How The Sub-Male Lead’s Stepmother Teaches Love

“What did you just say?”

 

“We have taken all of the new bloodstones.” 

 

Bloodstones should never leak out.

 

It was something the wizards in the tower were told over and over again when they were learning magic before they went to the dungeon.

 

That’s why she was able to run away with the bloodstone. Because other wizards sacrificed without hesitation.

 

“You retrieved them all, then why is it empty?”

 

“That is…We ended up using up everything to gather monsters from around us to stop the knights chasing us.”

 

“You used every single bloodstone to call monsters, but you couldn’t stop the knights?” 

 

“But the opponent was Ajas’s knights.”

 

After unintentionally kidnapping the Marquis’s daughter, she had summoned all of the monsters in the dungeons of Anild Canyon just to be safe.

 

Because of that, she ended up using all of the bloodstone. Even knights wouldn’t be able to defeat that many.

 

However, it wasn’t just the knights of the clouds who showed up, but also the knights and wizards of Ajas.

 

Monsters were immediately sent out to attack them, but the Marquis Ajas threw his spear, knocking down the flying monsters.

 

When she thinks of that scene, she is still amazed. How can a spear thrown by a person split the air and pierce a monster like an arrow fired from a bow?

 

When she sent monsters to stop that, the Ajas’s knight surrounding Marquis fought them off.

 

Even high-level monsters could not stop the Marquis of Ajas. In the end, she had no choice but to decide to retreat before less than two hours had passed.

 

“Are you calling that an excuse now? Have you forgotten why we create chimeras?” 

 

To create an army that will bring even the masters of the five powers to their knees. 

 

The stories of those who were picked up by the Master and grew up as wizards in the tower were all obvious.

 

They lost everything at the hands of the High Ones, and they swallowed their tears of blood to get back at them. To fulfill that desire, they created a chimera that even the Masters of Power could not do anything about.

 

“How long are you going to make an excuse that It’s because your opponent is Marquis Ajas?” 

 

“but…”

 

“It’s already been five years since you went to Anild Canyon. However, you failed to achieve any results, to the extent that the army was devastated by one marquis.”

 

“No, it’s not!”

 

“What do you mean no?”

 

She lowered her head in a cold gaze that seemed to freeze even the air.  

 

Other wizards were all dead, after all, and the marks they’d left behind could not be erased.

 

“The reason I’m not punishing you is because you recovered all the bloodstones. If the Marquis picked up even one, you’d be dead.”

 

She knows. If she had lost even one, she wouldn’t have returned to that tower.

 

“You are on probation for the time being. take care of the others until the master forgives you. Magic is prohibited.”

 

“Yes, Ran…”

 

The wizards remaining in the tower are all younger than her, except for the executives and masters.

 

‘Suddenly, I ended up taking care of my juniors, but what was left of me?’

 

Having lost not only her family, but also her home and her hometown, she had nowhere else to go. 

 

After bowing and thanking him for his mercy, she retreated from Ran’s laboratory.

 

Ran sighed, looking at her back with her shoulders slumped in fear.

 

‘’Marquis Ajas.’ Unfortunately, she was caught by the worst person.’

 

Regardless of the fact that he was the owner of the power, if he was fighting barbarians across the border, he might have figured out what the bloodstone was just by looking at it.

 

‘we need to retrieve the chimera from Anild canyon….’ 

 

If a chimera is found there, the Marquis Ajas will probably try to investigate all the dungeons in the north, and one of the three dungeons that are making chimeras is in the north.

 

‘I guess I should give up on finding Asta’s daughter and tell them to withdraw.…Besides, it’s there.’ 

 

At this stage, ‘it’ must not be found. It must be recovered, even at some loss.

 

“I have to report it to the master first.”

 

Only a sigh escaped Ran’s mouth as he stood up. 

 

In the past, he would have worried that his Master would be angry, and how can he handle that anger?

 

‘But not anymore. I’m more worried that he won’t care, because he’s changed a lot in the last three years.’

 

‘No, since it’s there, I’m sure the Master will take it more seriously.’ 

 

An irritated groan escaped Ran’s mouth as she thought about that. 

 

‘shit…It’s all because of that bastard.’ 

 

‘3 years ago. If only Carl hadn’t done what he did for the sake of experimentation.’

 

Only the sound of teeth grinding came out of Ran’s mouth as he recalled that time.

 

* * *

 

It’s hot and stuffy.

 

With that thought in mind, Noah opened his eyes and blinked blankly at the pink light that filled his vision.

 

The consciousness that gradually returned taught me. That’s her mother’s hair. 

 

“ah…”

 

He was held tightly in his mother’s arms. That’s why it’s hot and stuffy. 

 

Noah’s cheeks turned red at the belated realization of that fact.

