Princess’s Struggle for Survival

For the next two days, Astrid kept her promise, she stayed in the hospital room at night to care for Lyra, who was still convalescing, and spent her days accompanying Amalia to strengthen their bond, all while fulfilling her routine noble social obligations and researching information about the term "Moserria."

However, neither the Royal Library of the Valeria Empire nor the grand archives of Elizabeth Academy of Magic contain any records in the ancient texts Astrid could access indicating that any other light magic used "Moserria" as a prefix.

Moreover, to prevent missing any information due to incomplete records or her own oversight, Astrid specifically consulted Charlotte, an expert in magical studies, and Professor Evelyn, a linguistics scholar. Both gave consistent answers, they had never heard of any other magic bearing the name "Moserria."

Across the entire modern magical system of the Valeria Empire, it seemed like an isolated island, completely separate from all other light attribute magics.

Besides [Moserria's Holy Judgment Sword], Astrid also turned her attention to other magics with similar naming conventions. The one most similar in format was a forbidden spell called [Eternal Night of Brennild].

If Astrid wasn't mistaken, "Brennild" was likely some ancient human known to Lady Gemini, the creator of this spell. She had taken Brennild's name as the spell's common title, probably for reasons Astrid didn't yet understand.

The only pity was that [Eternal Night of Brennild] was a forbidden-level dark attribute spell. To successfully chant it, the caster needed to be a Peak tier Arcanist mage with expert-level specialization in dark elements. Astrid was nowhere near meeting the minimum requirements to cast it and thus couldn't extract any relevant answers from this spell.

As for others asking, currently only two people in the Valeria Empire possess the strength of a Peak Tier mage: Academy Head Anthony Austrin, and the Emperor of the Empire, Hibbort Valeria, who had reached the same rank with the support of the Imperial Scepter.

But neither specialized in dark elements, and neither would willingly cast a forbidden spell that caused immense damage to both soul and body.

Especially the latter, his life was already as fragile as a candle in the wind. He couldn't withstand the toll of a forbidden magic ritual. If he shows any sign of fatigue in public, the ever-watchful Kingdom of Velys will immediately launch a fierce attack capable of shaking the Empire's foundations.

............

Night fell. In the infirmary of Elizabeth Academy of Magic, Astrid rested her hands on the bedsheet, sitting with her back to Lyra.

"I've consulted the physicians. Lyra's body has strong healing capabilities. The injured knee can now move freely."

"As for internal organs, they said that as long as you avoid strenuous activity, pain won't reappear. In about half a week, you'll be completely healed."

"It seems Lyra will be able to attend tomorrow's award ceremony normally."

Looking at the silver hair falling beside her hand and the soft mattress slightly indented from the pressure, Lyra nodded, softly responding.

"I feel like after the ceremony, I can finally return to the dormitory instead of staying in the infirmary."

It wasn't just her body that had recovered, but also her spirit. After several days of cooling down, the excitement from winning the championship had mostly subsided.

Although she still feels happy when thinking about it, at least she wouldn't lose her composure too much in front of Astrid anymore.

Winning the Magic Exchange Competition was just the first step toward standing beside the princess. There were still many things waiting for her to do.

Glancing back at Lyra lying on the bed, Astrid continued.

"Today, Monica also came to visit you. According to the maids, she stayed in the infirmary for over ten minutes."

"Did she say anything to you?"

When Monica visited, Astrid had been alone in the archive research. She hadn't received the news immediately, and by the time she left the archive, Monica had already returned to her residence. The two hadn't even seen each other.

Lyra paused briefly to recall, then answered.

"Miss Monica brought me some magical potion ingredients said to speed up physical recovery. Then she voluntarily brought up some topics related to the competition."

"Mostly just congratulations and well-wishes. She didn't ask anything particularly strange."

Having frequently accompanied the Third Princess, Lyra naturally understood some of the tensions between the Kingdom of Velys and the Valeria Empire. Facing Monica, a sensitive figure, she had mentally prepared to respond with "I don't know" to every question and wait for Astrid to return before discussing anything.

