After I Died, My Husband Went Mad

After the news spread that the first Duchess’s ghost had appeared, an increasingly gloomy atmosphere enveloped the mansion. And strangely, the servant’s treatment towards Sebelia gradually improved in contrast.

It was truly ridiculous.

She ran a hand through her hair, recalling the meal the maid personally brought to her this morning.

“It worked better than I expected.”

It had been a while since she tasted meat seasoned so generously with spices.

“Seems like everyone is taking the curse seriously.”

Belita, the first Duchess, was someone Sebelia, in her current situation, couldn’t understand.

Belita Inverness had her throat slit by her beloved husband. Despite that, she couldn’t let go of her love for him, and eventually became a demon twisted by her hatred and affection for her husband she couldn’t let go of even in death. Belita, who had now become a vengeful spirit bound to this mansion, appeared from generation to generation, cursing and killing innocent Duchesses.

Knock, knock.

“Madam, your tea is ready.”

“Oh. Come in.”

“……Yes.”

The maid entered the room with a contorted expression, perhaps because of the resentment against Sebelia still present in her heart.

She hesitated for a moment, seemingly not happy with the task she had to do, but eventually finished the job.

“I shall take my leave now.”

Before Sebelia knew it, the small table was filled with a splendid banquet for teatime—plates adorned with gold decorations, dainty and delightful treats, and a teapot full of fragrant tea.

In the face of the drastically changed treatment, Sebelia felt more emptiness than joy.

“Fear triumphs over hatred,” she said out loud.

It was said that after being cursed by Belita, the deceased mistresses occasionally succumbed to her influence and became vengeful spirits under her commands.

In the end, the servants only feared that they, too, might die and become vengeful demons.

“A dead duchess is more influential than a living one,” Sebelia joked before taking a sip of her tea.
“Hmmm, it smells delightful.”

For Sebelia, who was always treated like a thorn in this mansion, drinking tea that fitted her taste was a luxury.
Considering that just a few days ago, she had to be cautious when requesting a cup of tea, this was a huge improvement.

That’s how frightening the first Duchess was.

She recalled Belita’s portrait hanging in the hallway. With her long black hair flowing like the night sky and holding her husband’s hand that was resting on her shoulder. She was smiling, unaware of the future that awaited her, and she appeared genuinely happy. Still, she was better off than Sebelia.

At least she was once loved.

Her love story ended in tragedy due to a misunderstanding, but, in the end, it was still a love story.

But I didn’t even have the chance to do that.

Before she could sketch the form of love, all possibilities were snatched away from her.

[I can’t trust you anymore.]

Those words were spoken by a man who looked down at her with arrogant golden eyes.

[You know best why. So, abandon those futile dreams.]

[Dehart, please…….] she had pleaded.

[The day when we will sleep together like a normal couple will never come.]

Remembering the man who had dismissed her with insensitive eyes, Sebelia stared at the bottom of her teacup, and the dried tea leaves seemed to mock her miserable life.
* * *

“Find out who went to such lengths to publish such garbage.” Dehart said to Ryan, leaning back comfortably in his armchair. “No one would publish something so stupidly provocative without reasons.”

Dehart sneered coldly as numerous nobles’ names flashed through his minds.

Ryan nodded, wiping his face several times with a wet towel.

The dried blood was hard to remove. Ryan sighed and poured water directly on his face.

“You are getting water everywhere.”

“Sorry,” Ryan replied, hastily wiping his face dry with the towel at Dehart’s annoyed tone.

“By the way, that’s a very lowly move from people who pretend to be sophisticated.”

“That’s how they truly are,” Dehart sneered as he cut his cigar. “Why are those central bastards so obsessed with covering themselves with perfumes? It’s to mask their stench.” (1)

His leisurely whispering voice felt like a poisonous swamp. After Inhaling deeply from his cigar, Dehart puffed out the smoke while glancing out of the window just as the morning bell started to ring, waking up the town.

“This is not good.”

Beneath his tousled hair, Dehart’s golden eyes narrowed slightly.

“Those trash must have been found by now. Go check it out and come back.”
Ryan nodded and left right away.
Feeling a gaze weighting on him, Dehart turned around.

“…….”

His eyes met with the unnamed bird he bought a few days ago. The bird had green eyes, and after exchanging glances for a moment, he turned away again.

Before long, Ryan returned with an unexpected guest.

“Master,” the knight called.

“Oh, DeHart,” another voice followed.

“Uncle?”
* * *

DeHart, who didn’t expect to meet Rash in a place like this, frowned slightly.

Rash, on the other hand, looked at him with a wrinkled face filled with concern.

Ryan was the first to explain how the two of them had met.

“I was watching the suspects from a distance when Lord Rash spotted me.”

“You two left together so when I saw Ryan alone there, I worried that something had happened to you…”

Rash added, hunching his shoulders as if remembering what he had just seen on the street. For a moment, the burden of being a worried uncle emanated from him.

