I Don't Want To Do a Romantic Comedy With a Villain! - Chapter 7

Episode 7

Vehen meeting the female protagonist, Neriant Seguez Velirian, occurs during the prince’s money laundering process. 

Min-joo closes her eyes, wondering if she missed any details.

[Neriant: I want to help. What the prince is doing is not right… (lowering her eyes as if checking for reactions)

Vehen: It’s fine even if Lady Velirian doesn’t step forward. And you know it doesn’t align with Count Velirian’s principles to engage in politics and not deviate. (pushes Neriant aside, grabbing her clothing roughly)

Neriant: …Many people are suffering due to manipulation. I can’t ignore the slaves used in the gambling den.

Though I don’t possess much wealth. (hesitates)

I want to help as much as I can. Is there a need for another reason to assist others? (lifts her head confidently as if determined)]

Ah, this is the scene where Vehen falls for Neriant. Min-joo focuses, trying to recall.

[Vehen: Unnecessary conversations are not welcome. Go back. (turns away, dismissing Neriant)]

This part depicts a scene where Neriant calls Vehen and he responds harshly. It’s meant to emphasize Vehen’s unfortunate and harsh personality. During the writing process, Min-joo, wearing the character’s shoes, vented frustration towards Vehen.

Later, Vehen regrets his misfortune and starts showing affection to Neriant. Anyway, it’s not this scene. Min-joo recalls further.

[Neriant: …Uh, you, we met at the last party, right?]

Found it! Min-joo silently cheers, clutching the letter tightly. When writing a script for a 12-part drama in a rush, sometimes details are forgotten. Min-joo acknowledges her mistake but, in the current situation, it’s not crucial.

That party was this party. Min-joo looks down at the crumpled letter, trying cautiously to restore it. The creases tell a hopeless tale. 

Oh no. Min-joo quickly abandons the effort, grabbing a silver tray from the kitchen and placing the letter carelessly on it. Even if someone questions the crumpled state, she can play dumb.

After having some coffee and calming her trembling heart in anticipation of meeting Neriant, Min-joo, on her way to Vehen’s bedroom, finds herself surprisingly composed upon seeing him.

“Late. Gathering coffee beans… Are you participating in the protest now?”

“I’ve unloaded a lot of them because you come here so often.”

“It’s not good when it’s cold.”

“Oh, he doesn’t know the value of an iced Americano.”

“Amera…… what? What is that?”

Vehen, who doesn’t know anything, frowned at the coffee overflowing in the glass pitcher. Min-joo shamelessly set the tray down on the table and poured the coffee into small glasses, even though cold coffee wouldn’t fit through the ice shaft in the first place.

Baffled by the extreme efficiency, Vehen couldn’t continue speaking and noticed the crumpled letter next to the tray. 

“What’s this letter?”

“It’s a deal from Count Velirian. It’s supposed to be a party invitation.”

Vehen, looking at the letter in a pitiful state, suspiciously glanced at Min-joo. Of course, Min-joo turned away, pretending not to notice.

“But why is it crumpled?”

“I don’t know. Maybe an unavoidable incident happened on the way here?”

“You crumpled it.”

“How did you know?”

“Your reaction is more abnormal for not knowing.”

Sighing, Vehen tore open the letter and quickly scanned its dull content. It seemed to be an overly boring party invitation. There were rumors about the recent strange actions of Neriant Seguez Velirian, and the invitation seemed to counter those rumors.

Min-joo looked at Vehen with eyes full of anticipation. Vehen, feeling her gaze, scowled and expressed disgust. The letter was crumpled again in his hand.

“What are you looking at? It’s annoying.”

“Are you going to the party?”

Seeing her hopeful face, Vehen felt an unnecessary sense of resistance. Folding the letter, he placed it on the silver tray.

“I’m not taking you.”

“Please refrain from remarks that provoke anger.”

“Why do you want to go?”

Unable to say he’s abandoning her to cling to the female protagonist, Min-joo closed her mouth to choose her words carefully.

Vehen’s persistent gaze was fixed on Min-joo. After hesitating for a while, she smiled hesitantly.

“It’s a party, you know. I just wanted to go at least once.”

“Is that the only reason?”

“If you express disappointment in such a way, it stirs my revolutionary spirit.”

Of course, it didn’t work. That’s why Min-joo dislikes observant male sub-protagonists.

As Min-joo pouted and muttered, Vehen raised the corners of his mouth diagonally. His laughing expression was as bright as the male protagonist.

Min-joo felt like her eyes were blind, quietly covering them with both hands and then uncovering them. Vehen, who saw her, spoke with a touch of concern.

“I don’t know your status. You mentioned dimensional travel.”

“Do you believe that?”

He seemed not to believe it. His attitude was so indifferent.

When Min-joo widened her eyes and asked a question, Vehen furrowed his brow and gracefully crossed his long legs. Arrogant and worrying about his spine, his posture was graceful.

“What else do you believe then? You said so yourself.”

“Don’t go buy a jade floor somewhere. Of course, I’m not saying I scammed you. Anyway, I came here to see what the party is like.”

“What’s a jade floor?”

“There is such a thing. If you know too much, you’ll get hurt.”

“I told you to stop talking nonsense.”

Min-joo closed her mouth, filling it with fantasy zippers. In response to her frivolous behavior, Vehen exhaled laughter like a sigh.

