The Male Leads Were Stolen By The Extra [EN]: Chapter 73

Celonia smirked, watching Grace approach, clinging to Ian.

So, this is how you want to play it.

Originally, she had planned to figure out exactly what Grace’s plan was and what tricks she had used before making a move.

Since Grace was a woman who meticulously planned ahead, even managing to win over Gillian, the vice guild master of Finest, in anticipation of Celonia investigating her, Celonia knew that acting rashly could backfire.

Besides, telling the male leads now that they had been charmed into liking Grace after eating something suspicious would be like casting pearls before swine [wasting something valuable on someone who won’t appreciate it].

They wouldn’t believe her anyway. They were already completely under Grace’s spell.

Therefore, she thought the proper order was to gather evidence first and then heal them.

But if she keeps provoking me like this, I can’t just let it slide.

“Lady, belated congratulations on your recovery.”

Ian, who had already reached her, greeted her with his signature smile.

“Congratulations on your recovery, Princess.”

“Are you really congratulating me? I don’t think I’d be able to come to this place if I were you.”

Celonia said, looking at Grace and Ian with a relaxed expression.

At this point, she was genuinely curious about Grace.

What does she gain by going this far?

Forcibly holding onto the male leads’ hearts, showing them off like trophies in front of people. Why go to such lengths?

“Lady, don’t be like that. We really came to congratulate you.”

Ian frowned as he spoke, upset that Celonia’s words weren’t kind, even though he had expected them.

“Yes, Selly. You should smile on a happy day.”

MacRian chimed in from beside him.

“How can I smile when you’re here? If you wanted to congratulate me, you should have done it in your hearts, not by attending the banquet. Did you eat etiquette with your soup?”

“Lady.”

“Didn’t I clearly say that day? That I didn’t want to see uninvited guests at my celebration.”

“……Ahem.”

Ian cleared his throat, averting his gaze. MacRian also kept his mouth shut, as if he had nothing to say.

To brazenly come to someone else’s celebration.

Is this what happens when you fall for a trick? Or is this their true nature?

Celonia turned her head away from Ian, whom she didn’t even want to associate with, and focused her gaze on Grace.

“Lady Bennett.”

“Yes, Princess.”

At the call, Grace opened her lips with a sweet smile.

“The dress you’re wearing today suits you very well. It looks like a Verondi boutique dress?”

Celonia felt like she knew exactly how Grace had obtained this dress.

Just as she had used tricks to win the hearts of the male leads, she must have done something similar to Verondi.

“Oh, you recognized it. The madam said she wanted to make a dress for me.”

Grace replied quickly, her face lighting up.

“Oh, really? Weren’t you clearly turned away at the door back then?”

“She apologized for what happened then.”

Grace’s eyes flickered slightly at the mention of being turned away, but it was only for a fleeting moment before she answered smoothly.

“Wow, that’s amazing. She seemed like she would never make a dress for you, no matter how much you paid. We all heard Verondi’s declaration that she doesn’t just accept anyone as a customer, that she carefully selects them to match the boutique’s standards, right?”

“Pfft…….”

Because the banquet hall was quiet, Pelenne, who was approaching, burst out laughing at Celonia’s voice, which was loud enough to be heard clearly.

Grace’s sharp eyes turned to Pelenne at the mocking laughter.

However, Pelenne didn’t care and stood beside Celonia with her head held high.

“Oh my. Then how much did she have to pay and beg?”

Ablin, who had also become a reliable support beside Celonia, glared at Grace and quipped.

“…….”

Grace’s expression turned sour as she watched the ladies standing beside Celonia like her friends, but it melted away thanks to MacRian, who stepped forward to defend her.

“They contacted Grace first, apologizing and offering to make her a dress.”

“People’s minds change, you know?”

Grace smiled and provoked, as if she had gained confidence from MacRian’s defense.

“Gasp……!”

Everyone gathered around gasped in shock.

They knew very well that she was talking about Ian, MacRian, and Reyev.

