My Husband Is Definitely a Paladin — Chapter 9

WHY... I AM CURIOUS?

DID SHE JUST ANSWER MY QUESTION WITH ANOTHER QUESTION?

THAT WENCH?

TO ME, OF ALL PEOPLE?

WHAT DO YOU MEAN, WHY AM I CURIOUS?

OBVIOUSLY, IT'S BECAUSE I AM YOUR FRIEND!

IS IT NOT NATURAL TO ASK THIS MUCH BETWEEN FRIENDS?

I CAME BECAUSE I WAS WORRIED ABOUT YOU!

FRİEND?

YES, THERE WAS A TIME WHEN I THOUGHT WILHELMINA WAS MY REAL FRIEND.

EVEN THOUGH, IN MY PREVIOUS LIFE, THE PERSON WHO MADE UP AND PURPOSELY SPREAD MALICIOUS RUMORS ABOUT ME,

WORRIED?

LEADING EVERYONE IN AVOIDING AND TORMENTING ME,

WAS YOU, WILHELMINA.

EVEN WHEN I WAS SUFFERING BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED WITH SIR MICHAEL, YOU FORCED HER WAY TO ME AND SAID,

...BUT, YOU KNOW,

IF THINGS ARE GOING TO TURN OUT LIKE THIS, WOULD IT NOT BE BETTER IF I WERE HIS PARTNER INSTEAD?

RIGHT, IRENNE! INTRODUCE ME TO SIR MICHAEL.

I DO NOT MIND HAVING ANOTHER KNIGHT TO PURIFY.

THAT WAY THINGS WOULD BE EASIER FOR YOU TOO, RIGHT?

IN MY PREVIOUS LIFE,

I DID NOT KNOW WHAT A REAL FRIEND WAS.

I BELIEVED THAT IF I TREASURED SOMEONE, EVEN IF IT WAS ONE-SIDED, AND KEPT THE RELATIONSHIP GOING,

THAT ALONE WOULD BE ENOUGH TO HAVE A FRIENDSHIP.

BUT

THE CURRENT ME

KNOWS AT LEAST A LITTLE OF WHAT

A REAL FRIEND IS...

WELL, I DO NOT KNOW EITHER.

IF YOU ARE THAT CURIOUS, WHY NOT ASK SIR MICHAEL YOURSELF?

INSTEAD OF PRYING INTO SOMEONE ELSE'S PARTNER BEHIND HIS BACK.

PRYING INTO SIR MICHAEL?

WHO? WHO IS SHE TALKING ABOUT?

I DO NOT KNOW. IS IT THAT WOMAN?

IS THE ONE IN FRONT OF HER NOT SIR MICHAEL'S PARTNER?

N-NOW THAT I THINK ABOUT IT, THIS IS NOT REALLY THE PLACE FOR THIS!

LET US GO TO YOUR ROOM, IRENNE!

WHAT? WAIT...!

LET GO OF ME,

WILHELMINA!

WILHELMINA!!

UGH...!

THERE. NOW IT'S JUST THE TWO OF US.

SO WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED?

WHY DID SIR MICHAEL BECOME PARTNERS WITH YOU?!!!

I TOLD YOU I REALLY DO NOT KNOW. HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO SAY IT?

LET GO OF ME ALREADY, WILHELMINA!

AS IF THAT MAKES ANY...

NO, WAIT. NO.

IT REALLY IS EXACTLY AS SHE SAID. THERE IS NO SPECIAL REASON.

OTHERWISE, THERE IS NO WAY THIS WENCH COULD HAVE BECOME SIR MICHAEL'S PARTNER.

AND IF ANYTHING...

IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEN IT MEANS I HAVE A CHANCE TOO, DOES IT NOT?

WHAT AN ABSURD LITTLE WENCH.

SHE ONLY MANAGED TO HOOK A MAN BECAUSE SHE GOT LUCKY,

YET HER ATTITUDE HAS SUDDENLY TURNED SO ARROGANT.

MAYBE SIR MICHAEL LEARNED ABOUT YOUR SITUATION AS A LOWEST GRADE PURIFIER AND BECAME YOUR PARTNER OUT OF PITY.

WHAT?

HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN GENEROUS TO PITIFUL PEOPLE, HAS HE NOT?

THAT IS WHY I CAME HERE, BECAUSE I WAS WORRIED

THAT YOU MIGHT MISTAKENLY THINK YOU WERE SPECIAL TO HIM AND END UP HURT.

THIS IS ALL FOR YOUR...

EXCUSE ME,

BUT WHAT BUSINESS DO YOU HAVE WITH MY PARTNER?

AH...

WELL... THAT IS... UM...

SIR MICHAEL!!

WHAT BRINGS YOU ALL THE WAY HERE?

I CAME TO CHECK WHETHER THE ITEMS I SENT...

NO, THE ITEMS TIRENIA SENT ARRIVED SAFELY.

PARDON?

WHAT ITEMS...?

AH, IF YOU GO INSIDE YOUR ROOM...

12 DRESSES MADE BY ONE OF THE THREE GREATEST BOUTIQUES ON THE CONTINENT.

5 HIGH QUALITY FUR COATS AND GOWNS.

FLUFFY SLIPPERS MADE FROM MONSTER WOOL AND SATIN RIBBON SHOES.

