The Stand-In Empress’S Wedding Night [EN]: Chapter 116

116. An Unexpected Proposal

2022.02.12.

At my question, Emperor Katria glanced between the ladies of the harem and Princess Resilia.

“Their words and gazes are so sharp and fierce, I advised them to just fight it out for real, but it didn’t work.”

Was she serious?

“…It’s not easy for women who haven’t learned martial arts.”

I replied, hiding my bewilderment.

“Didn’t you all receive swordsmanship training when you were young? What else would you have been doing?”

Then, Emperor Katria scanned the women from the Northern Continent and spoke with a truly incomprehensible look, even scolding them.

“We learned etiquette.”

Princess Resilia retorted to Emperor Katria, only to be immediately intimidated by her charisma and avert her gaze.

“Didn’t particularly seem that way earlier?”

Emperor Katria tilted her head as if genuinely surprised and stared openly at the princess. Princess Resilia’s face flushed at Emperor Katria’s remark. Judging by her pouting lips, she was on the verge of exploding with anger and wanting to argue back. However, since the other party was the Emperor of the Deloi Empire, she seemed to be suppressing her anger, unable to retort.

“Puhaha!”

Just as the atmosphere was about to freeze over, Melanie’s bright laughter echoed through the drawing room.

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

She apologized but continued to giggle.

“Melanie, what are you laughing at?”

I asked, giving her a warning look.

“I suddenly had a funny thought. Don’t misunderstand, I didn’t laugh because of the princess. Oh my, Princess. If you frown like that, you’ll get wrinkles, wrinkles.”

“What?”

Melanie deliberately mentioned Princess Resilia and added more words. Then, Rosie, who was sitting next to Melanie, let out a chuckle.

“Keuh-heum… I’m sorry.”

At least Rosie, unlike Melanie, immediately apologized and lowered her head.

“Princess Resilia, I apologize on behalf of the harem for their frivolous behavior.”

Catherine, who had been sipping tea like a solitary fox with a haughty expression, raised her pointed chin and said to the princess. It wasn’t at all an apologetic tone, but Princess Resilia nodded and accepted her apology. Come to think of it, Catherine’s face looked more lively than usual. Was it because she met her old lover, Count Ethan, during the day?

“Your Majesty, it’s fortunate that there’s at least one lady of the harem who knows etiquette.”

Princess Resilia, having received Catherine’s not-so-apologetic apology, glared at Melanie and Rosie before speaking to me. *You don’t know her well enough. Catherine is the strangest of them all.* I pretended not to hear the princess’s words and glanced at Catherine.

‘*Tonight at 10 p.m., meet me in the training ground warehouse.*’

The image of Count Ethan whispering to her secretly came to mind. In fact, I was planning to go to the training ground tonight to confirm their secret rendezvous myself. But with my own problems pressing down on me, I didn’t have the leisure to do that now. I looked at the faces of the guests one by one. My eyes met Elan, the Empress of the Adrian Empire, sitting at the end of the table. *Ah, if only I knew the name of that herb used as the most important ingredient in the magic potion, I would ask Elan.* That herb is said to exist in the cocoa forest inside the Thebelo Imperial Palace. I could ask if she had ever heard of it. It might sound strange, but Empress Elan might know about that herb… However, the ancient book that Rosie has only contains the picture and effects of the herb, but unfortunately, not its name.

“Ah, I heard that deer steak will be served at today’s banquet? I’m looking forward to tasting the deer dishes from the Lapion Imperial Family.”

Empress Yulina of the Ekia Empire in the Northern Continent smacked her lips. She was very pleased, as she had been feeling quite weak lately. For reference, Empress Yulina is the oldest of the women participating in this continental hunting competition. Wait, deer meat? I suddenly remembered the deer I missed in the forest. Could it have been caught by the palace staff after being shot by my arrow and running away? No, probably not.

“Yes, deer meat is said to be very good for nourishing the body.”

I replied politely to Empress Yulina.

