The Stand-In Empress’S Wedding Night [EN]: Chapter 331

331. Side Story 3: That Day Long Ago (3)

February 10, 2024

“Don’t you dislike going to other countries?”

Linelle asked.

It wasn’t a matter of liking or disliking.

Zelda didn’t understand the question itself.

“Why would I have to go to another country?”

Linelle couldn’t bring himself to say, ‘Because I, the Crown Prince, need you,’ so he wracked his brain to find suitable words to persuade her.

“You said no one is interested in you.”

“Are you?”

“What?”

“Are you interested in me?”

“……Not in you. I am a bit interested in your swordsmanship skills, though.”

‘Wasn’t that an appropriate answer?’

Linelle crossed his arms, acting relaxed, and took a step back, only to fall on his butt.

“Ouch.”

“Acting cocky and falling on your ass.”

Zelda muttered, looking down at the fallen Linelle.

“What? What do you want me to do about it?”

“You should help me up!”

Linelle, who didn’t hear Zelda’s muttering, reached out a hand to her.

“Do you always have someone help you up when you fall?”

Zelda asked with a genuinely surprised expression.

Linelle, forgetting his guise as a servant, blurted out a habit ingrained in him as the Crown Prince.

“Isn’t it obvious? I fell.”

“You… you have more friends than I thought? Even with that personality of yours.”

Zelda was genuinely envious.

‘I’m always so kind, but the young ladies and my siblings don’t play with me. He seems to have a bad personality, so why…?’

She kicked a stone under her feet, lamenting that the world was unfair.

Linelle was equally shocked by Zelda’s words.

‘What’s wrong with my personality that she’s so surprised?’

He had always prided himself on having a well-rounded personality.

He was well aware that he rarely smiled.

Does not smiling often make one seem to have a bad personality?

Wanting to clear up the misunderstanding, Linelle looked up at Zelda and grinned.

“Ah, geez! Why are you doing that? It’s scary.”

Zelda flinched.

The kid who had been yelling just now raised the corners of his mouth while keeping his brow furrowed, making him look eerie.

“It’s a precious smile. Take another good look.”

Linelle ordered seriously.

‘Is this the fifth time I’ve smiled this year?’

In the Rafion Imperial Palace, even a sneer would cause the young ladies of his age to make a fuss. But what? My smile is scary?

Moreover, he had even pulled up both corners of his mouth, yet he was hearing such things, making Linelle feel wronged.

“Pfft! A precious smile, he says. What a joke, really.”

Zelda burst into laughter after seeing Linelle’s forced smile again.

“!”

“Oh, and I can’t go to the training grounds tomorrow.”

“Why?”

Hearing the disappointing news before his wounded heart could even recover made him feel dejected.

“The lower-ranking knights have their monthly exams, and tomorrow is that day, so the knights will be there until late.”

“Ah…”

What to do?

Linelle was disappointed.

He was slightly confused whether he was disappointed because he couldn’t use the training grounds or because he couldn’t meet Zelda.

“Instead, I have a place where I practice separately from the training grounds. Want to meet there?”

Zelda made an unexpected suggestion.

‘There’s no reason to go to another place just to meet that girl when it’s not the training grounds.’

Linelle thought to himself.

In fact, it wouldn’t be a big deal if he couldn’t practice swordsmanship for a day.

He could practice as much as he wanted in his room anyway.

However.

“Where is it?”

Linelle asked.

He was surprised at himself for asking.

Would he have done this if someone else had made the suggestion instead of that girl?

‘Maybe I would have.’

Linelle thought so. No, he decided to think so.

“Meet me here tomorrow. I don’t think you’d be able to find it even if I explained it to you.”

“Okay, then.”

Linelle nodded.

Zelda thought his smile looked natural now.

And the smile of that servant boy, whose identity she couldn’t figure out, looked much prettier than Princess Resilia or any other young lady.

“Here, grab my hand.”

Was that why? Zelda reached out her hand to Linelle, who was still sitting on the ground.

He instinctively grabbed Zelda’s hand like a docile lamb.

Her grip was so strong that Linelle’s body shot up as she pulled his arm.

“Whoa.”

“…?”

Because she pulled too hard, Linelle’s body leaned forward as he stood up, and his lips bumped against Zelda’s round, small forehead.

Zelda, flustered, touched her forehead with her hand, and Linelle, even more flustered, touched his lips with his hand.

A moment of silence passed.

Zelda was the first to speak.

“We’re kids, so it’s okay. We don’t have to get married.”

Zelda patted Linelle, who was bigger than her, on the shoulder as if comforting him.

‘Do you have to get married just because you kissed someone’s forehead?’

Linelle scoffed inwardly.

“And you’re not the first person to kiss my forehead, so don’t worry about it.”

“…Who was the first?”

Excluding my parents.

Linelle was very curious to know who had kissed that forehead first.

“The prince.”

“The Tessler Prince I know?”

Ugh, of all people.

