I Ran Away And The Reverse Harem Started Chapter 84

“You, you….”

In that moment, I realized what that fleeting light on Daniel’s face was. Yes, it was unmistakably…

“Are you laughing at me? Are you seriously laughing at me right now?!”

Laughter.

Daniel turned his head away from me as I fumed in anger. And instead of covering his mouth with his hand, he pressed his lips together tightly, as if trying to keep the laughter from escaping. But he couldn’t completely suppress the chuckles that slipped through his lips.

Before I knew it, his face had turned as red as a tomato—from trying to hold back his laughter.

“Y-You… why are you laughing?!”

I felt both flustered and embarrassed. My face was burning up, and I felt wronged.

Was my question really that funny?!

I felt like I was about to cry. I had asked sincerely, so was it really something to laugh at? Why? Because I asked if I was prettier than the most beautiful woman in the kingdom? Was my question pure comedy?

‘Fine, okay, I admit it. That was kind of ridiculous. Asking if I’m prettier than Deborah? Yeah, I get why that’s funny. But still! He literally just confessed to me—he can’t laugh at me now!’

Maybe he noticed my eyes turning red because Daniel hurriedly wiped the laughter from his face. Clearing his throat, he barely managed to open his mouth.

“I wasn’t laughing at you.”

“Then what was it?”

I glared at him, my shoulders trembling. If he answered wrong, I was ready to kick his shin with the toe of my shoe.

Daniel pressed the back of his hand against his cheek and coughed awkwardly.

“I don’t know… it just felt like you were… jealous of Saint Deborah and me.”

“Ridiculous…! That’s not it at all! You’re just imagining things.”

Jealous? Who, me?

Even as I grumbled, the amusement never left Daniel’s face. But instead of looking like he was mocking me, he seemed genuinely happy. That warm smile of his made my pout disappear without me even realizing it.

As if he had won something, Daniel grinned and asked,

“So, what do you want me to say? That unlike other guys, I’m not easily swayed by appearances? Or that you’re prettier than Saint Deborah? Pick one.”

“…Stop being so smug. You’re insufferable. Do I look like I’m going to pick one?”

“Come on, just choose. I’ll say whatever you want to hear to earn some points with you.”

“You? Earning points? Not gonna happen.”

“Well, we’ll see about that.”

Unbelievable. Since when did he get this cocky? I folded my arms and shot him a glare, still baffled by his attitude.

Daniel looked at me like he had figured something out—like he had found a way to slip into my heart.

‘…Did my answer give him some kind of opening?’

I had no idea what was going on in his head.

 

 

****

 

 

Since that day, Daniel started acting strangely.

Setting aside the fact that he said he liked me despite being engaged to Deborah, he also started hovering around me even though he was supposedly too busy with work at the villa.

“Are you moving all that by yourself?”

Hearing the familiar voice, I turned around and saw Daniel walking across the garden.

I was in the middle of unloading supplies from the carriage. Food deliveries for the mansion arrived every few days, ranging from light packages to ones so heavy they made my arms ache. Still, once I finished moving these, I could rest until dinner, so I was trying to get it done quickly.

Sweat formed on the back of my neck under my tightly tied-up hair.

“Why are you out here?”

“I was working, and I saw you through the window.”

I narrowed my eyes.

“So suddenly, you decided to come down just because you saw me working?”

“Trying to earn some points from you, too.”

“I’m telling you, there’s no way for you to—”

Before I could even finish my sentence, Daniel effortlessly lifted the supplies from the carriage. Even the box full of carrots—without so much as a frown—before setting it down on the ground.

“Hey, I can do it myself. What if someone sees you?”

I smacked his arm, trying to stop him. There were maids around—what if someone caught the master of the house rolling up his sleeves to carry a box of carrots?

But Daniel only gave me a puzzled look.

“I heard women like men who carry heavy things.”

“Who told you that?”

Without hesitation, Daniel reached inside the snug black vest he was wearing. He pulled out a bundle of papers from his inner pocket and handed it to me.

It was a gossip magazine for women. On the last page, there was a small feature titled: “Top 10 Actions of a Gentleman That Make a Lady’s Heart Flutter.”

“…You actually read stuff like this?”

Daniel just shrugged, unfazed by my shock.

“Look at number 8—’A man who easily lifts heavy things.'”

“So that’s why you made a show of carrying the carrot box in front of me?”

“Well? Did I earn some points?”

“No. It just makes you more unappealing. The fact that you even read this kind of gossip.”

