I Ran Away And The Reverse Harem Started

Chapter 63 Colin, considerate of his flustered brother, didn’t press further to ask who had scolded him. Instead, he leaned back comfortably against the sofa.“Well, I agree you need some proper rest. Work is important, but…”“I’m sleeping five hours a day now.”“You know humans need more sleep than that. And it’s not just about the hours of sleep.”Daniel didn’t respond, idly spinning a quill between his fingers. Colin looked at him with a gentle gaze, then smiled softly.“All I’m saying is… you need time for yourself, Daniel.”“Hm.”“It’s not like the old days when you had to carry all of us.”When Daniel had helped resolve the kingdom’s financial crisis and was awarded his title as a Count, both Colin and Lucas had been overjoyed.Not simply because of the title, but because Daniel would no longer need to overwork himself to the brink of exhaustion, as he had when building a foundation for the three of them.Back then, Daniel had worked tirelessly day and night to secure a stable future for them all.“We relied on Holden for a while, but now Lucas has his fragrance business, and I’m working hard at Holden too. You don’t have to carry everything alone anymore.”“…Alright.”Daniel replied reluctantly.“But I’ve never thought of it as suffering alone.”“Of course not.”Colin nodded warmly, his expression that of an elder brother.“Well, I suppose you might try to take on Rosieta’s burdens too.”Daniel flinched at the sudden mention of her name. Colin squinted with a teasing grin, his face gleaming like a child trying to rile up a playmate.“Colin, you…”But the next thing Colin said was even more shocking.“Don’t worry, Daniel. I made a few proposals to Rosieta so you wouldn’t have to take responsibility for her.”Proposals? What kind of proposals?Daniel’s questioning look was met with Colin’s calm reply, and Daniel’s jaw dropped in disbelief.“I asked her to marry me and become the wife of a rich man.”Daniel spat the tea he was drinking all over the documents in front of him.  ***** The resort city of Rewybourne could only be reached by train.The kingdom had several major railways, most of which led to border regions. Rewybourne was the sole exception, with a line heading directly to this coastal retreat.Because of this, most of the kingdom’s prominent families owned at least one villa in Rewybourne. Located on the southern coastline, it was also one of the cities least affected by the war.Daniel, upon receiving his title of Count from the king, had purchased a villa in Rewybourne right away. Though, he himself had only visited it once in three years—for a mere three days.“Well, real estate is an important part of business, after all.”Even while the villa sat unused for years, its value steadily increased. The property was said to be in one of the best locations in all of Rewybourne.As I contemplated just how prime the villa’s location might be, Mika and Angie chattered excitedly.“Do you think the men in southern Rewybourne have tanned skin? Tough, sexy guys working under the blazing sun?”“Oh, Mika. Even here, it’s all about men with you? I can’t deal with this!”Angie naturally covered Marie’s ears. Marie, a minor, was reading a gossip magazine about conspiracy theories of octopus-shaped sea monsters appearing along the coast.Unbothered, Mika prattled on.“If I marry one of those tanned guys, will our kid have milk-chocolate skin? You know, like how babies sometimes take the mom’s hair color and the dad’s eyes?”“Good heavens, shut that mouth!”It was a chaotic and unpredictable group, but…“Haha.”I forced a laugh and led the three toward the train platform.No matter what, this was my first trip. Heading to the seaside, even if it was for work, I couldn’t help but feel my heart race with excitement.The train station on the outskirts of Sudwe was, fortunately, fairly close to the Count’s estate—a few hours’ ride by carriage. Thanks to this, we were able to take an afternoon train.Though there were still 30 minutes until departure, the platform was already bustling with people.Marie quietly sidled up to me.“The roof is so tall, Miss Rosieta.”I nodded casually.“It really is.”Marie marveled at the red domed roof.She mentioned that her parents often traveled by train for business, but she had only ever seen them off from the doorsteps of her home—this was her first time on a platform.As she gazed around, her dark eyes met mine.“But Miss Rosieta, you don’t seem that impressed. Isn’t this your first time seeing a train?”“Huh?”I scratched my cheek, feeling awkward. Being a transmigrator, there was little in this world that felt novel to me.‘Nothing in this world can surprise me. After all, this is just the world of a book.’

