I Became the Male Lead’s Adopted Daughter

“It’s such a relief to see you’re doing well, Miss Varia.”
Consort Usia’s greeting was warm and affectionate.

“I’m glad to see Your Highness in good health as well.”
“Oh, if not for my health, I’d be a corpse by now.”
Her word choice was far from formal. You could call it friendly in the best light, but vulgar in the worst.

Most people thought it was the latter.
Even if she had begun as a concubine, she was still officially part of the Imperial family. She should have minded her speech and manners accordingly.
But Consort Usia wasn’t the type to be bound by such things.

Some speculated that this freedom was exactly what had captivated Emperor Subiteo.
Leonia agreed with that theory.
“Miss Varia is truly amazing!”

Praising Varia, Consort Usia was ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) like a fresh, gentle breeze.
She didn’t look at all like someone about to turn forty with a sixteen-year-old son.
If Leonia hadn’t known the truth from the original story of this world, she would’ve thought Consort Usia was just a sweet and pretty older sister.

“You graduated from the Academy with excellent grades, got a job in the Finance Department, and now you’re working for the Voreoti family—one of the hardest places to get into.”
“You flatter me.”
Varia gave a modest bow.

“Oh, stop it!”
At some point, Consort Usia had taken Varia’s hand in hers. Varia’s face turned pale.
“I like smart people.”

“……”
“I’m so envious of you, Miss Varia. If only I were that clever.”
With that wistful remark, she let go of Varia’s hand.
“Give my regards to your sister.”

As she turned, Consort Usia pointed toward a certain group. Among the noblewomen stood Lota in her gaudy attire.
Despite having made eye contact with Leonia and Varia several times, Lota had never once approached them during the tea party.
Even the slightest hint of hostility in her gaze had been instantly shut down by one of Leonia’s threatening smiles.

Ever since the previous banquet, Lota had been playing it safe. Her usual act of sweetness seemed a bit toned down too.
“Why not tell her yourself?”
Leonia, who had also been looking at Lota, asked.

“Well, that’s because…”
Consort Usia replied nonchalantly.
“I really can’t stand idiots.”

***
During succession lessons.
“Who do you think is the most dangerous person in the Imperial family?”

That day, Leonia had managed to get half of Ferio’s questions right—a rare feat.
While Ferio was lenient in most things with his child, he was strict when it came to these lessons.
Naturally, the questions he asked were difficult and complex, designed to be nearly impossible from the start.

“Of course it’s the emperor!”
Pleased with herself for scoring well for once, Leonia answered quickly.
It was well known that the Imperial family had always coveted the North.

But if they were eyeing what lay beyond the Northern Mountains, then it was a matter on a completely different scale.
“He must’ve learned a lot from the late emperor.”
The enemy of the North was Emperor Subiteo.

That was a clear fact.
But Ferio told her she was wrong—and then named someone unexpected.
“Be wary of Consort Usia.”

“The consort? Why?”
Leonia didn’t understand.
In the original story, Consort Usia was an annoying character who clung to the emperor and repeatedly got on Empress Tigria’s nerves.

In the end, she went missing.
But most readers understood that the disappearance was a euphemism for death.
That’s how Varia had died in her first life—so the implication was clear.

Consort Usia was a clueless concubine who died carelessly.
But Ferio had said she was the most dangerous person of all.
“She’s blocked the emperor’s eyes and ears.”

“That’s all she can do, though.”
“Maybe it’s because you’re still young.”
For once, Ferio looked at Leonia with slight relief at her confusion.

“Blocking the emperor’s eyes and ears doesn’t just mean it literally.”
He raised his hand beside Leonia’s eyes, obscuring part of her vision.
“It means control.”

Consort Usia was the only person who could influence Emperor Subiteo.
Ferio had begun suspecting her during the failed illegal monster trade incident.
She was the only one who could make the emperor think rationally.

She connected Olor and the emperor.
She was the one who turned a simple merchant family into a rising power.
“Usia Olor…”

Leonia couldn’t take her eyes off Consort Usia, who was now chatting cheerfully with the other noblewomen.
Because of what Ferio had said, the things Consort Usia had just said now lingered uncomfortably in Leonia’s mind.
“I like smart people.”

“I really can’t stand idiots.”
Everything she had just said to Varia had been genuine.
And the insult toward Lota had been real too.

As the consort, she should have favored Lota and pushed Varia aside.
But she appeared to hold genuine affection for Varia.
The Beast’s Fangs were sharp.

Leonia trusted her instincts.
Consort Usia had just shown real fondness toward herself and Varia—and real contempt for Lota.
But it had been so fleeting that Varia hadn’t noticed.

“Varia was acting a little strange too.”
While speaking with Consort Usia, Varia had looked deathly pale.
Even so, she was now blending in and chatting naturally with the noblewomen.

