The Male Leads Were Stolen By The Extra [EN]: Chapter 72

I wasn’t sure if he wanted Tan as a knight for his family or if he had romantic feelings for him, but one thing was certain.

“Not yet. But my father and he are both quite positive about him becoming a knight of our family.”

“Ah… I see. Of course. Everyone wants to join the Besin family’s knighthood.”

When Celonia said this with a gentle smile, Dahlia’s eyes drooped as if she was very disappointed.

“I apologize for my rudeness, Princess.”

Then, with slumped shoulders, she moved to another seat.

“Oh my. What rude behavior! How dare she interrupt the conversation.”

“I know, right? I heard she’s young, but she needs to study etiquette again.”
Pellein and Abel mocked Dahlia as she walked away.

“Princess, do you think so too…? Oh my!”

Pellein, who had been chatting with Abel, turned to Celonia, seeking her quiet agreement, and was surprised.

“Princess, are you alright? Do you have a fever?”

Celonia’s face was as red as a beet.

“…I’ll go get some fresh air for a moment.”

Celonia hurried to the terrace with a very embarrassed expression.

As soon as she entered the empty terrace with quick steps, she clutched her left chest. Her heart was pounding like crazy.

Her face was flushed with heat.

Her eyes, always calm and blue like the sea, were shaking violently.

‘Why, why did I do that? Why did I lie…’

She lied to Dahlia.

She had never dreamed of Tan becoming a knight of the Duke’s family. Even if he wanted to, she would have strongly opposed it.

But why did she lie to that young lady, saying that Tan would become a knight of the Duke’s family, that he would become a member of her family?

“What is this…”

Celonia buried her face in her hands, blaming herself for her flushed face.

The lie she had uttered was embarrassing and unsightly.

The meaning of that lie was ultimately to tell her not to covet Tan.

Why did I lie like that…

No. This is natural.

‘No one should know his identity. That’s why I did it.’

Celonia, her mind racing with confusion, found a somewhat unsettling answer.

Yes. That must be the reason.

If not… the problem will get bigger.

“Miss, I thought Tan would follow you today.”

Ella, who had quietly followed, muttered with a gloomy face. Celonia also agreed with her in her heart.

She was sure that Tan would chase after her to the celebration today.

As always, he followed her wherever she went, especially if it was a place where many people gathered.

Of course, she would have told Tan not to come if he had tried to follow her to the celebration.

Even if he was stubborn, she wasn’t going to give in this time.

But that was a needless worry. She couldn’t even bring it up.

He only had breakfast and left. He didn’t even seem to know that there was a celebration for her at the Imperial Palace today.

“I was sure that Tan would follow you. He would be very anxious if he left you alone, Miss.”

“I’m not a child. What’s there to be anxious about?”

Even as she said that, Celonia felt a strange sense of disappointment and grumbled without realizing it.

How am I supposed to hold his hand?

He’s the one who confused me by saying those things first… Why did he even say that?

“I thought Tan would be watching you with his eyes wide open, staying by your side, because there would be many men trying to approach you today, Miss.”

“What?”

What is she talking about?

Celonia stared at Ella with wide eyes.

“What could be wrong? He’s not usually like this…”

“Ella, you’re…”

Celonia, about to speak to Ella, who was muttering obliviously, turned her head.

“It’s the saviors…”

“Oh my. Did they attend the celebration today? But next to them…”

She heard murmuring voices from behind the closed terrace door.

When voices of admiration and doubt were heard simultaneously, Celonia opened the door.

Then, the people who saw her reappear in the hall one by one closed their mouths, and soon all the murmuring sounds subsided.

The hall was filled with silence as if cold water had been poured on it.

“Miss, over there.”

She was about to look around, unsure of the reason for the sudden quiet, but Ella pointed somewhere with a very angry expression.

Celonia naturally looked in the direction of Ella’s finger.

“…Ha.”

Soon, a burst of laughter escaped her lips.

The reason for the sudden silence was the appearance of uninvited guests.

Grace Bennett.

She was walking into the Negzit Hall, arm in arm with Ian, smiling brightly.

