Everyone Was Obsessed With Me After I Became the Youngest Princess Favourite - Chapter 133

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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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Listening to the child’s tearful words, it seemed the Duchess Elrad had explained my departure in her own way and helped her accept it.
Seeing Diana swallow her sorrow alone without clinging to me—my heart ached terribly.
I embraced Diana at once.
Startled, Diana squirmed and tried to wriggle free, but I didn’t let her go.
My parents or Raezl might have been alarmed, but somehow I felt certain.
Certain that Diana could never harm me.
“It’s all right.”
After reassuring her several times, Diana wrapped her arms tightly around my neck and whimpered.
Then, rubbing her face against my chest, she spoke honestly.
“Sister, do you have to go? Dana wants to be your family too…”
At the thought of parting from Diana, my nose stung and my eyes burned hot.
But I couldn’t lie and say I wouldn’t go, so I spoke thus.
“Diana, meeting you has been the greatest fortune of my life.”
“Sob…”
“We’ll definitely meet again. Until that day, you mustn’t forget your sister. Do you understand?”
Nod, nod.
The clever child, realizing from my words that this parting was irreversible, nodded her head repeatedly.
After that, no more words passed between us.
There was no need for promises to meet again.
* * *
“Lia, take care of yourself, and be sure to write once you arrive at the Grand Duchy.”
“Yes, I will.”
The Duchess Elrad embraced Lia tightly once more as she nodded obediently.
She murmured as if to herself, swallowing her regret.
“I do wish I could have seen you graduate.”
At those words, Lia opened her mouth and said, “Well…”
“What is it, Lia?”
“It’s…the eldest young master.”
“You mean Lucio?”
Lia laughed awkwardly as she watched the Duchess Elrad tilt her head in confusion.
“Yes. Would you tell him that I’m grateful for how well he’s treated me all this time?”
Those words alone might be insufficient to conclude all that had transpired between them.
But there were too many things she couldn’t say before others.
Lia recalled the moment when his cold eyes had curved gently like a crescent moon, and the softness of his voice, and shook her head quietly.
Part of her was curious how Lucio would react when he learned all these astonishing truths.
“Of course, I’ll be sure to tell him!”
“…Yes.”
At the Duchess Elrad’s solemn, resolute reply, Lia felt oddly shy.
“Well then, let’s depart.”
Just then, Raezl lowered the barrier and spoke.
Since the Duke’s Mansion and the Marquis’s Residence faced each other, they had just finished erasing the memories of those who knew Lia from the people in between, where a carriage was stationed.
“Mother, I understand about others, but couldn’t I at least accompany her to the Dock?”
Askart asked with a sorrowful expression, as if the reality of parting from Lia had suddenly struck him, but the Grand Duchess merely wore an apologetic look and stroked her son’s head.
“If you’re going, then go at once!”
And as if his endlessly gentle demeanor had been nothing but a dream, Marquis Diapel shouted in displeasure.
But the moment Lia’s shoulders flinched at his harsh tone, his expression softened immediately.
Seeing this, the Duke let out a quiet laugh, though his eyes too were glistening with reluctance.
“Come now, little one. Let’s go.”
The Duke, who couldn’t tear his gaze away as the Grand Duke lifted Lia and helped her into the carriage, tilted his head in puzzlement.
He could see Lia turning her head about, as if searching for someone.
For some reason, though her eyes were swollen red, she was waving her hand continuously—but she wasn’t looking at Diana, who stood beside Allen.
And then the Duke, noticing Taize standing off to one side, narrowed his eyes.
Now that he thought about it, the boy he had recommended to the Knight Order was nowhere to be seen.
It seemed they had decided not to erase his memories, just as they had done for their own family and Taize.
“Alas, little one! Go safely. Your grandfather will settle everything soon and follow after you!”
“Lia! I’ll be right behind you, sister!”
At that moment, the carriage door closed, and Marquis Diapel and Askart cried out with trembling voices.
Even the composed Diana, watching the carriage begin to move, finally let the tears she had been holding back spill forth and nestled into Allen’s embrace.
Allen too, with a somber expression, gently patted Diana’s back.
Only now did the reality of Lia’s departure truly sink in.
And in that moment.
“Jack?”
Taize’s bewildered voice rang out.
Turning around, they saw a grey-haired boy with wild eyes racing past them toward the carriage as if possessed.
* * *
Jack heard Taize’s startled voice calling his name, but he didn’t stop running.
His breath came in ragged gasps, yet he had to stop that departing carriage immediately.
