I Became the Male Lead’s Adopted Daughter

Viscount Kerata’s words sounded like a disagreement with Count Urmariti, but in truth, they were an even sharper rebuke.
He subtly shifted the narrative to accuse Viscount Olor’s son and his wife of treating a royal-hosted banquet as less important than their own petty family drama.
‘Ooh, go Viscount Uncle!’

Leonia looked genuinely surprised.
She never imagined that the warm, deer-like man could deliver such a high-level, roundabout insult.
Apparently, to Northerners, “etiquette” just meant a classier form of brawling.

“Y-Yes, that’s true…”
“Why stir up trouble on such a fine day?”
“Just like Count Erbanu did.”

“Like father, like daughter.”
The nobles watching began whispering to one another again.
The mood shifted once more.

Now, the current turned toward blaming Lota and Remus ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ for ruining the First Prince’s birthday banquet.
And this time, even the nobles who supported the emperor and the First Prince were unable to hide their dissatisfaction.
“They couldn’t even hold back…”

“Shameful. Seems they never learned proper etiquette.”
“Well, look at their roots.”
Especially those who had grown resentful of Olor’s rapid rise wasted no time in sneering.

‘Absolutely revolting.’
To Leonia, they were all the same. Whether it was that guy or this one—they were all trash. She now fully understood why Ferio hated banquets.
‘Still, my dad’s incredible.’
Leonia looked at Ferio with renewed awe.

The moment he stepped into the banquet hall, he had taken over everything.
He hadn’t even done anything—and yet the mere fact that he was present had ended the whole situation.
‘Ugh, kind of annoying.’

Leonia wished she could command people the way Ferio did.
She wanted to display her dignity as a Voreoti—confident and proud.
But in the end, she had needed her father’s help.

Leonia was grateful for his perfectly timed entrance… but also envious. The mountain she had to climb to reach his level felt endless.
‘…Just wait.’
But the little beast didn’t shrink back.

If anything, she burned quietly with the determination to do better next time.
“So? What happened here…”
Ferio patted Leonia’s shoulder. That gentle touch felt like a wordless “Well done in my absence.”

“Waaah, Daaaad.”
Moved, the child forgot all her previous resolve and rubbed her face against Ferio’s forearm.
“What exactly is going on here?”

Ferio looked between Lota and Remus as he asked. Only then did the two snap out of their stupor.
“J-Just a family matter.”
Remus answered with a shaky, forced smile. His lips trembled slightly.

Beside him, Lota couldn’t even meet anyone’s eyes. Her face had gone ghostly pale—she looked ready to faint.
That vicious persistence she’d shown earlier while attacking her sister was long gone.
“My wife and father-in-law were worried about Varia not returning home…”

“Wow.”
Ferio scoffed.
“They must have a lot of free time.”

He mocked Remus for having nothing better to do than meddle in his sister-in-law’s affairs.
Remus flushed with shame.
“…It’s a serious matter for the family.”

His tone grew sharper.
“Your eldest daughter getting a good job?”
Ferio asked like he truly couldn’t comprehend the issue.

“What exactly is the problem?”
Publicly, Varia had left her job as a financial officer and taken a position at the Voreoti estate.
The working conditions there were on par with the imperial palace—maybe even better.

In fact, Varia had been shocked by the difference.
Even as a live-in tutor at the estate, she was treated far better than when she had worked as a palace administrator.
“Or are you worried I’ll do something improper to her?”

Ferio let out a small laugh as he pressed his nose to Varia’s temple.

Varia nearly screamed, but Ferio whispered “Sorry” into her ear, just in time for her to clamp her mouth shut.
“My dad’s a gentleman! He’d never do that!”

Unlike some people.
Leonia jumped in with a glare directed squarely at Remus.
Remus flinched under the fierce gaze of the young girl. He had plenty to feel guilty about.

“…Still, who knows.”
Ferio ruffled Leonia’s hair and continued.
“A live-in tutor and her employer…”

His smile curved gently, but it was aimed only at Varia.
“Quite an enticing relationship, don’t you think?”
***

“Did you just see that?!”
“Did you see the expression His Grace made?!”
“He’s ridiculously handsome!”

“Whatever people say…”
“My heart is still pounding!”
“Oh, stop it, you’re embarrassing!”

While Ferio stepped out onto the balcony with Varia and Leonia, the noble ladies buzzed excitedly.
That unexpected smile from Ferio had struck them right in the heart.
And it wasn’t just that.

The disheveled cuffs that proved he’d come running, the hand brushing back fallen hair—every gesture was magnetic.
The black beast who could supposedly kill with just a look… was now killing people in a whole new way.
Even with a child, he still looked like the number-one eligible bachelor in the Empire.

“But that earlier moment…”
Someone cautiously spoke up.
“…That didn’t seem ordinary, did it?”

Everyone nodded in agreement.
“That was Count Erbanu’s eldest daughter, wasn’t it?”
“She had that soft pink hair.”

“And the Duke looked completely smitten with her.”
“His daughter adores her too.”
Everyone was thinking the same thing.

