I Became the Male Lead’s Adopted Daughter

"……Waaaah!"
Terror filled the eyes of the pretty little child with a red ribbon in her hair, and soon tears welled up. The next moment, she burst into loud, desperate sobs, as if she had seen a monster.
Duke Ferio Voreoti narrowed his brows, irritation evident on his face, and waved his hand dismissively. An orphanage staff member, who had been anxiously watching from behind the door, quickly rushed in and took the crying child away.

As the child’s wails gradually faded—
“How long do I have to keep doing this?”
With a short sigh, his black bangs shifted slightly. His dull black eyes were filled with boredom, and as that emotion flickered across his gaze, he briefly looked at the spot where the child had been before turning his attention elsewhere. A bottle of whiskey sat ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) on the desk used by the orphanage director.

“This was your decision, Your Grace,” came the response from his secretary, Lupe, who stood right behind him.
“This is a new record,” Lupe added.
“What is?”

“The children start crying the moment they see your face.”
This was the fifth orphanage Ferio Voreoti had visited.
“The instant they see you, they’re terrified…”

“Come to think of it, my sword hasn’t tasted blood in quite some time.”
“…How rude, truly. That’s exactly why ignorant children act this way.”
Not even recognizing the greatness of the Duke.

Lupe, who had quickly adjusted his stance, was just as exhausted. Even though they needed to return to the Voreoti territory as soon as possible, they were constantly stopping by orphanages along the way, making the journey unnecessarily tiring.
Lupe gazed wistfully at Ferio Voreoti, who sat before him. As the Duke of Voreoti, he ruled over the farthest northern lands, a territory known for its harsh and perilous nature. Even from childhood, he had possessed striking features—both in terms of good looks and sheer intimidation.
His hair and eyes were a deep, endless black. His lips, which had a slight tint of color, were well-shaped and moderately full. A sharp nose and defined jawline completed his chiseled features, and beneath them was a strong, masculine neckline. His broad, muscular frame—built from years of rigorous training—was obvious even through his clothes. As one of only two Ducal houses in the empire, he was undoubtedly the most eligible bachelor.

However, despite his remarkable appearance, Ferio Voreoti exuded an overwhelming presence that overshadowed his looks. He had been born embodying the title of his family—the "Black Beast of the North." He was a living example of what it meant to kill with a single glance.
Even Lupe, who had served him for a long time, sometimes flinched. How much worse must it be for those children?
‘But why is he suddenly looking for a child…?’
Lupe recalled the moment this whole situation had begun just a few days prior.

"I’m going to adopt a child."
After returning from the imperial palace, Ferio Voreoti had casually tossed his coat to his butler and uttered those shocking words as if they meant nothing. And now, he was personally traveling from orphanage to orphanage, making every single child cry.
‘Wouldn’t it be easier to just get married?’

If he did that, then in a few years, he would have his own biological child. Lupe simply couldn’t understand his master’s reasoning. No matter how intimidating he was, he was still the empire’s most eligible groom. There was never a shortage of women and noble families hoping to marry into the Voreoti line.
Lupe suddenly remembered last winter. Back then, mere rumors that Ferio Voreoti was considering marriage had sent noble families scrambling. They had sent countless letters, hoping to introduce their marriageable daughters. Thanks to that, the mansion had stayed quite warm throughout the season.
“Was that the last child?”

Just as Lupe was reminiscing about the roaring fireplaces, the Duke’s voice pulled him back to reality.
“Yes, that was the eighteenth and final child.”
Lupe signaled to a knight nearby. Understanding the message, the knight stepped outside to prepare for departure. As the large, imposing Voreoti carriage neared readiness, Ferio and Lupe emerged from the orphanage.

“You’re leaving already?”
The orphanage director hurried after them, rubbing his hands together eagerly. Despite the chilly weather with winter fast approaching, his flushed face was covered in sweat and grease.
“I deeply regret that we could not host you more properly,” he added.

His tone feigned disappointment, but his expression was one of relief. At the same time, greed flickered in his eyes.
“The children here are truly beautiful and well-behaved. Just meeting Your Grace even once is a stroke of lifetime fortune. But, well… winter is coming soon. I fear how these poor children will survive…”
Lupe was skeptical. The other orphanages they had visited were not in great financial shape either. Yet, those places had ensured their children had warm winter clothes and well-maintained facilities.

This orphanage, however, was different. The playground equipment had long been broken, the large decorative flowerpots hid shattered windows behind them, and cracks ran along the walls. It was obvious the director had no interest in properly running the orphanage.
The children, too, reacted differently. In the other orphanages, the terrified children had sought comfort from their teachers. But here, the children flinched at the mere touch of the staff members leading them away.
Right now, Ferio Voreoti was assessing the orphanage, searching for a child to adopt under the pretense of financial support. This orphanage, too, would soon receive Voreoti’s funding. But looking at the director’s greedy hands, Lupe felt, for the first time, that it was a waste of Voreoti’s wealth.

‘Though, compared to Voreoti’s fortune, it’s nothing more than dust.’
Just then—
“Nia!”

A sharp voice rang out from behind them.
Everyone turned to see who had dared to behave so rudely in the Duke’s presence. A startled teacher was holding a small child, scolding her.
“Let go!”

