It Turned Out She Wasn't a Favored Concubine - Episode 45

My desire to avoid drawing attention was fully respected, and my outfit for going out was chosen to be as modestly adorned as possible. Louis, along with the three knights assigned to escort me, also wore plain clothing—but the problem was their physique and appearance. Their striking builds and handsome features inevitably drew the gaze of passersby. People first stared at Martenal and Hans for their imposing figures, then stopped in their tracks, mesmerized by Giscal’s crimson eyes.

“If I’d known this would happen, I should’ve just waited in the carriage, even if it meant a delay.”

The bakery I was headed to—Pakia Bakery—was nestled in a street lined with jewelry shops and boutiques favored by noblewomen. The street was jammed with noble carriages, so I had dismissed ours, thinking walking would be faster. But now, dodging people distracted by Giscal had left me utterly exhausted.

Martenal joked that Giscal should wear a mask to be less conspicuous, but Giscal’s reply—warning him to prepare for a duel—shut him up for a while. We finally reached the bakery after pushing through the crowd, only to find a long line at the entrance.

Servants of noble families had come to pick up cakes, and even young noble ladies without seats were waiting with irritated expressions. Mouth agape, I turned to Louis.

“Louis, have you always waited in that line to buy cakes?”

“This place is always popular. But once you start looking at the cakes in the display, time flies.”

I vowed never to send Louis here alone again. No matter how delicious or pretty the cakes were, this ordeal was too much.

“Ugh, how long would we have to wait if we got in line now?”

“What? Why would you wait in line? Come this way.”

Louis stopped me from heading to the end of the queue and led me inside. Giscal was already in the bakery, and the owner—his hair sleek and shiny—was bowing repeatedly in front of him.

“I never imagined the Marquis of Edelheit would grace us with a visit. We’ve cleared out the entire third floor for your comfort.”

Is this the power of nobility? I clicked my tongue and climbed the stairs. Compared to the packed first and second floors, the third was quiet—just our group and a few staff members.

“You can rent out the whole floor like this?”

“No, but we couldn’t possibly let Your Highness wait in line. Once your outing was confirmed yesterday, we contacted them under the Edelheit name, and they gladly offered the entire third floor.”

Louis smiled sweetly. Though he had waited in line himself, he’d used a bit of influence to ensure I was treated comfortably. I appreciated the gesture.

“Would you like to sit by the window?”

Giscal pulled out a chair by the window and asked. With sunlight streaming behind him, even his shadow looked elegant. I sat in the chair he offered, and he took the seat across from me. But the others remained standing awkwardly.

“Why are you all just standing there?”

It wasn’t like I was a princess with attendants—it was just embarrassing. Martenal tried to sit down but was stopped by Louis.

“I’ll just serve from the side.”

“Of course. A knight cannot sit at the table with royalty.”

Hans agreed with Louis. Martenal scratched his head, unsure what to do. I stood up again, the sound of my chair scraping loudly.

“If none of you sit, I won’t either.”

Martenal immediately grabbed a chair. Hans looked displeased and said,

“How could we sit with Her Highness the concubine?”

“Do as you please. I’ll stand too.”

Hans’s weak protest quickly faded. Louis was the last holdout.

“You’re the one who recommended this place. It wouldn’t be meaningful without you. Sit down.”

With my encouragement and Giskal’s nod, Louis finally sat beside me. Unlike the noble ladies chatting downstairs, our group was an odd mix—but I finally felt at ease.

Giscal wore his usual stoic expression. Martenal was busy admiring the cute interior that noblewomen would love. Hans sat upright in silence. Louis, restless, watched the staff bustling about with envy.

“How would you like to order?”

The server asked, and Martenal was the first to respond.

“I heard the cakes here are famous. Let’s each have a slice!”

“I’m not really…”

“Me neither. I don’t like sweets.”

Giscal and Hans tried to decline, but Martenal waved them off.

“So some eat and some just sit there? That’s awkward. Think of it as an experience. Just try it—it’ll be fun.”

I wasn’t as pushy as Martenal, but I agreed with his sentiment. When I voiced my support, the others reluctantly nodded.

Louis and I ordered cakes we liked, while the others took the server’s recommendations. Warm tea arrived first, and our quirky group sipped quietly.

The brief silence ended when the cakes arrived—thanks to Martenal’s loud laughter.

Giscal had ordered the simplest, least sweet cake available, but the bakery’s style had its limits. On top of his dainty cake sat a whipped cream puppy.

“Hahaha! Sir, I’m sorry, but I can’t stop laughing… You guys should see this!”

I could understand why Martenal was laughing. A towering, muscular man faced with a tiny, cute cake—it was absurd. Yet Giscal’s beautiful features somehow matched it.

The contrast between mismatch and harmony made me chuckle too. Giscal didn’t scold Martenal, just calmly moved the whipped cream puppy to the side of his plate with his fork. His careful effort to preserve its shape made it even funnier.

Thanks to Giscal’s quiet sacrifice, the awkward atmosphere began to melt. Even Hans managed to compose his expression.

We all ate the sweet cake and sipped bitter tea. The flavor was even better fresh from the bakery.

Louis, Martenal, and I leaned in to admire the cakes. Giscal and Hans didn’t show much reaction, but their expressions weren’t displeased. What began as a casual suggestion from Louis turned into a delightful outing.

The cakes were so small, it felt like they were meant to leave us wanting more. After a few bites, my plate was empty. I glanced around—everyone else had finished too.

“Wow, you all finished? Should we order more?”

Louis asked, but Hans shook his head.

“No, this is enough.”

“I’m good too.”

Giscal placed his fork down, leaving the whipped cream puppy untouched. As Martenal hesitated, Louis and I exchanged glances.

“It’s tempting to have more…”

“But stopping here feels just right.”

We both set down our forks, and Martenal followed suit.

“Right, it’s best to stop when it’s still a little tempting.”

With the bakery owner’s glossy hair seeing us off, we descended the stairs. All eyes in the crowded shop turned toward us.

I quickly slipped out and into the waiting carriage. Giscal and Louis followed, and Hans and Martenal mounted their horses on either side. The carriage began to move slowly.

It took less than half an hour to reach the western plaza. Inside the carriage, Louis chatted about the festival happening there.

“There are four grand plazas around the palace—east, west, south, and north—and each hosts seasonal festivals. The spring festival in the east plaza is full of flowers. The summer night festival in the south plaza has fireworks during the eve—it’s amazing, like stars exploding in the sky…”

I listened attentively to Louis’s lengthy explanation. I didn’t have the knowledge to chime in. The diary hadn’t mentioned festivals—perhaps because they weren’t part of noble life. From Louis’s tone, they seemed like common knowledge, so I didn’t want to ask anything that might seem odd.

I nodded along enthusiastically.

“And today! The western plaza is hosting the grand harvest festival, which lasts several days. It would be wonderful if you could see the snow festival in the northern plaza in a few months… But the harvest festival is the longest one. It’s lucky that Your Highness is staying at the estate during this time!”

“Yes, thanks to that, I get to see the festival.”

When I agreed, Louis smiled with satisfaction—a smile full of pride.

Could a festival really make someone that happy?

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