Everyone Was Obsessed With Me After I Became the Youngest Princess Favourite - Chapter 52

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

But I couldn’t say it.
I didn’t understand Lucio’s warmth at all, not yet.
“What am I saying to such a young child? My mind must be elsewhere.”
Duchess Elrad suddenly came to her senses and gently patted my shoulder.
“In any case, I called you here to tell you to study hard and read books diligently in the library from now on.”
“…Yes.”
In truth, it was difficult to understand why I should read and study instead of working as a maidservant, but I nodded obediently.
* * *
Lia quietly left the Duchess’s chambers and headed not to the dormitory, but to the garden.
Perhaps because I hadn’t done hard labor like I had days before, my body wasn’t tired, and more importantly, there was something I needed to think about.
‘I thought the Duchess showed unusually more courtesy to the Head Maidservant.’
Lia had simply assumed it was because the Duchess wasn’t accustomed to informal speech, or because the Head Maidservant came from a cadet branch of House Elrad. But.
‘It was because Lucio was involved.’
The Duchess cared for Lucio, whom she couldn’t raise by her side, and respected the Head Maidservant, who had managed the Duke’s Mansion in the Capital City during her absence.
The problem was the expression on the Duchess’s face when she spoke of Lucio.
Her face bore the most melancholic expression I had seen since arriving in the Capital City.
Even more so than when she confided to the Duke how difficult it was to adapt to society.
“Sigh.”
It was when I unconsciously let out a sigh, unable to stop worrying about it.
Lia paused and stopped before entering the garden.
Ever since I became aware that Lucio usually moved while concealing his presence, I had grown more sensitive to detecting auras. I could sense someone’s presence within the garden.
As expected, a tall boy with a lean frame was slowly walking out from the garden.
Just like that day long ago when he had secretly infiltrated Diana’s birthday party.
His collar fluttering in the breeze beneath the moonlight—a scene like a masterpiece painting.
It was a sight I couldn’t tear my eyes from, but Lia turned her body very quietly and withdrew from the garden.
So as not to disturb his quiet walk. And for the sake of my own peace.
“…”
Moments later, when Lucio turned his head, there was no one there.
* * *
“Rain might be coming.”
I gazed up at the hazy sky, as if rain could pour down at any moment.
Even though it was still morning, the gloomy and humid air made my heart feel heavy.
I forced my reluctant feet forward toward the library.
It had already been several days since I began working in the Main Library.
Much had happened in that time.
First, the senior maidservant and her subordinates who had been sent to the library by the Head Maidservant to humiliate me were all replaced.
The Head Maidservant’s handling of matters was truly merciless. And the dissatisfaction with that treatment was directed at me instead.
But while they continued to cast disdainful glances and openly ignore me as before, they no longer dared to touch me.
Thanks to the order Lucio had given, I spent my days only in the Main Library, never encountering them.
Even my meals were taken with Diana rather than the servants, so there was nothing they could do even if they wanted to torment me.
The Main Library was a perfect sanctuary.
Yes, the second distinct change was precisely the library.
“Sister!”
“Hey, you clumsy thing!”
“Lia.”
Before Lucio arrived, the Main Library—where even the lamps remained unlit—was no longer a quiet place.
Every time classes ended, Diana came rushing to the library.
Allen, who normally wouldn’t even glance toward the library, began visiting after training, and Jack consistently stopped by, insisting on escorting me back to the dormitory.
‘Even the Duke himself came….’
He made excuses about searching for a book, but a single word from him could move several people.
Yet it wasn’t as though he’d come to see his eldest son—he barely spared Lucio a glance.
Instead, whenever I organized scattered books or climbed the ladder to retrieve volumes, he watched me with an anxious gaze, and when he saw me reading difficult texts, he smiled with quiet satisfaction.
And the very next day, the perfectly fine ladder in the Main Library was replaced with one far sturdier and more imposing.
At that point, I couldn’t help but realize the Duke was paying attention to me.
And as visitors began arriving almost daily, I naturally became self-conscious.
The Main Library was officially a common space accessible only to direct family, but it seemed to function as Lucio’s private domain.
Fortunately, Lucio expressed not the slightest complaint.
Moreover, contrary to my worries, the tasks he assigned me were never difficult.
I simply had to find the books he’d noted on scraps of paper and place them beside him, or reshelve the volumes he asked me to organize.
When Lucio wasn’t giving me work, my entire day consisted of quietly reading books.
‘I really wanted to show him what a capable servant looks like.’
