How The Sub-Male Lead’s Stepmother Teaches Love

“It would have been better if you had come early.”

 

“I’m sorry. I was planning to leave early in the morning, but the messenger arrived at that time.….”

 

“Messenger? Where is the Messenger from?”

 

“In the White Land. Catherine is there right now.”

 

“Cathy? In the White Land? Alone? Why?” 

 

Leonhard looked puzzled by the barrage of questions. I could tell from the way he glanced at me for a moment. 

 

“Cathy is in a dangerous place right now. And she’s alone!”

 

“It’s not dangerous…”

 

He wrapped his arm around my shoulder as if soothing me, took me to the table, and sat me down on a chair.

 

After a while, tea and refreshments were served on the table. After that, at Leonhard’s gesture, all my maids and escorts left, leaving only Leonhard and I in the room.

 

My patience ran out as I waited until the two of us were left alone. I ignored the tea and snacks and kept prodding Leonhard.

 

“So why did Cathy go to the White Land? And alone?” 

 

“We need to find out something. And Catherine has the warrior tattoo, so it would be better for her to go alone. At least she won’t get attacked by barbarians.”

 

I nodded my head at the words and realized that if the knights and the wizards went together to help, they would stand out and get attacked.

 

“But… Aren’t there a lot of monsters in the White Lands? I heard there are quite a few dungeons there.”

 

“Yes. In fact, the White Lands is a polar desert where there’s not a blade of grass to be found, so most barbarians make their homes in dungeons, where the monsters are tamed by shamans.”

 

Leonhard briefly explained the white Land and then returned to the original topic.

 

“Catherine is capable of taking on monsters that are impossible to defeat, and she has the agility to do so. She has also been trained as a warrior since she was young, and her skills are so outstanding that she easily passed the test, so you don’t have to worry too much.”

 

Leonhard patted my shoulder as if to soothe me. 

 

Of course, Not just anyone could become a barbarian warrior. If she could make it all the way from there to the West, she must be safe.

 

I tried to console my uneasy feelings by chewing on the cookie Leonhard gave me.

 

“But why did she go to the White Lands? Are the barbarians’ movements very suspicious?” 

 

“A little bit.”

 

“A little bit?”

 

‘If it’s suspicious, it’s suspicious, what does he mean by ‘a little bit’?’

 

As I tilted my head, Leonhard put another piece of chocolate in my mouth.

 

I felt like he was trying to avoid talking, so I took a bite of his index finger along with a round of chocolate.

 

‘If you don’t tell me, I’ll just bite you.’

 

I opened my eyes sharply with the intention, but it seemed like I was the only one who felt that way.

 

Leonhard opened his eyes wide as if he was a little surprised, but soon he smiled mischievously and rubbed my lower lip with his thumb.

 

“What is it, you don’t answer questions.”

 

I quickly pushed his hand away in surprise and moved away, and Leonhard laughed softly. As if to mock me for being so naughty.

 

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you, so I’m upset that you ran away like that.” 

 

“Who’s fault is this? Oh!”

 

His outstretched hand quickly lifted my body into his arms and made me sit on his lap.

 

I grabbed Leonhard’s shoulder in surprise, but then quickly covered his mouth with my hand, knowing what would happen next. 

 

Then Leonhard raised his eyebrows in protest and looked up at me. 

 

“Nell?”

 

A murmured voice flowed out from his mouth, which was blocked by my hand.

 

I flinched at the feeling of the lips moving against my palm, then spoke to him with an indifferent expression.

 

“No kissing today.”

 

His fine brow furrowed in disapproval. When he looks at me in protest, I give him a stern look.

 

“You’re not going to end it with just one more time. We’re going to have dinner with Noah and Noah’s teacher later, and you’re telling me to go with my lips all swollen?”

 

“Then is it okay after we finish eating?”

 

‘Look at this guy. He doesn’t even say he’s going to do it once, even if it’s just empty words.’

 

“Will you have time after we finish eating? Don’t you have to go right away?”

 

“There was a big battle last night, so it’s okay to leave the gate today. Even if it’s not, they’ll figure it out.”

 

I think I hear a hint of annoyance in his voice, but maybe I’m mistaken.

 

“Then you’re going to sleep over today? Noah will be happy—”

 

“No, ma’am. I’m sorry for Noah, but I’ve told the servants to make sure the fifth floor is empty for us tonight.”

 

“The fifth floor?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Leonhard grabbed my hand, which was already halfway to his mouth, and kissed my palm deeply.

 

My cheeks flushed at the feeling of soft lips gently pressing against my skin. 

 

At that time, I had no way to hide my blushing face, so I just lowered my gaze to the floor.

 

“Hasn’t it been a long time since we postponed the first night? It’s time for that.”

 

* * * 

 

Last night, Leonhard received a letter from Lucius. As a Marquis, he had been constantly exchanging letters with him to deal with paperwork, so the fact itself was not a problem. 

