The Stand-In Empress’S Wedding Night [EN]: Chapter 78

78. This is Madness

His voice, whispering ‘I love you,’ brushed against my forehead, eyes, and the bridge of my nose before settling on my lips.

“I love you, Zelda.”

His love seemed to pour into me through our kiss. We were completely lost in each other, our passionate embraces a shared experience. After our third time together, Linelle took my hand, pressed it to his forehead, wiped away the sweat, and quietly said,

“I apologize for saying your love was less than mine earlier.”

“Don’t underestimate me in the future.”

This time, I took his hand, brought it to my forehead, wiped away the sweat, and retorted.

“I’m quite something, aren’t I?”

I took his hand and placed it directly on my left breast, whispering,

“If we’re talking about the area… you are quite something.”

“I’m talking about the speed of my heartbeat.”

“Ah, the heart.”

“You said before that mine beat slower than Your Majesty’s.”

“Yes, quite something.”

“Don’t squeeze too hard.”

I twisted my shoulder slightly and gently tapped the back of his hand. The cool dawn breeze from the terrace window drifted into the bedroom, cooling our heated passion. As the darkness gradually faded and the sun began to rise, he whispered in my ear,

“Get some sleep now.”

“Linelle, too. Please…”

“For me, holding you is more restful than sleeping, even if it reawakens my body.”

He pulled me close, embracing me tightly. It was impossible to find a comfortable sleeping position. The sound of his kisses on my forehead was like a waltz. I wanted to dance with him on the bed once more.

***

The next day, dignitaries from the Ekiya Empire of the Northern Continent arrived in the morning. The Emperor and Empress of the Ekiya Empire were the oldest among all the nations’ rulers. Consequently, their only son, Crown Prince Raymond, was originally scheduled to attend the hunting competition. However, Crown Prince Raymond’s recent fall from a horse forced the Emperor and Empress to attend in his place. With the exception of the Ekiya Empire’s Emperor and Empress, all the other nations’ royals were young, making the Rafion Imperial Palace more lively than ever. The last to arrive was Prince Norton’s nation, the Partsha Empire of the Southern Continent. Prince Norton’s older brother, Second Prince Kalvain, and his consort, Jasper, arrived a few hours before the banquet. Like all nations of the Southern Continent, the Partsha Empire’s imperial family had a scandalous history. The Second Prince had killed the legitimate First Prince and already held all imperial power, but had not yet held the coronation ceremony. The reason for this was Prince Kalvain’s wife, Consort Jasper. Surprisingly, she was originally the First Prince’s consort. This scandalous tale was told to me directly by Prince Norton, the Third Prince of the Partsha Empire. As soon as I heard this story, I asked Prince Norton,

‘Is your brother, Prince Kalvain, a terrifying person? Or is Consort Jasper, who decided to remarry her husband’s younger brother after he killed him, more terrifying?’

‘They are both terrifying people.’

Prince Norton replied without hesitation. Perhaps because I had heard the story from Prince Norton in advance, the smiles of Prince Kalvain and Consort Jasper, who seemed pleasant on the surface, felt strangely sinister. The banquet began at dinner time. Even before Linelle and I arrived at the banquet hall, all the dignitaries were already enjoying the party.

“Zelda, I have something to say before we enter the banquet hall.”

Linelle slightly turned away from the entrance to the banquet hall. He gently took my waist and led me into the lounge on the left side of the banquet hall entrance.

“What is it?”

“We decided to have a guard accompany you.”

“Ah, yes, we did.”

“After thinking about it, there is no knight more trustworthy than Commander Marcrom. And if we’re going to have a guard anyway, it’s best to start today.”

“Then, perhaps now…”

Instinctively, I turned my head towards the lounge door.

“Come in.”

As soon as Linelle’s command was given, the lounge door opened, and Commander Marcrom entered with a dignified appearance. Behind Commander Marcrom, Secretary Raphael followed, waving a piece of paper.

“Your Majesty, I have something to discuss with you regarding the seating arrangement.”

“Alright. You two, greet each other. I’ll talk to Raphael for a moment.”

“Yes, but where is Her Majesty the Empress?”

Commander Marcrom looked around the lounge and asked Linelle.

“She’s right in front of you. How can you not sense that? Why are you asking?”

Linelle tapped Raphael on the shoulder and left the lounge. Commander Marcrom tilted his head repeatedly and quietly said,

“No? You’re Bonis.”

“I am… the Empress.”

