I Became the Male Lead’s Adopted Daughter

The Black Beast’s Varia.

It was a novel that only showed a glimpse of this world, and for some reason, Leonia had ended up inside it as the adopted daughter of the male lead, Ferio.

And from that point on, she lived however the hell she wanted, ignoring the original plot.

She had realized, thanks to her father, that what was written in the novel was just a tiny part of this world.

But still, not even for a second did Leonia forget the protagonist of the original story.

‘Varia...!’

A smile crept across the girl’s lips.

‘I’m finally going to meet her!’

Leonia’s heart pounded.

‘What’s with me right now?’

She felt like a kid about to open a present, all giddy with excitement.

That curiosity she hadn’t felt in a long while suddenly came bubbling back up. She wondered what Varia really looked like, what kind of person she was.

Whether she was exactly like the novel described, or totally different, it would be fascinating either way.

‘Varia after she turned back time was a little scary though.’

Originally, Varia was a pacifist.

She was a gentle soul who believed that without fights or conflicts, people could understand one another and get along through words alone.

But that belief ended in her family’s betrayal and death.

When she returned to the past, Varia abandoned those soft ideals.

“...Oh, Leo.”

“...Huh? Huh?”

Just as she was lost in thoughts of the original Varia, Leonia snapped her head up.

Ferio was looking down at his daughter with an unimpressed expression.

“You’re that happy about it?”

“About what?”

“That.”

Ferio nodded towards the invitation. Only then did Leonia realize she was clutching the yellow envelope tightly with both hands.

“Ugh...!”

Startled, Leonia quickly shoved the envelope away and wiped her palms on her pants.

“It’s not like that.”

She rushed to explain she had just been thinking about something else.

“What were you thinking about that you didn’t even hear me calling you?”

“Well, I’m just excited to see Tra and everyone at the capital estate again, you know.”

“What a silly thing.”

Ferio lightly ruffled his daughter’s bangs and sat down next to her.

“But Dad, are you okay?”

Leonia asked, brushing her bangs back into place with her hands.

“You’re busy right now, aren’t you?”

“Who knows...”

Ferio tried to play it cool, but truth be told, he was in quite a bind.

He’d just returned from hunting monsters right after a snowstorm, barely caught up on the mountain of work that had piled up, and now suddenly, this trip to the capital?

“What a fucking joke.”

Ferio finally cursed out loud.

“Dad, what did you do back when you had to stay in the capital for three years?”

Leonia remembered how Ferio had stayed in the capital for three years after the former emperor’s death.

“Back then, they brought all the urgent matters to me.”

“So this time too...”

Just as she was about to ask if they could do the same, Leonia froze.

“Mandatory attendance...!”

Back then, only those listed in the noble council had gathered. But this banquet required every noble who received an invitation to attend.

All the old Northern houses were older than the Empire itself, noble bloodlines with deep roots.

Which meant, they too would be heading to the capital this time.

It couldn’t be like last time.

“If it’s too much, I could go to the capital alone?”

Leonia asked, a little worried.

“How could I just send you off alone?”

Ferio muttered like he had no choice.

“I’ll have to leave Lupe behind.”

“Oh no, poor Lupe...”

Leonia felt sorry for Lupe, who was getting dragged into things again.

***

It had been ages since the Voreoti father and daughter were invited to an imperial banquet.

Ever since Leonia had caused that massive scene as a child, the Emperor had been so pissed that he didn’t even bother sending invitations.

“What a petty bastard.”

Leonia sneered.

Finally, the day to depart for the capital had come.

Leonia yawned softly as she watched the servants inspecting the carriages and making final preparations.

The estate had been a whirlwind for days, scrambling to meet the tight schedule.

“A so-called emperor, right? Huh? Holding a grudge over something a seven-year-old whined about? That’s just pathetic.”

Clearly, they sent the invitation late on purpose.

Wrapped in a long, snow-white cloak, Leonia clicked her tongue.

“Right, Grandma Kara?”

She hugged Kara’s arm and asked in a babyish voice.

Kara found her utterly adorable and nodded.

“Our young lady just got back, and now you’re off again so soon.”

“Exactly.”

I want to stay with Grandma. Kara just smiled warmly at the childish whining.

No matter how much she’d grown, in Kara’s eyes, she was still just a little girl.

“It’s breaking my heart.”

“Should I just not go?”

“You have to go.”

Kara already knew full well that Leonia wanted to go to the capital.

Leonia didn’t keep whining about it. Instead, she quietly let go of Kara’s arm and lightly kicked at the ground.

“I wish you could come with me, Grandma Kara.”

“Fufu, give my regards to Tra when you get there.”

“Don’t you want to see Tra too?”

“No news is good news, dear.”

Kara spoke with the calm of experience, trusting that Tra would be fine and there was no need to worry.

“Leo.”

At that moment, Ferio called for Leonia.

Draped in a pitch-black cloak, Ferio stood alone on the white snow. A faint puff of breath came from his lips as he called his daughter’s name.

