Everyone Was Obsessed With Me After I Became the Youngest Princess Favourite - Chapter 26

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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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Of course, Duke Elrad was not a man to be swayed by the objections of his retainers, and true to his cold and merciless nature, he would have dismissed such opinions outright.
But the Duchess Elrad, being an ordinary noblewoman, would have faced a different fate.
Having gone to the Capital City in such circumstances, even the retainers who disregarded her would not have welcomed her warmly—so there was no chance the other nobles would treat her with kindness.
‘If stress truly were the cause, I should have prevented her from going to the Capital City.’
Yet, as the Duchess Elrad said, the mistress of House Elrad—the only one in the entire Empire—could not possibly refrain from social activities in the Capital City.
Moreover, while she might ignore gatherings hosted by other noble families, she could not do the same for events held at the Imperial Palace, so I was already worried that she might be tormented by the other noblewomen each time and struggle to adapt.
“My, is that so? How unusual for Allen to refuse an outing.”
It was as I let out a deep sigh and stepped into the Courtyard.
I heard the Duchess Elrad’s puzzled voice.
It seemed she had heard from the butler that Allen had refused to go out today.
“He hasn’t even been dining with us lately… Ah, Diana and Lia have arrived. We’ll make this outing a cozy affair among the ladies.”
Upon spotting us, the Duchess Elrad spoke brightly, though her expression clearly showed disappointment.
It was only natural. It had already been several days since she had last seen Allen.
He had been in seclusion ever since Sid Valery’s treachery was exposed.
‘Of course, witnessing the true nature of a trusted mentor right before his eyes must have been a tremendous shock.’
In fact, when I encountered Sid Valery, I had already noticed long ago that Allen was hiding behind the Back Garden.
But there was no situation in which I could send him away, and since he would learn of it eventually anyway, I thought it better to let him see it directly.
Perhaps I even harbored a hope that he might take my side and say something when I exposed Sid Valery’s true identity to the Duke.
‘But it seems this was too much for a child to bear after all.’
Thinking of Allen, who had since withdrawn and avoided me, my heart grew heavy.
“Let’s look at pretty dresses and shoes to our heart’s content today. We’ll visit the toy shop too, so you can pick out as much as you like.”
“Yay!”
As I stepped outside with Diana bouncing excitedly, I could see Taize and a few knights standing in front of the carriage.
“My lady, young miss. I am Taize Seidian, assigned to your escort today.”
“Thank you for your service, Seidian.”
After the Duchess Elrad finished her greeting, Taize carefully mentioned that he wished to speak with me for a moment.
As the Duchess Elrad boarded the carriage first, coaxing Diana, who refused to leave my side, Taize approached me and knelt down.
“Lia. I wish to tell you that I am ashamed and grateful. When we first met, and now as well… I owe you a great debt.”
“W-well, it wasn’t really anything…”
“You are a clever and capable child, so you may not need my help, but if there is anything I can do for you, please tell me. I will repay this kindness without fail.”
With earnest eyes, Taize finished speaking and moved his hand toward the ornament hanging from his sword.
Startled, I cried out.
“Sir! Please keep my father’s keepsake!”
“…Ah. Very well.”
Why did this man seem so desperate to give away that keepsake whenever the slightest opportunity arose?
Watching Taize withdraw his hand with a forlorn air, I gave him an exasperated look.
It was then.
“Jack, while this is merely an observation, you’ve been assigned your first escort duty—why do you insist on hiding? Don’t be ashamed; come out.”
“…Jack?”
At Taize’s words, as I looked around, Jack, dressed in an apprentice knight’s uniform, slowly walked out from among the other knights.
Startled by his attire, I could only blink before Taize patted Jack on the shoulder and spoke.
“The boy possesses exceptional talent, so I’ve decided to take him as my apprentice. He’s only just become an apprentice knight, but in a few years, he’ll receive his formal commission and become a full knight.”
“Wow! Jack, congratulations!”
I clapped my hands in genuine astonishment.
Jack was truly Jack.
Generally, the process of becoming a knight—what was called the elite course—progressed through the stages of page, apprentice knight, and formal commission.
Of course, there were cases like Taize’s, where one became a knight through distinguished service and receiving a title, or by passing a separate entrance examination, but the former path was overwhelmingly favored.
‘Especially the Lexion Knights—I’d heard their standards were so high that many aspirants never progressed beyond the page stage.’
I knew of his talent, but to think he’d already found a mentor so soon after joining.
I felt oddly proud, thinking that by eliminating Sid Valery early, I’d accelerated Jack’s path to knighthood.
“Um….”
Jack, who had been staring at the floor the entire time, suddenly spoke.
“Thank you.”
“Huh? For what?”
“For stepping in for me last time… and for making it possible for me to join the Knight Order. It’s all thanks to you.”
