I'm Done Being the Heroine's Stand-in

“……Lambert?”

Lambert, lightly dressed, nodded slightly.

“Did you come here to eat the barbecue skewers I mentioned earlier?”

Lambert’s eyebrows twitched slightly at my words.

…… I guess not.

“Then, you’re here for guidance?”

“That’s right.”

This time, I furrowed my eyebrows since guiding Lambert was a bit overwhelming.

Benjamin, who is hardly visible, doesn’t need any guidance.

And Baron, who doesn’t like me, easily finishes the guidance with just a handhold.

On the other hand, Lambert, a man of few words, oddly enjoyed guidance quite a bit.

And not with a handhold or an embrace, but with different physical contact.

I got up from my lying position and watched him approach.

The bed sunk in under his weight.  Lambert, who climbed onto the bed, didn’t utter a word.

His eyes, shining like flashes in the dark, came closer.

As I closed my eyes, I felt his warm lips. A warm breath, unsuitable for the unaffectionate him, touched me.

I waited for this act to finish with my arms around Lambert’s thick neck.

Kissing a handsome man?

A thing that I, who used to be a student studying for the public service examination, wanted so badly.

But a one-sided kiss without any emotional exchange with just this man was not beautiful.

Moreover, I couldn’t understand why Lambert was receiving guidance through kissing.

When my breath was running out, I pushed Lambert’s chest away, but of course, he didn’t even flinch.

This jerk wouldn’t let me go until I kissed him as long as he wanted.

It wasn’t until I banged on his chest a couple more times that he finally backed away.

He grabbed a handful of my hair and growled low.

“Did you not like it?”

Can that be called talking?

A kiss without consideration for me couldn’t be nice.

“Answer.”

Lambert acted as if he wouldn’t let go of my hair unless I answered.

“……It’s fine.”

It was a roundabout way of saying it wasn’t bad.

‘You should know how it feels to be kissed by someone you dislike.’

I twisted my lips stubbornly without being able to honestly express myself.

Among the Alan Knights, I was quite disadvantaged.

Both Lambert and Baron could have easily killed me if they wanted to.

Being members of prominent noble families within the empire, they wouldn’t face severe consequences for killing a commoner like me.

Damn, this class-based society.

“I’m counting on you next time too.”

The declaration that he would continue to receive guidance through kissing sent shivers down my spine.

Nevertheless, I nodded as if agreeing.

Again, I was the weak one. Unless I went crazy, I couldn’t resist him.

Lambert, who looked at me with eyes that sparkled like when seeing a monster, got up from his seat without saying he was leaving, as usual.

“Ha, I’m going to quit.”

I wiped my saliva-stained lips with my sleeve.

***

No, but when I thought about it, I felt really bad.

I felt a sense of betrayal towards Lambert, who treated me roughly even though I did not object and guided him without complaining.

“Grabbing my hair like that was too much.”

I wandered through the center’s front garden, grumbling to myself.

It was quite late at night, but I couldn’t sleep.

Most of all, I was too upset to fall asleep.

I’m doing my job properly, but the people I’ve helped just look down on me…..

There was no one in the garden. Only the lanterns scattered about illuminated my path.

How long did I wander through the garden?

It wasn’t even the season to feel the cold, but I couldn’t help but shiver. It was scary to walk alone in the dark.

The atmosphere felt as though something eerie could jump out at any time.

I turned around. Whether I could sleep or not, I felt it was right to go back to the center.

That’s when I felt something behind me.

‘No, could it really be a ghost…?’

I stood frozen in place, trembling with fear at the thought of a ghost.

Meanwhile, the sense of someone behind me was getting closer and closer.

Thud, thud.

Eventually, I turned my head back due to the sound. I felt my chin trembling violently.

Soon, I saw a completely black man within my sight. Ash-grey hair and black eyes, with a completely black uniform.

The man who silently approached me was expressionless. However, I couldn’t ignore the chill that subtly emanated from him.

Just by looking at him, I felt my shoulders tense up.

The man parted his lips slightly, “Hello.”

It was clearly directed at me. I stared at the man as if entranced by something.

“…….”

Our gazes met.

In the man’s eyes, where no emotion was shown, I couldn’t utter a single word.

“So, you’re still alive.”

His remark suggested he had assumed I had died long ago.

He looked at me condescendingly, as if pressing me down with his gaze.

“It’s been a long time, my ugly doll.”

Benjamin Vicente. His appearance.

Honestly, I was more terrified than when facing a ghost.

Being in the same space as Benjamin was enough to make anyone tense, his presence was overwhelming.

He turned to face me.

“Why have you returned?”, I asked.

“You don’t seem happy about my return.”

One corner of his expressionless mouth lifted slightly.

I felt a chill there.

“Oh, no. It’s just that it was so sudden!”

“There was a summons from His Majesty. While I can ignore the Center Director’s orders, going against the emperor’s command is a bit difficult even for me.”

I ventured a question with a sense of disbelief.

“Is it ……because of the gates in the Pandora Forest?”

“That’s a pretty accurate guess for an ugly doll.”

“Haha. Just a guess.”

“That’s not a compliment.”

What good will come, even if it is a compliment?

“Even though it will be officially announced soon, I will tell you in advance.”

“…….”

“S-class monsters will soon swarm out of the gates.”

Crazy. When S-class monsters start swarming out, Yerena will die!

Is that day coming so soon?

“Are you okay?”

“…….”

“You’re white as a sheet.”

Benjamin reached out and roughly brushed my cheek with his hand.

“You look like you’re about to die.”

Do you have a premonition? You’re right, I am about to die.

“Why? Are you sick with a fatal disease?”

Benjamin, who had said this, chuckled.

He seemed to take someone’s death as a form of amusement.

His insensitivity to another’s death was characteristic.

“Or are you scared of the monsters that are about to appear soon?”

“……I am scared. And while I’m not dying, it does feel like my life has been shortened.”

At that moment the watch around our wrists began to vibrate violently.

The watch, resembling an apple watch, was created by an Esper with the ability of ‘Top Blacksmith’.

It was an item given to all Espers and guides in the Center.

Red letters were displayed on the square screen.

「Code Zero Situation Alert!

S-class monster sighting!

Location: Pandora Forest, Zone A-1!

Esper and guide who received this message, deploy immediately!」

Although the watch was state-of-the-art, the messages had occasional typos since they were sent by a human.

Especially in urgent situations.

‘Code zero’ was a command that summons every Esper and guide, unless in unusual circumstances.

If they didn’t respond and the situation worsened or casualties occurred, those who didn’t show up might be held accountable.

Of course, Benjamin, the top Esper in the center, was an exception.

Regardless, he seemed to often wear his watch, as he was now looking at it vibrate.

Late at night, the lights in the center began to switch on one by one.

When I looked up at the sky, I saw the figure of an Esper crossing the night sky.

Isn’t their response too quick?

‘Ah, I don’t want to go out… How am I supposed to get to the forest?‘

The walk from here to Area A-1 of Pandora Forest took a long two hours.

Sooner or later, I would have to complain to the higher-ups about building a base camp in Pandora Forest.

I guess I’ll have to get out of here before that.

“Maybe I should go out to the field for once.”

Startled by that statement, I lowered my gaze from the sky I had been staring at.