The Stand-In Empress’S Wedding Night [EN]: Chapter 332

332. Side Story 4: That Day Long Ago (4)

“Hngh…!”

The research lab door burst open, accompanied by Zelda’s strangled scream.

“What is going on!”

It was Royal Magician Logan.

The first thing Logan saw upon entering his lab was Resilia.

The moment the door opened, the bottle of red potion in Resilia’s hand slipped and shattered on the floor.

“Are you okay? Be careful. Oh, what should we do….”

Resilia wore a look of utter confusion.

“Zelda!”

Zelda had fainted.

Before he could even process the incredibly convenient timing, Logan quickly picked up the unconscious Zelda.

The young ladies who had been playing hide-and-seek nearby gathered at the lab after hearing Zelda’s scream, but Tesla was the first to arrive.

Tesla sensed from Resilia’s expression that his younger sister had caused a major incident.

The prince first sent all the young ladies loitering in front of the lab away.

Meanwhile, Logan moved Zelda to a treatment bed inside the lab.

About ten minutes later, King Hale, having heard the news, rushed in.

Having only heard that Zelda was seriously injured, the king, not knowing the extent of her injuries, expected a broken arm or leg.

However, the king was speechless at Zelda’s horrific condition.

He would have preferred… a burn on her face.

“Resil, what happened?”

Instead of the silent father, Tesla quietly questioned Resilia.

“I, I don’t know. A potion bottle fell on Zelda’s face….”

Resilia glanced at her father and answered Tesla.

“Why did you enter Logan’s lab? What were you doing to get a burn on your face!”

The king, averting his gaze from Zelda, rebuked Resilia with an angry face.

“We were playing hide-and-seek. There wasn’t a good place to hide, and Zelda suggested we go into the lab… I told her we should be careful because there are many dangerous things in the lab….”

Resilia trailed off, her voice trembling as she shed tears.

Listening only to the princess, it sounded as if Zelda had been careless and caused the accident.

“The princess must have been very surprised to accidentally drop the potion. Your Majesty, please punish me for leaving my lab unattended.”

Logan subtly implied that Resilia was the reason Zelda was burned.

The king, realizing the situation, turned red with anger and scolded Resilia.

“If you’re sick, you should quietly lie in bed and chat with the young ladies, not play hide-and-seek! Resilia, you always upset me, even when you’re sick. You’re so hopeless!”

‘How dare that magician snitch on me to my father?’

Resilia lowered her head and glared at Logan, rolling her eyes.

The king saw Rainey’s face overlapping with Zelda’s face, who was groaning, unconscious.

Long ago, the king had a crush on Rainey, Zelda’s birth mother.

She was the daughter of a poor baron.

The king, who had already married the queen, wanted to take Rainey as a concubine.

However, the shrewd Count Trova snatched her away.

The count was also already married. The king could not stop the count from taking Rainey as his mistress because of his position.

Rainey lost her life after being poisoned by the countess’s scheme after giving birth to Zelda.

Zelda, who lost her mother in such a way, had been living as an outcast in the count’s family.

The king’s heart ached whenever he saw Zelda, who resembled Rainey.

Even though he didn’t know the details, the king knew that Zelda was not loved in the count’s family.

Because of that, he worried about how to get Zelda out of the count’s family and eventually had her come in and out of the palace under the guise of being Resilia’s playmate.

His plan was to have them become close and later make her the princess’s exclusive maid, so she could live in the palace altogether.

But as a result, he ended up making Zelda even more miserable.

‘I’m sorry, Rainey. My daughter ruined your daughter’s face….’

He felt terrible, but in any case, his own daughter was Resilia, not Zelda.

He had no choice but to take Resilia’s side and resolve the situation.

“Is there no way to treat her?”

The king asked Logan.

“Yes, Your Majesty. If it were a normal burn, it could be treated, but the red potion is a special substance I am researching, and there is currently no cure.”

“What exactly was in the potion bottle?”

At the king’s displeased question, Logan could not reveal that it was a potion to summon an Avatar [a powerful magical entity].

In fact, it didn’t matter what the red potion was. The problem was that there was no way to treat it right now. So the king didn’t ask further.

Logan told the king that Zelda’s life could be in danger and looked at Zelda with a pitiful gaze.

In about an hour, her fever will rise even higher.

Moreover, she will suffer from a fever for several days. Can a young girl really overcome this?

Logan was skeptical.

He had given her a strong antipyretic [fever-reducing medication], but it wouldn’t be of much use.

“Father….”

Resilia, who had been lowering her head, slowly raised her face.

When the king, who had been staring intently at Zelda, turned his gaze to his daughter, Resilia raised her hand to her forehead and acted.

“My heart is pounding. I feel dizzy.”

With a smack, Resilia collapsed to the floor.

“Your, Your Majesty!”

Tesla, who was next to her, looked up at his father, who had slapped the princess’s cheek.

Resilia’s face, already swollen, became even redder.

“Wicked girl.”

The king said only those words and said no more to Resilia.

“Lock Resilia in her room. Don’t let her out!”

“But, Resil will be all better in three days. Then she can meet Prince Linel.”

