“First, first... right?”
"Yes."
Emperor Linel's voice was not irritating, but it was not particularly affectionate either. It was a deep, low voice that was hard to gauge. I grabbed the hem of my slip skirt with both hands and sat up again.
“Is it possible to do this overnight...?”
Damn, the words I was thinking inside just blurted out.
“I know you don’t like me.”
Emperor Linel wrinkled his nose for a moment and then said something unexpected. The remark felt so absurd that I tilted my head to look up at his face. How could I not like that face? Your evaluation of your own appearance is too harsh.
“I also find you rotten...”
“?”
What the hell. Why did he stop talking?
The Emperor, who had been talking up to that point, stopped talking because of my gaze. Our eyes were awkwardly intertwined. The longer I looked at him, the more comfortable I felt.
It was strange. Does my mind actually become more at ease when my face becomes too unrealistic? Whenever he told me to raise my head, he always turned his head away first when I actually looked at him. And then he spoke as if making an excuse.
“What I mean is, you’re not a wife that I like very, very, very much, that is... to the point where my heart is about to burst. Not yet.”
...What did you say? I didn’t say anything?
“What I mean is, you’re not a wife that I like very, very, very much, that is... to the point where my heart is about to burst. Not yet.”
...What did you say? I didn’t say anything?
This is unfair. I was just concluding to myself, ‘Is being handsome enough to be anything? Oh, it really is.’ I swear I listened to what he said without even frowning. He coughed awkwardly and opened his mouth again.
“Even if we don’t like each other, we are already a couple.”
Ah, I shouldn't be doing this now. I nodded seriously to Emperor Linel's words, then suddenly yawned.
'Haam-.'
I felt that I should not show him this disloyal side, so I turned my head away out of courtesy and yawned secretly.
“Are you listening to me?”
Emperor Linel snapped his fingers, perhaps because he thought I was ignoring him, and focused my gaze back on him.
“Yes, of course. I am deeply engraving every word you say.”
“...Could you please lighten up that expression that looks like you’re about to cry and speak?”
I yawned secretly and tears welled up in my eyes.
"Sorry."
I just let him misunderstand. I thought I'd yawn again if I tried to explain.
“I don’t know what God was thinking when he brought you and me together, but we made a vow to him.”
He muttered in a discontented tone and sat down on a chair about three steps away from the bed.
“Fuck. I don’t know if I’m serving God or the priests, but traditionally, the Emperor’s first home is that monstrous...”
I opened my eyes wide at his words. I reacted to the somewhat stinging word. The word 'monster' was something I had heard a lot since I was young in the Kingdom of Shattonil. To be exact, since the burn scar on the right side of my face. However, since last night, the burn scar has completely disappeared. Of course, it disappeared temporarily because I took a magic potion. Even though the burn scar was gone, my hand still often touched that area out of habit.
“When I called you a monster, I wasn’t talking to you. That was just something I said to the priests, to myself.”
He glanced at me briefly as if he thought I had misunderstood what he had said.
“Then you should have done it to yourself.”
"What?"
“I’ve already heard it all.”
“...”
I said it jokingly. He seemed to consider my words, then chuckled.
“Now you’re talking at length.”
He said with a subtle smile.
“I really hate women who just keep their mouths shut and make people laugh, but I’m glad that doesn’t seem to be the case.”
“That is... Your Majesty, you are saying this because you have never met someone who makes people burst into laughter whenever they open their mouths.”
I spoke to him through clenched teeth, thinking of Prince Tesla in my mind.
“Yeah. I think I met someone like that last night...”
Emperor Linel ruffled his well-groomed hair, muttered to himself, and then looked at me intently.
“!”
Last night? Are you talking about remembering when we met?
"What?"
“I’ve already heard it all.”
“...”
I said it jokingly. He seemed to consider my words, then chuckled.
“Now you’re talking at length.”
He said with a subtle smile.
“I really hate women who just keep their mouths shut and make people laugh, but I’m glad that doesn’t seem to be the case.”
“That is... Your Majesty, you are saying this because you have never met someone who makes people burst into laughter whenever they open their mouths.”
I spoke to him through clenched teeth, thinking of Prince Tesla in my mind.
“Yeah. I think I met someone like that last night...”
