I Slept with the Villain Holding My Hand Chapter 139

Blink—

When she closed and opened her eyes, an entirely different scenery came into view.

Merria turned her head left and right, trying to figure out where she had landed.

This was not a suitable place to be in indoor clothing.

She was now sitting on a bench in a picturesque location. She had clearly said this in her heart to the magic stone.

‘Take me to where Reukis is.’

And when she opened her eyes, she was here.

The instant shift in her vision confirmed that the magic had worked perfectly.

Merria stood up from the bench to search for Reukis.

Where could he be?

 

As she walked, she arrived at a vaguely familiar glass greenhouse.

“Ah, the Grand Duke’s residence.”

She had only visited this greenhouse a couple of times, and the oddly changed atmosphere made it hard to recognize immediately.

Merria quietly opened the greenhouse door and stepped inside.

The air inside was warm enough that her indoor clothing didn’t feel out of place.

And the moment she took a step forward, she spotted a cluster of vibrant pink flowers radiating an overwhelming presence among the plants.

 

What in the world was going on?

She was certain that a different type of flower had been in this spot during her last visit.

Whether her memory was correct or not didn’t matter now. Before she could take a few more steps, she found Reukis.

Or rather, she found him buried among the Armeria flowers.

Flowers and a handsome man—no matter when she saw them, they always brought a sense of joy.

But Reukis, lying still with his eyes closed, looked unrealistically lifeless.

The fully bloomed southern flowers formed a breathtaking sight, as if they had stolen every ounce of his vitality.

Rustle. Rustle—

Soft petals brushed against her exposed ankles beneath the hem of her slightly short dress.

Merria muffled her footsteps as she walked toward where Reukis lay.

 

Even as she drew near, Reukis remained still with his eyes closed.

Wondering if he had fallen asleep, she carefully knelt down, not wanting to wake him. Beneath Reukis’ eyes, darker than even his hair—exaggerated only slightly—were heavy shadows.

He must have lost sleep worrying over her.

With a gentle touch, she stroked his hair.

Even his usually soft locks felt stiff and coarse.

 

“This is upsetting,” she murmured in a voice so quiet it barely carried.

But whether it reached his keen ears or not, Reukis’ eyelids slowly lifted. His hollow golden eyes followed her fingertips before finally settling on her crimson ones.

His gaze rested calmly upon her.

 

“Me…ria.”

His voice was hoarse, as if he hadn’t spoken in a long time.

“Merria.”

His lips trembled as he called her name.

“Do you… resent me?”

 

Reukis’ voice was rough, his words halting.

From that day onward, he had felt as though he were trapped in a dream.

Even as he carried Merria’s collapsed form to the priests, even as the wounds on her delicate wrists were healed—

Even as he endured the furious reprimands of the duke, who had rushed over upon hearing the news—Even as he processed the mountain of documents sent by the crown prince—

Whenever he closed his eyes, even for a moment, Merria appeared in his dreams.

 

Just as he had last seen her, drenched in blood, she would say to him:

“You did this to me.”

“Merria…”

“Now I can’t even resent you anymore.”

 

After those brief words, she would vanish again.

Reukis no longer knew what was dream and what was reality.

 

And today, upon returning to the estate, his steps had naturally led him to the greenhouse.

Staggering inside, he found the armerias in full bloom—flowers that always reminded him of her.

In truth, he had ordered them from the gardener to show Merria.

 

Slumping against the armerias, he blinked slowly.

Whether his eyes were open or closed, everything remained dark.

Just as he was letting his body go limp—A familiar scent brushed against the tip of her nose, and without thinking, she lifted her eyelids.

 

There stood Merria.

 

Beautiful, precious, my Merria. Her well-kept platinum hair and rosy cheeks were in full view as she looked down at him.

 

Ah, so this must also be a dream.

 

They say dreams project things you cannot see in reality, don’t they?

 

The warmth in Merria’s gaze must be a reflection of what’s in his own heart.

 

Staring into the eyes he hadn’t seen in so long, he finally spoke.

 

And for the first time, he asked the first question, “Do you… resent me?”

 

The movement of Merria’s lips felt as slow as eternity.

 

“No.”

 

For the first time, the answer was different.

 

This can’t be.

 

As if that weren’t enough, she even offered him a faint smile.

 

“I don’t resent you.”

 

Reukis’ face twisted in shock.

 

Hesitantly, he reached out his hand. Under his trembling fingers, the petals of armeria flowers scattered one by one.

 

The tips of his fingers barely grazed Merria’s cheek.

 

It was warm.

 

Reukis abruptly stood up from his seat and stepped away from Merria.

 

“This… isn’t a dream?”

 

Merria looked at him with puzzled eyes.

