Princess’s Struggle for Survival

Astrid held her cheek with one hand and asked Lyra in a soft tone, "How?"

"It's a little spicy but delicious... Her Highness Astrid is very skilled at her craft..."

With just a little oil and condiments, she had made such delicious fish.

Lyra couldn't find anything wrong with the texture or taste.

If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she wouldn't have believed that such a dish was actually made by the noble princess in front of her.

Why does it feel like Princess Astrid can do anything...?

Lyra was a little suspicious that if Astrid passed by a blacksmith one day, she might be able to demonstrate a master-level casting technique on the spot.

Unaware that her image had become almost omnipotent in Lyra's mind, Astrid ate a few pieces of the spicy fish but felt that something was missing.

After thinking for a moment, she realized it was the lack of staple food.

Rice and wheat was not cultivated on a large scale in the Valeria Empire, and most people's tables were usually filled with noodles, mashed potatoes, and meat with vegetable cubes.

Astrid beckoned to Lyra for two pieces of bread and asked for some sweet grape juice to accompany the meal.

With bread, Astrid felt a little somewhat fine. On the other hand, Lyra ate with relish, her cherry-pink lips stained with oil, as if coated with a layer of bright glaze, glistening moistly.

It was clear that she truly enjoyed the meal.

A subtle hint of pity flashed in Astrid's eyes.

She raised her glass, took a sip of grape juice, and as she set it down, she noticed Lyra looking up at her. Astrid's expression quickly returned to its usual coldness.

"Her Highness Astrid... May I ask you for something?" Lyra moistened her throat and spoke quietly.

Astrid's eyes sparkled with interest as she replied, "Hmm?"

Is there something that could make the self-reliant Lyra from the original story specifically ask her, the supposed enemy, for a favor?

After a moment, Lyra spoke softly.

"I... I want to learn how to make this dish."

The girl's love for spicy food was most likely inherited from her mother. After tasting Astrid's cooking, an idea had popped into Lyra's mind.

She wanted her parents back home to be able to taste this dish.

It was clearly unrealistic to expect Astrid to travel for more than half a month just to cook a meal, so Lyra hoped to learn how to make it herself.

When the Elizabeth Academy of Magic went on winter or summer break, she could return home and prepare the dish for her family.

"Of course, you can learn if you want to," Astrid replied.

Astrid also likely guessed why Lyra had made such a request, and she secretly sighed in her heart, thinking that the other girl was truly kind and filial.

"Thank you, Your Highness Astrid!"

Lyra's voice was filled with excitement, and the corners of her pink lips curved into a graceful smile.

She had expected Astrid to refuse her request outright, just as she had done in the Alchemy Room before. But this time, Astrid had agreed so quickly.

Astrid noticed the smile on Lyra's lips, her sky-blue eyes flickering with surprise. She realized that this was the first time she had seen Lyra smile since they had met.

"In addition to the dish we're eating now, I know a few others. If you'd like to learn, I can teach you those as well."

Hearing this, Lyra nodded vigorously, her eyes filled with determination.

"I will listen carefully and watch closely. I will definitely not disappoint Your Highness Astrid's teachings."

Astrid's expression remained calm as she rested her fingers lightly on the table.

"That's good. Once you've learned, I'll leave all three meals a day to you and Elise."

Astrid had deliberately interspersed her team of maids with individuals who could reduce the risk of information leaks, ensuring her own safety and satisfying her desire for good food.

In her previous life, she had been so ill that she had nearly lost her sense of taste entirely. Back then, eating had been a chore, everything tasted bland, like chewing wax. Now, she cherished the ability to enjoy food.

As the servants were finishing their tasks, Elise finally returned to the palace.

Following the directions given by the servants, she found Astrid and Lyra dining in the dining room.

"Your Highness Astrid, the Blue Vitex and the light grass are ready."

Seeing Astrid in her luxurious dress and Lyra in her black-and-white maid uniform sitting together at the table, Elise was momentarily stunned. She quickly added, "The wooden sword you asked for is also ready."

"Thank you, Elise."

"It is my honor to serve Your Highness."

Astrid motioned for Elise to come closer and handed her the second bottle of mental power recovery potion she had refined.

"Elise, do you know what this is?"

As the cork was opened, a faint medicinal fragrance wafted through the air.

Elise sniffed lightly, then examined the color of the potion before speaking softly.

"Mental power recovery potion, entry-level, but of very high quality, almost approaching intermediate grade."

Elise's expertise as a battle-hardened maid was evident. She could identify the potion without even tasting it.

With Elise's confirmation, Astrid felt even more assured that her thoughts were correct.

Her mental power was indeed different from that of ordinary people.

After afternoon tea, Lyra continued to learn aristocratic etiquette with Elise, while Astrid went to the alchemy lab on her own to try making perfumes.

Countess Charlotte had always been portrayed as a mature and beautiful lady in the novel.

Although the original author did not directly describe her preferences, Astrid could roughly deduce what women like based on her actions in the plot.

Once the most famous perfume master in her circle, Astrid set her first fragrance in this world with a woody floral note.

It featured a top note of rose and peach, a heart of amber and musk, and a base of sandalwood and patchouli.

After consulting the book Beasts, Plants, and Basic Potions, Astrid confirmed that, except for special plants related to magic, most plants in this world had counterparts in reality, and some even kept the same names.

She picked up the roses on the table and mashed them to extract the juice for the essential oil.

Though the alchemy workshop lacked the precision instruments of the modern world, its simple setup was still fully equipped, and the materials and tools were adequate. This gave Astrid the confidence to proceed.

More importantly, in this world, spiritual power existed. Astrid could sense the internal state of the perfume at any moment by channeling her mental energy, a natural advantage she didn't have in her previous life.

After the pre-treatment, mixing, aging, cooling, and filtration, Astrid spent more than half an afternoon creating a fragrance she thought was unsatisfactory.

In addition to using common materials, she incorporated magical elemental plants, such as light grass for its calming effect and blue vitex to enhance moisture.

The overall tone of the perfume was understated, sophisticated, and feminine it's qualities that Astrid felt reflected Countess Charlotte's essence.