I Became the Heroine’s Stand-in - Chapter 60

A few days later, a letter arrived at the Valencia estate.

To the esteemed Duchess of Valencia,

It is a pleasure to finally greet you, though I regret that our first meeting must be through a letter. It is unfortunate that I could not witness the union of you and my son, I am certain it was a beautiful occasion.

If you are willing, would you grant me the honor of receiving you? If you find it agreeable, I would like you to visit the Imperial Palace alongside my son.

Awaiting your response with great respect,

A Representative of the Empire

Strictly speaking, the letter was addressed to Diana—or rather, Lillian Mernard.

It was no coincidence that it had been sent to the Duchess rather than to Ersivan himself.

The sender was none other than the Empress of the Empire.

Despite the formal wording, the letter was less of an invitation and more of a command.

After all, Diana had no direct blood ties to the Empress. She was merely the daughter of a lowly count’s household. Even though she now held the title of Duchess, rejecting an invitation from the Empress was out of the question.

Ersivan, who had been pacing restlessly beside her all day, snatched the letter from her hands the moment she set it down.

As he read, his expression darkened with anger.

He looked ready to tear the parchment to shreds.

Had he been the first to open it, Diana likely wouldn’t have even seen its contents.

“Do not go.”

He flipped the letter upside down as if he couldn’t stand the sight of it.

She had expected him to say that.

Truthfully, she didn’t want to go either.

Facing someone who saw her as an enemy… she wasn’t confident she could maintain her act flawlessly.

For now, if Ersivan refused, there wouldn’t be an immediate issue.

However, she knew all too well that leaving a spark unattended only led to a wildfire later on.

Diana had always valued peace—and she was not one to ignore even the smallest threats to it.

“It’s fine. I’ll go.”

“Dian, you don’t have to—”

“She’s someone I’ll have to meet sooner or later.”

Unless she planned on avoiding the Empress forever.

Since no one knew when the real Lillian might return, Diana had no way of knowing how long she would have to keep up this charade.

And in the meantime, it was inevitable that she would have to interact with the Empress.

Given her personality, if Diana refused now, the Empress would surely hold onto the grudge. If, by chance, they were to meet again under worse circumstances, she would have to endure the full brunt of her displeasure.

If she had to face it anyway, it was better to do so on her terms.

Avoiding the Empress entirely would be ideal—but things rarely went ideally.

“…I understand.”

Realizing that her mind was set, Ersivan let out a reluctant sigh and nodded.

Without another word, he retrieved a fine sheet of parchment and picked up a quill from its holder.

It was clear that he intended to draft the reply himself.

“I will write the response.”

Without hesitation, he began to write.

For someone who was composing a letter with obvious displeasure, his penmanship was strikingly elegant.

It was something Diana always noticed—Ersivan was effortlessly refined in every moment, even when he wasn’t trying to be.

To Her Majesty, the Empress,

Indeed, it is a shame. Had my mother been less occupied, she could have attended the wedding, and we would not need to arrange a meeting now. Truly unfortunate.

However, since it is my mother’s request, I will gladly set aside time to introduce my wife to her.

I do hope this is not an inconvenience to Your Majesty. If so, please do not feel obliged to extend such generosity.

Kindly inform us of a suitable time, and I shall take this opportunity to return to my homeland after so long.

Awaiting your response with respect,

Valencia

Diana suggested softening the wording, but she quickly realized that was a lost cause.

And so, the letter was sent.

A few days later, a reply arrived from the Imperial Palace.

To the Duke of Valencia,

My, the addressee has changed. However, I must say, exchanging words with my son through letters has been an unexpectedly pleasant experience.

Let us meet after the passing of eight nights—on the morning of the ninth.

Until then, I pray for your well-being and happiness.

A Representative of the Empire

***

Eight moons set, and on the ninth sunrise, the day arrived.

Today, Diana and Ersivan would travel to the Imperial Palace.

It was, in a way, Diana’s first official outing since the wedding.

Yet, given their destination, it was impossible to look forward to it.

“Are you certain you must go?”

At Ersivan’s question, Diana turned away from the carriage window and faced him.

The first thing she noticed was the way his hands were clasped together—tightly.

The second was the striking crimson of his irises, as captivating as ever.

