I Became the Male Lead’s Adopted Daughter - Chapter 29

As the older brother, with his fingernails up, took a step closer, Flomus shuddered and took a step back.

 

“She is the daughter of the northern black beast.”

 

“What does that mean?”, she whispered to her brother.

 

“That child is also a beast.”

 

Growl, Flomus shuddered at her brother’s teasing.

 

“Have you not heard of Countess Tedros? Oh, it’s not Tedros anymore. Anyway, you heard what happened to her. I heard that she was ignorant of her place, was pierced by Lady Voreotti’s fangs of the beast and turned into a crazy woman.”

 

“Cra, crazy woman?”

 

“She couldn’t do anything by herself.”

 

She just sits blankly like a broken doll.

 

Rumors that without someone to support her, she can’t eat, go to the bathroom, or change clothes by herself, the rumors spread so widely that even children whispered without their parents’ knowledge. The flower of the social world had fallen so vainly. But no one said the rumors were exaggerated. Rather, it should have been reduced, but most of them were babbling that the truth would be crueler than that.

 

“N, no…….”

 

She wanted to say no, but Flomus was also a noble child born and raised in the North.

 

‘A naughty child who doesn’t listen to their parents is taken away by Duke Voeroti at night, right?’

 

‘The fangs of the beast are watching you!’

 

‘If you keep crying, you will be bitten by the black beast?.

 

It is an idiom used only now by adults to scold a child, but Duke Voreotti’s family in it actually existed. Their ability to use the fangs of the beast was also a terrifying force that actually existed.

 

Northern black beast.

 

Ruler of the north.

 

Everything in the north, even the monsters, lowered their bodies in front of Duke Voreoti.

 

“What, what to do……?”

 

“What do you do? You will be eaten!”

 

“Uwaaangg!”

 

Flomus burst into tears at her mischievous brother’s teasing. Still, instead of comforting his younger sister, the older brother made more fun of her, and her brother’s pranks could only end after the Viscount, who was just looking for Flomus, found him and scolded him.

 

“You don’t have to force yourself to be friendly.”

 

The Viscount wiped his young daughter’s face, drenched in tears and runny nose, and said it was fine.

 

“Please say hello to her instead.”

 

The Viscount’s smile calmed Flomus’ sniffling.

 

‘…… okay.’

 

Although she ran away as soon as Pelliot appeared at the tea party, Flomus recalled her father’s words and took courage. In fact, her legs were trembling, but she was ten times better than her brother, who had run away crying a while ago.

 

‘My brother cried a lot.’

 

He even ran and fell. Flomus smiled slightly, remembering her older brother who cried. The older brother who made fun of her for being ugly was much more ugly.

 

Yes, she was braver than him.

 

She was the daughter of Viscountess Kerata, who hosted the tea party. The host’s daughter couldn’t leave the guests alone.

 

Behind Flomus were a group of frightened children. Their parents told them to hurry up and play, so the children who came out half-forced and pushed out did not even look at Leonia.

 

It was because Pelliot kept staring at Leonia.

 

He was watching his daughter, worried if she would get along well with her friends, but the children, unaware of the earnest fatherly love, were terrified that the black beast might catch them.

 

In that respect, Flomus was better. Because she had met him once the other day, so she was less scared.

 

“Excuse me…….”

 

So she gathered up her courage and went to Leonia’s side.

 

* * *

 

Leonia, who had been semi-forced to the play area, had a sore in the back of her head. When she glanced around, Pelliot was watching with his eyes wide open. The useless fatherly love that expressed, ‘I’ll definitely watch you play with the kids’ was burning in the dark eyes.

 

However, because of Pelliot’s gaze, the children could not even come close to Leonia.

 

It must have been a friendly tea party. Now, even those little ones are struggling to survive. Leonia looked at the pair of shoes that were just under her feet with a pitiful gaze.

 

‘Oh really…….’

 

She wanted to drink.

 

Feeling tired from the gap between her mental and physical age after a long time, Leonia took out a candy from her pocket in her hand instead of the nostalgic green bottle and ate it. The sweet taste of strawberry milk spreads with each roll in her mouth.

 

Leonia was worried.

 

‘Toys or children?’

 

At the tea party, Leonia had only two options to choose from.

 

First of all, toys were out of the question. Toys were all around the mansion, and she didn’t want to look at them. Even a few days ago, while riding her horse, she agonized dozens of times over why her life was so useless. After riding a little longer, she reached the state of enlightenment, and almost possessed another world.

 

If so, then the kids?

 

There were several points to point out about this.

 

Leonia liked the orphanage children. She couldn’t afford to feel uncomfortable with the little ones because at the time she was taking care of the children. Instead, she survived that terrible hell thanks to the children who looked up and leaned on her.

 

But here at the tea party, everyone was on an equal footing.

 

They had to play and hang out together.

 

‘Can we play together?’

 

The baby beast was whimpering for a long time and thinking about it.

 

“Excuse me…….”

 

Flomus crawled over and greeted her. She said she had some courage, but it was a voice that contained a slight tremor.

 

“Flo!”

 

Leonia, who was even ready to break the window and run away, smiled brightly. Her cheeks protruded up with her smile. It was because of the candy in her mouth.

