After I Died, My Husband Went Mad [EN]: Chapter 27

At first, she didn’t recognize the letter as being from Denisa.

That was because Denisa never sent letters like this.

‘Who sent this?’

She wondered if it was misaddressed, but the address was definitely for where she was staying. Eventually, Sebelia took the letter and went up to her room. She carefully opened the envelope with a letter opener.

“This is…”

A small note fell into her hand. On the scrap of paper, which looked like it had been torn from something, was a hastily scribbled message:

[Destination change. Leave immediately. The Duke is looking for you.]

Sebelia’s blue eyes froze for a moment. Her hand clenched, crumpling the note.

“…What on earth is going on?”

She bit her lip without realizing it.

* * *

Time rewinds to a few days earlier.

“I believe you have something to tell me.”

Denisa was slightly taken aback by Dihart’s subdued words. She would have left Hillen Hall with a clear conscience, but she was hiding a very big secret from him.

That she had helped with Sebelia’s fake funeral.

However, the suspicion that had been raised quickly lost its momentum.

‘I didn’t leave any evidence behind.’

The corpse was perfect, and the death confirmation was handled without a hitch. The physician, Peter, had long since gone south, and she had left her master of many years and returned to her hometown in despair.

‘A flawless scenario.’

Having regained her confidence, Denisa shook her head with a nonchalant expression.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“No. You know. You must know. If you don’t, that would be a great shame.”

Whether the pain had subsided or not, Dihart straightened up and looked down at her.

The golden eyes, shining brightly in the darkness against the sun, were eerie.

“You are the only maid who stayed by Sebelia’s side until the end, aren’t you?”

Denisa felt a chill run down her spine. She took a step back, and Dihart quickly closed the distance.

“Tell me. Why was a mere nanny-turned-maid being chased by strangers?”

He saw everything.

Denisa felt the back of her neck grow cold.

“I’m sorry, but that never happened.”

“Ha.”

Dihart scoffed.

“I don’t know what brought you to the capital, but I hope you achieve what you want and leave.”

“Achieve what you want—that’s a very touching farewell.”

“Then, I hope you have a peaceful time.”

Even as she bowed her head, she tried her best to remain calm. As he said, it was a situation too much for a ‘mere maid’ to handle, but she barely managed it. Despite Dihart’s gaze, which seemed to burn her back, she steadfastly moved her feet. However, Denisa soon had to look back.

“…Hillen Hall is investigating Sebelia’s death as a murder.”

“Yes?”

It was such an absurd statement that her hair stood on end. But Dihart didn’t seem to be joking.

“Until just now, I thought you might have useful information as the only close aide to my wife…”

A sinister light flickered in the eyes between the black hair, scanning Denisa.

“Seeing you act so suspiciously makes me think differently.”

Denisa swallowed. Dihart quickly closed the distance and grabbed her shoulder.

“So, did you betray my wife too?”

“What are you talking about…!”

“If not, tell me what she was like before she died. What was she thinking, what did she laugh at, what did she say? Testify.”

The words that poured out haphazardly didn’t seem to be conscious.

“What was she like when she was with her aunt? Did she ever feel uneasy or complain of pain after meeting her? If so…”

Denisa stared at Dihart with bewildered eyes.

His mouth, uttering incomprehensible questions, was twisted as if in pain, and regret flashed across his golden eyes, which had seemed so cold.

‘Goodness.’

Only then did Denisa realize that the man in front of her was also barely feigning composure, just like her.

And she agreed that all the stories of him being crazy were not exaggerations.

‘If he really believes that the young lady’s death was a murder and came to find me to find the culprit…’

Then he must feel a great sense of responsibility for Sebelia’s death.

Otherwise, there’s no way he would come all the way to find a mere maid to dig into the death of his wife, with whom he had a bad relationship.

‘But why now?’

Denisa was confused and resentful at the same time.

‘Why now of all times.’

She knew how much Sebelia had once loved the man in front of her. How hurt she was when she was falsely accused because of Marquis Weden and kicked out by him. And how free she became when she finally let go of everything and left Hillen Hall.

“I have to know. What happened before she died and what pain she went through.”

In front of the man who didn’t even know how to cry properly, but just lashed out at the other person and revealed his wounds, Denisa let out a bitter sigh.

* * *

Thanks to the master who arbitrarily left Hillen Hall and ran away, Ryan was having busy and troublesome days.

And perhaps because he thought that today would be one of those days too.

“Where did the Duke go, and why are you in his place?”

Marquis Lims, the brother of the Duke of the second generation and the uncle of the late Duke, burst into Hillen Hall.

