The Villainess Doesn't Want Love (20 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 12
“What on earth has gotten into that sly woman?”
Caroline recalled Karina’s appearance when they met in the garden.
Normally, whenever Caroline brought up Jeremiah, Karina would readily agree and accept everything as if she understood everything clearly.
“She never even dared to make a peep before!”
Caroline grew furious as Karina, who had always been easily swayed by her, now seemed to be slipping from her grasp.
Caroline sharply narrowed her eyes.
“Didn’t she claim to love Jeremiah? Or could it be… has she already lost interest?”
Caroline scoffed at the thought and immediately dismissed it.
“That’s impossible.”
Caroline knew well that Karina deeply cherished Jeremiah in her heart.
“There’s no way that woman could abandon her feelings so easily.”
Yet, it infuriated her beyond reason that Karina, instead of acting according to her intentions, was now behaving like a thorn in her eye.
Caroline let out a cold, biting sarcasm, simmering with inner rage.
“Now that she’s married Jeremiah, could she really be foolish enough to think she’s become someone important?”
Caroline smirked crookedly.
“Filthy fools who got caught doing dirty work and were demoted to a mere marquisate!”
Karina’s birth family, House Milainer, had originally been nobles from a foreign land.
Despite that, they were accepted as imperial citizens and honored as founding nobles for their great contributions to establishing the Empire.
In the early days of the Empire, having even received a ducal title, they were one of the most respected and honorable founding houses.
But as time passed and successive generations inherited the house, it gradually declined into corruption.
The head of House Milainer sank into extravagance and debauchery, leading a vile and dissolute life.
Eventually, it was discovered that he had connections with an underworld group involved in illicit activities.
Upon learning this, the Emperor was furious that the head of a noble house—supposed to set an example for imperial citizens—had behaved so disgracefully.
As a result, House Milainer was stripped of its ducal status and demoted to a marquisate, officially accused of threatening public safety and causing unrest.
“Do they still delude themselves into thinking they’re dukes? Even the marquis title is too generous—they barely retained it through groveling and flattering the Emperor.”
The reason House Milainer wasn’t demoted further was largely because they remained a key supporter of the Emperor.
Had the political situation been different at the time, House Milainer would have been reduced to commoners.
And regardless of their former noble status abroad, the fact remained that they were immigrants from outside the Empire.
The occasional appearance of red hair among Milainer descendants served as undeniable proof of their foreign origins.
This was the fundamental reason why Caroline despised and loathed Karina.
“No matter how hard they try, they can’t hide the tainted, rootless blood flowing in their veins.”
To Caroline, Karina Milainer was nothing but a filthy, vulgar creature.
She believed Karina clung to the Emperor like a leech, using his favor to arrogantly indulge beyond her station.
Driven by greed and ambition, she had audaciously set her heart on Jeremiah and seized the position of Duchess—utterly repulsive.
“And now she dares look down on me? ‘Poor thing’? How dare she spout such nonsense!”
Unable to contain her rage, Caroline hurled the glass jewelry box on her table onto the floor.
Crash!
The box shattered, and shards of glass scattered in all directions.
The jewels and ornaments inside spilled out, mixing with the broken glass in utter disarray.
“Ugh, this is so infuriating.”
Caroline irritably tossed her hair back over her shoulders.
She had tolerated Karina despite finding her creepy and detestable, simply because Karina obediently followed her every word.
The constant irritation she felt whenever she saw Karina was somewhat eased by watching her suffer and squirm helplessly.
But if Karina tried to slip out of her control, that was a different story entirely.
“Hoo…”
Caroline, appearing slightly calmer, slumped heavily into a chair.
“Clean this up quickly.”
She gave the order to her maids with a sharp nod of her chin.
At her single command, the maids immediately sprang into coordinated action.
The chaotic room was swiftly restored to perfect order.
In the newly tidied room, Caroline resumed receiving her usual service from the maids.
After a while of having her hair and nails attended to, she spoke calmly.
“I absolutely despise arrogant, impudent people.”
Caroline muttered vaguely, as if unsure whom she was addressing.
She stared coldly only at her own hand, which a maid was diligently massaging.
Still, the maids neither replied nor asked her anything.
They simply held their breaths quietly and carried out their tasks like lifeless dolls.
“But you know… occasionally, it’s not so bad.”
Caroline continued indifferently, as if it didn’t concern her.
“When you utterly crush their will and trample their hope into nothingness, they end up crawling before me like dogs, begging for their lives through tears.”
Caroline recalled indistinct memories from some unknown time.
“Watching them grovel like that gives me a thrill—a delicious, exhilarating joy, like a rare indulgence.”
A chilling smile spread across her lips.
“It’ll be truly entertaining to see Karina in that state.”
Only Caroline’s laughter echoed hollowly through her room.
[This is the timeline separator]Mikhail was on his way to the dining hall for a meal.
“Oh! There he is.”
“Sir, the Duchess’s personal guard!”
Some soldiers, leading a few horses for training, greeted him familiarly.
“I’m not a knight—I’m a mage.”
“Oh right, right! You did say that—Sir Guard Mage!”
