The Runaway Female Lead Doesn't Run Away (13 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 13
“Then I’ll leave it in your hands.”
Having finished revising the design, Dahlia was just about to take her leave when, from one corner of the atelier, a woman who had been watching Dahlia and Madam Louise stepped forward.
“You’re the Duchess Seyear, correct?”
The woman, with deep brown hair braided into a single plait resting over her shoulder, sparkled with blue eyes.
‘Who is she?’
She appeared to be around Dahlia’s age and, like Dahlia, seemed to be of noble birth—but there was no way Dahlia could recognize her.
Yet it wouldn’t be proper to bluntly ask “Who are you?” to someone who clearly seemed to know her. Just as Dahlia was pondering how best to respond—
“Oh! My apologies for the belated introduction. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name is Rachel. Duke Roman is my father.”
‘Rachel? Wait, if it’s Rachel…’
Rachel Roman.
One of only five ducal houses in the Empire. And even more significant than her status as a noble daughter was this:
‘If it’s Rachel, isn’t she the one who later sets in motion the encounter between the female lead and male lead?’
In the original story, Rachel first met the female lead after marrying Duke Cheiser.
While residing as duchess at his estate, she discovered the female lead hiding out in the duchy and, feeling pity for her living alone without a husband, offered her generous assistance.
Eventually, she even appointed the female lead as the wet nurse to her own daughter.
Thanks to this, the female lead came to stay at the ducal manor, where she coincidentally met the male lead when he happened to visit—that was how the plot originally unfolded.
‘Meeting this Rachel right now?’
And not just any time—this was before Rachel became Duchess Cheiser, back when she was still Lady Roman.
Dahlia felt bewildered, yet also uneasy that the story kept diverging further from the original plot.
Of course, Rachel wasn’t a villain; she was sympathetic toward the female lead and would later provide crucial help. Thus, Dahlia greeted her calmly.
“Yes, a pleasure. Lady Roman. Did you also come to order a dress?”
“Yes. The Emperor’s birthday celebration is coming up soon, after all. Also, I overheard your conversation with Madam Louise earlier. To be honest, I’ve been finding my usual dresses rather stifling lately.”
Rachel replied with a playful wink. Now that Dahlia looked closer, Rachel’s attire was indeed different—simpler, somehow, compared to the elaborate day dresses Dahlia had often seen her wear at social gatherings.
Just as Dahlia was thinking it might be the nicest outfit she’d seen Rachel in, Rachel made a suggestion.
“It feels rather surprising, honestly, that you, Duchess Seyear, share the same thoughts as I do. So—would you care to join me for a cup of tea?”
“…”
“There’s a newly opened teahouse by the riverbank. Sipping tea while watching the sunset over the river has become quite the trend in high society these days.”
“I see…”
Ugh, how tiresome.
It had already been four hours since she left home.
For someone like her, who found it exhausting to stay outside for over two hours, this was pure torture.
‘What should I do?’
She’d originally planned to go see a doctor right away.
But seeing Rachel’s bright, eager eyes, she couldn’t bring herself to refuse.
‘Well, whether I become close to her later or now—it probably doesn’t matter.’
This, too, might prove helpful for securing a comfortable life in the future. With that thought, she smiled cheerfully.
“Alright. Let’s go together.”
[This is the timeline separator]Rachel’s claim that drinking tea at the riverside café was the latest trend proved no exaggeration.
With its elegant interior and stunning view, plus the sweet aroma tickling the nose—it was a place designed to delight every woman.
“What do you think? Isn’t the atmosphere wonderful?”
“It really is. Absolutely lovely.”
“The sunset here is especially beautiful. You must come back someday with the Duke.”
Oh… not really.
“Yes, that does sound nice—with the Duke. But about our seats…”
As Dahlia, masking her true feelings, offered a vague reply and scanned the area for an empty table, a surprised voice called out to her.
“Oh my! Duchess Seyear?”
‘Ugh, who now?’
Before Dahlia could even hide her annoyance, Rachel beside her reacted first.
“Marchioness Borsen?”
“Oh! Lady Roman is here as well?”
Only then did the Marchioness Borsen seem to notice Rachel standing next to Dahlia, fluttering her fan.
‘Marchioness Borsen…’
A minor villainess who made a few appearances in the original story, always causing trouble for the female lead.
She had resented watching the female lead—a downtrodden daughter of a baron she’d always looked down upon—marry Duke Seyear and rise above her in status.
‘That’s why she kept provoking the female lead at every turn.’
Later, upon learning the Duke had taken a mistress, she’d celebrated gleefully.
Her comeuppance finally arrived when she foolishly antagonized the female lead after her return as duchess, leading the male lead—who then discovered her past cruelty—to ruin her family’s business, ending her story in disgrace.
But that was all in the future. Right now, what mattered was that this woman was clearly hostile toward Dahlia.
And just as expected,
The Marchioness Borsen quickly closed the distance and began provoking her.
“So it’s true what they say—our Duchess has been stepping out more often these days. To think you’d even come to a place like this! How much you’ve changed during my brief absence from the capital!”
It was a snide remark targeting Dahlia’s recent, more active presence in society.
Though the rank gap between a marchioness and a duchess was clear, the marchioness dared speak so boldly because she knew Dahlia would never object.
“And here you are with Lady Roman, too. They say birds of a feather flock together—how fortunate that you two seem so well-matched.”
It was a jab implying that two social outcasts naturally suited each other.
Since the Landrofil Marquis’s garden party, people’s views of Dahlia had softened somewhat—but there were still those who refused to accept her.
Dahlia, however, paid them no mind whatsoever.
The marchioness, unaware of this, assumed once again that she’d successfully belittled Dahlia and grew even more smug.
