I Ran Away And The Reverse Harem Started Chapter 86

At first, she thought she had imagined it.

The night was far too dark, and the idea of someone sleepwalking seemed absurd.

But if it was Rosieta Jensen, then it was entirely possible.

Angela quickly hid behind the wall.

Rosieta, who had been standing there with her eyes closed, swaying, soon stepped out of the quarters—wearing only slippers and a nightgown. Around her wrist, a broken, frayed ribbon dangled loosely.

Angela covered her mouth with her hand.

So the sleepwalking was real.

The secret that Miriam had spread about her.

When Angela first heard the rumors, she hadn’t taken them seriously. Miriam had humiliated Rosieta by exposing her sleepwalking, but Angela had never actually witnessed it herself.

There are always girls like that—ones who pretend to be ‘unique’ just to get attention from men or sympathy from their peers. I never saw her sleepwalking with my own eyes, so I figured it was just one of those lies…

Angela swallowed hard. Her drowsiness had completely disappeared.

She waited for Rosieta to return, but hours passed.

Determined, Angela stayed awake in the darkness.

When the rain finally stopped and the sky began to lighten with the approaching dawn, someone tiptoed back into the quarters—moving like a stray cat that had just done something forbidden.

Angela watched as Rosieta, soaking wet, slipped inside.

She observed everything—the way Rosieta dried herself off, the way she quietly returned to her room.

So she snapped out of it at some point?

Angela let out a thoughtful hum, her breath tinged with intrigue.

Then, she fell deep into contemplation.

 

 

 

****

 

 

 

 

The morning chores were finished.

After completing their morning tasks, the maids usually spent their afternoons napping in the shade of the quarters or heading out to the market for leisure.

Today was no different. Thanks to the maids who had either gone out to the market or were peacefully dozing until dinnertime, the quarters were quiet. And today also happened to be the day I had plans with Lucas.

Marie, Mika, and Angie said they were going to the beach today. The other maids are out as well. Jensen Village is in the complete opposite direction, so there’s no chance of running into them.

I stood in front of the mirror and checked my appearance.

A soft apricot-colored dress with a white sailor collar embroidered with delicate patterns. My red, wavy hair was braided and tucked under a straw hat to shield me from the sun. Just in case, I had even put on a pair of round glasses.

“This outfit with glasses is a bit much… but it actually suits me pretty well.”

Feeling pleased, I admired myself in the mirror. Twirling lightly, I watched as the crisp apricot skirt flared out like an umbrella.

Without a doubt, this was the most expensive and beautiful dress I had ever worn.

“I always knew he was skilled… but giving me a dress like this for free? Maybe he’s secretly a kindhearted middle-aged man.”

I imagined Roan’s unreadable smile in my mind and let out a small chuckle.

Just then, a tapping sound came from the window.

It was Lucas.

“Rosie, the carriage is ready out back—why are you taking so long…?”

Without checking who was inside or what I was doing, Lucas carelessly stuck his head through the window.

I clenched my fist, ready to scold him—but before I could, he slapped a hand over his own mouth.

“Wow! Rosie, why do you look so pretty today?”

“Pretty, right? It’s a gift.”

Delighted by his enthusiasm, I lifted the hem of my dress and gave a playful curtsy. Lucas grinned even wider.

“If I had known I’d be escorting a lady today, I would’ve dressed up a bit more.”

“It’s just a small festival—why would you? Besides, you look cute as you are.”

It wasn’t just flattery—Lucas genuinely looked like a charming local youth.

With a newsboy cap pulled down over his forehead, a beige button-up shirt, and suspenders crossing his chest, he fit the image perfectly.

Usually, he had the air of a refined noble raised in a greenhouse, but today, he looked like an innocent small-town boy.

Lucas was even wearing glasses to help conceal his face.

I took his hand and climbed out the window.

“Allow me to escort you to the festival, my lady.”

“My lady?”

I burst into laughter.

“Are you going for a butler vibe or a nobleman act?”

“Whichever you prefer, Rosie. Today, it’s all up to you.”

With a playful smirk, Lucas lifted my hand and brushed his fingers against the back of it.

We exchanged exaggerated, comically noble greetings and burst into laughter.

Then, careful not to be seen, we quickly made our way toward the waiting carriage.

 

 

 

****

 

 

 

Just as Lucas had said, Jensen was a seaside village bustling with food stalls selling seafood dishes, along with countless snacks and attractions.

A salty breeze drifted in from the harbor.

“It’s been so long since I’ve been to the sea.”

I took a deep breath, inhaling the ocean air. It was refreshing, all the way down to my lungs.

A few nights ago, I had wandered my way into Jensen in a daze, even reaching Yvette Büllossen’s villa.

Was it because it was dark back then?

At the time, the village had seemed small and quiet. But now, with the festival in full swing and the streets filled with cheerful people, it felt warm and welcoming.

