The Stand-In Empress’S Wedding Night [EN]: Chapter 225

225. Already Showing Filial Piety?

“We need to make it seem like Bonis is still alive until we get the magic potion from Logan.”

Roxana said with a rather satisfied expression.

Hector shook his head at her opinion.

“What if Logan finds out the truth?”

At Hector’s question, her lips twisted into a sneer.

“Then what… I’ll have to grant his wish and let him meet his daughter.”

Even if it’s in death, she’ll still be fulfilling her promise to let him meet his daughter.

“I think we should meet the Master of the Magic Tower first. What if he’s already told Logan about Bonis’s death?”

“Ah, right… that troublesome human.”

Roxana frowned, pressing her hand to her forehead as if annoyed, and closed her eyes.

Then, she narrowed her eyes again and gritted her teeth.

“If he already knows about Bonis’s death… we need to make Logan’s hatred turn towards Zelda!”

***

“Our baby seems to be showing filial piety even before being born.”

After showering me with careful affection, he moved to lie down next to me with a satisfied look on his face.

“Why do you say that?”

I pulled the blanket over him and asked.

“It’s making Mom and Dad’s relationship even stronger. The more I think about it, the more admirable it is.”

He stroked my belly with a moved expression.

“Our baby will endure well in the womb, right?”

“Of course. So, if you feel any heat rising in your belly, come find me regardless of the place. Understood?”

“If you’re in a meeting, that would be difficult.”

“Meetings can be rescheduled. Nothing is more important than our child’s health.”

He said firmly.

My face was reflected in his eyes.

Linell took my hand, brought the back of it to his lips, and whispered affectionately.

“Thank you, Zelda.”

Tears welled up in his eyes, and he wiped them away with his finger before lowering his head slightly to whisper to my belly.

“Thank you, baby. For coming to me… no, to us.”

It was a greeting I hadn’t even managed to give yet.

I had been so worried about whether the mark of the Hwansin Sword would have a negative impact on the baby that I hadn’t properly greeted the baby in my womb…

Now that the father has done it, it will be less sad, right?

A smile naturally formed on my face.

For a moment, I wasn’t sure if it was me or the baby who was smiling.

He was much happier and more delighted than I had expected.

“When was it? The day the baby came to us…?”

The timing wasn’t important, but I was suddenly curious.

He pondered with a thoughtful expression before carefully speaking.

“Was it the day we met again at the tavern? The day you got drunk and led me to the inn walking sideways?”

“……”

Baby, pretend you didn’t hear that.

Did he really have to pinpoint my condition that day?

I glared at him, and he avoided my gaze, pretending to look at the ceiling as he continued.

“Or was it the day you sneaked into the Imperial Palace through the secret passage and we met by chance? Ah, no, it must have been the next day.”

He clenched his fist, brought it to his mouth, and chuckled.

I had something to say about the day I first infiltrated the Imperial Palace through the secret passage!

“Ah, you mean the day after the perfectly fine iron bar on the armory wall fell on His Majesty’s head, nearly splitting his skull in two?”

“……That hurt a lot. Just thinking about it makes my crown tingle again.”

He turned serious, as if reminded of the pain of the iron bar.

His expression was strangely satisfying, and I burst out laughing.

“You’re laughing?”

He pinched my cheek lightly and raised one eyebrow with a displeased look, but even if I hit him on the crown right now, he would probably just laugh it off and be happy.

“I’m not laughing; the baby is laughing.”

“This is a big problem. Your mother is already using you as an excuse.”

Linell’s face disappeared from my sight, and he put his face to my belly and whispered.

Just then, a knock was heard from outside the window, and the window opened carefully.

“Excuse me, Moiya~.”

“……Moiya? Moni!”

The two baby wyverns flew into the bedroom.

Both of them had their hands hidden behind their backs.

“Why is the cold-blooded one, no, why is His Majesty hovering around Master’s belly?”

Moiya landed on the bed with a straight face, looked down at Linell, and asked in a pathetic tone.

“You don’t need to know.”

Moiya scoffed at his nonchalant tone.

“Hahaha, what a pity! I heard everything you said to the Master of the Magic Tower outside the window earlier. That there’s a baby in Master’s belly.”

