Princess's Struggle for Survival-Chapter 207: "Would we be friends then?"

Feeling the warm water flowing over her skin, Astrid closed her eyes, her long and thick eyelashes holding a few drops of water, her cheeks slightly flushed by the heat, her silver waist-length hair spread out on the water, barely covering the great scenery under the water.

Lyra swallowed a mouthful of saliva almost imperceptibly, her back against the wall of the bathtub, and the slightly cool tiles compared to the water temperature slightly dispelled the restlessness in her heart.

Although it was said to be a service... but no matter what...

She was indeed in the same bathtub with Princess Astrid, and in a state of undress.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the other’s delicate and soft shoulders, the snow-like skin reflecting a charming luster under the light.

Even if she didn’t look deliberately, Lyra could imagine the slender waist and pale legs under the water, and the girl’s usually wrapped in light black stockings, white and delicate jade feet.

It was said that the maids of other families generally did not have the same bathtub as the master.

Even if there was, it was the master and the maid, or the gender was reversed, the mistress and the male servant.

Although Lyra was simple-minded, it didn’t mean she didn’t know anything. Two people of different genders took off their clothes and took a bath in the bathtub together. Could it really be just a simple service?

The word "close" in the close maid could be extended to many indescribable meanings in some cases, and those things in Lyra’s cognition could only be done by two people who could accompany each other for life.

Like Hibbort, who was loyal to one person for life, there were few, and most nobles would regard these behaviors as their own romance.

"Lyra, how do you feel living in the manor recently?"

The complicated thoughts were interrupted by the crisp female voice. Lyra raised her head when she heard the words, and a few strands of wet pink hair hung down her neck.

Astrid looked at her calmly, her bare shoulders reminding Lyra that they were not talking as usual, but in a particularly easy-to-make-people-shy atmosphere.

"It’s... it’s good..."

Lyra pulled her hair, pulled the hair stuck to her neck away, and at the same time used the force of the drooping to let the pink hair cover her red ears.

It must be the water temperature in the bathtub that was too high, so she felt so hot.

In finding excuses, Lyra has always been very talented.

Astrid trembled slightly when she heard this, her pink lips slightly open.

"How is the knight training?"

Lyra pursed her lips when she heard this and answered in a low voice.

"Now it’s still a middle-stage Knight... I feel a hurdle, and it will take a long time to cross it..."

The more you practice, the higher the mental power intensity and the more storage you need for promotion, and it is still exponentially increasing.

The time and effort Lyra needs to spend from a middle-stage knight to a Peak-Stage knight is more than twice that of a low-level to a middle-level knight.

"What about magic?"

"Back to Princess Astrid, with the help of Countess Charlotte, I have stabilized at the middle-stage apprentice."

The next topic was almost all about the pink-haired maid. Astrid said something, and Lyra answered. After a while, feeling that there was nothing to ask, Astrid fell silent and quietly enjoyed the rare relaxation during this time.

Originally, this time she found Lyra alone to talk to her and see if this youthful version of the Holy Light Knight had any strange things recently.

At present, except for being more shy, everything else is normal, and there is no contact with any strange plot characters.

That’s good, everything is going according to plan.

Even Cedric didn’t think of one thing. Astrid made such a big noise to attract the attention of the nobles in the imperial capital.

In addition to wanting to cater to Hibbort’s will and block everyone’s mouth, it was also to divert the attention of other nobles from Livia, that is, Amalia.

As long as the airship can successfully take off, Charlotte’s career will develop rapidly, and the magic-powered devices will also receive official support and investment.

At that time, Astrid can even use this as a bargaining chip to trade with the Velmont family and get more support from Duke Cedric.

In the original book, the Velmont family was able to support Amalia to launch a war, and they must have made a lot of money from the war of magic-powered weapons.

As long as the interests are deeply bound, one is prosperous and the other is damaged. Astrid is not too worried that the Duke family that relies on the Chamber of Commerce will stab her in the back.

