I Became the Heroine’s Stand-in - Chapter 74

Ersivan remained silent for a moment, letting the gentle breeze brush against her hair several times before he finally raised his voice.

“I told you once before, but since you didn’t believe me, I will swear it again.”

Drawing the sword fastened to his waist, he plunged the ruby-adorned blade into the ground before kneeling on one knee before her.

“I, Ersivan Liane Valencia, vow to do everything in my power to ensure your safety. No matter the means, no matter the cost, I pledge my loyalty to you, Diana.”

It was the oath of a knight.

A vow that could only be made once in a lifetime, binding two people together more deeply than anything else.

For noble sons and daughters, receiving such an oath from a knight they admired or loved was the stuff of romantic fantasies. The weight of such a promise was immeasurable, even more so for the knight making it.

And this was no ordinary knight—Ersivan Valencia, the strongest of them all.

Even if his reputation had been tarnished, countless people would dream of receiving an oath like this from him.

“Will you accept my oath, Lili?”

The line surfaced in her mind, a scene straight out of the book.

If the original story had followed its intended course, this vow should have belonged to Lillian Mernard.

But here and now, in reality, it had been Diana who received it.

“Do you really think he can accept you completely?”

“Do you think you could ever replace me?”

A faint voice whispered in her ear.

It was delicate, unfamiliar.

As she pondered its owner, realization struck, and she let out a quiet chuckle.

It was Lillian Mernard, the shadow of her past self, lingering deep within her.

Clenching her fists, she steeled herself.

“I’m alive. I’ve survived all this time.”

“My existence, my beating heart—it’s proof that I’ve changed the story.”

“I don’t expect him to love me, nor do I believe I can take your place.”

“I am simply grateful to have held onto happiness for just a little longer.”

“I, Diana Valencia, accept the oath of Sir Ersivan Valencia.”

Each word was spoken deliberately, clearly, unwaveringly.

And with that, a new miracle was set into motion.

Perhaps the exhaustion from everything that had happened overwhelmed her body. By the time she awoke the next day, the sun was already high in the sky.

It was strange—she had always been someone who followed her daily schedule without fail, yet today she had overslept.

They said that sleeping too long made you even more fatigued, and maybe it was true. Even after waking, her eyelids felt unbearably heavy.

Dragging herself to the mirror, she managed to freshen up quickly before stepping out of the tent.

Outside, the knights were preparing to leave after lunch.

Her vision was still hazy, but as she scanned the area, the one person she was looking for was nowhere to be seen.

“I’m setting out early tomorrow morning. To deal with the creature that appeared, I need to take down several of its underlings first.”

She recalled their conversation from the previous night—he had warned her in advance that he’d be leaving at dawn.

As she wandered around the camp, the last remnants of fatigue faded away.

Feeling lighter, she figured she would have enough energy to help with preparing dinner in the evening.

Since she had missed out on assisting with lunch, she wanted to at least make up for it. With that in mind, she made her way toward the kitchen tent.

Inside, Joel sat alone.

He was too absorbed in reading the evening meal plan handed to him by the quartermaster to notice her arrival.

Not wanting to disturb him, she quietly pulled out a chair and sat down.

Only once he had finished reading did she greet him.

“Good afternoon.”

“A-Ah! Madam! You didn’t have to come this early…”

Startled, Joel scrambled to his feet, flustered.

Diana raised a hand to calm him before he made a bigger scene than necessary.

“I left the morning duties to you—I should apologize for that. I’m sorry, Sir Franz.”

“You’re far too considerate, Madam. This is something I should have handled on my own anyway.”

“If we’re being precise, it’s my responsibility in the first place.”

Teasing him lightly, she smiled, her eyes curving into a perfect crescent.

The way her gaze softened was enough to unsettle any young man’s heart.

Joel, perhaps feeling guilty, quickly changed the subject.

“Uhm… Did you have a good talk with His Highness?”

His sudden mention of Ersivan brought back a flood of emotions that she had been trying to suppress.

