I Ran Away And The Reverse Harem Started Chapter 104

Roan flashed that suspiciously cheerful smile.

“But anyway, Miss Jensen.”

After finishing the handshake, he took a couple of steps back, crossed his arms, and gave me a once-over from head to toe.

“I’m happy to see you after so long, but… what on earth are you wearing?”

“Huh? What’s wrong with my clothes?”

At that moment, his monocle glinted with curiosity.

“What do you mean, what’s wrong? I’ve never seen that outfit before. Where did you get it?”

“From a boutique in Crown Square.”

“And what about the dress I made for you?”

“…Pardon?”

“The one I designed specifically with your complexion and hair color in mind. Don’t you know that pale pink suits you much better than yellow?”

I blinked rapidly in surprise.

Just as he said, I wasn’t wearing the apricot-colored dress Roan had made for me. Instead, I was dressed in a yellow blouse and skirt that Lucas had bought from a women’s boutique.

Roan looked incredibly displeased about it, staring at me with intense scrutiny. His expression made me chuckle softly.

‘Just a moment ago, he was looking at me like I was some awful woman clinging to his precious boy, but now he’s upset that I’m not wearing the outfit he made? Seriously?’

This man was truly something else.

For Daniel’s sake, Roan would be more than happy if I disappeared, yet on a person-to-person level, it seemed like he had a certain fondness for me.

“I actually wear that dress so often that it’s currently being washed. I can’t wear the same outfit all the time, can I?”

Even after my explanation, Roan didn’t bother hiding his dissatisfaction. He muttered under his breath as he examined the embroidery on my blouse’s collar.

Well, to be fair, in terms of embroidery details and craftsmanship, the dress Roan made was undeniably superior.

“Come to think of it, I never properly thanked you. I wore it a lot in Rewybourn. Thank you for making me such a cute dress.”

When I smiled and expressed my gratitude, Roan stiffened for a brief moment before raising an eyebrow and hastily making an excuse.

“…Don’t get the wrong idea, Miss Jensen. I just enjoy dressing up cute girls in different outfits, that’s all. You make a good model, but that doesn’t mean I want you to stay by that bastard Daniel’s side forever. You get what I’m saying, don’t you?”

‘Yeah, yeah, I hear you loud and clear.’

I barely managed to suppress my laughter as I looked at Roan.

 

 

 

****

 

 

Roan provided guest rooms in his mansion where Lucas and I could stay for a few days.

The room Roan assigned was located in the center of the mansion, and when I opened the window, I could see the outer walls of the royal palace, the palace itself, and the central temple at a glance. That meant it was in a prime location.

“Wow, so that’s what the central temple looks like.”

My experience in the capital was limited to two visits—one when I briefly looked around while passing through with Daniel and Danten on my way to the Count’s territory, and another during the royal ball.

I had seen the palace at the ball, but this was my first time seeing the temple building.

Daniel was probably meeting Deborah there right now.

Since Daniel planned to stop by Roan’s mansion once his business was done, I would be seeing him soon.

“Rosie! If you’re okay with it, let’s go sightseeing around the capital before dinner with Roan. You’re not too tired, right?”

Lucas stepped out of his room and stood at my door.

“Do you have anywhere specific in mind?”

“Not really… Oh! How about visiting the temple where Daniel is? The temple garden is open until nightfall. You’ve never been to a temple before, have you?”

Lucas enthusiastically described how clean and spacious the central temple’s garden was.

Since it was a symbolic place in the capital, there was no harm in visiting.

It was also a popular tourist spot, so it would be a good way to pass the time.

Since we were staying nearby, a short stroll seemed like a great idea.

Checking the time, I saw we had about two hours before dinner.

So, I put on the hat Lucas had bought for me and stepped out of the townhouse with him.

The central temple was close by, about a 30-minute walk.

Since the palace was nearby, there were more people around than I had expected. Even though there wasn’t a festival or event, the streets were packed—proof that this was the heart of the nation.

To avoid getting separated, Lucas and I stuck close together as we wandered through the alleys.

“I never thought I’d get to explore the capital like this. Last time, I only went around the repair shop area.”

“Oh yeah, Daniel mentioned that.”

“Did he?”

“If you see anything you want to eat, just say the word, Rosie. I’ll buy you anything!”

“No thanks. Did you forget we have dinner soon?”

