The Stand-In Empress’S Wedding Night [EN]: Chapter 283

283. Wyverns Who Know Etiquette

Moiya and Moni, who had been following the congratulatory delegation and constantly transforming into wasps or small birds, immediately flew to the Canyon of the Dead as soon as the delegation arrived at the pier and safely boarded the ship.

“Did you all miss me? You missed Moiya, didn’t you~?”

Moiya and Moni confidently entered the cave entrance and shouted.

Perhaps it was because they were the same species, but the wyverns were very happy to see the two young wyverns after only a few days.

“Welcome, we were waiting for you. Is the Mistress doing well?”

The leader was the first to ask about Zelda’s well-being.

“Yeah, Mistress is probably at sea right now.”

“At sea…? Is she coming to see us, perhaps?”

The large wyvern stretched its head out of the cave and looked around, but the sea around here was calm.

“Dream on. She’s on a ship because she has business in the Southern Continent, Moni~?”

“Oh, if I had known in advance, I would have escorted her.”

The large wyvern muttered regretfully.

“Oong? You dare try to grab our Mistress by the scruff of her neck and fly her around?”

Moiya scoffed, saying it was impossible.

“This great wyvern will be the first to grab the Mistress’s scruff, Moiya~?”

“Elder, aren’t you still a hatchling? I don’t think you have the strength to lift the Mistress.”

The large wyvern chuckled and said to Moiya.

He added that he might be able to lift the kitten that came with them last time, but how long would it take to become an adult and serve the Mistress?

As the large wyvern said, Moiya and Moni had never lifted anything heavier than Ao and Rams, who were small and light.

“We can do it too when we grow up, Moni~?”

“I don’t want to grow up so fast…”

Moiya said with a serious face.

“Ang? Why?”

Moni asked.

“If my body gets bigger, I won’t be cute anymore, Moiya~?”

“That’s true, Moni~.”

Moni also stroked her small face with her hands and fell into contemplation.

“Still, you need to grow up quickly to protect the Mistress.”

The leader said with a hearty laugh, and Moiya tilted her head.

“Our Mistress is already strong, though?”

“Ah, then Moiya, we can protect the Mistress’s baby! By the time that baby is born, we’ll be adults, Moni~?”

“Oong? That’s right? It would be fun to bring that baby here and play together when it’s born!”

Moiya looked around at the wyverns and shrugged her shoulders.

“Will she really like that…?”

The leader listened to the two young wyverns’ conversation, which sounded like a curse, and asked worriedly.

Moiya and Moni nodded at the leader’s words and suddenly grabbed each other’s hands, spinning around and saying in excited voices.

“Ang, let’s take it to the sea and play with the whale and shark friends!”

“It sounds so fun! Oh, should we show it Galaco too?”

“Wow, our Mistress’s baby will be so happy thanks to us, Moni~?”

Some of the adults who were listening to the conversation of the two immature, great young wyverns secretly went into a meeting, saying that someone should tell this to the Mistress.

“By the way, the Mistress is near the Canyon of the Dead, shouldn’t we go and say hello?”

The large wyvern cautiously spoke to the leader.

“Hmm, yes. We can’t pretend we don’t know when she’s so close. We’re not ignorant young wyverns who don’t know etiquette.”

The leader, who was answering the large wyvern, glanced at Moiya and Moni.

“But the Mistress might find it burdensome, so we must be careful.”

The leader touched his chin and showed a cautious attitude.

“Then let’s catch some fish and give it to her!”

This time, the large wyvern glanced at Moiya and asked.

“That’s a great idea. But…”

Moiya put her hands behind her back and continued in a dignified tone, befitting a great wyvern.

“The Mistress told us not to be seen by other humans. That’s why Moni and I hide these cute faces during the day, you know?”

At Moiya’s words, the large wyvern fell into 고민 [Korean word meaning ‘worry’ or ‘concern’] again.

After a while, the large wyvern had a good idea and offered his opinion again.