“Hohoho, that’s right. So, I’m going to overeat a bit today.”

At Empress Yulina’s words, Emperor Katria also laughed heartily in agreement.

“It’s also one of the foods I enjoyed eating before the war.”

“Oh my, really?”

The two began to have a heated conversation about how to eat deer meat in the most delicious way.

“Ugh.”

At that moment, someone started to retch. All eyes turned to the person who was retching. …Pesillini? She covered her mouth with one hand and retched. When she noticed the attention of the guests, she subtly lowered her hand covering her mouth and patted her chest.

“I’m sorry, it seems like the lunch I ate is a bit indigest… Ugh!”

The retching became more severe. Pesillini eventually got up from her seat, covered her mouth with both hands, and hurriedly left the drawing room.

“It seems like she has severe indigestion. Should we call a palace doctor?”

Rosie said, looking at the drawing room door that Pesillini had left through. Princess Jasper cautiously interjected.

“Could it be morning sickness… perhaps?”

At Princess Jasper’s words, the guests all exclaimed in unison, ‘Ah!’ and then began to subtly glance at me as if they had made a promise. I didn’t have anything to say. I knew better than anyone that Pesillini’s retching had nothing to do with Linell. I gave an awkward smile and met Princess Resilia’s eyes.

‘*She’s probably going to seize this opportunity to mock me and turn my insides out again, right? Go ahead, and I’ll mess up all your hair.*’

I finished making those small mental preparations. But for some reason, Princess Resilia avoided my gaze first and just sipped her tea without saying anything. As if she hadn’t seen Pesillini retching. Could it be that Pesillini’s retching is related to Prince Tesler, so she’s acting like that?

***

Main Palace Banquet Hall.

Once all the guests were seated, the banquet tables began to be filled with food. It was the second time that all the guests from each country had gathered since the welcome party. Pesillini, who had left the drawing room after retching, also attended. When Rosie asked Pesillini if she was okay, she nodded and smiled. Was it really just indigestion? If it’s morning sickness, what will happen? I looked at Prince Tesler. That sly bastard. Prince Tesler was talking to Prince Kalvain of the Patsha Empire, who was sitting across from him, trying to please him. Sitting at the head table, I could see the guests from both continents sitting on either side at a glance. From now on, during the continental hunting competition, I would be traveling with the people gathered here, including the Patsha Empire in the Southern Continent. And everyone would see the burn scar on my face… Suddenly, I felt suffocated. I took a deep breath in and out, but the stuffiness didn’t go away. My head kept drooping.

“Are you nervous? Straighten your shoulders and lift your head.”

Linell whispered to me. I lifted my head and looked at him.

“You are the Empress of the Lapion Empire.”

His firm and powerful voice made me feel a little better.

“Ah, I was just lost in thought for a moment…”

Yes, there’s no need to be discouraged yet. I regained my composure, lifted my head, and looked straight ahead. My gaze naturally shifted to where the guests from the Shattonil Kingdom were sitting. Grand Duke Martins was looking at me with a worried expression. I wanted to show the Grand Duke even a slight smile, but the corners of my lips wouldn’t cooperate. I needed some time. Time to figure out how to overcome this unavoidable reality… Rather, I needed time to fully accept and become stronger in this situation I was in. I might have to live with the burn scar on my face again. No, that’s what will happen. What kind of expression will Linell make when he sees the burn scar on my face? He’s smiling at me so kindly right now… His eyes naturally met mine. When I unconsciously avoided his gaze, he took my hand. When Linell’s cold hand dug between my fingers, I snapped back to my senses.

“Before we begin the banquet, there is something I would like to discuss with the guests.”

At his words, the voices of the guests who were talking to each other stopped abruptly.

“Are you perhaps referring to something related to the hunting competition?”

Emperor Adrian asked, twirling his wine glass with his left hand.

“Yes, that’s right.”

Linell, after answering the Silverfish [Emperor Adrian’s nickname], immediately got to the point.

