Everyone Was Obsessed With Me After I Became the Youngest Princess Favourite - Chapter 154

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

“Diana, breathe slowly.”
The Grand Duchess smiled with a tenderness that bore no comparison to her demeanor before the Emperor, cradling Lady Elrad’s cheek in her palm.
Lady Elrad’s eyes sparkled like a puppy meeting its master, and she leaned her cheek into the Grand Duchess’s hand, breathing in and out slowly as instructed.
The young ladies who knew how cold and aloof Diana typically was gasped at the sight of such gentleness on her face.
Was this not the same lady who remained indifferent even when Imperial Princess Serphin showered her with such affection and every convenience?
Had Serphin been present instead of departing with the delegation, one could scarcely imagine how she would have reacted to this display.
And among them, there was one who watched this scene with a rigidly frozen expression.
‘How could this possibly be….’
Clara couldn’t even manage her expression—her face drained of all color.
‘Why? How on earth did she come here!’
She should have remained confined to the Grand Duke’s Castle, never showing her face to the world!
I had long abandoned the thought that had I not returned, I might have claimed the position of Grand Duchess.
But I never imagined Adriana would come to the Empire.
‘Until she entered, I kept thinking it couldn’t be….’
Even as I wondered if she had truly come, simultaneously I harbored a base hope.
Perhaps Adriana’s prolonged absence, which I had subtly cultivated the atmosphere around, meant she was truly afflicted with some bodily ailment or appeared unsightly.
Yet the moment I confirmed her in person.
“…!”
Clara squeezed her eyes shut.
Adriana was so beautiful that the dazzling appearance of the Grand Duke and the elegant Grand Duchess seemed to fade from view.
Her slender, delicate frame and flawless white skin, her graceful jawline and delicate features bore striking resemblance to the Grand Duchess, yet Clara could see at a glance.
Those soft eyes, drooping gently downward, were unmistakably inherited from Askart.
Clara’s nails dug into her palms. But her heart ached far more than her body.
Clara bit her lip until it bled, glaring at Adriana as she stood beside Diana.
While I suffered such wretchedness, Adriana basked in happiness, her smile as sweet as sugar.
Unable to bear looking at Adriana any longer, Clara’s gaze shifted—and Allen came into view.
“Ah….”
I thought I had no more capacity to crumble.
Allen, whose eyes had always met hers easily in any setting, now couldn’t tear his gaze from Adriana, as though he were unaware of Clara’s existence.
Suddenly, her vision burned hot.
“Hey, Clara! Where are you going!”
Countess Amber caught her from behind in alarm, but Clara pretended not to hear, rushing toward the entrance of the Banquet Hall with quick strides.
Today, her mother had been deeply displeased that the Grand Duchess had not given advance notice of her visit to the Empire.
Even now, she was grinding her teeth, determined to correct the Grand Duchess’s insolence for not coming to greet her first.
‘But how could that possibly happen?’
Had not Lady Elrad Diana demonstrated this very thing before?
That regardless of family bonds, there existed a difference in station.
The other party was the esteemed Grand Duchess, while her mother was merely a Countess.
‘Moreover… given that she hasn’t even maintained contact all this time, it’s clear she never acknowledged us as family to begin with.’
Yet if her mother appeared claiming to be an aunt, she couldn’t imagine how pathetic she herself would appear beside her. Today’s humiliation was more than sufficient.
Clara fled from the Banquet Hall in that manner.
* * *
‘…Clara?’
The hostility I sensed was crystalline—distinctly different from the gazes I had received thus far.
When I turned my head absently, I caught sight of a brown-haired Young Lady slipping out of the Banquet Hall.
In an instant, I recognized that she was my cousin Clara.
And I recalled what Askart had mentioned about her before I came to the Empire, offering various cautions.
〈Oh, when you go to the Empire… Clara, that girl—try not to engage with her if you can help it. She won’t welcome you.〉
At my bewildered expression, Askart simply smiled awkwardly, his lips sealed.
Even before this, I had been troubled by how Askart treated Clara at the Diapel Marquis Estate.
When I pressed him persistently for the reason, Askart eventually confessed with a difficult expression.
〈She wanted to possess everything that was yours. Not just me, but even our parents.〉
〈….〉
〈She once told her Nanny that she wished she had been the Grand Duchess. That’s when I understood. She hopes you never return.〉
Furthermore, I learned that Countess Amber, Clara’s mother and our aunt, had often made Askart feel shame and contempt.
Watching Askart reluctantly open up about Clara and the Countess, I found myself momentarily at a loss for words.
But after a long silence, I said this.
〈Still, she’s family, so I won’t avoid her outright. Especially Clara—she was just a child back then, after all.〉
Of course, Clara had not made a good first impression on me either.
I certainly remembered how she had pitied me as an orphan at the Imperial Palace, making me feel sorrowful.
