The Stand-In Empress’S Wedding Night [EN]: Chapter 41

41. A Sin in the Emperor’s Eyes

“Grand Duke, I don’t quite understand. Why would the Prince plant another spy?”

“Isn’t it obvious? He either distrusts me or has begun to suspect me.”

“Was there a specific trigger for this?”

“Well… the conclusion is that Prince Tesler is a more cunning wildcat than I thought.”

Grand Duke Martins frowned deeply, recalling Prince Tesler’s characteristic sly smile.

“Who on earth is the spy relaying information to the Shatou Neil royal family?”

“It’s not so much who he is, but what the Prince intends to entrust him with that matters more.”

“Pardon? What do you mean by that?”

“I mean, the Prince might order the spy to poison someone if the situation calls for it, or even authorize bringing in assassins if necessary.”

“Who are they trying to harm? Surely not Her Majesty the Empress?”

Lord Rolf stepped closer to Grand Duke Martins with a shocked expression.

“They always kill disobedient hunting dogs before the hunt is over.”

“But what crime has Her Majesty committed? She only became the surrogate Empress under Prince Tesler’s orders!”

Lord Rolf vented his frustration with Prince Tesler as if he were Zelda’s guardian knight.

“Crime? She has one.”

“What crime?”

“A sin in the eyes of Emperor Linell.”

Grand Duke Martins said bitterly, recalling Zelda’s bright pink eyes.

“Well, yes, but… Haa, so what are you planning to do, Grand Duke? Will you just stand by and watch?”

“I need to reshuffle the board.”

The Grand Duke patted Lord Rolf’s shoulder and continued.

“Since Prince Tesler seems to distrust me, I’ll give him reason to.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well? I’ll have to think about the method.”

“Yes, whatever decision you make, Grand Duke, I will follow your will.”

Lord Rolf thumped his right fist against his heart, pledging his loyalty.

“Thank you. A dream of conquering one country seems more realistic than the Prince’s dream of conquering the entire Northern Continent, don’t you think?”

“That, that means…!”

As the Grand Duke asked in a serious voice, Lord Rolf realized his intention and gasped. Grand Duke Martins was Prince Tesler’s cousin. If Prince Tesler were to be deposed or die without an heir, Grand Duke Martins, as a member of the royal family, would also be qualified to inherit the throne.

“Looks like there’s one more thing to take.”

The Grand Duke simultaneously envisioned Zelda and the panorama of the Shatou Neil royal palace.

***

Before returning to the Empress Palace, I took a shower in the bathroom attached to my bedroom in the main palace. In the meantime, Sharon came into the bedroom, holding a three-tiered tray.

“What’s that?”

“The Head Court Lady brought it personally.”

“Stian did?”

“Yes, she said it was His Majesty’s order… and she also had a message to deliver.”

“What is it?”

I asked, admiring the food on the three-tiered tray. It was too much for one person to eat.

“She said that if you don’t eat breakfast, you won’t be allowed to return to the Empress Palace.”

Sharon imitated Linell’s voice and placed the tray on the table.

“Your threats are getting better and better.”

It was a lovely threat. Sharon smiled brightly at my words, clearly amused. I don’t have much of an appetite this morning, what should I do? But to return to the Empress Palace, I had to empty the plates he sent.

“Sharon, is the Head Court Lady still outside?”

“Yes, she’s standing there with both feet firmly planted on the ground, waiting. It seems she’s waiting to check the tray and see if Her Majesty the Empress has finished breakfast.”

“His Majesty’s orders, I presume.”

“Hehe, I think so too.”

“Are Sollie and Theresa also outside?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Tell them to come in.”

Sharon, slightly puzzled by my order, immediately went out of the bedroom and brought Sollie and Theresa in.

“Did you call for us, Your Majesty?”

“Is there anything you need us to do?”

Sollie and Theresa asked with slightly nervous expressions.

“Yes, everyone come over here.”

I called the three maids to the table where breakfast was set. They exchanged glances, looking puzzled, and slowly approached me.

“Have we done something wrong…?”

Sharon cautiously asked as their representative.

“No, what could you possibly do wrong to me? I called you because I need your help.”

“What is it? Just tell us.”

“Yes, we’ll even jump into a fire for you!”

“I’ll go with you too!”

They spoke enthusiastically, like knights about to go into battle.

“That’s all well and good… but you shouldn’t jump into a fire recklessly. You say that so easily because none of you have experienced the pain of being burned.”

Of course, they wouldn’t know how terrible that feeling is. It’s a sensation that only someone who has experienced it like me can understand. But after a moment of hesitation, they all shouted in unison, ‘We’ll still jump in!’ I smiled pleasantly at their fiery loyalty and got to the point.

