I Slept with the Villain Holding My Hand

 

✿

 I wonder if Karina’s life was twisted because of me. 

Merria asked quietly, feeling the rising guilt suddenly. ”Does Karina like his Majesty the Crown Prince?”

 

“…Was it obvious?”

 

“Well. Yes.”

 

Karina, whose ears were burning red, was very cute, but Merria, who was staring at her, was busy hiding her bitter feelings.

 

“I thought it wouldn’t be obvious in the meantime, but now that I think about it, it’s the first time I’ve ever talked to someone about his Highness.”

 

Karina carefully confessed the story of her love at first sight to Altheon at the Prince’s Crowning ceremony.

 

She became a social flower because she worked harder to be the Crown Prince’s suitable partner.

 

“Well, the prince was so beautiful and talented that many young people have a crush on him, right?”

 

“Well, I guess so.’’

 He was not the main character for nothing, right? 

Regardless of the power of the family, so many girls had unrequited love for the Crown Prince.

 

Merria, who experienced facing him indirectly, replied roughly with her mastered glance.

 

Karina burst into laughter upon seeing Merria’s reaction.

 

“Merria was the first to have such insignificant reactions while speaking about his Majesty.”

 

“I don’t like the Imperial Family a little… I tend to avoid complicated things.”

 

Karina’s honest words broke Merria’s heart. Karina, who was quick-witted, already knew that Merria was not interested in Altheon.

 

After all, should it be this much to stand at the pinnacle of the social world?

 

Merria, who thought that she made the right choice to give up the social world earlier, praised herself.

 

At Merria’s answer without any adjustments, Karina burst into cheerful laughter.

 

“Merria, the more we talk, the more regrettable it was that we haven’t met before.’’

 

Karina said to Merria, who again spits out charming words, and replied with laughter.

 

Karina continued, raising her brows lightly. “This may seem arrogant, but… There are a lot of people who respect me, but there’s no one that would treat me as a friend. So what do you think about me?”

 

Merria opened her eyes wide at Karina’s words.

 

Perhaps it was because of this unexpected aspect that Karina got many followers, she thought.

 

Merria nodded her head, bending her lips to smile.

 

“I like Karina, too. Now that we’re here, shall we talk comfortably?”

 

Since then, the two people, who have been talking for a long time, have reached the end of time.

 

Karina, who had hesitated at first, found out that she was the same age, and immediately became comfortable.

 

“Then I’ll invite you to our mansion next time.”

 

“I had fun today, Karina.”

 

Before getting into the carriage that arrived first, Merria waved lightly at Karina.

 

As soon as the door of her carriage closed, the expression of Merria, who was left alone, quickly hardened.

 

Karina, who I met in person, was a better person than I expected.

I want to ignore the original and wish you happiness with Altheon.

 

But that’s it. If I interrupt the relationship of Altheon with Shannon to help Karina, I would not be so different from the original Merria.

 

“I don’t want to do that for any reason…”

 

Merria felt resentful that she knew the original story whenever she did this.

 

Unconsciously, she turned to the left little finger of her hand.

 

On her slender finger was a ring engraved with a letter that looked like a picture.

 

Merria fiddled with the ring to get her complicated head straight.

 

It was a habit that comes out when I have a lot of thoughts.

 

“Ha…”

 

Nevertheless, she couldn’t come to any conclusions, so she ended up sticking her head to the wall of the carriage.

 

Merria closed her eyes and buried her face in her hands.

 

‘I’m selfish by nature… So there’s nothing I could do about it.’

 

Merria said the same thing to herself all the time until she arrived at the mansion.

 

✿

 

The entire capital was noisy from the morning.

 

The heat that started from the entrance of the capital quickly spread to the center. Altheon and the knights came back with great trophies.

 

“Long live for the Crown Prince!”

 

“Long live for the Tristan Empire!”

 

”The glory of Tristan!”

 

Numerous spectators flocked to the procession from the entrance of the capital to the Imperial Palace.

 

Everyone opened their arms to welcome the return of the victorious knights.

 

Among them, Altheon, who proudly took the lead, shone like the main character of the world. Wearing silver armor and riding an excellent horse, it looked picturesque.

 

It was followed by Eden, Altheon’s aide, followed by Reukis and Kalix, who joined last night.

 

It looked as if it had just arrived, without any discomfort. Reukis looked into the air with indifferent eyes, hoping for the end of the procession.

 

As I thought, I wanted to run at full speed and reach the Imperial Palace.

 

However, contrary to Reukis’ mind, Altheon in front of him was driving his horse much slower.

 

“Your highness you’re too slow.’’

 

Unbearable Reukis complained. It was a small voice, but it sounded too clear to the surrounding knights with sensitive hearing.

 

While everyone’s eyes were shaking in cold fear, Altheon answered strangely.

 

“I have been waiting for this moment for over 10 years.”

 

Altheon, who was slightly smiling, also spoke in a very small voice.

 

“So, sitting on top of that, I think I’ll feel better if I give the people who were anxious about dying at least one second more.”

 

The Knights of Altairs and the Crown Prince, led by the great Duke of Fredrick, are loyal to the Crown Prince.

 

Altheon, holding it in both hands, looked forward with an extremely cold expression.

 

I could see the high Imperial Castle where those who wanted to pull me down so much would be waiting now.

 

“I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of abominable face they’re going to greet me with.”

 

Altheon said in a low voice.

