“I heard from Stiane. Aren’t you surprised?”
He said, grabbing my hand.
There were people whose wedding dresses were soiled, people whose ankles were sprained, and even people who fainted... Linel seemed most worried about me, who had merely witnessed the incident.
“Are you okay?”
“What?”
“The ministers of the Principality of Aklatto.”
“Stiane just informed the guests, so they’ll be okay.”
“Everyone must have been shocked.”
He said, grabbing my hand.
There were people whose wedding dresses were soiled, people whose ankles were sprained, and even people who fainted... Linel seemed most worried about me, who had merely witnessed the incident.
“Are you okay?”
“What?”
“The ministers of the Principality of Aklatto.”
“Stiane just informed the guests, so they’ll be okay.”
“Everyone must have been shocked.”
I could imagine the expressions on the ministers’ faces when they heard the news of the three concubines’ accident.
“But what can I do? It wasn’t intentional; it was the concubines’ carelessness that caused the accident. There’s nothing I can say.”
“...Yes, I guess not.”
I looked away and replied quietly. I couldn’t bring myself to say that it wasn’t the concubines who caused the accident, but the young wyverns who served me as their master.
“Are you ready? Don’t be nervous.”
He told me not to be nervous, but he actually seemed even more nervous.
His hands were shaking, I thought. I linked arms tightly around him and whispered,
"Neither of us remembers, but this is our second wedding, so we shouldn't be nervous."
And perhaps because I was wearing the same wedding dress as my state wedding, I felt more at ease.
The chapel door opened.
All eyes in the chapel were on us.
The sharp stares from all sides stung my face.
But I held my head high and stared straight ahead as I entered the chapel with Linel.
Ahead of us stood a cute couple of flower girls, holding flower baskets.
The sight of them brought a smile to my face.
The flower girls showered us with flower petals with their tiny hands, saying,
"You should live happily, Moiya~."
"No one's even clapping, the atmosphere is just so intense~."
Oh, you guys...
When did you enter the flower girls' bodies again?
I was anxious, wondering if the baby wyvern's true identity would be revealed.
Despite their tone, everyone was looking at the flower girls' behavior with puzzlement.
The flower girls, who were supposed to enter facing forward, were facing us, stepping backwards and scattering flower petals.
"Wow, how can little children walk backwards so well without falling?"
"Who told you to do that?"
"But those flower girls are relatives of the twin sisters' families among the concubines, aren't they?"
“But what can I do? It wasn’t intentional; it was the concubines’ carelessness that caused the accident. There’s nothing I can say.”
“...Yes, I guess not.”
I looked away and replied quietly. I couldn’t bring myself to say that it wasn’t the concubines who caused the accident, but the young wyverns who served me as their master.
“Are you ready? Don’t be nervous.”
He told me not to be nervous, but he actually seemed even more nervous.
His hands were shaking, I thought. I linked arms tightly around him and whispered,
"Neither of us remembers, but this is our second wedding, so we shouldn't be nervous."
And perhaps because I was wearing the same wedding dress as my state wedding, I felt more at ease.
The chapel door opened.
All eyes in the chapel were on us.
The sharp stares from all sides stung my face.
But I held my head high and stared straight ahead as I entered the chapel with Linel.
Ahead of us stood a cute couple of flower girls, holding flower baskets.
The sight of them brought a smile to my face.
The flower girls showered us with flower petals with their tiny hands, saying,
"You should live happily, Moiya~."
"No one's even clapping, the atmosphere is just so intense~."
Oh, you guys...
When did you enter the flower girls' bodies again?
I was anxious, wondering if the baby wyvern's true identity would be revealed.
Despite their tone, everyone was looking at the flower girls' behavior with puzzlement.
The flower girls, who were supposed to enter facing forward, were facing us, stepping backwards and scattering flower petals.
"Wow, how can little children walk backwards so well without falling?"
"Who told you to do that?"
"But those flower girls are relatives of the twin sisters' families among the concubines, aren't they?"
"They're cute, but they only make other people do nice things."
"What do children know?"
I could clearly hear the guests whispering to the flower girls.
