DSMBL Chapter 111

Chapter 111

In that moment, someone’s world collapsed.

Cassius shook Charlotte’s body with a hopeless expression. The radiant light that had once clung to her—her final breath—was fading away.

“Charlotte… Charlotte…”

Cassius whispered her name softly, like his tears had turned into sound. He pressed his lips to hers and tried to breathe life back into her.

“Open your eyes, Charlotte.”

His trembling voice pleaded. Charlotte had never once ignored his requests. Surely, she would listen this time too.

“Please, open your eyes.”

His cracked voice whispered again as he kept trying to breathe into her. His shaking hands caressed her face.

“Charlotte… don’t leave me. Don’t leave me alone.”

There was a sob in his voice.

“Your Grace…”

“Don’t go, Charlotte… I’m begging you. Please, please stay…”

He couldn’t pull her from his arms. His cries echoed across the fortress walls. Those who climbed the hill late, and those who came down from the fortress to see what had happened, all burst into tears.

No one needed to ask what had occurred.

The smell of blood was everywhere. Cassius’s face and clothes were smeared with it. But it wasn’t him who had died—it was Charlotte.

The foreigner of the North. Their duchess. The springtime of Istheria. Once again, she had saved Cassius by sacrificing herself.

“Duchess…”

“Milady…”

Rubella and Celia broke into sobs. She had been more of a duchess than anyone else. She had never faltered in the face of fear or danger, always standing in the front to protect them. Though she hadn’t been born in the North, no one had seemed more like a true Northerner than her.

“D-Duchess…”

Ellie, who had come down late, collapsed to the ground and wailed.

“Milady, you can’t leave us like this! What are we supposed to do now? What about those left behind? How could you go, leaving us in such sorrow…”

And at last, the news reached Theo.

He ran so fast he stumbled, throwing himself at Charlotte’s still body.

“Sister-in-law…? Charlotte… No, no! This isn’t real. You’re all lying to me! She was fine just a little while ago!”

Theo sobbed, clinging tightly to her.

“You promised me! You said you wouldn’t leave me alone! You promised, Charlotte! Please, wake up, hurry!”

He buried himself in her arms—the arms that had always welcomed him. She would always hug him warmly, pretending to give in when he begged for affection.

Even though she hadn’t given birth to him, she had cared for him deeply, giving up even her own share of food to feed him.

She had comforted the pain he had carried his whole life. With Charlotte there, he hadn’t missed his parents. He hadn’t longed for his mother’s embrace.

Because Charlotte was there, the world wasn’t scary.

When Theo returned from playing outside, she was the one who greeted him with the brightest smile. She had taught him about the world he’d never seen. She had been his teacher, his mother, his shelter… his pride.

Because of Charlotte, Theo had never felt afraid. Never felt envious.

“Get up, Charlotte! Please… We promised to go home together… to eat together, to nap together… Charlotte…”

Theo shook his head in her growingly cold embrace.

The war had been won. The monsters had melted away in the sacred tree’s light, and the North had defended its land once again. The Gate was closed. The dawn sun peeked through at last.

But too much had been lost.

The devastated land was littered not only with the corpses of monsters, but countless humans and yeti warriors as well. And above all—they had lost something far greater. They had lost the light of Istheria.

No one spoke of victory.

Even the largest, toughest knights wiped tears from their eyes.

Cassius’s tears fell onto Charlotte. Their sobs replaced any talk of triumph.

The battle in the skies was ending too. With a horrific cry, a massive black shape came crashing down.

All eyes turned upward, tears shining in them.

It was the black dragon, broken and dying, its torn wings flailing. Its death cries echoed across the land.

And then—from the clouds, sunlight peeked through, glistening with tears. A dragon approached from afar, its shimmering rainbow-colored scales catching the light. It looked like a banner of victory.

“…Stephanie.”

Those who recognized her called her name. Stephanie shrank back into the form of a little girl as she arrived. Her face was grim.

Her starry eyes no longer shone with light, but with darkness. She opened her lips.

“So that’s the choice you made in the end.”

It wasn’t her usual voice. There were layers in it—like three voices speaking at once.

“Poor and beautiful one. Hope sent by the gods to this land.”

As if entranced, Stephanie walked toward Charlotte. She raised her hand, and Charlotte’s body slowly floated upward.

“Charlotte!!”

Cassius screamed her name.

A holy light spread around Stephanie. Golden fire shone in her eyes—it wasn’t truly her anymore.

Theo stared at her, wide-eyed.

“You must have known the danger. Was this truly worth your life?”

Stephanie’s gaze wasn’t on Charlotte, but somewhere beyond her—as if Charlotte was seeing something past this world.

No one dared interrupt.

“Charlotte Istheria, answer me.”

At her call, Charlotte’s eyes opened. Her pupils were empty of light, but her soul had not yet left. She answered the summons.

“It was worth it.”

Her voice was like a breeze.

“I knew the risks. I knew what it would cost. But still, I had to do it.”

“Why? Human life is finite. Death cannot be avoided, no matter who it is. Even if you hadn’t saved him, he would have died eventually.”

“But not now. Not today. The North still needs him. And… I couldn’t live without him. Without him, I couldn’t go on.”

Stephanie sighed. Her gaze shifted to Cassius, who stared at Charlotte blankly.

“A noble sacrifice is always rewarded. The goddess has left light in this land for you. Go to the sacred tree.”

Cassius finally turned his head to look at Stephanie, his blurred eyes sharpening.

“Go to the newly born sacred tree. The final light the goddess left in this world will aid you.”

Cassius’s cracked voice rasped, “You mean… she can be saved?”

Stephanie didn’t answer. She only lifted a finger, pointing toward the forest.

The once-burned woods now held a towering sacred tree, its silver leaves swaying gently. Grown huge by monster blood, it was overflowing with life.

“Go.”

With that final word, Stephanie’s eyes closed.

Her small body collapsed backward. At the same time, Charlotte’s body dropped toward the ground.

Cassius lunged forward and caught her in his arms.