A Princess’s Struggle for Survival

After a sumptuous but rather bland lunch, Astrid followed Lyra to her room. There, she watched as the girl bent down to open her suitcase and pulled out a simple, short-handled weapon.

"What is this... a knight's sword?" Astrid asked, eyeing the weapon curiously.

"Yes, this is the best sword in our village!" Lyra replied with a hint of pride, gripping the hilt and giving it a slight swing.

The blade gleamed as she gestured to another item in the suitcase. "And this, this is the finest knight's armor, crafted by the best blacksmith in our village!"

Astrid glanced at the shiny silver armor, its intricate details catching the light. She wasn't sure how effective it was in battle, but she could tell that the suitcase beneath it was straining under the weight.

"It looks... quite impressive," Astrid said after a moment, offering a measured compliment. "Now, hurry up and finish unpacking. You have a maid etiquette class to attend soon."

With that, Astrid nodded to Elise, who was standing nearby, and then turned to leave for the room next to Lyra's.

The so-called etiquette class was more of a formality. Astrid herself didn't need to attend, Elise would handle Lyra's training. Astrid had no intention of having Lyra serve her personally just yet.

Alone in her room, Astrid seized the opportunity to delve into a magic book. The idea of wielding magic with her own hands was thrilling, even for someone like her who had lived a modern life. The book lay open on her desk, its pages filled with arcane symbols and incantations.

"Slowness, an entry-level spell for Apprentices, uses mental energy to slow the target's limbs, often employed by mages to avoid close combat with warriors," Astrid read aloud, her voice soft but focused.

"Elders Speech: Slow down muscle and joint movement."

With no one else around, Astrid decided to test the spell on herself. As she finished chanting the incantation in Elders Speech, she felt a surge of mental energy flow into her limbs.

Almost immediately, her body grew heavy, her muscles stiffening as if bound by invisible threads. The sensation was subtle but unmistakable, a strange, almost ethereal restraint.

Half a minute later, Astrid cut off the flow of mental energy, allowing her body to return to normal. She took a deep breath, already preparing for the next spell.

If the old professors of the Elizabeth Academy of Magic had been there to witness this, they would have been astonished. For most people, the first hurdle in learning magic was mastering meditation to harness mental energy, followed by perceiving the elements through that energy.

This process alone weeded out the majority of aspiring mages, and even those who succeeded often took months, or even half a year, to become proficient in meditation.

Yet here was Astrid, casting spells with apparent ease after only a short time studying. It was a testament to her natural aptitude, or perhaps something deeper, something tied to her unique circumstances.

Astrid had achieved elementary meditation and elemental perception in just one morning, and she had even managed to cast several Entry-level Apprentice spells. Such talent was rare in the entire history of the Valeria Empire.

Either she possessed an innate, extraordinary affinity for the elements, or she had an intuitive grasp of magical arrays.

The only drawback was that Astrid's mental energy seemed weaker than that of other apprentices. At this stage, a typical Apprentice could cast at least ten to fifteen entry-level spells in one go, but Astrid began to feel dizzy and mentally drained after only seven.

After experimenting with several spells in a row, Astrid realized she was nearing her limit.

She spent some time reviewing the principles of mental energy control before closing the book and turning her attention to another volume on her desk: Beasts, Plants, and Basic Potions.

If she remembered correctly, Countess Charlotte, a professor of magical arrays at the Elizabeth Academy of Magic, would soon be celebrating her birthday.

Countess Charlotte was currently a relatively neutral political figure, but she had some historical ties to Astrid. Charlotte had been close to Astrid's mother in their youth, having fought side by side with her. This connection provided a natural advantage for Astrid to potentially win Charlotte's support.

Unfortunately, the original Astrid's arrogant and malicious behavior had driven a wedge between them. The incident involving Lyra's admission to the academy had been the final straw, leaving Charlotte deeply disappointed.

In the middle of the novel, Charlotte even lamented that she had never imagined her best friend's daughter would become so twisted and cruel, and she blamed herself for not intervening sooner.

This time, Astrid was determined to prepare a thoughtful birthday gift and attempt to mend the fractured relationship between them.

Perhaps a Soothing Perfume, inspired by the creations of a famous perfumer from her past life, would make an appropriate gift.

---

"Miss Lyra, please follow what I just demonstrated. Bow slightly, place your left hand over your right chest, and extend your other hand flat to the side..."

A crisp knock on the door interrupted Elise's instruction. She turned and politely invited the visitor in. The next moment, a striking woman with silver hair and a black dress entered the room.

"Elise, how is Lyra's progress?" Astrid asked softly.

Elise glanced at Lyra, who was standing in a perfectly poised posture, and nodded. "Miss Lyra is very diligent. She has already mastered most of the basic aristocratic etiquette."

"Very well. Let's conclude the lesson for today. I'll explain some of the finer details of service to Lyra myself."

Understanding Astrid's intent, Elise bowed respectfully and quietly exited the room.

"I'm going to prepare afternoon tea."

After Elise left, Astrid turned her head to look at Lyra, who was still dressed in her maid's outfit. Lyra's slender, well-proportioned legs, clad in white silk, stood straight due to her posture.

Her soft, smooth thighs pressed tightly against the lace skirt, giving her the appearance of a sweet and delicious cream cake adorned with ribbons.

"Lyra—" Astrid said slowly.

Hearing this, Lyra raised her head and replied softly, "What does Her Highness Astrid command?"

Seeing that Lyra's demeanor was indeed composed, Astrid curled her lips and continued.

"How good is your magic now?"

The entrance assessment required students to vaguely perceive the elements in a quasi-meditation state.

Lyra's assessment score had been excellent, and there was a high probability that she could now meditate proficiently.

"Hmm... Some entry-level spells..."

Although Lyra was slightly surprised by Astrid's question, she answered truthfully.

"What about your knight rank?" Astrid asked again.

Knights were also divided into five tiers: Knight, Grand Knight, Master Knight, Crusader, and Transcendent.

Unlike mages, who used knowledge and mental power to mobilize elements, knights focused on tempering their bodies with mental power. They were often suited for close-quarters combat or covert assassination.

Many who lacked a talent for magic chose this path, though becoming a knight was not necessarily easier than becoming a magician.

Lyra was a typical dual cultivator of magic and physical prowess, a daughter of destiny brimming with talent.

"According to the assessment results, I am a low-level knight."

Though Lyra appeared soft and delicate on the outside, she was, in fact, an extraordinary individual capable of taking on multiple opponents single-handedly.

"Is that so?" Astrid said thoughtfully.

"Did you have any difficulties learning magic?"