The Male Leads Were Stolen By The Extra [EN]: Chapter 40

“Why is that guy here…? Are you okay? What did he say to you?”

Celonia approached Tan.

She had been distracted by a young nobleman who came to greet her, and in that moment, she spotted Ian and Grace entering the party hall and talking to Tan.

She was so surprised.

She excused herself from the young nobleman and quickly walked over.

“Where is that bastard?”

Tan looked around with a fierce expression. The guy who had kissed Celonia’s hand earlier was nowhere to be seen.

“Who are you talking about?”

“The guy who kissed your hand.”

Tan remembered exactly.

Celonia had said that the two men kissing were doing it because they liked each other.

Of course, that guy had just kissed her hand, but either way, he had kissed her.

Why am I so angry?

Even though he had met Ian, whom he wanted to tear to shreds, he felt like he needed to crush that guy right away to relieve his boiling anger.

“It was just a greeting.”

Celonia answered, understanding what he was talking about.

He had misunderstood what she had explained about kissing before.

“A greeting?”

“Yes. Sometimes nobles do it as a sign of courtesy.”

“Ha…”

Tan let out a hollow laugh at her words.

A noble’s greeting is kissing the back of the hand.

She kept making him yearn for that title, which he had never thought of or wanted.

If he had it, he could kiss Celonia’s hand countless times.

“What did those guys say to you earlier?”

“Tan didn’t say anything. Duke Cherville just came and started a fight,” Ella, who had been watching everything from the side, answered instead.

“Good job. Even if they talk to you, just ignore them like before,” Celonia said to Tan with a relieved expression.

But she couldn’t help but feel anxious.

That’s why she told him not to come, but her father brought Tan along as a guard, saying that experience was important.

And to think that Ian and Grace would attend this birthday party.

She didn’t expect Ian to attend just because Marquis Denroha was friends with her father.

There was nothing she could do. The water had already been spilled, so she had to avoid them as much as possible and return.

Ian’s provocation was not even funny.

She was just worried that Tan, who already seemed to dislike the saviors, might use his powers against Ian.

“Hello, Princess. It’s nice to see you again here. We must be destined to meet.”

Just then, Grace, who had come at some point, smiled and spoke to Celonia.

While talking to Celonia, Grace glanced at Tan next to her.

Standing in the lavishly decorated banquet hall, he looked as elegant and dignified as a nobleman.

Moreover, his handsome face, with a different feel from Ian, had a strange charm that captivated people’s attention.

Is it because of his black hair?

Or is it because of those red eyes that look at everything indifferently?

She couldn’t know for sure, but it was enough to know that his appearance attracted attention and even won the favor of people.

That’s why the people gathered in the banquet hall were sending their gazes to this man, not Ian. Like bees gathering around a beautiful and fragrant flower.

And it was Grace, herself, who had to hold that flower and stand at the center of the bees. As always.

“Were we close enough to greet each other just because we ran into each other?”

Celonia replied expressionlessly, looking at Grace, who had come tirelessly.

She was realizing once again that people could be this shameless.

She came to the banquet with Ian, and then spoke to me, Ian’s ex-fiancée?

Should I say she has good social skills, or that she doesn’t know shame?

“I hope you don’t hate me too much. I like you, Princess. I’m serious.”

Grace lowered her gaze with a fragile expression, as if she was hurt.

Look at this?

“Hate you? Of course not. I’m just not interested in Grace. Isn’t that the case for everyone? It’s like no one is interested in Grace herself, except for the title of Duke Cherville’s fiancée.”

“……”

“Ah, that interest was about who Duke Cherville met after breaking off his engagement with me, right?”

Celonia blinked her big eyes as if she had almost forgotten.

I told her last time, but she seemed to have forgotten, so I told her again.

At those words, Grace bit her lip tightly, but quickly regained her expression.

Right now, everyone around them was watching Celonia and Grace, though they didn’t show it. As if they couldn’t miss this interesting sight, like watching a house on fire.

Even Duke Cherville, who had met both of them in this banquet hall, was there. But he was talking to Marquis Denroha and not even looking this way.

“Oops. I almost forgot to say this.”

“What is it?”

“Young lady, don’t act like you know me anymore. Until I speak to you first. Where did you learn the manners of a baron’s daughter presumptuously speaking to me, a princess, so freely?”

“……”

Grace’s eyes fluttered, as if she couldn’t control her expression this time.

Regardless, Celonia smiled very kindly and added.

“I’ll let it go just for today. With my great generosity.”

“Hahaha.”

At that moment, Tan, who had been listening from the side, burst out laughing.

He was about to get rid of Grace right in front of him, but he didn’t have to.

Celonia was more than capable of handling it herself. He liked her composure as well.

“……”

Grace’s face turned red as Tan laughed at her while looking only at Celonia.

“I know, why did you talk to her…”

“I would have stayed quiet and left if I were you.”

As people around them whispered and added a word each, Grace’s face turned even redder.

But this was not the end.

“Princess.”

Young Lady Nenia, who had been receiving birthday wishes from others, ran towards them.

Then, she put her small hands firmly on her waist and glared at Grace with a very stern expression.

“I greet Young Lady Nenia. I sincerely congratulate you on your birthday.”

Grace lifted her dress and greeted Nenia.

“Hmph! Princess Bessian, did this young lady make you uncomfortable?”

Nenia snorted at Grace and looked up at Celonia, asking kindly.

Celonia’s gift, the pendant, was already hanging around Nenia’s neck.

“Oh, no. The conversation is over.”

Celonia smiled and answered, finding the sight truly adorable.

“This is my gift. I chose it carefully because I thought it would suit you very well. I hope you like it.”

Grace held out a luxuriously wrapped gift that she had been carrying.

Judging by the size of the box, it seemed to be jewelry.

Nenia didn’t even glance at the gift and was about to open her mouth to refuse, but she met Celonia’s eyes.

“It’s a gift.”

Celonia smiled and said to Nenia. Meaning, don’t do that.

Even if a person is guilty, the gift is not guilty, so you should accept the gift. That’s what she naturally thought.

“Thank you. Put it over there. I’ll look at it someday.”

Nenia was reluctant, but she accepted the gift for Celonia’s sake.

Instead of receiving it directly, she pointed to the circular stage in the middle of the banquet hall with her maple leaf-like fingers.

There, gifts brought by the nobles who attended today to congratulate Nenia were already piled up like a mountain.

Because there were so many attendees, not everyone could give Nenia a gift directly.

Moreover, if they had a small or insignificant position in society, they couldn’t talk to Marquis Denroha or Young Lady Nenia, so it was a place to leave the gifts they had brought.

To put the gift there meant, ‘How dare you give a gift directly?’ It was the same as saying it indirectly.

“Princess, I just received a rare gift, and it’s really amazing! I really want to show it to you!”

Nenia looked up at Celonia, her eyes sparkling.

“Yes. Let’s go together. It was nice talking to you, Young Lady Grace. I won’t be generous next time, so remember what I said today.”

Celonia brushed past Grace with cold eyes.

Of course, Tan, who was by her side, followed Celonia. Without even glancing at Grace once.

Grace was left alone, and no more gazes from the nobles reached her.

Just like Celonia said, it was as if no one was interested in Grace herself.

“I won’t let it go…”

Grace muttered quietly, biting her lip.

The wrapping of the gift she had offered to Nenia was being crumpled in her hands.

“Young Lady Grace Bennett, they are asking to see you in the annex.”

At that moment, a man approached Grace, who was alone.

Grace turned and followed the man.

Celonia was looking at the magical items that Nenia was showing her when she spotted Grace following a green-haired man.

‘Who is that?’