Afterward, a short silence settled in. Vehen shook his foot a couple of times and squinted his eyes filled with spring.

“…I forgot because I had a lot on my mind. Those guys who tried to burn you at the stake are serving prison sentences. And your luggage….”

“It worked out well! Anyway, my stuff wasn’t much, so it’s okay if it’s gone.”

“It’s with me.”

“Why is it with you?”

Given the situation left with her luggage mistakenly assumed to be that of a sorcerer, Min-joo could not escape punishment even if her belongings were found to be full of magical books. The belongings were completely swept away for evidence destruction due to the attack that night, which she couldn’t explain.

Vehen shamelessly smiled. 

“At least it’s on me now.”

“Really, it’s absurd and shameless.”

Still, it’s fortunate. The hard-won magical books haven’t disappeared. Min-joo sighed and glanced at Vehen.

Feeling her gaze, Vehen impatiently nodded at the silent Min-joo. Only then did Min-joo brightly smile and speak.

“You promised to help me return home. Remember?”

“Yeah, I did promise.”

“Then please help me find the sorcerer.”

“What?”

Vehen furrowed his brow, raising his voice. Min-joo, surprised by his reaction, shrunk back, eyes widening in astonishment. It was like a startled hamster.

Vehen belatedly covered his mouth with his fingers, nodding slightly. It seemed like a gesture of disapproval, so Min-joo leaned in to convince him.

“There’s no solution other than magic. It can’t be explained scientifically, right?”

“No, searching for a sorcerer means being prepared for social condemnation. It’s too dangerous.”

“You’re already facing social criticism.”

As the personal pet of the empress and the third prince. Min-joo forced a smile, holding back words she couldn’t say. 

The awkward smile playfully poked at Vehen’s emotions. Lowering his voice and speaking threateningly, Vehen continued.

“What do you know?”

“I know about the future and many other things.”

Vehen was at a loss for words. What more could he say when she claimed to know the future? Min-joo tilted her head, looking at Vehen with a confident smile, but he stayed silent, suppressing his irritation.

‘Victory!’

Overjoyed by the triumph of winning over Vehen with words, Min-joo lightly pounded the table with her fist. 

The coffee rippled and shook. Worried that it might spill, Vehen, holding the coffee, glared at Min-joo. However, the delighted Min-joo felt his intense gaze like that of an irritated cat.

“Okay then, since I’ll find it myself, don’t bother looking for me after work.”

“No.”

“Oh, why again?”

Vehen, who was muttering with his mouth half-covered, stopped the conversation starting from the opposite. The finger holding the coffee cup tapped it rhythmically. He seemed uneasy.

Min-joo decided to overlook his strange reaction. She wasn’t curious about why he acted that way.

“No reason? Then don’t look for me.”

“…Do you want to be criticized again?”

At the urgent words, Min-joo stiffened her face. The memories of being branded as a sorcerer and tied to the fire were not pleasant.

To the now silent Min-joo, Vehen added a belated reason.

“You said you wanted to live. You begged me to let you live. Maybe next time, I won’t be able to intervene.”

“So you want me to carry on with my life here forever?”

With the sunny response, Min-joo grabbed the table with a furrowed brow. She was frustrated. She wanted to go home, and despite the uncertain hope, she tried to grasp it, and Vehen was irritating her by interfering.

Even though they weren’t particularly close, Min-joo couldn’t understand why Vehen was personally intervening.

“…I’ll give instructions to Permette and see.”

After much contemplation and concern, Vehen spoke in a low voice. It was an unsatisfactory reaction. Vehen fixed his gaze on the coffee cup, shaking his crossed legs slowly.

He looked worn-out and tired, like a faded photograph. Min-joo felt a slight pang of guilt for possibly making Vehen weary, but she quickly brushed it aside.

Beyond the window, the sound of a distant animal cry could be heard. The night had fully settled in.

* * *

Min-joo was a maid who took care of Vehen’s affairs and had limited contact with other servants. Although they met frequently, she couldn’t stay with him for long. 

Therefore, a week after arriving at the mansion, Leena resigned for her marriage, and Min-joo could barely get news of her whereabouts after that.

In other words, she stayed behind to hand over her duties to Min-joo while in a state of resignation. Min-joo secretly felt relieved upon hearing about Leena’s departure. Thankfully, Leena, a kind person who would leave many notes, didn’t suffer from the attack.

Thanks to Leena, Min-joo was able to memorize the notes diligently and align her work with Vehen’s schedule. Of course, Vehen found Min-joo inexperienced and disagreeable, but Min-joo was unaware of what Vehen thought.

Moreover, as Min-joo had been working for a week, she became accustomed to Vehen, who had enough of her face to be sick of it.

Min-joo hastily made a messy sandwich for Vehen, who frequently skipped meals, and barged into the study.

Additionally, the mansion that suffered damage from the attack was quickly repaired. Replacing the glass and filling the holes in the walls wasn’t a lengthy task, especially with many people working on it.

“Have some food and work. Isn’t the goal to live well after eating?”

“Do you have something for me?”

While Min-joo was cutting the sandwich, Permette, who had arrived, raised his hand with a friendly greeting. 

Unlike their first meeting, he was still dazzlingly adorned with gemstone jewelry and smiled brightly. He was so handsome that it annoyed her.