I Became the Male Lead's Adopted Daughter-Chapter 91

The Imperial Palace that rose before them was absolutely enormous.

Even in a country where imperial authority was considered weak, it was still the largest empire on the continent.

And the palace reflected the empire’s reputation with its sheer grandeur.

Beyond its seemingly endless outer walls, colossal spires pierced the sky.

As the carriage slowly passed through the gate, a garden that stretched far beyond the eye could see came into view.

That alone was enough to understand just how vast the Imperial Palace truly was.

Leonia pulled her head back in and reaffirmed her resolve.

‘Wreck the place!’

She couldn’t forget why she had come here.

She had carefully planned this out and even practiced a little. She was fully prepared to cause the perfect uproar.

“Leonia.”

She looked up at the voice above her head.

“That uproar...”

Ferio already knew exactly what she was thinking.

“You don’t have to force it.”

A large hand gently closed around her tiny one.

At first, he too had been angry at the Imperial family’s petty behavior and had allowed Leonia to go through with her plan.

Of course, it also helped that he had the ability to clean up whatever mess might follow.

Ferio still had no intention of maintaining a smooth relationship with the current Imperial family.

However, there was no benefit to letting the emperor gain a reason to dislike Leonia.

Not that they could do much, but petty acts like this could later become a hindrance in her future.

“Papa... are you worried about me?”

Leonia blinked up at him with touched, glittering eyes.

“Should I not be?”

Ferio clicked his tongue softly. Of course he was worried—he was her father.

“It’s okay, Papa.”

She wasn’t doing this just because the emperor had ticked her off.

An invitation to a late-night banquet wasn’t such a big deal that she couldn’t tolerate it with a bit of generosity.

“I mean, I should say hello, right?”

“To whom?”

“To everyone.”

A smug smile spread across Leonia’s lips as she said it.

It was a smile far too eerie to be coming from a seven-year-old child.

“They’ve all been curious about me.”

The illegitimate child with no mother, the orphanage rat with no roots, a kid with dirty blood.

Leonia already knew that malicious rumors about her had spread all throughout the capital.

And she had remembered every single one without forgetting a thing.

“To be honest, I’m a little thankful to the emperor.”

Hadn’t he kindly created a place where she could say hello to everyone?

The baby beast had no intention of wasting the opportunity she’d been given.

“I have to teach them personally.”

Who I am.

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“Shouldn’t they learn what happens when they dare to mess with House Voreoti without knowing their place?”

She smiled brightly as she said it, her slightly parted lips revealing a set of sharp little fangs.

Ferio remained silent as he listened.

But the gentle smile on his face left no doubt about how deeply satisfied he was.

***

Having arrived early at the banquet hall, Carnis was already feeling worn out.

‘God, this is exhausting.’

His face, as he picked up a champagne glass, was smeared with fatigue.

And for good reason.

The moment he and Abipher showed up, nobles had flocked to them.

He was used to it by now, so it didn’t particularly bother him.

It was the fate of a noble who held the largest port in the empire.

But their questions were rude and utterly lacking in courtesy.

“When is Duke Voreoti arriving?”

“Is the young lady really coming too?”

“You and the Duke have been close for quite some time, haven’t you?”

These nobles, who usually wrapped everything in refined language and feigned elegance, were now letting their curiosity run wild.

The two of them barely escaped after offering vague answers to the barrage of questions.

It was one of the most exhausting banquets they’d ever attended.

“Are you okay, dear?”

Carnis handed a glass to Abipher as he asked.

“I’m dying,”

she grumbled as she downed it immediately.

The two headed out to the balcony for some fresh air.

Finally alone, Abipher began venting the irritation she’d been holding back.

“What is this, a zoo? Everyone came here just to gawk at the young lady.”

Every question reeked of condescension, as if Leonia were some kind of spectacle.

“They’re uneducated.”

If Ferio had been here, none of them would’ve dared to open their mouths.

But seeing the Count and Countess Rinne as approachable, they swarmed them instead.

“We’re easy targets.”

Among all those attending the banquet, the couple most closely associated with Voreoti—and also the easiest to approach—was the Rinnes.

“You’re doing great.”

Carnis, feeling sorry, gently brushed his lips against her temple.

He wrapped an arm around her waist as if to support her, and Abipher gave him a grateful little smile.

Just as they were finally catching their breath, someone greeted them, his plump chin jiggling.

It was Viscount Rebous Kerata.

“Viscount!”

Carnis greeted him with real joy for the first time that evening.

“How have you been?”

“We’ve been doing quite well.”

Kerata let out a booming laugh—and indeed, things had been going well for him.

After the fall of the Tabanus Guild, all their former dealings had shifted to the Rinne and Urbespe Guilds.

The Kerata family had reaped great profit from that.

It also revealed just how much the Tabanus Guild had been skimming off the top.

And thanks to Ferio thoroughly cleaning up the North before heading to the capital, the hierarchy between the core and migrant nobles had been reestablished.

The old bloodlines had grown even more solidified, while the newcomers had become more reserved.

