The Stand-In Empress’S Wedding Night [EN]: Chapter 238

“Get a court physician, quickly!”

Linelle shouted to Raphael, supporting Pecilini.

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Raphael quickly bent to take her in his arms, intending to carry the pregnant Pecilini.

“No. I’ll do it.”

Linelle, who was about to entrust her to Raphael, instead picked her up himself.

‘That sly thing, putting on an act.’

Roxana glared at Pecilini, nestled in the Emperor’s arms, with a fierce look.

‘Wait, it doesn’t seem like acting……?’

Roxana grew uneasy, seeing the sweat on Pecilini’s face.

You could fake a facial expression, but the sweat flowing down her face couldn’t be faked.

What would happen if something went wrong with the baby in Pecilini’s belly?

While worried, Roxana also thought it wouldn’t be bad if she miscarried.

It wasn’t like she pushed her, and they only exchanged a few words, so she couldn’t be held directly responsible.

But seeing the resentful look Linelle gave her just now, it seemed like he would hold her responsible.

‘Well, Pecilini’s baby might be the only imperial bloodline, so he’ll cherish it even more.’

Roxana still believed that his vital functions were not working properly.

As her thoughts reached that point, she began to worry.

“Your Majesty, this has nothing to do with me!”

Roxana quickly blurted out.

She felt she had to make it clear before going to receive treatment from the court physician residing in the main palace.

She hadn’t used any physical force against Pecilini, so she felt genuinely wronged.

Even though Roxana was telling the truth, she felt annoyed, as if she were making excuses.

“Whether it has anything to do with the Empress or not, we’ll know after the examination and hearing Pecilini’s story.”

Linelle replied coldly and turned away.

Roxana swallowed hard at his gaze, which held no warmth.

As Roxana followed Linelle, he turned around and said as if giving an order.

“It would be better if the Empress didn’t follow. Rest is the priority now.”

Linelle gestured to Pecilini in his arms.

His tone implied that her presence would not be calming.

“Ah…… I see.”

Roxana suppressed her rising anger and accepted his decision.

She lowered her gaze to Pecilini, who was completely closing her eyes in the Emperor’s arms.

She wanted to drag her down right away and shake Pecilini’s shoulders, asking where she was faking illness, and then throw her to the floor, but she had no choice but to endure.

“Then, I’ll see you at the trial later.”

Roxana felt a chill run down her spine at Linelle’s cold voice.

***

“It seems her stomach muscles momentarily cramped due to stress. You must be more careful in the future,” the court physician reported to the Emperor after carefully examining Pecilini’s condition.

“Is it dangerous?”

“Yes, you should always be careful during pregnancy, but Pecilini-mama’s [a title of respect for a woman of high status] body is so weak that special attention is needed even after childbirth.”

“You’ve done well. You may leave now.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

As the court physician left the treatment room, Linelle approached the bed where Pecilini was lying and pulled up a chair to sit in front of her.

Pecilini felt awkward and embarrassed for no reason, so she struggled to lift her heavy body.

“Just rest comfortably.”

Even that remark made Pecilini uncomfortable, so she insisted on raising her upper body and sitting with a pillow behind her back.

“This is much more comfortable, Your Majesty.”

“Alright, then do as you please. Hmm, what did you and Roxana talk about earlier that caused you so much stress?”

“Your Majesty…… The new Empress is planning to harm me and the baby soon. Please help me!”

Pecilini pleaded, bowing her head to him with a desperate voice.

“As promised, I will protect you and the child as much as I can. So don’t be too anxious and relax. That will be good for the fetus.”

His tone wasn’t particularly affectionate, but Pecilini felt that the Emperor’s words were sincere.

Tears welled up in her eyes with gratitude.

Even though she was a concubine he had no interest in, no emperor in any other country would care about the safety of a concubine from another country who was pregnant with a prince’s child.

Of course, he offered help because she was of value to him, but still, he was the Emperor.

He could have treated her coercively without such consideration, and she would have had no say.

Pecilini had already begun to trust Emperor Linelle more than Prince Tesler, the baby’s biological father.

“Don’t attend today’s trial, and stay in the main palace to rest.”

He took out his pocket watch, checked the time, and rose from the chair.

“Your Majesty, didn’t you call me to the main palace today for a reason?”

Pecilini asked cautiously, after remaining silent.

“Yes, but resting is the priority, so I think we should talk after today’s trial.”

“No. I’ll listen now. I want to hear it even more if it’s something I can help with.”

