How The Sub-Male Lead’s Stepmother Teaches Love Chapter 171

“The exact function of this bracelet is to suppress your magical powers and hide them, making it difficult for those searching for you to notice you.”

 

Long fingers tapped the pure white stone bracelet. Even though it had only been examined for an hour, the voice explaining it showed no hesitation.

 

Sage had said that even after days of studying it, she couldn’t figure it out. Yet, this person analyzed it so quickly. As expected, The master of the tower was on a different level.

 

“I understand that it suppresses and hides magical power. But what do you mean by ‘making it difficult for those searching for me to notice me’?”

 

“It means exactly what it says. It prevents people with ill intentions from finding you. However, there’s a flaw—it won’t work on anyone who has met you at least once without you wearing the bracelet.”

 

‘So, in short, it can only help me evade pursuers who have never seen me before?’

 

“What does that mean? How could someone who’s never seen me chase after me?”

 

“If an assassin guild received a request to kill the Marquise of Ajas, what do you think the chances are that the assassin has seen you before?”

 

“Oh…”

 

“Marquise Ajas, Sesto’s bloodline. The perfect conditions for others to take advantage of. I guess it would be better for you to wear this bracelet.”

 

With a snap of fingers, the bracelet on the table moved on its own and was placed on my left wrist.

 

I panicked and tried to take the bracelet off, but it was as if it was stuck and wouldn’t come off my wrist.

 

“Wait a second, if that’s the case, wouldn’t Noah need this more than I do?”

 

‘Wouldn’t Noah be in more danger than me, since he’s the one who will inherit everything from Ajas in the future?’

 

Felix dismissed my concern with a scoff.

 

“Can you say that after seeing this?”

 

Following Felix’s pointing finger, I turned my gaze—and the sight before me left me speechless.

 

A magic practice room divided into spaces by translucent magic barriers.

 

Following Sage’s advice, Noah was practicing water magic, and yet, the walls and floor looked as if they had been bombarded, torn, and tattered.

 

“The room was enchanted with an automatic restoration spell, so no matter how much magic was unleashed, it was supposed to return to its original state. Yet, seeing its current condition…”

 

“Isn’t there a problem with the practice room that it becomes like that with just one ordinary fireball?”

 

“An ordinary fireball? I bet even the fireball my students use doesn’t have that much power.”

 

“If we simply consider the amount of magical power, the magical power you possess surpasses mine. Don’t use any magic until you can control your magical power on your own. Do you understand? And do not take off the bracelet.”

 

“….Not even healing magic?”

 

“You know how to use it?”

 

The tone sounded almost mocking, and I wanted to snap back with a confident “Of course I do!” But unfortunately… I didn’t know how to use healing magic.

 

‘How could I know healing magic spells when I’m not a wizard?’

 

The only reason I could spell Fireball magic was because I learned it from my sister Lily.

 

‘I wonder if the magic power measurement is wrong. Maybe I did have a tiny bit of magic, just a speck.’

 

That faint hope—or maybe just stubbornness—was why I had memorized the Fireball spell so thoroughly. If I can still remember it, then my brain must be working pretty well.

 

“I warn you again, don’t even think about using any magic, healing or otherwise, when I’m not around. Unless you plan on turning wherever you are into ruins.”

 

“Yeah, I got it.”

 

‘Telling me not to use magic when he wasn’t around… That was basically the same as telling me never to use magic at all.’

 

‘Sage said even she couldn’t help me control my magic, so that means even high-ranking wizards can’t do it either… I was so happy that I could finally use magic, but what is this?’

 

Felix had suspected that my magic was sealed inside my body, but he hadn’t expected the amount would be this enormous.

 

That’s why, when he casually broke the seal without any precautions, I ended up being unconscious for four days.

 

I thought I had been sleeping for so long because I was talking to Hiyela, but apparently, my body had shut down because it couldn’t handle the sudden surge of unrestrained magic.

 

Thankfully, now that the seal was broken, my magic had settled properly into my body.

 

But since I had never used magic before in my entire life, my magic control ability was close to zero.

 

To put it in perspective, I was like someone who didn’t know how to turn a faucet properly, accidentally opening a dam instead. If I used magic recklessly, I’d be flooding everything in sight.

 

“Then how do I practice controlling my magical power?”

 

“There is a magical tool used by children who are just beginning to learn magic. I will give it to you.”

 

“Children…..”

 

I considered arguing that I was an adult who had even drunk the ceremonial wine at the New Year’s ceremony, but I kept my mouth shut.

 

In any case, it is an undeniable fact that my magic control is at the level of a newborn baby.

 

But then…

 

—Clang!

 

“Kyaaa!”

 

The moment I touched the hourglass-shaped magic tool Felix handed me and infused it with magic, the shimmering sand inside suddenly burst out.

 

“Oh my god, what is this?!”

 

And it didn’t stop there.

