The Stand-In Empress’S Wedding Night [EN]: Chapter 312

312. Rosie Becomes Empress

December 30, 2023

I gave up that famous dessert to secure this, but now…

What?

Please accept me as a concubine?

I was overcome with regret.

I should have given up these things instead of the dessert…!

“Your Grace, you should have listened to me,” Catherine quietly told me.

“There was no need to save those young ladies.”

Yes, I should have.

This is a first. It’s the first time I’ve felt Catherine was wise.

“Oh my, my, my. Why would those who were going to be concubines of the Patsha Empire change their minds?” Melanie, with a much more relaxed expression, repeated the young ladies’ words to Rosie, who was next to her.

They thought the young ladies were flirting with Hector and rushed in with the momentum to crash them, but when they realized the target was Linelle, they suddenly became spectators and began to watch the situation with interest.

I decided not to approach any further for now.

The concubines stopped in step with my pace.

“Did I hear wrong just now?” Linelle’s voice sounded flustered.

“We want to become concubines of the Rafion Empire.” As Esther Yang spoke with her hands gathered as if in prayer, Savannah Yang added.

“Actually, the reason we want to become His Majesty’s concubines is…”

Just as they were about to explain why they wanted to become Linelle’s concubines, suddenly, there was a sound of a sword blade sliding against its scabbard.

“Heup!”

The young ladies were all surprised and took a step back.

As the gap between them widened, Linelle and Hector could be seen between them.

It was Hector who had drawn his sword.

Then, Melanie’s mutter was heard.

“I told him to draw his sword if someone was hitting on him, but why is he drawing his sword and acting up in His Majesty’s business? Unnecessarily.”

Slightly sulky, I glared at Melanie, and she smiled sheepishly and corrected herself.

“Oh, my, he must be taking sides because it’s his in-law’s business.”

“……”

Good grief.

“Look here. Even if the ladies are flirting with me, it’s not polite for you to draw your sword on them out of the blue,” Linelle said to Hector in a gentle tone.

“That’s right, why are you drawing your sword?” Savannah Yang retorted sharply to Hector.

“Are you threatening us with your sword?” Glen Yang also snapped.

“……Pencil,” Hector replied quietly.

What does he mean, pencil?

“Pardon?” The young ladies asked in unison.

“I was going to sharpen a pencil.” Hector had a real pencil in his other hand.

“What’s with the pencil, so out of character?” The young ladies snickered among themselves.

Meanwhile, Linelle found me and the concubines and waved his hand.

The young ladies also turned around, following his gaze, and bowed.

They were all embarrassed to see me and blushed, but strangely, they didn’t seem sorry at all.

How brazen.

While I was glaring at the young ladies, Linelle continued talking about the pencil.

“Ah, pencils are very necessary for writing a heart-wrenching novel now…”

“Your Majesty!” At Hector’s shout,

“Oops. It’s a secret. Sorry,” Linelle quickly apologized and shut his mouth.

“Hector must have started writing again?” I asked Melanie slyly, feeling happy, and she smiled.

“Yes, he said he would start writing today. He must have been writing under a tree.”

“Oh, really?” Then why is Linelle there?

Was he sticking right next to him and peeking at Hector’s novel?

Anyway, Hector quickly began to sharpen the pencil with his sword, as if to prove that he had no intention of threatening them when he drew his sword.

“Wow,” I exclaimed without realizing it.

“He’s not a novice at sharpening pencils.” Rosie couldn’t take her eyes off him either.

“He’s more delicate than he looks,” Melanie said with a proud face.

“Actually, the reason we want to become concubines of the Rafion Empire is…” Esther Yang took a breath and continued.

“Ah, I don’t think I need to hear the reason,” Linelle cut her off.

At his reaction, Glen Yang scratched her head and asked him back.

“How does Your Majesty know the reason…?”

“How could I not know?” Linelle replied with a smile, but soon changed to a serious voice. “I understand your feelings well enough. But betting your lives on appearances is very foolish and reckless.”

“……Pardon?” The young ladies asked simultaneously.

