Princess's Struggle for Survival-Chapter 87: It seemed a certain princess was still somewhat curious about her...

Amalia harbored no goodwill toward the Valeria family.

She neither wanted to involve herself with them nor engage in deeper communication with Livia, even though the other party might be the only person she could attempt to converse with in years.

Livia also sensed Amalia's rejection, and her tone softened further.

"We will be neighbors from now on. Miss Amalia, feel free to come to me if you have any problem.."

Looking at the woman's fair and delicate face, and the noble aura radiating from her, Amalia suddenly thought of something.

Her eyes dimmed, and she spoke in a low voice.

"Thank you... I won't trouble you..."

"You should not... go near Auri..."

After saying this, Amalia turned around, leaving Livia with only the sight of her slender back.

Although she was deeply curious about Livia's identity and purpose, even if she asked, the other party had no reason or motivation to reveal the truth about her situation.

As long as it didn't disrupt her normal life or take Auri away from her, it didn't matter to Amalia whether Livia was human or a ghost.

She didn't need to obsess over that answer.

The sandals made crisp sounds against the marble floor tiles as the girl walked away with light steps.

Livia watched Amalia's night dress sway slightly with her movements.

Her smooth, pale legs glowed with a porcelain-like sheen under the moonlight, and her slender waist, wrapped in the white nightdress, seemed as though it might break at the slightest touch.

The girl resembled a piece of beautiful yet fragile glass.

After half a minute, the corridor returned to silence.

The only sound in the quiet air was the gentle rhythm of breathing.

Livia stood there, arms folded across her chest, gazing thoughtfully at the spot where Amalia had disappeared.

It seemed that the fourth princess, who had lived in the depths of the palace for so long, was not as easy to approach as she had imagined.

At the very least, she was far more difficult to connect with than the cat named Auri.

The latter could be easily bribed with Tallinn cakes and dried fish, but the young girl, as wary as a hedgehog, was not so easily swayed.

What unsettled Livia the most was the intense hostility in Amalia's eyes when she had held Auri earlier.

Though it was just a simple embrace, Amalia had made her feel as though she had taken away the most important thing in her life.

Astrid was certain that if she had delayed even a moment longer in returning the orange cat to Amalia, the blonde might have acted impulsively, perhaps even recklessly.

Her possessiveness teetered on the edge of obsession.

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Amalia returned to the room, placed the lamp back in its original spot, then turned and walked to the door.

Standing on tiptoe, she pushed the metal latch on the wooden door hard outwards.

The thin iron bar, rusted from long disuse, emitted a harsh sound as it moved, and after a few seconds, it clicked heavily into the light silver safety buckle.

Livia Valeria, a member of the royal family of the Valeria Empire, could conjure magic to light wicks out of thin air.

Amalia sat on the edge of the bed, gently stroking Auri in her arms, her pink lips unconsciously pursed.

From now on, they would be neighbors.

Why... did she want to move in too…

Though Amalia and Livia had little interaction and their attitudes toward each other were quite cold, Amalia still felt an inexplicable, subtle emotion stir within her at the thought of this dark, gloomy castle welcoming another new resident.

Could it be that Livia was like her... someone who had been unblessed since birth...

This feeling of joy, as if they were both stuck in the same quagmire, radiated outward uncontrollably, deepening the girl's self-loathing.

Amalia clenched her fingers and bit her lower lip with her pearly teeth, turning her light pink lips pale.

She knew it was wrong to feel joy over such things, but the happiness bubbling from her heart was like tangled vines thriving in the soil of negative emotions, relentlessly binding her conscience.

Amalia was even aware that this faint possibility was merely a bad thought that paralyzed her self-awareness and filled her with a sense of false hope.

The pampered, noble demeanor of the woman could not be faked.

Compared to Livia, Amalia felt like an abandoned stray dog, devoid of any trace of nobility.

Not to mention, Livia knew magic, it was reserved for nobles or wealthy merchants.

How could such a person end up here under duress?

Midway through her thoughts, Amalia felt a soft touch on her palm.

She looked down and noticed that Auri had shifted in her arm.

