I Became the Male Lead's Adopted Daughter-Chapter 198

With a rush of emotion, Varia recalled the time she had endured.

Her days working in the Treasury... the desperate studying just to get into that place.

Then, one day, she had woken up to find herself returned to the past—and her death, which followed, was far too horrific to be considered a fair price.

“......”

Thinking of that time made Varia’s chest ache.

It wasn’t something to grieve.

Her efforts had finally paid off. The meticulous and relentless evidence she had gathered was now out in the world, bathed in light.

Unlike in her past life, this time, thanks to the precious people who understood and believed in her, her suffering hadn’t been in vain.

She should be happy.

“You worked hard, and you went through so much.”

Without a word, Varia’s tears began to fall. Ferio pulled her into his arms and let her rest her head on his shoulder.

Only then did Varia sniffle and awkwardly nod her head.

“......”

Seeing her parents like that, Leonia felt strangely embarrassed and scratched her chin.

But she was in a good mood.

‘Should I discreetly make myself scarce?’

She wondered whether she ought to perform an act of filial piety by stepping aside... for her parents’ upcoming bedroom gymnastics.

Excessive exercise, however, wasn’t good for their bone health—or her own mental health.

But she did like how Ferio and Varia always treated her more sweetly than usual after their “workouts.”

They even bought her unexpected presents.

“Dad, Mom.”

Just as the dutiful daughter was about to say she’d go play in the square to catch some falling crumbs...

‘......Huh?’

She spotted a familiar figure outside the carriage window.

Leonia flung the door open.

“I’m going out to play!”

Then she leapt out and ran off somewhere.

“Ah, wait!”

Only to immediately dash back and rush toward one of the knights, Probo, who stood out in the group.

“Probo oppa, give me some money.”

“...Excuse me?”

“I know you always carry cash when you go out.”

“How do you even know that, young lady?!”

“If you don’t give it to me, I’ll just take it myself.”

Forced to lend her money, Probo glanced over at Ferio with a sorrowful, misty gaze.

“Sir Elephan......”

Ferio was speechless.

That brat had blackmailed Probo into dragging a horse outside five years ago too. And now she was extorting money from him again.

Unable to stand it anymore, Ferio called out to her.

“Leo, where are you going?”

“To hang out!”

“Why’d you take the knight’s money?”

“I didn’t take it—I borrowed it!”

And you’re going to pay him back double, Dad.

Leonia shamelessly answered, then tucked her hair into the hood attached to her cloak.

“Be back before sunset.”

Ferio let out a deep sigh.

From behind him, Varia poked her face out. Her eyes were slightly reddened from crying earlier.

“If you run into anyone dangerous, take out the Fangs of the Beast immediately. Got it?”

“Mom, if I do that, they’ll die.”

“So what?”

Those kinds of people weren’t worth more than Leonia.

Varia waved and told her to be careful. Her face clearly showed her disappointment at not being able to go along.

Caring for a child had become second nature to her now.

“I’ll be back!”

The little beast cub waved both hands boldly and cheerfully.

***

Not long after the Voreoti family trio went out, Princess Scandia also left the mansion.

‘It’d be nice if my brother came out too.’

Looking up at the pale sky, the princess thought of Prince Chrisetos, who had stayed behind at the estate.

‘I guess I’ll snoop around the mansion.’

Since they were at the Duke’s residence anyway, the prince had mischievously decided it was a good time to dig up some dirt.

But that wasn’t going to happen.

Princess Scandia had already tried snooping around the mansion a few times herself.

Each time, Gladiago knights under Ferio’s orders appeared to stop her.

She was certain the same thing would happen to her brother. It was obvious.

‘The Duke’s at the top of everything.’

Now she finally understood—down to her bones—why adults always warned them to beware of Voreoti before traveling north.

Ferio was a monster.

There was nothing he couldn’t do, no opening to exploit.

His arrogant confidence was backed by flawless skill.

On top of that, he had immeasurable wealth and a knight order full of exceptional talent—he had completely secured the title of the Black Beast.

If the North ever decided to march on the Imperial family, the Empire wouldn’t even be able to put up a proper resistance before being devoured whole.

That was the conviction Princess Scandia had come to while staying in the North.

Lost in thought, she arrived at the plaza, which was bustling with activity despite it not being the weekend.

The sky overhead looked like it might snow at any moment, hazy and gray.

It felt as if the seasons passed differently in the North compared to everywhere else.

She was walking absentmindedly when—

“Hey there.”

Someone stepped in front of her.

“Handsome boy.”

A girl in a fuzzy black-furred cloak lifted a foot and slammed it against the wall.

“Are you alone? It’s dangerous to be wandering around a place like this.”

“You look more dangerous than I do.”

Had it been the first time, it might’ve been quite a flustering situation—but thankfully, the princess had experienced this once before.

