I Slept with the Villain Holding My Hand

Kalix eyes firmly shone.

“If you tell me, I would bring her to you right away.”

“…get the documents of the Rackester family first.”

At Reukis’ words, Kalix headed straight to the desk on one side of the office.

He flipped through the papers on top of it, looking for the documents of the Rackester family.

Thanks to this, the desk became a mess, but no one cared about it.

Kalix hurriedly hands the papers to Reukis.

There was only one page related to Merria, even in the pretty thick papers about the Rackester family.

Compared to the others, the amount of information was significantly less, and there was not even a portrait of the second daughter.

As I read the short lines written in the information section, I can’t help but frown while reading them.

______________________________________________________________________

<Merria Rackester>

Family: Rackester, Duke

Age: 20

(Approximate)

Appearance Features:

She has red eyes, a symbol of Rackester. The same with her father, platinum blonde hair, Themis Rackester.

Portraits couldn’t be presented since she did not appear in society after her debut.

Remarks:

Called the gloomy princess hidden in the shadow of the first princess, Serinia Rackester.

There are two rumors circulating in society about the second Princess of Rackester.

There was a saying that she was very gloomy and ugly, and that her father, Duke Themis, prohibited her from entering the society.

The latter was seen in the wake of a power struggle over the succession of the Rackester family.

______________________________________________________________________

Reukis, who thought of Merria, put down the papers and said cruelly.

“It’s full of crap.”

It was less than 10 minutes, but it was completely inconsistent with my perception when I met Merria.

She didn’t seem to have a bad relationship with her sister, Serinia, nor was she gloomy or ugly.

Furthermore, nowhere in the Rackester family’s papers had any information about her abilities.

“Selling this unseemly information to the Grand Duke.”

Harriet and Kalix, who gulped their saliva after Reukis’ angry voice, they exchanged glances quickly.

A skilled old butler first cleared his embarrassment and asked Reukis.

“Was it that lady…?”

Reukis nodded, recalling Themis, who had been on the lookout for him the last time he visited Rackester.

“Yes, maybe the Duke had her hidden in order to hide her abilities.”

“Oh, then things would get complicated. If it’s a secret of the Rackester family.”

Harriet squinted and shouted.

Kalix tilted his head and said as if it seemed to be no big deal.

“Wasn’t it fine if you explained it to Lady Rackester?”

As far as Reukis knows, there would be a limit to Merria’s outright denial of hiding her ability.

Besides, it was a request from the Grand Duke.

Of course there was a bad rumour about him being cursed, but Reukis was an attractive and charming man anyway.

He was also a man with enough power and wealth to pay for whatever Rackester wanted.

So, it was Kalix’s conclusion that once they meet and ask for a fair deal, they would surely help Reukis.

“Please ask Lady Rackester directly…”

Harriet seemed to agree with him.

The more it did, the darker Reukis’ daylight sunk.

“There was a problem.”

“What?… just tell me.”

No way, has Merria already decisively refused me because of what happened?

Then he just had to shut her mouth before Reukis’ secret leaked.

The expressions of the two, who were agonizing deeply over the troublesome problem that would come with dealing with the princess, quickly darkened.

Reukis, who once again recalled his encounter with Merria, said in a subdued voice.

“I don’t know if she would ever meet me.’

Harriet replied vigorously to Reukis, who was in a sullen mood.

“I’ll take care of that. Leave it to me.”

Harriet thought Reukis was worried because of Themis’ interference.

So, without Themis’ knowledge, he began to look for ways to plan a meeting between Merria and his master.

But Reukis shook his head, saying it wasn’t like that.

“Lady Merria… knows me as an unscrupulous molester that couldn’t be rehabilitated.”

Kalix and Harriet were mortified by the unexpected confession of Reukis.

There has been a deeper silence in the office than before.

* * *

Kalix, who tilted his head slightly, asked cautiously.

“I didn’t know you could… did you molest her?”

“Are you crazy?”

“Or did you threaten her to cure you?”

“How dare you.”

There’s no way it could be. Reukis, who was trying to speak his words out of his mouth, analyzed the expression on Merria’s face the last time he saw her.

It certainly looked unpleasant, but it wasn’t a terrified face.

Reukis, who denied reality, shook his head slowly.

Then, suddenly, he glanced at Kalix fiercely.

“Do I look like a piece of trash to do such a thing?”

“No…”

It was very embarrassing for his attitude to change as if the palms of his hand were flipped while talking about being ‘unscrupulous’ with his own mouth.

Frustrated, Kalix called Harriet for help.

Harriet gently took over the words in a worried voice.

“How did someone like you become an unscrupulous person?”

Of course, Reukis was a man who couldn’t be said to be gentle even with empty words, but he wasn’t even a brute, so Harriet decided to throw away his objective gaze.

‘Our Reukis was a rather pure man. A man of ‘Sunflower style’ that was popular these days! He’s a man of good manners.’

(N: Sunflower = Loyalty/adoration)

It was the moment when Reukis, who had never had a woman by his side before, was reborn as a pure man who was the best in the world by Harriet’s apprehension.

Reukis momentarily felt embarrassed when he read Harriet’s expression, but it was just for a second, so no one noticed it.

