I Slept with the Villain Holding My Hand Chapter 100

Ariene easily passed through the Frederick checkpoint, disguised as Merria. The thought that the Emperor’s presence nearby would ensure tight security.  

 

And the unusual location and situation had dulled the guards’ vigilance.  

 

Moreover, the princess herself had visited this place before dinner.  

 

So, there was no reason for them to feel any suspicion about her arrival.  

 

Despite the ease of her entry, her breathing was far from calm.  

 

Perhaps the princess’s blood didn’t suit her well. 

 

Or maybe it was because the potion was made from a small amount of blood. She could feel the instability of the magic herself. She quickened her steps and entered the area where Reukis was sleeping.  

 

As she stepped into the dark interior, barely able to discern anything, she saw the tall figure curled up on the bed.  

 

Instead of approaching immediately, she waited for her eyes to adjust to the darkness.  

 

After blinking a few times, her vision gradually sharpened.  

 

Apart from the Grand Duke’s breathing and the occasional sound of wind outside, the room was eerily silent.  

 

Considering she had only encountered the guard at the entrance, it meant she and the Grand Duke were the only ones inside.  

 

As expected. Reukis, as she remembered, didn’t keep people around him.  

 

To those who didn’t know better, it might seem like he was just a knight sensitive to his surroundings.  

 

But she, deeply connected to the Grand Duke’s past, could confidently say otherwise.  

 

The Grand Duke didn’t want to place those he cared about near his unpredictable self. He was trembling at the thought of losing control and causing someone’s death again.

  

The lone bed in the large tent looked like an isolated island in the sea.  

 

The cursed Grand Duke, sleeping alone in emptiness. The weak Frederick, hiding in the darkness with no one by his side.  

 

Seeing Reukis trapped in the misery she had created, her swamp-like mood improved ever so slightly.  

 

‘Yes. This is who you are.’  

 

The Grand Duke she had recently encountered was an unpleasant sight. The way he arrogantly held the princess in his arms, his eyes shining, was laughable.  

 

It irked her how he, of all people, seemed to know happiness, blooming like a well-nourished plant.  

 

‘Well, even that will disappear soon.’  

 

Her lips curved into a smooth smile.  

 

After tonight, when tomorrow comes, the Grand Duke will be alone once more.  

 

Because she will make it so. Then, she’ll be able to see it again.  

 

The empty eyes of the Grand Duke, just like in her memories.  

 

‘I wanted to see those dead eyes again, the ones that quietly hid in the shadows, chasing only the Crown Prince’s lover.’  

 

Deston had said he was practically unconscious, but she didn’t let her guard down.  

 

It was better to prepare for every possible scenario.  

 

The dark mage was a tricky opponent, after all. She walked toward the bed, masking her footsteps and presence.  

 

At the same time, she reached for the hypnotic potion.  

 

Thanks to Deston’s thorough work, Reukis didn’t stir even as she approached. She leaned over the bed, one hand resting on it.  

 

The way Reukis was curled up forced her to bend down as well.  

 

With her other hand, she deftly removed the potion’s stopper.  

 

Taking advantage of the slight parting of Reukis’s lips, she poured the potion into his mouth.  

 

Gulp—  

 

His throat moved instinctively, swallowing the potion.  

 

The preparation for the hypnosis was complete. Now, all that remained was to imprint herself on him with a kiss.  

 

The hypnotic potion she had created would make him obey the first person he saw after drinking it and desire the first person he kissed.  

 

The thought of kissing the Grand Duke was worse than death, but there was no other way.  

 

It was a forbidden hypnotic spell and potion, even in ancient magic.  

 

Manipulating human hearts was akin to breaking a taboo.  

 

It wasn’t that they couldn’t use it because they didn’t know how. It was more accurate to say they chose not to use it despite knowing.  

 

Controlling a human’s will was dangerous and required a great deal.  

 

For instance, the caster’s life force. Or an equivalent activation mechanism.  

 

Among these, the hypnotic spell she intended to use was related to love and desire.  

 

Naturally, physical contact was necessary for proper imprinting.  

 

It was fortunate that deep contact wasn’t required since she didn’t need to control him continuously.  

 

Mixing their bodies to that extent was something she couldn’t do, even for Lady Helena.  

 

The mere thought made her nauseous.  

 

Since this was a short-term hypnosis for just one day, a kiss would suffice.  

 

Thinking about what lay ahead, her jaw tightened involuntarily. She closed her eyes, blocking her vision.  

 

It was the bare minimum to endure this situation.  

 

In her mind, she pictured herself successfully completing the task and reporting to Lady Helena.  

 

In her imagination, Lady Helena smiled like a flower.  

 

Feeling fulfilled, the task seemed bearable. Her lips curved upward, and she slowly opened her eyes.  

 

A fleeting hint of another color passed through her blood-red irises.  

 

It was a sign that the potion’s effects were gradually wearing off. She decided to wake Reukis before Merria’s face completely faded.  

 

Deston’s sleep spell would have weakened due to the stimulant in the potion she had administered.  

 

After all, putting him to sleep was only to make it easier to give him the potion.

 

Whether it was Merria’s face or Shannon’s face, the imprinting would work the same.  

 

Once the hypnotic potion was administered, the hypnosis would begin the moment he opened his eyes, and the imprinting would occur upon a kiss.  

 

The thought of the Grand Duke blushing and obediently following her commands made her frown involuntarily.  

