Princess’s Struggle for Survival

"Surprised?"

Astrid casually tossed the knight's sword to Lyra, her tone as cold as ever.

"Do you know the Knight rank of Elise?"

Lyra shook her head in confusion.

Elise had simply taught her maid etiquette, never revealing any knight prowess.

"She's a high-ranking Master Knight," Astrid added lightly.

A Master Knight in the knight ranks corresponds to the Magnus level among mages. A knight of this level can easily wield mental power, turning a stone, a twig, or even a soft rag into a deadly weapon.

The four major duke families of the Valeria Empire included only two Crusader, a Magnus, and a Master Knight. Elise, who appeared to be only twenty-five or twenty-six, was already on par with two of them.

"Miss Elise… she's amazing..." Lyra murmured, her voice filled with heartfelt admiration.

At her age, reaching the level of a high-ranking Master Knight was impressive, and it was only a matter of time before she broke through to the Crusader level.

Hearing Lyra's praise, Astrid unexpectedly softened her tone, her pink lips parting slightly.

"I'm telling you this so you understand, being my maid isn't just about managing my daily affairs. You also need to be strong enough to handle most troubles."

"When necessary, you are my bodyguard, my sword and shield."

"Investing more effort in your training is simply part of the role."

Despite her cold demeanor, Astrid's thoughts drifted elsewhere. In the original story, Lyra had entered Elizabeth Academy of Magic and, despite studying diligently for a week, barely managed to keep up with the professors' lessons.

It wasn't that Lyra lacked talent; rather, noble children had the advantage of early exposure to advanced knowledge, thanks to their families' resources.

Elizabeth Academy's curriculum was designed with that assumption.

Although Professor Charlotte had made several attempts to reform the education system and make it more accessible, her efforts met with strong resistance and had little effect.

Astrid thought it would be better for Lyra to start preparing early, sparing her future struggles.

Besides, this effort might even improve Lyra's opinion of her, if only slightly.

"So..."

Lyra's voice dropped, her expression clouded with a trace of disappointment.

Was she too simple, or just too naive? Astrid easily sensed her emotions.

Watching her pink-haired maid lower her head, her white silk-clad legs drawn together tightly, Astrid suddenly felt an urge to pat her on the head.

But considering their current relationship of master and servant, as well as rivals in love, she feared it would break the fragile dynamic between them. She reluctantly resisted the impulse.

Who would've thought that she, who had never even been in a relationship in her previous life, could now experience the bittersweet joy of "raising a daughter" after being transmigrated into this novel world?

"Do you have any other questions?"

"Um… actually, there's something about meditation techniques I don't quite understand. I was hoping Her Highness Astrid could help me..."

Before Astrid could respond, Lyra crouched down and pulled a notebook from her suitcase.

"I've sorted out all the problems I encountered in this notebook..."

"I'm counting on Her Highness Astrid's guidance."

Taking the notebook Lyra handed her, Astrid gave it a cursory glance. Most of the apprentice spells recorded inside were basic; they could be easily found in introductory magic primers and not particularly difficult to understand.

Lyra didn't lack intelligence; she simply lacked access to professional books. Her comprehension was actually quite good.

"Apprentice-level spell, Arcane Return. Cast it for me."

"Yes, Your Highness Astrid."

...

"Spell Silence. Demonstrate it again."

"Understood, Your Highness Astrid."

...

"Water Flow."

"Hmm."

After explaining four or five spells in one go, Astrid decided to end the lesson, using the excuse that too much information at once would be hard to digest.

"Let's stop here for today. Go over what you've learned tonight, and we'll continue tomorrow."

She had limited time for her own studies and couldn't possibly master every spell herself.

Astrid only picked spells she was confident in teaching; the rest could wait.

If she explained something incorrectly, Lyra might assume she was deliberately misleading her it was an outcome Astrid couldn't afford. It would cause more harm than good.

"I understand. Thank you, Your Highness Astrid." Lyra bowed respectfully.

After spending half the afternoon studying, Lyra's impression of Astrid had improved significantly.

So this silver-haired princess, so highly favored by His Majesty, was nothing like the rumors.

She wasn't an arrogant noble at all. In fact, her knowledge of magic rivaled her peers or even surpassed.

Noticing Lyra still standing in place, Astrid asked casually,

"What are you waiting for?"

Didn't she tell her to review and practice on her own?

"Um..." Lyra blinked, then whispered softly,

"...Isn't this my room?"

The single room had been given to Lyra. Where else was she supposed to go?

Astrid froze for a brief moment, then recovered instantly, replying without the slightest hint of embarrassment,

"I forgot."

With that, she turned gracefully and walked toward the door, leaving only the sight of her slender figure for Lyra to see.

"By the way, don't mention anything about this afternoon to anyone."

Astrid straightened her skirt, her voice cold and sharp with a hint of warning.

"Yes, Your Highness Astrid," Lyra replied obediently.

After closing the door behind her, Astrid left Lyra's room and made her way down the hallway. At the far end, Elise stood waiting quietly. When Astrid saw her, she raised a hand in acknowledgment.

"Your Highness Astrid, dinner is ready," the head maid announced respectfully as she approached.

Thinking of the dreadful meal she'd endured at noon, Astrid felt a headache coming on. She sighed softly, replying in a low voice,

"I'll go."

'I really should've prioritized improving the menu sooner.' These otherworldly dishes were nothing short of culinary disasters.

After hastily finishing dinner where she forced herself to tolerate the questionable flavors.

Astrid returned to her bedroom. She took out a pen and a piece of paper, scribbling a list before handing it to Elise.

"Elise, I'll need these items by tomorrow."

The head maid accepted the paper and scanned it carefully. Most of the items were common plants, though a few could be used in potion-making.

Princess Astrid… What is she planning with these? Elise wondered silently.

"The herbs at the top of the list can be prepared by tomorrow morning," Elise said after a moment. "But the Blue Vitex and Light Dragon grass will be a bit more troublesome. We'll need until the afternoon to acquire them."

Though curious, Elise knew better than to ask unnecessary questions. A maid's duty was to serve, not pry.

Astrid nodded thoughtfully, her silver hair catching the faint glow of the lantern light.

"That's fine. Just make sure to pack a few extra portions."

She knew there was always some material loss when mixing potions, and she didn't expect to succeed on her first attempt.

'If I fail, I'll simply try again until it's perfect, or at least close enough.'

After all, she had a goal in mind: to win Countess Charlotte's favor at his upcoming birthday celebration.