I Don't Want To Do a Romantic Comedy With a Villain! - Chapter 9

Episode 9

The person was trembling with fear, yet the expression remained firm. 

Permette lowered the gun and bent forward, resting his arms on his thighs. It was a rather intimidating posture.

“Then, tell me about yourself.”

It was like an interrogation. Since there was no information to be gained from an investigation, they would have to extract it directly from the person and resort to threats if necessary. Min-joo loosened her flowing hair, roughly combing it with her fingers, and spoke.

“About a month ago, I finished my assignment and opened the door to go out for dinner, but I ended up teleporting. While trying various ways to find a way back home, I encountered Vehen, no, the Duke. I was investigating magic to find a way back home, almost got caught up in an incident, and now here I am.”

“That makes no sense.”

“That’s what I’m saying. It feels like my head is going to explode. Can this situation be scientifically explained?”

“Why are you blaming me? It’s ridiculous.”

Permette, with one eyebrow raised, glared at her with wide-open eyes. Min-joo was also bewildered. She wasn’t blaming; she was empathizing.

Certainly, Permette would have thrown empathy into the river, claiming it was unnecessary.

Min-joo sighed and gathered her hair with one hand to tie it again. Permette, tapping the hand holding the gun, drew attention.

“Don’t tie it.”

“Why?”

“Not tying it looks prettier.”

“Ugh.”

She didn’t expect such a snide comment from Permette. The feeling became peculiar, with limbs tensing and a nauseating sensation settling in. Min-joo quickly tied her hair, frowning at Permette.

Permette pouted with a mischievous expression, complaining.

“I told you not to tie it. You don’t listen to a single word.”

“It’s not important right now.”

“I agree. I’ll accept everything, even that you’re not a sorcerer. So, how do you know about the future? I can’t even comprehend teleportation, but let’s assume I do. Can you see the future in that other world?”

There was nothing to say when asked so directly. Min-joo chose her words while idly playing with a strand of her hair.

If she said she created it, Permette would probably think she was crazy and shoot her immediately. Whether it’s a divine revelation or part of a drama script, Permette would likely react the same way.

“…I saw it in a dream.”

“Really?”

It wasn’t a lie. The process of writing the script had started from Min-joo’s dreams. The dreams were so vivid that she was compelled to open her laptop. She even dreamt continuously for three days. It felt like a prophecy as if a higher power was guiding the narrative.

Permette, furrowing his delicate brow, made an effort to understand forcibly. Something like precognition or a similar phenomenon, he guessed.

“I’m sure you realize that doesn’t explain it.”

“I know. I gave up trying to understand too.”

“I think you’ll understand my suspicion. Please understand that I’ll keep an eye on you until my doubts are resolved.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

It didn’t matter anyway. Once she meets the female protagonist, Neriant, everything will fall into place. It didn’t matter.

The carriage had entered the shopping district without them noticing. The daytime capital was bustling with life and energy.

Entering the capital with a complete identity gave her a different feeling. It wasn’t the same as wandering the streets, doing odd jobs, and feeling the city’s pulse in the small theater, without proof of origin or status.

Now, it was more vibrant and lively than back then.

Min-joo looked beyond the carriage. Suddenly, she felt someone reaching up from below.

“What is it?”

“An escort.”

“I don’t need one.”

With a determined reply, Min-joo touched the wall and got off the carriage. Permette, watching her hand left in the air, clenched his fist.

Following behind Min-joo, Permette, who took the backseat, whispered enough not to be heard by others.

“We’re not just going to buy clothes.”

“Really?”

“I’m going to clarify some rumors.”

“What?”

Vehen asked her to go shopping for clothes. Min-joo looked puzzledly at Permette. The face of the man standing in the sunlight shone brightly.

Even his faint smile made it unclear whether he or the sun was radiating.

“He sent you as a watchdog. To correct any unnecessary rumors I might be spreading.”

So, that’s why he sent her. Min-joo nodded, sighing. Permette glanced at Min-joo in silence, then grabbed her shoulder.

With a grip that only tightened, Min-joo had no choice but to be dragged through the crowd of people.

The clothing store they arrived at catered mainly to the middle class. It was not as expensive as the nobility’s standards, but still luxurious without being overly extravagant.

Min-joo, led by Permette’s hand, entered the store. Thanks to the indifferent push, she did a tap dance.

“Welcome!”

A woman with curly brown hair peeked out from behind the clothes in the next room. The protruding curls enhanced the woman’s charming impression, and the dot below her right lip was alluring.

Putting down the sharp scissors she held, she approached Permette with a smile.

“Fortis. I’m trying to fit this woman for some clothes.”

“Are you looking for ready-made clothes or custom-made?”

Expertly scanning Min-joo’s body, Fortis licked her lips and grabbed Min-joo’s forearm.

“You’re too thin. Most ready-made clothes should fit.”

“Let’s go in and choose.”

Permette, with a gentle smile as if treating a lover, detached Fortis’ hand. He put his hand on Min-joo’s back, pushing slowly. It was creepy, and Min-joo couldn’t escape, forced to be drawn through the people.

Once Min-joo and Permette entered the workshop, Fortis immediately closed the curtain tightly, leaving no gaps. Fortis turned to look at Min-joo and Permette.

Her raised eyebrows folded gracefully, expressing curiosity.

“Do you have something to order?”

Min-joo looked back and forth between Permette and Fortis.

Do they know each other?

Permette, comfortably sitting on Fortis’ chair, fiddled with the dress skirt and spoke.

