The Male Leads Were Stolen By The Extra [EN]: Chapter 119

A few days later.

“My lady, the Duke says everything is ready,” a servant announced from beyond the door, accompanying their words with a knock.

“Alright. Tell him I’ll be down soon.”

“Yes, I understand.”

At her reply, the servant’s footsteps echoed down the hallway, gradually fading away.

“All done.”

“As expected of our lady. You always shine!” The maid, having finished her preparations, stepped back and exclaimed, her eyes sparkling.

At this, Celonia slowly raised her gaze and stared silently at the full-length mirror in front of her.

Her reflection in the mirror showed her flawless face looking even more like a porcelain doll today.

Her hair, neatly arranged in a half-updo, cascaded down in large, wavy curls, and around her long, white neck was a necklace studded with blue sapphires, mirroring the color of her eyes.

The purple dress, revealing her round and slender shoulders, suited her fair skin perfectly.

It was an undeniably beautiful appearance that would compel anyone to look twice.

“Hehe. No one in the Empire can compare to your beauty, my lady! Not even Her Highness the Princess, who is the star of today!” Ella said, clasping her hands together as she looked up at Celonia, who was putting on her shoes, with a look of rapture.

It was clearly meant as a compliment, but it didn’t feel that way to her. It felt unsettling and nauseating.

Rather, the compliment felt like a noose, grabbing her ankle and whispering that it was never hers from the beginning and had another owner, like a spell.

“Ella, what I asked for?”

“Ah… here it is. Two, right?”

Startled by the cold reply, Ella hurriedly took something out of her pocket and held it out.

Celonia accepted it without a word.

It was a small crystal bottle. Fortunately, Leyev and MacRyan were still holding up well, not falling for the trick again. This bottle was in case of an emergency. She didn’t know if it would work, but it was better than doing nothing.

“Um… My lady…”

Ella glanced at Celonia, cautiously opening her mouth.

“Speak.”

“Have I perhaps done something wrong to you, my lady? If so, please tell me! I’ll apologize!” Ella said desperately and urgently, not meeting Celonia’s eyes. The lady’s attitude had suddenly turned cold in the past few days.

Before, she had been warm and friendly, often chatting with her, but not anymore.

She didn’t know what was wrong, but the lady was too quiet. She no longer initiated conversations as before and even refused her assistance.

She didn’t allow anyone near her. It was the same for the other attendants.

So, when the lady asked her to get the bottle yesterday, Ella was delighted. It was the first time in a long time that the lady had asked for something first.

But the lady’s attitude was still cold and aloof, as if she wasn’t the kind lady she used to know.

“…”

Celonia slowly turned her gaze to Ella.

Ella, fidgeting with her hands and feet, looked anxious and was biting her lip.

“No. There’s nothing like that.”

“R-Really…?”

“Yes.”

“But…! No, it’s nothing… I’m sorry.”

Ella, who was about to say something, eventually trailed off and shook her head. She couldn’t argue. If the lady said so, then it was so.

“I’ll double-check and then leave, so go ahead.”

“…Yes.”

Ella, her shoulders drooping powerlessly, quietly left the room at the dismissal.

Clack.

The room became silent as the door closed. Completely alone, Celonia stared at the door Ella had disappeared through, clenching her fists.

Her heart stung. Ella’s pitiful back, like a beaten puppy, kept lingering in her mind.

But that was it.

She felt sorry for Ella, but she couldn’t let her stay by her side any longer.

Ella, who had been her most trusted friend, was now just a person from the family to be wary of.

Celonia isolated herself.

She was becoming completely alone in the Duke’s residence, unable to trust anyone.

* * *

“Your Highness, it must be that the goddess of beauty has descended!”

“Even Aphrodite [Greek goddess of love and beauty] would be blinded by jealousy if she saw Your Highness’s appearance now!”

Exaggeratedly flattering compliments poured out of the maids’ mouths. Of course, it was excessive flattery to please the Princess, but it wasn’t entirely a lie.

Titania’s appearance, having spent over three hours getting ready since dawn, shone brighter than ever.

“Is this the first time you’ve seen me look this good?”

Titania snorted at the maids’ compliments, taking them for granted, but her shoulders were raised high because she felt good.

The Princess’s room was large and magnificent.

Through the open door, servants were tirelessly carrying gifts for the Princess.

Gifts piled up in a corner of the room like a tree and continued to accumulate. They were gifts sent in advance by nobles to gain her favor.

“Tsk, tsk. What taste they have.”

Titania clicked her tongue, looking at the pile of gifts with a disdainful expression.

She had opened a few, but they were all low-quality and crude.

No matter how good the gift was, there was no way it would satisfy the Princess, whose standards were sky-high.

But there was only one that survived.

Titania held up a blue diamond earring that emitted an elegant light from inside a case placed on her dressing table.

The blue diamond earring, the same color as Titania’s blue eyes, was a gift from Grace Bennett.

The design wasn’t particularly special, but the blue diamond on the earring was of the highest quality, as transparent as the sea, emitting a mysterious color like an aurora under the light.

Was that why?

Titania, as a princess, had plenty of top-quality jewels, but for some reason, she kept being drawn to it. When she looked at it, she couldn’t help but think that she had to wear it.

“I’ll go with this.”

“Yes.”

The maid next to her quickly took the earring Titania held out and put it on for her.

“As expected. But wasn’t this family poor?”