“Aren’t we already on our way?”

“It’s not too late to change your mind. While I meet with Her Majesty, you could take the opportunity to explore the capital instead.”

“I wouldn’t want Valencia to be a house that speaks with two tongues.”

“And who dares to describe your actions so disrespectfully?”

No one had actually said such a thing, yet the man before her looked ready to hunt down the supposed offender and tear them apart.

Which meant, in some twisted way, there was a possibility she might have been the one he would have turned that glare upon.

“I’m going.”

“…Hah.”

It had now been a full four months since they began sharing their daily lives.

Even if she didn’t understand his true thoughts, Diana had learned to predict his minor habits and reactions.

For instance, this was the face he made when he was about to lecture her.

Just as Ersivan let out a deep sigh and drew in another breath, Diana spoke up first.

“This carriage is truly beautiful.”

Her quiet admiration made him momentarily forget whatever he had intended to say.

“…Is there anything uncomfortable?”

His expression, which had darkened for a fleeting moment, was quickly masked with a gentle facade.

Diana shook her head. She must have wanted to emphasize the gesture because her clasped hands trembled ever so slightly.

She wasn’t exaggerating—this carriage was massive.

If she were to tell anyone about it, whatever size they might imagine, she was certain this would exceed their expectations.

It was so large that it took three strong coachmen to manage it, and even then, they needed to use expensive mana stones to supplement the effort.

He must have remembered her mentioning her discomfort with enclosed spaces when he arranged for it.

“Not at all. Just the fact that you’ve taken such care is more than enough.”

“If you ever need something, say so without hesitation—regardless of whether it comes from my sincerity or obligation. I’d rather do more than not do enough.”

It was clear that if he could, he would only give more, never less.

Diana, however, didn’t expect anything more—and even fleeting hope felt like a luxury she couldn’t afford.

“I will. Thank you, as always, Evan.”

After her polite response, their conversation drifted into casual chatter.

Before long, the grand gates of the Imperial Palace came into view, adorned with the empire’s emblem.

Finally, they had arrived.

The carriage slowed to a near-crawl, moving at the pace of a person’s leisurely steps before coming to a complete stop.

Awaiting them were rows of palace attendants lined neatly on both sides, standing at attention.

Their wary gazes, fixed upon them, sent an involuntary shiver down Diana’s spine.

Even Ersivan, who was usually composed, had tightened his grip on her shoulder with unusual firmness.

The attendants gave a polite bow before silently guiding them forward.

Just as the two prepared to follow, one of the waiting chamberlains spoke up from behind.

“Her Majesty the Empress has requested to meet the Duke first. Lady Valencia will be escorted separately at the designated time.”

“There will be no such arrangement. My wife comes with me.”

“But, Your Grace, Her Majesty mentioned that she has missed family gatherings.”

“…Family?”

His repetition of the word was not because he had misheard, but because he found it utterly ridiculous.

The sharp coldness in his voice made the maid visibly shrink.

“I will comply.”

Diana had no desire to cause unnecessary conflict.

Not for the sake of the maid, but because she didn’t want Ersivan to cause a stir in the very den of vipers who thrived on such chaos.

That was precisely what the scheming members of the imperial family would want.

“…Lillian.”

“I was actually hoping to look around the palace. I haven’t had many chances to visit.”

Damn it.

The low mutter from Ersivan was accompanied by the way he ran a hand through his black hair in frustration.

Had the attendant who had fixed his hair that morning been present, they would have surely despaired at seeing their work undone in mere moments.

“If—”

“…”

“If you find that you don’t wish to stay, forget about the consequences and return to the estate immediately.”

Diana nodded.

She knew that Ersivan despised the Empress, but she hadn’t realized he would be this reluctant for her to meet her.

Was he afraid that her true identity would be exposed?

“You two, guard the Duchess.”

“Yes, Your Grace!”

Joel, Anthony, and Coon would be by her side.

Only then did Ersivan seem somewhat reassured as he turned to leave.

But even as he walked away, he kept glancing back over his shoulder—like a parent reluctant to leave their child behind.

“Please allow me to escort you, Lady Valencia.”

Diana remained standing in place until his figure disappeared into the distance before finally taking her first step forward.

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