Stepmothers Are Not Always Evil

“Let’s wash your hands first.”

When I wiped the child’s hands with a wet towel, the white towel quickly wrinkled.

One towel won’t be enough.

Putting down the dirty towel and picking up a new one, the child whispered softly.

“I wash well.”

“What?”

“Usually it is clean, but there is a lot of dust in my room.”

Escal made excuses for being embarrassed by the black towel.

He smiled as he licked his lips with a puffy face.

I smiled and chuckled.

“Right. As you can see, your room was very messy. Look at this, my hands black, too”

My hand is black, because I’m holding Escal’s hand.

Checking the black stained hands, Escal’s face was wide open.

“If you wipe it, it will be clean in no time. Give me your hand.”

As she was about to wash his hands and wash his face, Escal rolled up his sleeves.

“I can wash my face by myself.”

“Really? Then where do we go?”

Escal scooped up water with his hand and rubbed his face.

It was like a cat washing his face, but the effort he made was so cute that I let it go.

Escal, who had washed his face until the clear water became cloudy, picked up a dry towel and wiped the water on his face.

Then he looked at me with a look of praise.

“I’m done.”

“You’re good on your own.”

“Hehe.”

It was like a baby angel drawn in a famous painting, looking proud with a clean face.

Also, how lovely those dazzling eyes are!

Why the hell would you turn away from such a nice and pretty child? why!

“Madam, I brought you a meal.”

As she struggled to resist the urge to pinch his blushing cheeks, the butler came in with a tray.

Since it was not mealtime, the only food on the tray was soup, bread, salad and grilled fish.

Just when I thought that it was too simple, the butler quietly listened after finishing the table setting.

“You haven’t eaten oily food for a while, so I have been instructed to prepare foods that are not burdensome.”

“Ah.”

Come to think of it, I think I’ve heard that people who have been starving for a long time will get sick if they suddenly overeat.

At the butler’s meticulous consideration, I slightly curled my eyebrows.

“Thank you.”

“I’ll be waiting outside the door, so call me if you need me.”

The butler, who had finished his work, quietly walked away.

“Come on, let’s eat.”

I put the spoon in Escal’s hand and ate the soup first.

Escal saw me eating and started eating in a hurry.

As if he had barely eaten while locked in his room, Escal took the plate and drank the soup.

“Eat slowly.”

He was afraid, so when I talked to him, Escal stopped moving.

“You have to chew it slowly. It’s not like a gentleman to eat like that. Is Escal a gentleman, right?”

“Yes.”

At the word ‘gentleman’, Escal changed his posture and sat down.

He wiped his mouth with a napkin as he had a lot of soup on his lips, spread the fish flesh on it, and placed it on a plate.

Escal, holding a fork, poked the fish meat and put it in his mouth.

The clumsy fork gestures, the nonstop chapped lips, and even the traces of the sauce on the lips.

You are so cute!

He’s still incredibly handsome, but how pretty would he be if he had plump fat on that face!

Although he is smaller than his peers now, Helios is taller, so Escal will grow taller when he becomes an adult.

I must raise a handsome adult, and a young lady who is suitable for Escal… 

Bang!

The happy imagination was cut off by the intrusion of an unexpected guest.

“What are you doing here?”

Helios, who came in without knocking, asked Escal coldly.

“Uh, uh…”

Frightened, Escal put down his fork and got up.

You said you will come late at night, so why are you here already?

Seeing the child not knowing what to do, I hurriedly approached Helios.

“You said you would be late, but you came back quickly.”

“Escalium Anthemion.”

But instead of answering my words, he questioned Escal in a sharp voice.

Escal, who was called by his full name, bowed his head. The clasped hands trembled sadly.

“Why are you in this room?”

“I brought him.”

I said, blocking the front of the child as if to protect them.

Helios’ gaze then turned to me.

Unlike when he looked at Escal, his eyes were completely softened.

“Didn’t you know that he’s reflecting?”

“Ten days is enough for reflection.”

“What do you mean enough….”

“Sorry, I’m sorry. sorry.”

Escal, who was listening to the conversation between me and Helios, spoke softly.

He looked frightened because it looked like we were fighting.

“I think I already said it was the worst habit to move like that and saying you’re sorry.”

“Helios.”

“Go back to your room now.”

