I Slept with the Villain Holding My Hand Chapter 99

After a while, left alone, Merria found herself deep in thought. 

 

‘Should she go tell Reukis about this right away, or not?’

 

It was already late, and darkness had fully settled outside.  

 

Moreover, he had to go hunting early the next day. Though everyone participating in the competition likely felt the same, Reukis had also expressed his desire to win.  

 

“The original story didn’t even include the hunting competition.”  

 

Because of this, even she didn’t know what would happen by the final day or who would emerge as the winner.  

 

But as his lover, Merria found herself rooting for Reukis’s victory over the protagonist.  

 

In the end, Merria decided to share the news with him the following evening.  

 

After all, tomorrow was also the day she was supposed to meet Shannon.  

 

The hunting competition would end before evening, and the third day was reserved for the party.  

 

So, they had planned to meet during the gap in between. She figured she could go see him a little earlier than her scheduled meeting with Shannon.  

 

Just as Merria finally lay down to rest, she felt something unusual.  

 

Rustle—  

 

Beneath the soft blanket, she sensed an unfamiliar texture and glanced down.  

 

A piece of paper was tucked under her leg.  

 

“What’s this?”  

 

Merria sat up, tilting her head curiously as she picked up the paper.  

 

Holding it up to the light from the ceiling, she saw a plain beige envelope, the kind sold at any stationery store.  

 

‘Why is this here?’  

 

Wondering if it might have slipped into Serinia’s belongings, she examined the envelope closely.  

 

It was blank, with no sender or recipient written on it. Merria tilted her head in confusion.  

 

Deciding to check the contents, she opened the envelope.  

 

Inside, a single, equally plain sheet of paper fluttered out. She picked up the letter from the blanket and read its contents.  

 

[Someone is planning to approach the Master of Darkness.]  

 

It was a short message, scrawled in an unremarkable handwriting.  

 

Merria’s expression hardened as she read the sentence again. Though it could be considered a coded message, its meaning was clear enough.  

 

Her fingertips trembled slightly as she held the small piece of paper.  

 

💫 

 

As the sky deepened into the colors of night,  

 

Ariene arrived at the Ethos Forest, walking with quiet steps. She had been delayed slightly by putting Shannon to sleep and drawing her blood. 

 

Even at this late hour, many were still awake. She tightly fastened her robe to ensure her distinctive hair color didn’t show. 

 

It had been a while since she had walked around in her true form without drinking the potion.  

 

Though it was unlikely anyone would recognize the face of a runaway maid, she took the back paths just in case, avoiding the Magners.  

 

As she walked along the dark forest path, most of the people she saw were young nobles.  

 

Among them, quite a few seemed to be enjoying secret rendezvous.  

 

Alluring eyes and tempting lips peeked out from beneath robes, catching the attention of the young nobles out for a night stroll.  

 

Though she had deliberately chosen secluded paths to avoid notice,  

 

The cunning nobles seemed to gather more under the shadows of trees than under the moonlight.  

 

Ariene clicked her tongue softly and quickened her pace. She headed straight for the meeting spot.  

 

The third tree to the left from the one with a green ribbon tied to its branch.  

 

That was where she had agreed to meet Deston.  

 

As she walked past the ribboned tree, she spotted a figure hidden in the shadows.  

 

He, too, wore a robe with the hood pulled low, covering his face up to his nose.  

 

Noticing her presence, Deston turned his head slightly.  

 

Sharp eyes beneath the hood scanned her face.  

 

Deston’s eyes curved into a crescent shape as he nodded.  

 

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you like this.”  

 

“Has it?”  

 

Ariene tilted her head and replied indifferently.  

 

Deston knew she had visited Demeter earlier that day. He had probably spied on her through the surveillance artifact.  

 

He smirked and asked, “Did you leave that woman behind? I thought you’d stay by her side.”  

 

Though his words were vague, both of them knew he was referring to Shannon.  

 

The Ariene he had observed was quite sensitive to Shannon’s safety. But it was hard to say whether that was out of affection.  

 

It felt colder, more twisted than simple affection.  

 

Deston subtly observed Ariene’s expression.  

 

But Ariene said nothing. She brushed it off as if it were an entirely unimportant topic.  

 

Instead, she abruptly changed the subject.  

 

“What about the Grand Duke?”  

 

Deston shrugged and replied, “I’ve confirmed his presence. He’s definitely asleep.”  

 

Putting Reukis to sleep without him noticing was harder than expected.  

 

First, to cast a sleep spell, one had to get close to him.  

 

The problem was that Reukis had gone to the Rackester tent and hadn’t returned.

 

Originally, the plan was to infiltrate as a servant and drug his dinner, but mixing a sleeping potion into food he might or might not eat was a futile effort.  

 

Though he wasn’t lacking in magical power, erasing traces was tricky, so he had to focus on one spot as much as possible.  

 

This had been giving him a headache, but  

 

Ironically, Reukis leaving his post turned out to be helpful.  

 

“Who would’ve imagined? The Grand Duke falling asleep clutching a handkerchief like a child.”  

 

Deston spoke with a hint of laughter in his voice.  

 

Sneaking into the empty tent was incredibly easy. With no one to cast the sleep spell, Deston searched for an object near the bed and found a white handkerchief placed on an elegant plate.  

