The Husband I Thought Was Dead Has Returned - Chapter 63

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Husband Who Should Have Died Returns Episode 063
Not long after, Linnen began accomplishing more tasks. She brought me a letter—this time from Count and Countess Bruate.
Linnen opened her mouth to speak as she handed me the letter, then closed it again. Sometimes she forgot that she couldn’t speak.
With a wry smile, Linnen pulled out another folded paper from her bosom. It was for written communication.
[My parents attended a Liansherus Society gathering. When they brought high mountain tea as a gift, Countess Caslit was delighted. She said she was happy to find someone who could share stories of home. Since then, they’ve been growing close.]
The information I’d extracted from Countess Yotlrey had proven effective.
Linnen handed me the letter sent by the Count and Countess. Their handwriting was far more refined than hers. Who on earth do you take after, Linnen?
[The meetings have changed from twice monthly to weekly. Countess Caslit brings up stories of home at every gathering. Tales of longing for their homeland, the hardships faced in the Southern Region, how they must help one another. The atmosphere grows increasingly fervent.]
[Something new has emerged. They collect money at each meeting under the guise of donations. They claim it will be used for charitable purposes, but the sums gathered are quite substantial for charity. No one knows where it goes. They’re not disclosing its use, yet people follow Countess Caslit like a deity.]
What sort of cult is this?
I set the letter down.
The frequency of meetings had increased. From twice monthly to weekly. The pace of strengthening their bonds was accelerating. And the method of binding the emotions of the immigrant nobility by stirring their nostalgia was unmistakably intentional.
Moreover, donations. This was likely the crux of it. If I followed the money’s flow, I could catch their tail. They were collecting money under the name of a charitable fund, and I needed to discover where that money was going.
I recalled Countess Yotlrey’s information that Countess Caslit conducted volunteer work with the Temple Priests.
What if the donations were flowing into the Temple? The Temple had deep roots in the Southern Region—even the natives didn’t dare touch it carelessly. If they were funneling funds there, this wasn’t merely a social gathering. They were building a faction.
Then where was that Temple’s newfound wealth going? My head grew complicated.
The donations they were collecting. The Temple. The Beltria Textile Shop. Kaslit. And the Liansherus Society.
The dots were connecting one by one, drawing a line.
Linnen looked up at my face. She handed me another paper.
[Was it helpful?]
Beside her round handwriting was a flower-like drawing. It looked like a potato, but no matter how I thought about it, it seemed to be a sunflower.
“Very much so.”
I nodded with a smile. Linnen laughed softly.
“They say they’re making new pastries today. Linnen, if you have time, let’s go eat some.”
Linnen left with a radiant smile.
I had to pass this to Cherez. Recalling the traces of poison that had stolen Linnen’s voice, I reminded myself once more how dangerous this was. I bit my lip.

* * *

Yureain arrived late in the evening, her expression grave as she sought me out.
“I have selected two knights as you instructed.”
Yureain spoke first, meaning she had chosen the knights who would accompany me to the Karencia Estate. I glanced around before nodding.
“Who are they?”
“One is a scout within the Knight Order. He is well-versed in mountain paths and taciturn by nature—his name is Dorpin. He has traversed the Southern Region’s mountainous terrain for over a decade.”
His reticence was advantageous, as was his skill in climbing mountains. The journey to Karencia had to remain clandestine, and a chatterbox would have been disastrous. Had it been someone like Chloe, the entire Southern Region would have known of our arrival before we even reached Karencia.
“And the other?”
“A female knight named Mila. She possesses extensive knowledge of medicinal herbs and is well-suited for survival on Crukt Mountain. She is also the daughter of an herbalist.”
This was an aspect I had not considered. Crukt Mountain is difficult for outsiders to access, which means procuring herbs from outside would be equally challenging. Robin alone would struggle with that burden.
What if Hayden fell ill? Infants succumb to fever in an instant. Her knowledge would prove invaluable in distinguishing poisonous plants from edible ones and in foraging for sustenance.
“An excellent choice.”
“Mila is particularly skilled with children. She has several nephews.”
I felt an unexpected kinship. Anyone who raises nephews is a comrade, are they not? I had several myself.
“When will you tell them?”
Yureain slowed her pace slightly.
“I am watching for the right moment. Since the Duchess’s image within the Knight Order is favorable at present, the response should not be unfavorable. I will proceed with utmost caution. We cannot afford to raise unnecessary suspicion.”
I nodded. She was right. If rumors spread that the Duchess was preparing to flee, it would be catastrophic.
“My lady.”
“Yes.”
“What if the two of them refuse?”
Yureain looked at me. Her eyes were profound. Even when she smiled, there was depth in her gaze.
“They will not refuse.”
It was an assertion.
“I selected people who would follow wherever you go.”
Those words settled heavily in my chest. There are people willing to follow me. That was proof that I had sufficiently woven myself into this world. It was all thanks to Yureain’s support.
“Thank you, Yureain.”
And I would continue to live in this world alongside Yureain until Cherez returned safely.

* * *
Cherez was rarely in the Garden.
For some reason, he sat on the Bench, gazing toward the lawn.
Following his gaze, I spotted Hayden playing on the grass. As it happened, Hayden was out for a walk with Yureain.
I had come looking for Cherez.
A yellow butterfly fluttered before Hayden’s eyes. He stretched both arms and flailed his chubby hands through the air, but the butterfly evaded him with ease.
“Mya! Mya mya!”
Hayden waddled after the butterfly, his gait unsteady. Watching him charge forward on legs still perfecting their coordination made my heart clench. His short legs moved rapidly, eager to run.
Cherez watched him intently.
His profile was peculiar. Usually sharp and severe, now something quiet settled over his features. So even this man had moments like these.
“May I sit beside you?”
Cherez turned to meet my gaze, then nodded. I settled quietly beside him, and we both gazed in the same direction.
Hayden lost the butterfly and began chasing again. Without a sense of direction, he spun in circles. The butterfly had already flown to the opposite side, but Hayden hadn’t noticed yet.
What should I do about this?
After watching Hayden chase the butterfly he’d belatedly found again, I carefully opened my mouth.
“Cherez.”
He turned his head toward me. I felt as though I were interrupting his rest.
But the matter was equally important.
“I have something to tell you. It’s about the Liansherus Society. Apparently, they’ve been meeting more frequently lately. And under the guise of donations, they’re collecting money each time—substantial amounts, I’m told.”
Cherez’s eyes narrowed. He understood that what I was saying carried weight.
“If we trace the flow of money, we’ll find the thread.”
“Should I pass this information to Sir Borgus?”
“Yes. If we examine the Trading Company’s ledgers, something might surface. Look into the Beltria Trading Company.”
Cherez was the sort of man who grasped two things from one hint. That he had remained unaware of the Southern Region’s corruption until now only meant it had been exceptionally well concealed.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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