My Husband Was Clearly a Paladin
Chapter 16
“……Your hand?”
“Yes.”
His answer was plain, as if asking what else she thought he might want.
“I was told that is the basis of purification.”
“T-That’s true.”
Irene nodded vigorously, fanning her flushed face with her hand.
‘What on earth was I thinking?’
Why did she assume he would lead her straight to the bed like this?
‘That’s all in the past now. It’s something that hasn’t happened.’
She was the only person in this world who would remember it.
Irene repeatedly pressed her heated cheeks with the back of her hand. Nevertheless, the heat showed no signs of cooling down.
“But will you be alright?”
“With what?”
“Well, uh… I was wondering if you might be breaking the Temple’s regulations….”
A Holy Knight had visited a room where a woman was alone in the middle of the night. And now he was attempting physical contact.
No matter how she thought about it, it was strange.
This was something the Michael of the past would never have done.
At Irene’s cautious words, his expression stiffened slightly as if he understood her concerns, and he soon spoke.
“I know you must be very flustered by my actions.”
Flustered was an understatement; she was at the point of doubting if this man was truly Michael.
“However… I simply could not endure it any longer, so I took the liberty of visiting you despite the rudeness.”
As Michael said this, he raised his head and locked eyes with Irene.
In that instant, Irene felt her heart drop. It was a faint terror, as if falling from a very high place.
She felt as though something deeper was writhing behind those deep blue eyes.
“Irene?”
Had she been staring too stiffly?
He called her name in a low voice.
“Ah, I’m sorry.”
Irene hurriedly snapped back to her senses. However, the trembling in her body did not easily subside.
“B-But when you say you couldn’t endure it… what exactly do you mean?”
Those words particularly weighed on her mind.
Exactly what was it that he couldn't endure?
“Ah, that.”
For some reason, his voice seemed to carry a hint of amusement.
Yet his expression remained as calm as ever.
“Furthermore, I heard that because you are a Holy Knight, you are capable of purifying a certain amount of demonic energy yourself….”
That was why this situation felt even more foreign.
Perhaps it was due to his immense devotion, but he possessed holy power exceeding that of most priests.
While holy power couldn't erase wounds like a purifier could, it was still possible to suppress demonic energy to some extent.
That was why Michael always entered the Prayer Room alone after a dungeon subjugation ended.
He had purified the demonic energy with his own holy power.
“Normally, that is the case. However….”
Michael let his words trail off and looked toward the table. It seemed he intended to have a longer conversation.
Realizing his intent, Irene had no choice but to invite him to sit.
“If you’d like, why don’t we sit down and talk? We can’t keep standing like this.”
“Thank you.”
“Would you like some tea…?”
“I am fine.”
She had asked in an attempt to ease the awkwardness even slightly, but he gave a short reply and headed toward the table placed in the center of the room.
Forced by Michael’s somewhat urgent attitude, she had to follow him immediately.
As Irene went to sit, he pulled out the chair to make it easier for her.
Only after Irene sat did Michael take the seat opposite her.
‘His manners are the same as ever.’
Since the dungeons appeared, it was common knowledge that knights, blinded by rewards, had cast aside etiquette and focused solely on hunting monsters.
It was to the point where many lamented that they should be called hunters rather than knights.
Even among the etiquette of such knights, his was of a style that could now be called ancient.
Michael’s adherence to it evoked jealousy and ridicule from fellow knights, but longing and admiration from purifiers.
‘That’s why I liked him, too.’
She had lived under the Count barely receiving treatment as a human being.
Yet even though he disliked her, hadn't her heart fluttered many times at his attitude of treating her with respect, as if she were a noble lady?
‘I don’t feel that way anymore, though.’
Even as old memories surfaced, her heart didn't particularly race like it did back then.
Everything felt distant, and she simply thought, *so that happened.*
Wanting to end this late-night tryst as quickly as possible, Irene spoke first.
“So, can you explain why you require purification?”
She wanted to know the reason why Michael was requesting purification first like this.
“Are you aware that before I came to the Alliance’s Fortress, I subjugated an Unstable Dungeon that suddenly appeared in the Kingdom of Tyrenia?”