Despite her worries about performing well at the tea party, Varia was doing admirably.
She was especially hitting it off with Countess Bosgruni.
“I’ve heard so much about you, Countess Bosgruni.”

“Oh my, have you now?”
“There’s even a legend that when you hold a teacup, noble sons faint by the dozens.”
“Oh-hoho! How embarrassing.”

Delighted, the countess promised to share more stories next time, showing clear interest in Varia.
And it wasn’t just her. The other noblewomen were all trying to strike up conversation with Varia, hoping to build a connection.
They were already treating her as the future Duchess of Voreoti.

Ferio’s obvious display of affection at the palace gates had played a big part in that.
Naturally, neither Lota nor the southern nobles were included in that crowd. Leonia smirked at the sight of Lota stewing in frustration.
“Lady Voreoti.”

At that moment, Empress Tigria called out to Leonia.
“Are you enjoying the tea party?”
“Of course, Your Majesty.”

Leonia beamed.
“Would you join me for a moment?”
“Would you please give me just a moment?”

After asking permission, Leonia quickly went to Varia. Upon hearing the request, Varia gladly told her to go ahead.
Leonia, just in case, asked some of the noblewomen she was friendly with to keep Varia company.
Abipher, Countess Bosgruni, and the Viscountess of House Kerata all nodded.

“I truly love summer.”
Empress Tigria led Leonia into the garden she had tended with her own hands.
“The western summers are wonderfully cool. When a breeze flows through the shaded forest, it’s more exhilarating than being drenched in ice water.”

“I like the forests of the West too.”
“Do you go often?”
“My father takes me here and there.”

Once they were alone in the garden, their conversation lost all formality.
“Where have you gone?”
“We went to the western forest, and to the sea. We even visited the East once.”

Leonia happily recounted all the places she’d visited with Ferio.
Just that alone let her breathe more easily.
The exhausting tension of the social world, with everyone carefully watching each other for advantage, faded away.

“He really is a devoted father.”
Empress Tigria raised her brows in surprise. Leonia couldn’t help puffing out her chest. She could talk all night about how great Ferio was.
For the first time, the empress saw Leonia as a girl her age.

“Isn’t the social scene tiring?”
“It’s not so bad today.”
“Because I’m here?”

“And because I’m here too.”
With the Empress and the next Duchess of Voreoti standing tall, even the most sharp-tongued noblewomen were careful today.
Some of them had even tried to belittle Leonia in the past—and paid for it.

“You really take after your father.”
“That’s an insult, isn’t it?”
“Of course it’s not a compliment.”

Empress Tigria laughed heartily. Her clear, ringing laugh reminded Leonia of the breeze in the western forests.
“…You know our princess, don’t you?”
Empress Tigria lowered her voice. The air changed in an instant.

“We only met once, five years ago.”
Despite the sharpness in her tone, Leonia answered calmly.
Beside her bloomed a pink flower. She had thought it was a rose, but on closer inspection, it was a lisianthus.

Thanks to a gift the empress had sent her, Leonia had been forced to learn flower language.
Unchanging love.

She remembered seeing that same flower in Ivex’s room at the Marquess of Hesperi’s estate during a courtesy visit.

Leonia gave a little shiver.

“Lady Voreoti.”
Snapped out of her thoughts, Leonia looked back at the empress.
“Did you really recognize our Skan just by looking?”

“Skan?”
“The princess.”
“Ah…”

Though she was the princess, she had originally been a boy. It made sense that the empress used a pet name like “Skan” instead of “Dia.”
After a moment of thought, Leonia smiled.
“It was the bone structure, to be exact.”

She didn’t bother correcting the misunderstanding about her.
It was better if the empress remembered her as someone extraordinary.
“Amazing, isn’t it?”

Leonia smiled sweetly.
For once, Empress Tigria didn’t hide her surprise. It was exactly the reaction Leonia had been hoping for.
She had now made a lasting impression.

She knew the princess’s secret—and the long-hidden affair.
From now on, the empress wouldn’t be able to take Leonia lightly.
Leonia held the upper hand in their relationship.

“Is that why you called me here?”
Leonia asked, now in a much better mood.
It seemed a bit excessive to summon her just to confirm whether she knew the princess’s secret.

“If it’s to warn me not to run my mouth, you don’t need to worry.”
Leonia flicked the lisianthus petal with her finger.
To her, Empress Tigria was a comrade aiming for the same prey. Betraying a comrade wasn’t in Voreoti nature.

“…You little fox.”
Snip.
The empress had stepped close and cut the flower’s stem without warning.

A small pair of scissors that had been sitting on a nearby table was now in her hand.
“You’ll become an even greater duke than your father.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“This time, it is.”
Empress Tigria gave a satisfied smile. She liked children like Leonia.
“Tell the Duke.”

And finally, she revealed the real reason she had called her.
“The Noble Assembly will be starting soon.”