Surviving as the Adopted Daughter of the Genius Duke (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 12
“Oh, no! Do you even have any proof that our daughter did that?”
It was the countess, finally raising her tone.
Yet still unwilling to admit fault, the countess began raising her voice louder and louder, growing increasingly obstinate.
“There’s no physical evidence, none at all! How would I know? Perhaps that stain wasn’t caused by our daughter at all—maybe it was because the young lady herself was careless!”
Just then, a familiar voice calmly echoed once more in my ear.
“I’ll serve as a witness.”
The boy from earlier stepped forward one pace. He wore a faint smile, but his demeanor was resolute.
“I swear upon the honor of the Kxia royal family: it wasn’t Lady Reina who pushed her, but the count’s daughter.”
It seemed the countess really had been right to call him “Your Highness.” The Kingdom of Kxia was, after all, a friendly nation with considerable power—mentioned several times even in the original story.
“You surely wouldn’t doubt my word as well, would you?”
If this had been Korea, the testimony of a mere elementary school boy would clearly have held little weight.
But here, in this rigid class-based society, his status as a prince alone made anything possible.
As if to prove this, the countess staggered back, her expression utterly dazed.
It suddenly struck me bitterly: had I—or any other commoner child—said the same thing, no one would have batted an eye.
“I’ll testify as well.”
When even Esmeralda joined in, the countess finally surrendered. She roughly grabbed her daughter’s arm and dragged her before me.
“You! Didn’t I tell you not to act recklessly? Apologize to the young lady at once!”
“Huh… huuuuh! M-Mama, I hate you!”
The young lady finally burst into tears.
Perhaps because she was still a child, it seemed difficult for her to offer an apology she didn’t truly feel.
Exhaustion crashed over me all at once. I hadn’t intended to push this far just to get an apology.
No, I hadn’t wanted to get tangled up in such an embarrassing incident in the first place.
If only I’d stayed quietly in the corner, eaten my snacks diligently, built a decent rapport with Esmeralda, and then gone home—that would have been a great success.
“It’s fine—no need for apologies. Your daughter seems remorseful enough already.”
*Sigh.* What grandeur was I chasing, anyway? As the adult here, I should just let it go.
I left without a second thought—but then I heard murmurs behind me.
“She really is reckless—right in front of adults, too.”
“She must have someone backing her up.”
“When Lady Ramira, the count’s daughter, fell, wasn’t it actually that child who gave her a little push?”
“Could that be? No noble young lady—certainly not some frivolous commoner child—would fall so clumsily like that!”
It was utterly absurd.
“No, am I really the original story’s heroine or what? Just relying on connections to shove people around?”
But if I went back to argue now, I’d only hear even worse things.
Anyway, once I gained independence, I wouldn’t see these people again. No point wasting my energy.
“Are you alright, Lady Reina? What about your shoes—they must be ruined!”
Esmeralda reappeared beside me, gently comforting me.
“Yes, I’m fine. It’s a shame about the shoes, but what can I do?”
Esmeralda’s worried expression didn’t seem fake—but…
“By the way, Lady Esmeralda—you saw Lady Ramira, the count’s daughter, push me, didn’t you?”
Even after witnessing it, young Esmeralda had waited until the very last moment.
The Esmeralda from the original story would never have done that.
One might assume it was because she was young and afraid to step into conflict—but the Esmeralda who’d spoken up before adults had seemed perfectly confident.
Realizing my unspoken meaning, Esmeralda bit her lip awkwardly.
“I wanted to step forward sooner…”
Esmeralda glanced furtively somewhere again.
“I-I’m sorry, Lady Reina. Was I too late? I’m really sorry.”
Her guilt-ridden face looked far too genuine to be acting.
At her age, pulling off such a heartfelt performance would be impossible.
I decided to let it go.
“It’s alright. Thank you for speaking up for me—it couldn’t have been easy.”
But Esmeralda still seemed troubled.
After biting her lower lip for a long while and clasping her hands tightly, she struggled to speak again.
“My wish to help you was truly sincere. Really… I’m sorry, Lady Reina.”
Old habits die hard—my weakness for beauty truly couldn’t be changed.
“Yes. I know. I believe in your sincerity, my lady.”
“Well done.”
While Reina was briefly away, Duke Magine approached Esmeralda.
Biting her lip with a conflicted expression, Esmeralda spoke with difficulty.
“But… Lady Reina looked so distressed. Wouldn’t it have been better if I’d stepped forward sooner?”
“Enough.”
Duke Magine cut off his daughter sharply.
“Didn’t I tell you not to worry needlessly? Everything happens for a reason—you just need to follow without question.”
Esmeralda lowered her head.
“Yes…”
Duke Magine’s eyes followed Reina as she returned from the restroom.
He’d anticipated that someone of common birth might face such trouble.
He’d originally planned to send Esmeralda immediately if anything happened, but after seeing how Reina handled the situation, he changed his mind.
Contrary to his expectation that she’d burst into helpless tears, Reina had analyzed the situation swiftly and calmly, then resolved it cleanly—without a trace of panic.
That wasn’t thinking a child could manage.
No, it wasn’t just her thinking.
Her composure, judgment, poise—and even the magnanimous gesture of offering her hand to the one who’d pushed her—
It was as if he were looking at a seasoned noblewoman who’d weathered countless social battles.
When Reina returned, Duke Magine greeted her with a bright smile.
“She seems like an unusually kind child. I’d be delighted if she became close friends with our Esmeralda.”
“Yes.”
Reina gave a small, cheerful smile.
But the duke wasn’t fooled.
This girl—just like him—was smiling with her mouth while her eyes carefully studied him.
And suddenly, a bad premonition struck him.
This girl would become a headache later on.
As soon as Duke Magine left, the music stopped, and a clear chime rang out.