I swallowed my disappointment inwardly. In truth, this was purely my own selfish desire.
In my previous life, I’d shown Lucio countless shameful sides of myself.
We first met when I was so filthy I couldn’t remember the last time I’d bathed, and without a shred of shame, I’d begged him for bread, medicine, and various other things.
‘And I even showed him an illegal intrusion and my death on top of it all.’
Still, I was secretly relieved that all those past embarrassments were buried as dark secrets only I knew.
But even after returning, being perceived as a vacant-eyed girl who did nothing but stare at sleeping faces bothered me a little.
So this time, I wanted to complete his tasks splendidly and prove myself worthy enough to stand beside Diana as a useful servant.
‘The work is too easy—I have no chance to demonstrate my abilities….’
Other servants might curse me for saying it, but my body had become remarkably comfortable since working in the library.
“Sigh.”
Yet despite receiving such a fortunate position, I found myself exhaling heavily.
There was only one reason.
‘It’s far too uncomfortable!’
Being in the same space as Lucio was genuinely, truly uncomfortable.
Of course, he was far too busy to remain in the library constantly, so I was often alone there, but on those days when we spent even just a few hours together, the air grew so taut with tension that breathing became difficult.
The vast library was so silent that I could hear only the rustling of pages and the scratching of pen nibs.
It was the same whenever I moved to find books.
Afraid he might notice that I could manipulate mana, I couldn’t even hide my presence—I had to hold my breath and move as carefully as possible.
As a result, I could only produce faint breathing sounds and the whisper of fabric brushing against itself.
When on earth am I supposed to go to the Academy?
He’d said he was staying temporarily since exams had ended and there were no classes, or so I thought.
I’d expected Lucio to leave soon, but it seemed he had no intention of going back for days now.
Perhaps I was just perceiving the time as longer than it actually was.
After heaving several deep sighs, I gazed at the large door before me, took a deep breath, and knocked.
Knock, knock.
“…Young Master?”
No matter how long I waited, I heard no invitation to enter.
Since he was someone who moved about with such subtle presence, I wondered if perhaps he was sleeping like last time and checked again, but it seemed no one was there. Still, I carefully opened the door and stepped inside.
“Phew.”
Indeed, no one was here.
My tension melted away as I went to sit on the sofa that had become my designated seat these past few days.
This spot offered a clear view of the large desk by the window, which was perfect for responding immediately when Lucio came looking for me.
After staring blankly at the desk for a moment, I suddenly stood and made my way through the bookshelves, pulling out several volumes.
“What should I read first?”
Having gathered books greedily, I decided to reread the book about the kingdoms on the Empire’s periphery that I’d left unfinished before.
This one wouldn’t draw unwanted attention.
I recalled how the Duke had seemed quite displeased when he saw me reading this book a few days ago.
It was strange—when I was looking at the Empire’s history books, his expression had been quite pleased, but the moment I showed interest in other kingdoms, his face turned cold and distant.
Even when I’d spread out the Empire’s map, he’d frowned oddly, though I suppose that was nothing.
Perhaps something had put him in a bad mood at that time.
In any case, I’d felt too self-conscious to read it since then, but with Lucio absent, this seemed like the perfect opportunity.
I quickly opened the book and turned to the section on Belus Duchy.
I’d need to read quickly and write a reply, then ask the Duchess Elrad to send it soon.
With a pleased expression, I began reading through the text.
Since Belus Duchy had gained independence from the Empire less than ten years ago, there was quite a lot of useful information.
And the more I read, the more I understood why Bianca had boasted so much in her letter.
Grand Duke Bellus, the ruler of the Duchy, was an Archmage and Mage Tower Master, so it was only natural, but the Duchy was more proactive than anywhere else in cultivating mages, and magical artifacts that were rare to see among anyone but nobility in the Empire were commercialized for everyone here.
Though a small nation, it possessed the continent’s one and only Magic Swordsmen Corps.
Particularly striking was the illustration of the Grand Duke’s Castle, perched majestically atop sheer cliffs overlooking a blue sea—it was breathtakingly beautiful and grand.
“How unfortunate.”
I had no regrets about choosing to follow Diana, but Bianca’s proposal was somewhat disappointing…
“What is?”
At that moment, a voice suddenly reached my ears, and I startled with a yelp, jumping to my feet.
The book I’d been holding fell and fluttered down, stopping at the illustration I’d been studying intently.

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