The Stand-In Empress’S Wedding Night [EN]: Chapter 163

163. Red Potion

2022.07.27.

“But, Your Majesty, could the Master of the Magic Tower really have such an ability?” Raphael asked, his expression troubled.

“Maybe not? What do you think, Empress?” Linelle looked at me, tilting his head inquisitively.

“I think he might be able to keep someone unconscious for about three days, but he shouldn’t actually do it.”

“Really? Would that be too immoral?”

“There are many eyes watching, too.”

“But Prince Tesler was trying to do something even more immoral, and that’s what happened to him, right?” Linelle straightened the collar of my uniform, a subtle gesture of disapproval.

“But we shouldn’t become the same kind of person.” I agreed, emphasizing the importance of maintaining moral high ground.

In fact, I completely agreed with his sentiment, but if such an action were taken, the Master of the Magic Tower might face repercussions.

Actually, Linelle didn’t seem to be seriously considering ordering it. He was likely just expressing his disdain for Prince Tesler’s actions.

“What’s Makrom doing?” Linelle asked Raphael, changing the subject.

“He’s the same as usual. No matter how I question him about yesterday’s incident, he remains tight-lipped, only admitting that he stabbed him. I couldn’t press him any further.”

“I see,” Linelle nodded, absorbing the information.

“Oh, and he was worried about what happened to Bonis.”

“That honest madman, always meddling,” Linelle chuckled, a hint of fondness in his voice. He then turned serious as he prepared to leave the room. “I’ll go to Prince Tesler’s room now.”

***

When we arrived, several dignitaries had already gathered in Prince Tesler’s room, drawn by the news of the incident.

Beside the bed, the magician Big was tending to Prince Tesler’s wound, while Bellos observed attentively.

“You’ve arrived, Your Majesty. Your Majesty the Empress,” Grand Duke Martins bowed to Linelle and me, prompting everyone else in the room to offer their greetings.

“I heard he regained consciousness,” Linelle said, heading directly to Bellos.

“Yes, he regained consciousness a short while ago. It’s impossible to transport him on horseback in his current condition, so a carriage will be necessary for the time being,” Bellos reported calmly.

Prince Tesler, lying in bed, frowned and looked up at Linelle.

“Your Majesty, I apologize for showing you this unsightly appearance.”

“It’s alright. Do you remember what happened last night?” Linelle inquired.

“Yes! I remember it clearly,” Prince Tesler replied, forcing strength into his voice and adopting a resentful expression.

“That’s a relief. I was worried you wouldn’t remember, considering how drunk you were,” Linelle deliberately mentioned alcohol, probing for a reaction.

“…I didn’t drink that much.”

“Really? So you were in your right mind when you attempted to assault the Empress’s lady-in-waiting?”

“!” The eyes of the dignitaries in the room widened in shock at Linelle’s blunt accusation.

“Ra-rape, Your Majesty! I am being falsely accused! Did Bonis say that? Absolutely nothing of the sort happened!” Prince Tesler protested, attempting to rise from the bed.

“You see? Bonis is framing my brother!” Princess Resilia interjected, raising her voice in defense.

“Raphael, bring Lady Bonis and Commander Makrom here immediately,” Linelle commanded.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Raphael responded promptly. At Linelle’s command, Prince Tesler’s head tilted in confusion. His eyes seemed to question why Commander Makrom was being summoned.

Bonis arrived first, followed a few minutes later by Commander Makrom, escorted by knights holding his arms.

Prince Tesler’s gaze towards Bonis was hostile, but upon seeing Commander Makrom, he appeared puzzled, as if questioning his presence.

Linelle glanced at Bonis, then recounted the events of the previous night, addressing everyone while Prince Tesler and the others listened intently.

“The Prince, in a state of intoxication, forcibly dragged Lady Bonis, whom he encountered by chance in the hallway, into the drawing room. Is that correct?”

“…Not forcibly, but—!”

“Quiet. You can argue after I’ve finished speaking. This applies to Lady Bonis and Makrom as well,” Linelle silenced Prince Tesler with a pointed finger, then continued. “You forcibly dragged Lady Bonis into the drawing room and attempted to rape her, but the lady screamed, and Commander Makrom, who happened to be nearby, entered the drawing room. Does everyone agree with this account so far?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“?”

