#16

Belleani was born.

Born amidst the blessings of many, Belleani was a baby girl.

She was endlessly lovable. Anyone who saw her smiled, showing only their kindest emotions to her.

But not everyone reacted that way.

Even the birth of such an innocent and pure child gave some people an excuse to assign excessive meaning and fabricate unnecessary tension.

For example—

“She has black hair, doesn’t she?”

“I heard her eyes are black, too.”

“Then there’s a high chance she inherited the Fangs of the Beast.”

“The young lady’s position as successor might be in jeopardy.”

Tragically, nonsense like this spread through the empire far faster than any admiration for the baby’s charm.

Ignorant nobles whispered that Leonia’s position as heir might be at risk.

And there was only one reason they spouted such idiocy.

“Legitimacy must come from direct lineage...”

“If not, the consequences are dire.”

“To think some lowborn orphan could compete...”

The primary argument was that Belleani, born of a legal union between Ferio and Varia, had a more legitimate claim than a so-called illegitimate orphan girl adopted from an orphanage.

However, the North did not indulge such hollow rumors.

House Voreoti expressed no opinion on the matter.

Because the next head of House Voreoti... was still Leonia.

“They say that because they don’t know the young lady at all.”

The Marquis of Pardus scoffed through his nose.

“No one fits the role of Voreoti’s successor better than her.”

He was in high spirits, visiting his youngest son’s home for the first time in a while.

Of course, he was annoyed by the clueless idiots flapping their gums, but thanks to the babbling grandchild beside him, he couldn’t stop smiling.

“Chi? Chii!”

Rupi, with soft blue-silver hair reaching his shoulders, smacked his tiny lips together.

He shook a toy and mimicked the marquis’s earlier tone. Lupe gave him a troubled look.

“Father, please mind your words around Rupi.”

Lately, Lupe’s only son had been absorbing language at a terrifying speed.

The Marquis of Pardus let out a hearty laugh.

“You and my daughter-in-law both have sharp minds. Looks like Rupi inherited that.”

“Sharpness, this!”

The moment he recognized a word, Rupi raised the stuffed wolf he was holding. It bonked the Marquis of Pardus on the chin.

“Ha! Our Rupi knows what that means?” 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

“Smarrt! Sooo smart!”

“He knows that too?”

To think he was already picking up on homophones—Marquis Pardus looked genuinely impressed.

“Mother taught me!”

Rupi puffed up his little body with pride.

Lupe and the marquis both smiled warmly.

Eventually, Rupi began to doze off mid-babble, his head drooping.

“Daaaddy...”

He started to fuss, and Lupe picked him up.

“Our baby wolf needs his nap now.”

The marquis watched affectionately.

Just then, the nanny arrived and gently carried the sleeping Rupi away.

Lupe watched in silence until the child disappeared, then turned to the marquis.

“...The young lady...”

He was suddenly reminded of the day he met Leonia for the first time.

“She’s truly remarkable.”

That tiny, underfed child had grown into the next Voreoti—one who inspired both awe and fear.

“That’s why these rumors are surfacing.”

What the nobles whispered now about legitimacy was completely different from the slander Leonia had faced as a child.

Back then, they had used her existence as an indirect way to attack Ferio.

But this time, it was Leonia herself they feared. Whispers were spreading that she might surpass Ferio when she became duke.

“A foolish and idiotic notion.”

The marquis clicked his tongue.

“In House Voreoti, only the strongest inherits the title.”

“Exactly.”

“This Voreoti generation is truly blessed.”

Leonia was growing more and more like Ferio every day.

Arrogant, selfish temper—check. Exceptional skill and the fearsome Fangs of the Beast—check.

“If she keeps growing at this rate, she may really surpass the duke.”

“Ugh...”

Lupe groaned aloud.

One Ferio was already exhausting. A stronger version of him? It made his head ache.

“You pretend to be annoyed, but you’re actually pleased.”

The marquis smirked.

“Serving a strong master is a great honor.”

“I know that well.”

Lupe, too, bore the blood of the Pardus family—loyal to strength. He felt true respect and devotion to his powerful masters. To assist them and remain by their side brought him the deepest satisfaction.

But that was that.

“This is different.”

He had known from the start that Leonia was incorrigible.

Even now, he had never met another child as sharp-tongued and sly as her.

That precocious little girl, who had always worn her desires openly, surpassing Ferio—it was like witnessing a prophecy of future suffering.

“My poor son...”

Lupe already pitied Rupi’s future.

“If he builds up his muscles well, the young lady might favor him.”

The marquis waved it off lightly. In fact, he seemed even more inspired, his eyes gleaming.

“Rupi’s face is quite handsome. If he just grows up strong, he could become her—”

“Father!”

“Joking, joking.”

The marquis laughed heartily and withdrew his words.

“....”

