Princess's Struggle for Survival-Chapter 51: Blonde Mad Tyrant

By the time Lyra had finished bathing, Astrid had already left.

In the bedroom, only a faint trace of body fragrance lingered, along with the dead wood branch tossed into the bucket, serving as proof of the other's presence.

Lyra moved her chair to sit by the window, letting the evening breeze dry her long, wet pink hair.

She hung her changed clothes on the drying rack, hoping for good weather the next day so they would dry by midday.

The silvery moonlight streamed into the bedroom, casting a shimmering glow on the floor tiles.

As she gazed at the bright moon, her thoughts drifted to her parents, far from home, and the humble wooden house that held so many cherished childhood memories.

At night, sentimentality often takes hold, even for someone like Lyra, who is the protagonist of this world.

She recalled her mother's farewell words, the silent encouragement in her father's eyes, and the two puppies that had circled her legs, reluctant to let her go.

'I wonder how things are at home... Are my parents doing well?'

The last time Lyra had written to them was the day she checked out of the hotel.

She had slipped the envelope into a roadside mailbox on her way out and hadn't heard back since.

The journey from the imperial capital to the empire's border town was long and arduous, with mountains and vast distances to cross.

Perhaps the letter hadn't even reached them yet.

Running her fingers through her damp hair, Lyra picked up the towel and carefully dabbed at the still-wet strands.

'It's been so long since I've had my mother's pea beef stew or my father's special toast. I should have eaten more before I left…'

As she reminisced, the image of her childhood home filled her mind, the chimney releasing wisps of smoke, the comforting aroma of rice and coarse barley wafting through the air.

Before she knew it, the scene shifted.

Now, she saw a silver-haired girl in a black dress standing by the stove, an alchemy pot in one hand and a spatula in the other, gently stirring.

'Perhaps they'd enjoy the new dishes I've learned.' She smiled to herself. At least, she thought they tasted good.

Additionally, though she wasn't sure if it was her imagination, Lyra felt that Princess Astrid had been gentler than usual while teaching her lately.

Those striking red eyes, usually cold and distant, like translucent jewels, flickered in her mind.

Lyra leaned lightly against the wall, her delicate frame resting there.

The more time she spent with Astrid, the harder it became to understand the enigmatic princess.

Sometimes she was domineering, other times surprisingly caring... Good and bad, all at once.

When her hair was nearly dry, Lyra slipped on her sandals and walked to the bathroom.

She rinsed and wrung out the damp towel, then hung it on the shelf nearby.

Back in the bedroom, Lyra noticed the village sword in the corner and suddenly recalled Astrid's instructions before leaving: to learn how to conceal the knight's sword under her maid's skirt.

This size... Can it really fit?

Lyra gripped the hilt of her sword, eyeing the slender metal scabbard.

She compared it to her waist and hips, feeling increasingly doubtful.

Maybe it's meant to be hidden vertically?

In a moment of experimentation, Lyra gently lifted the tulle nightdress that draped over her hips.

The cool metal scabbard pressed against her soft, silky thighs, sending a shiver of goosebumps across her skin.

It's so cold... No wonder the maids wear white pantyhose under their skirts.

Without that thin layer of silk as a buffer, the constant friction of the scabbard against bare skin would surely cause irritation or even cuts by the end of the day.

After several attempts, she still couldn't manage to conceal the entire sword.

In her struggle, her grip on the thin handle slipped, and the knight's sword clattered to the floor with a sharp, bell-like ring.

"Huh?!" Lyra let out a startled sound before quickly pursing her lips in frustration.

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'I'm such a fool.'

Meanwhile, in the adjacent room, Astrid lay sprawled on a fluffy bed, her legs lazily draped over the quilt as she listened to Elise's report.

"These maids have been temporarily housed downstairs. Tomorrow morning, I'll assign them to their respective positions as planned."

"Once their roles are confirmed, we'll arrange their accommodations accordingly. What are your thoughts, Miss Astrid?"

Though Charlotte hadn't provided a large number of maids, nothing compared to the luxurious team of dozens Astrid had previously, it was enough to meet the daily needs of a princess.

