The Stand-In Empress’S Wedding Night [EN]: Chapter 84

84. Always Praised in Bed

October 23, 2021

As I lowered my head, feeling like a sinner, Linelle placed his hand on my knee and smiled.

“You have a talent for making people feel dizzy in so many ways.”

I sincerely apologized and carefully changed the subject.

“By the way, what did you think of me throwing the knife? It was as fast as the speed of light……”

“Wine was spilled on my hand, and then the chandelier lights suddenly went out, so I couldn’t see it clearly. That’s why I was doubtful.”

“Really? Didn’t you hear about it from Commander Marcrom?”

“……Marcrom knows too? And he didn’t report it to me? This guy, this won’t do!”

He furrowed his eyebrows and became agitated.

“Don’t misunderstand! Commander Marcrom knew I was practicing swordsmanship, but it’s not his fault.”

“What?”

“Actually…… I went to the training grounds a few times and met him there for the first time.”

“It wasn’t the first time when you went with me?”

“Yes.”

“What about archery? Was shooting arrows so terribly on purpose?”

I nodded with an awkward expression.

“Unbelievable. But, Marcrom also met you in the training ground warehouse. He didn’t seem to recognize you in the lounge today? How did that happen? Even if Marcrom lost his eyesight, he doesn’t forget the aura of someone he’s met.”

“That’s because from the first time he saw me at the training grounds, Commander Marcrom thought I was the newly appointed Empress’s escort knight. So in the warehouse……”

“Ha, so he misunderstood that I was secretly having an affair with a female knight? No wonder…… he was grumbling so much that day.”

Linelle looked wronged as he recalled the curses Commander Marcrom had hurled at him.

“He found out I was the Empress in the lounge today. And when I threw the knife at the banquet hall, the chandelier went out, that……”

“Is that Marcrom’s doing?”

When I nodded, he burst into a hollow laugh.

“You two are quite the pair. How long were you planning to deceive me?”

“I was going to tell you soon.”

“When? After you ruined my vital parts?”

He asked in an angry voice.

“Don’t say such terrible things!”

Without realizing it, I waved both hands and tried to protect his lower body before regaining my senses.

“I was going to tell you before the hunting competition. And I didn’t want to shatter the illusion because it seemed like Your Majesty liked the image of me being weak and someone you want to protect.”

That was actually a minor reason, but for some reason, that excuse seemed to work best. But his expression didn’t ease easily.

“My desire to protect you…… doesn’t depend on whether you’re strong or weak.”

He put his hands on my shoulders and said seriously.

“Really?”

“Yes. What I care about is that you don’t get hurt, that’s all.”

Linelle swept my hair back with a gentle gaze.

“I’m touched……”

I picked up the mask he had worn, covered half of my face, and secretly laughed to myself.

“Listen, even if you’re good at swordsmanship, I hope you don’t recklessly step into dangerous situations like you did at the banquet hall. If that’s the case, it’s better to be weak.”

Linelle sighed with a worried look and urged.

“I’ll be careful in the future.”

“Okay. By the way…… what did you put so much fragrant oil on your already soft skin?”

He grabbed my waist and pulled me closer, asking.

“I almost poured the fragrant oil into my palm in the bathroom. It was a waste to throw it away, so I applied it all over my body…… Oh, right. Your Majesty, how did you come in? I definitely didn’t hear the bedroom door?”

“What insane assassin comes into the bedroom openly?”

“Then where did you come in?”

“I came in through the bathroom door and crossed over to the bedroom.”

At Linelle’s words, I turned my head and looked at the bathroom. The bathroom door was half open.

“What if I was taking a bath?”

“We would have fought hotly there and gotten soaking wet.”

“……I guess so.”

“Haa, that’s a relief.”

He put his cold forehead on my hot forehead and whispered.

“What is?”

“I thought you would fly away if I blew on you, but you also know how to throw a punch.”

He flicked my nose with his finger and chuckled.

“I, there’s something else I’m good at throwing besides punches.”

“What is it?”

He asked with curious eyes.

“This.”

His ecstatic face was too precious to explain in words, so I kissed his lips several times, *smack, smack, smack*-, and showed him with actions. The corners of his lips turned up, and he whispered meaningfully to me.

“I’m also good at throwing something……”

“What is it?”

