My Husband Is Definitely a Paladin — Chapter 21

...BEING INSULTED AND MADE INTO A LAUGHINGSTOCK

IS SOMETHING I CAN FACE WITH AN EXPRESSION THAT SAYS I FEEL NOTHING.

MAINTAINING A FOOLISHLY BRIGHT SMILE

IN FRONT OF THOSE WHO DESPISE ME.

IF ANYTHING COULD BE CALLED A SKILL I LEARNED

DURING THE 10 YEARS I SPENT AS THE DAUGHTER OF A COUNT, THEN IT WOULD BE THAT.

BUT HOW DARE THEY

SPEAK SO CARELESSLY IN A WAY THAT INSULTS EVEN SIR MICHAEL?

IF NOT FOR SIR MICHAEL'S ACHIEVEMENTS,

MORE THAN HALF THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM WOULD ALREADY BE DEAD.

AND YET THEY DARE USE SIR MICHAEL AS NOTHING MORE THAN GOSSIP AMONG THEMSELVES...

...SO A BODY CAN TREMBLE WHEN ONE IS TOO ANGRY.

CALM DOWN, IRENNE.

DO NOT FALL FOR SUCH AN OBVIOUS TRICK.

...OF COURSE.

WHEN EVEN HIS HOLY POWER IS NOT ENOUGH, HE ASKS ME TO HOLD HIS HAND.

OF COURSE, SINCE MY PURIFYING POWER IS LOWEST GRADE--

WE SPEND A VERY LONG TIME TOGETHER,

TALKING WHILE I PURIFY HIM.

A LONG TIME... T-TALKING, YOU SAY?

SPECIFICALLY, ABOUT WHAT...?

NATURALLY, ABOUT GOD AND FAITH.

HE HOLDS THE SPECIAL STATUS OF COMMANDER OF THE PALADINS, AFTER ALL.

WHAT ELSE WOULD THERE BE TO DISCUSS?

Eek.

SURELY, LADY CORINNE...

YOU WERE NOT IMAGINING SOMETHING BLASPHEMOUS,

SUCH AS SIR MICHAEL RECEIVING ORDINARY PURIFICATION?

I MAY HAVE ONLY ENTERED THE FORTRESS FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS YEAR, SO I STILL LACK COMMON SENSE ABOUT THIS PLACE,

BUT I DO KNOW THAT PRYING INTO ANOTHER PAIR'S PURIFICATION IN SUCH DETAIL

IS EXTREMELY RUDE.

ESPECIALLY WHEN RECKLESSLY INSULTING OR SLANDERING A PALADIN WHO IS THE SWORD AND MESSENGER OF GOD

IS THE SAME AS INSULTING GOD.

I ALSO KNOW THAT IT IS A SERIOUS CRIME THAT COULD HAVE YOU SENT TO A TEMPLE TRIAL FOR BLASPHEMY.

I-I DID NOT MEAN IT LIKE THAT...!

THEN WHAT DID YOU MEAN BY BRINGING IT UP?

THAT IS... I MEAN...!

ENOUGH, ENOUGH.

CALM DOWN, LADY IRENNE.

I AM SURE LADY CORINNE DID NOT SAY IT WITH BAD INTENTIONS.

ISN'T THAT RIGHT, LADY CORINNE?

O-OF COURSE, YOUR HIGH- NESS!!

TO INSULT SIR MICHAEL?

I HAD NO SUCH INTENTION AT ALL!

THEN,

SO THAT THOSE LISTENING DO NOT MISUNDERSTAND YOU,

LADY CORINNE, YOU SHOULD LEARN A LITTLE MORE ABOUT CONVERSATION ETIQUETTE THAT DOES NOT INVITE MISUNDERSTANDING.

...I CAN FEEL THAT THE PRINCESS IS DISPLEASED.

THE QUESTION LADY CORINNE THREW AT ME

MAY ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN THE QUESTION THE PRINCESS WANTED TO ASK THROUGH HER MOUTH.

YOUR HIGHNESS, LADY MYERS HAS ARRIVED.

LET HER IN.

MYERS...? THAT SURNAME SOUNDS FAMILIAR.

I AM CYNTHIA MYERS.

THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME, YOUR HIGHNESS.

CYNTHIA MYERS!

THE PERSON WHO OBTAINED THE INVISIBILITY RING IN MY PREVIOUS LIFE

WAS THE 4TH GRADE PURIFIER, CYNTHIA MYERS...!

So it was not Sylvia.

UM, IT IS NOTHING SPECIAL, BUT THIS IS A SMALL TOKEN OF MY GRATITUDE FOR INVITING ME.

OH MY...

I HAD NO IDEA THEY WERE STILL SELLING THOSE TERRIBLY COMMON TEA LEAVES...?

I HEARD EVEN MAIDS REFUSE TO DRINK THEM.

I SUPPOSE EVEN THAT IS PRECIOUS TO LADY MYERS.

Y-YOUR HIGHNESS.

WHERE SHOULD I SIT...?

THERE IS A SEAT RIGHT THERE, ISN'T THERE?

THE ONE EMPTY CHAIR LEFT.

THE SEAT I SAT IN DURING MY PREVIOUS LIFE...!

THE MOOD OF THE GATHERING, WHICH HAD BEEN OPENING ITS JAWS TO DEVOUR ME,

SHIFTED TOWARD THE NEW PREY IN AN INSTANT.

AS IF THE MORE FLUSTERED SHE BECAME, THE MORE DELIGHTED THEY WERE,

THEY THOROUGHLY IGNORED AND MOCKED HER.

THE GIFT I BROUGHT IN M Y PREVIOUS LIFE,

AND THE TREATMENT I RECEIVED IN MY PREVIOUS LIFE...

I FEEL LIKE I AM GOING TO THROW UP...

I DO NOT WANT TO STAY HERE FOR EVEN 1 MORE SECOND.

LADY IRENNE?

I APOLOGIZE, YOUR HIGHNESS.

I WANTED TO SPEAK WITH YOU A LITTLE LONGER,

BUT I SUDDENLY FEEL UNWELL, SO I THINK I SHOULD RETURN.

AH, IS THAT SO...?

IT CANNOT BE HELPED. YOU SHOULD HURRY BACK, THEN.

YES, THANK YOU FOR UNDERSTANDING.

A-ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?

YES, I AM SORRY, BUT COULD YOU HELP ME A LITTLE?

I SUDDENLY FEEL DIZZY...

PARDON? AH, YES!

AND HERE I WAS, GOING TO PLAY WITH HER FOR A WHILE...

THIS WILL NOT DO, WILL IT?