I Became the Heroine’s Stand-in - Chapter 59

Footsteps echoed suspiciously down the corridor. Not a single soul nor even an ant was in sight as Diana wandered alone from room to room.

“Madam, if you’re not too busy, could you please check the third floor?”

She had been tasked with inspecting the guest rooms in preparation for the upcoming banquet. Since Ersivan was the one who primarily managed the third floor, there was a high chance that some rooms had been neglected.

“This is my first time here, too…”

She had heard that, aside from Ersivan, the third floor was practically off-limits.

And judging by the untouched atmosphere, it seemed no one else had indeed set foot here.

At first, she doubted whether these rooms were truly suitable for guests. But recalling that they would be thoroughly cleaned and lavishly decorated before the event, her concerns faded.

She meticulously checked room after room—dozens of them.

Having finished inspecting the right wing, she was about to move toward the left when an unfamiliar door caught her eye.

Unlike the other rooms, which, despite showing signs of neglect, still matched the grandeur of the Valencia estate, this one was shockingly shabby.

So much so that it was hard to believe it even belonged in the ducal mansion.

“What kind of room is this?”

Hyde had strictly warned her not to enter any rooms that weren’t marked on the estate’s map.

Naturally, the room before her was not on the map.

Even though she knew no one was around, Diana instinctively glanced from side to side.

Slowly, she reached for the doorknob, her movements eerily similar to that of a cat sneaking around a fish market.

“What are you doing?”

A voice called from behind.

Startled, she bit her tongue—hard—and winced in silent agony.

Only after recovering from the pain did she process the situation.

Her heart still racing, she blinked in bewilderment.

“I was sure no one else was here…”

Standing before her was the very same kind-hearted mage who had once teleported her and Ersivan to the temple.

He gestured toward the door with an air of nonchalance.

“That door won’t open anyway.”

“…What?”

“It’s locked.”

So, he had caught her in the act.

Feeling oddly defiant, Diana gripped the knob and gave it a firm twist.

It didn’t budge.

Her amethyst-colored eyes widened in surprise—how had he known?

Cardel smirked at her reaction and shrugged.

“It’s basic knowledge.”

“Right… Cardel, was it? Or should I say, Sir Cardel?”

“You actually remembered.”

Perhaps because he was an ancient archmage who had lived for centuries, Diana didn’t bother correcting his informal speech.

Instead, she focused on a more pressing question.

“What brings you here?”

That was the real issue.

She had been explicitly warned that no one should enter this floor.

“Well…”

At her sharp inquiry, Cardel averted his gaze.

If he admitted to sneaking in, this rigid woman would undoubtedly kick him out.

The best he could hope for was that she wouldn’t go straight to Ersivan and report him.

“Aren’t you curious about what’s inside?”

“You mean… this room?”

“Yeah. Want me to show you?”

Just like that, he deftly shifted the topic to something that would pique her interest.

And, fortunately for him, Diana took the bait.

“But you just confirmed it was locked.”

“That doesn’t matter.”

“…You’re not planning to break the door, are you?”

“I’m not that reckless.”

Placing his hand on the door, Cardel began chanting a low incantation.

A section of the door’s surface turned transparent, revealing the interior of the room.

What lay inside was nothing short of decrepit.

The wooden floorboards looked so old they might creak underfoot.

The faded wallpaper bore stains of time, and the furniture, though present, was so shabby that it hardly served a purpose.

A portrait hung on the wall, its golden frame standing out starkly against the otherwise bleak surroundings.

The top portion of the painting was obscured, making it impossible to see the entire image.

“Could this room be the reason the third floor is off-limits?”

The thought only fueled her curiosity further.

Despite knowing better, Diana found herself scrutinizing every inch of the room.

She even leaned forward, as if trying to press her face against the small opening for a better look.

Seeing this, Cardel smirked, confirming that she had fallen into his trap.

“Can you see it?”

“Yes, I can see it clearly.”

“Then that makes you my accomplice.”

“…What?”

“Which means we both keep quiet about this, especially to your husband.”

He placed a finger to his lips in a silent shush gesture.

For some reason, Diana felt as though she had just entered a forbidden pact.

But since they were both in a position where they couldn’t be caught, she had little choice but to nod in agreement.

“So? Thoughts?”

“Thoughts on what?”

“Does it… feel familiar?”

“Hmm, I’ve never seen a place like that before.”

“Yeah, I figured.”

Cardel didn’t seem particularly interested in her answer, as if his question had been little more than idle curiosity.

