The New Friendship Gathering
Irene felt a jolt at the sound of his voice and, along with Reina and Cynthia, rose to their feet in alarm.
In her previous life, there had been countless days when she spoke not a single word. Now that the world was full of people seeking her out, it felt like an entirely new kind of ordinary.
“Please, come in.”
Irene answered quickly, her voice a little awkward.
The door opened and Michael stepped inside.
According to Reina, he had just returned from assisting with a high-rank dungeon. The neat suit he usually wore everywhere was now crumpled and stained with dirt.
Seeing him like that, Irene couldn’t help but ask with concern.
“You said you assisted with a high-rank dungeon. Are you injured anywhere?”
“I am fine. Thank you for your concern.”
He bowed his head, then turned to look at Reina and Cynthia.
“These two are…”
“This is Cynthia Myers, and this is Reina Ortega. Both of them are…”
Irene had begun to introduce them when she hesitated.
How should she express the relationship between herself and these two?
Honestly, she had barely spoken a single word to Reina, and that was one-sided on Irene’s part.
Cynthia was much the same. They had only exchanged a few hours of conversation.
Their connection was too short to call them friends, yet too long to call them strangers.
After a moment of thought, Irene spoke.
“They are friends I have made here in the fortress.”
At the word “friends,” the expressions of the two women, who had been watching Irene with a hint of tension, brightened instantly.
“Friends of Irene’s? Then you are truly precious people to me as well.”
Michael bowed to the two women too, greeting them with perfect courtesy.
“My name is Michael.”
As she listened to his greeting, Irene felt something strange.
*What’s going on?*
Had he ever introduced himself so briefly before?
While Irene felt this unease, Reina and Cynthia were left completely at a loss for words by Michael’s words.
“Reina Ortega. I-I’m grateful that you helped us with the high-rank dungeon hunt earlier today.”
“Ah, I see. You were the one who helped the injured outside. I owe you a great debt.”
“I am Cynthia Myers, a seventh-rank purifier… I received a great deal of help from Irene earlier at Her Highness the Princess’s gathering.”
At that moment, Michael’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“Was there any difficulty?”
His direct question, without mincing words, left Irene even more surprised than Cynthia.
“How…?”
Michael in Irene’s past life had been completely indifferent to matters inside the fortress, treating worldly affairs as beneath his notice.
He had not even known the internal systems of the fortress or the customs of pairs in her previous life. Coming to the fortress so recently, he certainly could not possibly know about a gathering of purifiers.
Yet now Michael seemed to be aware that something unpleasant had occurred at the princess’s gathering.
Irene was momentarily stunned.
Thinking back, he had even known the custom of giving the bracelet obtained from the first dungeon in this life.
*Did he learn this in this life? Or had he known all along and simply chosen not to reveal it?*
“So there was something.”
Since Irene did not answer, Michael’s gaze sharpened.
The sudden chill in the air made Irene hurriedly wave her hands.
“It was nothing more than an uncomfortable place. Nothing particular happened. I simply doubt that a noble lady like Her Highness and I would be a good match.”
Cynthia, who had sensed that Irene did not wish to say more, fell silent as well.
Realizing that pressing further would yield no answer, Michael asked no more.
His lips remained tightly pressed, however.
At that moment, Reina quietly spoke up.
“Actually, we were planning to create a new gathering.”
Cynthia nodded in agreement.
“Yes. We thought it would be more comfortable for those who are not part of Her Highness’s gathering to be together. After all, not every day involves dungeon hunting. When we have free time in the fortress, it’s lonely being alone. Being part of a gathering where we can talk and share information would be far better for everyone.”
Originally, the fortress gatherings had been for friendship.
Over time, they had turned into petty rivalries.
“Furthermore, it makes it easier to organize raids. As you saw today, even a high-rank dungeon is too much for a normal raid… If you’re free, we would be grateful if you could join us as well, Sir Michael.”
Irene sighed inwardly at Reina’s suggestion, which came at the perfect moment.
It was pointless. He was capable of handling high-rank dungeons alone. There was no reason he would want to join this gathering.
“Understood.”
“…”
Irene was startled by Michael’s answer and looked at him in surprise.
He was the type who always moved alone. Joining a gathering would only create more work for him, yet bring him no benefit whatsoever.
