How The Sub-Male Lead’s Stepmother Teaches Love

“This is…”

 

Portrait of Raenel and Noah.

 

No, it wasn’t exactly a portrait. The black-and-white depiction of the two faces was so detailed it was almost realistic.

 

Leonhard looked at Raenel’s smiling face while holding Noah in his arms, and then finished reading the letter.

 

“Camera? A photo…?”

 

‘I didn’t know there was something this good.’

 

When he returned to the castle, he would take plenty of pictures of his wife and son.

 

‘Should I place an order with the Clover Magic Shop in the capital and buy several cameras?’

 

‘Or perhaps… propose opening a Clover Magic Tools branch in Ajas?’

 

‘Having more things or places connected to Raenel’s hometown and family might help ease her homesickness.’

 

Leonhard, who still misunderstood that Raenel was suffering from homesickness, opened Noah’s letter while thinking about the letter he would send to Brilliana Howard.

 

[To Father ] 

 

Noah’s handwriting, written with great care, was not yet perfect.

 

Finding subtle changes in the handwriting compared to before was a small joy for Leonhard.

 

‘He’s started slanting the ends of his writing.’

 

And that slanted habit was something Leonhard had.

 

Leonhard was simply amazed at the fact that he could find similarities between himself and Noah just by exchanging letters, even though he had not been by his side much.

 

‘If only I had stayed by the child’s side from the beginning…If I had…I might have been able to say those words to him with confidence.’

 

‘If anything happens in the future, rely on me.’

 

How could he shamelessly say something like that in front of Noah when he wasn’t even there?

 

[It is truly an honor to be taught directly by you, Father, but will I not be taking too much of your time? I hope you don’t push yourself too hard because of me. As your heir, I am deeply mindful of the heavy duties you bear as the Marquis.]

 

Reading Noah’s letter, Leonhard couldn’t help but recall Raenel’s words: 

 

“A child as mature as Noah was simply one who had learned to read adults’ emotions and adjust accordingly.”

 

‘….I am the one who made Noah like this. So, I will help Noah to act like a child.’

 

Leonhard wasn’t sure if he could really do it, but he had Raenel by his side. She would surely help.

 

‘By now, both of them must have eaten dinner.’

 

Leonhard searched through his magic bag and took out a crystal ball, waiting for the other side to react, lost in thought.

 

These crystal balls were made in pairs so that they could be used to communicate with each other while looking at each other’s faces even from a distance. Now that the method of making them has been lost, the only way to obtain them is to find them on the market.

 

Because of that, at some point, the price skyrocketed, and now it has become an item that they can only get if they have money and luck.

 

Originally, there were two pairs of these crystal balls in the castle of Ajax. However, one pair was destroyed by his mother, which was the one his father used, so now only one pair remains.

 

It was not strange that the remaining pair was divided between Leonhard, who often left the castle, and Lucius, who was in charge of the castle’s household.

 

‘Isn’t it right to give it to my wife now?’

 

‘No, regardless of whether it was right or wrong, I just wanted to give it to my wife.’

 

‘Why didn’t I think of this sooner? If I had, I could have seen her face and talked to her even while we were apart.’

 

‘Yes, I’ll have Lucius hand over his crystal ball to my wife… And I’ll instruct them to secure another pair if one appears at auction. I’ll also send them a list of items my wife and son might need.’

 

Leonhard’s thoughts were interrupted by a growing unease.

 

“Why isn’t the connection going through?”

 

No matter how busy Lucius was, he responded immediately when Leonhard contacted him.

 

It was thanks to the fact that he always carried a crystal ball with him so that Leonhard would not have to work in vain while he was away.

 

‘I wonder if something is going on in the castle…’

 

At that moment, when his heart was pounding with anxiety, the blue light that had been flashing inside the crystal ball suddenly burst into light.

 

Leonhard let out a short sigh of relief at the sight of Lucius who finally appeared.

 

“Lucius, why did it take so long to—”

 

– Master, we’re in trouble!

 

“What’s the big deal?”

 

Anxiety strangled his throat. 

 

Leonhard barely managed to let out a hoarse voice.

 

“My wife and Noah…? Are they both okay?”

 

– That’s…..

 

Leonhard felt dizzy as Lucius couldn’t answer easily.

 

The voice of Lucius, who was surprised, confused, and didn’t know what to do, pierced into his ear.

