The Male Leads Were Stolen By The Extra [EN]: Chapter 41

Selonia was about to follow when Duke Denroha captured everyone’s attention.

“Hahaha. Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention, please?”

The Duke rang a silver bell that a servant presented on a cushion.

The noisy venue instantly quieted, and all eyes turned to the circular stage in the center of the banquet hall.

“I would like to express my gratitude to all the distinguished guests who have attended. To celebrate Nenia’s birthday, I have prepared a rather unique spectacle.”

At the mention of a unique spectacle, a buzz of anticipation rippled through the crowd.

However, Selonia wasn’t particularly interested and considered returning home.

She didn’t want Ian and Tan to cross paths again.

She glanced around, trying to locate her father, but he was nowhere to be seen.

She had seen him speaking with Duke Denroha just moments ago.

“Now, I would like to invite everyone to gather in the garden.”

As Duke Denroha finished speaking and stepped down from the stage, people began to stream out through the wide-open banquet hall doors.

A procession of guests eager to witness the rare spectacle made their way to the garden.

“Miss, shall we go as well? It’s supposed to be a rare spectacle!”

“I’m sorry, Ella. Let’s just head back now.”

“Ah. Yes, yes! Let’s go back quickly.”

Ella nodded, showing no disappointment at Selonia’s response.

“Ella, have you seen where my father is?”

“Could he have gone to the garden ahead of us?”

“Then, could you please tell my father that I’ll be waiting in the carriage?”

“Yes, I will.”

Selonia started walking towards the carriage with Tan.

To reach the carriage park, they had to pass through the garden, but she hoped everyone would be too engrossed in the spectacle to notice them.

With Tan obediently following, Selonia left the banquet hall and entered the garden.

The guests were already gathered with Duke Denroha on the expansive, green lawn.

In the center, surrounded by the crowd, was an enormous black cloth concealing something.

Because it was completely covered, it was impossible to discern its contents, further fueling the nobles’ curiosity.

Selonia deliberately avoided the center and headed towards the deserted outskirts.

That’s when it happened.

Tan, who had been walking normally, suddenly stopped in his tracks, even though they still had some distance to cover before leaving the garden.

“What’s wrong? We need to keep going.”

Selonia asked, puzzled, urging him forward.

“Don’t you hear something?”

“What sound?”

Tan looked around with a serious, hardened expression, and Selonia also turned her head this way and that.

The only thing she could hear was the curious murmuring of the crowd.

“A weeping sound.”

Tan muttered, his fierce eyes scanning the surroundings.

As he entered the garden, Tan had begun to hear a strange weeping sound.

A bizarre sound that resembled both the roar of a beast and the cadence of speech.

The buzzing, spreading sound was unsettling and made his insides feel agitated.

Scanning the exterior of the mansion and the garden, his red eyes flashed momentarily, and he fixed his gaze on the black cloth covering something.

The black cloth was undulating and vibrating, not from the wind, but from something hidden beneath it.

“I don’t hear anything,” Selonia said, looking at Tan with a puzzled expression. What sound could he be hearing?

“Are you going to run away with your tail between your legs?”

Suddenly, a sarcastic voice came from behind. Selonia knew who it was without turning around.

It was Ian Chervier.

* * *

Ian had come out to the garden to find Grace, who had disappeared from the banquet.

Numerous people were gathered to see the spectacle, but Grace was nowhere to be found.

“I’ve been too careless.”

Ian realized he had been unable to pay attention to Grace because he was talking to Duke Denroha.

Come to think of it, Duke Denroha hadn’t even seemed to acknowledge Grace’s greeting.

That’s why he had preferred to come alone. Duke Denroha was on good terms with Duke Besin.

But Grace had insisted on accompanying him to the banquet today.

Furthermore, he belatedly learned that Grace had spoken with Selonia earlier.

She must have heard something from Selonia and was hurt, leading her to hide.

“Damn woman.”

Ian muttered with a scowl.

Just thinking about what Selonia’s sharp tongue might have said to Grace made him angry.

First of all, he had to find Grace as soon as possible. He was worried she might be crying alone.

