I Became the Male Lead’s Adopted Daughter

Meleis, who had appeared at the urgent summons, brought unexpected news.
“An avalanche…?”

Ferio stood from his seat and strode quickly toward Meleis with long, purposeful strides.
Varia watched his retreating figure with a worried expression. Leonia gave her hand a firm squeeze, as if to reassure her that everything would be fine.
But the girl's own expression wasn’t exactly cheerful either.

An avalanche?
Leonia’s mind started racing.
The only place that could happen right now is the North.

The First Prince’s birthday banquet was less than a week away, and spring was in full bloom across the Empire.
The only region where an avalanche could even occur in this warm spring weather was the North, where bitter winds still cut through the air.
And in the North, an avalanche was a very serious matter.

As expected, Ferio’s expression twisted grimly the moment he heard the news.
The relaxed air he had exuded just moments ago suddenly seemed like a lie.
Meleis, too, stood stiff-faced as he gave his report.

“What’s the affected area?”
“The northwestern region of Voreoti Territory.”
A deeper crease formed between Ferio’s brows.

“We evacuated the residents quickly, but monsters could descend at any moment.”
In the North, an avalanche meant that the monsters living in the mountains might take the chance to rampage down into human settlements.
It could easily spiral into a disaster beyond anyone’s control.

“Prepare to—”
Ferio halted mid-command, about to order immediate departure for the North.
Goddamn it…!
He bit his lower lip.

The Imperial banquet was holding him back.
What a damn nuisance.
It was because of that damn banquet he had even come to the capital, and it was the damn Empire’s fault he couldn’t use a direct [Gate] to return to the North.

“Your Grace!”
It was then—
“Go. Now!”

Varia looked him straight in the eye without hesitation.
The moment of indecision Ferio had just experienced was so brief no one else noticed—but Varia caught it like a hawk.
“What are you doing! You need to go!”

The shy smile she’d worn while surrounded by Voreoti’s beasts was gone without a trace.
In her place stood the feared and famously strict beast of the Treasury Department.
“…I might not make it to the banquet.”

Ferio said. Calculating the time it would take to go to and return from the North, it was going to be close—he’d be lucky to get back just in time.
Even if he rushed, he would almost certainly be late.
“So what!”

Varia snapped back.
“It’s not like this is the only banquet in existence!”
She finally pointed at the door.

“Go. Now.”
The moment of hesitation passed, and Ferio slowly blinked, as though settling on a decision.
“I’m sorry I can’t keep my promise.”

“There’s no need to apologize.”
Varia smiled gently as if to say, Don’t worry and go safely.
She truly meant it—she wouldn’t be upset, not even a little.

But that smile of hers only tightened the invisible chain around Ferio’s ankle.
A chain Varia never intended to place—and Ferio himself likely didn’t realize had been locked around him.
His steps toward the North dragged slightly with regret.

“…Dad!”
Just then, Leonia, who had been deep in thought, shot her hand into the air.
“I have a great idea!”

Her confident grin was mischievous, but strangely reassuring.
***
Ferio left for ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ the North at once.

Even up to the moment of his departure, he expressed regret to Varia.
And Varia, right up until she saw him off, continued to insist she was fine and begged him to take care of himself.
“Just get married already!”

Unable to watch any longer, Leonia jumped in to break them up.
Normally, she would’ve gleefully teased them and imagined all kinds of scenarios—but the situation was too serious now for any of that.
In the end, Ferio mounted his horse, practically shoved into the saddle by Leonia.

Only then did the knights follow and get on their own mounts.
Varia’s face flushed faintly red. The word “married” that Leonia had shouted kept making her heart pound for no reason.
“Leo.”

Ferio turned to Leonia one last time.
“Take care.”
“Okay!”

“If it gets too hard, raise hell.”
“Really? I can?”
Leonia’s eyes sparkled.

“Not anymore.”
“Tch.” Leonia pouted, but at least she gave a clear answer.
Ferio only departed after looking at Leonia and Varia one more time each.

The cloud of dust they left behind quickly disappeared into the distance.
Leonia and Varia stood at the front gate for a long while.
“Do you think he’ll be okay…”

Varia fretted over Ferio and the knights. She sincerely prayed that nothing serious would happen in the North.
“Of course he’ll be fine.”
Leonia said as she led Varia back inside the estate.

“Dad, me, and the knights—we hunted monsters all winter.”
That seasonal monster hunt had been done precisely for moments like this.
They reduced the number of monsters that could reach human settlements and pushed the more dangerous man-eaters further into the mountains.

People might get hurt from the avalanche itself, but the risk of damage caused by monsters was low.
Even so, one had to be prepared for any possibility.
As the head of the North, Ferio had to be there to oversee and lead the response directly.

