I Don't Want To Do a Romantic Comedy With a Villain! - Chapter 5

Episode 5

Vehen, who had been staring for a while, gently lifted Min-joo with a cautious touch. 

Her relaxed body nestled quietly in Vehen’s arms, and her heavily furrowed face seemed stern as if she were having a nightmare.

“Well… even the bad luck is welcome.” 

Vehen chuckled dryly, leaving the knights behind as he ascended the stairs. 

Guided by the knights, the two intruders, sprawled on the floor and gasping for breath, were promptly thrown into prison.

As soon as Vehen emerged from the underground, Permette descended the stairs. The underground was deep, and the door was sturdy, so there was no sound leaking out beyond the door.

* * *

It felt like she had a good sleep after a long time. 

Min-joo pressed her face against the soft and fluffy bed, only to realize her bed wasn’t as luxurious. Startled, she opened her eyes.

“What the…”

Really, what was this? Min-joo muttered in awe, then got up from the bed and looked around the room. Alone in a room that looked as glamorous and sparkling as something seen in the media, she closed her eyes in bewilderment.

“Why am I here?”

She couldn’t understand why she woke up here, but she felt irritated that Vehen, who gave her such a shabby and leaky room, had such a luxurious one. There was even an attached bathroom!

Unable to miss such a good opportunity, Min-joo left her conscience on the bed and went to take a shower. It was infuriating that such a good bathroom was reserved only for him, for the nobility. 

Min-joo grumbled as she roughly dried her long hair with a towel and put on the dusty maid uniform.

Looking through the window, she saw that the sun was already in the zenith. After overexerting herself the day before, her body seemed unable to endure it.

“Ah, I’m in trouble.”

She was in big trouble. The previous evening, she hadn’t followed the morning schedule explained by Leena.

Panicking, Min-joo opened the door. It was already afternoon, so Vehen would likely be in the study, not the bedroom. If she met him, she had to desperately beg him not to fire her.

“Have you woken up?”

As she opened the door, a fresh voice showered down on Min-joo. Permette, with shadows under his eyes, yawned and looked down at Min-joo.

Although his face looked tired, it was still so dazzling, as if he were facing the sun.

“Uh, where is my Master?”

“He’s in his bedroom. He told me to bring you in, and he’s awake, so you’re in luck.”

“But…… why are you suddenly being so respectful?”

The attitude was different from the one she experienced with Permette at night. He was polite, kind, and gentle. Smiling brightly in response to Min-joo’s question, Permette bent his upper body to match eye level with her.

Just looking at his face seemed to raise the temperature. 

“His Excellency mentioned it. As a precious oracle, you should have proper manners.”

Although Vehen had initially said it wasn’t necessary, his opinion seemed to have changed after hearing Min-joo’s thoughts on the report. Min-joo awkwardly nodded, hoping that perhaps the treatment of her might improve compared to that of a mere maid.

“Honestly, it seems like His Excellency has gone crazy, but that’s just my honest opinion.”

“What?”

“Well then, I’ll escort you.”

In a low mutter not as quiet as intended, Min-joo stared at Permette with a fixed gaze. For a fleeting moment, their eyes met, and Permette, with a skeptical look, extended his arm kindly. It was a brief moment, but Min-joo felt a clear current of animosity.

Even if he pretended to be affectionate, it was just a façade. In reality, suspicion and hostility filled the air. Anyone would doubt if a mere maid claimed to possess the ability to prophesy, a skill usually associated with revered priests or a few magicians.

Understanding this didn’t make Min-joo any less irritated. Ignoring Permette’s courteous gesture, she started walking. He casually walked beside her, content to let her take the lead.

“I’m not a sorcerer.”

“Those who worship gods aren’t either. The high priest who can prophesize has probably already ascended to the position of a prophet.”

It was a mocking, disdainful laughter. The irritation that had been building up since the temple shook Min-joo’s composure.

“I’m not even suspecting you’re a sorcerer. Just by claiming the ability to prophesize, you’re risking being stoned to death, aren’t you? You wouldn’t dare utter it.”

“Then… do you think I’m a fraud now?”

“Thanks to your profession, you’re quite quick on the uptake.”

Permette mocked Min-joo with an affectionate tone. It was so absurd that laughter escaped her.

Min-joo was not a fraud; she was a divine being in this world, a creator, and the starting point of the universe. The owner of the world she had carefully crafted.

Being accused of fraud by a supporting character she didn’t particularly value was both awkward and bewildering.

Without Min-joo rebutting, Permette, seemingly secure in his misunderstanding, smiled triumphantly.

“I don’t know how you managed to deceive His Excellency, but it would be wise to run away before getting caught. I don’t want a prison date, you know.”

“Prison? What are you talking about?”

“I mean a date. Genuine and wholesome.”

It sounded like a threat. Min-joo, frowning, turned to Permette, and he shrugged nonchalantly. His attitude seemed to provoke a strange sense of resentment. Min-joo didn’t want to lose to Permette, who threw her into prison and mocked her as a fraud.

Min-joo raised one corner of her mouth. The forced smile was tinged with a subtle spasm.

“I noticed the office location was wrong in the report.”

“Oh, how did you find out? Did you have a spy, perhaps?”

“What nonsense. If I had a spy, why would I bother to tell you? I can see the future, remember?”

“Calling readily available information prophecy undermines its credibility, you know?”

