Exile was supposed to break Keigetsu. Instead, she smiles, embraces her punishment, and shocks everyone by finding freedom where everyone else sees despair.
The episode 2 of Though I Am an Inept Villainess starts with Leelee arriving to escort Shu Keigetsu after the Noble Consort orders her relocation following the disturbance in the inner court. Although Keigetsu has been declared innocent, Leelee explains that someone involved in such an incident cannot continue living as before. Keigetsu calmly accepts the decision and follows without protest. During the walk, she is surprised to learn that Leelee has actually served as her personal court lady for the past year, making Leelee realize just how little attention her mistress paid to those around her before.
The story then shifts to the Shu Palace, the home of the Shu clan that governs the southern lands and reveres fire. As Keigetsu takes in the brilliant colors of the palace, she hopes to greet Noble Consort Shu, believing that a Maiden and her Noble Consort should share a relationship similar to that of a mother and daughter. Instead, Leelee tells her that she has been ordered to keep her distance. Keigetsu finds the situation difficult to understand because she remembers Noble Consort Shu as someone gentle enough to show kindness even to insects, making the cold treatment feel completely out of character.
Her arrival is anything but welcoming. Other court ladies openly insult both Keigetsu and Leelee, mocking them as unwanted pests. Rather than becoming angry, Keigetsu quietly reflects on how warmly everyone treated her while she lived in Kou Palace. She even wonders if constantly being surrounded by kindness had made her take such treatment for granted. Instead of dwelling on the insults, she focuses on her long-held dream of becoming more independent and living without constantly relying on others.
Leelee then leads her to her new residence, revealing that it is nothing more than an abandoned pantry at the edge of Shu Palace. The building is overrun with insects and fungi and sits so far from the main residence that it borders another clan's territory. Keigetsu immediately realizes she has effectively been exiled. Leelee finally reveals years of resentment, accusing her mistress of treating her cruelly and insulting her because of her mixed heritage. She declares that she will no longer care for Keigetsu and leaves her to survive alone, adding that no other court lady will be willing to help either. She also reveals that Keigetsu has been removed from participation in the upcoming Ghost Festival.
Surprisingly, Keigetsu reacts in the exact opposite way everyone expects. Instead of crying over the abandoned building, she looks across the overgrown land with excitement. She sees fertile soil, endless grass, and complete freedom. Rather than viewing the location as punishment, she believes it is the perfect place to grow medicinal herbs, conduct experiments, sleep peacefully, and finally enjoy the quiet life she has always wanted. Memories of her frail childhood return as she remembers being encouraged to face hardships with determination. Inspired by those words once again, she enthusiastically promises herself that she will work hard and make the most of her new surroundings.
Elsewhere, the Crown Prince orders the Eagle Eyes Captain and Bunkou to secretly watch over Keigetsu because he does not want Reirin harmed again. Although many people believe Keigetsu deserves her punishment, they are still instructed to ensure no one attacks her. Expecting to find a disgraced Maiden throwing a tantrum, the two instead discover Keigetsu happily pulling weeds and preparing the abandoned property for daily life. She politely greets them, apologizes for not being able to offer proper hospitality, and even asks if they might help her obtain one simple thing—salt. Rather than requesting servants, money, or influence, she explains that she can manage with rainwater and potatoes but has no practical way to produce salt herself. Her modest request leaves both visitors completely speechless and forces them to question whether she has truly become a different person after the Lion's Judgment.
At the same time, Leelee desperately searches for food, only to be rejected by the palace kitchens because no one wishes to support either the disgraced Maiden or the daughter of a dancer. Before she can leave, an upper court lady from the Kin clan approaches with an unexpected proposal. She offers Leelee promotion to a higher-ranking position if she agrees to secretly torment Shu Keigetsu and report everything that happens in the abandoned residence. To make the offer even more tempting, she provides food and promises even greater rewards in the future. Torn between survival and loyalty, Leelee reluctantly accepts the arrangement, believing she has no other choice if she wants to stay alive.
Leelee returns to the abandoned residence expecting to find Shu Keigetsu exhausted, hungry, and surrounded by weeds. She even prepares herself to make Keigetsu beg for food before offering any help. Instead, she is greeted by an unbelievable sight. Keigetsu happily welcomes her home, proudly announcing that she has already fried potatoes, sautéed field mustard, and prepared a meal. Even more astonishing, the once-neglected land has already been organized into growing areas filled with different plants.
