After a relaxing soak in the bathtub, the physical fatigue washed away. Astrid dried herself with a towel, used wind magic to dry her damp hair, changed into her nightgown, and walked into her bedroom.
The milk tea Lyra had ntioned was on the table. Astrid sat in her chair, tidied her hair, drank the tea, then chewed a few sprigs of cleansing grass, rinsed her mouth, and went to bed.
Surprisingly, the bed was unusually warm. The room had been dark, with only the faint moonlight falling on the blanket. As Astrid lay down, she noticed a slight bulge in the bed. When she stretched her leg to the side, she touched a warm, smooth patch of skin.
Glancing at the clock, it was 9:40. Amalia had co earlier than usual today, probably having taken a bath right after their walk. After changing, she had slipped into bed to warm it while waiting for Astrid.
Slling the sweet scent of soap on Amalia, Astrid hugged her and pulled the little girl out a bit.
As Amalia’s head erged, Astrid squinted slightly and said softly, "Did you change your hair back?"
The room was bathed in silvery moonlight. Astrid looked at the golden hair beneath her hand, her lips parting slightly.
"If you changed it back, that’s fine. Just rember to dye it black tomorrow, or it might give us away."
Hearing that Astrid wasn’t blaming her and that her voice was as gentle as ever, Amalia nuzzled Astrid’s chest gently, looking up with eyes full of dependence.
"Sister..."
eting the lively, watery blue eyes in her arms, Astrid pinched the golden-haired girl’s cheek.
"Did you take out the plant mbrane too? Or were they too uncomfortable?"
Amalia didn’t answer, only hugging Astrid tighter. Realizing she had forgotten sothing, Astrid leaned down and gently kissed her forehead.
Feeling the soft touch on her forehead, Amalia smiled and kissed Astrid’s collarbone. Just when Astrid thought it was over, Amalia slowly tilted her head up.
Astrid suddenly felt a warm breath on her neck. The next mont, she felt her earlobe grow moist, as if subrged in a warm spring.
Amalia’s touch was fleeting. After gently nibbling on Astrid’s earlobe, she buried her face in Astrid’s neck, inhaling deeply, and then spoke softly.
"Sister, I didn’t wash out the hair dye, and I didn’t take out the contact lenses."
Amalia pointed to the glass bottle on the nightstand.
"I just drank what you used to drink."
To avoid any mistakes, she had even asked Elise about the effects of the potion.
"So, in your heart, is this my best appearance...?"
She had thought there would be a big change, like the first ti she saw Astrid.
"Earlier in the stairwell, there was sothing I couldn’t say to you..."
Looking into those crimson eyes, Amalia paused, her voice unusually tender.
"I love you too."
Hearing Amalia’s straightforward confession, a warm feeling welled up in Astrid’s heart.
A relationship requires both parties to maintain it together, and Amalia was clearly an excellent candidate to entrust one’s emotions to.
As long as she was given a bit of love, this seemingly cold and aloof golden-haired girl would return the sa amount, or even more.
No one would refuse a cute girl who waited eagerly for them every day in the ancient castle, and upon eting, would enthusiastically ask for hugs and kisses. Astrid was no exception.
The childhood experiences of the girl tyrant were indeed tragic, but not to the extent that Astrid would be moved to risk rescuing her. What truly influenced her decision was Amalia’s consistent attitude.
Amalia loved Livia’s gentleness, and Astrid, in turn, loved the forr’s passionate and unreserved love for her.
"I love you... sister..." Amalia repeated, her voice soaked in sweetness.
Knowing her outwardly cold but inwardly warm younger sister’s awkward personality, Astrid understood that Amalia likely wanted to hear her repeat the words she had said in the stairwell that morning. Astrid gently brushed a strand of golden hair from Amalia’s face and said seriously, "I love you too, my most adorable little princess."
Having received the answer she wanted, Amalia tightened her legs around Astrid’s knees and nestled into her embrace like a warm, soft puddle.
"I like you... sister..."
"I like you the most..."
"No matter what... you can’t leave ...Sister."
Listening to Amalia’s murmurs, the low and gentle whispers overflowing with dependence and concern, Astrid’s gaze softened.
She touched the earlobe that Amalia had bitten earlier.
It wasn’t really a bite, more like a gentle nibble with her lips. Astrid didn’t know why Amalia liked expressing affection in this way.
For Astrid, who had modern sensibilities, even though their sa-sex relationship and sisterly bond reduced the ambiguity of such actions, it still felt a bit strange.
Perhaps it was because Amalia lacked love and had no one to guide her properly, making her actions clumsy and naive.
When Amalia grew a bit older, Astrid would have to teach her that even between sisters, there was no need to establish a sense of security by biting.
"Good girl," Astrid said softly, wrapping her arms around Amalia’s back.
Half a minute later, just as Astrid thought Amalia was about to fall asleep, she suddenly felt a tickling sensation below her left breast.
Looking down, she saw a slender, pale finger tracing circles on the smooth fabric, the touched area slightly indenting, visibly soft.
"Sister..." Amalia’s voice was low and gentle.
"When I said I loved you earlier, it was beating so fast here."
So fast that even through the thick fabric, she could feel Astrid’s heartbeat.
