I Slept with the Villain Holding My Hand

 

✿

 

Despite enjoying the party while staying out overnight, Merria was living her normal daily life which was not different from before.

 

Currently, Merria was having tea time with her mother in the mansion’s greenhouse.

 

As expected, the Emperor declared that he would hold a banquet to celebrate the return of Altheon with the proud news of victory.

 

When he pushed the young prince to the battlefield, I always thought that he was a brazen emperor.

 

Merria lifted the teacup with a smooth movement, kicking her tongue inside.

 

“Merria, are you seeing anyone?”

 

When asked out of the blue, Merria managed to resist spitting out her tea.

 

I pressed down on the couch that was coming out and asked again.

 

“What?”

 

“You’re an adult now. Even if you don’t get married right away, you have to get engaged, so if you have a lover, bring him and introduce him to us.”

 

Her mother Raven answered, putting down the teacup gracefully.

 

Most of the aristocrats got engaged early, some of whom got married immediately after the age of 20. So, Merria, who became an adult without a fiance, was a little unusual.

 

My sister, Serinia, also got engaged to Miles, whom she met at the academy, as soon as she graduated.

 

As the two are currently busy working for the academy, the marriage has been delayed for a while, but it will be soon.

 

‘An engagement…’

 

She focused only on not being mentioned as Altheon’s fiance, so she had never thought deeply about engagement or marriage.

 

Since Serinia will become the Duchess anyway, there was no restriction on Merria’s marriage. If there is a restriction, it’s just as long as it is not a commoner?

 

Although there were very few cases of aristocrats marrying commoners, they did not adjust to the aristocratic society, but were treated by the government and ended up being cheated on or divorced.

 

“Unfortunately, I don’t have one. I’ll look for someone who I can get engaged with.”

 

“Lilith told me that there’s a party for single aristocrats these days? If you like someone there, make sure to catch him. You can find someone at this victory banquet.”

 

It was clear that Raven didn’t know what else Lilith said was just an entertainment party.

 

Merria had no intention of bringing in a well-off commoner and bothering him.

 

Sooner or later, she returned to her room thinking of finding someone among the nobles in the capital.

 

Lexie, who was organizing the room, asked if she needed anything, but she thought for a moment and answered that she didn’t.

 

“Oh, I’m going to get a dress this weekend. It’s convenient to go before people gather.”

 

“Yes! Miss. Then call me if you need anything.”

 

“Yes.”

 

After Lexie left, the room became quiet.

 

Merria slowly closed her eyes, feeling the silence with her whole body.

 

She took a deep breath and began to organize what was to come according to the original novel.

 

The battle for succession to the throne will take place in earnest, rebellion will occur once, and the Crown Prince will be rebuked by next year.

 

‘By then, would I be able to do something like engagement with someone with ease?’

 

Merria, who pursues a more peaceful life than anyone else, was comforted by the fact that after the novel’s completion, there was no war or rebellion.

 

All novels usually end with ‘And all lived happily ever after.’

 

As Raven said, Merria frowned as she was agonizing over who to be engaged with.

 

It was because a person who had been put off to the end of my memory came to mind.

 

“Duke Frederick….”

 

He was the man who competed with Dominique, the second prince, in Merria’s

‘Husband’s Candidate List.’

 

No, I eliminated him from the preliminary round of my list.

 

As Merria was the villainess in the original, there was a person in charge as the Final Villain.

 

That was

Reukis Frederick. 

Although he was a Sub-Male Lead, he failed to achieve love in the end, and he even seeks treason to take over the Female Lead with his strength.

 

Frederick, who has continued the blood of a dark sorcerer for generations, was the only Grand Duke of Tristan in the Empire.

 

Their power to deal with the darkness was so threatening that they often made in-laws with the royal family that they became allies of the Emperor.

 

Previously, there was an incident in which the doors of the Fredrick family, which had a strong tendency to be closed, were completely locked.

 

In the original book, they called it

‘The Tragedy of the Grand Duke.’

 

Born with the power of a dark magician as a child, Reukis grew up with the expectation of his father and the affection of his mother.

 

Then one day, the runaway Reukis couldn’t control his power, and the Grand Dukes in the room died.

 

The servants of the Grand Duke defended their masters while covering the deaths of the Grand Duke and his wife.

 

However, in a calm lake, a small stone rippled.

 

When the maid, who had just arrived, stopped working because she was having a nightmare, words began to circulate that Reukis was cursed for trying dark magic.

 

Eventually, all the servants who made such rumors were expelled.

 

The door was locked firmly, leaving only those with tight-lipped servants at the Grand Duke’s Palace.

 

Reukis then resorted to swordsmanship instead of the dark magic that killed his parents while living.

 

The Emperor sent only Altheon to the war in the name of comforting Reukis but ordered Reukis to participate a year after the war when the war that even the crown prince had hardships.

 

It was around this time that Reukis learned his outstanding sword skills.

 

The vassals of the Grand Duchy did not actively oppose sending their only successor to the battlefield.

 

They were reluctant to send Reukis, and if Reukis died before he became an adult, they were willing to pursue the title of anti-Duke.

 

Young Reukis, helplessly, headed for the battlefield of blood and death.

 

However, Reukis not only survived by betraying everyone’s expectations but rather made a remarkable contribution.

