Princess's Struggle for Survival-Chapter 535: Post War

Thanks to the robust physique granted by knightly training, and the timely cold compress treatment from Astrid, Lyra’s wounds had completely healed. Aside from a few crimson spots scattered between her skirt and white thigh-highs, resembling red plum blossoms in snow, the pink-haired girl, who had released her armor and recalled her holy sword, no longer looked like a knight fresh from the battlefield.

Changing her sitting posture suddenly, Lyra lowered her body, supporting herself on the soft bed with folded arms, her sapphire eyes fixed on the nearby porthole, completely unaware that her current position was rather improper, especially with someone else present.

Her pale-white blouse, shifted forward by her leaning upper body, revealed a fair stretch of smooth waist and abdomen. Bathed in warm light, the elegant curves of the pink-haired knight were fully visible within Astrid’s cool crimson gaze.

Although not as slender as Amalia, Lyra, in her youthful prime, was certainly not plump either. The most voluptuous parts of her body were likely the generous breasts hidden beneath her pristine white blouse, and her tender white legs, wrapped in thigh-highs that left faint indentations from gentle pressure.

From Astrid’s perspective, she could even see the waistband of the pantyhose rising above the hem of the pleated skirt. That thin, silky layer of milky white fabric delicately concealed Lyra’s charming lower back dimples.

The reinforced stitching at the edge clearly defines the boundary between skin and fabric, while the shallow dip of her lower spine appears even more captivating against the fair skin.

After a long silence, Lyra’s attention drifted from the window back into the room. Realizing her current posture was somewhat improper, she froze slightly, quickly turning her head away from Astrid and quietly bringing her knees together, preparing to sit properly.

Just then, a crisp sound of leather striked the floor rang out beside the bed, one after another, one higher, one lower.

Lyra was very familiar with this sound. At Elizabeth Academy of Magic, she’d often hear it when Astrid returned to their dorm from outside.

The sound of high heels hitting the floor.

Astrid bent her knees as well, her pair of straight, smooth black-stockinged legs pressing against the sheets. With one hand propping herself up, she leaned forward like an elegant cat, drawing closer to the porthole.

This eased much of the embarrassment in Lyra’s mind. As Astrid’s body drew near, the sweet fragrance of her hair filled Lyra’s nostrils. Her gaze fell upon the night-colored skirt covering Astrid’s shapely rear, and below the bent knees, her calves, under pressure, causing the fabric-wrapped soft flesh to bulge slightly.

A pair of smooth, chocolate-colored black-stockinged feet rested against the bedding, their delicate toes creating faint wrinkles in the fabric, as if tracing lines directly across Lyra’s heart.

"What are you looking at, Lyra?"

Following Lyra’s gaze beyond the porthole, the once-mighty Liya Tower Fortress now lay in ruins. Scattered flames still flickered across the battlefield, likely a chain reaction triggered by the self-destruction of the giant cannon.

Charlotte and Charles had already laid other attack traps; the cannon’s explosion had served as the fuse. All unmovable supplies within the city, grain, weapons, armor, would be consumed by the sequential inferno.

Watching the scattered flames, and the distant, ghostly silhouette of the Holy Radiant City Light, Astrid whispered softly.

"What a massive fire."

The fact that they could still see the flames from such a high altitude meant the ground fires were even fiercer than what Astrid could perceive from her viewpoint.

Hearing this, Lyra quickly averted her eyes from Astrid, her heart inexplicably agitated.

"I was looking at... Liya Tower Fortress."

This military stronghold, standing steadfast against wind and snow, carried many memories for her, most of them bloody and dark, but not without their moments of warmth.

Almost all the soldiers fought with determination, defending the empire and the families behind them. The attack from the Kingdom of Velys had not broken their will; Their resistance was sturdier than the fortress walls themselves.

Hearing Lyra’s words, Astrid glanced downward in thought, her gaze passing through the transparent glass toward the place where they had previously rested.

"Did you bring everything important to you?" Astrid asked.

Lyra paused, instinctively touching the ribbon at the back of her head, then channeling mental energy into the sword-shaped light seal to confirm that all items related to Astrid had been safely brought aboard.

