How The Sub-Male Lead’s Stepmother Teaches Love

“Ma’am, Lady Lamberton has arrived.”

 

“Let her in.”

 

As I nodded, Scarlett bent her knees once in front of me and disappeared through the open door.

 

After a while.

 

“Oh my god, Nell! How long has it been since this?”

 

Lady Lemberton, who appeared in a fuss, came up to me without even being polite and tried to hug me.

 

But she failed to achieve her goal. I had warned Ethan in advance to stop her in case she behaved like this. 

 

“It’s in front of the Marquise. Be polite.”

 

“No…You don’t seem to know anything, but I am very close with Nell. Rather, you are truly rude to me.”

 

“Lady Lamberton.”

 

Lady Lamberton looked back at me with a look of disbelief in my hardened voice.

 

I almost snorted because that face was so disgusting. 

 

“Nell…? Are you sure you don’t know me? I’m Julia. You called me sister and followed me well.”

 

“It looks like you don’t know who I am  from the beginning.”

 

 “Nell…”

 

“Lady Lamberton! Be polite to the Marquise!”

 

After hearing Leona’s scolding, Lady Lemberton frowned, straightened her back, and bowed to me in courtesy.

 

“The Marquise, I am Julia Lamberton, the art and music teacher.”

 

“Nice to meet you. You can sit down.”

 

Lady Lemberton, who was sitting across from me, couldn’t break her stern expression, as if she didn’t know why she deserved this treatment.

 

Her face looked as if she was pouting after fighting with an old friend, and she also looked embarrassed, as if he had never expected something like this.

 

To be honest, I was also like that. No, more accurately, I was dumbfounded.

 

It was because I didn’t know that she was shameless enough to call me by a nickname after unilaterally breaking off the engagement with my older brother. 

 

‘Well….That’s why you announced the breakup of your engagement at my parents’ funeral.’

 

At that time, our family was in a situation where if we made a mistake, we could go bankrupt. 

 

‘Maybe she didn’t want to marry into a family like that.’

 

‘But if it was a human being, shouldn’t she have at least waited until the funeral was over? Even considering the affection we have had so far!’

 

“You remember why I called you today, Lady Lamberton.” 

 

“Yes. You want to know the progress of young master’s studies.”

 

“Okay. Except for you, I’ve already met all the other teachers. Everyone unanimously praised Noah. What was Noah like whom you taught? Was he also good at playing musical instruments?”

 

“It’s a pity, Marquise. He has no talent at playing an instrument at all.”

 

Lady Lamberton sighed lightly as if she was very sorry. Then she stretched out the fan in her hand, covered her mouth, and looked straight at me with her eyes.

 

“With that brilliant mind, he was able to easily memorize sheet music. But his sense of tempo is terrible. Even though he intellectually understands the difference between andante and andantino, he cannot express it at all with his fingertips.”

 

‘Why are you badmouthing Noah when I ask you to tell me about his learning progress?’

 

Even that wasn’t the end.

 

“Moreover, his fingers are so numb when he hits the keys. Not delicate and not rich in emotions. He is truly the worst student to teach music to. Of course, it’s the same with art.”

 

In response to her purposeful and merciless remarks, I could hear a sigh coming from behind me. 

 

Even my escorts frown when they hear it. 

 

“In short, Noah has no talent in music and art?”

 

“Fortunately, he is a very special person. If he takes the time and works harder than he does now, he will definitely achieve good results and I will be there to help him.”

 

She didn’t like the fact that I was a Marquise and had a lot of power, so she deliberately said it harshly, but I guess that’s what she really wanted to say. 

 

‘So you’re saying you’re going to spend more time teaching than now?’ 

 

“No, there’s no need for that.”

 

I lifted the teacup, being careful not to let the sound leak out. And I spoke clearly while making eye contact with Lady Lamberton, who was straightening her back.

 

“Noah is not that talented, so why waste your time? Let’s stop Noah’s music and art classes. There’s no need for you to come to the castle next time.”

 

“W-what?”

 

“Music is not necessary for Ajas’ successor anyway. He won’t make his debut in society, so he doesn’t have to learn it.”

 

What do you mean it’s not a necessary skill? What nobleman on this day doesn’t know how to play a musical instrument?”

 

“There is, and you know him, Sir Alexander the Knight of Red Lion.”

 

“That…!”

 

Lady Lamberton pursed her lips as if she wanted to protest something, but was unable to say anything.

 

It’s natural. Even if it wasn’t because he was my brother, insulting a knight who was good at his job because he couldn’t play an instrument was too broad a swipe.

 

“Now that I think about it, I was curious, Sir Ethan. Do you know how to play a musical instrument?”

 

 “I’m sorry, but…I can’t play any of them properly.” 

 

“Neither do I, Marquise. No one has ever asked me to play the piano. I think it was a good thing I didn’t learn it.”

 

Leona spoke proudly next to Ethan, who was shaking his head with an embarrassed expression. 

 

Then Lady Lamberton looked at us alternately in disbelief.

 

‘We didn’t plan anything in particular.’

 

“Did you hear that? I don’t know if he has talent, but I don’t really want to waste your time. Wouldn’t it be hard work for you to teach a student without talent?”

