I Don't Want To Do a Romantic Comedy With a Villain! - Chapter 61

Episode 61

“Never. Do you think I have nothing else to do? Rumors always spread like wildfire in the workplace. Besides, I wish you appreciated the tremendous effort I put into dispelling the rumors about the young lady.”

From the perspective of the servants, Min-joo didn’t seem willing to cooperate. It was strange that no rumors were circulating, considering how closely they stuck together, and given Vehen’s careful attention.

“Until His Highness the Crown Prince gives separate orders, I’m on the young lady’s side. I am her maid, after all.”

“Truly trustworthy.”

“Indeed. In the future, I’ll be listening to gossip, but if you can’t trust me, the young lady will be the only one not at peace.”

It might be tiring, but when weighing fatigue against safety, safety is crucial. Although Chichen moved for her own benefit, Min-joo couldn’t deny that she had been helpful, and she found herself considering it better to assist her in escaping rather than treating her as an enemy.

With a hint of pity, Min-joo cautiously spoke.

“If I may offer a piece of advice, it’s not good to cling to the Crown Prince.”

“Advice that might be good for someone like us, poor commoners, regardless of where the young lady comes from or the life she has lived.”

Chichen, with a sharp laugh, subtly revealed her underlying enmity. Min-joo realized she had spoken too carelessly in her naivety.

“Do you ever have the opportunity to choose good fertilizer for weeds? Just being able to grow in untrodden ground should be appreciated.”

In a world where even commoners could be kidnapped and enslaved if unlucky, she considered herself fortunate to work as a maidservant for a noble, even capable of earning substantial money as a courtesan.

Min-joo dared not sympathize with Chichen. The carriage sped towards a remote area through Paital. Even in remote areas, the buildings were lavish, with the farther from the palace, the more opulent they became.

District D, where Min-joo resided, was close to the middle-class commoners’ residential area, ensuring good security and many nearby shops. It wasn’t a bad place to live alone. District D, located between affluence and normalcy, accommodated single women with maids quite naturally. There were quite a few people in similar situations.

The mountain surrounding the end of District D was relatively low, more of a hill. It could be climbed in an hour. The three-story building on the hill looked like an ordinary apartment at first glance. 

Although not as spacious as Vehen and Permette’s mansion, it didn’t appear too old and seemed excessively large for one person to live in.

After the interrupted conversation due to the sunny weather, Min-joo and Chichen got off the carriage and inspected the exterior of the building.

Narrow but with a proper stable, the exterior walls were made of white bricks, giving it a luxurious appearance. It seemed like a comfortable house for a middle-class individual.

The windows on the first floor were covered with bars as if prepared against intrusion. Min-joo scanned the carefully constructed building and extended her hand to Chichen, who was carrying luggage.

“Please give me the bags; I’ll carry them.”

“You don’t have to, Lady. Go inside and take a look around.”

Chichen, with a lovely smile, waited for Min-joo with luggage in both hands. Since she seemed determined not to move until Min-joo went inside, she entered the building hesitantly.

As soon as she opened the door, a staircase appeared, and next to the stairs, a corridor branched off, dividing into rooms. Wondering why the house was built so inefficiently, Min-joo swallowed unnecessary questions.

“Your room is on the third floor. Shall I guide you?”

“No, I’ll take my time exploring before going up. Just move the bags. I’ll handle the organizing myself.”

Chichen nodded, humming as she carried the luggage up the stairs. Min-joo briefly watched her back before entering the reception room.

Whether it was Tedric’s taste or adequately decorated, the reception room was made of dark marble, and the furniture gave a warm yet sophisticated feel. It wasn’t bad at all; the furniture seemed new, with no signs of previous use.

Min-joo opened a door, taking up most of the wall beside the corridor and connected to the kitchen. It was probably the dining area; there seemed to be no separate dining room. Quite a familiar setup.

Next to the kitchen, there was a separate room – likely for servants. On the second floor, there was a room for leisure activities and an office for work. The third floor consisted of residential rooms.

After inspecting several private rooms, Min-joo felt quite satisfied and briefly considered staying and not returning home. She admired Tedric’s wealth and lavish spending.

