The Stand-In Empress’S Wedding Night [EN]: Chapter 271

271. The Choice of the Cold Body?

August 9, 2023

“Mistakes should end as mistakes.”

As Hektor stepped back, Melanie questioned him, unable to understand.

“What kind of mistake do you make so actively, so fiercely, like you’re going to devour me?”

“…….”

“If you try again and still think it’s a mistake, let’s just use our mouths for talking from now on. Okay?”

Melanie asked, tilting her face up.

“Yeah. It’s not a mistake.”

“Really?”

Melanie smiled brightly, as if she knew it all along.

“I did it out of pity.”

“……Huh?”

“Because the Emperor doesn’t even look at you, and I thought you might never get a kiss in your life. And…….”

Hektor rambled on, then stopped when he saw tears welling up in Melanie’s eyes.

Her tears made him feel disgusted.

After a moment of silence, Melanie asked, uncharacteristically serious.

“……You did it out of pity? Not a mistake?”

For a moment, he felt like something was wrong, but Hektor replied without wavering.

“Yeah. If it weren’t for an opportunity like yesterday, I thought no one would ever touch your lips! Do you understand?”

“Oh, I understand.”

“?”

Melanie didn’t say anything else and walked past Hektor to the door.

“What are you.”

Is she just going to leave like this?

Hektor called out to her without realizing it.

“If you did it out of pity, I understand. I mistakenly thought you were starting to open your heart to me when you opened your lips to me yesterday.”

“…….”

Melanie continued without pausing.

“I didn’t show my heart like a fool, hoping you’d pity me. Thanks to you, I got plenty of kissing practice. I’m so grateful I could cry.”

Hektor couldn’t find the right words and just stared at her.

“Don’t pity me. And go back to the Empress Palace tomorrow. Both are orders.”

Melanie finally shed tears and left the room.

Hektor, who didn’t see the triumphant smile on her lips as she left the room, stood in front of the closed door for a while.

“Damn it.”

A few minutes later, he cursed, opened the door, and ran towards Melanie’s bedroom.

Melanie had just arrived at her bedroom door.

“Ah! What are you doing?”

Hektor grabbed Melanie’s wrist, pulled her into the bedroom, pinned her against the wall, and asked.

“I won’t ask twice. Even if I’m an ignorant and bad guy…… do you like me?”

***

Today, I was scheduled to have lunch with Grand Duke Joseph at the Main Palace.

While riding in the carriage to the Main Palace, I stopped in front of the annex where the honored guests were staying.

It was to meet Empress Elan.

This morning, I received news that the honored guests and ministers staying at the annex would be discussing the issue of the Patsha Empire’s congratulatory delegation in the Grand Conference Hall.

So, it was a good opportunity to meet Empress Elan without Adrian Emperor’s notice.

“Welcome, Zelda Mama. I almost missed you.”

Empress Elan was surprised by my sudden visit but greeted me warmly.

Looking at her attire, it seemed she was coming from the training grounds.

“I’m sorry for not informing you in advance.”

I couldn’t send someone, as it might reach Adrian Emperor’s ears.

“Don’t mention it. Please, sit down. I’ll have tea brought out.”

“No. I’m just stopping by on my way to the Main Palace, so I have to leave soon. I don’t know when the Grand Conference Hall meeting will end.”

I didn’t have much time, as I didn’t know when Adrian Emperor would return to the annex.

I sat down in the seat Empress Elan offered, stopping her from calling a servant. She understood my meaning and smiled bitterly.

“I heard you go to the training grounds often? I heard it from Commander Makrom.”

“Yes. I was getting restless just staying quietly in the annex. I miss the time when I was heading to the Tevelo Empire with Zelda Mama.”

“Are you referring to the time when we were fighting the allied forces in the Elanji Forest, to be exact?”

Empress Elan nodded her head greatly, as if I had hit the nail on the head.

“Well, Elan suits uniforms better than dresses.”

“Zelda Mama suits both well.”

