I Became the Heroine’s Stand-in - Chapter 42

Among the lively table of knights, one person remained notably silent.

Seated to Diana’s left, the knight paid no mind to the noisy chatter around him, focusing solely on his meal.

His light ash-gray hair had the dullness of storm clouds before rainfall. He had narrow eyes, faint double eyelids, and a small beauty mark beneath one of them.

“My lady, I cannot refuse the order to protect you. Please, try to understand.”

He was the other knight who had frantically tried to stop her that day.

Diana refrained from addressing him directly and instead poured more tea into his empty cup.

The knight acknowledged her gesture with a silent nod rather than words.

“Does the food suit your taste?”

“Yes. Thanks to your thoughtfulness, it is excellent.”

“I’m glad. Ah, what should I call you?”

“Kun Arphinne. Please address me as you see fit.”

“Then, I shall call you Sir Arphinne.”

“It is an honor.”

Despite her efforts to engage him in conversation, his responses remained stiff and formal—completely different from the more sociable knights around her.

“Kun! Why are you acting so rigid on a day of celebration?”

“…Rigid? Your hand is what’s truly rigid.”

Sensing the awkwardness, Joel attempted to lighten the mood, playfully clapping Kun on the back.

“Please forgive his lack of manners, my lady. This guy’s just sulking because he was excluded from today’s event.”

“Excluded?”

Sometimes, staying silent was the best course of action.

Joel’s words had an instant chilling effect, the cheerful atmosphere turning unnervingly quiet.

The tension became so palpable that even the sound of someone swallowing felt out of place.

There were only two possible reasons for such a reaction.

Either Kun had committed some terrible blunder…

Or the reason for his exclusion sat right in front of them.

“…Was it because of me?”

Diana asked hesitantly.

No immediate denial came.

Even Joel, who usually had an easygoing demeanor, looked like a man on death row.

“…No, my lady.”

Kun finally spoke, but his belated denial was unconvincing.

Even a child could tell he was lying.

“So it was because of me.”

A deep sense of embarrassment crept over Diana. She gripped the hem of her dress, directing her frustration at the fabric.

She had never once regretted her actions that night.

But if someone else had suffered because of them…

That was different.

Feeling both flustered and guilty, Diana lifted her gaze and met Kun’s eyes.

“Sir Arphinne, please accept my apologies for my lack of consideration that day.”

A quiet but earnest apology slipped from between her lips.

Kun’s eyes briefly widened before narrowing again.

“Apology? There is no need, my lady. You have done nothing wrong.”

“And yet, my carelessness caused you trouble. How can you say I am not at fault? I will ensure that such an incident does not happen again.”

Diana bowed her head as she spoke.

Kun, utterly stunned, felt a wave of panic surge through him.

If his lord were to witness this scene, he wouldn’t just be excluded from training—he might actually lose his head.

“M-My lady, please! There’s no need to bow. Please raise your head…!”

Hearing his flustered tone, Diana finally relented and straightened up.

“I will speak to His Highness about this matter.”

“No! There is no need. Please, I beg you—do not do that.”

For the first time, Kun found himself feeling exasperated by the Duke’s fiancée.

She truly had no idea what kind of person her future husband was, did she?

“If there is anything I can do for you, do not hesitate to ask.”

“…Your kind words are more than enough, my lady.”

When Kun gave his formal reply, Diana smiled in relief.

Kun frowned internally at the sight of such a genuine smile.

“Why would she go so far as to apologize to a mere knight?”

Her sincerity made him uneasy.

“She’s actually serious about this? How absurd.”

To be honest, Kun had assumed she was merely pretending to be remorseful.

From his personal experience, nobles were experts at putting on a show of grace and dignity.

And if he was being completely truthful, he had never liked this woman—the so-called future mistress of Valencia.

It was no secret that she and the Duke had nothing more than a contractual relationship.

Arranged marriages were common among the nobility, so that was not the issue.

But why—of all families—did it have to be House Mernard?

Yes, the Mernard lineage was prestigious.

But Kun had always believed the Duke could have secured a far better match.

Even if the rumors surrounding him were unfavorable, his power and influence alone should have been enough to secure a superior bride.

Kun had even had the opportunity to speak directly with Ersivan about it once.

