Princess's Struggle for Survival-Chapter 512: Why bully

Although it wasn’t the first time being called cute by Astrid, whenever those words came from the lips of this person who was as pure and serene as moonlight and a gentle breeze, Lyra still felt a wave of shyness wash over her heart.

She’d never once heard Astrid call anyone else cute. At the very least, this proved she was special, unique, in Astrid’s eyes.

If only she could be considered not just cute, but also reliable, that would be even better.

"Astrid... is also cute..."

Slightly rubbing her legs together, the pink-haired girl wearing freshly changed white stockings felt the silk cool and smooth against her skin. She wasn’t sure whether it was because her beloved had helped her put them on, adding a psychological effect, or if they were simply meant to feel this way, but the stockings didn’t feel tight at all.

"Cute?"

Astrid softly repeated the word, her bewitching red eyes gazing at Lyra with a faint, teasing smile.

"I’ve never heard anyone call me that before."

The imperial princess, always aloof and devoted to her pure black attire, constantly maintaining her noble composure, by any measure, her image had nothing to do with "cute."

Slowly extending her hand, she touched Lyra’s flushed cheek with her fingertips, feeling the tenderness of the girl’s skin and the scorching temperature that could melt ice and snow. Her index finger lightly traced across, like gliding over silk, carefully sensing the unique softness that only skin could possess.

"Even after enduring so much, Lyra’s skin remains as flawless as ever."

Especially now, right after teasing her, the pink-haired girl before she had glistening, dewy eyes, and her delicate face seemed so tender you could pinch out moisture.

"Still... compared to before, it’s slightly lacking, just a bit less plump and soft..."

Before... does she mean the Imperial Capital days?

Hearing Astrid’s words, Lyra didn’t push away the woman’s hand. She simply let her touch her face, her thoughts drifting back to the days when she lived at Isabelle Magic Academy, sharing the same roof with Astrid and experiencing academy life together.

Back then, as her feelings began to bloom, she’d been self-conscious about her figure in front of the one she loved. So when her thigh-high white stockings created a slightly constricting, flesh-pinching effect, Lyra quietly reduced her caloric intake at every meal, barely touching even her favorite desserts.

Now, though, there was no need for that anymore. During these days on the frontier, Lyra had been eating well, but due to the high-intensity patrols and occasional fierce battles, her weight inevitably dropped, making her noticeably slimmer.

Thinking of this, Lyra softly spoke up.

"Astrid... do you prefer me a little plump...?"

That way, pinching her cheeks would probably feel even more pleasant?

No... Lyra...

That thought is too strange, isn’t it?

She wasn’t some little kitten or puppy, why was she suddenly thinking about how she felt to Astrid’s touch?

But since the words were already out, retracting them was pointless. It would only make her seem hesitant and immature. So Lyra lightly pursed her lips, her blue eyes silently gazing at the silver-haired princess beside her.

These past few days, practicing resonance magic, they spent their days connected soul-to-soul, and at night slept in the same bed. The official and unofficial explanation was to build rapport and accelerate spellcasting speed.

Whether it actually worked, no one knew. But Astrid truly understood Lyra better now. At least when it came to questions about her body, Astrid, who shared the same bed every night, was certainly qualified to speak.

"For your current build, yes, a bit more flesh would be more suitable."

Astrid spoke softly, her gaze briefly sweeping over Lyra’s soft, full curves, nothing like the notoriously flat chest armor of the Empress. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

"Is that so..." Lyra lowered her head in thought, her eyes landed on Astrid’s outstretched arm near her, its snow-white wrist shining brilliantly.

Astrid had said long ago that if the sock cuff slightly squeezed the flesh of the leg, it was a sign of health, and also looked beautiful. There was no need to worry about it.

From now on, she’d force herself to eat more, regardless of appetite.

Seeing Lyra’s clear, bright eyes, Astrid’s fingertip lightly tapped her own nose, then curved her lips into a smile.

"But why did Lyra suddenly ask about this?"

