Lioran, as usual, couldn't take it anymore. His teeth clenched tightly in anger.
' This damned spirit… she's starting again…'
After a moment, he let out a long sigh and gave in.
"Fine… fine. Just please stop talking so much."
"Alright! You go rest. Leave the rest to me!" Anahita replied excitedly, and in the same instant, she slipped back into his body.
Lioran's body changed almost immediately. It was as if all the heaviness and negative energy had been washed away. His eyes lit up—bright and lively—and the tension in his face softened.
Now the control of the body had completely fallen into Anahita's hands. A warm smile spread across his face. He jumped up energetically and hurried toward the old woman who was carrying the tray of food.
Seeing this sudden one-eighty change, Zubi and Goba were stunned. Both of them stared at him with wide eyes.
'What just happened?' Zubi wondered to himself.
' Why did our lord suddenly turn back into that kind person again?'
Anahita reached the old woman, took the tray of food from her hands, and said cheerfully,
"Hey, auntie, you walk so slow. It's fine—I'll take it."
The old woman frowned and snapped back angrily,
"Hey, you brat, don't call me auntie! My name is Subina."
But Anahita seemed not to hear her at all. Still smiling, carefree as ever, she carried the tray away, humming something under her breath as she happily walked back toward their table.
The old woman stood behind them, watching quietly. She saw Anahita set the tray on the table and, without the slightest hesitation, scoop a large portion of the meat from Zubi and Goba's plates onto her own.
Goba stammered nervously,
"M-my lord… that was our portion…"
Anahita sat down at the table, picked up a piece of steak from her plate, and took a big bite. Chewing with her mouth full, she replied,
"Shut your mouth. I'm the one treating you, aren't I? So it's only natural that a little of your share ends up with me."
Zubi spoke, the frustration clear in his voice.
"But my lord… you took almost all of our food. That's not fair. This is unjust to subordinates."
Anahita, who clearly didn't care in the slightest about the "rights of subordinates," shot back angrily,
"You bastard, don't start talking logic when there's food on the table."
Then she stretched her hand toward their plates in a threatening way and added,
"Or do you want me to take the rest of your portions too?"
Zubi and Goba both flinched almost at the same time. In a hurried motion, they pulled their plates closer to themselves, as if rescuing some precious treasure.
"No, my lord… no…"
"Please forgive us… we were wrong."
From that moment on, they ate with almost comical caution—small bites, sneaky glances, and every few seconds their eyes darted toward Anahita's hands, afraid she might suddenly decide to make another "extra withdrawal."
Watching the scene, Subina couldn't help the smile that slowly spread across her wrinkled face. Under her breath, with a quiet voice tinged with longing, she murmured,
"Roya, my dear… are you watching from up there? After eleven years, Zubi is finally starting to change… So don't worry about him anymore, my sweet girl…"
....
Fifteen minutes later Anahita placed a hand on her stomach, letting out a satisfied breath.
"Ah… that was delicious. I think I'm finally full."
Goba frowned, unable to hold his tongue.
"My lord… you ate most of our food too. If you weren't full, that would've been the real surprise."
Zubi, who had been busy drinking from his large mug of beer, took a long gulp. Then he set the mug down on the table with a heavy thud and said with a hint of sarcasm,
"I thought you were a kind person—one of those people who shares their food with others. But I guess I was wrong… you're a full-blown food thief."
Anahita's expression changed instantly, shifting from satisfaction to fury. She slammed her fist onto the table so hard the plates rattled.
"You bastards! How dare you say something like that?! I'm your lord! My food is mine… and your food is mine too!"
Goba complained in a voice that sounded more like a whine than an argument.
"But if a lord eats his subordinate's food, the subordinate becomes weak… and then he won't be able to serve his lord properly."
Anahita lifted her mug, took a long drink of beer, then said impatiently,
"Shut your mouth. Even if you ate as much as a cow, you still wouldn't be of any real use to me."
Goba looked as if he had just been slapped. His face turned red. His voice trembled, but he didn't back down.
"That's not fair… how can you say something like that? Just a few minutes ago, you took all my money too."
Anahita shot him a sharp glare and slammed the mug down on the table.