Finally raising his head, Jack looked directly into my eyes.
“Thank you for making me a knight.”
“Ah….”
Watching Jack express his gratitude quietly while his ears burned crimson, I found myself at a loss for words.
Honestly, I felt quite embarrassed.
But.
‘You were always destined to become one of the Empire’s three greatest knights without me!’
…I couldn’t say that.
So I offered an awkward but genuine smile.
Somehow, Jack’s ears turned even redder.
* * *
The Duchess Elrad, Diana, and I boarded a grand and ornate carriage adorned with jewels as we departed the Duke’s Castle.
The carriage I’d ridden before was impressive, but the true carriage of House Elrad was extraordinary—both in appearance and interior.
‘How is there not a single tremor?’
The seat was so plush and comfortable that I could have fallen asleep right then and there.
As I kept looking around in wonder, the Duchess Elrad, who had been wiping chocolate from Diana’s mouth, let out a soft laugh.
Thinking I’d been too childish, I quickly straightened myself, but my cheeks burned with embarrassment.
Then the Duchess Elrad showed me a snack pouch and spoke.
“Lia, have some too. Before shopping, one should always eat something sweet, you know.”
Oh, I see!
Learning this new fact, I quickly nodded and carefully took a candy from the pouch she offered, placing it in my mouth.
As I rolled the candy around on my tongue, the sweetness spread across my palate.
“My, how adorable!”
“…?”
After savoring the candy for a while, I was startled by the sudden exclamation and looked up to see the Duchess Elrad with a melted, blissful expression on her face.
I’d naturally assumed she was talking about Diana, but both she and Diana were staring at me.
“Unni, that’s so cute…!”
Diana’s finishing blow made my shoulders jolt upward.
What kind of strange expression had I made to warrant this?
My face burned even hotter than before.
I hastily turned my head away and gazed out the window, crying out.
“Wow! We’re already at the Shopping District!”
The shopping street of the Duchy was developed no less than the Capital City.
Along the neatly organized street, various shops lined up in rows—from street vendors selling sweets and snacks to elegantly appointed boutiques.
Shortly after, the carriage came to a halt.
I was watching the Duchess Elrad gracefully descend from the carriage with Taize’s escort when I suddenly noticed a hand extended before me and froze.
“…Jack?”
“Take it. It’s high.”
The carriage was certainly tall compared to my height.
Still, with the footstep there, I could probably just hop down on my own.
But Jack looked so earnest and mature that I grasped his hand and descended, saying.
“Jack, you’re really like a knight. You’re amazing!”
Well, he’d just become an apprentice knight, so he was technically a real knight now.
As I added this awkwardly, I saw the tips of Jack’s ears flush red.
Now I was beginning to understand that this meant Jack was embarrassed, and I was about to laugh.
“My goodness, Diana!”
The Duchess Elrad exclaimed in alarm, pulling Diana away.
Diana had suddenly bitten Jack’s hand.
Fortunately, with the strength of a four-year-old, it didn’t seem to hurt much—Jack merely frowned slightly with no sign of injury.
Rather, the real problem was Diana, who had burst into tears.
“Wahhh, she’s my princess!”
From the situation, it seemed Diana was upset about losing my escort to Jack.
I quickly tried to soothe Diana, but once the tears started, they wouldn’t stop easily.
In the end, I bought some cotton candy from a street vendor we’d passed—fluffy as clouds and soft as wool—and placed it in her hand, and only then did the small commotion subside.
‘Diana’s is yellow, and mine is pink.’
Holding the cotton candy in my hand as Diana had designated, I gazed at it with curious eyes.
‘I’ve never eaten cotton candy before.’
“Eat it quick, it’s yummy!”
Urged on by Diana, who had the yellow cotton candy smeared across her lips like a mustache, I urgently took a large bite.
“Huh! It disappeared!”
The moment it touched my tongue, it melted away so quickly that I was startled by the strange sensation.
The Duchess Elrad and Taize, who had been watching, burst into laughter, which embarrassed me greatly, but the intense experience of eating cotton candy for the first time soon overshadowed my shame.
I quickly tore off a piece of my cotton candy and offered it to Jack.
“Jack, try some too.”
“…No thanks. I’m not here to have fun—I’m here to escort you.”
The resolute way she turned her head was as if she had already become a formal knight.
‘Yet she’s still only ten years old.’
Suppressing a laugh, I said with a dejected tone, “Really? But it’s delicious…” and while Jack was startled by my response and turned her head, I quickly popped the cotton candy into her mouth.
Jack, who had swallowed the cotton candy without thinking, began to flush red from her neck all the way to her face.
Diana, watching from beside us, said “Unni, me too!” and opened her mouth, so I fed her several times as if scattering birdseed.
After walking a bit longer, a Clothing Store appeared before us, displaying colorful, high-quality garments.

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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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