How The Sub-Male Lead’s Stepmother Teaches Love

“Ma’am, please excuse me for a moment.”

 

At that time, Lucius knocked on the office door, came inside, and handed me a document.

 

I found that it was an approval document for bread and potatoes to be distributed to the residents to commemorate the arrival of spring, bonuses to be paid to employees, and food to be paid for their labor.

 

My head seemed to be spinning at the feast of countless numbers listed. 

 

I put down my papers and shouted surrender.

 

“I need to get some rest first….” 

 

“Shall I bring the tea?”

 

“No, not tea, but…hot chocolate. Double the usual amount of chocolate.”

 

“Then I will come back later.”

 

Lucius bowed briefly as if he didn’t want to interfere and tried to leave. I was about to nod my head, but something suddenly occurred to me and so I stopped him. 

 

“Are you busy?”

 

“Yes?…No, there is nothing urgent right now.” 

 

“Then go and have some tea with me.”

 

“Do you mean tea…?”

 

Lucius, who hesitated for a moment, quietly sat down on the sofa in the center of the office, as if he had sensed my intention.

 

As I sat down across from him, Scarlett came in, pulling a tea trolley. 

 

Cookies and biscuits baked with rich cocoa and dried herb leaves were prepared.

 

When Scarlett finished setting the tea table and took a step back, I told my maids and the guards guarding me to leave for a moment.

 

“Yes? but—”

 

“It’s because I need to speak with the butler in private. You don’t have to go far, just stay outside the door.”

 

Ethan thought for a moment, took one look at the butler’s face, and nodded.

 

“Yes, then please call me after you’re done.”

 

The maids and escorts left and the door closed. So, it was just me and the butler left in my office.

 

I took a teaspoonful of cocoa……. No, more like melted chocolate, and stirred the warm drink and asked Lucius.

 

“I heard you carried out the punishment I gave you.”

 

Then Lucius asked me back with a slightly surprised expression. 

 

“Did you know that the Marquis stopped by the castle?”

 

“huh? I know, of course. He saw me and left.”

 

“He saw you?”

 

There was a hint of puzzlement in Lucius’ voice, but the nuance was close to ‘that can’t be possible.’ No, would it be closer to ‘that’s impossible’?

 

I was wondering why he was speaking with such nuance, but Lucius let out a small exclamation as if he had realized something.

 

“It looks like he has been to the castle again.” 

 

“Again? Has he been here before?”

 

“Yes. I couldn’t tell you because he told me to keep quiet….”

 

As soon as Lucius said that, he looked at me with an apologetic expression.

 

For once, I understood what he was doing, so I waved my hand dismissively.

 

“If the Marquis told you to keep quiet, it couldn’t be helped. It seems like you spoke to Marquis at that time. I thought you sent a letter or something.” 

 

“I’ve made too big a mistake to report it in a letter.”

 

“Do you know that?”

 

Lucious smiled wryly at my words, which I blurted out as if I was joking. 

 

I offered him some cocoa to drink before it got cold. Lucius looked at the inside of the teacup with an expressionless face for a moment, as if he didn’t like sweet things very much, then lifted his cup and brought it to his mouth as if he had made up his mind.

 

He literally just moistened his lips before setting the cup back down.

 

‘If he hated sweets so much, he’d just say so.’

 

It was my own petty grumpiness that I noticed halfway through and didn’t tell him he didn’t have to drink it.

 

I gave him a bitter-tasting Earl Gray cookie. 

 

“Anyway, since the Marquis said he would not punish you, I do not plan to ask any more questions about the matter. I just think I need to point out this one thing.”

 

“Please speak.”

 

“Do you plan to keep looking at Noah and thinking of that child’s biological mother?” 

 

Lucius bit his lip, but he didn’t look caught off guard.

 

Of course, he would. If he didn’t, it meant he wasn’t truly remorseful for what he had done.

 

“It doesn’t matter to me how you feel about Noah’s biological mother, but if you continue to let your feelings get the better of you and prevent you from doing the job you’re supposed to be doing as head butler, I think you’re very unworthy of the position.”

 

“What you said is right, Madam…”

 

“So what is your answer?”

 

Lucius did not answer easily. He pressed his lips together as if they were sealed with beeswax.

 

‘People’s hearts can’t be done as they please.’

 

‘What if I had to raise the child of my enemy who almost stabbed my older brother to death? It’s easy to think that children are innocent, so I shouldn’t hate them. But is it really easy to not think of the face of an enemy every time I look at the child, to endure the anger and resentment that will suddenly arise even when the child sits still, and the desire to get revenge?’

 

Even though it happened in my imagination, the pain came out naturally. 

 

As I shook my head to shake off the painful thoughts, Lucius’ voice reached my ear.

 

“To be honest, I don’t know.”

 

“You don’t know?”

 

“Yes…”

 

Lucius took a deep breath, looked into my eyes, and said. 

 

“Can you please give me just one chance?” 

 

Today was the moment when Lucius made eye contact with me for the first time.

 

* * * 

 

Noah put the quill down only after he had filled in the last line of the letter.

 

A certain amount of ink always flowed from the nib of a high-quality quill pen, and the high-quality paper gently absorbed the ink.

