Don’T Get Caught By Your Husband! [EN]: Chapter 94

Don’t Get Caught by Your Husband! 94. Uninvited Guest (3)

#94. Uninvited Guest (3)

2024.05.29.

At the magician’s words, a troubled look appeared on Hazel and Graham’s faces.

“Are you implying…”

“Hazel, that’s enough. It’s a premature suspicion. Nothing has been revealed yet.”

Graham immediately stopped Hazel, who was muttering.

Hazel bit her lower lip, looking frustrated.

“But there are no traces of anyone invading the castle! The knights guarding the gate didn’t see anyone, and there’s no sign of anyone climbing over the walls. We’ve searched the castle thoroughly, and there are no secret passages. How could anyone have gotten in here?”

“So, you really think the Master of the Magic Tower secretly created a mobile portal inside Gribalta Castle?”

“That’s…”

At Graham’s urging, Hazel stopped speaking, biting her lower lip.

As the magician said, the Master of the Magic Tower, who maintains a neutral stance, wouldn’t do something like this for a personal favor. Suspecting him is akin to suspecting the Papal States.

And that means…

Hazel turned her head and glanced at Belladona, who was sitting wrapped in a blanket.

If the Papal States are revealed to be the mastermind behind this incident, Belladona, the saintess of Astanya, would be in a very difficult position.

I vaguely sensed it when I visited the Papal States, but the relationship between the Pope and the Saintess seemed a little different from what the world knows.

What on earth happened between father and daughter…

At that moment, Escalio, who had been standing still for a while, lost in thought, asked the magician.

“Is there any residual trace where the mobile portal was created?”

“Ah… If a portal has been opened even once, there might be a slight magical residue in that place, even if it was closed immediately afterward. If too much time passes, it will all dissipate.”

“Then, I’d like you to search the castle and see if you can detect any such traces.”

“Ah, well. I understand. If you give me an extra fee.”

Escalio, ignoring the magician’s outstretched hand, turned to Hazel.

“Take this person around the castle. Pay him whatever he asks.”

“Oh, thank you!”

“Yes! I understand, Commander.”

Hazel approached the magician.

“Ah.”

At that moment, Escalio spoke again.

“Even for the Master of the Magic Tower, you said it would be difficult to create a round-trip portal?”

“Um… Well, it’s possible if they pushed themselves, but in this area with weak magic power, the portal could only be maintained for a few minutes at most. But the Master of the Magic Tower’s abilities are so immense that lower-level magicians like me can’t even fathom them, so I can’t say for sure.”

At his answer, Escalio turned his head and looked at Graham.

Graham immediately prepared to leave and spoke.

“Then that means that rat-like bastard might still be in the castle.”

“Don’t jump to conclusions with uncertain information, and resume the search.”

“I understand! That son of a bitch dared to enter Gribalta Castle without fear…”

Graham muttered under his breath, tilted his head from side to side, and left the reception room.

Following him, Hazel and the magician disappeared. Belladona relaxed her tense body and let out a breath.

“Bella.”

Escalio approached her.

He carefully stroked Belladona’s cheek and said.

“Go to your room and rest. I’ll escort you.”

Belladona nodded and took his arm.

* * *

As soon as they entered the room, Escalio slammed the door shut behind him.

After ensuring that no one was around, he spoke.

“Do you know anything about the Master of the Magic Tower?”

“Almost nothing. My movements were restricted even within the Papal States, and at the time, the Master of the Magic Tower wasn’t a major concern…”

Escalio nodded, as if he understood.

“Then, how did you suspect that the intruders might have secretly created a mobile portal in the castle?”

“I once overheard the Pope talking with cardinals or other high-ranking officials at dinner. I don’t remember exactly, but he mentioned that they sometimes traveled back and forth to the Imperial Family that way, avoiding detection.”

“If they were really sent by the Pope…”

Escalio let out a hollow laugh, as if dumbfounded.

“Is he acting more recklessly than I thought? To send assassins without hesitation simply because he dislikes me.”

“…”

“Did he think you would return to Astanya if I died?”

Belladona lowered her head, feeling sorry for him.

She couldn’t hide her apology, thinking that all of this was happening because of her.

“Why is the Pope so obsessed with you? Even if he needs you for his stable position, this is too far.”

“That’s…”

“The Saintess of Astanya strengthens the Pope’s prestige and authority. This is more than just that obsession.”

Escalio nervously swept back his hair.

“Do you know any secrets about the Pope that others don’t know?”

At his words, Belladona fell into thought.

Certainly, trying to kill Escalio this time crossed a line.