The child fiercely bit down on the man’s hand.
“Argh!”
With a cry of pain, the man let go, and the child wasted no time dashing forward, coming to a stop directly in front of the Duke.

Ferio Voreoti, who had been the only one not to turn around earlier, slowly took in the defiant little thing standing before him with her arms and legs spread wide as if to block his path.
The first thing he noticed was her unkempt, greasy hair and filthy clothes. All the other children they had seen today, at the very least, had been clean. But this child was unwashed, and her clothes were no better than rags used by mansion maids.
Yet, despite her appearance, her eyes sparkled like gold hidden in mud.

“Mister!”
Gasps filled the air.
This translation is the intellectual property of .

Lupe and the knights paled at her audacity. Ferio Voreoti, a mere "mister"? That was a crime with no room for excuses. Some knights looked as if their own heads would roll.
“…My god.”
Lupe, barely regaining his composure, was astonished by the child’s sheer nerve. She was the first child who had not cried upon seeing Ferio Voreoti. But that wasn’t the most shocking part.

‘Her hair and eyes…!’
The child’s hair and eyes were the same pitch-black color as Ferio Voreoti’s.
“S-Sorry! I’ll take care of this immediately—”

The orphanage director stepped forward in a panic, but Ferio Voreoti raised a hand, stopping him. The director froze mid-motion, his body trembling under the Duke’s cold black gaze.
“Lupe.”
At the Duke’s call, Lupe swiftly reviewed the orphanage’s records.

“She’s not on the list.”
The director quickly tried to explain.
“T-That child is unruly and always causing trouble, so—”

“So you ignored the Duke’s orders? I distinctly told you that His Grace wished to see every child in the orphanage.”
“S-Sorry! Please forgive me!”
The director and the other staff members immediately dropped to their knees, their heads bowed in terror. The child, however, simply watched them with disinterest.

“And what,” Ferio Voreoti said, his voice low, “is your name?”
“I don’t have one.”
“Even orphans have names.”

“The adults here call me ‘Nia.’ But I hate that name.”
They usually just yelled ‘Hey!’ at her, but whenever they hit her, they suddenly remembered to call her ‘Nia.’ And when she found out that the name had been taken from a prostitute in one of the smutty novels the director liked to read, she had been horrified.
Ferio Voreoti stared into the child’s glittering black eyes.

“…You’re not afraid.”
His sharp black eyes narrowed, and a crimson savagery flickered in them. An indescribable pressure choked the air in the orphanage. The child instinctively hunched her shoulders—but she neither backed away nor lowered her outstretched arms.
“Do you even realize whose path you’re blocking?”

Ferio put a little more weight behind his words, and at last, the child’s arms began to tremble. For the first time, fear flickered across the face that had been so bold just moments ago. Her dark eyes glistened with unshed tears.
“I could take your head off right now, and no one would question it.”
As Ferio stepped forward, the child shrank back. But still, she refused to back down. Gritting her teeth, she stood her ground through sheer stubbornness.

“……”
Then, Ferio Voreoti halted.
He looked at the child, whose black eyes were the same as his own. Just for a moment, her gaze shimmered—like gold dust scattered in the darkness.

“…A beast cub.”
The words left his mouth before he even realized it.
A beast cub.

He ran a hand along his jaw, contemplating the small child who barely reached his thigh. Bold and unafraid—or rather, afraid, yet refusing to back down. It was… quite interesting.
“That name certainly doesn’t suit you.”
‘Nia’ was far too soft and tame a name for such a wild and fearless beast cub.

The dangerous red gleam in Ferio’s eyes faded, returning to a deep, pure black. He decided to give her a name that suited her far better.
“Leonia Voreoti.”
The child’s mouth fell open slightly.

“…That’s too long.”
“Leonia is your name, you idiot.”
“I’m not an idiot!”

“When we return to the territory, I’ll need to call for a tutor.”
Muttering about how there was far too much to teach her, Ferio effortlessly lifted Leonia and tossed her into the carriage.
She flopped onto a plush seat with a thud, then let out a shriek of protest.

Behind them, Lupe and the knights stood frozen, staring blankly at the scene as if they had lost their minds.
“Y-Your Grace!”
Snapping out of his shock, Lupe rushed to the carriage door.

“Wait a moment! What is—?!”
But just as Lupe reached out, he was met with an even more absurd sight.
The infamous Black Beast of the North, Ferio Voreoti, was casually holding back the tiny and frail Leonia with a single finger pressed to her forehead. And he was smirking.

“You—!”
Leonia was seething with rage as she glared at him.
“Do you enjoy playing with kids? Is this fun for you?”

“More fun than I expected.”
“Ugh, you’re a pervert!”
“The way you talk…”

So this was why all the old men sighed whenever they talked about their children.
Briefly amused by the thought, Ferio released her.
Leonia narrowed her big round eyes and growled at him—just like a beast cub.

“Leonia.”
For the first time, Ferio Voreoti called her by name.
On the side of the carriage they rode, the crest of House Voreoti gleamed in the dimming light—a roaring black lion.

A lion that roars (Ferio).
A lion cub (Leonia).
No name could be more fitting for the daughter of House Voreoti.