Everyone Was Obsessed With Me After I Became the Youngest Princess Favorite

“Dhambar?”

When I asked in surprise, Duchess Peirunt clapped her hands and said.

“Oh, come to your senses. I forgot to mention that.”

She said it as if it was nothing, but I felt my heart sink.

‘Are you going back to the kingdom after all? Are you really getting a divorce?’

Unlike how I tried to save Duchess Elad, I couldn’t know the details of the Duchess Peirunt’s situation or intervene.

‘But since things have changed since before, I thought it might have an effect… … .’

Duchess Peirunt was the first person Duchess Elad had opened up to in the war-like social circle. Furthermore, Aiden was Diana’s first friend, so it was sad and regretful to think of them parting ways like this.

‘…Huh? But why is Aiden going to the kingdom?’

As I thought about Aiden’s words, it felt strange. When Duchess Peirunt divorced and returned to the kingdom, Aiden stayed in the empire. He was also the only blood relative of Duke Peirunt, and since the duke had not remarried, he naturally became the successor.

I was blinking my eyes out of curiosity when I heard Duchess Elad’s worried voice.

“You’re suddenly going to the kingdom. What’s going on?”

“It’s nothing. I haven’t been there since I gave birth to Aiden, so I’m going to go. Aiden has also shown interest in the kingdom, so my husband took a vacation and we decided to go together.”

“Oh my, the duke is with you?”

Duchess Elad asked in surprise.

I was surprised too.

“I told you not to, but you insisted on taking a vacation and going together.”

“Oh my, the duke must be a very loving husband. Still, His Majesty the Emperor wouldn’t have allowed it easily. It takes dozens of days just to get to the kingdom.”

I nodded in agreement with the words mixed with concern.

Duke Peirunt was the prime minister who was in charge of important decisions for the empire. It wouldn’t be an easy decision for someone like him to be away for a long period of time.

‘Why is Duke Peirunt going there in the first place?’

I looked at him in astonishment, but Duchess Peirunt simply shrugged.

“Well, I’ve been working nonstop until now, so shouldn’t I be able to use that much vacation time?”

“That’s true, but…”

“Well, I heard he said he would step down as prime minister if you kept stopping him.”

My mouth fell open involuntarily at the flowing words. At that moment, Duchess Peirunt’s eyes fell on me.

“Come to think of it, our first family trip was also thanks to Lia.”

“…?”

“After my wife collapsed, Aiden and I were depressed for a while, so my husband asked. If you want to visit your hometown, I’ll make time.”

Even now, she couldn’t express how surprised she was at that time, and she let out a hollow laugh.

According to what she said afterward, Duchess Peirunt had thought the Duke had been avoiding her homeland, the Kingdom of Dhamba.

She had thought that the Duke had no feelings for her, even though they had entered into a political marriage according to a promise between countries. However, the Duke…

〈What are you talking about! It was a political marriage, but I wanted to marry you. And you hate your country… I was the one who avoided the topic because I thought you would be uncomfortable!〉

…He jumped up.

Upon finding out, the Duke and Duchess Peirunt, who had been living in a distant relationship without any sincere conversations until now, had been talking more and more recently since the Duchess began visiting Duke Elad’s residence.

Then, when Aiden became interested in the Kingdom of Dhamba and even made traditional snacks himself, the duke realized his misunderstanding and suggested a trip.

Unlike the future when they were getting divorced, it felt strange to hear the story of a couple who were getting along well and sharing their inner feelings.

“Actually, my husband could have misunderstood. I was so homesick that I avoided talking about the Kingdom. Even though it had been several years since I gave birth to a child and lived in the Empire, I still couldn’t stop thinking that I was a foreigner… If those days had continued, I might have suddenly returned home one day.”

I sighed inwardly at the sight of Duchess Peirunt speaking self-deprecatingly. Because I knew that she really meant what she said.

At that moment, Duchess Elad asked, as if to lighten the heavy atmosphere.

“Then when are you leaving?”

“I decided to just finish my current work and leave right away. I’m going to rest well in a warm kingdom before winter comes.”

Winter is just around the corner, so when Duchess Peirunt and Aiden return, the sun will have changed.