And at that moment, he had blurted out words he hadn’t even meant to say.

“Your Highness… I do not understand.”

‘The reason for his exclusion?’

‘…Your Highness, I simply do not understand why you would choose to marry her.’

Kun had spoken out of turn because he had always deeply admired his lord.

He had expected a sharp reprimand, but instead, Ersivan fell silent—as if contemplating his answer.

‘Even you do not know the reason, do you, Your Highness?’

Kun had thought that if a man had to search for a reason to marry, then it was best to not marry at all.

So he had driven the final nail in.

Ersivan’s lips curled slightly—was it in agreement? Or something else? Kun couldn’t tell. He had merely scratched his head in confusion.

“You will understand when you see for yourself.”

At the time, Kun had scoffed at the idea.

“What could possibly change my mind?”

He neither understood nor wanted to understand his lord’s decision.

But now…

Now, he thought he might be starting to see it.

Only a little.

From the early hours of the morning, Diana had been overwhelmed with preparations.

The dressing process had been going on for hours.

Compared to this, even the elaborate styling from the first day of the campaign seemed trivial.

Daisy cycled through several dresses, holding each up against Diana and seeking input from the other attendants.

“Anything will do.”

“Anything? My lady, of course, you would look lovely in anything, but—! We can’t just pick at random!”

Daisy, ever the perfectionist, dove back into the selection process with renewed determination.

After much deliberation, she finally settled on one.

“No matter how I look at it, this one is the best. Don’t you think so too, my lady?”

“…Yes, I suppose so.”

Diana nodded absentmindedly.

To be honest, they all looked the same to her.

But she knew that if she expressed doubt, Daisy would take it as a rejection—and that would mean starting the whole process over again.

Daisy narrowed her eyes, as if still unsatisfied.

She reached for another dress, ready to reconsider her choice.

“Perhaps I should bring a few more options—”

“No, this one is perfect. I’ll wear this.”

Sensing impending disaster, Diana quickly reinforced her decision.

Thankfully, Daisy finally relented.

With the dress chosen at last, Diana sat still as her attendants carefully styled her hair and applied makeup.

“Ah… It was the perfect choice.”

Once the finishing touches were complete, Daisy clasped her hands together in delight.

The other attendants, upon seeing their lady, gasped in admiration.

The intensity of their reactions made Diana curious enough to step in front of the full-length mirror.

The sky-blue trumpet gown contrasted beautifully with her pale complexion.

Jewelry—a delicate necklace and matching earrings—completed the look, ensuring that the exposed skin did not feel too bare.

“Do you like it, my lady?”

Daisy, beaming with pride, eagerly awaited Diana’s response.

Her raised eyebrows and expectant expression were almost adorable.

Diana, charmed by her enthusiasm, offered her genuine praise.

“You’ve done well. I love it.”

“Oh, my lady… You flatter me.”

After one final adjustment, Daisy tucked a stray strand of Diana’s hair behind her ear.

“And with that—everything is perfect! You’re ready to go.”

Just as Daisy declared the preparations complete, a knight’s voice called from outside the tent.

As soon as Diana stepped out, several gazes locked onto her.

She hadn’t expected a dramatic reaction…

But the complete lack of response was almost worse.

Feeling a little self-conscious, Diana smiled bashfully.

Only then did the knights snap out of their daze, their faces flushing red one by one.

“I—uh—my lady, you look breathtaking.”

It was Anthony who spoke first.

“It feels strange wearing something like this.”

After all, she rarely left the Valencia estate, so she had spent most of her time in comfortable indoor dresses or riding outfits.

Even at recent banquets, she had opted for simpler gowns.

It had been a long time since she had worn something this elaborate.

Her casual remark was immediately met with protests from the surrounding knights.

“There’s nothing strange about it! You—you look truly magnificent!”

“…This is getting embarrassing. Let’s tone it down.”

Flustered, Diana waved them off, her voice tinged with amusement.

And with that, she allowed herself to be escorted to the banquet hall.

Upon arrival, an official bearing the Valencia insignia led her to the central seating area.

The hall was completely packed.

Soon, the announcer stepped onto the stage.

With a warm greeting, he officially commenced the final event of the campaign.

The ranking ceremony.

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