I Became the Male Lead's Adopted Daughter-Chapter 196

The newspaper article listed only the crimes committed by the Emperor’s faction.

Tax evasion and slush funds led by the imperialist nobles, and the disgusting, petty details of ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ each of their personal lives.

And now, the additional crimes committed by the artists arrested for drug manufacturing.

But ultimately, everything pointed to Emperor Subiteo.

The article never explicitly named the Emperor.

However, all evidence implied it.

Anyone reading could easily deduce that the foundation for sponsoring artists, the reason it had been created, and the direction in which the profits flowed — all led straight into the Emperor’s back pocket.

“Pardus! Where is Pardus?!”

Unable to think of a solution to this crisis, the Emperor instinctively called out the Marquis of Pardus.

But Pardus wasn’t in the capital.

“To fulfill Your Majesty’s command, the Marquis of Pardus left for the North some days ago.”

“Then summon him back to the capital immediately!”

“T-then... that will take time...”

The northern Gate couldn’t be used. Even moving quickly, it would take at least a week.

But the attendant couldn’t say any more.

Emperor Subiteo, unable to suppress his rage, swept everything off the table with his arm.

Crash!

The porcelain shattered with a loud clatter, and some of the flying shards struck his leg.

“Goddamn it...!”

Blood dripped from the Emperor’s hand where a shard had cut him, as he grabbed at his hair in frustration.

He, too, had donated large sums to the artist sponsorship foundation under his own name.

In other words, this very group had been his symbolic gesture of noble generosity — now disgraced as a breeding ground of crime.

Should I say I didn’t know anything?

The Emperor was torn.

He needed to issue a public statement, distancing himself from the scandal as quickly as possible.

But he couldn’t.

If he didn’t protect the nobles now, his own slush funds and hidden crimes would be exposed. Abandoning the imperialist faction would be political suicide.

Losing his power base would leave him a mere puppet king.

It would also jeopardize the massive imperial road construction project he was pushing forward.

The article even cast doubt on the sincerity of that project.

“Summon them to the palace immediately!”

Emperor Subiteo had no choice but to call in the nobles of his faction.

“Y-yes, Your Majesty!”

The attendant bowed hastily. He had to get out of that room before he got hurt.

He rushed to the door—

“......Gasp!”

He barely made it outside to breathe when he unexpectedly ran into someone.

It was Empress Tigria.

“Y-Your Majesty the Empress...!”

The attendant quickly bowed.

“......”

But Empress Tigria barely acknowledged him.

Her gaze remained fixed on the door, from which the Emperor’s furious shouts could still be heard.

How pitiful.

She turned abruptly.

“Do not mention that I was here.”

She didn’t want to further disturb the Emperor’s already chaotic mood.

The attendant nodded eagerly. This was also the best outcome for him.

The Empress turned and walked away. Her attendants and maids followed silently behind.

At last... it’s beginning.

Only after leaving the area did a quiet smile curl across Empress Tigria’s lips.

It’s almost time now.

She realized the moment she had waited for so long was finally within reach.

She felt so light that her steps nearly turned into a skip.

She wouldn’t have to stay in this disgusting place much longer. The Empress silently praised herself for enduring this long, holding her ground with dignity.

All that’s left now is...

She thought of her two sons who had left on a journey.

"Put Mother first."

"We’ll be fine."

How moved she was that the two sons — who had likely suffered because of their mother — still thought of her that way.

She had only endured life in the palace thanks to their excessive kindness.

Now all that’s left is for them to claim their places.

Her final objective came clearly into focus.

The firstborn as Emperor.

The second to the West.

Once it was done, she would leave the palace without regret.

After snapping that wretched bastard’s neck.

“Oh my!”

Just then—

“Your Majesty the Empress!”

A sweet, playful voice stopped Empress Tigria in her tracks.

She turned to see a head of bright green hair fluttering.

“Consort.”

“Did Your Majesty also come to visit His Majesty?”

Dressed to perfection, Consort Usia smiled innocently.

She still looked impossibly youthful and lovely.

“I intended to.”

The Empress glanced back in the direction she came from.

“But His Majesty is not in the best mood today. It might be better not to see him now.”

“Oh my, that’s unfortunate...”

Usia Consort pouted.

“I wanted to have tea with His Majesty...”

She looked disappointed but quickly nodded as if she understood and started to turn away.

“Then why don’t you have tea with me instead?”

“With Your Majesty?”

“Do you not want to?”

“No! I’d love to!”

Consort Usia lit up with joy and linked her arm through the Empress’s.

It was a childish gesture that caught the Empress slightly off guard, but she didn’t shake her off.

And so, the two of them headed to the Empress’s palace.

