I Became the Male Lead’s Adopted Daughter

“No.”

Varia shoved the papers back at the pleading official with a firm shake of her head.

“I’m not about to throw state funds at a proposal this full of holes. Do you think the national budget is some kind of joke? You’ll need a more detailed plan, along with—”

She calmly, but firmly, listed off every reason why she was rejecting the proposal, right up until the man looked like he might burst into tears.

“And another thing.”

Varia exhaled slowly and raised her eyebrows as she looked at him.

“Tell that damned superior of yours who handed you this crap to go choke on it.”

Then she sat back down and focused on her work.

By the time the official turned to leave, his eyes were glassy with unshed tears.

“...Wow, she really is a beast.”

Her colleagues, watching from nearby, clicked their tongues in disbelief.

“She practically tore him apart.”

“Was that really necessary?”

“She looks so calm and sweet, though...”

“Don’t let that face fool you.”

Someone nudged the person who spoke, warning them to watch their mouth.

“You know, back when Varia had just started here—”

There was a story, a legend of sorts, that circulated through the Finance Department.

When Varia was first assigned to this department, she rejected a proposal just like today—one that was sloppy and incomplete. The official who brought it in decided to mouth off and hurl insults at her.

He collapsed on the spot.

Because Varia had punched him.

“...Seriously?”

The junior who’d only joined last year glanced at Varia with wide, skeptical eyes.

He knew she had a reputation for being strict, but he didn’t think it was that extreme.

“She’s stronger than she looks,” Les chuckled.

“She looks like a sweet little puppy, right?”

But her temper was pure beast.

“She never backs down. And get this, she works out every day, no matter how busy she is.”

Les had once asked her why.

The two of them had joined the Finance Department at the same time, and despite being the most powerful administrative office in the government—since it controlled the country’s money—Varia still pushed herself relentlessly.

‘Why are you working so hard?’

It’s not like she needed to. She’d landed one of the most coveted positions. But Varia was always her own worst critic.

‘...Because I don’t want to be the one who gets stepped on.’

From that day on, Les and Varia became close.

“You actually like this job, don’t you?”

“I do.”

Les snorted, showing off for the junior. “People from the North are just naturally aggressive.”

At that moment—

“Where’s Varia?!”

A loud voice came from behind the door.

It slammed open with a bang, like it might come off its hinges, and a large man stormed into the Finance Department.

His face was flushed, a mix of red and purple, and he looked like a drunk about to start a fight.

“Knew he’d show up...” Les muttered, plugging his ears.

As the rest of the staff avoided eye contact and backed away, Varia sat calmly, wrapping a handkerchief around her hand.

“Baron Onokenta.”

She called him with a steady, unbothered voice.

“What do you want from me?”

“You’re Varia?”

Baron Onokenta, who had been fuming just a second ago, faltered.

When he’d heard of “Varia the Beast,” he’d assumed it was a man. But standing in front of him now was a woman—one that didn’t fit his expectations at all.

She was beautiful.

“Ahem.”

He cleared his throat, forcing a tone of false dignity.

“Listen here, little lady.”

He gave her a slow, disgusting once-over, eyes crawling from her head to her toes.

“You’re pretty enough, I’ll give you that.”

“...”

“But what’s the point if you’re so uptight, huh?”

Varia didn’t respond. She just kept quietly wrapping the handkerchief tighter around her hand.

“A woman should be a little softer, don’t you think?”

“Is that so?”

Varia smiled sweetly.

“Then would you like a taste?”

“Heh, now you’re talking—ack!”

Before he could finish, Varia’s fist shot straight into his mouth.

At the same time, she slammed her foot into his shin, forcing him to collapse to his knees.

“Ah!”

“Varia!”

Her colleagues, who’d been watching with bated breath, cried out in shock.

“Yes! That’s what I’m talking about!” Les cheered, pumping his fist, warning everyone not to even think about interfering.

Not that anyone could’ve stopped her even if they wanted to.

“Looks like there’s nothing but air in that skull of yours.”

Varia stepped on his thigh, gripping his jaw tightly.

“Do you know why your proposal was rejected?”

She didn’t wait for an answer.

“First of all, your data is garbage.”

The proposal was full of nonsense.

“You’re asking for a massive sum, but where’s the evidence? At the very least, cite your sources.”

She couldn’t approve a budget based on vague, unverified data.

“And stop twisting facts.”

The few sources he did include were blatantly manipulated.

“Why is your report saying the exact opposite of what I read in the paper yesterday?”

Varia’s voice was cold.

But it wasn’t her fist in his mouth or her grip on his jaw that silenced the Baron.

