The Stand-In Empress’S Wedding Night [EN]: Chapter 74

74. I Hear Your Voice

“You were supposed to spend today with the lollipop.”

“Do you think I wanted you to stay over for some other reason?”

Linelle cleared his throat and grumbled. When his eyes met mine, he glanced back at the Thebelo Empire’s royal carriage, which was beginning to appear in the distance.

“Then what’s the reason?”

“A body was found in the Empress’s palace garden. You must have been quite surprised, so stay in the main palace for the time being.”

“Not just today, but for the time being?”

“Why? Does that sound scarier than the murder that occurred in the Empress’s palace garden?”

Perhaps my tone was too sharp, as he gave me a slightly disappointed look.

“It’s not that.”

“If it’s not that, then do as I say. Otherwise, you’ll become a human lollipop tonight.”

“Pfft.”

The thought of actually turning into a human lollipop made me burst out laughing.

“Doesn’t sound like a joke, does it? You don’t know how many giant honey pots the Imperial Palace has, each as big as a person, do you?”

“Wow, are you saying you’re going to drown me in a honey pot?”

“Is that all? I’ll just… turn you into candy.”

Linelle narrowed his eyes, scanned me up and down, and licked his lips.

“More threats.”

“Not a threat, a favor.”

“Your Majesty’s favors are truly…”

“Yeah, sweet as honey, right?”

With that playful remark, the Thebelo Empire’s royal carriage stopped in front of the main palace. Surprisingly, the carriage door opened automatically. A few seconds later, a man who appeared to be Emperor Adrian, with silver hair fluttering, walked on air without touching the ground and stepped onto the steps. I was less surprised that he used magic and more wondering why he would bother showing off magic for such a trivial action. I glanced at Linelle. He, too, was watching Emperor Adrian float and ascend the steps with a displeased look.

“Emperor of Lapion, it’s been a while. Your curse is as potent as ever.”

Emperor Adrian scanned Linelle’s body and spoke with an expression that suggested he sensed something.

“Thanks for your concern. Emperor Adrian, you look well. Your hair is as long as ever.”

Linelle seemed quite bothered by Emperor Adrian’s long hair, which was fluttering in the wind.

“My hair is as soft as my personality, so I have no choice but to keep it long. Ah, the Empress of Lapion. It’s a pleasure… to meet you for the first time.”

Emperor Adrian kissed the back of my hand and bent one knee. It was quite excessive courtesy for an emperor.

-’What would it be like to dress her in the clothes empresses wear? Her waist is so slender, she’d look quite attractive…’

“!”

What’s wrong with my head? Or am I hearing things? I clearly heard Emperor Adrian’s voice. But he straightened up immediately after kissing the back of my hand, and his lips were firmly closed. So… it wasn’t spoken aloud. Then what was the voice I just heard? Could it be that I can hear Emperor Adrian’s thoughts? Why?!

I was so surprised by what was happening that I couldn’t immediately respond to Emperor Adrian’s greeting. I stared at Emperor Adrian’s red eyes with a shocked expression.

-’Why is she looking at me like that? Could it be that she’s fallen for me? Well, it wouldn’t be surprising. If she weren’t the Empress of the Lapion Empire, I’d want to take her to the “Wonyi” Palace [a hypothetical palace dedicated to beautiful women].’

Emperor Adrian’s thoughts came to me again. I stared intently at his mouth, wondering if he was ventriloquizing, but he wasn’t. Moreover, he wouldn’t directly say such things to me in front of Linelle unless he was crazy.

-’When another empire’s emperor greets you, you should respond immediately. Isn’t she a bit slow-witted for someone who looks like that?’

Emperor Adrian was smiling at me, but inwardly, he was insulting me.

“Empress? Are you unwell?”

Linelle, noticing that I was just staring blankly at Emperor Adrian, gently wrapped his arm around my shoulder and asked.

“Ah, yes… I think I ate too much cake earlier, so I don’t feel well. I apologize for the late greeting, Emperor Adrian. It is an honor to meet you.”

I regained my composure and properly greeted him.

“I have heard that Emperor Adrian loves peace and is a wise ruler who generously bestows everything equally upon women with great magnanimity [generosity].”

“Hahaha, who told you such truths? They must know me very well.”

“His Majesty told me so.”

I looked up at Linelle with a smile and replied.

“That’s unexpected. I didn’t realize Emperor Linelle thought of me that way.”

Emperor Adrian looked at him with disbelief.

“I don’t remember saying that, Empress?”

It was something that could have been glossed over with a smile, but he insisted on revealing the truth.

“Don’t be shy.”

Emperor Adrian tucked his shimmering silver hair behind his ears and said to him. Linelle stood there with a very displeased expression and, saying that he must be tired from the long journey, suggested that he go to the guest palace where the dignitaries were staying, wanting to send Emperor Adrian there quickly.

“Your Majesty, you must have served tea to the other dignitaries, so why won’t you make time for me?”

Emperor Adrian said with a very sulky tone, and Linelle replied indifferently.

“You seem very tired from the long journey…”

“Not at all? The weather in the Northern Continent suits me well. Even though the mountains are rugged, the air is fresher than in the Southern Continent. And other things… are also fresh in many ways, which I quite like.”

Emperor Adrian looked at me with a suggestive gaze as he uttered the word “fresh.” Could I possibly be included among the many fresh things?