“…What nonsense are you talking about? What are you…”

Commander Marcrom’s forehead was covered in wrinkles. To help him understand, I explained differently.

“I’m the Empress who pretended to be Bonis.”

“What? Ah, no. What did you say?”

“Sorry for deceiving you.”

“H-How could this happen! Are you really Bonis, no, Her Majesty the Empress, whom I met at the training grounds? Really?!”

“Yes, it’s me. The person who was with His Majesty in the warehouse too…”

“That was Her Majesty? Ah, yes, that’s right. The energy was the same.”

Commander Marcrom continued to scratch his head with a dumbfounded expression.

“His Majesty still doesn’t know that I know swordsmanship. That’s why I had to pretend not to know in the warehouse too.”

“Ah, I didn’t even know that, and I even cursed His Majesty, thinking he was having an affair with Her Majesty the Empress’s guard!”

“That was a bit touching, thank you. For thinking of me.”

I smiled silently and quickly said to Commander Marcrom,

“Ah, no, it’s nothing. By the way, why are you hiding your swordsmanship skills?”

“That’s…”

“Well, His Majesty would be surprised. Would he be disappointed too?”

Commander Marcrom burst into laughter as he asked. It seemed like he knew something.

“His Majesty thinks I’m fragile, doesn’t he?”

“You have no idea. He always says that he’s worried that Her Majesty the Empress will fly away if he breathes on her or break if he holds her too tight.”

“Really?”

“Yes, unlike what he says, he seems to secretly like that side of you. He wants to protect you.”

Commander Marcrom, who had learned my identity, recalled Linelle’s words and continued to laugh. I didn’t know it was that bad. So, Linelle likes a refined and feminine image.

“His Majesty even said that if he could, he would carry me around in his uniform pocket.”

“Oh my, His Majesty’s condition is more serious than I thought.”

Commander Marcrom shook his head and sighed.

“So… I want to let him enjoy the role of the wife he wants to protect a little longer.”

Commander Marcrom readily accepted my suggestion.

“It’s not a difficult task, so I’ll keep Her Majesty the Empress’s secret for the sake of your marital harmony.”

Commander Marcrom said that he was already looking forward to seeing Linelle’s flustered face when he found out about this later.

“Thank you. You’ve become my guard, but you’ll be able to work more comfortably than anyone else.”

“A sweet position, I’m honored. Your Majesty the Empress!”

“Yes, I guarantee it.”

I said confidently.

“And please, speak informally now.”

“Ah… okay, I understand.”

“By the way, was the name Bonis just a name you made up back then?”

Commander Marcrom asked with a hearty laugh.

“No, it was the name of a young lady who was like a sister to me in the ShatO’Neil Kingdom…”

“Ah, I see.”

I was relieved that Commander Marcrom couldn’t see my gloomy expression.

***

Linelle and I resolved the issue of my guard in the lounge and entered the banquet hall with Commander Marcrom. I was inwardly impressed by the emperors and empresses of all continents, their concubines and mistresses, and the various nobles who were dressed to the nines. More splendid than a chandelier. On the surface, everyone was smiling brightly and talking to each other, but I felt an inexplicable tension. It was as if everyone was hiding a knife in their hearts. Linelle and I went up to the platform and sat in the chairs in front of the table. Below us, on the two steps, were the four concubines, and on either side, people from the northern and southern continents were facing each other at the tables. With the start of the banquet, dinner began. As the meal was nearing its end, Emperor Adrian of the Tevelo Empire, with his long silver hair flowing, rose from his seat and drew everyone’s attention.

“Your Majesty the Emperor of the Rafion Empire, may I have your permission to present a performance that is perfect for this banquet?”

At Emperor Adrian’s suggestion, voices of anticipation were heard from here and there.

“Emperor Adrian, may I ask what kind of performance it is?”

Linelle asked, picking up the wine glass in front of him.

“It is a performance by the empresses that our Tevelo imperial family presents periodically.”

A performance by the empresses?

“You could call it a beautiful and sad dance.”

Adrian’s words piqued my curiosity even more.

“Ah, are you perhaps referring to the performance where the empresses display martial arts along with dance?”

Prince Kalvain of the Partsha Empire suddenly interjected. Adrian nodded his head with a proud expression.

“Oh ho, to see that performance again!”

Second Prince Kalvain exclaimed with an excited voice, fidgeting in his seat.

“Prince Kalvain, it seems you have seen the performance of the Tevelo Empire’s empresses before?”

