The Male Leads Were Stolen by the Extra

 

“Should I go up to where you are?”

 

“What is that…”

 

At his words that had no meaning, Sellonia’s spine instantly went cold.

 

His eyes now were exactly the same as the ones that had threatened him to tell him who he was when he first entered the Duke’s residence. Those eyes that intensely yearned for something and desired something.

 

“…”

 

“…”

 

As silence fell between the two, their gazes entangled in the air.

 

A strange, hot air flowed inside the carriage.

 

Maybe that was why. Sellonia suddenly felt hotter.

 

It was definitely autumn, yet her back felt hot as if a warm breeze had blown inside the carriage.

 

Her palms were already sweaty.

 

Was it because of his question, or because of his eyes?

 

“Anyway, don’t grab my hand.”

 

Unable to bear this atmosphere, Sellonia turned her gaze away first and ran away. The more she looked into his eyes, the more her breath got tighter.

 

“Ella is late. I should go.”

 

Sellonia pulled her hand away from him and opened the carriage door.

 

“I’ll go with you.”

 

Tan stared at her hand that had slipped out of his and got up.

 

“Do whatever you want.”

 

Knowing that if she said she would follow, he would follow her unconditionally, Sellonia just opened the carriage door.

 

She got out of the carriage and walked straight ahead. Then she saw three people struggling to move the rock.

 

“What’s going on?”

“Miss, we can’t go forward because of this rock that fell on the road.”

 

Ella answered with a red face, blood rushing to her from exerting herself.

 

In the middle of the narrow road where two carriages couldn’t pass at the same time, there was a rock bigger than a person lying there.

 

As a result, both Sellonia’s carriage and the carriage coming from the other side were tied to the road. Of the three men trying to move the rock, two were Ella and the Duke’s coachman, and the other seemed to be the coachman of the carriage parked on the other side.

 

Sellonia’s gaze went up the dirt road past the rock.

 

Judging by the dents on the slope next to the road, it seemed like the rock had rolled down there.

 

Thank goodness there were no people or carriages around that were damaged, perhaps because it had rolled down when there was no traffic on the road.

 

“Is it still far?”

 

At that moment, a low-pitched voice filled with annoyance was heard as the window of the carriage parked on the other side opened.

 

Sellonia and Tan naturally looked out the window.

 

A man with white hair but a face that looked like he was in his early 40s was seen.

 

It was the first time they had seen his face, yet the carriage looked so grand that he seemed quite high in position.

 

But something was a bit strange. The expression of the man who had been tired and indifferent until just now suddenly widened when he saw the two.

 

“I-I’ll take care of that right away, Your Grace the Grand Duke.”

 

The coachman of the other family hurriedly bowed to the middle-aged man and tried to move the rock again.

 

“Grand Duke?”

 

Sellonia muttered very quietly at the word ‘grand duke’ and tilted her head.

 

“Do you know him?”

 

Tan, who was right next to her, asked. There was no way he hadn’t heard what he was saying.

 

“No. I just thought I heard it.”

 

She shook her head.

 

She had never seen the Grand Duke in person.

 

However, she had heard that the Grand Duke and his knights had built an iron defense at the forest boundary during the subjugation to prevent the monsters from coming down to the houses.

 

The forest of monsters was in the north, and the Grand Duke’s castle was also in the north.

 

But why was the Grand Duke who lived in the north here now? While she was wondering if she should greet him, the window that had been open on the other side suddenly closed. The Grand Duke disappeared in an instant.

 

Was he telling her not to greet him?

 

She waited, wondering if he would open the door and come out, yet the Grand Duke didn’t show up.

 

Sellonia also naturally drew attention and decided to focus on the rock.

 

The three of them tried hard to roll the rock while hanging on, but it was no use. It just moved erratically and didn’t move at all.

 

Since it seemed like the sun would rise on the road at this rate, Sellonia had no choice but to open her mouth to Tan.

 

“Tan, can you move that rock?”

 

“To where.”