“It’s more peaceful than ever.”

Rebous Kerata replied with his usual warm smile, though he was a dyed-in-the-wool core noble through and through.

Soon, Count Bosgruni and Count Urmariti also arrived.

The nobles’ attention naturally turned toward them.

The core houses of the North were well-known even within the empire’s high society.

Their legacy extended back with Voreoti itself, existing long before the empire even formed—lineages too old to measure by title alone.

No one approached them carelessly.

Thanks to that, Carnis and Abipher could finally breathe a little easier.

“This is unfair. Make us a core family too.”

Carnis grumbled jokingly.

To that, Viscount Kerata chuckled in amusement.

“Careful now. Marquis Hesperi might take offense if he hears you.”

“If you’re Count Rinne, the Duke will always welcome you,”

Count Bosgruni said with a smile.

“Speaking of which, the Duke hasn’t arrived yet, has he?”

“Still late as usual.”

Count Urmariti and Viscount Kerata both glanced toward the banquet hall doors.

The half-closed doors stood as silent proof that the final name on the list had yet to appear.

The hall was already filled with invited nobles, some dancing lightly to the music of the orchestra.

If Duke Voreoti didn’t show up soon, the doors would soon be shut.

“He’ll be here shortly,”

Count Bosgruni said, raising his glass with elegant grace.

Even with age, his poise remained immaculate.

“It’s not just the Duke. The young lady isn’t one to shy away from a fight either.”

“How is the young lady doing these days?”

Viscount Kerata asked about Leonia.

“Our daughter came to the capital with us, and she’s been going on and on about wanting to see her.”

“Oh my, how cute.”

“My daughter is completely taken with the young lady too. We should set up a playdate for the three of them.”

“Even the Rinne daughter?”

They laughed together as Count Bosgruni chuckled with delight, remarking on how popular Leonia already was.

And then—

A stir rippled through the crowd near the banquet hall entrance.

No one needed to ask what it was about.

Voreoti had finally arrived.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

***

Before entering the banquet hall—

Leonia once again explained her chaos plan to Ferio and Lupe.

“I’m going to act like I’m seven.”

“You are seven, though,”

Lupe quietly pointed out.

“I mean I’m going to act like a tiny brat who’s scared of strangers.”

She would cling only to Ferio and pretend to be a shy, sensitive little girl overwhelmed by all the new people.

That was the first phase of the plan.

“Try peeing yourself in front of the emperor.”

Ferio offered a teasing suggestion.

“I might end up peeing on you, Papa.”

With that ominous warning, Leonia spread her arms.

As always, Ferio picked her up with a steady, reliable hold, and Leonia wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.

“Ready?”

Ferio patted her back and asked.

“Tell ‘em to bring it on.”

“Such bravado.”

“It’s not bravado.”

The baby beast lifted her chin arrogantly.

“It’s confidence.”

She was so proudly haughty that Ferio couldn’t help but press a kiss to her cheek.

Father and daughter met each other’s eyes, sharing a bond of trust and affection.

Their relationship was solid—nothing could break it.

“Viscount Ricoss.”

Ferio, his expression now composed, called for Lupe.

The warmth in his black eyes—so full of love for his daughter—vanished behind a perfectly cold mask.

Only the ferociousness of a savage beast remained.

And yet, the hand gently stroking Leonia’s back as she rested against his shoulder was still full of tenderness.

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Lupe took a small breath and composed himself as well.

His gaze, heavy and steady like a wolf of the snowy mountains, awaited the command of his lord.

“Let’s go in.”

The banquet hall doors opened.

Ferio stepped inside.

The atmosphere, which had been gently buzzing thanks to a bit of wine and soft music, immediately shifted.

And then—at a mere flick of Ferio’s gaze—it was as if a bucket of ice water had been dumped over the entire room.

Silence fell in an instant.

Tap, tap. Each of his footsteps rang sharp and clear in everyone’s ears.

The entire hall’s attention snapped to them.

“...That’s Duke Voreoti.”

Someone finally spoke up in a hushed voice, and at that signal, the stiff nobles finally began to murmur /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ among themselves.

“No matter how many times I see him, he still gives me chills.”

“He’s so brazenly late...”

“He must think the world revolves around him.”

“Is that Viscount Ricoss beside him?”

As if waiting for the cue, the murmuring turned to Lupe.

“They say the Duke granted him a noble title.”

“Isn’t he from one of the North’s core families now?”

“He’s the Marquis of Pardus’s youngest son.”

“He became a core noble despite his father’s opposition?”

“That’s what you call a successful rise.”

If anyone had information, they quickly shared it. If there was anything to criticize, they all pounced on it together.

The probing, judgmental gazes were just part of the package.

Ferio furrowed his brows slightly.

The petty ugliness behind the glamorous exterior of the banquet hall—that was the true nature of the crowd.

And that was exactly why Ferio hated places like this.

“But where’s the child?”

Someone asked.

Ferio and Lupe were visible, but the infamous young lady of House Voreoti was nowhere in sight.