[{"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-579":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},1801736,2401,"Chapter 579: Lyra’s sense of crisis","princess-s-struggle-for-survival-chapter-579",579,"\u003Cp>Directly opposite her, Amalia’s pair of delicate silver open-toe high heels sat quietly in front of the chair. Her two smooth, silken-white feet were no longer confined within, leaving only slender silver straps dangling onto the floor, the metallic floral patterns at the toe glowing faintly with scattered light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A pure-white, tender foot resembled freshly made vanilla cream, now pressed against the mysterious elegance of midnight black. Her finely sculpted ankle, slightly raised, was snow-white and smooth, one side lightly pinching the satin black stiletto heel, the other climbing upward to meet the straight, silk-clad calf, like rich milk chocolate embracing aromatic milk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Lyra’s view, Amalia gently moved her agile, silk-stockinged foot, using her ankle to clasp the woman’s leg. The smooth, delicate toe tied to an elegant bow at the back, the milky-white instep pressing against the soft black-stockinged calf, resembles a layered velvet cake perfectly assembled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What... are they doing...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Quickly, Lyra realized she shouldn’t hold the glass like this for so long. Her long white-stockinged legs pressed together as she straightened her posture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other woman, current Empress Amalia Valeria, was likewise composed. Her golden hair cascaded over her smooth, rounded shoulders. The slightly higher neckline intentionally ignored her naturally petite figure, aiming instead to highlight her slender swan-like neck and the delicate, snow-white collarbones that seemed to have been soaked in milk since birth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only now did Lyra notice that although both were seated at the main table, this white-stockinged little girl was actually very close to Astrid, and seemed to have deliberately adjusted her chair so that even the slightest movement could bring their elbows into contact, completely violating noble dining etiquette.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is it necessary for sisters to express affection by insisting to uncross their legs even during a meal, and not with their hands?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her fingers lightly touched the fork. Instinctively lowering her gaze, she looked at her skirt and the white stocking cuff that half-concealed and gently hugged her soft thigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having witnessed Amalia’s dependence on Astrid, Lyra hesitated to venture into absurd dreams. Such thoughts were too advanced, she couldn’t make an accurate judgment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Trying to forget what she had just seen, Lyra lifted her wine glass and took a small sip, then heard Amalia speak first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The golden-haired, blue-eyed aloof little girl leaned the imperial scepter against her chair, showing none of the overbearing authority an empress might exert over her subjects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We’re friends, aren’t we?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lyra glanced at Astrid, then set down her glass, her voice gentle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to Astrid, who had come to find her months earlier, the time since she last saw Amalia was even longer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amalia gazed quietly at Lyra, her blue eyes revealing little emotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pink-haired girl gave a slight nod. She knew modesty wouldn’t be appropriate in this situation, so she replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If not for Amalia organizing logistics, preparing supplies, and recruiting and training new soldiers from behind the scenes, the frontlines might have already been breached by the Church’s knightly forces.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just this alone earned Lyra’s deep respect for the golden-haired girl before her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lyra also sensed a hint of probing and confusion from Amalia. She bit her lip slightly and whispered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could it be... they haven’t done anything yet...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amalia’s brows prepared furrowed with relief, a flash of confusion crossing her watery eyes, so brief that even Lyra failed to catch it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What kind of reward would be most appropriate for Lyra?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It needed to convey imperial dignity while avoiding excessive generosity that might provoke envy among other contributing nobles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that very second, a bold idea suddenly flashed through Lyra’s mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If there was one thing she truly wanted... it would probably be the silver-haired princess in the elegant black dress beside her...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Passion surged in her chest. In just a few seconds, Lyra’s mind spun through countless possibilities, but quickly, she abandoned the idea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second, arranged marriage requires mutual affection. Astrid hadn’t even properly accepted her confession yet. Pushing for an arrangement like this would seem to disregard the other’s feelings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, she hadn’t voiced that thought, otherwise, tonight’s dinner might have become unbearably awkward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Amalia finished speaking, Lyra heard a crisp sound in the air, like high heels touching the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath the table, what exactly was happening?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if they were sisters, this level of intimacy was excessive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feeling their gazes on her cheek, Astrid calmly lifted down at the table edge, catching sight of two smooth, tender slices of pale jade nestled together. She spoke softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Charlotte’s countess title had been granted due to her dual status as a Early tier Arcanist Mage and a reformer of magitech devices, along with numerous other contributions to the Empire, not limited to magitech alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To Amalia, this seemed slightly excessive. Lyra had indeed earned merit, but other Arcanist Mages hadn’t done significantly less. However, considering the title came without a specific land grant, and given Lyra’s obvious talent, which made her eventual promotion to middle tier or even peak tier Arcanist Mage inevitable, giving her the honorary title ahead of time wasn’t unreasonable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Countess Lyra, achieving such status in just over a year. This rate of advancement was no slower than her progression in cultivation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sister, this baked goose liver with finger lime is quite delicious. Try some.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She could only open her mouth to accept.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s indeed fragrant. The fruit’s freshness complements the liver’s creaminess perfectly. The slight tartness cuts through the richness just right, eliminating the need for another drink.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No need. One portion of goose liver is enough. Eating too much makes it greasy and ruins the initial impression.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having spoken, Amalia raised her glass for a small sip, her eyes continuing to fix on Astrid, filled with tenderness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sister seems particularly fond of Losterling City’s wine?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Just... be careful of the quantity. It can harm your health after all...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don’t particularly love drinking. It’s just that the wines from the Northern Region are truly different in taste from those in Imperial City. Paired with local cuisine, they offer a unique flavor.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, wouldn’t she resemble the infamous Su Daji, a woman blamed for a kingdom’s downfall?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Combined with the warm, sisterly atmosphere of their back-and-forth conversation, this feeling grew even stronger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The soft rustling of silk beneath the table continued without pause. At this moment, she acutely heard as an early tier Crusader refused to obey her, faithfully transmitting sounds she didn’t want to hear into her mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Astrid and Amalia hadn’t seen each other for a long time. A little intimacy was natural, just as she had once been overwhelmed with excitement upon reuniting with Astrid. Besides, they were sisters after all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If she truly ended up with Astrid in the future, Amalia would become her sister-in-law.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Internally reminding herself not to overthink, Lyra brought the fork to her mouth. The sweet-sour orange slice touched her taste buds, instantly making her stomach clench with acidity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a hint of inquiry, a touch of pride she couldn’t decipher, and a complex tangle of other emotions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A knight’s intuition was rarely wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Half a minute later, after taking a sip of red wine, Astrid noticed that her other leg, the one not clasped by Amalia, was now also receiving warm contact.\u003C\u002Fp>",1211,"2026-06-09T04:47:24.119Z",1,"novelbin.me","d05fb4ee5455e2b1e4fa3f9a7872d7ec969d9f4a67bf0410d5369e4c7a2604bc","princess-s-struggle-for-survival-chapter-580","princess-s-struggle-for-survival-chapter-578",607,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fprincess-s-struggle-for-survival-cover.jpg"]