After I Died, My Husband Went Mad [EN]: Chapter 165

Side Story 2-2

“Even a carriage that blatantly screams to be robbed will be safe if the guards are skilled enough. Especially if it’s the Duke, who holds the Empire’s greatest power.”

A low voice echoed in the quiet air. A brief silence followed, and just as Balak was about to speak, Dihart flung open the carriage door.

“Alright, let’s get going.”

With a courteous escort, Dihart helped Sebelia into the carriage and nonchalantly took the seat next to her. Illei, as if waiting for this, urged the coachman.

“It’s almost dusk, do we have time to be so leisurely?”

“Ah, no! That is…”

The coachman, startled by the sudden attention, glanced sideways at Balak. He seemed to want to point out that Balak, the leader of the group, had not yet boarded the carriage.

Dihart, glancing out the open window, said,

“Then we shall depart as soon as the Ambassador is ready.”

With that refreshing remark, the window closed and the curtains were drawn. It all happened in an instant. As a result, neither Balak, left alone outside, nor Sebelia, who had inadvertently boarded the carriage, could object.

“…Hah!”

And so, with Balak’s sigh, the journey to Lukhwood began, and his plan to spend time alone with his family was, of course, utterly ruined.

“Was I too hasty?”

A normal person would have harbored resentment over a failed, carefully laid plan, but Balak was not such a petty man.

Sitting in the lead carriage, he rested his arm on the windowsill, pretending to admire the scenery while focusing all his attention on the carriage behind him.

“Quick to catch on.”

Despite his grumbling, Balak was inwardly pleased with Dihart’s abilities. He had to be that capable to be by Sebelia’s side.

“Tsk.”

But that was that, and this was this.

Balak never forgot that Dihart was a shameless man who tormented and drove his precious cousin to the brink of a nervous breakdown, ultimately faking her suicide to escape.

“Don’t even dream of a comfortable trip.”

As Balak plotted, Dihart, who had been given the title of the most shameless man, was fending off Sebelia’s interrogation with an appropriately nonchalant face.

Inside the tense carriage, Sebelia’s blue eyes stared intently at Dihart.

“Tell me.”

“Tell you what?”

“What did Balak do?”

Seeing Dihart shrug as if he didn’t understand, Sebelia glared.

“Something’s fishy…”

“Nothing happened.”

‘Liar.’

Even in the best light, Dihart’s personality couldn’t be called good. He was an incredibly cold and prickly man to anyone other than himself.

But he wasn’t the type to be sarcastic or hostile without a reason. Even the other day when they argued in the garden, he had the excuse that she wasn’t taking care of her health.

So Sebelia was certain that something had happened between Dihart and Balak that she didn’t know about.

“There’s definitely something.”

Sebelia narrowed her eyes and scanned Dihart with a searching gaze. But he was one step ahead of her. The man, who had looked haggard from overwork just a few hours ago, was as brazen and relaxed as ever.

“Your gaze is intense. My cheeks are tickling.”

“It must be dust. Tell me the truth. What does Balak have to do with the sudden increase in work?”

At Sebelia’s prodding, Dihart suddenly smiled and touched his lips.

“Ah, I think there’s dust here too.”

“What?”

“Could you check for me?”

Sebelia frowned, pushing away the man who was leaning in.

“Never mind.”

Sebelia sighed and moved to the opposite seat. What can’t he say? As she muttered softly, a low chuckle echoed through the carriage.

“Don’t waste your energy on useless things and just get some sleep. I know you stayed up all night preparing for the trip.”

As if he had been waiting for it, he took out a blanket and covered Sebelia’s lap. The soft blanket was as warm as ever.

Sebelia, fiddling with the blanket, said casually,

“You didn’t get a wink of sleep either.”

“How did you know that?”

“Do you think you’re the only one who gets to see my every move? I have reliable informants too.”

As Sebelia spoke with an air of importance, Dihart’s eyes curved.

“There’s nothing to do in the carriage anyway, so you get some sleep too.”

He raised the corners of his mouth, gazing at Sebelia with eyes that seemed to be looking at something adorable.

“Alright.”

