I Became the Male Lead’s Adopted Daughter

“...Huh?”

Caught off guard by the sudden question, Leonia looked flustered.
She set down her fork and knife onto her plate, then instinctively folded her hands neatly over her thighs.
Her gaze darted between Ferio and Lupe.

Ferio’s face remained stoic as always, while Lupe’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.
Still, there was a mischievous glint in Ferio’s gaze—he was clearly expecting something.
‘Look at these grown-ups…’

Leonia smirked inwardly.
‘They’re curious about what I’ll say.’
It felt like being hit with a surprise quiz.

And that’s exactly what it was. Ferio had posed a casual test—to see how much Leonia had grasped from everything they’d discussed.
It was the kind of thing that could’ve been annoying, but Leonia wasn’t upset at all.
In fact, she found it kind of fun.

‘How should I answer this?’
Beneath the table, her dangling legs swung back and forth with excitement.
Ferio and Lupe probably thought they were steering the conversation, but in truth, Leonia had already seized the lead.

‘Should I play dumb?’
Maybe pretend she didn’t understand anything, raise a finger to her lips and shrug like an innocent little girl?
She immediately dismissed the thought.

If she tried that, she’d die from internal shame alone. Never mind how the adults might coddle her afterward.
“...It’s obvious, isn’t it?”
So Leonia responded in her own way—boldly, like the brave little beast she was.
“It’s for the sake of the West and Her Majesty, Empress Tigria.”

If the Imperial Family’s involvement were publicly exposed—
It would actually be the Empress who stood to lose the most.
Currently, the Empire’s political balance revolved around two main factions: the Empress’s faction, backed by the Western nobility and Empress Tigria; and the Consort’s faction, led by Consort Usia and supported by the South.

And the ones involved in this incident were all members of the Consort’s faction.
Or more accurately, nobles who had once been part of the Empress’s camp but later defected—like Baron Hirqus.
Judging from how the baron had tried to pin everything on the Hesperi family, it wasn’t hard to imagine the same betrayal happening to the Empress the moment this scandal broke.

Though Empress Tigria currently had a strong base, the Emperor’s blatant favoritism made it necessary for her to tread carefully.
At present, protecting her position was more important than dragging the Emperor down.
“...Wait.”

As she spoke, Leonia tilted her head.
“There’s one more reason, isn’t there?”
“There is?”

By now, Ferio was smiling.
Leonia had understood the situation far more deeply than he’d anticipated.
She surpassed most of the noble brats out there by a long shot.

Who would ever believe such a shrewd insight came from a seven-year-old?
Ferio was overwhelmed with pride.
His daughter was so smart and sharp—what parent wouldn’t feel proud?

Seated nearby, Lupe had his jaw halfway to the floor. He looked absolutely dumbfounded.
“What else is there?”
The beastly father gently urged the little beast to continue.

“The North is on top now.”
Leonia beamed as she went on.
Father and daughter exchanged a warm, glowing look.

“The East and the West are indebted to us Voreotis. Thanks to us, they exposed the traitors and got a chance to reorganize their regions. That’s a huge deal.”
The West, which valued loyalty, and the prideful East would surely remember this.
When the North needed support someday, they’d be likely to help.

“The House of Olor will be shaken up too, right?”
The swan that once flew proudly over the South would have to tuck its wings for a while.
“And the Emperor too, don’t you think?”

After all, they had spared his dignity by covering up his involvement—he’d tread more cautiously for a time.
“What do you think?”
Leonia finished her answer and looked at the two adults.

A hush had fallen over the dining room.
Ferio, who had asked the question on a whim, was now wearing a pleased expression—as if he were about to hand her a whole bag of strawberry milk candy.
A rare expression indeed.

“You’re incredible, Miss…”
Lupe, who had been silently listening, finally breathed in awe.
“Aww, come on, don’t praise me that much. I’ll get shy.”

“Seriously! I mean, for a Voreoti, being this clever is only to be expec—”
“Dad, hush!”
Whap! Whap!

Leonia smacked Ferio’s lips with perfect precision, trying to shut him up.
“Know when to stop talking!”
“You ungrateful child.”

Ferio muttered, rubbing his stinging mouth.
Even for a little thing, she sure had some force. With a grumble, he reached out and tugged lightly at her cheek.
“No, really. She’s amazing.”

Lupe couldn’t help but reflect on his own childhood.
He had been considered quite the prodigy among his peers, even arrogant enough to believe no one was smarter than him.
But if the younger version of himself had ever met this Leonia—

He’d have been blinded.
From just a brief explanation from adults, she had completely grasped the political structure of the Empire and the dynamics between regions.
And she had accurately calculated the benefits this situation could bring to the North.

Maybe she even understood more than that.
Lupe shivered.
And this—this girl was going to be the next Voreoti.

“...Dad!”
Leonia suddenly scooted her chair back against the seat.
“Uncle Lupe is breathing heavily while looking at me!”

