I Ran Away And The Reverse Harem Started Chapter 79

Something about all of this felt strange.

I had sensed it when Daniel once told me an old story.

He described how I had been when I first arrived at the Holis orphanage—the one where I met the three male leads.

How I had been a gloomy, withdrawn child, completely unlike the others.

How I had spent my days buried in the orphanage library, skipping meals, refusing to speak.

But I had no memory of that.

It was a memory that only Daniel possessed.

At first, I thought it was just something that had left a strong impression on him—a moment that had stuck in his mind alone.

But now that I thought about it… I had no memories from before arriving at the Holis orphanage.

All I knew was that I had been placed in an orphanage at some point and had been moved from one to another before ending up in Holis.

As if someone had erased everything before that from my mind.

Back then, I had brushed it off, assuming it was just because I was a background character in this world.

But why… why did I grab Yvette like that?

The embarrassment of my actions made my cheeks burn.

Just a few hours ago, she had caught me brawling with a fellow maid.

And now, I had all but blurted out, “Could I be your lost sister?”

How pathetic.

I had no memories before the age of three. I didn’t know who had first abandoned me at the orphanage, what my real name was, or whether I had any connection to Rewybourne.

All I had was a vague feeling.

The eerie familiarity of the Büllossen family villa, despite never having seen it before.

The way the name “Irene” felt strangely known to me.

But flimsy sentiments like that wouldn’t mean a thing to someone as resolute as Yvette.

“Honestly… even I wouldn’t believe me. Saying I feel like I could be their daughter? What a joke.”

I had panicked when Yvette said she was giving up the search.

And in that panic, I had blurted out something ridiculous.

After that, she had insisted I take the carriage home, but I couldn’t bear to sit in the same space as her.

How could I possibly ride in a carriage with her after making such a fool of myself?

She had warned that it might rain, but I stubbornly refused.

Since I had wandered out here in my sleep, it couldn’t be too far from where I started.

I only asked for vague directions and then walked away.

“At least I had the sense to wear slippers,” I muttered.

Jensen village and Daniel’s villa were quite a distance apart.

I had really wandered far.

The streets were empty at this late hour. As I hurried across the stone-paved road, I finally spotted the villa in the distance.

And then, a raindrop landed on the tip of my nose.

“Ah… it’s raining.”

The sky had been heavy with dark clouds, and now the rain was starting to fall, drop by drop.

I quickly shielded my head with my hands and dashed toward the villa.

Through the black silhouettes of scattered trees, I could see the warm glow of the gas lamps outside the mansion.

The rain soaked through my nightgown, making it cling to my shoulders.

I felt unbearably heavy.

And honestly? I felt pathetic.

“Why do I keep showing that woman such a ridiculous side of myself?”

Yvette Büllossen.

A woman who looked nothing like me—stern-eyed and composed.

And yet, when she told me she didn’t care whether I was her sister or not, my heart felt as heavy as a rain-soaked cloth.

More than that—it felt like she had rejected me.

The more I thought about her expression, the slower my steps became.

“…Did I want her to be my sister?”

Had I actually hoped that I was the noble daughter the Büllossen family had lost?

Why?

For what reason?

Because my current life was miserable?

Because I wanted to be a noble like I always joked?

“…Well. If I were a noble, at least I could pay off my debt to Daniel.”

I let out a short, bitter laugh.

If I became a noble, I wouldn’t have to work myself to the bone anymore.

I’d probably marry a nobleman.

The Büllossen family was wealthy and respected.

Every summer, I could escape to a beautiful resort town and laze around in a luxurious villa, just like the nobles always did.

And more than anything else…

I’d have a real family.

A family bound by blood.

A family that would gather in a summer estate and spend time together, as a real family should.

Of course, I had the memories I shared with Lynne’s family and the three male leads, but even so…

“Why do I feel so down?”

If I hadn’t met Yvette Büllossen, if I hadn’t spoken to her tonight, I wouldn’t be feeling like this.

It felt like I had been disqualified before I even had the chance to try.

I wanted to stop these thoughts, but for some reason, this time, I couldn’t.

At this moment, I wished—more than anything—that someone would comfort me without asking any questions.

Most people had someone to lean on when they were tired.

Most people had a family they could share their burdens with.

“I want that, too.”

I wanted someone to appear out of nowhere and place a warm hand on my shoulder.

I wanted someone to scold me for wandering in the rain.

For most people, that someone would be family.

I stopped walking.

I had reached Daniel’s villa.

The grand gate was slightly ajar, leading to a garden lined with fruit trees.

The winding path stretched up a gentle hill to the small lemon-colored villa at the top.