There was nothing to say. Min-joo glared at Permette, then briskly continued walking. Permette, watching her wet black hair shake rapidly behind her, couldn’t help bursting into laughter.

“The bedroom is on the opposite side!”

Min-joo, about to open the door across the hall, flinched, shook her body, then rolled her foot grandly and precisely opened the bedroom door. Leaning against the wall, Permette squeezed his stomach and burst into laughter.

Irritated, Min-joo opened the bedroom door and walked briskly toward Vehen. Vehen, sitting at the tea table, writing on a piece of paper, raised his head. He maintained a calm demeanor as if nothing had happened the day before.

“Opening the door like you’re storming a castle when you’re late.”

“Sorry. Don’t cut me off. But seriously, Viscount Rolfreme’s work is annoying.”

“Again?”

Vehen, without much concern, turned his gaze back to the paper.

Min-joo felt that both Vehen and Permette, who had known each other for 17 years, must have gone through a lot. Even in the scenario, Permette constantly irritated Vehen.

“Since you’re late, you’ll have to work overtime. Also, since you slept there, live there from now on.”

“Are you giving me both punishment and reward? Why the sudden move to the bedroom?”

“Since you’re often late, we need to narrow the distance.”

“Why blame me just because the house is big? Of course, I like the room. Thank you.”

Before Vehen could answer if she would lose the room, Min-joo bowed her head and quickly retreated. Due to the pouring wet hair, a faint and vibrant fragrance lingered around his nose. 

Vehen looked at Min-joo as if enchanted. His busy hands, which were writing, also came to a halt.

Although Vehen giving a good room to a mere maid was not understandable, Min-joo decided not to provoke him by asking. She smiled gently without challenging his gaze. Vehen, who had been quietly capturing her smile, turned his head with a slight frown.

“What’s with your hair?”

“Why? Should I tie it?”

Vehen’s ear tip had a subtly different color, but it wasn’t a concern for Min-joo. As there was no response, Min-joo took off a hairband from her wrist. Placing it on his hand, a large and rough hand overlapped hers.

“You should stop and tie it.”

Permette, who had quietly entered the room, took Min-joo’s hand and put the hairband back in place. Soft smiles adorned his tired and languid face.

Beyond the partly unbuttoned shirt, tight muscles were visible, and the disheveled hair complemented his face well. Even if he sat quietly with his mouth closed, he would have looked like a decadent aristocrat.

Frowning, Min-joo rejected the rough and scarred hand that touched the back of her hand. 

“You seem quite interested in my hair.”

“If you wish, I can show interest in other things.”

“Ugh. Forget it.”

Hearing his nonchalant response sent shivers down her spine. Annoyed, Min-joo quickly scratched the back of her neck, frowned at Permette, and distanced herself.

Amused by her playful threat, Permette laughed softly and stepped forward, extending his leg. 

“I can dry your hair if you want. I’ve never dried a woman’s hair, so I’m a bit nervous.”

“Are you crazy? When did I permit you?”

Min-joo, ready to pounce at any moment, warned him with her teeth bared, but to Permette, it seemed nothing more than the antics of a playful puppy.

Enjoying the teasing, Permette, with a silly smile, approached Min-joo as she recoiled.

“Your hair, I can braid it too. If you want.”

“No. That’s enough.”

His carefree reply sent a chill down her spine. Min-joo scratched the back of her neck in a hurry. Not willing to utter the words of responsibility to his superior, Permette stopped laughing and sat in front of Vehen, crossing his legs.

Despite his tired and languid attitude, his gaze was cold. 

“Enough nonsense, report.”

Although the mood had completely deflated, Permette, who didn’t want to take responsibility for his teasing, laughed and sat down in front of Vehen, crossing his legs. Despite his tired and languid demeanor, his gaze was cold.

“The intruder confessed to being His Highness the Crown Prince, but it’s too easy, so the credibility is questionable.”

“The Crown Prince.”

Surprised by the familiar term, Min-joo looked at Permette. Sensing her gaze, Permette raised an eyebrow and tilted his head.

Soon, he nonchalantly shifted his gaze back to Vehen.

“The Crown Prince, indeed. This incident is a kind of warning.”

“Oh, is it a warning not to mess with the gambling den?”

“Yeah. It’s a warning to other nobles too. It proves that he has enough power and influence to attack a duke.”

Vehen, who was writing on the paper, lifted his head. His irritated demeanor was quite different. He seemed more imposing and serious.

The reason was that in a country where imperial power was strong but not held by the emperor himself, nobles couldn’t easily interfere with each other. This was especially true for dukes who had the authority to own a knight order.

Min-joo recalled the role of the Crown Prince in the scenario. The antagonist, plotting to seize the throne, constantly hinders the male protagonist, the 3rd Prince.

The traces of the gunfight in the corridors, the broken windows, and the fear and dread she felt that night passed through her mind.

‘Ah… it’s infuriating.’

She wanted revenge. The emotions swirling within Min-joo screamed for revenge.

She didn’t wish for the downfall of the character later, and a definite revenge wasn’t her goal. Min-joo’s desired revenge was quite trivial.

She just wanted to make him angry because she was annoyed.

The one who would pluck the Creator’s nose hairs and make him eat shit was her, Min-joo, and no law said she had to stay quiet.

Coincidentally, two men in front of her seemed eager to bring down the Crown Prince. Min-joo grabbed the chair Vehen was sitting on and stepped forward.

“Find someone to make the Crown Prince eat shit.”