I turned my gaze away from the sea and looked toward the opposite side of the village. A long stretch of mountains lined the horizon—somewhere in those foothills was the Büllossen estate.

“But why do my last name and this village share the same name?”

Was it just a coincidence?

Then again, why would an orphan even have a last name? Someone probably just made one up for me, and it stuck…

I had no memories of who gave me my name. I didn’t even remember if it had been chosen randomly or if it held any real meaning.

Did the person who abandoned me come from Jensen? Or… was Jensen actually my real family name in this world?

I absentmindedly scanned the lush, green mountain ridge when Lucas suddenly appeared beside me.

“Rosie, look at this!”

His face was brimming with excitement as he pointed ahead.

One stall was grilling massive lobsters, each as big as a person’s forearm, while another was selling blue cotton candy—bigger than Lucas’s entire face.

In his hands, he was already holding two cups of lemonade.

“A traveling theater troupe is performing tonight! They’re setting up the stage right now.”

“Really? I thought you and the others preferred opera. Since when were you interested in traveling performers?”

A wandering troupe’s play sounded interesting, but Lucas had seen plenty of performances from top-tier opera singers. Would this really be his kind of thing?

Lucas widened his eyes as if I had said something ridiculous.

“It doesn’t matter what it is—it’s my first time watching it with you!”

“Is that really so important?”

“Of course it is.”

Lucas pursed his lips as if he were embarrassed.

“…Besides, traveling theater troupes don’t have assigned seating, so we’d have to sit really close together. And if we stay out late, we can watch the fireworks too.”

I let out a small laugh.

“So basically, you’re saying we should stay until nightfall and watch the play?”

“Exactly.”

Lucas hesitated for a moment before nudging his elbow toward me.

“…Want to link arms?”

“What?”

I blinked at him in surprise, and Lucas’s face instantly turned red as he scrambled to explain himself.

“N-No! I don’t mean it in a weird way! It’s just—the festival’s packed, and this is a small village. It’d be way too easy for one of us to get lost, so—”

“If anyone’s getting lost, it’d be you, not me.”

“What? Why?”

“Because you’re younger than me.”

“There you go treating me like a kid again!”

Before he could start fuming, I quickly took his arm. I felt him flinch.

“Happy now?”

“Y-Yeah.”

Lucas, who had been on the verge of exploding like a stepped-on cat, suddenly fell completely silent.

I had to stifle a laugh at how easily he calmed down.

“Alright, fine. Let’s stay until nightfall, watch the play, and head back. But you’re paying for everything today.”

“Huh? Really?”

Lucas’s bright blue eyes widened.

“Normally, you’d insist on paying for yourself or say that older siblings buy food for their younger ones.”

This kid really had figured out how I usually acted.

But today, I decided to be different.

I scoffed, loud enough for him to hear.

“I took time out of my busy day to come with you. Time is money, you know? I have a very important schedule. And weren’t you calling me ‘my lady’ earlier?”

“…That’s true.”

Lucas nodded, as if something had just clicked in his head.

Then, as if steeling himself for a mission, he tightened his hold on my arm and straightened his back. Even his expression turned oddly determined.

“Alright! I’ll treat you like a proper lady today! Now, shall we go?”

“Sure. Let’s start with that lobster over there… And since you were the one who wanted to come to this festival, I assume you’ve got a whole plan ready?”

“Of course!”

Lucas puffed out his chest confidently. He seemed delighted to have taken the lead.

‘Seriously, he’s so easy to handle.’

But if I laughed at him now, he’d definitely get all defensive again.

So, I pressed my lips together and decided to just go along with whatever Lucas had planned.

At least for today’s festival.

 

 

 

 

****

 

 

 

 

Even as night fell, the festival’s energy showed no signs of waning.

Lanterns illuminated the streets, casting a warm glow over the bustling night. In the distance, the dark sea rippled gently. The air was filled with the rich scent of butter and sweet confections wafting from food stalls.

Now that the harbor had quieted down, even the sailors had joined in on the festivities. The crowd had swelled into a sea of people.

Lucas and I had just finished watching a play performed by the traveling theater troupe—from the front row, no less.

“That was amazing, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah. I wasn’t expecting much from a traveling troupe, but that stage split in half out of nowhere—totally caught me off guard.”

We chattered excitedly, still weaving our way through the packed streets.

Neither of us had high expectations, but the performance had completely exceeded them.

The stage had suddenly split apart, the heroine’s dress had shifted from blue to black in an instant, and at the climax, small fireworks had burst into the air.

No doubt, this troupe had to be famous.

We were so enthralled by the play that we hadn’t even realized we were still walking arm-in-arm as we pushed through the crowd.

Then Lucas suddenly asked, “By the way, that dress—you got it from Roan, didn’t you?”