I Ran Away And The Reverse Harem Started Chapter 85

“Daniel?”

I peeked my head through the gap in the door.

Daniel’s room was decorated similarly to his brothers’ rooms. However, unlike them, a large wooden desk sat prominently near the terrace. A tall chair was positioned with its back to the door, facing the terrace.

He’s not on the bed either. Guess he really went out.

I had wondered if he was asleep, but the bed was perfectly made. Feeling relieved, I stepped inside and closed the door behind me.

It’s better if he’s not here. I’ll just clean the terrace windows, dust the place, and get out.

Setting my cleaning tools on the floor, I headed toward the terrace. A cool breeze slipped in through the slightly open door.

“Huh?”

As I approached, I noticed the large chair facing the terrace. And in it, bathed in the hazy sunlight streaming in, Daniel was fast asleep.

“Seriously? Did he doze off while working?”

I placed a hand over my racing heart and took a moment to observe him.

Golden sunlight washed over his face. Even when I waved my hand above him, casting shadows across his features, his long lashes didn’t so much as twitch.

He sat upright, arms crossed, looking completely at ease.

…Does he always take naps like this when he’s busy?

Quietly, I gathered the scattered documents on his desk and stacked them neatly. Then, careful not to make a sound, I started wiping down the terrace windows. Since he was sleeping so soundly, I didn’t want to wake him.

Even as I swept the floor and lingered near the terrace, Daniel remained completely unaware. He was so deep asleep that someone could carry him away, and he wouldn’t notice.

Once I had finished most of my cleaning, I found myself back in front of him.

“If only he didn’t say such ridiculous things, he’d actually be pretty decent.”

If he hadn’t shown up with that absurd magazine, and if he weren’t destined to end up with Deborah, Daniel would actually be… not bad.

Holding back a chuckle, I examined his face closely.

For a man, his skin was pale, his eyelashes thick. His sharp eyebrows and well-defined nose were striking. If I hadn’t grown up fighting and bickering with him, I could understand why most women would fall for someone like him.

Yeah… This is what a male lead looks like.

Maybe that’s why. Ever since I was little, I had always enjoyed poking and prodding the faces of male lead candidates. It was just fascinating how such small faces could have such bold features.

And among them, Daniel had reached a point where he no longer even reacted when I touched him.

But I just cleaned, so I won’t touch him this time.

Instead, I settled for observing his face up close. That’s when I noticed a small speck of white dust on his cheek.

When did that get there?

This much should be fine to wipe off, right?

As carefully as possible, I reached out my hand. Just as I was about to brush the dust away—

“What are you doing?”

A low voice made me inhale sharply.

The next moment, I was staring straight into Daniel’s dark eyes—my wrist caught firmly in his grasp.

Our gazes locked.

“I-I was just…”

I gasped. I was so startled that I couldn’t even scream.

Does it look like I was trying to pull something?

I had confidently told myself that no amount of seduction would work on him, yet now, even I had to admit—touching his face in secret probably seemed very suspicious.

Still half-asleep, Daniel squinted at me while holding my wrist. In his gleaming eyes, I could see my own frozen, tense expression reflected back at me.

Then, with a lazy chuckle, he closed his eyes again.

“You… touching people’s faces again…”

His voice, still heavy with drowsiness, made me hold my breath once more.

And just then—

“Hey, Daniel! You got mail!”

I nearly screamed like someone had stomped on my foot.

I was even more startled than when Daniel had grabbed my wrist.

It was Lucas’s voice.

 

 

****

 

 

“…Huh? Where’d he go?”

Without knocking, Lucas barged into Daniel’s room and tilted his head in confusion.

He was sure he had sensed someone inside just moments ago, but when he opened the door, the room was empty.

The bed was untouched, the leather chair was facing the door—but there was no one in it.

“Did he go out?”

Scratching the back of his head, Lucas clicked his tongue in annoyance. He had come to deliver Daniel’s mail…

“Where did this guy run off to now?”

He had even thought about staying for tea, but now that was out the window. He swore he had heard voices just now…

Glancing around the empty room, Lucas casually placed the letter on the side table near the door. The sender was the capital’s temple.

“Well, whatever. I did my job.”

With that, Lucas turned on his heel and strolled out, shutting the door behind him with a click.

“…Phew.”

As the sound of footsteps faded away, a quiet sigh escaped from under the desk.

Daniel’s broad chest deflated slightly, while my own heart was still hammering in my chest.

Was it because Lucas had burst in so suddenly? Or was it… this position?

