The Stepmother Keeps Stealing the Male Leads - Chapter 14

“Marchioness of Lausenne, do you have a moment?”

“…I suppose a moment is fine.”

Perhaps there was a Sun Fellowship gathering afterward—Marchioness of Lausenne kept glancing toward the temple gates.

She looked as if she were checking others’ reactions.

Even when they went around to the open space behind the temple, she looked around once more to see if anyone was nearby before finally facing Helene.

“Is there a Sun Fellowship meeting today?”

“Well…”

Despite being a noblewoman, Marchioness of Lausenne was naturally gentle and soft-hearted—she couldn’t lie.

Seeing the troubled and apologetic look on her face, Helene once again felt certain she had been rejected from the Sun Fellowship.

Though she felt sorry for the Marchioness, Helene needed to know the reason, so she pressed further.

“Am I no longer invited to the Sun Fellowship?”

“I’m sorry, Countess Emeldia. But I hope you understand. Everyone truly hoped you’d join us… but if she objects…”

“…She?”

Helene’s thoughts grew tangled.

She had heard that everyone except her was in favor of Helene joining the Sun Fellowship.

And only one person held such power.

Even if the others objected, had she given her strong approval, Helene would have been accepted.

Though the Marchioness couldn’t bring herself to speak the name, referring to her only as she, Helene was determined to find out why.

“What part of me did the Grand Duchess dislike?”

“…Please don’t take it too personally. I certainly don’t think so myself.”

After a long hesitation, the Marchioness whispered into Helene’s ear.

“She said… the Countess of Emeldia seems insincere.”

Helene stood in place even after the Marchioness finished speaking.

‘How did she know? My performance should’ve been flawless…’

No, it was a mistake from the beginning.

To think she could fool the Grand Duchess—a woman seasoned in the politics and tactics of the social world—was pure folly.

She should have been content with winning her favor once through clumsy acting.

Instead of growing closer to the Grand Duchess, she had only given the impression of being disingenuous.

Helene blamed her own arrogance.

“…W-well then, I’ll be going now.”

The Marchioness of Lausenne, flustered at the sight of the frozen Helene, quickly excused herself and left.

***

“Stepmother?”

On the way home, Liliana called out to Helene, who was staring blankly.

“…Huh?”

“What did you talk about with Marchioness of Lausenne?”

In truth, Liliana had wanted to ask the whole way home.

Because ever since Helene had spoken with the Marchioness, her expression had remained gloomy.

She had thought everything was going well—after repenting to the Sun God and finding kindred spirits.

But seeing Helene’s dark face, she began to worry that something had happened.

“It’s nothing. Just a private matter, so I’d rather not talk about it.”

“I see… It seems like you’ve made so many new friends lately.”

Liliana probably meant it as encouragement, but to Helene, it sounded like, ‘Is your plan to marry me to the Grand Duke going well?’

She felt like a thief startled by her own shadow.

‘To think I’d be ruined in the Sun Fellowship like this…’

Helene’s sigh caught in her throat.

She had been foolish to think she could deceive the Grand Duchess.

She had been blinded by the opportunity and acted carelessly.

Even with the memories of her past life, her misfortune had not changed.

She should never have dreamed of gambling again.

But Han Yena had confidence when it came to investing.

If it hadn’t been for the small investments she’d made in the stock market during her spare time, she would never have graduated.

And the basic principle of investing was diversification.

“By the way, Liliana, do you have some time now?”

“Ah, yes, I still have time.”

Liliana sensed something was off.

She actually had a very important appointment after this.

She hadn’t said anything yet—could it be that Stepmother somehow knew?

As she recalled the person she was going to meet, Liliana’s cheeks flushed red.

***

“P-please, calm down.”

The Grand Duke’s chief aide, who had been watching Sieghardt pacing back and forth in front of the office door, finally spoke up.

He had served him for over ten years, but this was only the second time he’d seen him so anxious.

The first time was recently—when they received a reply to the letter inviting Lady Angelina to the capital, Lephia. The second time was now, as he waited for Lady Liliana.

Only then did Sieghardt realize just how nervous he was.

A glance at the clock showed that only five minutes remained until the scheduled time.

Suddenly, he recalled what had happened not long ago.

***

In a park in Lephia, Sieghardt was enjoying an early morning walk.

He breathed in the crisp morning air as he admired the tranquil nature around him.

It had become a daily routine ever since coming to Lephia.

The sun had not yet risen, and under the dusky blue sky, a flash of red passed by.

Sieghardt was not particularly good at remembering people’s faces, but he recognized her immediately.

She was strikingly memorable and the new Countess of Emeldia, the stepmother of his long-time friend Liliana.

As they had exchanged greetings once before, he, being of higher rank, offered a polite hello.

“What a coincidence, Countess of Emeldia.”

Later, he heard from his aides that this woman, Helene, had once had a terrible reputation, but had repented before the Sun God and become a completely different person.

Meeting someone like Helene, an intriguing figure in many ways, was a welcome surprise even for the introverted Sieghardt.

“Oh my, Your Grace. I never expected to see you in a place like this…”

Helene clutched her chest in shock at the unexpected encounter.

Indeed, it was unusual to meet an acquaintance during a dawn walk.

After greeting him properly, Helene began making small talk.

“Isn’t the lake at Herbyante even more beautiful than Lephia’s?”

Sieghardt was taken aback.

In truth, his habit of walking through the lakeside park each morning had started while he was studying abroad in Herbyante.

The sunrise over Herbyante’s lake was like gazing at the most beautiful painting in the world.

The lake in Herbyante was indeed stunning, but it was a hidden gem unknown to most outsiders.

“So you’ve been to Herbyante.”

“Just briefly. Life in Herbyante was truly wonderful. Even the young noble lady managed it all on her own so well.”

Helene even knew about Lady Angelina of Herbyante.

Pleased by the conversation, Sieghardt found himself more engaged than usual.

“You mean Lady Angelina. As it happens, she’ll be coming to stay at the palace in Lephia a month from now.”

“I see… But won’t she feel lonely? Without any friends her age…”

Helene trailed off, the sudden thought giving her pause.

“Oh, forgive me… It’s just the heart of a mother with a daughter. Even Liliana, who is like an older sister to many, never had peers her age to befriend and always seemed lonely…”

Sieghardt recalled Angelina’s lonely face before he and the crown prince arrived.

Just as Helene said, despite many girls her age being at the Sun Temple, none seemed particularly close to her.

“Oh my, the sun is rising!”

Helene gasped at the sight of the sun just beginning to rise.

But Sieghardt neither saw nor heard anything.

Angelina had always been alone, having lost her parents early.

Though the Grand Duke and the Crown Prince were there, it wasn’t the same as having a friend of the same gender.

Neither of them were particularly sensitive types, and they often earned scoldings from her.

Though the palace was full of ladies-in-waiting, could any truly be her friend?

A friend…

Sieghardt thought of Liliana, who remained in his memory as the dearest friend of all.

She had comforted him during the loneliest, saddest time of his life.

If it were Liliana, she would certainly become a good friend to Angelina.