Princess’s Struggle for Survival

There was no questioning Lyra's confidence, nor were there any additional conditions. A simple "I believe in you" was enough to summarize Astrid's attitude towards the entire matter.

As for why, others might find it a fantasy for a peak tier sorcerer to win the magic competition, but Astrid, knowing Lyra's destined heroine status and witnessing her tireless efforts for the competition, believed it was not impossible.

Exceptional talent, unwavering perseverance, the destiny of a protagonist, and a clear goal that she continuously strives for, what is there that she cannot achieve?

Lyra listened, her eyelashes fluttering gently, her sky-blue pupils reflected the face of the person before her.

"Astrid... you believe in me this much..."

"Actually, even I feel that with my current level, aiming for the championship is a bit too ambitious."

After observing the matches for a while, Lyra had a grasp of most contestants' strengths. While other Magnus might still give her a slim chance to catch up through sheer effort, the foreign noble princess, Iris Kroyd, left Lyra feeling utterly clueless.

She was too strong, and not just in magic; Even combat techniques that required considerable physical strength to unleash were just as formidable. This overwhelming strength, stemming from her dual cultivation of magic and martial arts, leaves Iris with virtually no weaknesses.

"Are you worried you can't beat Iris?"

Upon hearing this, Astrid gently stroked the stray hairs by Lyra's ear. The smooth, cool side of her fingers inadvertent Lyra's brushed earlobe, causing the touched area to bloom with a faint pink, like paint dropped into a lake, spreading rapidly to her entire face.

Not wanting her body temperature to rise further, Lyra cleared her throat and casually swept aside the hair Astrid had just tidied, using her pink hair to cover her blushing earlobe and conceal her shyness.

"Yes, a peak tier sorcerer against an early tier Magnus. Besides you, Astrid, who would think the former could win..."

Even Lyra herself believes that Astrid's "I believe in you" was more of an encouragement, not a genuine conviction that she could win the championship.

After all, Astrid was someone who was good with words and knew how to comfort others.

Hearing Lyra's words, Astrid blinked her eyelashes a few times. Instead of poking the pink-haired puppy's head with her fingertip, she gently cupped Lyra's cheeks.

Lyra's cheeks weren't as soft as Amelia's, but they were still quite pleasant. And because her owner had a more petite build, Astrid found them to feel like a soft cream pudding, incredibly comfortable to pinch.

"A contestant's paper strength is indeed the biggest factor in the balance of victory..." Astrid said softly, continuing to knead Lyra's cheeks.

"However, to win a match, we need to look at the total weight of the chips placed on the scale. Focusing only on the most obvious point makes it easy to overlook other, smaller opportunities."

"Your affinity for light elements is naturally exceptional, allowing you to cast light magic with minimal mental energy. You also possess strong immunity to light and resistance to dark elements. Your Sword of Light is a divine weapon capable of cleaving through any ordinary metal."

Earlier, to allow Lyra better rest, Astrid had cleaned most of the free-floating light elements in the room, leaving only the relatively dim candlelight on the walls. Now, listening to the woman's steady, gentle tone, coupled with the smooth, soft touch on her cheek, the dim light somehow evoked a gentle warmth in Lyra's heart.

"Besides that, there are many other advantages you've accumulated. For instance, Lyra has been studying Iris's combat style. Once a countermeasure is found, the duel will be twice as effective with half the effort."

"Furthermore, both sides' paper strengths are transparent and public. Facing a challenger with a significantly lower rank, Iris might be prone to underestimation. In contrast, Lyra, fighting with full effort and seriousness, can enter combat mode much faster."

"By leveraging your own strengths and attacking the enemy's weaknesses, the chances are not as slim as you might think."

Perhaps Astrid's words had a somewhat hypnotic effect on Lyra. After listening to the woman's reasoned analysis, Lyra subconsciously believed her by about seventy to eighty percent.

Of course, when she came to her feelings and thought about it carefully, Astrid's words were not clear enough to bridge the gap in strength between her and Iris. At best, they will make the balance of victory less decisively tilted.

"Astrid..."

"What is it?"

Thinking Lyra disliked being touched like that, Astrid paused. Seeing Lyra's gaze shift downwards, she suddenly understood that Lyra wasn't bothered by that. Her hand moved away, passing over Lyra's eyelashes and forehead, and gently ruffled the girl's hair.

Feeling the touch on her head, Lyra spoke in a low voice.

"Do you really think I can win?"

After all that talk, Lyra suddenly felt that Astrid might not just be trying to comfort her. Perhaps, the princess truly believed she had a chance to defeat Iris.

"..."

Astrid was silent for a moment, then looked intently at Lyra, her pink lips parting slightly.

"Is my expression not precise enough, or do you not trust me enough?"

"Didn't I just say it? I believe you can do it."

If she were to be serious, someone like herself, a villainous supporting character who loved to stir up trouble, would have been a troublesome obstacle that Lyra would have to work hard to overcome in the original setting. The later Amelia, with her high status and power, was considered slightly more troublesome and could be a minor boss on the heroine's growth path.

Looking at Iris now, the difficulty for Lyra to defeat her was much easier than starting with a village sword in another timeline, and it would be much simpler than overthrowing a noble princess and an imperial emperor in the future.

Sensing the weight in Astrid's words, Lyra's chest rose and fell slightly, her racing heart hurriedly blood flow, making her entire body feel warm.

So... Astrid thought so highly of her...

The trust she herself never had, the other person had already become accustomed to.

Feeling a surge of fulfillment welling up in her heart, Lyra unconsciously swung her legs, her black leather shoes tapping against the chair leg with a soft "leather."

"Do you think I'm saying this just to coax you?" Astrid asked at the opportune moment.

Lyra blinked there, her overall cheerful demeanor slightly diminished. After a few seconds, she answered truthfully.

