After I Died, My Husband Went Mad [EN]: Chapter 167

“I’m back.”

“Yes.”

The embrace tightened. Feeling a sense of relief in his arms, a voice shattered her thoughts.

“I told you I wouldn’t leave you alone.”

The man’s voice, coming from behind, was firm and strong. Startled, Severia turned her head to meet Dihart’s gaze. A playful smile graced his lips as his golden eyes twinkled.

Before her surprised heart could settle, he addressed Rossel.

“Instead of standing out here, let’s go inside. I’m eager to see the true essence of Ashrent that the Ambassador boasts so much about.”

Rossel readily nodded and released Severia. He extended his arm and said,

“Won’t you give me the honor of escorting you?”

Severia glanced at Dihart, who grimaced as if he couldn’t help it, and then smiled brightly, linking arms with Rossel.

“I’d be delighted.”

Rossel, his arm firmly linked with hers, smiled contentedly and said to Dihart,

“If you wish, I can offer the Duke my other arm. You seem to dislike being alone.”

“……No, thank you.”

Dihart sighed in disbelief and stood behind Severia. Rossel chuckled and turned around.

The next thing that happened was astonishing. With each step Severia took, the servants standing like soldiers began to bow their heads.

“Welcome.”

“We are glad to have you back, Miss.”

The clear greetings echoed through the garden.

‘What is this?’

It was so awkward that goosebumps rose on her arms. Severia sent silent protests with all her might, but it was no use. Eventually, she urged Rossel to walk faster, but only a gentle smile returned.

“Everyone seems excited to have a guest after so long. Please bear with it for a little while.”

Rossel added that since she was the only Ashrent bloodline they had seen in a long time, everyone was putting in extra effort.

Having said that, it was hard to stop them forcefully.

“Haa.”

With a soft sigh, Severia crossed the threshold of the mansion.

And as if they had been waiting for that moment, flower petals fluttered down from above.

“Welcome!”

“Claude!”

Claude brushed the remaining petals from his hands, grinned, and spread his arms wide, as if striking a triumphant pose.

“I told you to come so many times, and you’re finally here!”

“Anyone would think I kept refusing.”

The welcome was so enthusiastic that one might think Claude was the owner of this place.

“But when did you come to Ashrent? The last time I wrote, you said you were in the capital.”

Claude had been wandering around Luckwood with Wartz under the guise of research. The last letter she received clearly stated that he was staying in the capital of Luckwood, but now it seemed he had deliberately misled her.

“How could a teacher stay still when his student is coming?”

Claude, humming, looked much healthier than when he had left Velkram. Thinking that perhaps the air here suited him, Severia brushed the petals from her head and beamed at the man approaching from afar.

“It’s been a while, Miss Bella.”

“Oh my goodness. Mr. Wartz!”

Wartz looked as healthy as Claude. The man who always had dark circles under his eyes at the research institute and Langue Elisa had changed so much.

Severia was convinced that there must be something special about the air and water in Luckwood.

“Your hair has grown so long. Time seems to have passed so quickly.”

“Yes, Mr. Wartz, you’ve changed a lot too.”

“Really?”

He stroked his cheek with a puzzled expression, as if he didn’t notice it himself, but he couldn’t hide his noticeably improved complexion.

“Yes!”

Severia nodded enthusiastically, and Wartz smiled faintly.

“Thank you, Bella. I’ll leave you to it then.”

“Aren’t you coming with us?”

“We arrived a week ago and have already seen enough. And I’m not so clueless as to intrude on family time.”

With a brief laugh, Wartz took Claude and disappeared up the stairs.

“See you later!”

Severia waved back at Claude, who was waving his hand enthusiastically, and, escorted by Rossel, toured Ashrent.

Passing through a garden befitting the old trees, a lake where glittering fish swam, and a statue of a goddess in unfamiliar clothes, they walked along a gentle path until they came to a building that looked like a detached annex.

Light gray bricks with a dark blue roof. There were no vines climbing the outer walls, but tall flowers surrounded the mansion.

It was a warm and cozy scene in many ways. For some reason, her heart felt at ease, and she was quietly gazing at the annex when someone opened the door and came out.

