How The Sub-Male Lead’s Stepmother Teaches Love Chapter 209

“I think I should go to the capital.”

 

“The capital?”

 

“All of a sudden?”

 

While I was dropping marshmallows into my hot chocolate, Leonhard cut the cake and gave a piece to Noah and then to me.

 

A peaceful teatime with just the family, no one else.

 

We usually talked about trivial things—what letters we’d received, whether Noah’s lessons were interesting, what flowers had bloomed in the greenhouse.

 

This was the first time Leonhardt looked so troubled during such a moment.

 

“You have already heard from the Duchess. It’s about the appearance of the Third Prince in the capital.”

 

“Yes. It’s presumed he’s His Majesty’s illegitimate child, right?”

 

As I asked absentmindedly, I immediately regretted it and glanced at Noah.

 

I thought it wasn’t an appropriate word to bring up in front of a child, but fortunately, Noah was more interested in the royal family’s situation.

 

“The Third Prince—that means he manifested the symbol of Estroa, right? I heard it’s rare, usually only one or two people per generation. But now, so many in this royal generation have manifested it.”

 

“Noah, do you know about the royal family’s situation?”

 

“Just a little. Father told me.”

 

I looked at Leonhard and he nodded.

 

It seemed like he had taught it separately during class.

 

“The Third Prince apparently appeared at the palace one day. He said a symbol appeared on his body and he thought it was Estroa’s.”

 

“So he didn’t know he was of royal blood?”

 

“Yes. He said that he was left in an orphanage when he was young and lived without knowing the names or faces of his parents.”

 

“But then he found out that he has royal blood…?”

 

The setting was exactly like the main character in a novel.

 

The problem was, in the future Hiyela showed me, this Third Prince didn’t exist at all.

 

‘Where on earth did it get twisted that someone who didn’t originally exist to show up now?’

 

The First Princess was already a big enough variable. Now there’s a Third Prince, too.

 

Even being far removed from it all gave me a headache—imagine how stressful it must be for those involved in the succession race.

 

“But what does this have to do with you needing to go to the capital?”

 

Surely he wasn’t planning to get involved in the succession.

 

As I tilted my head in confusion, Leonhardt fiddled with the teacup handle, his eyes dark and deep.

 

“It would take a long time to explain…”

 

Leonhard, who was sighing softly, turned his gaze to Noah.

 

Sensing his gaze, Noah stopped eating his cake and looked at Leonhard.

 

“Father?”

 

“There’s something your biological father left with me on the day of my wedding.”

 

Leonhard placed a small bottle on the table.

 

“What is this?”

 

“Don’t open it. He says the effect will disappear as soon as you open it.”

 

At those words, I set the bottle back down. But what he said next made me doubt my ears.

 

“He says it’s a potion that purifies blood. It can erase the monster’s blood mixed in Noah’s blood, making him no longer a barbarian.”

 

“What…?”

 

So it’s not just a cover with Felix—this could actually make Noah not a barbarian?

 

When I turned my head, Noah was also looking very surprised with his eyes wide open.

 

But Leonhard’s words did not end there. It was just the beginning.

 

“Felix shut the Silver Frost Tower for a hundred years just to create this potion.”

 

Leonhard then explained in detail the history behind that potion and why he decided to go to the capital.

 

“So you’re saying… the Third Prince might’ve artificially manifested a symbol using royal blood? That’s even possible?”

 

“It must be. Otherwise, Felix and his masters wouldn’t have spent so long creating this potion.”

 

“Oh….”

 

“I already confirmed it with Felix. If a symbol was artificially manifested, injecting this potion will erase it—Even if he originally had that blood.”

 

“Even if they did have the blood…?”

 

The moment I realized what that meant, a chill ran down my spine.

 

‘So that’s why the First Princess manifested a symbol.’

 

But we couldn’t blame only her.

 

The First Prince had once aligned with Onyx. He, too, might have artificially manifested his symbol.

 

‘Still… Why would the First Princess have joined Onyx? It wasn’t like that in the future that Hiyela showed me.’

 

“Father, what would happen if it was revealed that someone artificially manifested a symbol?”

 

“There’s no precedent, so I can’t be sure… but they’d likely be stripped of their title and all their authority.”

 

And if the Third Prince really was created this way, then either the First Prince or the First Princess must have given him their blood.

 

Helping a non-royal manifest a symbol—even unknowingly—would be considered treason.

