How The Sub-Male Lead’s Stepmother Teaches Love

Born as the daughter of the Marquis Cloud, Layla lived her whole life without lacking or fearing anything.

 

Bravery from mother, intelligence from father.

 

In terms of appearance, she also inherited from her parents glossy honey-blonde hair that looked like flowing honey and light purple eyes like lavender petals.

 

From the Marquess and Marquess’ son of Cloud Castle to the stable keeper who cleans up horse manure. Even the cat that caught mice in the kitchen loved her.

 

At least in Cloud Castle, she had a life that even a princess would envy.

 

Unfortunately, she wasn’t gifted with magical powers, and unlike her mother, her talent for swordsmanship wasn’t great, but she was fine.

 

Because there were many knights and wizards in Cloud Castle who would protect her even if she didn’t learn them.

 

Because of this, when Layla was alone, away from her family and away from the knights who protected her like a strong wall, she screamed when she was stabbed by a rose thorn.

 

When she realized that he had been captured by a monster and imprisoned in an unknown place, she fell into a panic.

 

‘Calm down.… You have to stay calm.’ 

 

Although she grew up as a spoiled child, fortunately, she was not an ignorant immature child.

 

It meant that she knew that just because she burst into tears in a place like this, her knights would not appear in front of her as if they were being summoned.

 

However, she did not know how to safely escape from this situation or what to protect herself with.

 

All Layla could do was bit her lip to keep from bursting into tears.

 

As a result, it saved her.

 

“What are you talking about? You kidnapped the Marquis’s child? I told you not to cause trouble!”

 

“Sorry, sorry. That’s because I’m not used to handling bloodstone.….”

 

“That’s why I told you to send me to the child from the lower class with a small body! Even if you had to kill her, you should have done it there, what are you going to do with her now?”

 

“Well, I don’t know, What do you think I should do?”

 

“Damn it, take her out now. Go to a deserted place and kill her. If we get caught here, you and I will both be dead!”

 

“No.”

 

“Why are you interrupting?”

 

“Marquis Cloud is already leading her knights to search the area. If you kill and abandon her, and a human trace is found on the corpse, the marquis will relentlessly pursue the culprit. It is only a matter of time before this hideout is discovered.”

 

“Then….What should I do? Should I give up this hideout and run away?”

 

“You say that now? Do you know how many kinds of materials are collected from that dungeon?”

 

“Ha, but wouldn’t it be better than being found out that we modified monsters when we go in and out of that dungeon?” 

 

“That’s because of who!” 

 

“Hee! I’m sorry!”

 

“Shut up, we’ll have to figure out a plan of action first. What about that child? Is she awake?”

 

Then the sound of footsteps that began to be heard in the distance got closer and closer. Layla didn’t understand half of what they were saying, but she knew instinctively that she should not be caught hearing it.

 

She curled up with her back toward where the sound came from. She pretended to lose consciousness, and she strained her trembling body.

 

After a while. There was a creak and the sound of something opening.

 

It wasn’t a door. The sound was light, and judging from the fact that it was heard from a little higher, it was probably a lookout window on the door.

 

“Oh, I don’t think she’s awake yet…” 

 

“Leave her alone for now. and if she makes a fuss, just shut her mouth.” 

 

“You mean, not kill her?”

 

“Leave her for now. Not yet.”

 

‘Not yet.’ Layla closed her eyes tightly. In the meantime, she couldn’t breathe.

 

“Anyway, judging by how calm she is, she doesn’t seem to be a marquis’s child.”

 

“Damn it, I have told you she isn’t.”

 

“But the eyes are light purple, so I have to check it—”

 

“Yeah, I told you to check. Who told you to kidnap her!”

 

“Sorry. I got disconnected for a second, I freaked out and stopped….” 

 

“ha…How could I take on someone like you and have to go through all this trouble?”

 

“…..”

 

“You’re the one who made the mistake, why are you crying!” 

 

“Sorry, sorry, sorry.”

 

“Ha….Better to die than to suffer. You don’t touch any bloodstones from now on, just collect them in the dungeon. Got it?”

 

“Yes….”

 

Then the man’s annoyed voice and rough footsteps disappeared far away. Where the sound had come from, all that was left was a whimper and a whimper.

 

Not knowing when the sound would turn into the sound of footsteps approaching this way, Layla bit her lower lip and shed tears silently.

 

Even in the middle of it, she rolled her head to find out why she was captured here.

 

‘They didn’t kidnap me on purpose.’

 

They were looking for someone, and they wanted to make sure she was that person. In the process, they ‘accidentally’ kidnapped her.

 

Where the hell am I? What are they doing here? Going in and out of dungeons? Modifying monsters?

 

As Cloud’s daughter, she couldn’t forgive those who dared to do something suspicious behind their lord’s back.

 

But what to do with that? Now she is in a position where she cannot survive without relying on their mercy.

 

‘My mother is looking for me. If I can just get out of here… then I’ll be able to live.’ 

 

However, there was only one small window in the room where she was confined that not even her head could fit through, and from what little light she could see through it, there was nothing in the room that could be used as a weapon.

