Princess’s Struggle for Survival

After a restful morning's sleep, Astrid left the bedroom, had lunch served by Lyra and Elise, and was about to head to the library to find some books for Amalia to read.

Her perfume trade with the Velmont family was progressing smoothly.

A few days ago, Elowen had sent word that Astrid would be invited to visit the perfume refinery.

After careful consideration, the appointed day seemed to be today.

However, Astrid had been so focused on Amalia lately that she had nearly forgotten about it.

At that moment, Elise reminded her, "Miss Astrid, Ms. Elowen has invited you to participate in the inspection of potential hazards in the perfume concoction process and the related ribbon-cutting ceremony this afternoon. The venue is set at 32 Place Street."

Place Street is located on the edge of the western city district, near the suburbs, and is about half an hour's drive from the palace.

Upon hearing this, Astrid elegantly wiped her lips, placed the silk handkerchief on the tray Lyra was carrying, and slowly straightened up.

"What time, exactly?" Astrid asked.

Elise replied, "At half past two in the afternoon. The maid mentioned that if Miss Astrid has other commitments, you can decide the time yourself or reschedule for another day."

"Then let's make it half past two. I wouldn't want to keep Miss Elowen waiting."

"Understood. I'll arrange the carriage."

"There's no need for you to handle that personally. The other maids can prepare for the trip. You and Lyra should have your meal first. You'll be accompanying me for the inspection later, and it's easy to get distracted when you're hungry."

"Yes, Miss Astrid."

Listening to Astrid's words, Elise placed a hand on her chest and bowed slightly, responding in a calm tone.

Lyra, standing beside her, listened to the conversation between mistress and servant, her azure eyes glistening with clarity.

Her Royal Highness Astrid appeared to be speaking for herself, but in reality, she was looking out for both Lyra and Miss Elise.

As long as it didn't involve Earl Tristian, Princess Astrid was genuinely gentle in other situations.

Twenty minutes later, the trio boarded the carriage to Place Street. Upon arrival, there was still about a quarter of an hour before the agreed time.

Astrid glanced at the well-behaved Lyra standing beside her and suddenly thought of something. She turned to the reception staff at the door and asked, "Is Lord Tristian Velmont here today?"

The servant responsible for receiving Astrid nodded respectfully. "Your Royal Highness, Lord Tristian is indeed in the alchemy workshop."

Was Tristian really here? Astrid raised an eyebrow slightly at this, her crimson eyes unconsciously flicking toward Lyra, a hint of complexity in her gaze.

Logically, Tristian should have grown tired of his villainous princess by now.

This kind of event, far removed from business negotiations, would typically only require the presence of Elowen, who was skilled in potions and a member of the Velmont family.

What was he doing here?

It must be the protagonist's aura that comes with being the heroine of Destiny... She can trigger a whole series of side plots at any moment...

Although the Earl Tristian, who came from an aristocratic background, and Lyra, who grew up in a commoner family, shared similar views on many things, there were fundamental differences in their approaches at times.

These differences stemmed from the disparity in their class status, which shaped their perspectives.

This was also why Lyra, despite respecting Tristian, never intended to spend the rest of her life with him.

Thinking about Tristian, who was infatuated with Lyra in the original novel, Astrid couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

No matter how affectionate a person might be, such feelings could only move themselves in the end.

Noticing Astrid's gaze lingering on her, and recalling the person she had just mentioned, Lyra nervously rubbed the hem of her skirt.

She lowered her head to look at her black maid shoes and whispered after a few seconds, "Your Highness Astrid, should I... avoid this...?"

Although this wasn't a private meeting as outlined in their agreement, Lyra felt compelled to ask, considering Astrid's attitude toward Earl Tristian.

She didn't want Princess Astrid to misunderstand her intentions or grow to resent her.

Astrid withdrew her gaze and smiled, the corners of her lips curving into an elegant arc. "It's fine. Just follow me and stay quiet. Besides, do you think I lack confidence, Miss Lyra?"

In the original story, Tristian was not portrayed as a love-struck fool, and he hadn't shown much impatience during their last encounter.

If the man had indeed come here for Lyra, then Astrid wanted to observe him more closely.

