Princess's Struggle for Survival-Chapter 477: “Forgive my selfishness... big sister.”

Ever since the day they met, Astrid had never seen Amalia cry. Transparent, warm traces traced down the girl’s pale cheeks, like dew rolling off a petal.

Even when the truth about the transformation potion was exposed, even when Amalia doubted Livia’s true intentions, she had never shed a tear in front of Astrid. This aloof girl who preferred solitude never cries when sad, she would simply curl inward, bristling like a hedgehog.

As for the original story’s doll-like tyrant, emotional displays like this were even less conceivable.

Seeing the golden-haired little girl, who usually presented a strong front to her sister, now weeping so helplessly that even the lace at her collarbone was dampened and slightly translucent, Astrid quickly grabbed the silk handkerchief beside her, unused, and stretched out her slender arm. Her fingertips, the silk, gently wipe Amalia’s cheek.

"I’m not blaming you, Amalia..." Astrid said softly.

Although she believed she’d done well in guiding the Fourth Imperial Princess, truth be told, whether in this life or her previous one, Astrid had no experience comforting a child through tears.

Especially not in this situation, just a second ago, she’d been pondering the corruption of familial bonds, and the next, Amalia’s emotions had become so unstable that she burst into tears right before her.

Anyone unaware might assume Astrid had already uttered that cold, rejecting line.

Warmth seeped through the silk to her fingertips, she couldn’t tell whether it was skin heat or tears. Beneath the table, the two white-stockinged ankles that had been getting Astrid’s calf had loosened. The hard soles of her loafers tapped against the floor tiles, the sound clear and distinct.

"Emotion is simply human nature. There’s no need to feel sad or guilty for thinking this way."

"It’s just another expression of love."

Mistaking Amalia’s tears for distress over societal constraints and the profanation of pure sisterly affection, Astrid, flustered with concern, gently comforted her while rising to sit beside Amalia.

If Astrid hadn’t been so overwhelmed by Amalia’s confession and sobbing, if her mind were just a bit clearer, she’d realized, her Amalia was never someone who cared about such things.

If Astrid were willing, she’d probably already be preparing for her coronation as Empress.

Noticing someone had drawn near, the faint scent of her body mingling with the sway of her skirt, Amalia closed her eyes. Her blurred vision was replaced by a hazy crimson darkness.

"Big sister..."

A warm softness covered her hand resting on the table. Without looking, she knew it was Astrid. Amalia sniffled lightly, her voice strained.

"It’s not... because of this... that I..."

Her chest rose and fell, interrupting her words. Amalia didn’t finish, simply letting Astrid patiently wipe her cheeks with her other free hand.

"Then why are you crying, Amalia?"

Astrid spoke softly, her body turned toward the white-stockinged little girl. Her crimson eyes remain gentle, gazing at Amalia’s lashes heavy with moisture.

"I’m here. It’s okay..."

"You can tell me anything."

As long as it didn’t touch her, she had never been a strict sister.

At least, she wouldn’t blame Amalia for her actions tonight. As she’d just said, love was human nature. She had no reason to fault Amalia for harboring such feelings towards the sister who’d always take care of her.

At most, she was surprised, and conflicted.

"..."

Even after hearing those words, her sister still gently wiped her tears as she always had. Still held her hand and said everything would be alright.

That kindness... made it impossible to resist...

But she, the one so deeply loved by her sister, was far from pure.

Greedy and selfish, wavering on things she shouldn’t hesitate about, just like a quitter.

Her hand slides down, grasping the Imperial Scepter at her side. Feeling the metal surface, Amalia spoke in a low voice.

"Big sister..."

"You’re really... a complete blockhead..."

Something so important, and Astrid seemed to not care at all.

[I swear loyalty to Amalia Valeria as both sister and subject, granting her ultimate authority as Emperor, and I shall never, by any means, consciously covet the throne.]

[Whether she grows old, suffers illness, or loses her way without a path home.]

Her entire future was held within the Imperial Scepter, or rather, in the hands of the current Emperor, Amalia Valeria. Now, with Hibbort long dead, Astrid still hadn’t shown the slightest intention of telling her.

"Since you’ve gone this far..." Amalia murmured to herself, clear tears streaming down her skin.

The remaining crystal shards, Hibbort’s conversation with Astrid that night, the reason she was brought out of the old castle.

That vow, spoken like wedding vows, lay just below the retrocursive barrier. If Astrid would only speak, she would naturally follow through, freeing her sister from that oath of loyalty enforced by the Imperial Scepter.

Why won’t you say it...? Could you really forget even this...?

"Big sister... Did you forget?"

The truth was exactly as Amalia said. Back then, after handling Hibbort’s affairs, Astrid didn’t want Amalia to harbor more resentment towards the deceased old Emperor, so she decided to bring it up later.

But a series of events subsequently improved Astrid’s plans. Besides, she trusted Amalia deeply, never imagined she’d use such a forced oath for anything. So she unconsciously ignored it.

Thus, even now, the vow remains engraved within the Imperial Scepter, a thread that could possibly bind Astrid.

"That night, big sister... the vow you made before the Imperial Scepter."

"I heard it all."

Every word recreated through arcane factors had violently shaken Amalia’s heart.

The golden-haired girl took a deep breath, her voice thick with a nasal tone.

"You could’ve... told me yourself..."

Even a casual word would’ve helped her suppress that selfish desire and return freedom to her sister.

Just as Astrid had shattered the cage called house arrest and rescued her when she was all alone, she too was willing to do the same for her.

