Everyone Was Obsessed With Me After I Became the Youngest Princess Favourite - Chapter 265

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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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For a moment, I considered lying to avoid disappointing Lucio, but ultimately, I chose honesty.
“No. It’s because of someone else.”
“Someone else…?”
The corners of his mouth, which had risen in an instant, fell sharply.
Lucio asked in a deflated voice.
“You want to stay because of Diana?”
“No.”
At that, Lucio’s brow furrowed.
“Then who?”
“Don’t you know?”
“…Yeah.”
From his expression, someone came to mind, but he seemed afraid to voice it lest I grow angry.
‘I really can’t live like this.’
Even this brilliant man becomes thoughtless when jealousy blinds him.
I spoke in an exasperated tone.
“It’s not Jack.”
Caught red-handed, Lucio flinched and offered an awkward laugh.
‘What’s he smiling about?’
Even as I glared at Lucio, I inwardly believed he would never guess the correct answer.
That was when it happened.
“Ah, it’s Marquis Diapel.”
“How did you know?”
I raised my voice in genuine surprise.
However, Lucio answered as if his pride were wounded that he hadn’t guessed correctly.
“He’s your family. Someone I need to make a good impression on, so of course I’d remember him.”
I knew it, but he truly was sincere toward our family.
My words caught for a moment, and I couldn’t hide the twitch at the corners of my lips as I spoke.
“Actually, you’re the only one who guessed correctly.”
“What?”
“I’m staying in the Empire to see my uncle.”
It was true. When I told my family yesterday that I would attend the coronation, they all assumed I was staying because of Lucio, and no one thought of my uncle.
Only after I expressed my frustration did they realize.
“Come to think of it, my brother-in-law will be coming to the Capital City.”
My father, belatedly understanding, said with a start.
House Diapel had dutifully guarded the border for generations and rarely visited the Capital City, though there were a few exceptions.
The most notable was when a new Emperor ascended to the throne.
‘After all, they must perform the ceremony to renew their oath of loyalty and formally entrust the border to them!’
The thought of meeting my uncle, with whom I had only exchanged letters and never seen face-to-face, filled me with excitement.
The fact that my uncle was a twin with Countess Amber, who had a hand in my kidnapping, didn’t trouble me in the slightest.
“Me too! It’s been so long since I’ve seen my uncle!”
And Askart, hearing my words, decided to stay with me as well.
Mother seemed to have some reservations about it, though…
〈Hmm? You think Ivan will feel left out? That boy would rather feel left out seeing you…〉
〈Father? What did you just say?〉
〈Ahem, it’s nothing!〉
Grandfather’s true feelings slipped out.
〈Surely you’re not saying that you’ll stay in the Empire as well, ma’am? You wouldn’t do that without me…〉
Thanks to Father’s plaintive voice, Mother decided to return to the Grand Duchy.
Though Grandfather would be here, I felt a bit nervous about meeting my Uncle without my parents, so I was relieved that Askart agreed to stay.
“It worked out perfectly, didn’t it?”
Though not because of Lucio, I would still be staying in the Empire a bit longer.
Naturally thinking Lucio would be pleased, I asked him.
“Yeah… it worked out well.”
But Lucio’s reaction differed from what I expected.
He seemed happy, yet there was something subtly tense about him.
As I looked at him with questioning eyes, Lucio brushed his lips once and spoke.
“Marquis Diapel doesn’t seem to like me very much either.”
“Hmm? Why?”
“Well… no, it’s nothing.”
“It’s clearly something. By the way, have you met our Uncle before?”
Around last year, when neighboring countries attacked the Diapel Territory, I had heard through Diana’s letter that Lucio was dispatched from the Foreign Ministry to the Marquisate for peace negotiations.
“Prince Nicholas… or rather, Your Majesty now. Anyway, when His Majesty achieved diplomatic success.”
At the time, Nicholas held the aggressor nation accountable, extracting both an apology and enormous reparations, proving his capabilities.
I had naturally assumed Lucio worked behind the scenes and moved on…
‘Did something happen between my Uncle and him back then?’
The moment I narrowed my eyes in suspicion, Lucio immediately denied it.
“The Marquis treated me well.”
“…Really?”
“Yes. He said I resembled Father and treated me very warmly.”
Hmm, hearing that made my suspicions fade somewhat.
