How The Sub-Male Lead’s Stepmother Teaches Love – Chapter 290

Author: Chewyy

“Did the child… turn into a doll?”

“I think so….”

Thinking back, I had felt something off when I hugged Kana earlier. Like the sudden lightness and the soft, plushy feel.

I could only guess it was that woman’s magic.

As expected, after the dust from the explosion had settled, the woman from a distance, seemingly aware of my presence, tilted her head as she examined the rabbit doll in my arms.

“Oh my, the magic bounced off Kana? …Well, I suppose that’s better. I was wondering how to deal with her anyway.”

‘Deal with her?’

“She’s just a child! What could she have possibly done wrong…?”

“Do you feel guilty when you swat a mosquito or a fly buzzing in your ear? Of course not.”

The giggling woman swung the wand she was holding in her hand wildly.

Not only I, but Leonhard also thought that attack magic would fly towards us.

But what the woman had cast on us, no, on this entire space, was a teleportation magic.

It was literally a magic that was not just us, but the entire space, so Leonhard couldn’t block it with his gauntlet.

And so, we were transported to—

“Whoa, they really came! There really were intruders in the tower!”

“Two? Just two people managed to break into our tower? How?”

“Wait a second… isn’t that the Marquis of Ajas?”

“The Marquis of Ajas?”

“It—it really is! It’s him!”

It was too noisy around here.

I looked around, clutching my rabbit doll tightly behind Leonhard, who was blocking my path.

‘The air feels stifling.’

It didn’t seem like we were outside. Most likely… a dungeon outside the tower?

I didn’t really want to know, but this dungeon’s environment must have been a mountain. Judging by the fact that I fell deep into a canyon.

Above us, on the sharp cliffs to either side, people stared down at us.

Between those faces, stained with curiosity and fear, I saw the woman who had brought us here.

“Master, when I realized they had infiltrated and reached Kana’s room, they had already taken her out of the dungeon.”

“What?”

The elderly man standing highest above looked down at us, his face twisted with rage.

“Those bastards dared to steal my daughter!”

“Kana is not your daughter! And besides, Kana is… wait, what? Where did she go?”

The rabbit doll I was holding in my arms a moment ago had disappeared.

As I looked around, I belatedly noticed the rabbit doll in the woman’s hand.

The woman waved a rabbit doll at me as if to mock me.

Then turned to the old man and said shamelessly,

“It’s obvious where they would have taken Kana. Master, let’s take care of these two first, then go get Kana.”

“Yeah, you’re right.”

The old man waved his hand lightly.

“Tsk. I set that trap for those damned Silver Frost Tower rats, but I suppose this will do.”

At his gesture, the massive stone gate at the canyon entrance creaked open— and beyond it, dozens of giant spiders began to crawl out.

“Oh my god!”

They didn’t look like they were being controlled by bloodstones.

The spiders came running towards us in a combative manner, as if they were very angry about being trapped in a small space!

“Leon!”

“Thank goodness the back is blocked. It’ll be over soon, so just close your eyes, Nell.”

“But…”

What are you going to do without a weapon?

As if reading my thoughts, above Leonhard’s head, three, six, nine… countless sharp spears appeared in midair.

‘Magic?’

‘No…’

“So this is the Power of Steel. What a rare spectacle you’re showing me.”

The woman, who had been chattering in a voice mixed with laughter, waved the bloodstone she was holding in her hand over our heads.

‘What’s she planning now…?’

“Wanna bet? Let’s see who wins—his Power of Steel and Sesto’s ability, or this dungeon full of monsters and chimeras.”

“It’s such a shame there’s no dragon, Ran.”

“Isn’t it? That damn Pan better come back soon…”

As she muttered irritably, Ran raised her hand—and winged monsters filled the narrow sky above the canyon.

“Just try to hold on. If you can’t, you’ll end up just like your father.”

With that eerie, skin-crawling screech, the winged monsters began diving toward us at high speed.

* * *

– So Noah… Huh?

Rake, who had been chatting happily as if chirping, suddenly raised her head and looked somewhere.

Pel, sitting with his back against the wall and watching the little bird in his palm with gentle eyes, asked curiously,

“What’s wrong?”

– The defensive magic was just activated.

“Defensive magic?… Was it Nell’s?”

– Nope. Nell can’t control her magical power right now, so she can’t properly use magic. That spell that just triggered—I cast it on Leon.

“Did you put defensive magic on Nell’s husband? Why?”

-Because I made a contract. To protect Leon. But since he’s always so busy and I can’t stay with him all the time, I set the spell just in case.

Rake, who had been explaining things in detail, tilted her head slightly.

– But that’s weird… That spell doesn’t activate unless it’s something serious.

That could only mean one thing—Leonhard was in danger.

Pel, who had thought about it that far, asked Rake with a hardened face.

“Where is my son-in-law now?”

– Leon? He’s in this tower. With Nell.

“What?”

Pel’s face twisted in shock.

“In the tower? Both of them? Even my daughter?”

– Yeah. They came with me.

“Why… Why would they come here…? Oh no.”

‘They came for me. They must have known I was here.’

There could be no other reason for Raenel to come to the tower.

Pel was devastated.

His very existence had become the chain dragging his daughter down.

“No… No, no… Those people here are monsters…”

If Raenel were to be captured by the wizards here, she would surely end up like him.

Locked away in a cold, dark prison where she could never feel sunlight or wind again, her blood drained until the day she died.

‘No. I can’t let that happen. Not to my daughter!’

– This won’t work. I’ll have to go and find out what’s going on.

At those words, Pel suddenly came to his senses.

‘Yes, it’s not too late. There was someone by Raenel’s side, protecting her.’

And he too had a way to protect his one and only daughter.

“Rake, you said you were a dragon?”

– Of course! I’m a dragon. A great being—possibly not the only one of its kind in the world!”

“Then can you help my daughter and son-in-law escape from here?”

– Of course I can. In fact, they’re only here in the first place thanks to me!

With a proud ahem, the little bird puffed out the feathers on its chest.

Pel gently stroked the bird’s small head with his index finger.

“It was nice meeting you. Thank you… for telling me about my daughter.”

– Huh? Why do you sound like we’re parting ways? Aren’t you coming with us?”

“Coming with you?”

– Yeah. You’re Nell’s father, right? You said you’ve never met her. She’d be so happy to see you.”

“Haha, you’re right. Even this loser is her father. She must be happy to see me since she came all the way here to find me….”

Pel closed his eyes for a moment and recalled what Rake had told him about Raenel’s appearance.

‘Since she’s a girl, she must resemble Asta. With her pink hair and pink eyes, she must have a very lovely appearance.’

‘She must’ve grown up bright and healthy, surrounded by good people who loved her.’

He wondered what kind of face she made when she smiled… when she cried, or got angry, or pouted. He wanted—more than anything—to see that with his own eyes.

“But I have something I must do here.”

– Do you have to do it here?

“Yeah. I have to do it here. I can’t leave here, so you go first.”

– Then, when will we meet again?

“Well….”

Pel didn’t answer. He simply smiled as Rake tilted her head in confusion.

“Will you tell Nell something for me? That even though we’ve never met, from before she was even born—I, we… have always loved her. And still do.”

– You can just say it yourself.

“Later.”

His voice, barely uttered, was filled with sadness.

He took a deep breath to steady himself and gently stroked Rake’s head again.

“Later… if I can, I will. But it might take a while for us to meet again. So I’m asking you to tell her first.”