I Became the Heroine’s Stand-in

After dinner, Diana decided to take a bath to soothe her body, weary from the long journey.

The maid assigned to attend to her at the estate, Daisy, guided her to the bathroom.

Daisy, with her charming features, was quite talkative.

Thanks to Daisy’s continuous chatter, there was no time to feel bored while walking down the corridor.

“We were all eagerly anticipating your arrival, my lady!”

Her sweet, lively voice reminded Diana of Lillian. Though she had never actually heard Lillian’s voice, she imagined it would sound just like Daisy’s.

“You have a lovely voice.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s pleasant to hear.”

Perhaps because it was an honest compliment, her words came out naturally and without pretense.

Soon, Daisy’s face turned a soft shade of pink. She covered her mouth with her hand, embarrassed, and even stammered as she spoke.

“T-thank you, my lady. I am honored beyond words…!”

“There was a time when I wished to have a voice like yours.”

Diana and Lillian were different beings, and naturally, so were their voices.

In the novel, Lillian’s voice was compared to that of a nightingale—high-pitched and charming—whereas Diana’s was much calmer and more refined.

When she was too young to realize the futility of it, Diana had once tried to imitate Lillian’s voice, hoping to be acknowledged.

“If you can’t even mimic it properly, just stop.”

“…What?”

“I’ve already informed others that your voice is simply the result of an unfortunate circumstance.”

By the time she understood how meaningless her efforts were, she had already been deeply wounded.

“B-but my lady, your voice is far more elegant. Of all the noblewomen I have ever served, yours is the most beautiful.”

“Thank you. I never expected anyone to think that way.”

Although it was Daisy who was giving the compliment, she seemed to be even more flustered than Diana. Her embarrassment was so palpable that Diana, too, found herself growing bashful.

For the first time, Diana was being praised not for something she shared with Lillian or something Lillian had already accomplished, but for something that was inherently hers—something bestowed upon her by the Creator.

“Ah, here we are. Shall we go in?”

As expected, compliments were the best way to bridge relationships, and in the short walk to the bathroom, the two had already grown close.

Daisy, carrying a large basin, sat in front of Diana, who had changed into a robe.

The bath began with a simple foot soak.

“Is the temperature to your liking?”

“Yes, it’s just right.”

With the pleasantly warm water and Daisy’s delicate massage, it was impossible not to feel relaxed.

Next was the bathtub.

Beyond the violet-colored shower curtain, a large tub was revealed—spacious enough for two adults.

“As per His Grace’s instructions, I prepared a floral bath. I used dried roses and lavender. The roses will replenish moisture, while the lavender will help relieve stress!”

“So, the flowers used weren’t lilies?”

“Ah, I did suggest lilies, but His Grace recommended roses instead. Shall I prepare lilies for your next bath?”

“No, that won’t be necessary. I don’t love the scent of lilies enough to insist on having them even in my bath. This is more than sufficient.”

Diana shook her head firmly in refusal. It was not the polite kind of refusal expected of nobles but a genuine one from the depths of her heart.

“I’ll be waiting outside. Please call me whenever you need assistance!”

Left alone, Diana slipped off her robe. Her fair, bare skin was soon submerged in the bath, her movements slow and unhurried.

The floral-scented water enveloped her. Curious, she picked up a petal floating on the surface—softened by the moisture, it drooped limply between her fingers.

“He truly is a difficult man to understand.”

The violet petals were distinct from lilies in both fragrance and appearance.

He had been the one to insist on lilies before, yet now he was suggesting something entirely different.

“…He’s a rather exhausting person, too.”

Thinking of Ersivan at dinner, she shuddered involuntarily.

It felt almost blasphemous to harbor such thoughts about the Duke of the Empire, yet merely being in his presence seemed to drain all her energy.

“What do you think? Do I seem like one of them to you?”

His words had been spoken with a smooth, deliberate cadence.

At first, she had thought his natural speech emphasized certain syllables, but he was equally adept at speaking softly.

“Then I shall repay your trust.”

What could he possibly mean by that?

Could someone so disdainful of her truly say such words so easily?

