Everyone Was Obsessed With Me After I Became the Youngest Princess Favourite - Chapter 29

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

“Oh, Miss! I… I…”
The girl stammered, her face flushed with panic.
Since she had only glared at me without actually threatening me, I hurriedly grabbed Diana’s arm.
“Miss, it’s fine! Nothing happened.”
“But…!”
“Really. Let’s go play over there instead.”
*Hmph!*
At my earnest plea, Diana puffed out her cheeks and regarded the girl with a displeased gaze.
Then, with a haughty tilt of her head, she took my hand.
As we walked, I glanced back and saw the girl staring at me with an expression of utter disbelief.
‘This feels ominous somehow.’
Since I had no intention of causing a commotion, my heart felt terribly uneasy.
Moreover, Diana’s unusual silence as she held my hand troubled me.
“…Miss, are you upset?”
When I asked the small, downturned head, Diana looked up at me with her tiny lips pouting.
“Dana was trying to protect her older sister.”
“…”
“I hate people who are mean to my older sister. So I was going to scold her.”
The corners of Diana’s eyes drooped sadly because I had prevented her from doing so.
I suppressed the ache in my chest and raised my voice.
“What are you saying? You’ve already protected me, Miss.”
“…Me?”
“Yes. You blocked for me earlier. I can’t tell you how brave and wonderful that was.”
“…Really?”
Diana’s eyes sparkled with doubt as she asked carefully, and when I affirmed it and even gave her a thumbs up, her small shoulders trembled with joy.
Watching Diana’s lips curve upward in a smile, I couldn’t help but laugh softly.
Where could I find another brave warrior so small and adorable, one who wanted to protect me?
Feeling oddly proud, I straightened my shoulders and headed toward the garden where the children had gathered.
I had worried it might be cold outdoors, but thanks to the temperature-regulating magical artifacts, the air was quite warm.
If anything, the gazes directed at me felt far colder.
“Is that the girl Miss brought?”
“What? She’s not pretty at all.”
“Look. She’s wearing the same clothes as Miss.”
Though their voices were barely audible, I caught every word clearly, having heightened my senses in preparation for any situation.
I was somewhat taken aback. I had expected all attention to be on Diana alone.
‘Of course, it’s because I’ve monopolized Diana’s affection.’
All the children had similar expressions in their eyes.
A mixture of slight curiosity and overwhelming contempt.
A look as though I were manipulating the young Diana for my own benefit and comfort.
‘It’s similar to the expression Sid Valery had.’
It was uncomfortable, but I wasn’t hurt. I couldn’t say I didn’t understand their perspective.
After all, I’d thought the same thing myself, to some degree.
If Diana’s favor waned, I’d become an awkward fixture in House Elrad.
So when I went to the Capital City, I resolved to wear the maid’s uniform stubbornly and prove my worth without question.
‘I need to secure funds if I’m to truly stand on my own after leaving House Elrad.’
In that sense, I was grateful that even the modest monthly maid’s wages allowed me to save a nest egg.
Though I’d decided confidently to build a new life, vague fears sometimes crept in.
Sometimes I wondered if it wouldn’t be easier to simply leverage my skills and experience to rejoin the Information Guild.
But whenever I thought deeper, I always reached the same conclusion—it wasn’t the right choice.
There were many reasons, but the most decisive was my former colleagues from Terenthium, whom I might encounter again in the same field.
I didn’t know how I’d react if I saw Master or the executives again, and especially with Jade—I might be tempted to seek revenge.
I didn’t want that.
‘They’re no longer people I can call colleagues, but…’
Besides, if I made Terenthium my enemy, my life would undoubtedly become harder than before.
‘Right. The best path is to live my own life without worrying about them.’
With renewed resolve to earn plenty of money and live comfortably, I scratched my cheek as I surveyed the immediate problem before me.
That rebellious boy over there, solitary and brooding, radiating an unmistakable aura of “don’t come near me.”
Allen, unlike usual, wasn’t clinging to Diana’s side but stood alone, kicking at the ground—and I could see the other children hesitating to approach, watching his mood carefully.
‘If I go now, he won’t accept an apology.’
With so many eyes watching, I’d only cause a scene.
As I deliberated, I knelt down and whispered into Diana’s ear.
Moments later, Diana nodded with the solemn expression of a general before battle, then trotted over to Allen and suddenly reached out her hand.
