The Stand-In Empress’S Wedding Night [EN]: Chapter 172

172. Why Do You Look Like That?

August 27, 2022

What? Why am I here again?

I briefly saw Linelle’s face before that dark space reappeared.

Did I faint again?

The surge of anger wasn’t easily contained.

It felt like instinct was far outpacing reason.

What if I have to live like this forever?

“Wow, your mental strength is amazing. It wasn’t time for you to open your eyes yet.”

“What happened? I thought I woke up for a moment?”

“The thought of Emperor Linelle remarrying if you died made you break through the evil energy and open your eyes, even if just for a moment.”

The Fallen Demon clapped, impressed.

“But why did you faint again?”

“I made you faint again because there were still things to talk about.”

Whoosh-.

Before I knew it, my fist flew out.

Since the demon, like the incarnation, had no substance, it was just a wild swing.

“Ah, geez! You should know that this is only because it’s my will-o’-the-wisp [a flickering ghostly light often seen at night over marshy ground].”

Any other demon would have driven me crazy by now.

“That sounds like you’re saying I’ll become a clumsy villain like you?”

“Maybe… but when I looked into your past, you had a lot of resentment from a young age, didn’t you? That will become nourishment and influence your future actions.”

Nourishment. The word was funny, so I replied in kind.

“I’ll take that to mean I don’t have to tolerate things anymore.”

“Yeah, humans need to be shown that there are lines they shouldn’t cross.”

The Fallen Demon welcomed my words.

Demons and wicked things are always good with words.

“Anyway, let’s see your face. You must have one.”

“Well, I’m a little embarrassed…”

“No one expects a demon to be good-looking. Come on out.”

Dealing with something formless was enough with the incarnation.

Someone timidly poked my shoulder from behind.

“I didn’t expect to appear from behind… Ouch… !”

I turned around and was startled to face the demon.

“You’re more handsome than I thought?”

“D-don’t tease me.”

“I thought demons would have horns and look hideous, but you’re neat and normal?”

I could hand over Tesla’s position to him; he was handsome enough to be a prince.

“Is your clothing all black because you’re a demon?”

“Yeah.”

The Fallen Demon subtly unbuttoned one of his buttons for some reason.

Only his hair was brown. The demon said his hair used to be jet black, but after being branded as a Fallen Demon, his hair gradually lightened.

“Do you like it?”

“What would I do with you even if I liked you?”

“Then, can we be friends…?”

“No.”

I flatly refused.

“Ah, okay. I understand your feelings, but it still sucks. Hahaha.”

The demon laughed eerily to hide his deflated voice.

After he stopped laughing, he said it was time for me to return to reality.

“I will overcome evil energy.”

I said as if making a vow to myself.

“Yeah. Maybe.”

“And I will protect everything I have.”

This time, the demon didn’t respond.

I suddenly felt afraid.

It’s hard to find courage, but fear grows so easily.

This must be one of the attributes of a demon that stirs up human hearts.

“See you later.”

The Fallen Demon offered me a handshake.

I fiercely slapped his hand away and asked.

“Are you saying we’ll meet again? I don’t want to.”

“We’re already connected. You have an incarnation inside you, and a demon-like wyvern [a winged two-legged dragon] stays by your side. I’ll be like that too.”

“Ugh, why do only weird things stick to me…?”

This was a thought that briefly crossed my mind.

I didn’t intend to say it, but it came out anyway.

Whether I liked it or not, I even made a demon friend.

I was so dumbfounded that I couldn’t laugh or cry.

I closed my eyes for a moment and sighed.

“Zelda? Zelda! Are you awake?”

I woke up from the dream again.

Linelle was holding me in his arms, looking down at me with eyes that seemed to carry all the burdens of the world.

His face had become gaunt in half a day.

“Linelle… Why do you look like that?”

Oops.

That’s not how I meant to say it.

The thought that popped into my head came out as is.

Linelle’s moist eyes trembled slightly.

“Oh, oh? Ah, is that so?”

He smiled awkwardly.

Why is the Emperor acting so flustered? No, it wasn’t him; it was my body that was trembling.

“Zelda, are you okay?”

“Are you kidding me right now? How can I be okay when I’m shaking like this?”

I wish I could bite my tongue before speaking, but this time again, my true feelings came out before my mouth closed.

“I’m sorry.”

For some reason, I had to squeeze out my voice to apologize.

It felt like the demon had blocked my throat and then chuckled, slightly releasing it so I could apologize.

Maybe that’s really the case.

Life just got harder.

If I meet that Fallen Demon again, I’ll just kill him and become a demon myself.

“Did you have a dream just now? Like, a dream about me remarrying… or something.”

“…Ah, yes. I was angry even in the dream.”

I mumbled, embarrassed.

“Heh, I see. Just a moment, Sharon and Lady Bonis have been waiting since earlier.”

Linelle opened the door and let the two in.

Sharon and Bonis had been crying the whole time.

“If you’re going to cry, why don’t you bring something to eat? I’m starving like a slave.”

Everyone was startled by my blunt expression, but they seemed understanding, knowing that I was infected with evil energy.

“Please wait a moment, I’ll quickly go and make something that Her Majesty would like with the ingredients we have!”

“Too much talk. If it were me, I would have already run to the kitchen.”

Even when I scolded her, Sharon just smiled brightly and said, ‘Yes, yes!’ before hurrying out.

Bonis, who was next to her, also left with Sharon.

“Was I too harsh?”

I quietly asked Linelle, my senses returning.

