Reborn After Betrayal: The Frail True Princess Decides to Give Up-Chapter 40 : Let Me Help You Change

Shanie didn't understand why Celitia sighed, only knowing that this long sigh seemed to contain rather complex emotions.
"What's wrong?" Shanie couldn't help but look at her questioningly.
"Nothing," Celitia regained her composure, speaking in a gentle tone. "Let's go back."
This "let's go back" made Shanie very happy. She cheerfully rushed to Celitia's bedside and helped her up.
"Good, tonight we'll rest well and prepare to welcome our new life tomorrow together!"
As she spoke, Shanie picked up the cloak from the bedside and wrapped it around Celitia. "By the way, this cloak belongs to Princess Sophia. We should find an opportunity to return it to her."
Looking down at the elegant deep blue cloak, Celitia lowered her eyelids, her long eyelashes hiding the complex emotions in her eyes.
"She probably... won't want it back."
Given how things had turned out between her and Sophia, with Sophia's personality, anything Celitia had touched would likely end up in the trash.
"Why?" Shanie knew nothing about what had happened between them. "This cloak is beautiful and must be quite valuable. Why wouldn't Her Highness want it back?"
After thinking for a moment, Shanie assumed Celitia, being of noble birth, wasn't accustomed to washing clothes herself. She smiled and said:
"Then leave it to me. I'll wash it clean for you, and then we can return it to Princess Sophia."
"That won't be necessary," Celitia sighed slightly. "I'll take care of it myself."
Even if Sophia tore the cloak to pieces in front of her, Celitia would still need to clean it herself and return it herself.
If things truly developed that way, it wouldn't be a bad thing. It would mean there would be no further connection between them.
The two left the hospital room and encountered Sister Mahee, still sitting at the duty room window.
Seeing Celitia, Mahee seemed to want to say something, but hesitated. In the end, she only offered a word of caution.
"Take good care of yourself, Miss Celitia."
"Thank you," Celitia replied with a faint smile. "I will."
When they returned to the dormitory building, Celitia clearly noticed more gazes directed at her.
Without a doubt, under the influence of the rumors, she had already become famous throughout the academy.
In just one day, rumors could develop to such an outrageous extent. She wondered if there was someone behind it all...
While pondering this, Celitia felt that the gazes cast upon her, though mixed with curiosity, admiration, jealousy, and disgust, were generally quite restrained.
This indicated that Sophia had likely already intervened to stop the rumors from spreading.
That was good. Even if she and Shanie exhausted themselves clarifying things everywhere, they probably couldn't achieve even half the effect Sophia could.
Shanie gave half of the packed desserts to Celitia, repeatedly reminding her:
"If you need anything, be sure to come down and find me, okay!"
"I will." Celitia didn't refuse.
Climbing to the fourth floor and walking to the room at the very end of the corridor, Celitia opened the door and was slightly surprised at what she saw inside.
Unlike when she had left in the morning, the messy room had been mostly tidied up.
Though the placement of items was still somewhat random, they had clearly been carefully categorized. The floor had been mopped clean and looked like new.
Had Sophia come back? And cleaned up the room?
Did she clean it herself, or did she send servants to do it?
And surprisingly, she hadn't thrown out any of Celitia's belongings.
Celitia had been prepared to be evicted and thought that if she couldn't enter the room, she would have to swallow her pride and plead with the academy administration.
Her feelings were complex as she quietly entered and sat on the bed.
A faint perfume had been sprayed around the room. The familiar scent of lavender filled the entire dormitory, occupying every inch of space around her.
So sweet and gentle, it involuntarily reminded Celitia of a certain warm embrace.
Where had Sophia gone?
Not throwing away her things and cleaning up the room... did that mean she planned to stay?
Or perhaps Sophia had just had a whim to tidy things up, but had actually already returned to the palace?
Celitia realized that even though she had decided to sever ties with Sophia, the other's choices somehow mattered to her greatly.
Had her heart not completely died yet, still hoping for some beautiful things?
A bitter smile appeared on her lips as Celitia pressed her hand against her chest, falling into a long silence.
"Enough... thinking about these things is meaningless."
She exhaled deeply, putting aside all her troubled feelings.
It was getting late. She would take a bath, read a book, and then go to bed early.
Taking out clean clothes, Celitia stood by the bed, facing the wall, undoing the buttons on her chest one by one, preparing to remove her outer dress.
Suddenly, a slender hand rested on Celitia's left shoulder, while another gently encircled her waist, embracing her from behind.
"Master," Kassy's voice sounded in Celitia's ear, "let me help you change."
Without mercy, Celitia slapped the back of Kassy's hand, making the white skin turn red: "Let go."
"I won't," Kassy said softly. "In the past when I was around, I always helped you. Since when did Master become so shy?"
"I've told you, I am not your master."
Celitia had expected Kassy to come and pester her, but she hadn't expected her to come so quickly.
And when Kassy appeared just now, Celitia hadn't sensed her presence at all.
This body was indeed too weak.
A sense of irritation rose uncontrollably in her heart, only to be immediately suppressed by Celitia.
"Whether you acknowledge it or not doesn't matter."
Kassy laughed softly, breathing into Celitia's ear.
"What matters is that I consider you my master, and that's enough."
Kassy's hand moved inch by inch up Celitia's waist. Despite Celitia pressing firmly against her hand, it had little effect.
"Master, your vigilance isn't what it used to be," Kassy giggled. "And your strength also seems much less than before."
Realizing she couldn't restrain Kassy this way, Celitia calmly said: "Let go of me first, let me turn around, and then you can help me change."
"Kassy naturally obeys Master's commands."
Kassy answered softly, gradually releasing her grip as promised.
Her hope still rested with Celitia. Even though she discovered that Celitia was much weaker than she remembered, Kassy didn't dare to be too presumptuous.
Celitia slowly turned around. Two buttons on her chest were undone, the previously tightly closed neckline had loosened, vaguely revealing beautifully contoured, fair collarbones.
She looked up at Kassy, the corners of her eyes slightly reddened, her smoky purple eyes seemingly misted with moisture.
"I never imagined Master would become like this today, so... endearing..."
Kassy's voice sounded strange—surprised, admiring, with a hint of uncontrollable infatuation.
She reached out both hands, continuing to undo the buttons on Celitia's outer dress.
Quick as lightning, Celitia's right hand formed a tight fist and struck Kassy in the abdomen.