Holy Night: My Husband is Definitely a Paladin - Chapter 16
Translated by Elphie
Without saying a word, Wilhelmina pressed a hand against her fluttering heart and followed the maid.
‘Is she trying to get me into her circle?’
Circles were formed around powerful purifiers. Naturally, they don’t accept just anyone into these gatherings. The individual had to have a high purification rank, come from an influential family, or be paired with a strong knight. Meeting one of these criteria is essential to enter one of these prestigious circles.
Over the past two years, Wilhelmina couldn’t even get close to Princess Cecilia’s gathering, let alone join it. But finally, this year, she was being summoned.
‘If things go well…’
Princess Cecilia’s circle was the envy of all purifiers.
In that group, purifiers who became close worked together to conquer dungeons. Additionally, if their current pair didn’t suit their preferences, they would introduce each other to new knights the following year.
Naturally, since it was a gathering centered around the princess, the knights introduced by her were both from distinguished families and exceptionally skilled. More importantly, they had impeccable manners.
The circle that Wilhelmina had eagerly sought out exceeded her expectations. Apart from her, most were Grade 3 purifiers or higher, all paired with well-decorated knights. And they all had access to extravagant rooms rarely found within the fortress.
In the center of the group, Princess Cecilia greeted Wilhelmina with a smile, wearing an artifact she obtained during the previous expedition.
However, Princess Cecilia didn’t invite Wilhelmina with the intention of having her join her inner circle. The princess spoke in circles, but in the end, there was only one thing she demanded.
‘Find out more about Irene and Sir Michael.’
Why did someone who hadn’t sought a pair or received purification from other purifiers suddenly want a pair? The princess wanted Wilhelmina to find out why he chose Irene.
Wilhelmina was no fool. It was easy to see why the princess would summon her, openly demanding information.
It was because once someone paired with Michael, there was a high chance he would seek another pair the next year.
‘Princess Cecilia is eyeing that opportunity.’
Next year, she wanted to make Michael her pair and she wanted to know what he saw in Irene that made him choose her.
Wilhelmina, too, wanted to know why Michael had requested Irene as his pair.
‘Since he’s paired with a 9th rank purifier, maybe I, a Grade 5 purifier, would have a chance.’
Wilhelmina turned to Irene with such hopes.
‘That fool will tell me everything if I ask.’
Thinking about Irene’s usual behavior, being all happy to see someone she knows in this unfamiliar place, Wilhelmina thought it wouldn’t be difficult to get the information she needed.
But contrary to her expectations, Irene was rather blunt with her. While Wilhelmina was taken aback, Irene just looked at her and sighed.
‘Someone must have ordered her to come and ask.’
Most likely Princess Cecilia.
‘She’s been trying relentlessly to get into the princess’s inner circle in the past.’
Irene bit her lip as she remembered her previous life. After her rank was confirmed, Wilhelmina didn’t even want to speak to her, thinking it would be embarrassing to associate with someone who was so low rank.
The same held true in this current life. Yesterday in the banquet hall, she didn’t even bother to speak to Irene and quickly walked away without so much as a glance. And now, she’s acting all cordial.
Considering they would never see each other again after a few days, Irene thought about ignoring her. However, after a moment’s thought, Irene spoke up.
“I don’t know why I became Grade 9. The priests say it might be a mistake in the first measurement. And as for why Michael asked me to be his pair…”
“…The reason is?”
“I don’t know either.”
“What?”
“It’s like I said, I don’t know why he came to me.”
She wasn’t lying. He said he asked because she was the closest, but in retrospect, as bad as his wounds were that day, they weren’t so grievous that he couldn’t have requested help from someone else.
When she asked if there was any other reason he came up to her, he said the same reply like a parrot: You are the purifier closest to me.
Irene sneaked a glance at Wilhelmina’s expression. Perhaps Wilhelmina thought Irene would easily spill all she knew. In the past, Irene considered her one of the few friends she had, and Irene had disclosed everything Wilhelmina asked or demanded, believing that they were close.
But that wasn’t all.
‘In the past, she manipulated me to get to Michael.’
Wilhelmina had always been interested in Michael, and on the very few occasions that she did meet him, she was always standing next to him, all dressed up in her finery.
Not only that.
“Wouldn’t I have been more helpful if I were his pair instead of you?”
Wilhelmina would occasionally say such things, clicking her tongue.
She would never dare to say such a thing if it were in front of Princess Cecilia. When Irene remembered how Wilhelmina had once pined for Michael like that, it must seem ridiculous to her how nonchalant Irene was.
Irene couldn’t help but sigh. “If you’re so curious, why don’t you just go find Sir Michael and ask him yourself?”
Irene’s tone, unexpectedly assertive in requesting, caught Wilhelmina off guard. However, her surprise was short-lived. Faced with Irene’s confident demeanor, Wilhelmina couldn’t help but respond with a hint of sarcasm.
“…Perhaps Sir Michael chose you as his pair because he knew about your situation and wanted to help. He tends to be generous toward those in need. I just thought you might be under the impression that you were receiving special treatment.”
As Wilhelmina was speaking, a servant from the fortress entered and respectfully bowed to Irene.
“Miss Irene, could you kindly check the items that have arrived for you.”
“For me?”
After a short pause, Irene, accompanied by Wilhelmina who had followed her, returned to her room with her mouth agape.
“What on earth is all this?”