The Stand-In Empress’S Wedding Night [EN]: Chapter 211

211. The Villain to the Villain

2023.01.11.

“I heard it from Stian. Weren’t you surprised?”

He said, holding my hand.

There were people with soiled wedding dresses, sprained ankles, and even those who fainted… Linelle seemed most worried about me, who had only witnessed it.

“Will it be alright?”

“What will?”

“The ministers of the Aclato Duchy.”

“Stian just informed the guests, so it should be fine.”

“Everyone must have been surprised.”

I could imagine the expressions on the ministers’ faces upon hearing the news of the three concubines’ accidents.

“But what can we do? It’s not like anyone did it on purpose, and the accidents happened because the concubines were careless, so there’s nothing to say.”

“……Yes, I guess not.”

I looked away and replied quietly.

I couldn’t bring myself to say that the one who caused the accidents wasn’t the concubines, but the baby wyvern who serves me as its master.

“Ready? Don’t be nervous.”

He told me not to be nervous, but he seemed more nervous himself.

His hands seem to be trembling?

I locked my arm firmly with his and whispered.

“Even though neither of us remembers, this is our second marriage, so you shouldn’t be nervous.”

Besides, I felt more at ease because I was wearing the same wedding dress as during the state wedding.

The chapel door opened.

The eyes of the guests inside the chapel all turned to us.

The sharp gazes flying from everywhere made my face tingle.

But I confidently raised my head and walked into the chapel with Linelle, focusing only on the front.

In front of us, cute little flower girls and boys were holding flower baskets.

A smile naturally appeared on my face at the sight of the adorable children.

The flower children sprinkled flower petals on us with their tiny hands and said,

“You have to live happily, Moiya~.”

“No one’s even clapping, what’s with this atmosphere~.”

Ah, you guys really…….

When did you get into the flower children’s bodies again!

I was on edge, worried that the baby wyvern’s identity would be revealed to the people.

Putting aside their manner of speaking [their 말투], everyone was looking at the flower children’s actions with suspicion.

The flower children, who should have been looking forward as they entered, were walking backward while facing us and scattering flower petals.

“How can young children walk backward so well without falling?”

“Who taught them to do that?”

“But aren’t those flower children relatives of the twin sisters’ family among the concubines?”

“They’re cute, but they’re only doing good for others.”

“What do children know?”

The guests were murmuring about the flower children, and I could hear them clearly.

Moiya and Moni steadfastly walked backward to where the high priest officiating the ceremony was standing,

“Ouch, my feet!”

Only after finally stepping on the high priest’s foot were they led out by Raphael and Stian.

The concubine-style wedding vows were very short and simple, but the kiss that announced we were married was not short.

I suddenly wondered what the expressions of the guests witnessing this scene were, but I couldn’t open my eyes due to Linelle’s deepening kiss.

***

Concubine-style weddings originally don’t have receptions.

So, it was customary for the Emperor to return to the main palace before dinner to take care of the remaining 업무 [work/tasks].

Linelle fervently embraced Zelda in front of the chapel, promising her tonight.

Arriving at the main palace, he opened the door to the conference room instead of his office.

It was because the ministers had requested a meeting as soon as the concubine-style wedding ended.

“Has an important matter arisen?”

Feeling the unusual atmosphere, he took his seat at the head of the table.

Everyone had expressions that they had something to say to him.

But no one readily stepped forward and only looked at each other.

“If you have something to say to me, please feel free to do so.”

Linelle kindly spoke first, and only then did the ministers open their mouths.

“Your Majesty, first of all, we are sorry that today’s concubine-style wedding was not properly held.”

“Yes, we will try to reschedule with the three prospective concubines who could not hold the wedding.”

“It is truly an unfortunate event.”

The ministers each offered words of consolation.

Linelle stroked his chin with his hand with a nonchalant expression and asked.

“It couldn’t have been just things to console, could it? There was also a concubine who successfully held the ceremony with me. Is there no congratulations for her?”

At the Emperor’s face, which clearly showed displeasure, the ministers reluctantly offered congratulations and smiled awkwardly.

“Your Majesty, although they could not hold the ceremony, all three have already officially become the second concubines on paper.”

“I know. So?”

“So, don’t they also deserve to spend the first night of the concubine-style wedding?”

