After I Died, My Husband Went Mad - Chapter 209

“That’s an absurd accusation! The Marquis would never do such a thing!”

Charles shouted in defense of the choking butler. Recognizing the injustice in his eyes, Dehart coldly smiled and bowed his head.

“…!”

When their eyes met, Charles realized.

This man was mad.

His eyes glowed gold like lightning, tinged with red energy—a sight no sane person could accept. Even someone like Charles, who avoided magic all his life, could instantly tell this was no ordinary state.

“If you keep acting like this, you won’t come out unscathed either…”

Terrified, Charles trembled and stammered. Dehart sneered.

“Pretending to serve the Marquis?”

“Ugh!”

Dehart threw the butler aside and dusted off his hands. Charles crawled toward the butler and helped him up just as—

“Duke.”

Beyond the dust-covered gate, knights in black uniforms appeared. Among them was Eli, stepping forward confidently, wearing Inverness’s crest on his chest.

“We will guard this place.”

Eli smiled slyly, turned, and blocked the wide-open gate. Knights spread out to encircle the Marquis’s mansion. Charles was left speechless—there was no way to call for reinforcements now.

Dehart glanced at the scene before moving forward. People who noticed the commotion were glued to the mansion’s windows. From the highest point, a gaze watched him closely.

Clenching his teeth with trembling eyes was Nathan.

“Ah.”

There he was. As their eyes met, Dehart flicked his fingers with anticipation.

Crash!

A lightning bolt struck the 200-year-old oak tree that Wheddon had been boasting about in an instant.

* * *

Nathan felt like he was losing his mind. This was beyond all reason, far from anything acceptable.

Staring at the blackened tree, he ran down the stairs, cursing through clenched teeth.

“That madman calls this ‘safety’…!”

This was Lang Elisa, the capital city, the pride of Belkram and the imperial seat! How dare he bring knights and use force without even realizing where he was? Did the Duke of the North want his head cut off?

At that moment, servants collapsed like falling leaves. Dehart headed straight for where Sebelia was being held.

“Damn it!”

Whether to behead or dismember him would have to wait until after the matter was settled. First, they had to capture this madman.

Nathan cursed his absent father as he ran through the hallway. The thought that his father had left to verify Sebelia’s identity had long vanished from his mind.

Just then, he caught sight of Dehart disappearing around the corner.

No!

He could not allow the sight of Dehart carrying Sebelia out of the mansion. There was no way to let a madman be called a hero!

But fate was not on Nathan’s side. As he rounded the corner, he saw the ruined hallway. Through the tattered doors, Dehart emerged, holding Sebelia.

“Do you really think you’ll get away with this, Duke?!”

Nathan shouted as if coughing up blood. Dehart smiled coldly.

“You’re the shameless kidnapper. Should I thank you for saving me the trouble of finding her?”

“You’ve completely lost your mind. Who do you think she is? She’s family. None of your business, outsider!”

Nathan glanced out the window then stepped forward toward Sebelia.

“Put my sister down, Duke. She needs help.”

Knowing exactly what gave Nathan courage, Dehart found it laughable. He thought of the knights outside pretending to be on the defensive against the guards and smirked.

Then he spoke firmly.

“No. She’s not your sister. How dare you say she’s family with scum like you?”

“What?!”

“If you cared so much, you should have taken better care of your dead sister.”

Hit with the insult, Nathan’s eyes reddened and he gasped for breath. It was the first time he felt reason snap.

As the guards’ shouts grew closer and his anger flared, Nathan drew his sword.

“This is your own doing, Duke!”

And just as he swung his blade at Dehart, all the windows in the mansion exploded outward.

“Aaah!”

His once-glorious blonde hair burned to pitch black, smoke rising from his body. Though not dead, Nathan rolled on the ground, looking worse than if he were.

“I’ll kill you, I swear I will…!”

Ignoring the wheezing sounds, Dehart leapt through a window, trampling the guards sprawled on the floor, and strode out of the mansion.