I Don't Want To Do a Romantic Comedy With a Villain! - Chapter 152

Episode 152

“Who’s this crazy person with everything?”

As the nobles turned away from her, sneering, Min-joo grabbed their arms.

“What’s this, let go!”

“Why? You were enjoying gossiping, weren’t you? Am I not allowed to listen?”

Min-joo’s actions and tone were not dignified.

However, Min-joo was well aware of this type of behavior pattern.

If you shrink back, they yell even louder; if you assert yourself strongly, they shut their mouths.

It was no different from the pattern of strong and weak.

“So what are you going to do about it?”

The captured noble sneered at Min-joo, a commoner, disdainful.

Knowing that Min-joo wasn’t particularly large in stature, didn’t wield powerful magic, and couldn’t do anything to harm him.

So he yelled to tear Min-joo apart in front of his eyes.

“A lowly wench who knows nothing about her place. Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?”

“Yeah, what’s wrong with having money? All you can do as a commoner is leech off others.”

“If you’re ashamed, why don’t you go somewhere and die!”

Once was difficult, but after that, it was easy.

The nobles insulted and criticized Min-joo out of anger.

Min-joo knew herself well. Regardless of appearance or status, she could never instill fear in them.

They wanted to see Min-joo embarrassed, unsure how to handle her anger.

And feel a petty sense of victory.

There was no intention of letting them have their way. She had experienced things far more frightening than them multiple times. They were nothing but pitiful humans.

Min-joo gently smiled and patted the man’s shoulder.

“If there were news that a lowly wench stabbed a noble in court, wouldn’t it cause a stir?”

The group collectively frowned, stepping back as if facing a crazy person.

Min-joo had no intention of appearing as a good person to them.

More terrifying than a bad person was a crazy person.

If she could appear as a crazy person to them, she desired nothing more.

“Oh, but if I shut down the media with money, won’t you end up in deep trouble?”

Min-joo calmly tilted her head. It was fortunate that her anger could be concealed behind her frozen, reddened cheek and her breath coming out each time she opened her mouth.

“With all the things going on in the world nowadays, I wonder if it would even make the news that you lot died. No, really. Isn’t it said that there’s nothing money can’t solve? I have plenty of money. Aren’t you curious about what I can do with it?”

With a cheerful, mild smile, Min-joo confidently stepped closer to them.

Thanks to her hands hidden behind her back, they stepped back each time Min-joo approached. Their whitened faces were a bonus.

“Where are you going? Let’s talk some more. I’m curious how much you know about me.”

“You crazy wench! Do you think you’ll be okay after doing that?!”

The man hiding behind shouted furiously. His face with a red vein protruding was magnificent.

Min-joo casually tilted her head and smiled.

“And what about you? Do you think you’ll be okay? I remember all of your faces, so what makes you think I won’t say anything?”

The reason Min-joo could act so recklessly was that behind her, there was Vehen.

And there were many people around.

When her hair was pulled or when she got hit, she thought someone would come to help. At least, she didn’t think her life would be in danger.

Murmuring, the nobles grabbed each other’s sleeves as if avoiding something dirty, looking at Min-joo speaking so calmly.

“Enough. It’s a waste of time dealing with that crazy girl.”

“Where are you going? I’m talking here.”

Min-joo grabbed the noble’s arm firmly, smiling as the nobles backed away.

“Alright, sorry! Get lost!”

“I’ll accept the apology. Are you leaving too?”

Watching them run away, Min-joo waved goodbye.

Suddenly, behind her, Vehen approached quietly and grabbed Min-joo’s shoulder.

“I’m really curious what’s going on in your head.”

It sounded absurd and bewildering.

Vehen was truly perplexed.

He didn’t know she could be so audacious, so threatening.

From behind, she looked so different from the Min-joo he knew, he wondered if it was the same person he knew from his past life.

It was intriguing and unfamiliar.

“Wow… Wasn’t I quite something?”

As the nobles ran far away out of sight, Min-joo weakly leaned on Vehen.

Her legs were trembling so much that it was difficult for her to stand properly.

Vehen, trying to support her urgently, chuckled at Min-joo’s pale face.

“I was really scared… My legs are still shaking. I can’t walk.”

“You were quite impressive. Not a bad act.”

“Has Park Min-joo’s acting talent not died yet?”

“It’s still alive. No need for artificial respiration, right?”

After exhaling heavily, Min-joo took Vehen’s arm and walked unsteadily.

Standing in front of the carriage, she looked up at Vehen, tilting her head, and as if she had something to say, she smiled mischievously and whispered playfully,

“I think artificial respiration might be necessary, for me.”

“What can’t you do?”

As soon as Vehen answered, he leaned down and kissed Min-joo’s lips lightly before stepping back.

As Min-joo reached out her hand fearfully, Vehen’s cheek clenched, and she kissed him again.

Outside, after being outside for a long time, Min-joo blew air into the gap between their lips, teasingly.

“What… what are you doing?”

