DSMBL Chapter 44

Chapter 044

Thanks to Theo excitedly talking about it everywhere, the news that we were going to the sea quickly spread throughout the mansion.
Of course, the servants already knew since they were the ones packing and preparing, but still.

Theo, with his cute face, kept chattering, “I’m going to the sea! Isn’t that so cool?”

There was no one in the mansion who would disappoint him.

The noise continued until Cassius came home. It was clear that Theo had an endless source of energy. 

After hearing him talk about the sea all day, I was a little exhausted.

“Big brother!! We’re going to the sea! There are hermit crabs and seashells! And the sea water tastes salty, and it’s bigger than the lake! Jonathan said that if we go to the sea, we can float a boat, and if we go far out, the sea gets super, super deep!” He was talking so fast that he barely took a breath.

Are you even breathing while talking?

Cassius suddenly picked up Theo and held him in his arms.
He pressed his forehead against Theo’s.

“Slow down, Theo. I can hear everything just fine.”

Theo laughed and hugged Cassius tightly. A warm smile appeared on Cassius’s face too.

Is it really that great?

Honestly, I didn’t really understand the concept of siblings. I grew up in an orphanage, always alone.
Of course, there were other kids at the orphanage, but as we grew up, we lost contact.
They had their own lives, and some got adopted.
I was too busy surviving to stay in touch with anyone.

Maybe that’s why the relationship between Cassius and Theo felt so strange to me.

“Let’s go right now, Brother! Theo is not sleepy at all!”

Yeah, even I can tell you’re not sleepy. It was already past 9 PM, but Theo’s eyes were still wide open.
They sparkled like tiny stars.

“But I’m sleepy. What should we do?”

Theo’s eyes widened, and he opened his mouth in shock. His eyes were shaking as if there was an earthquake in them.

“We’ll leave in the morning, Theo. Not tonight.”

Cassius spoke firmly, and Theo nodded with determination.

“Yes! Theo can wait!”

Is that really something to wait for? 

It was going to be tough getting this excited kid to sleep. He was definitely going to resist.
This is a problem.

Stephanie, being a young hatchling, slept a lot. Other than playing and eating with Theo, she spent most of her time sleeping. Even now, she was already fast asleep.

“Theo, it’s time to wash up and go to bed. Come down.”

Theo looked between me and Cassius before finally coming down and nodding.

“The sooner you sleep, the faster time will pass.”

“……Okay!”

I patted Theo’s head as he answered enthusiastically. But it was hard for him to hide the way he was breathing heavily with excitement.

Such a cute kid.

Once again, I thought to myself—saving this child, even at the cost of my own life, was the best decision I had ever made.
He was a child with so much potential, and there were so many things he wanted to do.

If I were to go back in time and face the same choice again, I would make the same decision.
I would choose Theo again.

Cassius and I exchanged a glance. We didn’t say anything, but it felt like we both understood each other’s feelings. We were both thinking about Theo.

I couldn’t take my eyes off the little boy’s back, which seemed to have grown a little since the last time I saw him lying pale on his bed, barely hanging on to life.

***

Cassius handed me a glass of liquor.
The golden liquid had a nutty yet refreshing scent.

“You’ll sleep well after this.”

I accepted the glass. It was the first time I was drinking alcohol since arriving here.
I took a small sip.

Ugh.

I had never had such strong alcohol before. The most I had ever drunk was soju or beer, not whiskey like this.

Cassius chuckled at my reaction.

“……That’s not the reaction of someone who used to drink alcohol like water. Did your taste change after just a few weeks?”

So the original Charlotte used to drink this stuff like water? Impressive.

“Seems like it.”

I answered casually and set the glass down. If I kept drinking that, I was sure I wouldn’t be able to get up tomorrow.

“The reason I called you here tonight is because I wanted to say thank you again.”

Cassius spoke in a low voice.

“You promised to save Theo.”

His smile was bitter, as if he was lost in old memories.
I, too, thought back to when I first arrived in this world.

The dry air, the frozen atmosphere.
The cold distance between all of us, as if we were walking on thin ice.

We were all trapped in that moment.

“And you kept that promise.”

“I made a promise. And it was something I could do.”

To be more precise, saving Theo was the only thing I could do.
I desperately wanted to save him.

Because if he died, I would die too.

“Really, thank you, Charlotte. If I ever made you upset or caused you trouble, I want to take this chance to apologize.”

“……It’s okay.”

Actually, the one who should be receiving this apology wasn’t me, but Charlotte, who wasn’t here right now.

Can you hear me, Charlotte?

I bet Charlotte also had things she wanted to say. It was a little sad that I couldn’t pass those words on.

For a moment, I thought about things from Charlotte’s perspective.

“……Thank you for not abandoning me, even in those difficult times.”

If Charlotte had thought about it logically, wouldn’t she have wanted to say something like this?

Cassius hesitated for a moment and looked at me.

“My family has fallen, and I can no longer have children. Even so, you kept your promise to me.”

“That’s because… I made a vow. Our marriage oath.”

“Still.”

How many people have broken their vows and acted recklessly? But Cassius silently kept his promise, no matter how crazy Charlotte had acted.

That was something only Cassius could have done.

“I apologize for all the terrible things I’ve done.”

Charlotte probably would have wanted to say this, too.

Cassius gave me a faint smile.
I could feel the tension between us slowly dissolving in silence.

All it took was a few honest words.

Because they hadn’t spoken like this, Charlotte and Cassius had been stuck in their resentment for so long.

“If there’s anything you want, just tell me. If it’s something I can do, I’ll make it happen.”

Cassius met my eyes with a quiet, sincere gaze.

Something I wanted.

Of course, I had something I wanted.

My goal from the start had been a peaceful divorce with a fair settlement.

But now didn’t seem like the right time to bring it up.

We had just apologized to each other, and the atmosphere was so calm. Besides, tomorrow we were leaving for the sea.

Saying something like that now would only ruin the mood.

“Maybe Later. I’ll think about it a bit more.”

No matter how I looked at it, after Theo’s birthday seemed like the right time.

I just had to keep my emotions in check until then.

Besides, Lorencia was also coming on this trip.

The nanny had arranged for her to join us, but I didn’t mind.

In fact, having Lorencia there might actually help.

The more time I spent with Cassius…

I couldn’t help but be drawn to him. His charm was undeniable.

Of course, he was the male lead.

He was irresistibly charming.

He wasn’t the most delicate person, but he was honest, handsome, and responsible.

Wouldn’t he be considered as a top-tier husband anywhere?

If Lorencia stood firm and made her presence known, it would help me keep my heart in check.