I Became the Male Lead’s Adopted Daughter

“What… what the hell is this…?”
Count Erbanu was at a loss for words.

Just moments ago, everything had been perfect.
This magnificent banquet had felt like it existed solely for him. The nobles pandering to him with flattering words had pleased him to no end.
In his mind, he was already a grand noble.

Even the leaders of other territories whispered at the fringes of the room, cautiously eyeing him.
Catching these sidelong glances, Count Erbanu had to resist the urge to bounce like a rabbit.
He knew it was undignified, but he’d nearly forgotten his age in his excitement.

“If not for that damn announcement…”
“Acting on behalf of Duke Voreoti, Lady Leonia Voreoti and Lady Varia Erbanu!”
He’d thought he’d misheard the palace herald at first.

He had heard that Duke Voreoti had rushed back to the North.
He’d hoped to take advantage of that absence to drag the Duke’s daughter out of the estate, but he hadn’t dared, remembering the rumors that she was even more vicious than her father.
To top it off, Lota had returned from a visit to the capital in tears, whining that the Duke’s daughter had tormented her for no reason.

Count Erbanu had clicked his tongue and grumbled that the girl was arrogant and poisonous, just like her father. He’d even cursed that it was no wonder she was that way, growing up motherless.
And along with all of that, he’d blamed Varia too—blamed her for running off to that place, forgetting the “grace” of being raised in his house.
He’d been itching to confront her, to scold the ungrateful child who’d dared to leave her family behind.

Still, Count Erbanu liked to consider himself a “kind father.” That’s why, at a social event he’d attended with Olor, he had publicly confronted the Duke, demanding he return his daughter.
To this day, he couldn’t forget the look Ferio Voreoti had given him.
Disgust. Contempt. Like he was looking at something less than an insect.

The count had been instantly cowed, silenced, and reduced to drowning himself in wine.
And all night, he’d muttered bitterly, “She forgets everything I’ve done for her…”
“Varia…!”
Now he was grinding his teeth.

Even after being treated like that, he’d still worried about her, cared for her—and yet that damned girl had crossed a line she should never have approached.
How dare she show up at this banquet… with Voreoti?
Wearing black, no less—a dress that screamed Voreoti from head to toe.

She was linking arms and giggling with that brat of a proxy like it was a joke.
“Father!”
Lota had appeared at his side and was staring in the same direction.

But Count Erbanu didn’t even register the poisonous glint in her eyes—his gaze remained locked on Varia.
“Voreoti’s proxy?”
“The young lady must be here in the Duke’s place.”

“Then who’s the one beside her…?”
“Wait, is that… the other Erbanu daughter…?”
The murmurs and whispers of the nobles were all aimed at Varia.

“Father-in-law.”
Remus Olor gently called out to Count Erbanu.
“Are you all right?”

The red-headed Remus looked dazzling as always, his face full of concern and warmth—just enough to calm the count’s boiling anger.
“You seem quite shocked.”
While fussing over the count, he also reached over and gently pulled Lota closer.

Angry that everyone was focused on her sister, Lota clung to Remus’s waist like she was claiming territory.
“I hate her so much!”
“She’s still your sister, Lota.”

“But after all the worry Father had… how could she show up with Voreoti…!”
She tattled, carefully leaving out the venomous envy eating her alive.
“She must have her reasons.”

Remus lightly patted his young wife’s back.
The “young swan” who was tending to his wife and father-in-law was actually nearing forty.
But thanks to his youthful looks, he still appeared no older than thirty.

“Why don’t you go and ask her directly?”
“Y-yes… yes, I should…”
“She’s your daughter, after all. I’m sure she’ll listen if you speak to her.”

With Remus’s subtle push, Count Erbanu hesitantly began to walk toward Varia.
But it wasn’t easy.
Varia was constantly surrounded by people of high status—Marquis Ortio and her husband, Marquis Hesperi, and even the most hardline northern nobles were all mingling with her.

As a result, Count Erbanu found himself stranded in the middle of the grand banquet hall, utterly alone.
He flinched every time the mountainous Count Urmariti shot him a glance.
“Isn’t that the young lady of House Voreoti?”

Marquis Pardus’s heir had approached Varia.
Count Erbanu saw an opportunity.
Compared to the others, the Marquis’s heir was the most approachable.

***
“Marquis of Pardus’s heir…”
Of course.

Leonia scowled the instant she saw him approach.
“It’s good to see you, young lady of Voreoti.”
“It’s proxy right now, actually.”

“Yes, Lady Voreoti.”
“Ugh. Annoying…”
This guy from House Pardus really had a knack for getting on her nerves.

That ever-present smirk curled up so smugly, Leonia often ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ found herself wanting to yank it straight down with her fingers.
'Must be something in their bloodline.'
It wasn’t just the Marquis—his son, his grandson, even Ter all rubbed her the wrong way.

