After I Died, My Husband Went Mad [EN]: Chapter 126

The bereaved families fully cooperated with Sebelia and Dihart. The more their numbers grew and their resolve solidified, the more disadvantageous the situation became for the First Imperial Consort’s faction, including Weden.

“We can’t just sit here and take this.”

The First Imperial Consort frowned. With an elegant gesture, she opened her fan and sighed softly.

“First, we must postpone the wedding. If we cite the Weden family’s current instability as the reason, they will readily accept it. What does the Imperial Prince think?”

“I agree with that.”

Deeliyan easily understood his mother’s intentions. She planned to observe the Weden Marquisate’s rise and fall.

“I was already tired of it anyway.”

Deeliyan thought of Nelia, who had returned to her mansion that morning. He had eventually yielded to her demands for his time, under the threat that she wouldn’t relent until he apologized.

‘What a troublesome woman.’

However, if the situation turned unfavorable, he would have to appease her again. It was Nate Weden who was in trouble now, not the Weden Marquisate. He stirred his teacup with a teaspoon, wondering what gift he should send to Nelia.

“Oh, my.”

The First Imperial Consort saw the deeply troubled look on her son’s face and chuckled. The sound was clear and melodious, like beads rolling on a silver tray.

“It seems the Imperial Prince has been quite tormented by Lady Nelia. It’s no wonder. If she were a man, she would have certainly surpassed Nate Weden and become the heir.”

“Given the current situation, that seems highly likely.”

At the mention of Nate’s precarious position, the First Imperial Consort smiled behind her fan. Unless Silas produced another illegitimate daughter from somewhere, it wouldn’t happen.

Because there were no Imperial Princesses in the Imperial Family.

‘It would have been nice if the Second Imperial Prince had been a princess.’

As always, the First Imperial Consort sighed softly at the familiar regret. If that child had been born a princess, the Empress would not have passed away so early.

But what could she do about what was already done? Faced with the cruel twist of fate, the First Imperial Consort had made a choice: to protect herself and her precious son. And she would make the same choice this time as well.

“Terrible memories should be replaced with pleasant ones. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to hold another banquet to erase the nightmare of the exhibition.”

At the same time, they couldn’t appear weakened; they needed to assert the Imperial Family’s strength and their innocence. And also, to create another opportunity.

“Have the Imperial Prince go and ask His Majesty.”

The First Imperial Consort smiled sweetly at her son, who was looking at her with a silent gaze.

“Oh, and you know who to invite, don’t you?”

* * *

Peaceful days continued, at least on the surface. Sebelia met Balac a few times, avoiding public attention, and learned that he was staying in Belkram under a disguised identity.

“Was it just a bluff that I would use the name of Ashent [a powerful organization]?”

Sebelia frowned slightly and put down her teacup. Balac’s shoulders twitched at the sound of it hitting the table.

“T-That’s not true.”

“But the situation suggests otherwise.”

Balac surrendered to the gaze that stared at him intently with quiet eyes.

“There were some documents and procedures to process to officially join Ashent. I was planning to return home in a few days and come back with my original identity.”

“Hmm.”

“Really.”

Sebelia shifted her gaze and picked up a fork instead of the teacup, cutting the cake.

“Then what identity do you have now?”

“Well, Ludmil would know exactly….”

Sebelia tilted her head at Balac, who trailed off. Ludmil was the illusionist he had brought as a guard and was now with Shatayian. He was also the person Claude had mistakenly guessed might be the guest Shatayian mentioned in the invitation.

“He probably chose the easiest route, so he’s either a trader or a wealthy traveler.”

Sebelia swallowed the piece of cake she had cut, at the clumsy answer. Her blue eyes darted around and then stopped as if she had remembered something.

“What’s wrong?”

Balac was momentarily flustered when he met her eyes, which sparkled like jewels. Sebelia put down her fork and said with an expectant look.

“Can I ask how close Ashent’s territory is to the Frost Forest?”

“The Frost Forest? Oh, is it because of the medicinal herbs?”

The powerful truth serum that Roden made and supplied to Weden. Besides the herbs banned in the Empire, several other rare herbs were used in that truth serum, one of which was only harvested in the Frost Forest.

If it hadn’t been for Wetz, even if Roden had told them the recipe, they wouldn’t have been able to make the antidote and discrimination reagent in time. It also required rare herbs from Mount Ruckwood to detoxify it.

‘I was lucky in many ways.’

But that wasn’t what Sebelia wanted to ask now. She shook her head at Balac, who was looking at her with questioning eyes, and opened her mouth.

“Actually, before this happened, I was going to trade with Ruckwood.”

“You were going to be a trader?”

“Um, yes.”

