Princess’s Struggle for Survival

The day after counseling Lyra, Astrid received an invitation to a family dinner from Hibbort. She specifically left the Elizabeth Academy of Magic to go to the Imperial Palace to dine with the Empire's highest authority.

"Your Highness Astrid, His Majesty is inside. You may enter directly."

Looking at the palace attendant bowing respectfully before her, Astrid adjusted her skirt and elegantly walked into the dining room in her high heels.

Passing through a hallway carpeted with expensive rugs, Astrid arrived at the door and gently knocked. After a moment, a deep male voice came from within.

"Enter."

Pushing the door open, the slightly brighter lights inside were a bit dazzling. Astrid narrowed her eyes slightly and looked at the lion-like man at the end of the long dining table.

Hibbort sat at the head of the table, not wearing the usual velvet robe that signified his status, but a clean and crisp linen brown long shirt. The scepter, symbolizing the Empire's power, leaning against his seat, casting a long, thin shadow in the light.

Besides the Emperor, there were two other figures Astrid was very familiar with by the dining table. They wore the same noble velvet silk as her skirt, with handsome features and noble temperaments.

The First Prince, Lucas, and the Second Prince, Alistair. The former sat to Hibbort's left, slender and slightly pale. The latter sat to Hibbort's right, sturdier than Lucas, with a hint of ferocity hidden in his eyes.

She had originally thought that the so-called family dinner would just be a dinner for the two of them, father and daughter, chatting about family matters. Now, it seemed the situation was quite different.

"Sit down, Astrid," Hibbort said.

No specific seat was designated, but there was an empty seat next to each of the First and Second Princes. Astrid's gaze swept past the seats at the end of the table, which she would definitely not sit at, and without much hesitation, she walked directly to the First Prince's side and sat down.

In terms of relationships, the original Astrid was closer to Lucas, who often stayed in the capital. In terms of political factions, the Third Princess was publicly known as the First Prince's faction.

Hibbort's expression remains unchanged. He simply tapped the dining table, signaling the waiters to start serving the dishes.

"It's rare for the family to have the chance to gather for dinner,"

The deep male voice echoed in the room, carrying a different feeling to the listeners.

Family? Given the current animosity between Lucas and Alistair, they would probably wish each other dead in some alley the next day, rather than compete for the throne with each other.

Astrid lowered her gaze, believing that she would not be the focus of this family dinner today.

With the two princes present, she, an adopted princess without inheritance rights or royal blood, didn't need to have too much presence. She just needed to eat completely.

Hearing this, Lucas glanced sideways at Alistair. Because his father was present, he did not show any abnormality, only responded in a calm tone.

"Father is right. This Magic Exchange Competition is indeed a good opportunity. Even my imperial brother, who was training outside, has finally returned to the Capital City."

"I've been busy with official duties and haven't had time to have a good cup of tea with my imperial brother. This is my fault as the elder brother."

He first flattered his father and then introduced his identity as the elder brother, silently gaining a psychological advantage over Alistair.

Upon hearing this, Alistair raised his eyes and looked calmly at Lucas.

"Brother speaks too kindly. It's also my fault that I've been busy discussing fur acquisitions lately and haven't even had time to watch the exchange competition..."

"I was planning to find a night to have dinner with my brother, but it seemed my brother is also very busy, so I had to postpone the plan."

Lucas was indeed busy at night; he had to concentrate on developing relationships with mature young women. Perhaps during the meal, this noble prince was lying on a woman's belly.

Knowing that the Second Prince was alluding to his romantic affairs, Lucas frowned slightly, then quickly relaxed, as if nothing had happened.

"If it's my imperial brother's invitation, I will naturally overcome all difficulties."

They, as children, were well aware that their father had only loved one woman in his life. Alistair's words were nothing more than an attempt to provoke Hibbort's displeasure.

However, no matter what, as a prince, he had not yet married. Even if he was promiscuous, it would not be a political stain.

