I Became the Heroine’s Stand-in - Chapter 46

Ersivan’s words about how things would get busier were not an exaggeration. These days, Diana barely had a moment to catch her breath.

She had thought the wedding would last only a single day, what a miscalculation.

The ceremony stretched over three whole days, and with the sheer number of guests to invite, the preparations seemed endless.

From simple tasks like sending invitations to the family’s close associates, to complex matters such as managing the budget and calculating expenses, there was no end to the work.

The thought that she would have to deal with such matters regularly after marriage made her dizzy.

Just yesterday, Diana had endured a dreadful day, constantly pestered by Hyde.

Even while maintaining his usual smiling face, he had no trouble uttering the most cutting words.

Fortunately, today was the day she was to visit the temple, meaning she had no additional duties to attend to.

However, when Diana stepped outside to depart, she was surprised to find that the carriage was not waiting for her at the entrance.

“The portal to the temple is quite far,” Ersivan explained, having read the confusion on her face. “It would be a waste of time and energy to travel there on horseback.”

A smile touched his lips as he continued, “Thankfully, I found a generous mage willing to assist us.”

“What a kind person!”

Diana’s face brightened with genuine gratitude.

“Kind, my foot… What a joke…”

The supposedly benevolent individual frowned in displeasure, though she had yet to see his reaction.

By the time Diana finally spotted the “generous” mage, he had already schooled his expression back into place.

Had she witnessed his insincere demeanor, she would have muttered to herself that, indeed, people tend to associate with their own kind.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Cardel.”

“Lillian Mernard. Thank you for offering your help so willingly.”

His snowy-white hair, reminiscent of fresh winter snow, cascaded down to his waist. His pupils, which briefly met her gaze, quickly darted away, vanishing into the white of his irises.

Cardel’s face was as delicate and ethereal as a winter fairy straight out of a fairytale.

‘He looks familiar…’

It was hard to believe she could forget such an unrealistically beautiful face, yet he seemed oddly familiar.

Perhaps she was mistaken. Diana dismissed the thought and let it pass.

Soon after, they were given instructions. They were warned that teleportation could cause nausea and headaches, so they should be prepared for that.

“Well, the temple clerics will treat you right away, so don’t worry too much—”

“Oh, are we going directly to the temple?”

The look she received in response seemed to say, “Isn’t that obvious?”

In an instant, she felt like an idiot for asking.

Since the temple was quite a distance away, she had assumed the mage would only transport them to the nearest portal, not all the way there.

‘Wasn’t it said that teleportation distance is proportional to a mage’s skill?’

Diana recalled a book she had read during the subjugation campaign.

According to the author, teleportation was one of the most basic spells, but the distance one could travel with it was directly tied to the caster’s ability.

Yet, this mage could transport them from the mansion all the way to the temple? Even reaching the portal alone would have taken half a day by carriage!

It seemed this mage was as powerful as he was “kind-hearted.”

“Well then, I trust you are ready.”

Upon arrival, Diana and Ersivan were immediately separated—after all, physical contact between men and women was forbidden within the temple.

“This way, please.”

A cleric guided her to the Lake of Truth.

The lake was known to reveal the past, but it was also used to verify the purity of couples preparing for marriage.

According to imperial law, both partners were required to be equally chaste before marriage. If one remained pure, the other was expected to have done the same.

Since neither Diana nor Ersivan had been romantically involved with anyone before, there should be no issue.

Now dressed in ceremonial robes, Diana knelt before the lake.

Following the cleric’s instructions, she leaned forward toward the clear water. Her skin hovered just above the surface, barely making contact with the gentle ripples.

Was she supposed to just wait like this?

“Ah!”

Suddenly, a hand shot out from the water and yanked her in.

With a startled scream, Diana plunged into the lake.

‘So cold…’

The water heightened her senses, making every drop that brushed against her skin feel vivid and distinct.

The silence was deafening. It was as if she had sunk into the abyss, where all sound was swallowed whole.

<Hello.>

An unfamiliar voice greeted her.

<Open your eyes, and you will see me.>

Diana obeyed, slowly opening her eyes.

Strangely, despite being underwater, it didn’t feel uncomfortable.

If she could breathe, surely she could open her eyes as well.

<Over here. Look this way.>

Following the direction of the voice, Diana turned her head—and finally, a figure emerged from the depths.

“Who…?”

<I am the guardian of this place. Hmm, perhaps you would recognize the name Aria?>

Diana gave a slight nod.

