It Turned Out She Wasn't a Favored Concubine - Episode 48

As we got closer to the southern gate, street vendors became fewer, but the crowd grew larger. Hans checked something and then turned around.

“Apologies. I tried to avoid the crowd by heading where the vendor tents weren’t visible, but I didn’t realize there was another event happening here.”

“Another event?”

“Yes, up ahead they’re distributing materials to make bracelets in celebration of the Harvest Festival.”

“Harvest Festival bracelets?”

Hans explained in detail in response to my question.

“The imperial palace will soon host the autumn hunt, right? During that time, noble ladies make bracelets to wish good fortune to the men participating in the hunt. I’ve heard that the citizens of the empire also make bracelets during the Harvest Festival to give to those close to them.”

His explanation jogged my memory. The diary definitely mentioned the autumn hunt, one of the palace’s major events.

After the harvest, nobles participate in the autumn hunt to express gratitude to the gods. The finest beast caught during the hunt is offered to the gods, and the hunter who captures it gains fame throughout the empire’s temples.

Since the hunt is meant to express thanks for a bountiful harvest, the temples also support it—bracelets being one such tradition. Regardless of status, people receive materials like cords and metal plates from the temple to make bracelets and gift them to close acquaintances as a gesture of goodwill.

The diary noted that during autumn, it’s common to see men wearing bracelets, regardless of their social rank.

“Normally, you’d have to go to the temple to receive them, but since today is market day, it seems the temple has come out to the plaza.”

In the distance, people bustled around a platform where priests in white robes moved busily. It was the first time I’d seen priests up close. They usually reside in the temple and only visit the palace for major events. Since I’d entered Arne’s body, there hadn’t been any such events, so I’d never encountered them.

Still, I knew from books that the temple acknowledged the existence of other worlds.

Though overshadowed by the emperor’s authority and sometimes forced to deliver false prophecies to the palace, as someone who came from another world, I couldn’t ignore the beliefs the temple preached.

Noticing my sidelong glances, Giscal spoke.

“The carriage will take a while to arrive. Want to go check it out?”

“Huh? Is that okay?”

“The plaza’s south gate is just beyond that platform. We can stop by on the way.”

On the platform, piles of colorful metal plates, carving knives, and various textured threads for making cords were stacked high.

It looked well-prepared. The priests distributing the materials were each diligently fulfilling their roles and seemed very busy. I hesitated, wondering if I should speak to one of them, but ended up joining the line.

The line moved faster than expected, and I soon found myself in front of an elderly priest. He gestured behind me.

“Are you planning to make one for your lover back there?”

“What?”

Startled, I turned around and saw Giscal watching me intently. I quickly shook my head.

“We’re not in that kind of relationship.”

“Oh, really? He was looking at you so passionately, I assumed you were lovers and that you were making it for him.”

“No, that’s not it.”

I had only joined the line to talk to a priest, not to make a bracelet, so I was flustered.

“Honestly, I haven’t thought about who I’d give it to.”

Despite my careless answer, the priest chuckled.

“That’s fine. The Harvest Festival is still ahead. Here, I’ll give you these.”

The elderly priest handed me two sets of metal plates and threads. When I looked puzzled, he glanced behind me again and said:

“If you’re not in a relationship with someone like him, perhaps it’s because of another man? Try making bracelets for each and reflect on your heart.”

“I told you, it’s not like that.”

“Haha, it’s fine. Such worries in youth are a blessing.”

The priest, seemingly fond of young people’s romances, smiled warmly and insisted I take the materials. It was awkward to keep denying, so I accepted the pouch.

He smiled and murmured:

“May all beings in all worlds be blessed.”

I was about to walk away from the romance-obsessed priest when I stopped in my tracks.

“…What did you just say?”

“It’s a phrase we often recite in our blessings.”

The elderly priest replied with a serene smile.

“You said ‘all worlds’—does that mean you bless beings from other worlds too?”

“Of course. We believe that all worlds and all beings have value.”

“Even beings from other worlds?”

“Certainly. As you know, we acknowledge the existence of beings from other worlds. It’s a fact. Our god expresses the same will across all worlds.”

Suddenly, I felt a surge of emotion.

“Then! If a being from another world ends up here by mistake, are you saying that’s also the will of the god? If so, I absolutely cannot accept that.”

Despite my sudden anger, the priest wasn’t surprised. He simply searched the air and said:

“Hmm, I don’t quite understand your words, but I can tell you this: the will of the god is woven through the complex and diverse intentions and actions of people. So, if you wish to understand the god’s will, you must first observe the people who carry it.”

It was a cryptic statement. I wanted to ask more, but the priest shook his head. The people behind me were getting restless, so I had to step out of line.

I stared blankly at the priest now attending to others.

“You were talking to the priest for a while. Something happen?”

“No, nothing much.”

Even I could hear the weakness in my voice. Blaming my emotional fatigue on the alcohol I’d had earlier, I clutched the small pouch tightly.

I sighed as I placed the two sets of bracelet-making materials on the table. I had accepted them from the priest, but I hadn’t intended to make any bracelets. Still, it felt wrong to discard something that had been blessed.

I touched the metal plates on the table. One shimmered with a glossy blue hue, the other with a reddish tint. Depending on the angle, they gleamed with mysterious colors. I was supposed to carve my wishes into them with a knife, right?

If I had a few days to spare, I could probably do it. But was there any point in making them if I had no one to give them to…?

“Ah!”

I clapped my hands. Hans had said that noble ladies gave bracelets to men participating in the hunt. Erich, as emperor, would also be attending the autumn hunt.

Did “noble ladies” include concubines?

I quickly flipped through the diary. Sure enough, it detailed the roles concubines played during the autumn hunt.

Making and presenting a bracelet to the emperor was one of their duties. Since it was a duty, I had no choice. I had the materials, so I might as well make one.

It was a formal obligation, so I could make it casually. According to the diary, the emperor wore a bracelet offered by the temple instead of those made by the empress or concubines to maintain a balance of power. So I just needed to fulfill the duty—no need to go all out. It was a bit of a hassle, but it could be a good way to pass the time.

I looked down at the blue metal plate. It happened to match Erich’s eye color.

I decided to learn more about the autumn hunt. The diary had detailed information about the bracelet tradition. As I read through it, I frowned. The exchange of bracelets in the palace wasn’t just about wishing good fortune. The original meaning of the tradition had long been lost, replaced by political maneuvering.

The autumn hunt, meant to express gratitude for a bountiful harvest, was one of the palace’s major events, but not just any noble could attend.

Only direct male descendants of noble families with significant influence in the empire were invited.

The palace sent invitations to about a hundred families. Some received them consistently over decades, while others lost them to rival families every few years. This was one of the palace’s sophisticated political tactics.

Though the influence on a few long-standing noble families was minimal, for those building their power, the invitation was a crucial measure of prestige. Naturally, they staked everything on receiving it, and the palace could control them with a single piece of paper.

Once the emperor distributed invitations based on his own criteria, noble factions were reshuffled.

Nobles judged each other based on whether their families were invited to the hunt. Depending on their family’s interests, they formed alliances or rivalries with other nobles.

Bracelets played a key role in this process. Female members of noble families presented bracelets to participants from families they wished to ally with.

Not giving a bracelet was also symbolic—negatively so.

Nobles closely watched these shifts in relationships and made strategic choices for their family’s prosperity.

In other words, bracelets were crucial tools in the reorganization of noble power.

Is this what they call a war beneath the surface?

Support