How The Sub-Male Lead’s Stepmother Teaches Love Chapter 215

“This is a letter from my sister Lily. Noah, this is a letter from your aunt.”

 

“Aunt…”

 

I opened the letter with Noah next to me, muttering with a slightly nervous expression.

 

[To my beloved Nell.

 

Oh my, you’re coming to the capital. That’s really great news!

 

If you’re all coming together, you’re bringing my nephew too, right?

 

Liv kept bragging in his letters about how cute and smart our first nephew was.

 

Alex was already excited at the news that his nephew was learning swordsmanship.

 

He’s the only one in the family who learned to use a sword, so it must make him proud to see his young nephew following in his footsteps.

 

If you happen to run into Alex, could you tell Noah to hang out for a bit with him and then run away?

 

Older than my five-year-old nephew, the truth is I’m more worried about Alex.

 

At this rate, I’m seriously concerned about whether he’ll ever get married.

 

Oh right, speaking of marriage….]

 

“Oh my god!”

 

“What’s wrong, Mother?”

 

“Noah, your aunt is getting married!”

 

The wedding date is two months from now.

 

I was really glad I decided to go to the capital.

 

I continued reading the letter, unable to suppress the corners of my lips rising.

 

* * *

 

After delivering the letter to the Maid of the Marquise, the messenger Peter went to see Leonhard and reported to him.

 

“As you instructed, I looked into the atmosphere in the capital.”

 

“Good job.”

 

After ordering Peter to stand by—he had many questions—Leonhard skimmed through the report.

 

What he had asked Peter to investigate were the rumors about himself and Raenel. Who had started them, and in what form they had spread.

 

The rumors Peter had gathered from his infiltration of tea houses, coffee houses, boutiques, dress shops, and banquet halls were not much different from what Duke Khalid had told him.

 

No—in fact, there was one more.

 

“The Marquis who returned to the castle brought Noah’s biological mother.…? Were the Marquise pushed out by the mistress and relegated to the back room?”

 

If the previous rumors were based on fact, this one was a groundless rumor. And a malicious one at that.

 

“Did you find out who started the rumor?”

 

“Yes. All the rumors related to the Marquise originated from Countess Dilas’s social gatherings.”

 

“Countess Dilas? Who is that?”

 

Leonhard had never even heard of Count Dilas, let alone his wife.

 

Wondering if perhaps he had forgotten, Peter gestured for him to check the next page.

 

When he turned the page, he found a summary of information about Countess Dilas’s social gatherings.

 

It was a gathering shunned by well-respected or influential noblewomen—a low-level gathering where insignificant women shared trivial gossip.

 

Naturally, what they said was usually ignored by other noblewomen.

 

However, the rumors about the Marquise had spread unusually quickly because the source of the gossip had a certain credibility.

 

Who started the rumor?

 

It was Julia who had become Countess Dilas’s maid a month ago.

 

“Julia? Who is that?”

 

“Don’t you remember? That, Lady Lamberton.”

 

“Lady Lamberton….?”

 

‘Who was that?’

 

Leonhard furrowed his brows and finally remembered who she was.

 

‘The woman who gave Mario Polten the story of my wife’s past.”

 

“Yes, that’s right.”

 

“Hah, she got kicked out of the North for doing that and now she’s doing the same thing in the capital?”

 

No wonder she seemed well-informed about the situation in the North.

 

Stories like Leonhard leaving for the Hiyela Gate as soon as he arrived at the castle or the vassals not following the Marquise weren’t things one could learn while sitting in the capital.

 

Because it was spread by someone from the North, people in the capital easily believed it.

 

“Seems exile didn’t teach her a lesson.”

 

‘What should I do with that woman?’

 

Now that she was Countess Dilas’s maid, any rash action could make an enemy of Count Dillas.

 

‘Then I’ll make an enemy. Was there any reason not to?’

 

‘They started it, so they must be ready to take the consequences.’

 

‘This is something even a five-year-old would know.’

 

“Peter, go to the capital immediately and investigate Count Dilas.”

 

Especially his weaknesses.

 

As Leonhard whispered quietly, Peter smiled proudly.

 

“It’s already written on the next page.”

 

Leonhard looked a little surprised, then turned the page and smiled happily.

 

“Now we can escape from that.”

 

“We’ll need a new recruit for that to happen…”

 

But for that, one of the seniors would have to retire—and they were all in such good health that it seemed unlikely.

 

‘I want a junior already, someone to run errands!’

 

Unaware of Peter’s wish, Leonhard began to think about how he could pressure Count Dilas with the weaknesses that Peter had uncovered.