Because of that, she maintained a calm expression.

“What was that just now?”

The princess’s lips curled.

“Hmm, flirting?”

Leonia lifted her cloak slightly to reveal her face, a mischievous grin spreading wide.

“Flirting? That’s what you call this?”

The princess tilted her head.

Leonia blinked in surprise at the reaction.

“Wait... are you seriously asking?”

“I mean, I get the gist.”

“Doesn’t sound like it.”

“You were throwing out... what do you call it? Seductive bait.”

“You royals sure use fancy words.”

“Since when is ‘seductive bait’ a fancy phrase?”

Princess Scandia muttered, half-dumbfounded.

Leonia burst out laughing at her reaction.

Once she finished laughing, she finally asked why the princess had come out here.

“Are you alone? Where’s your brother?”

“He’s still back at the mansion.”

“What, planning to snoop around our house?”

“He can’t. You know that.”

It was an annoyingly smug /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ answer.

The princess gave her a look to match, but Leonia took it head-on, completely unfazed.

“Yup, I know everything.”

She smiled slyly.

The princess looked at Leonia with faint displeasure—and also, perhaps, a little envy.

She had never met someone so full of presence, so capable of seizing attention.

“So why are you out?”

“We’re getting ready to leave soon.”

“Already?”

Leonia’s eyes widened.

“I thought you’d stay until my birthday.”

“‘Stay camped out,’ you mean...”

Princess Scandia quietly admired Leonia’s unfiltered vocabulary.

“I’m not that shameless.”

The two siblings were returning west soon. Just as she’d said before, they couldn’t freeload in the North forever.

So she’d come to the plaza to buy a few things before leaving.

“You’ve already been shameless.”

“That was my brother, not me.”

“But you tagged along, didn’t you?”

They continued strolling through the plaza as they bantered.

Leonia did most of the questioning, the princess answered, and Leonia responded with laughter and chatter.

When they saw something interesting, they both paused and stared in silence.

“Oh, look over there.”

Leonia pointed to a certain shop.

“It’s one of my favorites.”

“They sell good stuff?”

The princess asked.

“No, the workers have good bodies.”

Leonia proudly explained that you could see the most realistic, work-toned muscles there.

“Not like knights. These are specialized muscles built through consistent manual labor.”

“You constantly defy my expectations, young lady.”

Princess Scandia stared blankly at the men hauling goods inside the shop.

Just like Leonia said, their forearms and shoulders were unusually solid.

“Are you insulting me?”

Leonia asked.

“I’m too scared to insult you.”

The moment she did, she’d surely be beaten without a chance to fight back. And Ferio would truly finish her off afterward.

Not that she was actually upset enough to insult her.

The princess found Leonia’s brash attitude oddly appealing.

“You really like muscles that much?”

She asked.

To her, muscles were just something that came with training—a part of the body.

She’d never thought of them as ‘handsome’ or ‘well-formed.’

“I’m crazy for them. Love ‘em.”

“Crazy...”

“You too, Princess, I’m looking forward to your future.”

Leonia poked at her forearm.

Princess Scandia shivered. It felt like she’d been shackled by invisible chains.

In the end, her outing ended without her buying a single thing.

“Sorry for interrupting your day.”

Leonia apologized as they walked back.

“I enjoyed it too, so don’t worry.”

The princess smiled and dismissed the apology.

The trip to the plaza with Leonia had been unexpectedly fun.

For a brief time, she’d been able to forget the stifling frustration and headaches she’d been carrying in the Imperial Palace.

“I’ll ask Dad to pack some things you might need when you leave.”

“I’ll rely on your kindness.”

“Still... I feel like you’re leaving too early...”

Leonia didn’t hide her disappointment.

The idea of them not being around on her birthday made her feel a little empty.

“You don’t miss something till it’s gone, right?”

“You really are amusing.”

She spoke with carefree youth, yet just now, she’d sounded like an old woman weathered by many storms.

‘...Huh?’

Princess Scandia touched her own cheek. She’d been complaining about soreness earlier—it must’ve been from constantly smiling.

She was surprised at herself.

“Then, before you go—give me a present!”

Leonia suddenly made a shameless request.

“......”

Scandia stared at her for a moment. Leonia just tilted her head innocently.

“You’re not going to?”

“No, I will.”

Just don’t get mad if it’s cheap—I don’t have much money.

The princess’s condition made Leonia burst out laughing.

“I’m not that materialistic!”

She said she’d be happy with anything.

“Is that so?”

Still, the prince’s sister found herself wondering what on earth she could give this girl that would actually make her happy.

***

The day the prince and princess left was the day before Leonia’s birthday.

“So petty.”

Leonia’s lips stuck out like a duck’s beak as she came to see them off.

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