CHAPTER 319: EXCLUSIVE LAP PILLOW

At 10:25 PM, at the Elizabeth Academy of Magic, most students had finished their day’s studies and returned to their dormitories, beginning to enjoy their hard-earned rest.

The bustling central square from the day had thus become quiet, with only the rustling of leaves in the evening wind, making it almost impossible to hear any other sounds.

In this serene and tranquil atmosphere, at a wooden bench on the edge of the square, two slender shadows were elongated by the streetlights, stretching all the way to the flowerbed lawn behind, blending with the overlapping shadows of the trees.

Lyra half-lifted her skirt, her smooth jade-like legs nervously pressed together, her blushing earlobes hidden in her hair, white with a hint of pink, like cherry blossoms about to bloom.

"When you’re unhappy, resting on an elder’s lap for a while might make you feel much better..."

"Although I’m not Astrid’s elder, nor as reliable as they are... but perhaps a friend’s lap could also be tried..."

What works for oneself might not work for others, but at this moment, besides this somewhat clumsy way of comforting, Lyra couldn’t think of a better way to console Astrid.

Maybe Princess Astrid is like her... lying on a soft lap for a dozen minutes could disperse most of the gloom in her heart...

The evening breeze blew, and the pink-white hem of the girl’s skirt swayed slightly. As the cool touch of the wind reached her exposed skin, Lyra unconsciously pressed the heels of her small leather shoes, her delicate toes, as fine as white jade, slightly gripping the tips of her white stockings, stretching the originally pure white silk into a translucent pale white.

Astrid looked at the shy and timid Lyra in front of her, her clear red eyes scanning her face, making the latter even more nervous.

"No, if it’s not necessary... forget it..."

Lyra stammered, her hand on her skirt quickly pressing down to cover her thigh, the pressure between her fingers slightly sinking the tender flesh, allowing the softness to be felt directly through the gaps.

Being able to enjoy the special honor of being served by the fated heroine’s lap pillow, probably no one could be found throughout the entire book of "The Innocent Knight of the Stained Light" let alone herself, who was supposed to be the other’s mortal enemy, the villainess.

Feeling the extremely complex emotions in Astrid’s eyes, Lyra lowered her head, her knees pressed even tighter, the smooth and delicate surface of her white stockings showing small wrinkles at the bend of her legs due to the movement.

Is it... a bit too abrupt...

But she and Princess Astrid have shared even more intimate moments like sleeping together and hugging, so it shouldn’t be that strange...

After a brief moment of mixed feelings, Astrid tilted her head, her fingertips touching the back of Lyra’s hand, speaking softly.

"Then I’ll trouble you, Lyra."

If it were the usually calm and composed third princess Astrid Calliste, she would definitely seize this opportunity to tease Lyra, not agreeing would make it seem like she hadn’t digested her emotions as she had just said.

Hearing Astrid’s words, Lyra swallowed, lightly lifted her skirt again, and closed her eyes, too shy to watch Astrid’s actions.

"...Then come on," Lyra said.

Time passed quietly, and after who knows how long, the cool and smooth silver hair fell on her thigh, followed by a gentle pressure. Lyra slightly opened her eyelids, just a crack, and immediately saw that flawlessly beautiful face, her heart instantly racing.

From this angle, Astrid shed her usual coldness, gaining a bit of indescribable gentleness. Her cold white skin was almost flawless, like fine porcelain, her long and thin eyelashes making those red eyes even more cold and alluring.

Halfway through peeking, Lyra felt her eyelashes being brushed by something, fully opening her eyes, it was Astrid’s hand.

"You said to let me vent on you, why are you so nervous now?"

"Do you think I’ll eat you?"

Looking at the woman’s two shiny and moist lips opening and closing, Lyra shook her head and whispered.

"No, no... it’s just the first time..."

"...A bit unaccustomed."

The sudden closeness in physical distance was definitely nerve-wracking, especially with the other person resting their head on her lap. This intimate posture, enough to make one’s ears burn, would naturally make her body tense up even if she didn’t think about it.

