DSMBL Chapter 50

Chapter 050

The Istheria villa, built upon a sea cliff, looked like an unshakable fortress. Behind it lay a deadly drop, and in front, Istheria’s knights stood guard.

But no fortress is truly unbreakable.

The count was familiar with Charlotte’s room and the short period of time when the guards would not be present. There was nothing to fear now.

Count Mers gestured.

His men moved first, clearing the path, and he followed closely behind.

Through a small door left open by Janice, dark figures slipped inside.

It was late at night, and everyone was asleep.

Count Mers silently pushed open Charlotte’s bedroom door.

They had only five minutes.

Everything had to be done quickly before the guards returned.

Charlotte lay curled up in bed. She was exactly as Janice had described—delicate blonde hair, a small figure.

His men rushed forward, pressing a chloroform-soaked cloth over Charlotte’s mouth.

“Mmph!”

“Hurry up.”

Her struggling soon faded.

A servant stuffed her into a large sack and slung her over his shoulder.

Count Mers glanced around before slipping out of the room as if nothing had happened.

At the doorway, Janice stood ghostly pale.

They exchanged a silent look before Janice disappeared back into the mansion.

Count Mers and his men vanished into the darkness.

The kidnapping happened in an instant, with the help of an insider.

And no one noticed it.

***

Somewhere Else…

“Mmph!”

Charlotte felt herself being carried somewhere.

Her mouth was tightly gagged, making it hard to breathe.

Her heart pounded wildly.

A kidnapping…?

She clenched her teeth and looked around.

She was inside a sack—she couldn’t see anything, only faint bits of light seeping through the fabric.

“Hurry up! If they catch us, we’re dead!”

“Yes, sir!”

The rough voices of men surrounded her.

Her hands and feet were tied. No matter how much she struggled, she was no more than a worm squirming in the dirt.

It was smarter to conserve her strength.

Stay calm, Charlotte.

She bit her lip.

Whoever these people were, she would remember their faces. She would take revenge.

Tears welled up in her eyes despite being brave.

What did I do to deserve this? Just because I was supposed to die in the original story?!

“Alright, this should be far enough. Put her down.”

“Yes, sir.”

After some noise, the sack was finally opened.

She blinked against the sudden light.

Men in masks surrounded her.

“Oh, you’re awake.”

The voice was chilling yet refined.

A nobleman…

Even without seeing his face, his speech was far too polished for a common thug.

Charlotte’s mind went blank.

“You should’ve just gone with the flow. Then you wouldn’t be in this mess.”

The man smirked and tapped her cheek.

Gone with the flow?

She didn’t understand.

The man chuckled.

“Mmph! Mmm!”

“Ah, take off her gag. Let’s hear her out—after all, it’s her final moments.”

It seemed he enjoyed showing off his crimes.

He wanted her to know he had won.

“Pwah!”

“So? Got something to say?”

“If I’m going to die, I at least want to know why.”

“Oh?”

The man’s eyes widened.

She secretly studied his features.

Sharp, slanted eyes. Dark brown irises. His eyelashes hinted that his hair might be silver or gray.

I have to remember this.

“At least let me curse you properly after I die.”

“Bold little thing.”

He sneered.

“Think you can win even in death? Fine. It’s simple. If you had just been a drunken, useless brat, we would’ve only exiled you.”

Charlotte froze.

This… this is from the original story.

“What do you mean?”

Why was he saying those words?

He sighed dramatically.

“Originally, we planned to kill Theo Istheria and frame you for it.”

A chill ran down her spine.

What…?

Charlotte had always believed she killed Theo.

Even in her final moments in the original story, she thought she had done it.

But if even that was faked…

“If you had just kept drinking and acting like a lunatic, it would’ve been easier. Of course, Theo’s recovery wasn’t your fault, but still.”

The man narrowed his eyes.

He was enjoying this.

He was the kind of person who found pleasure in crushing the weak.

Charlotte glared at him.

He smirked.

“Don’t look at me like that. What can you do, huh? Tsk. It was truly surprising, you and Theo both. I made sure he was being poisoned, you know?”

“What do you mean by poison?! What did you do to me and Theo?!”

The man smirked and tapped my forehead with his finger, making me flinch in disgust.

“I’m the one who fed you the poison that made you infertile.”

His words sent chills down my spine.

“I’m also the one who fed you drugs to mess up your brain. And I’m the one who poisoned Theo, making him slowly die. Oh, but there’s no need to feel sorry for that brat. He was meant to die anyway.”

I couldn’t hold back the curses that spilled from my mouth.

How could someone be this openly evil?

He drugged me?

All those years of madness, all the insults and shame Charlotte endured—was it all because of the poison?

If she had only learned the truth after dying, it would have been beyond unfair.

“Tsk. Now do you get it? If you’d just stayed quiet, you could’ve lived a little longer—”

“GAAAAAHHHHH!”

A monstrous roar suddenly echoed through the air.

The man’s face instantly twisted in terror.

What… What was that?!

With my hands and feet tied, I couldn’t turn around to see.

His men provided the answer with their screams.

“A-A Snow beast! AHHHHH!”

Crunch! Crack!

Horrific sounds filled the air, followed by the sickening scent of blood.

Enormous hands—twice the size of my face—smashed through the men mercilessly.

The man tried to run, but something grabbed his ankle.

“A-AAAHHH!”

Snap.

The sickening sound of his ankle breaking echoed.

Trembling, he stabbed his sword into the snow beast’s hand.

“RAAAAHH!”

The monster howled in pain, loosening its grip just enough for the man to stumble away.

Limping, he reached his horse—still tied to a tree—and fled.

Everything happened so fast that all I could do was watch in shock.

You bastard!

How dare you leave me here?!

…But then again, he had brought me here to die anyway. Maybe this was better.

I stared blankly at his rat-like figure disappearing into the distance.

Then, something grabbed me.

I lifted my head and met the massive, plate-sized eyes of a snow beast.

“Raaaah… Raaahh…”

I shivered.

Please… please speak human words…

Pure terror flooded my body.

Those giant teeth looked like they were about to tear me apart.

I sniffled as tears streamed uncontrollably down my face.

God… I’m really about to die, aren’t I?

Did I get reincarnated here just to die after saving Theo? Is that it?

This is way too unfair!

“Raaahh… Raaaaahhh!”

I let out a deep sigh.

“If you’re gonna kill me, at least make it quick.”

Just then, a hesitant voice spoke from behind the snow beast.

“We… not kill you.”

I froze.

I whipped my head around.

The voice was rough, mixed with deep growls, but it was human language.

A slightly smaller snow beast stepped forward.

“We… not kill. You, prisoner. Hostage. We take… to Duke.”

For a moment, it felt like heavenly light shined upon me.

Tears of relief poured down my face.

You bastard… just wait till I catch you.

I’ll kill you myself.