I Slept with the Villain Holding My Hand

[Flower path before Shannon]

It was a book I started reading because of the hopeful and romantic title.

Shannon, the heroine of the novel, was an extraordinary character with pure eyes, a slim face, a clear voice, and a friendly character.

Especially, her clean silver hair without impurities was a hint of the secret of her birth.

Shannon’s father, Count Magner, went to visit the estate and spent the night with a beautiful commoner woman he met.

It was Shannon who was born between the two.

The life of the female protagonist was a series of numerous hardships and overcomings that everyone could expect.

Her mother, who gave birth to Shannon alone, soon died of illness, and she headed to the capital with a letter containing her mother’s will.

Considering Shannon’s heart, she wouldn’t have thought of getting money from her father.

Maybe she just wanted to escape the harsh life as a commoner without a mother.

Shannon was as lonely as her friendly personality.

When Shannon, who looked just like her mother, as beautiful as her, visited Count Magner. 

Count Magner gladly accepted Shannon to his home.

-I’ll take you in, but instead work as a maid in our Mansion

For Count Magner, Shannon’s appearance was an opportunity, not a crisis.

The greedy Count Magner recognized young Shannon’s extraordinary appearance and made a long-term investment with the intention of selling it to a high-ranking noble later.

Shannon grew up among other maids, hiding the fact that she was an illegitimate child.

So around the time she became an adult, it was heard that a large-scale banquet was held at the Imperial Palace.

It was a banquet celebrating the return of the Male Protagonist Altheon after a long war.

– A banquet for the Crown Prince, who has returned from winning the war, and all the nobles will show their respect and greet him. Because he’s finally useful.

The Count thought it was the right time to present Shannon, who became more beautiful as she grew of age.

Shannon attended the Victory Banquet, led by the Count.

But Shannon couldn’t stay long in a strange place where she came without knowing anything.

Shannon went straight outside while Count Magner took his eyes off her for a moment.

At the same time, Altheon, who returned from the battlefield, was also suffocated in this space.

‘His Majesty the Prince. It is an honor to meet you.’

People sang praises to the Crown Prince to get his attention.

-There are many rumors in the capital that praise your Majesty’s bravery.

-Your Grace, our family will serve you.

People who used to treat him like he didn’t exist before, were rubbing their feet like a swarm of flies.

Just looking at it seemed to cause an unpleasant headache.

And the most annoying thing among them.

-Your Grace, where are you going? You’re going to dance with me.

It was Merria Rackester, a prospective fiance, who followed him around and became obsessed.

Eventually, Altheon escaped from Merria and headed for a place to rest, and met Shannon, who had escaped the crowd as well.

The beginning of the novel was that the two felt the same and talked for a long time in a small greenhouse.

‘Since then, the two fell in love, went through many obstacles and got married, and that kind of rising romance was fun.’

I decided to accept that point simply.

That’s why I stayed in seclusion far away from society.

I wanted to get rid of myself as one of the obstacles of being a fiancee from the love of the two main characters.

“Merria was the most cumbersome villain, so wasn’t it  a huge help to just stay still and do nothing unlike the original story?”

Just a while ago, this Merria was the one who followed Altheon in the original.

Merria Rackester was executed after hating Shannon for the love of the prince.

Well.

As the resentment soared, Merria gritted her teeth.

Merria was the youngest daughter of the Duke of Rackester, who has been the only duke in the Empire for generations.

The platinum blonde hair  that fluttered around the waist, the raised tip of the eyes, and the white and fine skin looked as if it would be bruised just by touching it.

Merria, with her bright  red eyes descending as a symbol of the Rackester, was very beautiful.

As the only Duke family in the Empire, she was born with honor and wealth in her hands.

It was not unreasonable for the original Merria, who was raised up like this, to grow up to be a selfish and overbearing aristocrat.

For Merria, who was naturally considered a Princess due to her beautiful appearance and noble status, Shannon was just an illegitimate child with a prominent appearance.

“But the problem was that Shannon, who was neglected, even captured Altheon’s heart.”

It was in a certain order that Merria’s anger, who thought she had lost her place, turned to Shannon.

Of course, the relationship between the main characters only became close, and it was all in vain.

“Merria, blinded by jealousy, was caught trying to poison Shannon and disappears with the dew of his brother… Haha.”

On second thought, I burst out laughing in despair at my gloomy future.

On the day she remembered her past life, Merria had a hunch.