Moiya and Moni walked backstepping to where the high priest officiating the wedding was standing, and only after stepping on his foot, exclaiming,
"Oh my, my foot!"
Were they led out by Raphael and Stiane's hands?
The concubine's wedding speech was brief and simple, but the kiss announcing our marriage was no less significant.
I suddenly wondered what the expressions on the faces of the guests witnessing this scene were, but I couldn't open my eyes because of Linel's deepening kiss.
Concubine ceremonies don't traditionally have receptions.
Therefore, it was customary for the Emperor to return to the main palace before dinner and attend to remaining business.
Linel embraced Zelda passionately in front of the chapel, promising to meet again tonight.
Arriving at the main palace, he opened the door to the conference room instead of his office and entered.
The ministers had requested a meeting immediately after the concubine ceremonies concluded.
"Has something important come up?"
He took his place at the head of the table, sensing an ominous atmosphere. Everyone seemed eager to speak to him.
However, no one dared speak, simply observing one another.
"If you have anything to say to me, please feel free to do so."
Linel kindly spoke first, and only then did the ministers speak.
"Your Majesty, first of all, I apologize for not being able to hold a proper concubine ceremony today."
"Yes, I will try to reschedule the ceremony for the three prospective concubines who were unable to attend."
"This is truly regrettable."
The ministers each offered words of comfort.
Linel, with a blank expression and a hand rubbing his chin, asked,
"You weren't the only ones who needed comforting, were you? After all, there was a concubine who had a safe wedding with me. Any congratulations on that?"
The ministers, facing the Emperor's clearly displeased expression, grimly offered congratulations and smiled awkwardly.
“Your Majesty, although we haven’t had a formal wedding, all three of them are already officially second concubines on paper.”
“I understand. So?”
"What do children know?"
I could clearly hear the guests whispering to the flower girls.
Moiya and Moni walked backstepping to where the high priest officiating the wedding was standing, and only after stepping on his foot, exclaiming,
"Oh my, my foot!"
Were they led out by Raphael and Stiane's hands?
The concubine's wedding speech was brief and simple, but the kiss announcing our marriage was no less significant.
I suddenly wondered what the expressions on the faces of the guests witnessing this scene were, but I couldn't open my eyes because of Linel's deepening kiss.
***
Concubine ceremonies don't traditionally have receptions.
Therefore, it was customary for the Emperor to return to the main palace before dinner and attend to remaining business.
Linel embraced Zelda passionately in front of the chapel, promising to meet again tonight.
Arriving at the main palace, he opened the door to the conference room instead of his office and entered.
The ministers had requested a meeting immediately after the concubine ceremonies concluded.
"Has something important come up?"
He took his place at the head of the table, sensing an ominous atmosphere. Everyone seemed eager to speak to him.
However, no one dared speak, simply observing one another.
"If you have anything to say to me, please feel free to do so."
Linel kindly spoke first, and only then did the ministers speak.
"Your Majesty, first of all, I apologize for not being able to hold a proper concubine ceremony today."
"Yes, I will try to reschedule the ceremony for the three prospective concubines who were unable to attend."
"This is truly regrettable."
The ministers each offered words of comfort.
Linel, with a blank expression and a hand rubbing his chin, asked,
"You weren't the only ones who needed comforting, were you? After all, there was a concubine who had a safe wedding with me. Any congratulations on that?"
The ministers, facing the Emperor's clearly displeased expression, grimly offered congratulations and smiled awkwardly.
“Your Majesty, although we haven’t had a formal wedding, all three of them are already officially second concubines on paper.”
“I understand. So?”
“So, aren’t they also qualified to spend the first night of the concubine ceremony?”
“Yes, indeed.”
For some reason, Linel strongly agreed with the ministers’ opinions.
Emboldened by this, Count Ralph indirectly asked him which concubine’s quarters he would be going to tonight.
Count Ralph was a minister of the Duchy of Aklatto and the father of twin sisters Elle and Celine.
“Your Majesty, what criteria will you use to decide which concubine will spend the first night of the concubine ceremony?”
“Since there are four new concubines, I intend to choose based on fairness. Raphael, bring it.”
