After hearing Astrid's words, Lyra's long-held worries finally settled. She straightened her legs beneath the blanket, rubbed them gently against the cotton fabric, and then cautiously edged closer to the person beside her.
Feeling Lyra's joy, Astrid faintly, then casually draped her legs between the pink-haired girl's knees. Instantly, Lyra bent her knees, enclosing Astrid's bare calf, left exposed beneath her white silk nightgown, with her own smooth, silk-clad legs. The soft, delicate sole of her white-silk-covered foot lightly brushed against Astrid's bare skin.
"At any rate, after tonight's talk, my trust in Monica has definitely increased..."
"At least her motives are quite clear, and the intelligence she's provided holds significant value."
Trust those you employ; distrust those you doubt. With both the original storyline and current realities reinforcing her stance, Astrid had come to acknowledge this ally within the Kingdom of Velys.
