Everyone Was Obsessed With Me After I Became the Youngest Princess Favourite - Chapter 48

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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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“Hmm, hmm. Which book should I start with?”
With cleaning supplies in hand, I hummed contentedly as I made my way toward the Library, located at the far right of the third floor of the Main Building.
“Perhaps I should begin with books on magic?”
After all, I still hadn’t discovered why my mana had suddenly increased.
Alternatively, books on the history of the Empire seemed appealing. I’d grown curious watching Diana study over her shoulder.
Having never received a proper education, everything I knew was merely fragments pieced together from my time at the Guild.
“Ah! Maps.”
It would be good to verify the location of the Mine I’d decided to purchase once I earned enough money.
And while I was at it, I could learn more about the Bellus Duchy.
“I might travel there someday, after all.”
I’d heard it was a stunningly beautiful maritime nation, and Bianca’s letter had only deepened my curiosity.
I could ask Bianca directly through the reply I hadn’t yet written, but she was the Knight Order Commander of the Grand Duchy—surely she was terribly busy.
‘I can’t trouble her with such things.’
Nodding to myself, I walked with excitement until I suddenly found myself before the Library entrance.
As I pushed open the grand doors with force, they swung smoothly inward.
The Library interior was pitch black, devoid of any light.
I blinked, allowing my eyes to adjust to the darkness, and gradually the bookshelves came into view.
I walked straight past the sofa and table in the center, heading toward the windows.
Whoosh!
As I drew back the curtains, brilliant sunlight flooded in, instantly illuminating the dark space.
After opening the windows wide for ventilation and breathing in the fresh air deeply, I turned to begin the serious cleaning—and that’s when I froze.
“…!”
I stood completely motionless. My shock was so profound that no scream escaped my lips.
Disheveled silver hair, a loosely unbuttoned shirt, a book scattered on the floor.
Where had his usual cool demeanor gone? The man sleeping on the sofa with an unfamiliar expression was…
None other than Lucio.
‘This is insane! What is he doing here?’
Technically, this was his house, so he was free to be anywhere, but my shock prevented any coherent thought.
I pressed my hand to my chest, trying to calm my racing heart.
Yet I still couldn’t trust my own eyes.
I’d habitually sensed for any presence when I entered, but I’d felt nothing.
‘What, what is this! Why is he hiding his presence while sleeping?!’
I wondered if I’d simply missed it in my excitement, so I checked again—but no.
He lay sleeping so quietly, as if deliberately concealing his presence, which was utterly absurd.
‘And yet he’s in such a relaxed state.’
The Lucio I’d observed from the past until now was always impeccably dressed without a single wrinkle, his hair meticulously arranged—like a perfect work of art crafted without the slightest deviation.
‘Perhaps it’s because he’s at home.’
The fact that he’d fallen asleep in such a comfortable state.
Even as I recognized I was intruding on his private time, I found myself drawn forward, creeping closer like one under a spell.
My heart pounded harder, as if I were committing some terrible crime.
I approached the sofa and carefully picked up the book he had dropped.
‘I’ll just place this back and close the curtains again, then leave. I can clean later.’
As I repeated this to myself, I absently examined the book’s cover.
How to Befriend Timid Animals
“…?”
I tilted my head and blinked, momentarily forgetting the gravity of the situation.
The open page happened to explain how to feed puppies.
‘So his preference was… dogs.’
I preferred cats.
Cats like Diana—sharp-tongued yet affectionate.
Thinking his taste unexpected, I carefully set the book down on the table.
Despite his neat appearance, his desk was cluttered with what seemed like a month’s worth of newspapers and specialized texts, alongside scattered papers covered in his handwriting, fountain pens, ink bottles, and even popular romance novels that seemed entirely incongruous with him.
“….”
Though we had met only a handful of times, I had known Lucio for quite some years, so I arrogantly believed I understood him somewhat.
Yet in merely a brief glimpse into his personal space, everything proved to be utterly unexpected.
Feeling oddly embarrassed and flustered, I turned my head slightly to gaze at Lucio again.
‘So this man does sleep after all.’
It was a moment when even obvious facts felt strangely novel.
His hair, caught in the sunlight streaming through the window, glimmered like jewels, and his silver-toned long lashes fluttered softly.
I suddenly felt an impulse to touch those disheveled strands.
‘Would it be as fine and soft as Diana’s hair, which I brush every day?’
Now that I looked closer, Lucio’s neat and delicate features with his eyes closed seemed familiar to me.
Usually his cool demeanor obscured it, but from this angle, his sleeping face resembled Diana’s gentle expression.
