I Ran Away And The Reverse Harem Started

Chapter 55 “The Saintess doesn’t like extravagant things.” Certainly, looking at this drawing room, I think what she said was true. However, Mikhail Tezeb, infamous as the kingdom’s scoundrel, had never once given a bouquet to a woman before. Showing them a diamond or ruby-encrusted ring had always been enough to win them over. Moreover, he was the only son of the Marquis Tezeb. Of course, while he had taken pride in the women who were drawn to his family’s wealth, it had never led to actual romance. He lacked both the capability to juggle multiple relationships and the charm to win women over. Mikhail Tezeb was a brilliant man of words, but he was a complete failure when it came to interacting with and satisfying women. Even being a playboy was a field that required talent. In any case, despite Mikhail’s position, Deborah did not fall for him or approach him personally. Sure, she’d give him a smile that would wear your heart out… but that’s a fair smile for anyone. As I waited for Deborah with this ridiculously huge bouquet of flowers, each second felt like an hour. Many times, I thought to myself to throw the bouquet out of that window. ‘Should I should throw it now?’ He worried that this ill-fitting gesture might overwhelm Deborah and cause her to flee. Maybe I should have made a bundle of diamonds instead of flowers. As he glared at the innocent bouquet, conflicted, the door to the reception room suddenly opened. Mikhail’s mind went blank. Deborah entered with a radiant smile. “I’m sorry to keep you waiting, Lord Tezeb. Have you been here long?” Her long, flowing silver hair cascaded freely, and as always, she was breathtakingly beautiful. Mikhail stared at her in disbelief. Deborah was beautiful even under the twinkling lights of the royal palace. But under the sunlight streaming through the window, Deborah looked fresher than the spring flowers. Eyelashes bathed in warm sunlight are even more… “The days are getting hotter. How have you been, Lord Tezeb? This is the first time we’ve seen each other since the party, right?” Deborah sat across from him and naturally asked how he was doing. Completely captivated, Mikhail absentmindedly blurted out: “Yes, you’re beautiful.” “Pardon?” Her striking violet eyes, deep like flower petals, widened momentarily. Mikhail, lost in admiration, was snapped back to reality and stammered in embarrassment. “Wh-what did I just say?” Deborah smiled softly, her gaze resting on Mikhail’s flushed neck. Her eyes drifted to the bouquet in his hands. “Hmm, I believe you were complimenting how beautiful the bouquet is.” It was then that Mikhail realized he was still clutching that stupid bouquet. The cursed bouquet he hadn’t managed to throw out the window! When I actually saw Deborah face to face, the bouquet he had made after urging someone to decorate it in a grand manner looked plain and shabby. I should have thrown it outside long ago. Mikhail, who had always been defined by his arrogance and vanity, felt, for the first time, a sense of inadequacy in her presence. However, since he had shown Deborah a gift, Mikhail desperately pretended that nothing had happened and handed out a bouquet of flowers. “If you’re okay…” “Oh my, for me?” Instead of answering, Mikhail blushed all the way to his ears and nodded. His face looked like a tomato that had burst open. Mikhail couldn’t even make eye contact. Deborah accepted the bouquet with a happy face. She immediately sniffed the flowers and Mikhail stared at her blankly again. Even if five royal painters came here, they couldn’t possibly capture this scene perfectly in a portrait. “Thank you so much, my lord. These flowers are beautiful. I’ll be sure to find a vase and display them properly.” Mikhail’s heart nearly leapt out of his chest as he watched Deborah clutch the bouquet in her arms, looking genuinely pleased. When she smelled the fragrance and laughed softly as she picked out a petal, Mikhail thought with a dumbfounded look on his face. ‘Perhaps that lady… what was her name, Rosetta or Rosalyn… maybe she was right after all.’ Something about sincerity and simplicity working better for Deborah than luxurious things. And she was right. Mikhail inwardly thanked Rosieta, whose face was now a blur in his memory. * * * “I’m sorry, Marquis. It’s prayer time soon, so we won’t be able to talk much longer.” “Not at all. I’ve truly enjoyed our time together.” Mikhail spoke, trying hard to calm his pounding heart. Today’s outcome had been remarkable. In Deborah’s quiet drawing room, he had spent a full thirty minutes talking with her. It was merely a conversation about how they had been since the party, but that alone made Mikhail’s heart beat faster and fill him with the utmost happiness. Mikhail had strained every nerve to avoid making boastful comments about himself, and it had turned out reasonably well. The less he boasted about his family, his mine, or his connections, the more time he had to hear about Deborah’s current situation. It was a significant achievement that he couldn’t have been achieved at a party. As they left the reception room together for the prayer session, Mikhail once again silently thanked Rosieta. He felt like giving her a bracelet with diamonds out of sheer gratitude. Seizing the moment, Mikhail spoke up eagerly. “May I escort you to the chapel, Saintess?” “You, Lord Tezeb?” No, was it burdensome? Mikhail’s excited heart quickly fell to the ground. If Deborah weren’t standing right there, Mikhail would have been tearing out his hair right now. ‘Damn it, everything was going so well—why did you have to volunteer, you idiot Mikhail Tezeb!’ Cold sweat ran down Mikhail’s back as he stammered, trying to explain himself. But then Deborah smiled brightly. “Yes, I’d appreciate that.” What? He almost jumped up like a frog on the spot. The heart that had fallen to the ground soared up to heaven again. Oh God. It seems that God really exists. While Deborah’s agreement seemed purely out of polite courtesy, it didn’t matter to Mikhail. Mikhail kept his distance politely, but stayed by Deborah’s side and headed to the chapel with her. While crossing the two large gardens of the capital temple, they exchanged light-hearted conversation once more. Mikhail thought that he could die happy at this moment—until he heard the voices of men coming from nearby. It happened just as Mikhail was reaching to open the chapel’s back door for Deborah. “Did you hear? There’s a woman who has the same birthday as Deborah, the Saintess?” A sharp voice rang out, quickly followed by another scolding him to be quiet. ‘What is this?’ Mikhail blinked his amber eyes in confusion. The commotion came from beyond the chapel’s back door. “Shh, shh! Lower your voice!” Peeking slightly through the door, Mikhail saw two men who appeared to be apprentice priests. One of them hurriedly covered the other’s mouth. ‘What nonsense is this?’ Mikhail frowned fiercely. How dare these apprentice priests gossip about the Saintess within the temple? Mikhail’s mood that had lifted to the clouds moments ago came crashing down. I don’t know what they were talking about, but it was clear they were speaking ill of Deborah. “A woman with the same birthday as the Saintess? That’s impossible.” Everyone knew how Deborah had become the Saintess. The High Priest had received divine revelation of a sacred date, and the child born on that day was to be revered as the Saintess. ‘The noble woman born on x day of x month in year xxx is the saintess who will lead the temple from now on.’ The men behind the door were clearly questioning whether Deborah was truly the Saintess. ‘How dare they… in this holy place?’ Mikhail was ready to silence that arrogant apprentice priest at any moment. But as he reached for the door, a gentle hand stopped him. It was Deborah, standing silently behind him. “Wait, Lord Tezeb.” “Saintess?” Deborah lightly held his arm, stopping him. Mikhail flinched greatly at the sudden contact, but Deborah’s eyes were on the two priests visible through the gap in the door. She brought a finger to her lips, signaling for him to stay quiet. The two priests, unaware that the saintess was listening, continued to talk beyond the door. One of them asked in a curious tone, apparently sharing Mikhail’s confusion: “A woman with the same birthday? What does that even mean? The Saintess was chosen based on the date God ordained. Are they saying there are two noblewomen born on that day?” “Well, it wasn’t just the birthdate. There was another condition too—she had to be of noble lineage.” The other Priest murmured in astonishment. The High Priest had revealed two key criteria for the Saintess: a specific birthdate and noble bloodline. Everyone knew Deborah was the daughter of a declining noble family. “So… two noblewomen born on the same day?” A shocked sigh escaped from the other man, his voice audible through the door. Meanwhile, Mikhail’s worried gaze turned to Deborah. He pursed his lips, not knowing what to say. Then, he lowered his voice as much as possible and whispered. “… Are you okay?” He was asking if she was okay after hearing such slander. If she said she wasn’t, he was prepared to storm in and confront the apprentices immediately. But contrary to his concern, Deborah’s face remained calm. “I’m fine. I want to hear more. I want to know what they’re saying.” “But…” “To be honest, I’ve thought about it too sometimes.” Mikhail looked confused. Just moments ago, Deborah had been smiling joyfully while holding the bouquet he gave her. Now her expression had turned somber. “I’ve wondered if I might not be the real Saintess.”