A Princess’s Struggle for Survival

Wind Blade, Frost Shield, Lightning Enchantment... Almost all the magic that requires incantation was written in English...

"These spells were a special language created and used by ancient magicians, containing mysterious and powerful forces. In the mage world, they are collectively known as Elders Speech."

"Most of the Elders Speech pronunciations have been lost, but fortunately, the great Spellcreator, Lady Gemini, modified them after her enlightenment, resulting in the following system of magic that aligns with common human language."

"The spirit of the fiery fire, bestows upon me the power to scorch my enemies."

Chanting the above spell while mobilizing mental energy will unleash a rudimentary magical flame. Though not as potent as chanting in Elders Speech, it can still help the caster cope with most situations.

Astrid continued reading. In addition to the two versions of the spell, the author also explained the spell-casting process in detail, including meditation, the use of mental energy, and the process of elemental resonance.

If English spells tend to analyze the essence of magic arrays, the subsequent modified version is designed to allow beginners to use magic by actively praising those elusive magical elements.

Realizing that she might have stumbled upon some secret, Astrid narrows her eyes, her slender, fingers gently rubbing the paper.

Being able to read English means she can chant all the Elders Speech incantations and unleash forbidden magic far more powerful than ordinary spells.

Taking another 10,000 steps back, even if Astrid herself has no magical talent, she can still be one step ahead of others in terms of understanding by analyzing the ancient spells.

Under the pressure of her inner excitement, Astrid silently packs up the books on the table, showed her identity to the staff again, and left the library with the books.

She needs to find a secluded place to experiment alone and confirm whether the contents of the book are feasible.

"Elise, I'll go back to the palace and rest for a while."

Princess Astrid often indulges in beauty sleep, and for this reason, she frequently misses breakfast. At this moment, her request to catch up on sleep raises no suspicions from her loyal maid.

"Yes, Your Highness."

Taking the milk tea from Elise, Astrid closed the door and walked briskly into the bathroom.

The apprentice's basic spell, the Water Flow Technique, makes still water move, mainly for decorative effect.

Its ancient incantation is: "The spirit works at the same speed as the flow of water."

Following the instructions in the book, Astrid knelt near the bathtub filled with water, slowly closed her blood-red eyes, and relaxed into a meditative state.

When she opened her eyes again, everything before her has changed.

Dark blue dots of light filled the bathroom, green ribbons wrapped around the air like vines, the walls are thick clusters of earthy gray with pure white light particles attached to the surface, and near the bottom of the bathtub is a red flame.

Astrid instantly realisex it is a fire attribute crystal responsible for raising the temperature of the water.

Bringing her fingers close to the surface of the water, the gentle touch created a circle of ripples. Astrid focused on mobilizing her mental energy, attempting to merge it with the water.

"The spirit works at the same speed as the water."

Her pink lips parted slightly as she chanted the incantation. The liquid in the tub suddenly stirred, forming a clockwise vortex centered on the point where her fingers touched the surface.

Astrid's eyes narrowed slightly as she concentrated. Slowly, she relaxed her mental energy, and when the water stopped moving in one direction, she soon succeeded in creating another counterclockwise vortex.

Feeling the gentle tug of the water against her fingers, Astrid increased the flow of her energy. The water splashed lightly, some droplets falling to the ground and dampening the hem of her skirt.

It had worked.

After using the apprentice's entry-level magic, the Light Body spell, she had noticed a growing heaviness in her mind, accompanied by the exhaustion one feels after staying up all night.

Standing up, her legs stiff from kneeling, she had noticed her pure black stockings had become slightly translucent where they were wet, clinging to her skin and deepening in color around her toes.

Astrid had glanced at the damp silk on her legs, raised a hand to rub her aching temples, and quickly untied her dress before slipping into the bathtub to bathe.

"It's noon already. Why hasn't Lyra returned yet..."

Thinking of the sleLyra, Astrid had lifted a smooth, lotus-like arm. Crystal-clear water droplets had slid down her skin, landing on her delicate and alluring collarbone.

Regarding how to deal with Lyra, Astrid had faced two choices. The first was to eliminate the so-called "Destined Protagonist" in her cradle, cutting off Lyra's potential before she could fully blossom.

This choice had been fraught with risk. Astrid didn't know if there had been some kind of "Protagonist Protection" mechanism in this fictional world. If such a thing existed, her actions would undoubtedly have led to her downfall.

Moreover, Astrid had read the book and knew that Lyra was a classic "Righteous Hero" character, someone who would risk her life to fight for justice and the people. Targeting such a morally upright girl had felt wrong on a fundamental level.

That had left only one other option...

Find a way to build a good relationship with Lyra. Not necessarily to the point of swearing eternal loyalty, but at least to the level of trusted friends.

Once refreshed, Astrid had risen from the bath, changed into fresh clothes, and summoned Elise to accompany her. Together, the mistress and maid had left the palace.

Last night, Astrid had deviated from the original plot by forcibly keeping Lyra in the palace. In the book, Lyra would have been splashed with alcohol, left the scene, and returned to her rented inn to rest. The next day, she would have faced a series of life-changing events.

Now that the plot had shifted, Lyra's whereabouts were unclear. However, Astrid had been confident that the maid wouldn't break her promise and leave the royal capital. She had given Lyra half a day of freedom, trusting she would return.

Where would Lyra be now?

Intuitively, Astrid had felt that Lyra would head to the Royal Capital Square, the site of the entrance ceremony for the Elizabeth Academy of Magic, which had been held today.

Stopping on the side of the street, Astrid had gazed ahead. Not far away was the Imperial Capital Plaza. She had clasped her arms gracefully across her chest, her eyes fixed on the bustling square in the distance.

There had been many students gathered to attend the entrance ceremony, most accompanied by domestic servants, clearly indicating their noble backgrounds. Among the crowd, a pink-haired girl dressed as a maid had quickly caught Astrid's attention.

Carrying a suitcase nearly as large as herself, Lyra had stood staring at the huge sign in front of her, which read, "Welcome, New Students."

If nothing had happened... she might have already completed the enrollment process and been getting acquainted with her roommates on campus...

If it hadn't been for Princess Astrid...

"Whose maid is this?"

As Lyra had stood lost in thought, a sharp, disdainful voice had interrupted her. She had turned to see two young women in luxurious dresses standing before her.

"If you don't have admission qualifications, hurry up and get out of the way. Don't just stand there stupidly, blocking our path."

Miss Sally had been in high spirits lately. To secure her spot at the Elizabeth Academy of Magic, she had gone to great lengths to curry favor with Princess Astrid. Now, with the opportunity within reach, she had been eager to complete the enrollment process and officially become a student of the prestigious academy.

Everything had been going according to plan, until this clueless maid had the audacity to stand in the way, staring dumbly at the sign.

Sally had scoffed inwardly. What right did this ordinary maid, who looked like she had been hired by some lowly family, have to even gaze upon the Elizabeth Academy of Magic?