As Pecilini spoke proactively, he pondered for a moment and nodded, sitting back in the chair.

“Your father, Marquis Astoh, is likely to side with Prince Tesler in the meeting of ministers before the final verdict.”

“Ah…… Yes.”

Pecilini guessed what he was about to say.

It was content she had already heard from Grand Duke Martins.

“Prince Tesler secretly attempted to contact him through Grand Duke Martins. It seems he tempted Marquis Astoh by promising to exclusively transfer some of Shattonil’s trade goods to him if he helped.”

“I know……. I conveyed that content directly to Grand Duke Martins after meeting Prince Tesler.”

After that, Grand Duke Martins must have met her father and made a secret deal.

Her father was highly likely to endorse Prince Tesler, blinded by the exclusive trading rights.

“After today’s trial, I plan to meet Marquis Astoh and inform him of your pregnancy. If this matter leaks out, the Astoh family will fall.”

“Yo, Your Majesty!”

“Don’t worry. I’m not telling him to hold your family accountable. Of course, I might need to use your pregnancy a bit. Is that alright?”

Under the Lapion Empire law, the final verdict on serious crimes is reached through three procedures.

Before the High Priest’s final verdict, the Emperor first gives his opinion on the verdict. Then, a vote is held among the key ministers regarding the Emperor’s opinion, and finally, the court makes its final verdict based on the results.

At this time, if the ministers unanimously agree, their opinion has a significant impact on the final verdict.

Linelle, well aware of this, intended to persuade Marquis Astoh, who was likely to side with Prince Tesler, in advance to achieve a unanimous agreement in the ministers’ vote.

“Did you call me to the main palace to inform me of that fact in advance?”

“That’s right. Of course, you should know in advance.”

“Thank you…… Your Majesty. And I’m sorry.”

Pecilini finally shed tears.

“Didn’t you hear what the court physician said earlier? You shouldn’t get stressed.”

“I’m crying because I’m grateful, so it’s okay.”

Pecilini wiped away her tears with the back of her hand and gave a faint smile.

“That’s a relief then.”

“Your Majesty will persuade my father well, but I will also meet my father separately after today’s trial……”

“I would appreciate that.”

Linelle said with a slight smile.

Even though it was a small smile, Pecilini felt like she had received a great gift from the Emperor.

Knock, knock-.

A knock was heard on the treatment room door, and the door opened cautiously.

“I came to see how Pecilini is doing.”

It was Zelda.

“How did you know?”

Linelle’s face softened as if rain had fallen when he saw her.

“I heard it from the commander of the main palace’s guard.”

Zelda winked at Linelle.

‘Ah, from Moiya?’

He asked with his lips, and she nodded.

“Pecilini, how are you feeling?”

Zelda approached her and asked with a worried look.

“I’m fine. I’m sorry for causing concern.”

“What do you have to be sorry to me for? Ah, Your Majesty. Could you excuse us for a moment?”

“Why?”

“Because we have things to talk about among women.”

“Are you uncomfortable with me here?”

“There are hardly any comfortable places with Your Majesty around, are there?”

He wore a disappointed expression for a few seconds at Zelda’s joking words, but it was no use.

He was eventually kicked out of the treatment room.

“Zelda-mama. You must have heard about my pregnancy from His Majesty, right?”

As soon as the treatment room door closed, Pecilini asked with a nervous expression.

“Yes, I know.”

“I…… This child is not His Majesty’s child.”

Pecilini said with a guilty expression, placing her hand on her belly.

“Yes, it’s Prince Tesler’s child. But why are you telling me?”

Zelda asked in a calm tone.

“You already know……. I thought His Majesty would have told you, but I thought it would be better for me to tell you directly……”

Pecilini didn’t want any conflict to arise between the two of them because of her.

“Thank you for thinking of me.”

“You’re welcome.”

Pecilini lowered her head powerlessly.

“Pecilini. Actually, I came because I have something to say too.”

“Yes, please speak.”

“His Majesty is planning to raise that child…… as a prince.”

“Yes?!”

“The reason I’m telling you this is because I’m worried that you might change your mind and rely on Prince Tesler.”

“Mama……”

“As you already know, Prince Tesler is a man who only thinks about his own safety. The child…… yes, now that he’s in this state, he’ll try to raise him as his successor. But he won’t make you, who was His Majesty’s concubine, his princess. He’ll get rid of you no matter what.”

Pecilini nodded obediently at Zelda’s words.

