The Stand-In Empress’S Wedding Night [EN]: Chapter 317

317. Protagonist of the Nightmare

“Your Majesty!”

Sharon entered the bedroom with a letter as I came out of the bathroom.

I was reinstated as Empress as soon as I returned from the Partsha Empire.

It has already been five months since I became the real Empress, not the proxy Empress.

But nothing has changed much from my previous life.

I still love Linelle, and we spend our nights longing for each other’s warmth.

These days, it takes a lot of effort to share our love because of the baby in my belly, who is increasingly making its presence known.

“What’s going on?”

“Moya and Moni dropped off a letter a little while ago.”

It was a letter from Melanie.

“Looks like those two went to Tanya Island this time?”

I tore open the envelope Melanie sent.

I was startled as I read the letter.

“What’s wrong, Your Majesty?”

Sharon asked with a curious voice, watching my expression.

“They’re moving to the Akrato Principality sometime next week in a hurry.”

“Why?”

“She said there was an earthquake last night while she was sleeping, and the floor of her bed split in half?”

It was news that Tanya Island was starting to sink faster than expected.

The fear of last night was evident in Melanie’s handwriting.

She also expressed concern that she would have to live a life of dressing up again if she moved to the Akrato Principality, which would be too stifling.

I don’t know why she always puts her lips on the edge of the letter like a stamp, but I folded the letter, grateful that Melanie didn’t sink into the sea last night.

I went out to the terrace and looked at the West Palace, where the concubines used to live.

Currently, the West Palace is empty except for Pessilini’s residence, who is about to give birth.

After being reinstated as Empress, Linelle dismissed the three concubines from the Akrato Principality all at once about ten days later.

All three concubines have returned to the Akrato Principality, and they will meet Melanie again in some way, who is now the new owner of the Akrato Principality, right?

Then, we will meet not as concubine vs. concubine, but as queen vs. former concubine.

The Akrato Principality was recently promoted to a kingdom.

Even before that, Melanie held a wedding with Hector on Tanya Island and is now a full-fledged queen.

“Time flies so fast.”

When I returned to the Lapheon Empire, I was worried that the absence of the concubines would be too noticeable, but that was an unnecessary worry.

There were beings who filled the concubines’ empty seats to the brim, and those were the wyverns.

Wyverns, who had habitats in the Valley of Death, freely flew around the Imperial Palace of the Lapheon Empire, except for Moya and Moni.

The courtiers and officials, who were initially scared and cautious, gradually adapted after a month.

Even if wyverns flew over their heads, no one was surprised or fainted anymore.

The number of nobles visiting the palace to see the wyverns on purpose has increased significantly.

Under these circumstances, there was no time to feel that the palace was empty.

Interestingly, Rosie and Catherine also became pregnant five months ago, and now all the existing concubines of the Lapheon Empire, including me, have bulging bellies.

Everyone’s hands and feet are swollen, and they say they are out of breath or even have leg cramps, but I have never had such symptoms.

Rather, if I stay still in the room, the baby in my belly kicks, so I have to go for a walk and move diligently.

“Ah, Sharon. Isn’t today the day I have lunch with Pessilini?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Catherine, who married Count Ethan and left the palace, sometimes comes to visit, but these days, I meet Pessilini most often.

We visit each other’s palaces twice a week for meals, and today was the day Pessilini was coming to the Empress’s Palace.

I looked at the West Palace in the distance and lowered my head.

“Ouch. Why are you causing such a ruckus?”

The baby in my belly was more active than usual today.

“Okay, let’s go for a walk for a while.”

I said, putting my hands on my belly.

“Sharon, Pessilini will be here soon, so wait and guide her yourself. I need to walk for a bit.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Don’t go too far. I think it would be better to just take a walk in the back garden.”

Sharon said, checking the time for her lunch appointment with Pessilini, which was not far away.

“Okay, I will.”

***

“Did you call me, Your Majesty?”

Bellos visited Linelle’s office at his call.

“Sit down.”

He nodded and took a seat.

“I was just about to request an audience to tell you something.”

“Really? What’s up with you?”

“Now that Your Majesty has been reinstated and the Imperial Family has stabilized, I am thinking of returning to the Magic Tower.”

“Suddenly?”

“It’s not sudden. It’s already been five months since I returned from the Partsha Empire.”

There was nothing special to do even if he returned to the Magic Tower, but it was the same in this Lapheon Imperial Palace.

“Why don’t you go back after the Empress gives birth?”

“There’s no reason to stay any longer.”

“Aren’t you the Empress’s friend and doctor?”

Linelle’s voice grew stronger.

“Her Majesty and the unborn child are very healthy. And when it comes to childbirth, the court physician specializing in childbirth who resides in the Empress’s Palace will take better care of her than I will.”

“Still, I want you to stay in the palace at least until the Empress gives birth.”

Bellos stared at Linelle’s face without saying a word.

It was less than three months before Zelda’s due date.

