Everyone Was Obsessed With Me After I Became the Youngest Princess Favourite - Chapter 140

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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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“Is it a number the master favors? It’s a bit ambiguous.”
I paused at Askart’s words.
Just to be sure, I examined both the front and back of the invitation, but I couldn’t find any other peculiarities.
As I held the invitation quietly and fell into thought, Askart lost interest and turned his head, beginning to rustle about.
He was opening the package he’d brought along while taking care of mine.
“Oh! It finally arrived.”
“What is that?”
“I asked Lucio for it. When I was wondering what kind of dishes young ladies your age enjoy, he sent me a book.”
Lately, Askart had been completely absorbed in the joy of preparing delicious meals for me.
It was the result of suggesting a new hobby, since he seemed to know nothing but research at the Magic Tower besides spending time with me.
“Why cooking of all things? I don’t like seeing scars on your hands.”
Askart’s hands were as long and beautiful as his face, and he often cut himself on knives or burned himself on flames while preparing ingredients.
Each time, I quickly cast a healing spell, but it still bothered me.
As I pouted, Askart looked at me intently.
“See? You hate it when I get hurt so much that you complain even about me just cooking. And you want to learn swordplay—imagine how we feel.”
“….”
“It’s already decided, but still, think about us a little. Make sure your body doesn’t get hurt, understood?”
“I understand. I’m trying to protect my body too….”
I answered awkwardly and rolled my eyes for no reason. I felt both sorry and guilty.
Then I noticed the two books Lucio had sent.
One was thin, and one was thick. For a moment, something flashed rapidly through my mind.
“Brother, let me borrow this book too.”
“You?”
Askart hesitated and hid the book behind his back.
Just as he was sensitive about swordplay, my family disliked me entering the kitchen.
The proof was that despite yearning so much for the cookies Grandfather used to eat, I couldn’t ask him to make them.
“If there’s something you want to eat, just tell me. I’ll make it.”
I laughed softly at Askart’s firm words and pointed to the thick book that seemed to be well over five hundred pages, instead of the thin recipe book he was hiding.
“Not that one. This one.”
“This one? He said this was like an essay written by a retired imperial chef….”
Askart looked genuinely confused about why Lucio would send something like this.
Once I mentioned it was something like a guidebook for people who cook, he seemed to accept it.
But I knew the truth.
This book with the slightly embarrassing title “Challenge Cooking with Franco!” was a consistently popular seller at bookstores.
As such, it was a book read by many regardless of noble or commoner status, and it was as easy to obtain as popular romance novels that enjoyed widespread acclaim.
‘At the same time, it’s a treasure chest that generates countless ciphers.’
“You’ll lend it to me, right?”
I smiled brightly and extended my hand.
* * *
Back in the study, I had just finished copying the last sentence when I paused, about to set down my quill pen.
‘Come to think of it, this quill pen….’
Actually, Lucio had sent it to Askart, and since he’d said it was comfortable to use and sent several, Askart had given me one to try. Once I used it, I found I really liked it and had been using it daily ever since.
Not only that, but the delicate glass ornaments placed on my desk, the mirror carved from ivory and inlaid with jewels, the clock supposedly made by a craftsman from some kingdom, rare grimoires that any mage would covet, the soft rug beneath my feet, and even the steaming mint-scented tea leaves.
My study was filled entirely with things Lucio had sent to the Bellus Duchy.
This sudden realization made my mood feel oddly complicated.
“…Well, he didn’t send them for me anyway.”
All of these were things Lucio had sent to his friend Askart.
Since he always sent them generously, and Askart would bring them to me whenever he acquired something good, they’d somehow ended up becoming mine.
As proof of that, on my desk sat a ‘snowflower’ that young Askart had obtained for me, carefully preserved within a glass dome enchanted with preservation magic.
Looking at the transparent silver petals like snow, my idle thoughts vanished and my heart grew calm.
Just as Askart had explained, the snowflower truly had an effect on mana control simply by keeping it nearby.
‘Of course, I already control mana perfectly, so it seems the psychological factor is more significant.’
I turned my gaze from the flower, exhaled softly, and quickly reviewed the passages I’d transcribed from the book.
Obtaining good ingredients is an incomparable joy for a chef. Those who don’t understand the value of fresh, quality ingredients….(omitted)
…Above all, patience is necessary. Only through long hours and dedication does truly good food come to completion. The attitude of being able to enjoy the waiting….(omitted)
The heart of the person eating the food. Isn’t considering even that the true completion of cooking?
“Hmm.”
…Was it because it had been so long that I was interpreting it strangely?
“No, it seems right.”
Since it was the most basic cipher decryption method, there was no reason to be confused. I was simply taken aback because the content was so different from what I’d expected.
Since they’d suddenly made contact like this, I’d assumed they must be requesting some kind of help.
