Princess’s Struggle for Survival

Outside the window, the bright moon hangs high, its silver-white cascade spilling across the earth. Faintly, the room was draped in a layer of pale blue gauze. Along the edges illuminated by moonlight, long, thick silver hair spilled over snowy skin, revealing two slender straps underneath, black and white in stark contrast, making the woman's skin appear even fairer, like a tender blossom.

"Ah...Astrid?" Lyra parted her lips, her heart instantly jumped into her throat.

If she had merely caught sight of the other changing by accident, quietly pulling her head back under the covers, making no sound, pretending she saw nothing, such a choice would have been wise enough.

Unfortunately, when Lyra noticed her own face reflected in those vivid red eyes, and the faint, clear smile tugging at the woman's delicate pink lips, she knew it was already too late.

Astrid was tilting her neck upward, glancing back at Lyra.

Due to the angle, Lyra couldn't see Astrid's entire face, but she could clearly see the imperial princess's long eyelashes and refined, straight nose. The interplay of light and shadow makes her already exquisite features appear even more three-dimensional.

"Hmm? Has Lyra finally decided to crawl out from under the blanket?"

As she spoke, Astrid turned her body, shifting from sitting at the edge of the bed to folding her knees sideways onto the mattress. The thin black stockings covering her slender legs stretched slightly from the motion, while the garters connecting top and bottom loosened, no longer tightly hugging her soft thighs.

Finishing her words, Astrid placed the ruby necklace made of metal onto the nightstand. The gemstone glowed faintly, silently revealing to Lyra where Astrid's ornate dress had gone.

"Well then, compared to before, isn't this outfit a bit better to look at?"

It was deep autumn, and the weather hadn't yet turned fully cold. Aside from a form-fitting long dress, Astrid usually wore no additional underlayers.

In other words, her current attire before Lyra was quite revealing, barely more than a single sheet of paper standing between them.

Hearing Astrid's words, Lyra completely froze, unsure where to direct her gaze, her cheeks as hot as a teapot boiling over.

T-this... is too sudden...

Even during their past practical training sessions, when they slept together on blankets, Astrid at least wore an extra nightgown. That thin layer of fabric had been sufficient to cover most of her skin.

But now... this state... no, absolutely not...

Her body began to heat up, her hands gripping the blanket growing damp with sweat. Lyra remains silent, motionless.

As if struck by some Arcanist petrification magic.

Seeing Lyra's reaction, Astrid's smile deepened. She gently brushed her hair aside, revealing her smooth, petite lobes, and leaned slightly closer.

"Are you feeling unwell?"

Her knees pressed against the bed, her smooth, stockinged feet lightly nudging the sheets. Her stunning ankle remains hidden beneath night-colored silk. The subtle wrinkles delicately formed by her movements emphasize the presence of the fabric, making her already ankle appear even more slender, as if one could easily grasp it and prevent it from moving.

Catching Lyra's gaze, Astrid narrowed her eyes slightly, then seductively tugged at her stocking cuff. Resting her cheek against the back of her supporting hand, she murmured:

"Why are you staring at me like that..."

"Wasn't it Lyra who invited me to sleep here in the first place?"

Unconsciously, Lyra had been pushed into the corner of the bed. Even her legs beneath the blanket were gently pried apart by Astrid's knees, slowly propped to one side.

Not just her legs... her hands felt numb too...

Princess Astrid...

Astrid gazed at the girl's flushed cheeks like a predator closing in. Her index finger rested thoughtfully against her own lips. After a moment, she slowly opened her mouth with a smile so captivating it could kill.

"Oh... I almost forgot..."

"Lyra is such an easily embarrassed girl."

The finger that had been resting against her lips moved downward, gently touching the center of Lyra's lips. Astrid lightly pressed it, let out a soft chuckle, then abandoned her half-leaning posture and sat back into her proper place.

Daily teasing mission accomplished. Her mood was considerably light.

The lingering scent before her nose faded, but the sensation on her lips remained. Lyra stared at Astrid beside her, legs stretched out straight, her expression lazy and carefree as if nothing had happened. Her slightly parted lips quietly pressed together.

She felt... she'd been teased by Astrid again...

Her gaze fell upon the princess's slender, delicate black-stockinged ankles, then slowly traveled upward along the straight line. Amid her flushed embarrassment, Lyra met Astrid's smiling eyes.

So unfair...

For a certain instant just now, Lyra truly felt a surge of impulse.

She wanted to reach out, wrap her arms around Astrid's slender, soft waist, and pull her tightly into her embrace.

Then... kiss her fiercely...

Not just a gentle kiss on the neck like Astrid had given her the day before yesterday, but like what Linda did to her maid, a lip-to-lip kiss, so Astrid would understand she wasn't just some helpless little rabbit to be teased at will.

And also... like the scenes she'd dreamed of...

When kissing... use the tongue...

Lyra had originally thought she'd find such things, just hearing about them, disgusting. But in her dreams, everything felt so natural, so intoxicating.

If it were with Princess Astrid... she didn't mind at all.

Rather, she even longed for it.

Lost in thought, Astrid placed the ribbon she'd undone onto the nightstand. Seeing Lyra still dazed, she didn't interrupt, but instead reached out and gently covered the hand gripping the blanket.

The moment Astrid touched her, Lyra's hand jerked away as if shocked. Seeing this, Astrid, who had intended to pry each finger apart slowly, merely pursed her lips, then gently pulled back the blanket and slipped inside.

The space beneath the covers was small, or rather, the sickbed itself wasn't large. With another person now sharing it, their bodies inevitably made contact.

