Two minutes later, in Charlotte's private office, Astrid sat on a bench with a cup of steaming black tea in her hand.
Her cherry-red lips hovered near the rim of the cup, the fragrant steam gently rising as the tea's surface rippled slightly.
"Astrid, are you saying you want me to accompany you to the suburbs to inspect the fields?"
The office, though private, still carried a semi-public atmosphere, prompting Charlotte to address Astrid formally by her real name rather than the more intimate "Little Astr."
Astrid nodded, her lips glistening with a faint trace of tea, moist and delicate, as if coated with a glossy cherry-pink glaze.
"I lack the expertise to identify the issues with the land in the suburbs, so I came to ask Lady Charlotte to join me..."
Charlotte was aware of the problems plaguing the suburban lands.
She knew the task of addressing these issues had been assigned to Crown Prince Lucas by the Emperor Hibbort, and it should have had nothing to do with Astrid.
Could it be... that the girl was still trying to do Lucas a favor?
Charlotte glanced at Astrid with a complicated expression, then shifted her gaze to Lyra, who stood upright beside her.
Her eyes lingered for a moment, hesitating.
Noticing this, Astrid quickly understood Charlotte's concern and whispered, "They are all my trusted people. Lady Charlotte, feel free to speak openly."
Hearing Astrid's words, Lyra pursed her lips, a warm feeling swelling in her heart.
The head maid and Charlotte were old acquaintances, so she naturally wouldn't divulge any private conversations between her master and Charlotte.
Astrid's statement, however, carried a deeper meaning: it was a clear declaration of trust in Lyra, her valet.
This acknowledgment filled Lyra with joy, and she resolved to serve Princess Astrid with even greater dedication in the future.
Hearing this, Charlotte retracted her gaze, silently recited a spell in her mind, and cast an intermediate-level spell, Barrier Enchantment.
"It seems Prince Lucas has been closely monitoring this matter lately... Astrid, do you remember what you said this morning?"
She was referring to Astrid's earlier vow to stay away from Prince Lucas and avoid unnecessary involvement with him.
"Of course, I remember." Astrid's lips curved into a faint smile as she gracefully set the teacup back on the saucer.
"My investigation isn't to assist Lucas. It's simply to address the plight of the farmers on the outskirts of the imperial capital who have no land to cultivate."
"After all, no one wants the price of coarse barley in the market to skyrocket this autumn due to a shortage of raw materials."
Her reasoning was sound, but coming from Astrid, it felt somewhat delicate.
As a princess of the empire, she typically enjoyed the finest red wines from Royal Winery, a privilege of her noble status.
She lived a world apart from the hardships of common folk, who depended on a half-bottle of rough ale after a long day of labor.
Yet, Astrid's kindness toward the farmers brought satisfaction to Charlotte.
"Then I'll accompany you later."
The woman leaned forward, her arms resting on the lesson plan, her chest pressing lightly against the upright book.
It was all because Charlotte hadn't paid enough attention to Astrid before, which had nearly led the young princess astray.
Now, not only was she willing to accompany Astrid to investigate the land, but if Astrid even suggested moving a bed into her private office, Charlotte wouldn't refuse.
"By the way, what did Elowen talk to you about earlier?" Charlotte asked, her tone tinged with curiosity.
She had noticed the unusually harmonious atmosphere between the two during their conversation, and even she, as an elder, couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy.
"Professor Elowen was interested in perfumes, so we chatted a bit longer," Astrid replied.
As Elowen's colleague and close friend, Charlotte knew the Alchemy professor well.
Elowen was the type who wore mage robes year-round, rarely smiled, and maintained an intense curiosity about magical knowledge.
She never hesitated to seek advice when faced with questions, embodying the same fervor the Duke Velmont's family had for accumulating wealth.
In short, Elowen was a reliable colleague who excelled at everything except for her lack of interest in money.
"Did she ask you to teach her how to blend perfumes?" Charlotte pressed.
She had heard a little about Elowen's recent preoccupations.
Astrid answered honestly, "I'm not sure. Professor Elowen asked me a few questions about perfumes."
If it weren't for other pressing matters, Astrid wouldn't have minded continuing the conversation with Elowen.
While Elowen might be a novice in perfumery, Astrid, drawing on her expertise from her previous life, was confident that few in this world could rival her knowledge of fragrances.
"What exactly did she ask?" Charlotte inquired softly.
Astrid took another sip of black tea to soothe her throat. "Just some questions about the measurements of flowers and blending techniques. I shared what I knew."
The main issue was the lack of time; otherwise, Astrid would have loved to ask Elowen if she had ever experimented with aging fragrance essences.
Hearing this, Charlotte's eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of surprise in her tone. "Did she propose collaborating with you? For example, mass-producing the perfume you gave me and selling it to other nobles through the Velmont family's business network?"
Astrid slowly looked up at Charlotte, who was leaning over the lesson plan, her figure striking and commanding.
"No," Astrid replied simply.
However, before leaving, Elowen did hint at the possibility of future collaboration.
She mentioned that the next time they met, she would prepare a set of equipment for making perfumes, as Astrid had suggested.
"And—" Astrid paused, a tender smile gracing her lips.
"That bottle of perfume was carefully crafted by me, inspired by my memories of Lady Charlotte. It's the most fitting birthday gift for you, unique in the world."
"I won't share its recipe, nor will it be used for commercial profit. It's one of a kind, made solely for Lady Charlotte."
Hearing Astrid's unexpected reply and seeing the sincerity in the girl's clear, serious eyes, Charlotte's heart trembled slightly, and an indescribable emotion quietly stirred within her.
_This was made just for you... You're the only one..._
After a moment, Charlotte stood up casually, smoothing her hair as she whispered, "Little Astr's words are sweeter than ever now, enough to make anyone's heart flutter..."
Charlotte had to admit that she was genuinely moved by Astrid's words.
A sense of relief washed over her, the kind that comes when you realize the child you've watched over has finally grown up and learned to care for others.
Meanwhile, Lyra, who had been standing quietly by the door, glanced subtly at Astrid.
Her sky-blue eyes flickered with a fleeting look of longing before she quickly averted her gaze.
_Little Astr... And a gift that belongs solely to Count Charlotte..._
Their bond is truly special.