CHAPTER 325: KISS

’One day, I will take you away from here to see the world outside the castle.’

This was the promise Livia Valeria made to Amalia on an ordinary night, and it was also the courage that supported the latter to take Astrid’s hand and walk out of the silent castle in the misty morning.

Looking into the watery light reflected in the red eyes of the person in front of her, Amalia pursed her lips, her two smooth and delicate white-silk legs resting in Astrid’s arms, the whole person like a red-eyed cat that has retracted its claws, becoming extremely docile.

"...Love you, sister." Amalia said.

Rather than expressing gratitude, Amalia preferred to straightforwardly reveal her feelings, and this sentiment was not limited to words but also included in her actions.

Feeling the little girl in her arms hugging her more tightly, Astrid’s voice was gentle, her arm passing under Amalia’s armpit, gently encircling the other.

"I love you too, Amalia."

This position naturally made it inconvenient to continue holding the cat, Auri "meowed" and jumped off Amalia’s lap, looked back at the two who completely ignored its existence, then ran to Elise’s side, the maid in charge of brewing tea saw the cat coming, reached out and rubbed Auri’s head, signaling it not to disturb the sisters’ communication.

After holding each other for a while, Astrid thought it was about time to end the hug, but noticed that Amalia’s hand strength hadn’t lessened, her hand only symbolically loosened and then hugged again.

"Love you." Amalia softly repeated her previous words.

Hearing this, Astrid’s fingers gently threaded through the girl’s hair, responding to her in the same tender tone.

"Me too."

Perhaps to gain a sense of security from her response, or for other reasons unknown to Astrid, Amalia particularly liked to tell her about her love for her, and never tired of it.

But Astrid never found it annoying, after all, who would refuse a cold yet delightful little girl whose eyes are full of you.

Grasping the scent and warmth of her sister, as if even her soul was healed, after a while, Amalia softly spoke.

"Sister..."

"Hmm?"

"Kiss."

Hearing this, Astrid raised the corner of her mouth and kissed Amalia on the forehead.

"Kiss my most important little princess."

For Amalia, who is still in the form of a little girl but is actually in her late teens, such words might sound a bit childish, but as long as they came from Astrid’s mouth, she didn’t find it inappropriate at all, instead, she felt extremely comfortable.

"Sister is also my most important person."

Raising her face to kiss Astrid’s temple in response, Amalia also gently brushed her hair against the former’s ear, smoothing out a few strands of messy silver hair while letting their breaths mingle on each other’s cheeks.

Just as Astrid thought this was a simple goodnight kiss like usual, nearing the end, Amalia’s lips suddenly moved along the skin, lightly touching the former’s tender cherry lips like a dragonfly skimming the water.

Just a cool touch, but in Amalia’s view, it had the power to strike the heart.

She had done this before, but always pretended it was an accidental brush, like today’s blatant action was actually the first time.

But... It felt great...

Sister is indeed soft all over.

Like.

Reacting to what Amalia had done, the lingering warmth of smooth lips, Astrid’s expression was momentarily stunned, her red eyes rippling with emotion.

Amalia... kissed her?

When she lowered her eyes to meet the gaze of the person in her arms, Amalia had already returned to her non-aggressive appearance, her two white-silk snow feet resting beside her legs, the dependence and tenderness in her eyes unchanged from before.

Previously, kisses were always on the forehead or cheeks, more intimate ones were on the collarbone or even the neck, but a kiss like today was indeed somewhat unexpected for Astrid.

In her previous life, even with her own sister, Astrid had never done something so intimate.

"What’s wrong, sister?"

Noticing the subtle change in Astrid’s expression, Amalia’s heart trembled, suddenly regretting her previous action.

Would she have scared sister...

Without any reason, or deeper motivation, Amalia did this purely out of instinct, or perhaps a long-suppressed obsession.

She wanted to kiss Astrid, not just a sisterly peck, but something deeper, an expression of being closer to the other.

As if by doing so, she could confirm the fact that the other would always be by her side.

"Nothing."

Astrid shook her head, suppressing the strangeness in her heart.

Amalia’s love for her was undeniable, and as the only person who had long accompanied her in her dark times, her importance in Amalia’s heart was self-evident.

So... occasionally having overly intimate actions was reasonable...

Thinking this, Astrid, who had been overthinking due to a sudden kiss, instead felt a slight sense of guilt.

She wasn’t resisting, even somewhat enjoying Amalia’s fragrant and soft touch, especially since she had already clarified that her orientation might differ from her usual cognition, possibly liking girls.

But having such thoughts about her own sister, especially when the other’s appearance is somewhat childish... even without a blood relationship, it was too much...

It just didn’t seem right...

Halfway through her thoughts, Amalia buried her head in Astrid’s chest, she previously placed legs on the woman’s knees softly separated, wrapping around Astrid’s thighs, the whole person transformed from a lazily cuddling cat into a snake entwining Astrid.

"Sister, I’m sleepy."

"Let’s sleep together."

Hearing the soft murmur of the girl in her arms, the exhaled hot air tangling in her ear like a lullaby inducing sleep, Astrid supported Amalia’s buttocks, letting the latter hang on her like a sloth, her fingers quietly reaching to the little girl’s white-silk sock roots, gently pulling them down.

"Okay."

After a long journey, Astrid was actually a bit sleepy too.

Feeling the silk slowly peeling off her legs, Amalia didn’t just wait, but slowly lifted the corresponding knee, making it easier for Astrid to take it off.

"Sister, can you accompany me to wash later..."

"Alone... it’s too dark..."

Previously staying alone in the pitch-black castle, Amalia had experienced darker than now, naturally not afraid of the night outside adorned with stars, or the dim yellow light in the bathroom.

She just wanted to be with sister, that’s all.

