Everyone Was Obsessed With Me After I Became the Youngest Princess Favourite - Chapter 139

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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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“Mother, why are you like that?”
I tilted my head in confusion, but Mother let out an exasperated laugh and muttered to herself repeatedly. Then she suddenly turned to me and asked.
“Lia, do you like this bracelet?”
“Pardon? Well, it is beautiful, but….”
For some reason, I felt I shouldn’t nod too readily.
As I hesitated, Mother’s expression grew serious.
“Then I’ll have a similar one commissioned for you. This one needs to be returned.”
“What?”
I was startled by her unexpected words.
The House Elrad had been sending us precious gifts all this time.
‘They’ve even sent documents for mines where jewels were discovered….’
Of course, there were good reasons for such generosity.
Before coming to the Grand Duchy, I had settled my position as a maidservant at the House Elrad, transferring all the money I received from discovering Splecia and everything I invested with it to Diana.
My parents accepted my wishes without question, and though the Duke initially objected, he reluctantly agreed when I firmly insisted on giving it to Diana.
However, years later, when diamonds and emeralds were discovered in the abandoned rocky mountain where I had requested investment, the Duke hastily tried to transfer the mine to me.
But I had already known everything when I invested, and that was precisely why I had given it as a gift to Diana. There was no reason to take it back.
We exchanged several letters debating the matter, but my resolve never wavered. Instead, the stream of gifts from the House Elrad only grew longer.
In truth, I had long thought the House Elrad’s gifts were excessive and had tried to return them several times.
But Mother opposed it. Since the friendship between our two houses was long-standing, she said they would be hurt if I rejected gifts given with such sincerity.
I had no choice but to agree with her reasoning.
‘And yet Mother is now the one suggesting I return something.’
As I looked at her in bewilderment, Mother smiled awkwardly and spoke.
“This is far too precious for us to accept.”
At those words, I lowered my gaze to examine the sapphire bracelet again.
The transparent and brilliant blue gemstones and their exquisite craftsmanship unmistakably marked it as the finest quality, yet I was certain the House Elrad had sent even more impressive pieces before.
‘It’s not even a rare-colored sapphire….’
After a moment of consideration, I slowly nodded.
Since a jewel’s value isn’t determined solely by the raw stone and its cutting, I suspected this must be a treasure with deep historical significance that I simply didn’t know about.
“Lia, why don’t you go upstairs and rest for now? I’ll look through the rest first and arrange everything in your room.”
Before Mother could finish speaking, the maidservants—who had become masters of organization through years of handling these annual gifts—eagerly rolled up their sleeves with enthusiasm.
Seeing them work diligently despite the mountain of tasks, their eyes bright and eager, I could only shake my head with a wry smile.
* * *
“Brother?”
After returning to my room and washing up, I had just changed into comfortable clothes.
With a knock, the door opened and Askart entered.
“What is all this?”
“Huff.”
Askart set down the armful of items he’d been carrying onto the table and spoke while catching his breath.
“From the gifts sent by the House Elrad, I’ve separated out Diana’s things, Allen’s, and your friend’s gifts. I also brought your letters and invitations.”
“Why did you go through all that trouble? You should have had someone else do it.”
“Must I come in person just to see your face once more?”
Askart replied with a graceful smile playing at the corners of his eyes.
When he laughed, I could have sworn flowers bloomed around him.
Askart had recently turned twenty-six, and with each passing day, his beauty seemed to shine ever brighter.
Yet despite this, he had no romantic entanglements—in fact, there were no women around him at all.
‘According to Mother, he’s exactly like Father was when he was young….’
If he were to inherit the Grand Ducal throne, he would eventually need to consider marriage and the matter of succession.
Of course, just as Father had found Mother, I believed Askart would one day meet his destined person, but for now his interests seemed to revolve solely around magic and me, which worried me a little.
‘My family, who only sees me as a child, would be shocked if they knew what I was thinking.’
Unaware of my thoughts, Askart urged me forward.
“Lia, let’s open it quickly.”
I nodded with a soft laugh, and a gasp of delight escaped my lips.
“Brother, look at this! It seems Diana embroidered this handkerchief herself.”
Her drawing skills from childhood hadn’t faded one bit!
I spoke with genuine pride, carefully touching the embroidery.
“Is it a peach? It’s really cute, isn’t it?”
“…Are you sure that’s a peach?”
Askart asked with an oddly skeptical expression.
I nodded confidently and quickly tore open the letter to check its contents.
Just as I thought! The handkerchief was indeed embroidered by Diana herself….
“Wait? A rose?”
“Pfft.”
Askart, who had been reading the letter beside me, hastily covered his mouth with his hand. But he ultimately couldn’t suppress his laughter.