“I am not as perfect as I seem. Besides, I am very narrow-minded when it comes to love.”

“Your Majesty, I am sorry, but I think there is a misunderstanding,” Savannah Yang cautiously raised a hand and blurted out.

“Is there anything to misunderstand about this face?” He asked firmly.

But the young ladies were just as firm.

“That’s not the kind of misunderstanding we’re talking about!”

“Excuse me, Your Majesty, we don’t want to become concubines of the Rafion Empire because of Your Majesty’s perfect appearance.”

“Yes! We want to become concubines of the Rafion Empire because of Zelda, Your Grace!” Savannah Yang glanced at me and said shyly.

“……Because of my wife?” Linelle asked with a puzzled expression.

I also couldn’t understand it at all.

How should I take those words?

Does it mean I’m easy?

Even after seeing me handle fire in the imperial palace?

Or do they think their appearance is superior to mine?

Well, that’s subjective, but either way, I feel terrible.

“Whatever the reason, I have no intention of taking in any more concubines,” Linelle refused firmly.

“Oh, really?” Esther Yang asked in a dejected voice.

After a few seconds, his serious voice settled.

“I’m even sending away the concubines I have, so there’s no way I’d take in another concubine.”

“I think you’ve come to this conclusion by comparing me to Prince Norton, but if you become my concubine, you’ll definitely be much lonelier.”

“Your Majesty, please reconsider?”

Hey, he said no!

That one word welled up from the pit of my stomach.

“You know my wife is not an ordinary person, right?” Linelle sighed deeply and asked the young ladies.

“I’m not trying to scare you, but my wife is a woman who can easily steam you ladies if she sets her mind to it.” He mimicked throwing a flame with his fingertips, saying it with a face that would scare anyone.

“We also know how great Zelda, Your Grace, is. That’s why we want to become concubines of the Rafion Empire!” The young ladies looked back and forth between me and Linelle and made strange noises.

“Yes! Zelda, Your Grace, saved us with that fire.”

“If we have to be concubines anyway, we want to be loyal to Zelda, Your Grace.”

“And Your Majesty sends most of the concubines off to marry, right?”

“Then wouldn’t you also send us off to marry if we have fun with Zelda, Your Grace, and are lucky enough to meet a man we like?”

“……What?” He, who had been listening to the young ladies’ words, burst out laughing and frowned slightly.

Then Glen Yang waved her hand again and changed her words.

“Ah, no. We don’t even want to get married like the current concubines.”

“Yes, we just want to serve Your Grace, the Wyvern Lord, up close.”

I was speechless at the words they poured out without stopping.

The concubines were just as embarrassed.

“If you really respect me, I wish you wouldn’t do this?” I had no choice but to step in.

When I spoke with strength in my eyes, the young ladies looked at me with faces as if they had been dumped.

“But still, Zelda, Your Grace……”

“I really hate saying things twice.”

“But we have already pledged our loyalty to Zelda, Your Grace, who is our savior!”

“Yes. Please understand our sincerity……”

“Please accept our hearts!”

“You can also know sincerity through letters. And I will only accept hearts with valuable gifts,” I clearly stated my opinion.

The expressions were so pitiful that I almost softened.

That night, Linelle never believed that the young ladies wanted to become his concubines because of me.

He thought they changed their words because he had rejected them so sharply, which hurt their pride.

***

A few days passed after appeasing the three young ladies who said they would become concubines of the Rafion Empire because of me.

After that incident was settled, I spent a peaceful life in the imperial palace.

Today is finally the day the new emperor of the Patsha Empire is born.

It is also the day he welcomes his empress.

The coronation and wedding will both be held in the grand chapel of the imperial palace.

The wedding ceremony was to begin immediately after the emperor’s coronation ceremony.

I and the concubines gave up attending the coronation ceremony and went to Rosie’s bridal waiting room to stay by her side.

Rosie was shaking so badly that she looked like she was about to faint.

“Am I…… shaking a lot?” Rosie asked with a stiff face, only raising the corners of her mouth.

