After I Died, My Husband Went Mad - Chapter 279

Raking a hand through his hair with a heavy sigh, Dehart looked visibly troubled.

“It turns out there is a Lady Fria, the second daughter of Count Vester in the South—but she’s not the same person as the woman currently locked in my basement.”

Claude, who had been quietly listening, went rigid.

“So someone disguised themselves as Lady Fria to try to kill Lady Rosalyn.”

Dehart nodded to Sebelia’s question, rubbing his eyelids as a wave of exhaustion hit him.

“I tried to get to the bottom of it, but she refused to say a word. We had to resort to a full search, and this is what we found.”

“What is it?”

“…It’s the insignia of the underground organization that once tried to kill you, Bella.”

A heavy silence pressed in on them. Sebelia’s lips parted, her face pale, but before she could speak a loud noise echoed from afar.

Bang!

“You can’t do this!”

“Stand back, now!”

Thud! The sound of iron doors being battered rang out again. Startled, Sebelia rushed to the window and flung it open, trying to take in the situation outside—just in time to see Dehart already crossing the garden at a run.

“Bring out my fiance at once, Duke Inverness!”

The Third Prince, Hares, lead the Imperial Knights as they attempted a forced entry.

Sebelia let out a shaky breath.

“Oh no.”

“Stay with Rosalyn, Bella.”

Claude said, gripping her shoulder. He looked ready to dash to Dehart’s side himself, but before he could take a single step, the door to the hallway swung open.

“That won’t be necessary.”

Rosalyn, looking exhausted, was already heading toward Hares. As Sebelia hesitated, Claude reached out and stopped her, spinning Rosalyn around to face him. He scolded her, stern as if reprimanding a child.

“You’re a patient. You need to rest.”

“I… I just—”

For a moment, Rosalyn seemed at a loss, confronted with her uncle’s stern face.

“Dehart will explain everything to the Third Prince. If he hears you’re unwell, he’ll understand and go back. All right?”

Just minutes ago, he’d been conspiring with the others not to send her back, but now Claude was coaxing her with gentle words. Unaware of Sebelia’s incredulous look, Rosalyn felt her throat tighten with emotion seeing her uncle’s sincere concern.

“I…”

It was a kind of affection she’d never even received from Baron Valerie. It was so unlike the controlling love of the Second Queen and Hares.

Suddenly, something exploded outside.

Boom!

“What is the meaning of this, Duke? How dare you use your powers against royalty! Are you looking to be charged with treason?”

Hares’s furious voice rang out inside the manor. But Dehart was not the sort to let such things slide.

“Hah! Does Your Highness feel your life is in danger just because lightning struck the ground? Seems your life is a trivial thing, not worth much at all.”

“Wh-what did you say?!”

Tensions erupted as the Imperial Knights and Inverness’s own knights began to clash, the situation only escalating as the capital guard came rushing from the distance.

This can’t go on.’

Sebelia thought, narrowing her eyes as she began to summon her power. She was preparing to subdue everyone with her illusion magic.

Blue light started to pool in her palm—when suddenly a hand gently covered hers. She looked up and met Rosalyn’s unwavering gaze.

“I’ll go back.”

There was unshakable resolve in those golden eyes.

“Hares needs me. In other words, to get me back, he’s willing to do anything. No matter the cost, even if it means going up against the Duke.”

It was clear that persuasion wouldn’t work. Still, Claude tried one last time with pleading eyes.

“You don’t have to go. We can handle this, somehow.”

Rosalyn drew in a sharp breath. Her shining golden eyes wavered for just a moment, then steeled once more.

She gently removed Claude’s hand from her arm. Claude let out a sigh, eyes closed in resignation.

“You just came back to us…”

Passing by him, Rosalyn whispered softly.

“Not yet.”

And with that, she strode confidently across the garden, brought the fight to an end, and left with the Third Prince to return to the palace. Dehart tried to stop her, but she gently refused.

* * *

After that, they didn’t hear from Rosalyn again. Once she returned to the palace, she never set foot outside the Third Prince’s palace.

“He’s obviously holding her there against her will. I should go get her—right now.”

Claude paced furiously around the study. Sebelia sighed as she watched his anger barely contained, while Dehart sat, reading a letter from the Third Prince.

The letter, barely half a page, was concise:

[For the sake of my dear, noble-hearted Rosalyn, I shall overlook your offense this once.]

Dehart gave a cold laugh and tossed the letter into the fire.

“My Rosalyn. What a farce.”