Everyone Was Obsessed With Me After I Became the Youngest Princess Favourite - Chapter 188

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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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〈It was during a time when the Duke frequented the Imperial Palace almost daily due to matters of succession.〉
The Emperor, having misunderstood the relationship between the Duke and the Grand Duchess, childishly tormented him while repeatedly postponing approval of his succession.
The Duke, who spent hours each day waiting before the Audience Chamber only to leave empty-handed, happened to overhear the Emperor discussing with the Imperial Chief Mage an ancient “Demon’s Relic” passed down through imperial generations, and soon learned something crucial.
That very evening, the Emperor had invited Marquis Diapel, who had come to the Capital City after a long absence, to the Imperial Palace.
Whenever the Marquis visited the Capital City, he often spent time playing chess and drinking with the Emperor, and on such occasions, he typically remained at the Imperial Palace for the night.
Recognizing that the Emperor planned to use the Demon’s Relic in conjunction with this visit, the Duke found himself with only one choice.
〈Your Majesty! So you were here. I waited all day but you never came, so it seems the Attendant must have delivered the message incorrectly—I came to find you myself. Oh, Marquis Diapel is here as well? My, you seem quite intoxicated. Allow me to escort you home… Ugh!〉
The Duke, who burst into the Emperor’s Palace with such an ill-fitting performance, reached for the very object the Marquis had been about to grasp, and in that instant, a sharp wound opened and crimson blood dripped forth.
Immediately, dark smoke billowed out as the Demon’s Relic absorbed his blood.
〈Y-you! What in blazes are you doing?!〉
Witnessing this, the Emperor trembled violently and roared in fury.
Even as the Emperor’s wrath burned before him, the Duke’s heart remained utterly serene.
Whether he caused such a scene and incurred hatred, death was all that awaited him anyway. His life had already been half-surrendered the moment he stepped onto the battlefield.
Of course, his plans for revenge against the Previous Duke Elrad and the Council of Elders might crumble to nothing, but if he could save Marquis Diapel and his only friend, he would have no regrets.
And the Duke did not hide these true feelings from Lucio, speaking them aloud.
〈I do not regret the choice I made. Rather, I am grateful even now that I came to know the Emperor’s plan.〉
The one the Duke truly regarded as a father was not the Previous Duke Elrad, bound by blood, but Marquis Diapel.
The Marquis had come to the Capital City after such a long absence precisely to lend his strength to the Duke’s succession.
Above all, this was before the Duke had met the Duchess Elrad.
The Duke harbored no thoughts of marriage, nor any intention of continuing the House Elrad’s lineage, so even though he had become a dog whose lifeline was held in the Emperor’s grasp and forced into absolute obedience, his heart remained light.
And several months later, Stella announced her marriage to Grand Duke Bellus.
The Emperor, belatedly realizing his plan had gone awry, fell into deep melancholy, but fortunately did not blame the Duke Elrad.
He believed the Duke had merely been caught up in a chance accident.
Thus the Duke Elrad became the Emperor’s sword, inherited the dukedom, and outwardly became the Emperor’s most favored retainer.
At the same time, a precious family came into the life of one who had feared not even death.
〈Should I return to that day, I would make the same choice. However…〉
The Duke, pausing briefly, then spoke—that should the Emperor’s command ever harm his family, he would never obey, and would one day break that contract, so there was nothing to worry about.
Lucio nodded expressionlessly, yet inwardly shook his head with cold clarity.
How could one trust an Emperor capable of such base schemes?
No matter how loyally he appeared to serve, once his life was held as collateral, he could at any moment become as pitiful as an abandoned dog.
And so that night, Lucio made a decision.
He would resolve everything concerning the Emperor, the Demon’s Relic, and the contract by himself alone.
His father was neither a political man nor skilled at concealing his thoughts.
It was better to do nothing than to risk arousing the Emperor’s suspicion.
Afterward, Lucio moved his residence from the Territory to the Capital City, even knowing the Duchess Elrad would be disappointed.
And he began conducting investigations in secret, hidden from the Emperor’s gaze.
The results were meager at best.
Whether the Temple had controlled information or not, he found it difficult to uncover any known details about the “Demon’s Relic” or any route to understanding it.
It was then that a thought suddenly occurred to him.
‘What if the Emperor were to die?’
Does the contract naturally dissolve as well?
Or perhaps, since the demonic artifact has been passed down through generations to the Emperor, it might transfer to the next Emperor in the same manner.
It was all mere speculation, but for Lucio, it was the moment his future plans began to crystallize.
If ownership truly transferred as he theorized, then negotiating with the next Emperor to break the contract would be the optimal path forward.
That was why. Lucio established the Information Guild and resolved to make Nicholas the Emperor.
* * *
“After founding the Guild, I secretly sought out the retired Imperial Chief Mage to gather any information about the demonic artifact. But whether due to some prohibition, he refused to speak of it at all.”
After hearing Lucio’s full explanation, I exhaled the breath I had been holding.
