I Slept with the Villain Holding My Hand

Merria looked at Reukis in curiosity at his face that had quickly turned pale.

“But… to use your power.”

Reukis mumbled and blurted the end of his words.

As a result of their own experiments, minimal contact was required, such as holding hands, in order for Merria’s power to be properly transmitted to Reukis.

‘I must be greedy for wanting to be the only one holding Merria’s hand.’ (Reukis)

Reukis with his drooping shoulders, glanced at the hands that lay neatly in her lap.

It seemed like he didn’t want to show off his face, but Merria already noticed how he felt.

‘Oh you’re sad… You’re so cute.’

At first, I was taken in by his clear eyes and his friendly tone.

It was the day he asked about Dylan at Mrs. Fabro’s party, she noticed a change in Reukis’ behavior.

Reukis, who had no interest in other people and was blunt, used to wonder what Merria was like even if she pretended to know someone.

Therefore, it was more difficult not to notice his eyes with childlike possessiveness.

In front of Merria, his face was as innocent as a flower.

From some point on, Merria wanted to see his reaction every time, so she had to suppress her desire to pretend that she didn’t know and play pranks on him.

Merria patted Reukis’ head lightly, enjoying his child-like reactions.

His fine black hair fluttered between her fingers.

Reukis accepted the touch and frowned and relaxed again to open up what he was imagining.

“They would need to touch you…”

“…Yes.”

Whether or not he knew that his body, which was originally facing Merria completely, and was slightly tilted forward, Reukis looked down and answered.

Merria, who was slowly stroking his hair, swept her hand down to his cheek.

Reukis’ eyelashes trembled when her fingertips suddenly touched his cheek.

“But I won’t do it like I do with you. Holding hands.”

“There’s a difference between lovers and a stranger.”

“…”

“With others it’s like this…”

Merria lightly clasped his fingertips with her other hand.

It was a far more distant movement than the social escort posture.

“And we’re like this.”

Merria, who touched his palm, slowly penetrated between his big, straight fingers.

Reukis watched the slow motion with a deep, subdued gaze.

Just holding her hand, Reukis’ face felt hot.

His throat felt very sore and dry.

Reukis, who was quietly watching what she was doing, raised her hand and pressed his lips deeply on the back of Merria’s hand.

“Are you allowing only me to do this?”

A good excuse came out of his mouth, seizing the opportunity.

After the dance at the banquet, it looked like a light kiss as a courtesy, but the reality was completely different.

The eyes that looked up at Merria with his lips on the back of her hand were full of unknown desire.

The sun outside the window was still bright, but only Reukis seemed to be in the dark bedroom.

“Was that all?”

Reukis immediately took the initiative in an instant.

Merria gently twisted her hand held by Reukis, with his lips still on her hand.

The white back of his hand in front of Merria, with a scar in front, appeared like a prey.

She lowered her head slowly, with a light smile on her lips.

As Reukis did, she kept her eyes on him and put her lips on the back of his hand, exposed defenselessly.

His pupils trembled greatly and fire flared as if on fire as reflected in Merria’s eyes.

The two, who had been looking at each other from a close distance with only a span of a fist, knew what would happen next.

It was when Merria’s eyes were about to close first.

Knock, knock~

“It’s Kalix.”

The two of them were suddenly dragged into reality, and they hardened like people trapped in a small space.

When the momentary silence was over, Merria was the first to be startled and separated herself from Reukis.

She wrapped her hands around her burning cheeks like a student caught doing something bad.

‘I tried to cool off my burning cheeks, but my hands felt hot as well and it didn’t have much effect.’ (Merria)

On the other hand, Reukis, who had missed the honey-like moment, looked at the door with cold eyes where Calix would be standing.

Reukis spoke after confirming that Merria had calmed down to some extent.

“Come on in.”

Kalix and the three knights, who knew nothing, entered altogether.

Reukis, who was shooting Kalix a cold glare, turned his head and whispered quietly enough to be heard only by Merria.

“They are the strongest men in Altairs.”

“But, about holding hands…?” Merria asked, sitting close to him.

She forgot the most important thing while peacefully eating the cake.

Merria barely resisted the desire to slap her own forehead at her own negligence.

“You don’t have to worry about that.”

Reukis tilted his head with a look of concern.

He turned his head slightly and spoke to those who were standing in a stiff position.

“Everyone, put your hands forward.

The well-trained knights stretched their hands forward without hesitation.

Reukis led Merria and brought her before him.

When Merria looked at him in embarrassment, Reukis clasped something in Merria’s hand.

“This was a newly developed pill by Lady Serinia Rackester, a researcher at Crowley Academy.”

“Ah. Right! My older sister said she wanted to ask about the effect on knights who have experienced real battles in particular… May I ask you a favor?”

Merria vigorously swung the bait that Reukis had provided.

When Merria, who had obtained her justification for her next actions, handed them a hand ointment, their hands lightly touched each other.

Instantly let out a strong energy, as she handed them the medicine.

After repeating four times, Merria waited for their response with a pounding heart.

“…?”

However, no matter how much time passed, there was no special response.

Merria watched them closely, frowning, but there seemed to be no change.

“How do you like it?” Merria couldn’t let go of any hope and asked.

