After I Died, My Husband Went Mad [EN]: Chapter 62

It was partly Dehart’s sudden change in attitude that led Claude to misunderstand. Dehart, as if taking his advice, no longer lingered around Sebelia or wallowed in despair because of her.

Thus, two days passed.

Dehart, stopping Claude as he was about to head to the backyard, handed him a letter to send to Ilay.

“Please, as soon as possible.”

“I thought you would return to Supredi and join your party.”

Claude trailed off as he accepted the letter. He thought Dehart should return to Hillend Hall immediately to sort out the mess.

“Uncle Lims will force his way through no matter what. No matter how noble the person you appoint as your proxy, they won’t be a match for him.”

“I appreciate your concern, but I don’t need your advice.”

Dehart said sharply, meeting Claude’s gaze. Claude’s eyes widened for a moment at his sharp words.

“Claude, even though you know I’ve regained some of my memories from that day, you never told me the truth about it, as if I were a child who should never get involved in that matter.”

“…….”

“If you considered me an equal, you should have asserted your innocence, revealed the truth about that day, and asked for my cooperation. But you chose silence. You looked away from me with pity, as if you couldn’t bear to tell such terrible things to a child like me.”

Claude felt his mouth go dry. Dehart had accurately grasped his inner thoughts.

He had known from the beginning his shallow selfishness in still thinking of him as a child to be protected, yet he had turned a blind eye until now.

“So, you can worry about me, but you can’t advise me. You only see me as a fragile child, not as the master of Hillend Hall and Inverness.”

Dehart said, pushing forward with intense eyes, and left. Claude chuckled and put the letter he had been given into his pocket.

“Yes, I’ll follow your orders, Duke.”

Claude shook his head with a bitter laugh. Blood is thicker than water, after all. The Dehart from just now looked exactly like his brother, Gyllenard, who had passed away.

* * *

Four days had passed since the conversation with Dehart. During that time, Sebelia had not encountered him. To be precise, Dehart had not come down from the third floor, so there was no chance to meet him.

“Should I say it’s a relief?”

Sebelia smiled bitterly as she lay in the forest clearing, looking up at the sky. She no longer clung to illusion practice. Now that everything was revealed, there was no need to avoid his eyes and go to the lower village.

“Should I ask Claude to find out, or should I go down myself?”

There were still questions about Claude’s identity, but she didn’t feel as wary as before. The important thing was Dehart. If he gave up his obsession with her, everything would be fine.

‘He’s been quiet for three days, so he must be sorting out his feelings.’

Perhaps the last words she left him with were the final blow.

“I’m lenient to those who know their place…….”

And I want to believe you’re that kind of person. Don’t let me down, Mr. Dehart.

The ‘expectation’ Sebelia spoke of was that he would no longer cling to her and harbor vain hopes. It was also a story of acknowledging her as Bella, not Sebelia Inverness.

And for the past four days, Dehart seemed to be meeting her expectations well.

“Yes, this is a good ending.”

Considering how messed up our relationship was, this is a really good ending. Sebelia hugged Maya, who was snuggling into her arms, and repeated.

“Now, all that’s left is to finish the treatment and meet Denisa.”

Sebelia smiled softly, dreaming of that day.

* * *

Far away from Supredi, in the north, an unusual spectacle was unfolding at Hillend Hall.

“Baron Enhai has arrived. Quickly, escort him to his room and move his luggage!”

“Lady Perrin is looking for the dress she commissioned for alterations. Who’s in charge?”

Dozens of servants went up and down the stairs, and maids walked frantically down the hallway with something in their hands.

It was because the day of the banquet, the first since Marquis Lims forcibly twisted open the tightly closed doors of Hillend Hall, was just around the corner.

“This way, Baron Enhai.”

“Hmm.”

Nobles who had received invitations visited Hillend Hall in advance to catch up and mingle with others until the day of the banquet. This was exactly what Lims wanted.

“It’s lively and good. Seeing that knight, who used to act like he was the owner, shut his mouth makes me feel so refreshed.”

In the end, it was the momentum that determined victory. Making people feel who was in control here.

“Oh, welcome, Mrs. Yufren. I am extremely pleased to see you here.”

So, Marquis Lims gathered all sorts of celebrities from high society to bring the atmosphere of Hillend Hall to his side. They gathered in groups of three or five, stirring up Hillend Hall.