Entering the bedroom, she began organizing the few belongings that Chichen had carelessly placed. A knock sounded, and Chichen peered in.

“Shall I prepare a meal, Lady?”

“No, I ate on the way. You go ahead, Chichen. And don’t call me ‘Lady’ – it’s awkward. Just call me Min-joo.”

“I can’t call you ‘Lady’…”

Chichen muttered with a cloudy expression, only her eyes visible through the door. Min-joo spoke while laying her dress on the floor.

“Call me Min-joo. By the way, is there no one else working here except you?”

“Yes. There’s also a butler, but he hasn’t arrived yet. He’ll be here from tomorrow.”

“I see. Got it. Let’s go have dinner.”

“Yes, Min-joo. Call me if you need anything.”

Min-joo nodded absentmindedly, embracing the dress she wore, then opened the door to the room connected to the bedroom. In the not-so-spacious dressing room, she systematically hung the dresses on hangers and organized them.

The house seemed like a maze with interconnected rooms. If one wasn’t accustomed, it felt easy to get lost. She stowed away magic books in the bottom drawer and placed the gun neatly beside the bed. 

After a short organizing session, Min-joo checked the clock and realized it was already past nine. Time was passing too quickly.

She wasn’t close enough to say goodnight to Chichen, so she skipped it, and by the time she got out of the bathroom, it was already close to ten o’clock.

Even breathing seemed to make time pass… it was painfully relentless.

Wrapping her wet hair with a towel, an unknown loud noise from below reached the third floor.

“…Chichen? What’s happening?”

There was no response. Min-joo, suddenly feeling uneasy, took out the gun she had stored just in case.

How could such an incident happen on the first day of moving?

At this point, Min-joo wasn’t just going around with an incident but was the incident itself.

She tightly gripped the revolver. Though she had never shot anyone, the touch of the revolver in her hand was not unfamiliar.

Thump, thump, the noise began to grow louder. The disturbance moved from the first floor to the second floor and soon crawled up the stairs.

A sign of life was heard in front of the door. Min-joo checked the bullets in the revolver and unlocked the latch, aiming at the door. Her hands trembled, producing a rattling sound.

“Is it Chichen? If it’s Chichen, answer me!”

The latch was grabbed and turned with a clink.

Min-joo hoped desperately that the person in front was Chichen. She pressed her index finger against the trigger.

“I want to know what’s going on.”

The voice was familiar. The face that came into view was recognizable, with bright pink eyes shining beneath light blonde hair.

“……Crown Prince, Your Highness.”

“Aiming a gun at the Crown Prince – do you wish to be punished for treason against the royal family?”

As he took a step forward, light illuminated his face. Except for the familiar flamboyant attire, the person in front of Min-joo was indeed Tedric.

“If you felt unjust, you should have shown it. Pointing a gun without knowing who I am, that’s quite bold, isn’t it?”

Tedric, seemingly conscious of Min-joo’s gaze, glanced sideways and, after a moment, slowly closed the door.

“I was careless. Beyond investigating the incident, you’ve become the incident itself. I hope you have a good reason.”

Feeling a bit relieved as he blocked her line of sight, Min-joo lowered the gun.

Tedric, as if aware of Min-joo’s gaze, gently smiled.

“It seems you’re more frightened than I thought.”

“How did you come at this hour? Is it allowed for the Crown Prince to roam freely like this?”

In a tone mixed with faint caution, Tedric smiled softly.

“Did you see the mountain behind? There’s a shortcut connecting the palace. This is like my own villa, and I’ve been here often.”

Having given up his previous residence, Min-joo could be brought to the new place quickly. Moreover, there was a shortcut connecting to the palace, allowing easy access without being bound by gazes. Min-joo casually shook her head while drying her hair with a towel.

As Tedric quietly chuckled, he moved with light steps. The person carrying the luggage walked along the wall, not revealing his back, and it seemed as if his footsteps were engulfing Min-joo.

“Do you like the house? Just organizing might not make the furniture appealing.”

“It’s beautiful. But why did you come?”

