How The Sub-Male Lead’s Stepmother Teaches Love Chapter 256

If Countess Dilas said that Marquise forgave her, her husband would be able to safely conclude his contract with the Duke of Kereis.

 

Now the Countess of Dilas finally understood why her husband had told her to grovel before the Marquise.

 

The count already knew that fact.

 

“I… I don’t even know what to say. I never imagined that my careless words would lead to such consequences.”

 

Countess Dilas bowed her head, conscious of the silent Marquise.

 

“I’m so ashamed I can’t even lift my face. What you pointed out is absolutely my fault.”

 

“..….”

 

“I was so bored with my lonely life that I ended up spreading false rumors based on what the new maid said. I swear I never intended to tarnish your reputation or your husband’s reputation.”

 

It was easy enough to fake tears.

 

The Countess of Dilas dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief, stealing glances at the Marquise.

 

Fortunately, Marquise took the bait she threw.

 

“A new maid?”

 

“Yes. She said she was from the North. Her stories were so detailed that I genuinely believed it had happened there… I’m terribly sorry.”

 

Letting out sobs, the Countess of Dilas tried to read the Marquise’s mood.

 

‘Why isn’t she saying anything? Come on, react!’

 

Prolonged silence was of no use to her. Countess Dilas continued, mixed with her fake tears.

 

“She told those stories so vividly, even though I never asked. Looking back, I think she may have held a grudge against you. I only recently learned that she was, well…”

 

“My older brother’s former fiancée?”

 

“Wh-What? How did you…!”

 

“That part doesn’t matter. What matters is that you were the one who spread those rumors about me and my husband.”

 

Her attempt to pin the blame on Julia and quietly slip away had failed.

 

While Countess Dilas bit her lower lip in frustration, Marquise opened her eyes and looked at her.

 

“Countess, do you truly regret what you have done?”

 

Regret? That was a word usually used by someone of higher status toward a subordinate. Hearing it from a woman so much younger than herself was humiliating.

 

But right now, it was true—she was beneath the Marquise.

 

“Listen carefully. If you don’t get this thing done, you’re going to get kicked out of the house.”

 

“If we don’t solve this, our family will go bankrupt, bankrupt!”

 

The Count’s chilling words echoed in her chest.

 

‘Fine. A little humiliation, I could endure that.’

 

Determined, the Countess bowed her head toward the Marquise.

 

“Yes… I deeply regret what I did. So please, just this once, show me mercy—for the sake of saving a life.”

 

“Alright.”

 

‘It worked!’

 

She nearly shouted with joy.

 

Barely holding back her grin, she looked up.

 

‘See? So what if she’s the Marquise? She’s just a young girl after all.’

 

If she kept in close contact with her from now on and flattered her well, there might be plenty of benefits to reap.

 

She was already fantasizing about saying, “I heard it from the Marquise herself,” and taking high society by storm.

But then—

 

“There’s one condition. You must do what I say.”

 

“…What? What do you mean?”

 

“Do you remember how many people heard you say those things?”

 

“Eh? No, I… I’ve been to so many social gatherings, I can’t possibly…..”

 

She regretted saying that immediately. Should she have just made up a number?

 

“I thought so. That’s why I had someone I trust compile a list.”

 

“Yes?”

 

While Countess Dilas was flustered, Marquise ordered her maid to bring the documents.

 

“Here. Take a look.”

 

“Oh…..”

 

Countess Dilas checked the documents she received with a bewildered face.

 

Her mouth opened slightly as she scanned each name written on the paper.

 

Surprisingly, the people whose names were written down were people she had encountered at least once, whether at a social gathering, a banquet, a dress shop, or a coffee house in the downtown area.

 

Even names she had forgotten were written down without fail, and Countess Dilas shivered with goosebumps running down her spine.

 

“H-How did you….”

 

“I told you. I have ears too.”

 

Most of these encounters had occurred before the Marquise came to the capital.

 

However, if the Marquise has the information power to record names in such detail, she will be able to figure out one or two of Countess Dilas’ weaknesses very easily, like spreading jam on bread.

 

The Countess’s face was overtaken by visible panic.

