After I Died, My Husband Went Mad [EN]: Chapter 99

For Sebelia, the capital, Langue Elisa, held a special significance. Until she went to the North, she had spent most of her life in the capital, yet in reality, she knew less about it than anyone else.

“To be able to wander the capital without any interference… I honestly still can’t believe it.”

Sebelia was having tea with Denisa after finishing their meal. Sebelia blushed, caught between tension and excitement, and Denisa sighed.

‘Wouldn’t it be better to move her to a safe place, even now?’

As of this morning, Sebelia had officially become Bella Apennz, the niece of Karl Apennz. This meant that a safety net was in place, primarily to filter out Silas’s ridiculous schemes.

But Denisa was still uneasy.

“Madam, shouldn’t we observe the situation a bit more? Even though the identity registration is complete, it’s still just an administrative procedure. It can’t stop people from swarming or acting coercively.”

“That’s what I’m here to prevent. Do you think the scrawny guards of the Weden family can stand up to the knights of Inverness?”

A cold voice dropped sharply. Denisa involuntarily pursed her lips. Dihart was standing conspicuously just beyond the window of the large drawing room where the two were having tea.

“Good morning, Bella. I hope you slept well. If you want, I can move Claude and Wartz’s rooms further away.”

“There’s no need for that. Claude is now my uncle, and Wartz is my doctor. But what’s with your clothes? Your sleeves are completely covered in dirt.”

Sebelia asked casually. Dihart’s eyes seemed to sparkle beyond the wide-open window, and then he suddenly held something out. It was a bouquet of hydrangeas, freshly cut and still moist.

“I couldn’t sleep all night, so I stopped by the garden for a while. The color is just like…”

The blue, shimmering flowers were as clear and vivid as Sebelia’s eyes. Denisa gasped at the blatant flirting. She wondered if he was crazy.

However, Sebelia’s next words made her feel sorry for Dihart for a brief moment.

“Oh, those are the flowers left over from pruning. Why did you bother bringing them instead of throwing them away?”

Sebelia asked, tilting her head, and Dihart froze. As if to drive the point home, Sebelia continued.

“By the way, you really like flowers, don’t you? You couldn’t give up that hobby even at the research lab. Do you have a greenhouse here too?”

“Y-yes, we do.”

“Ah. Then I won’t go that way when I take walks. I don’t want to disturb your hobby.”

Dihart’s plan to offer her flowers, saying they resembled the color of her eyes, was utterly ruined by his past misdeeds.

“I…”

*I would never think of you as a disturbance. I wouldn’t give you discarded flowers. I just wanted to make you feel a little better because you seemed anxious. Why do you think that way…*

‘Ah.’

Fragments of the past pierced his heart like shards of glass. Feeling a terrible pain, Dihart slowly closed and opened his eyes.

He couldn’t speak. What could he say now? No amount of excuses could heal the wounds she had suffered.

Dark clouds gathered in his eyes, which had been as vibrant as the midday sun. The carefully arranged bouquet of beautiful flowers drooped weakly.

“Dihart, what’s wrong?”

A kind voice echoed in his ears. Dihart almost showed her his disheveled face but barely managed to lower his head.

A sense of injustice welled up. At the same time, Dihart felt a terrible sense of self-disgust. How dare he feel wronged when facing Sebelia? He swallowed a hot sigh and lowered the hand holding the bouquet.

“It’s nothing. As you said… I just stopped by to show them to you before throwing them away, so don’t worry about it.”

Dihart forced a smile and looked up. Then, he met Denisa’s gaze, who was sitting across from Sebelia. Seeing her looking at him with pity, Dihart almost gritted his teeth involuntarily.

Dihart took a deep breath. Yes, it was his fault for trying to do something foolish without knowing his place. After barely calming his raging emotions, he spoke to Sebelia, who was looking at him with a puzzled expression.

“Actually, I came to remind you not to forget our dinner appointment. You remember we’re going to the opera house, right?”

“Ah, about that. Is the opera house we’re going to really the Elisa Grand Theater? The biggest one in the empire?”

Sebelia said with a voice mixed with anticipation and anxiety. Having never been outside her home her entire life, she seemed both happy and afraid to visit a place she had only heard about.

Dihart smiled brightly.

“Of course. In a way, it’s ‘Bella Apennz’s’ debutante. We can’t have your official first appearance anywhere other than the grand theater.”

