Everyone Was Obsessed With Me After I Became the Youngest Princess Favourite - Chapter 280

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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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Whether it was the skill of the Imperial pastry chef or the fact that I was eating the cake freely without worrying about my eldest daughter’s opinion, it melted delicately on my tongue.
The Previous Marquis, noticing that Duke Elrad’s expression of concern had shifted to bewilderment, cleared his throat carefully and set down his fork with caution.
Before anyone could react, Nicholas asked.
“Is something wrong? Does it not suit your palate?”
“No, it’s not that.”
“Then perhaps you’re full?”
“That’s not it either….”
Unable to grumble as I usually would and responding awkwardly to his burdensome kindness, Nicholas clapped his hands together with an “Ah!”
“Oh my! You’ve grown tired of sweets because you’ve been eating them constantly. I was thoughtless. I only heard that you enjoy desserts….”
But how did he even know that?
It had been long since my family discovered his weakness for anything sweet, yet this new Emperor whom we had no contact with knew of it.
‘It must be him after all.’
The Previous Marquis concealed his surprise inwardly and glanced at Lucio’s empty seat, vacated when he rose to take the communication.
A twisted thought arose unbidden—why was he carelessly spreading word of others’ preferences—but he quickly corrected himself.
After the divorce, Lucio had continued to watch over his second daughter, whose whereabouts had been unknown, and eventually suspected that confidential information from House Diapel had been leaked, contacting his son about it.
Had Lucio not been there, he would have remained foolishly unaware that secrets were slipping out.
Moreover, though he hadn’t heard the full explanation, Lucio had said he was sending his personal subordinates—unrelated to the Foreign Ministry—to the Liven Kingdom to resolve the current situation.
Regardless of the outcome, if he received such help yet failed to express gratitude and instead grumbled as usual, he would truly be a senile old man.
It was at that moment the Previous Marquis felt both apology and gratitude toward Lucio.
“Then shall I have them prepare dinner a bit early?”
Nicholas asked, his eyes sparkling.
The Previous Marquis, startled, hastily waved his hand in refusal.
No matter how much Nicholas claimed he hadn’t summoned them as punishment, the fact remained that his house had committed a crime, and he could not accept a meal at the Imperial Palace and be treated as a guest.
“Ah….”
But faced with his firm refusal, Nicholas, who relied on and cherished Lucio as much as he wished to grow close to those near him, wore a dejected expression.
The memory of having tried to befriend Duke Elrad several times in the past only to be coldly rebuffed made it all the more bitter.
“I was so glad to finally not eat alone in a long time….”
Nicholas murmured softly, almost unconsciously.
The Previous Marquis flinched upon hearing this.
In truth, he had never taken much interest in Nicholas, the new Emperor.
Power, which he had never coveted in his lifetime, held no appeal now, and his only desire was to live peacefully with his family.
As the Empire’s long-serving loyal subject, he had merely been grateful that someone like the Imperial Princess Serphin, who had become a Demon Worshipper, had not become Emperor.
Only now did the Previous Marquis realize anew that Nicholas was a solitary soul without family.
His birth mother had long since passed, his father the Previous Emperor had met an untimely end, and his stepmother the Empress had withdrawn to the Peyront Territory, her ancestral home, speaking of self-reflection.
Though he had granted freedom to the Imperial Princesses who had been confined, there had been no contact until they came of age, making it difficult now to expect warm sibling affection.
The Previous Marquis wore a sorrowful expression, recalling how Nicholas had not only judged the Empress and House Fayerunt unrelated to the Emperor assassination incident but had even recommended the position of Empress Dowager to her until the very end.
‘Is he perhaps yearning for human connection…?’
No matter how he thought about it, there was no other explanation for why Nicholas showed him such familiarity.
He was his son’s friend, and yet looking at Duke Elrad, who wore an annoyed expression as if to say “His Majesty is pestering again,” one could tell that Nicholas had lacked trustworthy adults around him all this time.
It seemed he himself had also taken to acting affectionately as Askart’s grandfather….
Despite his fierce appearance, the Previous Marquis sighed inwardly, his affectionate nature betraying him.
“Still, wouldn’t it be rather lonely to simply wait without doing anything?”
Nicholas asked carefully.
He had abandoned the hope of dining together, but he still wished to grow closer with this opportunity that had presented itself.
Of course, as Emperor of the Empire, he was not unaware of the gravity of what had transpired.
He naturally understood what the Previous Marquis must be feeling.
