After I Died, My Husband Went Mad - Chapter 330

Even as he grumbled, Dehart was standing below with his arms out wide, as if he intended to catch Sebelia if she happened to fall. Blinking at the sight, Sebelia turned at once and hurried down from the city wall. She heard Balak’s tongue click behind her, but she ignored it.

As soon as she reached the bottom of the stairs, Dehart approached, just as if he’d been waiting for her. She found herself instantly wrapped up in his strong arms, and hugged him back.

“I was just taking a quick look around, that’s all.”

“I know.”

But knowing doesn’t make the fear go away. Dehart kept his worries to himself and simply hugged her tighter. As he did, Sebelia felt as if something broken inside her was being put back together.

“Bella.”

“Mm?”

Dehart lowered his head and pressed a kiss to her cheek, murmuring in a slightly pouty voice,

“If you like high places, let’s go up together next time.”

“…”

“Don’t leave me down here by myself.”

Sebelia’s soft laugh, like a blooming flower, tickled his ear. Her hands stroked gently down his back.

“You really are lonely sometimes, you know that?”

“Then don’t leave me alone, since you know.”

“Alright, I won’t from now on.”

It was a simple promise, but it was enough to make Dehart happy. Soon, Balak came down, checked the time, and suggested they should get going, since it would be easier for everyone if they arrived before nightfall.

Of course, his attempt to gently separate the two was unsuccessful.

“Oh, are we leaving now?” Sebelia’s eyes sparkled, still nestled in Dehart’s arms. She had worried they might depart too late, but this was perfect. Leaving now meant she’d get to see Frostwood from the carriage—a rare chance, since who knew when she’d visit Lockwood again?

Noticing her excitement, Balak chuckled and nodded.

“If we wait any longer, we’ll be in trouble. Hurry up and get in. And forgive the cramped ride, Your Grace. I need to ride with you to vouch for your identity.”

“It’s not as if I ever tried to throw you out of the carriage, Ambassador.”

“Well, I wouldn’t put it past you.”

While the two men kept bickering, Sebelia climbed into the carriage first, with Eli’s help.

“Aren’t you getting in?”

Sebelia called, glancing back at them with a mock-serious look.

“If you’re going to fight, do it inside the carriage.”

“I’m a pacifist, Bella. At least, until someone picks a fight with me.”

“Duke, I’ve never started anything with you. It’s just that your mood swings are unpredictable.”

Still, when the carriage reached the edge of Frostwood, both men fell quiet.

“Wow…”

Sebelia pressed her face to the window, eyes alight with wonder. The three of them traveled slowly but steadily through the forest, giving her plenty of time to take in the scenery and the unusual plants, and to admire the wild horses grazing in the shadows with manes that shimmered softly in the light.

When they finally arrived in Lockwood as planned, Sebelia couldn’t help but gasp in awe.

A city filled with green, fresh air—so different from the sun-drenched Empire, with its pale-toned buildings and gently curving streets that seemed to coax her into feeling like a stranger.

At the end of a pale stone road stood a grand old manor, spread out atop a hill like a field of red flowers, the edge of Frostwood visible beyond. It was all so beautiful, like a scene from a storybook.

As she stood there taking it in, someone approached.

“Bella!”

With an overwhelmed cry, Rossel swept her up in a hug.

“You’re finally here.”

For a moment, Sebelia couldn’t breathe. Everything she saw beyond the Frostwood was new—rooftops in soft shades, roads that twisted and curved gently, and faces that were both unfamiliar and, in a strange way, reminiscent of her own.

The people looking at her from behind Rossel were different, but something in their features felt oddly familiar, stirring a sense of homesickness and belonging all at once.

“Welcome home, Bella.”

But why was it? Why does she feel so at peace here?

It was as if she had been waiting for this very moment all along.

Emotions she couldn’t quite express welled up inside her, vibrating through the arms that held her close. Rossel’s whispered, “I’m so glad you’re home,” lingered sweetly in her ear.

Her heart that had been quietly beating until now, pounded so fiercely she thought it might burst. All at once, Sebelia’s throat tightened and her eyes stung.

Afraid to let go, she clung tightly to the embrace, cleared her throat, and finally managed to speak with a trembling voice.