I Became the Heroine’s Stand-in

“The bet is simple—we’ll see whether the misfortune you fear comes to pass or if the night remains peaceful.”

“…That’s an absurd wager. And which side are you betting on, Evan?”

“Naturally, I’m betting on the latter. Unless, of course, you would prefer to place your bet on the former?”

He knew better than anyone that a woman as prim and proper as her would never entertain such an indecent thought.

But Ersivan found himself eager to witness her composed expression crumble into embarrassment.

Sure enough, as a deep red flush spread across her pale skin, he secretly smiled in satisfaction.

“…If we both bet on the same outcome, it’s not really a bet, is it?”

“That’s not something you need to worry about. No matter which side you choose, you will benefit in the end.”

Now, how would she react?

If he had to guess, she would be too taken aback to formulate a response.

“What?”

See? He was never wrong.

Suppressing a chuckle, Ersivan covered his mouth with a light cough.

“Regardless of whether you win or lose, you will come out ahead. So there’s no need to concern yourself with the outcome or the process.”

“Come out ahead? And what exactly do I stand to gain by winning this wager?”

“A wish. I will grant you one request.”

A wish, out of nowhere?

It was such a vague reward that she instinctively hesitated. But then, a thought struck her.

“…A wish? Anything at all?”

“Yes. As long as it’s within my power.”

“So you won’t go back on your word, no matter what I ask?”

“Hmm… as long as it’s not an assassination request or an act of terrorism?”

“I assure you, my request will be far less extreme than that.”

“In that case, I will honor it. You have my word.”

Ersivan Valencia was a knight of great renown.

And for a knight, an oath was as binding as their very life. He would never risk his honor by reneging on such a trivial wager.

“Fine. I’ll take the bet.”

It would be a useful card to play if a contract fell through, if her life was at risk, or if she needed to buy time in an emergency.

Diana did not hesitate to seize the rope he had thrown her.

Yet, there was one thing that nagged at her.

“Now that I think about it, there’s nothing in this for you, Evan. Why propose a bet where you stand to gain nothing?”

“Well…”

Ersivan gazed at her in quiet contemplation.

To be honest, there was no real reason. It was merely a fleeting amusement.

Moments of entertainment amidst the monotony of daily life were more valuable than any treasure.

“Because games are the best way to foster understanding.”

“Understanding…?”

“Tonight presents a good opportunity for us to grow closer. So, I wouldn’t say it’s a loss for me.”

Of course, if he had been completely honest, she would have been so startled that she might have fled on the spot.

So he masked his intentions with a more palatable explanation, dressing it up in agreeable words.

“…I see.”

Suspicious as it was, she chose not to challenge it further.

The length of their conversation had only deepened her exhaustion, and before she knew it, she was nodding off.

“Shall we go to bed, then?”

Who would have thought Ersivan’s suggestion could sound so tempting? Diana nodded vigorously in agreement.

Her initial observation had been correct—there was only one bed, large enough to fit multiple people without issue.

Yet, now that she was about to lie down, she found herself growing tense again.

Lingering in hesitation, she suddenly became aware of the subtle fragrance drifting closer.

“Are you having second thoughts?”

“…….”

“If you’d like to call it off, I’ll let you go.”

Earlier, he had seemed so eager to keep her here, and now he was so quick to let her leave.

Was he simply fickle, or did he just know exactly how to handle people?

Her stubbornness flared, and in an instant, her hesitation vanished.

“No. But you must keep your promise.”

“I swear on the name of Valencia.”

As he spoke, Ersivan gently lifted her hand, pressing a kiss against the back of it.

Reading his intentions, Diana turned her head sharply to the side, avoiding his gaze.

“…There was no need to be so dramatic.”

“You seemed doubtful, so I wanted to reassure you.”

He even offered to put it in writing, if that would make her feel better.

That, however, felt excessive, so they settled on a simple pinky promise instead.

With that matter settled, Diana finally surrendered to the plush bed.

The sheets and blankets were of such fine quality that they already felt impossibly soft, lulling her toward sleep.

Ersivan, however, did not lie down immediately. Instead, he lit a candle infused with fragrance.

“You must like that scent.”

Taking a breath, Diana realized it was the same floral fragrance she had noticed during her bath earlier.

“Someone once recommended it to me. I’ve liked it ever since.”

“They must have had an excellent sense for scents—understanding your tastes so easily.”

“That sounded suspiciously like a comment on how picky I am.”

