Princess's Struggle for Survival-Chapter 186: Hibbort’s Workload and Perfect Maid

Hibbort was aware of these maneuvers but saw no need to bring them into the open.

The future of the Valeria Empire required a strong-willed emperor to handle potential crises.

As long as things didn’t get out of hand, he could pretend not to notice, just like the recent disturbance in the outskirts.

Lucas thought he had covered his tracks perfectly, but Hibbort had already figured out most of it.

Hibbort didn’t care about the dirty methods Lucas had used or how many commoners had disappeared.

What truly disappointed him was the prince’s inability to even cover his tracks properly. The lack of skill and foresight was disheartening.

"Keep an eye on those construction materials. Make sure there’s nothing unusual," Hibbort said calmly.

"Also, any news from the border?"

Compared to the other three dukes, Duke Charles, who guarded the border, had the closest relationship with the royal family.

His troops were constantly engaged with the soldiers of the Kingdom of Velys and occasionally expanded into the uninhabited regions to the northeast, enlarging the empire’s territory.

"Your Majesty, the Kingdom of Velys has not increased its military presence recently. However, according to spies sent by Duke Charles, the Kingdom of Velys seems to be secretly increasing military investments."

Was this a form of pressure?

Hibbort’s hand holding the fork paused slightly, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes. An aura that sent chills down one’s spine seemed to emanate from him.

It seemed he needed to have Duke Charles return for a discussion on the next steps.

After a moment, Hibbort picked up a napkin and gently wiped his mouth, saying in a low voice, "What about the matter I asked you to investigate yesterday?"

Although it seemed minor compared to other issues, Hibbort didn’t dare to let his guard down.

"Regarding Miss Livia by Princess Astrid’s side, based on the information we’ve gathered, she was born in a village with no detailed records. Her specific background is unclear, but her journey to the capital is traceable. Some residents claimed to have seen a ragged, red-eyed girl a few days ago, and we found a merchant caravan that matched her route."

"Overall, Livia Calliste’s identity is quite vague, and the possibility of it being fabricated cannot be ruled out."

If the identity was fabricated, it was clearly targeting Astrid. Could it be related to the seafood soup incident from a while back?

Hibbort reasoned with his usual mindset, completely unaware that his daughter, whom he had watched grow up, could orchestrate such a scheme.

He never imagined that the usually straightforward and beloved princess would have the audacity to risk his discovery by bringing Amalia out of the ancient castle.

"Continue the investigation. Also, keep a close eye on Lucas and Alistair."

The heir to the throne was the foundation of the empire’s succession, and no mistakes could be allowed.

"Understood, Your Majesty Hibbort."

"Dismissed."

Watching the man leave, Hibbort remained in the study for another half minute before the servants responsible for his daily care entered to clear the tableware, leaving him alone.

The man pondered for a long time, glancing at the newspaper and then at the supplementary materials submitted by Gregor on his desk. Besides the assassination case, there was one proposal that had left a deep impression on him.

"Your Majesty, may I publish this case in the current affairs section of the Empire Monthly?"

Although he couldn’t directly gain the emperor’s support, through this subtle reading process, more nobles would become aware of the dangers of magical machinery.

It needed a change in research direction and to be restricted.

Hibbort looked at the materials, his fingers lightly tapping the desk, his brow furrowed.

Astrid was the founder of the Empire Monthly, and she was close to the reformist Countess Charlotte. Anyone with a bit of sense wouldn’t publish such a clearly suggestive piece of news. Gregor’s move was an attempt to bypass Astrid and seek his approval.

Besides external pressures, the internal disagreements within the empire also gave Hibbort a headache.

Half a minute later, Hibbort took out a quill, dipped it in ink, and wrote a reply to Gregor’s request.

"The Empire Monthly is Princess Astrid’s venture. I will not interfere lightly. If you have ideas, you may discuss them with her in detail."

This was as clear as he could be. Gregor was a smart man, having risen to the position of Minister of Internal Affairs was no small feat. He would understand the emperor’s intent.

"Gregor, you’ve been a bit too eager lately."

---------

While Emperor Valeria was still buried in his official duties, most of the royal family members in the palace had yet to wake up. Instead, the servants were the first to begin their hard work for the new day.

At 7:30 in the morning, in the third princess’s palace.

Since Amalia had moved in, Lyra noticed that Astrid’s waking time had been gradually delayed.

Before Astrid went to the ancient castle, she would usually wake up naturally by the time Lyra knocked on her door.

But now, when Lyra entered, the young girl was always bleary-eyed, as if she had stayed up late the night before.

After exchanging morning greetings, the black-haired girl got up and left the bedroom, returning to her own room to wash up and get ready. Lyra placed the freshly brewed tea on Astrid’s desk, intending for the princess to drink it after she finished her morning routine.

"Lyra, where is Elise?" Astrid rubbed her eyes, her silver hair spread out on the pillow.

Lyra stirred the tea gently with a spoon and replied softly, "Your Highness, today is Friday. Elise has gone to attend to the newspaper matters first. When she returns to the palace, she will check the kitchen to see how the ingredients are prepared and whether we need to purchase more."

The perfect and elegant head maid was exceptionally busy at the start of the day.

Astrid nodded upon hearing this and got out of bed.

Today, Charlotte should be returning without any mishaps. Astrid planned to prepare a few dishes to welcome her beloved aunt, the countess, and give her a warm reception.

After washing up and having breakfast in the dining room, Astrid asked Amalia if she wanted to continue accompanying her or return to the palace with Lyra first.

