CHAPTER 333: NO ONE HAS TRULY CAPTURED MY HEART

Warm breath brushed against the neck, like soft feathers incessantly tickling the throat, making Lyra’s heart itch.

The quiet Lake, near the water’s edge, bathed in moonlight, two figures with completely different auras overlapped.

A delicate nose sniffed, the scent of soap lingering on the silver hair after a bath mixed with the faint rose fragrance of Astrid’s body, creating an indescribable, noble, and elegant cold allure.

Lyra’s breath momentarily stopped, her gaze fixed on that exquisitely beautiful face.

Astrid’s red lips were very close to her, as if she could easily lean in and kiss them, tasting their softness and sweetness.

"...Do I look good?"

The lips, smooth as cherry blossoms, moved up and down, clearly asking a question that made Lyra’s heart race.

Was Astrid pretty? This question, whether from a subjective or objective standpoint, had only one answer.

Astrid Calliste, hailed by Emperor Hibbort as the most dazzling gem of the Valeria Empire, naturally had unparalleled beauty, and it was no exaggeration to call her the empire’s most beautiful woman.

If someone insisted that the third princess wasn’t pretty, it was either because they harbored deep hatred for Astrid, letting their bias dictate their stance, or their aesthetic was completely out of sync with the majority, or perhaps they were simply allergic to silver hair and red eyes.

Under the gaze of those cold, beautiful eyes, Lyra parted her lips, her legs clad in thin white silk unconsciously pressing together, only to touch equally soft calf muscles, between two shiny little leather shoes, a silver high-heeled sandal had somehow found its place in the middle, the delicate, smooth instep as white as snow under the moonlight.

"As... Princess Astrid..."

Adding the title of princess nervously when addressing Astrid, Lyra felt her whole body burning, unsure where to put her hands and feet. The suppressed flames in her heart were quietly awakened by Astrid’s intimate gesture.

"...Very beautiful."

So beautiful that even if you scrutinized her from every angle while she slept, you wouldn’t find a single flaw.

Receiving Lyra’s answer, Astrid continued to stare into the clear eyes beneath her, and as expected, she saw shyness and evasion.

Then there was just one last step, pointing to her out of all possible same-sex individuals.

Astrid narrowed her eyes, straightened her long legs, her left foot lightly resting on the shoe’s surface, her face leaning closer.

Sensing the fragrant breeze swirling on the skin’s surface, their eyelashes almost tangling together, Lyra lowered her gaze, seeing the softness almost flattened into a snow cake, her heart racing like a wild horse, almost leaping out of her chest.

Wh-what... What is she doing?

Leaning weakly against the boulder, a few strands of the other’s silver hair falling on her forehead, watching Astrid getting closer, Lyra’s ears turned red, watching as their lips were less than two knuckles apart, about to press together.

Is Astrid... going to kiss me...

Thinking of this possibility, Lyra’s inner excitement immediately took over, her eyelashes trembling slightly, then slowly closing.

Listening to Linda, when kissing a lover, one should be a bit enthusiastic.

For example... one could... appropriately use the tongue...

Seeing Lyra’s blushing face, eyes closed with a hint of anticipation, a complex emotion flickered in Astrid’s eyes, knowing her previous speculation was confirmed.

No need to deceive herself any longer.

In the end, their lips didn’t press together as Lyra had imagined. Instead, at the moment of approach, Astrid turned her face, leaning close to whisper in the girl’s ear.

"You’re very beautiful too, Lyra."

Opening her eyes, looking into Astrid’s smiling eyes, Lyra was momentarily stunned, a faint sense of loss washing over her.

For a moment, she wanted to raise her head and kiss those soft, smooth lips fiercely, to let Astrid know just how ambiguous the atmosphere she had deliberately created was.

"What were you doing just now, closing your eyes..."

The distance slightly increased, no longer as intimate as before. Astrid stood up straight, gently smoothing her disheveled skirt.

"Did you think I would kiss you?"

Hearing Astrid’s words, Lyra didn’t speak, just silently looked at the silver-haired princess shining like moonlight under the night sky.

Perhaps because they had been too close earlier, overdoing it, Lyra, leaning against the boulder, was surprisingly calm now.

Although her heart still fluttered for the person before her, the previous panic was completely suppressed, leaving only the constantly surging, passionate feelings she wanted to express.

Perhaps... there was a sense of throwing caution to the wind...

"Astrid..."

Lyra moistened her throat, her fingers clutching her skirt, her voice soft.

"It’s true that I like girls, but it’s not like I would accept a kiss from anyone just because they’re pretty."

Though Astrid hadn’t mentioned it from start to finish, in Lyra’s view, the previous questions might have given Astrid some misunderstandings.

She did like Princess Astrid’s beautiful appearance, but not entirely.

Her gentle personality, firm self, clear moral boundaries, and love for the empire’s people, different from other nobles, these internal qualities also contributed to her liking for Astrid.

In other words, it started with appearance, fell for talent, and remained loyal to character.

Hearing this, Astrid blinked a few times, continuing to wait for Lyra’s next words. The latter raised her eyes to meet hers, her pink lips parting.

"What I mean is..."

At this point, even with courage, facing someone she truly liked, it was impossible not to feel nervous.

Lyra took a deep breath, the phrase "I like you" rehearsed countless times in her mind stuck in her throat.

"...Astrid is special to me."

None of these sentences directly answered Astrid’s question, "Did you think I would kiss you?", but the implied meaning was even clearer.

She understood the meaning behind a kiss and, after realizing it, would only accept Astrid doing so.

Hearing this, Astrid blinked, seeing Lyra’s hesitation, and spoke up before the other could say something more crucial.

"Is that so... I understand what Lyra means..."