The two young knights, who quickly exchanged glances, nodded and answered.

“It’s so refreshing that I don’t feel sleepy at all!”

“That’s right. I think it’ll be perfect to eat on guard.”

In fact, the drug was a nutritional supplement that Harriet provided because Reukis often skips meals.

Knowing that it didn’t work, Kalix didn’t say anything.

The more the knights answered one after another, the more ambiguous her expression became, and Merria struggled to control her expressions.

Merria, who showed a soft smile over her disappointment and confusion, and clapped lightly.

“Thank you very much. I must tell it to Serinia.”

“Oh, no.”

Those who felt awkward at receiving a ‘thank-you’ from a beautiful lady shook their heads modestly in shame.

“Leave, Kalix you stay.”

Reukis, who was paying as much attention to the reactions of the four as Merria, gave an order as soon as the business was over.

As soon as the other knights left the room, Merria sighed heavily.

She sat collapsing on the sofa in her dismay, resting her chin on her hands and lost in thought

‘Wasn’t mana the condition?’

If it weren’t for the old woman’s words, I wouldn’t have had to wrap my head around this power.

The words, “You should find those who need this power,” lingered in Merria’s head.

Reukis, who was looking at Merria with a frown, asked Kalox, who was still present.

“Kalix, didn’t you feel something earlier?”

“If I could feel something… Wasn’t this a nutritional supplement for His Majesty? If you had to ask, it was just as refreshing as others have said.”

Kalix, who didn’t know anything, merely conveyed what he felt.

✤

A person was bound to have more appetite when he took a bite of soup than when he was on an empty stomach.

‘I thought it was a great opportunity to learn something about the ring that had existed for years.’ (Merria)

Merria, whose plans went in vain one after another from the Ministry of Magic and the Knights, couldn’t hide her disappointment.

Reukis, who couldn’t let go of Merria easily, eventually suggested that they have dinner together.

Merria also knew that going home like this would only complicate her mind, so she nodded lightly.

While contemplating where to eat, Reukis remembered ‘Diner Hart’, which he received her best response in the past.

He thought that Daphne’s dessert would make her feel better, so he sent Kalix to Hart right away.

Fortunately, they were able to have dinner at Hart because of someone’s delayed reservation.

Reukis looked at Merria, who was sitting across from him and eating.

Merria was eating well today, but she still looked troubled.

“Merria…”

Merria, who was lost in thought at his soft call, lifted her head.

Recognizing that she had been thinking about something else, Merria laughed and brushed off her thoughts.

“I’m sorry. What were you talking about?”

“No. Are you more concerned about that?” Reukis answered.

Although the subject was omitted, Merria immediately understood the meaning.

She said as she put down the utensils she was holding.

“It’s just… there’s a lot on my mind. Was the magic of the knights different from the magic of the wizards?”

“As far as I know, it’s of the same nature. Just as magic and swordsmanship are different, they are used differently.”

Merria felt a little better at Reukis’ use of both sides.

Reukis was also seriously lost in thought, leaving the meal behind.

“Then I wonder if it would work for other wizards…” Merria said while holding the wine glass lightly.

“Merria, does the Duke know about that power?”

“Well, he probably doesn’t know. As I said, it’s not visible to others.”

It doesn’t have any healing ability to be called a divine power, and there was no mana embodiment to be called magic power.

Merria’s ability, simply called ‘that power’, was something that even Reukis had never seen before.

“Was that so? Then it’s highly likely that it wasn’t passed down from the Rackester family.”

Back to square one again…

Until she used her powers on Reukis, she thought she would soon be able to unravel the identity of this enigmatic power.

The more I found out who he was, the more I felt twisted.

Merria didn’t move her hand, as if she had completely stopped eating.

‘Should I tell him?’

She didn’t really need to hide anything about her power, she thought.

But the ring, the source of that power, was a little different.

From meeting the old woman to her death and the owner of the key. There were many issues to explain.

Reukis even revealed his personal matters, but if I had to pick out what the problem was.

‘Cause I don’t want to talk about it directly.’

Now Merria was not Altheon’s fiance, but Reukis’ lover. She didn’t even put Shannon in danger.

However,

If the master of this world still exists.

There was no way that the writer would be pleased with Merria, who caused Karina to make the first meeting of the main characters go wrong and interfered with the first meeting between Reukis and Shannon.

Then maybe she’ll give Merria a decent punishment.

For example, the memory of her past life that she remembers suddenly disappears.

‘I’m not sure that the same thing that the original ‘Merria’ did would not repeat, if I lose those memories.’

What on earth could Merria do in front of that great being?

‘Oh, this helpless feeling again.’

It felt like falling into a large pit and only being able to look up.

A sense of helplessness on a cliff with hands and feet tied. At dawn, when she awakened from a nightmare, it was the deep, dark feeling she endured alone.

Merria put a warm smile over her trembling eyes.

‘Of all things, why do I have to think about this in front of Reukis.’

If she wishes for comfort, he would give his arms immediately, and if she sheds tears, he would also wipe it away.

But that wasn’t what Merria really wanted.

She wanted complete peace.

Peace with a guaranteed future, like the world after the conclusion of the story.

It was only that.