I Became the Male Lead's Adopted Daughter-Chapter 114

“Daaad...”

Knock knock.

Leonia, who had come looking for the office, knocked on the door.

“Dad, are you okay?”

She had been waiting with the Marquis of Pardus while playing chess with him just moments earlier, when a loud wailing suddenly rang out, startling her.

‘...Is that my dad crying?’

‘That’s... certainly a unique kind of crying.’

Leonia, startled by the sound, became flustered, and the Marquis of Pardus, who had come to visit Ferio, discreetly excused himself.

Instead, he pointed toward the direction the sound had come from.

Leonia immediately went up to the floor where Ferio’s office was located.

And sure enough, loud sobbing could be heard beyond the office.

It sounded like a massive beast letting out a soul-wrenching wail.

A sound that tugged painfully at the listener’s heart.

‘But that’s not Dad’s voice.’

Besides, it was a voice she’d heard somewhere before.

“...Ah.”

The moment she remembered whose voice it was, the office door creaked open.

Ferio came out, opening the door just enough that the inside couldn’t be seen.

But it was no use.

“Is Count Urmariti—no, is Grandpa inside?”

Leonia asked cautiously.

“......”

But Leonia had already seen Count Urmariti through the narrow gap.

The child’s expression darkened.

“I was just with Grandpa Marquis of Pardus.”

“I see.”

“He really insisted on staying with me today, more than usual.”

Ferio quietly stroked Leonia’s head.

Leonia grabbed the hand resting atop her head and closed her eyes tightly.

“Is it that hard for him?”

Ferio couldn’t answer easily.

He only silently patted her head, his expression heavier than usual.

He had left Leonia in the care of the Marquis of Pardus to give Count Urmariti a moment to collect himself.

And also, to protect Leonia’s secret.

The child’s origin was the Voreoti family’s most important secret.

If Count Urmariti had burst into tears upon seeing her in front of the staff, it would have been catastrophic.

‘But it was useless.’

He hadn’t expected the count to fall apart to this extent.

He had told Kara not to assign any staff to the floor with the office, but the fact that Leonia had heard it from the drawing room downstairs meant it hadn’t mattered.

“......”

Ferio felt unsettled.

He now realized he had underestimated the weight of Count Urmariti’s sorrow.

It felt as though he had committed a grave mistake.

He should’ve searched harder for Regina.

He should’ve cared just a little more.

It felt like every choice he had made in the past was coming back [N O V E L I G H T] to him.

“It’s not your fault, Dad.”

At that moment, Leonia spoke firmly.

Her plump, well-fed cheeks quivered.

“It’s not your fault.”

“......”

“If we had to blame someone, it’d be that damned wandering knight who seduced my birth mother.”

Something chillingly cold flickered through Leonia’s black eyes.

‘Come to think of it...’

Ferio realized something.

She had just referred to Regina—whom she had no memory of—as her birth mother.

But she had never once referred to the presumed father that way.

“You’re right.”

Ferio smiled softly.

He had been briefly swept up in Count Urmariti’s grief. Thankfully, the clever little baby beast snapped him out of it.

While he sympathized with the Count’s sorrow, it wasn’t his fault.

“Leonia.”

Ferio spoke carefully.

“If it’s not too hard... would you be willing to comfort Count Urmariti?”

“Of course!”

Leonia clenched both her fists.

“He’s my grandpa!”

“If it’s too much, you don’t have to force yourself.”

“I’m really okay.”

Strangely, she didn’t feel any discomfort around Count Urmariti.

“Maybe it’s the muscles?”

She flexed her shoulders wide like a bodybuilder, imitating strength, just like she had admired his physique from the start.

“This isn’t the time for jokes like that.”

Ferio scolded her, firmer than usual, warning her not to say such things in front of the Count.

“I know that much.”

She gave an embarrassed excuse, saying she was only trying to lighten the heavy mood.

And then, quietly, she stepped inside.

Count Urmariti was still crying.

It wasn’t as loud as before—when it had shaken the whole mansion—but between the sobs, the name Regina could be heard again and again, filled with such aching sorrow.

He didn’t even notice Leonia approaching right beside him.

“Grandpa.”

At the cautious voice, the Count finally looked up.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

‘Ah...’

Leonia felt her chest tighten.

She had no real affection for her birth mother—just a vague sense of pity at most.

But seeing the Count weeping as though the world had collapsed made her feel like she might burst into tears too, just from the weight of shared sadness.

Leonia was sure she couldn’t possibly lessen his sorrow.