 

Noah, whose body was stiff and didn’t know what to do, moved his body carefully, as if a snail was wriggling.

 

Fortunately, the strength in Raenel’s arms, which was deeply asleep, was easily relieved, and Noah was able to wake his body up without waking her.

 

‘Mother’s bedroom.’ 

 

‘Was it because the sun had risen? Her room was very bright and warm.’

 

It may have felt that way because the furniture, including the canopy and blanket, and even the pajamas she was wearing were all white like soft cotton.

 

But even if that wasn’t the case. Even though everything in this room was black and black, Noah was confident that this room felt very bright. Because she is the owner of her room.

 

“Then I guess I will have to punish the butler who is a close associate and has placed such shortcomings on my son!”

 

“My son…”

 

There was not the slightest tremor in her voice when she said that. 

 

“Are you okay? You don’t have to worry about anything.”

 

The voice that said that too. 

 

“Mother.”

 

Noah looked like he was going to cry as he very carefully called out to the person who was asleep and couldn’t hear.

 

After soaking in warm water, a blanket was wrapped around his warm body, and a cup filled with heated milk was handed to him.

 

His mother only breathed a sigh of relief after the doctor said there was nothing wrong.

 

“Sleep with me today. Is that okay?”

 

She sang a lullaby for Noah, her voice as sweet as sugar.

 

Perhaps because she was tired, she stretched her voice like a broken music box and fell asleep before she could finish singing a song, but her lullaby played endlessly in Noah’s head.

 

The sheets were dry and smelled like warm sunshine. A fluffy cotton blanket. Soft hands wrapped around his back. A breath like a light breeze touching his hair.

 

In the cozy, warm, soft, and fragile sensations, Noah felt more securely protected than ever before. 

 

Rather, because of that, he could not help the anxiety that was shaking in his heart like a tsunami.

 

‘I broke my shawl.’ 

 

‘Would my mother be this kind even if she knew that fact?’

 

He can now hear his mother’s voice telling him that she was disappointed in him.

 

Noah went back into Raenel’s arms to hide his face that looked like he was about to cry.

 

Even though he wasn’t particularly sleepy, Noah stayed in Raenel’s arms for a long time with his eyes closed.

 

Until Raenel woke up and shook his body.

 

* * * 

 

Butlers, servants, maids, and even chore workers working in the laundromat and kitchen. All the employees staying and working at Ajas Castle were summoned from early morning.

 

In the first place, last night’s incident took place inside the castle, so everyone knew the reason for the summons. Because of that, they gathered nervously in the lobby on the first floor. 

 

“From now on, I will begin to interview each of you one by one. Depending on the outcome, some of you will be given a small pay cut, some will be fired, and if anyone lies to avoid it, he will not receive a letter of recommendation and will be thrown out of the castle.”

 

It was natural that everyone who heard that was scared. Being kicked out for something unpleasant while working at Ajas Castle without receiving a letter of recommendation means that you cannot do the same work, at least within the Ajas territory.

 

But will they be able to find a job if I go somewhere else?

 

No. A letter of recommendation is exactly what an outsider needs. What kind of fool would hire someone whose sincerity and trust are not guaranteed? 

 

People were very nervous and waited for their turn.

 

Since Lucius himself conducted all the personal interviews, people were divided into groups and were called in while doing their work.

 

Some people could relax after the interview, while others burst into tears.

 

In that atmosphere, people could not stand their nervousness and whispered in low voices.

 

“What kind of fuss is this? That’s annoying. I have three younger brothers. If I get a pay cut, I have to starve for one meal a day.”

 

“I feel really unfair. They know I stay in the kitchen all the time, peeling potatoes and chopping onions.”

 

“Is it just you? Honestly, everyone in the kitchen feels bad. Someone try to grab us by the ankles so we can die together.”

 

“But won’t we be okay? Cause we never played with the food…”

 

“But are you sure about that? I guess someone has stolen bread or meat?”

 

“Oh, no way….”

 

Starting with the kitchen maids.

 

“Well, things have gotten pretty big, with the head butler himself coming to see us.” 

 

“But why suddenly? In the meantime, he didn’t really care. Do you think those things were a big deal in the beginning? They were just looking for a place to lie down and stretched out their feet.”

 

“Well, it wasn’t the butler who did it, but the Marquess. She saw that the young master didn’t even have a fireplace in his room, so she was upset.”

 

“What? No fireplace at this time of year? You’re crazy!”

 

“I heard that Dr. Denver has been taking care of the young master all day since dawn. and he says the young master is running a fever with a cold.”

 

“Well, I guess all of his entourage’s servants will be fired.” 

 

While everyone said they knew something like that would happen one day, they all said they had no idea the Marquess would do something like that.

 

Because deep down they were thinking that way. Noah is Leonhard’s illegitimate son.

 

* * *