I Became the Male Lead's Adopted Daughter-Chapter 117

Probo lowered his voice and asked quietly.

There was no verbal reply, but Ferio’s gaze spoke clearly enough.

“Bring it down to the underground prison.”

“Duke.”

Lupe quickly cut in.

“Count Urmariti hasn’t arrived in the North yet. It would be much more efficient to conduct a cross-examination when the Count brings the other bastard here—”

“Lupe Ricoss, Viscount.”

Ferio quietly interrupted him.

Then he said,

“Why would I need to watch those two face each other?”

“......”

“Having just one of them in my North is disgusting enough—now I’m expected to watch both of those damn things alive?”

With a rare, almost gentle tone, Ferio invited Lupe to answer.

But Lupe couldn’t.

‘He’s furious.’

Lupe only realized it too late.

Thanks to Leonia, Ferio had noticeably softened in recent days, but his nature remained that of a brutal beast who never forgave anyone who trespassed into his territory.

Right now, the Black Beast was calmer than ever.

“I always say this—”

Ferio Voreoti was absolutely livid. His patience had reached a breaking point.

And both Lupe and Probo knew very well what lay beyond that breaking point—hell itself.

“One person treating me lightly is more than enough—and that’s Leo.”

Only the baby beast could circle around the black beast playfully.

Only Leonia could pull his ears and tug on his beard while giggling.

“The one Count Urmariti is bringing is already as good as dead.”

All the evidence was already in Ferio’s hands.

“And it’s the Count’s prey anyway.”

It was clear—there would be no cross-examination.

“...I apologize.”

Realizing he had overstepped, Lupe bowed his head. Cold sweat streamed down his face like tears.

And this was just from brushing against Ferio’s irritation.

He had come face-to-face once more with the true terror of the Duke of Voreoti, a fear he hadn’t felt in quite some time.

***

“Hmm, like this, and then...”

Seated by the window of a café with a good view, Leonia busily moved her hands.

As she watched the people passing by outside, she sketched various wristwatches she imagined would suit them.

Even though she was roughly scribbling with a fountain pen, the drawings were remarkably detailed.

“You draw really well, my lady.”

Connie, who had been watching, admired her.

“It’s nothing.”

Leonia shrugged shyly, embarrassed by the compliment.

In truth, she could do much better, but due to her underdeveloped hands and awkward writing tools, she was frustrated with her current style.

“Can you draw other things too?” Mia asked.

“Like people or dogs?”

“Come to think of it, we’ve never actually seen your drawings before.”

“Could you show us one?”

Even Connie joined in the request.

“It’s really nothing,” Leonia said bashfully, then picked up her pen again.

Ink spread over the small paper and turned into rounded lines, which soon shaped into a form.

Connie and Mia watched the process as if hypnotized.

“Hmm...”

Leonia finished the sketch and held out the notebook to them.

“What do you think?”

It was a croquis of Connie and Mia drinking tea.

Their eyes widened in astonishment.

“I just tried to draw the two of you having tea earlier. But it’s kind of weird, right?”

“It’s not weird at all! Oh my god, it’s amazing!”

“If this is ‘weird,’ then I need to die right now!”

Connie and Mia protested loudly—so loud, in fact, that everyone in the café turned to look.

They lowered their voices, flustered.

“It looks just like us!”

“And this Connie looks even prettier.”

“Mia, you’re not one to talk.”

Their praise for the drawing quickly turned into playful teasing, but the point was clear—Leonia’s croquis captured their features well.

And it had a subtle charm.

“I actually like drawing,” Leonia confessed shyly.

“Then why haven’t you drawn more? You should do it often,” Connie said, clearly dismayed.

She had seen Leonia read plenty of books, but not once had she seen her draw. Only now did she realize ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) that.

“I did, when no one was around.”

“Why hide this talent?”

“Seriously. It’s such a shame.”

“...Still.”

Leonia felt that her skills had regressed quite a bit.

Becoming a child so suddenly was part of the issue, but more than that, it was the harsh orphanage environment that kept her from drawing.

Only after moving into the Voreoti mansion did she slowly start to practice again.

When she drew on paper for the first time in years, she’d secretly cried—and that was still her little secret.

That moment’s emotion was still vivid.

‘This really brings back memories...’

Seeing Connie and Mia compliment her drawings brought back old memories one by one.

‘I used to burn the midnight oil drawing fan books.’

For a regular office worker, it had been a fun and unique hobby she took pride in.

Though she wouldn’t go around boasting about it, Leonia had been a fairly well-known doujin artist in her past life.

She was known by titles like “The Goddess of the Rose Fields” and “The Patron Saint of Muscled Male Leads.”

