I Became the Heroine’s Stand-in - Chapter 44

Even after Ersivan’s speech ended, the hall remained silent.

It was Melinne who first broke the spell, clapping as if entranced.

Diana quickly followed suit, joining in the congratulations.

One by one, the rest of the hall echoed their applause, the hesitant celebration snowballing into an ovation.

Amid the commotion, Melinne leaned in close, lowering her voice.

“That last part… He was talking about you, wasn’t he?”

“…Huh?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t know. No wonder you seemed oddly confident that day…”

“You’re mistaken.”

Diana cut her off before she could speculate further.

“His Highness and I are not in any kind of improper relationship.”

“Improper? If His Highness heard that, he’d be devastated.”

Melinne scoffed, dramatically shrugging her shoulders.

“But you know… there’s someone else far better suited for him.”

“…Are you saying His Highness is having an affair?”

“What? No, of course not. I just think… he would be better off with someone else.”

“That’s ridiculous. Lili, you’re already perfect—what are you even saying?”

Of course, to Melinne, Diana was Lillian.

It made sense for her to say such things.

The conversation drained the last bit of Diana’s patience.

She had no desire to continue this topic, so she ended it with a graceful smile.

Sometime later, as expected, the lowest-ranking noble was announced.

From there, each name was read one by one, gradually moving up the list.

Since there were so many noble participants, the ranking ceremony dragged on for hours.

By the time it concluded, the sun was already beginning to set.

“By the way…”

Melinne had been chattering away to Diana when she suddenly paused, sensing someone approaching.

Holding a bouquet yet somehow looking even more radiant than the flowers in his hands—there was only one man who could manage such a thing.

Ersivan Valencia.

His appearance was so striking that even his future children would owe eternal gratitude to the gods for inheriting his features.

Melinne immediately rose to her feet, stepping forward to greet him.

“Melinne Jans. Lili’s dear friend. I’ve heard so much about you! And, of course, congratulations on your victory!”

“I appreciate the kind words. Ersivan Valencia. I’ll be sure to formally invite you to the estate when I have time.”

“Ah, right—you must be quite busy with the upcoming wedding.”

Melinne chuckled.

“But whenever you find the time, I’d be more than happy to visit. I’m always delighted to accept an invitation.”

Then, with a mischievous twinkle in her eye, she added,

“Besides, I have so many stories to share.”

With that, she excused herself, waving as she left.

“I should go check on my brother. He was already sulking about his rank—now that it’s dropped even further, I might have to console him all night.”

Still, as she walked away, she couldn’t resist sneaking a glance back.

Standing together, Diana and Ersivan looked incredibly awkward.

‘She said they weren’t close, but… This is suspicious.’

If Melinne had seen them a few days ago, she might not have doubted Diana’s words.

But something had changed.

Unbeknownst to them, the distance between them had subtly shifted—a crack forming in the carefully constructed façade.

Once Melinne had disappeared, Ersivan formally greeted Diana.

“I’m here.”

“…Welcome.”

“What’s with that hesitant expression? Shouldn’t you be congratulating me?”

His tone was light, but his eyes gleamed with mischief, as if he were feigning disappointment.

“I’m just… surprised, that’s all.”

She still couldn’t quite grasp why he had suddenly changed.

After all, in the original timeline, he hadn’t taken the tournament seriously until the following year.

Did that mean…

Something had altered fate?

Did her presence change something?

Or had he simply made a decision on his own?

Either way, Diana couldn’t make sense of it.

Ersivan, however, seemed entirely unbothered, casually shrugging his shoulders.

“Didn’t I tell you? I planned to change my ‘humble’ ranking.”

“Your ranking was never ‘humble’ to begin with.”

“It’s generous of you to say that. But regardless, I had a promise to keep.”

His words were so effortlessly spoken, as if he had never once doubted his actions.

Diana sighed.

“You worked hard. You must be exhausted. Your hands… Are they alright?”

Her gaze lowered to his hands.

The pale fingers holding the bouquet were covered in small wounds.

The dragon’s scales had shredded his gloves, leaving cuts where the fabric had failed to protect him.

“…It’s nothing serious. No need to worry.”

“…I see.”

Though she nodded, her voice was unconvinced.

“It’s the truth.”

Then, as if to change the subject, he smiled.

“But shouldn’t you at least give me a proper congratulations?”

“Haven’t you already received plenty?”

“A true victory is meaningless without your words.”

Before she could respond, he placed the bouquet in her hands.

Her fingers tensed around the delicate stems.

“…Why are you giving this to me?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

His expression was infuriatingly calm as he answered,

“I won for you. Naturally, the prize belongs to you.”

For a fleeting moment, fragments of the original novel’s dialogue flashed through Diana’s mind.

Even though she knew it was pointless, she often found herself distracted by unwanted thoughts.

“…I’ll go get something to eat.”

Her mood had soured, and the best way to deal with it was to excuse herself.

