I Became the Male Lead’s Adopted Daughter

"It's not drooling. It's a tear of emotion."

"Then what is the water flowing from your eyes?"

"Saltwater. I have the sea in my eyes."

There would be a sea of blood in the eyes of those who don't listen. Leonier, who was so excited, chattered wildly without even knowing what she was talking about. She just went out of her mind to the heaven full of physical beauties laid right before her eyes.

The Knights burst into laughter at the astonishing sight.

Although it was not obvious, the knights believed in two things: Leonier was adopted from an orphanage and the rumor of her as Felio's illegitimate child.

So, they knew how bad Leonier's condition was when she first came to the Duke' Residence. The Knights who carried out the maneuver at that time even witnessed her state in person, which was even more so.

So they were very happy with the bright smile of the child who became so healthy.

'I don't know if I can call this a bright smile but…'

Melace laughed bitterly, saying that no seven-year-old would be so excited about such muscles.

Of course, it was so cute and lovely that she was forgiven. And other Knights seemed to like it because they were praised for their hard work.

"……"

A step away, Felio looked at Leonier. As he gathered with senior knights to discuss monster hunting, he was glad to see his daughter smiling and having fun. When he observed her get along well with new adults, he realized she was born with a natural sense of social skills, unlike him. In the first place, she had the audacity not to cry in front of him, so it was to be expected.

"The knights are happy to have you too, Lady."

Felio turned his head.

"As expected, having a kid gives us a more lively atmosphere."

One of the middle-aged Knights said, smiling. Juven, Felio's childhood swordsmanship teacher, was the one with gray hair. He was one of the Gladigo Knights' three swordmasters.

Not only he, but other senior knights officials also looked at Leonier with warm and happy eyes.

"By the way, did you put your name on the family enemy?"

"If you're going to do it, wouldn't it be better to do it quickly?" Juven asked.

"It's already up there."

Everyone was surprised at Felio's quick work, but they exchanged glances as if they knew it would happen. Felio, who was looking at Leonier with serious eyes, opened his mouth.

"Are your children like that?" Felio asked the knights around him. Half of the seniors gathered were married and had children. The Knights met each other's eyes once more.

"What do you mean 'like that'?"

"She's too enthusiastic for their muscles."

At Felio's serious agony, senior knights including Juven laughed quietly.

"At that age, children like to see weird things through the eyes of adults. Even my kids were obsessed with weird things. What was it, a cookie wrapper?"

"My daughter has gathered stones in her treasure chest."

"That's a cute axis. My eldest son has a bug body—"

As soon as the story of their children came out, everyone said something and confessed their hardships. Felio, who had never been interested in this subject or story, listened to their experiences for the first time in his life.

It was a wonderful experience that touched his heart deeply.

"The Lord is now a father—"

"Do you have any other concerns about parenting?" asked a knight named Callard, who has a nicely-shaped cleft chin.

Mono, Juven, Callard, and others were all knights who had sworn allegiance to the Voreotti family from an early age. That was why Callard was a little more comfortable than others to ask.

Felio, who was worried, slowly opened his mouth.

"You know, about my child." And then he said, "She's so smart."

Felio's unbelievable actions made the rough northern knights who spent almost half of their lives with the sword look dumbfounded.

"Did your children use words like embezzlement when they were seven? Plus, she already read all the fairy tales I bought her. I have more than 50 books in her room, does it make sense to read them in less than a month?"

Up until now, they were talking about hardships because of their children, but all of them were speechless at the sudden praise by Felio for her daughter.

However, Felio appeared to be sincere. The expression on his face expressing his worries was more serious than when he faced the enemy.

"It's different from kids who cry upon seeing me most of the time. My daughter has a lot of nerve and no fear, so she jokes on me first and picks a fight. And when she thought I might be a little tired, she baked cookies and gave me presents."

Then, he brought up the story of ginger cookies that he got as a gift a while ago.

"The kid wasn't good with her hands yet, so it looked sloppy. I can't help it if it's her first time making it. I tried it, but the crispy and fragrant thing relieved my fatigue. I think she's full of talent. I think we need to seriously think about what to order."

"Ah, yes—"

"Is that so—"

The faces of the knights who listened silently dried up.

They didn't just say it out loud, but their eyes were already showing 'So what do you want me to do?'

Naturally, parents were secretly annoyed when other parents in someone else's home bragged about their children. But Felio's concern didn't end there.

"Since she started gaining weight, her face resembled me and started looking like blooming flowers. It must have been her birthday that she would be admired and supported by others just because she was a young lady from the Voreotti family."

