Everyone Was Obsessed With Me After I Became the Youngest Princess Favourite - Chapter 15
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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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“This is Dana’s Room.”
I followed Diana’s hand as she led me through the castle, promising to show me around once I’d changed into fresh clothes, and at last we arrived at her quarters.
But it was nothing like any room I had ever known.
A bedroom, bathroom, and dressing room were all connected, with a playroom and small sitting area adjoining them.
One wall was lined with fairy tale books, while dolls and toys were stacked in towering heaps.
Above all, every piece of furniture and decoration gleamed with opulent beauty—clearly the finest quality available.
I had never seen a space so filled with such exquisite things, and my mouth fell open in sheer wonder.
I had infiltrated noble mansions before, but those missions had always kept me occupied in the darkness, searching for hidden passages and secret chambers.
And I had certainly never snuck into the bedroom of a young noble lady like this, so it felt as though I had stepped into another world entirely.
“Sister, come here!”
Diana had already climbed onto the bed and was patting the space beside her, urging me over.
I approached cautiously, mindful of the servants watching from the side, and Diana thrust a fairy tale book at me from the table beside the bed.
“Read it for me! Princess!”
At her bright exclamation, I recognized it as the very fairy tale about a princess that Diana had spoken of back at the Orphanage.
One of the servants seemed about to object, as if concerned that the young lady was making an unreasonable request of me.
But I saw this as my opportunity.
‘If they see that I can read, they might let me stay by Diana’s side longer.’
If I was going to remain at the Duke’s Castle, I wanted to spend as much time with Diana as possible.
With joy in my heart, I eagerly seized the elegant storybook with its cover depicting a princess in a pink dress.
“Diana.”
“Mother!”
The Duchess Elrad entered through the door, her expression warm as she looked at Diana and me.
“Were you about to read a book?”
“Yes! The princess is going to read the princess book for me!”
“Ah, I’m sorry, but your princess needs to come with me for a moment. Could you read the book afterward?”
Suddenly aware that I was standing on Diana’s bed, I quickly set down the book and stepped onto the floor.
‘I haven’t even properly shown my usefulness yet.’
I grew anxious, wondering if my position had already been decided.
As I fidgeted nervously, the Duchess Elrad gestured for me to follow her out.
After soothing Diana, who tried to follow me with cries of “I’m coming too!”, I stepped into the corridor.
Where was she taking me? Would I be separated from Diana already?
My anxiety and unease manifested visibly in my small body. Without thinking, I brought my fingers to my mouth.
That was when—
“There’s no need to worry.”
The Duchess Elrad gently grasped my hand, stopping me from biting my nails, and led me into a room.
I gasped in surprise at the sight of a woman in pristine white robes standing within.
‘The Priestess…?’
Seeing my confusion, the Duchess Elrad let out a soft laugh and spoke.
“Count Maretta even sent me a personal letter, asking me to be sure to treat the scars on your body.”
At those words, I recalled Bianca, who had parted ways with me at the Inn and repeatedly urged Duke Elrad to continue summoning the Priestess.
Since the Duke had promised to do so despite finding Bianca bothersome, I had hoped to meet the Priestess at least once during my stay at the Duke’s Castle.
‘Yet it’s only been a few hours since I arrived…’
Moreover, rather than me visiting the Temple, the Priestess had come directly.
“Is this the child?”
“Yes. Thank you for coming.”
The Duchess Elrad led me behind a partition placed to one side of the room.
“Undress here and change into the gown.”
Then she stepped back outside the partition so I wouldn’t feel uncomfortable.
She seemed to think I would be reluctant to expose the scars on my body.
Moreover, while male Priestesses were far more common, the fact that she had specifically summoned a female Priestess suggested she was being considerate of me, a young girl, regardless of age.
From Bianca to the Duchess Elrad.
Faced with such warmth and kindness as I had never experienced in my past life, I didn’t know what to do with myself.
The thought that all of this stemmed from not turning away Diana made me regret my previous life all the more.
‘I truly must do better from now on.’
With that resolve in my heart, I quickly changed clothes and approached the waiting Priestess, carefully kneeling before her.
Though I had never received treatment from a Priestess before, I had observed this practice during my occasional visits to the Temple for information gathering.
The Priestess, seeing my nervous expression, smiled softly and placed her hand on my forehead.
Soon, a warm light burst forth from her hand.
Crack, crackle.
“…?”
With my eyes closed, I was filled with anticipation for my body to be cleansed, when I heard a strange sound in my ears.
Each time the warm light tried to envelop my body, that strange sound returned, and simultaneously the gentle energy vanished without a trace. Cautiously, I opened my eyes.