The moment Allen noticed Diana approaching, he froze, though he tried to mask it with an indifferent expression—until his lips finally twitched and he scooped her into his arms.
‘They’re both adorable.’
The sight of the two siblings getting along warmed anyone’s heart.
Once this atmosphere ripened a bit more, I’d naturally slip in and apologize.
I looked around to gather the snacks I’d promised Diana.
In one corner of the Garden, I spotted a table laden with delicate tea foods.
As I approached, I stopped short, startled by the sight before me.
“A… a chocolate paradise…?”
How could I even describe it?
A magnificent grand chocolate fountain cascading like a tiered waterfall, flanked by chocolate mousse cake, chocolate macarons, chocolate cookies, chocolate cream pudding, and fresh chocolate truffles!
Gazing at the enormous pile of chocolate, I thought the children of Elrad Duchy must have quite the passion for chocolate.
But even as children of nobility, they seemed to maintain their composure—not a single one was reaching for anything on the table.
‘Well, I’m not complaining.’
I barely calmed my racing heart and picked up a plate.
Diana preferred chicken legs to desserts, but since those weren’t available, I was selecting more substantial foods when—
“Hehehehe. Look at you sneaking around like a little mouse!”
A mocking voice pierced my ears.
Emboldened by Diana’s absence, the children began creeping toward me, whispering louder than before.
Everyone seemed to be watching, hoping I would shed tears, but I was not so fragile as to cry or be wounded by such words.
‘I’ve endured far worse ridicule and contempt than this.’
Yet regardless of the severity or frequency, being insulted remained shameful and humiliating.
Especially in a child’s body, which was far too honest—my ears burned hot in an instant.
Barely composing myself, I pretended not to hear a word and carefully gathered all the food onto a plate, then neatly secured the beverages as well.
All I had to do was go to Diana like this.
Being beside that girl would make all this shame and bitterness fade away.
“How shameless. Commoners truly have no pride, do they?”
“No matter how fine the clothes, one cannot hide their origins.”
….
It was the moment I turned to ignore the mockery ringing in my ears.
Crash!
Someone shoved my back, and my body lurched forward, tumbling onto the table.
As a result, the food that had delighted the eyes scattered across the floor, and fragments of shattered dishes scattered in all directions.
The beverage I spilled in the fall dripped down from my head.
Pfft!
The quiet surroundings erupted into chaos in an instant.
Some laughed, while others frowned, their clothes ruined because of me.
Among them, I spotted a girl standing at a distance, covering her mouth with a fan.
The moment I realized that this very girl was the culprit who had pushed me onto the table, my fists clenched tight.
‘I thought she was fine, but it was all an act.’
How distracted must I have been to fall without even dodging a child’s prank?
Many eyes fixed upon my dress, the food scattered across the floor, the glass shards, and me among them.
Suddenly the center of attention, I froze rigid.
Surrounded by these children, I reverted to the helpless beggar I once was on the streets.
Then my hair bristled, and my heart suddenly burned hot.
Without thinking, I grasped the necklace in my hand and wondered.
Would it be a serious problem if I used magic right here?
‘Of course it would be.’
I had wanted to let this pass without incident, not to cause trouble for House Elrad.
But now that the table had overturned and chaos had erupted, quietly moving past this was no longer an option.
If things had come to this, I could teach that girl a lesson the way I used to fight with Jade over meals, or the way I had dealt with the wretch who tormented Jack.
It was the moment the thread between impulse and reason was stretched taut.
“Aaaah! Sis!”
“Please don’t come over here, Miss! The plates are broken—it’s dangerous!”
The moment I heard Diana’s voice, I instinctively shouted.
The commotion in the garden must have reached inside, for the adults began coming out.
I hated showing my disheveled appearance before so many people, but there was nothing I could do.
“Lia? What on earth is this!”
The Duchess Elrad, stepping outside and seeing me, gasped in shock and cried out urgently.
While she shrieked orders at the maids to tidy the surroundings, Diana remained restrained by Allen, unable to approach me, her voice trembling with tears.
Seeing her like that, my raging fury suddenly cooled to ice, and my body, rigid with tension, went slack and heavy.
‘Yes, let it pass quietly like this….’
“Mother! She pushed Lia!”
In that instant, my head snapped up.
Allen pointed at the girl holding the fan, his face flushed as he sputtered indignantly.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————