That kind of grief wouldn’t vanish with a few words of comfort.

“...I’m Leonia.”

So instead, she decided to just be there.

“That’s the name Dad gave me.”

And she began to speak.

“I love the strawberry milk-flavored candies Dad gives me best. He used to only give them when I behaved, but now he gives them to me all the time.”

It was her way of saying: I am loved.

“These days, I’ve eaten so much I gained weight.”

I’m healthy.

“During Fangs of the Beast training, Dad said I struggle with forming four fangs at once, just like Regina did.”

There were parts of her that resembled Regina too.

Leonia slowly reached out and took Count Urmariti’s damp hand.

It was thick and rough—hands that had surely once held a sword. They felt similar to Ferio’s.

“Hhng... h-hh...”

Count Urmariti lifted the hand she had grabbed and brought it to his forehead.

With the child’s hand pressed to his brow, he called his dead daughter’s name over and over again.

‘Poor man.’

Leonia quietly offered herself into his arms. Soon, his large arms wrapped around her tiny body.

Even that was done so delicately, his limbs trembled faintly.

It was consideration—for the child.

I’m sorry, Grandpa.

I’m not your real granddaughter. Inside, I’m actually some pervert the same age as Dad.

Ignoring her tangled emotions, Leonia gently patted the Count’s arm with soft little hands.

***

“...What a disgrace I’ve shown you.”

Count Urmariti gave a sheepish smile, his face still streaked with tears.

Leonia had kept patting his arm until he calmed down.

She didn’t know how much time had passed, but just as her arm began to go numb, the Count slowly straightened up.

“It wasn’t disgraceful.”

Leonia offered him a handkerchief. It reminded the Count of when Ferio had handed him one earlier. He let out a breathy chuckle.

Then, he gratefully accepted it.

But instead of using it himself, the Count used the handkerchief to wipe Leonia’s wet cheeks and hands—the ones that had been soaked by his tears when she had embraced him.

“For a grown man to cry like this...”

He let out a bitter laugh at himself.

“It’s not gross at all.”

Leonia shook her head.

In fact, a tearful, handsome middle-aged man was dangerously charming—she’d nearly discovered a whole new door.

It was just a shame that this particular man was her blood relative.

And also not the right time to joke about such things.

“Adults can cry too.”

At her words, the Count’s eyes widened.

“And the truly gross ones are elsewhere.”

“Who might those be?”

“The orphanage teachers.”

Those who had forgotten their roles and abused children—they were the most disgusting and useless creatures in the world.

“......”

Count Urmariti was at a loss for words.

So consumed by Regina’s death, he had never even considered how her daughter might have lived afterward.

“Was it... hard for you?”

he asked, his voice filled with regret.

It was a pointless question.

Everyone already knew Leonia had gone through hell at the orphanage, and they had chosen to pretend not to.

Count Urmariti regretted everything.

If he had paid just a bit more attention, he might’ve found the child sooner. Maybe even seen Regina one last time while she was alive.

Now, he was shackled by that endless chain of if only I had...

But the child smiled so brightly.

“It was hard, but I’m okay now.”

She beamed.

“Because Dad threw all those teachers into the dungeon and is torturing them for me!”

She had even received a promise for her birthday—this fall, she’d get to watch the new ‘Dangling’ torture method that they couldn’t do last winter because of the heavy snow.

“They tie them with ropes and dangle them off a cliff! It was my idea!”

Leonia excitedly explained the dangling torture with a thrilled voice.

“My dad does everything I ask for!”

She stuck her thumb up proudly like he was the coolest person in the world.

“......”

The Count was momentarily speechless.

“...Pffhaha!”

Then let out a booming laugh. It was so sudden and loud that Leonia flinched in surprise.

He laughed for a long while, and when he finally turned his head, the laughter of a victorious general was gone, replaced by a gentle and warm smile.

“The Duke truly is an incredible man. A far greater father than someone like me.”

A large hand came down and rested atop the child’s head.

“I’m glad you’re happy.”

The Count meant it with all his heart.

“......”

Leonia shyly ducked her head under his gaze.

Her round ears, flushed bright red, peeked out from under her black hair.

***

Before leaving the mansion, Count Urmariti asked Leonia for a favor.

“I once asked you to come visit our estate, didn’t I?”

“Yes, I remember.”

“If it’s not too much, would you stay for just one night?”

He spoke gently, saying she could decline if it felt burdensome.

“Hmm...”

Leonia tilted her head in thought.