My Husband Was Definitely a Paladin 30
Even this time, Irene had been about to sit down at the table and take his hand, but Michael shook his head and guided her toward the sofa instead.
“It would be better for you to sit down and rest a little, given how much you’ve been struggling through the purification.”
“……”
Irene’s face flushed until it felt like it might burst, the realization that he remembered her appearance hitting her hard.
‘Is Michael all right?’
But he was acting as if he were casually offering her a drink—completely at ease and natural.
‘Only I feel embarrassed.’
Perhaps that was the nature of a paladin—without the slightest trace of impropriety.
Feeling a pang of shame for her own lewd thoughts, Irene forced herself to appear calm and held out her hand as if nothing were amiss.
‘Just a little longer and it’ll be fine.’
The intense stimulation she hadn’t expected last time had been the problem. With even a bit of mental preparation, she wouldn’t have behaved so shamefully in front of him.
The memory still burned vividly in her mind.
The overwhelming lust and agony she had felt for the very first time in her life.
Overwhelmed by sensations far stronger than those of the purification from her past life, she had been helplessly shaken.
‘This time I won’t be so defenseless.’
Knowing in advance what was coming made a person far more capable of enduring it.
Irene extended one hand toward him.
“Would you also allow me the other hand? We’ve just returned from an advanced dungeon, so demonic energy is bound to be heavy inside. Since purifying it will take longer for you as well, using both hands might make it easier to finish quickly.”
Unable to find a reason to refuse, Irene turned slightly toward him and offered both hands.
One hand or two—either way, the nature of the purification sensation wouldn’t change much.
‘It’ll definitely be more intense, though.’
Irene pressed her toes firmly against the floor.
The larger the area of contact, the stronger and faster the purification. Therefore, the stimulation this time would be far more powerful.
‘Still, it’s better to finish quickly.’
It would be wiser to end it fast and rest alone rather than endure the long shame once more.
As soon as Irene offered her hand, Michael drew a short, hesitant breath. She swallowed her bitterness at his uncertain expression—whether hesitation or tension.
For her own part, she was only worried about appearing improper, but for him it was a genuine, unwanted touch.
‘Betraying the teachings of the Temple she has followed her whole life must be difficult for him.’
And with this ring, they would have to purify more often. How exhausting it must be.
Believing he shared her wish for the purification to end quickly, Irene closed her eyes.
Then Michael took her hand.
He had probably become familiar with it since he had experienced the purification himself.
Last time he had touched her carefully and slowly. This time, he gripped her hand expertly, threading their fingers together.
The moment their fingers interlocked, Irene felt overwhelming embarrassment.
He held her fingers tightly, preventing her from pulling away, and held his breath.
At that instant, demonic energy surged through the joined hands exactly as before.
A boiling sensation spread rapidly through her veins and throughout her body.
“Uh……”
The tingling feeling made Irene bite her lip.
It felt as though small flames were erupting all over her body. Even staying still, she let out involuntary moans and her toes curled, overwhelmed by an electrifying, ticklish sensation.
While Irene struggled to suppress her cries, Michael tightened his grip on her hand.
That must have been the signal. The slowly flowing demonic energy suddenly became violent.
The gentle rain that had been trickling in turned into a torrential downpour. Irene gritted her teeth and barely endured the overwhelming force rushing toward her.
‘It’s too different!’
She had thought that moving from one hand to two would at most double the intensity of the purification.
But she was wrong. The intensity swept her far beyond double.
Thankfully, she had already experienced it once and knew what kind of reaction it would provoke.
If not, she would have collapsed in humiliation right away.
Still, there was a limit.
“Wait—wait just a moment……”
Her entire body was being scorched by flames. The itchiness and heat together made it impossible to stay still.
At the same time, her lower abdomen grew hot and slick, gradually growing wet.
If she continued like this, the lust the purification was stirring would overwhelm her. She needed to calm herself for even a short while.
Since Michael had endured so far, the purification didn’t need to rush. Just giving him a moment to rest would be enough.
