Everyone Was Obsessed With Me After I Became the Youngest Princess Favourite - Chapter 106

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Had that child done something worthy of my forgiveness?
The Marquis found himself unable to comprehend.
Young children were often careless; a sudden collision was certainly a mistake that could happen to anyone.
Then was it something to be forgiven—calling me grandfather and worrying over the leg I had struck?
“Grandfather, are you all right?”
The Marquis recalled the child’s bewildered face as she addressed me.
How long had it been since I heard the word grandfather?
How long since I had encountered someone who worried for me?
In truth, at that moment the Marquis had been rendered speechless, unable to utter a single word.
Simultaneously, I was astonished—a child who showed no fear despite seeing my face marred with hideous scars.
Yet that wonder was fleeting; the child’s expression soon clouded with alarm and confusion. She had recognized my station.
Whether fortunately or unfortunately, Askart arrived just then, and the child hastily offered her respects before vanishing.
Shortly after, my granddaughter Clara appeared. The moment our eyes met, her face transformed into an expression of unmistakable fear—vivid and unmistakable.
After concluding his thoughts, the Marquis cast a sidelong glance at his granddaughter Clara, seated beside him.
Though her expression remained composed as if deliberately maintained, beneath the table her hand gripped the fabric of her skirt tightly.
Yes, that frightened appearance was all too familiar.
‘That child was merely startled for a moment, nothing more.’
Yet knowing this, my mood had somehow soured.
“Marquis?”
At that moment, Askart—who spoke so rarely—called out to the Marquis with evident concern for that child, his tone urging.
“I understand.”
The Marquis answered curtly, his displeasure evident.
Simultaneously, he thought Askart’s efforts were pointless.
That little maidservant, frightened of me, would surely never set foot in the Marquis’s Residence again out of fear.
At that moment, he did not know.
That the very next day, that small child would appear before me once more.
And with something beside her, no larger than a chestnut seed, clinging to her side.
* * *
“It appears to have cooled sufficiently now; we need only package them.”
The head cook smiled broadly as she spoke.
Diana and I gazed with satisfaction at the appetizing cookies we had baked throughout the morning.
After deliberating all through the previous night, it was clear that Marquis Diapel currently had an injured leg.
‘Yet he rode a horse despite that.’
Of course, as the head of House Diapel, renowned as a martial family, he would scarcely consider a carriage as a means of travel.
Regardless, I wished to persuade the Marquis to seek treatment without further delay.
To do so, I first needed to meet with him, and as I pondered this, a solution came to mind.
The Marquis was a stern-faced man with scarcely a trace of humor and from whom one should expect no kindness, yet he was a person full of unexpected qualities.
For instance, his words were often blunt and harsh, yet his heart ran surprisingly deep.
Or how he appeared to despise anything sweet, yet he was actually quite fond of delicate desserts.
‘So if a child came to apologize with cookies made by her own hands, he could never refuse.’
I nodded in agreement with myself—it truly was an excellent plan—and gazed once more at the cookies I had made.
‘I never intended to bake this many….’
Unlike my original plan to make just a small batch and head straight to the Marquis’s Residence, I had ended up baking a massive quantity alongside Diana.
Though the head chef and kitchen maids had assisted, the sheer volume made it rather exhausting.
‘Still, they shouldn’t feel slighted now.’
I recalled asking the Duke and Duchess for permission during breakfast to bake cookies in the kitchen today.
It was when I sought the Duchess’s approval, leaving Allen behind as he marveled at my unexpected skill.
“Why the sudden interest in that?” the Duke had asked.
I had hesitated, about to honestly admit I intended to bring them to the Marquis.
A strong premonition seized me that speaking carelessly now would invite complications.
No matter how I explained that I was baking the cookies as an apology, the Duke’s household would likely feel deeply hurt.
Moreover, there was a real possibility they would dismiss my plan entirely, insisting the Marquis would never appreciate such a gift.
〈It’s because I wished to feed the Young Lady cookies I made with my own hands. I also wanted to give some to the Duchess and the Duke… and to Aiden and Jack as well. And while I’m at it, to Marquis Diapel and Crown Prince Askart too….〉
After a lengthy, rambling explanation where I softened my true intentions, the Duke, who had been watching me with narrowed eyes, nodded in approval.
The Duchess, unable to hide her delight, instructed me to ensure safety with the kitchen’s assistance.
Aside from the unexpected variable of Diana raising her hand eagerly to join, everything proceeded smoothly after that.
Despite appearances, I had worked at a dessert café operated by Terenthium for several years.
Of course, all the bread and cakes sold at the café were sourced from a nearby bakery.