She had read about this name in books before. Many parents even named their daughters after her.

Aria belonged to an ancient transcendent race—humans revered her as a “goddess.”

Known as the Goddess of Water, her appearance was as mystical as her title. Though her features were not entirely human, she possessed an otherworldly beauty.

For one, the whites and pupils of her eyes were reversed. Her skin was as pale as an untouched canvas, and her lips were an impossibly deep shade of blue—almost as if she had been crafted in the image of the very lake she resided in.

<Now, tell me your name.>

“My name is Lillian Mernard.”

<Oh my, did you really think you could lie in front of me? You must tell the truth.>

Aria furrowed her brows as if she had seen it all. Her blue eyebrows, the same color as her hair, knitted together in disapproval.

As expected of a transcendent being—one who could see through everything.

Even though she knew no one else was around, Diana instinctively glanced around, hesitating for a long moment before finally revealing her true identity.

“…I am Diana Mernard.”

<Don’t be so timid. Be proud of yourself!>

“Thank you… But, Aria, you really are a transcendent being, aren’t you?”

<Of course. There is nothing these eyes cannot see.>

With an animated gesture, Aria pointed to the solitary eye on her chest.

She referred to it as the “eye of the heart”, a mystical organ capable of seeing through people and discerning the truth.

The eye, which had been closed until now, slowly opened under Aria’s careful touch.

Its glowing blue iris locked onto Diana, observing her intently.

<I am reading your past.>

Diana had no idea how much time had passed. The eye flickered brilliantly for a while before its light abruptly dimmed and closed again.

<No sins, no past relations with anyone… At least on the bride’s side, there are no issues. Congratulations!>

“Then… does this mean you approve?”

<Yes!>

Aria folded her arms, looking pleased with herself, as if expecting gratitude. For someone with such a cold and ethereal appearance, the gesture was almost childlike.

And with that, the trial at the lake came to an end.

Just as Diana was about to bid farewell and leave, Aria suddenly called out to her.

<You.>

“Yes?”

<Now that I think about it, there’s something I need to give you.>

Muttering to herself, Aria conjured several objects using magic. Among them were a shell overflowing with trinkets and a massive conch.

<Hmm, I’m sure I left it here somewhere…>

She dug her hand deep into the conch, rummaging around before finally pulling something out.

<Found it at last!>

Dangling from her blue fingers was what appeared to be a necklace.

Aria stood still, gesturing for Diana to step closer.

Though she had been floating all this time, Diana cautiously moved her feet forward, feeling as if an invisible surface supported her.

<It suits you well.>

Aria whispered playfully as she fastened the necklace around Diana’s neck.

“Thank you… But why are you giving me a gift all of a sudden?”

<Oh, it’s not from me! Someone asked me to give it to you if I ever met you. Honestly, I never thought that day would come.>

“Would I be correct in assuming you won’t tell me who that person is?”

<Sharp as always.>

Aria chuckled, her eyes curving into an amused smile.

She then explained the nature of the gift.

<It’s a Spirit Pendant. It grants you the ability to summon the spirits that serve me. But! It’s not permanent—you can only use it a few times, so be careful.>

“This is such a rare item… Are you sure I should accept it?”

Though she had already received it, Diana felt uneasy.

A pendant that could summon spirits serving a deity? And she had no idea who had given it to her?

<It’s fine, it’s fine! That person must have had a reason for entrusting it to you.>

“…You think so?”

<Sure. That person is usually incredibly selfish. If they were willing to give it up, they must have thought long and hard about it.>

“Knowing that makes me even more reluctant to accept it.”

Diana’s troubled expression made Aria sigh as if she found the whole situation frustrating.

<Since I was entrusted with this, I can’t exactly take it back. But if you really don’t want to keep it, could you at least grant me one favor?>

“Yes… Anything, just tell me.”

<Someday, far in the future… don’t hate that person too much.>

“…But I don’t even know who they are.”

Diana tilted her head at the contradiction in Aria’s words.

Aria did not elaborate further. She simply offered a knowing smile, as if confident that one day, Diana would understand.

<When that time comes, even if you can’t forgive them… at least try to understand them. That’s all I ask.>

With that, Aria sent Diana back.

A large water bubble formed around Diana, gently lifting her upward.

As Diana slowly ascended, Aria waved goodbye.

Her beautiful yet bittersweet smile, her mysterious request— Diana would not fully understand their meaning until far, far in the future.

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