“Since we’ve met by fate like this, shall we share a cup of tea?”
“No, we were just…”
“Oh! Look—there’s an empty table on the terrace.”
Though Rachel tried to politely decline the marchioness’s invitation to join tables, it was pointless. The marchioness stubbornly headed to the terrace and beckoned them over impatiently.
It was yet another slight against Duchess Dahlia and Lady Rachel.
Ugh.
‘Here we go again—getting dragged into something annoying.’
Glancing briefly at Rachel, Dahlia saw her expression was equally displeased—clearly uncomfortable with the situation.
“Come now, take your seats quickly.”
Ignoring their discomfort, the marchioness took the best seat at the table and gestured for them to sit.
‘Look at that.’
Proper etiquette dictated seating by rank—and yet this woman, of lower status than a duchess, boldly claimed the prime seat for herself. It was infuriating.
‘I haven’t been here long since my reincarnation, but as someone with 17 years of romance novel experience, I can clearly see how shamelessly rude this marchioness is being.’
But arguing over it would only be bothersome. Deciding to just play along briefly before heading home, Dahlia took a step forward—
“Huh?”
She suddenly flinched upon spotting a bug clinging to her arm.
With many legs and about the size of her thumb, it likely fell from the large tree near the café entrance.
‘I need to shake it off before anyone notices.’
Afraid the marchioness might use it as an excuse to start another quarrel, she flicked it lightly with her fingers.
Oh no.
The insect landed straight onto the marchioness’s head as she sat at the table.
Startled, Dahlia froze momentarily—then, after a brief internal struggle, turned her head away.
‘I’ll… pretend I didn’t see it.’
Though she pitied the poor creature wriggling helplessly in the woman’s hair, what could she do?
Even if she wasn’t afraid of bugs, she certainly didn’t feel like digging through someone else’s hair to catch it.
So, with an awkward gesture, Dahlia sat down across from Marchioness Borsen.
Just then, as if on cue, a maid placed their pre-ordered tea on the table.
The marchioness lifted her teacup and savored its aroma.
“The black tea here is especially fragrant—they use leaves produced in our Borsen territory. I brought some to your tea party last time, Duchess. Do you remember? Ah, right—now that I think of it, you were crying so hard that day, I don’t think you even got to drink it.”
Her mocking laughter filled the air, ridiculing the former Dahlia.
But Dahlia paid no attention—her focus was solely on the bug still perched atop the marchioness’s head.
Just moments ago securely settled on her crown, the insect now dangled precariously, threatening to fall.
And finally—
“Even now, whenever I recall how you cried that day, Duchess, my heart still aches for you. I do worry—despite your humble origins, you are a duchess now, after all. You really must maintain some dignity in front of others…”
Plop.
The moment the marchioness raised her teacup to sip, the bug clinging to her hair plopped right into the cup.
Male lead is a clingy little husband
One-line summary: The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
Introduction:
One day, Lu Yuner’s soul transmigrates into a female-dominant world. She enters the Imperial Academy and takes up the position of a doctoral instructor, teaching classes and grading schoolwork.
One day, she encounters the young prince Su Qingwan secretly skipping class from the male academy.
As a result, Su Qingwan is punished.
From then on, Su Qingwan sees Lu Yuner as a “thorn in his side”.
But before long, this “thorn” becomes the person he cherishes most, and he goes to great lengths to win Lu Yuner’s affection.
Mini scene 1:
One day, the sun is high in the sky but Su Qingwan still hasn’t gotten up for class.
Servant Xiaoyuan: “Young prince, it’s time for class. You’ll be late otherwise.”
Su Qingwan says arrogantly: “I’m not going. I am the esteemed prince, my status is so noble, why should I suffer this hardship? Besides, isn’t learning all this just to please women? Hmph, they’re not worthy!”
Mini scene 2:
After Su Qingwan falls for someone, he completely changes. He no longer skips class and diligently learns how to be a good husband and father. But he discovers that Sister Yuner is always surrounded by admirers.
Drunk and overcome with jealousy one day, he clings to Lu Yuner, crying beautifully like a pear blossom in the rain.
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan likes Sister Yuner.”
Lu Yuner: “Young prince, you’re drunk.”
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan isn’t drunk. Qingwan likes Sister Yuner, likes you so much, likes you to bits…” Before he can finish, Lu Yuner’s eyes flash with emotion and she leans in closer.
[Reading Guide]
1. The female lead is gentle, gracious, humble and polite but not weak. The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
2. 1v1, a bit torturous in the beginning but definitely sweet later on.
_____
Please help me, I want to bring you the best possible things.
If you find any chapter or novel with poor translation and editing quality, let me know by commenting directly under that novel or chapter. I will retranslate it as soon as possible.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
MANGA DISCUSSION
1 Comment
Chapter Comments (13)
Despite your horrible with listening, Rachel you get points
Hang in there Dalia, let’s aim for a leisure life.
Dahlia.. I am going to dock your points for poor preparation
Inline Comments (67)
Clayton murmured with a cold, sharp smile.
You ignored her first. To me ,you don’t have rights to anything about her
And so, unintentionally, Dahlia ended up ditching Samantha and Daniel yet again.
Noo. They won’t trust you again girl. Anyway I am still mad at Clayton
Unlike the Duke, who didn’t even care whether his own wife was being humiliated
Yes. So I want you to become male lead. Clayton did a lot of mess. But there is bot a chance for you🥲
YOUR COMMENT
2. Inline comments are now available. Tap the end of any line in a chapter to share your thoughts instantly.
Log in to comment.
VKotaku28
She is lost in her own world… lol. The bug went plop