Princess’s Struggle for Survival

The next morning, Iris and her party boarded a carriage and withdrew from the capital city of the Valeria Empire, famous as the "City of Glory."

At the same time, with the official conclusion of the Magic Exchange Competition, the academic atmosphere at Elizabeth Academy of Magic gradually returned to its usual state. To help students readjust their moods, Headmaster Anthony was granted an extra day off, allowing them to freely relax and quickly transition into the next stage of their studies.

In the imperial palace of the capital, Astrid sat at a small table bathed in sunlight. One hand held her teacup while the other gently tapped the surface of the tea with the pure white porcelain lid, creating faint ripples and containing the rising steam. The bright red tea reflects the long, delicate lashes of the drinker.

"What are you planning to do after breakfast, Lyra?"

Reclining against her seat, she elegantly crossed her slender legs. Warm sunlight fell upon the delicate arch of her feet, wrapped in smooth black stockings, reflecting a lustrous sheen like polished obsidian.

Hearing Astrid's question, Lyra set down her teacup. The heels of her small leather shoes slightly tapped the floor as she slightly parted her lips.

"I'm not sure..."

"...Haven't thought about it yet."

Although she said that, in reality, Lyra would either go to the library to read or head to the training room to exercise her mental strength. Beyond regular studies, these were the only two things she did in her free time.

It was no exaggeration to say that for the past two years, Lyra had lived almost daily in this monotonous three-point routine.

"In other words, Lyra's schedule for the rest of the day is completely open?"

Astrid took a sip of tea while casting her calm gaze towards the pink-haired girl.

"Since you have no plans, why not come with me to the Royal Tailor's Workshop?"

"I remember I promised to get you a few new outfits."

Back in the hospital room, the look of genuine pain in Lyra's eyes when she learned her stockings had been thrown away was something Astrid remembered clearly.

Even after winning the Magic Exchange Competition, she still won at the thought of a single damaged pair of stockings.

It seemed Lyra hadn't yet grown to her new status. If she were to sell just one of the rare magical ingredients she possessed from rewards, the money earned could buy her millions of luxury items like these.

"Oh? Buying new clothes?" Lyra blinked, lightly stroking the pink hair at her waist.

Astrid nodded, casually using a handkerchief to wipe the corner of her lips.

"Mm, it's almost time for the seasonal change anyway."

With the weather getting colder, she needed to prepare more winter clothes for Amalia as well.

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

Half an hour later, at the Royal Tailor's Workshop, Lyra stood before the magnificent building, gazing at the large transparent glass panels overhead and the expensive silk robes hanging on racks, once again awed by the royal family's extravagance.

No wonder this was the exclusive tailor workshop for members of the Valeria Imperial Family, both its exterior and interior structures were incredibly grand.

Previously, as the Third Princess's personal maid, Lyra had come here to pick up clothes, but they had already been prepared by other maids and handed to her. She had never been allowed to enter the workshop herself, so she'd only seen a tiny fraction of the entire facility.

"What are you spacing out for? Come in."

Hearing Astrid's clear, melodious voice accompanied by sharp footsteps, Lyra, who had been standing dazed at the entrance, nodded quickly and hurried after her.

"Oh, right..."

Lyra, try to act a little more mature, okay?

The person beside you is an imperial princess. Don't be so silly; it's not like you haven't seen these things before.

Entering the workshop, the interior was unexpectedly quiet. Knowing that the Third Princess was coming to choose clothes, all tailors except the necessary attendants had been granted a half-day holiday and were no longer sewing homes.

Walking through the long corridor formed by racks of clothing, Astrid spoke softly.

"Take your time looking at the clothes here, Lyra. Let me know if you like any particular style."

"Don't worry about size or cost. If nothing fits, I'll have someone take your measurements and make something custom."

"What matters most is that you like it."

The Royal Tailor's Workshop provides free new clothing and fabric tailoring for imperial family members. All expenses were charged to Hibbort and reimbursed from the imperial treasury.

And even without that privilege, after commercial collaborations with the Velmont family and the enormous advertising revenue from the Empire Weekly, Astrid had transformed from an already wealthy imperial princess into the richest among her siblings in terms of liquid funds.

Those days of selling jewelry to get initial investment capital were long gone. Astrid Calliste was now the wealthiest heiress in the Capital.

Hearing Astrid's words, Lyra felt a warm sweetness in her heart. She turned toward the various stylish clothes before her and softly murmured.

"Mm."

Why does... Her Highness Astrid's current manner of speaking feels so familiar...

After a moment of thought, Lyra pinpointed the source of her familiarity. Her pink lips pressed together tightly as her knees bent closer.