And as if to escort her, Reyev and McRyan were also following.

* * *

The Emperor heard that almost all the people had gathered in the banquet hall and was about to rise from his seat.

“Your Majesty.”

“Come in.”

He answered with dignity to the voice of the aide who was rushing in.

“What’s going on?”

“I have just been informed that Duke Ian Cervil, Count Reyev Hechell, Count McRyan Ford, and Miss Grace Bennett have attended the banquet today.”

“What?”

The Emperor clicked his tongue at their shameless behavior.

‘Aren’t they people of interest [controversial figures]?’

Duke Cervil, who had an affair and broke off his engagement with Princess Besin, and Grace Bennett, who was his partner.

And the dragon and the paladin who left their colleague, Princess Besin, to protect Grace.

What kind of place is this that they showed up? These young people these days…

The Emperor wondered whether he should dismiss this as youthful exuberance or comment on its lack of morality.

Attending the celebration was their freedom, but today’s banquet was for Princess Besin.

Knowing that and showing their faces was quite a brazen act.

“Shall we quietly send them back?”

“No. No.”

But the deliberation was short.

Originally, a third party should not interfere in a love affair.

“It’s a good thing.”

The Emperor’s sharp eyes narrowed. He had already figured out a advantageous move in his head.

If the Crown Prince approached Celonia, who would be quite upset and embarrassed by the appearance of Ian and Grace, and offered her support, it would be a good thing.

Then, the Princess might feel grateful to the Crown Prince and become closer to him as a result of this.

Things are getting interesting.

The Emperor tapped the armrest with his long fingers with an interesting expression and opened his mouth.

“Did Helius escort the Princess well?”

“That is…”

“What is it?”

The Emperor’s expression turned grim in an instant at the aide’s answer.

“He has not yet appeared in the banquet hall.”

“What!”

The Emperor slammed the armrest with his clenched fist and 벌떡 일어섰다 [boltteok ireoseotda – 벌떡 일어서다 means to jump up].

“To waste this good opportunity! What are you doing! Send the Crown Prince to the banquet hall immediately!”

The knights and attendants who were waiting in front of the door hurriedly moved at the Emperor’s thunderous voice.

The Emperor rubbed his deeply furrowed brow and sat back down.

Even though he had repeatedly emphasized that it was important, he 기어코 [gi-eo-ko – in the end].

“Your Majesty, I have one more piece of news to deliver.”

“What is it!”

The Emperor, already furious with the Crown Prince, said in an angry voice.

“Grand Duke Hershbrook…”

The aide handed the document he was holding to the Emperor as he continued to speak.

The Emperor had a strange expression on his face as he received the document.

* * *

Celonia already knew from experience that she would be speechless when she was too dumbfounded, but she experienced it again today.

Today’s celebration was held by the Emperor for me, so if they had any sense, they shouldn’t have come.

But they attended this 자리 [jari – occasion]? Even though no one invited them?

Besides, Ian was walking towards me, arm in arm with Grace, smiling brightly.

Celonia naturally looked at Grace, who was smiling 해사하게 [haesahage – radiantly] next to Ian.

She was wearing a 풍성한 벨라인 [pungseonghan bellain – full bell-line] dress with curly blonde hair and 과한 프릴 [gwahan peuril – excessive frill] decorations on the hem.

‘Familiar?’

Celonia looked at the clothes Grace was wearing one more time.

It was familiar because she had seen it somewhere. Where did I see it? I’m sure I saw it somewhere…

“헉… [heok – gasp] Isn’t that dress a Verondi Boutique dress?”

At that moment, the voice that flowed out from among the young ladies gathered 꽂혔다 [kkochyotda – stuck] in Celonia’s ear.

The moment she heard that, Celonia remembered. The dress Grace was wearing was one of the dress designs that Verondi had shown her.

Celonia remembered the conversation she had with Grace at the Verondi Boutique that day.

“Did Miss Grace also come to order a dress?”

“Yes. I think I’ll be wearing a dress soon, too.”

I thought she was ordering a dress for her wedding with Ian.

Look at this?

The thing about wearing a dress soon was my celebration?