Daniel and I were tangled together behind the desk—our legs intertwined.
To be precise, I was sprawled on top of Daniel’s chest, and he had his palm pressed against the back of my head, as if to protect it.

“Is he gone?”

At Daniel’s low murmur, I quickly lifted my head.

It had all happened just before Lucas entered the room.

“You… touching people’s faces again…?”

I had been so startled that I flailed in panic. At the same time, Daniel had been trying to get up from his chair—our legs got tangled—

“Kyaa!”

And just like that, we toppled backward, collapsing behind the desk.

And right after that, Lucas had thrown the door open.

Anyone who knew Lucas knew how ridiculously jealous he could get. Sure, he might not have minded me simply being in Daniel’s room. But if he had seen us tangled together behind the desk?

He wouldn’t just throw a fit—he’d immediately run off to Colin and spill everything he saw.
Then, he’d start interrogating us for days about what exactly was going on between us.

Just thinking about it made my head ache.

“Stay quiet.”

“R-Right.”

So when Lucas burst in, Daniel and I instinctively clamped our mouths shut.

Thump-thump-thump.

Pressed against his chest, I couldn’t tell whose heartbeat was racing faster—his or mine.

Thankfully, Lucas didn’t check behind the desk. He just left the letter and walked out.

Only when his footsteps completely faded did I shakily push myself upright.

My heart had been pounding like I was some kind of undercover spy on a secret mission.

“He’s definitely gone, right?”

“Probably.”

The entire time, Daniel had just remained there, letting me pin him down.

“…Is your head okay?”

I hesitated before sliding off of him and sitting on the floor. Our legs had gotten tangled, so when we fell, Daniel had taken the brunt of the impact, landing straight on his back.

I glanced at him worriedly.

Daniel sat up slowly, rubbing the back of his head a few times.

“I think it’s cracked.”

“Stop lying. There’s no blood.”

“Touch it and see for yourself. There’s a huge lump. I might need to go to the hospital.”

“….”

“Hospital fees can come out of your debt, by the way. Since this was your fault.”

“What? Hey, how is this my fault—!”

I was too stunned to even finish my sentence.

But… he wasn’t exactly wrong.

If I hadn’t secretly tried to touch his face, none of this would’ve happened. And now, here I was—a mere maid—having caused a lump on the head of a noble and the head of a major trading company…

I clamped my mouth shut and made a miserable face.

Seeing me sulking, Daniel suddenly reached out and flicked my forehead.

“Can’t you take a joke?”

He smirked. So he wasn’t seriously hurt. And he wasn’t actually going to bill me for it. I let out a relieved sigh.

“Whew, thank goodness. You’re the type who’d actually send me a bill, you know…”

“….”

“Wait, is ‘guys who joke around’ on the list of things women like? No, right?”

“….”

“Either way, don’t joke about money with me. My heart actually shriveled up for a second.”

Pressing a hand to my chest, I let out another dramatic sigh.

Daniel gave me an unimpressed look.

“Do I really seem that stingy to you?”

“Do I even need to answer that? Out of everyone I know, you care about money the mo— Ow!”

Before I could finish, Daniel flicked my forehead again, this time harder. My forehead stung.

 

 

 

****

 

 

A dim dusk settled over the maids’ quarters. The moon hung high in the night sky.

One by one, the maids returned to their rooms to rest after finishing their evening tasks.

Angela, however, had been staying alone in a small room ever since she was placed on probation.

Word of her violent behavior—bullying the other maids—had reached Mrs. Rosa, the head maid, through their master. Worse yet, her disgraceful conduct had been exposed in front of the party guests.

As a result, Angela was forbidden from leaving the quarters without Mrs. Rosa’s permission.

Her final punishment would be decided once they returned to the capital, but it was obvious—she would be dismissed without so much as a letter of recommendation.

For days, she had done nothing but cry, overwhelmed by a deep sense of injustice and misery. She couldn’t understand what she had done to deserve such a severe punishment.

Once she had no more tears left to shed, she began to think.

Angela sat on the edge of her bed in the dark, unlit room, deep in contemplation.

She thought back to that night—the night of the fight.

“…It was definitely that night.”

Nervously, Angela bit at her fingernails, her anxiety evident.

After being placed on probation, she had spent most of her time crying in her room. But one dawn, feeling weak and restless, she had stumbled into the kitchen.

And that’s when she saw it.

…What is she doing?

The maids’ quarters were silent, save for the sound of their exhausted snores after preparing for the party all night.

And in that quiet darkness, Angela saw Rosieta standing there.

Eyes closed, swaying unsteadily—Rosieta was walking out of the quarters.