How The Sub-Male Lead’s Stepmother Teaches Love

“To me?”

 

I stuck my head out to check beyond the wooden partition that stood like a folding screen, but when a voice asked ‘Could I go inside?’, I answered yes and straightened my body.

 

My escorts, who had been sitting comfortably around me, were scattered behind me, in front of the wooden partition, and in front of the window. The blackness at the corners of my mouth had been wiped clean.

 

While everyone was admiring that I was so fast, the person who knocked on the door appeared over the partition and approached me.

 

It was the old butler who had brought me an invitation from the Marquess of Cloud before.

 

“Okay, what happened?”

 

“First of all, thank you for the grace of the Marquess. Thanks to the help you provided, we were able to safely rescue the young lady. Cloud will not forget this grace, as my master wills.”

 

The butler, who bowed respectfully in front of me, said that a banquet would soon be held at the castle and asked me to attend.

 

I was about to nod my head, but a thought suddenly came to my mind and I stopped moving.

 

“I can’t give a definite answer right now because of my busy schedule. When the Marquis returns, I will give you an answer after consulting with him.”

 

“yes. I don’t mean to trouble the benefactor, so please don’t feel pressured.”

 

“I will. Is that all you need?” 

 

“Actually…”

 

Apparently, the ‘favor’ mentioned at the beginning was not an invitation to a banquet. 

 

“Say it comfortably. If it’s a request I can do, I’ll do it, if not, I’ll decline it.”

 

“If you say so, I will dare to ask.…I know there is a healing Wizard among the Marquess escorts. Could you lend me her hand?”

 

“huh? me?”

 

Sage, who was quietly sitting by the fireplace hugging Ruby, who had become sensitive to the appearance of a stranger, widened her eyes in surprise.

 

The butler nodded as if he already knew it was her who was the healing wizard.

 

“There is a healing wizard in our castle too, but he was exhausted while overtreating knights and soldiers injured during the search.”

 

“ah…Is that why there is no wizard to heal the young lady now?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

The general butler nodded with a sad face.

 

“I know it’s rude. However, if you consider the situation and show us your kindness, we will surely repay you in the future.”

 

“In this situation, of course, we should help. Sage.” 

 

“Yes, Marquess.”

 

“Follow the general butler and examine the body of the young lady as soon as she returns.” 

 

“I accept your orders.”

 

Sage, who bowed her head to me, handed Ruby she was holding in her arms to Catherine, and approached the general butler.

 

The old butler thanked me repeatedly with a very grateful face.

 

“Cloud will never forget you for this favor. May the Marquess be blessed.”

 

“Well, may the young lady be blessed as well.”

 

After the butler left with Sage, I relaxed and let out a long breath.

 

‘Speak like a lady…It’s really difficult.’ 

 

As if my thoughts were revealed, my escorts just applauded me saying that I looked like a noble lady.

 

“It was wonderful, Marquess! There was a lot of dignity and elegance in the way you spoke.” 

 

“Really?”

 

“Well, to be honest, it was cute.” 

 

What do you mean cute! That was a completely unhelpful compliment!

 

Leona scolded Catherine that Catherine should not say so, but she didn’t deny what Catherine said.

 

No, it was not to the extent that she didn’t deny it, but to console me that I would get used to it over time.

 

‘Ugh… I mean, it doesn’t make sense to suddenly evolve into a classy lady after twenty years as Howard’s tomboy.’

 

So all I had left was a lesson. I would have to get used to this way of speaking, at least until I reached Castle Ajas.

 

I sat down with my escorts and diligently practiced my ladylike speech. I didn’t even notice the time passing thanks to the escorts who played the role of going to the rhythm.

 

The only time I came to my senses was when I heard the sound of a horn outside the window.

 — Poong! 

Hearing a sound I had never heard before arriving in this castle, I went to the window and poked my head out.

 

Dozens of people, a few horses, and a large carriage could be seen beyond the gate in the distance. The flags held by the two soldiers standing at the rear of the group fluttered strongly in the wind.

 

A spear and shield crossed in an X, a flag with a single flower, and a flag engraved with a blue dragon.

 

The meaning of the flags of Cloud and Ajas fluttering side by side was clear.

 

Together with the Marquess’s child, Leonhard returned.

 

* * * 

 

“Layla!”

 

Marquess Cloud, who had been waiting for Leonhard’s return in front of the castle gate after receiving a call, ran out in a disheveled outfit.

 

Her cheeks, covered with a burn scar, were already frosty with frozen tears.

 

Seeing her bewildered appearance, Leonhard moved aside.

 

Thanks to that, Marquess Cloud was able to run straight to her daughter, who was being carried by Heliot.

 

“Layla, my baby…oh my god thank you, god….” 

 

Drained of all energy and stamina, Layla, the cloud child, was unconscious, but somehow she was still breathing through the tip of her nose with a flush of color on her white cheeks.