 

The hourglass was completely gone, not even a trace left, yet the golden sand that had poured out was rapidly filling the room.

 

It rose past my waist, climbing up to my chest.

 

“Mother!”

 

“Marquise!”

 

I heard Noah and Sage’s panic voices behind me, followed by the snap of Felix’s fingers.

 

In an instant, the golden sand that had nearly swallowed me vanished without a trace.

 

“Ugh….”

 

Swept away by the sand, I had been pushed to the wall.

 

As the pressure on my body disappeared, my legs gave out, and I collapsed onto the floor.

 

Noah quickly rushed over and supported me, his voice filled with concern.

 

“Mother, are you okay?”

 

“Yeah… I’m fine… Just a little shaken.”

 

“So, even a standard magic tool isn’t enough to handle your magic… It seems your magic capacity is even greater than I expected. Even for a Witch, this…. How can a human possibly possess this much magic?”

 

Watching Felix fall into his own thoughts again, I barely managed to keep my expression neutral.

 

‘It’s definitely because of Hiyela.’

 

Before waking from my dream, I recalled the energy that had surged through my fingertips when I grabbed Hiyela’s wings and instinctively wrapped my arms around my shoulders.

 

‘Didn’t she say to call her name if anything happened…?’

 

My magic alone had already caused such chaos. I couldn’t even begin to imagine what would happen if I actually called Hiyela’s name.

 

‘I have to be careful not to mumble even in my sleep. If I make one mistake, I might end up destroying the entire world.’

 

As I sighed, Noah carefully brushed the dust off my clothes with his small hands, removing any remaining grains of sand.

 

“Anyway, I think it would be best for you not to use magic tools carelessly for the time being.”

 

“I can’t even use magical tools?”

 

“Yes. If you make one mistake, your magical power may react to the magic circle imprinted on the magical tool and cause it to explode.”

 

“Oh my god….”

 

This wasn’t just a case of giving something and taking it back—I felt like I had just been handed a massive debt I never had before.

 

Felix, who was examining the shards of the broken hourglass, said with a sigh, as if my feelings were reflected on his face.

 

“It’s annoying, but there’s no other choice…. I’ll make you a magic control training tool myself.”

 

“Really?”

 

“I’ll charge the cost to the Ajas castle. Like I said before, you’d better be prepared. My magical tools are expensive.”

 

“Ugh…”

 

A magic tool so expensive that I had to prepare myself to pay the price—how expensive could it be?

 

But I couldn’t refuse it either, so I nodded, feeling like I was swallowing bitter medicine.

 

* * *

 

Since I was spending money anyway, I asked Felix to make me one more magic tool.

 

“Defensive magic tool?”

 

“Yeah. I’m going to give it to Noah.”

 

“……Why on earth are you so anxious about not giving that kid a defensive magic tool? What could possibly be dangerous for the successor in Ajas?”

 

“He’s in danger. He was almost stabbed inside the castle. Luckily, he had a defensive magical tool at the time, so he wasn’t hurt.”

 

“The next Marquis was attacked inside the castle, of all places?”

 

Felix looked confused, as if he couldn’t believe what he had just heard. I sighed.

 

“My husband publicly declared Noah as his successor, but his position isn’t as secure as you might think.”

 

“Why not? I heard the boy has the Ajas symbol.”

 

“You said you cut off all communication with the outside world, but you seem to know most of the news.”

 

‘But it seemed like he wasn’t aware of the internal situation.’

 

I hesitated for a moment before carefully choosing my words.

 

“Noah is not my husband’s biological son. And I might have a child with the symbol of Ajas in the future.… Anyway, it’s a bit complicated.”

 

In truth, Noah’s position was unstable because of the rumors that he carried barbarian blood.

 

But how was I supposed to explain that to a man who was actually part barbarian himself?

 

After telling him not to ask too many questions because this was a family matter, I went back to my room and took a bath.

 

“Ugh… Look at all this sand.”

 

It took three washes before the sand finally stopped coming out of my hair.

 

After drying my body, I wrapped my wet hair in a towel and opened the door—

 

“Ma’am.”

 

Then I promptly shut it again.

 

I really didn’t do it on purpose. No, I didn’t, but I panicked and my hands tightened before I knew it, and the door slammed shut with a loud bang!

 

‘It must have been because I was in the bathroom, right? That’s why the sound echoed so much, right?’

 

‘Ah, I wasn’t ready for this…!’

 

But I couldn’t stay here forever. I was also concerned about Leonhard, who was surprised by the sound I made.

 

I cautiously opened the bathroom door.

 

I peeked my head through the slightly open crack in the door and saw Leonhard frozen in place.

 

“Uh, when did you come…?”

 

“Just now. But.… were you avoiding me?”

 

I never thought he’d ask me something so blatantly. I was so surprised I almost hiccupped.

 

* * *