After I Died, My Husband Went Mad - Chapter 222

Somehow, the feeling wasn’t right. Dehart frowned as he descended the stairs to the basement. His hasty excursion had yielded a fruitful result. He’d confirmed the collusion between Roden and Wheddon.

Still… why does it feel like I’m overlooking something?

“Ugh!”

Dehart dropped the sack onto the basement floor and frowned deeply. Clearly, something had slipped past him.

“Now then… who are you? I don’t know what I did wrong, but my apologies. Truly, I’m sorry. But listen carefully—I’m an old man with little time left.”

“……”

“Is there no one there? If someone is listening, think twice. Hurting an old man like me won’t do you any good. And, not to brag, but if I were gone, the higher-ups wouldn’t let it slide… not one or two, but more!”

While Dehart was brooding and Roden tried in vain to reason with the unnamed kidnapper, Eli, who had brought the keys, locked the door. Click. The eerie sound made Roden’s shoulders twitch in alarm.

“Ah.”

At that moment, Dehart snapped out of his thoughts. He realized he should have bought the tart Sebelia wanted while passing through Marlen District. Groaning at his own oversight, he buried his face in his hands.

Then, as Roden began making veiled threats, Dehart sent a small bolt of lightning his way.

“Ugh!”

The jolt ran down Roden’s spine, and he curled up like an insect. His mouth, which had been bragging about how the imperial knights would hang anyone who resisted him, suddenly went silent.

Eli, who had been bringing the restraints, clicked his tongue at the scene.

“Who exactly are you threatening? Better stay put, old man.”

“You scoundrels! Do you even realize who you’ve messed with?!”

When reasoning and threats failed, Roden began to panic. After all, he was an old man used to secluding himself with his concoctions, so enduring this long was impressive in itself.

But Dehart didn’t care about his thin patience. He wanted only one thing.

“Long time no see, Roden.”

“……!”

Roden’s face went pale as the sack was removed, revealing his own identity. The swagger he had just carried vanished; he began trembling like a leaf.

Dehart looked down at him and smiled coldly.

“Now, explain who you’ve been messing with.”

“D-Duke… I don’t know what misunderstanding you’re under…”

“Oh, it’s been so long since we met. You still don’t know how much I despise the word ‘misunderstanding,’ do you?”

Taking the gloves Eli handed him over his shoulder, Dehart murmured in a low voice:

“But, since you’ve spent countless years making that cursed d**g for me, perhaps it’s fair to give you one chance.”

Thwack. He let go of the taut leather glove with a slight smile. Roden, fully aware of his guilt, seemed on the verge of fainting.

Dehart grabbed Roden by the collar as he tried to pass out and growled.

“Tell me whose orders you’ve been following, what you’ve been scheming here, what you gave to Nathan Wheddon, and what you intended to do with it. Speak the truth.”

Or else, you’ll never see sunlight again. The chilling whisper echoed across the basement floor.

* * *

By dawn, Lang Elisa was bathed in soft light. Nathan returned to the estate, and Silas, anxious for him, summoned him immediately to the office.

“Well?”

“As you see, I brought it back safely.”

Nathan placed a small vial on the table, brimming with the colorless d**g Nelia had tried to use on Sebelia.

“Was this really necessary?”

“What?”

Nathan frowned at Silas’ indifferent tone.

“Do we really need to insist on such a troublesome method? Sebelia is already being kept alive in secret. We could have just persuaded the old man—or stolen the formula…”

“Nathan Wheddon.”

“…Yes, Father.”

“I’ve told you repeatedly since childhood, yet nothing changes. Why does your judgment seem worse by the day?”

Nathan glared at Silas, then bowed his head in shame and anger. Silas sighed, observing his son’s trembling neck.

“Even if you’ve got that old man in your hands, have you considered the next step? Do you think Mrs. Gren would simply comply and hand him over? Of course not. She’ll figure out why we made such a foolish choice.”

Then Mrs. Gren would know Sebelia is alive. Nathan clamped his mouth shut, knowing he had no rebuttal.

Silas narrowed his eyes. It was obvious.