The Villainess Doesn't Want Love (20 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 13
“Do you really mean I have to wear this?”
Mikhail asked with an awkward expression.
It was because inside the box Karina had handed him, telling him to open it, lay a knight’s uniform.
She thrust the clothes toward him and said,
“You’ll find it much easier to carry out my orders if you do.”
As soon as Mikhail became her bodyguard, Karina immediately summoned a tailor.
No one else would bother caring about her newly appointed guard, especially since she didn’t even have a personal maid assigned to her.
‘Since I hired him, I’ll have to look after him myself.’
The uniform she’d ordered had only just arrived at the ducal mansion early this morning.
“…….”
Mikhail glared at the outfit with clear displeasure.
“Don’t you have anything else besides this? No matter how I look at it, this just isn’t my style.”
Mikhail shook his head and furrowed one eyebrow.
“The tie chokes me for no good reason, and I have to wear this bulky vest and jacket too… And what’s with this collar that goes all the way up to my neck? Plus, I have to wear two belts?”
“It looks fine to me. What’s the problem?”
“If I put all this on, I’ll be so stiff I won’t even be able to lift an arm properly.”
Mikhail pouted with a dissatisfied expression.
“It’ll be fine. Knights manage to move just fine wearing armor far heavier than this.”
“I’m not a knight—I’m a mage. There’s no need for me to wear this kind of uniform.”
Karina refused to indulge his complaints.
“You’re officially the Duchess’s bodyguard now. I can’t have you running around in shabby robes.”
“So what if it’s shabby? As long as I guard you well, that’s what matters. Better a capable but plain-dressed guard than some useless fool in fancy clothes….”
Karina cut off his trailing words.
“That’s enough. You’re the Duchess’s bodyguard now. There are protocols here, and customs to follow. Bodyguards wear uniforms. So please, just do as I say.”
“Sigh… If you put it that way, I suppose I have no choice. Fine.”
Mikhail let out a deep sigh, removed his hood, and began unbuttoning his top.
“……What are you doing right now?”
Karina was flustered to see Mikhail casually undressing right in front of her.
“I’m changing clothes, just like you told me to.”
“Why are you changing right here? Go to your room and change there.”
“But am I not the Duchess’s bodyguard?”
Mikhail replied without pausing his hands from unbuttoning.
“A bodyguard is supposed to stay close to the person they’re guarding at all times, isn’t that right?”
Karina hid her bewilderment and feigned composure as she averted her eyes.
“Then go change in that small room over there.”
She pointed toward the small dressing room adjacent to her chamber.
“But then I won’t be able to see you from there.”
Mikhail finished unbuttoning the last button and swiftly pulled off his top.
Sunlight streaming through the window illuminated his bare upper body.
His ruby-red eyes and lips stood out vividly against his translucently glowing skin.
His naturally upturned mouth, sharp jawline, and the smooth, slender curve of his neck flowed seamlessly downward.
His torso—uncharacteristically lean and muscular for a mage—was fully exposed to her view.
Karina’s face flushed crimson from the sudden turn of events.
This was the first time she’d seen a man’s bare body at such close range.
After marrying Jeremiah, she’d never once shared a night with him.
Turning her head sharply away, Karina quickly stammered,
“That’s enough, so hurry….”
She was about to tell him to go into the small room quickly when Mikhail stepped closer to her.
“Your Grace, aren’t you going to show me how to wear these clothes?”
As he approached, Karina involuntarily looked up at him.
Now that he was even closer, his bare torso was even more clearly visible.
“……!”
Karina’s face grew even redder, and she fumbled desperately for somewhere to look.
“I… I don’t really know either.”
“……?”
Hearing her flustered voice, Mikhail studied her face closely.
“Your Grace?”
Noticing Karina’s embarrassment, the corners of Mikhail’s lips lifted slightly.
“Why can’t you look me in the eye? Weren’t you the one who ordered me to change clothes?”
He lowered his head toward her ear and whispered,
“It’s me who’s undressing, yet you’re the one blushing more.”