“Why don’t we go at night? Then I don’t think the Mistress will scold us… Anyway, we’re all black, so we won’t be seen unless we make noise.”

“You’re smarter than you look, Large One?”

Moiya stroked the head of the large wyvern, who was several times bigger than her, and praised him.

The wyverns, who had overlooked that their eyes were ruby red, collectively agreed with the large wyvern’s opinion, saying it was ‘the safest way to be polite’.

“But what kind of fish are we going to give her?”

Moni looked around at the wyverns and asked, and various kinds of fish names popped out from here and there.

Moiya laughed triumphantly, as if everything was boring, and shouted.

“Since we’re giving her something, let’s catch a shark! A big one that three people could die watching!”

“But what if it’s too precious a gift and the Mistress doesn’t want to accept it?”

At Moni’s question, Moiya rolled her ruby-colored eyes and answered after much deliberation.

“Let’s just say we picked it up on the way, Moiya~?”

“…In the sea?”

***

Past midnight, Roxana deeply pressed down the hood of her robe and headed to Yulina’s room.

The two people’s rooms were on the same floor, a short distance away.

Turning just one corner from the room where Roxana was staying, the first place that appeared was the room where Yulina was staying.

Palto, a henchman of Hector, was standing guard in front of Yulina’s room where he was being held.

A few hours ago, Catherine suddenly appeared on the deck and pointed out Yulina as the person who had thrown Pecilini into the sea. In response, Roxana took action before Emperor Linel appeared.

She quickly ordered the knights of the Empress’s Palace to take Yulina to her room, confine her, and order her to be watched.

Palto discovered Roxana and bowed silently.

“Has anyone come to visit?”

“No one, Your Majesty.”

“No one? Not even His Majesty?”

“Yes.”

Palto answered briefly.

‘If Pecilini’s baby was his child, he would have interrogated Yulina immediately, but since the seed is different, there’s no need to rush,’ Roxana thought to herself, twisting her lips.

The prediction was correct.

Linel did not come to interrogate Yulina right away.

The reason why Roxana could visit Yulina’s room with peace of mind was because of that.

If she hadn’t known that Pecilini’s baby was not Emperor Linel’s child, she wouldn’t have understood this situation.

According to Nancy, Pecilini told Emperor Linel that she wanted to raise her child in the Shatoanil Kingdom.

As soon as she heard those words, Roxana immediately realized what they meant.

At first, she suspected it was Duke Martins’ child.

It was reasonable to suspect, considering that Duke Martins had jumped into the sea to save her while she was being rescued.

However, considering that Duke Martins had clearly told Emperor Linel, ‘The unborn baby will not be treated as royalty,’ it meant that it was not the Duke’s child.

Then, it must be Prince Tesler.

From Roxana’s point of view, she didn’t know the details of why Pecilini had Prince Tesler’s child, but it wasn’t bad news.

‘Tsk, if I had known in advance, there wouldn’t have been such a fuss. Sly bitch.’

Roxana clicked her tongue, recalling Pecilini’s face, who had deceived her with an innocent face.

At the same time, she ridiculed Linel’s unnecessary generosity in accepting Pecilini’s baby as a prince of the Lapion Empire.

‘He’s showing kindness, unlike his appearance.’

If it were her, she would have eliminated Prince Tesler’s bloodline at once and killed Pecilini to prevent future troubles.

Anyway, recalling the headaches she had suffered because of Pecilini’s pregnancy, she felt nothing but emptiness.

“Let’s go in.”

Palto looked around and opened the door to Yulina’s room, which was locked from the outside.

Roxana stepped into the room with a lighter heart.

Yulina was sitting on the bed, hugging her legs and bowing her head.

Yulina suddenly raised her head at the sound of the door opening.

“Your Majesty!”

“Has no one come to visit yet?”

“Yes… But won’t I be interrogated as soon as it dawns tomorrow?”

“Probably. But don’t worry too much. I have good news.”

Roxana said with an indifferent gaze.

“What… is it?”

Yulina got off the bed and asked, anxiously clasping her hands together.