 

“I dare say, it’s more rewarding to teach a talentless child, because it’s much more constructive to turn a zero into a five than to make a ten out of a nine, and it’s a test of my abilities as a teacher.”

 

“I see. Then find another talentless child.” 

 

Lady Lamberton folded her fan at my words, which fell as sharply as if they had been cut with scissors.

 

“Nell!”

 

“I’m Marquise. From now on, be careful of the name. We’re not friendly enough to call each other by nicknames, are we, Lady Lamberton?” 

 

“It wasn’t my intention to break off the engagement with Liv! You know my father too! I still have the scar he left on my calf. You took pity on me too.”

 

Lady Lamberton buried her face in her hands and made a sobbing sound, and even her shoulders trembled slightly.

 

“It wasn’t your intention to break off the engagement…?”

 

I remembered that I had once put my arm around her sobbing shoulders and comforted her, and it made me feel even more bitter that it was only four years ago.

 

“Then I guess it wasn’t your intention to not reject Count Lamberton’s wedding gift before breaking off your engagement with Brother Liv. You attended the banquet with my brother Liv, wearing the necklace you bought with that money!” 

 

“What, what?”

 

Lady Lamberton seemed so embarrassed that she couldn’t even think of covering her face with an open fan.

 

How I wish I could have seen the look of bewilderment on her face, the look of someone who had heard something so absurd.

 

But Lady Lamberton had that look on her face. It’s like she is wondering how I know that.

 

“People’s hearts, yes, they can change, but after what my parents did to you, at least you shouldn’t have done it then and there.”

 

On the day of my parents’ funeral, after she broke off her engagement to my older brother, she went straight to see the Count of Lamberton.

 

She spent the night with him that day, and even before the mark of the proposal ring on her left ring finger disappeared, she put on the ring Count of Lamberton gave her.

 

“If you really didn’t mean all of that, you should have sent us a letter explaining the situation and apologized.  You didn’t even ask me how I was doing and now you are bringing up our old relationship? You are truly shameless!”

 

“Nell, I’m sorry. It’s my fault. Please forgive me, okay?”

 

“If you call me that one more time, I will send a complaint to Count Lamberton’s family for the disrespect you have shown me. Be careful, Lady Lemberton!”

 

She bit her lower lip with a white face and finally lowered her head.

 

“I will be careful…”

 

“I will send someone later to handle the salaries that have not yet been paid and the consolation money for contracts that did not meet their deadlines.”

 

That was all I wanted to say, so I drank the remaining tea in my cup. 

 

The fact that the owner did not refill the empty teacup was an implicit sign that she should leave.

 

Lady Lamberton seemed to have a lot to say to me, but what choice did she have?

 

She finally got up from her seat.

 

“I will leave now.”

 

“Yes.”

 

I wanted to confront her about the fact that she’d taught a five-year-old to play Vertigo and spewed poisonous words like talentless and a disgrace to Ajas, but…I didn’t want to say something that might be embarrassing to Noah in a place where my escorts and maids could hear.

 

I fired her, so this is it.

 

Thinking about that, I let out a light sigh. 

 

But then. 

 

“Do you really intend to recognize Young Master as Ajas’ successor?”

 

“What?”

 

“You may not like me anymore, but I still have affection for you, so I will tell you with all my heart.”

 

Lady Lamberton, standing in the doorway, turned towards me and spread her arms out to her sides as if to say, ‘Look at me now.’

 

“You know my situation. My husband died and he had no successor. My brother-in-law, who inherited my husband’s title and property, is anxious because he cannot kick me out of the family.”

 

After taking a moment to catch her breath, she spoke again.

 

“Because I abandoned my maiden name, I cannot return to my old family, and because I am not related by blood, I am a stranger in Lamberton. But if I had given birth to a successor, would I have been left behind like this?”

 

“Lady Lemberton, in what safety do you dare—!

 

“Think about the future, Marquise. When a woman loses her husband’s protection, either through death or capriciousness, the only thing that protects her is her blood children.”

 

Lady Lemberton’s lips formed a fascinating curve. I didn’t know who it was directed at.

 

“No matter how hard you try, an illegitimate child is an illegitimate child. In the future, it will be fortunate if he does not forget the kindness that the Marquise gave him.…If you make a mistake, you will end up like me.”

 

“Shut your mouth!”

 

“I am done talking. Well then, until next time I see you, I hope you stay safe.”

 

Lady Lamberton held the hem of her dress at her sides, bent her knees gracefully, and disappeared out of the room.

 

I just stared out the door for a long time until her footsteps got farther away and I couldn’t hear them. Until Leona cautiously called me.

 

“Marquise, are you okay?” 

 

“Huh? Ah, yes. I’m okay.”

 

“There is no need to take Lady Lemberton’s words to heart. Let it go in one ear and out the other.”

 

“Yeah, I’m going to do that.”

 

However, one thing that Lady Lamberton said stayed in my head and continued to get on my nerves.

 

In the end, I couldn’t bear the discomfort and called the butler. The one who will solve my doubts clearly.

 

* * *