Perhaps because of that, I felt a warm, fuzzy sensation bloom within me as I gazed at him, entranced.
He squinted, as if the sunlight were harsh.
Without thinking, I raised my hand to shield his face from the descending rays.
But my hand was too small to block the light effectively.
Feeling slightly dejected at my uselessness in shielding even a small patch of sunlight, I grew anxious.
It seemed I needed to hurry to the window, close the curtains, and disappear.
My palm tingled strangely, and I carefully lowered my hand.
“…Ah!”
I clamped my mouth shut, straining not to cry out.
Lucio, whom I thought was soundly asleep, was watching me with his eyes barely open.
His gaze was as cold as if carved from ice.
“I, I wasn’t trying to… no, I’m sorry….”
Despite the words coming from my own mouth, incomprehensible things tumbled out in a rush.
Flustered, I hesitated and stepped backward.
In that instant, Lucio’s pupils dilated slightly, and he reached out his hand toward me.
Crash!
Papers fluttered as everything on the table scattered across the floor in disarray.
It happened because I’d accidentally knocked against the table just before Lucio’s hand could reach me, sending me tumbling down.
‘This is the worst.’
I genuinely, truly wanted to cry.
I couldn’t fathom why I always made such foolish mistakes in front of Lucio.
“I’m so sorry.”
I hastily bent down and gathered the scattered newspapers, books, and papers I’d dropped.
His documents were mixed haphazardly among them, but fortunately, I’d glimpsed them moments earlier as I passed, so I roughly remembered the order.
I hadn’t intentionally memorized them, but it was a sort of occupational habit.
‘I thought his major was political science, but it seems he’s taking law courses too.’
As I quickly organized the papers, I noticed he was either working on an assignment or had compiled information about a murder case that had occurred in the past.
“Here… I apologize.”
I swallowed the rising questions and carefully placed the books and organized papers back on the table.
Lucio, who had been watching my actions intently, took the papers and scanned through them before asking.
“Why did you come in here?”
“I-I was going to clean.”
At my words, Lucio lowered the papers and surveyed the cleaning supplies I’d set by the door and the open window.
“Who told you to clean?”
“What? Well, naturally…”
I was about to mention the head maid who assigned tasks to me, when the faces of the maids who followed her suddenly came to mind.
‘They knew. They knew Lucio was in this library.’
Seeing that he’d even been sleeping soundly here, this was undoubtedly a place he visited frequently and found comfortable.
Even upon realizing this, I felt neither fresh surprise nor betrayal.
I’d already been stabbed in the back by a colleague I’d trusted without hesitation, despite all our quarrels and fights.
‘The lies of maids who’d always hated and tormented me were nothing.’
I lowered my head and spoke to Lucio, who was staring at me as if waiting for an answer.
“I didn’t know you were here. I was about to leave right away…”
“Yet you didn’t leave immediately upon seeing me.”
“…”
I was momentarily at a loss for words.
‘Right, I practically had my palm right in front of his face before falling to the ground and making such a scene.’
I sighed deeply and confessed honestly.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For secretly peeking at you.”
At that moment, his arrogant and beautiful face broke into laughter.
‘Is he mocking me?’
He seemed to have rather questionable taste in humor.
I felt a faint sense of shame and was about to excuse myself and leave.
“You can read.”
He shifted his gaze back to the paper he held and spoke.
“You seem to know quite a few difficult words. How much have you understood?”
I couldn’t discern the intent behind his question.
‘Could this be something I wasn’t supposed to know?’
I’d simply assumed it was an assignment.
My mind spiraled into confusion in an instant.
“Just… a little. To be honest, I don’t understand much.”
I decided to evade for now.
And just as I was about to take a step back with my head bowed to quietly retreat, he spoke again.
“You seem to be running away.”
He opened his mouth as if to hold me back.
When I couldn’t respond and remained silent, Lucio asked once more.
“From whom?”
“….”
My lips moved soundlessly, uncertain what to say, when he exhaled softly.
My shoulders flinched involuntarily.
‘Could he be angry?’
Only then did it occur to me that the servants hadn’t sent me here without reason.
Duke Elrad and his family had treated me so kindly all this time that I’d unconsciously come to regard Lucio as a lenient master as well.
As I studied him cautiously, his expressionless face, which had seemed so cold, now appeared somewhat sullen.
Startled by this absurd thought, I shook my head, and Lucio rang the bell on the table.
‘Ah… He’s going to summon someone to scold me and cast me out.’
I squeezed my eyes shut, feeling dizzy.

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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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