The Stand-In Empress’S Wedding Night [EN]: Chapter 272

272. Stealing a Kiss Too

2023.08.12.

“Did you guys, by any chance, do something to Bellos’s head… or something?”

I wondered if that was why I asked such a gruesome question.

“Could they have done something so commendable?”

Rinel whispered to me.

He was looking at Moiya and Moni with a subtly expectant look.

Because they had used Bellos as an example, Rinell replied without hesitation.

“Those kinds of heads should be chopped off. If something like that happens, you can chop them off instead.”

“Yup! Don’t worry. Just trust me, Moni~! I’ll turn the Archmage’s head to ashes.”

Moni, a fervent fan of Rinel, shouted like a brave knight, and he stroked Moni’s head with a pleased expression.

“What on earth did you do to prompt such a bizarre question? Tell me, quickly.”

I sat down on the marble floor where Moiya and Moni were sitting and interrogated them with a solemn face.

It was clear that they had caused some kind of trouble and returned.

The two of them looked somewhat hesitant, as if contemplating whether to speak or not.

It seemed like they were confused about whether what they had done was an accident or not.

“Moiya and Moni didn’t cause any accidents…”

Duke Joseph spoke, acting as their spokesperson.

“Joseph, it seems you’ve heard something?”

Rinel narrowed his eyes and asked Duke Joseph.

“Yes, they said they worked hard for peace!”

“They… worked hard at what?”

I asked Duke Joseph, watching Moiya and Moni’s shaking ruby-colored eyes.

“They said they stopped the fighting, Moiya~.”

“Yup! Our throats are all hoarse from trying so hard to stop them, Moni~.”

“The wyverns fought again?”

“Not them.”

“Then who are you talking about?”

“Master, you know… those really loud, really gluttonous ones.”

“…Who?”

“The ones with eagle bodies and two snake heads.”

Surely not…….

Hesitating with Moiya’s explanation, Rinel spoke to me first.

“Doesn’t it sound like they’re talking about the Galaco [mythological creatures with the body of an eagle and two snake heads]?”

“Doesn’t it seem like it?”

We both turned our gaze back to Moiya and Moni at the same time.

Both of them quickly avoided my gaze and pretended to play with Duke Joseph’s hair.

“Are you talking about the Galaco?”

“Yes.”

“That’s right.”

“Are you saying the Galaco is in the Lapion Empire?”

Rinel’s voice was somewhat agitated. If the Galaco had appeared in the Lapion Empire, it was a big problem.

“No, no. We didn’t meet them here!”

Moni said, shaking both hands.

Thank goodness.

I was holding my breath in tension, but at Moni’s words, I exhaled the breath I had been holding back.

“Then where did you see the Galaco?”

“It was some island.”

If it’s an island near the continent, there are only two places: the Aclato Duchy and Tanya Island?

“Tell me what’s around the island.”

Rinel asked Moiya and Moni.

“There was a fortress wall right in front of the sea, Moiya~?”

At Moiya’s words, he nodded as if he knew right away where it was.

“It’s the Aclato Duchy.”

“But weren’t the Galaco originally raised on Tanya Island?”

“They were.”

“Then why did they bring the Galaco to the Aclato Duchy?”

“I also learned through an informant that before the allied forces of Tanya Island and the Aclato Duchy surrounded the Elangi Forest, the duchy was already in the hands of Hector himself.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. So, some of the Galaco that were released into the Elangi Forest and then recaptured would have been brought to the Aclato Duchy, which is closer to the continent, rather than the distant Tanya Island. Hector’s subordinates would be stationed there too.”

“Then the duchy also belongs to Hector, so why is he acting as Roxana’s bodyguard here? What major weakness has he been caught with…?”

It was always a question I had.

“I also found that point a bit strange. At first, I thought he was helping Roxana because he had feelings for her, but now it doesn’t seem like that’s the case. Besides, considering his rough temperament… if he really liked Roxana, I don’t think he would have let her become the empress of another country.”

“That’s right. It’s not a normal action. Unless Roxana has hypnotized him.”

“Or fed him an obedience potion or something.”

It was a statement that was initially made as a joke, but the more I thought about it, the more it seemed like a hypothesis worth considering.