Tears fell like rain. Amalia lowered her head, her smooth golden hair cascading down her waist, brushing against her skirt again and again.

"Why... did you hand over the power to decide to me...?"

"I’m not that magnanimous. Not that selfless. Not as restrained as Lyra..."

"I want to keep my big sister by my side, by any means. As long as you stay, as my one and only sister, hugging, kissing, sharing meals, napping together, anything is fine."

"Even if we lived such warm yet ordinary lives forever, I’d still be willing."

"I only want sister with me. Everything else, anyone else, it doesn’t matter."

"I love you, big sister. I truly love you. Can we stay together like this forever?"

In just half a minute, Amalia seemed to have poured out all the words she’d kept bottled up during years trapped in that castle. So dense and rapid that Astrid had no chance to intervene.

And as that last sentence, seemingly a question, landed, Amalia bit her originally pink lips until they turned white. Without waiting for Astrid to speak, she continued.

"But... what difference is there between me doing that... and my despicable father?"

"Using the promise my sister made out of love and trust as a younger sibling... forcing her to accept and submit to someone she doesn’t want to be a partner with..."

After learning of the oath’s existence, Amalia re-examined the Imperial Scepter, focusing specifically on the oath’s abilities and delving deep into its implications.

The result of her research was this: Astrid’s oath, if normally fulfilled, would cause no issues. But beyond that, there was one move that was practically cheating.

The problem lies in the phrase, "I swear loyalty to Amalia Valeria as both sister and subject."

Under Valeria Empire law, the Emperor held absolute dominion over all commoners. In other words, as long as Astrid swore loyalty as a subject, the reigning Empress, Amalia, could issue a royal decree to compel her.

If Astrid refused, it would constitute treason, inevitably triggering the Scepter’s penalty for oath-breaking.

Thus, if Amalia wished, making Astrid accept her confession wasn’t impossible. She only needed to emphasize her imperial status and issue a decree: Regent Astrid Calliste must become her wife. After that, Astrid will have no means of refusing.

Even more extreme acts, like intimate relations between lovers, or becoming one, could not be refused by a subject.

"I’ve already experienced the pain of being imprisoned... that feeling of being a caged bird, unable to fly freely..."

"I couldn’t suppress my rage after learning this."

Hours earlier, in the Emperor’s study, after briefly being touched by her sister’s actions, Amalia was immediately seized by another emotion.

Hibbort had abandoned her in that desolate fortress, built high walls to imprison her for years, and on his deathbed, used father-daughter bonds to manipulate her dearest sister, binding her with an invisible chain.

Rising fury ignited hatred, dragging Hibbort’s image in Amalia’s heart down to the lowest depths.

"But when I calmed down... another voice whispered in my ear."

"This is a perfect opportunity..."

Amalia, who had personally suffered such imprisonment, naturally ignored this kind of cage and refused to use shackles on Astrid. Yet when it came to whether her sister would stay with her forever, emotions began sprouting in her heart again.

"Just pretend I don’t know... and everything will continue as before."

Astrid hadn’t mentioned it for so long, did that mean this oath would remain hidden beneath the surface until the end of their lives?

What an irresistibly tempting proposition.

"I told myself... it’s fine that the oath exists, as long as I don’t use it..."

She would never use an imperial decree to restrict Astrid, the sister she loved most.

Even if, in the end, the other chose to reject her.

As the words faded, her blue eyes reflected the flickering candlelight. Tears had just streamed from Amalia’s eyes when more moisture welled up from her tear glands, soaking her gem-like pupils.

"But... how can something like a chain simply cease to exist by saying so?"

"I can’t... deceive myself like this..."

Amalia choked slightly, her two legs clad in white thigh-highs instinctively pressing together.

"Do you think it’ll just blur past if I don’t mention it and you don’t speak?"

"Maybe you can, sister... but I... I can never ignore it."

Allowing the chain to remain simply because I like you, making my sister’s freedom yield to this selfish love.

Doing this... makes her more despicable than anyone...

"So deep down, I’m no different from Hibbort, from Lucas, from Alistair..."

"I’m still a pitiful creature burdened with the filthy surname Valeria, unable to escape my instincts, a bastard who already has my sister’s love, yet greedily wants more."

"Why hesitate... why can’t I let go..."

With the Imperial Scepter in hand, she could easily dissolve that oath binding Astrid with just a few words.

If she wanted to.

"Why am I this kind of person..."

Being cared for so meticulously by her sister, yet her heart constantly scheming, screaming to possess her, to make her her private treasure.

"I’m sorry... big sister..."

"I’m sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry."

"...I disappointed you."

As Amalia’s voice fell, the gem atop the Imperial Scepter rippled with magical energy. A familiar sensation rose in Astrid’s heart.

It was the same soul-deep connection she’d felt that time facing Hibbort, when she held Amalia’s hair and swore before the Scepter.

"Forgive my selfishness... big sister."

As if drained of all strength, Amalia speaks in a hoarse whisper.

"Amalia Valeria... hereby issues an imperial decree..."

"Astrid Calliste..."

Tears flowed to the corner of her lips, the irritating saltiness spread over her tongue, like sipping warm saltwater.

"...is no longer my subject."

The golden-haired girl lifted her face. Orange candlelight illuminated her pale neck, clearly revealing the motion of her throat as she swallowed.

"The oath of loyalty inscribed within the Imperial Scepter is hereby dissolved."

In that instant, invisible magic spread through the air. The thread-thin connection in Astrid’s mind to the Imperial Scepter snaps completely with Amalia’s words.