How The Sub-Male Lead’s Stepmother Teaches Love Chapter 330

There was one time when I snuck into the kitchen and stepped on a potato that had fallen on the floor, slipped badly, and hit my head hard.

 

Thanks to the huge lump on the back of my head, I suffered for nearly a month, and because of that, my father relocated his office.

 

“If you’re hungry at night, don’t go to the kitchen, come to my office.”

 

After that, I secretly went to my father’s office instead of the kitchen.

 

If he was there, he would go to the kitchen and bring me cookies and milk to eat, and if he happened to go to bed early, he would leave a basket of snacks on the table, covered with a handkerchief.

 

Until the day Father passed away, there was always a chair for me in his office.

 

“Nell?”

 

Leonhard’s whisper brought me out of my thoughts, and I sniffed softly as I patted his right waist.

 

“Go right, go right.”

 

At my words, Leonhard entered the right hallway.

 

From here on out, I had to be really careful.

 

I clung to Leonhard’s back, poked my head out beside him, and secured a clear view.

 

“Are there no people?”

 

“Yes. At least in this hallway.”

 

“Let’s go quickly. The large door on the right at the end is the entrance to the kitchen.”

 

It was quite a distance from where we were standing to the kitchen entrance.

 

Leonhard pointed to the door with his index finger, checked if that was the kitchen, and asked me.

 

“Where’s the office?”

 

“Over there.”

 

Leonhard nodded as I pointed to the door on the left, about halfway down the hallway.

 

“I can’t tell from here whether there’s anyone inside. Stay close to me.”

 

“Okay. I’ll trust you.”

 

Perhaps he didn’t want to be caught by my older brother either—Leonhard walked slowly down the hallway.

 

I walked quietly, clinging to my husband’s back, and thankfully no doors flew open as we reached the kitchen entrance.

 

“Phew… At least we’ve made it this far.”

 

“The way back seems safe, too. My senses tell me there’s no sign of human presence in any of the rooms in this hallway.”

 

“Really? You should have told me earlier!”

 

“Because my feelings could be wrong.”

 

As if a sword master’s instincts would ever fail.

 

Completely relieved, I let go of Leonhard’s clothes and stepped a little away from him.

 

‘Oh, then why is the light on in the hallway?’

 

If my older brother had gone to bed, the butler would have turned off all the lights in the hallway and lobby.

 

While I was wondering, Leonhard opened the kitchen door.

 

“Ah…”

 

“Hm? What is it?”

 

At Leonhard’s reaction, as if he had discovered something, I lifted my toes and looked over his shoulder to check inside the kitchen.

 

If my expectations had been correct, the kitchen—abandoned by both chef and maids—would have been pitch dark, with not only the lamps but even the oven and stove extinguished.

 

But a small lamp on the central table glowed silently.

 

Beside it was a basket, covered with a handkerchief.

 

“It seems we were caught a long time ago.”

 

Leonhardt, who approached the table first, smiled and handed me a note that was lying under the lamp.

 

It was a letter written by my older brother.

 

[You seem to have lost your way after returning home for the first time in a while. You haven’t forgotten that your room is on the second floor, have you?]

 

That was the moment I figured out why the hallway light was on when my older brother wasn’t in the office.

 

‘How did he know I’d come here?’

 

It was embarrassing to be caught messing around in the kitchen at this age, but it also made my heart ache.

 

It reminded me of my childhood, of discovering snack baskets waiting for me in Father’s office.

 

“Lemon pie and chocolate cookies… muffins, and even candy. This is enough for at least four people.”

 

“I guess he knew I was coming with you.”

 

We carefully added bottles of milk and juice to the basket and returned to my bedroom.

 

If we ate everything ourselves, Rake would somehow sense it by morning and sulk.

 

After setting aside portions for Noah and Rake, Leonhard cut the lemon pie into bite-sized pieces and fed one to me.

 

“Is it delicious?”

 

“Yes. You try it too.”

 

“I’m fine. The sourness is a bit strong for my taste.”

 

“Do you like this one?”

 

Leonhard nodded as I put a cookie filled with finely crushed chocolate chips into his mouth.

 

I giggled, rubbing his eyebrows gently with my fingers.

 

Leonhard then speared a slice of lemon pie with his fork, held it up to my lips, and asked,

 

“What do you like so much, Nell?”

 

“Just…. everything.”

 

The lemon pie and grape juice my older brother prepared for me were just right for me, and I was happy that my room in my hometown, which I had returned to after a long time, was still just as I remembered it.

 

This peaceful night, my beloved family is sleeping soundly.

 

And my husband—who doesn’t look like it at all, but loves sweet things—happily follows his wife around to steal food from the kitchen together.