The troubles of the daughter fool, who had once burst, were the same as the heavy snow seen outside the window. (t/n: Daughter fool meaning is a cute slang expression used to describe a father who loves his daughter so much that he often indulges her.)

Felio's bragging showed no signs of stopping.

Elderly seniors knights turned their eyes away like immature children, and innocently touched the hem of their clothes with their fingers as they listened to Felio's boring child bragging.

It was a time when Callard regretted asking for nothing.

"Whoaaa!"

Surrounded by knights, Leonier clapped her hands and let out a loud shout.

"Do it again, do it again!"

"Then will you sing a song this time? I'll do it along with the song."

"To the song? Is it possible?"

"Of course! We create it at the drinking party."

"Well, what should I sing?"

Leonier, who had been agonizing for a long time, opened her eyes wide to the thought that suddenly came to her mind. Soon, a clear and mellow song resounded throughout the training ground.

"I like muscles the most. Gather around together."

Doomchit, doomchit. (Sfx : drum sound ????)

"Biceps deltoids, pectoral muscles are thrilling."

Dudoomchit, doomchit.

Following Leonier's muscular song, the knights pounded their chest muscles.

"The lower body is awesome too, femoral muscle!"

As the dry, bleak, and cute song with realistic lyrics ended, the pectoral muscles of the good-natured knights moved one after another like waves.

"Wow! Muscle waves!"

A lovely voice singing a while ago shouted with more passion.

"—Lord."

Mono, who was watching, put his hand on Felio's shoulder.

He swallowed his pity in his heart, saying it must be because of the feeling that Duke Voreotti's shoulders, which have always been wide and reliable, looked especially droopy today.

"Our kids weren't that bad."

"My kids, too."

"Lady is a little special."

"Primarily, geniuses are a bit extraordinary."

"Hahaha", the seniors of parenting burst out their laughter.

They've never been so relieved as they are today.

******

The blizzard, which had no sign of stopping before, finally stopped completely a few days later.

"Whoaa."

After waking up in the bright sunshine after a long time, Leonier opened her mouth wide to the outside view of the window of her room. When she put on the robe hanging on the chair next to her and went outside, the servants greeted Leonier in the morning.

"You're up early."

"Good morning!"

After being scolded by Felio, Leonier became hard on the servants. It was awkward at first, but now she was used to it and it came out well soon.

"The snow is piled up as tall as a man. I've never seen it get that much."

Leonier gave strength to her heels, tiptoeing up and down.

"That's the way winter snow in the Voreotti estate is." The maid, who came up with the wash water, took Leonier back to the room and explained.

"This year, it's still on the low side."

"Really? That? It's already as tall as a person."

"Last year, it built up to the windows on the second floor."

So, in the Voreotti mansion, all people were active from the third floor or higher. Up to this floor, snow often accumulates in winter, blocking windows, so sunlight was not coming in well.

"That's why the living room was on the third floor."

Leonier remembered Felio and the three-story living room where he had stayed frequently throughout the heavy snow. Just thinking about the place where warm bonfires and soft rugs are widely spread made her feel tired.

Note that the living room on the first floor was for summer use only.

"What do you want to wear today?"

After washing her face, Leonier thought carefully about some clothes her maid picked for her.

"I like all of them—"

"So, what about this one?"

The maid pointed to the clothes on the left. It was a black dress decorated with black feathers. If a beautiful bride had a pure white dress, there was a pure black dress in the Duke of Voreotti.

"And put a yellow ribbon around your waist."

Leonier nodded her head. Dressed in her clothes, Leonier went to the dining room with the cozy cardigan her maid had taken care of.

"Uncle!"

Leonier, who found Felio in front of the dining room, greeted him with a big smile.

"Did you sleep well, Uncle? Did you have a good dream? Did you dream about me?"

"If I dreamed about you, it wouldn't be a good dream."

Instead of morning greetings, Leonier erased her smile and immediately frowned. At any rate, this legal guardian seems to grow a  thorn in his mouth if he doesn't pick a fight.

"Another fight for no reason. Wouldn't Uncle ask me if I slept well?"

"I can tell you slept well without asking."

"Have you been training? Why does your body feel so moist?"

"Moist?"

"It smells like soap."

Leonier, who had brought her small nose closer and thudded, closed her eyes slightly as if it was fragrant. A subtle smile was drawn around Felio's mouth as he put the child on a chair, saying, "Don't say something nonsense."

"Come to think of it." While eating together, Felio said. "A day has been set to go hunting for the monster."

"When?"

"Tomorrow."