It was her eyes.

Eyes that looked like they would tear him apart on the spot.

“And finally.”

She brought up the proposal’s main point.

“Last year.”

Every word she spoke was sharp as a blade, and the Baron flinched at each one.

“Last year, we already repaved the Gate Road area.”

So why, she asked, was he proposing another round of construction there—and asking for even more money this time?

“Well?”

She pulled her hand from his mouth.

“Cough! Gahh...!”

Onokenta gasped and wheezed.

“Are you trying to set up a slush fund or something?”

Varia’s lips curled into a smile.

But her eyes, looking down at him, were ice cold.

***

“Hey, Varia...”

The sound of running water filled the bathroom as Les’s worried voice echoed.

Varia stood at the sink, washing her hands over and over again. She could still feel the disgusting inside of the Baron’s mouth through the handkerchief.

She’d thrown it in the trash the moment she unwrapped it.

“You’re not worried you’ll get called in by your family over this?”

“They can call me if they want.”

Only after washing five times did Varia dry her hands.

“It’s been years since I cut ties with them.”

“Your father doesn’t see it that way.”

Les handed her a clean handkerchief, which she accepted gratefully.

“He can think what he wants.”

Varia’s reflection in the mirror looked completely drained.

“...You’ve been through a lot.”

Les patted her back, trying to encourage her. Varia gave a tired smile.

Back at the Finance Department, the air was tense. Everyone, whether they worked there or were just visiting from other departments, kept their heads down and their mouths shut.

No one wanted to be caught up in what they’d just witnessed.

“Varia.”

A colleague approached her cautiously.

“I can’t say that was the right thing to do, but honestly, it felt damn good.”

They chuckled.

“Did you see that bastard’s face? I’ve never felt so relieved.”

“He’s been worse lately, hasn’t he?”

Baron Onokenta, already known for being a piece of shit, had gotten even more arrogant recently.

“Seriously.”

“Is he on heat or something?”

One of the women, who’d been harassed by him before, spat curses.

“He’s been a menace everywhere, honestly.”

“Wait, don’t you guys know?”

A senior colleague leaned in to spill the truth.

“Viscount Olor’s backing him.”

Apparently, it was common knowledge in certain circles.

“All those proposals he keeps submitting? Olor’s got his hands in them too.”

That was why Onokenta hadn’t been fired yet, despite everything.

The senior shook her head, disgusted at how corrupt ❀ ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) everything had become.

“So you’d better be careful, Varia.”

She was genuinely concerned.

“If Olor comes up here because of this, you could be in serious trouble. They say even the Marquis of Pardus is getting cozy with him.”

Varia smiled.

“Thanks for the warning.”

Another piece of the puzzle had fallen into place.

***

Varia went straight to her dorm as soon as she finished work.

The administrative dorms were outside the palace grounds but still under imperial control—only officials were allowed in.

That was why Varia applied to live there and cut ties with her family.

It wasn’t just now.

Even during her Academy days, she’d lived in the dorms and avoided going home unless absolutely necessary.

The last time she visited was for her younger sister’s engagement party.

All she remembered from that day was standing next to her underage sister, forcing herself to stay composed while some thirty-something man acted like a noble gentleman.

She hadn’t been there to genuinely congratulate her sister.

“Baron Onokenta...”

Freshly washed, Varia sat at her desk. The small heater she’d turned on beforehand had warmed the room nicely.

‘Of course he’s tied to Olor.’

Drying her wet hair, she pulled out a drawer.

She pressed the inner corner, and with a soft click, the false bottom revealed a hidden compartment.

Varia pulled out a stack of documents.

Evidence she’d gathered in secret, while working in the Finance Department—proof of the Imperial family’s and Olor’s schemes.

She added the Baron’s proposal to the pile.

‘I’ve collected quite a bit now...’

Maybe this was finally enough.

But her sharp green eyes scanned the documents again, desperately looking for any flaw.

‘I can’t afford a single mistake.’

She bit her lip.

Last time, she’d died without being able to do anything. But now that she’d come back, she wasn’t going to let it happen again.

She’d worked for this.

Top of her class at the Academy, both entering and graduating, and landing a job in the most exclusive department in the palace.

And from there, she’d quietly uncovered the truth, piece by piece.

It had already been five years.

‘If I can just meet the Duke of Voreoti...’

Varia finally felt hope.

With this much proof, the Duke—the Black Beast, the strongest Voreoti in history—would believe her. He would stop them.

‘But...’

Her eyes, full of hope just moments ago, flickered slightly.

‘Who the hell is that girl?’

She thought of Leonia Voreoti—a name she had never heard of in her previous life.