Princess's Struggle for Survival-Chapter 208: Got Caught

"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.

Did Princess Astrid think she was... overreaching?

Lyra pressed her legs together tightly, her eyelashes trembling involuntarily. She didn’t even dare to reach out and brush away the rose petals near her knees that were making her skin itch slightly.

"Princess Astrid, if my words just now made you feel uncomfortable or troubled..." Lyra bit her lip, her voice as soft as a mosquito’s hum.

"Just pretend I never said it... I’m sorry..."

The warm mist condensed into tiny droplets on her lashes. Astrid saw the faint moisture in Lyra’s sky-blue eyes, making them even more beautiful than usual.

No wonder the original owner was so jealous. In this state, Lyra’s beauty truly rivaled her own.

"Guessing your master’s thoughts while asking a question isn’t a good habit."

Feeling that if she waited any longer, the pink-haired maid might really break down, Astrid spoke up at the right moment.

"When did I say I was troubled or uncomfortable?"

Hearing Astrid’s words, Lyra was stunned for a moment before raising her head, her blue eyes glimmering with hope.

Does Princess Astrid mean...

Witnessing the change in Lyra’s demeanor, the hopeful and expectant look in her eyes stirred some unusual emotions in Astrid.

Perhaps it was the lingering feelings of the original owner in this body, or maybe she had gotten too used to playing the role of the villain, but Astrid suddenly felt the urge to tease Lyra a little more.

If she made some cold remarks, Lyra might end up crying in a corner later.

But this thought only lasted for a moment. For one, Astrid’s initial goal was to increase the favor of the destined heroine, and there was no need to complicate things.

Secondly, she genuinely liked Lyra, a simple and adorable girl. Rather than indulging in the cruel pleasure of teasing her, she hoped this lonely maid could find a bit of happiness.

"After spending time together, I’ve realized that Miss Lyra isn’t as annoying as I once thought..."

Astrid carefully chose her words, making sure they were appropriate before continuing.

"Keep it up. If Miss Lyra can maintain this state..."

"When the contract expires, we might even become good friends."

Become... good friends?

Lyra silently repeated the words in her heart. The pounding of her heartbeat was especially noticeable now, as if it was about to leap out of her chest at any moment.

Princess Astrid was saying that she was doing well and could be her friend.

It took Lyra half a minute to untangle her chaotic thoughts and understand the meaning behind Astrid’s words.

In that instant, she felt an inexplicable warmth flooding through her, filling her entire body.

This unprecedented sense of fullness left the pink-haired maid frozen, unable to speak for a long time.

Seeing this, Astrid picked up the red tea placed on the steps beside her and took a small sip.

Lyra’s current state reminded her of some jokes she had seen on the internet in her previous life.

If she asked Lyra to pay a monthly "friendship fee," this silly girl would probably obediently hand it over on time.

In the original novel, she hadn’t noticed such obvious insecurity in Lyra. How had she managed to make even a simple request like becoming friends feel so precarious?

The sound of the cup touching the saucer was small but sharp, snapping Lyra out of her reverie.

She placed a hand gently over her left chest, feeling her heartbeat gradually return to normal.

After a while, Lyra murmured softly.

"Princess Astrid..."

"I’m really happy you said that."

So, she really could be friends with Princess Astrid, rather than becoming strangers after her service as a maid ended, merely classmates in the eyes of others.

"I’m just... really, really happy..."

Hearing Lyra’s excitement bordering on incoherence, Astrid let out a soft hum, her tone unusually gentle.

"I can see you’re happy. I’ve lost count of how many ’ifs’ and ’reallys’ you’ve said."

Lyra’s cheeks flushed, her ears burning as she sank her hands beneath the water, her gaze avoiding Astrid’s.

The first "if" was because she was too nervous, afraid of being misunderstood by Princess Astrid, so she repeated it. The latter was just an instinctive way to express her true feelings.

Princess Astrid was perfect in every way, but sometimes she just loved to tease people.

Though, being teased by her didn’t feel so bad.

Seeing Lyra finally relax, Astrid smiled slightly and added.

"Don’t get too complacent, though. If you don’t keep up the good work, I might take back what I just said."

Lyra nodded earnestly, her eyes still brimming with joy.

