The Stand-In Empress’S Wedding Night [EN]: Chapter 236

236. Strange Timing

2023.04.08.

Linelle carefully selected each item he wanted to eat.

He ate from my lips in the bathroom, and then continued eating tangerines on the bed after his bath.

I peeled tangerines, and he devoured them.

He would occasionally nibble on my fingers while eating the tangerines, making me wonder if he was considering them as his next course.

“Is it good?”

“Yeah, but it’s too sweet.”

He finished his fifth tangerine in the blink of an eye, a slightly disappointed expression on his face.

“Why? Isn’t sweet supposed to be good?”

“I was hoping for something sour…”

“Then why not try a lemon instead of a tangerine?”

Of course, it was a joke.

But he swallowed, as if the thought had never occurred to him.

“Ah, should I?”

Thirty minutes later, Sharon arrived with a lemon.

“You even cut it nicely for me.”

It was cut into perfect, bite-sized pieces, but I couldn’t imagine eating a lemon like a regular fruit.

The scent of the lemon alone made my mouth water.

Linelle picked up a thick slice of lemon.

Just watching him bring the lemon to his mouth made my face pucker in anticipation of the sourness.

He placed the lemon in his mouth and savored it as if it were a piece of fine chocolate.

Sharon and I exchanged grimaces at the shocking sight.

Was it a less sour lemon, somehow?

Watching him enjoy the lemon so much, I decided to try a slice myself.

“Ugh… so sour!”

As soon as the lemon touched my tongue, my salivary glands went into overdrive, and I shuddered and spat it out immediately.

“Why? It’s perfect.”

He picked up the lemon slice that I had spat out and popped it into his own mouth as if it were nothing.

“It tastes even better because you tasted it first.”

He delivered the cheesy line in a deep voice.

Why is it always my job to feel embarrassed by his remarks?

Sharon discreetly left the bedroom, pretending not to have heard anything.

“I think I’ll have smoked duck tomorrow.”

“Oh? You want some?”

“There are quite a few things I want to eat.”

He rattled off a list of foods he was craving for several minutes.

There were even foods that he didn’t usually care for.

Strangely enough, as Linelle started eating lemons, I felt a flutter in my stomach.

It wasn’t me who ate the lemon, but it felt like the baby inside me was reacting.

He chewed the last remaining lemon slice and called my name very sweetly.

“Zelda.”

His breath smelled strongly of lemon.

“Yes?”

I could tell by the look in his eyes.

His hungry eyes were now set on me.

I blinked rapidly and tried to act cute, steeling myself for what was coming.

“Why? Why are you looking at me like that? Am I that pretty?”

I made a flower 받침 [flower 받침: a Korean aegyo (cuteness) pose where one cups their face with their hands] with both hands and adopted a nasal tone.

“Ugh!”

Suddenly, Linelle gagged.

The timing is so strange…….

***

After the first trial session, Princess Lesilia returned to the annex and went straight to Grand Duke Martins’ room.

She was feeling troubled on multiple fronts.

“Brother always scolds me for causing trouble, but isn’t he the one who caused a huge mess this time?”

Princess Lesilia complained to Grand Duke Martins, patting down her clothes.

Prince Tessler had looked miserable in the courtroom.

At first, she had rubbed her eyes several times to make sure she was seeing correctly.

Her brother, who was once popular with noble young ladies throughout the Shattonil Kingdom, looked at least 20 years older in a matter of days.

She was most shocked to see that Prince Tessler’s once-perfect teeth were now missing.

If he wasn’t her brother, she would have chuckled along with the other nobles in the courtroom every time he spoke.

Fortunately, he seemed to have something to rely on, as he was still speaking loudly despite his disheveled appearance.

“Ha. So Zelda was the one who stole the Avatar Sword after all?”

Princess Lesilia recalled Zelda, who had held her head high in the courtroom, and was dumbfounded.

If the ‘Avatar Sword’ is presented as evidence in tomorrow’s trial, Zelda will be in serious trouble.

But that didn’t mean she wanted Roxana to be smug.

“Roxana is ridiculous too. The Avatar Sword originally belongs to the Master of the Magic Tower. Why is she making such a fuss about it being stolen? She’s like a shameless country bumpkin. And Brother is just as bad. Why does he handle things this way? I don’t like any of them!”

“Your Highness, the Prince made a deal with Roxana to get the Princess out of the Empress’ Palace.”

Grand Duke Martins feigned a depressed tone.

“Roxana threatened my brother with my life?”

“Yes, so the Prince took action himself because it was a matter of the Princess’ life.”

Contrary to Grand Duke Martins’ words, the reality was quite different.

Prince Tessler was more interested in acquiring the Avatar Sword than in his sister’s safety.

He had even sneaked into Zelda’s residence himself in an attempt to secure the Avatar Sword for himself.

“What will happen to my brother if he loses the trial?”

Princess Lesilia couldn’t shake off ominous thoughts, even though she didn’t believe it would actually happen.

Grand Duke Martins was silent for a moment at the Princess’ question before cautiously responding.

“It would be a significant blow to our kingdom.”

“Are you saying it’s the death penalty?”

“Your Highness, the Prince did not commit murder. He ‘attempted’ murder. And fortunately, continental law generally prohibits the execution of royalty or nobility from other countries. Unless the murder is successful.”

“Then is it okay to rob the corn [corn: slang for virginity] of a prince from another country and cut off the line of an emperor?”

Princess Lesilia asked with genuine curiosity.

