I Slept with the Villain Holding My Hand

I Slept with the Villain Holding My Hand Chapter 83

Translated by Niks

✿

Even touching it with my own hands didn’t change anything.

The ring that I never took off, the ring that was only visible to my eyes, disappeared completely.

Merria stared at her hand and jumped up and headed to bed.

Toss~

Just in case. As expected. Even if I flipped over the thick blanket, I couldn’t see anything like a ring.

The ring has never fallen off.

Because it was always designed to fit Merria’s hand.

‘It’s not lost. The ring had disappeared. Yes, like magic.’

“…”

Harriet, who was watching at Merria acting unexpectedly, asked.

“Did you lose something?”

“My ring is missing.” Merria replied as if possessed.

“If you explain what kind of ring it is, I’ll have the staffㅡ”

“Where did you say Reukis was?”

“What? Oh, he’s in the study room at the annex. But….”

Harriet replied as if wondering.

“If it’s the annex, the one on the left?”

“That’s…”

When Harriet’s answer fell, Merria strode towards the door.

It was when Harriet tilted his head at her sudden action.

Thud~

After opening the door of the bedroom, Merria left Reukis’ room.

“Merria!”

Perplexed, Harriet called her behind, but Merria didn’t look back.

Merrria’s steps, which continued to head forward, gradually accelerated.

Soon, Merria began to run through the Grand Mansion in the middle of the night.

The guards of the mansion, whom she occasionally encountered, looked at her in surprise.

Wearing slippers and a loose gown, Merria just ran.

The night Shannon and Reukis met like the first scene of the novel, Merria’s power disappeared.

Reukis left behind Merria, who was asleep, saying there was an urgent matter.

‘I couldn’t calm my anxiety.’

I wanted to meet him right away and check. I hope Reukis still looks at me warmly.

Hold my hand and give me stability.

Previously, when I came to see Reukis at the Grand Duke’s residence, I took a short walk.

At that time, Reukis introduced various places in the mansion.

As a result, I vaguely knew the location of the annex.

As I left this mansion and found my way straight to the annex, I was already soaked in rain.

Somehow I felt like I was going to burst into tears after the raindrops gently dripped onto my face.

‘I had to meet Reukis quickly!’

As she reached the annex, she pushed the door open without hesitation.

The inside looked a bit desolate, but it was kept clean.

When the door that Merria came in closed, anyone could hear even the slightest sound clearly.

The sound of rain knocking on the window, the sound of Merria’s heartbeat, and…

“ㅡAre you sure?”

Kalix’s voice was heard from afar.

Merria clenched her fist and walked slowly.

It was time for Merria, who stopped in front of the room where small lights leaked, to knock on the door.

“If there’s a problem with the Lady’s power, it’s a big problem!”

Kalix’s voice complaining about something could be heard.

Thud~

Merria’s hands trembled.

“…Wasn’t that the reason why Your Highness was looking for the Lady?”

After hearing Kalix’s words, Merria stopped thinking.

Merria’s eyes shook violently as she looked inside the door.

Fortunately, Kalix continued to speak as to how much her presence was offset by the sound of the rain.

“That’s why you sent so many gifts even though the carriage was overflowing to ask for forgiveness. It was all done to look good to Lady Rockester.”

“Kalix.”

It was Reukis who stopped the Kalix. His low-sinking voice penetrated Merria’s ears.

If that was the reason why Reukis was so desperate for her, she would be a little angry.

‘He came up to me naively with his eyes shining, and looking determined. But he had a plan.’

Even if I heard this just yesterday, I wouldn’t have been so shocked.

But I couldn’t do that now. 

Merria looked down at her fingers.

Whether he doesn’t know Merria’s feelings, Reukis continued.

“Just before I noticed that her power had disappeared, I met someone with the same power.”

Merria stared at the door anxiously.

Please…

‘I hope that’s not the only thing.‘

“She said her name was Shannon Magner. Find out about her, too.”

Merria bit her lip and held back her breath.

Even before I could face Reukis, I encountered reality.

My power disappeared, and Shannon had that power.

‘Hah!’

Merria could now understand the old woman’s words.

‘You need to find someone who needs this. If you owe him a debt, he might save you at least once.’

Someone who could spare her her life. It was the main character of this world.

Shannon who receives so much love from the absolute. Shannon was the true owner of the power that Merria suddenly received one day.

