Everyone Was Obsessed With Me After I Became the Youngest Princess Favourite - Chapter 300

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

“Huh?”
Askart tilted his head, his expression clearly asking, “Why would I? Why should I tell you?”
Lucio, possessing at least some conscience, had nothing to counter with, so he clamped his mouth shut.
Instead, he thought bitterly.
In the past, Askart had rejected his request to be invited to the Grand Duke’s Castle with such a cheerful expression, dealing him a crushing blow. His ability to leave people speechless remained unchanged.
Just as Lucio was consoling himself—reminding himself that Askart was Lia’s only older brother and had absolutely no obligation to relay every detail about her, so he shouldn’t harbor resentment—Askart began to speak.
“Lia absolutely hates being recorded on video magic devices! I had to persuade her so much during this banquet, suggesting it would be nice to show our parents.”
Askart began explaining why he hadn’t mentioned anything related to video magic devices in his letters until now.
“Anyway, I promised her that we’d never show these recordings to anyone else and only watch them as a family! That’s why I didn’t write about it in my letters.”
Unable to resist the earnest wishes of her family, Lia had allowed the recordings, but her image came vividly to mind—so insistent and cautious.
Now that he understood the circumstances, it made perfect sense why Askart hadn’t mentioned it until now.
Moreover.
“I should have shown everyone how adorable and lovely our Lia is!”
At Askart’s regretful addition, Lucio felt goosebumps rise along his spine.
If Lia hadn’t been so shy by nature, if she hadn’t set these restrictions beforehand…
Askart would certainly have taken the magic device not only to the Magic Tower but to the Spirit Users’ Gathering as well, proudly displaying his doting on his younger sister and boasting about Lia.
‘And they would have all fallen for her.’
It was hardly an excessive worry.
According to Askart’s letters, love letters had poured into the Grand Duke’s Castle like a flood the moment she made her first appearance at her coming-of-age ceremony.
She was so beautiful that it was nerve-wracking to let her out of the house, and when Lucio thought about how close he’d come to showing her image to those shameless men, he felt dizzy.
In fact, the reason he’d intended to go as the resident ambassador to the Belus Duchy was 99% because he wanted to be with Lia, but he also harbored the desire to show the duchy’s people exactly who the Crown Princess’s lover was—and for that, he admired Lia’s foresight.
‘Her shyness really is an advantage after all.’
Grateful that his lover was wise and perfect, Lucio patted his chest internally and cast a slight glare at the incorrigible Askart.
Unaware that he himself was equally incorrigible as Askart.
Yet his perceptiveness remained sharp.
“Askart, the fact that you’re telling me this now means you’re going to show me too, right?”
Lucio asked, having guessed the true intention behind Askart’s explanation of why he hadn’t mentioned the video magic device until now.
“Yeah! You’re family now, aren’t you? So it should be fine to watch together, right?”
Askart added with a laugh, saying that he’d been organizing the magic device he’d brought from the duchy and had gotten completely absorbed in watching it.
At this, Lucio’s pupils trembled slightly.
Completely forgetting his displeasure with Askart from moments before, he was moved by the breadth and depth of his friend’s kindness.
“Askart…”
“Yeah?”
“Then play it already.”
Of course, his emotion was fleeting, and he was eager to see the video on the magic device immediately.
He was barely holding onto his reason to understand the situation, for his heart had nearly stopped the moment he entered the room and saw the image displayed.
“Ha, you’re in a hurry!”
For Lucio, who was usually so composed, to be so impatient was surprising.
Wondering if Lia was really that appealing, Askart was bewildered yet couldn’t hide his satisfaction.
‘Well, she’s that cute and beautiful, so of course!’
Askart, who was well aware of his younger sister’s charm and felt both joy and relief at Lucio taking the seat next to Lia, spoke with a slight air of pride.
“Yeah. I’ll play it for you, so wait. The length is short, but there are many videos.”
Then, sitting next to Lucio, who had quickly taken his place on the sofa for optimal viewing, he activated the magical device.
As the video began again, Askart, who had been reflecting on those happy days at the Grand Duke’s Castle, suddenly recalled the day the Grand Duke had decided to create the magical medicine.
* * *
