The Husband I Thought Was Dead Has Returned - Chapter 75

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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 075
That night.
Cassian moved up the evening prayer by thirty minutes.
No one questioned his decision. Ever since High Priest Cuspis entered into fasting prayer, all decisions at the Temple had fallen to Cassian, the High Priest.
“Tonight’s evening prayer will be held jointly in the Grand Prayer Hall.”
The Grand Prayer Hall was not located in the Temple’s Main Hall, but rather outdoors, roughly an hour’s distance away.
“We are to travel to the Grand Prayer Hall?”
“Has the crimson moon not risen? I hear the Duke of Bereidan marches to war tomorrow. Soon the beasts will trample this land. Therefore, we shall observe a fasting prayer from the Grand Prayer Hall until dawn.”
Cassian opened his mouth before the priests. A faint smile played across his face—as it always did, as it always had.
In truth, it was not uncommon to hold prayers at the Grand Prayer Hall in anticipation of the crimson moon, so no one harbored suspicion. Cassian’s voice grew softer.
“The crimson moon deepens. All say this one will persist for some time. Let us pray together that Saint Urenis’s blessing may enfold the Southern Region.”
Fourteen priests bowed their heads.
“Let us pray.”
All spoke in unison.
“For the next week, we shall pray at the Grand Prayer Hall. Prepare provisions to sustain yourselves there. Until the High Priest returns, let us sharpen our devotion to Saint Urenis through prayer.”
“Let us pray.”
As expected, no one raised objections.
The Grand Prayer Hall lay to the east of the Temple, and once prayer commenced, it was customary not to leave the space for at least two hours. To abandon one’s place midway was deemed disrespectful to Saint Urenis.
Under Cassian’s guidance, the procession toward the Grand Prayer Hall began.
Just before departing the Temple, Cassian remained behind, claiming he needed to conduct one final inspection. He made straight for the Corridor toward the Storage. There, he unlocked three doors that should have remained sealed: the Storage entrance, the Underground Passage, and the Temple West Back Door. His hands trembled as he turned the keys. By the time he reached the third door, the key slipped from his grasp.
He steadied his breath, retrieved the key, and opened the door.
When he emerged, the priests had already finished their preparations and awaited him. Together with them, Cassian walked for an hour to reach the Grand Prayer Hall.
Cassian knelt alone before the dais.
He gazed up at the statue of Saint Urenis with a heart confessing true sin. It felt as though Saint Urenis condemned him, his heart heavy as if crushed beneath stone.
“Let us begin.”
Cassian began to sing a hymn. His low, reverent voice echoed against the naturally formed wooden dome. The priests closed their eyes and began to follow in song. Candles burned in rows.
When I closed my eyes, I saw Rita’s face. Her hand, which I had held at our last meeting, had nothing left but bone. Brother, she had called out, her voice so thin it seemed to scatter on the wind.
There was medicine that could save her. She was dying because we had no money.
With this, Rita would live. As she had barely managed to do until now.
‘Brother, when spring comes, let’s go see the flowers. The physician here says I should be fine until spring. So don’t worry.’
Spring.
After the crimson moon faded and the war passed, spring would come. And Rita would be at Cassian’s side then as well.
Yet now, when I closed my eyes, it was not Rita’s face I saw—but Cuspis’s.
Still, Cassian’s voice did not waver as he sang.

* * *
About an hour after the priests departed, the Temple West Back Door swung open.
Every door lining the corridor to its end stood ajar.
“Work as quickly as possible.”
The Storage stretched across the entire Underground Passage of the Temple, vast and cavernous. Shelves groaned under the weight of emergency provisions stacked to bursting.
The intruders withdrew items wrapped in oil paper from the boxes they’d brought—several pouches containing black powder and sealed glass vials.
“If you don’t want to die right now, be careful.”
The intruders began forcing the powder pouches into the gaps between bricks.
When ignited, the glass would shatter, spilling its liquid while the powder detonated simultaneously.
If the Underground Passage erupted, the Temple building itself would collapse.
With the master absent, death had taken residence in the Temple.

* * *
When I returned with a well-fed Hayden, Cherez was already seated on the sofa, as though his work were finished.
“Dada dada!”
The moment I set Hayden down, he lunged toward Cherez. Wobbling on unsteady legs, he clung to Cherez’s knee with a soft thud.
“Baba! Gya gya gaga! Dada!”
I couldn’t decipher his words, but his joy was unmistakable. He giggled and nuzzled his face against Cherez’s knee. Cherez settled the child onto his lap.
“He’s eaten well, it seems. He’s grown heavier.”
“Dada!”
Hayden immediately began climbing Cherez. Ever since his legs had grown stronger, he’d been obsessed with scaling everything. Just recently, he’d clambered atop the sofa’s backrest, giving me a terrible fright.
Hayden planted both hands on Cherez’s chest and wriggled his hips as he scrambled up his body, his face radiant and utterly carefree. Then he seized Cherez’s hair and beamed with triumph.
“Dada dada dada dada! Baba!”
“Y-yes. Well done, Hayden.”
When I gave him a thumbs up, Hayden’s expression brightened even further. Only Hayden could mangle Cherez’s face like this.
Cherez swiftly peeled the child away and lifted him high into the air.
“You little rascal.”
So that’s how much he’s grown.
“Come now, Hayden. Let’s do this.”
I retrieved the picture cards I’d labored over. I’d updated them recently, hadn’t I? Hayden recognized the cards and flailed his arms and hands excitedly.
“What’s that?”
“Picture cards I made myself. Would you like to see how they work?”
The moment Cherez nodded, I settled beside him and showed the cards to Hayden.
“How does a bird cry?”
“Chirp!”
“And what is this creature?”
“Oink oink!”
“That’s right, a pig! Excellent, Hayden! How does a pig sound, did you say?”
“Gya gya gya!”
“A pig, I mean, a pig.”
Hayden sprayed saliva everywhere with a wet sound, flashing a bright smile that showed his lower teeth. Cherez, hit by the spray, let out a dry laugh.
Ha, that’s what raising children is like… The tension and fear from the night before the war seemed to have been blown away in an instant by Hayden.
“Da-da-da-da-da-da!”
Hayden answered enthusiastically, whether right or wrong.
I tried to quickly switch to the next card, but Hayden snatched the pig card and gripped it tightly in both hands, showing no sign of giving it back even when I asked.
“Oink-oink-oink!”
“That’s right!”
“Oink-oink-oink-oink!”
“He does seem to have a particular fondness for pigs.”
“Wonder why—must take after someone.”
Cherez said playfully, then gave Hayden’s plump bottom a couple of light taps. Hayden paid him no mind, stretching the pig card wide in both directions.
“It’ll tear at this rate.”
“This is already the third one I’ve had to redraw.”
I snatched the card away when Hayden tried to put it in his mouth.
“You can’t put it in your mouth.”
“No!”
“You can’t!”
“No! No!”
Fortunately, Hayden gave up quickly and turned his attention from the card to Cherez’s finger, grasping his index finger with his chubby hand and bending it this way and that as he played.
Cherez let the child have his hand. I’d thought Hayden was rather large, and he was, but nestled against Cherez like this, he looked as small as a little sausage. He seemed drowsy.

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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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