But because I had once yearned for family so deeply that I would have welcomed even distant relatives, I could not bring myself to disown the family I did have.
Moreover.
‘The truth is, I envied her too….’
In my previous life, I had truly envied Clara, who was the granddaughter of Marquis Diapel.
Of course, I could not understand her desire to become the Grand Duchess, but I thought it might be kind to overlook it once.
Perhaps this merciful sentiment arose precisely because I had become the Grand Duchess Adriana, rather than remaining as Lia, the unfortunate orphan maidservant.
Unaware that I harbored such slightly unkind thoughts, Askart sighed deeply, as if worried that I was too kind.
〈Yes, much time has passed, so that girl may have changed somewhat.〉
Even as he said this, Askart regarded me with concern, clearly fearful that Clara might do me harm.
Honestly, it was amusing that he worried a girl raised like a hothouse flower could possibly hurt me.
Still, grateful for his care, I had smiled and assured him that Clara would not openly show hostility toward me, so he need not worry….
‘I never expected her to fail to conceal her emotions so completely.’
If she displayed such antagonism, it seemed I would find it difficult to grow close to Clara, I thought, shaking my head lightly.
“Sister?”
As I stood gazing at the Banquet Hall entrance for some time, Diana called to me in a puzzled voice.
Startled back to awareness, I noticed Duke Elrad and the Duchess Elrad had drawn near.
Both of them wore expressions suggesting they had much to say, yet they could not easily address me.
Realizing they were conscious of the surrounding gazes, I quickly moved my hand to cast a barrier.
Nobility are born with a higher probability of possessing mana than commoners, but among them, few actually manifest it through aura or magical power.
So unless I were a skilled practitioner of considerable ability, they would not hear my voice.
“You can speak comfortably now.”
As I smiled, Duke Elrad’s expression shifted to one of surprise.
And then.
“Lia.”
The Duchess Elrad standing directly before me called my name in a trembling voice.
“When we parted, you were such a small child, and now you’ve grown so much… You’ve become a fine young lady.”
Her eyes glistened as though tears might spill at any moment.
Seeing the Duchess Elrad, my own eyes grew hot with emotion.
I held back my tears, grasped her hand, and whispered softly.
“Duchess, please hold me when we reach the Duke’s Mansion. I’ve missed you terribly as well.”
At my words, the Duchess Elrad turned her head and dabbed beneath her eyes with a handkerchief, then smiled.
It was then that Duke Elrad suddenly spoke.
“Did you not eat properly in Bellus?”
“Pardon?”
“You’ve barely gained any weight—you’ve only grown a bit taller.”
The sudden jab struck me emotionally, and I faltered.
Compared to my past self, I had grown tremendously.
‘In my previous life, I was nearly the same height as Diana when she was fourteen!’
Of course, Diana was rather tall for her age, but still!
In this life, I had achieved the remarkable feat of growing a full head taller than Diana.
Naturally, I inherited Mother’s small frame and had always been slight, but I was still satisfied with my progress…
Yet seeing my still-slender form, I grew melancholy wondering if it looked unsightly.
“Really, you! If you’re happy to see her, just say so. Why must you say such unnecessary things?”
“What? I didn’t mean…”
Duke Elrad’s face flushed as he tried to protest, but the Duchess Elrad was quicker.
“Rather, are you just going to keep standing there? Won’t you greet her?”
At the Duchess Elrad’s words, Allen and Jack, who had been standing motionless like statues, both flinched and trembled simultaneously.
“It’s been a long time.”
I smiled brightly and greeted Allen first, as he was closer.
Allen blinked blankly in response.
“Huh? No, uh, um…”
Allen, who had seemed dazed since my entrance, still appeared confused and disoriented.
He furrowed his brow and asked carefully.
“So you’re saying… you’re really… the ugly one?”
“What are you saying, you idiot brother!”
Before he could finish, Diana struck Allen’s back, yet he still wore a bewildered expression.
I was equally flustered.
‘Come to think of it, Diana has seen my true appearance from the beginning, but Allen and Jack would find this face unfamiliar.’
Moreover, thanks to Raezl, even Duke Elrad and the Duchess had seen my real face before.
“Yes, it’s me. Is it really so strange?”
I understood his reaction, but the embarrassment made me scratch my cheek. Allen’s eyes shifted awkwardly, as though he couldn’t decide what to say. Then, abruptly, he spoke.
“Y-your m-mouth, isn’t it dry?”
“Pardon?”
“I-I’ll g-get you some j-juice!”
Before I could stop him, Allen vanished from sight, flaunting the swift movements of a Sword Master as though it were something to boast about.
I had expected him to be delighted to see me, but this reaction caught me off guard, and I felt oddly unsettled.
“Jack, am I… a stranger to you as well?”
Despite my attempt to hold back, an inexplicable sense of hurt welled up, and I found myself asking Jack the same question.
Jack hesitated before responding.

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