I Became the Male Lead’s Adopted Daughter
Chapter 210

Recently, a massive scandal erupted across the Empire.

“They say the young master of House Olor is holding the Ceremony of Honor.”

“You don’t mean that rumor, do you?”

“No way! I thought it was just a lie!”

Every day, the names of Voreoti and Olor were on everyone’s lips.

People speculated endlessly, trying to guess whether the young master of Olor’s claim was true and what kind of relationship the Voreoti father and daughter might really have.

Public opinion was split exactly down the middle.

“She must be his real daughter.”

“Otherwise, why would Olor go this far?”

“The Ceremony of Honor is no joke. There’s a lot to lose.”

One side believed the claim made by the young master of Olor.

“...Still, she looks more like Duke Voreoti.”

“I’ve seen them in person. The two look like they were printed from the same plate!”

“Would the Duke really go around orphanages searching for a child to adopt if she weren’t his own?”

And the other side believed that Duke Voreoti was the real father.

However, regardless of the stance, both sides shared a burning curiosity:

“Then who’s the birth mother?”

Everyone wanted to know the identity of the woman who had actually given birth to the young lady of House Voreoti.

“They say she was a Voreoti woman,” someone said, repeating the young master of Olor’s claim word for word.

“She was called Regina.”

“The Duke’s cousin, right?”

“Then that would mean...”

An elderly noble recalled an old memory.

“She must have been Count Urmariti’s daughter.”

It had been widely known at the time that the sister of the previous Duke Voreoti had married Count Urmariti.

They were said to be a loving couple, but there was also a tragic story that the wife had died young, and the husband had been devastated by the loss.

Still, despite the abundance of speculation, there was not much verified information about “Regina Voreoti.”

All the information circulating about her came solely from the young master of Olor’s claims.

“I don’t know if he can be trusted.”

It was the young lady of Baron Kapher who said that.

She was thoroughly displeased by the recent uproar.

To be more precise, she openly disliked the Olor family, who had instigated the whole affair.

One day, during a tea gathering with noble ladies her age, she made her opinion about Olor clear.

“If he truly loved her, he wouldn’t be shouting her name all over the Empire like this.”

“But maybe he’s doing it because he did love her,” another young noble lady murmured, quietly siding with the young master of Olor. She had even been moved by the supposed purity of his love.

“...I don’t know about that.”

The young lady of Baron Kapher gave a skeptical smile.

“I think it’s more dignified that Voreoti and Urmariti are keeping their mouths shut.”

After all, no one would want someone they cherished to become the subject of cheap gossip.

That was why Voreoti and Urmariti had sealed their lips to keep information about Regina under wraps.

On the other hand, the young master of Olor couldn’t stop ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) talking.

According to him, Regina had been a minor when they were in love. He claimed their love was pure and innocent.

“To think a married man would proudly say he courted a minor.”

The young lady of Baron Kapher barely held back a snort.

“It’s disgusting.”

At those words, the noble girls at the tea gathering noticeably flinched.

With so many conflicting opinions swirling—

“......”

Leonia, too, wore a serious expression as she prepared for the upcoming Ceremony of Honor.

The baby beast was solemn.

“...What should I wear?”

She was busy deciding what outfit to wear that day.

“It’s been a while since I’ve stood before so many nobles. I can’t look shabby.”

“Of course!”

“You’re absolutely right!”

Connie and Mia, who were helping her decide, nodded in fierce agreement.

“What do you two think?”

As soon as Leonia asked, Connie and Mia eagerly dashed off to the dressing room and brought out various outfits.

Connie spoke first.

“Wouldn’t it be better to look bold? So I recommend these black pants, a white blouse, and a pure white cloak!”

She added that it would look stunning if they adorned the cloak with brilliantly cut gemstones.

“Or what if you go in the opposite direction and show a more modest side for once? That way people might turn their criticism back onto Olor.”

Mia proposed the opposite tactic. The outfit she brought out was a calm, gray-toned dress.

The cloak was black, and the accessories were modest: a tiny hat-shaped hairpiece and a silver brooch.

“They’re both so good.”

Leonia grew more confused.

She genuinely liked both outfits. Her leg began to tremble from indecision.

“Should I go with Mia’s pick? Just in case a bloodbath breaks out.”

Her logic was that black wouldn’t show bloodstains easily. Mia’s expression lit up.

“But I don’t want to look too soft either.”

Leonia wavered again, and this time Connie’s face brightened.

And so the three of them debated seriously about what she should wear.

At one point, someone even suggested wearing chainmail and turning the event into an actual bloodbath. But just then, there came a knock on the door.

“Miss, he’s here again today.”

It was Tra.

He came bearing the same report as always: Remus Olor had once again shown up at the Voreoti estate gates.

That bastard was diligently stamping his attendance card without missing a single day.

“Again?”

Leonia looked appalled.

“Why the hell is that lunatic coming here again?!”

“Yeah! Let’s pour boiling water on him!”

“Then whip his flesh raw!”

“And after that, toss him into the Northern permafrost!”

