Holy Night: My Husband is Definitely a Paladin - Chapter 24
Translated by Elphie
Just a moment ago when they were on horseback, he maintained his distance as if she couldn’t be touched even if she were dead. She hadn’t expected him to grab her by the waist and set her down.
Irene looked at Michael in surprise at this unexpected behavior, and he bowed his head apologetically.
“People unfamiliar with riding often get injured when dismounting. I apologize for the hasty action.”
“Oh, yes…”
Now that she looked, there was quite a height from the stirrups to the ground. He must have meant it sincerely; it wasn’t just an excuse. After offering his explanation, Michael turned to greet the guards and staff.
“So far, there haven’t been any abnormalities. The dungeon’s size and shape are stable, and the monsters near the entrance, confirmed by the guards, retain their water attribute. Would you like to proceed with the initial expedition of Dungeon 181, as you requested?”
In response to his words, Michael nodded and replied, “Michael. I will proceed with the conquest of Dungeon 181.”
Hearing his reply, Irene suddenly remembered a scene from her previous life.
“Sword of God, Michael. I will proceed with the dungeon conquest.”
“Irene Rhodiam. I will proceed with the dungeon conquest.”
She mimicked his response. This was the procedure before entering the dungeon.
Usually, lower-level dungeons can be cleared with just the first run. However, for intermediate or higher-level dungeons, it’s rare to see them vanquished in a single attempt.
‘Typically, it progresses up to the third attempt, and depending on the dungeon, there are cases where up to the tenth raid is carried out.’
While some individuals may take ten attempts, if the original conqueror dies or gets injured, a new person may take on the challenge. If an agreement is reached, joint conquests can even be initiated from the beginning.
‘So, when higher-level dungeons appeared in the past, Princess Cecilia’s gathering entered all at once.’
Pairs with higher-ranked purifiers have priority in dungeon conquests.
Naturally, even among the 1st-grade purifiers, Princess Cecilia, the strongest, could always choose and conquer any dungeon she desired, along with selecting her companions. Therefore, everyone eagerly followed her to get into dungeons with lucrative rewards. This time as well, she would be the first to choose a dungeon, ensuring to claim the rewards that came from it.
“Irene?”
“Yes? Oh, sorry. Irene Rhodiam. I will proceed with the conquest of Dungeon 181.”
Seeing that, the Kingdom Alliance employee swallowed a short sigh.
It was a familiar look. The look that wondered how Michael had ended up paired with such a low-tier purifier.
‘I didn’t even ask him to be my pair this time around.’
Irene suddenly realized. What if she had been a purifier with a rank as high as Princess Cecilia?
“…It would be a hassle.”
Rather than feeling envious, the thought of continuing dungeon conquests made her shudder.
Irene stood behind Michael, realizing that she was indeed becoming disillusioned with the life of a purifier.
“Then, please return safely.”
After exchanging greetings with the guards and employees, Michael walked toward the dungeon entrance.
Gulp.
Irene, following him, swallowed nervously.
At that moment, Michael turned around and said, “If you’re worried about entering the dungeon, you can wait at the entrance with others.”
“What? No, I’m fine.”
Perhaps he sensed her excessive tension. Michael reassured her, “It’s a low-level dungeon. You don’t need to force yourself to follow me.”
“No, I’ll come along.”
Only by entering together would they be able to open the chest in the reward room themselves.
‘I want to check the Invisibility Ring as soon as possible.’
Once she gets her hands on it, she’ll run out immediately. After that, she needed to ask the employee at the entrance for an appraisal and auction registration. Confirming it as an artifact will take half a day at most, and selling it and receiving the money will probably take less than a week. Then she can send the money to the Count, break the pair, and leave the fortress alone.
Envisioning the perfect future she had thought about numerous times, Irene clenched her fist with excitement.
Perhaps misunderstanding her enthusiasm, Michael chuckled and said, “Are you eager to personally confirm the rewards?”
“Well, yes, but…”
“Don’t worry.”
He reassured her with a harmless and benevolent smile.
“I have no intention of swindling your rewards.”