As soon as I asked, as if he had been waiting, he picked me up in a flash and threw my body onto the bed.

“Oh my, ah!”

And then he immediately dove onto the bed himself.

“How can you look so good in these clothes?”

I looked up at Linelle and fumbled with the dark assassin outfit he was wearing.

“Really? I was surprised when I looked in the mirror too.”

I was briefly speechless at his confident tone, not at all embarrassed by the compliment about his appearance.

“Pfft.”

I eventually laughed, cupping his face with both hands, a face that would perfectly pull off even a sack [a burlap bag, implying he’s attractive enough to look good even with a bag over his head].

“Why, what.”

“It’s nothing. I forgot you’re someone who lives a life so used to compliments.”

“Compliments usually have some exaggeration mixed in, but I’ve always heard them as they are, so maybe that’s why? I don’t feel much when I receive compliments.”

“……Ah, that might really be the case.”

Even if I wanted to refute it, it was an undeniable statement when I looked at his face. However, it was a little annoying that he was saying such things himself. Still, he didn’t have a smug look on his face, so I didn’t have much aversion.

“Instead of compliments that everyone else knows, give me a compliment that only you know.”

He looked down at me intently and said.

“A compliment of Your Majesty that only I know?”

“Yes. Isn’t that a difficult question?”

At his question, which seemed to have already decided on an answer, I raised my eyes and began to list his strengths in my head.

“I need to think about it.”

“Why do you need to think? Ah, is it because there are so many that it’s hard to choose?”

“Yes……”

“You should say ‘Ah!’ right away when I ask. I’m sure there’s one unique big advantage, right?”

This man…… he seemed to want to hear a certain compliment. I tapped my temple with my finger and pondered.

“You experience it every day, but you don’t know?”

“Me?”

“Then who would experience it? Ah, Raphael might know roughly.”

“What is Your Majesty’s advantage that only I and Raphael know……?”

“Want me to give you more hints?”

“Yes, please.”

“Where are we lying right now?”

“Bed.”

“Yes, so.”

Linelle nodded greatly, giving a look that said, ‘I’ve given you all the answers.’

“……Is that the end of the hint?”

“How can I give you more hints here? Are you just telling me to show you outright?”

“Ah! I think I know.”

I clapped my hands and shouted.

“That’s right. What you’re thinking right now is the answer.”

“Sleep well!”

“Yes, slee…… what?”

“Your Majesty sleeps so peacefully. You don’t even snore.”

His expression suddenly sank.

“……Besides sleeping well.”

“Hmm, then it’s that, that.”

Linelle raised his upper body again with an expectant expression.

“Which one?”

He puffed out his chest, saying that this was the moment when his proper advantage would be revealed, and quickly scanned his body up and down.

“That thing that always raises the heat in my body…… is that right?”

“Hmph, it seems right this time. That makes sense.”

Linelle smiled contentedly and moved his Adam’s apple noticeably.

“The thing that keeps making me hot even when I refuse…….”

“Ahem, let’s refrain from detailed explanations since we’re both getting heated, and just shout out the answer.”

But why is this man being so shy? I stared at Linelle’s blushing face with a puzzled look and said the correct answer clearly.

“E, blanket!”

“What…… blanket? Why are you making me angry, Empress?”

He said, clenching his teeth tightly. Is that not it?

“You always cover me with a blanket when I kick it off at night. Thanks to that, my body is always warm. I didn’t cover myself on purpose because I have a lot of heat in my body.”

“……Ah, I see, our Empress was very hot. But, is covering you with a blanket my compliment?”

He let out a burst of laughter and glared at me with persistent eyes.

“Is it a compliment? That you’re very considerate.”

“Considerate? Ha, the ministers would laugh their heads off if they heard that, but let’s say it is. Is there anything else besides that? Is that really the end?”

When I pressed my lips tightly,

“Is that the end of my compliments in bed?”

Linelle’s gaze as he asked me back looked truly bitter.

“Of course there’s more. A compliment that I want to know and give only to you for the rest of my life.”

I winked playfully and replied. He muttered, ‘That’s right,’ and looked at me with a satisfied expression.

“But…… do I have to say it?”

“Yes, I definitely need to hear it.”

He looked down at my two hands fumbling with the clothes he was wearing and lowered his voice with a suggestive gaze. By the way, how do you take off this assassin outfit?

