How The Sub-Male Lead’s Stepmother Teaches Love Chapter 345

Seeing him gently stroke the box as he said that, it seemed my older brother wasn’t completely against the idea of marriage.

 

Though for that, he really wasn’t very proactive when it came to meeting women……

 

‘Well, I guess it’s fine since there *is* a lady actively pursuing him.’

 

“Should we send Alex’s and Lily’s separately to the capital?”

 

“That would be best. Lily will probably have her wedding by next year at the latest, and Alec…… well, it seems like he’ll start dating before long.”

 

“Alex?”

 

“Alex is actually quite clear about what he likes and dislikes. If he really didn’t like her, he would’ve drawn a firm line.”

 

After thinking for a moment, my brother continued,

 

“Right now, he probably just hasn’t realized his own feelings yet……. But once he does, things will move quickly.”

 

“Really? I can’t imagine Alex being proactive in a relationship……”

 

“Just wait and see.”

 

As if no one knew us better than he did, my brother took a sip of tea and smiled confidently.

 

“For all you know, the very next letter we receive might say he’s started seeing Lady Violet.”

 

But there was something even my brother didn’t expect.

 

Not in the very next letter—but in the letter we would receive early next year at Ajas Castle.

 

It wouldn’t say that he had started dating Lady Violet. It would say that he was getting married.

 

And surprisingly, my first niece or nephew wouldn’t be Lily and Benjamin’s child— but the child of my brother Alex and Lady Violet.

 

* * *

 

The day we left Howard County.

 

In front of my older brother, who had come to see us off, Noah was holding back his tears.

 

But his cheeks and eyes were already bright red, so instead of being admirable, it just made him look even more pitiful.

 

My brother must have thought the same, because he finally lifted Noah into his arms and gently patted his back.

 

“If you’re sad about parting, it’s okay to cry.”

 

As if that was a signal, Noah burst into tears.

 

“There, there,” my brother comforted him, then asked me,

 

“You packed everything, right?”

 

“I think so? Even if we forgot something, we can always come back for it later.”

 

So there was no need to cry like we’d never see each other again. As I patted Noah’s head, I glanced toward the carriage in the distance.

 

“I heard you rejected all those marriage proposals. That basically means you’re tied to Layla for at least three years—are you really okay with that?”

 

Layla, who had already gotten into the carriage, hadn’t shown her face even though my brother had come to see us off.

 

I wasn’t sure if she was already sticking to her promise not to show herself for three years, or if she was hiding because she didn’t want to be seen crying like Noah.

 

“It’s not like it’s a problem. She said that if I meet someone better in that time, she’ll step aside gracefully.”

 

‘Oh really? He plans to meet someone else, yet rejects all the proposals?’

 

I shot him a sideways glance, remembering what he said about our younger brother last night.

 

‘At this point, isn’t the reason he can’t firmly reject Layla not just because of me?’

 

“I’ve been thinking this for a while—feels like Lily and I took all the initiative in this family.”

 

“What?”

 

“Alex probably knows it’s a date by now, but he’s still having dinner with Lady Violet while insisting it’s not a date. Honestly, I’m worried.”

 

As I sighed, my brother burst out laughing.

 

“Who knows? Maybe he’s confessing while giving her a bouquet.”

 

“Alex? Really?”

 

I had zero expectations.

 

Shaking my head, I reached out to Noah in my brother’s arms.

 

“Noah, we should get going now. Come to Mom.”

 

Noah came to me obediently and buried his face in my arms, as if embarrassed to show his tear-soaked face.

 

My brother gently ruffled his hair and said,

 

“You should show your face to your uncle before you go.”

 

“M-my f-face is all puffy from crying……”

 

As Noah struggled to speak through hiccups, Leonhard—who had gone to check if everything was ready—returned.

 

“Noah, if it’s too hard to say goodbye to your uncle, do you want to stay a few more days?”

 

Noah hesitated for a moment, but after looking at the prepared carriage and horses, he shook his head.

 

“I-I’ll come again.… next time…”

 

After wiping away the last of his tears, Noah stood on his own two feet.

 

Then, forcing his swollen eyes open, he looked at my brother.

 

“I had so much fun staying here, Uncle.”

 

“I did too.”

 

Kneeling down to meet Noah’s eyes, my brother straightened his crooked hat and said,

 

“Come visit again when the lemon tree and chestnut tree have grown. Next time, I’ll take you out on the lake in a boat.”

 

“Yes.”

 

Noah sniffled once, then hugged my brother. Then, as if sharing a secret, he whispered softly,

 

“Uncle… I really, really love you now.”

 

My brother burst out laughing. Then he pressed his forehead against Noah’s and rubbed it gently.

 

“I love you too.”

 

At those words, Noah giggled, kissed my brother on the cheek, and came back to us.

 

As Noah started to tear up again, Leonhard naturally picked him up, and I said my final goodbye to my brother instead.

 

“We’ll be going now. I’ll write as soon as we arrive at the castle!”

 

“Alright. Travel safely, and don’t overdo anything. I’ll try to visit by next summer at the latest.”

 

He meant he’d come see our Titi.

 

“It’s a promise!”

 

Even after the carriage started moving, I leaned out the window and reached toward my brother.

 

“Bye! I’ll come visit again next time!”

 

“Nell! That’s dangerous—get back inside the carriage!”

 

“Madam, please come back in.”

 

My brother from outside and my husband from across both scolded me at the same time.

 

Pretending I had no choice, I quickly sat back down, and Leonhard immediately closed the carriage window. Then he placed Noah, who was sitting beside him, onto my lap.

 

“Noah, hold your mother tightly.”

 

Whether he understood or not that this meant “keep your mother from doing anything dangerous,” Noah nodded seriously.

 

“I learned that sticking your head out of a carriage is dangerous, Mother.”

 

“Alright. I won’t do it anymore.”

 

With Noah looking at me so seriously, what else could I do?

 

Holding him close, I took out a handkerchief and wiped his face as I asked,

 

“You had fun playing at your grandparents’ house, didn’t you?”

 

“Yes. I promised Uncle I’d come play again next autumn.”

 

“Then we should definitely come again.”

 

Next autumn, Titi will probably still be too young, so I likely won’t be able to come……

 

But the year after that, or the one after, when we come again, I’ll finally show Noah the secret base.

 

‘Maybe we could even do a treasure hunt. This time we only picked grapes, so next time we could make jam, preserve them, and also do the fishing competition we missed, and then…….’

 

There were so many things to do, I couldn’t even count them all on my fingers. More than we could enjoy in just one or two visits.

 

‘Well, that’s for later.’

 

There’s no need to decide now what we’ll do next time.

 

What matters right now is—

 

“We’re finally going back home.”

 

“Yes, Mother. I’m excited to go home.”

 

“What are you most excited about?”

 

At Leonhardt’s question, Noah thought for quite a while before answering.

 

“Seeing Ruby. I kept thinking about her while playing with Bori.”

 

“And?”

 

“I also bought lots of gifts for Simon, so I’m curious if he’ll like them. And my lessons when I go back, and oh—I said I’d try making a real magic tool at the castle, and also……”

 

Noah kept talking nonstop, even counting on his fingers, listing all the things he wanted to do once we got home.

 

He was so cute that I stopped listening midway and pulled him into a tight hug, rubbing my cheek against his head.

 

“I wish we could get home soon. Right, Noah?”

 

“Yes. I hope we arrive quickly.”

 

To Noah, Leonhard asked with a smile,

 

“Was your first trip enjoyable?”

 

Unlike before, this time Noah answered brightly without any hesitation.

 

“Yes!”

 

* * *