Holy Night: My Husband is Definitely a Paladin - Chapter 118
Irene lingered near Michael as he finished preparing to leave.
“Is there something you’d like to say?”
“Well…”
Irene hesitated, struggling to find her words before finally speaking.
“Please, come back safely.”
It wasn’t much, but a wave of awkwardness and embarrassment washed over her all at once. She had never seen Michael off like this before.
“…And don’t get hurt..”
She added this to try and ease the awkwardness, but her face only flushed hotter.
It felt like something a typical pair would say to each other…
But that thought embarrassed her even more, and Michael seemed equally flustered.
He wore an expression she had never seen before, and he fidgeted, unable to keep his hands still—an unusual sight for him.
They both felt awkward, exchanging what should have been simple, routine goodbyes.
There was no more time to waste, however. The sooner Michael finished his scouting, the better their chances of survival.
“I’ll be back soon.”
Michael bowed his head deeper than usual as he bid her farewell.
Irene hesitated for a moment, unsure if she should bow as well, but instead, she stepped forward and reached out her hand.
Her hand brushed against the fabric of his tunic, near his waist, where there was a stain from the monster’s blood that had splattered when he kicked the biting box earlier.
A faint glow emanated from her fingertips, and the bloodstains disappeared from his clothes.
Michael stared at the spot for a moment before meeting her eyes. They stood there, silently gazing at each other.
Just as he seemed to be leaning closer—
“Sir Michael! Could you take a look at this?”
A knight called from a distance, having noticed something unusual.
The sound snapped Michael out of whatever moment had passed between them. He quickly returned to his usual demeanor, gave a polite bow, and turned away.
Had no one interrupted them…
Left standing alone, Irene unconsciously touched her lips.
* * *
Thankfully, what the knight had noticed was only an old monster corpse. After confirming there were no other immediate threats in the area, Michael set off on his scouting mission.
Meanwhile, the remaining group gathered to open and organize the treasure chest they had found earlier.
“Where do you think all of this comes from?”
Reyna marveled at the gold coins, which had never existed on the continent, as she turned one over in her hand.
Irene, sensing the group’s unease, decided to distribute some of the gold coins evenly among them. She believed that in this unsettling situation, hope was the key to perseverance, and the gold might provide that.
Remarkably, the mood lightened. Money still had its magic, and people’s faces brightened, even in these dire circumstances.
The atmosphere grew warmer.
“I packed some fruit—anyone want some?”
Under normal circumstances, it would be wise to ration food carefully, keeping it hidden. However, when Irene took the lead, pulling out snacks from her pack, others followed, sharing what they had brought.
The group, having faced a grave danger together, now felt closer than they had before. Irene observed the strengthened bonds with satisfaction.
‘It would be best to keep this group intact for future raids.’
Having gone through such an ordeal, their camaraderie had deepened. It was crucial to maintain this tight-knit group, especially since, like the princess’s raid, Irene’s group needed a clear structure to succeed.
She wasn’t sure how well Princess Cecilia’s team was faring or how effectively they were collecting rewards and handling monsters.
But if the princess’s results didn’t meet expectations, it wouldn’t be surprising if some of the pairs who had defected returned, hoping to rejoin Irene’s raid.
‘But they won’t be welcome back here.’
She would prioritize those who had remained loyal to the group, ensuring that others thought twice before leaving.
As she mulled over these thoughts, considering what to do after the raid, Felix, who had been on watch, suddenly turned.
At the same time, the other knights looked toward one of the paths, numbered ‘8’.
From the direction of the path, the sound of something approaching reached their ears.
The purifiers tensed, focusing their attention on the path.
“Lower your voices,” Irene whispered, holding a signal flare at the ready.
One of the knights closest to the path listened intently to the sounds before shaking his head.
“They’re human footsteps. I can hear voices too.”
Relief washed over everyone’s faces. It seemed that Princess Cecilia’s raid had made it here safely after all.
As figures began to emerge from the path, several knights raised their hands in greeting. But they hesitated for a moment, puzzled by what they saw.
“Why… do they look like that?”
