CH 2 Contract Night

Irene reflected on her past life. It was, in a word, unhappy. As a child, her parents were killed in a dungeon. leaving her behind. Soon after, Irene was promptly sent to an orphanage.

A priest who had volunteered there noticed Irene’s potential for purification. With the rise of dungeons, purifiers were in high demand.

Irene, recognized for her purification abilities, was adopted as the daughter of Count Rhodiam, who generously supported the orphanage with substantial funds.

“Whatever happens, having a purifier by your side is always an advantage. Grow up quickly and make yourself useful.”

The Count’s eyes were filled with greed as looked at Irene.

Anyone entering the dungeon would need a purifier to heal their wounds and cleanse their magic. Only purifiers could treat the wounds inflicted by monsters and purify the magic they emitted. So the Count thought that if Irene could be paired with a knight as an adult, she would make a fortune.

However, after reaching adulthood, Irene’s purification grade, evaluated by the temple, was the lowest. The Count, who was looking forward to her earning money, was furious at the results of her evaluation. No knight was interested in pairing with the lowest-ranking purifier.

Instead, the Count felt compelled to pay someone to take the seemingly useless low-grade purifier off his hands.

“You worthless thing, thank goodness you have a half decent face! There’s someone willing to buy you because of it.”

Anticipating losses, the Count sought to send Irene to an elderly noble, notorious for having replaced six wives already. Though she wished to escape immediately, with the name “Rhodiam” attached, Irene was virtually the Count’s property.

“Give me just six months! I’ll find a knight to pair with for dungeon exploration and repay my value!”

“Who would pair up with someone of your bottom rank? Even if there were such a foolish knight, do you think they could earn back the money it took to bring you here? And besides, what about the cost of feeding and housing you during this time?”

“We won’t know until we try. Please, just give me this one chance!”

For the next six months, Irene had only one option: to find a knight to form a pair with on the Contract Night. After that, they would enter the dungeon together and share the rewards. Apart from this, there was no other way for her to earn the hefty sum of 100,000 gold in six months.

Irene immediately headed to the fortress where the Contract Night was held. The fortress was a massive citadel built by the Alliance of Kingdoms in the region where the dungeons appeared.

There, once a month, a night known as “Contract Night” took place, where adult purifiers sought knights to form pairs with and make a pair contract.

“Maybe I can somehow find a pair here somehow.”

Irene thought, clutching onto hope. Unfortunately, events unfolded as the Count had predicted.

“The lowest-ranking purifier… I’d rather go into the dungeon alone than have you help me and hand out rewards.”

No matter how much they needed a purifier, Irene’s power was so weak that the knights refused to pair with her.

The knights who considered forming a contract with her offered it as if bestowing a great favor.

“Well, if we stick to safer lower-level dungeons, and I take 99% of the share while you get 1%, then I might consider a contract. And…”

The knight trailed off, scanning Irene up and down, licking his lips.

“I’d want you to make love to me every day. That way, purification might work better. Oh, not just before entering the dungeon, but anytime I want.”

Faced with the knight’s demands, Irene bit her lip. It was a well-known fact that for more efficient purification of magic, intimate contact was more effective than mere physical touch in a pair.

So, when the knights returned from the dungeon, they would enter their lodgings with their purifiers and not come out until the magic was cleansed. This knight was asking for what was rightfully to be expected from her. But the glint in his eyes told her that what he was demanding was more for his pl**sure than anything else.

More importantly, he proposed dividing the dungeon rewards at a ratio of 1 to 99. Regardless of Irene’s weak abilities, that was nothing short of exploitation.

‘Besides… he might not even actively participate in dungeon expeditions after I sign the contract.’

The knight could just take his pl**sure and then leave. However, such hesitation was a luxury Irene couldn’t afford. If she rejected this contract, she would soon be sold off to the elderly noble.

As Irene struggled with her decision, a figure appeared in the room.

Michael, the renowned paladin admired by everyone on the continent, stood there. He was the continent’s sole righteous knight, entering dungeons not for personal desires but solely to save those tormented by monsters.

His participation in Contract Night was not by choice. He was brought in on purpose by the Alliance of Kingdoms to keep him in check as he rose to great honor and became a hero to the entire continent.

He, too, had to follow the continental laws set by the alliance to enter dungeons. The pretext was to find a purifier to entrust his body to during Contract Night, as per the laws. Michael planned to make a perfunctory appearance and then leave immediately. That is, if Irene hadn’t stopped him.