Surprised by Min-joo’s unexpected breath, Vehen stepped back, startled.

“Artificial respiration.”

Laughing playfully, Min-joo squeezed Vehen’s cheeks, now red with heat, and boarded the carriage.

“I don’t need that.”

Of course, she didn’t forget her usual sarcasm.

Min-joo leaned back against the carriage as she spoke.

“Isn’t giving artificial respiration to Vehen’s dead personality a waste?”

“Haven’t you learned how to lose?”

“I only learned how to win against Vehen.”

“You seem to never lose.”

“Who’s the lover?”

Sitting next to Min-joo, Vehen turned his head and swallowed his laughter at her final response.

It seemed like he turned his head because he was sure to be teased. Not missing this, Min-joo lightly tapped Vehen’s foot with her toe.

“Okay?”

“What?”

“Because you said, lover?”

“Speculation should have limits.”

“But you like it.”

There was no further response. There was something undeniable about liking it.

Even though he turned his head, his blushing cheek was visible.

Breathing lazily, Min-joo rested her head on Vehen’s shoulder.

“Shall we go home?”

Vehen was busy, probably going back to the mansion to handle work.

Even if they were each doing their own thing, she wanted to cherish the moment they were together now.

She didn’t want to go home. Is this why people get married?

Min-joo quietly nodded as she discreetly squeezed Vehen’s hand and interlocked their fingers.

Then Vehen tightened his grip on Min-joo’s hand.

“Shall I not go?”

Vehen asked softly and subtly. His deep voice tickled her ears.

There was no way to refuse. There was no reason to refuse.

Min-joo nodded quietly.

Seeing her silent response, Vehen silently traced his fingertips over the back of Min-joo’s hand.

Even with this subtle gesture, her heart fluttered as if her heart was malfunctioning.

The sound of the carriage rattling was clear.

* * *

Not long after Nelsie returned, it was not an exaggeration to say that the palace belonged to the Empress.

The Emperor’s days were numbered, and the only successor left in the palace was Ceteran.

Ceteran couldn’t rebel against Nelsie and had his power taken away.

Without Nelsie’s interference, the meetings couldn’t reach a proper conclusion, and the nobles chosen by Nelsie were busy watching him.

“Aren’t you angry?”

Vehen swirled clear water in a silver spoon and drank it in one go.

After the meeting, he took some time to help Ceteran with his work at the palace.

Ceteran handed him some documents and replied bluntly.

“Is there a reason to be angry? It’s my mother who’s relieving me of my burden.”

“Is this what Your Highness wants?”

Vehen checked and sorted the documents.

The sound of paper being turned at a steady pace could be heard.

“If I had wished, world peace would have been achieved by now.”

It was a statement of no desire.

Ceteran also didn’t like Nelsie’s interference in politics.

“Even if it’s difficult to achieve world peace, can’t we achieve peace within the empire?”

“How can peace be achieved where people live?”

Ceteran’s words weren’t filled with justice. Quite… reminiscent of Tedric.

It didn’t suit Ceteran’s romantic and just personality.

Vehen furrowed his brow and set down the documents. The towering stack of papers seemed ready to spill over with just a nudge.

“What will be done about Marquess Trimidri?”

“She must face suitable consequences. It’s not something I can handle.”

Ceteran, who needed to move quickly to punish Marquess Trimidri for her transgressions, was nonchalant. Even during Nelsie’s funeral, he couldn’t control his emotional turmoil. But now, even after identifying the culprit who harmed his mother, he was calm. It was oddly unsettling.

Vehen couldn’t hold back any longer.

“Are you angry? You didn’t seem angry in court or towards Marquess Trimidri.”

“I am. But it’s not enough to abandon what needs to be done.”

Was it his growth or Nelsie’s untimely death that made him less amiable? It was truly a subtle demeanor, which worried Vehen. Ceteran had not been so pragmatic and calculating in the past.

Exhaling heavily, Vehen decided not to beat around the bush anymore. It wasn’t in line with his temperament from the start.

“The betrayal by Marquess Trimidri isn’t shocking to you. It means the Empress’ life was even more difficult emotionally.”

Ceteran, visibly startled, slammed his fist onto the desk at Vehen’s blunt words.

“Watch your words.”

“Do you have more careful words to offer?”

“What do you want from me? Why are you so insistent?”

His gaze simmering with anger was fixed on Vehen.

Ceteran couldn’t handle Nelsie. He didn’t want to either. He hadn’t received even the slightest love as her child, but he still felt obliged to fulfill his duty as a son.

Yet, because she was his mother. The time they had spent together was long, and the affection he had given was deep. Turning his back on Nelsie would feel like denying his own life.

“Ease up. As much as you’re you, this is an excessive interference.”

His tone was so resolute that Vehen couldn’t help but swallow his words, even though he wanted to help.

“Yes, understood. So, when will you consider marriage?”

“…What does that have to do with anything right now?”

Ceteran’s face turned red for a different reason as he snapped back.

Finally, Vehen felt relieved. This was the Ceteran he knew.