Princess Astra had no idea that Mana and Raven had played out a scripted drama outside her walls solely for her to overhear and to recruit her into their get-rid-of-Mars plan unknowingly.
The love potion was real enough, though, and its effect lasted for roughly six months – by which time Mars and Astra would be happily settled in the Amber Kingdom and out of their way. Raven had spent an entire day concocting this really complicated love potion, and he had enhanced it to make it last for six months instead of the usual three. However, now that the love potion was ready, they still needed to figure out how to administer it to that annoying Mars. Neither Mana nor Raven had any intention to give Mars anything to eat or drink and risk being the first person to be seen by his drug-addled eyes!