And I met the gaze of the Priestess, whose eyes were trembling as if an earthquake had struck.
“What is the meaning of this?”
The Duchess Elrad, equally bewildered, asked.
Though I didn’t know exactly what was happening, something was clearly wrong.
“That is… my divine power won’t take effect on the child’s body. It’s as if it’s being repelled…”
Even as she spoke, her expression showed she didn’t understand it herself, and soon her face grew rigid.
My body too froze in shock.
‘Divine power won’t take effect on me.’
I had never heard of anyone who could repel divine power.
Even though Priestesses capable of wielding divine power were rare and commoners rarely received treatment, every citizen of the Empire received a blessing at the Temple upon birth.
Surely I too must have received a blessing at the Orphanage when I was young.
‘…Or did I, really?’
The Director’s voice, which I had momentarily forgotten in my mind, echoed again: “Useless vermin!” It buzzed in my head.
An inexplicable sense of dread consumed my entire being.
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“Are you hungry? Diana must be waiting too, so let’s go.”
The Duchess Elrad spoke kindly.
I felt both awkward and grateful that she would lavish such attention on a child of no consequence.
Yet the shock of what had just transpired refused to release its grip on my expression.
The Priestess attempted to infuse me with her sacred power several more times, but the result remained unchanged.
When the ritual repeated until beads of perspiration dotted her brow, the Duchess Elrad finally intervened.
The Priestess then suggested that perhaps her sacred power was insufficient compared to other priestesses, and proposed summoning another one instead.
But both of them surely knew the truth—the situation would not change.
The Duchess Elrad instructed the Priestess to keep this matter secret between us, and once she departed, spoke to me with tenderness.
“Our Duke’s household also employs a mage who specializes in healing magic. If sacred power won’t work, we can simply heal you with magical power instead.”
She seemed to believe my darkened expression stemmed from disappointment that the scar could not be erased.
Given my tender age, it was understandable that I might not fully grasp the gravity of a situation where sacred power proved ineffective.
She solemnly vowed to erase every blemish from my body, and I found myself speechless.
It would have been natural to regard me as ominous for rejecting sacred power, yet she showed only concern for my wellbeing.
How could anyone be so gentle?
Perhaps Diana became so lovely precisely because she was raised beneath the warmth of such a person.
The sunlight filtering behind her took on an orange hue, matching the color of her hair.
As I gazed at her in a daze, I felt tears suddenly threatening to spill.
The Duchess Elrad, noticing my expression, abruptly stopped.
“Oh my, I’m not supposed to give these before meals, you know.”
She clicked her tongue and withdrew something from the pouch at her waist.
“Here—a magical sweet that will lift your spirits.”
My mouth fell open without my consent.
What the Duchess Elrad handed me was a small chocolate wrapped in shimmering paper.
“Truly. It will make you feel better, so eat it quickly.”
When I remained frozen and made no move to accept it, the Duchess Elrad laughed and unwrapped the chocolate, placing it directly in my mouth.
‘…Sweet.’
I had never even seen such a thing at the Orphanage.
And in my past, when I occasionally received one while with the beggar gang, it had been so precious that I could never bring myself to bite into it—I would only let it melt on my tongue.
“Does that make you feel better now?”
Suddenly, I recalled that person who had offered me chocolate with such an expressionless face.
When I first saw him, I had thought he bore no resemblance to the Duchess Elrad whatsoever.
But in that moment, his face seemed to overlap with hers.
And I understood—his kindness was inherited from her.
“Yes, I truly feel better. Thank you so much.”
I answered with a voice thick with tears, finally giving the response I could not manage before.
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Following the Duchess Elrad to lunch, I arrived at the Glass Greenhouse situated in the rear gardens.
Though outside lay the depths of winter with snow piled high, the moment I passed through a single thin glass door, I stepped into the full warmth of spring.
Gentle, balmy air and sunlight refracted through the glass ceiling.
Water cascaded vigorously from an indoor Fountain adorned with blooming flowers and climbing vines.
From somewhere came the sensation of hearing birdsong—chirp, chirp.
‘Heavens, is this paradise?’
I opened my eyes wide and scanned the surroundings, spotting Diana waving her hand at me.
“Sister, sit here!”
I was rushing toward Diana, who was patting the seat beside her, when I faltered and stopped.
Allen was sitting across from the dining table.
“Good day, Young Master.”
I mustered my courage and greeted him first, but all I received in return was a chilling gaze.
Though he was the same age as Jack—merely ten years old—his eyes held a piercing sharpness.
Had I been an ordinary eight-year-old child, I would have trembled with fear and nearly wept on the spot.
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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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