Commander Makrom and Bonis answered simultaneously, while Prince Tesler fixed his gaze on the commander.

“Makrom, you stated that you stabbed the Prince in the side with a dagger while trying to separate the two of them. I’ll ask you again: is that the truth?” Linelle questioned the commander sternly.

“Commander Makrom?” Prince Tesler raised his eyebrows, feigning ignorance and looking at Commander Makrom, trying to understand the situation.

He was an incredibly quick-witted and cunning man.

The Prince seemed to have grasped how this incident had been handled after he fainted last night.

But Prince Tesler seemed to be wondering about Commander Makrom’s sacrifice. He wondered what reason the commander had for trying to take the blame for murder instead of Bonis.

“According to Makrom, he couldn’t see clearly and didn’t realize it was the Prince. Even so, he stabbed a person, and a member of a foreign royal family at that. Therefore, Makrom has been stripped of all authority and status for his actions last night. He also had to relinquish his position as the Empress’s exclusive bodyguard. Prince, is there any falsehood in Makrom’s statement?”

At that moment, Prince Tesler looked at me and made a strange expression.

It was obvious that he was weighing the potential benefits of his response.

If Commander Makrom denied any involvement, Bonis would be punished, which would not serve Prince Tesler’s interests.

However, if Commander Makrom took the blame, the situation would be different.

Firstly, the bodyguard protecting my side would be removed.

Besides, it would be more dignified for the Prince himself to say that a blind commander misunderstood and made a mistake than to admit he was attacked by a woman.

“…That’s right. I was merely trying to have a friendly conversation with Lady Bonis, but a minor disagreement arose, and I believe Commander Makrom must have misunderstood the situation.”

What a brazen bastard.

Prince Tesler’s acting was quite plausible.

Everyone in the room nodded at the Prince’s words and whispered that it was understandable that the blind Commander Makrom might have misinterpreted the woman’s screams.

The truth was being concealed in this manner.

“Even though it was a mistake due to his impaired vision, the crime cannot be considered insignificant,” Linelle began to conclude.

“Makrom will be stripped of his position, as I ordered yesterday, and will be guarded by the knights at the rear of the procession. He will be monitored throughout the Continental Hunting Competition, and upon his return to his home country, he will be punished accordingly. Prince, do you have any objections?”

Bonis, standing next to me, moved her lips, appearing to think Linelle’s decision was somewhat harsh. However, Commander Makrom silently bowed his head.

“What if he tries to escape?” Princess Resilia interjected.

“There will be no risk of escape. If Makrom leaves the procession, I, the Emperor of the Lapion Empire, will take full responsibility. Prince, do you have any objections?” Linelle looked at Princess Resilia, then shifted his gaze to Prince Tesler, seeking his agreement.

“No, Your Majesty,” Prince Tesler also nodded in agreement with Linelle’s decision and lowered his gaze.

“Good, then let’s depart now.”

***

Today, the sky was overcast with dark clouds even before our departure.

Ultimately, Prince Tesler traveled in a carriage, while Commander Makrom was relegated to the end of the procession, detained behind the luggage carriage and guarded by the knights.

“Will Commander Makrom be alright?”

“This is the best possible outcome. It would have been simpler if Prince Tesler had just died,” Linelle said with a hint of regret.

I stifled a laugh and glanced back at the carriage carrying Bonis.

“Bonis seems to be burdened by guilt.”

“Then tell her to be kind to Makrom. Thanks to the dagger Makrom provided, she avoided trouble, and the owner of the dagger is being punished in her stead.”

“I didn’t realize the commander cared so deeply for Bonis. What will you do when we return to our home country?”

“I have no choice but to treat him as a criminal until the hunting competition concludes. What can Prince Tesler do once we’re back in the Empire? It’s my country,” Linelle shrugged, offering a pragmatic response.

“But during the hunting competition, we’re under the scrutiny of dignitaries from other countries, so my hands are tied. This was the best decision I, the Emperor of the Lapion Empire, could make.”

