It Turned Out She Wasn't a Favored Concubine - Episode 104

“But we don’t have much time.”

Erich furrowed his brow, giving me a look that asked what I meant.

“I think she doesn’t have much time left. She—more precisely, the body that originally belonged to me—seems to be nearing its end. So every minute, every second counts now. Time flows differently between this world and the other.”

Even now, I could faintly feel someone calling me from beyond that world. But the call was growing weaker with time. The difference between when I first felt it and now was stark.

I could vaguely sense that it was the time left for Arne, the one who now possessed my body. There was no time to waste.

I wasn’t trying to meet Arne just because of Erich’s demand. To untangle this twisted knot, the two people who had swapped bodies needed to meet. Only then could the path forward become clear. The path for me to live as myself again.

As I organized my thoughts, Erich also seemed to settle his own and spoke.

“Then go quickly and meet Arne.”

It was such an Erich-like conclusion. I smiled faintly and made one last request.

“Then, until I return with proof, please don’t attack the Edelheit estate. You promise?”

“Fine. But don’t get any ideas. Time flows in my favor.”

“I know.”

I took a deep breath and looked down at the garden of the Edelheit estate, which I might not see again for a while. Even though I was prepared, my eyes grew hot.

“Go quickly.”

But Erich didn’t allow even a moment of sentimentality. I gave a bitter smile and closed my eyes.

Just as I tried to focus, the door burst open with a loud crash, breaking my concentration.

“Wait!”

Giscal flung the door open and rushed into the room. My eyes widened.

“How are you here?”

“So this is why you tried to send me away?”

Giscal closed the distance between us in just three steps. His gaze, filled with a mix of resentment and anger, made me avert my eyes.

“You were going to return alone without telling anyone?”

His voice, unlike his expression, was sorrowful and regretful. That made it even harder to lift my head.

“You asked me to evacuate everyone, and then you planned to do this alone?”

“Giscal!”

It was a rare mistake from him. But Giscal didn’t care and continued.

“I evacuated everyone from the estate just as you asked.”

“Then you should’ve left too. Why did you come back?”

“I told you—I couldn’t leave you alone. No matter how much you asked, I couldn’t agree to that.”

“…”

I bit my lower lip. I had wanted Giscal to leave, but also hoped he would return to my side. Seeing his face again made me feel both resentment and gratitude.

Honestly, I was more glad than anything. But Erich, as if to douse that feeling, sneered coldly.

“Hah, so you were hiding and smuggling out the servants like a rat.”

Just before escaping through the underground cellar, I had asked Giscal to evacuate the people of the Edelheit estate in my place.

After unexpectedly gaining the ability to teleport and sensing Arne’s soul calling me from the other world, I had already decided to make a deal with Erich.

But just in case Erich made an irrational decision and dragged me to the palace or burned down the estate, I had to prepare.

So I asked Giscal to help everyone escape while I stalled Erich with conversation and then teleported away.

Giscal had said he couldn’t leave me alone, but he had already agreed to follow my plan, so I pushed him to act. He then informed everyone still in his study of the decision.

“Will you be okay alone?”

The first to ask a practical question was Elliot. He didn’t seem surprised that I could now teleport.

After Giscal and I left, Elliot was the one who stopped the others from following us. Though the youngest, he was the most mature, and thanks to him, no one rushed out and provoked the emperor. I gave him a faint smile.

“Yes, I’ll be fine on my own.”

Elliot flinched and awkwardly looked away. Marian, sitting beside him, studied my face and sighed in relief.

“I don’t know what happened outside, but your expression has changed. That’s good. If it’s you now, we don’t need to worry. But still, being alone with the emperor…”

“It’s okay. I can teleport now, so I can escape immediately. And I have something to discuss with Erich.”

When I spoke meaningfully, Marian finally accepted it. After all, Erich and I were officially married. Perlo cleared his throat and stood up.

“Then let’s evacuate quickly. Oh, should we check the Dell orphanage too, just in case?”

“True, the emperor might target it. I didn’t expect you to think of that.”

Elliot looked at Perlo with admiration.

“Then you and Marian go to the orphanage first. I’ll help out here a bit longer. Just in case my Motus is needed.”

“Thank you. For helping until the end.”

I expressed my gratitude to Perlo. He shrugged. Then I approached Ortland, the butler.

“Thank you for everything. Please follow Giscal and take everyone with you.”

“I have no words to offer, my lady.”

Ortland bowed his head. Louis, who was being supported by Ortland, kept staring at the floor, still in shock. I had much to say, but now wasn’t the time.

“I’m sorry for the harsh words earlier.”

Louis didn’t lift her head. I hesitated, then added,

“If I had a sister, I think she’d be like you.”

Louis still didn’t look up, but I saw tears streaming down her cheeks.

I barely held back my emotions and looked at Giscal one last time. I knew exactly what to say to him.

“Go.”

It was short, but I deliberately said no more. Giscal opened his mouth to speak but didn’t say anything and turned away.

I watched his retreating figure for a long time, thinking it would be the last time.

But Giscal came back. I was glad to see his face again, but it didn’t change the outcome.

“So you were smuggling people out through the back. Should I really trust you?”

Erich asked with a voice full of distrust.

“I asked Giscal to evacuate everyone just in case you rejected my proposal. I couldn’t let them burn alive.”

Erich’s eyebrow twitched.

“I know everything. You came here to burn down the Edelheit estate. There are barrels of gunpowder in the wagons, right? Giscal already noticed.”

I glanced at Giscal. He nodded.

“Of course, it’s only a temporary measure. If you, the emperor, order the arrest of everyone from the Edelheit family, how could they survive? Even if they escape, they’d live as fugitives forever. That’s not what I want. So there’s no need to doubt me.”

Erich’s brow remained furrowed, but he didn’t say more.

Instead, Giscal raised his voice.

“You don’t need to sacrifice yourself for us! I’ll take full responsibility, so just run away. Traveling to another world means risking death. Please don’t risk your life because of me!”

Giscal pleaded desperately. I knew he’d react this way. That’s why I had tried to send him away with the others…

“She’s no longer needed now that the deal is done. Don’t interfere and stay quiet.”

Erich snapped coldly. But Giscal ignored the emperor’s command and kept looking at me. His desperate gaze almost made me give in.

Not for myself, but for him. I wanted to do everything he asked.

But I couldn’t.

“No, I have to go.”

Giscal’s red eyes grew blurry. A hint of moisture welled up in them. It was the first time I’d seen him like that.

His eyes, always noble and resolute, were now wet. I spoke gently.

“I’ll return safely to my original world. I have a feeling I can do it.”

“But…”

Giscal couldn’t finish his sentence. I shook my head.

“This is something I need to do for myself. I need to go back and see the changed world with my own eyes to know how to live from now on.”

I lifted the corners of my lips. As much as I could. So Giscal wouldn’t be sad.

“More than anything, I want to meet Arne. I want to see how she’s living in my body. The moment I felt her soul, that was the first thought that came to me.”

I didn’t want my final image to be one of tears. Even if this face wasn’t mine, I wanted my smile to be the prettiest I could manage.

“I’ll be back.”

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