standing before him hesitated—and then stepped aside.

And just as they had predicted, Michael no longer paid them any mind.

He simply walked past them.

The relief of having survived lasted only for a moment.

Thud!

One of the knights’ heads suddenly flew through the air.

His lifeless expression suggested he hadn’t even realized he was dead.

His severed head rolled across the floor, his body collapsing moments later.

Having dispatched one more knight, Michael moved on as if he had lost interest.

The remaining knights looked down at their fallen comrade, and that was when they noticed a terrifying pattern.

All of the knights Michael had killed…

Were the ones who had guarded Cecilia at the fortress.

***

“What… what is this? What’s happening?”

Cecilia trembled as she locked the heavy iron door behind her.

Her gaze fell to the bracelet on her wrist.

It was an artifact she had obtained two years ago in a high-ranked dungeon.

The moment she had laid eyes on its large gemstone, she knew that this was no ordinary artifact.

Her pair, who had entered the reward chamber with her, had cheered in excitement upon finding their own treasure.

“I’m taking this one.”

“Huh? What do you mean? The dungeon rewards should be divided fairly—”

“Did you forget the condition for joining my group? If I set my sights on something, you forfeit “your right to it.

“But…!”

Technically, they hadn’t signed the contract yet, which meant her demand was invalid.

The new pair, knowing they had equal rights to the artifact, refused to back down.

“How about we discuss this after we leave the dungeon?”

“Discuss what? We’re not stepping aside!”

Artifacts with powerful abilities could make a person wealthy for life.

Her pair had no intention of letting it go.

With a determined expression, they stepped ahead of Cecilia, leading the way out of the dungeon.

Then, as they crossed a narrow path along a high cliff, Cecilia gave a subtle signal to Sir Britson.

Without hesitation, Britson drew his sword…

And struck from behind.

Her pair didn’t even have time to scream before they plummeted into the abyss below.

The sound of monsters swarming to the scent of fresh blood followed soon after.

And just like that, the artifact became entirely hers.

When they returned to the fortress, Cecilia reported that her pair had fallen victim to monsters on the way back.

Then, she immediately brought the artifact to the appraisal chamber.

Her expression, as she received the appraisal results, held none of the grief she had shown moments earlier.

[ One-Time Escape ]

At the moment of death, you may teleport to a location of your choosing.

This ability cannot be used more than once.

Run. Until death finds you again.

She had been disappointed that it could only be used once, but it was still a remarkable artifact.

It wasn’t true resurrection, but it was close enough.

If she ever faced death, she could simply flee.

So, Cecilia had designated her desired location as Visconti’s royal palace.

Specifically, the heavily guarded royal artifact vault.