 

After giving the victory to Altheon and returning to the capital, Reukis officially became the Grand Duke, but he was stuck in the Grand Duke’s residence and did not appear in society.

 

And then, by chance, He met Shannon.

 

It was Reukis, who was furry like a wild cat to everyone but couldn’t resist Shannon, who came out of the mansion and approached him gently without hearing the rumors of Reukis.

 

However, Shannon became Altheon’s lover, and Reukis, who had disappeared, declared treason at the end of the novel.

 

However, no matter how strong Reukis was, the main character did not lose.

 

Instead of dying at Altheon’s hand, Reukis, who only killed the Empress, left the novel with the curse of being trapped in eternal darkness himself.

 

“He’s a terrible person, too. Well, maybe it’s Reukis who will be Shannon’s love this time.”

 

Merria nodded at her thoughts and headed to the restaurant to have lunch.

 

✿

 

As she entered the restaurant, Merria leaned back in a daze.

 

It was because I saw Serenia sitting on a large table and chewing on bread.

 

Serinia mumbled, holding a sandwich in one hand and a bunch of paper in the other, leaving the nobility’s etiquette far away.

 

“What are you looking at while eating?”

 

“Merria, I haven’t seen you in days.”

 

As Merria, who had come so far, spoke, Serinia turned her head and smiled mischievously.

 

Serinia’s smile was very refreshing, with blonde hair that was a little pinker than Merria, and bright red eyes.

 

“Well, it’s because Serinia doesn’t come home because you’re studying.”

 

“I did it for two days in a row and mother scolded me.”

 

Merria giggled and laughed as if to imagine her being scolded.

 

Serinia suddenly said, “I forgot to tell you.”

 

“Oh, Derek said he misses you.”

 

“Did you meet Derek?”

 

“No, I met Aunt Natalie, and she talked about Derek. He’s about to enter the academy.”

 

Derek was Merria’s 12-year-old cousin, Lilith’s younger brother.

 

Perhaps because she took care of him since he was young, he was especially good at following Merria, he used to visit Duke Rackester often.

 

At that time, Merria was close enough to put him to sleep in her arms.

 

Recently, it has been a long time since I hadn’t seen him because I had to complete the successor class before entering the academy.

 

‘I was supposed to send you a letter, but I forgot.’

 

Merria nodded roughly, thinking that she should write a letter to Derek right away.

 

Serinia began to read the paper she was holding, pouring the remaining black coffee from the glass into her mouth.

 

“What’s that about?”

 

 “This is the Academy Apprenticeship Researcher Application.”

 

“You said you were going to pick an assistant, but you could pick one yourself?”

 

The Crowley Academy, where Serinia attends as a researcher, was the most historic academy in the Empire.

 

It was a place with high honor, named after the first emperor, so just graduating was like a free pass.

 

After graduating from the Academy at the age of 18, she went to the Academy of Research and worked as a researcher if she wanted.

 

Serinia, who became a researcher upon graduation, was currently working as an intermediate researcher.

 

“There’s one kid that stands out. Besides, I like one from another country.”

 

“Foreign student?”

 

“Yeah, I guess he’s good.”

 

“Isn’t it hard to communicate?”

 

The Imperial language was a difficult language to learn because of its complex grammar system and similar typography.

 

If it’s just a simple conversation, shouldn’t a researcher read a professional article every day?

 

“I think he’s a good speaker. Whether he’s interested in language or not, all of the subjects he has completed are language classes.”

 

“But since he’s from another country, you have a lot to teach.”

 

When Merria answered without thinking, Serenia shook her head.

 No, why? 

Since Serinia became an intermediate researcher at a young age, many people wanted to join as her assistant.

 

Merria, in doubt, looked at her and gave a puzzled expression.

 

“No, don’t you think the Empire knows too well that I’m Princess Rackester? It’s not going to be uncomfortable to deal with. It makes sense that he’s a first-time assistant.”

 Aha!

. The unexpected answer made Merria laugh in vain, and soon she looked away.

 

Indeed, the academy’s tuition fees were burdensome to the common people unless they received scholarships.

 

Because of this, most of the students were children of the nobility. Her high status was the subject of envy, but at the same time, she had to be jealous of the troublesome times.

 

Since it was Serenia, who had been feeling the burden since childhood, she wanted someone to be comfortable with as much as an assistant.

 

Understanding her intentions, Mary smiled meanly and spoke in a low voice.

Merria, who understood her intentions, said in a low voice with a mean smile.

 

“Everyone should know that the future Duke of Rackester has this personality.”

 

“That’s hard. If you want to become a Duke without interruption later, you have to take good care of your image.”

 

Serinia laughed with her pinkish platinum hair, showing an arrogant expression.

 

There were few cases in which women became the patriarchs in the Empire.

 

Moreover, it was the head of only two dukes.

 

It was obvious how drooling and biting the aristocrats would be.

 

Serinia was a greedy person. She wanted both jobs as a researcher and a Duke.

 

As a result, when she was young, she used to have academy life and successor classes at the same.

 

Serinia, who did all that perfectly and became an intermediate researcher at the age of 23, said she wanted to be a researcher until she became a Duke, and our parents accepted her will.

 

Serinia decided to take over the Duke, so it was just a good situation for Merria, who just wants to play around. 

 

‘Really….’

Meria thought that her life was left to cruise like a ship in a bad wind.

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