Hearing Astrid's words, Lyra raised her eyes to look at the woman's face, which seemed even more delicate with the faint smile gracing her lips.

Astrid's enchanting figure was perfectly accentuated by the luxurious black princess dress she wore.

A pure black lace-patterned tie cinched her slender waist, and the slightly raised skirt revealed two long, elegant legs clad in black silk.

Her Royal Highness Astrid certainly had the right to speak with such confidence. Born into the royal family, she exuded an aura of breathtaking elegance, living up to her reputation as the "Jewel of the Valeria Empire."

Lyra thought to herself that if she were in Tristian's position, knowing Astrid's true character and how deeply she cared for her, she would likely choose to marry her.

A gentle, beautiful, and devoted princess like Astrid, Lyra couldn't find a single reason to refuse.

Seeing Lyra standing still, her eyes wandering, Astrid casually reminded her to keep up.

Then, with long, graceful strides, she made her way toward the alchemy workshop.

"... Yes, Your Highness Astrid."

Realizing her own absurd thoughts, Lyra's cheeks flushed slightly.

She quickly composed herself and followed Astrid into the alchemy workshop alongside Elise.

"Your Highness Astrid, this is where the perfume will be produced next. Professor Elowen is in the lounge at the back."

Walking through a narrow corridor, Astrid arrived at a fascinating alchemy workshop. The attendants led the way, explaining the equipment as they went.

Just half a minute after entering the room, Elowen noticed the arrival of her guest. She stepped out of the lounge, glasses in hand.

"Your Highness Astrid, welcome to the Velmont family's alchemy workshop."

Before Elowen could finish speaking, the crisp sound of high heels echoed behind her. In the next moment, an unexpected ink-haired beauty emerged from the lounge.

"It's been a while, little Astr. I heard you haven't been too busy lately. Why haven't you come to the academy to visit me?"

Charlotte was dressed in a purple silk gown.

The close-fitting design perfectly accentuated her delicate figure, while the skirt revealed a glimpse of her slender, smooth legs.

Her calves swayed lightly as she walked, and her beautiful face carried a faint smile.

Astrid blinked, momentarily unsure how to respond to Charlotte's teasing.

Instead, she took a step forward, spread her arms, and gently embraced the other woman.

"Lady Charlotte, you've grown even more beautiful."

After a few seconds, Charlotte slowly released her hand and gazed at the silver-haired girl with delicate features standing before her, a smile evident in her tone.

"Little Astr's mouth is still as sweet as ever. But you've been so quiet lately. If it weren't for Elowen mentioning that we should call you for opening, I would have gone to the palace myself to fetch you."

Charlotte had been busy lately, analyzing the formation of the enchantment and attending her usual classes.

It was only recently that she managed to spare half a day. When she heard Astrid was coming, she hurried back to her manor to change clothes before joining her friend at the alchemy workshop.

"It's no wonder. I've been indulging in beauty sleep these days and forgot to visit the academy more often. But if Lady Charlotte comes to see me, I'll always welcome you."

Catching the faint scent of roses on Charlotte, Astrid responded with a soft smile.

Her snow-white, delicate fingers, wrapped in black silk gloves, gently brushed a few strands of silver hair that had fallen onto her chest.

It seemed the other woman really liked that perfume.

"Lady Charlotte, I'll give you two more bottles of the same perfume as compensation for not visiting these past few days. How does that sound?"

Though Astrid knew Charlotte was joking and wasn't truly upset, seeing how much the other woman enjoyed the perfume, she didn't mind preparing more as a token of gratitude for Charlotte's care and concern.

Charlotte shook her head without hesitation and replied softly, "No, that's alright."

"A birthday gift is enough. Having too much of it would strip away its uniqueness, making it less special and precious."

If there was only one bottle, every time Charlotte saw it, she would be reminded that it was a perfume Astrid had made specifically for her. It would be reserved for important occasions, cherished and used sparingly.

Astrid smiled in understanding.

"That's true..."

However, even with her expertise as a renowned perfume master in her previous life, Astrid hadn't considered a deeper layer, Charlotte had worn the perfume today specifically to meet her.