But it was Connie and Mia who were the ones shouting in outrage.

“Connie, Mia...!”

The baby beast, touched beyond words, covered her mouth with both hands. She was overwhelmed that her two older maid-sisters were angrier on her behalf than she was.

Meanwhile, Tra quietly speculated that perhaps the two maids had picked up their cruel tone from the young lady herself.

“Shall we ignore him as usual?”

“What did Dad say?”

“He muttered, ‘What if I accidentally kill him?’”

“And Mom?”

“She muttered, ‘What if it’s staged as an accident?’”

“Ugh, just like always.”

Leonia pouted as if she had expected as much.

After thinking for a moment, she stood in front of the large full-length mirror beside her vanity.

“How do I look?”

The Leonia in the mirror asked.

“Adorably cute, as always.”

“And lovely too.”

Connie and Mia answered instantly.

“Do I look weak?”

The Leonia in the mirror looked around. Her gaze landed on the lion dolls she had received from Varia for her birthday last year.

A daddy lion, a mommy lion, and a baby lion.

“If you carry one of those dolls, you’ll become the image of a delicate and lovable girl.”

Tra said with a gentle smile.

“Then how about a walk in the garden?”

Leonia smiled in satisfaction and cradled the baby lion doll in her arms.

As the middle of the doll trio was removed, the daddy lion and mommy lion’s snouts bumped into each other.

***

Recently, the Gladiago Knights were at their wits’ end.

“How long do you think he’ll last today?”

Meleis pulled out a coin and slipped it into her pocket. The moment she did, the other knights followed suit and pulled out coins of their own.

Their wager was simple: How long would Remus Olor shamelessly stand outside the front gate today?

“I’m going with thirty minutes.”

Probo placed his bet first.

“Then I’ll say forty.”

It’d probably be longer than yesterday, Paavo added.

“He’s over forty and still looks like that?”

Manus snorted, saying he’d be surprised if the man lasted even twenty minutes.

“In that case, I’ll bet he’s about to leave.”

Meleis tied up her coin pouch with a smirk.

“Isn’t that a bit too soon?”

Paavo laughed outright at Meleis’s oddball prediction.

The other knights were no different. They assumed their captain was placing the bet just to treat his poor underlings to a round of drinks later.

“What nonsense. This money is mine now.”

But Meleis tucked the pouch securely into her belt.

“Look over there.”

She pointed toward the garden.

“There she is.”

Leonia was walking through the garden, her hair half tied up and a doll in her arms.

The knights quickly readied themselves. Remus Olor was outside the gate right now. They couldn’t allow their precious young lady to run into that rude bastard.

“Hold on.”

But Meleis ordered them to stand down. She had realized that Leonia had come out to the garden on purpose—to make contact with Remus.

She glanced up.

Through the office window, Ferio could be seen.

His black eyes were fixed on Leonia, and then shifted to the knights. He gave a single nod.

Leave her be.

Understanding his message, the knights finally relaxed—if only slightly.

They still kept their eyes on Remus.

“...Did you know this was going to happen?” Manus asked Meleis in a resentful tone.

That’s when he realized that Meleis would be taking all the pooled bet money.

“Hey, give the money back! This isn’t fair!”

Probo grumbled, but Meleis scoffed like he was a joke.

“This is the reward for a knight like me who instantly sensed the young lady’s presence and surveyed the surroundings. I won it fair and square with my skills.”

“...Why are you so smug all of a sudden?”

Did you catch that from the young lady too?

Paavo asked.

But the four knights didn’t get to continue their banter.

Because Leonia had indeed walked right up near the front gate.

“Wait, was she wearing that outfit earlier?”

Paavo tilted his head.

“...You’re right.”

Manus murmured.

“She doesn’t like warm colors or frilly dresses like that.”

Being particularly sensitive to colors and clothing, Manus showed off his sharp deductive skills.

“You should open a boutique when you retire.”

Paavo gave the advice in earnest—he was sure it would do well.

***

Remus continued to visit the Voreoti estate and beg to see Leonia.

But of course, House Voreoti never allowed it. Even so, Remus came every day and loitered outside for hours.

‘The reason’s obvious.’

Remus was just playing the part of a pitiful father missing his daughter.

It was a ploy to gain public sympathy and recruit supporters to his side.

At the same time, he was painting Voreoti as the villain who had cruelly separated a father and daughter.

“What a pathetic bastard.”

Leonia couldn’t help but mutter a curse aloud.

The girl tied her hair in a half-up style and changed into a long, flowy dress she didn’t even like.

Then she even adopted the pose of ‘hugging a doll with both arms’—something she’d normally never do.

She had intentionally styled herself to resemble Regina.

As expected, Remus, who had been gazing wistfully at the estate, widened his eyes.

He looked so touched, so emotional, so pure, that Leonia felt like vomiting.

The world was terribly unfair. Why were such gentle, innocent-looking faces given to trash like him?

Meanwhile, her most beloved father Ferio had a face so terrifying it could make children cry on sight.

‘That’s why now...’

It was time to even the scales.