Princess's Struggle for Survival-Chapter 298: Cat And Dog

After a long internal struggle for Lyra, she reluctantly accepted Astrid’s invitation and ended up in her bed.

Firstly, they had just shared a bed the night before, which slightly increased Lyra’s acceptance of the situation. Secondly, there were indeed other matters to attend to tonight, so staying at Astrid’s place was somewhat justified.

Moreover, they considered each other best friends, and it wasn’t uncommon in the Valeria Empire for girls with close relationships to share a bed.

Bending over to remove her short boots and white stockings, Lyra then went to the bathroom to freshen up, making herself smell nice.

She then sat on the soft bed, looking at Astrid, who lay beside her with her silky silver hair spread out, and felt a slight tension in her heart.

From this angle, Princess Astrid... was somewhat irresistible...

Exhaling, Lyra tucked her legs under the blanket, careful not to cross the boundary. Her leg on Astrid’s side didn’t dare to move towards the middle, staying close to the edge of the bed.

Astrid felt her restraint, something she was already accustomed to, and after a few seconds, she spoke.

"Lyra, do you remember the ancient spell I taught you earlier?"

Hearing Astrid speak, Lyra nodded and replied softly.

"Yes."

As an early grand knight and an early sorcerer, Lyra’s memory wasn’t so poor that she would forget a spell she had just learned half an hour ago.

But... why did some parts seem to be fading...

With her memory, this shouldn’t happen...

"With a focused mind, I summon light."

This time, the girl’s chant was slightly more hesitant than before. Hearing this, Astrid looked thoughtful, continuing to watch Lyra’s lips move.

Although they were supposed to be learning a foreign language, Astrid and Lyra didn’t engage in any other strange activities like another learner who ended up in bed.

The two lay on the bed, discussing knowledge about Elders Speech, and everything gradually pointed towards the situation Astrid had completely understood.

In just over half an hour, Lyra had already started to forget some of her understanding of Elders Speech, which was quite unbelievable for a diligent student with excellent academic performance.

Moreover, even after switching to another ancient spell and understanding its content with Astrid’s help, Lyra still couldn’t activate the ancient spell. Astrid was almost certain that Lyra lacked some necessary medium to release ancient spells.

It was unclear whether this was due to Lyra’s personal reasons or if humans of the current era were generally unable to chant Elders Speech. With Evelyn’s research as a basis, Astrid leans more towards the latter possibility.

There was something common between her and the girl who had attacked them, something that allowed them to freely chant ancient spells.

After trying for a long time without successfully releasing even one ancient, Lyra felt a bit discouraged but quickly adjusted her mindset. Looking at the cold and elegant silver-haired princess so close to her, she spoke up.

"By the way, Astrid, that attacker we met today..."

"...Was the language she used to talk to you also Elders Speech?"

From Lyra’s perspective, it seemed like Astrid and the attacker were speaking the same language.

Astrid nodded, her hand supporting her cheek, her wine-red pupils shifting like a prism refracting light.

"If Lyra is curious about her origins, then I’m sorry."

"I know very little about her."

The novel’s plot hadn’t actually reached this point yet. It was only because of her intervention that Brennild appeared earlier. In a way, Astrid might know even less about the black-haired girl than Lyra, who possessed the Sword of Light.

Thinking of this, Astrid continued, "Lyra, did you feel anything from her?"

Since the other party could resonate with the Sword of Light, as the destined heroine who had established a soul connection with the sword, Lyra should also be able to perceive something different.

Lyra thought for a moment before answering.

"I didn’t like the atmosphere around her..."

"Dark, silent, desolate... Compared to pure dark elements, she seemed to have an extremely negative force..."

"Something close to death, or perhaps, decay..."

This feeling even made Lyra think that if she died at Brennild’s hands, her end might not be eternal rest but rather continuing to move like the undead creatures she had encountered before.

Such an end... was too terrifying...

Hearing Lyra’s description, Astrid’s gaze deepened. She was almost certain that the black-haired girl was the shadow beneath the farm and realized just how powerful the other party must have been to escape from the Arcanist mage Charlotte.

"Is that so?"

Astrid withdrew her hand from her waist and gently placed it on Lyra’s cheek. Feeling the warmth on her skin, Lyra’s body stiffened, her ears burning, her toes slightly curling inward.

"This incident is my fault; I shouldn’t have gone so deep," Astrid said.

Although they hadn’t actively searched for the source that caused the Sword of Light to resonate in the core area, they had still been driven by curiosity to the stream that marked the boundary between the core and the outer area.

It was normal for Lyra to be naive, but as a transmigrated person with the advantage of foresight, Astrid felt that her actions had been somewhat reckless upon reflection.

The other party, possessing a possible power on par with the Sword of Light, was not something they, as early sorcerers, could handle by approaching so casually. It was only by sheer luck that nothing major had happened this time.

Establishing a newspaper to seize the high ground of public opinion, breaking the high tower’s walls to save the fourth princess, using the Fearless to counter the conservatives, these series of advantages had indeed caused Astrid to deviate from caution.

Coincidentally, the shadow whose way was blocked a year ago at the Jones Farm was this black-haired girl. A year later, she appeared again, pushing them into a corner once more.

Next time they met, she wouldn’t let this girl escape so easily.

Lyra pursed her lips, her gaze fell on Astrid’s arm, half in shadow and half bathed in moonlight. The woman’s skin, partly hidden in darkness and partly gleaming silver, looked as if it were dusted with a thin layer of snow.

"Astrid..."

"Hmm?"

"We’re partners and comrades; every decision was made together."

Lyra looked at her, her voice soft but with a hint of firmness.

