I Don't Want To Do a Romantic Comedy With a Villain! - Chapter 15

Episode 15

 

 

 

Isn’t a date the time spent by two people in a state of romantic emotions? 

 

Min-joo tried to recall what emotions, other than the hateful ones towards Permette, she might have. From the beginning, she doubted whether the guy who considered torturing in prison as a date was talking about a genuine date.

 

“Why would I go on a date with you?”

 

“As I mentioned, there are things I want to show you, and also, just for the heck of it. Do you dislike it?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“You’re very firm about it.”

 

Permette, as if performing in a play, exaggeratedly placed his hand on his chest and pretended to cry. In Min-joo’s honest opinion, it was embarrassing. That was the extent of it.

 

“Don’t act like that when there are no positive feelings between us. It only makes things worse inside.”

 

Min-joo criticized Permette’s pretentious attitude and forcefully pulled her hand away. As soon as Permette’s arm relaxed, he grabbed Min-joo’s hand trying to escape.

 

Min-joo, surprised by his strength, glared at Permette.

 

And soon, she lost her words. Because Permette’s face was full of surprise.

 

Superficially, what made up Permette was acting. Armed with acting to completely cover his true self, Permette seemed light and could appear intimate to people. He gained favor with affection, read the other’s heart with jokes, and lightened the weight of relationships with his casualness.

 

Those who got tired of Permette’s light attitude were reluctant to form a deep relationship with him. They didn’t bother to recognize what Permette was thinking, what he liked or disliked, what he wanted. Not even an attempt or effort to understand. So, it was astonishing.

 

Now that Min-joo knew he was hiding his true feelings by looking at his attitude.

 

Permette quickly hid his surprised expression and smiled. His sharp face turned lovely.

 

“Why do you think it’s acting?”

 

“So, is it sincere? That’s even worse.”

 

Min-joo complained with a disgruntled expression as she tried to pull her hand out of Permette’s grip. Despite making groaning sounds and exerting all her strength, she couldn’t overcome his hold.

 

Having depleted her energy, Min-joo tilted her head sideways, muttering that she would let it slide this time in her mind.

 

“What is it that you want to show me?”

 

“You’ll know when you see it.”

 

Although Min-joo firmly refused, Permette led her with an attitude as if he had never heard her.

 

Thanks to him holding onto Min-joo’s hand with strength, she couldn’t break free. Moreover, having come out with no money, if she were to abandon Permette and escape, she would still need to walk quite a distance to return to the mansion.

 

Her foot already felt sore.

 

Exhaling deeply, Min-joo squeezed the hand that held her. Even if she followed, physical contact was far from pleasant.

 

“I’ll follow you, so can you let go?”

 

“No.”

 

“Why are you like this today of all days?”

 

“I’m always like this.”

 

“This is driving me crazy.”

 

Complaining felt like dealing with an eight-year-old kid. Min-joo started walking towards an unknown destination. Permette glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.

 

“Also, you’re truly beautiful.”

 

“Why are you acting like this today of all days?”

 

“I mean it.”

 

Permette was sincere. He felt that way, and that’s all there was to say.

 

Wearing a splendid dress with meticulously adorned hair, Min-joo appeared like a loved and nurtured noble lady. Her black eyes, hidden beneath a light double eyelid, and her fair skin seemed akin to snowfall on a night.

 

Enchanting and wondrous, Min-joo, who coexisted with darkness and light, could undoubtedly be described as beautiful. Normally seen in a maid’s outfit, poorly ironed with her hair casually tied, she might have appeared even more striking in contrast.

 

Permette closed his eyes and smiled. The shadow of his long eyelashes descended onto his cheek, resembling a butterfly landing.

 

“Since you’ve given me your time, I feel I should at least offer a small gift.”

 

She couldn’t bring herself to ask who had forcibly taken away her time. Permette didn’t smile nicely, and it wasn’t genuine.

 

After finishing speaking, Permette took Min-joo’s hand and led her to a shop. It was a shoe store. In the cozy atmosphere, adorned with various shoes, a distinguished old man welcomed them.

 

“What can be worn immediately? Anything?”

 

Permette arrogantly asked, pointing to Min-joo’s foot with his chin. Min-joo casually glanced down at her shoes. It was an old pair she had bought with money she had during her theater days. The worn-out, cheap shoes with a peeling sole were embarrassingly inadequate.

 

She didn’t want to show Permette a weak and insufficient side. It must have been a matter of pride. She probably didn’t want to be caught with a weakness. She just wanted to show Permette her impressive side.

 

As Min-joo tried to hide her feet by gathering her toes, Permette gently whispered while patting her hand.

 

“Since we need to measure the size, please take off your shoes and sit down.”

 

After that, everything happened in an instant. The old man measured Min-joo’s foot, brought out a pair of ready-to-wear shoes, and Permette chose one to present to Min-joo.

 

If he had personally knelt to put the shoes on her, it would have been quite awkward, but Permette didn’t do that. Min-joo wore simple, elegant shoes without a heel. They were soft, comfortable, and perfectly fitting, making her feel at ease. She felt like they would complement any outfit she wore.

