I Became the Male Lead's Adopted Daughter-Chapter 69

“I’m so happy...!”

With her face flushed in delight, Leonia hugged the newly purchased book tightly with both arms.

She had finally gotten her hands on Life Is Revenge, the book she had longed for while staying at the Rinne estate.

This is amazing!

She truly felt like dancing in the middle of the street from sheer joy.

Getting the sequel to a favorite book was no small feat.

Not that she actually wanted to start dancing in public.

Ugh, I really feel like I’m turning into a kid.

Leonia barely managed to suppress her excitement.

Of course, she was in a child’s body, but being constantly treated like a child by the adults around her made her feel even more like one.

Tch, that just won’t do.

Instead of dancing in the street, she settled for bouncing her feet up and down in place.

As far as she was concerned, this was extreme restraint—but she couldn’t stop her blue shorts from bouncing energetically with each little stomp.

Just then, a large hand landed on her head.

“You’re that happy?”

Ferio, who had followed her out of the bookstore, gave a bemused smile.

Seeing her so overjoyed over a single book made him feel a twinge of sympathy.

“All that joy for just one book.”

Ferio thought he needed to buy her better things—more often—so she’d develop a sharper eye.

“Thank you so much, Daddy.”

Leonia, still hugging the book with both arms, thanked him for what felt like the hundredth time.

“Hmph...”

Ferio bent down on one knee. Their eyes met, and he tilted his head slightly.

“That’s it? Just words?”

“Then I’ll give you a kiss!”

Leonia puckered her lips like a duck’s beak and smacked them onto Ferio’s cheek.

At that moment, a murmur rippled loudly through the crowd nearby.

But the father and daughter beast duo didn’t hear a thing.

Leonia, just as Ferio had taught her, ignored the rude stares and whispers.

She assumed they were simply jealous and scoffed at them inwardly.

“Shall we go, then?”

“Yeah!”

Soon, the black carriage pulled away from the bookstore.

Inside, Leonia carefully set the new book beside her.

The hardcover was sturdy enough not to be damaged, but just in case, she untied her cloak and gently wrapped it around the book.

“Hehe, it’s brand new.”

Ferio, watching her, was utterly speechless.

His irritated gaze poked sharply at Leonia.

“What now? What is it now?”

Leonia rubbed her temple, looking at Ferio with suspicion.

“You climb all over me, and now...”

“...No wonder it felt so peaceful.”

Their brief, affectionate moment back at the bookstore had clearly been a mirage.

Even Leonia herself thought they’d gotten along unusually well.

Honestly, if he’s not bickering for even a moment, his mouth probably sprouts thorns.

Sighing, Leonia shook her head.

To her, Ferio was just like a little kid—he teased more the more he liked you.

Of course, if Ferio heard that, he might just clutch the back of his neck in frustration.

“Are you jealous of the book, Daddy?”

Leonia tossed the comment casually, too silly to be called a proper counterattack.

“....”

But Ferio pressed his lips together and furrowed one eye tightly. She had struck a nerve. Leonia’s eyes went round.

Then she burst out laughing.

“He’s jealous! He’s jealous!”

The mighty Duke of Voreoti, jealous of a single book his daughter loved—what a story that would be, if she went around telling people.

“I bought you that book.”

“Wow, Daddy, that’s such a...”

That was the kind of petty line that left the other party with nothing to say.

Leonia came to a new realization.

Ferio was a man with a very narrow heart.

And yet the man himself remained shameless, even using it as justification to demand more affection in return.

“I gave you a kiss already.”

Leonia pouted her lips again, ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) teasing.

Ferio gently flicked her lips with his fingers. Only then did those annoying lips pull back in.

“For heaven’s sake, act your age. Are you seriously comparing me to a book?”

“At the very least, I know I’m not as good as a book.”

“Pffft—ahaha!”

Leonia finally burst out laughing and flopped over, giggling uncontrollably.

She laughed so hard she could barely breathe and eventually sat herself upright again, panting.

“...Done laughing?”

Ferio’s voice had dropped low in genuine displeasure.

“My stomach hurts from laughing...”

“You’re unbelievable.”

“And now I’m hungry...”

“Relentless, really.”

Ferio cracked open the rear window. The coachman, sensing movement, began to slow the carriage.

“Is there somewhere nearby that sells something light to eat?”

“There’s a vendor that sells fruit candy, sir.”

“It’s not even lunchtime yet...”

Ferio hesitated briefly, then handed the coachman a pouch of coins.

Soon the carriage stopped, and the coachman returned with a basket of assorted candies from a street vendor.

Each piece was carefully wrapped in yellow paper, made of seasonal fruit coated in a clear sugar glaze.

Ferio picked out the smallest one.

“I want the big one.”

“You won’t be able to eat lunch.”

“Such a nag.”

Despite grumbling, Leonia accepted the candy without resistance.

Inside the transparent sugar glaze were three dark red berries.

