[{"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-85":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},1801235,2401,"Chapter 85 85: ‘Her Highness Astrid...is finding reasons to be nice to her again…’","princess-s-struggle-for-survival-chapter-85",85,"\u003Cp>There was still some time before the infiltration operation began, and Astrid wanted to continue studying the infiltrator robe she was wearing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, Elise reminded her that it was time for dinner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Miss Astrid, a clear mind is always inseparable from a sufficient supply of food. Dinner time is almost over.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing Elise's words, Astrid felt her stomach growl, and a long-ignored hunger suddenly surged within her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let's go to the dining hall.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After taking off her robe and slipping into flat shoes for ease of walking, Astrid glanced at the black-haired maid with her cool demeanor standing beside her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The corners of her pink lips curled slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I thought I had changed a lot during this period, but it turns out Elise is the same.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the original Astrid's memory, Elise was a stern maid who rarely spoke and showed little emotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She strictly followed Princess Astrid's orders every day, to the point where people sometimes wondered if she was an emotionless machine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it had been a month ago, Elise would not have repeatedly urged Astrid to eat as she had done recently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At most, she would have given a brief reminder and then arranged for the maid team to prepare long-lasting desserts for Her Royal Highness to eat at any time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Miss Astrid is joking...\" Elise responded softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Astrid shook her head slightly upon hearing this and chose not to delve deeper into the topic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to the past, Elise now seemed more like a flesh-and-blood person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even when eating her favorite Tallinn cake, her eyes would light up a little.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From a rational standpoint, the original head maid, who only knew how to obey orders, was more aligned with Astrid's personal interests.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, on an emotional level, Astrid felt there was nothing wrong with Elise becoming who she was now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elise should have her own emotions and her own life, rather than spending her days as an appendage to Astrid Calliste Valeria, performing mundane housework.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once everything was resolved, Astrid would allow Elise to make her own choice, whether to remain by her side or to end their master-servant bond, just as Lyra would a year later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking of the pink-haired maid who had been so shy and flustered over a simple hug, Astrid parted her cherry lips slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"By the way, hasn't Lyra had dinner yet?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as she said this, Astrid realized that the maids usually ate after their masters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since she had eaten late today, the servants and attendants had likely already finished their meals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, Lyra had been staying in her boudoir and probably missed the meal time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Additionally, there was another important point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Lyra drank the transformation potion, her appearance in the eyes of others could not be changed back for at least two hours.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With her gentle and lovely personality, combined with the protagonist's halo and the magic potion's effects, she was sure to captivate the hearts of many.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Reporting to Miss Astrid, she probably hasn't had time to eat.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright, then bring back some desserts for Lyra to fill her stomach after I finish eating.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, Your Highness.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After having dinner in the hall and returning to her bedroom, there was still more than half an hour before the potion's effects would wear off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Astrid knocked on Lyra's door, and when she opened it, she instructed Elise to hand over the prepared desserts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"These... are all for me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blush on Lyra's cheeks had faded by now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She looked at the muffins and puffs before her, her fingers nervously curling the hem of her skirt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well, after all, I was the one who asked you to drink the potion. I can't let Miss Lyra go hungry all night because of this.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The silver-haired princess, who saw herself as a villain, was unaware that her image in Lyra's mind had shifted from an arrogant, selfish imperial noble to a kind-hearted person with an eccentric personality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Her Highness Astrid...is finding reasons to be nice to her again…'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lyra accepted the strawberry jam muffin, still warm from the oven, and thanked her softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Astrid gave a slight nod in response, then urged her to close the door and rest to avoid drawing attention to the potion's effects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Lyra quickly closed the door. Her delicate face, half-hidden in the shadows, hesitated for a moment before she spoke softly, \"Your Highness Astrid, please go to bed early too...