Villain, Let Me Touch You! - Chapter 125
“What is it youâre trying to find? Want me to flip the place upside down for you?”
Demyr rolled up her sleeves like she was ready to storm after Priscilla right that second.
It wasnât so much to help meâshe looked more like someone desperate for an excuse to go after Priscilla like a bloodhound.
I shook my head.
“Iâm the only one who can find it.”
If what I was looking for really existed, it would be my trump cardâand something that couldnât be shared. Not even with Helios.
“This feels like a treasure hunt. You know I went to Priscillaâs glass bathhouse, right?”
“Yes. I asked you to.”
Demyr hadnât visited during Priscillaâs bath time by coincidence. It was all part of the plan.
Priscillaâs glass bathhouse was strictly off-limits to outsiders.
Even the Emperor wasnât allowed in. The only ones permitted inside were Priscilla herself and a handful of handmaidens who attended to her, and even that number was very, very limited.
There was a 99% chance that Priscillaâs secret was hidden there.
90% of that was based on my own deductions, and the other 9% came from the note left behind by the laundry room maid.
Now, all I needed was the last 1%âthat final bit of certainty to make it 100.
But there was no easy way for me to get inside the glass bathhouse. Thatâs why Iâd asked Demyr for help.
And true to form, she hadnât even hesitated.
She really is just waiting for any excuse to screw Priscilla over.
A womanâs revenge is slow and drawn-out. Sometimes loud and long. Either way, itâs long.
“I looked around, just like you said, to see if there might be anywhere to hide something.”
“And?”
“A lot of places, actually. I mean, what better spot to hide things than a place like that? She even had a garden set up, and would you believe there was a little shack tucked away like some wild animal might live in it? Isnât that strange? A pastoral vibe⌠and Priscilla? It doesnât match at all, right?”
Based on how she decorated the banquet hall, Priscilla clearly liked things big and extravagant.
If the bathhouse were truly designed to her taste, she wouldâve installed something like a golden fountain instead of a humble little shack.
That means itâs not her taste.
Then whose taste is it?
I widened my eyes and grabbed Demyrâs hand.
âThank you, Your Majesty.â
Demyr flinched slightly.
âWe made a deal. I didnât do it for you.â
âYes. I know that very well.â
âDo you really?â
I nodded enthusiastically. With a long sigh, Demyr finally spoke.
âThen let go of my hand.â
Realizing I was still holding onto her, I quickly released her hand.
âFast reflexes, at least.â
Demyr muttered that to herself before continuing.
âI have a question for you.â
âAs many as you like.â
I popped another bite of dessert into my mouth. Iâd told myself I wouldnât eat dinner, but this was just too good. My hand kept reaching for more on its own.
Demyr looked at me pitifully, then called a maid over and made her promise to pack up the remaining desserts for me to take home.
âI’m not asking because I’m worried about you.â
Sheâs definitely worried about me.
âReally, itâs just out of curiosity.â
Sheâs really, really worried about me.
I kept chewing diligently and answered with a blink instead of words.
Demyr frowned slightly and pulled out a handkerchief, holding it out to me.
âChew properly. Honestly, youâre making such a mess.â
I rarely ever slipped up in front of others, but somehow, with Demyr, I always did.
Maybe it was because of the age gap. She was much older, after all.
One thing was for sure: Demyr could never just be straightforward. She always padded her true feelings with unnecessary disclaimers.
But Iâd grown used to her way of speaking, and now, I just found it endearing.
âWhat exactly are you trying to find? And what are you planning to do with it once you do?â
A faint shadow flickered across her face before vanishing again. She mustâve suspected I was planning something dangerous.
And well, she wouldnât be wrong.
Because I was planning to find Priscillaâs weakness and use it to blackmail her.
And if digging up someoneâs secrets wasnât dangerous, I donât know what is.
The road ahead of me was riddled with obstacles.
In the process of digging up Priscillaâs weakness, I could easily get caught and mistaken for a thief.
And well, itâs not exactly a mistake, is it?
And even if I did find something, there was no guarantee Priscilla would be shaken. She might turn the tables and accuse me insteadâfor daring to dishonor someone of higher rank.
Then there was the very real risk of collapsing or having a seizure from my imprint while I searched.
But the worst-case scenario? Getting caught by Priscilla without even finding anything.
That might get me killed.
Maybe it was just my imagination, but the spot where Iâd been bitten by the snake started throbbing again. I rubbed at it slowly, trying to soothe the unease.
When something comes with a heavy price, it always carries risk.
What I could do was simple: minimize the risk.
Let the unpredictable flow as it will, but prepare for the foreseeable. That was the only way to survive.
Of all the possible dangers, the one I could anticipate was related to collapsing from the imprint.
I need to meet His Highness!
âI should get going now. Thank you for the tea â and the information.â
Despite my sudden goodbye, Demyr didnât try to stop me.
As expected, Demyr was softhearted.
