How The Sub-Male Lead’s Stepmother Teaches Love Chapter 193

As the wedding approached in a week, guests who had received wedding invitations, starting with my eldest brother, began arriving at the castle one after another.

 

The castle was bustling all day with the wedding preparations that had just been completed and the preparations to welcome guests.

 

Because of that, not only I, but also the butler and the servants of the castle were all so busy that even taking a moment to rest was a luxury.

 

Fortunately, most of the guests who arrived at the castle were Ajas’s vassals and retainers, so there wasn’t much of a commotion inside the castle.

 

‘There was even a case in Paul Hervina where innocent servants were harassed just because the alcohol didn’t suit his taste….’

 

Even Logan couldn’t resolve it, so Leonhard had to personally dunk the drunk into a tub of cold water to sober him up.

 

When someone was so drunk they lost reason—or when someone caused a ruckus on purpose—the only way to deal with it was to overpower them with status, so either I or Leonhard had to take care of it.

 

As if we weren’t already drowning in work—having to waste time dealing with unruly guests on top of that, it was absurd.

 

‘If the guests were a duke or royalty, even I would struggle to handle them… Thankfully, no one of that level is coming to this wedding.’

 

It made me especially happy that only congratulatory gifts from the Emperor arrived at the palace.

 

‘In fact, Ajas is like a burden to the princes and princesses.’

 

‘We don’t get involved in central politics, so it would be a waste of time for them to go and ask for help, though if someone else did, they’d still pay attention.’

 

So their unspoken agreement is probably: Let’s not get involved at all.

 

‘Right. If they wanted to attend, they would’ve come when the wedding was held in the capital. This place is too far from there.’

 

If I live here for the rest of my life, I probably won’t even get to see the Crown Prince or Princess in person.

 

‘Of course, my family is in the capital, so it would be impossible for me to not go to the capital until I die…’

 

Anyway, I wonder who’ll actually become Emperor.

 

Will it be the Second Prince-like in the future I saw, or the First Princess who suddenly manifested the symbol, or maybe even the First Prince who should’ve been dead by now?

 

‘Who knows. Whoever it is, it doesn’t matter.’

 

Even as a noble, the fact that I could live without caring who became Emperor made me genuinely happy.

 

‘Marrying Leon was truly the best decision.’

 

As my affection for Leonhard grew, I checked the list of guests arriving at the castle tomorrow and gave instructions to the servants who were cleaning the rooms.

 

“Baroness Pauline has trouble with her legs, doesn’t she? The Paulines’ room is on the first floor, right? Just in case, assign a strong maid to assist her—someone who can help her easily if needed.”

 

“Yes, ma’am.”

 

“And Duke Khalid… Huh? Duke Khalid sent someone?”

 

Surprised, I checked the list again. I must’ve shown how delighted I was because my expression brightened.

 

Layla, who had been helping me all along, asked curiously,

 

“Are you close with Duke Khalid?”

 

“With the Duchess. She was my first real friend. I even caught the bouquet at her wedding.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Oh, by the way, I haven’t decided who will receive the bouquet for my wedding yet. Let’s see, who would be a good choice…”

 

Traditionally, the bride’s bouquet was caught by the highest-ranking unmarried woman among the guests.

 

But since most of our guests were retainers and vassals, rank didn’t matter much this time…

 

“Should I just skip it?”

 

“Me, me! Can I take it?”

 

“Huh? You, Layla?”

 

To be honest, she was the perfect candidate by status.

 

Among the vassals, the one with the highest rank is the Marquis Cloud, and Layla is the daughter whom the Marquis cherishes very much.

 

“But you don’t have a fiancé yet, right? Usually, it’s someone who’s already engaged.”

 

Of course, I had agreed to catch Rebecca’s bouquet before I was engaged too.

 

“That’s okay. I’m planning to find one soon.”

 

“Really?”

 

‘Oh my, this is the first time I’ve heard of this.’

 

“Who is the other person? Is it someone I know? Is it someone who fits the ideal type you mentioned before?”

 

“Yes. He’s exactly my type. I thought this must be fate….”

 

Her voice grew dreamy, and her expression was distant as if she were recalling that very moment.

 

I, who was watching from the side, also got excited.

 

“Fate?”

 

“Yes. And it turns out, he doesn’t have a fiancée either! Isn’t that fate’s doing?”

 

As she said that, Layla’s eyes sparkled and she grabbed my hand tightly.

 

“You’ll support my love, won’t you, Marquise?”

 

“Of course! So, who is he?”

 

“Haha, it’s a secret. I’ll put in the marriage proposal first and tell you!”

