Don’T Get Caught By Your Husband! [EN]: Chapter 101

#101. Revealing the Secret (1)

May 31, 2024

“If this is true…”

Graham muttered in a troubled voice.

He stared at the papers Fabion had presented with disbelief.

“Even a blockhead like me can understand that the Pope is deliberately acting like… So, the Pope has been all along…”

“Watch your mouth, Graham.”

Escalion stopped him, raising a hand to sweep the hair that had fallen over his forehead.

Though he said that, he was just as confused.

“You obtained this from the Papal Palace?”

“Yes. It’s a document personally written by Saint Belladona.”

“Can you prove that she wrote this?”

At Escalion’s question, a troubled look appeared on Fabion’s face. He hesitated before answering.

“It won’t be easy right away… But perhaps a handwriting analysis might be possible.”

“I doubt it’ll work since it uses an ancient language.”

Escalion frowned and muttered. Fabion, across from him, also let out a frustrated sigh.

In the strangely subdued atmosphere, Graham asked in a bewildered voice.

“Commander, what’s the problem? The Lady wrote it, and she brought it out herself. Can’t we just ask her? Why do we need to prove anything?”

“…”

Normally, he would be right, but the problem was that Belladona’s soul was different from the Saint who wrote this document.

Belladona didn’t know how the Saint had obtained this information.

The moment the authenticity of this document was questioned, there wasn’t much she could do.

Knowing this, Fabion cautiously looked up at Escalion before him.

To others, he might seem calm, but he must be a mess inside.

Soon, Escalion tilted his head with a small sigh.

“Well, it’s not perfect, but we’ll have to use this for now. We might need to bring in more knights from Gribalta at the right time.”

“You’re going into the Papal Palace with this? Are you sure that’s the best course of action, Commander?”

Graham immediately retorted.

“There’s an Imperial Knight Order inside, you know?”

“It might be a good thing. His Majesty the Emperor wouldn’t just stand by and watch a Pope who dares to do something like this, would he? Either way, we have evidence, so we can start an investigation.”

“Why not take this to His Majesty the Emperor instead? Then they’ll take care of it, and we won’t have to get our hands dirty. This is… This is a huge deal! It’s an incident that could turn the Ellinus Empire upside down!”

“There’s no time for that. Send a messenger hawk and a fast knight to the Imperial Palace, and we’ll have a meeting with the Pope here first.”

Escalion replied, clenching his jaw. Thinking of Belladona and Scarlet inside, he wanted to jump up and swing his sword right now.

He took the document Fabion had deciphered and said,

“Prepare the knights. We’re going in immediately.”

* * *

She was hungry.

Even in this situation, the fact that her body was functioning was absurd and ridiculous.

Belladona leaned against the wall and breathed weakly.

She didn’t know how much time had passed since she was trapped in this dark and stuffy place without a window.

‘What happened to Scarlet…’

It pained her to think that she had been trapped in a place like this longer than herself.

Would Nicholas have provided at least minimal food and water? What if she’s still tied up…

‘It’s all my fault…’

Belladona bit her lower lip and hung her head.

Pope Prononce, who had made that offer, seemed to want to put more pressure on Belladona, leaving her with the words that he would give her some more time to think about it before disappearing.

Belladona put strength in her legs and stood up.

From the beginning, she had no choice.

Scarlet couldn’t possibly endure in a place like this.

If I can save Scarlet by returning to Astagna, isn’t it obvious?

Belladona approached the tightly closed door and knocked hard with both hands.

“You trash Pope, if you’re listening, come back in! There’s no time to waste!”

“…”

But there was no sound from outside.

Belladona frowned at the increasingly anxious feeling.

He said he’d be back soon, so why isn’t he coming? Even in this situation, Scarlet must be suffering…

Belladona paced around the dark room and sighed.

‘What happened to Escalion?’

The best thing would be for him to enter the Papal Palace and rescue them all, but Timothy told her that the Imperial Knight Order was holding out inside, so it didn’t seem easy.

From the beginning, they had come from Gribalta with a minimal number of people, so the difference in scale was significant, and bringing more knights would easily be seen as a rebellion.

Thinking of him agonizing outside, she couldn’t delay any longer.

‘First, rescue Scarlet by staying in Astagna, then start over. For a few months, I’ll pretend to be dead and follow the Pope’s words to reassure him, then look for another opportunity…’

At that moment, the door burst open without a sound.

Belladona was startled and turned her head.

From the outside where the bright light was coming in, Pope Prononce was smiling and looking at her.

“Are you ready now?”

When Belladona nodded, he reached out his hand to her.

