[{"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-20":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},1801170,2401,"Chapter 20 20: Just Call Me Astrid","princess-s-struggle-for-survival-chapter-20",20,"\u003Cp>Elise had uttered the kind of death speech that, in fiction, would come true nine times out of ten.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Astrid shook her head, her voice soft as she responded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you don't die, try not to say such things in the future. But I'm glad you answered like that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Astrid's greatest concern had been the attitude of the head maid, Elise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wasn't sure if Elise would continue to follow her as depicted in the original book, now that \"Astrid\" was no longer the same person Elise had known.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It now seemed that Elise might not necessarily agree with the actions Astrid had taken, but she had chosen to stay by her side out of a sense of loyalty and gratitude, nothing more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, Your Highness Astrid,\" Elise replied, bowing slightly. She placed her left hand over her chest and looked up to see Astrid holding a red magic crystal. The vibrant red hue within the crystal mirrored the color of Astrid's eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Elise,\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm here,\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Astrid rubbed the magic crystal between her fingers and whispered, \"Before my mother died, did she mention anything about this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the novel, it had been mentioned numerous times that Princess Astrid always carried this magic crystal with her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only was the gem exquisite in texture and color, making it a beautiful accessory, but it was also a keepsake left to her by her mother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Astrid had once again attempted to probe the magic crystal with her mental energy, but it remained unresponsive, as if it were a bottomless pit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Miss Fanya didn't speak of it before she passed,\" Elise replied quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Fanya, Astrid's biological mother, had disappeared along with her husband in the chasms of the northern empire years ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The year after their disappearance, the current Emperor of Valeria had adopted Astrid as his brightest daughter, showering her with affection and privilege.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Astrid nodded and quickly gestured for Elise to come closer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Elise, try to infuse it with your mental energy,\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The maid took the magic crystal and attempted to channel her executive-level mental power into it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Astrid observed the process using her elemental vision, but the crystal not only failed to react, it actively repelled Elise's energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Highness Astrid, it refuses to accept my mental energy,\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Astrid's eyes narrowed slightly, and she murmured, \"As I thought...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was only one explanation for this phenomenon: the magic crystal had been soul-bound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only a specific individual could infuse it with mental energy and unlock its true potential.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That individual was undoubtedly Lady Fanya, a high-level legendary Arcanist who had been just a few steps away from becoming a legendary Spellcreator.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To break the soul-bound seal, one would need the strength of at least a peak-level legendary Arcanist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unable to determine the purpose of the magic crystal for the time being, Astrid placed it back in its box and shifted her focus to another matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Elise, I plan to disband the maid team in the coming days.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Astrid had a team of about twenty maids in the palace, primarily responsible for assisting her in purchasing clothes, jewelry, and preparing her favorite desserts and tea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, not all of these maids were loyal to Astrid. Some were spies planted by Prince Lucas to monitor the movements of various factions within the palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Distinguishing between loyal maids and spies in a short period was challenging, and outright dismissals could easily arouse Lucas's suspicions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Astrid's solution was to avoid making distinctions altogether and simply disband the entire maid team.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Will Miss Lyra be dismissed as well?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No, she's special,\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Astrid's plan was to retain only two maids: Elise and Lyra.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elise had served her for many years, so her continued presence would raise no eyebrows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Lyra, Lucas likely viewed her as Astrid's new \"toy,\" and removing her prematurely might draw unwanted attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So, what do you need me to do?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the goal were simply to dismiss all the maids, Elise could handle it with a single command.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, Astrid seemed intent on finding a less deliberate reason for the disbandment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Astrid thought for a moment, then spoke softly, \"It's simple. Tomorrow, add a small amount of seafood powder to my breakfast, just enough to go unnoticed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Astrid was allergic to shrimp and crab, so such foods were never served to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By orchestrating an allergic reaction, Astrid could create a plausible reason to disband the maid team in a fit of justified anger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Realizing Astrid's plan, Elise frowned slightly and hesitated before speaking. \"Your Highness, are you certain about this? Your health...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, just ensure the dosage is moderate,\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the allergic reaction would be unpleasant, Astrid was determined to go through with this plan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The idea of the delicate and willful Princess Astrid suffering such an ordeal would make it entirely reasonable for her to dismiss all the maids in a fit of rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Astrid's resolve, Elise chose not to press further and instead asked, \"Is there anything else Her Highness requires?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Astrid inhaled lightly, the night air sweet and cool. She straightened her legs and spoke in a voice that was clearer and softer than usual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elise's gaze lingered on the girl's slender, pale legs, exposed beneath the hem of her skirt. Bathed in moonlight, they seemed to glow with a silvery frost, soft and smooth to the eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's only spring, and the nights aren't as warm as one might think. Please be mindful of the cold and dress more warmly,\" Elise advised, her tone carrying a motherly concern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Elise's gentle admonishment, Astrid turned her head to look at the tall, black-clad maid standing by the bed and smiled. \"Alright, alright, I understand.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Elise was only twenty-five, younger than Astrid had been in her previous life, and blessed with long, elegant legs, she often carried herself with an air of maturity that made her seem older.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed that caring for a spoiled imperial princess like Astrid had taken its toll on her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Elise turned to leave, Astrid suddenly spoke again, a playful smile tugging at her lips. \"Actually, there is one more thing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elise paused mid-step, her posture straight and composed. \"Your Highness Astrid, please go on.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Astrid twirled a strand of hair around her finger, her voice cool and deliberate. \"From now on, you don't need to call me 'Your Highness' when we're alone. Just call me Astrid.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1068,"2026-06-09T04:47:03.705Z",1,"novelbin.me","4ef65ce3605de150cda6cd166b1c9dd69f07e73d458467848459864d470c6915","princess-s-struggle-for-survival-chapter-21","princess-s-struggle-for-survival-chapter-19",607,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fprincess-s-struggle-for-survival-cover.jpg"]