Everyone knew that even a brief lapse in attention could lead to disaster.
“Now that Dad’s gone, it’ll be fixed in no time.”
Leonia had faith in Ferio.

“My dad’s the strongest in the world!”
She held an unshakable trust in him.
Varia exhaled in relief. Hearing Leonia speak like that helped her calm down.

I wonder if Les’s family is alright…
Still, she couldn’t help but worry about Les’s family, who lived in Voreoti Territory.
Meleis’s report that the residents had all been evacuated gave her some peace of mind.

Should I write a letter?
Would Les even know about this yet?
…No, a letter would be dangerous.

But Varia quickly changed her mind.
She was currently in Voreoti territory. A letter sent from here to Les, who lived in the Imperial dormitory, could be extremely risky.
She decided she’d ask Ferio more details and pass it along after he returned.

“By the way, young miss.”
Varia turned to Leonia.
“About that plan you mentioned earlier…”

“Yeah!”
“Are you sure it’s okay?”
Now her worry shifted from Ferio to Leonia.

“Of course it is!”
Leonia beamed confidently.
She loved that Varia was worried about her.

Just like Ferio always worried about her—it made her chest tingle and brought out a silly, giddy smile.
“Unni, do you know what I did before?”
“Hmm…”

Varia tilted her head, not quite understanding the question.
The little beast grinned proudly.
“I unleashed the [Fangs of the Beast] at an Imperial banquet back in the day!”

Leonia bragged about her glorious past from five years ago.
“…You’re really sure this is okay, right?”
Varia only grew more worried.

“All you do is worry, unni.”
Leonia immediately called for Connie and Mia.
“Bring out all my clothes!”

Formal ones only!
Voreoti mansion bustled once again with preparations for the banquet.
***

The Emperor Subiteo had three children.
The Second Prince and the First Princess were born of Empress Tigria, while the First Prince was the son of Consort Usia.
The Second Prince was diligent and hard-working, never slacking in effort. However, he didn’t stand out in ability or achievement.

The Princess had been sickly since childhood and rarely went outside. But rumors of her beauty, inherited from the Empress, were widespread.
The First Prince, however, had a truly unfortunate background.
Though he was born a year before the Second Prince, he spent nearly eight years unacknowledged, living outside the palace as an illegitimate child.

“They say the Emperor cherishes the First Prince deeply.”
The day before the Imperial banquet.
Varia shared the complicated Imperial family history with Leonia.

“Have you ever seen the First Prince?”
Leonia asked as she blew on her warm milk.
“Only once.”

“What was he like? I haven’t seen him yet.”
Ferio didn’t want Leonia getting too involved with the Imperial family, and Leonia herself hated dealing with headaches, so she kept her distance from palace affairs.
“His Highness was…”

Varia recalled that moment.
“…very strange.”
“Strange?”

Leonia put down her mug, intrigued.
She wanted to hear more.
“I’ve heard the rumors, too.”

None of the stories about the First Prince were flattering.
Some said he was violent, others that he couldn’t even read or write properly.
The only compliment ever whispered was that he didn’t fool around with women.

Even that had a cruel explanation.
That, having grown up neglected as a bastard, he refused to create a child like himself before getting married.
“How should I put it…”

But the man Varia had seen was nothing like the rumors.
“He was like… the ocean.”
“The ocean?”

The metaphor was striking.
“Like a very deep sea.”
While working at the Treasury, Varia had once randomly seen him in the library.

He was sitting between tall shelves, reading a book with a serious expression.
Even as she returned materials and borrowed new ones, he kept reading.
“He felt like someone else entirely.”

Looking back, it felt surreal—like she’d been enchanted.
“Maybe he was someone else?”
Leonia didn’t buy it.

The First Prince in the original story wasn’t secretly kind-hearted—he was just a thug.
But Varia shook her head and insisted it was true.
Later, she checked the book he’d been reading.

It was a philosophical work about the ocean.
“He didn’t seem like a bad person.”
“Even a lunatic pretends to be sane sometimes.”

“Young miss.”
Varia smiled patiently.
“Don’t be swept up by rumors.”

Her advice hit Leonia right in the conscience.
She, too, had once suffered terribly from malicious rumors.
She tried not to care, but the emotional scars still lingered.

“…Okay.”
Leonia answered meekly. Though her lips jutted out in distrust, she still gave a proper reply.
Varia smiled in satisfaction.

“In any case, it’s finally tomorrow.”
After tonight, the First Prince’s birthday banquet would be held.
“Dad didn’t make it back after all.”

Leonia’s pout grew more pronounced.
Ferio, who had left for the North a week ago, had yet to return.