The Male Leads Were Stolen by the Extra Chapter 81

 

“Are you really going to keep him by your side?”

 

Tan asked Sellonia with a disgruntled expression.

 

The two were now strolling through the corridors, heading back to Neggit Hall.

 

The wind, now much colder, half autumn and half winter, and the crimson sunset sky beautifully colored them.

 

“It’s out of necessity.”

 

Sellonia answered, clutching her dizzy head.

 

“Sellonia!”

 

Tan, startled, quickly grabbed her shoulder.

 

Just like with Emily, after purifying Reyev, she felt dizzy and weak, but she held it together.

 

She didn’t want to show such weakness to Reyev, who should be angry.

 

She had tasked Reyev with staying by Grace’s side without being caught.

 

Grace would still think he was her man, tricked, so Reyev’s usefulness was high. Just as Grace had stolen the male leads from Sellonia, she planned to return them to herself.

 

To do that, he needed Reyev’s hand in the bargain.

 

“Go back to your room right now. I’ll take you there.”

 

“No. Have you forgotten that I’m the main character today? I can’t let that woman steal it from me.”

 

“You’re even acting like you’re about to collapse, so what are you…?”

 

Tan raised his voice and cut himself off, watching Sellonia stubbornly, frustrated. He was afraid that the arguing would make things worse.

 

Her face was growing colder and paler.

 

Tan knew full well that Sellonia had used a healing spell on that man, causing her body to suddenly weaken.

 

“Why are you doing this? Why are you bringing back those who betrayed you? Do you want to be with them again?”

 

He stared down at Sellonia, who was leaning against him, and asked in an angry tone. Through Reyev and Sellonia’s conversation, Tan learned that a woman named Grace had used trickery to change their hearts, and that her healing magic would purify them.

 

He hated that. It was Sellonia undoing their changed hearts.

 

If they learned the truth, they would cling to her skirt, begging to stay by her side, just like Reyev had before.

 

Whether it was a trick or something else, why was she trying to change their hearts after they betrayed her and left?

 

He felt uneasy. The reason was clear.

 

Fear that Sellonia would return to them. Fear that she would choose them over him.

 

“I just want to know the truth.”

 

“Not that you want to go back to how you were before?”

 

“No.”

 

Sellonia took a deep breath and answered firmly.

 

There wasn’t the slightest desire to go back to how they were before. She had wondered if she had any lingering regrets, yet when Reyev begged, she realized it clearly.

 

Even when he shed tears and apologized for his mistakes, she felt no emotion. Even so, it was surprising that she could be so calm when it’s someone she’d been with for half a year.

 

She felt absolutely fine. Her heart didn’t ache, nor waver. She didn’t even feel pity.

 

Why?

 

How could her emotions have vanished so easily, as if washed away with an eraser? She pondered, and there was only one answer.

 

Sellonia grabbed Tan’s sleeve as he carefully helped her up onto the bench with rough hands.

 

“Tan, I have something I want to ask you.”

 

“What is it.”

 

Sellonia’s firm answer eased Tan’s spirits slightly, and he bent down to meet her eye level on the bench.

 

“You…”

 

Sellonia’s lips moved, then closed. Though he needed to ask, the words wouldn’t come out easily.

 

What would happen if he said yes?

 

She was afraid. The thought of everything she’d lived through up until then changing.

 

She couldn’t help but admit it now. That she truly relied on him for so much.

 

Both her common sense and emotions.

 

“It’s fine, just tell me.”

 

Tan met her eyes, filled with confusion and fear, and spoke soothingly. He already knew what question she was going to ask.

 

“You, have you regained your memories?”

 

A trembling voice finally finished the question.

 

“No. I haven’t.”

 

He answered without hesitation. It was true.

 

He had learned his identity, yet it was true that his memories hadn’t returned yet.

 

“Then how are you the Grand Duke?”

 

“Didn’t you hear?”

 

“You expect me to believe that?”

 

“What’s there to disbelieve?”

 

Tan smirked, trying to reassure Sellonia, who was frozen in place, seemingly nervous.