“……Yes, we were having prenatal care.”

He replied absentmindedly, then pushed his body back onto the pillow and leaned against the headboard.

“Is that so? I brought a gift for Master’s prenatal care! I don’t just talk to the belly like someone else.”

Moiya raised her chin and held out her hands, which had been hidden behind her back, in front of me.

Her hands were full of red peonies.

“Oh, how pretty.”

“Congratulations on seeing the fruits of mating, Master, for having a human baby, Moiya~.”

“……Th, thank you.”

It seemed like a greeting she had prepared in her own way.

“Why is His Majesty smiling when he came empty-handed?”

Moiya glared at him as Linell burst into laughter beside me.

He looked at the baby wyverns with fascination, but since he had already remembered his memories with Moiya on the day his second memory returned, he didn’t feel awkward at all.

However, since it was his first encounter with Moni, his gaze was focused on Moni rather than Moiya.

“So, you’re Moni.”

Linell looked at the pink baby wyvern with an adorable gaze and spoke.

Moni rubbed her dainty feet on the blanket with a shy expression, then suddenly held out her hand, which had been hidden behind her back.

“Here, take it.”

It was the same flower gift as Moiya, but the direction she offered the flowers was not to me but to Linell.

“I’ll give it to the baby’s father, not our Master.”

“Why? The baby is with Master?”

Moiya glared at Linell and questioned Moni.

“Looking at him up close, he’s incredibly handsome, Moni~.”

“Indeed, the great wyvern is different. Her eye for beauty is also great. I will gladly accept the gift, Moni.”

He received the bouquet of yellow roses that Moni handed him.

Moni, who had been staring intently at him, shrugged her shoulders and performed the same dance that Moiya had danced before.

Moiya glared at Moni, who was excited, with a dumbfounded look, then pushed Moni forward.

Moni fell onto Linell’s lap and, lying down like a puppy, moved her body around.

Linell stroked Moni, and Moni giggled.

She really looked like a cute puppy.

“I thought all humans were insignificant except for our Master, but as expected, Master’s mating partner is special, Moni~! Your Majesty, no matter how much other females flirt with you, you must only mate with our Master. Promise?”

Moni spoke to him in a coquettish tone, and he nodded his head greatly as if it were obvious.

“Then, I will not give any other woman a glance except for your Master and Moni.”

“Oh my, oh my, he even speaks so wonderfully, Moni~!”

Moni propped her chin up and lay down, openly admiring Linell.

At this, Moiya snorted loudly and muttered quietly.

“Hmph, showing off with something that only reacts to Master anyway……”

“What?”

Moiya knows that fact…… how?

I thought I had misheard and asked Moiya again.

“Hup!”

Moiya covered her mouth with both hands, flew to my shoulder, and whispered in my ear.

“The cold-blooded one hasn’t regained all his memories, has he?”

“……Yeah, I think so? Not perfect yet.”

“Hoo, I’m alive, Moiya~.”

Moiya gave a wicked smile and glanced at Linell, who was stroking Moni.

That little rascal, there’s something going on.

I’ll have to interrogate her later.

***

I slept soundly in Linell’s arms last night.

In the morning, the Master of the Magic Tower visited my residence for a checkup.

I was relieved to hear that the heat in my belly had decreased compared to yesterday.

Even I felt more comfortable in my womb overnight.

I realized firsthand that it was possible because Linell was by my side.

The Master of the Magic Tower told me to move as usual, but if I felt the heat in my belly rising even a little, I should not hesitate to ask him for help, and then he returned.

After lunch, I took a carriage to the West Palace, where Rosie’s residence was located.

I had conveyed the news about the mark of the Hwansin Sword through Moiya and Moni, but there were many things I wanted to tell her in person.

When I entered Rosie’s bedroom, there was another guest besides Rosie.

“This is good. I was going to meet Prince Norton separately anyway.”

I said, taking a seat at the table where refreshments had already been set.

“I heard about the mark of the Hwansin Sword through Rosie and Grand Duke Martins. You are truly amazing. It must have been a difficult decision.”

Prince Norton also sat down in front of me and asked about the situation.

“It’s not because I’m amazing, but just because it’s my destiny.”

I answered Prince Norton, but I couldn’t take my eyes off the cookies and pies.

