[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-princess-s-struggle-for-survival":3,"chapter-princess-s-struggle-for-survival-princess-s-struggle-for-survival-chapter-13":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Princess’s Struggle for Survival",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1801163,2401,"Chapter 13 13: True Feelings","princess-s-struggle-for-survival-chapter-13",13,"\u003Cp>\"Do you hate him?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Prince Lucas left, Astrid turned to look at Lyra.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The girl's vigilance had yet to fully dissolve, her delicate frame was visibly tense, as if she were guarding against something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Astrid's sudden question, Lyra released her clenched lip, wanting to answer but hesitating due to their relationship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She remained silent for a long time, simply staring at Astrid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Just tell the truth, don't feel any unnecessary pressure.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Astrid slowly approached, the corners of her lips curving into a beautiful arc.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I promise you, no matter what you say next, I won't be angry.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sweet fragrance lingered in the air. Lyra instinctively averted her gaze and instead found herself looking downward, at Astrid's delicate collarbone, where a few strands of silky silver hair draped elegantly on either side of her chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Astrid's high heels made her four or five centimeters taller than Lyra, creating a noticeable height difference between them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From her elevated position, Astrid's cold yet charming features were even more striking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a long pause, Lyra finally spoke in a soft voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don't like him... even just a little.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Astrid then asked, \"Why?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Because of the way he looks at me...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"More specifically?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recalling Prince Lucas's every move in the room earlier, Lyra pursed her lips, hesitating before speaking again. Her voice was barely above a whisper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It doesn't feel like he's looking at a person, it's more like he's inspecting a product on a shelf.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And... It's particularly aggressive. It makes me very uncomfortable.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even someone as innocent as Lyra, who had a natural inclination to like people, couldn't bring herself to like him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Prince Lucas really wasn't trying to disguise his intentions at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, Astrid wasn't surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A noble-born royal crown prince like Lucas would inevitably carry an ingrained sense of superiority, one that was especially pronounced when dealing with those of significantly lower status.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was something developed over time, etched into his very bones, and difficult to change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And from what Astrid knew of Lucas, he likely viewed Lyra as nothing more than a plaything, something to amuse himself with, a toy to torment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had no intention of taking her seriously. The original Astrid was the same, if a situation like this arose, she would torment Lyra for a while and, once she grew bored, simply hand her over to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a way, she and Lucas weren't just siblings. They were far more alike than that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Looks like you really do hate him. There's no need to soften it with 'a little'...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Astrid's tone remained steady, devoid of fluctuation. It was impossible to tell whether she was angry or not. Before Lyra could respond, Astrid suddenly changed the subject.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Does Miss Lyra hate me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The question caught Lyra completely off guard. Instinctively, she wanted to deny it, but when she searched for a reason not to hate Astrid, she found none.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Losing her rightful admission spot had been entirely Astrid's doing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now, she was trapped at her side, like a caged bird stripped of its freedom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By all logic, she should hate her. Yet, at this moment, the emotion in her heart wasn't as strong as she had expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Confused, Lyra sifted through her thoughts, and her mind settled on the memory of that fateful night, when Astrid had forced her to stay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not really,\" Astrid had said back then. \"But someone wanted that spot, and the gift just happened to make me happy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So you sold her what was supposed to be mine...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You can understand it that way.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Remembering those blood-pressure-raising words, Lyra's suppressed emotions cracked through the surface. She closed her eyes and, after a moment, spoke slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I hate you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In her heart, she added, just a little bit. But this time, it was real.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead of anger, Astrid responded with laughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a slow, deliberate motion, she brushed her fingers against the silver strands resting on her collarbone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You're honest.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was quite satisfied with Lyra's answer, for now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had Lyra changed her attitude too quickly, that would have been a sign of impatience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rushing leads to mistakes, and mistakes could arouse Lucas's suspicion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For now, Astrid had no intention of directly falling out with the crown prince.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As a reward for your honesty, your payment from Elise will increase from eight gold to ten this month.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lyra was momentarily stunned. Not only was Astrid not angry, but she had also given her a raise. It took her a moment to respond, then she hurriedly bowed her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thank you, Your Highness.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Being told she was annoying yet rewarded with a higher salary, Princess Astrid was truly a strange person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she collected the pollen of the Greenstone Flower, Lyra kept mulling over it, then quickly handed the small porcelain plate to Astrid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a brief session of mixing and heating, the second potion was successfully refined. Astrid forced herself to focus, carefully observing the color to ensure the quality hadn't declined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But no matter how much she tried to push through, the dizziness creeping in was undeniable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'My mental power is running out.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If she attempted to refine even half a bottle more, she would collapse on the spot. Deciding against it, Astrid let out a slow breath and instructed Lyra to carry the finished product back with her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Highness Astrid... are you alright?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Lyra noticed her pale complexion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm fine.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stepping out of the pharmacy, Astrid found the sunlight suddenly too bright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She narrowed her eyes, letting the cool wind brush against her skin as she walked forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Lyra quickly followed, adjusting her pace to match Astrid's.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was something indescribably fragile about the princess in this moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon returning to Astrid's chambers, she instructed Lyra to prepare a cup of milk tea before settling onto the bed and closing her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This drained, hollow feeling, one that meditation alone couldn't ease, it was was unbearable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She needed rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time Lyra returned with the tea, Astrid was already lying on her side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only thing she'd managed to remove were her high heels, her long skirt and stockings still in place, slightly rumpled against her delicate frame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lyra's gaze lingered on Astrid's bare black-stockinged legs peeking out from beneath the quilt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment of hesitation, she chose not to wake her. Instead, she quietly set down the teacup, drew the curtains, and took a seat beside the bed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the princess sleep, Lyra's thoughts drifted to her distant homeland, to her parents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'If I were at home, falling asleep in outdoor clothes like this would have earned me a scolding from Mother…'\u003C\u002Fp>",1114,"2026-06-09T04:47:03.705Z",1,"novelbin.me","41fc461ef39b5f1bfc1c3c647ec03043b5660f8f6032f3aaacda8a72e70f881d","princess-s-struggle-for-survival-chapter-14","princess-s-struggle-for-survival-chapter-12",607,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fprincess-s-struggle-for-survival-cover.jpg"]