The Runaway Female Lead Doesn't Run Away (13 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 14
But the tragedy didn’t end there.
The marchioness, eyes closed and humming contentedly as she savored her tea’s aroma, failed to notice the insect that had crawled into her cup.
Truly, this was the kind of situation where even one’s mortal enemy would be stopped from drinking it—just once.
Dahlia, alarmed, quickly reached out to call the marchioness. But…
“My lady, just now, that tea—!”
It was already too late.
Before Dahlia could stop her, the marchioness had already taken a sip—and along with the prized black tea she’d been so proud of, she also took the insect into her mouth. And then, a moment later—
“Hmm? Something strange in my mouth….”
Realizing something was off, the marchioness rolled the object around in her mouth and spat it out onto her palm with a soft *plop*.
There, revealed upon her palm, lay a black object—more precisely, the mangled remains of an insect, half its body severed by her molars.
“…….”
“…….”
“…….”
After a brief silence, as the marchioness realized what the remains were, her face turned deathly pale. And then—
“KYAAAAAAAHHHH!”
A dreadful scream echoed through the café.
Startled, the marchioness flung the bug from her hand and leapt up from her seat, throwing the place into chaos.
“A buh-buh-bug! A bug!”
For a refined noblewoman raised like a delicate hothouse flower, seeing a bug before her eyes alone would have provoked a scream—let alone having one pop right out of her own mouth. It was more than enough to make her faint.
But Marchioness Borsen proved stronger than expected.
Rather than collapsing easily, she flailed about wildly, making a complete scene as she rampaged through the café.
Thanks to her, everyone in the café turned their attention toward her.
“Isn’t that Marchioness Borsen? Why’s she suddenly acting like that…?”
“Right? Such unladylike behavior… and from a married woman, too. How embarrassing.”
Ah, if only she’d fainted—it would’ve ended neatly as a frail noblewoman collapsing.
Unfortunately, to everyone else, it merely looked like a madwoman parading through the café.
“M-Mistress! Please calm down!”
Finally, after her maid could no longer bear to watch, she approached—and only then did the marchioness lose consciousness, carried away on the shoulders of the Borsen family coachman.
An awkward silence hung over the table where the marchioness had caused such a commotion before vanishing.
‘Oh no… I feel so guilty now…’
I never thought things would blow up this badly. If I’d known, I should’ve just removed the bug right away.
‘I’m sorry, my lady.’
I really didn’t mean to do it on purpose.
Dahlia silently offered a brief apology to the absent marchioness and took a sip from her own cup.
‘The tea really is lovely.’
Just as the marchioness had said before disappearing, the tea was wonderfully fragrant.
As she took another sip, she decided she’d buy some of the tea leaves sold at the counter before heading back to the mansion later.
Just then, Rachel, who had stayed quiet until now, finally spoke.
“I really see you differently now, my lady.”
“Huh? See what…?”
Dahlia paused mid-sip and turned toward her. Rachel continued in a very serious tone.
“The bug that Marchioness Borsen swallowed. There’s no need to pretend you don’t know. I saw everything.”
At Rachel’s words, Dahlia broke into a cold sweat—like a child caught sneaking snacks.
‘Ugh, damn it. When exactly did she see that?’
I thought I’d been too busy dealing with the marchioness to notice anything—but did she have eyes on the side of her head or something?
‘Ugh. She’s definitely going to scold me for acting so unladylike.’
Internally grumbling about Rachel’s inconveniently sharp observation skills, Dahlia resignedly nodded.
“…Yes. That’s right. But it was just an ac—”
“That was absolutely brilliant.”
“Right, absolutely brill— Huh?”
Brilliant? What on earth was?
Dahlia met Rachel’s sparkling eyes—shining with admiration that bordered on overwhelming.
“You deliberately stuck that bug on the marchioness to teach her a lesson, didn’t you?”
Rachel whispered, just loud enough for Dahlia to hear.
‘Wait, what? Since when did I do it on purpose?’
“My lady, I think you’re mi—”
But Rachel didn’t let Dahlia finish.
“Didn’t you see how Marchioness Borsen fell apart just now? Ahh, it felt so satisfying. She’s been utterly insufferable ever since she was Lady Borsen of House Stewart.”
With that, Rachel winked conspiratorially, as if to say, *You get me, right?*
“It’s been wonderful seeing a whole new side of you, Duchess. I’ve made up my mind.”
Immediately after finishing her sentence, Rachel held out her hand.
“How about we become friends? I have a feeling we’ll get along perfectly.”
Still blinking, unable to keep up with the conversation’s pace, Dahlia froze—so Rachel grabbed her hand.
Then, clasping their hands together, Rachel shook them enthusiastically.
“Looking forward to it! And, uh… is it okay if I call you by your name?”
