I Became the Male Lead's Adopted Daughter-Chapter 85
“I went to get a wristwatch made.”
Leonia answered like it was nothing special, and while speaking, she slid down off the sofa like water flowing down a stream.
“I asked them to make me a strap for a watch to wear on my wrist. I figured it’d be better to quietly ask Lady Hieina than to deal with the Count herself.”
“That makes sense.”
Ferio nodded in agreement.
The idea of wearing a watch on the wrist was clever—commercially valuable, too.
Choosing not to hand over something that precious to people like the Count and Countess of Hieina had been the right call.
Lady Hieina, stalker record and all, was still the safer option. At least she wouldn’t go blabbing, since she already had things to answer for.
“I don’t like those people.”
Leonia fiddled with Ferio’s fingers as she spoke.
“Calling your own daughter useless is a terrible thing.”
“They said that?”
Ferio sat up, his eyes wide with surprise.
“They play favorites all the time.”
Seizing the moment, Leonia spilled everything she knew.
“...They’re out of their minds.”
After listening to it all, Ferio muttered a single sentence, thick with disgust.
The Hieina household’s blatant favoritism toward their youngest son was notorious in noble society.
Since that son happened to be friends with Ufikla, even Carnis had shared a few things.
The Count and Countess were always gushing about how clever and kind their son was.
But they never said a word about their daughter.
Ferio had assumed they simply kept quiet out of shame, given her stalking incident.
But judging by what Leonia said, they’d been mistreating her long before that.
“I think the reason she turned out that way has a lot to do with her parents.”
Leonia grumbled.
“Parents aren’t supposed to do that. Right, Dad?”
“Of course not.”
Ferio replied gently as he brushed her hair back.
He swept her bangs firmly from her forehead to the top of her head, and Leonia flopped backward with a thump.
Then came a burst of laughter—kya-ha!
The soft carpet kept the fall from hurting at all.
...There’s room for leniency, Ferio thought.
He wasn’t about to forgive her past behavior just yet, but if she offered a sincere apology from now on, he’d consider showing some mercy.
If she messed up again after that, everything would be over.
“So, do you think it’ll turn out well?”
He was referring to the wristwatch.
“What kind of question is that?”
Leonia grinned.
“Just wait until you see it.”
***
The finished watch arrived the day before the banquet.
“Young lady.”
Knock knock, Tra called for Leonia.
She had been checking over the dress and accessories she’d wear to the Imperial Palace the next day and looked toward Connie. Understanding the signal, Connie quickly opened the door.
“It’s from the Academy.”
Tra held a small velvet box in his hand.
“It’s done!”
Leonia let out a sigh of relief as she accepted the box with a bright smile.
It had been cutting it close, but it looked like they’d finished just in time.
She opened the box slightly to check it.
“Oh my gosh! You pretty little thing!”
Seeing the completed watch, Leonia puckered her lips in a kiss and cooed with joy. It was proof that she was absolutely delighted.
Then she quickly closed it again.
“Is that the one?”
Tra asked. Leonia gave a satisfied smile.
“Yes, looks like it’s finished perfectly.”
“I’m glad.”
“I’m going to give it to Dad now.”
“The master will be pleased.”
“I hope so...”
Leonia swayed her body cheerfully. The attendants watched her with fond smiles.
“And the master has asked for you as well.”
“Dad did?”
Leonia thought the timing was perfect—she had a gift to deliver anyway.
“Please hold this for me.”
She handed the box to Tra. It was too important to risk dropping if she happened to trip while walking.
Tra nodded and tucked the box deep into his inner pocket.
The baby beast’s steps down the hallway were lighter than ever.
Even though I’m going to the Imperial Palace tomorrow, I feel good.
The banquet was finally tomorrow.
She didn’t like that the Emperor had deliberately summoned her.
But she already had a plan to thoroughly humiliate him in return—and she had Ferio’s permission.
Plus, the watch she’d prepared as a gift had arrived.
No reason to be in a bad mood.
“Your steps seem very light today.”
Tra spoke with a smile as he followed her.
Seeing how she had become more and more like a cheerful child since they first met warmed his heart.
“That’s because I feel good.”
“Even your humming sounds nice.”
“Then I’ll even sing a song for you.”
Riding the wave of her good mood, Leonia decided to gift him a little impromptu song.
“A six-pack alone doesn’t make a man! A puffed-up chest alone doesn’t make a man, not for me!”
I like looks too.
Hack! Cough!
Tra was so startled he choked on air, coughing uncontrollably.
The song was so blatantly unfiltered and brimming with desire, it shocked him into a fit.
“M-Miss...”
He tried to stop her, saying she really shouldn’t sing any more.
But it was pointless.
Leonia, already immersed in her own lyrics, didn’t even hear him.
Instead, her innocent voice rang out louder than before.
“Sitting down—rippling thighs! When he stands, I see his back and my nosebleed pops!”
I love muscles.
Her bouncy steps kept perfect rhythm with the song.
...Master, Tra thought. Good luck.
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
Tra felt a wave of sympathy for Ferio. Raising a child was truly no easy feat.
And at the same time, he gained a deeper appreciation for his own mother, Kara.
Then, the song reached its climax.