Astrid also noticed Lyra’s tensed muscles, her whole body like a startled little quail, her delicate nose gently exhaling, smiling as she spoke.

"I can really feel it."

For Lyra, having someone rest their head on her thigh was indeed a very novel experience.

The hand playing with the girl’s eyelashes returned to her waist. Due to the lying position, most of Astrid’s body leaned on the bench, with only her two long and smooth black-stockinged legs dangling outside.

It wasn’t Astrid’s habit to easily take off her shoes outside, nor was it something an imperial princess should do, so she didn’t choose to directly kick off her high heels, bend her knees, and use her feet to rest on the chair for the most comfortable lying position. Instead, she just hooked her black-stockinged feet on the shoes, relaxing.

Lyra tilted her head and saw the high heels slightly hooked on the other’s toes, the part of the foot exposed outside the shoe, wrapped in black stockings, smooth and delicate like chocolate ice cream, emitting a warm and tempting luster. Above were the small and exquisite ankles, so slender it seemed they could be firmly grasped with one hand.

Subconsciously moving her fingers as if wanting to grab something, Lyra came back to her senses, quickly looked away, and lightly bit her tongue.

No, no... what was she thinking...

Noticing the momentary panic of the person beside her, Astrid’s gaze passed over the girl’s budding peaks, meeting Lyra’s lowered eyes.

Just as Lyra had just composed herself, barely managing to hide the desire in her eyes from Astrid.

After a while, Lyra whispered.

"Astrid... how do you feel..."

Hearing Lyra’s question, Astrid remained silent for a moment, then quickly answered.

"Lyra’s legs are soft, a bit like cream... it’s very comfortable to rest on..."

Cream... What a strange metaphor...

As soon as she finished, Astrid added.

"Fortunately, you ate a bit more during the New Year. If Lyra’s figure were the same as before, I probably wouldn’t feel as comfortable resting on her."

If the person being rested on is very thin, especially a girl with little flesh on her legs, lying down would directly press on the bones, and the comfort would definitely not be good.

Lyra happened to have a relatively balanced figure, her thighs soft and tender with enough flesh, but not at all excessive, maintaining just the right amount, slightly showing a perfect arc when wearing long white stockings, displaying a healthy and perfect curve.

After speaking, Astrid turned her body, her cheek facing Lyra’s uniform skirt. As she was close to where the sock and thigh met, half of her skin was tightly pressed against the girl’s smooth and warm thigh, the other half resting on the smooth and delicate white stockings. The two completely different yet equally comfortable sensations indeed gave Astrid a feeling of relief.

The faint breath brushing against her thigh, as if even her skin was stained with Astrid’s temperature, Lyra nervously fiddled with her pink hair, then placed her hand on the bench, coincidentally covering Astrid’s fallen hand.

This touch was like hitting a hot iron, Lyra instinctively wanted to pull away, but this time her thoughts were faster than her actions. Thinking that immediately pulling away would seem guilty, Lyra had no choice but to silently leave her hand there, not making any further moves.

But just because she didn’t move, it didn’t mean the mischievous woman Astrid wouldn’t. Feeling the softness on the back of her hand, Astrid turned her hand over, her slender wrist twisting, five fingers slipping into the gaps between Lyra’s fingers, palm to palm.

Fingers intertwined, with her favorite person resting on her lap, Lyra’s heart was in complete disarray, like a wild horse galloping around the Elizabeth Academy of Magic.

Should I hug her... Princess Astrid is being so proactive...

The atmosphere is just right, wouldn’t it be impolite not to do something...

Pursing her lips, her face somewhat heated from the evening breeze, after a few minutes, Lyra mustered her courage, finally wanting to do something out of the ordinary, but then caught sight of Astrid staring intently at her skirt, her crimson pupils unfocused.

Is Princess Astrid daydreaming?

"..."

Like a balloon popped by a needle, the courage she had barely accumulated in that moment all ran out.

Looking at the spaced-out Astrid in front of her, Lyra ultimately said nothing, just silently held her hand, sitting with her calmly under the warm light.