Feeling that the atmosphere in the bathtub was relatively peaceful, Lyra’s face, which had been unusually red since she sat in, gradually faded.

She looked at Astrid who was thinking with her eyes closed, and thought of her beautiful and clear red eyes, and quietly lowered her eyes to look at the light green water in front of her.

Princess Astrid let me in to serve her, why hasn’t she moved?

After soaking for about a quarter of an hour, thinking of the last time the two were alone, Astrid was very easy to talk to.

Lyra gathered her courage and wanted to ask the question she had always wanted to ask but didn’t dare to ask recently.

"Princess Astrid..."

"What?"

Hearing Astrid’s voice, Lyra’s legs rubbed slightly, and the calm water surface rippled.

When the words came to her mouth, it became inconvenient to say. Lyra was hesitating when she suddenly saw Astrid open her eyes.

Those eyes that seemed to be able to see through anyone’s heart silently looked at her, and the mist around them added a bit of charm and flirtation.

Princess Astrid... no wonder the emperor appointed her as the most dazzling gem of the Valeria Empire...

Even the same sex would be amazed and stunned.

"If... I mean if..." After a while, Lyra moistened her throat and whispered.

"If I were not your maid."

"Would we be friends?"

During her time in the Capital, Lyra not only witnessed the dazzling nightlife of the big city but also observed the attitudes of some imperial nobles toward commoners, a world she might never have encountered if she had stayed in her village.

Lyra initially thought that people like Prince Lucas were exceptions.

However, as time went on, she gradually realized that nobles like Princess Astrid and Countess Charlotte were actually the minority.

Although Princess Astrid often spoke about how the nobles of the Valeria Empire should behave, her actions often contradicted her words.

She would provide generous severance pay to unemployed maids, prevent Prince Lucas from acting recklessly with lives, and actively promote magical devices for the benefit of commoners.

Princess Astrid was a kind and gentle person, though she was too shy to show it openly.

As the princess’s personal maid, Lyra could genuinely feel her care, which led her to develop what she considered somewhat greedy, even presumptuous, thoughts.

She wanted her relationship with Princess Astrid to be more than just that of master and servant. To be more specific, she wanted to be closer to her.

"Would we be friends then?"

Such a simple sentence seemed to drain all of Lyra’s energy and courage. She leaned against the edge of the bath, her pink lips tightly pressed together, her delicate toes curling and uncurling beneath the water.

If their relationship was only defined by that contract, then when spring came and the contract expired, she and Astrid would become strangers with no connection.

That... she absolutely didn’t want that.

At this moment, Lyra suddenly understood what she had wanted to ask Astrid in the carriage some time ago.

What she truly desired was to build a closer relationship with Astrid.

Even if it wasn’t the kind of bond they shared during her time as a maid, where they could spend every day together, being friends like Lydia and Elowen, who could meet frequently, would be enough.

She couldn’t bear to lose Princess Astrid.

The sound of dripping water echoed clearly in the room, and the swirling mist made everything before her eyes hazy and indistinct.

Lyra wrapped her arms around herself, listening to her heart beating chaotically like a drum.

Was she being too greedy?

Astrid Calliste was the third princess of the empire and the emperor’s most beloved daughter. The number of people who wanted to be friends with Astrid could circle the entire the Capital, and who was she to deserve being called her friend?

She was just a village girl with average talent and no outstanding qualities. Half a year’s wages combined couldn’t even buy a magical kettle from the palace.

No matter how kind Princess Astrid was, she probably wouldn’t be friends with a maid. It might even invite ridicule from the noble circles. That’s why Lyra had added a condition: when they were no longer in a master-servant relationship.

Looking at the pink-haired maid who had lowered her gaze, Astrid raised an arm, letting the crystal-clear water droplets slide down her snow-white skin and fall into the water, creating ripples.

Her index finger pressed against her moist lips as she thought for a moment before speaking softly.

"Do you understand what you’re saying, Lyra?"

Her cool voice, mixed with the heavy steam, carried a hint of intoxicating laziness, but to Lyra, it sounded entirely different.