“It’s nothing much, I just want you to help me carry out His Majesty’s orders.”

I seriously said, scanning the several plates in front of me. They blinked, following my gaze to the plates. At first, they didn’t seem to understand what I meant, but soon all three of them opened their mouths at the same time.

“How dare we eat Her Majesty the Empress’s meal!”

“Absolutely not!”

“It would be a disaster if the other palace staff found out!”

It’s not like I’m taking their meals away; I’m just asking them to share the food that will be left over anyway, so why are they acting like this? They were acting as if they were caught up in a major crime.

“I don’t have an appetite. And even if I did, it’s hard to eat this much from morning.”

“Then, just leave some, Your Majesty.”

Theresa said, staring at the fruit pudding on the plate, swallowing hard.

“I’d like to, but I think His Majesty would really stop me from going back to the Empress Palace if I left any.”

I said, picking up the plate of fruit pudding that Theresa was staring at and handing it to her.

“He’s definitely capable of doing that. So, help me, here.”

“Yo, Your Majesty…”

Theresa accepted the plate I handed her in a daze, not knowing what to do.

“Plus, Stian is standing guard outside the bedroom until he retrieves the tray. Please, here.”

This time, I handed the pomegranate juice to Sollie, who had been constantly wetting her lips because she was thirsty, and smiled.

“Don’t just stand there, everyone sit down. That’s an order.”

“Your Majesty, but it would be a disaster if someone saw us…!”

Sharon whispered, glancing at the bedroom door.

“The only disaster that can happen to you is when you disobey my orders, right?”

I pushed all the plates in front of them and deliberately replied in a solemn tone.

“This is something that will please not only me but also His Majesty, so it’s okay. Now, sit down, I said?”

The three maids looked at each other, hesitated, and finally reluctantly sat down on the chairs.

“Don’t be nervous, it’s just us.”

I burst out laughing at them, still fidgeting even after sitting down. Only after I said it was okay several more times did the meal begin. The three maids divided the extra forks and spoons and trembled every time they put a fork into the food.

“Thank you! Your Majesty. It’s so delicious. It’s making me cry.”

Sharon wiped away her tears, and Sollie and Theresa also teared up.

“It’s so touching! Your Majesty. I don’t think I’ll ever forget today.”

“I love you! Your Majesty. My heart is pounding, is this really okay?”

Their forks, which had been moving slowly, gradually sped up as time went on. I felt happy for no reason, and just watching them eat made me feel full. I simply savored the rich aroma of coffee and took a bite of the sweet pie. It was the very pie that Linell loved the most. He gave me the pie that he loved so much that he didn’t want to share it with anyone else today. ***

Head Court Lady Stian checked the plates on the almost empty tray and retreated with a very satisfied face. I could have emptied the plates completely, but that would have aroused suspicion, so I left a little food on each plate. I thought it was okay, but the three maids strongly opposed it. The Linell they knew was a delicate and frail Empress, so emptying the plates wouldn’t fit my image. They reluctantly ate one less bite for my image, even though they regretted leaving the food behind. That was a little touching. Thanks to them, I was able to return to the Empress Palace safely. I returned to the bedroom and sat on the sofa. I started reading the guidebook about the Lapion Imperial Family that Secretary Raphael had brought me a while ago. I wanted to quickly grasp the internal facilities and locations of the buildings in the Imperial Palace as described in the book, but, ah, I’m sleepy… The more I turned the pages, the more yawns came out. When I yawned for the third time, I made eye contact with Sharon.

“…I’m not asleep yet.”

“You can rest well in the morning.”

Sharon said, opening the terrace door wide and smiling at me as I spoke clearly.

“What’s the afternoon schedule like?”

“There’s a luncheon with the concubines at the Empress Palace dining hall.”

“Do I really have to have a meal with the concubines?”

“It’s a custom of the Lapion Imperial Family.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, traditionally, the concubines welcomed by His Majesty have a luncheon with Her Majesty the Empress after entering the palace.”

“Every time a concubine is brought in?”

“That’s right, but this time, the concubines unusually had the ceremony all at once, so you can all gather in one place and have a meal.”

“That’s a relief.”

The faces of the four concubines flashed through my mind in turn. Catherine, who definitely had her personality cut off along with her umbilical cord [meaning she’s cold and unfeeling], and Melanie, who was likely a horse in her previous life [meaning she’s energetic and perhaps a bit clumsy]. There are two outstanding people who are difficult to deal with. I already have a headache. Oh right, and then there’s Concubine Pesillini, an unknown person I haven’t even had a proper conversation with yet. It’ll be a relief to have Rosie there, but it definitely won’t be a comfortable place. I wanted to avoid it if I could, but there was no choice.