-’She’s hiding a lot under that dress. I wonder how much Emperor Linelle has uncovered? It seems he hasn’t yet unveiled the Empress’s true form…’

Emperor Adrian’s explicit thoughts came one after another. My true form? What does that even mean? Wait. If I can hear Emperor Adrian’s thoughts, could he possibly hear my thoughts too? The thought suddenly flashed through my mind, sending shivers down my spine. I need to check. I decided to speak to Emperor Adrian in my mind. But what should I say? Looking at Emperor Adrian’s silver hair fluttering in the wind, I had an idea.

-’Silver Carp Emperor [a playful nickname based on his silver hair], can you hear my voice?’

I smiled gently and continued to speak to Emperor Adrian in my mind.

-’Hey, how many concubines do you have? Is it because your eyes are red? You look tired, like your eyes are bloodshot. Just fly away to the guest palace already. I saw you walking on air very well earlier.’

Emperor Adrian’s eyes met mine. He looked at me and opened his mouth.

“Emperor Linelle is such a cold person, but surely the Empress has the generosity to offer a warm cup of tea to a guest who has come from afar?”

Fortunately, it seemed my thoughts were not audible to the Silver Carp.

“Your Majesty, it would be good to offer Emperor Adrian a cup of tea.”

I persuaded Linelle, wanting to learn more about Emperor Adrian. He turned towards the drawing-room with a displeased expression.

“I don’t know how many times I’m drinking tea today.”

Linelle grumbled softly, just loud enough for me to hear.

***

As we entered the drawing-room and walked towards the table, two chairs automatically slid back.

“Please, have a seat, Empress.”

Emperor Adrian had used magic again in a small way. Whether he didn’t have the power to pull out three chairs at once, or whether he did it on purpose, he only pulled out the chairs for me and himself. When Linelle looked at him with a blank stare, Emperor Adrian finally realized and raised his hand to pull out the chair for him as well. At the same time, Linelle raised his hand and waved it, saying.

“It’s alright.”

He deliberately dragged the chair across the marble floor, making a scraping sound.

“Empress, do you perhaps possess a magic warming stone?”

Emperor Adrian, sitting across from me at the table with the black tea in front of him, asked me an unexpected question.

“A magic warming stone? No, why do you ask?”

“I sensed a warmer energy than usual, so I asked.”

Wasn’t he only supposed to use minor magic? I was startled, wondering if Emperor Adrian was sensing the Incarnation within me.

“That’s probably because the Empress is passionately in love.”

Linelle interjected with a playful voice.

“Indeed, Your Majesty, your curse seems to have weakened considerably compared to before.”

Emperor Adrian raised his palm as if trying to sense something, attempting to read Linelle’s energy. I took Linelle’s hand under the table. At that moment, Emperor Adrian’s brow twitched slightly, and he lowered his palm.

-’That’s strange? There’s been a change in Emperor Linelle’s energy.’

Emperor Adrian’s inner voice was filled with doubt. Shortly after, a servant placed three cups of cocoa on the table and left. Earlier, when another servant had brought black tea, Emperor Adrian had said that he had brought cocoa, a specialty of the Thebelo Empire, as a gift, and had pushed the black tea aside, calling his servant to bring three cups of warm cocoa. Was I finally going to taste the famous cocoa of the Thebelo Empire? The rich and sweet cocoa of the Thebelo Empire was traded at high prices in the royal courts of various countries. Since it was cocoa that Emperor Adrian had brought himself, the taste must be top-notch, right? Interestingly, there was a place called the Cocoa Forest near the Thebelo Imperial Palace, and in a certain valley within that forest, cocoa was said to pour out like a waterfall. Anyway, the aroma of the cocoa rising from the teacup was enough to relieve my fatigue.

“Please, drink while it’s warm. Cold Emperor of Lapion.”

Emperor Adrian offered the cocoa to him first.

“Thank you. Empress, you should drink too.”

Linelle chuckled and picked up the cocoa cup.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The angle of his profile as he brought the cocoa cup to his lips looked particularly handsome, so I gazed at him as if appreciating a work of art. But then, Emperor Adrian’s voice resonated in my mind.

-’I wonder if they mixed the poison well into the Emperor’s cup?’

“!”

What is that Silver Carp saying right now?

-’It won’t kill him immediately, but the poison will slowly spread through his blood vessels, lowering his body temperature and causing chills throughout his body. Eventually, he’ll collapse, shivering all over. If someone else’s saliva is mixed in, the poison won’t spread as quickly, but…’

I was shocked by Emperor Adrian’s terrible thoughts, but I tried not to look at him on purpose. I have to stop it! The cocoa cup was almost touching Linelle’s lips.

“Y-Your Majesty, drink from mine!”

I quickly grabbed my cocoa cup and shouted, hitting his cup hard enough to make a clanging sound. Linelle, who was about to drink the cocoa, looked at me with his lips slightly parted. He looked quite surprised by my sudden action.

“Mine is richer and tastier!”

“…The Empress hasn’t even tasted the cocoa yet, has she?”

“I can tell just by the aroma, can’t I? Give it to me, I’ll drink that one.”

I took the cocoa cup from Linelle’s hand and gave him my cocoa cup.

“Is that so, then?”

He gave me a puzzled look but obediently followed my words. Whew-. I let out a sigh of relief and turned my head towards Emperor Adrian with a glare.

-’Oh, dear. The poison was in the Empress’s teacup, but I gave confusing instructions. What should I do…?’

Emperor Adrian, who was drinking cocoa with a leisurely expression, said inwardly as if lamenting. Is that guy the same kind as Prince Tessler? I didn’t even have time to glare at the Silver Carp bastard before quickly turning my gaze to Linelle. He was already bringing my teacup to his lips and drinking the cocoa. Oh, no! My vision went dark. What should I do?