Perhaps because of this perspective, I’d spent years observing this world from a distance, as if it were someone else’s story. It was a coping mechanism I’d developed while living here for over a decade with an orphan’s backstory.Because of this detachment, I could keep my sanity even when unlucky events or unpleasant days occurred. Though it made others see me as fickle and indecisive, it allowed me to protect my mental health.But I couldn’t exactly explain that to Marie. So instead, I replied differently.“Actually, a lot of train conductors used to come to the restaurant where I worked. I picked up plenty of things from them!”“I see.”I joked lightly, and she seemed to buy it.Well, technically, it wasn’t a lie. Working at the restaurant, I had encountered customers from all walks of life who shared their stories.We all carried our luggage, admiring the train while we waited. The young masters’ baggage had already been loaded onto the train by the estate staff.“But where are the young masters?”Mika glanced around curiously. Soon, two figures appeared walking toward us.Colin was wearing a lightweight jacket and a fedora, while Lucas had his blond hair tied back in a short ponytail.The maids, including myself, greeted them with bows. I lingered, watching Colin curiously.‘Why are there only two of them?’As more time passed, the crowd from outside the platform began to move inside. Departure time was approaching, yet Daniel was still nowhere to be seen.Amid the bustling crowd, I found myself naturally pressed closer to Colin. Taking advantage of the proximity, I whispered to him.“Did Daniel not come with you?”I had seen him preparing for the trip at the estate earlier that morning, and I assumed he’d travel with his brothers in the same carriage. Apparently not.Colin, pulling his hat lower, leaned closer and replied.“He said he’d take the evening train because of work.”“Seriously? Work again?”Work, work, work.I understood that his hard work had made him successful, but it still annoyed me. It was ironic—someone who had worked tirelessly for his family now used work as a reason to be late for family gatherings.Well, at least the busy Count Drunia was making time to visit the villa at all. As I frowned in frustration, Colin chuckled. His gaze lingered on my cheek for a moment.“We can go ahead and wait for him. What, are you upset he’s not coming with us?”“Upset? No way. I just can’t stand his busy act!”Just then, Colin reached out and brushed aside a strand of hair that had fallen across my forehead. My irritation froze as I flinched at his unexpected gesture.On the opposite platform, a train arrived, and a crowd surged out.“I’m here, aren’t I?”The press of people brought Colin and me even closer. No one seemed to pay us any mind.After tucking my hair behind my ear, Colin smiled faintly. Despite the shadow of his hat, his face seemed to glow as if lit by starlight.Pushed by the crowd, I accidentally bumped my forehead against Colin’s shoulder. He lightly grabbed my arm and pulled me forward, shielding me.His hand dropped naturally after that, and he glanced around at the chaos, smoothly changing the subject.“By the way, Rose, didn’t you bring a hat? Even though the sea breeze will be nice, the sun can be harsh.”He mentioned that summer sunburns could sting, and I looked up, still holding my bag.With a confident smile, I replied, “Don’t worry. I’ve got a really pretty hat. I’ve been saving it for the trip.”“Really?”I nodded enthusiastically, thinking of the new straw hat and dress packed in my bag.Though they were gifts from different people, they matched perfectly, and I had deliberately saved them for the resort city.Colin widened his eyes at my confidence, then playfully wrinkled his nose.Before long, it was time to board the train. I rejoined the maids, where Angie was looking around nervously.“What’s wrong, Angie? Did you lose something?”“Oh, Rosieta.”Angie’s expression was uncertain as I widened my eyes, sensing something was amiss.“One of the maids hasn’t arrived yet. You know, the one who said she wasn’t feeling well this morning and stayed back to take some medicine.”“What? She hasn’t arrived yet?”Apparently, Susan, one of the kitchen maids, had felt unwell and stayed back, planning to join us later after taking medicine. But now, it seemed she wouldn’t make it in time for the train.“What should we do? She’s still not here,” Angie said, worry creasing her forehead.“It’s not a huge problem if there are five maids instead of six,” Mika said with a shrug. “The villa has its own staff, doesn’t it? We’ll manage.”Mika seemed unconcerned, speculating that Susan might have eaten something bad the night before and suffered food poisoning. It was summer, after all.“Still, it’s a shame. Susan was going to help with the party preparations,” Angie muttered.The upcoming birthday party for the young master was the main reason so many kitchen maids had been brought along. Angie’s expression darkened as she realized that Susan’s absence might create complications.“If you need more hands, just let me know. I’ll help out,” I offered.“Me too, Angie!” Marie chimed in enthusiastically. “I may be young, but I’m pretty handy!”“Thanks, both of you. I’ll let you know if we need an extra pair of hands,” Angie said with a weak smile. Though still uneasy, she seemed a little reassured.Despite the reassurances, I couldn’t shake a nagging feeling. Something about Susan’s absence made me uneasy.I scanned the crowded platform, narrowing my eyes at the bustling passengers.‘Why does this feel off?’The station was teeming with people rushing to and fro, their voices blending into a dull roar. A nagging suspicion prickled the back of my neck.Just then, my gaze met Lucas’s across the platform. He had been standing near Colin moments ago, but now his sharp blue eyes were watching me intently.Following his line of sight, I noticed someone walking toward us in the distance.It was Angela, accompanied by Mrs. Rosa, the head housekeeper. Angela was one of the villa staff, someone I didn’t know well but recognized from brief encounters at the estate.‘What is Angela doing here?’Her appearance added to my unease. As Angela and Mrs. Rosa approached, their expressions were calm but firm. Angela carried a small satchel, and her demeanor was unusually reserved.Lucas turned his head slightly, signaling to Colin, who walked over to them. Curious, I took a step closer, straining to hear their conversation.Angela spoke softly, and while I couldn’t catch every word, phrases like “unexpected delay” and “urgent request” reached my ears.Colin frowned, his brows knitting as he nodded occasionally. Then he turned back toward me, his expression unreadable.“Rosieta,” Colin called, motioning for me to approach.I stepped forward, my heartbeat quickening.“Is something wrong?” I asked, trying to sound calm.“Not exactly,” Colin said. His usual playful tone was replaced with a more serious one. “It seems there’s been a change of plans. Angela has some news regarding the villa staff.”Angela looked at me directly, her expression neutral.“Miss Rosieta,” she began, “there’s been a small issue at the villa, and the head steward requested that I relay the message personally. We’ll need to make some adjustments upon arrival.”“What kind of adjustments?” I asked cautiously.Angela hesitated before replying, “We’ll explain in full once we reach Rewybourne. For now, let’s ensure everyone boards the train safely.”I exchanged a glance with Colin, who shrugged slightly as if to say he was just as in the dark as I was.“Alright,” I said reluctantly.The sound of the train whistle pierced the air, signaling that it was time to board. Whatever this “issue” was, it would have to wait until we arrived.With lingering unease, I followed the others onto the train, bracing myself for what awaited us at the villa.