I Slept with the Villain Holding My Hand Chapter 148 - The Villain’s Ending

Shannon’s gaunt face appeared frightened, but such things did not even register in the Count’s eyes.

All that burned within him was resentment and fury.

Count Magner had spent a fortune to hire a skilled defense attorney for this very purpose.

And now, he had come to this courtroom armed with a thick stack of documents.

Everything Shannon had done was the reckless act of a willful woman, and the Magner family had no connection to it whatsoever.

What mattered was the law—and the responsibility the Count’s household would bear based on the verdict.

 

Fortunately, an invitation discovered just before the trial had become their lifeline.

If things went well, they might escape without bearing any responsibility at all.

‘Whether it ends here or takes one more step, the result is the same.’

The cost of hiring the attorney had already strained the family’s finances. If they failed to prove their innocence, bankruptcy was inevitable.

They might even have to sell their mansion in the capital and retreat to their barren estate on the outskirts, never to return.

 

The trial proceeded smoothly, like watching a play with a script already written.

Whenever Noah granted the floor, Reukis’ side would mention the crimes, and Shannon would admit to everything without any rebuttal.

At first, it seemed the person sitting beside her might be her attorney.

But since they remained silent, they were likely just a decoy—there to take up space and divert attention.

 

As time passed, the list of Shannon’s crimes grew longer and longer.

Finally, Noah spoke, “We will now begin hearing testimonies from the witnesses.”

This was the moment the Count had been waiting for.

Just as he was about to raise his hand to speak first and put his mind at ease—

“Her Imperial Highness, the Empress Helena, has arrived.”

A new character had entered the stage of this play. Her tightly pinned-up hair not a single strand out of place reflected her immaculate and thorough demeanor.

No emotion showed on her face.

She carried herself as if she were a complete stranger to the situation.

But the reality was slightly different.

At the moment, Helena was in an exceedingly foul mood.

Never before had she been caught off guard by someone who had once pledged loyalty to her.

After all, she had taken in and used only those who were utterly devoted and desperate.

But no matter how hard she tried to leave no traces, she alone had to retain evidence of every deed she had committed.

Money was essential for everything Helena intended to do.

That meant keeping meticulous records of where every coin came from and where it went.

Even her handmaiden, Lepeta, knew nothing of the hidden place where these records were kept.

 

Yet last night, César Verusella had suddenly appeared.

Cesar raged at her, bringing up the trade rights to the port of Neutir that she held.

With the imperial concubine’s backing, he had expanded his influence, amassing considerable wealth and power.

All of it granted by Helena, though he had yet to secure a noble title.

But if he could open the port and take the lead in trade, his contributions would be recognized, and he might even aim for an earldom.

No doubt he was disappointed in Helena for hesitating to hand over the trade rights.

 

Helena clenched her teeth as she watched Baron Verusella feign innocence while pressuring her.

The information leaked.

The authority over the trade rights had been transferred to her by Aprion before the hunting tournament.

She hadn’t mentioned it to anyone yet.

With the emperor lying like a corpse, she never expected Cesar to catch wind of it and come charging in.

Asking Cesar about his source would be the same as handing him leverage over her.

In the end, Helena deflected with vague words and sent him away.

 

No matter how much she thought about it, handing over such a prestigious position to Cesar was a waste.

 

In the past, she would have given him priority first, but now things were different.

 

To Helena, Cesar was no longer as useful a pawn as he once was.

 

Cesar left after arrogantly telling her to think it over carefully.

 

Once alone, Helena immediately checked the ledger’s safety.

 

As expected, it was untouched. There was no sign of anyone else’s interference. Which only made it all the more puzzling.

 

Could Aprion have leaked something to someone?

 

But there was no way to interrogate a man who couldn’t even open his eyes.

 

Just then, Lepeta returned, holding a single sheet of paper.

 

“Your Highness… this has arrived.”

 

“What is—”

 

Helena’s face hardened as she read the words on the document.

 

“A summons for witness testimony.”

 

‘Hah!’ 

 

A bitter laugh escaped Helena’s lips. She already knew Shannon had messed up and was now facing trial.

 

But she hadn’t expected that cunning girl to drag her into it as well.

 

The sender was the court, but it was obvious who was behind it.

 

“The Grand Duke has lost all sense of propriety,” she muttered, her eyes icy.

 

How dare he order her around over such trivial matters?

 

Even for a Grand Duke, there were limits to abusing one’s authority.

 

Yet the fact that she was reading this summons meant there must be some evidence justifying it.

 

But where?