He continued to observe Diana before his gaze dropped to her neck.

Dangling from his fingertip was the necklace she had received from Aria.

“That’s quite the treasure you have there.”

“Ah…”

“Would you like me to teach you how to use it?”

Diana hesitated. Was it really wise to reveal the nature of this item to someone she barely knew?

But before she could even decide, his next words caught her off guard.

“You know what it is?”

“Of course. I’ve lived for centuries—there’s very little I don’t know.”

Aria had never fully explained its purpose, leaving Diana to figure it out on her own.

Despite poring over dozens of books, she had found no mention of it. Even trying to replicate the activation methods of similar artifacts had yielded nothing.

She had nearly given up, convinced that this rare treasure would remain useless in her hands.

“Hold it.”

Diana instinctively grasped the necklace tightly.

“And now, recite this.”

“I, the agent of the divine, make this vow. To the righteous, I lend your strength. With your greatness, may you vanquish evil and ensure the triumph of good—”

As she echoed Cardel’s words, a blinding white light erupted from the necklace, enveloping her entirely.

The radiant energy surged through her chest, flooding her heart with an almost overwhelming force before vanishing as suddenly as it had appeared.

When Diana opened her eyes, the hallway was as silent as before—eerily so.

“It’s…”

It worked…?

She tried to voice the question, but the words never left her lips.

…Why can’t I speak?

No matter how many times she opened her mouth, no sound emerged.

Like a mermaid stripped of her voice, Diana turned to Cardel in alarm.

Fortunately, he seemed to understand her confusion and answered without prompting.

“Yes, it worked.”

“Ah…”

“From now on, anything related to the ‘contract’ is forbidden from being spoken aloud. That’s why you couldn’t say a word just now. Writing it down won’t work either.”

So then… how was she supposed to use the necklace?

Of all the things she needed to know, she could no longer ask about the most important one.

She understood that the necklace could summon a spirit—but how?

And even if she succeeded, she had no idea how to command it.

Looks like I’ll have to figure it out on my own.

Diana sighed, running her fingers over the pendant absentmindedly.

Now that she had taken the first step, perhaps trial and error would eventually yield results.

“Are you done with your task?”

Cardel’s question reminded her of the job she had left unfinished.

Shaking her head, she resumed her inspection of the guest rooms.

He trailed behind her, casually peeking at the map over her shoulder.

“Let’s finish this quickly. I’ll help.”

“I can do it on my own. You don’t have to.”

“Ah, but that won’t do. I’m in a hurry, you see.”

“…Excuse me?”

“I need to go see that master of the house.”

She had thought—hoped—that she was mistaken.

But no, the ‘master of the house’ Cardel referred to was, in fact, Ersivan.

Despite his brazen entrance into the study, Cardel was clearly an uninvited guest.

Ersivan’s expression darkened the moment he saw him.

The tension between them made Diana feel as though she had unwittingly stepped onto a battlefield.

“It’s quite rude to greet an old friend like that.”

“…Friend?”

“Dragging out your words like that—how cold, Evan. After everything I’ve done for you.”

Only then did Ersivan relax, retracting his hostile glare.

Diana watched their exchange closely, intrigued by the rare sight of Ersivan conceding—even if only slightly.

“So, what’s the reason for this visit?”

Though he directed the question at Cardel, his gaze flickered toward Diana, as if debating whether her presence was an issue.

Sensing that she should leave, she took a small step back.

But before she could excuse herself, Cardel caught her wrist, stopping her.

“Your wife should hear this too.”

His voice was calm, meant to command focus—but Ersivan’s mind was elsewhere.

His attention had locked onto the exact point where Cardel’s fingers rested against Diana’s skin.

Cardel, catching on to his silent warning, slowly let go of her wrist.

“I was at the imperial palace recently. I heard something interesting.”

“The palace?”

The voice that repeated his words was chilling.

The sharp edge in Ersivan’s tone was unmistakable, and Cardel shot Diana a sidelong glance, as if to silently urge her to stay calm.

His crimson irises shifted, scrutinizing Ersivan carefully before he suppressed whatever emotion had flickered across his face.

“The Empress wishes to see you.”

“…My mother does?”

“Yes, your mother.”

It was not a statement that could be taken lightly.

Diana, startled by the weight of those words, lifted her gaze toward them.

Ersivan’s deep blue eyes met hers—calm, yet unreadable, as though he were bracing for what came next.

“And she wants to see your wife as well.”

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