The problem was that he really burst into the Hillen Hall mansion.

“The Marquis’s will was so strong, and I couldn’t possibly…”

“That’s enough, Izes.”

The young butler, who was selected as Gross’s successor while Glen was being interrogated, was definitely lacking in spirit.

“Welcome, Marquis Lims. The Duke is very busy, so I am unfortunately receiving the guest. I ask for your understanding.”

“Does the Duke only have smooth-talking guys like you by his side?”

Marquis Lims showed his displeasure and tapped the floor with the end of his cane.

“But it’s good. Seeing the state of things, I can see very well that the Duke is not properly managing Hillen Hall and is neglecting it.”

“Marquis, your judgment is premature.”

“What does a mere knight know to dare to contradict me?”

Marquis Lims was gray-haired, but his spirit was as bold as the knights of the good old days.

In fact, he was superior to his brother, Duke Inverness, in martial arts, and thanks to that, he was highly respected in the North.

Thus, his reputation and glory reached even the current generation, and Dihart was nothing more than an immature brat in the eyes of Marquis Lims. So he broke down the door of Hillen Hall without hesitation.

“This is a matter of the family. No matter how much the Duke has temporarily entrusted you with the agency, there is a limit to that!”

Marquis Lims was stepping up to straighten out the mess in the house.

‘He’s here to get Lord and Lady Lash out.’

His intentions were obvious. It was Marquis Lims who had marked the Lash couple as Dihart’s protectors in the past.

Ryan stared at him with cold eyes. But Marquis Lims didn’t back down, as expected.

“…Let’s take him to the room first.”

Passing by Marquis Lims, who was looking at him with dissatisfied eyes, Ryan clicked his tongue inwardly.

‘I have to buy time somehow until the Duke comes back.’

His head was aching.

* * *

His head was hot.

No, it felt like his throat was hot. As he was blankly standing there, he felt his stomach boiling.

‘Ah, not again.’

Denisa was visible in Dihart’s eyes as he regained his senses. He could feel a familiar atmosphere from the middle-aged woman who was looking up at him with a face that said she didn’t know what to do.

An atmosphere like the lazy and cozy sunlight of midday, like a gentle breeze pushing away the damp shadows.

‘…I think I know who she resembles.’

Dihart felt like he was going crazy with thoughts of Sebelia that came to mind no matter where he looked or what he did. He wanted to just sit down and let go of everything, but he couldn’t, and he wanted to run out and set the world on fire.

But neither is possible.

‘It can’t be done.’

Until he found out the truth about Sebelia’s death, he was not allowed to regret, forgive, or give up.

Clench.

Biting his wrist and making a wound made him feel clear-headed. Dihart chuckled at Denisa’s gaze, who was looking at him as if he were a madman.

“Either way, you have no choice but to go with me.”

“Your Grace, what on earth…”

Denisa shook her head and let out a pitiful breath.

“Please calm down first. I can’t grant you what you want, but there is time to talk.”

I don’t know how you came to think that Sebelia was murdered, but…

“Everything you’re thinking right now is a misunderstanding.”

She spoke to Dihart as if she were coaxing him. She was willing to give him all the answers to the questions he had poured out if he wanted.

“Even if I have some secret, it couldn’t be related to Sebelia’s death.”

But that’s not what Dihart wanted.

He didn’t want something that could be received so casually, as if giving alms.

“Ha…”

He sighed and lowered his head to meet Denisa’s eyes.

“Listen carefully. Do you see the outdoor cafe table at a diagonal distance?”

“Yes?”

“Don’t answer, just listen. The affectionate couple sitting there keeps following you with their eyes. Why do you think that is?”

Denisa’s eyes wavered. But Dihart’s words didn’t end there.

“And the three young men who just passed by the back alley of the store, pretending to smoke and sitting there for more than twenty minutes.”

Only then did Denisa realize what he was saying.

“Oh, there was a woman who passed by 231 Elad Street, number 5-1 every three hours. Do you know about her?”

“…”

“This morning, she was wondering if you were sleeping in and peeked inside the window.”

The story, told with consideration and a friendly attitude, contained only one meaning.

‘Someone was targeting me.’

Whatever the person’s intention was, it was certain that it would have a very bad effect on her safety. Dihart placed his hand on Denisa’s frozen shoulder and kindly cornered her.

“Yes. I don’t care if you get kidnapped because of your private life, which is not related to Sebelia.”

With elegant words, his golden eyes drew an arc.

“But it’s not right as a person to stand by and watch my wife’s nanny suffer terribly in front of my eyes. Isn’t that right?”

Denisa had no choice.