 

“I won’t even count the people they might have told. Instead…”

 

The Marquise paused for a moment and spoke with emphasis.

 

“You will go to every single person on this list—everyone you personally spoke to—and correct the rumors, point by point. Then get their signature confirming it.”

 

“Wh-What…?”

 

“You heard me. It’s not enough to just get a signature. You must go over each thing you said and clarify that it was false—then get the signature.”

 

“Wait, what do you mean ‘get a signature’? Are you serious?”

 

“You said you regret it?”

 

“I-I am! But still—!”

 

No matter how much the Countess raised her voice, the Marquise remained unmoved.

 

“I’ll be checking to make sure you follow through—just like how I compiled that list.”

 

The Countess stared blankly at the Marquise.

 

She desperately wished this was a joke, that the Marquise would suddenly burst out laughing.

 

But instead, the Marquise simply stood, signaling the end of the conversation.

 

‘No…. Absolutely not!’

 

If the Marquise left like that, it meant she had to do exactly what the Marquise said.

 

To go, one by one, and admit her lies? That would turn her into a laughingstock in high society.

 

No, it wasn’t just a joke. What Marquise Ajas told her to do was the same as telling her to commit suicide in high society.

 

Countess Dilas shook her head sharply and grabbed the Marquise.

 

“This is… this is too much! Did I really commit such a terrible crime? Just because I said a few words—!”

 

“And what’s so hard about it? Just say a few things again, like you did before—only this time, the truth.”

 

‘As if it were that easy!’

 

“You must not understand how society works. There’s nothing more disgraceful than taking back what you’ve already said!”

 

“I am telling you to do that disgraceful thing.”

 

“W-What?”

 

Startled, the Countess stammered. The Marquise scoffed.

 

“Why? You can’t do it? Then don’t do it. Because I will never forgive you.”

 

With cold eyes, the Marquise turned away.

 

“The guest is leaving now. Logan.”

 

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll see her out.”

 

“W-Wait, wait! Marquise, please don’t misunderstand. It’s not that I don’t want to do it—!”

 

Countess Dilas barely held back the wave of resentment rising within her.

 

“There are just too many people. Not just one or two—even some who aren’t in the capital. How am I supposed to go around and get everyone’s signatures, huh?”

 

“You didn’t seem to mind the crowd when you were running your mouth in front of all those people. Maybe you should’ve counted heads then?”

 

She was wrong. The Marquise had no intention of forgiving her.

 

The Marquise asked Countess Dilas, whose eyes were darkened by the realization of the truth, in a low voice.

 

“Let me ask you this. If my husband had not interfered with Count Dilas’s business, would you have come to me to apologize then?”

 

“…….”

 

The Countess, speechless because of a flash of conscience, could only keep her mouth shut tightly. Seeing her, the Marquise said in a firm voice:

 

“I’ll give you exactly one week. If that’s not enough time, at least show some sincerity.”

 

“…….”

 

“Although… by the time that week is over, even if my husband changes his mind, it’ll probably be too late.”

 

Why a week?

 

Countess Dillas heard the reason from her husband.

 

“The mooncloud wood that the Marquis bought is still in the Duchy of Daphne. To get it delivered to the Duchy of Kereis on time, it needs to depart no later than a week from now!”

 

And that day, Duke Kereis, who heard the news from somewhere, sent someone to Count Dilas’s mansion.

 

[Can I receive the wood within the deadline?]

 

There’s no way he sent someone just because he was curious.

 

This was a warning. A warning that if the deal fell through, things wouldn’t go well.

 

Count Dilas’s anger rose to the top of his head, and he grabbed his wife and screamed at her.

 

“Listen carefully! If this deal falls apart, we’re getting divorced, got it? I’ll file the divorce papers and sue your family too!”

 

After marrying Count Dilas, Countess Dilas never had any contact with her parents.

 

If Count Dilas really did sue them and they suffered any loss, they would surely demand she make up for it.

 

She was caught in a deadlock.

 

Either be ostracized from high society forever, or be kicked out of the Dilas family with nowhere to return.

 

In the end, there was only one path she could choose.

 

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