 

‘If it weren’t for the messy aftermath, I’d just kill him right now.’  

 

She clicked her tongue in regret.  

 

Still, considering she was in Merria’s form, she adjusted her voice.  

 

‘What did that woman call the Grand Duke again…?’  

 

Recalling what she had seen before, her lips brushed against Reukis’s ear.  

 

“Reukis.”  

 

When she gently shook his motionless body, Reukis’s eyelids fluttered.  

 

“Reukis, wake up.”  

 

She waited for a moment.  

 

Suddenly. The Grand Duke’s eyes, like a wolf’s under the moonlight, opened. His dazed expression confirmed that the potion was working.  

 

A faint smile spread across her lips.  

 

The Grand Duke’s eyes widened slowly. Her face filled his dilated golden pupils.  

The hypnosis had already begun.  

 

She stared intently into Reukis’s eyes, her face flushed, and whispered softly.  

 

“I missed you, so I came to see you in secret.”  

 

As she spoke, she slowly lowered her head.  Her platinum hair cascaded over her shoulders, creating ripples.  

 

Reukis, who had been staring at Merria with a stiff expression, closed his eyes.  

 

‘It’s done.’  

 

The sound of footsteps shuffling outside reached her ears. She intended to finish before any intruders arrived. She hurriedly leaned closer to Reukis’s lips.  

 

Just before their breaths touched.  

 

‘Ah, how could it be this easy?’  

 

She wished for dawn to come quickly, so this chaos would reach Lady Helena’s ears.  

 

Perhaps she would even praise her for handling things perfectly.  

 

A satisfied expression leaked onto her face.  

 

Hearing her soft laughter, the Grand Duke grabbed her shoulder.  

 

Just as she was about to pull away, puzzled, she noticed Reukis’s face. He still had his eyes closed.  

 

Rather than someone anticipating a kiss, his demeanor was more like someone refusing to see what was in front of him.  

 

Before she could process what was wrong, Reukis swiftly drew a horizontal line.  

 

Thud—  

 

The sound of fabric tearing reached her ears.  

 

Suddenly, her heart burned as if on fire.  

 

“Ugh.”  

 

Before she could even assess her body, a strong pressure gripped her neck.  

 

No matter how hard she struggled to free herself from the firm hand around her throat, she couldn’t breathe.  

 

Instinctively, she stomped her foot to break free, but something hit her leg, causing her to fall.  

 

Crash!  

 

A small chair nearby tumbled to the floor.  

 

Before she knew it, her body had been lifted from the bed. But her feet didn’t touch the ground.  

 

No, they couldn’t.  

 

Reukis had her by the throat, holding her high in the air. She couldn’t breathe, and her torso burned.  

 

The sword in his hand gleamed sharply. Drops of crimson blood fell from its tip.  

 

“Who are you?”  

 

It didn’t seem like he wanted an answer as his grip tightened.  

 

“H-How…”  

 

Her eyes trembled violently as she looked down at the imposing Reukis.  

 

Hadn’t he entered the hypnotic state?  

 

The potion she had spent so long perfecting was flawless. The rule was absolute obedience to the caster upon entering hypnosis.  

 

So why, why could the Grand Duke harm her?  

 

Moreover, her face was still Merria’s. The Grand Duke, who adored his lover, had swung his sword at her while she wore Merria’s face. Her mind buzzed, and her thoughts were in disarray.  

 

The plan she had thought was perfect had completely fallen apart.  

 

And she couldn’t even figure out where it had gone wrong.  

 

“Ugh… Reukis. Let go.”  

 

She imitated Merria’s tone from her memories.  

 

But the more she did, the darker Reukis’s expression became. He roughly grabbed her collar.  

 

The pain from the wound on her abdomen intensified from the motion.  

 

As she grimaced, Reukis continued.  

 

“Answer me. Why did you do this? And… that face, what is it?”  

 

His voice grew colder as he spoke, his face gradually contorting. She gritted her teeth.  

 

A metallic taste filled her mouth. She had known from the start that taking down the Grand Duke of Frederick wouldn’t be easy.  

 

That’s why she had gone to such lengths, even agreeing to Deston’s demands.  

 

Yet again. Reukis had ruined her plans once more.  

 

No matter how much she prepared, the Grand Duke exceeded her expectations. He had climbed out of the trap and now pointed a sword at her with empty eyes.  

 

‘So there was a rat hiding here.’  

 

Reukis’s voice echoed in her ears.  

 

But the Grand Duke in front of her had his lips tightly sealed.  

 

This was likely another memory from the past. The image of the Grand Duke, drenched in blood, from the time she had nearly died, flooded her mind.  

 

And then came the anger.  

 

The Reukis of the past, who had killed Lady Helena and tried to kill her, were now right before her eyes.  

 

“I should’ve just killed you back then.”  

 

Her eyes burned with fury.  

 

Even as blood dripped from her, she didn’t loosen the intensity in her gaze.  

 

“It feels like just yesterday you were whining about not wanting to live, you little brat who survived by devouring your parents.”  

 

Her laughter, mixed with a metallic tone, escaped from her smooth lips.  

 

—[Let go.]

 

An otherworldly voice echoed in his ears. Because of it, Reukis’s grip loosened ever so slightly.  

 

But only for a moment. Just as he was about to tighten his hold again, he couldn’t.  

 

The neck he had firmly grasped was dissipating like smoke.  

 

“I’ll kill you. I swear it.”  

 

With those words, she vanished into thin air.