I Became the Male Lead's Adopted Daughter-Chapter 203

Varia liked Ferio’s black hair. And she also liked Leonia’s black hair, which resembled his perfectly.

Therefore, the Wrongdoing Necklace carried a deeper message from the mother — never mock the traits you share with family.

Leonia silently fastened the necklace around her neck.

“Sit here.”

Ferio, who had been watching, pointed to a chair that had already been prepared.

Leonia’s expression stiffened the moment she saw it.

“It’s way too small!”

The chair Ferio had prepared was a relic from her childhood — a nostalgic item from when she was younger.

“This is humiliating!”

“Exactly why it’s a punishment.”

“At least use a bigger chair!”

The baby beast barked and whined. She grumbled that sitting in such a puny chair would ruin her precious back and hips.

“My lower back must be carefully preserved for the future!”

“You really only hold back your pervy comments in front of Varia, don’t you?”

“You just now figured that out?”

“My consistent little monster.”

Ferio let out a small sigh of relief.

If Varia had truly reformed Leonia, it would’ve stung a little.

After all, the time and effort Ferio had poured into raising this child had been enormous.

But fortunately, Leonia was still a hopeless pervert with no chance of rehabilitation.

Ferio nodded solemnly. Even he, a parenting expert, hadn’t been able to fix this little deviant.

No matter how incredible Varia was — that much was impossible.

“Alright then. Time for your punishment to begin.”

In the end, Leonia was forcibly seated in the tiny chair.

“This is degrading...”

Leonia covered her face with both hands in shame.

What embarrassed her wasn’t the punishment itself, but the sheer indignity of sitting in such a ridiculously small chair.

But the real shame hadn’t even started yet.

“For my disobedient and wicked daughter, this father shall now read a fairytale.”

The word fairytale made Leonia flinch in pure horror.

“Y-you don’t mean...!”

“Oh, I mean exactly that.”

“No, please don’t!”

“I will.”

Ferio opened the fairytale book.

“Once upon a time...”

“Aaaaagh!”

Leonia screamed.

“Please! Anything but that!”

“Some freak — ah, my mistake — some lumberjack or hunter, whatever he was...”

“Don’t read me a fairytale that romanticizes sex offenders!”

The child wailed.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

She finally screamed out an apology.

But Ferio didn’t stop. Without a shred of guilt, he steadfastly read on.

“And then one day...”

“AAAH! AAAAHHHH!”

Leonia’s shrieks filled the room without pause.

And a little ways away, Varia was barely holding back her laughter.

Slumped over the armrest of the sofa, her shoulders trembled. She was nearly in tears from stifling it.

“My lady, are you alright?”

Tra approached to check on her.

Only then did Varia straighten up. Her puffed-up cheeks, full of laughter, finally began to settle.

“My husband and daughter... aren’t they just too cute?”

She gestured toward the rowdy pair.

“If that’s how you see it, my lady, I suppose that’s a relief.”

Tra offered a faint smile.

To him, it looked more like a brutal brawl between two beasts trying to tear each other apart.

“Dad’s trying to force voyeurism, captivity, and scam marriages into my perverted preferences! Stop reading that!”

“If your deviant tastes are unfixable, then it’s my fatherly duty to show you just how horribly things can end. That’s my deep wisdom.”

“You lunatic of a dad!”

The ferocious back-and-forth between father and daughter was so intense that none of the staff dared to approach them.

Tra simply could not understand how Varia could look at the two of them and call it cute.

‘As expected of my lady.’

She truly wasn’t an ordinary woman.

***

Even though it was late at night, Lota couldn’t fall asleep.

He’s late again...

The darkness outside her window and the clock hands pointing to midnight made her even more anxious.

Lota paced the room nervously as she waited for her husband, Remus.

Eventually, she stopped in front of her vanity and sat down.

In the ornate mirror, a young and beautiful woman stared back.

Her soft pink hair was the envy of all; her smooth, fair skin even drew admiration from herself. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel-com

Her gentle eyes effortlessly won people over, and her naturally curvy figure always caught the attention of passing men.

Yet the expression on her reflection was far from happy.

Remus...

Lota was uneasy.

Lately, their marriage had felt out of sync.

Remus came home later and later, and the affection he used to shower her with now felt cold and forced — more ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) like obligation than love.

No! That can’t be true!

Lota sprang to her feet. It was just because she’d looked in the mirror. Lately, whenever she saw her reflection, she felt more anxiety than pride.

Especially ever since Varia became the Duchess.

Why did someone like her become a duchess?!

Varia had always been quiet, gloomy, and lacking social grace. She’d always envied Lota’s beauty.

Their parents had always loved Lota more. The shy and self-sacrificing older sister came second.

But then, suddenly, everything changed.

Now their parents were desperately trying to reach out to Varia.