 

What was important was what was written in the letter.

 

[Rumors about Marquise have been spreading. The speed and route of the rumors are unnatural, so it seems that there is someone who spread the rumors intentionally, and we are currently investigating.

 

First, we called in the servants and had them watch their mouths, but we suspect that they were incited by someone to do this, and it seems highly likely that the new teacher of the young master, who is rumored to be connected to the Marquise.

 

He approached Marquise, claiming to be a close friend and classmate of Sir Alexander, a member of Marquise’s family. It is clear that he was a classmate at the military academy, but it seems necessary to investigate whether they were really close friends. Marquise never spent time alone with him, but she went to tea time to hear stories about Sir Alexander from him.]

 

After reading the letter, Leonhard remembered that Raenel had suffered from homesickness before arriving in Ajas.

 

Less than a month after leaving the capital, she began to miss her hometown and her family.

 

As time went by, Leonhard couldn’t even imagine how lonely Raenel must be without him, her husband.

 

‘If they had been aiming for that point and had let someone who claimed to be Alexander’s friend into the castle, I thought they had used their brains quite well.’

 

At the same time, Leonhard felt heartbroken and guilty that he had made her lonely, and he was unbearably angry.

 

Raenel was a person who had not been in Ajas for long. No, she hadn’t been in Ajas for ten or twenty years, and her gentle, loving nature couldn’t possibly be capable of holding a grudge against someone.

 

So if anyone is plotting against her, the ultimate target of that sword will be Noah and himself.

 

‘It’s my mistake.’

 

He admits that he was arbitrarily in the process of putting Noah forward as his successor. 

 

He turned a deaf ear to the stories of his vassals. When they were united in their refusal to give him their children, he went down to the capital without a word.

 

If he had known that they would not stop there, that they would not recognize the wife he had brought with him, that they would use dirty tricks to drive her out of the castle, he would have settled the matter long ago.

 

‘How could I have known that those who knelt to offer their allegiance would be so insolent…’

 

‘It seems I was underestimated.’ 

 

‘It seems that I have been too focused on the outside. This time, I must make sure to discipline them.’

 

Leonhard vowed.

 

So, when he returned to the castle, he ordered his servants to clear the fifth floor first. She wanted to make it clear that Raenel was the Marquise of Ajas, even if they hadn’t yet been married in Ajas.

 

Of course, that wasn’t the only reason.

 

“Huh? First night…?”

 

Heat spreads across her face, centering around her swaying, pink eyes.

 

Her cheeks, flushed peach-colored with a mixture of shyness and embarrassment, were so lovely that Leonhard impulsively placed his lips on her cheek.

 

The steady beat of her heart against his chest as they hugged tightly made him excited for no reason.

 

“You don’t like it?”

 

“No,…should I say it was a bit sudden, or should I say I’m not quite ready for it…”

 

“Oh my, it’s been a while since we had our wedding in the capital, and you’re not mentally ready yet?”

 

“Tch, you said you were going on a trip and had everything packed, but then you said you wanted to postpone it, so I unpacked everything. You have to give me time to pack again. How can I follow you if you suddenly say that?”

 

“Do you need to pack? Just bring your body.” 

 

“My body…? Of course, I can, but…” 

 

Her peach-like cheeks had now turned apple-colored.

 

Raenel pursed her lips as she pushed her husband’s lips away from her cheek a few times while she let her guard down for the moment. Then, she glanced at Leonhard.

 

“Shall we really spend the night together today?” 

 

“If you allow it.”

 

At Leonhard’s words that flowed out readily, Raenel hesitated and lowered her eyes, only fiddling with her hands.

 

Her silence lasted longer than expected, but Leonhard was not impatient.

 

The way her body relaxed in his arms and her face flushed with shyness told him that she wasn’t hesitating because she didn’t want to.

 

At the same time, Leonhard realized that the turmoil deep in his heart that he had not even been aware of was calming down.

 

‘To be honest, I was a little anxious. I wondered if she had given her heart to a man who could share the longing I couldn’t comfort in a place where I was not confident.’

 

Suddenly Leonhard remembered that Raenel had been very fond of his face.

 

‘Didn’t she exclaim in admiration today when she saw me wearing a suit for the wedding?’

 

‘I really need to work hard on my appearance.’ 

 

Leonhard reached out and cupped Raenel’s cheek, thinking that he would continue to sleep with the beauty cream that Bianca had made for him, a cream that whitened, blemished, and gave him a subtle glow.

 

He carefully angled Raenel’s face so that her eyes met his.

 

“Nell.”

 

As he whispered while locking eyes, Raenel’s gaze fluttered like water. 

 

Leonhard tilted his head, feeling the hand on his shoulder tighten.

 

As the distance between the lips narrowed, both eyelids closed downward.

 * * *