I Don't Want To Do a Romantic Comedy With a Villain! - Chapter 54

Episode 54

Vehen, who miraculously appeared just as Min-joo was about to be teleported to her death.

And then, like a hero, Vehen appeared and saved Min-joo from a situation where she was about to be engulfed in flames. 

Vehen, who believed Min-joo’s words too easily. All of that was because of the regression Vehen experienced. Because he had already experienced it. He knew when to appear and when it was dangerous.

Only now could Min-joo understand the longing in his eyes that spread with every look at herself. She was looking at the past Min-joo. Min-joo who had experienced and shared love extensively, the Min-joo that the current Min-joo did not know.

Min-joo straightened her posture with a face now fixed in shock. 

“So, you knew about me? When did you know? No, if you knew, why didn’t you tell me from the beginning?”

Vehen let out a small laugh. It seemed quite amusing to see the expected reaction. 

“I’ve talked about it. I was afraid I hadn’t. I’ve experienced much more in the past than you think. I confessed the fact of regression to you as soon as we met, and there were times I didn’t say anything at all. I didn’t say it this time to reduce variables.”

“How many times have you met me…?”

“More than you can imagine.”

Min-joo became pale. It was more shocking and unbelievable than when she heard the story of Neriant’s possession. It was because it was all a past he had already experienced. The reason he could prepare so thoroughly was because he had gone through it all.

His liking for Min-joo’s coffee had already existed because he had already liked it. And revealing his affection for Min-joo was because he already liked Min-joo.

Vehen blinked his eyes indifferently, observing Min-joo’s reaction. His sharp eyes felt oddly gentle.

“I’ve arranged everything in your life, from finding a job at the extreme to places untouched by my hands. I’ve already foreseen the flames too.”

Giving Min-joo a good room after the attack was Vehen’s ulterior motive. Even if he knew there was a spy, he couldn’t easily weed them out. The identity of the spy changed every time. So, to find out how many spies there were and to sweep them out, he spent a month wandering outside while Min-joo moved into his mansion. That’s why she was attacked right after returning.

Vehen could easily answer any questions Min-joo had. It was already a tiresome question-and-answer session.

“Okay, so if you can’t send me home right away, have I never been able to go home even once in all that history?”

That’s why he didn’t like sharp-witted ones. Vehen raised an eyebrow. 

“Yes. And you…… died every time until you got a clue to go home.”

“Excuse me?”

“Every time. With every regression. You died.”

“Are you insane?”

“Yes, insane.”

Unable to return home and even died? It was unbelievable. Is this world particularly harsh?

As Min-joo sighed hopelessly, Vehen looked at her with a compassionate gaze. His emerald eyes were sadly sparkling.

“So, you tried to protect me? Is that why you were so obsessed with my safety?”

“Yes. You… tragically died every time. Trying to save others, trying to save me, even trying to save a slave. There has never been a time when you died for your own desires… and every time, I thought.”

Vehen’s face slowly began to contort. Experiencing the death of a loved one multiple times was an unbearable ordeal. He couldn’t count from which iteration he met Min-joo, but her death was always devastating and pitiful.

Every death was for someone else. To save Vehen, to save Permette, to save Neriant and Ceteran. He even sacrificed himself to appease Tedric’s anger and threw himself to save a slave from being hit by a carriage.

Vehen liked the altruistic Min-joo. Despite being fearful and easily cowering, she was someone who could step forward and sacrifice herself for others in moments of need.

Even if she hated people, how could one not love a kind-hearted person who, despite everything, eventually came to like people?

With a face twisted as if he were about to cry, Vehen uttered the words.

“This time, I will save you.”

Vehen loved Min-joo, but he had never had a past connection with her. Every time he whispered words of love, Min-joo died. He made deals with Permette to save her and imprisoned her in remote places, but each time, he lost her.

The reason was always the same—sacrificing herself for others.