“What are you talking about? I’m just a commoner now. I don’t even dream of such things.”

Sebelia shook her head, and Dihart twitched his eyebrows. He leaned against the window frame without showing any reaction and said,

“Well, alright. After you finish your tea, people from the dress shop will be here, so be prepared.”

“Are you trying to have clothes made? I don’t think that’s necessary.”

“First impressions may not determine everything, but they can determine the foundation of things.”

“…….”

“Tonight, let’s make everyone remember that you are not the pitiful daughter the Weden family lost, but the beautiful and strong Bella Apennz that no one can ignore.”

As he repeatedly emphasized, the one who strikes first wins. Sebelia shook her head at Dihart’s quietly added words.

“I have no choice.”

He was just doing his best to help her with her revenge. Sebelia decided that it was best to think positively.

“It’s not that you have no choice, it’s the obvious thing to do. You know how cunning our opponent is.”

“…….”

“So don’t worry too much. Everything will be alright. No one can take you to that damn Weden.”

Dihart had already jumped over the window frame and was kneeling in front of Sebelia. Sebelia tried to grab him and help him up but stopped. It seemed like Dihart was about to kneel on both knees.

‘I think he’s developed a strange habit.’

But Dihart, kneeling on one knee in front of her and looking up, seemed more confident than ever. It was hard to find any trace of his past, disheveled appearance in the man who had neatly styled his black hair.

The man with golden eyes, whose sunken cheeks had filled out and whose unruly beard had been cleanly shaved, shone like the sun itself. Even Sebelia’s heart wavered for a moment.

“I understand, so get up now. We’re not the only ones going to the grand theater; we have to take care of Wartz and Claude too.”

Sebelia said, shaking off her seat and getting up. Ignoring Dihart’s sullen expression, she left the drawing room with Denisa. The sound of footsteps leaving the drawing room faded away in the distance.

“Haa.”

Standing in the middle of the hallway, Sebelia sighed. Her father must be devising all sorts of schemes to get her, but she had been momentarily captivated by his appearance. She was ashamed of herself.

‘But he really is the perfect man in terms of looks.’

Come to think of it, although his personality isn’t great, he’s not without manners, and he’s been reasonably accommodating to his contractual marriage partner.

‘He would have lived well if he had married someone other than me.’

Sebelia went up to her room, thinking of the thought that would make Dihart go crazy if he knew. She was planning to tidy herself up before the dress shop staff arrived.

* * *

In the evening, the grand theater was lit up. The rose-colored marble building, illuminated by the flickering lights, adorned the capital as splendidly as a red rose. It was a sight befitting the name of Elisa, the beloved empress.

“Don’t you think the name Elisa is too old-fashioned, Nathan?”

In a corner of the hall decorated with gold and jewels were the Weden family twins, Nelia and Nathan Weden. Among them, Nelia whispered into Nathan’s ear, thoroughly enjoying the attention of the people.

“When I become empress, the name of the grand theater will be Nelia.”

Nathan chuckled. Lately, she had been talking about what she would do after becoming empress. She seemed quite excited about her engagement to the First Prince.

“Have it your way, sister. But there’s something we need to do before that. Let’s not forget.”

“Oh, of course. How could I forget such an easy task? Don’t you remember she was always weak to me?”

Around noon today, Nelia received a request from Silas to go to the grand theater and persuade Sebelia to come with her if she appeared. She had little interest in Sebelia’s life or death, but she was a little surprised that the missing younger sister her father was looking for was the living Sebelia, but she nodded obediently.

“By the way, are you sure she’s coming to the grand theater?”

“Yes. All the staff from the dress shop on Elit Street flocked to the Inverness mansion. There’s no way that commoner could go to a ball without an invitation, and since I booked a box seat in the Duke’s name, she’ll definitely show up.”

After a while, the hall was crowded with people. Most were nobles from the center or commoners with more wealth than them, but occasionally, people who appeared to be from other regions caught the eye.

Soon after, an employee came out. It was time to guide the audience to their seats. By this point, even Nathan, who had been confident that Sebelia would come to the grand theater, felt impatient.

“Those who purchased tickets for the first floor, this way…”

The people murmured and tried to move to find their seats. The gazes of the people wandering around stopped at one place at some point. Then, they froze as if they were frozen.