"I only know Your Highness Astrid... wherever you go, I will follow..."

Receiving the expected response, Astrid pinched Amalia’s cheek. The latter slightly narrowed her eyes, her lips pursed, resembling a little cat lifting its head to let someone scratch its chin under the sunlight.

Entering the alchemy workshop that she hadn’t visited in a long time, although Elise was still nowhere to be seen, the freshly prepared materials on the table bore traces of her presence.

Comparing the items with the list she had given the head maid from memory, Astrid confirmed that nothing was missing. She then locked the door of the alchemy room and instructed the servants not to disturb her under any circumstances. She then asked Lyra to fetch the mortar and continue assisting her.

Amalia looked at the items before her, feeling somewhat puzzled.

"Sister, are you... brewing potions?"

The books said that alchemy workshops used by magic pharmacists were usually covered with magical barriers to ensure soundproofing and to block most environmental influences on the potions.

The soundproofing also meant that Amalia no longer needed to address Astrid as "Your Highness."

"Something similar, but I’m actually blending perfumes," Astrid replied.

Ever since Charlotte left, Astrid had been thinking of blending another bottle of perfume for her. However, after Amalia arrived at the palace, this task had to remain on paper until today when she could finally put it into practice.

"Perfume?" Amalia blinked a few times upon hearing this, her tone even more puzzled.

Having lived in the ancient castle for so long without contact with the outside world, Amalia only knew that nobles used soap or flowers to alter their scent.

Naturally, she was unaware of the wave of perfume usage that had swept through the capital, nor did she know that Astrid’s nightly meetings with her were funded by the perfume business.

"Yes, Amalia, you’ll understand once you see it."

Astrid tossed a fire elemental crystal into the bottom of the alchemy pot, infusing it with a trace of her spiritual energy to heat the pot in preparation for the next steps.

Amalia watched Astrid’s familiar movements, then glanced at Lyra, who was diligently grinding herbs. Her long eyelashes trembled slightly.

Cooking, magic, potion-making, writing articles... it seemed like her sister could do everything...

"Lyra, finish processing the roses and then handle this."

"Yes, Your Highness Astrid."

"Prepare the sandalwood first; I’ll need it later."

"Understood."

"..."

Watching Astrid and Lyra working busily and in perfect harmony, Amalia stood to the side, feeling the rising temperature in the room and unsure of what to do.

She wanted to help but was afraid of causing trouble, so she simply stood there silently.

After a while, Amalia noticed Astrid’s hands pause for a moment. She pointed to the square table where the blending materials were placed and asked softly, "Sister, can I take a look at that?"

Astrid glanced over and replied gently, "Of course."

After speaking, she noticed that the pot’s temperature was just right. She poured in the prepared essence and attempted to use her spiritual energy to remove impurities.

Knowing she shouldn’t disturb her sister further, Amalia walked over to the table, her red eyes examining the various herbs, flowers, leaves, and wood blocks.

Lyra’s work had temporarily come to a halt, and since Astrid didn’t need constant supervision at the moment, she turned her attention to Amalia, who was standing idly by the table. She realized this was a good opportunity to build a rapport with her.

Amalia’s personality was somewhat aloof, always giving Lyra a sense of distance. It seemed that apart from Princess Astrid, Amalia was indifferent to everyone else.

As the fourth princess and Astrid’s sister, Lyra felt it was necessary to get along well with her.

"Liv..., Your Highness Amalia, if there’s anything you don’t understand, you can ask me..."

In her quest to become a perfect maid like Elise, Lyra had secretly done a lot of work. She could name every material on the table and describe their general effects.

Amalia’s eyes flickered upon hearing this. After a while, she picked up a piece of dried orange peel and brought it to her nose, inhaling deeply. The sweet, refreshing aroma immediately filled her lungs.

"This is dried orange peel. In the past, some people used it to brew tea. Your Highness asked Elise to collect it as a raw material for blending perfumes."

Amalia closed her eyes, silently savoring the citrus scent spreading through her lungs. After half a minute, she began to try other materials. Lyra stood beside her, explaining each one in a voice soft enough for Amalia to hear without disturbing Astrid, who was busy blending the perfume.

Picking up two green leaves, Amalia’s wrist stiffened the moment she caught the scent. She instinctively brought the leaf-shaped foliage closer to her nose.

This aroma...

"Lyra, what is this?" Amalia raised her eyes, her voice deliberately low but with a hint of urgency.

Lyra, unaware of what Amalia had discovered, tilted her head slightly and said, "Mint."

Upon receiving this answer, Amalia pondered it in her heart. After a moment, she picked up the dried orange peel she had set aside earlier and placed it together with the so-called mint leaves, taking a gentle breath.

It was a scent that differed greatly from Astrid’s but was familiar and comforting to Amalia.

It was the scent of Livia.

Meanwhile, Astrid sniffed the liquid that had stained her fingertips and smiled slightly.

Although she hadn’t blended perfumes in a while, her skills hadn’t diminished at all.

"Just right... let’s go..."

Hearing Astrid’s voice, Amalia snapped out of her thoughts. Astrid noticed the shimmering light in those crimson eyes and asked softly, "What are you thinking about, Amalia..."

The black-haired girl blinked and whispered, "Can I keep these things?"

Astrid glanced down at Amalia’s palm, assuming she simply liked the scent, and replied gently, "Of course."

She wouldn’t need them for now, and she could always have Elise replenish them later.