This was an opportunity, and I’m sure there’s a turning point that will change my life.

In the original work, there were four reasons why Merria was mentioned as Altheon’s prospective fiance.

Appearance, status, love for Altheon, and social power.

Appearance and identity are already innate and cannot be changed.

So there were two other things that Merria had to change.

“I wouldn’t do stupid things that like chase after Altheon, unless I’m crazy.”

Fortunately, she wasn’t crazy, and she knew how to cherish her life.

Of course, I could give up socializing.

Her status as the highest princess of her age and her beautiful appearance made her the center of the social world at once.

But to Merria, who knew that the end was destruction, social society seemed to be one of the steps towards death.

Even though I was trying to avoid it, I couldn’t escape the debutant.

It was like the duty of those born as nobles of the elEmpire.

In the end, Merria, who made her debut and ate a mustard while she cried, declared that she would never socialize after that.

Sometimes my parents looked worried, but her plan went smoothly.

“Well, thanks to someone, she has earned the name of a dark princess.”

The corners of her mouth went up, but there was no displeasure on her expression.

On the contrary, she felt relief.

Thanks to such efforts, society was now led by Marquis Karina Delphi.

As Karina shone, the presence of Merria faded.

At this rate, Altheon’s fiance, who will return from the war, will be mentioned as Karina, not Merria

Everything was according to her plan.

‘If Karina tries to walk the path of a wicked woman, I’m thinking of interrupting her a few times.’

If you disturb the love of the protagonists, the only thing that will return will be death and destruction.

Could it not be possible to keep Karina, who fell victim because I tried to save my life from execution.

Merria, arriving at her mansion, headed straight for the room.

As she grabbed the handle and turned it with silence, she made eye contact with an unexpected person.

“Lexie?”

Lexie was stamping her feet in the room where I thought no one was there.

Merria greeted her with a pouting mouth like a child who had caught her doing something wrong.

“I’m back, Lexie.”

“Miss!”

Lexie made a new sound with a voice that rang in silence.

Just a couple of steps away, Lexie whispered in my ear.

“Where did you go? She’s here. Miss Lilith was also worried.”

“Is Lilith here?”

When another unexpected figure was mentioned, Merria whispered to Lexie.

Before Lexie’s answer, I heard an unpleasant voice from behind.

“Yes, I’m here.”

I turned my head and found a fresh smell of soap coming out from the bathroom.

Lilith, with her wet, light purple hair pulled back, naturally went to the dressing table and sat down.

Lilith was a cousin of the same age who had been close since childhood and was the one who took Merria to the party last night.

“You disappeared in the blink of an eye.”

Lilith shook her head and said.

Mary immediately refuted the content of what she said that was quite different from her memory.

“I only drank in the same spot? You’re the one who disappeared.”

“…I couldn’t find you after all, so I’ve been waiting here.”

The words of excuse, which skillfully changed the subject, continued.

“I was thinking about what to say to my uncle. I’m glad you came back before breakfast, though.”

Lilith’s expression, speaking with exaggerated gestures, seemed casual, unlike her words.

Lilith, who enjoys partying with a lively personality, would have known that Merria would return without any problems.

Nothing really happened…

Merria tilted her head slightly when she recalled a strange man who slept soundly beside her.

Then, she shook her head lightly as if she was shaking off her thoughts.

Merria walked toward the bathroom and said to Lilith.

“I’ll wash up. Have breakfast before you go.”

I sat in a bathtub filled with warm water, listening to Lilith, who had been drying her hair with Lexie’s help, giving a positive answer.

Merria recalled what she heard from her father last night.

‘Since the war was over, the story of victory will spread throughout the entire Empire, starting with the capital.’

Now, there will be a victory banquet held for Altheon and the knights who proudly returned to the capital.

Until then, if I don’t stand out, the ten-year long journey will end.

“It would be most convenient not to go to the banquet in the first place, but… ”

In the original novel, the Emperor’s order was for all high-ranking nobles to attend this victory banquet.

No matter how much I think about it, I think it’s the intention of the author to bring Shannon to the banquet.

“If I’m only in the corner, it will be great.”

Anyway, that day, Altheon would be busy being caught in the midst of numerous nobles.

Besides, the most important meeting with Shannon should be done.

Altheon, who met Shannon, will soon end his worries about “Who suits the Crown Princess” position.

Merria laughed as she recalled the upcoming Freedom Day.