Don’T Get Caught By Your Husband! [EN]: Chapter 87

#87. Truth (3)

May 26, 2024

“Can I continue?”

Belladonna asked cautiously, and Escalio responded.

“Continue.”

“Well, after being kidnapped by those who were after valuables and losing consciousness… I gained divine power instead of my voice, just like the real Saint Belladonna.”

At the mention of that day, Escalio’s expression quickly darkened.

He seemed to recall the gloomy and somber atmosphere of Gribalta Castle at that time, and their sharply discordant and coldly subdued relationship.

“So, back then… you really couldn’t speak.”

“That’s right. And after losing consciousness again yesterday, my voice is working perfectly fine like this.”

“That means…”

“Yes, it seems I’ve lost my divine power.”

Belladonna shrugged, just as he had done before.

Escalio stared at Belladonna with a confused expression.

He looked as if he was contemplating whether to believe her story or dismiss it as nonsense.

Finally, he spoke.

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because I don’t want to hide anything from you.”

At her words, Escalio fell silent.

Belladonna continued, “When I had to part with you without being able to speak, I felt so frustrated. Ever since then, I’ve always thought that if my voice ever came back, I would tell you everything.”

“……”

“Whether you believe my story or not, that’s your choice, Escalio. I just… wanted to say it. I wanted to honestly share my story, even if nothing changes because of it.”

Silence descended in the bedroom.

Having revealed everything, Belladonna blinked, feeling more relieved than before. *Is this it…?*

Like a long-aching tooth being pulled, she felt refreshed yet somehow empty.

“I really don’t know what to say…”

“I would feel the same way.”

“It feels like I’m the one dreaming, not you.”

“That too.”

Escalio, who let out a sigh like a short lament, said in a low, subdued voice, “If this is really true… why did such a thing happen to you? Where did the real Saint go?”

“I’m currently investigating that.”

“……”

After the brief exchange, silence fell again.

Belladonna, feeling uncomfortable, spoke up. “If you’re thinking of using that as a reason to divorce me…”

“What?”

At her words, Escalio immediately raised his head, frowning. “Why is the conversation suddenly jumping in that direction again?”

“Pardon?”

“We were doing so well, why are you bringing up divorce?”

“Well, I mean…”

Belladonna widened her eyes and blinked blankly. *Escalio married me thinking I was the Saint, but now that it’s been revealed that I’m not, isn’t it possible that he might…?*

Escalio raised a hand and ruffled the back of his head, muttering, “Please stop talking about divorce. Every time that word comes up, my heart feels like it’s dropping.”

“But that’s because, Escalio, you came all the way here with the divorce papers to give them to me!”

“That’s…”

This time, he was at a loss for words, stammering. After sitting with a frown for a moment, he raised his head and met Belladonna’s gaze.

“Bella.”

Escalio opened his mouth, looking into her eyes. “I’m originally someone who knows nothing about you. Even before hearing this story, both in Astanya and Gribalta, you were always… difficult for me to understand.”

Belladonna couldn’t say anything.

“Of course, I don’t believe what you’re saying right now. The you in front of me isn’t the Saint of Astanya… It feels like you’re teasing me again, but also like you’re telling me a truth that you can’t tell anyone else, damn it.”

Escalio, who had been speaking calmly, lowered his head and muttered.

Belladonna felt sorry for him and bit her lower lip. *Was it too confusing of a story after all? A story that even I can’t believe….*

“But.”

Escalio, who had been lowering his head, said firmly.

“There’s only one thing that I, who knows nothing, am sure of.”

Belladonna gazed at him as he slowly raised his head.

Looking at the gradually revealing golden eyes, she felt her heart start to beat faster.

“That I love you very much.”

Belladonna stopped breathing, feeling dizzy.

“Whether you’re the Saint of Astanya or the daughter of some unknown farmer in the countryside, I don’t care about any of that.”

“……”

“I just know I love the woman in front of me.”

Her lips trembled.

Belladonna lowered her head to hide the tears that burst out without her knowing.

“Even after hearing such a ridiculous story, I can only think that I’m relieved that you’re sitting in front of me, safe and sound.”

“……”

Escalio grabbed her chin and lifted it up.

“I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

“But you really did mean to make me cry.”

“But it’s true. No matter what you are, I’ve become like this. That’s why I abandoned all my pride and came all the way here to pick you up.”

Escalio moved his fingers and wiped away the tears flowing down Belladonna’s cheeks.

It was a rough touch, but it was gentle.

