My Husband Is Definitely a Paladin — Chapter 26

FORTRESS

WHERE THE KINGDOM ALLIANCE AND THE TEM- PLE JOINED FORCES TO SUBJUGATE DUNGEONS,

BUILDING A MASSIVE CITADEL IN THE CENTER OF THE CONTINENT, SOUTH OF THE ALLIANCE CAPITAL.

IT IS AN INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS AREA SINCE IT HAS THE HIGHEST FREQUENCY OF DUNGEON APPEARANCES, BUT...

PARADOXICALLY, IT IS ALSO THE SAFEST PLACE BECAUSE OF THE KNIGHTS, PURIFIERS, THE TEMPLE, AND ARTIFACTS.

AT THE SAME TIME,

THANKS TO THE SPOILS THAT COME OUT OF THE DUNGEONS,

IT IS ALSO THE PLACE WHERE THE MOST MONEY FLOWS.

GOLD AND JEWELS FROM THE REWARD ROOMS

CAN BE KEPT OR SOLD RIGHT AWAY WITHOUT ANY SPECIAL APPRAISAL, BUT

IT IS FAR MORE PROFITABLE TO SELL ARTIFACTS THROUGH AUCTIONS DUE TO THEIR DIVERSE ABILITIES AND HIGH DEMAND.

TO PUT AN ITEM UP FOR AUCTION, IT MUST FIRST BE APPRAISED BY THE HAND OF APPRAISAL, AND...

IT IS JUST 10,000 GOLD PER USE♡

THE APPRAISAL FEE ALONE IS A PRICE ORDINARY PEOPLE CAN HARDLY AFFORD, BUT...

PERHAPS BECAUSE OF THAT,

THE FORTRESS'S AUCTION HOUSE WAS AS LAVISH AS A ROYAL PALACE,

AND ASIDE FROM THE KNIGHTS AND PURIFIERS WHO OWNED THE ARTIFACTS,

IT WAS BUSTLING WITH PROMINENT MAGNATES, ROYALS, AND NOBLES.

I HAD NO REASON TO COME HERE IN MY PREV- IOUS LIFE.

RECEIVING THE MONEY SIR MICHAEL DISTRIBUTED WAS THE END OF IT FOR ME.

BUT TO THINK I WOULD ACTUALLY COME HERE WITH THE INVISIBILITY RING...

FOR SOME REASON, IT CAME WITH THE UNFORTUNATE COND- ITION OF BEING SINGLE-USE,

SINGLE-USE

AND SINCE THE REWARD MUST BE DIVIDED WITH THE OTHER PAIRS,

I WILL ONLY RECEIVE ONE-TWELFTH OF THE FINAL WINNING BID, BUT

CONSIDERING WE ALSO OBTAINED THE STONE OF SILENCE LAST TIME AND PUT IT UP FOR AUCTION,

*Chapter 13

100,000 GOLD MIGHT TRULY BE RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME.

WHEN I THINK ABOUT FINALLY BEING ABLE TO ESCAPE THE COUNT THIS TIME,

MY HEART BEATS SO FAST IT ALMOST MAKES ME FEEL SICK.

LADY IRENNE, ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?

AH. YES, I AM FINE.

UM, I HEARD YOU ALWAYS ENTRUST AUCTIONS TO THE TEMPLE...

THANK YOU FOR COMING TO THE AUCTION HOUSE WITH ME, SIR MICHAEL.

AND FOR ACCOMPANYING US ON THE RAID,

AS WELL AS AGREEING TO THE DISTRIBUTION OF REWARDS.

EVERYONE IS GRATEFUL TO YOU.

I DO NOT KNOW HOW ELSE TO EXPRESS THIS GRATITUDE.

ASIDE FROM PURIFICATION,

IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL IF THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE I COULD DO FOR YOU...

IT IS ONLY NATURAL IF IT IS YOUR REQUEST.

BUT IF YOU INSIST,

PLEASE GRANT ME ONE SMALL FAVOR LATER.

A FAVOR?

AH, YES! IF IT IS SOMETHING I CAN DO...

LOOK OVER THERE, IT'S SIR MICHAEL.

THEN, THE WOMAN IN FRONT OF HIM

IS THE PARTNER WHO OBTAINED THE UNTITLED HEALING?

...SHE LOOKS DECENT, JUST AS I HEARD.

I DIDN'T KNOW SIR MICHAEL CARED ABOUT FACES AND BODIES.

WITH LOOKS LIKE THAT, EVEN A PALADIN WOULD FEEL THE URGE TO EMBRACE HER, WOULDN'T HE?

IF IT WERE ME, I'D LOCK HER IN A ROOM AND SPEND ALL DAY...

SIR MICHAEL!!!!

SIR MICHAEL, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!

THIS MAN INSULTED YOU.

I KNOW, I HAVE EARS TOO!

BUT YOU CAN JUST IGNORE IT!

I AM USED TO THIS SORT OF THING ANYWAY...!

YOU ARE USED TO IT?

F-FIRST, PLEASE LET HIM GO!

HE IS REALLY GOING TO DIE AT THIS RATE!!

LET HIM GO FIRST BEFORE DEMANDING ACCOUNTABILITY!!

Y-YOU BASTARD...

HOW DARE YOU...

DO YOU KNOW WHO MY FATHER IS?!

