Everyone Was Obsessed With Me After I Became the Youngest Princess Favourite - Chapter 259

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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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Before I had confirmed my family’s true feelings, I would have worried terribly about Lucio.
I feared they might give him the cold shoulder when I wasn’t around.
But after laying bare all my heart with my family yesterday, I no longer harbored such concerns.
In fact, I thought the atmosphere might turn quite warm and affectionate.
‘Still, I never expected things to be this heartwarming…’
I gazed at my Grandfather, Father, and Mother, each cradling enormous bouquets in their arms.
Watching my family blink with bewildered expressions, I felt laughter bubbling up a beat too late.
There was no need to wonder who had given the flowers.
Lucio held the final bouquet that had yet to be presented.
‘I never knew flowers could suit someone so perfectly.’
As I approached, marveling inwardly at the unexpected harmony between the fresh, spring-like blossoms and the handsome man whose cold demeanor resembled winter’s frost, Lucio turned to face me.
The moment our eyes met, his expression went blank.
“What’s wrong?”
I asked, puzzled by his vacant appearance.
Lucio, startled, averted his gaze slightly before answering.
“You’re too beautiful.”
Thump.
His sudden words struck me like a blow, and heat flooded my face.
‘Is he… serious?’
I wanted to look into his eyes to confirm, but with his head turned away, I couldn’t tell.
Still, looking closely, I noticed his ears had turned noticeably red.
At that sight, my heart thundered so violently I feared the sound might escape into the room.
“Lucio, you idiot! Lia is already beautiful!”
Just then, Askart suddenly cried out from beside me.
It seemed he felt a sense of crisis at having his role stolen—the one who told me I was beautiful every day.
For Askart, who rarely spoke harshly, to call someone an “idiot” was telling enough.
But immediately after speaking, as if realizing he’d been too harsh, Askart’s eyes flickered with turbulence.
“Oh, that… I didn’t mean to call you an idiot. I’m sorry.”
Less than ten seconds after raising his voice, Askart apologized.
Yet Lucio’s expression, having been unexpectedly called an idiot, remained composed.
In fact.
“Don’t apologize. You’re right, Askart.”
“Really? So I was right?”
“Yeah.”
“Hehe. Good to know.”
Askart laughed brightly, scratching the back of his head.
I forgot my racing heart and stared at him with an expression of utter bewilderment.
‘I thought he was my crybaby Older Brother, but could he actually be my foolish Older Brother?’
If that fool was a “foolish Older Brother,” then it was entirely plausible.
That was when it happened.
“Askart, take this. It’s yours.”
Lucio extended the bouquet he was holding toward Askart.
“What? Not for Lia?”
Askart, who had been chuckling moments before, widened his eyes in surprise as he asked.
Seeing how each family member held a bouquet, he had naturally assumed the final one would be mine.
It seemed Askart wasn’t alone in thinking this way—the rest of my family was watching my expression carefully.
Perhaps they worried I might feel disappointed at not receiving a bouquet from Lucio.
But that wasn’t the case at all.
‘I understand that everything Lucio does is to make a good impression on my family for my sake.’
Rather, I was genuinely curious about what he would do next, and bouquets of all things….
It was such an unexpected approach that I felt laughter bubbling up—both at the surprise and at how endearing it was.
Of course, I kept my expression carefully controlled.
No matter how much my family had opened their hearts to Lucio, Askart still insisted I was too good for him.
Perhaps Grandfather and my parents harbored similar thoughts as well.
If that were the case, showing obvious delight wouldn’t reflect well on Lucio.
‘And here I am, so perceptive!’
Suddenly recalling how he’d bluntly told me I lacked perceptiveness, I shot Lucio a pointed look.
Lucio flinched and glanced at me.
Then he sidled closer and whispered softly.
“Yours is in the carriage.”
“…Pfft!”
Oh no, I was trying so hard not to laugh!
At his words, laughter burst forth without resistance.
I quickly bit my lip and turned away, relieved to see my family’s expressions weren’t displeased.
In fact, they seemed grateful that Lucio had thought to prepare my bouquet separately.
Still, I hurried to suppress my smile and poked his side, causing Lucio to quickly distance himself.
Father cleared his throat briefly and asked.
“So, you came hoping to take our Lia on a date?”
“Yes. I’ll make sure we return without delay. Would it be alright if we went out together?”
