The Stand-In Empress’S Wedding Night [EN]: Chapter 30

30. I Only Used My Left Hand

To dare to use violence in front of me. How dare she? I stared intently at Catherine. She knew I was watching her, yet she continued to berate Rosie. Ironically, Catherine, who had done the hitting, looked angrier than Rosie, who had been slapped.

“Didn’t I tell you? I’m the First Concubine now. You Second Concubines are no longer in a position to speak informally to me!”

“Oh, we’ve been speaking informally since we were young, so I forgot for a moment… I’ll be careful next time…”

Rosie looked stunned by Catherine’s sudden slap. She covered her cheek with both hands and apologized.

“Next time? There is no next time!”

Catherine glared and shouted.

“If you understand what I’m saying…”

Catherine’s hand slowly rose again, mercilessly striking Rosie’s cheek once more.

“From now on, use…”

Smack-.

“Proper respect, got it?”

Smack, smack! Catherine alternated slapping Rosie’s cheeks with her last words.

“Haa, do you understand?”

Catherine’s violent tendencies weren’t particularly surprising. However, seeing her, now the First Concubine, treating someone she had known in social circles her whole life worse than a servant was hard to watch. Even if Rosie was a lower-ranked concubine, she was still formally the Emperor’s concubine. To treat her so carelessly without being crazy… Moreover, Catherine was intentionally ignoring my existence as the Empress.

“Not answering?”

Catherine, still displeased with Rosie’s hesitant attitude, raised her hand again, threateningly.

“I-I’m sorry. Catherine, Your Grace…”

Eventually, Rosie lowered her head and spoke respectfully to Catherine. Rosie’s tears fell onto the greenhouse floor. Could she really be crying because a few slaps hurt? It just sounded loud; it didn’t seem that painful? I watched Rosie tearfully, then changed my mind. I shouldn’t think based on my own standards. Right, it’s difficult to compare the stamina of ordinary noble ladies to mine.

“That’s right, Rosie. If you had done that sooner, you wouldn’t have shown such an unsightly figure in front of Her Majesty the Empress.”

Catherine finally spoke with a satisfied expression.

“Catherine.”

I called her quietly in a rather solemn voice.

“Yes, Your Majesty the Empress. I apologize for startling you. But those who don’t know their place need to be taught, even if it’s like this.”

Judging by Catherine’s glare, it seemed like she was saying that for me to hear.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk… How can you slap someone’s cheek with such a flimsy hand?”

As I clicked my tongue rhythmically, Catherine’s eyes widened.

“What are you looking at?”

“Pardon?!”

“Without knowing your place.”

I smiled at Catherine. Her flustered eyes darted around wildly before she asked me.

“Your Majesty the Empress? What are you saying…!”

“Could you reduce the size of your eyes a little?”

“…My eyes?”

“Yes. I, too, am not someone you can just stare at so brazenly, am I?”

“Your Majesty, what on earth…!”

“Ah, reduce the size of that mouth too.”

I smiled at Catherine, who was gaping at me with a dumbfounded expression. Then, returning to a serious expression, I recalled Catherine’s actions towards Rosie and returned them in kind.

“It’s the virtue of superiors to teach those who don’t know their place, even if it means hitting them, and it’s the duty of inferiors to realize it, even if it means getting hit.”

“?”

“Do you agree?”

“Yes, I agr… Ack!”

Thwack-! I hit the side of Catherine’s head instead of her cheek, out of conscience. As expected, the sound of hitting the side of the head was much duller than slapping a cheek. Not as satisfying to hit. But if I had slapped Catherine’s cheek, it would have swollen up instantly as if punched. So, I gently put strength into the side of her head, where swelling and bruising wouldn’t be visible. And that was with my left hand. Haa, I’m too soft-hearted; it’s a big problem. Even though I didn’t put all my strength into my palm, Catherine, who was standing in front of me, flew away to where her maid was. How dare she wave her hand around when she flies away like a leaf in the wind?

“Your Grace, heavens! Are you alright?!”

Catherine’s maid rushed to catch her as she fell, collapsing in front of her. I watched Catherine carefully, wondering if she was pretending to be weak. She seemed out of her mind from the pain she was feeling for the first time. After all, how could a noble lady have ever experienced such shock and pain? She would have only ever hit her own maids or slaves. Rosie was frozen with a more shocked expression than when she had been slapped by Catherine. I was slightly worried that Rosie might be scared of me because of this, but if that were the case, there was nothing I could do. Watching Catherine, who was motionless, I wondered if she had fainted with her eyes open, so I approached her. Then, Catherine moved her buttocks backward as if trying to escape, struggling to distance herself from me.