Emperor Linel ruffled his well-groomed hair, muttered to himself, and then looked at me intently.
“!”
Last night? Are you talking about remembering when we met?
For a moment, I almost held my breath. But since he didn't say anything else, I thought it wasn't about me. Phew... Surprise. An awkward silence flowed between us again. This time, he spoke first.
“I know very well that I am not a very affectionate man.”
I glanced at Emperor Linel, who was suddenly reflecting on himself. He placed the wine glass he was holding on the mahogany table and got up from his chair. Why did he suddenly get up again?
“You look very upset.”
He said with a frown.
“Oh, that’s impossible.”
I quickly forced a smile, widening the corners of my mouth.
“Anyway, I plan to do my best as a husband.”
I almost glared at him as he spoke with determination. Isn't it true that you are helping me by not doing what is right?
“Tonight will be the first night of my journey.”
Emperor Linel tugged down on his gown string. My sanity seemed to loosen as well. Oh my, my goodness!
“I know very well that I am not a very affectionate man.”
I glanced at Emperor Linel, who was suddenly reflecting on himself. He placed the wine glass he was holding on the mahogany table and got up from his chair. Why did he suddenly get up again?
“You look very upset.”
He said with a frown.
“Oh, that’s impossible.”
I quickly forced a smile, widening the corners of my mouth.
“Anyway, I plan to do my best as a husband.”
I almost glared at him as he spoke with determination. Isn't it true that you are helping me by not doing what is right?
“Tonight will be the first night of my journey.”
Emperor Linel tugged down on his gown string. My sanity seemed to loosen as well. Oh my, my goodness!
His dizzying chest muscles were revealed through the gap in his gown as if heaven had opened up. I lost my mind and admired the heaven. Come to your senses!
I tried to gather my scattered sanity again. Anyway, once Princess Resilia arrives here at the Lapion Imperial Palace, my mission will be over. Then I can return to the Kingdom of Shattonil and receive the cure to completely remove my burn scars from Prince Tesla as promised. Until then, if I could just pretend to be dead in the Lapion Imperial Palace, it would be half a success. Even Emperor Linel, who seemed as cold as ice, seemed to dislike me, so it didn’t seem difficult, but what is the duty of a husband!
“Your Majesty, do you believe in God?”
He asked seriously. I wanted to shout at him, 'Your Majesty's chest muscles are much more trustworthy than God!', but I just opened my mouth. I'm not a real Empress, and I don't believe in God. I thought for a moment about how to answer him. When I saw his eyes, which seemed to be telling me to answer quickly, I unintentionally blurted out words that sounded like loyalty.
“From now on, I will trust and follow Your Majesty more than God!”
It was never a prepared answer.
“Ha, hahaha! When the priests arrive later, why don’t you say the same thing? That you trust me more than God.”
Emperor Linel burst into loud laughter.
“I will keep my mouth shut to the priests. I am a woman who dreams of a long and healthy life...”
I found myself talking back again. I bit my lower lip and dug my thigh with my fingernails at the same time. Zelda von Trova, are you crazy?
“Your Majesty, do you believe in God?”
He asked seriously. I wanted to shout at him, 'Your Majesty's chest muscles are much more trustworthy than God!', but I just opened my mouth. I'm not a real Empress, and I don't believe in God. I thought for a moment about how to answer him. When I saw his eyes, which seemed to be telling me to answer quickly, I unintentionally blurted out words that sounded like loyalty.
“From now on, I will trust and follow Your Majesty more than God!”
It was never a prepared answer.
“Ha, hahaha! When the priests arrive later, why don’t you say the same thing? That you trust me more than God.”
Emperor Linel burst into loud laughter.
“I will keep my mouth shut to the priests. I am a woman who dreams of a long and healthy life...”
I found myself talking back again. I bit my lower lip and dug my thigh with my fingernails at the same time. Zelda von Trova, are you crazy?
You just decided to keep your mouth shut! Why, why. Why on earth do you keep talking back to the Emperor?
“That’s fun.”
He said, raising his beautiful eyebrows. But wait? There was something in what he just said that caught my ear.
“Your Majesty, the priests have arrived... What do you mean by that?”
Knock knock-.
“That’s fun.”