I had originally wanted to bake them myself, but the Master doubted my abilities so much that he wouldn’t even let me near the oven.
‘Still, I learned quite a bit by watching over Susan’s shoulder, the bakery owner, while we grew close.’
Reminiscing about the rather enjoyable process, I finished wrapping everything before I knew it.
“I should deliver them to the Duchess and the eldest young master’s study as an afternoon snack, correct?”
“Yes. The Duchess prefers the nut cookies, and the eldest young master enjoys the chocolate ones.”
If we were still in the period when teatime was frequent, I could have prepared them with tea as well, but Lucio seemed terribly busy these days, handling all pending matters before heading down to the Duchy.
Placing all the cookies except those reserved for the Duke into a basket, Diana and I slipped out of the kitchen.
“Are they delicious?”
“Yes! They taste even better because sister and I made them. Better than what Aiden makes!”
Diana, happily munching on today’s cookies, boasted with pride that she would surprise Aiden later with them.
Diana and I giggled together as we entered the Training Grounds, where all the snow that had fallen overnight had been cleared.
“Brother!”
At Diana’s call, Allen, who had been training, rushed over with a delighted expression.
“I’ve been waiting—cookies!”
…It seems he was waiting for food rather than for a person.
“Hello, Jack.”
Leaving Allen and Diana behind as they immediately began sampling the cookies, I greeted Jack.
Jack appeared to grow taller by a hand’s breadth each time I saw him, and today was no exception.
Inwardly envying his remarkable growth rate, I spoke.
“Jack, these are for you and Taize. Take them to the dormitory and enjoy them there.”
“Thank you. But that’s quite a lot—wasn’t it tiring to make?”
“No. It was fun.”
I was smiling as I answered.
Suddenly, Jack reached out toward my face. With a gentle touch, he brushed my cheek.
“…?”
What just happened?
Startled, I looked up at Jack, and he spoke awkwardly.
“You had flour on your cheek.”
“Ah….”
I’d come straight from the Kitchen without properly checking myself in a mirror.
I see—I laughed awkwardly and scratched at the cheek he’d touched, feeling embarrassed.
“But what’s in this basket? Who else are you giving something to?”
“This? I’m bringing it to Marquis Diapel and Crown Prince Bellus.”
“…I see.”
Though that had actually been the original purpose for making the cookies, it somehow felt like it had been pushed to the background.
Even though I’d be delivering them last, I felt I should go before it got any later.
That’s when it happened.
“I heard you’ve been going to the Marquis’s Residence every day lately. Are you going to see the Crown Prince you saw at the Academy back then?”
Jack asked in a tone that somehow felt like he was pressing me for answers.
“Huh? Well, yes, but why…?”
Just when I thought the awkwardness had finally passed, the atmosphere turned strange again.
I hadn’t done anything wrong, yet I felt embarrassed for no reason, fidgeting with my fingers.
Jack, looking down at me like that, spoke bluntly.
“It’s nothing.”
* * *
‘Has he already hit puberty?’
Since returning to my childhood, Jack remained taciturn and unexpressive, but it wasn’t as difficult to interact with him as before.
Yet with each passing day, I couldn’t understand what he was thinking.
‘I don’t want us to become strangers again like we were before.’
Since I’d never had a proper friend in my past life, I wanted to truly get along well with Jack in this life.
After resolving to spend more time with Jack later and have more conversations, I knocked on the gate of the Marquis’s Residence to handle the urgent matter first.
If I simply said I’d come to see Marquis Diapel, there was a high chance I’d be turned away.
So I told the gatekeeper, as always, that I’d come to see Askart.
Askart came out right away and greeted Diana and me warmly.
When he saw the cookies we’d made ourselves, he asked with a surprised expression.
“Did you and Diana really make these?”
“Yes. Actually, I made them to give to the Marquis. I think I may have hurt him yesterday, so I wanted to apologize.”
At my words, Askart’s expression became somewhat flustered, and he indirectly refused, saying he would deliver them instead.
But there was no point in making the cookies myself if I couldn’t do this.
When I continued to insist, Askart finally nodded heavily and led us to the Reception Room.
And shortly after.
Knock. Knock. Knock!
Heavy footsteps that seemed to make the ground itself tremble announced the arrival of a towering silhouette.
Simultaneously, a booming voice reverberated through the Reception Room.
“Hmph! I’m injured because I collided with some insignificant wretch who barely catches the eye? Do I wear my eyes as mere decoration, like buttons sewn on for show?”
“….”
“If you’re going to wail so noisily, then get out of my sight at once!”
…But I haven’t even said a word yet?

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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