"Yes."

Although the Kingdom of Velys’s attack had been sudden, a well-prepared Lyra had already stored these precious possessions in her storage space.

Astrid nodded slightly and continued watching the blazing ruins of Liya Tower Fortress with Lyra.

However, since this airship had originally been built for war, no thought had been given to sightseeing. Even the resting quarters reserved for noble officers had portholes of extremely limited size.

With both of them watching together, their bodies inevitably drew close. Lyra could feel her shoulder brushing against Astrid from time to time. Astrid’s smooth, cool silver strands, with each forward lean, fell like snow onto the back of Lyra’s hand.

Unlike usual warmth, the sensation of Astrid’s hair grazing her skin brought a faint tickle, like tiny ants crawling across her body.

Suppressing the odd feeling, Lyra attributed it all to the recent battle. After prolonged high pressure, sudden relaxation could make anyone feel uneasy.

It must be the cold air causing this.

That was what Lyra thought, as her body instinctively moved closer to Astrid. Breathing in the other’s sweet fragrance, the negative emotions long suppressed by continuous combat seemed to find relief through this closeness with her beloved.

Astrid, too, sensed Lyra’s movement. Having already consented to letting the girl kiss her whenever she wanted, she naturally had no intention of rejecting such an innocent act of intimacy. Her shoulder leaned gently against Lyra’s, her loose silver strands nearly brushed against the other’s ear. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

After an unknown amount of time, Lyra heard Astrid speak.

"Lyra... is someone deeply emotional..."

Many soldiers were likely celebrating their escape from hell, probably only Lyra would turn back to gaze at this now-fallen fortress.

Hearing Astrid’s words, Lyra shook her head softly, murmuring.

"Not really..."

"It’s just... when you’ve stayed in one place for too long, leaving suddenly feels unfamiliar."

If asked whether Lyra felt nostalgic about her time at the border, the answer would certainly be no. Compared to any other period in her life, whether the blissful childhood filled with parental love, the first time she met Third Princess Astrid in the imperial capital, or her student days at Elizabeth Academy of Magic, her military service paled in comparison, bleak and colorless.

Day after day facing life-and-death situations and high-intensity alert combat, her body grew weary and her mind constantly strained.

Only after Astrid arrived did the numbness that had constantly enveloped Lyra began to slightly diminish.

This was the war’s cruel toll on the human spirit.

Hearing this, Astrid glanced at Lyra from the corner of her crimson eyes. The delicate-faced pink-haired girl had her head lowered. Due to gravity, her collar had loosened slightly, revealing her slender, adorable collarbone. Her lashes trembled faintly, no one knew what she was thinking.

Even a Holy Light Knight wasn’t made of iron.

Perhaps... she should offer Lyra some psychological counseling...

The knee pressed against the bedsheet inched slightly toward Lyra, until their legs, separated only by layers of white and black fabric, pressed tightly together. Astrid moved her free hand, no longer supporting her upper body, and reached behind Lyra. Tracing the elegant curve of her spine downward, she gently patted her.

A soft pantyhose sensation bloomed in her palm, accompanied by a tender, springy bounce, like a dragonfly lightly touching butter on water. Lyra instinctively let out a "hmm!", only realizing what Astrid had done afterwards. Her cheeks instantly flushed red.

Although this prone position was indeed somewhat improper, how could Astrid...

"You... Astrid..."

"Hmm? What is it?"

...

The silver-haired, crimson-eyed beauty of the empire wore a faint, teasing smile. The light in her eyes settled into Lyra’s gaze, as if prompting her to do something.

I did it. So what?

Should I hit back?

Her eyes lowered. Astrid’s arm was no longer straightly propping her upper body but angled slightly to support her cheek. Her fragrant, supple figure, clad in a pure black noble princess dress, lying against the bedsheet. Her long, smooth black-stockinged legs bent backward, their delicate, beautiful ankles crossed, refracting intricate, glossy textures of the silk fabric under the light.

