Everyone Was Obsessed With Me After I Became the Youngest Princess Favourite - Chapter 254

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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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Crash!
The Grand Duchess, who had been facing the Duke with an air of composure until now, flinched as her past was suddenly laid bare.
Of course, it was a story she had already confessed to her children, Askart and Adriana.
After falling in love with Grand Duke Bellus, she had renounced her position as heir to escape the Former Emperor’s stalking and fled into a lovers’ escape.
But.
“Do you have any idea how shocked the Marquis was when you, his daughter and heir, abandoned the family in a single day? He clung to me, raged, lamented—how he tormented me with it all!”
As an objective account from a third party’s perspective flowed out before the children, even she, shameless as she was, couldn’t help but feel embarrassed.
The Grand Duke, practically an accomplice, lowered his head with a reddened face, while the Grand Duchess stammered in a flustered voice.
“N-no, Dominic, why are you dredging up old stories!”
“Well, because you keep saying frustrating things… Ugh!”
Just as the Duke thought he had seized victory and was about to continue his tirade, he suddenly felt a sharp jab to his ribs and stopped in surprise.
When he turned his head to the side, the Duchess gave him a quick eye signal, warning him.
‘What if you quarrel with the Grand Duchess! We need to keep the atmosphere pleasant!’
Only then did the Duke realize he had become far too heated, and he swallowed dryly.
Seeing Lia, clearly bewildered that her family would emerge like this, and Lucio, who kept his mouth shut, unable to join in the adults’ conversation, the Duke felt the weight of responsibility settle upon him.
He opened his mouth hurriedly to defuse the situation.
“You’re right. Stella, your words are correct. It’s all in the past, and I was just being foolish…”
“No, you spoke well.”
However, the Grand Duchess had already quelled her agitation.
“That’s true. Because of the Former Emperor, I didn’t have time to leisurely get to know my partner. Of course, I was fortunate enough to meet someone compatible right away.”
The Grand Duchess, having also soothed her dispirited husband, spoke with a composed expression.
“The important thing is that our Lia is different from me. She’s still young, and there’s no need to choose so hastily.”
“…To be honest, you and the Grand Duke don’t seem particularly well-matched either.”
Truthfully, it only seemed that way because the Grand Duke was accommodating nearly everything, but in terms of personality, weren’t they rather incompatible?
Even so, the Duke muttered quietly, unable to agree with the Grand Duchess’s words.
The Grand Duchess, catching this somehow, bristled and cried out.
“That’s not true! The Grand Duke and I were a perfect match from the very beginning!”
“Ha! What nonsense…”
“Your Highness! Your Highness, please tell them yourself. Are you really accommodating everything? You’re not, are you?”
“No…”
Why on earth had the arrow of conversation turned toward him?
Grand Duke Bellus, flustered, moved his lips awkwardly.
“See? He says it’s not true!”
“Is that even an answer? Stop being so stubborn!”
Marquis Diapel pressed his forehead as he watched the Grand Duchess and Duke, who had begun bickering like children, reverting to their younger selves.
The Grand Duke, witnessing his son Askart shocked at witnessing his mother’s childish behavior as the situation unfolded differently than he had prepared for, ultimately shook his head.
Then, clearing his throat and drawing everyone’s attention, he spoke to Lucio.
“Young Duke.”
“Yes.”
Only then did Lucio, who had been silent all along, respond in a tense voice.
Lia, who had been watching the situation with an anxious expression the entire time, swallowed hard as well.
“It must be bewildering to suddenly change your words after receiving a proposal letter.”
I had thought I might even hear him directly tell me to give up on Lia, but…
Lucio was slightly surprised as he watched the Grand Duke, who wore an embarrassed expression, reading his heart so perceptively.
However, given his temperament—one inclined toward coldness and harsh words—he had merely spoken that way, and soon realized the Grand Duke wanted to say something uncomfortable to him.
At times like this, I thought that being quick-witted wasn’t always a blessing.
But I couldn’t leave the Grand Duke, who was clearly troubled, to suffer alone.
Setting aside both personal affection and political considerations, he was Lia’s family.
How desperately Lia had yearned for family, how deeply she loved them and cherished them—perhaps no one in this world understood it as well as I did.
So Lucio spoke with a bitter smile.
“No, Your Grace. I know my own faults better than anyone.”