I shot him a sharp look and spoke.
“Now that I look again, it really does look like a rose—why are you laughing!”
Diana had stitched it so carefully, one thread at a time!
But despite my protest, Askart continued laughing for quite a while before holding up a bookmark that had been beside him and saying, “Does this really look like a rose?”
It was a pressed flower bookmark that Jack sent personally every year.
“The Marquis’s pink roses are beautiful again this year. Not a single petal damaged—truly exquisite craftsmanship.”
I marveled anew at the bookmark that Jack, the Sword Master whom everyone revered, had crafted with such care.
When I left, he had promised to become a magnificent knight, and less than a year later, Jack sent word that he had awakened his aura.
‘And then, advancing at an astonishingly rapid pace, he became a Sword Master alongside Allen before even reaching adulthood!’
Though I had given him slight assistance when he first took his position in the Knight Order, the fact that he became a Sword Master faster than in my previous life with just that help was simply remarkable.
Then Askart picked up the box placed beside him.
“Is Allen sending a hairpin again this time?”
Askart grumbled that Allen only ever sent hair ornaments.
“Oh, but he does have good taste. I think it will suit you well.”
I too smiled upon seeing a pair of leaf-shaped hairpins studded with pale green emeralds.
“How do they look?”
“Ugh, they’re absolutely gorgeous.”
Askart, who had just pinned the ornament in my hair, let out an admiring sigh.
“You look just like a living pink rose. But isn’t this pin terribly dangerous? It’s bad for the heart.”
I thought Askart, who said such things so casually, was far more dangerous.
After all, he had asked to hold my hand the moment we first met.
‘If he weren’t so obsessed with magic, he probably would have set the young ladies’ hearts ablaze long ago.’
Leaving Askart’s flirtations behind, I set aside the letters that Diana and Jack had sent.
In truth, the communication networks of the Bellus Duchy had developed considerably over time, capable of exchanging messages and transmitting voices across vast distances like those between the distant Empire and here.
However, I had blocked all communication channels connecting the Empire and Bellus out of concern for eavesdropping.
Moreover, for a long time now, I had not met with anyone from the Empire except Grandfather.
‘Of course, the greatest reason I couldn’t meet Diana was the possibility that I might cause a mana rampage….’
The Demon Worshippers, who knew better than anyone that my appearance was under an illusion spell, would surely turn their attention to House Elrad if they learned I was meeting with people outside my family, and I feared that greatly.
The situation was uncertain—even why they had kept me alive remained unclear. Everything demanded caution.
‘Besides, the Demon Worshippers are extremely dangerous to Diana as well.’
A Saint. An unawakened Saint was actually far more likely to become their primary target than I was.
Raezl would protect Diana even at the Temple, but he had earnestly warned me to be even more careful not to give the Demon Worshippers any clues about the Saint.
So even now, though I had dispelled all the illusion magic on my appearance, I was maintaining distance from Diana.
‘At least the deep connection between the Grand Ducal House and House Elrad allows us to exchange letters like this….’
Though I understood it was unavoidable, not seeing Diana for so long felt bitter and frustrating.
I was examining other mail with a deep sigh when I noticed something.
“Hmm? What’s this?”
It didn’t seem to be a letter.
Everything entering the Grand Duke’s Castle underwent thorough inspection anyway, so it didn’t matter. I casually examined the contents of the envelope and let out a hollow laugh.
“What is it? What’s wrong?”
At my reaction, Askart immediately confirmed what I held in my hand.
“Lueje? Lia, do you know it? I heard it’s a famous dessert shop from the Empire.”
“…Yes. I know it.”
How could I not? I had even visited it directly to conduct business.
I nodded reluctantly and examined the invitation.
The contents were unremarkable—a famous dessert shop from the Empire was opening a branch in the Bellus Duchy and inviting people to visit.
But knowing its true nature, I could only laugh hollowly.
It appeared they had already opened several branches under the same name in the Empire, which was a different approach from before.
‘If the tail gets caught this way, what will they do? How reckless!’
Terenthium had never operated an information network this way.
I had used inconsistent establishments as bases—not just the cafe I managed, but also taverns, inns, flower shops, and bookstores—operating irregularly.
‘Could it be they’ve just turned it into a legitimate business?’
The thought left me slightly confused.
When I first saw the invitation, I had assumed Darel was sending me a signal.
“If it’s famous, should we visit sometime? They’re offering gifts.”
Just as I was wondering if I’d misread the situation, Askart spoke.
Looking again, I noticed there was a message written below the invitation in a handwriting that felt strangely familiar—sharp and precise.
We offer gifts to the 45th, 471st, and 1302nd guests who visit us with an invitation.

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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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