How The Sub-Male Lead’s Stepmother Teaches Love Chapter 306

“Wings!”

 

– Leon!

 

Leonhard, who had completely forgotten that the Chimera had wings, lost his balance for a moment and fell, rolling on the Chimera’s back.

 

Before falling off the chimera soaring high into the sky, he managed to drive his steel spear into its body and cling to it.

 

“Phew….”

 

Leonhard was so confident in his plan that even when hanging in the air in a very dangerous position, he did not feel much danger.

 

But he opened his eyes wide in surprise at the sight before his eyes.

 

The chimera, which he had assumed would naturally target him, opened its mouth wide and looked towards the bustling city of the capital spread out below.

 

“No! Rake!”

 

– Oh, oh, oh…!

 

Rake, who was trying to use flying magic on Leonhard, was momentarily flustered, and her mind went blank.

 

A shield protecting one person could be created in the blink of an eye, but creating one that protected the entire downtown area took tens of seconds.

 

Of course, tens of seconds was an incredibly short time. But it was obvious the chimera would unleash its breath long before that.

 

More than anything, Rake was worried about Leonhard, who seemed like he might fall down at any moment.

 

She has to protect Leonhard from getting hurt—

 

– uh?

 

Rake suddenly widened his tiny bead-like eyes.

 

Rake realized that the direction the chimera was aiming its breath… was where Paul Herbina stood.

 

Raenel and Noah are also in danger.

 

The moment she realized that, Rake—

 

– Shut your stinking mouth, you fake dragon!

 

—shed her disguise, returned to her true form, and unleashed a gleaming white ice breath straight into the chimera’s mouth.

 

Just like herself and Leonhard a little while ago, she lifted Leonhard, who was hanging on the chimera’s side, onto her head.

 

* * *

 

After sending the wizards and knights of Ajas that had returned from the eastern wall to the treatment room and rest room, I was about to assign those who were still in good shape to patrol the area around the mansion.

 

“Mother! Mother! Look up there!”

 

Noah, who had appeared out of nowhere using Felix’s teleportation magic, pointed to the distant sky beyond the building with a very surprised expression on his face.

 

“Up there?”

 

In the next instant, my field of vision completely changed—Felix had cast teleportation magic without a word and brought us up to the rooftop.

 

But I couldn’t even get angry at him for startling me like that without warning.

 

Because my jaw dropped at the unbelievable sight unfolding far away above the imperial palace.

 

“I-it’s flying…?”

 

“Is it that surprising for a winged creature to fly?”

 

Felix, next to me, kept saying mean things, but I couldn’t close my gaping mouth.

 

I saw a chimera flying high and opening its mouth wide in my direction.

 

“Th-that—that’s a breath attack, right?”

 

“Seems so.”

 

“‘Seems so’? How can you be so calm—what are you trusting in?!”

 

“Of course, I trust the dragon. Don’t worry. The barrier of this mansion won’t be breached by that kind of breath.”

 

“Maybe we’re safe here, but other places aren’t!”

 

There will be many people hiding in their homes or other buildings because they were unable to evacuate in time.

 

‘Just now, didn’t even my brother Alex go on patrol with Violet, who had returned?’

 

If that chimera unleashed its breath, there would no doubt be countless casualties.

 

“Mother, what about Father?”

 

‘Was he thinking the same as me?’

 

Noah anxiously clung to me.

 

I patted Noah’s back and looked intently at where the chimera was.

 

‘Where are Leon and Rake, seriously?’

 

It was too far to see clearly. I searched the chimera’s surroundings as best I could and asked Felix,

 

“Is there any magic that can improve eyesight?”

 

“I happen to have a pair of glasses with that kind of magic on them.”

 

Felix held out the glasses from his magic bag—only to pull them back mischievously.

Knowing exactly why he was doing this, I sighed.

“How much is it?”

 

“They were made as teaching material, so no money was needed. But when Noah completes his assignment later, I’ll be taking it as compensation.”

 

“What?”

 

As I blinked, not knowing what Felix meant by that, he put the glasses in my hand.

 

‘I feel like I’ve been scammed.…’

 

It felt a bit shady, but I was the one in need

 

‘If I had just worked a little harder, I could’ve given you the one I made myself, Mother…”

 

“You can make it later. I’ll be looking forward to it.”

 

After patting Noah on the head for his admirable dedication to studying hard for me, I put on my glasses and looked at the chimera.

 

The distant creature now appeared as clear as through a telescope. And there—dangling from a long spear lodged in its side—was Leonhard.

 

“What!”

 

“What is it, Mother?”

 

“N-Noah! Your father—your father is—!”

 

I hesitated for a moment, wondering if I should tell Noah this shocking story.

 

– Shut your stinking mouth, you fake dragon!