 

“Do they fit well?”

 

“Yes. They’re great.”

 

Having finished the calculations, Permette turned to Min-joo. His gently crafted smile was as sweet as cream on a soft dessert. Min-joo thought his laughter resembled that of a genuinely innocent twenty-year-old.

 

“I gave it to you because we have to walk quite a bit.”

 

Whether it was a statement to ease any potential burden or a sincere sentiment, Min-joo couldn’t tell. She looked down at the shiny shoes.

 

They might not be too expensive since they were ready to wear, but it still felt a bit burdensome.

 

“I’ll pay you back later.”

 

“Please do.”

 

Permette extended his hand to Min-joo. His rough and calloused hand was vastly different from his refined face. Min-joo unconsciously clenched her hand.

 

Permette widened his eyes in surprise.

 

Min-joo furrowed her brows at Permette’s reaction.

 

“What? Don’t grab it?”

 

“No, it’s just…”

 

Although he had extended it as a courtesy, she hadn’t expected him to grab her hand. So…

 

Permette carefully grasped the small hand that she offered. It seemed fragile enough to break with a little more force.

 

Were women’s hands always this delicate?

 

He didn’t know because he hadn’t held hands with anyone before.

 

Permette buying Min-joo shoes was a kind of bribe. He thought that receiving a gift meant she would provide an equivalent reward. It might have been a request for her to understand and analyze him, or perhaps a desire to analyze the intriguing Min-joo herself.

 

A gift given only to someone special.

 

Permette silently observed Min-joo wearing the shoes he bought. She was someone he wanted to understand and analyze. The significance was in being someone who could straddle the ambiguous line. 

 

Permette helped Min-joo stand up. His small stature, reaching only up to her chin, felt strangely poignant today.

 

He approached like an unusually small, delicate presence. Ignoring the feeling, Permette led Min-joo out of the shop.

 

The street was bustling with carriages, horses, and people, creating a noisy atmosphere. Children ran around with bags containing newspapers, and people were leaning against the walls, just exhaling.

 

It looked like a slum, but at the same time, it resembled the lively streets of the capital. Min-joo felt a sense of unfamiliarity.

 

“Where are we going?”

 

“We’ll be there soon.”

 

As they entered a less noble part of the street, it was filled with garbage. The buildings were old and shabby, and with every step, a peculiar stench wafted through the air. Min-joo involuntarily swallowed a breath.

 

Permette wrapped his arm around Min-joo’s shoulder and pulled her closer. The faintly emerging uneasiness disappeared, replaced by a feeling of dependence on Permette, making Min-joo uncomfortable.

 

Trying to push away from Permette, people gathered in the middle of the street. Shouts and cries were audible.

 

“Is it truly humane to sleep under a roof like beasts? If you get injured and can’t work, you’ll end up being burned alive!”

 

It was a provocative statement. Min-joo stopped walking, and from a distance, she listened to their shouts. Permette also watched them without showing any particular reaction.

 

“Even animals eat, so what’s the difference between us trapped under the same roof as them?”

 

The woman surrounded by the crowd shouted passionately, her voice strained to the point where veins popped out on her neck. The redness of her throat, and the tension in her fist, all expressed a desperate plea.

 

“Is being citizens of a defeated country such a great sin? Why do they, who live a life worse than animals, have to work unpaid from dawn till dusk just to fill their stomachs with a single potato?”

 

It was about slavery, Min-joo realized in an instant. The people, stirred by her words, nodded in agreement. As the fervor increased, they clenched their fists and shouted.

 

Fearing their passion and anger might be directed at them, Permette pulled Min-joo even closer.

 

“Of course, we also struggle to fill our stomachs and endure the cold rain and wind without a roof over our heads. But is this our fault? Is it their sin?”

 

Vehen’s orders were unmistakably carried out. It was easy to discern. He had supported a noble advocating for the rights of slaves, and what unfolded before them was the result of that support. Sponsorship had created awareness, and awareness had led to voices being heard.

 

Min-joo turned to Permette. Feeling his gaze, she met his eyes. 

 

Seemingly seeking approval, Min-joo lightly patted his hand resting on her shoulder. Permette visibly twitched, his body trembling at the sudden touch. It was unexpected, and Min-joo hadn’t anticipated being the one to initiate contact. She, who had always disliked physical touch, even avoided it whenever possible.

 

“Are you the one who arranged this?”

 

Min-joo pulled on the hem of Permette’s clothes, whispering. Permette, surprised, responded with a faint smile, tilting his head as if to say she should be the judge of that.

 

Hiding his expressions was easier for him than breathing.

 

“It’s sponsorship. I sent financial support anonymously. Later, I’ll reveal that it was done under the instructions of the Third Prince.”

 

“Why?”

 

“So that the story of Third Prince’s benevolence spreads later.”

 

Supporting the weak and strengthening oneself under the guise of a virtuous person would generate support. Permette explained this briefly, his smile not fading.

