How The Sub-Male Lead’s Stepmother Teaches Love Chapter 319

Haa, this lemon pie is so sweet and sour, it’s really delicious. It melts in my mouth.

 

I quickly finished a piece and washed it down with Howard-estate grape juice.

 

Only then did I belatedly notice how frighteningly silent the air had become—so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

 

When I finally raised my head, everyone except my husband and son was looking at me with surprised and shocked faces.

 

‘Oh, I said it.’

 

“That was a big announcement just now.”

 

To be honest, I’d originally planned for two major announcements today.

 

My pregnancy—and our Rake’s coming-out.

 

Since Rake’s true form had just been revealed to the world, and it didn’t seem like something that could be kept a secret between family members forever, I decided to reveal Rake’s secret while we were all gathered together.

 

‘But… she really did eat a twenty-tier cake all by herself.’

 

Even the ambitious masterpiece that the chefs of Paul Herbina had spent days making was apparently too much, even for Rake.

 

After finishing the whole thing, she’d promptly toppled over backward and fallen fast asleep

 

‘Well, today isn’t the only day.’

 

Rake’s coming-out could wait for another time. I stood up, held my fork like a microphone, and made a proper announcement.

 

“Dear sisters, brothers, and future family members. Around next summer, you can expect the birth of your second niece or nephew.”

 

“…….”

 

“I only found out recently myself, but for certain reasons, I already know the baby’s gender. Noah will be getting a lovely little sister.”

 

“…….”

 

“I look forward to your abundant love and interest—and also to your suggestions for the baby’s name. That’s all from your youngest.”

 

After saying “thank you” and bowing my head to the audience, I sat down and started eating the rest of the cake.

 

Leonhard was coughing, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and Noah was bragging to his two uncles and aunt, as if he had had a hard time keeping his mouth shut.

 

“I’m… going to be an older brother.”

 

“Yes… I see. Congratulations.”

 

My older brother stroked Noah’s head with a still dazed expression, then suddenly remembered something and called the servant.

 

“Lemon pie, if there’s anything left in the kitchen, bring it all.”

 

That day, I learned something new about the mother who raised me.

 

When she’d been pregnant with my siblings, she’d loved desserts—especially lemon pie, which had apparently been her favorite.

 

* * *

 

I found out I was pregnant a few days after returning from the tower and when I went to see the doctor.

 

Having suffered greatly from the attempted poisoning incident, I was originally scheduled to see the doctor again for a checkup.

 

But with the monster attack throwing the capital into chaos, several days passed in a blur. Only later did Leonhard, nagging insistently, push me into undergoing all sorts of tests.

 

“Perhaps you’ve been affected by something bad at the tower. You should see a doctor before it gets any worse.”

 

“I’m perfectly fine… Then you get checked too. I’ll do it if you do.”

 

“Okay. Let’s call the doctor right away.”

 

In the examination that he received, Leonhard received a result of ‘no abnormality’, and I….

 

“Congratulations, Marquise. You are pregnant.”

 

“……Pregnant? Me?”

 

“Yes. I had my suspicions even before, but it was too early then to be certain. Now I can say so with confidence—you are indeed pregnant.”

 

“You suspected it earlier… Ah, was that why you told me not to drink?”

 

“Yes. I said that because I was worried there might be a baby in your womb.”

 

Something I’d half wondered about—then dismissed with surely not—had suddenly become reality.

 

It wasn’t completely unexpected, yet I still felt dazed.

 

‘There’s a baby in here?’

 

It still didn’t feel real, so I just stroked my flat stomach, but Leonhard, next to me, completely turned to stone.

 

“Leon?”

 

“…….”

 

“Leon, why aren’t you answering? You didn’t faint with your eyes open, did you?”

 

“Pregnancy…. My wife is pregnant.….”

 

It was the first time I’d seen Leonhard’s eyes tremble like this.

 

As if he were facing a fragile glass sculpture that might shatter at the slightest touch, he carefully—so carefully—laid his hand over my stomach.

 

“A baby… We have a baby. Yours and mine.”

 

“Yes. Our child. But why are you so shocked? Didn’t you hear anything beforehand?”

 

“No. Not at all….”

 

The Doctor explained why.

 

“I’m not sure about this either, if I say something and it turns out to be wrong,…”

 

Well, that’s true too.

 

Anyway, the good news was that there was no other pain.

 

After receiving various precautions regarding pregnancy, I sent the attending doctor and sat down next to Leonhard on the long sofa.