Sebelia continued, not paying much attention to the unexpectedly strong reaction.

“Once the revenge is over, there’s no reason for me to stay in the Inverness family anymore…. I thought I should find my own way to survive. When I was a quiet noble lady, there were people who brought me food even if I sat still, but Bella Aphentz is not like that.”

There was no resentment in her calm voice. She accepted her life as a commoner as it was and was just trying to do what she could within it.

“Ha…….”

However, Balac interpreted that differently. He felt shame, self-reproach, and embarrassment. It was the same feeling as watching a young child he had to take care of, worrying about how to make a living in front of him.

‘If only I had found you a little earlier.’

No, if only I hadn’t lost you in the first place. If only I had brought down my father a little faster.

They were all useless hypotheticals. But the pain was unavoidable. His clenched fists trembled. Just as unbearable anger was about to surge from his throat, it was stopped by a familiar touch.

“Why don’t you stop it.”

There was an old scar on the back of the hand patting his shoulder. Sebelia looked at the owner of the hand and got up from her seat. A few strands of white hair stuck out from under the pressed hat.

“Your Highness.”

“Oh, it’s okay. Right now, I’m a struggling artist who’s short on money and came to a friend’s house to get a meal.”

Second Imperial Prince Shatayian sat down with a nonchalant smile. He waved away Ludmil, who was hesitating whether to approach with a troubled face, and took Balac’s teacup.

“It smells good. I don’t think it’s your taste.”

“Ah, it’s flower tea that the Duchess gave me. If you like it, you can receive it from the Imperial Palace…….”

“I can’t even get a word in. Miss Bella, you don’t have to try so hard. Even if you don’t, the Imperial Security Bureau won’t easily let go of Nate Weden.”

Shatayian said, stirring the teacup. He suddenly raised his head, looking at the luscious flower petals floating around.

Balac frowned at the gaze that felt like a piercing arrow.

“What is it? If you have something to say, say it.”

“Hmm? No. I’ve known you for years, but this is the first time I’ve seen you with such a good complexion. It’s amazing. I wonder if my brother will even recognize you when you go back?”

“…….”

While Balac was pondering what to say, Sebelia changed the subject.

“The clothes suit you well. Is the artist you mentioned earlier your disguise when you go out incognito?”

“Yes, that’s right. When I’m in the Imperial Palace, I miss the outside. Has Miss Bella been to the Marlene District [a district in the capital]? There’s a new bakery that just opened, and since it started in the south, there are a lot of things I haven’t seen before.”

“That’s the first time I’ve heard of it.”

Sebelia participated in the conversation with sparkling eyes. Then, she suddenly felt a sense of incongruity. Why was that? Thinking about it, Sebelia soon found a clue. Ordinary attire, going incognito, the Marlene District. Dihart flashed through her mind.

‘There’s no way an Imperial Prince would go out incognito just to visit a bakery.’

Sebelia clicked her tongue silently. She almost got caught up in Shatayian’s skillfulness—giving out appropriate information while concealing his true purpose. She once again realized that he was not an easy person.

Second Imperial Prince Shatayian Belkram. He was a strong person who had lost his mother, the Empress, when he was young and survived to this position on his own.

Unlike Deeliyan, who had a strong maternal family, his maternal family couldn’t help him at all. No, it would be more accurate to say that they couldn’t provide assistance even if they wanted to.

‘Because the Empress is from a kingdom across the sea. It would have been easy for the First Imperial Consort to keep her in check.’

Sebelia looked at his scarred hands and thought about the hardships he had endured. And she thought about why he had to go to the Marlene District, dressed as an artist, going incognito.

The answer didn’t come easily. Even when she returned to Inverness Mansion after parting with Balac, the problem bothered Sebelia. And the answer unexpectedly emerged from an unexpected source.

“What is this?”

“I bought it from a newly opened bakery today. There were a lot of things I’d never seen before, so I just bought one of everything.”

Dihart said, putting down a large bag. A savory and sweet smell wafted up. Sebelia blinked at the pattern stamped on the bag.

It was the bakery that Shatayian had mentioned earlier, which had originated in the south. Sebelia was amazed at the unbelievable coincidence and picked up the bag.

At that time, Claude grumbled, putting down a bag that was about the size of Dihart’s stomach.

“I thought I was going to be crushed by the crowd and turn into dough. Dihart picked the day so well.”

“What happened?”

At Sebelia’s question, Dihart frowned for a moment and then answered willingly.

“The Third Imperial Prince, who had left the capital, has returned. I don’t know why, but it seems he visited the Marlene District first.”

“Hmm…. Is that so?”

At that moment, it was no coincidence that Shatayian came to mind.