The Husband I Thought Was Dead Has Returned - Chapter 66

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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 066
At the same moment, inside the Kaslit Marquis Mansion.
A regular gathering of the Liansherus Society was underway. Nobility sat arranged in a vast chamber that emanated an otherworldly atmosphere. All of them were those who had migrated from the North. Among them were Count and Countess Bruate.
Between the crackling of the fireplace, the voice of Countess Caslit rang out with quiet composure.
“You have all worked tirelessly. Thanks to your dedication to Temple service, the priests’ trust in us continues to deepen.”
Her smile was leisurely.
“Has there been any directive from the North, perhaps?”
The young man who asked this had a rigid expression. Countess Caslit nodded.
“The Duchess of Hejest believes we are capable of accomplishing great things. The chaos of the South is the blessing of the North. She believes that the crimson moon rising this time will bring glory to the North.”
“Has the date of execution been determined?”
Someone else posed the question.
“On the third night after the crimson moon rises. That night, we shall establish the North’s glory upon the blood of the South.”
The Count and Countess listened intently to every word of the conversation.
Countess Caslit’s gaze turned toward Count Bruate, who looked about nervously like a frightened meerkat.
“Count Bruate, who relocated here not long ago, has also graced us with his presence. I imagine you don’t quite understand what we’re discussing?”
Count Bruate laughed awkwardly.
“That is correct. My daughter committed a grave offense against the Duchess of Hejest, and since we relocated to the South, we have merely relied upon the grace of Countess Caslit.”
Countess Caslit’s eyes narrowed in a smile. A chill gleamed in her gaze, and her lips curved into an arc as she spoke.
“Soon our sincerity shall bear fruit. When that day comes, I believe the North will recognize our devotion.”
Count Bruate blinked slowly.
“May I ask how we are to prove our loyalty?”
“…We shall serve a great purpose by destroying the divine servant. We shall bring an endless night upon the South.”
Those words came particularly slowly. Countess Caslit held Count Bruate’s gaze, her eyes widening.
Poison was clearly concealed beneath that radiant smile. Count Bruate’s heart plummeted.
A shock like ice water seeping into his fingertips washed over him. He was an utterly ordinary man.
To Count Bruate, it was…
“The crimson moon shall prove our loyalty.”
Utterly terrifying. Countess Bruate grasped her husband’s trembling hand tightly, unnoticed by others.
Her hand too was trembling.
This was it. The secret the Liansherus Society had harbored beneath the surface.
“Our loyalty shall reach Hejest and guide us to that lofty place. I believe Count Bruate shares this conviction.”
Count Bruate bit his lip hard. He concealed his discomfort and nodded. He could sense it instinctively. One misstep here meant death.
Countess Caslit possessed the eyes of one who had taken a life. Eyes that were indifferent and chilling.
‘So that’s what those eyes meant.’
Only now could Count Bruate comprehend where he had stepped. A vertiginous dread washed over him, as though he had fallen into a bottomless swamp.
‘I must—I absolutely must inform the Duchess.’

* * *
As the Otherworld Night drew near, I had been losing sleep frequently of late. Today too, I awoke far earlier than usual. The air was considerably colder than it normally was.
Hayden was still sleeping soundly.
Watching the child sleep peacefully, I found myself thinking that perhaps everything would be all right. Everything felt so tranquil in those moments—even in times when it was not.
“Hayden, how wonderful it would be if the world were as lovely as you are.”
I brushed my hand absently across the baby’s hair and exhaled a long sigh.
A simple bracelet with a blue bead strung on rough leather swayed with my movements. That sensation of Cherez tying it with clumsy hands amid the festive clamor remained vivid. More than the leather’s distinctive musty scent, his fragrance had brushed against my nose.
The sensations of that day seemed to cling to my skin.
Cherez was indifferent yet tender, clumsy yet relentlessly upright. That calm voice saying, “I wish every day of mine were a festival,” kept echoing in my mind.
“I’m losing my mind.”
I murmured as though sighing. That was when it happened.
Urgent hoofbeats shattered the silence.
Perhaps I had awakened early for this very reason. As I peered into the corridor, Yureain approached.
Yureain bowed her head to me. I, standing with one foot half-crossed into the bedroom, swallowed hard.
“Duchess, you were already awake.”
“A visitor at this hour? Has something happened?”
My heart raced. An ominous weight seemed to fill the mansion.
“…A knight from the Imperial Capital has arrived. His Grace is speaking with him now….”
Yureain glanced around and lowered her voice.
“I believe it would be best if you went to see him. The atmosphere was most unusual.”
I nodded.
“…What of Hayden?”
“I shall watch over him carefully.”
I entrusted Hayden to Yureain and made my way to the study. With each step, the beads of the bracelet clinked softly against one another, a sound like the ticking of a clock.
As I approached the study, thick male voices leaked through the gap in the closed door.
I stopped. The first thing I heard was Borgus’s fury.
“This is absurd! An imperial decree, you say? If the shield of the Southern Region crumbles, do you truly believe the people of Jedo will be spared!”
The air visible through the doorway was already suffocatingly heavy. Beyond the desk, his silhouette stood against the window, appearing far more massive and threatening than usual.
And there was another figure in the blind spot. He appeared to be the knight from the Capital.
He spoke with an affected tone.
“Have you not been advocating for autonomy? His Imperial Majesty wishes to respect that desire. In recognition of the Southern Territory’s independence and noble honor, he has decided to entrust all preparations for this coming war to the territory’s own capacity.”
“How eloquently he phrases the withdrawal of military support.”
A laugh escaped me unbidden. So it begins. This was the very matter mentioned in the original work when Cherez’s death was being investigated.
The Imperial Court had deliberately cut off support.
“Does the Imperial Court wish for the Southern Region to be annihilated?”
“What manner of words are these? His Imperial Majesty naturally desires the safety and peace of the Southern Region.”
His shameless voice continued. Then he added:
“Do not misconstrue the will of His Majesty. How does recognizing the Southern Region’s autonomy lead to such a conclusion? He is even granting you military decision-making authority.”
I had asked for the right to make decisions without waiting for the Imperial Court’s approval in times of war, not for military supplies to be cut off.
“Truly remarkable each time. Do you feel no shame? Do you even comprehend what you are saying?”
I could hear Borgus doing his best to jeer at me. But whatever happens in the Southern Region, the Imperial Court’s decision won’t change.
House Hejest was involved, and the Imperial Court is simply siding with them while feathering its own nest.
“That’s enough. I don’t think there’s anything more worth hearing.”
At Cherez’s cold dismissal, I rose from my seat first. What was done was done—
Ugh, this is absolutely infuriating!

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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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