The Concubine Does Not Love the Emperor - Chapter 3

“You said you understood!” Bahari exclaimed, her voice filled with frustration and desperation. She and her sister, Gulle, tightly clung to Margaret’s dress, their fingers digging into the fabric as if hoping to prevent her from slipping away.

“Don’t worry. I’ll only be gone for a moment,” Margaret reassured them, her voice tinged with an air of mystery. With her once flowing white locks now adorned in a cascade of black and her face veiled, Margaret had an uncanny ability to disappear into the shadows. But even in this guise, Gulle couldn’t help but harbor doubts.

“Who sneaks out through the window in the dead of night and calls it a mere outing? And on our very floor!” Gulle’s voice trembled with worry as she pleaded with Margaret, her grip on the dress tightening.

A faint, almost imperceptible cry escaped Gulle’s lips, and it was enough to make Bahari snap into action.

“Lady Huram, if the headmistress were to find out about your nightly escapade, she would not hesitate to lock you up in the depths of the underground prison. Please reconsider your decision.”

“But my intention is to slip away unnoticed,” Margaret replied, her voice filled with determination. She glanced down, as if contemplating the consequences that awaited her. The ornate carvings adorning the walls, a stark contrast to the architectural style of Berthelot, provided ample footholds for climbing. But Gulle, unaware of Margaret’s extraordinary strength, beseeched her tearfully, trying to dissuade her from her plan.

“May the heavens forbid it, but if you were to be discovered, pretend to be a mere servant hiding beneath a flipped blanket!” Gulle’s voice quivered with fear; her words were a desperate plea.

“Lady Huram, you are utterly mad!” Bahari interjected, her voice filled with equal parts exasperation and concern. Margaret, however, paid no heed to their protests. With a gentle yet resolute push, she disentangled herself from their grasps and slipped through the window, disappearing into the night.

Balancing precariously on the railing, Margaret swiftly descended the wall, her movements nimble and agile. Concealing herself amidst the foliage of the garden, she cast a quick glance upward, catching a glimpse of Gulle’s anxious visage from afar.

Undeterred by Gulle’s restless pacing, Margaret surveyed her surroundings with a discerning eye. Within the harem, a sanctuary solely inhabited by women save for the presence of court ladies, there were no guards patrolling the area. Only the distant echoes of court ladies adorned in tinkling shoes reverberated through the air.

“There must be a hidden passage,” Margaret mused, her mind turning over Gulle’s words. Gulle’s intent had been to dissuade her, to caution her against the dangers that lurked in the shadows. But Margaret, driven by her curiosity and determination, saw it as an invitation, an opportunity to uncover secrets concealed within the palace walls.

Margaret stood with her arms crossed, contemplating the four doors leading to the main gate, each guarded by court ladies and soldiers.

Passing through such a place sensitive to outsiders during curfew hours was exceedingly difficult. But did that mean she had to bribe so many people?

“I don’t have enough silver for that. There must be a hidden passage,” Margaret thought to herself, determined to uncover it tonight. It was a full moon, casting a bright glow over the courtyard.

“If there’s a way out, it’s likely to be around here,” Margaret murmured, meticulously examining the opposite wall from the main entrance. She scrutinized the peculiar statues and searched through the garden, but found nothing. Was all her effort in vain? Just as she started to lose hope, a door caught her attention. It led to the dilapidated chambers where the former kings’ concubines resided, but it was said that they were no longer used since all the concubines who bore the imperial child had perished.

Margaret approached the door, getting closer to it. “Indeed, it’s securely locked,” she noted, observing the multitude of large locks hanging from it. She pushed with all her might, but they didn’t budge. These locks seemed to have rusted and gathered dust from disuse.

“To dispose of a body, it wouldn’t be of ordinary size and would certainly draw attention. Where could they have hidden it?” Margaret pondered. She cast a fleeting glance at the locks once again, shaking her head, and turned around. Suddenly, she noticed the dirt on the floor—not in the center of the door, but on a fixed part of the wall.

“This… could it be?” Margaret grasped the door and exerted force. It didn’t budge, but she had a feeling. This could be done! Holding onto it firmly, she put more strength into it, and the door started to slide slowly, revealing a concealed gap between the walls.

“No one can resist this temptation,” Margaret whispered to herself as she squeezed through the narrow opening, barely managing to pass her body through. She twisted her body to the side and slipped out. The path leading to the chambers was desolate and devoid of life. Soon, she reached a dead-end alley where the road split in two directions. After glancing at the sky for a moment, she decided to head right.

It didn’t take long for her to find herself standing in the bustling center of a square.

“I was right!” Margaret exclaimed, her anticipation fulfilled.

Even though it was nighttime, the square was bustling with people. Merchants illuminated their wares with lanterns, diligently selling their goods, while street vendors busily prepared and sold chicken and lamb skewers, enticing customers with late-night snacks. It almost resembled a festive atmosphere. Like Margaret, the women walking along the streets had their faces veiled, and nobody paid any attention to her. They knew better than to bother a well-dressed woman; it was like inviting trouble. However, the situation was different in the dimly lit alleys.

“Ahh!”

A woman’s scream echoed from a shadowy corner where moonlight failed to reach. People momentarily paused, but realizing it was just the cry of a disreputable woman, they promptly resumed their activities, dismissing it as irrelevant to their affairs.

The women who didn’t veil their faces or wear revealing attire that exposed their knees and elbows were mostly considered prostitutes. They were commonly seen as little devils who lured men into the dark alleys, so the scream that pierced through the alleyways was perceived by the onlookers as nothing more than the sound of a demon, rather than that of a human.