Linel kindly explained to Count Ralph and the ministers, then gestured to his secretary.
Raphael was holding a glass bowl of paper he had prepared before the concubine ceremony, and at his command, placed it on the table.
“The names of the concubines are written on the four pieces of paper you see here.”
“Are you saying we’ll decide by drawing lots?”
Hetor, sitting diagonally across from Linel, asked with a somewhat bewildered look.
“This is the fairest method, and we’ve decided after careful consideration.”
Half of the ministers nodded at his decision, while the other half questioned whether it was acceptable to treat the first night of the concubine’s ceremony like a game.
However, with nothing to do with drawing lots, everyone focused their attention on the Emperor’s hand within the glass bowl.
Amidst the silence, Linel finally picked up one of the papers.
However, perhaps having a change of heart, he put down the first one and shuffled the papers again.
“Haha, we’re all getting nervous just watching.”
“That’s right. It’s not like we’re being chosen.”
“Look at the expressions on the faces of the three concubine fathers. Hehehe.”
The ministers of Lapion laughed at Linel’s actions, while the ministers of the Principality of Aklatto were filled with tension.
Linel finally picked up a piece of paper and removed his hand from the glass bowl.
“You should look at it and inform the ministers.”
He handed the folded paper to Raphael.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Raphael slowly unfolded the paper, glancing at the ministers’ faces.
“Your Majesty, where you will spend the night is... Her Highness Zelda’s quarters.”
“Oh, is that so? I see.”
Linel accepted the result with a blank expression, wary of his own sudden rise in laughter.
“Your Majesty, is this truly fair?”
The minister of the Principality of Aklatto raised his hand in protest.
“Do you mean to imply that I have cheated in some way?”
Linel pressed one eyebrow with his fingertip and looked at the minister with a wary gaze.
The atmosphere in the meeting room instantly turned tense.
“T-that’s not what I meant! Your Majesty, so that there will be no further complaints, would you mind if I confirm the paper in the glass bowl right here and now?”
“You dare doubt me, the Emperor of the Lapion Empire!”
He slammed his fist on the conference table, causing the ministers’ shoulders to rise to their ears and then fall back.
“I apologize, Your Majesty!”
The minister of the Principality of Aklatto, who had been harboring doubts, bowed his head so low that his forehead touched the table and immediately apologized.
“However, Your Majesty, to dispel the suspicions of the ministers of the Principality of Aklatto, it would not be a bad idea to have them check the paper in the glass bowl.”
Duke Kallios, Catherine’s father, cautiously suggested.
Linel’s angry expression gradually softened, and he gladly accepted his suggestion.
“Very well, Lord Hetor. Will you check it on behalf of the Principality of Aklatto?”
“...Yes, Your Majesty.”
Linel handed the glass bowl to Hetor, who stood up and accepted it with both hands.
Standing, Hetor took a paper out of the bowl and unfolded it.
Then, he turned his gaze to Linel’s face.
He smiled calmly and motioned for Hetor to continue checking the papers.
Hetor then checked the remaining two pieces of paper.
“Sir Hetor, are the names of all the concubines written on it?”
The ministers of the Principality of Aklatto asked Hetor.
“On the papers, all of them...”
Hetor met Linel’s eyes again and spoke to the ministers.
“It is true that the names of the three concubines are written on it.”
At Hetor’s testimony, all the ministers in the conference room cleared their throats and wore embarrassed expressions.
Linel gave them a cold look and stood up.
The ministers' expressions froze at his continued words.
"It seems there's nothing more to say, so let's conclude this meeting. On this fine day, thanks to you, I've become a bit of a mess, so I'll head to my office."
He deliberately placed a hand on Hetor's shoulder and left the conference room.
Hetor followed Linel out of the room immediately.
'He's got a lot of guts,'
Hetor thought as he walked down the hallway and watched him walk down the other side. The three notes all bore the name of the former Empress: Zelda, Zelda, Zelda.
“Yes, indeed.”
For some reason, Linel strongly agreed with the ministers’ opinions.
Emboldened by this, Count Ralph indirectly asked him which concubine’s quarters he would be going to tonight.
