I Don't Want To Do a Romantic Comedy With a Villain! - Chapter 64

Episode 64

She now understands that the mask is a form of self-defense.

After knowing, the forcibly lifted corners of the mouth looked precarious.

“Yes.”

So, without further delay, Min-joo smiled and nodded along with Tedric. The temperature of the gun in her hand was hot.

Tedric smiled as he stood up.

With each movement, the meticulously laundered clothes emitted a sun-dried scent.

Standing in front of Min-joo, he carefully brushed aside his long hair.

“An unadorned head is also fine.”

“…Yes?”

“You seemed uncomfortable with hair accessories.”

Min-joo recalled how she had been uncomfortable with the headpiece that Permette’s maidservant had adorned her with. She hadn’t expressed it outwardly, she thought.

As she involuntarily shook her head, Tedric smiled gently.

“I’ll come again, so if there’s a future, let me know without fail.”

“…It’s late, should you go back now?”

“Then shall we sleep together?”

Thinking she might have misunderstood his casually delivered sentence, Min-joo furrowed her brow and asked.

“What?”

Tedric softly smiled as he clasped Min-joo’s knees with both hands.

“If you wish, sleeping together is also fine.”

“What? No, what kind of crazy talk is this?”

“Should I just hold your hand while sleeping? Or should I draw a line in the middle of the bed and not cross it?”

“Are you really making such crazy remarks?”

Min-joo tried to lean back, but her trapped knees couldn’t escape, causing her upper body to tilt.

Tedric, bending along with Min-joo, continued to smile warmly, gradually bringing his face closer.

The trapped knees shifted to the side of Tedric’s lower body, and Min-joo’s back touched the bed.

Tedric gently pressed his forehead against Min-joo’s.

“Don’t rush into intimacy with strangers. Your guard is weak in strange places.”

The touching foreheads felt as hot as if they were in flames.

The pink eyes, filled with mystery, glittered mysteriously, and the luxurious scent of perfume was so intense that it made her nose tingle.

The disheveled light blonde hair on her forehead was ticklish.

“I, I have… someone… special.”

“I know it’s a lie. You don’t have feelings for DeVirté.”

“How…?”

“Unless you’re stupid, you’d know right away. It was a lie without even a hint of sincerity.”

Swallowing dry saliva, Min-joo clenched her jaw. Tedric’s eyes narrowed.

“I only accept your kindness in my heart. So be careful with your words from now on. Wouldn’t it be troublesome if I really went to sleep?”

“…Yes, I’ll be careful with my words.”

“You’re a good person.”

Tedric, who had been rubbing his forehead against Min-joo’s, stepped back and stood up straight as if nothing had happened.

His nonchalant attitude, as if nothing had happened, was absurd. Min-joo wondered if he was flirting.

That wouldn’t be the case. He’s too busy becoming an emperor to even get engaged by the age of twenty-seven.

Just a natural playboy… Min-joo rubbed her forehead with blurred eyes. Even though she knew it wasn’t true, it stung like a burn.

“Good night. See you later.”

“Yes, goodbye.”

Picking up the coat that had fallen to the floor, Tedric quietly left the room.

Staring silently at the firmly closed door, there was a sense of emptiness. It was unsettling.

Like a cliché villain with a backstory.

A villain one couldn’t hate.

Min-joo picked up the towel from the floor and tossed it into the basket for laundry.

If the world were simply divided into black and white, it would have been easier, but it’s filled with shades of gray.

Neither entirely good nor bad, just ambiguous.

Stretching out on the bed, Min-joo murmured.

“I just want to go home…”

Winter would come soon, and she wanted to lie down with an electric blanket on, scrolling through her phone. 

She didn’t want to think about anything.

9. Cannibal

Since habits don’t die easily, Min-joo woke up early and welcomed the morning.

Choosing an outfit, she tied her hair tightly. It was then that Chichen came to wake her up.

“Are you awake already?”

“Yeah, did Chichen eat?”

“No, not yet.”