The brown-haired soldier who had mistakenly called him a knight awkwardly scratched his head and grinned sheepishly.
“Where are you headed?”
“To the dining hall for lunch.”
“You’re going now? Isn’t that a bit late?”
“Yeah, I’m starving, so I’m hurrying over.”
“Oh dear, that won’t do.”
“Huh?”
The brown-haired soldier reached into a saddlebag behind one of the horses and handed Mikhail an apple.
“Here, take this.”
“But I’m about to eat a proper meal?”
The soldiers explained to Mikhail’s puzzled look.
“Today’s menu at the dining hall is pretty meager.”
“Yeah, just thin soup, some greens, a small piece of cheese, and one rock-hard loaf of bread.”
“It’s so hard I nearly broke a tooth chewing it!”
“Mage, you should soak your bread in the soup right away.”
The soldiers went on venting about the poor dining hall menu.
“Oh, come to think of it…”
The brown-haired soldier glanced around before lowering his voice.
“Mage, please be careful. I heard some knights have been targeting you.”
“Targeting me?”
Mikhail, confused by the sudden remark, asked for clarification.
“Well, you know how Sir Gilford publicly dueled you and lost.”
“What about it?”
“There’s been a lot of talk in the training grounds. Those knights aren’t happy about a knight losing to a mage.”
“Though Sir Gilford himself hasn’t said a word.”
“Especially watch out for Hibison’s group. They seemed like they’re looking to pick a fight for no reason.”
“Yeah, everyone among the soldiers knows that group’s rotten to the core.”
Hearing this, Mikhail chuckled inwardly.
‘It’d actually be fun if they all charged me at once.’
Hiding his thoughts, Mikhail smiled and replied,
“Thanks for the warning. I’ll keep it in mind.”
Seeing Mikhail’s cheerful smile, the soldiers sighed in disappointment.
“Sigh… If only you were assigned as Princess Caroline’s guard instead of the Duchess’s—those guys wouldn’t dare lay a finger on you…”
“Exactly.”
As they nodded in agreement, one of them cautiously added,
“Since it came up…”
“…?”
“How about asking to switch to serving as Princess Caroline’s guard?”
“…Princess Caroline?”
‘Could they mean the woman I saw in the garden?’
One of Mikhail’s eyebrows arched sharply upward.
“Anyone with half a brain knows Princess Caroline is the real power behind household affairs in the ducal estate.”
“If you plan to stay here long-term, you need to pick the right side.”
The others nodded in agreement.
“But even if that was true before, things are different now, aren’t they—since the Duchess is here?”
Mikhail’s rebuttal was met with headshakes from the soldiers.
“Don’t even say that. Even though the Duchess moved into the ducal estate, she still hasn’t handed over household authority—she’s clinging to it tightly, refusing to let go.”
“And just yesterday, laundry maids said the Princess has been in a terrible mood lately.”
“Apparently, something happened between her and the Duchess in the garden—things were smashed in her room, and her aura was absolutely terrifying.”
“Ah.”
Mikhail’s expression shifted as if he now understood.
“They say another big storm is coming soon.”
“In times like this, it’s best to stay out of sight and avoid drawing attention.”
“If you wait until Princess Caroline’s in a better mood, then casually bring it up…”
“Thanks for the advice, but I’ll pass.”
Mikhail cut them off.
He’d already decided he didn’t need to hear any more.
“I’m perfectly content as the Duchess’s guard.”
“Oh…”
“If that’s what you say, Mage…”
Embarrassed by Mikhail’s polite refusal, the soldiers scratched their chins awkwardly.
“I’ll enjoy the apple. Thank you.”
After parting ways with them, Mikhail resumed his path toward the dining hall.
‘What a ridiculous situation.’
A mocking smile tugged at Mikhail’s lips.
He’d already figured out Karina’s strange predicament.
It wasn’t actually that complicated.
Just from yesterday’s incident in the garden, the whole situation was crystal clear.
‘So it’s the unreasonable rebellion of a princess who dislikes sharing power…’
What was unusual, though, was Karina’s response.
Even as Caroline made unreasonable demands, Karina made no attempt to correct the situation or reclaim her authority.
That wasn’t all.
‘Not a single trusted personal maid serving the Duchess?’
That would’ve been unthinkable under normal circumstances.
Mikhail recalled Karina’s indifferent expression when she’d said having no maids was actually more convenient.
Her apparent nonchalance toward the cold treatment, neglect, and hostility bothered him.
‘Why is she being treated this way?’
A flicker of displeasure crossed Mikhail’s eyes before vanishing.
“Hoo…”
He exhaled deeply, slowly closing and reopening his eyes.
‘I’ll just observe a little longer for now.’
Mikhail resumed walking.
[This is the timeline separator]“The Grand Princess summons you.”
A strange maid approached Mikhail as he exited the dining hall.
Mikhail asked in confusion,
“The Grand Princess is calling for me?”
“Yes. Please come upstairs immediately.”
The maid, who had maintained a cold expression the entire time, finished her message and disappeared without waiting for a reply.
‘What’s this about?’
Mikhail couldn’t guess why Caroline would summon him.