Count Ralph was a minister of the Duchy of Aklatto and the father of twin sisters Elle and Celine.
“Your Majesty, what criteria will you use to decide which concubine will spend the first night of the concubine ceremony?”
“Since there are four new concubines, I intend to choose based on fairness. Raphael, bring it.”
Linel kindly explained to Count Ralph and the ministers, then gestured to his secretary.
Raphael was holding a glass bowl of paper he had prepared before the concubine ceremony, and at his command, placed it on the table.
“The names of the concubines are written on the four pieces of paper you see here.”
“Are you saying we’ll decide by drawing lots?”
Hetor, sitting diagonally across from Linel, asked with a somewhat bewildered look.
“This is the fairest method, and we’ve decided after careful consideration.”
Half of the ministers nodded at his decision, while the other half questioned whether it was acceptable to treat the first night of the concubine’s ceremony like a game.
However, with nothing to do with drawing lots, everyone focused their attention on the Emperor’s hand within the glass bowl.
Amidst the silence, Linel finally picked up one of the papers.
However, perhaps having a change of heart, he put down the first one and shuffled the papers again.
“Haha, we’re all getting nervous just watching.”
“That’s right. It’s not like we’re being chosen.”
“Look at the expressions on the faces of the three concubine fathers. Hehehe.”
The ministers of Lapion laughed at Linel’s actions, while the ministers of the Principality of Aklatto were filled with tension.
Linel finally picked up a piece of paper and removed his hand from the glass bowl.
“You should look at it and inform the ministers.”
He handed the folded paper to Raphael.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Raphael slowly unfolded the paper, glancing at the ministers’ faces.
“Your Majesty, where you will spend the night is... Her Highness Zelda’s quarters.”
“Oh, is that so? I see.”
Linel accepted the result with a blank expression, wary of his own sudden rise in laughter.
“Your Majesty, is this truly fair?”
The minister of the Principality of Aklatto raised his hand in protest.
“Do you mean to imply that I have cheated in some way?”
Linel pressed one eyebrow with his fingertip and looked at the minister with a wary gaze.
The atmosphere in the meeting room instantly turned tense.
“T-that’s not what I meant! Your Majesty, so that there will be no further complaints, would you mind if I confirm the paper in the glass bowl right here and now?”
“You dare doubt me, the Emperor of the Lapion Empire!”
He slammed his fist on the conference table, causing the ministers’ shoulders to rise to their ears and then fall back.
“I apologize, Your Majesty!”
The minister of the Principality of Aklatto, who had been harboring doubts, bowed his head so low that his forehead touched the table and immediately apologized.
“However, Your Majesty, to dispel the suspicions of the ministers of the Principality of Aklatto, it would not be a bad idea to have them check the paper in the glass bowl.”
Duke Kallios, Catherine’s father, cautiously suggested.
Linel’s angry expression gradually softened, and he gladly accepted his suggestion.
“Very well, Lord Hetor. Will you check it on behalf of the Principality of Aklatto?”
“...Yes, Your Majesty.”
Linel handed the glass bowl to Hetor, who stood up and accepted it with both hands.
Standing, Hetor took a paper out of the bowl and unfolded it.
Then, he turned his gaze to Linel’s face.
He smiled calmly and motioned for Hetor to continue checking the papers.
Hetor then checked the remaining two pieces of paper.
“Sir Hetor, are the names of all the concubines written on it?”
The ministers of the Principality of Aklatto asked Hetor.
“On the papers, all of them...”
Hetor met Linel’s eyes again and spoke to the ministers.
“It is true that the names of the three concubines are written on it.”
At Hetor’s testimony, all the ministers in the conference room cleared their throats and wore embarrassed expressions.
Linel gave them a cold look and stood up.
The ministers' expressions froze at his continued words.
"It seems there's nothing more to say, so let's conclude this meeting. On this fine day, thanks to you, I've become a bit of a mess, so I'll head to my office."
He deliberately placed a hand on Hetor's shoulder and left the conference room.
Hetor followed Linel out of the room immediately.
'He's got a lot of guts,'
Hetor thought as he walked down the hallway and watched him walk down the other side. The three notes all bore the name of the former Empress: Zelda, Zelda, Zelda.