Without waiting for a response, Diana pressed the bouquet back into Ersivan’s hands and quickly fled the scene.

She wandered toward the refreshment table, where an assortment of simple dishes and desserts were laid out.

“Blueberry muffins are always a good choice. If you like cake, shortcake is an excellent option too.”

A familiar yet unfamiliar voice sounded behind her.

Diana recognized it vaguely, but couldn’t immediately place the owner.

Nonetheless, she followed the suggestion, carefully placing a muffin and a slice of shortcake on her plate.

“I’m honored you actually listened to my advice.”

“…Not at all. I should be the one thanking you for the recommendation.”

Turning her head, she finally identified the speaker—

Prince Kain Daemonhart.

So much for avoiding someone unpleasant—she had only ended up running into someone even worse.

“If you prefer alcohol, I’d recommend the sparkling wine from Jodou. But if you’d rather keep it light, the fruit juice is surprisingly good despite its reputation.”

Kain continued suggesting drinks, oblivious to the unease settling in the air.

Diana let out a strained smile before opting for fruit juice.

Then, the inevitable happened.

“Now that my brother has secured victory… do you still think it was all a meaningless endeavor?”

Of course.

There was no way he’d extend kindness for free.

He was mocking her, deliberately calling back to her past words.

It seemed Kain had taken offense to what she had said before.

“I never said it was meaningless. What I said was that the process is more important than the result.”

“I expected my brother to be motivated by your words, but I didn’t anticipate he’d rise this high. I suppose… the person beside you truly does matter.”

“I didn’t do anything. If you give me credit for something I didn’t contribute to, I’ll only feel ashamed. His Highness and the knights achieved that success on their own.”

It was a petty trick, attempting to tie her to Ersivan’s achievements.

Diana didn’t fall for it. Instead, she subtly shifted the praise to Ersivan and the knights, a move designed to get under Kain’s skin.

“Ah. Wrapping words in a gilded shell—that’s something you and my brother have in common.”

“And dismissing sincerity as mere decoration—is that something you and Lady Cordelia have in common?”

Their exchange was beginning to escalate, tension creeping into their voices.

Diana knew she was pushing her limits, yet she couldn’t stop herself.

‘Why isn’t he getting angry?’

She had expected at least a reprimand, if not outright fury.

But instead of losing his temper, Kain remained unnervingly calm.

‘It’s not because of the people around us…’

The nearby nobles were engrossed in their conversations, paying them no mind.

So then…

‘Why is he here?’

The realization struck her.

Where was his fiancée, Lady Ephel Cordelia?

Why was Prince Kain spending his time here instead?

“If I were to rebuke you, would it unsettle you as much?”

“…Excuse me?”

“I don’t think it would.”

Kain took a step closer, and Diana instinctively placed her plate and glass down onto the refreshment table.

She failed to realize that, in doing so, she had just closed the distance between them even further.

“If you keep showing such reckless determination to protect what’s yours… how can I help but want to take it for myself?”

Diana froze.

She knew that look well—the glint of desire, hunger, and ruthless ambition.

She had seen it too many times before, in the slums, in the streets, and even in the eyes of nobles.

But why—

Why was she seeing that look in Prince Kain’s eyes?

“…I don’t understand what you mean.”

Diana held her ground, pretending ignorance.

She had already given him mercy once—now, she just needed to wait for him to walk into his own snare.

“The wedding is approaching, isn’t it?”

Thinking he was changing the subject, Diana nodded eagerly, eager to redirect the conversation.

But his next words—

“Before then, I’ll give you an opportunity. Choose me, not him.”

—were something she had not expected in the slightest.

A disbelieving laugh escaped her lips.

“…Your Highness, haven’t you been engaged to someone for quite some time now?”

She was, of course, referring to Ephel Cordelia, his longtime fiancée.

Kain’s answer was swift, effortless, and mercilessly blunt.

“What does it matter? There’s no real emotion there. If we break off the engagement, it won’t be a problem.”

“…Excuse me?”

“Even if it causes dishonor to your family, the imperial household can easily handle the fallout.”

Diana’s fingers clenched at her skirts.

Kain wasn’t offering her freedom—he was offering her a different kind of cage.

“Your family seeks power, don’t they? Then join hands with me. Even your father would prefer me over him.”

Of course, he would.

The Count had personally offered his estate to imprison Ersivan—there was no way he’d refuse an even greater opportunity.

Diana’s gaze lowered as she tried to mask her expression.

There was only one reason Kain would even make such a proposal.

He genuinely believed that Lillian Mernard had become an important figure to Ersivan.

It was a critical miscalculation.

“…Your Highness, before you proceed, there’s something I’d like to make clear.”

“Go ahead.”

“Duke Ersivan doesn’t love me.”

Kain’s brows furrowed slightly.

Diana’s smile was laced with subtle amusement.

“Which means I’m not someone important to him. Even if you take me away… it won’t affect him at all.”

A long silence followed.

For the first time, Prince Kain’s composure wavered.

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