‘All I can guess is…’

Belladona slyly lowered her gaze and looked down at her body.

Violence and abuse towards Saintess Belladona – was he worried that this would be discovered?

“If the Pope is revealed to be the mastermind behind this, I will immediately invade Astanya.”

“Escalio…”

“I will officially challenge this and remove him from the position of Pope.”

But…

Belladona frowned.

Even if the Master of the Magic Tower really opened a mobile portal and caused the incident, it would be difficult to prove the Pope’s involvement.

‘Isn’t there any more solid evidence? Something that can definitively bring down the Pope…’

In her mind, she recalled the records of the Saintess that she had found with the first key, and the square-shaped last key for which she hadn’t been able to locate all ten places.

Did Pabion fully decipher the Saintess’s records? What exactly was written in them? And what about the last key… What could it possibly open?

Having been mercilessly assaulted by the Pope and then meeting Escalio, I wondered if I had left Astanya too hastily in my eagerness and relief.

‘I haven’t even properly finished what I started. I need to contact Pabion again…’

Just then, a commotion arose outside.

Hearing the noise, Escalio immediately turned and pushed the door open.

“We found him…!”

Graham’s voice came from beyond the open doorway.

“We found the rat trying to escape!”

* * *

A man, bound and gagged, glared at Escalio.

He seemed deeply displeased, shaking his body wildly before collapsing and rolling on the floor.

Escalio watched the man with a cold gaze before speaking.

“Why are you so angry?”

“He was like this from the start.”

“Untie the gag.”

At Escalio’s gesture, the knights held the man on either side and removed the gag from his mouth.

As soon as his mouth was free, the man shouted.

“God will not forgive you!”

“Ooh.”

Graham, standing next to Escalio, let out a small sigh.

This seemed to confirm that the man was indeed from the Papal States, serving God.

Amused, Escalio raised the corner of his lips and asked.

“Really? What wrong have I done?”

“You have insulted God’s representative.”

“God’s representative, you say?”

“I am referring to the Pope and the Saintess.”

“I might have insulted the Pope, but did I insult the Saintess as well?”

“Marrying her, the daughter of God, was wrong from the start.”

The man answered without a moment’s hesitation.

“What kind of brainwashing have you undergone…”

Graham muttered, striking the back of his head hard.

The man fell forward, slamming his face into the floor.

“Ugh…!”

Graham placed his hand on the back of the man’s head, pressing him firmly into the floor.

“So, you sneaked in to kill someone? Does your God forgive murder?”

“Kuh…”

“Enough, Graham.”

Escalio spoke.

Graham removed his hand, and the man immediately raised his head.

“How did you get to Griblatta?”

“…”

The man glared at him without answering.

Speaking for Escalio, Graham said,

“Oh, you’re going to keep your mouth shut? It’s all been revealed that you two came through a private portal. We found traces of a mage setting up a portal near the front of the Saintess’s chambers on the castle’s rear side, you know?”

“…”

“We can guess who created the portal too. Even if you keep your mouth shut, everything has been revealed, got it?”

“…Pfft.”

At that moment, the man, his face covered in dirt, burst into laughter that didn’t fit the situation at all.

Raising an eyebrow, Graham clicked his tongue, watching him.

“He’s really gone mad.”

But even with his mockery, the man didn’t stop laughing.

“Hehehe…”

“Oh my, it seems like he’s really lost it. Commander, what should we do? Should we lead the knights and invade Astanya? If we prepare right now and open a private portal, we can arrive within a few hours.”

“Keuheuk… Keuheuhe…”

Escalio frowned, watching the man who was still chuckling to himself.

A chilling feeling that something was wrong crept over him.

The Pope wouldn’t be so sloppy.

“Astanya is only a few hours away?”

The man twisted his lips into a smile and asked.

Unable to bear it any longer, Escalio stood up abruptly and grabbed his neck.

He lifted him up, and the man began to cough and flail his legs in the air.

“Commander! Stop! You can’t kill this man too!”

“Stop laughing creepily and speak properly.”

Escalio said, tightening his grip on his neck.

The man, struggling in his grasp, slowly opened his mouth.

“You guys… Kuh, are wrong…”

“What is it?”

“We didn’t… come alone… Keuheuk… One… Kuh… went outside the castle… But by now… Ah… Kuh, to Astanya…”

Hearing the fragmented sentence, Escalio dropped the man to the floor.

The man, greatly shocked, groaned and curled up.

“…Scarlett.”

Standing blankly, Escalio slowly turned his head towards Graham.

“Find Scarlett immediately.”