Stepmothers Are Not Always Evil

“Dustin, keep an eye on that cloth shop.”

“Yes, sir.”

Helios, who was hiding near the cloth shop and watching the Duke of Eaton’s movements, confirmed that the Duke was leaving the cloth shop empty-handed, and then started the carriage.

It is clear that the Duke of Eaton was involved in the death of Baron Rockefeller.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have stopped by such an insignificant cloth shop.

“Put someone around Duke Eaton and see if anyone can buy it.”

“Alright.”

Helios gave the instructions and leaned back on the carriage.

I was busy all day working on the case, but I was not tired because I had good news.

Helios smiled as he fiddled with the papers that arrived this morning.

It was good news that we arrived in a cloth shop and I felt sorry for not paying attention to Lenia for a while on the pretext of being busy.

“Hurry up.”

He hurried the coachman to the mansion.

****

“Lena.”

Shortly after Grand Duchess Crawford’s return, Helios returned to the mansion.

While I was reviewing the documents related to the Dillua Academy, I got up and greeted him.

“Welcome back.”

“What were you doing?”

“I was looking at the documents.”

“What documents?”

“Dillua Academy Operation Report.”

I answered, pointing to the papers on my desk.

“This afternoon, Grand Duchess Crawford and Count Tilburn came. When I asked him to apply for the academy, he gladly accepted it.”

“You work so fast.”

Helios smirked and stroked my hair.

“You know I’m naturally impatient.”

I nodded lightly and looked into his eyes.

“But, I have a little problem.”

“What’s wrong?”

“That, when I checked the one-year budget for the Dillua Academy, it was a little… That’s a lot…”

Of course it takes money to run a school, but honestly, I never thought it would cost this much money.

There were countless places where money could go, from children’s to three meals a day, textbooks, training, and teachers’ salaries.

It required an astronomical amount of money to repair dangerous and outdated facilities and recruit people.

I can’t even raise the tuition fees.

When the academy is stable, it could be managed by convincing nobles with a strong sense of resonance to receive donations, but for now, they had no choice but to rely on Helios.

“So how much do you need?”

“About 400,000 gold per year…”

“What’s wrong with 400,000 gold? Don’t worry, I’ll figure it out.”

Helios replied with a tone that it was no big deal.

“Are you really okay?”

When I asked if it was possible because he was in front of me, he whispered while fiddling with the earring in my ear.

“I just need 40 of these earrings.”

“Why, is this expensive?”

“You didn’t know?”

I opened my mouth in response with a smile.

The dresser drawer was full of these earrings, but they were all so expensive?

They were all gifts from Helios, so I didn’t even think about the price, but I feel like I know what I don’t need to know.

Helios chuckled as he fiddled with the earring, speechless.

“You will be the only one who is worried about money in the Anthemion.”

Then he pulled something out of his wallet and put it in my hand. It was a blank check.

“Use as much as you need.”

… I have never seen this before.

This man has too much money to contend that he needs to learn a sense of money.

I picked up the check reluctantly.

“Thank you.”

“Would you like to thank me more?”

“What do you mean?”

Helios, with a playful expression and a squint in one eye, held out a paper envelope to me in bewilderment.

“Come on, a present.”

“What is this?”

“Open it and you will know.”

I tilted my head and checked the inside of the envelope.

[Waiver of custody]

The bold letters were firmly engraved in my vision.

“It was sent by the Marquis Melks. I got it today.”

“Is this for real?”

“Then is it fake?”

Helios smiled softly.

Still, I couldn’t believe it, so I read the document carefully.

Daniel Brandon Melks relinquishes custody of Escalium Anthemion.

In addition, access to Escalium Anthemion is prohibited unless accompanied by a legal guardian until adulthood.

It was definitely a waiver of custody.

“Now you are Escal’s guardian.”

“Thank you, Helios!”

I hugged Helios’ neck tightly.

I was so happy that I could now proudly tell anyone that Escal was my son.

