How The Sub-Male Lead’s Stepmother Teaches Love Chapter 236

“B-but, Your Highness! I even spoke to other nobles to make sure I secured that diamond! But then at the auction, I accidentally….”

 

“What are you talking about? Did you threaten other nobles in my name to not interfere in the auction? Do you find my honor as a member of the royal family ridiculous?”

 

At Mariette’s rebuke, Viscount Gelon fell flat on the floor.

 

“N-no! It wasn’t a threat, I just… I only meant that the gem should rightfully go to the First Princess, so I asked them not to interfere! It was what His Majesty ordered, wasn’t it?”

 

“Yes, His Majesty did give that order. And yet you failed to carry it out. Leave now. I don’t want to hear another word.”

 

When Mariette stood from her seat, Viscount Gelon clung to the hem of her dress in desperation.

 

“Your Highness! Please listen to me! It wasn’t my fault. His Majesty gave me a spending limit, but then the Marquis of Ajas—he offered double that amount!”

 

Marquis Ajas.

 

Mariette let out a hollow laugh at the name she had never thought she would hear at this time.

 

‘Marquis Ajas? He was the one who snatched my gems?’

 

‘I’m sure he bragged about the money he had and said he’d give it to his wife. His wife must have been whispering that she wanted that gem.’

 

The corners of Mariette’s mouth twisted into a crooked smirk as she imagined that scene.

 

‘He’ll probably show it off at the next banquet, just to show off how much he paid.’

 

The couple looked very much like a pair of lovers.

 

A man who proudly makes an illegitimate child his successor because the child has a symbol on him, or a woman who flirts with a man in order to rise in social status.

 

Without realizing that she had been wrong about them, Mariette took out her anger on the Viscount Gelon before her eyes.

 

“How much did His Majesty give you?”

 

“500 million gold. Surely, that’s a considerable amount for just a single gem, even if it’s rare. But then the Marquis of Ajas bid one billion, and—”

 

“So what you’re saying is, my father—the Emperor—only thought I was worth 500 million?”

 

“What? N-no! Five hundred million! That’s an enormous sum, Your Highness!”

 

“Yet the Marquis spent a billion for his wife.”

 

A cold sweat ran down Viscount Gelon’s forehead, as if he had nothing to say.

 

“T-that’s because… the Marquis was being overly extravagant—”

 

“Extravagance is only a problem if it exceeds one’s means. That gem—Paul Herbina, was it?—was a wedding gift for his wife. I doubt a billion gold will hurt his fortune.”

 

Of course, that didn’t mean the Marquis of Ajas wasn’t unusually generous.

 

After all, even someone with endless wealth could be stingy toward their own family. Refusing to spend even a single gold coin was all too common.

 

And while it wasn’t fair to call the Emperor stingy—he had set a five hundred million gold limit for her gift—it was hard not to compare.

 

‘He spent a billion. It’s impossible not to compare.’

 

Mariette, who was laughing bitterly, waved to Viscount Gelon and told him to leave.

 

“You should tell His Majesty that I was very, very disappointed that I could not obtain that gem.”

 

Viscount Gelon’s face turned pale as he clung to the floor in a groveling posture.

 

“Y-Your Highness! I will do everything I can to make this right! Please, have mercy!”

 

“Ask His Majesty for mercy. I imagine he’ll be more disappointed than I am.”

 

“Your Highness!”

 

“Didn’t you hear me? I told you to leave.”

 

Viscount Gelon looked like he would burst into tears at the slightest touch as he clung to her feet.

 

But instead of showing mercy, Mariette summoned the guards to throw him out.

 

“Your Highness! Please, Your Highness!”

 

“It’s noisy. Get Viscount Gelon out of the palace quickly.”

 

And Mariette ordered all her maids, including the knights who had been guarding her, to leave the room.

 

“I have a headache. I need to get some rest.”

 

“Yes, Your Highness.”

 

When the surroundings were noisy, she had a headache, but when the air became quiet, her thoughts became more chaotic.

 

‘I didn’t get the gem that was promised as the price for my seclusion. If I break my isolation now, His Majesty can’t say a word.’

 

But she knew that wouldn’t happen. She didn’t want Karl to be officially named the Third Prince either.

 

‘How dare they use my blood like this…’

 

Mariette leaned back in her armchair and heard the sound of her teeth grinding.

 

It was all her fault that someone of unknown origin was walking around the palace claiming to be the bloodline of Estroa.

 

But how can she reveal the truth? Doing so would mean she would be labeled as a fallen princess.