Dihart said that and carefully checked the window curtains. He meticulously closed them as if not allowing even a sliver of light. Sebelia blinked slowly at the sight.

As if sensing her gaze, he said with a smile,

“Just sleep. I’ll sleep too, so don’t worry.”

“You always just say that.”

Sebelia knew that he often wandered around the mansion because of nightmares. But he always made excuses, saying he had a lot of work and woke up early.

Even though she knew that wasn’t the case, Sebelia didn’t bother to pry. She knew why he wanted to hide his nightmares.

“I won’t this time.”

Dihart chuckled softly and handed her a cushion. Sebelia stared at him for a moment before accepting the cushion and leaning back on the spacious seat.

“Don’t force yourself and just sleep.”

As if those words were a fuse, sleepiness quickly washed over her. Blink, blink. Dihart appeared and disappeared between her blurring vision.

The man, who had been putting on a strong front until just a moment ago, had fatigue he couldn’t hide under his eyes.

Sebelia thought with her increasingly hazy mind.

‘He’s definitely hiding something, since he keeps changing the subject….’

She wanted to continue thinking, but her body, which had been up all night, wouldn’t cooperate. Small yawns escaped Sebelia’s lips, and her flickering vision was soon swallowed by darkness.

“…Is she looking forward to it that much?”

A sighing voice scattered over her head as she fell completely asleep.

“I’m the only one who’s anxious.”

* * *

The journey across the Empire was not as difficult as expected. The carriage was spacious and comfortable, and the itinerary, tailored to Sebelia’s stamina, was so leisurely that they even had time to tour the cities they stopped in.

Of course, it wasn’t entirely peaceful. Dihart and Balak, led by the Inverness and Ashrent people, were constantly snarling at each other. Fortunately, the war of nerves never escalated into a fight.

‘If it had, I wouldn’t have stood for it.’

Sebelia sighed softly as she looked at the city walls that were getting closer. The experience of crossing the Empire was very enjoyable, but she didn’t want to do it again with this group.

Oblivious to her complicated feelings, the carriage moved steadily and finally crossed the city walls. As soon as the city’s scenery unfolded before her eyes, an honest and straightforward impression burst out from outside the window.

“It’s more modest than I thought?”

Illei, sitting upright on his horse, looked around. All that could be seen were buildings with peeling paint, paving stones with chipped corners, sparse grass growing along the main street, and occasional residents passing by.

Illei, widening his eyes at the too shabby appearance for a border city, shook his head. He suddenly met Sebelia’s gaze.

“Don’t you think so too, Miss? It doesn’t seem like much, but is this really the border?”

“Unless the coachman took a wrong turn, it must be.”

“How strange.”

Illei, muttering to himself, spurred his horse and rode away at Dihart’s glare.

“It’s probably because there are no merchants coming and going, unlike other border cities. A city where people and money don’t flow doesn’t develop.”

Dihart, who had chased away the nuisance, explained in a low voice.

“But it will change little by little.”

The moment the severed diplomatic ties are reopened, this city will flourish like no other. As Dihart finished his explanation, Sebelia, who had been looking out the window, turned her head.

Blue eyes, shadowed by the light, sparkled.

“Then let’s come again next time.”

How could he say no to the face that was bright with anticipation?

Dihart’s head spun for a moment at the thought of the nearly month-long journey from the center to the border, and the countless tasks that would be waiting for him upon his return, but he barely regained his composure.

And he replied nonchalantly.

“Whenever you want.”

The smiling face was so pretty it was harmful to his heart. If he could see that smile, all-nighters were nothing.

Knock, knock.

Then, someone knocked on the door. Dihart looked outside and saw Illei standing there. It seemed that the last meal in Velkram was ready.

“I will escort you inside.”

The only high-end restaurant in the city was on par with what could be commonly seen in the capital. Dihart was inwardly worried that there might not be a private room, but it was unfounded.

The prepared private room was not luxurious, but it was quite decent. It was said to be a place for nobles who occasionally visited for entertainment, and there were traces of attention paid to it.

As the three people sat down, the waiter took their orders and left. A brief silence fell, and Sebelia felt a sense of déjà vu.