“No. You could say that much. Well, they might be a little sad.”

He took my side and stroked my hair.

“That’s right. What if they get upset again?”

I chuckled, looking at the door.

Ah, this isn’t right…

Burn this damn evil energy!

“Yes, what you say is right. All right.”

Linelle stroked my back and said.

***

“I’ll grill the meat. You go make something else. I’m so glad we had some stored meat left.”

Bonis said, grilling the lamb chops that Sharon had put on the grill.

“I know, right.”

Meanwhile, Sharon put various fruits and vegetables on a plate and made Zelda’s favorite sauce.

“For now, meat and fruit salad should be enough for dinner. I hope the rain stops tomorrow so we can hunt.”

“Yes, so that our Empress can eat well and recover quickly.”

“She’s such a kind person by nature that she won’t do bad things even if she’s infected with evil energy. Her words have become a bit harsh… but I understand, Sharon?”

“Of course! I actually like it better when she expresses her emotions like that!”

Sharon said with a bright smile.

Just as she finished making the salad dressing and was about to make soup, Princess Lesilia entered the kitchen alone, without any attendants.

“What’s going on?”

Bonis asked, wary of the princess.

“I just wanted some water. I heard the Empress has woken up; are you preparing dinner? Ah, give me some water. As you can see, I didn’t bring any attendants.”

“…Yes.”

Sharon quickly poured water into a glass.

It was easier to give her what she wanted and get her out of the kitchen quickly.

Bonis didn’t want to talk to Princess Lesilia at all, so she turned her back and focused on grilling the lamb.

Zelda was infected with evil energy because of that will-o’-the-wisp, and it was all because of Princess Lesilia.

‘If she hadn’t run out like that, trying to save herself, Her Majesty wouldn’t have been trapped in the wine cellar or hit by the will-o’-the-wisp.’

Sharon cursed the princess in her mind as she handed her the glass.

“Here you go, Princess.”

“Thank you.”

Princess Lesilia pretended to take the glass but deliberately dropped it.

Crash-. The glass fell to the kitchen floor and shattered.

“Oh my, what a clumsy thing to do!”

Princess Lesilia scolded Sharon.

Sharon was dumbfounded but bowed her head and apologized.

“I’m sorry, Princess.”

“Clean up the glass first. You can give me water later.”

Princess Lesilia said as if being considerate.

Bonis turned around in disbelief, but Sharon gave her a look that said it was okay and quickly looked for a broom.

It was when the two briefly took their eyes off Princess Lesilia.

In that gap, the princess quickly mixed a handful of poisonous strawberries into the fruit salad from her robe pocket.

Fortunately, there were real strawberries in it, so the presence of the poisonous strawberries was not revealed and was naturally hidden.

Sharon cleaned up the glass and poured water into another glass, handing it to Princess Lesilia.

The princess drank the water and leisurely left the kitchen.

Sharon sighed deeply and focused on making soup again.

Shortly after, Pesillini cautiously opened the kitchen door and entered.

“What’s going on?”

Bonis asked Pesillini with a somewhat sensitive voice.

“Do you have any fruit left?”

Pesillini said, staring intently at the fruit salad plate.

“Didn’t you have dinner earlier?”

At Bonis’s words, Pesillini nodded with an embarrassed expression.

“I feel a bit hungry…”

“Wait a moment, we have a bit more oranges compared to other fruits. Would you like an orange, Your Highness?”

Sharon took out an orange from the wooden box where she kept the fruit.

“Ah, that’s enough. Thank you.”

Pesillini took an orange and happily smiled as she left the kitchen with her attendant.

“Sharon, we should have just locked the kitchen door and cooked.”

Sharon agreed with Bonis’s complaint, then shouted in an excited voice.

“I think the soup is almost done too. We should take it to Her Majesty soon!”

***

Knock knock knock-.

Sharon and Bonis came into the room where Zelda was with the food.

But she, who had asked for food because she was hungry, had fallen asleep again as if she had fainted.

“The Empress seems to have fallen asleep for a while, so put the food on the table and leave.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. If she doesn’t wake up too late, we’ll have to reheat the food, so please call us again.”

“I will.”

Sharon and Bonis set the food on the old table and left the room.

At that moment, a white butterfly flew in through the slightly open window.

“Master, Moiya is here.”

“Your master has fallen asleep again.”

Linelle said in a weak voice, speaking for Zelda.

“She’s been sleeping a lot?”

Moiya returned to her true form and flew to Linelle.

Knock knock knock-, Raphael opened the door with a knock.

“Your Majesty, Prince Tesla and Grand Duke Martins have something to discuss with you about the route to the border village of the Shattonil Kingdom.”

“I understand.”

Linelle stood up from his chair and looked at Moiya.

“Moiya, protect the Empress until I return.”

“Yes, don’t worry, cold body. Moiya will protect Master~.”

“…Thank you.”

Linelle smiled bitterly and left the door.

Moiya tilted her small head from side to side, looking at his back.

“Why does that human look so sad? Eh, I don’t know, Moiya~.”

For a moment, Moiya turned to Zelda.

“Master, dinner is here. While you’re waking up, Moiya will just taste it a little.”

Moiya flew to the table where the food was placed.

“Ooh? It’s poisoned? Strawberries are definitely poisonous strawberries!”

Moiya, who was picking out only the poisonous strawberries from the fruit salad and putting them in her mouth, suddenly made a serious expression and shouted as if she had realized something.

“Ah, Moiya should share this good stuff~?”