Princess’s Struggle for Survival

"Really?"

Astrid narrowed her eyes, her crimson pupils gaining an indescribable allure under the light.

She knew Lyra was easily shy, but this innocent girl, who would blush just from being stared at, was simply too adorable.

Perhaps she had played the role of the villain in front of Lyra for too long, but she had unconsciously come to enjoy this feeling of "teasing" her.

As Astrid moved closer, Lyra's heart raced, and she noticed that the breath Astrid exhaled carried no trace of alcohol, but instead a hint of rose fragrance.

"...Really," Lyra answered in a voice as soft as a mosquito's hum.

Noticing that the woman's cheeks showed no sign of redness, and recalling her earlier observation, Lyra realized something and felt a momentary relief.

So... Princess Astrid hadn't been drinking...

Looking at Lyra, who was on the verge of turning into a steam engine, Astrid decided not to push further and stopped teasing her. She crossed her arms and spoke softly.

"As long as you're not lying. Where's Elise?"

"..."

"Miss Elise received a message. It seems there's something at the auction house that requires her presence. If Princess Astrid finishes dinner early, there's no need to wait for her. She'll return on her own after handling the matter."

"The auction house?"

Thinking of the various tasks she had recently assigned to Elise, Astrid nodded thoughtfully.

"Then let's return to the palace first."

With that, Astrid turned to leave, but the door at the end of the corridor suddenly opened, and Earl Tristian emerged, holding something, just in time to see Astrid and Lyra standing in the hall.

Seeing Tristian, Lyra lowered her head, adhering to the principle of avoiding suspicion and trying to minimize her presence.

"Princess Astrid, you're still here. Earlier, you mentioned that the tea in the restaurant was good. I happen to have some tea leaves here, which I'd like to offer as a return gift for the perfume."

Tristian waved his hand, signaling a servant to hand over a packaged box of tea to Astrid. Not wanting to embarrass him, Astrid politely accepted.

"Thank you, Lord Tristian."

If it had been the original Astrid, receiving a gift from her beloved would have thrilled her beyond measure. But the current Astrid felt no emotional stir. To her, Tristian was merely a very good business partner.

In the original story, he had indeed provided a lot of help to Lyra in the early stages, but due to differing values, he couldn't end up with the female lead.

In terms of character, the relatively upright Tristian Velmont was someone she could tentatively trust.

Seeing the carriage waiting outside the restaurant, Tristian abandoned the idea of arranging for someone to escort Astrid back. He bid her a gentlemanly farewell and then boarded the carriage to leave.

Taking the gift box from the servant, Lyra bit her lip as she looked at the colorful packaging, her earlier embarrassment quickly dissipating.

A return gift for the perfume... Princess Astrid gave Earl Tristian perfume...

As Astrid's personal maid, Lyra naturally knew that Astrid had only given perfume to two people before: Countess Charlotte and now Earl Tristian.

According to the head maid, Charlotte was a highly respected elder to Astrid, so giving her perfume wasn't strange.

But... the other person was Tristian...

Clutching the gift box, Lyra felt so upset she could barely speak. She followed Astrid's steps, slowly walking toward the exit.

In truth, Lyra wasn't surprised that Astrid had given Tristian a gift. What she hadn't expected was that Tristian had accepted it.

She had always thought that Earl Tristian didn't accept Princess Astrid's feelings because he didn't understand her, or perhaps even harbored some negative emotions, believing that he would regret it someday.

Princess Astrid was so wonderful, who wouldn't like her?

But now, knowing that Tristian had actually accepted the perfume from Princess Astrid, Lyra felt even more troubled.

If he was willing to accept the gift, did that mean he might come to like Princess Astrid?

What had they talked about in the private room…

Leaving the restaurant, the night was already late. Astrid glanced at the moon hanging high above her head, then at the clock inside the restaurant and the coachman waiting for them outside, her gaze subtly shifting.

No. 42 Losa Road in the West District wasn't too far from the palace, only a twenty to thirty-minute walk.

Seeing Astrid not getting into the carriage but walking straight down the street, Lyra gripped the gift box and quickly followed with her white silk-clad legs.

"Princess Astrid, aren't we taking the carriage?"

Hearing the click-clack of the small leather shoes, Astrid didn't turn back, just casually asked,

"Didn't Miss Lyra eat anything at the restaurant?"

"I ate a little..."

"Then accompany me for a walk. Sitting right after a meal can easily lead to weight gain over time."

Lyra had maid duties and was also a junior knight, spending a lot of energy daily on combat training.

Astrid, on the other hand, as an imperial princess, had her daily needs taken care of by others, mostly engaged in mental work, with her biggest daily activity being climbing the spiral staircase at Amalia's place.

Continuing like this with four meals a day including lunch and afternoon tea, her weight would eventually become unbalanced.

Though Astrid wasn't as obsessed with dressing up as the original Astrid, spending hours just picking an outfit before going out, she wouldn't recklessly neglect this body either. She had to exercise restraint when necessary, not being too lazy.

"Alright, Princess Astrid."

After hearing Astrid's words, Lyra's gaze unconsciously fell on her back. Astrid was wearing a fitted black dress at night, her slender arms smooth and flawless, her waist slim and delicate, in no way related to being overweight.

Lowering her gaze, the woman's exquisite skirt swayed in the wind, revealing her smooth black silk-clad legs as she walked.