Seeing my reaction, Lucio laughed somewhat sheepishly.
“This is the first time I’ve told anyone this story.”
“….”
“Not my father, not Nicholas, not even my subordinates.”
As Lucio spoke matter-of-factly about feeling somewhat strange, my heart seemed to clench painfully.
Throughout his entire account, Lucio showed no trace of resentment or anger—only his characteristic composure and serenity.
And witnessing this only made my heart burn more intensely.
I too harbored secrets I couldn’t share with my family.
‘But at least I had Raezl….’
Lucio had been waging his lonely battle entirely alone, unable to trust anyone.
“Raezl said,”
Desperate to lighten his burden even slightly, I finally managed to unstick my lips.
“The demonic artifact determines ownership in countless ways, but the number of times a contract can be made is fixed. Only once in the owner’s entire lifetime.”
So even if Lucio created the next Emperor, it would be irrelevant to the contract Duke Elrad made.
It would be no exaggeration to say that everything he had done so far would come to nothing.
Rather than disappointment, Lucio nodded with a hardened expression.
“I did find it strange. When the Emperor realized his mistake, I wondered why he didn’t break the contract with my father—I even suspected he might not know the method himself.”
But to think the contract could only be made once….
Lucio spoke while rubbing his jaw in contemplation.
“So that’s why the Emperor was so obsessed with ancient artifacts. He was trying to find a different demonic artifact.”
I agreed with his deduction.
The thought that perhaps the Emperor still hadn’t abandoned my Mother was making nausea rise within me.
“Then… how can the contract be broken?”
Watching Lucio finally ask the question he must have been dying to ask, I swallowed hard.
I hesitated about whether I should share this, but my deliberation was brief.
“The contract is automatically dissolved when the owner dies.”
Lucio’s eyes widened at my answer.
He clearly hadn’t imagined he could learn information so easily—information he had spent so much time and effort trying to obtain.
“The contract is broken if the Emperor dies?”
Not knowing such a simple answer existed, Lucio burst into laughter at how futile his efforts had been.
But in that brief moment, I didn’t miss the flash of murderous intent that crossed his eyes.
“You can’t touch the Emperor.”
Speaking urgently, Lucio’s blue eyes wavered slightly.
“Why not?”
He suppressed his agitation and spoke calmly.
“I have no intention of making this a grand affair. We simply handle the Emperor quietly, without anyone knowing. And while we’re at it, we hide the demonic artifact as well.”
Wouldn’t that be good for everyone?
At Lucio’s question, I fell silent.
I deeply sympathized with his reasoning as well.
From the start, I believed that wicked objects like demonic artifacts deserved to vanish, and that the Emperor who wielded them should certainly pay the price for his sins.
But.
“It absolutely cannot happen. If the Emperor dies….”
I bit my lip gently before releasing it and speaking.
“Duke Elrad will pass away as well.”
At that moment, Lucio’s body went rigid.
He spoke sharply, as if concealing the tremor in his voice.
“The contract would be nullified….”
“When the artifact’s owner dies, anyone bound by blood contract to it will have their heart stop automatically. Since everyone connected to the contract perishes, the contract naturally dissolves.”
At my confirmation, Lucio squeezed his eyes shut and remained silent for a long while before slowly opening his mouth.
“Did Father… know about this?”
“…Likely so.”
The Emperor would never have failed to mention it.
If I die, you die too.
So don’t even think of doing anything foolish.
You must obey my commands until your dying breath—he surely threatened him thus.
“Ha, Father….”
Then Lucio let out a hollow laugh and pressed his forehead with his hand.
“You once told me there was a final method. If there were an order from the Emperor that I could never obey, you said I should use that method.”
It seemed he had intended to kill the Emperor and die himself in the process.
Watching him with downcast eyes and murmuring, I felt an inexplicable urge to embrace him.
It was a moment when my fingertips twitched without my awareness.
“Is there perhaps another way besides that? If we were to destroy it completely….”
“Destroying it recklessly won’t nullify the contract. Besides, it cannot be destroyed by human power in the first place.”
At my words, Lucio’s expression darkened rapidly.
I observed him quietly for a moment before speaking.
“Actually, there is a way to resolve this.”
“What is it?”
Lucio asked immediately.
Sensing his urgency, I smiled bitterly.
“I apologize—I said I would help earlier, but I need to take back my words.”
“It’s fine. Just telling me the method is….”
“This isn’t a problem I should help with. From the beginning, it’s a problem I must solve myself.”
At my words, Lucio blinked slowly.
Seeing the confusion in his expression, my throat inexplicably grew hot.
“You’re carrying far too much responsibility on your shoulders.”
“What?”
“From the beginning, the Emperor’s target was my family. Fortunately, Duke Elrad has borne that burden in our stead all this time. And now you as well….”
As I faltered, unable to continue when I had every right to resent them, Lucio tightened his grip on my hand.
“…Thank you.”
Moved by his comfort conveyed through action rather than words, I exhaled deeply and made my declaration.
“Now leave it to me.”

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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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