The Stand-In Empress’S Wedding Night [EN]: Chapter 315

Returning to the VIP room, Linelle was sitting against the headboard, reading a book.

His hair wasn’t quite dry yet, so it seemed he had just come out of the bathroom.

Seeing him exuding such a pure aura made my body heat up.

I sometimes suspect that my body deliberately generates heat because it wants to be intimate with him.

“Did you give good first-night advice?”

“Well, I wonder? I’ll have to ask tomorrow if my advice was helpful.”

“What kind of advice did you give?”

“I’ll tell you after I wash up.”

When I answered with a meaningful smile, he asked with an intrigued expression.

“Instead of words, it might be easier to understand if you show me with actions.”

“You might be surprised.”

“Is it that surprising? I’ll be looking forward to it.”

I could see curiosity filling his eyes.

After finishing my bath and walking to the bed, he looked up from his book and smiled.

Seeing that smile, it felt like my tired body was waking up again.

He opened his arms towards me.

I didn’t intend to run, but I unknowingly threw myself onto the bed.

“Careful.”

With his shout, there was a thudding sound.

He had been sitting with his back against the headboard, but as he hugged me, he bumped the back of his head.

Just now, I think I heard the sound of a walnut cracking…….

“……Are you okay?”

I safely buried my face in his chest, but the back of his head didn’t seem to be so safe.

“Ah, my head. Who are you again?”

“Your Majesty’s concubine.”

“I don’t think I have any concubines? I only have one wife.”

“That wife is a concubine. The second concubine, in fact.”

“I don’t think so?”

“Then?”

I was secretly hoping he would say that I wasn’t a concubine but an empress.

“My wife is the Empress.”

Indeed, he knows my heart so well…….

“The proxy Empress.”

……He doesn’t know.

This man always reminds me that I was the ‘proxy Empress’ just when I’m about to forget.

Linelle had covered up the fact that I was a proxy Empress, but it seems he can’t resist teasing me about it.

He laughs as I lower my tail and fall silent.

Linelle’s laughter makes my sulky expression falter.

“As soon as we get back, I’m going to reinstate you as Empress.”

He lowered his head, gently held my lips, and then spoke again.

“From the beginning, you were the only Empress for me, and you always will be.”

I could feel a deep possessiveness in his voice as he spoke as if declaring it.

I raised my hand and stroked his sharp jawline.

His eyes then sought my lips again.

It was hard to find a moment to breathe.

Linelle’s touch and breath began to embrace me according to an uncontrollable desire.

“You said you were curious about what advice I gave Rosie?”

I whispered to him between our briefly parted lips.

“I did.”

The corners of his mouth curved gracefully as he breathed roughly.

I untied the string of the gown I was wearing.

Linelle’s face froze.

“What does this mean?”

“No pajamas are needed on the first night of the honeymoon. Something like that?”

His eyes, drawn to me like a magnet, seemed busy.

“How is it?”

“Always excellent…….”

It’s not like I sprinkled gold dust on my body, but every time he looks at me, he always takes a breath and becomes so serious.

“I mean my advice.”

Besides what you’re seeing now.

When I asked as I fastened my gown again, his opening lips also closed.

Our gazes intertwined.

“More conversation is impossible. You know?”

Linelle reached for the bedside table with the lamp.

As darkness fell, my gown also fell to the floor.

My pulse was quickening, but the heat in my body was stabilizing.

Conversely, his cold body was warming up.

“Ah, too…….”

He started to say something but stopped.

My eyes, accustomed to the darkness, looked at his wet eyes.

Linelle looked down at me and continued.

“I love you so much.”

I thought my soul might be sucked into those words. So I quickly blurted out the same words.

“I love you too.”

I endured the swaying vision and stared straight into his blue eyes.

Even though he had just whispered the same words, he had a face full of emotion, as if he had never heard the words ‘I love you’ before in his life.

His deep breaths and persistent desire kept pulling at my lips.

***

The next day, after lunch, I headed to the main palace with the concubines.

We were guided to the reception room by the servants.

Several kinds of cakes, fruits, and cookies were already set up in the reception room.

“You must have put a lot of thought into this being the first tea time since you became Empress,” Melanie muttered, scanning the bite-sized, pretty cakes with wide eyes.

“I bet she had a good first night too, right?”

More than anything, that was what I was most curious about.

Everyone nodded in agreement with my words, and then our Empress entered the reception room.

Ah, Rosie…….

I had seen Rosie wearing the crown at yesterday’s wedding and reception, but in just one day, she had completed her transformation into a more magnificent Empress.

It wasn’t just my thought.

Everyone looked at Rosie with moved expressions.

“We greet the Empress of the Partsha Empire.”

When I greeted her, the other concubines followed me and repeated the greeting.

“Please, everyone, sit down.”

Rosie smiled brightly as she offered us seats.

“Did you sleep well last night, Your Majesty?”

I asked casually.

“Thanks to you,” Rosie replied to me with a very satisfied face.

Then the concubines tilted their bodies forward toward Rosie with curious eyes.

“Wasn’t Emperor Norton surprised?”

“He was surprised, but he said it was a gift he wanted,” Rosie said quickly, before my question was even finished, as if she wanted to brag about Emperor Norton’s reaction, even though she was embarrassed.