 

A damp blanket smeared with mud and a round metal bowl of unknown use. With just that, how could she plan her escape? 

 

Layla, biting her lip, heard the footsteps in the distance and fell to the floor again, pretending to lose her consciousness.

 

Maybe I’ll just run out the door when it opens, but there’s more than one of them, and I don’t think I can outrun them. I don’t even know the geography of this place.’ 

 

“Hey.”

 

“yes yes! Seniors!”

 

“Take her out later at night. And drop her down the Anild Gorge.”

 

‘What?!’

 

She almost screamed. Layla managed to cover her mouth with both hands.

 

“The Anild Gorge?”

 

“Yeah. I doubt they’d think to search down there. Even if they did, they’d never find her.”

 

The chuckling man’s voice echoed. Lyla swallowed hard, feeling strangled.

 

“Because she’ll have already been eaten to the bone by the monsters in there.”

 

* * * 

 

“Kyaaak!”

 

“Lady!”

 

“No no! I’m scared, help me!”

 

Layla struggled on her bed, almost having a seizure. 

 

Marquess and Marquess’ Cloud son, who had been waiting for her to wake up, grabbed her body in surprise, and Sage, who was waiting beside them, cast a spell to stabilize her mind.

 

“Layla, wake up, Layla! You are safe now!” 

 

“Layla, I’m your brother, Layla!”

 

“No! No….. uh, mom? brother?” 

 

“Yes, oh, my God. my baby…”

 

Fortunately, thanks to Sage’s magic, Layla was able to get out of the panic.

 

The moment she confirmed that her mother’s arms hugging her was not a hallucination and that her brother’s voice calling her name nonstop was not a hallucination, Layla burst into tears.

 

“Ahh, mom, brother.…! I thought I was going to die. I was so, so scared…!” 

 

“It’s okay, Layla. It’s okay now…”

 

The tension made her tears fall uncontrollably. Layla was able to speak properly only after soaking the hem of the Marquess of Cloud’s clothes.

 

“Th-they said they would drop me down the Anild Gorge.”

 

“What….what?”

 

“How dare they, what the hell!”

 

“But, suddenly, in the middle of the night, dozens of torches appeared and scattered from the Anild Bridge, and someone said not to act rashly for now….” 

 

“Those are the mercenaries hired by the Marquess Ajas.”

 

Marquess Cloud’s voice sounded half hoarse with amazement. The voice of her children that follows is also the same.

 

“Really…If it wasn’t for her, we’d be in trouble.” 

 

“Marquess? Has she already arrived at the castle?”

 

“Yes. She hired a mercenary for you. Those mercenaries found the hideout where you were locked up. If they are a little late.…Oh my god. Baby, why did you make your mother worry like this, huh?”

 

“Yes, I was wrong…I was so scared Mom, brother…!”

 

“Yes, Layla. It’s okay now. Forget about that now.” 

 

“Huh uh, mom, uh, uh, brother…!”

 

All the wounds on her body must have been healed thanks to a skilled healing wizard. Layla cried a lot in the arms of her family, then emptied two bowls of soup, saying that she was hungry.

 

Sage, who saw that Layla was in good condition, finished her mission and left Layla’s bedroom.

 

‘It’s good, it’s good. I’m sure the Marquess would be happy to hear this news.’

 

Sage hummed and went back to Raenel’s room.

 

But what was waiting for her was not the Marquess, who praised her for her hard work.

 

It was Leonhard with his arms crossed and a terrifying expression like a balrog crawling out of hell.

 TL: Balrog is a demon. 

* * *

 

“I’m here… Mar— captain?!”

 

Sage, who entered Raenel’s bedroom to report, stopped in surprise when she saw the scenery in the room.

 

Leonhard was sitting in the chair where Raenel had been sitting comfortably until she left.

 

If he had just sat there, Sage would ask, ‘Are you here?’ and would speak comfortably.

 

But years of experience were telling. She can’t treat Leonhard as usual.

 

“Sage.”

 

“Yes, Captain.”

 

She moved quickly to the side of Raenel’s escorts, who were lined up side by side, and stood up. At the same time, she let out an inward scream of frustration. ‘Who made the captain angry!’ 

 

Judging from Leonhard’s hard expression and the posture of the escorts, it was easy to guess that this was not an ordinary incident.

 

‘What the hell did these guys do to get me into the fire?’

 

As she swallowed back her tears, Leonhard asked her a question in his hoarse voice.

 

“Where have you been?”

 

“I’m on my way back after looking at the wounds of Marquess Cloud’s child. After she just regained consciousness, she panicked, but fortunately, she had calmed down now. There are no major scars on her body. I don’t think we need to worry anymore.”

 

As soon as the words were finished, a small sigh erupted from the side. At that moment, Sage realized. The words she recited at length to prove that she wasn’t just playing around had strangled her.

 

“I don’t think I have to worry…. Sage, did I appoint you as Cloud’s child escort?”

 

He wasn’t just angry at her, he was angry at everyone!

 * * *