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Chapter 9
What was piled up inside the room like a mountain were dozens of outfits, jewelry, and everything else needed for daily life.
The problem was that every single item was so luxurious that it deserved to be called a luxury good.
“Here is the inventory list. Please sign here to confirm that you received everything.”
The maid politely bowed and handed her a sheet listing all the items.
Still unable to close her mouth, Irenne looked through the list from the top.
The farther her eyes moved down the page, the more shocked she became.
The beautiful clothes made from soft, expensive fabric were one thing.
But halfway down the list, the items became even more extravagant.
At the very end was even a bottle of fragrant oil meant for a comfortable night’s sleep.
Wasn’t this something only Rank 1 purifiers used?
It wasn’t just ordinary scented oil.
It was made from herbs found inside dungeons. If placed beside the bed while sleeping, it allowed purification power to recover much faster, making it an incredibly valuable item.
Naturally, it was so rare that people said it cost whatever price the seller asked.
Only the highest-ranking purifiers used it, and even then, only occasionally.
So why was it here?
The luxurious items alone were enough to leave her speechless, but the other things were just as shocking.
The table was filled with expensive food.
Even the maids wore badges on their chests showing the number of her room.
How did this happen?
Nothing inside this fortress was free.
Although it was managed by the Allied Kingdoms, they only provided the bare necessities.
Anyone who wanted better service or finer items naturally had to pay the Alliance.
Of course, that wasn’t a problem for princesses or daughters of noble families.
Their royal families or noble houses generously supported them to protect their reputation, allowing them to enjoy large rooms and many maids.
The Pair of a powerful knight might start with modest accommodations, but after clearing several dungeons, they would use their rewards to upgrade their rooms.
That’s why life was always so difficult in my previous life…
Even though she had been given the smallest room, it was always full of laundry and cleaning to do.
Since she couldn’t afford to hire a maid while saving money, Irenne had done everything herself.
At first, other purifiers had done the same.
But after receiving their share of dungeon rewards, they hired maids, moved to better rooms, and enjoyed better food.
Only Irenne continued living in the tiny room at the far corner of the fortress.
She had to save every coin to repay the money Count Rodiam had spent on her.
So I never even dreamed of owning something this expensive…
These weren’t merely nice things.
They were extravagant luxury goods.
The kind of items that made you wonder if such beautiful things really existed.
The problem was…
She had never asked for any of them.
Trying to keep her voice calm, Irenne spoke to the maid.
“I think… there must be some kind of mistake.”
“A mistake? What do you mean, Lady Purifier?”
“I never requested any of these things. I haven’t even touched them yet, so I’d like you to take everything back.”
“That won’t be possible. Everything has already been paid for.”
The maid’s answer only confused Irenne even more.
“What? Then… who paid for all of this?”
“If you look at the bottom of the list…”
Following the maid’s words, Irenne hurriedly looked at the bottom of the long inventory.
There, written clearly…
was Mikhail’s name.
Standing beside her, Wilhelmina also saw it.
The moment she did, her face twisted in jealousy.
“Ha…”
After finally sending Wilhelmina away—who had stubbornly clung to her, demanding an explanation for why Mikhail had sent all those things—Irenne let out a long sigh.
She looked around the room again.
The mountain of luxurious gifts was still there, making her dizzy.
Searching for somewhere to sit, her eyes found the maid’s simple chair in the corner.
She sat there instead.
She didn’t even dare sit on one of the elegant chairs.
What is going on?
Just as the maid had said, everything had already been paid for.
The Alliance is obsessed with money. There’s no way they would give these away for free.
She didn’t need anyone to explain that.
I remember how hard it was just to get a thick blanket.
She had thought winter blankets were provided as part of the basic necessities.
Instead, she learned they also had to be purchased.
Normally, she could have bought one with the money she had saved.
But Count Rodiam had demanded repayment of her debt at exactly the wrong time.
She had sent him every coin she had.
Not a single coin remained.
At first, she tried to endure the cold.
But this fortress, located in the northeastern part of the continent, was struck by freezing winds long before winter officially arrived.
To make matters worse…
Mikhail had temporarily left the fortress after being summoned by the Temple.
In the end, Irenne spent her days shivering until he returned.
As soon as he came back, she begged him to let her accompany him into the next dungeon.
It was better than staying alone in that freezing room.
Then…
When Mikhail opened the reward chest at the end of the dungeon…
Without thinking…
Irenne hurriedly reached out.
“What are you doing?”
His cold voice brought her back to her senses.
By then…
Her hand had already grabbed the small gemstone inside the reward chest.
According to the rules, every dungeon reward had to be inspected before being collected and sent to the official auction.
Besides…
Mikhail had cleared that dungeon entirely by himself.
Irenne hadn’t helped with purification even once.
Yet she had grabbed the greatest reward as though stealing it.
No wonder he had been shocked.
“I-I’m sorry…”
Even as she apologized…
She couldn’t let go of the gemstone.
Mikhail quietly watched her.
Embarrassment.
Guilt.
And sadness.
Overwhelmed by those feelings, Irenne couldn’t even lift her head.
After a long silence, Mikhail finally spoke.
“You may keep it.”
His kindness made her grateful.
At the same time…
Her eyes filled with tears.
She could imagine exactly how he must have been looking at her.
He probably thinks I’m a useless woman who’s obsessed with money.
Thinking about the disappointment in his eyes, Irenne couldn’t raise her head for the rest of the journey out of the dungeon.
Just as she expected…
As soon as they left the dungeon, Mikhail quietly walked away without saying another word.
The money she received after selling that reward was enough to buy a winter blanket.
Even so…
She couldn’t stop remembering Mikhail’s cold gaze.
Instead of sleeping beneath the blanket, she left it folded on the bed and slept curled up in the corner, wearing layer after layer of clothing.
“…”
Remembering those days, Irenne gave a bitter smile.
“At least I won’t still be here by winter.”
She never wanted to experience something like that again.
It had only brought her sadness.
And she had only become a burden to Mikhail.
She silently looked at the pile of expensive gifts.
Mikhail always donated every reward he earned to the Temple.
There was no way he would spend money on something like this.
There has to be some kind of mistake.
If that’s true… he’ll probably ask for everything back later.
I’d better not touch any of it.
Then…
Her eyes drifted toward the plate of fruit on the table.
It was filled with fresh fruit.
In her previous life…
She had never eaten fruit inside this fortress.
She had only caught brief glimpses of it whenever Princess Cecilia summoned her.
Every time she saw how fresh and sweet it looked, she thought she looked pathetic for staring.
Yet…
She could never look away.
Gulp.
The fruit looked as though it had just been picked.
Tiny drops of water still clung to its skin.
Without realizing it, she swallowed.
She had barely eaten anything since waking up the day before.
Only now did her exhausted body begin protesting with hunger.
From a distance, she had thought it was simply a large fruit platter.
But now that she was closer…
There were even fruits that couldn’t possibly be found during this season.
Irenne especially loved fruit.
Her mouth watered so much that her jaw almost hurt.
She wanted to eat it more than anything.
But…
She didn’t touch even a single piece.
She still couldn’t believe that all of this really belonged to her.
Everything was still too luxurious.
Too warm.
Too unreal.
So she simply stared at the fruit…
As though it belonged to someone else.
How much time passed like that?
“Why are you only looking at it?”
Mikhail’s voice suddenly came from beside her.
Startled beyond words…
Irenne froze where she stood, unable to even scream.