“Catherine. Be grateful to me.”

“!”

Catherine looked up at me with terrified eyes.

“I’m telling you to be grateful to me for hitting your lacking head instead of your pretty face.”

“…Y-Your Majesty the Empress! You can’t do this to me!”

“Can’t? Why?”

At my question, Catherine only bit her lower lip. I said in a very friendly tone.

“Your sin was great.”

“What sin did I commit?”

“The sin of daring to raise your voice in front of me, who is already weak in body and mind.”

“Haa? Wh-What are you saying?”

“The sin of laying a hand on His Majesty’s woman, and even startling the greenhouse plants.”

“…Pardon?”

“The charges are quite diverse, but I’ll lightly overlook them today.”

I straightened my back, which had been slightly bent towards Catherine, and patted my back with my hand.

“Your Majesty the Empress, weak in body and mind?!”

Catherine shouted at me as if questioning whether I was talking nonsense.

“Look, my hand is trembling like this.”

I raised my left hand, which had hit the side of Catherine’s head, and shook it violently. In fact, my hand was trembling because I was itching to hit her a few more times, but anyway, it was true that my hand was trembling.

“Haa?”

Catherine scoffed with a dumbfounded expression.

“Haa? Haa…aa?”

I stopped shaking my hand, clenched my fist, and looked down at Catherine with an indifferent gaze. Catherine shuddered and clung tightly to her maid’s arm.

“Should I force you to open your mouth, which only spews out harsh words, into a square shape so you can apologize?”

“How can you say such vulgar… no, such cruel things?”

“Vulgar? Cruel?”

“The word ‘vulgar’ was… a slip of the tongue.”

“It feels very strange to hear such words from someone who possesses both vulgarity and cruelty.”

“What do you mean I have both of those things?”

Catherine flared up as if she had been splattered with filth. I shouted back at her fiercely.

“Didn’t the First Concubine just demonstrate cruelty with her eyes and actions a moment ago?”

“…!”

Catherine glanced at Rosie standing behind me and then only moved her lips as if she had lost her voice.

“You don’t know that you can tear, scratch, and trample on someone with your words, eyes, expressions, and movements? Then it’s true that you’re vulgar too.”

“I-I don’t know what Your Majesty the Empress is talking about.”

“Ah, did I hit your head too hard, stopping even the functions that were barely working? Though I didn’t hit it that hard.”

“Are you trying to humiliate me in front of my inferiors?”

Catherine snapped venomously.

“No.”

“No? Aren’t you clearly humiliating me right now!”

I raised my hand again to stop Catherine’s words. Well, sorry to say this, but

“You need to get your words right. I’ve been openly insulting you since a while ago. I’m not trying to humiliate you, but insulting you.”

“…Your Majesty the Empress, I will never forget today’s humiliation!”

Catherine said, trembling all over. Anyone would think she was a loyal subject who had lost her country.

“Just try to forget!”

I immediately retorted, raising my voice as well.

“Then my hand will fly straight into your face, not the side of your head or your cheek.”

“Heok!”

Catherine’s eyes and mouth widened as much as they could in shock. There’s still an important thing left to say. It’s troubling to have such a breathless reaction already? Reluctantly, I watched Catherine’s nostrils widen for a moment before continuing.

“Just as you sank to the floor, the day my fist flies straight into your face, your high nose will also sink!”

I said, looking down at Catherine reverently, as if delivering words from an oracle.

“And, that high nose will never rise again!”

Catherine quickly covered her nose with both hands.

“…H-How can you say such harsh things!”

Did I speak too prophetically? Catherine showed an unnecessarily excessive belief in what I said, as if such a thing would happen right away.

“I don’t want that to happen either. So, Catherine, what should we do now?”

I gave her one last chance.

“I-I raised my voice in front of Your Majesty the Empress today. I will be careful… from now on.”

Catherine said, slightly bowing her head. The forced apology was obvious, but I eventually accepted it. Catherine was clenching the hem of her dress tightly, suppressing her anger.