But to her surprise, Monica hadn't asked anything at all, just like any other well-wisher, she simply congratulated Lyra on her victory and told her to take good care of herself.

She didn't even mention the Sword of Light, not even a single word.

After hearing this, Astrid gave a slight nod, a flicker of contemplation passing through her crimson eyes.

The exchange students from the Kingdom of Velys will depart the day after tomorrow, right after the award ceremony. If Monica intended to do anything, her time was extremely limited.

Or perhaps, she believed her mission was already accomplished, and those cryptic, half-veiled words exchanged with Astrid were enough for Monica to confirm her next steps.

Iris, could this young princess serve as their bridge of cooperation? Or were there other backup options among the royal bloodline?

After all, despite her high status, Astrid was still only the Third Princess of the Valeria Empire. Foreign affairs were far beyond her reach. It all depends on Monica, the key figure, to act on her own.

After tomorrow's award ceremony, there will be a farewell banquet in the evening. Astrid had a premonition that this would very likely be the last time she'd meet with the Saintess of Light, Monica Angelis, before war broke out between their two nations.

She wondered whether, in the approaching future, they could still regard each other from the same standpoint.

After pondering for a long while, Astrid heard no response from Lyra. She straightened her legs and patted her skirt.

"Then it's fine. When I heard the news, I was worried Lyra wouldn't be able to handle her."

From previous conversations, Monica was clearly not an easy-to-read girl like Iris. For her to become the Saintess of the Holy Light Church, aside from exceptional affinity with light elements, her other abilities must also be outstanding.

Upon hearing this, Lyra murmured softly, "If I encounter questions I can't answer, I'll just say I don't know."

The more you talk, the more mistakes you make. When faced with potential attempts at fishing for information, responding with "I don't know" to every question would suffice.

Lyra had even mentally prepared herself to answer "I don't know" if Monica asked her where she lived.

"Can you really do that?"

"Of course... I'm not that much of an idiot..."

Seeing Lyra say this, Astrid's gaze lingered on her cheek for half a minute, until Lyra's skin flushed faintly pink and her blue eyes lowered with a hint of uncertainty, before Astrid slowly looked away.

"Ah... indeed, Lyra isn't an idiot."

"It's just that sometimes you're a bit spacey, which makes you look cuter."

Among her peers, Lyra was definitely in the smartest tier. Whether it was the Holy Light Knight from the original story or the pink-haired girl in front of her now, her daily behavior was never anything close to "idiotic."

As for why she gave off a "dumb" impression, it was probably because, among a crowd of nobles accustomed to scheming, this girl who had once lived in an ivory tower was just a beat slower in reacting.

Lyra froze for a few seconds, then realized Astrid had seemed proud of her. Her fingers tightened, and a faint pink flush crept up her neck.

"R-really... is that so?"

Although the 'spacey' part... she wanted to object but couldn't find a reason...

But she called me cute...

After saying this, Astrid didn't continue teasing Lyra. Instead, she turned and went to the washroom, washed her face, chewed some cleansing herbs, and then returned to the room to rest.

One more night accompanying Lyra, and she'd return to the dormitory tomorrow.

Sleeping without something to hold in her arms at night, apart from Amalia, even Astrid herself felt a bit uncomfortable.

The sound of rhythmic footsteps reached her ears. Lyra looked toward the silver-haired beauty approaching her, noticing Astrid placing her fingers on the red gem at her chest, and instinctively spoke up.

"Astrid, are you sleeping on the floor again tonight...?"

She was, after all, an imperial princess. It didn't matter much that she'd been staying with her, but even her sleeping arrangements were just a temporary bed hastily set up.

Faced with Astrid's constant, unconditional care, Lyra, who felt she hadn't contributed nearly enough, couldn't help but felt a little guilty.

"..."

Hearing Lyra's words, Astrid halted the spiritual energy she was about to channel and opened her lips, counter-asking.

"Where else should I sleep?"

After a brief silence, Lyra mustered her courage and whispered.

"I'm almost fully recovered, you know..."

