Sansa left the room, leaving the space to the two of them.
She didn't want to make Lynn dislike her because of her own impropriety.
After Sansa left, Liana finally looked up.
In those clear blue eyes, there was no longer the worship and adoration she showed Joffrey, but an undisguised ambition.
Lynn raised an eyebrow slightly, looking at her with interest.
This uncut gem he had dug out of the brothel seemed even more interesting than he had expected.
Not only was she beautiful, but she was also quick-witted.
Indeed.
Such small figures often suffered more losses than anyone else.
It would be hard not to grow up quickly.
"So what do you want?"
"I want a chance."
Liana's voice was steady and clear, every word landing with force.
"A chance to control my own destiny."
"Gold dragons will be spent, will be stolen."
"Prince Joffrey's favor might also disappear at any time."
"I want to learn something."
She looked up, her gaze burning as she looked at Lynn.
"Learn things that will keep me from ever being stepped on again, from ever having to crawl back into the mud."
Lynn smiled.
He appreciated smart women, and appreciated ambitious smart women even more.
Liana was very clear about her situation.
She was Joffrey's most cherished toy now, but toys eventually got boring.
When Joffrey's novelty wore off, when he found a new "true love"...
Then her fate as the "ex" would probably be ten thousand times more miserable than in the brothel.
Liana had to find a real way out for herself.
And Lynn before her was her only way out.
"You are very clever."
Lynn nodded.
"From today on, you are not just Joffrey's woman, but also my student."
"Joffrey is a mad dog with no brains. He needs someone to think for him, to see the road ahead clearly."
"And you are his eyes, his brain."
Lynn walked up to her, looking down at her.
"I will teach you how to discern hearts, how to read the flow of power, how to exchange the smallest price for the greatest benefit."
"I want you to become the most indispensable and irreplaceable person by Joffrey's side."
"I want you to use your wisdom to chain this mad dog firmly to my chariot."
"To pave the way for my next moves."
After Robert died, Joffrey would be the hottest commodity.
He was arrogant, lacked empathy, and was a brainless fool.
Controlling Joffrey would be more substantial than any benefit.
Liana's body trembled slightly with excitement.
She knew she had bet right!
From a plaything that could be discarded at any time, she had leaped to become a piece beside the player, even having the chance to become a second-rate player herself!
"Yes, my Lord!"
Liana dropped to one knee, her voice filled with unprecedented determination.
"Liana's life, from this day forth, is yours."
Lynn looked at Liana and suddenly said something seemingly out of nowhere.
"Liana, don't blame me for being cruel."
"Sometimes this world is just like this."
"To gain, you must give. This is an immutable truth, just like water flowing downwards."
Liana understood Lynn's meaning.
She revealed a bright smile.
"My Lord, I was just a lowly whore. If not for you, I would probably never have a chance to rise. How could I resent you?"
Lynn nodded.
He acknowledged Liana's gratitude.
But this was her path; she had agreed to the plan herself.
"Liana, rest assured."
"You have been wronged in this matter."
"As long as you work earnestly for me, I will never mistreat you."
Liana left, full of joy.
Seeing Liana off, Lynn rubbed his brow.
Cersei, Margaery, Sansa, Liana...
The women of King's Landing all seemed to like visiting his room late at night.
Each with her own purpose, each wanting something from him.
He felt less like an Earl and more like a late-night counselor.
Specializing in solving the difficult problems of noble ladies.
Just as Lynn was about to close the window and end this busy night...
Knock, knock.
A hesitant knock sounded again.
Lynn sighed.
Again?
"Come in."
The door opened, and walking in was Sansa Stark.
She had taken the opportunity to change out of the gorgeous gown she wore at the banquet, now wearing only a simple, elegant blue dress.
Her beautiful auburn hair was simply tied back, her face free of powder, which only made her look more fresh and moving.
Only her eyes were slightly red, clearly having just cried.
"Lord Lynn."
Sansa curtsied to Lynn, her voice still carrying a hint of nasality.
"Still not resting so late?"
"Sit down first."
Lynn pointed to the chair beside him.
Sansa didn't sit. She just stood there, head bowed, hands nervously twisting the hem of her dress.
"I... I came to thank you."
Sansa finally mustered the courage to look up, her blue eyes filled with sincere gratitude.
"If not for you, I..."
"I only gave you a script, Sansa."
Lynn interrupted her.
"The one who truly completed this performance was you."
Lynn looked at her, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes.
Tonight in the banquet hall, Sansa's performance was perfect.
From the initial confusion, to the shock and heartbreak when publicly humiliated, to the final tearful, stumbling departure.
Every expression, every movement, was just right, impeccable.
With a perfect performance, she turned herself from an awkward victim into a weakling who garnered everyone's sympathy.
Successfully making King Robert, in his rage, personally dissolve this engagement that caused her so much pain.
This saved him a lot of trouble.
It also proved Sansa had truly grown.
"I used to... always think that as long as I was ladylike enough, obedient enough, I could get the happiness I wanted."
Sansa's voice was low, as if talking to herself.
"But King's Landing taught me that here, tears and obedience cannot buy anything."
"Only strength... only power..."
She looked up at Lynn.
In those once clear and ignorant eyes, there was something Lynn was very familiar with.
It was a craving for power.
"Thank you, Lord Lynn."
Sansa bowed to Lynn again.
"Thank you for opening another door for me."
Lynn looked at her, at this Rose of the North forced to bloom early by the cold wind in the ice and snow, and a subtle feeling arose in his heart.
"This is just the beginning, Sansa."
