Chapter 408: Dirty Thoughts
Listening to Astrid’s serious yet gentle voice entering her ears, Amalia lifted her two tenders, smooth legs like lotus roots, sliding upward along the other’s knees and gently coiling around them like a serpent.
"Astrid is also..."
The rustling sound of her nightgown masked the soft touch of skin against skin, as Amalia leaned close to Astrid’s eyes, her delicate nose exhaled warmly, fragrant breath onto the latter’s cheek.
"Not only my dearest older sister... but also a one-of-a-kind exists in my heart."
Removing the membrane, those wine-red pupils she’d disguised to revert to their original light-blue hue, eyes carrying a faint air of authority. For an instant, it was as if some seal had been undone, transforming the normally soft, sweet white-haired little girl into someone far more imposing.
However, this sensation lingered in Astrid’s mind for less than half a second, or perhaps it was merely an illusion born from the sudden constriction around her thigh.
With an adorable gaze at the seemingly harmless, little girl before her, Astrid lifted the corners of her lips, continued leaning closer, and touched noses with Amalia.
"I understand, Amalia."
Affectionately nuzzling against each other until they were both imbued with the other’s scent, Astrid extended a finger and gently brushed Amalia’s eyelashes.
Feeling ticklish, the black-haired girl closed one eye, while the other pale blue eyes stared earnestly at Astrid.
"It’s time to rest now~" Astrid said.
Amalia softly hummed in agreement, finally closing her eyes.
"Sister too, let’s go to sleep."
Upon finishing her words, Amalia felt the finger on her eyelashes move away, then Astrid’s breath drew even closer.
"Don’t dwell too much on unchangeable facts, Amalia."
"Whether it’s your hair or your eye color, these aren’t defining labels. You’re nothing like Lucas or Alistair."
"You’re already very cute like this. I really, really like you."
As her voice faded, Astrid leaned down and gently kissed Amalia’s eyes, her tone was exceptionally tender.
"So..."
"Good afternoon, my princess."
............
A little past two in the afternoon, warm sunlight poured into the room, illuminating the blankets and the desk. The air was fresh, the temperature pleasant, perfect for sleeping. Even if the two of them hugged each other tightly, they wouldn’t wake up sweating.
Perhaps because something weighed on her mind, Amalia woke up unusually early today. She opened her eyes and gazed at the person before her, her blue-blue eyes reflected Astrid’s sleeping face.
The silver-haired girl kept her eyes closed, her delicate, silken hair cascading down her back. Her long eyelashes fluttered faintly with each breath, like rain-drenched flower stamens, their occasional trembling accentuating the paleness and beauty of her entire face.
Below that lies a long, fair swan-like neck and two smooth, round shoulders. A silver strap hung from Astrid’s shoulder, connected to a silk dress adorned with ruffled patterns. Her exquisite, enticing collarbone was exposed, as if beckoning someone to bite it.
Staring at Astrid so close, Amalia remains in her original sleeping posture, even slowing her breathing to avoid disturbing the sleeping girl.
It has been over a year since the Magic Exchange Competition ended. The girl once imprisoned in the old castle had gradually grown up, and during this time, she had come to understand certain things.
Astrid had once promised her she would stay by her side forever, but that kind of companionship clearly referred to a sister’s relationship with her younger sibling.
If Astrid ever got a partner, the time she could spend with her would drastically shrink. By then, even sleeping together like this will become an unattainable luxury.
There was no other reason, Astrid would have someone else, more suitable and legitimate, to occupy the other half of her bed. Her place would inevitably be pushed aside.
As a younger sister deeply cherished by her sister, Amalia should accept this fate, expresses understanding and offering heartfelt blessings to her beloved kin.
Yet no matter how hard she suppressed her emotions, the thought of that previously exclusive personship and care shifted to another filled Amalia with restlessness and discomfort.
She didn’t want to hand over her sister entirely to someone else. She didn’t want a future where she couldn’t even sleep together at night. She didn’t want to watch her sister grow intimate with another while she could do nothing.
