I Slept with the Villain Holding My Hand Chapter 96

💫

 

In the capital, where the poorest residents gathered to form a dense shantytown, there was a place called Demeter. 

 

It was a maze of alleys where first-time visitors were bound to get lost. 

 

A cheap hired carriage stopped at the entrance of Demeter, and a woman draped in a shabby robe, covering herself from head to toe, stepped out. 

 

With each step she took, glimpses of her teal hair peeked through.

 

Early this morning, the master, and mistress of the Magner household, along with their daughter, had left the mansion early. 

 

Riley, who had been anxious about whether she would follow, smiled broadly when Shannon didn’t come out of her room. 

 

One might think Riley’s recent tantrum had cowed Shannon, but the truth was, she hadn’t left her room simply to avoid taking the potion. 

 

It was somewhat surprising that Count Magner hadn’t insisted she accompany them, but he, too, left without a word.

 

With the masters gone, the Magner mansion operated more loosely than usual. 

 

Murphy, who was always late, unsurprisingly didn’t show up on time, which allowed Riley to prepare for her outing without hassle. 

 

She covered her still-silver hair with the robe and slipped out of the mansion, heading straight for the carriage stop in the shopping district. She chose the shabbiest and cheapest carriage available. 

 

After all, flaunting wealth in Demeter was as foolish as walking into enemy territory with nothing but a sword.

 

As she moved away from the city center, her silver hair gradually began to shift to its natural teal color, just as she had expected. 

 

Once fully transformed, she stepped out of the carriage and walked through the winding alleys. 

 

The steep slope ahead offered no mercy. 

 

After walking for a while, she spotted a shabby house with its small windows tightly covered by curtains. She set down her bundle and walked up to the window. She knocked on the far-left window three times at a normal pace—their agreed-upon signal.

 

Knock, knock, knock—

 

From the silent interior, the sound of light footsteps could be heard. The door creaked open, and a small figure darted out like a caged animal set free. 

 

Riley gently caught the delicate figure that flung itself into her arms.

 

“Let’s go inside,” she said softly.

 

Shannon, clinging tightly to her, nodded slightly. 

 

As Riley closed the door and locked it, Shannon trailed closely behind her.

 

“Ariene, was the journey difficult? Why did you bring so much? There’s food, and books…,” Shannon said, her voice light and cheerful as she pulled on Riley’s arm.

 

The interior of the house, which looked like it might collapse at any moment from the outside, was surprisingly sturdy and even luxurious. 

 

This was thanks to Deston’s spatial magic. 

 

Over time, Deston had added various enchantments to the place. 

 

For instance, the door could only be opened from the inside, ensuring no one could enter without permission. 

 

There were also preservation spells on the food storage boxes, keeping ingredients fresh, and a fireplace and water supply that never ran out. 

 

This place was a comfortable cage Ariene had created for Shannon—a world only she could see, designed to keep Shannon from flying too far away.

 

When Shannon first woke up here, Ariene wasn’t with her. Instead, she sent a letter and Deston to explain the situation. 

 

Deston, a mage who admired Ariene, had been tasked with looking after Shannon. Though initially confused, Shannon was completely reassured when Ariene visited a few days later. She accepted her new reality and was overjoyed.

 

“Ariene, you’re truly my angel… I’ve done nothing for you, but I’m so grateful. I’ll never forget this kindness,” Shannon said, her beautiful pink eyes brimming with tears as she repeated her thanks over and over.

 

Fearing that Shannon’s location might be discovered and ruin everything, Ariene had sternly advised her not to go outside. 

 

“If the Count finds out I took you from the mansion without permission, he’ll be furious,” she said, using her own safety as leverage. 

 

Shannon, like a child, nodded obediently.

 

Deston visited periodically. His ability to teleport made him the perfect overseer. 

 

In exchange for using his magic, Ariene had to give him several bizarre potions. 

 

Occasionally, Ariene herself would visit. Shannon believed these visits coincided with her days off from the mansion, but in reality, Ariene came whenever the potions in her drawer began to run low.

 

Recently, the intervals between her visits had been growing shorter. 

 

Although the amount of blood she took remained the same, Shannon’s body had developed a resistance to the potion. 

 

‘I’ll need to take more this time,’ Ariene thought as she sipped the warm herbal tea Shannon had handed her.

 

“Are you staying over tonight too?” Shannon asked with a bright smile, sitting across from her. On the days Ariene visited, she often stayed the night to indulge Shannon, who spent most of her time alone. Ariene was about to nod as usual but paused. 

