Don’T Get Caught By Your Husband! [EN]: Chapter 104

Don’t Get Caught by Your Husband! 104. Seed of Doubt (1)

#104. Seed of Doubt (1)

2024.06.01.

Belladonna blinked, offering no response.

She gazed into his deep golden eyes, which were fixed on her.

Unlike her own, his gaze was steady and confident, seemingly devoid of any fear.

*Ah…*

Was it because he was standing right before her? As she met his gaze, she felt the confusion in her mind gradually subside.

Escalion, still holding her cheeks, spoke without releasing his grip.

“Bella, you seem to have forgotten, being away from your husband so often, but you *are* my wife.”

“……”

“You’re still trying to handle something like this on your own? Don’t even think about it. The Pope must have told you something useless again, but I won’t fall for the same trick twice.”

“Th-That’s……”

*What is this!*

She tried to say something, but a ridiculous sound came out instead.

With her face held in his hands, it wasn’t easy to speak.

*This is so humiliating…!* Belladonna shook her head wildly, trying to shake off his hand, but it wasn’t easy.

“L-Let go……”

“Why? It’s cute and nice to look at.”

Escalion said nonchalantly.

Belladonna looked at the man in front of her as if she couldn’t understand him at all.

She couldn’t believe that he was making such silly jokes even in this situation, showing such audacity.

*Should she be relieved that he wasn’t more anxious or terrified…?*

“Now you’re back to your original face.”

Escalion, looking down at Belladonna with a bewildered expression, raised the corner of his lips.

*My face…?* Only then did Belladonna realize that he was joking to ease her tense and rigid mood.

“Bella, you promised me you wouldn’t hide anything from me anymore, right?”

He changed his expression and asked with a serious face.

Still held by him, Belladonna nodded instead of answering.

“Then tell me what the Pope told you and why you looked like you were about to die.”

“If you l-let go of this……”

“Ah.”

Escalion raised both eyebrows as if he was disappointed and released her face.

Only then did Belladonna, regaining her composure, let out a small sigh and opened her mouth.

“…The Pope is threatening me with Scarlet as a hostage.”

“What does he want?”

“He wants me to divorce you, receive alimony, and return to Astagna to continue my life as a Saintess.”

“If it’s money he needs, I can give him as much as he wants, but I can’t agree to the second condition.”

Escalion said, touching his chin.

He raised one eyebrow and looked down at Belladonna with dark golden eyes.

“I can’t understand why the Pope is so obsessed with someone else’s wife.”

The reason why the Pope is obsessed with the Saintess…

“It’s likely because of the symbolism. It’s not that he needs the Saintess’s divine power right now, but the Saintess means a lot to the believers. In order for the Papal States to maintain this level of scale and investment in the future, they need someone like the Saintess.”

“If that’s the case, shouldn’t he have treated you better? So you wouldn’t have thought about leaving in the first place.”

He said in a tone of disbelief.

*That’s what I’m saying…* Belladonna nodded and opened her mouth.

“Still, revealing you to the Pope right away doesn’t seem like a good choice for now. As you can see from the contents of this document in my hand, he’s not in his right mind. If we make a mistake, Scarlet could get seriously hurt.”

“I agree with that. So what’s the best thing to do?”

At his question, Belladonna frowned.

*What can we do with this incomplete evidence…?*

Besides this indirect evidence that Saintess Belladonna has created, there must be evidence inside the Papal States that the Pope did such a thing.

If so, where could it be? Among the many rooms and warehouses of the Papal States, where would he hide such traces…

“The Pope wouldn’t have done all this alone, would he?”

“Probably not. He’s more likely to have used his subordinates rather than moving directly.”

Who inside the Papal States could he trust to entrust this task to?

*…That’s definitely Cardinal Nicholas.*

Belladonna recalled the image of Pope Prononce and Cardinal Nicholas, who were always together.

The Pope kept the Cardinal closest to him, relying on him and using him like his own limbs, but when others weren’t watching, he ignored him more than anyone else.

Belladonna could not forget that Cardinal Nicholas’s face sometimes flushed with humiliation.

“Excuse me, but what time is it now?”

“It’s……”

Escalion turned his head and looked at the clock attached to the Papal States building.

Belladonna, checking the time following his gaze, suddenly grabbed his wrist.

“Escalion, I have a favor to ask! From now on, go back to the entrance of the Papal States and stop Cardinal Nicholas from entering. No, take him far away! You can even kidnap him like the Pope kidnapped me!”

“What?”

At the sudden request, Escalion frowned immediately.

“Why suddenly Cardinal Nicholas? Is he coming to harass you?”

“No.”

Belladonna shook her head and said in a calm voice.

