Everyone Was Obsessed With Me After I Became the Youngest Princess Favourite - Chapter 288

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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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Already frustrated by having to manage both the coronation ceremony and the procession, leaving me unable to enter the Banquet Hall with Lia, I couldn’t fathom what this sudden nonsense was about.
Of course, Nicholas had been mentioning marriage for quite some time now.
But surely that had all been about alliances with prominent houses.
“Surely you don’t intend to use marriage as a tool even after ascending to the throne?”
“Hmm?”
“Well, I understand you’ve had more on your mind since becoming Emperor. You’d want to find a supporting house that strengthens imperial authority without harboring ambitions for power itself. But if you keep fixating on conditions alone, you’ll miss what truly matters….”
“Wait, Lucio!”
Normally, Nicholas would listen intently to Lucio’s counsel, trusting and relying on him more than anyone else.
But now the direction of advice he sought was different, and he couldn’t bear being misunderstood as a fool who couldn’t grasp a point repeated several times, so he had no choice but to cut him off hastily.
Nicholas glanced awkwardly at the bewildered Lucio before speaking shyly.
“I’m not saying I want to exploit marriage or marry based on conditions alone. It’s just….”
“…?”
“When you said you were getting married, it made me think I wanted to get married too. Well, technically an engagement, but still.”
…If I die, will he follow me to death?
Lucio swallowed the words rising to his throat, mindful that Nicholas was the Emperor.
He knew Nicholas relied on him and even secretly admired him, but he never expected him to want to follow suit with marriage itself.
“So you’re saying you want a love marriage like mine, Your Majesty?”
“Exactly!”
“…As I’ve said repeatedly, couldn’t you at least choose your own marriage partner?”
In truth, asking for an introduction was absurd.
The only women around Lucio were the Duchess Elrad, Diana, and Lia—so who on earth was he supposed to introduce to Nicholas?
Even during his Academy days, he’d felt admiring gazes from both men and women, but with the Imperial Princess’s predatory gaze looming over him, few had actually handed him love letters or confessed.
‘Though that was convenient, I suppose.’
Lucio smiled faintly as he suddenly recalled Lia asking him about his Academy days during their last date.
Nicholas, catching this, sparkled with interest.
The most remarkable change Nicholas had noticed since Lucio began his romance was precisely this smile that appeared in unexpected moments.
As if he felt happiness even while doing nothing, Nicholas felt intensely envious.
That’s why he harbored the wish to meet someone he loved, establish a stable relationship, and experience that contentment himself.
Moreover, deep within lay an enormous ambition.
‘If I start a romance around the same time as Lucio and then marry, wouldn’t our children be born around the same time too?’
Then it would be nice if the children grew close from a young age.
Most importantly.
‘If they’re different genders, I could even arrange a marriage between them, right?’
Nicholas had witnessed firsthand how the Previous Emperor’s plan to make the Crown Princess Bellus his daughter-in-law had fallen apart due to a covenant written by the Grand Duchess Bellus and Duke Elrad to become in-laws when they were young.
In that chaos, he had dreamed of a future where he too would become in-laws with Lucio.
Of course, he lacked the courage to present a covenant to Lucio, but one never knows what fate holds.
‘If affection naturally develops from childhood, then as adults….’
Moreover, if the child were Lucio’s, Nicholas felt he could cherish and care for them as his own.
In any case, now that he’d genuinely decided to marry, he’d mustered the courage to speak, hoping Lucio would recommend someone, but the response suggesting he had no intention of involving himself in his marriage was disappointing.
‘Before, he stopped me from marrying without love, but now that I’m saying I’ll do it properly with romance, why…. Isn’t he being too indifferent to me?’
Nicholas, who would have been appalled if Lucio heard his thoughts, grumbled openly, making no effort to hide his disappointment.
