The Male Leads Were Stolen by the Extra Chapter 73

 

Sellonia chuckled, watching Grace, who was clinging to Ian, approaching her.

 

This is going to keep happening.

 

Originally, I planned to figure out exactly what Grace’s plan was, what tricks she’d used, before making any moves.

 

Grace was a woman so meticulous that she anticipated Sellonia’s investigation into herself and had even managed to recruit Gillian, the vice guild leader of Finnest, beforehand. So, if she had acted rashly, she could have ended up being the one who got caught.

 

Besides, telling the male leads that they fell for Grace after eating something suspicious would have been a waste of time.

 

They wouldn’t believe her. They’d already fallen for Grace.

 

That’s why she thought the right thing to do was to gather evidence and then heal them.

 

But if Grace keeps provoking her like this, she can’t just ignore it.

 

“Lady, though late, congratulations on your speedy recovery.”

 

Ian, standing before her, greeted her with his signature smile.

 

“Congratulations on your speedy recovery, Princess.” 

 

“Are you really congratulating me? I don’t think I could come here.”

 

Sellonia looked at Grace and Ian with a relaxed expression.

 

At this point, she became truly curious about her.

 

What does she gain by going to all these lengths?

 

Forcing the male leads’ hearts, showing them off like trophies in front of everyone. Why is she going to all this trouble?

 

“Lady, don’t be so harsh. We’re really here to congratulate you.”

 

He’d expected her to say something harsh, but hearing it directly, Ian’s face crumpled, feeling offended.

 

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

 

Even McLion, who was nearby, chimed in.

 

“How can I smile when you’re here? If you’re going to congratulate, you should have done it in your heart, not at the banquet. Did you mix your manners into your soup and eat them?”

 

“Lady.”

 

“Didn’t I clearly say that day? I don’t want any uninvited guests at my celebration.” 

 

“…Hmm.”

 

Ian looked away and cleared his throat. McLion, too, seemed to have nothing to say, keeping his mouth shut.

 

Brilliantly attending someone else’s celebration?

 

Does being tricked make them this arrogant? Or is this just their nature?

 

Sellonia turned her head away from Ian, whom she had no desire to associate with, and focused her gaze on Grace.

 

“Lady Bennett.”

 

“Yes, Princess.”

 

Grace smiled faintly at the call and opened her lips.

 

“The dress you’re wearing today looks really good on you. I think it’s a dress from Verondi’s boutique?”

 

Sellonia seemed to understand how Grace had acquired the dress.

 

Just as she had won the hearts of the male leads through trickery, she must have done the same for Verondi.

 

“Ah, so you’re noticing. The Madam said she wanted to make me a dress.”

 

Grace, delighted, quickly replied.

 

“Um, really? Weren’t you definitely turned away back then?”

 

“She said she was sorry about that.”

 

Grace’s eyes twitched slightly at the mention of being turned away, but it was only for a split second before she quickly replied.

 

“Wow, that’s fascinating. It seemed like they’d never give you a dress, no matter how much you paid. I heard Verondi declared that she wouldn’t accept just anyone, that she’d only accept boutique-level guests, didn’t I?”

 

“Pfft…”

 

Sellonia’s voice, ringing loudly in the silence of the banquet hall, made Pellaine, who was approaching, laugh.

 

Grace’s sharp eyes darted to her at the sneer.

 

But Pellaine, unconcerned, stood beside Sellonia with her head held high.

 

“Oh my. Then how much did you pay for it?”

 

Abel, who had been standing firmly by Sellonia’s side, glared at Grace and exaggeratedly chattered.

 

“…”

 

Although Grace’s expression suddenly turned sour as she watched the young ladies standing beside her like friends, her temper melted when McLion stepped forward instead.

 

“They contacted Grace first to apologize and offer to make her a dress.”

 

“People’s hearts change, don’t you know?”

 

Grace seemed to gain confidence from McLion’s defense, and she snickered and challenged her.

 

“Gasp…!”

 

Everyone gathered around gasped in shock.

 

They knew full well she was referring to Ian, McLion, and Reyev.

 

It was a scandal of the century that had once rocked the Empire, so everyone knew about it.

