Princess's Struggle for Survival-Chapter 91: "...Deal?"

Just as Amalia had anticipated, over the next few days, Livia appeared every evening around 10:20 pm, never later than 10:30 pm.

She brought more than just books; occasionally, she also carried snacks packed in bags, likely intended as a midnight treat to stave off hunger.

Despite Amalia's consistently cold demeanor, Livia seemed oblivious to her rejection.

Each time they met, Livia would greet her with a faint smile, inquiring about Auri's meals or sharing mundane details from her own daily life.

The corners of her lips would curl slightly, and her blue eyes always seemed to sparkle.

The look in Livia's eyes was entirely different from the indifference and disdain Hibbort directed at Amalia.

It was a gentleness, soft as water, that Amalia had never encountered before.

If all of this was merely an act… then Livia's acting skills far surpassed those of Princess Astrid, who could only feign innocence in front of Hibbort.

Amalia ate her dinner in small bites, her thoughts drifting to the few encounters she'd had with Livia.

Her cherry-pink lips, glistening with oil, looked as though they were coated with a layer of glossy glaze.

Since Livia was also a member of the Valeria family, whether Amalia liked it or not, they shared an inevitable blood connection.

Judging by her appearance alone, Livia Valeria seemed to be in her early to mid-twenties.

Her gentle and noble demeanor also hinted at a high status within the Valeria family.

If Amalia were to speculate, Livia could be her aunt, or perhaps an older sister.

Although Amalia had moved into the castle at a young age, she knew that Hibbort had only three biological children: herself and two princes.

There were no daughters, making it impossible for her to have a biological sister.

Livia was likely a descendant of a branch of the Valeria family, most probably a distant cousin.

When Amalia thought of the last person she could have called a sister, her eyes turned cold, and even the food in her mouth seemed to grow hard, as if it might chip her teeth.

Astrid Calliste—this malicious woman had inflicted countless cruelties upon her, from humiliating her in front of the servants to fabricating baseless reasons to torment her.

Amalia understood Astrid's motives.

She resented the fact that Amalia has royal blood.

Unable to target the two princes, Astrid directed her jealousy and spite toward Amalia, the least favored of the three.

At this thought, Amalia's lips curled into a faint, mocking smile.

The soft, thick blonde hair and natural blue eyes she despised most in her life were, in Astrid's eyes, treasures beyond reach.

In a way, one of the things that kept Amalia from self-destruction was Princess Astrid herself.

It was Astrid's relentless envy and desire that made Amalia abandon any thought of ending her own life.

Hibbort, Lucas, Alistair, Astrid… She would outlive them all.

After dinner, Amalia placed the plates and dirty clothes on the first floor as usual, then returned to her bedroom.

Uncharacteristically, she didn't pick up a paintbrush but instead sat at the table to read for a while.

Since each transaction with the maid cost a limited number of gems, Amalia treasured these hard-earned possessions.

Compared to non-renewable pigments, books could be read repeatedly and often helped her pass the time.

There were originally forty-six books in her room, all of which Amalia had read over ten times.

She knew their contents by heart.

The book in her hands had been purchased from the maid a little over a week ago.

The plot had captivated her, and Amalia had been reluctant to finish it. After lingering over it for days, she finally reached the ending tonight.

"There is no happiness or misfortune in the world; there is only the comparison of circumstances. Only those who have endured suffering can feel supreme happiness, and one must face death to truly appreciate the joy of life..."

"...never forget that all the wisdom of mankind is contained in these two words—'wait and hope.'"

If the Earl in the story could wait for the day of his revenge, then why couldn't she?

....

Late at night, Astrid sat alone in a chair, a book titled 'Generalized Formulas of Intermediate Magic' open in front of her.

Her arms rested diagonally on the table, supporting her cheeks, her expression focused.

Her slender legs, clad in white silk, were crossed naturally.

After a week of effort, Astrid had successfully adjusted her biological clock to its most suitable state.

She now slept from six in the morning until noon each day, which not only compensated for her lack of nighttime rest but also avoided arousing suspicion from others.

The only drawback was the inconvenience of guiding Lyra in her magical studies.

Fortunately, the girl was quick to learn, and most of the time, she could grasp the basics of magic even without direct supervision.

As a last resort, Astrid had asked Lyra to keep a notebook of her mistakes.

Each night, Astrid would review the errors and provide corrections, which she could then explain to Lyra the following day.

Amalia stood at the doorway, the faint scent of lemons lingering in the air.

Her gaze settled quietly on the graceful figure seated at the table, and a flicker of uncertainty stirred within her.

'Should I really approach her?'

The girl pursed her lips, her expression a mix of hesitation and resolve as she studied Livia.

At that moment, the woman finished reading the last line of a page.

Just as she was about to turn it, she noticed a pair of eyes watching her from the doorway.

Turning her head, she saw a blonde girl in a white nightgown, her expression cool and composed, standing in the corridor.

Her blue eyes fixed on Livia with quiet intensity.

"Ms. Amalia?"

Livia was slightly surprised to see her but quickly closed the book and rose gracefully.

"It's quite late. Is something the matter?"

This was the first time Amalia had approached her of her own accord.

Amalia lowered her eyes for a moment, then spoke in a soft, measured tone.

"Ms. Livia, I'd like to discuss something with you..."

Her words, though hesitant, were complete, a small but significant improvement from their earlier interactions.

Livia noticed the subtle shift in Amalia's demeanor and smiled warmly. "Of course. What is it?"

Seeing the other's rare willingness to engage, Livia was eager to seize the opportunity.

Amalia hesitated, her gaze dropping once more.

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After a brief pause, she slowly raised her hand, clutching the edge of her nightgown. "...I wish to make a deal with you, Ms. Livia."

In the palm of her hand lay a delicate piece of white gem, its surface glowing softly under the moonlight.

"Deal?"

Looking at the blonde girl in front of her holding a piece of gem with a serious expression, Livia tilted her head slightly and looked at her with a puzzled gaze.

"Ms. Amalia... what do you want to deal with me..."

His eyes drifted down to the piece of white gem resting quietly in the girl's palm.

Livia noticed that a thin metal box was attached to the edge of the gem, likely for storage.

It didn't resemble a necklace or pendant but rather seemed to have been detached from a piece of clothing.

Since Amalia was the one who proposed the deal, she had no intention of beating around the bush.

She cleared her throat and got straight to the point.

"I hope to trade this gem for some books with you, Miss Livia."

Among the few people Amalia could contact, Livia was the only one who could enter and leave the castle freely, capable of far more than the maid who delivered her meals.

Amalia had not lived in the palace since birth.

When she lived with the woman who was like a mother to her but in reality treated her only as a tool for climbing the social ladder, Amalia had to handle many trivial daily matters.

She knew how much a pound of eggs cost in the imperial capital, how much a coachman would charge to travel across half of Eastern District, and she knew even more clearly the value of a flawless piece of gem.

Rather than calling it a transaction, the barter between Amalia and the greedy maid was more like unilateral exploitation, given the latter's monopoly over all her communications with the outside world.

A piece of gem was exchanged for a book, a pen, and some dyes so scarce they were barely enough to paint a few pictures.

Even the most astute businessman would likely call the seller a swindler after seeing such a transaction.

She didn't have many gems left... she had to use them sparingly... and that was why Amalia tried to trade books with Livia.

Hearing the blonde girl's words, Livia curled her lips, crossed her arms over her chest.

After a moment, the woman spoke softly, "Can you show me this gem?"