Princess's Struggle for Survival-Chapter 302: Distrubing at private times

As the practical exam ended early, the four-month study life of the students officially came to a close.

Due to the need to tally scores and announce the overall rankings, the Elizabeth Academy of Magic set the summer vacation to start on the first Monday after the practical exam.

This arrangement also provides ample time for out-of-town students who were about to leave Capital City to pack their belongings and arrange their travel plans.

Having decided early on to use the summer vacation to work hard and supplement her family’s income by taking advantage of the price difference between the imperial capital and the countryside, Lyra did not arrange for a carriage to return home. Instead, she stayed in Capital City, accepting Astrid’s invitation to become her personal maid.

Today was Sunday. Early in the morning, Astrid took the head maid back to the palace to meet the empire’s highest authority, leaving Lyra and Amalia, who couldn’t see the emperor, at the academy. After washing up and tidying themselves, the two left the dormitory, ordered some bread and fried eggs at the cafeteria, and found a seat.

Rarely having the chance to be alone with Amalia, Lyra took small bites of her breakfast and used the breaks between bites to chat with the petite, dark-haired girl, who was actually less than four years younger than her.

"Livia... really like the breakfast bread here..."

Looking at Amalia, who had her head down and her pink lips slightly parted, Lyra spoke softly.

Amalia nodded slightly and slowly at Lyra before replying.

"Yeah."

Her response was straightforward, just like when she faced most people.

Hearing this, Lyra blinked a few times, her gaze falling on Amalia’s red eyes, which were very similar to her sister’s.

"Is it because it’s sweet?" Lyra asked.

Having been Astrid’s personal maid, Lyra naturally knew the tastes of her and those around her, aware that Amalia had a preference for sweet flavors.

The dark-haired girl took a sip of milk and answered after a few seconds.

"Yeah."

Still a simple word, with little detectable emotion. Just as Lyra thought the conversation was about to end, Amalia suddenly thought of something and spoke up.

"Do you know how this is made, Lyra?"

Hearing so many words from Amalia’s mouth for once, Lyra was slightly stunned but quickly responded, explained softly.

"The bread is made from specially selected fine flour, along with a special plant called hops, and essentials like oil, salt, sugar, and butter, then baked."

"The cream on top is made from milk, eggs, sugar, and the like. Judging by the taste, the kind Livia is eating probably also has honey added..."

Facing the friendly signal released by Amalia, Lyra naturally shared everything she knew.

If she could get along with Astrid as a lover in the future, then this petite girl in front of her would, in a sense, also be her sister. Building a good relationship with her would certainly be beneficial.

After listening to Lyra’s words, Amalia nodded obediently and replied politely.

"Thank you, I understand now."

So there’s honey in it... No wonder it’s so delicious...

Her gaze lingering on the white bread that Amalia had bitten into, revealing a cute hollow, Lyra blinked and said softly.

"If Livia wants to make bread herself..."

"...I can teach you the method in detail."

Just as she was about to return to being a maid after the vacation, she should have time to make some desserts.

Besides having the strength worthy of an imperial princess, she should also learn and do more in other areas. Only by ensuring she was a good person could she possibly make Astrid like her.

"Okay," Amalia replied.

After that, the two continued their meal. Perhaps because it was the end of the semester, Lyra noticed that the usually bustling cafeteria didn’t have many students, and the surrounding seats were empty, making the whole environment seem quite deserted.

"Livia, where are you going after breakfast, back to the dorm or somewhere else?" Lyra asked.

Amalia put down her fork and knife, her lips touched the rim of the cup as she sipped some milk: "Back to the dorm."

In fact, Amalia had only been to the classroom and the dormitory this semester, not even stepping into the library once.

Lyra nodded in understanding. After the two finished breakfast, Lyra first took Amalia back to the dormitory, waiting for Elise, who had returned earlier to pack, to be ready, and then prepared to head to the training tower.

Before leaving, Lyra asked the head maid, "Is Princess Astrid still in the palace?"

Hearing this, Elise politely stopped what she was doing, turned around, and replied.

"Yes, there’s a morning meeting today, and the young lady is attending."

If it were just a simple meeting with the emperor, chatting about family matters between father and daughter, Astrid should have returned by now.

The reason she chose to return to the palace at this moment was to attend the morning meeting about magical devices, and then discuss the detailed development and application of future magical devices with Hibbort.

Unknowingly, the imperial princess, who was once only known for her beauty, has now become a political force to be reckoned with, even able to influence Hibbort’s judgment to a certain extent.

Hearing Elise’s words, Lyra nodded, indicating she understood.

In that case... she would go to the training tower alone...

.........

In the training room, Lyra closed the door, activated the sound and aura isolation magic barrier, and walked slowly to the center of the room.

The sword mark on her index finger’s nail flickered with light points as the girl’s mental energy poured in. In less than a second, a translucent light sword appeared in Lyra’s palm.

Back in the Monster Mountains, she had once relied on her body’s instincts to activate a certain ability of the Sword of Light, thereby repelling the thick dark mist that had nearly put them in a desperate situation.

Let’s try it again.

Gripping the sword hilt, using her mental energy to feel the holy sword in contact with her body, Lyra closed her eyes. As soon as her vision darkened, it was immediately stated by lines.

Everything in front of her was transmitted to her mind through the holy sword.

The Sword of Light can attract the light element particles around it and absorb them into itself, thus coping with possible lightless places. During the process of attracting light elements, the sword could also help the wielder survey the environment through the reflection of light element particles.

Feeling the scene feedback in her mind, similar to a bat using sound waves to hunt, Lyra relaxed her fingers and then gripped them again, suddenly thrusting the weapon into the ground.