 

Min-joo stared directly at Permette.

 

“You used your money?”

 

“Yes. Is there a problem?”

 

“Just… it feels unfair. You did a good thing with your own money, and someone else takes the credit. If it were me, I’d be upset and proudly declare that I did it.”

 

She had never thought of such a scenario before. Permette couldn’t hide his surprise, his expression freezing.

 

In the first place, Permette engaged in the firearms business to obtain funding. It was a stepping stone to easily make the Syrite emperor and fulfill Vehen’s desires.

 

Permette’s family, the Lord Rolfreme House, was affiliated with the Duke’s family and dealt with all the dirty work. They were shadows and errand runners.

 

It was also why he operated the guild that engaged in all sorts of dirty deeds, without stepping into noble society.

 

Every favor returned to the Duke and the Third Prince, every service rendered to the high-born, it was a matter of course for Permette. No one acknowledged or rewarded Permette for what he did for them. It was expected, just a naturally existing errand-runner. Hence, no one paid attention to this existence.

 

“Even though you’re a person with a messed-up character, you still deserve applause for doing well.”

 

“…I didn’t do it expecting that. I only carried out the orders as instructed.”

 

“Still. You did well. You did the right thing.”

 

Min-joo casually patted his hand as if to comfort him. It was a nonchalant gesture, but to Permette, it was like a carrot and candy.

 

The first experience of praise and reaction seemed like it could be addictive.

 

“…You didn’t hate it?”

 

“Why would I hate it?”

 

Min-joo, who answered with nonchalance, turned her gaze back to the protest site. Unlike the passionate people who shouted in unison, she seemed indifferent.

 

“But still, since I gave you a gift, you probably dislike me a bit less than yesterday.”

 

With her gaze fixed, Min-joo, who had just spoken casually, smiled faintly at the protesters.

 

“Oh, I’m not the kind of person who opens up with gifts. Even if I’m a bit materialistic, I’m not a weak person who opens up with just one pair of shoes.”

 

For the first time, Permette saw Min-joo smiling. It was a faint smile, but within it, he felt a hidden tenderness.

 

Then suddenly, a sense of dissatisfaction arose. Every time she frowned and expressed her displeasure in front of him, she smiled at people whose names she didn’t even know. It was frustrating.

 

Whether it was resentment or dislike, he couldn’t quite figure it out.

 

“Now, clear your hands away.”

 

Min-joo, who wanted to leave now that she had no business here, nudged away the hand resting on her shoulder and scowled.

 

 

3. Hello, I’m a wanderer.

 

 

Vehen looked at Min-joo’s newly bought shoes and frowned. 

 

When asked for the reason, he didn’t provide any information, so it was impossible to know what upset him. Since Min-joo had neither the time nor the leisure to comfort him or understand the reason, she decided to ignore it.

 

It had been two days since the day Min-joo checked the situation with Permette under the pretext of an outing.

 

Min-joo felt a bit anxious. The period for correcting grades had probably passed, and submitting assignments now would likely result in the professor saying something like, ‘Oh, did you change your conscience into an assignment?’ 

 

Her grades were ruined. The world was collapsing, and the sky was falling apart.

 

Should she consider student loans? Was it even possible to go back now? Even if she did, what excuses would she have to give to her family and friends?

 

‘I teleported to another dimension, and it turned out to be a homework assignment! Haha, surprising, isn’t it? I was so surprised that I did a hundred backflips!’

 

If she said that, she would only receive sympathetic looks and meaningless consolation. She also had to think about excuses after returning.

 

Min-joo gazed at the sandwich gradually taking on a better shape, thinking she should cut it into a star shape later. She opened the door to the office, having heard that someone would be visiting today.

 

“Got nothing to do? Do some chores or go out on your fake day—”

 

“Is that directed at me?”

 

“Worms.”

 

Someone unfamiliar was sitting there. Min-joo gestured to Vehen, asking who the guest was, but Vehen sent her a look that said to stop her nonsense and leave quietly. Min-joo glanced at the man who seemed to be a rather high-ranking guest.

 

Underneath his flashy clothing and dark blond hair that appeared brown, his red eyes fiercely sparkled. If there were lions with red eyes, this would be the feeling. The man arrogantly crossed his legs and rested his chin on his hand, adopting a pitiable posture. His low and rough voice scolded Vehen.

 

“I’m curious about your maid’s background.”

 

Min-joo’s persistent gaze was an indirect way of saying that such a question was impolite.

 

Vehen signaled to Min-joo with a nod. Quietly, as Min-joo placed the sandwich on the table, he stood behind Vehen.

 

“Your Highness, this lad has recently started working. I’ll give him a proper scolding later.”

 

Your Highness? It couldn’t be the arrogant Crown Prince, right? If that was the case…

 

“I didn’t know you were such an open-minded person. Being lenient to a maid.”

 

The authoritative man, who mocked with a fierce expression, was probably the Third Prince Ceteran Briley Sienne.

 

The imagined face wasn’t like this. It was softer and gentler. The face was a configuration error.