There were many noble youths who indulged in the capital, and he was simply the one with the highest status and most eye-catching.

Listening to the seemingly brotherly and friendly, but actually undercurrents of unspoken tension in the conversation between the princes, Hibbort's expression remains unchanged. His chiseled face seemed to have metallic edges under the light.

Compared to the slightly noisy two princes, Astrid appears much more reserved. She sat with her arms crossed, her ruffled sleeves fitting snugly against the fabric, revealing a part of her fair wrist.

Fools are just fools... these two brothers made her unsure where to even start complaining...

Who was Hibbort? The man at the pinnacle of the Empire's power. Lucas and Alistair's every move as heirs was definitely within his intelligence network, not to mention their brotherly relationship, which had long been nominal and was obvious even to outsiders.

Sitting at this long table, Hibbort definitely didn't want to see the scheming and treacherous struggles between brothers like a palace drama. Even if Lucas and Alistair were just politely enjoying dinner, it would be better than showing off their power tactics in front of this old fox.

On the surface, Alistair had successfully angered Lucas, seemingly gaining a temporary advantage. In reality, neither of them had won; they had only lowered their evaluation in their father's eyes for no reason.

As they conversed, the dishes were served. Unlike the dazzling array of dishes served at noble dining, Hibbort's banquet dishes were usually not so extravagant as to be overwhelming, but simple, like things that minor nobles might eat every night.

Mashed potatoes, mushroom soup, red wine–braised beef short ribs, and a berry stew...

Unlike others' menus, Astrid's spread included less seafood, but this was balanced with additional dishes like fried lamb chops and vegetable soup.

While eating small bites, Astrid captured the conversation at the table. Throughout the meal, apart from greeting those at the table, she only spoke when she was mentioned.

What was the purpose of this dinner tonight from her father? It couldn't just be to enjoy what she considered a somewhat fake family happiness.

The sound of cutlery clinking against plates was minimal. Astrid observed noble etiquette, slowly picking up her wine glass after chewing her food, her pink lips pressing against the rim as she took a sip.

"Astrid, will the Empire Weekly follow up on the content after the Magic Exchange Competition concludes?"

Suddenly hearing Hibbort ask her this question, Astrid paused her movements and replied after a moment.

"Barring any unforeseen circumstances, relevant reports will be published."

After all, the Magic Exchange Competition was a nationally renowned international event. Regardless of the outcome, the Empire Weekly will report it truthfully, with only differences in emphasis and length.

If Lyra wins, it will be a joyous occasion, and the publicity will be maximized. In her previous life, it would be like a grassroots debut becoming a national idol.

Even if she lost, Astrid could focus on highlighting Lyra's efforts and dedication during the competition. Facing foreign powerhouses several times stronger than herself with the strength of a peak tier Sorcerer, her courage was glorious even in defeat.

In the end, public opinion was highly directional. As long as this weapon was in hand, distorting facts and twisting right and wrong was easy. Not to mention that Astrid only wanted selective reporting and had no intention of covering up the facts.

Hibbort nodded upon hearing this, his tone carrying a rare warmth.

"I heard that your friend entered the finals this time, named Lyra Beckett."

"Yes, she is a very hardworking child, and also very talented."

Unable to ascertain Hibbort's intentions, Astrid answered cautiously.

"Lyra has been under a lot of pressure recently. After all, in a sense, she is representing the Elizabeth Academy of Magic."

Originally, she wanted to say that as a subject, Lyra feared bringing shame to the Empire's honor, so she trained overtime every day, but considering it might sound too deliberate, she refrained.

The fewer said, the fewer mistakes. When faced with Hibbort's ambiguous questions, Astrid always adheres to this principle.

Hibbort nodded slightly and then said, gently cutting a piece of steak.

"Indeed. It's not easy for a peak tier Sorcerer to get this far, leave alone a girl who is only in her early twenties."

