Princess's Struggle for Survival-Chapter 490: Are you really Astrid

Giving Astrid almost no time to react, Lyra grabbed the hand the other had placed on her shoulder, instantly spun around, and with a swift, agile maneuver, pinned Astrid against the bed. At the same time, she raised her right hand and pressed a cold, long object against the other’s neck.

The series of movements was too fast and forceful. Astrid, though a peak tier Magnus, was physically weaker than a knight of equal level, and her speed and strength were in a completely different tier. Naturally, she was at a disadvantage in close combat. In just one exchange, Lyra had already pressed Astrid down onto the soft bed. Her smooth silver hair scattered loosely, her red eyes still calm, yet her lips curved with a faint smile.

At that moment, she suddenly understood what the hard object pressing against her waist was, a silver-white, intricately patterned, exquisitely crafted metal scabbard, now pressing against her neck so close she could feel the pulse of blood vessels beneath her skin.

Five seconds earlier, upon realizing the high heels were truly present, Lyra had summoned the Sword of Light.

After all, they were now at the border, not in the stable and peaceful capital. A certain level of vigilance was necessary. Failing to notice someone entering the room was already a serious mistake, a sign of complete mental relaxation.

Although she deeply hoped the person before her was the Astrid she longed for, the battle-hardened Lyra couldn’t let her guard down and rushed forward to embrace her like she did in the past.

Her warm legs, wrapped in thick white stockings, firmly locked Astrid’s lower body. One hand pinned the other’s palm against the bed, pressing down all five slender, fair fingers. Lyra gazed at the silver-haired beauty beneath her, while Astrid looked back at her.

Those once-clear sky-blue eyes were still as pure as sapphires, but having endured countless battles, they now carry an undeniable firmness, giving the impression of grass blades wet with rain stubbornly lifting their stems from the mud.

Military life truly changes a person. Lyra was increasingly similar to the mature, dignified Holy Knight from legends.

But... was this white scabbard pressing against her collarbone a bit too forceful?

"Who exactly are you?"

Seeing the woman beneath her shows no sign of struggle, Lyra’s eyes flickered with thought. Her gaze toward Astrid became more probing, yet her hand didn’t relax its pressure at all.

To breach the identity-verification barrier at this hour and enter the Knight Captain’s private room was itself highly suspicious and dangerous.

Although logically, the person before her was most likely Astrid Calliste herself, she absolutely couldn’t ignore the possibility of an assassin sent by the enemy for a night raid. Better safe than sorry.

As for why the assassin hadn’t attacked earlier, perhaps seeing her summon the Sword of Light, any strong murderous intent would be sensed by the knight’s intuition, turning the initial advantage into a disadvantage, making the assassin the one attacked first.

It would be better to use her beloved one as a disguise, wait until her guard was completely down and the Sword of Light dissolved into light particles, then attempt a fatal strike.

Having thought this far, Lyra’s gaze grew more serious, and her turbulent emotions gradually calmed, at least appearing so on the surface.

Indeed... she’s become much more composed...

Hearing this, Astrid’s lips curved into an even wider smile. Her cold red eyes sparkled with tiny glimmers, her starkly contrasting snow-white skin creating an indescribably alluring and captivating effect.

"Hmm? After such a long time apart, can’t you recognize me, Lyra?"

"I am the former Third Imperial Princess of the Empire, Astrid Calliste..."

Here, the hand Lyra had pinned to the bed slightly curled, her slender white fingertips lightly touched the back of Lyra’s hand like a gentle brush.

"...and also the current Regent of the Empire."

The identity matched, the appearance matched, but these were not irrefutable proofs. Lyra knew the effects of transformation potions and didn’t believe the magical knowledge she possessed was the entire world.

Perhaps there were even more powerful magic circles or disguise potions she hadn’t encountered.

Besides, with Astrid’s breathtaking beauty, anyone from the Kingdom of Velys who had visited the Empire would remember it vividly.

"Not enough..."

These words were far from sufficient to confirm her identity.

Her waist tensed, her azure eyes reflected Astrid’s face. Lyra didn’t relax at all, yet her voice carried a hint of hope she didn’t notice.