“My handsome Dad!”

Leonia grinned and ran into his arms.

She snuggled inside his black cloak like a curtain, poking just her head out. Ferio’s large frame looked even bulkier with her tucked inside.

“Don’t your lips ever get tired?”

“What?”

“You’re just saying the obvious.”

“You really don’t take compliments well.”

Leonia shook her head like she was fed up.

He was just too full of himself, through and through.

“You’ve grown a lot.”

Ferio muttered, resting his chin on his daughter’s head.

“You were tiny like a mouse dropping just yesterday.”

“I was bigger than that.”

“You used to cling to my leg all the time, like some little pervert...”

Ferio’s voice was nostalgic as he remembered Leonia’s childhood.

That tiny girl had grown so much she now reached his chest.

“Every three or four days, I’d do it.”

“More like sixteen times every three or four days.”

But inside, she was still a brat.

“When are you going to grow up?”

“Never.”

Leonia smiled slyly and slipped out from his cloak. For no reason at all, the little beast was excited, spinning around her beast of a dad.

Ferio was oddly relieved that his daughter still acted like a child.

If she grew up too fast and became an adult, that would feel a bit sad.

“Well, let’s go.”

The father and daughter climbed into the carriage.

“Duke, young lady.”

Lupe came over to greet them.

“Safe travels.”

While Ferio was away from the North, Lupe would remain to act as the Duke’s proxy.

Ferio had arranged for Inseréa and Lupi to stay at the estate to help Lupe.

“I’ll contact you once we arrive.”

“Take care, Mister Lupe.”

“Of course.”

Lupe’s face was lit up with a huge smile.

Even though he had to stay behind and do all the work, he was beyond thrilled he didn’t have to go to the capital. Being with his family ❀ ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) made him even happier.

“...He’s so annoying.”

Look at him, smiling like that all by himself.

Leonia felt irritated.

“Should I dock his pay?”

At Ferio’s muttered threat, Lupe’s face turned into a grimace.

“Dad, you’re the reason he’s like this.”

Leonia couldn’t help but admire Lupe for surviving under the worst boss ever.

The carriage finally set off.

Ferio immediately started looking through the documents he brought. A big stack sat beside him, all urgent matters he needed to take care of.

Leonia watched, then reached out her hand.

“Want me to help?”

Ferio stared at her hand for a moment before handing over a few documents.

“Ask if you don’t get something.”

“Okay.”

“When you sign, use my name, and then...”

“‘Leonia Voreoti’ has to be signed as proxy.”

Right?

Leonia cut him off.

She’d heard it a thousand times.

She’d already done simple paperwork as acting heir, part of her succession training.

Ferio had seen her handle it without any mistakes and occasionally entrusted her with real tasks.

That’s when he’d felt how much she’d grown.

She was old enough now to help with real work.

The carriage fell into silence.

Only the occasional rustle of paper and the soft scratching of pens could be heard.

“...Huh?”

Suddenly, Leonia made a strange noise while reading a document.

“They’re doing this again?”

“What is it?”

Leonia handed over a paper to Ferio. His eyebrow twitched slightly as he read it.

It was an announcement for maintenance work on the Gate zones across the Empire.

“They did this last year too.”

Leonia remembered it clearly. They came to check the Gate’s safety, fixed up the roads, and showed off like they were on some grand mission.

The royal officials strutted around saying they were doing national work under imperial orders.

And Ferio had introduced them to the cheapest inn in the North.

Those officials had been so stunned, assuming they’d stay at the Voreoti estate. Leonia had laughed herself silly at their faces.

But they adjusted eventually, even taking fleas home with them as pets.

But that wasn’t the important part.

“Why are they doing it again?”

This time, each region’s leaders had to pay for it out of their own pockets.

The imperial funds only covered a small portion as a subsidy.

Last year, it made sense for Gate safety checks, but doing it again now was just a waste.

“Has the Emperor finally lost his mind?”

Leonia muttered.

There was no way he’d give such a ridiculous order otherwise.

“Isn’t this shady?”

“It’s not the first time.”

Ferio just brushed it off.

But even he wasn’t pleased about this.

Leonia felt the same.

The two of them went back to reviewing the other documents. The suspicious one got tossed aside.

The carriage went quiet again.

But.

They both thought the same thing at the same time.

‘The real story’s about to start.’

‘The Imperial Family is making its move.’

Different, but the same thought.

***

And before them, somewhere else.

‘It’s moving.’

Varia, in the capital, thought.

She was heading to work at the Treasury as usual, but the way people were looking at her felt off.

Then Les, who’d been waiting for her, rushed over in a panic and dragged her along.

A new notice was posted on the board.

The staff gathered there immediately stepped aside when they saw Varia.

Thanks to that, Varia and Les made it straight to the front.

“Look at that!”

Les shouted in frustration, like it had happened to him.

[Suspension]

Varia’s eyes grew wide as she read the notice.

“You’ve been suspended!”