The Stand-In Empress’S Wedding Night [EN]: Chapter 100

100. The Wyvern’s Queen

December 18, 2021

“I’ve heard all sorts of ridiculous things…”

Adrian Emperor’s whisper was so absurd it left me speechless.

“What did you say, Your Majesty?”

Bonis asked, looking flustered. Just moments before, we were discussing the beautiful summer palace and villas in the forest where we would stay during the hunting competition. So, my sudden silence must have seemed strange.

“No, nothing. I just had a random thought.”

I brushed it off, laughing loudly on purpose.

-‘Are you going to deny it? I know you understand the Wyvern language!’

*Wyvern language? That I understand it?* I stopped walking again and turned to face Adrian Emperor.

-‘Queen of the Wyverns!’

In the distance, Adrian Emperor spread his left arm to the side and bowed slightly.

“You’re out for a walk, I see.”

I approached Adrian Emperor and spoke to him.

“Yes, the Rapion Imperial Palace’s trails are so wonderful that I keep wandering outside.”

Elan, his Empress, stood beside Adrian Emperor, replying nonchalantly. It seemed he really did intend to grant the Empress, who won the martial arts competition at the banquet, the seat next to him throughout the hunting competition.

“Greetings to the Empress of the Rapion Empire.”

“Empress Elan, how is your injury?”

“It’s getting better.”

Elan gave a bitter smile, placing her hand on her right cheek covered with gauze.

“The scars of glory are beautiful. Don’t you think so, Elan?”

Adrian Emperor lifted Elan’s chin with one finger, making her look at him.

“Yes, I think so too.”

Elan replied like a loyal knight.

“Excellent.”

“But, Your Majesty, it’s a woman’s face. I hope Your Majesty will cherish Empress Elan’s injury more and put more effort into her treatment.”

I strongly disliked Adrian Emperor’s attitude of treating Elan like a knight who had distinguished herself on the battlefield.

“I cherish all women.”

I felt a chill down my spine from Adrian Emperor’s gaze, which seemed to scan me to my very core. If only I could deflect that greasy look, I would send it flying all the way to the Tebello Empire on the Southern Continent, the land of silverfish [a derogatory term, implying someone is slimy or untrustworthy].

“Where were you headed?”

*None of your business.*

“I was on my way to the West Palace.”

“Is there something you cherish there, Your Majesty?”

It felt like a probing question.

“There is no place in the Rapion Imperial Palace that I do not cherish.”

“Is that so? Hahaha.”

What’s with that condescending expression? The birds in the surrounding trees all flew into the sky at Adrian Emperor’s laughter. I looked up at the flying birds and then lowered my gaze back to Adrian Emperor’s face. The smile had completely disappeared. Adrian Emperor’s face was stiff, as if he had never smiled in his life. I should never get involved with such a psycho with such volatile expressions.

“Then, I hope you continue to enjoy your walk with Empress Elan. I’ll be on my way.”

I greeted Adrian Emperor, exchanged greetings with Empress Elan, and turned around.

-‘How does Your Majesty know the Wyvern language?’

Adrian Emperor spoke to me again in his mind. I wanted to shout and ask why he kept spouting nonsense. Wait, if Adrian Emperor is really whispering in the Wyvern language right now… how am I understanding him? And how does he know the Wyvern language?

“Is this a place I’m not allowed to accompany you?”

Adrian Emperor sighed deeply at the ridiculous question.

“I’m on my way to the concubine’s quarters.”

I had no choice but to turn back and answer Adrian Emperor.

“Ah, are you going to discipline a concubine before nightfall?”

“I don’t think I misheard, but your words are quite… fiery.”

It wasn’t worth responding to, but I didn’t want to show that I was flustered by that silverfish’s words.

“When it comes to being fiery, who can keep up with Your Majesty?”

“What do you mean?”

I reacted without realizing it to Adrian Emperor’s mental message. Then, Adrian Emperor replied in his mind.

-‘Aren’t you the one who carries the Avatar?’

“!”