Such a seductive expression... and that teasing attitude she particularly liked... It really was like Astrid...

Hearing this, Astrid gently narrowed her eyes, inwardly marveling at how vigilant her little maid truly was. Her smooth, silk-covered foot gently rubbed against Lyra’s ankle as she spoke softly.

"Before Lyra left, she asked me for something..."

"And it was... intimate apparel."

Astrid deliberately spoke the last few words slowly, her voice became husky, as if revealing a secret, intimate matter known only to the two of them.

Indeed, very few people knew this.

Lyra’s peripheral vision flickered toward the hair ribbon on the nightstand. The silk ribbon lay neatly on the wooden cabinet, showing no sign of having been moved.

But even this... wasn’t enough...

Astrid used to wear this ribbon often. As the "brightest gem of the Empire," according to the late Emperor, her clothing often set fashion trends among the noble ladies of the capital for a time. Thus, the existence of the ribbon was naturally no secret.

"If this still isn’t enough to make Lyra believe..."

Her toes gently caressed the silk fabric at the ankle. The soft, smooth sensation, even through two layers of stockings, still made Lyra’s heart tremble, causing her legs, which had been maintaining pressure, to unconsciously weaken.

It was as if her body had no resistance to the person before her.

She is Astrid... there’s no mistake...

The tremor in her chest grew more pronounced. Still, Lyra wasn’t merely driven by emotion; she wouldn’t make a judgment based solely on these emotional fluctuations.

As Astrid finished speaking, seeing Lyra waver slightly under her actions, she pursed her lips and continued.

"Lyra is a well-behaved girl who still loves reading knightly tales even as she grows up. She admires those brave heroes who dare to fight dragons for their faith and ideals..."

And her dream is most likely the same as theirs, to marry an imperial princess and live happily ever after.

"The happiest thing is being with her family and the one she loves. The atmosphere she enjoys most is the lively, festive air during New Year celebrations. Her favorite food is the chicken dishes I make."

Amalia preferred sweet flavors, while Lyra favored spicy food. Even when her cheeks turned bright red from the heat, she would still take small bites.

"And also..." Feeling the pressure on her hand gradually weakened, Astrid lifted her hand. Her long index finger touched Lyra’s forehead.

"When Lyra is in a good mood, she hums softly, a nursery rhyme from Morin Village. If someone discovers her, she blushes and pretends to sing the capital’s festive victory march instead."

Looking at the girl’s ears tinged with red, Astrid’s finger traced down her skin, drawing an arc over Lyra’s delicate nose and her soft lips.

"And if she thinks of something happy while in bed, Lyra will most likely clamp her legs around the blanket and roll around."

Her finger continued downward, past the chin, finally resting on Lyra’s smooth, white swan neck. Astrid gave a seductive smile, enunciating each word clearly.

"Just like how you’re clamping my leg right now."

Her fingertip pressed against the neck, feeling the faint pulse beneath the skin. Astrid’s smile deepened. Her legs crossed, her entire being resembled a flower exuding a bewitching aura, though she usually gave the impression of a noble, cold imperial princess, she particularly enjoyed treating Lyra with this other side.

This feeling of teasing an innocent girl was indeed quite addictive.

"Truly just like before. One might start suspecting it’s some kind of fetish."

"Do you really enjoy pinning me down so much?"

The final sentence completely confirmed Astrid’s identity. On that night when they experimented with the transformation potion, Lyra had mistakenly treated Astrid in a similar posture due to a slip of the hand.

This was a secret known only to the two of them.

Her delicate, translucent eyelashes couldn’t stop trembling, and the white metal scabbard instantly dissolved into light particles, vanishing into the air. Lyra looked down at the silver-haired beauty in the black dress beneath her. Suppressing the embarrassment brought by the other’s words, she murmured, her lips slightly trembling, her voice noticeably shaky.

"Astrid..."

"How did you get here?"

In an instant, the once highly vigilant Knight Captain Lyra retracted her thorns, becoming nothing but a soft, pink-furred puppy.

"Here to inspect the military situation."

"Also, to see how my little maid has been lately."