Linelle asked, turning his gaze to Prince Kalvain.

“Yes, when I visited the Tevelo imperial family a few years ago, I was fortunate enough to see the performance of the empresses. It is still vividly etched in my memory, and to be able to see that performance again. Hahaha.”

“It must have been a good performance? Quite hot, I presume?”

Empress Katria of the Deloi Empire joined the conversation.

“It is absolutely enchanting! Sun of Rafion, I implore you to accept the sincerity that Emperor Adrian has prepared.”

Prince Kalvain said with a face full of anticipation. I looked at Prince Norton, who was sitting next to Prince Kalvain. Unlike his brother, he showed no interest in the entire situation. Prince Norton had been staring straight ahead, and in front of him were the dignitaries of the ShatO’Neil Kingdom.

“Very well. Prince Kalvain says it was a moving performance, so I have high expectations as well.”

Linelle raised one hand and gestured towards Emperor Adrian, granting permission. In response, Emperor Adrian winked at his servants who were waiting at the banquet hall door. His servants quickly opened the banquet hall door. Four beautiful empresses entered the banquet hall in pairs. What is this…? I was surprised several times by the appearance of the empresses. First, by the outfits they were wearing. The neck, chest, and both arms were perfectly covered, but that was only up to the chest, and below that, the bare waist was exposed. At least the end of the chest area of the dress had see-through fabric that covered the waistline, but even that was split in the middle, so the thin see-through fabric fluttered like a curtain whenever the empresses walked. The bottoms were wide-legged pants made of silk material. The side line was open up to the middle of the thigh, so it looked good for activity, but it was quite revealing. The second thing that surprised me was the weapons in the empresses’ hands. They each held different weapons. Unlike me, Linelle’s expression was indifferent, making it difficult to gauge his mood. I turned my gaze and began to observe the expressions of the people gathered in the banquet hall. The four concubines of the Rafion Empire and the dignitaries of the Northern Continent sitting on the right side of me had very surprised faces at the outfits of the Tevelo Empire’s empresses, just like me. On the other hand, the dignitaries of the Southern Continent did not seem surprised at all by the empresses’ outfits. Rather, they showed greater interest in the weapons they were carrying. I glared at Adrian. What on earth was he thinking, making his empresses hold weapons and stand in the middle of the banquet hall?

“Then, let’s begin.”

Adrian induced applause from the dignitaries. The sound of applause from the Northern Continent’s dignitaries and the sound of applause from the Southern Continent’s dignitaries were quite different. Compared to the bewildered Northern Continent dignitaries, the Southern Continent dignitaries were clearly enjoying the festival. They looked as excited as an audience waiting for an opera performance. Of the four empresses, only the two standing in the front remained in the center of the banquet hall. Adrian introduced the two empresses in turn.

“On the left is Empress Celina, who has been by my side the longest in the peaceful Woni Palace [the residence for the empresses of the Tevelo Empire]. And on the right is Empress Elan, who has not been in Woni Palace for long, but has already begun to gain my favor.”

The palace called ‘Woni’ is where the empresses of the Tevelo Empire live. So, the performance now is that the empress who has lived in the ‘Woni’ Palace for the longest time and the empress who has entered most recently will have a martial arts showdown. What kind of mental state does that silver-scaled fish have, making his beloved empresses fight in a place where all the countries are gathered? Even with a very happy expression. No matter how much more open the Southern Continent is than the Northern Continent, the martial arts showdown of the empresses in the banquet hall was incomprehensible. The only level I could understand was their revealing outfits. I couldn’t take my eyes off the faces of the two empresses who were preparing for the showdown. They had expressions that took this absurd moment for granted. Celina, who had lived in ‘Woni’ Palace the longest, had a sense of experience that matched her years, and Elan was a young empress who had just shed her girlishness. Both of them had a murderous look in their eyes.

“How is the outcome of the martial arts competition determined?”

Linelle asked Adrian.

“The person who makes a flaw on the opponent first and makes them kneel wins.”

At Adrian’s vague explanation, I involuntarily retorted nervously.

“A flaw? What do you mean by a flaw?”

“Just as it sounds, Your Majesty the Empress. The intensity of the flaw is left to the discretion of the winner.”

“Surely, you don’t mean they can kill each other?”

“Of course. That is only the choice of the winner. Whether they inflict a small wound on the opponent, blow away a part of the body, or cut off their breath altogether.”

Adrian explained in a very calm tone. That’s a performance? That’s crazy. This was madness.