I Don't Want To Do a Romantic Comedy With a Villain! - Chapter 12

Episode 12

Entering the building, Min-joo found herself unable to be close to Vehen. 

It was because the maid had to work!

Damn bourgeoisie, damn class society, damn it!

Min-joo, after taking over the kitchen duties, finally learned the reason Vehen had warned her not to go. Despite being a maid, Min-joo did not suffer much at the hands of Vehen. She only performed tasks similar to those of a secretary, such as taking care of his schedule and running errands. However, she realized the harsh reality of serving food alongside other maids here.

Vehen was an excellent employer. The Duke of DeVirté’s mansion was the best workplace.

After enduring hardships, Min-joo wanted to stomp her feet and scream in realization.

Excited to see Neriant, Min-joo couldn’t leave the kitchen for an hour. She had to transfer neatly made sandwiches onto plates and prepare drinks for them.

Memories of working in buffets and cafes tormented Min-joo. It was even more agonizing to excel at work in the meantime.

“Did you hear the rumor? The slaves want to take away our jobs.”

The weary maids, tired of continuous labor, began to exchange whispers.

Min-joo listened to the familiar topic while efficiently transferring sandwiches. The nearby maid marveled at Min-joo’s effective and perfect work.

“Yeah, as if we don’t have enough work. Our family got fired from the farm. The farm owner brought in slaves.”

There was a subtle mix of anger and reproach in the complaining conversation.

“With slaves from the defeated country, why cause harm? My friend was expelled from the artist’s studio. A slave does the cleaning instead.”

“The lady should care a bit about our situation. During the war, she made us work so hard.”

“Hey, watch your words. We’re talking among ourselves; if you say it elsewhere, you’ll be charged with disrespect to the nobility, and your head will be cut off.”

Provocative discussions began to involve one or two more people.

Min-joo quietly continued to transfer food without joining the conversation. She knew the origin and the spread of the rumors.

Permette tried to add his version later to suppress people’s anger, but it wasn’t as easy as expected.

Min-joo was pouring water into a large bowl to make drinks.

“But still, isn’t it pitiful that you can’t even receive any money?”

A maid bravely spoke up in their favor. Min-joo turned her head as if spellbound. It was a maid calmly stacking cookies onto a plate.

Everyone fell silent at the maid’s words. It wasn’t a wrong statement.

“I think I’m the one more to be pitied. Who knows when I might lose my job to a slave? Why should I sympathize?”

Sharp rebuttals followed. People began to resonate with the counterargument.

Who has time to worry about slaves? It’s a matter of survival. Min-joo sighed inwardly as she poured fruit juice, lost in thought.

Due to the intense pouring, the drink splashed onto the floor.

Nothing was easy.

* * *

Many people were invited to the party, showcasing the status of Count Velirian. 

From the chandeliers hanging high on the ceiling to the already lit candles throughout the room and the abundance of food piled in the adjacent room, Vehen speculated about the purpose of this party.

“Isn’t Lady Velirian acting strangely?”

“She’s completely different from before.”

“Still, considering she threw this party, the rumors might be exaggerated.”

Similar to other nobles, groups gathered and chattered about Neriant. The recent strange rumors about Neriant were indeed peculiar. Suddenly having seizures, frequently changing meals, and even lamenting and complaining for no apparent reason. There were even rumors of her shaking stones or iron.

Vehen couldn’t fathom any of it. It seemed like through Min-joo, he had already experienced strange occurrences. The woman with both dimensional travel and prophecy abilities was in his grasp.

Standing in a corner, Vehen clenched his fist and surveyed the surroundings. Each group had its topic, and Vehen, avoiding mingling with people, kept his position to find the conversation he wanted to hear.

“Did you hear that he lost everything in gambling?”

“With little property to begin with, he indulged in sin and borrowed from his wife.”

The green eyes turned sharply toward the women. It was a story about an illegal gambling den run by the Crown Prince.

Vehen strained his senses to eavesdrop on their faint conversation.

“In truth, I think it’s too extreme to incite fights among people.”

“Yes, that’s right. Even if they’re slaves, they look similar. Besides, they say the win rate is manipulated.”

“Oh, dear, I heard that too. Planning to decide the outcome, right?”

The planned rumors were spreading. If nurtured slowly, they would sow a strange distrust and reluctance, and then…

Vehen tapped his toe on the floor. Even if rumors started small, they tended to inflate endlessly when looked back upon later. If only Permette hadn’t messed things up in the beginning, it might have been smoother. They should have given detailed instructions to that fellow, insensitive to ethical matters.

‘Rumors, please spread them, Your Excellency.’

Min-joo, intervening in the plan, had already given orders to Permette before Vehen could, knowing her personality. There was nothing Vehen could do. If he had known Min-joo’s character, he should have noticed and stopped her in advance.

Well, even if he had stopped her, she probably wouldn’t have come to the party if she heard. Vehen was undoubtedly rebuffed at least three times a day. Min-joo had willingly accepted the trouble of going, insisting she would go.

It had been over an hour since she started working. Should he gradually pull her out and let her rest? Vehen took out a watch from his pocket to check the time.

The sound of footsteps echoed loudly on the stairs. People collectively closed their mouths, turning their heads to follow the source of the sound. Some murmured in admiration, and a few gasped quietly.

Vehen also looked toward the stairs, following their gaze. A slender figure, accentuated by a thin skirt sweeping the stairs, emerged. Delicately arranged with a wealth of jewels, the flowing, curly blond hair spilled over the shoulders, and a shawl draped over the arms.

The enchantingly beautiful face turned towards the people below the stairs. The downward gaze was gentle, and the angelic figure seemed to inspect those below with grace.

“Lady Velirian…”

A man, captivated by the enchantment, whispered. Neriant, with long eyelashes fluttering like butterflies and a lovely smile, descended the stairs gracefully.