“Ah… well, I don’t mind that, but what about that bug earlier—”
“Great! Dahlia! When it’s just us two, please call me Rachel.”
“No, wait—that bug wasn’t—”
“Don’t worry. I’ll take today’s secret to the grave. Friends are supposed to have one or two secrets between them, right?”
But Rachel clearly had no intention of listening to Dahlia’s explanation.
‘I didn’t do it on purpose! I wasn’t trying to embarrass that woman!’
And so, Dahlia gained a brand-new friend who only listened to herself.
[This is the timeline separator]“Sigh…”
After parting with Rachel, Dahlia stood in front of the café, letting out an exhausted sigh.
If not for Rachel, she might have already visited the physician for her check-up.
Yet here she was, making an unplanned café stop—and on top of that, an unexpected encounter had thoroughly drained her mind and body.
“…Should I just go home?”
The sky, already tinged with orange, seemed to whisper for her to return home. But Dahlia quickly shook her head, coming to her senses.
“No, I should at least find out where the physician is.”
Just as Dahlia regained her resolve—
“Oh dear, which physician are you looking for?”
Rachel, whom Dahlia had assumed had long since returned to her mansion, appeared before her, eyes sparkling.
“M-My lady! Weren’t you supposed to have gone back already?”
Dahlia stammered, hastily gathering her dropped heart from the floor.
“I remembered the dessert I’d ordered through my maid earlier. I came back because I wanted to share it with you—it’s a lemon tart you have to wait three hours in line to get.”
Rachel handed over a white box with a bright smile.
“But why look for another physician when you’ve left behind the Duke’s personal doctor? I’ve heard the Seyear family’s physician is as skilled as any in the Imperial Palace.”
“Ah, well… yes, that’s true. Haha…”
Under the Duchess’s persistent questioning, Dahlia offered an awkward laugh, dodging the question.
Truly an awkward situation—there was no way she could say she was secretly seeking contraceptives without her husband knowing.
Just as Dahlia was pondering what excuse to make up, Rachel, who had been closely observing her, suddenly clapped her hands together as if she’d realized something.
“Oh! How thoughtless of me. There’s really only one kind of personal trouble you couldn’t even tell your family physician about.”
“Huh? Personal trouble? What do you—”
“Dahlia, I understand you. My own cousin once faced the exact same dilemma.”
No, seriously—what dilemma?!
“If you need a doctor who can solve your ladylike concerns, I know just the one. He normally specializes in women’s ailments…”
“…Women’s ailments?”
Just as Dahlia’s irritation began to surface, Rachel’s mention of a specialist made her eyes light up.
“Yes. They say he knows everything about illnesses concerning women. But above all, his greatest strength is…”
Watching Rachel prepare to deliver a dramatic statement, Dahlia unconsciously swallowed hard.
“Absolute confidentiality.”
“Confidentiality?”
“He never, ever leaks any information about his patients. Of course, that should go without saying for any physician—but so many sell their ethics for a few coins, don’t they? This man is different. That’s why so many ladies secretly seek him out.”
‘He’s exactly the doctor I’ve been looking for!’
Upon hearing Rachel’s final words, Dahlia nodded eagerly, ready to rush off and meet the physician right then and there—
That was, until she heard Rachel’s very next sentence.
“He’ll surely help the Duke regain full function down there in no time.”
Huh?
Male lead is a Love-Obsessed Merman
When he discovers she has gone, he risks everything to pursue her on land, enduring agonizing pain to transform his tail into human legs…
One-line summary: Male lead chases female lead. The male lead’s love is a bit sick, an invincible love brain.
Synopsis
During a voyage at sea, Jiang Yang accidentally captures a merman.
Servant: I heard that mermen are fierce and brutal.
Jiang Yang looks at the merman obediently rubbing her palm like a puppy: “You call this fierce and brutal?”
Servant: I heard that mermen have no human nature.
Jiang Yang looks at the merman with wet puppy eyes, obsessively calling her ‘A Yang’ like a childish infant: “You call this having no human nature?”
With great difficulty, she releases the merman back into the sea and returns to shore.
Who would have thought that in less than half a month, the merman, who should have been freely wandering in the South China Sea, would shed his scales, endure the pain of losing his tail, transform into human legs, and come ashore to find her?
He kneels at her feet, rubbing her palm, with merman tears rolling down: “A Yang, don’t abandon me.”
_____
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MANGA DISCUSSION
1 Comment
Chapter Comments (12)
Hang in there Dalia, let’s aim for a leisure life.
Dahlia.. I am going to dock your points for poor preparation
Poor rose that’s a fkd up role and ml he’s soo creepy, can’t believe fl finds him sexy
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🥲
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VKotaku28
Despite your horrible with listening, Rachel you get points