The Stand-In Empress’S Wedding Night [EN]: Chapter 49

49. Shared All Night

“My request is— Ah, why are you doing this again!”

He was fiddling near my knees before laying me back down on the bed.

“I want to leave my mark on you too. Why do you keep asking why I’m doing this?”

He replied shyly, looking perplexed.

“Your Majesty…”

“It’s just for show, so don’t look so annoyed. What’s your request?”

As I slightly glared at his approaching face, he spoke with a hint of disappointment. I chuckled at his expression but steeled myself and lowered my voice.

“Are you going to talk in this position?”

“Should we sit up and talk again?”

He rose and effortlessly lifted me to sit on his lap.

“…What are you doing?”

“You have to look me in the eye when we talk. Now, tell me.”

Sitting on his lap, it was hard to bring up the request that might upset him.

“Zelda, you know who I am, right?”

“Yes?”

“I’m the Emperor. I’ll grant you anything. What’s your request?”

His boastful tone made him seem quite endearing. I wished my request was something material. I was worried about how he would react to my words. But if I didn’t say it tonight, I might not get another chance. Even if Linelle was upset, I couldn’t help it. It was something I had to say for his sake too.

“Is it a difficult request?”

He asked, seeing my hesitation.

“No, it’s not like that.”

I finally spoke.

“When other people are watching, I’d prefer if you didn’t show excessive affection.”

It was a hard thing to say, and even harder for him to hear.

“That’s… your request?”

He asked, sounding dumbfounded.

“Yes.”

“When have I ever done that?”

Linelle tilted his head, feigning ignorance with an ‘I don’t know?’ expression.

“Zelda, why are you making such a request?”

“We’re not a normal couple, are we?”

“Yes, we’re special. So…”

I quickly placed my hand over his plump lips and continued.

“So, our married life comes with many things to be mindful of. Right?”

“Go on.”

“For example, the ministers are wary of the child I’ll bear becoming the future Emperor of the Lapion Empire. That’s why they’ve put forward the concubines.”

I calmly continued, but the position I was sitting in became uncomfortable, so I shifted further up on his lap. Linelle also looked very uncomfortable. When our eyes met, his Adam’s apple bobbed noticeably. Ah, I must be quite heavy. I steadied myself by placing my hands on his shoulders and asked.

“Are you uncomfortable?”

“Yeah…”

“Should I get down if I’m too heavy?”

“No!”

He suddenly raised his voice, startling me.

“Just… stay like that.”

Linelle’s arms wrapped securely around my waist.

“Okay.”

I nodded and continued the conversation.

“It’s a little embarrassing for me to even say this…”

“Zelda, even this position is embarrassing. So, can’t you just speak comfortably?”

Linelle patted my back as he spoke.

“Yes, so what I mean is, I’d prefer if you didn’t treat me too well in front of the other concubines or ministers. It’ll only increase their wariness of me.”

His blue eyes deepened.

“I’m already being cautious because I’m a foreign-born Empress, and I don’t want to make it worse.”

“That’s true.”

Fortunately, he nodded at my excuse.

“The more attention Your Majesty gives me, the more hatred and jealousy will be directed at me.”

“Are you afraid of that?”

I shook my head firmly at his question.

“I’m not afraid of that kind of thing. What I’m afraid of is Your Majesty not giving me any attention… That’s all.”

And your safety too.

“Your answer is quite pleasing… Hmm, that’s why I keep acting like a madman… Isn’t it?”

Linelle clenched his teeth and leaned back slightly, catching his breath. Ah, I really must be heavy.

“Are your legs going numb?”

I quickly got off his lap and asked. Linelle quickly grabbed my arms and laid me back down on the bed. I looked up at him and continued.

“I really don’t care if other people are jealous or envious of me, but I need to be careful about the wariness and animosity that comes with it.”

Because it could put you in danger.

“I know what you’re worried about. But is it really necessary to hide my feelings to that extent?”

Linelle’s hand reached for my chest. I grabbed his hand and shook it like a handshake, then spoke soothingly.

“We’re not done talking yet.”

“My conversation isn’t over either.”

“Pardon?”

“The conversation of the body.”

“…I’m not joking.”

“Do I look like I’m joking?”

He glanced down at his body and asked defensively.

“Please don’t interrupt me.”

“Okay, go on.”

He nodded, making an effort to look serious.

“Just do as I say for the time being. It’s not a difficult request, is it?”

“What are you talking about? It’s a very difficult request.”

“You should be able to hide that much emotion.”

“Zelda, you know that the request you’re making is a bit absurd, right?”

Linelle said seriously, wrapping his arm around my shoulders, lifting me up, and sitting face to face.

“I know.”

“And that the reason you’re giving me for making that request is very weak too?”

“Of course…”

“Yet you knew in advance that I would do as you wish?”

Linelle chuckled and asked.

“I didn’t know that, but I hoped you would.”

“Yes, that’s how requests are sometimes. There are times when you want to grant them even if the reason for doing so isn’t clear…”

“Are you going to do that?”

I stroked his jawline with both hands and whispered.

“Only for a while.”

He paused for a moment, looking thoughtful, then smiled. I quickly nodded and smiled.

“But you’ll have to give me a supplementary explanation for this request someday.”

“I will.”

“But, let me ask one thing.”

“Go ahead.”

“Who is that request for?”

“It’s for each other.”

“Okay, then. I’ll try to restrain myself when people are around.”

“Thank you.”

“Just don’t come crying to me later, saying you’re upset.”

Linelle lightly bumped his forehead against mine and laughed. I showered his lips with kisses. I was grateful that he had listened to my request without asking too many questions. The sound of pecking kisses and his laughter mingled together.