 

‘If I’m not executed for treason, I should consider myself lucky… How much longer do I have to sit back and watch him disgrace the royal family name?’

 

The Emperor had said he would handle it, that Karl would never be named a prince, but she couldn’t bring herself to believe him.

 

He had already given Karl his own palace and even publicly declared he would hold a formal ceremony.

 

Even if he delayed it under the pretense of Mariette’s illness, that could only work once or twice at most.

 

Something had to be done before the ceremony took place.

 

‘There’s no one I can ask for help.’

 

She had to deal with this herself.

 

But strangely, that didn’t make her feel lonely or pitiful. She had never trusted anyone in this vast palace besides herself anyway.

 

* * *

 

The day after visiting the auction house.

 

After breakfast, I realized something important—everyone now knew I was the one who had bought the gem the First Princess had coveted.

 

How could they not.

 

“How many are there…?”

 

I used to get 10 invitation letters a day. Suddenly, that number had jumped to 25.

 

“There was even someone who showed up without an appointment demanding to see the Marquis and Marquise of Ajas and insisted on being led into the living room.”

 

Fortunately, thanks to the Knights’ help, they were all turned away. But that wasn’t the end of it—they were now circling the estate’s walls.

 

“What are they doing, roaming around like thieves… Can’t we drive them away?”

 

“Technically, our private property ends at the inside of the walls.”

 

Instead, the guards and knights had been deployed to patrol the inside of the walls—just in case anyone tried to climb over.

 

‘Even so, I wondered if the nobles would be able to climb over the wall, but I thought it was possible for their servants. If ordered from above, they’d have no choice but to obey.’

 

“Why are they going so far because of me?”

 

“You’re the sensation of high society, Ma’am.”

 

I burst out laughing at Logan saying that without even blinking.

 

“A sensation? Come on. Honestly, all I’ve done is debut in society—I’ve never even properly participated in it.”

 

Just once, I followed my sister Lily to a gathering, only to hear people pretend to be nice while whispering behind my back. After that, I never had the courage to go there again.

 

99% of the reason I cut ties with high society was because of those people. The remaining 1% was due to my natural homebody instincts.

 

“Even so, you’re the one everyone is desperate to invite. Is there anyone else in the capital who receives as many invitations as you do?”

 

“Really?”

 

Until now, the flood of invitations had just felt like a nuisance. But hearing Logan say that made me feel kind of popular—and I didn’t hate it.

 

Of course, that good feeling didn’t last long.

 

“Another invitation from the Marquise Calvin?”

 

Actually, could I even call this an invitation?

 

Last time, she said to come by whenever I had time. Now, she was saying she’d come to visit me at Paul Herbina, anytime I was available.

 

‘Why is this person so desperate to meet me?’

 

She didn’t seem like the type to care about social gossip.

 

“Logan, do you know anything about Marquise Calvin?”

 

“I know what I need to know, and I don’t know what I don’t need to know.”

 

‘So, not completely clueless?’

 

I asked him while fiddling with the letter from Marquise Calvin.

 

“Before I left the capital, wasn’t the First Prince on the verge of being named crown prince? Has his position weakened now that the First Princess and Third Prince have entered the picture?”

 

“His Highness the First Prince’s position has always been shaky. His behavior is… problematic.”

 

That was a pretty blunt way to talk about royalty.

 

Startled, I glanced around the study for no reason as Logan continued.

 

“Actually, with the Third Prince now being known as a full-blown scoundrel, his arrival may have actually helped the First Prince’s image. It certainly didn’t hurt it. It’s not like the Third Prince stole away any of his support.”

 

“What is the line of succession to the throne?”

 

“It’s still a two-way battle between the First and Second Princes. The First Princess has been gaining traction lately, but she’s not strong enough to compete with either of them directly—at least not yet.”

 

Even though Ajas had no interest in political affairs…

 

Still, if someone were to reach out for support out of desperation, Logan explained, it would more likely be the First Princess rather than the First Prince.

 

“Honestly, I’m starting to wonder if the First Prince even wants the throne. Otherwise, how could he keep doing things that damage his own reputation?”

 

“Yeah, I thought about that too.”

 

“Even so, His Majesty the Emperor dotes on him so much that it’s no exaggeration to say the nobles backing the First Prince are counting on that alone. And with Duke Kereis supporting him, that gives his faction a huge boost.”

 

There was a huge difference between having a duke in the support group and not having one.

 

Because Estroa’s test was judged by three dukes.

 

Two of them were already backing the First and Second Princes, respectively, so if the First Princess wanted to seek support, Duke Khalid would be her only real option.

 

But….

 

* * *