After I Died, My Husband Went Mad [EN]: Chapter 98

Morning dawned in the serene city of the gods. In the depths of the third hill’s mountain range, smoke was already rising. People gathered to excavate the ruins, sweating as they dug into the earth, while Licia leisurely woke from her sleep.

“Haa.”

It was that dream again. Licia gritted her teeth and wiped the cold sweat from her forehead.

‘That crazy Duke, putting me through such humiliation.’

Since being driven from the mansion by Dihart, Licia had been reliving that day in her dreams. The physician said the fear was etched into her body, causing it to resurface unconsciously.

It was truly a humiliating experience.

As Licia suppressed her anger, a maid cautiously approached and spoke.

“Miss, I have prepared your washing water.”

Licia nodded, her teeth clenched. Gentle hands washed her sweat-soaked face and changed her nightgown. Meanwhile, Licia tried to shake off the fearful memories.

“Haa…….”

Calm down, Licia Supredi. You are the one who will restore glory to this Supredi.

‘I will repay the Duke’s rude behavior in due time.’

Vowing revenge, her pounding heart calmed down somewhat. Two maids skillfully styled her black hair. It was time to go down to the dining room and start the morning by reading the newspaper prepared by the butler.

Just as she thought she heard hurried footsteps in the hallway, someone knocked roughly on the door. Licia frowned, and the maid, with a stern expression, raised her voice.

“What is this rudeness at this early hour? Tell the person to come back after the young lady has had her luncheon.”

“I apologize, but this is urgent news that she must know.”

The voice clearly betrayed anxiety. Sensing that something unusual had happened, Licia told the maid to find out what was going on. Soon, the maid returned with a stiff face.

Licia felt a sense of foreboding at the sight. But she couldn’t show it. She retorted with an arrogant attitude.

“What is it that’s causing such a fuss?”

The maid looked perplexed. She seemed unable to bring herself to speak, even though she knew she had to tell her immediately. When Licia pressed her again, she finally opened her mouth.

“Duke Inverness left Supredi three days ago, taking advantage of the dawn.”

“……What?”

When Licia looked disbelieving, the maid said in a subdued voice.

“Since all the servants in the mansion were replaced after the Duke treated you so rudely, we only received the news belatedly. Moreover, he deliberately left a few knights in the mansion, pretending as if he had only left temporarily.”

“Spare me the excuses. Did you track where he went?”

“We confirmed that he left through the south gate, but his whereabouts after that…….”

The maid bit her lip and trailed off. Licia rose abruptly from her seat, her eyes filled with anger. It was the moment she couldn’t hide her fury and threw open the door herself.

“Miss.”

Standing in front of the door was not a maid but the butler. He was the one in charge of managing the mansion. With a pale face, he handed Licia a newspaper. Seeing his serious expression, Licia involuntarily took the newspaper and unfolded it.

Occupying a quarter of the front page was a portrait of a woman. Licia’s green eyes widened at the familiar face. Above the portrait, the following words were boldly inscribed:

[Searching for the whereabouts of the deceased Sebelia Inverness’s identical twin.]

If you cut the beautiful blonde hair of the elegant woman and dye it brown… wouldn’t that be the woman who was clinging to the Duke’s side?

“Ha!”

Licia crumpled the newspaper and laughed briefly. She felt the anger that had been burning inside her vanish in an instant.

‘To think that an opportunity for revenge would come so easily.’

It didn’t matter whether she was the real twin sister of the deceased Duchess or not. No, in fact, it would be even better if she were the real twin. With a fierce smile, Licia said to the butler.

“I need to write a letter to Marquis Weden.”

“Yes? What do you mean?”

“Shouldn’t a father know that the crazy Duke is lusting after his dead wife’s twin?”

The corners of her red lips turned up arrogantly.

“I can get a generous reward in addition, so it’s killing two birds with one stone.”

* * *

Belkram’s capital, Langue Elisa, was the only region where the imperial family’s rule was still strong, often referred to as the Center. The word ‘only’ meant that the imperial family’s influence was not that great in other regions except for the Center.

“So that’s why the retinues of nobles who don’t reside in the Center are always so small. I’m just learning this now.”

Sebelia couldn’t hide her surprise and widened her eyes.

‘I thought it was strange.’

She nodded, recalling the retinue that Dihart had brought with him to the Center to welcome his bride before their wedding. Dihart’s party, totaling only about twenty people, felt rather modest for someone with the reputation of leading the North.

