The Villainess Doesn't Want Love (20 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 8
“Oh! You’re awake, Duchess.”
“…?”
Upon opening the door, a burly knight standing guard outside greeted her.
‘What is this now?’
“My name is Gilford. From today, I’ve been assigned to serve as your personal guard, Duchess.”
“My personal guard?”
When their eyes met, Gilford continued.
“His Grace the Duke has ordered that we take turns guarding your chamber from now on.”
Karina’s brow furrowed.
Apparently, Jeremiah had assigned a guard because of yesterday’s incident.
‘He didn’t even ask for my opinion…’
Karina felt annoyed.
In her past life before the regression, knights had also been assigned to “protect” her just like this.
But in the end, the claim that they were assigned out of concern for her had proven to be a lie.
Their stated purpose was protection, but in reality, it was surveillance.
The very knights she had firmly trusted as her guards ultimately betrayed her when she needed them most.
“Please stop now. If you continue causing trouble, we’ll have no choice but to restrain you.”
“Cease at once. If you refuse to step back, we’ll use force to subdue you.”
Those knights Jeremiah had assigned as her “guards” were, in truth, merely watchful sentinels and shackles meant to restrict her actions.
Only later did she learn the truth—and how many bitter tears she had shed over it.
“I had no idea His Grace cared enough about me to assign a personal guard. Aren’t all the knights in the North busy? There was even an explosion just yesterday, after all.”
Though Karina’s words were meant as a complaint about the Duke not consulting her, the knight seemed to interpret them differently.
“The perpetrator of yesterday’s explosion has already been apprehended. The matter will be concluded shortly.”
“What? They’ve caught the real culprit already?”
‘So quickly?’
Unable to hide her surprise at this unexpected news, Karina was taken aback.
She had assumed that once Jeremiah and the Northern knights got involved, catching the culprit would be effortless.
But she hadn’t expected them to find the true criminal within just a single day.
“How could you possibly find them in just one night?”
“It wasn’t us who found them.”
“Then who did?”
“Around dawn, a mage in his early forties came to the Duke’s estate and confessed that he was the mastermind behind the incident.”
“You mean the mage who helped the prisoner escape has turned himself in?”
That was hard to believe.
“We found it strange as well, but his confession matched our investigation findings precisely. It seems certain he is indeed the culprit.”
Though the mage’s motive for turning himself in remained suspicious, Karina became more curious about something else.
“I’m glad they’ve caught the real culprit. Then, what about the person who was wrongly imprisoned?”
“He’ll likely be released by now. Though basic inquiries are still necessary, the suspicion against him has been cleared.”
“I see.”
Hearing the knight’s reply, Karina entered her room, quickly changed into simple attire, picked up the pouch she had prepared the night before, and immediately stepped back outside.
As expected, the knight followed her, but she tried her best to ignore him.
[This is the timeline separator]When Karina arrived at the underground prison, Mikhail was just stepping out of his cell.
“You’re free now?”
Mikhail, who had just received his pardon, brightened at the sound of Karina’s voice.
“You really came?”
“I didn’t come to see you. I was just curious about who the real culprit was, now that they’ve been caught.”
Mikhail gave a gentle smile.
“Oh, that’s a bit disappointing.”
“I don’t know what’s disappointing to you, but here—take this.”
She handed him a heavy pouch.
“What’s this?”
“It’s a token of my gratitude for yesterday. It’s not a fortune, but it should keep you off the streets for a while.”
“…”
“I’ll say it again—it’s not a large sum. So you’d better find a job before the money runs out.”
Seeing Mikhail quietly staring at the pouch, Karina offered her final words to end their conversation.
“This is all I can do for you. Thank you for saving me that day. Farewell.”
“Wait a moment.”
Mikhail’s voice stopped Karina just as she was about to leave without hesitation.
“I can’t accept this. I’ll return it to you.”
Mikhail handed the pouch back to Karina.
“…?”
Frowning, Karina looked back and forth between Mikhail and the returned pouch.
