After I Died, My Husband Went Mad [EN]: Chapter 161

“So, what brings you here, Your Highness?”

Shateian, who had been silently gazing at Rosaline, turned his head slightly. Only Rosaline, who had collapsed, and the two of them were in the drawing room.

“Did you learn to play innocent from the Duke, Young Lady? Didn’t you send me a desperate letter first?”

“I thought you were here on other business, considering you visited without notice.”

“You’re becoming more brazen as well.”

Shateian sighed deeply, but Sebelia didn’t care.

“So, you’ve come to give me an answer, haven’t you?”

At her question, Shateian quietly turned his head and looked at Rosaline again. Perhaps thanks to the care of the doctor and servants, her pale face had regained some color.

“This doesn’t seem like a conversation for here.”

Shateian seemed to think for a moment, then opened the door leading to the garden. Sebelia called a servant to move Rosaline to her room and followed him.

“It’s as beautiful as the rumors say.”

Shateian opened his mouth, praising the garden. He gazed at the modestly blooming flowers and slowly moved his feet. His attitude of admiring the landscaping trees and flowers, which Dihart had personally selected and planted, was relaxed.

“…….”

Sebelia walked through the garden with him without saying a word. He wasn’t the type of Crown Prince who would tell her what she wanted to know just because she urged him. And her judgment was accurate.

When they reached a place hidden by rose bushes, Shateian stopped. The tall bushes surrounded the small cottage more firmly than any wall.

“The Duke seems to value you very much.”

Sebelia’s eyes turned to him as she looked at the red roses. Shateian spoke without taking his eyes off the white building’s edge visible above the bushes.

“But that’s the kind of affection you can only see up close.”

Shateian felt her gaze growing stronger, but he didn’t care. The scent of roses at the tip of his nose was intense.

“A solid wall doesn’t push people away; rather, it tends to attract their curiosity.”

“Which means.”

“Yes. The article about the Duke was not my decision. No, let me put it differently.”

Shateian murmured, feeling the soft petals with his fingertips.

“I suppressed attempts to detonate it in multiple places simultaneously and handed it over to Lynn Post.”

Sebelia exhaled a short breath.

“So, it was something that had to explode.”

“It was already a story that more than half the capital was gossiping about. It would have been ridiculous to stop it.”

Sebelia groaned softly, holding her head.

“This isn’t the North, Young Lady. This is Langue Elisa, the city of blessings ruled by the glorious Emperor. In a city of glory, gold, and pleasure-seekers, you have lived too quietly. And that has irritated people.”

Sebelia was beginning to understand the situation.

The current situation was ultimately the result of the explosion of interest in them. After all the incidents were settled, she stopped attending banquets and parties as if nothing had happened. Dihart, who hated mingling with people, was the same.

However, people’s curiosity about those who played a decisive role in revealing the Empress Dowager’s rebellion was sky-high. The thirst for the secret lives of Duke Inverness and his lover led people in a different direction.

“I understand how things have turned out.”

Sebelia said with a slightly weary voice. She didn’t even need to see which way people’s thoughts had flowed.

Duke Inverness and Bella Ashrent, known as his lover, who uncovered the terrible rebellion. However, after the trial, no more news of them was heard, and curiosity about the couple, who were the center of attention, gradually began to change.

For example, dark and joyful speculations such as, ‘If there’s been no news, something bad might have happened,’ or ‘It’s highly likely that the two have become estranged,’ would have erupted.

Curiosity and admiration were not always brothers. Rather, jealousy and contempt were more likely to follow.

Recalling the bitter reality, Sebelia folded and unfolded her coldly hardened fingers. Shateian had already turned around and was looking at her.

“I know you don’t like being talked about by pleasure-seekers. I also know that you have been forced to attend banquets and parties to stop the rebels.”

“…….”

“But you can’t live forever in your own paradise. It’s time to pay a little attention to what’s happening outside the walls.”

Sebelia took a slow breath. Whether the article was Shateian’s will or not had now been resolved. Now, all that remained was…

“Are the details of his activities in the article true?”