 

A flash of light burst across the sky as a dragon appeared, positioning itself in front of the chimera with its jaws wide open.

 

Its scales were a clear, pristine silver, tinged with the palest sky blue at the tips—it was breathtakingly beautiful.

 

It was even more terrifying than the chimera, with its severed tentacle pillars hanging down and its body melting here and there.

 

Even the breath that shot out from its gaping mouth was a dull, dark green on one side, while our Rake’s breath was a pure white, reminiscent of a dazzling snowfield.

 

Even by aesthetic standards, our Rake was the overwhelming winner — even the power of his breath was stronger.

 

It only took Rake a mere one or two seconds to inhale before unleashing her breath.

 

However, Rake’s breath instantly froze Chimera’s breath, along with Chimera’s head.

 

“Our Rake is amazing! So cool!”

 

“I don’t think now is the time to be rooting for that dragon.”

 

“What? Didn’t you see that just now? Our Rake blocked that chimera breath so well!”

 

“I saw it. Not just me — the entire capital must’ve seen it.”

 

Felix crossed his arms and gestured to Rake with his chin.

 

“What are you going to say to people when they ask you about that thing later?”

 

“…….”

 

At this point, when dragons were known to be extinct, it was impossible to honestly reveal Rake’s true identity as a dragon.

 

If nothing else, Ajas would draw an unbelievable amount of suspicion.

 

Ajas, keeping a dragon?

 

‘Honestly, if I were the emperor, I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night either…’

 

“Ugh, whatever. That’s not what’s important right now.”

 

Waving off Felix’s concern, I put my glasses back on and focused on Rake, who was still facing off against the chimera.

 

“Let’s see… Ah, Noah. Your father is up on top of Rake’s head.”

 

“On top of Rake’s head?”

 

“Yeah. Here, take a look.”

 

I put the glasses on Noah’s face and picked him up so he could see better.

 

Noah glanced at my arm, perhaps concerned about his own weight, but then raised his head and looked in the direction of Rake, perhaps more concerned about Leonhard.

 

“Father… Ah, I see him!

 

“He doesn’t look hurt, right?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Just as Noah nodded, a silver flash flickered above Rake’s head and began to swell like a balloon.

 

Noah muttered as he watched the silver flash grow long and long, as if it were piercing through the red clouds.

 

“Authority… The Authority of Steel.”

 

“It’s far away, but can you feel something?”

 

“Yes. Because I also have the symbol of Ajas.”

 

Those words reminded me of something Leonhard had once said.

 

Noah, who had been born with a symbol, was said to have powers greater than Leonhard’s.

 

‘Leon already looks strong enough… How strong will Noah become after he grows up?’

 

While I was looking forward to that moment, I also wished it were a distant future.

 

There was still so much I hadn’t done for young Noah.

 

“Ah! A chimera!”

 

Noah’s shout snapped me out of my thoughts, and I could see the pure white frost and ice that had covered the Chimera’s head shattering and scattering like broken glass.

 

At the same time, the chimera opened its mouth wide and tried to bite the nape of Rake’s neck.

 

“Rake!”

 

But Rake moved quickly. She spread her wings and retreated, avoiding the sharp fangs, then immediately leaped forward and crashed into the chimera’s body.

 

– Kraaaaagkk!

 

Rake may have been smaller overall, but only in comparison to the chimera — her true form was still massive.

 

The impact was naturally tremendous, and the chimera, whose body was already in shambles, crashed to the ground.

 

Meanwhile, the silver flash that pierced through the red clouds had taken the shape of a sword.

 

From this distance, I couldn’t really tell how large the sword I could see with my naked eye actually was.

 

However, I had the impression that the giant sword floating in the air looked exactly like a cross.

 

‘Come to think of it, they even made gravestones in the shape of a cross.…’

 

The massive sword — which now looked like a gravestone — seemed to be pronouncing the chimera’s final judgment.

 

And as if he knew exactly what I was thinking, Leonhard threw himself without hesitation over Rake’s head.

 

“Father!”

 

“Leon!”

 

Leonhard jumped high as if flying, reached out with both hands, and grabbed the handle of a huge silver sword.

 

His tiny figure — a mere speck from afar — fell like a meteor.

 

Leonhard, who added his own weight and gravity to his arm strength, swung a sword several times larger than himself without hesitation.

 

The sword energy that grew in an instant enveloped the entire sword.

 

The long, silver sword, leaving a crescent-shaped trail in the air, sliced through the red clouds for an instant.

 

Chimera, in a final desperate attempt, unleashed an acidic breath towards him.

 

But Leonhard’s sword sliced through the liquid acid as if he were cutting a radish.

 

—SHRAAAK!!

 

Even the body of the giant chimera was split in half.

 

* * *