"Getting rid of Joffrey just means you jumped from one mud pit into another."
Lynn walked up to her, his voice very low.
"Remember what we are going to do."
"The position of Master of Coin is your true freedom."
"When you hold the purse of the entire kingdom in your hand, you will no longer need to look at anyone's face, no longer need to use tears to win sympathy."
Sansa's breath hitched slightly, and she nodded vigorously.
"I understand."
Looking at the girl's face filled with determination and resolve, Lynn smiled with satisfaction.
Sansa looked at Lynn's face close at hand, and subconsciously squinted her eyes, leaning in.
Just as Lynn was about to say something more, the study door was suddenly pushed open with a bang from the outside.
A small figure, like an angry little wolf, burst in.
Arya Stark.
She held "Needle" in her hand, the tip pointing straight at Sansa in the room.
Her gaze swept back and forth between Lynn and Sansa, her grey eyes full of wariness and suspicion.
Sansa also hurriedly separated a distance from Lynn.
"What are you doing?"
The study door hadn't been closed tightly, just left ajar.
Arya had been worried about her sister.
She knew how much Sansa liked that golden-haired bastard Joffrey, and knew how big a blow tonight's events in the banquet hall were to Sansa.
She was afraid Sansa would do something foolish, so she secretly followed behind.
Then, she heard the conversation between her sister and Lord Lynn.
She didn't hear very clearly, only catching sporadic words.
"Script," "performance," "thank you," "another door," "true freedom"...
These words combined together made Arya's little brain instantly imagine an annual emotional drama.
Her sister was heartbroken because she was abandoned by Joffrey, then the gentle and powerful Lord Lynn appeared.
Lynn comforted her, encouraged her, and opened the door to a new world for her.
Finally, her hateful sister had a change of heart and fell in love with Lord Lynn!
It must be so!
That's how the bards sing it in their songs!
"Arya! You are too rude!"
Seeing Arya like this, Sansa was both angry and anxious, instinctively wanting to use her authority as the elder sister to scold her.
"I'm rude?"
Arya sneered, gripping Needle tighter.
"You don't sleep in the middle of the night, running to Lord Lynn's room. A lone man and a lone woman, what exactly do you want to do?"
Her words were like a sharp knife, piercing the ambiguous paper window in the room.
Sansa's face turned red instantly, flushing from her cheeks to her ears.
"You... what nonsense are you spouting!"
Sansa was ashamed and angry, pointing at Arya, trembling with rage.
"We... we were just discussing serious business!"
"Serious business?"
Arya's gaze fell on Sansa's red face, her look becoming even more suspicious.
"What serious business requires blushing like that?"
"Is there anything that can't be discussed during the day?"
"You!"
Sansa was choked into silence.
She was indeed blushing, but not because of the dirty things Arya said.
It was because she suddenly realized that when she stood with Lord Lynn, her heart beat faster uncontrollably.
She would subconsciously want to show her best side.
She would feel secret joy because of a compliment from Lynn, and feel an inexplicable dizziness because of the unique masculine scent on Lynn when he approached.
Could it be...
Sansa's heart was in turmoil.
"Arya."
Lynn's calm voice interrupted the sisters' confrontation.
He walked up to Arya, looking at this little girl covered in thorns, shaking his head with some amusement.
"Put your Needle away."
Lynn reached out and gently pressed down her sword.
"I don't want to hear about a murder in the Tower of the Hand tomorrow, with the murderer being the Hand's own daughter."
Arya looked at Lynn, hesitated, but reluctantly sheathed her sword.
But her grey eyes still stared fixedly at Sansa.
"Say it! Do you like Lord Lynn?"
Arya cut straight to the chase, asking the most explosive question.
This was too blunt.
The air in the room solidified instantly.
Being hit on the mark, Sansa felt her brain buzz, going blank.
Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, she bristled instantly.
"Arya Stark! Are you crazy!"
Sansa's voice rose sharply, shrill and somewhat distorted.
"What nonsense are you talking about!"
"I am not talking nonsense!"
Arya stiffened her neck, not giving an inch.
"I heard everything just now!"
"You thanked him! You said he opened the door to a new world for you!"
"The way you look at him is exactly the same as how you used to look at that bastard Joffrey!"
Arya paused, seemingly trying to find a more accurate description.
"No! Even brighter than that time!"
"Bright... like an owl's eyes!"
"And you were standing way too close!"
"That is not a normal distance a lady should keep from a man!"
Sansa collapsed completely.
She felt all her thoughts were ripped open nakedly by her outspoken sister, exposed to the light of day.
Sansa was ashamed and indignant, tears welling up unbidden.
"I didn't! I didn't!"
Sansa covered her face, refuting incoherently.
"What do you know! You're just a brat who knows nothing!"
With that, she couldn't stay any longer, pushing Arya away abruptly and running out of the study crying.
In the study, only Lynn and a stubborn-faced Arya remained.
"Satisfied now?"
Lynn looked at Arya, a hint of helplessness in his tone.
Arya pouted, muttering softly.
"Who told her not to admit it..."
"She clearly does like you. I'm not that little girl anymore, I understand..."
Though she said so, a flash of panic passed through Arya's eyes.
She seemed... to have really made her sister cry.
"Lord Lynn..."
Arya looked up, looking at Lynn somewhat uncertainly.
"Does my sister... does she really like you?"
Looking at her face full of curiosity and gossip, Lynn suddenly felt a headache coming on.
One Sansa was enough to worry about.
Now there was an eccentric, combat-ready Arya added to the mix.
How come the Stark daughters were more troublesome than the last?