 

‘Come to think of it, tomorrow evening…’

 

She had a meeting with the princess in the forest where the hunting competition was being held. 

 

Even if she didn’t go to meet the princess, she could always make up an excuse to the Count. 

 

Ariene glanced down at the ring on her finger. It still felt loose and uncomfortable, like a dog guarding its owner—though such a description didn’t suit an inanimate object. This was a natural opportunity to gather information about the ring. 

 

Besides, with Lady Helena’s orders, it was only right to leave with some leeway.

 

After a moment of thought, Ariene furrowed her brows and said, “I’m sorry, Miss. Today isn’t my day off—I snuck out after passing my duties to Murphy. If I’m to handle Murphy’s share of the laundry tomorrow, I should probably head back tonight.”

 

“But you just got here…” Shannon muttered, her disappointment evident. 

 

However, feeling guilty for holding Ariene back, she quickly nodded. 

 

“Then at least stay until I fall asleep.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yes. We’ll have dinner together too,” Ariene replied with a gentle smile.

 

Delighted, Shannon jumped up and headed to the kitchen. “Should I make potage? Or maybe a tomato sandwich?” 

 

There wasn’t much Shannon could do alone in the house—reading, knitting, or cooking for herself were her only options. 

 

As a result, her cooking skills and soft cheeks had been steadily improving. 

 

Ariene had tasted Shannon’s cooking a few times before. Initially, she had refused, thinking it improper for a maid to eat food prepared by her mistress, but she eventually gave in to Shannon’s insistence. 

 

The meals, made with the high-quality ingredients Deston provided, were surprisingly decent.

 

“I’m fine with anything,” Ariene said, nodding cheerfully.

 

Shannon rummaged through the ingredient box and pulled out a few items. 

 

“Then let’s have potato salad and pea potage! And for dessert, I’ll bake a cherry pie. Deston brought fresh cherries because he knows you like them. I’ve been saving them to eat with you.”

 

Suddenly, something occurred to Ariene, and she paused with her teacup halfway to her lips. 

 

‘Are you okay? No fever? No coughing? Does your throat hurt?’

 

The princess had reacted strangely when she drank a cherry-flavored beverage. 

 

Ariene didn’t know why that memory resurfaced now, but it left her with an uneasy feeling as if she had missed something important.

 

Clink—

 

Ariene set down her teacup and approached Shannon, who was bustling around the kitchen. She picked up one of the cherries on the table, plucked off its stem, and popped it into Shannon’s mouth.

 

“Miss, do you like cherries?”

 

“Huh? Well, this is my first time trying them, so… mm!” 

 

Shannon’s eyes widened in surprise, but she soon burst into laughter. 

 

“Thank you. It’s really delicious.”

 

Shannon’s eyes sparkled like a child receiving candy for the first time, but then she suddenly tilted her head in confusion. 

 

“Huh?”

 

She brushed her silver hair to one side and touched the back of her neck. 

 

Frowning slightly, she began to fidget. 

 

“…Miss, what’s wrong?” Ariene asked in a low voice.

 

Shannon walked over to the mirror and examined herself. 

 

“Wait, Ariene. My throat suddenly feels itchy.”

 

Red blotches had already begun to appear on the back of her neck. 

 

“What’s this? Are there bugs in the house…?” 

 

Shannon scratched the itchy spot, looking puzzled, before suddenly breaking into a cough. She coughed violently, as if something were stuck in her throat, and eventually slumped to the floor.

 

Ariene, who had been watching closely, furrowed her brows and helped Shannon up. 

 

“Are you okay?”

 

Shannon looked just as bewildered. Her body, perfectly fine moments ago, was now burning with fever, and her coughs wouldn’t stop. 

 

“Cough, cough… Ugh… I don’t know. Why is this happening?”

 

Ariene laid Shannon down on the bed, biting her lip. 

 

‘So this is what the princess was talking about.’

 

Even Ariene, who had been by Shannon’s side for so long, hadn’t known that Shannon couldn’t eat cherries. 

 

How had that woman figured it out when even Shannon herself didn’t know?

 

“But why did she let it go?” Ariene muttered. 

 

The princess must have noticed something that day. 

 

Yet, she had made plans with Ariene, who was wearing Shannon’s face and hadn’t said anything afterward. She hadn’t investigated Ariene’s background or kidnapped her for interrogation. 

 

Of course, it wasn’t easy to detect someone impersonating another, but still… 

 

A small crack had formed in what had been a flawless plan, and it bothered Ariene immensely.