I Became the Male Lead’s Adopted Daughter

“It’s not drool. It’s tears of admiration.”

“Then what’s that liquid flowing from your eyes?”
“It’s saltwater. There’s an ocean in my eyes.”
And for those who disobey, there’s a sea of blood in theirs.

Leonia, completely overwhelmed, rambled on without realizing what she was saying. She was utterly mesmerized, lost in the paradise of raw, physical perfection unfolding before her.
The knights burst into laughter.
They didn’t openly show it, but the knights believed two things: first, that Leonia had been adopted from an orphanage, and second, the ridiculous rumor that she was actually Ferio’s illegitimate child. So, they could only imagine how poor her condition must have been when she first arrived at the Voreoti estate. Those who had accompanied the Duke at the time had seen it firsthand and had been deeply concerned.

That was why seeing her so full of energy, laughing so brightly, made them genuinely happy.
Though… I don’t know if “bright laughter” is the right way to describe this.
Meleis smiled wryly. After all, there weren’t many seven-year-olds who got this excited about muscles. But since it was undeniably adorable, all was forgiven. The other knights also seemed pleased, as Leonia’s enthusiasm was, in a way, a testament to their hard work.

“……”
Standing a few steps away, Ferio watched Leonia.
He had been discussing monster hunting with the senior knights when he noticed his daughter laughing gleefully. Seeing her get along with strangers so naturally reassured him. Unlike him, she had a natural social ability. Not to mention, she hadn’t cried upon seeing him for the first time—proving that her nerves were made of steel.

“The knights seem to enjoy the young lady’s presence.”
Ferio turned his head.
“As expected, having a child around brightens the atmosphere.”

One of the senior knights, a middle-aged man, smiled. He was Yuben, Ferio’s childhood swordsmanship instructor, a Sword Master, and one of the three in the Gladiago Knights. He wasn’t the only one watching Leonia warmly—other senior knights had similar expressions.
“By the way, have you added the orphanage to the family’s list of enemies?”
Yuben asked, suggesting it would be best to deal with it sooner rather than later.

“It’s already on the list.”
Though the knights were surprised by how quickly Ferio had acted, they exchanged knowing glances—of course, he had.
After a moment of watching Leonia intently, Ferio spoke.
“Do your children act like this too?”

He directed the question at the knights around him. Many of the senior knights present were married with children.
They exchanged looks again before one of them asked, “‘Act like this’ in what way?”
“She’s obsessed with muscles.”

Ferio’s serious concern made Yuben and the others chuckle.
“Well, at that age, children often take an interest in things that seem strange to adults. My son, when he was about her age, was completely fixated on… what was it again? Ah, candy wrappers.”
“My «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» daughter collected rocks and stored them in a treasure box.”

“That’s still on the cute side. My eldest son… he collected dead insects.”
As soon as the topic of children came up, everyone eagerly began sharing their stories. Ferio, who had never once been interested in such discussions, found himself genuinely listening for the first time—and strangely, he even related to their struggles.
“You’ve truly become a father now, my lord…”

One of the knights, Kaladran, whose strong jawline was strikingly well-defined, asked if Ferio had any other concerns about raising a child.
Ferio, having something on his mind, slowly opened his mouth.

“My child…”

And then he said,
“She’s too smart.”
The statement momentarily stunned the battle-hardened northern knights.

“Did your children use words like ‘embezzlement’ when they were seven? She told me she already finished all the fairy tale books I bought her—over fifty volumes—in less than a month. Does that even make sense?”
The knights, who had just been sharing their own struggles, were left speechless by Ferio’s unexpected bragging. But Ferio was dead serious—his expression was more solemn than when facing a monster.
“She’s nothing like the usual kids who just cry when they see me. My daughter is fearless. She even makes jokes at my expense and picks fights with me. And if she thinks I might be tired, she bakes cookies and gives them to me.”

