After I Died, My Husband Went Mad [EN]: Chapter 69

Sevelia quietly looked up at him.

Her gaze moved over his blue eyes, the lips faintly curved with a smile, the drooping eyelashes like willow leaves, and finally, the golden eyes submerged in deep sorrow.

“Subject… is that so.”

Sevelia bit her lip after speaking calmly. Unlike yesterday, she hadn’t come to blame Diheart today. Nor had she deliberately shown herself to threaten him to know his place.

‘I just hope no one gets hurt because of me.’

Especially if it’s something that happens while trying to get her medicine.

But she couldn’t say that outright. Sevelia was still confused about how to treat him. Should she deliberately hurt him to resolve old grudges? Someone who goes this far for her?

‘I… don’t know.’

Sevelia lacked the time and experience to make a decision. But one thing was certain.

‘Whether it’s out of guilt or self-satisfaction, his actions are ultimately helping me.’

So, she didn’t want to inflict unnecessary wounds on someone who was taking a rough path for her sake.

Instead of dredging up past mistakes to blame Diheart, Sevelia raised her hands. Her two hands, gathered round as if carefully wrapping something, were extended towards Diheart.

“Take it.”

Diheart instinctively reached out his hand. Then, something moved on his palm with a soft touch. Diheart gasped in surprise.

Chirp!

“This is.”

Sevelia continued, not taking her eyes off the blue bird scurrying in Diheart’s palm.

“I didn’t mean to eavesdrop.”

“I heard that you were having trouble communicating with the herbalists going down to the canyon. This child will be helpful.”

“…….”

“I hope you’ll accept it as an apology for the harsh words I said yesterday.”

A strange tremor was evident in Sevelia’s voice as she spoke, avoiding his gaze. Diheart looked down at her with an incredulous expression. Could it be that she was worried about him?

He gathered his disoriented mind and pulled the hand holding the blue bird to his chest.

“Th, thank you.”

“…….”

“But such a small child would have a hard time in a deep canyon.”

Even as he said that, Diheart’s eyes darted around, looking for a basket to carry the little bird. Sevelia realized her mistake. She should have explained from the start that the blue bird wasn’t an ordinary bird.

“About that.”

It was the moment Sevelia was about to explain the blue bird’s identity.

“May I interrupt for a moment?”

Claude, who had been watching the two from a distance, cut off Sevelia’s words, looking anxious. Even as he joined the conversation, he wore a face that questioned whether this was the right thing to do.

“Claude?”

“Sorry, I’m really sorry, but. I don’t know why I didn’t think of this.”

Sevelia was at a loss at the ensuing monologue. Claude clutched his head and shook it, then suddenly raised his head. Sevelia almost flinched back at his gleaming eyes.

Claude placed his hand over Diheart’s hand and said in a careful tone.

“If it’s about communicating, this child will be more helpful.”

Whoosh-!

A small light sprouted from under his palm. Soon, a red butterfly fluttered up between his fingers.

The butterfly, scattering small sparks as it fluttered, circled above the three of them and landed on Diheart’s shoulder.

[Nice to meet you.]

A soft, deep voice immediately penetrated their minds. Sevelia’s eyes widened in shock, as if struck by lightning.

‘No way. Wait, could it be?’

As if to dispel her doubts, the red butterfly fluttered its wings and landed on Diheart’s hand again, saying once more.

[I’m Allos, Lord Claude’s phantom magic.]

* * *

There was no time to be surprised.

“Ha.”

At the same time as she released her blocked breath, Sevelia pressed her throbbing eyes with her hands.

If she wasn’t mistaken, what Claude had just done was definitely phantom magic. The problem wasn’t just that.

‘A phantom magic, what is that? To greet so naturally, like a person. Was such a thing even possible? Wait, then.’

Sevelia swallowed, looking down at the blue bird. Could it be that they call a phantom with a self-awareness a phantom magic? She was stunned, as if a large hammer had struck her head. Sevelia moved her stiff tongue and barely managed to speak.

“Claude, what on earth is going on?”

She couldn’t say anything else. Claude, reading her confused face, shook his head and said.

“I’ll explain later. Diheart, go now, there’s no time. Allos will take care of the communication.”

Claude pushed Diheart’s back, leaving Sevelia still in shock.

“Wait a minute…….”

“There’s no time for this!”

Diheart seemed worried about Sevelia and was reluctant to leave. But there was no more time to delay. Instead of saying a final goodbye to Sevelia, he carefully hugged the blue bird and stepped into the forest.

