The Stand-In Empress’S Wedding Night [EN]: Chapter 198

Surveillance or Consideration

“There’s blood on your back…! Were you whipped?”

My ex-husband’s voice was low.

He held my upper body in his arms.

To reunite with my ex-husband, whom I don’t even remember, like this felt strange.

“Yes… Your Majesty! He was trying to protect me and was indiscriminately hit instead!”

Sharon, who looked like she was about to faint, suddenly found strength from somewhere, and her voice was very clear and firm.

She even had the sense to exaggerate a little.

I almost opened my eyes and smiled contentedly, giving her a thumbs up in my mind.

“Shut up! How dare you make up stories! Your Majesty, everything that maid says is a lie!”

Roxana was like a viper when she spoke to Sharon, but when she spoke to the Emperor, she pleaded in a voice devoid of venom.

“Princess… is this blood also a lie?”

The Emperor seemed to be feeling my back, then showing Roxana the blood on his hand as he asked.

I should have taken a few more hits if I had known this would happen. What a shame.

“That, that is… the former Empress suddenly intervened while I was disciplining that maid, and that’s how it happened.”

Roxana referred to me with respect, perhaps because she was in front of the Emperor.

“It was an accident?”

“Yes, of course!”

“I will ask again when this ‘Substitute Empress’ regains consciousness.”

He pointedly called me the ‘Substitute Empress’.

And I felt a slight pressure in his hand that was holding my shoulder.

“By the way, Princess. What kind of discipline requires a whip?”

Princess Roxana replied to the Emperor’s question as if she had been waiting for it.

“That maid was caught secretly entering my dressing room.”

“Sharon, why did you go in there?”

He briefly interrupted Roxana and asked Sharon.

“I am sorry, Your Majesty… Actually, my father’s illness has recently worsened, but my family’s circumstances are not good, so… I couldn’t help myself… I secretly entered the dressing room to steal something that could be used for medicine! I have committed a crime worthy of death!”

Sharon wailed, hitting the floor with her hands.

Even I was completely fooled for a moment and almost asked how serious her father’s illness was. Her acting was perfect.

“It’s a pity, but you committed a foolish act.”

The Emperor’s tone was solemn and cold.

“If there was such a situation in your family, you should have gone to the treasurer and explained the situation. And you were the former Empress’s exclusive maid. Didn’t you think that your actions could affect the Empress?”

“Please forgive me, Your Majesty! I was too hasty, and I couldn’t help myself… Oh, Father! This foolish daughter was too short-sighted and is about to die first, sob sob sob…”

Sharon continued to make excuses, but perhaps her words were cut off, or perhaps the Emperor’s expression worsened, and she called out to her father and wailed again.

“Stop crying. It’s not a crime worthy of death.”

When he spoke as if appeasing her, Sharon stopped crying, and instead, Roxana raised her voice.

“Your Majesty! This matter should not be overlooked!”

“Is there anything missing? Something Sharon stole, I mean.”

“……Yes?”

While Roxana was flustered, Sharon jumped in.

“No, I swear there isn’t. I was immediately caught by the Princess at the door and almost had my head cut off. Look at this wound on my neck!”

“Princess, is Sharon’s statement true?”

“That’s true, but Your Majesty, if I hadn’t been there, she would have definitely…!”

Princess Roxana, who was excitedly continuing her words, couldn’t finish her last words.

*Yes, right. Sharon stole the Hwaseon Sword [likely a magical or significant sword] and gave it to me.*

*Is that what you were going to say? But you can’t mention the Hwaseon Sword, can you?*

“Let’s move on from the matter of Sharon secretly entering the dressing room.”

“Your Majesty!”

“It wouldn’t be good if it became known that the Princess, who is about to have a remarriage ceremony, disciplines her subordinates with a whip. You’ve been disciplining Sharon with a whip for quite a long time, so Sharon must have already repented. Isn’t that right?”

“Yes, Your Majesty! I have greatly repented as much as my back is torn to shreds. Princess, I beg for your forgiveness once again!”

The sound of Sharon rubbing her hands together was heard.

“……Alright. But I cannot simply overlook the fact that the former Empress entered without permission and interfered with the disciplining of my maid.”

Roxana changed her strategy, abandoned Sharon, and began to cling to me.

Unfortunately, looking at the situation alone, Roxana’s argument was correct.

The situation where I, the Substitute Empress, secretly infiltrated the Imperial Palace and confronted the Princess who would become the new Empress was entirely disadvantageous to me, no matter who heard it.

It would seem as if my former maid committed a crime against the Princess and was being punished, and I suddenly appeared and made a mess.

“She, who was the Substitute Empress, entered the Imperial Palace on her own. Secretly, too. We must also hold her accountable for deceiving the Lapheon Empire and deceiving Your Majesty on this occasion.”

Roxana’s voice regained strength.

“Of course, we must hold her accountable. But before that, we must treat her injuries first.”

“Your Majesty! Are you saying you will treat a criminal now?”

“Even if she is a criminal, shouldn’t we treat her out of humanitarian consideration and then hold her accountable? I don’t know about the Duchy, but that’s how the Imperial Law is.”