She remembered now, it was from a serialized work once published in the Empire Weekly.

After passing through a long initial period of awkwardness, when the domineering prince entered his "spoiling his wife" mode, he had said many similar things.

But still... Your Highness Astrid...

Perhaps it was because young girls were prone to daydreaming, but in just a few seconds, Lyra had already compared the characters in the story to the real Astrid standing before her, ultimately concluding that the latter was hundreds of times better.

Lyra didn't like domineering people, so she wasn't particularly fond of the so-called "domineering prince" archetype. Yet, hearing such words from Astrid's mouth now, everything seems different.

Her Highness Astrid is so gentle, and so considerate.

Recalling how many noble ladies had once pined over the prince in the serialized novel, secretly longing for such a love, Lyra fluttered her eyelashes. Her clear, bright blue eyes grew even more tender.

Only she knew that Her Highness Astrid was far, far better than that character.

Keep going, Lyra!

Noticing the pink-haired girl staring at a piece of clothing for a long time, her lips curling into a distinct smile, Astrid raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Lyra... what are you grinning about now?"

Wanting pretty clothes shouldn't make you this happy.

Or... did my words make her misunderstand something?

Lyra quickly shook her head, speaking softly.

"N-No, nothing."

That night under the moonlight, Astrid had admitted her sexual orientation; she felt nothing for the men pursuing her, but could be attracted to girls, and had emotional and physiological needs toward them.

And who was currently the girl closest to Princess Astrid, the one who had clearly defined her own feelings?

That was right, it was her. Lyra Beckett.

Her path was wide open, with no rivals able to keep pace with her.

Having realized this, the joy in Lyra's eyes could no longer be hidden. But considering Astrid was right beside her, she didn't want to appear too overjoyed, so the girl kept her gaze fixed on the clothes, pretending she was only this happy because she was shopping for new outfits.

After a while, Lyra picked out a pure white blouse and a sky-blue pleated skirt.

"Astrid, what do you think of this?"

Seeing the sparkle in Lyra's eyes, Astrid shifted her gaze and looked at the two items the girl was pointing to.

"A low-collared blouse with a black bowtie gives off a strong academic vibe. Blue and white is a classic combination, very youthful and girlish."

"It should suit you well."

Overall, it resembles the JK uniforms from her past life. But given that the entire novel's world-building was created by a modern person, Astrid didn't find it strange at all.

"The changing rooms are right over there. Once you've picked something, it's best to try it on. Outfit pairing isn't enough with just theory, you need to see how it actually looks on your body."

That was indeed true. Lyra nodded, looked around a bit more, then, with the help of an attendant, selected a pair of white thigh-high socks and matching leather shoes before heading to the changing room.

After Lyra left, Astrid didn't immediately go to shop for Amalia's winter clothes. Instead, she stood still, her gaze lingering among the clothing racks.

This kind of round-collared blouse would probably suit Lyra well too, best showcasing a girl's purity and sweetness.

If she wore this white blouse, pairing it with that plaid skirt over there might not be bad either, same blue and white, but a slightly different style offering a fresh visual experience.

Gently touching the silk fabric at the hem of the skirt, Astrid narrowed her crimson eyes, already imagining how Lyra would look wearing it.

The rhythmic clicking of her heels against the tiles continued for a short while before a faint sound of a door closing reached her ears.

"Astrid, how does it look?"

Lyra stood before her, hands clasped behind her back, tentatively asking.

Seeing the pink-haired girl approaching, Astrid didn't speak immediately. Instead, she followed Lyra's cue and looked her up and down.

The neat, clean blouse covered the girl's fair skin. Two white arms emerge cleanly from the short sleeves. The neckline was cut slightly low, perfectly revealing the delicate collarbones. The modest yet full curves filled out the fabric, giving the entire outfit a more three-dimensional feel.

Below was a distinctly pure and girlish blue pleated skirt, ending about fifteen centimeters above the knees. A pair of smooth, pale legs were wrapped in creamy white thigh-high socks, and the black leather shoes contrasted beautifully with the delicate white ankles, further accentuating the soft elegance of her legs.

"A very lovely outfit, Lyra."

Hearing Astrid's praise, Lyra curved her lips into a smile, bringing her hands from behind her back to her waist, her gentle voice.

"I... I think so too."

When she looked in the mirror earlier, Lyra had carefully adjusted her appearance for quite a while, ensuring she was fully satisfied before stepping out to show Astrid.

The effect was pretty good.

She gently swayed her legs, the silk fabric rustling faintly. Lyra gripped the hem of her skirt, her eyes fixed on her small leather shoes.

The next moment, she heard Astrid speak again.

"Though... it feels slightly odd."