“Who is that person next to the Duchess?”

At that moment, Ian overheard whispering behind him.

Ian immediately turned around.

The young ladies gathered behind him were staring at something, seemingly oblivious to the spectacle about to be unveiled.

“I don’t know. They say he’s arrogant and doesn’t even make eye contact or tell them his name.”

“How rude. But even so, I can’t take my eyes off his face.”

“…Me neither. I’ve never seen such a handsome face.”

Ian quickly turned his head to see what the young ladies were looking at.

He saw Selonia and that guy standing on the outskirts of the garden, far away from the crowd.

“But the way Duchess Besin is standing next to him, they look so good together?”

A voice filled with envy and fascination reached Ian’s ears.

“What kind of nonsense is that…”

Ian’s face stiffened as he sputtered in response to the absurd comment.

Selonia, with her long, lavender-like light purple hair fluttering in the breeze and her transparently beautiful face illuminated by the sunlight.

Next to her, a man with hair darker than night and vivid red eyes.

The sight of the two of them together was captivating.

“The way that large man is next to the delicate Duchess, it feels like a magnificent god from mythology?”

“Really. They’re the best-looking couple I’ve ever seen. The title of the most beautiful couple of the century wouldn’t be wasted on them.”

What?

Ian’s jaw twitched at another young lady’s praise.

That couldn’t be.

That praise was what he and Selonia used to receive.

It was what they always heard when they strolled through Montella Street on dates or attended banquets before they embarked on subjugation missions [quests to defeat monsters or bandits].

But someone other than him was being called a better match for Selonia?

She and he were the couple of the century. Everyone envied and admired them.

Even though they broke up, that didn’t change the fact.

But that guy was taking his place? How dare he?

“Seeing the two of them, I don’t even think about Duke Chervier anymore?”

“L, Lady…”

“Gasp! D, Duke…”

The young lady, who had been chattering without realizing Ian was there, quickly lowered her head in surprise when the person next to her gave her a warning look.

“…”

Ian clenched his fists, his face coldly frozen.

Strangely, his stomach churned.

He was sure that until just now, he had only been thinking about finding Grace, but now he felt like he wouldn’t feel better unless he separated those two immediately.

Without hesitation, Ian strode towards them.

Jealousy and envy now consumed him more than affection for Grace.

* * *

Ah, why is it like this today, seriously?

“Didn’t we agree not to acknowledge each other?”

Selonia glared at Ian, narrowing her eyes.

Is that why he’s dating Grace? Look at him shamelessly talking to me as if he’s forgotten what he said.

“How could I? To think that the guest of the lady who was being insolent to me is such a commoner.”

Crude language flowed from Ian’s usually refined mouth.

He was always mindful of what others thought and was polite to everyone, but for some reason, he couldn’t control his emotions now.

“Ha…”

Selonia was dumbfounded.

A commoner. Even in a class-based society, how could such words come from the mouth of someone who was once the male lead [protagonist in a romance story]?

It was chilling. All the time she had known him felt disgusting.

“What should I do? Should I arrest him right away for insulting a noble and have him flogged?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. He’s here as my father’s escort knight.”

Selonia calmly retorted.

If Ian were to pick a fight, he could have found fault with Tan’s rudeness.

But fortunately, Tan was attending this party today as a temporary knight of the Besin family and as her father’s escort knight.

He wouldn’t be able to do anything rash right now.

“What? You’re good at lying to get out of this.”

“Check it out. Don’t cause trouble and regret it later.”

“…”

Ian’s expression hardened. He didn’t like that Selonia kept protecting this guy.

Why was this woman constantly scratching at his nerves? Did she really think this jealousy tactic would work?

“You.”

Tan, who had been trying to ignore the strange sounds he kept hearing, turned a cold gaze towards Ian.

“Shut up and get…”

He was about to rush at Ian, but he stopped when he felt a warmth wrapping around his arm.

Selonia, who had taken his hand, was looking at him. Her eyes were telling him not to do it.

“Now, we will reveal it!”

That was the moment.

Duke Denroha’s excited voice echoed loudly.

The black cloth covering the mysterious object was swept away.