I Became the Male Lead's Adopted Daughter-Chapter 76

In this real world where people live and breathe, what the original story showed was only a tiny fragment.

There was always a great chance that this world would flow differently from the original.

And Leonia herself was the proof of that.

She was the living example that the story’s progression could be completely overturned.

“I’m so embarrassed.”

Leonia buried her face in her hands.

To pity Varia in her current situation based on such a shallow understanding... It was a huge disrespect to the other person.

“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”

Ferio gently stroked her head. His voice was slower and more grounded than usual, and it felt comforting.

Feeling sheepish, Leonia fiddled with the glass wrapped in a handkerchief.

The handkerchief Ferio always carried was one she had picked out for him herself.

“You’re different from me. You actually think about other people.”

“But you said that kind of thing isn’t necessary.”

Leonia tilted her head.

She remembered when they were discussing whether to hire a tutor. Ferio had said that someone from the Voreoti family, who had to stand above everyone else, didn’t need to care about others’ circumstances.

“That’s still true.”

Ferio hadn’t changed his view.

“But Leonia, you were worried about her.”

“No, I was just being rude to her...”

“Don’t put yourself down that much.”

Ferio paused for a moment, silently reflecting.

As he slowly organized the thoughts in his head, he gently toyed with the tips of Leonia’s fingers.

He remembered when he first met her at the orphanage.

Her nails had been jagged and untrimmed, dirt packed underneath them.

The backs of her hands were dry and cracked white with rough calluses, and not a single finger was free of hangnails.

Now, it was like those days had never existed—her hands were plump, soft, and healthy. Her slightly pink nails were smooth and gleaming.

“...Caring for someone, feeling sympathy for them, that’s not a bad thing.”

Until just recently—until he met Leonia—Ferio hadn’t believed that.

He had met countless children in orphanages, and never once did he think, Poor kids.

He had always regarded it as just their circumstances—something to observe, not to feel.

But after living with Leonia, he worried about her constantly.

Why had she lived such a hard life?

Why hadn’t any adults helped her?

Even now, when she had grown so healthy and beautiful, he couldn’t stop worrying.

“If you don’t care about someone at all, you couldn’t even feel those things.”

“...”

“So no, you’re not a bad person.”

Leonia’s face visibly brightened.

Ferio finally felt a wave of relief.

Whenever the child got discouraged, she drooped like she was about to fall off a cliff—it took a tremendous amount of energy to deal with.

Thankfully, she seemed to have perked up again.

“Then, Dad, do you worry about people too?”

“First of all—you.”

“Hehe...!”

At that immediate answer, the baby beast squirmed with delight.

Under the table, her little legs kicked excitedly.

“And who else?”

“Well...”

Ferio thought for a moment.

“The Rinne family. Abipher and the kids, too.”

“And?”

“The Gladiago knights. Kara too.”

“And then?”

“Professor Strige.”

“What about Uncle Lupe?”

“Well... should I add that bastard in too?”

At Ferio’s teasing response, Leonia beamed.

“Dad, you’re a lot nicer than I thought!”

Ferio couldn’t hold back his laughter. A quiet, unguarded chuckle spilled out, and it lasted quite a while.

“And cuter!”

“That’s definitely not true.”

“It is!”

Declaring that she never lied, Leonia thumped her chest proudly.

“Really...”

Ferio felt something strange and unfamiliar rise within him.

His heart was swelling with a soft, warm feeling he hadn’t known before. It was as if he were floating, as light as a feather on a summer cloud.

To be called kind and cute...

“You cheeky little thing.”

Pretending to brush it off, Ferio took a sip of his drink.

Leonia quietly giggled to herself as she stared at her dad’s ears—slightly redder than usual.

It was one of those exceptionally bright early summer days.

***

After talking through her thoughts with Ferio, Leonia decided to stop obsessing over Varia.

‘If we’re meant to cross paths again, we will.’

She stopped pitying Varia for enduring things alone.

Instead, she genuinely prayed that nothing too painful would happen to her until they met again.

And if they did meet again, she promised herself she would be someone who could actually help.

Once her worries were settled, important guests came to visit.

The Rinne family had just arrived in the capital from the West and dropped by the Voreoti mansion to pay their respects.

“Leonia onnie!”

“Noonaaa!”

Ufikla and Pinu, the energetic puppy siblings, came charging at her.

“You little mutts!”

Bracing herself, Leonia opened her arms wide.

She planted her feet firmly, strengthening the legs she had worked hard to build while running around the training ground.

“Guh!”

But she still couldn’t beat the bigger Ufikla and the overly energetic Pinu, and was knocked flat onto her back.

Thankfully, Meleis had been watching from behind just in case and caught her, so she didn’t get hurt.

Leonia blinked up at the sky in her flipped-over view.

“You two, seriously.”

Abipher scolded them gently as she pulled Ufikla and Pinu off Leonia one at a time.

“I apologize, young lady. Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.”

“I’m glad to see you’ve been doing well.”

As she straightened Leonia’s disheveled clothes, Abipher gave her a warm smile. Leonia smiled bashfully back.

“Huh, she has grown.”

Carnis, who had followed behind, reached down to measure against her legs.

“She was about this tall last time we saw her at the western estate.”

“Looks like she’s filled out, too.”

“Oh, stop it, both of you.”

At their comments, Leonia feigned humility—but her grin stretched so far, it looked like her cheeks were about to lift her whole face.

“Just recently, she had all her clothes refitted.”

Tra, who had come out to greet the guests, smiled proudly at Leonia’s bashful expression.

“The master even provided gemstones from the northern mines to decorate her new outfits.”