“From now on, I’m going to plant a small seed of doubt between the Pope and Cardinal Nicholas. A seed that will eventually grow so big that it will strangle the Pope’s neck.”

* * *

Belladonna knocked on the door of the office with a nervous face.

“Come in.”

After waiting for a moment, the Pope’s voice was heard from inside. His voice was wearing a very kind and generous mask.

As she entered the office, she saw the sparkling afternoon sunlight streaming in through the large window that caught the eyes of visitors at a glance.

Sitting at the desk under the window, he looked like a clean clergyman who was deeply loved by God at first glance.

*The reality is the opposite…*

Knowing his true nature, Belladonna moved forward, feeling a subtle sense of disgust.

He was sitting in a chair, looking into the scriptures, and opened his mouth without raising his head.

“I said I’d give you a day, but you’re back sooner than I thought. What happened?”

“The conversation ended early. As you said, I brought the divorce papers and the restraining order. I got his signature on both, and I just need to sign.”

At Belladonna’s answer, Pope Prononce let out a snicker.

“Did Lord Diete [Escalion’s title] hand over the documents willingly? With his fiery temper, he must have been acting up badly, but I didn’t hear any commotion.”

“How could he, when his sister’s life is at stake? There was a lot of resistance, but we agreed for everyone’s sake.”

Belladonna said in as calm a voice as possible, and placed the divorce papers and the restraining order signed by Escalion on the Pope’s desk.

She could see his gaze, still not raised, lingering on the paper.

“What about the alimony?”

Not long after, he spoke.

*Of course, it was about money again.*

*Escalion is not responsible for this marriage, so what alimony are you talking about…*

Belladonna frowned slightly so that he wouldn’t notice, and then opened her mouth.

“He promised to send the amount written at the bottom of the divorce papers every month. The signature also guarantees the rights to it.”

Perhaps it was a satisfactory amount, as the Pope’s lips turned upward as he turned his eyes to check the numbers.

Belladonna, watching the scene, opened her mouth.

“Now, please release Scarlet.”

“Scarlet? Hmm……”

He hesitated, unlike himself, and then said.

“What if you guys are plotting to deceive me as one?”

At the calm and brazen voice, Belladonna sighed with a tired face.

*He was planning to do this from the beginning.*

*He was going to take all the legal rights, but he wasn’t going to release anything he was holding.*

“Please keep your promise.”

“Promise? Belladonna, is that what you have to say to me?”

The Pope asked back, making a sound like air leaking.

“Are you the one who says different things here and there?”

“……”

“Don’t worry. Unlike you, I don’t speak out of both sides of my mouth. I’ll put water and food in the room of the woman named Scarlet today. That’s enough to keep her alive for now.”

*Isn’t saying two things with one mouth his specialty, not mine?* Belladonna glared at his brazen face and clenched her fists tightly.

“Then please let me see her face. I need to know if Scarlet is safe.”

At her words, Prononce opened his mouth as if he was worried.

She had to drive a wedge in at this point. Belladonna quickly opened her mouth and added.

“If you don’t confirm it, I can’t sign the documents. What can I believe and do then?”

“Well, whatever. You weren’t completely stupid from the beginning, so you might want to check that much. I’ll show you tomorrow morning.”

“No, show me right now.”

When Belladonna said firmly, Prononce frowned immediately and closed his eyes.

That action also meant that he was getting annoyed.

He usually frowned like this and then committed violence without giving her a chance to defend herself.

Belladonna’s body trembled slightly as she recalled that.

But she couldn’t stop here. She took a little more courage and opened her mouth.

“I can sign right away if I can just know that Scarlet is safe. What are you hesitating about now?”

“Okay, Belladonna……”

Finally, the Pope, who had closed his eyes, said.

He got up from his chair and handed her a thick cloth that was placed on the table.

“Cover your eyes. I’ll take you to the place where that woman is locked up.”

Belladonna obediently accepted the thick cloth that Pope Prononce was handing over. After looking down at it for a while, she opened her mouth.

“Ah, right. I found something on the way here. Would you like to check it out?”

At the sudden words that didn’t fit the situation, Prononce turned his head with a suspicious face.

“What kind of trick is this again? It’ll be disadvantageous for you if you’re trying to buy time.”

“That’s not true. The content is quite shocking, so I thought my father should definitely see it.”

Prononce shook his head as if he was annoyed.

“Don’t do useless things and cover your eyes properly. You want to find out where that woman is after distracting my mind like this……”

Belladonna didn’t listen to his words and handed over the paper she was carrying.

Prononce’s face was filled with doubt when he found the crumpled paper.

“What is this?”

