IWMHWD 03

<Chapter 3> The Husband Who Woke Up
November 3, 2023

Cordelia sat by the bed, recounting the reckless, scandalous past of the man she knew.

The deeper she delved into the stories, the more Craig’s brow furrowed.

“Good grief. What a complete mess.”

“Oh, and this one’s from someone else, but apparently you had an illegitimate child by the time you were fifteen…”

“That’s enough for today.”

“But the fun part’s just about to start.”

“I said enough. Any more and my ears will be polluted.”

That was a harsh way to describe his own past.

Looking closer, she noticed beads of cold sweat on Craig’s forehead.

It finally struck her that this man had only just woken up from a long coma yesterday.

“You must be tired. Get some rest. I’ll be on my way.”

“Wait.”

Cordelia stopped and turned around at his call just as she was about to leave the room.

“I have… a favor.”

“A favor?”

Craig’s expression was awkward, like someone who had never used the word “favor” in his life.

“It’s simple. Just deliver a letter.”

“What kind of letter?”

“You don’t need to know what’s in it. Just do as I say.”

For someone asking a favor, his tone was still condescending. Unsurprisingly, she was annoyed.

‘Hah, you threw divorce papers at me, and now you’re asking for favors?’

Cordelia scoffed and crossed her arms.

“Oh really? Well, I don’t need to consider your situation either. Handle it yourself.”

“What? How dare you…”

Craig turned red, as if he’d just been insulted. It was almost funny, watching someone who clearly wasn’t used to rejection.

“Maybe you don’t get it because your brain’s blank, but if you want to send a letter, call a servant. You’ve got enough strength to pull the bell rope, right?”

“Ever since I woke up, not a single person other than the servants has asked how I’m doing. I suppose no one sees the point in speaking to a man who might lose his title any day now. And now, that same bedridden earl suddenly wants to send a letter to someone? If I were them, I’d intercept it and check the contents myself.”

“…And what makes you think I won’t intercept it?”

“You came rushing in with divorce papers the moment I opened my eyes. I’m guessing you don’t have a shred of influence in this house and just want to get out as fast as possible.”

He answered indifferently. His assessment was so accurate that Cordelia was momentarily speechless.

At this point, she began to seriously wonder if this was really Craig or someone just wearing his skin.

Her gaze landed on the papers in her hand. With nothing to lose, she decided to try something.

“Fine. I’ll deliver the letter—if you sign this.”

She pulled out the divorce consent form and showed it to him. Craig let out a disbelieving laugh.

“You’d trade a letter delivery for a divorce? That’s not a very fair deal.”

“Then forget it.”

She had nothing to lose. Cordelia stood up without hesitation.

As expected, before she had taken a few steps, Craig called out to her again.

“You really are desperate to divorce me, aren’t you?”

“Can I be honest?”

“Go ahead.”

“You’re right. I married into the Abrams family for the money, and the past year of marriage has been hell for me.”

“…”

“You don’t even remember who I am, and it’s not like you have any feelings for me. Can’t you just let me go?”

Having failed at manipulation, she now tried appealing to his emotions. Cordelia looked at him with genuine desperation.

Craig stayed silent for a moment before reaching out and taking the form.

“Let’s make a deal.”

“What kind of deal?”

“If you deliver the letter, I’ll sign the first letter of my name.”

“Just the first letter?”

Craig’s name, written in Ershean script, was five characters long.

That meant she’d have to fulfill four more favors to get the full signature.

“I think I’m being quite generous here.”

“…Fine.”

Cordelia reluctantly nodded. It was better than walking away with nothing.

“But nothing too unreasonable. I’ll only do what I’m capable of.”

“Of course.”

Worried he might change his mind, she hurried to bring a quill.

Without complaint, Craig wrote the first letter of his name in the signature field. Cordelia blinked at the paper.

“Huh? Your handwriting’s different.”

It was nothing like the messy scrawl she remembered from their wedding contract. Now it was graceful and refined.

“Must’ve really hated me back then. This is my real handwriting.”

Craig said it shamelessly. Cordelia tilted her head but didn’t argue—she had no basis to.

After all, she’d only ever looked at his handwriting that one time.

He pulled a folded sheet of paper from his chest. There was no envelope, not even a seal.

