How The Sub-Male Lead’s Stepmother Teaches Love

“More than that, Marie, where did you put the necklace I gave you? 

 

“I chose it by myself, thinking it would suit you well, but how can you never wear it even once?” 

 

The Empress put down her teacup with a clatter, looking very upset.

 

Even though it was not yet sunny, Mariette, who was wearing a dress that revealed her collarbone, ran her hand over the pattern of Estroa, which glowed with a pale red light, and smiled.

 

“I’m sorry, Mom. I was so happy and excited about a gift I received after a long time that I couldn’t control my power and ended up melting the chain on my necklace. I sent it to the craftsman to have it repaired, so once it’s done, I’ll definitely wear it.”

 

“You weren’t careful.”

 

Hearing the click of her tongue, Mariette simply said she was sorry and looked at the Empress’s face.

 

‘It seemed like the words, ‘It’s been a long time since I received a gift.’ must have stung, because she made a frowning face and averted her gaze as if uncomfortable.’

 

Or maybe the daughter, who had been acting as if she didn’t exist, had suddenly become crown princess and was awkward to deal with.

 

‘Never mind, I’m still her child.’

 

Suddenly, Mariette really missed her older sister who had married into the Canel Kingdom. 

 

‘If she were here, she would have laughed with me.’

 

But for some reason, while she felt like laughing out loud at her mother’s ramblings, the corners of her mouth fell down heavily.

 

Even though she said she never did, she was expecting it. 

 

‘The reason my mother doesn’t care about me is because I haven’t manifested the pattern, so I thought that if the pattern appeared on my body, she would treat me as precious as she treated my brother.’

 

However, it was not until today that Mariette finally realized deep in her bones that that was not the case.

 

“Do you know where your brother is these days, and what he’s doing?” 

 

‘What can I say to describe the feeling of having a string of regrets that I hadn’t been able to let go of all these years?’

 

Mariette helplessly sipped her bitter tea.

 

“How can I not know? The voice praising my brother was so high that it crossed the walls of the imperial palace and reached this rose quartz palace.”

 

After his probation was lifted, Julius went straight out of the imperial palace and went to volunteer work in areas affected by the monster incident.

 

When he first appeared, people pretended to smile on the outside but cursed him behind his backs.

 

But his intellect is a gift. Seeing him carrying bricks with those who had lost their homes and personally providing three meals a day to those who had lost their property, the hearts of those who had been as cold as ice eventually began to melt.

 

As the reputation of the second prince improved day by day, such rumors began to circulate among people. It was rumored that someone else was responsible for the monster incident and the accusations against the second prince were false.

 

Of course, not everyone thought that way.

 

There were many people who laughed at them, who had lost their home and money for siding with the second prince.

 

There was no time to be quiet with stories about the second prince as long as people gathered a little. 

 

Regardless of whether he did or not, the Second Prince never took a day off from his volunteer work.

 

Of course, he did not postpone his political affairs and handled them thoroughly.

 

So even if there was news, it couldn’t help but be compared to the first prince, who had been drinking in broad daylight and getting into accidents with women.

 

“Isn’t this an opportunity to chase away that dirty illegitimate son? Marie, if you help me a little, your brother will be able to become emperor much more easily.”

 

The low whispering voice mixed with the rich scent of jasmine tormented Mariette’s eardrums.

 

The Empress, whether aware that she was frowning or not, let out a sweet voice.

 

“You have to think about the future. After all, wouldn’t it be better for you if your brother became the emperor rather than that dirty illegitimate son becoming the emperor?”

 

“There is a more certain way to make it good for me, Mother.” 

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“What else can I do other than inheriting the throne?” 

 

“What?”

 

The Empress’s expression changed as if she had heard something she had never heard before.

 

Mariette found that sight so funny that she almost burst out laughing.

 

How could it not be so? the same child from her womb, the same heir to the throne, the same eyes looking at something so different.

 

“I guess you forgot, Mother, I am now the rightful heir to the throne.”

 

Mariette deliberately got up from her chair with a loud clatter and walked briskly to the window.

 

As the distance got closer, the scent that hit her nose became stronger. 

 

Mariette, whose cheeks hardened unconsciously, pulled out the jasmine from the vase.

 

Then she looked back at the empress and burned the pure white flower with a flame from the pattern of Estroa.

 

“I am no longer a princess.”

 

“Marie, you…!”

 

Jasmine flowers were burned in an instant, turned into black ash and stained Mariette’s dress like rainwater.

 

The smell of burning flowers enveloped the jasmine scent.

 

Mariette burned the last of the flowers in the vase, reducing them to ashes.

 

The pattern of Estroa glowed red, like a blazing flame. 

 

Mariette turned towards the Empress So The Empress could see her pattern clearly.

 

“Before, I didn’t dare to covet it because it wasn’t mine, but not anymore, right? So, mother, if you think of me as your daughter, please don’t tell me to give up what is rightfully mine.”

