I Became the Male Lead’s Adopted Daughter
Chapter 156

“It’s an old dress, but with a few alterations, it should still be wearable.”

“Woooow....”

“Oh my goodness....”

Leonia and Varia gasped in succession.

Tra smiled warmly as he watched the two admiring the dresses he had just pulled out.

“The Master said these belonged to the Madam of the generation before last.”

“The generation before last...?”

Leonia frowned.

“That would be the Master’s grandmother.”

“Oh, the living room clock!”

Only after hearing Tra’s explanation did Leonia realize exactly who the owner of the dress was.

There was a large clock in the northern estate that didn’t move because it lacked a spring mechanism.

That clock had been a gift to the former Duke—the generation before last—Leonia’s great-grandfather.

Which meant this dress had belonged to the eccentric wife of that great-grandfather, her great-grandmother.

At the very least, the dress was sixty or seventy years old. Even if you added up the ages of Leonia, Varia, and Tra, the dress would still be older.

Yet, the dresses had been so well maintained that the years had barely left a mark.

You could walk around the plaza in one of them right now and no one would have anything to scoff at.

“Actually...”

Leonia stared intently at one particular dress.

“These are better than the stuff people wear these days.”

One dress especially caught her eye—it looked like someone had cut the night sky, full of stars, and sewn it into a gown.

It revealed the body’s silhouette without seeming vulgar, and though it covered everything from neck to arms, it didn’t look stuffy at all.

But the real showstopper was the skirt.

'Was this made in the East?'

The right side of the skirt had a bold slit all the way up to the thigh.

Ferio had sternly told Leonia once that if she ever wore one of those slit-leg dresses from the East, there’d be no talk of inheritance—he’d disown her on the spot.

'Maybe I’ll wear it someday.'

She was a brat who always wanted to do the one thing her father said not to.

“The Master gave these dresses to Miss Varia.”

“What?”

“Come again?”

Leonia and Varia were both stunned by Tra’s words.

Not lent—gave.

The little beast and the governess were too stunned to speak.

Even if they were old, these dresses were worth far more than anything in current fashion.

And yet, Ferio’s message, delivered through Tra, didn’t end there.

“He also said to apologize for not being able to prepare new clothes.”

“B-But this is...!”

Varia shook her head, flustered.

“This is too much for someone like me.”

She felt completely overwhelmed. A mere tutor going to a banquet in a dress that once belonged to the former Lady Voreoti?

Just imagining it sent chills down her spine. The rumors ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ would spread like wildfire—no question about it.

Rather than cause a scandal, it might’ve been better to just buy something off the rack.

Besides, she didn’t believe something this beautiful would suit her anyway.

“I’ll just accept the gesture. I’ve already been given accessories.”

“No way...”

“Right? She said no.”

“No—she has to wear it.”

But Leonia’s thoughts were very, very different.

“Unnie, wear this one!”

Leonia thrust the black dress she’d been clutching forward.

“I was planning to stash it for myself, but I’ll give it to you!”

The cunning little beast had come up with a brilliant idea.

***

Leonia immediately summoned Baron Theon to the estate.

The girl laid the dress she had brought from the storage room in front of him.

Under the bright lights, the black dress looked even more stunning. Even Tra, who stood watching in the back, let out a low “Ooh.”

“What a masterpiece!”

Naturally, Baron Theon, an expert in fashion, looked like he was about to faint.

His eyes sparkled with fervor.

“My great-grandmother wore this dress.”

Leonia briefly explained the dress’s origin.

“How very precious.”

“Do you think it could still be worn as is?”

“Absolutely! It’s been preserved so well, there’s hardly anything that needs to be done.”

With a tiny pair of spectacles perched on his nose, Baron Theon carefully examined the dress.

To avoid any contamination, he wore gloves and covered his mouth and nose with a handkerchief.

He treated the dress like it was a priceless treasure.

Which it was—truly, one of a kind.

“This is clearly an old trend,” the Baron remarked as he examined it.

“About sixty years ago, Eastern-style dresses were in vogue. It was trendy for the dresses to cling to the body and show one leg.”

“There weren’t any for men?”

“...Excuse me?”

“Just kidding.”

Leonia gave a casual wave, pretending to brush off her accidental thought.

Maybe later, she’d have one made and make her dad or one of the knights try it on.

“But if this style was from so long ago...”

Varia, watching nervously from the side, cautiously interjected.

“Wouldn’t it look odd to wear now?”

“Not at all.”

Baron Theon’s expression turned serious.

Varia squeezed her eyes shut.

“This is a classic piece that transcends trends.”

Normally, people avoided making dresses in black.

It wasn’t just because black was the symbol of Voreoti, but because very few people could actually pull it off.

Unless it was mourning wear, wearing a black dress to a glamorous banquet was a bold move.

But this old dress overcame all of black’s drawbacks.

Its shimmering fabric sparkled even brighter under the lights.

It was made of special Eastern silk treated to reflect light. The lining that touched the skin was soft and breathable.

So even though the top covered everything from the neck to the wrists, it didn’t feel stifling. The sleeves were cleanly tailored, making it elegant and refined.

“This lower half is the true highlight.”

Baron Theon praised the slit in the skirt.

The narrow drape that flowed like water was signature Eastern style.