 

After embracing her soft and warm body, the Marquess finally realized that she had her child’s back.

 

Melting the frost tears on her cheeks with hot tears, Marquess Cloud knelt down on one knee in the snow, holding her daughter in her arms.

 

“Thank you for saving Layla, my daughter, Marquis. Cloud will never forget this favor, thank you, thank you…..” 

 

“The Blue Thorn mercenary corps were more active than me. If it wasn’t for them, we would never have discovered the young lady’s location.”

 

Leonhard turned the ball around in a light voice.

 

Marquess Cloud was able to spot seven mercenaries standing behind the Heilang knight and wizard Ajas. Rising from her seat, she approaches them and bows her head deeply.

 

“Thank you. I don’t know what words to express this feeling. You saved my daughter and you saved me too. Would you mind stopping by Cloud Castle? I want to invite you to the banquet.”

 

“Oh, no. We just carried out the request according to the contract. If you pay the promised fee, that will be enough.”

 

“Of course, I have to! I’ll give you a lot But who is your employer? Is it my son?”

 

The Marquis’ son was a lord for the time being because the Marquess of Cloud had said in the first place that she would not return to the castle until she had found Layla.

 

After searching the snowfields for the past four days, she heard that Marquis Ajas and his party had arrived at the castle, along with the news that he had found Layla.

 

It was only natural that she didn’t know that Raenel had hired mercenaries at her own expense.

 

“Our employer is Marquess Ajas. You know that.”

 

Receiving the gaze of the leader of the Blue Thorn Mercenary Corps, Leonhard nodded.

 

Marquess Cloud’s eyes widened in surprise at this completely unexpected fact. 

 

“The Marquess….You mean she hired you?”

 

“My wife was deeply concerned when she found out that the young lady was the same age as her. She is probably worrying about her even at this moment.” 

 

Leonhard’s gaze scanned the outer walls of the castle in search of Raenel’s bedroom.

 

However, because he didn’t know the structure of Cloud Castle well, he could not find a window where Raenel could be, so he soothed his mind with a light breath.

 

“It would be better to go back to the castle to treat your child, Marquess.” 

 

“Oh, I was out of my mind. I’d better do that.”

 

Layla was picked up by Marquess Cloud herself and taken to her room. Since he found the missing person, Leonhard’s work was over here. He should have been…

 

“Did you say your name was Gray?”

 

“yes? Ah yes. Gray. I don’t have a last name because I’m a commoner.”

 

The guest room to be given to the Blue Thorn Mercenary Corps was on the second floor, one floor lower than the third floor of the Camellia Hall where the Marquis Ajas and his party were staying.

 

Because it’s the same way, Leonhard was able to talk to Gray while moving his feet.

 

“Your mercenary corps are said to be good at searching. Does it include not only ordinary people?”

 

“Well, we will do anything as long as you give us money.”

 

Gray scratched the back of his neck and glanced back. After fully confirming the reactions of his colleagues, he asked in a low whisper, his face showing that he had already guessed.

 

“Do you happen to know any of those…. Are you going to let them do the work?” 

 

“You are quick-witted.”

 

“Yeah, that’s because I’ve been living my whole life on the sidelines.”

 

Thanks to that, one persimmon became amazingly sharp.

 

Gray could feel it intuitively. If he takes on this job, he will be able to touch the big money.

 

‘Besides, it’s not bad to impress a person like this.…’ 

 

Gray let out a small sigh, remembering Sophia, who was following behind, wearing a hood on purpose to avoid being noticed by the Marquis.

 

‘It didn’t look good to say no here. Even If I refused, I had to listen to what he had to say.’

 

‘Apparently, we saw something together today.’

 

“If you call me when you have time, I will go and listen to you.” 

 

“Okay. I will send someone soon.”

 

Leonhard nodded and parted with the Blue Thorn Mercenary in front of the stairs.

 

Even as his feet moved quickly to get to Raenel, who would be waiting for him, his mind was filled with complicated thoughts.

 

‘I had to catch that wizard.…’ 

 

‘Four wizards found in a suspicious hiding place. I caught three of them but missed one.’

 

It wasn’t that he didn’t guess the existence of the teleport scroll, but he hadn’t expected that the other three would sacrifice themselves for that one person.

 

‘Why did the three wizards risk their lives to make that one escape?’

 

Leonhard had a guess. It was probably because of the red stone in his hand.

 

I’m sure. It’s a bloodstone.’

 

A stone is made by hardening the blood of the pattern-expressing person so that even ordinary people can use the power of the pattern.

 

The fact that the monster moves according to the command of the person holding the stone meant the obvious fact.

 

It was the bloodstone of the sixth power, the one whose blood was thought to be completely cut off. It’s Sesto’s bloodstone.

 * * *