How The Sub-Male Lead’s Stepmother Teaches Love Chapter 168

Yesterday, just as he arrived at the tower, Leonhard heard from Noah that Raenel had fallen asleep and hadn’t woken up.

 

Leonhard went straight to the bedroom where she was sleeping.

 

To his eyes, she simply looked like she was sleeping. But the fact that she hadn’t woken up for three days…

 

He couldn’t clearly recall what he had been thinking or how he had moved. It had only happened yesterday, yet his memories were hazy.

 

“Can I even say that I was the one who woke her up…? I don’t even know why your mother fell asleep, and I couldn’t do anything. How pathetic.”

 

Thankfully, Raenel soon opened her eyes. If she hadn’t… could he have endured without losing his mind?

 

Leonhard smiled bitterly, feeling unfamiliar with himself for thinking such thoughts.

 

At that moment, Noah’s voice, as if whispering softly, flowed into his ear.

 

“No. Father called Mother. She didn’t wake up when I called her before.”

 

“Then it probably wasn’t because I called her. If my voice had woken her up, she would have responded when you called her. You are our son, after all.”

 

‘Our son’.

 

Those words, simple and unremarkable, rippled through Noah’s heart like stones skipping across water.

 

Noah, who had been biting his lips in vain due to some emotion welling up in his chest, soon buried his face in Leonhard’s shoulder.

 

“Father…”

 

“Huh?”

 

“I can tell when someone is lying.” 

 

“What?”

 

This was something that everyone else already knew, but this was the first time Noah had confessed that fact with his own mouth.

 

His heart pounded just like it had when he had first placed a sword in Mario’s hands.

 

Noah only now realized that, although he pretended to be fine on the outside, he was actually very scared at the time.

 

And now too.

 

“My real father….The master of this tower told me that he had barbarian blood flowing through his body. So that means….I also have barbarian blood flowing through my body.”

 

Unable to look at Leonhard’s face, Noah squeezed his eyes shut. 

 

A mix of regret for speaking up and relief for finally saying it out loud coexisted within him. 

 

Two emotions, balanced on a trembling scale—slowly, the weight of regret began to tip it downward.

 

‘Why didn’t my father say anything? What if he hates me?’

 

‘The Ajas family, bound by duty to exterminate the barbarians. What if he said I was unworthy and banished me…?’

 

At that moment, Leonhard’s hand was placed on Noah’s head.

 

Noah flinched and opened his eyes, his body trembling slightly. 

 

The gentle hand stroking his head made him realize belatedly that it was Leonhard’s touch.

 

The fact that Leonhard’s arms, which had been holding him, were still supporting his body steadily.

 

“Catherine has a special power too…I guess your power is detecting lies.”

 

“…….”

 

Leonhard let out a “hmm” sound, unaware of Noah, who was holding his breath due to his nervousness.

 

“Once you start officially working, many schemers and swindlers will try to deceive you. I had a hard time not being able to recognize such people, But you…..you won’t have to go through that hardship.”

 

“Ah….”

 

The exact same words his mother had once told him.

 

A bubble inside Noah’s chest popped.

 

“But remember, there are many people who deceive others without telling a single lie. Don’t put blind faith in your abilities.”

 

“How can someone deceive without lying?”

 

“By simply not telling the truth.”

 

Leonhard explained his words in detail.

 

“Usually, one word can have multiple meanings. A person with a clever way of speaking can lead the listener to understand the meaning he wants. Let me give you an example.”

 

Leonhard changed his position while holding Noah and looked the child in the eye.

 

“I am not your father.”

 

“Ah…..”

 

“I am your father.”

 

The moment his heart sank, Noah’s eyes widened at the words that followed. 

 

While stroking the child’s head, Leonhard asked in a soft voice.

 

“These are completely contradictory statements. But how did they sound to you?”

 

“Both.….It’s not a lie.”

 

“Do you know why?”

 

Noah thought for a moment and then nodded.

 

His biological father and adoptive father are his fathers. And Leonhard was Noah’s adoptive father, not his biological father.

 

“Moreover, even if someone isn’t trying to deceive you, they might be mistaken or misunderstand something. So never trust someone just because they aren’t lying.”

 

“Yes, father.”

 

As Noah nodded, both of them realized at the same time—That was their first lesson between father and son.

 

“…..When we return to the castle, you promised to teach me military strategy. Do you remember?”

 

“Of course, I do. But I’ve never taught anyone before, so I’m not sure if I’ll be a good teacher for you.”

 

There was a faint of concern in Leonhard’s voice.

 

But Noah, the one receiving the lessons, wasn’t concerned at all. He wasn’t sure why, but he simply smiled.

 

“Even so, I want to learn from you, Father.”

