I Ran Away And The Reverse Harem Started Chapter 145 - End

Time once again passed swiftly.

Another three months. Now it was winter, with snow crunching crisply underfoot.

The carriage, built thick to block out the chill, still left my fingertips frozen. I considered putting on gloves inside, and was just about to blow warm breath over my hands when Daniel took hold of them.

“Are you very cold?”

With a worried look, he drew my hand close, breathed warmth over my fingers, and enclosed them in his large palms.

“I told you we should wait until the cold wave passes before going down, but you never listen.”

“But today’s the day it was finished. How could I not be curious? Hm? I want to see it right away.”

I giggled as I answered his grumbling tone.

It had been about three months since our engagement.

Nothing much had changed just because we were engaged. I still lived with the Büllosen family, and when I spent time in the Count of Drunia’s territory, I would stay a few days, sharing company with Colin and Lucas as well.

And while I went back and forth between the Büllosen estate and the count’s manor, the inn I had commissioned in Danten was completed.

“We’re already late. Lynne’s family even helped move the furniture in. I want to see it with my own eyes.”

“You and your stubbornness.”

Despite his brusque words, Daniel kept breathing on my fingers until they were warm, then slipped the gloves onto my hands. Watching him, I beamed happily.

At first, I had built the inn for one reason only: money. Running an inn seemed more profitable than working every day as a restaurant staff.

But I was already receiving an allowance while learning business under Yvette—an amount incomparable to what a country inn could ever bring.

Not to mention, with the Büllosen Construction Company’s workers and expertise, the inn had been completed over a year ahead of schedule.

‘So I thought long and hard. Now that I didn’t need to run the inn, what should I do with the building?’

I had considered lending it cheaply to Sasha and Ralph so they could run an orphanage, but a better arrangement for an orphanage came up elsewhere, so that idea fell through.

Instead, the inn gained new owners. People who would make far better use of the place than I ever could.

“Master, we’ve arrived.”

The coachman tapped on the small window. We had reached Danten village.

Daniel, wrapped in his coat, stepped down first, and I took his hand as I descended the carriage steps slowly.

The carriage had stopped at the village entrance. Down a narrow lane was where Lynne’s family’s old restaurant used to be. Well, I’d certainly chosen the location well.

“Wow. It looks even better than I imagined.”

At the entrance stood a tall, two-story wooden building. I hadn’t been able to visit during construction, so this was my first time seeing the finished result.

Swelling with pride, I glanced sideways at Daniel.

“Well? For a countryside village, this building’s not bad at all, right? Business will do much better too.”

“Mm. It really is good. The location helps.”

His approval made my shoulders lift even higher.

To escape the falling snow, we hurried up and knocked on the door.

“Uncle, Auntie, I’m here!”

“Oh, Rosieta!”

When the door opened, I saw Auntie and Uncle moving furniture inside the first floor. Looking around the interior, I gaped.

The wooden building was two stories high, with a high ceiling reaching all the way up, making it feel spacious and airy. The first floor was at least four times larger than their old restaurant at the village edge.

Wide space, tall ceiling. At the back was a large kitchen, from which delicious smells drifted.

“Were you cooking dinner?”

“Of course. With you and the Count coming in this weather, we need to feed you something warm. Perfect timing—the stew’s done. Come eat with us.”

Once Daniel and I stepped into the first floor, I looked around again. The old, worn tables from the former restaurant had been replaced with new ones, and even the kitchenware sparkled with freshness.

Through the wide, spotless windows, I could see flurries of snow drifting down.

“Our restaurant is now the biggest in the village.”

“That’s right. And with such a good location, even more people will come. Before, being tucked away in a corner, outside guests had to search hard to find it.”

“All thanks to you, Rose.”

I grinned broadly in satisfaction.

The inn I had built was now reborn as Lynne’s family’s new restaurant.

For years, Uncle and Aunt had paid rent to live in an old, crumbling house while running their little restaurant. Now, they could welcome guests in this bright new building.

‘Well, I don’t really need the money anymore, with the allowance and the business training I get from home.’

Besides, an inn located a full day’s carriage ride from the capital would have required a hired caretaker—and a small rural inn simply couldn’t turn a profit that way.

Better to gift the building to Lynne’s family than to try and run it myself.

‘After all, I’d once promised myself I’d repay Uncle and Aunt someday for raising me for ten years.’

And so, my way of showing gratitude was to turn the inn into a restaurant and home for Lynne’s family.

The first floor, four times larger than their old place, would be the restaurant. The second floor, a comfortable living space for the family.

And someday, Lynne herself would take over the restaurant. All the more reason a new building was necessary.

Thinking of her, I glanced around.

“What about Lynne? She finally has a room of her own now. I bet she’s thrilled?”

“Of course she is. Right now she’s upstairs fixing up her room.”

Uncle Hans and Auntie Marilyn exchanged knowing smiles.

“Hoho, we’ll show you the second floor after supper. Count, please join us too. We made plenty of potato stew with lamb—Rosie’s favorite.”

“Thank you. I love potato stew as well.”

Once Lynne came down from arranging her new room, the four of us shared dinner together in the spacious restaurant. It still felt too wide and empty, but soon enough, I imagined, it would be bustling with guests.

The building’s fine completion delighted me, but more than that, it warmed my heart to know I had provided a proper home and livelihood for my family.

Even after the meal, there was tidying left to do, so Daniel and I rolled up our sleeves to help.

Uncle and Aunt insisted we sit and rest, but the more hands, the sooner the work finished.

“Shall we head back? It looks like the day’s about to end. The snow’s thickening too.”

