Princess's Struggle for Survival-Chapter 98: Sharing Small Secret

"I wanted to go out at first…"

As Astrid spoke, she glanced at the wall clock and noticed the minute hand pointing slightly above the nine.

It was almost ten minutes to ten. Going out at this hour would likely result in running into servants who were changing shifts.

The best option was to abandon the plan and look for Amalia tomorrow.

"But forget it now. It's too late."

It was just one night. Amalia had already borrowed some books the previous night, enough to keep the blonde girl occupied for a few days.

There shouldn't be anything urgent tonight, and there was no need for Astrid to risk exposure by forcing her way to the castle.

Lyra seemed to realize something after hearing this and spoke softly.

"Have I…inconvenienced Her Highness Astrid…"

The other party was clearly dressed to go out but had ended up wasting time because of her.

"Well, that's about right," Astrid replied indifferently. She glanced at Lyra, who was visibly losing her spirit, paused for a few seconds, and then added, "But considering the jerky is pretty good, let's forget it this time."

If she didn't say that, the little girl would probably think she had upset her.

Hearing Astrid praise the local specialty again, Lyra blinked her watery eyes and said, "If Her Highness Astrid wants to eat it, I can ask my family to prepare more next time."

The second letter home was about to be sent. Lyra had concealed the fact that Astrid had replaced her at the academy and only shared good news.

She had also mentioned many of Astrid's excellent qualities. After reading it, her parents would undoubtedly think that Princess Astrid was an exceptionally good person.

"Okay," Astrid replied.

The two of them stood at the door for a while. Since they had decided not to go to the castle, there was no need for Astrid to waste any more time here.

She turned around and asked Lyra to follow her into the bedroom.

"Lyra, don't tell anyone that I was planning to go out tonight," Astrid said softly after closing the door.

Originally, only Elise knew that she was going to look for Amalia. Now that Lyra was aware, Astrid felt it necessary to explain everything clearly.

Although she didn't fully understand why, since Astrid had asked her to keep it a secret, Lyra would not disobey.

"Understood."

After hearing this, Astrid placed the metal box on the dressing table, sat down gently in the armchair, and asked with interest, "Aren't you curious about what I was doing out so late?"

It would be a lie to say she wasn't curious, but Lyra had no reason to pry and had kept her questions to herself.

Now that Astrid had brought it up, she simply followed the topic and admitted, "I'm very curious…"

It was so late, the palace gates were closed, and the library had shut early. Lyra couldn't figure out what Astrid could possibly be doing if she went out now.

Looking at Lyra's puzzled expression, Astrid crossed her legs and answered without hesitation.

"To meet my sister, Amalia, the current fourth princess of the Valeria Empire."

Her tone was calm and steady, as if she were discussing something entirely ordinary.

"Your Highness Amalia?"

Lyra repeated the name softly. She had first heard it that night at Charlotte's manor and knew that Astrid's next goal was to support this little-known fourth princess in ascending the throne.

"Yes. For some reason, I can't meet her openly, so I can only see her at this time."

"Not just tonight—I'll be going to her place every night from now on."

Since Lyra already knew so much, Astrid figured she would piece things together eventually.

It wouldn't hurt to share the rest. Although the innocent girl often appeared naive and her actions seemed a bit simple-minded, she wasn't foolish at all.

Lyra tentatively asked, "Your Highness Astrid, do you mean that if something unexpected happens, you'll need me to help cover your tracks?"

In her mind, Astrid was likely guarding against Prince Lucas.

Astrid nodded. "It would be helpful if that were the case, though it's usually unnecessary."

She hadn't told Lyra this in hopes of gaining her assistance but rather to ensure the girl wouldn't accidentally leak crucial information.

Keeping all her plans to herself wasn't a wise strategy. Astrid preferred to communicate appropriately with those she trusted.

Sharing the next steps with allies not only distributed the pressure but also prevented unnecessary mishaps.