Hearing those words made Karina’s face burn as hot as it possibly could.
“That’s….”
Karina was bewildered, unsure how to respond.
Mikhail, looking down at her tense, flustered expression, grinned playfully.
“You act as if you’ve never seen a man before.”
“……!”
Karina’s expression instantly hardened upon hearing his remark.
“Oh….”
At that moment, Mikhail realized he’d made a mistake.
From her stiff reaction, he suddenly understood that Karina had never spent her wedding night with the Duke.
His face clouded with dismay.
Mikhail quickly opened his mouth.
“Your Grace, just now I…”
He was about to apologize for his blunder, but Karina interrupted him, forcing a calm demeanor.
“It’s fine. It’s the truth, after all. It doesn’t matter.”
Despite her composed tone, her voice trembled slightly at the end.
Karina bit her lower lip and turned her head away.
The fact that Jeremiah had never once loved her felt as humiliating as having her private shame exposed.
She simply couldn’t bear to look Mikhail in the face anymore.
“It might even be for the best. We’re getting divorced anyway.”
“…Divorced?”
Mikhail’s eyes widened slightly at the unexpected mention of divorce.
“Yes. Once we divorce, I can always remarry later. In that case, it might actually be better that we never consummated the marriage.”
Though she had absolutely zero intention of ever remarrying, Karina said whatever came to mind just to move past this awkward situation as quickly as possible.
“…….”
Mikhail stared intently at Karina, as if questioning whether she was serious.
Feeling his gaze, Karina gave a weak, hollow laugh.
“You already saw everything in the garden. You know exactly what my situation is like.”
‘Right. He must’ve already figured it all out. What’s the point of fussing over this now?’
Regaining her composure with difficulty, Karina continued calmly.
“There isn’t even the bare minimum of trust between Jeremiah and me to sustain a superficial marriage.”
“…….”
“The Duke doesn’t trust me at all. He’d sooner believe some idle vagrant on the street than me.”
Karina shrugged her shoulders, prompting Mikhail to frown slightly.
“Isn’t that going too far? You are still married, after all.”
“Only in appearance. In truth, we’re worse than strangers. And I have neither the reason nor the will to keep dragging on this miserable situation.”
“…Do you truly feel absolutely nothing for His Grace the Duke?”
“Nothing at all. If anything, I’m filled only with negative feelings. I really…”
Karina emphasized her final words with strong conviction.
“…really hate him.”
Her voice held not a trace of hesitation or uncertainty.
“Oh….”
Mikhail wore a strange, dazed expression.
‘How did we end up talking about this?’
His ambiguous reaction left Karina feeling awkward as well.
“We’ve wasted enough time. Hurry up and get dressed.”
“…Yes.”
Mikhail replied slightly slower than usual.
He gazed at Karina with a meaningful look in his eyes.
But Karina, still embarrassed, kept her head turned away and didn’t notice.
When she finally looked back at him, his expression had already returned to normal.
“I’ll get dressed and come right out—just wait a moment.”
Karina nodded, and Mikhail went into the small dressing room.
‘Phew.’
The moment Mikhail disappeared from her sight, Karina let out a silent sigh.
‘Why did I get so flustered? It’s not like it’s anything serious.’
She felt foolish for having been so unnerved.
She’d already decided on divorce, and once it happened, the entire Empire would inevitably learn the truth about her failed marriage to Jeremiah.
‘They’ll gossip about it endlessly in high society. After the divorce, everyone’s attention will shift to Jeremiah’s next marriage.’
She knew this from past experience.
She’d been through all kinds of rumors before and had long grown numb to such things—she’d thought she wouldn’t bat an eye.
Karina gave a self-deprecating smile.
‘Get a grip. Don’t go soft. There’s no reason to get hurt over something like this.’
She silently scolded herself.
[This is the timeline separator]“Sigh.”
Mikhail let out a deep breath as he entered the small dressing room.
‘Idiot….’
He scolded himself, his forehead creasing in regret.
Karina’s startled, flustered reaction when she saw him undressing had seemed adorable.