EVEN IF YOU'RE A PALADIN, I WON'T FORGIVE YOU.

I'LL TELL MY FATHER AND HAVE YOU EXECUTED FOR SURE!!!

LET'S GO.

PARDON? BUT...

IT IS FINE.

THERE IS NOTHING FOR YOU TO WORRY ABOUT, LADY IRENNE.

YOU BASTARDS!! WHERE ARE YOU GOING?! I'LL IMMEDIATELY...!

SIR MICHAEL'S TONE WAS GENTLE, BUT

EVEN AFTER WE WERE GUIDED TO OUR SEATS,

HE SEEMED TOBE STRUGGLING TO SUPPRESS HIS ANGER.

...SIR MICHAEL, PLEASE DO NOT MIND WHAT HAPPENED EARLIER.

I AM TRULY FINE.

...WHAT HUSBAND IN THIS WORLD

WOULD NOT MIND

WHEN HIS WIFE IS BEING INSULTED?

I-IF YOU ASK IT LIKE THAT..

NO ONE OTHER THAN SIR MICHAEL IN MY PREVIOUS LIFE...

RATHER THAN SAYING HE DID NOT MIND...

Whew, that woman...

Did you see the size of her chest?

IT IS CLOSER TO HIM NOT KNOWING BECAUSE HE WAS NOT BY MY SIDE.

I ALSO THOUGHT THAT STAYING OUT OF HIS SIGHT WAS THE BEST WAY NOT TO BOTHER HIM.

ANYWAY, SINCE I AM USED TO THIS SORT OF THING...

SIR, I AM TRULY FIN-

AND HEARING YOU SAY THAT YOU ARE USED TO SUCH INSULTS

PAINED ME DEEPLY.

WHENEVER I SUFFERED SUCH INSULTS IN MY PREVIOUS LIFE,

I INTENTIONALLY AVOIDED SIR MICHAEL EVEN MORE, BUT

AT THE SAME TIME, I DREAMED COUNTLESS TIMES.

OF A MOMENT LIKE THIS, WHERE SIR MICHAEL WOULD LOOK BACK AT ME,

AND TAKE MY SIDE...

SO WHENEVER HE TREATS ME THIS PRECIOUSLY,

I BECOME AFRAID THAT I MIGHT JUST BE DREAMING.

...IF ANYONE ELSE EVER ACTS DISRESPECTFULLY TOWARD YOU AGAIN,

PLEASE BE SURE TO TELL ME.

YES, UNDERSTOOD.

PROMISE ME.

YES.

I WILL PERSONALLY RIP OUT THEIR TONGUE AND SNAP THEIR NECK TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE.

TH-THAT MIGHT BE A BIT TOO MUCH...

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

THANK YOU FOR WAITING!

WE WILL NOW BEGIN THE ARTIFACT AUCTION!

TODAY'S FIRST ITEM UP FOR AUCTION IS...

AN ITEM THAT BLOCKS SOUND FOR ONE MINUTE WHEN HELD—

THE STONE OF SILENCE!

PLEASE VERIFY ITS APPEARANCE THROUGH THE MAGNIFYING GLASSES PROVIDED.

THEN, WE WILL START THE BIDDING AT 5,000 GOLD!

IT IS MY ARTIFACT!

20,000, DO I HEAR ANY MORE?

ANYTHING ABOVE 20,000?!

SOLD FOR 20,000 GOLD!

GREAT, SELLING THE STONE OF SILENCE FOR 20,000 GOLD IS GOING EXACTLY ACCORDING TO PLAN!

THE PERSON WHO WON THE BID IS...

MY WORD.

I WILL GO AND TELL THEM THAT WE WILL NOT SELL THE ITEM TO THAT FILTHY SCOUNDREL.

PARDON?! NO!!! IT IS FINE!!!

AS LONG AS I RECEIVE THE GOLD, I DO NOT CARE!!

You said you were going to talk, so why are you drawing your sword?!

Please calm down~!!!

WHILE I WAS SWEATING BULLETS TRYING TO CALM SIR MICHAEL DOWN,

THE AUCTION PROCEEDED SWIFTLY, AND...

WE HAVE A BID OF 1.2 MILLION GOLD FOR TODAY'S FINAL ITEM, THE INVISIBILITY RING!

IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER BIDS WHILE I COUNT TO THREE, THE AUCTION WILL BE FINALIZED!

THE INVISIBILITY RING IS SOLD FOR 1.2 MILLION GOLD!

OH MY, EVEN THE INVISIBILITY RING WAS A SUCCESS!

EVEN IF THE TWELVE OF US WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE RAID DIVIDE IT, IT IS STILL 100,000 GOLD EACH!

I HAVE GATHERED THE MONEY THE COUNT DEMANDED!!

NOW I AM TRULY FREE...

E-EVERYONE!

PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE AND WAIT JUST A MOMENT!!

I APOLOGIZE, BUT IT SEEMS THERE WAS AN OMITTED AUCTION ITEM!

THE FINAL ITEM UP FOR AUCTION IS...

AN "UNAPPRAISABLE DAGGER"!

IT IS UNAPPRAISABLE...?

THE ORNAMENT ATTACHED TO THAT SWORD...!

IT LOOKS EXACTLY LIKE THE STONE I HAVE!!