The Stand-In Empress’S Wedding Night [EN]: Chapter 141

141. A Graceful Sight

May 11, 2022

Raphael stared intently at Rosie, who was approaching with her shoulder dance, then tilted his head.

Raphael was one of the people who had witnessed Moiya’s dance.

So, this dance that Rosie is doing wouldn’t be unfamiliar to him.

But he didn’t seem to realize that Moiya had transformed into Rosie.

“I feel like I’ve seen that dance somewhere… where was it…?”

Raphael muttered to himself, then waved the handkerchief he received from Rosie and shouted, “Princess Resilia eliminated!”

Rosie returned to her spot with light steps and a refreshed face.

Princess Resilia glared at Rosie with fire in her eyes.

No matter how scary her glare is, she’s just an eliminated contestant.

With this, both siblings from the Shattonil Kingdom ended up sitting side by side on the rock designated for eliminated contestants.

Both of them fanned themselves with sour expressions.

As Rosie plopped down in her seat, Melanie gave her a thumbs up and praised her.

“I’ve got a new perspective, Rosie. I always thought you just read books and were frail, but you’re really fast!”

“I must get the Blue Diamond, Moiya~ Haha.”

She tried to reply demurely like a cultured concubine, but her tone was unmistakably Moiya.

I’m already worried about what Rosie will do when she finds out about this later.

The game went on, and when more than half of the people sitting in the circle were eliminated, everyone’s voices were hoarse and their stamina was depleted.

Then, when Ao suddenly ran into the middle of the circle with a handkerchief in his mouth, everyone burst into laughter and suggested ending the game.

The winner of the game was decided by majority vote.

When Rosie’s name was called among the survivors of the game, almost all the dignitaries gave her a warm round of applause.

Some even argued that the Blue Diamond should go to her, as she had shown off her talent in the game.

I was worried that Moiya, still inhabiting Rosie’s body, would suddenly jump up with joy and do that grotesque shoulder dance again.

Linelle seemed to have noticed that Moiya had transformed into Rosie, and asked me with a look.

When I nodded, he also kept a close eye on Rosie’s actions.

“The Blue Diamond of the Partsha Empire goes to the Second Concubine of the Rafion Empire, Rosie, who has received enthusiastic support!”

Raphael shouted, reaching out to Rosie.

“Rosie, you should get up and give a thank you speech. Or do that shoulder dance again.”

Melanie quickly helped Rosie up, and Rosie, who got up while twitching her shoulders, turned around in place and waved her arms.

Why is the embarrassment my responsibility?

I bowed my head and observed the expressions of the dignitaries.

Prince Norton, who was opposite Rosie, gave the biggest applause, and Linelle’s handsome face was turning into a mashed potato as he tried to hold back his laughter.

While scanning the faces of the dignitaries who were bursting with laughter, my gaze stopped at the face of the Archmage, who was alone and serious.

The Archmage was narrowing his eyes and staring at Rosie.

My heart skipped a beat.

Did the Archmage notice too?

But fortunately, the Archmage soon took his eyes off Rosie.

I thought I should be more careful with Moiya.

In any case, all the Blue Diamonds of the Partsha Empire were coincidentally taken by the Rafion Empire.

“Ehehe!”

Why has Commander Marcrom’s laughter been so annoying to my ears since earlier?

I wish I had time to discuss how to divide Commander Marcrom and the Blue Diamond today.

***

After the game, we took time to cool off on bamboo mats.

The sun seemed to be pouring all its energy onto the ground as if it would pour everything out this afternoon and disappear forever.

“The Imperial Family’s summer villa is two hours away from here. Since many women have participated in this hunting competition, we are adjusting the distance without overdoing it from the first day. We will rest here for about 30 minutes and then move to the summer villa. The servants are making milk tea, so please wait a little longer.”

The dignitaries welcomed Chief Steward Stian’s words and continued their chatter.

I kept watching Rosie.

I had to explain the situation to her when Moiya left Rosie’s body.

After a while, a white butterfly flew over Rosie’s head.

And a few seconds later, Rosie shuddered briefly and looked bewildered.

