Everyone Was Obsessed With Me After I Became the Youngest Princess Favourite - Chapter 246

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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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At those words, Raezl, who had been assuming the worst-case scenario of Lia not waking up, visibly flinched.
Diana shot him a sharp look, but Lucio’s expression had already hardened.
Diana explained that she was using her divine power to help Lia’s soul and body merge properly and to maintain a peaceful state so her soul could recover, but that opening her eyes was entirely up to Lia herself.
“Don’t worry too much. My sister will definitely come back to us.”
Diana spoke with unwavering faith in Lia, the strongest person she knew.
While everyone in the waking world waited for Lia to open her eyes….
* * *
“Adriana, be careful coming down!”
Askart cried out in alarm when he saw his younger sister leap from the carriage before the steps were even set in place.
Lia, now on the cusp of turning five, grinned widely and surveyed her surroundings with curious eyes.
The girl, born as Crown Princess Bellus with pale pink hair tied in a single ribbon adorned with a large yellow bow and dressed neatly in a sky-blue dress, had never ventured beyond the Belus Duchy until now. Perhaps for that reason, she was utterly thrilled at the sight of the Imperial Capital on her first visit.
Duke Elrad’s mansion, a close friend of her mother’s, was breathtakingly beautiful with spring blossoms in full bloom and fresh green leaves sprouting vibrantly.
As she spun around in wonder, taking in everything around her.
“I apologize for receiving guests so late.”
The Duchess Elrad appeared, supported by Allen’s arm.
“Greetings, Duchess Elrad.”
“You must have had a difficult journey, Grand Duke.”
“Not at all. You’re the one who’s been through so much. By the way, my father and mother asked me to convey their regards. They even sent a gift of congratulations.”
As Askart gestured politely toward the carriage behind him, the Duchess Elrad broke into a shy smile.
“Do you have a younger sibling here?”
At that moment, Lia, who had been gazing curiously at the Duchess Elrad’s slightly rounded belly, asked the question.
A flustered Askart called out, “Adriana,” but her pink eyes remained fixed on the belly.
Since childhood, the exchanges between House Elrad and the Grand Ducal House had been smooth, and they were practically family, so the Duchess Elrad laughed at Lia’s innocent question and nodded.
Then Lia asked again.
“When can I see the younger sibling?”
“Probably around autumn….”
“Hey! Why do you keep calling her your younger sibling! That makes it sound like she’s your own sister!”
Before the Duchess Elrad could finish her answer, Allen bristled and grumbled indignantly.
Lia blinked and tilted her head in confusion.
“But she’s my younger sibling too, isn’t she?”
“What…? No! She’s my younger sister!”
Startled by Lia’s brazen retort, Allen suddenly burst out loudly.
He even widened his eyes in fear that his not-yet-born younger sister would be taken from him.
“Allen, you’re mean….”
Lia, who had grown up showered with affection from her entire family, was eager to share the abundance of love overflowing within her, and she had been brimming with anticipation at finally having a younger sibling of her own.
But Allen’s firm attitude made her deeply dejected.
Finally, Lia, whose lips were pouting, cried out.
“The baby will probably like me more than Allen!”
“Don’t say such ridiculous things! Why would my younger sister like you more than me!”
“Just you wait!”
Askart and Duchess Elrad burst into laughter watching Lia and Allen bicker back and forth.
At the sound of their laughter, Lia’s pout deepened.
I couldn’t explain it precisely, but I had an inexplicable premonition that the baby soon to be born would be an adorable little girl who would follow me devotedly.
And that premonition proved correct.
“Older Sister, my princess! I love you!”
“I love our Dana so much too!”
Four years later.
Allen watched Diana bouncing excitedly while holding Lia’s hand and ground his teeth, muttering, “She’s my little sister!”
But his one and only younger sister adored Lia far too much.
She was a persistent shadow, following Lia everywhere, and whenever he tried to be even slightly unkind to her, she would appear from nowhere to punish him—truly a righteous hero.
She had even once secretly packed her belongings and hidden herself in the Grand Ducal House’s carriage, insisting she wanted to move to the Duchy to live with Lia.
Thus, Diana, along with her affectionate Father and formidable yet magnificent Mother, and Grandfather and Older Brother who seemed willing to pluck stars from the heavens for her.
Lia, who monopolized everyone’s love, sometimes wondered if she might be the happiest little girl in the world.
Yet even as a child, she harbored her own concerns.
“Lucio!”
Lia carefully opened the door to the Main Library of the Duke’s Mansion and scurried toward Lucio, who sat reading like a living portrait.
“…Hello.”
Lucio’s expression shifted to one of mild embarrassment, as if thinking, “Here she comes again.”
Lia furrowed her brow.
She couldn’t understand why he would react that way when she had called his name.
Of course, she had heard that Lucio didn’t make such expressions to others and cherished her like a true younger sister, but Lia found this deeply unsatisfying.
“Adriana, have you come to see Lucio again?”
“Eek!”
Just then, Askart, whom she thought she had successfully avoided, entered the library.
Startled, Lia quickly hid behind Lucio’s back, and Askart’s gaze sharpened toward him.
If Diana’s excessive affection toward Lia upset Allen, then Askart was equally disheartened by the fact that Lia seemed to follow Lucio more than she followed him.
