The Male Leads Were Stolen By The Extra [EN]: Chapter 142

It wasn’t hesitation. It was simply that she had participated in the subjugation as soon as she was possessed, and Ian was the person she relied on most at that time, so old memories surfaced.

From the beginning, Selonia had never loved Ian, not even for a moment. She was merely being faithful to the original story.

But now things were different. She had a clear vision of the person she wanted to spend her life with.

That’s why she didn’t want to tell anyone her real name.

Even though MacRyan had overheard it by chance, she only wanted Tan to know and call her by that name.

“Selonia, I want to start over with you. If it’s because of the things I said in the past, that wasn’t how I truly felt…”

“We broke off our engagement.”

“That’s something we can fix!”

“I knew about black magic much earlier than you think, Duke. I even knew how to break free. But I still didn’t come to you.”

“…”

Ian’s arm, which had reached out to grab her urgently, stopped in mid-air.

He couldn’t possibly misunderstand what those words implied.

“It’s because you were upset. You were trying to punish me because your feelings weren’t resolved.”

Ian denied it. His hesitant hand moved again and grasped Selonia’s hand.

“Think again. The oath we made under the willow tree to be together forever.”

At those words, Selonia vaguely remembered that day. It was the first lush tree they encountered during the subjugation. They decided to camp there, and when night fell, Ian called her under the willow tree.

Then he confessed his feelings properly and kissed her for the first time.

Ian seemed to remember that day too, as his face was filled with longing, unlike hers.

Selonia eventually frowned at the clinging Ian and pulled her hand away.

“Please stop. No matter how much you bring up old memories, it doesn’t stir any feelings in me.”

“Has your heart changed?”

Ian, who was looking down at his empty hand, stared directly into Selonia’s eyes. His blue eyes rebuked her, as if asking how she could do this.

Selonia crossed her arms, her expression saying, ‘that’s right.’

Ian’s expression, like a wounded child, subtly blamed everything on her.

Even if he was under the influence of black magic, it didn’t erase the fact that he had threatened and intimidated her back then. She had no intention of forgiving him, not even a little.

She opened her mouth to properly awaken Ian, who seemed to be mistaken.

“It hasn’t changed.”

“I knew it. You’re still…!”

“Because I never loved you from the beginning.”

“What?”

Ian’s face, which had been brightening, rapidly hardened.

“I’ve never loved you, not even once.”

“…That can’t be true.”

Ian was shocked, as if he had heard something absurd.

“Enough. Now go. Tan is waiting.”

Selonia turned around resolutely, not wanting to waste any more time on Ian when Tan was waiting.

However, Ian grabbed Selonia’s wrist roughly and spun her around.

“You are no longer a Duchess. The Ducal family will be destroyed. What are you going to do in the future?”

Was he worrying about her future, or was he trying to scare her?

Did he think she’d be frightened if he did this?

“If you’re going to continue living in the capital, it’s beneficial for you to choose me. I can shield you from any criticism.”

Certainly, the Cherbil Ducal family was a powerful family. If the Besin Ducal family was in charge of wealth, the Cherbil Ducal family always dominated the political world.

In fact, the Cherbil Ducal family could be said to have more power in the capital than the Herschbrook Grand Duchy, which only operated in the North.

The Emperor, taking into account that the incident where Ian smashed the banquet hall was due to the side effects of black magic, concluded that the repair costs would be paid by the Cherbil family.

If it had been another family, there would have been a greater punishment, but the fact that it was the Cherbil family also played a part.

But what was he trying to say?

“You seem to be mistaken, but don’t think I’ll tremble because of that.”

“That’s not what I…”

“I don’t need it. Neither you nor your family.”

Whether it was a Ducal family or a Grand Ducal family, such things were no longer important. Even if the baronet title she had received disappeared.

Now, it was enough as long as she was with the man she chose, the man she loved.

“…”

Ian, who looked into Selonia’s unwavering eyes, was speechless. She seemed like a steadfast tree that wouldn’t budge in any storm.

Why? What on earth was holding her so firmly?

“Can you let go of my hand? Tan might not misunderstand, but if he sees this, he’ll really kill you.”

Selonia glared at Ian with an annoyed expression.

Realizing that he couldn’t hold her any longer, Ian released Selonia’s wrist with a dazed expression.

“Selonia.”

Just in time, a sweet voice carried by the wind reached them from not far away.

“Tan.”

Then, the voice that had been blowing cold winds just a moment ago was gone, and a bright voice full of affection chirped.

Ian blankly stared at her back as she turned away from him without a shred of regret and walked away without looking back.

She ran to him in one breath and snuggled into the big man’s arms as if it were her rightful place.

What kind of conversation were they having?