“As expected, I like that Empress Elan and I think alike.”

Empress Elan burst into hearty laughter at my silly joke.

I brought up the main topic when her laughter subsided.

“Actually, I came because I had something to ask.”

“Yes, please tell me.”

“Adrian Emperor told Prince Kalvain of the Patsha Empire that the Wyvern Lord is here, in the Lapion Imperial Palace. I was wondering if he had said anything to Elan as well.”

I wasn’t expecting much when I asked.

Adrian Emperor wouldn’t have consulted her on this matter, but he might have let something slip inadvertently.

“Yes?! Then, the fact that the Wyvern Lord is Mama…….”

Empress Elan widened her eyes in surprise, then quickly lowered her voice.

As I expected, she had no idea that Adrian Emperor had sent a messenger to Prince Kalvain.

“It seems he’s planning to see Prince Kalvain’s reaction before revealing it, so he hasn’t revealed that I’m the Wyvern Lord yet.”

“Wouldn’t it be better for Mama not to go to the Patsha Empire?”

“That’s not a good idea.”

“Well, it would be more dangerous for you to stay alone.”

“Rather…… if I don’t go with them, the Lapion Empire’s congratulatory delegation could be taken hostage or face even greater danger in the Southern Continent. I need to be there to talk or fight with them.”

Empress Elan agreed with my opinion but wore a worried expression.

“Will…… it be alright? If he leaked the existence of the Wyvern Lord to the Patsha Empire, he would have told Empress Katria of the Deloy Empire the same thing.”

“For now, they won’t be able to move rashly until they arrive at the Patsha Empire. What I’m worried about is whether Adrian Emperor will plot something before that.”

“He’s definitely capable of that. I’ll look into it.”

Empress Elan said with determination.

“Thank you. But be careful. He’s such a sly person that he’ll definitely be suspicious if Elan acts differently or asks too many questions.”

“I already owe Zelda Mama my life; otherwise, I would have died a long time ago, wouldn’t I? And I’m quite good at pleasing Adrian Emperor.”

Empress Elan’s face, smiling brightly and telling me not to worry, looked younger today.

“Don’t overdo it. I should get going now.”

“Yes, please always take care of yourself, Zelda Mama.”

Empress Elan said, looking at my stomach with affectionate eyes.

I smiled and took her hand.

“Thank you for your concern.”

I hurried out of the annex and headed back to the Main Palace in the carriage.

***

I arrived in front of the Main Palace and was walking up the stairs when Sharon quietly whispered from behind.

“It seems the meeting is over.”

I raised my head at Sharon’s words.

“It is.”

The honored guests were coming out of the Main Palace entrance.

The honored guests, who made eye contact with me, greeted me lightly, acknowledging me first.

“Oh? Look over there, Adrian Emperor is coming out too…….”

Sharon whispered in a tense voice.

I greeted the honored guests coming down the stairs and looked up at the entrance again.

Adrian Emperor must have spotted me, as he started coming down the stairs towards me.

“It’s been a while.”

Adrian Emperor greeted me, who had been demoted to the Second Imperial Concubine, with excessive formality.

“Yes, your hair has grown a lot in the meantime. The bob that fluttered was also a good look.”

“It’s an honor that such a great person is paying attention to me.”

Adrian Emperor deliberately added the words ‘such a great person’ and stared intently at my face.

The tone was clearly sarcastic, even to a passing wyvern [a dragon-like creature].

“Yes, my beauty is indeed great.”

“Hahaha! Yes, yes, yes…… your beauty is great.”

Adrian Emperor burst into laughter at the not-so-funny words.

I could feel the other honored guests coming down the stairs glancing at us.

Their eyes seemed to say, ‘Are they quite close?’ I was frustrated.

I had a brief staring contest with Adrian Emperor, then looked down at the stairs I had unknowingly climbed up.

My fingers tingled with the urge to grab Adrian Emperor by the collar and throw him down the stairs.

