I Became the Male Lead’s Adopted Daughter

In the original story, before her regression, Varia had a gentle and peaceful nature.
She especially hated fighting.

She firmly believed that ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) if people opened their hearts and talked honestly, they could understand each other.
So even when she wasn’t acknowledged by her family, she couldn’t let go of the pitiful hope: "If I do better, they'll love me."
But in the end, she was abandoned.

And ultimately killed.
After she returned to the past, Varia changed almost completely.
She doubted everything and trusted only in her own efforts.

She no longer easily formed attachments to others. She had also realized that sometimes, the answer to a hopeless bastard was a punch to the face.
The betrayal she suffered in her first life had left a deep scar in her heart.
However, just because her personality changed didn't mean her true nature was gone.

That's right, it was like that.
Leonia thought as she watched Varia struggle to pull out the document envelope strapped to her back.
That big sister was always a little weird.

To be more accurate, she was rather eccentric.
Varia’s life had been rough.
But by birth, she was a noble.

Raised in material abundance, in her first life, she had flailed desperately for her family’s love.
In her second life after regression, she sprinted forward with nothing but revenge in mind.
Because of that, whenever something wasn’t related to her main goal, her obliviousness would stick out.

Varia’s biological parents, the Count and Countess of Erbanu, would often openly make jokes about their daughter being strange.
But Ferio said he found that side of Varia adorable, and that she had made his life happier.
I wonder if he still feels that way now?
Leonia glanced at Ferio.

Just then, Varia was handing Ferio the document envelope containing the evidence.
The expression on Varia’s face as she offered it was serious, while Ferio’s expression as he accepted it was oddly complex.
"……It's warm."

Ferio commented as he looked at the envelope.
"After I left the dorms, I kept it on me all the time."
Varia said proudly, emphasizing that was why the evidence was safe.

Ferio, staring quietly at Varia, lowered his gaze again to the envelope.
Sure enough, it was warm to the touch, as if it had been pressed against her body for a long time.
It felt strangely surreal.

He had never imagined a day would come when he would feel someone else's body heat in this way.
It was almost the same kind of shock he had felt when Leonia had once called herself a "muscle philanthropist."
In any case, the deal resumed.

Leonia, sensing the shift in mood, plopped down next to Ferio.
"Can I stay too?"
"Do whatever you want."

Ferio said, giving up.
If he kicked her out again, she’d probably smash through the ceiling to come back in.
"Big sister Varia, is it okay if I stay?"

"I don't mind."
In fact, Varia actually preferred having Leonia there.
When she was alone with Ferio, she got far more nervous. Having Leonia around made her feel more at ease.

"Hehe."
Leonia giggled.
Varia was surprised by the innocent smile. It was completely different from the cool, composed Leonia she had seen outside.

But it was nice to see. It looked like the genuine, naive smile of a girl her age. Before she knew it, Varia’s lips curved into a smile too.
The two smiled at each other warmly.
Two kids…….

Ferio thought the two of them strangely resembled each other.
"First of all."
Ferio took out the documents from the envelope.

"Will you explain?"
At the tapping sound as Ferio’s fingers drummed lightly on the documents, Varia quickly refocused herself.
"These are the records I gathered from the Ministry of Finance about the activities of the Imperial family and House Olor."

"How much could you really gather from the Ministry? Isn't it mostly just managing the national budget?"
Ferio said mockingly.
But his eyes, as he scanned the documents, were sharper than ever.

His long, thick fingers moved swiftly, pointing out any suspicious areas he found.
Leonia, sitting beside him, also peeked at the documents, trying to catch on to what they revealed.
There’s so much Olor in here.

The moment she saw the evidence, a dry taste filled her mouth.
What Varia had brought as evidence was a collection of budget plans passed over the past few years.
The Imperial family had delegated various administrative and business projects to House Olor and other Imperialist nobles.

As the two carefully examined the evidence, Varia felt the tension rise again.
And she spoke.
"For the past few years—"

Maybe even longer than that.
"—the Imperial family has been targeting the Gate."
Varia explained what she had figured out based on the evidence she had investigated and collected.

Ferio gave a short nod, as if to show he understood.
Though his eyes remained fixed on the evidence, his ears were fully tuned to Varia's voice.
"As you can see, the Imperial family has been pouring large amounts of money every year into road maintenance and Gate repairs through various nobles."

"Miss Varia."
Ferio finally lifted his gaze from the evidence and looked at her.
"What does the Imperial family’s interest in the Gate have to do with me?"

Ferio asked, as if testing her.
Varia smiled.
"A lot."

