How The Sub-Male Lead’s Stepmother Teaches Love – Chapter 205

Author: Chewyy

“It looks like it’s raining outside.”

“Raining?”

As I listened to his words and held my breath, I could faintly hear the sound of rain falling from outside the window.

I was relieved it came down today, not yesterday. As I was thinking that, I suddenly realized:

“I think it’s the first time I’ve seen rain since I came to Ajas.”

“Really?”

“Before this, it was still snowing even in spring, and once the weather warmed up, there wasn’t any rain.…”

I don’t know if it rained or not while I was staying at the Silver Frost Tower, because there were no windows there.

“Shall we go out to the balcony?”

“Like this?”

Startled, I looked at him, and Leonhard smiled softly and picked me up, blanket and all.

“No one will see us anyway.”

I stayed in his arms with my mouth shut as he opened the balcony door and went out.

“It looks like it just started raining.”

At the sound of Leonhard whispering in my ear, I slowly raised my head and looked down over the balcony railing.

What I see below is the landscape of the backyard.

The greenhouse that I thought was very big looks small when I look at it like this.

It felt like a miniature. The conifer garden, the towering castle walls, and even the city beyond seemed small from here.

The silence brought by the sound of the light rain made it feel like only Leonhard and I were left in this world.

“Leon, I want to feel the rain.”

The balcony was set far enough back that not a single drop of rain touched me.

I asked him to move closer to the railing, but Leonhard shook his head.

“You’ll catch a cold.”

“No, I won’t. You’re warm.”

At those words, Leonhard tried to say something to me, but then closed his mouth again.

He looked at me as if he was thinking about something, so I pouted and urged him, “Hmm? Hmm?”

“Just a moment.”

He let out a small sigh as if he had no other choice, pressed his lips to my cheek, and moved towards the railing.

I reached a hand out from beneath the blanket while still clinging tightly to him.

The feeling of raindrops tapping against my fingertips was almost adorable.

Even the smell of the rain in the air felt fresh and fragrant.

‘I had never particularly missed the rain, but why did this rain feel so nice?’

I stretched my hand farther to feel it more. That made the blanket slip off my shoulder.

Even though it was just a thin layer gone, the cold, damp air touched my thin nightgown, and I shivered instinctively.

It might have been because of the water droplets that had fallen on my shoulders.

Leonhard must have seen me trembling a little because he pulled my body back into his arms and pulled up the blanket.

“Let’s go back inside now.”

“Already? I want to stay here a little longer.”

“Of course, I don’t mind staying….”

‘Huh?’

“But I don’t think you would be alright.”

The heat in his blue eyes was unmistakable.

That heat seemed to transfer into me, and my cheeks flared. I lowered my gaze, nervously mouthing my words before saying:

“I… don’t mind.”

Would it have been better to just swallow those words?

The moment I slowly raised my eyes, Leonhard’s hand grabbed the back of my neck.

As our lips met, he sat me on the railing, and the blanket that had wrapped us dropped fully to the floor.

“Wait—hold on… what if I fall?”

If I tipped backward from here, I’d die instantly.

Maybe he liked that I clung tighter to him out of anxiety, because he tightened his arm around my waist and kissed my neck.

“That won’t happen. I’m here.”

The cold rain on my skin and the warmth of his hands made the contrast feel even more intense.

And even warmer than his hands were his lips, planting bold kisses on my skin.

In my hazy vision, as if I had already caught a fever, I hugged the back of the man who had been whispering sweet things into my ear without fail.

It was a particularly strange feeling, the feeling of his golden hair, wet from the rain, sticking to my fingers.

* *

The act I had only imagined in my head was far better when experienced for real.

I was so happy that I let go of my senses and clung to Leonhard’s arms.

It was fortunate or unfortunate that he was just as excited as I was, or even more excited than I was.

We ended up staying in the bridal bedroom an extra full day.

If we hadn’t had to see off the guests, we might have stayed there for two or three days.

“Marquis Cloud, did something bad happen? You don’t look well.”

“Oh. It’s nothing. I just have a little headache.….”

“Why?”

Is it a hangover?

Marquis Cloud let out a light sigh as I looked at her with eyes filled with concern and doubt.

She looked back and forth between me and Leonhard with a face that seemed complicated.

“It seems like you two haven’t heard the news yet.”

“What’s the news?”

“You will find out soon.”