How did he know?! Other than Logan, the royal mage of the Shatoaniel Kingdom, no one knows that there is an Avatar inside me. How does that silverfish know that fact? Instantly, I felt my right burn scar getting hot. I felt like the red light of the burn scar would be exposed to others. I have to end this conversation quickly. The Avatar, who usually babbles unnecessarily, was silent at such an important moment. *Damn it.*

“The Rapion Imperial Family is quite interesting. An Empress who gets along with the concubines.”

Adrian Emperor smirked and changed the subject again.

-‘Or, perhaps one of the concubines has a Wyvern.’

*Crazy bastard.* He comes up with all sorts of nonsense.

“I’m just going there on business. Then, I’ll see you again.”

“Yes, take care, Your Majesty.”

Adrian Emperor bowed slightly, and I also gave a light nod before turning back.

-‘Having a Wyvern is a violation of the peace treaty.’

The silverfish warned in his mind.

-‘Does Emperor Linelle know about this? The fact that Your Majesty knows the Wyvern language.’

There’s no way he would know something that I don’t. I walked with my hands behind my back and subtly extended one middle finger. If Adrian Emperor is still watching me, he’ll see this too.

-‘Hahaha! If you keep showing such cute 모습 [Korean: appearance/demeanor], I might fall for you.’

You’ll end up dying by my hand, you perverted bastard! I extended the other middle finger as well. Since I can’t curse out loud, I have no choice but to use my fingers instead.

***

Princess Jasper, who was strolling through the 별궁’s [Korean: detached palace/villa] corridor, ran into Prince Norton entering the lobby.

“Where are you coming from?”

Prince Norton, who was about to just greet her and go up to his room, stopped walking.

“Yes, I had some business to take care of.”

“I see. Ah, but you were also going out last night…”

At Princess Jasper’s words, Prince Norton stared at her intently. Seeing the prince’s eyes asking how she knew, she smiled softly.

“I couldn’t sleep, so I went out to the terrace and saw you hurriedly leaving the 별궁.”

“Last night… some trouble came up.”

Prince Norton vaguely mumbled, as he couldn’t think of a suitable excuse.

“Could that trouble be…”

Princess Jasper paused for a moment, and when Prince Norton frowned and looked at her, she carefully continued.

“…because of Grand Duke Martins of the Shatoaniel Kingdom?”

“?”

“The servants said that the Grand Duke was desperately calling out the Prince’s name in the hallway last night. And that the Prince took the Grand Duke into his room.”

Princess Jasper seemed to be having some strange misunderstanding. However, he couldn’t say that he was on his way to pick up Rams outside the Imperial Palace, so he nodded for now. This time, Princess Jasper looked surprised.

“Then, I’ll go up now.”

As Prince Norton was about to head back to the stairs, she urgently said.

“I was planning to have tea with Princess Resilia of the Shatoaniel Kingdom.”

“Yes?!”

“I saw you two talking at the banquet hall. You seemed to get along quite well. I thought it would be nice if the Prince could join us, how about it?”

“I’m fine.”

“Is it perhaps because of Grand Duke Martins?”

“…I can’t say it’s not.”

“Ah!”

To avoid Resilia, Prince Norton himself stepped into the path of misunderstanding.

“People’s tastes and feelings can change at any time, right? So…”

“Change at any time? Like sister-in-law?”

The Prince interrupted Princess Jasper’s words and asked. It was a loaded question.

“I can’t understand 칼바인 형님 [Korean: Kalbain, older brother], but I can’t understand sister-in-law even more. And I don’t want to understand.”

“Prince Norton…”

“Yes, things can change. But there is a line of common sense in everything. 형님 [Korean: older brother] and sister-in-law have crossed that line. So, don’t tell me what to do with my tastes or feelings. It’s quite unpleasant.”

“That’s a relief, really.”

Princess Jasper said to herself with a subtle expression.

“What did you say?”

“I said it’s a relief, and thank you. Thank you for saying that.”

She left behind incomprehensible words and walked back along the opposite corridor.