Honestly, the fact that Lupe came from that family made him seem even more amazing.
He never acted smug or slick. If anything, he was a poor soul constantly dragged around by Ferio and Leonia both.
'…I should be nicer to him.'

Leonia decided she’d give him some comforting pats when they got back to the North.
“And…”
The Marquis’s heir turned to Varia beside Leonia, his ever-so-gentle smile never faltering.

“It’s been a while, Miss Varia.”
“Marquis Pardus’s heir…”
Varia’s tone was cautious as she said his name.

“For someone who got suspended and dismissed from the Treasury, you’re doing well.”
“…Thanks to someone, I’m sure.”
Even though she now knew about the quiet ties between Voreoti and Pardus, Varia still found him difficult.

Years of believing the Pardus family were loyal imperialists were hard to shake.
“She’s someone very important to my father.”
Leonia wrapped an arm around Varia’s waist. The heir looked on curiously.

To him, it looked less like she was protecting Varia, and more like a child clinging to her mother.
“Is that so?”
“It is.”

“Hmm. I suppose it does look that way.”
He let his eyes drift down her dress.
“It suits you well.”

“Thank you.”
“I mean that sincerely.”
So if she could just relax those fists behind her back, that’d be great.

Leonia noticed it too—Varia’s hands were balled into tight fists.
'So she’s got some fire in her after all.'
It made her even more endearing.

“Proxy.”
Suddenly, the heir’s tone shifted. He gestured toward something.
Varia followed his glance—and her face fell.

“…Father.”
Count Erbanu was approaching.
'Wow, how weak does he think this heir is?'

Leonia smirked.
The Marquis’s heir gave a low grunt, visibly annoyed.
Even he was shocked that Count Erbanu saw him as easy prey.

“I suppose I’ve still got much to learn.”
“Let’s stay and watch.”
“Why not?”

Might as well enjoy the show. Warnings could wait until later.
“Varia, Sis.”
Leonia turned and warned her quietly.

“I’m going to mess with your dad now.”
If it made her uncomfortable, she could stop her anytime—how thoughtful.
“…Proxy.”

Varia swallowed hard, forcing a dry smile.
“I’m already the disgrace of the family.”
“Perfect! Then here I go!”

With big-sisterly permission granted, the little beast cub let out a delighted growl.
“Varia!”
Count Erbanu barked the moment he arrived.

“What do you think you’re doing?!”
“Huh? What was that?”
Leonia cupped her hand over her ear and tilted her head. She was ignoring him completely—like he didn’t even exist.

“I think I hear some fifty-year-old man sucking on his own toes.”
“Pfft!”
The Marquis’s heir, caught off guard, let out a choked laugh. He turned away, shoulders shaking, trying to keep it in.

Varia froze in horror. She’d never seen anyone insult her father like this.
The surrounding nobles were split between shock and stifled laughter.
Leonia’s mockery was beyond savage.

Count Erbanu, for his part, just stood there blankly, not even sure what had just happened.
“Must be something in the water these days.”
Leonia sipped a non-alcoholic drink, still refusing to look his way even once.

“Ugh!”
The count finally reacted.
“L-Lady Voreoti! What did you just—?!”

“Marquis’s heir.”
Leonia cut in, her tone sharp. She addressed the heir without looking at the count.
Barely suppressing his laughter, the heir straightened.

“Who was I talking to just now?”
“To me, and to Miss Varia—you were exchanging greetings.”
“Strange…”

Leonia picked her ear lazily with one finger.
“I keep hearing voices.”
Then she turned and blew on her finger—right in the count’s direction. His face turned beet red with shame.

“Revolutionary times in the capital, huh.”
She whistled idly.
“What’s next—democracy?”

That single throwaway line exploded like a bomb.
What Leonia meant by “democracy” was a system where everyone, regardless of status, was equal and chose their leader.
No nobles. No royalty.

Just people.
“Shall we all introduce ourselves, then?”
She turned Count Erbanu’s rudeness into an act of rebellion against the throne.

“No, wait—it should be me, the youngest here, greeting all of you first.”
She spread her arms wide, smiling as she addressed the crowd.
But no one responded.

No—no one could.
Though she wore an innocent smile, her eyes were ice cold.
Anyone dumb enough to answer would instantly look like a traitor to the Empire.

Everyone invited to the banquet was now trapped in the current Leonia had created.
'Wow…'
Right beside her, Varia’s entire body tingled with goosebumps.

Never in her life had she seen a woman so powerful—and so stunning.
The age gap melted away as her chest swelled with pure, boundless admiration for Leonia.
“What’s the matter, Count?”

Leonia asked, her voice sharp.
Her pitch-black eyes glittered with merciless intensity.
“I-I…”

Count Erbanu trembled all over.
For a moment, he hallucinated a massive, dark beast sinking its fangs into his throat and tearing it apart.
But when he looked down, his body was unharmed.

It had only been a vision.
And yet the terror lingered.
That’s when it hit him.

He was trembling in fear—
Because of a twelve-year-old child.