I felt regretful and sad because it was a long journey that could last for months.

That was when.

“So, Lia. I told Aiden not to expect anything, but since we’ve come to this point, I’d like to ask you.”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

The Duchess Peirunt, who had been hesitating uncharacteristically, said something unexpected.

“I heard from Aiden that you’re very interested in the surrounding kingdoms. Would you like to go to Dhamba with us?”

“…!”

* * *

Not only me, but also Duchess Elad was surprised by the Duchess Peirunt’s sudden proposal. Of course, I declined the offer without hesitation.

“I’m sorry. I have to take care of the young lady.”

I felt sorry for Aiden, who had such expectant eyes, but I couldn’t leave Diana.

Fortunately, Duchess Peirunt nodded as if she had already anticipated my answer.

Then, she left the duke’s residence, saying that she would bring a lot of gifts when she returned, and said goodbye to me.

I thought that the incident would end as a brief incident…

“What? What are you suggesting to Lia? Who are you asking to go that far away with me!”

“That’s what I mean. Every time you visit, you always have your eye on Lia!”

…It seems that this incident was bigger and more serious than expected for Duke Elad and the duchess.

During dinner, the duke’s face hardened at the duchess’s remark.

“You mean you’ve always been like that?”

“Yes. But he didn’t say it so openly, but today, when I got angry and asked what she meant, he said that Lia wasn’t even a life-long employee, so what does it matter if she serves Diana or Aiden?”

The duchess spoke, still seeming angry.

Although I had fully recovered, I was still worried about the excited look, and listening to the Duke and Duchess’ story made my ears turn red with embarrassment.

As Duchess Peirunt said, I was just a regular maid, not a servant with a subordinate contract like a butler. And it was not uncommon for maids and servants to receive letters of recommendation and move to other families.

I now know that the Duke and Duchess of Elad cherish me, but I felt strangely that I was special because the two of them were so excited.

“Anyway, you did well, Lia. If you cut it off like that, they won’t think of you harshly again.”

The Duke praised me and told me that if I ever heard something like that again, I should immediately reject it.

I thought to myself, who else would make such an offer to me, but I still nodded, saying, “Yes.”

The Duke smiled, satisfied with my gentle response.

“But you’ve read a lot about other countries in books. Didn’t you want to go there?”

Allen said out of the blue.

“You wanted to go to the Belus Duchy after all?”

“You’re not leaving Dana behind, are you?”

“…Of course.”

Diana shouted at Allen’s muttering.

I paused for a moment without realizing it, but Diana laughed triumphantly without realizing it.

In the meantime, the Duke and Duchess exchanged glances with strange expressions.

“That’s right. Lia can’t be separated from Diana. There’s no need to think about it since she already made her choice a long time ago.”

“Of course. Even if it’s the Belus Duchy, Diana isn’t there.”

“…?”

The voice and conversation seemed stiff for some reason.

I tilted my head, but the Duke said.

“So Lia, you shouldn’t be shaken.”

“Huh?”

“Isn’t it the Academy graduation ceremony coming up soon? She’s definitely going to the Duchy to see the Grand Duke… Ah, no.”

I looked at the duke, who was talking to himself and then closing his mouth, wondering.

I couldn’t understand what the duke was saying, but I was glad to see Askart after a long time.

“Tch. When you graduate, hyung, I’ll be at the academy. That’s great for you. Now I can see Diana every day!”

However, I couldn’t say anything to Allen’s words and lowered my head.

Thinking of Lucio made my heart feel heavy and my head feel complicated for some reason. After that, I heard a few more words of advice from the duke and duchess before dinner was over.

Diana must have been tired, so she went to bed early, and I went straight back to my room.

“…”

However, sleep didn’t come easily. After being lost in thought for a while, I eventually got out of bed and headed to the main library.

I kept putting it off, but now it seemed like it was time to confirm the truth I had been ignoring.

The library, with no people and the lights off, was quieter than ever.

“Whew.”

I took a short breath to relieve my tension and climbed the stairs, reaching for the book that was out of sight. And after a while.

“As expected, Darrell’s master… was Lucio.”

I closed my eyes tightly.

 

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