CHAPTER 324: OUTSIDE WORLD

After toning down all her sharp edges and only revealing the elegance befitting an imperial noble, Astrid successfully won the favor of the Beckett couple with her dignified demeanor during dinner, alleviating much of the worries that had been lingering in their hearts.

Although it was their first meeting, this imperial princess was indeed quite different from the rumors, or rather, she was more akin to the gentle and generous noble lady described in their daughter’s letters.

"Astrid, since it’s our first meeting, if there’s anything we haven’t taken care of properly, please don’t hesitate to let us know."

Under Astrid’s insistence, Orian omitted the more formal suffix of "Miss" and addressed her directly by her name.

"Lyra should have shown you the bedroom. If there’s anything you need, just let us know, and we’ll do our best to accommodate."

Orian also knew that her house couldn’t compare to the imperial palace in the capital, but as the hostess, she still hoped to provide a comfortable stay for her daughter’s friend, who was visiting for the first time.

Hearing this, Astrid gently wiped her mouth with a napkin, her lips moving slightly.

"I really like that room. It’s sunny, dry, and the air is fresh."

"You’ve been very thoughtful, Uncle and Aunt."

After briefly discussing the upcoming arrangements, they chatted some more about Lyra’s experiences in the capital.

Lyra’s parents had previously only known part of the story from Lyra’s letters, with limited information available. Moreover, fearing their worries, Lyra had likely embellished her living conditions, making it even harder for them to have a clear understanding of their daughter’s life.

Astrid’s arrival provides them with a fresh perspective, allowing them to get a glimpse of Lyra’s real daily life.

When Lyra’s parents asked about their daughter, Astrid glanced at Lyra across the table. The young girl had some grease on the corner of her mouth, and her already rosy lips now seemed to be coated with a layer of glaze.

"Lyra is one of the most hardworking freshmen at the Elizabeth Academy of Magic, and her grades are among the best in her class."

"To advance from a Knight to a Grand Knight in just a year and a half is nothing short of genius. Sometimes I secretly envy her talent, but that’s just a thought. Even if I had Lyra’s exceptional talent, I might not have the effort to match it."

Astrid wasn’t deliberately praising Lyra in front of the elderly couple; she was mostly telling the truth. In terms of the effort put into studying magic, the busy Astrid indeed hadn’t put in as much as Lyra.

Satisfied with the answer, Lyra’s parents initially inquired about Lyra’s specific living conditions, whether she was tired or hungry at academy, if she slept well, and if her funds were sufficient.

Astrid answered each question without giving Lyra’s parents any additional cause for concern. Listening to the woman’s cool voice, Lyra gradually relaxed, her hands resting on her knees as she swung her legs, her white shoes under the table making a soft "tap" sound as they touched.

"By the way, we must thank Astrid for providing Lyra with such a relaxing and well-paying job."

Orian shifted the topic, expressing her gratitude to Astrid for taking care of her daughter once again.

"Twelve gold coins a month, it’s quite embarrassing to say, but our family’s income for half a year barely equals one month’s salary."

Twelve gold coins?

Hearing this figure, Astrid was slightly surprised. She remembered that she hadn’t offered Lyra such a high salary before, fearing it might be misunderstood as having ulterior motives.

Her red eyes glanced at Lyra, who nervously lowered her head, a hint of guilt in her demeanor.

Afraid of being discovered by her family, Lyra quickly adjusted herself, raising her eyes again, though her eyelashes trembled slightly, betraying her inner anxiety.

Was it to avoid worrying her family that she inflated her salary?

Probably guessing why Lyra had done this, Astrid’s gaze became more meaningful as she replied in a calm tone.

"Auntie, you’re too kind. Lyra is excellent at housekeeping and very diligent."

"She deserves this salary."

Most importantly, she’s very cute, making her perfect for teasing and passing the time, and she’s also very pleasing to look at.

