Chapter 136. The Princesses Favored by the Divine…?
Realizing she might have nearly lost her composure, Valentina quickly placed her hand over her mouth to conceal the curling edges of her lips and shut her eyes to hide the fervent gleam in her gaze, feigning contemplation.
To say she was pretending to consider was not entirely accurate; she was indeed deep in thought.
However, the contemplation was not about whether to grant the request, but rather the probability of this possibility.
If it were the work of an evil god, that would be one thing; but if it were her true sister, then she would become the perverse sister harboring illicit thoughts about her sibling.
Indeed, it was better to calm down and discern whether the other was real or false.
“…I understand. If you don’t mind, Veronica.”
When Valentina forced herself to regain her composure and reopened her eyes, the fervor that had ignited within them was swiftly concealed once more, her voice betraying no hint of abnormality.
Yet, she fixed an intensely focused gaze upon the girl before her, striving to discern whether she was truly her sister or an imposter.
“Not at all! I completely don’t mind!”
Veronica, oblivious to Valentina’s fleeting change, responded with a very ordinary reaction—fearful that even a moment’s hesitation would be misinterpreted, she hurriedly nodded, affirming her sincerity.
“…Is that so?”
This reaction, indeed, was one only the genuine Veronica could exhibit, and thus Valentina felt a pang of disappointment within her.
Yes, upon reflection, even if it were an evil god, they would likely only forcibly remove her stockings; they wouldn’t barge in while she was clad only in a towel.
…Though, truth be told, Valentina wouldn’t mind being forcibly stripped of her sole ‘garment,’ the towel.
“Um, um, Lady Valentina?”
Noticing Valentina’s evident disappointment, Veronica cautiously probed, her small face once again adorned with worry and fear.
Though she didn’t grasp what had transpired, she was certain it was her fault; after all, she had lacked the courage to step forward and mend their relationship.
If Valentina continued to feel disheartened, Veronica would surely blame herself.
“Ah, I’m sorry, Veronica. I was just thinking how nice it would be if Lady Dilia could join us too.”
But upon realizing this, Valentina quickly masked her disappointment with another perfectly reasonable explanation.
“Lady Dilia!? Ah… no, um, yes, it would be wonderful if the three of us sisters could coexist harmoniously one day…”
The young Veronica was taken aback by this statement, then awkwardly laughed, only to feel a twinge of disappointment herself.
She knew it was fundamentally unlikely; while simply joining was easy enough, convincing Dilia to willingly interact with Valentina was something even the king and queen could not achieve. Only the divine might have the power to make that happen.
“Mm, yes.”
Valentina nodded, not truly believing in the possibility of such a reality.
She merely sought to cover up her earlier lapse, not genuinely wishing to entertain such thoughts.
She understood it was nearly impossible; even now, Dilia was scheming to ruin everything she held dear.
Let’s temporarily forget that detestable woman; after all, unlike that old hag, her younger sister Veronica was still in a phase of growth and could potentially change.
Having tacitly set aside the grand princess Dilia, the kingdom’s second princess and the little princess began a rare moment of sisterly bonding.
Since Valentina had been brought back to the palace only after she had learned to be sensible, she, though a princess, took it upon herself to handle her own bathing and dressing.
Aside from the maids’ insistence that at least laundry be left to them lest they be scolded, she generally managed everything herself.
In contrast, Dilia and Veronica, who had grown up in the palace’s lap of luxury, were almost entirely cared for by others.
Even now, Delia required several attendants to help her dress and undress, and bathing was an affair that demanded at least six or seven maids to serve her.
Veronica had been much the same before, though she had fewer maids attending to her.
There were even times when a dozen maids would scurry about, while the two princesses chatted leisurely.
Valentina couldn’t help but twitch her lips at such scenes, discreetly choosing to step away.
What she hadn’t expected was that this clearly younger Veronica had begun to assert her independence.
Though clumsy and utterly inexperienced, at the very least, she was making an effort to change.
Like other royals, Veronica’s hair was a dazzling gold, long and flowing, beautiful yet burdened with its own troubles.
She had never realized how difficult washing one’s hair could be; before, she merely sat still, and her hair was tended to effortlessly. Now, she found herself ‘tangled’ with her own locks for ages, unable to clean them properly.
“Ugh…”
Once again feeling her own inadequacy, Veronica lowered her head, letting out a sound of shame.
“There’s no need to rush, Veronica. You’ve done quite well for your first time. Leave the rest to me.”
Seeing her sister like this, Valentina couldn’t help but show a rare, heartfelt smile of relief.
In the past, she had only known she had ‘sisters,’ but it had never felt real.
Yet in this moment, she truly recognized herself as an ‘older sister,’ someone who had family beyond just their mother.
“Mm, mm…”
Shy, Veronica nodded obediently, and then, like a doll, she allowed Valentina to wash her hair as instructed.
To the maids who had quietly entered out of concern, the two sisters appeared as if they were just beginning to forge a bond, their interactions indeed harmonious.
So, the maids quietly retreated, their faces relaxed with reassurance.
Of course, Valentina noticed their movements, but she merely acknowledged them without taking any further action.
As she helped her sister with her hair, she became acutely aware once more of how she had always enjoyed the care of the divine.
Without Noah’s assistance, she would never have managed to keep Delia at bay and share this pleasant sisterly time with Veronica.
Ah… what to do? The more she thought about it, the more she wanted him to look only at her…
As she combed her sister’s hair again and again, the princess’s gaze turned dangerous and fervent, her once-glimmering violet eyes now filled with obsession and madness for someone.
Meanwhile, the other princess, who was being tended to, felt a secret joy for having mustered the courage to take a step forward, her small face flushed with bashfulness yet satisfaction.
Though she hadn’t been able to apologize for past grievances, at least she was making an effort to mend their relationship.
She was surprised at her own courage to change.
In truth, she had hesitated for over ten minutes at the entrance of the bathing area, even considering giving up entirely.
But for some reason, it felt as if a voice was urging her that it wouldn’t hurt to go in, and before she knew it, she had stepped into the changing room of the bathhouse.
Hehe, surely that must have been her goddess, who had noticed her and offered encouragement.
—
Tomorrow, I must make a trip to the church to thank the great goddess!
The girl, basking in the care of her half-sister, couldn’t help but smile sweetly at the thought.
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PS. Two updates today; there will definitely be another one before 2 o’clock.
Originally, I had planned for four updates today, but chapters 129 and 130 had to be revised for harmony due to scrutiny, leaving me without the energy to add another chapter.
Dear readers, rest assured, once I finish the revisions, there will be four updates. I will repay the owed chapters within this month, so if you could spare me some monthly votes, that would be wonderful (once again, shamelessly asking).
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