Rather, it was me and the concubines whose faces turned red.

We pushed each other and enjoyed the moment.

While eating sweet desserts, the story of last night, which must have been even sweeter, continued.

Rosie controlled the level of detail herself, stopping in the middle of her sentences and looking like she was carefully choosing the right words. Then, she would remember something and repeatedly smile to herself.

“By the way, what are you going to do about the concubine issue?”

At Catherine’s question, Rosie’s cheekbones returned to their place.

“I heard the ceremony is scheduled to take place in a few months.”

“Don’t worry too much. It’s common to bring in domestic women as concubines to stabilize the imperial family, especially when marrying a woman from another country as Empress.”

“Yes, that’s right. I want to get along well with those three young ladies who are being considered as concubines.”

“If they do anything that is against etiquette, please let me know right away. I’ll send the wyverns [dragon-like creatures] to give them some tough love.”

“Just hearing that makes me feel secure. I heard you’re leaving for the Lapion Empire tomorrow. I wish you could stay a few more days…….”

Rosie’s face, which had been happy all along, became gloomy.

I was prepared for it, but the thought of parting with Rosie already made one corner of my heart ache.

I wanted to stay here a little longer with her, just like Rosie said.

However, due to the sudden death of Emperor Kalvin, the schedule had been extended by almost a week longer than planned.

Unfortunately, I had to leave the Partsha Empire tomorrow.

***

At the same time Zelda was having tea time in the main palace’s reception room.

In the office, Norton, Linelle, and some other key congratulatory envoys were chatting together and checking the departure schedule for tomorrow.

“I mentioned it briefly at the meeting a few days ago, but I would like to say it again before leaving.”

Empress Elan took a sip of warm mint tea, put down her teacup, and began to speak.

“By the end of this month, the Lapion Empire, the Partsha Empire, and the Deloy Empire will each send their foreign ministers to our Tevelo Empire, but if there are any changes, please let me know through a letter.”

Everyone nodded and agreed with Empress Elan’s request.

This was to inform some of the ministers and people of the Tevelo Empire of the truth regarding Emperor Adrian’s death and to resolve the situation.

It was not difficult to reveal the fact that the real Emperor Adrian had already lost his life during the continental war three years ago, and that the wizard Phillique had been pretending to be Emperor Adrian through black magic ever since.

On the ship heading to the Partsha Empire, the knights of the Tevelo Empire knew his true identity before Emperor Adrian died, so there were plenty of witnesses.

In addition, the testimony of Bellos, who was Phillique’s teacher, added to the credibility.

Moreover, the personality and actions of Emperor Adrian, which had changed greatly since the Battle of Death Valley at that time, had been considered very strange among the ministers of the Tevelo Empire.

In fact, the bigger problem was that the Tevelo Empire currently had no successor to inherit the throne.

Currently, Empress Elan has all the authority over the Tevelo Empire.

She requested surveillance and protection from various countries until Emperor Adrian’s affairs were resolved and the imperial family was stabilized, and until a suitable emperor of the Tevelo Empire was found and enthroned.

“I have a request.”

“Please speak comfortably, Empress Elan.”

Emperor Norton of the Partsha Empire, which is in the same southern continent and borders the country, asked in a friendly tone.

“I need someone to assist me by my side right away.”

After returning to the Tevelo Empire, Empress Elan needed someone she could trust and rely on, as well as her own safety.

Everyone had an expression that her opinion made sense.

“Do you have anyone in mind?”

Linelle asked.

He kept looking at me, so I thought it must be one of the people from the Lapion Empire.

Linelle had a sense of who Empress Elan had in mind.

Because Empress Elan’s eyes were constantly directed at one person.

But the person in question didn’t seem to know at all.

“Commander Markrom.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Commander Markrom answered Linelle’s call.

At this, Empress Elan’s eyes widened slightly and then lowered.

“It seems that Empress Elan has someone like you in mind?”

At Linelle’s teasing tone, Commander Markrom stared at Empress Elan.

“That’s right. Your Majesty, could you send Commander Markrom to me for the time being?”

Empress Elan felt Commander Markrom’s gaze and asked Linelle.

“I can send you for life.”

Linelle laughed heartily and replied.

“Not that far…….”

As Empress Elan was embarrassed, he continued to speak.

“Markrom, tomorrow you will go to the Tevelo Empire with Empress Elan.”

“Right away…… Are you talking about?”

“Yes. Go and let them know that you are not a great talent.”

Linelle covered his mouth with one hand as if whispering a secret to Commander Markrom.

Laughter leaked out from here and there.

Commander Markrom did not see Empress Elan’s face, which had turned red as she was furious at Emperor Linelle’s joke.

***

After finishing tea time in the reception room and going down the main palace stairs, Melanie grabbed my arm, saying she had something to say for a moment.

“On the way back to the Lapion Empire, can we stop by somewhere for a while? It’s very close to the Partsha Empire.”

“Where are you talking about?”

“In a few years, the island will sink under the sea. Soon, all the people there are planning to move to the Aclato Duchy!”

Melanie said imploringly, even stamping her feet.

“……What?”

“If not this time, we won’t have a chance to go to Tanya Island.”

Are you saying we should stop by Hector’s country?

A den of pirates…… So, an island of barbarians?!