Tesla tried to persuade his father, but it was no use.

“That’s enough. It’s better to meet him later.”

With that kind of mentality, she might make a mistake in front of the Emperor and Empress of the Rafion Empire.

The king was firm.

He added that the princess needed to mature more and that it would be better to promise a future meeting.

“I was surprised too! Why are you only worried about Zelda? Huh?”

Resilia cried out.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Not really, but I’m a princess and your daughter! That child is just the daughter of a count, and a bastard that even the Count’s family is ashamed of, so why…!”

“So, you think you can do this?”

The more the king got angry, the more Resilia hated Zelda to death.

After ordering the princess to leave, the king said to Logan.

“If there is no way to treat her, then it would be good to inform the count of this fact and move Zelda to the count’s residence. If necessary, have the royal physicians stay at the count’s residence, and especially have Logan take good care of this child.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

***

Resilia was dragged back to her room by Tesla.

“That’s too much. Don’t you think?”

Resilia, who had entered the room, asked in a tone hoping for agreement.

“You went too far this time.”

But even Tesla sided with Zelda, and Resilia’s irritability exploded.

“Why is everyone like this, really! It was just a mistake!”

“Didn’t you see what happened to Zelda’s face earlier?”

Tesla asked with a sigh, and Resilia scoffed back.

“It was a mistake. I was surprised too, you know?”

“Logan said her life could be in danger.”

It was clear that Tesla was also worried about Zelda.

Resilia screamed in a voice mixed with tears.

“She’s not dead yet!”

“Haa.”

Tesla waved his hand as if he didn’t want to talk anymore and left the room.

“She should have just died right there and then.”

Resilia lay on the bed, panting.

***

Linel was watching his father and mother at the dinner table, looking for the right moment to speak.

“It seems our son has something to say?”

Empress Emily smiled as she poured wine directly for Emperor Kedwin.

“Is that so? Linel, do you have something to say?”

“I have something to ask you both.”

“What is it?”

Empress Emily asked with a surprised expression.

“There is someone I want to bring from this Shattonil Kingdom to the Imperial Palace. I wanted to get permission from you two first.”

“Who is it?”

Kedwin, who values ​​justification in everything, asked, holding back a laugh.

“It’s a person.”

Linel said seriously.

The two laughed silently at their son’s words.

“Why do you want to take them to the Imperial Palace? There must be a reason.”

“They are younger than me, but their swordsmanship is outstanding. Maybe even better than Macrome.”

“Is that so? What is their status?”

“They are a noble.”

“Hmm, that might be a bit difficult.”

“This… friend will be possible.”

Linel’s mouth was itching.

He wanted to reveal that the girl was practically raised outside the family, but it seemed better to refrain from mentioning her personal details yet.

He didn’t even know her name, so there was no other information to mention.

“Is that so? Then, by all means. But they must also want it. That’s how we have justification for bringing them to the Imperial Palace.”

Linel nodded confidently at Emperor Kedwin’s words.

“But, does that child want it too? Do they know your intentions?”

Empress Emily asked cautiously.

“I’m going to tell them today.”

“……”

Empress Emily looked at her son as if she was dumbfounded.

Still, the Emperor and Empress were very curious about who the child Linel was coveting.

It was an unusual event because their son had never asked for anything before.

***

An hour later.

Linel left the VIP room to go to the meeting place with Zelda.

He planned to arrive 30 minutes early and practice swordsmanship.

‘I’ll show you my true skills today.’

He clenched both fists tightly and vowed.

Unlike his firm determination, a smile was spreading across his face.

“Your Highness, Your Highness~! Where are you going?”

Raphael ran up, panting.

“I told you. To spar.”

“Why are you smiling when you’re going to spar?”

“Am I?”

“Yes, your mouth is like this now – you’re smiling.”

In an uncharacteristic way.

Raphael raised the corners of his mouth as high as he could and said mockingly.

‘Is it true?’

Linel raised his hand to check the position of the corners of his mouth and immediately straightened his face.

“I’m not taking you. I’m going alone today.”

“……Who said I was going?”

“Then why did you run over here?”

“I just heard from my father, no, the secretary. Duke Gallian is seriously ill.”

“My grandfather?”

“Yes. The Empress heard the news and is crying now. Duke Gallian’s condition seems very bad. So, all schedules in the Shattonil Kingdom have been canceled, and they are leaving for the Rafion Empire tomorrow morning.”

“Tomorrow morning…?”

Linel’s expression darkened.

Strangely, he began to feel impatient.

“So, say goodbye to that swordsman in advance.”

“I’m going to bring them.”

“Yes? Where to? Don’t tell me… are you saying you’re taking them to the Rafion Empire?”

Raphael was shocked.

“No, what crime did that swordsman commit to be dragged to the Rafion Imperial Palace and become Your Highness’s sparring partner? Ah, that’s right. And she’s a woman!”

Raphael was sincerely worried about the future of that swordsman.

“I’ll bring them.”

Linel spat out a word and started running towards the place he had promised to meet Zelda.

“……Your Highness, Your Highness? Your Highness!!”