“I will be watching from now on. I’ve started to like your pert nose, so I hope you take good care of it.”

I added in a friendly voice, ‘You have a nose of a very good height to sink,’ with sincerity. It was a compliment in its own way. I gave Catherine a warning look, then turned my head, relaxed my expression, and looked at Rosie.

“Rosie, let’s meet again later. We were talking about books earlier, weren’t we? I hope to have a long conversation next time.”

“I-It’s an honor, Your Majesty the Empress! I’m so sorry for causing you concern today…”

Rosie gave me a grateful expression. I gave her a short smile and turned to my maids.

“Let’s return to the Empress’s Palace.”

“Yes, Your Majesty the Empress!”

The maids chanted in a louder voice than usual, following behind me. I passed by Catherine, who was still sitting on the floor. A moment later, Catherine’s voice wrapped around my body like a chilling snake from behind.

“Last night! You were too much!”

At Catherine’s resentful voice, I turned back. I finally sent Linelle to her bedroom, and this is what she says? I was too much?

“Catherine, what do you mean? I don’t remember doing anything to deserve such resentment from you.”

I asked in a monotone voice. Catherine kept her lips tightly shut for a moment, then seemed hesitant to speak to me. It seemed like she was conscious of Rosie in front of her. Catherine finally broke the silence and opened her mouth.

“Yesterday… wasn’t it my first night?”

“And?”

“And… what do you mean? Your Majesty the Empress has more days to attend to His Majesty than the concubines, so you shouldn’t have prevented me from having my first night!”

Catherine’s dignified face collapsed miserably. What on earth is she talking about?

“Are you saying that His Majesty did not go to your palace last night?”

At my question, Catherine scoffed as if she thought I was pretending not to know, tilting her head and glaring at me.

“Yes! He didn’t come.”

Catherine replied, barely suppressing her anger.

“…That’s too bad. I’m sorry, but I don’t know anything about it.”

Catherine tilted her head with a look that said she couldn’t believe it, and glared at me.

“And, it’s His Majesty’s decision which residence he goes to. You must know that even if I am the Empress, there are things I can’t do as I please, right?”

“Then where on earth did His Majesty go yesterday…!”

Catherine lowered her head and muttered softly. That’s right. I’m curious too.

“Catherine, the floor is cold, so get up.”

I showed a compassionate side as the Empress, feeling a bit sorry for her. Perhaps because it was a slightly forceful tone, Catherine hesitated and resisted before starting to move.

“Uh… oop?”

Catherine was helped up by her maid, but she collapsed back onto the floor.

“Oh dear, I’m sorry.”

My shoe was stepping on the hem of Catherine’s dress. Catherine looked like she wanted to ask if I was deliberately stepping on her dress, but she didn’t ask in the end. I was willing to tell her honestly if she asked.

“Here, grab on.”

I felt a bit sorry and reached out my hand to Catherine. It was a hand extended out of consideration.

“Aaaack!”

But Catherine screamed as if having a seizure,

“…Did she faint?”

And collapsed to the floor.

“Your Grace, Your Grace? Catherine, Your Grace!”

Catherine’s maid held her in her arms and shook her wildly.

“Tsk, tsk, she must have been very tired from waiting for His Majesty last night. Don’t wake her up, let her get some sleep.”

“Yes? Ah, yes… Your Majesty the Empress…”

“She’ll feel refreshed if she gets a good sleep in the greenhouse with fresh air. And her mind will come back too.”

Catherine’s maid also looked up at me with a face as white as if she was about to faint.

“Rosie, you should go back to your palace and put some ice on your face. There’s no need for you to be here.”

I ordered Rosie, who was standing there anxiously because of Catherine’s fainting.

“I-I will, Your Majesty the Empress.”

“Okay.”

I nodded to Rosie and was about to turn around when I looked down at Catherine, who had fainted again.

“To think she’s waving her hand around carelessly. Someone who has never extended a warm hand to anyone in her life.”

At my words, Catherine’s closed eyes twitched. So, her fainting was an act. I chuckled at her clumsy acting and just turned around. I wasn’t afraid of the aftermath of what happened in the greenhouse today. However, I was afraid that the aftermath that would come to me would head in the wrong direction. I don’t want Linelle to be in trouble because of me. I left the greenhouse and inadvertently looked up at the sky. Dark clouds were rolling in over the clear sky.