Titania said, looking at the earring that matched her blue eyes in the mirror, satisfied.

The Bennett barony was an unheard-of family. Their name had never even been mentioned in social, political, or financial circles.

Even at the time of her engagement to Duke Ian, it was a humble family that she had learned about for the first time, yet they gifted such expensive earrings. They even gave her the tea leaves she needed.

“I heard that Baron Bennett’s business is doing well.”

“Really? Not leeching off Duke Ian?”

“The two are talking about breaking off the engagement, so I guess they bought it with the barony’s wealth.”

“I see.”

Titania nodded at the maid’s words.

The social circles had been buzzing about Grace sending a letter of annulment to Ian a while ago.

“How well is she doing that a woman like her has this kind of thing?”

Titania looked down on Grace and raised the corners of her mouth as if she was satisfied with the earrings on her ears.

From the beginning, that woman was in a position that she couldn’t even associate with. There was no need to see her anymore anyway. She had gotten the tea leaves.

“When the Grand Duke comes, tell him to stop by me unconditionally. If he refuses, bring him by any means. Do you understand?”

“Yes, I understand.”

The maids and knights, reading the madness in Titania’s gleaming eyes, bowed without saying a word.

They all swallowed hard.

They had to bring the Grand Duke before the Princess by any means. Otherwise, their heads would fly.

* * *

The Beberma Hall, the largest banquet hall in the Imperial Palace, was bustling with gathered nobles.

Whether the rumor that this year’s Princess’s birthday banquet was more special than other times had an effect, there were many nobles who had gathered to attend the banquet, even from the provinces.

“Duke Besin and the Lady are entering!”

The voice of the usher announcing the arrival echoed loudly. Then, the noisy hall became as quiet as if cold water had been poured on it.

Everyone watched with interest as the two people slowly revealed themselves through the opening door.

“As expected of the Besin father and daughter.”

Everyone nodded inwardly at the murmur that came from somewhere.

The Duke and Lady Besin, who entered arm in arm, received everyone’s envy.

From appearance to wealth, they were the very image of a perfect father and daughter, lacking nothing.

But there was another reason why the young ladies envied them.

“Seli, you have to be careful not to fall.”

“Yes, Father.”

Celonia nodded slightly as Galloway spoke kindly with a gentle smile.

“They’re so affectionate.”

“I heard that the Duke cherishes the Lady so much even on ordinary days?”

“Rumor has it that the Emperor tried to promote the marriage between the Crown Prince and the Lady, but the Duke, well, he refused, saying that he wanted to marry the Lady to the partner she wanted.”

“Oh my…”

From the mouths of the young ladies who saw the scene, admiration filled with envy for Celonia burst out.

As a noble lady, it was only natural for her marriage to be decided according to her father’s wishes for the sake of the family.

Moreover, fathers who were steeped in aristocratic ideology to the bone mostly treated their children as tools for the prosperity of the family and treated them strictly and solemnly.

It was a common and ordinary thing, but it was inevitable that they felt envious of the appearance of that father and daughter—the appearance of a father who was affectionate and kind to his daughter.

“By the way, you came with the Duke? I thought the Lady would appear with Grand Duke Hershbrook.”

“The relationship between the two has not been officially announced yet. But did you hear that story? There was a rumor that the Duke opposed the two of them…”

The topic quickly turned among the gathered young ladies. Everyone perked up their ears at the more interesting gossip.

“Duke Besin.”

As soon as Galloway and Celonia came down the stairs and entered the hall, a man approached with a smile as if he had been waiting.

“The Lady is becoming more and more beautiful every day.”

“Thank you.”

Celonia spoke calmly, not caring about the man’s unpleasant gaze.

“Count Chloe. It’s been a while.”

“I heard the news. I was really impressed by the Duke’s firm belief in noblesse oblige [the responsibility of privileged people to act with generosity and nobility]. To open a foundation for the poor.”
Count Chloe made an exaggerated expression as if he was impressed by Galloway’s answer.

The news had already spread quickly, and there was no one who didn’t know about it—that Duke Besin had accommodated the poor in a temporary building he had built.

“It’s the first time, so there are still many shortcomings.”

“That can’t be. The Duke’s actions are meaningful. If there’s anything I can do to help, please tell me anytime. If the Duke calls, I’ll run out barefoot.”

“Hahaha. Thank you.”

Celonia, next to Galloway, who was talking to Count Chloe, looked at the door she had just entered. It was time for Tan, who had left separately, to arrive soon.

“It feels like it’s been a while since I’ve seen you.”

It was then that a soft voice struck her ear, calling Celonia.

Because it was a very familiar voice, her eyes slowly turned to the side, calmly and coldly sunken.

As expected, Grace was pretending to know her. MacRyan was standing behind her.

“I greet the Lady.”

Grace raised the hem of her dress slightly and paid her respects at Celonia’s gaze.

The necklace, which made a tinkling sound and fell slightly away from her skin at the greeting, was visible below Grace’s face.

Celonia’s gaze naturally lingered on the necklace.

The fancy and large necklace was the limited edition necklace from Erzel Jewelers.

Grace, who raised her head, noticed that Celonia’s gaze was directed at the necklace and made a surprised expression.

Then, she glanced at Galloway standing behind Celonia and said with a smile.

“As expected, the Lady also recognizes the value of this necklace. This is a gift from my beloved father.”