“You must have had a hard time hiding such a huge secret all this time.”

Belladonna nodded, holding back the tears that kept bursting out.

Escalio chuckled as he looked at her.

“You look like you’ve had a really hard time. You’ve suffered a lot.”

He grabbed Belladonna and pulled her into his arms.

Belladonna embraced his broad back tightly, welcoming his warmth.

A low voice echoed between their pressed chests.

“What can I do for you? Whatever it is, I’ll do whatever you want.”

Belladonna sniffled instead of answering.

*What I want is….*

“Should I help you reveal to everyone that you’re not the real Saint of Astanya? I may have received a bothersome title from His Majesty the Emperor, so my voice is louder than others. I thought it was a useless position, but it might be useful.”

“That’s…”

“Or I can just shut my mouth and not make a fuss, if that’s what you want.”

At Escalio’s nonchalant words, Belladonna let out a small laugh.

Escalio hugged her even tighter.

Belladonna, nestled in his warm body, slowly opened her mouth.

“I haven’t thought about whether to reveal the truth or bury it. If that fact is revealed, it could cause great chaos in the Elinus Empire.”

“That’s true.”

“Right now, I’m trying to figure out why I was reborn as Saint Belladonna. I think I should start with that first….”

Belladonna briefly explained the Saint’s traces, the key she had found, and the potion she thought was a tonic.

Escalio listened to her story silently, without any response.

“So now, there’s only one key left.”

“Bella, to be honest, I…”

Escalio, who had been sitting without answering until then, opened his mouth.

“I want you to stop all those investigations and go back to Gribalta with me. Considering that you drank poison this time and the wounds on your body, I realized that this place is no longer safe for you.”

Belladonna quietly raised her head.

“I don’t care what you look like at all. Whether you’re a Saint or not, whether you can use that damn divine power or not, whether your voice comes out or not… I just want to take you, who is in my arms, back to my castle.”

“Escalio…”

“Honestly, it’s hard for me to hear about those dangerous things you’ve been doing here. If something really bad happened, I…”

Escalio let out a sigh as if suppressing his rising anger.

Before he exploded again, Belladonna quickly opened her mouth.

“Okay.”

“……”

“I wanted to go back to Gribalta with you too. Really.”

Escalio quietly lowered his golden eyes and looked at her.

“This is really true! Surely you don’t still doubt my sincerity after I’ve told you everything like this, do you?”

“Okay, I understand.”

He raised a hand, placed it on the top of her head, and ruffled it somewhat roughly.

Belladonna closed her eyes tightly at her disheveled hair.

Escalio pulled her back into his arms and let out a low groan.

“Then let’s go back, to our home.”

Belladonna nodded and burrowed deeper into his arms.

*We’re going back, to our home.*

She herself felt that Astanya was not safe for her.

The investigation into the Saint was just something she started to do while waiting for Escalio, and now that he was back, she strongly wanted to follow him back without thinking about anything.

‘But….’

Inside Escalio’s broad chest, Belladonna secretly frowned.

He, whom she had wanted so much, had returned, and now all that was left was to go back to Gribalta with him, but strangely, her heart didn’t feel refreshed.

*What is this, this uneasy feeling?*

‘Is it because I didn’t finish the investigation perfectly? Or because I lost my divine power again…?’

She couldn’t pinpoint what this feeling was, but Belladonna forcibly shook her head.

*Escalio is by my side like this, so this is it.* Belladonna tightened her arms around him.

*For now… this is it.*

* * *

The next day, Belladonna blinked, looking around the cleanly organized room.

She wondered what Escalio had said to the Pope, but after leaving to meet the Pope in the morning, he returned with a nonchalant face and said casually, “Pack your bags or something. We’re going back to Gribalta today.”

And then, really, the priestesses who followed him in packed her luggage one by one and moved it all outside.

Belladonna felt a sense of futility and lowered her shoulders.

‘To think that leaving would be this easy.’

At this point, the past days of trying to escape this place felt very futile and ephemeral.

Belladonna fidgeted with the hem of her clothes and got up from her seat.

*I don’t need to say goodbye to the Pope separately, right?* After Escalio discovered the traces of violence on Belladonna’s body, it would be uncomfortable for both of us anyway, so I didn’t feel like meeting him.

Besides, he might try to forcibly hold me back in some way….

*Let’s run away before my mind changes!*

Belladonna quickly moved her steps and walked to the Papal Palace garden where Escalio was waiting.

“Saintess!”

At that moment, she heard someone calling her from down the hallway.