I Became the Male Lead's Adopted Daughter-Chapter 103

‘That was... really hard...’

Leonia suddenly found her reversal of fortune almost surreal.

Just last summer, she’d been clinging to life with every ounce of strength she had.

And now, here she was—lounging on a plush sofa in a grand mansion, wearing expensive clothes, lost in thought with not a care in the world.

“Life is just...”

She muttered in a detached tone, as if to say no one could ever predict it.

Tra, wearing the kind of serene smile that only a man used to his young lady’s prematurely aged remarks could muster, gently draped a light blanket over her shoulders.

“You needn’t worry about insects, my lady.”

He added that they had purchased plenty of magical tools to repel pests.

“His Grace ordered them himself.”

“Daddy did?”

“It’s because he cares for you.”

She didn’t even have to worry about the heat.

The Voreoti estate was already equipped with enchanted devices that kept the indoor temperature just right.

In fact, all kinds of magic tools were quietly working to ensure her comfort.

“I love House Voreoti so much!”

Feeling giddy, Leonia flopped forward onto the sofa and kicked her feet.

Now, the little beast cub had to worry more about tummy aches from sherbet or ice cream than about bugs, and instead of pests, she watched snails slowly creep across the garden paths.

Heat was no longer something to fear.

Peaceful days flowed by like that.

Just as the torrential downpour, which had come as if someone had torn a hole in the sky, began to taper off—

The Voreoti estate hosted a tea party for children and their guardians.

“Flo!”

Leonia ran to the front entrance herself to greet her guest, arms wide open.

“Lady Leonia.”

Flomus Kerata, visiting the capital for the first time with her parents, had finally come to see her.

It was a long-awaited reunion, delayed by endless preparations for other formal events.

The two girls immediately embraced, chattering joyfully to catch up on everything they’d missed.

“You’ve grown so much, Flo!”

Leonia looked up at Flomus, who was still taller, with proud and affectionate eyes.

“Kids grow up so fast when you don’t see them for a while—it’s kind of sad.”

A small maple-leaf hand gently rested on top of a slightly larger maple-leaf hand.

“L-Lady Leonia, you’ve grown a lot too...”

Though Leonia still treated her like a baby, Flomus had learned to handle it with mild grace.

“Tone it down, you little granny.”

Ferio, who had been greeting the Viscount and Viscountess Kerata, leaned in to whisper.

“I’ll talk however I want.”

The little beast cub stuck her tongue out, gleefully teasing him without a shred of remorse.

Then, ignoring her father’s annoyed stare, she turned with perfect politeness to the Kerata couple.

“Welcome. The rain must’ve made your trip difficult, didn’t it?”

Leonia gave a graceful curtsy, lifting her skirt slightly.

It was a sharp contrast from the bratty girl who’d been mocking her father just seconds ago.

The Keratas, who had watched all of this unfold, simply found her adorable.

“How could we not come, when the young lady herself invited us?”

“You’ve become even more beautiful since we last saw you. And you’ve grown quite a bit too!”

Leonia smiled shyly.

Today’s tea party had been arranged so that children and adults would gather in separate spaces.

Ferio led the Kerata couple to a room prepared especially for the adults.

“Lady Leonia, my brother came with me today.”

Only then did Flomus introduce the boy standing awkwardly beside her.

“I’m Alches Kerata. It’s an honor to meet the Duke of Voreoti’s daughter.”

The boy who introduced himself as Alches was clearly nervous.

Though his short, chestnut hair matched his sister’s, his eyes were a deep reddish-brown—unlike Flomus’s bright green.

He had the typical look of a mischievous rascal.

“So you’re Flo’s big brother.”

Leonia smiled brightly. The innocent grin made Alches flush in embarrassment.

Flomus immediately grew wary of her brother. To her, Leonia was far too good for him—by a hundred times at least.

“But hey, don’t bully Flo too much, alright?”

Leonia said lightly, narrowing her eyes playfully.

“I’ve heard a lot of things.”

At that, Alches visibly paled.

Flomus had always been the quiet, long-suffering younger sibling who was endlessly teased by her brother.

It wasn’t that she was incapable of standing up for herself—just that she was too gentle.

Instead, she’d vent her frustration little by little by telling Leonia.

At first, she hesitated—he was her brother, after all.

But Leonia, using the very grown-up phrase ‘run your mouth,’ had kindly coaxed it out of her.

Thanks to that, every one of Alches’s misdeeds had made its way to Leonia’s ears.

“...Are you going to bully her again?”

Leonia arched a brow as she stared at the now-silent Alches.

Terrified, Alches shook his head furiously—like it might pop off.

“S-Sorry!”

“You don’t need to apologize to me.”

“Flo, I’m sorry!”

“Uh? Uh... yeah...”

Flomus, on the receiving end of this life-or-death apology, was completely thrown off.

“Alright, now hug each other.”

Leonia pulled the two siblings together into a forced hug. They awkwardly embraced.

“And say ‘I love you.’”

“I love you, big brother.”

“I love you too...”

They said the words, but the Kerata siblings were visibly confused ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ by this whole ritual.

“Perfect!”

Meanwhile, Leonia was thoroughly pleased with herself.

“Let’s go play now.”

She grabbed both of their hands and led them into the parlor.