 

He wasn’t going to tell Sellonia the unbelievable truth that Ius and Kelvin were actually his subordinates and that he was the dead Demon King.

 

If she knew the truth, she would avoid him. Even now, wasn’t she hesitant and afraid to ask?

 

Now that they were finally close, he couldn’t lose her over something like this.

 

So I planned to keep it a secret. So she wouldn’t be scared.

 

“But why is your name Tan? You must have a real name, right?”

 

Sellonia couldn’t believe it, so she asked him as if she was testing him.

 

He introduced himself as Tan Hershbrook. Wasn’t that the name she’d given him, just the one that came to mind?

 

“Because I like it. Isn’t that what you gave me?”

 

Tan smiled and took hold of Sellonia’s two fingertips, which were neatly arranged on his lap.

 

There was only one reason he used the name Tan, even though he had a real name. Because he liked the name she’d given him.

 

He wanted to keep hearing the name ‘Tan’ spilling from those crimson lips.

 

“…”

 

Sellonia slowly raised her gaze, watching Tan caress her fingertips as if they were precious treasures.

 

His earnest red eyes were completely focused on her.

 

“Is this why you’ve been so busy?” 

 

“There’s more to deal with than I thought.”

 

Tan scowled, his face aggrieved.

 

Sellonia chuckled at that. It was reassuring to know that the reason he’d been wishing for days was none other than the Grand Duke’s family’s registration.

 

She knew it wasn’t a situation to be complacent about, that everything was uncertain, that the Grand Duke’s family was suspicious, yet his unwavering demeanor still filled her with relief.

 

“It seems that I should call you Grand Duke from now on.”

 

“Just call me Tan. It’s a name only you can call me.”

 

Tan’s face was devoid of a playful smile, as if he was being sincere.

 

Did he even know what he meant?

 

Sellonia was deeply confused when he kept barging in without warning.

 

“You just have to believe what you see.”

 

He spoke with a serious tone and a firm grip. He tightened his grip on her hand.

 

Sellonia looked into his unwavering gaze, thinking. I know this is all a lie. I don’t know if he truly regained his memories, but I know this situation is a lie.

 

There’s no way he, the Demon King, could be the Grand Duke’s illegitimate child.

 

And yet, despite knowing it was a lie, Sellonia couldn’t help but want to believe it.

 

She just wished it were all true.

 

Why did she get angry when others asked about Tan? Why did she feel sad when he didn’t speak for days, why did she wait for him without realizing it? Why did she feel happy when he actually showed up?

 

Why didn’t she feel lonely, why didn’t she feel alone, even without the male leads?

 

She tried to ignore it, tried to pretend not to know, yet she knew clearly.

 

There were times when Sellonia even forgot he was the Demon King.

 

Now, she didn’t feel the same fear or dread she once did.

 

How could her heart be the same as before? Tan had always been on her side, concerned only for her safety.

 

Is that why? There were times when she wished he’d never regain his memories, thinking it would have been better if he hadn’t been the Demon King.

 

For the time she spent with him was so comforting and wonderful.

 

“…Why are you doing this?”

 

“Didn’t I tell you? I’m going up to where you are.”

 

Tan answered her question without hesitation, as if there was only one reason for all this.

 

Sellonia’s pupils dilated.

 

Is it really just for that reason? How can she accept that…?

 

“Let’s go.”

 

As she panicked, Tan grabbed her hand.

 

“I told you we can’t go back like this.”

 

Sellonia refused and pulled back. Tan, smiling confidently, immediately lifted her up.

 

In that instant, they had moved from the bench in the corridor to the Neggit Hall terrace.

 

Tan had teleported.

 

“What the…!”

 

Sellonia tried to say something to Tan, yet he had already thrown open the terrace door.

 

“I’ll make sure you’re the perfect star today.”

 

With his back to the splendid hall, he turned to Sellonia with an even more splendid smile.

 

Sellonia couldn’t help but feel a thrill at his sincere, captivating smile.