I Became the Heroine’s Stand-in - Chapter 80

After the commotion had settled, the ballroom buzzed with excitement.

From the attempt on Duke Valencia’s life, to the imperial family’s involvement, and now the victim proclaiming the accused’s innocence, the entire ordeal was both shocking and intriguing.

The nobles, caught between bewilderment and curiosity, chattered endlessly, eager to dissect every detail.

This was exactly the outcome Ersivan had intended.

Now that everything had been resolved smoothly, Rinnel left the estate with a lighter step.

As she followed Ersivan, who had offered to escort her, she found herself staring at him absentmindedly.

His silver hair swayed gently in the night breeze. Feeling her gaze, he turned his head slightly—revealing those striking features as their eyes met.

“Stay close.”

His voice was warm, welcoming, the kindness in his gaze making her momentarily speechless.

She simply nodded in silence, and only when he turned away did she finally feel at ease again.

“How can His Grace be so remarkable…?”

She had meant to keep the thought to herself, but before she realized it, she had whispered the words aloud.

Just as embarrassment flooded her—certain that the knight beside her had overheard—Kun made it even worse by agreeing wholeheartedly.

“His Grace truly is an extraordinary man.”

Kun beamed proudly, despite not being the one receiving the praise.

Rinnel was once again struck by how remarkable Ersivan must be—to inspire such unwavering loyalty from those around him.

It was a talent in itself, to earn such admiration from one’s subordinates.

Before long, they arrived at the main gates.

With House Parlier’s carriages long since sold and not even enough funds to rent one, the Valencia family’s elegant carriage stood waiting for her instead.

As she approached Ersivan, who stood ready to see her off, she spoke softly.

“Your Grace was right.”

Though she couldn’t specify what she meant—not with so many people around—Ersivan understood her perfectly.

A faint smile tugged at his lips.

“It was you who persevered, Lady Parlier. This was the result of your patience and endurance.”

His words were as refined as his appearance.

For a man so perfect, she wondered why the rumors surrounding him were so ominous.

Perhaps society had been wrong about him.

It was only natural, then, that she found herself drawn to Ersivan, who had shown her nothing but kindness.

“Travel safely, Lady Parlier. You’ve done well.”

As he bowed slightly in farewell, Rinnel sensed that their time together had come to an end.

Despite everything, she felt no relief—only an overwhelming sense of regret.

She wanted to prolong their conversation, even just a little longer.

And so, in an attempt to buy herself more time, she voiced the question that had been nagging at her.

“…But, Your Grace, was it truly alright to speak of Her Majesty in front of so many people?”

“Are you worried?”

“It’s just… considering how high Her Majesty’s status is, I can’t imagine she would allow such rumors to spread unchecked…”

She was referring to the imperial family’s influence over public opinion.

However, Ersivan dismissed her concerns with ease, his tone reassuring.

“My mother prefers not to leave loose ends.”

“…Pardon?”

“Suppressing the rumors with power alone would be difficult. Too many people have heard the story. If she wants to deny it, she’ll need solid proof to do so.”

Gulp.

Unconsciously, Rinnel swallowed hard.

She had asked the question to ease her own doubts, but somehow, she had become fully engrossed in their conversation instead.

“She can only punish us once she has gathered that proof.”

That was why he had brought her forward—not to the media, but to the public itself.

A story spread by word of mouth was something even the imperial family could not control.

With public sentiment already turning against them, and no evidence to counter the claims, the imperial family would be forced to remain silent.

If they blatantly tried to manipulate the narrative, they would only invite more suspicion.

Realizing this, Rinnel let out a small breath of amazement, nodding eagerly.

“And don’t worry, Lady Parlier. You will not suffer any consequences.”

“Consequences…?”

“House Valencia will protect House Parlier completely. If the imperial family seeks retribution, I alone will bear the punishment.”

Rinnel turned to him, her face full of unspoken questions.

“Why? How? For what reason?”

Her expression was a mixture of confusion and disbelief.