“Let’s eat together. Can Chichen cook well?”

There was no response. Min-joo nodded hesitantly.

If the incapable hands could gather together and make something edible, that would be fortunate.

Should she fill all three meals with sandwiches?

Rolling up her sleeves, Min-joo passed by Chichen and went downstairs.

“First, I’ll make the sandwiches, so Chichen, could you help with the preparation?”

“Are you doing it yourself?”

“Then who else will?”

Chichen didn’t say anything and just looked at Min-joo with wide eyes.

Min-joo thought her cute face was a deception.

When Tedric gave her the house, he also provided food ingredients. Min-joo washed her hands and started preparing sandwiches. Beside her, Chichen prepared the vegetables as instructed.

“Do you like sandwiches, Chichen?”

“If there’s one, I’ll eat it; if not, I won’t.”

“You should like it… we might end up eating this every day.”

Chichen turned pale.

Min-joo wanted to ask why she reacted that way to her cooking skills, but she didn’t have the heart to ask.

As the sandwiches began to take shape, Chichen, who claimed to brew an amazing cup of tea, brewed milk tea.

As Min-joo was about to put the sandwiches on the table to eat, there was a knock on the door.

Chichen, who quickly ran out, brought the person who knocked, the butler.

The middle-aged male butler seemed quite sophisticated, and his graying hair gave him a stern look.

The impeccably dressed butler frowned as he inspected the kitchen’s condition at a glance.

“Min-joo, the butler is here!”

“Oh, hello. I’m Park Min-joo.”

The butler greeted politely with an indifferent face.

“Pleased to meet you. I am Genshtar Bell Chiati, the butler to look after the young lady.”

Judging by his surname, he seemed to be from a noble household. Min-joo awkwardly sat back down at the table and gestured to the sandwich plate.

“Um, Mr. Genshtar, have you eaten?”

“…Yes, I have. Please don’t mind me, go ahead and eat. I’ll just check the household.”

He’s quite blunt. Min-joo awkwardly chewed on her sandwich while facing Chichen. Still, it was quite edible.

Genshtar was meticulous and sensitive.

He checked for dust around the house, scolded Chichen, and glanced at Min-joo with a disapproving look.

Perhaps he mistook Min-joo’s hospitality towards someone who may not even be of noble birth as ingratiating himself with the prince.

Not wanting to stress herself unnecessarily, Min-joo sat quietly in the living room, sipping the milk tea Chichen had brewed.

She was more preoccupied with the dream’s content than with Genshtar.

[Scene of a murder. A dismembered body. No blood is visible. The light from the building’s windows illuminates the alley. Min-joo, hiding in the alley, gasps in horror and flees upon seeing the scene. Footsteps of a woman chasing after her. 

Min-joo: Were you the culprit? You…!]

Min-joo was the witness to the murder. The point where the narrative cuts off seemed like a piece of art.

The footsteps of the woman chasing Min-joo. It was clear the culprit was a woman, but even that wasn’t certain.

Who could it be? Considering the scene of the crime, it seemed like the culprit, who had already committed the crime, was dealing with the witness.

“Wow… being a witness to a murder. What a life.”

There’s a limit to absurdity. By this point, Min-joo practically was the incident itself.

Moreover, the dream scenario had changed from deep crimson to a slightly lighter and darker shade of red.

The color of the scenario book was changing, and Min-joo was included in that scenario.

Had she completely merged into this world? If so, she might not be able to return home.

Before it got any later, she needed to find a sorcerer or a temple, although the temple wouldn’t be of much help.

They had already completely fallen and couldn’t help those who believed in them, and even if there were believers, they couldn’t exert their power.

The stories of priests healing the wounded, prophesying, and performing magic had now become complete fiction.

The priests who used that power could have been sorcerers.

Faith has no power, and it would be more accurate to see temples as attributing the sorcerer’s power to their own. However, a murder case… She doesn’t want to die, but she’s scared she might end up like Vehen said. Dying. 

