I Slept with the Villain Holding My Hand

 

✿

 

After the date with Reukis.

 

The two exchanged greetings only through letters from time to time.

 

Reukis usually wrote down his daily routine, and Merria tended to write down her favorite phrases from the book she read that day.

 

And today, Merria was at the cafe in the shopping street again.

 

Originally, I was with Lexie when I went out, but now we have parted for a while to fulfill our respective goals for coming to the shopping street.

 

Merria sat alone in the window seat and stared at the street as usual.

 

As expected, there was no one in the alley again, I still hadn’t seen the old woman I was looking for.

 

‘What am I going to write today?’

 

Merria recalls the letter from Reukis’ that she had received yesterday while adding sugar to her tea.

 

‘Should I write down the brand of tea I often drink?’

 

Merria, who was moderately immersed in her thoughts, drank down the tea left from her teacup.

 

A properly warmed liquid ran down her throat and seeped into her body. Merria stood up from her seat and left a coin on the table.

 

When I left the cafe wearing a robe, the clear sky filled my vision.

 

“There’s still time…”

 

The time I was supposed to meet Lexie again was 5 o’clock. I didn’t check the time inside the cafe, but I have enough time to spare until evening.

 

Merria, who was accustomed to looking around alone, walked without delay.

 

There’s a place I always wanted to go to. I walked in a narrow alleyway to get to the roadside from the place where the cafe was located.

 

While walking around without thinking, her expression crumpled as soon as she heard a conversation from somewhere.

 

“Don’t come near me. I’m going to scream.”

 

The woman who uttered an arrogant remark was full of displeasure towards the other person she was talking to, but it didn’t sound very threatening, perhaps because of her soft voice.

 

“We’re not bad people. Young Miss.”

 

“Yes, it’s just a dark alley, and I want to take you home safely.”

 

The two men also seemed to feel the same way as Merria, and they started to approach more tenaciously without paying attention to their surroundings.

 

Such a disrespectful approach in such peaceful broad daylight.

 

I turned to the right, contemplating whether I should bring an escort in the future. I couldn’t even use my magic anyway, so I wouldn’t be of help if I approached her.

 

So Merria tried to find a useful person for this situation.

 

‘Where’re the patrolling knights?’

 

Normally, they would patrol the back of the alley. Merria turned her head around, unable to straighten her brows.

 

Today, It was time for her to move quickly to find a modest guard.  As soon as she turned to the corner, there was a crumpling sound, a sharp pain spreading through her nose.

 

There was nothing in front of me, but my nose prickled as if I had hit a wall.

 

I bit my lips to hold back the pain, rubbing my nose with a light scratch. When I checked my fingers, I was amazed that my nose didn’t bleed even though it hurt like this.

 

I opened my eyes roughly and lifted my head to see what the hell was so hard that hit her.

 

“Merria?”

 

Why was he here again?

 

Reukis suddenly appeared, with his eyes wide open, and called her name. His eyes were full of confusion, and he seemed surprised even if he didn’t say anything.

 

He stared at her, and Merria was also surprised to see her lover whom she had also met a few days ago.

 

“Are you all right?”

 

Before Merria could say anything, Reukis approached and checked her face. Reukis couldn’t even touch her hand, and she only pulled her hair softly down to the side of her bowed head to examine his face.

 

“Reukis?”

 

As Merria lifted her head, her covered face was completely revealed. As he saw the tip of her nose reddened a little and his eyebrows drooped down.

 

“It looks a little swollen here. I should have looked ahead where I was going.”

 

“No, don’t… More than that, there’s a scuffle over there, so would you like to go? I’ll call the knights.”

 

Merria said, pointing her head behind her, and immediately brushed him off and walked forward.

 

As I quickly came out to the main street, I could feel a black figure approaching from the side. When I turned my head, Reukis, whom I had left behind in the alley, was walking next to me.

 

As Merria slowed down her stride and stared intently at Reukis, he only tilted his head with a calm expression on his face, as if nothing had happened.

 

“Why?”

 

‘What’s wrong with you?’

 

“Aren’t you going to save her?”

 

Merria pointed her head into the alley and asked.

 

Reukis made an

‘Ah!’

sound as if belatedly understanding her words and immediately replied.

 

“Are you worried about that woman? I’m already on my way back from calling the knights, so they’ll be there soon.”

 

“Oh, okay, you’re so fast…”

 

As Merria blurs the end of her words, Reukis folds his eyebrows slightly.

 

It seemed to be an unconscious expression he made when solving difficult problems.

 

Reukis, who was agonizing for a while, opened his eyes wide and asked.

 

“Are you disappointed that I didn’t save that person myself?”

 

“What?”

 

“I’ve heard that young girls are also attracted to such chivalry acts.”

 

“Um…well there must be someone like that?”

 

Among the numerous popular novels Lexie had read, such a male protagonist appears.

 

A man who pretends to be indifferent and leaves without saying a word. It was surprising that Reukis cared about such a thing, but Merria answered his question seriously.

 

“But I don’t think so. It’s scary for anyone to be in danger, and I don’t want to make a sacrifice. It’s something like that.”

 

Merria continued to speak with a bitter face. “I’m usually reluctant to engage in other people’s business, and I’m not that kind of righteous person with a strong sense of justice.”

 

Moreover, she was bound by cowardice, so she didn’t mean to impose moral behavior on anyone.

 

“I was just asking…”

 

I just remembered that Reukis in the original story had saved Shannon several times. But I couldn’t tell him the truth, so I ended my speech moderately.

 

“Of course. You, who I thought would be there, were here.”

 

After hearing Merria’s answer, Reukis pondered deeply and then added words with a look of realization.