He said, raising his beautiful eyebrows. But wait? There was something in what he just said that caught my ear.
“Your Majesty, the priests have arrived... What do you mean by that?”
Knock knock-.
At that moment, a knock was heard outside the bedroom, intertwined with my voice. An ominous aura of some unknown kind began to wrap around my body like a snake.
“It looks like they’ve arrived. Let’s continue our conversation after the priests leave.”
He took a deep breath and continued speaking solemnly.
“Your Majesty, we have discussed enough, and now it is time to discuss something else.”
The gown Emperor Linel was wearing fell to the floor.
“What, what are you sharing...?”
“It looks like they’ve arrived. Let’s continue our conversation after the priests leave.”
He took a deep breath and continued speaking solemnly.
“Your Majesty, we have discussed enough, and now it is time to discuss something else.”
The gown Emperor Linel was wearing fell to the floor.
“What, what are you sharing...?”
I heard that Your Majesty is lacking in the part that you are going to share!
I unconsciously stretched out both my hands forward to block him from approaching. How dare you make such a gesture to the Emperor!
I glanced at the marble floor for a moment, searching for my lost cowardice.
“It’s time to prove to the priests that we are a married couple.”
Emperor Linel looked down at my hand that was holding him back and replied.
“What are witnesses and what is the time to prove in front of them?”
“It’s time to prove to the priests that we are a married couple.”
Emperor Linel looked down at my hand that was holding him back and replied.
“What are witnesses and what is the time to prove in front of them?”
“You didn’t know, did you?”
“Is there something I should know?”
“The tradition of the Lapion Imperial Family.”
“?”
“On the Emperor’s wedding night, the priests come in and prove to them that they are truly a married couple.”
Excuse me, I'm just a proxy Empress?!
“Is there something I should know?”
“The tradition of the Lapion Imperial Family.”
“?”
“On the Emperor’s wedding night, the priests come in and prove to them that they are truly a married couple.”
Excuse me, I'm just a proxy Empress?!
“Huh?”
Emperor Linel's sculpted features were shattered by my single words that were almost like a scream. But the trap is that he still looks handsome.
“Isn’t it clear that the traditions and major customs of the Lapion royal family were passed on to the Kingdom of Shattonil in advance?”
“That, that...”
I didn't have time to listen to that! I swallowed my words, biting my lower lip. Emperor Linel stared at me with sharp eyes, as if observing me.
“Your Majesty! It is time to begin now.”
The voice of the chamberlain, Stian, came from outside the bedroom door.
“Just wait a moment!”
Emperor Linel's sculpted features were shattered by my single words that were almost like a scream. But the trap is that he still looks handsome.
“Isn’t it clear that the traditions and major customs of the Lapion royal family were passed on to the Kingdom of Shattonil in advance?”
“That, that...”
I didn't have time to listen to that! I swallowed my words, biting my lower lip. Emperor Linel stared at me with sharp eyes, as if observing me.
“Your Majesty! It is time to begin now.”
The voice of the chamberlain, Stian, came from outside the bedroom door.
“Just wait a moment!”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
As he shouted toward the door, the commotion became quiet along with the answer of the chief steward, Stian. His sharp gaze flew towards me again and was fixed on me.
“Do you have any last words?”
It sounded like the last question a prisoner asks while kneeling on the guillotine before execution. My spine had been tingling for a while, and now my mind was starting to feel chills. Out of habit, I reached out to the burn scar on my right side.
“Where... does it hurt?”
Emperor Linel grabbed my hand and asked.
“Oh, no, Your Majesty.”
Despite my words that it was okay, he stared intently at the right side of my face. The area where my burn scar was burning under his gaze.
'Prince Tesla you son of a bitch!'
You should have told me in advance that the priests would be coming on the first night. Then I would have at least prepared myself mentally!
As he shouted toward the door, the commotion became quiet along with the answer of the chief steward, Stian. His sharp gaze flew towards me again and was fixed on me.
“Do you have any last words?”
It sounded like the last question a prisoner asks while kneeling on the guillotine before execution. My spine had been tingling for a while, and now my mind was starting to feel chills. Out of habit, I reached out to the burn scar on my right side.
“Where... does it hurt?”
Emperor Linel grabbed my hand and asked.
“Oh, no, Your Majesty.”