“You can hire more servants after entering the capital, but there are restrictions on the number of knights you can bring in,”

Claude added.

“You can’t exceed the number of the Imperial Knights. The Emperor is afraid.”

Nobles who had established themselves in the capital didn’t have much of a private army, but that wasn’t the case in other regions. In particular, the imperial family feared the knights of the North.

They hadn’t been able to seize the right to appoint knights because there was no justification, but the imperial family had been looking for an opportunity to reduce the North’s military power. Of course, that was the same for the nobles in other regions as well.

Dihart scoffed and said.

“It’s not for nothing that I call them cowards.”

He glanced out the window and covered Sebelia’s lap with a blanket.

“It will take quite some time, so try to sleep if you’re tired.”

Meanwhile, outside the carriage, Illei was arguing with the capital gatekeeper. In fact, it was closer to a verbal battle where Illei countered every unreasonable fault the interrogator made.

“Why are there so many attendants? I heard that the Duke has been having a hard time lately. Has the number of servants who take care of his meals increased?”

“I heard that noble people who have never stepped outside the capital need attendants to feed them desserts, but it seems that was true. I’m sorry, but our Duke’s attendants hold swords, not forks.”

Illei rejoiced inwardly, seeing the gatekeeper’s forehead with bulging veins. He was quite annoyed as well. He had already left a few knights at the mansion to match the number of attendants on purpose, but now this ridiculous quibble.

“Hmm…….”

The gatekeeper looked displeased and alternated between the carriage with Dihart and Illei. He had wasted almost an hour on the Duke, so he thought he could report that he had saved the face of the Center.

“Alright. Welcome to Langue Elisa. I hope you enjoy the unique atmosphere of the capital, which cannot be compared to other places, to the fullest.”

With a voice full of pride, the gatekeeper gestured, and the road opened. Illei smiled and grit his teeth as he said goodbye and stood at the head of the carriage.

Clatter, clatter. The sound of horseshoes hitting the white paving stones echoed cheerfully. The black carriage led by four horses silently entered the capital.

The news soon spread throughout the capital before evening.

* * *

It was officially the second time Duke Inverness had set foot in Langue Elisa, and unofficially the third. He had sneaked in to avoid the gatekeeper’s eyes to catch Denisa.

And the only nobleman who knew that fact, Silas, expressed his pleasure at the news brought by the servant.

“It seems he had something more urgent than cleaning up his house.”

He slowly stroked his chin and picked up the newspaper with a smirk. Dozens of newspapers piled on his desk all carried the same advertisement.

It was an advertisement he had personally placed, saying he was looking for his lost daughter.

“He went crazy after losing Sebelia. Could it be that he found hope after seeing this?”

He didn’t know at all who Sebelia was with, so he speculated about the situation as he pleased. He sneered, saying that if Dihart clung to him, saying that Sebelia was his twin sister, things would be very interesting.

But that was only for a moment. His face hardened as he received the letter that Neitan brought.

“Is it serious?”

Neitan asked cautiously. Silas didn’t answer and sat down in his seat. The deep furrow between his eyebrows seemed to represent his complicated state of mind.

“Father.”

“…….”

“Please say something. If it’s something related to the family, shouldn’t I, as the heir, know about it?”

Neitan protested. His eyes did not leave the letter envelope that Silas had thrown down. What story could be written in a letter from the insignificant city of Supredi that made his father not even give him a glance?

Just when Neitan’s impatient neck was turning red, Silas folded the letter and put it down. For a moment, intense emotions surged and disappeared in his pale blue eyes.

“Neitan.”

“Yes.”

“Bring Nelia here.”

“Nelia? What can that child do besides hang out in salons? If you just leave it to me……!”

Neitan closed his mouth at the cold gaze. He lowered his head and said in a subdued voice.

“……I can’t bring her right now. She left early this morning, leaving word that she was going to see His Imperial Highness the First Prince.”

“How annoying.”

Silas clicked his tongue. It was he who had urged her to build a friendship with the First Prince before announcing their engagement. He frowned and soon beckoned.

“Think of a new name for Sebelia. It seems she has entered the capital without me knowing, so we need to move as soon as possible.”

“Yes?”

Looking at the bewildered Neitan, Silas smiled coldly.

“Duke Inverness has returned with my daughter, who went missing when she was young.”

Seeing Silas grinding his teeth, Neitan opened his mouth wide.