“Yeah, I thought there was an earthquake,” I replied, lowering Rosie’s shoulders, which were raised high.

“Anyone would think she’s being dragged to the guillotine, not a wedding,” Melanie also said teasingly.

“Still, it’s a relief that there’s a wedding dress that fits.”

“I heard that the designer and several tailors introduced by Princess Jasper spent several nights altering it?” Catherine and Pesilini asked, touching the hem of Rosie’s dress.

“Yes, and I think those three young ladies also had a say. The designer mentioned them. And they treated me very well. It’s all thanks to Zelda, Your Grace.” Rosie’s eyes were getting moist.

“Ah, Rosie. Don’t cry. Never cry!” I made an X with both hands and urged her.

“That’s right, you have makeup on 1cm thick, and if you cry, two ditches will form under your eyes,” Melanie also waved her hands wildly, and Rosie burst out laughing.

“Puhahahaha!”

“Good. That’s better than crying.” Still, just in case, I held a handkerchief under Rosie’s eyes.

Knock knock-.

At that time, the bridal waiting room door opened and servants came in.

“Your Majesty the Empress, you must prepare to enter now.” The servants already referred to Rosie as Empress.

Yes. Rosie has now become Empress.

It feels strange.

The other concubines also had expressions that showed mixed feelings like me.

“Your Majesty the Empress, we will now return to the chapel.” I deliberately spoke politely, and Melanie, Catherine, and Pesilini also bent their legs slightly and greeted her together.

“Just call me comfortably. It’s too awkward……” Rosie was just shy, as if she still couldn’t believe it.

“Then I’ll call you comfortably only when we’re alone until today, and from tomorrow, I’ll properly use honorifics.” At my words, Rosie smiled brightly and nodded.

“Don’t fall and walk well. Okay?” With Melanie’s reminder, I and the concubines left the bridal waiting room.

We hurried back to the designated seats for the congratulatory delegation in the chapel and took our seats.

Prince Norton, who had finished the coronation ceremony, was now preparing to greet Rosie in front of the platform as Emperor.

“It’s touching to see the two of them,” Linelle whispered, holding my hand tightly next to me.

As the organ music began, everyone’s eyes turned to the chapel door.

“When Rosie comes through that door, she will become the Empress of the Patsha Empire.” Tears welled up in my eyes with emotion.

The memories and friendship I had with Rosie came to mind one by one.

Finally, the two large chapel doors slowly opened.

I waited for Rosie’s entrance with a reverent heart.

But.

“Oh my, my goodness!”

“This is something that will go down in history!”

There was a buzz from the door.

People’s attention was focused on the flower girls who were entering a few steps ahead of Rosie, who would soon become the Empress of the Patsha Empire.

Good heavens, what is that again?

The identities of the flower girls were Moiya and Moni.

“……Your Majesty, who on earth told them to be flower girls?” I was so dumbfounded that I could barely speak.

“Are they the kind of kids who would do it if you told them to? Keuheup…….”

Then, are they doing it voluntarily?

Linelle couldn’t answer properly because he was laughing as he watched the baby wyverns [small, dragon-like creatures] who became the first flower girls on the continent.

Looking at Rosie’s flustered expression as she walked in anxiously, it seems like Rosie didn’t know either?

I quickly examined Emperor Norton’s expression.

He didn’t seem to know either.

The flower girls, who even the wedding participants didn’t know about, were slowly flying towards the platform where Emperor Norton was standing.

Now that I see it, Moiya is wearing a bow tie around his neck, and Moni is wearing a wreath on her head.

They are dressed in a manner that is somewhat formal as flower girls, but neither of them is wearing clothes.

Is it similar to a person wearing only socks and no pants?

“Oong? No one’s clapping, everyone’s just looking at us, Moiya~?” Moiya sang a song, putting flower petals into the mouths of the people who were staring at them with their mouths wide open.

“We’re so cool that they’re widening their eyes, Moni~?” Moni also enjoyed throwing flower petals at the faces of the surprised people.