He’d been curious to see what expression she’d make if she grew even more embarrassed.
That was all it was meant to be.
Yet, contrary to his playful intention, the situation had taken a completely different turn.
The instant her face froze as she looked at him, the pain she carried was painfully evident.
Right afterward, seeing her unable to even meet his eyes and hearing her trembling voice made his heart sink sharply.
Her attempt to feign calm indifference, as if nothing were wrong, only made him feel more sorry for her.
‘Damn it! That’s not at all what I wanted her to feel….’
He was furious with himself for poking directly at her wounds.
At the same time, her earlier words kept echoing in his mind.
‘She’s getting divorced?’
Her decision seemed unwavering.
She’d even mentioned remarriage, as if divorce had been a settled matter in her mind for a long time.
Now he finally understood why Karina, despite enduring unfair and dissatisfying treatment, had taken no action.
‘Since she’d already decided to divorce and leave, there was no point in fighting for authority or position.’
Mikhail gave a wry chuckle.
‘Should I call her bold?’
In arranged political marriages between noble houses, divorce—even when dissatisfaction existed—was extremely rare.
Yet Karina seemed utterly indifferent to such conventions.
‘No wonder she loathes the Duke so much.’
When she said she felt absolutely nothing for the Duke, his heart had inexplicably skipped a beat.
‘Right. There’s no reason for her to stay beside someone like him.’
Jeremiah, who’d hurt Karina, treated her coldly, and left her alone until she reached the conclusion of divorce, didn’t seem admirable in the least.
Mikhail’s eyes darkened with resolve.
‘I think I can help her.’
If he assisted her while staying by her side, she could gain her freedom far sooner.
And once that happened, he wouldn’t need to remain tied down in the north merely to keep an eye on her.
‘After the divorce, should I ask her to come with me to the Mage Tower?’
If he invited her to the tower afterward, framing it as a change of scenery, he had a feeling she’d gladly agree.
‘That would be interesting.’
A faint smile touched Mikhail’s lips.
Male lead is a clingy little husband
One-line summary: The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
Introduction:
One day, Lu Yuner’s soul transmigrates into a female-dominant world. She enters the Imperial Academy and takes up the position of a doctoral instructor, teaching classes and grading schoolwork.
One day, she encounters the young prince Su Qingwan secretly skipping class from the male academy.
As a result, Su Qingwan is punished.
From then on, Su Qingwan sees Lu Yuner as a “thorn in his side”.
But before long, this “thorn” becomes the person he cherishes most, and he goes to great lengths to win Lu Yuner’s affection.
Mini scene 1:
One day, the sun is high in the sky but Su Qingwan still hasn’t gotten up for class.
Servant Xiaoyuan: “Young prince, it’s time for class. You’ll be late otherwise.”
Su Qingwan says arrogantly: “I’m not going. I am the esteemed prince, my status is so noble, why should I suffer this hardship? Besides, isn’t learning all this just to please women? Hmph, they’re not worthy!”
Mini scene 2:
After Su Qingwan falls for someone, he completely changes. He no longer skips class and diligently learns how to be a good husband and father. But he discovers that Sister Yuner is always surrounded by admirers.
Drunk and overcome with jealousy one day, he clings to Lu Yuner, crying beautifully like a pear blossom in the rain.
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan likes Sister Yuner.”
Lu Yuner: “Young prince, you’re drunk.”
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan isn’t drunk. Qingwan likes Sister Yuner, likes you so much, likes you to bits…” Before he can finish, Lu Yuner’s eyes flash with emotion and she leans in closer.
[Reading Guide]
1. The female lead is gentle, gracious, humble and polite but not weak. The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
2. 1v1, a bit torturous in the beginning but definitely sweet later on.
_____
Please help me, I want to bring you the best possible things.
If you find any chapter or novel with poor translation and editing quality, let me know by commenting directly under that novel or chapter. I will retranslate it as soon as possible.
[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?”
YOUR COMMENT
2. Inline comments are now available. Tap the end of any line in a chapter to share your thoughts instantly.
Log in to comment.
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.