The parlor, already full of snacks and cool drinks topped with floating ice, was bustling with other young guests.

“It’s Flo!”

Ufikla, who’d been playing with a stuffed puppy, jumped up.

Her little brother, Pinu, who had been playing dolls with her, quickly darted behind her back.

He was happy to see Flo, but the unfamiliar boy beside her made him nervous.

“Woooow!”

“This is amazing!”

The Kerata siblings gasped as they entered.

The room was filled with every trendy toy from the capital, a mountain of sweets, and refreshing drinks.

“It’s kind of over-the-top, right?”

Leonia said with a sheepish smile as she looked around the elaborately decorated parlor.

“I set this all up myself.”

“You did, Lady Leonia?”

All of this? Flomus stammered, astonished.

“You arranged everything, milady?”

Even Alches, who had been bombarded with questions from Ufikla and Pinu, belatedly chimed in.

“This is incredible! Normally, grown-ups handle things like this.”

“It’s really not a big deal.”

Leonia looked shy again.

This tea party had actually been an assignment from Ferio, part of her heir training.

In his view, anyone who would one day lead a noble house should be capable of planning events like this themselves.

Ferio, of course, personally despised that sort of thing and never hosted them—but every one of the adult tea parties held at the Northern estate the previous winter had been orchestrated under his orders.

“You’re amazing!”

Ufikla exclaimed, as if it were her own achievement.

“So cool!”

Pinu clapped along, not quite understanding, but excited nonetheless.

“Are we the only kids here?”

Alches glanced around and asked.

“Yup.”

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

Only two families had been invited to this children’s tea party: the Kerata family and the Rinne family.

It was because Leonia had learned—down to her bones—that having too many people at once was nothing but trouble.

For the time being, she sincerely hoped to avoid large gatherings of any kind.

“Leo.”

That was when Ferio appeared.

“Kyah!”

Alches immediately darted behind Flomus’s back.

Leonia and Flomus gave him a withering glare.

Embarrassed, Alches crept back out—though he kept a trembling grip on his sister’s sleeve.

“Is everyone having fun?”

Ferio had stopped by to check on the children. When he saw that Flomus hadn’t cried this time, he gently patted her head in praise.

Flomus’s face turned bright red at the unexpected compliment.

“The adults and I will come down in an hour.”

“Got it! Don’t worry!”

As the host of the event, Leonia thumped her chest proudly to reassure him.

“......”

Ferio barely managed to swallow the words: You’re the one I’m worried about. You might end up teaching the other kids something weird.

Instead, he leaned in and placed a soft kiss on Leonia’s cheek.

Leonia responded with an exaggerated smooch, planting a big wet kiss on his cheek.

A bright red, damp mark was left behind where her lips had landed.

“Bye-bye, Daddy!”

Leonia waved as he left.

“...You’re not scared?”

Even after Ferio was gone, Alches still looked shaken.

How could anyone kiss the Black Beast like that, or talk to him with such childish affection?

The way Alches had imagined House Voreoti, it was a terrifying place—full of people both young and old who were all terrifying in their own right.

And Ferio’s overwhelming presence lived up to his reputation as the most powerful Duke in the Voreoti family’s history.

But the gentle way he treated Leonia completely contradicted that fearsome image. It didn’t fit at all.

Honestly, it was a huge shock.

“Are you scared of your dad?”

“No.”

“Then I’m the same.”

What kind of daughter is scared of her father?

Leonia turned the question back on him. Alches was left speechless.

And at the same time, he realized something important—

Maybe even the Black Beasts... were just like any other family.

A truth so obvious, yet it had never occurred to him until now.

***

The adults’ tea party was being held in the drawing room directly upstairs.

Though calling it a “tea party” might’ve been a stretch—there were only a few plates of light refreshments and various teas prepared according to each guest’s preferences.

“There aren’t many parenting books in the Empire, are there?”

Ferio commented as he took a sip of tea.

His teacup held Lady Grey, a black tea he had only started drinking last year.

Ferio normally wasn’t much of a tea drinker—but this one, he would seek out.

“Have you read the Shina translations on parenting, Your Grace?”

“Lately, methods from the Rea Kingdom seem to be in fashion too.”

The topic of conversation among the adults was parenting.

In fact, this was why the children and adults had been separated for the tea.

Ferio had consulted parenting books that advised against discussing such topics in front of children—it might give them the wrong idea.

“...It’s still hard for me to believe.”

Carnis still couldn’t get used to seeing his old friend as a doting father.

But he was genuinely happy about it.

Naturally, Ferio—being the least experienced father in the room—was the one asking the most questions.

“So what’s the most effective way to discipline kids?”

“Discipline? Like punishment? Physical punishment?”

Carnis asked, horrified at the idea.

Ferio frowned immediately.

“What part of her am I even supposed to hit?”

There had been one incident, where he had flicked Leonia’s forehead and she ended up with a lump. He’d been so shocked he nearly lost it.

Ever since then, he hadn’t laid a hand on her.

The most he’d ever do now was gently pinch her nose or tap her forehead with a finger.

And even that, he tried hard to avoid.

“Then what kind of punishment do you use?”

“The thinking chair. And the ‘Wrongdoing Necklace.’”