 

“Peter.”

 

“Yes, Your Highness.”

 

“I’ll assign a few more of your seniors….”

 

Leonhard gave several instructions with a blank expression on his face.

 

Peter saluted with a determined posture and replied that he would carry them out immediately.

 

* * * ”

 

“Julia! My jewel!”

 

“Yes, Ma’am!”

 

Count Dilas, who ran a prosperous trading company, was quite wealthy. Thanks to that, the Countess of Dilas had an equally dazzling jewelry box.

 

From star rubies with vivid stars inside, to moonstones with soft moonlight and teardrop-shaped diamonds.

 

Even when she was Countess of Lamberton, she had never been able to touch expensive jewels before her eyes.

 

When she first opened this jewelry box, she was mesmerized by its brilliance, but now when she stands in front of it, she sighs.

 

‘What should I bring today?’

 

Actually, there was no need to worry.

 

By now, she knew—no matter what jewel she picked, the Countess of Dilas would be angry, and her close maids would mock her.

 

“Are you out of your mind? Do you know how much I paid for this lace? And you bring out a diamond this big? It completely overshadows the lace!”

 

From the neck to the shoulders and the wrists, the lace in the shape of intertwined flowers and vines was truly delicate and elegant.

 

The Countess had worn dresses like this before.

 

Back then, Julia had advised against wearing a necklace to highlight the lace.

 

Then the countess got angry.

 

“No necklace? And if people mock me for being too poor to afford one, will you take responsibility?”

 

How Julia wished she could mock the nouveau riche for such behavior.

 

Back then, and even now.

 

Julia simply bowed her head in apology.

 

The giggles that followed—loud enough to make sure she heard—now felt oddly familiar, even expected.

 

“A former countess with no sense at all… The only thing useful about you is that mouth of yours. Now go away. Melanie!”

 

“Yes, ma’am. The lace on your dress is very beautiful today, so I think you should tie your hair up and wear some flashy earrings.”

 

“How can we have such similar thoughts? Go and get some earrings. I think a sapphire that matches my eyes would be nice.”

 

“The one given by the Count recently, right? I think I’ve seen all kinds of jewels while working under you, but I’ve never seen a sapphire that clear before! It’s really beautiful!”

 

“All the noble ladies at today’s tea party would surely be impressed by the Countess’s earrings. And they’d envy you for having a husband who casually bought you such expensive jewelry.”

 

From Melanie spouting off nonsense to the Countess twitching her lips and finally bursting into laughter, it all felt like a perfectly staged play.

 

‘I used to be like that too…’

 

Wearing tailored dresses and adorning herself with dazzling jewels—it all felt like a distant past.

 

Lost in thought, Julia snapped to attention at the Countess’s irritated voice.

 

“Julia! How many times do I have to call you!”

 

“I’m sorry. Is there something you’d like me to do, Ma’am?”

 

“Something to do? Hah! Your only use is that mouth of yours, so you’d better come up with an amusing story again today. If you can’t do that….”

 

Julia could already guess what the Countess was going to say as she narrowed her eyes. So she quickly lowered her head.

 

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll do my best not to disappoint.”

 

“Okay, follow me.”

 

The countess turned around with a groan and headed toward the garden where tea time was to be held, waving the fan in her hand.

 

Following quietly behind, Julia’s mind raced.

 

‘What kind of story should I make up today…?’

 

Relying on people’s kindness, pleading tearfully—

 

That’s how Julia ended up in the capital, seeking out the Countess of Dilas.

 

After all, it was the Countess who had introduced her to the Count of Lamberton.

 

When they finally met, the Countess had asked what on earth had happened to her, and Julia had poured out all her bitterness.

 

“Oh my god…. The Marquise falsely accused you? So what’s she doing now? No—wait. I can’t keep such a juicy story to myself.”

 

The Countess had cleaned her up and offered her warm bread and soup.

 

Having been treated like a human for the first time in a while, Julia ended up slandering the Marquise of Ajas at the tea party that day.

 

‘I shouldn’t have done that…’

 

She didn’t regret speaking ill of Raenel. If anything, she could say more.

 

But Countess Dilas and her friends wanted more exciting and new stories, so Julia had to come up with a new story every day.

 

‘This is fine… isn’t it? It doesn’t matter. The Marquis and Marquise rarely come to the capital anyway.’

 

She planned to live like that for a while, then sneak away with a few jewels from the box.

 

Julia thought it would be easy.

 

Little did she know that the Marquis and Marquise of Ajas would arrive in the capital in just two weeks.

 

* * *