Everyone Was Obsessed With Me After I Became the Youngest Princess Favourite - Chapter 87

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

Back when I was learning accounting under Rope’s supervision, he’d always say, “When you’re feeling down, count your money!” and he was absolutely right.
After returning from my outing, the melancholy that had lingered for some time completely vanished.
Of course, when Allen returned from the Imperial Palace and saw me devouring the ruined cake, he teased me for sneaking out with Diana and leaving him behind, but his mood softened when he bought me a fresh one.
‘But being forcibly dragged to the Training Grounds was really not my preference.’
Just as I’d finally calmed myself, the moment I arrived at the Training Grounds, my memories of Master became vivid once more.
So, overwhelmed by the unpleasant feeling, I ended up demonstrating my true abilities without thinking.
Fortunately, Duke Elrad had taken Taize and the elite knights of Lexion for their regular training, so the Training Grounds held only a handful of apprentice knights and servants organizing the storage.
Of course, after my sparring match with Allen ended, I felt a twinge of regret, but… truthfully, I didn’t worry much about it.
‘Who would ever believe it? That someone as small and scrawny as me could handle a sword so well.’
Even if word reached Taize’s ears again, I could simply claim I hadn’t learned, as I’d said many times before.
In any case, mana stones aside, I’d already submitted a separate investment list to Duke Elrad, so all that remained was to earn money.
‘At this rate, won’t I become the wealthiest person in the entire Empire?’
Luxury estates near the Imperial Palace were no longer the issue—if all went well, I could even purchase a castle in each of the other regions where I’d bought land.
‘Then I should invite Diana and everyone to enjoy exquisite, delicious food.’
And if I could give them wonderful gifts, that would truly make me happy.
“Hehe.”
“Sister?”
As I laughed foolishly, Diana, who had been holding my hand, tilted her head curiously.
“Why are you laughing? Dana wants to laugh too!”
“Well… it’s just that thinking about spending happy moments with you made me feel so joyful.”
“Dana too! Dana is so happy to go with sister today!”
Diana bounced excitedly, her twin braids swaying with her movements.
“Young Miss, your hair will come undone! Please be careful.”
“Oh! No!”
Worried that her carefully arranged hair would be ruined, I quickly stopped her, and Diana immediately grabbed both sides of her head with her hands.
“Ah, how adorable! How can our young miss be so incredibly cute?”
“Dana is naturally cute!”
“That’s right. Young Miss has been the cutest in the world since birth.”
“Sister is the most beautiful in the world!”
“Well now, you two certainly do get along well.”
While Diana and I were enjoying our pleasant time together on the small sofa in the hall, an intruder appeared.
It was Allen, with his sullen expression.
“Young Master, did you pout because you couldn’t go to the Imperial Palace with Young Miss today?”
“He’s pouting, he’s definitely pouting!”
As I jested and asked, Diana giggled beside me and teased Allen mercilessly.
Allen’s face quickly flushed crimson, and he huffed indignantly.
“You think I’m upset because I couldn’t go to the Imperial Palace?”
“Then why are you acting like this, sir?”
“That’s because! I, well…”
“Why are you picking a fight for no reason, Allen?”
At that moment, Duke Elrad and Duchess Elrad descended the staircase.
“I wasn’t picking a fight!”
“That boy has no sense of propriety.”
Despite his words, the Duke found his youngest son endearing and reached out to ruffle Allen’s hair as his lips pouted.
I approached Duchess Elrad.
“Madam, are you feeling well?”
Her complexion seemed paler than usual. Though she was elegantly dressed and her makeup concealed it, making her appear as radiant as always, I—who observed her meticulously each day—could tell.
“I’m fine. I simply lost a bit of sleep.”
“A bit? You didn’t sleep a wink all night.”
The Duke furrowed his brow and spoke.
“If you’re unwell, you don’t have to attend.”
“How could I not? On a day like today…”
At Duchess Elrad’s words, I grimaced.
Of all days, today was the Empress’s birthday.
And yesterday had been the death anniversary of the Empress’s parents, the Former Duke and Duchess Fayrent.
When the Empress was still a girl—the Imperial Princess of Fayrent—the Former Duke and Duchess Fayrent had set out from their territory to the Capital City to celebrate their daughter’s birthday, but they perished in a carriage accident on the same day and hour.
After that, the Imperial Princess’s birthday transformed from a celebration into a day of mourning.
However, as the Empress of the Empire, it could not pass quietly. Instead of grand banquets, the Empress held light tea parties with noblewomen on her birthday, much like today.
And this was an event that no noblewoman or young lady of the Capital City could possibly miss.
‘Even Duchess Fayrent, who rarely engaged in social activities, never failed to attend.’