Despite my words that it was okay, he stared intently at the right side of my face. The area where my burn scar was burning under his gaze.
'Prince Tesla you son of a bitch!'
You should have told me in advance that the priests would be coming on the first night. Then I would have at least prepared myself mentally!
***
At the same time, at the Shattonil royal court.
“Will Emperor Linel, who doesn’t even look at most women, have an affair with Zelda?”
Prince Tesla asked his knight, Sir Ken, over a glass of liquor in his study.
“It’s a national wedding, so wouldn’t that be the case?”
“I assured Zelda that Emperor Linel was almost a vassal. Hehe, she must be cursing at me by now, right? Calling me a son of a bitch.”
Prince Tesla, with a bitter smile on his face, drank the remaining liquor in his glass in one gulp and said.
“It’s pleasing to the eye.”
“Even so, wouldn’t it have been better to tell Lady Zelda about the tradition of the first night of the Laphion Imperial Family in advance?”
Ken Sir carefully expressed his opinion.
“If that were the case, would he have just gone along? I had no choice.”
“That’s true.”
The reason Prince Tesla was so obsessed with the marriage with the Lapion Empire that he even resorted to the reckless act of having a proxy Empress was largely political. Three years ago, there was a war between the two continents to take possession of the baby wyverns. There are six countries, three each on the Northern and Southern Continents. The Northern Continent is bordered by the Shattonil Kingdom, which is closest to the Valley of Death, the Ekaya Empire, which is rich in resources, and the Lapion Empire, which has the largest territory and the strongest military force.
“Will Emperor Linel, who doesn’t even look at most women, have an affair with Zelda?”
Prince Tesla asked his knight, Sir Ken, over a glass of liquor in his study.
“It’s a national wedding, so wouldn’t that be the case?”
“I assured Zelda that Emperor Linel was almost a vassal. Hehe, she must be cursing at me by now, right? Calling me a son of a bitch.”
Prince Tesla, with a bitter smile on his face, drank the remaining liquor in his glass in one gulp and said.
“It’s pleasing to the eye.”
“Even so, wouldn’t it have been better to tell Lady Zelda about the tradition of the first night of the Laphion Imperial Family in advance?”
Ken Sir carefully expressed his opinion.
“If that were the case, would he have just gone along? I had no choice.”
“That’s true.”
The reason Prince Tesla was so obsessed with the marriage with the Lapion Empire that he even resorted to the reckless act of having a proxy Empress was largely political. Three years ago, there was a war between the two continents to take possession of the baby wyverns. There are six countries, three each on the Northern and Southern Continents. The Northern Continent is bordered by the Shattonil Kingdom, which is closest to the Valley of Death, the Ekaya Empire, which is rich in resources, and the Lapion Empire, which has the largest territory and the strongest military force.
The countries of the Southern Continent do not have their military power concentrated on one country like the Northern Continent, and all three countries have almost equal military power. The two continents were originally one continent, but 300 years ago, lightning struck from the sky for three days and split the continent. A waterway connecting to the sea was created between the split valleys, and the gap between them has widened to the point where you have to travel by boat due to the erosion of the wind and waves. People call that place the 'Valley of Death'. And the wyverns began to settle in the 'Death Valley', splitting in half.
From then on, a fierce war between the two continents began to take over the wyverns. Wyverns that had already grown were difficult to tame, but baby wyverns could be easily tamed by wizards or high-ranking knights. For this reason, the countries of the two continents shed a lot of blood between the Death Valleys to take over the baby wyverns. Due to the wyverns' habit of moving to a different region once every three years and returning, the war is currently in a temporary ceasefire.
“Your Highness, the time has come for the wyverns to return to the Valley of Death.”
By then, the two continents will be at war again.
“The only way for our kingdom, which is closest to the Valley of Death, to minimize damage is to receive protection from the Lapion Empire.”
“Yes.”
“That’s why this national wedding is important. Even though the scapegoat has some flaws, we must keep her on the throne as Empress until we find Resilia.”
Prince Tesla tapped the right side of his face with his finger, remembering Zelda's burn scar.
“What do you plan to do next?”
“Well, what should we do... with our Zelda.”
Prince Tesla burst into laughter, trailing off.