“Yeah. The prince you serve.”

Zelda snorted and emphasized the ‘Prince’ that Linelle had left out.

Linelle snorted a few times and recalled Tessler’s face.

“Do you perhaps like him?”

“Who? Me, the prince? I’ve never thought about it? But all the other young ladies like him.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s handsome. Just like the young masters like Princess Resilia.”

“Is she prettier than you?”

Zelda asked back meaningfully at his thoughtless question.

“Do you think I’m pretty?”

“No.”

Linelle said, startled, shaking his head vehemently.

Zelda, with a sulky face, asked again.

“Then why are you comparing me?”

“Because you’re a girl.”

“Oh, come on, and you’ve seen the princess’s face, haven’t you? Why did you ask if she’s prettier than me?”

“Well, if you come out tomorrow, I’ll think about it again and let you know who’s prettier.”

Linelle thought for the first time that he should see Princess Resilia’s face.

She said she was sick, but he could probably see her face for a moment.

“I should go now. Anyway, I’ll let you know tomorrow too.”

Zelda said, bending down to retie her shoelaces.

“Ah, whether I’m cool?”

Linelle asked slyly with an expectant expression.

“What are you saying~? I meant my name.”

“…Run along now.”

Linelle’s face flushed with embarrassment.

“Huh?”

“Go home.”

Linelle gently pushed her back.

“I’m going. Ah, don’t push me. Bye.”

Zelda waved her hand casually and started running.

“Make sure you come tomorrow!”

Linelle put strength into his voice.

He didn’t say ‘goodbye’ because it felt like a farewell.

“Wow… she’s so fast.”

Zelda disappeared into the forest in the blink of an eye, creating a gust of wind.

***

The next day, in the afternoon.

Linelle, after lunch, locked himself in the guest room where he was staying and devoted himself to swordsmanship practice.

Raphael was forced to receive his sword.

“What kind of amazing swordsman did you meet at the training grounds yesterday that makes you like this!”

Raphael complained, collapsing on the floor, saying he couldn’t do it anymore.

“She was a formidable opponent.”

Linelle’s eyes were still full of enthusiasm, showing no signs of fatigue.

“So, are you practicing so fiercely to settle things today? If you keep this up, you might run out of energy and not be able to show your skills this evening.”

“It doesn’t matter if I lose.”

“Are you serious?”

To hear such words from the competitive Crown Prince.

Raphael stared at him in amazement, his mouth wide open.

‘Because we can keep competing in the future.’

Linelle replied inwardly.

Raphael scrutinized his expression as if observing his hidden intentions.

“Hey, get rid of that. If a man gets this tired, he’s useless.”

Linelle wiped away his sweat and pointed the wooden sword at Raphael’s lower body.

“Huh? This is a friend who will do great things in the future. Why are you saying such scary things?”

“What great things?”

“He has to carry on our family line!”

Raphael’s family had been serving as the Emperor’s direct secretary of the Rafion Imperial Family for generations.

His father was also the current Secretary to Emperor Cadwin, and he was destined to become the Emperor’s secretary when Linelle ascended the throne.

“Could it be that the friend you met yesterday is my rival?”

Raphael asked warily.

“Keep it to yourself. Don’t even tell your father. The skilled person I met yesterday… is a woman.”

Linelle lowered his voice and told him in detail about what happened with Zelda yesterday.

“Come on, she must be a man who looks as pretty as Your Highness.”

Raphael didn’t believe him, saying he must have seen wrong because it was dark.

“She was wearing a dress.”

“Oh, um… if she’s really a woman, what could her identity be? I smell something suspicious?”

“She smelled good.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because we fought up close.”

“Don’t tell me… did you lose yesterday?”

“It’s not like she won either.”

Raphael noticed his ambiguous answer.

“Oh my, you were completely defeated!”

“Can’t you be quiet?”

“Even though she was wearing a dress.”

“I went easy on her. Because she’s a woman.”

“Your Highness lost to a woman. You always act so high and mighty, and now you’ve finally disgraced yourself…”

Raphael was chattering with a gloating expression until he felt Linelle’s fierce blue eyes and shut his mouth.

“I won’t go easy on you today.”

“Your Highness, please take me with you this evening!”

Raphael couldn’t miss the sight of the Crown Prince being at someone’s beck and call.

“You can’t come.”

He said firmly.

“Why?”

“Because you’re pretty.”

Linelle blurted out the words, suddenly thinking of Zelda’s face.

“Me?”

“!”

“Are you afraid that the swordsman will like me when she sees my beauty?”

Raphael asked with a smirk.

He had no idea where that confidence kept coming from.

“…Yeah. You’re right.”

Let’s just say that.

Linelle said nonchalantly, picking up the wooden sword again.

The more free Raphael was with his delusions, the more he could hide his true feelings.

***

Resilia summoned the young ladies to the palace again today.

Her mumps hadn’t completely healed, but she had improved enough to not have to stay in bed anymore.