That kind of future was simply terrible.
Her heartbeat unconsciously skipped a beat, but the fluctuation was so slight, and no obvious physical movement occurred, so Astrid didn’t wake.
Re-adjusting her breathing, Amalia gazed at her elder sister, her pearly teeth gently biting her pink lips, her blue-blue eyes narrowing into a thin line.
But she knew this feeling was wrong.
After Astrid brought her out of the old castle, Amalia had entered Elizabeth Academy of Magic as a study companion. During this time, she met many people and encountered various ideologies.
She began to realize that her pathological possessiveness was steadily eroding her spirit and soul. That uncontrollable longing for familial affection incessantly screams out, demanding satisfaction.
She wanted to possess everything Astrid had, inside and out. Whether time or energy, she wished the other would forever gaze only at her, becoming her sister alone.
In exchange, she will offer Astrid everything, including her body and soul.
This was the emotion born from that lonely, prolonged period, carved deeply into Amalia’s being. Even though her physical self had moved on, her spirit still bore grotesque, terrifying scars.
A drowning person will clutch anywhere nearby, even if doing so might cause the very rope instinctively pulling them to safety to snap completely.
Amalia understood this perfectly, and that was exactly the cruelest part. She had to constantly restrain herself, preventing her possessiveness from swelling out of control.
Astrid was the moonlight that shone into the darkness of the old castle. She absolutely, absolutely must not do anything to harm her.
But... it was getting hard to resist...
Thinking about Lyra’s intimate interactions with her sister, the flattery of young nobles towards Astrid, and all the possible futures, Amalia’s rationality once again teetered on the brink.
Actually, there truly was a way to resolve her inner turmoil.
To become the one who can stand legitimately by Astrid’s side, someone who can kiss each other every day, sleep in each other’s arms, and even share more intimate contact.
Even someone like Lucas, a morally corrupt scum, dared to covet her sister... Why couldn’t she?
After all, Astrid is Astrid Calliste, not Astrid Valeria. Even if that person accompanying her forever was herself, it wouldn’t be a problem.
Empowered by such thoughts, Amalia became even more restrained than before, gaining better control over the dark, obsessive impulses of her heart.
Both sister and life partner, that was why Amalia had spoken those words before sleep.
[Sister is the one and only exists in my heart].
Gazing quietly at Astrid’s face, Amalia’s eyes were soft like water. But after a brief moment, recalling tomorrow’s meeting between Astrid and Lucas, and their still-unknown fate, those blue eyes, nearly identical to Hibbort, surfaced with contemplation and seriousness.
If she remained merely a sister, she could forever hide in Astrid’s arms, pouting and relying on her, becoming the gentle, strong emperor her sister wished for. But if she desires more, she must become her sister’s pillar of support.
At least in current matters, she needed to be someone who could assist Astrid, just like that scheming pink-haired maid who also sought to do something for Astrid.
Giving and receiving must be balanced to establish such a relationship.
So... temporarily setting aside those twisted desires...
Only when she truly had the ability to reciprocate Astrid would she reveal this fervent emotion to her.
Sister and lover, two similar yet distinct roles. She wanted both.
Amalia Valeria was simply that greedy, and on this matter, she had no intention of stepping back.
As the black-haired girl’s thoughts whirled, Astrid finally awoke, blinking her drowsy eyes several times before clearly seeing the person before her.
"Ama... lia..."
"Yes, sister."
Now that she was awake, there was no need for restraint.
Amalia gently kissed Astrid’s neck, then trailed her cool, delicate lips looking down along the elegant curve of her neck, softly pressing them against her collarbone.
"...I’m here."
Feeling Amalia’s small actions, Astrid held her forehead, struggling to gather her thoughts.
Twenty minutes later, Amalia put the membrane back on, cleaned herself briefly, then changed into a cute-style princess dress and milky-white tights, slowly sitting down beside Astrid.
"Miss, the matter you requested to investigate has yielded some leads."
Placing two pre-prepared cups of tea on the table, Elise drew the tray close to her and spoke softly.