Vehen observed Neriant from the corner of the wall. Contrary to the rumors, there was nothing peculiar. Count Velirian welcomed her below the stairs, extending his hand, and Neriant, with a gentle smile, took his hand. They appeared like close companions.

Neriant had not shown her face at a party for several months, and it was only today, after the social season had passed, that she appeared. Having been praised as a perfect woman and disappearing for a season, it was natural for people’s attention to be drawn to her. Everyone was focusing on Neriant.

“Let her suffer a little longer.”

Of course, Vehen had no concern about that. He was only here to confirm the rumors about Neriant and spread the rumors; his main concern was Min-joo.

Considering the various unpleasant matters, it might be better to let her suffer a bit more and then bring her back. The dilemma of whether to bring her now or wait, such thoughts were more important.

By now, she would probably be sulking while dealing with the food. It seemed like a good idea to bring her back gradually, considering her curiosity about the party. Bringing her back to see the party briefly wouldn’t hurt either. 

Vehen turned his attention back to Neriant.

“Is it okay if I decline dancing because I’m not feeling well?”

Neriant, despite rejecting the dance entirely, appeared unaffected. She had an awkward expression, but otherwise, she seemed perfectly fine, without any signs of pain.

With a snicker, Vehen turned to leave the hall. Neriant, who had been closely watching his departure, swayed for a moment, then smiled at the people gathered for the conversation. Her gaze, however, persistently followed Vehen.

Entering the kitchen, where maids were densely packed, the air felt warmer. Vehen stood at the threshold, leaning his head to scan the interior.

Among the many maids with black hair, finding Min-joo was easy. She was easily recognizable at a glance. Buried in the crowd, Min-joo, with her shoulders slumped, was cutting a cake. Her apron was tied up to her chest, and it seemed like she had just wiped her hands.

“Oh, my, Your, Your Excellency?”

A maid saw Vehen and curtsied in acknowledgment. Vehen tilted his head in confusion at how the maid recognized him, but considering how much was known about him, he let it slide. The maid’s reaction wasn’t particularly welcoming.

Her reaction was expected. Vehen was notorious as a villain in the empire. He was a greedy figure who turned his eyes to power, manipulating and establishing control from the family that expelled the empress to seating an emperor. A cunning individual who consolidated power smoothly after losing his parents and manipulated the imperial family.

The nickname for him was ‘The Dog of the Empress and the Third Prince.’ It wasn’t surprising that the maid didn’t display any joy in his presence. Her reaction was only natural, knowing Vehen’s infamous reputation.

“Do you need something?”

“Yes.”

With a blunt response, Vehen nodded towards Min-joo.

“Bring her. I have something to tell her.”

As soon as Vehen finished speaking, the maid pulled Min-joo forward and presented her in front of Vehen. Min-joo, clueless about what was happening, looked at Vehen’s face with relief, as if she had met a savior.

Vehen, who was not aware of how much effort it took for Min-joo, didn’t notice the disheveled hair or the damp sleeves. Frowning, he grabbed Min-joo’s arm.

“Follow me.”

“Yes!”

Knowing Min-joo’s culinary skills well, Vehen, relieved that she hadn’t eaten, brought her to a quiet corner at the end of the corridor. There were no passersby, and the area was dimly lit.

As they confirmed the absence of people, Min-joo, leaning against the wall, groaned softly. She reached out, expressing her complaint.

“Look at this, my hands are all swollen. How can they treat a housemaid from another household like this?”

“That’s why I told you not to follow.”

“You didn’t say anything like that. You just said to come and work, without even letting me enjoy the party. Do you know what’s more annoying? I was working so hard without even realizing it.”

Her fingers, soaked in water, were swollen and chubby. Vehen pulled out a handkerchief and firmly pressed on Min-joo’s sleeve. He felt the damp texture.

“That seems true. You didn’t even realize your clothes were wet.”

“These are new clothes, it’s frustrating.”

“Still, they look beautiful.”

Nonchalantly responding, Vehen wiped Min-joo’s wet sleeves. He accidentally uttered words without much thought.

“…Beautiful? Me?”

He hoped she didn’t hear, but she caught it. With excellent hearing, Min-joo widened her eyes and nervously played with her hands. Whether it was about her clothes or herself being pretty, it seemed to be the latter, probably.

If it had been a compliment about her clothes, Vehen wouldn’t have been so flustered. His surprised expression as he stared at Min-joo with a stiff face was somewhat cute.

Dimly illuminated by moonlight through the window, his face was subtly reddening. The more she looked, the clearer it became, so Min-joo lowered her head and spoke.

“…I know too. Beautiful.”

An embarrassing remark popped out without passing through her brain. As the silence persisted for more than 5 seconds, Min-joo, unable to bear the awkwardness, hastily changed the subject.

“Is my face swollen too? It feels like my face is hurting. I might need to change my shoes, haha!”

“…Yeah, beautiful.”

Efforts to steer the conversation away had only brought it back to where it started, grabbing Min-joo by the hair and pulling her back to the original point.

Vehen couldn’t hide his flushed cheeks as he focused his gaze on Min-joo. His hand touching her wrist, his warmth over her hand sent shivers down her spine, making her feel uneasy to the point of wanting to escape. Her chest fluttered with nervousness.

Min-joo couldn’t figure out how to react and just stared at Vehen’s sculpted face. The sound of their breaths seemed to echo too loudly.

“Your clothes.”

Breaking the atmosphere, Vehen, unable to completely ruin the mood, swept Min-joo’s fallen hair aside, lifting one corner of his mouth slightly. It was an awkward smile, and the gentle touch fixing her hair made Min-joo wonder.

‘Does he like me?’

She became certain.