Reincarnated as a Sickly Princess, She was Kidnapped by the Evil Dragon Lady - Chapter 30

“It’s really nothing,” Illycia said, a thoughtful expression crossing her face.

“Aria just asked me to help her with something, so you don’t need to worry.”

Illycia grinned at Isabella, who was listening to her explanation. But Isabella found Illycia’s words anything but reassuring.

“What kind of help could only you provide? Can’t we help too?” Isabella retorted immediately.

“Oh, you know… It’s just… You don’t need to know, Sis. Even if you ask, I won’t tell you,” Illycia said, realizing that if she didn’t make it clear, her sister would keep pestering her. So she declared it a secret, something she couldn’t reveal.

“Illycia used to tell me everything… Sigh…” Isabella feigned a heartbroken expression.

But when Illycia remained unmoved, Isabella’s mood soured.

“You really won’t tell me? Little Illycia used to even tell me her bra size…”

“Stop it!” Illycia interrupted, her face flushed as her sister’s words veered into increasingly inappropriate territory. “Anyway, it’s just not going to happen,” she declared firmly, after calming herself down.

Illycia knew that if she revealed her true plans, her sister would only worry more. It was better to keep it a secret than to cause her further anxiety.

Seeing Illycia’s unwavering refusal to divulge anything, Isabella had no choice but to give up.

“Speaking of which, Little Illycia, you seem so different since you came back this time. You used to tell me everything!” Isabella said earnestly, abandoning her dramatic persona.

“I’m twenty now, Sister! Twenty-year-old girls are supposed to get married!” Illycia retorted.

Her words weren’t entirely untrue. In this world, most girls married by eighteen, often having been betrothed long before their wedding ceremonies at that age. While this custom differed from Illycia’s previous world, she was simply speaking according to the prevailing norms of this society.

“Absolutely not! No one is taking my little Illycia away from me!”

With that, Isabella lunged forward and embraced Illycia, instantly causing the younger girl’s face to flush crimson again after she had finally managed to calm down.

“I… I’m done washing!” Illycia blurted out, unable to endure her sister’s constant clinging and pressing against her. She abruptly stood up, wrapped herself in a bathrobe, and fled the room.

It wasn’t that Illycia disliked the affection; she simply couldn’t handle such intense physical intimacy.

“Then I won’t wash either! Wait for me, little Illycia!” Isabella declared, immediately rising to follow Illycia out of the room.

When they reappeared, both were fully dressed in their room. Isabella was meticulously brushing Illycia’s long silver hair.

“Illycia, I think you look even more beautiful with silver hair,” Isabella remarked as she continued brushing.

“Really…” Illycia replied absently, her mind clearly elsewhere.

Illycia knew that silver hair wasn’t considered a good omen in this world, which explained her subdued reaction.

In the past, Illycia would have scoffed at such claims. But after learning about the hardships this body had endured, she now believed them.

After all, this body’s experiences truly were a misfortune among misfortunes—that much was undeniable.

“Speaking of which, are you really going to invite that dragon to eat with us?” Isabella asked, sensing Illycia’s mood. Realizing that Illycia likely now understood the ominous significance of her silver hair, she quickly changed the subject.

“Actually, Sister, don’t let Aria’s dragon appearance scare you. She’s a really good person, you know?”

Illycia glanced at Isabella through the mirror’s reflection, noticing Isabella’s hands freeze mid-motion after she spoke.

“No way, Illycia! Has that dragon brainwashed you? She kidnapped you, for crying out loud! How can you still think she’s a good person?!” Isabella stared at Illycia, her eyes filled with disbelief.

“Oh, Sister, you just don’t understand!” Illycia quickly explained, seeing Isabella’s strong reaction.

“I bet that dragon has you completely bewitched. If she hadn’t kidnapped you, none of this would have happened!”

As she spoke, Isabella pinched Illycia’s cheeks, squeezing them angrily.

“Mmm, Sister, it hurts!” Illycia protested.

Seeing Illycia’s discomfort, Isabella released her tender cheeks.

The already delicate skin now flushed with a faint blush, adding to her unique charm.

But Illycia, the victim of this pinching, certainly didn’t find it charming. She immediately covered her cheeks with her hands, glaring warily at Isabella behind her.

“Alright, I’ve fixed your hair. Let’s go eat.”

“Okay…” Illycia mumbled in agreement, though her mind was still mulling over Isabella’s words.

From a normal person’s perspective, Isabella’s reasoning wasn’t entirely wrong. If Aria hadn’t kidnapped her in the first place, none of these troubles would have arisen.

But Illycia was no ordinary person. She had lived two lives, and this time she was living as a princess who was terminally ill and confined to her home, unable to venture outside.

Illycia had considered Isabella’s question herself. She certainly didn’t have any masochistic tendencies.

However, Illycia knew that in the few days Aria had taken her away, she had witnessed more than her current body would ever experience in a lifetime. No matter how she looked at it, Illycia still believed it was better for Aria to take her out and show her the world.

To illustrate, imagine an ordinary person destined to live a life of poverty and hardship. Then one day, someone suddenly appears, lets them experience the life of the wealthy for a few days, and tells them that if they agree to do a certain task, they can live a life of wealth forever. Although there’s a chance of unexpected complications, if everything goes smoothly, it would mean a completely new life.