Holy Night: My Husband is Definitely a Paladin - Chapter 288
TL: Elphie / PR: Marm
Irene tried to remove the ring.
But just as it had before, the ring wouldnât budge an inch from her finger.
âMichael didnât like this thing much either.â
He never spoke about the ring if he could help it.
As if he despised the thought of her becoming aware of the ring just because he mentioned it.
And yet, he had once muttered under his breath,
“That thing, Iâll need to get rid of it somehow.”
His voice had carried a quiet but undeniable frustration, as though, if he could, he would have cut it off her hand himself.
âPerfect. Since I just remembered, I have the Hand of Appraisal examine it.â
Normally, anything this suspicious would have been brought to the Hand of Appraisal immediately. But she had kept forgetting.
Was it cursed to be forgotten? The thought unsettled her.
Before she could forget again, Irene turned on her heel and made her way to the Appraiserâs Hand.
* * *
âLady Irene? Did you find a new artifact?â
As Irene stepped inside, the staff member in charge of the Hand of Appraisal greeted her warmly.
The first time she had met him, she had been surprised by how fondly he treated the Hand of Appraisal. Later, she learned that he was an artifact enthusiast.
Apparently, his passion for artifacts, especially rare or newly discovered ones, had led him to request a position in this department.
âI do have a new artifact⌠I think? I want to know what this is.â
âOh, a ring? Did you find it in a dungeon? And youâre wearing it already without even verifying it? As expected of a Grade 1 purifier! You donât even care about curses!â
ââŚLetâs go with that.â
Denying it outright would only waste time. Agreeing, even halfheartedly, seemed like the fastest way to move on to the appraisal.
The staff member guided her into the room.
Inside, there was only a single, plain wooden desk with sheets of paper and a pen.
And, of course, resting atop the desk was the Hand of Appraisal, butâŚ
âWas the Hand of AppraisalâŚalways this lively?â
The Hand of Appraisal, as Irene remembered it, had always been still, resting quietly atop the desk. Only when an artifact was placed before it did it stir, moving at a slow, deliberate pace.
But now, it was scuttling wildly across the desk, darting back and forth like an excited pet greeting its long-lost owner.
âHuh? I donât remember this happening before?â
The staff memberâs eyes widened as he watched the frantic movements of the severed hand.
Since he had started working hereâno, even since the Hand of Appraisal had been brought to the Fortressâit had never moved with such restless energy.
âIt does react a little more when a particularly unique artifact comes in, but not to this extentâŚâ
His gaze snapped to the ring on Ireneâs finger, sharp with newfound curiosity.
âThat must be an absolutely incredible artifact!â
What?
Irene looked down at the ring.
She couldnât even remember when she first started wearing it. Other than the fact that it refused to come off, it didnât seem to have any special powers.
And yet, the Hand of Appraisal was in a frenzy over it.
âHere, please have a seat.â
The staff member, his face brimming with excitement, gestured eagerly for Irene to sit.
As soon as she settled into the chair and placed her hand on the desk, the Hand of Appraisal scuttled toward her with surprising speed.
Even though everyone was familiar with this active artifact, the fact that it was in the form of a severed hand still made it unsettling to watch.
The Hand of Appraisal carefully felt around the ring on Ireneâs finger.
Since it had rushed over so enthusiastically, she expected it to examine the artifact thoroughly. But contrary to her expectations, the hand only brushed over the ring a few times before retreating.
Irene tilted her head in confusion.
What was that? It was acting as if it had just confirmed something it already knew.
But hadnât it been so eager just moments ago?
As both Irene and the staff member watched in bewilderment, the hand made its way back to the paper and pen.
Finally, they would know what this thing was. Or so she thought, until the Hand of Appraisal suddenly flipped onto its back, trembling violently before rolling across the desk in a fit.
âHuh? What?â
âW-Whatâs wrong with it?!â
“I-I donât know! Hand! Whatâs wrong with you?!”
The staff member, completely flustered by this unprecedented event, dashed out of the room, calling for help.
“Someone! Help! The Hand of Appraisal isâŚ!”
But the moment he disappeared down the hallway, the hand that was thrashing just seconds ago as if on the verge of death suddenly snapped upright.
Then, without hesitation, it scurried over to the paper and quickly began writing.
In a flash, it scribbled something down, crumpled the paper, and stuffed it into Ireneâs pocket.
After that, it waved at herâan oddly urgent motion, almost as if it were telling her, Keep it hidden, keep it hidden! Irene was too stunned to react.
Then, as if nothing had happened, the Hand of Appraisal scuttled back next to the paper, flipped onto its back, and resumed its frenzied convulsions, twitching like an insect sprayed with poison.
Moments later, other staff members rushed into the room, and before Irene could even process what had just happened, she was practically ushered out.
“We’re terribly sorry! We’ll contact you again once we figure this out. Oh dear, Hand!”
The staff member burst into tears and rushed back inside, leaving Irene alone in the hallway.
She quietly walked away. No one paid her any attention. Everyone was too distracted by the commotion caused by the Hand of Appraisal.
Turning down an empty corridor, Irene reached into her pocket and pulled out the piece of paper.
The note, given to her by the Hand of Appraisal.
Judging by its behavior, it had clearly intended for only her to see it, away from prying eyes.
âWhat could it possibly say?â
With cautious fingers, Irene unfolded the paper. A short explanation was written inside.
[Infinite Healing â Bound Artifact (Binding Complete) / Purification power increases with the absorption of miasma.]
This alone was enough to make her eyes go wide.
But the next line had Irene clamped a hand over her mouth as a muffled gasp nearly escaped her lips.
[Exceeded limit due to countless repeated copulations post-binding.]
