The Stand-In Empress’S Wedding Night [EN]: Chapter 199

199. It’s a Death Sentence?

2022.11.30.

As I entered the Grand Temple, the temple priests approached like ghosts, surrounding me and my companions.

“What is going on?”

I asked, and a man in priestly robes bowed his head and said,

“There were orders to escort you separately.”

*They’re trying to isolate me.*

Something feels off.

“The three of you, please follow the priests’ guidance, and Empress Zelda, please follow me.”

The priest didn’t give us time to say goodbye and turned away, walking off somewhere.

“Everything will be alright. Don’t worry too much.”

The Master of the Magic Tower said in a small voice, but his eyes were full of worry.

“It won’t be a death sentence. If that’s the verdict, I’ll make sure you’re not lonely on your way.”

Commander Marcrom’s words sounded eerie, but I liked the part about not being lonely.

“You must be strong.”

Empress Elan grabbed my hand tightly and urged me.

I forced a smile at the three of them and hurried after the priest, who was walking away alone.

“You can wait here.”

The priest said as he opened the door next to the conference room.

I nodded and stepped into the waiting room.

The waiting room was very bleak.

“The Grand Temple conference room is where various officials and priests gather to deliberate before delivering verdicts to those who have committed serious crimes. This waiting room is where the accused stays briefly before entering the conference room.”

The priest explained the situation to me indifferently.

“…I see.”

“Then, please take this time for repentance.”

The priest said commandingly, slammed the door, and left.

I sat on the hard wooden chair.

In front of me was a large painting depicting hell.

A terrible painting that evokes the desire to escape rather than repent.

But… why did the Emperor take me to the main palace?

Why did he put his jacket over me in the carriage?

There were many incomprehensible parts to the Emperor’s actions, considering he supposedly lost his memories of me.

*That’s not the issue now.*

I clasped my hands anxiously and began to organize my thoughts on what to say if I was given a chance to speak in my defense.

I wish I could cry like Sharon…

I was practicing a tearful expression to look pitiful when the waiting room door burst open.

I reflexively jumped up from the chair.

“…Huh?!”

It was Nelli.

He entered the waiting room with a grim expression, like an executioner.

***

“We must never let her stay in the Imperial Palace!”

Immediately after coming up from the underground chamber of the Empress’s Palace, Roxana summoned Hector to her bedroom.

“Why do you think the Emperor took Empress Zelda to the main palace?”

Unlike the anxious Roxana, Hector stroked his chin with a leisurely expression and asked her.

“It probably doesn’t mean anything special…”

Contrary to her words, Roxana’s voice lacked conviction.

“You were reckless.”

“What did I do? Is it reckless to punish a servant who tried to steal something from my dressing room?”

Roxana retorted at Hector’s words.

“I told you, that servant came to steal the Incarnation Sword! Zelda ordered it. I’m sure of it.”

Roxana was certain.

“Even so, you are still a Princess, and she is still an Empress. And you whipped the Empress…”

“Who’s the Empress? That woman was just a proxy Empress [a substitute ruler] from the start!”

“Either way, she hasn’t been officially dethroned yet.”

Hector reached out to soothe the agitated Roxana.

She bit her nails, deep in thought, then grabbed Hector’s hand.

“Move the officials for me.”

A month ago, the officials were greatly angered by the Kingdom of Shatouneil’s deception regarding the proxy Empress incident.

They tried to hold the Kingdom of Shatouneil and Prince Tesler accountable, but Roxana’s interference caused it to fizzle out.

However, as compensation, the tariffs [taxes] on goods from the Kingdom of Shatouneil among the trade items between the two countries were reduced to 50% for five years.

There was a kind of deal between Roxana and Prince Tesler.

Roxana offered Prince Tesler that if he confessed directly to the officials that Zelda was a ‘proxy Empress,’ she would take responsibility for the prince’s safety.

Prince Tesler had no other choice.

Although the economy of the Kingdom of Shatouneil suffered greatly, it was a good deal considering the crime of deceiving the Imperial Family of Lapheon.

It was also a great way to shift the blame for his crime to the vanished Zelda.

Prince Tesler admitted his mistake in front of the officials of the Lapheon Empire.

The prince lied to Emperor Linell and the officials, saying that Zelda, the proxy Empress, was planning to embezzle the financial funds of the Lapheon Imperial Family.

He also emphasized that Tesler had been making every effort to remove her from the position of Empress, demanding a large sum of money under the pretext of revealing that she was a proxy Empress to the Shatouneil royal family, and appealed for leniency.

The officials of the Lapheon Empire wanted to hold the Kingdom of Shatouneil more accountable.

However, due to the absence of Empress Zelda, they could not properly identify anyone to hold responsible, and it fizzled out. Because of this, the officials were still humiliated by the Kingdom of Shatouneil’s trickery.