“Just to check if you arrived safely and to go over the deal details again. We also need to discuss matters regarding our identities.”

Tedric circled the room, approaching Min-joo beyond the bed. Although not too close, he stood within arm’s reach, scrutinizing Min-joo.

“You offered me a home and status in exchange for sharing the future.”

“You’ll share everything openly. Min-joo, revealing such a vulnerable state, your lover would be quite disappointed.”

“Who are you to make such remarks after barging in?”

Min-joo frowned, looking down at her white dress. It seemed like a request to properly change into clothes.

It wasn’t a see-through fabric, and it was a loose, long dress, so there was no reason to receive criticism. Even if Min-joo went out like this in her world, people would still say she was well-dressed. Ignoring it completely, Min-joo continued to dry her hair.

“I brought a gift, and you’re saying such things disappointingly?”

Tedric revealed the hand that had been concealed behind the luggage. It was the clothes and jewelry she’d worn when she’d met Tedric, and the shoes Permette had given her.

“It wasn’t a gift; they were originally mine.”

“I thought about throwing them away but decided to bring them. I heard they served their purpose.”

“What did you do with my clothes?”

“I used it for something I wanted to avoid. Don’t be so mad, it’s not that strange.”

Tedric shamelessly smiled. Min-joo thought about punching his face while ignoring him and hurriedly tossed her luggage into the dressing room.

Tedric, in the meantime, was absentmindedly playing with the revolver.

“It’s a product from Rolfreme. I know it’s quite expensive…”

“Why do you keep touching my stuff?”

“Because you are mine.”

Tedric casually laughed as he turned the gun in his hand. Min-joo understood that his words weren’t something said between lovers but rather treating an object with possessiveness.

When Min-joo took the gun back, holding it firmly in her hand, it felt reassuring to have a means of protection. Tedric, looking at Min-joo as if piercing through her, silently observed and then offered a subtle smile.

No matter how much she struggled and tossed her hair, he seemed to see through everything, as if it were all in the palm of his hand.

“From now on, your status is that of a commoner. Previously, I asked a middle-class lawyer’s family, who lost a child, to adopt you. They fabricated a story, portraying you as a child who was lost and later found. It’s a natural script, isn’t it? And if you achieve even a tiny accomplishment, I will elevate your status significantly, and you’ll soon become a noble.”

Tedric ran his finger over the top of the drawer as if checking for dust. His fingers tapped against each other as if confirming the absence of dust.

Min-joo pondered for a moment about what she wanted to say to Tedric. Simultaneously, she took a step back, leaning her shoulders against the bedpost. The posture of leaning on her arm looked more arrogant and authoritative.

“Well, now there’s no need to worry about my status. Are you planning to show up unannounced like this in the future?”

“It’s my house, so if I don’t come, who will? It’s my home, my people, and my furniture.”

“But I’m not your person.”

Tedric laughed out loud, and it wasn’t a laughter that came from joy.

“Is it because your lover is Duke DeVirté? Because the person he’s honoring is Ceteran. Or do you not want to be beneath me until I die?”

“I’m not anyone’s person. It doesn’t matter. Frankly, I don’t understand why you’re so obsessed with your person.”

Tedric ran his finger along the top of the drawer, appearing to be thinking hastily. Although he looked like he was contemplating something quickly, his face had a bright smile.

“If you’re left alone in the palace, you’ll find out the reason.”

With his mother passing away early and his father not having regained his sanity until recently, Tedric essentially had no one. 

It wasn’t strange for someone to become attached to a trustworthy person when faced with the possibility of danger in the palace, especially given Tedric’s circumstances.

Min-joo grasped the meaning of his words and chose not to probe further. Moreover, Tedric didn’t seem inclined to share more.

As Min-joo tapped the muzzle of the revolver on the bedpost, she asked.

“How can you hear about the possibility of dying and remain unaffected? Most people would beg to know a future where they can survive.”

“You seem to be curious about me.”

“Well, yeah. I don’t wish for you to die or get hurt. Everyone would prefer a happy ending where no one gets hurt.”

Thunk. The delicate fingers rummaging through the drawer came to a stop.