“Rather than me explaining, I thought it would be better for you to read it yourself.”

Belladonna blinked, offering no immediate response.

Her gaze locked onto the deep golden eyes fixed on her. Unlike her own, his were unwavering, filled with a steadfast light that seemed devoid of fear.

*Ah…*

Was it simply his presence before her? As she met his eyes, she felt the turmoil in her mind gradually subside.

Escalion, still holding her cheeks, spoke, his voice a low rumble.

“Bella, have you forgotten, spending so much time away from your husband? You are my wife.”

“……”

“You’re still trying to handle this all on your own, aren’t you? Don’t even think about it. The Pope must have filled your head with nonsense, but I won’t fall for the same trick.”

“Th-That’s……”

*What is this!*

She tried to reply, but an absurd squeak escaped instead.

It wasn’t easy to speak coherently with her face being held like this.

*This is too embarrassing!* Belladonna shook her head wildly, trying to dislodge his hands, but he held firm.

“L-Let go……”

“Why? It’s cute and nice to look at you like this,” Escalion said nonchalantly.

Belladonna stared at him, utterly bewildered.

She couldn’t believe he was making such lighthearted jokes in this situation, how audacious he was. Should she be relieved that he wasn’t panicking or overly afraid…?

“Now you’re back to your original face.”

Escalion, seeing the bewilderment on Belladonna’s face, smiled slightly.

*My face…?* Only then did Belladonna realize he was teasing her to ease the tension.

“Bella, you promised you wouldn’t hide anything from me anymore, right?”

His expression turned serious as he spoke, still holding her face.

Belladonna nodded instead of answering.

“Then tell me what the Pope was babbling about. And why you looked like you were about to die.”

“If you l-let go of me……”

“Ah.”

Escalion raised his eyebrows in mock disappointment and released her.

Finally free, Belladonna sighed softly and began to explain.

“…The Pope is threatening me with Scarlett as a hostage.”

“What does he want?”

“He wants me to divorce you, receive alimony [financial support paid to a spouse after a divorce], return to Astagne, and resume my life as a Saintess.”

“If it’s money he needs, I can give him as much as he wants, but I can’t grant that second condition,” Escalion muttered, touching his chin.

He raised an eyebrow, his dark golden eyes fixed on Belladonna.

“I don’t understand why the Pope is so fixated on someone else’s wife.”

The reason why the Pope is obsessed with the Saintess…

“It’s likely because of the symbolism. It’s not that he needs the Saintess’s divine power right now, but the Saintess represents a great deal to the believers. For the Papal States to maintain its current influence and level of investment in the future, they need someone like the Saintess.”

“If that’s the case, shouldn’t he have treated you better? So you wouldn’t even consider leaving in the first place.”

He muttered, clearly perplexed.

*That’s what I’m saying…* Belladonna, nodding in agreement, spoke up.

“Still, presenting you to the Pope right now doesn’t seem wise. As you can see from this document, he’s not thinking rationally. If we make a mistake, Scarlett could be seriously harmed.”

“I agree. So, what’s the best course of action?”

At his question, Belladonna frowned.

*What can we do with this incomplete evidence…?*

Besides this circumstantial evidence that Saintess Belladonna has created, there must be concrete proof within the Papal States that the Pope is behind all of this.

*Then where could it be? Among the countless rooms and warehouses of the Papal States, where would he hide such incriminating evidence…?*

“The Pope wouldn’t have acted alone, would he?”

“Probably not. He’s more likely to have used his subordinates rather than getting directly involved.”

*Who inside the Papal States does he trust enough to entrust with this task?*

*…It’s definitely Cardinal Nicholas.*

Belladonna pictured Pope Prononce and Cardinal Nicholas, always side-by-side.

The Pope kept the Cardinal closest to him, relying on him and using him like an extension of himself, yet when others weren’t looking, he treated him with utter disregard.

Belladonna couldn’t forget the Cardinal’s face flushing with humiliation on more than one occasion.

“Excuse me, but what time is it?”

“It’s…”

Escalion glanced at the clock on the Papal States building.

Belladonna, following his gaze, suddenly grabbed his wrist.

“Escalion, I have a favor to ask! Go back to the entrance of the Papal States and prevent Cardinal Nicholas from entering. No, take him far away! You can even kidnap him, just like the Pope kidnapped me!”

“What?”

Escalion frowned, taken aback by the sudden request.

“Why Cardinal Nicholas all of a sudden? Is he coming to harass you?”

“No.”

Belladonna shook her head, her voice calm.

“From now on, I’m going to plant a small seed of doubt between the Pope and Cardinal Nicholas. A seed that will eventually grow so large it will choke the Pope.”

