How The Sub-Male Lead’s Stepmother Teaches Love Chapter 228

“Your Highness, there’s a message from the Tower.”

 

“What?”

 

At Karl’s sudden movement, water splashed out of the bathtub with a loud splash. The warm water that surged like a waterfall soaked Tommy’s feet and ankles.

 

Glancing down at his wet feet, Tommy continued speaking while pretending to scrub Karl’s shoulder with the soap in his hand.

 

“Master threatened to strip you of the successor’s position if you don’t return immediately.”

 

“What, has something come up now that makes him desperate for the Empire’s prince?”

 

Karl ignored the Master’s words to return immediately. If they were so desperate, he told Tommy he could go back instead.

 

But Tommy didn’t return. He stayed by Karl’s side, playing the role of a servant that fate had never intended for him.

 

“If you call it desperation, then yes, I suppose it is. The Lady of the Frontier is said to be Pell Sesto’s daughter. Ran confirmed it.”

 

Tommy—more accurately, Tom—had been adopted by the master on the same day as Karl, both from the same orphanage.

 

However, because they had different talents, Tommy became an ordinary wizard, while Karl became the Master’s direct disciple and was even appointed as his successor.

 

So it was natural that Tommy treated Karl with respect, and that Karl accepted it with ease.

 

“Really? The Lady of the Frontier… I remember the Marquis of Ajas made quite a show of that marriage.”

 

As Karl recalled the event, he furrowed his brows.

 

“But if she married the Marquis of Ajas, wouldn’t she have to be a noble? How did Asta’s daughter become one?”

 

As if he had anticipated the question, Tommy explained about the Lady of the Frontier.

 

“It is said that he was adopted by the Howard family when she was born.”

 

“Count Howard? I don’t recall such a noble family.”

 

“It’s a small territory northwest of the capital.”

 

“Northwest? Then it doesn’t match the route that Asta escaped.… How on earth did she end up adopted by the Howard family?”

 

Tommy, who didn’t know that much, kept his mouth shut and silently poured water over Karl’s shoulder.

 

The bathing service was intended to give the two a quiet moment to talk, but Karl, seemingly having forgotten that long ago, complained irritably about water splashing in his eyes.

 

“Asta’s daughter was really alive.… Wait, you said Ran found that out? Wasn’t Anne in the North? What about her?”

 

“There has been no news about her.”

 

When Tommy added that it was unclear whether she was alive or dead, Karl let out a sigh.

 

“She must be dead. Otherwise, there’s no reason we’d have lost contact.”

 

Anne tried to approach the Marquise of Ajas with bad intentions. If the Marquis of Ajas had found out, it would have been better to die than live.

 

“Tsk.”

 

That was the end of his mourning for Anne.

 

Karl leaned lazily against the bathtub, flicking the water with his fingertips.

 

“Of all people, the Lady of the Frontier… This is bad. Now that Anne’s been exposed, the Duke must be on high alert. How are we supposed to break through that heavy security?”

 

Crossing to the North wasn’t easy thanks to the Anild Great Canyon and its guarded passes. Even if they managed to pass through the inspections—so strict that crossing the canyon directly might be easier—they’d still have to face Ajas Castle, guarded by the Marquis himself.

 

‘He’s maintained a constant “state of alert” for years. How are we supposed to shake someone like that?’

 

Even with teleportation magic, it would take at least a week to escape the North.

 

“It must be good luck for us. I heard that the Marquise of Ajas is in the capital right now.”

 

“What? Why would she come to the capital?”

 

“There’s a rumor she came to divorce the Marquis…. But I don’t know if it’s true.”

 

Karl nodded at Tommy’s admission of limited knowledge.

 

Even though he was the master of this annex, Karl knew that they were under surveillance. If Tommy suddenly started digging up rumors about the Marquise, it would raise suspicion.

 

“The wizards of the tower? Are they aware of this fact?”

 

“They’re probably keeping an eye on her.”

 

“Keeping an eye? Didn’t they say they were going to close the tower door right away?”

 

“They did. But they’re sending out things like Ran’s ravens to scout externally.”

 

“So they’re playing it safe and making us take all the risks?”

 

Karl snorted in disbelief, but Tommy remained silent. The master’s order to him hadn’t been much different.

 

– Take advantage of the opportunity to kidnap the Lady of the Frontier. The magical item for the task will be sent soon via Monster.

 

How they planned to deliver something by monster into this heavily guarded palace was beyond him.

 

If it was a weak monster, there was no telling if it could make it to the capital. If it was a strong one, it would be detected immediately.

 

‘Was it really true that the tower’s doors were closed?’’

 

Truthfully, Karl had thought the master’s warning—that if he didn’t return immediately, he shouldn’t bother coming back—was just a bluff.

 

That’s why he had stayed in the capital.