Helios gently kissed my forehead, unable to control his joy.

“Once we get things sorted out, why don’t we go down to the estate and rest for a while?”

“Yes.”

In response, he gently wrapped my arms around my waist.

Helios and I suffered too much in the capital, so when everything is sorted out, it’s not bad to rest in the estate.

Just when I thought that Escal and Helios could get a little closer if we went down to the estate.

“Shall we have a baby?”

Unexpected words came out of Helios’ mouth.

“Baby… what?”

“Yes. A child who takes after you.”

With more serious eyes than ever, I chose the words with a feeling of embarrassment.

“We have Escal.”

“Wouldn’t it be nice if Escal also had a younger sibling?”

I pushed him away and shook my head.

“It’s enough with Escal. A child… I never thought about it.”

If I have a child born inside me, there will definitely be a dispute over inheritance rights.

But like the original, if Escal turns into a madman… Ugh, I can’t even imagine.

“And you know. I am not strong enough to have a baby.”

“I know. I was just saying it.”

At the euphemistic refusal, Helios frowned.

With a slightly sad expression on his face, I hugged him and said.

“Let’s do our best to raise Escal well.”

“Yeah, let’s do that.”

****

“Hah….”

While doing the homework Viscount Espenser had given him, Escal put down his pen and sighed.

The ink that had fallen on the paper was smeared and the writing was almost impossible to read.

‘I can’t concentrate.’

Even though it was today that I was scolded for thinking about something else in class, I still couldn’t concentrate.

‘Do you call your dad, Duke?’

Adela’s words never left his head.

Escal pondered those words melancholy.

On Helios’ birthday, he called him father, but only that day,

After that, he never called Helios father.

It was the same with Lenia. Escal was always worried about whether he could call her mom in front of people.

Anxiety spread again in Escal’s mind, which had been stable for a while.

So he needed to be sure. Confidence that he is the child of Helios and Lenia.

‘Can I call you Mom?’

If I could call her Mom in front of people, I thought it would be okay for the mischievous children to make fun of me.

‘I’ll call you Mom.’

Escal made up his mind and left the room.

‘But what excuse should I use to visit?’

Should I say I’m hungry or there’s something I don’t know.

The moment I arrived in front of the room thinking about what to say to not be awkward.

“Shall we have a baby?”

“……!”

The voice that came out of the room reached Escal’s ear.

“Child… what?”

“Yes. A child who takes after you.”

Feeling his heart pounding, Escal turned his back and ran to the room.

Returning to the room, Escal closed the door and laid down on the bed, putting on a blanket.

‘Shall we have a baby?’

Helios’ voice echoed in his ears. Escal knew what that meant.

That means I might have a younger sibling.

‘Then I…?’

Suddenly, I remembered what that man had said.

‘Young master may be completely abandoned if he has a younger sibling.’

I couldn’t understand everything the man said, but the meaning of what he said came to me vividly.

If he has a younger sibling, he will be a loner like before.

“…….”

Escal buried his face in the pillow.

‘The person who came with you is not your mother?’

‘But why don’t you look alike?’

I remembered the words of the girl who cruelly stabbed me in the face.

Water filled his large eyes.

If I had a younger sibling who looked like my mother, would my mother hate me?

No. It can’t be.

My mother is different from my old mother. She won’t hate me just because she has a child.

“I have to work harder.”

Then mom and dad will like Escal.

Escal rubbed his eyes with his clenched fist.

*****

“Ha!”

The sound of energetic cheers spread through the quiet support.

I sat on the terrace and watched Escal swinging his sword vigorously.

He wasn’t feeling well for a while, but I’m glad that he seems to be getting better today.

After the training, I want to make something delicious and feed it, so I’m trying to pull the bell string.

“Madam, Madam!”

Mary, who hadn’t called, rushed to her.

“Madam! Come on out!”

“Why? What’s going on?”

“That, the Viscount is here!”

“What?”