After I Died, My Husband Went Mad [EN]: Chapter 107

It took only an hour for news of the day’s sensational commotion to spread from the servants’ quarters to the nobles’ drawing rooms. And it took exactly three hours for a formal report to reach the desk of the capital’s garrison commander.

“Is this even possible?!”

The garrison commander raged, beside himself with fury. Could it be because the honor of the imperial family was at stake? He was a far cry from the man who had been idly flipping through magazines and shirking his duties just moments before.

“What did you do, huh?!”

He immediately ordered his adjutant to arrest Duke Inverness. However, instead of snapping to attention with a resounding “Yes, sir!”, the adjutant shook his head.

“I am truly sorry, sir, but that is impossible.”

“What did you just say?!”

“The Duke never drew his sword. The Inverness Knights under his command only confronted the guards with their scabbards. No one drew their sword.”

“……!”

If no swords were drawn, they couldn’t forcibly impose a charge of treason. The capital garrison commander gritted his teeth and abandoned the treason charges.

“But he used his powers, didn’t he? Using lightning within the capital, where the imperial family resides, is no different from challenging the imperial family!”

“Ah, that is…….”

With an ambiguous expression, the adjutant continued.

“He said he couldn’t stand the sight of a tree older than the imperial gardener daring to stand in the Marquis’s garden, so he burned it down. He claimed that leaving such a tree alone was akin to challenging the imperial family.”

The capital garrison commander was now speechless. The adjutant looked at him with pity and said,

“In addition, all the guards struck by lightning only had their clothes and hair singed. Their injuries are minor. Well, they fainted for a moment due to the mental shock.”

“Huh, huh……!”

“Rather, the knights who confronted the guards suffered greater injuries. You can see the medical certificates the Duke personally brought from the capital’s medical ward for this part.”

The capital garrison commander gasped, his mouth wide open. The adjutant, looking at his face as if his jaw would drop at any moment, murmured in a sorrowful voice,

“Furthermore, the Duke has formally sent a letter to the guards for failing to execute the search for the kidnapped Bella Apennz. He stated that if they were to arrest him, all the guards would have to be prepared to take off their uniforms first…….”

The adjutant slid out a handwritten letter that Dihart had prepared in advance. The garrison commander snatched the letter like an eagle seizing its prey and read it, grinding his teeth.

In summary, it stated that Bella Apennz, kidnapped by Marquis Weden, was a precious guest under his protection, so he had no choice but to use some force and asked them to overlook it. In addition, it was also a veiled threat: if no one had lost their life or shed blood, but they still tried to find fault, things would become very troublesome.

“T, this……!”

The capital garrison commander groaned, clutching the back of his neck. It seemed they had perfectly secured everything from evidence to witnesses. If they were to question Duke Inverness’s actions in this state, they would only face backlash.

In the end, as the Duke suggested, it was best to cover up the incident since they had already exchanged blows.

“To think I have to stand by and watch that northern bastard trample on my backyard……!”

This is why they shouldn’t have incorporated those northern bastards into the empire. But what good would it do to blame the past now? (The Empire likely expanded and incorporated territories from the North)

“Then, I will take my leave.”

The adjutant, watching the capital garrison commander lamenting about how to explain things to the Emperor, bowed and left the room. A smile of schadenfreude [pleasure derived from someone else’s misfortune] hung on his lips.

* * *

After Dihart successfully retrieved the illusion and returned, Sebelia, who had been pacing anxiously in the mansion, let out a sigh of relief.

“That’s a relief.”

Sebelia immediately sent the illusion back. After confirming her complexion had improved, Dihart immediately left the room.

It was to give a rough explanation of the situation to the knights, who were faithfully following orders but couldn’t hide their confused expressions.

‘Even Illei was taken aback.’

To think that the young lady they had just seen together was coming out of someone else’s house, and even kidnapped? It was something that even Dihart himself would have found hard to believe.

After Dihart left the office, Sebelia collapsed onto the sofa, exhausted. Claude, who was sitting across from her, asked with a worried voice.

“Is this really okay?”

It was an incomprehensible question. When Sebelia struggled to lift her eyelids and gaze at him, Claude frowned and said,

“I’m asking if it’s okay to cover up a matter that could be taken to trial like this.”

Claude seemed to dislike this situation.

‘No wonder.’

Sebelia smiled slightly, recalling Claude, who had insisted on going to Marquis Weden’s mansion with Dihart.

“It feels like you’re letting them off too easily. Bella, think about it. That guy used such dirty drugs, not caring that you might become an idiot.”