The expressions of the man and woman who cherished each other in their arms and met each other’s eyes were endlessly affectionate.

The light in the blue eyes and red eyes that faced each other was vivid, because it contained trust in each other and affection only for each other.

Ian pursed his lips at Selonia’s unfamiliar expression, one he had never seen before.

An expression he couldn’t see even on the day he swore his love to her. That expression was only for that man.

Only then did Ian realize.

The reason why Selonia had been able to endure so firmly without collapsing. The reason why he couldn’t get even a piece of her heart.

It was because of that man. Because of that existence that filled her completely.

* * *

Two days later.

The Montera Square was crowded with people because there was an execution ceremony today.

“Anyone involved in this black magic incident will be executed without exception! In particular, the Besin Ducal family, who plotted this conspiracy, will be stripped of their title, and the traitors Galloway Besin and Selonia Besin will be hanged and burned at the stake, respectively!”

“To prevent anyone from violating the taboo of black magic in this sacred empire, let the head of the criminal Galloway Besin be displayed in front of the Imperial Palace for a month to set an example!”

Yesterday, the Emperor delivered the verdict in front of all the nobles. It was the expected result.

The Besin Ducal family collapsed overnight, Galloway was sentenced to hanging, and the real Selonia was sentenced to burning at the stake.

“One-third of the confiscated Ducal family’s property will be paid to the Bennet family as compensation for damages, and the remaining two-thirds will be used as a business fund to provide housing for the families of the victims and the poor.”

In the end, Grace Bennet, who could no longer change her soul and would live in another person’s body for the rest of her life, received enormous compensation.

No amount of compensation would be useful to the real Grace, who lost her family and body in an instant, and the poor who died unfairly, but the Emperor decided to give up all of the Ducal family’s property to show that the Imperial family greatly sympathized with the tragedy of this incident and expressed condolences.

“The current Selonia Besin is not involved in this incident and is recognized for her great contribution to the subjugation and her remarkable contribution to resolving this incident. Therefore, she will maintain the bestowed territory and baronet title, and will be given the surname Race, taking the name of the territory instead of the surname Besin.”

And she was now Baroness Selonia Race, not Duchess Selonia Besin.

It was an order that reflected her opinion that she would continue to use the name Selonia rather than creating a new name.

“Do you really have to see it?”

MacRyan carefully spoke to Selonia with an uncomfortable expression.

“Of course, I have to see it. I’m going to watch with my own two eyes how it ends.”

Selonia replied without hesitation.

Selonia, Tan, MacRyan, and Leyev were also among the many people gathered in the square.

As Grace, who would be burned at the stake first, was led out by the knights, everyone threw stones at her.

“Child of the devil! Get out!”

“Die! Just die!”

The voices of the angry people were so loud that they filled the square, showing how many people were filled with resentment.

Grace, who was gagged until the end, couldn’t even scream as she was hit by stones.

Grace, whom they saw again after two days, was in a terrible state. Her face and body were covered in wounds, and she was skin and bones, showing what had happened in prison in that short amount of time.

However, considering that they had arbitrarily taken the lives of others for their own selfishness, she deserved to suffer even more.

Grace, who was placed on the pyre stacked with wood, was tied to a wooden pillar.

“Light the fire!”

A torch with the smell of oil and flames appeared.

At that moment, Grace, who had been helplessly hanging her head, raised her eyes. Then she found Selonia, who was standing proudly with her head held high among the many people.

“Ugh. Ugh…!”

Grace shook her shoulders and struggled to the end, wondering what she was so angry about, but the wood piled up was set on fire, and soon it burned uncontrollably.

The pyre was instantly engulfed in flames, and Grace’s figure was no longer visible.

“…”

All four were silent.

Grace’s end, who had been so vicious, was truly pathetic and unsightly.

Did she do all this to become just a handful of ashes?

“It’s ridiculous.”

Selonia muttered, laughing weakly like a deflated balloon.

The smell of burning and black, acrid smoke rose inside the square.

Just as the black figure was disappearing in the blazing flames, Galloway was dragged in this time towards the guillotine placed not far from the pyre.

“Hanging! His limbs should be torn apart and he should be killed!”

“His eyeballs should be dug out and thrown as food for crows, and his legs should be knelt and placed in front of the victims!”

People’s anger erupted. It was incomparable to Grace.

Galloway, who had gained public sentiment by providing shelter to the poor under the guise of charity work, saying it was noblesse oblige [the responsibility of privileged people to act with generosity and nobility], was bound to be hundreds of times more resented.

For Galloway, the stoning was not the end. Someone threw filth, and someone threw the weapon they were holding.

The knights suppressed the weapons but allowed Galloway to be hit by the flying filth and stones.