It was Balak.

“Balak?”

“Bella.”

He looked surprised to see her, as if it was an unexpected encounter. But that was only for a moment. Rossel exclaimed with a short exclamation,

“I was wondering where you were!”

“Ah, Brother.”

“The head butler has been looking for you. It seems he’s having trouble figuring out what to do with the craftwork among the luggage you brought.”

Having said that, Balak looked as if he had forgotten and waved his hand before disappearing.

“See you again at the formal dinner, Bella!”

His exit was as chaotic as his entrance. Severia shrugged at Balak, who ran off without giving her a chance to stop him.

“Let’s go.”

She turned her head, and the gray brick building caught her eye. Severia stopped talking to Rossel.

It was an unusually eye-catching building. As if she had visited it in a dream…

Just as she was thinking that, Rossel gently led her away, his arm linked with hers.

“Yes, let’s go. If we don’t hurry, it will be night before we know it.”

“Ah, yes.”

Even as she nodded, she couldn’t seem to take her eyes off it. A feeling that there was something there swept through her mind. But that was only her own speculation.

Severia forced her reluctant feet to move past it. Eventually, the tour ended, and Severia was led to the dining room where a lavish formal dinner was prepared.

“We’ve been waiting.”

The man who stood up from his seat, dressed in a smart outfit, was Claude. Beside him was Wartz, and across from him was Balak. Severia blushed at their welcome, but she looked pleased.

The meal was a little chaotic, but it flowed with an equally excited atmosphere. Rossel had foreseen this from the beginning, and the servants had all left the dining room after finishing their service.

“Is the food to your liking?”

“Yes, it’s really delicious.”

The salad with its pungent aroma, the mysterious fruits with their snow-white skin and sweet flesh, and even the meat marinated in a dark sauce that melted softly in her mouth were all perfect for her taste.

Despite being foods she had never eaten before, Severia enjoyed the meal without any resistance. Although Dihart, who was sitting next to her, had a slightly depressed expression, he still managed to finish the meal reasonably well.

“Bella, this way.”

And after the meal, Balak stopped her as she was heading to her assigned room. Severia was taken aback, as she had naturally assumed that she would be sharing the same room as Dihart in the mansion.

“We can’t have an unmarried couple staying in the same room. The Duke’s room is prepared in the building across the way.”

“Oh, um. That’s…”

Strictly speaking, they had already had a wedding once, and they had slept in the same room countless times, but… she couldn’t say that to her cousin’s face.

At that moment, a deep sigh escaped from the side. She turned her head to see Dihart smiling as if to show off.

‘Could it be.’

She watched with a pounding heart, wondering if another fight was about to break out, but Dihart started to speak as if he was giving in.

“Since you’re going to such lengths to care for us, I can hardly refuse.”

“Really?”

Balak seemed taken aback by Dihart’s compliant attitude. As he unconsciously asked back, Dihart continued smoothly.

“It’s only natural for a family to want a bride and groom to have pure bodies and minds before their wedding. We’ve had so many twists and turns, so I knew you were taking special care of us.”

Balak stared blankly at him with a look that said, ‘What are you talking about?’ but Dihart continued with a smile.

“As you’re worried, I’ll try to maintain a chaste and pure body for a passionate married life with Bella.”

Before he could finish speaking, Severia raised her hand in surprise at the lips touching her forehead. But Dihart’s lips had already left her forehead, pressed her cheek with a mischievous smile, and moved away.

“Now that things have turned out this way, don’t be too disappointed, Bella.”

“What are you saying…!”

Balak, who was slowly understanding the situation, raised his voice. But Dihart had already moved a step away from them and was simply waving his hands.

“See you tomorrow morning, Bella. Of course, if you suddenly feel unbearably lonely in the middle of the night, you can come to my room. I heard that there’s no one else staying here besides us anyway.”

Severia laughed and chimed in at his brazen words.

“Is it okay to come if I’m scared?”

“Of course. If you’re scared because of the thunder, I’ll cover your ears.”

Severia burst into laughter at his shameless attitude. Balak gestured to the butler with a resigned expression and chased Dihart to the opposite building.