After I Died, My Husband Went Mad - Chapter 218

While her unknown cousin worried about her safety, Sebelia was deeply focused alongside Claude, trying to uncover the name of the blue bird.

Pirit!

“Ah, no!”

Just as they were trying to connect, the blue bird suddenly seemed distracted by the world outside the window and flew away like a captive. Sebelia opened the window with a helpless expression, watching the bird protest.

“Let’s call it a day for now.”

“But…”

“No. I know you stayed up late practicing until dawn yesterday. I’m not blind. It’s time to rest now. The name of the familiar spirit will come naturally when the moment is right.”

She wished the moment would come sooner, but the looming art exhibition weighed on her mind, furrowing her brow. Claude noticed her distress and gently comforted her.

“Don’t stress too much. Maybe the pressure is why the name isn’t coming to you. Relax and take it easy.”

“Haah, I hope that happens as you say.”

Sebelia sighed and shook her head.

“I keep feeling like I’m not enough. I only have one more spying illusion left, yet there’s no signal, and I even fainted just from making a simple clone…”

“Stop there. You’re doing fine. The mental strength it took to create such a detailed clone and escape deserves praise.”

Claude caught the blue bird that was now fluttering erratically and continued,

“It’s natural to feel worried if you can’t do well, to feel discouraged and lose sleep over bad thoughts. But remember this one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“That no matter how lacking you think you are, there’s someone beside you who fills those gaps.”

Handing the bird back, Claude glanced out the window. Beyond her line of sight, standing quietly in the distant garden, was a man with shining golden eyes.

“Remembering that alone should be enough.”

Claude, standing with his back to the window, smiled warmly.

* * *

“Is garden care always this endless? It seems like you’ve been tending it bit by bit for days, yet there’s no sign of progress.”

Dehart, trimming thorny flower stalks, glanced at Eli. His dark golden eyes scanned him quietly before returning to his work.

“There’s no need to prove your ignorance of gardening with such a pathetic remark.”

“Uh, I didn’t mean it like that—”

“I don’t want to hear it.”

He cut a stray branch sharply, his words heavy. Eli blinked blankly, then noticed the dark circles under Dehart’s eyes. He sighed at his own dull nerves.

He must be sleep-deprived and on edge.

Indeed, in recent days Dehart had cut back on sleep to dig into the First Queen’s influence. On top of that, he had to comb through the disgusting reports regularly sent from a spy attached to Nathan to understand the trap, making it feel like two bodies wouldn’t suffice.

Eli found himself feeling a mix of sympathy and respect for Dehart. Sensing the irritation, Dehart finally looked away.

“If you’re not here to report, then quit it and leave.”

“Actually, I’m here to report.”

Dehart’s face twisted grimly. Most of Eli’s reports concerned Nathan. Feeling a pang in his chest, Eli handed over a letter.

“…”

“Is it similar news this time?”

“Yes.”

Dehart sighed, threw off his gloves, and headed to his office. As Eli said, the reports from Nathan’s spy were similar to before but slightly more detailed.

Nathan Wheddon spent every night wandering taverns, known for a bad temper and a taste for women. That wasn’t alarming, but the fact that several women close to him had mysteriously disappeared was suspicious.

“But none of this is related to the exhibition.”

He slumped into his chair. Nathan’s scandals annoyed him but offered no immediate help.

“Looks like we’ll just have to wait for news from the spy planted on Silas.”

Dehart turned, looking out the window where Sebelia, finished with her lesson, strolled with the blue bird perched on her shoulder. Somehow, their eyes seemed to briefly meet.

“…Tch.”

Resigned, he clicked his tongue, grabbed his coat, and left the office. Eli arrived moments later, eyes bright as he followed.

“You’re getting involved personally? I knew you wouldn’t sit idly by.”

“You’re definitely going to be the death of yourself with that mouth.”

Cursing his loyal yet foolish subordinate, Dehart left the estate.