Holy Night: My Husband is Definitely a Paladin - Chapter 62
Translated by Elphie
Irene hurriedly got dressed and asked the maid to bring the priest inside. Shortly after, a gentle-faced man entered. Irene relaxed upon seeing the priest’s expression, finding no trace of contempt.
‘I was a bit worried since there was no reason for the Temple to welcome me.’
In the past, people of the Temple disliked Irene. They believed she had tainted Michael’s honor as the Temple’s paragon. Although the situation was less severe this time, with Michael requesting the pairing first, there were still some who murmured about Irene causing trouble.
She wondered if this priest despised her as well, but his gentle smile seemed to suggest otherwise.
“Hello, Lady Purifier. My name is Variel, the Staff of God.”
The Staff of God. he words suddenly reminded Irene of Michael’s greeting in the past, when he had always introduced himself as the Sword of God.
‘But…didn’t he introduce himself differently this time?’
When Reyna and Cynthia were present, Michael only mentioned his name. Irene wondered if she simply misremembered it. However, she noticed Variel looking at her with an awkward expression.
She quickly bowed her head in greeting. “I’m Irene Rhodiam.”
“It’s an honor to meet you. Sir Michael said he would find a pair for himself someday, and it seems the wait is finally over.”
“…What? What do you mean by that?”
The wait is over? It sounded as if Michael had been actively looking for a pair.
Irene sought an explanation, and Variel hesitated for a moment before speaking.
“If we follow the teachings of the Divine, Sir Michael’s search for a pair in the fortress goes against our principles. However, after the Alliance of Kingdoms demanded Michael to find a pair and stopped allowing him into dungeons, there has been much discussion within the Temple.”
While many people are moved by Michael’s deeds and make donations to the Temple, it can only do so much to feed the hungry and injured. To this day, the largest part of its budget comes from the rewards he earns for defeating dungeons.
Now that that’s been completely cut off, the situation became dire, especially with the medical expenses for the injured.
“In fact, Princess Cecilia proposed to the High Priestess that if Sir Michael were to pair with her, a large portion of their dungeon rewards would be allocated to the Temple and no contact would be necessary beyond simple hand-holding.”
“…”
Irene’s expression hardened at Variel’s words.
‘That’s not an offer he could have refused, couldn’t he?’
Considering the substantial concessions in rewards and the contact policy, it seemed no different from what she and Michael were currently doing. Then why did he reject the princess’s proposal?
“Still, Sir Michael declined. He mentioned that he has no immediate plans for it. Although, it could also mean that he might accept it at some point.”
Variel continued to explain. The interference of the Alliance in Michael’s dungeon activities led to a rapid reduction in the rewards that went to the Temple. The Temple’s position became uneasy. While the number of people affected by dungeons increased, the funds to feed and treat them were running out.
However, forcefully commanding Michael to find a pair to enter the dungeons was not an option. It would make the Temple appear as if it were selling its people for money.
“We had no choice but to prepare to minimize the selection of patients and reduce our rations. But suddenly, this year, Sir Michael headed to the fortress like it was finally time. I followed him on orders from the Temple, but as soon as I arrived, I heard that he had already found a pair… Honestly, I was worried.”
Variel bowed his head as if in confession.
“In truth, we’re aware that purifiers want a substantial portion of the rewards, and I don’t blame them. The dungeons are dangerous, and it’s only natural to want more for the risk. The Temple itself is also in a position where it hopes for more rewards than anyone else, so I was concerned how his search for a pair would go…”
Variel spoke until there, his eyes brimming with tears.
“Since coming here, I’ve heard from Sir Michael. He said that you understand the Temple’s predicament and are willing to give up almost all of the rewards.”
At that, Irene looked off into the distance, trying to avoid his earnest gaze.
‘I wasn’t really thinking about the Temple when I proposed that…’
She only wanted the artifact and planned to break the pair right after…
But that was something she couldn’t tell anyone, so she turned back to Variel and forced an awkward smile.
“By the way, what brings you all the way here…” she asked.
“Oh, my. I’ve been babbling too much. It’s nothing special. Sir Michael asked me to reevaluate your purification power.”
“Purification power? But I’ve already been evaluated to be Grade 9?”
“Yes. I’m aware, but he said a reevaluation is necessary. If it’s alright with you, would you mind sitting down for a moment?”
Irene did as she was instructed and sat down. In the meantime, her gaze fell on the ring on her hand. A simple and rugged design—it was undoubtedly filled with scratches, yet it felt strangely cleaner than when she first saw it.
During this, Variel’s hand touched the top of Irene’s head. A warm glow enveloped her body, and a moment later, Variel spoke, sounding puzzled.
“You’re Grade 8?”
