Princess's Struggle for Survival-Chapter 223: "What do you want to do in the future?”

"Princess Astrid... maybe we should go back..."

Just as Lyra thought Astrid would agree, the woman stopped swaying her glass, turned her head, and her cool red eyes silently gazed at her.

"The view on the deck is beautiful, you can overlook the imperial city and gaze at the sky. It’s nice to feel the breeze here..."

"...And if it makes you feel better, catching a cold doesn’t matter. I can stay with you."

Staring into those beautiful eyes that reflected her own face, Lyra’s lips parted slightly, her heart skipping a beat.

Princess Astrid...

At that moment, Astrid asked, "Are you homesick, Lyra?"

Hearing this, the pink-haired maid paused for half a minute before answering softly.

"A little..."

Besides her worries about the future, she did miss her parents back home, wondering how they were celebrating the New Year and if they were happy.

Hearing this, Astrid took a sip of her juice and spoke gently.

"I thought tonight’s aerial show would make you feel a bit better, but it seems it didn’t have much effect."

Make me feel better?

Lyra’s pupils slightly widened, and she swallowed hard, instinctively asking.

"Did you do this for me, Princess Astrid?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, Lyra realized she had been too forward.

She was just an ordinary maid, what reason did Princess Astrid have to care for her so attentively?

She was fantasizing about things she shouldn’t, and this time she had accidentally blurted it out.

Lyra, you’re such a greedy and clueless maid.

"Part of it was to give Amalia a good New Year. She’s always stayed in the castle, and no one has ever celebrated with her. As her sister, I wanted her to be happier on this day than usual..." Astrid explained softly.

Of course, Princess Astrid had done this for Amalia. She was just an afterthought.

A sense of understanding, mixed with a hint of unwarranted disappointment, crossed Lyra’s heart.

Seeing Lyra’s expression quickly fall, Astrid tugged at the maid’s decorative hairband and spoke gently.

"Another part of it was indeed as Lyra thought."

"I also wanted you to have a lively New Year, in a place that might not be very familiar to you, Miss Lyra."

Compared to her, who could always see the people she wanted to, Lyra’s loved ones were far away in her hometown. During times like this, she would naturally miss them more.

Besides, strictly speaking, it was Astrid Calliste who had caused the protagonist to be unable to return home. Since she had inherited the original’s relationships, she should also bear the consequences of their actions.

Astrid wanted to compensate Lyra as much as possible, but beyond that, she genuinely liked this silly maid.

Whether it was the pure and kind girl from the early days or the future Holy Knight who could stand on her own, brave and resolute, Astrid liked her all the same.

With that in mind, she naturally wanted to do something for Lyra, to help this good child who was destined for a bumpy road in the original story.

After hearing the princess’s words, Lyra stood frozen in place, only snapping back to reality when her fingers almost slipped and she nearly dropped the glass.

Princess Astrid had really done this for her.

Realizing this, Lyra’s heart was suddenly filled with something warm and comforting, a sense of satisfaction she couldn’t quite describe.

"Princess Astrid..."

Lyra opened her mouth, as if she had a lot to say, but after hesitating for a few seconds, it all condensed into a few words.

"...I’m very happy."

Being cared for by Princess Astrid like this made her so happy.

Hearing this, Astrid blinked a few times and spoke softly.

"But you didn’t seem very happy earlier."

The visible gloom and sense of loss didn’t suit the Lyra of the early days.

Taking the girl’s glass, Astrid carefully heated it with fire magic before handing it back, her cherry lips parting slightly.

"If there’s something on your mind, you can tell me. Maybe I can give you some good advice."

Tonight, there was no distinction between master and servant, they were just two individuals having a conversation.

Lyra remained silent for a long time before finally shaking her head.

"It’s nothing..."

She didn’t even know how to describe her own feelings, let alone explain them to someone else.

Seeing this, Astrid didn’t press further, just continued leaning on the railing, her slender, black-stockinged legs standing straight.

"Let’s stay here for a while longer, then go back," Astrid said.

