My Husband Is Definitely a Paladin — Chapter 38

HAVING RECEIVED NO ANSWER TO MY NOTE,

NOR CATCHING SIGHT OF HER STANDING ATOP THE RAMPARTS ANYMORE...

COULD HER SILENCE BE HER WAY OF REPLYING TO ME?

DID SENDING THAT NOTE PLACE AN UNWANTED WEIGHT UPON HER HEART?

OR PERHAPS...

NO MATTER HOW HARD I TRIED TO BURY AND MASK MY FEELINGS,

DID SHE SEE RIGHT THROUGH TO THE UNCHASTE LONGING HIDDEN BETWEEN MY LINES?

AND IF SHE DID...

HAS SHE COME TO...

LOATHE ME NOW?

...PREPARE TO MARCH OUT.

GOODNESS ME.

DID YOU END UP WAITING IN VAIN AGAIN TODAY, SIR MICHAEL?

NATURALLY, THAT RODIAM GIRL ISN'T GOING TO SHOW HER FACE HERE.

AFTER ALL, I HAD THE MESSAGE YOU WROTE TO HER SEIZED...

AND TOSSED STRAIGHT INTO THE FLAMES UNTIL NOTHING REMAINED.

STILL, THERE IS NO NEED FOR YOU TO FRET OVER HER.

IN PLACE OF YOUR LETTER TO IRENE RODIAM,

I HAD HER CLOSEST COMPANION DELIVER A LITTLE MESSAGE OF MY OWN.

USING THE EXCUSE OF BIDDING FAREWELL TO THE PALADIN COMMANDER,

TRAILING AFTER HIM AND PESTERING HIM LIKE THAT...

IS NOTHING SHORT OF A NUISANCE AND A DISGRACE TO BOTH HIM AND HIS PEERS.

ALL I DID WAS HAVE SOMEONE REMIND HER OF HER STATION.

JUST ENOUGH TO MAKE SURE SHE KNOWS HER PROPER PLACE.

AS FOR THAT LAUGHABLE NOTE YOU PENNED TO THE RODIAM GIRL...

INSIDE THE ENVELOPE...

PENNED IN SUCH FLAWLESS, NEAT SCRIPT.

WERE GENTLE QUESTIONS ASKING IF YOUR PAIR HAD BEEN KEEPING WELL,

BRINGING UP WHAT TOOK PLACE DURING YOUR PREVIOUS DUNGEON RAID,

AND ASKING WHETHER HER SUPPLY OF MANA STONES WAS RUNNING LOW,

WHILE MENTIONING THAT YOU HAD TUCKED AN EXTRA AMETHYST INSIDE FOR HER.

ASSURING HER THAT SHE NEED ONLY ASK FOR MORE AT ANY TIME

SHOULD SHE FEEL THE PAYMENT FELL SHORT OF HER EFFORTS.

YOU EVEN WENT SO FAR AS TO ASK IF SHE MIGHT ALLOW YOU

EVERY SINGLE LINE WAS WRITTEN WITH SUCH COURTEOUS, TENDER CARE.

...EVEN A FOOL COULD SEE THOSE WERE THE WORDS OF A MAN SMITTEN WITH A WOMAN.

AND INSTEAD OF CHOOSING ME, YOU DIRECT SUCH WARMTH TOWARD A GUTTER RAT LIKE IRENE RODIAM!

YOUR MARTIAL PROWESS AND STRIKING FEATURES SUITED A CHAMPION OF THE CONTINENT SO WELL THAT YOU CAUGHT MY EYE,

AND EVEN WHEN MY BROTHER COMMANDED ME TO SLAY YOU SHOULD YOU REFUSE TO JOIN OUR BANNER,

I SHOWED YOU ENOUGH FAVOR TO SPARE YOUR LIFE—

AND THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY ME, BY DRAGGING MY PRIDE THROUGH THE MUD?

OH, PALADIN MICHAEL

IF THAT IS TRUE, THEN YOUR GODDESS IS NO BETTER THAN ANY JEALOUS MORTAL WOMAN.

성기사 미카엘.

TERRIFIED THAT THE INSTANT HER DEVOTED CHAMPION TASTES THE WARMTH OF A REAL WOMAN,

HIS DEVOTION TO HER WILL STRAY,

MAKING HER NOTHING MORE THAN A PETTY, INSECURE CREATURE.

OH, THE GODDESS KNOWS THE TRUTH ALL TOO WELL.

SHE KNOWS THE MOMENT A PALADIN EMBRACES A WOMAN, HIS DIVINE DEITY FADES INTO A MERE PHANTOM,

WHILE THE FLESH-AND-BLOOD WOMAN IN HIS ARMS BECOMES THE CENTER OF HIS UNIVERSE.

LET US SEE, THEN, MICHAEL, SWORD OF GOD,

JUST HOW MUCH LONGER THAT FRAGILE WILLPOWER OF YOURS CAN UPHOLD YOUR VOW OF CHASTITY.

A BOTTOM-RANKED FAILURE LIKE THAT GIRL COULD NEVER HOPE TO CLEANSE THE DEMONIC ENERGY FESTERING INSIDE YOU,

WHICH MEANS BEFORE LONG, YOU WILL BE GROVELING AT MY FEET AND PLEADING FOR MY PURIFICATION.

HOW I LONG TO WATCH THAT STOIC, RIGHTEOUS EXPRESSION OF YOURS TWIST WITH CARNAL HUNGER AND HUMILIATION!

