A Sudden Reunion
That day too, the dungeon raid proceeded smoothly.
Even though it was classified as a mid-to-high level dungeon, to Michael it felt no more than a little busier than usual.
With each swing of his sword, the sound of admiration from the knights behind him reached his ears, yet he paid them no mind.
After all, his abilities had been bestowed by the gods.
He had striven to sharpen and refine them further, but if those around him had been given the same talent, they would likely have made the same efforts.
Once every monster had been exterminated and the rewards tallied, he hurried out of the dungeon without delay.
Upon stepping outside, he found the fortress staff waiting for him, their gazes laden with unspoken urgency.
Normally, Michael always left the dungeon last, conducting one final thorough check before departing.
“My lord, you appeared first out of all of us. Did something unusual occur inside?”
“...No. There was nothing out of the ordinary.”
With that reply, Michael cast his eyes about the area.
Irene had the habit of waiting just outside the dungeon entrance until he emerged from every raid.
So today, when he had rushed out in the afternoon, it was surely because she had not been able to make it in the morning.
“...”
Yet nowhere in sight was there any trace of Irene.
***
Days passed with no sign of Irene appearing at all.
Whether that was coincidence or not, during this time Michael’s body no longer heated with desire at night.
The moment arousal stirred, a fleeting thought of her possible illness would send the urge vanishing into thin air.
Still, emptiness gnawed steadily at his insides.
Though outwardly he remained composed, each time he inquired among the purifiers for Irene and found her nowhere, unease crept into his chest.
Finally, others began to notice his restless glances.
“You seem to be searching for something lately...”
One unknown purifier approached him cautiously and inquired.
He should have dismissed it as nothing worth worrying about, yet his tongue moved of its own accord.
“It is only because I have been unable to meet Irene recently.”
The instant the words left his mouth, regret flooded him.
As a paladin, it was only right to avoid contact with her as much as possible, yet he had been the first to mention her name.
“Ah, you were looking for your pair, then.”
Upon hearing that he sought Irene, the purifier’s expression twisted with unmistakable disappointment.
She continued in a somewhat curt tone.
“Now you finally realize your place, I see. Well, it is no surprise. All that time you stood around doing nothing while she brazenly acted as if she belonged.”
The open disdain for Irene left Michael stunned.
Irene was his pair.
How could anyone speak of her in such a manner right before him?
When he prepared to show his displeasure at the attitude, other purifiers who had been listening joined in.
“Speaking of which, she has been absent from the dormitory too. Lucky her. She doesn’t even have to lift a finger, yet Lord Michael clears so many dungeons and shares the rewards with everyone?”
“Exactly. She always takes her share without fail. She must be receiving quite a lot. Wonder where she puts all that money. Her quarters are always tucked away in the corner...”
The purifiers had now completely abandoned Michael and were chattering among themselves about Irene.
The next day, Michael headed to the purifiers’ dormitory.
Visiting the quarters of the purifiers was not unusual for a knight.
In truth, it was hardly a necessity, as most knights and purifiers shared the same facilities.
As proof, inside the dormitory he spotted several knights who had entered the dungeon the previous night, emerging with faces glowing with satisfaction.
They must have spent the Purification Night with their pairs.
As they stretched and caught sight of Michael, their expressions turned to surprise.
“Lord Michael? What brings you here...?”
It was a perfectly natural question from their perspective.
How could Michael possibly be here? Anyone with a shred of his self-regard would never have turned his steps toward this place.
“No special reason is needed to visit my pair.”
At that reply, the knight looked visibly awkward.
He soon withdrew, no doubt having read the discomfort in Michael’s stance.
Just then a maid passed by, and Michael asked her to summon Irene.
“Why not come and fetch her yourself...? No, no, I made a terrible mistake. I will bring her at once.”
The maid bowed hastily and turned on her heel.
She was no ordinary maid, but the renowned Michael himself.
Yet to demand she seek out his own pair?
She hurried off with a fierce internal scolding of her own words.
Michael sat on the bench outside the dormitory and waited for Irene.
People passing by glanced at him in growing astonishment.
Normally he paid no heed to others’ stares, but today those curious or uneasy glances felt particularly intrusive.
Just as he was contemplating approaching Irene directly for permission and entering her quarters right away, a voice rang out.
“Lord Michael!”
The tone was far from welcoming.
Turning, he saw Princess Cecilia standing there.
“What brings you here?”
Again that question.
“Do you require a reason to be allowed into such a place?”
His irritation spilled out without filter, sharpened by the gazes watching them.
Even he found his blunt response rude, yet he bowed deeply before Cecilia in apology.
“I apologize. With so many thoughts swirling, I inadvertently revealed my discomfort. Please forgive me.”
Anyone else would have questioned why he spoke so sharply, but Cecilia merely smiled without a trace of displeasure.
“It is I who should apologize. I realize now that my question was far too personal. If you are busy, would you perhaps spare a moment for casual conversation?”
He had no desire for a lengthy chat with Cecilia, but the rudeness from moments earlier gnawed at him.
Just then she spoke again.
“I heard there were strange phenomena observed in the dungeon you raided yesterday.”
If it had been a personal matter, he could have refused more easily.
Since it concerned the dungeon, his habitual seriousness took hold.
“What kind of phenomena?”
At his words, Cecilia smiled.
“It would be difficult to speak of this here. How about we move somewhere else to discuss it?”
“...Understood.”
When it involved dungeon matters, rumors could twist and spread in an instant.
He had no desire to do so, but as Cecilia suggested, it was only right to speak in private, away from prying eyes and ears.
Luckily, the lobby boasted several rooms designated for guests.
He entered one of them, and Cecilia, sensing his unease, cracked the door slightly open.
Though he recognized her action as consideration for the paladin, something about it still bothered him.
People in the hallway glanced at the pair with curiosity, for they were seen together.
Was Cecilia deliberately arranging this?
***
“...First, I will verify the phenomena you mentioned. However, it does not appear to be anything serious.”
No matter how he felt privately toward Cecilia, the dungeon discussion had to conclude.
Luckily, the matter did not seem grave, so he was about to end the conversation when...
“Here you are.”
Irene arrived, accompanied by a maid.
The instant he laid eyes on her, Michael shot to his feet in astonishment.