Don’T Get Caught By Your Husband! [EN]: Chapter 98

Don’t Get Caught by Your Husband! 98. A Welcome Encounter (98/130)

#98. A Welcome Encounter

2024.05.30.

“Do you have any idea where he might be?”

At Hazel’s question, Belladonna took out the notebook and pen she had set aside and quickly scribbled a message.

[What about the library?]

Hmmm… No!

She stared at the words she had written, then blacked them out.

[Since he said he was moving somewhere, what about checking where the carriages gather?]

It was true that Fabion frequented the library to decipher the ancient language notebook she had left behind, but if that were the case, there seemed to be no reason to move his luggage from the hotel.

Perhaps he had finished deciphering all the records.

“I understand. Let’s see, the most crowded place around here is…”

Hazel craned his neck and looked around, then pointed somewhere.

“Shall we go to the market? There are likely to be many carriages there.”

Okay! Belladonna nodded and followed him.

As they headed towards the market in the center of Astanya, the crowd grew rapidly.

Belladonna made sure not to lose sight of Hazel, clutching his sleeve tightly.

“Oppa!”

At that moment, a familiar child’s voice rang in her ears.

Belladonna reflexively turned her head.

‘This voice is…?’

“Tina, be careful.”

Soon after, an all-too-familiar voice followed.

Belladonna tugged hard on Hazel’s sleeve, turning around.

“Huh? Lady…?”

Hazel, caught off guard, turned back.

Belladonna walked towards the source of the sound without hesitation.

As soon as she rounded the corner, she saw Timothy and Tina holding hands, looking at a stall.

‘It really was Timothy…! How lucky can I get!’

Belladonna ran towards them with a joyful expression.

She thought she wouldn’t run into anyone she knew in such a large city, but unexpectedly meeting Tina and Timothy made her feel good.

“Huh?”

Timothy, noticing Belladonna approaching them confidently, widened his eyes.

“Uh…? Saintess…”

Belladonna quickly put her index finger to her lips, silencing the surprised Timothy.

She was trying to avoid drawing attention by wearing a robe, so she needed to avoid revealing her identity in a loud voice.

“Ah…! J-Just a moment. Why are you in Astanya…? A-Ah, no, that’s not it…”

Timothy seemed quite surprised by Belladonna’s sudden appearance.

Uncharacteristically, he stammered, his eyes darting around, unable to hide his embarrassment.

Then, Tina, who had been watching her brother, shouted in a loud voice.

“Let’s go somewhere else to talk!”

She seemed much calmer than Timothy.

Only then did Timothy, belatedly regaining his senses, look around. He seemed to be searching for a place where they could attract less attention.

But this was Astanya, one of the largest cities in the Elinus Empire, and this was the heart of the city where the market was held.

There seemed to be nowhere to talk comfortably with Belladonna.

Eventually, unable to find a suitable place, he scratched the back of his head and asked.

“If it’s not too much trouble, would you like to come to our house?”

* * *

“Lady, that guy doesn’t look old at all.”

“……”

“He doesn’t look like a wizard either. And the way he looks at you is unnecessarily polite.”

‘What’s wrong with being polite…?’ Belladonna gently pushed away Hazel, who kept whispering in her ear.

He continued to speak, looking at Timothy and Tina ahead with suspicious eyes.

“Are you sure he’s trustworthy?”

‘Ah, Timothy is innocent and kind, I tell you!!’

Belladonna glared at him, feeling frustrated, and silently continued walking.

“It’s humble, but… please come in this way.”

Finally, Timothy, who had led them to a small house in the east of Astanya, opened the door.

She bowed her head to thank him for the invitation and stepped inside, revealing a space that was not large but looked cozy and warm.

‘In the end, I couldn’t find Fabion…’

She also wanted to make sure that Timothy and Tina were safe from the Pope, so she had ended up following them.

Timothy seemed very awkward, as if it was the first time he had invited someone to his house, and pulled out a sturdy-looking chair for Belladonna.

“Please, sit here.”

‘What about Hazel?’ She looked back at him, and he shrugged.

“I’ll patrol around here. Don’t worry about me, please talk comfortably.”

After speaking, Hazel turned and went outside.

Belladonna nodded and straightened her posture. Tina trotted over and sat across from her.

“Saintess! It’s an honor to meet you again!”

Her childish way of speaking was rather cute, and Belladonna burst into laughter.

Timothy, sitting next to the child, shook his head as if he couldn’t help it, and stroked her hair.

He paused to fix Tina’s messy bangs, then turned his head.

“Saintess, I thought you returned to Gribalta last time, but what brings you to Astanya?”

Belladonna took out the prepared notebook.