Daniel Leandro, of all people, doing something like this to win my favor? The same Daniel I used to brawl with at the orphanage until we lost baby teeth?

The whole thing left a bitter taste in my mouth.

‘Seriously, why is he acting like this in front of me?’

Daniel said he liked me, but honestly, I couldn’t take those words at face value.

‘Sure, maybe he dislikes Deborah now. Their relationship is only just starting, after all, since the king forced them together. But even that resentment is part of the original story. They’ll live together, grow fond of each other, and eventually fall in love…’

So, his feelings for me might just be fleeting. After all, his future is already set in stone.

And besides…

‘Does it even matter if Daniel likes me? I have to like him too. But to me, he’s just my childhood friend from the orphanage.’

If only one person has feelings, it’s just a one-sided crush. Even if that person is rich, it doesn’t change anything. To me, Daniel was nothing more than a close friend.

So, with an uncomfortable expression, I shoved the gossip magazine against his chest.

“Take it back. No matter what you do, I’ll never have feelings for you. Did you forget we spent five years stuck together? That means I’ve seen everything—good and bad—since we were little kids.”

“……”

“There’s no way I’d start liking you now. Think about it logically.”

But Daniel’s face showed no sign of disappointment. He didn’t look hurt at all. If anything, he seemed like he had already predicted my response.

Brushing off his hands, Daniel arrogantly lifted his chin.

“I never said I wanted your feelings in return. I just said that if you wanted to raise your status, you should marry me. You don’t have to like me to get married.”

“…I don’t want to be rich that badly. And that night, I was just joking. I was upset, so—”

I had only said it in frustration, annoyed by how miserable and exhausting it was to be poor. It was just a passing remark.

“So what do you even get out of this? Even if I don’t like you, you’d still marry me and make me rich?”

“I already told you—I like you. If I can be tied to you, even just on paper, then spending some money is a cheap price to pay.”

“You…!”

How could he say something that makes my face burn like this with such a straight face? I was sure my face was as red as a child who had been playing under the summer sun.

Grinding my teeth, I muttered,

“You have to marry Saint Deborah, remember?”

“That’s not happening.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“What’s there to be sure about? I don’t want to marry her.”

“……”

“There’s someone else I want to marry.”

His deep black eyes landed on my cheek. But since I knew the original story inside and out, I couldn’t believe him so easily.

“…Anyway, thanks for helping with the supplies. I’m going inside, so wait a bit before coming back to the mansion. Don’t come in right away.”

“Alright.”

I struggled to lift the carrot box that Daniel had so easily picked up with one hand. Wobbling slightly, I started walking toward the mansion when Daniel suddenly called out to me.

I turned back to see him leaning against the carriage, watching me.

The scorching summer sunlight, the blindingly lush greenery of the garden, and in the midst of it all, Daniel stood there, casually rolling up his sleeves, a relaxed smile on his face.

“Ponytail suits you.”

“……”

“You look pretty.”

Saying that, he lifted the corner of his lips in a small smirk.

I was genuinely disgusted.

Because at that exact moment, “Number 6 on the list of things that make a woman’s heart flutter: Complimenting her appearance,” flashed through my mind.

 

 

 

****

 

 

“Ugh, so cringy. How did he end up like that?”

I rubbed my arm, still covered in goosebumps.

Even though it was already afternoon and I had finished unloading the kitchen supplies, the shivers hadn’t gone away.

“Where did he even find that ridiculous magazine…? What? Ponytail suits me? He thinks I’m pretty? He was never the type to say things like that!”

He used to be sarcastic, constantly making fun of my looks every time he saw me. And now, all of a sudden, he was sweet-talking me? No matter how many smooth words he threw my way, I knew the real Daniel Leandro. Instead of feeling flustered, I was horrified and repulsed.

“If Colin had said it, at least it would’ve made sense.”

The blazing summer sun had started to set, and evening was approaching. After resting in my quarters for a while, I made my way to the second floor of the mansion to clean. Lucas and Colin’s rooms were already done, leaving only Daniel’s.

I don’t particularly want to see his face, but…

I couldn’t just ask the other maids to clean his room for me forever.

With a sour expression, like I had just bitten into a lemon, I stood in front of Daniel’s door. In one hand, I gripped a dust cloth and a rag like I was heading into battle.

“Your Grace, I’m coming in.”

I knocked on the door out of formality, but there was no response from inside.

Oh, did he go out somewhere? That would be perfect. I could just clean quickly and leave.

Just to be sure, I knocked again before carefully pushing the door open.