It Turned Out She Wasn't a Favored Concubine - Episode 112

Giscal draped a thick wool blanket over my shoulders and brewed tea himself. The cup of tea he made was very warm.

As I slowly sipped the tea he gave me, I told him about Arne, whom I had met in the other world—how she had lived there and how hard she had tried.

Giscal listened quietly without saying a word. But when I told him that the person Arne felt most sorry toward was him, he stiffened and let out a low sigh.

“If I had been a proper older brother, maybe Arne wouldn’t have gone so astray. I should’ve gone to our father, who was drowning in despair, and supported him. I should’ve reached out to my lonely little sister.”

Giscal spoke with regret.

“But I only ran away. If only I had done things properly…”

I wrapped my hands around Giscal’s rough ones.

“Don’t say that. Arne lived her life earnestly in that world. No one can judge which life is more valuable.”

Giscal fixed his gaze on me. My eyes were reflected in his red pupils.

“And more than anyone else, Arne accepted her life. She even decided to end her life in that body rather than return to her original one. She wished for me to live my life to the fullest in this world.”

“Arne really said that?”

“Yes. She even said she was relieved that she didn’t have to worry about you being unhappy when I returned.”

Giscal’s eyes wavered for a moment.

“I’m pathetic for not even sending her a single message.”

“Arne now would probably know exactly what you’d want to say.”

Giscal gave a faint smile.

“I’ve learned so much from her.”

He looked down at his empty teacup, likely reflecting on his past and memories with Arne.

I deliberately didn’t wait long before speaking.

“Now it’s my turn. Tell me why you’re here on the battlefield.”

Honestly, I had wanted to ask that question before telling Arne’s story.

But I held back. Giscal l had the right and responsibility to know how Arne had lived in the other world.

More importantly, to think about how Giscal and I would live in this world going forward, Arne’s story was essential.

“Alright. You probably guessed it…”

Giscal paused mid-sentence and took my empty teacup to place it on the table.

“Right after you left, His Majesty ordered me to immediately take command of the Western Front.”

“Knew it! That man!”

I jumped to my feet. It was now clear why Giscal had taken my teacup. I was so agitated I didn’t even think to hold onto the wool blanket slipping off my shoulders.

“He promised me! He said he wouldn’t attack the Edelheit estate until I brought back an answer. He couldn’t even wait two days?”

Though my tone was accusatory, Giscal replied calmly.

“The Edelheit estate wasn’t burned. Everyone is safe.”

“But you’re here in this dangerous battlefield!”

“I was given orders.”

I was about to ask what orders, but stopped. I had been the one to deliver the imperial decree appointing Giscal as the commander of the Western Front.

“I simply followed that decree.”

“But your body hasn’t even fully healed…”

There was no way his injuries had healed in just two days. Erich wouldn’t have cared enough to ensure Giscal’s recovery.

“He couldn’t act directly, so he rushed you to the battlefield instead?”

Giscal l didn’t confirm but averted his gaze. I couldn’t suppress my anger and stomped my foot.

“How does someone go from the capital to commanding a battlefield in just two days?”

It was a petty and despicable order. Erich’s intentions were obvious.

To overwork Giscal before he had recovered, quickly subdue the Western Front, and then use the allied small kingdoms to eliminate him.

Though the latter was unlikely, if it happened, Erich would be thrilled.

Even if I returned, he could claim he hadn’t broken his promise since he hadn’t personally shed blood. As the emperor, he had plenty of hostages besides Giscal …

“Is everyone at the Edelheit estate?”

“Yes. Princess Marian returned to the palace.”

“What about the imperial guards?”

I recalled the imperial guards surrounding the Edelheit estate. Giscal hesitated slightly before shaking his head.

“Sigh…”

So the guards hadn’t been withdrawn. The estate hadn’t been burned, but the threat of a blade at their throats remained.

I had been too complacent. I should’ve returned sooner. I had spent too much time sorting my thoughts, relying on the time difference between the two worlds.