Galloway, who was covered in filth that smelled of piercing rot, stood calmly in front of the guillotine.

Selonia blocked her nose and stared straight at Galloway. Unlike Grace, his actions and expressions were extremely detached.

“Ha. To think that his precious daughter died in front of him in flames. Serves him right.”

Selonia ridiculed Galloway’s situation.

She felt pathetic for having once thought of such a man as her real father.

She closed her lips and held Tan’s hand tightly next to her.

They decided to leave the capital without regret as soon as they caught Gail. They decided to leave the capital and head north.

To start a new beginning together.

Clang.

Soon after, Galloway’s neck and both hands were tied to the guillotine.

Tan was watching Galloway’s appearance without blinking an eye. Then, he suddenly realized that Galloway’s gaze was strange.

He seemed to be staring blankly at the sky while hanging on the guillotine, but in reality, he was staring intently at something.

Feeling a sense of unease, Tan’s eyes turned to where Galloway’s gaze was reaching.

Then he saw a man.

A man with dirt all over his body and hair, dried up, was among the healthy people in the distance, constantly looking around and starting to move his hands.

“Execute the sentence!”

A crimson formula appeared on the man’s hand along with the death sentence. The moment he realized who the man was.

“Selonia!”

Tan was surprised and reached out his hand while holding Selonia in his arms. The red and intense power emanating from him was shot towards the man.

“This damn…!”

Surprised, MacRyan also unconsciously released his power.

It was to cover his power on top of Tan’s power, to prevent his power from being exposed to others.

The red power of the Demon King and the blue power of the Dragon were intertwined and flew towards Gail. Gail’s body was shattered into pieces by the power that flew in an instant, without being able to escape.

Thud!

At the same time, the blade that fell from the guillotine struck Galloway’s neck.

“Kyaaaa!”

The square was in an uproar due to the sudden incident. People who saw Gail’s death screamed and started running away.

In that pandemonium.

“…Tan.”

Only Selonia’s voice was clearly heard in Tan’s ear.

Tan quickly looked down at Selonia, who he was holding in his arms.

Thud. His heart sank to the bottom.

“Eun-yeong…”

He caressed Selonia’s cheek with a trembling hand.

What is it? Why…

Selonia’s body, which was held in his arms, was limp. Her eyes were also dim.

Her eyelids were slowly closing and opening repeatedly.

“It’s okay…”

Selonia muttered with great difficulty, her face pale.

“No, no… no…”

Why. Why, why. Why.

Tan fumbled Selonia’s cheek with an expression that no one had ever seen before, beyond being flustered and at a loss.

Why is this happening? Why is her body getting colder and colder?

He quickly lowered his hand and placed it on her chest. His red power that flowed out was sucked into Selonia’s body.

However, no matter how much power he put in, her body was getting colder and colder.

“Seli! What’s wrong! What’s going on!”

MacRyan, who belatedly grasped the situation, was surprised and tried to cover the two people with his body. Leyev also lowered his body to prevent the two people’s appearance from being seen by others.

“It’s okay…”

What did she want to say? What exactly…

Her eyes, which were gradually losing focus, eventually closed, only containing Tan, and no longer opened.

* * *

“Okay. If you want it so much, I’ll tell you what happens when Selonia disappears in the future. I’m going to massacre them. This empire, and you guys too.”

“…I knew it! Even so, we’re still…!”

“But Selonia wouldn’t want that.”

MacRyan’s mouth, which had been bursting with anger at Tan’s words that followed, quickly closed.

MacRyan froze in surprise, also because a subtle smile, as if containing spring, bloomed on Tan’s lips.

“She’ll probably be waiting for the day to come back to me again.”

Tan had found the answer himself.

He knew what Selonia wanted from him.

So when she comes back to him again, he will show her the same scenery of the landscape that he always saw and that exists in his memory.

“…Are you telling us to believe those words now?”

MacRyan couldn’t believe it.

Were they having such a great love? That Demon King? That guy who tried to destroy the empire?

“Why? Is the oath that the Holy Knight spat out and the fact that you gave your heart to him genuine, and I’m not?”

Putting one person entirely in your heart was not that great of a thing. It was something anyone could do.

Besides, it wasn’t something that necessarily happened for some reason.

Just because it was you. Because it was you.

“…Then what if she doesn’t come? What will you do then?”

Unable to add any more words to Tan’s too serious eyes, MacRyan asked the fundamental next question.

“Then…”

Tan turned his gaze and captured the image of Selonia standing with Ian far away.

With a heart pounding so much that his fingertips were tingling at the sight of her tidying her hair in the blowing wind, he smiled.

“I’ll follow her.”