In a different world where she hasn’t even submitted her assignments or received her scholarship? Isn’t that too blissful a life?

Min-joo leaned her head against the sofa and laughed bitterly. 

“Min-joo, there’s a guest.”

“Chichen, how dare you call the master by her name. I guess you need to be educated again.”

Chichen poked her head into the living room and relayed the message before receiving Genshtar’s rebuke. 

With an indignant expression, alternating between Genshtar and Chichen, Min-joo got up and intervened.

“No, I asked for it. I told Chichen to call me by my name. And Genshtar, please feel free to call me as well.”

Genshtar frowned disapprovingly. It was unthinkable for him, a man of sophistication.

“No, I dare say, it’s better to establish boundaries early on to prevent any improper familiarity from developing.”

“…What?”

“Never attempt to be on equal footing. I will re-educate her, but I sincerely hope the master will maintain her dignity.”

Min-joo was baffled.

Was it necessary to go that far for just an employer-employee relationship?

Feeling frustrated, she remembered the truth about Chichen, who seemed timid and watched her carefully when they first met during her part-time job.

In addition, she was angered by Genshtar’s narrow-minded and authoritative speech.

Min-joo walked over and pulled Chichen back, trying to hide her behind her. She regretted her timid words and almost wished she hadn’t said anything.

“Mr. Genshtar, I… I also believe in courtesy and respect. But saying things like crawling and trying to be equal… Isn’t that too much? Chichen is in a position to work for money, and I am in a position to pay for Chichen’s labor. Is it necessary to say such things?”

Chichen grabbed onto Min-joo’s clothes. Genshtar’s gaze was sharp.

As if daring to grab the master’s clothes without understanding his place.

Min-joo turned her body completely to shield Chichen.

“I will respect Chichen, and Genshtar, you should respect her too. It’s good if she works hard, but I think it’s enough to do what she’s paid for. That kind of talk… makes me seem like a strange person.”

Genshtar was shocked by Min-joo’s words.

None of the people he had served had ever said such a thing.

She seemed eccentric.

Really, she seemed like a very strange person.

But Genshtar quietly nodded. There was nothing to be gained from disliking his employer.

“…Yes, understood.”

“Cleaning doesn’t have to be spotless. I hope you didn’t take it badly, really. But Genshtar, can you cook well?”

“Yes? Uh, yes.”

“Then can I ask you to take care of meals from now on? Neither Chichen nor I can cook.”

As Genshtar awkwardly nodded, there was a commotion behind them. It wasn’t Chichen.

“Permette? Vehen?”

Permette and Vehen were standing there, emanating a scent from outside. They entered and greeted Min-joo as if they had been waiting for her opening speech to end.

Permette pulled out a flower hidden behind him. It wasn’t particularly fancy or fragrant, but it was a nice gesture.

Min-joo smiled lightly as she accepted the flower. She couldn’t remember the last time she received flowers.

“What’s this flower for?”

“I bought it because I thought of you.”

“Oh…”

Feeling good, Min-joo instinctively lowered her head to smell the flower. Its subtle fragrance lifted her spirits.

“Seeing you like it makes me satisfied too.”

Permette smiled kindly and leaned towards Min-joo.

Unlike usual, he was well-dressed from his jacket to his coat, making him slightly unfamiliar. He seemed like a nobleman trying to act refined, almost like a delinquent son.

His face was so beautiful that Min-joo felt like plucking a flower and giving it to him.

“Let’s get to the point. We can chat inside.”

Vehen interjected between Permette and Min-joo.

With neatly combed hair, a fully buttoned-up collar, and a coat with a perfectly straight lapel, Vehen was meticulous and clean to the point of being boringly tidy, yet still distinctly himself.

Min-joo stepped back and glanced at the intimidated Chichen.

“Chichen, can you make some milk tea? It was delicious.”

“Oh, yes! Yes!”

“Genshtar, please prepare some snacks. Take a break after work.”

After giving gentle instructions, Min-joo turned back to guide Permette and Vehen, only to notice that their expressions were unusual.