“Thank you for the food.”

She gave a neat, polite bow and popped one of the berries into her mouth.

“...It tastes like sugar.”

“It is sugar.”

Ferio passed the rest out the window to the knights following behind.

Just before the window shut, Paavo’s flustered voice could be heard clearly—“You want us to guard the carriage while holding this?!”

“Aren’t you going to eat one, Daddy?”

“I don’t care for things that are too sweet.”

“Father says he doesn’t like sweet things~”

Leonia sang spontaneously on the spot. Ferio smiled faintly at the randomness of it.

“What kind of song is that?”

“A song of filial piety.”

Yayayaya, that’s how we live.

That’s how we regret it.

“And cry our tears away~!”

Leonia hummed an old tune from her memory, riding the rhythm with growing cheer.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

“So busy all by yourself, huh.”

Singing, eating candy, inspecting her new book with great care—Ferio leaned forward slightly, quietly watching his daughter amuse herself without any help.

The way her tiny fingers and lips moved while she chatted to herself was surprisingly cute.

Especially that round little chin—it was quite charming.

“Before lunch,” Ferio said, brushing some sugar dust from her hair, “we’re going to make a quick stop somewhere.”

“Where?”

Leonia asked with the last berry still in her mouth, making one cheek puff out to the side.

“The Academy.”

“The Academy?”

It was an odd place to go, even after hearing it.

“Why are you going there?”

“I need to confirm something.”

As if to prove Ferio’s words true, the carriage soon pulled into a building.

An owl was painted on the front gate, along with the name of the building.

Come to think of it...

Reading the name quickly, Leonia recalled someone.

Didn’t Professor Ardea say he used to work at the Academy?

***

The Bellius Empire was a monarchy.

However, upon closer inspection, the country functioned much like a federation.

Aside from the central capital where the Emperor resided, the other four major regions had long-standing ruling powers that predated the Empire’s founding.

Even now, the descendants of those powers governed those regions with noble titles.

They were the grand noble families—like Voreoti, Hesperi, and Ortio.

Because of this, regional autonomy was extremely strong, while imperial authority was relatively weak.

This unique structure of the Empire was also reflected in its centers of influence.

There were three main forces that moved the nation.

First, the Council of Nobles, where the royal family and high-ranking aristocrats gathered to discuss state affairs.

Second, the capital’s social circles, where highborn ladies gathered and exchanged information.

And third, the Academy.

So this is the Academy...

Having stepped down from the carriage, Leonia inspected a nearby monument.

It had been gifted by graduates of the Academy from several centuries ago, dedicated to the professors of the Academy.

The monument bore the full official name of the institution: The Imperial Bellius Institution for the Study and Advancement of Knowledge and Technology.

The Academy was a towering bastion of intellect, the repository of modern knowledge, and the Empire’s most prestigious institute where only the greatest minds gathered to study and develop science and technology.

Hmmm...

Leonia tilted her head back to look beyond the monument at the Academy building itself.

The yellowed exterior showed its long-standing history.

At the same time, it also revealed how badly the place needed renovation.

The wall beneath the roof had a gaping hole, and some of the glass windows were cracked and patched with what looked like old newspapers.

“Do they have no money here?”

Leonia whispered softly enough that only Ferio could hear her.

That was because a group of adults from the building was now approaching to greet them.

“They spend their repair budget on materials for their personal research.”

Ferio gave an example—her tutor, Ardea.

“...Ah.”

Ardea Bosgruni, the former count who abandoned his title and family to pursue research. The moment she thought of him, Leonia immediately understood what kind of place this was.

“Duke Voreoti.”

Just then, a woman from the Academy arrived. Her stark white hair was tied back in a rough bun.

“A pleasure to see you again, Duke of the North.”

“It’s been a long time, Professor.”

“Professor?”

Leonia blinked her round eyes.

“She was my teacher when I attended the Academy,” Ferio explained, introducing the elderly woman as his professor.

Immediately, Leonia corrected her posture and greeted her politely.

If Ferio was personally introducing her, she had to be someone important to him.

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“Hello, it’s very nice to meet you. My name is Leonia Voreoti.”

“It’s an honor to meet you, Lady Voreoti. I am Strige Buffo. I once taught the Duke Voreoti here.”

Her face, wrinkled and soft, curved into a gentle smile. Leonia returned it with one of her own.

She looked exactly like the type of grandmother who would feed you sweets by hand.

“What kind of student was my dad?”

Leonia asked bluntly, making Strige let out a surprised little gasp.

But then she laughed softly, amused.

“What kind of student do you think he was?”

“A student who was good at everything.”

At that, the corners of Ferio’s lips lifted faintly.

“That’s right. Duke Voreoti was an exceptional student—there was nothing he couldn’t do.”

“But he can’t draw.”

Leonia tattled, saying that somewhere between catastrophe and destruction lay her father’s artwork.