She was thinking similarly.

Even if she tried to shake it off, the weight of doubt was too heavy to shake off.

Zelda took Pecilini’s hand and continued calmly.

“Whether you’re going to raise the prince stably in the Lapion Imperial Family or raise him in fear in the Shattonil Kingdom, you don’t even have to think deeply to know which is the wiser choice, right?”

***

“It seems like we arrived too early?”

Rose said as she got out of the carriage.

“I have to stand in the witness stand. So I feel more comfortable arriving in advance.”

Melanie had lunch with Rose at her palace, and then returned to the High Priest’s temple, where the trial was being held, a little early.

She deliberately created a space for Rose to talk with Norton, and then slipped out of the courtroom and continued to linger by the window in the lobby.

“It’s about time he showed up……”

Melanie had her servant, Hedon, wait outside the High Priest’s temple for Hector.

She didn’t want to go outside the temple herself, as he might appear with Roxana.

“He’s here!”

Fortunately, Hector wasn’t moving with Roxana, unlike during the morning trial, so it seemed easier to approach him.

Before Hector entered the temple, Hedon quickly grabbed his adjutant and conveyed the message.

Hector’s adjutant tilted his head repeatedly but ran to Hector and reported the words he had heard from Hedon.

Having completed his mission, Hedon showed his master, who was sticking half of her face out of the window on the first floor of the temple, an okay sign above his head.

Meanwhile, Hector, having heard the words from the adjutant, walked behind the temple building with a troubled expression.

Melanie lifted the hem of her dress and ran towards the back gate of the temple to match his movements.

“What’s the matter this time?”

Hector suddenly appeared in front of Melanie and asked.

“Ah! S, surprise!”

“……Haa.”

Because of Melanie, who was rushing in with the same speed even after opening the back gate, a second lip accident occurred.

Due to the significant height difference, their lips didn’t collide this time.

Melanie’s red lipstick mark was stamped on Hector’s chest as if a seal had been stamped.

To suffer such an indignity on a day when he was wearing a light-colored uniform close to cream.

Hector frowned, looking down at Melanie’s lips, which were stamped like a medal on his uniform.

“I, it’s revenge.”

“Yes?”

“You stamped on my lips back then. I stamped on your uniform, so it’s a forgiving revenge. I, I’m someone who always returns revenge or favors!”

Hector looked at Melanie strangely.

He wondered what was the point of dealing with a woman who thought everything made sense if she insisted.

He could just ignore her and leave.

But why was he still listening to this foolish concubine chattering?

Hector himself couldn’t understand.

“Now that you’ve taken your revenge, may I go?”

Even as he asked that, he was secretly expecting what strange retort she would make this time.

“Wait! Did you eat the pomegranate?”

“No.”

“Did you throw it away?”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Hey! Then what did you do? You didn’t eat it, and you didn’t throw it away.”

“……Hey?”

Hector was seeing someone say ‘hey’ to him for the first time in his life.

“Yeah, hey! What’s the problem? I’m a concubine of the Emperor of the Lapion Empire. And you’re just a dog of the Empress, no, a guard knight!”

Melanie shouted boldly.

But she suddenly became afraid that those thick hands would strangle her neck.

Hector approached Melanie.

Melanie backed away from Hector, who was narrowing the distance, and stood with her back against the wall of the temple.

Hector put his hands on the wall, trapping Melanie, and frowned fiercely.

“Don’t…… speak to me like that.”

“Wh, what if I keep, keep doing it?”

Melanie raised her heels as high as she could to increase her height and retorted.

“I may be a guard knight attached to the Empress now, but I’m also someone who lived being treated like a king.”

He wondered if he had to say these words himself.

Hector felt a sense of shame after spitting out the words.

“Tch, you’re just a king of barbarians, right?”

As Melanie spoke mockingly,

“Haven’t you considered that being a king of barbarians makes me even more like a beast? How dangerous I might be?”

He was a rude person.

“Geez, where’s that dog barking from~?”

However, she was also the same, having thrown away the etiquette as a noble from the start.

“……You’d better start thinking about it from now on.”

“Why should I?”

Melanie asked, putting on the strongest expression she could, holding her head high.

Hector pointed to Melanie’s lips with his finger and quietly warned.

“If you don’t want to catch the eye of a barbarian bastard, don’t provoke me.”

Watch your mouth.

It was a clear threat.

But Melanie’s heart, which had taken Hector’s words in a different sense, was pounding as if it would burst.