“We’ll be hearing good news from House Voreoti soon.”
They were convinced Varia would become the new mistress of House Voreoti.
The three of them together had looked exactly like a happy family.

“But what about Count Erbanu…?”
As the gossip reached this point, people began recalling the strange behavior of Count Erbanu and the Olor couple.
“Why did they act like that?”

“Maybe they’re still trying to stay on Olor’s good side after marrying into them?”
“But it’s Voreoti we’re talking about.”
No matter how high Olor climbed, it still couldn’t compare to House Voreoti.

“…Actually, it’s a secret…”
Abipher, who had been quietly listening, leaned in cautiously. Nearby nobles perked up their ears.
As someone from House Rinne—closely tied to the Voreotis—her words carried weight.

“Count Erbanu and his wife always praised their second daughter.”
But has anyone here ever heard them compliment their eldest?
The hidden implication in Abipher’s words sent minds racing.

“Isn’t this kind of like what happened with House Hieina?”
Five years ago, a similar story had played out.
A so-called “worthless” daughter whom even her parents gave up on ended up working as Ferio’s secretary.

Now, she was married to Viscount Ricoss—one of the core Northern houses—and had just given birth.
Since then, the Count of Hieina had been branded as a fool who couldn’t recognize his daughter’s talent.
It even came out that they had emotionally abused her, and the entire family was publicly shamed.

‘Still… surprising.’
Abipher smiled behind her fan as she watched the gossip take off on its own. But a seed of doubt lingered.
‘Are they really just nothing to each other?’

As far as she knew, Varia was just a tutor for Leonia. Nothing more.
Even Carnis had told her Ferio said so himself.
Maybe it was all just a performance—to crush Olor and Erbanu’s pride.

‘But still…’

That suspicion wouldn’t go away.
“Abii.”

Carnis, who seemed to share the same thought, quietly called out to his wife.
“Don’t they seem a little… something?”
At least he wasn’t on the verge of tears this time—unlike five years ago.

***
“What were you thinking?!”
The moment they left the banquet hall, Varia lashed out at Ferio.

“What do you think the nobles will say after what they just saw?! They love spinning wild rumors!”
She was still flustered over how flirtatious he had been with her.
Just thinking about it made her heart race again—her face still flushed, and her head swam.

She could still clearly smell his scent in her nose.
“They’ll say whatever they want, I’m sure.”
“Yeah. Don’t worry about it too much.”

The predator and his daughter didn’t seem the least bit bothered.
Leonia even casually scratched her nose with her pinky and then wiped it on Ferio’s coat.
She got caught and earned a firm finger flick to the forehead.

“Anyone from House Voreoti has to go through at least one round of rumors.”
Leonia rubbed her sore forehead and gave Ferio a pointed look.
“I went through it five years ago!”

“That must’ve been upsetting.”
“So I wiped them all out with the Fangs of the Beast.”
“Excuse me?”

“She didn’t kill anyone.”
Ferio quickly corrected his daughter’s bluff.
“Just gave them pain so intense they wished they were dead.”

Same difference, really.
Listening to the shameless conversation between the two, Varia’s expression chilled.
“…Still, if it upset you, I apologize.”

Ferio offered a sincere apology. After all, he had touched her without permission. That could’ve easily been taken the wrong way.
But if she had felt truly offended, Ferio would’ve been just a little… disappointed.
“I wasn’t offended.”

Varia let out a short sigh.
“I was just… surprised. Actually…”
She almost said it out loud—how she’d been stunned by the contours of his chest through his dress shirt, and how she’d unconsciously rested her hand on it.

“….”
But she stopped herself just in time.
“Unnie liked it, huh?”

Leonia smirked mischievously.
“Not… ‘liked’ exactly.”
Varia quickly corrected her wording.

“But you did like it!”
“T-That’s because His Grace is handsome!”
“Is that a confession?”

Ferio rubbed his chin with an overly serious expression. He genuinely seemed amazed by his own unrelenting popularity.
“Even with a kid, I’m still top-tier, huh.”
“What is wrong with this dad.”

Leonia deadpanned.
“Don’t let being good-looking, ripped, filthy rich, and powerful go to your head.”
Varia’s expression shifted subtly. Honestly, with all that, a little pride was totally fair.

“Anyway…”
Varia quickly steered the conversation back on track before it veered off a cliff.
After a short breath, she gathered her scattered thoughts and bowed her head to Ferio.

“Thank you. Really.”
Ferio’s method had been a bit over-the-top, but thanks to him, Count Erbanu had been completely silenced.
Even though she still felt awkward about the misunderstanding surrounding her, she was freer than she had been before.

It stung a little that she hadn’t achieved it with her own power—but Ferio had undeniably helped her.
“There’s no need to bow.”
Ferio gently cupped her forehead and chin in both hands, lifting her head.

Green eyes gleaming in the banquet’s spillover light met eyes darker than the night itself.
“All of this started because of you, Lady Varia. I just agreed to go along.”
“But if I had been alone…”

“You probably would’ve punched the Olor brat yourself.”
Ferio’s teasing made Varia blush bright red.