But Nicholas, knowing Lucio’s abilities better than anyone, believed the situation would be resolved without great turmoil.
He simply could not state it as certain since no definitive results had yet emerged.
Having anticipated to some degree how the Previous Marquis would respond afterward, Nicholas wished to convey that it was acceptable for him to find peace of mind in this way.
However, the Previous Marquis, fixated on the notion of an “affection-starved Emperor,” remained unaware of Nicholas’s thoughts as he slowly opened his mouth with a pitiful expression.
“Is there perhaps something Your Majesty wishes to do?”
“You mean me?”
He had naturally expected another refusal!
Nicholas, his eyes widening in surprise, cried out urgently lest the Previous Marquis change his mind.
“There is!”
“What might that be?”
“Well….”
As Nicholas rolled his eyes in thought, his gaze fell upon a chess set placed in one corner of the Reception Room.
“Chess! I wish to play chess!”
“…Chess, you say?”
“Yes!”
Nicholas nodded with a delighted expression.
Of all things, chess.
The Previous Marquis swallowed hard and cast a sidelong glance at Duke Elrad seated beside him.
When the Duke had shed his blood upon the Demon’s relic in his stead, the Previous Marquis had been playing chess with the deceased Emperor while raising his cup.
Fortunately, he had since regained his freedom, but that did not erase the past when he had been forced to submit to the Emperor.
Thus, a situation similar to that day felt uncomfortable, and he could not help but be mindful of the Duke’s gaze.
Yet the Duke, even catching the Previous Marquis—who already knew the truth—completely off guard, showed not the slightest disturbance.
‘That scoundrel has only grown better at lying.’
The Previous Marquis cast a reproachful glance at the Duke, thinking he must have deceived him all this while through such performances, though in truth he was mortified with regret.
In any case, it was an awkward situation.
He could not refuse the Emperor’s request, delighted like a child receiving an unexpected gift, yet neither could he bear to play chess with the Emperor again before Duke Elrad.
As the Previous Marquis, overwhelmed by mounting burden and remorse, stood at a loss for what to do,
the Reception Room door opened, and his savior appeared.
“Lucio!”
Nicholas called out warmly, and Lucio nodded lightly before taking his seat.
Though he had not yet made a formal report, the Previous Marquis discerned from Lucio’s complexion that the matter had been resolved well.
When he had first returned after receiving the communication, his expression had been dark, but now it appeared considerably brighter.
In truth, it was because he had heard that Lia had safely returned to the Capital City from the Liven Kingdom, though the Previous Marquis, unaware of this, gazed at Lucio with anticipation.
At last, the long-awaited answer flowed from Lucio’s lips.
“I’ve made final contact with Marquis Diapel. Our forces secured the scene without casualties. We’ve captured Former Countess Amber, Young Lady Clara, and the Deposed King of Liven, and all confidential documents have been recovered.”
The result did not disappoint the Emperor’s trust in the slightest.
Only then did the Previous Marquis release the tension he’d been holding, realizing we’d avoided the worst-case scenario. And a beat too late, he understood something.
Lucio had reported to him before reporting to the Emperor.
For a moment, I glanced around in surprise, but Nicholas continued listening to Lucio’s report with an utterly unconcerned expression.
When Lucio mentioned that the Deposed King would be escorted to Liven Kingdom, and that Regina and Clara would be transported to the Capital City by Marquis Diapel himself four days hence, the Previous Marquis squeezed his eyes shut.
Before anyone could stop him, he dropped to his knees swiftly.
“Your Majesty, though you said you would not hold me accountable, I humbly beseech you. Please allow me to bear the burden of my son’s sins in his stead.”
“But Marquis, the Former Countess is….”
“No. I’m not speaking of Regina.”
The Previous Marquis raised his hand to cut off Duke Elrad’s words and bowed deeply toward Nicholas.
“Ivan—my son could not turn away from his bloodline out of concern for his aging father. Though he made mistakes, his loyalty is no falsehood. I beg you, grant him another chance.”
As the Previous Marquis finished speaking, silence descended upon the Reception Room.
Duke Elrad quietly pressed his forehead with his hand.
‘Now that I think about it….’
I had overlooked Marquis Diapel, who stood between them all.
Of course, I hadn’t forgotten Ivan, whom I’d regarded as a true younger brother since childhood.
But watching him constantly squeezed between my formidable older sister and my vain twin younger sisters, I had thoughtlessly dismissed him as a victim and moved on.

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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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