Princess's Struggle for Survival-Chapter 166: Competing with little girl

Charlotte was absolutely right. Astrid knew full well the risks involved in taking Amalia away from the ancient castle.

The latter's identity was far too sensitive, so sensitive that if Hibbort found out, even Astrid would struggle to bear the wrath of the emperor.

Earlier, Astrid had said those things merely to reassure Charlotte, but judging from the outcome, it seemed her efforts had fallen short.

"Amalia currently doesn't trust anyone except Livia. I need to find an anchor point that will help her rebuild her trust in me."

Astrid gently stroked Charlotte's dark hair, which cascaded onto the bed, speaking softly.

"She knows Hibbort won't let her leave the castle, and she's also aware of the uncertainties that Third Princess Astrid would face in taking her out of the palace."

If this wicked stepsister of hers were merely doing this for amusement, she wouldn't have gone this far.

If the whereabouts of this illegitimate daughter were exposed, Hibbort would undoubtedly be utterly disappointed in Astrid Calliste, the mastermind behind it all. The risks Astrid was taking didn't justify the petty pleasure of bullying her younger sister.

Astrid might torment her in various ways, but she wouldn't risk losing Hibbort's favor over it.

"Amalia currently desires two things above all else: care and love, and the freedom she so desperately craves. Livia can give her the first, so it's only natural that Astrid takes care of the second."

"Moreover, a competent leader shouldn't remain in the castle until her coronation. Books alone can't make a great emperor. Amalia needs to experience the world beyond the palace, to truly feel the customs and culture of the empire, to understand the market value of a bag of seeds, a bottle of ale, or a cow, and to grasp what each law means for the common people."

"She needs to see everything around her with her own eyes."

In her previous life, Astrid had been just an ordinary person, with little knowledge of politics.

From the original story, it was clear that the tyrant Amalia lacked concern for her people.

She had never set foot on farmland, never considered the consequences of raising taxes, and never cared about the families crushed by the war machine.

It was as if she wanted to spread her hatred to every corner of the empire.

After hearing Astrid's words, Charlotte's brows remained furrowed, still tightly knit.

"Little Astr, are you so certain Amalia can ascend to that position?"

From her perspective, Astrid's considerations seemed overly optimistic.

An illegitimate daughter who had long been neglected in the palace, trying to seize the throne from the two crown princes, the difficulty of such a task was beyond measure.

Astrid knew what Charlotte was worried about and understood why she felt that way. Unlike Astrid, Charlotte didn't know the original story, nor could she see the most likely future through an omniscient perspective.

"Whether I'm certain or not doesn't matter. After all, neither Lucas nor Alistair are suitable heir for the throne. I can only consider betting on Amalia."

That said, if it weren't for knowing the plot, Astrid would never have imagined that Amalia could become one of the few empresses in the history of the Valeria Empire.

After a moment of silence, Charlotte spoke in a low voice.

"I still think this is too risky..."

"As Little Astr said, Amalia's spiritual power hasn't been recorded by anyone, and with the ink flowers that can change hair and eye color, along with the plant membranes, she wouldn't easily expose her identity even if she were active outside."

"But what if His Majesty suddenly decides to come for an inspection?"

Hearing this, Astrid's crimson eyes narrowed slightly. "In the years Amalia has lived here, Father has never once visited the castle. The likelihood of him personally coming for an inspection is very low."

"Very low doesn't mean impossible," Charlotte countered.

"Little Astr, you're being a bit irrational... this is essentially a gamble..."

A gamble that she could spirit Amalia away under Hibbort's nose without anyone noticing, a gamble that this neglected illegitimate daughter could continue to maintain her low profile.

"Lady Charlotte..."

Astrid blinked, leaning her head gently against the woman's fragrant shoulder, her lips parting slightly.

"...I am indeed gambling."

From the moment Amalia discovered that Livia was Astrid, her plan had already deviated.

Astrid had originally planned to slowly reveal the truth to Amalia, ideally synchronizing it with the enrollment time of the Elizabeth Academy of Magic the following year.

