I Became the Male Lead's Adopted Daughter-Chapter 178

‘Ooh.’

Leonia was awestruck the moment she stepped into the mansion.

The Aust estate, something she had never even heard rumors of, was, in a word—‘the sea.’

Like a palace from a fairy tale beneath the waves, it was filled with coral-shaped carvings and famous paintings related to the ocean.

“Leo.”

Just then, Ferio pointed up at the high ceiling of the entrance hall.

“Waaah!”

Trying to be polite, Leonia had held back, but she couldn’t help letting out a shout.

Even Varia, who was beside her, gasped and covered her mouth with both hands.

“It’s a whale!”

The ceiling was painted with a variety of whales.

Around one enormous whale with a black body and white patterns, many others followed.

“This is the pride of Aust,” Salus explained.

“Our family has worshiped whales for a very long time and adopted them as our house crest. The same goes for House Meridio.”

At her words, the knight nodded. He was from the Meridio family.

“Do you know about this?”

Salus asked, as if a thought had suddenly popped into her head.

“That thesis published a few years ago by a scholar from the North.”

Varia flinched slightly at those words. ƒreewebɳovel.com

Salus was referring to Ardea.

“That scholar claimed the North was the origin of humankind.”

“Did that offend you?”

Ferio asked.

“No, not at all.”

Salus’s reply was sincere.

“In fact, I agree with that opinion to some extent.”

“But Southern folks didn’t take it well,” Varia added.

She personally hadn’t cared much, but some noble students from the South had hurled harsh words at Ardea, saying it was absurd.

Though they never said it to his face, they whispered plenty behind his back, and it caused quite a stir.

Salus gave an ambiguous smile.

“There’s black mixed into your hair.”

At that, Varia reflexively grabbed a strand of her own hair.

The dull pink hair lying in her palm did give that impression.

“It’s Northern blood in you.”

“But my mother was a Southern noble...”

Varia shook her head in denial.

She didn’t remember all her ancestors, but at least up to her grandparents, there were no Northerners.

Her mother was certainly a noblewoman of the South.

“Northerners tend to have dark body hair.”

“Oh-ho?”

“Don’t get weird ideas.”

Ferio patted Leonia’s head with a warning tone as she grinned.

Leonia didn’t have anything to say, so she just fidgeted with her dad’s hand.

“But what I said is true. Northern blood is very strong. Even if it gets diluted over generations, it still shows up occasionally.”

For example, even red hair tended to be darker and more muted in the North.

At that, Varia thought of her friend Les.

Like the knight from House Meridio behind them, Les had orange hair too—but it wasn’t as vivid.

In fact, it looked like it had been covered in dirt.

Now that she thought about it, most of the Gladiago Knights were Northerners, and their hair colors were definitely dark and murky.

“But why bring that up all of a sudden?”

Leonia asked.

“It’s just to say the North is impressive.”

At some point, Salus had stopped walking.

Before them stood a grand door carved from coral.

Having only seen red coral before, Leonia looked in awe at this aquamarine-colored coral door.

Salus placed her hand on one side of the door. At the same time, the knight placed his hand on the other side.

“The Duke—my grandmother—has foreseen your futures.”

The door slowly began to open.

“The ability of the Aust family comes with considerable fatigue after each use.”

Inside the room, a woman with aquamarine hair sat on a sofa, attended by many people.

“I ask your understanding for that.”

***

Even before the founding of the empire, each of the four regions had those who ruled and protected the land.

And among them, the most powerful leaders possessed strange and mighty powers.

“The East holds a bizarre force called mana.”

Sensing someone entering, the Duchess of Aust spoke.

She was an old woman with long, faded aquamarine hair let loose behind her. Her face was deeply wrinkled, and five maids stood beside her in support.

She had white bandages wrapped around her eyes.

“The West wields a robust power called ora.”

Leonia felt something strange.

Without thinking, she clasped Ferio’s and Varia’s hands tightly in hers.

Both adults silently returned the grip.

The Duchess of Aust was a very small and delicate person.

She had lived more days than she had left, and yet, despite her frailty, she had an overwhelming presence.

“The North inherits an alien ability.”

Her voice was gentle—like a sea with no wind.

But because the sea is always moving, there was a soft rhythm in her words.

Leonia was completely immersed in the Duchess’s song.

So much so, she didn’t think to ask why the woman was suddenly saying all of this.

“The South reads the future through foresight.”

Her song—or soliloquy—finally came to an end.

“...It’s been a while. How have you been?”

Ferio greeted first.

He seemed completely used to the Duchess’s odd behavior.

A faint smile curved on the wrinkled lips of the Duchess.

“The little beast of Voreoti has grown into an adult.”

Leonia and Varia both jolted.

They had believed there was no one in the world who would dare call Ferio a ‘little beast.’