"If we squeeze a little... it wouldn't be a problem."

Even the clumsiest person couldn't miss the directness of this statement. Realizing Lyra was inviting her to share the bed, Astrid slowly approached, the night-colored hem of her dress blocking the moonlight spilling through the window, making her silver-white hair appear even brighter than usual.

With her back to the moonlight, Astrid spoke with a hint of amusement in her voice.

"Are you sure you're okay with this?"

Just hope you can still sleep properly and have enough energy to attend tomorrow's award ceremony.

Lyra nodded in response, as if she'd made up her mind.

"Mm... I'm fine..."

It's just sharing a bed... there shouldn't be any issues...

Seeing how particularly nervous Lyra looked, Astrid couldn't help but smile inwardly. She gently kicked off her high heels, and her right knee rested on the edge of the bed.

The one who invited her to sleep together was her, yet the one looking emotionally conflicted was also her.

Only Lyra could make herself this tangled.

Feeling the weight transmitted through the mattress, Lyra's heartbeat quickened. Her peripheral vision caught sight of the intricate black lace patterns on Astrid's thighs, and her body instinctively shifted slightly to the other side.

"Are you really that scared of me?"

After removing the other shoes, the slender black high heel dropped to the floor with a soft tap. Astrid didn't bend down to adjust it. Instead, she propped herself on her elbows against the bedsheet, half-propped like a silver-and-black cat.

It was well known that while felines looked cute, they also carried a natural hint of aggressiveness deep in their bones. At least from Lyra's perspective at this moment, Astrid seemed like she really might do something to her.

"N-no... I'm not..."

"Then why are you moving so far away?"

Reaching out, Astrid gently grasped Lyra's small, delicate earlobe and gave it a light pinch. The slight warmth under her fingertips reminds her that this pink-haired girl's heart is currently racing with shyness.

"I won't eat you~"

The warm breath against her neck sent a tremor through Lyra's heartstrings. Unable to endure Astrid's teasing any longer, she grabbed the blanket with both hands and curled herself into the covers.

Although this was no different from admitting defeat outright, at least hiding under the blanket kept her apple-red face from being easily seen by Astrid.

Shrouded in darkness, the confined space made Lyra's heartbeat especially audible, more perceptible even to herself. With Astrid's presence now visually obscured, she suddenly felt even more nervous than before.

Astrid was right beside her, yet she couldn't see her, nor did she know what she might do.

What if Astrid suddenly crawled under the blanket later?

Amid her nervousness, a flicker of anticipation stirred in Lyra's heart. The surge of conflicting emotions became too chaotic for even her to sort out.

Her small, white toes curled up faintly, lightly gripping the blanket. Holding the edge of the covers, Lyra uses senses other than sight to observe her surroundings. She could feel the indentation on the bedsheet hadn't expanded, and the entire bed hadn't shaken from any other movements.

Princess Astrid... hasn't moved again?

Just as Lyra was thinking this, she felt the bed beneath her sway slightly, Astrid seemed to have sat down at the edge.

Then, the air was filled only with her own slightly heavy breathing and the soft rustling of fabric.

Could it be... Astrid is...

A bold yet reasonable idea flashed through her mind. Lyra swallowed hard, her palms faintly damp with sweat.

It wasn't the first time they'd shared a bed, but Lyra was still extremely nervous.

Her fingers gripping the blanket loosened and tightened repeatedly. A tiny gap in the covers allows a breeze from outside to flow in, making the sound of changing clothes even clearer, as if right next to Lyra's ear.

Since she was getting into bed, it really wasn't appropriate to keep wearing that long black dress meant for outings. It made sense for Astrid to change.

"..."

Half a minute passed, and the surrounding rustling finally ceased.

Is it over?

Lyra bit her lip, quietly exhaling in relief. Her blue eyes rose slightly above the horizon formed by the blankets.

But that simple glance made her heart skip a beat.

Under the bright moonlight, Lyra caught sight of a stretch of flawless back, gleaming with a porcelain white sheen, and two thin black straps running close to the shoulder blades.