‘What is this man thinking?’
Yesterday he refused to escape, and today—despite having nowhere to go—he was rejecting money.
His actions made absolutely no sense to her.
“Why are you refusing it?”
“If I accept this money, it’ll feel as though I saved you expecting something in return. If you truly wish to do something for me, grant me one favor later instead.”
‘What an odd person.’
Karina sighed deeply, her exasperation plain to see.
“Later… Well, I doubt we’ll ever meet again.”
At Karina’s firm reply, Mikhail simply shrugged.
“I plan to stay in the North for a while. Unless you intend to remain inside your mansion all year, we’re bound to cross paths again by chance sometime, aren’t we?”
“…”
His tone was confident they would meet again.
“What do you mean by…”
Karina was about to ask for clarification.
At that moment, her guard knight—who had been silently listening—suddenly interrupted their conversation.
“If you’re done talking, please return to your quarters now.”
“…”
Annoyed by the guard’s rude interference, Karina furrowed her brow.
‘Come to think of it, he’s still here.’
Jeremiah’s assigned guard.
Predictably, he was already proving to be a nuisance.
He probably thought he was “protecting” her, but from her perspective, he was nothing but irritating.
Just thinking about having to carry this burden around indefinitely made her sigh involuntarily.
Suddenly, an idea struck her.
‘Wait… a guard, you say?’
If handled correctly, she might be able to shake off Jeremiah’s bothersome surveillance.
Karina turned back to Mikhail.
“Hey, you said you’d be staying in the North for a while, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then you’ll need to find work here, won’t you?”
“I can’t afford to loaf around forever.”
“That works out perfectly. How would you like to become my personal guard in the meantime?”
At Karina’s unexpected proposal, a question mark seemed to appear above Mikhail’s head.
“A guard?”
“I just happened to be looking for a capable guard. You mentioned needing stable work, right? How about serving as my guard temporarily until you find somewhere else to go?”
A spark of interest appeared in Mikhail’s eyes.
“Hmm, that’s an intriguing offer.”
The corners of his mouth curled upward into a faint smile.
Seeing his favorable reaction, Karina considered how best to persuade him further.
“I’ll pay you significantly more than other positions. And you won’t need to do anything grand—just stay by my side. It won’t be particularly demanding.”
“Yes. I accept.”
“I know it’s a sudden offer, and you might find it hard to accept right away, but… wait, what?”
Karina stared at Mikhail in surprise.
“I accept your offer, Duchess.”
“Oh—th-thank you.”
Caught off guard by his immediate agreement, Karina stammered slightly.
Still, she felt relieved—now she could finally escape the knights’ surveillance.
Pleased by his straightforward acceptance, Karina responded with a bright smile.
At that very moment—
“What exactly are you two doing here?”
A low, calm voice cut through the air between them.
Startled, Karina turned her head.
When had he arrived?
Jeremiah was glaring sharply at both her and Mikhail.
‘Why is Jeremiah here…?’
His sudden appearance baffled her—he should have been in the middle of a meeting with his aides.
At the same time, another thought crossed her mind.
‘Well, at least I won’t have to go looking for him now.’
She had been planning to seek him out regarding Mikhail anyway.
“I asked what the two of you are doing here.”
Jeremiah stepped closer as he spoke, his voice quiet but firm.
Composing herself, Karina answered calmly.
“You came at a good time.”
“You speak as though you were waiting for me.”
“I didn’t expect to meet you here. But since I now have something to discuss with you, I’d say it’s fortunate.”
“Something to discuss…”
Jeremiah, who had been gazing down at Karina with an indifferent expression, turned his icy gaze toward Mikhail.
“It wouldn’t happen to concern that man, would it?”
His eyes were so cold they seemed to carry an actual chill.
“Yes, it does. I’ve decided to hire him as my personal guard.”
“A guard?”
Jeremiah’s well-shaped eyebrows twitched into an uncomfortable angle.
