After I Died, My Husband Went Mad

Rash felt Dehart’s grip gradually tightening on his hand, and his lips quivered.

“……Dehart, I’m just worried about you.”

“I know that. It was you who raised me in the absence of my parents with these two hands after all,” Dehart acknowledged as their eyes met. “So don’t worry about anything else. I trust that you will pray for my safe return?”

“…Naturally.”

Confronted by this commanding voice and angry eyes, Rash could only fall silent.

** *

In the end, Rash had no choice but to let Dehart go.

The butler, who had been watching the two of them all along, carefully approached from behind, “Mr. Rash.”

“Send this to Lin Post,” Rash immediately ordered, handing out a letter to the servant.

The letter, which had no sender’s name on it, was prepared by his wife, Gwen, and would soon decide Inverness’s fate.

 If you can’t do it, we’ll have to do it for you; the man said inwardly.

And after gazing at the moving carriage for a long time, he turned away, his eyes filled with unwavering determination.

** *

The evening sun stretched its fingers through the thick curtains, casting a crimson glow on the desolate room.

And soon, amidst the bustling hoofbeats, the sound of Dehart’s carriage leaving could be heard.

Then, Sebelia, who had been peeking through the window, returned to her seat, and gazed down at her pale hands.

They were delicate, pretty hands.

Hands that couldn’t hold anyone else’s.

Hands that couldn’t pick even the lightest flower.

Useless hands.

Just like their owner; Sebelia thought with a bitter smile, clasping them together.

He really left; never once stood by her side, or gave her any chance until the very end.

“It’s quite remarkable,” Sebelia chuckled pitifully as she ran a hand through her hair.

There were times when his ruthless, and merciless attitude felt so chilling.

Then, she remembered what Denisa had said, and how those words had opened a new door to freedom for her.

Denisa’s secret whispers took her breath away for a moment.

And only after that did she recall the memories she had forgotten, or more precisely, the memories she forced herself to forget due to her father’s constant abuse.

[Miss, you have the power to create illusions.] 

[When you were a child, the Marquis was always angry with you for saying that you saw unordinary things.]

Now that she thought about it, her lonely room had always been filled with shiny friends; the beautiful blue and red birds that had embroidered the air to soothe her fears during those scary nights.

[You most likely inherited this ability from your mother.] Denisa stated with conviction. 

And Sebelia agreed with her.

Otherwise, the Marquis wouldn’t have tried so hard to erase her powers.

“Didn’t he say it was some wicked demonic power?…”

She could vaguely remember her father yelling those words as he locked her in the cupboard, or tied her to a tree.

“It’s been so long. I don’t remember how I did it.”

She clenched and released her fists, striving to unleash the power. But perhaps it had been too long, because she couldn’t seem to find any clue.

Please, I need to get out of this house!

I need this power!

Desperate, Sebelia prayed fervently to the one she couldn’t see.

She didn’t know how much time had passed, but….

“Oh.”

Her vision started to get blurry, then she felt a rush of hot energy escaping from her palms.

In that moment, as she quickly extended her hands, a small bird with flame-like wings suddenly appeared.

It was undoubtedly the ability of an enchantress.

“Thank goodness!” Sebelia exclaimed as she stared at the tiny bird hovering on her palms before releasing it into the air.

Beep-

A soft chirping echoed inside the room.

The fluffy blue bird was small and simple despite all the energy invested into making it, but still, there was joy in Sebelia’s eyes as she looked at it.

It worked!

This was her chance.

Her chance to completely disappear. 

“With this ability, I’m going to make a replica of myself, and leave.”

Sebelia planned to fake her death with this power.

Like Denisa had said, if she were to leave without a plan, there was a possibility that Weddon would hunt her down.

And what about her husband? Well, she didn’t even consider the idea of him looking for her.

“But if I die……,” she mused, imagining her corpse in a casket while her funeral was taking place.

Even if she were to accidentally run into these people at some point, they wouldn’t easily believe that person was her.

They are going to arrange my funeral with their own hands, after all.

Just imagining that moment brought a smile to her lips.

Funerals usually last for three days, so I’ll need to stay hidden and endure until then; Sebelia contemplated.

And as she created one more blue bird, she felt a sense of happiness she hadn’t experienced in a very long time.

Was this what they called the will to live? Or was it the driving force?

It’s truly ironic to only feel like this when I’m about to die.

.

For a long time after that, Sebelia locked herself in her room, even forgetting to eat as she devoted herself to practice.

And naturally, not a single servant cared to disturb her, so her room remained peaceful until dawn.

* * *

On a quiet night, four horses trotted under the whip of a skillfull coachman.

Dehart sat inside the swaying carriage with his eyes closed, before suddenly having a coughing fit.

“Good grief.”

He was overwhelmed by an excruciating pain, as if his brain was being pounded, while something seemed to be tightening around his head.

At the same time, his limbs began to tingle, and his heart started to beat at an abnormal rate.