And Ryan was watching all of this without exception. He frowned as he watched Nathan walking affectionately with Flora.

“Even Marquis Weden has come.”

The father of the deceased Duchess and the person who colluded with her to steal information from Inverness. He had heard that he had been staying in the north since the funeral, but he didn’t expect him to attend the banquet.

‘What’s his intention?’

If we only consider the superficial facts, he might not be able to leave this place due to the grief of losing his beloved youngest daughter. But even that should be moderate. Excessive grief tends to arouse people’s suspicion. Just like now.

“Laurent.”

“Yes, Sir Ryan.”

“Where is Marquis Weden staying?”

“I believe he is staying in Latour Manor.”

The main building was lost in a fire, and even the people of the Inverness family were divided between the East and West buildings. For convenience, those invited for the banquet had to be given other buildings within Hillend Hall.

“Latour Manor. It’s close to the cemetery, not a place to give to guests.”

“Yes, but Marquis Lims may have intended that. He doesn’t show it outwardly, but he subtly despises nobles from the central region.”

Laurent added that nobles from the central region were all staying in Latour Manor with Marquis Weden. Ryan clicked his tongue at the arrangement that revealed his narrow-minded personality.

“We can’t let the banquet go ahead like this.”

The banquet will provoke Marquis Lims’s vigor and strengthen their unity, eventually shaking Hillend Hall. Ryan thought he should urge Dwyer and sat down.

At that moment, someone knocked urgently on the door. As soon as Ryan answered, the person burst into the room and ran to the desk.

“What’s the matter with all the fuss?”

“I’m sorry. But you told me to deliver it as soon as possible…!”

Looking at his face, he was one of the knights sent to Ilay after learning of Dehart’s disappearance. Ryan tore open the envelope with a stiff face. A sigh escaped his lips.

“Damn it, finally!”

Ryan’s face was filled with indescribable joy. It was a letter from Dehart.

* * *

It had been five days since she had seen Dehart’s face. Sebelia was starting to get a little concerned. It wasn’t that she was worried as his ex-wife. She just didn’t want him to get hurt or die from a humanitarian point of view.

Fortunately, Claude periodically visited the third floor.

‘He must be eating properly.’

The tray filled with food went up and came down empty. Every time, Sebelia felt like she had confirmed Dehart’s survival.

Then one day, Sebelia ran into Claude in front of the herb storage.

“Ah.”

“Ah, um. Miss Bella, what’s wrong?”

An awkward atmosphere lingered. In fact, Sebelia had noticed that Claude knew what had happened between her and Dehart.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have suddenly treated her awkwardly since the incident with Dehart.

“I came to get the herbs that Watts mentioned. I need them for studying.”

Sebelia said, pointing to the herb storage with her eyes. The herb storage in the backyard was Watts’s most cherished space.

It was a space where appropriate temperature and humidity were maintained through magic so that precious herbs would not lose their efficacy, and Sebelia had recently been granted access to it.

Claude exclaimed, “Ah,” nodded, and made way for her.

“I forgot. Go in.”

Sebelia grabbed Claude, who was about to pass by her.

“Just a moment.”

“Miss Bella?”

His golden eyes, wide with surprise, looked down at her.

‘As expected, he looks even more similar up close.’

Based on her experience so far, it was obvious that Claude was a close relative of Dehart. And he probably knew about her relationship with him, at least vaguely.

‘I don’t want to pretend I don’t know when I know.’

It was over with Dehart too. So now it was Claude’s turn. Sebelia, determined, met Claude’s gaze and said.

“I have something I want to ask you regarding Dehart Inverness.”

“……!”

Claude, who didn’t expect her to be so direct, opened his mouth wide in embarrassment. Sebelia did not back down and asked Claude, taking advantage of the momentum.

“Are the knights he brought to Supredi still there?”

What was most important to Sebelia now was that. Were there people who would interfere with her when she went down to Supredi to find out Denisa’s whereabouts?

“Bella, no, Miss Sebelia.”

As expected, he knew her real name. Sebelia said calmly, feeling a cold smile forming on her lips.

“Keep calling me Bella, Mr. Claude. You already know that Duchess Sebelia Inverness is dead.”

“Ha…….”

Claude’s sigh echoed through the backyard.