At Helios’ command, Escal ran out of the room.

I looked at the back of the child running down the hallway with sad eyes.

He couldn’t even finish his food.

Half of the fish meat was left uneaten on the plate.

It was natural that Helios hated Charlet, but I had no idea that he would do that much to his son.

“Why did you bring Escal?”

“I brought him here because I was worried,  he didn’t even eat and was alone.”

“Who told you about Escal?”

“I couldn’t see him, so I asked.”

“I’ll take care of that kid, so you don’t have to care.”

Don’t care? if you treat him like that?

No matter how unwanted he was, he was still your real son.

In the original story, it was Lenia who was tormenting Escal.

Helios overlooked Lenia’s evil deeds, but did not directly persecute the child.

‘He’s like Cinderella’s father.’

… I thought my evaluation was generous.

“We will continue to live in the same house from now on, so how can I not care?”

“It’s that woman’s son. You don’t have to be nice to him.”

“He is also your son.”

“He is not the child I wanted.”

“Escal wasn’t born because he wanted it, Helios.”

I understand that he can’t be attached to a child because of what Charlet Melks did, but he’s the only father to Escal.

I tried to persuade him, but Helios did not give in.

“There are beings who cause pain to someone just by being born.”

“…..”

I sighed in a confused mind.

No matter how hard I try to take care of Escal, it is unreasonable to expect Escal to grow without any injuries as long as Helios is still like this.

If, like the original story, even a child of Helios was born, the problem of succession would arise.

Then, even if I or Escal don’t want to, we’ll get caught up in a thorny fight.

Can I stop it?

I turned my back on him because my head was complicated, and Helios wrapped me around from behind.

“You almost died because of him.”

“It was a mistake. Escal wants to get along  with me.”

“It’s a mistake or whatever, the result is the same.”

“Helios.”

“Do you know how I felt when I saw you fall?”

“……”

“How did I find you?”

The body that touched it trembled.

Helios whispered in a watery voice, as if afraid to think of the situation.

“You can hate me. But every moment since I lost you has been hell.”

How Helios survived the loss of Lenia is not described in the novel, but I can only guess from his attitude towards me.

So I couldn’t completely blame him.

I gently loosened his arms around me and turned to Helios.

The cold water stained the black eyes transparently.

I gently raised my hand and stroked his cheek.

“I don’t hate it. It’s not like you couldn’t help it.”

“Then why did you leave me?”

“……”

“I told you to wait. I’ll fix it somehow. Please wait a little bit.”

Helios clings to me as if complaining and pleading.

Escal wasn’t the only one who got hurt because of me.

Realizing that fact, the man in front of me, I felt sorry for him again.

“I left… because I wanted you to be happy.”

“How can I be happy without you?”

Seeing a handsome man with tears in his eyes, longing for love, is so heartbreaking.

“Don’t tell me more about the past. From now on, the three of us can be happy.”

“Three?”

In an instant, Helios’ voice changed sharply.

“Why three?”

“Three? You, me and Escal….”

“Don’t talk about Escal.”

Helios cut my words coldly.

As I looked at him with a bewildered feeling, Helios hugged my waist.

“No. Yes, three would be right. You and me and our children.”

“Helios.”

“Our child will be very pretty just like you.”

He’s driving me crazy.

I got out of his arms and stared at him.

I hated and felt sorry for him, who spoke harsh words with the same face as Escal.

It is important to care for Escal, but I thought that it would not be easy to change Helios’ heart, so I grabbed his hand.

“Helios, I love you.”

“I love you too, Lena.”

“Listen to what I have to say.”

I resolutely covered his mouth and continued speaking.

“It doesn’t matter whether you are a duke or not, rich or poor. I love the person Helios Anthemion himself.”

“Lena….”

As if moved by my words, Helios’ eyes became moist.

I might be able to convince you now.

“I love everything about you. So you will love Escal. He’s your son. So you too….”

The soft impression turned cold in an instant.

“Why do you care so much about Escal?”

“That’s it….”

Otherwise, my later years will be miserable.

“He’s your… No, our child. Of course you have to pay attention to him.”

“My child?”

A friendly tone came from nowhere, and he called me in a low, subdued voice.

“Lenia Evelyn.”

“……”

“Do you blame me that much?”