Her gaze returned to Astrid’s face. Those vivid red eyes were half-lidded, yet clearly fixed on her. The faintly upturned corners of her lips formed a subtle curve, as if she knew perfectly well that Lyra wouldn’t dare to do it.

Even though they were constantly together, facing Astrid Calliste, radiating allure and faint provocation at this moment, and her face seemed blessed by the Creator’s favor, Lyra still felt her heart struck hard by Astrid’s beauty, instinctively racing.

I’ve been... teased by Astrid again...

Under normal circumstances, perhaps Lyra would have just turned her face away, letting Astrid proceed with her next move, like draping her legs over Lyra’s calves and gently rubbing through the stockings.

But today, perhaps due to the battle earlier awakening a rebellious impulse in Lyra, she stared at the calm, seemingly victorious silver-haired beauty before her, her lips unconsciously pressing together, her pearly teeth gently biting her lower lip.

Then, she raised her hand, clad in a white lace cuff, locking eyes with Astrid, slowly reaching toward the pure black fabric.

The next second, a soft hum escaped Astrid’s lips, languid, yet faintly alluring. Her delicate nose exhaled gently, she gazed toward Lyra tinged with surprise.

Today’s little maid... is surprisingly bold...

This was a small step for Lyra, but in Astrid’s heart, it felt as if the other had crossed a great distance.

Feeling the lingering softness on her palm, and hearing Astrid’s unconscious, delicate moan, Lyra’s vision blurred slightly. Her knees could no longer support her, and her legs slid diagonally across the bed.

After a brief silence, Astrid lifted her lips. Her long, elegant legs deliberately entwined with Lyra’s. The latter’s already weakened body had no strength to resist. Her white-stockinged feet, shaped like a crescent moon and incredibly soft, slides across the sheets, revealing their pink-tinged, tender soles, only to be firmly held by Astrid’s own.

Wrapping an arm around Lyra’s nape, Astrid gave her a light, fleeting kiss to help ease her stress. Then, lying on her side, she lightly tapped the porthole above.

"I said earlier that everyone could rest for a while. That includes you, Lyra."

"You’ve worked hard these days, coming to the border alone, helping the empire repel powerful enemies, and sharing much of my burden."

Lyra hadn’t explicitly told her why she went to the border, but Astrid understood well enough. Even if she wasn’t the main reason, she knew her presence had played no small role in Lyra’s final decision.

"When the airship lands, get a good night’s sleep, Lyra."

Ruffling Lyra’s cheeks, Astrid leaned close to her ear, whispering.

"You can sleep from eight in the evening until eight the next morning, if you want."

Since embarking on this northern journey, Lyra hadn’t had a single peaceful night’s sleep. Even after returning from guard duty, showering, and lying in bed, she always stayed ready to jump up at any command, afraid to delay things so she never dared to remove her uniform.

Having said that, Astrid suddenly thought of something and smiled charmingly, continuing.

"Of course, if Baroness Lyra, distinguished for her war merits... desires the Regent Princess’s personal attendance in bed..."

"...that wouldn’t be impossible either."

Atten... attendant in bed...

Does she mean it literally?

Instantly flooded with pink bubbles, Lyra’s face turned bright red. Her mind quickly conjured scenes far more intimate than their current leg-entwined position.

It’s just a joke.

Just like they usually did, simply lying on the same bed, sleeping.

An overwhelming emotion urged Lyra to say something in response to those words, but her maidenly shyness pulled her back to reality.

Astrid was saying this to comfort her.

Most likely... it couldn’t be taken seriously...

Thinking this, Lyra followed Astrid’s gaze toward the window. Layers of clouds floating in the sky, the buildings on the ground shrinking to insect-like specks, growing increasingly distant with the airship’s motion.

"For now, just rest a bit on the airship."

Astrid snapped her fingers lightly. The head maid, who had been standing guard outside, promptly brought in the warmed tea.

Seeing the scene on the bed, Elise showed no signs of surprise. She respectfully placed the tea and withdrew to the door, resuming her guard duty.

Wait... did Miss Elise hear everything just now?

Realizing this, Lyra froze. Then, her head began steaming up like the teacup placed on the table.