“Really… could Roxana be controlling Hector using hypnosis or drugs?”

“It’s not entirely impossible.”

Rinel’s expression became serious, and his blue eyes began to darken.

“If that’s the case, if we return Hector to his former state, we might be able to completely isolate Roxana… don’t you think?”

“That’s a valid point. Let’s discuss this issue with your best friend, the Archmage.”

“Yes, but wouldn’t Bellos also know if someone was hypnotized or had taken an obedience potion?”

“If he doesn’t know, we’ll have to tell him to sell the Magic Tower building. He’s not qualified to be an Archmage.”

Why go that far again…….

I glared at him, who was particularly harsh on Bellos, and smiled slightly.

“Oh, right, Melanie and Hector. They seemed to be getting along quite well.”

“Really?”

He asked with interest.

“Yes, maybe Melanie should be sent away like Rosie.”

“It’s not difficult to give away something that was never mine, but Hector and Melanie… I can’t imagine it?”

Rinel trailed off, making an ‘Oh, come on’ expression.

That’s true.

“What do you mean by saying you worked hard for peace?”

When I turned my gaze back to Moiya and Moni, the two of them stopped their little hands that were about to grab the sausage.

The two of them began to explain the situation from last night, taking turns.

The Galacos were trapped inside the iron bars of the spire at the end of the fortress wall.

Judging by the fact that they flew from the Valley of Death to the Aclato Duchy, it seemed that they had enjoyed flying with the wyverns and then the two of them had separated.

“The two male heads were fighting over the female.”

“And?”

“Ooh? Mating should only be done by two people, Moiya~?”

“……So?”

“Yup! We stopped them from fighting, Moni~?”

Moni said in a very proud tone.

“How?”

“Ah, did you perhaps smash one of the heads? That’s why you asked Jim that question. Right?”

Rinel burst out laughing and asked the two of them.

“Smashing it is too cruel and messy, Moiya~? We just burned it cleanly and quietly.”

Moiya replied, disgusted by his expression.

It’s the same thing to kill them anyway, so what’s the difference?

Anyway, I’m worried?

Even if they are trapped in an iron cage, the only beings in this world that can burn all the heads of the Galaco are the wyverns.

Everyone knew that the wyverns had returned to the Valley of Death not long ago.

However, it was a bit strange to think that those wyverns flew to the Aclato Duchy and attacked the Galaco trapped in the fortress wall.

If it becomes known that I am the Wyvern Lord, there may be a misunderstanding that I moved the wyverns, and I may be held responsible for this incident, which could become a justification for war.

“Your Majesty, Hector will soon find out about this fact.”

When I asked with a worried voice, Rinel stroked his chin and nodded.

“I’ll have to meet the Archmage first.”

***

As Hector ascended to Melanie’s bedroom floor, his heart began to beat violently.

There had never been such a tense moment in his life.

Not when he was pirating on the sea, not when he occupied the Aclato Duchy, not even during the Continental Hunting Competition when he led the allied forces and stormed the monastery in the Elangi Forest, threatening dignitaries from various countries.

By far, it was never more tense than this.

‘I won’t ask twice. Even if I’m an ignorant and bad guy… is it okay?’

Yesterday, he had not received an answer to the question he had chased after Melanie to her bedroom to ask.

‘I think I need to think about it a bit. So come back tomorrow. I’ll give you the answer tomorrow.’

Unexpectedly, Melanie postponed the answer in a very detached voice.

Thus, Hector has now come to hear that answer.

Knock knock-.

At the knock, Melanie’s voice was heard, telling him to come in.

Melanie was already sitting at the tea table, as if she had been waiting for him.

“Come this way.”

Melanie tapped the table with her fingertip.

“I came to hear the answer.”

Hector asked directly without beating around the bush.

“Even if you ask ten times, my answer is the same. I like you.”

Melanie also said coolly without hesitation.

Melanie, who was watching the corners of Hector’s mouth slowly creeping up, took a sip of tea and then changed her words slightly.

“No, I liked you.”

……liked?.

The revised answer was in the past tense.

Hector was plunged into confusion in the face of the heart that had changed to the past tense overnight.