Completely stunned, Leelee demands an explanation for how vegetables could possibly be growing around an abandoned building. Keigetsu calmly explains that the building was once used as a pantry, allowing forgotten food to sprout over time. She also believes the nearby land benefits from conditions that encourage plant growth, turning what everyone else considers cursed ground into an ideal place for cultivation. Rather than fearing the insects and fungi living there, she becomes genuinely excited about them, praising the fungi for producing useful rice galls and celebrating the opportunity to finally put all the knowledge she learned from books into practical use. To Keigetsu, the abandoned estate feels less like exile and more like paradise.
Leelee is shocked once again after noticing salt and cooking oil in the meal. Keigetsu cheerfully reveals that kind people, including the Eagle Eyes Captain, helped provide them. She even jokes that if no salt had been available, she might have used her own tears instead, although she admits she much prefers enjoying a generous amount of seasoning. Watching Keigetsu enthusiastically enjoy ordinary food leaves Leelee increasingly confused. The woman she remembers was arrogant and cruel, yet the person standing before her now finds overwhelming happiness in the simplest pleasures.
Unable to contain her doubts, Leelee directly asks whether this is truly Shu Keigetsu. Keigetsu answers honestly that since the night of the Double Sevens Festival, she has become a completely different person, but she cannot explain any further. Instead of avoiding Leelee, she warmly invites her to share the meal. Their quiet dinner slowly begins breaking down the wall of resentment that has existed between them for so long, while Leelee secretly wonders whether she can still carry out the cruel assignment she accepted earlier.
The episode then shifts to Kou Reirin, whose body is now inhabited by Keigetsu's soul. Unlike the lonely life in Shu Palace, everyone around Reirin constantly worries about her well-being and eagerly offers assistance. Outwardly, she politely tells everyone not to fuss over her, but privately she enjoys every moment of the attention. She believes that being treasured by so many people has transformed her status completely and convinces herself that she finally possesses the life she always desired.
Her thoughts reveal the bitterness she has carried for years. She remembers growing up in poverty after losing her parents and eventually being selected as Shu's Maiden despite lacking natural talent. She believes everyone pitied her, while the court ladies mocked her weakness and other Maidens looked down on her. In contrast, Kou Reirin appeared beautiful, intelligent, and admired by everyone. Instead of respecting her, Keigetsu's original soul became consumed by jealousy and hatred. She even decides that if the truth behind the body swap is ever discovered, she can simply use the real Reirin as a hostage because she believes only she can restore their original bodies.
Life inside Reirin's body quickly proves far more demanding than expected. While recovering from a fever, she is approached by Tousetsu, who faithfully brings her embroidery, handwriting practice, music lessons, dance training, and physical exercises because she remembers Reirin always insisting that illness was the perfect opportunity to improve herself. Horrified that someone expects a sick person to continue training, Keigetsu tries to refuse, but Tousetsu only becomes more inspired by what she believes is Reirin's incredible determination.
Desperate to escape the relentless schedule, Keigetsu claims her illness may be contagious and begs everyone to stay away for their own safety. Rather than leaving, the attendants become even more worried, immediately deciding to summon an apothecary and promising to remain by her side. Watching everyone panic over her condition, Keigetsu realizes she completely misunderstood why Kou Reirin received so much affection. The people around Reirin are not simply spoiling her—they constantly fear she will push herself beyond her physical limits. Exhausted and overwhelmed, Keigetsu wonders if she can truly survive while living in such a demanding body.
The episode ends with Leelee quietly returning to the abandoned residence after remembering the Kin clan's offer to torment Shu Keigetsu in exchange for a better future. However, after witnessing Keigetsu's genuine kindness, endless optimism, and determination to build a happy life from nothing, Leelee can no longer act as confidently as before. The episode closes with the conflict between her promise to the Kin clan and her growing respect for the transformed Keigetsu, setting the stage for the difficult choices waiting ahead.
Episode Verdict
Episode 2 does an excellent job of turning what should have been a depressing exile into an uplifting story about resilience. Keigetsu's cheerful attitude transforms every setback into an opportunity, creating several genuinely funny moments while also highlighting her growing bond with Leelee. At the same time, the episode gives meaningful insight into the bitterness driving the soul inside Reirin's body, making the conflict between the two women even more compelling. The combination of humor, emotional character development, and political tension keeps the story engaging from beginning to end without losing its momentum.
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