AND IF YOUR STUBBORN PRIDE KEEPS YOU FROM KISSING MY BOOTS EVEN AT THE VERY END—

THEN YOU CAN SIMPLY ROT AND DIE!

GOOD DAY TO YOU, SIR MICHAEL.

I TRUST THE TACTICAL BRIEFING WENT SMOOTHLY?

KNOWING THE STRICT DOCTRINES OF THE PALADIN ORDER, JOINING A STANDARD JOINT RAID LIKE THIS MUST HAVE GONE AGAINST THE GRAIN FOR YOU...

EVEN SO, YOU FREELY SHARED YOUR SCOUTING REPORTS AND CONSENTED TO SPLITTING THE SPOILS FAIRLY,

AND FOR YOUR GENEROSITY, YOU HAVE MY DEEPEST THANKS.

THINK NOTHING OF IT.

EVERY HOUR WE DELAY IN CLEARING THIS PLACE ONLY BRINGS GREATER MISERY TO THE COMMON FOLK.

POOLING OUR FORCES TO WIPE OUT THIS DUNGEON AS QUICKLY AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE IS ALL THAT MATTERS.

HE REFUSES TO EVEN MEET MY GAZE WHILE SPEAKING TO ME...

JUST AS ONE WOULD EXPECT FROM A HIGH-TIER DUNGEON SPAWNING AT THE CLOSE OF THE YEAR,

THE BEASTS POURING OUT OF IT ARE SO FEROCIOUS THAT MY VANGUARD HAS BEEN PUSHED TO THE BRINK.

STILL, WITH A CHAMPION LIKE YOU LEADING THE CHARGE, SIR MICHAEL, SURELY THE DUNGEON LORD WILL FALL IN SHORT ORDER?

I PRAY WE CLEAR THIS DUNGEON WITHOUT INCIDENT SO WE MAY CELEBRATE TOGETHER BACK AT THE FORTRESS.

MAY THE LIGHT OF THE GODDESS WATCH OVER YOUR BLADE, SIR.

YET THE MONSTROSITY LURKING AT THE HEART OF THAT HIGH-TIER DUNGEON

TURNED OUT TO BE A CALAMITY DWARFING ANYTHING THEY HAD EVER FACED BEFORE,

P-PRINCESS, LOOK OUT, SIR BRITSSON IS DOWN...!

KEEP YOUR SHIELD UP AND EYES FORWARD, CURSE IT!

IF WE BREAK FORMATION NOW, NONE OF US ARE WALKING OUT OF HERE ALIVE!

UNTIL EVERY LAST WARRIOR IN THE RAIDING PARTY, SAVE FOR MICHAEL HIMSELF, WAS SLAUGHTERED.

THAT STRIKE TO MY SKULL HAS LEFT MY SIGHT SWIMMING IN A RED HAZE,

WHILE THE THICK BLOOD POOLING IN MY WINDPIPE MAKES DRAWING A SINGLE BREATH AGONY.

TELL ME, WAS THIS SACRED BLADE OF MINE...

ALWAYS SUCH A CRUSHING WEIGHT TO LIFT?

TRY AS I MIGHT TO PUSH THE THOUGHT ASIDE,

WHETHER FROM THE FOUL DEMONIC ENERGY EATING AWAY AT MY VEINS,

IT FEELS AS THOUGH MY VIGOR HAS BEEN DRAINED TO A MERE SHADOW OF MY PRIME...

ALL SENSATION HAS FADED FROM MY ARMS AND LEGS.

HOW MANY SWINGS DO I EVEN HAVE LEFT IN THESE BATTERED ARMS?

IS THERE TRULY NO ONE ELSE LEFT STANDING BESIDES ME...?

IF THAT IS SO...

THE MOMENT MY KNEES BUCKLE IN THIS CHAMBER,

THE NEXT TO BE TORN APART BY THIS BEAST WILL BE THE DEFENSELESS TOWNSFOLK BEYOND THE GATE...

COULD IT BE THAT THIS VERY HOUR...

MARKS THE MOMENT I AM FINALLY FREED FROM THE HEAVY CHAINS OF THIS MORTAL FLESH,

ALLOWING MY WEARY SPIRIT TO DRIFT TOWARD THE RADIANCE,

BACK INTO THE WAITING ARMS OF THE GODDESS...

SIR MICHAEL...?

HEAR ME, O GODDESS.

YOUR MOST DEVOTED BLADE,

MICHAEL, THE SWORD OF GOD, BEGS FOR AN ANSWER.

TO CHERISH, HUNGER FOR, AND WORSHIP A WOMAN OF FLESH AND BLOOD

WHO MIRRORS YOUR DIVINE IMAGE SO CLOSELY,

TO THE POINT WHERE, EVEN IN THE FADING DELIRIUM OF MY DYING BREATH,

MY FLESH ACHES WITH A BEASTLY, CONSUMING HUNGER FOR HER.

WHEN EVERY SPOT HER GENTLE FINGERS GRAZED BURNED LIKE SACRED STIGMATA,

WHEN EVERY SOFT BREATH ESCAPING HER LIPS ECHOED IN MY MIND LIKE HOLY SCRIPTURE,

AND HER EMBRACE WASHED OVER ME LIKE A MIRACLE FROM THE HEAVENS...

TELL ME, HAS MY DEVOTION SIMPLY WANDERED ACROSS A FORBIDDEN BOUNDARY,

OR–

HAVE 1 COMMITTED AN UNFORGIVABLE BLASPHEMY THAT DAMNS MY SOUL FOREVER?