The denser stretch of trees eventually thinned again, the packed dirt path widening as it rejoined a cleaner stone road that led toward the outer edge of the market district.
Lira adjusted the small purse at her side and glanced back at Ray once to confirm he was still following, her face had now returned to the same professional look she had worn since leaving the Black Orchid.
"The clothing shops Lady Seris prefers are just ahead," she said, "we will not take long."
Ray gave a short nod and kept pace beside her as the first proper storefronts came into view, wooden signs hanging over open doors and the low noise of the market beginning to reach them.
They had only walked a short distance along the main stretch when a small group of well-dressed women stepped out from one of the finer looking shops, their clothing richer than the average market crowd, jewelry catching the light as they talked among themselves.
One of them, a tall woman with carefully arranged hair and a sharp nose, noticed Lira first.
Her eyes moved over the dark maid uniform with clear dislike, then flicked to Ray and the collar at his neck before returning to Lira with open contempt.
"A Black Orchid maid out in daylight," the woman said, loud enough for the others to hear, "I thought Seris kept her little helpers locked inside with the rest of the stock."
The women with her gave short, unfriendly laughs.
Lira stopped walking but did not lower her head, her voice staying even.
"We are on assigned business, please continue on your way."
The tall woman stepped closer instead, looking Lira up and down with deliberate distaste.
"Assigned business, is that what she calls it now, sending her servants out to fetch things like common errand girls, how far the Black Orchid has fallen."
One of the others added in a sweet, cutting tone, "Perhaps the maid is looking for extra coin on the side, the uniform already shows she is used to serving."
Lira's fingers tightened slightly around the purse, but she still answered without raising her voice.
"I said we are on assigned business, that is all you need to know."
The tall woman smiled without any warmth.
"Listen to her trying to speak like she has standing, you are a maid who works in a pleasure house, nothing more, step aside before you dirty the street for the rest of us."
Ray had stayed quiet until then, standing a half step behind Lira, the system window faintly present at the edge of his vision while he listened to the exchange.
He moved forward now, placing himself slightly between Lira and the group, his expression the same calm he carried everywhere.
"She already told you to move on," he said, voice steady and clear, "are your ears as empty as your heads or do you just enjoy wasting time looking down on people who actually work."
The tall woman's smile vanished.
Her eyes locked onto Ray with sudden sharp attention, taking in the collar and the fact that a male had spoken to her that way.
"Did the stock just address us," she said, the words slow and cold, "Seris's pets are getting bold if they think they can open their mouths in front of their betters."
Ray did not look away.
"Betters," he repeated, the word flat, "you are a group of loud women standing in the street picking at a maid because it makes you feel taller, that does not make you better, it just makes you noisy."
One of the women behind the tall one let out an offended breath, but Ray continued before any of them could cut in.
"She has somewhere to be, you do not, walk away before you embarrass yourselves further."
The tall woman's face had gone tight, color rising in her cheeks as she stared at him.
"You will regret speaking to me like that," she said, each word clipped, "I know the Black Orchid, and I know how to make trouble for the people who work under Seris."
Ray's expression did not change.
"Then go make your trouble, standing here throwing insults at a maid is not as impressive as you think it is."
Lira glanced at him once, surprise flickering briefly across her face before she smoothed it away, then looked back at the group.
"We are leaving," she said, already stepping past them along the stone road.
Ray stayed where he was for a second longer, meeting the tall woman's angry stare without blinking, then turned and followed Lira toward the clothing shops.
Behind them the group of rich women remained standing in the street, their voices rising in sharp offended conversation, but none of them moved to block the path again.