I Slept with the Villain Holding My Hand

 

✿

 

‘Somehow, contrary to my expectations, I thought it was too easy to accept it.’

 

It was so tantalizing to be able to talk to a hero for 10 minutes, even for Merria it was inspiring.

 

Furthermore, Merria, who wanted to get out of these gazes on her as soon as possible, persuaded him once again.

 

“Don’t worry, I’ll see you on the terrace in an hour. I also want to talk with the young aristocratic ladies I’ve met before.”

 

When Merria pointed to the side of the banquet hall, the young nobles huddled there and smiled.

 

It was Liscia who she met at the previous victory banquet, introduced by Karina, who was smiling brightly with her eyelashes fluttering.

 

After all, it was Reukis who stepped down this time, after seeing the ladies seemingly waiting for her.

 

He only let go of Merria after he got the confirmation that it would only take an hour.

 

Young noblemen, who were watching the situation, hesitated and tried to approach Merria, who had become alone but missed the time due to the bloody gaze they felt from somewhere.

 

Meanwhile, Merria walked where the wind blew and hid among the cute little young ladies.

 

After checking that no dirty people were hanging around Merria, Reukis turned in the opposite direction.

As Franz, who was excited, chattered, people began to gather like clouds next to him.

 

The banquet hall became more lively, and the gaze that had been focused on the two had subsided to some extent.

 

Of course, there were still people who glared, but that much Merria decided to tolerate.

 

Finally, Merria, who was able to relax, greeted the people she had seen before. Subsequently, she exchanged names with several young ladies through Liscia.

 

As expected, there were quite a few young people because it was a party hosted by a famous matchmaker.

 

While they were in the middle of a conversation, a girl who looked too young at first glance approached her and started to hang around.

 

She seemed to have something to say, so I turned over to her and the girl greeted me clumsily.

 

“P-princess! Hello, my name is Brana Owen.”

 

“Yes. Nice to meet you, Lady Owen.”

 

Brana, who had just made her debut in society, was in love with popular novels in the capital.

 

Moreover, as soon as she stepped into society, a scandal broke out that captivated her heart.

 

A romantic love story between a hermit princess and a war hero! Brana wanted to meet the two in person no matter what.

 

Because of this, Brana was able to attend this party by nagging her mother for three days and three nights.

 

And she was finally able to see the two! The two people who entered and shone like the main characters in the novel.

 

Besides, even Reukis’ hot gaze…!

 

It was something Merria would laugh at if she heard it, but Brana was serious. And the end of that seriousness led to unbearable curiosity.

 

So Brana bravely approached and asked Merria. “Are you… really in a relationship with the Grand Duke?”

 

The indescribable words flowed out of Brana’s mouth, immersed in her romance novels and forgetting the boundaries of reality.

 

No matter how open society was to dating, this was a different case.

 

It’s important to be careful about mentioning rumors that are circulating in society to the parties unless the people involved have revealed it themselves.

 

Besides, when the young lady from the Baron family, who she had never met before brought up the scandal with the Grand Duke, there was a chilly atmosphere surrounding Merria in an instant.

 

Young ladies nearby expressed embarrassment at Brana’s rudeness.

Only then did Brana realize what she had done, and her face turned red.

 

“Well…” Merria didn’t answer easily.

 

It wasn’t that I was offended. It’s just that I thought about how to answer the least annoying questions.

 

Merria had already expected that these words would come out if the two people who had been involved in a scandal attended as partners.

 

‘I didn’t think I’d be able to hear the questions in front of my face like this.’

 

For now, it was right to say that I’m in a relationship with Reukis, then it was right not to deny it. But it was unclear whether I would be able to withstand the attack of the questions that would follow.

 

It was like this, after all, attending alone today without Lilith or Karina.

 

It was a time when Merria tried to answer moderately, ‘Getting to know each other with good understanding.’

 

A voice filled with ridicule came from a short distance.

 

“A gloomy princess and the cursed Grand Duke. It’s a good pair.”

 

She seemed to whisper only to the people around her, but the place was close and Merria’s surroundings were so quiet that she could hear them.

 

At the unpleasant words attached to Reukis, Merria doubted her ears.

 

“Huh?”

 

“Just now…”

 

However, as I watched the faces of the young people around me who were gradually embarrassed, the reality seemed to be right.

 

Merria slowly turned her gaze and stared at the side where the voice came from. There was another group of young ladies a little distance away.

 

In the middle of it, a silver-haired woman was looking at Merria with disrespectful eyes, and a smirk on her lips.

 

The woman who stood at the center of her horde continued her speech without yielding to Merria’s cold gaze.

 

“Did I say something I shouldn’t say? Everyone dismissed it as a rumor, but the servants of the Grand Duke did.”

 

The silver-haired woman smiled and spoke in a lovely voice.