* * *

Belladonna knocked on the office door, a knot of nerves tightening in her stomach.

“Come in.”

After a brief pause, the Pope’s voice echoed from within, coated in a veneer of kindness and generosity.

As she entered, she was met by the sight of the afternoon sun streaming through the large window, a feature designed to impress visitors.

Sitting at the desk bathed in sunlight, he appeared every bit the pious clergyman, deeply loved by God.

*The reality is far different…*

Belladonna, fully aware of his true nature, moved forward with a subtle sense of revulsion.

He was seated, engrossed in a scripture, and spoke without looking up.

“I said I’d give you a day, but you’ve returned sooner than expected. How did it go?”

“The conversation concluded quickly. As you requested, I brought the divorce papers and the restraining order. I obtained his signature on both; all that remains is my signature.”

At Belladonna’s response, Pope Prononce chuckled softly.

“Did Duke Diete relinquish the documents willingly? With his fiery disposition, he must have put up quite a fight, yet I heard no disturbance.”

“How could he, with his sister’s life hanging in the balance? There was considerable resistance, but we reached an agreement for the sake of all involved.”

Belladonna spoke as calmly as she could, placing the divorce papers and restraining order, both signed by Escalion, on the Pope’s desk.

His gaze, still lowered, seemed to linger on the documents.

“What about the alimony?”

Shortly after, he finally spoke.

Of course, it always came back to money.

Escalion bears no responsibility for the dissolution of this marriage, so what alimony is he even talking about…

Belladonna frowned subtly, careful not to betray her annoyance, and replied,

“He has pledged to remit the amount specified at the bottom of the divorce papers each month. His signature guarantees those rights.”

Perhaps the sum was satisfactory, as the Pope’s lips curved upward as he examined the figures.

Belladonna, watching him closely, spoke.

“Now, please release Scarlett.”

“Scarlett? Hmm…”

He feigned hesitation, a stark contrast to his true self.

“What if you are all conspiring to deceive me?”

At the brazen and shameless accusation, Belladonna sighed wearily.

He had intended this from the start.

He would secure all the legal rights, but he had no intention of releasing his hostage.

“Please honor your promise.”

“Promise? Belladonna, is that truly what you intend to say to me?”

The Pope retorted, his voice laced with incredulity.

“Is that what you have to say, you who speak with forked tongue?”

“……”

“Fear not. Unlike you, I do not speak from both sides of my mouth. I shall provide water and sustenance in the room of the woman named Scarlett today. That should suffice to keep her alive for the time being.”

*Isn’t speaking from both sides of one’s mouth his specialty, not mine?* Belladonna glared at his audacity, clenching her fists tightly.

“Then, at the very least, allow me to see her face. I need to ascertain that Scarlett is truly safe.”

At her words, Prononce appeared to contemplate the request.

*It’s time to drive a wedge.* Belladonna quickly pressed her advantage.

“If you refuse to let me confirm her safety, I cannot sign the documents. What reason do I have to trust you?”

“Very well, whatever. You were never entirely foolish, so it’s only natural you would want to verify her well-being. I shall show her to you tomorrow morning.”

“No, show her to me now.”

When Belladonna spoke firmly, Prononce’s brow furrowed, his eyes narrowing.

That gesture signaled his growing annoyance.

He typically frowned like that before resorting to violence, leaving her no opportunity to defend herself.

Belladonna’s body trembled slightly as the memories resurfaced.

But she couldn’t back down now. Gathering her courage, she pressed on.

“I can sign immediately if I can simply confirm Scarlett’s safety. What is causing you to hesitate?”

“Very well, Belladonna…”

Finally, the Pope, who had been silent with his eyes closed, relented.

He rose from his chair, retrieved the thick cloth from the table, and extended it to her.

“Cover your eyes. I shall escort you to the location where that woman is confined.”

Belladonna obediently accepted the thick cloth from Pope Prononce. After examining it for a moment, she spoke.

“Ah, that’s right. I came across something on my way here. Would you be interested in taking a look?”

Taken aback by the sudden and seemingly irrelevant remark, Prononce turned to her, suspicion etched on his face.

“What sort of trickery is this? It will only be to your detriment if you are attempting to stall for time.”

“That’s not the case. The contents are quite shocking; I believed my father should see it without delay.”

Prononce shook his head, clearly annoyed.

“Cease these futile distractions and cover your eyes. You seek to discover the whereabouts of that woman by diverting my attention…”

Ignoring his words, Belladonna presented the crumpled paper she had been carrying.

Prononce’s face was a mask of doubt as he accepted the paper.

“What is this?”

“Rather than offer my explanation, I thought it would be best if you read it for yourself.”