“Of course not. But when it comes to the Emperor of the Lapion Empire, the most powerful country in the North Continent, it’s a different story. It’s even more disadvantageous if the other party is our Shattonil Kingdom.”

Princess Lesilia felt a wave of despair at Grand Duke Martins’ words.

“But… I think he’s really lost his mind.”

Princess Lesilia muttered to herself, thinking of Linelle.

Even if it’s her brother’s business, how could he just let it go after seeing his concubine kissing a prince from another country?

She truly couldn’t understand it.

“I agree to some extent.”

Grand Duke Martins agreed, slightly raising one corner of his mouth.

“How can he even consider passing his concubine on to Prince Norton?”

“What… what do you mean?”

Grand Duke Martins, who had agreed with the Princess’ words thinking she was referring to Prince Tessler, tilted his head in confusion.

“Emperor Linelle seems to be planning to give that plain-looking girl to Prince Norton. Otherwise, there’s no way he would just ignore them kissing.”

“Are you perhaps talking about Lady Rosie…?”

“That’s right! So the Grand Duke knew who I was talking about? Yes, that plain one!”

Princess Lesilia narrowed her eyes and retorted in a shrill voice.

Grand Duke Martins knew that Rosie was the least attractive of the concubines, but he had never thought of her as “plain.”

The reason why the Grand Duke mentioned Rosie right away was because he also knew that there was an unusual dynamic between Prince Norton and Rosie.

“Did His Majesty approve of this?”

“Yes, Norton told me himself. To me, the mother of his son!”

“Hmm… then Lady Rosie could become the Crown Princess of the Partsha Empire.”

Before that, if Emperor Kalvin were to die without an heir, Prince Norton would likely inherit the throne, and Rosie could suddenly become the Empress of the Partsha Empire.

It was a thought that made Lesilia’s stomach churn just imagining it.

‘That’s why you should have been nice to Prince Norton, who ran away with you in the first place, instead of getting your hopes up for nothing.’

She even abandoned her newborn son and returned to the kingdom, and now she expects to be treated well?

Grand Duke Martins clicked his tongue inwardly.

“Rams, I have to find my son. I have no idea where they took that young child!”

Princess Lesilia’s eyes welled up with tears, as if a sudden wave of maternal love was washing over her.

But it wasn’t because she missed Rams, but because she was desperate for her last chance.

“I have to write a letter to Crown Princess Jesper.”

“Yes? What are you going to write?”

“I have to let her know about this situation. I’m going to reveal everything. I’m desperate now.”

Princess Lesilia seemed to have already made up her mind.

“If she knows that there’s a child between Norton and me… and a son at that! Then would the Partsha Empire still try to marry Rosie to him? The Crown Princess position is mine! I’ll never let that plain girl take it!”

Lesilia’s eyes flashed with ambition.

She didn’t seem like a complete idiot when she was like this.

It was strangely similar how the siblings’ meanness became more prominent in times of crisis.

‘Prince Norton is going to have a headache.’

Grand Duke Martins thought, rubbing his forehead.

In fact, Princess Lesilia’s words made a lot of sense.

Since there was Rams between the two, the Partsha Imperial Family would likely prefer to marry Princess Lesilia to Prince Norton rather than Rosie.

If that happens…….

‘Is Lady Rosie going to end up being Prince Norton’s mistress?’

***

In Rosie’s bedroom, one human, two wyverns, and one cat were having a serious discussion.

“Are you really going? Do you want to go live in the Partsha Empire with Norton or Button or whatever his name is?”

Moya was reluctant.

“I want to live here.”

“Do you want to be with Norton?”

Moya asked again.

Rosie nodded without hesitation.

“You greedy girl! But Rosie looks happy, Moni~”

Moni clapped her hands, but Moya and Ao-ssi’s expressions remained somber.

“Miyaoong……. (I like living here…….)”

Ao-ssi was planning to follow Rosie.

However, she was a little sad that she wouldn’t be able to see Moya as often. She had just become friends with the clever Moni, so she was disappointed.

Also, she was worried about Bulldog Nana, who was already looking glum.

The enemy’s dog visited Rosie’s palace almost every day.

She felt a little sad that their burdensome affection wouldn’t last much longer.

“Well, if the Partsha Imperial sausages are tastier than here, I’m all for it…….”

Moya said, licking her lips.

“It doesn’t matter because Moya and Moni can visit the Partsha Empire anytime, but the saddest thing is not being able to see Her Majesty the Empress. And Melanie, too.”

Rosie had been feeling restless ever since she heard Linelle’s words at the Great Temple about going to the Partsha Empire with Prince Norton.

“There’s only Norton there, but here there’s Her Majesty the Empress, Melanie, me, Moni, Ao-ssi, and even Sharon. What are you worried about?”

Moya asked, as if she couldn’t understand.

“I know why, Moni~”

Moni said in a profound voice and started to sway her shoulders.

“Oong? You know why Rosie is abandoning everyone here and following Norton?”

Moya asked. Ao-ssi also stared at Moni with a curious expression.

“Ang!”

Moni flew onto Rosie’s lap in an instant, looked up at her, and whispered conspiratorially.

“Rosie is in heat right now, Moni~”

“Wh-what are you saying……?!”

Rosie’s face turned as pink as Moni’s body color.

“Ah, that’s right! Then should the great wyverns tell you something?”

Moya also said, swaying her shoulders.

“……What.”

“What is it, Moya~?”

Moya smiled and nudged Moni, who took over and said to Rosie.

“How to mate, Moni~?”

“!”