 

As if I might run away, Leonhard wrapped one arm firmly around my waist and kept gently stroking my belly without end.

 

“Is it that amazing?”

 

“Yes… Isn’t it for you?”

 

“I don’t know. It doesn’t really feel real yet. I haven’t had any morning sickness, and I haven’t had any dreams.”

 

‘Ah—come to think of it, my period has been late.’

 

I was so busy that I didn’t really pay attention, but that alone was enough to make me realize I was pregnant.

 

“What’s a dream?”

 

“You don’t have those here? Where I’m from, when someone gets pregnant, either they themselves or their family or close acquaintances have a symbolic dream that hints at the pregnancy.”

 

For example, eating a large and delicious fruit, or a mysterious and wise spirit or animal appearing and giving you something as a gift.

 

Leonhard, who was still listening to my explanation with his hand on my stomach, asked me with a curious look on his face.

 

“So… a prophetic dream?”

 

“Not exactly. Honestly, I think it’s half coincidence. The most convincing one I ever heard was—”

 

Who was it that told me that story again? I couldn’t remember, but the details were clear.

 

“In the dream, a small child appeared and kept chasing them, calling ‘Mom, Mom.’ They told the child they weren’t their mother and to go away, but the kid just kept crying and following them. In the end, they gave up and said, ‘Fine, let’s go together.’ Then the child hugged them and said, ‘Mom, I’ll be good,’ and that’s when they woke up. The dream was so vivid that they took a test—and it turned out they were pregnant.”

 

“At that point, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say it was a prophetic dream.”

 

“Isn’t it amazing? So I was really looking forward to what kind of dreams I would have if I got pregnant later.….”

 

Maybe because I’d crossed into another world, I never got to have one after all.

 

Seeing my disappointment, Leonhard pulled me into a gentle embrace.

 

“You may still have one in the future.”

 

“Eh, it’s different when you already know you’re pregnant. From now on, it’d just be forcing a meaning onto it.”

 

Unless our future child appears in our dreams.

 

“So how do you feel?”

 

“Me? I’m… a bit dazed, I suppose. I don’t really know yet. I just hope both you and the baby stay healthy.”

 

Leonhard’s reaction was somewhat bland, but I thought I knew why he was like that.

 

After all, this wasn’t our first child—we already had a five-year-old son.

 

‘Come to think of it….’

 

“What will Noah say? Would he be happy about having a sibling?”

 

At my question, Leonhard nodded as if it were obvious.

 

“Of course he will. Our family is growing.”

 

“I hope so…”

 

I’d heard there were many firstborns who welcomed younger siblings—but also plenty who felt like their world was collapsing when they heard the news.

 

Especially Noah, who had a painful past of watching my reactions after learning from cruel adults that he wasn’t my biological child.

 

If anyone were to hide their feelings, even if they were upset about having a sibling, it would be that child.

 

“Just in case—if Noah doesn’t welcome it, please don’t scold him. That wouldn’t mean he’s a bad child. It’d be completely natural, so please comfort him instead.”

 

“Yes, I will do that.”

 

As I watched Leonhard nod, a thought suddenly occurred to me.

 

He had once had an older sister—one who didn’t just have a bad relationship with him, but had actually tried to kill him

 

‘He wouldn’t take ‘it’s natural for the first child to resent the second’ the wrong way… would he?’

 

Leonhard didn’t seem to care much, but I was worried for no reason.

 

Since I couldn’t voice those thoughts out loud, I hesitated for a moment before wrapping my arms tightly around his waist.

 

“Leon.”

 

“Yes, ma’am.”

 

His blue eyes, looking down at me, were filled with gentle warmth, and a natural, soft smile curved his lips.

 

When I called him and then said nothing, Leonhardt blinked once, looking at me in quiet question.

 

In front of him, I suddenly closed my eyes and lifted my chin slightly, almost like I was pleading.

 

Then, the hand that was still on my stomach moved up to my cheek and our lips overlapped.

 

Had he become more cautious after finding out I was pregnant? Normally, he would have kissed me deeply—but this time, he stayed close to my lips, repeating a series of light, lingering kisses.

 

“A thought just occurred to me… It’s strange how little I’m worried.”

 

“Yes?”

 

Leonhard brushed the strands of hair clinging to my cheek back behind my ear and continued.

 

If this were the old me, I would’ve been filled with worry first. Wondering whether I could be a good father to a child being born.”

 

“And now? Are you confident?”

 

Leonhard nodded and answered confidently.

 

“Yes. Because I learned a lot from you, Nell.”

 

* * *