They say a girl’s heart is always hard to fathom, and even she, who knew the story, couldn’t quite understand Lyra’s thoughts at this moment.

Leaning together and looking down at Bost City, after an unknown amount of time, Lyra spoke up.

"Princess Astrid, have you thought about the future?"

"..."

"I have."

Changing the doomed fate that Astrid Calliste was supposed to face, and ensuring that those close to her could live happily.

Hearing this, Lyra’s eyes lowered slightly. "If Princess Amalia successfully ascends the throne, will you continue to live in the Capital City?"

The question seemed a bit odd, and even Lyra herself didn’t know why she had asked it.

But she had, as if deep down she was hoping for a certain answer from Astrid.

The wind crystals beneath the airship continuously sprayed air, propelling the vessel forward.

It was nearly one o’clock, and some parts of the brightly lit the Capital had already fallen into darkness.

Astrid thought for a moment before answering softly.

"Maybe, maybe not."

After Amalia ascended the throne, there would undoubtedly be many issues to deal with, whether internal conflicts within the empire or external instability. Astrid couldn’t leave Amalia to handle these alone.

She needed to help the young emperor build a team and ensure she could manage everything on her own before considering leaving the imperial city.

Hearing Astrid’s answer, a faint light flickered in Lyra’s eyes, and she asked further.

"If you leave the imperial capital, where do you plan to go?"

Perhaps it was the effect of Astrid’s words before the show, or maybe it was the alcohol she had consumed, but Lyra’s questions were gradually straying from those of the usually humble maid.

"I don’t know..."

Astrid exhaled softly, noticing that Lyra’s pink hair, which had just reached her shoulders when they first met, now fell to her waist, almost touching her skirt.

"But I do have a rough idea. I want to find a relatively remote small town, where I don’t have to think about so many things, just water the flowers, take walks, and maybe keep a well-behaved cat."

"In winter, I could see snow, and in summer, it wouldn’t be too hot, allowing me to spend the rest of my life leisurely."

Astrid’s expectations were simple, but given her stunning beauty, the mess left by the original, and the inevitable political tensions in the Valeria Empire, she knew she couldn’t stay out of it.

If the young tyrant still came to power, even if she didn’t target Astrid, the empire’s state of total war would inevitably bring various conflicts to her as a "remnant of the previous dynasty."

Seeing Lyra deep in thought, Astrid continued.

"Of course, if possible, I’d like to travel before that, to see the world beyond the empire."

In her previous life, she had spent the latter half of her life in a hospital bed, only able to learn about the outside world through the internet. In this life, though her body was weak, it was at least healthy.

Once everything was over, Astrid wanted to see this magical world with its other intelligent species.

As Astrid finished speaking, Lyra finally snapped out of her thoughts. She had been pondering something else.

The small town near her village often had heavy snow in winter due to its location, and the summer temperatures were generally mild, fitting Astrid’s description.

As for leisure... someone like Princess Astrid, who lacked for nothing, would surely have time to relax once her duties were over...

"Lyra?"

"Yes? Princess Astrid?"

"Were you listening to me just now?"

Though she had been distracted, Lyra still remembered Astrid’s words, she wanted to travel.

"Princess Astrid, you said you wanted to see the world beyond the empire."

As for traveling, Lyra wasn’t particularly interested at the moment. She was more focused on ensuring her parents’ stability in their later years.

But if it were with Astrid...

Hearing her maid’s response, Astrid rubbed the glass in her hand, then turned to look at Lyra.

The wind blew against her dress, revealing her delicate collarbone and a small portion of her smooth, curved skin.

"My answer is done. Now it’s your turn, Miss Lyra."

"What do you want to do in the future?"

What she wanted to do in the future, this answer had already taken shape before Lyra entered the imperial capital.

She wanted to study magic well, earn a lot of money, build a house for her family, let her parents no longer be burdened by life, live a comfortable and peaceful old age, and make everyone she knew and liked always happy.

But...what should she do after that...