But I gave up because even if I pushed him off here, it wouldn’t be life-threatening.

I barely suppressed my impulse and raised the corners of my lips.

“Then I’ll be on my way to the annex, Zelda Mama. I’ll see you again on the day we leave for the Patsha Empire.”

Adrian Emperor, who had been smiling slyly as if he was going to say a few more words, retreated obediently for once.

There were no sarcastic remarks through his inner thoughts either.

I watched Adrian Emperor’s back, tried to shake off the uneasy feeling, and entered the Main Palace.

***

“Where are you going?”

As I entered the lobby and walked towards the central staircase, Linelle was coming down.

“I came out to see you off. I’m going to join Joseph too.”

“Is that okay? You said you wouldn’t have time today.”

“That’s what I said, but it turned out to be something that even a competent secretary could handle. So, I tied him to the office chair instead of me and came out.”

Poor Raphael…….

“What if Stian unties him?”

I enjoyed his silly jokes and moved to the floor where Grand Duke Joseph’s room was located together.

“I thought he might, so I hung Stian in front of the door. Did you meet Silverfish on the way in?”

“Did you see?”

“Yeah, through the window.”

Ah, he must have seen me and Adrian Emperor talking from the office window and came out because he was worried.

I gave him a reassuring smile and replied.

“He just greeted me and left, surprisingly.”

“Those with ulterior motives are usually quiet before they start something.”

He narrowed his eyes and sighed.

“Yes, I thought so too.”

“But Zelda, aren’t you tired?”

He took my hand, looked straight ahead as he walked, then whispered in my ear.

“I’m tired. I slept well, but I didn’t get enough sleep, because of someone…….”

As I complained, he gave me an apologetic look.

“I couldn’t help but prove my love in person.”

“Yes, thanks to you, I don’t think I’ll feel any heat for a few days.”

“So, it sounds like you don’t need me for the time being?”

Linelle muttered in a sulky tone.

I just laughed silently, and he asked, as if he was questioning me.

“Are you just using me and pretending you don’t know?”

“You said I could use you as much as I wanted.”

“I said you could use me, but I didn’t say you could throw me away.”

“It’s not throwing you away, it’s just a temporary hold.”

“Still, I want you to always keep me by your side.”

We arrived in front of Joseph’s room, and while the servant was knocking, he put his arm around me and stood right next to me.

He maintained that position and entered Joseph’s room.

“Zelda Mama!”

Grand Duke Joseph ran to me and hugged me.

“Have you been well? What were you doing?”

“I was playing with my friends.”

“Friends?”

“Yes!”

Joseph took my hand and led me to where he had been playing.

“……Were you guys here?”

Moiya and Moni were sitting on the marble floor, eating sausages.

Between the two of them, quite a few empty plates were already piled up, forming a tower.

“Don’t tell me…… you caused an accident in the Valley of Death yesterday and sneaked into Grand Duke Joseph’s room?”

The two of them were startled by my words and glanced around, looking suspicious.

Moiya and Moni put the sausages they were holding in their mouths on the plate and whispered to each other.

“I don’t think we caused an accident, Moni~?”

“Right? But let’s check first before we say anything.”

The two of them exchanged suspicious words, then looked at Linelle, and Moiya looked up at him and asked.

“Your Majesty, Your Majesty.”

“What.”

“What would it be like if Your Majesty’s head and the Mage Tower Master’s head were attached to Your Majesty’s neck together?”

Moiya asked a bizarre question in an innocent voice.

“……What kind of question is that so terrible.”

Linelle frowned, touching his neck.

It seemed he was more displeased because Velos was included in the example.

This time, Moni continued with a terrible question.

“What if the Mage Tower Master’s head keeps interfering when our master has to mate? Are you going to leave it alone?”

“?”

“Oong? Don’t just roll your blue eyes, you have to answer, Moiya~? What is the choice of the cold body?”

“!”

Moiya swallowed hard and stared at Linelle’s lips.

I think these kids…… really caused an accident somewhere?