“Indeed, they do.”

Linelle vehemently agreed with the ministers’ opinions for some reason.

Encouraged by this, Count Ralph cautiously asked him which concubine’s residence he would go to tonight.

Count Ralph was a minister of the Aclato Duchy and also the father of the twin sisters, El and Celine.

“By what criteria does Your Majesty intend to decide which concubine to spend the first night of the concubine-style wedding with?”

“Since there are four new concubines, I intend to choose based on fairness. Raphael, bring it.”

Linelle kindly explained to Count Ralph and the ministers and gestured to his secretary.

Raphael, who had been standing with a transparent glass bowl prepared before the concubine-style wedding, placed the glass bowl on the table at his command.

“The names of the concubines are written on the four pieces of paper you see inside.”

“Are you saying you will make the decision by drawing lots?”

Hector, who was sitting diagonally from Linelle, asked with a somewhat dumbfounded look.

“I have decided that this is the fairest method after much deliberation.”

Half of the ministers nodded at his decision, while the other half reacted by questioning whether it was okay to proceed with deciding the first night of the concubine-style wedding like a game, no matter how you looked at it.

But since there was nothing else to replace the drawing of lots, everyone focused their attention on the Emperor’s hand inside the glass bowl.

In the silence, Linelle finally picked up a piece of paper.

But as if he had changed his mind, he put down the first piece of paper he picked up and stirred the papers again.

“Haha, we’re all getting nervous watching.”

“That’s right. It’s not like we’re the ones being chosen.”

“Look at the expressions of the three concubines’ fathers. Hehehe.”

The Rapion ministers smiled at Linelle’s actions, while the ministers of the Aclato Duchy were filled with tension.

Linelle finally picked up a piece of paper and took his hand out of the glass bowl.

“You look and inform the ministers.”

He handed the folded paper to Raphael.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Raphael glanced over the ministers’ faces once and slowly unfolded the paper.

“The place where Your Majesty will spend tonight is… Zelda Mama’s residence.”

“Ah, is that so? I see.”

Linelle accepted the result while maintaining a poker face, wary of his cheekbones that were rising uncontrollably.

“Your Majesty, is it really fair?”

A minister of the Aclato Duchy raised his hand and objected.

“Does that mean you think I used some kind of trick?”

Linelle pressed one eyebrow with his fingertip and looked at the minister with a crooked gaze.

The atmosphere in the conference room instantly turned grim.

“That, that’s not what I meant! Your Majesty, to prevent any 뒷말 [gossip/after-talk], how about confirming the papers in the glass bowl in this place?”

“Are you daring to doubt me, the Emperor of the Rapion Empire!”

He slammed the conference table hard with his fist, and the ministers’ shoulders rose to their ears and then fell.

“I am sorry, Your Majesty!”

The minister of the Aclato Duchy, who had doubts, immediately apologized, bowing his head so that his forehead touched the table.

“However, Your Majesty, to alleviate the doubts of the Aclato Duchy ministers, it would not be bad to confirm the papers in the glass bowl.”

Duke Carios, Catherine’s father, cautiously offered his opinion.

Linelle slowly relaxed his angry expression and willingly accepted his opinion.

“Good, Lord Hector. Would you like to represent the Aclato Duchy and confirm?”

“……Yes, Your Majesty.”

Linelle handed the glass bowl to Hector, and Hector stood up from his seat and received the glass bowl with both hands.

Hector stood up and took out a piece of paper from the glass bowl and unfolded it.

Then he turned his gaze to Linelle’s face.

He smiled nonchalantly and gestured to Hector to continue checking the papers.

In response, Hector checked the remaining two papers as well.

“Lord Hector, is it true that the names of the concubines are written evenly?”

The ministers of the Aclato Duchy asked Hector.

“All the papers…….”

Hector made eye contact with Linelle again and then opened his mouth to the ministers.

“It is true that the names of the three concubines are written.”

At Hector’s testimony, all the ministers in the conference room cleared their throats and made embarrassed expressions.

Linelle sent a cold gaze to those ministers and stood up from his seat.

The expressions of the ministers all froze at his following words.

“Since it seems there is nothing more to say, let’s end the meeting here. Thanks to you all on this good day, my mood has soured, so I must go to my office.”

