The Stand-In Empress’S Wedding Night [EN]: Chapter 190

190. Day One From Today

2022.10.29.

Catherine and Count Ethan’s voices faded away, silenced by his sudden kiss.

It felt like every sense in my body had converged in my mouth.

Nellie seemed like the type who wouldn’t mind being caught kissing.

Unlike my anxiety, his tongue explored my mouth leisurely.

Each gentle movement sent a wave of coolness through me, making it impossible to pull away.

He was gently melting my frozen heart.

And to top it off, he even dared to stroke my hair and waist.

My eyes, which I hadn’t even realized were closed, snapped open.

I met his gaze, completely absorbed in the kiss.

I stared at his expression, as if hypnotized.

Even with my eyes closed, I could feel the intensity of his desire.

His expression shifted constantly, yet always held a suggestive edge.

I worried that Catherine and Count Ethan might hear us, and anxiety gnawed at me.

My worries made it impossible to focus on the kiss.

I was simply being swept away.

Nellie must have sensed my distraction, because his brow furrowed, and he opened his eyes with a sly look.

I didn’t have the courage to meet his intense gaze; I wanted to force his eyes closed again.

My heart fluttered at his sultry, wet blue eyes.

I was acutely aware of my chest pressed against his, my heart pounding.

It felt like he could hear my heartbeat…

But his arms were wrapped so tightly around me that I couldn’t move.

Not that I could control my reason anyway; that ship had sailed long ago.

To be honest, even if he hadn’t trapped me, I didn’t particularly want to escape.

It was strange.

Whenever he touched me, my whole body felt cool and languid, as if I’d just had a full body massage.

I had to admit, Nellie was a man I desired so much that I wanted to shout, ‘Let’s date!’ if he wasn’t working for the Imperial Palace.

Our lips parted, but his gaze lingered on my face, even more intensely than his kiss had.

My body was still, but my senses were heightened from head to toe.

Even the sound of his careful breathing felt sensual.

As I felt his solid body pressing closer, I couldn’t help but wonder if I should consider a serious relationship with Nellie.

Suddenly, fear washed over me.

I shouldn’t be coveting a man like this in my current situation…

‘Let me go now,’ I mouthed.

‘The floor is dirty.’

He was shielding me with his body simply because the floor was dirty.

‘I don’t care.’

Because my heart is the one that’s dirty now…

I repeated that it was okay, swallowing the rest of my words.

‘What’s wrong?’

He stroked my right cheek and asked calmly.

‘You doing this is the problem.’

I rolled my eyes and glared at his hand, which was lightly pinching my cheek.

He smiled sweetly, as if acknowledging my point, and laughed silently.

I was slightly annoyed by his nonchalant attitude and muttered, as if arguing.

‘How can you be so forward, like someone who’s never kissed before? In this situation, huh?’

But he was far too skilled to be a novice.

I was being serious, but his lips, once parted, showed no sign of closing.

So, I had no choice but to emphasize the seriousness of the situation.

‘And if we get caught like this, do you think only I’ll be in trouble? We both will be!’

The sentence was difficult to understand from lip-reading alone, so I wondered if he’d understood.

Nellie’s mouth stretched even wider.

He clearly hadn’t understood a word I said.

That’s why he was giving me such an absurd, lovestruck smile while looking at my serious expression.

‘Watch your language,’ he said, as if scolding a child.

What, did he understand the curse word I used?

As I tilted my head, he added another word.

‘Like your face. Beautifully.’

‘…….’

I was speechless.

When a pretty person tells you that you’re pretty, it feels undeniably true…

It was just a compliment.

But I felt so grateful, as if I’d been told I was the most beautiful person in the world, and the corners of my lips threatened to reach my ears.

But I regained my composure and became serious again.

Nellie pressed his lips tightly together, holding back his laughter.

I knew my drastically changing expressions were amusing, but I didn’t appreciate being openly ridiculed like that.

‘Are you laughing in this situation?’ I frowned and asked.

Nellie erased the smile from his face and suddenly started saying something.

At first, I didn’t understand, so I gave him a questioning look.

Then, he opened his mouth wider and enunciated each word clearly.

I followed his lip movements.

Stay, by, my, side…

‘Stay by my side?’

When I pieced the words together and repeated them, he nodded.

Nellie waited for my answer, tightening his arms around my waist.

The longer I delayed, the more pressure he seemed to apply.