 

“Of course, I was on my way to mediate the situation before, but when I ran into you, my mind changed.”

 

“…?”

 

“I didn’t want to leave you alone in a dark alley like this because of someone I don’t even know.”

 

Merria rolled her eyes as if to look around her.

 

The alley was quiet, but not dark. Rather, it was even darker next to Reukis, who covered his whole body in black.

 

Merria, who burst into a small laugh at his serious tone, nodded a couple of times.

 

“That’s a pretty good idea.”

 

The sky was clear, the wind was calm, and this man who appeared out of the blue said something cuter than I thought.

 

It wasn’t a bad feeling.

 

✿

 

When we arrived near the main road, the knight force that Reukis had called was rushing towards us.

 

A man dressed in a knight’s uniform from security recognized Reukis and stopped walking.

 

“This, ah… is she the young lady you mentioned…?”

 

He seemed to think that the woman who was in trouble earlier was Merria when he saw her with Reukis.

 

Merria first shook her head and answered instead. “The scuffle took place in the alley near the cafe on the second floor at the back of the alley.”

 

“Thank you.” The knight gave a gentle nod and disappeared into the alley.

 

The two men who came out from the side of the main street walked slowly, exchanging meaningless words.

 

It was mainly about what they were doing during that time

 

Reukis thought she was walking without any destination in mind, but Merria had a clear purpose.

 

Merria stopped walking past the central square.

 [All over Dessert] 

A shop that Lexie told me about, which started in Andelson on the outskirts of the capital.

 

This time, it was here that the patissier came to the capital and opened her second store.

 

Unlike Erienne, who only sells cakes, the tarts were also slowly gaining popularity.

 

‘Come to think of it, Reukis also had a sweet tooth, right?’

 

Usually, Lexie, who runs Merria’s errands, believes that all bread and cookies are sweets. She didn’t understand Merria’s love for desserts.

 

However, if it was Reukis who even ordered his subordinates to buy him a cake, might understand her heart.

 

Kalix bought the cake on his own. Merria, who was mistaken, smiled as she tapped Reukis on his arm.

 

“Reukis, are you busy?”

 

“I’m very free,” Reukis answered faster than anyone else.

 

“I’ve been wanting to go there since the last time I went out. Do you want to come with me?”

 

Merria smiled and pointed to the entrance of the store.

 

As Reukis nodded, Merria led him towards the store. The employee, who had paused after seeing the black object coming through the open door, smiled as he saw Merria entering with him.

 

The staff guided them to a seat with a great view on the second floor.

 

As we sat down, the staff handed us the menu and asked. “Have you ever visited our dessert shop?”

 

Since Reukis was someone who would only say yes or no, Merria decided to answer instead.

 

“It’s our first time.”

 

“Then I’d like to recommend our signature lemon tart.”

 

The staff smiled and pointed to the menu drawn in the center.

After Merria ordered the lemon tart first, she carefully looked over the menu again.

 

“Is there anything you want to eat?”

 

She smiled and asked Reukis, but when he received the menu, he only asked for a cup of tea and shook his head.

 

Merria, who ordered several kinds of desserts, a cup of coffee, and Reukis’ share of tea, noticed the staff moving away, and told Reukis.

 

“I heard the desserts here are very delicious.”

 

“I’m fine.”

 

In response to his consistent answer, Merria’s eyebrows narrowed then she asked again.

 

“Is it because you don’t want to talk about it?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I mean, you like dessert. You’ve been able to do your part as much as you could, but there might be something else you might want.”

 

“How did you get here? I don’t know if you have a sweet tooth…”

 

Ah…

 

‘Reukis doesn’t know that I met his aide that bought his cake before.’

 

Merria, who made a slip of the tongue, turned her eyes around for a moment.

 

The man who came on his errand said it was a secret, but I forgot it because of the joy of finding a cake comrade.

 

It would be easy to explain the situation, but… Remembering the anxiety in the aide’s eyes, Merria decided to shut her mouth for the aide’s well-being.

 

“Because your eyes were burning as you looked at the tarts displayed outside.”

 

It was an absurd lie, but Reukis, who was not interested in how he usually looked, was easily deceived.

 

He rolled his lips inward, deciding that from now on when he sees a cake, he would pretend to have a cold gaze.

 

“Aren’t I funny?”

 

It was a voice smaller than a mosquito. It was a relief because it was quiet around, but I didn’t know it.

 

Merria was momentarily lost in thought from his more negative response than she expected.

 

‘Did I touch a sensitive part…’

 

Did anyone dare to pick on the Grand Duke for eating a cake?

 

Seeing him somewhat gloomy, her sympathy as a comrade who loves desserts abruptly rose.

 

She asked with a face that fully understood Reukis’ gloomy heart. “Did someone laugh at you for eating a cake?”

 

“Normally, the idea of young girls when they see a man enjoying dessert together was childish…”

 Bang! 

Merria leaned forward with her hands on the table. It was because his way of speaking, which had been very annoying since earlier, touched her limit.

 

“That ordinary love, that sort of thing. Who the hell told you that?”

 

At her bitter interrogation, Reukis shut his mouth as he was about to say something. It was a momentary act, driven by the intuition that no excuses would be accepted.

 

The staff, who were watching carefully, took advantage while their conversation was cut, he set the dessert and quickly went to another place.

 

In front of her were appetizing desserts, but Merria’s eyes were fixed only on Reukis.

 

Somehow the anger that had boiled over at his impertinent attitude subsided.

 

Merria pushed the dessert round in front of her one by one to Reukis.

 

“That’s enough. You don’t have to tell me. It’s okay if you can’t tell me.”

 

“…”

 

“But I like a man who could eat like this with me.”

 

His eyes, who had been wandering, quietly turned to Merria.

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