Chapter 162: What John Wants
While Liraya was cursing Kronos through her teeth somewhere deep in the Gaiya forest, Lys was standing in a noble’s receiving hall, cursing a different man entirely. Priest John.
A woman had been talking to him for nearly fifteen minutes now. She stood so close that her perfume wrapped around him with every small movement. She had already shifted position three times to block him from stepping away naturally.
She looked to be in her mid-thirties, dressed in deep blue silk that hugged her full chest and wide hips, showing a generous amount of her cleavage. Her smile stayed warm and inviting, a little too warm if you ask, and her questions felt carefully chosen to keep him trapped in the conversation.
"So tell me, Lysander," she said, tilting her head as she leaned in even closer, her half-bare chest almost brushing his arm, "what did it actually feel like? Facing a hobgoblin all by yourself in the forest? I heard you cut its head clean off in one swing. Is that true? You must have been so strong in that moment."
Her hand rested lightly on his forearm, fingers tracing slow infinity-circles on his skin. The touch lingered. Feeling her over-clingyness, Lys looked down at her fingers, then back up at her face. She did not move her hand away. Instead, she gave his arm a gentle squeeze.
He forced a small smile. "Uhh... It was not exactly like that. Things just got messy pretty fast."
The woman laughed softly, her body shifting so her hip pressed lightly against his thigh for a second. "Messy can be exciting, though, don’t you think? Especially when a strong young man comes out on top." Her fingers slid slowly up his arm toward his shoulder. "You must be very brave. Or very skilled. Maybe both? I can only imagine how powerful you felt standing over that beast. All that strength... it makes a woman curious, you know!"
Lys felt his neck heat up. The way she said it, combined with how her body stayed pressed close and her fingers kept stroking his arm, left little doubt about what kind of curiosity she meant.
He tried to take a small step back, but she also moved with him, keeping the distance closed. "I’m sure many ladies here would love to hear the full story in private," she continued, her voice dropping lower. "A hero like you deserves proper attention after such a dangerous fight. Maybe a warm bath, soft hands helping with those bandages... I would be happy to offer my assistance."
Lys swallowed. "That’s kind of you, but I’m still recovering...."
"Oh, I can be very gentle," she interrupted with a playful smile, her fingers now lightly tracing the edge of his bandage on his chest. "Or not so gentle, if that’s what you prefer. Strong men like you usually know exactly what they want, right?"
Lys felt that he was genouingly stuck with this crazy woman, and Selene was also nowhere to be seen, too, just when he needed her.
This whole situation had started barely an hour ago on the street closer to his house.
Priest John had blocked his path with two temple guards behind him. Selene stood a little to the side, her face pale as she tried to warn him with her eyes to turn back.
John had spoken loudly enough for people nearby to hear, talking about the baron’s daughter’s birthday gathering, important acquaintances who had already heard rumors about the hobgoblin fight, and how Lys’s bandaged appearance and missing teeth were actually the perfect visual proof of his strength and rising status. "Come now with me, boy," John had said, placing a heavy hand on his shoulder, "or the moment will pass. Let me get you acquainted with the higher people."
Lys had wanted to refuse. He had looked at Selene for support, but she only gave him a helpless look that said she was trapped, too. In the end, they had to climb into the carriage John had brought. The ride had been short but uncomfortable, filled with John’s talk about connections and opportunities.
And just like that, here he was, stuck in this crowded receiving hall while this woman kept pressing closer and closer, with no shame.
Her fingers trailed lightly up his arm toward his shoulder again. "You know, my husband is away on business for another week," she said softly, her breath warm against his ear. "The house is so quiet without him. If you ever feel like sharing more... private details about your adventures, you can always visit me. I would make sure you are very well taken care of. A long massage for those sore muscles, perhaps? Or anything else your body needs after such a hard fight."
Lys felt his face grow warmer. The invitation was very clear. He opened his mouth to give a careful reply when a familiar voice cut in from behind him.
"Lady Merin, how lovely to see you again," Selene said pleasantly as she appeared at his shoulder.
She had clearly extracted herself from another conversation across the room and navigated here with focused determination to save him from this woman when she saw who the woman was. She gave the older woman a polite smile that did not reach her eyes and stepped closer to Lys, her shoulder brushing his in a protective way.
Lady Merin turned, her hand finally leaving Lys’s arm, though she did it slowly. "Selene, dear. You look beautiful as always. I was just getting to know your... friend here. He is quite the topic of conversation today."
Selene smiled sweetly but stayed close to Lys. "Oh, maybe you haven’t heard. He is not my friend. He is my fiancée."
"Oh my. You don’t say. Sorry, darling. I hadn’t heard. I was just trying to have a chat with him, hearing about his eventful day."
Selene replied with a smile on her face, not wanting to be rude to her, as she was a wealthy merchant’s wife after all. "Sure you were, my lady. And yes, he has had quite the eventful day. But I’m afraid he still needs to rest after his injuries. We wouldn’t want to tire him out too much, would we?"
The three of them stood together in a momentary standoff. All smiles on the surface, but the air between them felt thick with tension. Lady Merin’s eyes flicked between Selene and Lys, and her lips curving into a knowing smile.
She clearly had no intention of leaving just yet, as her gaze lingered on Lys a moment longer, promising that the conversation was far from over.
