After I Died, My Husband Went Mad [EN]: Chapter 117

Time rewinds to when Balak hadn’t yet regained his senses. Sebelia accepted Neyton’s offer and followed him out of the exhibition hall.

“Are you alright?”

Dihart whispered into her ear as she walked, her eyes fixed on Neyton’s back. Sebelia nodded, but Dihart couldn’t shake his worried expression.

The trap prepared by Neyton and the First Empress was vile and hideous.

‘His mother, of all people.’

Dihart clicked his tongue. So, they’re playing the family card. They know very well what her mother means to Sebelia. That’s why they won’t give up such an enticing bait.

Even knowing it’s a trap, she has no choice but to open that door and step inside.

‘This is no time for this. I need to go over the plan again.’

Dihart forcibly fixed his gaze forward, resisting the urge to keep checking Sebelia’s expression, and mentally reviewed the plan once more.

First, Neyton will try to drug Sebelia, using some excuse. Sebelia will pretend to take the drug without resistance, swallowing the antidote along with it, and then signal him. When he enters at the right moment, Neyton will surely come out strong, insisting that she has admitted to being Cornelia.

‘That’s when Claude will arrive with the knights and nobles.’

When the two of them start fighting and everyone’s attention is focused on them, Neyton will order Sebelia to declare publicly that she is Cornelia.

‘But that’s only if she doesn’t have the antidote.’

The moment Neyton tries to make her confess, Sebelia will refute his words with a perfectly clear face. And she will expose the reality of the Weden family with the tea he offered her and the testimony of Roden, who is currently detained.

That was the scenario that Dihart and Sebelia had worked out together.

‘It’s fortunate that the physician’s skills are more outstanding than I thought.’

In just one day, Wartz had created not only the antidote but also a reagent to identify the hallucinogen, the raw material of the drug. Thanks to that, they learned that the raw material of the drug was banned in the empire, which was a great help.

‘I should give him a proper reward when we get back.’

Dihart let out a short sigh and ran a hand through his hair. It was at that moment that Sebelia briefly turned to look at him. The blue eyes that met his for a fleeting moment were as cold and ruthless as transparent ice.

As if by chance, Sebelia’s gaze returned forward. But at that moment, Dihart felt his heart sink. That cold and ruthless look, even though he knew it was directed at Neyton, not him, gave Dihart a strange sense of oppression.

“Hoo…”

Dihart gritted his teeth to regain his composure. What was important here was his role. In the meantime, Neyton, who had been walking ahead, stopped.

“This is the place. She is waiting for you inside. And Duke, you will wait here until your business is concluded.”

It was a splendid door carved with ivory. Sebelia was struck by a sudden sense of reality.

‘Mother.’

Sebelia slowly reached out and grabbed the doorknob. She felt her fingers tremble slightly as she tried to apply pressure. She swallowed a hollow laugh.

To cling to a sliver of hope, knowing it’s a lie. The temperature of her coldly sunken blue eyes dropped even further.

Could she really be inside this door?

‘No.’

Sebelia knew. Most likely, it was just a stand-in for her mother inside. As soon as she entered, she would cry, hug her, and whisper that she was sorry and loved her.

Yes, this was a trap. Whoever she faced after opening the door, it was bound to end in hurt. But even knowing that, there are times when you have to face it.

Just like now.

Sebelia opened the door without hesitation and stepped inside. Neyton followed behind her.

* * *

‘Ah, how predictable.’

Was this how it felt to watch a play knowing the ending? Sebelia watched the middle-aged woman approaching her with tears in her eyes, her insides twisting.

“My baby, my poor daughter!”

The middle-aged woman, sobbing, hugged Sebelia and led her to the sofa. She sat her down and continued to cry, uttering incoherent words for a long time. Finally, the woman put down her handkerchief and met Sebelia’s eyes.

At that moment, Sebelia realized that her father had put a great deal of thought into choosing this stand-in.

“…What’s your name?”

Sebelia forced herself to speak, trying to calm her churning stomach. The woman laughed through her tears, took Sebelia’s hand, and said gently,

“You should call me Mom, baby. So, my daughter was curious about her mother’s name. Is that all you’re curious about? You must have many other questions you want to ask.”

“……”

“Anything is fine. You can resent me, you can be angry. It’s okay, baby. You can do that. So, just for today, do as you please. If I can pay for the sin of leaving you alone, that’s enough for me.”

She felt breathless. Even knowing that the woman in front of her was a fake, she couldn’t pull away from the hand she was holding. What saved Sebelia was, ironically, her excessive kindness.

“Oh, and there’s good news, dear. Your father says he will allow us to live together. If you want, he will support us to live quietly in another region, not the capital.”