“……Alright, let’s have her treated at the Empress Palace.”

*No! I might die here without anyone knowing.*

Forgetting that I was pretending to be unconscious, I frowned without realizing it.

“Let’s do it at my palace. It will be easier for the court physician, and we cannot leave a criminal who has committed a serious crime in the Empress Palace where the Princess is staying.”

I was confused as to whom the Emperor’s consideration was directed towards just now.

The Emperor lifted me up.

*Surely, he’s not going to carry me to his palace himself, is he?*

*Isn’t he going to throw me into the lake on the way?*

“You must not be in good health yet, so Princess, please go up to your bedroom and rest. I will take care of this criminal.”

Just like when he said ‘Substitute Empress’ earlier, I felt his hand holding me tighten when he uttered the word ‘criminal’.

“……Your Majesty, I have been wandering between life and death, and this is the first time I have seen your face in two weeks. Is the only thing you have to say to me to go up and rest? I’m disappointed!”

Roxana’s jealous voice seemed to slap my cheek as I was held in the Emperor’s arms.

“I feel the same way. It’s quite shocking that the Princess, who woke up after two weeks, is holding a whip in her hand.”

“!”

Roxana was shocked by the Emperor’s words and couldn’t reply, and silence fell.

“Nancy, was it? Attend to the Princess.”

“Yes, yes… Your Majesty! Let’s go, Princess…”

At his command, Roxana’s maid took her away, and the sound of footsteps echoed in the underground chamber.

Before long, the footsteps stopped, and Roxana’s voice was heard again.

“Your Majesty, the Substitute Empress will definitely pay for her sins.”

A very firm will was felt in her tone.

“That will happen.”

The Emperor agreed with Roxana’s words.

*Is he serious?*

*It would be stranger if he wasn’t serious.*

The Emperor’s embrace, which had seemed like a savior, suddenly turned cold.

“Your Majesty, there are quite a few eyes watching. Please entrust Her Majesty the Empress to a guard knight.”

After Roxana left the secret chamber, Stian approached and stopped the Emperor.

It seemed he was going to hold me and leave the underground space as is.

“……I was going to do that anyway because you’re quite heavy. Here, take her.”

“Oh, Your Majesty… Why are you giving Her Majesty the Empress to me? I’m also running out of strength. Oof!”

“Stian, are you daring to pass her back to me, the Emperor?”

It seemed my body briefly went to Stian and then was transferred back to the Emperor.

*Are these people… passing me around because I’m heavy?*

“Lean, have a carriage ready immediately.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Instead of handing me over to the guard knight, the Emperor gave another order.

“I have no choice but to hold this Substitute Empress until the carriage arrives.”

The Emperor muttered to himself.

“Stian, what are you staring at like that?”

“Ah, no. Your Majesty. What should we do with Sharon?”

“Have Stian support her and bring her. Put them both in the carriage and send them to my palace. When they arrive, have the court physician, no, the Master of the Magic Tower, treat her injuries immediately. What are they all doing now?”

*What, were all three people waiting outside caught by the Emperor?*

“As you commanded, Secretary Raphael took all three of them to your palace. They will be waiting.”

“Anyone who saw?”

“No one but our party.”

At the same time as Stian finished speaking, the guard knight came in again.

“Your Majesty, the carriage is waiting at the back gate.”

“Alright, let’s go.”

In any case, I left the Empress Palace alive in my ex-husband’s arms.

After going outside, I was immediately transferred to the waiting carriage.

He carefully laid me down on the carriage seat.

Soon after, the sound of Stian supporting Sharon and laying her down in front of me was heard.

“See you later. Emp. ress.”

The Emperor’s voice was heard.

I almost nodded.

“Pretending to be unconscious won’t work in my palace…”

A few seconds later, he whispered in my ear.

I was startled and shrugged one shoulder.

*He knew I was pretending to be unconscious?*

*But why did he pretend to be fooled?*

However, the Emperor closed the carriage door with a bang without saying anything else.

The carriage started moving.

I squinted and looked at Sharon in the front seat.

Sharon had been severely whipped, and she had cried so hard that she was completely exhausted and truly unconscious.

I wanted to take Sharon and run away from the carriage as is, but I couldn’t because the Master of the Magic Tower, Commander Mackrom, and Empress Elan were being held in his palace.

“……What is this?”

The Emperor’s uniform jacket was covering my body.

*What does this mean?*

*Is the Emperor sending me to his palace for surveillance or consideration?*

I was very confused.

But I stroked the Emperor’s uniform jacket and thought of another man.

‘Nellie must still be waiting for me…….’

I suddenly missed him.

*Wait, I might meet Nellie at the Imperial Palace?*

*He would be very surprised to see me. No, he would be disappointed.*

I regretted slapping him twice last night.

*If Nellie knew that I was an Empress, a Substitute Empress who had been lying to the Emperor and the Imperial Family of the Lapheon Empire…….*

*I should have told him everything at his place.*

“Instead of slapping that hand off!”

I shook my hands while lying down and lamented.

Anyway.

“The Emperor’s voice…… sounds too similar to Nellie’s, doesn’t it?”