Moiya seemed to have moved from Rosie’s body to a white butterfly.

The white butterfly flying around Rosie flew to me and landed on my shoulder.

I went to Rosie’s side and whispered to her about what had happened earlier.

Of course, I didn’t tell her that Moiya had danced the shoulder dance with excitement for Rosie’s mental health.

Even though I left out that part, I could hear her snorting like an angry bull from Rosie’s nostrils.

I quickly calmed her down by adding that Prince Norton had applauded and congratulated her the most.

Along with the words to share Moiya and the Blue Diamond.

Only then did Rosie’s expression soften.

“I saw a lot of wild strawberries and blueberries on the way here. Can’t we pick some and eat them?”

Pesilini, who had been quiet all along, said to the other concubines while touching her stomach.

“Are you hungry?”

I subtly intervened and asked Pesilini.

“…Yes. Your Majesty the Empress. I think my mouth is a little bored.”

“Then let’s go together. I happen to be bored too.”

As I got up from my seat, Rosie and Melanie also offered to go together, and Catherine also quietly got up from her seat.

Ah, why is everyone following me?

I was going to have a quiet conversation with Pesilini about Prince Tesler…

“Fruits picked in the forest are also a delicacy.”

Even Emperor Katria, who was sitting a little further away, approached and said.

Thus, the wild strawberry expedition was quickly formed.

Me, Bonis, Sharon, Rosie, Melanie, Pesilini, Catherine, Emperor Katria.

In addition, each of the concubines’ servants followed, so the number of people increased quite a bit.

***

“Wow, it looks very fresh!”

Melanie was the first to enter the forest where she saw wild strawberries on the way.

“There are wild strawberries, but this place is almost all blueberries!”

“Those aren’t blueberries, they’re mulberries. Your Majesty the Empress, please try them. They’re really good for you,” Rosie corrected Melanie, picking several mulberries and handing them to me.

“Thank you, Rosie.”

I said, putting the mulberries in my mouth.

You have to eat mulberries carefully.

If you eat them without thinking, your mouth and hands will turn dark red.

I was about to tell the concubines this fact, but their mouths had already begun to turn dark red.

When they opened their mouths, it looked a little creepy.

Everyone burst into laughter, looking at each other’s mulberry-stained mouths.

Since everyone had lips that looked like they had eaten a mouse, everyone ate mulberries more diligently with the feeling of ‘Oh well.’

In the meantime, the shrewd Sharon began to pack mulberries into a cloth bag.

Whether it’s a competition, the movements of other servants also began to speed up.

I smiled contentedly, cheering for Sharon, who was the fastest among the servants.

Our Sharon is doing well!

“Oh? It looks like there’s a valley over there. I can hear water sounds?”

Rosie also picked mulberries and put them in a cloth bag, then pointed to the bushes where she heard the sound of water.

Everyone put mulberries in their mouths and turned their heads in the direction Rosie was pointing.

“I was about to die from the heat, but that’s good. I have to soak my feet!”

Melanie wiped the sweat flowing from her forehead and walked into the bushes where she heard the sound of water.

How many minutes have passed?

“God, was the hunting competition such a sacred competition!”

Melanie reappeared with a dazed face, making the sign of the cross.

“I have filled my eyes with blessings… Oh, Almighty God!”

Melanie muttered to herself and raised her hands high into the sky.

What’s wrong with her?

“Melanie, is there a god in the valley? Why are you suddenly looking for God?”

I asked Melanie with a smile.

She slowly said, looking at the place she had just walked out of with a fascinated gaze, “Your Majesty the Empress, over there, over there…”

“Yes, what’s over there?”

“The sculptures made by God are undressing in the valley…”

“…Huh?”

At Melanie’s words, my eyes rolled towards the bushes where I could hear the sound of water.

“Ah, did you see them washing their backs in the valley?”

Emperor Katria laughed, throwing mulberries up and catching them.

“Yes! How did Your Majesty know?!”

Melanie asked Emperor Katria in an excited voice.

“My consorts told me earlier. They said they were going to wash their backs with the knights.”

“Ah, I see, is that why they’re knights? Their muscles are very angry.”