Feeling a smooth, silky sensation against her right leg, like pressing against a soft, cool cake, Lyra's mind snapped awake, quickly realizing the situation beneath the blanket.

Princess Astrid... didn't even take off her garter stockings...

This was even more unfair.

"Astrid..."

"I'm here."

"Um..."

After hesitating for a long while, Lyra spoke, her voice trembling slightly.

"Today... are you not wearing a nightgown?"

Astrid turned her head towards Lyra, and since they were sharing the same pillow, the motion sent warm breath directly onto Lyra's neck.

"I'd really like to wear one, but it just so happens I didn't store it in the gem," Astrid said softly, running her hand gently down her leg. "So I'll have to stay like this for now."

She had the habit of regularly clearing unnecessary items, so things like nightgowns usually didn't occupy space in her gem.

Honestly, even these restrictive clothes she was wearing now weren't what Astrid normally slept in. But considering there was someone else in bed, stripping completely would've been too brazen.

Besides, she could easily imagine it might be even more torturous for Lyra.

Her legs gently rubbed together, the soft friction of silk barely audible, yet still clearly perceptible to a knight of executive rank.

Hearing the sound, Lyra's ears burned hotter. Her peripheral vision shifted from Astrid's collarbone back to the cotton blanket just inches away.

Like this... could she really fall asleep?

It just seemed so difficult...

Closing her eyes, the only sounds left were Astrid's and her own breathing. Lyra recalled the key points of meditation taught to her, trying her best to empty her mind.

Thankfully, the head maid had taught her how to quickly clear distracting thoughts and enter a meditative state. Otherwise, tonight, she wouldn't have been able to sleep at all.

Praise Miss Elise... no, wait, Miss Elise mainly follows Princess Astrid's orders...

So perhaps, she should praise Princess Astrid instead...

Without even understanding what she herself was thinking, Lyra entered meditation. As her focus deepened, she eventually drifted into sleep.

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

The next morning, Lyra, who always ensured she got enough rest, woke up earlier than Astrid. She covered her face with her palm to block the sunlight streaming through the window, then hummed softly and opened her eyes.

Her vision was filled with beams of light formed by the blinds, scattered specks of light floating within, brightening the walls and forming a warm still-life painting.

The person beside her was still asleep, breathing calm and steady. The daytime clinic relieved the deep atmosphere of night, and the previous air of intimacy had disappeared, replaced by a gentle warmth.

A sudden wave of warmth welled up in Lyra's heart. She gazed at the still-sleeping Astrid for a while, then tried to get up, only for a smooth, slick touch to suddenly brush against her lower limbs.

Her ankle felt clamped by something... like two slippery snakes...

But how could there be snakes under the blanket?

After two or three seconds of thought, Lyra immediately realized what was gripping her. Her fair, delicate face instantly flushed a soft pink like peach blossoms.

It must be Princess Astrid's legs...

Lyra carefully tried to pull away, but Astrid interpreted it as Amalia seeking more closeness. Instead of loosening her grip, she instinctively squeezed tighter.

"..."

Realizing her attempt had backfired, Lyra took a deep breath, slowly sat up, and instead of yanking herself away suddenly, gently grasped a corner of the blanket and slowly pulled it back.

Gently grasping the calf above her, Lyra moved with care, trying to free herself from Astrid's hold.

But the instant her hand touched the other's calf, Astrid sleepily opened her eyes, blinking in confusion at the pink-haired girl sitting upright beside her.

Her mind quickly clearing, feeling her ankle gripped by Lyra, Astrid blinked and asked softly:

"...What are you doing?"

A simple question, yet it made Lyra inexplicably feel guilty. She wristened stiff mechanically as she turned her head to face Astrid.

Time froze for several seconds. Regaining her senses, Lyra hastily explained.

"Um..."

"...My leg is being held by Astrid."

Finishing her sentence, she turned her body slightly so Astrid could see her position.

Seeing this, the still-groggy Astrid quickly gathered her thoughts, realizing she'd once again mistaken Lyra for Amalia, and slowly pulled her legs away.

"Oh... it's just a habit of mine..."

When sleeping with Amalia, the petite little girl always liked to wrap her legs around her. Over time, Astrid had developed this habit too. There were other things as well, like when Amalia rubbed her hair against her, Astrid would instinctively lean down and kiss her.

Once a habit forms, it's hard to change.

"Why are you so tense, Lyra?"

Astrid's offhand question left Lyra unsure how to respond. After a pause, the girl staggered,

"...I am?"

"Yes."

"Maybe... maybe it's just from waking up..."

Waking up to a scene so intimate it could be called scandalous, this was still beyond the experience of a pure girl like Lyra, who had only encountered fragmented, hazy moments in her dreams.

"Um, it's seven. I'll go wash up first."

Turning around, she slightly her legs until she found something to move on, then slipped on her slippers and got out of bed. She glanced back at Astrid.

"The award ceremony starts at nine. Astrid can rest a bit longer."

Seeing Lyra rush off the bed as if she were some man-eating monster, and recalling everything that happened last night, Astrid nodded, then lowered her eyes to her own minimal attire.

Why did she suddenly feel this strange sense of aftermath?

Glancing up at the wall clock, Astrid sent mental energy to the ruby on the nightstand. In less than half a second, a pure black court dress lay spread across the blanket before her.

Astrid picked up the garment and slowly put it on, quietly pondering.

Lately, she seemed to have been teasing Lyra a bit too much, something she hadn't even noticed at the time.

What did this mean? Has her tolerance for her little maid increased?

After dressing, Astrid stood up in her heels, went outside to instruct the maids to prepare breakfast, then returned to the infirmary.

But come to think of it, Lyra really has been getting more and more adorable lately.