Leonia stopped her bouncing steps, scrunched all her facial features toward the center of her face, and shouted:
“Guess who my dad is!”
Just how did he get those muscles?
In that moment, Tra saw a vision overlap behind Leonia—a gorilla in translucent trousers.
He didn’t know why that particular animal came to mind of all things, but somehow, it strangely resembled the young lady.
“...Tch, that was perfect.”
Leonia shyly rubbed under her nose with her finger. For an impromptu performance, it had surprisingly high production value. She figured she could jot it down in her diary later.
“Tra, how was it?”
“M-Miss...”
“Was it bad?”
“To be honest, it was... incredible.”
The pitch and rhythm were so chaotic, they felt revolutionary.
But that wasn’t the issue.
Tra had no choice but to grab Leonia and turn her around.
There stood Ferio.
And two guests who had come with him.
“Holy crap!”
Leonia shrieked.
“You sang the whole thing.”
Ferio stared at her with an expression beyond words.
It was the look one would give a mortal enemy—an almost spiritual exhaustion radiated from him.
The sigh he let out pressed down on the floor like a weight.
The guests covered their mouths with the back of their hands and fans, turning their heads quickly away.
But their trembling shoulders made it clear they were holding back laughter.
“Dad, seriously!”
Leonia puffed her cheeks.
“You scared me!”
She grumbled that he should have made some noise walking in.
“Songs like that should be sung alone in your room. It’s embarrassing to hear in public.”
The source of this c𝐨ntent is freeweɓnovēl.coɱ.
“No way! I’m proud of it!”
Leonia spread her chest like a plump pigeon and boasted.
Ferio could only sigh.
Surely, no one else in the world was suffering this much from parenting.
“Have a little shame, will you.”
He loved his daughter more than anything—but today, it felt like loving her might cause physical pain.
“Countess Bosgruni!”
Ignoring her father’s grumbling, Leonia finally noticed the guests.
“It’s been a while.”
The elderly lady barely stifled her laughter and cleared her throat.
Then, pretending nothing had happened, she greeted Leonia with polite formality.
There was no need to ask how the child had been.
She was taller, healthier, and fuller than before.
Gone was the frail girl she'd seen the previous winter. Leonia now looked like a proper child her age.
The Voreoti household had clearly taken meticulous care of her.
Countess Bosgruni was genuinely pleased. A gentle smile appeared on her lips.
“You’re quite the bold one.”
As Leonia and Countess Bosgruni shared a warm moment, a deep, rumbling voice fell from above.
Leonia had to crane her neck all the way back just to see the speaker’s face.
A large elderly gentleman, as imposing as the Northern Mountains, bent forward with a bow.
“Leo, this is Count Urmariti.”
Ferio introduced him.
“My name is Artique.”
Count Urmariti extended a hand so large it could cover Leonia’s entire face.
Leonia placed her tiny hand on his palm. It looked like a small maple leaf stuck to a boulder.
“Hello, I’m Leonia.”
“A pleasure to meet you, young lady.”
And also, to have heard your song just now, Count Urmariti laughed heartily.
“Muscles are a marvelous thing.”
The old noble had clearly enjoyed her song.
Count Urmariti, too, had muscles so firm they looked like they might tear through his clothes.
Leonia beamed. Anyone who appreciated the brilliance of her song had to be a good person.
Especially if they had muscles.
By that measure, Count Urmariti was a very good person.
“So, why are you two here at the estate?”
Leonia finally asked why the guests had visited.
She hadn’t expected to run into two of the capital’s most entrenched nobles.
“We’re also attending the Imperial banquet tomorrow. We came to pay our respects in advance,” said Countess Bosgruni.
“Apparently every core noble from the North was invited to this one.”
Ferio wasn’t happy about it.
He didn’t appreciate the Emperor acting like he could summon Northern nobility as he pleased.
“So that means Viscount Kerata too? Did Flo come?”
Leonia’s eyes # Nоvеlight # sparkled. It had been a while since she last saw Flomus, and she missed her a bit.
“Yes.”
“Then why didn’t the Viscount come too?”
“Because I didn’t invite him.”
Ferio had only invited Countess Bosgruni and Count Urmariti to the mansion.
Saying there were things to discuss, he left it at that—and Leonia, catching the nuance, dropped the matter.
“Then I’ll take my leave.”
Countess Bosgruni stepped out of the mansion first.
“You got the watch, didn’t you?”
Ferio asked. Leonia’s eyes went wide.
“How’d you know?”
“There’s nothing I don’t know.”
“You don’t know how many nose hairs I have.”
“You never stop, do you?”
Ferio had to tug on her sideburns before Leonia finally shut up.
“Young lady, you are truly delightful!”
Count Urmariti roared with laughter like a hero out of legend.
***
The watch presentation ceremony was held in Ferio’s office.
“But why is the Count here?”
Leonia tilted her head.
She could understand Lupe and Tra being present, but she didn’t get why Count Urmariti was included in this moment.
“Because the Count is going to sell the wristwatches.”
Ferio added,
“If I wear this watch to the banquet tomorrow, what do you think will happen?”
“Ahh!”
That one smug sentence was enough—Leonia instantly understood what he meant.
