After I Died, My Husband Went Mad - Chapter 21
“Oh my!” Shocked, Denisa leaned closer to see that it was actually Belita lying there.
“Oh dear, oh dear.” Her eyes widened in surprise. “My Lady…!”
“Denisa.” Sebelia appeared, drying her hair with a towel as if just finishing washing up. “What’s going on? Oh.”
Her gaze fell upon Belita lying in the bed. Denisa looked sternly at Sebelia, crossing her arms.
“…There’s a story behind this.”
“What extraordinary story could there be for her to be lying on your bed?”
Denisa’s sarcasm made Sebelia pause, then sit up carefully. The aroma of the delicious soup filled the air, steam rising from it. She reached for her spoon, but Denisa’s glare forced her to speak first.
“I had to create a fake corpse and ultimately had to be far away. I had to check if the illusion would hold up even from a distance.”
The apparition Sebelia had created had never before ventured far from her. That was the flaw Sebelia realized the day before her departure.
“Thankfully, it seems fine.”
“If that’s the case, you should have told me beforehand. I was almost scared to death.”
“Sorry,” Sebelia apologized to Denisa, taking a spoonful of potato soup. The velvety texture and pleasant taste filled her mouth. It warmed her to the core.
“But… it’s over now, Denisa.” Sebelia spoke while looking at the sunny window with a gentle smile.”We’re finally leaving this dreadful mansion.”
Her blue eyes sparkled faintly as they caught the sunlight.
* * *
The outskirts of the city, where visibility was extremely limited, were shrouded in a dank, musty odor.
That smell could kill a man.
The scent of blood was distinct. Dehart, with a stern expression, kept his distance and followed Roger.
How in the world did they build this damn road?
The path branched off into several directions, nearly causing him to lose track of Roger. After chasing him for a while, Roger suddenly vanished into an impressive wall bordered by a thick iron gate. Dehart stared at the high wall with a frown.
“There’s either a gatekeeper inside or…” In that moment, Dehart’s eyes caught a glint. “Aha.”
His fingertips skimmed the edge of the iron gate. Then, with a subtle vibration, a strange symbol appeared on the black iron.
“Enchanted black iron.”
Well, then there’s no need to hesitate. With a wry smile, he suddenly raised his arm. Ryan hesitated and stepped back.
Clang!
It happened in an instant. A golden-white spike sliced through the air and the iron gate snapped in two.
Dehart, kicking the split iron gate, stepped inside the enclosed area with a grim expression. Ryan followed behind, swallowing a sigh.
“What’s going on? What’s the matter?”
“It’s the entrance. Move!”
From afar, he could hear people scurrying about. It was undoubtedly those filthy vermin responsible for guarding this place.
“We need to clean this up before things get out of hand.” A white light rose within the golden eyes.
Ryan pressed himself more desperately against the wall. “I know you’re eager to get back, but this is a bit much.”
A lump rose in Dehart’s throat, but it didn’t escape his lips. Soon, the noise that had been loudly ringing in his ears turned into silence.
“Ah, much clearer now. Take a look at this.”
Dehart smirked as he turned his wrist and wiped the blood from his sword. He closed and opened his eyes, which were bathed in white light, and heard Roger’s voice from inside the building.
“…appreciate your prowess… excellent skill… as soon as possible…”
“…then… next in line… standing by…”
“…no word from my wife yet…”
Dehart, who was concentrating on the sound with his eyes closed, suddenly shook his head.
“Ha… hahaha.”
He let out a hollow laugh as he struggled to comprehend the words he just heard.
Her scandal spread throughout the empire? There are assassins waiting in the wings to pass off her death as a suicide?
Burying his face in his hands, Dehart let out a pained groan, streaks of pure white light beginning to ripple from his spine.
Don’t you dare, don’t you dare, don’t you dare…
Dreadful emotions seeped into his body, coursing through his veins and causing his heart to palpitate.
“…Ryan.”
Between his fingers, his eyes flashed with madness. Ryan found himself standing in front of him.
“Go north now. Get my wife to safety.” His grim voice echoed through the blood-stained corridor. “Do it quickly, and tell no one… not even my aunt and butler… of your deeds.”
Ryan could trust no one, not after Roger had stabbed them in the back. He tore off his bloodied gloves and turned away from Ryan, who withdrew discreetly.
“Sebelia… Please, stay safe.”
At this point, he didn’t know that Sebelia had already left the mansion.