 

“Yes, you were there!”

 

Leonia, who came all the way to the front of her at once, grabbed the child’s hand. Flomus trembled like a fish out of water.

 

“It’s been a while, isn’t it?”

 

Then Leonia put her arm around Flomus’ shoulder, who had a bewildered expression. Even though they were of the same age, the difference in height caused Leonia to naturally lift her heel, and Flomus to bow her back.

 

“…… This posture is a little strange?”

 

Leonia, who thought this wasn’t what she wanted, released her arms and took Flomus’ hand. Flomus was stunned by Leonia’s unstoppable touch on her.

 

‘Lady Voreotti touched me!’

 

It’s not that she hated it, but it was so sudden that she didn’t know how to react. But soon Flomus came to her senses and clenched her fists cutely.

 

“Hello, Lady.”

 

Flomus was obliged to help her mother look after the children invited.

 

“Welcome to the tea party.”

 

First of all, she greeted Leonia politely. It was a very late greeting, so Flomus gave strength more than ever.

 

“Thank you for inviting me too.”

 

Actually, Leonia wasn’t thankful at all, but in front of the little child, she answered with a smile, knowing that Flomus was innocent. Thanks to that, Flomus’ expression became lighter. Flomus was a little proud of herself for being courageous.

 

“Are there any inconveniences?”

 

Leonia, who had just arrived at the tea party, shrugged her shoulders.

 

“Today’s tea party has delicious sweets and sweet juices for each type. If you want something to eat, you can ask the maids over there. And later we will have time to watch the reindeer.”

 

Flomus explained diligently. She secretly watched how hard her parents had prepared for this tea party from behind, so she wanted to show the tea party to Lady Voreotti in a good way.

 

“Reindeer? Rudolf?”

 

Leonia’s eyes twinkled.

 

“Rudolph?”

 

“The red-nosed reindeer.”

 

“Is it a reindeer raised by Voreotti?”

 

“It’s not like that, but it’s a story of a reindeer who was bullied by the other reindeers for having a red nose, and then became the head of the group because of that red nose and his life bloomed.”

 

“Uh…….”

 

Flomus, unable to understand Leonia’s explanation, tilted her head, but she told Leonia about the reindeer she knew.

 

“Reindeer usually have a slightly red nose on a cold day.”

 

“Oh, really?”

 

Flomus saw Leonia’s eyes widened, saying she didn’t know, and felt her shoulder tense.

 

“In the summer, instead, the parasite hatches its eggs and comes out of the nose!”

 

However, she gave Leonia facts that she didn’t even have to say because she was too energetic.

 

Leonia, who had been imagining it, wrinkled her nose in disgust. It was a feeling that her childhood, which she had never had before, was even more dry.

 

“…… You know reindeer well?”

 

“I love reindeer!”

 

But Leonia couldn’t tell that to the child because her eyes shone like that.

 

Somehow, she remembered the family members she cared for at the orphanage.

 

‘Is it better than I thought?’

 

That way, she didn’t have to hate it so much. She felt a little shy because it seemed like Flomus was making a fuss alone for nothing.

 

As Leonia felt at ease with the tea party, the children were alerted to it, and slowly approached and greeted her. Some of them listened to Flomus’ reindeer explanation. As the number of children who listened increased, Flomus, who was explaining, grew more excited.

 

“Reindeer are very kind and pretty children. Their eye color looks different in each season. Ah, when my grandfather used to castrate reindeer, with his bare mouth he…….”

 

“…… heyheyheyhey!”

 

Don’t cross that line!

 

Leonia, who had been listening happily, intervened with a frightened face. Flomus, who was about to say that he bit the hot eggs, and the children who had barely regained their composure and started to play, and the adults who watched the children with a sigh, all looked at Leonia.

 

“Uh, no, I mean…….”

 

Leonia, who suddenly noticed the gaze, broke out in an uncomfortable cold sweat.

 

“Ca, candy!”

 

There was a bag that her father had given her.

 

“Shall, shall we eat this?”

 

Fortunately, the candy worked.

 

* * *

 

“Sir Gaber.”

 

Pelliot fixed his eyes and opened his mouth as Leonia shared her candy with the children.

 

“How does Leo look in your eyes now?”

 

“She looks like a good kid who takes care of all of her friends.”

 

Pavo was proud of Leonia who got along well with the children of her age. She was such an old  child, that was what Pavo and the other knights often worried about. They sometimes forget the lady’s real age. For example, how surprised he was because the last time he went for a drink with the knights, the Lady muttered that she wanted to drink too.

 

“That’s all that matters.”

 

Pelliot had a sip of his tea.

 

‘She’s too small.’

 

It was nice to see his daughter get along with her peers. But that made Leonia’s small physique look pitiful. He sighed as he thought that he had been feeding her well for a few months and only gained that much. Pelliot let out a long sigh and lowered the teacup.

 

“…… Master.”

 

The vigilant Pavo’s voice whispered softly. His eyes, which had suddenly become bitter, stared sharply at one place. Pavo whispered softly.

 

“Get away.”

 

Soon Pavo took a step back.

 

The beast moved his eyes slowly.

 

“Duke Voreotti.”

 

Marquis Pardus approached and greeted him in a friendly voice.