I fully agreed with his assessment.

If Linelle hadn’t made this decision, Prince Tesler would have undoubtedly attempted to deny his outrageous behavior in some way.

In that scenario, Bonis would likely have been the only one to suffer unjustly.

Without Commander Makrom’s sacrifice and Linelle’s decisive action, the situation would have become far more complicated.

***

“You didn’t stab him deeply, but how is the wound?” Roxana limped slightly as she looked down at Logan’s thigh, who greeted her with a guarded expression.

“Yes, thanks to your consideration, it seems to be healing quickly,” Logan replied, his tone somewhat prickly, but Roxana paid it no mind.

“This is the reply the Master of the Magic Tower sent me. He probably sent you a letter separately, right?” She handed Logan the reply from Bellos, confirming his approval to create the ‘Red Potion’.

As Roxana mentioned, Bellos had already sent Logan a letter via crow.

“I visited the continent yesterday, using teleportation from the witch’s house,” Roxana said, settling into a chair and recounting her trip to the villa.

Logan was already aware of this fact through Bellos’s letter.

But then she added, “I met your daughter there.”

He couldn’t help but react to the mention of Bonis.

“You saw her… you saw Bonis?” He was clearly concerned that Roxana might have harmed Bonis.

“She looks a lot like you. I told Bonis about you. When I mentioned the blood I saw because you weren’t cooperating, she cried.”

“Princess!”

“Bonis also understands that her life depends on her father now. So you shouldn’t disappoint your daughter any further, right?”

“…How did she seem?” Logan asked, lowering his head.

He wondered if she resented him or if she missed her incompetent father even a little, but he hesitated to ask for details.

“She seems to miss you. I don’t understand why, though,” Roxana replied honestly, conveying her observations.

Tears welled up in Logan’s stoic eyes.

Is that what family love is like?

Roxana looked at Logan, recalling Bonis’s face from yesterday.

She was slightly surprised to notice the similar expressions they shared when thinking of each other.

She, who had enjoyed everything without envy, had never experienced what others took for granted.

Family love. An emotion she had never felt or possessed.

‘Why are they making such a fuss?’

So she was a little annoyed.

She felt a bubbling inside when she thought that she might be destined not to have all kinds of love in the world.

So she decided to have them one by one now.

“When can I drink the Red Potion?” Roxana asked Logan, changing the subject.

“I have already made it,” Logan replied, rising from his chair and limping towards the laboratory table. He opened the wooden box on the table and retrieved the red potion from within.

Roxana’s unwavering and dignified eyes wavered slightly as she gazed upon the red potion.

“Here you go,” Logan said, handing her the potion.

She received the red potion from Logan with a slightly trembling hand.

“When… should I drink it?”

“Drink it now.”

***

Everyone except Commander Makrom, Bonis, and the unnecessarily long-lived Prince Tesler were enjoying the afternoon of the Continental Hunting Competition.

Before engaging in serious big game hunting, the dignitaries mingled and chatted amongst themselves.

They laughed when their arrows or daggers struck rabbits, pigeons, and other small animals, and sighed or chuckled when they missed.

I was concerned about Bonis, but Rosie and Sharon were riding in the carriage with her, so I trusted they would take good care of her.

The sky, which had been cloudy when we left the villa, was now completely covered with dark clouds.

I looked up and noticed a rather large hawk soaring above the procession.

“I’ll hit that!” Emperor Katria declared boldly, drawing his bow and aiming at the hawk.

All eyes turned to the sky, following the hawk’s flight.

The arrow flew towards the hawk, grazing its wing but ultimately missing its mark.

“Oh, dear!”

“That’s a real shame!” Laughter erupted from the crowd, but there was also a sense of disappointment at the near hit.

The hawk, startled by the arrow, flapped its wings quickly and veered towards the front of the procession after its leisurely flight.

But then…

Kieee-ek!

A monster suddenly emerged from the nearby forest and snatched the hawk from the air.

To be precise, it bit the hawk’s neck and wings.

The monster had two heads, both shaped like snakes, which meant…

“Galacoda!” Someone among the knights shouted, recognizing the creature [a mythical two-headed serpent].