 

“Reukis.”

 

“Why… why?”

 

How could you look at me like that, after all I’ve done? How could you smile at me, when I nearly killed you?

 

How can you still gaze at me with such warmth and kindness?

 

Suppressing his emotions, he shook his head.

 

Hadn’t he made up his mind when he left Merria behind at the ducal residence and walked away alone?

 

Even if she were to wake up, he swore he would never seek her out or see her again. That he would spend eternity in repentance, praying over and over.

 

“Please go back.”

 

“Hm?”

 

“I… don’t want to see you.”

 

Reukis turned his head away as he spoke.

 

“You’re lying,” Merria replied lightly.

 

Reukis shut his eyes tightly, denying her words.

 

“It’s not a lie. Seeing you only reminds me of that day, and it’s too painful.”

 

This was the worst. How could he say such things to the person who saved him?

 

Maybe it was for the best.

It seemed better if Merria left first, now that even she had grown weary of herself.

At least this way, she could secretly watch his retreating figure as he walked away.

Merria stayed silent for a moment, caught off guard by Reukis’s unexpectedly intense reaction.

The sharp line of his jaw, turned away from her, was so severe it looked devoid of any flesh. His cheeks were hollow, and his clothes were disheveled.

With dark circles that deep under his eyes, his complexion was even paler than hers—and she had only woken up a week ago.

Merria quietly studied Reukis, amazed he was still standing at all.

“Do you really hate seeing me that much?”

“…”

Look at that. He can’t even answer. Though he kept his head turned, she knew every fiber of his being was focused on her.

A small laugh escaped Merria’s lips.

“Reukis.”

She turned toward him and spread her arms. Her soft voice tickled his ears.

“Come here. I came to take all your resentment, didn’t I?”

Thud—

The blooming flowers vanished from her sight in an instant, replaced by the glass ceiling of the greenhouse.

Reukis had thrown himself into her with such force that she toppled backward.

“Merria.”

His voice, thick with tears, trembled against her ear.

Petals, lifted by the breeze, floated lazily, tracing gentle arcs.

Reukis’s shoulders shook faintly as he held her tightly, arms locked around her.

She had returned. To him.

Merria embraced him without hesitation.

 

💫

 

Reukis continued to cry for a long time after that.

Between sobs, he inspected Merria’s face, her wrists—marked from the shackles—and each time, his expression crumpled again.

She wiped his tears away repeatedly, soothing him.

Only after the sleeves of her dress had been soaked through, enough to wring out twice, did his weeping finally subside.

Merria glanced at Reukis, his eyes swollen and puffy, and pressed her lips together firmly. But despite her efforts, she couldn’t hold back the laughter that bubbled up.

“Hmph. Hah. Cough.”

 

Even as she covered her mouth, laughter leaked out. She tried to disguise it as a cough, but Reukis, quick to notice, became aware of his own state.

 

He shielded his eyes with his broad palm and slightly turned his head.

 

“I look too unsightly right now, so please don’t look.”

 

“Hmm. No, what does it matter? Cough. Fine.”

 

Behind Reukis, whose ears were burning red, a large dog hid only its head, overlapping with his figure.

 

Merria stifled her bubbling laughter with a fake cough and comforted him.

 

As if hurt by her reaction, Reukis’ lips drooped downward.

 

Merria gently smoothed his thoroughly disheveled hair.

 

“You used to act like someone who never cried, but now I see you’re quite the crybaby.”

 

“…Merria.”

 

Reukis, who hadn’t sobbed openly since infancy, was at a loss for words at her teasing and could only call her name pitifully.

 

Holding Merria close, Reukis kept fidgeting with her hands or cheeks.

 

It was as if he felt that if he let go, he would wake from this dream. Not wanting to ruin his mood, Merria stayed still, feeling his warmth.

 

Only when Harriet, worried about Reukis’ prolonged absence, came to the greenhouse did the two finally rise from their spot.

 

“Lady Merria.”

 

Harriet gaped as if he’d seen a ghost, then bowed his head and spoke.

 

“Thank you. Truly, thank you.”

 

Whether it was gratitude for stopping Reukis’ rampage or for waking up safely—or perhaps both—Harriet didn’t elaborate, but the emotion was palpable.

 

Merria deliberately nodded lightly.

 

Then, looking at Reukis’ sunken eyes, she asked, “You seem like you need rest. Why don’t you go inside?”

 

Perhaps it sounded like she was sending him away, because Reukis grew restless, fearing she might leave.

 

Seeing this, Harriet suggested, “Why don’t both of you rest? I’ll make the arrangements immediately.”

 

Merria glanced at Reukis, whose eyes were dark and hollow, then nodded in agreement.