Marquis Cloud, who was about to mount her horse, soon turned around and grabbed my hand.

“Please look after our Layla… Marquise.”

“Don’t say that. I should be the one thanking you. She’s been a great help to me.”

“I’m glad to hear she was of some help.”

Strangely, Marquis Cloud did not seem pleased or proud of my praise.

Rather, it looks similar to how my older brother looked when I got into trouble.

‘Did Layla get into some kind of trouble?’

But since I hadn’t heard anything, it couldn’t be that serious.

Leonhard and I saw her off, trying not to worry too much.

It was that evening that I learned why on earth she had reacted that way.

“What did you say? Layla proposed to you?”

“Could you talk to her?”

My brother let out a deep sigh while trying to serve a slice of meat pie to Noah.

“Looks like Marquis Cloud has already given up. I mean, no parent can win against their child’s will, but still….”

“No, why are you saying that? What’s wrong with you, brother?”

It was Leonhard who nodded in agreement to what I said.

“It’s not like she gave up because of his daughter’s stubbornness. Marquis Cloud is the one who says no even if a knife is put to her throat.”

“But the age gap is big, and I’ve already had a broken engagement.”

My older brother shook his head firmly, saying that he could not stop the lady’s bright future.

I watched the scene and then whispered in Leonhard’s ear.

“I think that’s exactly what made Marquis Cloud like him.”

“I think so too.”

Surely someone like her already knew the reasons behind his past broken engagement.

The debt that Julia had cited as the reason for breaking off the engagement has long since disappeared.

Rather, since he paid off all that debt in just a few years, that part would be a plus for my older brother.

“Anyway, Brother, unfortunately, I can’t stop Layla. I already promised to support her love.”

“What?”

“Didn’t expect it to be you, though.”

A promise is a promise. As the Marquise, how could I go back on my word?

‘Eight years is a bit of an age gap, but…’

If my older brother is the one chasing after her, he deserves all the “cradle-snatcher” accusations.

But if it was Layla who fell in love and tried hard to get him, it might not be so bad.

Besides, my older brother is a good person.

“Still, I think it would be better to get married a little later. I still need a lot of help from Layla.”

“Nell.”

“Brother, you’re still young, so it’s okay if you get married in a few years, right?”

“You used to say I was an old bachelor.”

“Were you holding onto that? I was joking!”

My older brother shook his head as he watched me laugh out loud.

At that moment, Noah, who was chewing and swallowing his food thoroughly, blinked and asked my older brother.

“Does uncle dislike Lady Cloud?”

“I think it’s rude even to discuss whether I like or dislike her.”

Anyway, my older brother was secretly a bit old-fashioned.

I whispered in Leonhard’s ear, glancing at my older brother.

“If you were three years older than you are now, we probably wouldn’t have gotten married.”

“Cough!”

“Nell!”

Leonhard suddenly began coughing as if something had gone down the wrong way, and I hurriedly patted his back, breaking into a nervous sweat.

I called for a servant and asked for some cold water, then rubbed Leonhard’s back once he seemed a bit calmer, speaking to my brother at the same time.

“Don’t be like that. Just meet her and have a proper conversation. I heard Layla proposed to you in front of a whole crowd. Are you really going to embarrass her like that?”

I asked if it wouldn’t be even ruder to someone who had confessed her feelings so sincerely. My older brother nodded slightly, seeming to agree.

“But I was planning to return to the Howard territory tomorrow…”

“What?”

It wasn’t my plate that made the clanking sound.

When I turned my head in surprise at the loud noise, Noah had dropped the fork and knife he was holding and was looking at my older brother with a surprised face.

“You’re leaving tomorrow?”

Perhaps my older brother hadn’t expected such a reaction from Noah, as his face showed a flicker of embarrassment and confusion.

“Yeah. I guess I should probably go back soon. It’s been a while since I’ve been away from my territory.”

“But, but……”

Noah lowered his head with a dark expression.

Seeing my brother unsure of what to do, Leonhard came to his aid.

“Then how about staying for a few more days? I think it would be better to resolve the matter with Lady Cloud before you leave.”

“Hm… That does make sense…”

Anyway, since Layla proposed, my older brother had to answer.

He couldn’t shame a courageous lady, so at the very least, meeting her properly once would be best—for both her and my older brother.

“Then I’ll stay for a few more days before returning.”

It was Noah who responded to that.