I gazed at the house, its warm glow flickering against the darkness.

During the day, the garden path had seemed so short.

But now, it felt impossibly far.

I placed a hand against my cheek.

My entire body was soaked from head to toe. My slippers squelched with trapped rainwater. My cheeks were damp—whether from the rain or something else, I wasn’t sure.

“I just… I just want a family.”

I mumbled to myself, my voice swallowed by the sound of the rain.

Even if I never returned to my original world, I wanted a real family in this one.

I wanted someone I could cry to without hesitation.

Everyone else had a family—so why…

I had always told myself that it didn’t matter.

That family wasn’t important.

That I had never had one to begin with, so I didn’t need one now.

But Yvette Büllossen and her family had shaken me.

Her gaze had left a hole in my heart.

I wanted to crumble.

I wanted to collapse to the ground like a child and sob my heart out.

And then—

Through the rain, someone came rushing toward me.

Breaking through the downpour, breathless and urgent.

…Was I imagining things?

I hurriedly wiped my face, brushing wet strands of hair from my eyes.

It wasn’t an illusion.

“…Rosieta?”

A familiar voice seeped into my ears.

I nearly choked on a sob as I looked up.

Drenched from the rain, Daniel was standing there, staring at me, breathless.

*****

Daniel postponed his trip to Rewybourne by a day after meeting with the king. His mind was in turmoil.

“Marry as soon as the social season ends?”

The king’s sly smile flashed through his mind, making his stomach churn.

Thanks to the king’s meddling, every newspaper in the kingdom was now painting Daniel and Deborah as a devoted couple.

The wealthy orphan-turned-magnate who saved the kingdom from debt.

The saintess, beloved by the gods.

A pair as beautiful as they were celebrated—already deemed the kingdom’s most admired couple.

The day after his audience with the king, Daniel went to the temple to see Deborah.

She, too, was displeased by the marriage arrangement. He had wanted to discuss how to deal with the king’s pressure.

“I can’t meet Saintess Deborah?”

“She’s unwell,” the priest replied, shaking his head.

Apparently, Deborah had not left her room for days due to illness.

But the truth was, she was agonizing over something she had overheard from two apprentice priests.

“…The ever-diligent saintess has fallen ill? I hope she recovers quickly.”

Daniel gave the priest a polite farewell and left for his estate.

Summer had been filled with endless social gatherings.

Both in the capital and in resort towns, nobles held extravagant parties and grand balls.

Most couples who met during the season married before the year was out.

The king had already decided that Daniel and Deborah would be the first to wed once the season ended.

Daniel returned to Count Drunia’s estate with a dark expression.

“What should we do about the Rewybourne trip?”

His secretary inquired.

“If your schedule is too full, should we cancel it?”

Daniel had already postponed his vacation once to meet with the king. His secretary assumed he would be too busy with work to travel.

Daniel exhaled deeply.

Given the situation, it might be best to stay in the capital or his territory, waiting for Deborah to recover and strategizing with her.

He sat on the edge of his desk, lost in thought.

“We were supposed to go on this trip together.”

“Pardon?”

This was the first time all four of them had planned a trip together.

And wasn’t Rosieta only going to Rewybourne because of him?

His heart felt unsettled by the king’s forced engagement.

And more than that, he couldn’t stop thinking about her.

After much deliberation, Daniel finally instructed his secretary,

“I’ll still go to Rewybourne, even if just for two days. Book new train tickets—early morning departure tomorrow.”

“Understood.”

His secretary naturally assumed he was going for Collin’s birthday.

Daniel arrived in Rewybourne late at night, after an entire day of travel.

He took a carriage through the city, heading straight for the villa.

By the time he reached the lemon-colored house—the vacation home he had purchased but never truly enjoyed—it was well past midnight.

“Looks like the party’s over.”

Aside from the faint glow of a gas lamp near the entrance, the villa was shrouded in darkness.

The humid summer air carried the scent of freshly cut grass, filling his lungs.

Instead of entering the house, Daniel lingered under the porch, gazing at the moonlit garden.

His thoughts felt clearer in the quiet.

“She’s probably asleep by now, too.”

The villa was so silent that he could almost hear the moon shift in the sky.

Only the occasional chirping of birds broke the stillness.

Daniel turned his head slightly, glancing toward the direction of the servants’ quarters, a wistful look in his eyes.

Then, the first drops of rain began to fall.

Within moments, a heavy downpour crashed down in sheets.

He stared at the falling rain, lost in thought—

Until he saw her.

Through the veil of rain, beyond the villa’s front gate, Rosieta appeared.

Dressed in only her nightclothes, she walked toward him.