Michael must have noticed Irene’s confusion, for he smiled as he replied.
“I could not refuse the request of my dear friend for the sake of my partner’s comfort. Please look after me.”
* * *
Perhaps it was because the sudden proposal had been accepted so readily.
Even though they had only met today, Reina and Cynthia were chatting away like old friends as they left the room.
From what Irene overheard as they departed, it seemed they intended to form the gathering by tomorrow at the latest.
Maids entered and began to clear the room where the two had stayed. Before long, a fresh pot of tea was brought in.
Thanks to the quick and precise work of the maids, the room felt even more spotless than before.
The maids, who had also prepared tea for Michael, bowed politely and left, closing the door behind them.
The scenery before Irene was utterly different from that of her previous life or even from the time she had spent in the barony.
The room, now empty of Reina and Cynthia’s lively chatter, felt even quieter than usual despite Michael’s presence.
“Why are you so…”
“Ah!”
Just as Irene thought she could not possibly have been more startled, Michael’s sudden words left her so dazed that she nearly dropped the teacup she had been holding.
Because of that, hot tea spilled over her hand. She gave a start and hurriedly shook it off.
Michael shot to his feet and quickly reached for a cloth to dry her hand.
“Are you all right?”
“Ah, thank you. I’m sorry, you must be busy.”
“There is no hurry. I simply wanted to know why you are so tense.”
Irene had no choice but to look embarrassed.
“That’s… because I was worried I might be causing you trouble by inviting you.”
“Trouble?”
“The gathering just now… isn’t it a bother for you?”
“Why would you think I find it troublesome?”
In her previous life, she had never paid it any mind, and later she had flatly refused every proposal that came her way.
She could not say that, of course.
“Forgive me for being forward, but I worry that a gathering that puts personal interest first may clash with the teachings of the temple in which you serve, Sir Michael.”
“Of course there may be such parts. But before that, I believe it is only right for a partner to ensure that her friends can relax.”
Irene was again stunned by the answer that seemed to say she was not even capable of that much.
She had always shown respect, but never had he thought of her like this before.
“… Truly, thank you.”
It was sincere.
In truth, she had felt uneasy the moment the gathering idea was raised.
Since she had turned her back on the princess, there was no doubt that bothersome incidents would continue until she left the fortress.
If even a small gathering existed, that would surely be better, yet with Michael helping as well, it would be infinitely more reassuring.
Irene smiled without realizing it, and Michael responded with a faint smile of his own.
“I am glad your tension has eased. I had feared you were still quite uncomfortable.”
At his words, Irene smiled awkwardly once more.
Honestly, it was a bit difficult to be with him like this.
*The only person who changed the most from her previous life was Michael.*
He had not requested to be paired, nor had he looked after her like this in the past.
That was why, whenever she faced him, she found herself growing tense, wondering what else might have changed.
*At least it’s a good change. That’s something to be grateful for.*
Just as she was thinking that, he spoke again.
“And from now on, I will ask for purification more often. I was worried you might find it difficult.”
“Pardon? More often?”
At the sudden remark, the teacup in her hand rattled loudly.
She had already believed she had done enough, yet he wanted it more frequently? What was more, she had thought that after seeing her reaction last time, he would be reluctant to receive purification, which only made his words even more bewildering.
No matter how foolish he was in this regard, Michael could not have failed to notice the sensation that purification brought out in her after witnessing her reaction.
The proof was that afterward he never once brought up purification.
Therefore, she had assumed he would only request it in truly dire circumstances.
“The limit of that ring… I should check it.”
“Ah.”
Only then did Irene remember the ring on her finger.
A transformative artifact that grew stronger the more demonic energy it absorbed.
Scholars in the fortress were burning with curiosity to study it.
But since the first owner was Michael, his permission was required.
He had refused every research proposal from the scholars, claiming he would examine it later…
*The temple must have separate plans to investigate it.*
That explained why Michael was moving on his own.
“Since I have returned from the high-rank dungeon, I have accumulated quite a bit of demonic energy.”
He naturally removed his cloak and hung it on the wall, as if removing clothes in this room were the most ordinary thing in the world.
He came before her, bowed respectfully, and spoke.
“Please purify me today as well.”