“No seal?”

“Not necessary.”

“Well, okay. So… who do I give this to?”

“No need to know that.”

“Then how am I supposed to deliver it?”

Maybe it was the way he spoke, but amnesiac Craig was even more insufferable than before. Cordelia asked again in irritation, but he just shrugged.

“Just do as I say.”

“Huff… what kind of… huff…”

Only after reaching the watchtower did Cordelia throw off her thick cloak.

She was gasping from the climb up the steep stairs. Only after her pounding heart settled could she take in her surroundings.

The dark watchtower was so poorly lit she could barely make things out. If she hadn’t brought a lantern, she’d be in trouble.

“He said just to throw it, right?”

She stood against the battlement, hesitating.

Her conversation with Craig from earlier flashed through her mind.

‘Tonight, go to the tallest watchtower in the castle and throw the letter.’

‘What? You mean just toss it on the ground?’

‘I didn’t say discard it. Just do what I told you.’

It was a request she couldn’t understand. After making sure no one was around, she looked at the letter.

He didn’t even seal it—clearly he didn’t care if someone read it.

But when she opened it, she couldn’t make sense of what was written inside. It was all in some strange code.

“What the hell is this?”

Now she was getting suspicious.

Was he really amnesiac, or just pretending? Was he even Craig at all?

A man who didn’t even know his own name sending a coded letter the moment he woke up?

It seemed more and more likely he was hiding something. But that was just a feeling—she had no proof.

“Guess I’ll really throw it.”

It was a bizarre method of delivery, but the letter wasn’t hers anyway.

Cordelia hesitated a moment longer before tossing the letter into the air. Naturally, it fluttered downward.

And then it happened.

Flames suddenly burst from the letter in midair, forming a glowing shape.

The once blurry figure sharpened into a distinct form.

“What the—?!”

Cordelia leaned out of the watchtower in shock. Moments later, the silver shape disintegrated into glowing dust and vanished.

It lasted only a few seconds, but she had clearly seen the emblem—one she knew well.

“The Baeksa…”

It was the crest of House Baeksa Atilay, the most powerful of the eight sacred families.

And within the family, only the head could use that emblem.

“Atilay? Here? Did Craig have ties to that house?”

Her mind was racing.

Her husband, once comatose, now performed magic revealing Atilay’s emblem?

Not even a stray dog would believe that.

“Baeksa… Baeksa, huh.”

To anyone else, it might’ve looked like nothing but a shimmer in the air.

But thanks to her special “ability,” Cordelia had been able to recognize it.

‘Now that I think about it—his personality, behavior, even speech—it’s all different.’

House Atilay and Craig Abrams.

Two things that had nothing in common were now connected by a mysterious thread.

Clearly, something she didn’t know was going on. But what?

Cordelia gazed for a long time at the sky where the emblem had vanished, then climbed down the tower.

“Is this all true?”

“Yes. Everyone’s keeping quiet, but it seems the family head really is dead.”

The next day, Cordelia had Emily investigate House Atilay.

A few days later, her maid returned with surprising news.

“What was the cause of death?”

“Officially, they’re saying it was an accident. But no one believes that.”

Understandably so—the head of the Atilay family was said to be a powerful magician. “Accidental death” raised many eyebrows.

Emily added in a hushed tone.

“Rumor is the second son killed the head to take his place.”

“Hm?”

“He’s already petitioned the council to inherit the title—before the funeral’s even happened.”

The Council—an assembly of the most powerful nobles in the land and the ultimate decision-making body. They held trials for unresolved noble disputes and approved successions of noble titles.

Hearing this, Cordelia’s eyes gleamed slightly. She handed Emily a pouch of coins.

“Well done. Keep me informed of any new developments about Atilay.”

“Thank you, my lady.”

Emily bowed and exited the room.

Cordelia sat at the tea table, tapping the surface with her finger.

Even she had heard the rumors about the current head of Atilay.

The most powerful and merciless magician in the country of Ershe—

Leonard Atilay.

A prodigy from childhood, Leonard had risen quickly to become the head of his house due to his immense magical power.

Now, that very man was supposedly dead over a title dispute—and the revived Craig had used the Atilay crest?

There was only one logical conclusion.

“The person inside Craig’s body is Leonard Atilay.”