Melanie said, her eyes sparkling.

At those words, my body was turning towards the bushes without me knowing.

“Are there really men bathing in the valley?”

Rosie asked Melanie again, swallowing her saliva with curious eyes.

“Not bathing yet, but they were taking off their clothes one by one. But there were already sculptures in the water.”

With Melanie’s detailed explanation, the women who were purely eating mulberries began to gather together.

“That means everyone will be in the water soon, and if that happens, we won’t be able to see the sculptural bodies properly. The opportunity to see the sculptures will soon fly away?”

At Emperor Katria’s words, the women’s curious eyes all gathered in the direction where the sound of water was heard.

“I’ll go and take a look at the situation.”

Emperor Katria walked towards the valley.

“No, why is only Your Majesty going to see the situation?”

Melanie quickly followed Emperor Katria, and Rosie seemed to be hesitating, but carefully moved her steps.

“Empress, Your Majesty. What about us?”

“Is there any reason why only we should stay here?”

Bonis and Sharon whispered to me from both sides.

“I… I think I need to wash my hands because they’re too dirty.”

As I subtly took a step, Bonis and Sharon also shook their hands, saying that their hands were dirty too, and followed me.

As we carefully made our way through the bushes without making too much noise, we faced the clear and transparent emerald valley water.

I was about to be moved by the clean valley water, but a greater emotion disturbed the wild strawberry expedition’s vision.

On the other side, the sculptural bodies of sturdy beasts—no, sturdy knights—were cooling off in the valley water.

“It’s really a graceful sight!”

Rosie said in a very excited voice.

I nodded at Rosie’s words without thinking but suddenly felt uneasy.

Is it okay to be here like this?

“Oh, it looks like my consorts came to wash too. As expected, they stand out the most.”

I didn’t want to see it, but because Emperor Katria said it so proudly, I ended up seeing her consorts.

Deon and Clark took off their shirts and washed their faces simply.

“Your Majesty is very lucky.”

Melanie envied Emperor Katria, putting her hands together.

“Oh? Isn’t that Commander Marcrom on the far left?”

Sharon whispered to Bonis.

Then Bonis walked to the valley water like a possessed person. Her shoe tip was slightly submerged in the valley water and then came out.

I almost stopped Bonis, thinking she was going to walk into the valley water.

“In the world, I can’t even make it like that with a sculpture!” Bonis admired, looking at Commander Marcrom far away, saying something that I didn’t know if she was saying to me, Sharon, or to herself.

My eyes were already used to Linelle’s perfect body, so I didn’t really feel anything.

However, there was someone who gave me a shock in another way.

“Ugh, I ruined my eyes.”

Sharon squeezed her eyes shut, so I looked to see why, and Raphael was proudly taking off his shirt and cooling off among the muscular knights.

I didn’t want to see the reputation of the ‘open pants of the Imperial City’ [a local term for someone with loose morals or a scandalous reputation] with my own eyes, so I quickly turned my head.

What if I get caught by the knights and get humiliated here?

I regretted it late.

Yes, I should retreat at this point.

The wild strawberry expedition, except for me, was openly admiring the knights.

I squatted down and washed my hands in the valley water, but I didn’t think it was right, so I stood up and looked back at the concubines and said like an empress.

“Everyone, let’s go back. This is not right.”

Pinzan [sound of something flying] flew straight over my quiet voice.

“What’s not right after seeing everything?” Emperor Katria said sarcastically, and everyone nodded in agreement with her opinion and glared at me.

“Your Majesty the Empress sees such a sculptural body every night, so you must be indifferent.”

Melanie pointed out sharply.

“The Empress is so rich that she has nothing to regret.”

Catherine also spat out coldly.

I was silent for a moment and slipped to the side, but I kept feeling anxious.

So I looked at them again, ready to be scolded again.

I was about to tell them that this was not right and that everyone should come to their senses and wash their faces in the valley water, but Melanie covered her mouth and shouted lowly.

“Oh my, who is that?”

I turned around reflexively at her fuss.

“Gasp!”

Linelle was staring at this side, or rather, at me, with his upper body bare.

What, why is he there?