Vehen felt unbearable agony each time. If only he had been selfish, maybe she wouldn’t have died. If she always behaved as she did, always cowering, maybe she wouldn’t have died.

So, even if Vehen had to give up love, he vowed to save Min-joo and send her back. He couldn’t lose Min-joo again because of his selfishness. It was fine if Ceteran didn’t become the emperor. It was enough if Tedric became the emperor, as long as he could save Min-joo.

The reason Vehen overturned the gambling den and prepared for the trial on Ceteran’s side was that, based on past experiences, only this way would Min-joo open her heart to him. The shared goal and the situation moving within the knowledge Min-joo knew reassured her.

He didn’t want to shed tears miserably in front of Min-joo’s grave again. He didn’t want to blame Min-joo, who loved people. So, no matter what happened, as long as only Min-joo could live.

Vehen had no other wishes.

“I… seems like I was destined to die. Not even in a grand way, just so easily?”

“I’m not joking.”

“I know. But if Neriant’s possession has changed a lot, it’s worth hoping for, right? Hoping for me to go back home.”

Vehen chuckled without answering. Min-joo realized that even conversations that raised expectations were familiar to Vehen. It was so heartbreaking that even the hope that could make Vehen break was already shattered.

How many regressions had he experienced, and how many deaths had he witnessed? Min-joo felt pity and sympathy for Vehen. Regressing must be more painful than dimension hopping. Knowing it but unable to prevent it, having to repeat the pain every time.

Vehen closed his lips and closed his eyes. Afraid that tears would fall at any moment, Min-joo bowed towards Vehen. Strangely, tears didn’t come out. Maybe there were no more tears left. Perhaps they had already been shed and dried up.

“Have I ever seen the future in a dream before?”

“…Recently. But you haven’t accurately predicted a conversation.”

“Recently?”

“From three regressions ago.”

“That’s several years ago.”

“Uh… About 80 years? I haven’t counted, so I’m not sure.”

Then, what was Vehen’s mental age? Min-joo thought of a fundamental question but couldn’t bring herself to ask. Maybe he had lived for thousands of years. It seemed likely.

“This time will be different. Neriant was possessed. Isn’t she the most important character?”

“…What do you mean? Lady Velirian is just his lover. Moreover, there aren’t many properly established relationships. She hasn’t been very helpful.”

Min-joo wanted to ask. If the female protagonist doesn’t end up with the male protagonist, then who does she end up with? Moreover, Neriant was a just and heroic protagonist who exerted her strength for the weak with a hint of personal ambition. 

Although she didn’t contribute significantly to the imperial dispute, thanks to Neriant, the support base could be solidified, and nobles supporting Tedric could be diverted.

Neriant was not useless.

Then a problem arose here. How many past iterations had Min-joo used as a scenario? 

Since Min-joo didn’t appear in the scenario, it must be a past iteration before the dimension hop. 

If that’s the case, the content should be completely different now that Min-joo is here. Min-joo finally understood why her knowledge of the future didn’t apply here. 

It was an entirely different world.

It didn’t take more than a few seconds for Min-joo to realize that only the content of the scenario seen in the dream was a perfect prophecy and the future.

Min-joo let out a weary laugh. She was just a side character. An occasional prophet. Just that level of existence.

“So, do you hate Neriant? Why did you hate meeting her so much?”

“…I won’t say.”

“Why not? Did something dirty happen between you two, and you broke up after seeing it?”

“…”

Well, it seemed like that was the case. Looking at Vehen, who kept his lips sealed and frozen, Min-joo felt certain. Vehen had managed to keep Neriant safe from Ceteran! The sub-male lead had done something significant.

But why didn’t it feel good? Vehen, although gruff, had surely taken good care of Neriant and treated her with care and consideration. Maybe it felt overwhelming, like she did too well, making it not just a favor but a burden.

Min-joo recalled the affections Vehen had shown her. If the previously faint affections grew to their full size, how immense and meltingly affectionate would they be?