His eyes were so intense that I felt like he would snap me in half if I said no.

‘I’ll think about it…’ I answered, choosing the ambiguous option over a broken waist.

His hardened expression softened with surprising speed.

I hadn’t even agreed to stay by his side, but he was overjoyed, as if I’d proposed.

Was it really such a big deal to say I’d consider it?

Nellie’s large palm cupped the back of my head again.

I silently screamed, watching him tighten his grip.

‘Don’t press my head! I’m going down!’

I pressed my lips against his.

My lips were completely engulfed by his, which were parted in laughter.

There were several sounds of lips colliding, but fortunately, they were drowned out by Catherine and Count Ethan’s conversation nearby.

At that moment, Count Ethan’s flustered voice and Catherine’s desperate voice overlapped.

‘This isn’t right.’

‘Please hold me!’

‘Catherine!’

From the sound of it, she seemed to have thrown herself at Count Ethan.

‘If His Majesty finds out, he will be very angry…’ Count Ethan seemed to be trying to forcibly separate Catherine.

But I couldn’t see them directly, so I wasn’t sure.

Whether the Count actually pushed Catherine away, or whether he was just holding her like Nellie was holding me, while simply talking.

‘His Majesty overlooked past grievances and trusted me to take charge of the smithy, but if he finds out I’m doing this with you again, he will feel betrayed.’

I looked down at Nellie, listening to Count Ethan’s guilt-ridden voice.

He was shaking his head.

He seemed to be forming his own opinion while listening to their conversation.

‘Will His Majesty be angry?’ I asked him out of curiosity.

If Nellie was working under Secretary Raphael, he was practically an aide to the Emperor, so I thought he would know his personality well.

I didn’t have any memories of the Emperor, so I was a little curious about what kind of person he was.

‘No, not at all.’

Nellie snickered silently and replied with a confident expression.

‘She was originally the Emperor’s fiancée.’ I said, recalling Catherine, who was probably wearing a hungry fox expression [a sly or scheming look].

Even though I didn’t have any memories of the Emperor, other people’s memories were vivid, so the words I’d heard when I was in the Empress’s seat suddenly surfaced.

I felt like I had to say something quickly in this awkwardly intimate position.

Especially since there was nothing else to do but kiss if I remained silent.

‘I know.’

‘You knew?’

He nodded.

I sensed that Nellie might be closer to the Emperor than I’d thought.

‘Are you going to tell His Majesty?’ I gestured with my chin towards the haystack where the two were standing.

‘Shall I tell him to arrest them both?’

Despite his benevolent smile, Nellie’s words were chilling.

‘Don’t!’

‘Why? They are the ones who deceived the Emperor.’ He said, rolling his eyes towards the haystack.

‘That’s true, but… I feel sorry for them.’

Back before leaving for the Continental Hunting Competition, when I first witnessed their secret meeting in this armory, I thought Catherine was trying to manipulate Count Ethan.

But now, it seemed like there was some genuine feeling involved.

Count Ethan was pushing Catherine away, but if he truly hated her, he wouldn’t have come all this way to see her.

Leaving Catherine aside, I felt sorry for Count Ethan’s pure heart, giving his body and soul even though he knew she was promised to another.

‘If she’s a taken woman but sincere, is forgiveness possible?’ Nellie asked with a rather serious expression.

It was a somewhat lengthy sentence, but strangely, I understood every word he mouthed.

‘Depending on the situation,’ I shrugged and replied.

Well… maybe they loved each other but were forced into an arranged marriage due to family circumstances, or perhaps there was a heartbreaking, unfulfilled story.

Nellie’s face brightened with surprise at my words.

Was he so happy because I shared his opinion?

I smiled as he smiled.

Then he hugged me even tighter.

Anyway, it was spring for us, but winter for them [a metaphor for their relationship status].

Catherine’s voice was getting louder.

‘His Majesty doesn’t care about me anyway! Besides, he’s going to remarry soon.’

I was listening intently, empathizing with Catherine’s desperate tone, when Nellie suddenly covered my ears with both hands.

‘Why are you covering my ears all of a sudden?’

Was it to keep me from hearing what Catherine was saying?

But I could hear everything even with my ears covered.

‘Do you know when His Majesty’s remarriage ceremony is?’ I asked, pulling Nellie’s hands away.

I’d spoken with Rosie and Sharon earlier about the Emperor’s remarriage, but neither of them knew the specific date.