“…Waiting?”
Just to be sure, I even consulted a Svana dictionary, the old common language of the Continent. My interpretation was correct.
Summarizing the message Darel had conveyed to me was simple.
‘Our relationship hasn’t ended yet.’
‘That’s strange. The transaction should already be over.’
I had clearly made my intentions known to Duke Elrad.
That I would transfer everything under the name of the maidservant, Lia, to Diana.
This also meant that Lucio should give Diana the payment I was supposed to receive from Darel.
‘There’s no way Lucio wouldn’t know that.’
Did he not understand? Or is he pretending not to know?
Now I was the one who felt bewildered by this response.
I picked up the invitation from Lueje that I’d set beside me.
“It seems I’ll need to go out soon.”
Perhaps I might taste that peculiar cake flavor again.
Of course, I need to make sure tomorrow’s coming-of-age ceremony goes well first.
* * *
The Empire, Imperial Princess Palace Garden.
A tea party hosted by the Imperial Princess Serphin, with all the young ladies from prominent families in attendance, was in full swing.
The topic of conversation that currently had them all animated was the summer festival of the Bellus Duchy across the sea, which had become the talk of the Empire.
“So they held another week-long festival this year, didn’t they?”
“Not only the plaza, but the streets were adorned with pink roses everywhere—people say it looked like a fairy kingdom from spring itself.”
“What’s a few flowers? On her actual birthday, they scattered gold dust mixed with flowers across the entire realm and even minted commemorative coins to distribute, I heard?”
“Well, when you’ve finally found your daughter after such hardship, nothing seems too extravagant.”
A Grand Duchess of noble birth who had been kidnapped by mysterious assailants moments after birth, her fate unknown until recently.
Moreover, Bellus Duchy possessed formidable power and wealth—there was nothing they couldn’t afford to do.
“But even for a wealthy duchy, such extravagance….”
Just then, a young noblewoman who had recently made her debut in society asked innocently.
“Then who cleans the streets?”
“Pfft!”
At such a spectacularly naive question, everyone hastily raised their fans to cover their mouths.
“Do you really not know? Of course the mages do it.”
“The entire festival is handled by the mages of the Magic Tower.”
“My goodness, the mages…?”
The young noblewoman who had asked the question opened her mouth in surprise.
Everyone laughed at her, though inwardly they found her astonishment quite understandable.
‘Those arrogant, haughty mages, after all.’
Though nobles were said to be born with mana more often than commoners, actually manifesting that mana as magical power or aura was rare.
Especially in the Empire, where the level of magic and the number of mages fell far short of the Duchy’s, mages were treated as exceptionally precious talents.
‘Yet they use such people to arrange a festival.’
The only Archmage on the Continent and master of Bellus—Grand Duke Bellus.
I’d heard that every mage revered and followed him, but I still couldn’t quite imagine it.
“….”
At that moment, someone sat listening to the conversation with a gentle smile.
Despite her peaceful expression, her hands beneath the table gripped her skirts as if to tear them apart.
Then it happened.
“Lady Amber, you’ve visited Bellus Duchy several times before, haven’t you? Are the mages there really that remarkable? How do they compare to the Empire’s mages?”
The trembling hands stilled.
Clara’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, then she looked at Serphin with an awkward smile.
It meant she couldn’t make such reckless remarks comparing the Empire and the Duchy before the Imperial Princess.
But the truth was that during Clara’s visits to the Duchy, she hadn’t even caught a glimpse of the mages’ feet, so she had nothing to say and had avoided the topic.
Fortunately, the young noblewoman who had asked the question belatedly noticed Serphin’s expression and closed her mouth.
Clara, laughing inwardly, decided to change the subject as she always did, to appear thoughtful.
“The fact that Bellus mobilizes even mages for their festivals and spares no effort is hardly surprising, really. They’re simply trying to erase past sorrows in whatever way they can.”
A touch of malice was included as a bonus.
At her words, everyone surely recalled the unprecedented incident when the Grand Duke’s Castle was attacked by mysterious assailants and the Grand Duchess was kidnapped.
And that festival had become something more than simply celebrating the Grand Duchess’s birthday.
‘What’s so great about that stubborn little wretch anyway.’
Clara, who genuinely believed this, opened her mouth again.
“My cousin had it rough too. Such a grand festival unfolds outside, yet she herself can’t set foot outside the castle…. Well, there’s nothing to be done about it.”
Just as she trailed off, her expression and gaze perfectly crafted into one of pitiful vulnerability.
“What do you mean by that, Miss Amber?”
A glacial stare and words delivered with razor-sharp precision.
“Listening only to what you say, it sounds as though there’s something wrong with the Grand Duchess. Is that a misunderstanding?”
Clara flinched and looked toward the one glaring at me.
The youngest lady of House Elrad, Diana.

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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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