“Do you see this pattern?”

Baron Theon carefully lifted the hem. Under the light, something rippled across the black skirt.

“...A dragon?”

Leonia muttered in surprise.

“Is this a gangster lady’s dress?”

“‘Gangster’?”

Varia tilted her head, unfamiliar with the term. Leonia hastily waved her hands to cover up the slip.

“Not a dragon. A wave pattern,” Baron Theon clarified.

He shook the skirt a little more. Then the hidden pattern became visible—a faint, silvery wave embedded in the fabric.

He couldn’t stop praising the masterful craftsmanship.

“Can’t you make something like this?”

Leonia asked.

“I cannot.”

The Baron admitted without hesitation.

“I doubt even the capital has anyone who could craft something like this today.”

“As expected of the Voreoti legacy,” he added in admiration.

“Then who’s going to wear this dress?”

At his question, Leonia and Tra both pointed at Varia.

“Uh, what should I call her, then?”

“My mom.”

Leonia giggled and wrapped her arms around Varia’s waist.

“Did the Duke remarry?”

Baron Theon’s glasses slipped off his nose in shock.

“No, no!”

Varia frantically waved her hands in denial.

“Heeeeng, be my mommy.”

Leonia trembled her upper body with a mock-crying voice. Varia, pale as a sheet, shivered in place.

“Miss Leonia! If you keep this up, the Duke will kill me!”

“In bed?”

“I’m really going to tell the Duke!”

Face flushed red, Varia pulled out her last resort. Only then did Leonia pout and let go.

Catching her breath, Varia turned to Baron Theon with a pleading look.

“Please make it so it looks... normal.”

“Normal? Nonsense.”

Leonia barged in.

“Make her the most dazzling star at that banquet.”

“There’s no doubt.”

Baron Theon nodded solemnly, like a knight receiving a mission from his liege.

“Understood!”

“Ahhh, Miss Leonia...”

Varia squirmed in distress.

“I’m not joking.”

Leonia placed her hands on her hips and spoke in a serious voice.

“You’re going to that banquet with my dad.”

She wasn’t doing this to tease or embarrass Varia.

“You’re going to stand before all the nobles and show that you chose to be on our side.”

Only the noblest of nobles received invitations to imperial banquets.

And Varia was going there with Ferio. She couldn’t wear some off-the-rack dress with no accessories.

She had to be perfect.

They had to see just how stunning Varia looked next to a Voreoti.

“Didn’t you want to get back at your family?”

“......”

“Then show them. Show them how great your life is without them!”

The little beast pointed at the dress with a flourish.

“Stop whining and wear it!”

Leonia’s growl made Varia flinch. That pressure, pouring from such a small body, was overwhelming.

But instead of fear, Varia felt... supported.

“Voreoti is on your side!”

Each confident word from the girl bolstered her.

In the end, Varia bowed her head deeply. Her hands, clasped tightly in front of her, trembled slightly as she fought off the swell of emotion.

A heavy silence passed.

“Miss Leonia.”

Varia bowed even lower.

“Then... I will wear it well.”

She finally said thank you—truly, sincerely.

“You heard that, Baron?”

Leonia grinned from ear to ear.

“I’ll pay anything! Make sure it suits this gorgeous lady!”

***

Once Varia’s dress issue was resolved, everything else proceeded without a hitch.

After taking Varia’s measurements, Baron Theon hurried off to his boutique.

As if waiting for that moment, Tra immediately began directing the servants. They laid out a vast array of jewels and accessories on the table.

“W-What is all this?”

Varia frowned.

The sheer sparkle from the countless jewels laid out before her made her eyes hurt.

“These are gifts from the Master to you, Miss Varia.”

“A-All of these?”

“He said it would be best if you refrained from going out before the banquet, so he went ahead and bought out everything from the plaza’s jewelers.”

Tra kindly told her to choose whatever she liked without feeling pressured.

But Varia couldn’t not feel pressured. Her trembling hands hovered in the air, unable to even touch a single piece.

“Tra, didn’t Dad buy anything for me?”

Leonia asked with a pout. Tra looked at her with a faint smile.

“The Duke is pressuring the workshop to hurry up and finish your watch design.”

“Ugh, Dad’s the worst...!”

Annoyed, Leonia stomped her feet on the floor to vent her frustration.

Still, she quickly returned to her usual self and began picking up each piece to match against Varia, deciding what would suit her best.

“Since the dress is black, the jewelry should be colorless—silver or white...”

Leonia cheerfully chose the jewelry, humming to herself without realizing it.

After all, it’s always more fun to pick something out for someone else than for yourself.

Now she understood why the maids always seemed so eager to dress her up.

Varia, on the other hand, paled every time the jewels came close to her skin.

But she couldn’t allow the name of Voreoti to be tarnished.

Not for herself—but for the Voreotis who had helped her—she forced herself to endure the guilt and pressure.

“What happens to the rest once the jewelry’s been picked out?”

Varia asked Tra, who had been watching her and Leonia.

“We return them, right?”

“There’s no such thing as returns in the Voreoti vocabulary.”

Tra replied firmly.

“That’s right—no returns!”

Leonia echoed proudly.

“But if anyone tries to pull a scam using the name Voreoti... well, they won’t be needing their life anymore.”