[I came back to the Papal States for a while on business. But the doors were closed, do you know what’s going on?]

“Pardon? They don’t open the doors for you either, Saintess?”

Timothy, after reading the words, widened his eyes and asked back.

He frowned as if recalling something, then opened his mouth.

“It’s been noisy since yesterday evening. It was as if they were preparing to welcome an important guest, or as if they were hiding someone. I usually leave the Papal States in the evening because of Tina, but when I tried to go back in this morning, they had completely locked the doors and wouldn’t allow me in either. So I had no choice but to spend time with Tina.”

So… they suddenly closed it down.

Belladonna narrowed her eyes.

[Even if it’s something small, can you tell me what you saw yesterday?]

“Ha… I didn’t have time to look around because I was thinking about picking up Tina. I don’t remember anything. I’m sorry…”

Timothy lowered his head with a troubled expression.

‘Ah, I didn’t mean to blame Timothy…!’ She suddenly began to blame herself and reached out to comfort Timothy.

She gently patted his drooping shoulder and picked up the pen again.

[By the way, did you have a good meeting with the Pope last time? The one you had with Tina.]

“Ah, about that…”

It was a question she threw out to change the subject and to inquire about something she had been concerned about.

At her question, Timothy trailed off.

He glanced down at Tina, who was playing with her fingers next to him, then opened his mouth again.

“Actually, at first, I wondered if that was why I was banned from entering the Papal States. I disappointed the Pope.”

[Disappointed?]

“There was something the Pope wanted to confirm with Tina, but what she used to do well when she was with me, she couldn’t do well in front of the Pope. I think she was very nervous…”

That alone was enough explanation.

Tina hadn’t shown her healing powers to the Pope that day, and the Pope hadn’t been able to confirm whether she was really a saint with divine power.

‘That’s a relief….’

Belladonna looked at Tina with a faint smile.

She had only stormed into the office and shook her head, saying that divine power was absolutely not allowed, but Tina had cleverly understood and never showed her abilities.

‘How can she be so smart?’

Tina didn’t have to be dragged to the Pope and suffer terrible things like she had.

Belladonna touched her cheek with a pleased expression.

“Still, the Pope is kind and has a great capacity.”

Huh? Who is what?

At Timothy’s words, which ruined the atmosphere with just a few words, Belladonna failed to manage her expression.

But Timothy didn’t see her face, which was contorted, and continued to speak.

“He could have been very disappointed in me, but he doesn’t give up.”

‘Doesn’t give up…?’ A strangely uneasy feeling washed over her.

Could it be that he’s going to keep watching Tina?

“Once a day, he sends a wizard and a special teacher to our house to try to open Tina’s heart.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than someone knocked on the door.

“Ah, they must be here now! Saintess, everyone is from the Papal States, so you can go back with them later.”

Timothy smiled, unaware, and got up from his seat.

Belladonna watched him approach the door with a blank face.

‘So, who is it…?’

“Welcome!”

Timothy flung the door open.

But it wasn’t someone from the Papal States who came in, but Hazel, covered in blood.

Hazel couldn’t stand properly and was leaning against the door, and as soon as the door opened, he collapsed forward.

“Ugh…”

He fell to the floor with a thud, curling up on the carpet and letting out a painful groan.

“……!”

Belladonna, startled, jumped up from her seat.

‘Wh-What…?’ Who did this, really? She couldn’t believe that he, who had set out to patrol the area, had appeared in this state.

Just as she was about to run to Hazel, a familiar voice struck her ears.

“Ah, Saintess Belladonna. You were at Priest Timothy’s house. What a precious connection this is?”

Raising her head in a dizzy gaze, she saw Cardinal Nicholas and several unknown men with pointed clubs standing behind the fallen Hazel.

* * *

Graham secretly muttered to Escalión, who was frowning and sweeping his black hair that had fallen over his forehead.

“Tonight might be the chance. Let’s just sneak in and get Scarlet out.”

“We don’t even know what the inside of the Papal States looks like. We could end up provoking the Pope for no reason.”

“Then, Captain, what do you think? Are you really going to try to negotiate with Scarlet tomorrow morning? With that con artist Pope?”

“……”

At that moment, a knight who had been with them since Gribalta cautiously approached them.

He couldn’t easily join the conversation between Escalión and Graham, who were talking seriously, but as soon as he saw an opening, he quickly opened his mouth.

“Captain! Someone has come to see you. I told them you were busy and to come back later, but they were so adamant…”

“Who is it?”

Escalión looked back at the knight, frowning as if annoyed.

At his sharp question and even sharper gaze, the knight swallowed hard and stammered.

“W-Well, I don’t know exactly… He’s very old and has a b-big beard… A w-wizard.”