 

Noah’s innocent smile somehow resembled Raenel’s.

 

Leonhard, who had found traces of his wife in his son’s expression, stiffened slightly and nodded belatedly, trying to suppress his awkwardness.

 

“Alright… I’ll do my best.”

 

Leonhard, who was rubbing the back of his neck for no reason, belatedly noticed that the ring on his right little finger was shining.

 

“Captain!”

 

At the same time, Iron, who was running in front of him, noticed him and hurriedly approached him. 

 

Seeing his face looking a bit impatient, Leonhard asked in a firm voice.

 

“What’s going on?”

 

“The barbarians came and surrounded the tower.”

 

“They’ve surrounded the tower?”

 

The wizards and knights led by Leonhard were currently stationed around the tower.

 

If the tower was surrounded, it meant that the barbarians had surrounded his men as well.

 

“How many are there?”

 

“At least over a hundred, but if you count the monsters they’ve brought, it’s closer to two or three hundred.”

 

“Two or three hundred, huh.”

 

The number alone was several times the number of Wizards and knights Leonhard had stationed outside.

 

But Leonhard wasn’t particularly scared. Rather, he was curious.

 

‘There were only a few people in good condition.…And instead of retreating to preserve their strength, they’re launching an all-out attack?’

 

Leonhard was still unaware that Catherine had stolen the High Shaman’s wand, as he was busy checking on Raenel’s condition.

 

Because of that, he had no idea what was driving the barbarians to such desperation, and he frowned.

 

“Tell the knights and wizards that this is not our territory, so don’t act rashly, and wait until I get there.”

 

First of all, it was a priority to ask the opinion of Felix, the owner of the tower.

 

“But, Captain, their demands are a bit strange.”

 

“Demand? They made a demand?”

 

It was an unusual move for a barbarian tribe that had declared that they could never coexist with the imperial people and would make no compromises.

 

Leonhard was genuinely curious as to what exactly they were demanding.

 

Of course, that curiosity didn’t last long.

 

“Yes. They said that if we won’t hand over Catherine, who escaped to this tower… then we should hand over the Marquise. If we do, they’ll retreat.”

 

“Mother?”

 

It was such an outrageous demand that Noah, who had been keeping his mouth shut and not interfering, questioned it.

 

Leonhard’s reaction needed no explanation.

 

“It seems that they have been underestimating Ajas.”

 

Demanding the Marquise? That’s the same as a declaration of war.

 

Do they even know what they are demanding?

 

“Iron. Take Noah to my wife and guard them both. Summon her personal guards immediately.”

 

Leonhard placed Noah, whom he was holding in his arms, on the floor and gave the child a word.

 

“Stay close to your mother until I get back.”

 

“Yes. I will protect my mother.”

 

Leonhard lightly patted Noah’s head as he nodded with a determined expression.

 

Iron, watching them, hesitated before cautiously asking.

 

“Then, Captain….what about you?”

 

“Originally, I was going to follow the opinion of the tower’s master, but if they were after my wife, things would be different.”

 

Demanding a noblewoman as a hostage—Even in the aftermath of war, such demands were considered disgraceful and humiliating, only issued by victorious nations to defeated ones.

 

‘Yet these mere barbarians dared…’

 

“I suppose it’s time to uproot them completely.”

 

‘And make sure they never utter my wife’s name with their filthy mouths again.’

 

Leonhard’s gaze burned with silent fury.

 

* * * 

 

Tok–Tok

 

“I will go in, Master.”

 

Although there was no clear answer, Marilyn headed into Felix’s lab without hesitation.

 

A quick glance around the lab revealed that it was empty. 

 

Confirming that, Marilyn strode forward and opened the balcony door on one side of the room.

 

As expected, Felix was sitting precariously on the balcony railing, holding a bottle of alcohol in one hand.

 

“What?”

 

“The Marquise has woken up safely. The doctor confirmed that there’s nothing wrong with her body.”

 

“That’s why I told you not to worry.”

 

“You can’t just dismiss it like that!”

 

Marilyn glared at the back of her annoying master’s head with fire in her eyes.

 

“You can’t imagine how fast my heart was beating when His Highness the Marquis arrived at the tower! It’s a good thing the Marquise opened her eyes immediately—if she hadn’t…!”

 

Marilyn trembled as if she had been thrown out of the tower with nothing to break her fall.

 

Felix glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and clicked his tongue, wondering why she was making such a fuss.

 

“And if she hadn’t?”

 

“Then I would’ve ended up like that! No, not just me, but maybe even you, Master!”

 

Marilyn pointed downward from the balcony. Below the Silver Frost Tower—now isolated from the outside world—a terrifying scene unfolded beneath them.

 

* * *