“Damn it. There just isn’t a day that goes by without this happening,” Dehart cursed in disbelief as he let out a few empty laughs.

Then, after taking a vial out of his pocket, he hastily swallowed its contents.

“You never let me forget even for a day, what a loving family,” he remarked with bitterness, and slowly crushed the medicine bottle.

It was a deliberate act.

Soon, with a clanging sound, fragments of the vial spilled on the floor.

“Tsk……!” A indifferent sound slipped through his dry lips.

Dehart was cursed with a terrible illness, and that affliction stemmed from a tragic family history.

It was a familiar pain that haunted him ever since his family was murdered in front of his eyes.

His doctor, one of the few people who knew of his state, said that it was because of guilt, but Dehart vehemently denied it.

This is a curse.

In his dreams, his deceased family always appeared, blaming him for being the only survivor.

They always reached out to him–bleeding, and on the verge of death–pleading for him to save them, to stay with them, to help them escape this cold and empty place.

“Damn it.”

As Dehart ran his palms over his face, he realized he had been biting his lip too hard as blood soiled his scarred hands.

He glared at his bloodied palms before resting his head against the carriage’s wall.

“Hah…….”

Gradually, the medicine began to take effect; he could feel it as his breathing started to slow down, and his body began to feel numb.

But, unlike usual, his mind only became clearer and clearer.

Allowing an unwelcomed voice to echo in his ears.

[I have something to say.]

Dehart frowned.

Why were you making that face when you’re the one who betrayed me first? The one who tried to gain my trust with lies…

Gritting his teeth, he tried to erase Sebelia’s hurt expression etched to his retina.

He tried to leave that woman’s presence behind, as if it were a fastened lily.

But just like he couldn’t get rid of the pain he was feeling right now, Sebelia, too, refused to leave him.

[Would you have acted the same if I had been Nelia?]

As her voice rang in his ears, the necklace he didn’t normally feel seemed to tighten around his neck.

The blue-gemmed necklace she had given him long ago.

 “UGH.”

He quickly tried to remove it, however, his rough movements only caused more discomfort.

“Dammit!”

And when he saw his reflection in the window, he let out a wry laugh.

Ah, how funny.

His neck was so red, it looked like Frankenstein’s neck.

“It suits you well,” he said to himself.

As he was chuckling, his eyes narrowed on the cross he was holding between his fingers.

There had been times when he had hoped to become a real couple with her someday .

There was a time when he dreamed that his sweet illusions might turn into reality.

But it wasn’t meant to be.

Her betrayal. Her cold and cruel betrayal made sure of that.

On that day, Dehart firmly closed the door of his heart that he had opened for her.

“You abandoned me first.”

With those innocent eyes that made me trust you.

That beautiful smile that entranced me, and then…….

“You won my heart with lies, and deceived me.”

At that moment, thewindoww abruptly opened with a clatter, and a strong gust of wind swept through the carriage, making the silver necklace clink as it hit the window frame.

“…….”

A dim shadow fell over Dehart’s golden eyes. He slowly pulled back the hand holding the cross, just like a child on the verge of throwing a temper tantrum.

 Then, suddenly, the carriage shook with a jolt.

Bang!

The cry of the startled horses echoed through the cold air, making Dehart remove his fist from the wall and let out a deep sigh.

“Are you all right, you Grace?”

Following the coachman’s question, a couple of knights tried to approach him.

“It’s fine,” he answered, waving his hand and dismissing them before closing the window again. 

The crushed tip of the cross dully shone in his hand.

He felt pathetic.

If she was Nelia, would we have celebrated the wedding anniversary together? He repeated the question to himself, and realizing how stupid it sounded, he let out another sigh.

Sounds ridiculous.

Then, forcefully closing his eyes, Dehart wished for the nightmares to come forth.

But sadly, his dead parents refused to grant his request.

And he got lost in dreams of the past instead.

* * *

It was their first night after getting married.

Dehart stood still in front of the bedroom’s door, arms crossed, debating whether he should go in or turn back.

However, his troubles quickly dispersed like dust when Sebelia opened said door with a creaking sound.

“Oh,” she had said.

“…….”

Their eyes met, and the two of them explored one aother with wariness and faint curiosity.

Sebelia, with her neck slightly tilted like a cat, stared at him for a while before opening the door further, and said, “Please come in.”

Dehart’s eyes instantly narrowed, and stared at her even more intently.

He studied her tense and pale face, her slightly trembling hands, and misty eyes.

He did so until he finally spoke in a blunt voice, “I cannot stand people with bad sleeping habits. If you annoy me even a little, I will leave, so keep that in mind.”

It was unclear how she took his harsh words, but her round vivid eyes curved cutely.

She then held onto his sleeve before answering in a casual tone, “It’s ok. I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep tonight anyway.

“I’m serious, madam.”

“I’m serious, too.”

And after a moment of some more exchanged glances, the two spent the first night without their hands even touching.

It was a rather normal start, but it left place for them to dream of an ordinary future together.

Although, it did result in the betrayal he had expected.