It Turned Out She Wasn't a Favored Concubine - Episode 69

“No, of course not. No one but the late Marquis could have done such a thing. But how did you come to know about it?”

The admission came easily despite the long hesitation. I briefly explained how I had found the orphanage director’s secret notebook with the help of the children at Rockfeld Orphanage. Ortland listened with a low groan.

“So that’s how it happened. Director Kessiam hid secret documents in the wall… He promised never to reveal anything, yet he kept evidence that could be used to blackmail at any time.”

Ortland swallowed hard, his face dark. After all, switching the bloodline of a noble house was no small matter. Even if the Marquis had orchestrated it, he must have taken precautions to keep the truth from leaking. Ortland had every reason to feel betrayed by Director Kessiam.

“So you knew from the beginning, Ortland?”

Ortland gazed out the window as if recalling a distant memory.

“Yes, it’s been over twenty years now. I met the director myself and carried out the Marquis’s orders. I was the first to see Lady Arne as a newborn. If I had stopped the Marquis back then… perhaps many things would have turned out differently.”

His voice was tinged with regret. Countless choices from the past had converged to shape the present—for Ortland, for Giscal, for me, for everyone.

“So when did Giscal find out?”

“The Lord…”

Ortland avoided my gaze.

“I believe he learned the truth when he inherited the title.”

“Did you tell him?”

“No. I suspect it was written in the will. But beyond that, you’ll need to ask the Lord directly.”

I nodded silently. Giscal was the head of the Edelheit family. It was only natural that Ortland, as the steward, wouldn’t speak freely about certain matters.

“I understand.”

“Then I’ll inform the others that Lady Arne has awakened. They’re still unaware. Please rest a little longer.”

Ortland offered quickly. When I nodded, he visibly relaxed and left the room. I felt the same—I needed a moment of reprieve.

I had revealed Arne’s secret to Ortland out of necessity, right before a near-death experience. But this was an unexpected development.

Back then, I had confessed because I thought it was the end. I hadn’t considered how others would treat me if I survived. And now, even Giscal knew about Arne’s birth secret?

I paced barefoot around the room. Every time I neared the door, my body flinched instinctively. I both wanted the door to open and feared it. After circling the room more than ten times, Ortland finally returned.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. Shall we go over now?”

“Mm-hmm. But Giscal wasn’t asleep, was he?”

“No. He was just cleaning up the bloody bandages. He was having some porridge, so don’t worry.”

I’d seen enough bloodied bandages thanks to Louis and the maids. This time, Giscal would be the one with his leg wrapped in red-stained cloth… because of me.

I bit my lip and followed Ortland into the adjacent room. Giscal and Parsen were seated at the table.

“Shouldn’t you be lying down?”

I wanted to thank Giscal the moment I saw him, but instead, a scolding slipped out.

“It’s not that bad.”

Giscal gestured to his leg wrapped in white bandages. It wasn’t something that could be covered with one hand.

“You’ll recover faster if you rest properly. I’ve heard proper care is important.”

“The doctor treated it quickly, so I’m fine. I’m more worried about you. The doctor said you only had scratches on your hands and feet, but are you really okay?”

Scratches from branches and stones weren’t the issue. Giscal had nearly died—attacked and bitten by a wolf. All to save me.

Yet he was worried about me. Something surged inside me.

“Why are you worried about me? Why would you risk your life to save me? You knew I wasn’t your real sister… I’m nothing.”

In the Edelheit family, in this world—I was an anomaly, a foreign object. He had no reason to sacrifice himself for someone like me.

“That’s not true.”

Giscal firmly denied it. He even tried to stand, prompting Parsen to rush to support him.

“Even if we’re not related by blood, you’re my sister. No matter what anyone says, Arne is part of the Edelheit family. I have a lifelong responsibility to you.”

“You don’t have to bear the consequences of the former Marquis’s actions. I don’t want to be your burden.”

“You’re not a burden! My responsibility to you isn’t just out of duty as a brother. Beyond blood ties…”

Giscal paused to catch his breath. His shoulders, hidden beneath thin indoor clothes, rose and fell deeply.

“The feelings we’ve shared aren’t a burden. At least not to me.”

He was likely referring to the bond they’d formed in childhood—when Giscal believed Arne was his real sister.

Even after learning the truth, he continued to treat her as his sister. That’s probably why Louis said they were close, despite Arne’s formidable nature.

But Giscal’s words struck me too. Though I didn’t share childhood memories with him, I had shared something—his visits to the battlefield and palace, our exchanged letters, and the peaceful days in the Edelheit estate.

“I didn’t save you out of obligation. It was my desperate wish. I didn’t want you to die—I wanted you to live and set things right.”

It felt like he was speaking to me, not Arne. A wish for me to survive and return to where I belonged.

I envied Arne. Even if she wasn’t of Edelheit blood, she had someone who valued her more than his own life.

What would Arne say? And what did I want to say to him? I rolled the words around in my mouth and finally spoke.

“Thank you.”

Giscal and I weren’t alone—Ortland and Parsen were also present. The two had opposite reactions to our emotional exchange. Ortland’s eyes were moist, while Parsen frowned deeply.

“We should resolve this situation first. If any of the servants overhear this scene, it could be problematic.”

Parsen spoke, spreading his hands. Not Giscal or Ortland, but Parsen.

I suddenly realized I had spilled Edelheit family secrets in front of a complete outsider. Why hadn’t Giscal or Ortland sent him away?

As if he was allowed to know everything. Or as if he already did.

Come to think of it, Parsen was the one who found Giscal and me. Why had he rushed to an empty room in the middle of the night?

“Parsen, why did you come to my room when no one was there?”

Parsen responded as if he’d expected the question, reintroducing himself.

“Because I’m the Motus artisan involved in this incident.”

“Motus artisan?”

“Yes. I met Lord Giskal during the war with the Jaren Kingdom and have followed him since, crafting Motus for him. I also installed a Motus barrier in the estate to protect him from enemies.”

“You installed the barrier alone?”

I asked in surprise, and Parsen replied without emotion.

“Of course, it’s not comparable to the palace’s barrier. Anyway, a few hours ago, the barrier was disrupted for some reason. I rushed to the source and found you two.”

Before I could react to the revelation, I asked the most puzzling question.

“So our arrival at the Edelheit estate was connected to you?”

“You could say that. You were transported via the Motus I crafted.”

I had no memory of receiving a Motus from Parsen. I hadn’t even known he was an artisan.

To clarify, Parsen continued.

“I gave Lord Giscal one half of an experimental Dimotus. I kept the other half. When he found Lady Arne, he attempted teleportation to the estate. But the prototype didn’t activate immediately—it only worked at the last moment. That’s my fault.”

“There was a barrier—how did you teleport through it? And why did we end up in my room instead of in front of you?”

Parsen looked at me seriously.

“You’ve studied Motus quite a bit in a short time. To answer: I crafted the Dimotus to nullify the barrier. But due to my lack of skill, it didn’t work perfectly, and the destination was slightly off.”

“…”

I had no more questions. With my limited understanding of Motus, his explanation seemed logically sound—though it felt a bit forced.

“Anyway, thanks to your Motus, we survived.”

“No. Because of its imperfection, you were put in danger. It’s my fault.”

Parsen immediately denied credit and changed the subject.

“Now, may I ask again—how should we handle this situation?”

“Can’t we just tell the truth?”

At my question, Parsen stiffened. He sighed and added,

“I haven’t told you the most important thing. I’m someone who must never be seen in the outside world.”

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