Everyone Was Obsessed With Me After I Became the Youngest Princess Favourite - Chapter 20

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

“…Huh?”
Taize and Jack blinked in surprise at my outburst, exchanging confused glances simultaneously.
I cleared my throat as if I’d never uttered those words, then continued.
“You know better than anyone that he’s done something dishonorable—don’t say such strange things. More importantly, why didn’t you tell Duke Elrad about this critical matter?”
“…I didn’t want to cause discord. I’ve already burdened His Grace considerably just by joining the order. Even if there’s no open opposition, there are certainly those within the Knight Order who resent my presence. Besides, the Vice-Captain comes from a long-standing servant family of House Elrad….”
I regarded the dejected Taize with cold, piercing eyes.
‘So the knight everyone admires is nothing but a coward.’
I insisted that Duke Elrad must be told everything.
If he truly cared for the Duke, keeping a man who would orchestrate such dangerous schemes regarding Diana’s safety as a trusted aide was far too risky.
Taize’s expression showed he was deeply moved by my words, but he soon spoke with bitter resignation.
“Who would believe my word? There’s no evidence left behind. It would only stir up trouble for nothing.”
“I’m so disappointed! You’re a coward!”
In the end, I had no choice but to push past Taize and leave.
Though I’d shouted in anger, my disappointment was genuine.
Truth be told, I wasn’t a knight and held no particular admiration for Taize, yet I’d always thought of him as a remarkable person.
He was the man who had adopted Jack and raised him into an excellent knight.
‘It was all an illusion, it seems.’
I was genuinely furious and wanted to pretend I knew nothing of this matter.
But having received the grace of staying at House Elrad for the time being, I couldn’t simply leave unpunished the man who had endangered Diana.
Besides….
“This is the kind of work servants do!”
House Elrad was remarkably generous, and they often provided me with the same luxurious snacks that Diana enjoyed.
When I visited the Knight Order Barracks the next day to share these treats with Jack, I witnessed an unexpected scene.
Jack was single-handedly doing all manner of chores—laundry, cleaning, weapon maintenance—for the entire order.
Whether it was due to the Vice-Captain’s influence or because the Knight Order genuinely didn’t welcome the orphan boy who had suddenly arrived, either way it was unbearable.
“I was told it’s work that all servants of the order do.”
“Then why are you doing it alone? There’s more than one servant in the order, isn’t there!”
The Lexion Knights held tremendous prestige throughout the Empire.
Many noble heirs and those who dreamed of becoming knights all wished to join the Lexion Knights, and I confirmed that Jack’s barracks housed many servants of his age who hadn’t yet become apprentice knights.
Yet Jack, unlike them, wasn’t attending to the knights or observing their training—he was only doing these menial tasks.
Taize had apparently left immediately upon returning with Jack for another territorial inspection under the Vice-Captain’s orders, so he clearly wasn’t even aware of this situation.
‘Jack probably experienced the same treatment in my previous life.’
And he must have overcome such hardships admirably and finally earned recognition.
But now that I knew of it, I couldn’t simply stand by and watch this unjust treatment continue.
I immediately began gathering information about this Vice-Captain.
‘I’d prepared various plans, thinking the servants of House Elrad would be tightly-lipped.’
Contrary to my expectations, gathering information proved remarkably easy.
Perhaps because I approached them in the guise of an innocent, harmless child, the servants were quite forthcoming without my needing to offer favors or build rapport.
And the result was….
“Ah, I see. So the Vice-Captain is Sid Valery from the Valery Count Family….”
“Yes! He’s an excellent knight from a vassal house.”
The maid didn’t notice my subtle shift in expression, simply regarding it as commendable that I showed interest in House Elrad.
I, too, had obtained all the information I desired, so I smiled brightly with genuine delight.
Sid Valery.
The Vice-Captain of the Lexion Knights was the second son of the Valery Count Family, a vassal house of House Elrad.
He was also currently serving as Allen’s swordsmanship instructor.
‘So all those vile words were his influence after all.’
I had found it strange that Allen, who would later be called a guardian of justice, seemed to have character flaws, but now it all made sense.
And now that I understood his background, I could finally comprehend why Taize had been willing to simply bury the unreasonable treatment he’d suffered.
The Valery Count Family had held central roles within the Lexion Knights for generations.
In particular, the current Count Valery even served as chairman of House Elrad’s council of elders, making his family the most influential among all the Duke’s vassal houses.
Moreover, Sid Valery had risen to the position of Vice-Captain of Lexion by following an elite path as a knight, and he was renowned for his aristocratic demeanor and a loyalty that bowed only to Duke Elrad himself.