This would have helped soothe Amalia's emotions and let the golden-haired girl understand why Astrid was spending less time at the castle.

Unfortunately, the two shattered bottles of transformation potion had accelerated this process, forcing her to confront the issue much earlier.

Reason told Astrid that taking Amalia out of the castle would bring her endless trouble and danger, and it also went against her plan of laying low and developing steadily.

From deceiving the crown prince into thinking her dealings with the Velmont family were to help him ascend, to later choosing to establish a newspaper and subtly influence public opinion rather than directly meddling in military and political affairs, everything Astrid had done was aimed at avoiding attention and securing victory through caution.

Only with Amalia had she taken such a risky move.

The safest course of action would undoubtedly be to maintain the status quo, trying to slowly win Amalia over through the identity of Livia. If that failed, making her a puppet emperor wouldn't be the worst outcome.

But...Thinking back to that night when Amalia lay in her arms, hearing her say that one day she would regain her freedom, those sparkling emerald-like eyes, Astrid wavered again.

Amalia relied heavily on her as an older sister, and sometimes Astrid's interactions with other motives paled in comparison to this dependence.

"If I win this gamble, Amalia will understand why I did this, and it will also help this current princess and future emperor grow sooner."

"When I asked Lady Charlotte about the matter of a study companion, it was also to allow Amalia to enter the Elizabeth Academy of Magic and learn magic."

"She needs to have the ability to wear that crown from every angle."

Astrid's words fell on Charlotte's ears, her cool voice like the song of a nightingale. The woman remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking.

"Little Astr..."

"You really dote on your imperial sister that much?"

At this point, Charlotte roughly understood that Astrid was willing to take risks partly because it was indeed beneficial for her political investments to pay off in the future, but also partly out of genuine care for Amalia's emotional well-being.

Charlotte had long told Astrid that even if she didn't support any of the crown princes, her status as a countess and her contributions to the empire would be enough to protect her from harm.

Yet despite this, Astrid had chosen to support Amalia and take risks she shouldn't have to bear.

If it were solely about interests, Astrid wouldn't have needed to take such risks. The only explanation was that she truly cared for this little sister who called her "sister" every day.

Astrid remained silent for a long time after hearing this, her gaze drifting past Charlotte's smooth, delicate neck to the patterned curtains and the deep, empty night sky beyond. She recalled the way Amalia had hugged her tightly, lifting her face to ask for a goodnight kiss.

"I just think she deserves to be loved."

"That's all."

When judging whether something is in one's self-interest, there are always things that transcend rationality.

After Astrid finished speaking, neither of the two women on the bed spoke again. Charlotte slid her fingers into Astrid's hair, gently twirling a few silver strands into thin braids.

After some time, faint insect chirps drifted in from outside the attic, and the cool fragrance of flowers and grass was carried into the room by the evening breeze, bringing a refreshing chill to their skin.

"Since Little Astr has truly decided to do this, I won't say anything more."

After their conversation, Charlotte realized that Astrid hadn't made this decision on a whim. She clearly understood the stakes and knew the price she would pay if things were exposed.

"Once you take Amalia out of the castle, if the palace isn't a suitable place for her to stay, you can also have the Fourth Princess stay at the manor for a while."

Although Hibbort and Amalia hadn't seen each other in years, the latter's frequent presence in the palace would inevitably increase the risk of her identity being exposed.

Hearing this, Astrid felt a warmth in her heart, her knees curling slightly under the blankets.

Taking in Amalia meant Charlotte was also involved in helping the illegitimate daughter escape confinement. If things were exposed, Hibbort would undoubtedly hold Charlotte accountable.

By saying this, Charlotte was making her stance clear: no matter what Astrid did, she would stand by her side and share her burdens.

"We'll see when the time comes. I suspect Amalia might not trust me so easily."

While touched, Astrid didn't intend to drag Charlotte into this mess. For one, she didn't want to jeopardize her aunt's future, and for another, Amalia probably wouldn't want to be thrown into an unfamiliar environment where she knew no one.