The moment ‘Mother’ uttered the word ‘father,’ reality washed over her like a tidal wave.

“Ah.”

It was as if someone had stabbed her in the back, telling her it was time to wake up from the dream. Sebelia felt relief amidst the pain.

‘Yes, she was a fake.’

Relieved, Sebelia smiled brightly and took her mother’s hand. It was strange. She had never felt such a heartwarming affection from her own father, but she felt it for a moment through her fake mother.

But that was the end of it now. Sebelia decided to be satisfied with having experienced her parents’ affection, even if only for a moment.

Without turning her gaze away from her mother, she opened her mouth softly.

“If you really intend to send me and my mother away… who are those blocking the door and windows right now?”

“……”

They didn’t even intend to deceive her for long. Sebelia sighed silently as she saw the middle-aged woman’s eyes, now filled with a vile light. From the beginning, she was just there to buy time.

“Did you enjoy it, even for a little while?”

The woman smiled and casually stroked Sebelia’s cheek. Sebelia stared at her without moving. The woman, who had returned to her kind motherly face, smiled softly and poured tea.

“Soon, there will be a grand fireworks display celebrating the opening of the exhibition. Her Imperial Highness the First Empress has prepared it herself. Everyone will leave their seats to see the beautiful fireworks adorning the sky… leaving only our close-knit family behind.”

The woman chuckled softly and picked up the teacup. She offered the teacup as if giving her one last chance.

“Drink it, miss. If you drink it now, it won’t come to the worst-case scenario.”

The woman offered Sebelia the drugged tea with eyes full of love. Sebelia stared at her intently and tossed out a question in a nonchalant tone.

“Are you going to go through with this, even though you know I didn’t come here alone?”

“Oh. So, someone came with you.”

The middle-aged woman tilted her head for a moment, then chuckled and said,

“Do you think we would have brought you here without knowing that?”

“What……”

It was the moment Sebelia was about to conjure an illusion, feeling a sudden bad premonition. Neyton appeared behind her and grabbed her shoulder.

“My pitiful and arrogant sister, you stepped into a sorcerer’s barrier and didn’t even notice it.”

“……!”

“Scream all you want, Sebelia. Summon your pathetic illusions as you wish. No one will hear your voice, and those foolish illusions will be shattered while trying to protect you.”

Her blue eyes froze solid. This was an unexpected move. Those who despised the sorcery of the North were using a sorcerer’s barrier.

However, she couldn’t just sit still and be defeated. Sebelia immediately created an illusion. Soon, hundreds of small birds swept through the air.

With the sound of fluttering wings, Neyton burst into maniacal laughter.

“Haha…! You’re quite something! Yes, you have to have this much ability!”

The room was instantly in chaos. No one could stand properly because of the birds flying around and bumping into them. Sebelia crossed the room in one swift motion.

“Get out of my way!”

Sebelia sent a large illusion towards the servants who were trying to block her path until the end, and she quickly reached the door. Behind her, Neyton was calling out to her, constantly laughing.

Her heart was pounding, and her mouth was parched. She had to open this door right now. She had to go to him, who was waiting for her beyond the door.

“Dihart!”

Sebelia called out to him with all her might and reached for the doorknob. The cold sensation touched her fingertips, and it was the moment when joy filled her eyes.

“Ah!”

Her attempt was thwarted by the black ropes that had crawled out from under her feet.

“Ugh……!”

A faint light was flowing from under the carpet. Sebelia felt like she had been hit in the back of the head. There was more than one barrier.

‘I let my guard down.’

Sebelia bit her lip without realizing it and trembled. She saw a pair of shoes, polished to a shine, in front of her. Neyton, who stood proudly in front of the fallen Sebelia, said in an arrogant voice,

“Finally, I can give Father a report that he will be satisfied with.”

Sebelia struggled as she watched the servants gradually approaching her. Their hands grabbed her limbs and suppressed her. Even as her jaw was grabbed and her lips were forced open, Sebelia did not give up resisting.

If only this restraint could be released even a little, even for a brief moment……!

‘Please!’

At that moment, Sebelia’s blue eyes flashed. A pure white light burst out from her, enveloping the servants who were holding her.

Whirr-!

The world turned upside down. The beautifully decorated interior was a jumbled mess of various scenes, as if a painter with poor skills had put all his works together.

“What is this……!”

Neyton’s shock was followed by a terrible scream that filled the room.

“Aaaaaaack!”

“Aaaack! Stop it. Get away!”

“You, you are! No, I didn’t do it!”

Unknown corpses crawling on the floor, falling from the ceiling, and emerging from the river water that was wetting their ankles. But in the memories of Neyton and the servants, they were the unfortunate people they had mocked and ridiculed, never to be forgotten.

They took on substance through Sebelia and once again set foot in reality.