 

“I think it would be fine if it was over there so that it wouldn’t interfere with traffic.”

 

Sellonia pointed to the dirt road that was the entrance to the slope next to the road and said.

 

She asked him, thinking that it might be possible with his strength, yet she was half in doubt. However, Tan nodded as if he understood and walked away.

 

“Sir Tan, let’s roll it together! You can’t do it alone!”

 

Ella, who had experienced the power of the rock first, said to Tan who was approaching.

 

“Get away.”

 

“It must be difficult, though…”

 

Ella stepped back worriedly. The coachmen, who were sweating profusely, also moved away from the rock.

 

After Tan confirmed that the people had moved away, he pulled out the sword that was tucked into his waist and swung it at the rock in one breath.

 

With a cracking sound, the rock split into three pieces.

 

“Eeeekh!”

 

The coachmen were surprised and let out a strange noise. Was it really possible to split a rock with just one sword?

 

However, the one who had that skill calmly started to move the split rock.

 

“W-We’ll help you too!”

 

Ella closed her gaping mouth and headed towards the rock that had become lighter after being split. The coachmen also came to their senses and lifted the rock together with her.

 

When Tan moved two rocks alone, three people groaned and moved one rock.

 

The rocks blocking the road were finally completely gone.

 

Tan walked up to Sellonia again in one stride, shaking off the gravel on his hands.

 

“Did I do well?”

 

Tan’s shoulders, who had returned in high spirits, were very proud. His red eyes were filled with anticipation.

 

“Yes. Thank you.”

 

“Is that all?”

 

Unlike his expectations, he wiggled his eyebrows again at the dry answer.

 

Sellonia had no choice but to brighten up her expression and stick out her thumb.

 

“Good job. The best.”

 

Tan finally snickered and a smile appeared on his lips.

 

In that moment, Sellonia was lost in thought at the sight of him smiling with his back to the sun.

 

Does he like compliments that much? Why is he smiling so beautifully? It was the perfect smile to confuse people from earlier.

 

That was when.

 

The door of the carriage stopped on the other side creaked open. The carriage door opened and the Grand Duke appeared. Along with another man.

 

“I’m greeting Grand Duke Hershbrook. My name is Sellonia Basin.”

 

Since everyone already knew his identity, Sellonia bowed because she couldn’t help but greet him.

 

Then, as expected, she tapped Tan’s leg, who was stiffly straightening his back.

 

Although Tan didn’t feel like it, he bowed his back faithfully to Sellonia’s gesture.

 

“Eeeekh…!”

 

At that, the Grand Duke and the man next to him were startled, then their pale faces turned even paler.

 

Sellonia raised her head, gazed at the two of them alternately with a puzzled expression.

 

Why are you doing that?

The two of them reacted as if they had seen a ghost.

 

“Mas…!”

 

“…I’m Ius Hershbrook. You helped me.”

 

As the young man opened his mouth to shout something, Grand Duke Ius blocked him with his arm and introduced himself.

 

He then looked at Tan, who was standing next to Sellonia, with wide, shaking eyes and asked.

 

“Y-Your name is…?”

 

The Grand Duke’s lips were trembling as if he had seen an underworld messenger, even though he was only asking for a name.

 

Sellonia thought he was surprised by Tan’s brute strength.

 

“Tan. Ugh… I’m Tan.”

 

Tan, who was about to give a short answer, frowned when Sellonia suddenly elbowed him in the side and added.

 

“…Tan.”

 

The Grand Duke repeated Tan’s name quietly.

 

They waited, thinking that he was going to say something to thank him, yet nothing more came out of the Grand Duke’s mouth.

 

“Then, Grand Duke, we will be going now.”

 

Sellonia turned away after saying her final greeting, as it seemed like he had nothing more to say. Tan and Ella also followed behind Sellonia.

 

The three climbed onto the stopped carriage and the coachman took his place in front again.

 

“Giddy up!”

 

Ius and Kelvin were still standing there until the carriage of the Basin family, which had started off with the coachman’s loud voice, disappeared from the road.