Her obsession with muscles started then, all thanks to her long-standing tastes.

‘That’s why Dad is the most unfortunate.’

The man who most perfectly matched her tastes was family—how tragic. Even now, Leonia felt it was a shame.

Still, she was a little comforted by the fact that the knight order had plenty of well-built, muscular men.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

“Ah.”

Just then, Leonia remembered something.

“Can we stop by the orphanage?”

Sketching again made her want to give gifts to the children there.

“Of course.”

“They’ll love it.”

Connie and Mia agreed wholeheartedly.

The three of them entered a general store and bought various art supplies—from paper, to crayons made from wax-bound pigments, to pencils and a knife sharpener.

That wasn’t enough, so they also went to a bakery and bought plenty of delicious bread and sweets.

Leonia remembered how the kids and teachers at the orphanage had enjoyed the cookies and sugar petals she’d brought a few days after arriving in the North.

“They’re gonna be so surprised!”

Leonia bounced with excitement as she climbed into the carriage, as if she were the one receiving presents.

Connie and Mia smiled.

“Of course. Everyone’s going to miss you, my lady.”

“Come to think of it, your birthday is coming up...”

“Hey!”

Connie quickly jumped in to silence Mia’s slip.

“...My birthday, huh?”

But Leonia had already heard and grinned.

Oh, you—Connie gave Mia a mild glare. Mia covered her mouth a moment too late—it was already done.

“...Actually, the kids at the orphanage are preparing a gift for you.”

A radiant smile spread across Leonia’s face.

“Aww, they’re just babies. Why are they worrying about gifts!”

Leonia flopped onto the carriage seat, calling them silly kids.

“They’re working hard on it, so please keep it a secret.”

“I’m a master of acting, you know.”

Leonia smirked.

After all, she had successfully pulled off an act in front of Emperor Subiteo and the capital nobility during the imperial banquet.

She had perfectly played the helpless little daughter who couldn’t do anything without her daddy.

Before they knew it, the carriage arrived at the orphanage.

“I’ll go in first.”

Connie said she’d announce Leonia’s arrival so the kids could hide the gift.

While they waited, Leonia swung her feet with Mia beside her.

“Do you think Teacher Conniee came back?”

“She went home, so it might take a bit longer.”

“I miss her.”

“You must really like her.”

“She was the only one who looked out for us.”

Leonia had been disappointed when she heard Conniee had gone back to her hometown.

But thinking about how she hadn’t been able to visit home because of them, it made sense—and it was a good thing.

‘I’ll ask Dad later to help her out a lot.’

It was about time she could live happily with her family and her sweetheart too.

“Now that you mention it, her name sounds like Connie’s.”

“Connie and Conniee,” Mia said, repeating the names.

“Yeah, that’s why I liked Connie right away.”

The reason Leonia bonded with Connie among all the maids at first was because of the name.

But now, names didn’t matter anymore. She simply liked her.

“I’m a little jealous.”

Mia pouted jokingly.

“I like you too, Mia. Your name is pretty!”

Leonia smiled warmly, saying she liked everyone at the mansion.

At last, Mia smiled brightly. Truthfully, she had known Leonia’s sincerity all along.

Soon, Connie returned.

“Shall we go?”

Just as expected, the orphanage children were indeed preparing a birthday gift for Leonia.

She felt a little guilty for showing up unannounced.

“Leo!”

“Leonia!”

“Leo unnie!”

“Noona!”

But the children welcomed her with bright joy, thrilled with the gifts she brought.

Of course, the sweets were the most popular, but the art supplies like new crayons drew attention from the kids who loved to draw.

“Lady Voreoti.”

The orphanage director approached with a smile.

This director, like the former one, was on the plump side and didn’t have the most pleasant face.

But his care for the children was genuine, and he was a good man.

Thanks to that, Leonia could relax.

“Sorry for coming without warning.”

“No, we’re the ones who should apologize for only receiving your kindness.”

And for not offering proper hospitality, the director sincerely apologized.

“It’s fine. I’m here to see my friends.”

Leonia handed her cloak to Connie and naturally mingled with the children.

She stood out because of her refined aura, but the way she played with the kids showed she wasn’t any different from them.

“Nia!”

That was when it happened.

“Hey! I told you not to call me—!”

Leonia was about to scold whoever used that name when her eyes widened.

“Yuben oppa!”

It was Yuben, a boy she’d once been close to while staying at the orphanage.

He had been the first child to leave the orphanage after Leonia arrived.

“You—are you really Nia?”

“What about you—why are you here?”

Leonia smiled, vividly remembering the day Yuben left with his new family.

But the Yuben who had once left had now returned to the orphanage.

And Leonia immediately understood what that meant.

He’d been disowned.