Lupe stared at him in dismay, suspecting he might not be joking after all.

“...It’s impossible anyway.”

Leonia had Scandia.

“Do you know how close those two are? The duke nearly killed the marquis’s daughter several times because of that.”

And the only reason Ferio hadn’t actually killed Scandia was because there was no other man in the empire who could even remotely be considered a match for his daughter.

“The duke only loses his senses when it comes to the young lady.”

“And the madam.”

“And now with the baby girl born, he has yet another weakness.”

But the marquis’s gaze held only warmth as he said it.

“That’s how people should live.”

***

“Uwuh, ooooh...”

One large, pink blob.

“Uuuhh...”

And four smaller, pink blobs on top of it.

Belleani was waving her tiny arms through the air, covered in mittens shaped like kitten paws.

“Kgh...!”

Looking down at her, Leonia had to clutch her chest.

And then collapsed.

“This is it for me. My life ends with a punch from Lea...”

Despite her declaration, the smile on her face was nothing but pure bliss.

“Lea wins again.”

Watching beside her, Varia reached out and held Belleani’s hand, gently shaking it. At the ticklish gesture, Belleani smacked her lips.

Every morning, Leonia reported to the nursery like it was a job.

With its bright yellow wallpaper and soft, fluffy things everywhere, the room suited Belleani perfectly.

And every day, Leonia died from a critical hit dealt by Belleani. At the same time, Belleani marked her 70th day of consecutive victories.

“Mom, you’re a liar.”

Miraculously revived, Leonia gave Varia a playful glare.

“Me?”

Varia blinked innocently.

“Do you know how adorable Lea is because she takes after you?”

“Oh, stop it!”

Varia giggled, feigning embarrassment.

“Saying that won’t get you anything.”

“But it’s true.”

Leonia replied firmly.

At first, when she saw Belleani, all she could see was Ferio. But over time, she had begun to notice traces of Varia, too.

Like the way she raised the corners of her mouth when making faces...

Or the way her curious eyes darted around the room...

“Ahng!”

Suddenly, Belleani cried out with force.

Startled, Leonia burst out laughing.

“Oh, our Lea is happy she takes after Mom too, right?”

Leonia carefully picked up her sister from the cradle. Belleani, without a fuss, nestled quietly into her arms.

Staring down at her, Leonia murmured.

“At this rate, I might actually start producing milk...”

“You little—”

Before Leonia could say anything worse, Varia snatched Belleani away.

“Unmarried girls shouldn’t say things like that.”

Varia scolded her in a serious tone.

“And never say that in front of your father.”

Just saying it °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° made Varia shudder. If Ferio heard that, he might take it the wrong way and cause a huge incident.

And given his history, it wouldn’t be an overreaction—it’d be exactly in character.

“Dad’s kind of weird sometimes.”

“Any father would lose it if his unmarried daughter said she might start lactating.”

“But Lea is just so cute! Can’t I raise her myself?”

“I’m not having another one.”

Even now, it was a fond memory—but at the time, with a full belly and unbearable labor pains, it had been overwhelmingly difficult.

She wanted to be content with her two daughters.

“Don’t you have class today?”

Varia asked, laying Belleani back in her bed.

“There should be successor lessons going on by now...”

Then why are you still here?

She narrowed her eyes.

“Uh, uh...”

Leonia fumbled and avoided her gaze.

“Well, I declared a self-holiday...”

“Self-holiday?”

“O-our Lea! Want to play peek-a-boo?”

Leonia fled into a game of peek-a-boo with Belleani.

But Varia’s sharp stare, burning into her temple, didn’t fade in the slightest.

‘Ah... I forgot.’

Varia was the type to take her responsibilities very seriously.

She hated lies and cheap tricks. She was famously rigid when working in the treasury and had been nicknamed a beast. As Leonia’s tutor, she had always dragged her back to her studies, no matter how hard Leonia tried to run away.

But despite all that, she hadn’t started nagging about getting back to class.

‘Why...?’

Just as Leonia was beginning to feel uneasy—

“You know why I’m not nagging you?”

Reading her thoughts perfectly, Varia smiled slyly. Leonia got goosebumps.

“Because someone’s on the way.”

“......Who?”

“That would be me.”

It was Lupe, sent by Ferio to retrieve her.

“Do your best.”

Varia waved sweetly as Lupe dragged Leonia away.

“Mom’s the worst...”

For the first time, Leonia found Varia just as annoying as Ferio.

The little beast muttered all the way to the office that Mom was unfair, too strict about separating personal and professional matters.

Lupe, walking beside her, felt like one of his ears might start bleeding.

“Work all the time and life gets boring.”

Trying to rally support, Leonia looked up at Lupe.

“You’re on my side, right?”

“I’m on the side of money.”

“I love that greedy side of you, Uncle Lupe.”