A SET OF NECKLACES, EARRINGS, AND RINGS MADE WITH MAGIC STONES AND DIAMONDS.

COSMETICS MADE FROM GLACIAL WATER THAT ONLY APPEARS IN HIGH-GRADE DUNGEONS.

THE FINEST SCENTED OIL FOR A PURIFIER'S SWIFT RECOVERY...

WAIT, WAIT, WHAT IS ALL THIS?!! WHAT IS THIS?!!

S-SIR MICHAEL. WHAT IS ALL THIS...?

DO YOU NOT LIKE THEM?

I LOOKED INTO IT AND FOUND THAT HERE, DAILY NECESSITIES MUST BE PURCHASED AT ONE'S OWN EXPENSE.

SO I THOUGHT YOU WOULD NEED THEM.

Th-That is not the point...

IT IS TRUE THAT THESE ARE THINGS I NEED,

BUT THEY ARE FAR TOO MANY, EXPENSIVE, AND PRECIOUS FOR ME TO USE.

I CANNOT ACCEPT THINGS LIKE THIS...

JUST ACCEPT THEM.

PARDON?

JUST...

PLEASE ACCEPT THEM.

I ENDED UP ACCEPTING THEM. AFTER SEEING THAT LOOK ON HIS FACE, I SOMEHOW COULD NOT REFUSE...

When did Wilhelmina go back?

A BED AND A MEAL SO WARM AND SOFT THAT MY BODY FELT LIKE IT MIGHT MELT.

A CEILING SO HIGH IT FEELS DISTANT...

EVERYWHERE I LOOK, THERE ARE ONLY FINE THINGS.

NOT MERELY FINE THINGS, BUT LUXURIES I COULD NEVER HAVE EVEN DREAMED OF BEFORE.

THINGS THAT CAME FOR ME, YET DO NOT FEEL LIKE THEY BELONG TO ME...

THAT IS WHY I CANNOT USE ANY OF THEM CARELESSLY.

A CHAIR FOR MAIDS, EVEN THOUGH THERE IS A DINING CHAIR.

A MEAL LEFT UNTOUCHED.

HOW DID SUCH LUXURY COME TO BE GIVEN TO ME?

IN MY PREVIOUS LIFE, I WAS SO BUSY REPAYING THE COUNT THAT I COULD NOT EVEN EASILY BUY ONE WINTER BLANKET,

AND EVEN WHEN I PILED EVERYTHING I OWNED OVER MYSELF, I HAD TO LIVE IN A CONSTANT COLD.

THAT WINTER IN PARTICULAR WAS UNUSUALLY LONG AND HARSH, SO I COULD HAVE FROZEN TO DEATH IN MY SLEEP...

IT WAS TO THE POINT WHERE THE INSIDE OF A DUNGEON FELT WARMER.

HOW DESPERATE MUST I HAVE BEEN TO BEG SIR MICHAEL TO LET ME ENTER A DUNGEON WITH HIM,

EVEN THOUGH I KNEW HE WAS UNCOMFORTABLE WITH ME?

AS ALWAYS, SIR MICHAEL ASKED NOTHING OF ME EVEN INSIDE THE DUNGEON,

AND I SIMPLY HELD MY BREATH AND WALKED WHILE WATCHING HIS BACK.

I HOPED HE WOULD WALK JUST A LITTLE MORE SLOWLY,

THAT THE DUNGEON CLEARING TIME WOULD LAST EVEN A LITTLE LONGER...

BUT THE MOMENT WE ENTERED THE REWARD ROOM, AND I SAW THE SPARKLING ITEMS,

I FINALLY LOST ALL REASON COMPLETELY AND GRABBED ONE.

THE ILLNESS PIERCING THROUGH MY BODY FELT CLOSER AND MORE PAINFUL THAN SHAME.

...WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

THOSE ITEMS ARE TO BE AUCTIONED AND SENT TO THE TEMPLE.

WITH THIS, I CAN BUY A WOOL BLANKET.

WITH THIS...

I-I AM SORRY, SIR...

C-COULD YOU LET ME HAVE JUST THIS ONE...?

TAKE IT.

HIS WORDS, MIXED WITH A SIGH, LODGED IN THE PIT OF MY STOMACH LIKE GUILT.

SO EVEN AFTER RECEIVING THE JEWEL, I COULD NOT BRING MYSELF TO EXCHANGE IT FOR EVEN A COTTON BLANKET AND PLACED IT INTO THE JAR INSTEAD.

I WAS SO FOOLISH...

BUT THAT WILL NO LONGER HAPPEN.

AS LONG AS I OBTAIN THE INVISIBILITY RING FROM DUNGEON NO. 181, OPENING TODAY,

I WILL HAVE NO REASON TO STAY AT THE FORTRESS UNTIL WINTER.

LISTEN, EVERYONE!

IN 1 HOUR, WHEN THE 10 O'CLOCK BELL RINGS, THE FIRST SUBJUGATION WILL BEGIN,

PARTNERS LEAVING FOR THE DUNGEONS SHOULD PREPARE!

I WILL DEFINITELY OBTAIN THAT RING

AND LEAVE THIS FORTRESS...

AND YOU.