Marquis Pardus, much like his son, had always thought of the Voreotis as nothing but terrifying, formidable beings.
But as the wrinkles deepened on his face and the years weighed on him, he began to see the unstable side beneath the surface.
“To be feared and revered by all... that’s no easy burden to bear.”
“......”
“And every mont spent trying to maintain that image? It’s exhausting.”
He’d thought that way long ago.
When he saw the forr Duke harshly disciplining Ferio.
When he insisted a Duke must always stand above everyone, treating Ferio with ruthless strictness.
And yet, at the sa ti, he would gently dote on the daughter his late sister had left behind.
He rembered catching a glimpse of young Ferio, watching all of this from the shadows.
...A wounded beast.
That kind of childhood, he thought, was what shaped Ferio into soone whose re presence could make others flinch, radiating a fearso aura.
Maybe even without realizing it himself.
But now, living with Leonia, Ferio was finally experiencing the things he should’ve known as a child.
A parent’s love. A warm ho.
Everyone probably thinks the Duke is an amazing father now...
But the Marquis saw things differently.
In his eyes, the one ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) really in charge between the two wasn’t Ferio—it was Leonia.
In truth, that little girl was the one healing Ferio’s wounds, helping him grow into a real adult.
“She’s truly remarkable.”
The corners of the old Marquis’s eyes crinkled into a soft smile.
And just then—
“Duke.”
A servant appeared in the banquet hall with a troubled expression.
The mood in the room shifted uneasily, reflecting the servant’s unease.
“There’s sothing from the Imperial Palace.”
The servant spoke quietly, only to Ferio.
Ferio, who had been calmly watching Leonia open presents, imdiately scowled.
The peaceful air around him darkened in an instant, just from hearing the word "Imperial."
“Waaah!”
“Scary! Waaah!”
A few children burst into tears at the sight of his face.
“...Who sent it?”
Ferio waited until he’d stepped away from the kids before asking.
If it was from the Emperor, he was going to throw it straight into the fireplace.
He shot a glance at Marquis Pardus. The Marquis shook his head.
He didn’t know anything about it.
“It’s from Her Majesty the Empress.”
Thankfully, it wasn’t from the Emperor—it was from Empress Tigria.
Ferio told them to bring it in and called for Leonia.
If it’s from the Empress...
Ferio watched as the gifts were brought inside, mulling it over.
If it was sothing she sent personally, it made sense that even Marquis Pardus wouldn’t know.
“Leo.”
Ferio called her, and Leonia, who’d been keeping an eye on things, ca trotting over.
“What’s up? Sothing wrong?”
“There’s a gift from the Imperial Palace for you.”
“Ugh.”
Leonia scrunched up her nose.
“Throw it out. Burn it, secretly.”
“It’s from Her Majesty the Empress.”
“Woohoo!”
Leonia laughed brightly as she looked at the gift.
Ferio, seeing how fast this little rcenary switched gears, was sure she’d grow up to be a master of survival.
The future of House Voreoti looked solid.
...But why did she send sothing to ?
Just as she was about to open it, Leonia paused.
Why would she send anything?
It was strange when she thought about it. She and the Empress had no connection.
They’d been in the sa room during the royal banquet, but they hadn’t even t.
Could it be that?
There was one thing that ca to mind—the candy she’d given through Marquis Pardus.
She’d written a note telling them to stay far away because she was about to use the Fangs of the Beast.
Maybe that had spared them so trouble.
The Empress’s gift was a wooden practice sword and so high-quality fabric.
“She must know you’re learning swordsmanship,” Ferio said as he inspected the gifts.
“Is it good stuff?”
Leonia tilted her head.
To a beginner, a wooden sword was just for swinging around, and training clothes only mattered if they showed off muscles.
But Ferio could see the value right away.
And he explained it in the simplest way possible.
“It’s expensive.”
“Eternal loyalty to Her Majesty the Empress...”
“You little gold-digger.”
Ferio sighed and shook his head.
There was also a letter, presumably from the Empress, atop the gift.
The paper was pure white, with no words written on it.
Instead, two flowers were drawn.
One was a deep red, large and bold. The other was small yellow blossoms, like forsythia.
“...What’s this?”
So kind of Imperial symbol?
Leonia frowned, completely lost, when—
“Thank you. And be careful.”
