The Stand-In Empress’S Wedding Night [EN]: Chapter 97

97. It’s Because My Love Is Abundant

2021.12.08.

Grand Duke Martins was constantly searching for the opportune moment to slip the powdered sleeping draught into Prince Tesler’s wine glass, but the chance stubbornly refused to appear. The more time trickled by, the more anxiety gnawed at the Grand Duke.

‘How could he issue such an order?’

The thought echoed in his mind as he fixed his gaze upon Prince Tesler across from him. Rams was Prince Norton’s son, yes, but also the son of his own younger sister, Princess Resilia. He desperately wanted to deny the situation, to dismiss it as a mistake born of drunken stupor, but the one who’d given the order was Tesler. If the Prince commanded his knight to employ the assassin’s guild to scour the Imperial Palace, there was a strong likelihood they would pinpoint Rams’ location by the following morning, regardless of how long it took. Therefore, he had to spirit Rams away swiftly to a sanctuary beyond the assassin’s guild’s reach. But did such a place even exist? Perhaps within the Rafion Imperial Palace itself? Considering a safe haven, Grand Duke Martins quietly shook his head. Even if he brought Rams to the Imperial Palace, there was no one he could trust enough to entrust him to. Though not inebriated, the Grand Duke’s mind was spiraling into disarray.

“Your Highness, you appear to be indulging a bit too much. Perhaps you should consider pausing for now…”

“My stomach is in turmoil, so I find myself compelled to drink heavily today. Martins, why does your glass remain full?”

Prince Tesler gestured with a displeased expression towards the Grand Duke’s wine glass.

“If I attempt to match Your Highness’s pace, I fear I’ll be reduced to crawling out of this room. You are aware, of course, that whenever I engage in competition with Your Highness, I invariably meet defeat, especially in matters of swordsmanship.”

Grand Duke Martins deliberately showered the Prince with flattery. In response, Prince Tesler erupted into a satisfied laugh.

“Hold on. Instead of merely drinking like this, perhaps we should order something to eat.”

The Prince, easily swayed by Grand Duke Martins’ flattery, summoned a servant. When no one responded, likely because the servant was temporarily absent, he unsteadily rose from the sofa.

“These fellows are perpetually missing when one requires their assistance.”

“I shall go and fetch them.”

Grand Duke Martins offered, supporting the Prince.

“Ah, it’s quite alright. Do you perceive me as being intoxicated at this moment? Don’t be absurd. Simply empty your glass while I am away!”

Prince Tesler brushed off the Grand Duke’s hand and insisted on opening the door himself and departing. Finally, the opportune moment had arrived. Grand Duke Martins hastily rummaged through his uniform pocket and retrieved the powdered sleeping draught he had obtained from the ‘Confident Night’ clinic. He had been disappointed that they were out of pills and he had to settle for the powder instead, but little did he know it would be utilized in this manner. Without hesitation, the Grand Duke poured the entire contents of the bottle of powdered sleeping draught into Prince Tesler’s wine glass. Perhaps due to its powdered form, the sleeping draught vanished without a trace as soon as it mingled with the red wine. He swiftly poured the wine from his own glass into a large flowerpot situated in the corner adjacent to the table. Upon hearing the door creak open once more, the Grand Duke leaned back loosely on the sofa, feigning a state of slight inebriation, and closed his eyes.

“Martins, it is unbecoming to be in such a state already. I never succumb to sleep while drinking, regardless of the extent of my intoxication, my friend.”

Prince Tesler chuckled and picked up his glass, taking a generous sip of the wine laced with the sleeping draught. Grand Duke Martins, with his eyes partially closed, observed him and then met the Prince’s gaze.

“Ah, your glass is empty? And there’s no more wine. Let us share this before we summon a fresh bottle.”

Prince Tesler poured approximately a third of the wine, heavily infused with sleeping draught, into the Grand Duke’s glass.

‘Damn it!’

Grand Duke Martins struggled to suppress a frown.

‘This will disrupt my plan to lull Tesler to sleep and then proceed to Prince Norton…’

“What are you doing? Are you not going to partake? Ah, we ought to propose a toast.”

Prince Tesler directly placed the wine glass in the Grand Duke’s hand, clinked glasses, and proclaimed,

“To our friendship!”

The two men simultaneously downed their wine. Grand Duke Martins retained the wine in his mouth, refraining from swallowing.

“The wine possesses a sweet taste today, exceedingly sweet. Do you not concur? Or is it merely my perception? Martins, are you disregarding me?”