The sharp sword tip did not break like many fragile knight swords when it touched the floor tiles, but instead penetrated the bricks like cutting tofu. In an instant, the light elements, like floodwaters finding an outlet, spread out at an extremely fast speed.

The circular expanding light waves rippled like layers of waves in the flat training room. Lyra opened her eyes, looking at the ground covered in light, millions of light elements covering it, bright but not dazzling.

Her body felt lighter, and her mind became clearer.

Standing in the light, Lyra felt that her combat state had never been better. This sudden increase in strength and agility even gave her the illusion that her knight rank had climbed a small step.

In magic studies, there is a special type of field magic, similar to large-scale barriers like recall and soundproofing, constructed through magic crystals to form a magic field suitable for one’s own combat.

For example, a wind-specialized mage could set up a gale domain in advance. When the enemy enters the field, it is immediately released. Since the field is densely packed with wind element particles, inhibiting the activity of other elements, the mage with stronger wind element affinity and wind magic proficiency gains an absolute advantage.

Besides, there are also arcane amplification magics used in group battles, such as strength barriers that enhance the muscle power of people in a specific area, or the opposite, using the extinguishing characteristics of dark elements to weaken the life activities in the enemy’s area, creating a weakening barrier.

The intense light released by the Sword of Light at this moment seemed somewhat similar to those field magics.

Seeing the dense light element particles in the air, Lyra waved her hand casually, and the light threads gathered on the light sword, the emitted light and heat faintly carrying a terrifying power.

If she were to fight in this field, not only would her physical strength be greatly enhanced, but the Sword of Light could also draw energy from the surroundings.

Using the light element particles inside the Sword of Light to outline the magic circle needed for the field magic, thereby attracting more light, creating a snowball effect.

In that case, would the effect be better than the more light element particles the sword contains?

Feeling the Sword of Light, whose space for storing light elements was almost synchronized with her mental energy reserves, Lyra exhaled slightly, the sword tip drawing a beautiful sword flower in the air.

Too bad... it can’t store unlimitedly and then release it all at once...

If it could, describing her as invincible within the barrier might not be an exaggeration.

After a moment, Lyra adjusted her mindset, discarding those unrealistic thoughts.

After all, she couldn’t fully master the power of the Sword of Light yet, like a child wielding a divine weapon, strong but unable to fully utilize it.

As her mental energy reserves and quality improve in the future, the holy sword will also become stronger.

Consider it a weapon with growth properties.

Kneeling down, continuing to examine the light barrier, Lyra saw the dark element particles scattered in the air being pushed to the corner, immediately recalling the scene when the dark mist dissipated that night.

Besides enhancing herself, its instantaneous burst could also expel nearly solidified darkness.

After observing for a while, the light elements in the air gradually gathered back into the Sword of Light. Lyra tried inserting the sword and releasing it again, but the effect was much worse than the first time, with only a faint light bursting from the sword tip, unsure if it was the releasing light or friction-induced sparks.

Just like muscles that get strained from frequent use, the sword is the same. It seems this ability also has certain limitations.

Looking at the translucent knight sword in her hand, Lyra thought of how mages would give their self-created magics names that fit the effects, her mind quietly wandering.

Like Countess Charlotte’s Drowning Sea, which is said to completely cut off all living beings’ hope of survival, its surging wind like the sea is the source of its name.

The magic she just released also required continuous mental energy input into the sword and outlining the magic circle in a specific way, barely qualified as a self-created magic.

What should it be called...

Holy Judgment of Light, or, Light Barrier?

No, the first one feels too strange, a bit embarrassing to say.

But not using that, Light Barrier seems too ordinary, and it’s the same name as a high-level caster’s spell.

After thinking for a long time, Lyra still hadn’t come up with a name that satisfied her, finally decided to leave it for now, waiting for Astrid to return and ask for her opinion.

...........

After staying in the training tower for more than two hours, it was almost ten o’clock when Lyra came out. After prolonged exposure to sunlight, the outdoor temperature had noticeably increased, making the girl, whose mental energy was almost depleted, feel a bit dizzy.

First, return the book to Linda, then rest in the dormitory for a while, and have lunch with Astrid later.

As the class monitor of Class A and the daughter of a reformist noble, Linda Jostlin had always been quite friendly to Lyra. If earlier interactions were ninety-nine percent to please the third princess Astrid, then the subsequent sparring and magic exchanges gradually added another layer of appreciation for Lyra herself.

Such a talented and hardworking person is indeed easy to like.

Over time, Lyra and Linda became friends, with Linda even lending her family’s collection of knight combat technique books for Lyra to read, with the agreement to return them after finishing.

Although she hadn’t finished reading, the vacation was approaching, and it might be a bit impolite not to return them soon.

With this in mind, Lyra, holding the books, came to Linda’s dormitory door and gently knocked.

"This is Lyra Beckett, is Miss Linda in?"

After five minutes, there was no response.

Not here?

Just as Lyra was thinking this, she suddenly noticed a faint magical fluctuation in the air.

This is...a one-way soundproof barrier?

Since there’s a soundproof barrier, there should be someone in the dormitory.

Somewhat puzzled as to why the other party wasn’t opening the door, Lyra knocked gently again, then politely stopped knocking, and just as she was about to leave after waiting for half a minute, the door suddenly opened.

Linda, in a dark nightgown, looked somewhat unnatural, with a few strands of hair stuck to her ears, and her cheeks and neck showing a faint pink, as if she had just been exercising.

Even though the room was much cooler than outside, she felt like Linda seemed very hot.

Seeing Lyra in a white dress and white stockings, holding books outside the door, a trace of panic flashed in Linda’s eyes, and she sneakily changed at the bed next to her, where the quilt was bunched up and moved slightly.

"Lyra, are you here to return the books?"

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