Not a confession, but akin to one. Continuing would likely remove the last bit of pretense.

Hearing Astrid’s words, Lyra continued to look into the other’s eyes, seeing the complex emotions within, her pink lips tightening slightly.

No need to say more. At this moment, both Astrid and Lyra knew certain things clearly.

Removing her hand from Lyra’s neck, Astrid turned, leaving a slender back to the other, while stepping towards the lake with her long legs.

The atmosphere fell into silence again. Lyra didn’t know what to say or do, so she silently followed.

’I understand, but what kind of answer is that?

Is it a rejection or acceptance...’

Lyra tried to think positively, but rationality told her Astrid’s attitude leaned more towards the former.

Without the industrial pollution of the previous life, the lake in this remote mountain village looked pristine, the cool water flowing over the sand, the shallower parts clear to the bottom under the moonlight.

Astrid arrived at the lake, looking at the shimmering water surface, sitting alone on a rock, and after a long while, spoke.

"Lyra, I once read a line in a romance novel."

Hearing Astrid speak, Lyra stopped, her hands clasped over her abdomen, instinctively performing a proper maid’s curtsy.

"...What was it?" Lyra asked.

Hearing this, Astrid didn’t turn back, continuing to look into the distance, her lips moving.

"It said that a confession is a song of triumph, not a battle cry..."

"In fact, before uttering those words, the confessor should already have a rough idea of the outcome."

This is the psychological state of most people before confessing. At least in determining a relationship, the possibility of success isn’t hard to judge.

"Of course, this can’t be generalized. After all, for heterosexuals, mutual affection and the idea of spending a lifetime together aren’t strange. Under the influence of societal norms, the progression from friendship to love between men and women is almost a potential progression, so the above theory can be more directly applied."

Astrid spoke while turning to look at Lyra, her two smooth, fair legs naturally crossed.

"Lyra’s situation is different. In the process of moving from friendship to love between same-sex individuals, without explicit support, both parties often encounter cognitive errors."

"For example, the other person being liked might never have considered making the relationship more intimate, and thus wouldn’t know that her intimate gestures might cause distress."

Astrid had heard some stories of lesbians falling for straight women in her past life, and these stories generally ended badly.

Hearing this, Lyra seemed thoughtful, and after half a minute, softly spoke.

"Is Astrid saying that line doesn’t apply to us... to me..."

Ignoring Lyra’s sudden change of wording mid-sentence, Astrid shook her head, her voice calm.

"Not entirely applicable, but not without merit."

"At least logically, the sentence is sound. If the person Lyra likes knows you like her and accepts your closeness and love, it’s a kind of subtext for moving forward."

If she had known Lyra’s feelings earlier, and responded to her actions with acceptance or rejection accordingly, Lyra might not have been so anxious and self-doubting now.

"..."

Astrid means... she only recently realized she likes her, hence the sudden change in behavior from before...

Following this logic, doesn’t it mean Astrid hasn’t accepted her feelings?

Even with prior mental preparation, realizing this still made Lyra’s spirit tremble slightly, an indescribable sense of loss enveloping her heart.

Seeing Lyra’s instantly downcast expression, Astrid sighed softly.

"I’m just expressing my understanding of a relationship. How to interpret it is up to Lyra."

"At least for me, if I suddenly found out about such a thing, my first thought wouldn’t be to agree."

She was used to weighing pros and cons in her actions. For something that would affect the latter half of her life, naturally, she couldn’t make a decision lightly. In events exceeding expectations, Astrid’s attitude tended to be conservative.

With these words, Lyra didn’t rush to speak. She just accompanied Astrid in the breeze, processing the information-heavy conversation.

Was she too hasty?

Astrid had just learned of her feelings, still in a state of uncertainty, while she, due to Astrid’s changes, acted somewhat uneasy.

If so... it wasn’t that she had no chance at all...

Let Astrid think more, spend more time together, and with both knowing the situation, try to move towards a romantic relationship.

As if grasping at a lifeline, a spark reignited in Lyra’s heart. Calming her thoughts, she adjusted her words and spoke.

"Then... Astrid..."

"Do you like girls?"

The answer to this question was crucial, determining the life or death of her feelings.

Hearing Lyra’s question, Astrid tilted her head, her tender hand resting on her chin, and after a while, softly spoke.

"Of course, I might even say I only like girls."

"Girls are soft, who wouldn’t like them?"

Despite inheriting the original host’s memories, she felt nothing for Tristian Velmont. Perhaps she should have realized earlier that her sexual orientation leaned more towards the same sex.

Soft... Astrid had said that when she hugged her before...

The more she thought about it, the brighter the future seemed. Feeling her heart race again, Lyra unconsciously took a couple of steps forward.

"If you like girls..."

"Does Astrid have someone she likes now?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, realizing her eagerness, Lyra lowered her gaze, rephrasing her words.

"Not necessarily like, but someone you have feelings for."

"That... if you don’t want to say, it’s okay..."

"I was just asking casually."

...Just asking casually?

Astrid looked at Lyra standing before her, her tightly pressed lips and eyes that wanted to look but didn’t dare, making it impossible to equate the word "casual."

"..."

Circling back and forth, they couldn’t avoid this crucial question. Astrid’s gaze swept over Lyra’s entire body, then turned to look at the calm lake in the distance.

Even with Lyra Beckett, who wore her love on her face, Astrid didn’t feel that intense emotion of wanting to spend a lifetime together.

She had to admit this, even if it might hurt a young girl in the throes of first love.

"I don’t have someone I like, nor do I have such abundant emotions as Lyra."

The usually clear and pleasant female voice now sounded less appealing in Lyra’s ears, even carrying a faint sting.

"At least in the current situation, no one has truly captured my heart."