The Stand-In Empress’S Wedding Night [EN]: Chapter 241

241. Not That Popular, Are You?

Good heavens…

I gave Rinell a look as he snickered.

But he couldn’t stop laughing easily, as if it was so funny.

Grand Duke Martins’ gaze, filled with embarrassment, landed on me.

I pretended not to notice the Grand Duke’s gaze and busied myself with my hair, feigning ignorance.

“Is His Majesty taking over prenatal care?”

Grand Duke Martins, who had already heard about my pregnancy from Moire, asked quietly.

“You think that’s all? He’s even experiencing morning sickness for me. Ah, I suddenly feel nauseous again… Urgh!”

He even made retching sounds.

“Your Majesty! Are you alright?”

I stroked his back and asked with concern.

“Haa, I’m fine. But seeing the Grand Duke’s face makes me want sweet potatoes again.”

“…What does my face have to do with sweet potatoes that you say that?”

Grand Duke Martins touched his face with his hand, wearing a bewildered expression.

“Haven’t you heard that you look like a sweet potato?”

“I’ve never heard that before.”

Grand Duke Martins scratched his neck, sounding offended.

“Why do you keep saying that? You don’t look anything like him…”

I quickly poked Rinell’s side and said in a ventriloquial voice.

Where did you suddenly get such an absurd aesthetic sense?

Rinell, leaving Grand Duke Martins’ bewildered gaze as it was, searched for Stian.

“Were you looking for me, Your Majesty?”

However, it wasn’t Stian who entered the office, but Raphael.

“Why are you coming in?”

“The Chief Secretary is away for a moment. What is it you need?”

“Bring me some sweet potatoes.”

“Are you going to bake them in the fireplace again? Didn’t you eat a whole basket before the trial?”

Raphael asked him with a worried voice, wondering how many sweet potatoes he eats in a day.

“It’s the only thing I can keep down, what else can I do?”

He retorted with a sulky tone.

“Yes, Your Majesty, sweet potatoes. I will bring them to you…”

Raphael was about to leave the office to carry out his order when Rinell urgently shouted.

“Wait! Squid too!”

“?”

Why is he suddenly shouting for squid?

“Your Majesty, why are you suddenly looking for squid?”

My head tilted sharply to the side at his sudden squid craving.

“Seeing Raphael’s face suddenly makes me crave squid. Bring me squid dishes too.”

“…Yes?!”

His morning sickness is quite unique.

It seemed like he was starting to associate foods with whoever he saw.

“Your Majesty, you’re so funny. Hahaha!”

I said, trying to lighten the mood.

Then, Rinell looked closely at Raphael’s face and said as if driving a wedge.

“Bring me a giant squid.”

It was the moment Raphael’s nickname changed from the open fly of the Imperial City to giant squid.

***

Grand Duke Martins returned to the detached palace after sharing a few squids with Emperor Rinell in the office.

The story that didn’t quite register when he was talking to Emperor Rinell in the office hit him as soon as he entered his lodging.

“Me, become the King of the Shatoanill Kingdom?”

Grand Duke Martins stood in front of the mirror and stared at his face.

Then, he stroked his chin once with his hand and smiled.

It was a position that Prince Tesler wouldn’t have dared to covet if he had been a decent guy.

A nobleman who leads the largest merchant guild in the Shatoanill Kingdom, satisfied with the position of Grand Duke as a member of the royal family.

There was nothing lacking in money or honor.

He had been thinking that it wouldn’t be bad to live a life where he could control the state affairs from behind by gently coaxing Tesler if he became king.

But his cousin looked up at a tree he couldn’t climb and eventually broke his neck.

In a very ridiculous way too.

The absurd ambition to integrate the Northern Continent was crumpled nicely by Emperor Rinell.

“That’s why you should have focused on internal affairs while keeping your place from the beginning. You stupid bastard.”

Grand Duke Martins had long recognized his position.

However, in the early days of his life in the Rafion Imperial Palace, there was a time when he also harbored unrealistic dreams.

There was a time when he briefly had feelings for Zelda, but he quickly gave up on that feeling with excellent situational judgment.

Emperor Rinell was not someone he could deal with, and Zelda was not a woman he could have.

Friendship quickly sprouted in the place where he cut off his affection.

As a result, Grand Duke Martins’ choice was right.

By abandoning Prince Tesler and siding with Zelda, he received such a great gift.

If he has the support of Emperor Rinell, the probability of ascending to the throne of the Shatoanill Kingdom will be more powerful than anyone else’s help.

If Emperor Rinell is external help, and there is internal help from the Shatoanill royal family, things will be much easier.