“Pecilini’s baby was not His Majesty’s seed.”

Roxana replied, pretending to be friendly and tidying up Yulina’s disheveled hair.

“…Really?! Then, whose baby is it?”

“I heard it’s Prince Tesler’s child from the Shatoanil Kingdom. Anyway, the important thing is that if you speak well, your life will be spared.”

“But I’ve already been kicked out of His Majesty’s favor.”

Yulina didn’t raise her voice, but she didn’t hide her resentful eyes.

“Then you should have handled the job properly. You’re so stupid.”

Roxana coldly retorted.

“I, I did as Your Majesty told me! I really didn’t know that Catherine would be on the deck at that time… Who would have imagined that she would be in the warehouse behind the stage?”

“…Catherine was in the warehouse? Well, whatever. You were really unlucky.”

Roxana shrugged her shoulders and said casually.

However, if Catherine hadn’t been caught on the scene, all the truth would have sunk into the sea with Pecilini.

“If His Majesty interrogates you tomorrow, just say it was a mistake. Say that the night wind was so strong that your body swayed and you accidentally did so while trying to grab Pecilini. It would be even better if you shed tears.”

“Will His Majesty… believe me?”

“What choice do you have? If the concubine you pushed was Zelda, you would have died immediately, but she’s a concubine carrying the seed of a prince from another country.”

Roxana burst into laughter, but her eyes were cold.

“Besides, fortunately, he’s the one who almost harmed Zelda, and this case has no clear evidence, so he won’t impose a big punishment.”

“But Pecilini may want me punished…”

“What power does she have?”

Roxana cut off Yulina’s worries with a snort.

“At best, she’ll get an order to reduce the cost of maintaining the concubine’s dignity or to reflect on herself. Anyway, since we’re heading to the Partsha Empire as a congratulatory delegation, confinement will be all there is until we return to our home country.”

Roxana put her hand on Yulina’s shoulder and said as if comforting her.

“Is that really all?”

“The biggest punishment would be… deprivation of her concubine status. His Majesty won’t deprive you of your life.”

Yulina looked blankly at Roxana, who was speaking too easily.

“!”

“Yulina, if there’s any unbearable coercion that you can’t tell me about, then… this will make you comfortable.”

Roxana took out a small bottle the size of a little finger from her robe pocket.

“W-What is this?”

“It’s for emergency use. If you mix a small amount with water or alcohol, you’ll feel comfortable within a minute.”

“Are you telling me to take poison now?!”

“Don’t be surprised. I mean, use it if the situation is not favorable.”

“Your Majesty! Even if that happens, Your Majesty should stop it. I just did as I was told!”

“Shut up. If Nancy hadn’t overheard in the Master of the Magic Tower’s room that Pecilini’s baby wasn’t His Majesty’s child, you would have already died at my hands. You should know it’s a stroke of luck!”

“Your Majesty! How can you say such a thing…!”

“Why, does it just sound like a threat?”

Roxana asked with a smile on her lips, but her eyes flashed with murderous intent.

Yulina was speechless at the eerie expression.

Roxana lifted her chin with her index finger and warned in a calm tone.

“A woman who killed her own father… Do you think I can’t kill a lowly concubine who hasn’t even caught the Emperor’s eye?”

“!”

Yulina gasped.

“If you want to live, you’d better act properly. If you make any unnecessary noise, not only you but your family will be destroyed, so behave yourself. Do you understand?”

“…Yes, yes! Your Majesty!”

Yulina knelt down and bowed her head.

“You need to get some rest from tomorrow morning to act. Keep the emergency medicine deep inside so you don’t have to use it.”

Roxana left the room, leaving a cruel smile.

Yulina slowly raised her face at the sound of the door closing and turned her head towards the closet.

“Now… you can come out.”

Yulina said in a whisper, and the closet door opened carefully.

“You know for sure what you are to Roxana, right?”

“Yes, Mama… sob sob…”

Yulina’s tears fell to the floor.

The person who came out of the closet was Zelda.