It Turned Out She Wasn't a Favored Concubine - Episode 54

Just before the children’s joyful reunion turned into tears of relief, Iblem skillfully handed out candy and toys to them.

Watching that scene, I felt reassured. The children were smiling as they reunited, and I was confident that Iblem would take good care of them.

“To honor our sponsors, we’ve prepared a meal with the children. Would you care to join us?”

“It would be my pleasure. I brought a special cake—maybe we can all share it after the meal.”

The table was laid with a salad made from fresh vegetables bought at the village market, pumpkin soup, coarse rye bread, and large fried eggs cooked in bulk on a skillet. All of this, along with the cake, was served on one table.

It was a modest meal, something you’d never see in the palace or even at the Edelheit estate, but here, it was the finest feast imaginable. I took a spoonful of the pumpkin soup without hesitation. Its mildly nutty flavor was quite pleasant.

Iblem, who had been watching me nervously, finally began to eat after I said it was delicious.

Thankfully, Giscal also began eating without hesitation.

Meanwhile, the children were desperate to get their hands on the giant cake. They quickly gulped down their soup and bread and held out their white plates. Iblem sliced the cake and served each child a piece.

The children began eating the cake with cream smeared on their cheeks. Rocky and his friends were also completely absorbed in the cake at a nearby table.

Even after serving all the children, there was enough cake left to share with the knights and porters. Iblem tried to distribute it, but Martenal took charge of the cake distribution herself.

During this process, Martenal made such a fuss that Giscal sighed and left to rein her in, and Louie followed to help with the distribution.

Watching the lively scene, Iblem turned to me and bowed slightly.

“Thank you so much. Seeing the children so happy makes me happy too.”

“I feel the same. Thank you for the meal. The pumpkin soup made from pumpkins the children grew themselves was truly delicious.”

“Oh, the children would have been thrilled to hear that.”

Iblem quietly watched the children playing with the porters and knights, then cautiously spoke.

“To be honest, when the Edelheit family asked me to become the orphanage director, I hesitated. I’m sorry, but I had heard some unpleasant rumors about Lady Arne.”

I stopped reaching for a cookie. The rumors Iblem mentioned were surely about the atrocities Arne committed at the Rockfeld Orphanage.

“But rumors are just rumors. A person who enjoys food made by children like this couldn’t possibly have done such things.”

Iblem nodded with conviction.

“The children told me that Madam Kessiam, who was the director of Rockfeld Orphanage, was never someone who truly cared for them. There were strange rumors too.”

“Strange rumors?”

Iblem pressed her lips together. Even after the orphanage was restored, she suddenly abandoned its operation. She didn’t even let the children have a slice of cake. It seemed Madam Kessiam had some dark secrets.

“There were rumors that she sold children who met certain criteria to wealthy families for money. That’s why people say her end wasn’t good.”

“Her end wasn’t good?”

Iblem’s expression darkened.

“Yes. I heard that on the day she was supposed to move to the southern region after closing the orphanage, she was killed by a robber. It was a fairly safe neighborhood, too. They never caught the robber, so wild rumors spread.”

“That’s unbelievable…”

I swallowed hard in shock. I had assumed the former orphanage director was living comfortably somewhere, not that I’d suddenly hear news of her death.

“People say she was targeted because she couldn’t keep her mouth shut. Apparently, she bragged everywhere about making a lot of money just before closing the orphanage.”

“What kind of money did she suddenly come into?”

“I’m not sure. But it’s certain that the money made her a target.”

Iblem clicked her tongue in pity. Then suddenly, a young girl nearby burst in between us and shouted loudly.

“No, that’s not it!”

It was Rosa, the girl with the yellow curly hair I’d seen earlier. She waved her fork and continued.

“They weren’t trying to steal money. I know who the robber was. It was definitely the mercenary man who came with the noble lady wearing a veil.”

I looked down at Rosa and asked,

“You’re the Rosa Rocky mentioned, right? Philip’s younger sister?”