Nellie worked under Secretary Raphael, so he might know.

‘I don’t know.’

Che, even if he knew, he’d pretend he didn’t.

I asked him again, seeing his somewhat flustered expression.

‘You really don’t know?’

‘Uh.’ He frowned and replied.

Was it top secret? Or had a specific date not been set yet?

Catherine was still wailing, clinging to Count Ethan.

‘I’m just going to get old in the West Palace, watching the new Empress’s every move!’

‘Still, Catherine… this isn’t right.’ Count Ethan’s tone was quite firm.

‘It’s really hard for me too, to have to turn away from you…’ Ah, not quite firm.

After Count Ethan’s voice, a sudden silence fell.

About five seconds into the silence, I made eye contact with Nellie.

We both understood the meaning of the sudden quiet.

The sound of clothes rustling and the occasional sighs.

Everything that was happening beyond the haystack.

I swallowed hard.

‘Ah, why!’

Nellie covered my ears again.

As I twisted in protest, he closed his eyes tightly, then opened them and said with a pleading look, ‘Don’t move like that. Please…’

‘Why, am I heavy?’

Rosie and Sharon didn’t believe me, but I’ve really gained some weight lately.

So, I asked him with a guilty conscience.

‘I’m going crazy.’

Ha? I wasn’t heavy enough to drive him crazy, was I?

I glared at him, thinking, ‘I don’t think it’s that much?’ and bounced slightly.

‘……Ha, are you doing this on purpose?’ He asked, as if accusing me.

‘Yeah!’ To make it heavier.

As I smiled teasingly, Nellie’s eyes changed, and his hand pushed aside the hem of my skirt and reached my thigh.

I couldn’t hide my embarrassment and glared.

But he misinterpreted that as a sign of dislike, and his hand stopped midway up my thigh.

He wanted me to continue what I was doing, but he didn’t understand…

‘Let’s stop here. It’s dangerous if we go any further.’ The words I should have been saying came from Count Ethan’s mouth.

‘No one will know if we do a little more…’ Catherine’s anxious voice followed.

Count Ethan stormed out of the warehouse door.

‘Wait!’ Catherine immediately chased after him.

Only then did I relax and rest my head on Nellie’s shoulder.

He sat up, holding me in his arms.

I, sitting on his thigh, looked at him again.

No, why this position?

‘My back hurts.’ He seemed to have read my dissatisfied expression, and he tapped his back with his fist as if making an excuse.

‘Why does your back hurt when you’ve just been lying down?’

‘Men hurt more when they can’t do anything.’

It was the first time I’d heard that, but I didn’t ask because he looked so sincere.

‘Let’s sit down again for now.’ I got up first.

While he was dusting off his seat, I closed the warehouse door that Catherine had left wide open.

When I turned around, he was already sitting on the haystack.

He stretched out his arm and offered me his hand.

I grabbed it without thinking and sat down next to him.

‘Was what you said earlier real?’

‘What?’

‘That you would stay by my side.’

‘I think I just said I’d think about it?’

‘Your eyes were an acceptance.’ Nellie said confidently.

I couldn’t deny it.

Maybe my eyes had betrayed me.

‘It would be nice if today was… day one.’ He said with an innocent expression, as if he wasn’t the same person who had been kissing me so passionately on the floor just moments ago.

‘Shall we do that?’ The words I’d been thinking came out without conscious effort.

‘Let’s do it.’ He said earnestly, holding my hand.

If I said it was a joke now, he looked like he was about to burst into tears.

‘Only while I’m in the Imperial City…’

‘Anyway, we’re lovers now, right?’ He asked, as if confirming.

‘Yeah, whatever.’ I nodded, and he looked overjoyed.

But I felt a pang of regret, as if I was dragging him into my complicated life.

‘I’m telling you in advance, there’s nothing good about being involved with me. How about thinking about it again now?’

‘I’m not easy either. And it doesn’t matter if there’s nothing good. I have no regrets either.’ Nellie said confidently.

At his unwavering words, I wanted to forget about revenge and run away somewhere.

With this man who wanted me.

‘Okay! Day one from today!’ I answered, but would I really be allowed a peaceful and comfortable life?

The answer came from an unexpected place.

Thud-!

A thick, long iron bar that was neatly displayed on the wall fell on top of his head.

‘!’

‘Nellie?!’

Clearly, there was a sound of something breaking.