It Turned Out She Wasn't a Favored Concubine - Episode 74

The trial was originally intended to crush the power of the high noble faction—but what if Erich changed his mind?

Rosadel’s accusation was an unexpected bombshell. But once the bomb had gone off, Erich would steer the situation to his advantage.

He might be satisfied with merely reducing the high noble faction and use Rosadel’s accusation to bring down the war hero, Giscal.

The situation had shifted so drastically that it was hard to predict anything. I had already anticipated the danger Giscal would face from the downfall of the high nobles.

But Giscal said he couldn’t let the nobles who had targeted my life go unpunished, no matter the risk.

I couldn’t forgive those who had hurt Giscal either. That’s why I acted, trusting only in the Western Front’s alliance of small kingdoms that still threatened the Empire’s borders.

My heart pounded as I turned to Erich. He looked down at the nobles who were shouting like wax dolls, dry and lifeless, then spoke—mechanically, like a wind-up toy.

“Carry out the verdict immediately. The First Consort’s statement has no bearing on the current ruling. And…”

Erich inhaled. I tensed, wondering if he would look at me—but he didn’t.

“Take Perlo Shanier to prison, and… Arne to Arlin Palace.”

He never looked at me. I was taken to Arlin Palace by the imperial guards and couldn’t leave without his command. The emperor’s guards surrounded the palace completely.

Just before Arlin Palace was sealed off, artisans sent by Rosadel came to my quarters. They searched for hidden Motus fragments but found nothing. They left with only the Dimotus Erich had won at auction.

But when I heard their next destination, I realized again how thorough Rosadel was. They were headed to the imperial library—where they would surely find the Motus Perlo had hidden.

It’s been a week since then.

“Your Highness, the soup is getting cold.”

Rui handed me a spoon. I had no appetite, but seeing her worried face, I took a few bites.

The day I returned to Arlin Palace, Rui was waiting at the front gate. But I didn’t recognize her right away.

It had only been two days, but her face was gaunt, like she might collapse at a touch. I couldn’t bring myself to confront her about hiding the Motus from me. I was too overwhelmed. No one had expected the trial to end with such a bombshell.

After hearing the full story from the guards, Rui didn’t ask me anything. She simply prepared my meals and bed, as if all that mattered was that I eat and rest.

Thanks to her, I was able to sleep despite the tense guards surrounding Arlin Palace and the anxious, curious gazes of the maids. I slept without thinking.

The next day, Rui calmly explained what had happened after I disappeared. Her restrained tone still conveyed the urgency and chaos of that moment.

When the glass I was holding shattered on the floor, the first to react was—surprisingly—Erich.

He ignored the shards cutting his hand and examined every piece. Rui said he must have realized I had vanished through spatial movement and tried to follow.

But Count Leten had already used up all the Motus transfers. That’s why Perlo had him cornered. At the time, it was impossible to chase after me.

…And Erich cried, staring at the space where I had vanished.

Was that just another performance, even in such a desperate moment? Could he really act in a situation like that?

Rui said she then tried to use the Motus fragment she had hidden in my dress to teleport to me. She confessed she had hidden it without my knowledge. She apologized but said she didn’t regret it. If it meant not losing me again, she would accept my anger.

Her brown eyes were so sorrowful I couldn’t say anything. Her desperation was clear in every word.

But Rui couldn’t reach me. Giscal had stopped her just in time.

His clothes disheveled from pushing through the crowd, Giscal persuaded Rui to give him the Motus fragment and teleported to me himself.

Rui didn’t just sit idly by. Giscal was able to secure the priestess as a witness within two days thanks to her.

When the emperor raged, demanding I be found immediately, Rui swallowed her tears and acted swiftly, following Giscal’s orders.

Just before teleporting, Giscal had told Rui to protect the priestess who had brought me the glass. Rui rushed to Martenal, someone she knew, and relayed the command. As Giscal predicted, a knight under Count Leten tried to kill the priestess, but Martenal, secretly guarding her, stopped the attempt.

The knight took his own life, but the priestess, realizing Count Leten had targeted her, agreed to testify under certain conditions.

“When Giscal received word that Your Highness was safe, he cried so much. If anything had happened to you, I… I would’ve followed you.”

Rui trembled as she recalled the events.

“After all that, Count Leten still lives? It’s unacceptable! He should’ve been hanged already, but the First Consort had to say something foolish!”

Her fear turned to fury. Rui wasn’t someone who usually spoke so harshly…

“Because of that nonsense, Your Highness is trapped in this palace. I just don’t understand any of it.”

She clenched her fists and glared upward, eyes burning with long-awaited resolve.

“So why did the name Perlo Shanier even come up?”

Her anger seemed more directed at Perlo than Rosadel. Her eyes gleamed like a mother confronting a beast that had harmed her child. It was my turn now. I cleared my throat, surprised by Rui’s intense reaction.

Rui already knew what had happened at the Edelheit mansion that night. She wasn’t asking why Perlo testified—she wanted to know why the First Consort had mentioned me being involved with Perlo.

I had to tell the truth.

Her piercing gaze made me hesitate. I felt compelled to explain myself.

To tell Rui the truth, I had to start with what happened at the library. How would she react to the lies that began there? Especially since she had been hurt so badly…

I quietly explained everything. Rui looked into my eyes, as if weighing my words.

“So you’re saying you have no relationship with that Perlo guy?”

“Huh?”

I was startled and asked again. Rui didn’t question the lie, didn’t blame me for her injuries—she only cared about whether I had any connection to Perlo. As if that were the most important thing. She asked again, urgently.

“So you’re not involved with that scoundrel Perlo at all?”

It was a question that demanded denial. And since it was true, I nodded. Only then did Rui breathe a sigh of relief.

“Is there… anything else you want to say?”

“Huh? Like what?”

Rui tilted her head, genuinely confused. So I spoke first.

“I mean, I lied. Because of that lie, you got hurt. I’m really sorry. Truly…”

I couldn’t meet her eyes. Whatever blame or anger she had, I had to accept it. But instead, Rui jumped in surprise.

“W-What are you saying? You have nothing to apologize for! Please, lift your head.”

“But if that hadn’t happened, you wouldn’t have gotten hurt. And I kept it secret until now.”

“Well, I did the same. I hid the Motus fragment from you, fully prepared for the consequences. But you didn’t say anything. And what happened at the library wasn’t your fault. You were caught in Perlo Shanier’s nasty scheme.”

Rui clearly harbored strong resentment toward Perlo, whom she’d never even met.

“And my injury had nothing to do with you. It was the emperor who lost control. You shouldn’t feel guilty about that. It was all Perlo’s fault. He’s the one who should apologize—not you. Though I wouldn’t accept it anyway.”

Rui’s hatred for Perlo was unmistakable.

“So please don’t bow your head. It hurts me more to see that. Lift your head. And from now on, tell me everything. I won’t keep secrets from you either.”

Rui gently wrapped her arms around my shoulders. I embraced her in return.

“Thank you.”

“No, thank you. I’m so grateful you came back to me.”

Rui’s embrace was warm. I truly felt like I had returned.

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