Princess's Struggle for Survival-Chapter 160: "Good evening......Sister."
Amalia's heart pounded in her chest, and the hand near the doorframe suddenly felt warm.
Even if Livia's true identity was Astrid, at this moment, she still wished the other was here.
Turning her head slightly to the left, Amalia soon saw the room's interior. A stunning woman with golden hair and a white dress sat at the desk, quietly writing with a quill.
The silence was so profound that even the faintest sound would be audible. Amalia stood still, her Blue eyes filled with conflict.
It really was Livia... not Astrid...
Facing the sister she had once been closest to in a state of full awareness, Amalia didn't know what to do.
Astrid was like a thorn between them. Even if she didn't consciously think about it, she couldn't help but recall the other's true identity.
The hugs and kisses had all been from Astrid. The one-way transformation potion had only created an illusion; it hadn't altered reality.
The thought that the person who had bathed with her was Astrid Calliste made Amalia's emotions even more tangled.
Her most hated and most beloved feelings were intertwined, a mix of love and resentment. She couldn't bring herself to say cold words to Livia, yet she couldn't face Astrid with honesty either.
If only she could separate Livia from Astrid, Livia would still be her beloved sister, hers alone.
Remembering that Livia had mentioned having a sister and two brothers, Amalia had felt a twinge of discomfort at the time. Now, realizing that the sister was herself, she felt a faint sense of joy.
Livia was truly her sister, and if only she weren't connected to Astrid, it would be perfect.
As Amalia pondered, Livia seemed to sense movement outside the door and looked up.
Amalia quickly stepped back into the shadows, but the hem of her white gown swayed in the air, just enough for Livia to catch sight of.
Livia set down her quill and walked to the door.
The adjacent door was closed, leaving only a narrow gap.
The air was filled with the faint scent of soap and the unique sweetness of a young girl.
Smelling the faint, unique fragrance emanating from Amalia, Livia didn't return to her room but walked straight to the other's bedroom door.
Hearing the sound of footsteps approaching, Amalia, standing behind the door, straightened her legs, her eyelashes fluttering slightly as she quietly gazed at the door.
She saw the light from the door crack being blocked by a shadow, the originally continuous orange light divided by the shadow into several small, clever segments.
Livia was in the hallway.
Only an ordinary door separated the two. Amalia hadn't had time to lock the bolt, and with just a gentle push from Livia, the door would naturally open.
Unconsciously, Amalia held her breath. She stood still, her fingers straightening and then curling, as if waiting for Livia to leave, yet also seeming to hope for her to enter.
The air seemed to stagnate. Watching the shadow so close, the golden-haired girl's heartbeat quickened. She began to think about how she should face Livia if she pushed the door open.
Should she continue pretending to know nothing, sweetly calling Livia "sister," or should she remain cold, treating her as she did Astrid?
Her pearly teeth lightly bit her lower lip. Amalia felt she had to deliberately control even her breathing, her gaze fixed on the door crack.
After two or three minutes, the sharp sound of heels on the floor tiles gradually faded away.
Amalia watched the light return to the door crack and heard the sound of water from the water crystal not far away, feeling increasingly conflicted.
Livia didn't come in... Was she disappointed with her attitude?
Usually, she would wait for Livia on the first floor of the castle, approaching her as soon as she arrived, giving her sister a wholehearted hug.
Thinking that Livia's actions might stem from her rejection of Astrid, Amalia clenched her fingers harder, her pink lips bitten slightly pale by her teeth.
Her heart felt heavy, as if blocked by a huge stone.
She wanted to go out and see Livia, but that stubborn emotion entangled her, making Amalia hesitant to take a step.
Livia didn't exist in this world; even her name was fake. No matter how well she disguised herself, she was still the third princess Astrid who had once hurt her mercilessly.
This seemed to become Amalia's heart knot, binding her from moving forward or backward.
In the washroom, Livia finished washing her hands and turned to leave. Seeing the door across the hallway tightly closed, she hesitated for a moment before walking over and gently knocking.
Amalia's change in attitude towards her was naturally noticed by Livia, but she also felt that the other party was far less firm when facing her than when facing Astrid.
