I Ran Away And The Reverse Harem Started Chapter 103

Deborah’s attendant guided Daniel to her reception room. He had just walked past numerous believers and priests with his neat appearance.

Everyone was puzzled when Deborah, who had even refused to see the High Priest, agreed to meet with Daniel.

However, he was officially her betrothed, and behind him stood the king, so no one dared to comment.

Once the attendant left, Daniel listened to everything from Deborah while his tea slowly cooled.

“So, you’re saying… Baron Louis bought a maid from the Bullosen Viscount’s household and ordered her to commit a kidnapping? And now, at this point, he’s confessed everything himself?”

“Yes, it’s certain. He admitted to kidnapping Irene Bullosen.”

The ancient trees, which had stood for centuries in the temple grounds, cast long, dark shadows. It was the time of day when the worshippers slowly began to leave the temple.

As Daniel organized the information in his head, he pressed his temple. The sheer scale of the situation was making his head throb.

With a troubled expression, Deborah handed him an old letter.

“Most of it was burned, but from what remains, it seems that someone named Rumi took money from my father in exchange for kidnapping the viscount’s second daughter.”

“Are you sure?”

“…When I was younger, I remember hearing that Lady Yvette’s personal maid was called Rumi. It might have been a nickname for Rumiz or Rumi. Of course, she’s no longer working there. I heard she left the household quite some time ago.”

“Hmm.”

“The only person with the name Rumi, among the people still connected to either the Bullosen Viscount’s family or my father, is her. That much, I’m certain of. If we dig deeper, something will surely come up.”

At Deborah’s words, Daniel raised an eyebrow as if something was bothering him.

“Wait a moment. Did you not ask Lady Yvette directly whether her personal maid’s name was Rumi? That would be the fastest way to confirm it.”

“That’s…”

At the mention of Yvette’s name, Deborah’s face immediately darkened. She hesitated and trailed off.

If it was true that a maid from the viscount’s household had kidnapped their second daughter, as Deborah claimed, then this was something that had to be reported to them immediately.

Even if that weren’t the case, they still needed to confirm with Yvette whether her maid had indeed been called Rumi.

A shadow fell over Deborah’s face.

“I haven’t… met with the Bullosen family yet. To be precise, I have no face to show them.”

“…”

“It’s now undeniable that my father kidnapped Lady Yvette’s younger sister. I even saw with my own eyes that the Bullosen family made annual donations to the temple for her well-being.”

A bitter smile crossed Deborah’s lips.

“Even if I have no cherished memories with my father, I am still Kazan Louis’s daughter. How can I possibly go to Lady Yvette and tell her this? I would have to say it myself—that my father kidnapped their daughter.”

“…Saintess.”

Daniel called her name quietly.

Deborah wiped her face with her dry hands and let out a long sigh, as if trying to calm the turmoil within her.

Her violet eyes struggled to refocus.

“…In truth, these are all just excuses. I know that if I reveal the whole truth, they will resent me… That’s why I couldn’t face them. They’ll tell me they never want to see me again, and so I’ve been hesitating.”

“…”

“They were like family to me. Maybe I was the only one who thought that way, but still…”

She had been taken to the temple at the age of three, led by her father. With no parents and no friends, she had learned the doctrines of the temple and was raised in faith.

Whenever she felt lonely and wiped away her tears, it was Yvette’s family—who she had met by chance—who comforted her.

She had no way of knowing how they truly saw her, but at the very least, she had always considered them as more than just acquaintances.

Without them, she might have gone mad from loneliness or given up entirely.

Kazan Louis had claimed that he had wandered the world seeking revenge on Deborah by targeting her loved ones. But Deborah never believed that.

She took a deep breath.

“I’m sorry for saying such weak things when you came all this way. I know. I can’t delay this any longer.”

“So, you mean—”

She now looked at Daniel with resolute eyes.

“With the money you provided, I will hire a guild to find the maid named Rumi. I will confirm whether she is the same person as the Rumi mentioned in the letter. If they are the same person, then I will waste no more time—I will meet with Lady Yvette.”

“…”

“The Bullosen family deserves to know the truth now. They have suffered for too long.”

If Baron Kazan Louis’s gruesome kidnapping case became public, it would bring disgrace not only upon him but also upon Deborah’s reputation, leaving an indelible stain.

But Deborah showed no fear of such consequences. Instead, she smiled gently.

“When the time comes, I will tell them everything myself. So, will you help me just a little more, Count?”

“…”

“I need to step down from the position of Saintess as soon as possible. Only then will both you and I be free.”

