How The Sub-Male Lead’s Stepmother Teaches Love

“So, are you done interrogating everyone involved?”

 

“The interrogation of the key figures has been completed and we’re in the process of interrogating the people they paid. Crow will be here with a report when the sun rises.” 

 

“Crow?”

 

“He’s the messenger captain. This is his specialty.” 

 

“I see…”

 

On the surface, he acts as a messenger, but behind the scenes, he is said to be working as a spy.

 

Now that I think about it, where would Peter be now? 

 

‘Alex would be so surprised. When he finds out that someone he wasn’t even close with is claiming to be his friend and bringing up things he never mentioned before.’

 

“It’s a good thing this happened while you were in the castle. If you weren’t there,…”

 

Even so, since they were vassals of Ajas, they probably wouldn’t have thought of killing Noah. All they wanted was to oust Noah from the position of successor. 

 

So what exactly did they plan to do with Noah?

 

‘No, wait…’ 

 

Suddenly, that thought occurred to me.

 

‘Maybe their target was me.’

 

‘I’ve already registered Noah to the family. If they want to invalidate it,…’ 

 

‘They have to stop me from being a Marquise, that’s the best way to do it.’

 

“Ah…”

 

“Raenel?”

 

Leonhard looked back at me with a puzzled expression as I stood there in the middle of the hallway. The only emotion in his eyes was worry.

 

“What the hell…I really, really, really hate infidelity. Do you agree, Leon?”

 

“Of course. Since I inherited the title of Marquis, the guest room in the East palace has been completely closed. There will be no use for it.”

 

I remembered vividly the contempt that flashed over his eyes then.

I imagined those eyes on me then, and goosebumps broke out all over my body, and I reflexively clasped my hands on my shoulders.

 

“Raenel, why are you like that? Look at me.” 

 

“No, no. I just had a bad feeling.…” 

 

Leonhard looked at me shaking my head and his face hardened as if he suddenly remembered something.

 

“There is no one in this castle who can harm you. You have no need to be afraid. I will protect you.”

 

“But you will return when the day comes…..No, no. That was a slip of the tongue.” 

 

“Raenel.”

 

“Don’t worry about what I’m saying.…I’ll just stop by my office for a bit. I have something to do.”

 

A letter from Mario Polten, full of words so explicit that it was burdensome. If he was not a friend of my brother, I left it there to use as evidence.…I don’t need it anymore, so I need to get rid of it quickly.

 

‘Of course, he knew the man was paid off, so he wouldn’t get the wrong idea if he saw it.….’ 

 

The very fact that I had that letter made me feel very uncomfortable.

 

I had to get rid of it quickly, whether by tearing it up or burning it. With only that thought in mind, I hurriedly walked forward, but at that moment, 

my body was lifted into the air. 

 

“Whoa!”

 

I was startled and instinctively swung my hand to grab something, but when I came to my senses, it was Leonhard’s shoulder. My body, which had been lifted up, was in his arms.

 

He held me steady with one arm, just as I had asked him to let me go the other day.

 

“I know I have no right to say this to you after being away so long, but, Raenel, please don’t run away and leave me like that. For a moment, I thought my heart sank.”

 

“Yes?”

 

“You said you had something to do in your office, and I will take you there.” 

 

Leonhard strode forward, still holding me in his arms.

 

I didn’t feel any shaking at all, to the point where I wondered if I was really in his arms, but I was scared by the higher-than-normal eye level and hugged his shoulders.

 

Then I remembered later that the reason I was going to my office to deal with Mario Polten’s letter was because I didn’t want my husband to see it. 

 

“No, wait a minute. You must be tired, too. You have to leave for Hiyela tomorrow morning anyway, so why don’t you go first and get up early—” 

 

“You seem to have forgotten, ma’am.”

 

“Yes? What?”

 

Leonhard stopped at the end of the hallway and looked up at me. His blue eyes, as if he were going to suck me in, were right in front of my nose. My vision became dizzy for a moment, so I helplessly closed my eyes. At that moment, his soft voice pierced into my ears.

 

“Tonight, your promise to sleep with me.” 

 

“Ugh…!”

 

‘That’s right, I did!’

 

I was so out of it that I forgot. I blinked in surprise, but the blue eyes right in front of my nose moved slightly as if examining my face.

 

His gaze was so intense that it seemed as if it would melt the shell that covered my thoughts and pierce through what was inside.

 

I swallowed dry saliva without thinking and lowered my gaze while tightly gripping Leonhard’s shoulder.

 

Then, I felt pressure on the arm that was holding me, as if telling me not to even think about running away.

 

“Um, so….Maybe today is a little different? After what happened with Noah, and you’re still interrogating the vassals and the servants, it’s a bit much to have your subordinates do that and then spend the night alone.” 

 

“So you’re saying that you’ve changed your mind?”

 

A sorrowful look came over Leonhard’s face as he spoke as if I had cheated on him.