Then, He held DeHart’s shoulders and continued,

“Let’s change location for now. I can’t leave you alone in a shabby place like this. You don’t mind moving right away, do you?”

Dehart stared at Rash with his golden orbs, not knowing what to think of the situation. But Rash merely looked back at him with eyes full of concern, as if he was going crazy with worries for his nephew.

“Huh…….” Dehart sighed, sweeping up his hair as he said, “Okay. Go back for now. Give Ryan the address.”

“Let’s go together,” Rash replied.

“I have to pack my things.”

“I’ll send a servant to take care of your luggage later,” he insisted.

“No, I’ll take care of it myself,” Dehart answered methodically, removing Rash’s hand from his shoulder and putting some distance between them.

“I don’t like other people touching my stuff,” he added with an annoyed expression before chasing the smiling Rash away and closing his eyes.

In that moment, a delicate melody caught his attention.

“…….”

Opening his closed eyes wide, his golden pupils turned to the bird, and the animal confidently made eye contact with him as it sang.

Damn bird.

Why did it decide to make itself heard now? Besides, in such circumstances, the bird’s soft melody felt like it was making fun of him.

I thought it was just the color, but they really resemble each other; Dehart thought to himself as he lifted the birdcage, thinking of someone who was incapable of doing anything pleasant in his eyes.
* * *

“A ghost appeared in the mansion?”

Gwen inquired as she stood beside the bed where Flora, unable to get up, was lying.

She had just returned from taking care of the aftermath of what Rash had done.

The maid, uncertain of what to say, lowered her head, “Yes…. The ghost of the first Duchess suddenly appeared.”

“it’s probably just a hallucination.”

Gwen indifferently dismissed the subject.

Then Flora, who had been whimpering on the bed, suddenly opened her eyes and glared at her mother.

“You don’t believe me?”

“Oh, Flora,” Gwen sighed, rubbing her temples, unsure how to handle her daughter. “People often see and hear strange things when they have fever.”

“I didn’t hallucinate because of a fever!” Flora exclaimed, throwing down the towel on her forehead. “It was really Belita’s ghost. And you, why don’t you talk about what happened? It appeared a few more times, and you saw it.”

“Is Flora’s story true?” Gwen asked in a wry tone, and the maid nodded.

“Yes, I didn’t see it myself, but there have been two more people who’ve seen it beside the Lady.”

“See, Mother!” Flora, who had found other witnesses, raised her chin, and added, “I wasn’t scared of that ghost bitch.”

“Uh-huh…….” Gwen’s green eyes glanced past the maid and Flora. “The timing is too impeccable for it to be a coincidence.”

It was inevitable to suspect Sebelia’s involvement in that matter.

Belita’s ghost, who hadn’t appeared for numerous generations, not only suddenly showed its face, but restored a bit of Sebelia’s power as the Duchess.

In the end, because of her frightened daughter, they had to quickly open the safe and put back what Flora had stolen from Sebelia’s dowry.

Things might not have escalated so much if they didn’t directly intervene.

The servants must not be frightened into siding with that bitch; Gwen said inwardly.

The only reason she had left Sebelia alone so far was because she had no presence whatsoever. However, after the ghost appeared, the servants voluntarily began to treat her as the Lady of the mansion.

This meant that her influence was growing, and it posed a threat to Gwen who was in charge in her husband’s, Rash, absence.

I shouldn’t have sent my husband away. I should have at least left one person to hold the fort.

Tsk, even if he was there, he wouldn’t have been able to handle things properly. He always wanted to dump the important tasks on her.

Well, thanks to that she was able to get full control of the duchy. And, there was nothing she could do than feel sorry for herself now that things had already got to this point.

With a frown, Gwen got up from her seat.

“I guess I’ll need to meet her in person.”

“You don’t mean you’re going to see the ghost,” Flora muttered in a disapproving tone.

“It would be nice to see her on the way. I’ve always been curious,” Gwen replied cheerfully.

“Mother!” Flora pouted, and Gwen laughed, thinking her daughter looked cute.

“Don’t worry. Nothing you are concern about is going to happen.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

“Are you worried about your mother going to deal with that illegitimate woman? How cute.”

Gwen laughed confidently.

“Don’t worry. I’m going to take this opportunity to send her far away,” she mused, thinking of Sebelia’s eyes that always looked at her like a savior.

“Welcome, Gwen.”

However, the next day, when she actually met her, Sebelia was different from the woman in her memories.

“It’s been so long since I’ve seen you. Is Flora okay?”

Expressionless eyes, formal greetings were what she received.

Yes, Sebelia greeted her with a nonchalant attitude, as if she was dealing with a passing stranger, and Gwen barely managed to hide her bewilderment.

 

 

1-Dehart is implying that the central nobles are obsessed with perfect appearance, reputation and so on because they know they are corrupted, and rotten. Which is why they are obsessed with looking proper or perfect.