I Don't Want To Do a Romantic Comedy With a Villain! - Chapter 46
Episode 46
When the carriage was called back, Min-joo was nowhere to be found.
Permette got off the carriage and looked around, but there was no trace of Min-joo.
Even though it was getting dark, the area wasn’t particularly unsafe. It was a place with regular patrols, and people were around, making it not threatening. However, Permette couldn’t guarantee complete safety for Min-joo, who had encountered robbers in the bustling streets of Paital before.
Standing in front of the carriage, Permette tried to predict where Min-joo might have disappeared. As time passed, uneasiness grew.
“Excuse me, my noble lord. A dark-haired, dark-eyed woman asked me to tell you to wait for her, and if she’s not here in twenty minutes, you can go ahead.”
It was the voice of a young boy who hadn’t yet reached puberty. Permette looked down to see a newspaper-selling boy with shiny brown eyes.
If the woman had black hair and black eyes, it must be Min-joo. The fact that she sent a message meant there was a reason. Permette bought a newspaper from the boy as a small reward. The boy happily went away.
Since she said to wait, Permette had no choice but to wait. Was there any other option? Leaning against the carriage, Permette unfolded the newspaper to read.
[Paital Experiences a Series of Murders. Who is the Culprit?]
It was a recent and sensational incident in society.
Every morning, the streets were reportedly littered with completely drained corpses. The victims were commoners from the middle class, and the lack of nobility made the investigation difficult.
The appearance of the victims varied, and blood had already dried up, making it gruesome. It seemed like the work of a lunatic. The murderer was nicknamed something like a cannibal.
Permette found it unsettling as he read on. The article also discussed the issue of slaves not being considered human but rather as property. Nobles were pressuring the media.
‘I don’t understand.’
Permette was indifferent to the issue of slaves. More precisely, whether they were slaves or nobles, he was indifferent. People debating the rights of slaves, including Vehen, Min-joo, and Ceteran, couldn’t fathom his lack of interest. To him, they were just there, existing and living under someone’s control. Nothing more, nothing less.
Even after reading the entire newspaper, Min-joo didn’t return. Permette, with a frown on his face, threw the newspaper into the carriage.
He gave a sign to the patiently waiting coachman that he would be back soon and set off to find Min-joo.
As Permette turned into an alley, he waved his fingers, revealing guild members who had been following him from various places. Permette turned to them, his yellow eyes glaring fiercely, and issued a commanding order in a clear and heavy voice.
“Find Min-joo. She couldn’t have lost her way.”
“My Lord, we confirmed that Min-joo is Veheng taken by the Crown Prince, riding in a carriage.”
For the first time, he felt his heart pounding, not knowing what it was like. His heart seemed to shrink, making it hard to breathe, and sweat soaked his hands.
Trust the guild members and himself, not someone else. He should have given her guns. What could a weak person with bruised wrists do without a weapon against someone without resistance?
He shouldn’t have left her alone. Despite the inconvenience, he should have stuck close to her. What should he do now? Is Min-joo safe? How should he bring her back? He had to report to His Excellency first. That was the priority.
He felt like turning back out of anxiety.
* * *
With a clunk, the carriage hit a bump and jolted.
Min-joo remained silent within the quiet carriage, gazing out the window without uttering a word.
How did it come to this? Was it a problem to check the dimensional wall for teleportation? No, but when else could she have left for the capital? How could she not check when it was nearby?
Min-joo, hiding her troubled emotions, clenched her skirt. A low voice emanated from the man.
“Where does the lie start?”
Min-joo turned her gaze from the window to the man upon hearing his voice. Light blonde hair entwined around the man’s long fingers as Tedric playfully toyed with it. He squinted his eyes, revealing a faint smile.
“My possession? That DeVirté knows everything? Knowing the future?”
As he pulled his fingers away, the tangled hair flowed down like silk. Min-joo sensed the warmth and comforting scent of sunlight from Tedric’s smile.
“Or maybe it’s all of it.”
Tedric continued his self-reflection, leaning his chin on his hand.
The coat draped over his wide shoulders rustled as it caught the breeze, creating a soft, crinkling sound. Min-joo debated whether to respond to his words or pretend not to know. Neither Vehen nor Permette posed such a formidable threat. There was never a thought that she would be abandoned or harmed.
However, Tedric in front of her was different. An evildoer with a different essence, easily harming people for his goals. Similar to Permette but fundamentally different.
A tool that determines its purpose based on the user and a user who determines its purpose using the tool. Tedric could harm Min-joo.
Frightened yet contemplating whether it would be easier to find a prince who could use magic, selfish thoughts crossed her mind.
‘I shouldn’t have these thoughts, but once I’m home, it’ll be over.’
For now, it was Min-joo’s scene. Tedric was actively growing into a complete villain. A period of committing evil deeds, pretending to be a loyal soldier, and becoming an enemy of Ceteran.
During that time, Ceteran, blinded by justice and love, wanted to become an emperor, but there was no absolute need for it. Becoming an emperor was what the empress desired.
Tedric believed that if he acted justly and pursued righteous politics, he could be crowned as the emperor. However, in the scenario where the Empress died, and the enraged Ceteran investigated Tedric’s misdeeds, he would be exposed. Consequently, Tedric would be sentenced to execution, washing away his sins with his life. Yes, it lacked coherence, and there was no fun in it. Nevertheless, until Ceteran confronted him, no one could hold Tedric accountable for his crimes, thanks to his indisputable status as the Crown Prince.