I wanted to find the street stall where Daniel had bought me strawberry skewers, but there were too many vendors, making it impossible to spot the right one.

Before I knew it, we had reached the main road leading to the palace and the temple, where a crowd had gathered.

“What’s going on?”

I watched the commotion curiously, and soon, the city guards appeared, raising their voices to address the crowd.

“There has been a carriage accident ahead. A carriage has overturned, and we are clearing the scene. Please use an alternate route. Thank you for your cooperation.”

“Oh no.”

“What a mess.”

It seemed like a poorly maintained carriage had caused a major accident on the main road. As a result, people were crowding around the blocked area, murmuring among themselves.

Lucas scanned the surroundings and then pointed toward a relatively narrow alleyway. Many people, looking for a way through, were already heading in that direction.

“If we take that alley, we should still be able to get there, Rosie.”

“Alright, let’s go that way. A little detour won’t hurt.”

The alley we chose was a bit narrow, but it was close to residential buildings and overall well-kept.

Honestly, after spending over ten years moving around small villages, even this side street felt quite sophisticated to me.

Lucas chattered beside me as we walked.

“There’s a place nearby that sells macarons and éclairs. We should buy some! It’s really famous, and even Daniel likes it.”

“Sounds good. Let’s get some for Roan too.”

“Great idea.”

As we walked along the curved alley, chatting about little things, someone suddenly dashed out from a damp, narrow side street on our right.

“Ah!”

The person must not have been looking ahead, because they ran straight into me.

Luckily, Lucas, who was walking on my left, quickly caught my shoulder, preventing me from stumbling.

“Rosie, are you okay?”

“Ah, I’m fine, but…”

I had almost scraped my knee on the stone pavement. I sighed in relief and turned to see who had bumped into me.

It was a small-built woman, wearing a hood pulled low over her head. I reached out to help her up.

“Are you alright? Here, take my hand.”

I was fortunate that Lucas had steadied me, but the woman must have been weak because, even though she had bumped into me, she had collapsed onto the ground from the impact.

Still lying on the ground, she coughed a little before noticing my outstretched hand. She immediately grabbed it and lifted her head.

She was an older woman.

Though she looked to be in her fifties, her sunken cheeks and streaks of white hair made her seem even older.

It seemed her age and frail body were the reasons she had fallen so easily. Was she ill?

“Are you alright? Did you get hurt anywhere?”

Feeling slightly guilty, I bent down to check on her.

However, instead of responding, the woman stared at my face as if entranced.

Something felt off. Why was she reacting like that?

Lucas, who had been standing behind me, also sensed something was strange and stepped between us.

“Are you okay? Can you stand up?”

As Lucas gently placed a hand on the woman’s shoulder, she flinched as if snapping out of a trance.

“I’m fine. There’s no need to worry about me.”

Her voice was hesitant as she clutched her tattered brown robe tightly and lowered her gaze.

Then, like someone who had been caught doing something wrong, she rolled her eyes nervously and pulled her hood down further. Even so, she kept sneaking glances at me.

Did I have something on my face?

I had only tried to help, but I was starting to feel increasingly uneasy.

I hesitated, then asked, “Is there something you wanted to say to me? Or would you like us to take you to a clinic?”

“No, no, that’s not necessary. It’s just… Your face looks familiar…”

She mumbled absentmindedly before gasping and abruptly lowering her head again. Yet, she couldn’t stop stealing glances at me.

Just as I was getting a bad feeling about the whole thing—

“May I ask your name, miss?”

“Huh?”

The woman, who had been avoiding our eyes, suddenly spoke.

Lucas, who had been helping her up, immediately frowned.

“Hey, why are you asking that?”

At his sharp question, the woman hesitated, then quickly turned her head away.

“I apologize. I should be going.”

“Wait, hold on—”

“I’m really fine. You should just go about your business.”

Before Lucas could stop her, the woman hurriedly slipped into the crowd.

Since the narrow alley was packed with people walking shoulder to shoulder, the small-built woman easily disappeared among them. We had no chance to catch her.

“…What was that? Did she know me?”

“I don’t know, but that was weird.”

Lucas muttered as he scanned the alley where she had vanished.

I replayed her face in my mind.

She had been completely ordinary-looking—so much so that even if I had seen her before, I wouldn’t have remembered.

The only feature that stood out was a small beauty mark beside her lips, barely visible beneath her hood.