Chapter 54: Otilia
“Who’s there?”
A voice like a clear spring rang out. On the bed in the room, a silver-haired woman slowly sat up in thin sleepwear.
Her brows furrowed slightly, strands of hair draping over her shoulders. Her fair skin seemed to hide jade-like bones beneath. Her neckline revealed a bit of her soft chest. Her almond-shaped eyes, shimmering with silver light, fixed on Erika with a puzzled expression.
“Vivi… are you Vivi?”
“No… My name is Erika.”
A bit flustered, Erika didn’t know who this woman was, but it was clear to her that she had been woken up from sleep by Erika’s intrusion.
“I didn’t mean to disturb you—someone was chasing me.”
“This is the Elfreid family’s residence. Who’s chasing you?”
“Isana…”
“What’s she chasing you for?”
The woman crossed her long legs, her skin like cream. Her gaze stayed fixed on Erika, the strange look in her eyes not fading.
“She… she wanted to…”
Erika stammered, her face turning a shade redder.
“She wanted what?”
“She wanted to… take off my clothes and use me as a model.”
Upon hearing this, the woman showed no surprise at all. She even gave a slight smile. “That crazy girl—still the same.”
“I really didn’t mean to disturb you.”
Thinking the “crazy girl” referred to herself, Erika quickly apologized. “Once it’s safe, I’ll leave right away…”
“Leave? Why?”
The woman asked with a smile. “You want to strip and satisfy Isana’s silly hobbies?”
“No…”
“Then stay here. She won’t come in.”
Her words had the tone of a command. Wrapping herself in a fluffy coat, the woman waved at Erika.
“Come here.”
“Huh?” Erika hesitated.
“You like sitting on the floor?”
Pursing her lips, Erika finally stood and walked over to the woman’s side. After all, she had barged into someone else’s room and felt very restrained and shy.
“Sit.”
The woman gently patted the bed and gestured for Erika to sit.
After hesitating briefly, Erika obediently sat down.
She said nothing, just sat properly on the bed. She had no idea who this woman was, but at least hoped she wasn’t like Isana—with those “unwelcome” hobbies.
After a while, Erika noticed the woman remained silent, so she tilted her head to look—and saw that the silver-haired woman was watching her.
Her gaze still held that odd expression, as if Erika’s appearance was somehow… strange.
“Is there something on my face?”
“Your name is Erika?” the woman asked instead.
Erika nodded. She had clearly just told her.
“Do you know a girl named Viviana?”
“No. Why are you asking?”
“Because you look a lot like her. You just seem a bit younger.”
The woman spoke plainly. “Not only do you look like her, even your voice sounds similar.”
She sized Erika up again and continued, “Are you from the Aarlan Empire?”
“I’m not…”
“Do you have parents?”
“I don’t know…”
“Where are you living now? How did you meet Isana?”
Like she was conducting a household survey, the woman kept questioning Erika.
Erika didn’t really want to answer all these questions. She hesitated, wanting to leave, but was also afraid of running into Isana outside.
“Don’t want to say?”
Propping her chin with her hand, the woman looked a bit like Isana. “If you won’t tell me, I’ll hand you over to Isana.”
“I live across from the commercial street. Just moved in recently.”
Erika had no choice but to answer truthfully. “Isana and I are both new students at Wode Academy.”
“First time in the Imperial Capital, huh…”
The woman seemed deep in thought after hearing that, as if considering something important.
“Otilia!”
Just then, Isana’s voice suddenly rang out from outside the room.
The sound gave Erika quite a fright.
But the silver-haired woman before her calmly responded.
“What is it?”
“Have you seen a sneaky little brat?”
Isana’s voice had an accusatory tone, but she never opened the door.
“No.”
The woman answered flatly.
“Really?”
Isana didn’t quite believe her. She had searched almost the entire area and hadn’t seen Erika.
This was the only room she hadn’t checked.
“I said no.”
Her voice remained calm. “Isana, my dear little sister, you shouldn’t be barging into my room when searching for someone. And I do hope you can rein in your mischievous nature.”
“Tch, not your business.”
Grumbling, Isana didn’t push it and left.
Seeing that, Erika breathed a sigh of relief. She tilted her head to look at the woman before her.
“You’re Isana’s older sister?”
“Mm.”
Nodding gently, the woman introduced herself. “Otilia Elfreid. Does that name ring a bell?”
“This is our first time meeting, right?”
“Indeed. But aside from age, you look far too much like a girl I once knew.”
Stop trying to get chummy…
Erika shook her head, feeling annoyed. Too many people had already said she looked like someone else.
“Otilia… sis.”
“No need to add ‘sis’. Just call me Otilia,” the woman suddenly interrupted.
“Otilia, who’s the girl you say I look like?”
“Viviana Natalia.”
Otilia replied calmly, “She was the only daughter of the Duke of Night. I met her two years ago—we became very good friends.
Back then, she told me that when she grew up, she wanted to be like me. She was the only one who ever admired me.”
Viviana Natalia…
Never heard of her.
Erika tilted her head. That name rang no bells at all.
But since they all said Viviana was older than her, it probably had nothing to do with her.
“So, where is Viviana… now?”
Erika asked instinctively.
She didn’t know why she asked—maybe just curiosity. After all, it wasn’t the first time someone said she looked like this person.
“She died. Perished in a fire a year ago.”
Died…
Damn, so the person I supposedly resemble is dead…
Erika thought that inwardly, but upon hearing about Viviana’s death, something stirred within her—a strange feeling, like her heart had been tapped.
Noticing the change in Erika’s expression, Otilia narrowed her eyes.
“Erika, does the name Viviana feel familiar to you?”
“No, not familiar at all.”