“I can tell what choice you’ve made just by looking at your face. Will you come this way?”

Belladona ignored the hand the Pope offered and moved her steps. Standing under the bright light made her feel slightly dizzy, but she forced herself to straighten her back.

Behind her, she heard the Pope laughing.

When she came outside, another small space appeared. Belladona slowly turned her gaze to look around where she was.

There was only an old desk and chair, and a safe with a lock, in this unfamiliar place without a window.

Where is this…?

When she turned her head back to where she had come from, she saw a door of similar size next to the door she had come out of.

Is that where Scarlet is trapped? Belladona quickly looked at the Pope and gestured to the closed door.

“Open it quickly!”

At her gesture, Pope Prononce nodded as if he understood and put his hand in his pocket.

He took out a square key from inside and took it straight to the doorknob.

‘Scarlet…!’

Belladona held her breath and watched the scene. She was very worried about whether she was hurt or whether she was still conscious.

“Ah.”

But before the key even touched the doorknob, Pope Prononce stopped his actions with a short exclamation.

Belladona looked at him irritably.

“You didn’t think I’d open the door like this, did you? You’re not as naive as you used to be, are you?”

“…”

“It’s not enough just to promise that you’ll stay in Astagna. If you stab me in the back again and run away, it’ll all be useless, won’t it? I can’t keep the Imperial Knight Order tied up here forever to monitor you trying to escape and to stop the lord of Gribalta, who is always looking for an opportunity to invade.”

Belladona bit her lower lip with a resentful face.

“Divorce the lord of Gribalta for good. And make sure he never looks this way again.”

Pope Prononce approached her.

“You have no way to escape from here without his help anyway. So make sure you deal with that side properly. I can’t open this door until then.”

Belladona’s breathing became increasingly rough.

She couldn’t understand why the Pope was trying so hard to keep the Saintess by his side.

He was now firmly established as Pope, and he no longer needed a helper with divine power because he didn’t have to fight for power with other cardinals.

Why is he doing this? All the Saintess does is guard the confessional or show her divine power at special events…!

As her thoughts continued, she became curious about the Pope’s face when he found out that she had lost her divine power.

What would happen if he knew that the Saintess, whom he couldn’t bear not to have by his side, actually had no divine power and could make a voice?

Would there be a crack in that arrogant face? Maybe he’d let me go because he thought he didn’t need me anymore since I couldn’t use divine power anymore?

“…”

But still… It wasn’t easy to spit out a big secret that could lead to blasphemy.

Belladona frowned in frustration.

“You need to think quickly, Belladona. Even as we speak, your husband’s sister is dying.”

At that time, the Pope spat out sarcastically.

Looking at the calm expression on his face, anger surged, and her body trembled uncontrollably.

Knowing that Scarlet is suffering inside…!

Belladona clenched her trembling fists tightly. If it was to save Scarlet, who was trapped, she had to negotiate with him in some way.

To do that, she would eventually have to reveal that she could make a voice…

After much deliberation, Belladona swallowed hard and slowly opened her mouth.

“What do I have to do?”

“…! You, now…?”

As expected, Pope Prononce was startled and widened his eyes.

He looked at Belladona from head to toe with an unbelievable face.

“Are you… Are you making a voice now?”

“Yes. So what exactly do you want from me? Do you still want me to stay here?”

“…”

She thought he would turn his eyes and shout about what happened to her divine power, but he was unexpectedly calm.

Belladona was rather embarrassed by the sight.

Is that all the reaction…?

After standing for a while and rolling his eyes, he opened his mouth again.

“Since when have you been able to make a voice?”

“It hasn’t been long.”

“What about divine power?”

“I lost it completely when I gained my voice.”

At her words, Pope Prononce frowned as if thinking about something.

“This has never happened in history. There has never been a case where someone who gained divine power in exchange for a part of their body regained their bodily function and lost their divine power.”

Well, that’s right. This was the ability of that Saint Belladona.

He continued to be lost in thought, then suddenly raised his head and stared at Belladona.

“This is… Interesting.”

What…?

At the unexpected reaction, Belladona frowned.

Interesting that she has no divine power? Then is that guy… Was he not just in need of someone with divine power?

The Pope, who continued to stare at the confused Belladona, took a step closer to her and spat out.

“Then if you lose your voice in this state, will your divine power return?”

“…Keuk!”

Before he could finish speaking, he reached out and grabbed Belladona’s neck tightly.

Belladona groaned at the rapidly rising breath.

She tried to lift her hands and take off the Pope’s hand that was grabbing her neck, but it wasn’t easy.