Because Prince Tesler addressed him, the Grand Duke had no alternative but to swallow the wine. Glug-. Bastard.

“Yes, it does.”

In the end, Grand Duke Martins also consumed the wine containing the sleeping draught.

‘Tesler imbibed a greater quantity, thus he shall likely succumb to sleep first.’

A few minutes later, servants ushered in fresh wine and simple snacks.

‘I believe I am beginning to experience dizziness, but why does that bastard remain unaffected?’

Grand Duke Martins widened his eyes in an attempt to stave off the encroaching loss of consciousness. Prince Tesler clapped his hands at the sight of the new wine and poured it into his glass.

“The wine is exceptionally delectable today.”

The instant Prince Tesler placed the wine bottle down on the table, he lost consciousness and slumped beside the sofa as if collapsing.

“Ah… that accursed friendship is finally yielding results.”

Grand Duke Martins staggered to his feet. If he lingered here any longer, he would undoubtedly succumb to sleep like Prince Tesler. He had to hasten to meet Prince Norton. The sensation of being intoxicated by the sleeping draught mirrored the symptoms of profound inebriation. The marble floor began to undulate before the Grand Duke’s eyes. *** To the servants, Grand Duke Martins merely appeared heavily drunk, and no one suspected that he was under the influence of a sleeping draught. The Grand Duke ascended to the 6th floor, where the dignitaries of the Partsha Empire were lodging. The stairs, too, seemed to be swaying back and forth like the floor. He had previously been informed of the location of Prince Norton’s room, but he couldn’t be certain if his steps were guiding him there correctly now. Reasoning that he shouldn’t squander time in this manner, he seized a passing servant and inquired.

“Do you know the whereabouts of Prince… Prince Norton’s room?”

The servant of the Partsha Empire frowned at Grand Duke Martins, who appeared to be a North Continent dignitary.

“Why are you seeking Prince Norton?”

The servant surmised that Grand Duke Martins was excessively drunk and intended to dismiss him. Noticing this, Grand Duke Martins surveyed the hallway and shouted.

“Prince Norton! It is Martins!”

Since matters had progressed to this point, the Grand Duke feigned drunkenness and created a commotion. If Prince Norton was within his room, he would undoubtedly emerge.

“You cannot conduct yourself in this manner here!”

The servant began to restrain Grand Duke Martins.

“I am unaware of the circumstances, but it would be prudent for you to sober up and return at a later time.”

“Release me, Prince Norton!”

Time was of the essence. The blurry vision was on the verge of succumbing to darkness. Just then, the sound of a door abruptly opening emanated from the opposite hallway.

*** Linelle mentions it so casually, but my heart always drops when I hear the words ‘surrogate empress.’

“Are you curious about me?”

“Yes.”

“Yes, ask me anything.”

Since I had committed a sin, I answered obediently. He took a deep breath and carefully opened his mouth.

“Were you really… planning to leave me?”

It was an easier question to answer than I thought.

“At first, I was. I had to.”

I could see Linelle’s expression sinking into the abyss.

“But without realizing it, I gradually fell in love… and every time Your Majesty looked at my face and called me empress, I wanted to be a real empress.”

“It was perfect.”

“…I’m really sorry.”

I pressed my forehead against the mattress and gathered my hands above my head.

“Hmph, I was just joking. I didn’t tell you to make such a face.”

When I cautiously raised my head again, he, as if waiting for it, raised both corners of my mouth with his hands. My expression was forced into a smile, but I remained serious.

“I was really scared and afraid. I was afraid you would be hurt by the betrayal.”

“Rejecting my love is betrayal. No matter what position you came to me in, I couldn’t have helped it.”

“What does that mean?”

“I would have fallen in love with you no matter what.”

The expression on his face as he looked at me askance was like that of a shy boy who had never known betrayal in his life.

“Would you really have?”

“Even if you were a surrogate concubine, not a surrogate empress… Zelda is Zelda.”

I realized that even too much happiness can hurt the heart.

“What about you? Would you have loved me even if I wasn’t the emperor?”

“Hmm…”

I took a moment to think for a more touching line.

“Don’t you think it’s a very dangerous thing to be contemplating at this point?”

Linelle narrowed his eyes and asked with a disappointed look.

“I don’t know, I’ve experienced the taste of power and wealth too thoroughly.”

“Hoo? A scary woman.”

“I was just joking too.”