Knock knock-.

Grand Duke Martins woke up from his thoughts at the sound of knocking.

It was his subordinate, Sir Rolf.

“What’s going on?”

“Princess Resilia has come to see you.”

“…Bring her in.”

At that moment, Grand Duke Martins remembered what Rinell had said in the office.

‘Try to win over Princess Resilia so that she can be on the Grand Duke’s side.’

“I came because I have a favor to ask.”

Princess Resilia’s expression, who came to see the Grand Duke, looked somewhat desperate.

“If it’s about the result of Prince Tesler’s trial, it’s already out of my hands.”

The reason she came was obvious.

The Grand Duke answered right away without even listening to the Princess’s words.

“I didn’t come because of my brother’s problem.”

Princess Resilia retorted with a firm voice and walked towards the Grand Duke.

“Then what’s the matter?”

“I need money. A lot of it.”

“Money…?”

Is there a dress she wants to buy? Or did she see someone in the harem wearing a coveted jewel?

Grand Duke Martins looked at Princess Resilia with a pathetic gaze.

She had a look on her face that she had something to say.

It didn’t seem like she came to indulge in luxury.

“Um… no. Give me gold bars instead.”

Princess Resilia changed her mind.

Gold bars were better than money if she wanted to get a good price even in the Patsha Empire in South Continent and exchange it for money there.

Princess Resilia roughly calculated the amount to be given to the guild and the amount she would use separately while moving to the Patsha Empire.

“16 gold bars. Is it possible?”

That was enough to buy a pretty good mansion, if not a grand mansion.

The fact that the amount being borrowed was large meant that there was a high possibility that it was a big deal with a lot of risk.

When Grand Duke Martins didn’t answer easily, Princess Resilia raised her voice, perhaps feeling uneasy.

“If my brother is stripped of his prince status… the Grand Duke will have a chance too. Right?”

Grand Duke Martins raised both eyebrows sharply at Princess Resilia’s outspoken remarks.

‘What is she planning to say such things?’

“I will be a strength to the Grand Duke.”

It was a very determined voice.

“You will be a strength… What do you mean?”

“I will support the Grand Duke to become the King of the Shatoanill Kingdom. I may not be a big help, but I’m still the only princess of the royal family, so I’ll have some influence. Don’t you think?”

Perhaps Princess Resilia’s support could have a big impact, not just a little.

Grand Duke Martins’ mind began racing.

“What do you intend to use it for?”

In the end, the Grand Duke took Princess Resilia’s hand.

No, he pretended to take it for now.

His intuition told him that the princess was plotting something.

‘I hope it’s not a foolish plan…’

Princess Resilia is only helpful when she is fully a princess of the Shatoanill Kingdom.

If she commits a crime like Prince Tesler, it would be best not to get involved.

If the problematic siblings of the Shatoanill royal family self-destruct, Grand Duke Martins’ justification for sitting on the throne will naturally increase.

So, it was necessary to know the source of the money and prepare in advance.

Grand Duke Martins quickly finished his calculations.

“If you tell me your plan, I will help you accordingly.”

“That’s… I’ll tell you after I receive the money from the Grand Duke.”

Princess Resilia hesitated, then spoke after much deliberation.

‘She’s trying to make a deal?’

Grand Duke Martins scoffed inwardly.

“In that case, I will only give you half of the gold bars you mentioned.”

Princess Resilia glared at the Grand Duke for not readily granting her request.

Grand Duke Martins ignored her gaze and continued speaking.

“After all, the gold bars I currently have are only half of the amount you want.”

“…Fine. Give me half, at least. Once I receive the rest of the gold bars, I will reveal the source then. You can prepare it by 9 a.m. tomorrow, right?”

Princess Resilia sighed deeply and offered the Grand Duke another deal as if she had no choice.

“Yes, I will bring the remaining gold bars and visit you in person at that time.”

Grand Duke Martins answered as he walked towards the vault prepared in the room for honored guests.

***

The next day, at 9 a.m.

Grand Duke Martins took the remaining gold bars he had promised and visited the room where Princess Resilia was staying.

He placed the bag containing eight gold bars on the table, put his hand on it, and asked.

“Now, tell me. What do you intend to use the gold bars for?”

“To bring back my son.”

Princess Resilia replied without hesitation.

“…Are you referring to Lord Rams?”

What is this all about?

Grand Duke Martins’ head spun for a moment at Princess Resilia’s completely unexpected words.

“Yes, I found out where Rams is. I can’t let Rosie raise my son. I’m going to take Rams and go to the Partsha Empire first.”

“Princess, you must be rational!”