The raindrops that ran down her hair stayed on her eyelashes and then fell.

It was like her tears, so Merria’s gaze shattered.

If this current situation was the aftermath from twisting the original story, should I just have to accept it?

Or do I have to comply to avoid another aftermath?

‘I knew it, I already knew…’

If I run away like this and go to a place where there’s no Reukis, Shannon, or Altheon forever.

I’ll be able to lead a peaceful and leisurely life throughout.

In the meantime, it was funny that I came up with an escape plan step by step.

Why do I have to go through such a great ordeal?

Suddenly, it felt unfair.

Merria always had to hold her breath thinking of the unwanted memories of her past life.

I haven’t been to other people’s parties properly, and I haven’t made friends until I reach adulthood, and I haven’t had a proper relationship with anyone because my twisted personality might cause them anger.

Merria, whose thoughts were tangled, made a drastic conclusion.

‘This was all because of Reukis.’

…Why did you come to me and smile?

…Why did you give me your arms and kiss me?

…Why did he make my heart so weak?

And as always, Merria decided to avoid responsibility.

‘So, you choose.’

If Reukis abandons me, I’ll be frustrated, but I think I’d be able to leave easily.

Even so…

I thought it would be better if the person holding my hand would be him.

Please…

✿

Merria swept over her tangled hair and pulled her gown to tighten.

It didn’t look so dignified because it was already soaked in water.

She took a deep breath and knocked on her door.

The bright crimson eyes that glowed solidly in the darkness sank as deep as red bloody ice.

Knock, knock~

At the same time, Reukis’ deep sigh was heard.

Merria felt something rattling in her mind.

“Come on in.”

Reukis answered in a weak voice.

Despite his permission, Merria stayed motionless and was busy controlling her swirling heart.

‘Should I just pretend not to know?’

Reukis was a sweet, softhearted person, so he may not easily abandon me.

However, the relationship that has been drawn like that will someday hamper her again.

‘One way or another, I couldn’t back down on what I’ve already heard. Let’s solve it here right now.’

Merria opened her deeply closed eyes, and turned the handle with determination.

The first thing I saw when I pushed the door back in was a feast of books spread out from the floor to the desk.

Meanwhile, Kalix and Reukis were sitting.

Reukis, who thought it would be Harriet who came, had round eyes like a rabbit.

“Merria?”

Merria’s condition, which appeared out of nowhere, was unusual.

She was wet as if she had been struck by water, and her expression was very wretched.

At Merria’s cold gaze below her soaked hair evoked an unknown anxiety in Reukis.

Then, remembering the conversation that came out of Kalix’s mouth just before the door opened, he dropped the papers he was holding.

Kalix, not knowing what was wrong, was still wondering why Merria came into the room.

The short time Merria closed the door and walked between the books on the floor felt like a hundred thousand layers for Reukis.

Plop, plop~

The slippers soaked in water made a sound as water was dripping still from her hair.

Reukis didn’t even blink, just standing still until she came right in front of him.

With two and a half steps, Merria stopped walking, keeping her distance just like when she meets a person for the first time.

Kalix, unaware, left the room as a loyal subordinate who does not interfere with someone’s private time.

Even after Kalix left, Merria stood there for a long time.

“Ah… Merria, it would be better to wipe off the water first.”

Reukis got up and took his coat and handkerchief. He wrapped his coat around Merria and then carefully wiped her hair and face.

The size of the handkerchief was very small, but he couldn’t help it as it was urgent.

Merria asked while Reukis was wiping her hair.

“Reukis, are you busy right now?”

Reukis’ hand stopped at Merria’s firm voice.

Merria continued, pushing back Reukis’ arm on her head.

“If you’re not busy, let’s talk for a second.”

Reukis calmly nodded, trying to look elsewhere, cautiously so as not to do anything against her heart.

He was shivering about what Merria would bring up.

‘I just came in… What should I say?’

It was an impulsive act, with a single conviction that if this moment passed, it would bother me forever.

‘I could have pretended not to hear it, but I didn’t want to.’

I thought I could shake off this feeling only when I concluded either way.

Even if it brings about negative consequences.

Merria decided to gamble to hear his honest heart.

“Reukis.”

“Yes.”

“I heard an interesting conversation between the two of you.”

“…”

“From where….Where did you hear it?”

Merria’s voice was unusually cold and firm.