I also raised both corners of his mouth with two fingers and said.

“Too late. I just saw gold coins pouring from your eyes.”

His tone of voice, as if complaining, was so lovely that I cupped his face in my hands and laughed.

“Honestly, I fell for you because of your face more than power or wealth.”

“That’s much better.”

He deliberately swept his hair up and tilted his face 45 degrees. It was an angle that made it impossible not to kiss him. Without hesitation, I showered him with kisses. When I opened my eyes slightly at the rustling sound, he was already out of his gown.

“It’s an undeniable fact that you’re handsome, but no one knows how good you are at kissing, right?”

Since I had opened my eyes anyway, I brought up something I had wanted to say for a while.

“Is that all?”

He answered, continuing to focus on kissing with his eyes closed.

“Pardon?”

“I want to hear other compliments besides kissing.”

He said smugly, as if he had someone who had more praise to get from me. When I tilted my head, he stretched, turning his shoulders and even his waist.

“Don’t you know what I mean?”

“I know. Uh… but can’t I tell you about that part tomorrow morning?”

“Why? Why exactly?”

“Because I don’t remember very well.”

That couldn’t be. I subtly turned the conversation because the compliments were too embarrassing to say outright. Then, a disappointed light flickered in his eyes.

“It doesn’t make sense that you don’t remember? Then what were those nights I poured my passion into all about?”

“Hmm, fireworks?”

“…Are you implying it ended quickly?”

Fireworks were exploding in his eyes. Why was he angry? When I expressed it as fireworks, I meant it was splendid and beautiful? He seemed to have interpreted the intention of my words differently.

“That’s not what I meant… Ah!”

“I’ll set off a bomb today.”

He showed excessive enthusiasm and rolled over, hugging me tightly in his arms. He was really like a time bomb. He kissed me urgently, as if a fuse had been lit. I really love him. Linelle’s drive to push his feelings in this way. He set off his passion like fireworks all night long.

“How can you explode just by being touched?”

“But I don’t explode right away.”

“My heart is going to explode like this.”

I giggled in Linelle’s arms.

“Actually… there are many times when I feel like I’m going to explode on my own, even if you don’t touch me.”

“Really? Even without me?”

“Yeah, just by imagining it.”

“You must have a rich imagination?”

“It’s because my love is abundant.”

Linelle’s face disappeared back into the blanket. *** Two hours later.

“What are you doing there?”

Rosie, who was very angry, had Moira and Ao standing side by side and was scolding them for over an hour. While reading a book in the main palace library during the day, Rosie discovered Ao reading a book in front of a bookshelf on one side of the wall, pretending to read, and a mosquito buzzing over that small head, and almost fainted.

“Are you two out of your minds? Right? What am I going to do with you? Huh? What should I do with these troublemakers!”

“If you don’t know, can’t you just sleep today and tell us tomorrow?”

Moira opened her mouth timidly.

“What?!”

Rosie glared at her with dagger eyes.

“Weren’t you just repeating the same thing because you didn’t know what to do with us?”

“Ao, I’m going to spin you around like a windmill!”

At Rosie’s harsh tone, Ao trembled his white fur and came forward to Rosie. Ao thought, ‘It’s better to get hit first. Let’s go crazy first,’ and held out his two front paws to Rosie.

“Go in. I didn’t call you.”

“Miyaong… (I thought…)”

Ao stepped back with a relieved look and returned to his place.

“Why did you really go into the library?”

“I went to see a book, Moira~.”

“Bullshit.”

“Miyaaong. (See, I told you she wouldn’t believe it.)”

Ao nudged Moira next to him with his body.

“You better tell me straight. Unless you both want to be kicked out of this room.”

“Actually, inside the library…”

Knock knock knock-. The moment Moira opened her mouth, a knock sounded in Rosie’s room.

“A guest is here!”

“Miyaaong? (But it’s the first time we’ve had a guest coming through the terrace?)”

Unlike Rosie, who was turning to look at the door, Moira and Ao noticed that the knocking sound was coming from outside the terrace.

“Who is it? At this hour?”

Rosie got up from the floor.

“Rosie, it’s not that way.”

Moira called out to her as she walked towards the bedroom door.

“What?”

“It’s that way.”

Moira hid behind the bedpost and gestured towards the terrace door. Rosie looked at Moira and then turned her gaze towards the terrace.

“Oh my!”

In an instant, Rosie screamed as if she had seen a ghost and fell backward.

‘Why is that person here?!’