Princess's Struggle for Survival-Chapter 162: Why did you forgive me?

Astrid slept until 1:30 in the afternoon. Compared to the knights, who could go long periods without sleep and recover their physical fatigue through meditation alone, early-stage mages were quite fragile.

If it weren't for the meeting with Charlotte in the afternoon, Astrid felt she could have slept until 3 PM.

After accepting the tea handed to her by the pink-haired maid, Astrid drank a few sips, got up to wash up, and then went to the dining room for lunch.

After that, under Elise's guidance, she took a carriage to Charlotte's private estate.

Knowing Astrid was coming, Charlotte had arranged for the butler to greet her.

Instead of having her wait in the reception room as usual, Charlotte had her brought directly to her private bedroom.

Leaving the two maids to rest in the reception room, Astrid followed the butler into the small attic where Charlotte lived, climbing the stairs to Charlotte's boudoir.

"Lady Charlotte, are you resting?" Astrid gently knocked on the door, and steady footsteps could be heard from inside.

Astrid took a step back, and the next second, the door opened. A mature, ink black-haired beauty stood before her, holding a grayish-brown magic book.

"No, I was reading," Charlotte replied softly, a gentle smile on her face.

Since she was at home, Charlotte wasn't wearing her usual teaching robe but had draped herself in a dark purple silk slip dress.

The smooth, glossy fabric clung to her curvaceous figure, her shoulders and collarbone slightly exposed. Two long, delicate legs peeked out from under the skirt, her snow-white feet adorned with a pair of flat sandals, exuding a lazy yet mature charm.

Astrid entered the room, greeted by a fragrant aroma, a mix of the perfume she had given Charlotte and the natural, alluring scent of the woman herself.

"Little Astr, why weren't you in the palace yesterday?"

Charlotte closed the book and led Astrid to sit on the bed.

"I was at the castle all day. It was crowded during the day, so to avoid exposure, I didn't come out."

"Did something unexpected happen with the Fourth Princess?"

"Yes, and it's quite troublesome."

Facing Charlotte, who was like an elder to her, Astrid didn't need to hide much. She explained the process of Amalia exposing the transformation potion and briefly described the current situation.

"So, your younger sister is currently in a cold war with you."

"Yes, you could say that. At least, that's how Amalia is behaving."

Her actions showed both resistance and a lack of understanding, but she hadn't completely cut off communication, or rather, her interactions with Livia.

Hearing this, Charlotte gently crossed her legs, the hem of her nightgown rising slightly, revealing a large expanse of fair skin.

"So, what do you plan to do next? Continue using the Livia identity to interact with Amalia?" Charlotte asked softly.

Astrid nodded, "She resists Astrid, but she hasn't shown absolute rejection towards Livia."

To mend her relationship with Amalia, it seemed she would have to continue working through Livia.

"Does Amalia distrust you because you deceived her?"

"That's part of it, but I don't think it's the main reason."

Astrid paused, then added, "It's probably because I left such a bad impression on her before, so Amalia doesn't want to trust this ill-tempered sister of hers."

Hearing Astrid refer to herself this way, Charlotte frowned slightly and took Astrid's hand, placing it on her thigh and covering it with her palm.

"Little Astr, you don't need to speak of yourself like that."

Due to the emperor's deliberate downplaying of the scandal from over a decade ago, Charlotte had only heard bits and pieces about the relationship between Hibbort and this illegitimate daughter.

Now, hearing Astrid mention it, she understood the whole story and roughly knew why Amalia had such a complicated personality.

"I really didn't do what a sister should have done in the past," Astrid said softly, giving a somewhat reasonable definition of her earlier life.

"It's only natural for Amalia to reject me."

Rome wasn't built in a day. Amalia's dislike for Astrid wasn't something that happened overnight but was the result of Astrid's long-standing behavior that had truly been disheartening.

Just like how Charlotte had initially felt about her, this woman who was almost like an aunt to her hadn't been utterly disappointed from the start.

It was only after a series of actions that were hard to accept that Charlotte had come to believe Astrid was beyond redemption.

Thinking this, Astrid slowly spoke, " Lady Charlotte, why did you choose to forgive me back then?"

Now, thinking carefully, it was indeed a testament to how much the original Astrid had been cherished by Charlotte for her to accept her apology under those circumstances.

Hearing this, Charlotte blinked, then responded softly after a few seconds.

"Being able to say such things was already a sign of growth. Moreover, as an elder, it was my failure to not have taught you better."

Fanya was her close friend. When the woman disappeared while exploring the abyss, Charlotte naturally felt it was her duty to take on the responsibility of educating her friend's daughter, Astrid Calliste.

However, due to matters related to magical machinery and the academy, Charlotte hadn't been able to accompany Astrid throughout her growth.