“…Hmm?”
At that, the Grand Duchess, who had stopped fighting and focused on Lucio’s response, tilted her head in confusion.
The Grand Duke, the Previous Marquis, Askart, Duke Elrad, and his family all wore expressions of bewilderment.
Yet among them all, no one felt as baffled as Lia.
‘Faults? What faults?’
Lia looked at Lucio with eyes that didn’t understand.
Lucio deliberately pretended not to notice her gaze and opened his mouth.
“When I visited the Marquis’s Residence with the proposal letter, I clearly told you that I would ensure Lia would never be hurt or shed tears because of me. But I failed to keep that promise.”
“Lucio, that’s…!”
“Regardless of the reason, the fact remains that I made Lia sad.”
The Duke, who was about to say that it was all unavoidable because of the Imperial Princess’s schemes with the Demon, clicked his tongue in frustration at Lucio’s response.
He wasn’t unaware of his son’s strict nature, but couldn’t he show some flexibility at a time like this? After all, couldn’t it be said that we’re victims too?
But Lucio’s thoughts were different.
He genuinely couldn’t bear the fact that even if it was because of sorcery, he had treated Lia coldly and escorted another woman in front of her, ultimately making her cry.
No, more than anything, he couldn’t forgive himself for forgetting Lia.
Not just the Lia of his previous life, but even Splecia from his ancient past life.
That’s why, even after Lia awakened, I couldn’t bring myself to propose again and had instead suffered alone, avoiding her.
“So.”
Then, in an atmosphere so heavy that no one could easily speak, the Grand Duchess asked with a stern expression.
“What is it you’re trying to say?”
At this, Lucio forced open his lips that wouldn’t part.
“I fully understand your lack of trust in me. So I will abide by Your Grace’s wishes.”
In that instant, Lia’s eyes trembled finely with shock.
* * *
Bang!
The library door slammed shut forcefully.
Lucio’s shoulders, pushed inside ahead of me, trembled slightly.
‘Hmph! So he does know he was wrong?’
But strangely, seeing him act so cautious only made me angrier.
Feeling my fierce glare, Lucio slowly turned around and asked.
“…Are you angry?”
“Angry? You’re asking if I’m angry? Is that really what you want to say right now?”
I was absolutely exasperated!
I still couldn’t believe what Lucio had said in the Dining Room.
‘How could he say he’d follow Mother’s wishes?’
When did he ever cling to me begging me to at least get engaged before leaving?
“You told me to propose again. You said you were grateful for those words and that you’d do better going forward… and yet…”
It was so unbelievable that I couldn’t help but suspect his affection had cooled.
Perhaps my thoughts were plainly visible in my eyes.
Lucio made an excuse with a wronged expression.
“I only thought we needed to ease the adults’ concerns and restore their trust. I told you we’d only postpone the engagement—there would be no breaking up.”
“Hmph…”
Yes, when Mother asked if he’d break up with me, Lucio did answer that way.
‘But he also added that I’m young and there’s no need to rush into deciding on marriage talks, just like Mother said!’
At that moment, Duke Elrad burst out with all the anger he’d been holding back, saying, “You’re the one in a hurry, yet you say there’s no need to rush into a decision!”
Honestly, I wanted to scream along with him.
“You said you were anxious that someone might take me away, that you’d go mad with jealousy just thinking of another man harboring feelings for me, that you wanted the whole world to know I’m your lover and you’re my man! You said all that…”
And yet he said it all…
I glared at Lucio resentfully, grinding my teeth.
I had always had a good memory, but because these were his words, I remembered them without missing a single syllable.
But now that I’d blurted it all out, I felt my face burn hot, wondering if I was the only one clinging to him.
Embarrassment brought tears to my eyes, and as I turned away, urgent hands wrapped around my shoulders.
“I’m sorry for not consulting you beforehand.”
“…”
“But I mean those words even now.”
“Liar.”
Until he lost his memory, Lucio had been far more impatient than me, unwilling to be apart from me even for a day.
But at some point, he began treating me cautiously, and ultimately, he postponed the engagement today.
‘Hm?’
Then a plausible suspicion suddenly struck me.
As I carefully recalled when Lucio had started acting strange, a peculiar thought occurred to me.
I deliberately narrowed my eyes and asked as if I knew everything.
“Is it because I’m Spleshia?”

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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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