"Yes, because Astrid usually comforts people very well, so I thought this was the same..."

"...It's not that I don't trust you."

After all, who would have thought that one day someone would believe in her more than she believed in herself?

Astrid let out a soft sigh, her voice is gentle.

"I won't coax the same person twice so quickly."

While her analysis did have some elements of coaxing Lyra, it wasn't much.

Upon hearing this, Lyra immediately responded.

"I know, Astrid."

A few seconds later, she spoke again, dazedly.

"Huh? Twice?"

What did that mean? Had she missed something?

Hearing the surprise in Lyra's tone, Astrid pointed to where she was resting her head, her voice calm.

"Isn't this it? Or are you not satisfied?"

Did Princess Astrid mean... a lap pillow?

Realizing what was happening, Lyra's neck flushed even redder. She opened her mouth, unsure of what to say.

Princess Astrid's lap pillow was indeed very comfortable... soft, and smooth, even better than a real pillow...

When she first opened her eyes, she hadn't even realized it and had instinctively tried to press her hand under the pillow.

Wait, pressing under the pillow... wouldn't that be placing it under Astrid's thigh...

Realizing belatedly that such an action might be too much for the person whose legs were being used as a pillow, Lyra's cheeks grew even redder, and she staggered, unable to speak.

Astrid feigned displeasure at this, raising an eyebrow slightly.

"If you're not satisfied, then forget it. Pretend I didn't do anything."

With that, she slightly shifted her legs, as if to change her sitting posture.

Feeling the movement of Astrid's knees, Lyra thought the other person was truly upset. She propped her head up, afraid to lower it and disrupt Astrid's attempt to withdraw her legs. She swallowed and replied.

"No, I'm not dissatisfied."

"It's very comfortable to pillow on... and it's very stress-relieving..."

In the past, she had only rested her head on her mother's lap, surrounded by a faint sense of warmth. Now that Astrid was the one providing the lap pillow, in addition to warmth, there was another emotion Lyra couldn't quite articulate.

It was like being submerged in sugar water, warm and pleasant, soft and sweet, or like being gently tickled by small claws, making her heart itch.

Perhaps this was the difference between a lover and family?

Astrid blinked there, her wine-red pupils reflected the candlelight. The dim light refracted scattered glints on her pupils, making her already beautiful eyes even more captivating.

"Shall we go back now... or..."

Astrid deliberately paused for a few seconds, as if giving Lyra time to think, then raised the end of her sentence with a hint of seductiveness.

"...rest a little longer?"

Faced with the two choices Astrid presented, Lyra initially wanted to say "rest a little longer" immediately. However, considering how long she had been unconscious, she asked with concern.

"Aren't your legs numb, Astrid? I feel like I've been lying here for a long time..."

Hearing Lyra's question, Astrid looked up at the wall. From the moment she clicked until Lyra woke up, only half an hour had passed. Her legs wouldn't be numb yet.

"If I say they are numb, will we go back to the dormitory immediately?"

Astrid asked softly, quickly noticing Lyra softening her eyes, looking a bit disappointed.

"If they're numb... Astrid should rest for a while before walking. I won't have a pillow anymore..."

Although she was reluctant, she prioritized Astrid's comfort.

Astrid tapped her fingers lightly on the chair's surface, no longer teasing Lyra.

"My legs aren't numb. You can pillow for as long as you want."

"Of course, it can't exceed the closing time of the training tower, otherwise, we'll both have to spend the night inside."

That sounds pretty good? The thought flashed through Lyra's mind, but she immediately dismissed it.

If Astrid disappeared overnight without notice, forget the sister-obsessed little sister, even the normally composed head maid would come searching to drag them back.

"Then... another fifteen minutes?"

Sensing Lyra's timidity, Astrid gave a slight nod.

"Fine."

It wasn't an unreasonable request. Lyra had once given her the same favor, perhaps even more than.

With Astrid's permission, Lyra lifted the corners of her lips, turned sideways, and fully laid her body flat.

So this was what it felt like to rest on Princess Astrid's lap... just as comfortable as imagined...

Her hair spilled over the chair, her nape pressing against the smooth, silk-covered thigh. The sensation combines the unique silkiness of fabric with the warmth and softness of human skin, indescribably pleasant.

Watching Lyra, eyes half-closed and body relaxed, Astrid soon closed her own eyes, quietly waiting for time to pass.

Fifteen minutes wasn't long, yet not short either. Lyra thought this time would pass like when she concentrated plants in the courtyard, vanishing in an instant, but it didn't go by so quickly.

Perhaps because, although she enjoyed Astrid's lap pillow, she constantly counted time, doubted her count, and feared this beautiful moment might end at any second.

Just as she was hesitating, Lyra suddenly heard Astrid speak.

"Next time you faint, there won't be any lap pillows."

Knowing Astrid warned her not to repeat the same mistake, Lyra pursed her lips and softly replied.

"Mm, I understand."

She would pay more attention to her remaining mana and stop overexerting herself.

"If you truly want to improve, I'll spar with you from now on," Astrid added.

"Every night, using ancient incantations."

With her current strength, casting ordinary spells wouldn't challenge Lyra. Only chanting ancient magic will provide training value, but the intensity will be harder to control, requiring Lyra's utmost focus.

"Huh? Here?" Lyra asked instinctively.

Astrid nodded, finding the girl oddly dense.

"Where else? On the dorm bed?"

The moment the words left her lips, seeing Lyra's face redden, Astrid suddenly realized she might have said something inappropriate.

It was supposed to be just a scolding remark, why did it sound so strange in real context?

It must be Lyra's fault.

"..."

After a while, Lyra answered shyly.

"O-okay... Astrid..."

"Then... we'll start tomorrow... in the training room…"