Of course, such thoughts were best kept to herself. If her parents heard them, they might think she often bullied their daughter.

As the conversation at the dinner table concluded under the dim candlelight, Astrid politely asked if she could help with the cleanup before leaving, but the Beckett couple naturally declined.

It would be unthinkable to let a guest clean the table and utensils, especially when the guest was an imperial princess of such high status.

In the end, only Lyra insisted on staying behind to help.

..........

Thirty minutes later, in Astrid’s temporary bedroom, Lyra entered with an iron basin her father had bought from the market.

"Astrid, there are no magic-powered devices here. If you need water, you’ll have to fetch it from the well in the yard or use the water storage in the kitchen."

"If you want convenience, it’s better to use magic."

The third princess’s palace had dedicated magic-powered water devices, but in this remote countryside, not only were there no magic-powered devices, but even magic crystals were rarely seen.

Astrid looked at the simple iron basin in front of her. Although they all looked similar, each one had been carefully marked for future distinction.

"I see. So, if I want tea, I have to boil water in the kitchen, right?"

"Yes, that’s usually the case."

After saying this, Lyra saw Elise take out a magic-powered kettle from the suitcase and was momentarily stunned before speaking.

"Well... if you brought that, then it’s not necessary, but if you want to take a hot bath, you’ll still need to boil some water..."

Astrid nodded upon hearing this and replied softly.

"Alright."

Although one of the purposes of this trip was to show Amalia the life of ordinary commoners, Astrid didn’t plan to completely avoid using magic-powered devices.

After all, Elise will take care of all the chores like laundry, cooking, and making tea. She brought the magic-powered devices to make things easier for her head maid, not to force her to take a more troublesome path to meet her master’s needs.

Otherwise, it would be meaningless to claim they were experiencing commoner life while all the hardships fell on Elise.

After explaining the washing tools and telling Astrid where everything was placed, Lyra remembered the conversation at the dinner table and spoke softly.

"Astrid, about the salary... thank you for covering for me..."

Lyra hadn’t thought about this at all initially, so she hadn’t coordinated with Astrid previously. Yet, Astrid seemed to understand implicitly and smoothly helped her maintain this white lie.

"That..." Astrid propped her chin with one hand, pondering.

"It seems Lyra is quite dissatisfied with the salary I offered, even wanting two more gold coins."

"That’s a bit greedy, Lyra."

Hearing this, Lyra blinked a few times and quickly explained.

"That’s not it, I just didn’t want my family to worry too much..."

"What did you say in your letter?"

"..."

After a moment of silence, Lyra told Astrid the whole story. After listening, Astrid nodded slightly and spoke gently.

"Sending back nine out of ten gold coins, and saying that three gold coins a month are enough to live on."

"Thank goodness the tuition at Elizabeth Academy of Magic includes meals and accommodation, otherwise I don’t know how you’d manage to survive."

With this, Astrid understood why Lyra had wanted to work in the capital last summer.

Not to mention whether her living expenses were enough, if she didn’t earn some money, this silly girl might not even have been able to afford the fare to go home.

Hearing this, Lyra lowered her head and after a while said.

"Anyway... thank you..."

"I’m really grateful to Astrid for both covering for me and for the generous salary."

It’s almost like charity.

By now, Lyra had completely forgotten why she had stayed in the capital for a year in the first place.

Seeing Lyra lower her head, looking utterly grateful, Astrid’s lips curved slightly, her voice carrying a hint of amusement.

"No need to thank me, after all, Lyra has also put in her own effort. It’s an equal exchange, each getting what they need."

"Besides, there was something I couldn’t say earlier..."

Hearing this, Lyra tilted her head in confusion.

"What was it?"

Astrid crossed her legs, the transparent stockings at her knees stretching slightly with the movement, revealing the smooth, milky skin beneath the fabric.

"Having such a cute maid by my side not only ensures a pleasant mood but also brings great honor to the royal family."