Suddenly, Min-joo felt a bit envious of Neriant. Envious of her receiving Vehen’s complete love.

It wasn’t heavy jealousy. She was just curious about what it would feel like to receive unconditional love.

Min-joo scratched her shoulder casually. 

“I see. So, that’s why you were reluctant to go to Count Velirian’s party.”

“…It’s over. I don’t care about that now. Take care of your life and mind your own business.”

“Why? Don’t you care if your lover isn’t even on my radar?”

“…You really… no matter what I say…”

Vehen sighed deeply as if he had given up. Min-joo smiled quietly.

“So, Vehen, did you regress every time I died?”

“I can’t control the moment of regression. There were times when I regressed after three years, and there were times when I regressed after I aged and died. It’s not by my will; it seems to be an external influence. That’s why I searched for a sorcerer.”

“But why does it seem like there’s no progress?”

“They hid too well; I couldn’t find them. In the past regressions, I confirmed they gathered in the south, but this time, it seems to be a different area.”

“Does the region change every time you regress?”

“I don’t know the details. But… I guess that the reason for regression is the work of the sorcerer. So, our goals roughly align.”

“The sorcerer is turning back time?”

“Is there any other way to explain it? I probably know more about it than you do. I’ve been tracking them for hundreds of years.”

Min-joo stared at Vehen in silence. The fact that this world was repeating itself was quite unsettling, and the realization that Min-joo had dimension-hopped here multiple times, losing her life in the process, sent shivers down her spine.

Min-joo, however, didn’t want to die. 

She understood why Vehen had been so concerned about her safety, and being by Vehen’s side, who knew all possibilities and had a good grasp of the situation, seemed safer.

Yet, Min-joo wasn’t someone who couldn’t take care of herself in this new, well-run country.

Min-joo grinned and rested her arm on her thigh while propping her chin up. As her upper body bent, black hair flowed down in a cascade. She had given up trying to think of the situation as anything other than incredibly awkward and bewildering.

“Anyway, the goal remains the same. Don’t worry; I won’t die this time for sure. I even learned to shoot from Permette. But it’s amusing, isn’t it? Vehen’s personality is such that he probably wouldn’t care whether I live or die.”

“What kind of answer do you expect?”

Vehen couldn’t hide his irritation, and Min-joo’s innocent smile softened into an affectionate one.

“Don’t worry too much. I won’t die this time. So, Vehen, you can relax a bit and do what you want.”

Vehen remembered the numerous times she had said similar things.

Words like ‘Do what you want; I’ll be fine.’

Vehen felt like crying at the familiar kindness in Min-joo’s expression. This time, he didn’t want to lose. He had already lost so much.

Min-joo, encouraging him to do what he wanted while being ready to lose her life for others, made him anxious. Yet, he loved her enough to endure that anxiety.

Vehen felt tears threatening to spill as Min-joo continued.

“Do what you want; I know you’re worried. I’ll manage to stay alive this time. So, Vehen, ease your burden and do what you want.”

Vehen, feeling a lump in his throat, closed his eyes. 

“Do what I want is for you to take care of yourself.”

“What I want is to go home. You don’t have to be concerned about my whims, Vehen. Even if there’s a part of you tied to me, don’t ruin your life for it. Do what you want to do, for real.”

Vehen, his eyes slightly stinging, managed a wry smile. His moist, sticky smile felt heavy with emotion.

Suddenly, it was completely dark, the sun had set completely. The candlelight flickered unusually brightly, casting a red glow on his dark brown hair.

“…It’s torture of hope.”

Yet, he couldn’t let go of that hope. Even if just for that brief moment, he wanted to fully possess Min-joo, to hold onto that hope.

Vehen, his eyes on the verge of tears, opened his eyes with difficulty and licked his dry lips.

“I just… want to be by your side.”

The expression of someone confessing love was distorted, their eyes moist, and the melted chocolate-like gooeyness clung to Min-joo’s face.