It nestled its soft belly against her pale palm, its eyes half-closed, as if on the verge of drifting into sleep.

Seeing the cat's adorable state, Amalia's tense body finally relaxed.

She pushed aside the silk nightgown draped over her thighs, stood up, and placed the cat on a wooden box filled with old clothes in the corner of the room.

"Auri... from now on, don't run around..."

Amalia murmured softly, attempting to communicate with the cat in the common language.

Auri opened its eyes slightly and gazed at the blonde with it's dark pupils.

It gently nuzzled its head under the cotton cloth, tucked its small white paws beneath its body, and soon drifted off to sleep.

After settling the orange cat, Amalia straightened up, glanced at her hand that had just stroked Auri, and wondered if she should go to the opposite room to wash it.

I probably won't run into her...

After a moment of hesitation, Amalia walked to the door, unbolted it, and pushed it open a crack.

The corridor was dimly lit. A few streaks of silvery moonlight fell on the marble tiles in the distance, the light flowing faintly, exuding a chill.

Amalia stepped out of the bedroom and sniffed the air.

A light fragrance lingered, incongruent with the cold atmosphere of the castle.

It was a mix of lemon and some faintly floral scent, soothing and reassuring.

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This is the scent of Livia...

Realizing this, Amalia paused and turned to look at the room next to hers.

The door was open, and warm light spilled from the entrance.

Could it be that the neighbor Livia mentioned... was truly just a wall in the literal sense...

Amalia frowned and quickly walked into the bathroom to wash her hands.

She emerged with slow steps, avoiding looking around.

Although this blonde girl had lived alone in the castle for a long time, she was not its true owner.

Both the land and the house belonged to the emperor of the Valeria Empire.

In other words, this historic royal castle was Hibbort's private property.

As long as he wished, anyone could live here without needing to consider Amalia's opinion.

Inside the room, Livia (Astrid) stood by the arched window, her thick, smooth golden hair swaying gently with the breeze.

The dust accumulated over the years gathered under the influence of her mental power and was carried out of the window by the wind.

Except for the bedroom and bathroom that Amalia frequently used, all the other rooms in the castle were covered in dust.

Whether it was the sofa or the dining table, a light touch would cause a cloud of dust to fall.

Livia, who had a slight obsession with cleanliness, could not tolerate it.

Fortunately, she had the blessing headband given to her by Charlotte.

With its help, Livia did not expend much mental energy when chanting wind magic, allowing her to clean the entire room with energy to spare.

Feeling satisfied with her efforts, Livia stopped channeling her mental energy, raised her delicate fingers, and gently wiped the windowsill.

After wiping, she inspected her fingertips and found no trace of dust.

Livia's expression softened.

She placed her palms on the bricks, lifted herself slightly, and sat by the window with graceful poise.

The arched window had been designed with ample space, allowing one to lean against it comfortably without feeling cramped.

Livia leaned against the wall, one of her slender, smooth legs resting on the windowsill, the other slightly bent, with her arms wrapped around her knees.

Her bright silver high heels sparkled under the moonlight.

Judging from Amalia's attitude earlier, Livia estimated that her progress tonight would be limited.

She decided to clean the room first and prepare for the long-term interactions to come.

As Livia pondered, she ran her fingers through her golden hair, a warm glow reflecting in her clear blue eyes.

At that moment, she heard a faint sound, like the tap of a hard sole against the floor tiles. Livia's gaze instantly shifted toward the room's entrance.

Within her elemental vision, the wind elements near the door seemed to have brushed against something, spreading out in an unnatural, ribbon-like pattern.

Noticing this, Astrid narrowed her eyes, lowered her leg from the windowsill, and chanted a light-body spell, swiftly approaching the door.

There was no one outside, and the wind elemental particles had returned to their normal state.

Without hesitation, Astrid moved toward Amalia's bedroom.

As expected, she heard the crisp sound of a bolt being locked from behind the door.

It seemed a certain princess was still somewhat curious about her...

Astrid looked at the tightly closed door, a slight smile curling at the corner of her lips.