***
“Are you okay? Your face feels hot.”
Emperor Linel's hand turned to the right side of my face. I was internally cursing Prince Tesla, but then I was startled by his worried voice.
“Oh, no. I’m just nervous.”
Without realizing it, I tilted my head to the side to avoid his touch. He narrowed his eyes and looked at me with eyes that seemed to pierce through me, then obediently lowered his hand.
Emperor Linel's hand turned to the right side of my face. I was internally cursing Prince Tesla, but then I was startled by his worried voice.
“Oh, no. I’m just nervous.”
Without realizing it, I tilted my head to the side to avoid his touch. He narrowed his eyes and looked at me with eyes that seemed to pierce through me, then obediently lowered his hand.
“You don’t have to worry about it.”
He said nonchalantly and turned to pick up the wine glass he had placed on the table. I glared at his back, which seemed calm. The priests also had eyes, so how could they not care?
He said nonchalantly and turned to pick up the wine glass he had placed on the table. I glared at his back, which seemed calm. The priests also had eyes, so how could they not care?
No matter how I looked at Emperor Linel’s calm appearance, he didn’t look like someone who would be going to sleep soon. Furthermore, he didn’t seem to have any feelings for me. The same goes for me. However, I don’t know why my heart has been trembling like this all this time. I thought I should have a more proper conversation before having a physical conversation with him. We can’t suddenly share each other’s strange sounds like this, right? Exchanging a few more words right now wouldn’t help this difficult situation much, but still.
“Your Majesty, I have a question!”
I rolled my eyes here and there and then raised my hand.
“I’m looking forward to it. I wonder what the Empress is curious about in this situation...”
Emperor Linel leaned his upper body towards me and tilted his head. His beautiful body filled my vision without warning.
“Try it.”
“Your Majesty, I have a question!”
I rolled my eyes here and there and then raised my hand.
“I’m looking forward to it. I wonder what the Empress is curious about in this situation...”
Emperor Linel leaned his upper body towards me and tilted his head. His beautiful body filled my vision without warning.
“Try it.”
His low voice had a tendency to make me feel more and more nervous. The tension rising from my lower abdomen already made me short of breath.
“There... When you see a concubine later on, or when you welcome a new Empress, do the priests come in on the first night?”
“...”
The Emperor's expression as he listened to me gradually became distorted. I had intended to have a proper conversation, but somehow, an atmosphere even stranger than silence was created.
“Is the Empress curious about such things now?”
No.
“Will things be like this when I welcome a new Empress?”
I just... said that to buy some time, and it just so happened that I said something like that.
“Oh, that was a slip of the tongue.”
“It was a slip of the tongue... Why.”
“Will things be like this when I welcome a new Empress?”
I just... said that to buy some time, and it just so happened that I said something like that.
“Oh, that was a slip of the tongue.”
“It was a slip of the tongue... Why.”
"Yes?"
“Why did you make such a slip of the tongue? How could the words ‘new Empress’ come out of the mouth of the Empress who just got married today?”
I was at a loss as to what expression to make as I looked at Emperor Linel's suspicious face.
“Listen carefully.”
He took a deep breath and continued speaking with determination.
“No matter how much the god has been of no help in my life, I have sworn to marry you today. So, the task of me taking a new Empress is-.”
“... ”
“There won’t be any.”
Ta-da!
“Why did you make such a slip of the tongue? How could the words ‘new Empress’ come out of the mouth of the Empress who just got married today?”
I was at a loss as to what expression to make as I looked at Emperor Linel's suspicious face.
“Listen carefully.”
He took a deep breath and continued speaking with determination.
“No matter how much the god has been of no help in my life, I have sworn to marry you today. So, the task of me taking a new Empress is-.”
“... ”
“There won’t be any.”
Ta-da!
It felt like lightning was striking my head one after another. Your Majesty, please be flexible about divorce and remarriage!
“There are only two reasons why I would remarry.”
He lightly tapped my nose with his index finger,
“Either you die or you cheat.”
With a wedge-like gaze,
“That’s all.”
He said it very firmly.
“There are only two reasons why I would remarry.”
He lightly tapped my nose with his index finger,
“Either you die or you cheat.”
With a wedge-like gaze,
“That’s all.”
He said it very firmly.
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