I Became the Abandoned Daughter of an Underworld Boss

Why on earth was that guy trying to solve his problem without getting his hands dirty through this side?

‘Son of a bitch.’

He expected it.

The empire wasn’t using an official route, and they were trying to conduct a small amount of trade through the kingdom’s Dark Town…

It was nonsensical to say there was nothing to nitpick about.

In the first place, it wasn’t something this side wanted!

Regardless of his grumbling, it was something he would have to endure from now on.

Since the meeting in autumn, Alice’s messages had disappeared as if they were a lie.

It was truly a good thing. Since no rebuke came from the King, everything was going well.

‘Well, they’ll handle it themselves.’

Asil no longer wanted to know even the smallest details about the Nea Royal Family.

He only wanted to focus on governing Dark Town well and raising Yuriana.

‘You go your way, and I’ll go mine. Our relationship is completely severed. Goodbye, Alice.’

He should focus on his daughter’s birthday!

Thus began the secret plot between Levina and Asil.

Levina wisely prepared without informing the loose-lipped Benny.

Then one day.

“Meow, meoow!”

The annex of Dark House wasn’t particularly cold for winter.

Since Asil had instructed to spare no expense for Yuriana, even the hallways were heated and warm.

But that was only true for the first floor.

Lulu, who had gone up to the second floor to play, suddenly started sniffing around the stairs to the third floor.

Yuriana was startled and waved her hands frantically.

“Hey! Come here, you’re not supposed to go up there.”

When she looked up, the cloud magic she had placed earlier was nowhere to be seen.

… still, it wouldn’t be right to break the promise not to go up there.

Yuriana frowned and spoke to Lulu.

“I told you to come down, didn’t I?”

“Meow~!”

For some reason, Lulu stubbornly refused.

Yuriana, acting like the owner of a disobedient cat, scolded him.

“Hey! Can’t you come down right now?”

“Meow!”

“Don’t talk back!”

“Meo-meoww!”

“How rude! When your owner commands, you should hurry and obey!”

“Kyaang! Kyaha—!”

Oh, now it was not just crying but even hissing?

At this point, force was the only solution.

As she tried to pull Lulu down the stairs by her strong front legs… this little one had blatantly turned into a fat cat, making it heavy and difficult.

Ugh, I’m exhausted!

“Huff, huff… I told you to come down…”

“Kiyaang!”

Now he was making strange cries.

There was no meat he liked on the third floor, so why was he acting like this?

Yuriana forcibly hugged the unruly Lulu and struggled down the stairs.

And she felt quite proud.

Protecting Asil’s privacy to the end, wasn’t that great?

“… huh.”

After Yuriana, carrying the cat, waddled down the stairs.

Someone who had been hiding at the third-floor railing chuckled softly.

The little girl and the cat’s quarrel were worth a laugh for anyone watching.

Though he did feel like giving that naughty cat a good smack.

* * *

The New Year came to the Nea Kingdom.

Yuriana, who received fluffy new fur gloves and a dress-style coat, was in a great mood.

The soft, warm fur on the edge of the coat made her want to keep touching it.

“Hehehe.”

“Meow.”

Lulu opened his curious mouth towards the new coat.

Whoa. Look at those papillae on the tongue.

“No, no! Lulu. If you even scratch this with your claws, your butt won’t be spared!”

“Meow!”

Lulu sulkily turned his head, and Yuriana chuckled, savoring her happiness.

Levina rustled around and then handed her something additional.

“Miss, here. It’s a gift from the empire.”

“Uh? Whoa…!”

They were adorable chocolates in a square box.

Just by looking at them, Yuriana could tell they were crafted by a skilled artisan, making her marvel.

“Paul must have worked hard making these.”

“Oh my, Miss. I said it’s a gift from the empire. You need to listen carefully when someone’s talking.”

“… the empire?”

Levina smiled faintly.

“From that person, you know.”

That… that person?

Could it be Harun who sent it?

The precious treasures of the empire, sent along with an invitation to come to the empire, were burdensome.

‘Shouldn’t I refuse?’

Contrary to Yuriana’s reluctance, Levina’s expression remained bright.

“Uh…?”

“These are gifts sent by Karas Ifrit. How do they look? Delicious, right?”

Yuriana’s expression brightened.

Karas, he survived last year and was still alive. She was relieved!

She cherished all the memories of sharing cookies and that unexpected hug when they said their final goodbyes.

But Harun, the fourth male protagonist she wanted to see the most…

Ever since he visited Dark Town once, she lost all curiosity about him.

It was good to know that he was living well even without ending up with the female protagonist. He was always so gallant and imperial; she trusted that he was doing fine even without seeing him.