“What the heck is that…”

Prince Norton frowned, looking at Princess Jasper’s back.

***

In the reception room of the 별궁, Prince 칼바인 and his wife from the Partsha Empire and the siblings from the Shatoaniel Kingdom sat facing each other across a table. Prince Tesler, who had overslept today, was reluctantly dragged here by Princess Resilia’s urging. Prince Tesler, who didn’t know that he had drunk wine with sleeping pills last night, simply thought that he was not in good condition due to excessive drinking.

*Damn it, why did I come here?*

Perhaps because of the sin he committed against Prince Norton, having tea with his brother, Prince 칼바인, was an uncomfortable experience in itself. However, pretense and flattery were Prince Tesler’s specialties, so he hid his true feelings and exchanged friendly conversations with Prince 칼바인 with a smiling face. On the other hand, Princess Resilia was in a good mood throughout, thanks to Princess Jasper’s friendly attitude.

*She has a pretty face, but she’s far from being as good as me.*

Princess Resilia glanced at Princess Jasper, who was lifting her teacup, and felt smug inside.

“Is there something on my face?”

Princess Jasper noticed the Princess’s gaze and asked her.

“Ah, no. The 황자비 [Korean: Crown Princess] is so elegant that I was unknowingly staring in admiration, please forgive my rudeness.”

Princess Resilia lowered her eyes slightly and replied kindly.

“Oh my, to receive such a compliment from such a beauty. I’m honored, don’t you think?”

Princess Jasper gently grabbed Prince 칼바인’s arm and said. Then, Prince 칼바인 also smiled and asked Princess Resilia.

“I saw you dancing with my brother at the banquet yesterday.”

“Ah, yes… you saw.”

Princess Resilia replied with an awkward smile.

“Princess, let me ask you directly. What do you think of my brother, or rather, Prince Norton?”

“!”

“!”

At Prince 칼바인’s words, the two siblings exchanged glances.

***

“There was… a magical potion that removes burn scars here?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Linelle fiddled with the empty potion bottle he had brought from Zelda’s bedroom, lost in thought.

“Magician Big said that he remembers the day the 황후 폐하 [Korean: Her Majesty the Empress] visited because it’s so rare to order that magical potion.”

“He remembers Zelda…”

“To be exact, he remembered the 황후 폐하’s condition…”

Raphael hesitated for a moment before replying in a low voice.

“What condition?”

A fierce aura was felt in Emperor Linelle’s expression.

*Is it okay to talk about this?*

Raphael was very cautious about talking about the 황후’s condition that he had heard from Magician Big. His mouth wouldn’t open easily, but if he didn’t speak right away, the Emperor was about to force his mouth open.

“So, here…”

Raphael circled his index finger around his right cheek, trailing off. It seemed that the area Raphael was pointing to was where Zelda’s burn scar was. Linelle’s forehead furrowed deeply.

“What’s there? Speak clearly.”

“She has severe burn scars.”

Raphael quickly replied to Linelle’s fierce gaze. But something was a little strange about Raphael’s words.

“She has?”

He put his hand on his forehead and asked again.

“Does that mean the scars didn’t disappear after taking the magical potion?”

“Y-yes… Your Majesty.”

His pupils shook at Raphael’s answer.

“Then the magical potion that the 황후 is currently taking is…”

“It’s temporary. And Big said that the time is coming soon when she will have to order a new magical potion.”

This time, Linelle got up from his desk chair and walked to the window without saying anything. Raphael followed him with a worried look. The Emperor is usually full of playfulness, but when he gets serious, it’s impossible to fathom what he’s thinking.

“And Prince Tesler was the first person to request the magical potion.”

Linelle’s eyes narrowed at Raphael’s words. Raphael, who had been watching him quietly, felt uneasy at his prolonged silence.

“The things I ordered separately…”

“Have been taken care of. Now… what are you going to do, Your Majesty?”

He looked out the window for a long time, then gestured for Raphael to come closer while keeping his gaze fixed on the window.

“Raphael, there’s one more thing for you to take care of.”