"Alright, Little Astr, be careful and think twice before you act."

"I remember we have some ink flowers stored at the manor. Before you leave tomorrow, I'll have the servants prepare some for you to take. As for the membranes for changing eye color, I don't have any on hand, but you can have Elise check at the Honeysuckle Guild."

"Also, don't buy too much at once. Although it's a magical ingredient, its uses are limited, and purchasing too much could raise suspicions."

Listening to her aunt's meticulous instructions, Astrid smiled softly, quietly leaning against Charlotte, her breathing gradually steadying.

"Alright, I understand."

Astrid naturally considered these things, but since Charlotte was willing to talk, she was happy to listen.

After a few minutes, feeling that everything that needed to be said had been said, Astrid spoke softly.

"It's really great to have Lady Charlotte."

Not only had she provided new insights, but she had also offered ample support.

Having such a gentle and reliable aunt as a backbone would undoubtedly give her a lot of encouragement.

Hearing this, Charlotte's expression froze for a moment before her lips curled into a smile, her thin lashes fluttering.

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"Little Astr, saying something like that is a bit unfair."

With that, Charlotte extended her arm, pulling Astrid completely into her embrace.

Due to their height difference and position, Astrid's nose was instantly filled with the unique scent of a mature woman. The soft, round fullness pressed against her nose, making it a bit hard to breathe.

At least in that moment, Astrid realized that being too well-endowed in certain areas wasn't always a good thing.

It really did affect breathing.

After holding her for a while, Charlotte released Astrid, speaking softly.

"No matter what happens, I'll always support you."

"Little Astr, if you have any thoughts, you can always share them with me. Although I usually have to teach, taking a day off occasionally isn't a big deal."

"As I've said before, you're important, Astrid."

At the end, Charlotte didn't use "Little Astr" but instead called her by her full name, sounding more serious.

Hearing this, Astrid smiled gently, her arms wrapping around Charlotte's waist as she rested her face against the woman's collarbone.

"Lady Charlotte..."

"You're also very important to me."

The encouragement and support from her countess aunt gave Astrid a great deal of confidence.

As soon as she finished speaking, Charlotte looked at the silver-white hair before her, her long, slender legs under the blanket gently squeezing Astrid's knees as she leaned close to her ear, her breath warm and fragrant.

"Then, Little Astr, can you tell me who's more important, me or Amalia?"

Charlotte had never seen Astrid go to such lengths for someone unrelated before. Even she, who had watched Astrid grow up, had never received such treatment.

Hearing this question, which felt like a life-or-death test from her past life, Astrid's hands tightened slightly, her palms pressing against Charlotte's smooth, strappy nightgown, feeling the warmth of the woman's body.

"Lady Charlotte is more important," Astrid said.

Charlotte had taken care of her for so many years; her importance was self-evident. It was only because the original Astr had entered a rebellious phase and didn't know how to cherish it that things had gotten to that point.

Satisfied with the answer, Charlotte lowered her head, resting her chin on Astrid's, feeling the softness of her hair. A strange feelig suddenly flickered in her heart.

Here she was, a grown woman, just now competing with a little girl?

The more she thought about it, the more she found her earlier question amusing. Charlotte's arm relaxed slightly, her voice gentle.

"Once this cooling-off period is over, Little Astr should spend more time with Amalia."

This golden-haired girl was also a pitiful child, and Charlotte couldn't help but feel some sympathy for her.

"I will," Astrid replied.

"It's getting late, time to rest. Lady Charlotte has to travel tomorrow."

"Alright, Little Astr, you should sleep too."

After bidding each other goodnight, both fell silent, feeling the warmth between them. Astrid closed her eyes, trying to find sleep.

Previously, when she stayed overnight with Amalia, she had to drink the transformation potion every two hours, so she couldn't sleep freely and had to rely on meditation to stay focused.

Tonight was a rare opportunity for her to sleep at a normal time.

Surrounded by the scent of the mature woman beside her, Astrid gradually relaxed, soon drifting into a deep sleep.

.....

P.S. Amalia: Will Sister miss me?