Episode 20

They all started gossiping among themselves, surprised by what the girl was saying. Janet started praising her and making assumptions.

"Maybe he'll choose her to be his empress? It would be very romantic, a love from childhood," she said.

They all sighed and started weaving romantic novel plots in their heads.

Until a comment from Miss Luisa brought everyone back to reality.

"But Farel, isn't that just her maiden name? Isn't her married name Di'Sepolo?" she asked.

I watched her for a few seconds, until my brain reacted.

"Don't tell me you're the legendary 'last concubine' of this empire," I said.

Everyone stared, remembering that the concubine never left the palace, no one knew who she was. In my previous life, it was said that she was so ashamed that she secluded herself in the farthest palace. Rumors spread, but no one knew her name or family, just that she was the last concubine allowed by the emperor. The backstory was never revealed, and I didn't care. However, now I was curious about this girl.

She laughed falsely and said, "Yes, I am the concubine of the emperor's brother."

To which Luisa retorted, "Then you have no chance with the emperor anymore, having slept with his brother would be weird."

I could see Anabela clenching her fists tighter and tighter, poor girl must have all her hands marked. Meanwhile, one of the ladies scolded Luisa, "Don't say such vulgar things, Luisa."

Before Luisa could respond, Janet intervened, "Well, let's not talk about those things, who knows, maybe they have a love that transcends barriers and they'll reunite to be together."

I started laughing sweetly and replied, "That would make a lovely fantasy story. I can already imagine the title, 'From concubine to empress.'"

Janet quickly changed the subject, and the royal family was no longer discussed. However, for some strange reason, it seemed like the hostess wanted to shower that brat who thought she had a chance with my emperor with compliments...

The evening continued fairly peacefully, and when it was time to leave, Luisa approached me.

"Excuse me, Miss Liberto. Would you mind sharing a carriage with me? The one that would take me home is broken, and it will take a while to fix it."

"No problem, come on in," I replied.

We headed to the carriage, and I informed the driver that we would drop off Luisa first and then return to the duchy.

Once inside the carriage, I saw her casually throw herself on the seat until she sat up like a proper lady. Seeing her act like that made me laugh.

"Make yourself comfortable, there's no need to be so strict," I said.

"Is that so? Because the rumors don't speak highly of you. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that," she replied.

"I won't deny that I acted recklessly in the past, but today I am a renewed person with a more open mind," I said.

"I like you, you don't seem fake like those stuck-up girls," she said.

"They have much to learn..." I trailed off.

We talked the entire way, and I learned that Luisa was from the countryside. Her family made a fortune trading products from their hometown. Slowly, they became merchants and the new rich in the capital.

She told me that upon arriving here, she paid a hidden guild for information on all the prominent ladies she could encounter at a party, which is how she knew scandalous gossip about all of them. I was quite taken with this girl.

I took the opportunity to ask her about Anabela. She told me that rumors about the emperor not being able to have offspring started when she was fifteen, at the time the crown was to pass to her as her father was sick.

It was demanded of her that in order to ascend to the throne, she must break off her engagement. This was to quell the rumors. However, something unexpected happened. The emperor, from one day to the next, was crowned without requiring a wife or anything.

It turns out that the heir's fiancee fell in love with the older brother and they ended up sleeping together. She got pregnant, but lost the baby shortly after.

The rumor has it that the emperor's sister-in-law was so furious that she was responsible for the baby not being born, no one judged her, not even the emperor himself.

However, the man put the law that we know today, they cannot marry until they are eighteen. The girl, at that time, was fifteen years old, so she had to live in shame until she was eighteen, but since the man who married her was already married, she was going to be a concubine.

The day after they got married, the emperor made the second most popular law in his reign, from that day on no one could have concubines.

The emperor took his revenge little by little, and the girl, after getting nothing, secluded herself in the most remote palace on the eldest brother's grounds. She was never seen again, until now.

"Well, Miss Melanie, here is my house, can I send you an invitation to see each other again? I would like to be your friend,"

With a radiant smile, I replied, "Of course, we will be friends, I look forward to your invitation."

I quickly said goodbye and returned to the duchy, I had to finish preparing everything, because the next day I would be traveling.

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