“Shall we have the conversation Linelle wanted to have now?”

“Huh? What did you say?”

He asked, slightly flustered.

“The conversation of the body, you said it wasn’t over yet.”

“That’s right. I still have a lot to say to you.”

“Hahaha, wait, that tickles too much!”

My body twisted violently at the tickling sensation of his fingertips feathering across my waist.

“It’s always better to do it with a smile like this. Whether it’s just a conversation or the conversation of the body…”

Linelle’s lips were also busily roaming around my face and collarbone, tickling me at the same time. We laughed and shared the conversation of the body all night long.

***

Rosie was sitting on the bedroom floor late into the night, engrossed in reading. She glanced under the bed from time to time, scolding someone.

“It doesn’t matter how much you complain. I don’t know when Her Majesty the Empress will come!”

Something kept moving under the bed, and Rosie finally exploded.

“Ugh! If you’re so frustrated, why don’t you just break out of the egg yourself! You’re really annoying me, you know?”

Rosie slammed the book she was reading face down on the marble floor, reached under the bed, and pulled out a basket. Inside the basket was a large egg.

“Was it all a lie that you’ve been in that egg for 300 years? Are you even a Wyvern [a legendary dragon-like creature]?”

She shouted, and the egg in the basket moved around as if reacting to her words.

“What kind of Wyvern egg is so restless?”

Rosie glared at the Wyvern egg and taunted it, tapping it with the back of her hand.

“Actually, I’m not even sure if you’re really a Wyvern. I only heard about a Wyvern being trapped in an egg for 300 years from my mother, so I just believe it.”

At Rosie’s doubtful voice, the Wyvern egg began to bounce up and down in place as if it were angry. Bouncing like a ball was its way of expressing frustration.

“I’ll only know when you come out of the egg. What if you’re not a Wyvern but some other kind of monster…? Then both of us might be killed by the Imperial Knights. Do you understand?”

This time, the Wyvern egg rolled from side to side. That meant it was feeling stifled.

“Anyway, it’s strange. It doesn’t break even when it jumps and rolls like that. Well, I guess it didn’t break even when I hit it with a hammer.”

Rosie crossed her arms and muttered, nudging the basket with her toe.

“But, will Her Majesty the Empress really help you come out of the egg?”

Rosie glanced at the bedroom door and lowered her voice to whisper to the Wyvern egg.

“Maybe I saw it wrong at the clinic.”

She picked up a volume of ancient texts that she had placed beside her. The book contained information about Wyverns. However, it was written in the ancient language of the Partsha Empire, the oldest country in the Southern Continent, so there was no way to know what was written in it. Rosie immediately opened the folded page. On that page was a drawing that looked very similar to the burn scar Zelda had on her cheek, which she had accidentally seen in the ‘Dignified Night’ clinic’s manufacturing room.

“How did this mark end up on Her Majesty the Empress’s cheek… like a burn scar?”

The Wyvern egg began to roll around the ancient text Rosie was looking at, frantically. That was a behavior that came out when it was urging something.

“Ugh, you’re really making me dizzy. If you have something to say, you can just break out of the egg! The book is written in the ancient language of the Southern Continent, so I don’t know what it says, I don’t know!”

She glared at the Wyvern egg and closed the ancient text.

“I’ll definitely bring Her Majesty the Empress soon. Just bear with it until then.”

Rosie said soothingly, and only then did the Wyvern egg roll quietly into the basket.

***

Shattonil Royal Family. Before leaving for the Lapion Empire, Prince Tesler was drinking a cup of his favorite milk tea in his office. But the relaxed atmosphere didn’t last long.

“Brother, I’m going too!”

Princess Lesilia burst into his office. She had been badgering Prince Tesler for days, insisting on visiting the Lapion Empire with him.

“You’re helping by staying here. How many times do I have to say it? It’s not a pleasure trip. I’m going to check out the atmosphere of the Lapion Imperial Family before the hunting competition.”

“That’s why I should go even more!”

“What?”

“I’m going to remarry the Lapion Emperor anyway, right? Before that, I want to see the faces of the concubines and get all sorts of information about the Emperor from Zelda.”

“You can find that out gradually.”

“It’s better to know early.”

“Haa, there’s a high possibility that the Continental Hunting Competition will be held this time. And if it is held, the starting country will be the Lapion Empire. So you’ll have a chance to stay there anyway, why are you rushing now?”

“I need to raise the status of Shattonil Kingdom women in advance.”

“What are you going to raise?”

“Think about it. What if the concubines look down on Zelda and even our kingdom? My beauty is what’s needed to suppress the concubines’ spirits.”

“Ha? What can you do in the Lapion Imperial Family right now? Are you going to go around saying, ‘I’m going to remarry the Emperor of the Lapion Empire soon’?”

Prince Tesler lowered his head and rubbed his temples. He had a headache because of his immature younger sister.

“Do you think I’m stupid? To go around saying it openly.”

“Then why are you following me?”

“I’m going for preliminary research.”

Princess Lesilia answered with a smug expression.

“What?”

“And it wouldn’t be bad to show Emperor Linelle my face before the hunting competition, would it?”

Prince Tesler raised his head and looked at her again. The princess was making a flower pose with her hands around her face, fluttering her long eyelashes charmingly. No man could resist the face of his flower-like younger sister.

‘Yeah, it doesn’t seem like a bad idea.’

“It’s different for men to see my face once and see it twice. Huh? Brother?”

Listening to her words, it wasn’t a completely absurd idea.

“Okay. Lesil, let’s go together.”

“Really? Yay!”

Watching his younger sister cheer, Prince Tesler spoke seriously.

“But, there’s a condition…”