Whether or not the families Dihart visited really had young ladies of marriageable age by chance.

At her sharp question, Shateian clicked his tongue inwardly.

‘This is bad.’

He didn’t expect her to ask so directly. The man, who was wondering what to do, tried to change the subject, but of course, he couldn’t get through the situation with that. Shateian, who briefly regretted coming to Inverness Mansion to escape the cumbersome banquet, felt indifferent.

Sebelia urged him as he sighed.

“I believe Your Highness certainly knows.”

Shateian finally lowered his gaze, which had been wandering somewhere in the sky, and looked at Sebelia. Calm voice, firm eyes. But inside, there was an emotion he couldn’t understand rising.

It certainly wasn’t a good feeling, but…….

Shateian made a decision after a brief moment of contemplation.

“To tell you the truth, yes. I know he is socializing with various families as described in the article, though not to the extent of night outings. And each of those families has young ladies of marriageable age.”

“……I see.”

Shateian tilted his head slightly at the more lenient reaction than he had expected. He thought she would be angry. But it didn’t matter.

‘Hoist with his own petard [be harmed by one’s own plan].’

This is what happens when you hide it. It’ll be quite a sight when he gets back. Thinking that far, Shateian almost burst out laughing. He pretended to be nonchalant, took the lead, and said to Sebelia.

“The wind is getting colder; let’s go back. Rosaline should be awake by now.”

The Crown Prince informed Rosaline, who had regained consciousness, that the Imperial doctor would visit every other week from now on. And just before leaving, he had a short conversation with Sebelia. From that day on, a procession of items of unknown use and purpose continued to arrive at Inverness Mansion.

Most of them headed to the cottage in the garden, not the main building of the mansion, and the servants were not allowed to approach without permission, so everyone was burning with curiosity.

A week later, Dihart crossed the capital’s walls. It was the return of the one they had been waiting for.

“He is scheduled to arrive in ten minutes.”

Sebelia rose from her seat upon hearing the butler’s message. Maya, who had been lying on her lap, landed on the floor with a light movement. She exchanged glances with the gray-haired cat for a moment and went to greet Dihart with a determined step.

Beyond the wide-open door, a black carriage with the Inverness family crest was visible. It was such a large carriage that the carriages following behind were barely noticeable.

Hee-heeing-

Unlike the four-wheeled carriages of other families, the Duke of Inverness’s carriage was pulled by two horses, but its dignity was incomparable. The two black horses, a specialty of the North, were superior to other horses in terms of size and temperament and were usually raised as military horses.

So, who would dare to look down on the carriage of the Duke of Inverness? Sebelia unknowingly raised the corners of her lips as she gazed at the threatening carriage approaching from afar. Thinking that it was a carriage truly befitting its owner.

The carriage, which had passed through the gate, gradually slowed down and stopped in front of Sebelia. Before the coachman could bow, the door opened, and a man with a firm body like a panther appeared.

“Bella.”

The man, who had landed lightly on the ground, reached out his hand. The low-pitched voice echoed through the air. Sebelia threw herself towards him with open arms. The man’s laughter echoed above her head.

“What’s all this? Did you miss me that much?”

Without answering, she raised her head, and his face was clearly visible. It had been a full two weeks since they had last met. It was a time when his absence was felt that much more. Sebelia felt the firmness of the arms that embraced her and met his gaze.

The man with neatly combed black hair was gazing at her with eyes full of heat.

Confirming the unchanging temperature, Sebelia burrowed into his arms. Dihart was a little embarrassed by her unfamiliar behavior, but he didn’t do the foolish thing of stopping her. Rather, he only growled at those who were peeking this way through the still-open door.

Eventually, Illei, who had received Dihart’s threatening glare, left to close the door, and Dihart enjoyed this touching reunion to the fullest.

It was about the time when Illei returned after closing the door and chasing away the reporters around that Sebelia opened her mouth.

“Dihart.”

“Yeah.”

“I’m glad you came back safely.”

A smile formed on Dihart’s lips at the affectionate words. But it didn’t take long for his reckless happiness to be shattered.