Bellos looked at Linelle’s dark complexion and thought.

‘Are you worried because the due date is approaching?’

But Zelda was maintaining a much healthier and better condition than women who were not pregnant.

“Your Majesty, is there anything you are worried about?”

Bellos asked cautiously.

Linelle was reluctant to speak, but slowly opened his mouth.

“Do you happen to know why I keep having bad dreams?”

“……Yes? Are you talking about nightmares?”

“Yes. It’s the same dream every time.”

Linelle threw out that one word and closed his mouth.

He was suddenly afraid that it would become reality if he spoke.

But he couldn’t ignore it.

These days, nightmares were becoming more frequent and vivid.

But when he tried to talk to Bellos, he couldn’t easily open his mouth.

He picked up the water cup in front of the table and emptied it in one gulp.

Bellos spoke as he watched him wipe his lips with the back of his hand.

“What kind of nightmare is it?”

“The nightmare always starts with the sound of busy footsteps. I’m standing outside the door, and I hear a woman’s short scream and a baby’s cry.”

“Then…… what happens after that?”

“I open the door and go into the room. And in the next scene, a woman’s hand falls weakly out of the bed. The last scene always ends with the baby’s cry, and I wake up.”

“Whose hand is falling out of the bed?”

“I don’t know. I’ve had the same nightmare more than ten times, but the woman’s face has never appeared.”

Bellos seemed to know what he was worried about.

He also knew why he was trying to keep him here.

“You keep having dreams of a woman giving birth. Your Majesty, the Empress is very healthy.”

Bellos said, deliberately laughing lightly.

“Yes. I know that too.”

Unlike his answer, Linelle still looked uneasy.

He didn’t know the face of the woman in the dream, but it was clear that it was a disturbing dream if his wife was pregnant.

“The place in the dream is the same every time.”

There was anxiety in Linelle’s voice.

“Where is it?”

“The Empress’s bedroom.”

“……Ah.”

This time, Bellos’s expression was not good either.

“Stay here until the Empress gives birth. I’m asking you.”

Bellos couldn’t refuse his offer.

Not only the content of the dream, but also the fact that the location was the Empress’s Palace stuck in his mind.

“I will, Your Majesty.”

Bellos readily accepted his offer and stood up.

Come to think of it, during the examination yesterday, he remembered Zelda saying that the baby’s kicks in her belly had been particularly severe lately.

‘I should go for a checkup every day starting tomorrow.’

***

Pessilini smiled incessantly in the carriage heading to the Empress’s Palace and stroked her belly with both hands.

“Baby, we’ll meet soon.”

Pessilini felt that the baby would come out a little earlier than the expected due date.

These days, her belly often felt tight and her body felt heavy, so it was certain that childbirth was imminent.

Life in the Lapheon Imperial Palace after returning from the Partsha Empire was peaceful to the point of being boring.

It was impossible to return to the Shattonil Kingdom again because she had been traveling for a long time.

She could have gone to the Royal Palace, but Zelda and Linelle strongly dissuaded Pessilini.

At the end of the two people’s persuasion, she shamelessly decided to give birth to the baby in the Lapheon Empire.

She plans to head to the Shattonil Kingdom after recovering to some extent after giving birth.

She will live a simple and quiet life there.

Pessilini had nothing more to wish for as long as the baby was healthy.

Her body was tired, but her mind was more at ease than ever.

Pessilini’s only joy these days was meeting Zelda twice a week and having a meal together.

Zelda’s belly was quite full, but strangely, unlike her slow steps, she always walked lightly and roamed around the Imperial Palace.

Whenever Pessilini saw Zelda like that, she thought that she was indeed an extraordinary person.

The carriage carefully stopped in front of the Empress’s Palace.

When she arrived at the Empress’s Palace, she arrived 30 minutes earlier than the promised lunch time.

“Madam, Her Majesty is taking a walk. It’s almost time for her to return, but shall I take you to the reception room with a comfortable sofa?”

Sharon, who was waiting in the lobby of the Empress’s Palace, greeted Pessilini.

“No, I can just wait in the dining room. Thank you for your concern, Sharon.”

Pessilini said kindly.

“Yes, then I will take you to the dining room right away.”

Sharon bowed lightly and led her to the dining room.

“Ah.”

“Madam? What’s wrong?”

Sharon, who was walking ahead, turned around at the voice of Pessilini’s maid.

“Are you uncomfortable anywhere?”

“My belly feels a little tight because it’s almost time for delivery. It’ll get better soon.”

Pessilini said as if it was nothing, but cold sweat was forming on her forehead.

“Ah……!”

Pessilini, who was about to take another step, lowered her gaze to the floor.

“Madam, are you okay?”

Pessilini’s maid next to her put her arm around her shoulder.

“I think my water broke……”

Pessilini said in a trembling voice.

“I’ll call the court physician right away!”

Sharon quickly ran to the lobby.