It wasn’t just guilt—it was something deeper.

By revealing his past, Joel had unknowingly burdened both his master and herself.

“Thanks to you, everything was settled quite neatly. Your worries were unnecessary, so you needn’t concern yourself anymore. Thank you.”

Hearing her response, Joel visibly relaxed.

As he let out a relieved smile, his slightly crooked front tooth peeked out.

Diana reached for the meal plan he had been reviewing.

The menu was well-balanced, ensuring proper nutrition for the knights who had been working tirelessly.

Wanting to start preparations immediately, she rose from her seat.

If they moved quickly, dinner would be ready with some time to spare.

If she had enough energy left, she considered using whatever scraps remained to make desserts for the knights.

After all, nothing replenished one’s strength better than a bit of sweetness.

“…And done!”

“Finally finished.”

Diana managed to finish preparing both the planned meal and the small treats she had wanted to make—all within the scheduled time.

“You’ve got quite the talent for this,” Joel remarked after tasting a sample, giving her a firm thumbs-up.

She didn’t bother with false modesty. Even if it wasn’t as grand as the feasts prepared by the ducal estate’s chefs, it was at least decent enough to eat.

Just then, the sound of hooves echoed from outside. The thunderous rhythm grew steadily louder, signaling the return of the unit that had departed earlier that morning.

“His Highness has returned.”

“I should go out to meet him.”

Diana hurriedly prepared herself.

She untied her apron, let down the loose bun she had hastily put up, and smoothed out the creases in her clothes.

Since she hadn’t taken extra care with her hair that morning, a few strands stuck out awkwardly. Twisting a lock in the opposite direction in an attempt to fix it, she caught Joel staring at her.

“Does it look strange? I’m a little worried about my appearance…”

“What? Not at all! There’s nothing to worry about—you look stunning.”

Joel waved his hands frantically, as if utterly baffled by the question.

If he were more comfortable speaking frankly, he might have told her outright that she would still shine even if she were covered in filth.

Stepping outside, she was met with the sight of the knights lined up neatly in front of the tent.

Fully armored and maintaining rigid postures, their solemn expressions gave off an intimidating aura.

Seeing them now, she understood why the Valencia Knights were feared by many.

She moved forward, her gaze instinctively finding Ersivan.

Though his face was hidden beneath a helmet, the imposing figure atop the pitch-black stallion could only be him.

A moment later, he dismounted.

He strode toward her without hesitation before dropping to one knee at her feet.

“I have returned safely, my lady.”

Then, in a lowered voice, he murmured softly, just for her.

His helmet had likely grown unbearably hot, as beads of sweat clung to his lowered head.

Diana pulled out a handkerchief from her sleeve.

Bending her knees slightly to meet his eye level, she gently wiped his damp forehead.

“You’ve done well.”

Her voice was barely above a whisper, meant only for him to hear.

The faint scent of freshly baked bread lingered on the fabric.

Her hands, too, carried the familiar warmth of her own skin.

Though only visible to her, a fleeting smile crossed his lips before he rose to his feet.

Turning toward the waiting knights, he gestured for something to be brought forward.

A moment later, an object was placed in his hands—a shimmering, violet-hued pelt.

“Today, my knights and I eradicated the source of the monsters, and I present this proof to you.”

Holding the long, supple hide in both hands, he extended it toward Diana.

It was clear that this was a trophy from the creature they had slain.

She tilted her head slightly.

What exactly was she supposed to do with it?

The leather was certainly beautiful enough to be ornamental, but it wasn’t as though she had any use for a monster’s hide.

Wouldn’t it make more sense to sell it to a merchant and contribute to the ducal estate’s finances?

“Ersivan Valencia, this is the first vow I make to my lord.”

He spoke before she could protest.

The words lord and vow—his choice of phrasing was deliberate.

It was as if he had declared her as his master.

“…A knight’s oath?”

A moment later, realization dawned upon her.

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