I Slept with the Villain Holding My Hand Chapter 83
Even touching it with my own hands didnât 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.
Just in case. As expected. Even if I flipped over the thick blanket, I couldnât see anything like a ring.
The ring has never fallen off.
Because it was always designed to fit Merriaâs hand.
âItâs not lost. The ring had disappeared. Yes, like magic.â
Harriet, who was watching at Merria acting unexpectedly, asked.
âDid you lose something?â
âMy ring is missing.â Merria replied as if possessed.
âIf you explain what kind of ring it is, Iâll have the staffă
Ąâ
âWhere did you say Reukis was?â
âWhat? Oh, heâs in the study room at the annex. ButâŠ.â
Harriet replied as if wondering.
âIf itâs the annex, the one on the left?â
When Harrietâs answer fell, Merria strode towards the door.
It was when Harriet tilted his head at her sudden action.
After opening the door of the bedroom, Merria left Reukisâ room.
Perplexed, Harriet called her behind, but Merria didnât look back.
Merrriaâs 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, Merriaâs power disappeared.
Reukis left behind Merria, who was asleep, saying there was an urgent matter.
âI couldnât calm my anxiety.â
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 Dukeâs 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.
âI had to meet Reukis quickly!â
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 Merriaâs heartbeat, andâŠ
Kalixâs 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.
âIf thereâs a problem with the Ladyâs power, itâs a big problem!â
Kalixâs voice complaining about something could be heard.
Merriaâs hands trembled.
ââŠWasnât that the reason why Your Highness was looking for the Lady?â
After hearing Kalixâs words, Merria stopped thinking.
Merriaâs 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.
âThatâs 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.â
It was Reukis who stopped the Kalix. His low-sinking voice penetrated Merriaâs ears.
If that was the reason why Reukis was so desperate for her, she would be a little angry.
âHe came up to me naively with his eyes shining, and looking determined. But he had a plan.â
Even if I heard this just yesterday, I wouldnât have been so shocked.
But I couldnât do that now.
Merria looked down at her fingers.
Whether he doesnât know Merriaâs feelings, Reukis continued.
âJust before I noticed that her power had disappeared, I met someone with the same power.â
Merria stared at the door anxiously.
âI hope thatâs not the only thing. â
âShe said her name was Shannon Magner. Find out about her, too.â
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.
Merria could now understand the old womanâs words.
âYou need to find someone who needs this. If you owe him a debt, he might save you at least once.â
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 Merriaâs 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?
âI knew it, I already knewâŠâ
If I run away like this and go to a place where thereâs no Reukis, Shannon, or Altheon forever.
Iâll 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 havenât been to other peopleâs parties properly, and I havenât made friends until I reach adulthood, and I havenât had a proper relationship with anyone because my twisted personality might cause them anger.
Merria, whose thoughts were tangled, made a drastic conclusion.
âThis was all because of Reukis.â
âŠWhy did you come to me and smile?
âŠWhy did you give me your arms and kiss me?
âŠWhy did he make my heart so weak?
And as always, Merria decided to avoid responsibility.
If Reukis abandons me, Iâll be frustrated, but I think Iâd be able to leave easily.
I thought it would be better if the person holding my hand would be him.
Merria swept over her tangled hair and pulled her gown to tighten.
It didnât 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.
At the same time, Reukisâ deep sigh was heard.
Merria felt something rattling in her mind.
Reukis answered in a weak voice.
Despite his permission, Merria stayed motionless and was busy controlling her swirling heart.
âShould I just pretend not to know?â
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.
âOne way or another, I couldnât back down on what Iâve already heard. Letâs solve it here right now.â
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.
Merriaâs 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 Merriaâs cold gaze below her soaked hair evoked an unknown anxiety in Reukis.
Then, remembering the conversation that came out of Kalixâs 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.
The slippers soaked in water made a sound as water was dripping still from her hair.
Reukis didnât 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 someoneâs private time.
Even after Kalix left, Merria stood there for a long time.
âAh⊠Merria, it would be better to wipe off the water first.â
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 couldnât help it as it was urgent.
Merria asked while Reukis was wiping her hair.
âReukis, are you busy right now?â
Reukisâ hand stopped at Merriaâs firm voice.
Merria continued, pushing back Reukisâ arm on her head.
âIf youâre not busy, letâs talk for a second.â
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.
âI just came in⊠What should I say?â
It was an impulsive act, with a single conviction that if this moment passed, it would bother me forever.
âI could have pretended not to hear it, but I didnât want to.â
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.
âI heard an interesting conversation between the two of you.â
âFrom whereâŠ.Where did you hear it?â
Merriaâs voice was unusually cold and firm.