“As if he actually had feelings for me…”

Diana had dismissed the thought as ridiculous, but suddenly, a long-forgotten passage from the novel resurfaced in her mind.

“I will love her with all my heart. That will be my greatest card to play.”

Ersivan had spoken these words while thinking of Lillian. Just as he had planned, her love for him would become his most powerful weapon for revenge.

Lillian falling in love with Ersivan—it had been a foreseen outcome, a carefully laid piece in his grand scheme.

Ersivan Valencia—he had only pretended to love Lillian in order to use her.

Then, was today’s incident just another part of his plan?

Enchanting people indiscriminately, creating an atmosphere thick with tension, and drawing attention so completely that one couldn’t look away.

Even if such things were intentional, could they truly be so easily orchestrated?

Of course, Ersivan Valencia was a man capable of making anything possible.

“Don’t be swayed.”

Diana couldn’t afford to dance to his tune. Unlike Lillian, she had no means of turning the situation in her favor.

She had no desire to make a fool of herself.

Both of them were merely playing a role, maintaining this façade only until their respective plans reached fruition.

“Don’t think of anything else. Just focus on survival. Survival, and nothing more…”

Allowing herself to be emotionally entangled in such a shallow relationship would be the height of foolishness.

There were roughly three months left until the wedding.

And about five to six months, at most, before Lillian returned to the estate.

If she could endure until then, Diana would finally gain the freedom she had always dreamed of.

“The second-floor corridor, to the left.”

After finishing her bath, Diana set out to find the room Daisy had directed her to.

“That must be it.”

Upon reaching her destination, she placed the candlestick on the wall sconce and firmly grasped the doorknob.

As the door swung open smoothly, Diana froze for precisely three seconds.

Why was a man, who had no reason to be here, casually occupying her room?

And worse, why was he half-dressed?

“…I apologize. It seems I’ve entered the wrong room.”

Blinking in confusion, Diana quickly shut the door.

She could hear something being said on the other side, but her heart was pounding too loudly for her to make out the words.

“I forgot to apologize.”

It occurred to her belatedly that she should have apologized for the intrusion. But in her flustered state, she had simply blurted out whatever came to mind before retreating.

She ought to apologize.

She knew it was the right thing to do, yet her hands refused to move. The thought of Ersivan, still in a state of undress, made the idea even more unbearable.

In the end, unable to bring herself to knock, Diana picked up the candlestick once more. She would find Daisy and address the mistake instead.

At that moment, the firmly closed door swung open.

Ersivan stepped into view, thankfully now modestly dressed.

“Unfortunately, you were in the right room.”

“…What?”

“This is the room I informed you that Lili would be staying in.”

Leaning against the doorframe, he tilted his head slightly.

Judging by his demeanor, he seemed to find the situation amusing.

“That can’t be right.”

“Oh, but it is. Lillian.”

“……”

“I assure you, Lili.”

The back-and-forth questioning continued, but the conclusion remained unchanged.

“Don’t bother denying it.”

His smirk widened, as if he had every intention of teasing her further.

People said that shock could make one freeze on the spot, and Diana was living proof of it.

She neither moved nor spoke. Perhaps growing impatient with her silence, Ersivan stepped closer.

Now, at this close range, she could make out finer details.

Like how his otherwise fierce features were softened by his damp, ash-colored hair. Or how the exposed skin beneath his loosely worn robe drew the eye involuntarily.

The sudden intimacy of it all felt dangerous. She quickly shut her eyes and raised her voice.

“Since I am the guest, I would suggest—”

“That wounds me, my lady. How can the future mistress of this house refer to herself as a mere guest?”

“T-that may be true! But since tonight is my first night here, wouldn’t it be more appropriate for me to stay in the guest room?”

“Regrettably, the guest rooms have yet to be prepared. I could hardly place such a distinguished guest in an unkempt space.”

With that, every escape route was blocked. Feeling defeated, Diana opened her eyes slightly.

“Do you understand now, Lili?”

Just like during dinner, his voice had softened, the accent deliberately smoothed out.

It seemed to be a technique he employed whenever he wanted to persuade someone.

And, of course, Diana had no choice but to fall for it.