He’d already received my permission through me, essentially.
Yet the way Lucio asked so politely again softened both Father’s and Mother’s expressions considerably.
Of course, not everyone was entirely satisfied.
“Making a show of propriety when you’ve already prepared everything down to the flowers.”
“Father?”
Grandfather, who had grumbled habitually, caught himself at Mother’s call and quickly corrected himself.
“Ahem, ahem. Still, that is proper etiquette. These days, young people ignore basic courtesy far too often.”
“….”
“But you only needed to prepare something for Lia—why did you prepare bouquets for us as well?”
Grandfather, speaking in a suddenly generous tone as if to shift the chilling atmosphere, asked Lucio.
I too was curious about his reason, so I perked up my ears and looked at him.
But then.
“I prepared flowers as a modest consolation, thinking you would feel lonely once Lia goes out.”
Good heavens.
Did those words really just come from the mouth of Duke Elrad Minor, the man everyone calls cold-blooded?
Even I, who knew how shameless he could be, found myself gaping in bewilderment, and in that moment, Lucio added with a regretful tone.
“Of course, I couldn’t find flowers as beautiful as Lia….”
“Aaah! Stop it!”
I was already flushed from receiving a date proposal so publicly in front of my family, and when Lucio’s compliment about my beauty spilled from his lips once more, my cheeks burned so intensely I thought they might burst.
At a glance, my family seemed equally shocked, their eyes and mouths wide open.
‘Ah!’
Seizing this opportunity without hesitation, I urgently grabbed Lucio’s arm and pulled him away.
“I’ll be going then! I might be late, so please don’t wait and have dinner first!”
* * *
“Hehe, is she really that happy?”
The Grand Duchess shook her head as she watched her daughter disappear like the wind, holding her boyfriend’s hand.
Those days when she barely reached my waist seemed like yesterday.
When had that small child, reaching out her tiny hands asking to be held, grown so much?
Whenever I recalled Lia’s childhood, a tender ache bloomed in my chest.
Yet thanks to pouring affection without regret all these years, the Grand Duchess could now smile faintly, and she found herself reminiscing about her own youth.
‘Those days were truly wonderful.’
Of course, back then, the Emperor’s stalking caused me such stress I wanted to shave off every strand of my pink hair.
But thanks to the Emperor, I also devised all sorts of plans to meet my lover in secret, enjoying thrilling dates.
‘Even though we met every day, each day felt so short. I didn’t want to be apart at all, so I used the Emperor as an excuse and boarded a ship leaving for the Grand Duchy entirely.’
Compared to my reckless, passionate younger self, Lia seemed merely fresh and innocent.
The Grand Duchess turned her gaze toward the Grand Duke, thinking that her daughter clearly resembled her innocent husband more than her own audacious nature.
Her husband, whose appearance made her feel good whether then or now, wore a subtly mysterious expression.
Though I could easily guess what lay beneath it, the Grand Duchess pretended not to know and asked.
“Your Majesty, why do you have that expression? Don’t the two of them look good together?”
“Pardon?”
“You said so yesterday. That we should watch over Duke Elrad Minor with good intentions.”
“Ah….”
Her husband, who was poor at lying, swallowed awkwardly.
“I did intend to. In fact, after hearing Adriana’s story, I thought there couldn’t be a better son-in-law than Duke Elrad Minor. But… seeing the two of them together like this, I feel oddly unsettled.”
“My goodness?”
He had shown an unusual perceptiveness guarding against those who eyed his precious daughter, and now he was even becoming bitter about her lover, whom I thought he had fully accepted?
It was when the Grand Duchess’s eyes widened in surprise at this new side of her husband.
“Gahahaha! The day has finally come when you understand my feelings!”
The Previous Marquis, still possessing a sturdy frame and fierce countenance despite his advanced age, burst into hearty laughter while holding an incongruous bouquet.
“The heartbreak I felt when you stole my daughter with that pretty face! And this fellow Lucio gave her flowers as a substitute for Lia, but what did you do?”
The Grand Duke, suddenly under attack from the Previous Marquis, blinked and moved his lips helplessly.
At that, the Grand Duchess arched her eyebrow slightly and answered in his stead.
“Haven’t I already given you beautiful grandchildren? Is that not enough?”
“….”
At her words, the Previous Marquis’s mouth fell silent for a moment.

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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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