Before the knights or the remaining bandits could even turn their heads toward the trees, another arrow flew.

Thwack.

A bandit who had been raising his axe toward one of the knights dropped with a choked cry, the shaft buried in his chest.

Before anyone could figure out her position, Liraya had already moved a few steps to the side on the rise, changing her angle. She nocked and released again. The third arrow took another bandit in the side of the neck as he tried to spin around. He spun instead into the dirt.

Four of the bandits were down now. Every shot of the Liraya’s arrow was clean, even on an empty stomach and shaky arms. She had gotten a lot better with this crude bow in just a few days of desperate practice while stumbling through the forest.

The remaining five bandits finally read the situation. Four knights are still up front, and now some invisible shooter is raining arrows from the trees. The numbers had flipped hard against them.

"Shit, we’re done!" one of them yelled.

The young knight pushed himself up from the ground, breathing hard, his eyes wide as he looked toward the tree line. He felt it now that the unknown archer was on their side.

A big, broad-shouldered bandit with thick scars running across both arms swept his gaze over the trees. His eyes locked onto Liraya’s position for just a second. She saw his face tighten, but she wasn’t worried about her position being leaked now, as they couldn’t do anything to her even if they wanted to. Five armed knights were in front of them after all.

"Retreat!" he bellowed, voice rough and commanding. "Fall back, Now!"

The bandits didn’t need to be told twice. They turned and ran into the forest on the opposite side of the road.

Seeing them flee, the knights gave chase for a short distance, swords ready. They somehow managed to cut down two of the fleeing men before the rest disappeared deep into the trees. The scarred leader was one of the three who got away.

Liraya lowered her bow. Her arms felt like wet rope. She stayed hidden for a few more seconds, watching everything, catching her breath.

Then, suddenly, the door of the carriage the knights were protecting creaked open.

And a woman stepped out.

She moved with calm, steady grace, like someone who had seen worse and lived through it. Her dark green dress looked expensive but practical for travel, and her posture stayed straight even with bodies lying in the dirt around her.

She scanned the scene quickly, dead bandits, injured knights, the blood on the road, without a single tremble in her hands or legs.

Liraya’s shoulders dropped in relief the moment she saw her face. ’So, it really is her.’ All the risk she took just now, all the arrows, it hadn’t been for nothing.

She stepped out from behind the trees and started walking down the small rise toward the road, still holding her rough bow in one hand.

Seeing a woman coming out of the forest, the knights turned toward her.

Their eyes widened. A couple of them openly stared. After all, her torn golden dress barely covered anything important anymore. The fabric clung to her body with sweat and dirt, showing far more skin than it hid. Scratches and bruises marked her arms and legs. She looked exactly like someone who had spent days fighting the forest and barely winning.

The younger knight quickly looked away, cheeks red. Others swallowed hard but still kept their mouths shut.

The woman didn’t even glance at their reactions. She turned to her attendant, a quiet middle-aged man who had stayed inside the carriage, and spoke softly.

"Bring me the large fur coat of mine."

The attendant moved fast. He handed her a thick, dark fur coat. The woman took it and walked straight toward Liraya herself, not waiting for anyone else.

Liraya stopped a few steps away. Up close, the woman looked even more composed. Her eyes were sharp, taking in every detail of Liraya’s condition without pity or surprise.

Without a word, the woman stepped forward and draped the heavy fur coat around Liraya’s shoulders. The warmth settled over her instantly, soft and heavy. It smelled faintly of lavender and woodsmoke. Liraya pulled it tighter around herself without thinking, hiding the worst of her torn dress.

"Thank you," she said quietly, voice a little hoarse from thirst.

The woman studied her for a moment. "Who are you? Why do you look like this?"

Liraya kept her face calm. She had already thought about what to say while walking down the aisle. "My name is Liraya. I’ve been lost in this forest for four days. Just when I found this road, I heard the fight and saw you guys needed help. That’s all."

The woman tilted her head slightly. "What? Four days alone, inside the Gaiya forest? With only that rough bow?"

Liraya gave a small shrug. "I made the bow myself. Had to eat somehow. I just needed to get out of the trees."

She kept every answer short. Saying nothing about where she came from, nothing about why she had no food, no proper clothes, or how she survived in this deep in the forest where nobody survives alone. She let the silence sit after each reply, forcing the woman to fill it in however she liked.

The woman listened carefully. She didn’t push. Her eyes narrowed just a fraction, like she was filing away every evasion for later, but her voice stayed even. "Well, you saved my men. Especially that young Knight, whom I bought for a lot of money. Thank you for that. That last arrow... it was perfectly timed."

Liraya glanced toward the young knight, who was still watching her with a mix of gratitude and curiosity. "Well, what I can say, he was about to lose his arm. Seemed like a waste. Especially in a world like this."

Hearing that, a small smile touched the woman’s lips. It didn’t reach her eyes completely, but it was there. She turned and looked back at the carriage, then at the dead bandits on the road. Her knights were already checking the bodies and securing the area.

Liraya’s mind worked fast while the silence stretched. She remembered this woman’s name and reputation clearly from before ending up in the forest. Right now, this woman owed her. That debt was real, and Liraya already felt the shape of a plan forming in her head. Shelter, information, and a way forward, she could use all of that now.

The woman finally spoke again, turning to her. "Oh, I didn’t say my name. I am Madam Ines."

The name landed with weight. But Liraya kept her face neutral, though inside she felt a small spark of satisfaction, knowing she didn’t misremember; she was doing that a lot for the past couple of days. Courtesy of her shift to this mortal body from being a god.

Madam Ines gestured toward the open carriage door with a smooth motion. "Come. There’s no reason to stay on this road any longer. Let’s get you someplace to freshen up."

It wasn’t really a question. Her tone made it clear the decision was already made.

Liraya also didn’t argue. She nodded once and walked toward the carriage, the heavy fur coat swaying around her bare legs.

The inside looked clean and comfortable compared to everything she had dealt with for days in that forest. She climbed in without another word.

Madam Ines followed right after, settling across from her. The attendant closed the door behind them.

Outside, the knights mounted up again, and the carriage started moving down the road, leaving the fallen bandits behind in the dirt.

Liraya leaned back against the cushioned seat, feeling the gentle rock of the wheels. For the first time in days, she wasn’t walking. The warmth of the coat seeped into her tired muscles. She kept her eyes on Madam Ines, thinking about what to do next with this new opportunity.

The forest she had been in slowly moved past the small window as their carriage picked up speed.