“I want you to spread a rumor. Something about the pity of a slave. Not getting paid for labor, being in bondage without freedom, you know what I mean?”

“I can’t understand the thoughts of the higher-ups.”

“Same here.”

Fortis, who approached Min-joo with a measuring tape, snatched her gently. Fortis extended the tape, measuring Min-joo’s waist, arms, and leg length. Min-joo stood there dumbfounded, watching Fortis’ skillful display with the measuring tape.

“Tell it to the occasional nobles too. The wider the spread of rumors, the better. You don’t need to say more; they’ll understand.”

“Sure, once or twice.”

Fortis, writing down Min-joo’s measurements on paper, replied. In the blink of an eye, thanks to the finished measuring tape show, Min-joo stood in the middle of the workshop feeling dazed. Fortis turned to Min-joo, smiling brightly.

“What style of clothes do you like? You can take one or two outfits today, and come back for the rest later if you’d like.”

“Sure, let’s do that. Since we have to check in halfway, we can use that as an excuse to leave, right?”

It seemed like a proposal with no apparent disadvantages, so Min-joo nodded. Fortis, as if waiting for that, brought out numerous dresses.

There were luxurious fabrics, simple dresses with subtle designs, and a variety of dresses with various decorations.

Min-joo looked at Permette for guidance, but Permette just shrugged, maintaining an indifferent attitude. Min-joo wanted to give him a piece of her mind.

“Comfortable is good. A bit fancy but not too much.”

“Looking for something simple and comfortable, huh~”

Though they were meeting for the first time, Min-joo felt a strangely familiar atmosphere. She recalled the shop assistant who had stuck to her side and explained everything when she went to a clothing store.

She seemed to understand the reason for the familiarity.

Fortis brought a simple and plain comfortable dress. It might have looked the same as what Min-joo used to wear – casual pants and a T-shirt – but it seemed comfortable, so she had no further choice.

“This is really comfortable~ It grabs the waist perfectly, and the arms and upper body don’t feel tight at all.”

“It’s not soft, though.”

Permette, suddenly interjecting, ran his hand over the dresses and made a cutting remark. Min-joo, glaring at Permette for his intrusive interference, tried to push him away with her shoulder. She attempted to push, but it ended up with Min-joo being pushed.

“Then pick something or wear it yourself.”

“I don’t like dresses because they’re uncomfortable.”

If it wasn’t uncomfortable, would you wear it? Min-joo looked at Permette with a somewhat blurry gaze and shook her head. Even if Permette was a character from Min-joo’s imagination, dealing with this lunatic was beyond comprehension.

Permette silently glanced through the dresses and quickly pulled out one after another, throwing them on the table. Though the touch was indifferent and rough, the dresses Permette selected fulfilled Min-joo’s preferences and had soft fabrics.

“Why are you so good at picking dresses?”

“I have good taste. Look at it that way, and I’ll get hurt.”

Whether it was from meeting many women or a genuine liking for dresses, Min-joo couldn’t tell. But she didn’t like it because it was Permette. If it were someone else, she might not care.

Min-joo rubbed her chicken skin forearms roughly and decided to buy the dresses Permette had picked out.

“Charge it to the Duke’s account. And let me know if you hear anything about the sorcerer. Of course, keep it a secret.”

“Yes. I’ll do that. But isn’t the viscount supposed to buy the clothes?”

“Why would I? She’s not my person.”

Permette gathered the two dresses and tilted his head. Fortis blinked as if surprised and then looked at Min-joo, who stood dumbfounded.

With nothing else to do, Min-joo stared into the void, clutching only a strand of her hair.

“But it doesn’t seem like you hate it.”

“I don’t hate it.”

Min-joo was a person with a suspicious and teasing flavor. Permette picked up the roughly wrapped dresses and called Min-joo.

“Let’s go.”

As if Min-joo had been waiting, she quickly stood behind Permette. Politely nodding at Fortis, who waved her hand as if calling them again, Min-joo noticed Permette already far ahead and hurriedly ran after him.

“Can you wait a bit? Also, I dislike you.”

“Did you hear that?”

“Who can’t hear when you talk so loudly?”

“You have good ears. I don’t dislike Min-joo. I’m hurt, you know?”

“Get over it.”

“Oh, it hurts.”

Permette squeezed his chest playfully, pretending to be in pain. Watching Permette’s antics from a distance, Min-joo frowned with an arrogant expression and took a step away from him.

Permette’s casual words and actions, seemingly sincere, were just a mechanism to cleverly conceal the fact that Permette was a bad person. Min-joo couldn’t help but feel a sense of aversion towards Permette’s insincere behavior.

She couldn’t help but express her dislike openly, and Permette found it quite amusing. His surroundings consisted of the gruff Vehen and others, after all.

Min-joo irritated Permette while accepting his jokes and expressed his dislike without outright rejecting him. Whether Permette was obtuse or had a sensitive heart, she couldn’t tell. He was a young man who seemed unfamiliar with such emotions.

Permette, silently gazing at Min-joo, burst into laughter and closely walked beside her. Min-joo expressed her irritation.

Having only gone to buy clothes and returned quickly, not much time had passed. As they rode the carriage back to the mansion, the estate seemed to be in turmoil.

Thunderous shouts and strange thudding sounds echoed.

“You were the one who said that!”

It seemed like a fight broke out! Watching a fight was something she couldn’t miss. 

Pushing Permette, who was trying to escort her, aside, Min-joo hastened her steps toward the source of the commotion.