How The Sub-Male Lead’s Stepmother Teaches Love Chapter 237

“All this time, I kept receiving invitations from the First Princess. When I told her I couldn’t go out because I was pregnant, she actually came all the way to the estate herself.”

 

“She brought gifts, saying she wanted to let go of the past and make amends… but honestly, it leaves a bitter taste. I can’t help wondering if she would’ve done that if I hadn’t become a duchess.”

 

Rebecca, who was kicked out of a social gathering after defending me, told me that she would not side with the First Princess.

 

I told her I was fine, and that I didn’t want her making political decisions because of me.

 

But the truth was, if Duke Khalid did throw his support behind the First Princess, it would cause an uproar in the capital. There would definitely be people who’d change sides just because of him.

 

“Ugh… I don’t know. I just want to go back to Ajas.”

 

“You must write all your replies before you leave.”

 

“Ugh…”

 

My butler is way too strict. It’s enough to make me want to cry.

 

I sent polite refusals to every invitation, including one from Marquise Calvin.

 

Then, leaving Leonhard behind—who was busy battling Nolan’s challenger—I escaped to Lily’s magic tool shop with Noah.

 

* * *

 

“Are there that many invitations? Enough to make you run away here?”

 

“Yeah, really. There might be another invitation when I get home. I’ll just hang out here until dinner.”

 

“Oh my, you’re a married woman now.”

 

“Oh wow, is this a prototype? Can I take a look?”

 

At the far end of the third-floor hallway in Clover Magic Shop was an office—technically the president’s office, though it was really just Lily’s private research lab.

 

She said she never met clients here, since the place was overflowing with half-finished magic tools, scrolls, and magic stones.

 

So then… Why was there a huge comfy sofa in the middle of the room?

 

Because I bought it.

 

Not long after I came up to the capital, I bought it as a housewarming gift with the money I had saved.

 

Though, truthfully, I bought it half for myself.

 

Anyway, thanks to the gift I gave her back then, I am comfortable now.

 

I held back the urge to just lie down on the sofa and watched the magic tools my sister was making with Noah.

 

“Sister, is this a blender?”

 

“Yes. It’s finally finished. I actually completed the prototype quickly, but it was tricky adding the safety mechanisms so no one would get hurt.”

 

She put the peaches she had brought into the machine and switched it on. In no time, fresh peach juice was ready.

 

One glass for Noah, one for my sister, one for me.

 

We each took a sip and nodded together.

 

“It would taste better if you added sugar.”

 

“Should we add sugar too?”

 

“While we’re at it, let’s bring other fruits too.”

 

So we had someone go to the market and buy grapes, pineapples, watermelon, various berries—and lots of sugar.

 

We gave a cup to the staff who ran the errand, and another to Leona, Ethan, and Sage, who had been busy guarding me all day.

 

Even Catherine, who was guarding me from a distance under my husband’s orders, got a cup.

 

“Mmm… If the Captain finds out I chatted with Nell during guard duty, I’ll be in trouble…”

 

“Hey, just don’t tell him. And we weren’t chatting, really. I just gave you juice.”

 

“Really?”

 

Catherine tilted her head and took a sip of the juice I offered her, waving her hand and saying it was delicious.

 

“Can I have another cup…? Oh, wait. How did you know I was on guard duty?”

 

“I asked Leon. You clearly came to the capital with us, but I didn’t see you around.”

 

“Did the Captain just tell you straight out?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

When I nodded, Catherine drank the watermelon juice I handed her with an indescribable expression on her face and returned to her original position.

 

‘To think she stole the Dragon Heart all on her own… It turned out okay in the end, but it could’ve been a disaster.’

 

That’s why I couldn’t bring myself to ask Leonhard to forgive Catherine.

 

Still, giving her a drink now and then should be fine.

 

And so, I handed out juice to everyone, ending our little juice party.

 

“Oh, by the way, there’s something I want to show you, Sister.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“Ta-da!”

 

When I pulled it out of my bag, my sister Lily gave me a puzzled look.

 

“A snow globe?”

 

“This is no ordinary snow globe.”

 

I handed it over so she could take a closer look.

 

After fiddling with it for a bit, my sister Lily let out a short exclamation.

 

“A magic tool?”

 

When she infused it with magic, the little people inside the snow globe began to move.

 

“Wow….”

 

Unlike when I activated it, the people in the globe looked completely peaceful… until suddenly, a volcano erupted, and red-hot lava flooded the entire domain!

 

I was delighted to see the peaceful village scenery, but then I opened my mouth in surprise.

 

“Oh my, so this is what happens when you pour in more magic.”

 

“Hey, are you doing that on purpose?”

 

“Yeah. I was curious what would happen. I guess people without magic can’t use this, huh… It’s not a toy—maybe it’s for training magic control?”