 

“I was wondering, Madam… Is Barley the one you secretly brought home when you were a child—”

 

“Wait a minute. How did you know I secretly brought home a puppy when I was little?”

 

I thought I’d erased that memory completely.

 

“…Ah.”

 

“Ah?! You promised you’d forget all about that and even got a kiss from me!”

 

“I apologize. Since I failed to keep my promise, shall I return it?”

 

“Oh, honestly—that would only benefit you.”

 

“Then it’s good for both of us.”

 

I was momentarily speechless when Leonhard gave me a wink with his round, curved eyes.

 

“Wow… that’s dirty. Using your looks like that.”

 

‘Isn’t it unfair for Ajas of Steel to use something like this?’

 

Leonhard, who had no idea that I was muttering to myself, lowered his head toward me and lightly pecked my lips.

 

I’d lost count of how many times we’d kissed just today alone.

 

And yet, as if he could never tire of it, Leonhard pulled my chair closer to him and kept pressing his lips to mine, again and again.

 

It was as though he truly meant to reclaim every single kiss we’d held back in the carriage.

 

“Wait, wait. You didn’t bring up Barley just for this, did you?”

 

“Who knows?”

 

As if to stop me from questioning him further, Leonhard caught my hand where I tried to cover his mouth, gently pulled it away, and leaned down again.

 

Teasing his wife and kissing her.

 

Good grief—was this really the buildup he’d been aiming for?

 

“Hey, I’m warning you—if you keep teasing your wife, it’s not going to be fun anymore.”

 

“Understood. I’ll stop tomorrow.”

 

He answered far too obediently for someone who claimed to understand. I shook my head, peeled his lips off my cheek, and said firmly,

 

“Not from tomorrow, but from now on.”

 

“Yes. Starting now. I’ll only kiss you, so come here.”

 

But before I could even leave, Leonhard got up, picked me up, and moved me to the bed.

 

Leonhard lay me down on the soft bed, took off the slippers from my feet one by one, threw them on the floor, then lay down next to me and kissed me.

 

Although my stomach wasn’t out yet, Leonhard was worried that he might press on my abdomen, so he tried his best to avoid touching it.

 

Even now, the arm pulling me closer held no strength.

 

“Yeah, I think it would be better if you hug me tighter.….”

 

“This much?”

 

“Just a little more.”

 

But the strength in his arms remained too gentle.

 

Because I remembered how tightly he used to pull me into his embrace, it felt even too weak.

 

“I love you, Nell.”

 

“Mmm… me too…”

 

Even the brief kiss between our lips was so thrilling that I hugged Leonhard tightly around the waist, tilted my head back, and kissed him.

 

‘It’s good….’

 

The sweet scent of chocolate permeated my breath, and I lost consciousness as a large hand wrapped around the back of my neck, thick fingers digging into my hair.

 

The ticklish brush of his hair against my forehead, the warmth of his breath against my cheek, the solid body holding just the right amount of heat for this season—

 

Even the way our chests rose and fell together in the deep quiet of the night, beating in the same rhythm, felt perfect.

 

The shared breaths.

 

The warmth where we touched.

 

We were excited together.

 

“Haa… this feels strange…”

 

“How is it strange?”

 

Leonhard offered me one arm while using his other hand to gently smooth my messy hair back into place.

 

Each time his fingers brushed my forehead or cheek, I closed my eyes and spoke in a drowsy voice.

 

“This is the room I’ve been in since I was little. I never thought I’d ever sleep in this bed with a man.”

 

I didn’t even know that man was my husband.

 

‘Actually, it’s because he’s my husband that I’m lying here with him so confidently.’

 

“Did you never imagine dating or getting married?”

 

“I did, but at most I imagined sneaking a kiss under a tree. No matter how much of a troublemaker I was, I never imagined secretly bringing a man into my bedroom.”

 

“And what kind of man was this one you kissed under a tree?”

 

“Well, he’s handsome, tall, and has a good body.…”

 

“Was he someone who exists in reality?”

 

The voice asking the question was a bit sharp. I barely managed to suppress my laughter.

 

“And if he did?”

 

Leonhard answered immediately.

 

“I should challenge him to a duel.”

 

It wasn’t anyone specific. Just something I imagined on my own.”

 

“…Who was it?”

 

His eyes flashed for an instant. He really looked like he might grab his gloves and rush out at any second, so I clutched his arm and confessed honestly.

 

“I didn’t picture anyone in particular. It was just a vague fantasy. Haven’t you ever imagined something like that?”

 

‘…Of course you have—’

 

‘Wait. You have?’

 

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