“Oh my!”

Abipher laughed, clearly amused. It seemed the infamous Black Beast of the North turned soft when it came to his child.

“Onnie, this is our puppy!”

“Woofie!”

Ufikla and Pinu tugged at Leonia, urging her to come look at the pet they’d brought from the capital estate.

Reluctantly giving in, Leonia allowed herself to be pulled along and was introduced to the Rinne family’s household pets.

Three fluffy small dogs sat nestled together in a large basket.

“So cute!”

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

Leonia cupped her flushed cheeks with both hands.

This chapter is updat𝙚d by freeweɓnovel.cøm.

“This one’s Fufu, that one’s Sese, and that’s Tete.”

Ufikla introduced the puppies one by one.

Each dog, called by name in their order of birth, wore a collar around its neck.

Pinu suddenly grabbed Sese—the one with the blue collar—into his arms.

“I love Sese!”

Apparently, Sese liked Pinu just as much, flicking his bright red tongue all over Pinu’s cheek.

The pup’s fluffy tail, as puffed up as Pinu’s face, wagged wildly as if stirring the air.

“Whimper! Whine!”

But then, suddenly, the puppies cowered in fear. Their tails drooped so low they brushed their bellies, and they whimpered nervously, unable to stay still.

“Noona, is the puppy hurt?”

“I don’t know? Huh? Are you hurt?”

Startled, Ufikla and Pinu held the dogs close in worry.

“Ah, they’re fine.”

Leonia, the only calm one, reassured them as she patted their shoulders.

“My dad’s here.”

She pointed toward the stairs.

Ferio, who had just finished his work, was approaching the children.

The puppies whimpered louder.

“It’s because of Dad!”

Leonia stood up and snickered, pointing a finger at him.

Ferio, without a word, bent her finger down. He did it hard enough to make Leonia squeal.

In the meantime, Ferio greeted Ufikla and Pinu, welcoming them.

“Duke! These are our puppies!”

“Our woof-woofs!”

The children eagerly showed off their dogs.

But the puppies, terrified, had crawled into the bottom of the basket, covering their faces with their front paws as they trembled.

Then, one of them peed.

“Sese peed!”

Pinu shouted loudly.

***

To calm the puppies, the children moved to play in Leonia’s room.

Only then did the dogs seem to settle down, popping out of the basket to explore the room curiously.

Meanwhile, the adults gathered in the first-floor parlor to briefly catch up.

“Why’d you bring dogs?”

Ferio, still irritated about earlier, shot a glare at Carnis.

“The kids wanted to show them to the young lady.”

Carnis quickly distanced himself from the decision, making it clear it wasn’t his idea.

Abipher also added that she had suggested leaving the dogs behind, but the children had insisted, saying they wanted Leonia to see them.

“Still acting like that, huh.”

“I think he’s gotten a little better, don’t you think?”

“Well...”

Carnis nodded at ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ Abipher’s words and chuckled.

Back when Ferio had visited the Rinne estate, the moment the dogs sensed him, they would bolt immediately.

“Dogs, cats, any little animal really—they all run from you the moment they see you.”

“It only happens sometimes.”

“What do you mean sometimes?”

It was always, and Carnis barely held back his laughter.

For some reason, animals like dogs and cats tended to run away on sight when they saw Ferio.

Just like how children burst into tears the moment they saw him.

Still, this time the dogs didn’t run away, so it was a marked improvement.

“It’s because of the Fangs.”

“No, it’s your face.”

Ferio tried to explain, but Carnis clapped back instantly.

“His Grace is handsome.”

More than you are, even, Abipher added, lightly teasing Carnis.

Ferio gave a small shrug as if he’d just heard the most obvious thing in the world.

Carnis, annoyed, fired back.

“But he looks scary.”

“That’s...”

Abipher tried to take his side but hesitated.

The truth was, even she often found his presence overwhelming—his beauty overshadowed by a terrifying pressure.

Even now, it was the same.

“Forgive me, Your Grace.”

“It’s fine.”

Ferio was used to hearing that sort of thing. It didn’t faze him in the slightest.

“I heard there’s a banquet coming up soon.”

Trying to change the mood, Abipher brought up a new topic.

Just in time—there was a yellow envelope sitting unopened on Ferio’s desk.

It was an invitation from the Imperial Family.

“Hey, at least open it.”

Carnis scolded, pointing at the sealed envelope.

“You already read yours.”

Since all the invitations had the same content, Ferio lazily told Carnis to just relay the details.

“I’m not your servant, you know?”

Muttering incredulously, Carnis grumbled but still relayed the banquet date and time.

And at the same time, he boldly tore open Ferio’s invitation himself.

“Next month, at eight in the evening. Kinda late.”

“It’ll be around sunset. Summer banquets are always held late.”

“It won’t be outdoors. Nobles hate bugs.”

“You’re a noble too.”

Abipher added, laughing at her husband’s tone.

“I’m not going.”

Ferio sipped his now-lukewarm tea.

His posture and manner as he drank were perfectly refined.

“There you go again.”

Carnis tried to persuade him.

This was the first banquet to be held since the late emperor’s passing. Even if he disliked the new emperor, showing up would make things easier politically.

“You’ve got Leonia.”

“And what, we don’t have kids?”

Ferio tried to use the child as an excuse, but Carnis immediately shot it down.

“We have a nanny at our estate. When the time comes, the young lady could—”

Abipher joined in, ready to close off any possible escape route.

“...Are you out of your mind?”

Carnis growled, voice thick with rage.

Startled, Abipher asked what was wrong. Carnis silently handed her the invitation.

When Abipher read it, her eyes widened in shock.