“But didn’t you say your chest felt heavy? There’s no need to force yourself when you’re in pain.”
At the Duke’s words, I was startled.
“Madam, your chest hurts? So much that you couldn’t sleep?”
“Well, I suppose. It does feel rather tight.”
Watching Duchess Elrad speak as if it were nothing, I felt an inexplicable unease.
The Duke, too, seemed concerned and spoke again.
“Stop being stubborn and truly rest. Last time I saw it, Her Majesty the Empress seemed quite favorable toward you.”
“Favorable? Don’t you remember how awkward the atmosphere was last time?”
As Duchess Elrad countered, the Duke tilted his head.
“Wasn’t it quite pleasant? Ah, yes. At first, it did become a bit awkward when we realized Lucio hadn’t come. After all, the Imperial Princess… Ugh!”
At that moment, Duchess Elrad jabbed the Duke’s side with a light tap.
The bewildered Duke received a whispered warning from Duchess Elrad: “Don’t say unnecessary things.”
I carefully asked.
“At the last Imperial Palace banquet, did your eldest son not attend?”
After asking, I felt a pang of guilt—perhaps the question was overstepping—but fortunately, it didn’t seem unnatural given the flow of conversation.
“That’s right, Lucio didn’t come. He was probably exhausted from Academy classes. Besides, he rarely comes home, so attending the Imperial Palace would be out of the question.”
At Duchess Elrad’s answer, I tilted my head.
The Academy was practically adjacent to the Imperial Palace, making it far closer than Elrad Duke’s Mansion, which was already considered near the Imperial Palace.
‘And besides, could one really refuse an Imperial invitation like that?’
“Still, it would be nice if he came home at least once every two weeks, or at the very least once a month. Wouldn’t you agree?”
It had been several months since the break ended, and Duchess Elrad seemed quite displeased that Lucio hadn’t visited home.
I smiled softly and nodded, saying, “Indeed,” when she suddenly brightened.
“That’s right! I do wish Lucio would visit home more often!”
“…?”
Though puzzled by the Duchess’s sudden cheerfulness, I simply nodded along.
And immediately my thoughts drifted elsewhere.
After returning from that outing, I’d been so preoccupied with what I’d witnessed regarding Master that I hadn’t carefully examined the details of my visit to the Imperial Palace.
‘I was too busy observing the servants, after all.’
Yet this newly realized fact stirred an oddly unsettling feeling within me.
I repeated the same words over and over in my mind.
‘On the day I went out, Lucio did not visit the Imperial Palace….’
* * *
The headquarters of Darel, in the Guild Master’s office.
Lucio, who had been flipping through documents while seated at the table, suddenly flinched.
‘Something just now….’
A chill ran down his spine.
It was as Lucio raised his eyebrows slightly at this inexplicable sense of unease.
Bang!
The door suddenly burst open, and a man in a robe came rushing in.
“Tell me, tell me, tell me! I can’t sleep because I’m so curious!”
“…So it was this.”
“What are you talking about? Stop changing the subject and just tell me. Who exactly sold that mana stone? Huh? Who is it? Just tell me!”
The man cried out desperately, but Lucio let out a scoff.
It was absurd that he’d felt such a sense of crisis for this person’s arrival.
Yet the man was persistently stubborn.
For a month now, he’d been coming every single day without fail, pestering him relentlessly.
“I cannot disclose that information. I believe I’ve already mentioned this, Your Majesty.”
At Lucio’s words, Nicholas threw off his robe and sat in the adjacent chair with a huff.
“What do you mean the Information Guild won’t sell information? I said I’d pay! Honestly, shouldn’t I be allowed to know? It would be good to build rapport in advance!”
“The non-disclosure of personal information is explicitly stated as a contractual condition, is it not?”
“Seriously…! I’m not going to tell anyone! No matter what, I’m someone who had a tremendous influence on the establishment of this Guild, aren’t I? I created it so I could become Emperor!”
“That may be true, but shouldn’t we maintain a distinction between public and private matters?”
“Really, you’ve become quite the merchant! No one would know. That the noble Duke Elrad is such a calculating businessman!”
Lucio let Nicholas’s sarcasm go in one ear and out the other as he asked.
“Weren’t you supposed to go to the Imperial Palace?”
“I did go. I just showed my face and left. That’s how it always is. Honestly, would the Empress even want to see someone like me on her birthday? Either way, as a member of the imperial family, I must observe the formalities.”
As Nicholas finished speaking, his expression darkened.
“You cunning fox! Did you just try to change the subject?”
“I was merely asking out of curiosity.”
“Since when have you cared about my visits to the palace…? Ah! Now that I think about it, the Duchess Elrad and the youngest Imperial Princess also went to the palace today, didn’t they?”
Nicholas rubbed his chin as if he’d just realized something, a peculiar smile playing across his face.

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