“Because this is my battle, not yours.”

He would not stand by and let someone else suffer because of his own family’s misdeeds.

Ersivan had no intention of repeating the past.

Never again.

“In any case, that’s all there is to it. Now, the night is growing late. You should return before it gets any later.”

While they had been talking, the sky had grown darker.

The thought of leaving weighed heavily on her, the regret burning even deeper.

But now that he had urged her to go, she could hardly refuse.

“I-Is it alright if I write to you? If… if I ever wish to hear any updates? About what happens after today, I mean…”

Seated inside the carriage with Ersivan’s assistance, Rinnel barely managed to muster the courage to ask before the door closed.

Of course, her true intention was to build a connection with him, but afraid of revealing too much, she clumsily attached a reasonable excuse to her request.

“Rather than sending letters, why not visit the estate in person? Conversations are much more enjoyable when shared face-to-face.”

As always, his voice was warm, his expression gentle.

Rinnel had been so anxious about potential rejection that her face bloomed with relief and delight.

But—

“My wife and I will gladly welcome you.”

He emphasized the word wife with just enough weight for her to catch it.

And in an instant, the joy that had barely blossomed withered away completely.

Afraid her disappointment would show, she quickly schooled her expression.

Still warm and kind as ever—yet he had clearly drawn the line.

There was no time to dwell on the sudden sinking of her heart, though.

Before she could react, the door shut, and the carriage departed.

⋆⋆⋆

The series of unexpected events had left Diana more than a little shaken.

As Ersivan escorted Rinnel, Diana chose to step outside for some fresh air, accompanied by Joel.

While strolling through the garden, Diana’s gaze fell upon a blooming red rose.

It had been carefully cultivated, its thorny stem smoothed over by the diligent hands of the royal gardeners.

The vibrant, fiery red petals reminded her of someone.

Soft on the outside, but fiercely guarded within.

“Now that I think about it, His Grace truly is an extraordinary man.”

Her quiet remark broke the silence, drawing Joel’s attention.

It wasn’t difficult to guess who she was thinking about.

Joel smirked, his lips curling just enough for his sharp canines to peek through—an expression that somehow softened his otherwise sharp features.

“Not just His Grace. You are just as remarkable, my lady.”

“Me?”

Diana repeated the word, even though she knew it was a meaningless compliment meant to agree with her.

However, Joel seemed entirely serious as he answered.

“His Grace was never like this before.”

“You make it sound as if I changed him.”

“You did. I wouldn’t be exaggerating to say that you’ve completely changed him, my lady.”

“Hmm…”

Diana tilted her head, unconvinced.

The Ersivan she knew was so flawlessly composed and intelligent that she couldn’t imagine him ever being anything else.

“His Grace was never this… persistent before.”

“It’s hard to imagine him as anything but diligent.”

Diana lifted her small hands to her lips, forming a circle as if she were deep in thought.

Though her mouth was hidden, the slight puff of her cheeks gave away her amusement.

Joel, chuckling along, quickly waved his hands.

“I didn’t mean to say he was lazy—”

How should he explain it so she would understand?

“He simply never fought against injustice. If this were the old him, he would have let the entire incident pass without much thought. He probably would have just said, ‘I survived, so it doesn’t matter.’”

The smile faded from Diana’s face.

For some reason, she could imagine it perfectly—Ersivan accepting mistreatment without protest.

Joel’s expression also darkened, as if recalling something unpleasant.

His voice grew quieter, more reflective.

He was remembering a time not so long ago.

A time when Ersivan Valencia would return to the estate after being humiliated by the imperial family.

“Why do you let this happen, Your Grace?”

“…….”

“You hold power now. Why do you still endure this? Why don’t you fight back? Why—?”

Joel had spoken on behalf of the knights who silently worried for their commander.

Among them, he was the only one bold enough to say it out loud.

And despite the veiled frustration in his voice, Ersivan never punished him.

He simply leaned against the wall, exhausted, and listened in silence, almost like a child being scolded.

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