 

“Do you think I’m saying this because I don’t think of you as my daughter? Marie, think carefully. I’m doing this for you. How are you supposed to bear the weight of the crown when you have no power or anything?”

 

“So that means you have no intention of helping me.” 

 

“Marie!”

 

“I understand, Mom. You don’t have to help. Just please don’t block my path and say it’s for my own good.”

 

The Empress looked at Mariette with a face that seemed to have a lot to say. But instead of attempting to persuade her, she only muttered with her face changing all the time.

 

“Now that…Do you really think you can ascend to that supreme position?”

 

“Why not? I am qualified.” 

 

‘What did I do to just have that qualification?’

 

After the Empress left, Mariette smiled bitterly, rubbing her thumb and index finger, which were covered in ash powder.

 

Soon she pulled the string and took out an envelope from the desk drawer. 

 

“Did you call me, Her Highness?”

 

“Send this letter to the Kingdom of Canel. and…”

 

For a moment, her eyes were spinning with dizziness. Mariette gently closed her eyes and with her hands on the desk and spoke in a low voice, like a whisper. 

 

“Bring my doctor.”

 

* * * 

 

“There’s an unpleasant smell coming from somewhere.…” 

 

“Yes? Your Highness, what did you just say?”

 

The woman’s slender fingers crawled up the man’s chest.

 

Without noticing that the eyes of the other woman lying on his side became sharp triangles, the long fingernails, colored in beautiful colors, moved higher.

 

When the tip finally touched His pattern, sparks appeared.

 

“Aaaah!”

 

“They don’t listen to verbal warnings.”

 

The woman, startled by the sudden flames, hurriedly retreated and fell under the bed. And Kairos, who was finally able to get up, ran his hands through his unruly hair.

 

“Taylor!”

 

At the nervous shout, his aide who was waiting outside quickly ran into the bedroom.

 

As if he knew why the first prince had called him, he gave an order with his chin to the servants waiting behind him even before his master gave the order.

 

“What, what, let go of me! Ouch! What are you holding me for?”

 

“Shh! Can’t you be quiet? Didn’t you listen to the warning when you went to bed last night?” 

 

There was a faint fear seeping into the low whispering voice. 

 

“Had you heeded the warning that if you make one mistake, it will be the end for you?”

 

The woman stopped crying in an instant, hiccuped, and looked up at the servants holding her arms.

 

“Don’t you dare touch His Majesty’s body. If you touch the wrong part, especially where the pattern is, you will not see the sun tomorrow morning.”

 

‘What you said yesterday wasn’t just a threat?’

 

“Take her away!”

 

“Where are you taking me?!”

 

No one answered her frightened questions. The servant grabbed her by the arms, covered her mouth, and dragged her out of the bedroom.

 

It was understandable to be frightened by that sight, but none of them had their eyes tremble.

 

On the contrary, they were happy to have less competition and gathered around Kairos, with their gowns and a bowl of fruit.

 

“I don’t know where that little girl came from. How dare she touch His Majesty’s body without even knowing the subject matters?”

 

“Shall I tell the servant to prepare water for washing?”

 

“Your Highness, try some of this. The flesh is so chewy that the juice bursts out every time you chew it.”

 

“It’s so loud, my head hurts, so everyone shut up.”

 

Kairos, holding his head with his left hand, narrowed one eye, and all three women fell away from him as if they had made a promise.

 

Kairos, who had his arm wrapped around the gown that one of them had draped over his shoulder, picked up the bottle of alcohol on the table and called out to Taylor.

 

“Yes, Your Highness. Do you have something to tell me?”

 

“What happened to what I asked you to investigate?” 

 

“Here it is.”

 

No matter what he asks, if you don’t get a positive answer, be prepared to have one of your limbs broken.

 

Because of this, everything from alcohol to cigarettes, even a bundle of documents came out of the bag.

 

Kairos drank the remaining alcohol in the bottle in one go, threw the bottle away, and accepted the document Taylor handed him.

 

“I can believe…A pattern appeared before leaving the palace.”

 

Kairos sat on the bed and smiled, gesturing towards somewhere.

 

Among the puzzled women who could not guess the meaning, the quick-witted Taylor quietly touched the back of the woman holding the fruit bowl.

 

Only then did the woman come to realize and quickly approached Kairos and put a strawberry in his mouth.

 

“Your Highness, how does it taste?”

 

“Something else.”

 

The woman turned her head and looked at Taylor out of habit. Then Taylor realized that he was mimicking a plum with his mouth.

 

The woman slowly picked up a ripe plum and put it into Kairos’ mouth.

 

Then Kairos, who had moved his chin a few times, nodded with a satisfied face.

 

“Okay, everyone go out. Taylor.” 

 

“Yes, Your Highness.”

 

As if he knew why he had called him, Taylor took out three bags from his magic bag. It’s a bag full of gold coins.

 

The women, who recognized the bag they always received, approached him with joy and quickly took the bags one by one.

 * * *