 

“You’re going to propose first?”

 

“Is that weird?”

 

“Not at all! But—this is a secret—”

 

I whispered softly in Layla’s ear.

 

“I proposed to my husband first, too.”

 

“Oh my, as expected from the woman I admire…!”

 

Her eyes sparkled with admiration, and I couldn’t help but puff up proudly.

 

I was so excited that I ended up saying things to Layla that I didn’t need to say.

 

“A real beauty gets her man. Wouldn’t it be much cooler to choose the man you want yourself, rather than just sitting there quietly being chosen?”

 

“You’re right! I think so too! I’m trying to get the man I want too!”

 

I held both of Layla’s hands tightly with a happy heart.

 

“I’ll cheer you on.”

 

“I’ll succeed!”

 

It was after the wedding that I found out who the man Layla was trying to win was.

 

* * *

 

A thick, metallic scent of blood clung heavily to the darkness of the underground prison.

 

Lucius, who had been frowning at the sound of squeaking rats, asked the person ahead of him about a fact that suddenly occurred to him.

 

“But, Master…. There’s been a strange rumor going around the castle lately.”

 

“Rumor?”

 

Perhaps it was the nature of the place, but Leonhard’s gaze as he turned around was colder than usual.

 

His eyes, seeming to criticize Lucius for not handling things sooner, made Lucius clear his throat awkwardly.

 

“Well, it’s not exactly a disturbing kind of rumor….”

 

No, in a way, it was rather disturbing.

 

Unable to stand the annoying squeaking any longer, Lucius drew his dagger and threw it at a corner of the ceiling.

 

Satisfied when the noise stopped, he continued,

 

“They say it wasn’t you, but Ma’am who proposed first.”

 

Lucius didn’t miss the way Leonhard stumbled slightly on the empty stone floor at that moment.

 

Though the place was dark, it shouldn’t have been a problem for Leonhard.

 

In other words, that slip practically confirmed the rumor was true.

 

“Did my wife happen to say that?”

 

“So it was true?”

 

“Well, I did ask her out a few times.”

 

As Leonhard nodded, acknowledging the truth, a strange sense of pride flickered across his face—was Lucius just imagining that?

 

“My wife was the one who first chose me as her husband—from among all the men in the capital.”

 

It wasn’t his imagination after all.

 

“Oh, yeah, I almost forgot.”

 

Leonhard carefully stroked the jewel on the ring on his left ring finger, then carefully took the ring off and put it in his pocket.

 

He was afraid that dirty blood might splatter on it.

 

With how lovingly he handled it, anyone would think it was a priceless gem. However, to Lucius, it looked like a common stone with no real value.

 

‘Did Madam give him that ring when she proposed?’

 

If so, it made sense that he cherished it so much.

 

Lucius shook his head, thinking he had no idea his lord was such a hopeless romantic, as Leonhard opened a thick iron door guarded by two knights.

 

“Anything unusual?”

 

“Nothing, Master.”

 

—Creeaak

 

As the heavy door opened, a sharp stench flooded in like a wave. It was so strong it pierced even the already numbed senses, dulled by the stench of the prison.

 

Even Lucius, who had seen everything from the Colosseum, unconsciously held his nose and squinted his eyes.

 

However, there was no hesitation in Leonhard’s steps as he stepped into the torture chamber beyond the thick iron door.

 

He asked the torturer, who saluted him while keeping his eyes fixed on the woman lying on the floor.

 

“Has she talked?”

 

“Not yet.”

 

Shaking his head, the torturer muttered that further torture probably wouldn’t help.

 

“If I may say so, she really seems like she doesn’t know anything.”

 

“Yes. Either she truly doesn’t know, or… she’s under a magical seal.”

 

Leonhard suspected the latter.

 

She had confessed to acting under orders to verify whether Raenel was the daughter of Pell Sesto—yet she claimed she didn’t know who had given the order or where the bloodstone came from. That didn’t make sense.

 

“Give her this.”

 

At Leonhard’s signal, Lucius handed a small vial to the torturer.

 

Guessing what kind of potion it was, the torturer lifted the unconscious Diana into a chair.

 

He splashed water on her face to wake her, forced her mouth open, poured in the potion, and struck her throat to make her swallow— it all happened in an instant.

 

“Ugh, ugh!”

 

Diana coughed painfully as if the potion she was forced to drink had entered her airway. But soon, she lost the strength to do so.

 

The body slumps back onto the chair as if nothing happened.

 

Maybe it was a side effect of the potion.

 

Leonhard asked a question lightly after confirming that Diana’s eyes, which had been searching the empty space, had lost focus.

 

* * *