The Paladin's Wife
The one being mocked stood there, utterly bewildered, at a loss for what to do.
With the clear intention of doing so, the princess Cecilia waved her hand and ordered a maid to bring the woman to her seat.
Naturally, she was led to the very corner seat where Irene had once sat.
And that was all.
The people continued their conversation as if no one had entered and nothing had happened, paying her no further attention.
After the mockery, her complete isolation left her expression ashen.
At first it had been one of shock, but as time passed and she grasped the situation, she lowered her head.
Unable to even lift the teacup before her, she was thoroughly isolated within this grand gathering.
Irene felt her fingertips grow cold at the sight.
The isolated purifier before her was precisely what she had once endured.
Being ignored and mocked among people, ultimately left feeling like she did not exist and receiving no interest from anyone, left alone in utter despair.
That deep despair and sorrow came vividly back to Irene's heart.
The very thing she had experienced once.
So she hoped that no one else would ever have to face it.
The moment those thoughts crossed her mind, Irene rose from her seat without realizing it.
“Miss Irene?”
Startled, Cecilia looked at her with confusion, wondering what had happened.
“I'm sorry, Princess Cecilia. I wanted to keep chatting longer, but my body suddenly isn't feeling well. I think I need to leave.”
Irene said it in a clear, almost defiant voice, with not the slightest trace of guilt.
“Ah, r-right…”
Cecilia could only nod awkwardly in response, caught off guard by Irene's boldness.
“Thank you for understanding, Princess. Then I will take my leave.”
Irene gave a slight bow and immediately stood up to exit.
She stumbled right beside the seat of a woman seated closest to the entrance, farthest from the princess.
As if truly by accident, Irene reached out to steady her.
“I'm sorry, but could you help me for a moment? I suddenly feel dizzy…”
“Eh? Ah, yes!”
The 7th-rank purifier, glancing at Cecilia's disapproval, supported Irene and stepped out with her.
The maids rushed over belatedly to assist, but Irene shook her head, refusing help to avoid a scene, and sent them away with thanks.
The moment she was far from the princess's room, with no one following, Irene released her grip and straightened herself.
The other's expression showed bewilderment at the obviously fake distress.
Irene smiled faintly.
“Since you were kind enough to help, it would be rude to just send you away. If you're not too busy, would you like to join me for a cup of tea?”
The woman glanced toward the princess's room.
A place filled with those who had just been mocking her.
Understanding why Irene had pulled her out, she lowered her head.
Irene took her hand and led her toward her own room.
Somehow, it felt like she had brought back her past self, a sense of relief washing over her.
* * *
Clink.
Golden tea poured from the teapot, filling the cups, and the pleasant aroma of the tea instantly filled the room.
For some reason, the woman's gloomy expression brightened slightly.
Irene looked at her.
‘Cincia Myers.’
That was the woman's name.
The 7th-rank purifier who had been living in the very room where Irene once stayed in her previous life.
After taking a sip of tea, she spoke with a more relaxed expression.
“You brought me here because you felt sorry for me, didn't you?”
“Yes, that's right.”
Irene hesitated to deny it and decided to admit her own actions.
If she had been in Cincia's place, she would have found it easier to simply say yes and let it go.
Was this the right choice?
Cincia, who had been staring at the floor, lifted her head and met Irene's gaze.
Her face was filled with exhaustion and self-loathing.
It was the same face Irene had seen reflected in the mirror every time in her past life.
“You didn't have to do that… Princess Cecilia wouldn't have liked it.”
Irene knew that.
Yet she had chosen to take Cincia out of that place.
“I know.”
“Even so, you brought me out.”
Cincia fiddled with her teacup and spoke in a small voice.
“…Thank you.”
Her eyes grew slightly red with emotion.
Irene understood her feelings.
When she herself had been in that situation, she had thought many times alone amid the kind words of others.
Anyone would do. I just wanted them to talk to me.
Or if not, I wanted to escape this place right away.
‘This is stupid, right?’
In this life, the princess still disliked her but did not ignore her.
So, if she just tried a little harder, there was a chance to maintain relations, get help from her, and gain various benefits.
She had thrown it all away with her own hands just now.
Yet when she saw Cincia, who had once been in the same position as her past self, relax, no regret arose.
‘We are completely severed from Princess Cecilia.’
If the perceptive woman had been there, she would have realized Irene had deliberately brought Cincia out.
In the past, she would have felt despair in this situation.
Because she had always lived watching Cecilia's eyes and fearing her power.
‘But not anymore.’
The moment she opened her eyes again, Irene realized her attitude toward life had changed.
Past experiences and certainty about what was to come. With those two in hand, fear no longer existed.
‘Even without the princess, my future won't be bleak.’
She no longer needed to walk the same path from her past life.
Irene, having firmly cleared her heart, reached out and took Cincia's still-shaking hand.
“Good, I was worried I might have been meddling. Call me by my first name instead. I'm much younger than Cincia.”
“But…”
Cincia hesitated and nodded as if she had understood.
“Thank you so much. Honestly… I was expecting to be ignored. But when it actually happened… Oh, my manners are bad, I'm crying.”
“It's fine. When a person wants to cry, they should.”
Irene quickly took out a handkerchief, as if she had known this was coming.
Luckily, Cincia wiped her tears quickly and regained her composure.
“It's embarrassing to say this to a paladin's pair, but if there's anything I can help with, please tell me.”
Cincia's face flushed as she spoke.
She was only a 7th-rank purifier. How could she possibly offer such great help to turn her back on the princess?
Still, Cincia decided she would help Irene in any small way within her reach.
“You don't need to worry about that. More importantly, you're the first person to visit my room like this. Do you like sweets?”
Irene said this while taking out the cookies she had never opened when Wilhelmina had visited.
A chewy snack filled with nuts from a distant kingdom whose name she couldn't even recall.
“It's really delicious, but I can't eat them all alone.”
“Oh, this precious thing. Is this a Lucuma?”
“You know what that is?”
“Of course. It's the most valuable snack you can get in the fortress. I've visited here often and stayed near the maids, so I've seen it several times.”
“You're close with the maids here?”
“Yes. I come to the fortress every year, and each time I stay near the maids. Since money is tight, I live in the cheapest room.”
As if embarrassed by the fact, Cincia's face flushed, but Irene showed interest, so she continued.
“If you want to secretly leave the fortress, tell me. As you know, the procedures for purifiers leaving are quite strict, aren't they? With the maids' secret passages and doors, I can tell you if there's anything that would help.”
“…”
At those words, Irene's eyes sparkled.
In her past life, even though she had been with the maids, she rarely left her room, so she hadn't interacted much with them.
But unlike her, Cincia seemed to know every corner of the fortress well.
“Good. If I want to leave, I'll definitely find you, Cincia.”
When Cincia's expression completely relaxed, believing Irene had something to help, a knock sounded.
“A guest has arrived. It's Miss Reina, but what should I do?”
“Reina?”
Irene had forgotten about her after advising her against going to a high-rank dungeon, too preoccupied with her own thoughts.
“Sorry, Cincia. Can I let someone else stay for a moment?”
“Of course. If it's an awkward time for me, I'll go back.”
Cincia quickly prepared to leave.
Irene stopped her and asked her to let Reina in.
‘Why did Reina come to see me? More importantly, what happened with the high-rank dungeon?’
The image of crying Reina in her previous life resurfaced.
Surely not again…
“Irene!”
Reina entered the room with a tearful voice, calling out to Irene.
The moment she saw Irene, she rushed forward as if to embrace her…
“I'm really grateful!”
She pulled Irene into a tight hug.