Astrid asked this, naturally, to continue teasing Lyra.

After all, wanting to appear relatively perfect in front of someone you love is human instinct. Astrid was no exception. Although she didn’t show it deliberately, every time she met Lyra, she unconsciously placed herself in a state of irresistible, alluring charm, most visibly reflected in Lyra’s perpetually flushed cheeks and ears that turned as red as ripe berries.

Perhaps this was what they meant by "a woman adorns herself for the one who pleases her."

Hearing Astrid’s words, Lyra’s cheeks reddened even further. Her hands stroked the fabric of her skirt as she softly pouted.

"It’s not like you just said... that the feeling was slightly worse than before..."

"And that... there was less roundness..."

Unthinkingly revealing her deep concern to Astrid, Lyra’s voice grew softer and softer as she continued, her legs rubbed slightly against each other. Her milk-white silk-clad feet, tucked into shiny dark patent leather shoes, revealed delicate, smooth white silk heels with each subtle movement.

At this moment, Lyra had no idea she’d completely fallen into the trap Astrid had laid out from the very beginning.

"But what does this have to do with weight management?"

"Roundness doesn’t mean gaining a little weight, right?"

What else could it mean?

Hearing Lyra’s words, Astrid curved her lips into a light laugh, her bewitching red eyes sparkling, as if she’d just heard something amusing.

"Lyra... seems to have misunderstood the meaning of my words again..."

Leaning closer once more, the softness beneath her black dress faintly quivered. Astrid’s finger slid across Lyra’s lips, then gently lifted her chin.

"The ’before’ I mentioned wasn’t referring to the time when Lyra was in the imperial capital city."

"It was referring to something else."

Warm fingertips rested beneath her lips, gentle and soothing. The silver-haired regent leaned in, her expression enchanting, a faint, sweet fragrance filling the air. Her alluring, graceful figure, wrapped in an elegant black dress, bloomed before Lyra like a rose.

Something else... what else could it be...

Lyra’s mind blanked for a moment. When she regained her thoughts and tried to analyze, she still couldn’t immediately grasp Astrid’s meaning.

What difference was there between her just now and now?

Even with the precise control of a peak tier Magnus’ mental power, increasing energy expenditure couldn’t cause obvious physical changes within minutes.

Wait... could Astrid mean...

Suddenly realizing something, Lyra’s hand on her hem skirt unconsciously slid downward, resting on the seat before moving closer to the outer side of her thigh.

Compared to before, it’s slightly lacking, just a bit less round and soft.

If "before" here didn’t refer to time, but to a specific part, then that part must be something similar to her cheeks.

Besides her face, what else had Astrid touched?

Five minutes earlier, Astrid had helped her pull the pantyhose waistband past her knees and thighs, up to the level of her skirt. So the thing that was slightly rounder and softer than her cheeks must have been...

Her calf muscles tensed slightly. Lyra’s hand moved behind her waist, feeling through the two layers of skirt and white silk the soft, rounded fullness of her backside.

When Astrid helped her put on the stockings, she hadn’t even lifted her skirt, meaning the only barrier between Astrid’s fingers and her skin was a thin, smooth layer of milky-white silk.

If it were there, of course it would be softer than pinching her cheeks!

Suddenly overwhelmed by an intense wave of shame, Lyra straightened her body in reflex as she stared at Astrid’s teasing smile.

Coincidentally, the carriage passed over a bump, jolting slightly. Astrid, whose center of gravity was unstable due to her high heels, nearly bumped into the window as Lyra’s chest pushed against her. Fortunately, Lyra responded faster, rising to wrap her arms around Astrid’s waist.

Seeing Lyra’s still-flushed face, knowing the girl had finally grasped her implication, Astrid continued to smile sweetly, her eyelashes fluttering gently.

"It seems my little knight finally understood what I meant~"

One high heel rested on the carriage floor, while her other black-silk-clad leg stretched naturally, the luxurious toe touching the ground instead of the heel. Feeling Astrid completely entrusting her body’s balance to her, Lyra’s breathing quickened, her heart pounding like a heavy drum.