This was no longer a subtle compliment but outright praise. Lyra, upon hearing this, pretended to rub her eyes while letting down the pink hair behind her ears to cover faint blush at her earlobes.

"Astrid is joking again..."

If it were in front of others, Lyra might not have felt any inferiority, but with Astrid Calliste, the emperor’s designated first beauty of the empire, anyone standing next to her would feel a bit of pressure in terms of appearance.

After chatting for a bit, Lyra left the room to prepare other daily necessities Astrid might need, and Elise also started the kettle to brew tea for the two princesses tonight.

As time passed, the night outside gradually deepened, with scattered lights hanging on the tree branches. Amalia sat on the bed with Auri in her arms, her gaze fixed on the dark corner of the room, remaining silent.

After flipping through books and reading about history and culture in the dormitory, it seemed that nothing felt as real as experiencing the countryside firsthand.

The agricultural tax levied by Duke Charles on farmers was probably the lowest among the four dukes, and ordinary commoners within his territory, like the Beckett couple, had to spend a fortune to enjoy a meal like those in the capital’s restaurants, as she had mentioned to her sister earlier.

Twelve gold coins, equivalent to half a year’s income for a family of three, yet in the eyes of most nobles, this amount wasn’t even enough to buy a slightly expensive dress.

Recalling the food she had wasted in the castle because she disliked fish, and thinking about the farmers here who had to consider holiday expenses to eat meat and even dared not use too much seasoning, Amalia narrowed her eyes, her fingertips gently sinking into the soft fur of the cat.

She knew there was a vast chasm between the lowest and highest levels of the empire. Her memory of her mother was once part of the lowest level, and she had been brought into the castle of nobility by the so-called royal bloodline. Even if it wasn’t voluntary, she indeed enjoyed living conditions that commoners could only dream of.

And this was just the material enjoyment a bastard daughter could receive. The lives of other nobles will only be more extravagant.

What a huge encounter this was...

Her gaze fell on the orange cat in her arms, who was being petted contentedly. Amalia’s eyes were deep, her fingers unconsciously rubbing Auri’s head.

This stray cat she had adopted could eat fried fish and delicious berry pies every meal, and occasionally enjoy extra treats from the head maid, while many farmers who worked harder than the Beckett couple might still be living frugally, not to mention fried fish and spices, even having oily meals was a luxury.

And the only difference was that Auri had been adopted by her, that’s all.

The gap between people in this strictly hierarchical empire was probably even greater than that between people and cats.

As she pondered, Amalia suddenly felt her shoes loosen, her feet instinctively curling inward. Looking down, she saw Astrid had untied the laces of her shoes.

Gently holding the delicate girl, Astrid felt as if she were holding a piece of pudding, the freed cross-strap sandals like a ribboned gift box, framing the cream cake that had just been placed inside.

"Are you sleepy? You’ve been staring down for a while."

Placing Amalia’s legs on her knees, Astrid spoke softly.

Feeling the tenderness in her sister’s voice, Amalia pressed her legs together and leaned closer to her.

"No..."

"It’s just that everything here feels so new."

The environment, the objects, the people, everything was different from the Capital city.

Hearing this, Astrid patted her sister’s head just as Amalia had petted the cat. Amalia obediently leaned in, showing no resistance, her delicate toes beneath the socks stretched slightly.

"We’ll be staying here for a while. If there’s anything you’re not used to, remember to tell me," Astrid said.

Amalia was probably the type who wouldn’t complain about the environment as long as she was with her sister, which was why Astrid wanted to keep an eye on her needs.

"I understand, sister."

Snuggling against Astrid’s arm, Amalia inhaled the woman’s scent and after a while spoke.

"Sister came here... partly for me, right..."

Astrid didn’t answer immediately but instead lowered her head, her smooth cheek brushed against the girl’s face.

"Yes, I promised you long ago."

"To take Amalia out to see the world."