The silver-haired princess had spent most of her time living in the palace, interacting with imperial nobles like the eldest prince.

Combined with the boundless affection Hibbort showered upon her, she gradually developed an arrogant and unpleasant personality.

"Little Astr, you always say you failed to be a dutiful junior or a qualified sister, breaking many hearts. But in truth, I am no less to blame."

"As your elder, it was my duty to guide you on the right path, to become a kind and strong person."

"I failed to fulfill my responsibilities and let down your mother's last wishes. So, when you said those things to me that night, I was truly happy."

There was a sense of relief that her daughter had finally grown up, as well as self-reproach.

She should have given Astrid more care, rather than completely giving up on her after hearing she had swapped the admission quota for the Isabelle Magic Academy.

As she spoke, Charlotte gently stroked Astrid's silver hair, her gaze tender.

"I shouldn't have been angry with you in the first place."

There was something Astrid didn't know about that night. While she was undergoing the elemental affinity test, Charlotte had probed her mental energy.

The stark contrast in Astrid's behavior had made Charlotte uneasy until she confirmed that Astrid's mental energy hadn't significantly changed, finally putting her at ease.

Hearing this, Astrid looked up at Charlotte, who was smiling warmly, her beautiful face filled with affection.

With the emperor, who doted on her endlessly, the perfectly loyal head maid Elise, and Charlotte, who treated her as her own, it was truly a shame that the original owner had squandered such a good hand.

Astrid gave her aunt a brief hug, and Charlotte trembled slightly before quickly calming herself and saying softly.

"Alright, let's not get too sentimental."

It had been a while since Astr had hugged her so willingly.

Astrid then let go and gently straightened her slightly wrinkled clothes.

"Let's get back to Amalia. Earlier, you mentioned that the Fourth Princess doesn't completely reject you but lacks trust and a sense of security?"

Astrid nodded slightly, confirming Charlotte's statement.

"Yes, at least that's how it seems now."

After a moment of thought, Charlotte spoke in a complex tone.

"Has Amalia ever been separated from you for a period of time?"

"For example, one night when you didn't show up as expected."

Hearing Charlotte's words, Astrid pondered for a moment before replying.

"There was one time when Amalia seemed quite upset."

At that time, their relationship wasn't yet defined, but the little tyrant's possessiveness was already evident.

"Lady Charlotte, are you suggesting that I shouldn't go see her for a few days, giving Amalia some private space to sort out her felings?"

Perhaps Amalia herself hadn't fully understood her own emotions.

Hearing this, Charlotte hesitated before nodding.

"That's part of the idea."

"But it depends on how well you know your younger sister. If she can't handle it and does something foolish, or if things take a turn for the worse, it could backfire."

If she disappeared for a few days, what would Amalia do?

After listening to Charlotte's words, Astrid blinked gently, supporting her chin with her hand as she silently pondered the feasibility of the other's suggestion.

After observing Amalia throughout the entire day yesterday, she was almost certain that the blonde girl wouldn't do anything to harm herself.

Especially after learning that Astrid was essentially Livia, this stubborn little girl refused to show even the slightest hint of anxiety or insecurity.

Charlotte's meaning was actually quite clear. If her younger sister didn't reject Livia, then Astrid appearing less frequently might help Amalia truly realize what she needed.

However, even if Amalia wouldn't do anything foolish, there was still a certain degree of risk involved. Astrid wasn't sure about Amalia's true mental state and naturally couldn't be certain whether this move would push her further away.

"I'm not entirely sure what she's thinking," Astrid said.

But sometimes, treating an illness requires strong medicine. Charlotte's suggestion was a gamble, but it wasn't entirely unfeasible. After a moment of contemplation, Astrid spoke again.

"Perhaps we can give it a try."

She would observe the situation for a day or two first. If Amalia's emotions took a turn for the worse, it wouldn't be too late to abandon the plan.

Thinking this far, Astrid suddenly felt a bit amused. Perhaps Amalia didn't even care whether she went to the castle or not.

Overthinking it might just be her being overly sentimental.

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Hearing this, Charlotte nodded gently and said in a soft voice, "Well, it's just a suggestion. Little Astrid, you'll have to judge for yourself whether or not to go through with it."

The onlooker sees more clearly than the player. In her view, Amalia was clearly throwing a childish tantrum. In such a situation, the closer Astrid got, the harder it would be for Amalia to realize her importance.

People are like that. They don't appreciate what they have until it's gone, regretting why they pushed away someone who loved them so much in the first place.

"Neglecting" Amalia appropriately would give the blonde girl time to digest everything that had happened recently, reminisce about the moments Livia had spent with her, and help her understand more clearly what she truly wanted.

"I understand what you mean, Lady Charlotte," Astrid said.

Leaving some personal space for Amalia would be good for both of them.

Charlotte looked at the silver-haired girl before her and smiled slightly.