“Your Majesty, if you don’t feel like it, you can postpone the meal to another time. It doesn’t have to be today.”

Sharon said, looking at me with a concerned expression.

“No. Since we have to have a meal together once anyway, it’s better to just meet as scheduled today.”

“Yes, then I will inform the concubines to prepare according to the original schedule. Until then, please rest comfortably.”

“Okay, I will.”

As soon as Sharon left the bedroom, I went out through the open terrace door and looked down at the Empress Palace garden.

“Where could he be…?”

My eyes were instinctively searching for the training grounds near the Empress Palace. ***

“Greetings to Her Majesty the Empress!”

As I entered the dining hall, the four concubines, who were sitting two by two at the long table, stood up from their chairs all at once and paid their respects. I sat at the head of the table and observed each of their faces.

“Everyone, please sit.”

Catherine and Pesillini were seated to my right, and Melanie and Rosie were to my left.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

The emotions in the concubines’ voices were distinct. An angry voice, a confident voice, a welcoming voice, and… My gaze went to Pesillini, who was sitting at the end of my right side. Her voice sounded somewhat unstable. Is she nervous? I stared at Pesillini for a moment, but then averted my gaze because she seemed uncomfortable. Instead, my gaze naturally shifted to Catherine, who was sitting next to her. Catherine’s eyes were filled with the same hostility towards me as when I saw her in the greenhouse. She ignored Catherine and spoke to Melanie, who was sitting across from her.

“Melanie, is your leg okay…?”

As I spoke, Melanie self-consciously adjusted the shawl she was wearing. Oh dear. At that moment, I trailed off. One shoulder of Melanie’s dress was bare. It wasn’t a tube top style dress, and there was a sleeve with a lot of shoulder volume on the left side. Ah, did she deliberately alter it because of Linell’s words? What he said yesterday when he saw my dress with one sleeve missing in Melanie’s chamber….

‘Why, doesn’t it look unique and beautiful to my eyes? Didn’t you say it’s a popular style in the Empress’s country?’

Surely she didn’t believe his ridiculous words and ruin her perfectly good dress like that? The dress looks quite expensive too….

“Melanie, what on earth is that getup?”

Catherine voiced my inner thoughts.

“Getup, you say?”

As expected, Melanie bristled.

“…You say? That’s a bit much.”

Catherine sharpened her already sharp tone because Melanie, the Second Concubine, hadn’t spoken respectfully enough.

“It’s a new style… you see. As you can see, it’s a dress, isn’t it?”

Melanie forced herself to add the ‘you see’ to the end of her sentence, even though her eyes were shooting daggers.

“I’m asking because you suddenly appeared in such a bizarre style.”

“I hope the First Concubine is a little more careful with her choice of words… you see.”

Melanie snorted at Catherine.

“Even attire reflects His Majesty’s reputation. Tsk tsk.”

Catherine shook her head and picked up her glass of juice, glancing at me. Her eyes seemed to ask if I agreed with her opinion. Perhaps because of her memories with me in the greenhouse, she only glanced at me and couldn’t bring herself to speak directly to me. She just occasionally touched the side of her head where my hand had touched, and each time she did, she would glance at me once.

“Hmph, nonsense. This is all worn according to His Majesty’s taste… you see?”

Melanie turned her head towards me as she retorted to Catherine.

“Isn’t that right, Your Majesty the Empress?”

I simply smiled at her question. Melanie rolled her eyes, trying to gauge the meaning of my smile, and then suddenly said this.

“It’s a trend, I’m definitely not copying anyone.”

What trend? It was absurd. But I decided to support her, who had so earnestly believed and acted upon Linell’s joking words.

“Yes, Melanie. His Majesty will really like that style.”

“Heeing, then what’s the point? His Majesty has to see it in person.”

Melanie’s face darkened rapidly when I mentioned Linell. Just as I was about to offer her some comforting words, the dining hall door opened and an unexpected person appeared.

“Greetings to Her Majesty the Empress!”

It was Head Court Lady Stian.

“What business do you have here?”

I asked with a puzzled expression, and the Head Court Lady seemed hesitant to speak.

“Yes, well, that is…”

“Stian, is something wrong with His Majesty?”

My voice rose with worry.

“Your Majesty, I am afraid to report this, but…,”

The Head Court Lady paused, turned her head towards the dining hall door once, and then opened her mouth.

“His Majesty is now….”