After I Died, My Husband Went Mad [EN]: Chapter 20

When Roman arrived, the fire had been mostly extinguished. He could only stare at the blackened mansion with bewildered eyes.

‘This can’t be happening.’

Inverness was the pride of the North and his own source of pride.

Having dedicated himself to Inverness for two generations, the majestic appearance of the mansion was the foundation of his self-esteem.

How could such a terrible thing happen?

He was furious, and his anger was naturally directed at the culprit.

“Who on earth did this?”

His voice trembled, and his face flushed red. Roman looked as if he would strike the culprit if they were in front of him. Gross looked at him with pity and said with a sigh.

“…It was the Duke.”

“…”

Gross led the suddenly silent Roman to the east wing of the building, which had been spared by the fire. The faces of the servants they encountered in the hallway were filled with tension and fear. Gross stared at them with a stern face and spoke to Roman.

“You must have noticed that the atmosphere in the mansion has been unusual lately.”

“…”

Roman glanced at Gross and nodded. Gross sighed and continued.

“It seems that the old curse has reappeared and is negatively affecting him. That’s why he doesn’t listen to Mrs. Glen or me… He’s become strange.”

At that point, Gross frowned.

Yes, his master had become strange. No other word could describe him. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have willingly trapped himself in the flames, wanting to die.

[Amusing expression, Gross. Go worry about your aunt, whom you serve so devotedly. She seems to have inhaled quite a bit of smoke.]

Gross gritted his teeth at the voice ringing in his ears.

[Let’s get out of here. I don’t know what you’re talking about. This is where I belong.]

He recalled Dihart’s empty laughter in the collapsing room.

[Ah, Sebelia. Wife. Yes. I knew this would happen. Luck is like a distant hope that I can never have…]

At the same time, he turned and reached out somewhere, probably trying to go into the flames.

[You, what… Ugh!]

Then, Ryan, seeing an opening, immediately tackled him and knocked him unconscious. Even now, the thought of that moment sent shivers down his spine.

‘The master has completely lost his mind.’

The curse passed down through the Inverness family for generations—that ancient curse that drives those with strong power into madness. It was clear that it had reappeared. Otherwise… Dihart would never have willingly jumped into the fire. The Dihart he knew was not that kind of person. Besides, the eerie words he whispered as he fainted.

[You were waiting for me there, my wife.]

‘He must have been delirious and just saying anything.’

Gross tried to ignore Dihart’s remarks, which seemed to long for Sebelia, and turned his attention elsewhere.

She deserved to die. She was someone whose disappearance would benefit Dihart and the entire family. So, Inverness should not be shaken by the death of just one woman.

‘Yes. The curse is definitely tormenting him.’

Gross’s belief was that strong, very narrow and biased.

Enough to ignore his master’s pain.

“We’re here.”

They had reached their destination. Gross opened the door and showed Roman the unconscious Dihart.

“…It’s serious.”

Not only did he have severe burns on his back, but his airway and lungs were damaged from inhaling too much smoke.

While Roman, with a serious face, took out his medical equipment, Gross watched him. Then, as if he suddenly remembered something, he opened his mouth.

“Come to think of it, a new doctor seems to have settled in the lower village. It seems he’s not working today.”

“Yes?”

“A man named Peter Hanson.”

Roman reacted irritably to the unfamiliar story. The medicine in his hand brushed against Dihart’s wound. Gross continued, looking as if he was in pain.

“There are many injured servants, so I had to call other doctors besides you. But the new doctor was not at his post. I thought you would know since you’re colleagues.”

Colleagues because they do the same job? What kind of logic is that? Roman was annoyed by the statement that revealed his narrow-minded thinking, but he held back for now.

“I’ve never heard of a new doctor coming.”

“…Is that so? That can’t be. You must be too cooped up at home.”

Roman realized that his patience had reached its limit. But with the following words, his heart sank coldly.

“That doctor wrote the death certificate for the late Madam.”

“…Yes?”

“You refused that day, saying you were afraid of the ghost’s curse, didn’t you? So, I had no choice but to bring in another doctor.”

The carelessly recited words felt ominous.

Roman couldn’t shake the feeling that the duty he had thoughtlessly abandoned had suddenly become a trap.

