Princess’s Struggle for Survival

"Then why... were you packing…"

As soon as Amalia finished speaking, Livia glanced around and noticed the small suitcase by the bed, immediately understanding the situation.

She had indeed started packing some of her belongings in the castle early. If Amalia agreed to leave with her, it would make things easier, eliminating the need to carry miscellaneous items.

"..."

After a moment of hesitation, Livia didn't immediately reveal her plans. Instead, she lowered her head, resting her chin on Amalia's head, just like she used to when they slept together.

"I was just preparing in advance. It wasn't because I was leaving you, Amalia," Livia said.

She wasn't leaving Amalia, she was taking her along.

Hearing this, Amalia relaxed her tense back, burying her nose in Livia's chest and breathing softly.

As long as Livia wasn't abandoning her, she didn't care what else she might do.

After a while, Amalia released her arms and looked up, her body still pressing against Livia's.

Their eyes met in mid-air. Livia saw Amalia's damp eyelashes, her blue eyes glistening with unshed tears, fixed intently on her.

Though letting Amalia have some time alone to cool down wasn't a bad idea, seeing the dependence and unease in her eyes made Livia feel a twinge of guilt.

Amalia's childhood had made her extremely sensitive. Her wariness wouldn't allow her to trust someone who had deceived her a second time, especially when that person was Astrid Calliste, the cruel older sister who had once hurt her deeply.

Livia had been testing Amalia, but Amalia had also been testing her.

Livia hoped Amalia would come to understand that her actions weren't born of malice, but the process pained her.

From Amalia's current state, it was clear the girl hadn't been doing well over the past two days, perhaps even worse than Livia had imagined.

Thinking this, Livia leaned down and kissed Amalia's forehead. The girl didn't resist her touch, obediently closing her eyes as Livia's lips approached.

"Sorry... for leaving you alone in the castle for so long..."

"I'm back, Amalia."

As the kiss ended, Astrid watched Amalia slowly open her eyes, a new thought surfacing in her mind.

Amalia didn't resist her even after drinking the transformation potion. If she continued maintaining this state, interacting with Amalia as Livia, perhaps that would be a good option?

But Astrid quickly dismissed this meaningless thought.

Livia's identity had already been exposed. No matter how much Amalia tried to deceive herself, their relationship could never return to what it was before.

Moreover, her original plan was to have Amalia gradually accept Astrid as her older sister. If she kept meeting Amalia as Livia, it would only create more dissonance and deepen the girl's underlying anxiety.

Livia and Astrid were the same person, this was an unavoidable reality. No matter how well they got along, in some fleeting moment, Amalia might still find herself wondering who this golden-haired, blue eyed woman before her truly was.

The two identities had to merge, even if the process might be accompanied by some pain.

Having sorted out her thoughts, Livia held Amalia, not minding the strange position the girl was in, and spoke softly.

"Have you been eating well these past two days, Amalia?"

Amalia hesitated for a moment, not wanting to lie to Livia but also hoping to receive more concern from her. She shook her head.

"I could only eat a little each meal."

It wasn't that she didn't want to eat, but her appetite was poor, and her stomach felt particularly uncomfortable, making it hard to digest much.

"Why didn't you eat more?"

"...Because my stomach hurt."

"Where exactly does it hurt?"

Hearing Livia's concerned tone, Amalia blinked and parted her lips slightly.

"My stomach feels sour, and sometimes I feel nauseous, so I couldn't eat much."

Though she had no basis for it, Amalia suspected this was related to her recent low mood.

When her heart ached, her stomach would also cramp up, sometimes even producing sour water. She would feel like vomiting but couldn't, only dry heaving.

Astrid immediately thought of the time when the original Astrid had deprived Amalia of dinner for a month. The stomach issues Amalia was experiencing now might very well be a lingering effect of that.

"...When did this start?" Livia asked.

"The night you left," Amalia replied.

She had tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep, the intense sorrow spreading through her chest and eventually affecting her entire body.

Knowing how suppressed emotions could impact the body, Livia exhaled softly, her guilt deepening.

"Did you eat the cake I just gave you?"

"Yes."