Odd?

"Where?" Lyra lifted her gaze, asking softly.

She might not fully heed others' opinions, but Astrid's perspective was different.

More than her own judgment, Lyra, in some ways, cared more about Astrid's opinion, just like dressing up prettily for a date, even if friends praised her endlessly, it couldn't compare to her beloved's simple words: "You look really cute today."

"The blouse is good, the skirt's fine, and the pairing of white socks with the little shoes is excellent."

Astrid spoke softly, her gaze slowly sweeping over Lyra's entire body.

Feeling the other's gaze, Lyra instinctively straightened her legs, her heart involuntarily tightening.

So... where exactly is it odd?

After a moment of thought, Astrid waved her hand, signaling a waiting maid to approach.

"Go get another pair of socks, white, over-the-knee, not too thin or too thick."

"Yes, Princess Astrid."

Hearing their conversation, Lyra paused, then quickly spoke.

"Are the socks not matching well?"

Astrid shook her head. "Not exactly."

"It's not that it looks bad or feels off. It's just that pairing this outfit with knee-high socks feels a bit too childish, more suited to someone like Livia's build."

Although this current "cupcake" look was deliciously cute, it would better suit someone two or three years younger, around sixteen or seventeen.

"I see?" Lyra murmured thoughtfully, quietly waiting for the maid's return before taking the long socks and heading back to change.

A few minutes later, the pink-haired girl emerged from the changing room, now wearing thigh-high socks. This time, the soft, slightly plump legs were snugly encased in the pure white socks, leaving a small but noticeable gap between the hem of the skirt and the top of the socks, a striking "absolute territory."

Looking at Lyra, whose entire demo had noticeably changed just from swapping socks, Astrid gently smoothed Lyra's collar and gave a slight nod.

"This looks much more suitable now."

Lyra closed her eyes slightly in delight, her left hand lightly touched her collarbone.

"So... shall we go with this outfit?"

"Yes."

After instructing the maid to order a new set of clothing in the same style, perfectly tailored to Lyra's measurements, Astrid turned back to see the pink-haired girl already standing before her with a slightly expectant expression.

Gazing into Lyra's eyes, which reflected her own face as if she were the only thing in her vision, Astrid hesitated for a moment. Then, a faint smile curved her lips as she reached out and gently took Lyra's hand.

"One outfit isn't enough. Let's go see what else you like."

"Mm, Astrid."

Squeezing Astrid's hand in return, Lyra took a deep breath, trying to steady her heartbeat.

It feels... like today will be a really happy day...

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

End of Academy Arc

Let me first talk about the two volumes that just concluded. These two volumes can be seen as the upper and lower halves of the Academy Arc, mainly focusing on Astrid and Lyra's experiences and encounters within the academy.

The core was showcasing their strength, while also offering glimpses of the world beyond the Valeria Empire, including the Kingdom of Velys mentioned at the beginning of the novel, and the Pan-Human Alliance living on the archipelago.

The daily academy life was interwoven with the emotional development, while the main storyline focused on leveling up and growing stronger. This might have given some readers the impression that the main plot wasn't very prominent.

In truth, the Academy Arc served as a bridge, raising their strength to face the upcoming crisis.

However, considering many readers might find monster-battling, rigid magic theory, and world exposition boring, I also included a lot of "cute moments", like accompanying Lyra to visit her family back home, or taking little Amalia up to the bell tower to overlook the town.

Overall, it was a relatively smooth two-volume arc.

The next volume will be "Royal War." The Emperor is nearing his death, and the entire empire faces both internal and external crises. The critical transition of power is about to begin.

I'm sure you've already guessed, the next arc will center on the Fourth Princess, Amalia. The royal daughter, never blessed by her parents since childhood, will gradually climb to the pinnacle of power, and after receding her true feelings, will firmly pin her elder sister onto the throne and dominate her (shhh what I am writing).

As for the chosen heroine, Lyra's role in the next volume will be slightly reduced, but every action will still align closely with the main plot, just as previously mentioned, internal crises will be resolved by Astrid and Amalia, while external threats will require Lyra and Charlotte to step up.

Additionally, the romantic subplot will progress rapidly in the next volume, involving Amalia, Lyra, and the previously less-developed elder sister, the head maid.

Companionship is the most enduring form of love!

The original intention behind writing this story was to fulfill my desire for closeness, between a butler and her mistress, a knight and a princess, sisters and sisters.

Another reason I'm afraid to say out loud, but you all understand.

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Btw there might be some scenes in this volume that need erotic writing though I am struggling, still I will try. But I can't promise.

Btw next will be volume 6. I forgot to add in webnovel sorry for that.