Leonia narrowed her eyes, arms crossed defensively as she glared at Lupe, whose face was flushed and whose breath had gone shallow from excitement.
“N-No, I’m not!”
Lupe snapped back to reality, frantically denying it.

But Leonia’s icy stare had long since turned cold.
“I knew it, I knew it…”
Leonia hugged herself, muttering darkly.

“He’s projecting my dad onto me…!”
Pervert! she practically shouted.
Clatter. The sound of cutlery falling onto the table rang out sharply.

It had come from Lupe’s seat.
“……”
“……”

Neither of the adults dared open their mouths.
“Huuuuu…”
At last, Ferio let out a sigh so deep and dark it might’ve torn a hole in the floor.

His shoulders slumped—not just low, but all the way down.
‘Your Grace…’
Lupe looked on in sympathy.

Even the mighty Voreoti—arrogant Black Beast of the North—was just an exhausted father in front of this cheeky little old-soul of a daughter.
“What are you smirking at.”
Ferio shot him a sharp glare.

Only then did Lupe realize he’d been grinning.
Too late.
A split second later, a dinner roll smacked him right in the face. Ferio had thrown it across the table.

Only then did Lupe finally straighten his expression.
This translation is the intellectual property of .
***

And in the early dawn—
The dark night, veiled not only by the waning crescent moon but also thick layers of cloud, was so pitch-black one couldn’t see even a step ahead.
Even the usually bustling square was shrouded in silence, swallowed by the darkness.

It was the hour so quiet that not even the rats rustling near the sewers dared to make a sound.
A suspicious shadow appeared at the back gate of the Tabanus estate.
Carrying a large bundle on his back, as if fleeing in haste.

“Count Tabanus.”
But behind him, another shadow moved through the darkness.
“Uaagh…!”

Count Tabanus collapsed to the ground with a thud, and the bundle on his back spilled open.
Jewels and valuables tumbled out, rolling across the stone path and tapping softly against a pair of sturdy leather boots.
“I hope you’ve been well.”

Meleis greeted him coldly, eyes as chilling as frost.
In the pitch-black dark, her ash-gray hair melted into shadow.
“I’m Meleis Levipes, of the Gladiago Knights. I currently serve under Duke Voreoti as the captain of Lady Leonia’s guard.”

“Bo… Bore—!”
Despair spread across Count Tabanus’ face as he looked up at Meleis.
The servant sent by the Imperial Family had told him the Gladiago Knights wouldn’t arrive in the capital for another week.

He’d packed only what was valuable and prepared to flee under the cover of night—just in case.
So why?
‘Why… are they in front of me?’

Clad in «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» jet-black armor with stark white cloaks, they looked like reapers sent straight from hell.
Just as Count Tabanus was about to scream in terror, it happened.
“Shhh.”

Paavo, who had quietly approached from the side, smiled as he shoved a gag into the Count’s mouth.
“Noisy howling in the middle of the night is unseemly for a nobleman, don’t you think?”
You’ll wake the whole neighborhood.

His cheerful voice, warm like the summer sun, whispered into the Count’s ear.
As soon as the gag was in, a vile stench flooded his nostrils. Gagging, the Count crumpled to the ground.
That was when he saw it.

His wife and two servants, who had tried to flee with him, were already bound and restrained.
And so was he.
At some point, his arms had been tied behind his back, his legs bound just as tightly.

Then Meleis asked calmly,
“Where were you rushing off to in such a hurry?”
“……”

“You should hold a funeral for your son.”
At that, Probo tossed something wrapped in a white cloth in front of the Count.
The bundle thudded onto the ground, rolled once or twice, and came slightly undone.

From between the folds, a familiar hand peeked out.
A ring engraved with the Tabanus family crest glinted under the pale moonlight.
It was the same ring the Count had personally handed to his son before sending him to the North.

Wrapped in that cloth—
Was Musca Tabanus’ right arm.
The Countess, who had been trembling beside him for some time, finally collapsed in a dead faint.

Her head struck the ground with a thud, yet no one stepped forward to help her.
“Urrgh! UUUURGH!”
Bloodshot eyes wide with horror, Count Tabanus screamed through the gag.

But the thick cloth muffled everything.
Tears of rage and fear streamed down his face.
“This is the Duke’s mercy.”

Meleis explained with cool precision.
“He was attacked by an Inopaco—a monster that had been hiding in his shadow.”
The Count, who had been howling moments ago, froze.

His eyes, fixed on his son’s severed arm, grew old all at once.
“There is also a message from the Duke.”
Probo, still nearby, spoke.

“‘You brought this upon yourself.’”
Just four words.
But they carried countless implications.

Why did you trespass into my territory and bring things to this point? This is the consequence of your foolish betrayal. Your son and those with him fell into the very trap you all set.
Your son’s death, in the end…
“…Is your fault.”

Paavo added, just in case that hadn’t landed clearly enough.
Meleis frowned, quietly scolding him with a look.
Only then did Paavo shrug innocently and lift both hands in surrender, backing away a step.

Shiiing—
A blade slid smoothly from its sheath.