While Sebelia was lost in thought, Claude was steadily getting agitated. Sebelia blinked in surprise at his already reddened face.

“Claude, calm down first. Do you think I did that without any thought?”

“…You’re not going to forgive them, are you?”

“No!”

“Hmm.”

Claude, with a sulky face and arms crossed, raised his chin slightly as if to say, “Then, let’s hear it.”

“Then, what on earth are you thinking? I’d like to hear the reason why you wrote a letter to cover this up instead of sending a petition to the imperial family and suing them.”

Sebelia barely managed to stop herself from bursting into laughter and cleared her throat. After composing herself, she clasped her hands together and put on a serious expression.

“As I heard at dawn, the reason my father needs me is to establish an imperial proxy [a figurehead or representative with limited power]. And that would be to make the First Prince the successor with my abilities, without any other dirty power struggles.”

“That’s highly likely. A clean change of power is what they want most.”

Sebelia nodded, took a deep breath, and clenched her hands tightly.

“That’s why. I didn’t want to let them know that I’m a target of their wariness with such a small matter. Their thinking should end with, ‘We were just unlucky and got hit by Dihart,’ not that I’ve completely grasped their intentions.”

“So you mean you want to continue to be underestimated. Is that the same reason why you want them to believe that it was an illusion that was kidnapped, not you?”

“Yes.”

At the answer that came out without hesitation, Claude narrowed his eyes. Sebelia said with a firm expression.

“As long as the purpose of needing me is the succession battle, my father will try to get me back by any means. So, I have no intention of fighting him right now.”

“…….”

“Behind my father are the First Prince’s consort [wife of a ruler] and her forces. Now, there’s not just one enemy. Even if I defeat my father, someone else will take his place and target me in another way.”

“That makes sense.”

“So, don’t you think I need time to prepare too?”

As Claude listened to Sebelia’s words, an unreadable light flashed in his eyes. It was the moment when Sebelia was wondering about his somewhat gloomy gaze.

A familiar voice was heard from behind her.

“We need to, Bella.”

“Dihart.”

Dihart, who had returned unnoticed, was looking at her with a somewhat sulky expression.

“So, you were thinking that all alone. I was uneasy from the moment you said we should cover this up.”

Dihart sighed and continued.

“You’re not alone in confronting them.”

Sebelia’s lips twitched at the unexpected remark. Dihart narrowed his eyes slightly, strode over, and knelt at her feet on one knee.

“Are you kneeling again?”

Perhaps it was because she was flustered. Her true feelings spilled out. As Sebelia covered her mouth and blushed, Dihart narrowed his eyes and grabbed her hand.

“Bella, I wouldn’t say this if I wasn’t helpful at all. But think about it. Wasn’t I quite useful this time?”

“…….”

“I won’t make a presumptuous request to rely on me. I know very well that I’m not even in a position to say such a thing.”

Sebelia gazed at Dihart with deep eyes. Looking into those blue and vast lake-like eyes, Dihart said,

“Use me as much as you want, like today. Treat me like a tool that can be stained with blood at any time.”

“Dihart.”

“But don’t forget this.”

Dihart pressed his cheek against her hand and whispered.

“I am not anyone else’s, but a sword in your hand.”

So, don’t think you’re alone. Dihart’s chilling resonance pierced Sebelia’s heart.

* * *

The Weden Marquis’s mansion, where the garden was charred black and the gate was half-destroyed, had already been restored to its former appearance with the power of money and manpower.

But even if you can fix a house with money, you can’t fix a wounded pride. Nathan, who had regained consciousness, threw a tantrum in bed and had to endure Silas’s glare, who had arrived late.

“You pathetic fellow.”

“Ah, Father.”

“Didn’t you have the courage to sacrifice yourself to hold the Duke back?”

Silas, who had heard the whole story, looked down at Nathan with cold eyes. He was disappointed that Nathan looked quite alright on the outside.

‘At least one of his limbs should have been blown off so he could cling to it.’

Silas clicked his tongue, coldly scanned Nathan, who was exaggerating, and left the room.

‘The fact that he’s making such a fuss means he must know Sebelia’s identity.’

The question of whether Dihart knew Sebelia’s identity was resolved by the commotion that occurred today. It was a crazy thing that he could never have done if he didn’t know Sebelia’s identity.

“Then what to do.”

Silas, stroking his chin, narrowed his eyes and looked out the window. The 1st district of the capital, Langue Elisa, the glorious imperial palace, was shining its magnificent body.

“Hmm.”

As if something had come to mind, Silas turned around.