He went on to describe the ginger cookies she had made for him.
“She’s still clumsy, so the shapes were messy. But it was her first time, so that’s understandable. When I tasted them, they were perfectly crisp, and the scent was refreshing. It completely relieved my fatigue. I think she has an incredible talent. I should seriously consider what path to guide her toward.”
“Ah, I see…”

“…I see.”
The knights, who had been listening patiently, looked increasingly drained. Though they didn’t say it out loud, their expressions clearly screamed, And what do you expect us to do with this information?
Parents often got annoyed when other parents bragged about their kids, after all.

But Ferio’s concerns didn’t stop there.
This translation is the intellectual property of .
“She’s starting to gain weight, and her face is blooming into a mirror of mine. As if being a Voreoti heiress wasn’t enough to have people fawning over her, with that face, she’s bound to have countless people at her feet.”

Once he started, there was no stopping Ferio’s daughter-crazed monologue.
The senior knights, men with decades of experience on the battlefield, turned their gazes elsewhere as if they were helpless children. Some fiddled with the hems of their clothes, pretending to listen while zoning out.
It was at that moment they began regretting ever asking.

“Waaaah!”
Leonia, still surrounded by the knights, clapped her hands together and let out a delighted cheer.
“Do it again! Do it again!”

“Then, would you like to sing for us this time, my lady? We’ll follow along.”
“Sing along? Can you do that?”
“Of course! It’s a skill we developed at drinking parties.”

“Hmm… What should I sing?”
After thinking for a moment, Leonia’s eyes lit up as she remembered something. Then, her clear, sweet voice rang through the training grounds.
“Muscles are the best! Flex, flex, gather up!”

Doom-chit-doom-chit, doom-chit-doom-chit.
“Biceps, deltoids, pectorals, abs—electrifying!”
Doom-chit-doom-chit.

As Leonia sang her muscle-loving song, the knights started rhythmically flexing their chest muscles in time with the beat.
“The lower body is amazing too—quads!”
The knights, broad and muscular, moved their chests in a synchronized wave, as if creating a ripple effect.

“Waaah! Muscle wave!”

The once sweet, angelic voice now burned with passion.
“…My lord.”

Mono placed a hand on Ferio’s shoulder as they watched the scene unfold.
For some reason, the normally broad and imposing shoulders of the Duke of Voreoti seemed strangely slumped today.
“My children… were never quite like this.”

“Neither were mine.”
“The young lady is quite… special.”
“Well, geniuses always tend to have a quirk.”

The veteran knights let out hearty laughter.
Today was the first time they’d ever felt such relief.
***

The blizzard, which had shown no sign of stopping, finally ceased a few days later.
“Waaah…”
Leonia, waking up to the rare sight of bright sunlight, gaped at the view from her bedroom window. Throwing on a coat from the nearby chair, she hurried outside, greeting the staff along the way.

“You’re up early, my lady.”
“Good morning!”
After Ferio’s strict instruction, Leonia had begun addressing the servants properly. Though awkward at first, she had quickly gotten used to it.

“The snow is piled up as tall as a person! I’ve never seen so much snow before.”
She bounced on her heels as she chattered.
“That’s normal for Voreoti winters.”

A maid, carrying a basin of water, gently guided Leonia back inside.
“This year, it’s actually less than usual.”
“Really? That’s ‘less’?”

“Last year, it reached the second-floor windows.”
That was why all living spaces in the Voreoti estate were on the third floor or higher—anything below would be buried in snow.
“So that’s why the sitting room is on the third floor.”

Leonia recalled the cozy space where she and Ferio had spent the blizzard. Just remembering the warm fireplace and plush rugs made her feel drowsy.
The first-floor sitting room, apparently, was only used in summer.
At breakfast, Leonia spotted Ferio.

“Uncle!”
She beamed at him.
“Did you sleep well? Have a good dream? Did you dream of me?”

“That wouldn’t be a good dream.”
Leonia’s smile instantly vanished as she scowled.
“Always picking a fight…”

Ferio, amused, sat her down.
Then, as they ate together, he spoke.
“The date for the monster hunt has been set.”

“When?”
“Tomorrow.”