Children who’d been playing in the playroom began leaving one by one.
“Let’s hurry back too!”
Esmeralda stood up and led me once more toward the main hall.
Couples who’d been dancing in the center of the main hall gradually stepped aside.
In their place, children from all around came running excitedly toward the center.
“Surely not…”
Esmeralda clapped her hands and laughed.
“It’s finally time to dance!”
“Dance?”
Feeling uneasy, I looked around again. Everywhere, young gentlemen were asking young ladies to dance.
“Yes—it’s dance time for the children.”
So it had come at last.
As soon as we moved to the center, several boys quickly surrounded Esmeralda.
“Lady Esmeralda, may I have this dance?”
“I’ll lead you safely.”
Soon, a line even formed around Esmeralda.
But no young gentleman approached me. Those who met my eyes quickly looked away or pretended not to notice.
No matter how potato-like I might be—even I, upon closer inspection, was rather a cute potato. It was bitter.
Just as I decided to give up and go find some chocolate pudding, I heard the sound of running footsteps approaching.
“Nyuna! Dance with me! With me!”
Kirian suddenly appeared before me and grabbed my hand.
“Should I?”
Seeing Kirian so ecstatic, I couldn’t help but smile myself.
He’d claimed he hated coming to the Founding Day celebration, yet now he looked like the happiest person in the entire ballroom.
“Uh-huh!”
Kirian pulled my hand and headed straight for the center of the ballroom.
“But Kirian, I don’t really know how to dance.”
“Don’t worry, Nyuna! I know!”
I worried whether Kirian—who only reached my shoulders—could possibly lead me,
But that worry vanished like the wind almost immediately.
It was a miracle I didn’t fly away myself.
Kirian giggled and spun around in circles.
“So much fun, Nyuna!”
I couldn’t even argue—I was too afraid I’d throw up if I opened my mouth.
The whole ballroom spun like a disco ball.
Indeed, Kirian clearly knew how to dance. Right now, he was executing every move perfectly—only at triple speed.
Just as my soul was about to leave my body, thankfully, the music ended.
Kirian finally stopped his hellish disco spinning.
“Huff…”
Now that I could breathe again, I exhaled the breath I’d been holding.
“So short…”
Kirian’s face was clearly disappointed.
“Ugh…”
I couldn’t even form a proper reply.
Through my spinning vision, I saw other children asking new partners to dance.
And right away, the prelude to a new song began playing.
Kirian clapped his hands again, beaming.
“We can dance again!”
I wanted to ask if that was really possible—but I still feared utter disaster if I opened my mouth.
I tried to stagger away from Kirian, but his chubby hand grabbed mine again.
“Let’s dance again, Nyuna!”
Just then, someone stepped in front of Kirian.
“Hold on.”
It was the duchess.
Quick-witted Kirian tried to dodge the duchess’s hand, but she was faster.
Skillfully scooping Kirian up, the duchess soothed him gently.
“Today, let’s be generous and let your sister mingle with other friends, Kirian.”
“Aww, no!”
Kirian, once again tucked under the duchess’s arm like a bundle, kicked and squirmed—but was utterly helpless against her firm biceps.
“We can’t ruin Reina’s love life right from the start.”
I faintly overheard the duchess mutter.
My brief relief at Kirian’s disappearance faded as my dizziness subsided and my surroundings came into clear view.
It seemed all the frantic dance invitations had ended—and I was left standing alone.
All the other young ladies were dancing gracefully with their partners.
Among them, I stood out unmistakably.
“Oh my, who is that young lady standing all alone over there?”
“Well, you know… that one…”
I saw people whispering around me.
Even I had to admit it was a perfect scene for gossip.
The common-born princess, backed by the ducal family’s influence yet avoided by everyone—a pitiful outcast who couldn’t even find a dance partner without her younger brother.
Normally, I wouldn’t have cared.
After all, once I gained independence, I’d never see these faces again.
But for some reason, the duchess wrestling with Kirian a short distance away kept catching my attention.
Even if I showed my awkwardness to everyone else in the ballroom, strangely, I didn’t want the duchess to see it.
Wearing the dress she’d so passionately commissioned for me, standing alone instead of with some perfect nobleman from a good family—it just made me uncomfortably self-conscious.
She’d surely be upset.
I mustn’t let this happen. Just as I resolved to hide somewhere out of sight until the music ended,
A neatly outstretched hand suddenly appeared right before my eyes.
“May I ask you to dance?”
Male lead fell into her trap — and shattered when she walked away
This is also on my reread list!
This one is a slow burn, but when it burns, it burns hard.
Definitely worth a read, y’all!
The story follows a thousand-year-old seductive spirit who, on a bet, sets out to charm the male lead—a once-promising but unfortunate cultivator.
But just when she succeeds in making him fall for her, she heartlessly leaves, driving him to madness.
Determined to find her at all costs, he captures her, keeping her by his side no matter what, even if she hates him.
I love this kind of trope—I enjoy watching the male lead suffer in agony.
The ending drags a bit with unnecessary filler, but that’s fine.
As long as I enjoy the beginning, I’m good.
Intro
As an enchantress, Su Heng possesses captivating eyes and charming beauty, easily manipulating the joys and sorrows of living beings at her fingertips.
But to enchant a god, making him taste the bitterness of love’s separation, long-lasting resentment, unattainable desires, and inability to let go…
Do you dare?
Su Heng assists a divine lord in his cultivation, aiming to make him experience all the sufferings of love, so that he can attain the Great Dao.
Only after being chased down from the heavens by the divine lord, confined and completely possessed by him, does she realize how successful she has been.
The once gentle and polite youth has transformed into someone she no longer recognizes.
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BWAHAHAHAH if only we all had a buff in life 🫡🫡it should be tha easy 😩