“Then, take care. After the Duke’s treatment is finished, go see Flora.”

Gross patted his shoulder, who was in a panic, and left.

‘Damn it, why did I bring up that story then?’

Roman tried to calm his agitated heart and concentrate on his work. However, the moment he met the intensely shining golden eyes, he realized that his flimsy hope had been shattered.

“…Yes. The family doctor was afraid of the curse.”

“D, Duke.”

“Explain it slowly, Roman. I’ll give you as much of a chance as your father has served me.”

It was a low, cold, sharp voice that sounded as if he would cut his throat at any moment.

* * *

And the result was this.

“S, Save me…”

Roman was grabbed by the collar by Dihart and lifted into the air. His feet struggled in the air.

“I can’t understand. Ah, no. Yes, I don’t have any reason to understand you in the first place.”

Dihart, staring at him with gleaming eyes and talking to himself, was terrifying enough to make him lose his mind.

‘He’s gone mad from the curse…!’

Roman regretted not turning back the moment he heard those words from the butler. But it was already too late. Dihart whispered close to Roman’s ear.

“My wife was insulted even on her last journey. You people drove her out to the detached house because of that damn curse and left her to die alone…”

The quickly recited voice swept past his ears like a river.

“Please, get a grip… Cough!”

“No, Roman. That’s not what you should say.”

Dihart threw Roman to the floor and dryly laughed as he swept back his fallen hair.

“You have to apologize to her, kneel down and bow your head…”

‘Are you telling me to apologize to a corpse buried in the ground?’

Roman was now on the verge of madness. He didn’t care if the other person was the Duke or not.

From the moment he burned down this historic mansion and abandoned his duty, the Duke of Inverness he respected was as good as dead. So, when Dihart raised him up again, Roman finally blurted out his true feelings.

“In the end, wasn’t she just a spy from the Central [referring to the central government or power]!”

The boiling air instantly subsided.

“Even if it was someone else, I would have done the same. That person is no longer someone we should serve, but someone we should monitor, a traitor.”

Roman, standing in front of the frozen Dihart, continued to shout, taking advantage of his momentum.

“That bastard betrayed Inverness first. She deceived you! Don’t you know that? That’s why you treated her coldly!”

“…”

“Why are you doing this now? That person doesn’t even deserve sympathy. Have you forgotten how that woman betrayed the Duke’s expectations?”

“…”

“Still, that’s an honorable death. So please, come to your senses. Stop trampling on our pride in serving Inverness…!”

That was a feeling that the other servants shared as well.

“…”

Dihart’s face paled.

The fingertips that were reaching out to grab Roman’s neck trembled slightly.

‘I… I made them think this way.’

It was an undeniable fact. He was deeply hurt by Sebelia’s betrayal and made everyone agree with him.

Ignoring her, turning away from her, taking away her rights and neglecting her.

Making her isolated in this vast mansion.

Forcing her to rely only on him, to think only of him in this vast mansion.

‘Did that push you off the cliff in a moment of crisis?’

If she had been a beloved Duchess, everyone would have tried to break the curse the moment the curse of the first Duchess appeared. But the servants of the mansion did not do so. They had already become one with him for a long time, despising and neglecting her.

It was no use regretting it now, because her heart would not be appeased.

“Ah…”

The sins he had accumulated fell down on his head with a roar. They were cold and sharp sins that pierced straight into his heart.

Dihart once again realized that he had committed an irreversible act. And also the fact that she could never return to his side.

‘Sebelia.’

What I did to you…

Dihart collapsed to the ground, clutching his chest.

“Your Grace!”

He couldn’t breathe.

* * *

The first time riding in a shared carriage was a very new and enjoyable experience. Sebelia didn’t take her eyes off the window, watching the changing scenery and the people. Sometimes, people who noticed her gaze waved at her. Each time, Sebelia flinched but shyly greeted them.

‘Amazing.’

The carriage was now leaving the village and passing through fields dyed in gold. Just then, a middle-aged woman sitting across from her asked with a soft smile.

“Where are you going, miss?”

“Ah.”

She was flustered, not realizing that the words were directed at her, and smiled back as she replied.

“I’m on my way to the East.”

The ribbon on her deeply pressed hat fluttered in the wind.