After I Died, My Husband Went Mad [EN]: Chapter 153

Side Story 1-1

If only confessing love could make everything go smoothly. After mending his relationship with Sebelia, Dihart had dreamed of nothing but happy days, but the world was too complicated to live on love alone.

“My Lord, Sir Lyon is wailing every day, asking when you will return.”

“A meeting is to be convened to fill the vacancy of Marquis Lims. A letter has arrived from the chairman requesting your attendance.”

“After dismissing all the servants under Mrs. Gren, Hillend Hall is short-handed. Before hiring new ones, we need your opinion, My Lord.”

The news delivered every morning and evening made him feel like his neurosis was returning. It felt like only yesterday that he was constantly visiting the Imperial Palace day and night to clean up after the criminals. His subordinates couldn’t even understand their superior’s troubles, and they were disturbing his newly started married life. What kind of loyalty was that?

Dihart entered the annex he had made for Sebelia with a weary face. She was there, spending her time in an ever more beautiful and lovely state.

“Dihart, you’re here?”

“Bella.”

At his whining voice, she greeted him with a warm smile, as always. Ah, as he held her in his arms, the worries piled up on his chest melted away in an instant.

“Those guys seem to think of me as their parent. I don’t know how they can’t do anything on their own and won’t leave me alone for a second.”

“Hehe. Sit down first. Let’s talk while sitting down.”

As Sebelia led him, Dihart sat on the long sofa by the window and naturally leaned his head on her lap. Sebelia suppressed a laugh at his brazen behavior and gestured for the servant who was about to bring tea to leave.

“I don’t think I can eat anything right now.”

“Are you being that overworked?”

“Feel it. I’ve lost weight since last time.”

As he said that, he slyly placed her hand on his cheek. No matter where she touched, it was smooth and soft, and he didn’t seem particularly tired.

‘He’s just exaggerating for no reason,’ Sebelia thought.

Sebelia knew that Dihart always just talked like this. He was in the capital, perfectly handling the work sent from Hillend Hall. The letters Lyon sent every day were just pranks to provoke him, not serious matters.

However, Sebelia didn’t bother to say that out loud. Instead, she gently stroked the dark circles under Dihart’s eyes and his dry hair, which he strongly insisted on keeping.

Dihart felt her touch and lay still, basking in the sunlight. The frown between his eyebrows, which had been creased with fatigue and annoyance just a moment ago, gradually relaxed.

“Haa, but today there were relatively few disturbers.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Maybe it’s because I sent Ilay away, there’s no noisy voice. I wish every day could be like today.”

Sebelia casually accepted his grumbling. She knew that Dihart wasn’t really complaining because he hated Ilay and Lyon.

“Being by your side makes me relax.”

With a weary voice, Dihart slowly blinked his eyes. The sunlight caught on his eyelashes shattered into small pieces, covering his pupils.

“Bella.”

A voice that touched his heart, a comfortable smile he never thought he would see. The eyes, sparkling like jewels under his softly curled black hair, contained only her.

It was a beautiful sight. It was also a breathtakingly tender scene. How could she not know? Dihart’s childlike behavior was all a manifestation of his desire to receive attention from her.

It was his way of keeping her by his side.

However, some belittled him, saying he had become foolish. They criticized him for being obsessed with a woman and turning into a child, for not being able to distinguish right from wrong like a reckless fool. But Dihart always sneered and ignored them.

She felt the same way. Dihart, who had gone from being a tyrant of Hillend Hall to a spoiled lover, was more fascinating than unpleasant. When she thought back to his past, when he had been reluctant to show weakness, the current him was truly as different as heaven and earth.

Sebelia liked his change.

‘It reminds me of when we were at the research lab,’ she mused.

Back then, Dihart had desperately approached her but seemed lost, as if he were wearing clothes that didn’t fit him. Sometimes she wondered why he was doing that, but now his whining was as natural as wearing well-fitting clothes.

Moreover, contrary to what people who criticized him said, Dihart had never once failed to distinguish right from wrong since he had been with her.

“Dihart, how long are you going to let Sir Lyon send pleading letters?”

Sebelia began to persuade him in a calm voice. Then, beneath his sadly lowered eyelashes, his golden eyes began to dart around. Sebelia gently coaxed him as he looked for an escape route.

“Shouldn’t you go at least once?”

“Where are you talking about? Ah, I heard that a resort in the south has been renovated. You’ve heard about it too?”

Sebelia smiled wryly at Dihart’s skillful attempt to change the subject. It wasn’t that she didn’t know what he was thinking, but this was enough. She grabbed Dihart’s cheeks with both hands and met his eyes, which refused to meet hers.

