Chapter 50
After I Died, the Little Groom
It took Nadia a moment to fully understand Heinrich’s words.
“…Have you read the translation?”
“Yes.”
“This isn’t verified information, Your Grace.”
“Even so, I must check. I will summon a priest and go to my wife’s grave immediately.”
“Your Grace!”
Nadia stepped in front of Heinrich, her desperation showing.
“Your Grace, the Duchess passed away in a carriage accident in the mountains. It must have been more than a day before the funeral could take place. The details in this book don’t even match that.”
“I know. But I have to confirm it. If my wife’s body is no longer there, someone tried to bring her back to life. I don’t know if that’s even possible, but still…”
“That’s impossible. Who would dare disturb a grave on Baldwin land?”
“…Follow me.”
Heinrich extended his hand, clearly no longer interested in arguing. His fingers trembled slightly.
Nadia couldn’t ignore him.
She took his hand and followed him.
Half voluntarily, half dragged along, she climbed into the carriage, her confusion only deepening.
Would Rebenia’s body still be in the grave?
To be honest, even Nadia herself had no clue.
As she had said, Rebenia had not fulfilled the conditions of the dark magic. Yet she was still alive, carrying Rebenia’s memories, though in a completely different physical form.
The Baldwin servants were startled by the sudden order, but they moved in perfect unison, executing it diligently.
Within an hour, the priest arrived, and the strongmen boarded a separate carriage prepared for them.
The Dowager of Baldwin rushed out upon hearing the commotion, but Heinrich ordered the carriage to depart.
When Nadia glanced back worriedly, Heinrich spoke.
“My mother cared for my wife deeply. She may faint if she sees the body.”
“…Yes.”
Nadia bit her dry lips.
Heinrich observed every little gesture of hers, then turned his head sharply, as if cutting off any display of weakness.
“I know what I am doing is no different from a madman.”
To think he would dig up his deceased wife’s grave over words in a tattered old book—it was the sort of thing that would have the world pointing fingers.
“But if I do not confirm it, I will remain trapped in that book forever.”
Nadia only moved her lips, unsure what to say.
Watching him, she felt the reality of how insane his actions were.
“I’m sorry. This will be the last time.”
If it weren’t for Rebenia, she wouldn’t even begin to understand what Heinrich meant. Nor would she understand why he was doing such a mad thing in the first place.
‘Am I mistaken?’
Heinrich looked at Nadia again, as if compelled by something.
It seemed as if she understood why he was acting this way.
Heinrich felt ridiculous.
‘Such feelings are disrespectful to both my mother and my lady.’
His stern words to the Dowager had been nothing more than a mask to hide his anxiety.
The priest sprinkled holy water around Rebenia’s grave.
“Forgive us for disturbing the peaceful rest of the deceased.”
He prayed for divine forgiveness.
Then the strongmen lifted their shovels and began digging.
Heinrich stood behind the priest, silently watching the dust rise.
After some time, when the hole was deep enough for a person to stand upright in, there was a sound: thunk!
Something hit the shovel.
The men dug more carefully, and soon the coffin appeared.
As it was lifted to the surface, the gravedigger and a mage examined it meticulously.
“Your Grace, there are no signs of tampering. It is just as it was when first buried.”
The gravedigger assured them first, and the mage nodded in agreement.
Heinrich cleared everyone away from the coffin, then knelt and slowly opened it.
Tension lingered in his eyes, then dissipated in an instant.
He carefully closed the coffin, barely opening it halfway, and stayed there for a long time.
Ignoring the dirt staining his knees, everyone bowed their heads solemnly.
When Heinrich finally stood, a thin crescent moon rose above him.
The coffin was returned to the deep earth.
Heinrich sprinkled the second layer of soil over his wife’s coffin.
From his solemn behavior, everyone could tell: Rebenia’s body was still resting inside.
Instead of returning immediately to the ducal residence, the carriage carrying Heinrich and Nadia went to a nearby villa.
Nadia went into the room provided by a servant and washed her face.
She knew Heinrich grieved her death. Being a kind and loving person, he must feel guilty.
But seeing Heinrich kneel by the coffin, she realized she had misunderstood something.
‘Is it right to hide my identity?’
Nadia wanted a life of her own—not her mother’s, not her father’s, not even Heinrich’s. A life that was truly hers.
She loved Heinrich. Even if she lived multiple lives, she couldn’t imagine loving anyone more than him.
Yet she no longer wanted to be swayed by anyone—even him.
‘But nothing has changed, even now.’
Frustrated, she opened the window, but that solved nothing.
Feeling she needed to move, she left the room.
Walking down the dark hallway, she saw light not far ahead.
She initially thought to ignore it, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that Heinrich might be there alone.
Nadia followed the light and found a small dining room.
Heinrich sat in the middle, a candle illuminating the space, an empty bottle of alcohol beside him.
Startled, Nadia forgot her previous resolve not to let him sway her, and approached.
“Your Grace, did you drink all of this strong alcohol?”
Heinrich looked at her, surprisingly composed.
“Ah, my lady.”
Judging from his sluggishness, he must have drunk.
“…You should sleep in bed. I’ll call a servant.”
As Nadia turned to leave, Heinrich grabbed her hand.
“My lady, don’t go.”
“I’m not leaving, I’m… fetching a servant.”
“Tell me about your wife.”
Nadia froze, unable to finish her sentence. The candlelight made his red eyes seem to flicker.
“…I don’t remember much.”
She didn’t want to lie casually. The sight of him at the grave had been too shocking.
“Didn’t you say she was someone you respected?”
“It was when I was very young.”
Heinrich finally turned his gaze to the air. His grip on Nadia’s hand loosened. She almost went to fetch a servant but stopped.
“Did your wife ever talk about me?”
Nadia could only give a wry smile.
‘Heini, you still choose only words that can’t be ignored.’
Eventually, she sat beside him.
“…I’ve heard about the little handsome groom.”
“Little?”
“Yes, little.”
Heinrich exhaled with dissatisfaction, then lowered his head heavily.
Nadia hesitated, then reached out. Waving her hand near his face, his head fell toward the table. If she hadn’t caught it quickly, it would have hit hard.
She calmed her racing heart and gently placed his small head down.
“Your Grace, will you sleep?”
She asked cautiously. No answer came.
Leaning on the table, Nadia studied his face.
Looking at his unguarded face, it felt like a return to the past—but he was no longer a boy.
The scent of alcohol under his nose betrayed that clearly.
Nadia hesitated, then touched his forehead with her fingertip.
Following the line of his handsome brow, her finger moved down to his nose.
Even such a small gesture made it clear he was a grown man.
She smiled weakly, murmuring:
“…You really have grown up.”
After admiring his sleeping face for some time, she quietly rose.
She draped a nearby blanket over his shoulders and went to fetch a servant.
As her cautious footsteps faded, Heinrich’s tightly shut eyelids slowly opened.
His eyes glowed a deep red, darker than she had ever seen.