“If that’s the case, consider it a commission I’ve received as Guild Master of Darel. Since she’ll become Empress, she should at least be of noble birth. Honestly, I don’t see why it matters, but my mother’s status might cause unnecessary controversy. And ideally, I’d prefer a family aligned with the Imperial Faction, though the Nobility Faction wouldn’t be a problem. Just exclude any family too close to Serphin. As you know, the young ladies of that house have insulted me more than once or twice. Of course, even if most people follow the prevailing winds, I’m only human. Oh, and I haven’t given appearance much thought, but if I had to choose, I’d prefer someone pure and refined rather than a dazzling beauty….”
As he spoke, Nicholas forgot his disappointment entirely and earnestly described his ideal type, unaware that Lucio’s gaze had turned glacially cold.
“I’d like her to be intelligent, but I can’t stand someone who hides their true nature, lies, and tries to deceive me. I’d prefer someone pure but not naive—someone who won’t be easily swayed or bent by those around her, yet isn’t too rigid either, with a gentle disposition. Someone who subtly knows how to consider others and possesses wisdom would be ideal! Lucio, you understand, right?”
After a long breath, Nicholas laid out all his desired conditions, then looked at Lucio with a mixture of pride and hopeful anticipation.
Knowing how excellent the Information Guild Darel was and how high their commission success rate stood, he couldn’t help but feel excited.
However.
“I cannot accept this commission.”
“What? Why not!”
“It would be faster to introduce a young lady from a loyal family, as you’ve mentioned before. I didn’t realize you had such excessive demands….”
Lucio clicked his tongue and sighed, as if he’d grown tired of merely listening.
Sensing even a hint of disgust, Nicholas’s complexion rapidly deteriorated.
“Did I… go too far?”
Lucio looked at him with a cold gaze, as if questioning whether that even counted as an apology.
Stung, Nicholas averted his eyes and stammered an excuse.
“I just started thinking of various things as I spoke.”
“It doesn’t seem like you’ve only thought about this once or twice.”
“That is…!”
It was true.
Though I sang the praises of a political marriage, deep down I always hoped there might be someone who would support and believe in me regardless of conditions.
So I often imagined what it would be like if the person standing beside me were someone like that.
In reality, I was marked as someone to avoid by noble young ladies, spending my time in the Garden whenever a banquet was held, and I intended to do the same today despite the changed circumstances….
In any case, it was something I’d only ever imagined in my head without anyone knowing, but now that Lucio seemed to have seen through my heart, my face burned crimson.
Fortunately, rather than pointing out Nicholas’s feelings, Lucio spoke gently.
“Your Majesty. You said you wanted a love match, like I did.”
“Yes.”
“Of course, the conditions you mentioned are… somewhat excessive, but if I consider them personal preference, I can understand them. To be honest, as a subject, I’m rather pleased. It seems Your Majesty understands your position and circumstances well.”
Lucio added that at least it didn’t seem like I would abandon my duties and obligations for the sake of a woman.
“That’s not possible. My goal is to become a great ruler remembered in history!”
“Is that so?”
“Yes!”
Lucio chuckled softly, as if he could already guess what Nicholas’s true dream really was.
“Then I can speak with even greater confidence. If you truly wish to meet someone you genuinely love and marry them, erase everything you just said from your mind. Because when you truly fall in love, none of those conditions will matter at all. Even if her status doesn’t match, her family’s standing is inferior, she once insulted you in the past, her appearance isn’t to your taste, and she’s cunning and deceitful—none of her flaws will catch your eye.”
“…!”
Nicholas’s expression turned to shock at words he couldn’t believe had come from Lucio’s mouth.
“Really? Truly, if you fall in love, does it work that way?”
“Yes. And only the person involved will be able to recognize that someone. So find them yourself, Your Majesty. Perhaps a perfect person will appear in your eyes.”
“….”
Nicholas blinked blankly, his expression dazed.
That Lucio, of all people, would offer such advice.
I found it fascinating how falling in love could transform even the most indifferent and cold-hearted person in such a way.
Nicholas, whose heart was now racing with excitement, asked with a bashful expression.
“Then Lucio, is it the same for you?”
“What do you mean, sir?”
“I’m asking if you’re so fond of the Crown Princess Bellus that none of her flaws even register with you.”
Lucio then responded as if the question were absurd.
“Lia has no flaws whatsoever.”

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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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