“How about changing the destination of this continental hunting competition from the Patsha Empire to the Thebelo Empire?”

“!”

*Where? The Thebelo Empire, you say?!*

There is an herb used in magic potions in a place called ‘Cocoa Forest’. That forest is inside the Thebelo Imperial Palace!

Perhaps an opportunity to obtain that herb may arise through the continental hunting competition. If the destination is changed to the Thebelo Empire, as Linell said a moment ago…

Is it that when you’re too surprised, your heart beats slower? It felt as if all functions and senses had stopped. I stared intently at Linell’s profile, astonished by his proposal. He didn’t look at me, but the hand holding mine tightened.

The guests began to buzz here and there. He continued speaking with an expression that showed he had anticipated this reaction, not caring at all.

“I was going to consult with Prince Kalvain and Prince Adrian first, but I thought it would be better to make a public proposal in this place where all the guests are gathered, so I am taking this opportunity to speak.”

“Your Majesty, is there a specific reason why you would change the destination to the Thebelo Empire?”

Prince Kalvain of the Patsha Empire, the original destination, asked, openly revealing his unpleasant expression. Emperor Adrian also looked quite embarrassed. Sure enough.

-‘*What on earth is Your Majesty plotting?*’

Emperor Adrian spoke to me inwardly.

-‘*Ah, judging by your expression, it seems that the Empress is also finding out now.*’

‘*Yeah, I don’t know either, you Silverfish.*’

I also replied in my mind, but as expected, my thoughts didn’t seem to be conveyed to Emperor Adrian today either. Did Linell really change the destination of the hunting competition to Emperor Adrian’s country for convenience only? There seemed to be another reason. Could it be because of me? In other words, to obtain that herb that goes into the magic potion? But how would Linell know that? Yeah, that doesn’t make sense. Anyway, whatever the reason, a glimmer of hope has arisen for me. His eyes were so peaceful right now that I couldn’t grasp his true intentions. Linell’s explanation continued.

“As you all know, the safest and most gently sloped route from here to the Southern Continent is through the Thebelo Empire, which is closest to the Valley of Death. Conversely, the easiest way to travel from the Southern Continent to the Northern Continent is to take a ship from the Delphi Empire, which is adjacent to the sea.”

On the continental map, the Patsha Empire is located at the very bottom.

“Excuse me, is there anyone among the guests here who doesn’t know that fact? Although it’s not stipulated by law, there has never been a history of changing the destination country once it has been decided.”

Prince Kalvain interrupted his words in a somewhat agitated voice. Then, Prince Norton stopped his brother and apologized to him.

“Brother, His Majesty has not finished speaking yet. I apologize, Your Majesty. Please continue.”

Linell nodded to Prince Norton and was about to continue speaking, but this time Emperor Katria interjected.

“I believe that what Emperor Linell says makes sense. This competition is especially with the ladies of the Northern Continent also participating, and it would be difficult for those who are already fragile to go straight down to the Patsha Empire and then head back to the Northern Continent.”

Emperor Katria gave strength to his opinion and drank her aperitif [an alcoholic drink taken before a meal to stimulate the appetite]. Although she added a bit of mockery about the women of the Northern Continent, it wasn’t wrong. The ladies of the harem were largely welcoming of Emperor Katria’s opinion. The only one among the guests who looked like they were in mourning was Prince Kalvain. That’s because the Patsha Empire would have already finished preparing to welcome the guests. However, for reasons of convenience, the country of departure had changed the destination to another place, so it was a situation where he could feel sufficiently ignored, let alone feel absurd.

“Ah, before this story… I know that Prince Kalvain and his wife have not yet held a wedding ceremony, is that correct?”

He brought up a topic that deviated from the subject with a meaningful expression. Why is he suddenly talking about such a sensitive topic? The atmosphere of the banquet hall became as cold as Linell’s body.

“What does that… have to do with this matter at all?!”

Prince Kalvain’s expression twisted.