In the Name of Empress-Chapter 468 - 315: Were the Letters Forged? (Part 2)
"Go to bed?" Sif asked calmly.
Lisa almost fell to the ground.
That’s way too direct, isn’t it? Hearing such words from the esteemed mouth of an Empress felt somewhat strange.
Sif looked at Lisa calmly and asked softly, "Miss Lisa, have you and Roland ever?"
Lisa froze for several seconds before realizing what Sif was asking, and her already pink cheeks instantly turned crimson, her tongue almost knotting up in her mouth.
"Sif, what nonsense are you talking about? I’m Roland’s sister, we’re neighbors, friends, and family, but not the kind of relationship you’re thinking of!"
"You have no blood relation."
Sif looked at Lisa calmly, speaking nonchalantly: "Even if there was, it wouldn’t matter. Many royal families have had marriages with blood relations to ensure the purity of the bloodline."
"No, absolutely not!"
Lisa answered in a panic, her heart racing.
She clearly hadn’t crossed the line with Roland, so why did she feel nervous and flustered?
"I see, you like Roland, but you’ve never expressed it?" Sif suddenly realized.
Lisa almost fainted, nearly forgetting her purpose in seeking out Sif, dumbfounded as she tried to defend herself but found she couldn’t come up with a clear denial.
Stammering a bit, Lisa ultimately couldn’t utter a complete sentence.
"As long as he likes it, I don’t mind."
Sif’s voice was calm, but her words were progressively more explosive.
Lisa stared blankly at Sif.
This was indeed the outcome she desired, but when Sif actually spoke the words, it still seemed absurd to her.
Why wouldn’t she mind? Roland was Sif’s lover, who she was passionately in love with; could she really accept it?
Sif gestured for Lisa to sit down, speaking calmly, "Miss Lisa, the environment during one’s youth shapes a person’s understanding of the world."
"In the world I can see, prestigious men can have many partners, and women of high status can do the same if they wish. Loyalty in upper-class marriages is, rather, an outlier."
"Thank you for your honesty, Lisa. At least I know Roland didn’t have anyone before me... I’m quite happy."
Sif’s lips curved slightly, revealing a hint of a smile.
"As a reward for this loyalty, I allow him to do some not-so-loyal things, like having a non-blood-related sister, or perhaps a few lovers."
Huh?
Lisa’s head buzzed.
Sif’s words made sense; a person’s upbringing shapes their worldview. In her world, although her parents often quarreled, they were loyal to each other, as were Roland’s parents.
Perhaps this was the most beautiful aspect of civilian love.
But not every civilian remained faithful in love. Lisa had also seen many of her parents’ peers misbehaving outside their marriages.
Some frequented red-light districts, while others shared passionate nights with others’ wives.
Lisa was a bit confused about what Sif was truly thinking.
Of course, Sif understood why Lisa was bewildered; she smiled and said:
"Lisa, you are no longer a commoner now. You are an important member of the Magic Association, and you might become its next leader in the future. Even if not, as Anthony’s disciple, you will still hold a prestigious position."
"You should know that love is not the entirety of life. Or rather, the more weight love holds in one’s life, the duller that life becomes."
"Roland’s presence is my fortune; Roland’s affection is my happiness. But besides that, I hope to stand with him at the pinnacle. That is more meaningful than a mere romantic relationship."
Sif went to the window, looking at the busy people outside, and sighed softly: "If we can’t reach the end together, no matter how passionate the love, it’s imperfect."
Sif’s understanding of love aligns with the mindset of the strong.
For example, Sofia, when faced with emotional neglect from her husband, thinks not of seeking a caring partner but rather of freezing her emotions to become an indomitable force on her climb to the top.
Roland is an irreplaceable presence in Sif’s life, but it’s not love that matters; it’s companionship, trust, and growing together.
Looking at Sif’s slender and elegant figure, Lisa suddenly had an illusion, as if the Sif standing before her was no longer the helpless girl waiting for Roland’s rescue.
As she stood by the window, it was like she became part of the vibrant spring outside, becoming one with the burgeoning life.
Lisa sighed, smiling somewhat helplessly: "You’re so open-minded, it makes me seem a bit petty. Looks like there’s no need to go to Jin Yuan Kingdom."
"No, you must go to Jin Yuan."
Sif turned to look at Lisa, speaking gently: "I don’t want to fall behind Roland, nor do I want anything to hinder the wings that let him soar. Help me find out why he’s changed over these two months. If it’s something binding him, let me know, and I’ll handle it."
Sif didn’t say how she would handle it, but Lisa could more or less imagine.
If someone was causing Roland to indulge in complacency, Sif would likely dismantle that illusory dream herself.
"Understood!"
Receiving Sif’s acknowledgment made Lisa feel much better, even giving her the leisure to make a joke.
She exaggeratedly made a gesture of receiving an order, bringing more smile to Sif’s lips.
The two chatted a bit more, then Lisa seemed to think of something and suddenly asked:
"Sif, the last letter Roland sent you... can I take a look?"
"This?" Sif instinctively wanted to refuse, though devoid of sweet nothings, it was nonetheless a personal letter from Roland to her, one she was unwilling to share with outsiders.