“I don’t want to be pathetic. I’ll give up.”

“……What.”

“My heart.”

Was it a heart like a thin piece of paper that could be folded up right away if you said you would fold it?

Displeasure spread across Hector’s steadfast face.

“It’s true that I liked you, but I didn’t openly express that you should ignore me. You’re a barbarian, so you probably don’t know, but even if you refuse, it’s not polite to hurt someone so ignorantly.”

Melanie said quite firmly.

“And what I said yesterday is also true.”

“What words.”

“The words to go back to the Empress Palace. And from the moment you leave this bedroom, I hope you will speak respectfully to me from now on.”

“?”

“Why don’t you answer? Are my words difficult? Now I’m giving up on you, and you’re speaking respectfully to me. Easy, right?”

“……Easy?”

Hector felt like he was in a swamp when the woman who had been actively seeking love until just yesterday turned cold.

He had rushed up to Melanie’s bedroom to confirm her feelings, but something had gone terribly wrong.

“Please leave now. I need to start crying now to sort out my feelings.”

Melanie said, catching her emotions like a stage actor.

“Why do you think…… I chased you up here yesterday?”

Hector, who had barely regained his composure, asked calmly.

“Why would I care now.”

Melanie said indifferently, crossing her arms in front of her.

“I was…… too harsh yesterday.”

“You said you felt sorry for me.”

“That was a lie.”

“Really?”

“Yes. It was a lie. I’m sorry.”

Melanie, who had been bowing her head at Hector’s sincere apology, raised and lowered one corner of her mouth.

Melanie’s face, which had been sullen until just now, was full of life.

“Then I’ll cancel it too. I’ll cancel what I said about giving up!”

Hector stared blankly at Melanie for a moment.

He wanted to ask why she had been acting so coy when she was going to change her attitude so quickly, but he decided not to ask because he didn’t know when she would change again.

“But why did you lie like that?”

Melanie’s sharp tone also softened a lot.

“I didn’t want the situation to get complicated. I don’t want to be bothered by you either.”

“Are you annoyed by me?”

“It’s not that…… Haa. It’s better if you don’t know. If you get involved with me, you’ll probably…….”

You’ll be in danger.

Hector couldn’t bring himself to say the last words and closed his mouth tightly.

“Yeah, if I get involved with you, I’ll look ignorant. You’re the king of the barbarians, after all.”

“?”

She interpreted it arbitrarily and attached it, but Hector did not refute it because those words were not wrong.

Instead, he mentioned the words he had swallowed a little while ago.

“Yeah. And it will be dangerous to be by my side.”

“Yeah, because you’re also a pirate king.”

“……Are you still okay with that?”

“I’ll learn swordsmanship, learn to swim, and learn everything so that there are no dangerous things.”

Melanie said, her eyes shining brightly.

Even though she doesn’t have much to show for what she’s learned, her determination is admirable, and a smile naturally appeared on his face.

“But you know…….”

Melanie opened her mouth with a serious expression.

“Uh.”

“I’m not going to learn how to steal.”

“……What?”

“You’re a pirate king, but I’m still of noble status, so I don’t want to steal other people’s things.”

“……Okay. You don’t have to do that.”

Hector snorted with a dumbfounded face, and Melanie said, folding her eyes lovingly.

“You thief.”

“?!”

“I think you’re a really excellent pirate king.”

“Why is the story suddenly jumping like that?”

“You stole my heart. So you’re definitely a talented thief.”

“……Melanie, your brain is definitely barbaric too.”

When Hector said sullenly with a hit face, she smiled brightly, saying, ‘That’s why we get along so well.’

Then, with a serious expression again, she grabbed Hector’s hand and said.

“Hey, you thief.”

“What again.”

“Kiss me.”

“……What?”

“Steal my lips too.”

“I’m…… a pirate who doesn’t return what I’ve taken once. Do you know that?”

“Yeah!”

Melanie shouted, closing her eyes.

Hector laid her down on the bed and kissed her.

Melanie opened her eyes wide and looked up at him, as if she hadn’t expected it.

“Why, did you only know how to kiss while standing?”

Hector asked quietly.

When Melanie shook her head gently, Hector began to mercilessly steal her lips in one breath.