“Yes! And my sister is the angel lady Rocky talked about, right?”

“Uh… hmm…”

I had heard the same from Rocky, but admitting it outright felt wrong. Rosa didn’t seem to mind.

“I was shocked when I saw you earlier. You looked just like the bad lady who came to our orphanage wearing a veil and burned my doll. I couldn’t see her face clearly because of the black veil, but her hair color and height were the same. I thought you were that bad lady.”

Rosa babbled innocently. I felt a cold sweat run down my back and clenched my fists. The bad lady Rosa spoke of was undoubtedly Arne.

Did she really cause a scene in front of all the children?

“But when I looked into your eyes, I thought you were a kind lady. Right?”

Her pure question left me speechless. Thankfully, Iblem stepped in to help.

“Yes, this person here is a kind lady. So be polite, okay?”

“Okay, that’s why I wanted to tell you. You were talking about the robber who killed Madam Kessiam, right? I’m sure the bad lady ordered the mercenaries to do it. Because she threatened Madam Kessiam to hand over some secret documents. She even said she’d kill her.”

“Rosa!”

Iblem gasped and stopped Rosa from saying anything more shocking. I was surprised too, but for a different reason.

Rosa had a keen eye. Her words deserved serious consideration.

What were those documents Arne threatened someone’s life to obtain? Could they be the reason she became interested in Rockfeld Orphanage?

I didn’t know what those secret documents were, but they were clearly a key to Arne’s past that I hadn’t known. But with Madam Kessiam dead, how could I find that clue?

Rosa, scolded by Iblem, protested indignantly.

“I didn’t say it! The bad lady did! It’s true! She’s dumb. The documents are hidden between the bricks in the back wall of the orphanage… and she didn’t even know.”

“What?”

Before Iblem could scold Rosa again, I grabbed the child’s shoulder and asked urgently.

“Really? In the back wall?”

“Yes, really.”

I started to rise from my seat but sat back down after noticing Iblem’s gaze. She looked at me strangely, surprised by my reaction.

“Uh, well, I don’t know what those secret documents are, but if they’re related to something illegal, we should investigate. We shouldn’t dismiss what the children say—just in case.”

“Ah, I see. That’s very wise of you.”

Once Iblem was convinced, I immediately asked Rosa to guide me. Iblem tried to follow, but I stopped her desperately. Rosa confidently walked ahead and called her brother Philip.

“My brother has to help. He’s the only one who can reach it.”

Her cryptic words led Philip and Rocky, who had been talking nearby, to follow us to the back wall.

I pressed a finger to my lips and quietly slipped out through a side door. Thankfully, the noisy atmosphere kept others from noticing.

Del Orphanage had only renovated the Rockfeld building, so the structure hadn’t changed much. Especially the surrounding wall, which remained intact, making it easy for the children to find the secret spot.

“Here it is! But I’m too short to reach. That’s why my tall brother has to help.”

Rosa proudly looked at her brother with both arms stretched out. Philip scratched his head shyly. Rocky compared their heights with his hand and grumbled.

“Tch, just a little taller and I’d catch up.”

“If you want to grow like my brother, you have to sleep like him. He sleeps like a log.”

“You’re the one who always wanders around at night because you can’t sleep. I thought you were a ghost in your white pajamas.”

“Hmph, that’s why I know where the secret documents are.”

Rosa lifted her chin proudly, and Rocky puffed his cheeks. Philip stepped in to mediate.

“She’s waiting. Rosa, where is it?”

“There. Lift me up.”

Philip lifted Rosa with both hands. She carefully examined the wall and pulled out a brick that was darker than the others. Inside the empty space was a small wooden box.

“There it is!”

I rushed over and pulled out the wooden box. It was locked with a padlock.

My heart pounded wildly. Rosa had been telling the truth. Whatever was inside that locked box, it certainly wasn’t candy.

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