"Very well. I have no objections," Astrid replied softly.

"Elise, while I haven't explicitly stated it, you should know that the most important quality I seek in these maids isn't their level of service..."

Hearing this, Elise's expression grew solemn.

She placed her left hand over her chest and gave a slight bow.

"I understand your meaning, Miss Astrid. Loyalty is the foremost quality in a servant."

Given the recent seafood allergy incident, Astrid's intentions were clear: she wanted to rid herself of Prince Lucas's surveillance, even if it meant taking drastic measures.

The current maids were all Charlotte's trusted allies, eliminating concerns about loyalty.

By filling the void left by the disbanded maid team with these individuals, Astrid could prevent the infiltration of other political forces while ensuring she had reliable hands for critical tasks.

Seeing Elise's serious expression, Astrid chuckled softly.

Her delicate hand rested against her lips as a faint smile played on her cherry-red mouth.

"Prince Lucas and I only need to maintain a superficial harmony. In time, we'll grow further apart."

"In every sense of the word."

These words reveal Astrid's lack of faith in the eldest prince's succession and her intention to gradually distance herself from his political faction in the future.

"Understood, Miss Astrid."

Seeing Elise respond respectfully, Astrid's lips curled into a faint smile, and she quickly added, "There's one more thing I need you to handle personally..."

"In the coming days, I want you to explore the imperial capital and look for any stray cats, adorable ones, regardless of breed."

"If you find one, bring it back gently. Be as careful as possible, and avoid handling them too roughly."

While the eldest prince, Lucas, was preoccupied with territorial losses, and the second prince, Alistair, remained stationed on the frontier, neither could focus on Astrid.

With the spies who once closely monitored her now mostly removed, it was the perfect time to establish contact with the future empress of the Valeria Empire, the current fourth princess, Amalia Valeria.

In the original work, Amalia was not as formidable as her elder brothers.

During her reign, the Valeria Empire experienced a brief period of prosperity, but this prosperity was ultimately undermined by her aggressive promotion of war.

Later in the story, readers often referred to the new emperor as the "Blonde Mad Tyrant."

Compared to the eldest prince, Lucas, who was greedy, lustful, and treated the common people as less than human, and the second prince, Alistair, who was ruthless, cunning, and had peculiar habits, the fourth princess, Amalia, had some unique advantages.

She was still young, her personality was malleable, and having lived most of her life in the palace, she had yet to commit any unforgivable sins.

If one of the three had to ascend the throne, Astrid would likely side with Amalia, allowing the blonde petite girl to serve as a figurehead.

After all, under the Valeria Empire's outdated administrative system, the emperor's control over the regions paled in comparison to the influence wielded by the four ducal families.

With Astrid's intervention, it would be difficult for Amalia to make any reckless decisions under her watch.

In fact, Amalia's ascension to the throne in the original story was not particularly difficult.

Lucas and Alistair had been locked in a covert struggle for years, each holding damning evidence that could destabilize the other's position.

Moreover, as Emperor Hibbort's health deteriorated, the power struggle between the two princes escalated to the point of open conflict.

Alistair even orchestrated an assassination attempt on Lucas, which took place right in front of Emperor Hibbort.

This, combined with a series of previously uncovered crimes, led to Alistair being stripped of his right to succession and imprisoned in the imperial capital's Beléry Prison.

Lucas, on the other hand, was severely injured in the attempt and died a week after the emperor's passing due to complications from a lingering illness.

To put it mildly, Amalia's rise to the throne was the result of a calculated compromise among various factions.

After weighing the options, it became clear that none of Emperor Hibbort's children were ideal candidates.

Amalia, as an illegitimate daughter with royal blood and no major scandals, was seen as the least problematic choice.

In essence, she essentially stumbled onto the throne.

However, Amalia's political acumen surprised everyone.

Not only did she lead the Valeria Empire to a brief period of prosperity, but she also successfully repelled the invading forces of the Kingdom of Velys, forcing them to sign an armistice.