 

Sellonia stopped Abel and Pellaine from stepping forward in her rage.

 

This kind of provocation was nothing. Her actions were so transparent it was almost bland.

 

“Aah. I know that well. People’s hearts change like cards.”

 

Sellonia’s gaze lingered on Ian, McLion, and Reyev, then dropped.

 

It’s about you all. Listen carefully.

 

“As expected. I thought the Princess would know.”

 

“Of course. It happened to me.”

 

Sellonia nodded, not denying it.

 

She had absolutely no intention of letting Grace know she knew.

 

But from now on, she planned to undo the changes in the male leads, one by one.

 

Before that, it was time to show Grace, who was currently rejoicing at having landed a blow, the terror of public opinion.

 

She wasn’t a fan of fighting, yet she had no reason to turn back a fight. Especially not with Grace.

 

So, she was determined to become the tragic heroine the newspapers had been trumpeting after her engagement broke off.

 

“The wounds from that time were so great that I was terrified to even attend today’s celebration.”

 

Sellonia trailed off, her voice trailing off with a hurt expression.

 

With her eyes now teary and drooping, she appeared to everyone else as a woman completely heartbroken.

 

“My goodness… Princess…”

 

“How could they…”

 

Pellaine and Abel, who were nearby, were taken aback, but quickly expressed their sympathy and comforted Sellonia.

 

“What did I do wrong? If I hadn’t collapsed, wouldn’t this have happened? I tormented myself with those thoughts.”

 

“…What are you talking about?”

 

Grace, who had been sporting an arrogant, triumphant smile, suddenly lost her smile. She couldn’t control her bewilderment, completely unprepared for Sellonia’s reaction.

 

That was understandable, because the Sellonia she’d encountered up until then had always been a forceful slap back at her.

 

She hadn’t imagined she’d feign weakness.

 

“Lady Sellonia, there are many eyes and ears here.”

 

Reyev, standing quietly behind Grace, spoke to her with a stern expression.

 

He meant that many people were watching, so she should be cautious. He didn’t want Grace to be embarrassed.

 

“What are you doing now?”

 

McLion also sarcastically asked Sellonia, as if he were dumbfounded.

 

Sellonia, ignoring Reyev and McLion’s ridiculous attitude, smiled bitterly, her expression sinking into a sad, subdued expression.

 

“It’s been quite difficult. And I’m just now starting to recover from the wound.”

 

Sighs erupted from all around.

 

“How could they do this? They’re poking at the wounds you inflicted like that.”

 

“That’s what I mean. Even if you like a man that much, still.”

 

“Apologize for what you just said and did, Lady Bennett.”

 

The noble ladies sympathized with Sellonia and criticized Grace.

 

“The same goes for the Saviors. They seem to have crossed the line.”

 

“No one saw it that way, really. How dare you act so shamelessly at someone else’s celebration.”

 

“I’m truly disappointed in you three. What happened today is completely vulgar. There are places where you can and can’t be involved, yet to show up without permission like this? That woman is so shameless.”

 

The noble ladies, who had maintained their elegant dignity, chimed in with a few words toward Ian, McLion, and Reyev.

 

“Ahem! That’s right. Even so, why come to the Princess’s celebration without notice? Tsk tsk.”

 

“You know that too. It really can’t be viewed positively.”

 

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

 

The elders gathered together also hurled criticism at the four. Grace and the Saviors’ visit to a public event, especially at Princess Basin’s celebration, was deserving of criticism.

 

Faced with the growing public opinion, Ian gently pulled away from Grace’s arm. As if he was cutting his tail off and he wasn’t someone like Grace.

 

Grace looked at Ian with a dumbfounded expression, yet he simply ignored her, staring at the distant mountains.

 

The entire crowd was already on Sellonia’s side, defending her.

 

This was the stigma effect.

 

People remember the emotions that accompanied information more than the specifics.

 

Everyone had heard about Ian’s affair and Sellonia’s breakup, which had once been the daily headlines.

 

These feelings were resurfaced by the appearance of the victim.

 

Through those articles, who were they swearing at and who were they feeling sorry for?