I definitely had a hearty lunch, but why is my mouth watering so much?

Do I already need food for two people?

Well, since my body temperature is so high, calories are consumed quickly, so I might be getting hungry faster.

Eventually, I picked up a cookie filled with chocolate.

The crunching sound stimulated my appetite even more.

I should eat that apple pie next.

I scanned the table, deciding on the order of the refreshments I would taste after the cookie in my head.

I felt Rosie and Prince Norton’s gaze and finally raised my head.

I took a sip of black tea to deliver the good news and wiped my mouth.

“I have something to tell you two.”

As I started, the two of them waited for my words with a worried look, wondering what surprising thing had happened this time.

“It’s not bad news, is it?”

Rosie asked carefully, as if anxious.

“No, it’s good news.”

“Then please tell us quickly!”

Rosie said in a very expectant voice.

“Everyone, I…… am pregnant.”

“……Are you saying you’re pregnant?”

A moment of silence flowed.

Prince Norton broke the silence first and asked with a bright smile, while Rosie placed both hands on her chest, took a breath, and looked down at my belly.

“R, really? Empress Zelda?!”

I looked at the two of them, smiled, and nodded.

Rosie’s eyes turned red. She was genuinely happy for me as if she were pregnant herself.

“I was secretly hoping for it…… I don’t know if it will be a prince or a princess yet, but since they will resemble the two of you, how outstanding will their appearance be! I’m already looking forward to it!”

Rosie enjoyed estimating the appearance of the child who had not yet been born.

“His Majesty seems to want them to resemble his face. Even more so if it’s a princess, I guess?”

Seeing the two of them exchange glances and smile awkwardly, they seemed to agree with his opinion.

When I made a disappointed expression, the two of them, who had been praising Linell’s appearance, laughed awkwardly.

“Ah, I heard that Prince Tesler’s trial will be held soon.”

As the atmosphere calmed down again, Prince Norton lowered his voice and said.

“Yes, Prince Tesler will probably claim in the trial that I have the Hwansin Sword. Since the Hwansin Sword is already inside me, they won’t be able to find any evidence no matter how much they search my residence. Instead, they will only find a sword similar to the Hwansin Sword.”

I said with a triumphant smile.

“Moreover, if Melanie testifies that she obtained ruby jewels for Empress Zelda, her father will never side with Prince Tesler. As one of the key ministers, he will be a great help to me.”

Prince Norton said in a confident tone.

“If necessary, I will testify too! I also asked my father to get me ruby ore.”

“Thank you, Rosie. But direct testimony will probably be enough with Melanie alone.”

I took Rosie’s hand and thanked her.

“Ah, and Your Highness. Princess Resilia is likely to be released from the Empress’s Palace before the trial. Please meet the princess. She may have heard about Prince Tesler’s plan through Grand Duke Martins in the meantime.”

“Yes, I will.”

***

I chatted with Rosie at her residence for a long time and then took a carriage back to my residence.

“Rosie was very happy too, right?”

Sharon, who was sitting in front of me, asked, holding a wooden basket in her arms and rummaging through it.

“Yeah, she was. But Sharon…… what is that basket?”

“This? While Empress Zelda was chatting, I went to find a maid who is skilled at knitting and got it.”

Sharon showed me the colorful and pretty threads in the basket.

“I don’t know if it’s a handsome prince or a beautiful princess yet, so I need to use a variety of colors.”

“It’s still a long way until the birth.”

I laughed, looking at the knitting supplies in the basket.

“Oh my, you have to prepare these things in advance! I have to make hats, gloves, socks…… I’m busy, busy.”

Even as she waved her hands, Sharon was constantly beaming.

I followed Sharon and laughed, then brought both hands to my belly.

“Ah…… Sharon, we need to turn the carriage around.”

“Why? Is it because of the heat in your belly?!”

“Uh-huh, I think so. I need His Majesty……”

To be exact, I need his skinship…….

If the baby in my womb says so, what can I do?

“J, just a moment. Turn the carriage back to the main palace quickly! It’s urgent, urgent!”

Sharon quickly leaned out of the carriage window and shouted urgently at the coachman.

“Baby, just bear with it a little longer.”

I’m going to Daddy now for you.