As if she had been waiting for that, Varia gave a triumphant smile. Ferio’s eyes widened ever so slightly at her unexpected response.
"Pfft."
Leonia hurriedly covered her mouth with her hands. She had just witnessed her dad getting flustered right up close.

"Dad’s so dumb."
Leonia teased.
"The Gate’s just the means."

"……I know that."
Ferio shot a sideways glance at Leonia. He had intended to lightly probe Varia, but his annoying daughter jumped in first.
"I’m right, aren’t I?"

Leonia grinned at Varia.
"……You're right."
This time, it was Varia’s turn to be surprised.

Maybe Voreoti already knew everything.
But it was too late to back out of the deal now. Varia had staked everything on this.
"It’s clear that the Imperial family and House Olor are extremely interested in the Gate."

But that was just the means.
"They want to control the four regions of the Empire by dominating the Gates."
Yet even that was still only a means to an end.

The Imperial family’s ultimate goal was right in front of Varia now.
The Black Beast.
Their homeland.

"The Imperial family is targeting the North."
***
While monitoring the Imperial family’s movements and gathering evidence, Varia had realized something strange.

Why the North?
The Imperial family really was preparing to target the North step-by-step.
At first glance, the road construction and Gate maintenance projects could be passed off as efforts for national development.

They even gained quite a bit of public support because of that justification.
The real problem was the Emperor Subiteo’s hidden ambition: to use these efforts to suppress and dominate the four regions.
Of course, in a monarchy, central control was natural.

But slaughtering the great noble families who had governed the regions for generations and wiping out their houses was a serious problem.
So far, this much had been easy for Varia to figure out.
"To be honest."

Varia said, looking at the documents spread across the table.
"I don’t know exactly why the Imperial family is targeting the North."
"That sounds like the most important part."

Ferio remarked, surprisingly impressed by her honesty.
It was far better to admit ignorance than to pretend to know. He found that honesty quite favorable.
"I've come up with some theories……."

Varia asked for permission with her eyes, seeking approval from Ferio and Leonia.
The father and daughter both nodded.
"You don’t have to ask for permission; you can just say it."

"I know, but……."
Varia hesitated.
"What I’m about to say might sound a little strange."

She said it just in case. At her core, she was still a kind person.
"……At first, I thought it was because of the enormous amount of gemstones and rare metals buried in the North. After all, there's a rumor that House Voreoti is richer than the Imperial family."
Which was actually true.

Leonia scratched under her nose, thinking to herself.
"But when I saw the investigation into my mentor’s laboratory attack—Professor Bosgruni’s case—I realized something strange."
Varia’s expression grew more confused.

As if even she found it hard to believe.
"The Imperial family showed great interest in my mentor’s research."
"You mean the theory that humanity originated from the North?"

Ferio asked.
Varia nodded vigorously.
"Back when I was a student at the Academy, shady letters and suspicious people started approaching my mentor."

She particularly remembered one of them.
"One day, Viscount Olor came to visit."
Ferio let out a short laugh.

"The Red Swans, huh?"
He knew that Viscount Olor had no real connection to scholarly pursuits.
The Marquis of Pardus had once scathingly described Viscount Olor as an empty-headed fool bloated with vanity.

"What did he say?"
"My mentor said that he offered to fund her research in exchange for her materials."
But Ardea had refused him flatly.

After that, threatening letters began arriving. Varia, who was Ardea’s student at the time, had secretly collected those letters and hidden them behind a bookshelf.
They were the ones Ferio had discovered five years ago.
"After that, my mentor’s lab was attacked."

Ardea fled straight to the North.
And Varia kept a close eye on the investigation.
The Imperial Academy, the so-called third pillar of the Empire, had been breached—and yet the authorities showed no real will to investigate.

On the contrary, they tried to cover it up.
A few years later, while reviewing evidence collected from the Ministry of Finance, something caught Varia’s eye.
The Imperial family’s budget requests for Gate research and survey expeditions.

"They didn't include the two Gates connecting the North and the capital."
But when she looked at the actual budget requests, they clearly accounted for the costs of investigating those two Gates.
The moment she saw it, Varia remembered everything that had happened to Ardea.

A shiver ran down her spine.
"At the time, my mentor announced a new hypothesis—that humanity’s origins lay in the North."
She had even presented specific symbols and markings found at ancient ruins across various regions to support her theory.

And all of them pointed toward a certain area in the North.
"Huu."
Varia let out a slow breath.

"The Northern Mountains."
And then she said:
"There’s something there."

Her green eyes shone brightly.
"Whatever it is, the Imperial family is after it."