To be the Villainess

O64.

Chapter 64

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“MY LADY.” Lumine’s voice broke through the haze of my thoughts. I turned my head toward him, his gaze steady yet filled with an unspoken weight. He extended his hand to me, his palm open, a gesture both commanding and comforting. “It’s over. You can seal the tree now,” he said softly.

For a moment, I just stared at his hand. It was steady, unlike the trembling resolve within me. Finally, I reached out, my fingers brushing against his as I accepted his help. My nod was curt, my movements cold, mechanical.

I couldn’t see my reflection, but I didn’t need to. I knew my eyes mirrored the darkness that surrounded us—empty, lifeless, like a void swallowing everything. Without a word, I turned and took the seal from Zacharias’s hands. His expression was grave, his usual sharp demeanor dulled by exhaustion and grief.

Lowering my gaze, I caught sight of Chewy at my feet. He rubbed his furry body against my calves, a faint warmth in the midst of all this despair. Then he paused, his green eyes locking onto mine as if he understood everything I couldn’t bring myself to say. With a low growl, he began to transform, his body expanding until he towered over me, his massive form casting a protective shadow.

I climbed onto his back, gripping his thick fur as though it were the only anchor to this shattered reality. Turning to the group behind me, I raised a hand in a silent farewell. My voice refused to form words. Without hesitation, Chewy surged forward, his powerful legs carrying us across the ruined kingdom.

The air was thick with smoke, the acrid stench of destruction clinging to every breath I took. Ashes swirled around us like snowflakes, remnants of the monstrous hordes that had once terrorized this land. Debris littered the ground, a graveyard of memories and dreams. I covered my mouth as tears welled up, blurring the wreckage before me.

“Sebastian…” I whispered, his name a dagger to my chest. My thoughts spiraled into chaos. What have you done? This wasn’t the Sebastian I had written—a selfish man who thrived on inflicting pain, a masochist reveling in torment. No. He wasn’t supposed to be this... this hero willing to sacrifice everything.

Anger and grief twisted inside me as I clawed at my hair, the frustration unbearable. “You idiot,” I muttered under my breath.

As we approached the Imperial Palace, my heart sank further. The once-majestic structure was now a crumbling ruin, its grandeur reduced to rubble.

“Chewy,” I murmured, my voice cracking. “Take me to the throne room.”

With a powerful leap, Chewy carried us into the heart of the palace, his movements precise despite the treacherous terrain. I dismounted and let my eyes roam the desolation. In the center of the shattered room lay an arcane circle, its eerie glow faint against the charred remains surrounding it. Ashes coated the floor, a stark reminder of the life that had been extinguished here.

I stumbled forward, my knees threatening to buckle. My shoulders sagged as I stood over the circle, my fingers trembling as I traced its edges. “I thought you’d survive,” I choked out, my voice barely above a whisper.

Tears streamed down my face, unbidden and unstoppable. I wiped them away hastily, but it was futile. The pain was too raw, too consuming. Straightening my back, I took a shaky breath and turned to Chewy.

“Let’s go,” I said, my voice firmer now. “We have to seal the tree. His sacrifice… it can’t be for nothing.”

With one last glance at the throne room, I mounted Chewy again. The cold determination in my heart was the only thing keeping me together as we rode toward our next—and final—destination.