 

He spent decades waiting for an opportunity to slit the heads of those who killed his mother and put him on the battlefield.

 

After a long procession, Altheon arrived at the Imperial Castle and ordered the guards at the entrance.

 

”Tell his Majesty the Emperor. The Prince and the Knights of Altairs are back.”

 

His beautiful face evoked an arrogant laugh.

 

✿

 

“Master. The reply came from the Duke of Rackester.”

 

As soon as the tired Reukis got off the wagon, the good news welcomed him.

 

After finishing the slow march like a turtle, I felt as if the tiredness of hearing about the Emperor’s long reign went away at once.

 

He turned his step toward the bedroom and headed for his office.

 

A pile of letters neatly piled up on one side of the wide desk greeted him. There were various kinds of invitations from ordinary banquets to secret social clubs.

 

The invitation, which had been stopped when he left the war, had arrived overflowing with news that Duke had returned.

 

“Here it is.”

 

The butler was the only one who picked up two separate letters.

 

One was stamped by the Imperial emblem, and the other was the Rackester family emblem. He only received a letter to the right of the ash, he did not even look at the Imperial emblem.

 

Reukis, who cut the envelope neatly with a letter knife, checked the inside without hesitation.

 

The Duke’s handwritten letter stated that he would invite him to lunch at the mansion on Saturday.

 

“What’s the date today?”

 

Reukis asked without taking his gaze away from the letter.

 

“It’s Wednesday.’’

 

“Wednesday… “

 

It was regrettable that it was not the next day, but I knew that it was a consideration of my own to give me enough time to rest, who had just returned from the war.

 

There’s no way Themis would know he was in the capital earlier.

 

Now, after three days, I could check if the woman I met at the party was Serinia.

 

Reukis became impatient for no reason.

 

“Send me a reply that I’m going to visit.”

 

“Yes, what should I do about the other letter?”

 

“I have to go to the victory banquet anyway, so that’s enough, and reject all the rest.”

 

When the maid said that the bath was ready, Reukis got up from his seat.

 

Harriet the butler quietly left the room, sweeping the invitations from his desk into a large basket.

 

There was a lot of work to be done to reply to all the numerous rejections and one consent.

 

✿

 

Merria, who got up and finished a simple meal, thought she would spend time in her study after a long time.

 

As she walked down the corridor leisurely, she saw some cluttered servants. Just in time, a young maid carrying food ingredients walked from the other side.

 

When the maid found Merria, she smiled and greeted her.

 

“Hello, miss.”

 

“Yes, you look busy, what’s going on?”

 

“Today, a valuable guest was coming to eat. So Uncle Hans was particularly nervous.”

 

Hans was the chef of the Rackester family. Seeing that she called such a chef in a friendly manner, she seemed to be a kitchen maid.

 

It was common for a Duke family to have guests.

 

Seeing that it was a precious guest, it must have been invited by my father or mother.

 

‘

Are you thinking of having a meal with a friend after a long time?’

 

Solving her curiosity, Merria headed back to her study with a light step.

 

She read a few days ago on the sofa on one side, but Merria, who was reading the next volume of the novel, suddenly remembered what had happened at dinner last time.

 

I’m sure the butler said this that day, “In a few days, the Knights, including His Highness the Crown Prince and His Majesty the Grand Duke, will arrive in the capital, and they want to be invited at any time thereafter of their arrival.”

 

Merria got up at once and started running, throwing the book she had been reading on her desk.

 

The servants looked at her with puzzled eyes, but they didn’t have time to care about her, as they were busy preparing for a precious guest.

 

She quickly entered her room and opened her wardrobe and, pulled out a dark robe.

 

Sometimes, Lexie and I wore it to sneak around comfortably when we went to the shopping district together.

 

“Lexie!”

 

Merria hurriedly looked for Lexie, but she didn’t get an answer.

 

It seemed that she wasn’t close by and went to do other things.

 

Instead of revising her plan to go out with Lexie, Merria decided to leave a short note.

 

She scribbled on the notepad on the desk and hurried to the back door of the mansion.

 

If she ran into her family while trying to go out to the main gate for no reason, it might take her time.

 

The knight guarding the back gate saw her as if she was being chased by something, and he approached her in amazement.

 

“My lady, what’s going on?”

 

“Would you please get my horse quickly?”

 

With a puzzled look on his face, the knight brought a light brown horse from a nearby stable.

 

Merria, who had just finished catching her breath, got on the horse and wore the robe.

 

“My lady…?”

 

She spoke in a small voice to the knight wondering about Merria’s suspicious outing.

 

“I’m on my way to catch the scene because my friend’s fiancé was having an affair. So if my father or mother asks about me, please tell them that I went to the shopping district.’’

 

“Oh, yes. Show that shameless person what you’ve seen!”

 

The innocent knight cheered Merria with determined eyes.

 

Having escaped safely by selling her friend’s fiancé, who didn’t even exist, Merria quickly fell far from their mansion.

 

As she slowed down her horse, thinking that she needed to take a breath, she saw a carriage approaching from a distance.

 

She avoided the side road without hesitation.

 

When I hid behind the tree and watched them pass, the carriage got close in an instant.

 

On the black, unpatterned wagon, two crossed swords and a wolf’s glaring golden eyes were engraved…

 

It was the carriage of the Grand Duke of Frederick.

 

‘As expected… something didn’t feel right. Either Reukis or Altheon will be in there

.’

 

Merria clicked her tongue and waited until the carriage was out of sight.

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