On the other hand, Astrid indeed didn’t continue to pay attention to Lyra. Resting on a lap as warm as jade and as soft as cotton, Astrid’s thoughts unknowingly sank, beginning to recall the past two years since she awakened her memories.

Previously, she had always firmly believed that she was not a character from a novel world, but a real person who had crossed over. But as it seems now, she had long been inseparable from the name Astrid Calliste.

At this moment, perhaps she shouldn’t cling to the naive idea that she was just a passing traveler in a foreign land.

She was her former self, and also the third princess of the Valeria Empire, Astrid, not a reader outside the novel who could oversee everything from a god’s perspective.

This was a brand new and real world, and she was just an imperial princess with memories of her past life, capable of appropriately changing her own destiny.

Thinking about the doomed ending she was supposed to face, the life-and-death struggles with Lyra Beckett time and time again, and now seeing herself resting on the other’s lap, watching this young Holy Knight show her shy and simple side, everything seemed to have changed, and the once lifeless future gradually began to flourish.

It’s truly lamentable... the fated heroine and the villainess actually have a day where they can shake hands and even treat each other as friends...

After resting on Lyra’s soft lap for a long time, Astrid’s emotions completely calmed down. Feeling that lying any longer would affect her normal routine, the woman slowly sat up, her pointed heels lightly tapping the ground.

"Thank you, Lyra, I feel much better."

No wonder so many people in her past life thought that a lap pillow could effectively relieve mental fatigue. Resting on a beautiful girl’s lap, her nose filled with the other’s fragrance, and the incredibly gentle gaze that came with the lap pillow, every bit of it could make the person resting on it indulge in the tender embrace, unable to extricate themselves.

Even she, when leaving, felt a subtle reluctance.

Hearing Astrid’s words, Lyra blinked a few times, a faint satisfaction rippling in her blue eyes.

"It’s good that Astrid has relaxed."

She wasn’t wrong... this was indeed effective...

Looking at the bright-eyed Lyra, then at her legs that had been pressed for a long time and were slightly red, Astrid patiently waited on the seat for a while, until the knight lady had rested enough, then she stood up and took her hand.

"Are your legs still numb?" Astrid asked.

Lyra shook her head and whispered in response.

"No, let’s go back."

It was getting late, and there were classes tomorrow.

Hearing this, Astrid slightly nodded, her voice low.

"If Lyra needs it next time, I can do this for her."

What does she mean by this?

Lyra was momentarily stunned upon hearing this, and when she realized, her steps immediately paused, causing the glass bottle in her hand to rattle.

Could it be... Princess Astrid’s lap pillow?

Her gaze lingered on the woman’s long and smooth black-stockinged legs, Lyra’s heart instantly raced. Fortunately, her left hand was held by Astrid, so she didn’t end up walking awkwardly.

Could she really... have Princess Astrid’s exclusive lap pillow...

Her head was steaming with heat, Lyra wasn’t even sure how she got back to the dormitory, and it was only when the warm water flowed over her body during her bath that she gradually regained her senses.

She seemed... to have received an incredible promise...

At night, lying in the soft bed, Astrid hugged Amalia, intimately whispering in her ear.

Perhaps it was some kind of intuition, or perhaps there had been some changes. Amalia felt that tonight’s Astrid was different from before. If the previous sister gave her the feeling of a warm breeze, then at this moment, the breeze seemed to linger by her side for a long time, with no sign of dissipating.

"Sister..." Amalia whispered.

"You seem a bit unhappy?"

Having been in the wind for half the night and taking a long bath, the tear stains on her cheeks should have disappeared. Hearing Amalia’s words, Astrid gently pressed her legs, her pink lips slightly parting.

"Why do you say that?"

"Intuition."

Hearing this, Astrid thought that a child’s intuition was indeed sharp, and she rubbed Amalia’s head.

"It’s nothing."

"As long as Amalia stays by my side, I won’t be unhappy."

Cherishing the present is the most important thing.

After listening to Astrid’s words, Amalia didn’t speak immediately, but instead hugged her sister even tighter, and after a while, she said.

"Me too, sister."

"I love you the most."