It was a scandalous affair that had once rocked the empire, so there was hardly anyone who didn’t know about it.

Celonia stopped Ablin and Pelenne, who were about to step forward in anger on her behalf.

Such provocations were nothing. Her actions were so transparent that they were almost boring.

“Ah, I know it well. How people’s minds can change like flipping a card.”

Celonia’s gaze slowly touched Ian, MacRian, and Reyev before falling away.

I’m talking about you guys. Listen carefully.

“I knew you would understand, Princess.”

“Of course. It’s something I experienced myself.”

Celonia nodded, not denying it.

She had no intention of letting Grace know that she knew the truth yet.

However, she was now planning to return the changed male leads one by one.

Before that, it was her turn to show Grace, who was now gloating over her small victory, what the fear of public opinion was.

She didn’t have a hobby of fighting, but she saw no reason to refuse a fight that was being brought to her. Especially if it was Grace.

So, she was going to truly become the tragic heroine that the newspapers had been talking about non-stop after the annulment.

“The scars from that time were so deep that I was very afraid to come to today’s celebration.”

Celonia trailed off, looking hurt.

As she lowered her eyes, which had become teary, she looked completely like a woman who had been dumped in the eyes of the people.

“Oh my goodness……. Princess…….”

“How could she…….”

Pelenne and Ablin, who were beside her, were flustered but quickly comforted Celonia with pity.

“What did I do wrong? Would this have happened if I hadn’t collapsed? I was so tormented by those thoughts.”

“……What, what are you talking about right now?”

The smile instantly disappeared from Grace’s face, which had been arrogantly wearing a victorious expression. She hadn’t expected Celonia to act like this at all and couldn’t manage her flustered expression.

That’s because Celonia, whom she had experienced so far, had always strongly fought back against her.

She hadn’t thought that she would pretend to be weak.

“Lady Celonia, there are many eyes watching and ears listening.”

Reyev, who had been quietly standing behind Grace, said to Celonia with a firm expression.

He meant that she should be discreet because there were many people watching. Because he didn’t want Grace to be embarrassed.

“What are you doing now?”

MacRian also scoffed at Celonia, as if he was dumbfounded.

Celonia ignored Reyev and MacRian’s ridiculous attitudes and said with a bitter smile, her expression sadly subdued.

“It was quite difficult. And I’m just now overcoming the pain a little.”

Then sighs leaked out from here and there.

“How can they do this? To stir up the wounds that she herself inflicted like that.”

“I know, right? No matter how much you like a man.”

“Apologize for your words just now, Lady Bennett.”

The noble ladies, empathizing with Celonia, rebuked Grace.

“The saviors are the same. It seems like they’ve gone too far.”

“I didn’t think you were like this. To cause such a scene at someone else’s celebration.”

“I’m really disappointed in the three of you. Today’s actions are not noble at all. There’s a place to be and a place not to be, how can you attend without permission like this. That woman is shameless too.”

The elder statesmen, who had been maintaining their elegant dignity, also added a word or two to Ian, MacRian, and Reyev.

“Ahem! Yes, even so, to suddenly come to the Princess’s celebration without a word. Tsk tsk.”

“I agree. It’s not a good look.”

“That woman is a problem, but the saviors are also a problem. What will people think if they act like that? I feel bad for the Princess.”

Amid the intensifying public opinion, Ian subtly removed Grace’s arm from his. As if he was cutting ties, as if he wasn’t the same kind of person as Grace.

Grace looked at Ian with a dumbfounded expression, but Ian was looking at the distant mountains as if he was feigning ignorance.

Already, the entire crowd was on Celonia’s side, defending her.

This was the labeling effect [a psychological phenomenon where people internalize labels applied to them].

People remember the emotions associated with information rather than the specific information itself.

Everyone had been exposed to Ian’s affair and Celonia’s breakup, which had been talked about in the newspapers every day.

The emotions they felt at that time resurfaced with the appearance of the victim.

Who they cursed and who they felt sorry for through those articles.