Liraya came out of the room she was in and saw the maid still waiting by the door even after she had excused her. She realised the girl must’ve been ordered to guide her to the dinner table. So, without asking for anything, she just followed the maid down the wide hallway. The soft soles of the new shoes were quiet against the polished stone floor.

The small dining hall was warmly lit by candles and a large fireplace. Madam Ines was already seated at the head of a long wooden table laden with food, roasted meat, fresh bread, thick stew, vegetables glistening with butter, and a bottle of dark red wine.

Ines looked up as Liraya entered the room. A slow, appreciative smile spread across her lips, seeing well-dressed Liraya up close. "Whoa, you cleaned up well, I see. Sit. Eat with me."

Liraya took the seat to Ines’ right. The smell of the food at the table hit her hard almost instantly. Her stomach twisted with real hunger, but she kept her movements measured.

She cut small pieces of meat, took modest portions of everything, and ate with the calm precision that centuries of divine etiquette had drilled into her. No one would guess she was fighting the urge to shove everything into her mouth. She looked very natural.

Ines watched her with open interest, dark eyes tracing the line of Liraya’s neck, the way the clean dress sat on her shoulders, the still-damp golden hair falling over one side. "Hmm, you certainly have good manners for someone who spent days in that forest."

"Well, what can I say! I’ve had practice for a very long time," Liraya replied smoothly, taking another small bite.

Ines poured wine into both their glasses. "So, Liraya, tell me. How exactly did a woman like you end up alone in the Gaiya Forest?"

Liraya wiped her mouth with the napkin. "Well, Bad luck, mostly. I was traveling. And took a shortcut that turned out to be a very long mistake, you can say."

"Well, that is a very costly mistake, I gotta say," Ines said, leaning back in her chair. Her gaze lingered openly on Liraya’s chest for a moment before moving back to her face. "So, where were you coming from?"

"North," Liraya answered easily. "Passing through. I don’t stay in one place long."

Ines smiled, slow and knowing. "Hmm, a wanderer then. Dangerous habit for a beautiful woman like yourself. Especially one who can put an arrow through a man’s throat from the trees." She took a sip of wine, eyes never leaving Liraya. "Most women I KNOW would’ve screamed or hidden. But you chose to fight. I like that."

Liraya gave a small nod, deflecting again. "I didn’t have much choice. You looked in trouble, and I needed a way out of the forest. So, it just seemed worth the risk."

Ines chuckled softly; her sound was low and rich. "Honest enough. And where are you headed now? Family? A man waiting somewhere?"

"No, no family," Liraya said. "And certainly no man either." She kept her tone light, giving just enough to seem open without revealing anything real.

Ines leaned forward slightly, resting her chin on her hand. The neckline of her dress shifted, showing more skin; it was intentional, and Liraya knew that. "A woman with your skills and looks, wandering alone... seems like a waste. I’m building something here in my viscounty myself. Something big. Trade routes, protection, and influence that stretch far beyond this backwater. And I need capable hands. People who don’t hesitate, like you."

She let the words hang for a moment, eyes tracing Liraya again with clear hunger, not even caring to hide her lust for Liraya now. "So, I want to offer you a position. What do you say? My personal knight. You’ll get good pay, better equipment, and a place where a woman like you can grow...become more powerful than you already are."

Liraya was already forming the polite refusal in her head, grateful but firm, something that kept the debt open without committing. She opened her mouth to speak.

"Especially now that I’m expanding interests toward the neighboring Buena village," Ines added casually, reaching for more wine in front of her.

Hearing the name of the village, Liraya went completely still inside. Her face showed nothing, but the name hit like a hammer to her.

’Buena village.’

It was the name of the place she had sent Alex’s soul to. The entire reason the council of gods had banished her here in this mortal realm in the first place.

She took a slow breath, keeping her expression neutral as best as she could. Ines was watching her closely, waiting for any reaction.

Liraya set her knife and fork down neatly. "Well, if you don’t mind," she said calmly, "then let’s finalize the terms."

Ines blinked, hearing that all of a sudden.

For the first time, genuine surprise crossed her face. She had clearly expected negotiation, hesitation, or maybe even a counteroffer. But this quick acceptance threw her off, but only for a second. A small, satisfied curve touched her lips, not quite a smile, but it clearly showed she was happy to hear that.

"Well then," Ines said, recovering smoothly. She raised her wine glass. "To new beginnings then. And capable hands, of course."

Liraya picked up her own glass and clicked it against Ines’. The sound rang clear in the quiet dining hall.

"To new beginnings," she echoed.

As they drank, Ines’ eyes stayed on her with open hunger and calculation. Liraya met the gaze evenly, already thinking about what to do from now on.

The forest might have changed her. But some things, like scheming and forming devious plans, still came naturally to her.

And that’s what she started doing in her mind.