Daniel asked as he surveyed the tidied first floor. I was also looking out at the darkening sky and falling snow when Uncle spoke.

“If you’ve time, go upstairs before leaving. You should see how the second floor turned out.”

“Yes, Rose. Thanks to you, we’ve got ourselves a fine big house now. You ought to see the upstairs too.”

Uncle Hans and Aunt Marilyn spoke with bright, beaming faces. Their expressions seemed even more radiant than usual, which puzzled me, but I nodded.

“Shall I? I’m curious about Lynne’s room too.”

For ten years, while sharing a room with me, she had endlessly begged for a space of her own. Surely she must have decorated it grandly by now.

I had teased her, poking her side and asking if she was glad to finally be rid of me, but Lynne only snorted and told me to see for myself. As if she were hiding something.

‘What is it they’re all keeping from me?’

Was there some kind of surprise waiting?

Daniel and I followed Uncle, Aunt, and Lynne up to the second floor. There were four rooms in total, plus a spacious sitting area with a large fireplace.

We toured Uncle and Aunt’s master bedroom, Lynne’s room, and the big living room with the hearth.

I could already picture the three of them gathered around that fire in the dead of winter, chatting together late into the night.

I too had spent the past ten years nestled between them, huddled by the stove through the cold, sharing laughter and chatter.

Somehow, those memories of all of us crammed together in that little house at the village’s edge felt like something from long ago, far away.

‘I suppose I won’t be living beside Lynne’s family as I used to anymore.’

My heart wasn’t distant, but the truth was, I now lived with the Büllosen family—and one day I would marry Daniel.

They said marriage reshaped the bonds of family, and the elders had been right. A part of me wondered if these warm, ordinary moments with Lynne’s family were already ending.

Half proud, half wistful, I walked along the corridor, peeking into each room one by one. Finally, we reached the last door at the far end.

“What’s this one for? Storage?”

We had already seen the master bedroom and Lynne’s room, so one was left. Perhaps a storeroom, or maybe a study?

As I looked at the unmarked door, I noticed Uncle Hans slipping back with a faint smile.

“Why don’t you open it, Rose?”

“…Me?”

Glancing back, I saw Uncle, Aunt, and Lynne all waiting expectantly for me to turn the knob. Even Daniel, as if he’d already guessed, had stepped aside to stand next to Uncle.

“Uh…”

I hesitated, glancing at the four of them, then back to the door. Slowly, I reached out, turned the handle, and opened it.

Creeeak—

The door swung wide, revealing the room inside.

A bed draped with soft white silk sheets. A wide window with heavy curtains, through which snowflakes fell against the dusky sky. A cozy yellow rug on the floor. A small desk beneath the window.

And on the desk, a vase with wildflowers I couldn’t name.

The decorations resembled Lynne’s room, though with different touches. And then I noticed.

That yellow rug—it was the very one I had loved most during my time in Danten.

Blinking rapidly, I tried to take it in.

“Wait… don’t tell me… this is my room?”

“That’s right,” Aunt Marilyn answered at once, as though she’d been waiting for me to ask.

“We wanted you to have a place to rest whenever you came down to Danten. That way, you’ll come visit more often and feel at home.”

“Exactly! You gave up the inn for us, Rose… so of course we had to make you a room of your own,” Uncle Hans declared with a proud laugh.

“Well? You two fought endlessly for ten years, always whining about wanting your own space. Now you both have splendid rooms at last. Isn’t that wonderful?”

All three of them—Uncle, Aunt, even Lynne—looked at me expectantly, eyes shining. Though I now lived at the Büllosen estate, though I was destined to marry Daniel, they had saved and prepared this room just for me.

My chest tightened, my eyes suddenly hot. Something welled up inside, surging from my throat.

“…So… you mean I can come here anytime? I can stay for days if I like?”

I whispered the question, hardly louder than an insect.

Lynne sighed deeply.

“And why not? This is your home too.”

“…”

“Come whenever you like. Bring the Count if you want. Or come alone. Stay for days—it doesn’t matter.”

She sounded exasperated, but her sigh was full of understanding.

Daniel slipped closer and brushed my cheek gently. Only then did I realize tears were streaming down my face.

Not from sadness or anger—but from relief.

Overwhelming, joyous relief.

Uncle Hans, too, exhaled slowly, his voice tender.

“Rose, you are our family and our jewel. That will never change, not ever.”

At his words, I lifted my tear-stained eyes. Through blurred vision, I saw them smiling at me—three faces glowing with warmth.

And I, too, must have been smiling, even through the tears.

Looking from them to Daniel, I nodded firmly, my lips curving upward.

“Forever?”

“Forever,” Daniel answered, pulling me gently into his embrace.

I leaned against him, laughing and crying at once.

“Pick one—either cry or laugh, silly Rosieta,” Lynne muttered, her tone gruff as always, but edged with affection.

So I chose laughter, bursting out in a bright peal.

Though the snow fell thick outside, a fire burned in my chest, as though I stood before a warm hearth with sunlight streaming through the cold.

Each of them leaned in to press a kiss to my forehead, one by one. Their touches reminded me of something I had always known.

I had grown up loved—deeply, fully, without lacking a single thing.

That day, a new chapter of my life began.

The first and second acts had been turbulent. But surely the third would hold only happiness.

And even if it didn’t—if life proved cruel, if small pains brought tears—so long as I had these good people beside me, I could laugh and cry freely.

As snow fell thick and heavy, I wished with all my heart:

That everyone I loved, and I myself, might always be happy.

 

<I Ran Away And The Reverse Harem Started> The End.