‘So, once I’m home…’
Despite knowing that Vehen and Permette liked her, Min-joo had feigned ignorance.
What was the reason for clinging to Neriant and trying to sever ties? Simply to return home. If only that were possible.
Feeling sorry for Vehen and Permette, who promised to keep her safe and send her home, Min-joo felt a pang of guilt. She was a betrayer, selfish, self-centered, and ungrateful.
But Min-joo had to live. She had to go home.
There were more important things in her life than them. Min-joo was not the protagonist or even a supporting character in this drama. She was an absolute outsider. As long as she could go home, she didn’t care about the fate of this world.
Min-joo chuckled softly. If she showed vulnerability to the arrogant Tedric, he would likely take advantage of it.
“What truth are you hoping for?”
“Your distribution is impressive. You even ask me for an explanation.”
“Am I a spy? Being favored by the Duke and the Viscount? Or… seeing the future?”
At the mention of seeing the future, Tedric’s eyebrows twitched slightly. Mimicking Tedric, Min-joo smiled gently.
“How much forgiveness can you offer?”
“If I can’t forgive?”
“If you don’t want to forgive someone as precious as me, who doesn’t belong to any temple, doesn’t need to wield magic, and is a rare talent, and you just want to kill and get rid of me, then go ahead.”
Tedric understood Min-joo’s words instantly and smiled affectionately.
There were no visible pupils in the eyes that folded into a narrow smile.
“Seems like the only truth is seeing the future.”
“Even if Duke and Viscount truly cherish me?”
“That’s none of my business. If they came to see me when they weren’t bought, it’s safe to assume they have an agenda, right?”
Min-joo fell silent.
She had been caught up in an unfortunate situation, trying to return home. How much she could reveal, Min-joo pondered while examining Tedric.
His attitude was dominant and arrogant, and his calm demeanor, especially the serene and gentle attitude of a powerful figure, made him even more imposing.
Tedric tapped his fingers against his cheeks with an air of confidence.
Despite wearing several layers of clothes to conceal his physique, up close, Tedric appeared to be quite muscular, indicating that he engaged in regular exercise. However, his gentle facial features created an unexpected sense of incongruity.
“Didn’t DeVirté treat you well? Or did he approach you to extract information?”
If Min-joo showed fear, Tedric would sense it like a ghost and pounce on her. Despite her lower social status, she needed to maintain a confident attitude to prevent easy harm. Acting was something Min-joo was quite skilled at.
“People who know the future need to be spies? Ridiculous, completely.”
“Do those who know the future have multiple lives?”
“If you’re curious, you can try killing me. Lose a talented person, incur the wrath of a duke, and gain nothing. Quite a gamble.”
“If that’s how you see it, do it.”
“It’s not like I belong to a temple, need to hide magic, or am an outstanding talent. If you want to kill me and erase me, go ahead. If you ever decide to carve something on a tombstone, you might as well write it nicely in calligraphy.”
Even as Tedric laughed brightly with his eyes completely closed, Min-joo’s clenched fist trembled with anger.
While Min-joo continued to smile calmly, her inner turmoil felt like an earthquake.
If he continued to scratch like this, he might kill her. But Tedric was not an emotional character. He swallowed emotions and thought rationally, which made him even scarier than Vehen and Permette. He wouldn’t emotionally appeal to her or cling to her, and that was what made him more terrifying.
Tedric exhaled and looked out the window. His vivid pink eyes, tinged with red, seemed to lose focus.
“…If I kill you, would I receive a curse?”
“If you kill me, you would know.”
“…It seems like I’m talking as if I wish for your death. Forget the curse; you’ve already received plenty.”
Sounding a bit exhausted, Tedric scrutinized Min-joo. His gentle-looking pink eyes, which were not smiling, felt cold, and the unlifted corners of his mouth seemed rugged.
There was a slight resemblance between Tedric and Ceteran, with sharp features being the common denominator. Min-joo could infer that the striking beauty came from the emperor, considering their different mothers.
Apart from that resemblance, the former empress seemed to have a gentle appearance like a lamb. Tedric, looking a bit weary, spoke with a blunt, firm mouth.
“Did you abandon DeVirté and come to me?”
“What?”
“I asked about the reason you came to me.”
“Oh, um… Well…”
Tedric closed his eyes and then opened them, revealing his pink eyes that held a hint of sadness, anger, and a touch of self-mockery. Min-joo felt like she had forcibly uncovered the villain’s inner thoughts, something she didn’t want to know.
“I can’t become the emperor.”
“Why do you think that?”
“You said I was going to die.”
Leaning her head against the wall beside the window, Min-joo asked.
“Is it because you don’t want to die?”
Tedric couldn’t answer immediately. He gazed at Min-joo in silence, then softly smiled. Min-joo recognized that he smiled when hiding his emotions.
“Do you know anyone who wants to die?”
“Do you want to be the emperor?”
“I’m just a crown prince; it’s natural to aspire to be the emperor.”
“Even though it sounds like being a crown prince requires it, do you want to be the emperor?”
Tedric looked at Min-joo with a calm face, not losing his smile. Doubts began to creep into Min-joo’s mind about whether this world truly followed the script she wrote, feeling like she had stepped into a different reality.
“Then what else would you want?”
When he brightly smiled, the scent of spring lingered in the air. A mixture of various flowers emitted a subtle yet vibrant fragrance.