“So you, as Duchess, came to the prison yourself at this early hour, merely to hire a guard?”
His tone implied she had shamefully forgotten her dignity as Duchess.
“It wasn’t my intention, but that’s how it turned out.”
Pretending not to grasp his underlying meaning, Karina went straight to the point.
“In any case, as I just said, I’d like to appoint him as my personal guard. I’d appreciate your permission.”
Jeremiah flatly rejected Karina’s careful request.
“That’s absurd.”
“Why is it absurd?”
Karina’s voice sharpened unintentionally as she pressed him.
But Jeremiah, instead of answering, asked a completely unrelated question.
“…Have the two of you known each other long?”
“No, we only met yesterday.”
“So you want to hire someone you just met yesterday—an outsider—as your guard? Do you really think that makes sense?”
“What’s the problem?”
“Everything about him—his identity, background, ability, and demeanor—is problematic. Or perhaps your own foolishness in appointing a complete stranger as your guard is the real issue.”
“If you’re so concerned, then verify him now, won’t you?”
‘You conducted such meticulous background checks on me—surely investigating Mikhail would be nothing in comparison.’
Karina barely managed to swallow the bitter retort.
It was something that had happened in her past life—a future that hadn’t occurred yet in this timeline.
Jeremiah’s cool voice continued.
“Is it really necessary to go to such lengths just to change your guard? If you’re dissatisfied with your current guard, I’ll assign a different knight.”
“No. I don’t want one of your knights. If I need a guard, it’ll be him.”
“Do you really think the matter of your guard is something you can decide so freely?”
“Of course it’s not—that’s why I’m asking you now. And honestly, wasn’t it you who decided on a guard without consulting me in the first place?”
Karina gestured toward Gilford with her eyes.
She was referring to how he had assigned a guard without discussing it with her beforehand.
“You’d assign a guard regardless of my objections. In that case, I’d like to at least choose my own guard—the person who’ll be following me around all day should at least be someone I approve of.”
Only then could she gain some measure of freedom from Jeremiah’s tedious surveillance.
Yet despite her request, Jeremiah didn’t so much as raise an eyebrow.
“That’s an outrageous demand. Do you really think I’ll allow it?”
“Then I’ll refuse your guard as well.”
Karina and Jeremiah locked eyes, their confrontation sharp and tense. Just as the atmosphere between them grew heavier—
“Excuse me, may I interrupt for a moment?”
A gentle voice spoke up.
It was Mikhail.
“From what I’ve heard, the core issue is my identity, correct? In other words, ‘You can’t trust a drifter of unknown origin,’ is that it?”
“It’s not solely about that, but yes—that’s certainly the first issue.”
“In that case, there might be a solution. Though I am currently a wandering mage, I assure you I’m not someone suspicious.”
“You can prove your identity, then?”
“Yes. If you inquire at the Mage Tower, you’ll receive a clear answer.”
Karina’s eyes widened at Mikhail’s words.
“You’re affiliated with the Mage Tower?”
‘If you’d said that from the beginning, things wouldn’t have gotten so complicated!’
Karina sighed inwardly.
“I had my reasons.”
Mikhail gave her a playful wink.
“But it seems better to reveal my Mage Tower affiliation than to endure unnecessary suspicion.”
He leaned slightly toward Karina, who was staring at him in astonishment, and whispered softly,
“I’ll explain everything in detail later.”
Then, with a meaningful smile, Mikhail turned to Jeremiah and asked,
“Now that my identity is clarified, there shouldn’t be any issue with me serving as the Duchess’s guard, correct?”
“Absolutely not. Even if your identity is confirmed, my stance remains unchanged. I cannot entrust the Duchess’s protection to someone whose abilities remain untested.”
At Jeremiah’s unwavering opposition, Karina’s brow furrowed again.
“You… are you really going to—”
Just then, Mikhail stepped forward.
Positioning himself in front of Karina, he strode boldly toward Jeremiah.
Their gazes clashed fiercely.