"Idiot, didn't I tell you not to talk logic while we're eating?"
Goba looked at his nearly empty plate with despair and muttered,
"But the food's already gone, my lord…"
Anahita's eyes narrowed. Her voice turned cold with irritation.
"I don't care. I told you—don't say anything logical if it works against me. Or do you want another beating?"
Goba replied, confused.
"But you didn't say anything like that…"
Anahita snapped at him angrily.
"You idiot… you just said something sensible again…"
While their heated argument continued, the inn's door suddenly creaked open. A cold breeze swept in, carrying with it a man in a soldier's uniform. His armor still bore traces of dust from the road, and his sword hung neatly at his side.
The soldier glanced around, intending to head toward an empty table, but the sound of shouting from a particular table caught his attention. His steps slowed, and his gaze lingered on the group… and the moment he recognized Zubi's face, his eyes lit up. With an excited, booming voice, he called out:
"Commander Zubi! Commander Zubi! You're here… what a surprise!"
He immediately changed course, walking briskly and confidently toward their table.
Anahita, Goba, and Zubi froze. Their argument cut off mid-sentence as all three turned toward the voice. The soldier approached directly, stopping right in front of Zubi.
Zubi's face drained of color. His lips went dry, and under his breath, in a tone closer to a groan than a curse, he muttered:
"Ugh… damn it… I'm screwed."
The soldier stood squarely before him, a familiar, almost overly casual smile on his face. "Hello, Commander Zubi. It's been three days since you've been to the manor… finally found you here. What a surprise."
Sweat trickled down Zubi's temples. He forced a stiff smile.
"Yeah… what a surprise."
But inside, chaos churned.
'Damn it… what's this bastard doing here? That worthless merchant doesn't matter, but if he asks who Lord Lioran is… what do I say? I can't tell him he's my master… I have to get this idiot out of here, fast…'
Before his thoughts could settle, Anahita suddenly spoke up, her usual warm, carefree smile in place. She reached toward the empty chair next to her.
"Why are you just standing there? Come sit."
Time seemed to stop for Zubi. His eyes widened in horror, and he turned toward Anahita, panicking silently:
'No… my lord, why would you say that?'
The soldier, though pleased, still held up his hands awkwardly, shaking them nervously.
"No… no… I'm just an ordinary soldier. How could I dare sit here at the table with Commander Zubi?"
Zubi, seeing the soldier's reaction, felt a wave of relief and thought to himself:
'Yes… that's right, just go, disappear from here.'
Anahita added lazily.
"Come on, Zubi, he's not as important as you think he is…"
Zubi felt tears prick at his eyes, thinking:
'My lord… please, don't embarrass me in front of a soldier.'
The soldier's face flushed with anger at Zubi's disrespect. He shouted,
"How dare you insult Commander Zubi? Who do you think you are to speak about him like that?"
Zubi and Goba both tensed, anger flashing in their eyes at the soldier's tone and his disrespect toward Anahita.
Zubi stood up, his voice sharp with rage.
"Hey, you bastard, how dare you—"
Anahita cut him off calmly.
"I'm a friend of his."
Zubi blinked in surprise. Tears welled in his eyes as he thought,
'My lord… you called me your friend so that no one would know I swore loyalty to you and I wouldn't lose my position. I'll never forget your greatness, and I'll serve you as long as I live…'
The soldier bowed nervously, stammering an apology.
"R-really? Please forgive my rudeness. I didn't know you two were friends."
Goba shot him a glare.
"You little bastard… when your commander is sitting here, you don't need to speak for him…"
"It's fine. Sit down now, if you want…"
Anahita said warmly.
"But… my lord—"
Goba started, but Anahita shook her head gently.
"It's fine…"
The soldier, seeing how quickly Anahita had accepted his apology, lifted his head and smiled gratefully.
"Thank you for accepting my apology…"
Then he glanced at Zubi, as if asking permission to join them for the meal.
Zubi let out a quiet sigh.
"Sit down already…"
"Yes, Commander…"
The soldier replied immediately, sliding onto the empty chair next to Anahita. He raised his voice cheerfully:
"Aunt Subina, come take my order…"