 

She recalled Count Magner, who had been screaming her name for days.

 

And the invitation for Shannon she had once delivered through him.

 

Had he passed that invitation to the Grand Duke?

 

To summon her as a witness over something so insignificant—the Grand Duke had clearly made a grave mistake.

 

Helena decided to take this as an opportunity instead.

 

The crime of daring to shake the honor of the Empire’s highest-ranking woman. She would make sure he paid dearly for it.

 

As Helena appeared in the courtroom, the atmosphere grew even more solemn.

In what was supposed to be a one-sided battle between the Grand Duke and a mere illegitimate child, a member of the imperial family had now intervened.

The nobles pretended not to care, but their curious glances betrayed their eagerness to hear what Helena would say.

 

Helena cast a cold glance at Shannon, who sat in the defendant’s seat.

None of the defiance Shannon had shown before was visible now—no matter how hard one looked.

And the person beside her was brazenly staring straight at Helena without flinching.
Helena’s already foul mood sank even lower.

 

She shifted her gaze to where the Grand Duke sat.

The young Grand Duke was whispering something to his defense attorney.

The attorney then wrote something on a document and handed it to the judge. Reukis stood up from his seat and strode confidently to the witness stand.

“Considering that Shannon Magner acted under specific orders and has confessed all facts without concealment—along with various other circumstances—I, Reukis Frederick, hereby withdraw the charges against her.”

Reukis spoke in a low voice, his eyes scanning the room.

 

“…?”

Everyone present stared wide-eyed at the Grand Duke’s unexpected behavior.

At that moment, Noah struck the gavel and held up the document handed to him by the attorney.

It bore Reukis’ signature, officially declaring the annulment of Shannon’s trial.

 

Helena blinked in bewilderment. She had been summoned here as a witness—only for the trial to be erased as if it had never existed.

Her eyes locked onto Reukis as he walked toward her, demanding an explanation.

 

Then, his steps halted.

Within moments, their faces turned deathly pale.

Because Reukis’ sword was now pointed directly at Helena’s heart. When he showed no sign of lowering his blade, Helena instinctively searched for the knights who had accompanied her.

But she soon realized the futility of her attempt.

 

‘Red eyes.’

 

No matter how little interest Helena had in those beneath her, she still knew the faces of those who served as her guards.

And among her knights, none had crimson eyes. Her brows furrowed slightly as she glanced at the insignia on the knight’s shoulder.

“Altairs…”

The one standing guard behind her bore the emblem of the Black Knights.

The Knights of Altairs—who served the Crown Prince under the Grand Duke’s command.

Since when had they been replaced?

Her escort had always been drawn from the Elexid Knights, the Emperor’s own order.

But since when had that changed?

 

Kalix stepped forward and handed Reukis a thick stack of documents.

“These are the records submitted by Baron Verusella.”

At the familiar name, Helena’s head snapped toward them.

Fortunately, they weren’t ledgers. But Cesar was both her pillar and the mace pressed against her throat—unshakable, yet equally dangerous.

 

“Grand Duke! What is the meaning of—”

Helena clenched her fists and demanded an explanation.

 

“Helena Lian Tristan.”

But Reukis showed not the slightest intention of humoring her.

“Though I suppose it’s more accurate to call you Helena Robietta now.”

At his mocking words, Helena glared at him.

Gritting her teeth, she spoke with deliberate clarity.

“How dare you treat royalty with such disrespect? Have you lost your mind?”

“Royalty.”

Reukis slowly repeated her words.

“Yes, it’s best to make this clear.”

Then, tilting his head slightly, he continued, “As of this moment, you are no longer entitled to stand alongside royalty. Your imperial status is hereby revoked.”

“Grand Duke!”

“Helena Robietta.”

“…”

Helena pressed her lips together, refusing to answer.

 

Reukis also paused for a moment, as if to steady his breath.

“Did you… order the killings of the imperial princess, Daphne Tristan Frederick and Felix  Frederick?”

 

The sword at his heart slowly moved to rest against Helena’s nape.

Helena curled one side of her lips as she answered, “Verusella, was it him? The baron was on the verge of ruin after failing to secure trade rights for the newly opened port! He must be spouting nonsense to drag down the imperial family out of desperation.”

 

“The baron voluntarily drank the confession potion meant for the condemned.”

She knew better than anyone what his words implied. The confession potion, made from an extract of Prucho, was used only to extract final confessions from those sentenced to death.

Drinking more than the permitted amount would lead to fatal poisoning within a day.

And Cesar drank it.

 

Why?

 

Helena’s pupils trembled violently.