"Before summoning you, His Majesty indeed met with the Crown Prince first, but their conversation lasted less than thirty minutes."
Blowing gently on the tea, Astrid took a small sip, finding the taste and temperature just right, and nodded appreciatively.
"In that case, Lucas’s urgency to see me is most likely to find out what Father discussed with me during that hour-plus."
The Crown Prince and Astrid were still ostensibly in the same faction. Separate summaries seem unnecessary, whether considering their sibling relationship or political alignment.
Once again sensing Hibbort had ulterior motives, Astrid slightly furrowed her brows and murmured, "Other than that, has there been anything noteworthy regarding Lucas recently?"
Based on previously gathered intelligence, Lucas had remained in the capital throughout the past year, going all-out to curry favor with the old emperor.
"Reporting to Miss, the Crown Prince has recently rarely visited noble ladies’ mansions. Aside from training his mental energy, his daily activities mostly involve studying market conditions and tax issues."
On the surface, the frivolous Crown Prince appears to have matured considerably. Whether this was merely a façade for others’ eyes or genuine growth remains to be seen.
"I see..." Astrid’s gaze dropped to her teacup, muttering to herself.
"What about Alistair?"
"Prince Alistair and Lord Thomas’s youngest son, Gerrik, are currently handling the mine collapse incident at the Violet Star Mountains. The disaster has been contained, and related production activities are gradually resuming."
One was conducting market research and public opinion surveys, the other accumulating political achievements and securing noble support. The two princes were truly locked in fierce competition for the throne.
According to the original novel’s plot, within at most two months, news of Hibbort’s deteriorating illness will leak out, and at that point, the Kingdom of Velys will launch a full-scale invasion.
After hearing more updates about the two princes from Elise, Astrid waved her hand, signaling the head maid to rest, then leaned back in her seat, silently sorting through the information.
In the novel, around this period, the Imperial Guard protecting the capital undergoes a series of personnel adjustments. A few members were dispatched by Hibbort to various town hubs leading to the capital, but the elite forces remained stationed in the capital City, directly under the Empire’s scepter command.
Considering the impression Hibbort had given her today, it seemed the emperor’s physical condition was nearing a breaking point. Even Hibbort himself probably didn’t know how much longer he had to live.
He was preparing for the transfer of power. Lucas and Alistair had both realized this. Alistair would most likely return to the capital after finishing the mine collapse case, making his final bid for the throne.
No wonder Lucas was so eager to see her, he intended to consolidate his forces and pressure Alistair.
After all, the Velmont family had always been Astrid’s point of contact and cooperation, far beyond Lucas’s reach. And the Empire Weekly, which nearly controlled the nobility’s public opinion, was entirely under her management.
"..."
If she cleanly and decisively sided with the Crown Prince, Alistair’s chances of victory would indeed be slim.
Should she then follow the original plot and let the dogs fight each other?
Feeling there was ample room for maneuver, Astrid crossed her legs, her expression was thoughtful as she looked toward the mirror.
Due to her intervention, the Crown Prince’s faction had overtaken Alistair in visible political strength. Alistair lacked sufficient cards to win with his current resources, and this was exactly the effect Astrid wanted.
She needed to further intensify the conflict between Lucas and Alistair, ensuring both sides were weakened, while simultaneously siphoning off some political leverage from the Crown Prince to provide support for Amalia’s eventual ascension.
As she pondered, Astrid heard Amalia speak.
"Sister, can I join you for tomorrow’s lunch?"
Tomorrow? The meeting with Lucas?
Astrid had assumed Amalia hated interacting with the Crown Prince, so she was surprised by the request.
"Why suddenly ask me this?" Astrid inquired.
Amalia paused, then replied softly, "I can’t keep relying on Sister to handle everything alone."
"At the very least, I should try to face that person."
Face the person who was the greatest threat to her succession, the same brother who bore the filthy Valeria surname.
If she couldn’t even achieve this, all her efforts thus far wouldn’t even qualify as a joke.