“Promise me instead.”

“I will.”

“Without even hearing what it is?”

“Yes, anything as long as it’s a promise I can keep by your side.”

Touched by Linelle’s words, my two hands grabbed the assassin outfit and tore it apart to the sides. The sound of the clothes tearing, *rip*-, echoed in the bedroom.

“Heop.”

He glanced down at his bare chest, which was exposed, and widened his eyes.

“Ah…… my fiery wife. Just yesterday, you had hands like cosmos flowers [delicate and gentle], but now you’re openly revealing your true colors.”

“I’m sorry, I sometimes can’t control my strength.”

“It’s okay. It’s an assassin outfit, so it’s right to take it off as if you’re tearing it to shreds. Well done, well done.”

Linelle said calmly, looking down at the half-torn top.

“Then should I tear it off completely, unless you’re going to live as an assassin as a hobby?”

“As much as you want. Just don’t tear my heart. Tear anything else. Now is the time to use that hidden power.”

I accepted his opinion and tore off the rest of the top.

“But…… we have to continue the story we were going to tell. What is it that you want to compliment only me for the rest of your life……?”

He threw off the half-torn top and asked.

“I want only me to know how passionate and loving Your Majesty is. I don’t want other women to know.”

“It’s okay for other men to know?”

“Oh my, you’re so good at joking. Hahaha.”

*Thump, thump, thump*! I burst into laughter at Linelle’s mischievous joke and playfully punched his chest with my fist.

“Ugh, now that your true form has been revealed, you’re just hitting me recklessly like this? You used to hit me ticklishly like a feather.”

Oops, I failed to control my strength because I was relaxed.

“I’m sorry.”

“Will it be like this when we make love?”

“Yes? What kind of…….”

“I was wondering if it would be different from before when we share love.”

His blue eyes became deeper and more profound.

“Are you curious?”

“Yes. Can’t we solve that curiosity now? And this too……”

Linelle loosened the strings of my bathrobe and pressed his body close to mine. A night began where I fully felt his advantages.

“Zelda…… I’ll always…… only do things worthy of praise in bed.”

His vow, heard between ragged breaths, came to me like a rush.

“Heuh, the best.”

There was no need for long words. I closed my eyes and gave a thumbs up. ***

“Moya, are you sure nothing really happened at the banquet hall?”

Rosie repeated the same question for the 10th time.

“How many times have I said that? I’m telling you nothing happened?”

Moya mechanically replied with hollow eyes. It wasn’t a lie. If Rosie had asked, ‘Did something happen?’, Moya would have confessed, ‘Something did happen.’ But in Moya’s standards, what happened in the backyard of the temple building…… was really nothing, so she confidently said so. For an hour already, Rosie had been giving the same question and Moya had been giving the same answer. Before going to the banquet hall, Rosie left the residence after telling Moya, who was begging to be taken with her, that it was absolutely not allowed, and that was the end of Rosie’s memory. When she regained consciousness, it was night and she was in her bedroom. Moreover, strangely, her face was flushed and her heart was beating wildly. She didn’t know exactly, but it felt like she had experienced and escaped some tremendous emotion tonight. Even after taking a bath, Rosie couldn’t shake off this unsettling feeling.

“You, tell me straight. What on earth did you do and come back from the banquet hall?”

“I just ate a lot of delicious things and talked with Her Majesty the Empress? Oh, now that I think about it, I also danced.”

“Yo, you danced? With who?!”

Rosie, who knew her dancing skills well, felt her legs give way.

“Don’t worry. I’m not good enough to dance with someone, so I just danced alone in the corner.”

“Did anyone see……?”

“One person.”

“Aww, who is it!”

“Miyaong?”

“I didn’t call you. Go away.”

Rosie waved her hand at the kitten who was approaching, thinking she was calling her name. But Awwssi was already rolling around at her feet, acting cute.

“Who on earth saw my dance! No, who saw *your* dance?!”

Moya hesitated for a moment at Rosie’s urging and opened her mouth.

“Prince Norton.”

“Ah, no!!”

Rosie bent her waist forward and grabbed her hair with both hands, screaming.

“Oong? Rosie, you can’t tear your hair out already?”

Moya hadn’t even brought up the most important thing yet.