The golden-haired girl’s finger shifted slightly and suddenly touched a certain raised area.
Astrid’s body trembled as if shocked, and she quickly grabbed Amalia’s wrist.
"What’s wrong, sister?" Amalia lifted her head, unsure of what she had done wrong.
Looking at Amalia’s innocent expression and the sweet scent lingering so close, Astrid relaxed her arm muscles, worried that her sudden movent had scared the girl.
"It’s nothing..."
After a pause, Astrid thought of what Amalia had said and replied, "Because Amalia is so cute, hearing you say that would make anyone shy."
"Even sister?"
"Of course."
Unlike the tis they had rested together in bed after taking dicine, this was the first ti Astrid had heard Amalia say she loved her while both were fully aware of each other’s identities.
There was a sense of relief, as if the child she had raised had finally grown up, and also the excitent of seeing her long-term emotional investnt pay off.
Amalia seed thoughtful: "I always thought sister was as calm as she appeared."
Whether it was Livia or the current Astrid, they both gave Amalia a sense of grace and elegance. The forr was like the morning sun, serene yet warm, while the latter was more like the moonlight at night, cool and gentle.
Hearing Amalia’s words, Astrid shook her head.
"It’s just a normal reaction. I’m not as composed as Amalia thinks..."
Holding the sweet and soft girl, listening to her call her "sister" so sweetly, should have been a joyous occasion. But after a brief mont of excitent, Astrid’s mood gradually cooled.
She thought of another sister far away in a foreign land, who would never call her "sister" or express her love so directly.
"Sister?"
Sensing the change in Astrid’s mood, Amalia tightened her legs, as if trying to rge her body with Astrid’s.
"Are you unhappy..."
So words were better left unsaid. Astrid looked at Amalia and gently leaned down to kiss her.
"No, I’m very happy."
"Hearing Amalia say that makes really happy."
Suppressing the longing in her heart, Astrid’s voice was tender, her knees pressed against Amalia’s calves, feeling the cool, smooth skin.
Dwelling on the past would only bring more trouble, and now was not the ti for sentintality.
Amalia was her sister, soone worthy of her love, not a substitute for her biological sister whom she could never see again.
She was Amalia, not so girl tyrant, but the stubborn princess who would wait for her in the cold wind.
"Tomorrow, Lady Charlotte is coming back. I need to prepare dinner for her, so let’s sleep early."
"Okay, goodnight, sister."
"Goodnight to you too."
...
The next morning, Hibbort sat in his study, having breakfast while reading the freshly printed Empire Monthly.
After months of refinent, Astrid’s newspaper venture was thriving. By now, most nobles in the capital would have their servants buy the latest issue of the Empire Monthly from the post office on Friday mornings to pass the ti before and after breakfast.
Although Hibbort wasn’t particularly interested in luxury goods or serialized novels, he supported the endeavor because it was Astrid’s first serious attempt at doing sothing substantial. Additionally, so sections of the newspaper did help him review information he might otherwise overlook.
For example, the price of blacklight ore in Capital had dropped, which was closely related to the recent discovery of a new vein.
The empire’s largest ore-producing region was in the territory of Duke Cassian, and blacklight ore was a common material for forging weapons and armor, with a high annual demand.
The new vein was located in Duke Thomas’s territory, which inevitably impacted the market.
Taking a sip of hot tea, Hibbort skimd through the final serialized novel in the newspaper, briefly noting the plot, before hearing a knock at the door.
"Co in," the man said, putting down the newspaper, his tone calm.
The door opened, and a man dressed as a butler entered the study. He knelt and bowed to Hibbort.
"Good morning, Your Majesty."
"Rise. What is it?"
Sensing that the room was enveloped in a magical barrier that would prevent any sound from escaping, the man in black stood up and spoke respectfully.
"Your Majesty, Duke Cedric recently finalized a new trade deal in Bansy Port, involving pearls and deep-sea algae. The Pan-Human Alliance is actively planning the port’s infrastructure, and a large amount of construction materials is being transported to the islands via shipping."
"Duke Cassian and Duke Thomas have had so minor friction recently over mining rights, disrupting the agreed market price. Minister of Finance Florence has sent people to investigate, and the rest will be discussed with Your Majesty on Sunday."
"The academic exchange organized by the Velmora Knight Academy officially ended the night before last. Countess Charlotte is expected to return to the Capital by noon today."
Listening to the man’s report, Hibbort’s expression remained unchanged. He picked up a piece of white bread with cream using a fork and chewed it slowly.
Duke Thomas and Duke Cassian were both among the empire’s four great dukes, but their relationship had been strained due to conflicting interests and historical issues.
Unlike Duke Cedric Velmont, who had extensive connections and could navigate any situation, these two were not on good terms.
However, this conflict was likely not just an extension of past grievances but also tied to the potential struggle for the throne.
Duke Thomas’s son had been getting close to the second prince, Alistair, while Duke Cassian had been subtly supporting the first prince, Lucas.
In the recent tax proposal, Lucas had ostensibly advocated for a unified tax standard to prevent mass migration of commoners, but in reality, he wanted to modify the mineral taxes in various territories to maximize profits for Duke Cassian, who had long relied on mineral extraction.
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