“It’s too late. I already used half of the gold bars I received from the Grand Duke last night to hire a guild.”

She said with a proud face.

‘Damn it! Ignorance is bliss!’

Princess Resilia’s dangerous execution, accompanied by foolishness, was faster than Prince Tesler.

“By now, several guilds are probably on their way to where Rams is.”

Princess Resilia glanced at the grandfather clock and said.

Grand Duke Martins exclaimed with a dumbfounded expression.

“That is clearly kidnapping!”

“Kidnapping? How is it kidnapping when a mother takes her own child?”

Princess Resilia glared at the Grand Duke with a venomous look.

“Prince Norton will not stand still.”

“So, you’re saying I should sit back and let my child be raised by another woman? I will never allow that.”

Even with the position of Prince Consort at stake?

Besides, Rams has a chance to become the Emperor of the Partsha Empire, so why give that up?

Princess Resilia’s determination was firm.

“Don’t you think it’s too late?”

Grand Duke Martins gave her a look of pity.

“No? Not at all. Once Rams and I arrive at the Partsha Imperial Palace, the tide will turn.”

It was a confident tone.

There was a certain madness in the princess’s tone.

Her plan, conceived in a short time with her not-so-good brain, was quite bold.

“The result of Prince Tesler’s trial will be out this afternoon.”

“Grand Duke, I have my own problems to worry about.”

She had already abandoned her brother.

Princess Resilia grabbed the bag of gold bars and hurriedly left the room.

Grand Duke Martins ordered Sir Rolf to follow her and quickly ran to Prince Norton’s room.

***

Once the result of Prince Tesler’s trial is out, I’ll feel much lighter, right?

Although the result hasn’t come out yet, I already felt relieved, as if a long-standing indigestion was going away.

I decided to have lunch at the main palace with the two brothers who were competing for me.

There was still some time until lunchtime, but I wanted to go ahead and spend time with Joseph, so I started preparing to go to the main palace with Sharon.

But without knocking, the bedroom door opened urgently.

“Zelda, Madam!”

“Grand Duke Martins…?”

The Grand Duke’s expression, as he rushed in, was unusual.

It wasn’t an atmosphere to question etiquette.

“I have something urgent to tell you.”

“What is it?”

“Princess Resilia is trying to kidnap Lord Rams. She has already started moving!”

“What? What are you talking about? Is it true?!”

“Yes, I went to inform Prince Norton of this fact, but he had already left with Rosie to where Lord Rams is staying.”

“Th, that’s right. But how does Princess Resilia know where Rams is?”

Even if she knew, what on earth is she thinking, committing such a huge act?

“I don’t know either. I heard that Prince Norton traveled by carriage, but it seems that the guilds hired by Princess Resilia are one step ahead.”

It meant that they might have already taken Rams.

“No way!”

That damn Resilia!

“First, instruct Commander Marcrom to block all roads leading from the Imperial Palace to the Partsha Empire, and we will immediately ride horses to catch up with the carriage carrying Prince Norton and Rosie to tell them this story.”

“Shouldn’t we tell His Majesty and then move?”

“He’s in a meeting right now. And there’s no time to go to the main palace.”

I said firmly to the Grand Duke and turned to Sharon, who was pacing back and forth, restless.

“Sharon, tell Commander Marcrom exactly what I just said. Inform the main palace too! Can you do it?”

“Yes, don’t worry!”

“Good. Grand Duke, let’s go out right now.”

I opened the bedroom door and ran down the hallway.

“Hah, but you’re not alone right now!”

Grand Duke Martins hurriedly chased after me, but the Grand Duke, who was actually alone, couldn’t keep up with my running speed.

I went down to the lobby in one breath and ordered the knight guarding to bring out the horses.

***

As soon as Zelda and Grand Duke Martins left the bedroom,

“Oong? Rams is a human baby who can’t even talk, but he’s so popular, Moiya~?”

Moiya, who was eating sausage under the bed, threw the sausage she was eating and came out from under the bed.

“Ah, the kid who was in Rosie’s residence? What does he look like that he’s so popular?”

Moni followed and said.

“He just looks like dough that’s been kneaded and pressed down like bread.”

“Does he look insignificant?”

Moni grabbed her stomach and laughed.

“Yeah! He’s super insignificant, but everyone is so nice to Rams? Feeding him, washing him, dressing him.”

“Wow, what kind of human baby is he?”

“Norton’s baby.”

Moiya picked her ear and replied indifferently.

“Our great Wyvern baby has been doing everything on his own since birth! I’m curious about that shameless face, Moni~.”

“…Shall we go see him too?”

Moiya asked, holding out her hand to Moni.