 

“Then whoever helped the Third Prince will desperately try to keep it secret…”

 

At that moment I realized why Leonhard had said he had to go to the capital.

 

If a royal deliberately sabotaged an investigation, who could properly investigate anything in the capital?

 

Moreover, Two of the empire’s three grand dukes already supported different heirs—

 

Duke Kereis backed the First Prince.

 

Duke Daphne backed the Second Prince.

 

“We can’t even be sure the Second Prince is innocent now. So neither Duke Daphne nor Duke Kereis can be trusted. The only neutral one left is Duke Khalid.”

 

“Ah, so the talk you said you needed to have with Duke Khalid… it was about this?”

 

Leonhard nodded to my question.

 

“Duke Khalid will enter the palace today to report this to His Majesty and get permission for me to travel to the capital with full authority to investigate the royals.”

 

“Permission? Do you need His Majesty’s permission to go to the capital?”

 

“Not usually. But this time, my goal is to uproot Onyx, which the Third Prince is clearly involved with.”

 

The plan was to get permission from the Emperor in advance since it could involve investigating royals.

 

“But… do you really have to go so far as to get permission? Won’t people accuse you of interfering in capital politics?”

 

“What you said is true. In fact, whatever happens in the palace, there is no need for Ajas to interfere.”

 

At first glance, it might sound like Leonhard lacked loyalty—but this was exactly what the Emperor wanted from Aias:

 

Unless the rebels invaded the imperial palace with an army, he was not to interfere in the capital’s politics no matter what happened.

 

That was why Ajas had been granted autonomous rule over the frontier in the first place.

 

“But I have to go.”

 

“why…?”

 

“Because the group he belongs to dares to target you.”

 

Suddenly, a loud clatter broke the silence.

 

It was Noah who had dropped his fork.

 

“What do you mean, there is a group targeting Mother?”

 

“Ah…”

 

Leonhard’s face clearly showed he hadn’t meant to tell Noah.

 

Though his expression was stiff, it was obvious he was trying to come up with an excuse.

 

I reached out to help.

 

“Noah, come here.”

 

Without a moment’s hesitation, Noah got down from his chair and came over to me.

 

I picked him up, placed him on my lap, and patted his head.

 

“Do you remember that I have the symbol of Sesto?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“There must be people who want to abuse that power.”

 

“So they’re targeting you because of it?”

 

Noah’s voice boiled with anger.

 

I really appreciate him getting angry, but I hate hearing Noah sound like that, so I picked up a strawberry with my fork and put it in Noah’s mouth.

 

“It’s okay, don’t worry. Whoever is after me, how could they possibly dare to invade this castle?”

 

“Well… that may be true, but…”

 

“And your father is going to the capital to catch those bad guys.”

 

At my glance, Leonhard quickly nodded.

 

“There is nothing to worry about. I will make sure to eliminate them myself.”

 

“What if you’re in danger, Father?”

 

“Are you worried about me?”

 

A small smile appeared on Leonhard’s lips. A smile that came from the confidence that something like that would never happen.

 

But instead of telling Noah not to worry, he reached out and patted Noah’s head.

 

“I promise, I won’t go anywhere dangerous.”

 

“But what if—”

 

– Strawberry!

 

Just as Noah, with an anxious look on his face, was about to imagine what might happen, Rake suddenly appeared on the table and rushed towards the cake.

 

– You’re eating strawberry cake without me!

 

“You always sneak into the kitchen to eat anyway.”

 

As if she didn’t hear my outrageous protests, Rake sat down on the cake, whether or not the whipped cream was on her fur, and began to peck at the strawberries.

 

Anyone would think we were starving him.

 

I was really impressed by Rake, who ate strawberries aggressively despite her protruding belly.

 

“Okay, eat a lot. Eat everything.”

 

– I want hot chocolate too!

 

“What kind of bird asks for hot chocolate?”

 

Oh right, She’s not a bird. She’s a dragon.

 

While I was thinking it was funny that the dragon was looking for hot chocolate, Noah scooped up some hot chocolate with a teaspoon and put it to Rake’s mouth.

 

Rake, of course, sipped it like pecking at it with her beak, as if it were the most natural thing.

 

‘Oh, right.’

 

“Rake, Did you know?”

 

– Know what?

 

“The desserts made by our castle’s chef are, of course, delicious. But there are more delicious desserts in the capital.”

 

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