“Lia, surely you don’t like Lucio more than your Older Brother, do you?”
As she peeked out at his melancholic voice, she saw Askart’s face clouded with distress.
Lia quickly answered, “I like Older Brother and I like Lucio!”
“You like Lucio that much? But why?”
Askart asked, utterly bewildered.
“Because he’s the person I’m going to marry!”
At her follow-up words, he recoiled with a stunned expression.
Embarrassed, Lia fidgeted with her fingers and glanced sideways at Lucio.
Then she discovered that he wore the same shocked expression as Askart, and a profound sense of betrayal washed over her.
“When did you say you loved me!”
In a sudden burst of anger, Lia shouted, then froze, blinking in confusion.
She wasn’t the only one flustered.
Lucio, watching Lia speak with such unwavering confidence, found himself genuinely wondering whether he had ever actually said such things to this little girl.
It was then that Askart’s eyes began to gleam as he looked toward Lucio.
“…Ugh.”
Suddenly, Lia’s eyes welled up with thick tears that began to fall.
In truth, she had sensed something amiss from the beginning.
But every day had been so blissful and joyful that only now did she truly understand.
‘They must be waiting for me.’
Even with my incomplete soul, the people who loved me….
Longing suddenly surged within me, and I could no longer hold back my tears.
But Askart, mistaking Lia’s tears as caused by Lucio, urgently jabbed him in the ribs.
Startled, Lucio quickly spoke.
“I’ll marry you! So stop crying, okay?”
In that instant, Lia’s tears ceased.
“What? You’ll marry me?”
She didn’t even realize she was asking in anger.
Lucio nodded with a satisfied expression.
As if that weren’t enough, he wiped her tears away saying, “So don’t cry anymore,” leaving Lia utterly speechless.
The moment Lia, overwhelmed with emotion, bit his hand hard——
Suddenly, everything around her began to blur and swirl like watercolors mixing together.
* * *
“…Lia?”
“Mmph!”
Even though Lucio was no longer visible, my indignation and resentment remained, so I bit down harder with my clenched teeth.
The sensation felt oddly real between my teeth, as if I were truly biting flesh, and I thought it must be an unusually vivid dream.
“Lia, are you alright?”
At the clear sound of Lucio’s voice near my ear, my eyes flew open.
The blue eyes that met mine suddenly trembled greatly.
“You’re awake?”
His expression, unlike before, was tender and poignant.
I blinked and realized I was truly biting Lucio’s hand.
Startled, I quickly opened my mouth, and saw clear teeth marks on the back of his hand.
Yet Lucio seemed unconcerned about the pain, his attention entirely focused on examining me.
“You’re really awake, right? Are you hurt anywhere?”
Tears threatened to spill at his concern, yet my heart still ached, so I spoke with a pout.
“Propose again.”
“Huh?”
“Propose to me again!”
Though my demand the moment I opened my eyes must have seemed sudden, Lucio simply said, “Alright, I’ll do it again,” and coaxed me.
His obedient manner cooled my heated temper somewhat.
‘…Surely I must have chased after him asking for marriage the moment I came of age.’
I wasn’t sure what difference it made, and it felt a bit pathetic, but thinking that in the fantasy I alone seemed to love Lucio, I tried to view it positively.
I heard the sound of him suppressing his sobs near my ear.
“…Lucio?”
“I was so terrified, thinking you were going to die in front of me again.”
Lucio’s arms trembled violently as he gently pulled me close, as if afraid I might shatter.
He must have been deeply shaken by nearly being struck by Diana’s arrow in the Black Forest, and collapsing the moment we emerged from the forest had compounded the shock.
I was about to apologize when I suddenly tilted my head in confusion.
‘Again? As if I were going to die again?’
I wondered if I had misheard him….
“If you died, I was going to die with you.”
His voice, so broken it seemed to crumble, made me understand.
“Did you… remember your past life?”
When I asked carefully, Lucio, who had been gazing at me with a somber expression, nodded after a moment.
So that was it.
The thought that he had learned of my past made me feel suddenly embarrassed and melancholic.
But I felt even more sorry for Lucio, who must have witnessed my death before his eyes.
“It’s all in the past now, isn’t it?”
“…Yes.”
As I spoke, gently caressing the bite marks on the back of my hand, Lucio’s lips curved upward with an expression that looked like he might cry.
His eyes shone with joy, affection, and relief, and I found myself smiling in return.
“Adriana?”
The door suddenly opened and Mother and Diana appeared.
The moment Diana’s eyes met mine, she burst into tears, and at the sound of her crying, Grandfather, Father, and Askart came rushing in.
“You’re finally awake?”
“Dear, how are you feeling?”
“Do you know how worried your brother has been!”
I looked at my family, their eyes glistening with tears as they examined me, and wrinkled my nose slightly.
Before, seeing my family’s faces like this would have made me uncomfortable.
I would feel guilty and apologetic, thinking they were sad because of me, unsure what to do with myself.
But now, while I still felt grateful and tender toward them, I no longer felt that their affection was something I didn’t deserve.
So instead of apologizing for worrying them, I smiled brightly and said:
“I’m really okay now.”

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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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