Holy Night: My Husband is Definitely a Paladin - Chapter 285
TL: Elphie / PR: Marm
[Hkkiyaaak!!!!!!!]
With a bizarre shriek, Chomp-chomp leaped into the air in fright.
Of course, since it had screamed in the language of monsters, the humans outside heard nothing at all.
Still clutching the rod tightly with its tentacles, Chomp-chomp spun around.
[W-Whoâs there?!]
Even the humans in charge of this place couldnât enter freely. So whoâ?!
Chomp-chomp straightened its tentacles like thin little snakes, standing them stiffly in defiance.
âI-I may look like this now, but Iâm still a high-ranking monster! Come at me, you bastards!â
Fueled by fiery determination, it braced itself for battle.
[Huh? Thereâs no one there?]
Someone must have grabbed him, but when he turned around, there was nothing there.
At that moment, a sound came from below.
Dadadadadadak!
Chomp-chomp immediately looked down.
[You!]
At its outcry, the thing on the floor waved.
Or rather, perhaps it would be more accurate to say that it shook its body.
Because the thing on the floor was nothing but a handâthe Hand of Appraisal.
[You! Youâre that fool who went around acting like he knew everything in the monster realmâonly to get chopped off by Rubinao Izeriena Kailatis! The severed hand of Petrogo or whoever!]
At that, the Hand of Appraisal raised one of its seven fingers.
Its meaning was clear.
XX, shut up.
[O-Okay, okay. Iâll just call you the Hand of Appraisal.]
Chomp-chomp had heard rumors about a once-high-ranking monster who lost its core energy and had to pretend to be an artifact in the human world, living quietly.
Just then, the Hand of Appraisal began to move its fingers, scribbling something in the air.
Chomp-chomp nodded as it read the floating letters.
[Yeah. You felt it too, huh? The King completely severed this world from the monster realm. Huh? What? Oh, yeah, weâre orphans now.]
Monsters had no concept of parents and children to begin with.
They existed as many yet also as one, and that one was all.
But the moment a name was bestowed upon them, they received a core energy and became individual beings.
Even so, a monsterâs essence didnât simply disappear. Some part of Chomp-chomp still remained connected to the tendrils of the monster realm.
It was the closest thing to what humans would call a family.
But now that this world had been severed from the monster realm, there was no way to ever meet them again.
Gone in an instant. So, orphan wasnât exactly the wrong word for it.
âAnd with the King gone⌠yeah, weâre definitely orphans.â
Just then, the Hand of Appraisal moved again, tracing out more letters.
Weâre fxxxed.
Chomp-chomp nodded. Yeah, they really wereâŚ
Chomp-chomp shook off the dampness gathering at the tips of its tendrils.
No! Donât cry! I am a magnificent demon! I can do this!
The Hand of Appraisal, watching this display, began writing in the air again.
Then why are you even here? Do you have a way to fix this mess?
[Hmm⌠First, I need to restore Her Majesty’ memories.]
That was Chomp-chompâs first objective.
Right now, it was far too weak to do anything alone.
âPower! I need more power!â
Back when it first became Her Majestyâs First Lieutenant, it had been absolutely glorious.
Its body had been plump and sleek, shimmering with a healthy sheen, overflowing with the crimson energy befitting a high-ranking monster.
With that power, so much had been possible. Chomp-chomp could still picture itâthe way other monsters had lowered their heads, humbly requesting an audience with Her Majesty.
Those were the golden days.
[If I can restore her memories, my energy should recover to some extent… But more importantly, Her Majesty needs to activate the artifact. Thatâs the only way we might reconnect with the monster realm.]
Artifacts, as they were called, had originally belonged to the monster realm.
However, the reason they remained quietly in this world after crossing over was simpleâthey had no desire to be further entangled with monsters.
Because of that, it was extremely difficult for a monster to activate an artifact.
It would be like begging for help from someone who wanted nothing to do with them.
But if a human were to use it, things would be different.
Especially if it was Her Majesty, whose command carried an undeniable force. The artifact wouldnât even dare to resist.
She may be human, but the King had chosen her to serve, and in terms of authority, she stood above all others.
The real problem was that she had no intention of seeking out the King.
Naturally. How could she, when she didnât even remember? To her, the King was a complete stranger.
[If Her Majesty regains her memories, my power will surely return as well. And then, of course, sheâll seek out His Majesty again.]
Chomp-chomp didnât understand what humans called love. But there was one thing it knew for certain.
If Her Majesty even slightly recalled the King, there was no way she would stand idly by.