“Please endure a little longer.”
The respectful tone before purification vanished, and he firmly refused her request.
Then he gripped her hand even tighter.
Though she thought he was squeezing hard enough to crush it, it never actually hurt.
The motion of repeatedly tightening and loosening made Irene’s face flush even more.
Despite knowing better than anyone that this was only the movement required to send demonic energy for purification……
“Ah—uh—uhic!”
Irene could no longer hold back the half-pleasurable moan.
Thinking she had once again behaved shamefully in front of him, she lowered her head.
Even so, looking down only made her crotch even more exposed and embarrassing.
“Please—stop! Stop it!”
Failing to push him away, Irene tried to shove him down, but it was futile.
The more demonic energy she absorbed, the more violently her breathing grew ragged.
“It’s not possible. Please endure just a little longer.”
Michael repeated the same words like a parrot and held her firmly.
Realizing he would not let go, Irene’s voice cracked with sobs.
Strangely, ever since she had returned to the past, only Michael had changed from his previous life.
In the past, he would have let her go immediately if she asked. Or perhaps they wouldn’t have even been this close.
That was why Irene felt terrified.
She could no longer predict Michael’s next move. The future involving him had completely diverged from her expectations, plunging her into fear.
She relaxed the hand he was gripping. Yet without releasing their entwined fingers, she slowly pressed her own fingers between his.
It was only a simple action of their fingers brushing, but it felt shockingly lewd to Irene.
As if something other than fingers was rubbing inside her……
At that moment, Michael bent his waist and whispered into the ear of the head-bowed Irene.
“I will gradually extend it.”
It was clearly a reference to the demonic energy he was inserting.
Hearing those words, Irene shuddered violently, her body jerking.
As if she had heard a forbidden secret.
When she tried to pull away, even greater demonic energy surged through her hand.
It was demonic energy too strong for her current purification ability to handle.
Her trembling body finally gave in to the force and collapsed against the sofa’s backrest.
Even if she looked pitiful, he showed no mercy; the hand holding hers remained firm.
No, rather, the demonic energy continued to pour into her body endlessly.
Irene, who had been desperately trying to escape, realized there was no other way but to accept it as purification.
Her struggling legs grew limp.
Irene forced her body to relax as much as possible while accepting the incoming demonic energy.
“Ah—hic……”
But the sensation of being filled completely enough to make her body feel like it might burst brought strength back into her limbs.
“Huu—uh—ng……”
Despite trying every possible position to feel even a little comfortable, the more she moved, the more vividly the demonic energy inside her felt.
Then Michael whispered again.
“Relax. Slowly. Don’t try to swallow everything at once—think of gradually accepting it from the end.”
Overwhelmed by his words, Irene’s dazed mind barely registered them.
She had no idea what to do, so she followed his instructions.
Slowly, she accepted the demonic energy he pushed inside her without resistance.
After several more ragged breaths, the pain gradually weakened.
Irene took a deep breath and began purifying the demonic energy pushed into her.
Wrapping the demonic energy like she was caressing it from the end and purifying it slowly, the pain gradually diminished.
“Haa—h……”
The breath that had been wild and irregular gradually found its rhythm, and her convulsing body calmed.
Watching her, Michael smiled and whispered.
“You’re doing well. I will ask for purification more often from now on. That way, you’ll be able to accept even greater things more easily later.”
Even though it had become easier, the remaining discomfort made Irene merely nod her head blankly.
Yes, if she followed his words, she would eventually grow accustomed to this as well.
Irene lifted her head with great effort. Through her hazy vision blurred by sweat and heat, she saw Michael smiling.
It was strange. In the past, he had never smiled like that when touching her……
“Irene.”
He gripped her hand tightly again as if reminding her not to think otherwise.
“Please endure one more time.”
“Hic!”
At the same time, overwhelming demonic energy surged in once more.
Irene’s memory ended there.
* * *
The next day.
“You mean I reached 8th rank?”
Irene could hardly believe what she had heard.