* * *

While Diheart headed towards the canyon with a pounding heart, preparations for a banquet were in full swing at Hilland Hall in the north.

Silas was waiting for Flora with Nate in the west wing. Yesterday, she had said she would show them around Hilland Hall.

‘Actually, there’s only one place I need to go.’

Silas took a sip of black tea and immediately put down the teacup. As expected, the tastes of the northerners were not to his liking. He picked up a biscuit on the table and rinsed his mouth.

Before long, Flora entered the drawing room, dressed to the nines. The two immediately stood up to greet her.

“You are as beautiful as ever today, Lady Flora.”

“Indeed, you deserve to be called the flower of the North.”

“Such praise from morning is making me afraid of becoming arrogant.”

Flora lowered her head slightly as if she were embarrassed. But her eyes were sparkling as if it were only natural. Silas chuckled inwardly and offered her his arm.

“Shall we go then?”

“Hehe, today you will truly see how beautiful this Hilland Hall is.”

Flora said boastfully and gestured to the maid. The maid with the parasol immediately followed behind her. Soon, the three of them left the mansion side by side with Flora in the middle.

People were whispering, but Flora didn’t care. Now that Sevelia, the thorn in her side, was dead and the day her parents would be released was near, the two men were just venerable nobles from the center to her.

‘I must treat them with the respect they deserve for Inverness’s sake. What do they think I am?’

Besides, Marquis Weden had said, ‘I do not believe in any impure rumors related to Lord Rasch,’ and even presented her with a bracelet with a large ruby as an apology for causing trouble because of his foolish son.

‘Hehe.’

She felt much better thinking about the bracelet. Flora led the two men, not caring about the gazes of others.

“You’ve probably seen all the detached palaces. Today, I’ll take you to a place that no one can go to without me.”

“I’ve heard several times that Hilland Hall’s hunting grounds are as great as the imperial family’s.”

“Oh my, you can’t compare it to such barren land.”

The two men fully satisfied Flora’s vanity and toured various parts of Hilland Hall. And finally, Inverness’s tomb, which Silas had been so eagerly awaiting, came into view.

“That’s the place.”

“Come to think of it, you could see the tomb from where you were staying, right? I don’t know why grandfather gave such a place to guests.”

“No. I am rather grateful to Marquis Lims. The heads of Inverness have protected the empire with great power for generations.”

Silas sighed as if he were disappointed and continued.

“It’s a pity that I can’t see it up close. People should be able to approach and respect the end of such powerful legendary figures.”

“Oh my, I didn’t know there was someone who thought like me.”

Flora turned to Silas with wide eyes. Her cheeks were flushed red with pride. Flora grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the tomb as if it was a good thing.

“Okay. That’s great. If it becomes known that Marquis Weden is praying to the late Dukes, everyone will be moved by the deep meaning.”

“I would be more than happy if that were the case. If possible, I would like to pray here throughout my stay.”

“There’s no reason why not!”

Flora agreed in a cheerful voice. At that moment, a wicked smile like a snake appeared and disappeared on Silas’s lips.

The day was near when he would dig up the damp and dirty soil of the North and pry open the heavy coffin lid.

‘Shall we start catching the runaway daughter now?’

Silas’s blue eyes, recalling the names of famous newspapers in his head one by one, were filled with pleasure.

* * *

“Meow.”

A cute cry broke the cold silence. Sevelia hugged Maya, who was rubbing her body against her ankles, and stared at Claude quietly.

The blue eyes, which had been gently trembling with a confused heart about Diheart until just now, were frozen as coldly as a glacier.

“…….”

Claude felt pressure from Sevelia, who was looking at him without a word.

‘I didn’t mean to reveal it like this.’

To be honest, it would be right to say that he had no intention of telling her until she left the lab. Claude stood blankly in the spot where he had seen Diheart off, avoiding Sevelia’s gaze, and sighed as if he couldn’t help it.

He closed the front door and gestured inside.

“Let’s go inside and talk.”

“…….”

“I’ll tell you everything from the beginning.”

Only then did Sevelia carefully take a step. It was no wonder she was wary. Unlike Sevelia, he wasn’t surprised even after seeing her use phantom magic [magic that uses phantoms with self-awareness].

‘By now, she must be thinking it’s strange.’

Claude smiled bitterly. What should he do? He looked at Sevelia sitting across from him and thought.

Now that things have come to this, it might be better to tell her everything he’s been hiding.