Considering they had just arrived in the countryside, with not many acquaintances, and no convenient magical bathing equipment, Astrid naturally wouldn’t refuse.

"Okay, let’s go together."

She wasn’t one to dwell on things, what happened earlier was over, no need to overthink.

Amalia just wanted to express closeness, and her slightly reluctant feeling was just natural like a sister.

That’s all.

...........

In the first week at Morin Village, having lost various magical equipment, Astrid indeed felt a bit of discomfort.

Previously in the royal city, the ever-present street lamps, water outlets, underfloor heating, and a series of convenient magical equipment diluted her sense of unfamiliarity in this different world, now returning to a relatively backward town, not to mention Amalia, Astrid herself first experienced the huge gap from modern to medieval times.

Thanks to her bringing along a maid, many troubles were avoided, compared to ordinary farmers, not having to labor, clean clothes, or worrying about meals was a heavenly level of enjoyment.

And during this week’s stay, what surprised Astrid the most was actually the uninterrupted meat on the dining table.

"Lyra, with all this meat you’re serving us, won’t your family be strained?"

After living together for so long, Astrid had a deeper understanding of Lyra’s family situation, the Pagwa couple made a living by farming coarse wheat, with a plow ox at home, they would do some handicrafts or brew wine to supplement their income when idle, their overall annual income was average in the village.

In other words, such living conditions actually couldn’t support them enjoying such delicious meat every meal.

Hearing Astrid ask this, Lyra touched the pink hair hanging on her chest, answering in a very small voice.

"It’s fine, the village is near the mountains, there are plenty of wild chickens and rabbits to catch."

"Previously, because low-level magical beasts occasionally appeared on the outskirts of the mountains, it was quite dangerous, so not many villagers went hunting. Now that I’m strong enough, I can bring back more meat."

This was also why, although Astrid lived in Lyra’s house, there were always periods when she couldn’t see her.

Hunting beasts was also part of supplementing the family income, at least with Lyra’s current strength, killing beasts without elemental abilities was more than sufficient.

"So, the Sword of Light has been reduced to a chicken-killing tool?"

"Not really, but it is indeed quite useful, whether for chasing or bleeding..."

The sturdy sword body could avoid blade chipping, the scorching temperature was enough to evaporate blood, and the flexible and varied forms could help Lyra complete a series of operations like skinning, deboning, and descaling, the pure and flawless Sword of Light was simply the perfect hunting tool.

Hearing Lyra openly admits this, Astrid’s lips curved slightly, inwardly marveling that the sword probably never thought it would one day be reduced to such a state before being drawn.

However, tools are tools, as long as they are useful, there’s no issue of being wasted.

"By the way, Astrid."

"Do you want to go to the town sometime?"

Lyra looked at the evergreen vine peeking into Astrid’s window, that touch of green brightens the whole scene.

"Being in the village for so long, it’s also good to go out for a walk."

Morin Village, strictly speaking, didn’t have many attractions for Astrid to visit, places like the blacksmith’s shop, granary, mountain entrance that were quite ordinary, Lyra had already taken her to.

Probably only the lake behind the village was left that she hadn’t been to with Astrid.

"Kost Town?"

"Yes, that’s the place I’ve been to the most besides the village."

Sometimes when the family relied on something that couldn’t be bought in the village, they had to go to a more prosperous market, even the old notebook that introduced Lyra to magic was bought by her from a pile of firewood sellers in the market.

"Sure." Astrid replied.

These days she had taken Amalia to see the plow ox helping the farmers, to see how a piece of clothing was made step by step from the original animal skin, to see the land where seeds were buried, the stream irrigating the crops, and also to see what these villagers relied on for their livelihood, where the so-called taxes paid to the nobles came from and went.

Next, she should also take Amalia to see a higher-level social structure, let her understand the weight behind each product, the labor and effort needed to make it, and what equivalent goods could be exchanged for it.

Getting Astrid’s answer, Lyra nodded, her tone slightly amused as she spoke.

"Then it’s settled, we’ll go in a few days."

Although she didn’t know why, seeing Astrid agreed, Lyra felt truly happy from the bottom of her heart.

Perhaps taking someone you like to see the path you’ve walked, the scenery you’ve experienced, is inherently a meaningful thing.

Seeing Lyra suddenly giggle foolishly, Astrid leisurely spoke.

"Alright, but it’s so late now, is Lyra going to sleep here?"

Hearing this, Lyra glanced at the thick night outside the window, also aware that she might be disturbing Astrid’s rest, then spoke.

"Then I’ll leave first, goodnight, everyone!"

Seeing Lyra quickly close the door, Astrid’s eyes filled with gentle laughter, turning to look at Amalia.

"I’ll go see what Elise is doing, she hasn’t come back for so long."

It seemed that the magical hot water pot had some issues, unable to work properly, to prevent disturbing the rest of the two princesses, Elise went out to fix it.

"Okay." Amalia nodded, continuing to feed Auri.

Leaving the room, coming to the spacious corridor, Astrid saw Elise sitting in the yard through the window, her steps gently descending the stairs.

"Elise, not fixed yet?"

Hearing Astrid’s voice from in front, Elise raised her eyes, her gaze lingering on the silver-white figure under the moonlight.

"Reporting to Miss Astrid, it’s fixed." The head maid respectfully answered.

Just now, Astrid hadn’t noticed, but as she approached, she saw the magical hot water pot bubbling beside Elise.

"Then why not go back?" Astrid asked while sitting next to the woman.

"Feeling too stuffy inside, coming out for some fresh air?"

Hearing this, Elise shook her head, looking at the white silk ring on her wrist symbolizing the head maid’s status, answering softly.

"The boiling process is a bit noisy, so I boiled it in the yard, and will take it back when it’s done."