And beneath them, in the Emperor's handwriting, was written, 'I'm sure you'd understand my feelings for one person.'
'The Emperor knows. That I'm in love with Roxana...'
Hetor crumpled the three notes in the glass bowl and stuffed them into his pocket.
***
Princess Resilia couldn't understand why she had been brought to the Empress's Palace.
"Why are you doing this to me?"
Roxana's gaze, as if treating me like a criminal, was also puzzling. The place she was brought to was also similar.
"Why is there such a creepy underground chamber in the magnificent Empress's Palace?"
Looking at the expressions of the knights surrounding her, she felt like a traitor. There was no chair to sit on. Princess Resilia had to stand alone, enduring the eerie atmosphere.
A moment later, the sound of footsteps could be heard coming from the stairwell leading down to the basement. It was Roxana and her attendant. Princess Resilia swallowed. Roxana held a whip in her hand.
"Why did you come down with a whip? Could it be...you're using that on me?!?"
Even though she believed it was absolutely impossible, a feeling of unease washed over her.
"Your Majesty! Why did you bring me here?"
Princess Resilia's voice was somewhat impulsive.
"Don't you know why you were brought here?"
Roxana suppressed her anger and asked back.
“Yes, I don’t know. I did nothing wrong. As for Zelda’s wedding dress, I promised you yesterday that I could do whatever I wanted with it...!”
“Shhh.”
Roxana pressed her index finger to her lips. Princess Resilia shut her mouth at her fierce gaze.
“What were you rummaging through in front of my dressing table like a thief yesterday? In a bedroom where no one was there!”
Princess Resilia flinched and took a step back at Roxana’s scolding.
“Searching? As I told you yesterday, I was just checking myself in the mirror.”
“Since the Princess came, one of my belongings that was kept on the dressing table... is missing.”
“W-what does that have to do with me? Are you saying I stole something from Your Majesty the Empress?!”
Princess Resilia burst out laughing at Roxana’s suspicion of her as a thief, genuinely bewildered. Roxana glared at her as if she was going to tear her apart at any moment. Princess Resilia then asked with a defeated expression.
“...What on earth is that missing item?”
“Are you asking me this when you already know it, just to make me angry?”
“No. I-I have no idea, that’s why I’m telling you this!”
Princess Resilia rolled her eyes and thought of the wyvern egg.
‘Surely, it really went missing and you’re telling me this?’
“The Princess didn’t steal it yourself, right? You probably just told them where it was, and someone must have come in and taken it while I was gone.”
“What kind of nonsense is that...”
Princess Resilia was speechless at the unfair accusation.
“You pretended to know me just because I was the enemy of the former Empress Zelda, and you dare steal my item? How impudent!”
“W-what did you say? You’re being harsh!”
“W-what? I'm being harsh?”
Roxana glared, took off the veil she was wearing, and threw it at Princess Resilia’s face.
“Look carefully!”
“...Huh, huff!”
Princess Resilia was grabbed by Roxana's chin and looked at her face before collapsing to the floor.
"When I say it's bad, this is what I mean by this! Do you understand?!"
Roxana had a burn on the right side of her face. What surprised Princess Resilia even more was that the size and location of the burn were very similar to Zelda's burn scars.
"I won't say much. Where did you put the wyvern egg and the Avatar Sword?"
"I only heard that they were in the Empress's Palace... huh!"
Princess Resilia blurted out in a daze.
Roxana glared at Princess Resilia, as if she'd expected that.
"Wait, those two things are gone now?! Could it be that my brother did something without my knowledge?"
Her brother was a man of great worth.
"I really don't know! Please believe me, Your Majesty!"
Princess Resilia pleaded, grabbing her arm.
"You detestable woman, you'll learn soon enough."
Roxana raised her whip high.
"Wait, those two things are gone now?! Could it be that my brother did something without my knowledge?"
Her brother was a man of great worth.
"I really don't know! Please believe me, Your Majesty!"
Princess Resilia pleaded, grabbing her arm.
"You detestable woman, you'll learn soon enough."
Roxana raised her whip high.
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