‘In reality, he’s nothing but a selfish and arrogant man who treats all his subordinates like insects.’
It was obvious he’d come to resent Taize, who suddenly appeared and earned the Duke’s trust after spending so long believing himself superior.
And with the convenient target of Taize’s commoner and mercenary background, he’d likely acted even more viciously.
I could roughly estimate how much influence he wielded within the knight order, but I felt no fear.
‘Because the Valery Count Family….’
“Mother!”
As I was lost in thought, Diana suddenly cried out.
Turning my head, I saw the Duke and Duchess entering through the door they’d just opened.
‘Time has already passed like this.’
I hadn’t even noticed night had fallen while caring for Diana all day and simultaneously making contact with the servants.
“Diana, can’t you see your father?”
The Duke skillfully lifted Diana into his arms and naturally headed toward the bed.
“What shall I read to you tonight?”
“The Princess!”
“But we read that yesterday.”
“I still like the Princess!”
Diana insisted stubbornly.
In fact, I’d read that fairy tale featuring the princess about five times just this afternoon.
Diana was utterly captivated by the story of a brave warrior rescuing a princess cursed and trapped in a tower.
As the Duke, unable to refuse, gently tapped Diana’s plump cheek and reached for the book, I prepared to leave the room with the maid who had been with me.
“Sleep well, Lia.”
The Duchess gently stroked my head, thanking me for my efforts today.
I bowed my head shyly and quickly stepped outside, quietly closing the door behind me.
“….”
Until the very moment the door closed, I found it difficult to tear my eyes away from the sight of the Duke and Duchess lying on either side of Diana in the center of the bed, reading the fairy tale to her.
Even though it was a scene I witnessed every night.
* * *
The next morning.
“Allen? You’ve already finished eating?”
At his mother’s words, Allen gave a perfunctory nod and rose from his seat, casting a sidelong glance at Diana and Lia sitting across from him.
Diana, who normally despised beans and peppers, opened her mouth like a baby bird whenever Lia offered them to her, accepting them without complaint.
Mother was delighted that Lia had cured Diana of her picky eating, and I had no choice but to force down beans myself to maintain the image of a respectable older brother.
‘This is all because of that irritating girl.’
I’d been shoving food down my throat since morning, and I couldn’t taste a thing anymore.
I found her face repulsive, yet Lia had to be present for Diana to eat properly, so we’d been dining together for several days now.
She seemed to think she was serving us in her own way, but that wasn’t how I saw it.
Rather, Mother placed far more food before that girl, and Diana fed her far more than she fed me.
‘Where in the world do you find a servant who dines together with the family like this?’
Grumbling, I left the Dining Room and muttered with a furrowed brow.
“Besides, someone that frail couldn’t possibly play properly with Diana anyway…”
Smack!
I slapped my own cheek in shock at my own words.
This was absolutely maddening.
“Why do I keep being so lenient toward that girl?!”
To steel my softening heart, I recalled the words of my mentor and the Vice-Captain of the esteemed Lexion Knights, Sid.
He said that lowborn commoners had no pride and lied as easily as breathing.
They constantly tried to deceive others and possessed no genuine sincerity.
“That must be true of her too.”
I couldn’t allow such a cunning girl to remain at my precious sister’s side.
Now she feeds Diana nutritious beans, but who knows what she’ll try to feed her later.
‘Eventually, she’ll try to manipulate things as she pleases.’
Diana was young enough to be excused, but the fact that she’d deceived even Mother and Father made her an opponent not to be underestimated.
“I won’t be fooled.”
No matter how sweet her words, I would never fall for them.
Even though just a few days ago…
“Miss said you have two handsome older brothers! I thought you’d surely resemble them, but I was so surprised—they’re even more impressive than I imagined!”
When she said that, my lips had curled upward without my realizing it.
But that didn’t mean I’d felt good because of what she said.
I’d been happy because Diana was proud of my brother and me.
“At least she has decent taste in faces.”
Just as I was puffing myself up with pride, I stopped in my tracks.
Now that I thought about it, that fellow Jack, supposedly Lia’s friend, also had quite a handsome face.
After that girl came out of Father’s Study, he joined the Knight Order—she must have definitely whispered something to him.
And lately, Diana’s been coming to the Training Grounds every day to watch with Lia…
“Ha! So just because I happen to be somewhat good-looking, she brightens up around me?”
For some reason, I felt terribly irritated.
So I resolved that if Lia appeared at the Training Grounds today, I would give her some stern advice.
That a man’s worth isn’t determined by his appearance!
But a few hours later.
Allen, who encountered me in the Training Grounds, had completely forgotten such thoughts.
“Hey, what are you doing right now…?”
It was simply too absurd.

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