“Still, you are a duke, after all.”

“I expected such a remark. It seems you’ve grown a little more comfortable around me.”

At some point, Ersivan had settled beside her. The quiet chuckle coming from so close felt oddly unfamiliar.

“For someone who goes as far as making bets to build rapport, I suppose I should start opening up as well.”

Diana had been sneaking glances at him, only to be startled when their eyes met.

She quickly averted her gaze, feeling like a stray cat caught stealing fish.

Yet, even as she looked away, she could still feel his intense gaze lingering on her.

Unlike her, who had fled in embarrassment, Ersivan had no qualms about watching her unabashedly.

“…Why are you staring at me like that?”

“No reason. I just thought it was time for us to sleep. Goodnight, Lili.”

“…Goodnight, Evan.”

A rare silence followed.

Worried that even the sound of swallowing would be audible, Diana carefully let her throat bob.

Though her body was exhausted, her nerves kept her from falling asleep.

She lay there with her eyes closed, counting sheep in her head.

By the time the hundreds of sheep were all trapped within their pen, she finally drifted off.

Diana stirred, her hair tousled as she slowly sat up in bed.

She took a moment to fully shake off the drowsiness clinging to her.

When her mind finally cleared, she glanced around the room—only to realize that the man who had been beside her was nowhere to be seen.

She was alone.

“What time is it?”

The eerie stillness outside sent a jolt of awareness through her.

Had she overslept on her very first day?

She hurriedly got up and pulled the curtains aside.

Beyond the window, the sun shone brightly, its golden light spilling in like champagne-colored drapes.

It was undeniable—she had overslept.

“…He could have at least woken me.”

Diana promptly shifted the blame onto Ersivan for not waking her.

Her gaze landed on the neatly arranged bedding beside her, but soon, she noticed a small note left on the table.

I didn’t wake you since you looked exhausted. When you rise, ring the bell. Daisy will assist you with your preparations. Wishing you a pleasant day.

—From your tranquility, Ersivan.

His handwriting was as elegant and striking as his appearance.

Even without a signature, the identity of the writer was unmistakable.

As she flipped the note over, she spotted a stamp imprinted on the back.

The Valencia crest—marked in a deep, blood-red hue, identical to Ersivan’s eyes.

Commoners who held no interest in noble affairs, as well as rival houses, often took issue with that particular shade of red.

There were even rumors that any family who dared to compare their house to his cursed eyes would inevitably fall into ruin.

Yet, despite such superstitions, the Valencia family’s signature crimson was more beautiful than any other shade of red.

Perhaps that was why, contrary to their ill wishes, the duchy only continued to amass power.

At this rate, even the imperial family might struggle to control them in the future.

“But really… ‘From your tranquility’?”

The way he referred to himself was unbelievably arrogant. Did he not feel even a hint of shame?

As she read the words again, Diana couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

Strangely, the final words of the note were written with particular care, making them stand out even more.

With a smirk, she flipped the paper over and picked up a pen to write a response.

I appreciate your kindness, but a true gentleman would never leave a lady to wake up alone in the morning. That said, I suppose I will have a pleasant day thanks to you.

In order to avoid covering the stamp, she had to squeeze the words into the remaining space. There was no room left for a recipient’s name, much like Ersivan’s note.

“Not that he won’t recognize it anyway.”

Still, she wanted to leave a remark just as bold as his.

As she pondered, inspiration struck.

She flipped the paper back over and neatly added a line beneath his signature.

From your tranquility, Ersivan.

From your unrest, Lillian.

Placed side by side, the contrast in their handwriting was stark.

Like the difference in their physiques, even the size of their lettering was drastically different.

Once the ink had dried, Diana ran her fingers over the paper, appreciating the texture.

“I don’t recall sleeping that roughly….”

She placed the note in plain sight on the vanity, ensuring he would find it easily.

Next, she turned to the mirror and tilted her head in confusion.

For some reason, her hair was unusually disheveled.

“…I don’t even talk in my sleep.”

She had always been a quiet sleeper.

In fact, the Count’s estate had drilled etiquette into her so strictly that her sleeping posture had been impeccable.

“Then why…?”

Her golden locks were not just messy—they were curled in odd, unruly twists, as if someone had played with them all night.

“Was I that exhausted?”

Tying her hair up helped mask the mess.

Running her fingers through the golden strands, Diana eventually dismissed her concern.

After all, what could possibly have happened?