They had even gone to the Voreoti estate upon hearing she had arrived in the capital — only to be turned away at the gates.

It’s all because you were so mean to her!

And then they lashed out at Lota.

You pushed Varia into the lake, didn’t you?! That’s why she changed so much!

Have you ever thought about your sister even once, as her younger sibling?!

You’re selfish and cruel!

Lota was speechless.

All the harsh, unforgiving criticism once hurled at Varia had now returned to her.

They were the ones who played favorites!

Lota fanned herself furiously, fuming.

She fell into the lake because she wouldn’t give me the hairpin!

Back then, they’d taken her side — so why were they blaming her now?

The blatant shift in their parents’ treatment made Lota feel utterly betrayed.

Her sister became a duchess.

Her parents turned cold to her.

“How disappointing you are...”

Tsk.

The voice of Countess Neophelli echoed in her head from the tea party — where she had been humiliated outright.

“Kyaaaah!”

Lota finally collapsed, letting out a scream.

“Lota?”

Right then, Remus entered the room.

He looked at his wife, who had just let out a sharp scream, with a strange expression.

“What’s wrong? Did something happen?”

But he quickly wiped the look from his face and approached gently, wearing the mask of a sweet, concerned husband.

Lota cried into his arms.

“Mother and Father are so mean! They only care about my sister!”

“Calm down. There's no way your parents would do that.”

“They say it’s all my fault! That I made her this way!”

“Lota, please, just calm down.”

Remus patted her back. She sniffled into his chest for a while. His hand moved mechanically.

Sigh.

Remus exhaled silently, full of irritation.

The face she couldn’t see as she buried herself in his embrace was cold — terrifyingly so.

All she ever does is cry.

He didn’t have the patience anymore to deal with her tears.

Too much shit was happening around him.

The artist sponsorship association had completely collapsed, and every noble tied to it was investigated.

Even House Olor had been questioned, and some nobles were arrested.

Thanks to Emperor Subiteo’s protection, Olor had gotten off with only an inquiry.

The emperor had sacrificed a few lesser houses and artists while protecting the rest.

But the misfortunes didn’t end there.

Everything he touched after that seemed to fall apart.

Every investment turned to loss, and shipments through their trading guild had decreased drastically.

Today, one business partner even said they wouldn’t be renewing the contract.

Even one of their carriages nearly crashed due to a broken wheel.

Remus’s patience was wearing thin.

To make matters worse, his father, Viscount Olor, kept nagging about when they would produce an heir. He was starting to resent Lota for not being able to even get pregnant.

And honestly, her charm was fading.

Back when they got engaged, she had been beautiful — her youth radiant.

But now, as she aged, his feelings were cooling.

...Just like Regina.

While still holding Lota, Remus found himself thinking of the girl he had once truly loved.

“Remus.”

As he sank into his memories, Lota looked up with tearful eyes.

“I have a question.”

“What is it?”

Remus responded in a softer voice. With her tear-filled eyes, Lota looked younger than usual — and he liked that.

“Olor’s symbol is the swan, right?”

“That’s right. Graceful and elegant.”

“How would it feel if someone else wore a swan as a piece of jewelry?”

“That would be extremely offensive and insulting.”

Remus replied.

In the Bellius Empire, animal-shaped ornaments were rare.

That was because most animals had already been claimed as noble house symbols.

Especially the imperial and regional ruling families — wearing their symbols could land someone with serious charges of insult.

“Why do you ask?”

“Well, at the tea party...”

Lota hesitated.

“Lady Voreoti.”

“What about her?”

Remus echoed gently, like coaxing a child — though inwardly, he was cursing her for bringing up Voreoti again.

Encouraged by his tone, Lota confessed.

“She was wearing a swan bracelet.”

Remus’s hand, which had been patting her back, stopped.

***

“Did it work?”

Leonia mumbled to herself, lying alone in her bed and bouncing a ball.

“I wonder if it worked...”

Boing, boing — the ball bounced with perfect elasticity before falling cleanly into a basket by the wall. A flawless arc.

But Leonia didn’t look amused.

It had already been a week since the tea party.

She clearly remembered showing off the swan necklace she had wrapped twice around her wrist. She had confirmed that both Lota and the lady next to her had seen it.

Lota hadn’t seemed to realize it — but the other lady? Her eyes had nearly popped out of her skull.

Did she not say anything?

According to her prior research, that guest was known to be rather loose-lipped. It was almost guaranteed she had tattled to Lota.

“Tch...”

Leonia muttered irritably.

If, by some chance, that woman had chosen to stay quiet, Leonia would have no choice but to keep flaunting the necklace again.

At that point, it’d be easier to just forgive Olor.

“Young miss.”

Just then, Connie entered.

“The family of Viscount Ricoss has arrived.”

Leonia jumped to her feet.