As soon as she saw him, she knew. She sensed that he was the only one who would offer her a fair contract. Approaching him, she pleaded.

“Please, enter a contract with me.”

Irene clung to him for dear life.

***

People watched the two with keen interest. Michael was a paladin affiliated with the temple. If he granted Irene’s request, he would break his priestly integrity and become a promiscuous, depraved man who mingled with the purifiers. If he rejected her, he would become a wicked man, forsaking someone pleading for survival for the sake of honor.

Either choice would lead to dishonor. Irene was aware of this fact, but she had no choice but to cling to him.

“Even if I form a ‘pair’ with you, I will not be receiving any of your help.”

In the end, he chose to save her.

“But to purify the dungeon’s magic…”

He immediately countered her in a cold voice.

“My divine power will somehow withstand the magic. So, you don’t need to worry about it.”

With that, he turned away as if Irene’s assistance was not needed at all. He never demanded purification from Irene afterward.

Those who initially mocked Michael started praising him again, while Irene faced scornful ridicule. A woman who sullied the paladin’s honor for her survival – that’s how they viewed her. Despite hearing such words, Irene could say nothing. It was all true.

Michael occasionally visited her, sharing the dungeon rewards without demanding purification. While he might not have known Irene’s exact ransom, the sum accumulated steadily, nearing 100,000 gold.

‘At this rate, I’ll soon be free of the Count.’

Once that happened, Irene was determined to do whatever it took to repay him.

Not long after making that commitment, a top-tier dungeon emerged in a dangerous area. Many knights and purifiers lost their lives to the onslaught of a colossal monster without having a chance to fight back. However, Michael alone survived, defeating the monster and obliterating the dungeon.

The problem was he was mortally wounded and so corrupted with demonic energy that it was impossible for him to recover on his own. That night, Irene merged bodies with him to save his life. Even though he was unconscious, his instinct to survive drove him to aggressively respond to her.

“Ah, ah, ah!”

Irene let out strained moans as his massive member relentlessly penetrated her.

“Please, please go slower… Ah!”

Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, when they f*cked like animals, Irene found herself writhing in pleasure rather than agony.

Michael spent days and days, still not fully conscious, exploring Irene’s body.

When he finally came to his senses, she saw the look on his face.

“Why are you… Could it be that I…”

Realizing that he had broken a taboo, he dressed himself immediately to flee the scene. The place where the two had spent several days together was now marked with explicit traces of their promiscuity, with only Irene left behind.

After that, Michael never visited her again. Soon after, news arrived that he had been excommunicated from the temple.

‘I…completely ruined him.’

Irene was devastated. Even if she was just trying to save his life, it wouldn’t have mattered to him.

In the meantime, the dungeons entered a period of decay. It was time for purifiers and knights to sever their “pairs” and return to their respective hometowns.

In the fortress where everyone had made into their temporary homes, Irene searched for Michael, holding the money she had received from him. Now, he had to live as an ordinary knight outside the temple. Being a formidable knight, he wouldn’t have trouble surviving, but…

‘I want to make it up to him somehow.’

She wanted to return everything she had received from him. Even if going back meant the Count would immediately sell her, it no longer mattered. Michael had spent his entire life as a servant of God, and now, regardless of whether she was trying to save him, her actions had driven him from the place he had dedicated his life to.

How she could ever atone for what she had done, Irene had no idea.

She searched the rickety fortress for Michael, but he was nowhere to be seen.

During this time, Irene unexpectedly encountered Princess Cecilia, who had always ignored and scorned her. Though normally, she wouldn’t dare to speak to her, driven by the thought of apologizing to Michael, she asked if Cecilia knew where he was.

To her surprise, the princess chuckled and, after a brief pause, responded.

“Do you see that remaining dungeon over there? Sir Michael headed in to clean it up. If you want to apologize, now is your last chance. Hurry, he probably finished clearing out all the monsters.”

Irene heard this and entered the dungeon alone, hoping to find Michael and apologize to him.

But the dungeon turned out to still have monsters, and…

‘That’s where I died.’

That was certain. It had happened. But why…

Smack!

“Worthless thing! I’d be better off selling you to a merchant!”

With a searing pain in her cheek, Irene watched the Count rage in front of her.

Why on earth?

Why was the past replaying itself before her eyes?

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***