 

“The reason the Grand Duke and his wife suddenly left, and the reason the Grand Duke locked himself was all because of him. If you relate to the Grand Duke, you would be cursed to be unhappy-.”

 

Again. Merria, who had been quietly listening to the nonsense, soon moved towards the woman.

 

Very slowly and elegantly. But her momentum was as sharp as a well-forged sword, and no one could stop her.

 

In an atmosphere where something was about to happen, a few young ladies, including Brana, followed after Merria.

 

Merria said with a gentle smile, “Hello.”

 

The woman, who was just staring until Merria, the duke’s daughter, came in person, just slowly grabbed the hem of her dress.

 

“Nice to meet you. Lady Rackester.”

 

Merria’s expression hardened at the other lady’s attitude, not knowing the weight of what she had just said.

Reukis wasn’t the type of person who reacted to each of these small things.

 

Because he didn’t like being talked about. He grew up to stand out because of the natural things he had like status, power, and appearance.

 

So even if Reukis, far away, hears this story, he won’t be humiliated or it would damage his family.

 

But Merria was different. How many times had Reukis experienced such abusive remarks in his absence or even in his presence?

 

I wouldn’t have been able to stop it before.

 

At the time, Merria was a stranger to Reukis. But now she has a very strong position.

 ‘A lover.’ 

Merria was now Reukis’ lover. So she wanted to mercilessly trample on the things that kept climbing.

 

To crush that light mouth so that it could never touch Reukis’ wound even with a feather.

 

If so, the first thing to do was to figure out who the opponent was.

 

“When I was a kid, I was always at home because I was weak, so I understand that nickname attached because of it.”

 

Merria tried to appear as innocent and miserable as possible. That doesn’t mean that the naturally raised eyes won’t go down, but the tone and atmosphere, not the features, were enough.

 

As she lowered her eyes like a woman with a sad story, her bright crimson eyes were hidden by platinum-colored eyelashes.

 

The young ladies, who had followed Merria, frowned together and continued after her.

 

“Ah… that’s why I couldn’t meet the lady.”

 

“Are you feeling better now?”

 

As she listened to the concerns of the young ladies, Merria’s actions doubled. She looked surprised for a moment and then folded her eyelids.

 

“Yes. I’m very healthy now.”

 

With a broad smile, Merria’s figure looked as if a witch was mimicking an angel.

 

At the same time as her brilliant platinum hair drooped and emitted white light, her crimson eyes blazing like a red flame subtly projected her anger.

 

The young girls, who were staring at her as if possessed by her smile, didn’t even notice the emotions in her eyes and clashed with each other.

 

“It’s just that you’re so weak that it’s hard to go outside. How upset you must have been?”

 

“I’m sure people who like to slander would say that.”

 

As they added words one by one, Brana, who had organized this division, also expressed her strong agreement.

 

“That’s right. Even my mother said that the person who likes to talk was the most insignificant in the world… Oh.”

 

Brana opened her cherry candy-like eyes and covered her mouth.

As she spoke, she noticed that her desire to comfort Merria had previously made her uncultured choice of words come out.

 

Merria, who looked at Brana’s innocent appearance just like Lilith from childhood, burst into a small laugh.

 

‘I think this was enough to take off the hermit princess’ skin.’

 

There was still one thing she had to do.

 

Merria’s eyes gleamed and stared at the silver-haired woman cleverly hiding among the other young ladies.

 

“It’s not quite wrong.”

 

All the actions so far have been just preparations. I pretended to be too pitiful to create a plausible reason for not being able to appear in society so far.

 

The reason she dared to mention that she was aware of her stigma was to instill the perception that she was a victim of the rumors.

 

As a result, that young lady has become a light-hearted woman who criticizes others at this moment.

 

Merria raised the corners of her lips, clumsily facing the hiding young lady.

 

‘At least this could be a way to keep Reukis out of rumors when I’m around.’

 

If Reukis didn’t do it, I had to do it myself. Then at least they’ll be wary while she’s his lover.

 

“I’m ashamed I don’t know everyone’s name yet because I’m still unfamiliar with society.”

 

As Merria moved slowly, the young ladies, who were covering the silver-haired woman, also moved away.

 

It seemed that only the silver-haired lady dared to face her face and disrespect the princess.

 

The young lady, who was left behind in an instant, raised her chin and didn’t avert Merria’s eyes.

 

“So, shall we say introduce ourselves again? It’s Merria Rackester.”

 

At Merria’s words, the other person had no choice but to reveal their identity.

 

“…I’m Riley Magner.”

 

“Ahh.”

 

I should’ve known from the moment I saw this murky silver hair.

 

As soon as Merria heard her name, she nodded as if the young lady was understandable.

 Thank you for reading this Novel, please don't forget to rate the novel at Novel Updates!