 

“Wow, you figured that out?”

 

“I used to train with things like this too when I was little. Not as elaborate as this one though… Don’t you remember? The flowerpot I had?”

 

“The flowerpot? Ah!”

 

There had been a flowerpot that would sprout and bloom whenever my sister infused it with magic.

 

I tried so hard to make it bloom myself, but I couldn’t even get a single sprout.

 

My sister took the flower pot away when she saw me getting so disappointed, so I forgot about it until now.

 

“By the way, where is that flower pot?”

 

“I gave it to someone else. Their kid was learning magic.”

 

“I see…..”

 

If she still had it, maybe I could’ve made a flower bloom now.

 

With that small regret, I accepted the snow globe back from my sister.

 

“Sister, look at this.”

 

“What…? Oh my god!”

 

The people inside the globe, now reset to their original state, began heading out to the fields and rivers again after receiving my magic.

 

Only those with magic could use it—yet here it was, functioning properly.

 

My sister Lily looked astonished.

 

Puffed up with pride under her gaze, I accidentally caused another disaster—this time, the whole scene was buried in a blizzard.

 

“Oh my god, Nell!”

 

“Yeah, I can use magic now!”

 

“How? You didn’t have any magical power before.”

 

“I thought so, but it actually happened.”

 

Explaining how my magic had been sealed was a bit too long and complicated.

 

I barely understood it myself—but after going to Castle Ajas, my magical abilities had awakened.

 

That clumsy explanation didn’t seem to raise any doubts in my sister Lily.

 

“That’s great! Nell, you always said you wanted to be a wizard since you were little!”

 

“Yeah. That’s why I’m practicing hard right now. I’m not good at controlling my magical power, so I haven’t learned any magic yet.”

 

“Well, the basics of magic is controlling magical power. So how long has it been since you started practicing?”

 

“It hasn’t been that long.”

 

My sister Lily nodded at my answer.

 

“The only way to improve magic control is through practice. And the more magical power you have, the harder it is to control…”

 

My sister Lily was a little excited by the fact that I could use magic, and she began to talk passionately about theories on magical control.

 

It went on longer than expected, but at least Noah listened attentively without getting bored.

 

“By the way, Aunt, is someone’s main attribute something they’re born with? Or can it change over time?”

 

“It’s possible to change it. But it takes a very long time. You’d have to use spells of the new element continuously—long enough to change the color of your magical power. That takes at least ten years.”

 

“Ten years…”

 

“Or, if you receive a much greater amount of Magical power from someone else, your main attribute can change to match theirs…”

 

My sister Lily chatted for a while and then asked belatedly.

 

“But Noah, can you use magic too?”

 

“Yes, although I just started learning it recently.”

 

“What’s your main attribute?”

 

I answered for him.

 

“Metal. He probably inherited it from his birth mother. She’s my husband’s older sister.”

 

“Oh… So that’s how he manifested the symbol.”

 

My sister Lily nodded as if she understood and continued speaking.

 

“If you carry the Symbol of Ajas but have metal as your main attribute, that’s a disadvantage. What attribute do you want, Noah?”

 

“Water. I want the same one my mother had.”

 

Touched by Noah’s clear and sincere answer, my sister Lily gently patted his head.

 

“Aww, what a sweet kid. In that case, Aunt will teach you a basic water spell.”

 

The spell that my sister Lily was teaching was one that Marilyn had already taught Noah.

 

But Noah did not reveal the fact and recited the magic spell as if he was learning it for the first time.

 

“Wow, you’re a quick learner. Want to try this one too?”

 

Perhaps due to his father’s influence, Noah’s magical talent was exceptional.

 

My sister Lily was so impressed with Noah’s ability to follow along with anything she taught him that she laid out a mat and started teaching him various things.

 

‘Do all wizards like to teach others like that? Will I become like that when I become a proper wizard?’

 

‘Well, that’s the story after I become a proper wizard.’

 

While Noah was learning magic from my sister, I practiced controlling my magic on my own with a snow globe.

 

Eventually, my sister Lily noticed me and, looking a bit guilty for neglecting me, offered a suggestion.

 

“How about learning how to make magical tools? That requires less magical control.”

 

“Magic tool?”

 

“The basics are about carving magic circles into objects and sealing magic inside them.”

 

This time, the lesson on how to make magic tools has begun.

 

At first, I could understand it, but the story was so long and complicated that I lost track of it halfway through.

 

“Magic circles are basically drawn with magic ink mixed with magic stone powder, but there are also methods that utilize magic thread woven from monster fur or magic stone powder itself.…”

 

Because we couldn’t stop my sister Lily from talking, Noah and I had to just sit in silence and nod.

 

If Leonhard hadn’t come to pick us up, we wouldn’t have been able to return today.

 

* * *