Princess's Struggle for Survival-Chapter 247: "How far can Miss Lyra go for this so-called liking?”

Chapter 247: "How far can Miss Lyra go for this so-called liking?”

Inside the Elizabeth Academy of Magic, in a dessert shop called Ingrid, a silver-haired, red-eyed girl sat by the window, propping her cheek with one hand, her long, delicate black silk-clad legs gently crossed under the table.

As the weather warmed, the thickness of the silk had noticeably decreased compared to winter.

The overlapping of her legs made her knees slightly reveal a flesh tone, while the black silk on her calves appeared more glossy and bright, looking particularly enticing.

"Does Lyra really enjoy reading knight novels?" Astrid glanced out the window and asked softly.

This dessert shop was the oldest in the academy, having been in business for over a hundred years.

It was said that the Arcanist level mage Fanya and the Frostfall Knight Hughes first met here. Both being of common birth, they had to share a table, which led to the later romantic tale.

Hearing Astrid’s voice, Lyra realized that despite her careful protection of the book cover, she had still been discovered. Her ears turned slightly warm as she whispered, "Yes... it’s quite interesting..."

Would answering like this make her seem childish... being so grown up yet still reading such obviously subjective and fabricated stories...

Would Princess Astrid secretly deduct points from her?

A girl in love always overthinks and worries over every question from her beloved, even though, in reality, Astrid was just casually asking.

But even if Astrid knew Lyra’s thoughts at this moment, she would probably just smile and remain silent. In terms of understanding the latter, she might not be far behind Lyra’s parents.

After all, "The Innocent Knight of the Stained Light" was mostly written from Lyra’s perspective. Astrid knew exactly what kinds of things would make this girl cry under her blanket.

"Reading some extracurricular books as leisure can help refresh the mind and better focus on studies," Astrid said softly.

Hearing this, Lyra immediately felt relieved and slowly moved her hand away from the book’s seam.

Seeing the girl being so cautious, as if being seen was embarrassing, Astrid teased gently, "But Lyra is so interested in this type of novel... does she want to become a knight in the future?"

In the Valeria Empire, knights held a status above commoners but below nobles.

They were usually bodyguards for nobles or expendables on the battlefield, with a very few being nobles themselves.

Of course, in romanticized novels, knights were no longer those rigid, salaried employees or pot-bellied high-ranking officials but symbols of courage and justice, victorious in slaying dragons and marrying princesses.

Clearly, Astrid was referring to the latter, a dream for most children but slightly naive for an adult.

Lyra was stunned for a moment, a blush creeping up her neck. After much hesitation, she looked into Astrid’s deep red eyes and finally opened her lips, "I used to think about it..."

While other girls in the village waited for their handsome prince, Lyra wanted to be a just knight who could protect everyone.

However, this aspiration became less intense as she grew older. One night after helping her mother wash the dishes, Lyra had a more realistic thought: compared to being a knight, she hoped her family could live more comfortably.

"Thought about it before, but not now?" Astrid asked again.

Lyra blushed, slightly lowering her head to let her hair cover her face, and whispered, "...I still think about it now."

Although she said that, this pink-haired girl still held a tiny hope in her heart, especially now that she had met Astrid. Those once deeply buried thoughts had unknowingly sprouted again.

Hearing Lyra’s response, Astrid smiled slightly, took the menu sketched by Amalia, and handed it to her, "Persisting in dreams is nothing to be ashamed of. Just do your best."

"...Of course, before that, would our future knight lady please order something?"

Why is she still holding onto this!

Lyra took the menu, the redness in her ears not diminishing.

But... was Princess Astrid praising her just now...

And she used "our."

Thinking about it, even though the pastries hadn’t arrived yet, Lyra felt a sweet sensation in her heart, like drinking a glass of lemonade filled with sugar.

After ordering her dessert, Lyra handed the menu back to Astrid, who glanced at it and asked lightly, "Doesn’t Lyra like blueberry flavor?"

In the original story, during Lyra’s time working at the dessert shop, the kind shop owner would give the staff free treats.

The novel explicitly mentioned that Lyra had loved blueberry-flavored cakes since childhood, and the menu here had them, but the girl didn’t order any.

"Huh? How does Princess Astrid know..."

Lyra instinctively began to speak but stopped midway. Amalia, who was nestled against Astrid’s shoulder like a doll, also looked up, her crimson eyes fixed on Lyra.

Her fondness for blueberry flavor should only be known by her family. After coming to the capital, she couldn’t afford such expensive pastries.

If there was a possible moment of exposure, it was during the few times she occasionally ate with Princess Astrid while accompanying her as a personal maid during social outings.

Has Princess Astrid... always been quietly paying attention to her...

Seeing Lyra silent, Astrid looked at the price behind the blueberry mousse cake and roughly understood why she didn’t order it.

She said softly, "As a guest, there’s no need to be so reserved. After all, I was the one who insisted on dragging you here to have afternoon tea with me."

"Are you sure you don’t want it? I heard from the shopkeeper that the blueberry cake here is delicious, and even the palace chefs learned from her."

Astrid’s voice carried a hint of temptation not usually present, like a demon luring someone into sin.

Lyra looked at the woman’s glossy lips and her silver-white hair shining in the sunlight, and after a while, she said, "Then let’s order a small portion..."

Indeed, she simply couldn’t say no to Princess Astrid.

But she would have to trouble her again.

Hearing this, Astrid nodded and handed the menu to the waiter. After a while, the desserts arrived, and they ate quietly, occasionally chatting about tomorrow’s class division.

