How The Sub-Male Lead’s Stepmother Teaches Love

The bookstore I introduced to Leonhard was located along the Gold Line, which runs in a straight line from the drawbridge gate of the outer wall to the main gate of the inner wall, to the capital’s plaza and the imperial palace.

There was only one criterion for codes commonly used in the capital city. ‘Do you have a shop or a mansion on the Gold Line?’

With so much money, it was difficult to even set up a small store on the gold line. If we talk about it in terms of my previous life, the gold line is in Gangnam, Seoul.

It was a bookstore located in such an expensive neighborhood. Naturally, it was the largest bookstore in the capital, and second in terms of the number of books held in the capital. The first is, of course, the Imperial Palace Library.

If someone didn’t know and came to this bookstore for the first time, they would have thought that this was a library, not a bookstore.

There are five floors. Wherever you look, the bookshelves that reach up to the ceiling are filled with books, and employees naturally carry wheeled book carts or folding ladders.

There are more than 200 staff on standby at all times so that customers looking for the bookstore can quickly find the books they want.

Even when Leonhard and I entered this bookstore, the staff acted as if it were natural. After I saw the staff that it was all right, I took Leonhard and stood in front of the wall with the guide map.

“There are only two types of books that are not sold at this bookstore. A forbidden book that was banned from trading in the first place, and a book too vulgar to be sold here.”

“What do you mean by a vulgar book?”

“Well…”

It’s got a red tag.

“Don’t you feel sorry for the tree for making that a book? Something like a book is not good and not perfect.”

“Okay.”

He nodded, but it didn’t look like he understood. Pretending not to know him, I pointed at the guide map with my index finger.

“Then, shall we move to this place first? What kind of books do you usually read, Leon?”

“I don’t usually like to read books. The book I read recently… It’s like a monster encyclopedia.”

“A monster encyclopedia? Haven’t you ever read a fairy tale to your son?”

At my question, Leonhard tilted his head with a puzzled face before opening his mouth.

“Noah is still young, but he is more clever than anyone else.”

“Yes, what about that?”

“Noah has already taken all the letters. He can’t read books that adults read because his vocabulary is still weak, but he can read fairy tales by himself.”

Surprisingly, Leonhard said it in a very proud tone. I blinked for a moment, not knowing what to say.

“Therefore… Have you never read a fairy tale to your son? not even once?”

Leonhard pondered for a moment before opening his mouth.

“Wouldn’t the tutor have read it while teaching him?”

“No, not for education, but for emotional exchange. No, wait. Does a child who is only five years old already have a tutor? What is a tutor teaching?”

“Letters and numbers have already been taught, grammar and arithmetic, basic knowledge and etiquette as a nobleman, manners and the history of the empire…”

“For a five-year-old?”

“Isn’t that what everyone does?”

Leonhard had a face that didn’t know what was wrong. In a word, he must also have learned that when he was only five years old.

I forced myself to open my mouth and let out a sigh. Then Leonhard hesitated and asked me.

“Isn’t this normal?”

“Um… I honestly don’t know. I wonder if that is the right thing for the family of the Marquis Ajas.”

Even though he had the same authority, why didn’t the Marquis Ajas become a duke?

In fact, being a Marquis was not a position lower than that of a Duke.

Should I say that it is an exception?

In order to more effectively reveal the symbolism of defending the border, he was given the title of Marquis.

Even considering the authority granted to him by the emperor, the Marquis of Ajas was never inferior to the other three dukes. In the first place, in terms of being the holder of authority, the Marquis Ajas was on an equal footing with the other three dukes.

As such a great family, of course, the responsibility is great, and the duty is great… The intensity of education for the successor must be high.

Even thinking about it, I couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable. Because of the man in front of me who says it’s normal for a five-year-old child to go to sleep alone at night after taking lessons from a tutor.

Maybe…Because of this man who grew up going through the same process.

“I shared a room with my sister Lily until I grew up. My parents and my brother Oliver would take turns reading stories to Lily and me or singing lullabies. After my sister Lily grew up, she put me to bed.”

“Even though you can sleep alone?”

“Even though I can sleep alone.”

“Why?”

“That’s it, we’re family.”

I couldn’t bear to say that any normal parent would do that to their children.

I’m not even sure if this is common in this world… Most of all, I think it’s cruel to say that to a man who hasn’t had that experience.

‘Noah’s grandparents were never in the novel.’

Not much has been said about even Leonhard. In the beginning, he was only mentioned by name a few times, but never appeared in the main story. It was the first and last appearance in the past flashback.