It was now the second year since Lia had returned to the Belus Duchy.
Lia, whose hair color and eyes had gradually changed since last year and finally taken on a complete pink hue, possessed an appearance that no one could deny as that of the Crown Princess Bellus.
And the body that had failed to grow due to an unbalanced diet over many years and a lonely life without family had explosively caught up during this time, thanks to living a comfortable life surrounded by the overflowing love of her family in the luxurious and abundant Grand Duke’s Castle.
Of course, even so, she now appeared to be only her actual age of eleven.
“Our Adriana grew 0.3 centimeters taller than yesterday, didn’t she? Just recently she grew 0.5 centimeters! She’s truly wonderful.”
The Grand Duke Bellus exclaimed in an extremely moved voice while checking Lia’s growth diary that he recorded daily.
Askart beside him also sniffled.
“That’s right. I hated milk and carrots when I was young, but Lia doesn’t even have picky eating habits. She’s truly kind and amazing!”
The father, who kept marveling, ultimately could not overcome his emotion and pulled out a handkerchief, dabbing his eyes repeatedly.
Seeing this, the Grand Duchess clicked her tongue inwardly.
Of course, she too found Lia, who grew by the day, admirable, and her dignified daughter, who not only had no picky eating habits but also threw no tantrums, was truly remarkable.
However, over the past two years, in order to present the composed figure of a mother unlike the Grand Duke and Askart, who had been completely branded as crybabies by Lia, she deliberately swallowed her tears.
And she gently stroked the head of Lia, who still seemed uncomfortable with praise or affectionate words and was fidgeting with her fingers while feigning indifference.
“You’re truly wonderful, our daughter.”
Then, with her ears flushed red in embarrassment, Lia lifted her head, met the Grand Duchess’s eyes, and smiled softly.
‘My goodness!’
In that moment, the Grand Duchess’s heart sank, and she brought her hand to her chest.
Though her appearance resembled her own, for the Grand Duchess, who had been a rough-natured person since childhood, it was almost unbelievable that such a lovely and affectionate Lia was her daughter.
‘Perhaps her temperament takes after His Highness?’
Not only her close friend Duke Elrad but even her father, the Previous Marquis Diapel, spoke in unison to that effect, so while it felt like a betrayal, it seemed to be the truth.
Just as the Grand Duchess loved the kind nature that matched the Grand Duke’s beautiful appearance, she turned her head with a satisfied expression, thinking she had indeed chosen her husband well.
Then she noticed an inexplicable, unsettling emotion flickering in the Grand Duke’s eyes as he gazed at Lia.
“Your Highness.”
“Yes, madam.”
“Is something perhaps displeasing you?”
“What?”
“The corners of your eyes are drooping downward.”
“I, my eyes naturally droop a bit….”
“More than usual.”
The Grand Duke, protesting with desperate determination not to reveal his true feelings, bit his lip firmly.
It had been arrogant of him to think he could evade his wife’s keen eyes in the first place.
Even when he first began their romance, unable to grasp the unprecedented emotions he felt, he had only fumbled about until the Grand Duchess directly told him, “You love me,” and only then did he realize his own heart.
Yes. The Grand Duke Bellus, who had visited the Empire for the first time in a long while upon the Emperor’s invitation, had fallen for his wife at first sight when she was the Young Lady of Marquis Diapel at the time, yet he had not realized this fact.
Why could he not focus on the magic books that he normally could not put down for hours once he picked them up?
Why did he keep dreaming of her and waking at dawn?
Why had I rushed out the moment I heard she was attending the banquet—an event I’d always shunned out of embarrassment at drawing people’s gazes?
I truly didn’t know the reason.
〈P-Marquis Diapel’s Young Lady?〉
〈Just call me Stella. And I’ll call you Kale instead of Your Highness.〉
That night in the Banquet Hall, when our eyes had met and I’d frozen in place.
If my wife hadn’t scaled the wall of the Separate Palace the Emperor had provided for the Grand Duke and come to find me, perhaps I would never have known the truth.
‘The Emperor could never have imagined it.’
That I had fallen in love with the woman I’d harbored in my heart and obsessed over for so long, thanks to the Arch Mage I’d personally invited—and that we’d confirmed our feelings and stolen secret moments together within the Imperial Palace itself.

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