 

“Ugh, forget it. The Lady of the Frontier or whatever—let them handle it. If I make one wrong move in my position, I’ve got too much to lose.”

 

Karl waved his hand dismissively and sank fully into the bath, signaling the end of the conversation.

 

Tommy, flustered, spoke up.

 

“But, Karl…”

 

“Karl?”

 

Karl, who had been slowly closing his eyes, opened them wide and glared at Tommy.

 

Startled, Tommy nearly dropped the soap on Karl’s head. He lowered his gaze, knowing full well why Karl was so angry.

 

“I’m sorry, Your Highness.”

 

“Yes, that’s right. I am the prince of this empire.”

 

Karl, smug, stroked the symbol on his wrist as if it were a priceless treasure.

 

‘This symbol will make me Emperor. If the Emperor weren’t out of his mind, he wouldn’t have named me Crown Prince.’

 

Karl also knows that fact. That’s why he had gathered all the chimeras in the dungeon within Count Gordon’s domain.

 

‘I was lucky. Count Gordon went to prison, so it was easier to move the monster.’

 

Not just chimeras—if all the monsters from that dungeon attacked the capital, even the most powerful emperor, dukes, or the Marquis Ajas would be thrown into chaos.

 

In that confusion, Karl only needed to kill the First Prince, Second Prince, and First Princess.

 

‘The best day to do it… would be the day when I am crowned prince! If I’m the only one left to inherit the throne, not even the Emperor can stop me. And if something goes wrong, I’ll just blame the Second Prince. He’s already got a record. If monsters appear in the palace, even the Emperor will suspect him.’

 

So the first targets had to be the First Princess and First Prince.

 

“I’m already looking forward to it…..”

 

Chuckling to himself, Karl’s face suddenly twisted.

 

“Wait.”

 

He couldn’t believe he had forgotten something so important. Splashing violently, he looked up at Tommy from the bath.

 

“If all the wizards really returned to the Tower… then who’s left in Count Gordon’s dungeon? Who’s going to bring the monsters when I give the signal?”

 

“I don’t know….. they said the Tower is closed and no one’s being let out, so….”

 

Tommy trailed off, uncertain. Karl exploded in fury.

 

“You call that an answer? Go get me the mirror, now!”

 

“But…..”

 

“Now!”

 

As Karl shouted, a large fireball formed above his head.

 

Tommy knew that Karl couldn’t perfectly control the power of the symbol. He quickly replied that he would get it and hurriedly left the bathroom.

 

‘Damn it, he’s already acting like he’s the Emperor.’

 

Of course, if Karl becomes the emperor, it won’t be bad for him either.

 

What Tommy had his eye on was the position of head servant at the Emperor’s Palace.

 

By then, even a great noble like a duke would not be able to act carelessly in front of him.

 

But…

 

‘Can Karl really become Emperor?’

 

There were still four royals bearing the symbol of Estroa—including the Emperor himself.

 

Besides, there are Duke Khalid, Duke Kereis, and Marquis Ajas in the capital.

 

‘And if… the Marquise of Ajas were present at that moment?’

 

If she bears the symbol, she could easily seize control through the power of the bloodstone.

 

If that happens, Karl’s plan will be ruined.

 

‘Yes. Regardless of anyone else, the Marquise must be eliminated quickly.’

 

The message from the tower was to kidnap her if possible and bring her to the tower.

 

‘Let’s get rid of her….’

 

With that conclusion, Tomi picked up a magical artifact in the form of a mirror, which allowed contact with the wizards of the Tower, and thought to himself,

 

‘How can I kill her?’

 

‘It would be perfect if she came to the imperial palace and ate something there.’

 

Tomi fiddled with a pendant filled with liquid and hurried his steps.

 

* * *

 

“I heard that rumor too. The two of you are on such good terms, so how can such a ridiculous rumor be spreading?!”

 

“I was so furious I made a list of everyone spreading those lies. I’m not even going to have tea with anyone who associates with them.” 

 

“Exactly! I’ll give the list to you too, Nell. I bet those people will send you a ton of invitations to try to confirm the rumors. Don’t accept a single one.” 

 

The day after returning from the Duke’s residence.

 

As expected, a huge number of invitations arrived at Paul Herbina.

 

More than half the names on the envelopes were ones I had never heard before. The rest were vaguely familiar—heard through someone who knew someone.

 

Many of them matched the names on the list Rebecca had given me.

 

“Nell, what are these names?”

 

“Oh, that one? Becky gave it to me. You know, the one who spread rumors about us?”

 

I showed Leonhard the invitations piled up on my desk.

 

“Look at this. They talked behind our backs, and now they shamelessly send invitations.”

 

“Hmmm… There are even names I hadn’t caught. May I borrow this list?”

 

“Wait a sec. I’ll write it down for you.”

 

‘Huh? He hadn’t caught them all?’

 

* * *