And Asil, who overcame the pain of unrequited love, let’s all cheer up for the future!

‘Hmm, Aidan is the victorious one who captured love. As for Heidel… being an elf, I don’t worry about him. Everyone must be doing well, right?’

If something had happened to the king, it was unlikely that news wouldn’t reach Dark Town.

Also, since Heidel was a long-living elf, he wouldn’t be okay even if he couldn’t forget Alice immediately. He had his kind, a country to restore, and a homeland to return to.

Alice must be happy with the man she chose too.

She would wish for her happiness from here!

Everyone had their role to play in life.

“Hehehe.”

The girl’s laughter was clear, having shed her worries.

“Miss! There’s another gift.”

“What is it?”

Levina pointed to the window and smiled.

“Look, the sky is showering us with a gift!”

“Whoa! It’s snowing!”

It had been just cold in December without any snow, but now, snow was falling heavily as if making up for it.

That was right.

Even though she’d long considered snow as nothing but white trash falling from the sky, today she would enjoy it with pure delight!

As Yuriana laughed childishly, Levina also laughed.

“Let’s enjoy the snow later and go celebrate the New Year?”

“Huh? Oh, sure.”

What New Year celebration?

“Please come this way. I’ll carry the chocolates for you.”

But the direction Levina was leading was to the third floor, passing the stairs to the second floor of the annex!

Yuriana, troubled by Lulu’s recent rampage, stopped abruptly.

“No! Levina, we shouldn’t go there.”

“It’s okay.”

“Levina?”

Of all people, why was Levina being so stubborn?

She had a feeling.

Could it be that the real Levina was replaced by a doppelganger who survived somewhere and was mimicking her?

What should she do? Should she take out the replica of the Mirror of Origin or not?

‘If it’s the real Levina, she’ll recognize it and scold me, and then I’ll have to undergo an exorcism by my father!’

“Shh, Miss, you should go up first. You’ll be surprised.”

“Meow~”

Even Lulu, who she thought was left in the room, had somehow sneaked out and was joining in.

What was going on? Was she being bewitched?

At this point, Yuriana wished for some options to appear.

Of course, nothing happened.

This choice system was really arbitrary.

“Um…”

Levina, standing still and unmoving, spoke to Yuriana.

“Everything is arranged, so it’s okay to go to the third floor. Just look at your cat.”

“Why… oh?”

Lulu was adorned with a stylish red ribbon tied like a tie around its neck, apparently undisturbed and flaunting it, likely because it was not just an animal but a beastman.

‘What on earth is going on?’

Seeing Levina had even dressed Lulu up, it didn’t seem like a lie.

Celebrating the New Year on the third floor, of all places… she couldn’t make sense of it.

Walking slowly to the third floor, she entered what once was a prison for Alice, and encountered an unexpected sight.

“Huh?”

The space where a golden frame should have hung was completely transformed.

There was no trace of the empty portrait.

Thick curtains were drawn back, revealing a dazzling window!

‘Are those… candles lit? Here? What’s going on?’

Confused, Yuriana took a few more steps inside.

Not to the left, where the grand bed used to be, but to the right, she saw the end of a long table that wasn’t there before.

And at the end of that table sat someone who turned to look at her and smiled…

Yuriana’s lips formed the name of that boy she hadn’t seen in a while.

“Ka… ras…?”

“What did I tell you, Miss? Wasn’t I right? Go on, go to him.”

“Uh, uh! Oh. Give me that.”

Taking the chocolate bar Levina was holding, Yuriana hurried towards him.

Karas, who had also risen from his seat to greet her, waited.

It was the real, living, breathing Karas!

“Hello, Yuriana.”

“Lord Karas!”

“How have you been? It’s good to see you again.”

It felt like a dream.

Wait, if Karas was here, did that mean Harun was here too?

She quickly turned her head, but Harun, who should have been grinning somewhere, was nowhere to be seen.

Instead, there was only the man dressed as a wizard she had briefly seen before. And her father too.

“Dad!”

Asil—yes, that Asil—smiled warmly, uncharacteristically of him.

“Come here, Yuriana.”

Impossible things were happening one after another.

Yuriana thought seriously.

‘This doesn’t make sense. Asil removing Alice’s prison and bringing someone else in on his own?’

The same went for Harun.

Sending Karas, who could threaten his position anytime, to this side, just like that?

‘… am I dead and dreaming? There’s no way the atmosphere here could be so warm.’

It was natural that Yuriana’s suspicions and caution didn’t disappear in an instant.

Having become the abandoned daughter of the boss ruling Dark Town, how could she easily trust the world?