 

A mere handkerchief and a luxurious plate adorned with intricate designs.  

 

The contrast was stark, but it was enough for Deston to realize the handkerchief was precious to the Grand Duke.  

 

And if Reukis valued it so much, Deston concluded it must be a gift from Merria.  

 

It was perfect, as it was placed right by the bedside.  

 

Sleep spells were most effective when administered through the respiratory system.  

 

The instructions for the enchanted incense from the Magic Department even recommended placing it by the bedside.  

 

Deston immediately began casting the sleep spell there. He set the intensity to the highest level and made sure to erase any traces of his own magic.

  

Even the Grand Duke, who ruled over darkness, would find it difficult to detect healing magic.  

 

As a result, Reukis fell into a deep sleep, still clutching the handkerchief.  

 

Deston barely held back a snort of laughter at the sight of Reukis’s peaceful sleeping face.  

 

It was hard to believe that this gentle-looking man was the same one who had trapped enemies in darkness on the battlefield.  

 

“I’ve cast it strong enough to knock out a cliff-dwelling bear in one go. Though, with the Grand Duke’s trained body… he might wake up if stabbed or something.”  

 

At Deston’s proud tone, Ariene smirked.  

 

“That’s enough.”  

 

“You’re quite the handful,” Deston said, his eyes crinkling like a child preparing for mischief.  

 

“You knew I had an interest in Merria, yet you dragged me into this.”  

 

He shook his head, clicking his tongue.  

 

For someone who supposedly had genuine feelings, his gestures were surprisingly light.  

 

“Don’t act so innocent. You came along because you wanted something too, didn’t you?”  

 

She chuckled lightly, chiding him.  

 

Deston shrugged at the rare sight of Ariene’s smile.  

 

Of course, when he first saw Merria, his heart had skipped a beat. His loyal butler had encouraged him, claiming it was love, but Deston’s interest had taken a slightly twisted turn.  

 

It had settled on ‘the power of the princess’ within ‘Merria Rackester.’ He hadn’t forgotten the incident when the magic panel had turned purple.  

 

Far from forgetting, he had even postponed all his incoming requests to fellow mages and started digging through ancient texts.  

 

Just when progress seemed impossible, something related to that power had fallen into his hands during the night of the coming-of-age ceremony.  

 

Well, more accurately, into Ariene’s hands.  

 

“Anyway, don’t forget your promise to let me study Merria’s ring.”  

 

Deston had been with her the day she picked up that ring.  

 

Having witnessed it firsthand, it was only natural for him to demand this from Ariene.  

 

It was much easier to approach her than Merria, who was always shielded by Reukis.  

 

So, Deston helped her with her tasks in exchange for the chance to examine the ring.  

 

According to Ariene, it was imbued with a high-level concealment spell.  

 

Unless it was cast by an ancient mage, it wouldn’t pose much of a problem for him.  

 

“Right. That was the deal.”  

 

As she pretended to remove something from her finger, Deston quickly held out a small, flat box.  

 

She placed the ring inside the box and waved her hands.  

 

“Even if you can’t see it, just to be sure. Keep it safe while I’m gone.”

 

Having gotten what he wanted, Deston bowed like a gentleman.  

 

“Have a pleasant night.”  

 

For an eccentric mage, he sure knew how to play the gentleman. Her brow furrowed slightly.  

 

Ariene approached the Frederick tent using the back paths.  

 

In her hand was a small vial containing a potion, enough for just one sip.  

 

‘This won’t even last until dawn.’  

 

It was natural for the potion’s duration to shorten, given her body’s growing resistance.  

 

Moreover, the blood she had obtained indirectly was in limited supply.  

 

Still, it would be enough to get through security and face the Grand Duke.  

 

Ariene, hiding her presence, smirked. Without hesitation, she opened the vial and poured its contents into her mouth.  

 

Gulp—  

 

As she took a deep breath, her greenish hair gradually transformed into a dazzling platinum blonde.  

 

She glanced at her reflection in a nearby puddle. Her sharp, unruly eyes and the irises beneath them glowed with a seductive red hue.

  

They were identical to the princess’s from her memories, without a single difference.  

 

“Ah, ahh.”  

 

She cleared her throat softly, her face contorting slightly.  

 

Occasionally, her natural voice, not Merria’s, slipped through.  

 

“Can’t even change the voice properly?”  

 

It seemed the magic’s duration was shorter than expected.  

 

Clicking her tongue, she pulled out another vial from her pocket.  

 

Inside, a dangerous purple liquid shimmered. It was a potion designed to maximize the effects of ‘hypnotic magic.’  

 

Made from a precise blend of hallucinogenic herbs, stimulants, and substances that accelerated heart rate to mimic the feeling of falling in love,  

 

It was a potent poison that even an ancient mage would struggle to neutralize.  

 

After putting the vial back in her pocket, she slowly began to walk. Her long platinum hair shimmered under the moonlight as she moved.  

 

A servant of the Frederick’s spotted her and greeted her warmly.  

 

“Lady Merria!”  

 

“I’ve come to see him. I want to surprise him, so don’t announce my arrival, alright?”  

 

She flashed the smile she had been using with Shannon lately but paused for a moment. Her overly curved lips softened into a gentle smile.  

 

With the right amount of softness added, she looked utterly perfect.