"So don’t take all the responsibility on yourself."

Having said that, Lyra also raised her hand, gently covering Astrid’s hand on her cheek, her blue eyes clear and bright.

"At least, our teamwork was good, or we wouldn’t have escaped that forest."

No wonder books say that adventurers should team up with both mages and knights. While this might not always achieve the ideal state of one plus one being greater than two, it was at least more efficient in most situations compared to teams of only mages or knights.

Recalling every detail of the battle, especially the light that had appeared beside her when the black fog emerged, Astrid slightly relaxed her brows, not immediately withdrawing her hand from Lyra’s grasp.

Many of Lyra’s comrades who had fought alongside her in the books describe her as a holy knight in resplendent armor amid a sea of blood, a solid fortress of the Valeria Empire, and a light that brought warmth to every ally.

Now experiencing it firsthand, having such a team-oriented teammate who always watched out for the fragile mage was indeed very comforting.

"Who would have thought... that little maid has grown somewhat into a knight...."

Astrid’s fingers gently poked Lyra’s soft cheek, and as expected, a slight blush appeared.

Her strength had changed, but her personality was still so easily shy.

Suddenly, Astrid wanted to see Lyra wearing that Holy Armor of Light, not simulated by a transformation potion, not a fleeting glimpse in a dream, but seeing her wearing it in real life.

Noticing that Astrid’s gaze had drifted, as if seeing something else through her, Lyra’s slightly erratic heartbeat gradually returned to normal. As she turned her head, her face unconsciously brushed against Astrid’s palm.

Seeing this, Astrid’s lips curved into a smile as she said.

"Lyra sometimes really resembles a little puppy..."

Faced with such a gentle tone, Lyra naturally didn’t think Astrid was belittling her. She blinked a few times and whispered.

"...How so?"

She had a dog at home, but Lyra didn’t see any similarities between herself and them.

"Both sincere, both easily showing emotions, and both... adorable..."

Astrid lowered her voice on the last word, making it sound as if it were mixed with a hint of intoxication, blending with her faint body scent as if it could truly intoxicate.

Hearing this, Lyra slightly bit her lip, her neck turning red, too embarrassed to look at Astrid. Even the hand covering Astrid’s loosened slightly at this moment.

"It’s not really similar, is it..."

Her dog at home will wag its tail when happy and even expose its belly for her to pet. When she was happy, she wasn’t that obvious.

At most, she will bury her head in the pillow at night or roll around with the blanket.

Half a minute later, Lyra raised her eyes again, looking at Astrid, who was no longer at a safe distance, and suddenly spoke.

"Astrid, if I’m like a little puppy..."

"Then... what is Lady Livia more like..."

Hearing Lyra mention Amalia, who was far away in the capital, Astrid paused for a moment before answering.

"Amalia... is more like a cat."

"A cat?"

Lyra blinked, her beautiful blue eyes reflected the moonlight.

"Yes." Astrid nodded slightly and continued.

"A very clingy one."

When they first met, Amalia’s aloofness was indeed off-putting, but once they got to know each other better, or rather, once she truly entered her heart, it became clear that this outwardly cold golden-haired girl was actually a very clingy child.

But upon closer thought, it made sense. Growing up without parental love had made Amalia relatively independent, yet it also made her deeply crave genuine affection, like a drowning person desperately grasping a rope. Amalia’s longing for love was likely just that.

As her sister, Astrid had to give her enough love while also paying attention to Amalia’s psychological changes, ensuring that this future queen with strong possessiveness didn’t become a sister who lived only for her.

Valuing family was a good thing, but a qualified emperor couldn’t have just that.

Hearing this, Lyra nodded in agreement, finding Astrid’s description fitting.

In Lyra’s eyes, although Amalia was polite to others, she was far from warm, let alone clingy. Only when facing Astrid would she show ten thousand times the gentleness and clinginess.

It was as if, to this tsundere girl, there were only two types of people in the world: Astrid and everyone else.

Sometimes, the sisters’ intimate interactions even made Lyra feel they were a bit excessive, but considering Amalia’s past experiences, she could understand.

"Why bring her up suddenly?" Astrid asked.

Lyra moistened her lips. "I just thought of her."

"Lady Livia has had it tough too."

Compared to her, a commoner born in the countryside without any noble blood, Amalia, with her direct royal lineage, had a rather unfortunate life, which was truly lamentable.

Seeing the hint of pity in Lyra’s eyes, Astrid moved her hand from the girl’s cheek to gently pinch her earlobe.

"She doesn’t have a father or mother who loves her, so I hope I, as her sister, can take on some parental responsibilities."

"Whether it’s love or guiding her to adulthood."

That was all she could do.

"..."

Seeing the determination in Astrid’s eyes, Lyra suddenly felt a faint sense of guilt.

The princess sisters were deeply enjoyable, yet she had once felt a twinge of jealousy over their closeness.

Lyra... how could you be like this...

After a while, just as Lyra was about to say something, a bright light suddenly illuminated the entire room from outside the window.

"That’s..." Lyra was momentarily stunned.

Astrid said, "The academy’s emergency evacuation signal. All new students should use the crystal stone upon seeing the light and then wait in place for rescue and evacuation."

It seemed Rowen had reported the situation to the academy’s higher-ups.

Looking out the window at the conspicuous light, Lyra silently breathed a sigh of relief for the students still in the mountains. Lowering her head, her cheeks suddenly felt hot.

In the bright light, Astrid half-leaned on the bed, her relatively thin nightgown unable to completely cover her delicate figure.

From this angle, Lyra saw delicate smooth skin near chest area.

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