“If it were just a little warmer, we could’ve had tea in the garden.”

The Empress looked out the window wistfully.

The crisp autumn air was turning colder, and the once-lush garden she so lovingly cared for no longer had its summer vitality.

Still, the many blooming fall flowers gave the garden some charm.

“I like this parlor too.”

Consort Usia smiled.

“I’m really lucky today.”

“Are you?”

“Yes! I just feel really good for some reason!”

“Well, I’m glad to hear that.”

“You seem to be in a good mood too, Your Majesty.”

“It’s the tea. It tastes good.”

Their eyes met, and they exchanged smiles.

“But by the way...”

The Empress set her teacup down.

“Were you about to go out?”

Consort Usia’s attire was so lavish that it looked like she was planning an outing.

“Actually, I was supposed to go to the exhibition hall with His Majesty today.”

She grumbled. Only now did she seem to realize how overdressed she was, as she fiddled with her elegant gown.

“They were showcasing works by artists sponsored by the nobility, so I thought I’d go look around and enjoy a nice meal...”

“Ahh...”

The Empress responded vaguely and took another sip of tea.

So that’s why he was on edge.

No wonder the Emperor had been overly sensitive — it seemed he was planning to visit those very artists featured in today’s newspaper.

If he was going in person, it must’ve been an official visit...

What a perfect storm.

The Empress took another sip, carefully stifling her urge to laugh.

“To tell you the truth...”

Consort Usia hesitated.

“I was the one who asked to meet them today.”

“You made the request?”

The Empress’s hand holding the teacup trembled slightly.

“It had been a long time since I went out.”

She sighed and gently cradled her cheek in her hand, looking troubled now that the plan had collapsed.

“I suppose the Viscount’s family must be in chaos now.”

“Most likely. I wonder if they’ll try to contact me.”

“I don’t know anything about politics. It just gives me a headache!”

She chirped brightly and said she’d ignore any messages that came in.

“But I haven’t seen the prince or princess around lately.”

“Chris and Skan went West.”

The Empress set her cup down again.

She no longer felt like drinking.

“His Majesty has been arranging a marriage for Skan, and perhaps because of that, the two of them asked to go on a trip. So I sent them to my family’s estate.”

“They must be very close!”

Consort Usia beamed.

“But ‘Skan’ is such a boyish nickname for the princess.”

“She’s quite frail.”

So the Empress said she gave her a strong name on purpose.

“Besides, these days, names don’t need to match one’s gender.”

She spoke casually.

“That’s true. Like the Duke of Voreoti’s daughter.”

“Leo, wasn’t it?”

Leonia’s nickname felt less about gender and more simply about being very Voreoti.

“At first, I thought she was a boy!”

Usia Consort laughed gleefully.

Their tea time continued longer than expected, in a surprisingly pleasant and comfortable atmosphere.

They weren’t two people who should naturally grow close. But they spoke with no awkward tension between them.

“Come visit the West someday.”

The Empress said graciously.

“The West has the most beautiful seasons of all. I love the summers there, but autumn is just as beautiful and full of charm.”

“I like autumn too!”

Consort Usia smiled brightly.

“Especially fallen leaves.”

Red ones. Yellow ones.

“When I see them on the ground...”

As if leaves were falling right before her, her gaze gently drifted downward.

“I feel like stepping on them.”

She murmured softly, her eyes fixed on the floor beneath the table.

“That crunching sound... how it tickles the ears and delights the heart.”

“It really does.”

The Empress smiled.

“I feel the same way.”

Then she leaned back gently in her chair.

“Let’s have tea like this again sometime.”

Empress Tigria smiled, surprised at how naturally the conversation had flowed — and offered to meet again.

***

Leonia, who had gone out to shop for her birthday present, stuck her lips out like a pouting duck.

“I didn’t expect to run into you here.”

In a shop filled with everything from cutesy teddy bears to eerie porcelain dolls that looked creepy in the dark—

She encountered someone she had never expected to see.

“Marquis Grandpa...”

The baby beast, full of joy just moments ago, deflated instantly.

“Gran— I mean, Marquis, what are you doing here?”

Leonia almost called him “Grandpa” like usual but quickly corrected herself.

They were out in public. The secret connection between Voreoti and Pardus had to be kept hidden.

The Marquis of Pardus looked fondly at her.

“I came to buy a birthday gift for my grandchild.”

He quickly hid the truth behind a false, diplomatic smile.

“Make sure you buy something nice, Marquis. That grandchild will be my secretary someday.”

“That’s not for certain. My grandchild hardly lacks for anything.”

Leonia snorted.

“But didn’t your youngest son sell off his unborn child just to get married?”

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