"People of the same age might even be too scared to step onto the stage."

Hibbort's voice echoed in the room, low and calm.

Astrid hummed softly, her pink lips parting slightly.

"She has grown very quickly. Sometimes, I even secretly sighed. Two years ago, when Lyra was by my side, she was still a naive maid who would lower her head when looking at people."

As she spoke, Astrid changed at the reflection in the plate next to her. Lucas lowered his eyes, his somewhat pale hand gripping a silver-white fork.

Back then, Lucas was still coveting Lyra. However, due to the original Astrid's status, he couldn't act directly. Now, with a genius mage who would most likely become an Arcanist mage in the future, he had to consider carefully whether it was appropriate to do anything.

Nominally, Lyra was Astrid's best friend and also a member of the First Prince's political faction. Before truly reaching that position, Lucas could not and dared not forcefully sour their relationship.

Hibbort nodded slightly after listening. "To have such a change in two years is indeed rare in the world."

"But in my opinion, Astrid's changes are no less than hers."

She cut the steak with the knife in her hand, the sound of it hitting the plate slightly louder than before. Astrid gently traced the blade on the plate and after a while, spoke softly.

"Why does Father say that?"

"It's just a sudden feeling of empathy."

Hibbort habitually straightened his back, his tone calm.

"When Fanya entrusted you to me back then, she said she hoped you could live a happy life, even if you didn't have to be so dazzling, just living like an ordinary person."

"It seems her wish has come true."

He saw some of Fanya's shadow in Astrid. Those seemingly timeless ideas were changing the Empire.

Magical devices, the Empire Weekly; the former possesses possibilities to enhance national strength, while the latter infinite provides a new means of governance.

Upon hearing Hibbort say this, Astrid blinked her eyelashes a few times, her voice gentle.

"Would Mother be proud of me?"

"..."

"Of course," Hibbort paused and continued.

"I am also proud of you, my most dazzling gem of the Empire."

As soon as the man finished speaking, his Blue eyes reflected the silver-white figure, as if he were investigating something.

Astrid felt Hibbort's gaze and looked up, calmly meeting the gaze of her adoptive father.

"Father exaggerates."

"While drinking tea and chatting every day is certainly leisurely, I sometimes feel mentally tired."

"I just want to do something for the Empire that gave birth to me and raised me... That's all..."

This conversation even drew Lucas and Alistair's attention to Astrid, and they began to evaluate this Imperial Princess who was currently the talk of the capital.

Royal blood was the biggest stepping stone to succession. With Astrid's current political resources, she was not yet able to stand on her own. She had to rely on a crown prince, which was why Lucas was so confident.

Based on her previous actions, there was no possibility of reconciliation between Astrid and Alistair. Therefore, she could only turn to her relatively friendly imperial brother.

In other words, the stronger Astrid's influence, the more benefits he could enjoy. The only trouble was that this good sister sometimes couldn't figure out what she should be doing.

In Lucas's opinion, Astrid's long-term cooperation with the Velmont family was a good move, but over-supporting the reformists was a miscalculation.

Just as Astrid was thinking about what to say next, Hibbort changed the subject again, asking Lucas if his strength had improved recently.

As an heir, strength and health were also evaluation criteria.

Seeing Alistair's attention drawn back to his mortal enemy and no longer focused on her, Astrid pursed her lips and took a sip of red wine.

Everything tonight seemed like a small interlude. Even those few simple conversations seemed like topics deliberately created by Hibbort to avoid leaving any one person at the table out.

However, was that really the case?

She always felt that Hibbort's last glance was meaningful, as if he had seen through something.

Back in her dormitory, Astrid took a bath and changed out of her evening gown. She saw Amalia sitting at her seat painting and gently hugged her from behind.

The girl's body was slender and fragile, like a dandelion that would scatter with the wind.

"Finish painting and get some rest early, Livia," Astrid said.