‘He must try to fulfill the role of mother for Noah…’

Was it because he didn’t have the confidence to love his child as a parent?

“I… I don’t know if it’s okay to ask you this question.”

“Don’t hesitate to do it.”

“Do you often talk to your son?”

At those words, Leonhard’s mouth closed like a clam.

Can’t you answer this easy question? I asked another question to Leonhard, who couldn’t bear to see me.

“Then do you know what your son likes?”

“What… What does he like?”

“Favorite colors, food, animals… Do you eat together?”

Was it because I asked in an interrogative mood? Leonhard hesitated for a long time before finally shaking his head.

“I’m not good at it. Because I don’t eat on time.”

‘Oh, my god.’

“Then you don’t even know what kind of food your son likes or dislikes?”

“As far as I know there’s nothing he doesn’t like.”

“A five-year-old is not picky?”

“Should there be..?”

“Leon must have had one or two foods you didn’t like.”

“It seems there was, but…”

It seems like there was, but?

What are all these answers?

“I tried to eat everything that came on my plate because I learned that If we dislike the food l, we disregard the people who made and harvested the ingredients and the chef’s efforts.”

‘Oh, my god.’

“Have you ever complained to your parents?”

“Isn’t it a childish thing to be fussing about?”

“Children are not naturally immature. And I think it’s also wrong to make a child grow up early. Because the most important thing is to be childlike.”

At my words, Leonhard put on an incomprehensible expression, as if he had encountered a very difficult mathematical formula.

“What do you mean by being childlike?”

“Crying, swearing, and making trouble.”

“….”

“Has your son ever cried in front of Leon or made trouble?”

Leonhard pondered for a long time before shaking his head with a calm face.

“I don’t think so.”

“It’s a big deal.”

“Is it a big deal?”

“Yes, do you know what a five-year-old child does? If they do not cry, not scream, and do not cause trouble?”

I let out a small sigh as I recalled the past of my previous life, where only outlines remained.

“They have to look at the adult’s eye.”

* * *

A large, long dining table that can comfortably seat 18 adults. The dining room was so large that it would not be too crowded even if more than ten servants were diligently carrying trolleys around the table.

A huge fireplace that burns to keep you warm during long meals from appetizers to dessert. But all that was meaningful only if there were many people to fill the table.

one adult and one child.

The table, which only two people occupied in the corner, was too empty, and the dining room, which would have been noisy with each person saying a word, was just quiet, to the point where the sound of sparks from the fireplace could be heard loudly.

In such an atmosphere, how could the servants deliver food in a happy mood?

In case the sound of their footsteps and breathing would offend the nerves of the owner, so all the servants held their breath, removing empty plates and pouring water into glasses.

The silence, even paying attention to the sound of the wheels of the trolley, felt dangerous, like stepping on thin ice on a lake.

The one who broke the silence after a while was Leonhard, who bit off the main dish and ordered alcohol instead of dessert.

“Noah.”

“Yes, Father.”

The voice that answered right away was stiff. The child’s expression was the same, but Leonhard, who had never seen a child smile comfortably, did not notice anything wrong with that appearance.

“I heard that you started learning the piano a while ago”

“Yes. Lady Leverton said that if I am a dignified aristocrat,  I should learn at least three musical instruments.”

“Three?”

“Yes. Once I got used to the piano, I decided to start playing the violin and the flute.”

Noah’s voice was very calm as he spoke softly.

Leonhard thought of his own childhood, looking at the child’s expressionless face.

He also learned to play an instrument. Although he quickly quit due to a lack of talent.

‘Ajas’ pattern doesn’t teach me how to play the instrument. It’s too bad.’

Leonhard would have done better than anyone else if he was just beating it up. He was good at anything he could do with his body, especially with his strength, but he was a sucker for work that required artistry or creativity.

‘But is Noah different? Well, he was also good at playing instruments.’

“Isn’t it difficult to handle an instrument?”

“Yes…”

“You must be talented.”

At those words, the two small hands that were placed under the tablecloth and on the lap were squeezed tightly.

However, since it happened out of sight, Leonhard did not notice this time either.

“I’m going to hold a banquet on your sixth birthday. Will you be able to play the piano then?”

“Yes. I will do my best to live up to your expectations.”

“Yes, I look forward to it.”

Noah was good at all musical instruments, but he especially liked the piano. When he was in a good mood, he used to play it for Leonhard from time to time.

“The song… A hymn to spring would be good.”

“Yes. I will practice hard.”

“Yeah, I’m looking forward to it.”

That was the last day Leonhard had a meal with Noah. Before coming down to the capital, he was busy subjugating the barbarians who invaded the gate with monsters.