From what I’d heard from Grandfather and through Uncle’s letters, I could feel that Duke Elrad and my Uncle had an excellent relationship.
‘When they were young, the two of them played together with Mother and grew up like real brothers.’
My Uncle tried his best not to speak ill of Mother to me, his niece, but reading his letters, I could vaguely understand.
That the two of them had endured Mother’s torment together while nurturing camaraderie and brotherly affection.
“But why would you think Uncle doesn’t like you?”
You said he treated you well, didn’t you?
As I asked in bewilderment, Lucio hesitated slightly before speaking.
“The Marquis seemed to favor Jack Seidian quite a bit.”
“Ah.”
Now that I thought about it, Jack had volunteered to go to Diapel Territory.
I had sent a potion, yet I’d momentarily forgotten about it.
“He’s your friend, and it’s only natural he’d be pleased to have a capable young knight supporting the border. Besides, warriors always hold their own in higher regard.”
In truth, Lucio was a Sword Master just like Allen and Jack, and perhaps even more skilled than either of them.
‘But the world only knows him as a talent of the Foreign Ministry.’
I felt wronged on Lucio’s behalf for not receiving proper recognition.
I lowered my voice and asked with a dejected expression.
“You hid that you were a Sword Master because of the Former Emperor, didn’t you?”
I was almost certain of the answer, but Lucio’s expression turned oddly enigmatic.
“Well, among other reasons.”
“…?”
“More importantly, don’t feel upset on my account. Even if I hadn’t hidden my abilities, or even if I’d helped in the battle at Diapel Territory, the Marquis would still find me disagreeable.”
“Why not?”
What could possibly be lacking in you?
Unable to fathom his reasoning, I stared at him, and Lucio chuckled softly.
“I’ve never seen his face, but there’s no way he’d look favorably upon a thief who stole away such a beautiful and kind niece.”
“A thief….”
Am I the only precious daughter?
Lucio is a precious son too!
As I silently protested, I suddenly realized how grateful I should be that Duke Elrad, Duchess Elrad, Allen, and Diana all loved me and readily accepted me as family.
If Lucio’s family had disapproved of me, I would have been devastated.
With that thought, I finally understood Lucio’s heart—his desire to be acknowledged by my family, and his anxiety about failing to achieve it.
“Don’t worry about anything. I’ll make sure my Uncle doesn’t say anything harsh to you.”
It was I who promised a future with Lucio, not my Uncle.
My parents, Grandfather, and Older Brother had all recognized and accepted Lucio, so it was unthinkable that my Uncle would oppose him simply because he didn’t approve.
“That’s so reassuring.”
“Just trust me, truly.”
Despite saying it was reassuring, his expression still harbored subtle worry, and I frowned.
Lucio’s reaction sparked a competitive spirit in me, and I asked.
“Do you know when my Uncle is coming?”
Given that Diapel Territory bordered multiple nations, it had to remain constantly vigilant against invasion.
Naturally, information about the lord—Marquis Diapel—leaving his post was classified, reported only to the Imperial Palace as protocol, so neither I nor my family knew the exact dates of my Uncle’s arrival in the Capital City or how long he would stay.
But as the Emperor’s closest and most trusted aide, Lucio was likely to know.
“Haven’t you heard from His Majesty?”
I asked again, determined to meet my Uncle as soon as possible and have him recognize Lucio.
Lucio, who had been gazing at me tenderly, suddenly paused.
“Oh, that reminds me.”
“…?”
“I had something to tell you.”
“What is it?”
“A few days ago, Clara Amber sent a letter to Prince Nicholas.”
Clara?
At the mention of a name I hadn’t heard in so long, my eyes widened involuntarily.
“Clara sent a letter to His Majesty the Emperor? Why?”
Could it be that her old infatuation with Nicholas was actually genuine?
But even if it were, she’d already revealed her shameful side before him and received punishment for it.
No matter how I thought about it, there was virtually no chance of success, so I was puzzled as to what could have possessed her to send such a letter.
“She asked what would become of her punishment, which the Former Emperor had imposed, if the Emperor changed. Then she begged for mercy.”
“Ah….”
The contents of Clara’s letter were completely different from what I had anticipated.
‘At least she wasn’t shameless enough to… wait, isn’t this equally shameless?’

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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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