Yet Mikhail—who had created such a serious atmosphere—soon relaxed his expression into an easygoing smile.
“Now that I think about it, you have a point. A guard’s abilities must be reliable. So, if I prove my capabilities, that should settle it, shouldn’t it?”
Still wearing his characteristically lazy smile, Mikhail continued,
“Let’s do it. A skill verification.”
Male lead Asks for a Divorce Every Day
It’s not often you come across a plot like this in the female-dominant genre — make sure to check it out!
This is a novel I’m planning to reread as well.
The male lead is strong, skilled in martial arts, and not the usual fragile type you often see in matriarchal novels.
Meanwhile, the female lead is a scientist—rational and logical. Even when she falls for the male lead, she doesn’t let her emotions cloud her decisions.
If you push through the first few chapters, you’ll gradually find the story really intriguing.
It has a mix of mystery, detective elements, and romance.
The author’s writing style is like crafting a puzzle—except they deliberately leave out a few pieces, making it hard to predict what happens next, yet keeping you hooked.
In the end, everything will come together and be explained.
One-sentence summary: Wife, stop playing with beakers and look at me!
In a laboratory accident, research scientist Zhu Wansheng accidentally travels to a matriarchal world. The original owner of the body is an eighteen-year-old only daughter of a wealthy rouge merchant, already married with a handsome young man.
Zhu Wansheng grins: Nice! She always said she was heaven’s favorite granddaughter. After a life of toil in her previous life, she can enjoy blessings in this one.
However, her joy lasts no more than three seconds as bad news arrives: the original owner’s family is about to go bankrupt, and her husband wants a divorce.
Even worse, she’s stuck with a research system full of restrictions.
Zhu Wansheng: ? Is this the destiny of a research dog?
——
Faced with this mess, Zhu Wansheng pours herself a bowl of wine to drown her sorrows. In her drunken haze, her husband arrives.
His figure is imposing, holding a long sword, with a dignified air that captivates Zhu Wansheng.
Gu Yingqing, however, looks at the alcohol-reeking Zhu Wansheng with undisguised disgust and coldly asks, “Divorce or not?” The intoxicated Zhu Wansheng mumbles vaguely, “I think… it’s not… it’s not… impossible!”
——
The next day, after sobering up, Zhu Wansheng is full of energy, rolling up her sleeves ready to make a big move. As for yesterday? She has no memory of it.
Zhu Wansheng is ambitious; a research dog fears nothing!
Upgrading rouge, extracting fragrances, producing perfumes, researching lipsticks… all shall bow to the power of modern technology!
The original owner’s dying rouge shop is revitalized. Her mother is pleased and with a wave of her hand, passes on the family business to her. As she takes control and her experimental results gain popularity, it’s the pinnacle of her life…
——
But there are always those who can’t stand to see her doing well. Jealousy, scheming, assassination attempts – they want nothing less than her life.
The person who has always kept his distance from her suddenly holds her tightly in his arms, eyes full of concern.
She is unharmed, but he falls into a pool of blood…
Zhu Wansheng feels guilty, “I can grant you one wish.”
Gu Yingqing tentatively circles his arms around her, carefully resting his head in the crook of her neck, pleading softly, “I regret it. Can we not divorce?”
Zhu Wansheng: ? When did I agree to a divorce?
[Small Theater]
The newly developed rouge is beautifully packaged, and Zhu Wansheng is eager to try it.
Gu Yingqing suddenly appears: “My lady, may I apply it for you?”
Cool fingertips lightly brush her lips. His Adam’s apple bobs as he leans in for a light bite.
Zhu Wansheng: ?
Gu Yingqing: It smells so good, I wanted to taste it…
On a warm spring day, Zhu Wansheng tries a new perfume: “Spring Night.” Gu Yingqing corners her against a wall.
Warm breath lingers on her neck.
“My lady, from now on, may I test the fragrances for you?”
[Humorous female scientist vs scheming live-in son-in-law male lead]
[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.