Looking at the somewhat haggard Giscal, I bit my lip.

“Don’t do that. You’ll hurt your lips.”

Giscal raised his hand to touch my lips but stopped midway. With a slightly flushed face, he lowered his hand and said,

“If you hadn’t been there, the Edelheit estate would’ve been engulfed in flames that day.”

“…”

When I didn’t respond, Giscal cleared his throat and cautiously asked,

“By the way, the clothes you’re wearing… are they from the other world?”

“Huh? Oh…”

I looked down at my outfit. I had returned to this world still wearing the dress Arne’s granddaughter had left behind.

“They call it a ‘one-piece’ in that world. It belonged to Arne’s granddaughter.”

“I see… Was it very hot there? The dress looks quite thin.”

“Huh? Not particularly.”

I looked down again. It was a neat dress made of warm material, so it didn’t need to be thick. But in this world, it might look too light—something usually worn in a bedroom.

“Oh!”

I quickly picked up the wool blanket that had slipped off and wrapped it around my shoulders. I hadn’t thought to change clothes. No wonder Giscal had wrapped the blanket so carefully.

“It’s just normal casual wear in that world.”

“Still, it looks a bit cold here. I’ll have someone bring you warmer clothes.”

“Thanks.”

Not long after Giscal left the tent, someone stirred outside. When I gave permission to enter, a knight came in holding a padded coat in both hands, obscuring their face. I didn’t immediately respond to their familiar greeting.

“It’s been a while.”

“Huh? You know me?”

“I’m so happy to see you again, but I’m a little hurt you don’t recognize me.”

The term “young lady” and the casual tone… I searched my memory and called out the knight’s name as she lowered the coat.

“Martenal?”

“At least you didn’t forget!”

Martenal spread her arms wide. I ran into her warm embrace.

“How could I forget you? I never imagined you’d be here. So you came with Giscal?”

“Of course. I’ve followed the captain to many battlefields. Though this is the first time I nearly died before even arriving.”

I looked up from her arms and asked,

“What do you mean?”

“That damn—uh, I mean, our glorious emperor gave such a rushed order that we had to ride nonstop from the capital to the Western Front. No food, no water, and we only arrived early this morning.”

The sun had already set. It was unrealistic to travel from the capital to the front and take command in just two days.

“And as soon as we arrived, the allied small kingdoms attacked. We couldn’t even establish a proper command structure and had to fight on the front lines. Then the captain suddenly charged into a hail of enemy arrows. Thankfully, the enemy retreated, or we’d have seen the afterlife today.”

“It was that serious…”

Giscal had risked his life to come save me in the middle of a battlefield raining arrows. I already knew, but hearing it again from Martenal made my chest tighten. As I changed clothes with her help, we talked a lot.

On the day I teleported to the other world, Martenal had also been at the Edelheit estate.

She had been training with her knights since dawn when a servant rushed in with news that mounted knights were approaching the estate. She quickly led her knights out, but couldn’t draw her sword.

The leader of the armed knights threatening the estate was none other than the emperor. Without Giscal’s orders, Martenal couldn’t act.

Ordered to stay back, she helped evacuate the household staff and escorted those returning to the estate, wondering what she was even doing.

Martenal didn’t know I could teleport. She only understood that the Edelheit family had narrowly avoided destruction at the emperor’s hands.

“But why did you suddenly appear in this battlefield? Did you offend the emperor or something? Did you come here to see the captain?”

“Hmm, something like that.”

I couldn’t tell her the truth, so I gave a vague answer. Martenal kept asking questions.

“Do you think the emperor is targeting the Edelheit family next after the high nobles? Just a few hours ago, he gave the captain a ridiculous order, and now you too!”

“What ridiculous order? You mean the decree to take command of the Western Front?”

“No, that one makes sense since the captain is the only one fit for it. I mean the order that came after.”

Martenal clenched her fists in anger.

“After subduing the Western Front, he ordered the captain to invade the allied small kingdoms and massacre their citizens! That vile command!”

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