“It might be a good thing after all…”

Roxana wore a satisfied smile.

It was the perfect opportunity to turn the still unresolved anger of the Lapheon Empire’s officials toward Empress Zelda.

“Tell the officials that the proxy Empress entered the Imperial Palace without permission and threatened me, who is about to marry the Emperor.”

“Are you trying to push it so that she gets the death penalty in the end? The Master of the Magic Tower won’t stand still, will he?”

Roxana’s face broke into a smile at Hector’s question.

“What can the Master of the Magic Tower do when the officials rise up? Empress Zelda must die.”

*That’s the only way I can live.*

Roxana looked at Hector with pleading eyes.

Hector couldn’t refuse her.

“I’ll try to gather the opinions of the officials before the Emperor calls a meeting.”

***

“H-How did you get here…?!”

All thoughts stopped as soon as I saw Nelli’s face.

*How did he know I was here?*

Ah, he must have waited for me at the inn and then returned to the Imperial Palace.

As the Emperor’s close aide, he would have immediately heard the news that the ‘proxy Empress’ had appeared.

But he seemed too calm for someone who had found out about my identity.

He must have calmed down before coming in, right?

Should I apologize for hiding the fact that I was the Empress of this country first?

Or should I apologize for not going to our meeting place today?

I hesitated for a moment.

Ah, Nelli unilaterally said he would wait, so it wasn’t a promise.

“You were very surprised, right? I couldn’t tell you that I was the Empress. I’m sorry…”

I looked at him, sincerely apologizing.

His face looked very confused.

“You don’t know me either…? Is what the Master of the Magic Tower said true? Ha, haha… What is this…?”

He stared at me intently, saying things I couldn’t understand.

“…Did you meet the Master of the Magic Tower?”

Why did Nelli meet the Master of the Magic Tower?

“Why? What did the Master of the Magic Tower say?”

“How’s your body?”

But he ignored my question and looked me up and down, asking.

“Huh?”

“Your whipped back.”

Seeing him say that, it seemed like he had heard all about how I ended up being dragged to the Grand Temple conference room.

“Ah, did you hear about my condition from the Master of the Magic Tower? The whipped area is terribly sore. And my heart even more so…”

I replied, hitting my chest with my fist.

Then he frowned.

“You said you wouldn’t get treatment for your wounds.”

In a situation where I might die, is treatment the issue now?

“Yeah, I’m going to show my back to everyone as evidence if Princess Roxana denies it later.”

As I spoke combatively, he opened his mouth and made a ‘huh, huh’ sound, dumbfounded.

“…So you’re not getting treatment? It must be very painful?”

“I’m going to listen to how the Emperor handles me and then get it. Being in pain right now isn’t the issue.”

The issue is not dying…

Suddenly, the fear of death washed over me.

I had experienced the fear of death once a month ago in the monastery, but this experience only increased my anxiety and was of no help at all.

He called me with a confused look.

“Dajel, no, Zelda, no, proxy Empress.”

“…Just pick one to call me.”

“I don’t know which one is the real you.”

His voice sounded very cold.

“You’ve deceived me just as much, so what are you talking about?”

I didn’t want to argue, but I couldn’t help but react to his cold tone.

“…”

“And I’m more pitiful than you, who has a woman to remarry, because I’m a former Empress who was dumped by her husband because he turned his eyes to another woman.”

You have remarriage waiting for you, but I might have the guillotine waiting for me, so it’s right that I’m more pitiful.

“Who turned their eyes?”

“Who else but the guy you serve!”

“Haa…”

Nelli sighed deeply, rubbing his face with one hand.

I guess he doesn’t like it when I curse the person he serves?

“You’re not doing this on purpose, are you?”

He suddenly tilted his head and asked in a suspicious tone.

“Doing what?”

“Even if I don’t remember, why… why me…?”

He mumbled, touching his head.

What is he suddenly talking about?

“But, who let you in? Did Raphael have anything to tell me?”

Like not to worry too much, or something like that…

I asked, slightly expecting something, but he shook his head.

“What, then you came in secretly? What are you going to do if you get caught? I told you, there’s no good that comes from being involved with me. Leave, leave now.”

I said, pushing his shoulder.

“Are you worried about me now? In this situation where you might die?”

Nelli looked touched for a moment, then quickly changed his expression and asked in an absurd tone.

“Of course. And don’t acknowledge me even if you see me in the conference room later.”

“Hoo, should we run away together?”

He leaned against the wall, grabbed my arm, pulled me toward him, and asked.

“!”

Wait a minute. What will happen to Sharon if I run away?

What about the Master of the Magic Tower and Commander Marcrom?

What about Empress Elan, who betrayed Emperor Adrian because of me?

I can’t run away.

Then is it right to just be dragged to the guillotine like this?

My head was spinning.