Marquis Pardus suddenly appeared behind her and whispered cryptically.
Startled by his silent arrival, Leonia let out a weird squeak.
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
The Marquis just gave her a mischievous smile.
“What does that an?”
“It’s the language of flowers.”
“Language of flowers?”
“The aning of the flowers on that letter.”
“The aning? Ah...!”
It finally clicked for Leonia.
“Her Majesty is very fond of flowers. She even tends to the palace garden herself.”
“So this is...”
“A thank-you for the candy, it seems.”
Thanks to that candy, she hadn’t been hurt by the Fangs she unleashed, so it made sense as a token of appreciation.
The Marquis explained that the Empress often sent flower letters to those she liked.
But Leonia wasn’t too impressed.
Sure, inside she was a rotten, scheming adult, but on the outside, she still looked like a clueless little kid who wouldn’t know the aning of flowers.
Sending her a flower letter?
She’s got a playful side.
She thought the Empress was just this high-and-mighty figure, but there was sothing cheeky about her.
Well, I get that she’s saying thank you, at least.
Leonia turned her thoughts to the second flower’s aning.
Be careful.
Of course, it had to be the yellow flowers—the Imperial color, no less.
So the Emperor really is fuming, huh?
She’d figured as much. He’d been humiliated in front of everyone at the banquet, by a kid no less. No doubt he was still stewing.
This warning wasn’t just for her—it was for Ferio too.
The Imperial family was seriously pissed at House Voreoti.
So this was a heads-up.
Even if they didn’t dare touch Ferio, she was still young, easier to target.
Who knew what kind of underhanded crap they might try?
Hmph.
She snorted.
That went both ways.
Leonia had heard whispers that the Emperor was sohow involved in why her biological father, Remus Olor, had snuck into the North.
For now, they were pretending not to know.
Ferio was holding back, waiting for the right mont.
They really picked the wrong fight ssing with House Voreoti.
She’d seen her share of crazy, but this took the cake.
It was like they were begging to be put in the ground.
Leonia silently wished them eternal rest.
Guess I should brush up on flower anings.
She was really starting to want to send them a bouquet of death.
***
Ferio ended the birthday party before sunset.
He didn’t want to keep the noble guests from faraway territories too late—it was a long journey back through the snow.
“Lady Leonia, let’s et again soon.”
“Thanks for coming today!”
Leonia saw off Flomus and the Viscount Kerata family last.
Only after their carriage rolled out of the estate gates did she finally let out a long sigh.
She trudged back into the now-quiet banquet hall.
All the glittering decorations were being taken down. The chandeliers were dimd, save for one light still glowing faintly.
The colorful wrapping paper from the gifts she’d torn into was gathered, ready to be thrown away.
The tables once overflowing with cake and food were already gone.
“Leo.”
Ferio spotted her.
Leonia, hearing her na, leaned tiredly against his leg. Ferio looked at her for a mont, then scooped her up into his arms.
“Tired?”
Ferio asked, checking her face.
“Just... yeah, kind of.”
Leonia pouted.
She wasn’t exactly tired, just completely drained.
The sudden quiet after all the excitent left her feeling a little empty. Which just ant the party had been really, really fun.
The two of them looked around the now-empty hall before turning away.
They walked down the hallway in silence until they stopped at a window overlooking the distant Northern Mountains.
Ferio gently set Leonia on the windowsill.
“...Dad.”
“Hmm?”
“Are you happy that I’m your daughter?”
She asked, looking out the window.
“I’m really happy you’re my dad.”
She didn’t wait for an answer and kept talking.
“Honestly, I was so happy today, I wanted to cry so many tis.”
“You did cry.”
“The orphanage kids don’t count.”
Leonia shot back.
But yeah, she was happy—really happy.
She fiddled with her fingers, hesitating, before finally confessing.
“I’m glad I t you.”
She’d finally worked up the courage to say what she really wanted to say today.
“I’m a hundred tis happier than what I wrote in the letter.”
Ferio stared at his daughter, who was trying so hard to explain just how happy she was.
Her bashful little smile started to lt even his stoic face.
“...You know.”
Ferio suddenly said, as if he was about to share sothing important.
“I’ve never done any of this before.”
He was talking about his own childhood—sothing he’d never told her before.
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