It Turned Out She Wasn't a Favored Concubine - Episode 7

The building of Martavid, which occasionally hosted performances for a select few elite guests, was lavish and luxurious, befitting the nobles who frequented it.

Among its many features, the box seats reserved for the truly distinguished were especially elegant.

A private space shielded from outside view, a stage visible just below, wide and plush chairs comfortable enough to recline in, and simple yet refined refreshments everything was perfect.

If only Erich weren’t sitting right next to me…

I wrinkled my nose and glanced sideways. Inside the box seat, Erich and I were surrounded by Louis, the maids, and imperial knights standing like statues.

I had asked if one or two maids wouldn’t suffice, but was told that outside the palace, it was protocol to have guards nearby.

And the knights filling the box seat weren’t even all of them. Thinking of the fully armed imperial guards stationed in the hallway and around Martavid, I sighed.

It was like announcing the emperor’s arrival. Even though their faces were hidden by helmets and they wore standard armor, who else in the capital could parade around with dozens of armed knights? Soon, rumors of the emperor attending Martavid would sweep through high society… along with Arne.

That would make it much easier to guess who had listed the item for auction. I was already worried about the sharp eyes of the noblewomen.

Thanks to Erich, my identity was about to be exposed even faster.

I could already imagine the gossip: Arne, who claimed to be too ill to host a banquet, was now strolling through an auction house.

When Erich suggested we go to Martavid together, I tried every excuse to decline. But Erich was never one to back down. In the end, I lost, and he won.

He’s the emperor, right? Shouldn’t the ruler of the continent’s largest nation avoid hanging out at auctions with his concubine? Think of the soldiers suffering on the battlefield.

I had plenty to say, but now that we were already at Martavid, there was no turning back. I could only watch the auction unfold.

Fortunately, Erich seemed busy. As soon as we entered the box seat, he began reviewing a stack of documents handed to him by his secretary.

Even in the carriage ride to Martavid, Count Melton, the emperor’s secretary, had nervously clutched the thick bundle of papers, glancing anxiously at Erich.

But Erich had ignored him completely, spending the entire ride asking me if I was comfortable, if I was excited for the auction, and how I became interested in Motus, while Melton’s face grew increasingly pale.

Only after arriving did Erich finally take the documents and, with an apologetic look, said he’d review them briefly.

I was thrilled. Not briefly hopefully for a long time. I kept repeating that he should focus on work, until my throat went dry.

If he’s that busy, why did he even come?

I sipped the drink Louis brought me and glanced at Erich. The dim lighting cast dramatic shadows on his focused face.

He was handsome. Isn’t one of the moments when a man looks most attractive when he’s concentrating on work? I finally understood that sentiment.

But for me, it was just surface-level appeal.

I tore my gaze away from Erich and peeked through the curtain.

Today’s auction featured mostly jewelry, and the seats were filled with noblewomen.

Someone among them would win my item—well, technically Arne’s jewel. I was curious who it would be. I spent time observing the attendees with interest.

Then I noticed a masked man in the front row. Not wanting to draw Erich’s attention, I quietly asked Louis:

“Is it okay to wear a mask here?”

Louis followed my gaze and nodded.

“Yes, some people wear masks to conceal their identity. But it can make them stand out more. That’s why high-ranking nobles use box seats, and intermediaries who want to bid discreetly often wear masks.”

“I see.”

Despite the pre-auction commotion, the masked man stared only at the stage behind the black curtain. I wondered what item he had come to bid on.

Suddenly, the stage darkened, then lit up brightly. The host appeared under the spotlight and announced the start of the auction, greeted by applause. Without lengthy introductions, the first item was presented.

The auction was surprisingly entertaining.

When the host announced the starting bid, the seven hundred-seat hall erupted with raised paddles. Initially, bids soared like wildfire, then narrowed down to a few contenders watching each other closely.

From our elevated box seat, we could see both the stage and the audience’s reactions clearly.

When a winner was declared, they stood with joy as the crowd applauded. Those who lost tried to mask their disappointment.

The tension, the applause it all made my heart race.

I wanted to raise my paddle too. Though I came here to secure funds, the dazzling jewels and the host’s dramatic descriptions stirred a desire to own them.

The irrational whirlwind of desire in the auction hall was pulling me in. I gulped down a cold drink and reminded myself why I was here.

While my reason and emotions battled, more than five items had already found new owners.

Then finally, one of my items appeared on stage: a necklace with five large diamonds, sparkling under the lights.

“Do you see these radiant diamonds? Such size is rare. Crafted by the famed Delphine artisan, known for exquisite detail. Starting bid: 400,000 drang.”

The “noble owner” mentioned was me. I had asked them not to reveal my identity directly.

I watched the stage and audience with a pounding heart. What would the final bid be? How many would raise their paddles?

“Oh my!”

As soon as the starting bid was announced, nearly every paddle shot up. Bids climbed rapidly, and the increments grew larger. Still, dozens of paddles kept rising and falling.

“Is that necklace really that special?”

No item had sparked such frenzy before. Louis, gazing at the necklace, explained:

“I heard those diamonds were tribute from an eastern nation. Recognizing their value, Delphine personally crafted the necklace despite his old age. Considering the diamonds’ worth and Delphine’s reputation, this excitement is understandable.”

I nodded, mouth agape. The bids had already surpassed 500,000 drang. No previous item had reached that price.

Clearly, the necklace was a treasure. I wondered how much it would fetch in my original world.

I leaned toward Louis and asked quietly:

“Just curious… could I buy the carriage we came in with that necklace?”

I figured asking about house prices might be too much, so I started with the carriage. Louis blinked a few times before replying:

“Your Highness’s carriage is a special model made only for the royal family, so it’s hard to obtain. But in terms of price, it would exceed a million drang. With that necklace, you could buy several regular carriages.”

“R-Really? Then how much for a decent house in the capital?”

“Well… a residential mansion would be around ten million drang…”

I did the math. If the necklace was worth 500,000 drang, then twenty of them would buy a mansion in the capital.

And Arne had far more than twenty such necklaces.

I fell into thought. Maybe I should just grab the jewels and run? I could live comfortably without ever working again…

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