 

Anyone who saw him would think he was just an ordinary man. I was flustered and covered his cheek to make him raise his head, seeing his blue eyes that were glassy as if they were about to burst into tears.

 

“No, it’s not that I changed my mind, it’s just that it’s too late for the first night. The sun will rise soon.”

 

“There are still about three hours left until the sun rises…, I guess the first night you think of is longer than three hours.”

 

“Huh? Oh, no, that’s not what I meant!” 

 

“That’s not what you meant?”

 

As I looked at his face looking up at me with his head slightly tilted, my mind became completely empty.

 

If it weren’t for the subtle heat in his eyes, I would have forgotten what I was thinking just a moment ago.

 

“Raenel.”

 

He seemed to notice the tension in the air around me. His voice was hoarse as he whispered my name through slightly parted lips. 

 

I felt my eyelids flutter. I blinked quickly and tightened my fingers around his shoulders one by one.

 

I knew his face, flushed red with excitement, so vivid I could recall it immediately.

 

When we ended our breathless kiss, with his arms wrapped around me like a rope, he was breathing heavily, just as I was. His breath on my cheek was always as hot as if it was burning me.

 

‘Ah.’

 

His closed eyes focused on me, my face layered over his blue pupils.

 

My mouth became completely dry. 

 

As I unconsciously swallowed my dry saliva, his gaze and mine were tied together like a knot with both ends pulled tightly.

 

The moment I recalled the feeling of his solid chest swelling up and pressing against my chest, Leonhard tightened his arms as if he had read my thoughts. 

 

When I instinctively hugged his head, our lips were already on the verge of overlapping.

 

At that moment, an unknown emotion surged like wildfire in those blue eyes that reflected my face like water.

 

I knew those eyes. I knew what he did when he had those eyes. Did he notice what I noticed? Without any explanation, he moved his long legs and opened a door somewhere.

 

An empty room with no warmth or even a little light. He entered the room, closed the door, and pushed my back against the wall. Then, out of the blue, he pulled me by the neck and kissed me.

 

“Ugh…wait.”

 

But all I was given was a brief moment to spit out those few words.

 

With the wall behind me and Leonhard’s body in front of me, I couldn’t move an inch. All I could do was cling to him and embrace him, accepting the kisses he showered upon me.

 

“Hey…!”

 

“Raenel.”

 

My name whispered between the lips that were brushing against each other, wasn’t meant to be called. If he had, he would have given me time to answer. 

 

The hand that dug into my hair and grabbed the back of my neck gained strength little by little.

 

My body was already not free, but he hugged me with his whole body as if he was trying to restrain me.

 

Only then did Leonhard let out a long breath as if he were satisfied and kissed me for a while longer.

 

Our lips brushed the bridge of my nose as many times as they overlapped. My right hand, which was trying to pat his shoulder because I was out of breath, was soon intertwined with his left hand and was pinned against the wall. 

 

My legs, which had been dangling in the air, finally touched the floor. But what I was given was not freedom, but restraint.

 

My body gradually collapsed without even touching the floor with my two feet. Leonhard didn’t stop kissing me until my body, which had slid all the way down with my back against the wall, touched the floor.

 

He stole my breath away as he pinned me to the floor with his entire body. He held my hands together so that I wouldn’t be able to escape again.

 

I think I’ve thought about this before. He was really persistent. Once he started kissing me, he wouldn’t let go until my lips were burning.

 

“Stop… Stop it. It hurts.” 

 

“Hurts? Where do you mean?”

 

The surprised look on his face was just annoying. 

 

So I lightly slapped my lips, which were redder than usual because they were wet, with my hand.

 

“Where is it? It’s the lips you tormented.”

 

“It would be impossible for muscles to grow in the lips.” 

 

“You’re talking nonsense. Get out of the way now. It’s heavy.” 

 

I slapped him on the shoulder, and Leonhard apologized and pulled me to my feet. No, he didn’t stop there, he lifted me up again.

 

“Stop lifting me like that. Am I not heavy?”

 

“It can’t be heavy. Your body is much lighter.” 

 

Leonhard said that and lifted my body up as if he were lightly throwing it into the air.

 

I was so startled that I hugged his neck. I barely managed to suppress my pounding heart and glared at Leonhard with my eyes narrowed.

 

“You’re not saying you’re going to swing me around like a sword, are you?” 

 

“Though I’d love to carry you on my back all day.”

 

“I won’t let you go even if you carry me around. What do you mean, you want to carry me?” 

 

“Are you saying you’re going to allow me to carry you?”

 

“Of course not. I want to walk on my own feet, so let me down. Quickly.”

 

He was the kind of person who always listened to me when I said no, so I naturally thought he would listen to me this time too.

 

But guess what? Leonhard shook his head slightly while putting strength into the arm that was supporting my buttocks.

 

“I don’t like it either. Raenel, please give in.” 

 

“No, wait.…!”

 

Regardless of what I said or did, Leonhard walked into the room with me in his arms. As he did, the moonlight that filtered in through the glass window dimly illuminated him and me.

 

* * *