She had been stuck in her room for a week, so she was very bored.

She had moved to the main palace to treat her mumps. She was temporarily staying on the floor where the court physician and court mage resided, so there was nothing to do in her room.

“Why aren’t they here yet? Always so slow!”

Zelda, who was always 30 minutes early among the young ladies, hadn’t arrived today even as the appointed time was approaching.

Unable to bear the boredom, Resilia opened the door to go out into the hallway. She saw the back of Zelda’s head not far away.

She was about to yell at her for not coming in quickly when she heard the voice of her father, King Hale.

“It seems the princess has called you again.”

It was a kind voice.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“You’re becoming more and more like Rainey…”

King Hale said as if to himself with a reminiscent expression.

Rainey was Zelda’s biological mother.

“Is that so? Your Majesty, have you… ever seen my mother?”

Zelda asked with a curious voice.

Her Majesty knew her mother, whom she had never seen before!

“Of course. She had pink eyes like you. Her smile was especially similar.”

The King spoke with a more affectionate gaze than before.

Zelda wanted to ask the King how he knew her mother and what kind of person she was, but she couldn’t easily open her mouth.

She didn’t even know what to ask first if she did ask.

“Zelda, is there anything you want?”

It was a series of unexpected kindness.

“…No, Your Majesty.”

“I’m grateful that you play well with Resilia, so feel free to speak up. Should I gift you a few pretty dresses?”

The King asked, looking at Zelda’s simple dress.

“Ah, no. Pretty dresses suit the princess much better.”

“No. I think you would look better in them? Hahaha.”

Zelda smiled shyly at the King’s compliment.

Resilia’s expression hardened.

These were words that her father had never said to her.

“You’re even more beautiful when you smile.”

The King was the second person to compliment Zelda, after her teacher, Commander Kanal.

Resilia was greatly shocked as if she had been hit hard on the head.

Jealousy rose as she saw the King’s affectionate gaze towards Zelda.

Resilia took a deep breath and backed away into the room again.

‘He’s never spoken to me so warmly with such a gentle smile!’

It was also the King’s idea to bring Zelda in as Resilia’s playmate.

The King occasionally praised Zelda to Resilia and told her to treat her well.

Princess Resilia vaguely knew that her father, who was always cold to her, had a softer gaze whenever he looked at Zelda.

Perhaps due to her father’s influence, her brother, Prince Tessler, was also kinder to Zelda than to other young ladies.

Resilia was always annoyed by Zelda, a bastard, receiving attention from her father and brother.

‘Who is she? Why is she getting gifts?’

It was unacceptable.

The father who was coldest to her was the kindest person to Zelda.

She had never, not even once, envied Zelda, but now she was so jealous that she was going crazy.

‘Zelda is pretty?’

It felt like her insides were twisting.

What if she ruined that face?

‘Then he wouldn’t like Zelda, would he?’

Resilia’s expression brightened again.

***

Shortly after, Zelda, having finished her conversation with the King, entered Princess Resilia’s room.

“Your Highness. I’m sorry I’m late.”

Zelda greeted her with a happier face than usual.

‘She must be so happy because she was praised by my father?’

Resilia hid her resentful feelings and, after all the young ladies had gathered, linked arms with Zelda and said kindly.

“Let’s play hide-and-seek for the first time in a while.”

Everyone was reluctant, but they had no choice but to choose a seeker and start the game, hiding only on the floor where Resilia was staying.

Resilia deliberately took Zelda to Logan’s laboratory and opened the door.

She knew in advance that Logan would be away for a long time today because he had business in the royal palace.

“Your Highness, His Majesty and the mage have forbidden us from entering here. They said there are many dangerous potion bottles…”

“We just have to be careful. What are you worried about?”

Resilia forcibly pushed Zelda into Logan’s laboratory.

Inside the laboratory, hundreds and thousands of reagent bottles were displayed on the shelves.

Among them, a red reagent bottle with a danger sign and the words ‘absolute caution’ caught Resilia’s eye.

“Zelda, come here and hold the chair.”

Resilia said, stepping onto a makeshift chair next to her.

Her legs were trembling, perhaps because she was nervous.

As the chair shook, Zelda stopped the princess with a worried face.

“It’s dangerous, Your Highness.”

“That’s why I’m telling you to come and hold it!”

Zelda frowned, watching Resilia go up on the chair, wondering what she was trying to do.

“Zelda, look at this. Isn’t the color really pretty? Should I ask my father to make me a dress in this color?”

Resilia shook the red reagent bottle at Zelda, cleverly covering the part with the danger sign.

She wondered if she was going to such lengths just to see a reagent with a pretty color.

“Look. What do you think?”

“Yes, it’s pretty.”

The moment she answered, looking up at Resilia, the red reagent fell on Zelda’s right face.

“Ah… Aah!!”

The contents of the bottle sizzled as they touched her face, and her right cheek burned away.