 

Of course, the things he used before are just as good.

 

Even though they were objects, his mindset when using them has never been as exciting as it is now.

 

It would have dried on its own if left alone, but Noah couldn’t wait, and after a few minutes of running his index finger over the top of the letter, he folded it in half and slipped it into the envelope.

 

“Simon.”

 

“Yes, young master.”

 

At Noah’s call, the servant standing on one side of the room scurried over and picked up the fire magic stone and small iron that were on the desk.

 

Noah, who was still young, was not allowed to use an iron. The servant skillfully melted green wax and poured it over the envelope, and Noah stamped a small seal on it and pressed it.

 

Noah’s name was engraved in elegant cursive on the seal gifted by Raenel.

 

A small smile appeared on Noah’s lips as he saw his name clearly printed.

 

“Send this to my father.” 

 

“Yes, young master.”

 

Simon nodded and carefully put the envelope he received into his arms.

 

Then, as he organized the beeswax, fire magic stone, and the still-warm iron, he asked Noah a question in a friendly voice.

 

“It seems that His Excellency the Marquis cares for you very much.” 

 

“Care about me?”

 

“Yes, that’s why he sends you letters every day even though he is busy. I’ve only received one letter from him since I came to the castle. He said ‘Don’t do anything disrespectful to the young master’.”

 

Simon, who spoke with a smile, seemed to have no other intentions. 

 

So Noah couldn’t tell him that he had never received a letter before.

 

He’s ten years old. Twice Noah’s age, but still too young to work, the boy had been hired when the castle’s servants were being kicked out.

 

Because of his age, he was not expected to do any hard labor beyond running errands. Although he was hired as Noah’s close servant through the recommendation of Lucius, Simon’s main job was actually as Noah’s companion. So, he was hired even though he was still young, no, because he was young.

 

“Young master? Why do you look at me like that?” 

 

“No, nothing…”

 

The third son of a viscount. He was told that he would not be able to inherit a title or fortune when he grew up, so he had to take care of things early on. Even though he was talking like that, Simon’s face was full of untainted innocence and honesty.

Complaints about the greedy older brother and the disobedient younger brother proved that they actually have a good relationship.

 

Noah, who realized this fact more easily because he didn’t have it, rubbed the black ink stains on his fingertips and muttered to himself.

 

‘What does it mean to care?’

 

It was true that his father’s attitude toward him had changed recently.

Unlike before, when his father didn’t have long conversations with him, his father read him bedtime stories and wrote him letters every day, telling him about various things. 

 

When asked if he liked or disliked his changes, he didn’t dislike them. No, he loved it. However, regardless of that feeling, Noah did not think that Leonhard cared about him.

 

There was little evidence for that, but no reason for it.

 

Still, it was hard to be certain of that fact. Noah didn’t know. What it was like to care.

 

“Oh my God, it’s only been a few months since you started learning piano, right? Why did Lady Lamberton scold you like that when you played so well?’

 

“Oh, that’s not how we do it. Like this, like this…That’s right, you’re following along well. Our Noah is smart too.”

 

“Huh? It’s okay to be wrong. I got a lot of this wrong when I was younger, too. What if you don’t do well? You can try again.”

 

“You’re here! Come and stand here quickly. Since spring has come, you need to get some new clothes. We need to get you clothes for the wedding too. Noah, is it okay for you to be the flower boy at the wedding ceremony?”

 

“Is finally possible for you to grow this tall? If this continues, you will catch up with me in a few years. I need to give Noah a lot of hugs while he’s still small.”

 

“Of course, I have to hug you even when you grow up! At that point, you can’t just say it’s gross. Okay?”

 

“Young master?”

 

“huh? ah….Simon, what time is it?” 

 

“Now? Let me see…. It’s a little after two o’clock.”

 

Before the timetable changed, he would have been taking a history lesson from Viscount Hiern by now.

 

At some point, he went to listen to the sarcasm that the person who was just Ajas’s successor didn’t know such things.

 

After he resigned from his position as a teacher and the schedule changed, Sage helped Noah review, but at some point, Sage shook his head and said that there was no need to look any further.

 

“You already memorize almost everything I learned in history class at the Academy.”

 

After that, even review time became free time. 

 

Noah stood up while rubbing the ink on her thumb, as was his habit. 

 

“Let’s go see my mother.”

 

“Marquise?”

 

“Yes. She should be in her office by now.”

 

Unlike himself, who has time to spare, she’s probably busy fulfilling her duties as the Marquise.

 

‘I have no intention of disturbing her. But she said I could come to see her anytime…’

 

“Noah, you’re really good at drawing. Would you like to draw my face later?”

 

“Hm… Simon, please bring me a pencil and a notebook.” 

 

“What are you planning to use it for?

 

“To draw.”

 

“Don’t I need to bring paint or brushes?”

 

“Yes.”

 

‘I had no intention of showing off my drawings in such a grand way. Because it will disturb my mother.’

 

Silent presence was one of Noah’s few skills.

 

‘At least she’ll talk to me.’

 

Suddenly, he wondered if his very presence was disturbing her. But the sound of his mother’s voice, as if she were whispering in his ear, quickly pushed the thought away.

 * * *