He couldn’t let her leave like this.
‘Why didn’t I believe her? She said she wouldn’t erase me.’
At the time, he had thought it was merely words—that the memory would disappear anyway.
He had been such a fool. He should have trusted her.
His mind was consumed with regret.
Even now, in this very moment, Jack still remembered Lia.
Living together at the Orphanage, protecting Lia from the Director, and becoming a knight of House Elrad because of her.
In truth, when Jack lost consciousness at the Orphanage, he thought he would die.
He had been willing to die if it meant protecting Lia.
So when he barely regained consciousness and heard that Lia was unharmed, he felt immense relief.
But after learning all the circumstances following his rescue, his thoughts changed.
He came to realize that the one who truly protected and saved both him and the Orphanage children was Lia.
From that moment on, Jack made a single resolution.
To become stronger than anyone else and protect Lia.
And Jack had believed he was doing quite well toward that goal.
…Until he witnessed Allen’s aura.
The resolve he’d grasped crumbled in an instant, like a sandcastle meeting a wave.
And in its place came the question, “When will I ever become strong enough?” along with doubt in himself.
Then, amid all this, the truth that Lia was actually the Grand Duchess came to light.
In that moment, she became someone beyond my reach.
I even thought there would never be a chance for me to protect her again.
The day after spending a full day bedridden and ailing.
Jack, while sensing that Lia would naturally leave House Elrad, asked Taize with a faint glimmer of hope.
But the unexpected answer came back—Lia wasn’t staying at the mansion; she was leaving today.
And more than that.
“…Her memories will be erased?”
According to Taize, it wasn’t that Lia would be completely erased from everyone’s memories.
Rather, those whose memories were erased would find themselves unable to recall Lia at all, and even if they happened to meet someone who remembered her, they’d say, “Lia? Was there such a person?” or “Oh, right. There was someone like that,” only to forget again.
That was horrifying. I never wanted to forget Lia.
‘But…my memories weren’t erased.’
As Jack ran ceaselessly toward the carriage growing ever more distant, he was bewildered.
He wasn’t a knight who enjoyed Duke Elrad’s trust like Taize was.
He was merely a fellow orphan from the Orphanage who, despite all the time spent with her, knew little of substance about her.
He’d even thought the word “friend” was merely a pretense, so he naturally assumed his memories would be erased….
“Jack!”
It was in that moment.
The carriage, which seemed it would never stop and appeared utterly impossible to catch, came to a halt.
Lia leaped from the carriage and beamed at Jack, who was catching his breath.
“Lia, I….”
“You don’t need to apologize. What’s between friends?”
“Still….”
“I came to say goodbye. That’s enough. But how far did you run anyway?”
Lia chided Jack, saying he should have just shouted instead, calling him truly inflexible.
Jack stared blankly at her.
He still couldn’t tell whether Lia was naive and foolish, or strong-willed and clever.
But.
“Lia, I’m going to work really hard from now on. And I’m going to become a remarkable knight that no one can look down on. I promise.”
“Huh?”
“So later, make sure you check if I kept my promise. Understood?”
Lia blinked, then nodded. And finally, she offered her hand, suggesting they shake hands.
“…What?”
Jack pulled her hand and embraced Lia tightly. Then he whispered softly.
“I mean it. We have to see each other again later.”
* * *
After saying my final farewell to Jack, the carriage began to move once more.
Peeking out the window, I could see Jack still standing in that same spot.
I grumbled inwardly that he should have left long ago, yet a smile bloomed unbidden on my lips.
Had Bianca, who was riding alongside us as an escort, not informed me, I would have departed without seeing Jack at all.
“My dear, did you say a proper goodbye to your friend? You mentioned you lived together at the Orphanage, didn’t you?”
Father asked then, his expression noticeably strained.
It seemed my hardships at the Orphanage weighed heavily on his mind.
I nodded and spoke with deliberate cheerfulness.
I explained how wonderful a friend Jack was, and added that I wished I’d had time to introduce him to my parents.
At that, Father let out an awkward laugh—”Aha ha… introduce”—and glanced toward Mother.
Mother, whose expression seemed to be suppressing a smile, gently brushed her hand across my cheek.
“How fortunate our Adriana has such a wonderful friend.”
“Yes.”
“You’ll meet many more good people ahead, so look forward to it.”
I nodded at Mother’s words and exhaled deeply.
Now we were truly departing for the Grand Duchy.
* * *
Four days later.
Lucio returned to the Capital City.

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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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