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Studying, socializing, brewing potions, and engaging in banter with her nominal brother, over time, Lyra had come to realize that even the high-ranking imperial princess was not as carefree as she had once imagined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Astrid, like ordinary people, carried her own worries and pressures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a maid, Lyra felt it was her duty to serve her well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I know.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though Astrid's tone remained cool, it softened slightly in response to Lyra's concern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the door close slowly until it clicked shut, Astrid turned and made her way back to her bedroom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Lyra taken care of for now, it was time to turn her attention to the poor little Fourth Princess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In her boudoir, Astrid paused as she was about to don the infiltrator robe, a strange thought suddenly crossing her mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'What I'm doing feels like the behavior of a promiscuous playboy who, after a sweet moment with his girlfriend, hangs up the phone, pats his thigh, and goes off to flirt with another lover.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Tsk...what nonsense…'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shaking off the absurd thought, Astrid slipped into the robe and continued briefing Elise on the details of the operation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the time was right, the two left the palace under the cover of night, heading for the deep castle where Amalia was imprisoned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to the heavily guarded Emperor's palace, the security around Amalia was relatively lax.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elise, under Astrid's orders, had been observing the guards for some time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She knew which routes were least patrolled and where the weak points in the defenses lay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They encountered no obstacles along the way and soon arrived at a high wall outside the castle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You can stop here. Thank you for your help, Elise.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Astrid retrieved a bottle of potion from her bag and drank it, suppressing a grimace at the bitter taste.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The servants responsible for attending to the nobles typically woke between five and six in the morning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Astrid entered at ten o'clock, she needed to leave by half-past five to avoid the morning rush and reduce the risk of exposure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Miss Astrid, please be careful.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elise glanced at the three remaining bottles of light green potion in the bag, her mental detection field continuing to expand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire operation would take about eight hours, meaning Astrid would need to consume four bottles of the transformation potion each time she visited Amalia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Four bottles of the potion cost eighty gold coins, or forty at a 50% discount.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over a month, these expenses would add up to a staggering sum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Astrid hadn't struck a perfume deal with the Velmont family, even someone of her status would have had to tighten her purse strings, unable to indulge in dresses and jewelry as she pleased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But no matter how costly, it was a necessary expense to get closer to Amalia, not a waste.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Astrid couldn't help but wonder how Lyra would feel if she ever discovered that the potion she drank was worth more than a month of her salary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adjusting the pure black silk headband on her head, Astrid let the wind element, blessed by Charlotte, obey her commands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, she murmured the spell for lightness, feeling her body grow weightless as currents of air subtly supported her movements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After watching Astrid leap over the high wall and disappear into the darkness, Elise waited for half a minute to ensure no unexpected incidents occurred before retracing her steps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Astrid's task for her was to provide external support.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elise needed to ensure that the security personnel near the princess's bedroom remained unaware of their infiltration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the quiet royal castle, Amalia, fresh from her shower, sat by the window with a slender paintbrush in hand, her gaze fixed intently on the nearly finished painting before her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The canvas depicted a uniquely styled architectural scene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A dark-toned classical castle stood solemnly under the night sky, bathed in cold silver moonlight that spread across its shadowed walls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Overgrown weeds and rusted fences at the edges of the scene added to the sense of decay and desolation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The high-hanging waning moon, the gloomy pavilion, the clean outlines of the castle, and the untamed lawns and flower beds, every detail of the painting exuded a haunting loneliness, a silence born of the passage of time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Amalia completed the final stroke, she let out a soft sigh of relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Carefully setting down the paintbrush, she cradled her sore right wrist with her left hand, gently massaging it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her smooth, slender arm glowed faintly in the moonlight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as she was about to stand, she felt a warm, furry touch against her ankle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A small, bushy orange cat lay curled up by her feet, its dainty white paws resembling tiny, perfectly crafted socks.\u003C\u002Fp>",1530,"2026-06-09T04:47:04.076Z",1,"novelbin.me","1fdc76a427b369c72cf100f93f3c09c6e17be3cec12bc6a9b1a0d0dc31bbb5a4","princess-s-struggle-for-survival-chapter-86","princess-s-struggle-for-survival-chapter-84",607,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fprincess-s-struggle-for-survival-cover.jpg"]