Reukis, who covered his eyes with his hands, confessed, in a small voice, describing the situation that had just happened that led him to be unscrupulous to Merria’s eyes.

“Well…”

In addition to blocking Serinia’s way, he accidentally grabbed Merria’s dress, which he met for the first time.

Harriet, deeply embarrassed by the rudeness beyond imagination, drooped.

When no answers were heard from both men, Reukis said in a sincere voice.

“Harriet, what should I do with this situation?”

I was thinking of asking for help from Harriet, who has any experience.

Harriet gave the most basic answer without much thought.

“First of all, you should convey the words of apology…”

Reukis also nodded his head as if he agreed with his idea.

“Send a letter to Rackester and tell them I’m going to visit right away.”

“What?”

“Shouldn’t you apologize first for grabbing the lady’s dress without permission?”

“Your Highness…”

Kalix was stunned at Reukis impulsive decision.

Kalix reiterated that if he could barely get his act together and suddenly visit her in person, it would make his first impression worse.

Reukis, who had been contemplating for a long time, stopped talking.

“No, I’d rather send a courtship.”

“Who would propose such a thing? Milo said the ladies hate men who get ahead of themselves.”

Kalix began to delve into Milo’s experiences, a series of fellow knights crying because of Casanova.

But Reukis didn’t care and brought up another reason for his proposal.

“I spent the night with her.”

Harriet’s eyes were so big that they almost popped out of his face at Reukis’ explanation.

Kalix, who knows the whole story thanks to the fact that he went to the party with him, replied with a ridiculous face.

“Yes, it usually means a great event, but your highness the Grand Duke, you only spent the ‘night together’.”

“…”

“Then, with that reason, you should rather marry me. Aren’t you staying in the same barracks as me and sharing bandages? If you marry for that reason, the entire Knights of Altairs would be your bride.”

Harriet’s body, which surged with anticipation by sarcastic Kalix’s words, seemed to shrink.

Reukis slammed the handle of the chair with his fist.

“Then what do you want me to do? I don’t think after what happened I’d be able to talk to her, let alone cure me. Would Lady Merria even tell me about her abilities that even her family kept hidden?”

“Hmmm, there’s no gift you could ever give her to change her mind.”

Harriet, who was looking for a break, went out to clean up his disorganized beard.

It was Harriet, who couldn’t even have a romantic relationship in his youth because he was guarding Reukis’ when he was young.

For some reason, there was an ingenuity that he did not know why but fueled Reukis’ heart.

“Gift. That would be great.”

When Reukis gave his permission, Harriet and Kalix nodded resolutely and left the office to perform their respective roles.

* * *

Two days later, a large carriage arrived at the Rockester mansion.

It was filled with luxury items such as precious exotic silks, expensive vintage wines, and earrings.

Ruben, surprised by the sudden appearance of the carriage, went to meet the coachman.

The carriage stopped, and the attendant, caught between the gifts, got off and spoke to Ruben.

The sender was Grand Duke Frederick, and the recipient was, of course, Merria Rackester.

The butler, with a trembling expression, headed to Merria’s room with Reukis’ letter on his hand that the servant handed to him.

“Lady.”

“Hmm? What’s going on?”

Merria had been eating her cookies while reading a romance novel she had recently bought.

“I was told to deliver this letter in urgent.”

Ruben crosses a letter with an uncomfortable face.

She lifted herself leaning on the sofa and accepted what Ruben had given her.

“Who sent it?”

“It was sent by the Grand Duke.”

“…who?”

“The Grand Duke said to deliver a letter to the lady Merria along with the items in the carriage.”

Merria flipped the envelope with shaking pupils.

Finding the familiar sentence, Merria tore the envelope boldly.

Then I read the contents quickly.

[ Dear Lady Merria Rackester,

I am sending you a small gift with my heart to apologize for the previous rudeness I made.

Please forgive me and ease your anger, I ask and beg you to meet me at least once.

-Reukis Frederick. ]

It was a letter of apology that was extremely Reukis-like, without any rhetoric.

However, I couldn’t help but narrow my eyebrows at the word, ‘Dear’ in the letter before my name.

Even in his clichéd words, the apology letter didn’t work on me, I didn’t want to be favored by Reukis.

After reading the letter in an instant, I picked up the book again to continue reading, leaving only the words to return the carriage with the items that were sent by Reukis immediately.

And the next day, two wagons passed through the front gate of the Rackester, but quickly returned.

It was just like yesterday that I slammed the door with refusal to accept his gifts.

If I send it back again like this, I’m worried that three carriages might come next time, so this time I told the attendant who was sent along with the gift to give a letter to Reukis saying, ‘I wasn’t angry at all, so you don’t have to send these kinds of gifts anymore. Thank you for your consideration.’

I almost meant what I said in the letter.

If I had to say this to him, it was true that I wasn’t angry at all and my words were sincere, I’m hoping that he would stop sending these gifts anymore.

However, Reukis repeatedly attacked her with gifts, and for days, as carriages came and went to each other’s mansions, rumors began to spread that Grand Duke Frederick was passionately courting the youngest daughter of Duke Rackester.

Now, my patience was at its limit from ignoring him.

I decided to face him and tell him directly to stop this nonsense.

“Lexie. Send this letter to Grand Duke Frederick. As soon as possible.”

An angry voice came out between the twisted lips.