"I understand. I’ll continue to serve Princess Astrid with care and diligence!"

Having been Astrid’s personal maid for so long, Lyra had fully grasped her way of speaking.

When Princess Astrid was kind to her, she often followed up with words that seemed like a rebuke, reminding her not to get carried away and maintaining her usual aloof demeanor in front of others.

In some ways, she wasn’t that clueless after all!

After hearing Lyra’s response, Astrid nodded lightly and said softly.

"Good... come a little closer..."

"What does Princess Astrid need me to do?"

"Help me with a shoulder massage."

"Of course, I’ll do it right away."

Only after agreeing did Lyra realize their current situation, and her ears burned again.

How was she supposed to massage like this? Sit on the steps?

But she wasn’t wearing anything, and that would be far too embarrassing.

The bathrobe, to avoid getting wet, was placed a bit farther from the edge of the pool. Even if she wanted to retrieve it, she’d have to stand up and walk over. More importantly, Astrid had directly asked her to come over, and she had agreed without hesitation.

Looking up, she met Astrid’s cool red gaze, which seemed to question why she hadn’t moved yet.

Could it be... like this?

After a moment of hesitation, Lyra parted her lips slightly.

"Should I come over like this... or should I put on a bathrobe or something..."

Noticing the faint blush on Lyra’s neck beneath the mist, Astrid suddenly recalled the night she had carried the drunk Charlotte into the bathroom.

Lyra’s current feelings were probably similar to hers back then. The suppressed urge to tease resurfaced, and Astrid pretended not to notice Lyra’s flushed face, speaking softly.

"Yes, just come over and massage me. No need for anything else."

Astrid’s words effectively dismissed any thought of Lyra retrieving the bathrobe. She glanced at the hazy beauty beneath the water and swallowed slightly.

"...Alright."

Still, for Lyra to stand up and expose herself to Astrid’s gaze was too much. The warmth of the water, infused with magical solvents, gave her a sense of security she didn’t dare leave.

Casually scattering a few roses to cover her chest, Lyra carefully approached Astrid, careful not to touch any part of her body beneath the water.

"Princess Astrid... could you move forward a bit..."

In the end, Lyra settled on a compromise: she would have Astrid move away from the edge, and she would massage her from behind.

Feeling the warm breath so close, Astrid noticed the vibrant blush on Lyra’s earlobes. Knowing that even a cat or dog would get annoyed if teased further, she decided to stop and moved forward slightly.

Standing behind Astrid, Lyra tied up her silver hair with a ribbon before placing her hands on the princess’s smooth shoulders, applying gentle pressure.

"Mmm~" Astrid let out a soft moan as Lyra began to massage her.

That single, lazy sound made Lyra’s cheeks burn even redder.

Somehow, they managed to get through it. By the time Lyra put on her bathrobe and returned to the changing room, the clock on the wall showed it was already 9:30. freeweɓnøvel.com

They had spent over an hour in the bath.

Hearing the rustling of clothes behind her, Lyra didn’t dare to look back. Instead, she picked up the maid dress and white stockings prepared by the other maids and quietly put them on.

"Let’s go, Lyra."

"...Yes, Princess Astrid."

Turning around, Lyra saw that Astrid, after her bath, had changed into a loose black dress. Beneath the hem, her long, delicate legs were bare, the skin exposed to the air as smooth and flawless as a priceless treasure.

Following Astrid with her head down, they returned to their quarters. Lyra closed the door to her room and threw herself onto the soft bed.

She needed to calm down.

Meanwhile, Astrid, upon entering her bedroom, saw a petite black-haired girl in a white nightgown sitting on the bed.

Seeing her sister return, Amalia stepped forward, wrapping her arms around Astrid’s slender waist and burying her head in her chest.

Charlotte had prepared separate rooms for them, but Amalia was used to sleeping with her sister every night. Today, when she arrived, Astrid wasn’t there, so the girl had waited quietly by the bed.

Noticing the scent of soap and a faint aroma she had smelled in Lyra’s room mingling with the usual rose fragrance on Astrid, Amalia spoke softly.

"Sister..."

She gently bit Astrid’s collarbone, her voice soft but tinged with a subtle hint of displeasure.

"...You went to the bath, didn’t you? With Lyra."