She grabbed a passing maid and told her to bring the court physician staying at the Empress’s Palace.

“Hurry to the main palace and bring the Master of the Magic Tower [Bellos]! Quickly!”

Then, she hurriedly ran to the guard standing at the entrance of the Empress’s Palace and shouted.

The moment Sharon turned her body back towards the dining room, Zelda stopped her at the entrance of the lobby.

“Sharon?”

Zelda was on her way back from a walk nearby when she saw the Empress’s Palace guard running to the main palace on horseback and hurried back.

“Your Majesty!”

“What’s wrong?”

“It seems that Madam Pessilini’s water broke.”

“What? Where is she now?”

“She’s in the hallway leading to the dining room.”

Before Sharon could finish speaking, Zelda headed to the dining room.

“Your Majesty, be careful!”

Sharon followed Zelda, who was almost running, and tried to stop her, but it was no use.

Zelda also had to be careful as she was getting closer to giving birth.

But when she saw Pessilini sitting on the floor in front of the dining room door, her pace quickened.

“Pessilini! Did your water break?!”

At Zelda’s voice, Pessilini, who was leaning her head on her maid’s shoulder and groaning, raised her head.

“Your Majesty…… I’m sorry…… Please take me to the carriage…… I have to go back to my residence. I think the baby will be out soon. Hmmm!”

“What are you talking about! Where are you going in this state? Give birth here.”

“Yes?! I can’t do that! How can I be such a burden…… Labor has just started, so I’ll just go back to my residence.”

Pessilini tried to stand up, relying on her maid, but her body wouldn’t move properly.

It felt like her legs were crushed by a large rock.

Her breathing was much rougher than before.

“Don’t talk, you’ll lose energy. Lord Bolton, we need to move Pessilini.”

Zelda said sternly to Pessilini, then turned to her escort knight and said.

“Yes, Your Majesty. Where shall I take her?”

The escort knight carefully picked up Pessilini and asked.

Zelda gave instructions without the slightest hesitation.

“To my bedroom. Hurry.”

Not only the escort knight, but also Pessilini was startled by her words.

“H, how dare I in Her Majesty’s bedroom…… That’s impossible!”

A concubine giving birth in the Empress’s Palace?

Even in the Empress’s bedroom?

Besides, the baby in her belly was not of the Emperor’s blood.

Zelda’s order was a bigger shock to Pessilini than the ruthless labor that had begun.

Her vision was getting blurry, but Zelda’s face was clearly visible.

The Empress was sincerely worried about her.

Zelda once again ordered her escort knight to move Pessilini to the bedroom, and then gave instructions to Sharon.

“Sharon, as soon as the court physician arrives, prepare everything you need for childbirth with the maids so that they can help with the delivery.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Sharon passed the escort knight who was holding Pessilini and ran up to the bedroom floor first.

Fortunately, experienced maids who would help Zelda with her childbirth had been staying at the Empress’s Palace since last month, and everything needed for childbirth was prepared.

After Pessilini and Sharon went up to the bedroom floor first, Zelda also headed to the central staircase.

As she was about to climb the stairs, she felt pain in her belly.

“Yes. You were surprised too, weren’t you? It’s okay. It’ll be okay.”

Zelda stopped for a moment and stroked her belly, soothing the baby in her belly.

But the pain that felt like squeezing her belly did not go away.

“That’s strange. I’ve never had this before…… Ah!”

Zelda reached out and grabbed the handrail of the stairs and bent over.

***

“Your Majesty! The Master of the Magic Tower [Bellos] has urgently gone to the Empress’s Palace!”

Raphael burst into the office without knocking.

“What?”

Linelle dropped the quill he was using to sign the documents on the desk.

“It seems that a guard from the Empress’s Palace took him.”

“What for!”

A sense of foreboding struck him.

“I don’t know the details. I have a horse waiting outside.”

“Damn it!”

Linelle cursed and ran straight out of the office.

If they urgently needed Bellos at the Empress’s Palace, something must have happened to Zelda.

He didn’t remember how he got down the stairs. He didn’t remember getting on the horse, or how fast he rode the horse to get to the Empress’s Palace.

When he came to his senses, he was on the Empress’s bedroom floor.

He was out of breath.

He walked down the hallway to the bedroom, breathing heavily.

The hallway, where only Linelle’s footsteps used to echo, was filled with the sound of several maids’ footsteps mixed together.

He saw maids going in and out of the Empress’s bedroom door.

“Aaaah-!!”

At that moment, a short scream leaked out of the bedroom door.

And then the sound of a baby crying…….

With a strange sense of déjà vu, Linelle stopped in front of the bedroom door.

“Your Majesty!”

Sharon’s voice calling for Zelda was heard from inside the bedroom.

“Come to your senses!”

And even Bellos’s urgent voice.

The nightmare that had been tormenting him was unfolding in reality as well.

His heart sank.

Linelle burst open the bedroom door and ran inside.