 

– According to eyewitness testimony, the master of the Silver Frost Tower kidnapped the young master along with the Marquise.

 

Leonhard immediately called Iron back.

 

Iron was organizing a special force to be dispatched to the White Land, but he tilted his head at the sudden call and returned to the Captain’s office.

 

“Captain, you have called me—”

 

Iron flinched as he instinctively reached for the sword at his waist before stopping himself.

 

He couldn’t believe that his survival instinct was ahead of his loyalty to his lord for even a moment. But who could blame him?

 

The suffocating air surrounding Leonhard was heavy with a murderous intent, sharp as a blade.

 

For an instant, Iron saw not a man but a monster.

 

Like a prey cornered by a predator, Iron had to fight back the urge to run away from there.

 

His hands trembled under the pressure that Leonhard was radiating. Iron clenched his fists with great effort and opened his parched mouth to barely make a sound.

 

“My lord, what, what is the matter….?”

 

“Reorganize the main force, not the special force. Leave only the minimum number of army and advance to the white land.”

 

“What? All of a sudden? Are you planning to wipe out the barbarians?”

 

“The target is not the barbarians.”

 

“Then… what is…?”

 

Iron’s voice, filled with confusion, was drowned out by Leonhard’s chilling tone as he gritted his teeth.

 

Iron looked down in silence, feeling an instinctive sense of crisis that made his hair stand on end.

 

“To rescue my kidnapped wife and son… and ensure that such a thing never happens again by making an example of them.”

 

The cold, sinister voice was thick with deadly intent, blanketing the room like a fog.

 

If he made one wrong move, it felt like that murderous spirit would turn into a blade and cut off his neck.

 

It was clearly just his imagination, but Iron slowly closed his eyes, thinking that he felt a hot sensation near his neck.

 

And he bowed his head deeply and said that he would carry out his orders.

 

* * * 

 

“Oh my god, he said he would send someone, but when on earth is he going to send them? At this rate, the sun will set soon.”

 

The room the man left us in had no doors or windows, so we couldn’t see outside. If the room hadn’t been filled with luxurious furniture, we would have thought we were locked in a prison.

 

‘Surely it’s not a luxurious prison, right?’ 

 

While sighing lightly, I looked around the room.

 

Sage, who had been going back and forth, returned to the sofa with a sad face.

 

“There’s a spell that forcibly disperses magic power throughout the room. No wonder I couldn’t gather any magic power…”

 

“You can’t gather magic power?”

 

“Yes. And the problem is, magical tools don’t work in here either.”

 

Sage showed me the ring on her finger.

 

“I’ve been trying to send signals since a while ago, but there’s no response at all. I think the only person who can use magic in this room is the Master of the tower.”

 

“That’s correct! Only my master and those who have been given permission by my master can use magic in this room!”

 

“Who are you!”

 

The voice of a cheerful woman was heard right above my head. As if I hadn’t heard wrong, Ethan’s eyes, who had drawn his sword, turned his gaze upward.

 

And then we saw her—a woman hanging upside down from the ceiling like a bat.

 

Maybe I would have screamed too if Sage hadn’t screamed before me.

 

“Whoa! You surprised me! Why, why are you hanging there like that? You’re not a ghost!”

 

At Sage’s outburst, the woman plugged her ears with her index fingers and grumbled.

 

“There’s nothing I can do! Unless the master himself opens the main entrance, this is the only way in or out. Hey, you with the sword, catch me! And put that thing away!”

 

“What?!”

 

Before Ethan could react, his eyes wide open, the woman hanging from the ceiling jumped down.

 

Leona kicked Ethan, who was frozen in surprise and stretched out both arms to catch the woman.

 

As if by magic, a light green wind enveloped the woman’s body like a veil before she was held in Leona’s arms.

 

The body that was floating in the air like a feather fell into Leona’s arms the moment she wrapped her arms around Leona’s neck. 

 

Leona smiled brightly as she held the woman who was holding her slightly unsteadily.

 

“Are you all right, lady?”

 

“Lady…”

 

The woman who had been looking at Leona with hazy eyes as if she had fallen in love at first sight belatedly jumped out of Leona’s arms.

 

Then, she coughed softly and took a few steps away from Leona. With a light spin, she spread the edges of her blue robe as if it were a dress.

 

“Let me introduce myself. My name is Marilyn, but you can call me Marie. I am the chief disciple of the master of this tower, Felix, the sage of water and ice.”

 

* * *