"How did it taste?"

"Very sweet."

Sweet and soft, just like the person she was holding in her arms now.

Pressing her body against Livia's, every inch of her skin could feel the warmth of the other through the fabric. The fragrant breath Livia exhaled brushed against her forehead, giving Amalia an indescribable sense of comfort.

Perhaps it was the psychological effect of regaining what she had lost, but Amalia's possessiveness toward Livia was stronger than ever. She lowered her head and bit Livia's collarbone again.

This time, however, Amalia's movements were gentler. She didn't use her teeth to press into Livia, only brushing her soft, pink tongue lightly against the skin.

Guessing that Amalia hadn't been doing well these past two days, Livia didn't stop her immediately. Instead, she gently stroked the girl's head.

A few minutes later, Amalia released her lips. Livia glanced down and saw a distinct red mark on her collarbone in the bedside mirror, shaped like a bright strawberry.

Unconsciously recalling how some overly passionate couples in her past life would leave hickeys on each other, Livia stared at the strawberry mark, feeling a peculiar sensation in her heart.

But upon further thought, perhaps love-starved children also liked to express their affection this way.

Without saying anything more, the two remained in their previous position. Amalia hugged Livia's body tightly, not wanting to let go.

If only she could hold her sister like this forever.

After an unknown amount of time, Amalia spoke softly.

"Sister..."

"Hmm?"

"Let's go to my bedroom to rest. I want to hold you while we sleep."

Since Livia always slept in Amalia's room, the bed in this room only had a thin blanket, making it hard and uncomfortable to sleep on.

Hearing this, Livia's lips curved into a gentle smile.

"Okay."

This was the first time Amalia had invited her to her room since her identity had been exposed.

Releasing her grip on Livia's ankles, Amalia sat up and saw that her sister's clothes were slightly disheveled. She reached out to straighten them.

"Sister..." As she adjusted the clothes, her gaze kept drifting toward the suitcase by the bed. Unable to suppress her curiosity, Amalia finally asked, "If you're not leaving, what did you mean by preparing in advance?"

Aside from taking it when leaving the castle, Amalia couldn't think of any other reason.

Hearing Amalia's question, Livia sat up, glanced at the clock on the wall, and took a bottle of dark green potion from her bag.

Seeing the transparent glass bottle, Amalia's heart skipped a beat, a complex emotion welling up in her chest.

This potion... it was the key to Livia's existence...

It felt like she had suddenly been pulled from a dream back into reality. Amalia unconsciously lowered her gaze, her teeth lightly biting her pink lips.

Astrid noticed this subtle change, her crimson eyes silently observing Amalia.

After a moment, she placed the potion back into her bag in front of Amalia and answered, "I didn't say I was leaving, but I might not stay either."

The tone of Astrid's voice had shifted slightly in Amalia's ears, a sign that the potion was about to wear off.

Amalia quickly looked up, somewhat confused, at the woman before her.

Under the moonlight, the golden hair at the ends of Livia's head began to turn white, and even her pure white dress started to blur.

Astrid spoke softly.

"If Amalia wants to stay in the castle, I'll stay too."

"But if you want to leave, I'll go with you."

As the effects of the transformation potion gradually weakened, Livia under the moonlight began to take on more of Astrid's appearance.

Amalia stood in place, the woman's voice falling into her ears, cool and aloof, like silver sand flowing gently with the ripples in a stream.

"Whether you stay or leave, I will be with you."

What did Livia mean by this? Did she have another choice besides staying in the ancient castle?

Her green pupils fixed on the somewhat blurry figure before her, Amalia suddenly recalled the words Livia had once spoken to her.

That night, they had snuggled together in bed, Livia holding her close, whispering softly by her ear.

"I promise you, Amalia."

"One day in the future, you will regain the freedom that is rightfully yours."

Freedom...

A bold speculation took root in Amalia's heart, then grew wildly like weeds. She clenched her fingers, finding the somewhat absurd thought amusing, yet also harboring a faint sense of hope and longing.

"Sister," Amalia controlled her voice to keep it from trembling, her back slightly straightened.

"...Are you going to take me away?"