"Princess Astrid’s grades should be enough to get into Class S," Lyra said.

She had witnessed the results of the new students’ elemental affinity tests and knew how outstanding Astrid was.

Even if the latter two items were zero, her talent alone would be enough for the princess to enter the top class.

"Maybe," Astrid blinked a few times, her lips stained with a bit of creamy white frosting.

"I’d quite like to be in the same class as Lyra."

Although a certain jealous princess had disappeared, Astrid couldn’t guarantee that no one else in the academy would trouble Lyra.

Most locals in the capital knew about Lyra’s relationship with her.

As a new student brought in by the imperial princess and her personal maid for a year, just this background was enough to deter most of those who coveted the heroine’s beauty.

But every advantage has its disadvantage. Astrid didn’t think her status as an adopted princess could suppress all the nobles, especially since she had taken a stance against most conservatives on the issue of magical devices.

They might not dare to act against the princess favored by the emperor, but beyond that, it was hard to say.

Lyra Beckett was a perfect target, she had no strong family background, and humiliating her could also suppress Astrid’s influence.

Considering the protagonist’s special constitution that made people both love and hate, Astrid wasn’t comfortable leaving Lyra alone, so she deliberately missed a few questions on the theoretical exam to get an average score.

Seeing the woman gently wiping her lips with a silk handkerchief, Lyra murmured a few times, the lingering sweetness in her tongue and teeth seemingly sliding into her heart.

They were friends, and it was normal to want to be closer to each other.

Lyra had guessed that Astrid would want to be in the same class as her, but hearing her admit it still brought an indescribable joy.

Guessing was one thing, hearing it from the beloved was another. Like the many times of "I like you," even though both knew it, hearing it still made the heart race.

"Princess Astrid... I..."

Lyra opened her mouth, her voice gradually lowering.

"...Me too."

Even though they were already assigned to the same dorm, she still greedily wanted more.

Looking at Lyra across the table, Astrid put down the silk handkerchief and smiled softly.

"Mmm~"

"Does Lyra like me that much? I thought my personality was a bit mischievous."

Especially towards Lyra, this easily shy pink-haired girl always made her want to tease her.

Perhaps Astrid also had this mentality, which was why she was so keen on teasing people.

"..."

After a brief silence, Lyra seemed to make a great determination, lowering her eyes and saying, "I really like... Princess Astrid..."

Taking this opportunity, she smoothly spoke the words she had been holding back, hoping Astrid could understand her underlying meaning but not wanting her to realize it too soon.

She liked Princess Astrid, but it was different from what everyone else understood.

Hearing this, Amalia tilted her head slightly, her eyes narrowing as if vaguely sensing something not quite right, her white silk-covered legs pressing closer to Astrid’s.

"Since Lyra has said so..."

Even speaking such words to someone of the same gender was quite embarrassing for a young girl. Guessing that Lyra’s face under her pink hair must be completely red, Astrid reached out a hand and gently cupped Lyra’s cheek.

"Then I’m curious..."

Her hand felt warm, accompanied by the smoothness and softness of the skin. Astrid applied a bit of force, lifting Lyra’s face.

"How far can Miss Lyra go for this so-called liking?"

Her nose filled with the faint, cool scent emanating from the woman’s arm, Lyra stiffened in place, her back straight, her thoughts momentarily halting.

Only when she saw the slight curve of Astrid’s lips did Lyra slowly come back to her senses, her white-socked toes that had unconsciously curled up gradually relaxing.

She would do everything a lover should, love, respect, support each other, and remain forever loyal to Astrid Calliste.

Saying such things now would surely scare Princess Astrid.

Lyra could feel her body temperature was hot, but she couldn’t control it, her heart beating unusually fast, her blood rushing wildly through her veins.

Moreover, promises should never be made lightly. Her strength wasn’t enough yet, and she was far from capable of achieving what she envisioned.

So how should she answer...

"..."

Looking at Lyra’s obviously flushed cheeks and slightly dazed eyes, Astrid’s inner mischief was greatly satisfied.

She gently released Lyra’s face and, while withdrawing her hand, used her little finger to brush a strand of pink hair behind Lyra’s ear.

"You are still so easily shy."

She blushed with just a little tease, fitting perfectly into her image of an innocent young girl.

Smelling the faint scent of roses and tea mixed together, and seeing the silver-haired princess in a black dress, sitting elegantly under the warm light, stunningly beautiful, the shyness in Lyra’s heart gradually dissipated, replaced by another emotion.

Why was it always her who got shy... She also wanted to see Princess Astrid embarrassed once...

Under the slightly intoxicating sunlight, this bold and presumptuous idea quietly took root in Lyra’s heart.

.....

At night, after a day of running around, Lyra took a shower and lay down on the bed. Turning her head, she saw Astrid intimately holding Amalia, whispering something.

After having tea in the afternoon, they took a casual stroll back to the dorm. Later, Elise brought them dinner. They ate, read for a while, and then prepared to sleep.

After a night’s sleep, Lyra indeed felt that her mental energy recovery speed was faster than in the palace.

This might be the so-called "spell funnel" Astrid mentioned, which could use a magic circle to accelerate mental energy recovery during sleep.

Tomorrow would be the announcement of class divisions, elective course registrations, textbook distribution, and the first day of classes.

Wishing to be in the same class as Princess Astrid.

Just before closing her eyes, Lyra saw Amalia gently kiss Astrid’s collarbone, the latter’s expression tender, her arm under the blanket unclear.

Also... wishing to be closer to Princess Astrid...