I Don't Want To Do a Romantic Comedy With a Villain! - Chapter 13

Episode 13

With uncertainty set aside, why did Vehen come to like her? Min-joo reflected on the brief time she spent with Vehen.

‘None, right?’

There’s no pretext for feeling emotions. They argued on made-up days, engaged in petty quarrels, and there was nothing more. 

Moreover, Min-joo didn’t even have basic cosmetics, making her skin rough. She found it bothersome to tie her hair, so she used any random stick as a hairpin.

Externally and internally, there was no reason to feel excitement anywhere.

‘Is it my imagination?’

Calling it an illusion seemed implausible because Vehen’s attitude was too clear. Unnecessary affectionate gestures and meticulous care, going so far as to bring Min-joo out of the kitchen.

Originally not a character to be described as affectionate. Rough, unfeeling, and arrogant. Such a character blushing at a maid, calling her beautiful? It was a complete character collapse.

If there were fans, Vehen might have risen to the level of the author making a setting error, saying he wasn’t that kind of character.

Min-joo, unable to understand Vehen’s psychological change, stomped her foot on the ground. Vehen’s gaze turned toward Min-joo’s feet.

“The condition of your shoes is not great.”

“…I bought them cheap with the little money I had.”

The spot where his hand had touched Min-joo’s forehead felt itchy. Awkwardly, Min-joo scratched her forehead with her fingers. It was so awkward and embarrassing that she was on the verge of turning away.

Even if Vehen liked Min-joo, she had no intention of reciprocating. She would cling to Neriant and eventually return to reality.

Moreover, wasn’t he a character from her work? What could she possibly do with a character who wasn’t even a paper doll, lacking physical appearance in reality?

Min-joo stepped back further, pressing her body against the wall. Vehen’s hand twitched, trembling slightly.

“I’ll save money and buy new ones later. Shoes.”

“…Sure.”

It seemed so awkward that she might turn away. Min-joo turned her head and looked out the window. The sun had completely set, and it was night. How long should she stay here, and would she be able to meet Neriant?

Brief thoughts followed.

When Vehen handed Min-joo a handkerchief, she was surprised and turned around.

“You said you want to see the party. You can take a brief look around.”

“Oh….”

She wanted to ask if Neriant was there, but the words didn’t come out easily.

She feared that Vehen might suspect her as a spy like Permette, or that he might mistakenly think she was someone related to the future, watching Neriant.

Even though she knew he would fall in love with Neriant and walk a different path. Even though she knew. Min-joo was a bit scared that she might interfere and change the story.

“I’ll just take a quick look outside the door.”

She couldn’t ask the male protagonist about the female protagonist.

As Min-joo moved away from Vehen, he furrowed his brows slightly.

“Do you still dislike me that much?”

“What are you talking about?”

Vehen’s face, turned reflexively, seemed a bit disappointed. Min-joo lightly touched Vehen’s arm with the back of her hand.

“If I disliked you, I would have avoided you sooner. I don’t dislike you that much, don’t worry.”

Playfully laughing, Min-joo tapped Vehen’s arm again and walked ahead. When no response came, Min-joo turned her head to look at him.

“Aren’t you coming? Are you leaving me behind?”

Vehen couldn’t take his eyes off Min-joo. A faint blush spread across his cheeks, and the disheveled black hair clung to his white neck.

The neat and simple blue dress, the ankles visible beneath the wide skirt that swayed with Min-joo’s movements, and even the moonlight pouring down beside her—all of it was beautiful.

Vehen felt like crying.

“Don’t rush me.”

She would probably tease him if he cried. And in the end, she would sincerely comfort him. That’s how Min-joo was—a person like that.

Vehen followed Min-joo with wide strides. The weather was exceptionally good, and the moon was beautiful.

Min-joo stood by the door, peering inside the hall. The scene was strikingly similar to what she had imagined while writing, and Min-joo felt like giving it a 5-star rating.

From the extravagant dresses and suits to the luxurious decorations, everything was perfectly extravagant.

“Let’s go if you’ve seen enough.”

“Just a little more.”

It wasn’t like urging a five-year-old who tagged along at the supermarket to go home. Min-joo quickly rolled her eyes.

She had imagined many times how to approach Neriant when she found her. However, she hadn’t realized she was such a distant person.

Neriant, surrounded by people, wore a lovely smile as if crafted from threads of light like a fairy. Before Min-joo could approach and speak, she felt like she might be pushed away by an unfamiliar nobleman and end up sitting in a corner.

‘Well, this is a disaster.’

Indeed, it was a disaster. Even if she followed her to the party, there was no guarantee of an opportunity to talk to Neriant. She had been too optimistic.

‘In the meantime, she looks pretty. It might come to mind before going to bed.’

Of course, she’s the female protagonist. Min-joo eventually resigned herself to anticipating the next opportunity and sighed. Her status was too low to engage in conversation within that crowd. Damn social hierarchy. Damn it!

Beside Min-joo, Vehen, who had been watching, lightly touched her.

“Shall we go?”

“No need to ask every 30 seconds… Yes, let’s go.”

The esteemed duke waited for the maid’s situation for about three minutes, and now she had to go if urged.

Min-joo grumbled and glanced at Neriant one last time.

Their eyes met.

Neriant looked at Min-joo, mumbled something, then turned her body as if about to approach. It was the moment Min-joo felt something strange and decided to observe Neriant’s actions.

“Let’s go.”

Vehen, grabbing her wrist, pulled Min-joo along. In bewilderment, Min-joo alternately glanced at Vehen and Neriant. Neriant furrowed her brow, chewing on her lips.