The Duchess of Aust was truly something else.

“Thanks to you,” Ferio replied, unfazed. His brow furrowed slightly, but he didn’t seem uncomfortable.

Though her eyes were covered, the Duchess moved her head as if she could see, facing Ferio, Leonia, and Varia.

“Miss Varia.”

“Y-yes...”

Varia responded as if in a trance.

The Duchess extended her hand. Without realizing it, Varia placed both her hands in hers.

Before she knew it, she was kneeling politely at the Duchess’s feet.

She didn’t even notice how she’d gotten into that position.

‘It’s like hypnosis...’

Leonia thought as she watched the scene, equally entranced.

“To greet the master of the South...”

Varia bowed respectfully.

“It brings me joy to meet someone of my land.”

When the Duchess slowly raised her other hand, the maids stepped aside.

As the Duchess staggered slightly, both Varia and Ferio moved at once to support her.

“...This ability is difficult.”

The Duchess said, as though speaking of a child lacking sense.

“It doesn’t activate at will, nor does it show me what I want to see.”

The Aust family’s power was foresight—the ability to see the future.

“It’s completely different from the other regional powers. Those grant direct force, but the South’s doesn’t.”

“But it’s still amazing,” Leonia said.

“In fact, I think the Southern power is the scariest.”

“Why is that?”

“Because knowing something no one else does is both incredible... and terrifying.”

And the risk of being exploited was high.

When she was younger, Leonia had nearly fallen into such danger multiple times.

Just because she knew the original story, she acted like she knew the future of this world.

Thanks to Ferio, she eventually realized that what she knew was but a fleeting moment.

“I offer my respect to House Aust, who has brought the South this far through that power.”

Leonia spoke with sincerity.

The Duchess warmly accepted that heartfelt remark.

“Miss Varia.”

And then she shared the vision she had seen.

“You’ve lived a rough life.”

At those words, Varia recalled her first death.

“But you’ve come back well. And you’re on the right path.”

Each word of the Duchess brought comfort to the hardship in Varia’s past.

Her throat tightened, and her eyes welled up.

“If I may give some advice, pulling is very important.”

“Pulling...?”

“Pull what is within reach.”

You’ll understand it later, she said.

Her final tone was like that of a grandmother soothing her innocent granddaughter—kind and gentle.

With that cryptic advice, the Duchess slowly let go of Varia’s hands.

“And now, our little beast.”

“Ehehe, little beast!”

Leonia openly teased.

As they exited, Ferio flicked Leonia’s nose lightly with his finger.

“You’ve changed a lot.”

The Duchess’s voice was filled with emotion.

“Well, time passes.”

“And time has turned the little beast into a person.”

“......”

Ferio said nothing.

The Duchess placed her wrinkled hand on his black hair.

“You’re doing well.”

“Thank you.”

“But don’t try to bear everything alone.”

Though her [N O V E L I G H T] eyes were covered in white bandages, Leonia felt as if the Duchess were looking right at her.

“...You can trust and let go.”

“......”

“You’re the strongest beast of them all.”

“But I’m still just a kid.”

Only then did Leonia realize that the conversation between Ferio and the Duchess had been about her.

“But when the time comes, you’ll understand.”

The Duchess withdrew her hand from Ferio.

Then she looked at Leonia.

“Now, I should have a private word with this young lady.”

It was a request for Ferio and Varia to give them the room.

The three were surprised.

But soon, trusting that there was a reason, they nodded in agreement.

“Call if anything happens.”

“I’ll be fine, so don’t worry.”

Ferio and Varia hugged Leonia one after the other and left the room.

The large coral door closed once again.

Leonia, having watched them go to the very end, now stood before the Duchess.

She extended her hand. Though small, it was calloused. That hand was slowly enveloped by the Duchess’s wrinkled one.

“You’ve gone through a lot,” the Duchess said first.

“But from what I can tell, you’ve adapted well.”

Leonia’s eyes widened.

“...You know?”

That I came from another world?

She didn’t say it aloud. But the Duchess chuckled as if she had heard it anyway.

“How could I not?”

The softness in her voice now mixed with a mischievous tone that reminded Leonia of Salus.

Thanks to that, she wasn’t as shocked as she might’ve been.

Of course, she was still startled—but she regained her composure quickly.

She had somewhat expected it.

‘She asked for me to stay alone.’

Thanks to the original story, Leonia knew about the power of the Aust family.

The Duchess had sent Ferio and Varia away to protect Leonia’s secret.

Leonia was sincerely grateful for that kindness.

“Lady Leonia Voreoti.”

The Duchess’s bandages unraveled and fell.

Beneath them, a pair of aquamarine eyes shone more brilliantly than the moon in the night sky.

“The vision I saw—it is entirely yours.”

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