The skin near the skirt was snow-white and tender, glowing under the moonlight. About three to four centimeters down, the slightly darker sock gently hugged the flesh, the contrast between black and white adding a subtle allure.

Remembering the time she had pinned Astrid down on the bed, both of them disheveled and skin touching, Lyra's ears warmed, and she bit her lip, trying to avert her gaze from Astrid's thighs.

From the feel of it, Princess Astrid was still a bit too thin; putting on a little weight wouldn't be a bad thing.

As she pondered this, the pointed corner of the gift box in her hand pricked her palm, bringing a faint sting.

Right... the red tea from Earl Tristian...

Her thoughts circled back to the starting point. Looking at the silver-haired Astrid before her, Lyra's steps unconsciously paused.

Princess Astrid and Earl Tristian, their relationship seemed to be getting better and better.

She should have been happy, after all, the whole thing started with a suspicion that was almost a misunderstanding.

If Astrid and Tristian could clear up their previous unpleasantness and their feelings naturally progressed, she would also be cleared of any suspicion as a potential rival.

After resolving the misunderstanding, Princess Astrid probably wouldn't be as cold to her as she was now.

But why... she didn't feel happy at all...

The early summer breeze brushed her face, carrying a hint of rose fragrance, Astrid's scent, which Lyra could always smell whenever she entered the room or tidied up the clothes.

It was now 8:05 PM, and Astrid's discussion with Tristian had lasted nearly two hours.

For a business negotiation that included dinner, this wasn't particularly long, but it was still beyond Lyra's expectations.

Clutching the gift box, seeing the woman's black high heels stepping on the silvery moonlight, Lyra quickened her pace, the crisp sound of her footsteps particularly noticeable on the street.

"Princess Astrid?"

A sweet female voice suddenly came through the air. Lyra looked up and noticed a noble girl in a luxurious dress standing in front of Astrid, followed by two maids.

Lyra recognized her, the second daughter of the Minister of Finance, Lady Lydia, with whom Princess Astrid had just had afternoon tea today.

"Good evening, Miss Lydia." Seeing the newcomer, Astrid's lips curved slightly, her tone carrying a faint smile.

Lydia gently lifted her skirt, slightly bending her knees, and politely returned the greeting.

"Princess Astrid, have you just finished dinner?"

As soon as the girl finished speaking, Astrid nodded, "Yes, taking a walk before heading back to the palace."

After their afternoon conversation, Lydia had a new understanding of the silver-haired princess before her, whose reputation wasn't the best.

At least in her eyes, Astrid's demeanor and manners weren't as bad as the rumors suggested, and in some aspects, they even had common topics.

Of course, there was also the most important point, Astrid knew that mysterious novelist, which added a layer of favorability for Lydia.

"To the palace?" Lydia repeated, her face showing anticipation.

"I was just planning to stroll around nearby. May I accompany Princess Astrid?"

Hearing this, Astrid slightly nodded, her pink lips parting.

"Of course, if it weren't for the limited time this afternoon, I would have had much more to discuss with Miss Lydia."

"Pfft, I should have kept Princess Astrid longer then, my apologies."

After saying this, the noble girl in a white dress, resembling a jasmine flower, walked to Astrid's side, first gently greeting the maid carrying the bag, Lyra.

"Miss Lyra, good evening to you too."

"Good evening, Lady Lydia."

After the greetings, Lydia turned around and continued the conversation with Astrid that was left unfinished during the afternoon tea.

"Princess Astrid, I tried on that princess dress."

"How was it?"

"The puffy sleeves indeed made it much cuter than before. The knee-length skirt paired with thicker white tights, though a bit hotter in summer compared to the lighter ones, looks better."

"Good, changing to round-toe shoes could elevate the cuteness even more."

"Right! I thought so too. Speaking of shoes, what color does Princess Astrid think matches best?"

"Cream white, preferably with a bit more pure black ruffles and lace at the ankle. Black and white combinations are always classic."

Watching Lydia, who was discussing enthusiastically, and Princess Astrid, whose tone remained calm, Lyra suddenly felt a faint sense of distance.

The topics they were discussing seemed somewhat distant to Lyra. At least at home, she only needed to clean her clothes to wear them, relying purely on instinct for what looked good, without delving deeper into it.

As for jewelry and accessories, they were even further from Lyra's realm of concern. She had never worn such things, the closest being a hemp bracelet her mother had made for her.

Astrid was a princess, and she was just an ordinary village girl.

Even if she were a boy, she probably couldn't catch up to Princess Astrid, the third imperial princess.

Listening to the light and harmonious conversation between the two, Lyra silently followed behind, holding the tea.

As they neared the palace gate, Lydia, who had been chatting happily with Astrid, reluctantly bid farewell.

"Next weekend, I'd like to invite Princess Astrid to my garden for afternoon tea. I wonder if Your Highness is available."

"Chatting with Miss Lydia is a pleasure. If there's nothing urgent, I'll attend."

"Then it's settled, see you next week, Princess Astrid."

"Mm, take care on your way back, Miss Lydia."

Feeling like Lydia was almost cooing as she left, Astrid thought to herself that if all girls of this age were like Lydia, it would be great, not tainted by too many aristocratic vices, well-mannered yet retaining a touch of youthful innocence, simply angelic.

Stopping, Astrid glanced back at Lyra, who was looking down, lost in thought. Just as Astrid was about to speak, another graceful figure appeared in her sight.