It Turned Out She Wasn't a Favored Concubine - Episode 47

“Pickpocket!”

As murmurs spread and people turned their heads in confusion, someone suddenly started running. It was obvious to everyone that he was the thief. A woman tried to chase after him but tripped and fell.

“Someone please catch him! Please!”

Her scream was desperate. Witnessing a pickpocket for the first time, I stared blankly at the man running away. Then I grabbed the hand of Giscal, who was supporting me.

“We have to catch the thief!”

“What?”

“She’s asking for help. Can’t you catch him?”

I tilted my head as I asked. But Giscal avoided my gaze with a complicated expression.

“That’s the job of the city guards. Your protection is more important than catching a thief.”

“Still… she’s begging like that. Wouldn’t it be better to help? If we ignore it, I might have bad dreams tonight.”

I whined like a child. If someone asks for help, you help them. Giscal could easily catch a thief like that. He’s not just anyone—he’s Giscal.

Giscal met my eyes and sighed briefly.

“Fine. It’s the guards’ job, but I suppose I can lend a hand.”

He signaled to Martenal and Hans. Martenal chuckled at us and rubbed his palms together when Giscal gave the nod.

“I’ll catch the other guy. Sir Knight, you go after that one.”

“I can’t leave Her Highness’s side…”

“Oh come on, should the captain go instead? Are you stronger than the captain? Just go quickly—it’ll be easier.”

Hans hesitated, looking between me and Giscal. I didn’t understand why he was hesitating.

If we let the thief get away, then what?

“What are you doing? Hurry and catch him!”

At my urging, Hans blinked and turned sharply. He crouched and sprinted off.

The thief was fast, but Hans was faster. Despite his tall frame, he skillfully dodged through the crowded stalls and people, quickly closing the distance.

The thief panicked and crashed into a stack of boxes, tumbling loudly. Hans subdued him with one hand. I couldn’t help but applaud his flawless capture.

While Hans tied the man’s hands with a rope someone tossed to him, Louis brought cold water from somewhere. Drinking it helped clear my head.

“Ugh… I feel dizzy.”

“Your Highness, you really should check before drinking anything. That stuff is strong. You saw the bright colors and thought it was fruit juice?”

“S-Sorry. I really thought it was juice.”

I hadn’t suspected it was alcohol at all. The drink looked refreshing—green and sparkling, with round blue berries floating inside. Who would’ve guessed it was so strong?

Though I still felt tipsy, I could at least stand now.

And finally, I recalled the earlier scene properly.

With a flushed face from the alcohol, I had whined to Giscal to catch the thief.

Now I understood why Giscal looked so flustered, why Martenal laughed, and why Hans blinked like he’d seen something shocking.

I must’ve been crazy—drunk and momentarily out of my mind.

The shame sobered me up instantly. I emptied the rest of the cold water to cool my burning face.

Hans brought the subdued man before Giscal, and Martenal arrived with a young boy.

Now that I thought about it, Martenal had said he’d catch “the other guy.” I hadn’t paid attention at the time, but why bring a child? I cleared my throat and asked:

“Ahem, why did you bring this child?”

Martenal shrugged and pulled a coin pouch from the boy’s shabby clothes. The woman who’d been robbed gasped.

“T-That’s my pouch! Why does that child have it?”

Martenal tossed the pouch to her and explained:

“It’s a common trick. They get a kid to steal, and if the victim notices, the accomplice runs off. Most people chase the runner. But he doesn’t have the pouch—the kid does, and he escapes.”

I nodded, finally understanding. I must’ve sobered up completely.

Even if the guards caught the accomplice, they’d have to release him without the pouch as evidence. Apparently, thievery required cleverness too.

“Hey! Why am I being arrested? That filthy kid stole it—I had nothing to do with it!”

The man quickly switched from shock to shameless denial.

“Then why did you run?”

I asked sharply. He looked me up and down.

“Looks like a rich lady out for a stroll. Sure, you got your guards to catch the kid, but you shouldn’t arrest an innocent citizen like me. I just had urgent business and ran. Hey, kid, do you know me?”

He turned the pressure on the boy. The child shook his head.

“See? He doesn’t know me. Even if you’re rich, you shouldn’t harass innocent people. Let me go and hand the kid to the guards. That’ll solve everything.”

It was obvious he was trying to escape alone. The boy kept glancing at him with teary eyes.

He didn’t speak, but it was clear they knew each other. Giscal sighed and said:

“Let’s hand them both over to the guards. I’ll explain the situation—they’ll investigate properly.”

“Even the kid?”

Giscal replied indifferently:

“Of course. He stole the pouch. The man likely ordered him, but he committed the crime and must be punished.”

“Punished? What happens usually?”

“They bind the hands and imprison them for a few months. If there’s a record, it could be years.”

“Bind the hands?”

“They wrap them in rough leather. Without help, it’s impossible to remove. It’s meant to make them reflect on how they use their hands.”

Better than chopping off hands like in some stories, but still harsh for a child barely seven years old.

“Isn’t that too cruel for a kid?”

“If we make exceptions for age, justice loses meaning. Everyone should be punished equally for their crimes.”

Equal punishment… It made sense. Louis had once said Giscal was fair to everyone. Maybe this was what he meant.

But…

“Fair punishment is important, but shouldn’t we give him a chance? If the man forced him to steal…”

“Even if his hands took the pouch?”

“What if someone else forced those hands to move?”

Giscal lowered his gaze.

“Let the guards investigate whether the man coerced the child. If it’s true, I’ll take the boy as my page and watch over him.”

A reasonable compromise. I nodded.

Just then, the guards arrived. One recognized Giscal, so no explanation was needed.

They took the man and boy separately. That way, the boy wouldn’t be pressured into lying.

I was fully sober now. Then I realized—I was still holding Giscal’s hand.

“Ah! Sorry.”

Giscal stared quietly at his now-empty hand. I stammered:

“S-Sorry for all the trouble today.”

“You don’t need to apologize.”

“No, really. Because of my whining—no, request—you helped the woman and even took in the boy. You were only here to guard me.”

“I came because I wanted to.”

“You could’ve assigned someone else. But you knew I didn’t like too many guards, so you made time for me.”

This escort was clearly Giscal’s kindness. I whispered the thanks I’d been rehearsing since last night.

“Thank you.”

What kind of expression would Giscal make? I looked up nervously. But he turned his head away. All I saw was his pale cheek and fluttering black hair.

“Don’t say that. I just don’t want to regret anything ever again.”

He murmured softly. His eyes, gazing into the distance, were filled with deep regret.

“What do you mean…?”

“I’ll arrange for the carriage to meet us at the south gate. Marquis, please escort Her Highness there slowly.”

Louis interrupted before I could ask. It was time to go. Giscal sent Martenal and Louis ahead and turned toward the gate.

Hans led the way, and Giscal and I walked side by side. Neither of us said a word.

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