Holy Night: My Husband is Definitely a Paladin - Chapter 90
He let out a bitter smile and answered quietly,
“I guess I’ve gotten used to it after all this time.”
All this time? Irene couldn’t comprehend his words.
As far as she knew, Michael had been fine.
If his condition had deteriorated to the point where his eyes turned crimson from miasma corruption, there was no way Irene—or anyone else—wouldn’t have noticed.
Even earlier today at the auction, he had seemed perfectly normal.
So at most, this change could only have started a few hours ago, yet his response carried the weariness of someone who had been consumed by miasma for an immeasurable length of time.
“Irene.”
Michael called her name softly.
Even though she heard her name dozens, if not hundreds, of times a day from others, it felt different when it came from Michael’s lips, as if it carried more weight, more resonance.
“If you don’t want this, I won’t go any further.”
Despite his words, his hand continued to gently caress her face.
His touch, as though he was trying to feel even the smallest bit of warmth, made Irene unknowingly relax and lean into it.
Having absorbed the miasma he had released, Irene knew all too well how agonizing it was to be infected by it.
It felt like every vein beneath her skin was burning, and there was an insatiable thirst, a craving that couldn’t be quenched.
Michael must have been carrying far more miasma within him than she ever did, and with it, an unimaginable amount of suffering.
Yet, here he was, saying he would stop if she didn’t want to continue.
After a brief moment of hesitation, Irene slowly reached out her hands, cupping his cheeks the way he had done to her, and gently stroked his face.
“I’m… I’m fine.”
A short while ago, she would never have said that.
When she returned to this fortress filled with nothing but painful memories, she had resolved never to get entangled with Michael again.
She had planned to live as a lowly purifier, while he remained the revered holy knight, walking separate paths that should never intersect.
But the first thing that changed when she returned to the fortress was his behavior.
Irene didn’t give up, though.
At first, she believed he sought her out due to necessity, that eventually, just as in the past, he would distance himself from her.
Yet, contrary to her expectations, Michael continued to seek her out, asking for purification time and time again.
As they met more frequently, spoke more often, and held hands more regularly, Irene felt her fear growing.
It wasn’t just one fear.
One was the fear of facing the same death she had experienced in her past life.
And the other…
‘Falling for him again.’
In her previous life, even though Michael had kept his distance, Irene had thought of him as her savior.
After all, thanks to him maintaining their pair bond, she hadn’t been dragged away by the Count, and she had slowly begun to save money, nurturing a faint hope of freedom.
Even when he didn’t come looking for her, Irene’s eyes had always followed him.
She had lost count of how many times she had secretly watched him talking peacefully with others.
And whenever their gazes met and he quickly looked away or left the room, her heart ached deeply.
It wasn’t just because she felt hated by the paladin who everyone adored.
She had feelings for him.
Even if he kept his distance, he was the one who had saved her.
If the fear of death had consumed her, then her feelings for Michael had made her feel wretched.
So in this life, she had sworn not to suffer from either fear or misery.
Yet here she was again, feeling the miasma still churning within him, as she reaffirmed her earlier words.
“I’m fine. So… take what you need from me to purify yourself.”
With that, Irene gently pulled Michael’s face closer to hers.
Despite his solid, unyielding body, as sturdy as a mountain, he easily allowed himself to be guided down by her hands.
Chu—
A light kiss, as delicate as a bird’s touch, landed on his lips.
Michael’s expression showed brief astonishment.
But it didn’t last long.
With a deeply satisfied smile, he began to delve into her embrace, seeking the rest and solace she had offered.