Irene nodded.
“Yes. You told me that thanks to that, Tyrenia is paying for this room as well as the items and meals provided to me.”
“That is correct. Because the dungeon appeared near the villa where the royal family was staying, the entire Tyrenian royalty was nearly placed in danger.”
At his explanation, Irene looked around the luxurious room anew.
‘So that’s why they poured money into this so unsparingly.’
Tyrenia was a kingdom that possessed not only fertile farmland but also a sea route that several kingdoms were required to pass through.
Because of that, it was one of the wealthiest kingdoms on the continent.
Knowing that Michael had saved the royal family, Irene felt relieved that she could enjoy this place more comfortably.
‘No wonder he told me to speak up without hesitation if there was anything I lacked.’
If one considered it the reward for saving the lives of royalty, this might even be considered modest.
Irene continued to listen to his words.
“The problem was that dungeon. As it appeared outside the designated area, the interior of the dungeon had high variability. In other words, the inside of the dungeon was peculiar, and it was filled with monsters that had not yet been reported. And while dealing with them….”
Stopping mid-sentence, he suddenly began to unbutton the shirt he was wearing.
At the sudden removal of clothing, Irene stared blankly at him with wide eyes.
Having unbuttoned about half of his shirt, he slightly parted the collar to reveal his chest.
“……\!”
In that moment, Irene gasped in surprise.
It was because there was a long, wide, vivid scar on his exposed chest.
It looked as if he had been clawed by a giant beast.
‘There was no such thing before.’
Since they had shared bodies for an entire week, Irene knew Michael’s body well.
He had many small scars all over his body, including his hands.
But there had never been a scar this large.
“I was seriously wounded by an unrecorded species of monster. Fortunately, a general healer’s medicine worked well, and the wound healed quickly for its size. The problem occurred after that.”
“A problem…?”
“Demonic energy is embedded in this scar itself. Suppressing it with holy power is the extent of what I can do; it does not disappear. I feel the demonic energy becoming stronger, especially after entering a dungeon or when night falls.”
Was it because she had heard his explanation?
His eyes visible under the dim light seemed somewhat reddish.
“I tried to suppress it with holy power today as well, but perhaps because I went to a dungeon alone during the day, it didn't go well. That is why I have come to visit you at this hour.”
“……I see.”
Irene only now understood the situation.
To him, as a Holy Knight, harboring demonic energy must be a truly terrible thing.
It was a state of harboring the most evil thing in the body and mind that should be the most pure.
‘So he couldn't stand it and sought out a purifier.’
Since holy power alone wouldn't heal it, he had no choice but to rely on contact with a purifier.
However, no matter how much it was for the sake of purification, contact with the opposite sex must still be something he was reluctant to do.
That was likely why he had come at this hour to avoid everyone’s eyes.
“I understand. First, could you hold out your hand?”
At Irene’s words, he obediently extended one arm toward her.
Irene moved her chair to sit closer.
“Since this will be your first time being purified, it might feel a bit strange at first. First, I’ll take your hand….”
“Is it not your first time as well, Irene?”
“Pardon?”
“I understand that this is your first time coming to the Fortress, yet you seem to know very well. You also said the light of purification seen on the Night of the Contract was unintentional.”
Irene flinched involuntarily at his question.
She couldn't exactly say that she had purified him numerous times in the past.
“Ah, that’s…. There’s a purifier named Wilhelmina whom I’ve known well since we were back in the estate. Thanks to her frequent explanations, I’m well aware of the sensation during purification.”
She had thought Wilhelmina wouldn't be of any help in her life, yet here she was, serving as an excuse.
Irene sent her first silent thank you to Wilhelmina in her heart.
“Anyway, I’ll try it for now.”
She felt that if she dragged it out any longer, he would find more oddities in their conversation.
Irene looked at his large hand, which felt twice the size of hers, took a deep breath, and then placed her hand on his, interlacing their fingers.
‘Now, slowly like this….’
Just as she tried to extinguish his demonic energy by recalling the memories of purifying him in her past life—
“Ngh\!”
Irene trembled along with a groan.