“Don’t think too hard. Forget about other people. Just think about the two of us.”

“Are you asking seriously?”

“Does it seem like a joke?”

“It’s not that, but it’s strange that you’re risking your life because of me.”

“?”

“How many days has it been since we met? Right?”

And you have a woman to remarry.

I didn’t bother saying this.

“I didn’t say I was risking my life. I asked if you were thinking of running away with me.”

Ah, that’s right.

I said my true feelings out of embarrassment.

“…I’ve thought about running away a hundred times or more.”

I replied with an almost resigned expression.

“If, hypothetically, there was a way to not run away, for everyone to be safe without anyone getting hurt, especially me… I mean, if there was a way for me to be by your side…”

“If there was such a way, I’d do anything, even if it meant acting crazy! I’d do anything!”

As time went on, I became more and more anxious, so I felt like I wanted to grab at straws.

In fact, at some point, I was holding onto Nelli’s arm, which was more reliable than a straw.

“I understand.”

He nodded to himself, as if coming to a conclusion.

“What do you understand?”

“I know what you’re thinking.”

“?”

“Listen carefully to what I’m about to say.”

He looked into my eyes and said.

I nodded, taken aback by his solemn gaze.

“There’s a way to live.”

“What can you do to save me?”

I sat down heavily on the chair, and he came and sat next to me.

“There’s no time to explain now. Just… you’ll find out soon. Anyway, I’m in a very confusing situation, no less than you are. Just know that.”

He said, pressing his temples.

“I don’t understand what you’re saying at all?”

“It’s the same for me. I don’t understand why you’re the Empress at all.”

Yeah, I guess so.

I nodded, giving him a look of understanding.

And I had been wondering all along, but I brought up the words that I hadn’t dared to ask.

“Um… are the officials all saying that I should be given the death penalty? Is it true?”

I wanted him to say no, but his head nodded vigorously up and down without mercy.

*Damn it.*

“If it was a majority vote, no. Even if it was a unanimous decision, your death sentence is confirmed.”

“What about the Emperor? Do you think that bastard will give the death sentence?”

“Well? I think I heard he’s agonizing over it?”

Nelli narrowed his eyes and replied.

Ha? What is the Emperor so righteous about?

Even though he cheated on me.

But the Emperor and Roxana, whom I saw in the basement of the Empress’s Palace earlier, didn’t seem to be on good terms.

Did the Emperor fall for Roxana’s face and then back out after seeing her personality?

“Emperor, you son of a bitch…!”

I was suddenly overwhelmed and cursed without realizing it.

“Mmph!”

“Save your curses for when the Emperor hands down the death sentence.”

He said, covering my mouth with his hand.

I calmed down and nodded, and only then did he take his hand off my mouth.

“Now it’s time for me to go into the conference room.”

He took out a pocket watch from his pocket and checked the time.

“Um, I’m sorry. For deceiving you… and thank you for coming to see me like this…”

I conveyed my apology and gratitude to him.

Because there might not be another chance after this.

Then he put his hand on my shoulder and said quietly.

“The person I know is Dajel, so I’ve decided to just think about that. Today.”

Today?

“It sounds like something will be different after today?”

“Maybe a lot will change.”

He smiled bitterly and continued.

“I’ll say it again, no matter what is said in the conference room in a little while, don’t object.”

He urged seriously.

“Even if they give me the death penalty?”

“Whatever it is.”

Nelli’s answer made me even more uneasy.

“I’m so nervous, can you hold my hand before you go?”

I carefully held out my hand to him.

He just looked at my hand and then got up.

I stared blankly up at him.

*Of course, you must be burdened by my existence, right?*

I wasn’t too upset.

Still, this might be the last time, he could have at least shaken my hand…

I took a deep breath and got up from my seat, holding out my hand to him again.

He flicked my hand away, which I had mustered the courage to offer again.

The second rejection was a bit embarrassing and made me feel very bad, so my gaze wasn’t kind either.

Nelli’s pushed-away hand stopped near his side.

I thought about pinching his side, but I just lowered my hand.

*Yes, life is like this, alone anyway.*

I sat back down in the chair, powerless.

But as soon as I sat down, his hands grabbed my arms and lifted me up again?

“What? Oh!”

Nelli hugged me tightly.

“…What is it?”

“What do you think it is?”

He tightened his arms around me and asked back as if he was questioning me.

“Am I going to die?”

“What?”

“What do you know? Right? Did the Emperor finally give the death sentence? So this is… the last… hug, or something like that!”

I was barely holding back tears as I spoke,

“Mmph?!”

Suddenly, he grabbed my face with both hands and started kissing me.

…I must really be going to die.

So Nelli is stirring my mouth like this, as if there is no tomorrow?

I pushed Nelli’s chest and asked.

“Is it really a death sentence? Is that why…?”

My voice trembled more than I thought.