He intentionally placed his hand on Hector’s shoulder and left the conference room.

Hector followed Linelle and immediately left the conference room.

‘What a bold move.’

Hector, who had come out into the 복도 [hallway/corridor], thought as he watched his back as he walked to the opposite side of the 복도 [hallway/corridor].

All three notes said Zelda, Zelda, Zelda.

The name of the former Empress was written on all of them.

And below that, in the Emperor’s handwriting,

‘You would understand the heart towards one person.’

-it was written.

‘The Emperor knows. That I am in love with Roxana…….’

Hector crumpled the three notes in the glass bowl and put them in his pocket.

***

Princess Resilia could not understand why she had been dragged to the Empress’s Palace.

‘Why are they doing this to me?’

The way Roxana looked at her as if she were a criminal was also a question.

The place she was dragged to was also like that.

‘Why is there such a creepy underground chamber in the splendid Empress’s Palace?’

Looking at the expressions of the surrounding guards, she felt as if she had become a major criminal.

There was no chair to sit on.

Princess Resilia had to endure the eerie energy while standing alone.

After a while, the sound of shoes was heard from the staircase leading down to the underground.

It was Roxana and her maid.

Princess Resilia swallowed hard.

Roxana was holding a whip.

‘Why did she bring a whip? Could it be…… is she going to use that on me?!’

She thought it could never happen, but anxiety crept in.

“Your Majesty the Empress! Why did you bring me here?”

Princess Resilia’s voice came out somewhat nervously.

“You don’t know why you were dragged here?”

Roxana asked back, suppressing her anger that seemed about to explode.

“Yes, I don’t know, I didn’t do anything wrong. As for Zelda’s wedding dress, I clearly had a promise yesterday that you would take care of the aftermath even if I did whatever I wanted……!”

“Shh.”

Roxana pressed her finger to her lips.

Princess Resilia closed her mouth at her fierce glare.

“What were you rummaging through like a thief in front of my dressing table yesterday? In a bedroom without an owner!”

Princess Resilia flinched and took a step back at Roxana’s scolding.

“Rum, rummaging? As I told you yesterday, I was just checking my condition in the mirror.”

“After the Princess left, one of my belongings that I kept on the dressing table…… disappeared.”

“Ha, what does that have to do with me? Are you saying I stole something from Your Majesty the Empress?!”

Princess Resilia let out a hollow laugh at Roxana, who suspected her of being a thief, and was sincerely dumbfounded.

Roxana glared at her as if she would tear her apart right away.

Then Princess Resilia immediately asked with a subdued expression.

“……What is the missing item?”

“Are you asking knowing already to provoke my anger?”

“No. I, I’m saying it because I really don’t know!”

Princess Resilia rolled her eyes and thought of the wyvern egg.

‘Could it be that it’s really gone and that’s why she’s doing this to me?’

“The Princess probably didn’t steal it herself. The Princess only told me the location of the item, and someone came in and took it while I was gone.”

“What kind of nonsense is that…….”

Princess Resilia was speechless at the unfair accusation.

“Just because I was an enemy of the former Empress Zelda, I pretended to know her, and you dare to steal my things? Such audacity!”

“Wh, what? Your words are too harsh!”

“Harsh? Am I being harsh?”

Roxana glared and took off the veil she was wearing and threw it at Princess Resilia’s face.

“Look closely!”

“……Huh, heok!”

Princess Resilia was grabbed by the chin by Roxana and looked at her face before collapsing to the floor.

“Harsh is what you say when you see something like this! Do you understand?!”

Roxana had a burn on her right face.

What surprised Princess Resilia even more was that the size and location of the burn were very similar to the area of Zelda’s burn scar.

“I won’t say much. Where did you take the wyvern egg and the Hwansin Sword?”

“I only heard that they were in the Empress’s Palace……, Heoeop!”

Princess Resilia accidentally blurted it out.

Roxana looked at Princess Resilia with a look that said she knew it.

‘Wait, are those two things gone now?! Could it be that my brother did something without me knowing?’

Her brother was the kind of person who would do that.

“I really don’t know! Please believe me, Your Majesty the Empress!”

Princess Resilia pleaded, grabbing her arm, but

“You disgusting 년 [bitch/whore], I’ll let you know soon.”

Roxana raised the whip high.