The posture remained the same as before, but the tense, confrontational atmosphere had already dissolved. Lyra buried her head in Astrid’s neck, her voice becoming muffled.

"Is that so?"

"I... I..."

The girl sniffled, speaking softly.

"...I missed you."

The warm, soft body in her arms trembled slightly. Without words, Astrid could feel Lyra’s excitement and joy.

"I missed you too, Lyra."

Although inspecting the border was necessary due to the war situation, it was impossible for Astrid to have no personal feelings involved.

It was simply that everything aligned perfectly, national duty and personal emotions united, enabling Astrid’s meeting with Lyra at this very moment.

.................

After a long while, suddenly meeting someone she could only see in dreams, Lyra found her emotions impossible to control. She held on for nearly five or six minutes before remembering to let go.

Astrid beneath her was still as beautiful as when she left. The silk fabric of her dress, disheveled by her earlier actions, revealed a small section of pale skin and her delicate, exquisite collarbone, particularly alluring under the moonlight. Against her creamy skin, it seemed to deliberately tempt someone to bite.

Recalling her own action of pressing the scabbard against Astrid’s neck in suspicion, a hint of guilt flashed in Lyra’s eyes as she spoke softly.

"Astrid... did I hurt you earlier..."

She knew exactly how much force she had used. Just that push against Astrid, without protective mental energy reinforcing her delicate frame, must have caused some pain in that sudden moment.

Her gaze fell on the faint red mark above the collarbone. The imperial princess’s skin was as delicate as a bubble. Even after some time had passed, the mark still remained.

"No..."

Astrid lifted her head, as if deliberately exposing most of her white neck. Her voice was gentle.

"You having this level of vigilance is indeed commendable."

And most importantly, Lyra had summoned the Sword of Light with its scabbard. If she had used the sharp blade directly against such delicate skin, Astrid would most likely have been left with a red mark.

Clearly, Lyra had thought about it, what if the person before her really was Astrid Calliste? Her actions could very well injure the other.

"I’m sorry... Astrid..."

"No matter what, I used too much force just now."

Lyra bit her lip, her inner guilt evident.

"Then... you could also treat me roughly..."

She, who had once sworn allegiance, who was the light she wanted to protect with everything, had nearly threatened the other’s life upon their first meeting.

Hearing this, Astrid fluttered her eyelashes, speaking with a hint of amusement.

"After such a long time apart, Lyra, you’re still as clueless as ever."

Only a child would use such a clumsy way to express an apology.

Resting her elbow on the bed, Astrid slowly sat up. Lyra also snapped back to reality, shifting from being on top of the other to sitting beside her on the bed.

"It’s alright. Being vigilant isn’t your fault."

"Please continue doing so next time. I don’t want you to suffer harm or lose your life because of guilt."

Astrid spoke seriously, her fingers gently lifting the hem of her skirt, slightly pulling up her slipping stockings.

Hearing Astrid’s words, Lyra still kept her lips tightly pressed. The sleepiness she had earlier lying in bed was completely gone, replaced by a flood of excitement and emotion.

"Okay... I understand..."

Astrid... is at the front lines...

Astrid spoke seriously, her fingers gently lifting the hem of her skirt, slightly pulling up her slipping stockings.

Hearing Astrid’s words, Lyra still kept her lips tightly pressed. The sleepiness she had earlier lying in bed was completely gone, replaced by a flood of excitement and emotion.

"Okay... I understand..."

Astrid... is at the front lines...

Astrid doesn’t seem to have lost much weight compared to before, and her demeanor looks healthy, not like someone overworked.

Her gaze traced down Astrid’s beautiful face, coincidentally caught the moment she adjusted her stockings, a problem that even Astrid’s former world’s industrial level couldn’t easily solve, and was naturally even more unsolvable in the medieval Valeria Empire.

Lyra didn’t dare to let her gaze linger, quickly shifting away. Yet, as she caught sight of Astrid’s delicate fingers, she recalled the moment she had pinned the other’s hand. Subtle changes caught her eye.

The five fingers Astrid kept with long, slender nails were now trimmed very neatly, pink usually and delicate, like tiny pieces of jade.