However, Margaret swiftly darted into the alley where the scream had originated.

“Please, help me!”

She saw a group of Ruffians surrounding a woman. There were around three of them. One of them addressed another person.

“Stop it.”

Before Margaret could intervene, someone else extended a helping hand faster than her.

“Who do you think you are, interfering with our business? Coming out like this on a night like this, you must be one of those sluts.”

“No, it’s not true! That man forcibly grabbed and tore off my veil! He’s been following me for days!”

The men surrounding the woman were of average height, but there was one who stood out due to his towering stature. Even in silhouette, it was apparent that he had a larger build than the rest. Margaret considered turning away from such a potentially dangerous situation when a thud sounded.

“Ohhh .”

Size and fighting skills didn’t always correlate. Nothing could be done about it. Margaret loosened her wrist and approached the group of ruffians.

“And who might you be?”

“Oh, a little girl. Do you know this lady?”

She didn’t feel the need to respond. Without hesitation, Margaret swiftly attacked one of the men, grabbing him by the collar. The sudden assault elicited curses from the men. One of them shouted and rushed towards her. He was slow. Dodging the man’s swinging fist with ease, Margaret smirked. With a sharp crack, several teeth flew out of the man’s mouth.

“Ack!”

Two of the men writhed on the ground, screaming in pain. The remaining man’s face turned pale with fear. Seizing the opportunity, Margaret grabbed the fleeing man by the back of his shirt and flung him to the ground. His head collided with the pavement, and he lay still.

Clap, clap, clap.

“Remarkable. Which noble family do you belong to, my lady? Do you not have any guards? Well, you certainly didn’t need them if you are this strong.”

A man who had been silently observing from behind approached with an air of nonchalance. The moonlight shimmered on his platinum-like hair, contrasting with his handsome face and beastly physique. Margaret bit her tongue, internally mocking his lackluster appearance.

“Thank you,” Margaret replied curtly.

The woman she had helped looked at Margaret with admiration in her eyes. Margaret picked up the fallen veil from the ground and handed it to her before silently making her way back to the square, without bothering to answer any further questions. She didn’t have time to waste in a place like this.

“Just a moment.”

A strong hand grasped her shoulder, pulling her back. When she turned around, it was the man from earlier.

“I’m called Ray. Won’t you tell me your name?”

Margaret wordlessly shrugged off his hand. Ray, seemingly unfazed, followed her silently with measured footsteps, striking up a conversation.

“Just a moment, you came to see the festival, didn’t you? If you wander around alone at night without a guardian, you might end up in a situation similar to before.”

“A situation similar to before?” Margaret inquired.

“People who attract attention are easy targets.”

Margaret, who had been walking confidently, abruptly stopped and swiftly turned around.

“Easy targets, you say. So, who do you think would be in danger if we were to meet? Me or you?”

Her finger alternated between pointing at herself and the man. Ray chuckled, his eyes narrowing playfully.

“Of course it would be me. You saw that correctly.”

His confident remark caused Margaret’s tension to dissipate, and a half-hearted laugh escaped her lips.

“I guess it’s not something to brag about, after all.”

“That’s why… stay with me.”

Ray stood next to her, his charming laughter resonating. Margaret was tall enough to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with most men, but next to Ray, her head only reached his shoulders.

“Currently, it’s the festival season. Every evening, the palace sets off fireworks, and people roam the streets until late at night.”

Speaking as if they had known each other for a long time, Ray continued without hesitation.

“This is a great time for traveling. Many people visit the capital during this period. It can be both a blessing and a curse for security.”

“Yeah, I know. I know.”

Margaret responded dismissively, pondering how to shake off this bothersome man.

“If you go that way, you’ll reach the strait, and with a boat, you can reach the northern continent in about three hours.”

Ray’s words instantly caught Margaret’s attention.

“The strait… you can use a boat?”

Come to think of it, she recalled what Gulle had mentioned. The concubines were thrown into the strait.

“Oh, I see. There were side paths next to the door. If we go the other way, we might reach the strait.”

Hearing the first helpful information, Margaret looked at Ray. When their eyes met, Ray smirked, his smile appearing quite juvenile. Margaret couldn’t help but think that if she played her cards right, he could be quite useful as an informant.

“You seem to have a good understanding of geography. Are you from this region?”

“Yes, I am. And you seem like a foreigner. Which country are you from? Your fair skin suggests the northern continent.”

“You’re quite familiar with the traits of people from the continent. Give it a guess.”

Ray stepped forward, circling around Margaret, before finally facing her. His violet eyes scanned her from head to toe. Margaret had a feeling that she had seen those eyes somewhere before.

“The smooth and fair skin is indeed a trait of people from the northern continent. However, judging by your black hair, you’re not from across the sea. People, there are mostly blond or have red hair.”

Margaret nodded in agreement, thinking that Ray was quite accurate in his assessment.

“So, it’s a mixture of the north and south?”

“You’re wrong.”

Ray clicked his tongue as if disappointed.

“But it was quite plausible.”

“Was I close to the right answer?”

When Margaret nodded, Ray smirked mischievously.

“If you tell me your name, I might be able to guess correctly this time. If you give me your surname, I can definitely figure it out—ouch!”

While Ray continued to walk backward, facing Margaret, he bumped into someone behind him. The person stumbled backward, clutching their chest.

“Hey! Can’t you watch where you’re going?”

“Sorry, huh?”

It was the troublemaker from earlier. He soon recognized Ray and Margaret.