*Is it because I keep thinking about him?*

*Yes, that must be it.*

*I must be hallucinating because I’ve been missing him so much since earlier.*

I wiped away the flowing tears and checked Sharon’s condition.

***

When we arrived at the main palace, servants came out at Stian’s direction and carried Sharon inside.

Second floor, third floor. Fourth floor…… Why are we still going up?

*Wait, it seems like we’ve come up to the floor where the Emperor’s bedroom is?*

*Why are they bringing me to the same floor as him out of all the rooms?*

As soon as we got on the stairs, the nearest door opened.

The servant carefully laid me down on the bed, and the sound of people gathering around the bed was heard.

“I have to go back to His Majesty. In the meantime, please heal Her Majesty the Empress’s wounds, Master of the Magic Tower.”

Along with Stian’s voice, the Master of the Magic Tower’s voice followed.

“Are you badly hurt? Hmm, I will.”

*What, is the Master of the Magic Tower in this room?*

At the sound of the door closing, I opened my eyes wide.

“Are you alright, Your Majesty the Empress?!”

Several worried eyes were floating in the air.

Not only the Master of the Magic Tower but also Commander Mackrom and Empress Elan were all gathered.

“Were you all locked up in one room?”

I checked the faces of my companions and sat up.

“It’s more of a detention than imprisonment.”

Commander Mackrom said with a calm expression.

*It’s the same thing.*

“Your Majesty the Empress, where are you hurt? Oh my god, there’s blood on your back! Did Princess Roxana do this?”

Empress Elan looked at my back and covered her mouth with her hand.

“Let’s treat the wounds first.”

The Master of the Magic Tower hurriedly rolled up his sleeves.

“No, don’t treat them.”

“Yes?!”

“I’ll get treatment later.”

“You must be in quite a bit of pain at this point?”

The Master of the Magic Tower shook his head and dissuaded me.

“The wounds must remain as evidence in this state. At least until I meet His Majesty and Princess Roxana again.”

Everyone clicked their tongues, but they seemed to think there was some truth to my words.

“Master of the Magic Tower, please treat Sharon first instead of me. Her condition is not good. I think they took her to another room…….”

“Yes, I will ask when Stian returns.”

“Thank you.”

At that time, a servant came in with a glass bottle and a glass filled with water.

“Let’s ask that servant. Do you know which room the maid who came with Her Majesty the Empress is staying in?”

After putting the tray on the table, the servant said politely.

“I know she is on the second floor where the court physician is.”

“Did the treatment start right away?”

When I asked with a sigh of relief, the servant shook his head with a troubled face and replied.

“No, the court physician is currently seeing a seriously ill patient, so I think the treatment will start after that.”

“A seriously ill patient? Who is it?”

“It is Emperor Adrian of the Tebello Empire, Your Majesty the Empress.”

“!”

I rolled my eyes and looked at Empress Elan.

Empress Elan grabbed the servant who was about to leave and asked.

“What’s wrong with Emperor Adrian?”

“A few days ago, he was found collapsed in the back garden with blood all over his back. That’s all I know…….”

The servant trailed off, bowed, and left.

“Are you worried? It’s actually a good thing for the Empress.”

Commander Mackrom said to Empress Elan.

Empress Elan nodded slowly with a complicated expression.

While living together in the Tebello Empire, she confided a secret to me.

About the real reason why Emperor Adrian sent her to me.

Eungalchi ordered Empress Elan to take the Hwaseon Sword from the Master of the Magic Tower and, furthermore, to monitor me and eliminate me if necessary.

Eungalchi seemed to have thrown away the promise that he would welcome her as Empress if Empress Elan performed even one of the two tasks and returned.

But in the end, she chose me instead of Emperor Adrian.

She shyly said that I had saved her life twice, but it must not have been an easy decision…….

I was going to tell my companions the reason why Emperor Adrian became seriously ill, but I should tell them after I save my life first.

If this matter leaks out, my crime will only be aggravated, so it is best to keep my mouth shut for now.

Empress Elan’s expression didn’t seem to be so worried about Eungalchi.

Rather, looking at the atmosphere of the group, it seemed like there was a more serious problem.

“Your Majesty the Empress, I’m sorry to say this while you’re in pain, but…….”

Empress Elan hesitated and started talking to me, then looked at the two people.

Then Commander Mackrom opened his mouth instead of Empress Elan.

“According to what I heard from Secretary Raphael earlier, there are even talks of executing Her Majesty the Empress among the ministers.”

“What?!”

“They are all saying in one voice that she must be held accountable for defrauding the Lapheon Empire. How did they already know that Her Majesty the Empress infiltrated the Empress Palace…….”

“Then…… not only me, but all of us might be executed?”

*We’re already in the same boat.*

Everyone was silent at my words.

Knock knock knock-.

At that time, Stian opened the door and came in at the same time as the urgent knocking sound that broke the silence.

“Your Majesty the Empress, are you awake…… I am sorry, but there is a message that you should come to the conference room of the Great Temple right now.”

Stian said with a very serious expression.

“Why there……?”

“It seems His Majesty has made a decision.”

“What decision?”

“What to do with Her Majesty the Empress.”

“!”