Perhaps... this was the opportunity for them to restore their relationship...
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Hearing the knock, Amalia, who had just sat down at her desk, was momentarily stunned, then furrowed her brows, slowly releasing the page she was holding.
"Amalia, are you there?" Livia asked.
The rhythmic knocking accompanied by the woman's gentle and calm voice, Amalia stood up and walked to the door with her fair legs.
After a brief pause, she grasped the doorknob and slowly pushed the door open a crack.
The oil lamp in the hallway was lit, casting an orange light on the golden waist-length hair of the visitor.
Looking down, the luxurious dress that fitted her body stopped just above the knees, and a pair of slender legs wrapped in white stockings stood straight, making the woman's figure appear particularly tall.
Under the warm light, Livia's features looked more delicate and three-dimensional, and she appeared even gentler than usual.
Looking at the Livia before her, Amalia remained silent, and it was the former who spoke first.
"Good evening, Amalia."
As if nothing had happened, Livia greeted Amalia with a smile.
Hearing this, the golden-haired girl's hand still rested on the doorknob, not intending to open the door wider. After a while, she replied in a low voice.
"Good evening..."
"...Sister."
Hearing the familiar address, Livia's pretty face was momentarily stunned, but she quickly regained her composure, her cheeks still maintaining a smile.
"How was your day today?"
Amalia looked at Livia with complex eyes, her pink lips parting slightly. "It was fine."
This statement was doubted not only by Livia but also by Amalia herself.
"Is there something, sister?" Amalia asked in a flat tone, her hand behind her skirt slightly clenched.
Livia looked at the slender figure of the golden-haired girl before her, hesitated for a moment, and then replied, "Actually, there's nothing."
"I just wanted to see you..."
Although Amalia still called her "sister," the change in the atmosphere between them was evident.
After learning that Livia was Astrid, no matter how much Amalia tried to numb herself, she couldn't face Livia with a normal heart as long as she thought of this once-present fact.
Especially knowing that even the appearance and clothing of the person before her were illusions created by magic, Amalia felt even more awkward.
As soon as Livia finished speaking, Amalia gave her a deep look, trying to connect the beautiful woman in the golden dress before her with the silver-haired, red-eyed evil princess in her memory.
After less than half a minute, Amalia gave up. Livia and Astrid had almost nothing in common, and if not for seeing it with her own eyes, no one would believe they were the same person.
"So, have you seen enough now?" Amalia replied in a low voice, her expression particularly calm.
"If there's nothing else, I'll continue reading."
Hearing the girl's emotionless words, Livia pursed her lips and then spoke.
"If there's anything you don't understand... you can ask me..."
"Whether it's about magic or anything else."
Livia's words seemed to carry a hidden meaning. Amalia listened, narrowed her eyes, her eyelashes fluttering, and after a while, replied, "I understand."
"If I have any questions, I'll come to you. You should rest early too, sister."
After saying goodbye, Amalia silently waited for a moment before slowly speaking.
"Good night, sister."
After saying goodbye, she gently closed the door, shutting out the light from the hallway.
Livia, standing outside the door, replied softly, "Good night, Amalia."
After a few seconds, Livia didn't hear the crisp sound of metal colliding, nor did she hear Amalia's footsteps.
Was she mistaken, or was Amalia's movement light enough?
Inside the room, the golden-haired girl leaned against the door, her delicate body pressed against the door panel, her pink lips tightly bitten.
She had just acted so coldly. Livia, being so sensitive, couldn't have failed to notice.
Don't treat her so gently anymore... she wouldn't accept someone who had deceived her...
Her body gradually slid down, the white nightgown slightly wrinkled by the door. Amalia slowly slid down, eventually sitting weakly on the floor.
Feeling the smooth and cool touch of the floor tiles, Amalia curled up her slender legs, her arms gently encircling her knees, burying her head between her legs.
Her soft golden hair covered the light, leaving only a faint red and tiny points of light that could sting her. Amalia tried hard to control her breathing, her body trembling slightly.
She had only done what a rational person should do.
But why... did she feel so sad...
She must be broken.