“Well, I will certainly assist you to the best of my ability, but… Even if I remain unaffected, I doubt that you will truly be free, Saintess. The higher one stands, the harsher society’s judgment when they fall.”

Daniel spoke calmly, trying to steady her in case she was too emotional about her secret.

But Deborah was firm in her resolve.

“No, I will be free. I’m certain of it.”

With her back straight and her voice strong, she spoke as if all the pain from before had never existed.

Daniel let out a quiet sigh, studying the determination in her eyes.

He rubbed his chin in thought for a moment before finally speaking in a low voice.

“First, let’s find that maid named Rumi.”

“Yes.”

Deborah responded cheerfully, but once Daniel wasn’t looking, she discreetly wiped her sweaty palms against her dress.

Even though she had spoken with confidence, she couldn’t shake the unease in her heart.

 

 

****

 

 

After Daniel, who had been spouting nonsense, left, I decided to go on a short trip with Lucas, who had been lounging around the mansion for the past few days.

The place we were visiting was somewhere I hadn’t been in a very long time. Ever since coming to the Count’s estate, I had only been to Rewybourn, the mansion, and Crown Square.

And this time, I was going with someone very familiar.

“Well, well, who do we have here? Isn’t this Miss Jensen?”

A voice laced with a sneering chuckle and a languid tone.

The man standing there had milk-chocolate-colored hair and wore a three-piece suit, dressed impeccably without a speck of exposed skin, yet he still exuded an oddly suggestive air—Roan.

Roan spread his arms wide in greeting in front of his townhouse. The moment Lucas saw him, he shot Roan a glare as if he had just bitten into something bitter.

Of course, he had no intention of running into his arms.

“You still don’t have a shred of manners, kid. Though I must say, you do seem to grow taller every time I see you. Do you think I welcome you here because I actually like you?”

Roan smirked at Lucas while speaking. His expression was all smiles, but his words were sharp as ever.

Lucas, on the other hand, looked completely unbothered, as if Roan’s remarks weren’t even worth acknowledging. Their back-and-forth made it clear that this wasn’t their first encounter.

There was no one in the capital who knew the city better than Roan, who had dominated the boutique industry for decades. He was also the person closest to Daniel.

Because of that, if we were going to stay somewhere in the capital for a few days, Roan’s townhouse was the most suitable choice.

Daniel also had business in the capital, so he was supposed to meet us at Roan’s townhouse once he was done.

More than anything, Daniel had made it very clear that he was uneasy about Lucas and me going to the capital alone.

“My brother and everyone else keep treating me like a child. What could possibly happen just because we’re in the capital? It’s one of the safest places in the entire kingdom!”

Lucas was already irritated about having to meet Roan, and now his brothers were treating him like a helpless kid, which made his lips pout in frustration.

Still, he must have been happy about our little trip because he slowly inched closer and rested his head on my shoulder.

I ignored Roan entirely and laughed as I looked down at Lucas clinging to my arm. Then, I turned to Roan and greeted him somewhat awkwardly.

“Hello, Roan. It’s been a while since the royal ball.”

“Indeed, Miss Jensen. I’ve actually been wanting to see your face these past few months.”

Without invitation, Roan suddenly grabbed my hand for a handshake, gripping it tightly.

Lucas, who had been peacefully resting his head on my shoulder, nearly jumped out of his skin.

Roan, on the other hand, pretended not to notice Lucas’s stiff posture and continued to hold my hand. Then, pulling me slightly closer to him, he whispered near my ear.

“You stayed by his side much longer than I expected, my dear Miss Jensen. I thought you would’ve run away by now. Truly unexpected. Did you forget that I offered to help you?”

“Haha… Of course not.”

This man, seriously!

His words were wrapped in a playful tone, but there was an unmistakable sharpness hidden within.

Well, Roan had always believed that I was nothing but a bad influence on Daniel. It wouldn’t be wrong to say he was eagerly waiting for me to disappear.

I gave him a bright smile and tightened my grip around his large hand. Then, with all the confidence I could muster, I responded firmly.

“No matter what, I still have mountains of debts to repay. Where would I even run to? And even if I did run away, I would never ask for your help, Roan.”

“Oh? Is that so?”

I had squeezed his hand as tightly as I could to assert dominance, but Roan merely snorted, as if amused by my feeble attempt.

The sheer arrogance of it was infuriating!

“Well, even this little display is kind of cute. Makes me want to put you in my pocket and take you with me.”

I wanted to pretend I hadn’t heard him mumbling under his breath, but unfortunately, I heard every word loud and clear.