Just then, something black caught his eye.
“Oh right—before that, I need to deal with this.”
Changing direction from Karina’s room, Mikhail headed toward the estate’s back garden.
Upon arriving at the secluded courtyard, he turned and asked,
“Have you been free lately?”
“As if I’d have time for that.”
A raven perched on a nearby tree swooped down and landed before him.
Mikhail crossed his arms and looked down at the raven.
“What is it this time?”
“I’ve brought a message from him.”
“A message? Then why not just use magical communication? Why come all the way here?”
The raven emitted a palpable wave of frustration, its expression unreadable.
“Because you never answer when he contacts you—so he sent me in person.”
“Why bother answering when I’d just hear more nagging anyway?”
At Mikhail’s dismissive tone, the raven’s eyes narrowed in irritation.
“Thanks to you, I’m stuck playing messenger pigeon instead of handling my own piled-up work.”
Ignoring the raven’s reproach, Mikhail got straight to the point.
“…So? What’s the message?”
“He says to return to the Mage Tower.”
“Suddenly? Why?”
“He said rather than causing pointless trouble out here, you should come back and learn your duties properly.”
“Our master… again with that?”
Mikhail grumbled half to himself.
“This time it’s different. There are signs that ‘those ones’ are starting to move.”
Mikhail’s expression hardened.
“…Are you sure?”
“If he’s convinced, then it’s almost certainly true.”
Max’s tone was serious as he delivered the reply.
“…”
“Anyway, I’ve delivered the message clearly. I’ll see you at the tower, then.”
Having fulfilled his duty, Max spread his wings to leave.
“Tell him clearly that I’m not returning.”
Mikhail responded lightly, having already made his decision.
“What? You’re not coming back? But why… Aaah!”
Max, startled by Mikhail’s words, lost his balance and tumbled forward mid-air.
“Did you forget? I told you I’m serving as the Duchess’s guard here. I need to stay by her side a while longer.”
“But this isn’t the right time for that.”
Max flapped his wings frantically to regain his footing.
“Or… have you perhaps discovered something important?”
“Not yet.”
“Then why? Does the Duchess really have that much worth to you?”
Mikhail simply smiled softly, lifting the corners of his mouth without saying a word.
Max tilted his head, still unconvinced.
“Anyway, I plan to stay here longer, so please explain everything well to our master.”
As if he’d expected this answer, Max let out a deep sigh.
“Then take care.”
Mikhail waved and turned to leave.
Just as Mikhail was about to walk off, Max suddenly remembered something.
“By the way, didn’t that maid just say the Grand Princess summoned you?”
“Oh.”
Only then did it come back to Mikhail.
“Hmm… If it’s urgent, she’ll call again. Right now, the Duchess is more important.”
Mikhail shrugged.
After sending Max away, Mikhail headed straight for Karina’s room.
Knock knock.
“Your Grace, it’s me.”
“Come in.”
He opened the door to find Karina greeting him with a bright smile.
“I was just about to call for you—you came at the perfect time.”
“For me?”
“Yes. I have something I want to give you.”
“To me? What could the Duchess possibly have for me?”
Mikhail’s face lit up eagerly at Karina’s words.
“This. Go ahead and open it.”
Karina tapped lightly on a large wooden chest sitting on the table.
Mikhail opened the chest with hopeful anticipation.
Male lead fell into her trap — and shattered when she walked away
This is also on my reread list!
This one is a slow burn, but when it burns, it burns hard.
Definitely worth a read, y’all!
The story follows a thousand-year-old seductive spirit who, on a bet, sets out to charm the male lead—a once-promising but unfortunate cultivator.
But just when she succeeds in making him fall for her, she heartlessly leaves, driving him to madness.
Determined to find her at all costs, he captures her, keeping her by his side no matter what, even if she hates him.
I love this kind of trope—I enjoy watching the male lead suffer in agony.
The ending drags a bit with unnecessary filler, but that’s fine.
As long as I enjoy the beginning, I’m good.
Intro
As an enchantress, Su Heng possesses captivating eyes and charming beauty, easily manipulating the joys and sorrows of living beings at her fingertips.
But to enchant a god, making him taste the bitterness of love’s separation, long-lasting resentment, unattainable desires, and inability to let go…
Do you dare?
Su Heng assists a divine lord in his cultivation, aiming to make him experience all the sufferings of love, so that he can attain the Great Dao.
Only after being chased down from the heavens by the divine lord, confined and completely possessed by him, does she realize how successful she has been.
The once gentle and polite youth has transformed into someone she no longer recognizes.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
Chapter Comments (10)
Inline Comments (158)
“I can help you—with the Duchess’s divorce.”
And then get with him.Even though he’s hiding things, he still seems more honest and trustworthy than the duke at this point.
“I can help you—with the Duchess’s divorce.”
Let him see we need a fallback plan.
"You should consider yourself honored just because I came all the way here to me
“The lady doth protests too much, methinks.” What else do they say, “pride cometh before the fall?”
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I love when it’s just them
i’m really hoping for divorce next chapter
why did I unlock all the chapters? I wish I didn’t do that because he’s irritating me.