His golden eyes glanced at her for a moment before disappearing behind his eyelids.

“Dihart.”

“…….”

“It’s already been over three months since the work was finished. If you count from the day you left Hillend Hall, it’s been almost half a year. I’m fine, so go and come back now.”

Dihart seemed to listen to Sebelia’s words, then rolled his body halfway and buried his face in her lap. When Sebelia sighed as if she was dumbfounded, Dihart mumbled in a creeping voice.

“Is it really necessary to go when there’s nothing wrong now?”

“Dihart.”

“Haa, Bella.”

“I know you were planning to go within this week anyway.”

Dihart’s body stiffened with his face buried in her lap. Sebelia took out her last card.

“I also know that unexpected things kept happening, and your trip to the North was constantly delayed.”

“…….”

“Now there are no more trials left, and you’ve chased away everyone who came seeking revenge or compensation. His Highness the Crown Prince has also firmly established himself, so don’t worry and go.”

It was as she said. Dihart couldn’t go to the North not simply because he hated Hillend Hall, but because it took a considerable amount of time to clean up the aftermath.

From those who started lawsuits coveting the remaining assets of Count Weden, who was transferred to Luckerwood, to the unknown collateral relatives and illegitimate children, and even the remaining remnants who rushed in with resentment.

While dealing with these tedious matters, Dihart also had to go back and forth to the Imperial Palace to lay the foundation for a new peace agreement between the Central and Northern regions, restore his relationship with Rosalyn, and make plans with the Crown Prince for the future political situation.

It was truly a time when even three bodies wouldn’t have been enough. People who knew that Dihart was gradually losing his reason and only found peace by Sebelia’s side understood why his trip to the North was delayed.

Rest was necessary for a man who was like an executioner bringing a storm of blood to the central political world. But now that Sebelia had stepped forward to insist on his trip to the North, it seemed that the statute of limitations had expired.

“Haa.”

Dihart reluctantly raised his body. Leaning his upper body with his hands on the chair, he looked at Sebelia with pitiful eyes.

“Bella…….”

It was a look that said it wasn’t too late, asking her not to send him away.

‘That won’t do,’ Sebelia thought.

Sebelia smiled playfully and touched Dihart’s nose.

“Have a good trip.”

“…….”

Stroking his distorted brow gently, Sebelia continued.

“Don’t forget to bring a gift.”

“A gift, you say?”

“Yes, a gift.”

Her finger, which had slowly moved down from his brow, past his nose, stopped around his collarbone. A clanging sound was heard. Dihart unconsciously lowered his head to check where her hand had stopped.

A silver cross necklace with a blue jewel embedded in it. Dihart smiled faintly as he saw the slender fingers wrapped around it and lowered his head.

“Is there anything you particularly want?”

“Hmm…….”

Sebelia tilted her head and pondered. Dihart stared at her.

“Anything is fine. Nothing special comes to mind… Ah, a jewelry box?”

“A jewelry box, you say?”

Dihart blinked at the unexpected choice. Sebelia wasn’t the type to put much effort into dressing up, so she didn’t have many accessories. Even the ones she had were all gifts he had forced on her.

‘But a jewelry box…’ he thought.

As if to resolve his curiosity, Sebelia said in a light voice.

“Nelia once received a jewelry box as a souvenir from her father’s business trip.”

“…….”

“It was a long time ago, but it suddenly came to mind. I guess it reminded me because it was a business trip gift.”

Without knowing that Dihart’s eyes had turned cold, Sebelia smiled nonchalantly, saying that she had been so envious of it back then.

“Haa.”

“What’s wrong?”

“No. I understand. I’ll bring something that even the Crown Prince can’t get his hands on.”

“Huh? There’s no need to go that far.”

Sebelia was taken aback by Dihart’s excessive enthusiasm, and he shrugged lightly.

“Isn’t it up to the person who buys it anyway?”

“But…….”

“Okay, okay. Then I’ll bring something you like.”

Dihart whispered as he lightly kissed Sebelia’s cheek. Only then did Sebelia smile softly, as if relieved.

“I’ll look forward to it.”

“Please do.”

Dihart left with confident eyes. Sebelia chuckled at his dignified back, which didn’t look like the man who had been acting like a child just a moment ago.

A few days later, he boarded a carriage heading north with his knights as planned. However, Sebelia didn’t know that the Imperial Knights would be dispatched to fill the number of knights who were absent.

And she never dreamed that Rosalyn would visit with them.