Many dramatic twists in TV shows stemmed from one party withholding information. Astrid saw no harm in sharing this non-critical information with Lyra.

"So…those transformation potions earlier were also meant for this…" Lyra murmured softly.

Hearing this, Astrid leaned back in her seat, her long legs crossed casually.

The thin black stockings shimmered with a warm hue under the light, their smooth, silky texture so appealing that one could almost feel their softness just by looking.

"That's right. Miss Lyra is quite clever," Astrid said with a faint smile.

Among the batch of intermediate potions she had purchased, Transformation potions made up the majority. Aside from those intended for Elowen's side, only her two personal maids were aware of the rest.

After hearing what could be considered praise from Astrid, Lyra fell silent for a moment, processing the information. She now understood Astrid's current situation more clearly.

The only thing Lyra didn't quite understand was why Princess Astrid would reveal all these plans to her.

She was just an ordinary maid who had signed a one-year contract. Wasn't Astrid worried that the secret might be leaked?

Or… did Her Highness Astrid never intend to let me leave her side from the very beginning…?

Recalling the subtle gentleness that Princess Astrid often showed, Lyra tried to push this thought aside, tucking it deep into her heart.

Probably not… Her Highness Astrid has repeatedly stressed that the Valeria royal family is not faithless…

Besides… There's nothing wrong with staying by her side.

Thinking of the transformation potion, Lyra remembered another question that had been on her mind recently. After hesitating for a moment, she decided to ask.

"Your Highness Astrid, may I ask you one more thing?"

"Hmm?"

"Well… what did I look like in your eyes after I drank the potion that day…?"

For some reason, Lyra cared deeply about this.

Hearing this, Astrid raised an eyebrow and looked at Lyra with mild surprise.

"You seem quite concerned about this?"

Lyra nodded. "Yes."

There was no particular reason, she just inexplicably cared. Lyra wanted to know what image of her had formed in Astrid's mind at that time.

Seeing Lyra's earnest expression, Astrid hesitated for a moment before giving a vague answer.

"You looked the same as you do now. No changes."

This information was too significant to be shared casually.

She could tell Lyra that her next goal was to support Amalia in becoming emperor, but she would never reveal that the Fourth Princess was destined to ascend to the throne under the push of destiny.

Familiarity with the plot was Astrid's biggest secret, aside from her knowledge of Elders Speech, and this could not be disclosed under any circumstances.

After hearing Astrid's response, the corners of Lyra's lips curled up slightly, though she didn't even notice it herself.

"Is that so… I see…"

"Thank you, Your Highness Astrid."

So, the image of me in Princess Astrid's heart isn't so bad after all.

....

In the royal castle, Amalia sat on her bed after taking a bath, a black leather-bound book resting on her delicate knees.

It was a book about the art history of the Valeria Empire. During the day, Amalia would turn a page every few minutes, but at night, it took her over ten minutes to turn a single page.

"Tick-tick-tick…"

The sound of the clock's pendulum reached her ears. It didn't seem so noticeable during the day, but at night, it became somewhat irritating.

She looked up. The wall clock swung rhythmically, its hour hand glaringly stuck between eleven and twelve.

Looking down, the shadow of the pendulum, magnified by the light, swayed back and forth across the room.

Amalia stared at the clock for half a minute, her palm resting lightly on the pages of the book without turning them.

After a while, she lowered her head and continued reading.

A few strands of soft golden hair slipped from her neck, dangling between her nightgown and her chest.

The damp hair clinging to her skin was uncomfortable, making Amalia slightly irritable.

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After struggling to turn a few more pages, the girl stood up and walked to the bathroom across the room, using a towel to dry her hair once more.

Turning off the lights, she stepped into the silent corridor, her gaze inevitably drifting to the other side.

The room that usually glowed with a dim light was now shrouded in darkness. The deep night seeped into the castle through the windows, painting the surroundings in a thick, inky black.

Amalia stood at the door for a long time, as if confirming something. Only when the clock struck twelve did she slowly walk back into her bedroom.