She seemed angry, and at the same time, appeared anxious. Did Neriant already know Vehen? Min-joo looked at Vehen. 

Because of Min-joo, who wasn’t walking and was being dragged, Vehen frowned.

“Walk a little.”

“Easy.”

“Come on.”

The words were filled with irritation, couldn’t even touch the tip of Min-joo’s nose and bounced off. Since Min-joo had nothing to offer to the esteemed duke, she at least chuckled.

Suddenly, Vehen, accumulating frustration beyond a certain threshold, wrapped his arm around Min-joo’s waist.

She was lifted so easily that it felt unexpectedly empty, and Min-joo suddenly felt a bit melancholic.

“I said I don’t like sweet talk.”

“It’s charming.”

“Has the world’s charm died?”

Min-joo looked at the hall, swaying her legs in the air. The bright space seemed too far from her.

Like stars in the night sky, unreachable.

After Vehen and Min-joo disappeared down the stairs, Neriant, rushing out of the hall, anxiously looked around.

The two who had already vanished couldn’t be found. In the maze of paths and stairs, with no traces left, Neriant nervously paced.

“…I have to find them. That man, the man….”

Neriant’s eyes, gazing down the corridor, were filled with poignant tears.

* * *

Two days had passed since the party. 

Min-joo spent half of each day in a daze, pondering how to meet Neriant with some pretext. Vehen, who had been slightly worried, began treating her like a decorative potted plant after a day.

“Hope you’ve been well~?”

Permette, with a cheerful smile, swung the door wide open after a single knock. Vehen greeted Permette with a disdainful look, questioning why he had bothered to crawl here personally. 

Min-joo, lightly ignoring them, was lost in her world.

The pretty piece of trash, feeling offended by Min-joo and Vehen’s lack of enthusiasm, walked over slowly and leaned against the top of the sofa, looking askew. 

Noticing Min-joo’s vacant expression, Permette, puzzled, pointed with his finger and asked.

“Why is she like this?”

“Don’t know. I didn’t call you, why are you here?”

“I came to bring clothes. I haven’t brought them all. But with her condition like this, can she even go out?”

“You’re about to go out. Are you coming?”

Vehen, who had been looking at Permette, turned his head toward Min-joo when she lifted her foot slightly instead of responding.

Without a clear indication of approval or disapproval, Permette pursed his lips, but Vehen, doodling with a pen on paper, replied in her place.

“It seems she’s going.”

“What? Are you two communicating telepathically or something?”

“Nonsense.”

Despite dismissing it as nonsense, Vehen’s response was incomprehensible unless it was telepathy. What kind of response could lifting a foot be?

Permette lowered his head to look at Min-joo, who had a vacant expression. It was such a foolish face.

He wondered if a person with such a foolish face could be a spy or even a swindler. In reality, on the first day of the Crown Prince Teasing Project, Min-joo boasted competence and prophecy, only to exhibit incompetence comparable to a court lady afterward.

At this point, even Permette found it perplexing.

“Is she really going?”

“…”

“Answer me.”

Wasn’t this discriminating against people? Min-joo at least showed her foot to Vehen, but to Permette, she only let out a grandiose breath.

Permette chuckled and leaned in closer, shadows casting over Min-joo’s face.

“Is it a sleeping maid?”

Min-joo’s foolish expression, full in her line of sight, instantly turned serious. The words “disgusting and hateful, unbearable” seemed to be forcibly stamped on her face, making Permette feel a bit sorry.

His serious and dignified rejection expression was somewhat comical.

“Since you seem to have no intention of waking up, I’ll take you away roughly.”

As soon as Permette finished speaking, he lifted Min-joo. Min-joo’s back and knees were firmly supported, and it felt warm. Sensing the warmth, Permette looked down at Min-joo as if enchanted.

“Put me down.”

Min-joo with a disgusted expression was staring straight at Permette.

“It hurts me if you don’t like it.”

“Whether you get hurt or not.”

“Since you dislike it so much, I’ll even escort you to the carriage.”

Vehen’s eyelids trembled slightly. There was tension in the hand holding the pen. Permette firmly held the squirming Min-joo, kicked the door open, and walked out.

The reactions of the wary Vehen and the resisting Min-joo were quite amusing. Permette remained calm as if carrying luggage.

Even when passing by maids and servants, who were startled and whispered, Permette didn’t care. Only Min-joo felt embarrassed, even with her face covered.

“Put me down. I feel like I’m going to die of embarrassment.”

“I’m curious about how you’ll die, so I’ll wait and see.”

“Oh, really…”

Feeling so embarrassed, Min-joo truly felt like she might die. Despite repeatedly asking to be put down, Permette casually held her and showed no sign of letting her down.

Min-joo turned her head in Permette’s embrace. If her face were revealed, she felt she wouldn’t be able to lift her head in the mansion.

“….”

In Permette’s embrace, there was a peculiar scent of gunpowder and the fragrance of tea leaves. A hint of sunlight as well. Min-joo delved further into Permette’s embrace.

Covering with just her palm was not enough.

Even after holding her for a while, it didn’t feel burdensome. Min-joo was light, and Permette had strength. It was amusing to see Min-joo recoil in embarrassment and squirm whenever they encountered someone.

She had vehemently resisted at first, but now she was burying her face in Permette’s embrace, whispering something with a slightly reddened ear.

It wasn’t cute, and it wasn’t particularly endearing. Yet, watching her made Permette want to laugh and play more jokes.

‘It’s not bad.’

Yes, it seemed not bad.

Permette stood in front of the carriage, pondering if what he thought was right.