Teasing her repeatedly all the way... it was just too unfair...

She wasn’t made of stone, she really could get heated up.

"Astrid..."

"Hmm?"

Astrid emitted a soft hum from her throat, laced with languid teasing, as if certain that even with her body fully in Lyra’s hands, the girl wouldn’t dare do anything.

Staring at the woman’s delicate features and her long, snowy swan-like neck, Lyra, once again provoked by Astrid’s attitude, felt her head grow hotter, her thoughts becoming increasingly hazy.

She wanted to kiss her, teach this wicked woman who kept teasing her a lesson...

After all, Astrid never objected to their intimate contact. In fact, these past few days, she’d initiated many kisses herself.

And she never gave warning before.

Which meant... it was okay for Lyra to initiate a kiss too...

A voice inside urged Lyra to be more proactive, while a faint thread of shame pulled her back, like a kite string that wouldn’t let go of reason.

Unlike Amalia, Lyra wasn’t naturally proactive. Even realizing her feelings for Astrid had taken her a long internal struggle before she finally decided to confess.

Actively moving in, embracing, demanding a kiss, these actions were still too difficult for a shy girl like her.

Under normal circumstances, Lyra would never be able to do such things. For her, holding Astrid’s hand was already the greatest effort she could make.

But right now, after being seduced for so long by this demon-like imperial regent, even a white rabbit was about to bite. Let alone Lyra, who was overflowing with love and constantly craving closeness.

She would tease back, right now, immediately.

The earlier urge, already at its peak, gradually drowned out her timid, ashamed self. Lyra tried her best to restrain herself, but just then, Astrid poured more fuel on the fire.

The leg that had been stretched and leaning against the seat shifted. Her small, alluring dark-silk-clad foot pressed gently against Lyra’s delicate ankle, exposed where her shoe didn’t cover it. The smooth, delicate top of her black-silk foot lightly brushed against Lyra’s ankle, like a soft brush stroking her heartstrings.

Was Astrid determined to let herself be teased without consequence?

Lyra’s last shred of shame was completely devoured by a strange desire to prove herself. Remembering Astrid’s hand moving near the pantyhose waistband, making her fasten the black garter belt, deliberately bending her knees to lift her leg, and the ambiguous, whether intentional or not, subtle provocation...

Leaning back against the seat where she’d been sitting, Astrid fully reclined. She felt a few strands of pink hair brush against her neck, followed by the soft sound of shoes on the floor, and then a silhouette silhouetted against the light.

Her lips feel a cool, smooth touch, familiar sweetness and citrus scent. A flicker of surprise passed through Astrid’s red eyes, but no other sign of aversion.

So her little knight, when sufficiently provoked, could actually "take the initiative."

Feeling the firm press of lips but no further moist, sticky contact, and no other touch on her waist, legs, or chest, Astrid fluttered her eyelashes a few times and became bolder than Lyra.

She only dared to kiss... and nothing more...

Closing her eyes was one thing, but even her hands hung obediently on her sides.

She’d been exactly right, Lyra was just too cute.

She’d have to tease her more next time.

Exchanging warmth, with the inevitable bumps of the moving carriage behind them, Astrid gently wrapped her arms around Lyra’s waist, making the kiss long and romantic.

Five minutes later, the carriage stopped. Hearing sounds nearby, Lyra slowly sat up and saw Astrid’s unusually moist lips and cheeks as red as apples.

Wha, what did she just do...

Her ears burned, yet her lips still retain traces of lingering sweetness.

Kissing Astrid was one thing... but pinning her against the seat...

But Astrid like that, was even more bewitching than usual.

As if... she had become more delicious.

"It seems Lyra hasn’t just improved in strength... she’s made progress in other areas too..."

Astrid straightened her posture after tidying her hair, slipped her half-dangling high heel back on, straightened her legs, and gazed at the flustered pink-haired girl before her with distinctly alluring red eyes.

"To dare commit such a transgression against the Imperial Regent..."